So Much has Happened!

I haven't posted anything since early May. We had the wedding on Friday May 18th and it was beautiful. Elizabeth and Adam bought a house in Methuen and moved in the beginning of August. They are expecting their first baby sometime in June. We're all eager to find out if it's a boy or a girl!! Calvin will be a big brother again since his dad had a daughter several years ago!! Calvin's in the third grade at St. Monica's.

Paul and Renee bought their first house in early August as well and also in Methuen. Zachary started at a new school, the Tenney, in September. He's now in second grade. Liam is 2 1/2 and Keegan is 1 1/2.

Jim and Amy had a new baby August 30th - our 8th grandchild and first granddaughter, Sophie Grace. She's beautiful and such a joy! Evan is a great big brother. He turned 2 on September 2.

Peter and Leah are still in Hampstead and have two boys. Ethan celebrated his 4th birthday this past Saturday. And Owen was 2 on August 18. Both are getting so big!

Dick and I celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary this month by buying a 52 inch big screen TV. It's in the family room which used to be our bedroom while Elizabeth lived here. Now we have the entire condo to ourselves. It's been nice.

I am now house-bound as I recover from a broken foot - not watching where I was going on Thanksgiving evening caused me to step off the second stair when I thought I was on the first. I heard the crack and knew it was all over. It might take up to 6 or 8 weeks to heal. More time to spend on the computer.

Bridal Shower - April 29, 2007

Elizabeth's soon-to-be mother-in-law gave her and Adam a shower in Bedford at the Bistro 44. It was a wonderful brunch with lots of nice gifts!!

Jack and Jill - April 21, 2007

Elizabeth and Adam had a wonderful Jack and Jill to celebrate their upcoming wedding with family and friends!!

Calvin's First Communion Day - 4/28/07

Calvin,

Today you received Jesus for the first time. I hope that as you grow you will know Jesus better and love him more and receive him as often as you can. He'll always be your best friend.

God bless!!

Love you,

MIMI

Happy Birthday, James Doherty - 4/17/2007

Happy Birthday to my son James Doherty!! You are very special to me and I thank God for allowing me to be your mother!!

God bless!! Love you always!!

Easter Sunday dinner celebrated 4/1/07 Passion Sunday

We all gathered at our house to celebrate the Easter season with dinner: pork roast, ham, chicken, potatoes, veggies, and salad with lots of dessert - chocolate cream pie, lemon meringue pie, chocolate chip cookies, marble squares and birthday cake!! We also took lots of pictures!! Our family has sure grown from just the two of us - Dick and me - to the six of us - Dick, me, Paul, Peter, James, and Elizabeth - to the 13 of us (soon to be 14) - Dick, me, Paul, Renee, Zachary, Liam, Keegan, Peter, Leah, Ethan, Owen, James, Amy, Evan, ??, Elizabeth, Adam, and Calvin. What blessings God has bestowed on us!!!

God bless all!!

Happy Birthday, Liam Doherty - April 5, 2007

Hi Liam,
You are now 2 years old and I don't know where the two years went. You are such a busy little guy, always looking for something new to do or try. I know that God has truly blessed me by your presence in my life!! God bless!!
Love you!!
Mimi

Happy Birthday, Calvin Harrington - April 2, 2007

Hi Calvin,

You are now eight years old and such a wonderful young man. You work so hard in school and you listen so well to Mimi's stories. I am truly blessed to have you for a grandson!! God bless!!

Love you lots!!

Mimi

Happy Birthday, Zachary Doherty - March 27, 2007

Hi Zachary,

Today you are seven years old. You have grown into such a wonderful little boy, so loving and so very kind. I pray that God will bless you in many ways on this very special day!! I know that I am so truly blessed to have you for my grandson. Happy Birthday!!

Love you lots!!

Mimi

Transparency

In the latest Lenten meditation it talks about transparency - being open with one another, no secrets. In the 12-step programs they say that "You are as sick as your sickest secret." What secrets do we need to open up and share with another? We are never truly free until we do. When we keep secrets we always have to be on guard and protective of our secrets. Constantly worrying that we will be found out. An ancient philosopher once said "Know thyself" and "An unexamined life is not worth living." To be rid of secrets and truly free we need to examine ourselves, go deep within and see all the good and all the bad. Truly know ourselves and never have anymore secrets - not from others and most especially not from ourselves. Confession is a great place to be relieved of all of our secrets. Once shared with another person we will know the peace that surpasses understanding.
God bless!!

Our weaknesses

I read a very good meditation this morning by Fr. Ron Rolheiser. It gave me hope for my weaknesses. That good can come from them since I have so many and they never seem to go away. He speaks of James Hillman whose "view is that it is not our strengths that give us depth and character, but our weaknesses. More of us are rendered superficial by our successes than by our failures; more of us are torn apart by our strengths than by our weaknesses." Who of us doesn't have weaknesses? But who of us want to admit or even look at our weaknesses? We might have to do something about them and that doing is what strengthens us. Polish Psychologist Kazimierz Dabrowski says "Almost always deep growth takes place through the opposite - our death, our losses, our dark nights of the soul." Ron Rolheiser says "Inferiorities and failures are not things to be buried as private and past shames. They are to be listened to. They are entries into the depth of our souls." Rejoice!! For we are all human and we all have weaknesses and through those weaknesses we can look deeply at ourselves and seek to know how God works within each one of us.
God bless!!

Self-Awareness

"Know thyself" said an ancient philosopher which holds true today as of old. How many take time in silence and prayer to truly know themselves, to go into the depths of our souls. A recent article in The Pilot suggests asking ourselves certain questions:
1. What am I thinking about most often?
2. What is the state of my emotions?
3. What do my feelings tell me?
4. Can I detect the movement of divine grace within?
5. Has grace come to me in conversation with others?
Each question will give us a view from within and help us to grow into the person God created us to be. It's always so much easier to look at the other, but we could all challenge ourselves to first look within and then we would be empowered to change.

TV & Children

The Pilot, the Archdiocese of Boston's Catholic newspaper, had an article recently about children and TV. There's a new program from satellite television called BabyFirstTV that is aimed at the younger children, below age 2. And yet most psychologists agree that children under the age of 2 should not be exposed to TV. And those over the age of 2 could have exposure but with a parent present. What are your children watching on TV? Are they watching violence, death, loud noise, sexually implicit shows, etc? Do you know? It seems that TV is getting more graphic and showing information of an adult nature to younger and younger children and parents who often tend to use the TV as a babysitter do not know how badly their children are being infected by these programs. The next time your children turn on the TV, watch the program with them, and ask yourself if the characters on the TV portray the kind of person you want your child to become.

Be Wary of your local public school system!

In the March 2nd, 2007 edition of the Boston Archdiocesan newspaper, The Pilot, there is an interesting article about reading material that is finding its way into our public schools. A book titled "King & King" is the story of a marriage between two men and this story was used in a first grade classroom. Is this what you want your six-year old children to read? Parents need to be on guard in what their children are exposed to and parents should have the right to refuse to allow such wrongful exposure. The parents of this school system were denied that right by a judge. This is only the beginning!

Happy Birthday to Elizabeth

Elizabeth Doherty celebrated her 28th birthday on February 4, 2007. Another milestone that I forgot to put into my blog. Hopefully I will do better with each new coming event!! Happy Birthday, Elizabeth, and many more!!! Love you!!

Karen and Bonnie away in Pennsylvania!!

Here are the sisters enjoying our last day in the Pocono Mountains at Shawnee Village. We had a wonderful time that was interrupted on Wednesday by a trip to the emergency room so Bonnie could get medicine for a sinus infection and then leaving on Thursday due to a Friday snowstorm! We beat it home and had a relaxing day at my house. Now I miss my sister and look forward to her return in May!! Love you, Karen!!

Zachary lost his first tooth!!

Zachary Doherty, age 6, lost his first tooth on March 14, 2007. I'll have a picture of this fabulous event as soon as I take one!! He is so excited!!

Tea with my girls!!

Here we are, missing Betty!! Amy and her mom Teresa on the left. Leah and her mom Karen on the right. And my two other daughters, Elizabeth and Renee holding up the rear. Wish Betty, Renee's mom, could have been with us. We must do this again!!! Tea and lunch was GREAT!!

Birthday party for MOM Mulligan!!

We gathered in San Diego on February 16, 2007 to celebrate Mom Mulligan's 84th birthday. We were all thrilled to be there but missed brother Dan who was snowbound in Massachusetts!! We did manage to gather Bonnie, Karen, Kevin and Tim. Next year we'll get Dan to fly Southwest!! There's Dan with wife Maggie and son Danny in the upper right picture!! You were there in spirit, Dan!!

Calvin lost his first tooth!!

Calvin Harrington, age 7, lost his first tooth on December 7, 2006. I have just realized that there have been important events that have not been noted in this log and should have been and so rather belatedly are being done now! Calvin's new tooth is growing in quite well and we'll have to take another picture once it is completely in. Calvin was so thrilled at the loss of this first tooth!!

The Just

I am reading a book titled "The Sinner's Guide" - very apropo for me. It was written by Venerable Louis of Granada who was born in 1504 and died in 1588. In it we are told that the just "...have God's fatherly providence to guide them; the grace of the Holy Spirit to enlighten and encourage them; the sacrament to sanctify them; the divine consolations to refresh them; the example of the pious to animate them; the writings of the saints to instruct them; the testimony of a good conscience to comfort them; the hope of future glory to sustain them, besides the numerous other favors which the virtuous enjoy." It's a consolation to know that through deep prayer and obedience to the Father I will have these consolations.
God bless all!!

Grandsons!!

How Blessed we are for the gift of life in our seven grandsons and the new baby coming in September 2007. Here is the great joy of life - FAMILY!!
God bless all!!

Roe v. Wade Anniversary - Sadness!

Today is the anniversary of the law that allows people to justify the killing of babies. At first it was when life began, but now it's after life has had a chance to develop and the babe could be held in your arms. Life is so precious and yet in our medical world today the taking of life is justified. The prevention of life is justified. And the pleasures of life are glorified. I pray, Sweet Jesus, for all those who abort their babies, who contemplate aborting their babies, who use contraception in any form, who prefer self-seeking and the ways of the world over your ways. Obedience to God in everything is the only way to true peace and happiness. What the world offers is short-lived. When we choose death, we invite evil into our lives and life can only get worse in spite of the false promises evil makes.

On retreat this past weekend, we talked about mystical moments. I pray that all can experience - at least once in their lives - a mystical moment. A moment when the Holy Spirit can send the fruits of knowledge so eyes will be opened and ears will hear the goodness of the Lord!!

God bless all!!

Hope at the beginning of each new day!

Some readings from this morning's Magnificat:

"The favors of the Lord are not exhausted, his mercies are not spent; they are renewed each morning, so great is his faithfulness." (Lam 3:22-23)

"Jesus Christ is our light and our life. To him we pray:

R: O Lord of salvation, bless your people!

Grant us fresh hope at the beginning of this day:
- that we may live it for your glory and our neighbor's good. R

Relieve us of the burden of old worries and stored grievances:
-that we may pass through the narrow gate that leads to the kingdom. R

Protect us from recurring fears:
-that we may serve you in freedom and in peace. R

Heal all those who labor under the pain of depression, scrupulosity, and anxiety:
-that all may know the joy of your love. R

Our Father...

Lord Jesus Christ, you have brought us safely to this new day as you have promised to bring us safely to dwell with you one day in your kingdom of light. Defend us against all that would weigh us down and slow our steps, so that we may run with delight in the way of your Gospel, who live and reign with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen."

If only the world would know your great love and mercy, dear Lord. What a different world it would be. I praise you this morning and thank you for your mercy and love!!

God bless all!!

Sinners and Forgiveness

We are all sinners. For some of us the awareness takes a long time to come. The ability to admit ones sinfulness is humbling at best. In my morning prayer, there was a beautiful prayer to the Father:
"God of mercy and compassion, you hold out to us the hand of your mercy to raise us up from the misery our selfish sinfulenss has brought upon us and upon those whose lives we touch. Teach us to weep where we have caused weeping, to mourn where we have caused mourning, and to lift up what we have brought low. In hope and trust, we turn to you for healing, through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen."

Saint Gregory Palamas who died in 1359 writes the following:
"There are times when illness is better for sinners than good health, because it helps them towards salvation and blunts their inborn evil impulses. Inasmuch as it repays the debt of sins by means of suffering, it makes them able to receive healing of their souls in the first instance, then healing of their bodies. This happens most of all when the sick person, understanding that the affliction is a remedy from God, bears it courageously, falls down before God with faith, and asks for forgiveness, through whatever works he can manage."

This writing was based on the story of the paralytic who was brought to Jesus to be cured. Jesus forgave his sins and then healed him. There are so many stories in the Bible of forgiveness and healing that we begin to realize how intertwined the two are.

God is so gracious and everloving to us, most especially in our sinfulness. If people only knew how much God truly loves them, more would turn to God in prayer.

God bless all!!

Turning back to God

The morning readings were very fruitful and full of God's love and passion for us - his creatures. The first that touched me is from Tobit 13:

"When you turn back to him with all your heart, to do what is right before him, then he will turn back to you, and no longer hide his face from you."

I think too many today do not see or feel God's presence in their lives. Their lives are too full of the material world and what others think.

Another reading was from Psalm 33:

"They are happy, whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen as his own from the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men."

When God's presence is real in our lives we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You know when you meet someone who has these gifts. There is much patience and understanding in them and it all comes from God. God is love and he is real. He's calling each one of us to come back to him.

God bless all!!

Sacrament of Marriage

Working with RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation) teaches me as much as it teaches the catechumenates. This week we spoke of the Sacrament of Marriage and the following struck me as its ideal!!

"God's faithfulness to people is evident in the commitment a couple makes to love each other for a lifetime. That love requires a sacrifice for the good of the other. This is not just in the major things like illness or tragedy. It is getting up at an awful hour just to have breakfast together; it is listening when the other needs to talk rather than going to sleep.
It is trying to affirm instead of criticize; it is allowing laughter to end a quarrel instead of insisting on being right. It is sharing hurts and fears instead of hiding them and being independent. It is understanding that some people just can't balance a checkbook; it is disciplining the children together. It is asking the other's opinion and responding to it.
God's faithfulness accepts us for who we are, affirms us, looks for the good in us, and helps us grow. A married couple should challenge all of us to an understanding that doesn't give up on others, but looks for the gifts in each one, affirms those gifts, and draws them forth for the good of the community."

Marriage can be everyone's ideal if we remember that marriage is not two people but three. The presence of Jesus in the relationship should be strong and it's made stronger each day through prayer - prayer shared by couples.

God bless all!!

Blessings

I have many blessings too numerous to list, but here are a few:
1. My husband, Dick, who has supported me in many ways as I have worked on my education over the years; who has been willing to take on the tasks of cooking and cleaning; and who continues to love and accept me where I am.
2. My children, Paul, Peter, James, and Elizabeth, who taught me all I know about being a mother and still continue to love me.
3. For my children's spouses, Renee, Leah and Amy and the spouse-to-be Adam who are strong and wise and loving beyond their years and who continue to love me unconditionally as we continue to grow in relationship.
4. For my seven grandsons and the one to be born this year of 2007 - they have confirmed my awareness of the value and richness of children and helped me to grow in kindness and compassion and love.
For all these blessings I am grateful but most especially grateful to the one who loves us all with GREAT LOVE, my God and Creator. As we enter into a brand new year with all of its joys and sufferings I know that the Father will be with me always - guiding me in my choices, holding me close in my trials, and laughing with me in my joys.

God bless to all!!

Miracle of Humility and Exaltation

In my final readings for the Christmas season, which ends today, I found one from Bishop Sheen's book "The Bishop Sheen Catechism" that I found to be profound. It was the story of the lost child Jesus. After three days Mary and Joseph found him in the temple. When Mary said "Why have you done this to us?" Jesus answered " I must be in my Father's house." But then he went home with them and was obedient to them. Bishop Sheen goes on to write about this story the following:

"Imagine, God subject to man - God, before whom the angels and principalities tremble, is subject to Mary and to Joseph. Here are two great miracles of humility and exaltation: the God-man obeying a woman, and a woman commanding the God-man, and that obedience lasted for thirty years."

What a thought!! In this great act Jesus teaches us the power of obedience. For God's ways are not our ways. They are as far above us as the heavens are above the earth. It is in true obedience to the Father that we come to truly know the Father and discover life and love.

God bless all this day!!

Happiness!!

I've been reading Fulton J Sheen for the Christmas season and want to share one of the readings from The Power of Love written in 1964.

"Happiness does not come to those who want to know all, or to possess all, or to enjoy all; rather it comes to those who set limitations upon the satisfaction of self. A man, for example, cannot get the whole world into his hands, but he can wash himself of the world. Our powers of dispossession are greater than our powers of possession; there is a limit to what we can gain, but there is no limit to what we can renounce. In the end, the man who wants nothing is the man who has everything, for there is nothing that he desires....
To deny self is to refuse indulgence to lower desires, to put a restraint upon ourselves, to act differently from the way the sensual in our nature would lead us. Self-denial is the test of love, whether it be human or divine....There may be pain in self-denial for a moment, but pain in the pursuit of the highest is certainly more joyful than ease in the neglect of duty. The agony in self-denial is momentary, but the joy that flows from it is lasting."

These words encourage me to find a way to have less possessions at the end of 2007 than I have at the beginning. It will be a challenge to my weak human nature to let go of things, but with God's help I will make the attempt. Trusting in his goodness, all things are possible.

New Life!!

A new year begins and the Doherty family will increase once again. The new grandchild is due in September which will bring us to eight grandchildren. Since we already have seven grandsons, we have hope for a girl. But the truth is we take the gift that God gives us and rejoice. For this gift of life is precious - more precious than many in the world believe. I offer my prayer this day for all those who would seek abortion that they might have a change of heart! I beg those who read this blog to pray for all families as they enter this new year. Pray that all will grow in knowledge and wisdom of God the Father's great love and that they will pass that love on to all they meet. The world would be a better place!

God bless all!!