Ash Wednesday

Messy faces were the norm

Today begins our 40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving in preparation for the greatest of all feast days, Easter Sunday.

Last night we had a Shrove Tuesday/ Mardi Gras celebration of sourdough chocolate chip pancakes which the boys said tasted great!  And, unbelievable as it seems, I think their bellies were full!

Filling the bellies

Later this afternoon, after the two older boys return from serving Mass at the Sisters', we will be working on making a salt dough crown of thorns and putting together the family altar.  I'm hoping to have a purposeful Lent this year.

With academics running smoothly and the boys done with most of their work by 1:00, using the afternoon time to focus more on celebrating the Liturgical Year seems a real possibility.

Thomas ate more servings than anyone!

This past weekend the La Salette Lions journeyed to BVM Academy in Syracuse for one of the big basketball games of the season.  There is a good-spirited rivalry between the two schools, as many families in the North Country have children that attend one school or the other -- or both. 

We joined Nana and Aunt Sherry on Saturday for a  day full of events that included a Marion literary joust, ping-pong tournament and basketball.   It was great to catch a glimpse of Andrew as he wraps up his last year as a La Salette Lion.  La Salette won everything this year except the chess tournament.

A Blessed Candlemas to All!



An illumination depicting the Presentation of Christ in the Temple,
in a manuscript used by the Carmelite Friars in London c.1375

And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.  (Luke 2:34)