To view the Journal for MARCH click on this link GOTO MARCH Journals…or click on the “header at the top of this page, select “Journals” for the drop-down menu. If pictures appear missing, use your “refresh” button.
HAPPINESS is to have EVERYTHING
you NEED,
NOT the NEED to have EVERYTHING
This month’s Travel Plans:
14. March 4th Cottonwood, AZ at Verde Valley RVP (TT) x 14 nights
15. March 18th Grand Canyon Village at GC Campground for 4 nights
16. March 22nd Las Vegas at Las Vegas TT Campground for 14 nights
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3.07.2019-Immaculate Conception Roman CC
In 2002 Cottonwood, AZ was mushrooming into the most prominent town in this part of Arizona. N that year a temporary church was built in Cottonwood that could accommodate up to 400 parishioners. It did not take very long before each Mass service was at 90% capacity. In 2006 a committee was set up for the construction of a new church. Ground breaking for the new building took place on 12/8/2009.
The front of the church has three sets of doors. Only the Bishop may enter through the “Center” set of doors but anyone and everyone may use the center doors to exit the church.
The Bell Tower has three bells. They are dedicated to Archangels Gabriel, Rafael and Michael.
The Confessional in this picture comes from the National Church of North Benton, Minnesota.
The large “Configuration Window” measures 15 x 25 feet in size. It has 36 smaller windows in it. T is considered “irreplaceable.” It was created for the Transfiguration Church in Philadelphia, PA. The “Rose Window” was created in 1856 for the Immaculate Church in Buffalo, NY. The church was built in 1856 and closed in 2005. The stain glass windows on the left side of the church are based on the Corporal Works of Mercy. The seven stain glass windows on the right side of the church reflect the Spiritual Works of Mercy.
The stations of the Cross around the church were made for the Immaculate Conception Church in Prescott Valley. Each is five feet tall. Father David Kelash is the Pastor and is adamant on keeping this parish moving forward. Soon the town expects the building of over 5000 new homes. The Immaculate Conception Church offers both English and Spanish Masses with a splash of Latin just to remind all the Church’s roots. Confession is offered on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays.
Mario and a husband and wife in the gift shop were very generous with their time and background information on this church. Both this parish and Cottonwood are growing. On our way home we spent a few dollars at Walmart.
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This picture shows only two of the three doors into the church. The center door, (center picture) may be used by all when exiting the church, but only the bishop may enter the church through these doors
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The Baptismal Font came from Holy family Church in Jerome. It was made in 1887. It is located just as you enter the church is symbolic that Baptism is needed before we can join the Catholic Family of the Church.
MORE TO COME……..!
The text to follow courtesy of the Catholic News Agency
Our Lady of Czestochowa as Queen of Poland-History on the painting…
The image dates back to the time of the Twelve Apostles, and was painted by the hand of St. Luke the Evangelist, who is believed to have used a tabletop from a table built by Jesus during his time as a carpenter. According to the legend, it was while Luke was painting Mary that she recounted to him the events in the life of Jesus that would eventually be used in his Gospel.
The same legend states that when St. Helen came to Jerusalem in 326 AD to look for the true Cross, she also happened to find this image of Our Lady. She then gave it as a gift to her son Constantine, who built a shrine to venerate it. The painting was placed inside a small church, and the prince later had a Pauline monastery and church built at the location to ensure the painting’s safety. However, in 1430 the Hussites overran the monastery, attempting to take the image. In the process one of the looters took the painting and put it into a wagon and tried to drive away. But when the horses refused to move, he struck the painting twice with his sword. As he raised his hand to strike it again, he suddenly fell over writhing in pain and died. Despite previous attempts to repair the scars from the arrow and the blows from the sword, restorers had trouble in covering them up since the painting was done with tempera infused with diluted wax. The marks remain visible to this day.
More recent stories surrounding the image involve the Russian invasion of Poland in 1920, holding that when the Russian army was gathering on the banks of the Vistula River and threatening Warsaw, they saw an image of Our Lady in the clouds over the city, prompting them to withdraw. The image of Our Lady of Czestochowa gets its nickname “Black Madonna” from the soot residue which discolors the painting as a result of centuries of votive lights and candles burned in front of it. Since the fall of communism in Poland, pilgrimages to the image have significantly increased. As many as 2.5 million pilgrims expected to gather in Krakow for this year’s WYD event. While not all of them will join Pope Francis in Czestochowa, his visit will surely attract more pilgrims to the spot.
A replica of this painting is found in the Immaculate Conception Church, cottonwood, AZ
“Everything we were, we carry with us. Everything we will be, is calling to us, from the roads not travelled yet.” pjgrenier