Category Archives: Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Feast Day Nov. 27


The feast day of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal is celebrated on November 27.

 

The miraculous medal was the result of visions which occurred to St. Catherine Laboure’. She was born in 1806 in Paris, France. After having a dream about St. Vincent de Paul, she joined the Daughters of Charity which was founded by him. She is known as a Marian visionary because of the apparitions which she reported appearing to her.

On July 18, the first apparition occurred. Catherine saw a lady seated in the sanctuary. She approached her and was instructed how she was to act during times of trial, pointing to the altar for consolation. Mary told her,

“Sorrows will come upon France; the throne will be overthrown.”

A week later the French revolution began in Paris.

On Nov. 27, the lady showed St. Catherine the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, now known as the “Miraculous Medal” .  She gave Catherine the mission of having the medal made and to spread devotion to it.

Catherine reported the visions to her spiritual director, Father Aladal.   Forty five years later, she spoke fully to her supervisors about the apparitions.

The miraculous medal which Mary showed to Catherine was oval showing Mary standing on a globe crushing the head of the serpent. (the devil). Around the image of Mary were the words

“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”

Mary’s hands were showering a cascade of brilliant rays upon the world.

On the reverse side of the medal was a cross, the symbol of Christ’s redeeming Sacrifice on Mount Calvary for the salvation of the world. The cross was intertwined with the letter “M”.

The “M” stands for both Mary and for Mother and was to be surrounded by twelve stars. The two hearts are the Sacred Heart of Jesus encircled by a crown of thorns and the Immaculate  Heart of Mary, pierced by a sword. The Flames symbolize the burning love of Jesus and Mother Mary.

Mary told Catherine,

“All who wear them will receive great graces.”

After two years of investigation Father Aladal went to the archbishop with the request. The request was approved.

At Catherine’s death, on December 31, 1876, at the age of 70, few people knew of her visions. She preferred a silent life, spending her time caring for the aged and sick.

The first two-thousand medals were delivered on June 30, 1832. The spread of the Medal was almost like a miracle in itself. The first supply disappeared quickly. Pope Gregory XVI put one of them at the foot of the crucifix on his desk. By 1836 several million medals had been made. The stories of the cures and wonders of the medal helped to spread its use far and wide.

The Miraculous Medal is considered a sacramental.  Sacramentals lead a person to prayer which opens the person to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  Sacramentals can be material things such as blessed objects, such as scapulars, rosaries, crucifixes, medals, or Holy Water.  It can also be actions such as the Sign of the Cross, genuflection, and prayer.

The following explanation of sacramentals is from the Catholic Catechism.

1667 “Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.”17

1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. “For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God.”176

Most Holy Virgin Mary…

Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit,

Lily of purity, Rose of patience,

Paradise of delight, Mirror of chastity,

Model of innocence…intercede

for this poor banished pilgrim.

Quote of St. Peter of Alcantara; Feast day October 19

Miraculous Medal FrontMiraculous Medal Back

our-lady-of-the-miraculous-medal-paper-prayer-card-with-verse55649lg

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

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Solemnity of Christ the King to be Celebrated




Christ the King
Christ the King

 

 

The Sunday before Advent is the Feast of Christ the King. The feast was established in 1925 by Pope Pius XII in response to the growing secularism in society. The purpose of the feast is to proclaim the Kingdom of Christ.

 

The Kingdom of Christ Is spiritual. It concerns itself with spiritual things. In the time of Christ democracy did not exist. Governments were primarily geographical kingdoms. Each area was ruled by a king.

On the Feast of Christ the King, we should reflect on who or what rules over our heart. Hopefully, we can honestly say Christ is our King, and Lord. If we can, then our actions every day must be to imitate Christ and to follow His commandments.

Many Jewish people rejected Christ as the Messiah because they expected a royal King. Jesus, however, was poor, born in a stable. He is however, still a King. A synonym for king is ruler. Jesus rules over our hearts. Our conscience is formed by our belief that Jesus is King!

The Liturgical Year ends with the Feast of Christ the King. This feast is celebrated the Sunday before Advent, which begins the new liturgical year.

 

Prayer on the Feast of Christ the King

Almighty and merciful God. You break the power of evil and make all things new in Your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and on earth acclaim Your glory and never cease to praise You.

Father all-powerful God of Love, You have raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death to life, resplendent in glory as King of creation. Open our hearts; free all the world to rejoice in His peace to glory in His justice and to live in His love. Bring all mankind together in Jesus Christ Your Son whose Kingdom is with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen

 

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Finding Serenity




serenity-prayer

 

I try to make the serenity prayer a daily prayer. Often, it helps me to get through the most difficult moments of my life. When life is out of control, this prayer reminds me that I am not supposed to be in control of everything, only God is! I am a very visual person. When I say a prayer I often have pictures to meditate on in my mind. One day as I was praying the serenity prayer I realized my definition of serenity was wrong!

I have always considered serenity as complete calm. While praying this prayer I was picturing a calm lake on a sunny day. It was so calm there were no whitecaps on the water. It was so calm if I was on a sailboat, I would not be able to sail due to lack of wind. I was stuck! This is not serenity! We need movement in our lives! Without progress we stagnate and then we seem to go backwards or become lost.

When I am the opposite of serene, I am frantic and in a panic. This frame of mind makes it impossible to make rational decisions. I finally realized that serenity is being able to make decisions while we are in the eye of a storm! While I prefer a sunny day on the lake, I always want there to be a breeze so the sailboat I am in will actually go where I direct it.

Serenity is being calm enough during the storm to know which ropes to pull to keep the boat from turning over!

Serenity Prayer

God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace
Taking, as He did, this world as it is,
Not as I would have it.

Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with Him,
Forever in the next.

(Reinhold Neibuhr, 1926)

 

Help me make good decisions Lord. Direct my life!

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gertrude the Great, Feast Day Nov. 16




St. Gertrude the Great
St. Gertrude the Great

 

The feast day of St. Gertrude is celebrated on November 16.  She is the patron saint of West Indies, Nuns and travelers.

St. Gertrude was born at Eisleben in Saxony, Germany on Jan. 6, 1256. At the age of five, Gertrude was placed in the care of Benedictine nuns. She later joined the monastery, living a cloistered life.

At the age of 24, St. Gertrude was experiencing an interior crisis and depression.  She experienced a vision of Jesus on Jan. 27, 1281.  He told her:

“I have come to comfort you and bring you salvation.”

St. Gertrude was filled with a new zeal for her vocation to love Jesus.  She considered herself a “bride of Christ”.  She dedicated herself to studying scripture and spiritual writing.  St. Gertrude was inspired to write five books.  Three of them still exist.

Eventually she was elected Abbess. She also took charge of the monastery at Hefta. She and her nuns moved there. Gertrude was well educated. She was a mystic and had a great devotion to the saints, the souls in purgatory, the Passion of Our Lord and to His Sacred Heart. She also was devoted to the Bl. Virgin Mary.

The following prayer expresses her devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Yours. Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things. May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions. Amen. “

Prayer of  Saint Gertrude the Great

 

In 1298, St. Gertrude became very ill.  The suffering she experienced was transfigured into love.  St. Gertrude died in the year 1302.

The devotion St. Gertrude had for the Poor Souls in Purgatory is well known.  The following prayer was written by her out of compassion for those still on their journey to heaven.

 

Eternal Father, I offer You the most Precious Blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, in union with all the masses said around the world today, for all the Poor Souls in Purgatory,for sinners everywhere, in the Universal Church, in my home and in my family. Amen.

Quote of St. Gertrude

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Martin of Tours, Feast Day Nov. 11




St. Martin of Tours
St. Martin of Tours

 

The feast day of St. Martin of Tours is celebrated on November 11.  He is the patron saint of soldiers and beggars.

St. Martin was born in 315 in Pannonia, a Roman Province. Martin’s father was an army officer. Secretly he became a catechumen (a student preparing to become Catholic) at the age of ten. He longed to be a monk so that he could be alone with God in prayer. He was forced to join the army at the age of 15 before he had been baptized. His job was to protect the emperor. He became an officer and was assigned garrison duty in Gaul.

He is portrayed in art helping a beggar who was freezing cold and in need of help. Martin removed his cloak, cut it in half with his sword and gave one half to the beggar. That night, Martin had a dream in which Jesus was wearing his cloak. The dream inspired Martin to immediately seek baptism. He was eighteen years old. Two years after his baptism Martin refused to fight any longer, saying,

I have served you as a soldier, now let me serve Christ.”

Martin was eventually ordained an exorcist. He was chosen as the Bishop of Tours because of his holiness. Martin lived outside the city because of his need for solitude.

St. Martin was known for his miracles and his compassion. St. Martin died on Nov. 8 and was buried at his request in the Cemetery of the Poor.  Near the time of his death, St. Martin prayed the following prayer:

“Lord, if your people still need me, I do not refuse the work.  Thy will be done.”

 

Quote of  St. Martin of Tours

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica, Nov. 9




Basilica of St. John Lateran
Basilica of St. John Lateran

 

The dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica is celebrated on November 9.

St. John Lateran Basilica is the oldest of the four great basilicas in Rome.   The four basilicas are:

  • The Basilica of St. Peter
  • The Basilica of St. Mary Major
  • The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Wallls
  • The Basilica of St. John Lateran

Originally, the site was occupied by the palace of the family of the Laterani. The term “Lateran”  does not  refer to a saint but to the church’s ancient origins as the the Lateran palace, which once belonged the Roman noble family of the Laterni.

Constantine acquired the old palace through marriage. Not only did Constantine end the persecution of the Church he also gave the palace to the Church as a gift and it was enlarged. It became the residency for the Pope.  The Basilica has been dedicated to both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

 

Until the 14th century popes resided in the Lateran palace. It’s official title is:

“Mother Church of the whole world.”

The Basilica of St. John Lateran  is the official seat of the Pope (the Pope’s Cathedral).
Pope Sylvester officially dedicated the basilica in the year 324 declaring it a house of God.
The Basilica has been dedicated to both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

 

“Little children, love one another.”

Quote of St. John the Evangelist;  Feast Day Dec. 27

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

 

What do the Saints Tell Us About Purgatory?




 

holy-souls-in-purgatory

What Do The Saints Tell Us  About Purgatory?                                                                                                                                                                      Learn what the Saints believed about Purgatory.   The quotes of the saints can teach us the beliefs of the early Church.

Halloween is celebrated on Oct. 31. Halloween stands for “All Hallows Eve.” It falls on the night before All Saint’s Day which is followed by All Soul’s Day on Nov. 2. On All Saint’s Day the Church celebrates the lives of the Saints. On All Soul’s Day the Church prays for the dead, who are on their pilgrimage to heaven (Purgatory).

Although the word Purgatory (as well as the words Trinity and Incarnation) does not appear in the Bible there are several references to it in both the New and the Old Testament. The Saints have testified to their belief in purgatory also.

The three main reasons Catholics believe in Purgatory are the following:

  • The Bible teaches us to “pray for the dead”.

    (2 Maccabees 12:44-45). For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.

  • The Bible tells us of a cleansing fire.
  • (Hebrews 12:29)  Our God is a consuming fire. Zechariah 13” 8-9 In the whole land, says the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say,

  • “They are my people”, and they will say, “The Lord is our God.”

  • St. Paul prayed for the dead. (2 Timothy 1: 17-18) St. Paul prays for Onesiphorus who has died.
  • The Church Fathers and early Saints believed in Purgatory: The Church Fathers have a long tradition of praying for the dead. St. Augustine was asked by his mother Monica to pray for him at the altar. St. Gertrude the Great had a devotion to the Souls in Purgatory, as did St. Pio, St. Bridget and St. Bernadette.

The following quotes from the saints of the Catholic Church show that purgatory is a belief that has always existed in the church.

St. Paul
St. Paul
  1. St. Paul, First Century, Feast Day June 29

“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesephores, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain….. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord in that day!

Quote of St. Paul

St. Augustine
St. Augustine

2.  St. Augustine of Hippo, Africa d. 430,  Feast Day August 28

 

“Some suffer temporal punishments only in this life, others only after death, still others both in life and after death, but always before this most strict and most final court.”

Quote of St. Augustine

St. Monica
St. Monica

3.  St. Monica, Africa 331-337  Feast Day August 27

 

To St. Augustine before her death:

“All I ask is this, that wherever you may be,

you will remember me at the altar of the Lord.”

Quote of St. Monica

St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom

4. St. John Chrysostom;  Antioch 344-407  Feast Day Sept. 13

 

“Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their fathers sacrifices why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.”

Quote of St. John Chrysostom

St. Gertrude the Great
St. Gertrude the Great

5. St. Gertrude the Great;  Germany 1256-1302  Feast Day Nov. 16

 

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious Blood of Thy Divine Son , Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the wold today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, those in the Universal Church, in my home and in my family. Amen

Quote of St. Gertrude

 

St. Catherine of Genoa
St. Catherine of Genoa

6. St. Catherine of Genoa;  Italy 1447-1510  Feast Day Sept. 15

 

“No one is barred from heaven. Whoever wants to enter heaven may do so because God is merciful. Our Lord will welcome us into glory with his arms wide open. The Almighty is pure however, and if a person is conscious of the least trace of imperfection and at the same time understands that Purgatory is ordained to do away with such impediments, the soul enters this place of perfection gladly to accept so great a mercy of God. The worst suffering of these suffering souls is to have sinned against Divine Goodness and not to have been purified in this life.”

Quote of St. Catherine of Genoa

St. Francis de Sales
St. Francis de Sales

7. St. Francis de Sales;  France 1567-1622   Feast Day Jan. 24

 

“With Charity towards the dead we practice all the works of charity. The Church encourages us to aid the souls in purgatory, who in turn will reward us abundantly when they come into their glory.”

Quote of St. Francis de Sales

St. Margaret Mary
St. Margaret Mary

8.  St. Margaret Mary;  France 1647-1690  Feast Day October 16

 

“If only you knew with what great longing these holy souls yearn for relief from their suffering. Ingratitude has never entered Heaven.”

Quote of St. Margaret Mary

St. Gregory the Great
St. Gregory the Great

9.   St. Gregory the Great; Italy 540-604  Feast Day Sept. 3

 

“Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet there must be a cleansing fire before judgement because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away.”

Pope St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues

 

St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas

 

10.  St. Thomas Aquinas;  Naples, Italy 1226-1274 Feast Day Jan. 28

 

“The more one longs for a thing, the more painful does deprivation of it become. And because after this life, the desire for God, the Supreme Good, is intense in the souls of the just (because this impetus toward him is not hampered by the weight of the body and that time of enjoyment of the “Perfect Good would have come) had there been no obstacle, the souls suffers enormously from this delay.”

Quote of St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Faustina
St. Faustina

11.  St. Faustina;  Poland  1905-1938

 

“O Jesus, I understand that your mercy is beyond all imagining, and therefore I ask you to make my heart so big that there will be room in it for the needs of all the souls living on the face of the earth. O Jesus, my love extends beyond the world, to the souls suffering in purgatory, and I want to exercise mercy toward them by means of indulgenced prayers. God’s mercy is unfathomable and inexhaustible, just as God himself is unfathomable. Even if I were to use the strongest words there are to express this mercy of God, all this would be nothing in comparison with what it is in reality. O Jesus, make my heart sensitive to all the sufferings of my neighbor, whether of body or of soul. O my Jesus, I know that You are toward us as we are toward our neighbor.”

Quote of St. Faustina

St. John Vianney
St. John Vianney

12.  St. John Vianney;  France 1786-1859 Feast Day August 4

 

“It is definite that only a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory and the suffering there that one must endure exceed our imagination.”

Quote of St. John Vianney

 

St. Bernadette
St. Bernadette

 

13.  St. Bernadette  Lourdes, France Died 1879  Feast Day April 16

 

“In our prayers, let us not forget sinners and the poor souls in Purgatory especially our poor relatives.”

Quote of St. Bernadette

 

St. Padre Pio
St. Padre Pio

 

14.  St. Pio of Pietreleina;  Italy 1887-1968  Feast Day Sept. 23

 

“May the prayer of thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of thy departed servants and handmaids: that thou may both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of thy redemption. Amen

Eternal rest grant to them, O lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen

May their souls and the souls of the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen

Quote of St. Padre Pio

St. Bridget of Sweden
St. Bridget of Sweden

 15.     St. Bridget of Sweden  1303-1373  Feast Day July 23

 

St. Bridget to Our Blessed Lady:

“You are my Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of the souls in Purgatory.”

Our Blessed Lady to St. Bridget

“I am the Mother of all the Poor Souls; for my prayers serve to mitigate their sufferings every single hour that they remain there. (Purgatory).”

 

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Why Pray for the Dead?




 

Candlelight Prayer
Candlelight Prayer

To understand the doctrine of purgatory, it is necessary to understand several beliefs of the catholic church.

  • It is good to pray for the dead
  • We believe in tradition
  • Nothing unclean may enter heaven

Praying for the dead is a tradition which precedes the New Testament. In 2 Maccabees 23:45-46 it says:

“But if he was looking to the splendid reward that was laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.

It is good to pray for the dead. Why? If there are only two choices after death…heaven or hell...what purpose is there in praying for the dead? The historical practice of praying for the dead tells us that the belief that our prayer is heard and answered was an ancient belief.

The Catholic Church believes in tradition as well as scripture. The four marks of the church are stated in the Creed. We believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Being apostolic means that not only can the church be traced back to the apostles, but our beliefs can be traced back to the apostles as well. Remember, Jesus came to fulfill the law not to change it. (Matt 5:17)

Oral tradition was the method used to pass on the faith in the beginning. The bible was not even written down during the Apostolic Age. In 2 Thessalonians 2:15 we are told the following:

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the tradition that you were taught by us either by word of mouth or by our letter.”

Praying for the dead is an established tradition of the early Christians. One example of this is that in the fourth century St. Monica requested St. Augustine to remember her in the mass after she died.

Most of us know that we are unworthy to enter heaven. Jesus came to save us, however we still need to be cleansed by purifying fire before entering heaven. In Hebrews 12:29 it states the Our God is a consuming fire. We believe that before we enter heaven the fire of God’s love consumes the scars and effects of the sins we committed in out life. This explains the doctrine of purgatory as we understand it.

It is very comforting to know that our prayers make a difference. It is also comforting to know that I will be purified before facing God in heaven. A God whose love is so strong it is compared to fire….a fire which will consume and purify me.

Another way to look at purification is a cleansing.  Before we go to a party or celebration we usually bathe and dress up to look appropriate.  The purification we receive before partaking in the heavenly banquet makes us able to see God without the stain and scars of the sin which occurred during our lifetime.

We attend the heavenly banquet appropriately cleansed and dressed!

Praying for those souls who are in the purification process in purgatory relieves the suffering of  both the soul in purgatory and my own soul.

The following prayer was given to St. Gertrude the Great by our Lord in a vision.  Her feast day is celebrated on Nov. 16.

“Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious Blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Just as I pray on a regular basis for my loved ones who I confidently hope are already in heaven, I pray that those who love me will in turn pray for me after my death.

Prayer can heal!  Prayer is powerful!

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Do Evil Spirits Really Exist?




 

The Fall of Man Michelangelo
The Fall of Man
Michelangelo

 

On Halloween, we see many representations of good and evil: angels, witches, devils, monsters, princesses, gangsters, rock stars, politicians, super heroes.

While we are made in the image of God, each of us has a temptation to do evil. Society glamorizes evil.

If we take the Bible seriously, we should not doubt the existence of Satan and evil spirits. Jesus refers to Satan and angels multiple times.

Satan is actually an angel. He fell from grace when he turned from God. He has been at war with God ever since.

It is only in modern times, that people have denied the existence of evil spirits. Halloween is a time when we should reflect on the good and evil evident around us.

Halloween (All Hallows Eve) comes on the night before All Saint’s Day. Halloween is a display of both good and evil. All Saint’s Day (November 1st) is a display of people who have overcome evil for the glory of God.

Angels have existed since the beginning of creation. They are servants and messengers of God. Unlike human beings they are pure spirits. During the life of Jesus they are always present. Archangel Gabriel announces his birth, they protect Jesus in his infancy, (Mat 4) serve him in the desert, and they strengthen him in his agony in the garden,

The Feast Day of the Archangels is celebrated on September 29.  The Feast Day of the Guardian Angels is celebrated on Oct. 2.

The Church teaches that Satan, in the beginning, was a good angel, but became evil by choice.  We learn in the bible that Jesus came to conquer evil.

“Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil;  for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.  The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.“  1 John 8

When Jesus is praying in the Garden before his crucifixion, he prayed for unity among Christians.  He also prayed for protection against satan.

“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.”  (John 17:15)

The fallen angels have never repented for their fall from grace. Their hatred of God leads them to seduce men into choosing their evil ways.

We have free will. God did not create evil. On Halloween, we should reflect on which path we wish to follow…the path of God…or the path of evil.

Being neutral is not an option, it is evil; the sin of omission, laziness, and being lukewarm.

The devil is always trying to tempt us to do evil.  We need to turn to God with the Lord’s prayer when we need to be strengthened.

‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.   (Matthew 6:13)

We need to be aware of the evil around us and the temptations which may cause us to go astray.  How else can we choose to do good rather than evil?   Pray!  Pray!  Pray!

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gaspar del Bufalo, Feast Day October 21




St. Gaspar del Bufalo Public Domain Image
St. Gaspar del Bufalo

 

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gaspar del Bufalo, Feast Day October 21

The feast day of St. Gaspar del Bufalo is celebrated on October 21.  He is the founder of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood.

St. Gaspar was born in Rome on Jan. 6, 1786.  He was well educated in the faith by his pious mother.  At the age of two, he almost died.  It was through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier that he was cured of his illness.

At the age of 18, he organized a program to minister to the marginalized in the society.  He offered religious instruction to the poor in the area and became the catechist of orphans and poor children.  At the age of 22 he was ordained a priest.

Because St. Gaspar refused to take an oath of allegiance to Napoleon, he was exiled and imprisoned.  His response was the following:

“I would rather die or suffer evil than to take such an oath.

I cannot, I must not, I will not!”

St. Gaspar spent five years in jail for refusing to take the oath.  While imprisoned he envisioned a religious community dedicated to the precious blood of Christ.  After his release, he founded the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood in Giano.

When a cholera epidemic broke out in Rome St. Gaspar ministered to the victims even though he was in ill health himself.

St. Gaspar died Dec. 28, 1837.

 

We must let it be known how the Blood of Christ cleanses the souls and sanctifies them, particularly by means of the sacraments.

Quote of St. Gaspar del Bufalo

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Most Holy Rosary, October 7




 

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Staute
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Staute

 

The Feast Day of the Most Holy Rosary is celebrated on October 7.  Originally, it was known as the Feast day of Our Lady of Victory in memory of the naval victory which took place called the Battle of Lepanto in the 16th century.  The Christian forces repelled a massive Turkish invasion after Pope St. Pius V urged Europe’s Christians to pray the Rosary.  In 1573, St. Pius V established the feast day.  It was extended to the universal church in 1716 by Pope Clement XI.

 

Devotion to the Rosary was begun by  St. Dominic.   The devotion  combines meditation on the life of Christ, with memorized prayer.   Tradition tells us that when Dominic became discouraged with the slow progress of his work of preaching against the Abligensian heresy, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him with a beautiful wreath of roses. She asked him to say the Rosary every day and to teach the people to say the Rosary. Soon the heresy began to disappear. The devotion of the rosary continues today.

The feast day of the Most Holy Rosary is a day we can take time to thank the Blessed Virgin Mary for all the times she has prayed and interceded for us.  Our faith teaches us that Mary is our spiritual mother.  Praying the rosary is actually a meditation on the life of Jesus.  It consists of four sets of mysteries:  The Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries.  Each set has five events in the life of Jesus to meditate on.

 

The Joyful Mysteries: 1. Annunciation 2. Visitation 3. Birth of Jesus 4. Presentation in the Temple 5. Finding the Child Jesus

The Luminous Mysteries: 1. Christ’s Baptism I the Jordan 2. Wedding at Cana 3. Proclamation of the Kingdom 4. Transfiguration 5. Institution of the Eucharist

Sorrowful Mysteries: 1. Agony in the Garden 2. Scourging at the Pillar 3. Crowning with Thorns 4. Carrying of the Cross 5. Crucifixion

Glorious Mysteries: 1. Resurrection 2. Ascension into Heaven 3. Descent of the Holy Spirit 4. Assumption 5. Crowning of Our Blessed Lady

 

When we pray the rosary we dedicate the prayer for a certain intention such as healing the sick, guiding someone in need or peace in our family.  It is a personal prayer based on the life of Jesus.    Thank you Mary for listening to us!

 

Praying the rosary is not difficult.  If you would like to learn how to pray the rosary, this article  will lead you through it.

Remember, Jesus loved Mary.  If we want to imitate Jesus we should honor His Mother.

 

 

“It could be said that each mystery of the rosary, carefully meditated,

sheds light on the mystery of man.”

Quote of Pope ;John Paul II;  Feast Day October 22

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bruno, Feast Day October 6




St. Bruno Public Domain Image
St. Bruno

The feast day of St. Bruno is celebrated on October 6.  He is the founder of the Carthusian Order.

St. Bruno was born at Cologne, Germany in 1030.  He studied in France and was ordained a priest.  For 18 years he was a professor of theology.  He then became the Chancellor  of the archdiocese.  He supported the reform of clergy by Pope Gregory VII and removed his own archbishop because of scandal.

St. Bruno had a great love of silence and solitude.  He received a vision from God showing him a hermitage where he should spend his life growing closer to God.  Along with friends, St. Bruno opened a hermitage in Chartreuse.  Their order became known as the Carthusians.  The hermitage was in a mountainous, desert region which was very isolated.  The hermits lived in private cells, coming together for Matins and Vespers each day.  The rest of their day was spent in solitude.  They ate together only on great feast days.  Their time was spent copying manuscripts.

Pope Urban II requested St. Bruno to come to Rome as an advisor.  When the pope fled Rome Bruno moved to Calabria after turning down an offer to become a bishop.

St. Bruno died of natural causes on October 6, 1101.

Although he was not formally canonized, Pope Clement X extended his feast day to the whole church in 1674.

 

“To pray the rosary is to hand over our burdens

to the merciful hearts of Christ and His Mother.”

Quote of St. John Paul II;  Feast Day October 22

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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