You can find my videos here and on you tube saying the same thing as Michael does in this video. And it's one of the reasons why I personally feel that Protestants and most especially those Catholics that have fallen away, have embraced mediocrity rather than MAJESTY. In Catholicism, we have the FULLNESS OF FAITH with all SEVEN SACRAMENTS. Just for the fact that Protestants have just 2 Sacraments should be a clue that something is missing, huh? I pray daily for conversions and long for the day we will all be ONE. CATHOLIC. UNIVERSAL. After all, that's exactly what "CATHOLIC" means ... and more importantly it's what Jesus WANTS: "That they all be ONE." Just as He is One with the Father. We need to earnestly pray that a sign, miracle, the Illumination or something will change hearts and open eyes and ears to the Truth that is Christ Jesus rather than the suffering, devestation and destruction that I fear is on the way. After all, how long can our Lady hold back His Justice anyway?? How long can we afford to continue being complacent and afraid of offending or hurting someone's feelings? All should be done tenderly with love of course, but it SHOULD BE DONE .. if we leave our brothers in their sins and say NOTHING, we take their sins on our own souls!
"He who has much, much will be expected!"
Keep your wicks trimmed and always carry extra oil! ;)
Friday, October 8, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
PREVENT ILLS THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT?
Purify your thoughts and you will purify your body because the body manifests what is in the spirit. Let your "first thought" (about someone) be positive or at least loving and in this way purity will begin to surround you as a force that cleanses and prepares you for health and it is the topic for today: cleansing our bodies, which are the temples of the Holy Spirit .
In the Book of Sirach is the advice: "Before sickness, prepare the cure" (18:8). We prepare the cure by engulfing our bodies in the positive.
Any spot in the spirit may manifest as a spot on our bodies, and if it grows in the spirit, it can grow in the physical as well (and turn malignant).
This is not to blame every illness on spiritual darkness (we all grow old, and there is sickness that is "redemptive"; even St. Francis was ill at a young age) -- but we can prevent many ills with what we think, how we pray, and what we put into our bodies.
How do we "prepare" a cure? How do we halt an illness before it is an illness? How do we protect ourselves and loved ones against the many potential scourges of this life? Invoke the Holy Spirit.
When we pray for the Holy Spirit to suffuse us (and our loved ones) with the Spirit of Health, He guides us as to what we should eat. Otherwise, we would be lost in all the conflicting and complex information on latest scientific food studies! So start there.
When we pray our intuitions come up with ideas and if we may share a recent intuition it involves the use of water and fruit to cleanse the body.
As we have urged before, drink plenty of pure water. Try to drink the purest water you can find. See it as a physical representation of the living waters. Pray over each glass!
Did you ever wonder why so many ancients believed in healing springs (or "fountains of youth")? Start here: water. Drink as much as your body tolerates. Flush out your system. There are the living waters of Heaven and the living waters in our bodies -- which should be purified (like our spirits).
Regularly, fast. Francis of Assisi called the body "brother donkey." He kept this "brother" under perfect control -- sometimes without food and water or denying it something special that "it" liked very much. This also purifies.Meanwhile, it is crucial to health and fascinating that human blood has such a remarkable similarity (in mineral composition) to ocean water.
So perhaps that's another step: make sure you eat foods with the minerals found in ocean water. Genuine sea salt is an excellent source for readily soluble sodium with trace iodine and other minerals found in the sea, and it causes less water retention than regular salt (which puts on weight). To purge excess salt and purify organs like the liver, drink water with a couple tablespoons of lemon or grapefruit juice, sweetened with real maple syrup (not high-fructose sugars) and spiced with cayenne (if your body can tolerate it).
The Holy Spirit may lead you to eat peaches, or apples, or papayas, or avocadoes, or red grapes, or specific fish, or nuts. Of course, one could extol many other nutrients. Let's take the scourge of macular degeneration (which causes loss of eyesight): many say it can be prevented or lessened by consuming foods that contain lutein, an antioxidant, belonging to the carotenoid family that can be found in dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, collards, broccoli, garden peas, zucchini, Brussels sprouts, pistachio nuts, various fruits, carrots, mustard greens, purple, red, or blue fruits, romaine lettuce, dill, parsley, corn, and tomatoes. Egg yolks are also sources of lutein. Perhaps most powerful for the antioxidants: Goji berries. We mention this because so many are having vision problems!
It is God -- His angels -- Who will direct us. He made endless healthy fruits and vegetables and only He knows the combination that best fits our unique bodies. Otherwise, our heads will spin with all the nutritional advice! Your body is unique and has unique needs that only God can see in their entirety.
How else do we "prepare the cure"? By asking our angels to scan our bodies and heal any illnesses that may be in an incipient (barely detectable) state (especially tumors). Ask God to permeate and surround you and your loved ones with the purity of immunity from the countless maladies that can afflict us. Cast away the spirit of tumors (if such may be around). Cast away the spirit of arthritis (in case that's there). Cast off the spirit of diabetes, or arterial disease, or heart ailments, and every sort of cancer. Cast away the spirit of infirmity and ask God through His angels to constantly minister to you. Purify your thought process. Besides your mouth, watch what enters your eyes and ears. Cleanse the innermost chambers of your spirit. Watch the "eyegates"!
Now comes cleanliness, which is next to Godliness.
True health!
Lemons. Apples. Lutein.
The Lord can cure anything -- and use everything we have on this earth.
ALLEGED PROPHECY FOCUSED ON 'DARK' HINTS AT ANTI-CHRISTIAN, NEW AGE TAKEOVER OF RELIGION
The recent news that a third part of the "1990 prophecy" was released is interesting in light of what this alleged revelation says about the rise of evil.
"Only those in union with God will be able to see in the darkness which so many expected and that already is upon the earth," states one part of it, released earlier this week (the first such message since 2004).
"In union with God comes all protection, as the dark spirits are now allowed to materialize in full due to the pretense and aspirations of man."
Actually there have been two much lesser additions to the prophecy, one of which in 2008 said simply that "When you see the great smoke rise, know that Satan will have touched the earth."
That's riveting because we see in our society just that: while many have watched during the past few decades as darkness crept onto the scene -- in the culture, in politics, in religion -- the message was stating that it has now fully settled around us and that furthermore it has been "allowed to materialize in full" due to the arrogance of man (which had been warned about in the previous missives).
That "fullness" implies a direct, in-your-face evil, the likes of which are now seen with the sudden rise of certain occult-powered pop stars, incredibly blasphemous art (a recent museum exhibit in Phoenix took desecration of Jesus to new heights, or rather depths), wide-open sexual transgression, and real glimmerings of persecution.
Indeed, attacks on Catholicism have spread around the globe, are intensifying, and have an open avenue created by the sex-abuse crisis -- which was part of a master plan by the devil to weaken Church credibility, which means Church authority.
In addition to tempting many priests into perverse behavior, forces of darkness have also caused what we believe have been false accusation -- charges of abuse many decades ago based in some cases on "repressed memories" -- a phenomenon that is now in doubt by psychologists who argue that awful events of the past are not forgotten but rather focused upon in a person's memory.
Indeed, a number of priests have been exonerated of late, while others seem baffled by abuse claims that in some instances go back to the 1960s or even 1950s, just as many claim "repressed memory" of bizarre phenomena such as UFO abduction.
Those wishing to replace Christianity and its Mother Church with a New Age spirituality now have what is too close to being an upper hand. As never before, people in and outside of organized religion are looking for a "broader" way of viewing God, and that broader non-religious way more often than not turns in the direction of pagan-style ideals that bring God to us, instead of us to Him -- forming the Creator into a mere part (an epoxy) of the Creation.
In droves, young Catholics and other Christians are forsaking Church marriage and opting for ceremonies that exclude anything that smacks of the sacred -- ridiculing the sacraments and rituals of a Church that due to scandal has only a weakened clergy to defend them.
A recent study found that nearly one in four see a Distant God that "booted up the universe, then left humanity alone," in the words of one news article.
While certain standards of this New Age approach speak of love and caring for others as the important goals in life -- as they are, and as Christianity is supposed to teach (above even rituals) -- the end result of this new feel-good and neutral spirituality ends up placing Man at the center and diminishing the role not only of saints, not only of Christ, but of God Himself.
The forerunner is England, where one researcher says that young people only seek a religious perspective on “rare occasions” and that when they do, they often "make do" with a "very faded, inherited cultural memory of Christianity in the absence of anything else." Among "infrequent churchgoers" -- which is the large majority -- "forty-three per cent said they did not know what to think about God," says another survey.
This is darkness. It is darkness when a priest is arrested for a private Mass in Saudi Arabia -- while Muslims are given every right and more in what were Christian nations. It is darkness when the Catholic Church is portrayed as archaic (in the negative sense).
In the name of modernity -- and altruism -- many think they are evolving toward a more sophisticated spirituality, when they are simply falling into time-honored snares of paganism. "The way I see it, the sexual abuse crisis itself is an indication that the very tradition Pope Benedict is defending is in need of a major transformation," noted one commentator, a former Catholic, this week. "The theology that supported our spirituality in the past is fast dwindling in significance and cannot be resuscitated. Informed and observant people know this. They know that people cannot live a harmonious spirituality based on a theology that is bankrupt. It is time for the Church to move forward by listening to modern theologians, to ecologists, to women, and thereby incorporating within itself a more positive sexual morality and a more tolerant and inclusive spirituality."
Such feelings have become widespread and are now very noticeable in North America.
Religion, they say, has only created bigots. In fact, lack of love in religion -- and harsh judgment -- are an issue.
The problem: a God-neutral religion devoid of Christ's teaching virtually always comes with the feeling of evil, although it hides well at first. The New Age is also ancient -- going back to the Garden. The very Hebrew word for "serpent" is linked with the word "hiss" and "to whisper a magic spell." This is the New Age: magic (without Jesus). Others are trying to spin Christianity in a new fashion. Whatever the case, the Church must realize that it is in a very weakened state and go back to its roots, which means it must place exorcism and exercise of true spiritual power above institutionalized formulas and the musings of theology.
"Only those in union with God will be able to see in the darkness which so many expected and that already is upon the earth," states one part of it, released earlier this week (the first such message since 2004).
"In union with God comes all protection, as the dark spirits are now allowed to materialize in full due to the pretense and aspirations of man."
Actually there have been two much lesser additions to the prophecy, one of which in 2008 said simply that "When you see the great smoke rise, know that Satan will have touched the earth."
That's riveting because we see in our society just that: while many have watched during the past few decades as darkness crept onto the scene -- in the culture, in politics, in religion -- the message was stating that it has now fully settled around us and that furthermore it has been "allowed to materialize in full" due to the arrogance of man (which had been warned about in the previous missives).
That "fullness" implies a direct, in-your-face evil, the likes of which are now seen with the sudden rise of certain occult-powered pop stars, incredibly blasphemous art (a recent museum exhibit in Phoenix took desecration of Jesus to new heights, or rather depths), wide-open sexual transgression, and real glimmerings of persecution.
Indeed, attacks on Catholicism have spread around the globe, are intensifying, and have an open avenue created by the sex-abuse crisis -- which was part of a master plan by the devil to weaken Church credibility, which means Church authority.
In addition to tempting many priests into perverse behavior, forces of darkness have also caused what we believe have been false accusation -- charges of abuse many decades ago based in some cases on "repressed memories" -- a phenomenon that is now in doubt by psychologists who argue that awful events of the past are not forgotten but rather focused upon in a person's memory.
Indeed, a number of priests have been exonerated of late, while others seem baffled by abuse claims that in some instances go back to the 1960s or even 1950s, just as many claim "repressed memory" of bizarre phenomena such as UFO abduction.
Those wishing to replace Christianity and its Mother Church with a New Age spirituality now have what is too close to being an upper hand. As never before, people in and outside of organized religion are looking for a "broader" way of viewing God, and that broader non-religious way more often than not turns in the direction of pagan-style ideals that bring God to us, instead of us to Him -- forming the Creator into a mere part (an epoxy) of the Creation.
In droves, young Catholics and other Christians are forsaking Church marriage and opting for ceremonies that exclude anything that smacks of the sacred -- ridiculing the sacraments and rituals of a Church that due to scandal has only a weakened clergy to defend them.
A recent study found that nearly one in four see a Distant God that "booted up the universe, then left humanity alone," in the words of one news article.
While certain standards of this New Age approach speak of love and caring for others as the important goals in life -- as they are, and as Christianity is supposed to teach (above even rituals) -- the end result of this new feel-good and neutral spirituality ends up placing Man at the center and diminishing the role not only of saints, not only of Christ, but of God Himself.
The forerunner is England, where one researcher says that young people only seek a religious perspective on “rare occasions” and that when they do, they often "make do" with a "very faded, inherited cultural memory of Christianity in the absence of anything else." Among "infrequent churchgoers" -- which is the large majority -- "forty-three per cent said they did not know what to think about God," says another survey.
This is darkness. It is darkness when a priest is arrested for a private Mass in Saudi Arabia -- while Muslims are given every right and more in what were Christian nations. It is darkness when the Catholic Church is portrayed as archaic (in the negative sense).
In the name of modernity -- and altruism -- many think they are evolving toward a more sophisticated spirituality, when they are simply falling into time-honored snares of paganism. "The way I see it, the sexual abuse crisis itself is an indication that the very tradition Pope Benedict is defending is in need of a major transformation," noted one commentator, a former Catholic, this week. "The theology that supported our spirituality in the past is fast dwindling in significance and cannot be resuscitated. Informed and observant people know this. They know that people cannot live a harmonious spirituality based on a theology that is bankrupt. It is time for the Church to move forward by listening to modern theologians, to ecologists, to women, and thereby incorporating within itself a more positive sexual morality and a more tolerant and inclusive spirituality."
Such feelings have become widespread and are now very noticeable in North America.
Religion, they say, has only created bigots. In fact, lack of love in religion -- and harsh judgment -- are an issue.
The problem: a God-neutral religion devoid of Christ's teaching virtually always comes with the feeling of evil, although it hides well at first. The New Age is also ancient -- going back to the Garden. The very Hebrew word for "serpent" is linked with the word "hiss" and "to whisper a magic spell." This is the New Age: magic (without Jesus). Others are trying to spin Christianity in a new fashion. Whatever the case, the Church must realize that it is in a very weakened state and go back to its roots, which means it must place exorcism and exercise of true spiritual power above institutionalized formulas and the musings of theology.
NEW PREDICTION IS GRANTED TO RECEIVER OF ALLEGED 1990 OR 'TOWER OF LIGHT' PROPHECY
On December 3, 1990, an unusual locution received during a dream yielded remarkable alleged prophecies of the future. Known as the "1990 prophecy," it was received by a person who has steadfastly insisted on anonymity (supposedly from an angel and Christ) and was followed fourteen years later -- on December 22, 2004 -- by a second one.
Those putative private "revelations" can be reviewed here. They are offered only for prayerful consideration. As with any alleged mysticism, questions may be raised about aspects of them. Detailed in the book Tower of Light, the prophecies have received substantial circulation because they correctly foresaw the regional "chastisements" that have occurred around the world in various forms (from quakes to storms) since 1990, hinted strongly at what turned out to be September 11, and all but directly indicated the coming of cloning and embryonic stem-cell cloning (which were anticipated in the prophecy as "a great new evil comparable to abortion"). Other and indeed more dramatic aspects of the prophecy have not yet materialized, including predictions of societal breakdown, a new world order, an anti-christ-like man of "influence," and apparition-like manifestations of Jesus.
The 1990 and 2004 predictions have now been followed by a third. Received on September 25 (a week ago last Saturday), we will here simply state what it says, with no commentary. That we will undertake in subsequent articles. The missive was received and written down around three in the morning (completed at 3:13 a.m.), and we have been made privy to the original, as was the case too of the other alleged messages. We are still in the process of discernment and present it only in the spirit of the New Testament admonition to consider the prophetic. As with the others, there is the dilemma of possible deception at the same time one recognizes the role of prophecy through the Bible. Unlike many messages, which are far more frequent, there have been but three from this alleged recipient in two decades.
It was recorded as follows:
"The trials of your time now head to the crescendo of meaning, whereby to each will be shown the imperfection of the past and the need for purification of the future. In these transgressions is found the enemy of Creation, and the one who seeks to install his spirit as the spirit that conquers for all time. It is a final battle in which the trials of the future will serve as engagements complete unto themselves. Those who choose to ignore the dynamic of spiritual interaction will find themselves in a very confused state that will lead to more conflict. While love prevails, so does courage, and so does the uncovering of those spirits which now install themselves as guardians for those who have invited into their hearts falsity. The angels stand ready to assist those who unleash power with humility and belief. Only those in union with God will be able to see in the darkness which so many expected and that already is upon the earth. New Mexico I have ordained as a beacon of light and also the place near the water where the cross stands. In this time, expect the error of premature expectation, but not [error in] the truth of the expectation itself. For these times, you have the Rosary, and even more so, the praise. In union with God comes all protection, as the dark spirits are now allowed to materialize in full due to the pretense and aspirations of man. Not until the initial event will the curtain be drawn that reveals the entirety of the plan, and even then, it will be parted only slowly, in the woes of purification."
from: Spirit Daily
Feast of the Holy Rosary SALE
In honor of the Feast of the Holy Rosary, 20% off today only on all pre made rosaries on pages 1-4 .. MUST email and NOT use the buttons on the site to receive discount! Special orders, chaplets and unique pieces are not kept on hand so cannot be included.
Some bracelets ARE included .. if it's already made up, it's included .. email to find out! :)
Pontiff Urges Youth to Pray Daily Rosary
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 6, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is noting Thursday's feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, encouraging the faithful to appreciate this traditional prayer.
The Pope spoke of the rosary today at the conclusion of the general audience, when he offered his customary greeting to youth, the sick and newlyweds.
"October is the month of the holy rosary, which invites us to appreciate this prayer so dear to the tradition of the Christian people," he said.
The Holy Father went on to invite youth "to make the rosary your daily prayer." He encouraged those suffering from illness to use the rosary "to grow in confident abandonment in God's hands."
Finally, he exhorted newlyweds "to make of the rosary a constant contemplation of the mysteries of Christ."
This important feast was originally established by Pope St. Pius V. It purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto in 1571. The victory was attributed to the praying of the Rosary on the day of the battle in Rome. The feast would later be celebrated throughout the entire Church. In 1917 at Fatima, Our Blessed Mother, identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary. When Pope John Paul II declared 2002 as the year of the Rosary, he said praying the Rosary brings abundant grace to the faithful and it is a vital part of Christian life as a devotion to Mary. It is with this in mind, that we at Rosaryparts.com and Lewis & Company offer you our Shrine to Mary site on the web. We do this to honor the special place Our Blessed Mother has played in our lives, the Christian Community and the world at large. Together, like the Rosary, we are all linked through prayer, being one in the Body of Christ.
Some bracelets ARE included .. if it's already made up, it's included .. email to find out! :)
Pontiff Urges Youth to Pray Daily Rosary
VATICAN CITY, OCT. 6, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI is noting Thursday's feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, encouraging the faithful to appreciate this traditional prayer.
The Pope spoke of the rosary today at the conclusion of the general audience, when he offered his customary greeting to youth, the sick and newlyweds.
"October is the month of the holy rosary, which invites us to appreciate this prayer so dear to the tradition of the Christian people," he said.
The Holy Father went on to invite youth "to make the rosary your daily prayer." He encouraged those suffering from illness to use the rosary "to grow in confident abandonment in God's hands."
Finally, he exhorted newlyweds "to make of the rosary a constant contemplation of the mysteries of Christ."
This important feast was originally established by Pope St. Pius V. It purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto in 1571. The victory was attributed to the praying of the Rosary on the day of the battle in Rome. The feast would later be celebrated throughout the entire Church. In 1917 at Fatima, Our Blessed Mother, identified herself as the Lady of the Rosary. When Pope John Paul II declared 2002 as the year of the Rosary, he said praying the Rosary brings abundant grace to the faithful and it is a vital part of Christian life as a devotion to Mary. It is with this in mind, that we at Rosaryparts.com and Lewis & Company offer you our Shrine to Mary site on the web. We do this to honor the special place Our Blessed Mother has played in our lives, the Christian Community and the world at large. Together, like the Rosary, we are all linked through prayer, being one in the Body of Christ.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
WALK THE TALK!!!
Once again Michael nails it! Watch this very important short video .. share it with all you know, ESPECIALLY your Bishops, Pastors and all clergy. Just IMAGINE (no, not like John Lennon) what transformation would take place if this was done in this country alone, let alone the whole world. Formation has been a joke in the last decades. It's no wonder our young ones don't take things seriously. It's a wonder how any of us still DO .. only by the grace of Almighty God to be sure! Folks ... this is TRUE AND REAL and it's happening in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD RIGHT NOW and has been for a long time. Don't just think about November and the elections coming up (and please DO remember to take out the TRASH on the 2nd!) ... but we should also pray for the strength and grace to stand firm in the FAITH THAT WAS PASSED DOWN from the 1st century. It's been watered down so many times now, it's a wonder it's at all recognizable! Do it in love .. show this to your priests and diocese members .. but DO IT. PRAY FOR OUR BISHOPS, PRIESTS and all CLERGY that they may be given the grace to be the servants God needs in times such as these!
Prayer and Penance is KEY. Don't get lost in the world and its problems ... it will all pass quickly ... rather pay attention and work for ETERNITY and the KINGDOM that you may stand in His Presence forever!
Prayer and Penance is KEY. Don't get lost in the world and its problems ... it will all pass quickly ... rather pay attention and work for ETERNITY and the KINGDOM that you may stand in His Presence forever!
Monday, October 4, 2010
St. Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was born into a wealthy family at Assisi, Italy, the son of a cloth merchant. Francis received little formal education and during his youth was mostly preoccupied with having fun. As a young man, he was popular, charming, enjoyed practical jokes and was usually the life of the party.
Because of his wealth, he generally picked up the tab and thus attracted a following of fun loving, rowdy young men and promiscuous women.
When armed conflict broke out between the men of Assisi and a neighboring city in 1202, Francis eagerly volunteered for the cavalry but wound up getting captured after the first big battle and spent a year in captivity.
Francis returned to Assisi hailed as a hero, but unknown to his friends he had undergone a transformation in his outlook during his captivity. Although he was once again the life of the party, he was now questioning his reason for existence.
After much contemplation, including vivid dreams and mystic visions, he turned away from the pursuit of all worldly pleasures, sold all of his property and donated the money to the Church. He then began a lifelong passion of caring for society's castoffs, the sick and poor, including lepers.
His wealthy father reacted to his son's odd new lifestyle by disinheriting him. Thus Francis lived in utter poverty and even went without shoes. But his humbleness, extraordinary kindness and love for humanity attracted the attention of other young men and they also chose to give up worldly pleasures and follow him to spread the gospel and serve the poor.
Eventually, as the brotherhood grew, its members traveled to other parts of Europe to preach, including France, Germany, Spain and England. A separate order for women was formed, now known as the Franciscan Nuns or Poor Clares.
Francis had much love for animals with special fondness for the birds. He liked to refer to animals as his brothers and sisters. Legend has it that wild animals had no fear of Francis and even came to him seeking refuge from harm.
In 1224, Francis went up onto a mountain and began a 40-day fast. During that time he is said to have had a miraculous vision and received the marks of the nails and spear exactly as they appeared on the body of Jesus during his crucifixion.
After his death in 1226, Francis was declared a saint by Pope Gregory IX. For several centuries thereafter, his Franciscan order experienced continuous growth and is still active today caring for the poor, educating youth, and performing many other good deeds.
There is SO much written about St. Francis. Certainly one of the most beloved and well known saints in the Church. You can google for a more extensive bio and additional information that the little bit here, so I will just add a few lines that I feel we all would do well to remember.
I think we can best honor him on this his feast day and every day as well, by forming our consciences in such a way where we find ourselves LIVING our Faith rather than just giving lip service and showing up weekly to a service that clearly some only do out of obligation. I am reminded of the story where to took another with him to preach in the city. They arrived and merely walked around the town square in a circle a bit. His fellow friar asked when they were going to begin preaching. Francis merely replied: "we just DID". ;)
Let's live our lives so that others may look at us and KNOW what a CHRISTIAN is ... that we have love for one another!
I'll close with a quote from St. Francis that holds true for all generations:
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
St. Francis
Feast Day: October 4
Born: 1181 or 1182 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy
Died: 3 October 1226 at Assisi, Italy
Canonized: 16 July 1228 by Pope Gregory IX
Major Shrine: Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi, Assisi, Italy
Patron of: against dying alone, against fire, animal welfare societies, animals, Assisi, Italy, birds, Catholic Action, ecologists, ecology, environment, families, Franciscan Order, lacemakers, merchants, needle workers, peace, tapestry workers, zoos
Because of his wealth, he generally picked up the tab and thus attracted a following of fun loving, rowdy young men and promiscuous women.
When armed conflict broke out between the men of Assisi and a neighboring city in 1202, Francis eagerly volunteered for the cavalry but wound up getting captured after the first big battle and spent a year in captivity.
Francis returned to Assisi hailed as a hero, but unknown to his friends he had undergone a transformation in his outlook during his captivity. Although he was once again the life of the party, he was now questioning his reason for existence.
After much contemplation, including vivid dreams and mystic visions, he turned away from the pursuit of all worldly pleasures, sold all of his property and donated the money to the Church. He then began a lifelong passion of caring for society's castoffs, the sick and poor, including lepers.
His wealthy father reacted to his son's odd new lifestyle by disinheriting him. Thus Francis lived in utter poverty and even went without shoes. But his humbleness, extraordinary kindness and love for humanity attracted the attention of other young men and they also chose to give up worldly pleasures and follow him to spread the gospel and serve the poor.
Eventually, as the brotherhood grew, its members traveled to other parts of Europe to preach, including France, Germany, Spain and England. A separate order for women was formed, now known as the Franciscan Nuns or Poor Clares.
Francis had much love for animals with special fondness for the birds. He liked to refer to animals as his brothers and sisters. Legend has it that wild animals had no fear of Francis and even came to him seeking refuge from harm.
In 1224, Francis went up onto a mountain and began a 40-day fast. During that time he is said to have had a miraculous vision and received the marks of the nails and spear exactly as they appeared on the body of Jesus during his crucifixion.
After his death in 1226, Francis was declared a saint by Pope Gregory IX. For several centuries thereafter, his Franciscan order experienced continuous growth and is still active today caring for the poor, educating youth, and performing many other good deeds.
There is SO much written about St. Francis. Certainly one of the most beloved and well known saints in the Church. You can google for a more extensive bio and additional information that the little bit here, so I will just add a few lines that I feel we all would do well to remember.
I think we can best honor him on this his feast day and every day as well, by forming our consciences in such a way where we find ourselves LIVING our Faith rather than just giving lip service and showing up weekly to a service that clearly some only do out of obligation. I am reminded of the story where to took another with him to preach in the city. They arrived and merely walked around the town square in a circle a bit. His fellow friar asked when they were going to begin preaching. Francis merely replied: "we just DID". ;)
Let's live our lives so that others may look at us and KNOW what a CHRISTIAN is ... that we have love for one another!
I'll close with a quote from St. Francis that holds true for all generations:
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
St. Francis
Feast Day: October 4
Born: 1181 or 1182 at Assisi, Umbria, Italy
Died: 3 October 1226 at Assisi, Italy
Canonized: 16 July 1228 by Pope Gregory IX
Major Shrine: Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi, Assisi, Italy
Patron of: against dying alone, against fire, animal welfare societies, animals, Assisi, Italy, birds, Catholic Action, ecologists, ecology, environment, families, Franciscan Order, lacemakers, merchants, needle workers, peace, tapestry workers, zoos
"My little sisters, the birds, much bounden are ye unto God, your Creator, and always in every place ought ye to praise Him, for that He hath given you liberty to fly about everywhere, and hath also given you double and triple rainment; moreover He preserved your seed in the ark of Noah, that your race might not perish out of the world; still more are ye beholden to Him for the element of the air which He hath appointed for you; beyond all this, ye sow not, neither do you reap; and God feedeth you, and giveth you the streams and fountains for your drink; the mountains and valleys for your refuge and the high trees whereon to make your nests; and because ye know not how to spin or sow, God clotheth you, you and your children; wherefore your Creator loveth you much, seeing that He hath bestowed on you so many benefits; and therefore, my little sisters, beware of the sin of ingratitude, and study always to give praises unto God."
~Saint Francis of Assisi - c1220
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Novena/Litany to the Guardian Angels ~Sept. 23 - Oct 2nd
HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL
Angel, my counselor, inspire me.
Angel, my defender, protect me;
Angel, my faithful friend, intercede for me;
Angel, my consoler, fortify me;
Angel, my brother, defend me;
Angel, my teacher, instruct me;
Angel, witness of all my actions, purify me;
Angel, my helper, support me;
Angel, my intercessor, speak for me;
Angel, my guide, direct me;
Angel, my light, enlighten me;
Angel, whom God has assigned to lead me, govern me.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, 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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Queen of the Angels, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. Gabriel, pray for us.
St. Raphael, pray for us.
All holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who unceasingly behold the Face
of the heavenly Father, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who never part from us, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who are devoted to us in heavenly friendship,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, our faithful admonishers, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who preserve us from many evils of body and soul,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, our mighty defenders against the attacks
of the evil enemy, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, our support in the time of temptations, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who help us when we stumble and fall, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who comfort us in troubles and sufferings,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who uphold our prayers and carry them before the
Throne of God, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who through your inspirations and encouragement help us to progress in the good, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who despite our faults never leave us, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who rejoice over our improvement and advancement inperfection, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who watch over us and pray for us even when we rest, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who do not abandon us in our agony of death,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who console the souls in Purgatory, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who lead the righteous into Heaven, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, with whom one day we hope to eternally praise and
behold God, pray for us.
Noble Princes of Heaven, pray for us.
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!
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Father...
Bless the Lord, all His Angels, you mighty ones who do His Will.
He has sent His Angels before you, to guard you on all your ways.
My God, in the presence of the Angels, I will bless You.
I want to adore You and praise Your holy Name.
Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto You.
LET US PRAY
Almighty, Eternal God, in Your ineffable goodness You have assigned a special Angel to all men, from the womb onwards, as a protection for body and soul. Graciously grant that I may follow my holy Angel so faithfully and love him so dearly, that through Your grace and under his protection I may one day reach the heavenly Father's House and may merit to behold Your Divine Countenance together with him and all the holy Angels. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father, Your infinite love for us has chosen a blessed angel in heaven and appointed him our guide during this earthly pilgrimage. Accept our thanks for so great ablessing. Grant that we may experience the assistance of our holy protector in all our necessities. And you, holy, loving angel and guide, watch over us with all the tenderness of your angelic heart. Keep us always on the way that leads to heaven, and cease not to pray for us until we have attained our final destiny, eternal salvation. Then we shall love you for all eternity. We shall praise and glorify you unceasingly for all the good you have done for us while here on earth. Especially be a faithful and watchful protector of our children. Take our place, and supply what may be wanting to us through human frailty, short-sightedness, or sinful neglect. Lighten, O you perfect servants of God, our heavy task. Guide our children, that they may become like unto Jesus, may imitate Him faithfully, and persevere till they attain eternal life. Amen
Angel, my counselor, inspire me.
Angel, my defender, protect me;
Angel, my faithful friend, intercede for me;
Angel, my consoler, fortify me;
Angel, my brother, defend me;
Angel, my teacher, instruct me;
Angel, witness of all my actions, purify me;
Angel, my helper, support me;
Angel, my intercessor, speak for me;
Angel, my guide, direct me;
Angel, my light, enlighten me;
Angel, whom God has assigned to lead me, govern me.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us. Christ, 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 Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Queen of the Angels, pray for us.
St. Michael, pray for us.
St. Gabriel, pray for us.
St. Raphael, pray for us.
All holy Angels and Archangels, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who unceasingly behold the Face
of the heavenly Father, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who never part from us, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who are devoted to us in heavenly friendship,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, our faithful admonishers, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who preserve us from many evils of body and soul,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, our mighty defenders against the attacks
of the evil enemy, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, our support in the time of temptations, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who help us when we stumble and fall, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who comfort us in troubles and sufferings,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who uphold our prayers and carry them before the
Throne of God, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who through your inspirations and encouragement help us to progress in the good, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who despite our faults never leave us, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who rejoice over our improvement and advancement inperfection, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who watch over us and pray for us even when we rest, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who do not abandon us in our agony of death,
pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who console the souls in Purgatory, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, who lead the righteous into Heaven, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, with whom one day we hope to eternally praise and
behold God, pray for us.
Noble Princes of Heaven, pray for us.
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!
Christ, hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Our Father...
Bless the Lord, all His Angels, you mighty ones who do His Will.
He has sent His Angels before you, to guard you on all your ways.
My God, in the presence of the Angels, I will bless You.
I want to adore You and praise Your holy Name.
Lord, hear my prayer. And let my cry come unto You.
LET US PRAY
Almighty, Eternal God, in Your ineffable goodness You have assigned a special Angel to all men, from the womb onwards, as a protection for body and soul. Graciously grant that I may follow my holy Angel so faithfully and love him so dearly, that through Your grace and under his protection I may one day reach the heavenly Father's House and may merit to behold Your Divine Countenance together with him and all the holy Angels. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Heavenly Father, Your infinite love for us has chosen a blessed angel in heaven and appointed him our guide during this earthly pilgrimage. Accept our thanks for so great ablessing. Grant that we may experience the assistance of our holy protector in all our necessities. And you, holy, loving angel and guide, watch over us with all the tenderness of your angelic heart. Keep us always on the way that leads to heaven, and cease not to pray for us until we have attained our final destiny, eternal salvation. Then we shall love you for all eternity. We shall praise and glorify you unceasingly for all the good you have done for us while here on earth. Especially be a faithful and watchful protector of our children. Take our place, and supply what may be wanting to us through human frailty, short-sightedness, or sinful neglect. Lighten, O you perfect servants of God, our heavy task. Guide our children, that they may become like unto Jesus, may imitate Him faithfully, and persevere till they attain eternal life. Amen
Prayer to One's Guardian Angel
When Unable to Assist at Mass for Spiritual Communion
When Unable to Assist at Mass for Spiritual Communion
Go, my Angel Guardian dear, To Church for me, the Mass to hear. Go, kneel devoutly at my place and treasure for me every grace. At the Offertory time Please offer me to God Divine. All I have and all I am, present it with the Precious Lamb. Adore for me the great Oblation. Pray for all I hold most dear, be they far or be they near. Remember too, my own dear dead for whom Christ's Precious Blood was shed. And at Communion bring to me Christ's Flesh and Blood, my Food to be. To give me strength and holy grace , a pledge to see Him face to Face. And when the Holy Mass is done, then with His blessing, come back home. Amen.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Memorial St. Theresa of the Child Jesus ~ Old Calendar: St. Remigius, bishop, confessor (Remi)
Today is the memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, more popularly known as "the Little Flower." Although just an obscure cloistered Carmelite nun, she has had universal appeal since her death in 1897. St. Thérèse is the patroness of all foreign missions and patroness of France. Her feast day was formerly October 3.According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Remigius, bishop and confessor, who died in 533. He baptized King Clovis, bringing the Frankish nation to Christianity. He is one of the patrons of France.
St. Thérèse
Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zelie, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. She was brought up in a model Christian home. While still a child she felt the attraction of the cloister, and at fifteen obtained permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. For the next nine years she lived a very ordinary religious life. There are no miracles, exploits or austerities recorded of her. She attained a very high degree of holiness by carrying out her ordinary daily duties with perfect fidelity, having a childlike confidence in God's providence and merciful love and being ready to be at the service of others at all times. She also had a great love of the Church and a zeal for the conversion of souls. She prayed especially for priests. She died of consumption on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24, and was canonized in 1925. She has never ceased to fulfill her promise: "I will pass my heaven in doing good on earth." Her interior life is known through her autobiography called Story of a Soul. Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.
Patron: florists; foreign missions; missionaries; pilots; against tuberculosis; AIDS sufferers; illness; loss of parents; Australia; France; Russia; Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska; Diocese of Fresno, California; Diocese of Juneau, Alaska; Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado.
Symbols: roses; discalced Carmelite nun holding roses; Carmelite nun with roses at her feet; Carmelite nun holding images of the Child Jesus and Holy Face of Jesus; Carmelite nun holding a crucifix and roses; book.
God our Father, You have promised Your kingdom to those who are willing to become like little children. Help us to follow the way of Saint Therese with confidence so that by her prayers we may come to know Your eternal glory. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Remigius
Also known as Remi, he was born at Laon, the son of Count Emilius of Laon and St. Celina. He became known for his preaching, and in 459, when he was only twenty-two, he was appointed bishop of Rheims. He was ordained and consecrated and reigned for more than seventy years, devoting himself to the evangelization of the Franks. In 496, Clovis, pagan King of northern Gaul, supposedly in response to a suggestion by his wife, Clotildis, a Christian, invoked the Christian God when the invading Alemanni were on the verge of defeating his forces, whereupon the tide of battle turned and Clovis was victorious. St. Remigius, aided by St. Vedast, instructed him and his chieftains in Christianity, and soon after baptized Clovis, his two sisters, and three thousand of his followers. Remigius was a zealous proponent of orthodoxy, opposed Arianism, and converted an Arian bishop at a synod of Arian bishops in 517. He was censured by a group of bishops for ordaining one Claudius, whom they felt was unworthy of the priesthood, but St. Remigius was generally held in great veneration for his holiness, learning, and miracles. He was the most influential prelate of Gaul and is considered the apostle of the Franks. He died at Rheims on January 13. — Dictionary of Saints, John J. Delaney
Patron: France.
Symbols: Oil stock; dove with Holy Ampulla in its beak; birds; veil of St. Veronica; font; broken fetters.
Often Portrayed As: Dressed as a bishop with a miter and staff with a cross and is holding the oil of the sacred phial in his right hand with a dove hovering over. For centuries the events at the crowning of Clovis I became a symbol used by the monarchy to claim the divine right to rule.
St. Thérèse
Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zelie, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. She was brought up in a model Christian home. While still a child she felt the attraction of the cloister, and at fifteen obtained permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. For the next nine years she lived a very ordinary religious life. There are no miracles, exploits or austerities recorded of her. She attained a very high degree of holiness by carrying out her ordinary daily duties with perfect fidelity, having a childlike confidence in God's providence and merciful love and being ready to be at the service of others at all times. She also had a great love of the Church and a zeal for the conversion of souls. She prayed especially for priests. She died of consumption on September 30, 1897, at the age of 24, and was canonized in 1925. She has never ceased to fulfill her promise: "I will pass my heaven in doing good on earth." Her interior life is known through her autobiography called Story of a Soul. Pope John Paul II declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1997.Patron: florists; foreign missions; missionaries; pilots; against tuberculosis; AIDS sufferers; illness; loss of parents; Australia; France; Russia; Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska; Diocese of Fresno, California; Diocese of Juneau, Alaska; Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado.
Symbols: roses; discalced Carmelite nun holding roses; Carmelite nun with roses at her feet; Carmelite nun holding images of the Child Jesus and Holy Face of Jesus; Carmelite nun holding a crucifix and roses; book.
God our Father, You have promised Your kingdom to those who are willing to become like little children. Help us to follow the way of Saint Therese with confidence so that by her prayers we may come to know Your eternal glory. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
St. Remigius
Also known as Remi, he was born at Laon, the son of Count Emilius of Laon and St. Celina. He became known for his preaching, and in 459, when he was only twenty-two, he was appointed bishop of Rheims. He was ordained and consecrated and reigned for more than seventy years, devoting himself to the evangelization of the Franks. In 496, Clovis, pagan King of northern Gaul, supposedly in response to a suggestion by his wife, Clotildis, a Christian, invoked the Christian God when the invading Alemanni were on the verge of defeating his forces, whereupon the tide of battle turned and Clovis was victorious. St. Remigius, aided by St. Vedast, instructed him and his chieftains in Christianity, and soon after baptized Clovis, his two sisters, and three thousand of his followers. Remigius was a zealous proponent of orthodoxy, opposed Arianism, and converted an Arian bishop at a synod of Arian bishops in 517. He was censured by a group of bishops for ordaining one Claudius, whom they felt was unworthy of the priesthood, but St. Remigius was generally held in great veneration for his holiness, learning, and miracles. He was the most influential prelate of Gaul and is considered the apostle of the Franks. He died at Rheims on January 13. — Dictionary of Saints, John J. DelaneyPatron: France.
Symbols: Oil stock; dove with Holy Ampulla in its beak; birds; veil of St. Veronica; font; broken fetters.
Often Portrayed As: Dressed as a bishop with a miter and staff with a cross and is holding the oil of the sacred phial in his right hand with a dove hovering over. For centuries the events at the crowning of Clovis I became a symbol used by the monarchy to claim the divine right to rule.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Our Lady of Good Remedy 9/30-10/8/2010
O QUEEN OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, Most Holy Virgin, we venerate thee. Thou art the beloved Daughter of the Most High God, the chosen Mother of the Incarnate Word, the Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit, and the Sacred Vessel of the Most Holy Trinity.
O Mother of the Divine Redeemer, who under the title of Our Lady of Good Remedy comes to the aid of all who call upon thee, extend thy maternal protection to us. We depend on thee, Dear Mother, as helpless and needy children depend on a tender and caring mother.
Hail, Mary....
How Devotion to Our Lady of Good Remedy Started
O LADY OF GOOD REMEDY, source of unfailing help, grant that we may draw from thy treasury of graces in our time of need.
Touch the hearts of sinners, that they may seek reconciliation and forgiveness. Bring comfort to the afflicted and the lonely; help the poor and the hopeless; aid the sick and the suffering. May they be healed in body and strengthened in spirit to endure their sufferings with patient resignation and Christian fortitude.
Hail, Mary....
DEAR LADY OF GOOD REMEDY, source of unfailing help, thy compassionate heart knows a remedy for every affliction and misery we encounter in life. Help me with thy prayers and intercession to find a remedy for my problems and needs, especially for... (Mention your intentions here).
O loving Mother, on my part, I pledge to adopt a more intensely Christian lifestyle, to a more careful observance of the laws of God, to be more conscientious in fulfilling the obligations of my state in life, and to strive to be a source of healing in this broken world of ours.
Dear Lady of Good Remedy, be ever present to me, and through thy intercession, may I enjoy health of body and peace of mind, and grow stronger in the faith and in the love of thy Son, Jesus.
Hail, Mary.....
V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of Good Remedy,
R. That we may deepen our dedication to thy Son, and make the world alive with His Spirit.
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