The Holy Father's Resignation, St. Valentine's Day, And The Grow Your Blog Giveaway Winner!

The Holy Father's Resignation...

I'm sure you were all as stunned as I was when I woke up on Monday morning to this news:

Pope Benedict leaves behind a room full of stunned cardinals and Vatican staff after his surprise announcement.

"Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonisations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.

I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognise my incapacity to adequately fulfil the ministry entrusted to me.

For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

 Of course, my first concern was for the health of the Pope...did he have a serious illness? Was he dying? After listening to many news reports and commentators and reading posts by some of my favorite Catholic bloggers, I was reassured that he merely wishes to retire because of advanced age and increasing frailty. This is not unprecedented, but it might as well be for us, since it hasn't happened in 600 years! So he will be leaving office on February 28th and we will anxiously watch and wait as the conclave commences. The world will be watching for the white smoke from the chimney at St. Peter's Basilica. Pray for him, and for the new pope, who ever he will be, and please, pray for the Church as we make this transition.

...St. Valentine's Day...

One of my favorite ways to celebrate St. Valentine's Day is to make my own cards.  I invited some young friends and their parents to come over on Saturday evening to make homemade cards with me.  We had such a fun time!

Maggie, Ani and Jessica

Toby and Molly

Molly and Jackson

The kids show off their finished cards

I don't subscribe to the Hallmark version of St. Valentine's Day, which seems to (mostly) acknowledge romantic love on this day. While our sweethearts deserve a special day, it is also important to me to let my family and friends know how much I love them on St. Valentine's Day as well.  And of course, I want to include my followers, including my newest ones(!) in those good wishes!  

And so, here is my special St. Valentine's Day greeting for all of  you:

And here is my lovely, perfect red rose from MY sweetheart, Charles:

...And Finally...The Winner!

The winner of the Icon Prayer Shrine from my Grow Your Blog post is:

RACHEL from Go Placidly!!!!! 

Rachel is a lovely young lady who lives in the "middle-ish" of the UK.  Check out her blog!

Congratulations Rachel!! Please send me your snail mail address so I can send you your Prayer Shrine!