a gypsy caravan

don bosco

Christopher makes his confirmation this coming spring. He's chosen his brother, Ben, to be his sponsor. There was a saint pagaent recently where each of the candidates for confirmation were to dress as their patron saint. Chris chose St. John Bosco as his patron which has always been his favorite saint for a number of reasons including Don Bosco's love of juggling and magic tricks. Blurry iPhone snapshots but you get the gist.  

Borrowed cassock and homemade biretta made from this pattern. It is made from cardboard and spraypainted black. 

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Yesterday, our family had a celebration for Our Lady of Guadalupe.  We have had a party for her almost every every year since Ben was a toddler.  Usually we have enchiladas, spanish rice and punch, sometimes carry out tacos if time is short or there is a new baby.  Often we play pin the tail on the donkey, do the mexican hat dance.  One year we had a pinata.  This year, we used the lovely ideas by Alice Gunther who so generously shares her creative Liturgical Teas at her blog Cottage Blessings.  Last winter some ladies from our homeschooling group got together and used Alice's plans in a group setting.  I vowed this year I would do them at home with my entire family.   My mother came over and helped prepare the food.  I wish I had photos of the food to share with you but I was so caught up in the festivities that I did not take any.  Every thing on the menu was delicious, lovely and meaningful.  

I placed a small potted rose plant next to Our Lady's picture on the table alongside our perpetual candle lit in her honor.  The children behaved well and were attentive, the food was done on time and everyone had a wonderful evening.  That doesn't all happen very often, where everything just seems to fall into place.  In fact, earlier in the day everyone was upset and grumpy.  It did not seem that our party was going to get off the ground.  Children were irritable and our family was sad.  Our dear friend has had some setbacks in his health, on the eve of the day we had hoped for a miracle.  He had to postpone his trip to Mexico City.  So we continue to pray on his behalf and are grateful to those of you who are praying along with us.

When the table was spread and the story of Our Lady was being read, everyone forgot their grumpiness and became quite grateful. Grateful for a home in which to live, for a plot of land on which to romp, for a family who loves them, for the friendship of those who truly care about our family.  All of these things we recognize as having come from God, through the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patron saint of our family.  

The Feast of Saint John Bosco

My very favorite saint is Don Bosco.  I posted this about him last year. Leonie has a wonderful quote from St. John Bosco at her site and so does Elizabeth.  Helen has two posts you'll want to check out.

Today, we plan to watch this movie  which we purchased for his feast last year.  It is long but the acting is excellent and keeps the attention of everyone watching.  Happy Feast!  St. John Bosco, pray for us.

Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco

I have been reading this book about my favorite Saint and I really am having a hard time putting it down.  It is a compilation of St. John Bosco's biographical memoirs, published by Tan.  Don Bosco, founder of the Salesian order, had his first dream when he was nine years old.  In this dream, Our Lord called him to teach young boys that virtue is beautiful and sin is ugly.  He also promised to give John Bosco His Mother as a guide and helper. 

From the back cover:

"In the following 60 years, he experienced remarkable vision-like dreams, which were so lively and vivid that he would often awaken exhausted the next morning...Catholics who may not be inspired by abstract spiritual writings will be able to see in these dreams the evil of impurity, disobedience, gluttony, pride, bad Confessions, sacreligious Communions, etc.  as well as the reality of Hell and the danger of flirting with temptations.  They also will see the great power of good Confessions and devout Holy Communions, as well as the rewards in store for those who practice purity, obedience, temperance and humility, but especially for those who preserve their baptismal innocence--a precious gem far too little regarded by most Catholics. "

I am also stuck by a letter on education at the end of the book which I have read before but speaks volumes to me today.  Don Bosco dreamt that a pupil of his Oratory came to him and described the importance of spending time in recreation with the children.  He warned Don Bosco against only preaching to the boys and not spending time playing with them. 

"The teacher who is seen only in the classroom, and nowhere else, is a teacher and nothing more; but let him go with his boys to recreation and he becomes a brother."

How many days go by that I keep to my work, preparing meals, lessons and doing household tasks but do not take the time to joyfully play with the children, to get outside and run with them or play games with them?  Don Bosco was so good at becoming one of them that they trusted him implicitly and wanted to please him.   This will be my goal this week, to spend time each day in recreation with the children. 

I'll let you know how it goes.