Hiatus Over, Rants are Back

I'm back! I didn't go anywhere, but in the past two weeks I couldn't find time to sit with my coffee and type away. My apologies. However, my little hiatus has been very eventful. The most important is that my baby sister, Gianna Maria, was born healthy. Thank you baby Jesus and St. Gerard! She's such a little blessing, and she has my eyes. Double-win. Since we have not had a baby girl in my immediate family in 10 years, I'm soaking up the newborn baby smell, shades of pink, bows and cuddles. Life is grand. It's also good training for the future, Deo gratias.  
I have about a million things running through my mind for this post, so I'm just going to jot a few relevant ones down.

Firstly, happy feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola! Let's celebrate with an inspiring quote by him! 

"If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign He has great designs for you, and He certainly intends to make you a saint. And if you wish to become a great saint, entreat Him yourself to give you much opportunity for suffering; for there is no wood better to kindle the fire of holy love than the wood of the cross, which Christ used for His own great sacrifice of boundless charity."

St. Ignatius, ora pro nobis!

Secondly, I recently completed a novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. The results were not what I expected, but my prayers were certainly answered. As St. Teresa of Avila said, "More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones." It was definitely tough love, but this beautiful novena taught me to really put trust in God's Divine Providence and to abandon myself to His will. I'm still a work in progress, but that's what perseverance is for! I highly recommend it to anyone that has "knots" in their life. It can be found here. 

Thirdly, the liberal media needs to stop taking what Pope Francis says, out of context, and Catholics need to stop believing what is being twisted. Because his quotes tend to be simple (yet still acute), the liberal media has taken advantage of their simplicity time and time again. For example, if the Huffington Post reports something that Pope Francis said, yet they try to decipher or add their spin on it, frankly, it's not worth believing. In fact, I won't believe anything any liberal news outlet says about the Pope's sayings or quotes, because they are not understanding them in the context which they are meant to be understood. Catholicism is already very misunderstood as it is, so why would/should we (Catholics) believe what the liberal media, the source of the corrupt agendas against our religion, has to say, especially when it comes to matters of faith? 

Lastly, I've had O Sacrum Convivium stuck in my head for the past three days. It's a recurring #CatholicProblem for me to get traditional hymns stuck in my head for days, but it really is great because I enjoy singing the soprano part. Thank you choir. This text was authored by St. Thomas Aquinas, in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. I find Latin hymns to be much more meaningful especially during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, because they are beautifully composed, the translations are equally beautiful and Latin is a powerful language. To sing is to pray twice, and to sing in a language the Enemy fears is the perfect storm. 

The translation is, "O Sacred banquet! in which Christ is received, the memory of His passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory to us is given. Alleluia." 

That's all I've got for today, and now I'm off to enjoy some flapjacks and baby Gianna cuddles. 

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

5 Reasons I don't receive Holy Communion in the Hand

Since I like quotes, and I like Church teachings even more, let's begin this post with a very important one. 

The Council of Trent, Canon I: "If anyone denieth, that, in the sacrament of the most holy Eucharist, are contained, truly, really and substantially, the Body and Blood together with the Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and consequently the whole Christ; but saith that He is only therein as a sign, or in figure, or virtue; let him be anathema."

In simpler terms, this means that whoever denies that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, is to put it quite frankly, a heretic. One of the first to deny the Real Presence in the Eucharist was Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism. However, this post is not about the Reformation or Martin Luther, so we will leave that behind for another day. This post is about Holy Communion, and how it is received. However, before I begin I must say this: this post is not about liturgical snobbery or having a hoity-toity, "I'm holier than thou" attitude. This is a sensitive topic for some, but I will do my best to go at it as charitably and honestly as possible. Disclaimer over, let the list-making begin!

Through my own personal decision, I never touch the Eucharist. This means that I don't receive Holy Communion in the hand, nor will I ever be a Eucharistic minister, even if my diocese allows both. But why not? 

1) I am not worthy to touch the Sacred Host. 

I'm only a layperson, not a priest. Therefore, my hands are unconsecrated and unworthy of ever touching the Blessed Sacrament. Also, because the Holy Eucharist comes from God, which makes it incredibly holy, hence it being the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, it is all the more another reason to not touch or receive it in the hand.

2) Philippians 2:9-11

"Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 

As the priest (or in other cases, Eucharistic ministers, which are unnecessary by the way) says to the Communicant, "Body of Christ" it isn't very reverent to simply continue standing and only answer, "Amen" while taking the Host with their own hands and consuming it. In contrast, by kneeling to receive the Sacred Host and not taking Him into your own hands, not only are you honoring the name of Jesus, but also acknowledging His Divinity before you. This brings us to the next reason.

3) To kneel before receiving Christ in the Eucharist is to first adore and worship Him.

What do we do when we pass a Tabernacle or a monstrance containing Christ? We kneel (or genuflect) to honor Him and give Him His due worship. Why is receiving Him in Communion any different? It should not be, even more so because this time He is fully exposed and right in front of our noses. He is the King of kings and kings are showed honor, reverence, respect and humility when approached. Does the Divine King of kings deserve anything less, especially when He's right in front you? (no!)

4) Receiving Communion on the tongue diminishes chances of desecration.

Let's be honest. As unfortunate as it is, desecration of the Holy Eucharist happens. Sometimes it is by accident, sometimes it is not. I find it very risky to take Holy Communion in the hand, because there's always the possibility of dropping Him on the floor or fragments of the Host remaining on the hands... which results in desecration. Or even worse: the Host being stolen, followed by more desecration. This is why I am a firm advocate of altar rails and only allowing priests to distribute Holy Communion. Through these means, desecrations would nearly cease to exist. By the Eucharist being in the responsible (and consecrated) hands of only the priest, with a paten underneath the Communicant, Holy Communion would be restored to its sacred entirety. However, even though most parishes no longer have altar rails, do not let that stop or hinder you from receiving Christ in the Eucharist with all of the honor and reverence He fully deserves. 

5) Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI greatly encouraged receiving Holy Communion on the tongue while kneeling.

During his pontificate, Pope Emeritus Benedict only distributed Holy Communion to the faithful, on the tongue as they were kneeling. Our former Holy Father realized the importance and need to return to this traditional way of receiving Christ, otherwise he would not have made it a necessity. 


So there you have it. In no particular order, those are some of my reasons for receiving Holy Communion the traditional way. Not everyone will agree with these reasons, but oh well. Before I leave you, I ask of one thing; look deep into your relationship with Christ in the Eucharist, and meditate on that.  

                                  While you're at it, listen to this. It's beautiful!



Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

My Veiling Story

While this blog is definitely not my diary or private spiritual journal, it recently dawned on me to tell a story about myself. My little story isn't extravagant or extraordinary. It's simply the story of how I began veiling. Recently at mass, I noticed a little girl wearing a cap veil. It reminded me of how I started my journey to discovering the veil. Like all journeys, there is a beginning. As a little girl, about 8 or 9 years old, I somehow became fascinated with chapel veils. This can only be accredited to Divine Providence, because I had never seen anyone wear them in person, and nobody in my family had one either. At a Catholic conference, I saw a vendor selling them. As soon as I saw the banner picturing a veiled girl, I instantly wanted one. However in my young shyness/awkwardness, I said nothing but kept glancing back at the booth every time we passed by. Finally, I asked my mom if I could have one. I don't remember her reaction, but we went to look at them. I really, really wanted a triangle shaped lace veil, like the girl in the picture. But since I had never veiled before and knew nothing about them, my wise mother decided it would be prudent to buy a small cap instead. So, I began to wear it to mass. Although I was still very young and didn't understand the mass, for the first time, my small veil made me feel that mass was holy and important. Amidst it slipping off and the weird looks, I continued to wear it. Looking back, I was probably the only one to wear a veil. 

However, somewhere along the lines, I stopped wearing it. Soon after, it became lost. Veiling diminished from my radar. It faded away, but not completely. Years passed before I considered veiling again. Prior to this, I was in a very dark place. While I was totally blinded, God was slowly but surely preparing me for my reversion. During this fiasco, veiling didn't cross my mind even once. I didn't understand the veil itself, or the meaning behind it. Didn't only old ladies wear it? I regularly went to adoration and mass without one. 

After being a lone ranger for some time, God brought me to my wonderful community. All of my girl friends veiled, and I remembered my little cap. I suddenly remembered how much I had liked veiling, so I got a new one. Thus, I began veiling again, and haven't stopped since then. Now that I was older and aching for true Catholicism, I finally learned and realized the significance and beauty behind the simple chapel veil. Throughout this, I was also in the middle of my reversion. It happened gradually, but God made sure that I wouldn't be lost forever. One night in quiet, reverent adoration, I came back to Him in a fruitful and beautiful way, more than ever before. After that, I was swimming in an ocean of grace. While I liked my little white veil, soon after I upgraded to a bigger one. Several months later, I upgraded once more, this time to the one I always wanted; a Spanish style mantilla. Jokingly, my parents have said that this is the last veil they'll ever give me, once I'm married and need a black one, I'll be on my own! 

One important tidbit I should mention is that the veil itself didn't single handedly cause my reversion, although it did help greatly. My reversion was brought about through painful experiences where the brilliant rays of God's mercy and love ultimately broke though. Just as when I was a little girl, the veil helped me remember that mass is sacred, holy and of great importance. It taught me to focus all of my attention on Him and most importantly how to have humility before Him, in all of His glory. The deep meaning behind it also reminded me of my self-worth, as a daughter of God. As an example, think of a Tabernacle with a veil over it. The Tabernacle holds life within it; Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. What is holy is veiled. Women also bear life, but through the womb. The womb is also a tabernacle of life; so therefore it is also holy. With women as co-creators of life, they too should be veiled. However, as I have said before, veiling is also an act of loving humility towards our Lord, to give all of the glory to Him, rather than ourselves. When a woman veils, not only is she deflecting attention from herself, but she is also wordlessly saying that she is a bride of Christ, preparing to be united with Him. 

I am deeply fond of veiling, and I'll never stop. Going into a church or adoration chapel without one feels one feels uncomfortable now, at least for me. In contrast when I do wear my veil, a sense of peace is nearby. While the idea of beginning to veil may be scary at first, I can say that from experience that it's totally and completely worth it. At the beginning you may be uncomfortable, people might just give you weird looks, and not everyone will understand. This brings to mind what Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said, "The world promises you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness."

If you are feeling a little tug to begin veiling, listen to that whisper, and be not afraid. Veiling might be scarce in your parish, but it is indeed making a slow but steady comeback. It takes courage to veil, but that's just what the Church needs; courageous souls! I hope you enjoyed my little story, and may the Holy Spirit be with you now and always.

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,
-Yvonne Gemma

The One about the Seminary

Being a Catholic girl is hard. I'm not complaining since there's beauty in difficulties, I'm just stating the obvious. To be a Catholic girl in today's world is to go against the machine, and live for something way beyond ourselves. Most of the time it's great because we have all of Heaven on our side, cheering us on. Aside from the hassles of finding modest clothes, keeping up a consistent prayer life, randomly wondering if we're called to religious life and so on, I've found that there's one small, extra problem to add to the mix. It seems like all of the best Catholic guys either take off to the seminary, or have their hearts set on the priesthood. Sometimes it's both. What's a Catholic girl to do with this? But here is the catch. Note that I say "seems" and "problem." Now let's debunk these two. Although it seems that way, have no fear my sisters, because even if it seems that the best ones are hiding in seminaries or elsewhere, trust that our loving and generous Lord will provide your Mr. Right in His time, not yours. His timing is perfect; never too early and never too late. In the meantime, if you haven't met your Prince Charming yet, focus on God and He will be the light to your paths. (Ps. 119:105)

St. Gabriel Possenti,
patron of seminarians,
pray for us.

The second catch is the word "problem". Is it truly a problem that young (and sometimes older) men are interested in the priesthood? No way! Instead of lamenting or brooding, we should be rejoicing! Easier said than done, trust me, I know. But nevertheless we should be happy that the very best of men bravely decide to pursue the priesthood, because it requires just that; the very best. That's exactly what Holy Mother Church deserves. However this isn't to say that those who are not called to the priesthood are irrelevant or are the worst. Again, no way! While the priesthood isn't for every single man out there, that's okay. Remember Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati from my last post? He showed us that to be holy, you don't necessarily have to be called to religious life. It's common that most men who enter the seminary, don't end up becoming priests. Either way it's a win-win situation. As my friend said (you know who you are), we still gain a better Catholic. 

In my own opinion, I think the idea that the Church is gravely short on vocations is a little over dramatic. Just as many of us are not called to religious life, there are also many who are. The Church also needs holy families. Without holy families, we will definitely have an even more serious shortage on religious vocations. Fathers, Brothers and Sisters aren't made overnight, but our future ones are indeed on their way. The more passionate young people become about the Church, the more religious vocations we will have. But like all good things, it will take time and lots of prayer. With that being said, pray for our seminarians. Discerning can be difficult enough by itself, not to forget the spiritual warfare attacks that always come whenever we are working toward something holy or spiritually beneficial. While not all seminarians will eventually hear confessions or baptize adorable babies, it is imperative that you still pray for them in their priestly endeavors. Pray for their perseverance to their state in life, vocational clarity, chastity and docility to the will of God. Most importantly, pray for their courage to faithfully fulfill whatever God is calling them to do. 

Holy Mother Church needs good, holy priests who have the desire to save souls. I applaud and give my utmost respect to all men who give this wonderful vocation a solid chance. When discerning the religious life, you have nothing to lose, but all to gain, no matter what the final outcome is.

Until next time.

Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis,

-Yvonne Gemma

Joyful Holiness: Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati

 Today (July 4th) is not only the celebration of America, but also the feast day of Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati. He is one of my patrons and favorite holy men, right next to St. Gabriel Possenti and St. Thomas Aquinas. Let's look at the basic 

facts about him.

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati
Born: April 6th, 1901, Turin, Italy

Died: July 4th, 1925, also in Turn, at the age of 24

Occupation: Third Order Dominican, servant of the poor and social activist.

Cause of holy death: Without warning, he died within five days of developing polio. It is believed he contracted the disease from the poor he was serving. To his parents surprise, thousands arrived at his funeral to pay their respects to, as Bl. John Paul II called him, "a man of the Beatitudes". 

Not only was Bl. Pier Giorgio truly "a man of the Beatitudes", he was also a great example of joyful, devout Catholic living and piety, especially for the youth and young adults in the world of today. This holy young man was selfless, brave, handsome, chaste, athletic and always ready for a good joke. Although he was born into a wealthy Italian family with prominent influence, that did not hinder his extraordinary virtues or path to holiness. Bl. Pier Giorgio understood that where faith is, holiness and happiness are also nearby. He demonstrated this when he said, "You ask me whether I am in good spirits. How could I not be so? As long as faith gives me strength I will always be joyful!" 

Although he was indeed joyful, his life was also touched with sorrow. Each sorrow that the saints endured were all unique and specially designed for them, as a test of their faith. His own trial was just that. It came in the form of heartache. Bl. Pier Giorgio fell deeply in love with a girl named Laura Hidalgo, but this love was not destined for the altar. Because of social prejudice towards Laura from his mother and his own painful realization that it was not God's will, he did not pursue a relationship with her. Despite the sorrow he endured, Bl. Pier Giorgio sincerely fulfilled what true love calls for. Since love is not about happy-fuzzy feelings or emotions, but rather doing what is best for the beloved, which requires sacrifice, Bl. Pier Giorgio carried this out faithfully and with masculine grace. By sacrificing his love for Laura to honor his mother and the will of God, he still experienced and demonstrated authentic, selfless love. 
I especially admire him for this, as it takes a lot of courage to say "No" to our own desires, and "Yes" to God, even when it is painful or difficult. 

It is often believed that to be a saint, one must be gloomy and always in a religious habit. Bl. Pier Giorgio showed the world that to be a saint, you don't have to be somber, boring or in a religious habit. He was fun-loving, exuberant, active and the image of what it really means to be a devout Catholic layperson. Holiness is never boring! As St. Teresa of Avila said, "May God deliver me from gloomy saints!" While the Lord calls many special souls to know, love and serve him through consecrated religious life, He does not call every single one of us to this means of sanctification. This is perfectly okay, as the Lord has other ways of bringing us closer to Him, because truly, we're all called to sainthood, no matter what our state in life is. Bl. Pier Giorgio is an example of that. By God's grace, his life was sanctified by living out his daily life in true joy and genuine charity for all. If all Catholics, young and old alike, imitated his character, we would surely see a change in the Catholic culture.

The phrase, "verso l'alto" is often associated with Bl. Pier Giorgio. The translation is, "Toward the top". There is a photograph of him that captures his last mountain climb as he looks up towards the summit. On the back of this image, he wrote these words. After his unexpected death, the simple expression later proved to be a portrayal of his life and spirituality. Bl. Pier Giorgio certainly did move "verso l'alto". His joy here on earth has been magnified a thousand times over in Heaven, the pinnacle of jubilation, and he is now awaiting future canonization. 

Happy Feast Day!

"In God's marvelous plan, Divine Providence often uses the tiniest twigs to do good works... what would life be without acts of charity?"
                                                               -Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati


Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, pray for us,
Mater Dolorosa, ora pro nobis, 
verso l'alto,

-Yvonne Gemma