We had a hiccup in recording the zoom meeting from 3/25/22. If you attended that zoom, we’re sorry about not capturing your info and we would ask you to follow up with Joan via email. Thanks and see you all next month for our next one scheduled 4/22/22!

HAPPY SPRING!

We are zoom-ing again this Friday, March 25, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST.

I will be there! Or rather, here at my house and you at your house. I’ll be talking about the value and importance of virtue education and how a meeting “might” run. I want to emphasize the might as every club is unique just as each of our daughters are unique.

Look for the link on Thursday and try to stop by and say hello!

(( If you have a specific question or topic you would like addressed, drop us a line and we’ll do our best to answer it! ))

Today’s gospel (Matt 7:7-12) has us considering Jesus’ words…“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

This reading is another example of Jesus telling us something that we can find hard to believe as true. Of course, we know Jesus cannot lie but our own live’s experiences of unanswered prayers and seeking without finding can make these verses ring hollow.

But, again, Jesus cannot lie so what are we to do? I suggest you take a moment this Lent and sit before the Lord in prayer and ask Him, quite directly, “Lord, when did you answer my prayers?” and get ready to write down your own list of miracles – both large and small.

I do not know what is on your list but mine certainly includes my husband, each of my children and quite recently, my eldest son getting a dream job in NYC. This same son, now 30, lived with us for some time while working part-time at a local college. I could not count the number of novenas, and Masses I offered up for him to just. get. out. of. my basement!

And every time I did, I kept saying ‘why is this taking so long?’, ‘isn’t God listening to me?’, and ‘what about those verses about prayers being answered?’

Well, God sometimes (often) takes His time; He’s in it for the long game and can’t be rushed. So, the newest addition to my list of answered prayers is my son’s new job at NYU! What’s on yours?

Thanks for coming by, you can always find me here, where I blog irregularly but enthusiastically!

ZOOM INFO –

Rachel Watkins is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Little Flowers Girls’ Clubs
Time: Feb 25, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83662780435?pwd=MnplWEFpRUZFVGV0QWg3Z0dlc1d2UT09

Meeting ID: 836 6278 0435
Passcode: 652098

Told you I was nervous! Our Zoom meeting is scheduled for 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., tomorrow, Feb. 25, 2022!

Rachel Watkins is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Little Flowers Girls’ Clubs
Time: Feb 25, 2022 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83662780435?pwd=MnplWEFpRUZFVGV0QWg3Z0dlc1d2UT09

Meeting ID: 836 6278 0435
Passcode: 652098

• 

Starting something new is always a bit scary and I am more than a little scared about hosting the Zoom meeting tomorrow, but the excitement I have thinking of meeting/seeing some of you is making up for those nerves!

Looking forward to seeing those of you able to attend –

Rachel Watkins is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Little Flowers Girls’ Clubs
Time: Feb 25, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83662780435?pwd=MnplWEFpRUZFVGV0QWg3Z0dlc1d2UT09

Meeting ID: 836 6278 0435
Passcode: 652098

• 

We’re both excited, and more than a little nervous about our upcoming Zoom meeting scheduled for this Friday, the 25th!

Joan and I will be getting together from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. to talk about all things Little Flowers and we’d love you to join us! The link will be posted tomorrow for your use.

Happy New Year!? Happy new ordinary time new year!?

Today is none of these, but it is the feast of St. John Bosco, patron of youth, who reminds us to –

  “Run, jump, have all the fun you want at the right time, but, for heaven’s sake, do not commit sin!”**

as well as,

“We do not go to Communion because we are good, we go to become good.”

Both of these quotes are wonderful reminders for our families and our apostolate, so they are perfect for today. And, we certainly hope everyone had a nice start to the new year.  We’ve been busy here at Behold Publications with some new ideas and new plans. We have some surprises (yes, really) in the works, so keep an eye out for new announcements in upcoming newsletters and the blog.

NEW CLUB SHOUT-OUT!

!CALIFORNIA – COLORADO – IDAHO!

I like to imagine every new club as a new garden planted for the pleasure and enjoyment of our Blessed Mother Mary; each one unique and beautiful, just like our children.

A warm and blessed welcome to all the new clubs and a huge Thank You to all of you who have hung in there over the years; especially these past few crazy years! It has been a challenge for all of us but we haven’t given up; we have as St. Paul says strived to ‘run with perseverance’ (Heb. 12:1). We are trying our best to remember the words of Isaiah that our good God has promised us that we will “run and not go weary”. Both sentiments which St. John Bosco, always creative in his work with youth, would surely agree with!

So, a new year’s hug to all of you, clubs new and old, and here’s to a year inspired by St. John Bosco –

“Servite Domino in laetitia!”

(Serve the Lord joyfully!)

**Full disclosure – this quote has also been attributed to St. Philip Neri, but as both saints loved good humor and fun, I don’t think they mind the confusion.

Free gift 🙂 included……

In finishing up the novena to St. Joseph, my family will be praying his litany tonight as a part of our family prayer such as you can find over at

https://www.ewtn.com/search

Just put in St. Joseph’s Litany and you’ll get right to the link.

As you read this litany you can’t help but be struck by his powerful titles – Diligent Protector of Christ, Hope of the Sick, and Glory of Home Life. My family’s current favorite? Terror of Demons

Where are you, how is your family? Which of St. Joseph’s titles speaks to what you need? Just as God, the Father sent St. Joseph to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and then as foster father to Jesus, St. Joseph patiently waits to watch over, protect and help you and your family travel safely through your struggles.

And that free gift? Check out this article:

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/growing-in-devotion-to-saint-joseph

Within the article, Fr. Roger Landry speaks of a great little book written in 1956 by Fr. Henri Rodent:

“Father Henri Rondet’s 1956 classic Saint Joseph, a translation of his 1953 French original Saint Joseph: Textes Anciens Avec Une Introduction. It’s the most helpful book on St. Joseph I have ever found.”

The best news? It can be found free on-line!

http://strobertbellarmine.net/books/Rondet–StJoseph.pdf

Maybe it can become a part of your efforts to better celebrate the Year of St. Joseph.

Looking for ways to increase devotion to St. Joseph during 2021? The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has assigned 2021 the “Year of St. Joseph.” This is the perfect opportunity to start the ancient form of prayer, the novena…nine consecutive days of prayer ending on a specific feast day…to St. Joseph. St. Joseph has two feasts days designated for him. The first is March 19. If you begin your novena today (March 10) you will finish the novena on the eve of the saint’s feast day. You may also begin tomorrow and end on the feast day itself.

St. Joseph’s other feast day is celebrated May 1st, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. The novena for that feast day would begin April 22nd. You can use novena prayers from this website: praymorenovenas.com or use your own prayers to St. Joseph.

My favorite St. Joseph novena prayer comes from a little blue prayer book affectionately called “The Pieta Prayerbook” because it has an image of Michaelangelo’s Pieta on the cover. You can pick it up at Amazon, or any Catholic book seller very inexpensively.

This particular St. Joseph prayer is over 1900 years old. Our family has prayed this novena prayer to St. Joseph many times during difficult family times and decisions through the years. It has always brought comfort and peace. Please consider praying it with us during this special time.

over 1900 years old

Oh St. Joseph whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires. Oh St. Joseph do assist me by your powerful intercession and obtain for me from your divine son all spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ, our Lord; so that having engaged here below your heavenly power I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of fathers. Oh St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms. I dare not approach while he reposes near your heart. Press him in my name and kiss his fine head for me, and ask him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for us.
Amen.

Looking for more ways to increase devotion to St. Joseph in your families or your Catholic Clubs? Earn our new Year of St. Joseph badge now!

Also: special for the month of March: all badges and awards are 25% OFF! Discount automatically applied at check-out. ORDER TODAY!