Feast of the Archangels

Prayer to the Archangels

Holy Princes and faithful messengers of the Sovereigns of Heaven, I thank thee for the lights with which thou hast illuminated my understanding and strengthened by heart and dissipated the blindness of my eyes. I, who am the least of all of the creatures that exist upon the earth, praise the Lord for all of the marvelous things He has done in me.

Dear Archangels, I, who am deserving of nothing, beseech thee, go now to Our Lord and Our Lady of Good Success and intercede for me, as this poor servant desires to prostrate himself before Them and submit to whatever they desire. As my heart and my entire being belongs to Them, may I, like a small drop of dew, lose myself in the immensity of the Divine Being.

Amen.

Prayer source

St. Michael the Archangel

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...Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.


The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it... - Revelations Chapter 12:7-9

St. Gabriel the Archangel

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...Then Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."


And the angel said to him in reply, "I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.


But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time..." - Luke 1:18-21

St. Raphael the Archangel

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...So Raphael was sent to heal them both: to remove the cataracts from Tobit's eyes, so that he might again see God's sunlight; and to marry Raguel's daughter Sarah to Tobit's son Tobiah, and then drive the wicked demon Asmodeus from her. For Tobiah had the right to claim her before any other who might wish to marry her.In the very moment that Tobit returned from the courtyard to his house, Raguel's daughter Sarah came downstairs from her room.... - Tobit 3:17

A Dog Who Says Grace Before Eating

Watch video here.

Latest Update on the Blue Chapel

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A few years ago, a kind lady would send me regular updates on the Cloistered Nuns of the Blue Chapel in Union City, New Jersey, who had to leave their home. It was
Someone was kind enough to leave the following comment yesterday. Mahalo!

Peace be unto you and may Mary ever be a Mother unto us.
As of this post, 9/27/2010, all the nuns are gone from the former Blue Chapel with the woman who runs the gift shop coming in occasionally.

Last year, a proposal was brought to an assembly of community residents to convert the Blue Chapel to a home for unwed mothers. The architect who was present revealed that the footprint of the building would change, the perimeter walls would go in some cases, and 3 stories would be added. The residents vocally objected and the plan is on hold for the time being.

Local preservationists are trying to convince local leaders in Union City, especially the mayor, to attempt to get the former building protected to a limited extent on the New Jersey Registry of Historic Places. So far the church authority, as I understand, is opposed to this and their are hints that the entire property of just over 1 acre will be sold. But that is unconfirmed at this point.

The Union City Reporter, available on-line, has at least 3 articles about the Blue Chapel to date.

Meanwhile a sister monastery in Summit, New Jersey continues.

The Blue Chapel consistently lost nuns over several decades and they are interred in a small cemetery on the grounds.

Perhaps the best known nun was the late Sr. Mary of the Compassion (Constance Mary Rowe)who was artistically gifted.

Please continue to pray for those nuns who still survive but have been relocated due to age and infirmity.
Pax Christi

The Blue Chapel also has connections to our friends, the Dominican Nuns in Summit, NJ. History



More information and recent articles on the Blue Chapel:


Saving the Blue Chapel

Novena to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos CSsR Started Yesterday

I'm so sorry I failed to post this notice yesterday.

From Mary Jane:

His Feast Day is October 5th.

Divine Physician,
You infused Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos
with the gift of Your healing.
By the help of his prayers,
sustain in me the grace to know Your will
and the strength to overcome my afflictions.
For love of You, make me whole.
May I learn from the example of Father Seelos
and gain comfort from his patient endurance.
Amen. (Mention your intentions here)


Litany of Blessed Francis Seelos:


Lord, have mercy on us!

Christ, have mercy on us!

Lord, have mercy on us!

Christ, hear us!

Christ, graciously hear us!

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, pray for us

Francis, pattern of cheerfulness, pray for us

Francis, lover of labors, pray for us

Francis, model of confessors, pray for us

Francis, gentle refuge of penitents, pray for us

Francis, example to seminarians, pray for us

Francis, master of poverty, pray for us

Francis, pillar of peacefulness, pray for us

Francis, comfort of the sick, pray for us

Francis, companion to the dying, pray for us

Francis, paragon of holiness, pray for us


LET US PRAY


O God, who made your priest, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, outstanding in love, that he might proclaim the mysteries of redemption, and comfort those in affliction, grant, by his intercession, that we may work zealously for your glory and for the salvation of all. Amen.

For more information go to: Blessed Seelos Center

Note: I finished this Novena which I had been praying for someone, last week. My friend Dottie gave me the Novena booklet. I highly recommend you obtaining it because it is filled with testimonials of Father Seelos' life and holiness as well as prayers.

Nice Coverage of the Recent Beatification of Cardinal Newman

Can be found at Catholic Heritage

I am happy they let me know about it. Thank you.

In Memoriam Fr. Steven F. Torraco, PhD

Sunday Night Live - Don Bosco's relics - Fr. Groeschel, CFR with Fr. Ang...

Why do I have to go to Confession?

This video was posted recently but it had been removed. It is now up and running.

In Memoriam Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M.

Spiritual Advice - Avoid Being Anxious About the Little Things

It appears that Saint Francis de Sales is the one who originally came up with the idea of "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff".

"St. Basil says that when God's will is shown clearly to us by His ordinances and commandments, there is nothing further to deliberate on, for we must simply do what has been ordained." BUT, St. Francis counsels, "for all other things, it is in our liberty to choose what seems good according to our preferences, although we must not do all that is lawful, but only what is expedient...to determine properly what is suitable, we must listen to the advice of a wise spiritual director.

St. Francis warns against the troublesome temptation that as he says "comes to souls who have a great desire to follow in all things what best accords with God's will. On every occasion the enemy puts them in doubt as to whether it is God's will for them to do one thing rather than another." The following are some examples given by St. Francis de Sales:

Asking

-whether it is God's will to dine with a certain friend or not;

-whether they should wear gray clothes or black;

-whether they should fast on Friday or Saturday;

-whether they should participate in a certain recreation or abstain from it;

-whether it is better to hear Mass in one church rather than another;

-whether it is better to spin rather than to sew;

-whether it is better to give alms to a man or to a woman.

-whether to go to the hospital to visit the sick rather than to vespers?

-whether to go hear a sermon rather than visit a church where one can earn an indulgence;

St. Francis says that if we do so, we are wasting a lot of time. While perplexing over these small matters, we are losing many opportunities to do good deeds.

"Choices of vocation, plans for some affair of great importance, a work requiring a long time or some very great expenditure of money, change or residence, choice of associates, and such similar t hings require that we think seriously as to what best accords with God's will. But, in little daily actions, ion which even a mistake is neither of consequence nor beyond repair, what need is there for us to make a great to-do, given them much attention, and stop to make importunate consultation with others? To what purpose will I make trouble for myself to learn whether God prefers me to say the Rosary or the Office of Our Lady? There can be no such great differences between the one and the other that a long inquest should be hold...

...We must proceed in good faith and without subtle distinctions in such affairs (Note: the above list of examples) and, as St. Basil says, do freely what seems good to us, so as not to weary our minds, waste our time, and put ourselves in danger of disquiet, scruples, and superstition...

...Even in important matters, we must be very humble and not think of finding God's will by force of scrutiny and subtle discussion. We must:

- pray to the Holy Spirit for illumination;

- "applied our thought to search for His good pleasure";

- Speak and listen to our spiritual director or maybe another spiritual person;

"Finally, we must come to a resolution and decision in the name of God. After that we must not call our choice in doubt, but devoutly, peacefully, and firmly keep and sustain it."

We must be willing to live with our decision so as not to cause disruption of peace in our soul.

From Finding God's Will for You by St. Francis de Sales, Sophia Press Publishers.