Great Article: Catholic & Infertility

Thanks to a friend's FB post, I came across this article that poignantly discusses the struggles of going through infertility as a Catholic.  One of the IF blogosphere's major stars, This Cross I Embrace, was interviewed for this article.  The author explores the very tangled web of IF, made difficult sometimes by some of the unique Catholic experiences such as judgement by others of your family size.

The only addendum I would like to mention is that I do not see my baby as some sort of "reward."  The Bible may allude to that, other moms may say something similar, but that is not my opinion.  I see my baby as a huge gift, one that I am so unworthy of receiving.  Just wanted to clarify that, in case any posts (despite my best efforts) say otherwise. :)

Easter Wishes and Lenten Prayer Buddy

Happy Easter, everyone!  We had a very rainy Easter weekend, complete with a Tornado warning on Good Friday night.  Thankfully we had attended a Good Friday service in the afternoon instead of the evening service punctuated by thunder, lightning, and power outages. (!)  KB looked delightful in her little Easter dress while my hubby and I marveled at where we were just a year ago.

My prayer buddy this Lent was this lovely lady.  Such a privilege to pray for you.

Cyber Intercessory Prayer

Apologies for the long blogging break, everyone.  My sister came to visit last week and the Percolating Petals home has had lots going on. And did I mention that my students all have spring fever?  *sigh*

I've been wanting to post a list of online prayer intercession sites for a while.  As I mentioned on Hannah's Tears, various Catholic religious orders and organizations have been posting online submission forms or email addresses for petitions.  What an efficient way to gather the problems and struggles of the world and offer them to God!!  Asking these orders to pray for an intention is just like asking a friend...except these orders spend a great deal of their time praying.  You don't even have to be Catholic.  I also like the anoniminity of it.   Every time I have a prayer buddy, I try to email a few of these orders to pray for her.

Here's my beginning list; if anyone has more to add, please list in the comments.  Thanks!

http://www.e5men.org/petitions.cfm  An organization of men who fast for the women in their lives.  Follow this link to send a specific intention and one of the men will fast for it.

http://desertnuns.org/ Cloistered Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.  Click "send a prayer request."

http://marian.org/prayerline/index.php The Marians of the Immaculate Conception have a lay group called the Marian Helpers.  They run a phone prayer line.  At the bottom of the page is a button for sending an online petition.

http://www.carmelitesistersocd.com/Requests/ One of my favorite religious orders, the Carmelite Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Los Angeles.

http://www.tyburnconvent.org.uk/foundress/prayer.html Across the pond in England, a group of cloistered nuns pray near the sight of the infamous Tyburn gallows.  They also have a display of relics from many of the English Martyrs.  This link leads you to email a prayer intention.  The nuns will pray for it and also ask the intercession of their foundress Mother Marie Adele, whom they have submitted for canonization.  The rest of the website it worth looking at too; you can learn a lot about what the martyrs endured for their faith.

I hope to find more online petition sites soon.  In the meantime, this short list can get us started.  A little extra prayer goes a long way!