Saturday, May 15, 2010
Feast of San Isidro Labrador (Saint Isidore the Farmer)
Prayer to Saint Isidore (Farmer) andFr. Pat's Place: St. Isidore the Farmer
Saint Maria de Cabeza (Farm Wife)
O holy Isidore and Maria, continue to intercede for those who work the fields and grow our daily food. Ask our Merciful God to continue to bless their efforts to produce abundant food and fiber.
We ask your prayerful aid in the cultivation of the fields of our hearts. Help us through God’s grace to grow in holiness and accept the grace-filled opportunities God gives to us in our work, our marriages and our everyday lives.
O holy Isidore, intercede with our Lord to send angels to aid us in opening our hearts so that one day, enlightened by God’s wisdom and having grown in God's likeness, we may join you and all the Saints in Heaven.
O Most Holy Trinity, you have created us out of your love. We pray that we will always recognize your presence in all that we are, all that we do, and all that we will become.
Help us realize that your Message of Salvation is found in all of Creation -- the fields, the plants, living water, fresh air, all creatures, love for one another.
We await in joy and hope for the day, O Merciful God, when we will be united with You in your Heavenly Kingdom.
Amen.
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Final Day in Portugal: Pope Benedict XVI
Plenty of great photos and videos over at Caput Mundi The above video and photo are from Carlos' blog. Mahalo Carlos!
Also be sure to click here to read Terry's post on the pilgrimage to Fatima.
Feast of St. Matthias
He was reminded of the following poem:
"For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been!'"
- John Greenleaf Whittier Picture Source
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Feast of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament
"Words cannot express the perfection of his adoration. If Saint John leaped in the womb at the approach of Mary, what feelings must have coursed through Joseph during those six months when he had at his side and under his very eyes the hidden God! If the father of Origen used to kiss his child during the night and adore the Holy Spirit living within Him, can we doubt that Joseph must often have adored Jesus hidden in the pure tabernacle of Mary? How fervent that adoration must have been: My Lord and my God, behold your servant! No one can describe the adoration of this noble soul. He saw nothing, yet he believed; his faith had to pierce the virginal veil of Mary. So likewise with you! Under the veil of the Sacred Species your faith must see our Lord. Ask St. Joseph for his Lively, constant faith."
- St. Peter Julian Eymard
Quote Source: The Real Presence
PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT
O Virgin Mary, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the glory of Christians, the joy of the universal Church, and the hope of the world, pray for us. Kindle in all the faithful a lively devotion to the most Holy Eucharist, so that they may be worthy to receive Holy Communion every day.
Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, pray for us. Let us with Mary Immaculate adore, thank, supplicate, and console the most sacred and beloved Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.
PRESS RELEASE from ASSOCIATION for the ARCH of TRIUMPH of the IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY and INTERNATIONAL SHRINE of the HOLY INNOCENTS
May 13, 2010—Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
Buffalo, NY. The Association for the Arch of Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary today unveils new architectural plans [http://www.archoftriumph.org/archdesign.html] for the pro-life shrine and great triumphal arch, at 700 feet tall to be the world’s tallest monument, which the Association was formed to build in 2001. When Buffalo’s Common Council unanimously endorsed the project in 2002, the Association promised that it would be “built according to high standards of architectural beauty and integrity,” a promise clearly kept in the new official designs.
Mary’s Arch of Triumph will point towards the “fundamental transformation” that America and the world truly need—a change of hearts and minds, more than of laws. It will sound a global signal call to repentance and conversion, renewed faith in God, and respect for human life from conception to natural death. Originating with a dream, this great spiritual undertaking quickly gained worldwide support among Mary’s faithful, and has been approved by many Catholic pro-life leaders [http://www.archoftriumph.org/excerpts.html], including Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. John Corapi, Mrs. Judie Brown, Dr. John Willke, and Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.
The project evokes Mary’s revelations at Fatima on July 13, 1917, “God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart,” and that, “In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph . . . and an era of peace will be granted to the world.” This great arch hails this coming triumph of Mary’s Immaculate Heart. It will be 700 feet tall because seven is the biblical number of perfection, and Mary represents the perfection of humanity because of her humble obedience to God. Mary is revered also by Muslims, who believe in Mary’s perpetual virginity; indeed, Mohammed said that Mary enjoys the highest place in heaven of all women.
The Association is raising funds (projected cost: $85 to $100,000,000) through its Web site [http://www.archoftriumph.org] and a mail campaign, and is searching for a site in the Diocese of Buffalo, NY where the Pilgrim Virgin Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, entered America triumphally on December 8, 1947 when “200,000 people lined the streets and welcomed Our Lady” [see History page at http://www.pilgrimvirginstatue.com]. The Association had desired to locate the shrine on waterfront land on Fuhrmann Blvd. adjacent to the U.S. Coast Guard Station, but has learned that the parcel is now under contract for sale to another.
Mary's gloroius Arch of Triumph of is destined quickly to become an international icon, boldly though silently proclaiming the dignity and sanctity of human life, born and unborn, and extolling the oft-neglected virtues of purity, faith and obedience to God.
END
For further information or interviews, contact:
Laurence D. Behr, Executive Director
43 Court St., Ste. 600
Buffalo, NY 14202
Tel: 716-856-1300
Email: lbehr@barthbehr.com
LINKS:
Official Drawings: http://www.archoftriumph.org/archdesign.html
Project origins: http://www.archoftriumph.org/news5.html
Worldwide supporters: http://www.archoftriumph.org/liaisons.html
Catholic leadership endorsements: http://www.archoftriumph.org/excerpts.html
Buffalo Common Council endorsement: http://www.archoftriumph.org/news8.html
Fatima apparitions and messages: http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/FIRSTSAT.htm
Architectural Drawings By:
Jaeger, Nickola & Associates, Architects
Specialists in the design of churches and related structures
www.jaeger-nickola.com
Contact: David C. Kuhlman, AIA, Principal
kuhlman@jaeger-nickola.com
On Proper Dress and Behavior at Mass
Thank you for saying what needed to be said Father Trigilio!
While in Church:
1. Dress modestly
2. Act reverently: Be reverent
3. Speak softly
Novena to the Holy Spirit Begins Tomorrow May 14th
Photo by Esther G.
Just a reminder that the oldest known novena begins tomorrow Friday, May 14th. You can find the Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Seven Gifts at EWTN
Our Lady of Fatima
Act of Reparation
O Most holy Virgin and our Mother,
we listen with grief to the complaints
of your Immaculate Heart surrounded with the thorns
placed therein at every moment
by the blasphemies and ingratitude
of ungrateful humanity.
We are moved by the ardent desire
of loving you as our Mother
and of promoting a true devotion
to your Immaculate Heart.
We therefore kneel before you
to manifest the sorrow we feel for the grievances
that people cause you,
and to atone by our prayers and sacrifices
for the offenses with which they return your love.
Obtain for them and for us the pardon of so many sins.
Hasten the conversion of sinners
that they may love Jesus
and cease to offend the Lord, already so much offended,
and will not fall into hell.
Turn your eyes of mercy toward us,
that we may love God with all our heart on earth
and enjoy him forever in heaven. Amen
- New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book, Catholic Book Publishing
Ascension Thursday
Resurrection and Ascension - Blessed Sacrament Church, Paterson, NJ
Photo by Esther G.
Introductory Prayer to Live a Full Life
O Lord,
your ascension into heaven
marks the culmination of the Paschal Mystery,
and it contains an important teaching for us.
We may live life as an earthy reality
and develop our human potential to its fullest.
We may make use of the results of science
to achieve a better life on this planet.
But in our best moments
we know that there must be more than all of this,
a transcending Reality.
As Christians, we know that this Reality
is your loving Father
who awaits us with you and the Holy Spirit.
Where you have gone,
we ultimately will come-if we are faithful. Amen.
- New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book Catholic Book Publishing
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Message of Fatima -vs- Freemasonry
I have heard him speak on The Abundant Life with Johnette Benkovic.
Watch John Salza's Full talk at: Fatima Challenge
H/T to Catholic Knight
Holy Father in Portugal Day 2
Yes, I could have posted videos and pictures here. But why bother when Carlos of Caput Mundi has done a marvelous job! Mahalo Carlos.
Pope promotes general Fatima message, avoids discussion of 'secret'
Source Catholic World NewsPhoto Source: Idle Speculations
During his pilgrimage to Fatima, Pope Benedict XVI has laid heavy emphasis on the general content of the message that the Virgin Mary delivered during her appearances there, notes John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter. The Pope has not entered into the often heated discussion of the 'third secret' and its historical implications. "Benedict, in other words, seems more interested in Fatima’s spirit than its secrets – all part of his 'Marian Cool.'"
At Fatima, Pope Benedict entrusts all priests to the Virgin Mary
Photo Source: Idle Speculations' Images of Fatima post. Thanks Terry.
Arriving at Fatima on Wednesday, May 12, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated all of the world's priests to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Addressing himself to the Virgin, and speaking on behalf of all the world's 400,000 priests, the Holy Father said: "Help us, through your powerful intercession, never to fall short of this sublime vocation, nor to give way to our selfishness, to the allurements of the world and to the wiles of the Evil One..."Read the rest here
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Oldest Known Footage of a Pope in Existence
This is Pope Leo XIII. He is the same holy father that St. Therese of Lisieux went to Rome to see and to ask for his help in entering the convent.
BTW, the voice you hear is Pope Leo XIII chanting the Ave Maria in Latin.
H/T Patrick Madrid
Our Holy Father is in Portugal
Please pray for him!
Photo Source: Caput Mundi and make sure to check out Carlos' blog for coverage of Pope Benedict's visit.
Photo Source: Caput Mundi and make sure to check out Carlos' blog for coverage of Pope Benedict's visit.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Film Review - Hawaii Pilgrimage to the Canonization of St. Damien
I finally saw VV Visions, Inc.'s newest film on Father Damien. It is a long story but I was supposed to have watched and reviewed the documentary a few months ago.
The film opens up with a cheering crowd in Rome on the day of Father Damien (Joseph) De Veuster's canonization, on October 11, 2009. The crowd is cheering because Pope Benedict XVI has arrived. The viewer soon realized the crowd focused on is made up of the Hawaii pilgrims who have traveled a long distance in order to be a part of history. They wanted to honor Hawaii's beloved "Kamiano".
The film is well made. The executive producers have taken footage of the scenes prior to the canonization itself, the canonization, the events in Belgium and other parts of Italy, leading to the canonization as well as scenes closer to home in Hawaii, where St. Damien day was celebrated on November 1, 2009.
Visibly present throughout the film is Hawaii's own beloved shepherd, Bishop Larry Silva of the Diocese of Honolulu. You can clearly see the love and pride in his countenance when he spoke of Father Damien and Hawaii.
One quote that particularly struck a chord with me was when Bishop Larry reminded us that this is the Year of the Priest. He said that Saint Damien is a: "...great saint for all the priest in the world..."
A touching moment in the film is when Hawaii's own Mrs. Audrey Toguchi walks holding on to the arm of her doctor for the presentation of Saint Damien's relic. How fitting that God would choose a resident of Hawaii, as His instrument in making Father Damien a saint!
Then there is the moment when all present hear the words by Pope Benedict, that they have longed to hear with regard to Father Damien becoming a saint, "We decree it!"
Throughout the film, there are interviews by several people who shared interesting stories regarding either Father Damien's life or the canonization process. People such as the General Postulator, Reverend Alfred Bell, SS.CC., the Superior General of the Sacred Hearts Father, Bishop Silva, Fr. Clyde Guerrero, the residents of Kalaupapa, etc.
- Father Bell said something very profound. He said: "We cannot follow the same life after the canonization."
- Bishop Silva spoke about how we create our own little Kalaupapas as a way of putting certain people there whom we do not want to deal with. Considering the growing number of homeless in Hawaii, who are treated as outcasts, Bishop Larry's statement is very poignant.
- Later, Bishop Larry spoke of St. Damien's joy of being a slave of Jesus Christ.
- It was sad to learn from one of the Kalaupapa residents was that the thing he felt the loss of more than anything, was the loss of his family... his ohana.
- Father Clyde, pastor of the churches on Moloka'i, spoke of the Kalaupapa being a place of spirituality. As a person who has been there three times, I certainly agree with that statement.
If I had to find the weak point in the film, I would have to say it was the tribute paid by the Belgium people in the Damien Inspires program. To their credit though, I think they were trying to please the English speaking pilgrims with their choice of entertainment. I would have like to have seen a traditional Belgium song and dance instead of listening to another rendition of "The Rose".
On the other hand, the Hawaiian tribute was incredible! One of the halau performed the hula to the Hawaiian chant which I believe is entitled "O Kamiano".
The film ends with the celebration with Holy Mass, a tribute at Iolani Palace, and finally the enshrinement of Saint Damien's relic at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace.
As I mentioned above, this is a well done documentary, but it is also a lovely documentary. The beauty of the Hawaiian people is depicted time and time again. These pilgrims brought the aloha spirit in form of the leis they shared with the bishops and cardinals, the hula they danced in honor of Father Damien and just the way they are made this film a joy to watch.
I strongly urge those of you who are interested in Saint Damien, (and who isn't?) to obtain the DVD. I believe Pauline Books in Media will be selling them.
Happy Feast of St. Damien of Moloka'i
Here is a video I using the photos I have taken of Saint Damien in Hawaii. Enjoy.