"How Advent Saved My Christmas" - special presentation

On December 4, 2009 at St. Rose of Lima in Northborough, MA, Susan presented a talk with music selections on how the season of Advent saved her Christmas. In this inspiring talk, she describes how the Christmas season had become a season filled with dread and frustration; in her own words, she became a "Scrooge." Immersion in the themes of Advent (hopeful expectation, trust, and gratitude) have brought healing, bringing greater peace and joy, and causing her heart to grow in love.

Pearl Martino, coordinator of the event for the Women's Group at St. Rose of Lima wrote to Susan, "I wanted to let you know how much I personally enjoyed your presentation but the rest of the ladies have been raving about you and your music."

"How Advent Saved My Christmas" was featured on the Catholic New Media Roundup Advent Calendar series and creator Sean McCaughey remarked, "The talk-- just wow! You have a gift for using your deeply personal experiences to teach the deeper universal truths of faith. Nancy and I listened to this together early on this Sunday morning. It has certainly given me spiritual nourishment on my personal advent journey. I'm sure it will touch other's hearts."

Listen to the talk here:


Watch video highlights too:






The music is from Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son.

Susan welcomes your feedback. Call the hotline at 206-600-6940 or write to her at susan@gvonline.net.

#7 How Can I Keep from Singing - Interview with Pat Gohn (part two)

Susan and Pat continue discussing their husbands' unemployment and the spiritual exercises and prayers they use to "keep the faith."

Music: "Come Into His Heart," written and performed by Susan Bailey from her Teach Me to Love album, available for sale on CD, and also available on iTunes.

Links:
Among Women Podcast
Novena to St. Joseph, patron of workers

I'd love your feedback! Write me at susan@gvonline.net or call 206-600-6940.

#6 How Can I Keep from Singing - Interview with Pat Gohn (part one)

No one should ever have to go through a trial alone - God meant for us to be in community. Pat Gohn from the Among Women Podcast graciously agreed to be interviewed and we shared our common story of husbands unemployed and how our families are dealing with it. I found this conversation to be really informative and comforting too - Pat shares a lot of wisdom and I discovered much in the course of our conversation that I had not been aware of before. This interview was informative and healing for me, and I hope it will be for you too.

This week I am airing part one of the interview, and next week I will air the conclusion.

Music: "The Lord Has Come to Save You," written and performed by Susan Bailey from her Advent/Christmas album, Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son, available on CD and iTunes/digital download.

Pat Gohn's Among Women Podcast

Related Reading: "In Good Times and Bad: 5 Ways to Support Your Husband through Tough Times." by Danielle Bean of Faith and Family Magazine

I'd love your feedback! Write to me at susan@gvonline.net or call the hotline at 206-600-6940 and I'll play your feedback on the next episode. I am especially interesting in hearing stories from listeners about how they are coping with similar trials.

Glorious Mysteries, Reading #263, Marian Cenacle Rosary Podcast

This week we will do the Glorious Mysteries. The reading for this cenacle is #263 from Fr. Gobbi's book, To the Priests.

Invocation to the Holy Spirit:

"Come Holy Spirit, come by means of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,

your well-beloved Spouse."

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

(For Religious & Laity)

Virgin of Fatima, Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Earth, Refuge of Sinners, we who belong to the Marian Movement of Priests consecrate ourselves in a very special way to your Immaculate Heart.

By this act of consecration we intend to live, with you and through you, all the obligations assumed by our baptismal consecration. We further pledge to bring about in ourselves that interior conversion so urgently demanded by the Gospel, a conversion that will free us of every attachment to ourselves and to easy compromises with the world so that, like you, we may be available only to do always the Will of the Father.

And as we resolve to entrust to you, O Mother most sweet and merciful, our life and vocation as Christians, that you may dispose of it according to your designs of salvation in this hour of decision that weighs upon the world, we pledge to live it according to your desires, especially as it pertains to a renewed spirit of prayer and penance, the fervent participation in the celebration of the Eucharist and in the works of the apostolate, the daily recitation of the holy rosary, and an austere manner of life in keeping with the Gospel, that shall be to all a good example of the observance of the Law of God and the practice of the Christian virtues, especially that of purity.

We further promise you to be united with the Holy Father, with the hierarchy and with our priests, in order thus to set up a barrier to the growing confrontation directed against the Magisterium, that threatens the very foundation of the Church.

Under your protection, we want moreover to be apostles of this sorely needed unity of prayer and love for the Pope, on whom we invoke your special protection. And lastly, insofar as is possible, we promise to lead those souls with whom we come in contact to a renewed devotion to you.

Mindful that atheism has caused shipwreck in the faith to a great number of the faithful, that desecration has entered into the holy temple of God, and that evil and sin are spreading more and more throughout the world, we make so bold as to lift our eyes trustingly to you, O Mother of Jesus and our merciful and powerful Mother, and we invoke again today and await from you the salvation of all your children, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.

(with ecclesiastical approval)

We welcome your prayer requests. Please visit the Prayer Requests and Answers Forum where you can join in our Prayer forum and submit your requests. We ask that you please lift up in prayer any requests you see, and feel free to share answers and blessings as it would bless the entire community.

Please visit www.sungrosary.com for more information on the rosary and on Susan's new book and CD on the rosary, Mary, Queen of Peace Meditation Guide & Sung Rosary.

#5 "How Can I Keep from Singing" - Intervention (and New Life)

In this episode of "How Can I Keep from Singing," Susan shares the miraculous turnaround with her mother and God's deliberate intervention.

Links of interest

Sean McGaughey - Catholic New Media Roundup

Sarah Reinhard - just another day of Catholic pondering

Kitty Cleveland - Kitty Cleveland Online, Be Not Afraid CD

Song:

"He Looked at Me" written by Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, performed by Susan Bailey, from Wait with Me: Advent of the Promised Son

How Can I Keep from Singing #4 - Transformation

In the fourth episode of this podcast-on-the-go, Susan talks about 2 recent events in her life that have had a transforming effect, and how dying to self is incomplete without transformation.

Special links:
GrapeVine - www.gvonline.net
Photo album of Rich's ordination: http://www.4marks.com/ALB0452081YQVA

Song: "Something Beautiful," written and performed by Susan Bailey, from her Teach Me to Love album.

"How Can I Keep from Singing" #3 Trusting

Episode #3 is about "Trusting." After a month away from podcasting, Susan shares what has been going on that has kept her from the microphone - in fact, today, she podcasts from her car, proving there's always a way to get around obstacles! Stories include an update on the job front for her husband, Rich, and a sad, but inevitable turn regarding her elderly mother's health. And, she shares a simple prayer that has been a foundation of strength in her life. She ends the podcast with a special musical tribute to her mom.

Prayer: The Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

Music: "Spirit of Life" written and composed by Carolyn McDade (hymn #123 in the Unitarian Universalist hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition), performed by Susan Bailey.

Special links:
Frederica Mathewes-Green
Ancient Faith Radio

Susan would enjoy your feedback. Share your stories, your prayer requests. Write to her at susan@gvonline.net or call the feedback line at 206-600-6940. Support her ministry by visiting her Purchase page to buy books and CDs.