The Church has dedicated the month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and it also has its own special feast day on June 16th, the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. A devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus has long existed in the history of the Church but was revitalized through St. Margaret Mary. sacred heart, liturgical living, June dedication What is the Sacred Heart of Jesus? The symbol which many of us have seen before is one that profoundly expresses Jesus’ undying love for the Church. The heart, a universal symbol for love, is wrapped in thorns to express the self-sacrificing nature with which He offers us redemption. According to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the thorns also represent the sins that we commit which prick the heart of Jesus. The lance pierced side depicts the outpouring of His blood which nourishes and gives life to us all. The significance of this calls to mind the Blessed Sacrament, our spiritual sustenance given to not only enliven us but draw us into an intimate relationship. Not to forget about the flames, a biblical symbol of divinity but also an expression of passionate and all consuming love. The Church highly values this devotion as a way of fighting off the evils of the world and emboldening us in faith, morals, and piety. We can always take refuge in the heart of our Savior who will not forsake His children. "Consider often that it is only the humble of heart that can enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and converse with Him, Love Him and be Loved by Him." St. Margaret Mary Getting to Know St. Margaret Mary She was born to a prosperous French country family in 1647 and as a little girl she loved spending time with them as well as her godmother. Sadly, her father died of pneumonia early on in her life and it left the family in very difficult financial times. As a result, she was sent to school with the Urbanist Sisters of Charolles. She adored life at the convent and was even able to make her first communion early. However, Margaret had to come home after she became very sick and was bed-ridden for about four years. After some time for healing she led a fairly normal life as a teenager but received a vision after coming home from a dance. It was of Christ being scourged, she interpreted that as having betrayed Jesus for worldly pleasures. At that point she decided to enter the convent at only 22 years old. After a few years there she began to have a series of visions that lasted a year and a half. The core message of these visions was Jesus asking her to spread a devotion to His Sacred Heart. The explanations of her visions were not received well, but a priest by the name of Father Claude de la Columbiere, now a saint, wrote them down and helped her spread the devotion. Over time, Margaret Mary was able to lead her convent in many ways to the Sacred Heart of Jesus until she became very sick at the young age of 43. Her final words were, “I need nothing but God, and to lose myself in the heart of Jesus.” 12 Promises from the Sacred Heart In an apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus promised abundant graces to those who devote themselves to His Sacred Heart. 1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life. 2. I will give peace in their families. 3. I will console them in all their troubles. 4. They shall find in my heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death. 5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings. 6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy. 7. Tepid souls shall become fervent. 8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection. 9. I will bless the homes in which the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honored. 10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts. 11. Those who promote this devotion shall have their name written in my heart and it shall never be effaced. 12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence: they will not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving the Sacraments. My Divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment. Lived Devotion to the Sacred Heart 1. Consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 2. Engage in the First Fridays novena. In an apparition to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Jesus requested that people go to confession, attend mass, and receive the Eucharist on the first Friday of 9 consecutive months. 3. Strive to imitate Jesus self-sacrificing heart in your daily life. Maybe it’s less complaining, more service work, helping a friend or family member, or praying more regularly. Take time discerning this in your prayer life. 4. Enthrone your home, if you have this booklet you’ve already made a step! 5. Pray for the reparation of sin and grace to live out a vocation of love. Try These Prayers Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer O most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you and with a lively sorrow for my sins. I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure, and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger; comfort me in my afflictions; give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessings on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Within your heart I place my every care. In every need let me come to you with humble trust saying, Heart of Jesus, help me. Amen Prayer from St. Margaret Mary Alacoque O Sacred Heart of Jesus, For whom it is impossible not to have Compassion on the afflicted, Have pity on us miserable sinners And grant us the grace Which we ask of you, Through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours. Amen Prayer of Gratitude to the Sacred Heart Lord, you deserve all honor and praise, because your love is perfect and your heart sublime. Me heart is filled to overflowing with gratitude for the many blessings and graces you have bestowed upon me and those whom I love. Forever undeserving, may I always be attentive and never take for granted the gifts of mercy and love that flow so freely and generously from your Sacred Heart. Heart of Jesus, I adore you. Heart of Jesus, I praise you. Heart of Jesus, I thank you. Heart of Jesus, I love you forever and always. Amen Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Pray for 9 Consecutive Days In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours. Amen. Serve This Up Flaming Strawberry Heart Cupcakes Coq au Vin Out of all the ideas I recommend picking a few that fit your personal or family Catholic culture. For us, we partake in the First Friday devotion, we enthroned our home so we regularly pray in front of our Sacred Heart image, and I make flaming strawberries on the feast day as a fun dessert. What would you pick? Can't wait to see how you live closely to Jesus' merciful and loving heart! You can share with me in the comments or on social media. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on Us!

About five years ago my husband and I took a pilgrimage to Italy with our parish and were very blessed to have visited a multitude of beautiful places, one of them being Padua. Before that I had not known much about St. Anthony accept to ask him to help me when I lost things, which is often! "Tony, Tony, look around. Something’s lost and must be found!" As a way to celebrate St. Anthony of Padua and other saints, I will look up the region that they come from and make something that stems from that culture or geographical area. For tonight we are serving up skillet Italian sausage with fresh peppers and onions. Tie on your apron and let's begin! (st. anthony of padua, italian sausage, feast day) Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Yields: 4-6 servings Ingredients 2 tbsps olive oil 1 lb sweet Italian sausage 1/2 white upon sliced 1/2 red onion sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 orange bell pepper, sliced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1/2 cup chicken broth (for flavor) dried basil, for garnish Begin by slicing the onions and peppers. A dish with lots of color makes me happy! Then, over medium-high heat, warm up 2 tbsps olive oil. Cook the sausage links for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are browned. Note: They will not be cooked through at this point. When you're finished browning the Italian sausage, slice them into 1 inch pieces and set them aside for later. Add 1/2 white onion (sliced) and 1/2 red onion (sliced) to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring. Add in the sliced red, green, and orange bell peppers and sprinkle everything with 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Toss the peppers and onions to mix in the seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir to combine. Return the Italian sausage back to the pan and lower the heat to medium. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Note: To help the liquid evaporate I then uncovered the pan and turned the heat up to medium high again for 2 minutes. If it is not evaporated in this time I strain the dish myself so to not overcook the sausage. Serve as is, over pasta, or a bed of rice and sprinkle with dried basil! How easy was that? Getting to know St. Anthony He was born in 1195, only 13 years after St. Francis, to a faithful family and discerned very early on in his life, age 15, to join the religious order of St. Augustine. However, after witnessing the return of five Franciscan martyrs that died for preaching about Christ in Morocco, he felt called to "put on the habit of your [the Franciscan] order." He was never able to go to Morocco to preach like he wanted to because he became sick, but after healing he ended up in Sicily where his renowned preaching began. So the story goes that after attending a Dominican and Franciscan Ordination, they got together to have dinner and the provincial suggested that one of them give a sermon. Like most people when put on the spot in a group they pulled what my family would call a "nose goes" and St. Anthony was then asked to speak. With lacking education and living as a hermit they didn't expect much, but to everyone's surprise St. Anthony had a gift for speaking about the Gospel. The Hammer of Heretics & His Incorruptible Tongue There are stories upon stories about not only the beauty of his words but the fearlessness of his preaching, which gave him the name "Hammer of Heretics". One of my favorite stories is the popular "sermon to the fishes". One day St. Anthony's preaching fell on the deaf ears of heretics so he went down to a river near Padua and preached to the fish. The legend goes that when the fish heard him they all swam to shore and poked their heads out of the water to listen! He wanted so badly for souls to be won over for Christ that he dedicated his life to traveling and presenting the truths of Christianity. At times St. Anthony could have had anywhere up to 30,000 people listening to him speak. He loved the poor and helped to satisfy them in anyway that he could. In fact, when we went to Padua we were able to see his tongue which is incorruptible, you have to go look this up! What is the story behind St. Anthony holding baby Jesus? Ever wondered why he is seen holding the baby Jesus? One night while staying as a guest with a benefactor, the owner walked by his room and noticed rays of light pouring out from under the door. As he walked by he saw St. Anthony kneeling in ecstasy and holding a loving, caressing child. The owner knew from the uncharacteristic beauty that the child was Jesus. St. Anthony had such great purity of faith that he is also seen holding a lily. In fact, there is a blessing of lilies on the feast of St. Anthony which you can ask your priest to do for you. One more story, I can't help myself! In France during a time of Church persecution many priests and nuns were being murdered along with convents and churches being destroyed. Many faithful Catholics would go to a surviving church on his feast day to leave lilies and months later the beautiful lilies that adorned that parish were still fresh. Even if you can't get your lilies blessed I would highly recommend placing some on your kitchen table or home altar in honor of St. Anthony. You could also make a traditional St. Anthony bread for this feast day. Pick what will be engaging and meaningful for your family like paying tribute to our trip will be for ours! The Blessing of Lilies on the Feast of St. Anthony The priest vests in surplice and white stole, and says: P:Our help is in the name of the Lord. All:Who made heaven and earth. P:The Lord be with you. All:And with thy spirit. P:Let us pray. God, the Creator and Preserver of the human race, the Lover of holy purity, the Giver of supernatural grace, and the Dispenser of everlasting salvation; bless + these lilies which we, Thy humble servants, present to Thee today as an act of thanksgiving and in honor of St. Anthony, Thy confessor, and with a request for Thy blessing. Pour out on them, by the saving sign + of the holy cross, Thy dew from on high. Thou in Thy great kindness hast given them to man, and endowed them with a sweet fragrance to lighten the burden of the sick. Therefore, let them be filled with such power that, whether they are used by the sick, or kept in homes or other places, or devoutly carried on one's person, they may serve to drive out evil spirits, safeguard holy chastity, and turn away illness--all this through the prayers of St. Anthony--and finally impart to Thy servants grace and peace; through Christ our Lord. All:Amen. Then he sprinkles the lilies with holy water, saying: P:Sprinkle me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Pray for us, St. Anthony. All:That we may be worthy of Christ's promise. P:Let us pray. We beg Thee, O Lord, that Thy people may be helped by the constant and devout intercession of Blessed Anthony, Thy illustrious confessor. May he assist us to be worthy of Thy grace in this life, and to attain everlasting joys in the life to come; through Christ our Lord. All:Amen. After this the lilies are distributed to the people. Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and resources. Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

What is a Sunday without Mass followed by dinner at Nonna's house? My mother-in-law brings this big, Italian family together every single Sunday. I'm in awe of this simple yet profound tradition that she is the foundation of. Without fail there is a beautiful meal that she makes with her own hands and some kitchen helpers. One of my new favorites is her homemade bread. It's light on the inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside. It reminds me of my time walking the camino in Spain, you couldn't eat lunch without a piece of bread on the table just like this one. Mmm, so good! The thing I appreciate most about her recipes is that they are simple and no fuss! So many bread recipes out there have become very complex, and for the working woman or busy mom I find that can be impractical at times. This is something that I know you can do and your family & friends will certainly be impressed with your creation. If you have a little extra time you can put a lovely design on the top by using these bread stencils or this bread lame to score the top of your loaf in the way you like. Thank you so much, Diane, for sharing this recipe with all of us. Let's get baking! Prep Time: 3 hours Bake Time: 45 minutes Yields: 1 loaf Ingredients 3 cups 00 flour 1 tsp salt 1 package yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water Put 3 cups 00 flour, 1 package of yeast, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and whisk together. Add 1 1/2 cups warm water and mix with your hands or a stand mixer to combine. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 2-3 hours. When it's about time to bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put your dutch oven, without the bread, in the oven while it is preheating. When the oven reaches 450 degrees take the dutch oven out of oven. Line your dutch oven with parchment paper, then take the dough out of the bowl and place it on top of the parchment paper. Cover the dutch oven with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. When the 30 minutes is up remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes. Cut and enjoy with butter, jam, a cheese spread, or just as it is. Mangia! Mangia! Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

Tomorrow is the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity! This feast falls the Sunday after Pentecost and it is on this day especially that we celebrate a fundamental dogma of the faith. The Trinity is the term used to signify the central teaching of the Catholic faith that in the unity of the Godhead, there are three persons, each one being truly distinct from one another while simultaneously possessing the same eternal and divine nature. We believe in one God, three divine persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as expressed in the Creed. What is a dogma you ask? A dogma is... Doctrine taught by the Church to be believed by all the faithful as part of divine revelation. All dogmas, therefore, are formally revealed truths and promulgated as such by the Church. they are revealed either in Scripture or tradition, either explicitly (as the Incarnation) or implicitly (as the Assumption). Moreover, their acceptance by the faithful must be proposed as necessary for salvation. They may be taught by the Church in a solemn manner, as with the definition of the Immaculate Conception, or in an ordinary way, as with the constant teaching on the malice of taking innocent human life. (Modern Catholic Dictionary) To bring this divine reality to life, I thought it would be fun and fitting to make Tres Leches cake. One cake, three divine milks. You could also do a tri-colored pasta, scoop up some Neapolitan ice cream, or even a sip margarita made with triple sec. (tres leches, trinity, sunday, solemnity) Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Bake Time: 30 minutes Yields: 12 servings Cake Ingredients 1 cup flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt 5 eggs 1 cup sugar, divided 2 tsps vanilla extract 1/3 cup whole milk Milk Mixture Ingredients 12 oz evaporated milk 9 oz sweet condensed milk 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream Frosting Ingredients 1 pint heavy whipping cream 2 tbsps sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract ground cinnamon, to garnish strawberries, to garnish Let's start by buttering a 9x13" baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Set out three mixing bowls and in the first one sift together 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites into the other two bowls. Sprinkle in 3/4 cup sugar to the egg yolks and beat with a hand mixer on high until the mixture is pale yellow. This took me about 2 minutes. Then pour in 1/3 cup milk and 2 tsps vanilla extract and whisk together until combined. Set that bowl aside and beat your egg whites with the hand mixer until you form soft peaks. Then pour in 1/4 cup sugar and beat for another minute or so. We want the egg whites to be fluffy and and formable. Set that aside and pour the egg yolk mixture into the flour and stir together with a baking spatula until everything is thoroughly combined. Slide in the egg whites and gently fold them into the cake mixture. Don't overdo this part! Look at how nice and fluffy this turned out. Pour the cake batter into your buttered baking dish and spread it out evenly. I baked mine for 30 minutes and checked it with a toothpick which should come out clean when finished. While that baked I made the milk mixture. In a large measuring cup I combined one can evaporated milk, one can sweet condensed milk, and 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream. Set that aside and when your cake is finished take it out of the oven and give it plenty of time to cool down before pouring the milk on top. You can do this in one of two ways: by taking it out of your baking dish and setting it on a platter to cool or by putting the baking dish into the fridge for about 30 minutes. I did the latter! ...30 minutes later... Time to poke some holes. Many will use a fork but what I found is that when you pull the fork out it sometimes takes little chunks of the cake with it, even if you clean the fork between pokes. I don't like this because it means the milk is going to pool in that area, so instead I use a toothpick to create holes across the top of the cake. Note: Don't poke too many holes. The key to a really good tres leches cake is for it to be moist, not soggy! Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the cake and make sure to get around the edges! Initially I started pouring from the measuring cup but found this too hard to control, so instead I spooned the mixture onto the cake allowing it to seep in before adding more. This took a little bit of time but paid off in the end. Note: The milk mixture made almost 4 cups, I didn't use about 1 1/2 cups because I could tell it was going to be too much. Let the cake soak for about 30 minutes to absorb all the milk. While that is happening we can make the whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 pint heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsps sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Beat the ingredients together with a hand mixer until it is thick, this took about 10 minutes. Even Oliver appreciates a good bowl of whipped cream. Spoon the whipped cream over the cake and spread it evenly. Now you can dust the top with ground cinnamon and top each piece with strawberries. I make little strawberry fans by creating a row of slits across the strawberry up to the stem but not through it. Then gently push the strawberry to the side like you are opening a fan. Look at how delicious, you have to make this sometime soon. Happy Solemnity, dear friend! Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and resources. Let me know how your dessert making goes and share with me some of the things your family likes to do for the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity! Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

Our family has perfected a new meatless meal for Fridays that is fresh, light, and healthy. All you have to do is make a simple marinade to flavor your salmon and pop it in the oven for an easy bake. Before we get to our recipe, let's talk about why are aren't eating any meat on a Friday outside of Lent. Many Catholics have never heard that they are to abstain from meat on Fridays and often when I share this there is some level of confusion. Here is a concise and meaningful explanation from the NCR. Contrary to common misconception, abstinence from meat on Fridays throughout the year has never been abolished from Roman law. It was not abolished by Vatican II. It was not abolished by Pope Paul VI or Pope St. John Paul II. It was not abolished by the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It remains the universal law of the Latin Church. From the 1983 Code of Canon Law Can. 1249 The divine law binds all the Christian faithful to do penance each in his or her own way. In order for all to be united among themselves by some common observance of penance, however, penitential days are prescribed on which the Christian faithful devote themselves in a special way to prayer, perform works of piety and charity, and deny themselves by fulfilling their own obligations more faithfully and especially by observing fast and abstinence, according to the norm of the following canons. Can. 1250 The penitential days and times in the universal Church are every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent. Can. 1251 Abstinence from meat, or from some other food as determined by the Episcopal Conference, is to be observed on all Fridays, unless a solemnity should fall on a Friday. Abstinence and fasting are to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. There is much more to be said on this topic and if you are interested, this is the article that I am referring to here. In all honesty, I didn't always know this either, and it wasn't well into my adult years that I found out. Since then, my family has truly sought to abide by this as Friday represents a mini-Good Friday and Sunday represents a mini-Easter. If you're looking to partake in this Catholic liturgical custom, then this Lemon Herb Salmon will make for a delightful and simple dinner. meatless meal, catholic, Friday, salmon Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 12 minutes Yields: 4 Salmon Fillets Ingredients 1. 4- 5oz salmon fillets 2. 2 tbsps lemon juice 3. 4 lemon slices 4. 1/4 cup olive oil 5. 1 tbsp dill 6. 1 tbsp parsley 7. 1 tsp kosher salt 8. 1/2 tsp black pepper Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees 2. In a small glass mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsps lemon juice, 1 tbsp dill, and 1 tbsp parsley. Whisk together until thoroughly combined. 3. Lay the salmon in a baking dish with the skin down. Note: You can prepare the salmon with the skin off but it's actually preferable to leave it on. The skin will create a protective layer against the sheet pan or baking dish which will keep it from burning. It also helps the fish to bake evenly and maintain the juices. 4. Generously coat the salmon with the marinade by using a baking brush. 5. Season all four pieces with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. 6. Lay one thin lemon slice on top of each piece of salmon and put it in the oven. 7. Bake for at least 10-12 minutes or until you have reached your desired internal temperature. Salmon Temperature Guide Hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

In honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus I am making a dessert that will be sure to catch the attention of everyone in your house. As you know, the Sacred Heart has a flame on top of it, but do you know why? Here's a small serving of faith to make the connection in your Catholic kitchen meaningful. The flame over the top of the Sacred Heart of Jesus represents these things. 1. Jesus' passionate, ardent, burning love for all of us. 2. Fire offers light, and Jesus is a light in the darkness. 3. Fire is a symbol of His divinity. Take the fires we see in the Old Testament that stand as a symbol for God. Ex: Moses and the burning bush. 4. In the Old Testament, sacrifices were made as burnt offerings, usually with the death of an animal and a consuming fire. Jesus' sacrifice is the fulfillment of that, as He offers Himself on the cross out of pure and perfect love for us. To celebrate the Solemnity I wanted to bring fire into the mix because as we can see, it stands as such an important symbol of the Sacred Heart. Side note: you can also make these for Pentecost as a representation of the tongues of fire. But, since the little strawberries look like hearts, it just seemed like the right thing to make. Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes Servings: Dependent upon your case of strawberries Ingredients 1. Fresh Strawberries 2. Any alcohol that is at least 80 proof, for a fail proof flame use Bacardi 151 (I just went with this) 3. Cupcakes or ice cream scoops with cool whip to hold your strawberry 4. Lighter Start by washing your fresh strawberries! Aren't they beautiful? Take your strawberry corer and remove the center. I found this one at Sur La Table but I have also seen it on Amazon. Alternatively, you can use a butter knife but try to avoid puncturing the strawberry. If you do accidentally poke a hole in the sides or bottom do not use it for your flame, just eat it and move on. They should look like this, a nice clean cup for the alcohol to sit in later. Is there anything better than fruit that is in season? You can just see all the yummy nutrients in the color! This would be a good time to do a trial run before calling all the family and friends into the kitchen for a flaming strawberry. My husband created a little ring of foil for the strawberry to sit in and we tried out a couple of different alcohol options to see what worked best. I would say just go with the Bacardi 151. Now that we know we have a winner we will go ahead and plate the dessert and then top with the strawberries. I went with red velvet cupcakes to continue on with our Sacred Heart (red) theme. The strawberry should fit firmly into the icing so that we don't have any accidents! A heap of icing will do the trick, no need to overthink it. If you decided to go with ice cream just press it into a scoop or you can top your ice cream with cool whip to more easily hold the strawberry. Using a shot glass pour your alcohol of choice into the strawberry until almost filled to the top. We don't want it to overflow but the goal is for the flame to sit atop the strawberry so it can be easily seen. Light it up and enjoy the ooooohhhhh ... aaaahhhhhhhhhh. Wow ___________ (insert name here) you're amazing! Blow out before eating, don't be a goofball! While you're eating your treat with your family, husband, children, friends, or by yourself, read the 12 promises of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that Christ gave to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary (1) "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life. (2) I will establish peace in their homes. (3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions. (4) I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death. (5) I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings. (6) Sinners will find in my Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy. (7) Lukewarm souls shall become fervent. (8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection. (9) I will bless every place in which an image of my Heart is exposed and honored. 10) I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts. (11) Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart. (12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in my disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment." God love you! His Girl Sunday Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday. For more resources on building Catholic tradition, check out the blog section of my website or follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see what Catholic things I am doing to make our day to day life more joyful.

Last June we decided that we were going to do a Home Enthronement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I had never heard about it before but I was overwhelmed with excitement that our home would forevermore be a sanctuary which Jesus reigns over. I have always wanted to build a home that imitated a little monastery, full of glorifying work, humble prayer, and Christ-centered growth in love and virtue. It has been a enriching devotion that has granted our lives immense strength from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Fully knowing that we cannot achieve that on our own merits, giving this home to the most self-sacrificing, beautiful heart of Jesus was the only way to go. We had a lovely, intimate ceremony last year with a dear priest friend and shared a meal afterwards with our loved ones. In celebrating the anniversary of our enthronement we rededicated ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (prayer after the recipe) and I made a more intentional meal in honor of the French nun that Jesus revealed his heart to. This traditional, classic French dish is one that is true to the region that St. Margaret Mary Alacoque came from! It made for a delicious dinner in celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus feast day and can also be used again on her feast day which is October 16th. To see my full Home Enthronement Companion, click here. Prep Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Servings: 4-6 Ingredients 1. 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or the traditional way by using a whole chicken cut into 10 pieces. 2. Kosher salt 3. Black pepper 4. 4-5 strips of bacon 5. Sliced mushrooms or baby bellas 6. 4 oz chopped onions or 6 oz pearl onions 7. 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 8. 2 cloves minced garlic 9. 1 tbsp tomato paste 10. 2 tbsp all purpose flour 11. 2 cups red wine, traditionally Burgundy or a full-bodied red wine like Shiraz or a Cabernet Sauvignon 12. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 13. 1 tbsp brandy or rum 14. Small bunch thyme 15. 3 tbsp butter 16. Freshly chopped parsley for serving, optional Let's get started! Before you begin cooking peel and cut your carrots, onions, mushrooms, and garlic then set it aside. Take your chicken out of the package and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Use as many chicken thighs as you have family members, hungry children, or guests. Set that aside and get your cutting board, cut the bacon into 1" strips. You can cook this in your dutch oven, no need to dirty more dishes than necessary. ;) Cook until crispy and golden brown. My bacon almost didn't make it passed this part of the recipe. Use a spatula to take the bacon out of the dutch oven and onto a paper plate or bowl lined with a paper towel. In the same dutch oven or pot, brown the outside of the chicken. Work in batches and cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through, we will get to that later. Flip! Remove the chicken to a plate. Drain all but about 4-5 tablespoons of oil from the pot, you want a nice coating along the bottom for your veggies. Grab your carrots... and your onion... and your mushrooms... Then dump them all into your dutch oven! Cheater alert, I buy fresh, packaged mushrooms already sliced. Also, the traditional recipe calls for pearl onions but I personally don't really like them so I went with a smaller amount of white onion. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they are golden. Then add the garlic for about another minute, moving it around so as to not burn. Put in one tablespoon of tomato paste and stir it around so that it spreads over the vegetables. Next add two tablespoons all purpose flour and stir that in until the vegetables are coated. Measure out 2 cups of wine for your dish and one cup of wine for yourself. Cheers! Slowly pour the wine over your vegetables. Now would also be a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, measure and pour in 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Next, measure out 1 tablespoon brandy and add to the pot. Since we didn't have brandy I went with a brandy substitute, rum! Other substitutes...alcoholic version: bourbon or non alcoholic version: apple juice Stir all your ingredients around until thoroughly combined and get your plate of browned chicken. Put the chicken back in the dutch oven and sprinkle in half of the bacon. If you have more self-control then I do there will probably be more in your pot than mine. Add in a few sprigs of thyme and sprinkle in a little more salt and pepper. Stir around and bring to a boil. Cover the dutch oven and place in the oven which should be at 350 degrees. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. After 20-25 minutes check the temperature of your chicken, if they have reached 165 degrees remove them from the pot and put them on a plate. Cover the chicken with foil to keep them warm. Put your dutch oven back on the stove over medium heat and add in 3 tbsp butter and simmer until the sauce is thickened. This part of the process took about 15 minutes or so. Once it has thickened plate your chicken and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle the rest of your bacon on top and add fresh parsley for plate appeal. C’est délicieux! As a side you could do mashed or small roasted potatoes, a big green salad, and dinner rolls. Don't forget to pour yourself a fresh glass of red wine before you delight in this delicious meal. Consecration of Families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Prayer O most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thou didst reveal to the blessed Margaret Mary Thy desire to rule over Christian families; behold, in order to please Thee, we stand before Thee this day, to proclaim Thy full sovereignty over our family. We desire henceforth to live Thy life, we desire that the virtues, to which Thou hast promised peace on earth, may flower in the bosom of our family; we desire to keep far from us the spirit of the world, which Thou hast condemned. Thou art King of our hearts by our love of Thee alone, with which our hearts are on fire and whose flame we shall nourish by frequent reception of the Holy Eucharist. Be pleased, O Sacred Heart, to preside over our gathering together, to bless our spiritual and temporal affairs, to ward off all annoyance from us, to bless our joys and comfort our sorrows. If any of us has ever been so unhappy as to fall into the misery of displeasing Thee, grant that he may remember, O Heart of Jesus, that Thou art full of goodness and mercy toward the repentant sinner. And when the hour of separation strikes and death enters our family circle, whether we go or whether we stay, we shall all bow meekly before Thine eternal decrees. This shall be our consolation, to remember that the day will come, when our entire family, once more united in heaven, shall be able to sing of Thy glory and Thy goodness forever. May the immaculate Heart of Mary and the glorious Patriarch Saint Joseph vouchsafe to offer Thee this our act of consecration, and to keep the memory thereof alive in us all the days of our lives. Glory to the Heart of Jesus, our King and our Father! Amen For more information on Home Enthronements and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, check out this prayer companion that I created for you. https://www.hisgirlsunday.com/product-page/home-enthronement-prayer-companion Keep in touch for more liturgical living recipes and prayer companions. Let me know how your dinner goes and share with me some of the things your family likes to do for the Sacred Heart of Jesus! Follow along on FB @hisgirlsunday or IG @steffani_hisgirlsunday!

how to, holy week, liturgical living, catholic lent A Brief History Holy Week is the period of time just before Easter Sunday that commemorates the events leading up to and including the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Tradition tells us that this used to be called the "Great Week" and it included Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. We can confirm that by the 4th century, Christians were making pilgrimages to Jerusalem to celebrate this week, that which we now call Holy Week. Interestingly enough, the Church found the writings of an early Church Christian woman named Egeria that dates back to 381AD which explain the prayers, liturgical experiences, and devotions from that week. As you can see, Christians throughout centuries have observed Holy Week and throughout the history of the Church it has only grown further. The profound aspect about this is that now it is our turn to partake and carry on the traditions that many have done long before us. Understanding the Triduum Triduum is a term that is used to express the solemn three days of prayer that commemorate the Paschal Mystery. It begins at sundown on Holy Thursday through Sundown on Easter Sunday. It is the most significant part of the liturgical calendar and while this does span three individual days, it is considered one consecutive liturgy. From Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday we see the fulfillment of the Jewish Passover and the redemption offered through Christ's great sacrifice for the human race. He is the Paschal lamb, the spotless victim, that is offered for our sins. We receive and partake in the Paschal Mystery every time we receive the Holy Eucharist. Let's Get Started If you are subscribed to my e-newsletter "Liturgy Collective" or you follow me on social media, you may have seen this graphic. It is certainly great for a quick glimpse, but there is so much more that I wasn't able to include, so that is why we're here. 😃 The purpose of this post is to share with you all the liturgical living traditions that come with each day so that you don't have to sift through the internet to consider what might be good for you or your family. I've got it all right here, and if you know of a tradition that I missed, comment on the post and I'll add it. This liturgical living endeavor is communal so feel free to jump in! And the other thing that is worth considering is what tradition will help you grow closer to Jesus. This may look different from person to person or family to family, and that is okay friend! Monday of Holy Week: Extravagant Monday The "Why": In the Aquila home this day is titled, "Extravagant Monday" because in the readings Mary takes a liter of costly perfume and anoints the feet of Jesus with it. She offers an extravagant gesture of love for Christ that is meant to be an imitation of the offering that Christ makes of Himself. To Do: In honor of this profound act, we do an EXTRAVAGANT dinner! I usually print menu cards, do the table up all fancy like, make bread from scratch, serve a multi-course dinner, and invite as many friends over as we can. Just as Mary serves Jesus, we serve our beloved friends and family. This was the menu from a couple of years ago that you can use as is or play off. 1. Focaccia bread made from scratch 2. Fresh mozzarella bruschetta 3. Brown sugar rub slow bake ribs 4. Garlic butter rice 5. Fresh salad 6. Roasted brussels sprouts 7. Chocolate chip cookies from scratch For drinks I usually serve water, tea, wine, and a specialty cocktail. Tuesday of Holy Week: Ten Commandment Tuesday The "Why": The Tuesday of Holy Week is what I call, Ten Commandments Tuesday. This tradition comes straight from my younger years. As many of you might know, I did not grow up in a Catholic or even religious household, but I was always drawn to things relating to God and faith. Right before Easter, a local channel would air the old Charlton Heston version of the Ten Commandments and I used to watch it every year on my own. This may sound strange for a child to sit down and watch this by themselves, but I did. It was my own little tradition and I loved it. It's funny to end up here sharing Catholic tradition after going through life's many twists and turns, but upon writing this it looks like I ended up back at my roots. And little did I know at the time, but it actually ties in perfectly with the Holy Week and the Easter vigil. During the Easter vigil, we sit and listen to all of those Old Testament covenants in the dark. It’s actually one of my favorite parts because it shows how Christ came to fulfill all of the promises that were made before Him that man could not keep. It also reminds us that God has had a plan to pursue us and save us from the very beginning. To Do: Today we will watch the Ten Commandments and pray the Litany of Old Testament Saints, you can find that here. You can also make tablet cookies out of Nutter Butters or Madeleines (pictured below) or just go crazy and pick 10 snacks to go with your 10 Commandment movie night. I'm a little "extra" when it comes to these things but you gotta keep life fun, right? There is no special recipe for this, just cookies, white chocolate coating (you can see this in the first picture), and icing to pipe the numbers. Wednesday of Holy Week: Spy Wednesday The "Why": Spy Wednesday is the day that Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and is traditionally known in this way because of his sneakiness in talking to the high priest. We all experience betrayal in some way, but Jesus understands this very well as it was His very own friend that turns Him over for a price. We too betray God to the things and people in our lives, myself included, sometimes without even thinking about it. In a way, we all have a price. On this day when we reflect upon that free decision of Judas to let Satan enter him, I have found it so important to think of something that I too need to let go of that stands between me and God and to not let that be the reason that I turn my back on Him. To Do: Today we watch a film noir Spy Movie (my favorites), go to confession, and donate an additional $30.00 to our parish. If you have children, you could also play I Spy or hide 30 coins in your home for them to find. And more than anything, I think it’s important on Spy Wednesday to try to spend time in prayer; reflecting, asking for forgiveness, and also encouraging our children to think about how we can remove any barriers that may be standing between us and Christ. Seeking forgiveness and reconciliation are major themes for this day. My top five vintage spy movie recommendations: 1. Charade (1963) 2. North by Northwest (1959) 3. Notorious (1946) 4. Ministry of Fear (1944) 5. The 39 Steps (1935) Thursday of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday "The Why": Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, commemorates the feast of the Last Supper where Christ gave His mandate, "mandatum," to love one another as He has loved us. There are several important things that we partake in on this day such as the Mass of the Lord's Supper where the priest performs the washing of feet, the tabernacle is left empty and the Eucharist is put in repose for adoration, and the altar is completely stripped. It may look like the Mass has ended, but it actually hasn't, and won't until Saturday evening. The altar of repose is an altar other than the main altar where the consecrated host is kept for adoration and reserved for use on Good Friday. To Do: On Maundy Thursday we typically go out to eat Mediterranean food, an intentional choice made in remembrance of the Last Supper. From there we go to the Holy Thursday liturgy and following that we partake in the 7 churches tradition. This is credited to St. Philip Neri and his friends who would prayerfully join together to go on a "pilgrimage" to seven churches. It came out of a desire to increase prayer and keep with Christ's request to "remain here, and watch," hence why it is called Night Watch (Mark 14:34). By keeping with this custom we become pilgrims staying with Christ in the garden and consoling Him in His agony. Three prayer recommendations to use for this evening of adoration: 1. Anima Christi 2. Tantum Ergo 3. Pange Lingua Friday of Holy Week: Good Friday "The Why": On this day we remember the Crucifixion of our Lord who died for our sins. It is a somber day, challenge yourself to meditate upon this great mystery and take time for silence. The communion service is typically held at 3:00PM, the hour that our Lord took His last breath. We walk into our parish with the altar completely bare, the Eucharist is not in the Tabernacle, and the door is left open for us to see its emptiness. Today is the only day in the year in which the Mass is not celebrated, we are still partaking in what began yesterday on Holy Thursday. To Do: A time honored Good Friday tradition is to venerate the cross. This comes from St. Helen who was said to have discovered the wood of the True Cross. After sharing this with the Church, faithful Catholics would journey to see it and honor the cross by kissing the wood. We imitate this practice by kneeling before the "instrument of salvation" to kiss it as a way of showing honor and reverence. In addition to venerating the cross with our parish we go to Tre Ore and Tenebrae. Afterwards, we come home and seek to make our home a little monastery of quiet reflection. To practically do this we try to observe one full hour in silence. Usually while we are doing that I make traditional hot cross buns. The other form of prayer that is highly recommended for Good Friday are the Stations of the Cross. Many parishes will offer it on this day, and some even arrange the Way of the Cross, a procession of praying through the Stations. My family usually does this prayer at home, so I encourage you to pray them in whatever way makes sense for you. If you would like more explanation and ideas for Good Friday, you can read more from me here. Other Prayers for Good Friday 1. The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary 2. The Prayer to Be Joined With Christ in Death 3. Prayer Before the Crucifix Saturday of Holy Week: Holy Saturday The "Why": We Wait. We sit next to the tomb of of Christ, mourn His death, and imitate Mary in faithful anticipation of the Resurrection. Today we also commemorate the harrowing of hell, when Christ goes down to Sheol (the abode of the dead “hell”) to free the just souls who had gone before Him when the gates of heaven were not open yet. You may have noticed that we say this in the creed, which seems like a rather peculiar event. The Catechism of the Catholic Church 633, explains this further to us if you would like to reference it. Through this act the holy souls are delivered to Heaven. We are also taught that this is the last phase of Jesus’ Messianic mission. To Do: You can honor this day by praying the Liturgy of the Hours, cleaning and decorating for Easter, dying Easter eggs, baking or preparing for Easter lunch tomorrow, and by going to the Easter Vigil this evening. For many, myself included, this is a day to slowly and intentionally prepare our hearts, homes, and families for the Resurrection. What is the Easter Vigil? Tonight we will encounter the most gloriously dramatic liturgy of the entire year which takes place in the evening to celebrate the triumphant Resurrection of Christ. The vigil has four parts: the Liturgy of Light (Lucernarium), the Liturgy of the Word, the Baptismal Liturgy, and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. We also welcome the catechumens and candidates who will enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Easter Sunday The "Why": Jesus has Risen from the dead, ALLELUIA! We celebrate the empty tomb as a real event and encounter. We praise God for fulfilling the covenants, for confirming His promises, and offering to us the resurrection of our body and life everlasting. Remember, Easter is a 50 day season, the feast proper is celebrated for an octave, and then Eastertide goes until Pentecost. This is a beautiful time to rejuvenate our dedication to prayer and living liturgically. "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14). To Do: For Easter we spend the day with family eating, drinking, playing games, dying Easter eggs, and doing an egg hunt. I usually make an Italian Easter Bread that I bring to share and you can find that recipe here. We do the best we can to extend our traditions and joy out over the season. I have a list of 50 fun Easter ideas for you here. This is the beauty of the Catholic faith, there's no need to rush or try to cram everything into one day. For us, Easter is a lifestyle! On Easter, the tradition of the Church is to bring back the Alleluia that we buried on Shrove Tuesday and to begin singing the Regina Caeli. You might also consider using the Blessing for the First Easter Meal, see below. Blessing of the First Meal of Easter A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with hands outstretched; a lay minister says the prayer with hands joined. God of glory, the eyes of all turn to you as we celebrate Christ's victory over sin and death. Bless us and this food of our first Easter meal. May we who gather at the Lord's table continue to celebrate the joy of His resurrection and be admitted finally to His heavenly banquet. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I hope that sharing this makes the meaning behind each day of Holy Week more clear, and gives you enough options to take and/or adapt as you need. At the heart of it all should be praise, that is a liturgical life. So remember, as you are trying new traditions, prayers, and experiences think to yourself, "is this helping me to give God praise?" If yes, then keep it, adapt it, do it again next year too. If not, then ditch it and try something else. Praying for each of you as we step closer to the cross.

There's not one festive occasion that I can remember where deviled eggs weren't a featured part of our appetizers. I notably remember having them at Easter, summertime BBQs, and most of our football & tailgate parties. They are a bite sized party classic that's easy to whip up and sure to add a pop of flavor to your menu. This year we served them for Easter and jokingly nicknamed them our appetEASTERs. 😉 We're here all day, folks. 😂 I am going to give you some noteworthy tips to achieve the perfect deviled egg. Shall we begin? (deviled eggs, classic, easter recipe, liturgy kitchen) Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Yields: 12 eggs Ingredients 1. 6 large eggs 2. 1/4 cup mayonnaise 3. 1 tsp dijon mustard (plain can be used at the same proportion) 4. 2 tsps hot sauce 5. Salt, to taste 6. Pepper, to taste 7. Paprika to garnish 8. Green onion or cilantro to garnish Begin by boiling about 10 cups of water in a pot. When the water comes to a boil, use a slotted spoon to lower the eggs into the water. Place the lid back on the pot and lower the heat to medium-low allowing the eggs to boil for 10 minutes. Tip for Easy Peeling: In a large bowl, pour in 2 cups of ice and 2 cups of cold water. When the eggs are finished boiling place them in the ice water and let them cool for about 5 minutes. Then crack them and peel, the shell will very easily slide off. (One egg was already in the works before I took this picture, but you should have 6 peeled eggs.) Using a fine, straight knife, cut the eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the egg yolk from each side and put it into a small mixing bowl. Into the same bowl as the egg yolk, add 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsps hot sauce, and 1 tsp dijon mustard. Using the back of a fork, mash the ingredients together until it has formed a smooth & creamy mixture. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and mix one last time. You can go about filling the eggs in a couple of ways! 1. You can spoon a heaping dollop of the egg yolk mixture into the egg white. or... 2. You can fill a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the egg yolk mixture and pipe it into the egg white. Ziploc Piping Bag Tip: As you will see from the photos I did option #2. I actually didn't have a piping bag that fit the large star tip that I had so I used a ziploc bag by cutting a corner off and gripped the star tip with a rubber band. Piping Trick: As you are pressing the mixture out, keep the tip lower towards the egg white so that the mixture balloons out and fills the egg white before you pull away to create the point. When all of your eggs are filled with the mixture, go back over them and sprinkle with paprika. I used a sieve for this so that it would be lightly dusted. Lastly, you can garnish with either green onion or cilantro, this time I went with green onion. Finely chop the onion and sprinkle onto the yolk mixture. Place your eggs on a lovely serving platter and if you have time, chill them before serving. This is the serving plate that you see in the picture, click here. Enjoy, friends! Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

paschal candle, guide, Catholic Easter custom Liturgically Rich Symbol The Paschal Candle is a liturgically rich symbol of the Catholic faith and we receive a new one every year at the Easter Vigil. The evening of Holy Saturday, a fire is lit in a metal bowl, called a brazier. This is important because we receive this new and blessed fire which serves to light the Paschal candle. This is then processed in to the dark Church as a way of showing Christ's light and resurrection. The candle is a representation of Christ Himself, and because of this it is purposefully positioned upon on a Paschal candle stand that is set next to the altar. During the vigil, the priest will press five grains of incense into the candle. These grains are molded into wax nails and inserted into the candle to represent the five wounds of Christ. The incense calls to mind the spices that were used to prepare Christ's body for the tomb. During the entire 50 days of Easter you will see the candle remain in the sanctuary and it will be lit for all liturgies during this time. After Pentecost the candle is moved next to the baptismal font where it will be lit during all baptisms throughout the year. This indicates to us that the light of Christ is being passed to each person that comes into the Church, beginning with the Catechumens at the Easter Vigil. You might also see the candle lit at a Catholic funeral Mass which is meant to remind us that the baptism which the deceased received was a death to self and a resurrection into the life of Christ. Now they are entering into physical death and hopefully a new life with Christ. For Your Own Home The Paschal Candle is one of the most sacred and enduring elements in Christianity, so we bring this custom into our home too. We use it at Sunday family dinner, family and personal prayer time, and when we are feeling like we need the light of Christ in our day. We do this to bring into our home all that the Paschal Candle represents; Jesus being our light, dispelling spiritual darkness, our own baptisms and the promises we made, and the hope of the resurrection. You can get one here! What else would you like to learn about the Paschal (Easter) Candle? Sign up to write a comment!

Let's chat about why we are making a recipe with sun-dried tomatoes for the feast of Our Lady of Fatima! In the series of dates associated with the apparitions that occurred in Fatima, Portugal there is one to be noted, October 13, 1917. On this day a crowd witnessed what is known as the Miracle of the Sun. Thousands of people stood in awe of this event, but there is a special witness that we have from a source who said he was there. Dr. Goncalo de Almeida Garrett, a Professor of Natural Sciences at Coimbra University passed the story down to his son, Dr. Jose Almeida Garrett who shares with us what his father saw that day. I was looking at the place of the apparitions, in a serene, if cold, expectation of something happening, and with diminishing curiosity, because a long time had passed without anything to excite my attention. Then I heard a shout from thousands of voices and saw the multitude suddenly turn its back and shoulders away from the point toward which up to now it had directed its attention, and turn to look at the sky on the opposite side. Here he describes very clearly what the sun looked like as it broke through the clouds and the way it surpassed all scientific understanding. It must have been nearly two o’clock by the legal time, and about midday by the sun. The sun, a few moments before, had broken through the thick layer of clouds which hid it, and shone clearly and intensely. I veered to the magnet which seemed to be drawing all eyes, and saw it as a disc with a clean-cut rim, luminous and shining, but which did not hurt the eyes. I do not agree with the comparison which I have heard made in Fátima—that of a dull silver disc. It was a clearer, richer, brighter color, having something of the luster of a pearl. It did not in the least resemble the moon on a clear night because one saw it and felt it to be a living body. It was not spheric like the moon, nor did it have the same color, tone, or shading. It looked like a glazed wheel made of mother-of-pearl. It could not be confused, either, with the sun seen through fog (for there was no fog at the time), because it was not opaque, diffused or veiled. In Fátima it gave light and heat and appeared clear-cut with a well-defined rim. During the solar phenomenon, which I have just described in detail, there were changes of color in the atmosphere. Looking at the sun, I noticed that everything around was becoming darkened. I looked first at the nearest objects and then extended my glance further afield as far as the horizon. I saw everything an amethyst color. Objects around me, the sky and the atmosphere, were of the same color. An oak tree nearby threw a shadow of this color on the ground. Fearing that I was suffering from an affection of the retina, an improbable explanation because in that case one could not see things purple-colored, I turned away and shut my eyes, keeping my hands before them to intercept the light. With my back still turned, I opened my eyes and saw that the landscape was the same purple color as before. Dr. Garrett describes his state of mind as a way to affirm what he saw and explain that this was not a hallucination. And in fact everything, both near and far, had changed, taking on the color of old yellow damask. People looked as if they were suffering from jaundice, and I recall a sensation of amusement at seeing them look so ugly and unattractive. My own hand was the same color. All the phenomena which I have described were observed by me in a calm and serene state of mind, and without any emotional disturbance. It is for others to interpret and explain them. This miracle sparked an intense devotion to Our Lady that we can see is still alive and well respected today. If you would like to learn more about the apparition and promises associated with this devotion, you can read my other blog post here. Marinade Time: 30 minutes - 8 hours (Optional) Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Yields: 6 servings Italian Chicken Marinade Ingredients (Marinade Process Optional) 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup virgin olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Ingredients 1 1/2 lbs Italian marinated chicken, cubed 1 1/2 tsp dried basil 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 1/4 cup pesto (if you want homemade here is my recipe) 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes Salt and pepper, to taste Parmesan cheese for topping, optional Pasta or rice for serving over (we did cauliflower rice) Directions Using a sharp knife, cut chicken into one inch cubes on a cutting board. Sprinkle with kosher salt and place in a large ziploc bag. In a large measuring cup whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tsps Italian seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour that over the chicken cubes in the ziploc bag and squish the ingredients around so the chicken is thoroughly covered. Set the chicken bag in the refrigerator to marinade for at least 30 minutes. You can marinade the chicken for up to 7-8 hours if you desire. Note: The marinade process is optional, you can cook the chicken as you like and follow the rest of the directions as listed, but just know that you will be missing out on some amazing Italian chicken. Using a medium skillet, heat 2 tbsps olive oil over medium-high heat. Put the chicken in the skillet in a single layer and cook for about 3 minutes on one side. Flip the chicken and add 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes, 1 1/2 tsp dried basil, and 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for about 4 minutes or until the chicken gets to 165 degrees. Serve over a bed of rice, risotto, or cooked pasta, and add a dollop of pesto (store bought or homemade) and a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese. Enjoy, friends! Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.

Quick Links & Resources for Catholic Liturgical Living in May As a short guide and aid to your May liturgical living, I have compiled some quick tips, ideas, and links to bring joy and festivity into your domestic church. This is not a list of every single May feast day, but will be a very good start. Feast days that you will find in this post! 1. St. Joseph the Worker 2. Our Lady of Fatima 3. Ascension of the Lord 4. Pentecost 5. The Visitation Note: This is not a full list of resources on my blog for feast day celebrations, activities, and recipes in the month of May. Go browse around for saints and feast days that are special to you. Enjoy! 😊 The Month of May is Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary St. Joseph the Worker- May 1st About To foster deep devotion to Saint Joseph among Catholics, and in response to the “May Day” celebrations for workers sponsored by Communists, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker in 1955. This feast extends the long relationship between Joseph and the cause of workers in both Catholic faith and devotion. Beginning in the Book of Genesis, the dignity of human work has long been celebrated as a participation in the creative work of God. By work, humankind both fulfills the command found in Genesis to care for the earth (Gn 2:15) and to be productive in their labors. Saint Joseph, the carpenter and foster father of Jesus, is but one example of the holiness of human labor. Jesus, too, was a carpenter. He learned the trade from Saint Joseph and spent his early adult years working side-by-side in Joseph’s carpentry shop before leaving to pursue his ministry as preacher and healer. In his encyclical Laborem Exercens, Pope John Paul II stated: “the Church considers it her task always to call attention to the dignity and rights of those who work, to condemn situations in which that dignity and those rights are violated, and to help to guide [social] changes so as to ensure authentic progress by man and society.” Saint Joseph is held up as a model of such work. Pius XII emphasized this when he said, “The spirit flows to you and to all men from the heart of the God-man, Savior of the world, but certainly, no worker was ever more completely and profoundly penetrated by it than the foster father of Jesus, who lived with Him in closest intimacy and community of family life and work.” (Franciscan Media) Quick Links 1. Celebrate St. Joseph in Your Home 2. Feast Day Crafts and Activities 3. Loyola Press Little Lesson St. Joseph Prayer O Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all those who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance for the expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations; to work with thankfulness and joy, considering it an honor to employ and develop by means of labor the gifts received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, never shrinking from weariness and trials; to work above all with purity of intention and detachment from self, keeping unceasingly before my eyes death and the account that I must give of time lost, talents unused, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all through Mary, all after thy example, O Patriarch, Saint Joseph. Such shall be my watch-word in life and in death. Amen. Food 1. St. Joseph Bread Recipe Here! Our Lady of Fatima About May 13 is the anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady to three shepherd children in the small village of Fatima in Portugal in 1917. She appeared six times to Lucia, 9, and her cousins Francisco, 8, and his sister Jacinta, 6, between May 13, 1917 and October 13, 1917. The story of Fatima begins in 1916, when, against the backdrop of the First World War which had introduced Europe to the most horrific and powerful forms of warfare yet seen, and a year before the Communist revolution would plunge Russia and later Eastern Europe into six decades of oppression under militant atheistic governments, a resplendent figure appeared to the three children who were in the field tending the family sheep. “I am the Angel of Peace,” said the figure, who appeared to them two more times that year exhorting them to accept the sufferings that the Lord allowed them to undergo as an act of reparation for the sins which offend Him, and to pray constantly for the conversion of sinners. Then, on the 13th day of the month of Our Lady, May 1917, an apparition of ‘a woman all in white, more brilliant than the sun’ presented itself to the three children saying “Please don’t be afraid of me, I’m not going to harm you.” Lucia asked her where she came from and she responded, “I come from Heaven.” The woman wore a white mantle edged with gold and held a rosary in her hand. The woman asked them to pray and devote themselves to the Holy Trinity and to “say the Rosary every day, to bring peace to the world and an end to the war.” She also revealed that the children would suffer, especially from the unbelief of their friends and families, and that the two younger children, Francisco and Jacinta would be taken to Heaven very soon but Lucia would live longer in order to spread her message and devotion to the Immaculate Heart. In the last apparition the woman revealed her name in response to Lucia’s question: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.” (CNA) Quick Links 1. Honoring Our Lady of Fatima 2. Our Lady of Fatima Feasting 3. 13 Things to Know About Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Mother of all individuals and peoples, you know all their sufferings and hopes. In your motherly heart you feel all the struggles between good and evil, between light and darkness, that convulse the world: accept the plea which we make in the Holy Spirit directly to your heart, and embrace with the love of the Mother and Handmaid of the Lord those who most await this embrace, and also those whose act of entrustment you too await in a particular way. Take under your motherly protection the whole human family, which with affectionate love we entrust to you, O Mother. May there dawn for everyone the time of peace and freedom, the time of truth, of justice and of hope. Amen Food 1. Sun Fruit Tray Recipe Here! The Ascension of the Lord About The Ascension refers to the day celebrated 40 days after Easter when Catholics celebrate the fact that Jesus returns to God after being with his disciples after the resurrection. It is a central element of our tradition and is included in the creed recited at Mass each Sunday. It is also a Holy Day of Obligation and Catholics are required to go to Mass on that day. (Busted Halo) The scriptural basis for this comes from Acts 1:9-11. And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” Quick Links Annual Ascension Picnic 3 Ways to Celebrate the Ascension Ascension Day Traditions Ascension Prayer Dear Lord Jesus Christ, Right before your Ascension into heaven you told your apostles to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth upon receiving the Holy Spirit. May I be similarly inspired to spread your Gospel message in word and deed, according to your will for me. And may I do so prudently and joyfully, with your help, your guidance, and your grace! And remembering this glorious event, help me to seek what is above, Heaven, where you are seated at the right hand of God the Father! Amen. Food Strawberry Cinnamon Butter Recipe Here! Pentecost Sunday About "In the Christian tradition, Pentecost is the celebration of the person of the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus, who were gathered together in the Upper Room. A "strong, driving" wind filled the room where they were gathered, and tongues of fire came to rest on their heads, allowing them to speak in different languages so that they could understand each other. It was such a strange phenomenon that some people thought the Christians were just drunk - but Peter pointed out that it was only the morning, and said the phenomenon was caused by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit also gave the apostles the other gifts and fruits necessary to fulfill the great commission - to go out and preach the Gospel to all nations. It fulfills the New Testament promise from Christ (Luke 24:46-49) that the Apostles would be "clothed with power" before they would be sent out to spread the Gospel." (CNA) Quick Links 7 Ways to Celebrate Pentecost Come Holy Spirit Into Our Homes Understanding the Lost Octave Pentecost Prayer We beseech you, O Lord, let the power of the Holy Spirit be always with us; let it mercifully purify our hearts, and safeguard us from all harm. Grant this through Christ our Lord, Amen. May the Comforter, Who proceeds from You, enlighten our minds, we beseech you, O Lord, and guide us, as Your Son has promised, into all truth. We ask this through Christ, our Lord, Amen. Holy Spirit, Sweet guest of My Soul, Abide In Me and Grant That I May Ever abide in Thee. Amen Food 1. Fruits of the Spirit Salad Recipe Here! The Visitation About This is a fairly late feast, going back only to the 13th or 14th century. It was established widely throughout the Church to pray for unity. The present date of celebration was set in 1969, in order to follow the Annunciation of the Lord and precede the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. Like most feasts of Mary, it is closely connected with Jesus and his saving work. The more visible actors in the visitation drama (see Luke 1:39-45) are Mary and Elizabeth. However, Jesus and John the Baptist steal the scene in a hidden way. Jesus makes John leap with joy—the joy of messianic salvation. Elizabeth, in turn, is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses words of praise to Mary—words that echo down through the ages. It is helpful to recall that we do not have a journalist’s account of this meeting. Rather Luke, speaking for the Church, gives a prayerful poet’s rendition of the scene. Elizabeth’s praise of Mary as “the mother of my Lord” can be viewed as the earliest Church’s devotion to Mary. As with all authentic devotion to Mary, Elizabeth’s (the Church’s) words first praise God for what God has done to Mary. Only secondly does she praise Mary for trusting God’s words. Then comes the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). Here, Mary herself—like the Church—traces all her greatness to God. (Fransiscan Media) Quick Links What to Do for the Feast of the Visitation Teaching Kids About the Visitation Help a Mom in Need Visitation Prayer “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Amen Food 1. Heart Cake Recipe Here! Happy Feasting! 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