Answer Me This & St. Gianna Novena {Day 8}

Happy Sunday! 

Kendra of Catholic All Year recently started a Sunday series called Answer Me This where she asks her readers a few questions, and then anyone can play along and answer. Fun, right? 

Well, the delightful Miss Kendra herself tagged me last Sunday, and I'd love to join in - so here are my answers to this week's questions: 

1. Do you hate happy clappy church music?
I suppose that would depend upon what one considers to be "happy clappy church music." 

When I was going to school in Ann Arbor I served as the music director for the Newman Choir at St. Mary Student Parish for five years. This choir sang at the 7:00 p.m. Mass, and our repertoire often leaned towards/was contemporary. One may have even considered some of our selections "happy clappy." I'm sure of it, in fact. (It may be worth mentioning that for some reason I have a negative connotation with the adjectives "happy clappy." Maybe it's because the question asks me if I hate it, or maybe I'm just being overly sensitive and taking this question too seriously because I am passionate about church music. Probably the latter.)

To answer the question: If the music moves the congregation in prayer or in praise and has appropriate placement within the Mass, then no, I don't hate happy clappy church music. (Though I probably wouldn't describe that music as "happy clappy.") However, as soon as the music becomes a distraction or showy in any way, I think there's a problem. But music that enhances liturgy, inspires prayer and leads the congregation closer to our Lord - I can get behind that, clapping or no clapping. 

Graduation Mass 2008
Disclaimer: Michael is very distressed that he is wearing jeans in this picture,
which is not his preferred Mass attire.

2. What is your priority: eating or sleeping?
Oh, tough question! I think I would have to say...hmm...eating. Though sleeping is definitely good, too!

3. What type of milk do you drink in your house?
Skim. And if we lived in a town that sold Prairie Farms dairy, that would be the brand because my father-in-law works for them. Family pride & loyalty! Though honestly, I can't remember the last time I poured myself a glass of milk to drink (must have been with a piece of cake or cookies!). This may or may not have something to do with the fact that when I was growing up, my sister and I had to have a glass of milk with dinner every.single.night. When we got a little older we could choose to have water instead - oh, that was a happy day!  

4. What is a book that changed your perspective on something?
Life-Giving Love : Embracing God's Beautiful Design for Marriage by Kimberly Hahn opened my eyes and changed my perspective on living out God's design for marriage. It is truly beautiful.  

5. Who is your favorite saint?

Though I am a cradle Catholic, I did not fully appreciate the blessing of the Communion of Saints until very recently. In the week of waiting when we weren't sure what was going to happen to our baby I would pray a litany of the saints or just call on all the saints I could think of to pray for us. As for my favorite saint...if you've been reading my blog this week, I bet you'll never guess. {wink.}

My favorite saint would probably have to be St. Gianna (though St. Michael the Archangel is a close second!). This is the eighth day of a novena I have been praying here on the blog along with my readers. Do you know her? If not, reading some of her quotations might be a great place to start.

6. Introvert or extrovert?
I don't think I'm completely one or the other, though if I absolutely had to pick one, I'd say introvert. 

That was fun! Thank you, Kendra! Click on over to the linkup for more answers to these questions. I'd love to hear yours. :)

And, as I mentioned in question no. 5, today is the eighth day of our novena to ask St. Gianna Beretta Molla, patron saint of mothers, unborn children, and physicians, to pray for us. We'll finish the novena tomorrow, April 28 - St. Gianna's feast day! Whether you've been praying with us daily or you just stopped by today, I'd love for you to join us in prayer. And if you have any intentions you'd like to pray for, I invite you to share them in the comments. 

Please pray with me:

God, our Father, You have granted to Your church the gift of Gianna Beretta Molla. In her youth she lovingly sought You and drew other young people to You, involving them, through apostolic witness and Catholic Action, in the care of the sick and aged, to help and comfort them.

We thank You for the gift of this young woman, so deeply committed to You. Through her example grant us the grace to consecrate our lives to Your service, for the joy of our brothers and sisters. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

Jesus, Redeemer of mankind, You called Saint Gianna to exercise the medical profession as a mission for the comfort of bodies and souls. In her suffering fellow men and in the little ones, deprived of all support, she saw You. 

We thank You for having revealed Yourself to this servant as “one who serves” and who soothes the sufferings of men. Treasuring her example may we become generous Christians at the service of our brothers and sisters, especially those with whom You deign to share Your Cross.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

God, Sanctifying Spirit, who love the Church as Your Bride, You poured into the heart of Saint Gianna a share of Your Love so that she could radiate it in her family, and thus cooperate with You in the wonderful plan of creation, and give life to new children who could know and love You.
We thank You for this model wife and, through her encouraging witness, we beg You to grant to our families the serene and Christian presence of mothers committed to transform their homes into cenacles of faith and love, rich with generous activity and sanctifying service.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. 

O God, Creator and lover of mankind, You were close to Saint Gianna when, affected by illness, she was in the painful dilemma of choosing between her own life and the life of the child whom she was carrying in herself, a gift long-awaited. Trusting You alone, and aware of Your Commandment to respect human life, Gianna found the courage to do her duty as a mother and to say “yes” to the new life of her baby, generously sacrificing her own. Through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Jesus, and after the example of Gianna, inspire all mothers to welcome with love the sparkle of new life. Grant us the grace we are praying for {say your intentions} and the joy to find an inspiration in Saint Gianna who, as a model spouse and mother, after the example of Christ, gave up her life for the life of others. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

{novena source}

•     •     •

Please stop by again tomorrow to finish praying our novena, to celebrate the Feast of St. Gianna, and to learn a little something special about our sweet baby. 

Wishing you a very blessed Divine Mercy Sunday...
Saint John Paul II, pray for us.
Saint John XXIII, pray for us.

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