Pope Wallpaper, Banner, and more!

Okay, if I knew this image was going to run around like wildfire I would have done a better job. If I ever make the facebook books it'll be because of this one. Thank you Cory Heimann from Likable Art for the Graphic Design and the embarrassing number of likes and shares.

 wallpaper

 

 phone

 facebook banner

But the real nice thing is, we have a Pope! And how lucky are we that we get such holy ones these days! But during the emotional Papamoon we are all going through, I like to drink in some smart sobriety from someone who knows the inner workings of the Church politics, and has written several books on our last two Popes. Where might this Pope be leading us to?

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/342964/first-american-pope-george-weigel

My Papa: Pope Francis

My heart is bursting with joy! How I wish I was with my family and friends as I watched our new pope come out on the balcony!

I can't believe they made a decision so fast, I hadn't even really planned on watching for smoke for the first couple of days, and to think I nearly missed it. I was out on a lunch date when my phone stated beeping and my facebook wall was inundated.

I found a live stream and sat on my bed... waiting.

When the cardinal announced his name I thought, who? Francis? What? Explain!!!!

And finally the curtains opened and a bespectacled figure appeared. I didn't recognize him. I thought I had done my research pretty thoroughly, but if he wasn't a likely candidate in the eyes of the press then that was probably a good thing! He stood there, not smiling, and I thought, smile! Please be a kind man. And then he began to speak and all my doubts were washed away by the gentleness of his voice. When he asked the people to pray for him and he went on his knees, I sobbed and prayed that the Lord would give him strength and wisdom and that He would keep him safe from the snares of the Devil. I prayed that he would be Jesus Christ's instrument for peace and unity in the world and I cried through all the pain and joys that have come with leading a Christian life. Pope Francis said goodnight and left too soon, I wanted him to stay. I wanted to be there.

The only things I've learned about him so far are that his fellow cardinals believe him to be a living saint, that in Argentina he does not live in the "Bishop's Palace" but in a small apartment, he cooks his own meals and takes the bus to work. He is known for his simplicity. I hope the Lord grants him sanctity and strength, because this office is heavy and the need of the world so great. May Jesus Christ reign in his heart and may he feel loved by the people who already love him so much. 

~

St. Francis heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Francis, rebuild my Church."

The Kind of Thing...

... that brings me joy.

Gungor, a very popular musician/songwriter, writes about his experience at a Catholic Youth Event during Eucharistic Adoration:

http://gungormusic.com/#!/2013/03/catholicism/

What sweet humility.

Seven Quick Takes Friday (vol. 20)

- 1 -

Baby's First Sewing Project

I am at a stage in life where I love learning new skills. It's thrilling! Today, it's snowing like mad and the wind is slashing at an angle that gets you straight in the eye, but I refused to cancel my first sewing class. There is this lovely little place on Hope St. in Providence, RI called Kreatelier and their sewing classes are very flexible and catered to everyone's level. My level being zero, I decided to go one on one the first time. I made a pencil pouch, and although the inside fabric shrunk a little when I ironed it, it turned out pretty darn cute. The bright, flowery yellow fabric reminds me of something my mami would have worn when she was a teenager.

 - 2 -

When Papa E Beni XVI announced he was renouncing his title as Bishop of Rome, my first thought was, "No! I still haven't read any of your books!" I'd read a few of his encyclicals but I have a number of books by him on my shelves that have gathered fine dust. So that night, after learning the news, I picked up The Joy of Knowing Christ, a collection of his meditations on the Gospels, and I finished the little book a day or two after he left Rome. 

I recommend this collection because the ideas and thoughts put forth, though deep, are written in a simple and clear manner, and I was consistently surprised and delighted by his reflections. 

- 3 -

Some of the first promotional images for Catching Fire have just been released. Here are a few. Get excited.

 - 4 -

A beautiful quote by St. Francis de Sales:

"My past no longer concerns me. It belongs to divine mercy. My future does not yet concern me. It belongs to divine providence. What challenges me is today, which belongs to God's grace and to the devotion of my heart and my good will."

- 5 -

My friend L and I threw a St. Valentine's day party for a bunch of our girlfriends. I thought it'd be cute to incorporate the joy of sainthood in some way so I made "Saint Date" cards. Each girl would pick one, and then we'd go around the room to reveal what (male) saint they got, presumably so by their example and prayer we would each grow holier. Intentionally, I tried to search for photographs or paintings depicting each saint when they were young and surprising, usually, handsome! (Padre Pio had some very interesting facial hair going on at sixteen). I don't think boys will ever get why this was so fun, but we had a blast. 

 - 6 -

A couple of days ago I went to Cambridge to listen to a band, Brother Sam Slideshow, started by some acquaintances of mine. They are phenomenal, my favorite band showcased that night. You can listen to a couple of their songs below. Love is Real is lovely.

https://soundcloud.com/brother-sam-slideshow

- 7 -

In other news, I've sent seven query letter to agents regarding my book. I think I'm going to send a few more before I start bugging publishers. The waiting period to hear back is ridiculously long, but I suppose patience in 'our click to find bliss' society, is a good thing. I drew some doodles in my spare time.

Heart,

Fabi

~
Seven Quick Takes is hosted by Jennifer Fulwiler @ Conversion Diary

Meditation and Creation in Visual Storytelling

My good friend, Justin Bell is presenting a workshop this Saturday called,  

"Meditation and Creation in Visual Storytelling", 

so come and be swept away by the beauty of stories!

Saturday, March 9, 2013

@ Theological Institute of for the New Evangelization (TINE) (back entrance)

149 Washington St., Brighton, MA 

9:30am to 11:30am

Cost: $10 for non-students

We will be looking at Blessed JP II's "Letter to Artists," and how it applies to visual storytelling. We will also be looking at some film clips as well and discussing.

Here are the names of the meditations:
Creator vs. Craftsman: A vocation as an artist
Two other trinities: True, Good & Beautiful / Image, Music & Text (with respect to Roland Barthe)
Film as a Teacher:
Digital Doodling vs. Dedication to a Craft: Taking steps to be or encourage an artist