Paschal Candle

Since the kids were old enough to go to Easter Vigil, we have made a Paschal Candle on Holy Saturday.  The process is fairly simple, take a large pillar candle, carve a cross, the year, and the Alpha and Omega.  Next the kids apply tempera paint to the general area, you wipe off the excess... and you have a Paschal Candle that you can use to walk through what they are going to see at the Easter Vigil.

This year, we did make the candle from 100% bleached beeswax, and had the candle blessed on Candlemas.

Through the years, we have tried various designs, and methods.  Any more, I have a template that I either cut out and trace, or print in reverse, trace with pencil, and rub onto the candle.

I use GIMP to edit the template, and the font I use for the numbers is "Old London"

Feel free to edit, use, etc the template.  I have used some fancy tools to carve candles, but the best ones we have done have just been carved with a large nail.

Paschal Candle Template

Some day, I will get some decent candle painting medium and gesso so I can apply gold leaf to the inside of the cross:

Fr. Joseph Neilson, OCD

Today, March 17th is the anniversary of the passing of a dear friend of our family, Fr. Joseph Neilson, OCD.  Fr. Joseph was a Discalced Carmelite.  It was fitting that he was born on the feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28, 1932) as he was instrumental in the founding of problem pregnancy centers in Texas, Arkansas, and elsewhere.  He was a great scholar, and despite a debilitating car accident, he challenged those around him and a spiritual and intellectual level. On a more personal note, he was a great friend and spiritual rock for Hannah and I when we were engaged and first married.

During one of our trips to the Marylake Monastery to drive Fr. Joseph to get ice cream he shared a prayer with us.  He told us it was his little prayer when he reached into a bag of chips, or had any other small snack: Dominus qui fecit totum, benedicat cibum et potum; May the Lord Who made everything, Bless this food and drink.

We have kept the page he wrote on, and have hung it in our kitchen, from the very beginning of our marriage, till now.  It has seen better days, but it reminds us that in all things, great and small, to God be the glory.

We miss you Fr. Joseph, and while we feel fairly certain that March 17th 2012 was your entrance day into heaven, we do as you ask and pray for your soul and all the souls of the faithful departed.