The Domestic Cloister

I love doing research on the net.  I was looking at who might be the saint of today for the purposes of this blog and I came across another blog by a fellow lay Carmelite, an American lady called Amanda Evinger.  In the course of writing about the Italian wife, mother, and mystic Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (1769-1837), Amanda tells us in striking terms about herself.  ‘I spent nearly four years living in a convent, but I had to leave the religious life due to a serious health condition. Now, as a homeschooling mother of six children, I am giving my whole life to Our Lord in a different way — in the “domestic cloister” of the home. I have found that both vocations come with their splintery crosses as well as their profound joys, especially when the one living them out is merely seeking to be united to Christ Crucified and Risen. Thankfully, there are canonized saints to help show how to surrender our hearts to him in any state of life we are called to.’  That last sentence sums it all up:  we are to surrender our hearts to him in our present state of life, whatever it may be.

Intercessions

RIP Mervyn Leach, father of two Secular Carmelites

RIP Dean

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Fr Jon Bielowski (Plymouth Diocese), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Sister Daranee Teapthong, Theresa K, Elena

Ivy – sick child

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (recovering from stroke)

Illness:  Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

 We are asked to pray for the Diocese of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, as the Northern Mission celebrates its centenary. The process of selecting a new bishop continues.