Pray for me.

I'm teaching RCIA tomorrow night -- as in adults with preconceptions, not 4th graders who more or less blindly accept every word I say. I am prepared in many ways by my background in politics (particularly concerning the subject matter, which is the fifth commandment, i.e. pro-life issues), but still ... to be asked to give this lecture is intimidating and awesome at the same time. I am looking forward to it, but I am quite scared of messing up -- please pray that the Holy Spirit will work through me to bring people in the class to a closer and better understanding and appreciation of the Lord's teaching on Life issues.

It is so strange to be in this position. From "I could never be Catholic" to trying to convince others in less than two short years ... it is amazing what God can do if you allow Him to move you in uncomfortable ways.

Please also pray for my family, in particular my father. I try not to talk about them much on the blog in case they ever discover it, but I have to ask for prayers on this -- my dad told me he's been thinking a lot about Catholicism since I converted. He's even been watching Fr. Corapi on EWTN (those of you who know my father will laugh knowingly at this). He has a few obstacles in his way, but they are the same ones I had when I wrote this post, and I entered the Church less than six months later. So pray. Pray God's will be done, and that my father be open to God's will, even if it means losing face in the aftermath of some pretty strong statements. Been there, done that. It's hard. But SO worth it. If (and when!) my father receives the REAL Eucharist for the first time .... well, I can't even think about it without tearing up and getting anxious for him. So please pray.

My husband says if my dad and my dad's good friend/ex-pastor convert to Catholicism (against all odds and in addition to myself), he's putting HIS dad in for sainthood. I agree. John H., pray for us!

PRAY.

I have more to say on this, but I wanted to get the link up immediately so people can PRAY.

http://23weeks.blogspot.com

Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell your pastor. Tell everyone you know. Let's get the whole world praying for this tiny, precious, tenacious child of God, who is being starved to death by those who should be helping her even as you read this post. Go read her story in the words of those who love her. And PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.

It's not Father Todd I cry for ....

It's the children of the Diocese of Sioux Falls.

Somehow I just now found out about the tragic loss of Father Todd Reitmeyer. Ordained in 2003, he was a passionate young priest who had a heart for children and devoted himself to teaching them about the Eucharist.

At his blog, a parishioner wrote:

"Each month, Fr. Todd would make the long trip to Sioux Falls to celebrate children's adoration. He wore the most elaborate vestments he could find. He asked the children to get on the floor into a ball and 'Make yourselves small, so that Jesus can grow bigger in you.' He always had the children recite the Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great and told them, '1,000 souls will be released from Purgatory and they will pray for you when they get to Heaven.' At intention time, he allowed every last child to come within a few feet of the Blessed Sacrament. He would say, 'Don't tell me; I'm not Jesus! Go right up close, look straight at him, and tell him your intention!' One time he burned so much incense that the smoke detector went off and the fire department showed up! He wanted to promote children's adoration in the diocese, so he once asked that photos be taken at holy hour; these were posted in the Bishop's bulletin."

The photos below will first fill your heart with joyful hope, then throw you down on your own knees praying through your tears that someone - someone, please, anyone! - will continue the good work Fr. Todd began in those kids. At least that's what they did for me.





For Father Todd and the kids:

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."