Union with God/Advent

 We had a November Petal meeting on Union with God learning about Saint Leonie de Sales Aviat of France. We prepared and blessed Advent candles to sell and planted Iris seeds we'd cross hybridized in our community garden and in our home gardens.  The girls sold candles at the Advent Bash hosted by the Grandparents Association and after Masses. Be sure to ask for your service beads for working the sales tables. This year we are working toward our end of year St Vincent de Paul Charity badge so we are also raising money for the St Vincent de Paul Society and will be serving with their ministry throughout the year. 

Wreath 5: Lesson 5

Virtue: Union with God Saint: Leonie Aviat

Verse: “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” -Romans 14:8

St Leonie de Sales Aviat (1844-1914) was born is Sezanne, France. Her parents were shopkeepers and wanted her to be married and continue the trade. She was educated by Visitations sisters and by 16 she felt called to the order herself. She eventually became a sister at age 21. Leonie helped young girls who worked infactories learn their faith morals and eventually helped form a new religious order and made Mother Superior of the Oblate Sisters of St Francis de Sales. She worked hard in her ministry during a time when the Catholic faith was under great persecution in France. Her motto was, “To forget myself entirely,” Her feast day is January 10. 

Everything we do should be done with the intention of becoming closer to God. While we can never be completely joined to God on earth because of sin, we hope to be with him forever in heaven. So our sacrifices, prayers, and efforts on earth are meant to prepare us for an eternity of union with Him. When we do God’s will, by following His commandments, living our vocation, and seeking Him in all things, we are on the path to holiness and are striving for union with God. It is easy to see God in the good things that happen to us, but we must look for Him in the crosses and challenges too. 

Precepts of the Church: 1. Attend Mass on Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor 2. Confession once a year. 3. Receive Eucharist at Easter 4. Fast and abstain according to state in life. 5. Help provide for the needs of the Church

Types of Prayer: ACTS Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, Supplication or TAPS Thanks, Ask, Praise, Sorry 

New Year: Wreath V

 Little Flowers started off the new school year with a registration table at back to school night and serving donuts after Masses the weekend before school began. Then we had our first petal meeting for Wreath V, learning about St Hildegard of Bingen and the virtue of studiousness. Hildegard knew all about herbs to treat illnesses so we studied and planted Rosemary, Lavender, and Basil. 

Verse: “A wise man is more powerful than the strong; and the learned than the mighty.” -Proverbs 24:5

St Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) lived in Germany as a Benedictine abbess, writer, composer, mystic, pharmacist, preacher, poet, and visionary.  Some of the music she wrote is still used in churches today. She had mystical visions her whole life and wrote them down. She was also interested in science and medicine and knew a lot about herbs and nature. She thought of humans as “living sparks” of God’s love. She influenced popes, emperors, kings, and other saints and became a Doctor of the Church. 

She is a patron saint of ecology as well as writers and musicians. Her feast day is September 17. The virtue of studiousness is giving our attention to the good and true things God wants for us to learn and avoiding giving our attention to the things that take us away from God. Studiousness is a temperance for the mind, moderating our natural desire for knowledge. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us grow in studiousness as we learn and develop in our faith and knowledge. 

We also had a picnic in the garden and discussed plans for the year. 

St Hildegard of Bingen, pray for us and help us to grow in the virtue of studiousness this new school year!

If you haven't already, be sure to get a registration form and payment of $25 per family to Neil or Jenny. Looking forward to a fun year of Little Flowers adventures!