September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows, Part 2

We look to the Doctor of the Church, Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, to contemplate Our Lady’s Sorrows this month.  Saint Alphonsus is one of the prime theologians on the Seven Sorrows of Mary.  He was born in the month of September, 1696, in the city of Marianella, Italy.  He became a bishop and founded the Redemptorists.  He lived a long life and died not far from the place of his birth, in 1787.

One of the best-known works of Saint Alphonsus is The Glories of Mary.  This is a collection of 5 books in one, one of which is “Of the Dolours of Mary.”  In this part, Alphonsus meditates on all Seven Sorrows and provides a prayer for each.  Following is an excerpt from the First Sorrow, “The Prophecy of Simeon.”  This Sorrow deals with Our Lady’s knowledge and anguish at the future sufferings of her Son. 

Today, for those paying attention, we are all in anticipation of how the crises in the world will play out.  Let us learn peace and acceptance from Our Lady of Sorrows.  Not complacency, but inner peace in the midst of these concerns.  We know God will always be with His children.

St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s Meditations on the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint Alphonsus begins with this sentiment:

“Mary was the Queen of Martyrs, for her martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all the Martyrs.”

In this valley of tears every man is born to weep, and all must suffer, by enduring the evils which are of daily occurrence. But how much greater would the misery of life be, did we also know the future evils which await us! “Unfortunate, indeed, would his lot be,” says Seneca, “who, knowing the future, would have to suffer all by anticipation.”

Our Lord shows us this mercy. He conceals the trials which await us, that, whatever they may be, we may endure them but once. He did not show Mary this compassion; for she, whom God willed to be the Queen of Sorrows, and in all things like His Son, had to see always before her eyes and continually to suffer all the torments that awaited her; and these were the sufferings of the Passion and death of her beloved Jesus; for in the temple Saint Simeon, having received the Divine Child in his arms, foretold to her that that Son would be a mark for all the persecutions and oppositions of men.

“Behold, this Child is set . . . for a sign which shall be contradicted.”

And therefore, that a sword of sorrow should pierce her soul:

“And thy own soul a sword shall pierce.”

…Since, then, Jesus, our King, and His most holy Mother, did not refuse, for love of us, to suffer such cruel pains throughout their lives, it is reasonable that we, at least, should not complain if we have to suffer something. Jesus, crucified, once appeared to Sister Magdalen Orsini, a Dominicaness, who had been long suffering under a great trial, and encouraged her to remain, by means of that affliction, with Him on the cross. Sister Magdalen complainingly answered: “O Lord, Thou wast tortured on the cross only for three hours, and I have endured my pain for many years.” The Redeemer then replied: “Ah, ignorant soul, what dost thou say? From the first moment of My conception I suffered in heart all that I afterwards endured dying on the cross.” If, then, we also suffer and complain, let us imagine Jesus, and His Mother Mary, addressing the same words to ourselves.

Prayer

Ah, my Blessed Mother, it is not one sword only with which I have pierced thy heart, but I have done so with as many as are the sins which I have committed. Ah, Lady, it is not to thee, who art innocent, that sufferings are due, but to me, who am guilty of so many crimes. But since thou hast been pleased to suffer so much for me, ah, by thy merits, obtain me great sorrow for my sins, and patience under the trials of this life, which will always be light in comparison with my demerits, for I have often deserved Hell.

Amen.

September 12th is the feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary.  From the Collect of the Tridentine Mass:

“Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that Thy faithful, happy under the invocation and protection of the most holy Virgin Mary, may, by her dear intercession, be delivered from all evils on earth and be worthy to attain unto eternal joys in Heaven.”

And again from Saint Alphonsus:

“Oh, my sweet Lady and Mother, I love thee much, and because I love thee, I love also thy holy name.  I purpose and hope with thy aid always to invoke it in life and death.”

Notable feasts for the rest of the month:

14th-Exaltation of the Holy Cross

15th-SEVEN SORROWS OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY / OUR LADY OF SORROWS

17th-Stigmata of Saint Francis of Assisi / Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor of the Church

21st-Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist

23rd-Saint Pio of Pietrelcina / Ember Wednesday of September or Autumn

24th-OUR LADY OF RANSOM

25th-Ember Friday

26th-Ember Saturday

29th-Saints Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, the Archangels

30th-Saint Jerome, Doctor of the Church

****** Prepper Challenge for september ******

What is My Contribution?  What is My Special Gift?

Your community and the Church are going to need you in the coming days.  What will you specialize in that will be a significant contribution?  Every prepper tends to develop a skill or two that is specialized.  What interests you?  What is a “sustainable” skill that will have value even in a grid-down (no electricity) situation?  Do you already have a skill?  Can you improve it?  Can you learn a new one?  Think and pray about it!

Noah was the Original Prepper ~ Build Your Ark!

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows, Part 1

Due to traveling and other disruptions, I am running late on this post. Keep in mind, September 8th is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On the 3rd, we honor Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Pius X, both Popes. Saint Gregory, Doctor of the Church, is considered instrumental (no pun intended) in the development of Gregorian Chant. Stay tuned for the completion of this post…keep prepping…what is your special skill or skill you would like to learn?

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart / Marian Triad of the Months

[Edited since posting.]

August begins Nomen Christi Apostolate’s “Marian Triad of the Months.”  Catholic tradition has given us 3 months in a row to show our love for our Heavenly Queen and contemplate her wondrous gifts.  This month we turn toward her Immaculate Heart.  In September, we reflect on her Sorrows.  In October, we lift her up as Our Lady of the Rosary and renew our dedication to this devotion, along with prayer for pro-life issues.  How do these 3 aspects of Our Lady inter-relate?  How is she watching over the world right now in love and sorrow? These are things to pray on within the next 90 days, as the world may be crossing a threshold, due to what is becoming a global war.  If she ushers us over, surely we have every consolation.  (Have a look at the artwork of Mary we created just today, on the Home page.  Scroll down and you will see her holding her heart in one hand and the Rosary in the other, looking up to Heaven with tears.  This may help you in your contemplations.)

This month, we are using Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary to shed light upon the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  I met Fr. Hardon once and I describe this meeting and the amazing effect it had on my life, in my bio (button to the right>>>).  This catalogue of Catholic terminology was published in 1980 and is well-regarded.  There is now a cause for Fr. Hardon’s canonization (see link above).  What does this saintly Jesuit have to say on this topic?  His words are simple and he includes the beautiful Fatima Act of Consecration…

Immaculate Heart:  The physical heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a sign and symbol of her compassion and sinlessness, and the object of devotion by the faithful. Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary gained international prominence through the Fátima apparitions in 1917, and their subsequent approval by the Holy See. A widely used prayer capsulizing this devotion reads:

“Virgin of Fátima, Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and Earth, refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to your Immaculate Heart. To you we consecrate our hearts, our souls, our families, and all we have. And in order that this consecration may be truly effective and lasting, we renew today the promises of our Baptism and Confirmation, and we undertake to live as good Christians -- faithful to God, the Church and the Holy Father. We desire to pray the Rosary, partake in the Holy Eucharist, attach special importance to the first Saturday of the month and work for the conversion of sinners. Furthermore we promise, O most holy Virgin, that we will zealously spread devotion to you, so that through our consecration to your Immaculate Heart and through your own intercession the coming of the Kingdom of Christ in the world may be hastened. Amen.”

Following what Fr. John Hardon encouraged, let us recite this prayer during the month of August, becoming closer and more devoted to this great treasure of our Faith:  The Mother of God’s most loving Heart! And here is our Fatima Prayers PDF, which includes another consecration to the Immaculate Heart, written by Pope Pius XII (I keep this printout on my desk to remind me each day to pray the Morning Offering)…

  Fatima Prayers PDF Printable

We celebrated a feast of the Immaculate Heart in June and do so again August 22nd, in the trad calendar.  On the same day, in the post-conciliar, we have the Queenship of Mary.  Of course we honor the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the 15th , with a vigil.

On the 5th, we have Our Lady of the Snows (referring to a miracle in Italy), also known as Dedication of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, which may be described as Our Lady’s premier church.  Believe it or not, the manger of Our Blessed Lord is there, below the altar in a small alcove, with kneelers before it.  It is encased in glass with a sculpture of the Christ Child atop.  It is made of wood, held together with metal and somewhat damaged.  I visited this glorious church last year with my family and cried.  I had no idea the manger was there.  Of course, this is only a pious traditional belief, but I choose to believe it. Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the 4 Papal Basilicas in Rome. The others are Saint Peter’s Basilica (housing Saint Peter’s bones), Saint John Lateran (one great relic is the Holy Staircase ascended by Our Lord, which is part of the complex, located across the street) and Saint Paul Outside the Walls (housing Saint Paul’s bones).

Carrying on with Marian-related feasts:  We honored Saint Anne last month on a Sunday, this month we honor Saint Joachim, also on a Sunday, the 16th.  Fr. Saint Dominic’s (seer of the Holy Rosary) feastdays are the 4th and the 8th.

Let us not forget the Transfiguration of Our Lord, on the 6th.

Further notable saints we celebrate this month (note Saint Monica and Saint Augustine have adjacent feasts):

1st-Saint Peter in Chains, Apostle / Saint Alphonsus de Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church

4th-Saint John Vianney, priest, “Cure d‘Ars”

8th-Saint John Vianney (trad)

11th-Saint Chiara (Clare or Clara), Founder of the Poor Clares, Companion of Saint Francis…We went to her Basilica too, in Assisi and saw her body, along with the San Damiano Cross, which was also a surprise! As it was the feast of Saint Francis, we were unable to get into his Basilica due to the crowds:( Don’t forget about the Franciscan Jubilee Year with plenary indulgences, anyone can do!

12th-Saint Chiara (trad)

14th-Saint Maximilian Kolbe, priest, martyr under the Nazi Regime (would not die of starvation and was finally given a lethal injection on the Vigil of the Assumption, he very much loved Our Lady, as she appeared to him as a child)

21st-Pope Saint Pius X, 20th Century saint

24th-Saint Bartholomew, Apostle

27th-Saint Monica, Mother of Saint Augustine

28th-Saint Augustine of Hippo, Bishop & Doctor of the Church

29th-Passion of Saint John the Baptist

****** Prepper Challenge for Summer ******

What is My Contribution?  What is My Special Gift?

Your community and the Church are going to need you in the coming days.  What will you specialize in that will be a significant contribution?  Every prepper tends to develop a skill or two that is specialized.  What interests you?  What is a “sustainable” skill that will have value even in a grid-down (no electricity) situation?  Do you already have a skill?  Can you improve it?  Can you learn a new one?  Think and pray about it!

Noah was the Original Prepper ~ Build Your Ark!

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

July begins with a celebration of the Most Precious Blood on the 1st, in the trad calendar.  We give thanks for this great Gift of Our Lord at the Last Supper, which becomes present to us at each Holy Mass.  We must not forget the wine which transforms into the Precious Blood, began as grapes in a vineyard…so connected to the land is the practice of our Holy Faith, in accord with God’s will, in accord with an Authentic Life.

So what did we pick out of the plastic cup this time?  The Catholic Encyclopedia.  That means for the Precious Blood of Jesus, we will look at what this famous volume has to say.  The Catholic Encyclopedia was completed in 1914 and has been added to, numerous times since then.  It remains widely used, despite its out-of-date language.  It is at times a tedious read (and quite exhaustive)…but in the case of this month’s theme, the content is brief, though does get into the theological weeds, as is to be expected.  Please see the link above at New Advent, for more info and also for the complete, updated content.  This site is also a great resource for Catholic news and other offerings.

The entry on the “Precious Blood” draws on the writings of Pope Benedict XIV and other well-known theologians.  The first sentence states simply:

“The Blood of Our Divine Saviour.”

That does not leave much to misunderstand, does it?  Here are some excerpts, broken down into readable segments for meditation:

1)      “Jesus, at the Last Supper, ascribes to [His Blood] the same life-giving power that belongs to His flesh.”

2)      “The Apostles, St. Peter…St. John…and above all St. Paul regard it as synonymous with Jesus's Passion and Death, the source of redemption. The Precious Blood is therefore a part of the Sacred Humanity and hypostatically united to the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.” 

3)      “Viewed as a part of the Sacred Humanity hypostatically united to the Word, the Precious Blood deserves latreutical [of or pertaining to latria, the highest form of worship*]…adoration. It may also like the Heart or the Wounds from which it flowed, be singled out for special honour, in a way that special honour was rendered it from the beginning by St. Paul and the Fathers who so eloquently praised its redeeming virtue and rested on it the Christian spirit of self-sacrifice.”

4)      “…the lives of the saints are replete with devotion to the Precious Blood. In due course of time the Church gave shape and sanction to the devotion by approving societies like the Missionaries of the Precious Blood; enriching confraternities like that of St. Nicholas…attaching indulgences to prayers and scapulars in honour of the Precious Blood; and establishing commemorative feasts of the Precious Blood…”

The Catholic Encyclopedia gives us food for thought during this month when we give praise to the Most Precious Blood.  May we also seek to make reparation for the sins against this extraordinary Gift.

We pray especially on the 4th for the United States of America…for peace, liberty, restoration of the sanctity of life and the triumph of Holy Church through our Patroness, the Immaculate Conception.

Notable feasts in July, from both calendars…

2nd-VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

3rd-Saint Thomas, Apostle

6th-Saint Maria Goretti, Martyr of Purity

11th-Saint Benedict, Founder of Western Monasticism

14th-Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks (USA)

16th-OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL

22nd-Saint Mary Magdelan

25th-Saint James, Apostle

26th-Saint Anne, Mother of the Blessed Virgin

29th-Saints Martha, Mary & Lazarus

31st-Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Jesuits

****** Prepper Challenge for Summer ******

What is My Contribution?  What is My Special Gift?

Your community and the Church are going to need you in the coming days.  What will you specialize in that will be a significant contribution?  Every prepper tends to develop a skill or two that is specialized.  What interests you?  What is a “sustainable” skill that will have value even in a grid-down (no electricity) situation?  Do you already have a skill?  Can you improve it?  Can you learn a new one?  Think and pray about it!

Noah was the Original Prepper ~ Build Your Ark!

*From Wiktionary

June is the Month of the Sacret Heart of Jesus

Do you remember as of last month, we are starting something new and exciting?  If you go back to May’s post, you will see a list of 18 ideas of how to focus on the theme of the month.  We are picking them at random, just to make it fun and challenging.  Hubby once again picked it out of a plastic cup and this time, came up with:  Location!  That means, I have the task of finding a location relating to the Sacred Heart. 

Well, that didn’t require a lot of thought…

Sanctuaire du Sacre-Cœur ~ Paray-le-Monial

Charolais-Brionnais, France

This is where Our Blessed Lord appeared to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, showing her the ineffable love of His Sacred Heart.  Have a look at their site above, for an informative 18-minute video and more.  Excerpt:

“Three great apparitions of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary focus on the message for the attention of all men…They took place between the end of December 1673 and June 1675.  One can identify three great dimensions of this message: a declaration of love (I), a complaint (II), a demand (III).”

These 3 dimensions are described in detail on the Home page.

It just so happens, this is a very special year in the United States, for devotion to the Sacred Heart!  From Sacred Heart Enthronement Network:

“…the United States Catholic Bishops will offer prayers of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11, on behalf of our nation. This historic event coincides with the 250th Anniversary of our nation and serves as an invitation to place our trust in Christ. Catholics are encouraged to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament, pray for our nation, and perform acts of charity and service, as we prepare for this important moment. You can watch the Consecration take place in Orlando, Florida, via livestream on the Catholic Bishops Website. 

…we are in a great spiritual battle between good and evil. Now is the time to pray, consecrate, enthrone, honor, and share the message of His Heart more fervently than ever.”

…And pray for peace!

The USCCB is also taking this opportunity to honor Catholics who have historically contributed to the United States.  They are producing a video series on this (see link above).  Sacred Heart Enthronement Network is promoting a Sacred Heart Revival, which you may participate in.  Here is the Novena to the Sacred Heart on their site, which begins June 3.  There is so much else to discover that this ministry is doing and also a Catholic shop.

The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is on Friday the 12th , and is a solemnity, therefore no penance is required.  This is also the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.  Let us lift up our spiritual fathers to the most loving Heart of Our Lord in their many needs.  We cannot help but notice the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the very next day!  This is obviously no coincidence, as Holy Church shows us how intimately the 2 Hearts are united.  The feast of Corpus Christi  (the 4th in the trad, the 7th in the post-con, known as the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ) is also linked to the Sacred Heart, as it is an aspect of the Corpus of Christ.  We may also invoke His Eucharistic Heart in this wonderful Mystery of the Incarnation.

Note below, we celebrate several New Testament figures this month:  Saint Barnabas (mentioned in Acts), Saint John the Baptist, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.  As of Trinity Sunday, this past Sunday, we have entered the Time After Pentecost and remain therein until Advent, in the trad.  We continue to meditate on the Mystery of the Redemption for the rest of the Liturgical Year.

Some key feasts coming up from both calendars…

11th-Saint Barnabas

13th-Saint Anthony of Padua-Companion of Saint Francis, Visionary of the Christ Child, Doctor of the Church

23rd-Vigil of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

22nd-Saint Thomas More, Martyr

24th-Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

29th-Saints Peter & Paul

30th-Commemoration of Saint Paul / First Martyrs of the Church 

****** Prepper Challenge for Spring ******

With current events in mind, it’s the same as it was for March, April & May...Make a plan and begin implementing it.

15 Points Preparedness Worksheet

Biblical Support for Preparedness

Noah was the Original Prepper ~ Build Your Ark!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have Mercy on Us!

Saint Margaret Mary, Pray for Us!

May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

I’ve been doing these monthly posts every month, for so long (9 or 10 years), that I am starting to feel the need to shake it up somehow…maybe literally?  What if I come up with a bunch of ideas regarding the monthly themes, and pick them out of a hat (or a plastic cup)?   Let me make a list of what these could be:

1) Refer to an old post on this blog.

2) What does the old Catholic Encyclopedia have to say?

3) What does Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary have to say?

4) What does the Catechism have to say?

5) What have the Church Fathers or saints had to say about this topic?

6) What about Holy Scripture?

7) Has the Church made official pronouncements related to the theme?

8) Can I recommend some books or other products?

9) Is there a traditional hymn?

10) Is there text from the Mass, a prayer or a devotion?

11)  What does EWTN have to say?

12)  What does the Vatican News have to say?

13)  What about history relating to this monthly dedication?

14)  How does the theme relate to the Liturgical Calendar (this could be challenging)?

15)  How does it relate to the Pro-Life cause?

16)  Is there an apostolate or religious order dedicated to this person or gift of our Faith?

17)  Is there a location we could focus on?

18)  Can we come up with new ideas on how to celebrate the theme in a family or seasonal way?  Can we work it into our homeschooling? 

Okay, I am liking this idea, so let’s put it into action RIGHT NOW!  I will have my husband Don pick it out of a cup (they will be eliminated as we go)….. 

He Picked Traditional Hymn! 

That is such a great (and easy) one for Our Lady.  It’s a great idea to learn prayers in Latin, and here is a wonderful one below.  The Latin language is lyrical by nature, and lends itself to song.  The words here are so beautiful, they speak to the glory of the Mother of God.  Simply articulating these words seems to open up the clouds… 

Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria”

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc, ​et in hora mortis nostrae.

Amen. 

In this month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we celebrate Our Lady of Fatima on the 13th, which is the date of her first apparition.  This year, this is also the Vigil of the Ascension and a Lesser Rogations Day.  Are we to be joyful or penitential?  You decide.  We have one more Marian feast in the post-conciliar calendar, Mary Mother of the Church, on the 25th (which is also +Memorial Day+ and within the Octave of Pentecost in the trad).  It is fitting that Mothers Day is in Our Lady’s month and don’t forget Saint Monica on the 4th, known for being the great mother of Saint Augustine. 

As touched upon above, the Ascension of Our Lord, Ascension Thursday, is the 14th, with some dioceses transferring it to Sunday, the 17th.  Pentecost Sunday is the 24th (with a vigil) and the Most Holy Trinity, the 31st.   

This is an interesting month, in that we have both the Lesser Rogation Days and the Ember Days (being more specific to the seasons).  Double prayer and penance, 3 days each (do a search on this blog for more info).  

The US Armed Forces Day is the 16th.  Please remember our young men and women in prayer. 

We can take all these opportunities this month to pray and sacrifice for world peace and an abatement of the looming energy, supply and food crisis, what we might call polycrises or multi-front attack vectors (some entity is pulling the strings to create a perfect storm, if you are paying attention, this is very obvious…and that entity is ultimately Satan).  Our Lady of Fatima, to whom this ministry is dedicated and who we honor this month, gave us the antidote to these times in her requests!

Some other notable feasts this month:  

5th-Pope Saint Pius V

11th-Saints Philip & James, Apostles

11th to 13th-Lesser Rogations

15th-Saint Isidore the Farmer (we like him, post-con)  Saint Isidore, pray for those who are now vulnerable to hunger, due to the lack of, or the expense of fertilizer or other needed supplies in food production and transport.

18th-Pope Leo XIV, Inauguration Anniversary

27th, 29th, 30th-Ember Days of the Coming Summer

*** Prepper Challenge for Spring *** 

With current events in mind, it’s the same as it was for March & April...Make a plan! 

“15 Points Preparedness Worksheet” 

“Biblical Support for Preparedness” 

~ Noah was the original prepper ~

April is the Month of the Holy Eucharist, Part 2

As of Septuagesima (in the trad Liturgical Calendar), we have entered “The Cycle of Easter:  The Mystery of the Redemption,” which remains until next Advent.  This Cycle contains:  Septuagesima, Lent, Passiontide, Easter or Paschal Time and Time After Pentecost.  We are still in Easter Time, a time of great joy, after the penance of Lent, when we rejoice that +++ “It is Finished” +++ and we have so great a Resurrected Savior.

Indeed He is Risen!

We have the Month of the Holy Eucharist, Divine Mercy celebrated this month, and a deeply concerning war going on.  It seems a theme of reparation and mercy is in order right now.  We also have the Major Rogation Day or Greater Rogations on the 25th.  This is an historical day of penance, similar to the Ember Days.  Here are some great links for you to peruse…

Apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration:  Eucharistic Reparation

EWTN UK:  7 Powerful Ways to Make Reparation for the Blasphemies Against Our Lord in the Eucharist

Bishop Schneider’s Crusade of Eucharistic Reparation

From I Am Jesus website:

“Pope Pius VII granted an indulgence to everyone who, with contrition for his sins and with devotion, says the following Act of Reparation to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament…Pope Pius VII, who was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 March 1800, to his death in 1823. He reigned during the time of dramatic conflicts with Napoleon, and his spiritual leadership was instrumental in restoring the Church. Immediately upon becoming Pope, he bravely left the safety of Venice for Rome which was still occupied by Napoleon’s army, to face whatever persecution might arise. His papacy brought about the restoration of the Church after the armies of the French Revolution had devastated the papacy under Pius VI. Written at a time when the Church was under attack, Pope Pius VII wrote this beautiful Act of Reparation Prayer for the laity.”

Act of Reparation by Pope Pius VII

Jesus, my God, my Saviour, true God and true Man, with that most profound homage with which the faith itself inspires me, I adore and love Thee with my whole heart, enclosed in the most august Sacrament of the Altar, in reparation for all the acts of irreverence, profanation, and sacrilege, which I may ever have been so unhappy as to have committed, as well as for all such like acts that ever have been done, or which may be done, though God forbid they should be, in ages yet to come.

I adore Thee, therefore, my God, not indeed as Thou deservest, nor as much as I am bound to adore, but as far as I am able; and I would that I could adore Thee with all the perfection of which all reasonable persons are capable. Meantime I purpose now and ever to adore Thee, not only for those Catholics who adore Thee not, and love Thee not, but also in the stead of, and for the conversion of all heretics, schismatics, impious atheists, blasphemers, impostors, Mahometans, Jews, and idolaters.

Jesus, my God, mayest Thou be ever known, adored, loved, and praised every moment, in the most holy and divine Sacrament. I adore Thee every moment, O living Bread of Heaven, Great Sacrament! Jesus, Heart of Mary, I pray Thee send Thy blessing on my soul. Holiest Jesus! Loving Saviour! I give Thee my heart. May all know, adore, and praise every moment, always, the most holy and divine Sacrament.

AMEN.

Notable feasts coming up…

25th-Saint Mark, Evangelist / Major Rogation Day (prayer and penance)

28th-Saint Louis de Montfort

29th-Saint Catherine of Siena, one of 4 women Doctors of the Church

30th-Pope Saint Pius V / Saint Catherine of Siena (trad)

*** Prepper Challenge for the Spring ***

With current events in mind, it’s the same as it was for March, let's make it this season's challenge...Make a plan!

“15 Points Preparedness Worksheet”

“Biblical Support for Preparedness”

~ Noah was the original prepper ~

April is the Month of the Most Holy Eucharist, Part 1

Running late on this, much of my time now is tracking the war and doing my own prepping. Thank you for your patience.

As you all know, this is Holy Week, so let us pray for peace this week and into the Easter Triduum. We are being given this opportunity for great graces to help mitigate this tragic global situation.

Encourage your friends and family to prepare in whatever ways they can. We are only as strong as our weakest link. Together we will be strong and we will get through the coming days. God is with His people.

If you know you are right with God, do not let your inner peace be disturbed. If you are not right with God, then get right with the great Sacrament of Penance.

May God have mercy upon us all at this hour!

March is the Month of Saint Joseph-Part 2

Why does Holy Church dedicate the month of March to Saint Joseph?  As probably all of you know, his feast is celebrated on the 19th, honoring his espousals to the Mother of God.  It is interesting to note, this feast always occurs during Lent (unless it happens to fall on a Sunday, in which case, have your Italian dinner with tiramisu to celebrate!)…as Easter falls between March 22nd and April 25th (Sunday after first full moon after vernal equinox, which the Church fixes at March 21st MORE INFO).  So it is a no-brainer to incorporate Saint Joseph’s feast into your Lenten exercises.  Some ideas:  attend Mass, read the Mass from the missal, pray a novena starting 9 days before the feast, give alms in honor of Saint Joseph.

Other notable feasts this month in both calendars…

3rd-Saint Katherine Drexel, USA

7th-First Saturday of the Immaculate Heart / Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor of the Church

17th-Saint Patrick, patron of Ireland

18th-Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop & Doctor of the Church

21st-Saint Benedict, founder of monasticism, twin of Saint Scholastica

22nd-Passion Sunday, begins octave of Passiontide in the trad

24th-Saint Gabriel the Archangel, immediately before the Annunciation

25th-Annunciation of the Lord/Blessed Virgin Mary

27th-Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, always one week before Good Friday

29th-Palm Sunday, Holy Week begins

Prepper Challenge for March:  Make a Plan!

How did you do with last month’s pantry organizing challenge?  Feel free to contact us with your thoughts and we may post it!  Please know, I am doing these challenges with you.  I have bought some great products and also have been watching motivating videos.  There are so many resources out there now for decluttering, minimalism and organizing.  (Yes, you can and should be a minimalist prepper.)  Here are some products I love:

The Home Edit 3-Tier Shelf      OXO POP Container

I have also been insanely getting into making custom labels.  I bought a thermal label printer, which works from your PC or phone, a lot like Power Point.  You can be really creative and it’s lots of fun.  The older strip-tape manual printers are still quite common and they work great too.

We are now at war with Iran.  This could go in many concerning directions.  Iran is a whole different animal than anything we have ever dealt with before.  Supply issues is a major concern…along with the domino effects this may have.  So, consider yourself warned.  Avail yourself of reliable alternative media, which we regularly refer you to, to stay informed.  In terms of supply, I recommend having a reasonable amount for your family, plus a little extra.  People may need to stay with you.  You may also need to help others in your community.  It is impossible to say “how much” you should have, but cluttering your home is counter-productive.  Pray for guidance and trust God.  And don’t worry, be at peace…and learn how to be resilient (gardening, sewing, keeping small animals and other useful non-electronic skills).

So, this month, think about what I have said above and please print our…

15 Points Preparedness Worksheet

This 4-page worksheet will make it super easy to sit down with your family and make a concrete preparedness plan for the next 12 months and beyond.  And it’s not what you expect, it is from a holistic perspective, based on over 20 years of research and experience. Don’t delay, just print it and start filling it out.  I’ve made it easy for you!  And again, I am doing it with you. It’s about time for me to review this and spiff up my own plan. (If you are local to Long Island, please note I am available to give a talk on this.)

March is the Month of Saint Joseph-Part 1

As we begin this Month of Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, Foster-Father of Our Blessed Lord…a month which begins and ends in Lent…here are 10 links to help you honor him and learn more about the most illustrious person other than the Blessed Virgin…

Saint Joseph-Related Posts on This Blog

Saint Joseph-Catholic Answers Encyclopedia (from original Catholic Encyclopedia)

Protection Prayer to Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph Products-The Catholic Company

Featured: Sleeping Saint Joseph Decaf Coffee, Consecration to Saint Joseph,

Saint Joseph Medal & Prayer Card

EWTN: Saint Joseph

Scripture Verses Mentioning Saint Joseph

The Life of Saint Joseph as Seen by the Mystics

The Mystery of the Staircase at Loretto Chapel, NM: Built by Saint Joseph?

Extraordinary Saint Joseph Painting by Bernadette Carstensen

Hymn to the Terror of Demons: Te Joseph Celebrent-Chants of Deliverance