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Christian Persecution and Saints at the Well

My last post was a little bit of an overview of the local Catholic conference I was a vendor at, and today I want to share two stories from the conference: the lovely lady from Iraq and the Tiny Saints.

The Lovely Lady from Iraq

As a vendor at a conference, you get to talk to so many people, and every so often there is a conversation that stays with you. On Saturday, I was helping a customer select a Spanish mantilla when I noticed a lady waiting to talk to me. When I was done and turned to talk to her, I noticed she was about as tall as my maternal grandmother. She asked me what I had in very light lace, and as we talked about the French mantillas I carry, I noticed a slight accent. So I decided to ask her where she was from.

"Minnesota", she said. "We didn't have to travel far to come to this conference".

I said, "Oh, OK, that's not far at all. Where are you originally from?"

She hesitated. Immediately I sensed why, "I ask, because my grandmother was from the Middle East and you remind me of her".

"She was? From where?", she asked. "Beit-Jala, Palestine," I replied, "and my grandfather's family, from Bethlehem." "Ah," she said, "I am from Iraq."

Silver Star marking Christ's birthplace - Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine

The conversation that ensued was one of the most emotion-filled I have had in a long time. We talked about our hesitation, as Middle Easterners, to say where we (or our ancestors) are from, because of the assumption that Middle Eastern is synonymous with terrorist. We chuckled at how every time, we have to explain to people that the original Christians - those who followed Christ from the very beginning - are our ancestors. No, we aren't terrorists - far from it. We are the survivors of Christian persecution, the living proof that no matter how bad things get, there is hope, there is a future, and Christians will live on, even if that means in other countries.

The Arabic letter N, "nun", used by Muslims to identify Christians (Nazarenes).

Of course we talked about Iraq and the persecution Christians are suffering  now, and how we both know it will take centuries to reestablish a Christian presence there - an awareness that neither one of us is sure the West has fully realized.

Our families fled the Middle East, looking for peace and stability - and employment. Some came to the US, some to Latin America. In the end, we are all over the planet, really, and I'm always surprised at how easily conversation flows simply because of that shared history as Christians - regardless of which Middle Eastern country we hail from.

Of course, the conversation was made complete when we talked about family and food - the two things that come in tied at second for Middle Eastern Christians, right after our faith. When the lady left, my daughters remarked that it was amazing how quickly she and I hit it off, "like you had known each other for years, mom."

Saints at the Well

Sunday came fast, and both the girls and I realized that if we wanted to look around at what other vendors offered, we had to get going. So we took turns visiting other booths. One that had stood out to all 3 of us when we came in in Saturday was the Tiny Saints. So Angelina and I set off to go visit them, leaving Luciana to keep our booth company.

Have you seen these amazingly cute, tiny little saint charms? No? Well, here's a sneak peek:

They come on a lobster clip, so yo can attach them to almost anything! Car/house keys, backpack, jacket zipper - even your dog's collar! You can click on any of the pictures to see more Tiny Saints!

Here are two of my favorites (for now - they are all soooo cute)!

Needless to say, it was hard to decide which one to pick. We spent a good 20 minutes just looking, and reading each saint's story on the back of the package. Then, I convinced Angelina to go back to the booth and send Luciana over. Another 20 minutes spent admiring and picking out saint charms! The Tiny Saints gals were so kind and friendly - very easy to talk to.

Speaking of persecution and our Christian faith - what a great way to celebrate the saints (many of whom were persecuted!) and learn about them. They make great gifts for young and not so young alike! My kids each got one, and I'm planning on getting them some more for Christmas.

What about you? What do yo think about the Tiny Saints? Leave a comment below.

Pax Christi.

Going to the Well

This past weekend I was blessed to be a vendor at our regional conference in Des Moines, Christ Our Life. It's the third conference, and my second one as a vendor.

Going into the Conference, I must say I was a bit down on things in general. In July and August, our internet service was down intermittently for several weeks. Since my veil business is primarily online, internet service is key. I had spent several weeks trying to catch up, fielding calls and emails from upset customers whose veils were delayed. Quite frankly, I was exhausted.

So my plan for the weekend was to take some work with me, and take some time to relax. You know what they say about God and making plans, right?

The first couple I spoke to at length came into the Well (it's what we affectionately call the Wells Fargo Arena) on Friday evening, while I was setting up my booth. My husband and our 3 youngest kids had left about an hour before, because the kids were running around and I wasn't getting much done.

The wife was pleasantly surprised to see my mantilla booth. She shared with me that she has worn a veil ever since she was a small girl, and showed me the one that was given to her for Confirmation so many years ago. "I'm scared to wash it", she said, "because it might fall apart".  She was very glad to hear that veiling is making a comeback, as was her husband.

This couple had come from a small town in Iowa, and told me how they were so lucky to have gotten a room a the hotel across the street. When they called, they were first told all rooms were already sold out, but the person said they would check. As they were holding, a cancellation came through! We stood inside the Arena, looking down at all the seats. They both wondered if it was too large for a Catholic conference in Iowa.

The next morning, as I stood at the bottom of the stairs at 7:30 a.m., waiting for my two teen daughters to hurry up and get going, I wondered if all this effort would be worth it. We were already 30 minutes later than I wanted - vendor booths opened at 7 a.m. and here I was - herding teens out the door.

We made it to the Well at about 8:15 a.m. To my surprise, there were about 5 or 6 women waiting at my booth! In the midst of trying to open for business, somehow we managed to sell about a dozen veils before Mass with Cardinal Dolan began at 9:30.

The question posed by the couple the night before was answered pretty quickly that morning. Here is a picture of the Well on Saturday. It's estimated that 7,000 people were there for the Mass:

Photo Credit: Daniel Nielsen

To be continued....

July Veil Giveaway

It's Giveaway time again! It originally went through Monday, July 28th, but...due to technical difficulties, I'm extending it for 2 more days - until July 31st!

 See below to enter:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

June Mantilla Veil GIVEAWAY!

Every month, Silver Hill Treasures gives away *at least* one veil.  Ever wonder why I do this?

Even though the number of women wearing a veil continues to grow rapidly, many women are unable to justify the expense. I shared earlier this month on my friend Emily's blog the story of how Silver Hill Treasures came to be. It really wasn't my idea to start a veiling company, I was just looking for ONE veil. But the Blessed Mother had other ideas, and here we are!

What does that have to do with the monthly giveaways? Well, since Our Lady led me to starting Silver Hill Treasures, it's abundantly clear to me that it pleases her to have her daughters show reverence to our Eucharistic Lord by wearing a head covering to Mass. In my heart I feel that the expense of a veil should not be an obstacle to pleasing her. So - that's how the monthly giveaways came to be!

This month, I'm giving away four mantillas - in the style and color of each winner's choice! All I ask is that you help me spread the word about this wonderful devotion. 

So without further ado, enter here: 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

or go to the Rafflecopter entry form on Silver Hill Treasures' Facebook page.

Looking for veiling resources?

• Order these free brochures to help explain veiling to friends, family and fellow parishioners.

• Visit the Catholic Veiling Resources page on our website

• Join the Catholic Women's Veiling Devotion page on Facebook to meet and interact with other Catholic women on various stages in their veiling journey, from those still discerning to ladies who have veiled for several years!

• Read about other women's veiling journeys on my friend Emily's series: Our Lady's Image: Veiling on her blog, Em's Estuary.

Pax Christi

How Silver Hill Treasures Came to Be

Emily's Estuary

Today I'm over at Emily's Estuary, sharing the story of how Silver Hill Treasures got its start. Emily has been doing a series on veiling, and asked me to share. Head on over to read all about it, and if you're interested, check out the other veiling posts. Here is a link to my personal veiling story: Karen's Story. They are truly inspiring!

Ever wonder why my company is called "Silver Hill" Treasures?

My hometown is beautiful Tegucigalpa, Honduras, founded on September 29, 1578 by Spanish settlers as “Real de Minas de San Miguel de Tegucigalpa”. The word “Tegucigalpa” is derived from the Nahuatl word Taguz-galpa, which means hills of silver. So, the city’s name literally means “the mining camp of St. Michael (the Archangel) in the silver hills”.

Tegucigalpa is a beautiful Spanish colonial city, chock full of colonial churches. 

“Treasures” is how I see Catholic sacramentals (including veils). Veils especially are treasures since women are rediscovering this beautiful devotion.

Pictured above is St. Michael the Archangel Cathedral in Tegucigalpa. It was built between 1765 and 1786, in the Baroque style. The exterior has been restored to its original color. The main altar (below) is made of  gold mined by the Spaniards in Tegucigalpa. It's divided into three columns and depicts: (middle column, top to bottom) The Holy Trinity (painting), The Virgin Mary and St. Michael the Archangel. The two side columns depict the 6 other Archangels. Did you notice the altar rail?

Have a blessed day!

Pax Christi,

Karen

Prince Charming and the Chapel Veil

+JMJ+

This morning a woman in a veiling group I belong to on Facebook asked why veils were still required at First Communions, but not every time we attend Mass.  I have to say it's a great question, and I've been pondering this all day.

First Communions, like weddings, are special occasions.  While technically the Church no longer requires that women wear a veil, for First Communions and weddings, it's expected and strongly encouraged. What little girl doesn't dream of her wedding, the dress, the veil, the groom - Prince Charming? And for Catholic little girls, their First Holy Communion - when they also get to wear a beautiful dress and veil? To look like a mini-bride? Is there a Prince Charming at First Communion? Read on.

Let's first take a look at why wearing a veil went by the wayside. For almost 2000 years, Catholic women wore a veil any time they were in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Then, almost overnight, in the late 1960's, early 1970's, the veils were gone. This is key: the 1960's and 70's - a time of great social turmoil. Feminism became synonymous with doing away with anything that would show women are different from men. The veil (it oppresses women), chivalry (I can open my own door, thank you!), motherhood (who wants more than two children, it will ruin your career). To quote Dr. Alice von Hildebrand:

" Now the … feminists after Vatican II suddenly “discovered” that when women go to Church veiled, it is a sign of their inferiority. The man takes off his hat and the woman puts on a veil. My goodness, how they have lost the sense of the supernatural. Veiling indicates sacredness and it is a special privilege of the woman that she enters church veiled."

In analyzing further, we see that it's an attempt to undermine the Eucharist - Christ made present. How so?

Step 1: If wearing a veil oppresses you, you have to remove that yoke! "Don't let them oppress you, take off that veil and you will see!" Chilling parallel to the "eat the apple and you will see like God sees". Also parallel to the "gospel of prosperity" that certain Protestant pastors promote: "personal empowerment", "visualize what you want and declare it to be yours", and so on.

Step 2: If enough women do away with their veils, it shows that the Mass is nothing special. There is nothing there to make us do anything different. It's just another place that we go to for - what?

Step 3: Once we lose sight of why we attend Mass, we start finding other reasons for being there. The social interaction, the cute guys at Mass, the donuts afterwards - you get what I'm saying! And if Mass is nothing special, I can wear whatever I want. Except a veil, of course!

Step 4: Pretty soon we find ourselves thinking: "Why does Mass take so long? Thank God there are extraordinary ministers to speed things along! Come on, dude, I'm not sticking my tongue out, I'll look stupid. Right here, in my hand. Oops, I dropped it, can I have another one?"

Can you see what is happening here? ME, ME, ME. It's not about Jesus any more. Jesus, who died on the Cross to save us, is moved aside (quite literally in some parishes), because it's all about ME!

Let me share a true story with you. My family once attended Mass at a parish several miles away, for my nephew's baptism. When it came time for communion, Father distributed the host and wine vessels to the EMHCs and walked out of the sanctuary. People started going up for communion, and suddenly a screen was lowered above the altar and a video of Father's latest mission trip to El Salvador started playing, and the "band" started playing catchy soft rock music, electric guitars and drums and all! Father returned to the sanctuary and sat down, waiting for communion - and the video - to be over.

During the most important part of the Mass, during the time when we are to be in silent prayer, receiving the body and blood of Christ, the Holy Eucharist. Nope, Christ wasn't deemed that important - after all, helping others is Christ-like, right?

"My goodness, how they have lost the sense of the supernatural." Absolutely. What did Dr. Alice von Hildebrand mean by that sentence? Here is another quote from her:

"You see the Church recognises things so profoundly that in some way you can say she has always recognised the special dignity granted to women. You cannot be a Christian and not recognise the privilege that it is to be a woman, because the most perfect of all creatures, the only creature born without original sin, is a woman and therefore once again you understand the extraordinary privilege of being one and having this image of the Holy Virgin, who was both Virgin and Mother and the two go beautifully together.” 

Did you get that? There is a special dignity granted to women. Women are special. Here is more:

"God creates a new human soul, totally new, which never existed before. Where? In the mystery of the female body. This is where the soul is conceived. It has nothing to do with the husband. The husband is out of the game at this point and the very moment that God creates a soul he implies that there is a special contact between God and the female body, so to speak, touching it in creating it. Once again, what an extraordinary privilege."

Women have privileges from God that men don't have. God touches a woman's body when He creates a new life. Let that sink in.

"And this is why the female body should be veiled because everything which is sacred calls for veiling. When Moses came down form Mount Sinai, he veiled his face. Why did he veil his face? Because he had spoken to God and at that very moment there was a sacredness that called for veiling."

"Veiling indicates sacredness and it is a special privilege of the woman that she enters church veiled."


So back to First Communions weddings, and veils. And the question: "Is there a Prince Charming at First Communion?" Of course there is! During communion, we receive Christ, and First Communion is the first time we receive Him! Why do we wear a veil for a wedding? Well, marriage is a sacrament and there are 3 persons present for it: bride, groom and Christ. A woman wearing a veil at her wedding underscores the supernatural nature of the sacrament. In 1 Cor 11:3, we see God's hierarchy spelled out for us:

But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and a husband the head of his wife, and God the head of Christ.

Notice it doesn't say "a man is the head of a woman." No, it specifically says "husband" and "wife". It says that "Christ is the head of every man" (emphasis mine), but then changes to "a husband the head of his wife" (emphasis mine). Notice it doesn't say that any man or every man is the head of all women, or of any woman. Husband and wife.

The feminists Dr. von Hildebrand spoke of would have us believe this is the hierarchy:

When in reality, it is this:

Pretty simple and straightforward. Let's also not forget that Ephesians 5: 25 says:

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her.

In other words, husbands should be ready to die for their wives. Hardly an oppressive move!

So to answer the question of why veils at First Communions and weddings are way more common than at Mass, the truth is I don't know why. Perhaps, in our fallen nature, when receiving these "once-in-a-lifetime" sacraments, we are able to subconsciously grasp their supernatural nature. Having allowed the Eucharist to become commonplace in our minds means we no longer see it as "special", when in reality:

 CCC 1324: "The Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life."¹³⁶ "The other sacraments, and indeed all ecclesiastical ministries and works of the apostolate, are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it. For in the blessed Eucharist is contained the whole spiritual good of the Church, namely Christ himself, our Pasch."¹³⁷

"The other sacraments...are bound up with the Eucharist and are oriented toward it". In other words, the Eucharist is THE most important sacrament! The "source" and "summit", the "Alpha" and the "Omega". In other words, Christ. And it makes sense that if we veil for these "special occasions", we should have even more reason to veil anytime the Blessed Sacrament  - our Prince Charming, Christ himself - is present.

Pax Deum.