Posts
· Kirk Douglas' birthday, 1916 Died aged: 103 years, 1 month, 27 days
· Make reparations to the Holy Face-Tuesday Devotion
· Pray Day 5 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops
· Tuesday: Litany of St. Michael the Archangel
o Wake up to a day filled with surprises. Begin by whipping up some delicious pastries for breakfast to celebrate National Pastry Day. Dive into the world of techno music, cranking up your favorite beats while getting ready for the day ahead. Embrace sustainability by participating in Green Monday—opt for plant-based meals and reduce waste wherever possible.
o Take a moment to appreciate the charm of llamas on National Llama Day—watch videos online, or visit a local farm if one is nearby. Share some laughter by creating and sending out Christmas cards to loved ones. Show gratitude for our furry friends by learning more about veterinary medicine on its international day.
o Fight against corruption by staying informed and engaging in discussions on International Anti-Corruption Day. Reflect on the struggles of others on Weary Willie Day, and consider donating to a local shelter or volunteering your time. Snack on Opal apples while learning about new recipes or apple-related crafts.
o Lastly, honor the lives lost to genocide and champion the prevention of future atrocities on Genocide Prevention Day.
Take a moment of silence to remember, then educate yourself on global issues and organizations working towards justice and peace. Enjoy this diverse and meaningful day, embracing each theme in your own way.
🍇 Candace’s Worldwide Vineyard Tour
Week 6: Sicily, Italy
Theme: Volcanic Mercy, Marian Flame
Dates: December 9 – December 16, 2025
Base: Eastern Sicily – Catania, Mount Etna, and surrounding vineyards
Seasonal Note: Winter warmth by volcanic slopes, Marian shrines, and Sicilian hospitality.
🗓️ Tuesday, December 9 – Arrival in Sicily
⛴️ Travel: Ferry or flight to Catania Airport
🏨 Lodging: Il Principe Hotel Catania (~$95 USD/night)
🌙 Evening stroll through Catania’s historic center, toast with Etna Rosso
🔥 Symbolic Act: “Flame of Arrival” — light a candle at Catania Cathedral
🗓️ Wednesday, December 10 – Vineyard Mercy on Etna
🍷 Morning visit: Benanti Winery (~$35 USD tasting)
🚶 Vineyard walk on volcanic slopes, prayer of mercy for the land
🍽️ Lunch: Osteria Antica Marina (~$30 USD)
🌱 Symbolic Act: “Mercy in the Soil” — pour a drop of wine at the roots
🗓️ Thursday, December 11 – Pilgrim’s Table in Taormina
🍷 Visit: Gambino Vini (~$32 USD tasting)
📖 Afternoon journaling overlooking the Ionian Sea
🥖 Shared meal: bread, Sicilian cheese, olives, and Etna Bianco
✨ Symbolic Act: “Table of Flame” — name one mercy received and one joy shared
🗓️ Friday, December 12 – Marian Flame (Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe)
🚶 Morning walk through vineyards near Linguaglossa
🙏 Visit Marian shrine: Santuario della Madonna della Sciara
🧺 Picnic with local produce (~$15 USD)
🌸 Symbolic Act: “Marian Flame” — leave a flower at the shrine
Mass Option (Feast Day):
⛪ Catania Cathedral – Basilica Cattedrale di Sant’Agata
🕚 Feast Day Mass: typically 11:00 AM
🗓️ Saturday, December 13 – Vineyard Walk & Volcanic Pause
🚶 Morning hike on Mount Etna trails
🍷 Tasting: Planeta Sciaranuova Winery (~$30 USD)
✍️ Reflection at vineyard chapel
🌄 Symbolic Act: “Volcanic Pause” — write a psalm of mercy
🗓️ Sunday, December 14 – Vineyard Benediction & Mass
🍷 Visit: Tornatore Winery (~$28 USD tasting)
✍️ Write a vineyard blessing for the next traveler
🥂 Evening toast with Etna Riserva
🌄 Symbolic Act: “Sicilian Benediction” — bless the volcano and vineyards
Mass Option (Sunday):
⛪ San Nicolò l’Arena Monastery, Catania
🕚 Typical Sunday Mass: 11:00 AM
🗓️ Monday, December 15 – Pilgrim’s Mercy
🚶 Visit local villages: Randazzo or Castiglione di Sicilia
🍽️ Shared meal with vineyard families (~$25 USD)
🔔 Symbolic Act: “Mercy Shared” — light a candle for vineyard workers
💰 Estimated Total Cost: ~$595 USD
Includes:
7 nights lodging
5 vineyard tastings
2 symbolic meals
1 volcanic day trip with picnic
Feast & Sunday Mass
🍷 Candace’s Corner 7‑Course Meal (Traditional Sicilian Arc)
Antipasto – Pastry Dawn
Dish: Cannoli
Cue: “Surprise of Dawn” — honoring Kirk Douglas’ cinematic birth.
Primo – Justice Table
Dish: Pasta alla Norma
Recipe: Pasta alla Norma – Recipes from Italy
Cue: “Mercy & Justice” — reflection on Anti‑Corruption and Weary Willie Day.
Secondo – Creature’s Gratitude
Dish: Pesce Spada alla Ghiotta (Swordfish)
Recipe: Pesce Spada alla Ghiotta – Great Italian Chefs
Cue: “Care for Creation” — gratitude for animals and veterinary healing.
Contorno – Green Mercy
Dish: Caponata (Eggplant relish)
Recipe: Authentic Sicilian Caponata – Recipes from Italy
Cue: “Mercy in the Soil” — echoing vineyard acts of sustainability.
Formaggi e Frutta – Peace Benediction
Dish: Pecorino Siciliano with honey and Opal apples
Recipe: Sardinian Pecorino & Honey Crostini – Cooking Mediterranean
Cue: “Flame of Arrival” — remembrance and blessing for peace.
Dolce – Fruit of Memory
Dish: Torta di Mele (Apple cake)
Recipe: Italian Apple Cake – Recipes from Italy
Cue: “Sweet Memory” — honoring Kirk Douglas’ long life and Opal apple joy.
Caffè & Digestivo – Llama Light
Dish: Arancini (Rice balls) with espresso or limoncello
Recipe: Traditional Sicilian Arancini – Nonna Box
Cue: “Joy Shared” — laughter, cards, and lightness at day’s end.
DECEMBER
9 Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent
Saint
Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin-Christmas
Card Day
Acts, Chapter 13, Verse 7-8
He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, a man
of intelligence, who had summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word
of God. But Elymas the
magician (for that is what his name means) opposed them in an attempt to turn
the proconsul away from the FAITH.
We still have many magicians today that attempt to distort the faith expressed by the apostles in their creed and illustrated in the preamble of the constitution of the United States that Life must be protected; it is number 1. That liberty must be protected, but it is number 2. And those individual pursuits of happiness (wealth) are protected; but it is number 3. It can be in no other order! Those that try and change the order as God ordained are deluded and are the conjurers of our time.
Copilot’s Take
On December 9, the Church honors Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, whose humble faith brought forth the miracle of Our Lady of Guadalupe, even as the world around him was filled with deception and false gods. In Acts 13:7–8, we see Sergius Paulus seeking the word of God while Elymas the magician tried to distort it, much like the conjurers of our own time who invert the divine order of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. America, too often, has sacrificed life through abortion, liberty through debt slavery, and wealth to the powerful few, echoing the tragic errors of civilizations that offered human lives to idols. Advent calls us to reorder our hearts and our nation: to protect life first, guard liberty second, and steward wealth last. Tonight, let us pray that we may be like Sergius Paulus—intelligent enough to seek truth, courageous enough to embrace it, and faithful enough to resist the magicians of our age.
Saint Juan Diego[1]
St Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548). Little is known about the life of Juan Diego before his conversion, but tradition and archaeological and iconographical sources, along with the most important and oldest indigenous document on the event of Guadalupe, "El Nican Mopohua" (written in Náhuatl with Latin characters, 1556, by the Indigenous writer Antonio Valeriano), give some information on the life of the saint and the apparitions. Juan Diego was born in 1474 with the name "Cuauhtlatoatzin" ("the talking eagle") in Cuautlitlán, today part of Mexico City, Mexico. He was a gifted member of the Chichimeca people, one of the more culturally advanced groups living in the Anáhuac Valley. When he was 50 years old, he was baptized by a Franciscan priest, Fr Peter da Gand, one of the first Franciscan missionaries.
On 9 December 1531, when Juan Diego was on his way to morning Mass, the Blessed Mother appeared to him on Tepeyac Hill, the outskirts of what is now Mexico City. She asked him to go to the bishop and to request in her name that a shrine be built at Tepeyac, where she promised to pour out her grace upon those who invoked her. The bishop, who did not believe Juan Diego, asked for a sign to prove that the apparition was true.
On 12 December, Juan Diego returned to Tepeyac. Here, the Blessed Mother told him to climb the hill and to pick the flowers that he would find in bloom. He obeyed, and although it was wintertime, he found roses flowering. He gathered the flowers and took them to Our Lady who carefully placed them in his mantle and told him to take them to the bishop as "proof". When he opened his mantle, the flowers fell on the ground and there remained impressed, in place of the flowers, an image of the Blessed Mother, the apparition at Tepeyac. With the Bishop's permission, Juan Diego lived the rest of his life as a hermit in a small hut near the chapel where the miraculous image was placed for veneration. Here he cared for the church and the first pilgrims who came to pray to the Mother of Jesus. Much deeper than the "exterior grace" of having been "chosen" as Our Lady's "messenger", Juan Diego received the grace of interior enlightenment and from that moment, he began a life dedicated to prayer and the practice of virtue and boundless love of God and neighbor.
He died in 1548 and was buried in the first chapel dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe. He was beatified on 6 May 1990 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of Santa Maria di Guadalupe, Mexico City. The miraculous image, which is preserved in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, shows a woman with native features and dress. She is supported by an angel whose wings are reminiscent of one of the major gods of the traditional religion of that area. The moon is beneath her feet and her blue mantle is covered with gold stars. The black girdle about her waist signifies that she is pregnant. Thus, the image graphically depicts the fact that Christ is to be "born" again among the peoples of the New World and is a message as relevant to the "New World" today as it was during the lifetime of Juan Diego.
Things to Do[2]
·
Read
Pope John Paul II's homily at the canonization of St. Juan Diego.
·
Meditate
on Our Lady's beautiful words to St. Juan Diego: "Hear and let it
penetrate into your heart, my dear little son; let nothing discourage you,
nothing depress you. Let nothing alter your heart or your countenance. Also, do
not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here who am your
Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of
life? Are you not in the crossing of my arms? Is there anything else that you
need?"
·
Cook
some Mexican dishes for dinner and bake a Rose Petal Pound Cake or other rose
theme for dessert in honor of St. Juan Diego.
·
From
the Catholic Culture Library:
o
On The Canonization Of First Native American
o
Mexico Has Seen a Great Light
o
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
·
Recommended
Reading: For children: The
Lady of Guadalupe by Tomie dePaola. For adults: The Wonder of Guadalupe by Francis Johnston.
·
For
music for Juan Diego's and Our Lady of Guadalupe's feast, see www.savae.org. The San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble have two
cds of authentic music by Mexican medieval composers. Very beautiful!
·
Visit
Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness
of the Americas for detailed accounts on the apparition to Juan Diego.
33 days to Christmas-Start the 33 days to
Eucharistic Glory[3]
Want to start a small group? Download our 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory Study Guide
Day 18
On this 18th
day, to have to strength to pardon personal injuries in emulation of Christ who
pardoned those who crucified him knowing they knew not what they were doing.
Copilot:
To have the strength to pardon personal injuries in emulation of Christ, who pardoned those who crucified Him, is a profound act of grace and love. Here are some spiritual practices and reflections that may help cultivate this strength:
Daily Spiritual
Practices
1.
Prayer for Forgiveness: Pray daily for
grace to forgive those who have wronged you, asking for strength and
compassion. A simple prayer like, "Lord, grant me the heart to forgive as
You forgave," can be very powerful.
2.
Reflect on Christ's Forgiveness: Meditate
on passages such as Luke 23:34, where Jesus says, "Father, forgive them,
for they do not know what they are doing." Reflecting on Christ's example
can inspire you to follow in His footsteps.
Strengthening
the Resolve to Forgive
1.
Sacraments: Regularly participate in the
sacraments, especially Confession and the Eucharist. They provide the grace
needed to forgive and be forgiven.
2.
Seek Spiritual Guidance: Talk to a
spiritual director or mentor about your struggles with forgiveness. They can
offer guidance and support.
Reflecting
on the Importance of Forgiveness
1.
Acts of Kindness: Engage in acts of
kindness toward those who have hurt you. Small gestures can help soften your
heart and build bridges of reconciliation.
2.
Gratitude Journaling: Keep a journal of
moments when you have received forgiveness and the impact it had on your life.
This can help foster a spirit of gratitude and a willingness to extend the same
grace to others.
Example Prayer for Strength to Forgive
Here’s a prayer to help you seek the strength to forgive:
Heavenly Father,
Grant me the strength to forgive those who have wronged me, just as
Christ forgave those who crucified Him. Fill my heart with compassion and
understanding and help me to let go of resentment and pain. May Your love and
grace flow through me, as I strive to live according to Your will.
Amen.
Bible in a Year Day 161 The Crucifixion of Christ
Fr. Mike finishes the gospel of Mark by reflecting on the death and
resurrection of Christ. He also encourages us to reflect on the redemption of
our own sins every time we see a crucifix and to return that same sacrificial
love to God every day. Today's readings are Mark 15-16 and Psalm 22.
Christmas Card Day[4]
Way back in 1843,
the first commercial Christmas card was created in England by Sir Henry Cole, a
civil servant who was responsible for the idea of sending greetings scribbled
into the now familiar cards we get around the season of good cheer. Christmas
Card Day honors its inventor on the 9th of December. The first ever commercial
Christmas card showed a family raising a toast, and in the following year’s
designs showing flowers or depicting the promise of spring were favored.
Lithograph firm Prang and Mayer started selling their whimsical Christmas
cards, often featuring children or cartoon animals, across the pond to America
in 1874. By 1880, Prang and Mayer were producing a massive five million
cards a year. With so many designs, shapes and sizes, some Christmas cards have
become collector’s items which have been known to shift at a pretty penny at
auction. One of the world’s first cards, commissioned by Cole and produced by
J. C. Horsley, saw the hammer come down at £22,250 in 2001. Another one of
Horsley’s cards sold for almost £9000 in 2005 – and if you want to see a big
collection of these coveted cards you can drop by the British Museum to see
Queen Mary’s early 1900s collection.
Today, seasonal
cards are posted all over the world and can be found in hundreds of thousands
of designs. The most popular messages you’ll find inside a Christmas card
are ‘seasons greetings’ and ‘merry Christmas, and a happy new year’ – but many
also stick to religious roots by featuring a short biblical verse or a
religious blessing.
How to Celebrate Christmas Card Day
If you’ve got
time, it’s always nice to make handmade cards to send out. Get hold
of some glitter and a dab of glue and see what you can come up with. The
recipients are sure to appreciate it – or if you have children, get them
involved in making cards for friends and family! With the advent of e-mail,
it’s easier than ever to send Christmas wishes to friend and family across the
world – e-cards appeared in the 90s and are frequently used in place of
physical cards, so you’ve got no excuse nowadays not to send those season’s
greetings. But since nothing beats the real thing, perhaps now is the right
time to send out those Christmas cards so they all get to your family and
friends before the last post on 23rd December! And if you don’t celebrate
Christmas, you could always send out some cheery cards to celebrate the coming
of the new year!
Jesse Tree[5]
Jesse Tree Scriptures (The Symbols Are
Only Suggestions)
December 1 Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbols: sun, moon, stars,
animals, earth
December 2 Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24 Symbols: tree, man, woman
December 3 Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbols: tree, serpent,
apple with bite
December 4 Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols:
ark, animals, dove, rainbow
December 5 Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 Symbols: torch, sword, mountain
December 6 Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14 Symbols: bundle of wood, altar, ram in
bush
December 7 Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34; 28:10-15 Symbols: kettle, ladder
December 8 Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28; 45:3-15 Symbols: bucket, well,
silver coins, tunic
December 9 Moses: Ex. 2:1-10 Symbols: baby in basket, river and rushes
Daily Devotions
·
Unite
in the work of the Porters of St.
Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Purity.
·
Religion
in the home: Preschool for December
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make reparations to the Holy Face
·
Rosary
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