SAINT ELGIVA (AELFGIFU) OF SHAFTESBURY, MY 34th GREAT GRANDMOTHER, May 18

 

Saint Aelfgifu (Elgiva) of Shaftsbury

My 34th Great Grandmother

~ 

Prayer to Saint Elgiva of Shaftesbury

Saint Elgiva, who loved God and served Him with unwavering faith, we humbly ask for thy intercession.

Take under thy protection the Holy Catholic Church; defend it, and be always its consolation, its asylum, and its invincible fortress against every assault of its enemies.

 

Be our way to come to Jesus and the channel through which we receive all graces necessary for our salvation. 

We ask thee, in thy closeness to God, to intercede for us and guide us on our path. 

May thy example of faith inspire us to live a life pleasing to God. 

Through thy prayers and intercession, may we grow in holiness and become worthy of eternal life. 

Amen. 

~ 

FEAST DAY: May 18, 2025

BIRTH: About 924 in Wessex, England

DEATH: About 944 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, England

SHAFTESBURY ABBEY, DORSET, ENGLAND

As with many queens of her era who outlived her royal husband, Aelfgifu retired to Shaftesbury Abbey, where she had some connection with the place, probably through relationship to members of that community and/or benefactors. There is a theory that her mother was a resident, but this is only an educated guess on the part of experts.

My great grandmother was attributed with quite a number of miracles, specifically after her death, including a cure of blindness, which I could most certainly avail myself, so I plan to add her to my regular round of relatives to whom I appeal for intercession regarding my failing vision.

But she was also well known for great Christian behavior while alive, including considerable kindness. It is frequently mentioned that she gave donations of "costly clothing" to the poor, and this is an area of life in which I have some interest and which has impinged on my spiritual perspective.

First of all, during the the time in question, all clothing was technically "costly" since every garment was hand-made, and therefore labor intensive - including the fabric itself! But the sense that I get from it is that she didn't thrust upon the poor the rough and care-worn clothing that the poor were usually forced to wear.  This expensive clothing that she gave to the poor was, no doubt, clothing worn by what was thought of as the "upper classes" or the nobility.

CLOTHING AS A MARK OF SOCIO-ECONOMONIC STANDING

If you think about it, clothing is usually imbued with a certain amount of relative status. In the early middle ages, in particular, it was easy to see to which class one belonged, simply by looking at the clothing one wore. One's profession could usually be guessed at as well. I am assuming that in that age, as it is in THIS one, clothing that was given to the poor was serviceable but not particularly fine in quality or appearance because there is this idea that the poor do not deserve to possess anything really nice. 

DONATIONS OF CLOTHING TO THE POOR:

On this topic, I am going to hop back to present time and tell a story illustrative of the idea that clothing is only one of many methods by which we oppress poor people.

Throughout my early childhood, my mother would not allow me to have more than two dresses that were hand-me-downs from HER wardrobe because she claimed I did not "deserve" to have clothes because I was too fat. She told me I could not have new clothes of my own until I lost weight but, for the life of me, I had no idea, as a child, how I could possibly do that. Anyway, she managed not to buy me anything for myself until I was a teenager and we were finally allowed to wear jeans to school and she bought me some jeans.

This aberration of my mother's had a profound effect on me, and for my entire adult life I have had a  peculiarity when it comes to clothing. My wardrobe continues to grow bigger and bigger until I find myself with an unreasonable amount of clothes and I must divest myself. So I give most of them away. Sometimes, I have not even worn some of the items. I do this every few years.

Because I went my entire early childhood without clothes that weren't hand-me-downs from my mother, I take extremely good care of my clothes so that, even if not new, they appear to be fresh and new. When I give them away, I like the idea that, even if the person who ends up with them is homeless, no one will automatically know their socio-economic strata. The clothes will present a different image.

But I have had a very hard time finding a supposedly "charitable" organization that doesn't have volunteers that take those clothes for themselves, throwing a dollar or two into the till in exchange, so that the homeless and the truly needy never even get to SEE these nice things that I have donated.

I remember once taking an entire automobile FULL of clothes and household things to one of these thrift stores, only to go back two weeks later to find that not a single thing I had donated was in the store, on the floor. Everything was EXACTLY as I had seen it when I visited to give my donation. The place smelled of unwashed clothing and everything was very poor quality. You could see the dust on the shoulders of the blouses and jackets that hung on the carousels. I made an effort to find out what happened to all those things I donated but was unable.

My experience was the same as another person I know who told me the same story about a different thrift store whose purpose was supposedly to clad, shoe and furnish the poor with necessaries. The volunteers, all of whom had far more resources than the poor, would dismissively throw a buck or two into the kitty and then THEY would wear the beautiful clothes that I had intended to give to the poor.

In this way, these people are showing the utter disdain they have for the poor. They justify their selfishness and greed, of course, by saying to themselves that they are "helping" the poor with the dollar that they throw into the cash register. But the poor never get to make a happy purchase and proudly wear a beautiful Land's End jacket or sweater, or a Nordstrom's dress or pair of sandals. For THEM, only the dusty, old and worn-out Walmart shirt or pants made of sticky-hot plastic polyester is left for them.

I highly suspect that the car full of very nice belongings that I gave to the first organization I mentioned actually may have ended up in someone's garage sale. There was SO MUCH of it, and I can't imagine that every kitchen appliance and every shirt and dress was kept by one person.

Since those early years in this town when I had these terrible disappointments, I have worked hard to make sure that my donations of pretty clothes actually make it into the hands of the poor women for whom they are intended. I always keep my eyes peeled.  Because I know what it is like to go without clothing and to be stuck with hand-me-downs that are inappropriate and unflattering. 

I remember what it was like to have to go to school as an 11 year-old girl wearing a moss green polyester cowl-necked cocktail-length sheath dress of which my mother had tired! I know what it feels like to have other people insist that I do not deserve anything "nice." It is humiliating.

If I love my neighbor as much as I love myself, as much as I love God, I CERTAINLY want them to have the same joy as I have had just owning a decent wardrobe.

So, when I read that my 34th great grandmother gave "costly" clothing to the poor, it really thrilled me. I could relate to her in more ways that one!

WE LIVE LIKE KINGS AND QUEENS

Compared to the time of my 34th great grandmother, what they call "the early middle ages," having more than a few complete outfits would be very rare. Many of the lower classes made their own clothes, typically produced from either wool they took from sheep they raised, or linen they made from the flax plants they grew. Hemp was also used, though it produced a rougher material. (The wealthy had access to silk, but this would be a fabric the commoners would rarely have even seen with their own eyes, much less used or worn! It was reserved for the very wealthy.) 

Even in those early, rough years, there were merchants who sold fabric and garments. There were also weavers who had the larger "commercial" size looms. Serfs with some funds may have had their raw materials made into fabric at this local weaver if they did not possess the proper loom in their home.

Transformation of the raw materials was extremely labor intensive and specialized. 

After processing the raw materials, thin strands of fabric were created from the raw materials, using a spinning wheel or even by hand with a large "drop spindle," then they would take those strands and weave fabric. They would then hand sew the fabric into basic rudimentary garments, with an eye toward function of each piece. 

Clothing was one of the major investments of a family at that time. During those days, each outfit of clothing would be highly prized and meticulously cared for. When a piece was created, function was the first consideration, and even pretty embroidery was mostly used to reinforce hems or to hide worn spots. Every aspect of the garment had a purpose, even the decorative elements. 

The purchase of used clothing was common, since the items were made to be highly sturdy and long-lasting, sometimes outliving their original owners! A fine suit of clothes was like gold, but more useful.

In modern America, most of us live in a manner of the kings and queens of yesteryear, while we remain oblivious. Even those of us who are on the poor side manage to accumulate many possessions throughout our lives and we live in apartments that have heating and cooling. We even own things that are not strict necessities, and most people have at least one "treasure" such as a necklace handed down to us by a beloved relative. I often think it is too much, and I end up giving things away to someone whose income is less than mine. No matter how poor you are, there will always be someone more poor!

I would just like to say, in closing, that, in the interest of solidarity with the poor, many religious folk dedicate themselves to an extreme style of "simple" living. There is barely a picture on the wall, and all the surfaces are empty of decorations. I lived in a similar manner at various times of my life, with a mattress on the floor for a bed, and cushions in the living room instead of couches. I was physically fit at the time, and could get up and down off the floor, but more important was that I was living like a gypsy and had to keep my burdens very light because I never found a place in which I could foresee being able to afford the rent for more than just the immediate future. 

In my current apartment, I have many religious paintings on my wall, and there will be more in future because I am a painter. My apartment is a happy mess and I love it. I have lived in the same place for the last 20 years and the rent is not easy to afford, but I am disabled and my options are limited, so I remain here and I have built a life that includes many art projects that contribute to, rather than detract from, my spiritual life. Instead of seeing how plain, drab and undecorated I can live, I would rather elevate the esthetic to a spiritually beautiful appearance.  

Rather than demonstrate my solidarity with those poorer than myself (of which there are not a terribly large number) I would rather help the poor surround themselves in beauty, if they so choose.  I would like to show my love, not by living with empty walls but by helping the poor to bring loveliness to their lives so they can experience what it is like to live like little kings and queens, just as the rest of Americans tend to do.

So, if anyone in Albuquerque knows of a good charity to which I can donate some beautiful things that I can be sure will end up in the hands of those poorer than myself, instead of the "volunteers" tasked with helping them, please let me know.

In the meantime, God bless you all.  

Please pray for me, as I pray for you.

Silver Rose

THE BLOG RESTS

 

Father Bede Griffiths, Catholic priest

and

one of his Sannyasinis (Indian style renunciate nun)

    Over the last decade, I have just loved researching the saints, writing about them and about the hermit life, and I have always looked forward to writing each post, despite the many hours of real work that each one entails. It has been a labor of love.

    It was not my idea to start this blog, however. A friend of mine from my Vedanta days encouraged me to write it, but I think she probably envisaged something more contemporary and argumentative - and specifically something that would generate some type of income.

    I subsequently learned, however, that an automatic income would only come through "monetizing" my blog, which would allow advertisements chosen by this platform to be displayed over my blog, and I could not bear the idea.  First of all, advertisements are ugly. They do not match the aesthetics I have chosen for this publication. They offend my eyes and diminish whatever message I choose to offer in the midst of the verbiage.

    Instead, I chose to request donations, leaving it to the discretion of the reader as to what they could afford, but only a very few of my many readers ever donated - except for one lovely woman who said she lived in Ireland, who donated, then became enraged when she understood that I do not support Donald Trump. Why someone in the U.K. would be so invested in an American political figure is beyond me, but she felt that my disapproval of him was a personal affront against her. She became highly offended, and told me off furiously. None of this made any logical sense to me, but this is the condition of our world at this moment.

    Readers should donate, in response to the incredible amount of work that goes into unique and well-researched posts, as well as for the sake of simple Christian charity. But  I imagine that people have grown accustomed to getting many things for free on the internet, and I am not oblivious to the fact that the disparity of income in our country, though the worst of all the industrialized nations, is increasing in severity all the time. Many folks are scrabbling, just to survive. If I can help them survive in a serene way, this influence of serenity is part of what I want to incorporate into all my public dealings.

    Although I am not focused on contemporary news and politics, if I have anything to say on those topic, I will say it on Facebook under the moniker of "The Occasional Hermit," since the newsy posts will, fittingly, disappear in time to make room for newer items in the feed. See my Facebook page for those kind of topics, with the exception of weighty topics of more longstanding import.

Blessed Virgin Mary

Our Lady of Ocotlan

    One thing I learned from my decades of meditation is that where you place your mind's eye is where you take yourself, and if you concentrate on God, you get God.  That's all there is to it. If you concentrate on the other guy, you're going to get him. It's like driving a car. You have to look out the windshield in front of you to get yourself where you are going, while only glancing through the other windows on occasion to ensure that no one is about to crash into you, or vice versa.

    I am not giving up the blog entirely. Sometimes it will be necessary to warn people off dangerous religious fads and to correct the record when a conspiracy theory is floated about, say, the Pope, for instance, at which time I may return here and put in my two cents worth. But it can't be a daily thing. I have other things to do.

Our Lady of Sorrows

    I have quit this blog a couple times in the past, and came back to it eventually because the work of getting to know the various saints I have researched has been interesting to me. I loved the whole process of becoming more familiar, and drawing closer to a life of holiness that I could use as an example for mine.

    The research and the writing of these blogs, combined with the complexity of keeping myself physically alive, have taken up so much of my  time that I have not been able to finish the books I have started, so I am going to focus on those books until I get at least ONE finished and edited. Occasionally, I will return to this blog.

    If this blog had helped me support the hermitage, that would have been a different matter and, to be fair, I had no way of knowing whether or not it would do that.  Now that I know that it will not, it is time to reassess.

Saint Kinga of Poland

Relative

    I am conducting a review of the blog entries I have posted over the last decade and removing many of them, especially those that relate to "current" events, and relegating them to the "unpublished" category. 

    I remind everyone that posts about the saints are my intellectual work product and belong to me. While you are welcome to make note of factual material, such as birth and death dates, you may not copy the blog post for any purpose. If you would like to quote from my work, you may contact me in the comment section of this blog and we can discuss.

    I will still be available to moderate the comments on the blog, though I don't expect there will be many. The donate button (below my photograph at the top of the right column) will remain in hopeful active status.

    Saint Adela of Normandy

Relative

    Obviously, my primary occupation is my contemplative life, but, other than the occasional article written for this venue, I will be continuing work on my books and my haiku poetry. In addition, I have resumed a painting career that I left behind when I began to go blind. I have managed to keep the vision in one eye (thanks be to God!) and I am slowly learning how to paint in mono-vision, with no depth perception! 

    When I have a decent number of paintings available for sale, I anticipate creating another blog for those things and will also announce it here. The painting blog MAY be combined with the author blog for my novels, but I have not yet decided. 

    As always, you may contact me through my Facebook page. You can put a comment on any of my posts, but if you want to send me a private message, I will always take a look at my message requests, eventually.

    The donation button remains active, though a bit dusty and rusty.

    Thank you for reading. I wish you the very best, and God bless you all. You are in my prayers.

Silver Rose

ADJUSTABLE BED AND OTHER BIG GIRL FURNITURE NEEDED

I came to New Mexico with only what I could fit in my little Toyota, thinking I could replace my furniture when I started working, but very soon after I got here, I became completely disabled and my Social Security is not enough to purchase furniture.

A friend from church gave me a recliner that I have been sleeping in for a couple of years, and a pink leather couch that I just love - but I desperately need a real bed that adjusts for my painful disabilities, as well as some furniture on which to work, write and paint and in which to store art supplies, paints, yarn, etc.

There is a neighbor in my complex who I can pay to put together the furniture. He used to do it professionally, lucky for me.

I have picked out the least expensive options that would work in my apartment. Amazon has my address and will ship to me direct.

Please take a look at my DONATION WISH LIST HERE

If you cannot afford any of the items on the list, but you would like to donate, please click on the PAYPAL DONATION LINK, to the right.

You know, most of my life I spent in a very minimalist style, living mainly on the floor, but I will be 65 this year, and I can't get up off the floor, once I get down there - so it's time to live like a grownup, don't you think?

God bless us all, and thank you.

Silver Rose

FRIENDSHIP

"I understood that every flower created by Him is beautiful,

that the brilliance of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do

not lessen the perfume of the violet or the sweet simplicity 

of the daisy. I understood that if all the lowly flowers wished

to be roses, nature would no longer be enameled with lovely

hues. And so it is in the world of souls, our Lord's living garden."

~ Saint Therese of Lisieux ~

My standard of friendship is the same for others as it is for myself.  Honesty, kindness and other signifiers of good character are important to me, as well as a sympathetic nature. I mourn with those that mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice, and I appreciate the same treatment from those I gift with my friendship.

Social status, wealth or poverty have no bearing on whether or not I would choose to befriend a person.

In response to Jesus' commandment to love my neighbor, I actually try to exhibit love and friendship toward whomever comes into my field  of activity. I am not perfect, and I do fail to do as well as I might toward this goal, but it does remain a goal of mine.

I firmly believe that the motives of other people should not be impugned without significant evidence, so I make a practice of assuming that, with the exception of a small percentage of sociopaths and misanthropes, no one deliberately chooses evil.

Believing that someone is wrong about a topic is not the same thing as attacking their character.

"Nothing is sweeter than to think well of others."

Saint Therese of Lisieux

Even with regard to the current political climate, I do not reject friends because they voted for Donald Trump. Adherence to my political views is not essential for friendship because I do not live on that plane of existence.

I do not impute evil motives to people who voted for Trump. Because I am pro-life, I almost voted for him. Then I researched the matter. I believe that most of Trump's supporters, if they understood the truth about him, would no longer support him. I credit most of them with being well-meaning, but misguided. They believe what he and his representatives say. I cannot account for why they are unaware of or discount the facts that are reported widely by professional journalists. I often find this frustrating, but it still is not enough to dissuade me from being friends.

A category by themselves are those who are "one issue voters" who choose to ignore or avoid knowledge of Trump's defects because they feel that the abortion issue is more important than anything else and they believe he will appoint judges to the Supreme Court who will make abortion illegal again.

I don't believe this method will accomplish the hoped-for aim. I also don't agree with the assumption that making abortion illegal is more important than anything else, but I certainly understand why some people come to that decision. These issues are complex, weighty and difficult. I choose to believe that people of good faith are doing the best they can to do the "right" thing.

Although I have never rejected a friend because of their support for a political figure or party, I have been rejected by friends and acquaintances who are mad that I don't support Trump. They are mad when I write about his lies and criminal activities. They accuse me of hate, and they break off the friendship, even though it patently obvious that Trump's words and actions are hateful. Objecting to hate is not hateful.

It has surprised me that many of these fair-weather friends have been Christians of various stripes. I perceive that what Trump does and says is the opposite of what Jesus said to do and say, and yet some Christians tell me "the hand of God is on Trump."  I am flabbergasted by the cognitive dissonance. I really don't understand it, and probably never will.

While most people around the world are disgusted by our "president," there is an Irish reader of my blog, who has several times donated toward it, who has suddenly started writing me unpleasant emails, from Ireland, of all places, where she is a big "supporter" of Donald Trump, which puzzles me. She's known since 2016 that my research has garnered my disapproval of the liar-in-chief. She can't vote for him, and his policies will not affect her, but she is so invested in him that she is mad at me for not being likewise inclined and feels insulted by what I have written about him. The whole thing is very odd.

I suspect that my so-called "Irish" reader is actually an American posing as an Irish person to hide their identity. I don't assume that my suspicion is a fact. That would be wrong. But I HAVE often wondered why that person has such a strong investment in the president of another country on the other side of the planet.

We have written to one another, off and on, for the last few years, and I was enjoying the spiritual friendship, but I really don't know who she is, whether she has given me her real name, or even if she really is Irish because, while I am pretty much transparent, here in blogland, she is using a phony email address through a service that disguises your real one. Who is she, really?

I wasn't about to take back what I said about Trump, but she was disingenuously claiming those comments had insulted her so that she could lambaste me, on the one hand, with criticisms of Democrats (with whom I do not identify and to whom I feel no loyalty) and self-congratulatory digs about having donated money, on the other hand. The chastisements were exhausting.

While I won't drop a friend because of some political affiliation, I will send someone packing who is dishonest with me or harasses me, which is what I had to do with this "Irish" woman.

"One measure of friendship consists not in the number

of things friends can discuss, but in the number of things
they need no longer mention."

Clifton Fadiman

Stepping back from this particular situation, I note that this phase in our political life has created an overall atmosphere of harsh dishonesty I find alarming, because it is fracturing relationships and sowing a general discord - apparently, around the entire planet and not just in America!  I thank God that I have a handful of kindly well-wishers remaining who, though they may disagree with me on one issue or another, are people of sterling character who do not abuse me.

If I have anything of value to offer readers about this topic, I would encourage everyone to consciously develop a criteria for friendship, based upon the values that you hold in common, rather than befriending someone because they voted for the same guy you did last time around or because they have a pleasing personality.

Silver Rose

Sannyasini Kaliprana

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE?

"When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not

invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives

or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return,

and repayment come to you. But when you give a

reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame,

the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not

have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid

at the resurrection of the righteous."

~Luke 14:12-14~

Jesus told us quite clearly that He expects us to distribute his largess, but humans continue to disparage other humans and to say, directly and indirectly, that the poor are not "worth" helping, or that they aren't really poor, or that they do not deserve any assistance unless they are as poor as the poorest person in the world.

The Trump administration wants to give a black mark to any immigrant who receives assistance, so that when it comes time to decide on his application for citizenship, he will have a major hurdle to overcome. Trump has made it clear that he doesn't want to receive anyone from "shit hole countries" and he'll do almost anything to discourage them, including taking their children and incarcerating them.

"The poor man has one plea, his want and his standing

in need: do not require anything else from him; but

even if he is the most wicked of all men and is at a

loss for his necessary sustenance, let us free him from

hunger."

~ St. John Chrysostom~

The continuous message with which we are being pounded is that poor people are less than others. Poor people are criminals. Poor people are addicted to drugs. Poor people are responsible for whatever is lacking in the economies of other people.These ideas are fueled by the propaganda of scarcity. This lie is promoted by greedy people who have far more than they need. Something like 27 Americans own as much of our country's wealth as the rest of the millions of others. They spend a lot of money advertising the philosophy of scarcity and cutthroat competition. Every one of society's ills are blamed on the poor, the sick, the brown, the different.

I reject that false vision of the world.

"[Commandment to kings.] Open your mouth for the dumb,

for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge

righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy."

~Proverbs 31~

What I want is for everyone's circumstances to rise to the level where we all have yummy, healthy food, safe and comfortable housing, good medical care, comprehensive education, and the joys of art and culture. No one would feel the need to have an abortion. All children would have a loving, happy family life.

Rather than demanding that our poor live as poorly as those in the poorest banana republic, I think God wants everyone to be lifted up. Instead of complaining that our poor people have cell phones, why not aspire to every poor person having a means of communication? Instead of looking down on poor people who are saddled with addiction issues, why not aspire to everyone having access to rehabilitation?

In short, my vision of the future is an egalitarian vision of love. It's God's explicit vision, as consistently revealed in the words of Christ and his saints.

"If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers,

in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your

God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor

close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall

freely open your hand to him, and generously lend

him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks."

~Deut. 15:7~

What is YOUR vision?

Silver "Rose"

A PERSONAL NOTE

Garden photo, during a year

when we had some rain.

copyright (c) 2014

I am furiously working on all my creative projects in anticipation of the day when I will be too blind to do them. There are several conditions that are causing me to lose my sight, very gradually and, while I hope to stave it off as long as possible by protecting my eyes from the sun and avoiding strain, I want to do as many of my imagined projects as possible.

Currently, I am having real trouble even seeing that big 40 inch television that was given to me. I have to squeeze my eyes very tight, and even then, I can't make out very much of what is on the screen, though it is not far from my chair.

As most of you probably realize, Medicare doesn't pay for eyeglasses or dental work. Eyeglass insurance doesn't come anywhere near to giving me what I need.

Because of the complexity of my issues, I need three separate pairs of eyeglasses: One for computer work, one pair of really dark sunglasses, and one for daily activities and reading. The last two would be progressive lenses, while the computer glasses are measured according to how far from the screen I keep my eyes.

Each pair will cost about $250. I may be able to reduce the prices if the optometrist allows me to use some old frames that I have kept from years ago. Sometimes they don't want to do that, and they will not guarantee that they won't break them. I hope to use the old frames for sunglasses, at the very least.

Once I get the eyeglasses, I will need to campaign for some dental work, which I'm not looking forward to doing - but one thing at a time.

I realize there is a lot of need in the world at this time. So MANY people are suffering now! If I had any resources, I would definitely use those, but I don't. If you can give a bit toward my eyeglasses, that would be great. Please donate through the Paypal link on this page (above my profile picture.)

If you are unable to give, please consider telling your friends and/or posting my blog to your Facebook. I also have a gofundme page, if you'd like to use that. Just attach a comment to this post, and I'll figure out how to direct you to the right page on the gofundme site.

God bless you all!

Silver Rose

A MARVELOUS VISION OF HEAVEN

When I was a nun in the Hindu convent in Hollywood, I distinctly remember a short conversation in which the ersatz head nun waxed enthusiastic about how wonderful it would be when she died and just "merged" into God and became part of Him. Without thinking I said, "that sounds REVOLTING!" As I matured, my point of view changed, and I sometimes remember that conversation with a giggle.

The Catholic has a similar end result in mind when beginning mental prayer. It is just that the deity in mind is the trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, rather than the formless God of the Vedanta, the higher reaches of Hindusim.

Many of these Hindu-based and "New Age" religions believe that the world is a horrible place and that the whole rationale for spiritual practice was to escape the grim and never ending cycles of birth and death. Some Christians, influenced by our pagan culture, believe that everything earthly, including our bodies, is bad and must be overcome. They believe that we are spirit beings stuck in the material world, but this is not Christian theology. We are body and soul, created in the image of God.

God created this world and pronounced it "good." He created us in His image, which, of course, is automatically good.

When I became disabled, and the illnesses worsened and accumulated with age, I forgot for a short time that the world is good and that our bodies are good. The horrible distraction of trying to get my needs met and my illnesses addressed pulled my mind away from the Lord to some extent. I was sad that my life had "ended up" like this, despite my joy at finding God and settling into Him. 

Thanks to a mini-series about heaven that I saw on EWTN, I was reminded of the truth, and I snapped out of my depression! My life has not "ended up like this" because my life has no end. My life has just barely begun, in the context of eternity. SO MUCH lays ahead!

In heaven, according to Anthony Destefano, the author of A TRAVEL GUIDE TO HEAVEN  our bodies will be transformed into our "most perfect selves-physically, emotionally, and spiritually." In addition to the deep, abiding joy that we naturally expect to experience in heaven, Anthony draws upon Biblical scripture and Catholic theology to fully develop a vibrant, soul-thrilling glimpse into the heavenly realm.

The Amazon.com page dedicated to this book says that heaven is "not only a spiritual place, but also a physical place, a fabulous "luxury resort," more sumptuous than any on Earth. The residents are real, their bodies transformed into their most perfect selves..."

The DVD based upon this book can be purchased at EWTN, the Eternal Word Television Network AT THIS LINK: DVD - 3 HOURS - TRAVEL GUIDE TO HEAVEN. I found it very entertaining, sometimes charming or funny, and often inspiring. Watching it helped me form a more specific expectation of heaven.

Since 2017 marks the 100 year anniversary of the miracles of Fatima, I intend to devote part of this year to the study of the Fatima miracles, the promises, and the instructions of our Lady. With a little help from my friends, I plan to give out rosaries, books about Fatima, and books about the rosary. Having a vision of heaven under one's belt is a fabulous inspiration to fuel a renewal of spiritual zeal, and is appropriate to any ministry, I would imagine.

Once we learn about the remarkable miracles that were witnessed by 70,000 people, how can we doubt the words of Christ or his blessed church? How can we not believe that, if we love Christ and follow his words, we are destined for that beautiful place called Heaven, where we will spend much more time than here on earth?

I would like to suggest that you purchase and watch the DVD: "TRAVEL GUIDE TO HEAVEN", which is sold through EWTN. Commemorative 100-year rosaries with attached special medal are sold by the Blue Army, otherwise known as the WORLD APOSTOLATE OF FATIMA.

I also recommend perusing the Catholic web websites and pick up anything you can on the Miracle of Fatima. Witnessed by thousands of people, including a host of  journalists who took photographs of the crowds that had come to witness the miracle promismed by the child seers, as well as the actual miracle of the sun, the facts of Fatima present irrefutable evidence of the primacy of the Catholic Church and its faith. There is no other explanation for it.

If you can spare it, please donate on my website so that I can also distribute some rosaries and books this year. As usual, I have medical needs that are not being addressed, and if you God has graced you with the ability to help with those, I am grateful.

Most monastics have to do some sort of work to support themselves, since the generosity of modern man is limited, and the value of lives devoted to prayer is not appreciated. It is difficult to do this while disabled, which is the reason that most convents and monasteries will not accept disabled people, and some will even throw you our if you become ill while living as a monastic among them. Fortunately, the Lord has graced me with some creative skills.

In future, I may be uploading new blogs for the artworks.  In the meantime, my genealogy business can be found at: SILVER COTTAGE GENEALOGY

Please remember that I have professional genealogical skills, I paint, I write, and I make home-made lace chapel veils. I will be putting up some websites for these when I can, but keep it in mind for the time being. I am disabled for most functions, but I can produce a few items for sale, and perhaps I can make something for you. Christmas is around the corner.

May you be showered with blessings!

I pray for all of you, as I hope you pray for me.

God bless us all!

Silver "Rose" Parnell

ADOPT A GRANNY

This year I lost more than 40 pounds; I cut 37 points off my “bad” cholesterol without reducing the “good” cholesterol; I cut my triglycerides in HALF; my blood sugar was cut in half, and I have managed to maintain an excellent blood pressure in the range of 115 over 70 without the use of any medications.

Don’t congratulate me, though. I owe it entirely to my Catholic community, and especially my friends Jane and Kathy who have been supplementing my diet with wholesome, mostly organic, fruits, veggies and proteins, without which my dramatic improvement in health indicators would not have been possible.

There are a lot of single, disabled and/or frail elderly women who, at the end of their lives, find themselves living on nothing but their Social Security insurance, the average of which is $1,000 a month. Those with little or no family that are interested in helping them are especially vulnerable, and there are a surprising number of us. Families are smaller these days, and the bonds between relatives are often very tenuous. Husbands die or leave. Some women never marry.

When the subject of the poor comes up, most people think about people who stand on the street corners with cardboard signs, or the illegal aliens who gave birth to children after sneaking into the country, thereby anchoring themselves here and using the resources that Americans pay for. The U.S. does have many programs to help the “poorest of the poor,” but the upper two thirds of those living poor are almost entirely ignored, especially in a state like New Mexico.

In my case, I had been ill with several inherited conditions from the time I was a child, as well as being saddled with PTSD, due to certain traumatic events. Despite these multiple handicaps, I worked for more than 33 years and paid taxes throughout that time, but became completely unable to work by the time I was 50, and had to retire on Social Security Disability. After all those years of paying into the system, I was shocked when I learned that my pitiful income was “too much” to qualify me for any programs. No dental care. No eyeglasses (despite being nearly blind.) Nothing.

Whereas most people think the poor have “made bad life decisions” and that most are drug addicts or alcoholics, nothing could be further from the truth. I have recently read that only 1% of the poor have these issues. I have lived an entirely chaste life for many years and do not smoke, drink, or take drugs. I am not perfect, of course. I AM human. I just do not have the habits typically associated with the poor. Of course, one would expect this of a woman dedicated to the religious life, but my tame lifestyle is not unusual among the grannies who are struggling to put healthy food on their table, pay for over-the-counter and prescription medications, and purchase eyeglasses for failing vision.

Next time you wonder about where your contributions might help the most, please consider filling in the gaps in the unmet needs of the grannies in your parish or in your neighborhood. Find a lonely, myopic granny and adopt her. Ask her what she needs and, to the best of your ability, provide what you can. Make her a part of your family and treat her the same way you would treat your Mom.

A needy granny may be sitting next to you during mass. She could live next door to you. She won’t be dressed in rags and standing on a street corner.  She hasn’t always been poor, so she may look like any other nice, middle-class church lady, but her cupboards at home are nearly empty, and she hasn’t seen a dentist in 10 or 15 years. She may desperately need some new eyeglasses. Finding your “granny” may involve getting to know all the old people at your parish, which should be an eye-opening experience in many ways.

Try to resist turning this into an impersonal, generic Catholic ministry that is organized to help groups of people. The very best part of being adopted by my Catholic friends has been the love I have received from them, the friendship, and the caring. Food, vitamins and other needed items are only the SIGN of the most important gift.

One of the primary Biblical quotes that lead to my conversion was, “They shall know you by how you love one another.” I have received Christian love in this process and have been able to give it, in turn. I highly recommend it.

God bless you all.

Silver “Rose” Parnell

YEARLY APPEAL

Me and my son, when I was about 22 years old

My life started with some promise as an artist and writer.  Thanks to my father's position as a writer/producer for the television show "Charlie's Angels," I had a lucky connection that enabled me to work in the television industry in various capacities, selling 9 stories to that TV show in the process.

Eventually, I was turned off by the gross superficiality and loose morals of the business and I moved on to other pursuits, mostly a search for God amid the chaos of this world.

I did not imagine that the back problems that began when I was about the age I was in this photo were going to increase in scope and severity, collecting other illnesses along the way, and that some day I would be disabled and poor.

Every year I become more poor because the Social Security "cost of living increase" doesn't cover the increased costs of living at all.  I am receiving $27 a month more than last year, but my bills have increased more than $200 per month!  For example, last year my co-pays for medicine cost me $20. This year, I've been told they will cost me $107.00.  My rent went up $9.  I won't bore you with the rest of it.  Everything went up, and for a person on a limited income, it is a substantial amount.

I do not have any family that is able to help in any meaningful way.  I have a friend who has been very kind to me and even had my car repaired when it broke down, but she has a large family, and there are limits to what she can do.  I was not "lucky in love" and there is no husband.

Consequently, a lot of my needs are not met, and I am reduced to asking for help.  My Social Security is "too high" to receive any government aid, though I was told by the Medicaid people that if my income was derived from employment, rather than Social Security, they would pay some of my medical expenses, which exceed $300 a month.  This is a blatant case of handicap discrimination, and I did appeal the decision, but there is no recourse.

Because of my physical issues, there isn't much I can do to improve my situation in the way of work, though I have tried.  I am writing a book, which is a long-term proposition.  I am also an expert genealogist, but there aren't many people willing to pay for expert family research.  If you would like to have a family tree researched, please note that I am the only researcher that creates the database for you, as far as I know.  Most researchers just give you notes of what they have found.  When I was on Ancestry.com's "expert panel" I charged about $44 an hour.  These days, I charge $25 an hour, with a 3-hour minimum.

Please note, there is a "Donation" button on this page, at the upper left quadrant.  Paypal takes a percentage of every donation, however, and the arrangement is less than ideal for me.  Alternately, I have several wish lists that cover the gamut of food, household goods, service dog supplies, and research materials.  Amazon.com has my address and will ship to me direct.  All you have to do is go to my wish list, put the items in the shopping bag, and pay for them.  The wish lists are in the column to the right of this blog post.

FURTHER NOTE:  With regard to the food items, you will note that many of them are organic.  I have allergy-induced asthma, and I am allergic to many things, especially pesticides used on our produce.  In addition, I have a stomach condition that makes it difficult for me to digest many items. My asthma is not well managed because I can't get the medicine I need, due to cost.  For these reasons, I eat as much whole grain and organic food as possible, staying with simple unrefined ingredients and cooking all my meals "from scratch."  When I am feeling up to it, I even make my own bread.

If you would like to see a copy of a sample budget that I have worked up on an Excel spreadsheet before you donate, please contact me and I will email you a copy.  It is loosely based on July's expected expenditures but reflects the customary situation.

With regard to my habits and my standard of living, I should say that I do not smoke, drink or take drugs.  I don't have tattoos, eat at restaurants, travel or get my hair cut professionally.  My telephone does nothing but talk and text.  No internet.  I don't own a television and do not pay for cable, though I do have a laptop that was donated to me and I pay about $30 a month for internet access.

You should know that, despite the various privations, I am a very happy person because the Lord is always with me.  I am able to spend much more time in the presence of Jesus, Mary, the saints and angels than one would typically expect because of the situation in which I find myself.  In this way, I consider my disability and poverty a blessing...but that doesn't keep it from being a major obstacle to my survival.

If you are not able to help, I would be most grateful for prayers.

In the meantime, God bless us all.

Silver "Rose" Parnell
(c) 2015

GIVING ALMS TO THE POOR IS NOT CHARITY

"Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal 

from them and deprive them of life.  The goods we 

possess are not ours, but theirs.  The demands of justice 

must be satisfied first of all; that which is already due in 

justice is not to be offered as a gift of charity."  "When we 

attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is 

theirs, not ours.  More than performing works of mercy, 

we are paying a debt of justice."

~ CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, No. 2446

Once again, the tide of hateful rhetoric against the poor has risen, and I have to write another post to remind Catholics of what our faith teaches us, which is that whatever money or assets we possess beyond which is necessary for our own survival belongs to those who do not have enough for their survival.  Read the catechism.  "Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life."

The internet can give us a horrible glimpse into the darkness of evil, where the poor are characterized as "lazy and just waiting for a handout."  In some Facebook posts, people complain that their tax dollars go to help the poor, robbing them of the ability to decide from themselves who is worthy and who is not.  They advocate for the removal of the already inadequate systems we have in place to feed children, the elderly and the disabled and claim that individuals and the church will take over the care and feeding of millions of people.  This is a fantasy.

Before Social Security and its associated social programs, individuals and churches already had the opportunity to take care of the poor and they didn't do it.  Unless we want history to repeat itself, it is best to leave in place those systems that have prevented our country from looking like India, with millions of people living and dying on the street or in tiny shacks made of corrugated tin.

I exhort my brothers and sisters to stop worrying about whether or not some "lazy" person will slip through the system and receive the gigantic sum of $240 a month, which is the amount of welfare paid to able-bodied persons in New Mexico - a sum they have to pay for by working at least 20 hours for the state.

Millions of people are under the ridiculous assumption that scores of able-bodied people are making a killing on "welfare."  It simply is not true.  If you are an American citizen who is able-bodied and you have a child and the household is poor, then the child can receive about $540 a month, food stamps and Medicaid, but the parents, if able bodied, receive NO MONEY other than the afore-mentioned $240 a month, for which they must work.  If poor enough, they may receive food stamps of about $80 per person, but even the spending habits of those with food stamps are criticized right and left.  Have you been to the grocery store lately?  What, exactly, can you buy with $80?

The reason why that woman paying for groceries with food stamps is wearing a piece of jewelry or has a cell phone is that someone else purchased it for her.  Family and friends have to step in and supply some of the needs of the poor because the miserly sums they receive are simply not enough.  In my case, nearly everything I own was given to me or left behind by the previous tenant in this apartment.  My apartment is adorable and I have internet and cell phone, thanks to my friends Jane, Betty, Kathy, Debbie, and others.  I have a car, thanks to my friend Judy, who GAVE me her old car when she bought a new one.  Although very low income, I don't qualify for food stamps, so some of my friends help me with some food items.  I can't imagine what it is like for those whose income is less than mine.

We have more than 40 million poor people in our country right now.  More than half of them are elderly.  Another 20% are severely disabled.  At least 18% are what is called "the working poor" who are living on minimum wage.  Less than 3% of people who received entitlement income are able-bodied people that are not in the previous three categories.  Within that percentage is contained the vast number of unemployed in our country who are receiving unemployment insurance.

The most shocking statistic of all is that one out of every four children in America goes to bed hungry every night.  I am going to repeat that so you can meditate on it.   One out of four children goes to bed hungry in America every night.  

When you criticize the poor, you are making it more difficult for these children to get the food, housing and education they need.  When you criticize the poor, you encourage people to be more stingy.  When you criticize the poor, you paint a huge number of people with a brush that only belongs to a tiny minority.

Where are these lazy people who are just sitting around waiting for a handout and then buying luxury items with the boatload of money they get from the state?  I will tell you where they are.  They are in the imaginations of people who lack charity and generosity of spirit.  Some of them, sad to say, are Catholic.  Participating in this poor-bashing that is so popular right now is participation in the plan of Satan.  Just stop it.

Silver Rose Parnell

URGENT NEED

Standard poodle service dog from

Heritage Service Dogs

Thousands of people in America have post traumatic stress disorder, and most of them have not seen military service.  They have experienced a different type of life-altering, traumatic event.  Most of the sufferers are women who have endured kidnapping, imprisonment, beatings, rape, torture, threats, verbal and emotional abuse, and stalking.  Service dogs have proven to make normal life possible for sufferers of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In addition to PTSD, I suffer from chronic physical issues that affect my mobility and my balance, both of which are helped by having a service dog to improve stability, especially when walking in public, on uneven sidewalks and pavement, and over rough ground.  The service dog will act as a complement to my cane and/or walker, walking on the other side of the cane and alerting to rough ground ahead.

I also have allergy-induced asthma, which is growing worse as time goes on, therefore, I need a dog that has hair that grows rather than fur that sheds.  The most hypoallergenic dog that also has the brains, temperament and size necessary for the job is the standard poodle.

With regard to the PTSD issues (and real life protection) a service dog can be trained to enter the home prior to the owner and check every room of the apartment to make sure there is no one lurking there.  There have been 6 attempted break ins of my apartment, so there is an actual threat, rather than an imaginary one.  Police officers who have responded to reports of attempted break-ins have advised me that the best deterrent is a watch dog.  They can also be trained to provide me extra space if my claustrophobia kicks in during shopping or other errands by circling me.

In addition, the service dog can sense when my body chemistry becomes unbalanced from the PTSD or my chronic low blood sugar.  The dog can easily sense/smell the chemical changes and alert me to take my medicine.  Dogs are a natural calming element, as well.   At night, I will be able to sleep in peace, knowing that the dog will alert me to the presence of any prowler outside the apartment.

My doctor has written me a prescription for a service dog.  Unfortunately, there are no agencies that supply these dogs without a fee.  I have researched this matter thoroughly and reached out to everyone I know who may have been able to help me get the right dog, to no avail.  I scoured the local shelters and found that this type of dog is just not available in the shelters in Albuquerque.  Plenty of pit bulls and chihuahuas and all kinds of little mutts, but no standard poodles.  I have inquired of breeders whether or not they will adopt out dogs that have exceeded the breeding age.  Basically, I have begged for a free dog everywhere, and that is just not happening.

After extensive research, I have found the least expensive option, which is a company that breeds and raises the poodles, places them with the patient, and then coaches them through the training steps.  The name of the company is Heritage Service Dogs.

Their fee is $3600.  It will cost about $400 to ship the puppy, and we anticipate needing another $500 in expenses, such as veterinary bills, a crate, a bed, harnesses for various sizes of a growing puppy, etc.  (The typical cost for a standard poodle puppy is $2,000.  The local agency that trains dogs charges $6,000.  That is DOUBLE what it would cost using Heritage Service dogs, so we feel we have made a good decision about the provider.)

PLEASE HELP me obtain the necessary service animal.  There is no government assistance for this.  There are no organizations that give away service dogs.  My income is very low, and I am unable to create more income (though I have tried!)

Please click the link to go to my fundraising site.


SILVER'S FUNDRAISING SITE FOR A SERVICE DOG

If you are not able to help, then please spread the word and pray for me.



God bless you,

Silver Rose Parnell