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Hello and welcome! Spring is here, and as my allergies attest, in full swing. 

With that, welcome to April's Theresian Telephone!
☏
 
𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙵𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝙲𝚢𝚐𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚜
A very warm welcome to @Catholic Cowgirl, @reelirishgoat, and @João Garbin!
𝚂𝚠𝚊𝚗 𝚂𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚝: 𝙰 𝙼𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚕𝚢 𝚁𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝
Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott is currently the Book of the Month, but be sure to head over to the voting booth to pick May's read!
The April photography contest is still open for anyone who would like a chance to win with their lovely Easter-themed picture!
If you are more art-minded, the March/April Art Prompt is still open for contestants!
If you would like to play another round of Theresian Mafia, (No gore! Only colorful ghosts) the Editor suggests you lobby this person to show your anticipation and eagerness!
 
𝙸𝚗 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝
 
Hello and welcome to another section of In the Spotlight! Today I, @KoalaTash, will be interviewing a fellow Theresian, @Philomena
Why did you join the Theresian House? I joined the Theresian House mainly because I loved all the people in it and wanted to get to know them better. :)
How long have you been in the Theresian house? I have been in Theresian for 4 months.
Have you been to any other houses? Yes, I have been to all the others, but I think that this one will be where I stay. I love the aspects of all the others: debating, personal journals, chats, but Theresian feels like more than a house to me, it is home!
What's your favorite part of the Theresian house? The people! I just really love how warm and kind everyone is and how in the chat we can just talk (or listen, in my case XD) about anything and someone is there to listen or chat no matter what it is. 
What is something that made you really want to join Theresian? I really wanted to join because of the art and literature aspect of it. Even when I am not really part of the book of the month, I like to read what other people have said about it and follow along. Every bit as interesting as being a part of it. :)
Do you have any words for anyone considering joining Theresian? Here you are likely to find in interest in trying your hand at art that you may never have had, take joy in seeing the perfect shots and find warm-hearted people who lighten your life with their craziness (partly joke, but the rest can be taken as a complement XD) and caring. 
Thank you @Philomena!!!
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝙻𝚒𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚢
Viola: Traitors and Roses, by @KoalaTash
Chapter 15
1 ½ weeks later
It was only a couple of days before we would have to travel to Lerend. My jaw had healed very well and I could barely even tell I had hurt it. The days before we traveled to Lerend were crazily hectic.
Everyone was busy preparing everything we needed to bring to the wedding. Even Clarain was probably the only calm one in the castle, quietly helping me pack everything I would need. I also tried to spend more time with my parents, as I knew me moving out would be hard for them.
Clarain would be coming to stay in Lerend with me. She was the only servant I was bringing. I had only ever needed one servant and I didn’t expect I would need any more now. The day we left was pretty crazy as well.
We finally got on the road and I relaxed slightly. Clarain smiled from where she was sitting across from me in the carriage. “It was a crazy morning, wasn’t it?” she asked. I nodded, smiling slightly. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful.
When we got to Lerend, my parents’ carriage was first. Our carriage stopped a second later. “Nervous?” Clarain asked. I nodded and slowly let out my breath. “Here goes nothing” I whispered, opening the door and stepping out.
Drew, his parents, and his two siblings were standing there, waiting for us. I was wearing a simple purple dress and had braided my hair into a crown that morning. I hesitated nervously a second, then walked up to stand beside Will and my parents.
“Princess Viola, welcome” the King of Lerend said. I curtsied and thanked him. The same thing was repeated with his mother. Then I turned to Drew. “Good morning, Viola” he said quietly.
His father glanced at him confused and his younger brother raised an eyebrow. I lifted my chin slightly and looked him straight in the eye. “If you could remember that the sun is west in the afternoon, not the morning, then you would be able to tell that it isn’t morning, Prince Andrew” I shot back.
“I’m confused” Drew’s little brother said, sensing a joke was amiss. “Well you see, when Viola and I met at” Drew started. “It’s nothing” I said quickly, giving Drew a warning look. “I’m Viola” I said, turning to Drew’s younger brother.
“Gabe” he responded with a smile. He was about my age and looked a lot like Drew, with black hair and mischievous twinkling blue green eyes. “So,” Gabe said, winking at Drew, “is it true?” he asked. I looked at him in confusion.
“Is what true?” I asked. “Did you really save your brother from bandits, get lost in a strange town, get pushed off a cliff, and fight off a Pentroskian spy?” he asked. I blushed a deep red and looked at the ground.
“Oh, you forgot the getting poisoned in the middle of a ball” Drew added, his eyes twinkling. “And those are all the things she did after you met her” Will said with a laugh. I groaned and gave Will a don’t you dare look. Drew’s little sister laughed.
“Don’t mind them” she said with a smile, “I’m Anya. Come on, I’ll show you your room” she said, taking my hand. I glanced back at Drew then followed her.
 
 
 
And here we have a poem titled Tiny Gifts of Spring by @Bluebird29!
 
The birds are gliding,
To and fro.
The plants are sprouting,
Watch them grow!
The sun is shining,
In gentle rays,
The colder weather,
Has changed to warm days.
I've learned to love the little things,
And ever since, I'm quite convinced.
There's no better time than Spring.
The gentle breeze blows,
Through tall waving grasses,
The creek in the meadow,
Bubbles and splashes.
Small newborn animals,
Wobble by their mothers,
Everyone has a smile,
For one another.
I've learned to love the little things,
And ever since, I'm quite convinced,
There's no better time than Spring.
But Spring doesn't bring,
Just the joys of outdoors,
It brings back good memories,
And makes room for more.
Ice cream, and swimming,
Or taking a walk.
Or calling a friend,
For a good old long talk.
I'm glad God has shown me to love little things,
And that even with all of the time in the world,
He chose three gorgeous months, and He chose them for Spring.
𝙸𝚗 𝙵𝚘𝚌𝚞𝚜
Photographing Fruit
by @Isabel

 
Fruit is very aesthetic, so it is fun to take pictures of. This is a picture of a tiny orange in my work break room. The beautiful bowl it is in adds to the aestheticism. I also enjoy photographing fruit because of the bright colors.
*For centuries, people have enjoyed pictures of food. Cavemen painted pictures of game on the walls of their subterranean homes, perhaps fantasizing about hunting and eating the mighty animals. In the 17th century, still-life became a popular painting subject, and laden dinner tables were often the focus. Artists tried their hardest to make realistic cheese, wine, bread, and juicy-looking fruit. Even in times of want or winter, one could look at the painting and remember the luscious taste of fresh produce and hearty suppers. Even today people spend a lot of time posting pictures of their food on social media, even though the subject doesn't seem very interesting on the surface. Pictures of food can't really be said to hold a candle to all the other things we could be entertaining ourselves with; and yet, we keep doing it. I suppose it's an innate human urge to show off that we have stuff to eat. Now that we have cameras, we can just arrange the food and have a tantalizing picture within seconds. 
𝙿𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝
Here we have a lovely shot of the Eclipse!
 
 

 
 
Uh, whoops... Wrong one.
 

This cool shot was taken by our very own @Bluebell!
𝙷𝚞𝚖𝚘𝚛 𝚁𝚞𝚖𝚘𝚛





𝙹𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊 𝙽𝚘𝚝𝚎
𝙷𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚜
by @The Horse Enthusiast
 
Hello! Welcome back to the songwriting column. I hope your enjoying the wonderful season of Easter. Today, I'm sharing my most recent song, it called I'll Fight. The song is about a person who has big dreams but people keep telling him that his dreams are foolish and that he  should face reality and not try. But the person decides that he's not gonna give up and he'll keep fighting for his dreams. There's a small lesson in the song, if you have a big dream, as long as that dream has a good purpose, it worth going after. Even if it seems impossible, God is there to help in anything even in small things like the the things we dream of accomplishing on Earth as long as they are done for the glory of God. With God, everything is possible. I hope you enjoy the song.God bless!
 
Title: I'll Fight
 
Dreams they say,
Are full of waves,
Some they tell you,
Your the one that  is afraid, 
To realize that dreams are a reality’s play, 
Other say or your just crazy to,
But what can I say?
When I’m determined to make it through,



 
When people shoot me down,
And tell me to get out of foolishness town,
Well, I tell them I’m not running aground,
 
Because I’ll fight,
Until is the day is done,
Because I’m not afraid,
Reality is what I made,
I’ll fight 
until all my breath is  gone,
I’ll fight,
Until the day  is won,



 
When people tell it to my face,
That dreams are a foolish game,
Or  that I’m foolish and should be full of shame,
 I’ll stare them right in the eyes,
You think I can’t accomplish what is on my mind?
Well I’ll make it through with every fiber of my life,


 
When people start to shoot me down,
And tell me to get out of foolishness town,
 Well, I’m tell them I’m not running aground, 
 
Because I’ll fight,
Until is the day is done,
Because I’m not afraid,
Reality is what I made,
I’ll fight 
until all my breath is all  gone,
I’ll fight,
Until the day is won,
 
Family behind me,
Love in front of me,
God beside me,
I have all the fight within me,

 
When people shoot me down,
And tell me to get out of foolishness town,
 Well, I tell them I’m not running aground,

 
Because I’ll fight,
Until is the day is done,
Because I’m not afraid,
Reality is what I made,
I’ll fight 
until all my breath is all  gone,
I’ll fight,
Until until the day is  won
 
𝙰𝚁𝚃𝚒𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚜
     Art.
What is it? O, if we could but count the definitions...
Or, because we have the Internet, let's quit using our brains and just look the word up.
1.  Using your braëns to do cool stuff, basically.
2. Drawing, music, or other creative art. What you usually think of when you see the word.
3. All of the resulting cool things, collectively.
 
    So, many things are art. Most popularly, it's drawing or painting; but there's also martial arts. Sewing. Dancing. Music, of course. 
But what about more normal things- like cooking or sweeping the floor? Well, look at that first criteria up there! So many hobbies or occupations can fit into that description. Just about anything one does with effort, passion, and practice, to make something admirable or beautiful, is probably art as well!
So say you're a guy with an old truck, and you want to restore it to good working order. Along the way you come to appreciate the vehicle; its model, its style and its potential for a dull rumbling roar that sounds as cool as fire looks. So if you got so invested in it that you chose to restore it even further, to make it even more beautiful in the sounds and looks department... That is apparently art.
Or if you make your desk, dresser, or other space an orderly, de-cluttered, and nice looking arrangement... that is a form of art.
Or if you make bread for your family, and you score and garnish it to make it more pretty and appealing...
Or if you straighten the napkins on the table to make it look nicer for supper...
Or if you make flower arrangements...
Or if you like to style your hair...
Or if you strive to make your soul more every day more beautiful... That is also art.
Congratulations! You are probably an artist.
(Theresian could be the house for you! XP)
𝚂𝚠𝚊𝚗 𝙳𝚛𝚊𝚠𝚗
Here's the lovely winning picture of the February Art Contest, by @Mandy 2007!

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝙵𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙶𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚗
Hello there! 
Today I would like to bother you with... tulips :D 
Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the Tulipa genus. You might not have known that technical term, but I'm sure you've met this happy spring flower!

According to Wikipedia, tulips were first found from southern Europe to central Asia. They are now most famous for being a Dutch thing, as one may recall from reading The Black Tulip. Apparently the black tulip craze was, in fact, a real happening, though I'm rather certain that the gardener didn't have to go to prison after all! The incredibly rare black tulip was achieved by crossing two very dark purple bulbs- Queen of the Night and Weinerwald. Artists, gardeners, and everyone else there became fascinated with them, especially the blooms which took on a striped appearance due to Tulip Break Virus. In many of the Dutch Golden Age paintings, tulips are ever-present to add a splash of color and beauty.
In Christianity, tulips represent belief and love, while white varieties recall forgiveness. Purple ones are said to represent royalty, which can recall to mind Christ's Kingship over the universe.
Farms where I live raise tulips in huge fields, and cars line up for miles to get a glimpse of the colorful stripes of flowers spreading across the land. Traffic in these towns about this time of year is just terrible, almost giving tulips a bad name. I say don't blame them for being so pretty!
 
𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝
by @ellieviola
Saint Peter Canisius: Apostle of Germany
Feast Day: April 27th
 
In 1565, the Vatican was looking for a secret agent. The Council of Trent had just come to a close and the decrees of the council needed to be distributed among all the European bishops. While this may seem like a simple errand, Europe was shattered by the Protestant revolt and violence and civil unrest ruled the land. The first envoy who tried to carry the decrees through the territory of hostile Protestants and vicious thieves was robbed of the precious documents, leaving Rome searching for a courageous man who would be above the suspicion of the people. There was no better choice than Peter Canisius. At forty-three, he was a well-known Jesuit who had founded colleges that even Protestants respected, therefore giving him a cover as official "visitor" of Jesuit foundations. In the sixteenth century, however, unlike modern day secret agents, Peter could not just carry invisible messages hidden on buttons or inside the soles of his shoes; his job required far more courage and tenacity. Instead, Peter traveled from Rome and crisscrossed Germany successfully loaded down with the massive copies of the Tridentine tomes — 250 pages each — not to mention the three sacks of books he took along for his own university.
Peter was born to a humble family in the Netherlands, but his extraordinary intellect and education made him a most estimable candidate for the Vatican’s risky mission into hostile territory. Although Peter thought himself idle in his youth and often wished that he had devoted more of his years to the Lord’s service, it truly is impossible for him to have been idle for very long, for he earned a Masters’ Degree from the University of Cologne when he was only nineteen years old and spent his formative years devoted to prayer and penance. Until he encountered the renowned Peter Faber, a beloved disciple of Saint Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first members of the recently founded Society of Jesus, Peter Canisius wished to remain at the university and pursue advanced theological studies. After his meeting with the Jesuit, however, Peter was inflamed with a desire to serve the Lord as a priest in the order of Saint Ignatius. Already widely acknowledged for his austerity, love of prayer, and great intellectual and academic achievements, Peter was accepted into the Society of Jesus by his mentor, Father Faber, on his twenty-second birthday and was ordained to the priesthood three years later, in 1546.
Peter’s ordination was certainly the crowning moment of his life, but it was merely the beginning of a long and vibrant career in the service of the Lord. He quickly became recognized for his comprehensive translations of the writings of Leo the Great and Cyril of Alexandria and his knowledge of Scripture was immense, sparking the interest of Church and civil authorities alike. The Society of Jesus noticed Peter’s extraordinary knowledge and teaching abilities and sent him to Sicily, where he taught in the first Jesuit college ever founded. It was at this point that Peter’s greatest work began: the conversion of Germany. Young Peter, only twenty-eight at the time and a priest for a mere three years, was given the immense task of resurrecting the dying German Church and leading the erroneous faithful back to the true fold of the Faith. The Protestant Reformation had a death grip upon the poorly catechised laity and more and more Catholics began to leave the Church, especially in the regions of Germany where the Faith had never been strongly established. 
Peter traveled at once to Ingolstadt, Germany, where he began to teach at the Jesuit university in that city. The college was famous for its professors and was attended by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, allowing Peter to spread the message of the Church among hundreds of eager listeners. From college classes to street corners, Peter took his message and preached it fearlessly wherever he could find an audience. His brilliant tongue and warm and convincing message won many a heart back to the grace of the Church. This method of conversion became the pattern after which his future missions would forever be modeled. From Ingolstadt to Vienna, Prague to Fribourg, Peter continued to travel and preach to the people of Europe. Each city he entered, even if they met him first with hostility, swiftly realized that Peter was the shepherd they required to lead them back to true peace and tranquility. The colleges and seminaries he founded attracted hundreds of students and served to increase the number of converts and reverts to the Faith. In addition, during the years spent in Vienna, Peter wrote a comprehensive edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church – exactly what the faithful needed to combat the attacks of the Protestants. Because his first edition was so popular and gained such favor among laity and clergy alike, Peter wrote two more catechisms, one for intermediate students that explained the teachings of the Church in a concise and clear manner, and one for children that taught them from a young age to pray and practice virtue. 
Then came the Council of Trent, when Peter was called into action by the Vatican because of his academic stature and knowledge of Church teaching. Although Peter was intent on the truth and on enforcing the rules of the Church, he truly embodied the Jesuit rule that harsh words should never be used. Even in his debates during the sessions of the Council of Trent, Peter spoke only with charity and patience, knowing that more souls would be drawn to gentleness and docility than to harsh words and violence. Because of his position and his notoriety, the Vatican officials recognized that there was no better candidate to spread the decrees of the Council than Peter Canisius. Thus, in 1565, when Peter was forty-four, he was sent out into violent Protestant territory to serve in a capacity that modern-day readers can only label as a “secret agent” on a top secret mission. Openly carrying the immense volumes of writing recorded during the Council, Peter traveled across Europe, stopping in every diocese he traveled through until the tomes had been distributed throughout all of the Church. The Council of Trent was successful due in great part to Peter Canisius.
Peter spent the rest of his life teaching and preaching across the European Church, although his heart always remained in Germany, where he focused much of his ministry and was dearly beloved by the people. Every Jesuit college across the continent recognized him and welcomed him with open arms, knowing that Peter would bring peace and charity in addition to intellect to every dispute. His final years were peaceful and quiet, dedicated to spreading the word of God and living in accordance with His commandments. He died in Fribourg, Switzerland, at the age of 76, honored by the Vatican and admired by all. He was beatified by Pope Pius IX in 1864 and was canonized several decades later by Pope Pius XI, who declared him a Doctor of the Church for his prolific work and years of service for the Vatican. May we all live our lives with such docility and zeal for the Lord!
Saint Peter Canisius, Apostle of Germany, ora pro nobis!
And that is all for now! 
With love from the Carmelite Contributors: @Bluebell @Cath @Rita @CatholicIrishDancer @Isabel @The Horse Enthusiast @HallieMae @Stulta Artifex @ellieviola @Rina Maria & The Theresian House!
 

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕱𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖈𝖑𝖊: 𝕴𝖘𝖘𝖚𝖊 𝐗𝐗𝐈
 
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭!
Greetings, comrades! This month’s newsletter is a bit shorter than usual, so that we can highlight something quite exciting for the future of the Chronicle...
Since August 11th, 2022, the Chronicle has been our beacon of creativity, collaboration, and teamwork. After 20 superb issues completed so far, it is evident that much has changed within the Franciscan House... and as Franciscan evolves, so must our newsletter! That's why we're excited to announce that we are planning on revamping our beloved newsletter to elevate it to the best it can be! 
If you’re a Franciscan Member, head over to this topic here where we will be discussing new ideas, new sections and redesigns for future issues. Whether you're a long-time author or a newcomer with several ideas, your feedback and help will be much appreciated! For every viewer reading this (Franciscan or not) your feedback would be extremely helpful for this transformation as well! Please vote in the poll above to indicate your favorite and least favorite sections, so we can have a better idea of what readers enjoy reading the most.
 
𝕳𝖔𝖚𝖘𝖊 𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖈𝖘
(As of April 11th, 2024.)
Highest member count: 206 members.
Current member count: 173 members.
Current topic count: 420 topics.
Current post count: 92.8k posts.
Most popular topic (excluding "Full House Chat"): "Sus chat" with 175.6k views and 36.9k replies.
 
𝕱𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝕳𝖚𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖔𝖚𝖘 𝕸𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖘
𝕸𝖊𝖒𝖊𝖘
 





 
Compiled by @Ravenclawed:


 
𝕱𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝕬𝖉𝖛𝖎𝖈𝖊
Compiled by @Shaggy
"A potato a day keeps the Gulag away"  ~ @Isabelle
"There's nothing humorous about your humerus. Stop laughing." ~ @Bluebell
 
𝕱𝖗𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖆𝖓 𝕴𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖎𝖊𝖜𝖘
With @Shaggy as interviewer
Q. 1. If you were trapped on a deserted island, and you could only bring 5 objects with you...What would you bring?
"A waterbottle, a snack bag (preferably one of those dried crunchy apples), a Bible, a flashlight, and a compass!" ~ @Aqua_Lily
"Well if there is no restriction on what objects I can bring exactly, then I will bring a sailboat, a compass, a radio, a water filter, and a knife." ~ @the
Q. 2. What is an interesting fact about you?
"I once wrote a book in the space of 2 months..." ~ @Aqua_Lily
"I have triple eyelids." ~ @the
Q. 3. What is your favorite Ice Cream Flavor?
"Hmm...I like chocolate chip cookie dough and salted caramel a lot, but as for a classic flavor, then vanilla 😋" ~ @Aqua_Lily
"Bubblegum." ~ @the
 
𝕴𝖓 𝕮𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓
This concludes our April 2024 issue. Don’t forget to vote in the poll above, and maybe even leave a comment to share your feedback if you want to lend a hand in shaping the future of the Chronicle! Thank you for reading and God bless.