So Much Urgent News, So Little Time ~ Prepare!

From Natural News (recommended source for news, health info, prepping and globalist agenda):

Transformer Shortage Threatens U.S. Grid Expansion as AI Boom Drives Electricity Demand Higher

America’s largest grid operator warns of power rationing as data center demand spirals

From Zero Hedge (recommended alternative news source), one more suspicious refinery fire:

Fire Erupts At HF Sinclair Refinery In Tulsa OK

Excerpt:

There has been a notable uptick in "refinery fire" news stories, according to Bloomberg data, whether those stories are from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or the U.S. [also Australia and India, not to mention the targeted attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure, fertilizer plants seem also to be getting targeted].

From Bull Theory:

THE WORLD WILL RUN OUT OF OIL RESERVES IN JUNE 2026

From The Economic Collapse:

Megadrought: We Just Experienced The Driest First Three Months Of A Year In U.S. History

Note: Unless we specify that a site is “recommended,” we are not necessarily endorsing it.

May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

I’ve been doing these monthly posts every month, for so long (9 or 10 years), that I am starting to feel the need to shake it up somehow…maybe literally?  What if I come up with a bunch of ideas regarding the monthly themes, and pick them out of a hat (or a plastic cup)?   Let me make a list of what these could be:

1) Refer to an old post on this blog.

2) What does the old Catholic Encyclopedia have to say?

3) What does Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary have to say?

4) What does the Catechism have to say?

5) What have the Church Fathers or saints had to say about this topic?

6) What about Holy Scripture?

7) Has the Church made official pronouncements related to the theme?

8) Can I recommend some books or other products?

9) Is there a traditional hymn?

10) Is there text from the Mass, a prayer or a devotion?

11)  What does EWTN have to say?

12)  What does the Vatican News have to say?

13)  What about history relating to this monthly dedication?

14)  How does the theme relate to the Liturgical Calendar (this could be challenging)?

15)  How does it relate to the Pro-Life cause?

16)  Is there an apostolate or religious order dedicated to this person or gift of our Faith?

17)  Is there a location we could focus on?

18)  Can we come up with new ideas on how to celebrate the theme in a family or seasonal way?  Can we work it into our homeschooling? 

Okay, I am liking this idea, so let’s put it into action RIGHT NOW!  I will have my husband Don pick it out of a cup (they will be eliminated as we go)….. 

He Picked Traditional Hymn! 

That is such a great (and easy) one for Our Lady.  It’s a great idea to learn prayers in Latin, and here is a wonderful one below.  The Latin language is lyrical by nature, and lends itself to song.  The words here are so beautiful, they speak to the glory of the Mother of God.  Simply articulating these words seems to open up the clouds… 

Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria”

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc, ​et in hora mortis nostrae.

Amen. 

In this month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we celebrate Our Lady of Fatima on the 13th, which is the date of her first apparition.  This year, this is also the Vigil of the Ascension and a Lesser Rogations Day.  Are we to be joyful or penitential?  You decide.  We have one more Marian feast in the post-conciliar calendar, Mary Mother of the Church, on the 25th (which is also +Memorial Day+ and within the Octave of Pentecost in the trad).  It is fitting that Mothers Day is in Our Lady’s month and don’t forget Saint Monica on the 4th, known for being the great mother of Saint Augustine. 

As touched upon above, the Ascension of Our Lord, Ascension Thursday, is the 14th, with some dioceses transferring it to Sunday, the 17th.  Pentecost Sunday is the 24th (with a vigil) and the Most Holy Trinity, the 31st.   

This is an interesting month, in that we have both the Lesser Rogation Days and the Ember Days (being more specific to the seasons).  Double prayer and penance, 3 days each (do a search on this blog for more info).  

The US Armed Forces Day is the 16th.  Please remember our young men and women in prayer. 

We can take all these opportunities this month to pray and sacrifice for world peace and an abatement of the looming energy, supply and food crisis, what we might call polycrises or multi-front attack vectors (some entity is pulling the strings to create a perfect storm, if you are paying attention, this is very obvious…and that entity is ultimately Satan).  Our Lady of Fatima, to whom this ministry is dedicated and who we honor this month, gave us the antidote to these times in her requests!

Some other notable feasts this month:  

5th-Pope Saint Pius V

11th-Saints Philip & James, Apostles

11th to 13th-Lesser Rogations

15th-Saint Isidore the Farmer (we like him, post-con)  Saint Isidore, pray for those who are now vulnerable to hunger, due to the lack of, or the expense of fertilizer or other needed supplies in food production and transport.

18th-Pope Leo XIV, Inauguration Anniversary

27th, 29th, 30th-Ember Days of the Coming Summer

*** Prepper Challenge for Spring *** 

With current events in mind, it’s the same as it was for March & April...Make a plan! 

“15 Points Preparedness Worksheet” 

“Biblical Support for Preparedness” 

~ Noah was the original prepper ~

Thought for the Day

Prepping is no longer a dress rehearsal.

March is the Month of Saint Joseph-Part 2

Why does Holy Church dedicate the month of March to Saint Joseph?  As probably all of you know, his feast is celebrated on the 19th, honoring his espousals to the Mother of God.  It is interesting to note, this feast always occurs during Lent (unless it happens to fall on a Sunday, in which case, have your Italian dinner with tiramisu to celebrate!)…as Easter falls between March 22nd and April 25th (Sunday after first full moon after vernal equinox, which the Church fixes at March 21st MORE INFO).  So it is a no-brainer to incorporate Saint Joseph’s feast into your Lenten exercises.  Some ideas:  attend Mass, read the Mass from the missal, pray a novena starting 9 days before the feast, give alms in honor of Saint Joseph.

Other notable feasts this month in both calendars…

3rd-Saint Katherine Drexel, USA

7th-First Saturday of the Immaculate Heart / Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor of the Church

17th-Saint Patrick, patron of Ireland

18th-Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop & Doctor of the Church

21st-Saint Benedict, founder of monasticism, twin of Saint Scholastica

22nd-Passion Sunday, begins octave of Passiontide in the trad

24th-Saint Gabriel the Archangel, immediately before the Annunciation

25th-Annunciation of the Lord/Blessed Virgin Mary

27th-Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, always one week before Good Friday

29th-Palm Sunday, Holy Week begins

Prepper Challenge for March:  Make a Plan!

How did you do with last month’s pantry organizing challenge?  Feel free to contact us with your thoughts and we may post it!  Please know, I am doing these challenges with you.  I have bought some great products and also have been watching motivating videos.  There are so many resources out there now for decluttering, minimalism and organizing.  (Yes, you can and should be a minimalist prepper.)  Here are some products I love:

The Home Edit 3-Tier Shelf      OXO POP Container

I have also been insanely getting into making custom labels.  I bought a thermal label printer, which works from your PC or phone, a lot like Power Point.  You can be really creative and it’s lots of fun.  The older strip-tape manual printers are still quite common and they work great too.

We are now at war with Iran.  This could go in many concerning directions.  Iran is a whole different animal than anything we have ever dealt with before.  Supply issues is a major concern…along with the domino effects this may have.  So, consider yourself warned.  Avail yourself of reliable alternative media, which we regularly refer you to, to stay informed.  In terms of supply, I recommend having a reasonable amount for your family, plus a little extra.  People may need to stay with you.  You may also need to help others in your community.  It is impossible to say “how much” you should have, but cluttering your home is counter-productive.  Pray for guidance and trust God.  And don’t worry, be at peace…and learn how to be resilient (gardening, sewing, keeping small animals and other useful non-electronic skills).

So, this month, think about what I have said above and please print our…

15 Points Preparedness Worksheet

This 4-page worksheet will make it super easy to sit down with your family and make a concrete preparedness plan for the next 12 months and beyond.  And it’s not what you expect, it is from a holistic perspective, based on over 20 years of research and experience. Don’t delay, just print it and start filling it out.  I’ve made it easy for you!  And again, I am doing it with you. It’s about time for me to review this and spiff up my own plan. (If you are local to Long Island, please note I am available to give a talk on this.)

February is the Month of the Holy Family / Update

UPDATE:  This blog and the work of Nomen Christi Apostolate will be undergoing changes this year.  Please be patient as we work out these changes.  The monthly theme posts will remain similar, including one idea as to how we might celebrate the focus of the month.  The homeschooling suggestions will be replaced by one preparedness task each month.  If you are conducting your children’s Catholic education at home, you might want to look at the “Homeschool Activities” topic to the right>>> to get some fresh ideas, but we will not be dealing with this topic as often.  Please note, we always welcome the thoughts of our readers and may share them!  We also appreciate a first name and city/country.

If you look at the past numerous years I’ve been doing the Catholic monthly dedications, you will see I have always done The Passion of Our Lord for February.  This is because I was working with a certain calendar for many years and this is what it indicated.  The monthly themes are not official, some months have more than one.  These themes have developed over the centuries in different times and places.  The consensus for the month of February is actually the Holy Family, so this will be our first presentation of this theme.

There is no feast of the Holy Family this month, but let us look at when the feasts are, in the post-conciliar and the trad calendars…

Vatican News mentioning both feasts:

The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is normally celebrated on the Sunday after Christmas. This feast developed at the beginning of the 19th century in Canada and then spread to the entire Church in 1920. At first, it was celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany. It is a Feast that seeks to portray the Holy Family of Nazareth as the “true model of life”…from which our families can draw inspiration and know where to find help and comfort.

So in the trad, we celebrate the Holy Family in January and the newer calendar celebrates it in December.   We can see the logic in keeping this triune family close to Baby Jesus’ birth and also near the visit of the Magi to them.  Certainly honoring and meditating upon this most noble and of families, a reflection of the Most Holy Trinity, is greatly worthy…so holy Church in her traditions, has given us this month to do so.  December was concerned with the Divine Infancy and January with the Holy Name of Jesus, both months containing those feasts.  Now we move to Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the environment chosen to bring this Divine Life into our world, to give Him His Name and to raise and nurture Him, until He came into His mission to proclaim the Good News…and to redeem us by His death.  It is quite appropriate to honor the Holy Family in this month which usually closes the Cycle of Christmas (some years, this will be January, if it’s an early Easter).

The one feast this month which relates to the Holy Family is the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Presentation of Our Lord (also known as Candlemas), on the 2nd.  Certainly, Saint Joseph would have been with Our Lord and Our Lady in the Temple on that day, as they rejoiced together, observing the Jewish law. 

One way to give honor to the Holy Family this month is to pray the beautiful…

LITANY OF THE HOLY FAMILY

…perhaps on Candlemas?

Oh, did I mention Septuagesima begins on the 1st?  Every year, my penance begins during Septuagesima because I have to keep typing that word.  That is not a joke, you try it.  Septuagesima.  That’s 3 times.  Someone just got out of Purgatory.

Ash Wednesday is on the 18th, get ready for Lent!  Wow, we also have the Ember Days of Lent, or Spring, on the 25th, 27th and 28th.  See “Ember Days” topic to the right>>>.  Let us pray for mercy and blessings upon the coming season.

Additional notable feasts of February, from both calendars:

3rd-Saint Blaise, Blessing of Throats

7th-First Saturday of Reparation to the Immaculate Heart

8th-Sexagesima Sunday

11th-OUR LADY OF LOURDES

14th-Saint Valentine, let us pray for chastity

15th-Quinquagesima Sunday

24th-Saint Matthias, Apostle

***   PREPPER TASK FOR FEBRUARY   ***

Were you rushing to the store just before this past week’s big storm?  Don’t be that person.  Be the person who is sitting by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate laughing at all the people panicking and running to the store!  Of course as preppers, we are not only concerned about the short term emergency, but also the longer term one, or even permanent societal change.  So having a well-stocked and well-organized pantry is essential.  Here is the task…

Throw out all the expired food in your cupboard.  Arrange food roughly according to expiration date, oldest in the front, newest in the back.  I have a “fast track” spot for almost expired items.  (If you have children, this is a wonderful family activity and also a prepper lesson).  You’ll be able to see what you are lacking, and make a shopping list for these things.  This is your new lifestyle!

First be concerned about getting your everyday pantry organized.  Then you can start on what we call “stocks.”  (As opposed to “stockpiles.”  We are not doing institutional prepping here.)  These will be kept in a cool, dry, mouse-free area of your house (don’t assume mice won’t be able to tear through heavy packaging, believe me they can smell and tear through almost anything.)  These will be food and other essential items that your family needs for longer term storage.  There are many companies now that deal specifically in these types of items, just do a search.  Of course, buying in bulk can be a great option too.  Again, these have to be organized according to expiration date.  One way to do this is to have a separate shelf for each expiration year.

Prepping is a lifestyle that requires work and commitment, there’s no getting around that.  But the peace of mind it provides is more valuable than gold.  Gold.  That’s another topic!  Look into it (but this is not financial advice).

Have a blessed February and a Lent that will bring you closer to the risen Christ.

Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord

Today is Epiphany in the post-conciliar calendar of the USA. In the trad, it is always January 6th, immediately following the 12 Days of Christmas.

Here is the traditional Epiphany Blessing of the Home, which has become more popular in recent years. This version is Nomen Christi Apostolate’s, based on research involving several good sources. How wonderful to revive these treasures of our Holy Faith!

epiphany blessing of the home PDF

And here is our Epiphany Topic for further info.

The Epiphany Blessing format suggests singing a hymn at the end, here is…

“We Three Kings of Orient Are”

Feast of Mary Mother of God / Circumcision of Our Lord

Wishing everyone a blessed New Year, a year which brings you closer to the Most Holy Trinity and the Kingdom of Heaven.

We celebrate 2 feasts, one in the post-con and one in the trad, honoring Our Lady and Our Lord, in the first shedding of His sacred Blood.

We pray for mercy and a return to purity and innocence, as these things are under aggressive attack. Upon the dropping of the New Year’s ball in Times Square, New York last night, 2 men smooching were shown. Sorry to have to describe this, but there is no other way to say it. The corrupt who are in powerful positions are normalizing this in every way possible, desensitizing people to it. Don’t be a victim, disengage yourself from such things completely. We could complain all we want, but people like us just don’t matter anymore, I guess. I complained last year about similar content in a family play in New Jersey and was dismissed by the theater management as having no valid viewpoint.

What’s the solution? For the sake of our children, WE MUST CREATE A PARALLEL SOCIETY. There is no other choice anymore. This is a very good meditation at the start of this new year and it should inform all of our decisions…are we getting closer to this goal or remaining in denial?

Finally, I am struggling with the flu and will write the monthly dedication post when I am able.

Beethoven's Thanksgiving / Christmas Gifts

The past few months have been light here, due to a number of disruptions, and there was no subscriber newsletter for October or November. We will be getting back on track!

Sunday, November 23rd is the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe in the post-conciliar calendar. King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

As Americans are thankful this week for all our incredible blessings “from sea to shining sea,” especially the riches and freedom of Holy Church, remembering (note Our Lord exactly quotes Deuteronomy)…

“He afflicted thee with want, and gave thee manna for thy food, which neither thou nor thy fathers knew: to shew that not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.”
Deuteronomy 8:3

“[Jesus] answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God.”
Matthew 4:4

Of course, let us pray for all places of persecution and martyrdom which Christians are suffering with at this time. Let us count our blessings and fight the good fight lest these evils increase upon us. And let us pray for the soul of Charlie Kirk and his family, since many consider him, including Bishop Athanasius Schneider, to have been a US martyr. Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him!

*** Beethoven Was a Man of Gratitude ***

Beethoven: Hymn of Thanksgiving

On this feast of St. Cecilia, martyr, the first incorruptible, and patroness of music, let us talk about Beethoven! This piece starts out slow, but picks up pace. It can be a meditative experience, trying to place yourself in Beethoven’s shoes, after a brush with death. Some may superficially deem this like a dirge, but we the devout, know that there are deeper levels to spirituality which defy common perceptions. This piece parallels the one below, which was written 17 years earlier, expressing a shepherd’s thanks after a storm, but they are entirely different, the latter being more accessible. Is this shepherd thanking God for the rain, or that the storm has passed? Maybe both! It was presented at the same concert in which Beethoven’s amazing “5th Symphony” was first played, in Vienna, 1808 (see notes below).

These are both parts of larger pieces. From the video notes:

This movement from Beethoven's String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132, has been described as "Music in its purest form, that transcends time and space, style, and history." Beethoven himself gave it the descriptive title, "Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der Lydischen Tonart" (Holy Song of Thanksgiving of a Convalescent to the Deity, in the Lydian Mode). Beethoven was giving thanks for recovering from a digestive ailment in the winter of 1825 that nearly cost him his life. We give thanks that he chronicled his recovery in this incredible music, and that our Ensemble in Residence, the Borromeo String Quartet, is on hand to perform it.

Michael Parloff on Beethoven’s “Holy Song [Hymn] of Thanksgiving”

This is a very interesting short study on this piece. From the video notes:

Beethoven completed his A Minor String Quartet, Op. 132, in July 1825, shortly after recovering from a severe, life-threatening illness. His recovery prompted one of the few genuinely autobiographical manifestations in his music. He expanded the quartet’s traditional four-movement structure to include an ecstatic middle movement entitled…(A Convalescent’s Holy Song of Thanksgiving to the Deity, in the Lydian Mode). Beethoven’s radiant Holy Song of Thanksgiving is one of the most transcendentally spiritual movements ever written.

Beethoven: Shepherd's Song, Cheerful & Thankful Feelings After the Storm

From the video notes:

After the merry gathering of the countryfolk and the storm comes, the finale of Beethoven's Sixth, titled "Shepherd's song, Cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm," with the Italian tempo mark "Allegretto" (slightly fast). Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F Major, opus 68, 'Pastoral', is so different from his Symphony No. 5 that it's almost hard to believe that they came from the same composer. All the more surprising: Ludwig van Beethoven worked on both at the same time. Both were presented on December 22, 1808 in the same, four-hour concert at Vienna's Theater an der Wien that also included his Fourth Piano Concerto and other music. One might wish that a time machine existed to take us back to that notable event. At least, however, this performance comes from Beethoven's home town, Bonn, Germany, where the original score to the Symphony No. 6 is preserved at the Beethoven House archive. Studying original sources is important to conductor Paavo Järvi, who prepared these recordings over a period of years in the "Beethoven Project."

*** Christmas is Coming! ***

Book: Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers

From the publisher’s notes:

Handel, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Dvorak, Stravinsky, Messiaen . . . Men of genius as different as their music - but all inspired by deep spiritual convictions. Peter Kavanaugh uncovers the spirituality of twenty of music's timeless giants, revealing legacies of the soul as diverse as the masterpieces they created. Warmly written, beautifully illustrated, and complete with listening recommendations for each composer, Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers is a fascinating look at the inner flame that lit the works of these masters.

FSSP 2026 Liturgical Calendar, Trad Missals & Other Gifts!

*** A Blessed Thanksgiving Day to All! ***

Catholic Land Movement Summer Events

[Edited since posting.]

There are 2 upcoming events, one in New York and one in Indiana. I’m a member and attended my first conference last year. The topics were very interesting, including general gardening/farming, advanced water infrastructure and the philosophy and history of agrarianism. They had vendors, great food and spiritual activities on beautiful grounds. Also, lots of children!

“The Catholic Land Movement exists to facilitate the rural resettlement of Catholics onto productive property which they own.”

New York Regional Day Conference

• Saturday, July 19, 2025, 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

“Join us for a day of practical workshops, speakers, and fellowship at Rosa Mystica Shrine, Edmeston, NY (near Cooperstown), on July 19th. Great place to meet other Catholic Homesteaders and agrarians.'“ (I’m in charge of food for this event. I need help!..I’m also a backup speaker.) Workshops will include topics similar to last year, in addition to tin-smithing and meat prep. There will be a low Tridentine Mass to start the day.

2025 National Conference

• Fri, Aug 29, 2025, 5:30 PM-Sun, Aug 31, 2025, 6:30 PM

“Join us for our 4th Annual National CLM Conference, hosted by Edelweiss House in Greensburg, Indiana.

Spread the word!

“Dear Ian, I know you said to stay away from riot-stricken areas, but I have obligations. Advice?”

“Yeah, don’t go.” READ MORE:

Needs must drive, When the Devil dances

The Bugscuffle Gazette