Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Today is both the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the birthday of St. Madeleine Sophie; I took the habit on this day sixty-one years ago. We were dressed as brides and walked solemnly down the middle aisle of the Kenwood Chapel while our parents shed tears in the benches. Then we left, had our hair cut off very quickly and were dressed in the black habits and returned to the altar for Mass as novices in white veils. I was happy to have my parents there for the ceremony, but remember that I still had a dreadful cold and cough and was trying not to show it. It was not easy for my parents but they went to Macy's in New York City after the day's visit with me and sent me a box of toys to play with on Christmas: pick-up sticks, jacks, playing cards and games like "Ole Maid" and a yo-yo, a ball with a paddle and I know not what but we really enjoyed them that Christmas day. It is funny how the 61 years can disappear when one returns to these old but dear memories.
I go straight to the church for Mass after my gym class and was glad I got there early today as there was not a single parking place left by Mass time and the cars were double-parked when I came out. The church for our 12:05 daily Mass is always crowded but on Feasts of Our Lady it is even more so.
It is good to see such devotion to Our Lady.
I said I would tell you about our week end in Tampa. It was great fun and we had wonderful seats for the musical of "The Christmas Story" and met afterwards with the actor, who played the father of the little boys in the musical. Marge's brother-in-law wrote the "Book" for this musical which had been a movie. I never saw it but it is about a little boy who wants a b-b-gun for Christmas. We returned in time to go to the lovely outdoor Mass and carols sung by the Middle School at Carrollton; it was dark at the end of the Liturgy so each child had an electric candle that she held while singing. It was all beautiful and several hundred chairs on the lawn were filled with proud parents and grandparents and siblings galore.