Seminarians, Brothers and Priests...oh my....

Without much planning, a holy weekend happened to us. We are still glowing from it.


Late FRIDAY afternoon, the Seminarians that stayed at our house while we were at the shore came back to meet us and thank us. Two Brothers sat and chatted with us for a few hours about their Order's lengthy discernment and their calling. Besides being so personable, it didn't hurt that they told the boys they played ice hockey in Seminary! Men in collars...on the ice!


SATURDAY started with a gathering of our homeschool group, the rosary was prayed - decades led by families - and then we were off to the park for a picnic with the families. A great start to our year as everyone enjoyed a beautiful, cool day with the Dads. Such a blessing to be with these Catholic families who share such a love of our faith.


And then SUNDAY, what a busy day! We started it at our Latin Mass. After Mass our Latin Mass society took a vote to propose a weekly Tridentine Mass and it garnered the majority vote! (Pray that comes to fruition.) Six families headed to a BBQ afterwards. Dads joking around, kids playing tug of war...it couldn't have been more idyllic! And it doesn't end there! We left to serve dinner to a Home Enthronement team at our house.


At 6pm a Priest and 4 Brothers in flowing cassocks arrive at our home. What a sight coming up our front lawn. (The neighbors, if they saw the Men in Black on Friday, must now be really wondering by Sunday!) These Oblate Apostles of the Two Hearts could not have been more impressive! Their glowing smiles, fun-loving conversation yet with orthodox ideas, their guitar playing singing harmonies as a quartet, and joining the boys in carpet hockey ...I don't think my sons will ever forget it!


Father was praying so fervently holding his relic of the True Cross (which he allowed us to venerate) and the Brothers each spoke about the gospel, Mary and Jesus in ways that captivated our family. We prayed a group rosary. The boys were given prayers to recite that pledged them to virtue, my husband and I to rededicate our marriage. We were all given the rite of enrollment in the Brown Scapular as well. Each room of our house was blessed with Holy Water, The Relic and exorcised salt. The Home Enthronement to the Two Hearts was a beautiful, detailed rite.


This order is solely concerned with the attack on families and so this is their focus. They also run weekly and monthly family nights for further fellowship and formation. Prayers answered! It has been a long held prayer that our sons would get to spend time with Priests, see them as real and masculine and as friends. Praise God.


We can't believe the weekend we have had! What a start to our school year. God has given us a gift, I'd like to pray that he was planting religious vocation seeds.....