Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

A Meditation on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary

Holiday (Christmas) Mail for Heroes

In this season of hope and giving the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, Inc. have joined forces to invite Americans to “send a touch of home” to United States service members and veterans across the country and abroad. In its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program is an opportunity to share joy and thanks with our service members throughout the holiday season by way of a greeting card.

Today over 1.4 million men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces and over 24 million veterans have served in the past. The holiday season is the perfect time to honor and extend a warm holiday greeting to those who’ve served and continue to do so.

...Read the rest here

So won't you please send Christmas cards to our military heroes this Christmas.

Motion Picture About 'One Of Those Quiet Heroes' - "Tears in the Desert"

P R E S S R E L E A S E

Motion Picture About 'One Of Those Quiet Heroes'

Navy Chaplain Father Ron Moses Camarda's book / diary TEAR IN THE DESERT, about his journey into the harsh reality of the Iraq War in 2004, soon to be a motion picture.

November 2009, Grafton, WI / Atlantic Beach , FL

Film & TV Producer Christian Peschken recently obtained the exclusive film rights of Fr. Ron Moses Camarda's book / diary "TEAR IN THE DESERT"

Father Ron Camarda, a Roman Catholic Priest, was recalled to Active Duty to serve with the Marines during the Battle for Fallujah, Iraq (2004). At Bravo Surgical (Marine equivalent to a M.A.S.H. unit) he received over 1500 casualties and 81 deaths. When he returned home he found his work was not done. Walking with the widows and families left behind has been filled with great love and compassion. This is a walk with God into the war in the desert, only to find that the real war is within the human heart.

In his book "TEAR IN THE DESERT" Fr. Ron documents the touching and horrific events that he encountered on a daily basis.

"This story needs to be told. Now is the right time. Not only did Fr. Ron make a difference in the soldier's life, but also in the life of their relatives. Fr. Ron is a typical anti hero, a quiet hero. His story is perfect for a movie with a strong message, namely, and I quote Pope John Paul II, "War is a defeat for Humanity", says producer Christian Peschken. "I see this film along the lines of "Midnight Express", and hope to have a similar success. We have interest from domestic and international distributors already. I chose to shoot the film in South Africa.

Not only because of the incentives that will cover almost 30% of the budget , but also because of the great variety of locations that match Iraq", says Peschken.
At this time the producer seeks private investors to fund the film, to be shot in 2010 in South Africa, Florida, and Las Vegas, NV.

Christian Peschken is a seasoned Film & TV producer Christian Peschken . Since
2009 he is involved mostly with Catholic Faith related productions, that air on EWTN, Catholic TV and other Catholic media systems.
For interviews or more about the project please contact Mr. Christian Peschken at
peschken@aol.com

Why a HOLY HOUR before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament?

Photo by Esther G.

PERHAPS MANY still ask that question. To it there is basically only one answer: Jesus Christ, the God-Man, is present....

He is present in that special Eucharistic manner of transubstantiation in which the very substance of the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

St. Thomas taught that the Eucharist is the greatest of miracles ever worked by Christ, to perpetuate his Passion and Sacrifice with us and to be specially present to each individual.

Christ is present there for us, to manifest his great love for us. St. Thomas says, "He cares for us and is there." If we care for him, we would also be there for a Holy Hour or some other form of Eucharistic adoration. Christ had asked this of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque as he had asked the apostles in the Garden of Olives: "Can you not watch one hour with me?"

Read the rest here

Could the French Revolution Have Been Avoided?

According to Edna McGrew in the book Herald of the Fatima Apparitions: John M. Haffert, that is what John Haffert, co-founder of the World Apostolate of Fatima, believed. In December 1673, Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and shared with her the devotion to His Sacred Heart. Jesus asked for a Communion of Reparation to His Sacred Heart be made on nine consecutive First Fridays. This was "...a final effort of His Love to favor human beings in the last centuries of the world, and to withdraw them from the empire of Satan, which He intends to destroy and to replace with the reign of His Love."

"Then in 1689 Jesus told St. Margaret Mary: 'The eternal Father, wishing to repair the bitterness and agony which the Heart of Jesus endured in the palaces of earthly princes, wishes to make use of the reigning monarch of France [Louis XIV] to proclaim public devotion of reparation to that Sacred Heart.' It was a comparatively simple request. The King was to consecrate France to the Sacred Heart and to erect a shrine in which the picture of Jesus' Divine Heart would be honored. In addition, the King was to ask the Holy See to establish a Mass honoring the Sacred Heart.

Throughout his life King Louis XIV ignored this request from God. In the meantime, impoverished by the continuous wars during the King's reign, France faced an economic crisis which ultimately resulted in the French revolution. As John [Haffert] points out: 'exactly 100 years after the Sacred Heart made His ignored request, in 1789 came the French revolution which destroyed the monarchy and set the stage for worldwide disaster.'"

Father Gordon MacRae: The Day the Earth Stood Still

...There were rumblings of change in the world before JFK’s death. On March 18 in that same year, the U.S. Supreme Court banned prayer from public schools. In the second grade, Mrs. Walsh had begun each day by reading Psalm 23. We were better off for hearing it. In the third grade, Mrs. Eisenberg recited a Hebrew Berakah. We were better off for hearing that as well. We had no sense that the age of the individual had dawned, and our collective welfare – the very soul of our nation – was to be set aside to accommodate it.

Nancy Reagan once said, “The ’60’s was the worst time in history to bring up children.” In the six years from 1963 to 1969, the storm of my adolescence raged upon a chaotic sea. Each successive wave of change, fueled by crisis, smashed away at the remnants of consistency and order. If you were an adolescent in the 60’s, then you remember how the chaos inside seemed to mirror the chaos outside. And what was going on outside was brutal. It’s all a jumble of memory...

Read the rest of Father Gordon's excellent post here

Memorial Masses Scheduled Worldwide - December 9th - Archbishop Sheen

According to the Diocese of Paterson, memorial masses are scheduled to be celebrated worldwide on December 9th.

A worldwide celebration of Masses Dec. 9 will commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of famed author, lecturer and television evangelizer Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, as well as promote his cause for canonization.

Two women from the Paterson Diocese launched the program: Lo Anne Mayer, a parishioner of Christ the King Church in New Vernon, and La Verne Washburne, a parishioner of Corpus Christi Church in Chatham Township.

Mayer, who is a board member of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation in Peoria, Ill., and president of its advisory council, credits her friend Washburne with conceiving the worldwide Mass idea.

You can read the rest here

YEAR FOR PRIESTS - St. John Vianney

Nice post over at Idle Speculations complete with pictures.

This Weekend CCHD Collection: What You Should Know

As you may already know, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development will be collecting this weekend at your local parishes. I have been posting links and videos to make my readers aware that the monies may still be going to support groups whose agendas are blatantly contrary to Catholic teachings.

If you caught EWTN's the World Over last Friday, you heard the two guests (the founder of Bellarmine Veritas Ministry (BVM) and Michael Hichborn of The American Life League give information they obtained through diligent research, revealing that the CCHD may still be contributing monies collected by you and me, to pro-abortion, pro-homosexual groups.

If you want to learn more about this, please visit: Reform the Catholic Campaign for Human Development

Here in Hawaii, the Diocese has recently posted the following on the website: Catholic Campaign for Human Development Sets the Record Straight. The following are excerpts:

Across our nation, CCHD is helping thousands of low- income families improve their lives and communities, to seek justice and to defend their dignity. As we approach the annual CCHD collection, we urge your generous support of the help and hope that CCHD has offered for decades. CCHD is needed now more than ever in these tough economic times when so many families are suffering and poverty is growing. As the Bishops responsible for the oversight of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, we pledge our ongoing efforts to ensure that all CCHD funds are used faithfully, effectively, and in accord with Catholic social and moral teaching.

All CCHD grants are carefully reviewed at both the national and diocesan levels and are approved by the local diocesan bishop. No group that opposes Catholic social or moral teaching is eligible for CCHD funding. If any CCHD funded group violates the conditions of a grant and acts in conflict with Catholic teaching, CCHD funding is immediately terminated...

A response to the above Bishops' statement by BVM can be found here.

When my family and I found out last year that our hard earned monies we contributed went to fund ACORN, we, decided that we could not in good conscience contribute to the CCHD. We chose instead to sent our monies to a worthwhile and organization who was loyal to church teaching.

We plan on doing the same thing this year.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS - New Site Added to Sidebar

Please be sure to visit this wonderful site Pray4apriest and while you are there, be sure to request your prayer kit.

H/T Priests in Crisis

The Three Priests - How Great Thou Art

For my mom because she loves this hymn:



H/T Jean

St. Joseph and the Holy Souls in Purgatory

Why should we be dedicated to St. Joseph?

St. Joseph is the Foster Father of our Judge and Savior. His power is dreaded by the devil. His death is the most singularly privileged and happiest death ever recorded as he died in the Presence and care of Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph will obtain for us that same privilege at our passage from this life to eternity.

We are called to pray for a happy death and for the dying. Blessed Louis Guanella said, “There is a need of living well, but there is even more need of dying well. A good death is everything.”...

Read the rest here

H/T Sue Cifelli

The Vatican Alma Mater

Press Release -
London, Wednesday 30 September 2009:
Released by Geffen/Universal with Multimedia San Paolo:

COMPOSERS ANNOUNCED FOR “ALMA MATER”, THE ALBUM FEATURING THE VOICE OF POPE BENEDICT XVI

"I am convinced that music really is the universal language of beauty which can bring together all people of good will on earth” Pope Benedict XVI"

London, 30 September 2009: It was announced today that Simon Boswell, Stefano Mainetti and Nour Eddine are the three contemporary composers who have contributed eight specially commissioned pieces of music for ‘Alma Mater’, the album which features the voice of Pope Benedict XVI, the Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome conducted by Monsignor Pablo Colino and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In keeping with the very special nature of 'Alma Mater', the album is released on Sunday 29 November by Geffen/Universal.

Vincent Messina, producer of Alma Mater, said:
"These three composers are world class and my first choices for the album. A happy co-incidence is that Stefano is Catholic, Simon is 'undeclared' and Nour is Muslim, thus perfectly representing our aim to produce an album that has universal appeal to all of those who love beautiful music. Their wonderful compositions for 'Alma Mater' have exceeded our expectations and we have all been very moved at how successfully these modern scores blend with the choir, the orchestra and the Pope’s voice. We feel sure that the music and the spoken word will both surprise and delight."

Rome-born Stefano Mainetti and Brit Simon Boswell are both celebrated and award-winning film composers. Mainetti has scored countless feature films, TV series, documentaries and stage productions, including the US Audio Bible, 'The Word of Promise'. Mainetti was also one of two composers who composed 'Abba Pater'. Boswell, who began his career in Italy, has composed for over 90 feature films, including several directed by Oscar-winning Danny Boyle. As well as writing for Alma Mater, Mainetti and Boswell have also been involved with the album’s music arrangements and production.

In writing for Alma Mater, the process was unusual, in that the starting point for the composers was not writing the music, but using the Gregorian Chants as the launch pad.

Stefano Mainetti:
"Here, instead of composing to a film script, which I’m used to, the ‘script’ was the Gregorian chants sang by the Choir and the words of the Pope, and it was fantastically inspiring."

Simon Boswell:
"Being in the historic space of St Peter's Basilica and listening to the air resonate with Gregorian chant was mesmerizing and a great responsibility - as it was when using the Holy Father’s voice. When composing, I was very sensitive to the rhythms of his speech. To me, the album has an uplifting, emotional core that, as with Renaissance art, you don’t have to be Catholic, Anglican or Muslim, to appreciate."

Nour Eddine is an Italy-based Moroccan musician and composer famed for world music, and to many, a highly imaginative choice for this ambitious project.

Nour Eddine: "It was a big surprise when I was asked by Vincent Messina to contribute to this album, because I'm from a traditional Arabic music background not a Classical one, but I then discovered that Gregorian chants and Arabic melody has deep historical roots in the Muslim world as well as the Christian world. It was a magical moment for me when the tradition of the Gregorian and my Arabic melody came together so harmoniously."

All three composers will be conducting their music from ‘Alma Mater’ at a series of concerts to launch the album in the winter – details to be announced.

Pope Benedict XV1 is expected to visit the UK in late 2010, the first papal visit to this country for more than 28 years.

The album was made possible by Multimedia San Paolo and Vatican Radio.

Advocata Nostra

http://del.interoute.com/?id=bfa0fe5e-e127-40c0-b356-2a1a0914a8e8&delivery=stream

Magistra Nostra

http://del.interoute.com/?id=d81e09b7-31d4-4a91-886e-5d6c3f554be2&delivery=stream

Jesus: Spiritual Warfare

1. My daughter, I want to teach you about spiritual warfare. Never trust in yourself, but abandon yourself totally to My will. In desolation, darkness and various doubts, have recourse to Me.

2. Do not bargain with any temptation; lock yourself immediately in My Heart.

3. Put your self-love in the last place, so that it does not taint your deeds.

4. Bear with yourself with great patience.

5. Do not neglect interior mortifications.

6. Shun murmurers like a plague.

7. Let all act as they like; you are to act as I want you to.

8. If someone causes you trouble, think what good you can do for the person who caused you to suffer. Do not pour out your feelings.

9. Be silent when you are rebuked.

10. Do not ask everyone’s opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank and simple as a child with him.

11. Do not become discouraged by ingratitude.

12. Do not examine with curiosity the roads down which I lead you.

13. When boredom and discouragement beat against your heart, run away from yourself and hide in My heart.

14. Do not fear struggle; courage itself often intimidates temptations, and they dare not attack us.

15. Always fight with the deep conviction that I am with you.

16. Do not be guided by feeling, because it is not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will.

17. I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles.

18. Know that you are now on a great stage where all Heaven and Earth are watching you.

19. Fight like a knight, so that I can reward you.

20. Do not be unduly fearful, because you are not alone.

­The Lord Jesus to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Divine Mercy in My Soul, n. 1760

Source

H/T Sue Cifelli

Confessions of a Gypsy Priest

Now, I find this recent story of a Gypsy man being ordained a priest after much hardship, very interesting because of the all the stories told to me as a child.

None of the stories concerning Gypsies, whether they were Gypsies in Peru or in the United States, were ever favorable. In fact, they often had a dark or sinister tone about them. However, contrary to these stories scaring me, they intrigued me. I am sure most of them were quite exaggerated such as those I heard or read about Gypsies stealing children or just about anything that they came across. I often wonder what is it about the Gypsy that other people hated or were afraid of them. There must be something about them that is special otherwise, Hitler would not have placed them in concentration camps to suffer along with the Jews, Catholics, Homosexuals, etc.

Nothing Could Stop Father Muñoz Cortés

Neither slaps from his father, nor his friends' ridicule, nor discrimination by some of his fellow seminarians, nor serious cancer were able to stifle this young gypsy's vocation to the priesthood.

Born 35 years ago in the marginal neighborhood of La Mina, in Barcelona, Juan Muñoz Cortés felt called to the priesthood at the age of 12, a call which was supported by a number of individuals, whom he holds dear in his heart, but also by intense spiritual experiences.

The interview can be read HERE