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Apr 15, 2020
Faith

The (Catholic) Secret to Social Distancing

This post contains affiliate or associate links with several businesses (which means if you shop through the links, I earn a small commission). As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Have you ever seen “The Secret” or read the book?

In it, there’s a phrase about Mother Teresa.

One of the men being interviewed quoted her – he said something like, “Mother Teresa would never go to an anti-war rally – but, she said, if you have a peace rally, invite me, I’ll be there.”

The person being interviewed was trying to make a point:

the point was that we need to focus on what we want, not what we don’t want or don’t have.

In our current world, we are being constantly warned about what we should NOT DO and where we should not go.

However, in the spirit of “The Secret”, maybe we really need to be reminded

about where we should be

and what we should be doing.

Yes, we hear, “stay home” but that statement seems to resonate an overwhelming awareness of all the things we can’t do because we need to stay home.

A very important choice

Pope Francis, in response to our current crisis, recently blessed the world with a special prayer.

During that prayer he addressed all people and spoke these words:

“Lord, you are calling to us, calling us to faith. Which is not so much believing that you exist, but coming to you and trusting in you. This Lent your call reverberates urgently: “Be converted!”, “Return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12). You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.”

Healthy relationships are essential

The words of Pope Francis were powerful yet comforting.

I listened to them at the edge of my seat.

I read and re-read the message he gave that day.

But his words are not the only words that have been on my mind and heart lately.

The words of another Pope, spoken 24 years ago; also echo during this time.

Pope John Paul II (now Saint John Paul the Great) spoke these words during a homily in Australia in 1986.

” . . . healthy relationships in marriage and the family are of the greatest importance in the development and well-being of the human person. . . As the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.”

(read the whole homily here: Vatican.va

Saint John Paul II asserted that a healthy marriage and healthy family life are essential to the human person.

Presently, we are reminded that we should be practicing “social distancing” many times a day.

We are assured that staying away from people outside our home is for our own good and for the good of others.

But, something else is for our good here too . . .

the attention and time we are being given to focus on our family.

We are being given time to focus on our most intimate relationships: our relationship with God; our spouse and our children.

Not only did Pope John Paul II turn our attention to our families in recent times, but so did Mother Teresa.

Several popular quotes used in our culture by her affirm how much she spoke of the need to nurture our families.

David Scott wrote a fantastic article for the Catholic Exchange he titled:

Mother Teresa’s Little Way. Here is an excerpt that stresses how important it is for us to focus our attentions back towards our family:

“It is easy to love the people far away,” she would say. “It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home, for this is where our love for each other must start.”

She sent us all home to learn how to love again. Long before anybody else had begun warning about the disintegration of the traditional family, Mother Teresa was telling us that our families were dying:

The world today is upside down, and is suffering so much, because there is so very little love in the homes and in family life. We have not time for our children, we have not time for each other; there is not time to enjoy each other.

That was her diagnosis — God’s diagnosis, if we believe she was a special rider carrying a message to our day and age.

So back to Pope Francis’ words:

It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not.

I strongly feel God is calling all of us to choose our family.

Our families matter.

Our families are necessary.

We are being called to choose:

Journal for tweens and teens
  • Family over streaming another television series.
  • Family over scrolling on my phone for hours and hours.
  • Family over “self-care” to a point.
  • Eating dinner as a family even though it’s loud and crazy and requires lots of persistent correction.

Let’s choose reading together, walking together, playing together and praying together.

Will we choose our families over all the other choices our way of life has made so convenient and numerous?

How much of what we are used to doing is truly essential for our well being and our souls?

It is definitely time to eat dinner as a family.

It’s time to choose a walk over another Zoom session.

Will we choose more time for our children? Our spouses?

Perhaps that is the reminder we need – not so much to stay away from others, but to move closer to those we should be most close to in the first place.

Did you scroll to the bottom? Here’s the secret – it’s not about what we can’t do or what we are not allowed to do . . .

it’s more about the opportunity to embrace what we get to do.

Here’s some help!

5 Daily Prayers For Busy Families

So Your Domestic Church is a Fixer Up? Here are some tips for holy Home Improvements

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Previous Post: « 3 Prayers For When You are Completely Losing It
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Pray, hope and don’t worry “ Saint Padre Pio # Pray, hope and don’t worry “ Saint Padre Pio
#Pray #hope #dontworry
Can you tell I’m wearing a “Catholic “ scarf Can you tell I’m wearing a “Catholic “ scarf? It’s from @studio_senn and it’s so perfect for Fall! Last year I tied it to my purse and that looked great too!

What makes me it “Catholic”?
The scarf has a pelican design. The pelican has been a Christian symbol for centuries.

The pelican was believed to pierce its own breast with its beak and feed its young of its blood. It became a symbol of Christ sacrificing himself for man – and because of this was frequently represented in Christian art.

What a beautiful reminder of Christ’s love and potential conversation piece!

This news of the Pelican was completely new to me when I was introduced to this scarf!
Did you ever hear about the Pelican being a Christian symbol?

Studio Senn sent me this scarf last year at my request. I wanted to include it in my Christmas gift guide. Did you see it there?
 
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Interested in attending this year’s Prayer Wine Interested in attending this year’s Prayer Wine Chocolate Retreat?
If yes, sign go up for my newsletter! I am about to send an email today with details!!!
Let’s gather together to pray and rejuvenate our souls!

Photos taken by @nadiapittmanphoto 
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Matt and I watched Nefarious last night. And when Matt and I watched Nefarious last night.
And when it was over we sat in silence for a noticeable amount of time.

If you are unfamiliar with the movie, it’s a fictitious story but at least one Catholic exorcist has stated that is really does depict the intelligence of demons and the way a person can become possessed. 

The same exorcist said the other recently released movie, The Pope’s Exorcist, is NOT a good or true portrayal of demonic possession.

Friends, we need the Sacraments.
We need prayer.
We need to fast and we need to be aware of what our culture claims to be acceptable or harmless.
The battle is real.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…

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We almost didn’t go. There were a score of reaso We almost didn’t go. There were a score of reasons that cited being responsible. I’m so glad we went.
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Hi friends! For those of you that don’t know, my Hi friends! For those of you that don’t know, my name is Amy Brooks and I started the Prayer Wine Chocolate blog about 7 years ago!
I’m so happy to know that you also enjoy Prayer 🙏 Wine 🍷 and of course Chocolate 🍫!
I sent out a newsletter to subscribers today. In case you missed it, here’s a glimpse of what was in the newsletter:
1. Today’s my birthday 🥳 so I put all digital products in my shop on sale!!!!
One day only- don’t miss it!

2. I read Jim Wahlberg’s book The Big Hustle in one day! I mean, it might have been a slight hustle on my part when I asked OSV to send it to me (I had one poster hung up in my room as a teen- that poster was Donnie Wahlberg) and I’m a huge Mark Wahlberg fan (have you seen Father Stu yet?!???) but WOW. I enjoyed this book for so many reasons. Much of what he shared about his family- was very close to home. I also have to share that there is an incredible community that helps addicts that I heard about twice this week. Not only from Jim Wahlberg’s book, but also Father Donald Calloway’s testimony- it’s called Communita Cenacola. I highly recommend we all get to know more about this organization.
@jimbow36 @fr.donaldh.c 

3. I’m booking speaking events! I already have one booked for 2024! If you think I could inspire your community in some way, let’s chat! Just send me a message, I’m happy to talk 🙂

4. Anyone going to see Jen Fulwiler in Philly? Perhaps it could be a Prayer Wine Chocolate gathering?! Let me know!
@jenniferfulwiler 

Some photos taken by @nadiapittmanphoto 

#Catholic #Catholicsonline #catholicinfluencers
Currently in the Top 100 on Amazon’s Children’ Currently in the Top 100 on Amazon’s Children’s Inspirational Books category!!!
Let’s celebrate with a SALE!
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Take a deep breath. Now thank God for that! What w Take a deep breath. Now thank God for that!
What was the last thing you ate or drank and you thought, this is good?! Thank God for that!
Who was the last person you smiled at? Thank God for her or him!
#Catholic
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of th In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
#CatholicChristian
We have mixed feelings about the start of school 😂 
But on a serious note…
When I started to blog… when I first began “Prayer Wine Chocolate “, my husband and I had one adorable little boy and the dream of a bigger family.
Now look! This week our 3 children started another school year!
I thought I was going to share a checklist about how to adopt without an agency… and God showed me how much more important it is to share the gift of faith and the importance of prayer.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!
And I just love how His mother- Our Blessed Mother- revealed her presence and love along the journey too.
Being a Christian is not easy at times… but this life is only the beginning…
Here’s the checklist:
✔️ Keep praying and dreaming BIG
✔️ Keep asking others to pray for you (on earth and in heaven)
✔️ Believe and stay faithful- our faith is a gift. The Sacraments are a gift. The Rosary is a gift. Wine and chocolate- also gifts
✔️ God’s power and love are greater than we could ever imagine.
Let’s keep praying together!
Drop you ur intentions in the comments… and let us pray for one another!
#keeppraying #JesusisLord #ChristtheKing #MostSacredHeartofJesus #DivineMercy
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In the name of the Father and of the Son and of th In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Lord, make an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred; let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt,faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
For the majority of my teaching career, I began every class with this prayer.
I started doing this because I heard a story about how one high school for boys had a problem with a growing number of fights happening between students. As a way to battle this, the administrators started praying this Peace Prayer every day over the school’s intercom system.
The results were dramatic- no more fights.
Perhaps we should all pray this prayer more often…
#Catholic #Prayerjournal
Friends- and family- enter the G I V E A W A Y S ! Friends- and family- enter the G I V E A W A Y S ! 
One thing I have always loved doing is hosting one every year around Christmas! I love gathering Catholic gifts and sharing them with you! I love sending out a huge box of gifts to a winner each year!
This year - I entered and WON a contest hosted by the sweetest blogger @conservamome !!
We won these tickets and had the best time as a family at @hersheypark and @hersheyschocolateworld !
I was so sad to leave!!!
What a blessing it was to see our children enjoying the rides with us and with one another! The loved @zooamerica too!
It was such a great day! Oh - 😂- and one of the workers noticed my shirt on that new Reece’s ride/experience… and watched him read my Prayer Wine Chocolate shirt and react with a smile 😂 
Love it!
Milton Hershey and I actually share the same birthday.
Him and his wife probably struggled with infertility… they actually started a school and home for orphans that still is open today.
Anyway- enter the G I V E A W A Y S! They help small businesses- and you might actually WIN!
Thank you Elia and Hershey!!!
#chocolateworld #Catholicblogger
1. Plan a DAYTIME date! I don’t know about you, 1. Plan a DAYTIME date! I don’t know about you, but I get tired pretty early. See if you can use a personal day from work and visit a winery or go into a quaint town for lunch.
2. Get tickets to see a comedian! Matt and I have seen @brianregancomedian and @officialkathleenmadigan in the past… @keithalby is on our list - we hope to see his show LIVE one day too!
3. Go “leafing” I asked my husband for an idea- this was what he said 😂 
4. Fire pit and stargazing.
5. Movie night! I highly recommend Father Stu. I actually still want to see Nefarious but that’s probably not the best date night idea… leave your movie suggestions below!
#Catholicwife #Catholicmom
Just sitting here holding onto every last moment o Just sitting here holding onto every last moment of summer ☀️!
#SaintQuotes #catholicreels
Kristin @onehailmaryatatime - I took a page out of Kristin @onehailmaryatatime - I took a page out of your “parent playbook “! After  Eucharistic Adoration I asked these two 6 year olds:
“What did God say to you?”
George answered: “Pray more”
Jaina answered: “Stay still and look at the altar”
Then I took a dozen pictures of them because Jaina doesn’t stay still…
 I’m really noticing how God speaks simply and in short sentences this year… for all his children, even the 40 something’s!
What has God say d to you lately?
#praymore #BeStill #Catholic #Christian
Dear Holy Trinity, Thank you for all the smiles, l Dear Holy Trinity,
Thank you for all the smiles, laughs and safe trips this summer.
Amen.
#shortprayer #stayprayedup
Sacramental grace, like all of God’s Grace, is a Sacramental grace, like all of God’s Grace, is a gift! And  I need as much as I can get!
#Catholic #Catholicreels #Catholicmemes
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