Category: Family

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The Eucharist

The Eucharist is the center of the Catholic Faith.

During the last supper, Jesus instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion.  Through this sacrament, Catholics are able to receive the true body and blood of Jesus Christ at every Holy Mass.

This is HUGE. We can receive God into us.  We do not have to wait until we go to Heaven.  A physical union with God gives us the understanding, grace, and strength to abide by His will.  This truth should attract millions of people to line up around Catholic Churches at every mass.  After all, if there is a secret or key to happiness on earth…that secret or key is God.

Sadly, not all Catholics recognize this amazing privilege or make use of it.  They do not recognize Holy Communion as the true presence of Jesus Christ.  Perhaps they are unaware of the Eucharistic miracles that have occurred in our world.  These miracles are God reaching out to us and reminding us of the gift and treasure He has provided.

I am providing some links to some great articles about Eucharistic miracles that have occurred:

http://dowym.com/voices/5-incredible-eucharistic-miracles-from-the-last-25-years/

https://churchpop.com/2015/06/28/5-extraordinary-eucharistic-miracles-with-pictures/

At the end of the day, faith is a choice.  God will not force himself on us, but He makes Himself available to us all the time.  What an amazing gift God is providing in the Eucharist.  I hope more people will recognize this truth and seek out how they can receive Him every day.

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Why Do I Go?

 

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On Saturday mornings at 6:00 am I get in my car and begin the 35 minute commute to the city…

There isn’t much traffic at that time, except at the abortion center.

As I drive up the small alley, where the prayer support and I stand, I see at least 13 young college kids wearing vests and acting as “sidewalk escorts” on the left and 5 or 6 prayer warriors holding rosaries and praying out loud on the right.

In the next two hours I watch 22-30 women walk into the center to end the lives of their babies. The majority of these women are African-American.

There is no question as to why they are here since the security guard always wears a t-shirt that proudly proclaims “ The Women’s Center : 100% Abortion it’s all we do.”

There are no other businesses open in that building on those Saturday mornings… and there definitely aren’t any other businesses open at 6:30 in the morning.

Every women that comes is offered information about alternatives by the sidewalk counsellors like myself.

These pamphlets have phone numbers for local crisis pregnancy centers that offer housing, monetary support, and community support. They educate the women of possible side effects of abortion such as anxiety, depression, breast cancer, Pre term deliveries and death.

Sadly very few of these pamphlets are read by the men and women going in.  As they are walking up to the doors the sidewalk escorts speak to them in a loud voice to cover our pleas. They tell them that we are protestors and we are just trying to take away their choice. Yet, I wonder “who” is actually taking away these women’s ability to choose? Even if we get a pamphlet into their hands the sidewalk escorts will often take it away from them saying “You don’t need that… it’s all lies.”  So, these poor women don’t have a chance to know or be reminded that there are other options.

Yes, they may have thought long and hard about this choice before they came, but maybe they weren’t aware that there is support; that they could have a place to live; or a community that would help them in a multitude of ways.

When I meet post abortive women in my office as a obgyn physician, 90% of them regret their choice. With tears streaming down their cheeks they talk about how they wish they knew about the support available at that time. They talk about the emptiness they experience on the death anniversary of their child, how they always look at children who are the age their child would have been, how they are triggered by news about abortion on the television, radio and in politics.  But they feel is too late now… all they can do is try to heal.

So why do we go? If we can rarely get the information into their hands and it’s hard to speak to them, why go?

We go because it is our duty to be there and be the voice for the voiceless. To be the one person who says, “Sweetheart we can help you.” We go there to participate in the spiritual battle. To pray with all of our might for a conversion of heart in the mothers, fathers, workers and escorts. To pray that at least one of these precious lives will be spared. And thanks to the info given to us by abortion workers who have left the industry like Abby Johnson, we KNOW that our loving, peaceful, prayerful presence makes a difference. We know that when we are there, fewer people go through with their abortions. More lives are saved.

So I continue to wake up at 5:30 am on Saturdays to try to save at least one baby through the intercession of our most amazing Father in heaven. I wish you would consider joining me there.

Dr. Monique Ruberu

 

 

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Save The Little Lights

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Though our world is filled with sadness, grief, stress, there are individuals who always seem joyful. Have you ever met a Down Syndrome affected person who doesn’t bring a smile to your face? All they want to do is smile at others, hug, high-five and bring joy to the world. They are little lights in this world.

I have never met a family that doesn’t treasure their Down Syndrome children. Even in the extended family, these children are loved. They are people who contribute to society in such a meaningful way. Why doesn’t our society want to protect a group of people who exude so much love and joy?

As a physician, I hear the devastation in my patients’ voices when they speak of the choice they made to abort a Down Syndrome child. These patients suffer from anxiety, depression, and grief. They chose the path of abortion because when they were given a diagnosis wrapped up in fear and presented with the option of relieving the “problem” with abortion. A physician’s advice carries more influence in difficult moments. These patients were not given information about support groups for Downs families. In addition, they were not encouraged to speak with parents of Downs children to see how their lives had been impacted. Instead, the patients were encouraged and rushed from their 18-week appointment for an ultrasound to a 20-week abortion appointment to terminate their pregnancy before it was illegal.

When I meet people considering abortion for genetic anomalies I remind them that none of us are perfect. We may appear perfect on the outside but inside we have anxiety, depression, cancer, a multitude of autoimmune diseases, learning disabilities, heart and lung disease, diabetes, and the list goes on. Down Syndrome children wear their difference on their sleeves while we hide ours beneath our “perfect appearances”. Yet, the Down Syndrome children are actually more perfect, in so many ways, especially in the areas of love and kindness. I advise patients to preserve the life of these blessing who have a different appearance. We are all different. Their difference is that they are little lights, and we all need little lights.

Dr. Monique Ruberu

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The Greatest Job

In America, we celebrate mothers and fathers on their respective days. I like to celebrate being a parent every day because it is the greatest job on earth.

I had no idea what it meant to be a mother until it happened. The moment that I saw my first child I felt like time stood still. Every molecule inside me seemed to leave my body go out to the end of the universe and come back. The only thing that mattered was this new little person. All of my dreams melted and became dreams for her. It was pivotal.

My husband felt the same way. He would speak of what it felt like to hold someone that fit in his hand and knowing that everything he wanted to do began and ended with this little person. Becoming a parent, made me love my husband more. God made us one thru our children, faith and family.  These are the strongest bonds.

Our ability to love was not limited to one child. With each child that God gifted our family, our hearts expanded. We were amazed that we had the ability to love yet another person with intensity. We felt as if our lives had not even started until this person joined our family, and we would joke and wonder how we were content before they joined us. It makes you realize how powerful love can be, and that the more people you care about the more love you will feel.

I was practicing law when my first child was born. I gave up my job to stay at home with my daughter. I did not ever think that I would want to be at home, but after my daughter was born, the only place I wanted to be was close to her. I am so very grateful that my husband understood and supported my desire. He worked very hard to support our family and ensure that I could be at home and give up my income. There were many sacrifices made for me to be at home, but they were worth it.

Homeschooling was a very special experience and privilege. It is amazing to watch your children learn, to take them on field trips, to help them overcome difficulties, and share in their triumphs, to be able to watch them grow and develop. That does not mean there are no hard days, it just means that there are more wonderful days in the mix.

In 2009, my husband and I exchanged places. He took over homeschooling and I returned to work. This was a decision that we had to make when the company my husband worked for experienced a huge downturn. We had a family and four children and we had to do what was needed to support our family. We both knew that homeschooling was best for our children so we decided that one of us would continue homeschooling. My husband and I both looked for suitable work, and God opened doors for me. I felt then, and still feel today, that I do not understand God’s plans, but I know His plan is always the best.

When I went back to work, I missed being around my children. But I knew they were in the best hands. Who could possibly love and care about their future more than me and their father? My husband made a huge transition from corporate America. He was used to running projects, doing research and leading adults. Now he was homeschooling four children, becoming a master chef and managing a household. He made a difficult transition and continues to do a great job. He is a great example for our four children. Showing them that working, homeschooling, and running a home are the responsibilities of both parents. Raising a family is a team effort.

His work with the four children has given them an incredible foundation in areas where I do not excel…namely math and science. But most of all he has given our children experiences that I could not. Every summer they go on adventure field trips, traveling the world, experiencing the places, people, and food that they study. I do not have the courage for such things, so I am very happy that my husband has opened up the world for our children.

I was fortunate to have had an education that allowed me to transition back into a great job. My husband and my children are my constant source of inspiration. A desire to provide for my family drives me to work hard and grow in my career so that I can support and provide opportunities for my family. I feel very fortunate to have had the luxury of being at home and homeschooling my children, and then being able to transition back into my career to support my family.

God has given me the good fortune of experiencing many jobs and I am eternally grateful that he has given me the opportunity to be a parent.

Maria Wiemann

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They made us parents.  🙂

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Marriage – The Ultimate Commitment

 

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I have heard that people no longer believe in marriage. In fact, they believe that marriage is an antiquated and unnecessary institution. I do not agree.

Marriage is the definition of commitment. In a marriage, two people make a promise to God and each other to love and respect each other for life. When things get rough, you are called to remember your promise to God and each other. In doing so, you must remember what made you fall in love and work on your marriage. Working on a marriage is not a one-time event, it is a daily requirement that lasts a lifetime. Regardless of health, wealth, or any other condition, you uphold your promise to love and cherish another person for life. That is commitment.

A commitment to your marriage is a commitment to your family. Families thrive when marriages are happy. When a married couple treats each other with love and respect they create a safe and happy home. Such a home is the ideal environment for children to thrive and grow. It is important to work at a marriage so that your home and the people in it will be happy. In this sense, a commitment to marriage results in happiness for the whole family.

All people want commitment. We want to be loved and cherished. We want to be happy. When we cannot find commitment and its resulting love, we tend to feel depressed and desolate. it is only God that loves us completely, and it is only through Him that we are able to learn how to live a life that makes a loving and committed marriage possible.
Commitments are not easy. Marriages are not fairytales consisting of happy ending and rainbows. Marriages require real and constant effort. No two people are alike. They have different opinions and preferences. There are times when spouses lose their temper and become upset with each other. For the commitment to endure, both spouses must overcome their natures and love each other as God wills. By living in God’s will, a couple can survive the hardships and pressures that are faced by marriages.

Faith in God is the recipe for a good, lasting, and committed marriage. If both people love God first, they will be truly able to love each other. If they live their lives to honor God, they will treat each other with dignity, love, respect, and honesty. If they recognize their spouse as one of God’s precious creations, they will love and cherish that person and see them as a gift from God. Sometimes, through our faith, God calls us to make choices that are hard. Remember that God sees all things and knows all things. He knows what will make you happy and he knows what you need to do to achieve that happiness. Following God’s will in faith, binds and strengthens a marriage, and creates the ultimate commitment that we all seek and need.

Yet, we know that it is hard for marriages to survive in our world. Even when we strive to live in God’s will, we cannot force others to do the same. We also can’t force our spouse to work on a marriage even when we chose to do so. That is why it is critical to determine, before marriage if and your future spouse both regard marriage that the underlying commitment in the same light. Further, that you both want to live in God’s will. The most important tools to strengthen and protect a marriage is faith, prayer, and the example of other strong marriages. Both spouses must recognize and agree with this truth so they can use these tools to protect their marriage.

Let’s all pray that God helps us realize that we still need the commitment provided in marriage. Further, let’s pray that both spouses choose to live in God’s will, before and during their marriage, so they can truly experience the graces found in this commitment.

Maria Wiemann

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