Pardon Crucifix

The Front of the Crucifix:
Above the cruciform figure, the familiar I.N.R.I. has been inscribed with the words "Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum. "" Latin uses I instead of the English J, and V instead of U (Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm). The English translation is "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." .

The Reverse of the Crucifix:
On the transverse arms are the words, "Father, forgive them.". On the vertical beam of the Cross are the words, "Behold this heart which has so loved men.". An image of The Sacred Heart of Jesus is shown in the center.

A few months ago, a friend gave my mother and me a Pardon Crucifix. With that gift, am developing a more deep devotion to the Crucifix. I also learned that there are many indulgences attached when one has a devotion to the Crucifix.

Source of the above description

"Granted by his Holiness, Pope Pius X to the Pius Union of the Pardon Crucifix, the aim of which is to obtain pardon of God and to pardon one's neighbors.

1. Whoever carries on his person the Pardon Crucifix, may thereby gain an indulgence.

2. For devoutly kissing the Crucifix, an indulgence is gained.

3. Whoever says one of the following invocations before this crucifix may gain each time an indulgence: "Our Father who art in heaven, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." "I beg the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray to the Lord our God for me."

4. Whoever, habitually devout to this Crucifix, will fulfill the necessary conditions of Confession and Holy Communion, may gain a Plenary Indulgence on the following feasts: On the feasts of the Five Wounds of our Lord, the Invention of the Holy Cross, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Immaculate Conception, and the Seven Sorrows (Dolors) of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

5. Whoever, at the moment of death, fortified with the Sacraments of the Church, or contrite of heart, in the supposition of being unable to receive them, will kiss this Crucifix and ask pardon of God for his sins, and pardon his neighbor, will gain a Plenary Indulgence.

(Pontifical Rescript of June 1, 1905 to MM the Abbes Lemann)

A Card. Tripepi
Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Indulgences

To the Faithful who devoutly kiss this Crucifix and gain these precious indulgences, we recommend to having in view the following intentions: To testify love for Our Lord and the Blessed Virgin, gratitude towards our Holy Father, the Pope, to beg for the remission of one's sins, the deliverance of souls in purgatory, the return of the nations to the Faith, forgiveness among Christians, reconciliation among the member of the Catholic Church.

By another Pontifical Rescript of November 14, 1905, His Holiness Pope Pius X, has declared that the Indulgences attached to the Pardon Crucifix are applicable to the souls in Purgatory.

With Ecclesiastical Sanction
January 15, 1907

W.J. Hirten Co."

Holy Cards All Over the Place

One of my New Year's resolution was to declutter our home. But this time I am taking a different approach. I started in one area of our bedroom. I completely organize that area before moving on to the next area. I do one area a day so not to overwhelm myself like I have done in the past. It is my estimation that by this time next year, I will have have reached my goal of complete decluttering of our home.

As I declutter and organize I am finding lots of holy cards that I have tucked into books, the Family Bible, drawers, etc. I now have a little pouch full of holy cards I had forgotten I had saved. I know somewhere by my desk is another pouch full of Holy cards. I don't know where exactly where they are, but it's here somewhere...at least I hope so.

So now the Holy cards are getting out of hand. Whenever, I need just one, I have to go through an entire pile just to get the one I am looking for. This is not counting the Holy card collection Joey started when he was a little boy. Like for instance, this past Christmas I wanted to tuck a Holy card in the Christmas Cards we sent out. I had to make sure the Holy cards I chose where not ones that were given at someone's funeral. I was really careful about that.

Well it seems I am not the only one with this kind of problem.

The Pious Sodality of Church Ladies have a tip on organizing one's holy cards.

There tip is a good one. I don't know if it will work for me but I'm going to give it a try.

Sacramentals - Protection Against Evil

"Sacramentals are part of the Church's arsenal" - Fr. John Corapi

It is always a big shock to me when I learn that some of my fellow Catholics do not use, wear or have certain sacramentals. I am referring to wearing the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, wearing the Miraculous Medal, the use of Holy Water and Blessed Salt in the homes, the use of Holy Oil, etc. I do not understand their reasoning behind not doing so. I hope those who do not will begin to do make use of some sacramentals with their families and in their homes on a daily basis.

In my search for an easy to understand article on the importance of sacramentals for Catholics, I found an old article written by Catholic mom and author Regina Doman. EWTN Library - Sacramentals: What Are They?"

Practically speaking, the myriad of little things that are sacramentals are the parts of catholicity that jostle against us in our everyday life, those little extras that often tell others we are Catholic. They are the images, actions and blessings that are unique to our faith; those sometimes humble reminders of what the Catholic faith is all about, like the crucifix on our wall.

Sacramentals run the gamut from blessings of consecrated virgins to articles such as relics and rosaries. Some, such as holy water, are used by almost every Catholic. Others are more personal, such as devotionals to a particular saint.

You may recall a recent post I wrote regarding Sacramentals in the home. In that post I wrote about some of the kinds of sacramentals that every Catholic home should have Sacramentals in the Home: A Catholic Tradition

I direct your attention back to the quote at the beginning of this post. Fr. Corapi made it quite clear in his talk I heard last night on EWTN that we must protect ourselves against the Devil and evil in general. He stressed that sacramentals are an essential way of doing just that. Father Corapi knows that as a priest, he is constantly under attack by the evil one. He always asks people to pray for him. He also uses Holy Water and Blessed Salt on a regular basis. He sprinkles them around his house and car. Since Blessed Salt will not evaporate as Holy Water does, he makes sure to do both. I have been saving my Blessed Salt because I have been afraid that once the salt blessed by Father Duffy is used up,another priest will not bless salt for me. However, today I will sprinkle the blessed salt around our home and car...just like Fr .Corapi.

Sacramentals in the Home - A Catholic Tradition

Yesterday at the Easter Sunday Mass, I filled our Holy Water bottles with the Easter Water blessed at the Easter Vigil Mass the night before. I don't remember where I first learned about bringing home Easter Water on Easter Sunday. I believe I learned this from my mother but this is a tradition in our family now.

Tradition is an important part of the Catholic faith. Not only do we as Catholics continue the traditions passed on by the early Church, but also traditions passed down from our own families.

My husband and I grew up in homes filled with statues and pictures of saints, crucifixes, and other blessed and holy objects. There was no mistaking our home as belonging to a Catholic family. Well, that and the fact that there were so many children growing up there too. :-)

Even before our son joined our family, our home as a married couple was filled with the richness of Catholic holy items. These holy items are referred to by the Catholic Church as sacramentals.

The following is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church with regard to sacramentals:

667 "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...

The use of sacramentals enriches our spiritual life through graces obtained when we use them and as a constant reminder to us of Christ and His holy church.

Holy Water

The Holy Water we keep in our home is one such sacramental. We have a little Holy Water font by the front door. We bless ourselves, each other and our pets when we leave the house. We have a supply of bottled Holy Water for the family's use throughout the year.

Rosaries

Each member of the family should have his or her own rosary. However, if your family is like our family, a multitude of rosaries can be found in the household. Just to give you a little glimpse into our Rosary filled home: My husband and I have a beautiful rosary given to us by the Franciscan Sisters of St. Elizabeth when we got married. We have the Pro-Life Rosary with the baby in each bead given to me by a good friend. We have the Rosary to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Fatima. We have finger rosaries, plastic rosaries, corded rosaries, etc. But we usually have our own favorites when we pray the Holy Rosary together in the evenings.


Scapulars

There are different kinds of scapulars, with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Green Scapular being the most popular kinds of devotions by Catholics.

Some scapulars have privileges and indulgences attached to wearing them, but like any sacramental (holy water, blessed candles, etc.), scapulars are not magic; their efficacy depends on the proper intentions and faith of the wearer. Only by following through on the promises one makes when becoming invested can the benefits associated with them be had. They are best thought of as signs of a commitment to do certain things and of one's being a part of a religious community. They act as reminders, too, of these things they signify and of the Saints who are parts of the religious community in question. They are reminders to behave with holiness.

Blessed Candles

Most of our blessed candles were blessed at Candlemas otherwise known as the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord. We also have our blessed Advent Candles from past years and our blessed wedding candle, along with other blessed candles received during different Mass celebrations such as the Easter Vigil. Now, you don't need a candle as large as the one seen in the photo above of Joey lighting the Easter Candle at yesterday's Easter Sunday Mass, but blessed candles are also a good sacramental to keep in a Catholic home. There is a story of the 3 days of darkness that I remember reading. It says that the only candle light that will be able to shine forth will be from blessed candles. I don't know if that is true or not but if that is the case, we will be well prepared.

Blessed Salt

We have our Hawaiian Sea Salt blessed by our dear friend Fr. Edwin Duffy. I use it only when necessary, for example as part of our Epiphany House Blessing. My mom utilizes blessed salt when she cooks something she is not sure is very fresh, as a way of protecting the family members who will partake of the food. One of my friends sprinkles blessed salt around the windows and doors of her home as protection for her family and home. Neither my mom nor my friend use blessed salt as a magical way of protection but rather rely on God's grace to assist them.

There is a renewed interest today in the ancient sacramental of blessed salt, especially by charismatics, in healing and deliverance situations, etc. To understand its proper use and its efficacy, it would be helpful to review the Scriptural symbolism and its history, since Vatican II urges us to participate “intelligently and actively” in the use of sacramentals, just as in the use of Sacraments.

Read the rest here

The other sacramentals or blessed objects that are in our home include numerous crucifixes, holy images of Our Lady's different apparitions, Jesus (Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy), relics, statues of the saints, blessed oil, the Holy Family, blessed medals, etc.

Keeping sacramentals in the home and using them to remind us of God's love and assistance is a beautiful tradition to pass on to your own children. Even though our son is a teen, he would never consider being without his Brown Scapular, Crucifix or Miraculous Medal.

To learn more about sacramentals and the proper way of disposing of sacramentals, be sure to visit Fisheaters

Holy Water

Ah, one of my favorite sacramentals. That little bitty bottle that they sell in Catholic stores isn't big enough for my family. I use a very clean, empty decorative Arizona Tea bottles (the glass ones) to store our Holy Water. Can't wait until Easter for our new Holy Water!

I found the following at The Anchoress' place



And, in case you are wondering how Holy Water is made Mark has the instructions. I also got this from my friend Lois.

SACRED HEART BADGE

The following was shared with me by my friend Mary Ann of The Friends of the Holy Souls

THE BADGE OF THE SACRED HEART

An Emblem of Love

What is the
SACRED HEART BADGE

Ever since the day, in the late seventeenth century, when St. Margaret Mary set up a little picture of the divine Heart for honoring by her fellow religious, many types of Sacred Heart badges and medals have appeared. But the Sacred Heart Badge, often encased in plastic, is the most popular of all.

This official badge bears the image of Our Lord on one side, showing us His Heart and pleading for men's love, even as He showed Himself to St. Margaret Mary in 1674. The reverse side shows the Heart alone, encircled with thorns, the Cross buried within it, and the flames of divine love bursting from it. This side bears the indulgenced aspiration: "Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy Kingdom Come."

A plastic covering gives durability, necessary with respect to Indulgences. But equally valid is any firm backing: heavy cloth, felt, metal, etc.
The Badge is an external sign of the union we cultivate with Christ as the Head.

WHO USES THE BADGE?

Perhaps the easiest answer would be: "Almost everybody." That is, almost every Catholic has at one time or other carried in pocket, purse, wallet, or about his person this emblem of love.

One thinks of the sudden cessation of the Great Plague devastating Marseilles in 1720, following the citizens' throwing of themselves upon the mercy of the divine Heart and each fashioning for himself a Sacred Heart Badge.

One thinks of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini in New York and New Orleans and elsewhere, busy with her distribution of countless Badges to men and women in all walks of life. Or of the thousands of invalids who have known an added measure of encouragement and hope as the Badge was pinned to their clothing. Or of the members of American armed forces who have asked for and treasured the Badge.

Certainly to all devotees of the divine Heart, the Badge is precious. It remains indeed a white and red badge of courage, of trust in Our Lord, and of love for Him.

INDULGENCES

FOR ALL CATHOLICS:

"Sacred Heart of Jesus, Thy Kingdom Come!"
For saying this ejaculation, the Faithful may gain an:
Indulgence of 300 Days each time.

Imprimatur, New York, November, 1955
Francis Cardinal Spellman, D.D.

Where can you get your own Sacred Heart Badge? Well, how about the same place our family got ours Tradition, Family and Property/America Needs Fatima

The Benefits of Holy Water

First of all, how do you make Holy Water....you boil the hell out of it. Told to my friend by a priest so I guess it's an okay joke :-)

The following was shared by Sue Cifelli:

Holy water is a sacramental that remits venial sin. Because of the blessing attached to it, Holy Church strongly urges its use upon her children, especially when dangers threaten, such as fire, storms, sickness and other calamities. Every Catholic home should always have a supply of holy water in it.

We do not take advantage of the benefits derived from holy water.

LET US CULTIVATE ITS USE

Untold spiritual wealth is concentrated in a tiny drop of blessed water.

And we give it so little thought!

If we would but realize now, as we shall realize after death, the many benefits which may be derived from holy water, we would use it far more frequently, and with greater faith and reverence. Holy water has its great power and efficacy from the prayers of the Church, which its Divine Founder always accepts with complacency.

Source: Catholic Tradition

Fr. Joe Whalen and St. Raphael's Healing Oil

Approximately three years ago I was visiting my parents in New Jersey. The phone rang and I picked it. It was a priest, Father Joseph Whalen returning my mother's call. Not much more thought was given by me because it was not unusual for my mom to receive calls from priests or religious.

Afterwards, my mom showed me a copy of Medjugordje Magazine featuring the amazing story of a late vocation priest. That is Fr. Joe. His ministry now is in making, blessing and distributing St. Raphael's Healing Oil to those who request it.

The other day, I decided to offer our little vial of the healing oil which is as you know a sacramental, to one of our friends who is suffering from cancer. He was so happy to receive it! I explained to him that it was not to be used as something magical but as I mentioned above, a sacramental. Even though he is not a practicing Catholic, he understood. I am still in awe of his faith.

Well, that left our family without the healing oil. I emailed Fr. Joe and told him to pray for our friend Phillip and to please send me another vial of the healing oil.

As a side note, a year ago, a lady who used to be a good friend of mine was suddenly taken to the hospital with severe stomach pains. The doctors had no idea what was causing it. When I went to the emergency room to see her I brought along the vial of the healing oil. Another friend of ours and I blessed her with the holy oil and also recited the prayers that accompany the oil. Well, it turned out that the stomach pain was nothing life threatening. However, the doctors did discover cancer of the kidneys. My friend had surgery and she was healed from the cancer. All of us owe a big debt of gratitude to the healing powers of the holy oil and of course to God.

Back to my story, I received a note in response stating that they were two weeks behind in mailing the holy oil. However, in a few days, I received the oil! Not only one vial, but two!! How kind of Fr. Joe to send me more in case another friend was in need of them.

The following was in the email I received from Fr. Joe's assistant:

We do not sell the holy oil, it is available to all and many who cannot afford a donation. Those that do contribute make it possible for us to send to the poor and cover all of our operating expenses, postage, materials etc...(US funds only)you may send it after you receive your packet, Fr. Joe's name and address will be on the envelope.
Please tell him in your letter that you received your holy oil.
So however the Holy Spirit moves you...your Love offering will be gratefully appreciated.

To read a little more on Fr. Joe, click Here and Here

If you would like to request your own vial of St. Raphael's Healing oil, you can contact Fr. Joe Whalen at the following:

StRaphael25(at)aol(dot)com
Fr. Joe Whalen, M.S.
Missionaries of LaSalette
St. James Church
12 Franklin Street
Danielson, CT 06239
860-774-6553
802-343-0573

Hill of Crosses

H/T to Sue who shared the following:

Over the centuries, Catholics have risked death, and exile to Siberia to leave
their crosses and rosaries on this hill. It began in the 14th century when
Catholics were ordered to remove the crosses from within, and outside their
homes. Their response was to carry them, at risk of their lives, and leave them
on The Hill. Centuries later, the Communists tried to destroy The Hill by
various means, multiple times, but didn't succeed.
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To learn more and to see pictures, click HERE