Beautiful Sacred Heart Craft

I think I'm living in the wrong part of the world....Kimberlee's crafts are just the best!

Online Eucharistic books for Children

Susana over at 4Real has just shared some fantastic links, online Eucharistic books for children.

They have come from The Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association.

The first link is Eucharistic Miracles and Saints

The second, The Eucharist, The Bread of Eternal Life.

These are simply wonderful, perfect for First Holy Communion preparation. I encourage you to pass these links far and wide!

Editing to add (17th July 2012): I have just discovered that the Real Presence site has since added a new display, Apparitions of Angels and Demons.

Why repetitious prayer?

"Triumph in the Name of Jesus" by Giovanni Battista Gaulli

In my previous posting, My Most Important Blog Posting to Date , I have stressed the importance of small, repetitious prayer, as continuous as it possibly can be.

With children, we can teach them “Oh Mary, Conceived without Sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” Or the memorare and encourage them to recite it as often as they can throughout the day...

We can given the children practical helps, (which also become our reminders too!) maybe an image of the miraculous medal pinned around the home, in their bedrooms? I have put the image of McCain standing in front of the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on my Miraculous Medal Prayer Petition Mobile which hangs in our living room. If you are in the car often, an image can be stuck on the dashboard of the car, or hung from the visor.

The family can also have structured time for praying these small prayers as well. In the car yesterday morning on the way to Mass we, as a family, recited nine “Oh Mary, conceived without sin...” and nine memorares, like a little ‘flying’ novena. This can be done at the main prayer times of the day.

When you are reciting it continually you can be tempted to think that you are being TOO repetitious...I know that thought has struck me already...when I think about the point, I wonder if I am being tempted this way to put the prayers aside or to diminish them greatly...But I remember that 1 Thessalonians 5:17 exhorts me to 'pray without ceasing'.

And THEN I also remind myself of a wonderful story my mother told me many, many years ago, an example of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, in a very vocal manner. It is the story of a retired protestant missionary who had in his working years, ministered to Papua New Guineans, and whom my mother once cared for in a nursing home.

This elderly man had suffered a stroke which required him to be cared for in a nursing home but his wife was still well enough to live in their family home. She came faithfully every day to be with her husband to spend time with him. They were a loving and devoted couple. This man, lets call him Jim – Jim was often seen with his well worn bible in his hands and was a joy to all those who cared for him.

One day Jim’s wife suffered an acute health crisis, one that she was not expected to survive, she was in intensive care in a hospital and Jim had no way of being by her side. But something beautiful happened. Jim began to recite the holy name of “Jesus” it was continuous, without break, said slowly and revently. Day or night (if awake) a nurse could walk into his room and he would be reciting the name of Jesus. This went on for many days.

My mother would check in each day for her shift and would have to read the notes on each patient, it would be noted that Jim was still chanting the name of Jesus. I asked my mum, “Did they mean that in a disresptful way?” “No”, my mother replied, all the nurses, no matter what their beliefs had a deep respect for Jim and maybe they too, like myself today can use this story for greater good in their own lives or others.

Finally the news arrived that Jim’s wife had made a full recovery from intensive care, it had not been expected, but she did. In time his wife returned to her faithful, daily visits and she outlived Jim, as he passed away three years later.

When I question the constancy of simple, repetitive prayer that goes on day and night, I remember Jim, and ask God to give me his devotion, perseverance and strength of character.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart

Our beautiful picture that hangs above our dining table.

Today is the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Two years ago at this moment, as I type, I was driving into the middle of our city to pick up my great grandfather’s enormous Sacred Heart picture (about 4 ft by 3 ft) from a restoration business. I had talked about this picture and also another treasured Sacred Heart image in these two posts, here & here. The children and I were very joyful, singing hymns and reciting little ejaculations to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our picture was coming home to us on the feast itself....

Almost 3 years ago we put this beautiful framed Sacred Heart picture into a shop to have it restored. It is almost 100 years old and the back of the frame was not completely sealed anymore, with a gaping hole in the brown paper that had been used so long ago for its back. It had hung on a thin, twisted bit of wire all those years, it is amazing it had not just gone, “Sprong!!” one day and fallen off the wall. The Sacred Heart image itself was buckling and the frame needed to have mold markings removed. It was fortunate that we had put it in when we did. We were told that the paper was extremely delicate and it would not have been long before it would have disintegrated completely upon removal.

We were given a quote for restoration of the picture which needed to be ‘bonded’ to special rice paper due to the fragility of the image. This was to be a very slow, laborious task that was very expensive. It needed slight touch ups here and there. The frame needed special cleaning and a small inner board needed to be placed between the glass and image to stop the image from touching the glass again. It then needed conservation framing, with a new wiring system at the back, distributing the weight of this big picture so that it would not put the frame under undue pressure over the next 100 years or so. It was expensive but as a treasured family heirloom it was worth it, giving it a new lease of life that would last much, much longer than it had so far.

I had been told it should be ready within 3 months. I rang in 3 months time to be told that there had been delays and that another 6 weeks were needed....I rang 6 weeks on, to be told the same thing again....and on it went. The last time I rang, I just said, “You ring me when it is finished...” He didn’t sound very hopeful that it would be anytime soon....I just couldn’t believe it all!

But it wasn’t long after that final call that he rang me – 4pm in the afternoon on a Friday – it was on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I can’t begin to express the profound shock, excitement and joy I felt and that quickly ran through the children like a buzz of electricity. Jesus had chosen to return to us on His feast!

I said, “What time do you close?” “5pm is our closing time” was the reply. I think he was thinking I would come in early the next week to pick it up. “Please, please, I would like to collect it today, I will be there just on 5pm, I promise! Don’t close without me arriving, I’ll do my best to get there on time!” I begged. That was fine. Now I’ve got to do it. "The traffic, at this time of night?!?" I’m shaking my head... It is a good half hour drive from where we live but with evening traffic that can easily double.

“Quick kids, get dressed, put on shoes!! Take the hairbrush to the car, quickly change the baby’s nappy! Get to the door, jump in the car!!! “ I yelled. “Yahoo, let’s go!” they shouted in reply. Off to the nearest ATM machine, drawing out the final payment, finally we were off!
We arrived right on 5pm, what a whirlwind of an hour! And there it was, all done, all finished, looking beautiful. I will never forget that day as long as I live. I was so deeply affected by the day this precious picture was returning to us for good.

A little tired today, virus earlier in the week, fortnightly shopping yesterday, doctor’s visit, herbalist visit, choir practice last night after missing 3 previous practices...We will renew our family consecration to the Sacred Heart and go to Mass tonight for the feast and sit down to a beautiful vegetarian quiche and pavlova all provided for by the Cheesecake shop at half the price. So much I would have liked to have done, crafts...that would have been nice but just not this year.

But I had a talk to my little 4 year old as we drove to the herbalist together and we talked about the Heart of Jesus. “What does it look like?” I asked. “Well, it has flames....a crown of thorns....a cross.” And we chatted about what all that meant. We talked about the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he knew all the symbols. They take in more than you realize.... We talked about little prayers we could say for the feast, just little ones, simple ones.

“What can you pray, for someone dear to you on this day?” I asked the little fellow. He didn’t say anything, he just hummed a tune, a tune we sing every day in our morning prayers. The words to it go like this, “Heart of Jesus I adore you, Heart of Mary I implore you, Heart of Joseph pure and just. In these three I place my trust.” (Click on the words to hear it but I'm afraid you won't detect my aussie accent when I sing!!!)

Darling little chap...it is so nice to be writing this down, they are precious moments that you don't ever want to forget.


Just editing...I didn't really look at the pav I bought, but as I brought it out to serve for sweets, I noticed it was covered in heart shaped strawberries - Yahoo!

One Man's Faith in the Sacred Heart

In my last posting I mentioned that something special had happened to my great grandfather and his treasured Sacred Heart image that you can see above, well here is the story:

A young married man about 27 years of age, who lived with his wife in Yarrawonga, made a visit to his local doctor, because he was very ill. He was medically examined and was told by his doctor he had TB on his lung and would or could only live about 6 months. This was in the early 1920’s and there was definitely no cure for this complaint, at this time. The young couple were very distressed by this report and they turned to God for help and direction.

The patient had a great devotion to the Sacred Heart. In his home he had a picture of the Sacred Heart that hung on the wall at the foot of his bed. The picture was of a heart encircled by a crown of thorns and flames, flames of burning love. One night while deep in prayer and gazing upon the picture an amazing transformation took place in the picture. The heart began to beat and the flame encircling the heart began to move and flicker. A voice invaded his consciousness and told him that although he would have much to suffer, he would live.

The patient then asked the doctor to give him a referral to a doctor who worked in Melbourne, whom they both knew. This doctor also confirmed the local doctor’s opinion that it was TB, but he decided to keep the patient in Melbourne to watch his condition and placed him on an open verandah of a hospital.

What was thought by two medical men to be TB (and in the 1920’s, there was no known cure) – on the specialist’s probing and examination of these 9 spots he had marked, he found dead Hydatids. The Hydatid was thought to be caused by the serum given to the patient for TB, or it was possibly caused through handling rabbits. Hydatid was a disease carried by rabbits. The specialist and his medical friend were very convinced it was the consistent trust and faith, that this young couple had in God’s help, that the specialist had been given help to find the answer he was looking for.

This young man was only 6 stone in weight and very black and weak. But after major surgery on the lung, ribs, etc. and with tender loving care, he lived to the age of 83 years. He spent many hours of praise and thanksgiving to his good Lord, for the help he was given in all those years, as well as raising a family of 9 children. The operation left him with a hole in his back that required bathing and dressing for many years. For all of his trials and afflictions he had a ready humour and any suffering or personal inconveniences were never seen in his countenance.

In 1932 he lost his dear wife in giving birth to their ninth child. (Aunty Mary) Hers was an unselfish love. She had been warned that in her state of health she would place her life in jeopardy by bearing another child. Acknowledging the risks, she went ahead and became pregnant. The last six months of her confinement she spent in bed. She died shortly after giving birth. Later in life he married again. He often joked to his grandchildren that he could breathe through the hole in his back while having his head in a bucket of water.

The trimmings at the end of his rosary were legendary. The trimmings provided for all the people he prayed for individually and the invocation of the saints to strengthen the faith of all his children and the children’s children. As a child when visiting grandpa and it was rosary time. We would all kneel down and listen to him dispensing the decades with a love and devotion that can only come from a person who has a deep and personal relationship with his God. The children were dispensed from the trimmings, as he well understood the attention span of the young.

(This was written by one of John Joseph Mullin’s grandchildren after hearing the full story from his second wife.)

John Joseph Mullins

The Month of the Sacred Heart

We have entered the month of June, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A beautiful season to honor Our Lord’s Heart. The Sacred Heart that was formed in the hidden depths of Mary’s pure womb. This Heart that would have physically beat in rhythm and unity with the Immaculate Heart that would have been like heavenly music to His ears. Her Immaculate Heart pumped the blood, with the needed nutrients, in the forming of this Sacred Heart. It is truly a profound thought to ponder on. The Creator allowing Himself to be knit from the smallest atom by His most chosen creature, His mother, that He created! It is a love of such intimacy that it would bring any mother who has carried precious life within, to tears.

As mothers we know that it is more than just supplying the sustaining nutrients via the placenta that we contribute in the formation of our children. We know that the emotional state and well being of the mother can affect the baby. I can look at the child of my most peaceful pregnancy and see a very calm and peaceful child. I have one of my precious children who is a little more highly strung than the others and it was a pregnancy where I was involved with on-going counseling outside the home of someone who was in deep distress, hearing a lot of pain and anguish on a daily basis...There is definitely more than the physical involved in the development of a child.

Then there is the spiritual aspect. We pray for our babies from the moment we know they are within. I like to particularly think that when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion that our child is also nourished in some spiritual way through this Divine communication. The importance of receiving pre-natal blessings, being blessed with relics, the use of sacramentals are all important to baby. At present I bless myself and baby with the Holy Oil of Loreto each morning.

So when we think of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we hear the ‘echo’ of Mary in His heartbeat.

I think these realities should also explain to us WHY Our Lady had to be created by God, "Immaculate" and without sin. Our Lady needed a Saviour, but Christ used the graces from the cross to save her in the most perfect manner possible. That is why we see Mary as the masterpiece of His creation AND of His redemption. When we honor Our Lady we are honoring God in a way that pleases Him greatly because Mary's glories are the beautiful manifestation of God's grace, never rejected. Therefore we should acknowledge, rejoice and praise God's own handiwork.

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a tradition in my father’s family that goes back to my knowledge, to his grandfather – my great grandfather, John Joseph Mullins. When my nanna passed away, we were given the enormous Sacred Heart picture that my great grandfather had bought (which would have been very expensive in its day.) I hope to show this beautiful image on the feast of the Sacred Heart later this month.

But there was also another picture of the Sacred Heart that my great grandfather treasured. A smaller picture, that was always by his bedside for as long as anyone could remember. There is a special story that I hope to share later, in regard to this picture. I have no memory ever seeing this picture in the flesh, my great grandfather died when I was very young. My nanna’s youngest sister, Aunty Mary, is the only still living child, and she has this image. She sent me a black/white photocopy of it with a listing of the colours for everything on the image, many years ago. I re-drew this beautiful and rare image (I also did a few drawings for other relatives) and we have ours hanging in our lounge, above our altar, along side a matching Immaculate Heart I designed from the original Sacred Heart.

I have never seen a Sacred Heart like this image. My great aunt does not know the origins of this particular image either. Has anyone ever seen it? I have searched extensively on the internet in years gone by and never found it. There is a beautiful caption written in the scroll,

“The Heart that is never strange or cold,
The Lobe that is ever new and old.”

This is written in a very old, fancy font and when I questioned my great aunt Mary about ‘the Lobe’ she says it clearly looks like a ‘b’ but I have a feeling that ‘v’ can sometimes look like a ‘b’ in some scripts. A lobe is a word associated with the liver not the heart...I wonder if it really reads, “The Love that is ever new and old.” I have drawn mine exactly as the original and so I suppose it is up to private interpretation, and I say myself, "Love". Though I would love anyone’s thoughts on this, on how they think it should read, knowing more on scripts or this expression... These beautiful words echo St Augustine's famous cry, "Late have I love Thee, Oh Beauty, ever ancient and ever new."


My great grandfather had a special prayer that he recited everyday in front of this image,

Though I ask for a long, long time, still I ask of Thee,
Oh, Sacred Heart of Jesus once more to plead for me
To Thine Eternal Father, for a great favour.
I place it in the centre of Thy broken bleeding Heart,
When covered with the crimson cloak of Thy most
Precious Blood, They Eternal Father cannot refuse
To hear, ot my prayer, but Thine.
Jesus Christ my God and my Redeemer,
I trust in Thee, in Thy Heart – in spite of all –
And forever. Amen.

What I do remember is my dear nanna, lovingly reciting this prayer of her father’s. This dear great grandfather instilled a deep love and devotion in his children for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May it never be neglected in his generations to come, to the end of time. That would be a legacy to give him great joy.