Saint Joseph the Workman / Update

May 1st we celebrate the feast of Saint Joseph the Workman, honoring him as a laborer and humble participant in Jewish society. The prayer below is not specific to this feast, but it is so beautiful. It is from The Raccolta, a short prayer, easily committed to memory…

“O Joseph, virgin father of Jesus, most pure spouse of the Virgin Mary, pray for us daily to the Son of God, that, armed with the weapons of His grace, we may fight as we ought in life, and be crowned by Him in death.”

Unfortunately, I am suffering numerous health issues, including continued eye problems which reduces my ability to work on electronics. I would ask for your patience and prayer for myself and my family. You have my deepest thanks and all my readers are always in my prayers as well. Chiara:)

Update

Some of you may know I suffered a traumatic brain injury (concussion) last summer and some of the symptoms suddenly got worse about 2 months ago. The main problem is light sensitivity (abnormal dilation) and what is called “convergence insufficiency,” having to do with focus. This makes electronics difficult and it must be limited. I am sitting here right now with the brightness on zero and wearing sunglasses. Even taking these measures, I still must limit exposure to the minimum and gradually get back to normal as I am able. I am now in vision therapy and do see slow improvement. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

As for the WEF Series, I will be putting a post up about “brain transparency,” but first, I would like to do a general introduction, which I am working on.

No I’m not gonna talk about the Chinese “spy balloon.” The whole society has become an incomprehensible clown show and my plan is to cut out and do my own thing with other good Catholics in some rural area. I don’t say this is for everyone, but we all must pray and discern what God wants from us at this insane and pivotal time in human history. I want to come up with a joke about that balloon, but it is its own joke (anyway, everyone else is doing that-check out the memes!). The world is so absurd now, you can’t even parody it.

Regarding EctoLife...and another update...

So apparently this all started with a YouTube video which appears to be a promotion/advertisement for a new artificial womb facility, I am not sure where. My assessment with admittedly, very little research, is that this is a deceptive presentation. It is very dense and there is much that can be said about it. But at the end of the day, how much time do we really want to give to Satan and his designs, when we could be building a new world…not the “Brave New World” depicted here. So, don’t get too upset, keep calm and carry on! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Posts will be brief and possibly badly written for the foreseeable future, as my traumatic brain injury is seriously affecting my ability to be on any electronics…thank you for your understanding.

Advent / Month of December: Divine Infancy & Immaculate Conception

I am sorry my friends but for some reason the concussion symptoms after 4 months have taken a dramatic turn for the worse and I must stay off electronics as much as possible right now. Christmas blessings to all! Advent blessings! I know you don’t really need my advice, so I would simply encourage all to pray to be holier by the end of the Christmas Season. Our celebrant at Mass suggested the Rosary, a good confession and weekday Mass. All good ideas! Will see you in a few weeks or so. I know this is all in God’s wise plan. -CF

Update #2

Just checking in quickly for my loyal readers out there. So, the Covid started out like a cold, but graduated into being more flu-like. I’m still not well, but my husband is doing much better. Thank you for your prayers and hopefully, one of these days, my life will return to normal. I have learned how important family and friends are at a time like this. A friend from church offered to by us groceries. We have been doing okay ordering them from the store, but knowing someone cares is so comforting. If you know someone in need, think about helping them in some way-it can make all the difference to them.

I’m offering it all in reparation to the Body and Blood of Christ, in this the month of the Most Precious Blood. Blessings to you all and your families! Chiara F Mathews:)

Update

After just getting over a whole ordeal with a surgical removal of a kidney stone, I now have a head injury. The doc does not want me on the computer or doing anything that requires concentration (and I put a great deal of concentration into my writing). Recovery could take several weeks. Posts are suspended until I am better. Thanks for your patience!

Further update: And now my husband and I have Covid. No, we have not received the Mystery Injection and our symptoms are like cold symptoms. I am not worried, but prayers would be appreciated at this point! I haven’t even told you everything that has happened to me in the past 3 months-it has been one thing after another, with no break at all, starting with the passing of my brother. I feel God is preparing me for the coming days, making me stronger and more trusting. I have learned so much from this journey of suffering. Like St. Bernadette, let us thank God always for our crosses, for (as St. Vincent de Sales said), He does not test us beyond our ability and it is an act of love, to bring us closer to Him!

My Brother John

Only 2 days after I asked for prayers on the Feast of the Annunciation, my dear brother John passed to the Lord. He had a long and very courageous battle with cancer. He was a writer, like myself, but far more successful. John passed on the joyful Laetare Sunday on the traditional feast of Saint John Damascene, a Doctor of the Church and another writer named John! My brother was 71, a number of years older than me.

I appreciate the prayers of our readers and would ask for continued prayer for the repose of John’s soul and his loved ones who remain in grief…especially for my mother, who is now 90 and was only 18 when he was born. Thank you so much.

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Lord, hear my prayer.

And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray:

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the soul of Thy servant departed, John, the remission of all his sins, that by our devout supplications he may obtain that pardon which he has always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Eternal rest give unto him, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace. Amen.

Based on De Profundis

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Broken Hearts

+++ Ernest L. Mathews, Jr. +++

Rest eternal grant him, O Lord and let light perpetual shine upon him

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Only 3 days ago, I asked once again for prayers for my father-in-law and mentioned a bit about him, his accomplishments and his role in my life. It is now with great sadness, I must say, he was unable to fight the infection and passed to Our Lord on Tuesday, the feast of Saint Matthew. I am happy to have written a fitting tribute to him. For the record, I have revealed his name. Please keep his dear soul and our family in prayer. Thank you.