United in faith...

So, where do I begin?

My little sister had a her tonsils and adenoids removed yesterday. We share a room. So, while she recovers, she tries not to laugh too loudly (and hard - for it hurts her to laugh) at old Dick Van Dyke episodes. She also keeps me up to date with all the latest news on blogs she visits.

But, with tonight's news (and the thought of Mr. GQ crying), we are crying our eyes out! My nose is so "stuffed up" I can't sleep! :)

On Monday we said our last good-byes to a very dear friend of ours.

Let's start at the very beginning!...A very good place to start!

My very first first picture ever taken of 'JoJo" (left) and my sister Constance
- A Church Picnic - Summer 2008 -

We met this special young lady about two summers ago. We were at one of the summer picnics of the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago. She was one of the "Dazzo" family. There they were eating their favorite: Panera Bread. After we ate I started playing catch, with a softball, with the oldest girl, "Jo Jo" - while some of her seven siblings played soccer with my mere three. Yes, that is my first memory of my dear friend who I will respectively call "JoJo Dazzo" for this post.

Jo Jo is two years older than my sister or, the same age as me.

Anyway, as we talked with Mrs. Lady Modesty and her daughter, that very day, we discovered my sister and Jo Jowere both interested in the religious life. Particularly...with the Sister Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest (take a breath!) - whose Motherhouse is located in Italy.

Constance (left) and JoJo (right) 5/10/10

Lady Modesty is probably the only non-procrastinator I know and helped the girls plan a trip all the way to Italy in May of '09 to visit the Convent. (Last year!)

Before we knew it there was the "Going Away Party" and then the day they left.

Both girls enjoyed their week visit immensely; it was defiantly a life changing experience for them as it seems they came home with a deeper love of Christ and this particular Order of nuns.

Jo Jo was hoping to be accepted into the Sister Adorers' Order in the fall of 2010.

But, happy news came just a month ago; she would be joining the Sister Adorers' newest Convent in
St. Louis this (past - yesterday) May 12, 2010!

Fortunately, we had time to say our good-byes at a party last Monday. My family had planned to visit JoJo at the end of May while we were visiting family in the Southern Illinois/St. Louis area. Therefore, we were able to hold back some tears. {But not all ;-)}

But tonight. Great news for JoJo, but sad news for us! Tonight, we read the latest news on Mrs. Lady Modesty's blog.., Jo Jowill be leaving for Italy very soon to start her formation. We will not be seeing her as we planned. We will not be seeing her for a long time...

My sister has already made a beautiful tribute to her dearest friend here...

Jo Jo read this to us from a holy card the last time we chatted on the phone:

~Pray for me, as I will for thee, so that we may merrily meet in Heaven.~

See that purple thing? Its my cast. I broke my elbow (just a hair line fracture) while on a bike ride with another good friend of mine a week ago - I only have to wear it for two more weeks! Jo Jo signed my cast. Any guesses at her real name? :) And, I'm going to have to keep that stinky old cast now!

God willing, we will meet again on this earth... but being so far away... prayer will be the only thing uniting us for now.

I will never forget you, JoJo!

Please keep her - and her family - in your prayers!

40 Days for Life

Last week we participated in the 40 Days for Life campaign in Chicago...

About 15 pro-abort college aged students were there when we arrived but left a little bit before us.

Our friend took this video and I put some clips together too in the second video:

Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest Meets with Holy Father

At a Wednesday audience in early April, Monsignor Wach presented Reverend
Mother Mary of the Love of God of the Adorers of the
Royal Heart to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The other Sisters Adorers of
the Royal Heart were also present. Engaging the Reverend Mother in conversation
for several minutes, the Holy Father graciously granted the Apostolic Blessing
upon our young and ever-growing community of Sisters, as well as upon all
members of the Institute and the faithful of its apostolates.

See the pictures here.

The Infant King Awaits YOU......

Solemn Pontifical Mass
Sunday, January 11th, 10:00 am

at the Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest,
6415 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago

Celebrant: His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph N. Perry, Auxilary Bishop of Chicago

Choral Music Provided by The Chicago Chorale under the direction of Mr. Bruce Tammen
Missa O Magnum Mysterium of Tomas Luis de Victoria

After Mass : "Discover the Treasure: Gregorian Chant for Everyone"
A free conference and chant practice open to all given by Canon Wulfran Lebocq, Choir Master of the Institute's International Seminary.

I am so happy and excited with this great news that Dixi is allowing me to do a post on it!

The Great news is that the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, already a Society of Apostolic Life, has now been granted the status of a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. Which means that the Institute is now under the direct supervisory control of the Holy Father!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise God!!!!!!!!! The Institute is well known for having cordial relations with the Bishops in the dioceses where they operate, so in many ways this change will not be immediately apparent. Yet it does provide a measure of independence from certain possible situations where the boundaries of diocesan control are otherwise not well-understood. This is the same canonical footing that the Holy See has granted to other traditionalist societies, and is a recognition by the Holy See of the Great work and standing of the Institute worldwide!!!

Here is the announcement from the Institute's French homepage in an NLM translation:

In the twentieth year of its existence the Institute of Christ the King
Sovereign Priest, installed in fifty dioceses all over the world, numbering more
than fifty priests, seventy seminarians, and the Sister Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest, has the immense joy and the honour to announce
to you its elevation to Pontifical Right, as society of Apostolic life in canonical form,
according to the will of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

Thanks to Saint Loius Catholic for the link!

Here is also a more detailed announcement on the American website of the Institute :

With deepest gratitude to the Blessed Trinity, to Christ Our King, and His
Immaculate Mother, to St. Joseph, to St. Michael the Archangel, to our patron
saints, to the entire court of heaven, and with filial thankfulness to our Holy
Father Pope Benedict XVI and his faithful collaborators, we have the joy to
announce a very important event:His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI On the feast day of Our Lady, Queen of the Holy Rosary, the Vice-President of the Commission Ecclesia Dei, Very Reverend Monsignor Camille Perl, has read in our Seminary chapel the official decree by which, in the name of the Holy Father, the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest was erected to the status of a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right. Also our Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus received
the status of Pontifical Right. The Decree was signed by His Eminence Dario
Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos. A Solemn Te Deum followed the
reading of the Decree.Born out of a profound union with the Holy Father in Rome
and the Institute's founder and members having always lived in a continuous and unwavering spirit of faithful Romanitas, the Institute was granted the Pontifical Right after the formal time of experience and interrogation which is a traditional custom for the Holy See. Various positive Apostolic Visitations conducted by the Roman Curia and a very favorable consultation of all the Most Reverend Bishops in whose Dioceses we are invited to serve have finalized this canonical process.After this affirmative
evaluation of our spirituality and our international presence and work, the
Pontifical Right is an expression of the appreciation of the service of the
Institute of Christ the King by the Roman Pontiff and his collaborators to whom
we are deeply obliged. The Pontifical Right will make it even easier for the
Institute to conduct its service for the Church according to its constitutions
and gives to Monsignor the Prior General rights and duties that are in unison
with our canonical lifestyle.BENEDICTO XVI SUMMO PONTIFICI PAX, VITA ET SALUS PERPETUA!

God Bless the Institute!!!

We are so happy for them!

H/T: St. Louis Catholic

Posted by: Margaret Marie

In Case you are not familiar with the Institute please check out their beautiful website: http://www.institute-christ-king.org/

Instute of Christ the King to Celebrate Mass Live on EWTN

On Sunday, September 14th, members of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest will celebrate a Solemn High Mass at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration in Hanceville, Alabama. The conventual Mass will be broadcast live by EWTN, the Global Catholic Network, to a worldwide audience of 140 million homes, through TV, radio, and live streaming video online.

September 14th marks the first anniversary of the implementation of Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum" [PDF]. The Solemn High Mass will be in commemoration of, and thanksgiving for, this pivotal document of His Holiness, which confirms that the Latin Rite in its ancient form as presented in the 1962 liturgical books of the Roman Catholic Church was never abrogated and is available to all priests and all faithful who desire it.

The live broadcast from Our Lady of the Angels Monastery will take place at 8:00 AM Eastern Time USA, 14:00 Central European Time, 12:00 UTC.

http://www.institute-christ-king.org/