La Sabana Santa
Oh, my poor Jesus!!
via Pinterest
Friday, March 21, 2014
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Guest Post on Father Gordon's Blog - "I Come to the Catholic Church for Healing and Hope"
Father Gordon MacRae is often in my thoughts.
I used to picture him languishing in prison for over twenty years for a crime he didn't commit. But it is very clear that God does work to do good things out of really bad situations.
Father Gordon could easily ended up feeling sorry for himself and becoming a hardened man in the prison. Yet, he chose to put his trust in God. even though there were many times I am sure that he must have wondered if he had been abandoned by God. He continued to exercise his priestly duties as best he could. In that prison, he was forbidden from ministering through the sacraments. In fact, there in prison he is just another prisoner who claims to be innocent. The others cannot even address him with the title that rightfully belongs to him...Father. Yet, with his kindness, compassion and sense of humor, (as regular readers of his blog These Stone Walls know well), he has managed to earn the trust, admiration and love of some tough guys, his fellow prisoners.
One such prisoner should also be familiar to Father's regular readers and that person is Pornchai. He has written a very touching guest post on Father's blog. I hope you take the time to read it. It is touching because Pornchai teaches the reader compassion and understanding for the men locked away while telling his incredible story of conversion.
Father Gordon is in prison through no fault of his own. Yet, imagine all the good works that would have gone undone, had he not been sent to prison! It is an awesome thing to contemplate.
But please keep Father in your prayers as his appeal is currently in the courts. God willing he his conviction will someday soon be overturned.
And, please pray for Pornchai and the other friends of Father in the prison and for prisoners everywhere.
These Stone Walls: I Come to the Catholic Church for Healing and Hope.
Lastly, in the event you missed it, there is a very good article in Marian Helper magazine about Pornchai and buddies recent Marian consecration. You can read it HERE.
I used to picture him languishing in prison for over twenty years for a crime he didn't commit. But it is very clear that God does work to do good things out of really bad situations.
Father Gordon could easily ended up feeling sorry for himself and becoming a hardened man in the prison. Yet, he chose to put his trust in God. even though there were many times I am sure that he must have wondered if he had been abandoned by God. He continued to exercise his priestly duties as best he could. In that prison, he was forbidden from ministering through the sacraments. In fact, there in prison he is just another prisoner who claims to be innocent. The others cannot even address him with the title that rightfully belongs to him...Father. Yet, with his kindness, compassion and sense of humor, (as regular readers of his blog These Stone Walls know well), he has managed to earn the trust, admiration and love of some tough guys, his fellow prisoners.
One such prisoner should also be familiar to Father's regular readers and that person is Pornchai. He has written a very touching guest post on Father's blog. I hope you take the time to read it. It is touching because Pornchai teaches the reader compassion and understanding for the men locked away while telling his incredible story of conversion.
Father Gordon is in prison through no fault of his own. Yet, imagine all the good works that would have gone undone, had he not been sent to prison! It is an awesome thing to contemplate.
But please keep Father in your prayers as his appeal is currently in the courts. God willing he his conviction will someday soon be overturned.
And, please pray for Pornchai and the other friends of Father in the prison and for prisoners everywhere.
These Stone Walls: I Come to the Catholic Church for Healing and Hope.
Lastly, in the event you missed it, there is a very good article in Marian Helper magazine about Pornchai and buddies recent Marian consecration. You can read it HERE.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Mahalo Saint Joseph!
How can one honor a saint such as Saint Joseph!
He was a kind man.
He was a holy man.
He was a quiet man.
He was a righteous man.
He was a good husband...the best actually!
He was a good father.
He was a good protector.
He was a hard worker.
He was a loving provider.
He was a good role model.
He listened when God spoke to him.
He was humble.
He was silent.
He kept his thoughts to himself and God.
He did God's will.
He never complained.
When he died he was mourned deeply by his holy little family.
When he went to Heaven, Holy Mother Church raised him to be:
the protector of the universal church;
He is the:
the patron saint of the dying;
the patron saint of fathers;
the patron saint of those who want to sell their homes or buy a home;
the patron saint of workers;
the patron saint of all Josephs, Joes, Joeys, Joses, Guiseppes,
the patron saint of carpenters;
So, how can I thank St. Joseph for all the help and comfort he has given me over the years. I often go to him, daily in fact, because I know he will help those I entrust to his care.
He is a self-less saint, like most saints are yet there is something special about St. Joseph. He was a favorite among some saints, St. Teresa of Avila and St. Damien are two that come to mind.
I cannot imagine going through the day without invoking the aid of St. Joseph!
So, today on his feast day, I simply want to say. "I love you Saint Joseph". "Thank you St. Joseph."
Picture source
O, my beloved St. Joseph,
adopt me as thy child,
take care of my salvation,
watch over me day and night,
preserve me from the occasion of sin,
obtain for me purity of soul and body!
Through thy intercession with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament,
and a sweet tender love for Mary, my Mother.
St. Joseph,
be with me living,
be with me dying and obtain for me a favorable
judgment from Jesus,
my merciful Savior.
Amen.
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