The Second Day of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Novena

Can be found HERE

Day One - Novena to the Holy Spirit

Can be found HERE

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Just a reminder that the Novena for Pentacost begins tomorrow. The best novena can be found at EWTN.COM

Ascension Thursday

Today we celebrate the ascension of our Lord into Heaven. Finally, we are in a state that celebrates it on the day it is supposed to be celebrated. This morning we attended my mom's parish Blessed Sacrament. It was a children's Mass. Father P. asked the kids during the homily if they knew the difference between the ascension of our Lord and the assumption into Heaven of our lady. He told them even the adults probably didn't know the difference and he was right.

Jesus ascended Himself into Heaven while our Lady was assisted by God into Heaven.

Anyway, I took photos of the beautiful church and the morning Mass parishioners. However, I forgot my camera/computer cable and will not be able to post them until my DH sends it to me.

Sunset

This is what we saw the other day as the sunset. Yesterday's was even better than this one! Just a few more posts and then the Catholic Mom in HI will be blogging from NJ...God willing.

The Cure for Universal Indifference

Picture source Mount Carmel in the Desert

St. Peter Julian Eymard wrote the following in 1851:

"I have often reflected on the cure for the universal indifference which infects so many Catholics to so alarming a degree, and I have found only one, the Eucharist, the love of the Eucharistic Jesus. Loss of faith comes first from loss of love; the icy cold of death, from the absence of fire. Jesus did not say: 'I have come to bring a revelation of the most sublime mysteries' but, 'I am come to cast fire on the earth. And what will I but that it be kindled over the whole earth.'"

My family and I are members of the Noctural Adoration Society. The above saintly quote on the Eucharist comes from their monthly newsletter. If you are interested in becoming a member, search for a chapter near you or you can email them at nnasmonette(at)familink(dot)com.

"Get Us Out of Here"

Picture source Suffering Souls

In this month's issue of The Friends of the Poor Souls their is a review of a book entitled Get Us Out of Here about the late Maria Simma who had communications with souls in purgatory. The following is one story:

“One night, around 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, I heard someone coming into my bedroom... I saw a complete stranger. He walked back and forth slowly. I said to him severely: How did you get in here? Go away! But he continued to walk impatiently around the bedroom as if he hadn't heard. So I asked him again: What are you doing? But as he still didn't answer, I jumped out of bed and tried to grab him, but I grasped only air. There was nothing there. So I went back to bed, but again I heard him pacing back and forth. I wondered how I could see this man, but I couldn't grab him. I rose again to hold onto him and to stop him from walking around; again, I grasped only emptiness. Puzzled, I went back to bed. He didn't come back, but I couldn't get back to sleep.

The next day, after Mass, I went to see my spiritual director and told him everything. He told me that if this should happen again, I shouldn't ask, Who are you? but What do you want from me? The following night, the man returned. I asked him: What do you want from me? He replied: Have three Masses celebrated for me, and I will be delivered. So I understood that it was a soul in Purgatory. My spiritual director confirmed this. He also advised me never to turn away the poor souls, but to accept with generosity whatever they asked of me..."

When It Was Forbidden to Be Catholic in Hawaii

I have been meaning to post Fr. Stephanos' article on Catholicism in Hawaii but kept forgetting to. Hope it's not too late to share the following bit of history with you.

Ah heck, go visit Father 's blog and read it all there yourselves. :-)

Divine Mercy for the Dying

"Extreme Unction", part of The Seven Sacraments (1445) by Roger van der Weyden

The following is from Notebook II of Sister Faustina's Diary, page 320 #811

"...At the hour of their death I defend as My own glory every soul that will say this chaplet; or when others say it for a dying person, the indulgence is the same. When this chaplet is said by the bedside of a dying person, God's anger is placated, unfathomable mercy envelops the soul, and the very depths of My tender mercy are moved for the sake of the sorrowful Passion of My son."

Happy Mother's Day

Thank you Barb for sharing this.

Before I was a Mom

I slept as late as I wanted and never worried
about how late I got into bed.
I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday.

Before I was a Mom
I cleaned my house each day.
I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom I had never been puked on.
Pooped on. Spit on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom

I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom
I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

And I am sure when I am a Grandma

that all those "Mom" feelings will more than double!

Our Lady of Fatima

Refrain: Ave, Ave, Ave Maria! Ave, Ave, Ave Maria!

1. In Fatima's cove on the thirteenth of May;
the Virgin Maria appeared at mid-day.

2. The Virgin Maria surrounded by light;
God's Mother is ours for she gives us this sight.

3. The world was then suffering from war, plague, and strife,
and Portugal mourned for her great loss of life.

4. To three shepherd children the Virgin then spoke
a message so hopeful, with peace for all folk.

5. With sweet Mother's pleading, she asked us to pray,
do penance, be modest, the Rosary each day.

6. All Portugal heard what God's Mother did say,
converted it sings of that Queen to this day.

7. We all must remember Our Lady's request,
do all that she asks for, obey her bequests.

8. She warned of behavior from which we must turn,
of thoughts, words, and actions which Christians must spurn.

9. To her sad, sweet pleading our promise is made,
that God's Law in all things be strongly obeyed.

10. From nation to nation her fair name is praised,
as souls from sin's bondage are contritely raised.

11. Our thanks to the Godhead, whose ways are so sure,
for giving us Mary, our Mother Most Pure.

12. Our hearts, overflowing with kindness and love,
thank her for God's graces bestowed from above.

13. Hail, Refuge of sinners! Hail, Star of the Sea!
Hail, Queen of Creation! Our hope is in thee.

14. All hail, Virgin Mary! This Star guides our way,
our country's Protectress, America's Way!

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