Feasts of June....

Here are some of the interesting and wonderful feastdays coming up this month....let's not forget to honor Our Lord's Sacred Heart...Saint Margaret Mary, pray for us!

6/8-Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces-non-standard feast

6/9-The Eucharistic Heart of Jesus-non-standard feast

6/13-Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest & Doctor of the Church-Patron of the poor, invoked for lost objects (it really works!)

6/15-Saints Vitus, Modestus & Crescentia, Martyrs-St. Vitus invoked against storms

6/16-Saint John Francis Regis, Priest-Patron of Kansas City, Missouri-non-standard feast

6/20-Our Lady of Consolation-non-standard feast

6/22-Saint Thomas More, Martyr-Patron of Lawyers/Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop-invoked against demons

6/23-Vigil of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

6/24-Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

6/27-Our Lady of Perpetual Help-non-standard feast

6/28-Vigil of Saints Peter & Paul

6/29-Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles & Martyrs, St. Peter the First Pope

6/30-Commemoration of Saint Paul, Apostle & Martyr/First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

(this blog provides both new and trad feasts)

Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary!

In my last post, I mentioned yesterday's feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, but I forgot to mention that it is followed (in the new calendar) by the Immaculate Heart of Mary!  How great to have these two wonderful back-to-back feasts.  Here is the closing prayer of the Litany of the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

O most merciful God, Who, for the salvation of sinners and the refuge of the miserable, wast pleased that the Most Pure Heart of Mary should be most like in charity and pity to the Divine Heart of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, grant that we who commemorate this sweet and loving Heart may, by the merits and intercession of the same Blessed Virgin, merit to be found like to the Heart of Jesus, through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

(John Henry Cardinal Newman)

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

I said in my previous post that you would hear from me again when I could catch my breath.  Actually, I haven't caught my breath yet.  My son came home from college for the summer and its been hectic.  I'm also planning a few trips and just juggling a lot right now.  So I thank you for your patience.  There is nothing I like better than writing blog posts, because I love to hear myself talk, but sometimes the duties of the Long Island housewife must take precedence.  I'm pretty swamped for the next 2 weeks, then I do expect I'll be able to catch my breath again.

I always post the interesting (according to me) feasts of the month on the first day of the month.  I don't have time right now to do this, though I'll get to it within the next few days.  It is the month of the Sacred Heart...please take note that this Friday, June 3rd, is the feast of the Sacred Heart, a solemnity (Friday penance is not required), in both the new and old calendars.  Let us give the Sacred Heart of Our Lord, burning with love for the whole world, special honor this Friday and during the coming month in as many ways as we can....use your creativity (or, as I like to say to my son, "Use the brain God gave you!")....:)  I also always post a special prayer related to the theme of the month on the Home page, usually from a novena...please have a look!  Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy upon us!

April Showers Have Brought.....

This is a bouquet I made for our Heavenly Mother, with flowers from my yard, along with a few of my own Mothers Day roses.  Just wanted to share:)

Ascension Thursday

Yes, I proclaim the joyful news that "Ascension Thursday" is still celebrated in the province under Cardinal Dolan of New York!  It remains a Holy Day of Obligation here, along with many of the surrounding provinces.  Sadly, for most of the US, this is not the case.  Ascension Thursday is an endangered holyday and may eventually be altogether extinct, unless we fight for it by contacting our archbishops to express our concern.  In an age when people have no problem texting for an entire hour every day, it is considered too difficult to spend one hour at Mass to celebrate one of the most important events in human history.....a key event in the Gospels, one of the Glorious Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, an article of the Creed.....

"And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures.  And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father."

Why is Ascension Thursday so important to me?  Because my only child was born on that day.  I went in the hospital the day before to deliver him, but the labor was unproductive and he came the next day as I was strapped down, my arms extended like Christ's on the Cross, praying the rosary on purple plastic rosary beads, fully-conscious, bringing life into the world through the shedding of my own blood....Check out my thread on this topic at "Catholic Answers Forums:"  Ascension Thurs:  Is it a Holy Day of Obligation in your Diocese?

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I know I said I was off for a few weeks, but I felt inspired to write today.....I have this crazy idea to write a litany.....my first one, so please don't be too harsh on me.....this litany is based on the format of the Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Nomen Christi) and the traditional Mass for the Ascension.

A New Litany for an Endangered Holyday......

Litany of the Ascension of Our Lord

Lord, have mercy on us.  Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.  Lord, hear us.  Lord, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.

Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.

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Lord, Ascended to the right Hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

Lord, Ascended forty days after Thy Resurrection, etc.

Lord, Ascended in the company of angels,

Lord, Ascended in the company of Thy Holy Mother,

Lord, Ascended in the company of Thine Apostles,

Lord, Ascended before us, where we are to follow,

Lord, Ascended with a shout and the sound of a trumpet,

Lord, Ascended with great song,

Lord, Who shall so come as we have seen Thee going up,

Lord, Who calls us to mindfulness of heavenly things,

Lord, Who sent Thine Apostles to the uttermost part of the earth,

Lord, Who was raised up into a cloud,

Lord, Who led captivity captive,

Lord, Who saves the believer and the baptized,

Lord, Who condemns the unbeliever,

Lord, Who glorifies Thy children,

Lord, Who protects Thy children,

Lord, Who mercifully grants Everlasting Life,

Lord, Who mounts above the Heaven of Heavens to the east,

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Be merciful, spare us, O lord.

Be merciful, graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us, O Lord.

Lord, hear us.  Lord, graciously hear us.

Let Us Pray

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who said:  "Go ye into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature," grant we beseech Thee, to wage a fearless war for souls, ever defending the truth of the Good News, that we may one day follow Thee to the place of Thine Ascension, beyond the clouds.  May we keep this vision before us always, making all our burdens light, all the darkness of this present life bearable.

Make us, O Lord, to reverence and keep pure, our sacred bodies, a reflection of which ascended in glorified form to the Father, Who lives and reigns, world without end.  Amen.

Update....

Saint Joseph the Workman, pray for us!

I have been taking a break from blogging due to temporary personal circumstances.  I will resume in about 2 weeks.  Thanks for your support and spread the word!  CFM

PS    Please review the feastdays of May (below) and many blessings in this month dedicated to the Mother of God!

May-Month of Our Lady, the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of Our Lady of Fatima is May 13th, the date she first appeared to the three children in 1917....next year is the 100th anniversary of this historic event!  Nomen Christi Apostolate is dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima.  Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

Probably the most common celebration of May as the Month of Our Lady, is the May Crowning, which is done in many parishes and Catholic schools.  A wreath of flowers is placed upon the head of a statue of Our Lady and is accompanied by prayer and song.  If your parish or school is not doing this, why not be the first to initiate it?  It does not matter which day in May you choose and the format of the Crowning does not matter either, as long as you are expressing love and reverence for the Mother of God.  It is also a wonderful activity to do at home with your children, either indoors or outdoors.  There are many other ways to give Our Lady special honor during the month of May....your imagination is the limit...learning more about the extraordinary events at Fatima, Portugal and Our Lady's requests would be a great benefit to us all.  Please see prayer in honor of the Holy Name of Mary, on our Home Page.

Some features of the coming month....we have the Rogation AND the Ember Days, similar days of fasting and prayer for God's mercy and blessings upon the coming season....each Sunday is a special and wonderful feast...please take note!

5/1-Saint Joseph the Workman-invoked for employment under this title

5/2 to 4-Rogation Days

5/4-Vigil of the Ascension/Feast of the Holy Shroud (non-standard feast)

5/5-Ascension Thursday-Holy Day of Obligation in some dioceses

5/8-Ascension of Our Lord (new)

5/10-Saint Solange, Virgin & Martyr-invoked for drought

5/13-Our Lady of Fatima

5/14-Vigil of Pentecost-trad meat at one meal

5/15-Pentecost Sunday/Saint Isidore the Farmer-patron of farmers

5/16-Saint Simon Stock-seer of Our Lady of Mount Carmel & the Brown Scapular (one of the requests of Our Lady of Fatima is to wear the Brown Scapular)

5/18, 20, 21-Ember Days after Pentecost (trad Sat meat at one meal)

5/22-Trinity Sunday

5/24-Our Lady Help of Christians (non-standard feast)

5/26-Corpus Christi (trad)

5/29-Corpus Christi (new)

5/31-The Visitation/Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Image courtesy https://www.catholiccompany.com/getfed/five-prayers-taught-at-fatima-by-mary-the-angels/

Meditation on the Resurrection

On Good Friday, we completed the meditations on the Sorrowful Mysteries.  Now that it is Eastertide, let us deal with the first of the Glorious Mysteries.  As I previously said, these meditations were originally published two years ago and are undergoing some editing during this re-publication.  Even though these are short pieces, they involve painstaking study of Scripture, prayer and deep thought, not to mention a very meticulous writing process.  It is my hope that this will eventually become a book. 

The Resurrection of Our Lord

To reiterate the words of Fr. Benedict Groeschel, "Never think about death without thinking about the Resurrection."  The Passion has ended.  "It is finished."  Faith, Hope and Charity have prevailed.  The Three Theological Virtues were displayed by Our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Faith when He said, "Thy will be done."  Hope in looking to the Kingdom of Heaven, the completion of His mission.  And Charity for the Father in desiring to accomplish His will, and consequently for us.  Now He enters into His Glory, the true and final End.  If this is what its all about, what does that say about life?  What does the Resurrection of Christ, Our Lord, demand of us?

If Christ is important, we are important.  After all, He only came here for us, for the Redemption of our poor souls.  People reject Him because they do not want to be important.  They love sin so much, they would rather think themselves not much more than the animals, with no eternal destiny.  In meaning, there must be restraint.  Therein lies the Cross, but also the Resurrection.  The alternative is a life of mediocrity or worse.  There is less feeling, less responsibility.....less joy.  We reap what we sow.  If meaninglessness is what we want, that is exactly what we will get.  The tragedy is that if we ever wake up from this dream of vagueness and delusion, we will find a precious crystal has been broken.  But this does not have to be the end of the story.  We can still write a different ending.  Through repentance we enter into Our Lord's Resurrection and Glory.  He walks before us always.  Where He goes, we are meant to follow.  We cannot fail.  We have all the assistance of Heaven at our disposal.  The same God Who catapulted the universe into existence can do no less than give us everything we ask for.

Christ calls us to a Heavenly Resurrection, but also an earthly one.  This transformation is not merely the cessation of sin, but reaching our full potential as members of the Body of Christ, one with Him in thought, word and deed.  We are powerful and power can be frightening.  Fulfilling the saintly vocation for which we were created has consequences.  Our Lord's greatest power was executed on the Cross as He stretched out His arms in yielding.  In that moment of weakness, the axis of the universe shifts and the tables are turned.  A world appears that we could not see before...."and the darkness could not comprehend it."  The caterpillar becomes the butterfly.

Being resurrected with Christ is a process of becoming.  The Father has written this message for us in all of nature, the butterfly being one of the most beautiful examples.  The snake sheds its old skin, the fragile sprout becomes a great tree, bearing fruit....the oyster patiently builds its pearl.  No matter how long it takes, no matter how many setbacks occur, no matter how hopeless it seems....if we cling to the Three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity....we will see our Resurrection.  O Jesus, Whose Resurrected, Glorified Body walked upon this very earth, bring me back from my own countless deaths, that I may follow Thee to our Eternal Home.  Amen. 

Image courtesy http://ajpm.weebly.com/glorious-mysteries.html

Divine Mercy at My Church....

I would like to share my experience yesterday celebrating Divine Mercy Sunday at my church in Suffolk County, Long Island.  We had a bi-lingual (English/Spanish) celebration of the Mass with the Rosary, Stations of the Cross, the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Exposition.  The whole celebration took 3 1/2 hours.  The turnout was great-a full church, about 90% Latino of all ages.  A bishop presided.  It was one of the most moving spiritual experiences of my life. 

As we sung the Divine Mercy Chaplet-half in English, half in Spanish-I began to feel a great unity.....first, with the wonderful devout Latino people present and gradually, I became aware of the entire world on this day raising a unified chorus to the Father...."For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world!"  I thought of the recent terror attacks and murders, some specifically against Christians.  I thought of September 11th.  I thought of the abortion holocaust.  All the immorality.  The whole ailing world raising this prayer to God together on one day.  I felt Saint Faustina's presence with us-what an extraordinary accomplishment to secure this great and most necessary feast for the world.

During Exposition, many people crowded around the altar and knelt.  I decided to join them.  The whole church was praying with all their hearts, some shouting out, "Jesus, I trust in You!  Jesus, I love You!"  It reminded me of great paintings of the saints in Heaven, like the one above.  I felt as if I were standing with all of them at the end of time, as Saint John describes:

"After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands:  And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb."  Apocalypse 7:9

Suddenly a young women who was kneeling in front me fainted.  I have heard of such things, but have never actually seen it before.  I know this is a point of controversy....I have no specific opinion because I do not know enough about these things-I do have a certain reserve in these matters, as most traditional-minded Catholics do.  But I don't wish to get into any of that right now.  I will say, her face, as she lay unconscious, looked utterly peaceful-it even seemed she had a slight smile.  No one was concerned about her, except me (probably because they were familiar with this sort of thing).  I went up to her, stroked her forehead and prayed for her.  After a few minutes, she awoke, seemed dazed but peaceful, and carried on.

I thank the Most Holy Trinity for these blessings yesterday and also, I thank Saint Faustina for giving us the message of Our Lord's great mercy.  It just goes to show you how important each and every life is.  How important it is that we do the work God has uniquely given each one of us.  Whether we reach a few, or millions....it matters.  That is why we must always strive to be the best we can be...spiritually, mentally and physically...because someone....somewhere....is counting on us.

Image courtesy http://mute-the-silence.blogspot.com/2013/11/all-saints-day-in-greece-and-more.html

Divine Mercy Sunday

Many blessings on this Divine Mercy Sunday!  Saint Faustina, pray for us!

Image courtesy http://stviator.azurewebsites.net/?s=%3Fpage+id%3D1829&search_404=1