Fr. Shannon Collins - Our Lady, Patroness of Homeschooling Mothers -IHM Conference

Our Lady of Sorrows: Patron of Homeschooling Mothers Seven swords pierced the Virgin’s Immaculate Heart and seven sorrows, the perfection of sorrow, pierce the hearts of many mothers in home education—but these sorrows are redemptive too! They shall be turned into the joys of the resurrection.

Live notes from Father's talk....

PLEASE order this talk. I can not type fast enough to do this justice.  Poetic.  Father continues to be the must-see talk at these conferences.  His delivery and material nourish faith.

We agree that we are redeemed  by The Blood of Jesus, where did that blood come from?  Our Lady!

Look at the miraculous medal, graces pour from her hands. But we live in a world that mocks and denegrates her.  You can never praise her enough! Jesus came through her, she was the vessel and that body can not be corrupt. She was assumed into heaven.

Was Eve a co-sinner with Adam?  Yes.  The new Eve, Mary, was a partner to the new Adam, Jesus.  In the redemption she cooperated, again a woman was involved.  Popes have written on this. She was involved in the work of salvation.

A birth happened on Good Friday, another Genesis story, labor pains for the birth of the Church.  

7 Sorrows Homeschooling Mothers Endure, like Mary's 7 sorrows. .. Our sorrows are a mystery that accomplishes something. Following Good Friday is Easter Sunday.

Loneliness - HomeSchool mothers can be alone, without mentors.  Needing adult conversation.

Overwhelmed - many were never formed to be homemakers.  Order comes from the soul first.

Society - has a suspicion of homeschoolers. Mom needs to have a thick skin.  You are evangelizing with your family.

Financial - One income in a society used to immediate gratification. Some have pressure for the second job. 

Fathers - work in the world, may be worldy, may not help.

Catholic Priests/Pastors - some not supportive of homeschooling, make Sacraments hard to receive.

Special learners - disabilities, temperments

Christ received insult to His body, Our Lady to her heart. For those who embrace the cross of homeschooling, joy will come like the Risen Lord.

Order this talk and any or all of the conference talks at http://www.lilix.net/default.asp

Fr. Shannon Michael Collins was born in 1964 and is a native of Cohasset, MA. After undergraduate and graduate work in history and education, he taught in Catholic schools for a number of years. Having completed his seminary training at St. Philip Neri Seminary in Toronto, Ontario, he was ordained to the priesthood on June 10, 2000.

Father has been a very strong proponent of Catholic homeschooling and, over the years, a very popular speaker at numerous Catholic homeschooling conferences across the United States. He has appeared on EWTN and had previously served as chaplain for the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama. Father is currently a traditional religious priest under Bishop Roger Foys of Covington, Kentucky.