To Serve and Protect

For our weekly Fiat meeting, we moved it outdoors to a beautiful park. Here we sat close together at a park bench, while our children enjoyed the playground nearby.

And as open as the space was, we all sort of "opened" ourselves to some personal issues that we face in our relationships.
In reflection of our discussion, I found "To serve and protect" a fitting theme.

In a very personal atmosphere, we shared stories of how our marriages required from us need to protect it from influences that could be potentially harmful. These influences are not foreign to us, but rather very close. They are the people that we have as our own family - whether immediate, extended, and/or in-laws.
Situations and circumstances that surround our families affect us and how we relate to them.
And it could be anything really - from their ideas on child rearing to their own lifestyle choices. Some of these choices they make are harmful, not only to themselves but to the people surrounding them.

Some of us ladies have children - and naturally this "warrior mother" comes out and we want to protect our own family from the ills of the world. But, it is such a delicate line to be drawn when it is protection against the ones close to us.
And even for the other ladies that do not have children yet, the situation still does exist - how do we go about addressing and then reconciling particular differences?

First and foremost, we must serve Our Lord - meaning that if we are faced with situations and/or circumstances that are offensive to Him, we must make the appropriate steps to rectify the situation for His Glory. Especially when it comes to our vocation - the work we do in relation to our vocation is a vital componet of how we serve Our Lord.
And one thing must do is protect the dignity and sanctity of our marriages.
We must prayerfully discern what the appropriate steps are to amend our current situation - and after that, we must still pray- for everyone involved, that they will be sanctified admist it all. We must also pray that we do not have a malicious or resentful heart, but a pure one.

However, this work is not easy. It is heart wrenching- and can lead to some undesirable after effects. It can cause separation from family and a rage that feels unjust. It can create inner turmoil and anxiety. But it is our cross.
And in the midst of this work, we must realize that God is with us. His Hand is here with us and He is telling us this as we watch Him carry His cross to be crucified, only to resurrect on the Third day. For Our Lord beat ALL odds, so that we might enjoy eternal life in Him.

This is our Comfort - this is our Hope.

And in addition to all of this, we have our Holy Mother to whom we can ask to pray for us.

I'd like to take this opportunity to enclose a prayer we can say in times of need.

From the Mother's Manual: Mary, Help me!
Holy Queen, mother of mothers, consolation and protectess of all Christian motherhood, Mother Mary, help me.
In all trials and sorrows that come into my day, dear Mary, help me.
When I am tired with my labors and despondency is upon me, dear Mary, help me.
When all looks dark and I find none to speak a consoling or cheering word, dear Mary, help me.
When I am wearied by by the weight of countless vexing little things and my patience is sorely tired, dear Mary, help me.
In the impatience and rudeness of others, by the example of your mildness, dear Mary, help me.
When others speak sharply to me and I would speak harshly in return, that I may show gentleness of your own kindly speech, dear Mary, help me.
When my efforts seem to bear so little fruit and to be so little appreciated and I am discouraged, dear Mary, help me.
When a thousand worrisome distractions and annoyances come into my day and it seems so hard to keep my peace of heart, dear Mary, help me.
When all others seem to fail, then especially with the sweet support of your gentle aid, dear Mary, help me.
In all things, Mother, assist me! That I may, like you, with patience turn all my trials into spiritual treasures; that I may grow ever more like you, the cherished Queen of the most Holy Family, dear Mary, help me!

Prayer and Fasting

Saturday will mark the return of San Francisco's 25th annual "Folsom Street Fair". For those of you who aren't familiar with it, I think you should be. If anything, it will make you grateful for the ability to make reparation.

The Folsom Street Fair draws a crowd of over 350,000 annually, to the streets of San Francisco. All ages are welcome, and encouraged, to attend. It's been simply called a "Gay Pride Parade" but, it's much more than that.

The Folsom Street Fair promotes full nudity and public sex acts. If that isn't enough to convince you that something has gone terribly wrong, perhaps this will:

The main promotional poster of the fair in '07 was a distortion of Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper". It featured 13 scantily, leather-clad men and women representing Christ and the apostles, seated around a table cluttered with sex toys; two of which, took the place of the bread and wine.

Is motivation behind the Folsom Street Fair, beginning to take shape? Let's solidify the image.

"In one instance that was particularly offensive to people of religious faith, during last year's festival, a female stripper was hoisted in a cage over a Roman Catholic Church during Mass."

Ridiculous. And, in case you're wondering why this type of activity isn't prohibited by the police, here is the answer:

"One San Francisco policeman told us that the police were instructed not to make arrests for indecency on the city streets, but merely to 'contain' the activity to the street fair, which encompassed several city blocks."

Does this seem absurd to anyone else, but me? James Dobson has a few thoughts on the matter, himself:

"This event distorts and degrades sexuality, which is a gift from God. While citizens in California can’t stop private sinful and disturbed sexual practices, they can speak out against this public event.

For the police to turn a blind eye to these illegal and indecent displays of depravity, and the city's elected officials to 'celebrate' this sort of public obscenity, is unconscionable."

Since this is such a distortion of true love, life, and freedom, we thought that those of us living in the Culture of Life should take this opportunity, for a little prayer and fasting. Here's what we had in mind:

On Saturday, September 28th, we encourage the husbands and wives of Fiat and F.I.A.T. to offer reparation, for all that will be promoted and encouraged during the Folsom Street Fair. Here are a few suggestions to choose from.

Husbands:

• Take Saturday as a day to fast or abstain from meat, in reparation.
• Make a 15 minute "holy hour" in the middle of Friday night (in your home), for all those involved.
• Preform and act of Charity, on Saturday.

Wives:

• Pray a Rosary or a Chaplet of Divine Mercy on Saturday, as an act of reparation.
• Make a 15 minute "holy hour" in the middle of Friday night (in your home), for all those involved.
• Preform an act of Charity, on Saturday.

A little sacrifice, when done out of the love for Christ, can certainly go a long way. Whatever you choose to do, we encourage you all to use your marriages to sanctify our culture. For, what else are we called to image with our spouse, than the very relationship between Christ and the Church.

Work Ethic

As Rosanne wrote in her recent post, we met on Wednesday to discuss #1604 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. And, as she pointed out, one woman said that in our vocation as wife, we become a prayer. 

But what, exactly, transforms us into prayer? We found the answer rather quickly: it is our work. Specifically, it's the constant call to be a continuous act of love that we encounter in our daily duties. And, what a beautiful way to look at the daily requirements of a wife and a mother. For, when you really think about it, it's nothing less than that. 

But, isn't work something difficult? Doesn't work, itself, drain us of our energy and rob us of the charitable spirit we desire to have? Not necessarily. Let's go back to the beginning, even before the Fall. 

• 378 The sign of man's familiarity with God is that God places him in the garden [in Genesis]. There he lives "to till it and keep it". Work is not yet a burden, but rather the collaboration of man and woman with God in perfecting the visible creation.
  

So, there is our answer. Man was made for work. And work was made for man. Specifically, work was made as a sign of God's familiarity with us, so that man could collaborate with God in perfection. Now, that sheds new light on washing dishes and folding laundry. Regardless, it's our reality. 

But, let's remember that God made man male and female. And, that is an essential piece of the puzzle. In fact, it's everything. And, that brings us back to the Catechism, yet again.

• 1604..Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love [husband and wife] becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. 

Not only is our spouse an image of God's love for us, the love between a husband and wife is an image of God's love for man. So, what are we called to do, as husband and wife, with this love that is so great as to image God's very own perfect and infinite love for man? You guessed it. We're called to work. 

• 1604.. And this love which God blesses is intended to be fruitful and to be realized in the common work of watching over creation: “And God blessed them, and God said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it.’”44
  

So, the next time you're overwhelmed by the work that you have to accomplish in your day, remember that work is the original way that God called us to communion with Him. It's the original way that He called us to bring things to perfection.

And, if you feel like your household chores are less than an adequate reflection of the original work that we were called to do, keep in mind that that work was nothing more than tilling a garden. 

Now, that's Work Ethic. 

The musings of bare piggies, chocolate joe joes, and the horizon of love

Ah, the joyful moments of "bare piggies" and "chocolate joe joes". I don't know about all of you, but I am sure that I wouldn't want one of my bare piggies stepped on - and just for clarification, "bare piggies" is the new name for exposed toes. 

Oh and what are chocolate joe joes? Well, you might want to ask one of our little ones, when they walk out of the kitchen with chocolate cookie crumbs all over their face. Sure enough, many of us went into the kitchen to grab a few!

Anyway, we commenced with our weekly meeting and continued on in the Catechism, reading #1604- after a thoughtful, collective pause, we spoke about the horizon of love that we experience in a marriage. 

First of all, it is necessary to realize that it starts with prayer - and as one woman mentioned "we become a prayer, there is no distinction between our duties and Jesus". Sounds familiar doesn't it? This a reoccurring theme in our meetings, recognizing that our vocation is in communion with God. However, it is one thing to merely know that, it is another to exercise it in spirit.

Here the power of prayer can be harnessed. And without sounding redundant in any way, we can and should unite ourselves completely in Jesus, with our duties as wives.

And since we are on the "horizon of love" we read in #1604 of the Catechism "God who created man out of love also calls him to love-the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love." It goes on to say, man and woman "their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man." 

Gorgeous!

Look at that - the love we share with our husbands becomes an image of how God loves us. Now ladies, when you see your husband today- remember that! And I'm sure those butterflies and rosy cheeks will arise. What a gift, that through our husbands, God shares His love with us. 

It also very good to remember that our marriages are images of God's love, when the times of hardships come along and we have to "protect and defend" our marriages. With the temptations of the world coming at us in different angles, we need to coat ourselves with the strength of Christ to endure these inevitable trials. 

These trials can come in many forms, whether it is something external of the marriage, like other family members or friends,- or something very close and intimate, like our own individual struggles that affect our significant other. The art of balancing our partnership, can be perfected in these times. When one is weak, the other must be strong - and praying together, while doing good works can be a miraculous remedy for any problem.

And when the times are fruitful- we discover this urging need to share the love of Christ with others. Our marriages inspire us to do beautiful works. We begin to see the world, the way God wants us to see the world- a place where we can plant seeds of His Love in His Name. Our little marriage units are destined to do great things- God has asked us in a particular way, to exercise the gifts we have been blessed with. Each marriage has a particular inclination -a particular calling that we have to discern and prayerfully carry out. How fun! Something to do with my loved one, for the One who loves us!

Love, love, love -what a wonderful thing.

Holiness for Housewives

In his book, Holiness for Housewives, Hubert van Zeller writes: "it is a common mistake to imagine that only formally arranged prayers are to be prayed. Anything can be prayed ...and if you can pray while you are reading, you can pray while you are writing. And if you can pray while you are writing, you can pray while you are doing pretty well anything. This brings us to the use of brief, spontaneous prayers and to the practice of the presence of God"

So yet again, we have proof that our labors can be prayers that we can use to bring us closer to God -wow, what a relief! And I'll tell you, I can use all the reminders I can get.

However I do want to include some "formally arranged prayers" that can aid us in our vocation, when the days get rough:

Prayer when exhausted by housework

Lord, I am sick to death of making beds, cleaning , and all the other jobs that go into keeping this household together. Grant me a clearer sense of my vocation to this work so that I may think less of the drudgery and more of the spiritual opportunity that it gives me.

Be with me in the duties of my day; and when, as now, I feel like dropping from fatigue and boredom and I long to be rid of it all, rouse in me a spirit of endurance and greater generosity.

Help me to make more of an effort to model myself on You. The daily work in the house at Nazareth was not without its hardships, and in the work of Your ministry later on, You were both weary and pressed for time. Help me to remember this when I find myself being suffocated by housework. Amen

Prayer in time of exasperation

Lord, my interruptions are almost more than I can bear. Give me patience. Help me to suppress my irritation for Your sake. Help me to see this provocation as being sent by You for the perfecting of my soul. If I do not let it act for my good will, it will inevitable act the other way. Lord, let the surface of my soul be calm, so that it may reflect Your image and Your will. Amen

Prayer when in a bad mood

Lord, I am in a shocking state of mind. I feel as if I ought not to be praying at all: I am too disgruntled for recollection and generosity and good resolutions and all those things that are necessary to Your service. But it is better to try to pray now than merely to give in and indulge in my poisonous humor. Lord, show me how to deal with myself when rebellion and bitterness well up in me and make life seem far more of a burden than it is. Show me that the remedy lies in submission to You and not in wallowing in self. Amen

Where the Heart Is

Part of our vocation as wife, involves something that is often mentioned in our society, but perhaps never truly understood. But, the beautiful thing about being Catholic, is that we are given the fullness of truth. 

 

We often hear that home is where the heart is. It's an interesting thing to ponder: just where the heart might be. 

St. Therese elaborates on the subject for us. More specifically, she shows us how our vocation as wife (and any vocation) can truly be where the Heart is. She writes:

"As I reflected on the Mystical Body of the Holy Church, I could not recognize myself among any of its members described by St. Paul. Or, was it not rather that I wished to recognize myself in all?

But, Charity gave me the key to my vocation. I understood that, since the Church is a body composed of different members, She could not lack the most necessary of all the bodily organs.

I then understood, therefore, that the Church has a heart, and a heart on fire with love. I saw, too, that love alone imparts life to all the members, so that, should love ever fail, apostles would no longer preach the Gospel and martyrs would refuse to shed their blood.

Finally, I realized that love includes every vocation, that love is all things, that love is eternal, reaching down through the ages and stretching to the uttermost limits of the earth.

Overcome with joy, I cried out: 'O Jesus, my love, my vocation is found at last! My vocation is love.' I have found my place in the bosom of the Church, and this place, O My God, Thou hast Thyself given to me. In the heart if the Church, my Mother, I will be love." 

9-03-08 "The Gathering"

“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

Did we discuss #1604 in the Catechism? Not exactly, but we did gather in a beautiful way.

We talked amongst each other, sharing personal stories of the events and situations that impact our lives, giving each of us an opportunity to learn more about another -while enjoying muffins and our wonderful children buzzing around.

We got to understand more deeply our unique situation in life - and again discover that we are to be faithful witnesses to His eternal Word through our very own blessings and sacrifices.

And through this, I am very certain that we developed a deeper sense of appreciation of where The Lord has placed us...

in His Love.

What's Your Sign

We had our weekly meeting on Wednesday afternoon, to discuss #1603 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Here are the meeting minutes. And, just to get the ball rolling, it all boiled down to this question: What's your sign? I promise, it will all make sense in the end.

It wasn't difficult to see the contrast in popular culture's view of marriage, with the Church's teaching on the subject. Or, to put it simply, with the reality of marriage - and where it has its origins. 

• 1603 "The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been established by the Creator, and endowed by him with its own proper laws."
  

And, in case there is any doubt to whether or not marriage is a human institution - and, one that we can adapt to our own ideas of whom it should involve, we're reminded - again: 

•  1603." God himself is the author of marriage."
  

So, we continue to read - with our foundation set firmly in place. And, we find something somewhat surprising, in the next sentence: 

• 1603 "The vocation to marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they came from the hand of the Creator. "
  

We realize that the vocation to marriage is a universal one. It's written in the nature of every man and woman. How, we wonder, is this possible? And, we note, that's a pretty significant blanket statement. 

But, it all makes sense when we think of one thing: The Sacramentality of the Body. And, Christopher West elaborates:

• "The human body itself is in some sense a 'sacrament'. It is a sign that makes visible the invisible mystery of God. God makes His invisible, spiritual, mystery visible to us, through embodiment as man and woman. But, how?

• The answer:  'The beauty of creation reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator.' And, what is the crown of creation? What more than anything else in God's creation speaks of divine beauty? The answer is man and woman - and their call to fruitful communion. "

But, there are a few questions that arise, after hearing Christopher West's words. Why does the fruitful communion of man and woman reflect the infinite beauty of the Creator? Why does that most perfectly image God? We find the answer in Genesis. 

• "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; man and woman he created them." And, to them, He said: Be fruitful. 

But, there is also the fact that God, Himself, is a Communion of Persons. He is a communion which is engaging in an eternal exchange of love: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 

To put it simply: God is Love. 

So, we see the beauty that there is in our embodiment as man and woman - and, the beauty that there is in the vocation to marriage - to fruitful communion. And, from our reflections, we come to see the Beauty of God that there is in every male and female. 

And, that is our sign. Our sign of His Love. 

And, to clarify the point, though the vocation to marriage may be written in the nature of man and woman, how much more beautiful would it be, for one to forego the sign of His love (in the fruitful communion of man and woman), and choose the destination of ultimate Communion with Him?

That choice - that vocation - to forgo the sign of His love found within the communion of man and woman,  certainly is beautiful. In fact, it's supernatural. 

And, together, it's the mystical body of Christ. 

Communion

As a reminder, here are the details for our meeting, today:

• We'll be meeting at 2:00 p.m.
• It will take place at the McGlone's home 
• We'll be reading #1603 in the Catechism

For those of you who will not be able to attend the meeting this week, we'll be posting the "Meeting Minutes" after we're done with our discussion. Hope to see all of you in a couple of hours! 

Tying It Together

We've posted the "Meeting Minutes", from our latest gathering. We've had fruitful discussions and encouraging conversations. Now, let's get to the root, and tie it together, with the basis for our fellowship: the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

We begin with sections #1601 and #1602 in the Catechism. From here, we learn what marriage is, and why it was created. And, most importantly, we learn by Whom it was created.

• 1601 "The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring.. 

Marriage is, above all, a covenant. Two become one - and, unlike goods or things in a contract, our whole persons are freely exchanged and totally given, to our spouse.  And, in this covenant, we are not alone: 

• 1601 "..This covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament."84
  

Christ, Our Lord, unites us in this marriage bond - and, He sustains us in our ability to become one; He - in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit - allow us to abide in this state of free and total gift of self. 

We, as husband and wife, are able to live faithfully in this covenant because we were made to do so.  But, how do we know that? 

God is Love. And, we were made in His image and likeness. 

• 1602 Sacred Scripture begins with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God and concludes with a vision of "the wedding-feast of the Lamb.."
  

We realize that though we were made in the image and likeness of the God Who is Love, there are daily struggles for every married couple. Though we are dedicated to our marriage covenant, and we work hard to faithfully live our call to total self giving, it can - at times - seem completely mysterious to us, how to do so. 

But, we are assured, that's not unexpected. In fact, it would be ridiculous to expect it to be otherwise. 

• 1602 "..85 Scripture speaks throughout of marriage and its "mystery," its institution and the meaning God has given it, its origin and its end, its various realizations throughout the history of salvation, the difficulties arising from sin and its renewal "in the Lord" in the New Covenant of Christ and the Church.86
  

Despite our personal inadequacies or deficiencies to image the God Who is Love - especially when loving our spouses, we have hope. For, we have Christ. And, He makes all things new. 

8-19-08 Meeting Minutes

We finally have #1601 & 1602 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church under our belts - so what has become of our discussion so far?

On one hand, we have agreed on several different levels, that our marriages pull something extraordinary out of us. Being with our spouses, we realize very intimate details about ourselves. Our discoveries can be uncomfortable for us to adjust to, but we know that they are necessary things to know. We are forced to look at ourselves, authentically - in order to make our nest of love where ever we go.

The beauty of "becoming one flesh" helps us realize something deeper in us - something that could only come from God. The process is a "beautiful struggle" a struggle with the soul and the body. Dying to our old selves to give birth to our new selves - in Christ. What a gift to have, especially when you are sharing it with the one person you promised "until death do us part".

On the other hand, there are very "domestic" elements to all of this - such as, the "spot behind the toilet", the dinners to make, the kids to take care of, the laundry to do - so on and so forth. Here we have to recognize our limits, because we don't want to over expend ourselves. We naturally we want to give selflessly and sometimes endlessly, however this can come from a place of pride that can lead to resentment. We need to be able to recognize that sometimes the "5-course meal" is not applicable every single day.

Luckily, God has provided men in our lives to remind us of "simpler moments". Although there are 20 thoughts swirling in our heads in any given 2 minute span, they can sit between thoughts and breathe - then move on. We need to do that sometimes.

Ah, the great works of God when He created male and female. It is no wonder, we were made for one another - reaffirming to each other why we are here in the first place...

Coming from Love, with the hopes of returning to Love.

Graceful Details

We've decided on an official day, for our weekly meetings: Wednesday. We will be alternating homes each week - and, I'll be coordinating our schedules for every month. If you haven't done so already, please e mail me with the available dates for September, that you will be able to host our gathering. I'll post the schedule as soon as it's ready. 

Also note that on the right side of the page, we've listed the daily prayer commitments. It's a great reminder that every day, someone will be interceding for our intentions - not to mention the fact that it will remind all of us, which day is our own. 

We'll be posting the recent "Meeting Minutes" soon; the points that we reflected on during our latest gathering. Until then, I think it suffices to say that one thing was clear in our discussion: 

No matter what we have to accomplish in our daily responsibilities, to fulfill our beautiful vocation as wife and also, to many, as mother : all is Grace. Nothing more, and nothing less. 

Sanctifying Moments and Special Forces

As part of Fiat, we will each be taking one day a week to offer our sacrifices, works, and prayers as intercession for the wives within our group - and, for their intentions. 

As we said in our meditation on "A Wife's Work: A Nest of Love", a Catholic spouses' work is sanctified by her love - and in turn - her love is sanctified by her work. 

For your particular day of prayer and intercession, remember that you can offer a Rosary, a Chaplet of Divine Mercy, participation in Mass, or time in Adoration (Special Forces) - or, you can offer your day's work : the laundry, the vacuuming, the dishes, the dusting, and the cooking) as an equally acceptable sacrifice (sanctifying moments). 

Because, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

"And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives."

And, so, to do the housework with great love - and, out of reverence for Christ - the ordinary and mundane is transformed into the magnificent. 

Here's our schedule: 

Monday - Rosanne

Tuesday - Ashley

Wednesday - Anita

Thursday - Christy

Friday - Cathy 

Saturday - Jackie 

A Wife's Work: A Nest of Love

"What is the value of a housewife?" Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand answers our question. For, as she will propose, a wife accomplishes far more in her ordinary tasks than any hired help could. The reason? Draw your own conclusions, but part of the answer is clear. The wife's work is sanctified by her love.  And, the fruit of that sanctified work, is nothing less than a home. 

"Home must be much more than just a place to sleep and eat. It should be that mysterious enclosure in which your two lives can take root; a place where you both are sheltered and protected. The place where you can rest spiritually and can dare to be yourselves because you know you're loved. 

Each of you [husband and wife] now has a calling to create this spiritual space in which your two lives can blossom. 

Your own mission as "wife" goes far beyond household chores which could be done just as well by hired help. You must create a nest of love, a place where it is good to be.  Let your love for your husband transform the small, boring, tasks of everyday life into magnificent works of love.

And, new light is brought to washing dishes and doing laundry. For, when you do them with love, the everyday becomes magnificent. 

When we look to the Cathechism of the Catholic Church, we find that all of it rings true. As it says, we were created for work. Even before the Fall.  And, work was created to bring things to perfection.

378 The sign of man's familiarity with God is that God places him in the garden [in Genesis]. There he lives "to till it and keep [the garden]". Work is not yet a burden, but rather the collaboration of man and woman with God in perfecting the visible creation

Couple that concept of work - and, its original purpose - with our Catholic identity, and you can begin to see just how a wife's work [who is united to Christ] can be sanctified by her love. And, how her love can be sanctified and perfected by her work. 

901 "The laity, dedicated as they are to Christ and anointed by the Holy Spirit, are marvelously called and prepared so that even richer fruits of the Spirit maybe produced in them. For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit - indeed even the hardships of life if patiently born - all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 

In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most fittingly be offered to the Father along with the body of the Lord. And so, worshipping everywhere by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God, everywhere offering worship by the holiness of their lives."

It almost appears that the work of a housewife is not only valuable - but, irreplacable.  So it is. 

And, our work is redemptive by virtue of our vocation as "wife". For, we are dedicated to Christ. And, it is out of reverence for Him, that we live as we do.

2427 .. By enduring the hardship of work in union with Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth and the one crucified on Calvary, man collaborates in a certain fashion with the Son of God in his redemptive work. He shows himself to be a disciple of Christ by carrying the cross, daily, in the work he is called to accomplish. Work can be a means of sanctification and a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of Christ.

In the work that we are called to accomplish as a wife, let us never forget that the small, boring tasks of everyday life are simply waiting to be transformed into magnificent works of love - through our true and honest "Fiat".

E5 First Wednesday

Ladies,

Tomorrow, Wednesday August 6th is the first Wednesday of the month. Being so, a number of our husbands who are E5 Men - and, a number of other Catholic men across the country - will be fasting for their wives, and making reparation for all offenses against the dignity of women.

Let's keep all men who are making this first Wednesday commitment in our prayers! 

And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."

-Mt. 9:29 RSV

By Love Refined

Ladies,

Welcome to Fiat! This is a Community for Catholic Wives to Gather, Supporting Each Other In the Quest for Holiness, and Striving to Echo Our Lady's Perfect "Yes" in God's Will for Her Life. 

Some might ask if there's a need for such a community. My answer would be: Yes! 

"Because of human imperfections, difficulties crop up in marriage, even between people who love each other deeply. You'll soon find that for this reason, although love is a gift, it must also be learned."

- Alice Von Hildebrand

Popular culture devalues the dignity of the Sacrament of Marriage - and, the role of both husband and wife, constantly. From assuming that permanence in marriage is optional, to belittling the role of spouse, marriage is viewed as anything but a sacred institution. 

But, with the fullness of Truth - through our Catholic faith - we know what we are called to be, as Catholic wives. "Holy and without blemish" ,  by love refined - and, we are to become such in part, through the effort and aid of our husbands. In this life of self giving and sacrifice, we are also called to support and strengthen our husbands, as they fulfill their call. And, we are called to do so, in the communion of saints.  

Community

The joys, sorrows, and sufferings are meant to be experienced in community, and by supporting each other with both advice and prayer, we can accomplish great things, for the glory of God. 

• We will meet twice a month, to dedicate ourselves and our marriages to Christ Our King, through the intercession of Our Lady.
• We will speak about the joys, struggles, and sufferings in our lives
• We will support each other with virtuous conversation

Holiness

As Catholic wives, we share a common experience of pursuing the call to Holiness in the married vocation. 

• We will read about the married vocation each meeting - and, God's specific call to us as women
• We will pray for each other daily, between meetings
• We will pray for our husbands, especially on the first Wednesday of each month 

E5 Wives

Many of our husbands are involved in a group called "E5 Men". Modeled after Ephesians 5, those husbands involved, fast on bread and water on the first Wednesday of each month, for their wives. 

As wives of E5 Men, we can support them in their efforts, and pray especially for our husbands on the first Wednesday of every month. 

If you know of other Catholic wives who would be interested in Fiat, feel free to pass on the website. And, if you feel like it, you might want to check our our husband's website: The Men's F.I.A.T. Group!