ICEMANforChrist

This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

Candace’s Corner-Have some coffee with Christ: He is not dead but alive

· Ever think about becoming a Carmelite?

· How to celebrate Oct 1st

o Start your day by savoring a cup of your favorite coffee blend to kickstart your morning in celebration.

o Treat yourself to some delicious sausage for breakfast to keep your energy up throughout the day.

o Mark the occasion by taking a moment to appreciate the history and culture of China, perhaps by exploring Chinese cuisine or practicing a traditional tea ceremony.

· Embrace the spirit of innovation on Model T Day by embarking on an adventure to explore your surroundings in a new way, whether it’s taking a scenic drive or visiting a local museum.

o Channel your inner artist on World Ballet Day by trying out some ballet moves or simply enjoying a beautiful ballet performance online.

o Celebrate Lincolnshire Day with a taste of traditional English fare or by learning about the history of the region.

· Take a moment to acknowledge the importance of friendships and alliances on ROK Alliance Day by reaching out to a friend or loved one to show your appreciation.

o Show some love to your furry friends on National Fire Pup Day by spending quality time with your pets or donating to a local animal shelter.

· Send a thoughtful postcard to a friend or family member on World Postcard Day to brighten their day with a heartfelt message.

o Raise awareness for rare genetic diseases on International Gaucher Day by learning more about the condition and supporting related charities.

o Boost your health and productivity on National Fruit at Work Day by incorporating fresh fruits into your snacks or meals.

· On National Green City Day, make an effort to reduce your carbon footprint by walking or biking instead of driving, or participating in a local environmental cleanup.

· Experiment with a new hairstyle or pamper your hair with a nourishing treatment on National Hair Day to boost your confidence and freshen up your look.

o Take the time to appreciate the wisdom and contributions of older persons on International Day of Older Persons by spending time with seniors or listening to their stories.

· Show some love for these masked bandits on International Raccoon Appreciation Day by learning more about raccoons or supporting wildlife conservation efforts.

o Dive into the world of music on International Music Day by listening to your favorite songs or trying your hand at playing an instrument.

· Indulge in some homemade cookies on National Homemade Cookies Day by baking a batch of your favorite recipe to share with friends and family.

o Explore the flavors of vegetarian cuisine on World Vegetarian Day by preparing a meatless meal or dining at a vegetarian restaurant.

o Dust off your favorite CDs and enjoy the nostalgic tunes on CD Player Day.

· Finally, celebrate the companionship of our loyal canine friends on National Black Dog Day by spending quality time with a black dog, whether your own or a shelter pup in need of love

TREES DECLARE THEIR OWN SERMON

in brief autumn's painted landscape. We note their size and type and variety and beauty. Trees serve as symbols of the gift-giving aspects of our lives. Trees provide fruit, wood, climatic modification, wind and sun protection, prevention of soil erosion, and a host of other benefits.

· This is the time to plant trees and to prepare them for winter.

Should we not give more attention to how our lives can bear fruit in Christ and in the protection of our forests?

Overview of October[1]

The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. The Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary is celebrated on October 7. October falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. During October, as in all of Ordinary Time (formerly known as Time After Pentecost), the Liturgy does not focus on one particular mystery of Christ but views the mystery of Christ in all its aspects. We follow the life of Christ through the Gospels and focus on the teachings and parables of Jesus and what it means for each of us to be a follower of Christ.

Autumn Festivities

October usually is an enjoyable time of the year in the United States. The autumn season manifests itself with wonderful fall foliage in many parts of the country. The temperatures are cooler, inviting people outdoors for nature walks, apple or pumpkin picking. The celebrations of the Church for the month of October are also wonderful and unique. The feasts of some of the most popular saints of the universal Church are celebrated during this month: St. Therese the Little Flower (France), St. Francis of Assisi (Italy) and St. Teresa of Avila (Spain). These saints come from different countries, and in honoring these saints we can include cultural dishes or activities from each country to make the feast day even more special. Read more about the lives of these saints. Perhaps the family can pick one virtue that each saint practiced well and try to implement it.

The feasts in October also include two of the most popular, time-honored devotions of Catholics, the devotion to the Holy Rosary (October 7) and the Guardian Angels (October 2).

In October 2002 St. John Paul II wrote the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae (the Rosary of the Virgin Mary)."

This letter introduced five new mysteries, called the Luminous or Mysteries of Light, which are:

Jesus' Baptism in the Jordan
Jesus' self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana
Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with the call to conversion
the Transfiguration, and
the Institution of the Eucharist.

Try to make a more concerted effort to pray the Rosary together as a family during the month of October, read the Apostolic Letter to understand the beauty of this devotion more deeply, and pray the Luminous mysteries.

Every person has a guardian angel assigned to them, and October 2 the Church celebrates the role of these Guardian Angels. We should show devout gratitude to God for placing these angels at our service. Having a guardian should give us confidence during all of life's difficulties. Every Catholic should know the Angele Dei (Angel of God) prayer and pray it often. The Directory on Popular Piety suggests that families pray it at morning and evening prayers or after the Angelus.

All Hallows' Eve or Halloween heralds the month of November with emphasis on the Communion of Saints, especially the Church Suffering (the Poor Souls in Purgatory) and the second coming of Christ or parousia. This last day of October on the secular calendar is second only to Christmas in commercial preparations. The secular festivities center on ghouls, witches and devils, but the Christian counterpart focus on the communion of saints. As Christians living a "Catholic Culture", we should try to explore the Christian roots of the Halloween festivities.

October: Respect Life Month[2]

We mark the month of October as Respect Life Month. Looking back over the last year, there's been a lot of uncertainty, suffering, and heartache. Between tragedies that occur in the public eye and trials that take place in our personal lives, there's no shortage of reasons we cry out to God. At such times, we may feel alone and unequipped to handle the circumstances. But we have an anchor of hope to cling to. With words that echo through thousands of years into the corners of our hearts, God says to us, "Do not fear: I am with you" (Isaiah 41:10). God isn't a detached, distant observer to our pain; the Eternal Son became man and Himself experienced immense suffering—for you and for me. His wounds indicate the very essence of our identity and worth: we are loved by God. There are times we may doubt the value of our own lives or falter at the thought of welcoming and embracing the life of another. But reflecting on the healed wounds of the Risen Christ, we can see that even our most difficult trials can be the place where God manifests his victory. He makes all things beautiful. He makes all things new. He is the God of redemption. That's powerful. That's something to hold onto. And He is always with us. Jesus promised this when he gave the disciples the same mission, he gives to each of us: Go. As followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our identity and our mission are two sides of the same coin; like the apostles, we are called to be missionary disciples. We are not only invited to follow and take refuge in God, our stronghold, but we are also commissioned to reach out to one another, especially to the weak and vulnerable. Building a culture of life isn't something we just do one month of the year, or with one event or initiative—it's essential to who we are. It happens through our daily actions, how we treat one another, and how we live our lives.

How do we respond when our aging parents are in failing health?

Do they know how much we love them and cherish each day given?

Do we ensure they know they are never a burden to us?

In our own challenging times, do we ask for support?

When others offer a helping hand, do we receive it?

When our friend becomes pregnant in difficult circumstances, do we show compassion that tangibly supports her and helps her welcome the life of her new little one?

Sometimes, we may not be sure exactly what to do, but let's not allow the fear of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing keep us from living out our missionary call. We don't need to have everything figured out all at once. Let's remember the guidance of Our Blessed Mother, the first disciple: "Do whatever he tells you" (John 2:5). https://www.usccb.org/prolife

Reverence Life[3]

From the time we are knit together in our mothers’ wombs until we take our final breaths, each moment of our lives is a gift from God. While every season of life brings its own challenges and trials, each season also gives us new opportunities to grow in our relationship with God. Today the gift of life is threatened in countless ways. Those who are most vulnerable, rather than receiving the protection they deserve, are all too often seen as a burden and as expendable. As new attacks on human life continue to emerge, we can be tempted to despair, but Christ instead offers us unfailing hope. Hope is not false optimism or empty positivity. Christian hope is something much more profound and goes to the very depths of our identity as followers of Christ. Hope is the virtue “by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, 1817).

Like us, Christ entered the world through the womb of a woman. He willingly experienced the fullness of human suffering. He breathed his last on the Cross at Calvary in order that He might save us. Therefore, “God is the foundation of hope: not any god, but the God who has a human face and who has loved us to the end” (Spe salvi 31).

Christians know “they have a future: it is not that they know the details of what awaits them, but they know in general terms that their life will not end in emptiness” (SS 2).

For this reason, a woman experiencing a difficult pregnancy can find the strength to welcome her precious child into the world. A man facing a terminal diagnosis can see that the end of his earthly life is only the beginning of eternal life with Christ. The Church teaches us that “the one who has hope lives differently” (SS 2).

Christ’s promise of salvation does not mean that we will be spared from suffering. Rather, the promise of salvation ensures that even in the darkest moments of our lives, we will be given the strength to persevere. By virtue of this Christian hope, we can face any challenge or trial. When the seas of life swell and we are battered by the waves, hope allows us to remain anchored in the heart of God. May we hold fast to Christ our hope, from the beginning of life to its very end.

October Travel and Events

September 27-Oct 20---Texas State Fair (Dallas)

“Our state fair is a great state fair.

” How can it not be when it’s in Texas?

Beginning LAST Friday in September, the annual Texas State Fair unfolds over 24 days in Dallas, TX, with plenty of fun for the whole family, including the chance to ride this Ferris wheel – the largest in North America.

September 21-Oct. 6---Oktoberfest

Raise a stein to Oktoberfest. This annual, 16-day celebration of all thing’s beer kicks off in late September in Munich.

Grand Canyon (Arizona)

Take advantage of off-season travel to popular landmarks such as the Grand Canyon. Each October, the 1.2-million-acre park sees half its summer crowds. Enjoy cooler temperatures (in the 70s), as well as the deepening colors of aspen, oak and birch trees that adorn this national treasure.

Acadia National Park (Maine)

Catch a glimpse of Maine’s gorgeous fall colors at Acadia National Park this month. Each October, 600,000 visitors enter the park, but with 47,000 acres to explore, you’ll have plenty of leaf-peeping options. Looking for something closer to home? Check out our favorite fall foliage road trips.

October 26---Ironman World Championship (Kailua-Kona, HI)

See some of the world’s most elite athletes compete in the big daddy of Ironman events. More than 2,000 athletes from around the world will set out on a 140.6-mile triathlon race from Kona, HI. Come as a participant, spectator or volunteer because this is one competition you won’t soon forget.

Iceman’s Calendar

· Wed. October 2^nd MASS First Wednesday

o Feast of the Guardian Angels

o Rosh Hashanah begins at Sunset

· Fri. October 4^th MASS First Friday

o St. Francis of Assisi

· Thu. October 5^th MASS First Saturday

o Saint Faustina

· Sun. October 6^thTwentieth Sunday after Pentecost

· Mon. October 7^th Our Lady of the Rosary

· Fri. October 11 Yom Kippur

· Sun. October 13 Twenty First Sunday after Pentecost

· Mon. October 14 Columbus Day no mail

· Tue. October 15

o St. Teresa of Jesus

· Wed. October 16^thSt. Margarette Mary Alacoque

o Sukkoth begins

· Thu. October 17^th Full Hunters Moon

· Fri. October 18^th Feast of St. Luke

· Sun. October 20^th Twenty second Sunday after Pentecost

· Sun. October 27^th Twenty third Sunday after Pentecost

· Mon. October 28^th Feast of St. Simon and Jude

· Thu. October 31^st All Hollows Eve

OCTOBER 1 Tuesday-THÉRÈSE Of the Child Jesus

INTL COFFEE DAY

1 Samuel, Chapter 23, Verse 17

He said to him: “Have no FEAR, my father Saul shall not lay a hand to you. You shall be king of Israel and I shall be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”

This is the last statement of Jonathan to David where he openly acknowledges that David will be king. Jonathan does not live to see David made king. Jonathan’s visit strengthens David and attests to the hidden care of the Lord for him. During this time David is in his wilderness strongholds.

Q: There are those who say that David and Jonathan had a homosexual relationship to justify the modern homosexual agenda.

Father Edart[4]: The account in 1 Samuel 18:1-5 shows gestures and words that express a profound attachment between Jonathan and David. Although the terms used describe a real affective bond, their usual use in the Old Testament in no way allows for seeing a homosexual relationship there. For an example you can see Jacob and his son Benjamin in Genesis 44:30-31. The expression "to love as oneself" — as his soul — is frequent — Leviticus 19:18.34. The verb "to love," in a context of alliance, takes on a political dimension, the beneficiary being considered as partner or superior. Moreover, the gift that Jonathan made to David of his weapons illustrates the transfer of his prerogatives, among which was the right of succession to his father's throne. It's a political gesture. In the account, nonetheless, David ends up replacing Jonathan — 1 Samuel 23:17. Other passages, developed by Innocent Himbaza in our book, illustrate the friendship between Jonathan and David. All the gestures posed between these two men, however, can take place between parents and children — Jacob and Benjamin; between brothers — Joseph and his brothers; between father-in-law and son-in-law — Jethro and Moses; between close friends — Jonathan and David; between warriors — Saul and David, Jonathan and David; and between brothers and sisters in the faith — Paul and the Ephesians. We risk interpreting the latter asked here, but these are actually normal and usual gestures for people who feel close to one another. We can affirm that nothing in the texts we are faced with allows for seeing any homosexuality between David and Jonathan, not even implicitly. If at times an expression is ambiguous for a modern spirit, reading it in context removes that possibility.

Q: The Church preaches love of neighbor but is often reproached for wanting to put "barriers" to love, for not understanding every person's profound need to love. If the Church does not approve homosexuality, what message of hope can she give to a person who finds in homosexuality the means to give himself and to love?

Father Edart: The suffering of a homosexual person can be very great and not accessible to people who do not experience this situation. Indeed, our whole world is marked by this fundamental fact of heterosexual love. Even the Chinese civilization, hardly susceptible to having been shaped by Judeo-Christian culture, also lives this reality. In that civilization, homosexuality is also perceived as outside the norm. The homosexual person experiences an internal suffering, attested by psychological studies, but he also suffers from his confrontation with a world that very often will judge and condemn him. This rejection will often even be violent. In fact, everybody passes a phase in their psychological development of ambiguity on the sexual plane in adolescence. A person might be, for some time, attracted by persons of the same sex, without being for all that a homosexual! If this stage of growth is badly lived or unfinished, it results in psychic suffering. Subsequently, every confrontation with homosexuality will trigger this suffering, which will be translated in violent behavior. To learn to consider a homosexual person without reducing him to his sexual orientation can be difficult and lead to recognizing one's personal poverty. In the face of this situation, the Church, in fidelity to the Bible, recognizing that active homosexuality cannot be a good for the person, forcefully affirms, in the same fidelity to the word of God, that every person, regardless of his sexual orientation, has the same dignity and in no way must be the object of unjust discrimination. As every baptized person, homosexual persons are called to holiness and to live here and now a living relationship with Christ in the Church. The message of the Gospel is a source of hope for these persons and the Church witnesses to this. Christian communities can be places where people see their personal suffering accepted and understood. The latter will then be able, with the support of these communities, to seek to correspond to God's call. The development of friendly and fraternal relations lived in chastity is an important place of psychological and spiritual healing. Friendship with Christ is certainly the principal support and guide on this path. He is the best of friends. This friendship is nourished in the life of faith, prayer and the sacraments. The homosexual person desirous of progressing toward Christ will find an indispensable support there. He wants to be in alliance with each one by meeting the person just as he is and to conduct him to himself gradually with the continuous and unconditional support of his mercy. It's a long and difficult but possible path. It is certain that the development of homosexuality in our Western society is an appeal to Christians to create new places to help those who are wounded in their sexuality.

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus[5]

Alain Cavalier, Therese, 1986.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI called St. Therese of Lisieux's autobiography, "The Story of a Soul," a wonderful authentic "treasure" and invited everyone to read it. The 19th-century Carmelite saint's teaching of "the 'little way" of holiness has been so influential in our time." His catechesis was a continuation of a series of talks dedicated to the "doctors of the church," men and women who made important contributions to Catholic theological understanding. St. Therese, who was born in 1873 in France, died at the age of 24 of hemoptysis, or bleeding of the lungs. Her spirituality "centered on the contemplation of God's love revealed in the mysteries of the incarnation and redemption," the pope said. The saint "sought to be little in all things and to seek the salvation of the world," he said. Her autobiography was published a year after her death and was enormously successful in many parts of the world, he said. "I would like to invite all of you to rediscover this great little treasure, this glowing commentary on the Gospel fully lived," the pope said. The book is "a wonderful story of love, told with such authenticity, simplicity and freshness that the reader will be nothing but captivated," he said. "Therese shows all of us that Christian life is fully living the grace of baptism," by fully giving oneself over to God and by living like Christ, he said. The pope said "her example and prayers help us to follow 'the little way of trust and love' in spiritual childhood, abandoning ourselves completely to the love of God and the good of souls." A childlike faith in God entails giving oneself fully to him and putting one's life completely in his hands, the pope said. Such faith is "inseparable from true love," which is a total giving of self, he said. The pope said the faithful need to tell God every day that "we want to live out our love for him and others." St. Therese's life and teachings are "a guide for everyone" especially for theologians, he said, because she approached the sacred Scriptures with "humility and charity, faith and hope."

Things to Do[6]

· Find photographs of St. Therese and her family.
Her sister Celine and cousin Marier Guerin had become interested in the art of photography, and when Celine entered the Carmelites with her sisters, she was given permission to bring her equipment and use it in the convent. A wonderful out-of-print book with all the photographs of this saint is called The Photo Album of St. Therese of Lisieux.

· Read St. Therese's autobiography The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. The translation by John Clarke is considered the most accurate. Find biographies suitable for your children.

· The Institute of Carmelite Studies has a wonderful collection of writings by St. Therese and other books about her.

· Read more about her confidence in God, an excellent book is I Believe in Love: A Personal Retreat Based on the Teaching of St. Therese of Lisieux by Father Jean C. J. d'Elbee .

· St. Therese belonged to the Discalced order of Carmelites, which means unshod or barefoot. Find out more about the order of Carmelites.

· From the Catholic Culture Library:

o Pope Saint John Paul II from 1997 Divini Amoris Scientia (Apostolic Letter Proclaiming St. Therese of Lisieux a Doctor of the Church)

o Pope Saint John Paul II from 1997 Homily at Mass proclaiming Therese to be Doctor of the Church

o Apostolic Exhortation of Paul VI from 1975 On Christian Joy (Gaudete in Domino). He speaks of St. Therese:

In more recent times, St. Therese of Lisieux shows us the courageous way of abandonment into the hands of God to whom she entrusts her littleness. And yet it is not that she has no experience of the feeling of God's absence, a feeling which our century is harshly experiencing: "Sometimes it seems that the little bird (to which she compared herself) cannot believe that anything else exists except the clouds that envelop it.... This is the moment of perfect joy for the poor, weak little thing.... What happiness for it to remain there nevertheless, and to gaze at the invisible light that hides from its faith."

o Short Autobiography of St. Therese

o Therese of Liseiux — No Plaster Saint

o Saint Therese of Lisieux

· Learn about the Society of the Little Flower.

· There is the historic National Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak, Michigan, a Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower in San Antonio, Texas.

· Bake a cake or brownies and frost. Decorate with roses, either real, artificial, marzipan, icing, candy or other. Let your imagination go! See top bar for marzipan suggestions.

· Learn about St. Therese's sacrifice beads, purchase or learn to make them.

· Do some rose crafts or recipes today. St. Therese's dying words were: "I will let fall a shower of roses after my death." Catholic Culture has some wonderful old-fashioned rose recipes.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

PART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

SECTION TWO-I. THE CREEDS

CHAPTER THREE-I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

ARTICLE 8-"I BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT"

Paragraph 2. THE CHURCH - PEOPLE OF GOD, BODY OF CHRIST, TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Day 110

I. THE CHURCH - PEOPLE OF GOD

781 "At all times and in every race, anyone who fears God and does what is right has been acceptable to him. He has, however, willed to make men holy and save them, not as individuals without any bond or link between them, but rather to make them into a people who might acknowledge him and serve him in holiness. He therefore chose the Israelite race to be his own people and established a covenant with it. He gradually instructed this people.... All these things, however, happened as a preparation for and figure of that new and perfect covenant which was to be ratified in Christ . . . the New Covenant in his blood; he called together a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one, not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit."

Characteristics of the People of Got

782 The People of God is marked by characteristics that clearly distinguish it from all other religious, ethnic, political, or cultural groups found in history:
- It is the People of God: God is not the property of any one people. But he acquired a people for himself from those who previously were not a people: "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation."
- One becomes a member of this people not by a physical birth, but by being "born anew," a birth "of water and the Spirit," that is, by faith in Christ, and Baptism.
- This People has for its Head Jesus the Christ (the anointed, the Messiah). Because the same anointing, the Holy Spirit, flows from the head into the body, this is "the messianic people."
- "The status of this people is that of the dignity and freedom of the sons of God, in whose hearts the Holy Spirit dwells as in a temple."
- "Its law is the new commandment to love as Christ loved us." This is the "new" law of the Holy Spirit.
- Its mission is to be salt of the earth and light of the world. This people is "a most sure seed of unity, hope, and salvation for the whole human race."
-Its destiny, finally, "is the Kingdom of God which has been begun by God himself on earth and which must be further extended until it has been brought to perfection by him at the end of time."

A priestly, prophetic, and royal people

783 Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. the whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.

784 On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people's unique, priestly vocation: "Christ the Lord, high priest taken from among men, has made this new people 'a kingdom of priests to God, his Father.' the baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood."

785 "The holy People of God shares also in Christ's prophetic office," above all in the supernatural sense of faith that belongs to the whole People, lay and clergy, when it "unfailingly adheres to this faith . . . once for all delivered to the saints," and when it deepens its understanding and becomes Christ's witness in the midst of this world.

786 Finally, the People of God shares in the royal office of Christ. He exercises his kingship by drawing all men to himself through his death and Resurrection. Christ, King and Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all, for he came "not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." For the Christian, "to reign is to serve him," particularly when serving "the poor and the suffering, in whom the Church recognizes the image of her poor and suffering founder." The People of God fulfills its royal dignity by a life in keeping with its vocation to serve with Christ.

The sign of the cross makes kings of all those reborn in Christ and the anointing of the Holy Spirit consecrates them as priests, so that, apart from the particular service of our ministry, all spiritual and rational Christians are recognized as members of this royal race and sharers in Christ's priestly office. What, indeed, is as royal for a soul as to govern the body in obedience to God? and what is as priestly as to dedicate a pure conscience to the Lord and to offer the spotless offerings of devotion on the altar of the heart?

International Coffee Day[7]

International Coffee Day seeks to celebrate coffee from around the world while honoring the farmers, traders, roasters and baristas responsible for creating the coffees that are enjoyed by so many people worldwide. According to an Ethiopian legend, coffee, a black bean enclosed in red berry, was discovered by a goat herder in the Ethiopian highlands when he noticed that his goats had become overly energetic after eating the berries. Slowly, the herder's discovery spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula, into Europe and finally to the New World, increasing the demand for coffee and making it the second most sought after commodity in the world today (crude oil being the first). Organized by the International Coffee Organization and its 75 Member States, International Coffee Day was first celebrated on October 1, 2015 in Milan, Italy at Expo 2015. The International Coffee Organization is an intergovernmental organization that unifies coffee exporting and importing governments through international cooperation with the aim of creating a sustainable coffee market and lowering poverty levels in developing countries that harvest coffee.

International Coffee Day Facts & Quotes

· Based on the Food Regulation Standing Committee and Caffeine Working Group, Red bull has an average caffeine content of 32.0 mg/100ml, compared to a cappuccino which has caffeine content of 101.9 mg/100ml. Espresso style coffee made from ground coffee beans has 194.0 mg/ml of caffeine content. According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400mg of caffeine is the safe limit for most adults

· Kopi Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees brewed in the world. Kopi Luwak it is made with digested coffee beans that had been eaten and defecated by an Asian toddy cat (Asian palm civet). This rare coffee can cost between $35-80 US dollars for a single cup.

· Long-term caffeine intake can lead to a caffeine addiction/dependence, which has been medically recognized as a disorder. When individuals with a caffeine addiction abstain from caffeine, they may experience withdrawal symptoms including headache, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and mood changes.

· According to the Coffee Organization, 143 million 60kg bags of coffee were produced in 2015 and Brazil was the leading exporter of coffee, with more than 18,953 60kg bags of coffee exported between August 2015 and January 2016.

· I am a coffee fanatic. Once you go to proper coffee, you can't go back. You cannot go back. - Hugh Laurie, Dr. House actor

Coffee with Christ[8]

The idea of this book is to seek friendship with God through Christ, the Holy Spirit and His mother-Mary. Prayer is, in its purest sense, a personal journey or intimacy with Our Lord. There is no greater help in our life’s journey in this world than through friendship with Jesus Christ and His mother. The imaginary premise of this book is to have a regular “Coffee Clutch” with Christ and gather for coffee and conversation through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Ideally this book will serve as encouragement for you to enter into your own “coffee clutch” with Christ. Having a regular or daily set time or appointment to meet and discuss with Him your hopes, dreams, plans and goals. To bear your heart to Him. To just sit down with Christ and talk, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company, over a cup of coffee. The goal is to make the common Holy and grow in the love and likeness to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: End to abortion

· Make reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday Devotion

· Pray Day 3 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

· Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel

· Religion in the Home for Preschool: October

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary