Opening Day

Finally! Let's Play Some Ball!

Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae

et concepit de Spiritu Sancto

Feast of St. Joseph

From Leo XIII Quamquam pluries:

The special motives for which St. Joseph has been proclaimed Patron of the Church, and from which the Church looks for singular benefit from his patronage and protection, are that Joseph was the spouse of Mary and that he was reputed the Father of Jesus Christ. From these sources have sprung his dignity, his holiness, his glory. In truth, the dignity of the Mother of God is so lofty that naught created can rank above it. But as Joseph has been united to the Blessed Virgin by the ties of marriage, it may not be doubted that he approached nearer than any to the eminent dignity by which the Mother of God surpasses so nobly all created natures. For marriage is the most intimate of all unions which from its essence imparts a community of gifts between those that by it are joined together. Thus in giving Joseph the Blessed Virgin as spouse, God appointed him to be not only her life's companion, the witness of her maidenhood, the protector of her honour, but also, by virtue of the conjugal tie, a participator in her sublime dignity. And Joseph shines among all mankind by the most august dignity, since by divine will, he was the guardian of the Son of God and reputed as His father among men. Hence it came about that the Word of God was humbly subject to Joseph, that He obeyed him, and that He rendered to him all those offices that children are bound to render to their parents. From this two-fold dignity flowed the obligation which nature lays upon the head of families, so that Joseph became the guardian, the administrator, and the legal defender of the divine house whose chief he was. And during the whole course of his life he fulfilled those charges and those duties. He set himself to protect with a mighty love and a daily solicitude his spouse and the Divine Infant; regularly by his work he earned what was necessary for the one and the other for nourishment and clothing; he guarded from death the Child threatened by a monarch's jealousy, and found for Him a refuge; in the miseries of the journey and in the bitternesses of exile he was ever the companion, the assistance, and the upholder of the Virgin and of Jesus. Now the divine house which Joseph ruled with the authority of a father, contained within its limits the scarce-born Church. From the same fact that the most holy Virgin is the mother of Jesus Christ is she the mother of all Christians whom she bore on Mount Calvary amid the supreme throes of the Redemption; Jesus Christ is, in a manner, the first-born of Christians, who by the adoption and Redemption are his brothers. And for such reasons the Blessed Patriarch looks upon the multitude of Christians who make up the Church as confided specially to his trust - this limitless family spread over the earth, over which, because he is the spouse of Mary and the Father of Jesus Christ he holds, as it were, a paternal authority. It is, then, natural and worthy that as the Blessed Joseph ministered to all the needs of the family at Nazareth and girt it about with his protection, he should now cover with the cloak of his heavenly patronage and defend the Church of Jesus Christ...

In those lands where the 19th of March - the Feast of St. Joseph - is not a Festival of Obligation, We exhort the faithful to sanctify it as far as possible by private pious practices, in honour of their heavenly patron, as though it were a day of Obligation.

Around here we celebrate Father's Day today. So happy Father's Day to our fathers back home, and to John.

Also, happy name day to Thomas Joseph. We have our St. Joseph table all set up, and will post pictures of it later, hopefully.

Happy Feast of St. Patrick!

I bind to myself today

The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:

I believe the Trinity in the Unity

The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today

The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism

The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial

The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension

The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today

The virtue of the love of the seraphim

In the obedience of angels

In the hope of resurrection unto reward

In the prayers of Patriarchs

In the predictions of Prophets

In the preaching of Apostles

In the faith of Confessors

In the purity of holy Virgins

In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today

The power of Heaven,

The light of the sun,

The brightness of the moon,

The splendour of fire,

The flashing of lightning,

The swiftness of the wind,

The depth of the sea,

The stability of the earth,

The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today

God's Power to guide me,

God's Might to uphold me,

God's Wisdom to teach me,

God's Eye to watch over me,

God's Ear to hear me,

God's Word to give me speech,

God's hand to guide me,

God's Way to lie before me,

God's Shield to shelter me,

God's Host to secure me,

Against the snares of demons,

Against the seductions of vices,

Against the lusts of nature,

Against everyone who meditates injury to me,

Whether far or near,

Whether few or many.

I invoke today all these virtues

Against every merciless power

Which may assail my body or soul.

Against the incantations of false prophets,

Against the black laws of heathenism,

Against the false laws of heresy,

Against the deceits of idolatry,

Against the spells of womens, and smiths, and druids,

Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today

Against every poison, against burning,

Against drowning, against death-wound,

That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,

Christ behind me, Christ within me,

Christ beneath me, Christ above me,

Christ at my right, Christ at my left,

Christ in the fort,

Christ in the chariot seat,

Christ in the poop,

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today

The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:

I believe the Trinity in the Unity

The Creator of the Universe.

Happy Birthday, Vince and Brigid

We Love You!

Happy Birthday, Mom / Nana!

Here are some smiling faces that love you:

Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

Sunday in Vienna

We began the day by hearing Mass in the lovely Peterskirche, one of our favorite churches in the city. The church itself is a masterpiece of tasteful baroque.

After Mass, lunch at the Zwolfapostelkeller (Twelve Apostles Cellar), a recently discovered favorite for mid-day dining. Typical Austrian heurigen food is served up with mugs of wine in an atmospheric setting (see below).

Good old Mozart.

Even though the sun was out it was still a bit cool - cool enough for some little hands to appreciate a mug of hot chocolate.

Puchberg am Schneeberg

After allowing Emily and Aunt Mary to rest a bit after their trans-Atlantic flight, we hauled off in the Toyota for the little town of Puchberg at the base of Mount Schneeberg, the tallest mountain in our region of Austria (Lower Austria) at about 2,000m.