Humorous Highpoint

The girls and I held a dramatic ceremony for the throwing away of our old sponges!  (How bad can sponges get?  Just as US!)

We clapped and cheered that new ones have finally been "installed"!

Ah, now back to the dishes :(

Radio Interview--Catholic Mothers' Retreat

Becca, Susanna and I--the Catholic Mothers' Retreat coordinator team--were on the radio last month, in anticipation of one of our retreats.  In anticipation for the next one at St. Rita Catholic Community on March 24, 2018, here it is!

GNS-Dr.Katherine-Rombs

Pope Francis on Evangelization

   My favorite quote of Pope Francis these days is in answer to the question, How do we evangelize?  His answer:

     We need to become “experts in communion,” “witnesses and architects of the ‘plan for unity’ which is the crowning point of human history in God’s design.” In a polarized society, where different cultures experience difficulty in living alongside one another, where the powerless encounter oppression, where inequality abounds, we are called to offer a concrete model of community which, by acknowledging the dignity of each person and sharing our respective gifts, makes it possible to live as brothers and sisters.
     So, be men and women of communion! Have the courage to be present in the midst of conflict and tension, as a credible sign of the presence of the Spirit who inspires in human hearts a passion for all to be one (cf. Jn 17:21). Live the mysticism of encounter, which entails “the ability to hear, to listen to other people; the ability to seek together ways and means”.  Live in the light of the loving relationship of the three divine Persons (cf. 1 Jn 4:8), the model for all interpersonal relationships. . .

(Apostolic Letter of His Holiness Pope Francis to All Consecrated People, From the Vatican, 21 November 2014)

He asks, how should Christians evangelize?   He answers: through becoming "experts in communion."  Offer a concrete model of community.   

In other words, its how you treat people--that is how to show people the Spirit of God.   

Isn't that what mothers do--offer a concrete sign of community?  Aren't Catholic mothers today leading the pack in creating loving families, which are nothing if not models of community?  

God bless all those who are doing their best to bring the light of Christ into the world through their families!

This Week's Rewards

   This week, the girls have no school.  After watching tv and relaxing all weekend, here is their reward system for the rest of the break.
    They need some winter clothes and shoes.  So, they are going to earn each item they buy.  They can earn one item (sweater, pair of boots, etc.) by doing one of the following things.  They control how many things they are going to get to buy!

*read one book
*memorize one poem, five stanzas or longer
*memorize one Bible verse a day
*prayer/Bible reading time 30 min. a day
*exercise 30 minutes a day
*learn a new song on their instrument
*one major art project

   They are ambitious, and I'm excited to see the results.  I have limited screen time to 30 min. a day max.  So, we'll see if they get moving on some of these undertakings.

Humanae Vitae

I had the privilege of being on the radio this morning.  Dave Palmer of Guadalupe Radio 910AM interviewed me regarding the current rumors of a pontifical commission re-examining Humanae Vitae in light of Amoris Laetitia.  I have been working on a book on Catholic motherhood for 5 years.  As I am in the final editing stages, beginning to look for a publisher, it is clear to me how important it is for a book like this to be available to the public.  Catholics and non-Catholics alike need to hear the Catholic faithful, who live under the guidance of Humanae Vitae, being open to life, speak up!  They need to hear our message of the beautiful truth of the Catholic faith regarding its moral teaching against artificial contraception.

Dave was so kind to let me speak, sharing the truth and goodness of this teaching.  Please pray with me that I can find the right publisher, who wants to proclaim this message!

GRN Alive 11-17-17-Dr.Katherine-Rombs

Our family time

I love our family prayer times.  Ron got everyone a copy of the liturgy of the hours, and we pray together many nights.  It is such a beautiful time together.  Here we are getting ready.

I also love our meal times.  Somehow, everyone is so talkative and giggly.  It is really a blast!  I wish these times would last forever! 

Can you believe how many groceries we need?

Cross Country

Jacob has had a truly amazing cross country season!  He went from being 25th on the team to 11th!  He cut his time by about three minutes for a 5K.  That is pretty astounding!  We are SOOOO proud of him.

Annie's Halloween Party

This year, for the first time ever, we actually celebrated Halloween.  I am more of an All Saints' gal myself.  But Annie LOVES Halloween.  On a special outing of just the two of us several months ago, her love for Halloween was so strong that I decided to change my course and give her a Haloween party.
    It was so much fun!
    What I realized is: Lots of people LOVE to dress up.  Most cultures have some way of creating up--even masquerade parties do the trick.  Also, many people like scary things, such as ghost stories.  I do not typically like scary things, but I loved it when we told ghost stories around a campfire.  I think Halloween accomplishes these two things.  I think one can celebrate Halloween innocently, satisfying these two desires that many people have.  Certainly Annie has them!
    My sister Kim and her husband Ken and their dog Tucker came for the party.  They were fabulous, helping out, dressing up, and adding to the fun!

Today on All Saints Day

     This morning began with Mass.  I took Sebastian and Annie.  Silly me--I was disappointed that I was not able to go alone, missing the quality prayer time I might have had.  But they both asked to come with me, instead of with the older siblings and Dad later in the day.
     Annie looked up at me at the end of Mass.  She said, "I love God so much it hurts."  She began to cry.  I hugged her.  She began to sob.  I got so curious.  This happens a lot.  I asked her, "Why are you crying?"  She said, "I just want to give God my whole life.  I cannot wait to be a nun."
    She has said that many times.  But somehow when she said it today, I thought, "Maybe she really does!"  I told her she has a very special gift, loving God so much.  She cried.  For the rest of the day, I have prayed for her, that if she is called to be a nun, that no obstacle would get in her way, that God would clear her path, and that Ron and I would do all we can to support her calling.
    My feelings were so mixed.  I feel so negligent of Annie.  Our first three children really got our best.  Our fourth, Leigh, got less.  Our fifth, Annie, much less.  She has really gotten terrible treatment from me.  Then, Sebastian, number six, came along, and took anything that might rightfully have been Annie's.  She was completely displaced.  She still is.
    When I think of her becoming a nun, I am humbled.  I think, "NOT from any merit on my part!"  She would not find this vocation because we help her so much, teacher her so well, putting our backs into her becoming the best she can be.  It truly would be God calling her.  God's doing, 100%.  I had one of those St. Paul moments--God is everything, and I am a worthless little nobody whom God can use but who is worthless on her own.  To God be all the glory!
    Later today, I saw her, hugged her, and said, "You really are going to become a nun, aren't you?"  She resolutely said, "Yes."  Then she continued: "My nun costume for Halloween is not perfect.  I think I will wait to get a good one in the convent." What a blessed child!