Posts
Dara’s Corner
· How to celebrate Nov 19th
o Next up, celebrate National Working Daughters Day by showing appreciation for all the hardworking daughters out there. Reach out to a fellow working daughter and plan a virtual coffee break or send a thoughtful message. It’s a simple way to acknowledge the balancing act many women perform on a daily basis.
o For lunch, why not honor National Kentucky Day
by whipping up a homemade Kentucky-inspired meal? Try your hand at making fried chicken, cornbread, or a comforting bourbon-infused dish. It’s a delicious nod to the flavors of the South.
o In the afternoon, indulge in some friendly competition on National Play Monopoly Day. Gather your household or organize a virtual game night with friends. Monopoly is a classic board game that never fails to entertain and bring people together.
o As evening approaches, take a moment to appreciate the beauty of discovery on Discovery of Puerto Rico Day. Explore Puerto Rican culture through music, food, or art. Try cooking a traditional Puerto Rican dish or tuning into some salsa music for a mini cultural escape.
o Wrap up your day with a mini camping experience on National Camp Day. Set up a tent in your backyard or create a cozy indoor campsite. Roast marshmallows, share stories, and enjoy the simple pleasure of being in nature, even if it’s just for one night.
🌍 Dara’s Corner: Aboard The World
Veils & Vision | November 19–25, 2025
Theme: Mystery, Revelation & the Grace to See
Coordinates: Sailing from Qeshm Island toward Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Bahrain
🕊️ Day 1 — November 19 | Offshore Qeshm Island
Veil of the Waters
Pilgrims begin the week with a sunrise ritual—each receives a silk veil and is invited to wear it during morning silence.
📖 2 Corinthians 3:16 — “Whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”
Meal: Persian herb frittata (kuku sabzi), flatbread, mint tea
Reflection: “Mystery is not confusion—it is invitation.”
Hospitality Arc: Offer a quiet gesture of welcome to someone new.
🪨 Day 2 — November 20 | Docked in Bandar Abbas
Vision in the Market
Pilgrims walk the spice and textile markets, each choosing one item to carry as a symbol of what they seek.
📖 Proverbs 20:12 — “Eyes that see and ears that hear—the Lord has made them both.”
Meal: Grilled eggplant with pomegranate molasses, saffron rice
Reflection: “To see clearly is to see with mercy.”
Hospitality Arc: Ask someone what they’re searching for—and listen without fixing.
🕯️ Day 3 — November 21 | Sailing toward Bushehr
Lanterns of the Hidden
At dusk, pilgrims light lanterns and place them in shadowed corners of the ship—each flame a prayer for what remains unseen.
📖 Isaiah 45:3 — “I will give you treasures hidden in darkness…”
Meal: Persian lentil stew with dried lime and turmeric
Reflection: “The hidden is not lost—it is waiting.”
Hospitality Arc: Share a story of something you found when you weren’t looking.
🌄 Day 4 — November 22 | Docked in Bushehr
Pilgrimage of the Eyes
Pilgrims walk the coastal ruins and reflect on what remains after time and tide. Each sketches one image they wish to remember.
📖 John 9:25 — “I was blind, and now I see.”
Meal: Spiced fish with tamarind glaze and citrus salad
Reflection: “Vision is not sight—it is recognition.”
Hospitality Arc: Offer someone a new way to see something familiar.
🌬️ Day 5 — November 23 | Sailing toward Bahrain
Wind of Discernment
A midday ritual invites pilgrims to write two questions—one they’ve answered, one they still carry.
📖 James 1:5 — “If any of you lacks wisdom, ask…”
Meal: Chickpea and date tagine with cinnamon rice
Reflection: “Discernment is not decision—it is listening.”
Hospitality Arc: Ask someone what wisdom they’ve received—and honor it aloud.
🕊️ Day 6 — November 24 | Docked in Bahrain
City of Mirrors
Pilgrims visit a mirrored prayer hall. Each receives a shard of glass etched with a word of clarity.
📖 1 Corinthians 13:12 — “Now we see through a glass, darkly…”
Meal: Bahraini lamb machboos with rosewater and nuts
Reflection: “Even the broken reflects light.”
Hospitality Arc: Reflect someone’s strength back to them—name what you see.
🌅 Day 7 — November 25 | Offshore Bahrain
Eucharist of Vision
The week closes with a sunrise Eucharist. Each pilgrim receives a scroll inscribed with a question for the next voyage.
📖 Mark 8:25 — “Then his eyes were opened, and he saw everything clearly.”
Meal: Pistachio-stuffed dates, saffron tea, honeyed figs
Reflection: “Vision is not arrival—it is readiness.”
Hospitality Arc: Share aloud one veil you’ve lifted—and one you still carry.
🥘 7-Course Pilgrimage Meal: Veils & Vision
Theme: Mystery, Revelation & the Grace to See
🌿 1. Aperitif — Rose & Loomi Sparkler
A chilled blend of rosewater, dried lime (loomi), and sparkling water.
Symbolic Arc: Light before unveiling—clarity through contrast.
🥗 2. Appetizer — Zeytoon Parvardeh: Olive, Walnut & Pomegranate Dip
Green olives, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses—served with flatbread.
Symbolic Arc: Hidden sweetness—layers revealed in communion.
🥣 3. Soup — Dal Adas: Bushehri Lentil Stew
Red lentils with tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, and lemon.
Symbolic Arc: Depth in simplicity—nourishment from the unseen.
🥬 4. Salad — Cucumber & Yogurt with Za’atar Oil
Crisp cucumber ribbons in yogurt, drizzled with za’atar-infused olive oil.
Symbolic Arc: Coolness and clarity—discernment in restraint.
🍽️ 5. Main Course — Ghaliyeh Mahi: Southern Iranian Fish Stew
Tangy stew of fish, tamarind, garlic, cilantro, and chili.
Symbolic Arc: Revelation through fire—truth unveiled in flavor.
🧀 6. Cheese Course — Goat Cheese with Loomi & Pistachio
Goat cheese rolled in crushed pistachios, drizzled with dried lime syrup.
Symbolic Arc: Sharpness and delight—vision shaped by contrast.
🍰 7. Dessert — Luqaimat: Bahraini Saffron Dumplings
Crisp dough balls with saffron, cardamom, and date syrup.
Symbolic Arc: Joy revealed sweetness after silence.
NOVEMBER 19 Wednesday
St. Elizabeth of Hungary-World
Toilet Day
John, Chapter 17, Verse 23-26
I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you LOVED them even as you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.”
It would be a good practice to make a prayer of praise to our God when we get up and when we go to bed.
For the evening prayer might I suggest sitting quietly before bed reflecting on Psalm 40:11 “Be still and know I am God.” Offer to our Lord your good works, and your failings, and praise Him for the graces He has given in regard to your concerns.
Copilot’s Take
Today, the world pauses for World Toilet Day, a civic reminder
that sanitation is sacred. Clean water, safe toilets, and dignified hygiene are
not luxuries—they are acts of mercy. In John 17, Christ prays that we may be
one, perfected in love, drawn into divine intimacy. His words echo across every
threshold: “I in them and you in me.” Even the most ordinary acts—washing,
waking, sleeping—become sacred when offered in love.
Let this morning begin with a whispered “Thank You” before your
feet touch the floor. Let the evening close in stillness, offering your works
and failings to the One who knows you and loves you.
🌹 Saint
Elizabeth of Hungary
Feast Day
(Devotional): November 19
Patron of the Poor · Icon of Mercy · Franciscan Mystic
Born in 1207 to Hungarian royalty, Elizabeth lived as both princess and
servant. She opened granaries during famine, founded hospitals, and embraced
Franciscan poverty after her husband’s death. Her most famous miracle? Bread
hidden in her cloak for the poor transformed into roses when questioned—a
divine affirmation that mercy blooms in secret acts.
On this day of bodily dignity and spiritual unity, her legacy shines: clean
water, shared bread, and hidden roses. She reminds us that nobility kneels,
and that every act of care—whether for the sick, the poor, or the body
itself—is a liturgy of love.
🍷 Ritual
Offering
Drink: Tokaji Aszú or Rose Cocktail
Meal: Lentil soup, fresh bread with rosewater butter
Blessing:
“To mercy that multiplies, to roses that bloom in hidden cloaks, and to
nobility that kneels.”
Bible in a Year Day 139 Reparation to the Gibeonite
In today's readings, Fr. Mike highlights David's humility in two
instances: when David asked the Gibeonites how he could repair their
relationship after they had been mistreated by Saul, and when David takes a
step back from battle. He also explains the role of the gatekeepers as people
who would be responsible for guarding the doors to the Temple. The readings are
2 Samuel 21, 1 Chronicles 26, and Psalm 40.
World Toilet Day[1]
World
Toilet Day aims to raise awareness of sanitation and hygiene issues around the
world. Poor sanitation and hygiene refer to lack of access to clean drinking
water, toilets and showers. Poor sanitation drastically increases the risk of
disease and malnutrition, especially for women and children. Today, 2.6 billion
people, about one-third of the population on the planet, do not have access to
proper sanitation, a problem that kills nearly 1 million young children every
year. World Toilet Day was designated by the United Nations in July 2013. It is
celebrated annually on November 19 as people all over the world take action and
support the basic human right of access to clean water and sanitation.
World Toilet Day Facts & Quotes
·
1
in 8 people in the world practices open defecation, meaning that the person
must relieve him/herself without cover or shelter from other people.
·
The
average person spends one hour and 42 minutes a week on the toilet, or nearly
92 days over his/her lifetime.
·
Diarrhea
is the second leading cause of deaths in children under age 5 in developing
countries. Diarrhea is primarily due to poor hygiene and sanitation.
·
The
2030 Agenda calls on us to renew our efforts in providing access to adequate
sanitation worldwide. We must continue to educate and protect communities at
risk, and to change cultural perceptions and long-standing practices that
hinder the quest for dignity. – Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United
Nations.
World Toilet Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Watch
a movie about toilets and the importance of sanitation. Some suggestions are: Guts
For Change (2015), A New Culture of Water (2004) and A
Thirsty World (2012).
·
Spread
awareness by using the hashtag #WorldToiletDay, #WeCantWait and
#ToiletAccessIsARight.
·
Tour a local sanitation plant. Sanitation plants
throughout the US exist to recycle and clean water while properly disposing of
human excrement and other waste.
·
Donate to the World Toilet Organization. All proceeds
are used by the organization to help break the taboo around the toilet and
sanitation crisis. They help lobby governments, public and private sector
stakeholders to prioritize sanitation on the agenda.
·
Read a book about toilets and the importance of
sanitation. Some suggestions are: Sanitation & Water Supply in
Low-Income Countries, Sitting Pretty An Uninhibited History of the
Toilet and The Big Necessity.
·
Check out Earthship
technology.
To Squat or Not That is the Question
Enter the
Squatty Potty[2]
One
time, I took a dump in my backyard because the toilet had been broken for two
weeks (blame our absentee slumlord). My best friend never let me live it down,
but you know what? I didn't care, because on that crisp fall day in 2007, when
the gas station whose toilets I had been relying on was unexpectedly closed, I
learned something. Specifically, I learned that pooping outside is… kind of
pleasant. But it wasn't until the advent of the Squatty Potty that I
really started to analyze why that was. Basically, if you use a Western toilet
on the reg, you're fighting against your body's anatomy. But now, there's a way
to poop optimally that doesn't involve squatting behind the
shrubs and hoping a neighbor won't walk by (though I do recommend everyone try
that at least once). Here it is.
You
don't know squat. The Squatty Potty is a small footstool designed to fit a
toilet's curves. The idea is to elevate your feet and knees, so your body is
closer to a squatting angle -- a natural pooping position -- than the upright
position imposed on it by a porcelain throne. This isn't just hippie BS,
either. There's actual science as to why a squat is the way to go when moving
your bowels. "Defecating is actually really complicated and involves a lot
of nerves and muscles relaxing and moving," says Dr. Michelle
Cohen, a gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai. "When you sit, the
puborectalis muscle is pulled in around the colon to create an angle, so the
stool can't drop out."
Think
of a kinked hose and you might be able to picture what's happening in your
colon as the puborectalis muscle stays tight around it. In some cases,
particularly in people with constipation or dyssynergic defecation (when your
muscles fail to relax, making pooping more difficult), sitting with your thighs
perpendicular to the ground can make it much harder to poop. Enter the Squatty
Potty
The
Squatty Potty was born in 2010 because of this exact scenario. "They say
necessity is the mother of invention," says Bobby Edwards, CEO and
co-creator of the defecation device. "My mother was constipated. It was
definitely out of need." Edwards says his mother's physical therapist
explained that constipation is, in many cases, "an anatomical thing,"
and that if she elevated her feet while eliminating, it would change the angle
of the colon and make the whole process work smoothly, the way nature intended.
She propped her feet up on a stool and loved the results, but the process
wasn't ideal. "She couldn't quite get comfortable with a regular stool,
and it was in the way in the bathroom," Edwards says. "I was taking
design classes, and she asked if I could design a stool for the toilet, with
the height and width to simulate a natural squat."
Boy,
could he. Edwards made five prototypes before hitting on the perfect model.
Delighted, his mother gave proto-Squatty Potties to constipated friends for
Christmas gifts. "She thought everybody needed to be squatting,"
Edwards says. Word of mouth spread, and in 2012, Edwards launched the website.
A media blitz ensued, and the rest is history.
Putting
the potty to the test. I was pretty intrigued by the "squatting is
better" maxim, so much so that I tried literally squatting on my toilet.
Surprisingly (or not?), a militant vegan has uploaded a YouTube video
about how to do exactly that. It was a little weird, and there was some serious
splash back when shit hit the water, but I could tell stuff was rearranging
itself in my colon -- that's the medical terminology, right? It felt good and
correct, and I understood why my cats wear such serene, noble expressions when
they poop.
Not
only is that method impractical, but it’s also probably dangerous for older
folks, people with physical challenges or injuries, and, well, everyone,
honestly. I needed to try the real deal. The Squatty Potty was delivered to my
office in a freaking huge (but mercifully unmarked) brown cardboard box. I
sneaked it out to my car, hoping to dodge co-workers and the inevitable,
"Ooh, what's that?" The box contained the white plastic stool,
a Burger King-like crown with the hashtag #pooplikeroyalty, and a button that
read "I Pooped Today!" (Though Squatty Potty entreats its Twitter
followers to "share your Poop Like Royalty pics! #pooplikeroyalty,"
only one brave soul had risen to the challenge as of press time.)
Every
Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph
The
Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you
could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of
pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday
evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are
adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the
evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make
the day special.
·
Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St.
Joseph
· Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.
Daily
Devotions/Practice
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Conversion
of Sinners
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary.
