This question to a 46-year old pregnant woman is so common it deserves some attention here. My response is quite naturally that I don’t do amniocentesis. And then the surprise reaction, “but isn’t it compulsory at your age?” Amniocentesis is an invasive pre-natal diagnosis that holds a minimum risk of …
One of the passages that touched me in the Dorothy Day autobiography, The Long Loneliness, refers to an apparently insignificant episode during Dorothy’s infancy. Dorothy Day grew up in the USA in 20th Century, in a family without religion. Around her there were catholics, episcopalians and evangelists, and the churches …
Dinner-time, end of May. I place a beautiful red box on the table tied up with a bow. A present for everyone. The kids come into the kitchen and take a seat. “What’s this Mum?” they ask. “Is it a box of chocolates?” But Frankie looks over at Clare: “Where …
Recently, on my birthday, my mother was here in my house telling me how she remembered the happy day 46 years ago when she picked me up in her arms for the first time. Beside her, in the maternity ward, was another mother, a mother of six children who were …
Yesterday was a celebration here in our house: the Parliament in Portugal rejected draft legislation on euthanasia, and the victory of life must be celebrated. But the celebration wasn’t as great as it might have been for it was clouded by the resounding defeat of life in our other country, …
On Sunday the 27th Clare received the sacrament of confirmation. Such great joy there was here at home! At last Clare completed her Christian identity having received all three sacraments of initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. By her side, Francisco was the privileged sponsor. Because her Godparents from baptism couldn’t …
Today, May 24th, is the feast day of Mary Help of Christians. Here at home we celebrate this day with a cake and by going to Mass, naturally. The Salesian school that David attends organized a trip to Fatima today, as part of a bigger pilgrimage that includes students, teachers …
One weekend recently we took the family to Braga to watch the first international artistic gymnastics tournament to be held in Portugal at 2nd division level. Clare was going to compete in the four events, balance beam, vault, uneven bars and floor exercise. Clare has been doing gymnastics almost since …
The great day of Pentecost is quickly approaching. In our house we started to pray a Novena for Pentecost on Ascension Sunday, invoking the Holy Spirit and His seven gifts each day. It’s a magnificent way to deepen our understanding about the Spirit and about what the Bible and the …
Today, May 13th, the Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord, and the Day of Our Lady of Fatima, we have a special gift to offer Mary. We wanted to present it on this day as an act of thanksgiving because, as St. John Bosco said, “it was She who …
