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  It remains widely used, despite its out-of-date language.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

"These Consumer Goods Could be the First to Vanish...

…as Supply Shock Disrupts Asian Factories”

From Zero Hedge.

A New Prayer to Saint Francis of Assisi!

Since visiting Assisi last October, my devotion to Saint Francis and Saint Chiara has only grown, so much, that I am now actively pursuing becoming a Third Order Franciscan, which has been on my mind for many years. I have a statue of Saint Francis in my yard and I find myself praying to him often, especially when I watch the wildlife (my house borders a wooded area). My dog is named after Saint Francis (Frankie) and I often pray to him about my dog, as I take delight in him and as I am sometimes concerned for him. I feel Saint Francis watches over my little Shihpoo.

So…I have found the need to write a short prayer, which I can say quickly any time, to deepen my relationship with this great saint, who I feel such a connection with and whose companion is my patron saint. This ministry, since we are about preparedness, is closely connected to the land, and therefore, nature….and farm animals. This is one reason why Saint Francis’ philosophy resonates so much with me. The following prayer was based in form, on my short prayer to Saint Joseph, (see next post) whom we honor this month. When planning the “Eclipse Pilgrimage of Mercy,” 2 years ago (see topic to the right), I incorporated “Canticle of Brother Sun & Sister Moon” into the prayers and also wrote my own “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” poem about the eclipse…here’s the PDF.

In this terrible time of war, when there is so much loss of our best and brightest, on all sides, and they all have mothers somewhere, let us flee to Saint Francis for intercession and inner peace…and don’t forget it is a Franciscan Jubilee Year!

O Saint Francis

O Saint Francis, wonder of Assisi, intercede for us before the Triune Godhead. You, who loved the poor and all creation, help us in our earthly need. Having received the glorious stigmata, we trust your prayers will resound before the Almighty, unto our consolation.

Amen.

“O Saint Francis” PDF Printable

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.)

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

August is a very Marian month!  Let us see why…

We begin on the 2nd, the first Saturday, with an opportunity to offer reparation to the Immaculate Heart we celebrate this month.  If you can’t do 5 Saturdays in a row, according to the Communion of Reparation devotion, that’s okay.  Go whenever you can at a parish near you that offers this important act of love for Our Lady, an antidote to these crazy times.  See Fr. Edward Broom’s short video below for an explanation of this devotion.  He holds up a picture of Our Lady with her Immaculate Heart and also mentions Saint Augustine, who we honor on the 28th…

DEVOTION OF THE FIVE FIRST SATURDAYS

On the 15th, we remember the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holy day of obligation (with a vigil).  It is on a Friday, but since it is a solemnity, no penance is required.  On the 5th, we celebrate Our Lady of the Snows, which refers to a miracle in Italy.  On the 22nd, we have a beautiful double Marian feast, with the Queenship in the post-con and the Immaculate Heart in the trad.

And we’re not done yet, as there are several saints associated with Our Lady, who we honor in August.  Saint Dominic of the Holy Rosary’s feast is on the 4th and the 8th.  Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who received a vision of the Mother of God as a child, is celebrated on the 14th.  Her illustrious father, Saint Joachim, is the 16th.

The Transfiguration of Our Lord, the 4th Luminous Mystery, is the 6th. 

As for the theme of the Immaculate Heart, here is a well-written, comprehensive page at Covenant Catholic.  Following are some edited excerpts:

[From] Preparation for Total Consecration to the Immaculate Heart, according to Saint Maximillian M. Kolbe, by Fr. Matthias M. Sasko.  A day-by-day guide for 33 days of preparation for Consecration.

1.      Consecrate yourself and your home to The Immaculate Heart of Mary and pray The Shorter Act of Daily Consecration each day. 

2.      Keep an image of the Immaculate Heart in your home.

3.      Pray daily the Litany of the Immaculate Heart or the Prayer to the Immaculate Heart.

4.      Contemplate what Mary pondered in her heart as you pray the Mysteries of the Rosary and meditate on the events of her life and the life of Jesus.

5.      Memorize or meditate on Scripture verses and places in the Catechism that highlight the Immaculate Heart of Mary. (Luke 2:19, 2:51)

6.      Begin this August to go to Confession and Mass on the Five First Saturdays of the month, keeping the request of Our Lady of Fatima.  

7.      Learn and sing the “Salve Regina” [Hail, Holy Queen] with your family or friends.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar, ordered his entire ministry to the praise and glory of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In response to the ever more militant Luciferian force of the Freemasons against the Church, he established a spiritual army called the Militia of the Immaculata to win souls for the Queen of Heaven. St. Maximilian consecrated all its activity to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart and worked to spread devotion to Her Miraculous Medal. He carried a pocketful of them at all times and called them his spiritual “bullets.” St. Maximilian believed and taught, “If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother.”

Something we do here at Nomen Christi Apostolate, is the Marian Triad of the Months and the Christological Triad of the Months.  There are 3 consecutive months which Holy Church dedicates to Our Lady:  August of the Immaculate Heart, September of Our Lady of Sorrows and October, Our Lady of the Rosary.  The purpose of this exercise is to meditate on these 3 aspects of the Mother of God and to see how they might interrelate, during this 3-month time of the Church year…with the guidance of the Holy Ghost.  You may share any insights you receive and we may post them.

Other notable feasts this month, in both the trad and post-con calendars:

1st-Saint Peter in Chains

11th-Saint Clare (Chiara, Clara) of Assisi, Foundress of the Poor Clares, Companion of Saint Francis

12th-Saint Clare (trad)

23rd-Saint Rose (Rosa) of Lima, Patroness of Gardeners

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

30th-Saint Rose (trad)

Homeschooling Activities for August

1)       Draw a picture of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

2)      Write an essay on the life and death of Saint Maximillian Kolbe.  5 paragraphs:  Introduction, childhood, ministry, death, conclusion.

3)      Read the Gospel accounts of the Transfiguration and compare them:  Matthew 17:1, Mark 9:1, Luke 9:28.

New & Improved "15 Points Preparedness Worksheet!"

15 Points Preparedness Worksheet

I’m getting ready to give a preparedness talk at a church and just freshened up our family worksheet. It can be accessed above, and also on the Home Page. It is 4 pages and helps you design your own prepper program, tailored to your needs. This worksheet makes it easy for you to get started in the preparedness lifestyle. It is an holistic approach, unique and from a Catholic perspective. I think it will surprise you. Print it out today and work on it as a family!

Feel free to email us (button above) with any feedback (which may be shared on this blog). Let us know if you found the worksheet helpful.

California Fires: Don't Forget

“Sara and I talked late into the night about the hard truths revealed by the Palisades fires. We now know none of the things we once trusted exist in reality. We are not protected from fire, crime, none of it. Civilization no longer exists under Democrat rule. We are on our own.”

James Woods

James Woods tearfully recalls evacuating in Pacific Palisades fire: 'Like an inferno'

Actor James Woods was interviewed by USA Today in the above article from January 8th, which also includes video. This was the day after he fled from his burning neighborhood in Palisades and his emotions are still intense. The quote above was posted by Woods on X yesterday.

In the interview, Woods recalls his ordeal from a hotel room. He doubted his house was still standing, but it did survive, which he later said was “a miracle.” Woods was responsible for saving the life of an elderly neighbor with dementia.

There is much to learn here, from a preparedness perspective, whether you are facing fire or some other disaster. Woods had enough presence of mind, even while still reeling from this experience, to well articulate the priorities one should have in this situation. He said that your home doesn’t matter as much as the lives of your neighbors. He mentioned the need to keep yourself safe, be smart about evacuating and let the responders do their job unimpeded. He also illustrates a lesson that we can all take to heart: one day you have everything and then it can be all gone.

Often, when faced with extraordinary circumstances, who we really are is revealed. CS Lewis talked about this in Mere Christianity, that there are times, before the mask can be thrown back on, when our true selves are revealed. James Woods showed his compassion in this situation, went through great lengths to find out if his neighbor was in the house, and saved a life (911 was notified, but Woods took it into his own hands, knowing they might not get to him in time).

Woods mentions God a few times in this interview. Perhaps these fires were in some way a blessing in disguise. If conversions occur, that is a great and joyful thing. And we all know Hollywood could use some conversion. Let us continue to pray for those in the aftermath of these fires and also those who are still suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Helene.

Consider what could occur in your own neck of the woods and make a plan to be better prepared. Check out our “Preparedness” topic to the right>>> and also see some useful links on our Home page!

Thoughts for the Day / Anniversary of Roe vs Wade, Day of Penance

[Edited since posting.]

Life is the gift that keeps on giving.

You must know the words to sing the song.

~ ~ ~

2 days after the Presidential Inauguration in the United States, let us remind ourselves of the Scripture below. Do not put your trust in man. There will be peace and justice only insofar as we live the life of sacramental grace, which we receive through our Holy Mother Church, instituted by Christ. We pray for this new Administration and for all of its members to grow toward holiness and the Kingdom of Heaven.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.”

John 14:6

We have but one Savior!

(Beware Trump Messianic Syndrome, the opposite of Trump Derangement Syndrome.)

We pray for Los Angeles, for those who have perished in these fires and for those who remain in difficult situations. May the fires soon be extinguished. O Lord, have mercy. Blessed Virgin, pray for us. Saint Joseph, pray for us. All ye heavenly host, pray for us all at this hour.

We also pray for the March for Life, which takes place this Friday in Washington DC. May respect for life from conception to natural death once again reign in our great nation. According to the US bishops, we observe a recommended day of penance today, the anniversary of Roe versus Wade, which joyfully has been overturned….but we never forget the unborn and vulnerable in our midst.

Beautiful Land Transformation in Africa

Inside Africa's Food Forest Mega-Project

“Permaculture instructor Andrew Millison journeys with the UN World Food Programme to the country of Niger in the African Sahel to see an innovative land recovery project within the Great Green Wall of Africa that is harvesting rainwater, increasing food security, and rehabilitating the ecosystem.”

Above is a 14-minute video that will make you smile. Look at the sense of joy and community these people now have. This is what we mean by “The Authentic Life.” Notice any smartphones?

There’s so much to learn here!

The World Situation is Volatile Right Now

…For a lot of reasons, and probably will remain so for the foreseeable future. A few more things to keep in mind:

1) Make sure you are able to take people in if necessary. Do you have a location in the event you need to evacuate?

2) Stock up on food and water (hopefully you are already doing this).

3) Take care of your health. Have a back-up supply of needed medication.

4) Have a family meeting of what everyone will do in the event of a crisis. Will you have a meeting place?

5) Print out our “15 Points Preparedness Worksheet” (on the Home page) and fill it out as a family.

6) Pray the Rosary daily, as Our Lady of Fatima requested.