We have a Pope!

So, I was sitting down to watch some stupid show on television while I ate my lunch today. I happened to turn the television on to Fox News and they were watching the chimney over the Sistine Chapel, again, waiting to 'see' the latest vote. I decided to stay on and watch, too. Suddenly, GRAY smoke started out, not black so there was a momentary pause when it rapidly turned puffy and WHITE - we have a Pope!

Naturally, these final announcements take time so it was almost another hour before we found out WHO was our new Pope. At that point, we only knew the vote had been taken and approved. This was the first time I was in on the process from the announcement until the new Pope actually appeared. I have to say that from what I saw, heard, and have read about our new Pope Francis I, it seems we have gotten ourselves a strong, conservative Pontiff in Rome. Already, there are murmurs about his stance on certain controversial topics but it only shows he is making people who would harm the Church a bit nervous.

His first words were to pray for Pope Benedict and before his blessing to the world, he asked for our prayers for him. I'm praying he is a 'young' 76 year old and has the time to make a real difference in our Church and the world. I can only imagine the celebrations going on in Argentina at the news.

Cookie Break! Lemon-Apricot Pecan Bars!

Too many serious topics to think about so I'm thinking about cookies this morning. I like the combination of a short crust with lemony apricot topping . . . these cookies fit the bill quite nicely. I also like a one-pan baking especially when I have more than baking chores to do.

Lemon-Apricot Pecan Bars

1/3 cup brown sugar (dark or light is fine)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup butter, diced and cold
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and either cut the butter in with two knives, a pastry cutter, or use your fingers to reduce the mixture to the size of coarse breadcrumbs. Press the mixture evenly into a vegetable oil sprayed 8x8" baking pan. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack. Leave the oven on for the next step.

3/4 cup dried and chopped apricots
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
grated zest of one lemon
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Place the apricots, water, and juice in a pot and simmer for about 10 minutes or until fruit is soft. Strain the liquid but save the liquid.

Return the apricots to the pot and add the lemon zest, sugar, cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the saved cooking liquid. Cook for about a minute. Remove from heat and let mixture cool for about 15 minutes before spreading the topping over the crust. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. Cool thoroughly before cutting into bars.

A nice touch is to melt some chocolate chips and drizzle over the cookies before they are completely cool. Another method is to melt enough to glaze the whole top of the bars. Again, it must be cooled before cutting especially with the addition of the chocolate.

Three Votes and No Pope . . . Yet!

Like the majority of the world, I was glued to the television yesterday awaiting the first sign that the cardinals had cast their votes. As is general news now, the first vote earned black smoke meaning no new pope elected - yet! This morning, two more rounds of black smoke so the suspense is still in place.

Yes, I have my favorites for the new pope but know that the final result will be God's Will not mine although I'm prone to sending up suggestions! It has been fun, amusing, and interesting to read the secular reports on the process and the wishes for people in what they look for in a new pope. Noticed a lot of modern nuns saying they wanted a pope who gave them a bigger voice in the church. Makes you wonder how the Bible would have been written if the Blessed Mother made such demands of her Son?

Read an article that said that unless the Church 'changes its ways', meaning go with the sinful flow of the world, it will gradually lose it's membership and authority. Uh, it's been over 2,000 years and we continue to grow. I think a lot of people like the idea of a religion but not the rules that prohibit them from the sins of the world like abortion, contraceptives, etc. If you want to be in the 'club', follow the guidelines of the 'club' or find/found your own religion. The Ten Commandments aren't all that controversial!

Meanwhile, we wait and you can be sure my radio will be tuned in all day in hopes of being there when the awaited announcement is made.

No Excuse for Not Cooking . . .

After watching an episode of America's Worst Cook, I had to wonder about the mental capacity of these self-professed horrible keepers of the kitchen. I've always felt that if you can read, you can cook. Following basic recipes with a minimum of ingredients will usually provide one with an edible meal. Practice will eventually provide one with a better meal. When someone claims they can't even boil water, you have to wonder exactly how unmotivated they are that they find excuses to not provide nutritious food for themselves and their family.

My mother came from a culture when education came first so she got very little training or insight into the workings of a kitchen. She got married, she and my dad got hungry, they were living on an airman's salary . . . she had to learn to cook. The go-to cookbook for her was a big, fat one she found in some thrift shop. It was worn when she bought it and the pages, over the years, took on the fragile transparency of a well-used prayerbook or Bible. In some ways, it was right up there with those books as it what how she learned to sustain her family at the dinner table.

Naturally, she was not without mishaps and mistakes but, after the tears, they became the cooking legends of the family. My mother ended up being a great cook and it was because she wanted to provide and she bothered to take the time to read.

I got some training in the kitchen to a small extent but I found I liked to cook and bake and read my way to a certain competence in the culinary scope of the kitchen. Before I could rest on my accomplishments, I got married and my husband had certain allergies to some of the spice packets and such I used to cook meals. I started reading both the labels on the 'helping' stuff but researched how to make the items from scratch. You won't find a lot of canned or prepackaged items in my kitchen these days and it actually saves on the grocery budget.

Like just about anything in life, if you want to do it, you can do it . . . if you bother to work at it. I have had so many weird remarks made to me over the years because I enjoy being in the kitchen. "Your mother could cook so it's easy for you!" "You like being in the kitchen so it comes naturally to you." Uh, I could stand in the kitchen all day and unless I actually made an effort, nothing would happen. "You are a health nut and like to cook healthy." If you have a family, shouldn't YOU like to cook healthy, too? "My mother didn't teach me to cook so I'm hopeless in the kitchen." My mother became a working mother when I was seven so I learned a lot on my own if I was hungry enough. "Even if you didn't actually cook with your mother, you got your aptitude through osmosis." Okay, if one can absorb such knowledge through just being around cooks, a few trips to a gourmet restaurant and you'd be set for life, right?

I have to admit that having a husband and children was an extra push to cooking to the best of my ability. But, the fact that I was responsible for keeping people other than myself healthy, played a huge role in my desire to improve over the years. I figured that besides pleasing my family, I'd eventually have to report in to God about how I took care of the blessings He sent me.

Prelude to the Beginning . . .

The cardinals have gathered in Rome and the conclave to elect the new pope begins today. I imagine Emeritus Pope Benedict is most prayerful today as he remembers his time during the last papal election. I read the various articles and columns about all this and am glad the world doesn't get to vote on this important election. It is now a wait and see process. One wonders where they will be and what they will be doing when the white smoke plumes in the sky and we know the announcement is close at hand. There are many cardinals that would make a good successor to Pope Benedict but God's plans will make the final decision. We hope and pray.

I'm also feeling a bit old today as I count back on all the popes that I've 'lived' through to date. I remember listening to the radio and hearing the somber tone of the reporter saying, "Pope Pius XII is dead." I guess maturity and age played into my thoughts as I found the election of Pope Benedict the most exciting. I remember heading down the road for shopping and the announcer saying, "We have white smoke!" I made the fastest U-turn in history and headed back home to get my children gathered around to hear. With amazement, we heard that Cardinal Ratzinger had been elected and knew for sure that God is in charge because he was the most conservative in a world of liberalism.

So, this week is going to be interesting and anxious as we wait and pray for the cardinals who have the future of the church in their hands. They are locked away from the world with only their prayers and the Holy Spirit to keep them company.

How the Apostles Died

How The Apostles Died

1. Matthew

Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, Killed by a sword wound

2. Mark

Died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by Horses through the streets until he was dead

3. Luke

Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous Preaching to the lost

4 John

Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge Basin of boiling oil during a wave

of persecution In Rome . However, he was miraculously delivered from death.

John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison Island of Patmos.

He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed

and returned to serve As Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey . He died as an old man, the

only apostle to die peacefully.

5. Peter

He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross.

According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy

to die In the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6 James

The leader of the church in Jerusalem , was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast

pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he

survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club.

* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.

7. James the Great

Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus Called him to a lifetime of ministry.

As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem.

The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial.

Later, the officer Walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he

declared his new faith to the judge and Knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8. Bartholomew

Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey.

Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.

9. Andrew

He was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers

they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was

led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour.

The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his

tormentors For two days until he expired.

10. Thomas

Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the Sub-continent

11. Jude

Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.

12. Matthias

The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.

13. Paul

Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67. Paul endured

a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had

formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters, which taught many of the foundational

Doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us

That our sufferings here Are indeed minor compared To the intense persecution And cold cruelty

faced by the apostles And disciples during their times For the sake of the Faith. And ye shall be

hated Of all men for my name's sake: But he that endureth to the end shall be saved. Matthew

Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God WILL!

Novena For the Election of the Pope

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come.
From thy bright heavenly throne!
Come, take possession of our souls,
And make them all Thine Own!

Thou who art called the Paraclete,
Best gift of God above,
The Living Spring, The Living Fire,
Sweet Unction, and True Love!

Thou who are sevenfold in Thy grace,
Finger of God's right hand,
His Promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand!

O guide our minds with thy blest light,
With love our hearts inflame,
And with thy strength, which ne'er decays,
Confirm our mortal frame.

Far from us drive our hellish foe,
True peace unto us bring,
And through all perils guide us safe
Beneath thy sacred wing.

Through Thee may we the Father know,
Through Thee the Eternal Son,
And Thee the Spirit of them both
Thrice blessed Three in One.

Now to the Father, and the Son
Who rose from death, be glory given,
With Thee, O holy Comforter,
Henceforth by all in earth and heaven.

Amen.

Prayer

O Lord, with suppliant humility, we entreat Thee,
that in Thy boundless mercy
Thou wouldst grant the most holy Roman Church a pontiff,
who by his zeal for us,
may be pleasing to Thee,
and by his good government may ever be honoured
by Thy people for the glory of Thy name.
Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son,
who with Thee livest and reignest world without end.

Amen.

Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
pray for us who have recourse to Thee!