National protests against Planned Parenthood this Saturday!

If we ever needed to raise our voices, it’s now!

A string of nation-wide protests in outcry over Planned Parenthood’s trafficking of fetal tissue caught on video is underway. It’s not the first step to bring down and defund the abortion giant with seemingly no regard for human dignity, but it’s an important one. And if you can come, show your support!

If you’ve known about Planned Parenthood’s antics in the past, it’s no surprise that they need to be stopped. If you’ve just recently been enlightened by the increasingly horrific videos that have been released each week since July, then you now know, too, how bad it is. Any “Planned Parenthood sells baby parts” search will do, but beware, they are graphic; I haven’t even watched the most recent one because it looks so bad.

There are protests all over the nation, and there will also be one here in St. Cloud this Saturday, August 22 from 9-11 am. For more information, go to the Office of Marriage and Family of St. Cloud website. You can also check out their Facebook page. Unfortunately, the national website that shows the location of all the protest sites has been suspended, but with just a little homework, you can find out if there’s one in your area.

It’ll be a time of real solidarity with those who have been exploited and wounded. See you there!

When we’re not planning a 5k….

…there’s no telling what could happen!

It’s true. This year, we aren’t having the Fiat 5K at the Farm. Why? you might ask. Praying about it and coming to the conclusion that we weren’t at peace with putting on another one. They were awesome, and we loved getting everyone together, but onto other things, I suppose.

It’s made for a restful sumer. We had a lot of beautiful things to enjoy, with time to do it!

Akin to the Whitney park bleachers

Surely that’s a Mississippi Saint sliding in safely!

Many a Tuesday, we walked just a few blocks from our house to Whitney Park to watch the Mississippi Saints, our parish softball team, play in the church softball league. Hands down, the Saints have some of the best, most spirited fans.  And the games were a ball (ahem) to watch. Plus, the season isn’t over yet! Playoffs continue this Tuesday.  Since I didn’t get any actual pictures, these close substitutes will have to do

We hosted two missionaries from the Neo-Catechumenal Way, one from New York and one from Colorado. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was deeply moving event to encounter these two lovely women. They came to St. Cloud with NO money, NO contacts, NO cell phones. They had only the clothes on their backs and a small sack.

Probably what it felt like to them

The Neo-Catechumenal Way (sometimes known as simply The Way) seeks to provide post-baptismal formation to adults who are already members of the Church. They form small groups within the parishes to deepen their baptismal committments to Christ. Many members seek to do a week-long mission, in which they are picked at random, two by two, and sent to a random diocese. Literally, picked out of a hat. And that’s how they ended up in St. Cloud. They spent only a night with us, not expecting anything, but rather receiving whatever we gave to them. They told us how the Lord had worked in their lives, even resurrecting a broken marriage. They brought us a word of Hope, reminding us that our God can do anything!

We resumed our summer Women’s group, this time with a monthly rather than weekly meeting time. Some time talking about prayer here, a Rosary walk there, and always yummy treats. Good times with the local ladies.

Quintessential fair food – the funnel cake

Not to mention a priestly ordination (Fr. Gabriel Walz!), the Stearns AND Benton County Fairs, bridal/baby showers, family vacations. All mixed in with the appropriate dose of summer sunshine, neighborhood walks, parades, trips to the lake, fresh fruit smoothies and lounging on our “hill” in the front yard.

Ahh, summer has been good.