Planning Ahead: April 2, 2006
So, what are *you* doing April 2, 2006?

That's exactly what I want to know. Lucy (of www.luxfidelis.blogspot.com) and I are quite enthusiasts of popular piety. On St. John the Baptists day, there is a special ritual for evening bonfires and singing, found in the old Roman Ritual. Did you know that? For St. Michael's day, people plant special Michaelmas flowers to place on his altars or before his statues. My grandpa's favorite, on Pope St. Sylvester's day, people bake kuchen to recall the rich prosperity of his reign.

So what will we do on the Feast of John Paul II, canonized or not?
A recent discussion offered some suggests, and I added my own.

1) Mary Crowning. Make a wreath with four flowers (representing the four "Greats" of John Paul II, see below) and place it on or in front of a statue of Our Lady of Fatima. As the Pope of the Fatima prophecies, and as a son "totus tuus" of Mary, his many merits (represented by the flowers) are his crowing gift to Our Lady, whom he loved and served, and who by her prayers obtained from God the amazing graces which flowed from this man.

2) Eat Polish creme puffs (and a little rum). During his last visit to Poland, John Paul was speaking in a town square when he pointed to a corner shop and recalled having gone there after classes during his student days with his friends for creme puffs. Then he turned off to the side a chuckled -- for reasons we only found out later. Apparently, the Pontiff and some friends had once had a bet or a competition to see who could eat the most creme puffs. The Holy Father lost, only consuming nine. But... they sort of needed the calories: they were all a little tipsy on rum at the time :)

3) Do something special to commemorate the early Spring -- for this Pope has died, not only in the early spring of the year, but in the very beginning of that New Springtime of Evangelization which he himself began.

Your thoughts??