Saturday, March 27, 2010

Honoring Our Lady With Our Clothing


The other day was the Feast of the Annunciation, my mother noticed that at Mass only she and I were dressed with pastel blue.  She commented that it was sad that not many people knew about wearing Baby blue on Marian Feast Days or Saturdays.  As a way of getting the message out, I am sharing some photos of our family wearing Our Lady's color on either Saturdays, Marian Feast Days or when visiting a Marian shrine.



"O, Mama Mia!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Letter from Zenit Editorial Director - Sexual Abuse and the Catholic Church

Dear Reader,

For weeks ZENIT has been reporting intensely on the response of the Holy See and the Pope to the painful scandal of sexual abuse committed by priests in several countries. It is terribly tragic news, which saddens us profoundly as children of the Church. After this news blitz, some readers are weary and, I admit, so are we. It seems to have become the only topic out there.

However, we cannot allow these atrocious crimes to make us forget the hundreds of thousands of men and women, the countless priests, men and women religious -- the great majority -- who day by day give their lives to God and to neighbor in so many hospitals, schools, parishes and missions. Today many of them are associated with the scandals because of superficial reporting. But ZENIT will not abandon them. We will continue to report unwaveringly on the Church's attitude in response to the abuses, but we will not fail in our commitment to give a global and objective picture -- a picture concealed by some media in their reporting on the priesthood.

We believe that our mission at this precise moment is more necessary than ever. We believe it is ever more urgent for lay professionals to continue to give keys to information from an independent news agency, so that the truth is better understood, since only the truth will make us free.

We were profoundly inspired by the prayer Benedict XVI raised before the statue of the Immaculate Conception in the center of Rome on Dec. 8. The Pope prayed thus: "Every day, in fact, in the newspapers, on television and on the radio bad news is broadcast, repeated, amplified, so that we become used to the most terrible things and inured to them, and in a certain way poisoned, since the negative effect is never completely eliminated but accumulates day after day."

The Pope paid homage "to all those who in silence, not with words but with deeds, strive to practice this evangelical law of love that propels the world forward. There are so many of them even here in Rome and they rarely hit the headlines. They are men and women of all ages, who have realized that it is not worth condemning, complaining or accusing; that it is better to respond to evil by doing good. This changes things; or rather it changes people, and hence improves society."

ZENIT wants to continue to report on these men and women so that they will also make the news, but we will not be able to do so without your help.

Greetings from Rome!

Jesús Colina,
Editorial Director

Zenit

Pray for ALL of our priests!

The Catholic Church: "Religions face identity theft"

By Julia Duin

There's this odd sleight of hand going on in the nation's capital.It used to be that you called the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) or someone at the Vatican to get the Catholic Church's side of things. With evangelicals - a far more diverse and scattered group - you could call a certain handful of organizations, magazine editors and pastors and pretty much get the drift of what the born-again crowd thought.

That all changed around the time of the 2004 elections. Liberal folks realized that religion was important to the electorate and if you can't beat them, not only join them but appropriate their brand.

All of a sudden, new groups including the word "Catholic" sprung up like crocuses in March: Catholics United, Catholic Democrats and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Ground.

The emergence of such groups infuriated William Donohue of the Catholic League to no end, as he felt these were faux Catholic organizations that were being showcased to show then-candidate Barack Obama had Catholic support. It didn't help that atheist billionaire George Soros was donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Catholics in Alliance group.
Read the rest of the article here

Thanks to Bette D. for sharing.

New Online Version of the Sistine Chapel

All I can say is Wow! Thanks to Father Vince for sharing.

Click here

Please continue to Pray for Our Holy Father


...who continues to be attacked by the media. 

It seems like Satan is really releasing his fury on the Catholic Church.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Papal Quote Re: Apparitions


The following quote was left in the comment section of a post on Medjugorje.

Long ago Pope Urban VIII addressed the issue of apparitions by stating: "In cases which concern private revelations, it is better to believe than not to believe, for, if you believe, and it is proven true, you will be happy that you have believed, because our Holy Mother asked it. If you believe, and it should be proven false, you will receive all blessings as if it had been true, because you believed it to be true."

The Priesthood: Come Be a Hero


A big mahalo to Father Daren for this video.

Will Your Church Hear Confessions After Wed. of Holy Week?

I saw post over at Ten Reasons.

We go to confession regularly at the Cathedral. However, during Christmas and Easter we have to go to another church for confession. This is a little disappointing especially since we really like going to confession there but more importantly, because we are called to go to confession right before the Feast of Divine Mercy.

Thank God, the other church not only has confession daily until Wednesday of Holy Week, but also on the Saturday of Easter Week.

How about your Church?


Another Quiz! - Goodness Reigns: On the Saints

Quiz can be found here

Quiz: How Well Do You Know Fatima?


Quiz can be found HERE

Curé of Ars - THE SERVICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN


Source: DAY 37 – March 25, 2010
Selected Sermons of the Curé of Ars
St. John Vianney (Patron Saint of Parish Priests)


THE SERVICE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN

If I wanted to, I would show you that in all walks of life there have been great servants of the Blessed Virgin. I would find for you, among them, those who begged their bread from door to door. I would find for you, among them, those who lived in much the same sort of state in life as many of you. I would find them for you among the wealthy, and in great number, too. We read in the Gospel that our Lord always treated people with great tenderness, except for one type of people whom He treated with severity; these were the Pharisees, and they were so treated because they were proud and hardened in sin. They would willingly have hindered, if they could, the accomplishment of the will of the Father. What is more, our Lord called them "whited sepulchers, hypocrites, brood of vipers, offspring of vipers, who devour the breasts of their mothers."

We can say the same thing on the subject of devotion to the Blessed Virgin. All Christians have a great devotion to Mary except those old and hardened sinners who, for a very long time, having lost the faith, wallow in the slime of their brute passions. The Devil tries to keep them in this state of blindness until that moment
when death opens their eyes. Ah! If they had but the happiness to have recourse to Mary they would not fall into Hell, as will happen to them! No, my dear children, let us not imitate such people! On the contrary, let us follow the footsteps of all those true servants of Mary. Belonging to this number were St. Charles Borromeo, who always said his rosary on his knees. What is more, he fasted on all vigils of the feasts of the Blessed Virgin. He was so careful about saluting her on the stroke of the bell that when the Angelus rang, wherever he was, he went down on his knees, sometimes even in the middle of the road when it was full of mud. He desired that his whole diocese should have a great devotion to Mary and that her name would be uttered everywhere with the utmost respect. He had a number of chapels built in her honor.

Now then, my dear brethren, why should not we imitate these great saints who obtained so many graces from Mary to preserve them from sin? Have we not the same enemies to fight, the same Heaven to hope for? Yes, Mary always has her eyes upon us. Do we suffer temptations? Let us turn our hearts towards Mary and we shall be delivered.

Daily Lenten Resolution - Feast of the Annunciation

The Annunciation: Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ
Photo by Esther G.

I will embrace God’s will today as Mary did -- with faith and love. 

Regnum Christi Daily Meditation

Feast of the Annunciation


Mary the Dawn

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the Gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!
Mary the Root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the Grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!
Mary the Wheat-sheaf, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the Rose-tree, Christ the Rose blood red!
Mary the Font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the Chalice, Christ the Saving Blood!
Mary the Temple, Christ the Temple’s Lord;
Mary the Shrine, Christ the God Adored!
Mary the Beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the Mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!
Mary the Mother, Christ the Mother’s Son;
Both ever blest while endless ages run. Amen.

Shared by Father Vince I.

The following are points of meditation by Terrence Cardinal Cooke from the a collection of his sermons Meditations of Mary.
"Mary's faith was the most perfect that ever existed and it is most worthy of our admiration and imitation. In speaking about our Lady's faith, we might mention that we do not find the virtue of faith in the soul of Our Divine Lord, for faith is 'the evidence of things we see not' and the human soul of Christ ever beheld the beatific vision of the Divine Essence...

...Eve, contrary to the assurance she had received from God, believed the serpent and brought death into the world. Mary, Our Queen, believed the angel when he told her that she, remaining a virgin, would become the Mother of God and in this way, she brought salvation into the world. St. Augustine says, that when Mary consented to the Incarnation of the Eternal Word, by means of her faith she opened heaven to men...

What tremendous demands were made on Mary's faith! In the beautiful words of St. Alphonsus: 'The Most Holy Virgin had more faith then all men and angels. She saw her Son in the crib of Bethlehem, and believed him the Creator of the world. She saw him fly from Herod and yet believed him the King of kings. She saw him born and believed him eternal. She saw him poor and in need of food, and believed him the Lord of the universe. She saw him lying on straw, and believed him omnipotent. She observed that he did not speak, and she believed him Infinite Wisdom. She head him weep, and believed him the Joy of Paradise...And blessed is she who has believed, because the things promises to her by the Lord shall be accomplished.'...

Excerpt from Conferences by the Servant of God Terence Cooke: Meditations on Mary, Alba House, NY.

Father Joe Whalen - Our Lady of La Salette

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Punjab: Christian burned alive dies, Christian community calls for justice

Islamabad (AsiaNews) - Arshed Masih died last night in hospital from the serious injuries - burns covering 80% of his body – which the 38 year old Pakistani Christian suffered when he was set on fire because he refused to convert to Islam. The funeral of man, who died after three days of agony, should take place in the late afternoon, but the family has asked that "before an autopsy is performed." The Christian community of Pakistan condemns "with firmness" the latest episode of violence and denounces the "slowness" of the federal and provincial government to punish those responsible.
Read the rest here

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may Your perpetual light shine upon him. May Arshed rest in peace.

Please continue to pray for his wife and children.

H/T to America Needs Fatima

Divine Mercy Sunday - Preparation and Celebration - Honolulu


HOUR OF MERCY PREPARATION FOR THE FEAST OF DIVINE MERCY

An Invitation to Two Important Events

Church: Blessed Sacrament Church
2124 Pauoa Road

Good Friday to Saturday after Easter
Divine Mercy Novena
April 2 to April 10, 2010
Time: 2:45 PM Daily

April 2nd - 1st Day - Good Friday
April 3rd - 2nd Day - Holy Saturday

Novena and Prayers only during Triduum

3rd Day till the 9th Day April 4 to April 10, 2010

Novena with Mass at the Hour of Mercy

Jesus said: "By this Novena [of Chaplets], I will grant every possible grace to souls."

The Three O'Clock Hour..."This is the hour of Great Mercy for the whole world...at this Hour I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion, providing it is compatible to My Will."


His Excellency, Bishop Larry Silva with the witnessing of Lt. Gov. Duke Aiona on April 23, 2006, Mercy Sunday, dedicated our Diocese and the Islands of Hawaii to Divine Mercy. Read it HERE. A heavenly inspired move courageously taken up by our Bishop.

Now ours is the responsibility to apply, promote and disseminate the messages of Divine Mercy, Chaplets, Novena and acts of love and mercy.

As we affirm: JESUS, WE TRUST IN YOU!

HOUR OF MERCY FOR THE FEAST OF DIVINE MERCY

Church: Star of the Sea Church
4469 Malia Street

SUNDAY, APRIL 11, 2010

2:00 pm Divine Mercy Assembly
2:15 pm DIVINE MERCY HOLY HOUR
Bishop Larry Silva with Father Mark Del Rosario
3:00 pm Hour of Mercy Prayer/Holy Mass
Bishop Larry Silva with Father Mark Del Rosario
Concelebrants Welcome
4:00 pm Blessing of the Divine Mercy images

The image of the Divine Mercy is to be ceremoniously blessed. The Image should be exposed to all taking part in the celebration and an image may be left in a position that all can touch and say: "JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU."

*Bring your own images for Bishop's blessing on this Mercy Sunday, April 11, 2010

"I desire that priests proclaim this great Mercy of Mine towards souls of sinners. Let the sinner not be afraid to approach ME, the Flames of Mercy are burning ME - clamoring to be spent; I want to pour them out upon these souls." (Diary 50)

New Documentary - Finding Fatima


This is a brief overview of the feature documentary: The documentary explores the background behind the 3 children who witnessed visitations of the Virgin Mary in Fatima 1917, and who predicted the miracle of the sun which was witnessed by over 70,000 people along with prophesising many major world events. The in depth nature in which The story is portrayed is both absorbing and fascinating; It shows the journey that three children went on and how their courage and beliefs changed the face of Portugal.

For more information, please check out their website

40 Days - End of Spring Campaign Rally - Honolulu

Picture Source

We are fast approaching the official end of our 2010 Spring Prayer Vigil. We will be gathering for our closing Victory Rally to celebrate what God has been doing.

We will meet in front of Planned Parenthood at 1350 S. King Street on March 28 Sunday from 4:00 - 5:15 pm.
Since it is a Sunday, street parking will be available.

We have the following planned:
1) worship and celebration in music and dance
2) speakers
3) the celebration of communion
4) corporate prayer.

Please join us and invite friends and family so they can catch the passion for the sanctity of life too.
Bring your signs.

See you there,
40 Days for Life Honolulu

Only in Being Marian Do We Become the Church


The Marian comprehension of the Church most decisively counters a merely bureaucratic concept of the Church. We cannot make the Church, we must be her. And only to the extent that faith, by our doings, moulds our being, are we Church, and is the Church living within us.

Only in being Marian do we become Church. Even in the beginning, the Church was not made, but begotten. She was begotten when in the soul of Mary there awakened the fiat. This is the most profound desire of the Council: that the Church awaken within our souls. Mary shows us the way.


Excerpt from Ecclesiology:
"Called to Communion: Understanding the Church Today"
by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, p. 10.
Shared by Brother John Samaha, S.M.

ALERT: Hawaii Choose Life License Plates May No Longer Be Available


These specialized license plates which is currently available to Hawaii drivers, may soon no longer be available. Why? The reason is that the City and County of Honolulu requires a certain number of registered cars to have this license plate. Right now, Hawaii needs 58 more motorists to register their cars. 58 is such a small number. If you do not have the Choose Life plates, PLEASE consider getting them for your car.

From Alana at the Aloha Pregnancy Care & Counseling Center
:
At any Satellite City Hall DMV locations

Outer Island DMV's as well

Cost is $30.50 because you get a new 5 Digit plate. Then when renewing your plates yearly there will be an extra $25.00 added and the donation will be sent to APCCC. We have to have 150 to keep the Licence Plate Program going. We would like to see well more than 150 through out the island. If anyone has any questions please have them contact me directly at 234-7233.
For more information please check here.

Pray for the Persecuted Christians

Patrick Madrid has a very disturbing example of what is happening to persecuted Christians in some areas around the world. Read it here

If you want to help, consider donating to Aid to the Church in Need

San Toribio de Mogrovejo


St. Toribio de Mogrovejo and Indiana Jones have a lot in common. Both were good natured, traveled mostly alone, held a deep knowledge of ancient civilizations, were learned in many languages and, of course, wore hats.

While Indy wore his classic Fedora, St. Toribio wore a much different kind of hat, an archbishop’s mitre. Much like Indiana Jones who would leave his teaching job to globe trot on numerous escapades, St. Toribio was asked to leave Spain where he was a law professor to begin missionary adventures in Peru.
Read the rest over at Goodness Reigns

Monday, March 22, 2010

Lima To Host a Eucharistic Congress

Picture Source

LIMA, Peru, MARCH 19, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The archbishop of Lima has called a Eucharistic and Marian conference in celebration of the Year for Priests and the Eucharistic vocation of the priesthood.

Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, archbishop of Lima, announced Wednesday the May 29-June 6 event.
Read the rest of the Zenit article here.

The Myth of Pedophile Priests


Excellent article over at Father Dwight Longenecker's blog Standing on My Head