Prince William County Catholic Magazine Issue 2 November 2019 by Prince William County Catholic

ISSUE

No.2

NOVEMBER

2019

C O N T R I B U TO R S

M r s . L i s a H i l l - S u t t o n , O. P. w w w. l i s a j u l i a p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m Our Lady of Angels P h o t o g r a p h e r / Wr i t e r / P u bl i s h e r

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P R I N C E W I L L I A M C O U N T Y C AT H O L I C I S A L A B O R O F LOV E W I T H T H E I N T E N T I O N O F D R AW I N G C LO S E R TO G E T H E R O U R LO C A L P R I N C E W I L L I A M C AT H O L I C C O M M U N I T Y. W E B E L I E V E T H AT B R I N G I N G AT T E N T I O N TO O U R N E I G H B O R S I N T H E P E W S , W H O M W E M AY N OT Y E T K N OW O N A P E R S O N A L L E V E L , WILL GIVE OUR READERS AN O P P O RT U N I T Y TO S E E T H E G O O D WO R K S T H AT LO C A L C AT H O L I C S A R E D O I N G I N T H E N A M E O F C H R I S T. W E S E E K TO D E E P E N O U R P R AY E R L I F E , A N D G ROW I N T H E LOV E A N D K N OW L E D G E O F O U R C AT H O L I C FA I T H S O I N T U R N W E C A N B E T T E R S H A R E T H AT LOV E , K N OW L E D G E A N D S U P P O RT W I T H O U R C O M M U N I T Y AT L A R G E .

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TA B L E O F CONTENTS 6

Opening a New Door

Celebrate Catholic Life

L o r d , T hy Wi l l B e D o n e

REFLECTIONS from the Re s p e c t f o r L i f e H o l y H o u r

Bonding Through Beading

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The Lord first put the thought of religious life in my mind when I was 10 or 11 years old; it was then that I met a religious sister for the first time and thought, “I want to be a nun too”. At that time, I had little to no understanding of what a vocation is; I thought it was just something you chose to do, similar to the way you choose a career. I did not know that it is God who calls someone to a state in life. The call resurfaced right before my freshman year of high school during FIAT, a discernment camp for girls, but I quickly shoved that thought in the back of my mind, thinking that, because I desired to be a mother so much, religious life

was not for me. Reflecting back, I see how the Lord used this desire for motherhood to take steps towards spiritual motherhood. The thought of religious life kept simmering in the back of my mind. One day at Mass, I saw the joy and peace of the religious sisters who were there, I just knew at that point that I wanted that joyful life. My heart was so full of joy that day and it was then that the Lord’s grace opened my heart to His voice. I began spending more time praying in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, which brought more clarity to my vocation.

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WE WEREN’T ALWAYS STRONG IN OUR FAITH, BUT WHEN WE STARTED HOMESCHOOLING, IT BECAME THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES.

The last place I expected to be drawn to was a cloistered life. In fact, when our homeschool group visited the monastery (my first visit), I thought, “That (Poor Clare life) is great for them, but I could never do it!” God had other plans and He probably chuckled when I thought this. I did look into some active communities, but nothing seemed right. One day, I began reading a brochure about the Poor Clares and immediately fell in love. I can’t explain it...it just ‘clicked’. I reached out to the monastery and began deeper discernment by writing letters and spending afternoons in the chapel and parlour. About three and a half years later, I decided to apply for entrance. With all this, I can say that I would never have chosen a cloistered life, but the Lord knows best. He has put into my heart a desire to love Him in a hidden life and pray for the Church and for the world. I cannot explain this desire except that the Lord put it in my heart. I choose to follow Him, no matter

where it is or how crazy it might seem. The world has so little to offer and living for God is everything. It is by following this call that I have become so happy; in fact, the happiest I’ve ever been! My family’s support and faith has been and will continue to be a huge part of my discernment. We weren’t always strong in our faith, but when we started homeschooling, it became the center of our lives. With frequent religion discussions, daily Mass 4-5 times a week, adoration and prioritizing the family Rosary, I have grown so much. It is because of our lives centered around our faith that family life in general grew. I can now see how my family is a community seeking to grow together. Being a military family, we really have only had each other, because we moved so often. We have truly learned how to form and support each other so we become the person God wants us to be. Deciding to enter the monastery was no easy decision. It has been hard

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TO ANYONE WHO IS HESITANT TO DISCERN THEIR VOCATION, I WOULD SAY JUST OPEN YOUR HEART TO THE LORD. YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHERE HE MIGHT LEAD YOU, BUT FOLLOW THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND I CAN PROMISE THAT HE WILL NEVER DISAPPOINT.

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to comprehend many of the aspects of cloistered life. The Poor Clares make a fourth vow to observe enclosure, promising to remain on the grounds of the monastery for life, with the exception of a medical reason or emergency evacuation. This vow includes remaining in the convent even for the funeral of a family member. When I learned this, I questioned whether or not I should continue discernment. Our Lord gave the grace to persevere and to trust Him, knowing He will provide the grace for both me and my family. This has not been an easy road for my family either. In fact, I believe they are being asked to make the harder sacrifice. I am personally inspired by their support and willingness to follow the will of God in this particular way. My mom and dad are supportive of my vocation and always have been, even when it has become an emotional roller coaster over the last few years. My mom tells all of us to do God’s will, and that she will accept whatever we are called to do, as long as it is moral. She knows that this is the correct choice and does not want to “answer to God at my judgement and explain why I stood in her way.” My dad tells us always to look to God, Jesus, and Mary for guidance in life and to always contemplate what they would do. “Follow the whispers of Jesus in your heart.” I cannot deny that the cloistered, contemplative life seems a bit unreasonable and even slightly crazy. I know many

people see it this way and may even go as far as calling it a waste of time or life. But our world is in desperate need of hope, not to mention prayers. Contemplatives are lights of hope, joy, and peace. We see that it is possible to bring the world back from so much unrest and darkness. We are all called to pray at all times. Some people can’t because they don’t see it as a possibility while some choose not to pray due to a broken relationship with God. People who are devoted to a life of prayer are an inspiration for those who desire truth. As members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we are one. Cloistered contemplatives pray at all times so as to have the Body of Christ always at prayer. Cloisters are the “powerhouses” of the Church and their mission goes handin-hand with active religious sisters. Entering the monastery makes me nervous, but the joy it brings overshadows this. I know it will be hard at times, but that is part of both religious and human formation. The grace of God will always be present and He will be walking with me through each step while I pursue His will. Growing pains are always a part of development; but the ultimate goal of heaven will bring ineffable happiness. To anyone who is hesitant to discern their vocation, I would say just open your heart to the Lord. You may not know where He might lead you, but follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and I can promise that He will never disappoint.

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CELEBRATE CATHOLIC LIFE By Colleen Rooney

Let me introduce myself. I am a baby boomer born in Vermont. I have a master’s degree in Theology from St. John’s University where I studied under Msgr. Eugene Kevane, founder of the Notre Dame Institute (now Notre Dame Graduate School). I worked for Fr. John Hardon, S.J., on his Modern Catholic Dictionary and several years for Fr. Kenneth Baker, S.J. as assistant editor, of the Homiletic & Pastoral Review. My husband Bob and I have been married for thirty-six years. Fr. Baker celebrated our wedding Mass. We have four adult children and ten grandchildren. I owe my Catholics faith initially to my parents, who had me baptized five weeks after my birth. And I owe my adult faith to my grandmother, Katherine, who prayed the rosary for me when I was slipping away from its practice as a teenager. I received a special grace through her intercession. I have had many grace-filled experiences of our Catholic faith. One is the privilege of living through the pontificate of St. John Paul the Great. His life and legacy are and will always be an incredible blessing of my life. He showed us how to live a rich, authentic Catholic life in the twenty and twenty-first centuries. I am involved in several different ministries in the Diocese of Arlington: Arlington Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, Our Lady of Angels Catholic Women’s Council, Auxiliary of the Legion of Mary, and Our Lady of Angels Catholic Grandparents As-

sociation. These groups offer women events which celebrate Catholic life in its many different aspects. Two projects which I would briefly like to share with you are my book, Celebrating Advent and Christmas with Children: Food Celebrations with the Saints for Home and School, and a workshop I am giving at this year’s 2019 Diocesan Catechetical Conference entitled, “Jesus as a Boy in First Century Palestine.” The book highlights the seasons of Advent and Christmas by offering recipes for many of the saints’ feast days with shorts sketches on the saints. Celebrating Advent and Christmas with Children is meant to help bakers from elementary school age through teens to keep the focus on the rich, Catholic celebrations of the seasons while having fun in the kitchen. All the recipes are photographed on my blog: https://www.foodsandfestivitiesofthechristianyear.blogspot.com. Look for them in the archives: September 17-26. 2014. In the back of the book under the Resource section books, DVDs and websites are listed to complement the recipes. The workshop which I will be giving is scheduled for November 16, 2019, in Reston at the Diocesan Catechetical Conference. In 2017, I proposed a talk to Fr. deLadurantaye for the Diocesan Catechetical Conference, “Introducing Your Students to Jesus as a Young Boy.” He accepted my proposal and invited me to give it again for the 2018 con-

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ference. I have been invited back this year by Fr. Saunders to give the workshop under the title: “Jesus as a Boy in First Century Palestine.” I hope many of the catechists reading this write-up will attend. The workshop will be offered twice during the day and focuses on the hidden life of Jesus from ages five through twelve. Although, there is little from the Gospels about Jesus’ life in Nazareth as a child, more information about the life of first century Jews living in Palestine is becoming available as archaeologists unearth the remains of earlier centuries. From these findings, we can piece together information on the diet, clothing, games, housing, work life and religious life during the first century. This helps us to reconstruct what the normal, everyday life of a first century Jewish family in Palestine was like. I use a PowerPoint presentation and Five Stations which demonstrate food, clothing, games, housing and religious life from this time period. Many resources and ideas are available

for the catechists from this workshop to take back to their classroom. The workshop concludes with references to spiritual writers such as Cardinal Pierre de Berulle, 1575 – 1629, who reminds us that the things and mysteries of Jesus ’childhood, although past, are not dead, but rather are living and present and available through our reflection. It is through our study and reflection as catechists on His childhood that we can draw on its riches, grow more deeply in our personal relationship with Jesus, and invite our students to do the same. I have a new website, www.celebratecatholiclife.com which will be up and running for the Diocesan Catechetical Conference. It is a work in progress so not all the resources I intend to offer will be available at first, but you will find many of them. Keep checking the site, and I promise it will be a treasure trove for catechists, parents and those interested in a healthy, holy Catholic life.

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Have you ever had a single moment in your life when it seems everything is moving in slow motion, yet spinning and swirling like a carnival ride, going faster and faster, until you feel completely out of control? My moment happened on September 5th, when I was told over the phone by my radiologist that her fears were confirmed: “You have breast cancer. Actually you have two forms of cancer.” As I stood in the aisle at the grocery store processing this news, while holding a new deodorant I wanted to try, thoughts faster than the speed of light hit me. Milliseconds of, “I am not ready to die. I can’t leave my husband--We haven’t had enough time. How will I tell my children? Who will take care of my dad? Do I really need this deodorant now?” Then I pause, take a deep breath, and say out loud, “Lord, Thy will be done.” I then prayed the Hail Mary through the self checkout, while walking to my car and the ten-minute drive home until I fell into my husbands arms and sobbed. I was asked to write about my journey, but to me, my journey hasn’t begun. These few weeks are mere steps-steps of doctor appointments, MRI’s, biopsies and surgeries. But with each step, I am t making this a sacrifice that I can give up to our Lord. Of learning to trust--and I mean TRUST--in whatever God has planned. I have always had a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother. I find so much grace through praying the rosary. Mary’s intercession and love, as with any mother’s love, is immeasurable. I have found during this cancer diagnosis blessings from our Lord, Mary and St. Therese in many forms. My husband, Brian, and his continued love, support and dealing with my cra-

zy paranoid moments never ceases to amaze me. My family, especially my sister-in-law Julie, who has just recently dealt with cancer herself in having a rare sarcoma mass removed. From an unexpected text or card from a friend, words of encouragement, love and prayers. I am discovering blessings come in many forms--from being able to laugh through the tears to the calming of my fears. My devotion to Mary has been the

cornerstone to helping me through this small step of my journey. I fall back on St.Therese and how she accepted, wanted, the pain she endured as a sacrifice to God. How the children of Fatima made sacrifices with their fears to God, and that’s what I am striving to do. There will be physical pain; but I hope by accepting this I will become spiritually stronger. To conclude, I want to encourage you all to be strong in your faith and when you have those moments of doubt--when the devil tries to make your fears bigger than God--to stop, pray, and focus on the now and let God handle the future and what’s to come.

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REFLECTIONS

from the Respect for Life Holy Hour by Peggy Liuzzo

The Respect Life Holy Hour is taking place at Our Lady of Angels Perpetual Adoration Chapel on the third Saturday of every month from 10-11am. I stopped by the chapel on Saturday, September 21st, and talked with some of the adorers after the Respect Life Holy Hour to find out why they like going to the Eucharistic Adoration Chapel. Their answers were very inspirational! The first lady I spoke with, Xochitl Casteneda, said that she likes to come to the adoration chapel everyday. She credits the rejuvenationation of her spiritual life with coming to the chapel. She told me how she was Catholic all her life, but really began taking it seriously when she just started reading the Bible one year ago. She also attends RCIA classes to brush up on her faith and is a Catechist for the religious education program at Our Lady of Angels.

Another person I talked to was Keri Shanks. “I love adoration!,” she told me. “I come as often as I can. It is a quiet place to think and be away from distractions.” I also spoke with a parishioner of Our Lady of Angels named Anna. She said, “It will change your whole life!” She comes almost everyday. “You will fall in love with Christ when you come here.” Finally, I chatted with Natalie Sutton, a Junior at Saint John Paul the Great High School. “I believe I have a vocation to go to the Convent,” she told me. “Right now, it’s like God and I are dating.When you date someone you want to see them and be with them and find out more about them.When I go to Adoration, I see Him and talk to Him and He inspires me.I pour my heart out to Him and he won’t judge me and will still love me. He teaches me how to be the best bride I can be to HIM.” And Natalie

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added that it was because of Eucharistic I think sometimes we can get so anxadoration that she discovered her vocation. ious about what we need that we forget to say, “Thank you, thank you.” And I My son went to Aquinas Regional School really try to be more conscious of that. from Pre-K through 8th grade and I be- The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. longed to the Parents in Prayer Group. One of the goals of our group was to try to I would encourage everyone to give adospend at least 15 minutes a week in the ad- ration a try and see what it does for you. oration chapel. Often when I got to school “Perpetual adoration is the divine roa little early, instead of just sitting in my mance between Jesus and His people. It car, I would go into the Perpetual adora- is saying ’Yes!’ to his marriage proposal. tion Chapel and spend time with Jesus. I All He wants is our love.” [Msgnr. Joseloved to just be present to Him and lay it fino S. Ramirez and Fr. Martin Lucia.] all before the Lord, all my thoughts, wor- As vocalized by J.R.R. Tolkien, “I put beries, anxieties and then also to thank Him fore you the one great thing on earth: the for blessings received. A quote from Saint Blessed Sacrament ...There you will find John Vianney that resonated with me is: romance, glory,honor, fidelity, and the “I throw myself at the foot of the taberna- true way of all your loves upon earth.” cle like a dog at the foot of his Master.” .

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BONDING

THROUGH BEADING A S T O RY O F F R I E N D S H I P A N D A P O S T O L AT E

Daughters of Mary Rosary Group--All Saints Parish, Manassas

Since the summer of 2012, tucked away in a quiet neighborhood in Manassas, VA, a group of women have gathered each week to pray, enjoy one another’s company, and to make rosaries. Cecilia Perez and Nildy Torres are two of the original five members and have watched their little group grow to more than ten. The group started when some women from the parish felt a desire to dive deeper into their knowledge of God through reading the Bible together. During this spiritual journey, the idea for a rosary apostolate was born. To date, the Daughters of Mary Rosary Group estimates they’ve made over 3,000 rosaries. The rosaries are sent to missions near and far, including Monrovia in Liberia, The Cathedral in Ethiopia, Holy Savior in Ethiopia, and Kiboho Together in Uganda. Locally, they’re provided to the All Saints Spanish Ministry, students graduat-

ing from All Saints, and the guests at weddings that take place at All Saints. “It’s such an honor and blessing,” said Nildy, in sharing her experience of being a part of this much-needed ministry. “Every time I meet with the group I come out walking on clouds with a special joy that I cannot describe with words . This wonderful feeling gives me spiritual energy for the rest of the day and for the days that follow. I am sure that the Blessed Mother, every Wednesday, is sitting between us full of love and very proud of what we are doing . Personally, I have grown in spiritual knowledge, since most of the time while making the rosaries we are listening to conferences, meditations, or something that helps connect us closer to God. As a bonus, I have a bunch of SISTERS who are there for me at all times, ready to give love, and wrap their arms around each other at all times.”

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Cecilia shared why it’s important for her to be part of this group, her hopes for the future of the ministry, and her vision for growing it throughout the area. “We come together to pray for each other and for those who have nobody to pray for them. We make rosaries to spread devotion to our Lord and the Blessed Mother, especially for those in areas where they can’t afford them. Those people motivate us the most and keep us going in a tradition we hope will never stop. Being part of the group helps me in the struggles of daily life

and has provided me personal healing. The fruit of making and sharing rosaries is amazing! The Blessed Mother pours over us and our family graces, protection and so much more. The best way to help the ministry is to start your own group, just like we did to help spread devotion to Jesus through Mary.” [Readers of the print version of the first issue of Prince William Catholic Magazine may have noticed it was made possible through the generosity of the Daughters of Mary Rosary Group.]

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COUNTY PARISH DIRECTORY

OUR LADY OF ANGELS 13752 Marys Way, Woodbridge, VA 22191 (703) 494-2444

ST. FRANCIS 18825 Fuller Heights Rd, Triangle, VA 22172 (703) 221-4044

SACRED HEART 12975 Purcell Rd, Manassas, VA 20112 (703) 590-0030

HOLY FAMILY 14160 Ferndale Rd, Woodbridge, VA 22193 (703) 670-8161

ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON 12805 Valleywood Dr, Lake Ridge, VA 22192 (703) 494-4008

HOLY TRINITY 8213 Linton Hall Rd, Gainesville, VA 20155 (703) 753-6700

ALL SAINTS 9300 Stonewall Rd, Manassas, VA 20110 (703) 368-4500

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This issue brought to you by the generosity of R e No v a S m i l e s ( w w w. r e n o v a s m i l e s . c o m )

Prince William County Catholic Magazine Issue 2 November 2019

Articles inside

Lord, Thy Will be Done

Celebrate Catholic Life