We’ve been hanging out, sharing memories, thoughts, and recipes for a long time. I dipped my toes into the blogging world in October 2017. That year my grand total of posts shared was one. That’s the equivalent of my average daily posts over the last 3 years. Wow – guess once I got the ball rolling, there was no turning back.
It wasn’t until 2019 that I began sharing Catholic Feast Days and talking about what it has meant to me growing up Catholic. Although I am, as they say, a Cradle Catholic (baptized as a baby, raised in the faith through Catholic Education), I did try on a few different forms of religion over the years. I know the Church frowns on such behavior. Father Sam, our pastor, has rolled his baby-blues more than once when I say positive things about other denominations, other faiths. I think there is a level of truth in all faiths. Granted some are closer to the truth than others. Don’t get me started on those mega “feel good” religions. All of that is a conversation for another day, another place, and another time.
Today is the 13th day of May. We’ve just celebrated Mother’s Day. None of us would be without the existance of mothers and fathers. That’s just the way the world works. For Christians, and in particular Catholics, God has provided great examples for mothers and fathers to follow. At the top of the list, we have Mother Mary and Saint Joseph. Mary in particular has been allowed special duties, if you will for the sacrifices she made. She has been seen for centuries, appearing as a Marian Apparition. The Catholic Church believes that it is possible for these supernatural events to occur, but also believes that many claimed apparitions are fabricated by the seer or the result of something other than divine intervention. The Church has established a process for determining the claims of visits from Mary. Furthermore, while the Church may say this apparation or that apparation is worthy of belief; when it comes to the faithful (people like me), we are not required to believe. Believing or disbelieving in Our Lady of Guadalupe or Our Lady of Lourdes or as in the case of today, Our Lady of Fatima is a personal decision.
Since it is a matter of personal choice, I would rather believe. Real or imagined, there is a certain sense of comfort in the idea that Mary comes bearing messages from heaven. It opens the heart to the possibility those we’ve lost are not far away. I know that I used to feel the presence of my mother around me for a long time after she was gone. I haven’t felt her near in maybe 20 years now. Perhaps it because I am in a better place and don’t need her as much. Still, I miss her. When I see her again, I have a great deal to say, beginning with I am sorry for not being a better daughter. The person I am today would have been more loving, more understanding, more compassionate. And a lot less a brat.
The story of Our Lady of Fatima is that between May 13 and October 13, 1917 the Blessed Mother appeared to three shepherd children near Fatima. Fatima at the time was a small village some 110 miles north of Lisbon. While Our Lady let her presence be known to all three children, she only spoke directly to Lucia, the eldest child. Her message was one of peace through prayer, love and understanding. She promised an end to the great war, but warned of another global conflict if we (mankind) continued on the path we had chosen for ourselves. There is no denying that evil exists. It always has, but in the end Evil will not triumph. There are many forms of evil. The greatest of all can be found in acts of war. War is a means of spreading hatred, bigotry and intolerance. The flames of war these days seems to be fanned by social media. We need to learn to turn the other cheek, to live and let live. Revenge begets nothing but more revenge, more destruction, more cruelty. Now more than ever before, we need to pray for one another.
Dear Lady of Fatima
Our Blessed Mother in Heaven
We, your poor banished children
Come to you on bended knee
And bet for intercession
Now more than ever
Unite us as Children of God
The God of Love
The God of Compassion,
Peace and understanding
Come to us O Lord
And heal a broken people
Slow-Cooker Pork Chops with Chipotle Peppers
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
2 ribs Celery
1/2 Yellow Onion
6 Pork Chops, 3/4-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup Chicken Stock
1/4 cup Orange Juice
1 tablespoon Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican Oregano
Core, seed and slice bell peppers into strips. Finely slice celery. Cut onion in half, reserve half for another purpose, peel and dice remaining half. In a 5-quart slow cooker, place all the vegetables. Set aside.
Season chops with garlic salt and black pepper. In a large cast iron skillet heat oil over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary, brown pork chops on both sides. Add to the slow-cooker over the vegetable mixture.
In a small bowl, combine chicken stock and orange juice. Mince chipotle peppers, add to the bowl. Crush oregano between fingers, sprinkle over the peppers. Mix and pour over the chops.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-1/2 hours or HIGH for 3-1/2 hours. Once tender and cooked through, use a slotted spoon to transfer chops along with vegetables to a serving platter.
Spicy Cornbread Stuffing
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon Butter
1-1/2 teaspoons Ancho Powder
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried Onion Flakes
1 box Cornbread Stuffing Mix
In a sauce pan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add butter, let melt. Season stock with Ancho Powder, Cayenne Pepper and Onion Flakes. Lower heat; let simmer for 5 minutes for flavors to merge.
Remove from heat; add cornbread stuffing mix. Fluff with a fork once the liquid has been absorbed.
To serve; mound some stuffing on individual plates. Place a pork chop atop or alongside the stuffing, topped with some vegetables for color. This is delicious with buttery corn as a side.
The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
Welcome to Rosemarie's Kitchen 