Julia’s Confirmation
The Phone Call
In early February, a phone call arrived from our niece Julia. Her request was simple and beautiful: would I be her Confirmation sponsor?
In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is “sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit” and strengthened for service to the Body of Christ. It is the second of the three sacraments of Christian initiation — Baptism being the beginning of new life, Confirmation its strengthening, and the Eucharist its nourishment. To be asked to walk alongside someone through that moment is no small thing.
The Sponsor
Three years of teaching Confirmation classes had opened something deeper — a richer understanding of what this sacrament truly does and what the role of a sponsor truly means. A sponsor takes on the role of a spiritual parent, presenting the candidate to receive the sacrament and committing to help them fulfill their baptismal promises faithfully under the influence of the Holy Spirit. That weight was felt — and welcomed. Julia was added to the daily prayers without hesitation.
The Planning
As soon as the news was shared with Mike, he was already searching for flights. Care was taken to ensure the travel dates would not conflict with the two classes being taught at St. Norbert. Since Torie no longer lived in New Orleans, the trip became an opportunity to visit with sister Jo and her other sons as well.
Torie made reservations at the cottages of their country club. Jo and Myra — Stacie’s mother — would stay at the family home.
Torie
Torie owns and operates an insurance agency in Gretna, a city situated on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. The decision he and Stacie made to leave their New Orleans home for the open countryside of Northern Louisiana caught the rest of the family off guard — and for good reason. Not only were they leaving extended family behind, but the move meant Torie would face a grueling commute: four and a half hours each way between Gretna and Choudrant, twice a week.
Every Tuesday, he is out the door before dawn. Every Thursday, after a full day’s work, he makes the long drive back home.
Stacie
Stacie recently opened a brick-and-mortar boutique called Adore. A pair of dressy-casual shoes and a black dress were too beautiful to pass up — but more on that later.
Jo
Conversations with sister Jo are a regular part of life, and as the trip drew closer, the excitement between the two of us was building. The topic of the Confirmation ceremony came up naturally — specifically, the all-important question of what to wear. Two dresses were already waiting at home. Shopping isn’t something that usually requires a special occasion, but this was different. The right dress simply hadn’t appeared yet.
The Two Dresses
Jo listened as the two options were described: a canary yellow spaghetti-strap dress or a bright pink sleeveless dress.
She didn’t let the sentence finish.
“You can’t wear that — you’re almost 80 years old. You can’t wear a strapless dress!”
“You didn’t let me finish. I’m wearing a lightweight ruana to cover my shoulders.”
“No. It’s out of the question. You’re going to Stacie’s boutique and buying something decent to wear.”
The advice was noted — and cheerfully ignored. Both dresses are beautiful, and that’s the end of it.
Myra
Myra — Stacie’s mother — hitched a ride along for the trip to Choudrant. Before the car door had even closed, Jo made her announcement:
“Guess what Lynda’s wearing to the church? A strapless dress!”
Myra needed no time to deliberate. “You can’t wear that! It’s a Confirmation and you’re the sponsor — uh-uh, no, no, no!”
Another attempt was made to explain. No one listened. Instead, the two of them formed a firm and united alliance that would hold for the duration of the trip. Suddenly, the crime list had expanded: not only was the dress unacceptable, but I was also accused of not knowing what to order for dinner — and apparently, my taste in clothing was simply too loud.
The laughter, at least, was unanimous.
As for the pink dress — it had certainly been worn before, but the photo was nowhere to be found. With over 7,000 photos and no date to search by, it was a lost cause before it began.
The Drive
The long stretch of road to Choudrant called for a good distraction. Matthew McConaughey’s memoir Greenlights, read aloud in his own voice on audio, turned out to be just that — an engaging companion for the miles and a welcome break from the monotony of the drive.
Duck Dynasty
The following day, while Mike and Torie played a round of golf, Stacie, Jo, Myra, Jake, Tyson, and Lynda made the trip to West Monroe to visit the Duck Dynasty Museum. It turned out to be a genuine surprise — an experience that delighted everyone who walked through the door.
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The Food
Not every restaurant can be recalled by name — but from the outdoor pizza place to the food trucks, every bite was memorable. On the day of the Confirmation ceremony, the group landed at the food trucks for lunch. With so many tempting options, the choice was an açaí bowl.
That lasted about thirty seconds.
The moment Myra sat down with a sweet potato smothered in pulled pork and drizzled with white cheese, the açaí bowl lost all appeal. Mike, without missing a beat, came back with a sweet potato loaded with all the fixings. It was shared with Julia — and by the end of lunch, nearly everyone’s plate had been sampled at least once.
By 2 o’clock, the group was back in the room getting ready. The verdict on the dress: the pink one, worn with the lightweight ruana covering the shoulders. Jo and Myra had lost.
The Volcano
The moment the pink dress was on, something felt off.
A subtle expansion. A quiet but unmistakable discomfort. By the time everyone arrived at Torie’s home, there was no longer any question — there was seismic activity happening somewhere south of the ribcage.
Jo was the first person tracked down. “I don’t feel well. I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Go drink warm salt water — you’ll be fine.”
I was not fine.
In the small bathroom near the kitchen, the eruption came. The ruana was pulled off in a hurry, but it was too late. The damage was done. The beautiful pink dress — the one that had survived Jo’s objections, Myra’s agreement with Jo, and four and a half hours in a car — was no longer fit for a Confirmation ceremony.
The Decision
Coming out of the bathroom, Torie was the first face seen. He looked over and asked the obvious question: “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to be sick again.”
The timing could not have been worse. They were already running late, and Julia was at the church — waiting for her sponsor to walk through the door. There was only one answer left.
“I can’t go. I’m too sick.”
The room went quiet for a moment. Then, all at once: “Oh no — what are we going to do?”
The Disappointment
There was no fighting it. The only thing on earth that mattered in that moment was getting rid of the rancid memory of sweet potato and pulled pork. Mike, without hesitation, stayed behind.
Which meant the nearest drugstore — twenty minutes away, in the middle of nowhere — was now his problem to solve.
By the grace of God, he made it there and back. Pedialyte. Dramamine. The essentials. Somehow, the mysterious illness had claimed only one victim. Everyone else was fine.
The rest of the afternoon was spent back in bed, weathering several more eruptions, and quietly grieving missing the moment that had been months in the making.
My Proxy
Poor Julia. She was completely surprised to find Uncle Rocky standing in place of her sponsor.
“Where is Aunt Lynda?”
“She’s sick.”
The main event had been missed. All the planning. The two dresses. The deliberations over the ruana. None of it had mattered in the end. And to this day, there is no clear explanation — the same meals had been shared around the same table, and yet only one person went down.
There is, of course, a verse for exactly this kind of moment.
As Proverbs 16:1 puts it: “Plans are made in human hearts, but from the LORD comes the tongue’s response.” Human beings make their arrangements, pack their bags, choose their dresses, and drive four and a half hours — and then God gently, sometimes dramatically, redirects. Not out of indifference, but out of sovereignty. The plans were good. The love was real. The moment still belonged to Julia. And the Lord knew exactly what He was doing.
The Black Dress
By evening, the worst had passed.
There was still the matter of the black dress — the one purchased at Stacie’s Adore boutique, waiting patiently through all of it. If the pink dress had been claimed by the sweet potato, the black dress would carry the night. Grief has its own kind of dignity, and so does getting dressed anyway.
So that is exactly what happened. Pulled together, dressed in black, and present for the celebration — a little late, a little humbled, but there.
The celebration, me, Julia and her friends
Crawfish Boil
The crawfish were calling — but a faint reminder of the day’s earlier seismic activity said otherwise. It was enough just to be there.
Julia
Amid the celebration, there was a moment that made every missed bite of crawfish, every eruption, every minute spent in that cottage bed, worth it.
Julia I asked how she felt when the Chrism Oil was applied.
She thought for a moment. “At first I was worried it would fall on my dress — but then I felt something warm move through my body.”
“That was the Holy Spirit sealing you.”
In the end, that was all that mattered.
My Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, bless all who are newly confirmed to remain faithful and to grow ever deeper in the knowledge of Your holy presence. May the seal of the Spirit they have received bear fruit in lives of love, courage, and devotion to You. Amen.
Habemus Papam
Habemus Papam
We have a new Pope!
EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) had the best coverage on the Conclave. I watched it while on the phone with my friend Sarah. EWTN, a worldwide Catholic media organization, was ahead of the major news outlets by a few seconds.. So when the new pope was announced, I was in a state of shock. One, because the Cardinals elected an American, and secondly because I had never heard of the newly elected Pope.
I quickly googled whatever I could find about Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, and I panicked when I read that he had recently been appointed as a Cardinal by Pope Francis. Saying to myself, “This can’t be good! He’s going to be progressive!” I quickly texted my spiritual director and called my friend Sylvia in Madrid. At the same time Mike was talking me off the ledge.
The Ledge
I am notorious for reading only part of what is written, and it’s usually the subtitles that get me in trouble. For example, if someone sends me a group text I will not open the text. First of all I hate group texts. Second because I have wrongly texted groups of people when the message was intended for only one person. Like Lucy Ricardo, I had a lot of explaining to do.
Mike was quick to say, “What’s wrong with you? This is great news! He’s an American for God’s sake.” Mike has never failed me in words of godly wisdom.
My spiritual director quickly sent me information on Leo XIV, explaining that the new pope is an Augustinian friar, the Minister General of the Augustinians for 10 years, a canon lawyer, then became bishop. He had a high ranking position in the Curia. He also mentioned that he wore the papal regalia; Pope Francis did not wear these vestments when he was announced as pope.
My friend Sylvia from Madrid reiterated what my spiritual director had sent me. She was pleased with the choice because of his Augustinian background. She also mentioned that it was good that he was an American. My mind turned to total submission in trusting God’s judgment. I pray that Pope Leo XIV will be a great Vicar of Christ.
Augustinian Charism
The foundation and characteristic of Augustinian life is life in common, in which friars seek to construct a path that is directed to God in service to others. We do this not only through the sharing of ideals and values, but also in communion of all material and spiritual goods. In this way we strive to grow through the gift of God’s grace, and so give witness to the mystery of the Trinity and of the church, anticipating now on earth and the reality we hope for in the future in the Father’s house.
The opening words of St. Augustine’s Rule give us direction: we are to be of one mind and heart on the way to God. We are travelers on pilgrimage together, wherein Christ is our constant companion, as well as our way and our goal.
The activity of our journey is shaped by Augustine’s own experience and counsel, and is characterized by three essential elements: the constant search for God by means of a deep interior life; the practical love of neighbor; and the constant pursuit of truth.
Adapted from the Order’s Constitutions and Plan of Formation
Pope Leo XIII
On October 13, 1886, Pope Leo XIII had a diabolical vision. After celebrating Mass in a private Vatican Chapel, attended by members of the Vatican staff and a few Cardinals, Pope Leo stopped at the foot of the altar and fell into a trance. He heard the voice of Satan speaking to Christ about destroying the Church. After the vision Pope Leo went immediately to his office and composed the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. This prayer is to be recited after every low Mass.
Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
Cast into Hell Satan
and all the evil spirits
who prowl about the world,
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
St. Michael is the Guardian of the Church, the Enemy of Satan and the fallen angels and the Christian Angel of Death at the hour of death. He is patron saint of soldiers, police officers, bankers, grocers, mariners, sickness and doctors.
We recite this prayer after every daily Mass. Our Parish, St. Norbert is thriving with so many more believers attending daily Mass.
Submission
The fundamental reasons for my submission were the fact that Pope Leo is an Augustinian and that he took the name of Pope Leo XIII. Never would I turn against the Holy Catholic Church because we are, and always will be, the Church that Christ founded. We represent over 1.4 billion people and growing!
The World Is Watching
The world was eager to find out who would be the next pope, including the biased mainstream media.
Our church has been around for over 2,000 years and the gates of Hell will never prevail! We are aligned with the teaching of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please stop putting out negative press about the largest, most organized religion in the world. Yes, there are sinners in the hierarchy, but believe me when I say, “They will be exposed, and God will judge them for any sin they have committed against man but mostly against God.”
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
18 And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
My Prayer
Dear Lord, forgive me for my careless initial reaction to the election of Pope Leo XIV. May we all in unison join together in prayer for the new pontiff. Lord, guide Pope Leo XIV with holy wisdom and bring unity into this fallen world.
I pray for all who are discerning to come into the Catholic Church. Guide them with Your holy truth, remove the scales from their eyes and bring clarity to their hearts and mind. Amen.
Tenth Prison Visit
The choice of Bibles at this facility are either the King James or the Good News Bible.
The Good News Bible
This Bible differs from a Catholic Bible which has deuterocanonical books like 1 and 2 Esdras. It falls in the category of the Greek Orthodox Bible and is an extension of the Book of Ezra. I use this Bible because it does include all the Catholic books that Martin Luther and the Protestant reformers removed. Both Mario and I were intrigued by 2 Esdra. This book concentrates on eschatology. It was definitely an interesting read.
The Book of Acts
Biola University was my first encounter with the Book of Acts. I had left the Catholic Church for a season (about 15 years). One of my classes was based on reading and interpreting The Book of Acts. I had no idea who these Bible characters were and the entire Book of Acts was one of my biggest challenges. Through the grace of God, I finally began to understand this book’s full meaning. Today this is one of my favorite books in the New Testament.
Third Week of Easter
We are in the third week of Easter. We Catholics celebrate Easter until Pentecost, which will fall on June 8th this year. During this time part of the readings are from the Book of Acts. In Acts 5:34-42 Gamaliel, who is a Pharisee and a leading authority in the Sanhedrin, speaks to the other members and warns them:
Acts 5:36 New American Standard Bible
Gamaliel also mentioned another example of a failed uprising. But when Gamaliel spoke these profound words it changed the destiny of the Apostles.
Acts 5:39 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Black Lives Matter
I told Mario that this is exactly what happened to Black Lives Matter, because of its corrupt leaders, it was not of God. And just as Gamaliel said it came of nothing. I whispered this to Mario because we were surrounded by many black men, and in no way was he going to disrespect them.
According to an article in the New York Post, May 28, 2023, of the $90 million in donations, only 30% actually helped charitable foundations. Remember all the crazy snowflakes that gave millions of dollars to this organization? How corporate American rallied for this debunked movement? Praise the Lord that the truth will always be revealed and that nothing will be left unturned.
The Word of God is real and powerful, not to be taken lightly. After much studying, being properly catechized with revelations from God, I can finally say I understand this book.
Philippians
We moved on to Philippians, a great example of what one can accomplish while in prison. The apostle Paul wrote this letter to encourage his friends and to continue to spread the Gospel. Imagine that, having the joy of the Lord while in prison. The more I visit Mario, I can see that truly he wants to become the man God created him to be. I see joy on his face, and he loves to study the Bible. Philippians captures the true essence of Christianity in the sense of community.
Philippians 1:27 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
St. Paul continues to encourage them by telling them:
Philippians 2:14 New American Bible (Revised Edition)
The first thing I do when I wake up is to thank the Lord for another day, but it’s always followed by grumbling about my aches and pains. Mike constantly reminds me, “One day you will wake up and not complain.”
Mario’s Goals
July 15, 2025, is the release date given, so that means that soon Mario will be a free man. He has goals and wants nothing more than to become a productive member of society. I wrote down his goals and tucked them in my back pocket. I didn’t want to cause an uproar by smuggling something out of the facility.
The first thing Mario wants to do is get a job. The second thing on his list is to get his driver’s license. This falls second because he needs to complete DUI classes to get this in order. This matter has been hanging over him for years. He wants to find a good church. Mario wants to complete his AA degree; he lacks only two classes. And he wants to spend time with his family. I am asking, if you read my Blog, please add Mario to your prayers. Pray that God will grant him the desires of his heart.
Early Mother’s Day Celebration
We celebrated Mother’s Day a week early because Mikos and Jenny will be out of town. My family always asks me, “What do you want for Mother’s Day?” My favorite gift is getting together with a shared meal with my family. I praise the Good Lord that most of the time we all get along. This time was extra special because Maddie was home from college. I love my family!
My Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for the work You are doing in Mario’s life. Give Mario special graces to succeed after his release. Help him to find a good-paying job so that he can support himself. Surround him with godly friends, and help him find a church filled with Your Holy Spirit. Jesus, guide his steps and allow him to live without being judged because of his prison background. Amen.