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Dara’s Corner Try “Benton’s Bacon”
· Phoenix Home & Garden’s Garden Tour
April 20
o The pages of PHOENIX’s sister publication come to life as patrons enjoy exclusive access to a curated selection of the Valley’s most enchanting home gardens during this annual self-guided tour. Attendees will also have the unique opportunity to mingle with Phoenix Home & Garden’s editorial staff as well as architects and designers featured in the magazine. VIP, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; GA, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. $85-$125, Various Valley locations, phgmag.com
· Spirit Hour: Liebfraumilch in honor of Mary Lady Finger Cocktail
· Bucket List trip: Travel by rail from Vancouver to Toronto
· Total Consecration to the Eucharist Day 7
· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 6
🌍 Dara’s Corner: Aboard The World
March 25–31, 2026
Theme: Annunciation, Re‑Humanization & the Courage to Carry Grace Forward
Route: Chile → Puerto Montt → At Sea off Chile → Approaching Valparaíso → Turning Toward Peru
✨ Wednesday, March 25 | Feast of the Annunciation — Chile
Title: The Moment God Entered the Smallest Space
Ritual: Place your hand over your lower abdomen and thank God for entering the world as an unborn child.
Scripture: Luke 1:38
Meal: Honeyed yogurt, warm bread, fresh berries
Reflection: “God chose the hidden place first—so grace could grow before it was seen.”
Hospitality Arc: Ask someone where grace is beginning in them, even if no one else can see it yet.
🌊 Thursday, March 26 | Sailing North Along Chile
Title: The Long Shoreline of Becoming
Ritual: Trace a slow line along the ship’s railing, naming one part of yourself still forming.
Scripture: Philippians 1:6
Meal: Grilled fish, rice, citrus water
Reflection: “Becoming is slow work; God is patient with our unfinished edges.”
Hospitality Arc: Invite someone to name one place where they feel God is still shaping them.
🌾 Friday, March 27 | Approaching Puerto Montt — Southern Chile
Title: The Fields Returning
Ritual: Hold a leaf or blade of grass from shore (or a green object) and name one place where life is sprouting again.
Scripture: Isaiah 61:11
Meal: Vegetable soup, soft rolls, herbal tea
Reflection: “New growth rarely announces itself—it simply appears.”
Hospitality Arc: Ask someone what new growth they’re noticing in their own life.
🛶 Saturday, March 28 | Puerto Montt — Chile
Title: The Harbor of Honest Work
Ritual: Watch the harbor workers for one minute and name one labor in your life that deserves gratitude.
Scripture: Colossians 3:23
Meal: Local cheese, fruit, warm empanadas
Reflection: “Work becomes holy when it is offered, not merely done.”
Hospitality Arc: Thank someone on board for the work they do that makes your life easier.
🌤️ Sunday, March 29 | At Sea off Chile — Pacific Coast of South America
Title: The Quiet That Reveals Motives
Ritual: Sit in silence for three minutes and name the motive God is purifying in you.
Scripture: Psalm 139:23–24
Meal: Light broth, crackers, ginger tea
Reflection: “Silence exposes what noise tries to hide.”
Hospitality Arc: Gently check on someone who seems withdrawn; offer presence, not solutions.
🌬️ Monday, March 30 | At Sea — Chile to Peru Corridor
Title: The Winds That Redirect
Ritual: Stand where you can feel the wind and name one direction God is turning you toward.
Scripture: John 3:8
Meal: Roasted vegetables, lentils, mint water
Reflection: “The Spirit’s redirection is rarely dramatic—usually just steady.”
Hospitality Arc: Ask someone what direction they sense God nudging them next.
🌅 Tuesday, March 31 | Approaching Valparaíso — Chile, Gateway to Peru
Title: The City That Calls You Back
Ritual: Look toward the coastline and name one grace you will carry into the human world.
Scripture: Isaiah 58:12
Meal: Soft cheese, olives, warm bread, tea
Reflection: “Re‑entry is not a return to the old self—it is the arrival of the changed one.”
Hospitality Arc: Share with someone one grace you refuse to leave behind.
MARCH 25 Wednesday-Solemnity-Annunciation of the Lord
J. R. Tolkien Reading Day-Aretha Franklin
Luke, Chapter 1,
verse 30
Then the angel said
to her, “Do not be AFRAID, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Mary
had no fear of the world or man, yet, when the angel appeared she was immersed
in holy fear. Let us follow Mary’s example and bravely face the day saying YES
to God.
Copilot’s
Take
On
the Annunciation we stand before the most decisive moment in human history: the
instant the eternal Son of God took flesh in the womb of Mary. The Catechism
teaches that the Incarnation begins at conception (CCC 461, 484–487), which
means that God Himself once lived as an unborn child—hidden, vulnerable, and
fully human. This is why the Church proclaims that every human life, from the
moment of conception, possesses inviolable dignity and that abortion is a
“grave moral evil” (CCC 2270–2271). To deny the humanity of the unborn is to
deny the mystery we celebrate today. The Annunciation is God’s definitive
declaration that life in the womb is sacred, chosen, and beloved. When we
defend the unborn, we are not engaging in politics—we are standing with Mary at
Nazareth, saying yes to the same God who became flesh in her womb.
And yet, the Annunciation also reveals a painful truth: when God enters the world, hearts divide. Some hearts—like Mary’s—open, soften, and surrender. Others resist, harden, and close themselves to grace. The Church calls every conscience to conversion, especially on matters of life, but she also warns that knowingly supporting laws or systems that promote the destruction of innocent life places the soul in grave moral danger. Some hearts can still be changed by truth spoken with love; others condemn themselves by refusing the light they have been given. The Annunciation confronts us with a choice: to stand with the God who became flesh in the womb, or to stand with the forces that deny that sacred beginning. Mary’s yes exposes every no. Her courage exposes every compromise. And her faithfulness reminds us that in every age, God separates those who welcome His life from those who reject it—not by force, but by the truth of His presence.
Get
to Mass as today is a Solemnity
Mary Garden[1]
The
joy over the appearance of new plants and flowers in spring prompted man to
attribute to them a special power of protection and healing. People planted
special spring flower gardens; they brought branches of early-blossoming
plants, like pussy willows, into their homes; they decorated themselves and
their living rooms with wreaths of flowers and clusters of blossoms. A striking
Christian variation of these nature rites was the medieval custom of planting
"Mary gardens," which were made up of all the flowers and herbs that
are ascribed by love and legend as a special tribute to the Blessed Virgin.
This charming and inspiring tradition has been revived in many places in Europe
and more recently in this country.
Directions
In
a typical Mary Garden, the statue of the Madonna occupies a place of honor,
either in the center or in a grotto against the wall, with, usually, a birdbath
or bubbling fountain built in front of it. Some of the more familiar plants of
the many that belong in a typical Mary Garden are:
·
Columbine and Trefoil are said to
have sprung forth at the touch of Mary's foot, and consequently bear the
popular names Our Lady's shoes or Our Lady's slippers.
·
Marigold (Mary's bud) has bell-shaped
blossoms of vivid yellow. An old legend says, "Her dresses were adorned
with Marigold." This flower was used to decorate her shrines for the Feast
of the Annunciation (March 25) and during the month of May.
· Lily-of-the-valley (Our Lady's tears). This delicate flower is still widely used in Germany, there it is called Maiglockchen (May bells), to decorate the Mary shrines in churches and homes during the Virgin's month (May).
·
Foxgloves thrive in moist and shaded
places; they blossom in many colors and present a most attractive sight with
their clusters of little bells, which were called Our Lady's thimbles in
medieval times.
·
Snowdrop. This charming flower is the
first herald of spring in Europe. It often blossoms as early as Candlemas
(February 2) between batches of melting snow, hence the name. In Germany it is
called "Snow bell" (Schneeglocklein). Little bouquets of
snowdrops are the first floral tribute of the year at the shrines of the
Madonna on Candlemas. It is a popular emblem of Mary's radiant purity and of
her freedom from any stain of sin.
·
Lily. This stately and dignified flower
has been associated from ancient times with Jesus and Mary, and is called
Madonna lily in many parts of Europe. At Easter its brilliant and fragrant
blossoms symbolize the radiance of the Lord's risen life. Later in the year it
is used to decorate the shrines of Mary, especially on July 2, the Feast of the
Visitation. It also is an old and traditional symbol of innocence, purity, and
virginity.
·
Rosemary produces delicate and fragrant
blossoms of pale blue color in early spring. according to legend, the plant
originally bloomed in white; however, it turned blue (Mary's color) in reward
for the service it offered when Our Lady looked for some bush on which to
spread her Child's tiny garments after having washed them on the way to Egypt.
The bushes do not grow very tall but as they grow older, they spread out and
thicken, forming a dense bush. There is an old superstition that "the
rosemary passeth not commonly the height of Christ when he was on earth."
·
Violets are dedicated to Mary as symbols
of her humility. They are said to have blossomed forth outside her window when
she spoke the words, "Behold, I am a handmaid of the Lord." Leaving
her, the angel of God blessed the little flowers in passing, thus endowing them
with the tenderest and most beautiful fragrance of all plants.
· Roses were associated with Mary from early times. Saint Dominic (1221) is credited with the spreading of the familiar devotion called the "Rosary (rosarium) of the Blessed Virgin Mary." The word "rosary" originally meant a rose garden but was later used in the sense of "rose garland." Three colors are especially consecrated to Mary: white roses as symbols of her joys, red roses as emblems of her sufferings, and yellow (golden) roses as heralds of her glories.
Feast
of the Annunciation[2]
The feast commemorates the
most sublime moment in the history of time, the moment when the Second Divine
Person of the most Holy Trinity assumed human nature in the womb of the Virgin
Mary. Thus, it is a feast of our Lord, even as it is of Mary, although the
liturgy centers wholly around the Mother of God. — The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
969 "This motherhood of Mary
in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent which she
loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering
beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to
heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold
intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. . ..
Therefore, the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of
Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."
973 By pronouncing her
"fiat" at the Annunciation and giving her consent to the Incarnation,
Mary was already collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish.
She is mother wherever he is Savior and head of the Mystical Body.
Things to Do[3]
·
This
feast is very important in the defense of the life of unborn children. Even
with small children, this is a good day to begin teaching about the high value
God places on human life. He loved us so much that he became one of us, took on
our human nature and became an innocent, completely dependent infant.
· This is a Solemnity, so when this feast falls during the Lenten season, our Lenten penance obligations are lifted. We should celebrate by some special food or dinner. This feast day forecasts the blessed event of Christmas and illustrates how the liturgical year is an endless circle of days. To celebrate this circle or cycle, serve a cake, coffee rings, or wreath-shaped cookies, or foods shaped in ring molds for this feast day. A perfect symbolic food would be an angel food cake for the archangel Gabriel, baked in a tube pan for the endless circle, decorated with the frosting highlighted with blue for Mary.
·
A
traditional food for this day is waffles. "Lady Day" or Annunciation
is the only feast of Mary that Sweden still celebrates since the Lutheran faith
became the state religion in 1593. In most of Europe, waffles are a traditional
feast day food, but on the feast of the Annunciation in Sweden this is THE
"Waffle Day" (Vaffeldagen), where waffles are served either for
breakfast, lunch or dinner, with lingonberries or cloudberries.
Annunciation of the Lord (New, Trad)[4]
- Annunciation
Waffles
- Annunciation
Blueberry Oatmeal Coffee CakeBaked
Blueberry & Pecan Crusted French ToastLady
Day Feasting (Swedish Waffles and Ukrainian Poppy Seed Bread)
- Lily
Sandwiches
- Mother
Most Pure Calla Lily Sandwiches
- Marian
Blueberry ParFIAT
- Annunciation
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Bride's
Cake with Blueberry Filling
- All Recipes for the Blessed
Virgin Mary
Saint Joseph, patron of the Universal Church, pray for us!
Feast
of the Annunciation[5]
THIS feast is so called from the announcement to the Blessed Virgin, by the archangel Gabriel, that she was to be the mother of the Messias. In the Introit of the Mass the Church refers to this high dignity of Mary’s: All the rich shall entreat thy countenance; after her shall virgins be brought to the King; her neighbors shall be brought to thee in gladness and rejoicing. My heart hath uttered a good word, I speak my works to the King.
Prayer.
O
God, Who didst please that Thy Word should take flesh, at the message of an
angel, in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grant to Thy suppliants that we,
who believe her to be truly the Mother
of God, may be blessed by her intercession with Thee.
EPISTLE.
Isaias vii. 10-15.
In
those days the Lord spoke to Isaiah, saying: Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy
God, either unto the depth of hell, or unto the height above. And Isaiah said I
will not ask, and I will not tempt the Lord. And he said: Hear ye therefore, O
house of David: Is it a small thing for you to be grievous to men, that you are
grievous to my God also?
Therefore,
the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive, and
bear a son, and His name shall be called Emmanuel. He shall eat butter and
honey, that He may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good.
Instruction on The Angelic Salutation, Or Hail Mary.
Why is this prayer called the Hail
Mary, Angelic Salutation? Because it begins
with the words which the archangel Gabriel addressed to the Blessed Virgin when
he announced to her that she should be the Mother of God.
Of what does the Angelic Salutation
consist?
1. Of the words of the archangel Gabriel.
2. Of the words of St. Elizabeth.
3. Of words which have been added thereto by the
Catholic Church.
Which are the words of the archangel Gabriel?
Hail [Mary], full of grace, the Lord is with thee,
blessed art thou among women.
What is the meaning of these words?
The words; Hail Mary indicate that profound
veneration for the Blessed Virgin which was felt by the archangel Gabriel, and
which we, in imitation of his example, ought also to cherish. The words full
of grace remind us that God bestowed upon the Blessed Virgin greater graces
than upon all men and angels together; and that not for herself alone, but for
us also; they therefore encourage us to pray to Mary with fervor and
confidence, that by her powerful intercession she will obtain for us the graces
necessary for our salvation. The Lord is with thee; these words express
the peculiar complacency with which God has regarded her, on account of which
He wrought in her special miracles of wisdom, omnipotence, and benignity. Let
us rejoice with Mary over these prerogatives, and implore her to intercede for
us, that God may be with us also, to sustain us by His almightiness, to govern
us by His wisdom, to incite us to all that is good by the fire of His infinite
love. Finally, the words Blessed art thou among women are as much as to
say: Thou art the happiest of all women, since thou alone of them all hast no
stain of sin on thee; thou art chosen to be the Mother of God; thou shalt
conceive Him by the Holy Ghost, and shalt bring Him forth without losing thy
virginity. Thus, it was that the angel saluted the most blessed Virgin, and yet
there are men who are ashamed thus to salute Mary, and to give praise for the
graces which God conferred upon her.
Which are the words of Elizabeth,
and what do they mean?
And blessed is the fruit of thy
womb;
the word blessed is equivalent to praised. In saying these words, therefore, we
desire that the fruit of Mary’s womb, Jesus, may be worshipped and praised by
all men.
Which are the words which the
Catholic Church has added?
To the words Blessed is the fruit of thy womb she has added; Jesus; in order thereby to explain them, and to indicate that this prayer is to be offered in the name of Jesus.
There upon follow the words, Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
What do these words mean?
With the words, Holy Mary, we apply to her who
is full of grace as our intercessor and thereby are reminded to strive to
imitate her holiness, if we would be sure of her intercession, and of being
heard before God. We call her Mother of God, because she brought forth Jesus,
the Son of God. Thereby we at the same time remind her that she is our mother
also, and pray her to care for us as a mother; not as though we believed she
could of herself help us, but with the design that she should offer to God her
all-prevailing prayers for us; hence we say, Pray for us, adding, sinners.
By these words we remind Mary of our misery, and ourselves of our powerlessness
for good, and of our guiltiness in the sight of God, praying her to procure for
us the grace of God to do true penance, to acquire virtues, and to gain true
peace, and that; now, inasmuch as at every moment, and throughout our whole
life, we have so many dangers to meet, so many virtues to gain; and at the hour
of our death, that we may overcome the temptations of the last decisive hour,
and stand complete victors before the throne of the eternal Judge. Amen,
so may it be, is, as it were, to repeat and make stronger the whole prayer.
GOSPEL.
Luke i. 26-38.
At
that time the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called
Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel being come in, said unto
her: Hail, full of grace: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what
manner of salutation this should be?
And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS.
He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of David His father: and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?
And
the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the
power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore, also the Holy
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold thy
Cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the
sixth month with her that is called barren: because no word shall be impossible
with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me
according to thy word.
Salutation to the Most Blessed
Virgin Mary.
Hail,
Mary, full of grace! I rejoice, and give joy to thee, that thou hast been
chosen the Mother of the Most High, and the queen of heaven and earth. With
thee is the Father Who begot, from all eternity, Him Whom thou didst bring
forth as God-man in time; with thee is the Son, Whom thou didst bear in thy
virginal womb; with thee is the Holy Ghost, overshadowed by Whose power thou
didst become the Mother of the Redeemer of the world. Praised, therefore, be
thou, thou blessed among women; thou daughter of the Most High; thou bride of
the Holy Ghost; thou joy of heaven; thou ornament of the Church of God; thou
honor of Christians. Oh, pray God for us, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Solemnize the Day[6]
Therefore, is it that we, the children of Adam, who have been snatched by Mary's obedience from the power of hell, solemnize this day of the Annunciation. Well may we say of Mary those words of Debbora, when she sang her song of victory over the enemies of God's people: ‘The valiant men ceased, and rested in Israel, until Debbora arose, a mother arose in Israel. The Lord chose new wars, and He Himself overthrew the gates of the enemies.’ Let us also refer to the holy Mother of Jesus these words of Judith, who by her victory over the enemy was another type of Mary: 'Praise ye the Lord our God, who hath not forsaken them that hope in Him. And by me, His handmaid, He hath fulfilled His mercy, which He promised to the house of Israel; and He hath killed the enemy of His people by my hand this night. . .. The almighty Lord hath struck him, and hath delivered him into the hands of a woman, and hath slain him.'
Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot
Gueranger O.S.B.
The Angelus[7]
The traditional Catholic midday prayer is called the
Angelus. Christians have always paused for prayer at the noon. In apostolic
times, it was called the prayer of the “sixth hour”, counting from sunrise. It
was also at the sixth hour that Jesus was crucified. Though Catholics most
commonly recite the Angelus at noon, some pray it at six in the morning and six
in the evening. For those who wish to make personal change this is a good time
to examine our day so far and offer ourselves us to our God. It is at the
turning point of our day that we recall the turning point of history: the
moment when the angel appeared to a young woman named Mary.
The Angelus[8]
The Angel of the Lord declared to
Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord
is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour
of our death. Amen.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be
it done unto me according to Thy word. Hail
Mary…
And the Word was made Flesh: And
dwelt among us. Hail Mary…
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O
Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ,
Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and
Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our
Lord.
Amen.
Bible in a
year Day 266 Son
of the Father
As we finish the Gospel of Matthew, Fr. Mike takes us
through Christ's passion, explaining the meaning of "Barabbas", the
importance of saints, and temptation towards false truth. He also explains the
context of the gospels, and how we fit into them in the new and eternal
covenant. Today's readings are Matthew 27-28 and Proverbs 19:25-29.
Tolkien Reading Day[9]
Although founded in 2002,
the First Tolkien Reading Day wasn’t until March 25th, 2003. This is
because a journalist from New York enquired as to whether or not there was such
an event for Tolkien in January 2002 and the society liked the idea so much,
they adopted it –
although they didn’t
have time to prepare anything for that year and postponed it. The society chose
an important date from the book for the reading day. March 25th is the Downfall
of Sauron.
In recent years The
Tolkien Society have provided information packs, bookmarks and posters for
schools taking part in this event. They have also provided free posters for
events held by libraries and the general public taking place near to the event,
rather than on the 25th.
Observances
With the popularity of the
Lord of The Rings film trilogy firmly influencing the popularity of the books,
Tolkien Reading Day was set up with hopes of getting even more people reading
and discovering that there is much more to Tolkien than just The Lord of the
Rings.
Typical events consist of
readings and discussions, but some groups re-enact scenes from the Lord of the
Rings books.
Lord
of the Rings[10]
A
battle against evil alone does not make The Lord of the Rings fundamentally
Christian and Catholic; and yet there are many ways that it is.
Here are some of the ways The Lord of the Rings is a Christian myth.
1.
Darkness pervades Middle
earth where man, beast and nature are called to an adventure full of peril and
hope. Here is how Elijah Wood explains the film's dominant theme: No matter how
bad things are, no matter how much evil there is in this world, there is always
some good worth fighting for, worth standing up for, and worth some effort in
carrying on.
2.
The One Ring
illustrates how evil can entice and enslave. Beautiful gold rings are enticing
to wear. But when we slip them on our fingers, we announce our devotion and
loyalty to their owner.
3.
Gandalf and Saruman,
while not analogous, have traits, goals, and experiences similar to those of
Jesus and Satan. Gandalf is even tempted in a battle with Saruman not unlike
Christ is tempted by Satan in the wilderness.
4.
Evil is parasitic and
can only destroy that which was created. Everything that (God) created in
Middle-earth (and in our world) is good. It is the perversion and corruption of
what was created that is evil. Good can exist on its own. Evil can only live off
what is good.
5.
Like all Christians,
Frodo is called to risk his life through great peril to save others. Frodo,
like us, does not appear to be up to the task. He does not have any obvious
talent suited for war. But he is chosen, as we are. We are all necessary for
God's grand plan to be fulfilled; and even the most unlikely and disgusting
Gollum-like beast in our life is necessary. And when Frodo asks, "What can
a little hobbit do?" — Isaiah answers, "A little child will lead
them" (11:6).
6.
In the Shire, the
Hobbits come naturally to living a beatific life that Christ calls Christians
to live by. The Hobbits are the meek that inherit the earth, the merciful who
receive mercy, the pure in heart, and the peacemakers. (Mt. 5:3-12)
7.
Like all Christians,
Tolkien's characters are called to play roles in a story that is much greater
and more important than they are aware. Just as we are not aware of all that
has happened before us, so Gandalf, at the end of The Hobbit, says to
Bilbo, "You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and
escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? "you are
only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!"
8. There is a longing for the return of the king. As Christians long for the return of Christ the King, so the free people of Middle-earth long for their kingdoms to be once more united in peace and justice under the rightful heir. Did I mention that Aragorn looks like Christ?
9.
The Fellowship of the
Ring is constituted of different characters with different gifts suited for
battling evil — the diversity keeps them united. This is not unlike the
diversity of spiritual gifts and temporal talents given to the different
members of the Christian community for the unity of the body — so that we might
be dependent on each other.
10.
Upon leaving Lorien,
each of the Fellowship members are given custom fitted Elvish hooded cloaks not
unlike St. Paul's armor in Ephesians 6:10-17. Again, Tolkien disliked allegory;
so, the cloaks are not exactly like St. Paul's armor of salvation. But they do
have mystical traits of great aid that keep them safe in their battle with
evil.
A Catholic Core the Lord of the Rings is also Catholic.
11.
There are sacraments
not symbols. For their journey, Galadriel graciously bestows upon the
Fellowship — a representation of the church — seven mystical gifts: no mere
symbols these, but glimmering reflections of the Church's seven sacraments —
the conveying of spiritual grace through temporal rites. And at her Mirror,
Galadriel derides the Reformers' taunt of Eucharistic magic in the Mass
when she says: "For this is what your folk would call magic, I believe;
though I do not understand clearly what they mean; and they seem to use the
same words for the deceits of the enemy."
12.
As grace and creation
is experienced through a sacrament, so control and destruction is experienced
through an anti-sacrament — the One Ring. The ring that Frodo bears is not
symbolic, but rather operates as an anti-sacrament. Dependent on a person's spiritual
disposition, a sacrament literally allows grace and life to flow into a person
through the physical realm. Likewise, in Middle-earth, the characters'
spiritual disposition makes them more or less susceptible to the anti-sacrament
power of the ring, which if worn, literally brings evil and destruction upon
the bearer.
13. The protagonists pursue absolutes, rejecting any willingness to compromise or relativize. In Middle earth there is an absoluteness of what is right and wrong. There is no hint of moral relativism that separates the different peoples, races, or creators of the freelands. Aragorn says to Eomer: "Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among men."
14.
The protagonists
embrace suffering as a requirement of working out their salvation. It isn't
enough to simply believe or have faith to be free of the tyranny of evil each
of our protagonists must sacrifice and work hard through great peril to secure
their salvation and the right ordering of their world.
15.
The Shire, described
as the ideal community, reflects the social teachings of Catholicism. The
Hobbits benefit from a community structure with little formal organization and
less conflict. They work only enough to survive and otherwise enjoy each
other's company. There is no jealousy, no greed, and rarely does anyone do
anything unexpected. There is a wholeness and graciousness about it that seems
to come naturally out of selflessness.
16.
Gandalf, the steward
of all things good in the world, reflects the papacy. Gandalf is leader of the
free and faithful. He is steward of all things good in the world, but he claims
rule over no land. As the Popes of history did with kings and emperors of our
world, so Gandalf crowns the king and blesses him to rule with justice and
peace.
17.
Middle-earth ideology
reflects a corporate moral hierarchy and not individualism. There is no
democracy or republic in Middle-earth. There are spiritual leaders like
Gandalf, and Kings like Theoden and Elessar with lords and vassals. There is no
defense of individualism, no claim of choice, and no justification for an
individual to follow his conscience.
18.
There is a mystical
Lady, like The Blessed Mother, who responds miraculously to pleas for help. The
Lady is named Varda (or in Elvish, Elbereth or star-queen) and although
she is never seen, she's is described as holy and queenly; and when her name is
invoked — "O Elbereth! Gilthoniel! — as Frodo and Sam do on occasion,
miracles follow that protect the quest and defeat the present enemy.
19. The sign of the cross. At the end of the first movie (and the beginning of the second book) Aragorn kneels beside the mortally wounded Boromir — and as he dies, Aragorn makes a rudimentary sign of the cross touching first his forehead and then his lips. It is a salute to Avatar, the One who created all.
20.
There is a last
sharing of cup and bread, not unlike O.T. manna and its fulfillment in The
Eucharist.Before the Fellowship departs from Lorien, Galadriel bids each to
participate in a farewell ritual and drink from a common cup. More significant
is the mystical Elvish food given to the fellowship — lembas or
waybread. A small amount of this supernatural nourishment will sustain a
traveler for many days.
All of this should make viewing or reading The Lord of the Rings a more
interesting and insightful experience for both Christians and Catholics.
Aretha Franklin[11]
Aretha Franklin,
born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee, became a music legend. Her voice
captivated millions, earning her the title “Queen of Soul.”
Personal Note: My sister in September 1970 was a radio station groupie and via her skill in calling in to the station won tickets to an Aretha Franklin concert. I had just got my license to drive, and she was too young, so I was forced to go and take her to the concert. I had no clue who Aretha was, and I was totally surprised that we were about the only white people at the concert which made me a little anxious, but I found that despite my being white we were treated with dignity and respect, and we had front row seats. The concert was incredible.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: The
sanctification of the Church Militant.
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
[2]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-03-25
[4]https://catholiccuisine.blogspot.com/2012/02/recipes-for-march-month-dedicated-to-st.html
[5] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[7] Hahn, Scott, Signs of Life; 40 Catholic Customs
and their biblical roots. Chap. 13. The Angelus
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945)
🎬 Production Snapshot
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Elia Kazan
Release: 1945
Screenplay: Tess Slesinger & Frank Davis, adapted from Betty Smith’s novel
Stars: Dorothy McGuire, James Dunn, Joan Blondell, James Gleason, Peggy Ann Garner
Genre: Family drama / Coming‑of‑age
Notable: Kazan’s debut feature, a tender portrait of poverty, dignity, and hope in early‑20th‑century Brooklyn. James Dunn won the Academy Award for his heartbreaking performance as Johnny Nolan, and Peggy Ann Garner received the Juvenile Oscar for her luminous portrayal of Francie.
🧭 Story Summary
In the Williamsburg tenements of 1912 Brooklyn, young Francie Nolan grows up in a world of scarcity, imagination, and fierce family loyalty. Her mother, Katie (Dorothy McGuire), is disciplined and unsentimental, carrying the household on her back. Her father, Johnny (James Dunn), is a singing waiter—charming, affectionate, and undone by alcoholism. Between them stands Francie, whose hunger for beauty and learning becomes the “tree” that insists on growing in hard soil.
Francie’s world is shaped by small triumphs and quiet heartbreaks: the ritual of saving pennies for the tin‑can bank, the humiliation of poverty, the joy of books, the ache of watching her father falter, and the steady love of Aunt Sissy (Joan Blondell), whose warmth and mischief soften the family’s burdens. When tragedy strikes, Francie must learn to carry both memory and hope, discovering that resilience is not loud but rooted—like the tree outside her window that grows despite everything.
The film closes not with triumph but with a deepening: a family choosing to rise, a girl choosing to grow, and a neighborhood that holds both sorrow and grace in the same narrow streets.
🕰 Historical and Cultural Context
- Postwar America embraced stories of ordinary families enduring hardship with dignity; this film became a touchstone for that sensibility.
- Elia Kazan’s direction brought a documentary realism to tenement life—textures of laundry lines, stairwells, and street corners that feel lived‑in rather than staged.
- Betty Smith’s novel, beloved for its honesty, arrived during WWII; the film adaptation carried that same spirit of endurance into the final months of the war.
- James Dunn’s performance mirrored his own life—struggles with alcohol, a fall from stardom, and a redemptive return—giving Johnny Nolan a poignancy that audiences recognized as real.
- The film helped establish the coming‑of‑age genre as a serious cinematic form, not merely sentimental but morally and socially observant.
✝️ Catholic Moral Resonances
Beneath its domestic realism, the film carries a quiet Catholic heart—sacramental, incarnational, attentive to grace in the ordinary.
Dignity in Hidden Labor
Katie Nolan embodies the Church’s teaching that work—especially unseen, domestic work—is a participation in God’s sustaining love. Her strength is not glamorous but sacrificial.
Mercy for the Wounded
Johnny Nolan is not excused, but he is never despised. The film models a Catholic tenderness toward the sinner: truth without cruelty, compassion without denial.
Family as a School of Virtue
The Nolans’ poverty becomes the forge where patience, humility, and perseverance are formed. Their home is a small domestic church, imperfect yet sanctifying.
Hope Rooted in Reality
The tree that grows in the courtyard is a symbol of grace: life insisting on flourishing where it should not. This mirrors the Church’s conviction that God plants hope in the most unlikely soil.
Suffering as Formation
Francie’s heartbreaks—especially the loss of her father—become the soil of her vocation. Her suffering does not crush her; it deepens her capacity for love, imagination, and truth.
🍷 Hospitality Pairing
Drink: Irish Coffee — warm, humble, and tinged with sweetness and sorrow, echoing Johnny Nolan’s charm and fragility.
Snack: Fresh‑baked brown bread with butter — simple, nourishing, the kind of food a Brooklyn tenement mother would stretch to feed her family, yet rich enough to honor the film’s tenderness.
Atmosphere:
- A single lamp or warm bulb to evoke the tenement’s intimate glow.
- Soft turn‑of‑the‑century parlor music or early American folk tunes.
- A quiet moment afterward to reflect on the small mercies that sustain a family.
🪞 Reflection Prompt
Where in your own life is God asking you to grow like Francie’s tree—quietly, stubbornly, in soil that feels too hard—and what small acts of fidelity might nourish that hidden growth?
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