Saturday, June 02, 2012

Wonderful New Marian App - St. Louis de Montfort's Total Consecration

How wonderful that the internet can be used to evangelize and to spread the Catholic faith!

Case in point: there is a great new app for St. Louis de Montfort's Total Consecration available for iPhones, iPod, iPad, etc..

...Because this consecration is so powerful and active in the lives of many Catholics, HyperDo Media developed a free app for this consecration, placing mobile accessibility in the hands of every iPhone, iPad and Smartphone user.
The MyConsecration App provides all the prayers and materials necessary for making the 33-day consecration. Some of the features we’ve included are: a “Plan” tab, which informs users about Marian feast days so that they can begin and end their consecration accordingly; a “Settings” tab where users can enable notifications and daily reminders, available via either text message or ringtone; social media integration: users can share with friends on Facebook whether they are renewing the consecration or making it for the first time.

HyperDo Media believes that this app is an efficient way for mobile users to develop their spiritual life wherever they are. Now we want to share it with all our fellow Catholics.
Would you download this free app and review it on your blog? You can find the app here on MyConsecration.org’s website: http://www.myconsecration.org/app.html.  It is also available in the iTunes store...
I downloaded the app for my iPod Touch the other day. I found it a beautiful little touch of Catholicism for my iPod! The My Consecration app is easy to use and is categorized so that the prayers, preparation dates, etc. are accessible without difficulty. It even has a notification setting which will remind you it is time for prayer. Although, I have already made my Total Consecration and have renewed it fairly recently, I will be renewing it once again using the app.

Oh, and did I mention?  It is free.

This new Catholic app is highly recommended!

Friday, June 01, 2012

Month of June Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus: First Friday


Picture source

In this month dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us pray that our hearts will become meek and humble, like unto His. Let us also make reparations for the numerous offenses against the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Jesus, divine Savior, deign to cast a look of mercy upon Your children, who assemble  in the same spirit of faith, reparation, and love, and come to deplore their own infidelities, and those of all poor sinners, their brethren.

May we touch Your divine Heart by the unanimous and solemn promises we are about to make and obtain mercy for ourselves, for the world, and for all who are so unhappy as not to love You.  We all promise that for the future:

For the forgetfulness and ingratitude of men, *(We will console you O Lord)
For the way You are deserted in Your holy tabernacle,
For the crimes of sinners,
For the hatred of the impious,
For the blasphemies uttered against You,
For the sacrileges that profane Your Sacrament of Love,
For the outrages against Your divinity,
For the injuries of which You are the adorable Victim,
For the coldness of the greater part of your children,
For the contempt of your loving invitation,
For the infidelity of those who called themselves Your friends,
For the abuse of Your grace,
For our own unfaithfulness,
For the incomprehensible hardness of our hearts,
For our long delay in loving You,
For our tepidity in Your holy service,
For Your bitter sadness at the loss of souls,
For Your long waiting at the door of our hearts,
For the heartless scorn that grieves You,
For Your loving sighs,
For Your loving tears,
For Your loving imprisonment,
For Your loving death,

* We will console you, 0 Lord

Let us pray

0 Jesus!  divine Savior, from whose Heart comes forth this bitter complaint, "I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none," graciously accept the feeble consolation we offer You, and aid us so powerfully by your grace, that we may, for the time to come, shun more and more all that can displease You, and prove ourselves in everything, and everywhere, and forever Your most faithful and devoted servants.  We ask it through Your Sacred Heart, O Lord, who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit  one God, world without end.  Amen.
Traditional Prayer of Reparation

Most loving Jesus, when I consider your tender heart and see it full of mercy and tenderness toward sinners, my own heart is filled with joy and confidence that I shall be so kindly welcomed by You. Unfortunately, how many times have I sinned! But now, with Peter and with Magdalene, I weep for my sins and detest them because they offend You, infinite Goodness. Mercifully grant me pardon for them all; and let me die rather than offend You again; at least let me live only to love You in return. Amen. (Raccolta n. 255)
Source

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Be patient and loving towards to foreign born Priests

Picture source

 A lady I know has offered to teach English to the new priest in her parish. She tutors Father after Mass. She is patient and tries to encourage Father.  However, she is very discouraged and hurt by the comments she hears.  It seems that there are some who voice their criticism of Father's limited English not only to her but to Father himself, and maybe even to the bishop.

This is not the only incident where a parishioner feels the need to complain because the priest speaks with an accent or if the priest is still struggling to learn the English language.

It is very sad when faced with a priest shortage worldwide, the United States of America, who once sent missioners to just about every corner of the world, now finds itself in need of priests from foreign countries to shepherd the people in this country.

In Hawaii priests from the Philippines, China, the African countries and Colombia, to name a few, have been sent to serve the people in the Diocese of Honolulu.  Do you think it is easy for these men of God, to leave their home countries and their families, to come to a far off place where they are forced to communicate in a new language?  How difficult it must be for them!  Put yourself in their place.  Would it be an easy thing for us to do?

I hope and pray that people will be patient with these holy men.  I hope and pray that instead of criticizing and complaining about a priest's lack of English skills, they will be grateful that there is a priest who will offer the sacrifice of the Mass at the church and administer the sacraments;  that they will like the lady I mentioned above, volunteer to tutor their priest in English or at least say something encouraging to him.

Sad to say, the priest in the lady's church has been transferred.