many reasons to be thankful...muchas razones de ser agradacedia

thank you to everyone who has called, emailed, or texted me. This past weekened was difficult but full of grace nonetheless. I left early Saturday morning and arrived in Columbus, Ohio by 10am. My parents were there to meet me at the airport and we went to the retirement community where my grandparents were living. My father has been through so much, but is the perfect person to do it. It was hard to see him hurting so much, but reassuring to see the peace that he had about his father's passing.
Everyone at the nursing home was so wonderful to us. You could see just how much they loved my grandfather. He was always a sweet man, and I'm glad to know that they loved him as their own. He had taken to doing jigsaw puzzles, the other little old ladies there loved it. My aunt actually heard them once "did you see, tom's doing another puzzle?" "Oh, I just love his puzzles, lets go help!"....hahahaha... He's been doing the puzzles and framing them. The people at Feridean (where he lived) had been encouraging him to take the bus that they provide to Mejier's (like a walmart) nearby and buy his own frames but he never wanted to...until 3 weeks ago. He got on the bus and went and bought a frame for his puzzle. He was so proud when he got back and said "that's easy. i can do that." I rejoice knowing he was still finding pleasure in the last weeks. He told Beverly (one of the women that works there) that he wanted her to make sure that each of his three kids got one of the three puzzles he had just completed for christmas. He knew he was going to die. And he was okay with it.
My grandfather's passing was peaceful. I don't know if I said this the last time, but his nurse was catholic, and was there when he passed. As was my father. He had my dad's hand in one hand, and his rosary in the other. He died in the arms of the blessed mother.
So, sunday was the wake, so difficult to see my grandfather in a casket, but good for closure. All of my family was there, all the cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone. A bad reason for a reunion but a joy nonetheless. Monday was the funeral. I was asked 10 minutes before the mass to do the eulogy. Talk about nerve racking!!! But it all went well. It was yet another moment I was so grateful to be catholic. To see the insense with our prayers, rising up to heaven, to hear the blessings, and recieve Jesus, knowing I was being united with my grandfather in that moment of consumption. It was all so peaceful! And the priest (a dominican-who is actually really close friends with my spiritual director-small God world) gave a wonderful homily about preparing ourselves. And so, at the end of it all, I was okay. Death is not something to be feared if we have lived our lives for God. If we have strived to follow Him in all that we do, and if we are like my grandfather, who lived his live full of Love and Joy!! There is nothing to fear.
The next few days were just me and my parents with my grandmother. I stayed with her in her room, and reiceved the great grace of talking with her. She's a little demented now but has moments of clarity that astonish me. We talked for over an hour one night about how she met my grandfather, and their love, and marriage. She kept saying "I never thought he would be the first to go. you know everyone dies, but it doesn't seem real that it can happen so fast." So my days were full of sorrow and joy. Much like the cross.
I then flew to DC for a few days with my best childhood friend, her family, and my sister (and my parents). Arriving back in Cville yesterday to spend the day with my parents, my brother, his fiancee, and half of hokie nation to watch the UVA Vtech game. It was joyful as well.
In short, this last week has been a blur. I miss my grandfather terribly, but I must rejoice in his peace. My mother told me that all my prayers from my former blog were answered. he died in peace, and knowledge of God's love. What else can I be thankful for...I saw my family, I spent quality time with my grandmother, and I have been loved so abundantly by many. I am so grateful!! and now...now it's time to start working again. I love you all and am constantly lifting you up in prayer!! God bless!


Primeramente, gracias a todos que me han llamando y escrito para ofrecer sus oraciones para mi familia. Me ayudo mucho. Okay...algo breve. Fui a columbus, Ohio la sabado pasado. mis padres reunieron con migo en el aeropuerto. Fue tan bueno de verles, pero pobresito mi papi. Ha experimentado mucho en la semana pasado, de cuidar por todo de la funeral de mi abuelo y todo. Pero fue bueno tambien, de ver la paz en los ojos de el...el sabia que mi abuelo esta en un lugar mejor. Bueno, fuimos a ver mi abuela donde vive ella (y vivia mi abuelo). Vive ella en un asylo para los ancianos. pero uno excelente. La gente alla aman los ancianos como sus propios padres. Todos estaban contandonos historias sobre mi abuelo. El estaba haciendo rompecabezas y todos los ancianas estaban encantadas de ver lo. El los puso en marcos, y fue a una tienda en el bus de casa de ancianos hace 3 semanas por la primera vez de comprar su marco solo. Beverly (una de las mujeres que trabaja alla) nos dijo que el dijo cuando regreso "ah, esto fue facile, yo puedo hacer esto." El fue tan orgulloso de hacer para si mismo. Tambien, le dijo de estar segura que cada uno de sus 3 hijos (mi papi, y dos tias) recibien uno de sus rompecabezas para navidad. Pensamos que el sabia que va a morir. Esto me da paz...que el sabia pero no tenia miedo. No se se les dijo esto en mi ultima blog pero mi abuelo se murio con su rosario en un mano, y el mano de mi papa en su otro. El se murio en los brazos de la virgen. Esto me da paz.
Domingo fue la vista del cuerpo y visitacion de la familia. Fue duro de verlo pero bueno tambien. Todo mi familia fue alla, tios, tias, vecinos, sobrinos, todos. Es un mal excuso para tener un reunion de la familia, pero me dio un poco de comodidad. Lunes, fue la funeral. Me dijeron 10 minutos (mas o menos) antes de la misa que quisieron para mi de hacer la eulogoia (no se como se dice...es cuando alguien va a decier cosas sobre la persona que esta muerte). Fue un miedo para mi de estar enfrente de todos tratando de decir sobre la vida de mi abuelo, pero como siempre fue gracia de Dios. Tambien, la misa fue excelente para mi. De ver el incienso levantando a los cielos con nuestros oraciones, de ver el sacerdote (un dominicana ...y bueno amigo de mi director espiritual...que chiquito este mundo) rezando y bendiciendo el ataul, y de recibir a jesus en la eucaristia, y saber en esto momento fue unido con mi abuelo en los cielos. No se, fue otro momento llena de gracia y agradcimiento a Dios por dar me este iglesia, este fe. Ya se (como siempre sabia en la profundidad) que no debemos tener miedo de la muerte. Si vivimos nuestras vidas para Dios, y llena de amor y gozo, podemos morir en paz con el conocimiento que vamos a ver nuestro Dios y creador!
Los siguientos dias fue yo, y mis padres con mi abuela. Yo dormi en el cuarto con ella. Nunca ha vivido sola en 93 anos. Nunca estaba sola. Esto va a ser un cambio grande para ella. Fue duro (porque ella es un poco loca y dificile) pero un gracia tambien. Placticamos por mas que una hora una noche. Sobre so matrimonio, como conocio a mi abuelo, su vida. Todo...se que voy a ser bien feliz que pase este tiempo con ella. Ella me dijo "yo no pense que el va a ir primero. Se que todos mueren, pero no pensamos que va a pasar tan rapido." Rezan por paz en el corazon de ella...creo que esta bien.
Despues fui a Washington DC para celebrar accion de gracia con mis padres, mi hermana, su novio, mi mejor amiga de mi ninez y su familia. Fue bueno. Y llegue con mis padres a charlottesville ayer de pasar el dia con mi hermano y su prometida de ver un partido de futbol americana.
Y hoy...tengo que empezar de estudiar de nuevo. Mi vacacion esta terminado, y esto acercando a mis examenes. Pero mi semana, auque duro, fue llena de gracia, gozo, y amor. entonces auque cosas son duros algunos vezes, este semana me enseno de tener agadecimiento en todos momentos. Estoy en buen salud, con muchas personas que me aman. Que mas puedo querer?? Les queiro a todos, y sigo rezando para uds diaria!! Dios les bendiga!

Thomas Alfred Perone

Just to update everyone, my gradfather passed away last night. with my father at his side and his rosary in his hand. My mother told me that my prayers were answered, that he died in peace. I'm flying to Ohio tomorrow for the funeral on Monday. Please continue to keep my family and the soul of my grandfather in your prayers. His name was Thomas Alfred Perone....Thanks!


Para que sepan, mi abuelo se murio anoche. Mi padre estuvo con el, y el se murio con su rosario en su mano. Mi mama me dijo que mis oraciones fueron contestado, que el se murio en paz. Voy por ohio manana y el eternamiento es Lunes. Por favor, siguen rezando para mi familia y el alma de mi abuelo, se llamaba Thomas Alfred Perone. Gracias!

PLEASE PRAY!! ...REZA POR FAVOR!!

Just recieved news from my mother that my parents got an emergent call last night. my grandfather has fallen and broken his hip. he went into surgery today, he also has metastatic bone cancer...it has spread even farther. Things are very uncertain as for his recovery and where he will have to go depending on what happens. please pray!! My father has flown to Ohio today and will be facing many difficult decisions in the next few days as my grandfathers medical proxy...he will also have to tell my grandmother about my grandfather's cancer because my grandpa never wanted her to know.
Please, please, please pray. My grandparents are wonderful people but so unsure of the truth. They have practiced the catholic faith for 90something years now but aren't sure of Jesus as the living truth. Pray for them to recieve the peace they need, the peace from the blessed mother, and the peace from Christ. To KNOW with all that is in them, that He is real, that HE exists, and that death is nothing to fear. I will do my best to keep you all updated. Thanks!


Porfavor, reza!! Mis padres recibieron una llamada anoche diciendo que mi abuelo se cayo y se rompio su cadera (?)- la parte de su pierna. Bueno, tambien el tiene cancer y ha extendido a otros partes de su cuerpo. Mi abuelo entro cirguia hoy y mi papa volo a Ohio este manana. Por favor, reza. mi padre tiene muchos decisiones de hacer en estos dias, como lo abagado o encargado de mis abuelos. Reza que el puede tener la sabiduria que necesicita. Tambien, el tiene que decir a mi abuela sobre el cancer de mi abuelo, porque mi abuelo no quiso para ella saber. No sabemos que va a pasar...reza por favor!!
Mis abuelos son buena gente. Han practicado la fe catolica para mas que 90 anos. Pero no conocen Jesus como una persona real. En estos anos mas cerca a la muerte mis abuelos han tendido dudas sobre la realidad de los cielos, sobre Jesus. Reza que ellos pueded SABER y CONOCER el amor y realidad de Jesus, y su santa Madre. Que pueden creer el la misericordia de Dios, que El existe, y no hay nada de tener miedo de la muerte. Voy a tratar de darles mas informacion cuando tengo. Gracias!!

pictures from the last few weekends

desumo weekend

St. Greg's Dinner/dance

diving in...

well so much has been going on since my last post. Classes are going well...for the most part. It looks like I'm only going to get 2 A's which kinda sucks but God's in charge. I'm continuing to plod along. I've been out of town almost every weekend for the last month. In Virginia Beach all 3 times. First for Kelli Esposito's baby shower, then the missioners desumo weekend, and this past weekend for the St.Greg's anniversary dinner dance (this picture is from that dinner).

This morning I was up at 6:15am to head into surgery. I watched cardio-thoracic surgery for the last 8 hours and it was INCREDIBLE!! I really enjoyed myself. Everyone was extremely friendly and I know now more than ever that I'm supposed to go into medicine. Please continue to pray for my perseverance. I'm pretty burned out with school and finding it hard to make myself study. But this morning/afternoon was PHENOMENAL!!

On the other list of miracles...I'll update on what St.Gianna is continuing to do in my life. As most of you know I have a devotion to St. Gianna, she picked me 2 years ago when I first entered the missioners chapel in Honduras (although I didn't even know she was there). Well I started shadowing this amazing catholic doctor here in Charlottesville, who I found through the parish bulletin. She (surprise surprise) also has a huge devotion to ST. Gianna. She has been an amazing mentor and Friday afternoons are my favorite time of the week. This being said, I went to work last Friday and she told me she had a surprise for me. A friend of hers had just gone to Rome, she had told her about me and my devotion to St. Gianna. and this friend brought me a RELIC OF ST> GIANNA!!! yes, I'm serious. To get even weirder, this friend of hers (who I have never met) is actually someone I should have met. In August, when I felw to michigan for my Godbaby's baptism, I met this woman on a plane and we began talking. It turns out her daughter is a parishoner at my parish. She gave me her name and told me to contact her (which i never did). This woman's daugher is the same person who brought me my relic!!! I KNOW>>>GOD IS SO GOOD!! Anyway, I have to run. I have to read organic chemistry now. I love you all and am praying for you!! God bless!

Etel's here!! - Etel esta!

Hey everyone...thanks for your prayers. Praise God Etel arrived safely in Louisiana last weekend. Although she didn't know it at the time I had a break from school monday and tuesday and was able to fly down and surprise her at the airport. Alyson, my parents, and I drove to New Orleans and met her. It was wonderful to see her. Sunday my parents and I went to mass with Etel and we went to go visit Mike the tiger at LSU (GO TIGERS)! Monday, Etel and I went to the convent where my father works and the nursing home where she's going to be volunteering. I had to leave for virginia tuesday, but Praise God we had a great visit!! It was such a blessing to see and spend time with Aly and Etel. I continue to thank God for their presence in my life.

Well I'm back here in Charlottesville, studying, and preparing for more exams. God's grace continues to be prevalent...I'm shadowing a wonderful Catholic doctor who is a great example for me. She is a wife, mother, and a doctor, and big surprise she has a devotion to St. Gianna!! God is good...I met with fr. brian (the priest at my parish) on Friday to talk about spiritual direction and we're going to meet again in a few weeks. Please pray for our discernment about God's will! I have to run and study...but I'm praying for you all.

Suffering and Mother Teresa...sufrimento y madre teresa

I was reading my magnificat the other day and there was a wonderful reflection by mother teresa about suffering. (I'm going to include it here). Now as many of you know I'm a big fan of Mother Teresa because in this time of my dark night of the soul (whether self imposed or from God we have still to find out) it does comfort me a little to know that she experienced this darkness for the last 50 years of her life. So I searched the web to find more reflexions about suffering by her...and was surprised to find pages of websites AGAINST mother teresa. Apparently there is a new book that is a compilation of her writings to spiritual directors relaying this darkness that she experienced. People are just saying the worst things about her, that she was a fraud (HUH???) and that she didn't really care for the poor. Basically it's trash...and slander. I was really struggling with this last night and the phrase "you shall know a tree by it's fruits" just kept going in my head...whatever people want to say about mother teresa...let's look at the fruits...poor are dying with a roof over thier heads, the order is growing EXPONENTIALLY, and people have grown in love and charity because of her life and witness. Those look like good fruits to me...so whatever other people want to say about Mother Teresa...I still love her. To continue in faith after such times of darkness...to experience so much suffering and not show it to all the world...well isn't that the witness. I struggle with that greatly at what point hiding my suffering so that it is between just God and I becomes being a hypocrite and a fake...but apparently Mother Teresa struggles with it as well...now I'm not comparing myself to mother teresa...I'm just saying well...I don't really know.
Here's the reflexion I read in Magnificat...

" Suffering has to come because if you look at the cross, he has got his head bending down- he wants to kiss you- and he has both hands open wide- he wants to embrace you. He has his heart opened wide to recieve you. Then when you feel miserable inside, look at the cross and you will know what is happening. Suffering, pain, sorrow, humiliation, feelings of loneliness, are nothing but the kiss of Jesus, a sign that you have come so close that he can kiss you. Do you understand, brothers, sisters, or whoever you may be? Suffering, pain, humiliation- this ist he kiss of Jesus. At times you come so close to Jesus on the corss that he can kiss you. I once told this to a lady who was suffering very much. She answered, "Tell Jesus not to kiss me- to stop kissing me." That suffering has to come that came in the life of Our Lady, that came in the life of Jesus- it has to come in our life also. Only never put on a long face. Suffering is a gift from God. It is between you and Jesus alone inside...Our total surrender will come today by surrendering even our sins so that we will be poor. "Unless you become a child you cannot come to me." You are too big, too heavy; you cannot be lifted up. We need humility to acknowledge our sin. The knowledge of our sin helps us to rise. "I will get up and go to my Father." " - Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Blessed Mother Teresa...PRAY FOR US!!!


Bueno el otro dia yo lei un reflexion de madre teresa sobre sufrimiento. Fue excelente. Como la majoria saben me gusta mucho madre teresa, especialmente ahorita. Ahora estoy en mi noche oscura del alma...y me da animo de saber que esta santa experimento esta oscuridad (estoy segura mas profundamente que yo) por mas que 50 anos...y ella fue SANTA! bueno, todavia no estoy segura si esta oscuridad para mi es de Dios o es de mi propio problema pero vamos a ver. Entonces yo fui de buscar mas palabras de madre en el internet...y de mi sorpresa hay paginas de sitios CONTRA madre teresa. Personas estan diciendo cosas feos sobre ella, que ella no hizo nada, que los condiciones en las asylos son horribles...y parece que ya salio un libro de cartas de madre a sus directores espirituales confiando sobre la oscuridad. Personas estan diciendo que ella sabia que fue hypocrita, bueno no voy a decir todo...pero fueron feos. Me di COURAJE!! de golpearlos...pero si las cartas son de ella...que podemos hacer...si ella pensaba que fue hypocrita...y estaba bien preocupada anoche y con frequencia la escritura "vas a saber un arbol de sus frutos" pasaba en mi mente. Y yo pense...no importa que dicen otros personas el diablo siempre va a encontrar maneras de luchar contra Dios, tenemos que ver los frutos de la vida de madre. Cuales son estos frutos, un mundo mas consiente de la responsibilidad a amor y los pobres, alguons pobres han muerto con un techo sobre sus cuerpos, y con amor...y la orden de los misioneros de caridad ha crecido MUCHO!! entonces, sabiamos que ella estaba en la oscuridad espiritualmente, no fue un secreto...no podemos juzgar que Dios ha hecho...nosotros SAbemos que ella fue santa...tenemos que luchar contra los mentiras del diablo en todos formas...y rezar por las personas que son tan perdidos que quieren buscar culpa y cosas malas en todos.

aqui es la reflexion que yo leyi de sufrimiento...

"Sufrimiento tiene que llegar porque si mira la cruz, el tiene su cabeza inclinado- el quiere besarle- el tiene los dos manos abiertos- el quiere abrazarle. El tiene su corazon abierto de recibirle. Entonces cuando siente desesperado adentro, mira la cruz y va a saber que esta pasando. Sufrimiento, dolor, tristeza, humiliacion, sentidos de ser solo, estos son nada menos el bezo de Jesus, un signal que has llegado tan cerca a el que el puede bezarle. Entienden hermanos, hermanas, o cualquier personas son? Sufrimiento, dolor, humiliacion- esto es el bezo de Jesus. Algunos veces pueden llegar tan cerca a Jesus en la cruz que el puede bezarles. Una vez yo dije esto a una mujer que fue sufriendo mucho. Ella me contesto "Diga a Jesus de no bezarme- para besandome!" El sufrimiento tiene que llegar que llego el la vida de Nuestra Senora, que llego en la vida de Jesus- tiene que llegar en nuestros vidas tambien. Solomente, nunca ponga una cara triste. Sufrimiento es un regalo de Dios. Esta entre ud y Jesus solamente adentro...Nuestra abilidad de entregar totalmente a Dios va a llegar hoy atravez de entregar tambien nuestros pecados para que podemos ser pobres. "A menos que seas como un nino no puedes llegar a mi" Ud es tan grande, tan pesado; no puede ser levantado. Necesicitamos humildad para reconocer nuesto pecado. Esta conocimiento de nuestos pecados nos ayuda de levantarnos. "Voy a levantarme y ir a mi Padre." " - Madre Teresa

BEATA MADRE TERSA...RUEGA POR NOSOTROS!!!!