Yesterday was Queensday. A holliday with lots of festivities on wich we celebrate the birthday of our Queen. A day that is quite unique: the royal family usualy takes a tour in one of the twelve provinces of our country and is actively participating in the local festivities.

This year it was the 100rd birthday of the queen's mum, Juliana.  For this, the location was Apeldoorn, where Juliana lived and the queen has her weekend loft.

There was lots and lots of press, and everyting was broadcasted live on tv.
It was a lovely day, nice weather and everyone was cheerfull. The royal family went to Apeldoorn by bus. After a walk in the park, they took a small tour in an open bus. And then this is what the spectaters in Apeldoorn (and everyone on tv) saw:

edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/04/30/netherlands.queen.car/index.html

Needless to say, the cheerfullnes ended there and then and all festivities were canceled.

At that time, I was walking in the mainstreet of my hometown, enjoying the bazar, eating some frites, when I heard someone say there was an attack on the queen. At first I thought: "He must be joking, right?. But then, later on, I heard another man say the same thing. So I hurried back home and turned on the news.

I was....horrified. Just as everyone else who saw it.

For more info: see Montymarks blog: http://montymark.livejournal.com/375838.html

Please pray for the victims, their family and all bystanders....

Afgelopen weekend ben ik op retraite geweest met een stel mensen van Credimus (www.credimus.nl). Het zou een stille retraite worden, maar zoals jullie zien, kwam daar niet zo veel van terecht.

 

Anja heeft in iedergeval bovenstaande film (in 2 delen) ervan gemaakt en dit beschrijft wel aardig de sfeer. Hieronder is mijn eigen, persoonlijke ervaring:

Ik ben op tijd uit Hoogeveen vertrokken naar Zwolle, waar Mark, Livi en Guido zouden arriveren met de trein vanuit Emmen en Groningen. Ook Anja zou daarheen komen om mensen met de auto op te pikken.

Toen ik daar aankwam, zag ik alleen Mark op het perron staan. (De trein uit Emmen was er nl. eerder dan die uit Groningen). Toen de trein uit Groningen kwam, stapten Livi en Guido er echter niet uit. Na een paar telefoontjes kwamen Mark en ik erachter dat ze later zouden komen (wegens vertraging van zichzelf en de NS)en  rechtstreeks naar Zutphen zouden reisen.

Vanaf  Zwolle zijn we dus naar Leuvenheim gereden. Het was druk, het sneeuwde en regende, maar in de auto's scheen figuurlijk de zon.

Eenmaal aangekomen stond de koffie al klaar. Na de koffie ben ik terug naar Zutphen gereden om David op te pikken.

Toen nog weer later iedereen geärriveerd was, kon het weekend van start.

Het voert te ver om alles te vertellen, maar het was voor mij een goed weekend met veel devotie maar ook veel lol.

Het programma zat vrij vol, maar liet wel ruimte over voor een fikse wandeling.

Ik heb eigenlijk maar één minpuntje kunnen ontdekken: het was tekort!

Gelukkig hebben we gelijk weer een nieuwe datum afgesproken. Maar eerst......

Dat lezen jullie in de volgende blog....
 

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen

Born in 1577, at Sigmaringen, Prussia, of which town his father Johannes Rey was burgomaster; died at Sevis, 24 April, 1622. On the paternal side he was of Flemish ancestry. He pursued his studies at the University of Freiburg in the Breisgau, and in 1604 became tutor to Wilhelm von Stotzingen, with whom he travelled in France and Italy. In the process for Fidelis's canonization Wilhelm von Stotzingen bore witness to the severe mortifications his tutor practised on these journeys. In 1611 he returned to Freiburg to take the doctorate in canon and civil law, and at once began to practise as an advocate. But the open corruption which found place in the law courts determined him to relinquish that profession and to enter the Church. He was ordained priest the following year, and immediately afterwards was received into the Order of Friars Minor of the Capuchin Reform at Freiburg, taking the name of Fidelis. He has left an interesting memorial of his novitiate and of his spiritual development at that time in a book of spiritual exercises which he wrote for himself. This work was re-edited by Father Michael Hetzenauer, O.F.M. Cap., and republished in 1893 at Stuttgart under the title: "S. Fidelis a Sigmaringen exercitia seraphicae devotionis". From the novitiate he was sent to Constance to finish his studies in theology under Father John Baptist, a Polish friar of great repute for learning and holiness. At the conclusion of his theological studies Fidelis was appointed guardian first of the community at Rheinfelden, and afterwards at Freiburg and Feldkirch. As a preacher his burning zeal earned for him a great reputation.

From the beginning of his apostolic career he was untiring in his efforts to convert heretics nor did he confine his efforts in this direction to the pulpit, but also used his pen. He wrote many pamphlets against Calvinism and Zwinglianism though he would never put his name to his writings. Unfortunately these publications have long been lost. Fidelis was still guardian of the community at Feldkirch when in 1621 he was appointed to undertake a mission in the country of the Grisons with the purpose of bringing back that district to the Catholic Faith. The people there had almost all gone over to Calvinism, owing partly to the ignorance of the priests and their lack of zeal. In 1614 the Bishop of Coire had requested the Capuchins to undertake missions amongst the heretics in his diocese, but it was not until 1621 that the general of the order was able to send friars there. In that year Father Ignatius of sergamo was commissioned with several other friars to place himself at the disposal of this bishop for missionary work, and a similar commission was given to Fidelis who however still remained guardian of Feldkirche. Before setting out on this mission Fidelis was appointed by authority of the papal nuncio to reform the Benedictine monastery at Pfafers. He entered upon his new labours in the true apostolic spirit. Since he first entered the order he had constantly prayed, as he confided to a fellow-friar, for two favours: one, that he might never fall into mortat sin; the other, that he might die for the Faith. In this Spirit he now set out, ready to give his life in preaching the Faith. He took with him his crucifix, Bible, Breviary, and the book of the rule of his order; for the rest, he went in absolute poverty, trusting to Divine Providence for his daily sustenance. He arrived in Mayenfeld in time for Advent and began at once preaching and catechizing; often preaching in several places the same day. His coming aroused strong opposition and he was frequently threatened and insulted. He not only preached in the Catholic churches and in the public streets, but occasionally in the conventicles of the heretics. At Zizers one of the principal centres of his activity, he held conferences with the magistrates and chief townsmen, often far into the night. They resulted in the conversion of Rudolph de Salis, the most influential man in the town, whose public recantation was followed by many conversions.

Throught the winter Fidelis laboured indefatigably and with such success that the heretic preachers were seriously alarmed and set themselves to inflame the people against him by representing that his mission was political rather than religious and that he was preparing the way for the subjugation of the country by the Austrians. During the Lent of 1622 he preached with especial fervour. At Easter he returned to Feldkirch to attend a chapter of the order and settle some affairs of his community. By this time the Congregation of the Propaganda had been established in Rome, and Fidelis was formally constituted by the Congregation, superior of the mission in the Grisons. He had, however, a presentiment that his laborers would shortly be brought to a close by a martyr's death. Preaching a farewell sermon at Feldkirch he said as much. On re-entering the country of the Grisons he was met everywhere with the cry: "Death to the Capuchins!" On 24 April, being then at Grusch, he made his confession and afterwards celebrated Mass and preached. Then he set out for Sevis. On the way his companions noticed that he was particularly cheerful. At Sevis he entered the church and began to preach, but was interrupted by a sudden tumult both within and without the church. Several Austrian soldiers who were guarding the doors of the church were killed and Fidelis himself was struck. A Calvinist present offered to lead him to a place of security. Fidelis thanked the man but said his life was in the hands of God. Outside the church he was surrounded by a crowd led by the preachers who offered to save his life if he would apostatize. Fidelis replied: "I came to extirpate heresy, not to embrace it", whereupon he was struck down. He was the first martyr of the Congregation of Propaganda. His body was afterwards taken to Feldkirch and buried in the church of his order, except his head and left arm, which were placed in the cathedral at Coire. He was beatified in 1729, and canonized in 1745. St. Fidelis is usually represented in art with a crucifix and with a wound in the head; his emblem is a bludgeon. His feast is kept on 24 April.

More about the program:

May God bless you and grant you many blessings in this new year! You will be so happy that you are participating in this beautiful devotion!
 
I wish that there was an instruction manual that came with this devotion as
there are some who just are not too sure what to do once they have received
a patron saint for the year. Unfortunately there isn't. If you visit my blog though, you will
find some suggestions on what to do. Keep in mind that this is a personal
relationship between you and your saint and you can put as much or as little
into the devotion as you like. There are really no set rules. I always
suggest though that you research and research and research your saint and
find out as much as you can about them. That way you will be better able to
see the connections between the two of you and will also realize the
intercessions as they come. There are a few sites on my blog that can get
you started with your research or you can go to the search engine of your choice and type in "catholic saints" in the search box. I personally like 'google'.
 
This devotion started out as a patron saint for the year and by actually choosing your
saint at that time, on January 1st. But ... it has grown from patron saint of the year being
chosen at the beginning of the year to saints being chosen in late November and all of December to help accommodate all the requests. As the word got out over the last 4 years and news about this devotion traveled, requests started coming in all year long and so now this devotion has taken a look at what people are needing and wanting and every year, something about this devotion has changed. My new blog for this year will not only be the Patron Saint of the Year, but will be defining your needs.  You will be the one to decide if you want a Patron Saint for the Year or if you want a Patron Saint for a life time (such as my mom has done ... she received St. Joseph two years ago and has decided to keep him close to her and not choose another saint) or you can decide to add another Patron Saint to the one(s)that you previously had. If you make your request in say November or March, or any other time, you decide if you want to wait for one year to request another or you can request one to start the new year just like those who started this devotion, which by the way, was St. Faustina and her religious order.
As I said earlier, since there are no set rules as to how to participate, keep in mind that you
may also request a patron saint for an individual and then
you
can keep the devotion going
for that person. For example, if you have someone who you feel needs prayers or spiritual
guidance, you can request a saint for them, and you can keep the devotion going for that person by praying to the saint without that person even knowing about it.
 
One of the most important things to keep in mind is to NOT be disappointed with the saint
that you receive. Since I have been involved in this beautiful devotion, I have come to believe
that there are NO mistakes in which saint chooses you. I have just had too many people
come back and tell me their miracle stories, instant connections, happenings, intercessions, etc ...
to
believe that the saint that they have received is not for them. On my blog, I talk about researching your saint so you can better understand WHY this particular saint has chosen you.
Realize that this heavenly intercessor will be there for you, to help you, to guide you and to make you a better person. How much you get out of the relationship is up to you. The saint that you
receive is very anxious to do what they can for you.
 
Again, some saints are not known very well. All I can say about that is ALLELUIA
if you receive one of them!
These saints are now coming to the forefront and out of obscurity and making themselves
known and appreciated. They can offer a lot to us if we let them. Research and prayer and
talking with them and very importantly, listening to them, will introduce to you what they have
in mind for you. 
 
So, enjoy getting to know your saint and walking hand in hand with them!
Stay in touch and let me know about any connections you may have.
Know that you will be in my prayers! Please keep me in yours.

So, I hope you'll be as enthousiastic as me and join up!