Hey everyone: Glad to be back up! I'm felling rather alone right now, since it looks like I'm the first one to post after we went down. Don't ya' just hate that?

I hope Kevin is still there, since I posted a long answer to his questions and comments on the thread "A non-Catholic asks questions, and gets answers," I hope he's not one of those hit-and-runners! They are SOOO exhausting.

Kathy, did you make it to mass yet?

Is John back yet?

Where's Mary Lu and Jake and Chris and Emerald and Kiwi and David?

Love,

Gail

-- Gail (rothfarms@socket.net), August 09, 2002

Answers

Well, I'm here, for what it's worth. Glad to be back. I missed you all.

-- jake (jake__@msn.com), August 09, 2002.

Hi Gail,

Im going to leave you all in peace for a while, Ive been a rather unpleasant person to be around lately. I understand Emerald has work commitments that he needs to concentrate on. Love

Courtenay

ps Congratulations and Blessings to Mateo and his wife.

-- kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), August 10, 2002.

Oh, yes, Mateo -- HOW could I forget? -- CONGRATULATIONS!

May God's graces work through your marriage and bless the multitude!

Gail

-- gail (rothfarms@socket.net), August 10, 2002.

Hello guys,

My fiancee and I are really excited because we've only got two weeks until the magic day! As always, I really appreciate all of your prayers.

Love,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), August 10, 2002.

Mateo, that's so sweet of you to put it that way...magic day. :) A bit of advice from a female~always remember to open her door; always remember to pull her seat out for her at dinner; always remember to tell her how beautiful she is and mean it...show it; and even if you've been married a month or ten years, still refer to her as your bride. My stepfather does this with my mother...I hear him tell me "I took my bride out to dinner" and it just melts my heart. And they've been married for 12 years. :)

Good luck, God bless and congrats on the upcoming nuptials, Mateo!

-- Jackiea (sorry@dontlikespam.com), August 11, 2002.

Mateo: I don't know how it is done in the U.S. Here in Mexico it is customary during a wedding Mass to sing Shubert's AVE MARIA at the offertory. For me it has a very special meaning: it reminds me that Mary became the Spouse of the Holy Spirit on the day of Anunciation in order to be the Mother of the Son of God. So we have the groom, the HOLY SPIRIT, the bride, MARY, and the hope of a child, JESUS. If every Catholic marriage would live among these lines there would be more saintly couples, with the Holy Spirit dwelling in them and leading them to make avery child in the family CHRIST-like. How could anyone living these truths think about family violence, separation and divorce, abortion (killing Jesus)and the rest of evils that plague so many couples today?

Mateo lo mejor que te puedo desear para tu boda es que el PADRE los bendiga, que el ESPIRITU SANTO los santifique e ilumine, que CRISTO los haga un signo de su unión con la Iglesia y todo esto bajo la mirada amorosa de nuestra Madre MARIA.

Estas son las Mañanitas Que cantaba el Rey David, Hoy por ser día de tu boda, Te las cantamos aquí.

.......

Qué linda está la mañana, En que vengo a saludarte, Venimos todos con gusto Y placer a felicitarte.

Etc, etc.....

Enrique

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), August 12, 2002.