Saturday, June 25, 2011

Prayer for Our Priests


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Eternal Father
We pray that you send us holy priests
consecrated to the Eucharistic and Sacred Heart of Jesus
with the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary
In union with Saint Joseph.

Eterno padre te rogamos nos envias sacerdotes santos
consagrados a la eucaristico y Sagrado Corazón de Jesús
al dolorosa y Inmaculado Corazón de María
en union con San José.

Source: My mom.

All for Our Lady


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"The Blessed Virgin, Mother of gentleness, and mercy, never allows herself to be surpassed in love and generosity. When she sees someone giving himself entirely to her in order to honor and serve her, and depriving himself of what he prizes most in order to adorn her, she gives herself completely in a wondrous manner to him. She engulfs him in the ocean of her graces, adorns him with her merits, supports him with her power, enlightens him with her light and fills him with her love. She shares her virtues with him- her humility, faith, purity, etc. She makes up for his failings and becomes his representative with Jesus. Just as one who is consecrated belongs entirely to Mary, so Mary belongs entirely to him. We can truthfully say of this perfect servant and child of Mary what Saint John in his Gospel says of himself, 'He took her for his own.'


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this produces in his soul, if he is persevering, a great distrust, contempt, and hatred of self, and a great confidence in Mary with complete self-abandonment to her. He no longer relies on his own dispositions, intentions, merits, virtues, and good works, since he has sacrificed them completely to Jesus through his loving Mother. He has now only one treasury, where all is wealth is stored. That treasury is not without himself; it is Mary. That is why he can now go to Our Lord without any servile or scrupulous fear and pray to him with great confidence. He can also share the sentiments of the devout and learned Abbot Rupert, who, referring to the victory which Jacob won over an angel, addressed Our Lady in these words, 'O Mary, my Queen, Immaculate Mother of the God-man, Jesus Christ, I desire to wrestle with this man, the Divine Word, armed with your merits and not my own."

- St. Louis de Montfort

June 2011 Magnificat June 25th Daily Meditation

Friday, June 24, 2011

Birth of St. John the Baptist




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What´s in a Name?


June 24, 2011
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Father Edward McIlmail, LC

Luke 1:57-66, 80
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.


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Introductory Prayer: Lord, I make this effort at prayer for the sake of my soul and the souls of my loved ones. I believe that you died for us and want us to be with you forever in heaven.

Petition: Grant me new respect, Lord, for parents.

by Artemisa Gentileschi

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1. Their Pride and Joy: The arrival of a new baby has been a source of joy throughout the ages. Babies are God´s way of saying the world should go on. Each new child reflects a facet of the infinite beauty and mystery of God. And by teaching us patience and selflessness, the little ones help us grow in holiness. In their childlike simplicity they teach us to remain simple. Their neediness can, and should, soften our hearts. They don´t even have to be our own children; we can feel an obligation to help all kids, since their lives enrich all of us. What have I done lately to help the little ones, born and unborn? Is there a crisis-pregnancy center that could use help? Have I spoken well of parents who are open to large families?

2. Chosen By God: For the ancient Jews a name captured, even defined, a person´s identity. So for Elizabeth to name her son "John" was significant. It showed her recognition of God´s great plan for the child. John was in the Almighty´s special care from the start. Even today, each and every child is loved by God and has a destiny in the heavenly Father´s plan. Each has a vocation, a calling, in the Church. Do I appreciate the role that little ones have in God´s plans? Do I respect their dignity? Or do I try to impose my prejudices on them? They are tomorrow´s adults. How will I want them to remember my example?

3. Tongue Untied: Zechariah had doubted God and was struck mute. He regains his speech only after publicly accepting God´s plan and allowing his newborn son to take the name John. We, too, might have a bit of Zechariah in us. We resist God, only to hit a dead end. Bad friendships, habits of serious sin, rising despair – all of these can eat away at us. Yet, repentance is slow to come. Why? "We think that evil is basically good," said Pope Benedict XVI (December 8, 2005). "We think that we need it, at least a little, in order to experience the fullness of being. … If we look, however, at the world that surrounds us we can see that this is not so; in other words, that evil is always poisonous, does not uplift human beings, but degrades and humiliates them." Am I resisting God´s plans?


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Conversation with Christ: Lord, you have put family members and other loved ones in my life for a reason. I´m to help them get to heaven, and they are to help me do the same. Remind me of this truth, and help me in a special way not to interfere with the plans you have for the children in my life.

Resolution: I will pray a decade of the rosary that all my family members reach heaven.


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Regnum Christi Daily Meditations

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Begins Today


We can pray this novena for so many worthy intentions: Conversion of sinners, especially in our own families; for priests that they stay close to Jesus' Most Sacred Heart, thereby being able to withstand the continuous assaults by the devil; for the persecuted church...these are just a few suggestions.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus


I. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you." Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of...... (here name your request)
Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.


II. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of.......(here name your request) Our Father...Hail Mary....Glory Be To the Father....Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: "Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away." Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of.....(here name your request) Our Father....Hail Mary....Glory Be to the Father...Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.
Say the Hail, Holy Queen and add: St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.
-- St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

Source: EWTN

Annual Day of Prayer for Priests


Blessed John Paul II has established that on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart the Church will observe the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests...

...We strongly encourage each and every one of the faithful to begin if not already doing so to pray for our priests, today, this day this very moment, in preparation through prayer, celebration of the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, so that the 1st July 2011 will be an even greater celebration of the priesthood of Jesus Christ worldwide along with the new Annual Rosary Relay.
More information at World Priest Daily

From: Community of Catholic Bloggers: Some White Collar Jobs are More Challenging Than Others.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The War Against Girls

"Since the late 1970s, 163 million female babies have been aborted by parents seeking sons"

Mara Hvistendahl is worried about girls. Not in any political, moral or cultural sense but as an existential matter. She is right to be. In China, India and numerous other countries (both developing and developed), there are many more men than women, the result of systematic campaigns against baby girls. In "Unnatural Selection," Ms. Hvistendahl reports on this gender imbalance: what it is, how it came to be and what it means for the future.

You can read the rest of this book review of Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls and the Consequences of a World Full of Men by Mara Hvistendahl at The Wall Street Journal

Vatican spokesman on upcoming 60th anniversary of Pope's priestly ordination


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In his weekly editorial, the director of the Holy See Press Office recalled that June 29 is the 60th anniversary of Pope Benedict’s priestly ordination and drew attention to the Congregation for the Clergy’s request to bishops’ conferences “to promote celebrations of thanksgiving as well as prayers, centered especially on Eucharistic adoration, for priestly vocations.”
Read the rest here

St. Aloyius Gonzaga - Saintly Quotes

Carlo Francesco Nuvolone

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A want of due attention to mental prayer is the reason why some have so little fervor in the service of God, and give so great scope to their passions.

He who falls into a fault, however light it may be, ought to rise immediately, have recourse to God, beg pardon of Him, and ask grace never to commit it again.

He who wishes to love God does not truly love Him, if he has not an ardent and constant desire to suffer for His sake.

It is to be feared that the angels, who are at present our guardians, will become our accusers at the day of judgment.

Source. Good source for prayers too.

It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world.

Source

I am but a crooked piece of iron, and have come into religion to be made straight by the hammer of mortification and penance.

Marian Prayer of St. Aloysius Gonzaga

O Holy Mary, my mother,
into your blessed trust and custody,
and into the care of your mercy
I this day, every day,
and in the hour of my death,
commend my soul and my body.
To you I commit all my anxieties and miseries,
my life and the end of my life,
that by your most holy intercession
and by your merits
all my actions may be directed
and disposed
according to your will
and that of your Son.
Amen.

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