tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62514942465025300472024-03-12T22:31:30.065-04:00Nancy Carabio BelangerAuthor, Olivia and the Little Way, Olivia's Gift, and The Gate, all from Harvey House Publishing www.harveyhousepublishing.com
(www.harveyhousepublishing.com)Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comBlogger424125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-30926719399124732182017-09-14T07:17:00.003-04:002017-09-14T07:26:41.821-04:00To all of my young readers:<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JRwEAhWn5B8?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>
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This video of Sen. Feinstein and her religious bigotry should make you nauseated...and hopefully INSPIRE you, like it did me! Aren't you inspired to live your Catholic faith proudly and loudly now? :-)<br />
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I can't take credit for this awesome graphic I found online. Whoever created it is quite talented!<br />
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Young people: Don't ever let anyone tell you you're "too Catholic." EVER.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Live your Catholic faith PROUDLY and LOUDLY.</b></span><br />
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God bless you, and keep the faith.<br />
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-31048020183547266582017-09-12T07:00:00.001-04:002017-09-12T07:00:26.230-04:00Thanking Those Who Serve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
One day while out shopping recently, I happened to notice this note tucked into a nearby vehicle's windshield. On the rear of the car was a sticker indicating that the driver was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. The note reads, "Thank you for your service. You are amazing." I smile just thinking about the driver coming back to his or her car and seeing this note written by a grateful civilian. </div>
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Lately, maybe because yesterday was September 11, or maybe because of the terrible hurricanes in our country, I've been thinking gratefully about all of those who serve and protect us, whether they are in the Armed Forces or our brave men and women in blue. While watching coverage of the hurricanes, I was impressed by and thankful for those who stayed behind to serve their communities in these hours of need. I also am grateful for the medical teams and many volunteers who stayed or are headed in the aftermath to help those who suffer. Let us continue to pray for their safety as they make citizens' safety their priority. We are blessed to have such strong, brave people out there, protecting us at all times. Last month when our pest repellent man came by, he happened to mention that he was recently in the Army serving overseas. </div>
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"Thank you for your service," I said. He was so pleasantly surprised when I said that. He paused for a moment and said sincerely, "Thank you." </div>
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I really, truly meant it. I AM grateful for his service. Let's show our gratitude to these brave men and women every chance we get. Let's say "thank you." Because as the note says below, they ARE amazing!</div>
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-8158664007089728132017-08-28T14:21:00.000-04:002017-08-28T14:21:59.593-04:00On the feast of St. Augustine...<h1 class="quoteText" style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>One of the most beautiful statements ever written.</i></span></h1>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><i>“Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new: late have I loved you. And see, you were within and I was in the external world and sought you there, and in my unlovely state I plunged into those lovely created things which you made. You were with me, and I was not with you. The lovely things kept me far from you, though if they did not have their existence in you, they had no existence at all. You called and cried out loud and shattered my deafness. You were radiant and resplendent, you put to flight my blindness. You were fragrant, and I drew in my breath and now pant after you. I tasted you, and I feel but hunger and thirst for you. You touched me, and I am set on fire to attain the peace which is yours.”</i></span></h1>
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—St. Augustine of Hippo, <i>Confessions</i><br />
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-19957481308182877442017-08-27T18:21:00.003-04:002017-08-27T18:21:46.760-04:00'Nuff Said<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-47676149667220017892017-06-15T10:06:00.002-04:002017-06-15T10:09:05.465-04:00It's Summer Reading Time/Flesch-Kincaid Test<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer is the perfect time to take a good book outside!</td></tr>
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Mornin, everyone! Pardon my absence, but daily life and some new copy editor jobs have a way of getting in the way of a good blog post! Hope everyone is having a lovely start to the summer season. Here in Michigan, we try to eke out every ounce of summer we can. Our summers are amazingly beautiful here...how can they NOT be with the crystal-blue shorelines of our Great Lakes and the towering pines of our gorgeous forests? Michiganders are proud of our state and its beauty. No other state compares! Both peninsulas are breathtaking, but the Upper Peninsula (simply "the UP" to we Michiganders) is especially lovely in summer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lovely, cold, Lake Superior. The Great Lake Gordon Lightfoot once sang about: Gitche Gumee!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you were a seagull and lived on Lake Superior, you'd chill out on a rock in the sun, too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my floppy hat, lovin' the peace and quiet of the UP. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Believe me, I watched and watched...no such luck on our trip. I can dream.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Michigan sunset in the northern Lower Peninsula. Yummy.</td></tr>
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I'm still hoping our family can get "up north" this summer, but if not, I'll have to live through memories of summers past. Nothing beats a time of relaxation in the calm, warm weather and nature of a Michigan summer, but packing along summer reading books for those downtimes or the occasional rainy day is a must.<br />
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Which brings me to...summer reading! I know my readers have plenty of summer reading, whether it's mandatory or not! Most Catholic schools have summer reading lists, and I'm pleased to see that my three books are on them across the country. For many, Olivia and Josh and the rest of the gang are becoming their good companions.<br />
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For teachers and parents, don't forget that I have free PDF discussion guides I can email you that go along with the books. Feel free to email me at Nancy (at) harveyhousepublishing (dot) com and I'll get those right out to you! Like, immediately, so you can start discussing all of Olivia's adventures with Hayley and her grandma and Chad and all of the shenanigans (Grandma's word, not mine) that they can get into! And of course, Josh and good old Pie, who forge an unlikely friendship as Josh starts 8th grade.<br />
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For teachers, principals and librarians who need to know the more technical side of things, on the <b>Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scale, <i>Olivia and the Little Way </i>scores 4.3; <i>Olivia's Gift </i>scores 4.6; and <i>The Gate</i> scores 6.1. Usually the Olivia books are taught in grade three/four in many Catholic schools, and <i>The</i> <i>Gate</i> in grade six. </b><br />
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It doesn't matter where you go this summer; even if it's your own back yard, you can still enjoy summer reading! Happy reading!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Petoskey stones are fun to collect. But you have to be near Petoskey to do it. </td></tr>
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-34577987414311159622017-03-20T11:59:00.000-04:002017-03-22T08:13:00.902-04:00Adult Coloring Book for Lent<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Bezalel Books has a beautiful coloring book for adults this Lent. Written by Kathryn Mulderink, OCDS and with captivating illustrations by Father Victor KyNam, this coloring book will help you relax and meditate on the Stations of the Cross of our Lord. I encourage you to check it out: <a href="http://bezalelbooks.com/">Bezalelbooks.com</a> or <span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Stations-Cross-adult-coloring-book/dp/1936453347/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1490025438&sr=8-6&keywords=stations+of+the+cross+coloring+book">https://www.amazon.com/Stations-Cross-adult-coloring-book/dp/1936453347/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1490025438&sr=8-6&keywords=stations+of+the+cross+coloring+book</a></span></div>
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-27669028943600087472017-01-18T07:35:00.002-05:002017-01-18T07:37:20.571-05:00Pro-Life 'Tween Novel: Olivia's Gift<div style="background-color: white; font-family: geneva; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal;">
<span style="color: purple;"><span class="quotes" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;">"Parents looking for a book that...promotes wholesome Christian values and the Catholic faith will want to get their hands on <i>Olivia's Gift.</i> Pro-life values are subtly underscored in a moving chapter...and Olivia's turning to her favorite saint for help ultimately leads her to do the right thing, after taking a few wrong turns along the way. Even better, her example influences her friends to become better persons themselves."</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;"><span class="quotes" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "open sans" , sans-serif; font-size: small; text-align: center;"> —San Antonio <i>Today's Catholic</i></span></span><br />
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It wasn't my first intention to write <i><a href="http://www.harveyhousepublishing.com/" target="_blank">Olivia's Gift </a></i>as a pro-life novel, but as the story unfolded in my mind and heart, I knew the Holy Spirit was asking me to have this important theme running throughout the story. It's done in an age-appropriate way, with opportunities for parents and teachers to expand as much as they need to. Taught in Catholic schools, home schools, and parish classrooms, <i>Olivia's Gift </i>challenges and educates young readers as Olivia encounters people on her family vacation who teach her what the gift of life truly is. With a pro-modesty theme as well, it is a wholesome Catholic story for all ages. I wrote a discussion guide for teachers and parents to use alongside <i>Olivia's Gift</i>. If you are interested, please email Guide (at) Harveyhousepublishing (dot) com and I will email you the PDF free of charge. A visit to the same website will provide more information about this Catholic 'tween novel.</div>
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-82263657830062783612016-12-22T20:00:00.000-05:002016-12-22T20:00:00.869-05:00A Christmas Prayer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;" /></b><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">Lord, in this holy season of prayer and song and laughter, we praise you for the great wonders you have sent us: for shining star and angel's song, for infant's cry in lowly manger. We praise you for the Word made flesh in a little Child. We behold his glory, and are bathed in its radiance. </span><br style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;" /><br style="font-size: small; text-align: justify;" /><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">Be with us as we sing the ironies of Christmas, the incomprehensible comprehended, the poetry made hard fact, the helpless Babe who cracks the world asunder. We kneel before you shepherds, innkeepers, wise men. Help us to rise bigger than we are. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small; text-align: justify;">Amen.</span></span>Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-22421549256970967542016-11-08T15:07:00.003-05:002016-11-08T15:07:51.024-05:00Truth!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-80049165309055718042016-10-01T08:31:00.000-04:002016-10-01T08:31:57.190-04:00The Feast Day of St. Therese of the Child Jesus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">O little St. Therese of the Child Jesus, who during your short life on earth became a mirror of angelic purity, of love strong as death, and of wholehearted abandonment to God, now that you rejoice in the reward of your virtues, cast a glance of pity on me as I leave all things in your hands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Make my troubles your own - speak a word for me to our Lady Immaculate, whose flower of special love you were - to that Queen of heaven "who smiled on you at the dawn of life." Beg her as the Queen of the heart of Jesus to obtain for me by her powerful intercession, the grace I yearn for so ardently at this moment, and that she join with it a blessing that may strengthen me during life. Defend me at the hour of death, and lead me straight on to a happy eternity.</span><br />
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-53089781483975298872016-09-13T20:12:00.001-04:002016-09-13T20:50:10.355-04:00Delightful Moments in Everyday LifeMy good friend Anne Reeves, Ana Designs author, photographer, baker, creator and designer extraordinaire who blogs at <span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://anadesigns.blogspot.com/" style="color: blue; font-weight: bold;">http://anadesigns.blogspot.com/</a><span style="color: blue;">,</span></span><span style="color: blue;"> </span></span>loves to talk about delight. What is delight? For her, delight is all about using your senses and your heart to enjoy and appreciate beauty in our world, even when the news and things going on around us and in our towns, families, parishes, and workplaces don't exactly show delight. She reminds us that it's always there, in the smell of a new rose in your front yard, cleaning off the dirt from a freshly picked cucumber (as I just did from my oldest son's bountiful garden!), the first sip of coffee in the morning (no other sip is as good as the first one), even a smile from a stranger. You may have to look high and low, but delight can always be found no matter where you are. Simple things, simple joys, simple little delights that we can enjoy alone or with the people around us.<br />
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If you look around at your day-to-day life, I bet you can find some delightful things about even the murkiest day. I managed to find a few delightful moments in my day yesterday, and yesterday wasn't exactly a stellar day for me! But by the end of the day, I could count several delightful moments God had given me, and I was thankful.<br />
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Anne and I met for lunch a couple days ago before her big move to Seattle, because delightful moments spent with good friends are all the sweeter. We enjoyed catching up with one another, saddened by the fact that she would be a four-hour plane ride away from now on, yet still talking about beautiful things, things that make you smile and bring you delight, like her newfound love of Seattle, her art, how you can buy and plant spring flowers there in February, and my writing. We first met while members of the Junior League of Birmingham, Michigan and hit it off right away, and have been talking about delightful things ever since.<br />
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What is delight? It doesn't have to be huge, like a trip to Hawaii, or an expensive purse you buy. It can be as sweet as when another good friend (Kelly, I'm looking at you!) calls St. Therese your "gal pal." Or when you and your sons laugh so hard together that your sides ache! It can be a simple, funny moment you'll remember for a long, long time, like when Anne and I became "mitten sisters." One day we met for coffee right before Christmas at a coffee shop and fell in love with adorable knit coffee cup cozies that double as fingerless gloves that were for sale near the register. We decided then and there to buy them and Anne declared us "mitten sisters" and each time I wear them I think of Anne and that day we met for coffee on a chilly winter day. She and I are both "girly girls," and love anything pretty, floral, and pink. Knowing my love for St. Therese, she even bought me a lovely medal of her in Paris. It is very special to me. I had it blessed by a priest and I wear that medal around my neck, along with my Miraculous Medal, every day! See the blog post I wrote about that back in 2009<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://nancybelanger.blogspot.com/2009/08/delightful-gift-from-france.html" target="_blank"> here</a>.</span> </b></span>It's a delightful little story!<br />
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Anne taught me to look for little delightful things in each day, and I thought of her today when I was at a stoplight. The air was lovely, so everyone had their car windows down, enjoying the day. I let out two loud sneezes. Embarrassed, I looked over at the lady in the car next to me, who also had her car windows down. I knew she must have heard me, so I smiled at her sheepishly. She grinned back and called over from her car to mine, "BLESS YOU!" I gave her a huge smile back and yelled back, "THANK YOU!"<br />
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I had a grin on my face the whole way home.<br />
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That's delight.<br />
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-74031889786336220252016-09-09T17:32:00.001-04:002016-09-13T20:21:33.203-04:00Foul Mouths: the New "Thing"<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">There's a Facebook post that's gone viral. Well, what Facebook post hasn't these days? But this one takes the cake. It's a note from a mom of six children to her husband as she goes off on a girls' weekend with friends, a much-needed respite, of that I am sure. Most of the moms I know (myself included) have all needed a little break from the demands of hearth and home! The note about how to take care of the kids while she was away would have been cleverly written and funny, if not for that fact that it was peppered with the most foul language you've ever read. From a mom. About her children. Really? Really? Is that how a mother should talk about her children? So disgusting. Yes, we moms have all had moments where we've wanted to pull our hair out, come on, admit it. Those nights where they won't go to sleep and you can't even see, you are so exhausted. Those days when a trip to the dentist for a filling sounds like a vacation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But the language was so bad that it killed the whole funny out of the note for me. I've said this for years: The funniest comedians are the clean ones. Why? Because it takes more intelligence. One has to work harder when one removes the filth from a comedy act. They actually have to use their brains and sense of humor because they don't have the bad language there as a safety net or to pad material. It's just all funny stuff.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I can't help but wonder what her six children will think when they read that note ten years from now. Embarrassment? Shame? Maybe none of those things, maybe pride, who knows? The point is that swearing and foul language... I don't know, you don't really expect or like it when it comes from your <i>mom</i>, do you? I mean, it's never good from anyone, and when you're in those experimental, angsty teen years, it happens, but hearing that kind of language from a <i>mom </i>is just...icky. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">But the language. Oh, it was bad. And I'm no prude, but it was just out of control. F-bombs every sentence, four-letter words, you get the picture. And oh, didn't the mommies out there just eat it up with a spoon. They loved it—every last, foul word of it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Okay, so there's that. Read it, forget it, and move on. Think of whatever is pure and lovely. Okay, I can do that. Except I can't, because this foul language culture is sadly the norm nowadays. Don't believe me? I hope you're sitting down for this: <b>It's entering the Catholic book world.</b> A new release in Catholic nonfiction has the word "badass" in it its title. It's described as an "edgy, honest, and often audacious book of Catholic spirituality." </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Is there no end to the filth, truly? We've reached a new low. It's crude.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So, I guess when you have a mother of six ranting in a trying-to-be funny letter to her husband about her #$%@ing children and all the $%&* rest (use your imagination; this is a clean blog), then the next step would certainly be...a Catholic book. But do we all want an "edgy" book about Catholic spirituality? The holy lives of the saints aren't enough for us? And it really doesn't matter what's inside. No matter how well written, I can't get past the title. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Moms swearing up a storm, foul words in Catholic book titles. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Sigh. So unlike Blessed Mother. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">So, so unlike her.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: x-small; line-height: 22.4px;"><i>God made us for so much more than this.</i></span></span><br />
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-40763333929549610262016-09-08T14:20:00.002-04:002016-09-08T14:57:00.112-04:00When Parents Have No Say<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What happens when parents have no say in their children's moral teaching? What happens when well-meaning parents send their children to a Catholic school and that school fails them by forcing their children to watch a graphic sex-ed video as part of the curriculum? Not only that, if they don't sit through the course, they will get expelled from this school that is supposed to uphold Catholic moral teaching. Parents of students at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, TN are facing this difficult choice right now, and they need our prayers, as does the confused administration at the school. Apparently what parents say carries no weight with this administration. <a href="http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/father-ryan-high-school-sex-ed-protest.html?utm_source=TFP+Student+Action+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7ccbcc3c9a-SAE03949_7_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eff1d66637-7ccbcc3c9a-137618909#.V9CIVBzMLcw.twitter" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">A petition by TFP Student Action is available to sign here.</span> </a>I hope you sign this petition to stop this atrocity and slap in the face of Catholic parents. They need 15,000 signatures and as of this writing, there are about 6,500. Can you just imagine your child sitting through this trash at school? My heart goes out to these parents, but it's not enough. Sign the petition and spread the word!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Remember that t<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19.2px;">he only thing necessary for </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19.2px;">the triumph of evil</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19.2px;"> is for good men to do nothing. </span></i></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Enough is enough!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 16px; line-height: 19.2px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Below is the press release from TFP Student Action:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><strong style="color: #333333; font-size: 12px;">Sept. 6, 2016:</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12px;"> Going against the will of many parents, Father Ryan High School -- a Catholic institution in Nashville, Tennessee -- is forcing students to sit through a graphic sex-ed course or get kicked out of school.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />The explicit material covers contraception, fornication and prostitution in lewd detail.<br /><br />Concerned parents describe it as:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spiritually harmful.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Near occasion of sin.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Teaches all about contraception.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">According to LifeSiteNews.com, school administrators "told parents that students cannot be opted out from the course, suggesting that when parents send their children to school they hand over their right and duty as primary educator."</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #333333;">But even public schools let parents opt out.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #333333;">Parents are upset because the purity of their children is at stake. That's why TFP Student Action invites you to sign your prayerful protest to the school, urging them to scrap the inappropriate course.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #333333;">Susan Skinner, a Catholic mom whose son goes to Father Ryan High School, said: "I just don't think my 14-year-old boy needs to see [graphic images] while a girl sits next to him in class. We were told this gets taught or you opt out of the school. I'm trying to raise Godly children," she said. </span><br /><span style="color: red;"><br /><a href="http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/father-ryan-high-school-sex-ed-protest.html?utm_source=TFP+Student+Action+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7ccbcc3c9a-SAE03949_7_2016&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_eff1d66637-7ccbcc3c9a-137618909#.V9CIVBzMLcw.twitter" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Sign the petition. Share the petition. Fight for purity.</span></a></span></span></div>
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-82026760505444312362016-08-28T08:22:00.000-04:002016-08-28T08:42:35.398-04:00Do Not Grind Your Teeth<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3aNQIt5papU" width="480"></iframe><br />
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WOW, thank you so much, Father Jason Worthley, for this timely video that I am sure was inspired by the Holy Spirit. For all of you teeth grinders out there, have a listen. If you are a Catholic dentist, please listen as well and share with your patients!<br />
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Father Jason Worthley blogs at <a href="http://fatherworthley.blogspot.com/">http://fatherworthley.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Pray more, grind less!Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-42397937409683457592016-08-24T18:10:00.003-04:002016-08-24T18:19:03.848-04:00Summer Evening Book Chat<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCcQz6aPWYJz0tgdkPOAU8y0HFOPllkZdqyzz-VypwMH-IuNaSmdSCRHHxWZR8pzDjP4cUQH3DZGhUEIOh-C9hh2E3ALVskxOfZHvOddWsNRQTHWd-uXIZ70bQBtlUnf0v53oc6GC48s/s1600/IMG_3352+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCcQz6aPWYJz0tgdkPOAU8y0HFOPllkZdqyzz-VypwMH-IuNaSmdSCRHHxWZR8pzDjP4cUQH3DZGhUEIOh-C9hh2E3ALVskxOfZHvOddWsNRQTHWd-uXIZ70bQBtlUnf0v53oc6GC48s/s640/IMG_3352+%25289%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7jXHg7CE8sqsYAyiTRehVR8C2ow1OoiJnZRh6SYWPUure0v9Sz2nbkD0NhObgKSmWmkm32zCGqe7y22PrB-xkiecLO7OnIUoDD8t987uDh4SdVGJOyq3xv5ow3yq0a3GAkHVsWGk-bo/s1600/IMG_3349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7jXHg7CE8sqsYAyiTRehVR8C2ow1OoiJnZRh6SYWPUure0v9Sz2nbkD0NhObgKSmWmkm32zCGqe7y22PrB-xkiecLO7OnIUoDD8t987uDh4SdVGJOyq3xv5ow3yq0a3GAkHVsWGk-bo/s400/IMG_3349.JPG" width="300" /></a>I had such a fun time a couple of weeks ago speaking to a wonderful group of young ladies and their mothers at Christ the King Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, MI. I spoke about the communion of saints, Catholic fiction for children, St. Therese, the Little Way, and how blessed we are to have our saint friends in heaven to intercede for us. I had suggested young readers bring any questions they might have, and I was pleased to answer not only readers' questions, but their mothers' questions as well! It was a lovely summer evening chatting about our beautiful Catholic faith.<br />
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Afterward, I signed copies of <a href="http://www.harveyhousepublishing.com/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><i>Olivia and the Little Way</i>, <i>Olivia's Gift,</i> and <i>The Gate</i></span></a>. One reader handed me her copy of <i>Olivia and the Little Way</i> and I was pleased to see it appeared to be so well read! Dog-eared pages, underlined passages, and such are the signs of a well-loved book, and that makes an author especially happy! I really enjoyed having the opportunity to chat one on one with everyone. I left feeling very uplifted and I hope everyone else did as well. Thank you, Christ the King Church, for making me feel so welcome!<br />
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-24819961941338658192016-07-14T17:02:00.000-04:002016-07-15T08:14:15.689-04:00What a Crazy World We Live In<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's a lot of talk lately in the media about respect...or the lack thereof. People lack respect for their elders, teachers, law enforcement, priests, and just...everyone. Proper respect seems to be taking a nosedive everywhere. At my parish, I've heard people address our pastor by his first name. Can you imagine walking up to a priest and saying, "Hey, Bill"? So strange. So disrespectful. So WEIRD.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The other day I was listening to a Catholic satellite radio show in the car. The host is supposed to be a funny, hip Catholic guy, "just one of the guys," and invites guests onto his show to shoot the breeze. I don't normally tune in but my son and I were in the car and we turned the radio on. It was our first time listening to him. He had a guest on the show, a speaker on the Catholic circuit. They were chatting amiably about an idea the host seemed to think was extraordinarily clever: a "new" set of mysteries to add to the Holy Rosary. He called it the "mundane mysteries" and he had put a shout-out earlier for listener suggestions. Who could come up with the funniest "mystery?" He was interested in knowing what parts of Jesus' daily life would be mundane or boring, that we could all relate to, and if they were funny enough, he would (tongue in cheek, of course) include them as a new decade of mysteries! I raised an eyebrow but said nothing, not sure how the conversation would go. I like to think I have a good sense of humor and can laugh at lots of things. I figured I shouldn't rush to judgement, it was a Catholic radio show on a well-known Catholic satellite station; how bad could it be? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The host proceeded to read the suggestions put forth from these callers to which his guest would give a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down response. They ranged from "Jesus makes a sandwich," to "Jesus stands in line at the DMV," to "Jesus sweeps the sawdust from the floor." My son and I glanced at each other, admittedly a bit uncomfortable, but figuring it probably wouldn't get worse than that. Nothing prepared us for the one the host and his guest began to guffaw about: "Jesus clips his toenails." They laughed and talked about it on an on, just enjoying the thought. Oh, they thought it was soooo amusing. In my gut, I knew it was wrong, but I could not get over the shock of what I was hearing. My son and I looked at each other and talked about how disrespectful it was. I turned off the show before it had the opportunity to get even worse and become an occasion of sin. <i>Nice programming for Catholics,</i> I thought. Could it have been worse? Sure, it could have. But it was bad enough. I felt like calling in and asking him to reach for a higher standard. The secular media continuously scrapes the bottom of the barrel, must the Catholic media stoop to that as well? Shouldn't they be striving for a higher plane instead of disrespecting Our Lord with junk like this? And encouraging others to do the same? Shameful. I so long for humility in the Catholic media, don't you?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are those who may say it's all in fun, but to insult Our Lord like this? NOT funny in the least. I</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> have a good time being silly. I like to joke about Catholic things, like how funny it is when you almost accidentally genuflect in a movie theater (apparently lots of Catholics have this problem!), awkward things that happen in the pew at Mass now and then, the jokes about toddlers who innocently try to drink the holy water, how Catholics always seem to sit in the same seat every week, stuff like that. Cute, harmless, poking fun at ourselves. Think of most of Catholic comedian Jim Gaffigan's material (not all, but most). There are funny memes out there that capture these funny instances of Catholic life in a gentle but respectful way that make us all laugh at our foibles on the way to holiness. </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">But here's the thing: It's always about the awkward things WE do, as people. We are making fun of ourselves. Nothing is funny about poking fun at the Savior of the world.</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> Who even goes there, who even tries to take Our Lord's human side and make a joke out of it? I think they were trying WAY too hard to fill airtime. I'm sure they did not mean to be disrespectful and would argue that it was all in fun, but that does not change the fact that it WAS disrespectful and bordering on the blasphemous. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I wonder how our young people ever learn about the reverence we are expected to show toward Our Lord and the Mass when self-professed Catholics-- who are supposed to be representing the Faith in the media-- do not even understand what that means.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Humor is good in its proper time and place. We all need a good belly laugh; our world is so fallen and finding the funny aspects of life is healthy and good; Our Lord surely wants that for us. Let's just keep it respectful and remember about Whom we are speaking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let's say the Golden Arrow prayer that Jesus gave to Sister Mary of St. Peter, a French Carmelite nun in 1843. Sister Mary called it "an act of Praise that Our Lord Himself dictated to me, notwithstanding my unworthiness, for the reparation of Blasphemy (insulting or disrespectful thoughts or behavior) against His Holy Name." </span><br />
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<b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">May the most holy, most sacred, most adorable, most incomprehensible and unutterable Name of God be always praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What a crazy, crazy world we live in, friends. Keep praying.</span><br />
<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-87558470471836041702016-06-23T08:45:00.000-04:002016-06-23T08:47:36.233-04:00Summer Reading Discussion Questions<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> <i>Jessica over at the <a href="http://showerofroses.blogspot.com/2014/10/october-daybook.html" target="_blank">Shower of Roses</a> blog snapped this photo of her daughter reading Olivia's Gift while cleaning up outside. She gave me permission a couple of years ago to post it here and I couldn't resist posting it again since it is so cute!</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Talking about The Gate with a young reader at Celtic Cove Catholic bookstore. </i></td></tr>
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I've been hearing that <a href="http://www.harveyhousepublishing.com/" target="_blank"><i>Olivia and the Little Way,</i> <i>Olivia's Gift</i>, and <i>The Gate</i></a> have made it onto many Catholic school summer reading lists, and it makes me happy that young readers will be getting to know St. Therese and St. John Bosco over their summer vacations!<br />
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Did you know there are discussion guides for each book? Teachers, parents, and book club leaders email me at Nancy(at)harveyhousepublishing(dot)com often to request the free PDFs, and I would be happy to email them to you as well! They include valuable questions for readers to talk about as they read the books.<br />
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Are you reading <i>Olivia and the Little Way</i>, <i>Olivia's Gift</i>, or <i>The Gate</i> (or all three!) on your summer vacation? Send me a photo like the ones above and I will be happy to include it on my blog! Happy reading!<br />
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-90981653808205901352016-04-28T22:03:00.000-04:002016-04-28T22:11:30.494-04:00History Lessons at an Antique Store<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My family and I like to visit antique stores when we take road trips. They're a welcome rest stop along the road. Sometimes they're small little shops, and other times they are large emporiums filled with a gazillion booths. Large or small, they are always filled with unique treasures from the past. Yes, sometimes I do feel a little antique myself when toys from my childhood are among the shelves (Fisher Price A-Frame house, Donny and Marie dolls...), but most of the time I enjoy walking around. The owners are always friendly people, and it's a relaxing break from the highway to stretch your legs. Once in awhile I pick up an item and say out loud to whoever is in earshot, "My mom still has this!" or "I totally forgot about this until right now, but I <i>had</i> this!" or "I remember that!" I am always fascinated by vintage clothes (ladies sure were petite back then!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On our way back from Chicago a couple of weekends ago, we stopped at a nice antique store in Michigan City, IN. My husband took off toward one end of the store (he collects old books), while my son and I poked around together looking at things from time gone by: old toys, Beatles posters, vinyl record albums, knick-knacks, books, and housewares. Religious items always catch my eye, and I've come home with several Catholic items from shops like these.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The things I am drawn to the most, however, are old photographs: people all dressed up at weddings, baby photos, and family photos. I always wonder who these people are, how they felt when their photos were taken, what kind of people they were, and of course, where they are now. The photos are usually so old that the people in them have likely gone into eternal life, and that always gives me pause. How did these family photos end up in an antique shop and in my hands? Didn't the family want them anymore, or are they long gone as well? Sometimes people purchase these photos because they like the frames, but when the photos don't come in frames, I wonder who buys these photos of other families, someone else's grandma or grandpa, or great uncle or cousin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">One photo I looked at was a photo of someone's parents, in front of their home on a summer's day, probably taken in the 1940s. The mother had a corsage pinned to her dress, and they both looked happy, grinning at the camera. Mother's Day, perhaps, or an anniversary? Easter Sunday?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I usually reflect for a bit on these photos of someone else's family and then move on, since there is so much to see and merchandise crammed everywhere. But the other week, buried in the back of a shelf of the antique shop in Michigan City, IN, a particular framed photo caught my eye. I don't know when the black-and-white photo was taken, but I am guessing sometime in the 1930s or 40s. I was drawn to it because it is a photograph of a Catholic priest. I dug it out of the shelf and stared at the 8x10 photo of a man in glasses looking back at me. Who was this priest, and where was he from? How did this photo come to be here in this antique shop? Most of these stores have booths they rent out to vendors, and this store was so large and had so many vendors that I knew the man at the front desk would most likely not know the back story of this particular photograph. Now I wish I would have at least tried to ask him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I called my son over and showed him the photo of the priest. "I wonder who he is," I mused aloud. I wondered about his vocation and the parishes he served at. I turned the frame over but there was no information on the back. Then it occurred to me that we should pray for this holy priest, for the repose of his soul, for he was most likely deceased. So right there in the middle of the antique store, a short prayer was said for this man of the cloth who we had never known. But I figured somebody, perhaps many, many people, loved this priest and he had most likely served hundreds and hundreds of God's people over the years of his priesthood, so he deserved a special prayer here in 2016. After snapping a quick photo of it, I gently set the framed picture back where I had found it and wondered if anyone would buy it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We walked back toward the front of the store and saw a large display case of jewelry. So many colors and styles of necklaces, earrings, and rings that ladies of days gone by wore and enjoyed. I wondered who gave these ladies their treasures, and if they were birthday, anniversary, or Christmas gifts. Each piece, I realized, was treasured by someone, was loved and kept in a special place on their dressers or in jewelry boxes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meandering through the rest of the store, I came upon many other photos of people enjoying special times in their lives, and I was a bit in awe of all of these people and their photos. I happened upon a photo of a little girl's First Holy Communion, seated with her mother for a formal portrait, and I wondered who she was as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Walking through these antique stores is a real, living history lesson. I love history, so perhaps that's why I enjoy it so much. Sometimes it makes me a little sad, but mostly it makes me appreciate that I am still here, still alive and able to enjoy living in the here and now, and am able to learn from looking at and appreciating belongings that others cherished so much in the past. Somehow I think the owners of these treasures would like knowing that someone still appreciates them now in 2016.</span><br />
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-75235344292638842172016-04-08T07:31:00.000-04:002016-04-08T07:31:13.180-04:00Words of Wisdom From St. Elizabeth Ann Seton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-19228909914379440112016-04-07T07:22:00.001-04:002016-04-07T07:22:27.461-04:00Impatient Perennials and a Book Review of The GateTime flies, and here it is, already April. Lent has passed and was hopefully fruitful for you, and now we share our Easter joy. In my neck of the woods, we have rain, which is nourishing the grass, trees, wildlife, and tiny green plants I see peeking out of the ground. They need to wait a bit, because here in Michigan we are still looking at flurries in our forecast! But I am as impatient as they are! I almost want to tell them to be patient. It's almost like the waiting of Lent and Advent. In my own life, I am patiently waiting for certain things to happen, but all in God's good time. He knows what is best and His timing is perfect.<br />
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I am happy to share this book review of <i>The Gate</i> from blogger and Catholic author Anabelle Hazard, who writes at Catholicstand.com and her personal blog, <i>Written by the Finger of God</i>, at <a href="http://anabellehazard.blogspot.com/">Anabellehazard.blogspot.com</a>. Following the book review on Catholic Stand is an interview she conducted with me. You can find the entire article, including interview, here at the Catholic Stand website:<a href="http://www.catholicstand.com/book-review-and-interview-with-nancy-carabio-belanger/" target="_blank"> http://www.catholicstand.com/book-review-and-interview-with-nancy-carabio-belanger/</a><br />
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“A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good book in the slightest” C.S. Lewis</div>
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Nancy Carabio Belanger’s latest novel “The Gate” passes the Lewis test. It is a Catholic novel about Joshua Lasko, a smart-alecky middle school boy, whose faith disappears at his father’s death. He meets Pie, a nursing home resident, and his life turns around into a whopping surprise.</div>
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I’ve long trusted Ms. Belanger’s writing since she penned “Olivia and the Little Way” and its sequel “Olivia’s Gift.“ Both books are eternal favorites of my ten-year daughter since she first read it; curl-tipped edges from over reading, and often quoted back to me. When “The Gate” came out, I was not sure it would resonate with the female readers (including myself) in our house, but I’m glad I was wrong.</div>
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“The Gate” was delightful for several reasons. The character of Joshua is as real as a middle school student in America can be; witty and smart as a whip. Pie is endearing, and somewhat stubborn if not grumpy. Their unexpected friendship is something I envy as I wish I had known and gotten to know all my grandparents the same way.</div>
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The Gate’s biggest gift is the unabashed Catholicism and truth of Holy Mother, which is stapled in the dialogue and the story, just as much as it is ingrained in any Catholic’s life (or should be). All without being sappy. More power to Ms. Belanger who dares to write for Catholic readers who long to be able to connect with a literary figure and are so unfortunately neglected in a secular publishing world. For those of you who enjoy a good, clean, warm read, pick up “The Gate” and get to know unforgettable characters about a story of two souls.</div>
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The only improvement I can suggest to “The Gate” is for a better designed cover. The muted illustration is impeccable, but the title and the author’s name, could be more than a simple black font. Since Ms. Belanger is now synonymous with good, quality Catholic YA fiction, I think her name deserves to be highlighted in bolder billing and can stand on its own as a brand.</div>
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Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-7582444353509876082016-02-03T15:58:00.002-05:002016-02-03T15:58:35.039-05:00Funny :-)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-32942350456663700122016-01-28T08:08:00.002-05:002016-01-28T08:09:13.947-05:00What It Means To Be An Altar Server<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OWIMugHDgvQ?rel=0" width="560"></iframe>Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-65337651962128597052016-01-22T14:28:00.005-05:002016-01-22T14:28:57.552-05:00On the Anniversary of Roe v. WadeRoe v. Wade<br />
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On this sad day commemorating the slaughter of 58 million innocent lives, let's pray this Prayer For Life. I'm not sure who wrote it, but it is the prayer we say at our parish thanking God for the precious gift of life and to ask God to help our country have a pro-life mission.<br />
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Dear Heavenly Father,<br />
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We thank You and praise You for the precious gift of life that You have given to each of Your children. We are deeply troubled that i many ways our culture has lost a reverence for human life and for this we ask for Your mercy. Help us to be aware each day of ways that we can foster and promote a culture of life—for You are the Author of all Life!<br />
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Strengthen in our hearts a pro-life attitude and a commitment to support activities in our homes, schools, workplaces, government and society which promote and protect human life in all its beauty; in all of its marvelous stages.<br />
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We pray with deep concern for a renewed respect for the unborn—those who will enrich our lives and world with life! Help us to see the beauty of the aged, those born with special needs, and Your people whom society considers "burdens." Help us to rid our cities of the violence that claims the lives of both young and old alike. We ask You to bless our efforts a hundredfold.<br />
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Mary Most Holy, Our Lady of Life, pray for us. Through your Holy and Immaculate Conception, we ask you to intercede for us, and assist us to cherish life as you bore the Lord of Life in your womb. May our efforts bring to our nation, our hearts and our homes a renewed love for the breath of Life that fills each of us. We pray this in faith, through Jesus your Son who lives forever.<br />
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Amen<br />
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-63009924835125357142016-01-21T07:35:00.000-05:002016-01-21T07:36:15.705-05:00WOW -Wonders on Wheels 2016<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AI3Lc9NB0Jo" width="480"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you need something warm on this cold January day, look no further than this dance routine. Simply beautiful, and warmed my heart. I hope it makes you happy today. :-)</span><br />
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<br />Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6251494246502530047.post-22034651070128197512016-01-11T10:46:00.001-05:002016-01-19T17:03:27.279-05:00A New Parish In Town!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our family enjoys setting up our Dept. 56 Charles Dickens village every year. We always wanted a church for the village scene, but unfortunately could never find a Catholic church for the set. Apparently the company does not make one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year I had an idea: Why not find one and transform it? With the help of eBay, I was able to find a gently used church piece that I liked from the Dickens collection, at a great price. I searched online and also found an outdoor nativity scene that would fit the theme. My teenaged son was happy to get creative and created a sign for the new parish in town, including times for Sunday Holy Mass. He also renamed the church St. Mary's. We even found a tiny little crucifix to glue to the top of the church. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We absolutely love St. Mary's and it is our favorite piece to the set. The Charles Dickens village now has a Catholic church in town for the faithful! Now we need a little house for a rectory. That will be my next project!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24.92px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Gloria in excelsis Deo!</i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24.92px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span>Nancy Carabio Belangerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04939542225783322112noreply@blogger.com