Words from Saint Paul for our Times

The Armor of God

The breastplate of justice

The shield of faith

the helmet of salvation

the sword of the spirit

“Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take unto you the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace: In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). By all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for all the saints…”

Ephesians 6:11-18

International Week of Prayer & Fasting

2023 Theme: Miracles of the Eucharist

“The 31st annual International Week of Prayer and Fasting for our nation, leaders, families, and the Church will take place Oct. 20–28…” READ MORE from Catholic News Agency

This devotional week overlaps with the National Eucharistic Revival. It is exactly 9 days, so praying a novena would be most appropriate. If you are not participating in a structured event, please consider how you may celebrate and honor the Most Holy Eucharist in this penitential week for our Church and our world so much in need.

Don’t worry if you’re a bit late in the novena, God understands!

Luke 7:11 and Our Lady of Sorrows

“And it came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city that is called Naim; and there went with him his disciples, and a great multitude.  And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her.  Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not.  And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.  And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother. And there came a fear on them all: and they glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people.  And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the country round about.”

Luke 7:11

Above is the Gospel passage for today, the 2nd Sunday in this month of Our Lady of Sorrows.  Do you notice anything?  This account of one of Our Lord’s miracles of raising the dead, foreshadows the Passion and the Resurrection.  Mary was a widow at the foot of the Cross, which is why Jesus gave her to Saint John, to be cared for by him.  Her Son was crucified, but raised after 3 days!  She never lost hope, trusting that this was part of God’s great plan for the redemption of the human race. 

Our celebrant at the Tridentine Mass in Glen Cove, New York, brought light to this scripture.  He mentioned that the crowd would have been astonished by Our Lord touching a dead body, as this was considered unclean.  He drew the parallel to us when we are in a state of sin.  Christ reaches out to us in our misery, to lead us to the sacrament of Penance and the great peace that follows.  It is a bathing of the soul.  We are all that young man, given back to our Holy Mother Church, the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

Another point Fr. Daniel made, was that once you are forgiven, it is time to become a witness.  As soon as the boy was raised, he spoke.   How important this is in our own time, as the world has forgotten all that is good and Godly.  Let us courageously speak of the love and mercy of the Most Holy Trinity to all the world and transform the face of the earth!

August, Month of the Immaculate Heart & Marian Triad of the Months

This month, we celebrate the Mother of God’s Immaculate and most loving Heart.  In June, we prayed for our hearts to be conformed to the Heart of Jesus, now we pray for the same grace regarding Our Lady.  Think about how you will honor her most pure heart during the month of August. 

August also brings us the first month of what might be called the “Marian Triad of the Months.”  These are 3 months in a row, which Holy Church dedicates to Our Lady.  September honors Our Lady of Sorrows and October, the Holy Rosary.  It is an interesting theological pondering, to see how these 3 dedications might interrelate.  During this Triad would be a wonderful time to engage in Marian reading and devotions, to deepen your relationship with the Queen of Heaven.

As for some notable feasts this month, we have:  Saint Dominic, seer of the Holy Rosary, on the 4th and 8th (we look at both old and new feasts)…Our Lady of the Snows on the 5th…the Transfiguration of Our Lord, one of the Luminous Mysteries, on the 6th…Santa Chiara (Clare) on the 11th and 12th…the Vigil of the Assumption on the 14th and the Assumption, Holy Day of Obligation on the 15th…Saint Joachim, father of Mary, the very next day, the 16th…on the 22nd, a double Marian feast, the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin and the traditional celebration of the Immaculate Heart…we honor 2 patron saints of gardening on the same day, Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Fiacre, on the 30th…the Passion of Saint John the Baptist on the 29th.

Here is the Roman Catholic traditional calendar for the month of August:  Calefactory

~   Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for Us!   ~

Image from Catholic News Agency

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

June continues the traditional Ember Days of Summer on the First Friday and First Saturday.  The Masses of these days are beautiful to read.  Of course, First Fridays are dedicated to the Sacred Heart, so, something to think about there.  We have Trinity Sunday and the 2 feasts of Corpus Christi (or Body and Blood of Christ), in the trad and the new.  Very exciting, the back-to-back feasts of our Two Hearts are on the 16th and the 17th (the 16th being a Friday solemnity, no penance). 

Where does one start when contemplating all the devotional riches of the Sacred Heart, which Holy Church has given us?  Here is a great place to start, from The Catholic Encyclopedia:  Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  This topic is divided into 2 parts:  Doctrinal Explanations and Historical Ideas.

Have a look at the full trad calendar for June:  calefactory.org

And here is a thought to meditate on this coming month.  This came to me today when trying to take a nap and cope with my chronic pain condition.  I thought of a short poem by novelist Gunnel Beckman and changed the words to express what I was feeling.  I felt compelled to share this…

Suffering is only the thorn upon the rose

The broken key

Offering admission to Thine Heart

Saint Margaret Mary, pray for us!

Litany of the Ascension / Novena to the Holy Ghost

A post from 2 years ago, with a pdf printable of the litany

pray it with your family ~ Ascension Blessings to all!

(You can support us by sharing ~ Thank you:)

Our Lady of Lourdes

She is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror. Beautiful aurora of salvation, out of thee, O Virgin Mary, came forth the sun of justice Who has visited us, the orient from on high.

These exquisite words came from today’s Morning Devotion in the Benedictus monthly missal. Please see praybenedictus.com to order yours!

Saint Bernadette pray for us!

When they take Our Blessed Lord's Name in vain....

ya didn’t get the memo?

well, let me get you up to speed really fast….

1) Have you heard of the 10 Commandments? Yes, oh great! The second one says “Do not take the Name of the Lord in vain.”

2) Some people are Christian. We believe Jesus is God. We are offended when people use His Name disrespectfully.

3) Got it??? Good.

It’s the month of the Holy Name of Jesus and I’m on the warpath!

I might suggest doing some role-playing with your friends or family to develop ways of dealing with genuinely difficult social situations such as this. It is simply a skill that needs to be learned.

“Every one therefore that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But he that shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I came to send peace upon earth: I came not to send peace, but the sword.”

Matthew 10:32

Plenary Indulgences This Week!

From Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary:

PLENARY INDULGENCE

An indulgence that can remove all the temporal punishment due to forgiven sin. No one but God knows for certain when a plenary indulgence is actually gained, because only He knows whether a person's dispositions are adequate. One norm for such dispositions is that "all attachment to sin, even venial sin, be absent." If these dispositions are in any way less than complete, the indulgence will only be partial. The same provision applies to the three external conditions necessary to gain a plenary indulgence: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the Pope. If these conditions are not satisfied, an otherwise plenary indulgence becomes only partial. These conditions may be satisfied several days before or after the performance of the prescribed work, though preferably Communion should be received and the prayers offered for the Pope on the same day as the indulgenced work. A plenary indulgence can be gained only once a day.

From the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter’s Holy Cross Chaplaincy:

Six General Rules for Obtaining a Plenary Indulgence

1. State of grace…when performing the indulgenced act

2. Complete detachment from sin, even venial sin

3. Confession (20 days before or after the indulgenced act)

4. Communion (20 days before or after the indulgenced act)

5. Prayers for the Supreme Pontiff (20 days before or after the indulgenced act)

6. Indulgenced Act: a special good work with…conditions of place and time

Indulgenced Acts to be Performed for Obtaining a Plenary Indulgence for the Poor Souls of Purgatory

• From November 1 to 8: visit of a cemetery with mental prayer for the poor souls

• On November 2: visit of a church or an oratory with one Our Father and one Creed being recited

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.

Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.

Feast of Saint Faustina, Seer of the Divine Mercy

For the sake of His sorrowful passion

Have mercy on us and on the whole world!

Saint Faustina, Pray for Us!

Never has the world needed mercy more than today. But how are we to obtain mercy? Our Lord gives us a clue:

“No man putting his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. “

Luke 9:62

Did you know that some snakes can transmit toxins by merely touching them or inhaling near them? We often find spiritual messages in nature, if we take the time to reflect. These poisonous snakes tell us that we must not even get near evil, lest we be taken down with it. It is time to separate ourselves from this worldly, sinful culture which lies on the precipice of destruction. Set your hand to the plow and emulate Lot, not Lot’s wife! Many contend it is time to disengage physically, not just spiritually. Leave this world and do not look back!