Word(y) Wednesday: Marytown

After a vaccination at my toddler's pediatrician office, we stopped by Marytown.

I wrapped her in my mei tai on my front so that I could cuddle her and kiss her and whisper to her.  I figured that the shot would sting for a little while and that fresh air and cuddles would make us both feel better.

We walked around the garden and I told her little stories about each spot.

"Baby Jesus loves you"

 

"Spring is coming, my baby"

 

"The More You Honor Me, The More I Bless You"

St. Francis of Assisi Peace Prayer

And his prayer turned to song in this video:

I found this in one of the gardens and realized there must be Polish parishioners at Marytown... (I'll tell you about this more in another post)

In the Kolbe/Holocaust Exhibit, I saw this painting and thought it was too powerful not to share...

"Our Lady of Tears"

I needed this today.  I needed to hear the bells ringing for Mass.  I needed to walk into a church that looked and felt like a church.  Where the hymns were sung in the same harmony as my Prababcia sang them.  Where benches outside were carved from solid wood, with thought and skill and prayer, for the purpose of pausing, reflecting, finding inner strength.

Where I can walk safely.  In peace.  Holding my child...

Na razie...

Sw. Mikolaj in Photos

Dzien Sw. Mikolaj is a Polish and Catholic tradition that falls on December 6th every year.  The date is related also to the Polish tradition of Name Days. 


Last year, I shared with words about this day on Good Morning, Sw. Mikolaj!


This year, I thought I would share with photos...

The toddler's bed

The elementary school kid's bed

The presents are not expensive or large.  Merely some candy, a small toy and a small coloring book.  Just enough to make the children feel excited and special.


And also enough to create another small opportunity to talk about Poland and it's customs, Catholic faith and Christmas, gifts and where they should come from-the heart.


I know little moments like this are working because when we went to Keylime Cove over the weekend, she told Santa and his elves that the true meaning of Christmas was not the gifts.  That the true meaning was family and love.


Na razie...





Related Posts:


A Child's School Project About Christmas Traditions

Understanding Flower Traditions in Poland

It Isn't Just Another Day, It's All Saints Day

Being Polish, the day after Halloween always held something special.  Not something festive.  Something once again, as all Polish holidays are, ancient, deep rooted, symbolic, important.

In Poland, today is filled with people either taking off work or making a personal priority for this day.  Today is filled with cemeteries being visited, gravestones swept, washed and scrubbed, flowers and plants around each resting place tended.

Today is a day of Mass.  My older daughter goes to Catholic school and the toddler and myself attended Mass today along with the entire school and other community members.

At the entrance, an elderly lady told the school children who were entering the church, "If you pray for me, I'll pray for you" and beamed when the children in chorus replied "Yes, Ma'am."  I silently beamed as well, knowing that my older daughter was somewhere in that group acknowledging an elderly person and replying with respect to them.

I held the door open with my toddlers help for some elderly people to enter the church and they gushed at how precious my little one was as she pushed the door and called "I do it!  I big!"

While my toddler wiggled around and looked at a pretty colored piece of folded paper with the Mass Responses, I kept one eye on her and the other on the service.

The school children's voices rose with the various songs and responses.  There was a quiet hush as several hundred children listened quietly without talking or moving around as Father delivered his sermon about the various Saints and as several school children presented short prayers to various Saints.

The prayers that stood out to me were to Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, the patron saint of immigrants.  The child's voice presenting her struck me "Pray for the immigrants that they may live a happy and fulfilling life". 

The other prayer which was a prayer uttered every Mass in every Catholic church, no matter the day, "that our country's leaders may protect us and lead us to a world of greater justice and peace". 

When it was time to offer up our prayers, I prayed for the strength and wisdom to be a good mother to my children and find and keep my patience.  That my two Dziadki and my Babcia who had passed away will rest in peace.  That my husband's Busia may rest in peace and that his Grandpop may as well.  And that I, selfishly, may have more time to see my Babcia before she passes away.  And I send an apology to my departed grandparents that I am sorry we didn't get to spend time together in life.

After school, I plan on taking my two daughters to a local cemetery.  We will tend to a few abandoned graves and light candles on them.  We will say prayers that they may rest in peace.  And that some one out there is tending the graves of our own beloved who had passed away.  My husband's family buried in Maryland and my own buried throughout Poland.

In Maryland, we would go to Mass at our local Polish Catholic Church, Holy Cross.  A part of that Mass involved visiting the church's cemetery, special services and tending the graves and lighting the candles. 

I am out here in Illinois now.  There will not be anyone out there at the cemetery, I'm sure.  Definitely nobody I know.  So, I will have to do it on my own, holding my children's hands and hoping that they grow up carrying on this tradition.

I know one of my cousins is tending today to the graves of my grandparents on my father's side.  And I will send up a prayer to God thanking him for that.  And hoping that they all know how much I love them and miss them every single day.

Today is a day of mourning.

It isn't the anticlimactic end to Halloween.  It isn't a day of candy and goodies.  And it isn't for us, the Day of the Dead, full of festivities and food and celebration.  It's a day of prayer and of letting out all the feelings I hold inside of missing my family.  And not being able to be with them.

One day, I pray that I can tend their graves and light candles over them.  And that they know I love them. 

I leave you with some videos that capture the spirit of today.






A Brit's explanation...





And if you speak Polish...




I will share pictures of our lit candles either later today or tomorrow...

What do you do today?

Na razie...




Note:  Traditional Polish lanterns for use on All Saints' Day can be purchased at dom itp.

Disclaimer: An affiliate sale link is used in this post for those looking to purchase lanterns as is traditionally used on this holiday.


You might find interesting:

General Prayer and Reflection for Catholics

An Explanation of All Saints Day and All Souls Day in Poland

From Transparent Language's Polish Blog Święto Pamięci Zmarłych – All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day

Another Immigrant Family

Sometimes, I forget how good I actually do have it.  How hard it was for us when I was a child.  How hungry we were and how little clothing and toys we had.


I remembered this photo of me when we had just come to this country a few months prior.

I'll tell you about the burn on my left hand another time.  Do you see that sofa?  Hideous.  Those gigantic slippers that didn't fit me?  My clothes.  This is the picture of an immigrant child.  And I'm proud of it.  Because it reminds me that we are a strong family.

Sometimes, I look at it and remember how good we have it.

This time, I cleared out half of my clothes in my closet and half of the hand-me-downs going to my toddler from the older daughter.  I also packed away a large trash bag worth of toys from each child.

And contacted Catholic Charities of Lake County, IL.  As far as I've ever eavesdropped heard, they had sponsored us to come from our refugee home in Austria to the USA.

I asked if it was possible to donate clothes and toys to an immigrant family and explained why.  They were more than willing to help me do this for someone else.

I took my daughters with me to make the donation.  I wanted them to see where our things were going, to what ended up being two separate new immigrant families in Lake County, IL.  That Mama had once been one in Baltimore.  That they should never forget that they, like all Americans, have immigrant roots and should treat those people with respect. 

I hope those two families find inspiration from our gifts.  I hope that their case workers tell them "This came from a fellow immigrant and her family and she wants you to know she believes in you and that you can do amazing things, just keep trying hard."

I don't know if that is what they will be told.  But I do know that after dropping off the donations, we said a prayer in our car that the families who receive our gifts find strength and courage to try hard.  And that they know they aren't alone.


Na razie...

Note:  You can donate to Catholic Charities as well.

Wordless Wednesday: Infant Jesus of Prague Statue Tradition

In case I haven't mentioned that we are a Catholic house, well, we are.

My grandmother-in-law had this statue on her hutch in the living room for many years before she passed away.  She sewed the dress herself and decorated him.

It is called the Infant Jesus of Prague.  Not the original, of course, but a Catholic Highlandtown tradition none the less.  Much like the statues of the Virgin Mary in every garden in Rosedale. 

Personally, I am getting one next year for our new garden as well here in Illinois.  In fact, I have been able to spot the Eastern European houses around here either by the flags or the very brightly colored flower beds with a Virgin Mary statue standing watch.

Her prayer book and special rosary for the prayer are in the background of this picture.  Here is a link to the prayer, if you are interested.

A part of the tradition of having the Infant Jesus watching over your house is to place money underneath his feet.  In this case, a quarter was placed under his robes many many years ago.  The hope is that the infant Jesus will bless you if you honor him.

Have you ever seen one of these in a house or do you have one?

Na razie...