Seeking Jesus

Sweet Jesus

2012-01-29T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here is a slightly different version of Pie Jesu, by the Boys Air Choir.

My Journey Continued- 2012

2012-01-24T08:05:00.001-07:00

And so we are into another year. I wish all my readers a blessed year, and pray that we will all grow in grace and in the love and service of God, and that we will open our hearts to His call. As it says in The Imitation of Christ: Keep thy resolution firm and thy intention upright towards God.
I have been down with a cold since Christmas, and while it was fairly easy to post on my other blog, which doesn't require any deep thinking or soul searching, I couldn't get inspired to write on this one. However, the only way to overcome ennui is to apply oneself and just begin.
Some time ago, I asked God what he wanted of me, and the answer came swiftly and clearly: You are to pray for souls. In a way I am relieved the He is not asking me for great mortification and sacrifices- He knows how weak I am and has not given me more than I can bear. So I do my best to fulfill my vocation. Before, I used to concentrate on praying for the souls in Purgatory, and I have added praying for those who are in their death agony, and the souls of those who are to die this day, or this night. With the help of my guardian angel, I awake at 3 AM to pray the chaplet of Divine Mercy for the dying, as well as praying it at 3 PM for my own family members. I believe that grace builds in us in layers; that when we have reached one level and can do something well and persistently, then we are asked for more. God is the perfect taskmaster, He knows us better than we ourselves.
Another way that I have grown in the last year is in my devotion to Mary- another example of not being given a grace until we are able to handle it. A couple of years ago, I had asked to grow in devotion to Mary and Joseph; the devotion to Joseph came quickly and easily, but I really had to work at the devotion to Mary. I guess the devil knows his adversary and did all he could to hinder me! However, making the St. Louis de Montfort consecration last year gave me the tools I needed; also certain books really helped- someone left all 4 volumes of the City of God on the doorstep of our church, which I am reading, and nearly finished volume one. You see, God provides us with what we need as we need it according to His plan for us and not on our timetable.
That leads me to the next point: learning to trust in God. We say this all the time, but in our hearts what we really mean is that we hope that God will do for us what we want; to let go of our own desires and truly give ourselves over to God is not easily done. For me, it's a work in progress. When we pray "Thy will be done" in the Our Father, it rolls glibly off our tongue, and we don't often think of the ramifications of that little phrase.
It is the focus of my spiritual efforts this year. As usual, I gather inspiration from The Imitation of Christ: Book 3 Chapter 17:

O Lord, I shall suffer willingly for Your sake whatever You wish to send me. I am ready to accept from Your hand both good and evil alike, the sweet and the bitter together, sorrow with joy; and for all that happens to me I am grateful. Keep me from all sin and I will fear neither death nor hell. Do not cast me out forever nor blot me out of the Book of Life, and whatever tribulation befalls will not harm me.

Christmas meditation

2011-12-21T11:29:00.001-07:00

I found this beautiful Christmas message and meditation on the blog, Courageous Priest thanks to a link on St. Robert Bellarmine's blog, so a mantilla nod to them and a heartfelt thanks for sharing this beautiful piece.

Padre Pio's Christmas Meditation

Appearing in volume four of the Italian-language edition of Padre Pio's letters, this essay was taken from Padre Pio's hand-written notebooks. To the best of my knowledge, it is presented here for the first time in English.

Translated by Frank M. Rega, December 2005.
"Padre Pio da Pietrelcina: Epistolario IV," Edizioni Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo, 2002, pages 1007-1009.

Far into the night, at the coldest time of the year, in a chilly grotto, more suitable for a flock of beasts than for humans, the promised Messiah – Jesus – the savior of mankind, comes into the world in the fullness of time.There are none who clamor around him: only an ox and an ass lending their warmth to the newborn infant; with a humble woman, and a poor and tired man, in adoration beside him.
Nothing can be heard except the sobs and whimpers of the infant God. And by means of his crying and weeping he offers to the Divine justice the first ransom for our redemption.
He had been expected for forty centuries; with longing sighs the ancient Fathers had implored his arrival. The sacred scriptures clearly prophesy the time and the place of his birth, and yet the world is silent and no one seems aware of the great event. Only some shepherds, who had been busy watching over their sheep in the meadows, come to visit him. Heavenly visitors had alerted them to the wondrous event, inviting them to approach his cave.
So plentiful, O Christians, are the lessons that shine forth from the grotto of Bethlehem! Oh how our hearts should be on fire with love for the one who with such tenderness was made flesh for our sakes! Oh how we should burn with desire to lead the whole world to this lowly cave, refuge of the King of kings, greater than any worldly palace, because it is the throne and dwelling place of God! Let us ask this Divine child to clothe us with humility, because only by means of this virtue can we taste the fullness of this mystery of Divine tenderness.
Glittering were the palaces of the proud Hebrews. Yet, the light of the world did not appear in one of them. Ostentatious with worldly grandeur, swimming in gold and in delights, were the great ones of the Hebrew nation; filled with vain knowledge and pride were the priests of the sanctuary. In opposition to the true meaning of Divine revelation, they awaited an officious savoir, who would come into the world with human renown and power.
But God, always ready to confound the wisdom of the world, shatters their plans. Contrary to the expectations of those lacking in Divine wisdom, he appears among us in the greatest abjection, renouncing even birth in St. Joseph’s humble home, denying himself a modest abode among relatives and friends in a city of Palestine. Refused lodging among men, he seeks refuge and comfort among mere animals, choosing their habitation as the place of his birth, allowing their breath to give warmth to his tender body. He permits simple and rustic shepherds to be the first to pay their respects to him, after he himself informed them, by means of his angels, of the wonderful mystery.
Oh wisdom and power of God, we are constrained to exclaim – enraptured along with your Apostle – how incomprehensible are your judgments and unsearchable your ways! Poverty, humility, abjection, contempt, all surround the Word made flesh. But we, out of the darkness that envelops the incarnate Word, understand one thing, hear one voice, perceive one sublime truth: you have done everything out of love, you invite us to nothing else but love, speak of nothing except love, give us naught except proofs of love.
The heavenly babe suffers and cries in the crib so that for us suffering would be sweet, meritorious and accepted. He deprives himself of everything, in order that we may learn from him the renunciation of worldly goods and comforts. He is satisfied with humble and poor adorers, to encourage us to love poverty, and to prefer the company of the little and simple rather than the great ones of the world.
This celestial child, all meekness and sweetness, wishes to impress in our hearts by his example these sublime virtues, so that from a world that is torn and devastated an era of peace and love may spring forth. Even from the moment of his birth he reveals to us our mission, which is to scorn that which the world loves and seeks.
Oh let us prostrate ourselves before the manger, and along with the great St. Jerome, who was enflamed with the love of the infant Jesus, let us offer him all our hearts without reserve. Let us promise to follow the precepts which come to us from the grotto of Bethlehem, which teach us that everything here below is vanity of vanities, nothing but vanity.

Joyful

2011-12-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

As we wait with joyful hope

How many people don't feel the joy of anticipation of the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child?

Their minds tuned only to earthly pleasures and what gifts they are about to receive, wrapped in sparkling paper and placed under a plastic tree, they fail to think of the greatest gift of all- Divine Love and Mercy, in the person of a tiny babe, a gift from God to His erring people; the promise of eternal life earned through His suffering and death.

The other night, I had a revelation of my very own littleness, with a sense of the infinite Majesty of God, and myself as tinier than a speck of sand. It was a vivid image, and very humbling. At the same time, knowing that His love encompasses even such a speck- and the millions of us who make up the human race- fills me with joy and hope.

My Journey Continued

2011-12-02T07:05:00.001-07:00

Make Room for Jesus

I have been in a spiritual battle lately, and discovered in the wee hours of the morning today that the source is- surprise surprise- pride. One of the many forms of pride is not forgiving others for what you perceive as an affront. I've had an issue with our parish priest which has led me to not wanting to go to daily Mass, although nothing can keep me away from Sunday Mass. This issue stems from my dislike of being told what to do- and our priest comes from a culture where the man is dominant and is accustomed to getting what he wants. That didn't sit well with our whole parish, a lot of feathers were ruffled and it has been an ongoing battle here. Although things leveled out, as they tend to do over time, we are still being told, instead of being shepherded. As someone who works with animals a lot, I understand the value of suggestion and direction instead of dominance and coercion.

The new changes to the Mass have been a further source of stress, not because of the wording, which I embrace as a more faithful translation of the Latin, and bringing back reverence for the Real Presence, but being asked to stand after Communion has caused a great deal of upset, not just to me but to many in our parish, even to the point where one person has refused to attend Mass. However, there is a movement afoot in Canada that many will continue to kneel, as this is not forbidden by Rome, and in fact is recommended- it's just the Canadian Bishops who think it's a good idea to stand. And of course, our priest is trying to enforce this.

Anyway, getting back to the wee hours of the morning, which is my best time for spiritual reflection, I was thinking of my sister, Sharron who had been killed by a drunk driver at the age of 16, and it would have been her 61st birthday this month, on Dec. 11, which is Gaudete Sunday, a time of joy and hope. I discovered that I hadn't really forgiven that drunken man who took her life at such an early age, and by the grace of God, at that moment I forgave him, from the bottom of my heart, and prayed for his soul. Perhaps he was the instrument God used to call Sharron home before her soul fell into mortal danger, perhaps she had to go so that I could be saved- who knows? But that act of forgiveness opened my heart to my own weakness and the realization that I can overcome my pride which causes me such angst- but only if I open my heart and soul and empty it of the attachment to that sin. It was a revelation to me, that once empty, there is room for Jesus; but not wanting Him to come into a place so recently stained, I could invite Mary in first, and just as His first dwelling place on Earth was the womb of Mary, so her presence in my soul acts as a barrier to any stain of sin that remains in me; it's as if she has spread her mantle over me in pure gossamer beauty that I can see through.

All this reminds me of the innkeepers who on that night so long ago said "no room!" when St. Joseph came knocking, seeking a place for Mary and the Babe in her womb. How long I have been like that innkeeper! How many times I have turned Him away through my stubborn pride, through sin!

Here I would like to thank all the people who have ever prayed for me, for this grace is not something I could have done on my own. Thank you, and now, if you will excuse me, I have to get ready for Mass, where I will pray for you.

St. Joseph is knocking.

Another one of my favorite hymns

2011-11-30T06:34:00.002-07:00

2011 1st Sunday of Advent

2011-11-27T06:42:00.003-07:00

Aled Jones Christmas album, when he was just a boy, is my all time favorite. For this first Sunday of Advent, I give you the grown up Aled and Gabriel's Message.

If you're having a bad day....

2011-11-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

This will help. Double click on it and enjoy the full screen version.

I'm still here!

2011-11-23T10:57:00.000-07:00

I know I have been neglecting this blog for a while. I've been struggling with a few issues which I haven't resolved yet, mostly to do with Mass and feeling that I don't want to go because of... well that's the unresolved issue. I'm asking Our Blessed Mother to help me sort it out.
I'm happy, though that the Vatican is finally taking a stand on the architecture of churches.
God bless our Pope.

The culture of death strikes again.

2011-11-04T08:51:00.000-06:00

This is exactly why I am against organ donation.

All Souls Day

2011-11-02T08:47:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite days on the liturgical calendar. We all have loved ones to remember today, and a good thing to remember is the plenary indulgence you can gain for them:

Plenary indulgence
A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, is granted to those who visit any parish church or public oratory on All Souls Day, and there recite one Our Father and one Credo.

A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the Poor Souls, can be gained when one devoutly visits a cemetery, prays (even mentally only) for the eternal rest of poor souls, and fulfills the regular requirements for an indulgence. A plenary indulgence can be gained for this work each day from November 1 to November 8.

Holy

2011-10-30T21:04:00.000-06:00

Let's think for a moment about the meaning of holy. Here's how Websters defines it:

exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness

and also:

having a divine quality

and divine being defined as :

of, relating to, or proceeding directly from God

Which brings me to the subject I've been thinking of for a while now, the Holy Cross. My parish is called Holy Cross. Lately, I've been dealing with a lot of people who are suffering in one way or another; some with disease, some with death of a family member, some with temporal affairs gone awry, and it brings to mind the Bible passage :

And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

This is also found in Mark 8:34 and Matthew 16: 24.
So many people don't get the connection between suffering and holiness. I am sure you have heard someone say, "if God is so good, why does he allow suffering?" as if it is our right to go through life without suffering. We have only to look at the Cross to realize that it is not a right, that the precedent was set for us by our Savior. If we link our suffering, the Cross that is our particular Cross to bear, with the suffering of Jesus, it becomes a Holy Cross instead of a crushing burden. It becomes the way of salvation for us.
When we see the suffering of innocents, this becomes harder to understand. I can only think of them as victim souls, who pay the price for the great iniquities of the world. The Church teaches that God allows suffering that good may come from it. We may not understand it, and it may not happen in our lifetime. There are as many opinions on this subject as there are churches, and I'm no theologian, so I will leave it to wiser heads than mine to discourse on this subject. But I do think that heaven has many souls who were innocent sufferers on this earth. I also think that the Cross they bore was a Holy one.
When we have a Cross to bear, whether it be illness, poverty, or pain, we can make it a Holy Cross, or we can revile it and curse it- either way, what we do with it is our choice, and it is a choice that can lead to eternal holiness or eternal cursedness. God also gave us free will.

Sunday Silence

2011-10-23T09:34:00.002-06:00

Trust and Confidence

2011-10-16T22:48:00.000-06:00

It's been a while since I posted, and I do have a lot of things on my mind, but trying to make them cohesive enough to do a post is difficult. It's not really spiritual dryness, more like procrastination.
I've been thinking about the relationship between trust and confidence. We are told to trust in God, to trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We can glibly say, Jesus, I trust in You, but in our heart of hearts, do we really, or is it just lip service? Like the Pharisees, do we stand on the street corner, crying Lord, Lord? It is a great leap of faith to truly trust that which we cannot see. We are blind in our humanity, unable to see things Divine, and yet our soul thirsts for that closeness to God.
To trust, we must have confidence. In God's love for us, and in His mercy. Confidence that He hears our prayers. Confidence in the teachings of the Church, in the wisdom handed down to us. Confidence and trust come from humbling ourselves, not in relying on our own judgement. Doubt, pride and self love are tools of the devil.
As usual I find that Thomas a Kempis has it so well written in the Imitation of Christ, Book III:

The Fifty-Ninth Chapter

ALL HOPE AND TRUST ARE TO BE FIXED IN GOD ALONE

THE DISCIPLE

WHAT, Lord, is the trust which I have in this life, or what is my greatest comfort among all the things that appear under heaven? Is it not You, O Lord, my God, Whose mercies are without number? Where have I ever fared well but for You? Or how could things go badly when You were present? I had rather be poor for Your sake than rich without You. I prefer rather to wander on the earth with You than to possess heaven without You. Where You are there is heaven, and where You are not are death and hell. You are my desire and therefore I must cry after You and sigh and pray. In none can I fully trust to help me in my necessities, but in You alone, my God. You are my hope. You are my confidence. You are my consoler, most faithful in every need.
All seek their own interests. You, however, place my salvation and my profit first, and turn all things to my good. Even though exposing me to various temptations and hardships, You Who are accustomed to prove Your loved ones in a thousand ways, order all this for my good. You ought not to be loved or praised less in this trial than if You had filled me with heavenly consolations.
In You, therefore, O Lord God, I place all my hope and my refuge. On You I cast all my troubles and anguish, because whatever I have outside of You I find to be weak and unstable. It will not serve me to have many friends, nor will powerful helpers be able to assist me, nor prudent advisers to give useful answers, nor the books of learned men to console, nor any precious substance to win my freedom, nor any place, secret and beautiful though it be, to shelter me, if You Yourself do not assist, comfort, console, instruct, and guard me. For all things which seem to be for our peace and happiness are nothing when You are absent, and truly confer no happiness.
You, indeed, are the fountain of all good, the height of life, the depth of all that can be spoken. To trust in You above all things is the strongest comfort of Your servants.
My God, the Father of mercies, to You I look, in You I trust. Bless and sanctify my soul with heavenly benediction, so that it may become Your holy dwelling and the seat of Your eternal glory. And in this temple of Your dignity let nothing be found that might offend Your majesty. In Your great goodness, and in the multitude of Your mercies, look upon me and listen to the prayer of Your poor servant exiled from You in the region of the shadow of death. Protect and preserve the soul of Your poor servant among the many dangers of this corruptible life, and direct him by Your accompanying grace, through the ways of peace, to the land of everlasting light.

St. Padre Pio, pray for us

2011-09-23T08:17:00.001-06:00

Today is the feast day of St. Padre Pio, the saint I have chosen as my patron for this year. There is a very good post on These Stone Walls that I urge you to read. Padre Pio faced many unjust accusations, just as certain other well known priests today are facing.
In light of my last post, this bit of counsel from St. Pio that Fr. McRae had in his post is particularly relevant:
(Emphasis in bold mine)

From the Spiritual Counsels of Padre Pio:

“That which comes from Satan begins with calmness and ends in storm, indifference, and apathy.”

“The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. It is in the soul that the battle rages every moment of life. The soul must give free access to the Lord so that it be fortified by Him in every respect and with all kinds of weapons; that His light may enlighten it to combat the darkness of error; that it be clothed with Jesus Christ, with His justice, truth, the shield of faith, the Word of God, in order to conquer such spiritual enemies. To be clothed with Jesus Christ, it is necessary to die to oneself.”

(Excerpts from the booklet, “Padre Pio Counsels,” National Center of Padre Pio, Norristown, PA)

My Journey Continued

2011-09-22T06:17:00.001-06:00

One of the benefits of waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to sleep is the time it gives you to talk to God and the stillness of the night gives you the opportunity to take a good long look at yourself. There is no place to hide from your faults as you examine your soul; no distractions to cling to.
One of the things that struck me tonight is how, in looking back on my sins, and the thought "how could I have done that" is the emphasis on "I". There is an unbecoming pride in that thought. So often we put ourselves on a pedestal, especially when we compare ourselves to others. Looking back, I see that at the time, I justified all my actions, and did not consider them wrong, but now I see them for what they were; and the thought, "how could I have done that" while it shows spiritual growth, also shows that I am still focused on "I" . I 'm not sure where I first read it, but there is a lovely piece of spiritual advice that says, Lord You must increase in me, and I must diminish.
For that to happen, I acknowledge that even though my ways have changed, I still need to let go of the pride that continues to justify my actions. And the only way to do that is through Grace. I am weak, Lord, and can do nothing without You

.
From The Imitation of Christ, Book III Ch. 55

O most blessed grace, which makes the poor in spirit rich in virtues, which renders him who is rich in many good things humble of heart, come, descend upon me, fill me quickly with your consolation lest my soul faint with weariness and dryness of mind.
Let me find grace in Your sight, I beg, Lord, for Your grace is enough for me, even though I obtain none of the things which nature desires. If I am tempted and afflicted with many tribulations, I will fear no evils while Your grace is with me. This is my strength. This will give me counsel and help. This is more powerful than all my enemies and wiser than all the wise. This is the mistress of truth, the teacher of discipline, the light of the heart, the consoler in anguish, the banisher of sorrow, the expeller of fear, the nourisher of devotion, the producer of tears. What am I without grace, but dead wood, a useless branch, fit only to be cast away?
Let Your grace, therefore, go before me and follow me, O Lord, and make me always intent upon good works, through Jesus Christ, Your Son

Sunday Silence

2011-09-18T13:42:00.000-06:00

My journey, continued

2011-09-16T12:55:00.001-06:00

Over the last few days, I have become increasingly disturbed and disgusted at things that are going on in the world. If you subscribe to LifeSite news, you will know what I'm talking about; mothers who are killing their babies, the drive to get pedophilia legalized are just two of the stomach-churning stories.
So many people so full of hate! So much evil! How can this world survive? It seems that it is spiraling into oblivion. There is war on our children, especially in schools, there is indoctrination of women to make them think that it's ok to kill their children, war on modesty and chastity.
I'm thankful that I'm getting old. At the rate things are going, I don't want to see what the world will be like in 20 years. It's going to be bad enough in just the next few years.
The spiritual battlefield is fully engaged. I find no solace in thinking that God permits evil so that good can come from it, because the evil is almost more than I can bear. I'm sure history is full of such times, but it seems that each cycle of violence and hatred and evil is worse than the last.

I cry out with Isaiah 6:11.....
And I said: How long, O Lord? And he said: Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land shall be left desolate.

The Holy Cross

2011-09-12T19:20:00.001-06:00

This week on Wednesday is the Feast of the Holy Cross, after which our parish is named. When we think of the Cross we can't but help to think of Jesus, struggling under it's weight, on the way through Jerusalem, bleeding, torn, weakened, but still carrying on. Or we think of Him, with His sacred Hands and Feet, nailed to the Cross, suffering for our sins and our redemption.
So many people only want the good things in life, money, comforts, fun pass times, perfect weather, good times with friends, and so on. Nobody wants to suffer. But we are told, throughout the centuries, that to reach heaven we must carry our own cross. Not just carry it, but accept it gladly. How can we do that? It seems impossible, and not something anyone would willingly aspire to. There is one way; and that is to follow our leader, our Savior, our Redeemer. Not just to follow Him, but to carry the Cross with Him.

From the Imitation of Christ, BookIII:

The Fifty-Sixth Chapter

WE OUGHT TO DENY OURSELVES AND IMITATE CHRIST THROUGH BEARING THE CROSS

THE VOICE OF CHRIST

MY CHILD, the more you depart from yourself, the more you will be able to enter into Me. As the giving up of exterior things brings interior peace, so the forsaking of self unites you to God. I will have you learn perfect surrender to My will, without contradiction or complaint.
Follow Me. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without the Way, there is no going. Without the Truth, there is no knowing. Without the Life, there is no living. I am the Way which you must follow, the Truth which you must believe, the Life for which you must hope. I am the inviolable Way, the infallible Truth, the unending Life. I am the Way that is straight, the supreme Truth, the Life that is true, the blessed, the uncreated Life. If you abide in My Way you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free, and you shall attain life everlasting.
If you wish to enter into life, keep My commandments. If you will know the truth, believe in Me. If you will be perfect, sell all. If you will be My disciple, deny yourself. If you will possess the blessed life, despise this present life. If you will be exalted in heaven, humble yourself on earth. If you wish to reign with Me, carry the Cross with Me. For only the servants of the Cross find the life of blessedness and of true light.

THE DISCIPLE

Lord Jesus, because Your way is narrow and despised by the world, grant that I may despise the world and imitate You. For the servant is not greater than his Lord, nor the disciple above the Master. Let Your servant be trained in Your life, for there is my salvation and true holiness. Whatever else I read or hear does not fully refresh or delight me.

THE VOICE OF CHRIST

My child, now that you know these things and have read them all, happy will you be if you do them. He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me. And I will love him and will show Myself to him, and will bring it about that he will sit down with Me in My Father's Kingdom.

THE DISCIPLE

Lord Jesus, as You have said, so be it, and what You have promised, let it be my lot to win. I have received the cross, from Your hand I have received it. I will carry it, carry it even unto death as You have laid it upon me. Truly, the life of a good religious man is a cross, but it leads to paradise. We have begun -- we may not go back, nor may we leave off.
Take courage, brethren, let us go forward together and Jesus will be with us. For Jesus' sake we have taken this cross. For Jesus' sake let us persevere with it. He will be our help as He is also our leader and guide. Behold, our King goes before us and will fight for us. Let us follow like men. Let no man fear any terrors. Let us be prepared to meet death valiantly in battle. Let us not suffer our glory to be blemished by fleeing from the Cross

Happy Birthday Mary!

2011-09-08T12:51:00.000-06:00

Today we celebrated the feast of the nativity of Mary with an outdoor Mass in the grotto at our church. The grotto is of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette.

I am thankful to our Blessed Mother, for saying yes to God, and teaching us to do the same. For interceding for us. For hearing my prayers, and taking them to her Son. For always pointing us to her Son. For her many appearances throughout history, like this one to St. Bernadette, who is the patron saint of my daughter. For giving us an example of perfection in the virtues. For giving us Jesus, and clothing Him in her flesh, so that He could do the work of Salvation.
Ave, Maria!

Sunday Silence

2011-09-04T18:21:00.000-06:00

Follow up to the post below

2011-08-30T12:14:00.000-06:00

Here is an excellent link that you may want to check out, dealing with behavior and decorum at Mass:
http://catholicexchange.com/2011/08/29/157656/print/

Reverence

2011-08-29T22:32:00.000-06:00

Reverence for Our Lord in the Eucharist.... the stumbling block for so many Catholics. It's hard to look at the humble circle of wheat and water and understand that it is the One who Created you. I see so many people who go quickly to Communion, grab the host, place it in their mouth and stride away, not thinking that the Lord of Lords now resides within them. I myself had no idea of the Real Presence until I was 29. Nobody taught me. I never went to Catechism. My parents didn't tell me. The priests didn't mention it, at least not that I remember. I fell away from the church as a teenager, and it has been a long, long journey back.
Having recently been blessed with a week of Tridentine Masses by a visiting priest, I find it hard to go back to the Novus Ordo Mass. To see the casual way in which the parishioners approach their Sunday obligation. They would dress better for a visit to a restaurant than they do to receive the King of Kings. The priest often says "The Body Of Christ" even before the next person is standing before him and ready to receive; it's more like a production line, and if the priest does not show reverence, how will he lead his flock into great reverence? I kneel, and receive on the tongue, and feel that I am an annoyance to others.
Who will teach the children? We have too few volunteers for Catechism teachers this year, and I am sure we aren't the only parish with this problem. God bless those who teach, it isn't something I am called to do, especially difficult because of the influences children are exposed to daily; such an unGodly secular world.
Once again, I turn to the Imitation of Christ for solace and inspiration.

Book 4, Chapter 2:

GOD'S GREAT GOODNESS AND LOVE IS SHOWN TO MAN IN THIS SACRAMENT

THE DISCIPLE

TRUSTING in Your goodness and great mercy, O Lord, I come as one sick to the Healer, as one hungry and thirsty to the Fountain of life, as one in need to the King of heaven, a servant to his Lord, a creature to his Creator, a soul in desolation to my gentle Comforter.
But whence is this to me, that You should come to me? Who am I that You should offer Yourself to me? How dares the sinner to appear in Your presence, and You, how do You condescend to come to the sinner? You know Your servant, and You know that he has nothing good in him that You should grant him this.
I confess, therefore, my unworthiness. I acknowledge Your goodness. I praise Your mercy, and give thanks for Your immense love. For it is because of Yourself that You do it, not for any merit of mine; so that Your goodness may be better known to me, that greater love may be aroused and more perfect humility born in me. Since, then, this pleases You and You have so willed it, Your graciousness pleases me also. Oh, that my sinfulness may not stand in the way!
O most sweet and merciful Jesus, what great reverence, thanks, and never-ending praise are due to You for our taking of Your sacred body, whose dignity no man can express!
But on what shall I think in this Communion, this approach to my Lord, Whom I can never reverence as I ought, and yet Whom I desire devoutly to receive? What thought better, more helpful to me than to humble myself entirely in Your presence and exalt Your infinite goodness above myself?
I praise You, my God, and extol You forever! I despise myself and cast myself before You in the depths of my unworthiness. Behold, You are the Holy of holies, and I the scum of sinners! Behold, You bow down to me who am not worthy to look up to You! Behold, You come to me! You will to be with me! You invite me to Your banquet! You desire to give me heavenly food, the Bread of Angels to eat, none other than Yourself, the living Bread Who are come down from heaven and give life to the world.
Behold, whence love proceeds! What condescension shines forth! What great thanks and praise are due You for these gifts! Oh, how salutary and profitable was Your design in this institution! How sweet and pleasant the banquet when You gave Yourself as food!
How admirable is Your work, O Lord! How great Your power! How infallible Your truth! For You spoke and all things were made, and this, which You commanded, was done. It is a wonderful thing, worthy of faith, overpowering human understanding, that You, O Lord, my God, true God and man, are contained whole and entire under the appearance of a little bread and wine, and without being consumed are eaten by him who receives You!
You, the Lord of the universe, Who have need of nothing, have willed to dwell in us by means of Your Sacrament. Keep my heart and body clean, so that with a joyous and spotless conscience I may be able often to celebrate Your Mysteries and to receive for my eternal salvation what You have ordained and instituted for Your special honor and as an everlasting memorial.
Rejoice, my soul, and give thanks to God for having left you so noble a gift and so special a consolation in this valley of tears. As often as you renew this Mystery and receive the Body of Christ, so often do you enact the work of redemption and become a sharer in all the merits of Christ, for the love of Christ never grows less and the wealth of His mercy is never exhausted.
Therefore, you should prepare yourself for it by constantly renewing your heart and pondering deeply the great mystery of salvation. As often as you celebrate or hear Mass, it should seem as great, as new, as sweet to you as if on that very day Christ became man in the womb of the Virgin, or, hanging on the Cross, suffered and died for the salvation of man.

My Journey Continued

2011-08-15T10:49:00.000-06:00

Lately, my husband and I have been praying for all the people we know who do not have God in their lives, and in times of trouble they crumble and don't know where to turn. There are some who just brush God aside, and make jokes about going to church, there are those whose marriages have fallen apart, some who are facing the end of their lives, some who are lonely, some who are in financial and emotional distress.
The common element is that they don't turn to the Father of Mercy in their trouble; let Him into their heart and trust in Him as a child trusts.
As usual, I can find guidance in the writings of "The Imitation of Christ". From Book III :

The Fifty-Ninth Chapter

ALL HOPE AND TRUST ARE TO BE FIXED IN GOD ALONE

THE DISCIPLE

Sunday Silence

2011-08-14T08:21:00.000-06:00

My journey, continued

2011-08-10T12:57:00.000-06:00

My sister and I made a trip recently to see our father, who has Lewy Body Dementia. Our purpose was to make sure that a priest would come to administer the sacrament of the Sick. We did accomplish this, and it was very interesting; near the end of the prayer, Dad looked at me and said clearly, "the door has been opened!". Now, Dad has been away from the Church for over 40 years, and we have been praying for him to receive the grace of final perseverance. The priest who came to see him is from the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, to whom I have a strong devotion. He set some other things in motion which I won't discuss here, but we have great hope that when it is Dad's time, that he will be in a state of grace. We have placed this in the hands of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The point of telling you this, is that with prayer and the help of the Communion of Saints, we can hope. Hope is such a great grace; it lifts us up when things seem on the brink of despair; it keeps us strong when things seem impossible. When you petition God, have hope in your heart, because hope is necessary for trust in God.
In You, O Lord, I place all my hope and my refuge. On You I cast all my troubles and anguish, because whatever I have outside of You I find to be weak and unstable. (The Imitation of Christ, Book 3 Ch. 59)

Divine Mercy Chaplet for the sick and dying

2011-08-02T13:24:00.000-06:00

Did you know that there is an Apostolic Blessing given, (courtesy of Blessed JP II ) for those who, during Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the sick and for those throughout the world will be dying in that hour?
I have prayed this Chaplet at the bedside of the dying, and also have asked my guardian angel to take this prayer to the bedside of the dying. Our Lord Jesus said to Sister Faustina, (Diary, 1777)

"Pray as much as you can for the dying. By your entreaties, obtain for them trust in My mercy, because they have most need of trust, and have it the least. Be assured that the grace of eternal salvation for certain souls in their final moment depends on your prayer. You know the whole abyss of My mercy, so draw upon it for yourself and especially for poor sinners. Sooner would heaven and earth turn into nothingness than would My mercy not embrace a trusting soul."

Jesus also said to Sr. Faustina, (Diary, 1541)
"...when they say this chaplet in the presence of the dying, I will stand between My Father and the dying person, not as the just Judge, but as the merciful Savior."

The reason that I trust in my guardian angel to carry the prayer to the bedside of someone who is dying, comes from this writing from Sr. Faustina: (Diary, 835)
"It sometimes happens that the dying person is in the second or third building away, yet for the spirit space does not exist. It sometimes happens that I know about a death occurring several hundred kilometers away. this has happened several times with regard to my family and relatives and also sisters in religion, and even souls whom I have not known during their lifetime."

Of course, I am not privileged like this saint to know when people are dying, but nonetheless, I pray for the souls of the dying, whoever they may be at that moment. What greater gift can we give a soul, than to pray for them so that they may be granted the grace of eternity in heaven? Jesus commanded us to "love one another as I have loved you " (John, 13:34). He wants souls to be with Him in heaven; and when you love someone you want the best for them- in this case, heaven for all eternity.
At the bottom of the picture of the Divine Mercy it reads, "Jesus, I trust in You". For many of us, this trust is the hardest thing, and more so when we are dying and our lifetime of sin confronts us; and so our prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the dying is the greatest grace they can receive.

Sunday Silence

2011-07-31T08:06:00.001-06:00

I will set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of a covenant between me, and between the earth. And when I shall cover the sky with clouds, my bow shall appear in the clouds: And I will remember my covenant with you, and with every living soul that beareth flesh: and there shall no more be waters of a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the clouds, and I shall see it, and shall remember the everlasting covenant, that was made between God and every living soul of all flesh which is upon the earth. And God said to Noe: This shall be the sign of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh upon the earth. (Genesis 9 13-18)

My journey, continued

2011-07-29T10:50:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I worry that I don't do enough penance for the sins of my past, that my time in Purgatory will be long. However, I do what I can, and by the Grace of God am allowed to do whatever sacrifices I can offer according to my state in life. I am greatly encouraged by this bit in the Imitation of Christ, Book 3, Chapter 52:

What do you especially demand of a guilty and wretched sinner, except that he be contrite and humble himself for his sins? In true sorrow and humility of heart hope of forgiveness is born, the troubled conscience is reconciled, grace is found, man is preserved from the wrath to come, and God and the penitent meet with a holy kiss.
To You, O Lord, humble sorrow for sins is an acceptable sacrifice, a sacrifice far sweeter than the perfume of incense. This is also the pleasing ointment which You would have poured upon Your sacred feet, for a contrite and humble heart You have never despised. Here is a place of refuge from the force of the enemy's anger. Here is amended and washed away whatever defilement has been contracted elsewhere.

Thank You, Lord, for Your loving mercy.

St. Philip's tomb found

2011-07-28T11:25:00.000-06:00

Tomb of St. Philip the Apostle discovered in Turkey's Denizli

D'Andria said the structure of the tomb and the writings on it proved that it belonged to St. Philip the Apostle, who is recognized as a martyr in the history of Christianity

The tomb of St. Philip the Apostle, one of the original 12 disciples of Christianity's central figure Jesus Christ, has been discovered during the ongoing excavations in Turkey's south-western province of Denizli.

Italian professor Francesco D'Andria, the head of the excavation team at the Hierapolis ancient city in Denizli, told reporters on Tuesday that experts had reached the tomb of St. Philip whose name is mentioned in the Bible as one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus.

Professor D'Andria said archeologists had been working for years to find the tomb of the Biblical figure, and finally, they had managed to reach the monument while working on the ruins of a newly-unearthed church in Hierapolis.

D'Andria said the structure of the tomb and the writings on it proved that it belonged to St. Philip the Apostle, who is recognized as a martyr in the history of Christianity.

Describing the discovery as a major development both for archeology and the Christian world, D'Andria said the tomb, which had not been opened yet, was expected to become an important Christian pilgrimage destination.

Hierapolis, whose name means "sacred city", is an ancient city located next to the renowned Pamukkale, white Travertine terraces, in Denizli province. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The city, famous for its historical hot springs used as a spa since the 2nd century, is a mixture of Pagan, Roman, Jewish and early Christian influences.

Ancient tradition associates Hierapolis with St. Philip the Apostle, who is believed to have died in the city around 80 AD. The follower, who is known as the apostle who preached in Greece, Syria, and Phrygia, is said to have been martyred in Hierapolis. The legend is that St. Philip was crucified upside-down or martyred by beheading.

After the apostle's death, an octagonal tomb named "The Martryium" was erected for him where he is believed to have been martyred.

A rant on worldly sermons

2011-07-19T21:05:00.000-06:00

How much thought do you put into what happens to your soul after death? For most of the people I know, the answer is, very little. Too caught up in this life to think of the afterlife. Too little religious education to even understand a little of the 4 last things. This past Sunday, I heard a homily from a Deacon that really disturbed me. He downplayed heaven as an eternal destination, and told us that we should focus on heaven on earth; that we should try to live our lives doing good so that we can be a part of heaven on earth. I was a little disturbed, to say the least. Of course, we should spend our lives doing good- but to belittle the importance of attaining heaven as the goal of our existence in this life? Our souls cry out to be united with their Creator, and the self-satisfaction of "doing good" can't even come close to meeting that need. To me, it was a sermon that faced away from God, and was more about self esteem. To be expected, I guess, in a parish where nobody kneels for the Consecration.
We are expected to always try to be charitable and merciful, especially to our less fortunate fellow humans. We don't need to pat ourselves on the back for it. In fact, I believe it says in the Bible to not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing; to do your works of mercy quietly, without seeking public acclaim for them.
I don't know about that Deacon, but my goal is Heaven for Eternity. Not Heaven on Earth.

Sunday Silence

2011-07-10T09:28:00.000-06:00

Altar Rails

2011-07-08T12:20:00.000-06:00

I was really happy to see this article, as I have long believed that Altar rails should be in every Church- and used!

Altar Rail Returning to Use

Architects, pastors and parishioners find it enhances reverence in church.

by JOSEPH PRONECHEN 07/02/2011 Comments (165)

In Tiverton, R.I., when some parishioners suggested returning altar rails to the sanctuary of Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Father Jay Finelli gladly accepted, little knowing shortly thereafter the Pope’s 2007 motu proprio letter Summorum Pontificum would follow and he would be interested in learning how to celebrate the extraordinary form of the Mass.

In Norwalk, Conn., when a groundswell of parishioner support encouraged pastor Father Greg Markey to restore St. Mary Church, the second-oldest parish in the diocese, to its original 19th-century neo-gothic magnificence, he made sure altar rails were again part of the sanctuary.

Altar rails are present in several new churches architect Duncan Stroik has designed. Among them, the Thomas Aquinas College Chapel in Santa Paula, Calif., the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wis., and three others on the drawing boards.

Altar (Communion) rails are returning for all the right reasons.

Said Father Markey: “First, the Holy Father is requiring holy Communion from him be received on the knees. Second, it’s part of our tradition as Catholics for centuries to receive holy Communion on the knees. Third, it’s a beautiful form of devotion to our blessed Lord.”

James Hitchcock, professor and author of Recovery of the Sacred (Ignatius Press, 1995), thinks the rail resurgence is a good idea. The main reason is reverence, he said. “Kneeling’s purpose is to facilitate adoration,” he explained.

When Stroik proposed altar rails for the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, “Cardinal [Raymond] Burke liked the idea and thought that was something that would give added reverence to the Eucharist and sanctuary.”

In Eastern Orthodox churches, there is an iconostasis — a wall of icons and religious paintings that separate the nave from the sanctuary — rather than altar rail separating the sanctuary. While the altar rail is usually about two feet high, the iconostasis veils most of the sanctuary.

“The altar rail is nothing compared to that,” he says, “and these are our Eastern brethren. We can benefit and learn something.”

Altar Rail History

They may be returning, but were altar rails supposed to be taken out of sanctuaries?

“There is nothing in Vatican II or post-conciliar documents which mandate their removal,” said Denis McNamara, author of Catholic Church Architecture and the Spirit of the Liturgy (Hillenbrand Books, 2009) and assistant director and professor at the Liturgical Institute of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Ill.

Cardinal Francis Arinze strongly affirmed this point during a 2008 video session while he was still prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments: “The Church from Rome never said to remove the altar rails.”

So what happened?

“Unfortunately, democratic ideas came into the situation after Vatican II,” Hitchcock said.

Stroik points some out of these ideas: a general iconoclasm that rejected the past, a desire to make churches into gathering spaces more like Protestant meeting houses, and the argument that kneeling is a sign of submission, which is seen as disrespectful to the modern person — we didn’t kneel before kings and queens, so it was more “democratic” not to kneel.

Added McNamara: “Some people called them ‘fences’ which set up division between priest and people.”

“Of course,” he said, “theologically there is a significant meaning in the distinction between nave and sanctuary. Just as there was confusion over the roles of ordained and laity at the time, so there was confusion about the architectural manifestation of those roles.”
Altar rails give “a clear designation as to what is the sanctuary,” Father Markey said. “The word ‘sanctuary’ comes from the word ‘holy,’ which means ‘set apart.’ The sanctuary is set apart from the rest of the church because it reinforces our understanding of what holiness is. The sanctuary is symbolically the head of the church and represents Christ as the head.”

McNamara traces church architecture roots to the Temple of Solomon: The large room corresponded to the church nave; the Holy of Holies, an image of heaven, corresponded to today’s sanctuary. They were separated visually by the great veil, which was torn when Christ died.

“[The altar rail] is still a marker of the place where heaven and earth meet, indicating that they are not yet completely united,” McNamara explained.

“But, at the same time, the rail is low, very permeable, and has a gate, so it does not prevent us from participating in heaven. So we could say there is a theology of the rail, one which sees it as more than a fence, but as a marker where heaven and earth meet, where the priest, acting in persona Christi, reaches across from heaven to earth to give the Eucharist as the gift of divine life.”

Reverence at Mass

Altar rails have an important role for the extraordinary form of the Mass where, Father Finelli noted, reception of Communion has to be on the tongue. He celebrates the extraordinary form weekly in Advent and Lent and monthly the rest of the year.
Communicants kneel at the oak railing that was crafted by a parishioner who is a professional woodworker. The rail was gilded by parishioners. They crafted a similar altar rail for the adoration chapel.

The presence of the rails has made an impression on the 2,000-family parish. “So many people kept requesting to use the altar rail,” he recalled, “I decided at the beginning of Lent that people receive at the altar rail.” (The requirement is for all weekday and special feast Masses in the ordinary form too.)

Given the option to kneel or stand, many choose to kneel to receive Communion. While they can receive on the tongue or in the hand, more people are choosing to receive on the tongue.

As Father Finelli put it, “It’s a very strong sign for the love and respect for the Real Presence because it’s really Jesus we’re receiving.”

Father Finelli clarifies that for Latin Catholics to receive the Eucharist while standing and in the hand is an indult, a special permission granted by the Holy See, because the ordinary way by Church law is still to receive while kneeling and on the tongue. (The indult was granted at the request of the American bishops.)

While the extraordinary form is celebrated three times weekly at St. Mary’s in Connecticut, Father Markey says the Communion rails are used for all ordinary form Masses as well. In his 1,000-family parish, parishioners also have the option at the ordinary form to kneel or stand.

This is approved by Rome. He notes the Vatican directive: “In 2003 the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments says in the ordinary form ‘communicants who chose to kneel are not to be denied holy Communion … nor accused of disobedience …’”

Stroik designed St. Mary’s renovated sanctuary incorporating hand-carved marble neo-gothic altar rails with brass gates that Father Markey purchased from a church that was closing in Pennsylvania. It beautifully matches the original white marble fixed altar and new marble free-standing altar, which brings another dimension to liturgical symbolism.

“When we gather at the altar rails, we symbolically gather at the altar,” Stroik said.

Making both altar and rails from the same materials — in this case marble — makes the connection even clearer.

Liturgical architecture expert McNamara agrees. He has found that some old church architecture books consider the rail the “people’s altar” and thus was made with the same marble as that of the altar.
To add to the symbolic connection, some churches cover the rails during Communion with linens similar to those on the altar.

Drawn to Prayer

There are yet more reasons for incorporating altar rails. Stroik finds where they have been removed in a cathedral, basilica or historic church receiving numerous visitors, many don’t know how sacred the altar is and wander around the sanctuary. The church has to put up ropes and signs like in a museum to do what altar rails were supposed to do: “create a real threshold so people can tell it’s a special place, a holy place set apart.”
Stroik says the altar rail is “an invitation for people to come close to the sanctuary, kneel and pray before the tabernacle, a statue of Our Lady or images of saints.”

Father Markey said returning the rails has been a great success.
Longtime parishioners who have attended St. Mary’s for 50 years or more regretted the magnificent altar rail being torn out in the 1960s. They now tell him, “Thank God you brought it back, Father.”

He also notices worship is enhanced for adults as well as children: “Little children like to kneel and pray there while their mom and dad receive holy Communion,” said Father Markey. “There’s almost universal embracing. It’s one of the most popular decisions I’ve made as pastor.”

Register staff writer Joseph Pronechen is based in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Visit StMaryNorwalk.net and HolyGhostCC.org for more info

How very sad.

2011-07-06T11:29:00.001-06:00

I suggest we keep praying for Fr. Corapi, especially for obedience. The devil works extra hard on priests who bring many souls to God, and there is no denying that Fr. Corapi has brought many souls back to the Church. Please, keep praying for him- and leave the judging up to God.
Edited to add:
Fr Corapi's response to the statement from SOLT

Remember, we are not to judge the sins of others, and all these allegations are just that- sins- not crimes. I think that it is really sad that there is a "public court" on this matter, it is causing division, and is causing sin in that people who defame the character of another are sinning against the commandment "Thou shalt not bear false witness" and also Jesus' commandment to love one another as He loves us.
I believe that this debacle will be a catalyst for change in the way the Church deals with accusations against priests.

For the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

2011-07-02T09:11:00.000-06:00

Ave Maria

2011-06-25T21:37:00.000-06:00

We could all use a little beauty at the moment. These angelic voices are a fitting tribute to our Blessed Mother.

Prayer for priests, and a prayer request.

2011-06-24T21:42:00.000-06:00

We did the Storm Novena today in the Hour of Divine Mercy, and I spent an hour in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament. There is a prayer for priests I'd like to share with you.

Keep them. I pray Thee, dearest Lord,
Keep them, for they are Thine-
Thy priests whose lives burn out before
Thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world
Though from the world apart;
When earthly pressures tempt, allure,-
Shelter them in Thy Heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours
Of loneliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice
For souls seems but in vain.
Keep them, and O remember, Lord,
They have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts,
With human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host
That daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed,
Deign, dearest Lord to bless.

Our Father... Hail Mary...
Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for them.

Please keep my husband's mother, Vera, in your prayers, as she is nearing the end of her journey through life. She is in the final stages of Emphysema. Please pray for her to receive the grace of final perseverance.

Storm Novena for Fr. Corapi and the Catholic Church

2011-06-20T10:02:00.003-06:00

Please join me in praying the Storm Novena on June 24, for Fr. Corapi, preferably beginning at 3 PM, the hour of Divine Mercy. The intention for the novena is that the hierarchy of the Catholic Church will recognize the need for change in the way they deal with accusations against priests, and that Fr. Corapi will receive the grace he needs at this dark time in his life.
For those who do not know the Storm Novena, here is a link explaining it, and these are the prayers:

A Storm Novena consists of nine visits to the Blessed Sacrament in one day, praying on one's knees, and with outstretched arms, to obtain a speedy and unfailing answer to prayer.
It is performed on our knees to indicate our total helplessness and dependence on God; with extended arms .

How We Make Our Storm Novenas

The first visit is always introduced by an act of Perfect Contrition:

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.

To which are then added the following invocations at each visit:

1. O Sacred Heart of Jesus --
have mercy on us and grant us our request.

2. Our Lady of Perpetual Help --
pray for us and obtain our request.

3. The Memorare:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother! To thee I come, before thee I stand sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

4. Saint Joseph, Friend of the Sacret Heart --
pray for us and obtain our request.

5. Saint Jude --
pray for us and obtain our request.

6. Saint Anthony --
pray for us and obtain our request.

7. Saint Conrad --
pray for us and obtain our request.

8. Saint Benedict [the Moor] --
pray for us and obtain our request.

9. Saint Roch --
pray for us and obtain our request.

10. Saint Dominic and Saint Francis --
pray for us and obtain our request.

11. Saint Theresa, Little Flower of Jesus --
pray for us and obtain our request.

12. Ye Blessed Martyrs of Uganda --
pray for us and obtain our request.

13. Saint Martin de Porres --
pray for us and obtain our request.

14. All Ye Holy Angels and Saints --
pray for us and obtain our request.

Please print these prayers, and blog or Facebook this, so that we can storm heaven worldwide! We need to make our voices heard, and this is the best way I know. I have personal experience with how very powerful this novena is.

Time for change.

2011-06-18T17:53:00.000-06:00

When one Bishop's agenda can silence a voice for the truth, it's time for change.
You all have heard about Fr. Corapi and how he is being forced out of the priesthood by archaic rules like this:
(From Fr. Corapi's new website, The Black Sheepdog)

. The identity of the accuser is not revealed. You can guess, but you don’t actually know. Nor are the exact allegations made known to you. Hence, you have an interesting situation of having to respond to an unknown accuser making unknown accusations (unknown to the accused and his counsel).

2. The persons chosen to investigate the allegations normally have no qualifications to do so. They certainly didn’t graduate from the FBI academy, nor do they have any other background to qualify them to interrogate or otherwise interview witnesses.

3. There are no set rules of evidence or norms of procedure.

4. You are for all practical purposes assumed guilty until you can prove you are innocent. This one is truly baffling. No civilized society operates that way. If you are accused of something you are considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

5. The accused and his counsel have no right to obtain and review any of the evidence against him.

6. The accused and his counsel are not provided the names of witnesses, nor are they permitted to cross-examine them.

7. There is a general unwillingness or outright refusal by certain of the bishops to abide by applicable statutes of limitations, both in canon and civil law. There are good reasons for these statutes. Time has a way of clouding memories and distorting perceptions.

By the way, Canon Law does not dictate this. They choose to selectively ignore or violate both Canon Law and Civil Law, as they deem appropriate and or expeditious. Once again, they apparently have the discretionary power to do this, and if that’s the way it is I have to accept that as reality.

It is time for change. And this time, we as faithful Catholics need to make our voices heard. If anyone has any ideas about how we can take this issue to the Pope, I would appreciate a link. There is no sense complaining about the actions of the Bishops; it's the procedure that needs to change.

Another report about Linda Gibbons. Pro Life Hero.

2011-06-08T08:01:00.000-06:00

Life Site News has this excellent interview with Linda Gibbons, for convenience I am printing it here. She is a true pro life here, who has the courage of her convictions.

Exclusive interview: ‘Join me’ challenges Canadian pro-life prisoner of conscience

BY PATRICK B. CRAINE

Tue Jun 07, 2011 11:45 EST
Comments (5)
Tags: Abortion, Canada, Freedom, Linda Gibbons

Linda Gibbons during one of her many arrests for peacefully praying outside an abortion facility.

Photo: Sheila Nonato/ Catholic Register

TORONTO, Ontario, June 7, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – After being released from prison on Friday, pro-life advocate Linda Gibbons is preparing yet again to challenge the injunction that has landed her in jail for nine of the last 17 years. But this time, she’s calling on other pro-lifers to join her campaign.

“I really feel if we’re going to turn this around, there has to be some kind of a mobilization,” said Gibbons, who spoke with LifeSiteNews from her temporary quarters in Toronto on Monday. After her lengthiest prison stay to date, the grandmother and devoted prisoner of conscience plans to head right back to jail again at the end of July.

Gibbons’ campaign against the injunction has gained notoriety in the last year, propelled by the length of her most recent imprisonment, with multiple cover stories in the National Post and growing rumblings from pro-lifers about joining her.

“I think that it should be a movement. … Our witness at the abortion clinic is saying we’re here with our bodies,” she said. “And when the court says, ‘Well, no you’re not going to be here,’ we’re saying, ‘Well, regardless of the cost, regardless of the risk.’”

A life-saving witness

Gibbons was freed Friday after 28 months of uninterrupted imprisonment for witnessing prayerfully outside Toronto’s Scott abortion facility. It is one of several in the city that is protected by a 1994 court injunction banning pro-life activity within a specified zone.

Though Gibbons has repeatedly been prosecuted by the Crown in a criminal court, the “temporary” injunction was actually instituted in a civil court at the request of Bob Rae’s NDP provincial government. It came amidst calls for a government crackdown against the pro-life movement after they were declared guilty by the media for the 1992 bombing at abortionist Henry Morgentaler’s Toronto facility.

Charges were never laid in that bombing, however, and the prime suspect was the father of a child aborted at the facility. A Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) report even suggested the bombing was likely perpetrated by pro-abortion activists.

Nevertheless, the injunction has had the effect of silencing pro-lifers’ freedom of speech, and effectively shutting down the life-saving work of sidewalk counselors and vigil-keepers.

Gibbons, who has dedicated her life to challenging the injunction, called it a “political construct” that lacks “legal propriety” and “proper authority.” She noted that the injunction itself states the pro-life activity was threatening the financial interests of the abortionists. “[The government is] extorting money from Canadian citizens to pay hired killers to butcher babies,” she said. “The injunction [is] to protect that activity.”

“Since when does a government have an obligation to the commercialization of killing? The government’s duty is to protect life,” she added.

Though she could be released on bail, Gibbons has remained behind bars for long stretches because she steadfastly refuses in conscience to accept a bail condition that requires her to stay away from the abortion facilities. Signing the bail papers, she told LifeSiteNews, would be to say, “Yes I will cease defending innocent unborn children that are about to be killed.”

“I have no intention of agreeing to that. It violates principles. It violates conscience,” she explained.

‘Are you pro-lifers really acting like abortion is murder?’

Gibbons’ 17-year campaign has been fueled by a deep love for children in the womb, and hence a keen awareness of the atrocity of abortion. She has taken to heart a question she was asked once by a Jewish reporter from the Ottawa Citizen: “Are you pro-lifers really acting like abortion is murder?”

“If a two-year-old was being murdered next door, you’re not going to sit down and write a letter to your MP,” she explained. “That we need to do more, that’s obvious, obvious. … If I was going into a house to save a child from a fire, no one’s going to charge me with trespass for that.” At the same time, she insists that she has no interest in calling into question the efforts of pro-lifers who do not join her campaign.

But for Gibbons, the effort is a simple question of maintaining an authentic Christian witness. “If the Church is not seen defending life, it puts the impression that Christ is not really concerned about it,” she said. “The way the Church acts and behaves gives validity to our beliefs.”

She has often been asked if she regrets the time lost with family and the missed birthdays, marriages, and graduations. “When we’re having unborn children slaughtered at the rate we are in Canada, … should our lives go on as normal?” she asked in response. “It’s not normal to live in the Holocaust and sort of pretend it’s not happening.”

“I want [my life] to be a witness that the lives of these children cannot be forgotten,” she continued. “I’m ready to surrender all my assets, … all my time. [Otherwise,] we’re saying these babies must be allowed to die so I can stay in my comfort zone. Because what we say then is it doesn’t matter.”

“When we begin to suffer for the unborn, our identification with them, that’s when we’re going to impact society, when they see that,” she added. “The Church is not hurting enough for the unborn. When we start feeling their hurt in a real concrete way, then things are going to change, because then we’re saying very clearly that this cannot go on.”

Saving babies in prison

Gibbons has been a vocal critic of conditions at Milton, Ontario’s Vanier Centre for Women, where she says women in outer cells are subjected to hypothermia-like conditions as a result of the cold. And she admits that the length of her stay this time around had her convinced that she would never get out.

Nevertheless, she puts her jail time to good use, counseling women struggling with drugs, alcohol, and prostitution, keeping the peace as needed, and spreading the Gospel through one-on-one conversations or by leading Bible studies with small groups.

“I treat them like my daughters. I call them my girls. It’s a matter of just trying to love them where they’re at,” she said.

In fact, in her most recent stint she was able to convince three pregnant prisoners to keep their babies, and connected them with a Toronto pregnancy resource center when they left.

‘As long as God gives me life and breath’

While the grandmother would normally turn around to challenge the injunction again in less than a week, this time she’s going to take a brief break in order to visit her 89-year-old mother and take care of medical needs. But she says she’ll be back at it by the end of July, and is committed to the cause until the very end.

She said she will continue to challenge the injunction “as long as God gives me life and breath. If I can get out of bed and put my feet on the floor, then I want to continue.”

“My mission is to be all that Christ wants me to be. It is his mission and we are simply walking with Christ,” she said. “It becomes simply a daily moment-by-moment walking with Christ.”

See the LifeSiteNews Feature page, Linda Gibbons, Prisoner of Conscience, listing many past reports on her efforts to steer vulnerable women away from making the same mistakes that she herself made.

Linda Gibbons- out of jail!

2011-06-04T08:09:00.001-06:00

I was so happy to read this article on Life Site News, I'm sure this woman has paid her dues here on earth; and it's about time that the court system took a serious look at its corruption for allowing this to happen in the first place.

Breaking: Prisoner of conscience Linda Gibbons freed from jail

BY PATRICK B. CRAINE

Fri Jun 03, 2011 13:07 EST
Comments (4)
Tags: Abortion, Canada, Linda Gibbons

Linda Gibbons being handcuffed during one of her many arrests.

Photo: Sheila Nonato,, Catholic Register

TORONTO, Ontario, June 3, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – After a grueling twenty-eight months of uninterrupted imprisonment for witnessing prayerfully outside a Toronto abortion facility, pro-life prisoner of conscience Linda Gibbons was freed Friday.

The great-grandmother had been in prison since January 2009 when she was arrested outside the downtown “Scott Clinic,” which is protected by a 1994 court injunction banning pro-life activity within a specified zone.

She has remained behind bars because she steadfastly refuses to accept a bail condition that requires her to stay away from the abortion facilities.

But her lawyer, Daniel Santoro, told LifeSiteNews Friday that she has now been released without any conditions. He said there was an irregularity in the process that was holding her in custody. Justice Mara Beth Greene has now fixed the problem by issuing Gibbons a summons requiring her to attend court on January 16, 2012.

“The summons did not require her to agree to anything,” Santoro explained. “She didn’t have to promise anything, or acknowledge anything, or sign anything.”

Gibbons has spent over eight years behind bars since the bubble zone injunction was laid down in 1994 as a result of her commitment to praying peacefully outside the facilities.

Throughout the years, the Crown has prosecuted Gibbons through the criminal courts, even though she is accused of breaching an injunction from a civil court. Her lawyers have argued that the Crown has taken this route to avoid a challenge to the injunction.

Currently a case involving Gibbons is waiting to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada. Her lawyers are asking the nation’s highest court to overturn an Ontario Court of Appeal decision reinstating a criminal conviction on a charge of disobeying a court order. The charge had originally been quashed by a lower court judge on the grounds that the matter was improperly heard in a criminal, rather than civil, court.

Prayer Request

2011-05-26T04:30:00.000-06:00

This is my dad, Chuck, who has Lewy Body Dementia. He is a fallen away Catholic, without Sacraments for 45 years. There is no cure for this dementia,which he has had for at least two years, and he has likely not a lot of time left on this earth. I beg of all who read this to pray for him, especially for the grace of final perseverance. I pray that our Blessed Mother Mary will intercede for him, and that our Saviour will be merciful to him.

The battle goes on, keep praying.

2011-05-22T14:41:00.000-06:00

As we continue to be plagued with politicians who insist on supporting abortion, euthanasia, and all the accouterments of the culture of death, we look to our faith and the leaders of our church for moral support and encouragement. And even those leaders are under attack, as Fr. Corapi is, they need our support and prayers. Especially pray for the Pope, as his is the most difficult job; rescuing souls who are inundated on every side by a society hell-bent on moral destruction.

An excerpt from the book, Letters, by Fr. John Corapi

As we prepare to enter a new era in politics and perhaps society in general,keep something in mind: WE WIN! No matter what political party is in power at a given point in time, in the end those that remain faithful to Jesus Christ win the war. We may have to fight many battles outnumbered and even despised and looked upon as criminals and outcasts by a society that is unraveling and degenerating into something no one could have imagined.

What matters is that we run the race to the finish line and fight the good fight. Don't "go with the flow," for as the great Archbishop Fulton Sheen reminds us, "Dead bodies float downstream." More than ever we shall have to be strong in the faith. Regular and worthy reception of the sacraments, constant prayer, and rigorous study of the faith is now essential, not merely a luxury.

The front line and primary battle is going to be the fight for life: The dignity of every human life from the moment of conception to the last moment of natural life. If we lose that one, every other battle space will be compromised. If the government succeeds in establishing abortion as an inalienable "right", then the elderly and sick will be next. It will then be a short and slippery step to the government deciding who lives and dies regardless of their inherent human dignity.

If you don't already pray the Rosary every day, please start at once. The prayer of the holy Rosary is the prayer of the holy Gospel, and that means it is the prayer of the Good News Who is Jesus Christ, the LIFE of the world. Many saints will be forged in the crucible of the coming years. Make sure you are among them.

My journey, continued

2011-05-04T13:11:00.002-06:00

"Create a clean heart in me, O Lord!" was my Lenten reflection.
Since then, I have come to understand the way that God is working this transformation in me.
First, in realizing the depths of the uncleanness within me; a good examination of conscience, and plenty of trips to the confessional. I see that the attachment to sin, which keeps me from a clean heart, is like a snarly tangled mess of wire or roots, that I must fight through and unravel to attain a clean heart.
Secondly, the depths to which attachment to sin takes me: I am created by God, just as all the earth is, but even the very dirt does not deliberately sin against its Creator, as we humans do. My free will and intellect which are gifts from God, are the source of my ability to sin, and so I need to cry out, "not my will, but Thine be done!" and "Jesus, I trust in You!" I finally understand the writings of the Saints who humble themselves and consider themselves the lowest and most unworthy of beings.
This is an excerpt from The Way Of Divine Love: (Jesus speaking to Sr. Josefa Menendez)

"Open your whole soul to Me, and if you are conscious of having nothing worthy of Me, say with humility and trust: Lord, Thou knowest both the fruits and flowers of my garden....come and teach me how I may grow, what will please Thee most. To one who speaks in this way and has a genuine desire of showing love, I answer: Beloved, if such is your desire, suffer Me to grow them for you... let Me delve and dig in your garden... let Me clear the ground of those sinewy roots that obstruct it and which you have not the strength to pull up....Maybe I should ask you to give up certain tastes or sacrifice something in your character.... do some act of charity, of patience, or self-denial....or perhaps prove your love by zeal, obedience or abnegation; all such deeds help to fertilize the soil of your soul, which then will be able to produce the flowers and fruit I look for: your self conquest will obtain light for a sinner.... your ready patience under provocation will heal the wounds he inflicted on Me, will repair for his offence and expiate his fault... a reproof accepted patiently and even with joy will obtain for a sinner blinded by pride the grace to let light penetrate his soul and the courage to beg pardon humbly.
"All this I will do for you if you will give Me freedom. Then will blossoms grow quickly in your soul, and you will be the consolation of My heart."

Via Dolorosa

2011-04-25T16:30:00.000-06:00

This moved me to tears.

Alleluia!

2011-04-24T09:13:00.000-06:00

Keeping Vigil

2011-04-23T03:33:00.000-06:00

The Passion

2011-04-22T09:38:00.000-06:00

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.

Remember that today is the day to start the Novena to the Divine Mercy; there is an excellent post on St. Robert Bellarmine blog, which has the whole novena.

Kneel Before God!

2011-04-19T21:34:00.000-06:00

This is a good follow up on my last post, because I both receive on the tongue, and kneel for Communion. I thank God for our Pope and his efforts to bring reverence back into our Mass; may God continue to bless our Pope who is bringing our Church back on course.

Holy Communion in the hand

2011-04-15T12:07:00.000-06:00

This explains my views quite well.

My journey, continued

2011-04-13T11:24:00.000-06:00

As I have progressed through the Consecration to Jesus through Mary, I have come to learn more about our Blessed Mother, and how she leads us to God. If your spiritual life has stagnated, you may consider making or renewing this consecration. The following excerpt from The Secret of Mary explains it quite well.

Act for Mary49. 4. We must perform all our actions for Mary. This means that, as slaves of this noble Queen, we always work with serving her constantly in mind. We always intend to promote her interests and to acknowledge her high renown. We are always conscious of offering our merits to Mary, and we make this the first aim in all our acts: though the glory of God must always be our final intention. In everything we must renounce self-love, because more often than not, without our being aware of it, selfishness sets itself up as the end of all we work for. We should often repeat from the depths of our heart: Dear Mother, it is to please you that I go here or there, that I do this or that, or that I suffer this pain or this injury.
50. Beware, chosen soul, of thinking that it is more perfect to direct your work and intention straight to Jesus or straight to God. Without Mary, your works and your intentions will be of less value, since they will not be adorned by the beauty of the virtues of the soul of your Queen. If you always go to God through Mary, your work itself will become Mary's work, and consequently it will be most noble and most worthy in the eyes of God.
51. Beware of harming yourself by endeavoring to experience pleasure in your prayers and good deeds. Try to pray and act always with some of that pure faith which Mary had when she lived on earth, for she will share this with you. You do not need to concern yourself with raptures or ecstasies. The greatest mystical theologians of the Church treat such things with the gravest caution. In fact, St. John of the Cross advises any soul who believes that it experiences a mystical experience to reject it immediately. If it is from God, it will always have the good effect that God desires. But, if it is not from God, (which often they are not), you will have put no stake or value in them at all. By immediately dismissing any mystical experience, God's grace will always sanctify your soul in spite of your cautious humility, while the devils false pleasures will be constantly rejected. Slave of love, let your sovereign Queen enjoy the clear sight of God, the raptures, the delights, and the satisfactions and riches of heaven. Content yourself with a pure faith, which may be accompanied by repugnance, distractions, weariness and dryness. Let your prayer be: Whatever Mary my Queen in heaven wills, I say: Amen! So be it! We cannot do better than this for the time being.
God will not be slow in showering you with consolations, even if you do not seek them. And when you do experience his heavenly consolations, receive them always with holy fear. For if God gives you consolation today, it is only to strengthen you to be able to suffer more grievous crosses or afflictions tomorrow. When those afflictions come, and they surely will, be certain that those agonies also will soon pass, and that God will again refresh you. As we become stronger, our consolations may become less frequent. But our faith, and our habits of prayer, especially the habit of the affective prayer of love, should remain lively. By persevering in love, and by habitually performing acts of love, even when we feel no consolation, our soul will soon be purified unto perfection. The saints teach that developing the habit affective prayer, (the prayer of pure loving, intentionally adopting a disposition of ardent love of God; which power resides only in the will,) is by far the most effective means to attain union with God! Learning to practice the affective prayer of love, is more edifying to our souls than are years of fasting or strict mortification.

The Consecration

2011-04-07T12:22:00.000-06:00

Sunday April 10th is the day I make my consecration to Jesus through Mary, following the way taught by St. Louis de Montfort in True Devotion to Mary. I have put a link to this devotion on my sidebar, which contains an easy to follow format without having to go to the expense of buying the books from which the readings and meditations are taken.(You will need the book, True Devotion to Mary, which explains the devotion.) If you have been thinking about doing this, now is the time. Devotion to our Lady strengthens us in our life of Grace, gives us hope, and is pleasing to God.
The way our Church is under attack, the natural disasters that are pounding the world, and the unholy work of the secular world determined to win souls for Hell, can be combated by the Blessed Virgin, who always brings us to Jesus. "Our life, our sweetness, and our hope". To turn to Mary is to turn to God. I always think of her words from the wedding feast at Cana: "Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye." (Jn.2:5)

The Magnificat

2011-04-02T21:27:00.000-06:00

Pro Life Political Party?

2011-03-28T22:22:00.000-06:00

With a federal election looming in only a few weeks, I was pleasantly surprised to read an article on Life Site News about the Christian Heritage Party. I had no idea there was such a party, probably because they were founded on the East Coast, and I'm in the westernmost province.Now we need candidates from this party in every riding in Canada!

500th Post- A Tribute to Our Blessed Mother

2011-03-25T11:56:00.000-06:00

For my 500th post, on this Solemnity of the Annunciation and to celebrate my journey to Jesus through Mary as I undertake the St. Louis De Montfort Consecration, I hope you will enjoy these musical masterpieces.

3rd Sunday of Lent

2011-03-20T09:39:00.000-06:00

Create a clean heart in me, O Lord!

The Winds of Change

2011-03-15T19:28:00.000-06:00

Holy Water

2011-03-03T11:47:00.001-07:00

I'd like to share with you this info from a pamphlet one of our parishioners gave me. Holy Water is a sacramental of our Church, but not many of us understand its true efficacy.

Holy Water

Holy water is a Sacramental that remits venial sin. Because of the blessing attached to it, Holy Church strongly urges its use upon her children, especially when dangers threaten, such as fires, storms, sickness and other calamities. Every Catholic home should have in it a supply of Holy Water.

We do not take advantage of the benefits derived from Holy Water.

Let us cultivate its use.

Untold spiritual wealth is concentrated in a tiny drop of blessed water. And we give it so little thought!

Did we realize now, as we shall realize after death, the many benefits that may be derived from Holy Water, we would use it far more frequently, and with greater faith and reverence.

Holy water has its great power and efficacy from the prayers of the Church, which its Divine Founder always accepts with complacency.

Following are some of the petitions the priest makes to God when he blesses the water:

“O God…. Grant that this creature of Thine (Water) may be endowed with divine grace to drive away devils and to cast out diseases, that whatever in the houses or possessions of the faithful may be sprinkled by this water, may be freed from everything unclean, and delivered from what is hurtful.

…Let everything that threatens the safety or peace of the dwellers therein be banished by the sprinkling of this water; so that the health which they seek by calling upon Thy Holy Name may be guarded from all assault.”

These prayers ascend to Heaven each time you take Holy Water and sprinkle a drop either for yourself or for another, whether he be present or absent; and God’s blessings descend for soul and body.

The devil hates Holy Water because of its power over him. He cannot long abide in a place or near a person that is often sprinkled with this blessed water.

Holy Water, sprinkled with faith and piety can move the Sacred Heart to bless your loved ones and protect them from all harm of soul and body. When worry and fear take possession of your heart, hasten to your Holy Water font, and give your dear ones the benefit of the Church’s prayers.

Only in Purgatory can one understand how ardently a poor soul longs for Holy Water. If we desire to make a host of intercessors for ourselves, let us try to realize now some of their yearnings, and never forget them at the Holy Water font. The Holy souls nearest to Heaven may need the sprinkling of only one drop to relieve their pining souls.

Because Holy Water is one of the Church’s sacramental, it remits venial sin. Keep your soul beautifully pure in God’s sight while making the Sign of the Cross carefully while saying:

“By this Holy Water and by Thy Precious Blood wash away all my sins, O Lord.”

My Journey, continued

2011-02-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

I mentioned earlier that I am doing the St. Louis De Montfort Consecration to Mary, and am still reading the explanatory chapters of the book. I have also been examining my conscience a lot lately, in preparation for Lent. I know where the stumbling blocks are in my character, but have had a great deal of trouble getting past them. I feel that I am cutting off my access to grace by not being able to change myself. I fall into the same errors, day in and day out, even when I know that I am doing it. Intellectually, I understand how devotion to Our Lady helps us, but never could totally give myself over to it. Today, that door opened for me- and I truly believe that God has His own timetable for us, that we don't get to advance in grace until we are truly ready to absorb it. I am ready for this Consecration at last.
It says in the book, "We make more progress in a brief period of submission to and dependence upon Mary than in whole years of following our own will and of relying on ourselves." I think it was the submission aspect that has held me back for so long; the way I grew up made me fiercely independent, and the idea of depending on someone else is out of my comfort zone. But today, I actually am welcoming, and am looking forward to, completing this Devotion so that I may advance as I seek the Way, the Truth, and the Life- through the hands of Mary.

The beauty of silence

2011-02-14T20:29:00.001-07:00

In my reading of the City of God, I am finding some gems of advice from our Blessed Mother as she speaks to Mary of Agreda.
One of the things I find myself less tolerant of as I grow older is conversation for the sake of talking. My patron saint, Theresa of Avila, was known to not engage in idle conversation; it took me some time to understand this. After all, communication is the basis of human relationships, and if you don't talk to each other it is difficult to build things like trust, understanding, etc. What I think distinguishes idle conversation from that which benefits your soul is explained in this passage from The City of God; remember that throughout the Bible Our Lady didn't speak much, but what wonderful words they were! ( My favourite is from the wedding feast at Cana- " Do as He tells you")
Mary: To speak without moderation and forethought is a two edged sword, which wounds both him that speaks and him that hears, and thus in two ways destroys charity or hinders it in all the virtues. From this thou canst understand, how much God is offended by the vice of inconsiderate and loose talk, and how justly loquacity, and the tumult of disputation estranges His spirit and veils His presence. For, those that talk much cannot keep free from grievous sins (Prov.10. 19).Only with God and His saints can one speak with security, and even then it must be with forethought and discretion. With creatures it is very difficult to preserve the golden middle, without the danger of passing from the correct and necessary, to the imperfect and superfluous.
The way to avoid this danger is to tend continually toward the other extreme, striving rather to reflect and be silent. For the prudent medium of speaking only what is necessary, is found more in reflection than in immoderate speech. Remember, my soul, that thou canst not disport thyself in self-sought conversation with creatures without relinquishing God in the secret interior of thy soul; and that which thou canst not do without impudence and insult in thy intercourse with other creatures, thou shouldst not do in thy dealings with thy Lord and the Lord of all.

The concluding sentence in this chapter is ......"for to those that are alone and in silence does His Majesty speak."

I want to listen to the voice of the Lord in the silence of my heart, and it is in silence that I have found some of the moments when I have felt most in touch with the beauty of God's creation, when I have felt His presence and even His love. It's why I love silent Adoration and Exposition of the Eucharist in our church, and those moments when I am the only one in the church and can sit quietly in His presence.

Fr. Corapi newsletter

2011-02-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

Once again, Fr. Copapi tells it like it is in his inimitable, hard-hitting style. God bless him!

Death Wish! The Impending Suicide of a Once Great Nation
An excerpt from Father Corapi's book, Letters.

A large number of endangered, unwanted, and unborn children held a town hall meeting on the 4th of July - alarmed at the brutal and untimely killing of millions of their brothers and sisters in recent years. That the murderous war waged on them had the full force and respectability of the law made their plight all the more terrifying.

Their complaint was humble and it was simple. They were not distressed by rising gas prices, or the deteriorating economy in general. They were not even frightened by the exponential increase of natural disasters. The threat of global warming or global terrorism did not greatly disturb them.

They had become an endangered species, and little had been done to answer their terrified and silent screams from the womb. They decided that the barbaric treatment that they and their fellow unwanted unborn human beings have had to endure for perilous decades was unconscionable and unbearable. They cried out to their Creator for inspiration and protection, and then unanimously they put forth a declaration. It began as follows:

"When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of nature and the Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT, THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS, THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS...

THAT AMONG THESE IS LIFE; THAT AMONG THESE IS LIFE; THAT AMONG THESE IS LIFE!"

The first and pre-eminent right is the right to life. This truth the Founding Fathers were sure of, and anyone with any common sense at all is equally sure of it. 232 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed the amount of common sense that seems to be operative in many spheres of influence - most notably the courts and the political arena - can easily be poured into a very small thimble. The United States of America seems to have a death wish, and we have traveled far down the road to having that wish realized. When law divorces itself from common sense and spawns the illegitimate offspring of distortions of law, resulting in illegal laws - based neither on the natural law nor divine law - this undermines law itself, generating disdain for the law. Erosion of trust in the courts, or the system in general, is inevitable.

The genesis of the death wish is rooted in the fall of man that we see in the Book of Genesis. The substance of the fall is wrapped up in Lucifer's pride, transferred to Adam and Eve - "You can be like gods, knowing good and evil." The unholy, yet inevitable, consequence of that price is disobedience - eating the forbidden fruit. The ultimate end is death, as God said it would be. That's the way it was in the beginning. That's the way it is now. That's the way it will be until time breathes forth it's last moment.

The prototypical sin is pride, the pride that seeks to exalt the creature above the Creator:

"I can be like God." Then, subjectively and arbitrarily, man tries to assert himself, imagining that he knows what's good and evil for himself without reference to God and God's law. This was the fall of the angels and the fall of man. The attempt by creatures to usurp what is only the province of God. Only God knows what is good for His creation.

In recent years it took the form of a self-inflicted heart wound when some dissident Catholics rejected the teaching of the Church, a teaching that clearly held that artificial contraception is intrinsically evil. Then, as Pope Paul VI had warned, it metastasized into abortion. From abortion it degenerated even further into partial-birth abortion. It was then a short and easy step to infanticide.

It's hard to believe that we have degenerated to the point that we'll murder a helpless baby should it escape the violence of an abortion and be born alive. Can a Catholic vote for such persons? [who support abortion] We are told, "yes" for a "proportionate reason." What, I might ask, is the proportionate reason so weighty as to excuse supporting those responsible for what is tantamount to genocide?

The judges and politicians that support such barbaric practices are truly guilty of genocide: genocide - the deliberate and systematic destruction of an ethnic, racial, religious, national, or social group. "What is the group so target?", you might ask. The group is unwanted, unborn children - tens of millions of them. The Supreme Court justices that gave us Roe v. Wade will have to plead temporary insanity in the court of history. There will be no defense in the highest Court that is the judgment seat of almighty God if they do not repent of the incalculable evil they have wrought.

Yet, despite the life and death importance of this travesty of authentic law, there will be no serious discussion among political candidates, or anyone else. It is as if society has been bewitched, blind to the splendor of truth, deaf to the cries of the most innocent, most vulnerable, and most utterly helpless.

From artificial contraception to abortion to partial-birth abortion, then on to infanticide we march toward the abyss of oblivion, a society marked for death...

Fr. John Corapi, SOLT, STD

My Journey, continued

2011-01-29T12:34:00.000-07:00

"Jesus came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them."
Sometimes there is a line in the Gospel reading that really packs a wallop. Like this one, for example. This is about Simon Peter's mother in law, who was ill, and cured by Jesus. As with so many things in Catholicism, this passage has great depth of meaning. At face value, Jesus' healing touch cures her, so that she can get up and feel well enough to go about her duties, cooking a meal. Let's look at it in the light of our own lives.

"Jesus came" ... We can start by allowing Jesus to come to us; in our homes, in our hearts. If we are ill, and can't go about our daily life as we used to, or if we are spiritually dry and no longer attend Mass or pray, we can open our "doors" and let Him in. We can turn to Him. He can't help us if we don't allow Him to; ask and you shall receive. In His mercy, He will come to those who have not hardened their hearts against Him.
..."and took her by the hand"... He reaches out to us; it takes trust and faith to put our hand, our lives, into His hands. Whenever I think of this line, I imagine the joy and relief of holding on to those precious nail-scarred hands, knowing that it would never be Him that would let go.
..."and lifted her up"... He can take us beyond the realm of our misery, He can give us the grace we need to either overcome our illness of mind or body, or to recognize it as a grace in that it becomes a share in His suffering for us.
"Then the fever left her"... Our attachment to sin leaves us when we allow Jesus into our life. Darkness flees from light, and our willingness to turn to the healing touch of Jesus loosens the grip of evil in our lives.
..."and she began to serve them." When we receive a gift, we give thanks. We can all do something to return the grace we have received; for some it is praying and doing penance; for others it may be grander things, but all of us are called to serve God. Note that she served them right away; she arose and prepared a meal, did not keep them waiting. Don't keep God waiting for your thanks and praise; throughout the day and even in the night you can offer Him your thanks. Serving God is to humble yourself, and the reward is heaven.

TLM versus Novus Ordo- a comparison

2011-01-25T21:20:00.000-07:00

After a week of attending the TLM thanks to a visiting priest in our parish, I am not looking forward to having to go back to the NO Mass. Think of it this way; the TLM is like a gourmet meal after a steady diet of white bread. The prayers are so much more meaningful, and I really appreciate the priest facing away from us; it really allows you to see that he is offering our prayers and petitions up to God whereas in the NO it seems that the priest is looking for the approval of the congregation.

Compare the Lavabo prayer in the TLM with the washing of the hands prayer in the NO in which the priest says "Lord, wash away my iniquity and cleanse me of my sins."
In the TLM the priest silently prays:
"I will wash my hands among the innocent and will compass Thine altar, O Lord.
That I may hear the voice of praise, and tell of all Thy wondrous works.
I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth.
Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked; nor my life with men of blood.
In whose hands are iniquities: their right hand is filled with gifts.
But as for me, I have walked in my innocence; redeem me and have mercy on me.
My foot hath stood in the right way; in the churches I will bless Thee, O Lord.

I find that the prayers place me at the altar praying with the priest, not sitting back and watching the priest presenting a performance to us as an audience. The TLM priest is leading us in prayer and petition. If you want to go somewhere with someone, you walk beside them, facing the same way as them, step by step you journey together. If you turn and face them, they stop walking and just look at you. They don't focus on the destination.
I know and respect that both forms of the Mass do the same thing , but only the TLM has moved me to tears with the sense of the sacred that it inspires in me.

A Blessing

2011-01-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have been so blessed to have the Tridentine Mass to go to all this week, Tuesday was my birthday and it was a totally wonderful birthday present. The prayers of this Mass are so meaningful compared to the "white bread" form of the Novus Ordo Mass ( Hope that doesn't offend anyone, that's just the way it affects me.) To those of you who attend the TLM on a regular basis, please pray for the spread of the TLM to be made available in every parish of every Catholic diocese in the world, and for more vocations to the seminaries that teach the traditional rite.

Somehow it brings the sense of the sacredness of the Mass to the forefront. Everything is lifted up to God, not presented to the people.

May we all adore Him in the Eucharist as the angels do!

A must-share newsletter

2011-01-14T08:01:00.000-07:00

Fr. Corapi is always right on in his take on the important issues facing us, and this newsletter is one I must share with you. I hope Catholics everywhere are praying the Rosary every day, praying, and receiving the Sacraments regularly, if not, please, join the battle in which we win.

News Flash: WE WIN!
An excerpt from Father's book, Letters.

As we prepare to enter a new era in politics and perhaps society in general, keep something in mind: WE WIN! No matter what political party is in power at a given point in time, in the end those that remain faithful to Jesus Christ win the war. We may have to fight many battles outnumbered and even despised and looked upon as criminals and outcasts by a society that is unraveling and degenerating into something no one could have imagined.

What matters is that we run the race to the finish line and fight the good fight. Don't "go with the flow," for as the great Archbishop Fulton Sheen reminds us, "Dead bodies float downstream." More than ever we shall have to be strong in the faith. Regular and worthy reception of the sacraments, constant prayer, and rigorous study of the faith is now essential, nor merely a luxury.

The front line and primary battle is going to be the fight for life: The dignity of every human life from the moment of conception to the last moment of natural life. If we lose that one, every other battle space will be compromised. If the government succeeds in establishing abortion as an inalienable "right", then the elderly and sick will be next. It will then be a short and slippery step to the government deciding who lives and dies regardless of their inherent human dignity.

If you don't already pray the Rosary every day, please start at once. The prayer of the holy Rosary is the prayer of the holy Gospel, and that means it is the prayer of the Good News Who is Jesus Christ, the LIFE of the world. Many saints will be forged in the crucible of the coming years. Make sure you are among them.

Mary's Morning Prayer

2011-01-10T07:42:00.000-07:00

I take to heart the instruction in the Bible to "pray without ceasing" , and of course, in all my human weakness, this is not easy to accomplish. Therefore, I often look to the Saints for inspiration; for what better example than those who have lived a holy life and now reside in the realm of eternal glory- the destination I strive for! In my reading of The City of God, Volume 1, The Incarnation, I have come across a morning prayer described by our Blessed Mother in her conversation with Mary of Agreda. She is instructing Mary of Agreda to bless and magnify God, and tells her of the way she acknowledged God at the start of each day, every day of her life. This is not written in the form of a prayer, so I leave it up to you to adapt it to your own personal way of speaking to God.

Mary says, "Strive with all thy powers to imitate me in an exercise, in which I persevered during my whole life from the very first moment of my life, omitting it not on a single day, however full of cares and labors it might have been.This exercise was the following: every day at beginning of dawn, I prostrated myself in the presence of the Most High and gave Him thanks and praise for His immutable Being, His infinite perfections, and for having created me out of nothing; acknowledging myself as His creature and the work of His hands, I blessed Him and adored Him, giving Him honor, magnificence and Divinity, as the Supreme Lord and Creator of myself and of all that exists. I raised up my spirit to place it into His hands, offering myself with profound humility and resignation to Him and asking Him to dispose of me according to His will during that day and during all the days of my life, and to teach me to fulfill whatever would be to His greater pleasure.
This I repeated many times during the external works of the day, and in the internal ones I first consulted His Majesty, asking His advice, permission, and benediction for all my actions."

What a great example our Beloved Mother sets here for us! We get so caught up in the worries and works of our daily life that it takes an effort of will to even think of God, let alone to bless and glorify Him repeatedly throughout the day. How often when we awake, our minds immediately turn to planning our day, worrying about details of it instead of doing as Mary does in this prayer, loving and blessing our Creator and placing ourselves in His hands.

Focus

2011-01-05T07:09:00.000-07:00

Over the last two years, I have done a lot of spiritual reading on Mary, and feel that at last I am ready to do the St. Louis De Montfort consecration to Jesus through Mary. That will be my spiritual focus for this year. What better way to seek Jesus than through the Mediatrix who brought Him to us? To all those who don't understand the Catholic devotion to Mary, think of it this way: if you couldn't find someone, and had tried every avenue you could think of, would you hire someone who has more resources than you do? Of course you would, it would increase your chances of success. And because I desire to spend eternity in heaven, contemplating the glory of His Divine Majesty, I humbly approach Mary, and ask her to lead me to her Son. As it says in the dedication to the book True Devotion to Mary: "The more we honor the Blessed Virgin, the more we honor Jesus Christ, because we honor Mary only that we may the more perfectly honor Jesus, since we go to her only as the way by which we are to find the end we are seeking, which is Jesus."

My husband gave me an image of the Mother of Perpetual Help for Christmas, which will help my devotion.

What I love most about Christmas....

2010-12-25T20:08:00.000-07:00

Spending time with family, and the Holy Family.

What I love about Christmas, part two

2010-12-18T07:36:00.001-07:00

The spontaneous joy that the love of God brings.

What I love about Christmas... part one

2010-12-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

Getting to listen to beautiful music....

Sunday Silence

2010-12-12T07:34:00.000-07:00

Another excerpt from Fr. Corapi's "Letters"

2010-12-10T07:45:00.000-07:00

I always look to the wisdom of saints to inspire me, especially when I am troubled by the world. I was delighted to read this in my email inbox; it's an excerpt from Fr. Corapi's book "Letters" and I'm sure you will agree that is is a great spiritual devotion.

SPIRITUAL 911
An excerpt from Father Corapi's book, Letters.

All of us have had times and experiences when we've needed help. Spiritual help, right now! In the United States and Canada, the telephone number used to call for police, fire, or ambulance emergency services is "911." When we call "911" we need help immediately. Well, it often happens that people, suffering many and various things, need help from God right now. I have a "Spiritual 911" for you if that's the case.
I received most of the inspiration for this from Mother Teresa of Calcutta, although she didn't relate any of it to the term "911."

If you find yourself in dire need of help from God pray the following prayers with as much trust as you can muster. This trust, or childlike confidence, is of extreme importance. In a sense the more you trust God, the more you permit Him to help you.
NOTE: All prayer is centered on Jesus Christ. Know with absolute certainty that all that we give to Mary, she takes to Jesus.

With great trust pray:

9 Memoraries
"Remember, o most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help, or sought Thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, o Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To Thee do I come. Before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in Thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen."

1 Rosary
Pray 5 decades of the Rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, or Luminous Mysteries. The choice is yours). Try to meditate well on the Mysteries, bring them into your own life. Pray the prayers of the Our Father and Hail Mary with great love and trust. The prayer of the Rosary is the prayer of the Gospel. That is why it is so powerful. When we pray the Rosary, we are praying the Gospel. The Gospel or "Good News" is Jesus Christ: Infinite Power!

1 Chaplet of Divine Mercy
This is an age especially in need of God's mercy. Jesus gave this prayerful devotion, dedicated to His Infinite mercy, to Saint Faustina. Once again, pray with trust, even if it hurts. Just do it! It is not a feeling. It is a decision. An act of the will. The prayers "Eternal Father, I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity, of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world;" and "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world," are filled with power. The ending prayer "Holy God, holy mighty One, holy immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world" calls down God's grace and mercy on us and all of our brothers and sisters.

So, you have a direct line to God. Call to heaven with the Spiritual "911" when you need to send a distress call for heavenly help. It will take less than an hour in most cases. If you don't have that much time, make the solemn intention to do it as soon as possible. God loves you and will help you. He may not remove the problem, but he'll always give you the strength and means to triumph over it.

9 Memoraries
1 Rosary
1 Chaplet of Divine Mercy

May God bless you and keep you safe in his merciful love!

Father John Corapi, SOLT

The Immaculate Conception

2010-12-08T08:17:00.002-07:00

It is fitting that I am reading the first volume of City of God, which deals with the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the following scene, the Angel Gabriel appears to Anne and announces to her that the time has come for her to conceive, Anne having been previously enlightened that she shall bear the Mother of the Messiah:

The humility, faith and the alms of Joachim and thyself have come before the throne of the Most High, and He now sends me, His angel, in order to give thee news full of joy for thy heart: His Majesty wishes, that thou be most fortunate and blessed. He chooses thee to be the mother of Her, who is to conceive and bring forth the Onlybegotten of the Father. Thou shalt bring forth a Daughter, who by Divine disposition shall be called Mary. She shall be blessed among women and full of the Holy Ghost. She shall be the cloud that shall drop the dew of Heaven for the refreshment of mortals (3 Kings 18, 44): and in Her shall be fulfilled the prophecies of thy ancestors. She shall be the portal of life and salvation for the sons of Adam.

Fr. Corapi Newsletter

2010-12-03T17:10:00.000-07:00

An excerpt from Fr. Corapi's newsletter in my email inbox:

ADVENT GREETINGS

An excerpt from Father Corapi's book, Letters.

Advent is upon us again. This year it would be good for us to live out the meaning of the season, which is "preparation,"preparation for the coming of the Lord. in the liturgical season of Advent we prepare for the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas. We should use this as a warmup for "preparing" to receive God in our soul constantly. The soul in a state of grace is the dwelling place of the most holy Trinity.

For Catholics especially, receiving Jesus in the Eucharist is a miracle of grace that we can never prepare too well for. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier, the One who makes us holy. To start with, we live the basic moral precept: Do good, avoid evil. Acts of virtue; caring for the poor, the hungry, the homeless, etc... help to dispose the soul as a dwelling place for God. Receiving the sacraments regularly help us to grow in grace.

Pray the Rosary every day as preparation for reception of the sacraments. If we do these things we are living Advent every day, constantly preparing for the coming of God in our soul. Then one day when we meet Him face to face, He'll smile at us and say,"Well done my good and faithful servant, now at last enter into the joy of your Master's house."

GOD BLESS YOU,

Father John Corapi

The Thirty-First Day- By a Good Intention to Make Even Our Most Trivial Actions and Sufferings Meritorious,

2010-12-01T03:33:00.000-07:00

And Offer Them For the Deliverance of the Holy Souls.

As rational beings we should have a distinct object in view in all our actions. By performing even the most trivial act from the motive, thereby to please our dear Lord, and to do His holy will, they may become meritorious. It is understood that these acts are not contrary to the commandments of God and His holy Church, and that the person be in a state of grace. People who are working from early in the morning till late at night can assist the suffering souls in an efficacious manner by offering their toil and fatigue in union with the merits of Jesus and Mary for the relief of the suffering souls. Sick persons, and those enduring mental sufferings, such as temptations, scruples, contempt, slander, unjust treatment; those who mourn for the loss of a near relative or a dear friend, etc., may make the same intention in regard to their particular suffering.

Prayer: My dear Redeemer, how many occasions have I lost to gain merits by a good intention, and thus to assist Thy holy spouses! Pardon my negligence, and graciously assist me to turn every precious moment of time to advantage by a good intention, and to make up for the past. In union with Thy merits, and those of Thy holy Mother Mary and all the saints, I unite all my thoughts, words, deeds, and spiritual and bodily suffering for the future, till my last breath, and offer them for the suffering souls. In return, I beseech the holy souls to obtain for me and all those for whom I am in duty and love bound to pray, spiritual and temporal favors, and abundant grace to lead a holy life and persevere to the end of their life. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Petition: Pray for the souls who spent time uselessly, and were negligent in making and renewing the good intention.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen . (Three times)

Practice: When rising in the morning I shall never omit to make my good intention for the coming day, and to renew the same at least every hour by saying:For the love of Jesus and Mary, and the relief of the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.30 The Heroic Act of Charity for the Souls in Purgatory

2010-11-30T06:43:00.003-07:00

This heroic act, in behalf of the souls in Purgatory, consists in a voluntary offering made in their favor to the Divine Majesty, by any one of the faithful, of all works of satisfaction done by him in his life, as well as of all the suffrages which shall be offered for him after his death. By this offering he forgoes in their behalf only that special fruit which belongs to himself, so that he is not hindered thereby in praying for his own necessities, or those of others.

This act of charity, therefore, will not deprive us of any merit. Besides, by resigning our own claims on all works of satisfaction in favor of the souls departed, we shall gain for ourselves the special love of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints, according to the promise of Christ: " With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again." (Matth.vii.2) Furthermore, the gratitude of the holy souls will induce them, in turn, to pray for us in Heaven, so that we may either escape Purgatory, or be blessed by a speedy deliverance therefrom.

Prayer: We humbly beseech Thee. O Lord! graciously accept our prayers, with the indulgences attached, for the suffering souls. We offer Thee, in their behalf, the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Redeemer, and His infinite merits united with the merits of His most holy, immaculate Virgin Mother Mary, her ever glorious spouse, St. Joseph, the holy Apostles, and all the spirits of Heaven, that by virtue of these merits our devotion may be to them a source of consolation, and open to them the portals of Heaven, there to love, praise, and glorify Thee, world without end. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls, who, while on earth, made the Heroic Act of Charity.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace, Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Endeavor, every day, to perform an act of charity for the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

NB: The Purgatorian Manual lists the indulgences attached to the Heroic Act of Charity; however, the book was printed in 1946, and since Vatican 2, the norms and grants for indulgences have changed. The indulgences listed in the book no longer apply, other than a partial indulgence given for the Requiem prayer.

Nov. 29 Perseverance in Prayer for the Departed

2010-11-29T07:32:00.003-07:00

Holy Church, our good and tender mother, most ardently desires that her children be admitted to the beatific vision of God, and incessantly offers pious supplications, during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Divine Office, to obtain mercy for the holy suffering souls, thereby teaching us to think of them frequently; for to the end of time there shall be souls in the flames of Purgatory in need of assistance and fervent prayers, which we should never fail to offer in their behalf. The ways of God are often inscrutable, and His designs concerning the holy souls are unknown to us; hence there may be among their number some who have a just claim on our assistance, although a long time may have passed away since the close of their earthly career.

Should the souls of our own beloved dead no longer be in need of our suffrages, they will be bestowed upon others, who are deserving of our mercy as well; thus, our prayer, our labor of love, will not be less salutary and meritorious, and, indeed, life is not too long to practice this genuine charity to the end.

Prayer: We beseech Thee, O Lord! grant us the grace to persevere in our charity towards the souls in Purgatory; deign to look with eyes of mercy upon these penitent souls; deliver them from their suffering, and open to them the portals of Heaven. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who suffer for inconstancy in the service of God.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen, (Three times)

Practice: Examine how you have kept your good resolutions, particularly in what manner you have performed your devotions and works of charity for the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov. 28 They Have Great Reason to Fear Who Show no Mercy Towards the Souls Departed

2010-11-28T06:32:00.004-07:00

"With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again." (Matth.vii.2.) It will readily be seen that this word of the Divine Saviour is applicable to the assistance we should render to the souls departed. The learned Cardinal Cajetan says: "Those who in this life forget the departed, will, hereafter, in my opinion, be deprived in Purgatory of all participation in good works and devout prayers, though ever so many be offered for them by others; for Divine Justice is wont in this manner to punish their cruelty and hardness of heart." Hence, he who shows no mercy towards the suffering souls and remains cold and indifferent to their pains, shall, even though his soul may have escaped eternal damnation, languish in the flames of Purgatory, without relief and consolation, and look in vain for friends and intercessors. The faithful, however, who do not forget the suffering souls completely, but seldom think of them, will not be deprived of friends and intercessors entirely, but will derive very little help and comfort, and their complaints will be answered by the words of St. Paul: "He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly." (2Cor. ix. 6)

Prayer: O God! Whose goodness and mercy are infinite, have pity on the souls of those, who, on account of their wont of charity, are undeserving of Thy bounty, and accept our fervent prayers, in reparation for their faults, that they may not suffer without consolation. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who suffer for their want of charity.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Bear patiently the ingratitude of others, and offer it for the souls in Purgatory.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.27 The Lord Rewards Charity Towards the Holy Souls

2010-11-27T06:35:00.000-07:00

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." (Matt.v.7.)

Theologians assert that those who bestow mercy upon the suffering souls, shall themselves find great relief and assistance in Purgatory; they consider active charity towards the holy souls a mark of predestination to eternal happiness. It is true, says St. Thomas Aquinas, that he who satisfies for the suffering souls does not satisfy for himself, but, it is also true, adds the saint, that he deserves more than remission of pain, namely, eternal life. Hence it is that God Himself, by the mouth of the Royal Prophet, expresses Himself: "Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day."(Ps.xl.1) The assistance of the holy souls is also experienced in temporal wants, in favor of their benefactors. Bishop Colmar of Mayence writes: "These destitute, suffering souls do not wait until they enter Heaven to express their gratitude towards their benefactors: whilst they still languish in Purgatory, they pray without intercession for the welfare of soul and body, obtain for them recovery from disease, assistance in poverty, help in necessities, counsel and protection on journeys and in danger, preservation and increase of their temporal goods, aid them in the salvation of their souls, and, above all, come to their relief in the agonies of death, and before the judgement seat of God."

Prayer: We beseech Thee, O Lord! graciously hear the humble and fervent prayers we offer for the souls in Purgatory, and grant that the charity we extend towards our suffering brothers and sisters, may, by their supplications, obtain for us protection and help. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who are suffering in Purgatory for their want of gratitude.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: In spiritual and temporal wants, take refuge to the holy souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy.

Nov.26 By Delivering the Souls From Purgatory we Promote the honor of God

2010-11-26T08:37:00.003-07:00

According to St. Paul, the Apostle, the honor and glory of God should be the principle motive of all our actions: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do; do all things for the glory of God" (1 Cor.x. 31) "The glorification of God ought to be our special aim in our works, most particularly in out acts of charty for the dead, and justly so, for, by delivering these holy souls, we lead them to Heaven, where alone God is perfectly known, loved, and glorified.
If St. Teresa and other saints have declared their readiness to suffer all tortures imaginable for the promotion of God's glory in a single degree, what should we not do and suffer for the deliverance of these souls from the flames of Purgatory, since by doing so we increase His glory by millions of degrees, and not for one moment only, but for eternity!
Prayer: Increase, O Lord! Thy honor and glory, that all created beings may prasise Thy mercy forever, because Thou hast shown clemency towards the souls who love
Thee and ardently desire to behold Thee. Comfort them then, O Lord! Let them behold Thy face in the land of the blessed, where they shall honor, love, and glorify Thee, world without end. Amen.
Special Intercession: Pray for the souls, who, while on earth, promoted the glory of God.
Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)
Practice: Make a good intention befpre every work which you perform.
Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov. 25 Gratitude of the Holy Souls

2010-11-25T07:10:00.002-07:00

The prayers and works of charity which we bestow on the suffering souls in Purgatory, not only increase our spiritual merit, they also call forth the gratitude of the holy, ransomed souls; for when these dear souls are, by our endeavors, admitted to the vision of God, they cease not to prove the warmth of their thankfulness and love by imploring for us the help of which we are so much in need in the manifold dangers and great troubles of life. How can the faithful departed, who are loved by God so tenderly, and predestined to glory, fail to be able to pray, not, indeed, for themselves, because they are not in a condition to merit, yet to pray with efficacy for their benefactors still alive.

Not only will they speedily pay their debt of gratitude to those who befriend them, but, our dear Lord Himself, Whose greater honor and glory we have promoted by our devotion to the holy souls, will readily assist them to requite the services rendered them by the faithful upon earth. St. Alphonsus Liguori says:"He who assists these distressed souls, so tenderly loved by God, may confidently hope for his salvation; for; when such a soul obtains deliverance through his prayers and good works, it incessantly prays for his salvation, and God will deny nothing to such a soul."

Prayer: We beseech Thee, O Lord! vouchsafe to hear the suffering souls, who supplicate Thee for their benefactors, that we, in union with these holy souls, for whom we offer fervent prayers upon earth, may praise Thy mercies forever. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who suffer for their faults against charity.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Bestow charity upon others without expecting gratitude.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.24 Value of Good Works Offered for the Suffering Souls

2010-11-24T06:16:00.003-07:00

St. Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor, affirms that the succor and suffrage given to the departed are more acceptable to God than that which is bestowed upon the living, because the former are more in need and unable to obtain help for themselves as the living can. The revered Louis Blosius, a great master of the spiritual life, says: Our good and merciful Lord loves the souls of his elect, who must be purified after death, and desires their release so ardently, that whenever in Christian charity we set free, by out suffrages, any soul from Purgatory, we do a thing as acceptable to God as if we had delivered the Lord himself from a hard captivity. He promises to give us as full a recompense as such a work of mercy practised toward Himself would deserve; for He Himself has said: " Amen, I say to you: as long as you did it to one of these, My least brethren, you did it to me." (Matth.xxv. 40)

The same is affirmed by St. Ambrose: "Whatever we do for the suffering souls, with a pious intention, will revert to our own merit, and will be returned a hundred fold, at the hour of death."

Prayer: O God of love and mercy! animated with charity and compassion for our departed brothers and sisters, we offer Thee our prayers and good works, and supplicate Thee to accept them as a propitiatory sacrifice in their behalf. Through Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who were negligent in offering good works for the suffering souls.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Bear your sufferings with patience, and offer them for the holy souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.23 Works of Penance for the Holy Souls

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The Church has at all times recommended, and the saints have always had recourse to works of penance as the best means of obtaining extraordinary graces from God, and there is no doubt that these works of mortification have great efficacy for the departed. Although great works of penance and mortification are not expected of every one, yet there is no one who could not occasionally deny himself a part of some favorite dish or some amusement, mortify his eyes, ears, or tongue, observe silence for a short time, bear in patience the pain of sickness, heat or cold, or any other adversity, or curb his self will and evil inclinations; in fact, bear with submission and gratitude to God everything that causes pain or distress.

Such charity lovingly bestowed on the holy souls of our dear departed will call down rich blessings upon us, and obtain for us strength to endure our own sufferings.

"Know ye that the Lord will hear your prayers if you continue with perseverance in fastings and prayers, in the sight of the Lord." (Judith iv.11.)

Prayer: Grant us, O Lord! the grace to walk before Thee in penance and mortification, and in these works to remember the souls in Purgatory. Deign to accept what we in the spirit of charity offer for the comfort and relief of these penitent souls. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who bestowed the merit of their mortification upon the holy souls.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Perform an act of mortification for the souls in Purgatory.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.22 Alms-Giving Affords Great Relief to the Departed

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Besides prayer and other acts of devotion, there are practical good works we can perform for the relief of the suffering souls, among which alms-giving is one of the most prominent; for this, being a work of mercy, is especially efficacious in obtaining mercy for the holy souls. Not the rich alone are able to give alms; the poor can do so as well; since it is not the value of the gift , but the good intention, in which it is bestowed, that is acceptable in the sight of God. We also shall, one day, be numbered among the suffering souls, and who is in greater need and poverty than they? The most miserable beggar in this world can at least complain of his wants, and ask others to assist him; but the souls in Purgatory cannot do even this, for, the instances in which they are permitted to implore aid of the living are exceptional cases, and very few are on record. What consolation it will afford us when, in our own great time of need, the poor whom we befriended and comforted on earth, in the company of the holy souls, whom we delivered by offering this work of mercy for them, shall come to our assistance by their prayers and pious supplications! Therefore, says Holy Scripture: "Do good to thy friend before thou die; and according to thy ability, stretching out thy hand, give to the poor." (Eccl.xiv.13)

Prayer: Lord! graciously look down upon the alms we offer for the redemption of the captive souls in Purgatory. Bestow upon them the full merit thereof, that they may be able to discharge their debt; accept, we beseech Thee, this boon of charity, that delivered from debt and penalty, Thou mayest lead them into Thy heavenly kingdom. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who upon earth gave alms for the relief of the suffering souls.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Bestow a gift upon a poor person, and offer the merit for the souls in Purgatory.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Non.21 Efficacy of the Rosary for the Suffering Souls

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St. Dominic declares that the redemption of the holy souls from Purgatory is one of the principal effects of the Rosary. The Venerable Alanus writes that many of the brethren had appeared to them whilst reciting the Rosary, and had declared that next to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass there was no more powerful means than the Rosary to help the suffering souls. Also, that numerous souls were daily released thereby, who would otherwise have been obliged to remain there for years. St. Alphonsus Liguori therefore says: "If we wish to be of material assistance to the souls in Purgatory, we must always recommend them in our prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and especially offer the holy Rosary for them."

Let us then frequently and with devotion recite the Rosary, which is so pleasing to our Blessed Mother, recommended most especially by the Holy Church, discloses to us a rich source of grace, and is so efficacious in relieving the suffering souls and opening Heaven to them. Should our labor prevent us from reciting the entire Rosary every day, let us, at least, say it in part. This simple homage to the Queen of Heaven will draw down great blessings upon us, and the holy souls will be wonderfully consoled and relieved, if this devotion be offered in their behalf.

Prayer: Graciously hear, O Lord! the prayer we offer Thee in the holy Rosary, in honor of Mary, Thy Virgin Mother, for the relief of the souls in Purgatory, while by devoutly meditating on Thy holy life and suffering, we implore Thy divine assistance. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who were most devoted to the holy Rosary.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Recite the Rosary for the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.20 Love of the Blessed Virgin Towards the Souls in Purgatory

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Since our Divine Redeemer has given us Mary as a mother, when, dying upon the cross, He spoke to His disciple,"Behold thy mother," the Blessed Virgin regards us all as her beloved children, but she harbors most tender feelings of maternal love towards the suffering souls in Purgatory. Let us then afford the Mother of love the satisfaction of giving abundant suffrages to the souls in Purgatory. Taking into consideration the great prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin, and the infinite love of the Holy Trinity toward her, we cannot doubt that by her merit and intercession every penitent suffering soul would be delivered, that Purgatory could be emptied at once, were such according to the inscrutable ways of God.

But God has His own designs, founded on His infinite wisdom, justice, and mercy. The Blessed Virgin does not pray to have all the suffering souls delivered at once, for her will is in perfect conformity to the Will of God, and she exercises her dominion over the souls in Purgatory in perfect union with this Divine Will.

St. Bernardine of Sienna applies to Mary the text of the Holy writ, "I have walked in the waves of the sea," (Eccl.xxiv.8) and adds, "She descends into that sea of fire, quenching the flames for the suffering souls."

Denys the Carthusian attests that the souls in Purgatory experience the same joy and relief, at the mere mention of her name, that consoling words bring to the bedridden sick.

Prayer: O most holy and glorious Virgin Mary, Blessed Mother of our Lord! we place our petitions for the suffering souls into your hands; cleanse them from all imperfections, and, by thy intercession, obtain for them eternal rest. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who were most zealous in their devotion to the Blessed Virgin.

Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Say the Litany of the Blessed Virgin for the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.19 Holy Communion of Great Benefit to the Departed

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The holy Doctor and Cardinal, St. Bonaventure, of the Order of St, Francis, who wrote much concerning the holy souls, urges especially frequent communion in their behalf. "Let the love and compassion for your neighbor," so he writes," lead you to the holy table, for nothing is so calculated to obtain eternal rest for the holy souls." This is confirmed by the following example: Louis Blosius relates that a pious servant of God, in a vision, beheld a departed friend, wrapped in flames, and learned from him that he suffered terribly, because he had received our Lord in Holy Communion with but little preparation. "Therefore," added this departed friend,"I beg of you, for the love we bore each other, to communicate for the benefit of my soul, but to do so with great preparation and fervor; I then hope certainly to be released from the terrible sufferings that I have indeed well deserved for my negligence toward the Blessed Sacrament." The friend at once complied with the request, and having received Holy Communion with due preparation, he saw the same soul enveloped in light, winging its happy flight to Heaven, to behold the face of the King of eternal glory.

Prayer: O Lord, Jesus Christ, Who in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar hast given us Thine own flesh and blood for the nourishment of our souls, and a pledge of our own future resurrection, grant us the grace always to receive worthily this Most Holy Mystery, that it may be to us, and to the souls in Purgatory, a source of salvation, Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who were negligent in their preparation for Holy Communion.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Frequently receive Holy Communion for the benefit of the Holy Souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

(Note: In the book this chapter does not have a Practice, so I inserted a suitable one.)

Nov.18 The Efficacy of Holy Mass for the Departed

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The Sacrifice of the Mass is the great devotion of the Catholic Church, and, of all means to assist the souls in Purgatory, none is more valuable or meritorious; for there Jesus Christ offers Himself and His infinite merits to His Heavenly Father, by the hands of the priest, in behalf of the suffering souls. The unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass does not essentially differ from the sacrifice of the cross, but only accidentally as to the mode of oblation, and no limit can be placed to the effect of this great sacrifice, which contains in itself all graces.

From this inestimable efficacy, however, we may not infer that the offering of one Mass is sufficient to release the souls we love; for, though the Sacrifice on Calvary was infinite, we cannot conclude that the application of it, through the Mass, must also be infinite. St. Thomas Aquinas tells us, it was not the intention of Jesus Christ to bestow the full efficacy of His suffering and death, which is celebrated in every Mass, upon us; His merits are applied according to His Adorable Will, for the ways of God are often inscrutable.

It is very salutary, therefore, to have the Holy Sacrifice offered frequently for the repose of a soul. Should the souls who are dear to us, for whom we intercede in this manner, be already in the enjoyment of eternal bliss, Divine wisdom and goodness will bestow the merit of the Masses offered on other suffering souls.

Prayer:O Lord Jesus Christ, Who didst institute the unbloody Sacrifice of the Mass in commemoration of Thy Sacrifice upon the cross, we beseech Thee, bestow the merits of this Holy Sacrifice upon the souls in Purgatory, that they may soon be released from their pains. Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who were most zealous to assist at Mass.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Assist at Mass for the relief of the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.17 The Manner in Which the Church Bestows Indulgences Upon the Souls in Purgatory

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The Church does not apply indulgences to the souls in Purgatory, as she does to the faithful upon earth, by the tribunal of penance and absolution, but confers them simply by pious supplications and sacrifices offered in their behalf; thus they are relieved indirectly. The Holy Church opens her rich treasures of merit and satisfaction in proportion to the suffrages of the faithful, offering expiation and fervent prayers to God for the relief of the suffering souls, according to the value of the indulgences gained on their behalf.

God has reserved to Himself the right to accept entirely, or in part, the satisfaction offered to any soul in Purgatory.This acceptance depends upon His holy and adorable Will, and, perhaps, in great measure upon the care of the soul to render herself worthy of the Divine assistance during her earthly career. Besides, there may be some obligations neglected by the person who intends to gain the indulgence, owing to ignorance or forgetfulness on his part. Therefore, we have no assurance whatever that an indulgence given by us to the holy souls has had the desired effect. Considering this, we should prepare most carefully, and fulfill all obligations required for gaining an indulgence. However, let us place, with entire confidence, the application of indulgences to departed souls especially dear to us, into the tender hand of Divine mercy.

Prayer: Have mercy, O Lord, upon the suffering souls in Purgatory, mitigate the severity of Thy judgments; let the infinite merits of Thine only-begotten Son, and those of Thy saints, assist the holy souls, and deliver them from their sufferings. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who neglected to gain indulgences for the souls in Purgatory.

Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace, Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Offer all indulgences you may gain today, for the souls in Purgatory.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.16 The Efficacy of Prayer for the Suffering Souls

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"It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins."2 Mach.xii 46)

Prayer for the dead is holy, because pleasing to God; wholesome, because through the merciful goodness of God it accomplishes its sublime and charitable object. Nothing is so pleasing to God as the sacrifice of love and mercy, especially when offered for the suffering souls, whom He loves most tenderly, because they are holy and sure of Heaven.

To relieve the suffering souls we can scarcely do anything more salutary than to gain indulgences applicable to them, offering to God the perfect satisfaction of Christ and the saints, and performing good works in their behalf, that they may be comforted or entirely delivered from the pains of Purgatory.

A suffering soul may receive an entire or temporary remission of her penalty, in accordance with the indulgence applied, being either plenary or partial.

Prayer: Open, O Lord! the rich treasures of Thy Church, in favor of the souls in Purgatory that they may receive full pardon, or, at least some relief in their pains; and grant us grace to deliver and comfort a great number of suffering souls by prayer and good works. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls, who, during their earthly career endeavored to gain many indulgences for the faithful departed.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Apply all the indulgences you can gain to the souls in Purgatory.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.15 We Should be in a State of Grace When Gaining Indulgences for the Poor Souls

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Holy Church teaches that the state of grace is necessary to perform works that are merit-bearing for ourselves, and many Saints and holy teachers of the science of God apply this same teaching to works and prayers which have indulgences attached to them and are to be applied to the Poor Souls. It is certain that if Confession and Holy Communion are demanded for gaining the particular indulgence, the indulgence is not gained unless the person who performs these works is in God's favor at the time. A person who, unfortunately, may be in the state of mortal sin, can have Masses said for the faithful departed. He himself will acquire no merit thereby, but the suffering souls will derive the full benefit of the Holy Sacrifice. As we should always strive to be in the friendship and grace of God, if we have any doubt about our condition or are certain that we have lost God's favor then before trying to gain an indulgence let us confess our sins or at least strive to make an act of perfect contrition.

"He that abideth in Me," says Christ, "and I in him, the same beareth much fruit, for without Me, you can do nothing." (John xv 5) If, then, we are incapable of gaining merit for ourselves, how can we expect to benefit others? St. Francis Xavier says: "Before being intent on delivering souls from Purgatory, take heed to redeem your own souls from hell;" and here we may add the word of the Lord spoken by His prophet: " Wash yourselves, be clean, take away the evil of your devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely." (Isaias i 16)

Prayer: Grant us the grace, O Lord! to avoid sin at all times, and confirm us in Thy charity, that, by Thy bounty, our supplications for the suffering souls may be acceptable to Thee, and beneficial to them. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who were careful never to lose the grace of God.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice:Make an act of perfect contrition,

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov. 14 Special Duty of Children Towards Their Deceased Parents

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"Honor thy father, and forget not the groanings of thy mother. Remember that hadst not been born but through them, and make a return to them; as they have done for thee." (Eccl. vii. 29-30) Next to God, our parents are our greatest benefactors, entitled to most tender love and gratitude, which is the sacred duty of every child. This duty does not end with this life; it is extended even to eternity. Should our departed parents find no relief in their pains? Must they cry out in bitter anguish: "I have reared sons and daughters, but they have forgotten me?"

If we compassionate the misery of strangers, if we do not heartlessly send a beggar from our doors, oh, let us remember how near and dear father and mother are to us, and how greatly we are indebted to them. After their death we owe them prayers, alms, good works, and Masses. They cry out to us for mercy. Would it not be the highest degree of ingratitude were we to forget those who bestowed their best love and care on us in life? The commandment of God, "Honor thy father and thy mother" is an obligation also towards our deceased parents.

Prayer: O God, who hast commanded us to honor father and mother, look in loving kindness upon the souls of my father and mother, and forgive them their trespasses, and grant unto me the joy of being reunited to them in the glorious light of everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of parents who have been forgotten by their children.

Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Mortify yourself by an act of obedience.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.13 The Special Duty of Everyone to Aid the Faithful Departed

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Besides the general duty imposed upon us by the divine law of charity, there is a special duty incumbent upon everyone to assist particular souls. This duty devolves upon us in consequence of the personal relations with such souls during their earthly career; for, whatever be the condition of man in life, he will have among the souls, departed, who may be suffering in Purgatory, some to whom he is indebted for particular favors and benefits.

But what could more forcibly elicit our charity and gratitude than to behold our loved ones and our benefactors in extreme distress, while we have the means of alleviating their suffering! That person does not possess a spark of Christian charity who, from neglect or indolence, suffers the souls of his friends to be tormented in the flames of Purgatory.

Prayer: Revive, O Lord, within the hearts of Thy faithful, an active commiseration for the brethren gone before us, that they may not, by our indifference or neglect, suffer without relief and assistance. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who are neglected by their relatives and friends.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Bestow alms for the relief of the suffering souls.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.12 Grand Display is of no Value to the Holy Souls

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I dedicate this post to my mother, who passed on to eternal life on this day one year ago.

In regard to pompous displays for the departed, St. Augustine says: "Costly funerals and expensive displays may afford the living some consolation, but are of no benefit to the departed." He adds, however, "Let care be bestowed upon funerals and the erection of monuments; for Holy Writ reckons these among good works. Let all perform these last services for their departed, and thereby relieve their own sorrow, but let them show greater zeal, care, and generosity in succoring the souls of the departed by Masses, prayers, and alms, and thus give evidence of not only a temporal, but also a spiritual love for those who are departed in body only, but not in spirit. According to a rule of the Church, flowers should be used at funerals of children only; circumstances may at times justify a deviation from this rule, but, at all events, it is unpardonable if the expense connected with this display deprives the soul departed of any spiritual assistance.

Prayer:We beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thy infinite mercy, do not despise our prayers in behalf of the souls in Purgatory, but grant them the peace and consolation we desire for them. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who were remembered by a pompous funeral only, and have no relief in their pain.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Accompany the funeral of a poor person, at the first opportunity.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.11 Our Duty to Relieve the Souls in Purgatory

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In bestowing charity upon any person, we are usually guided by the degree of his poverty; but, who is in such great need as he who possesses absolutely nothing, owes a heavy debt, is unable to labor or gain any merit or even to beg, and must nevertheless suffer the most excruciating torments until the last farthing has been paid? There is a universal law to assist the needy, which extends even to strangers; but here the obligation is greatest, because among these souls in Purgatory, are such as were intimately connected with us, who suffer, perhaps, from having loved us excessively. Among the sufferers are our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives, and friends. How exceedingly painful for them to be forgotten and deserted even by those whose happiness they promoted during their sojourn upon earth; to see the possessions left to their children foolishly squandered, they themselves not receiving the benefit of the least farthing thereof! What proofs of extreme coldness and ingratitude! Were any of these persons afflicted with the least pain upon earth, we would do all in our power to relieve them, but, as it is, we are devoid of all sympathy, and leave them in their terrible suffering and anguish.

Prayer: Have mercy, O Lord, upon the suffering souls in Purgatory, and mitigate the severity of Thy judgement, that they, who, during their earthly lives, believed in Thee, hoped in Thee, and loved Thee, may receive the crown of justice in heaven. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who are suffering from their negligence in praying for the souls in Purgatory.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Suffer patiently the disagreeable occurrences in your intercourse with others.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.10 The Duration of Purgatory

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Concerning the duration of Purgatory, the Church simply tells us it is not a place of eternal pain, but will end at last judgement; neither are we informed of the length of time required for the purification of a soul. According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the soul, to be reunited to

her Creator in Heaven, must be in the state of primitive innocence which adorned her when she proceeded from His hand. The image of God must be entirely restored within her, commensurate to the degree of glory awaiting her in Heaven.

From this it is evident that the suffering souls cannot enter Heaven until perfectly cleansed, either by their pains or by the suffrages of the faithful. With the royal Prophet they cry out in plaintive voice: "As the hart panteth after the fountains of water, so my soul panteth after Thee, O God! When shall I come and appear before the face of God?" (Ps. xli 2-3)

They suffer until entirely purified, until the last farthing of their debt is discharged. Increased and intensified pain will probably supply the want of time for the souls who shall not have rendered full satisfaction by the last day of universal judgement.

Prayer: O God, the dispenser of pardon, and Friend of human salvation, we implore Thee, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all Thy saints, grant to the souls of our brethren, relatives, benefactors, and all the faithful departed, the joys of eternal bliss.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls of those who are most desirous of obtaining help from you.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Mortify your curiosity.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.9 Pain of Fire in Purgatory

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The Church has given no decision regarding the word "fire" in relation to Purgatory; but according to Theologians and Doctors of the Church. we are to understand a material fire. Concerning this, Bishop Colmar of Mayence, a great friend of the holy souls, writes: "Besides being deprived of the vision of God, the souls in Purgatory must also endure the tortures of a fire, the effects of which are so much more painful in the avenging hand of God": a fire, as St. Augustine says, in comparison to which our material fire is as nothing; a fire that entirely penetrates the soul, in whatever manner this may be accomplished.

How, and to what extent this is done, we know not, but may draw our conclusion from similar instances- "In like manner," says St. Gregory the Great, "as the fallen angels, although pure spirits, are tormented by the material fire of hell, so may a similar fire torture the souls of the departed in Purgatory." The justice of God can punish a spirit by means of a material substance, as well as He can, in His omnipotence, give life to a body by the means of a spirit. According to the holy Fathers, the fire of Purgatory does not differ from the fire of hell, excepting in point of duration. "It is the same fire," says St. Thomas, "that torments the reprobate in hell, and the just in Purgatory, the least pain in Purgatory," he adds, "surpasses the greatest sufferings of this life." Nothing but eternal duration makes the fire of hell more terrible than that of Purgatory.

Prayer: Refresh, O Lord, the suffering souls in Purgatory with the dew of Thy grace, that their pains may be relieved, and, in Thy mercy, hasten the moment of their deliverance, that they may meet Thee in heaven, where no fire but that of Thy holy love shall consume them. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for all the souls in Purgatory, particularly for those who are forgotten by their relatives.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen (Three times)

Practice: Endeavor to spread the devotion to the holy souls as much as possible.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov. 8 Pain of Helplessness and Desolation

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The souls in Purgatory have entered into the realm of Divine Justice. The penance and satisfaction due for their faults must be made, either by the pain of Purgatory itself, or by the suffrages of the faithful, consisting in prayer, good works, and the spiritual treasure of indulgences bestowed upon them; for the suffering souls can no longer merit, and are entirely unable to assist themselves. A sick man and a beggar have a tongue to ask for help, and the very sight of their misery will move others to compassion. The suffering souls, however, have no resource but that of patience, resignation, and hope. To all their moans there is but one answer, "the night hath come in which no man can work."

Hence in their extreme desolation and distress, they incessantly cry out to us for relief and assistance; but since they cannot do this in a manner perceptible to us, holy Church does it for them, by instituting many touching devotions on their behalf. Can we, then, be cold and heartless towards these souls?- "A hard heart will fare evil at the last." Be not then indifferent to your own interests.

Prayer: Have mercy, O Lord, upon the suffering souls in Purgatory, in their helplessness and desolation. Comfort them by the prayers and petitions of the angels and the just in heaven and upon earth; shorten the time of their suffering and reward them with joys eternal. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the most forsaken and helpless souls.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Deny yourself a little comfort, or some special consolation, and offer it for the most forsaken souls in Purgatory.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.7 Pain of Sorrow for Sin

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The soul departed, before the judgement seat of God, is enlightened with a perfect knowledge of the purity and sanctity of her Divine judge, clearly perceiving the stains with which she is sullied, and her extreme unworthiness of union with God. The thought: I have offended God, Who is everlasting beauty and perfection; I am not yet worthy to appear before the face of the Lord, Who is infinitely holy, not worthy to take my dwelling place in Heaven,- is the greatest sorrow of the suffering soul. Much more clearly than during their earthly lives do these holy souls comprehend the perfections of God, and love Him above all things; therefore the thought of having offended Him is a piercing sorrow which surpasses all their other sufferings.

St. Ambrose tells us that there is no greater agony than the remorse of conscience caused by sin. There are examples on record, of men who died from the effects of this vehement sorrow. Yet, how much more intense must be the contrition of the suffering souls, who fully understand the great malice of sin! We know by our own experience that the depths of sorrow for having offended a person is equal to the love we bear him. The holy souls in Purgatory, being inflamed with a perfect love of God their perfect contrition for sin is their greatest sorrow.

Prayer: O God, Father of grace and mercy! graciously regard the deep sorrow of the suffering souls in Purgatory. Deign to accept their love, and grant them remission of their punishment, that, united with Thee, they may praise Thy goodness forever. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who, while on earth, loved God most ardently.

Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Try to make an act of perfect contrition for your sins.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!

Nov.6 The Pain of Loss

2010-11-06T08:32:00.002-06:00

The spiritual suffering, or pain of loss, is the greatest pain of Purgatory, according to the Fathers of the Church. No one can comprehend the great suffering of a soul departed, which, in all its ardent desire for the higher and only good, sees itself ever repulsed as an object of God's avenging justice.

St. Alphonsus writes: "Far greater than the pain of sense in Purgatory is that pain which the holy souls must endure in being deprives of the vision of God. Because these souls are inflamed, not only with a natural, but with a supernatural love of God, they are so vehemently attracted to the union with their highest good, that, in being repulsed through their own fault, they experience so violent a pain as would kill them instantly if death were possible to them." Therefore, says St. Chrysostom, "this pain of being deprived of God is a far greater pain for them than the pain of the senses. The fire of hell increased a thousand times would not cause them such great suffering as does this pain of the loss of God."

Prayer: O God, Father of mercies, grant the ardent desire of the souls in Purgatory who yearn to behold Thee. Send down Thy holy angel with the joyful tidings that the moment of their redemption has come, that their exile is ended, and bless them by the perfect union with Thee forever. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Special Intercession: Pray for the souls who are punished for their forgetfulness of the holy Presence of God during their lives.

Eternal rest, grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them; may they rest in peace. Amen. (Three times)

Practice: Try to remember at all times the holy Presence of God.

Invocation: My Jesus, mercy!