Good afternoon! This is coming to your inbox a little late today, as we’ve all been enjoying new baby snuggles and taking it a little slower this week. The Marian Center’s newest family member, Andrew III, is doing great and so is his momma.
It has been so good to wake up to sunshine a few days this week, despite the blustery wind we’ve had these past couple of days. Today is Leap Day and a special day for the Mercer family, as Margaret Mary celebrates her 12th (or 3rd?) birthday.
We are going to keep it short this weekend, as it’s another sunny day here to enjoy with family and friends and we have a once-every-four-years-birthday to celebrate. We have some great Lenten inspirations for you to keep you on your journey toward Easter.
Lenten Resolution
Even though we are a few days into Lent, this list of 40 Lenten Resolutions may be helpful in case you are still looking for a little something extra to boost your Faith life during Lent.
Fasting During Lent
With Lent comes fasting, which let’s be honest, really isn’t one of our favorite things. Why do we fast during Lent (and other times during the Liturgical year)? A ‘Weigh’ in for Grace: Inviting Jesus Into Your Lenten Fast by author Emily Stimpson Chapman, digs into the reasons that we fast and how it brings us closer to Christ.
Marian Minute
Our Blessed Mother not only gives us the perfect example of how to live, but also journeys alongside us. She loves us in a way that only a mother could. For tips on how to walk with Mary during Lent, here are 10 little steps.
Saint Spotlight
On March 3, we celebrate the feast day of St. Katharine Drexel, the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic Church. To read about how Katharine turned away from a life of wealth to live a life of service to others, follow this link.
We always love a good story of the Lord miraculously healing someone through the intercession of a saint. Upon researching St. Katharine Drexel, we came upon the story of one of the miracles that led to her being declared a saint. A young man named Bob Gutherman was suffering from pain and a loss of hearing in his right ear. Through the intercession of St. Katharine, not only was his hearing restored and the pain gone, but it was, according to his doctor, as if the ear was rebuilding itself. To read the full story, head over to the National Catholic Register.
Nifty News
Venerable Carlo Acutis, the young man who created the Exhibit on the Eucharistic Miracles of the World is on his way to beatification. A miracle through his intercession has been approved. Perhaps he will be a patron saint of the youth as well as the internet, because he used the internet as a tool for evangelization.
A movie about the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima is set to be released on April 24. This new movie, Fatima, tells the story from the viewpoint of Sr. Lucia, one of the children who saw Our Lady. It will be shown in 1,000 theatres nationwide, check to see if it’s going to be in your area.
Kids’ Corner
If you’re looking for ideas of things to do with the kids or grandkids during Lent, we’ve got a couple ideas for you. Here is a video tutorial on drawing a Lenten Cross.
The Stations of the Cross is a wonderful way to meditate on the passion and death of Jesus. Over at Catholic Icing you’ll find several links to printable Stations of the Cross that the kids can color and assemble.
Sunday Readings
The Readings this Sunday tell about the fall of Adam and Eve, how sin entered the world and how Christ came to save us from our sin. For a reflection from Scott Hahn on the First Sunday of Lent, follow this link.
Marian Center Update
March 3 – Our Lady of Guadalupe Mom’s Rosary Group, 10 a.m.-noon.
March 7 – Marian Center bookstore at Men’s Conference in Traverse City
March 21 (tentative) – Marian Center anniversary & St. Joseph celebration, Mass, talk, and luncheon.
To Christ Through Mary,
Katie Moe and Lori Mercer
P.S. Please forward this email to friends and encourage them to sign up for our email newsletter.
Leave a Reply