Author Dawn Curazzato shares the story of her granddaughter's amazing miracle

If you missed our NFC Moms Meeting yesterday, click the link below to hear Dawn Curazzato, author of Memoir of A Miracle, shares the AMAZING story of her granddaughter's miraculous healing and their family's journey of faith.

Click the link below or listen at www.CatholicMomsConnect.com

To order Dawn's book or to invite her to speak, visit http://www.newdawnii.com/

At the end of our meeting we prayed a decade of the rosary and watched 

the Quiet Waters Rosary Musical DVD. 

Join us at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Niagara Falls to see the LIVE performance 

on Wed, Oct 14th, 2015. 

OB/GYN Jaime Obst shares her journey to becoming a Catholic Doctor, Wife and Mother.

 Dr. Jaime Obst shares how she opened her heart over and over again to God's will for her as a Catholic OB/GYN, wife and mother.  

Dr. Obst works in Buffalo, NY, at the  

M. Steven Piver M.D. Center for Women's Health and Wellness.  

Click below to listen or visit www.CatholicMomsConnect.com.

To find a NFP only physician near you, visit http://onemoresoul.com/nfp-directory or http://www.priestsforlife.org/doctors/.

For more information about Fransciscan University in Stuebenville, OH, visit http://www.franciscan.edu/.

Sacrificial Love

Susan Brown is a mother of eight children who currently resides in the Philadelphia area. She has moved ten times since she has been married. In this talk Susan speaks about the practices of 'offering it up' and 'sacrificial love', related to her children and her marriage.  She shares wisdom and insight that she has gained from growing in her faith with a great sense of humor and a 'tell it like it is' way.

Click below to hear her inspiring talk: 

(28 min)

 

Having trouble? Listen direct at www.CatholicMomsConnect.com

We would love to hear your feedback! Comment below or email us at CatholicMomsConnect@gmail.com.

Chastity in Marriage

When it comes to talking to our kids about “chastity,” the very word can make us cringe as we imagine ourselves using words for body parts we’re not comfortable using, and even less comfortable hearing come out of the mouths of our children.  But the truth is, our Catholic faith teaches that our sexuality is a gift from God to be enjoyed and reverenced!  

Find out how one mom's quest to answer her teen's questions about sex changed her marriage, her faith, and her life.

Click below to listen to this inspiring 20 min talk:

Having trouble? Listen directly at www.CatholicMomsConnect.com.

Moms Meeting w/ local guest speaker Joanne Lorenzo

The NFC Moms Group was very blessed to have Joanne Lorenzo speak at our meeting this past Saturday.  She is the Founder and Director of The Magdalene Project, working tirelessly to help those who are in need. Listen below:

(~20 min)

The Magdalene Project - Our Mission

Every Saturday evening an R.V. travels the streets of Buffalo and Niagara Falls, N.Y. searching for people in need. It moves up and down drug infested areas of the inner city seeking men, women, and children whose lives have been abused by drugs, alcohol, domestic abuse, and prostitution.

"This is "The Magdalene Project."

The mission of the "Magdalene Project is to seek out people who have lost hope and share the love of Jesus with them. People whose lives have become hopeless for various reasons.

We distribute roses to women and pray for them. Many have broken down in tears, told us their whole life story and many dream of a better life. We tell them there a better life with Jesus and then pray they give Him a chance. Men are addicted to drugs and alcohol and have given up hope, and children and teens are wandering around the streets looking for some form of attention and self worth. We know they are looking for love and acceptance and can only get that through the love of Jesus.

God has a great plan for all of us if we would just follow and obey Him.

http://www.magdalene-project.org/

Raising Kids Catholic

Mom and Grandma Louise Ziarnowski spoke at our last Moms meeting on raising kids Catholic.  She shared tips on teaching the Catholic Faith and keeping kids balanced.  She explained their family motto, her approach to discipline, how she took care of herself, and more.

Here's another example of a family motto:

J-O-Y
J: Put JESUS first
O: OTHERS second
Y: YOURSELF last


Do you have a family motto? Comment below  or email us at catholicmomsconnect@gmail.com.


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Bitter or Better

Every Cross Can Make You Either Bitter or Better

Kathy Skipper spoke at the Niagara Falls Catholic Moms Group on April 5, 2014. Listen to her amazing witness below.

(If you have trouble opening the audio, click here and try again.)

Kathleen Skipper is a Registered Nurse, a writer, a lecturer and mentor for the bereaved.  She holds a B.S. in Human Services. Kathleen worked as a labor and delivery nurse for twenty four years before founding Caring Arms in 199 (an in hospital perinatal bereavement program). She conducted perinatal bereavement conferences for physicians, nurses and staff in area hospitals on an on-going basis. Besides facilitating five support groups she did one-on-one care for parents who chose to carry their babies with lethal anomalies. In addition, she was the Bereavement Coordinator in a local hospital before retirement. Today she is a part of the Bereavement Team and Outreach at St. Christopher Parish.

Along with many articles, a Patient Care Guide, she authored A Rose is God’s Autograph, a story about the loss of her two sons.  Recently she was published in “They Were Still Born”, a collection of parent stories and medical information for parents who have experienced stillbirth.

Kathleen received the N.Y.S. Nurse of Distinction Award twice from her health care system and the C.A.R.E. Award from the Catholic Health System.

She continues to lecture and mentor on behalf of the bereaved.

She has three living children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

Bella and Sarah read Mary's Way of the Cross at the end of the meeting as well.

Only Through The Power Of The Holy Spirit

Christie Mombrea, Catholic Mom and Founder of Forgiven and Set Free Healing Ministry in Niagara Falls, spoke at our Moms meeting this past Saturday, March 8th.  She shared the inspiring story of the Holy Spirit working in her life, and encourages all women to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and step out.  

You can listen to a recording of her talk by clicking the video below (go here if the video doesn't appear below).

Niagara Falls Catholic MOMs Group

Join us for breakfast, faith and fellowship from 9:30 am – 11 am in the Dining Room at the Parish Ministry Center 2748 Military Rd, Niagara Falls.  Babysitting available.  Contact Sarah at 957-2410 for more information. The NFC Mom’s group is designed to support and connect mothers raising Catholic families. Our goal is to offer community and resources to help us all be happier, healthier and holier moms.  Upcoming meetings include Sat, April 5^{th (in the church)}, May 10^th and June 14^th.

Christie's Ideas For Raising Pro Life Children

  

1)    Make it a daily occurrence in your house to pray for families/babies
--Who/What to pray for: moms in difficult situations/ sick babies/
scared Moms (mention Mary having nothing for Jesus)

2) Purchase a poster of human development and show your kids the beauty

 http://www.humanlife.org/store/page3.html 

 (Biology 101--$1)

3)   Spiritually adopt a baby for 9 months http://www.spiritualadoption.org/

 “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of [baby’s name] the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted who is in danger of abortion.”

- Prayer of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

4) Donate to Summit Life Outreach Center  www.summitlifecenter.org

5) Pray at clinic Rosary Novena for Life: http://buffalodiocese.org/Portals/0/Prolife/PDF/RosaryNovenaMassforLife(2014)%20X.pdf

Upcoming dates: April 26, May 31, June 28. Silently and prayerfully after Mass we process to the local abortion clinic to pray the rosary for mothers, fathers, their unborn children and the ultimate end to abortion.

6) 40 Days for Life Diocesan info: http://buffalodiocese.org/Evangelization/ProLife.aspx

Holy Spirit by Bryan & Katie Torwalt

(click title above if the video doesn't come through)

Verse 1:
There's nothing worth more
That could ever comes close
Nothing can compare
You're our living Hope
Your presence Lord

Verse 2:
I've tasted and seen
Of the sweetest of love
When my heart becomes free
And my shame is undone
Your presence Lord

Chorus:
Holy Spirit You are welcome here
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere
Your glory God is what our hearts long for
To be overcome by Your presence Lord.

Bridge:
Let us become more aware of Your presence
Let us experience the glory of Your goodness

*Chorus*

Come Holy Spirit Prayer

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spiritand they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Forgiven and Set Free

We apology for re-posting this blog.  The original was posted in 2013. We are experiencing some technical issues.

This past Friday morning I attended the Mom's meeting at St. Gregory the Great.  Oh my...it was amazing.

Christie did a beautiful job sharing some thoughts on Confession and the 'Woman at the Well'.  

“But whoever drinks the water I give will never be thirsty; no, the water I give shall become a fountain within, leaping up to provide eternal life.” 
                                                                                    ~John 4:14


One of the moms in the group, Jocelyn, had painted this picture for a day of reflection. 

...Heard a song by Casting Crowns - 'The Well'  

...then an amazing witness from a post-abortive woman.  

...Christie Mombrea, founder of the 'Forgiven and Set Free' Ministry shared her story of God calling her to do more for others who are hurting from their past choices.  She needed signs...and God gave them to her!

For more information on this ministry, please visit www.summitlifecenter.org 
Help us get the word out!  Over 54 million abortions in the United States alone which means there are millions of women who needed to be forgiven and set free.

... We heard The Stations of the Cross through Mary's eyes.

...had time with other moms.

...and time for sharing prayer requests. 

An inspiring morning.

If you don't have a Catholic Mom's Group in your area, please consider starting one. We'll help you every step of the way.  Ducks need other ducks!

Catholic Mom Amy Blair: Change of Heart About The Eucharist

This past Saturday at our Moms meeting here in Niagara Falls, NY

Amy Blair shares the story of her search 

to understand the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  

As a second grade teacher, 

Amy was expected to prepare her students for First Holy Communion.  

But ironically God was calling her to become the student.

What she learns in her own classroom changes everything.  

(Witness talk: about 30 min)

Angels In Our Midst

At our last monthly MOMS MEETING in New York

speaker Monica Saltarelli spoke about "Angels In Our Midst".

       - audio is about 35 min                            

Read more on the role of our Guardian Angels during Mass in the writings of mystic Catalina (Katya) Rivas on pg 4 - click here.  You've got to read this - you will never experience the Mass the same way again!

Read more about Catalina here and in the book Reason To Believe. AMAZING
Click HERE for a free PDF download on the Holy Mass as dictated to Katya by Our Lord Jesus.

Also check out these awesome audio CDs...

   

(click here to order)                          (click here to order)

Want a great movie about Guardian Angels?  Check out 'The Greatest Miracle'.

 (Note: the little demons may be scary to older/younger children so preview first or watch with them.)

Craft Idea: 'Angel of God Prayer' Bookmark

Holy Habits: 
Our family says the Guardian Angel prayer on our way to school each morning.

At night we say the prayer to St. Michael the Archangel.

It's a great way to start and end the day!

Supporting our Priests

 Our Catholic Moms group met yesterday 

and we explored one of our greatest treasures of our Catholic Faith, 

our priests. 

Fr. Andrew came to lead us in an opening prayer.  He also blessed our rosaries and  medals, etc.

  

While doing some planning for the meeting, I discovered some interesting facts:

• The Sacrament of Holy Orders, like the Sacrament of Baptism and the Sacrament of Confirmation, can only be received once for each level of ordination. Once a man has been ordained, he is spiritually changed, which is the origin of the saying, "Once a priest, always a priest." He can be dispensed of his obligations as a priest (or even forbidden to act as a priest); but he remains a priest forever.

• No surprise but still interesting...while the Catholic population is increasing, the number of ordained priests is decreasing.  In addition, the number of parishes without a pastor is on the rise as well - over 3000 parishes in the US at present.  This is a hard reminder that without our priests, we have no one to administer the Sacraments.  And without our priests,  we have no Mass.

• St. Margaret of Scotland, mother of 4, sacrificed her life for priests.  These words of condemnation below were spoken on Tuesday, March 15, 1586, in the Court of York, as Judge Clinch condemned to death Margaret Middleton Clitherow, a 33-year-old Yorkshire housewife who was pregnant with her fourth child. Her crime was sheltering Roman priests who were "traitors and seducers of the queen's subjects. This was here sentence: “You must return from whence you came, and there, in the lowest part of the prison, be stripped naked, laid down, your back on the ground, and as much weight laid upon you as you are able to bear, and so to continue for three days without meat or drink, and on the third day to be pressed to death, your hands and feet tied to posts, and a sharp stone under your back.” Click here for the full article.

• Because of the role of the mother of a priest in her son’s vocation and formation the tradition of honoring her at the first mass of her son arose.  The newly ordained presents to his mother the maniturgium.  (The manutergium (from the Latin manu+tergium = hand towel) was a long cloth that was wrapped around the hands of the newly ordained priest after the Bishop anointed his hands with the sacred Chrism (oil))

According to tradition the maniturgium is placed around the hands of the mother of a priest as she lies in the coffin.  When she arrives to the gates of heaven she is escorted directly to our Lord.  Our Lord says to the woman – “I have given you life, what have you given to me?”  She hands him the maniturgium and responds, “I have given you my son as a priest.”  At this Jesus grants her entry into paradise. Click here for the full article.

We were very blessed at our Moms meeting to hear Marian Lauricella speak.  Marian is the mother of our new priest, Fr. Andrew.

You can listen to her talk here. (13 min)

We also discussed ways that we, as mothers, can support our Catholic priests.

• Pray for them.  As Father John Hardon, S.J., once said, “praying and offering God sacrifices for the priesthood are indispensably important,” because “there is no Catholic Church without the priesthood.”

O Jesus, Eternal Priest, look down with love upon Thy priests. Fill them with burning zeal for the conversion of sinners. Keep them within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart. Keep unstained their anointed hands. which daily touch Thy Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips purpled with Thy precious Blood. Keep pure and unearthly their hearts sealed with the sublime marks of Thy glorious Priesthood. Let Thy holy love protect them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they minister on earth be one day their joy and consolation in heaven. Amen. http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/prayers-for-priests.html

• Say thank you. Now more than ever, in these difficult times, “the world needs heroes,” as the New York Archdiocese's Office of Vocations puts it.  Our police and firemen are considered heroes when they save lives.  Why not also think of our priests that way when they do so much to save souls?

• Encourage your family to speak to Father after Mass.  This is a great opportunity to let your kids, especially, get to know your local priests.  Our boys love to give Father Bob a high-five and talk about the Buffalo Bills as we leave the church.  

• Invite Father to your home for dinner or for a party, especially after your child is baptized or receives any of the Sacraments.  Priests are real people with real feelings.  They appreciate being invited.  They enjoy conversation. They like to laugh. And they probably like a good home-cooked meal like the rest of us.

• When talking with your children about their vocation, remember to mention the priesthood as an option.  A good friend of mine has been encouraging this vocation with his boys since they were little, and now as a young teen one of the boys will often tell his dad that he wants to be a bishop one day.  Ever since hearing this I’ve started encouraging my boys as well.  Whenever we are talking about ‘what they want to be when they grow’ up, our kids say things like fireman or football player.  But now I’m always quick to add “or maybe a priest!”.  

• On-line support: Check out http://encouragepriests.org.  Also, look for “SUPPORT THE PRIESTS AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH” on Facebook

On a different note, we had a lot of fun talking about doing what God calls us to do. Check out this must-see video called "The Hairbrush" (8 min).

Also, we all took stockings home and our families are going to stuff them with stocking-stuffers for the kids of Summit Life Outreach.

And some decorated Advent wreaths...

And finally, our closing song reminding us to be the feet and hands of Christ in our own homes and in the world...

  

"The Lost Get Found" by Britt Nicole - great musician for your teens, too!

(Also check out this video which is the story behind the song above)

What a blessing to spend a few hours with almost 30 amazing moms!