Category: CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 June – Prayer is a petition for what God gives

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 20 June – Thursday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year C – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:7-15

“Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”…Matthew 6:7

REFLECTION – Prayer is a petition for what God gives – “The Lord’s prayer, as I have said, contains a petition for each of these things.   First, it speaks of the Father, His name and His kingdom.   Second, it shows us that the person who prays, is by grace the Son of this Father.   It asks that those in heaven and those on earth may be united in one will.   It tells us to ask for our daily bread.   It lays down that people should be reconciled with one another and it unites our nature with itself when we forgive and are forgiven, for then it is not split asunder by differences of will and purpose.   It teaches us to pray against entering into temptation, since this is the law of sin.   And it exhorts us to ask for deliverance from the evil one.

For the author and giver of divine blessings could not but be our teacher as well, providing the words of this prayer, as precepts of life, for those disciples who believe in Him and follow the way He taught in the flesh.   Through these words, He has revealed the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3) that exist in Him as pure form. And in all who offer this prayer, He kindles the desire to enjoy such treasures.

It is for this reason, I think, that Scripture calls this teaching “prayer”, since it contains petitions for the gifts that God gives to us by grace.   Our divinely inspired Fathers have explained prayer in a similar way, saying that prayer is petition for that which God naturally gives us, in the manner that is appropriate.”…St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Monk and Theologian – Interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer (Philokalia, Volume Two)matthew 6 7 your father knows before you ask - for the author and giver of - st maximus the confessor on the lord's prayer 20 june 2019

PRAYER – Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
Amenthe Lord's Prayer - matthew 6 9-13 - 20 june 2019

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, NOVENAS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, Ven Servant of God John A Hardon

Announcing the NOVENA to the SACRED HEART BEGINS Wednesday, 19 June

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Announcing the NOVENA to the SACRED HEART
BEGINS Wednesday, 19 Juneannouncing-the-novena-to-the-sacred-heart-19-june-to-begin.jpg

Devotion to the Sacred Heart
By Ven Servant of God John A Hardon SJ (1914-2000)

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is as old as Christianity.   When the side of Christ was pierced on Calvary, there immediately flowed out blood and water.   The Church has interpreted this to mean, the outpouring of grace through the Church, which began the moment that Christ expired on the Cross.
Over the centuries, the gratitude of the faithful for this manifestation of divine love has centred on the physical Heart of Jesus as the symbol of God’s love for man.   We may, therefore, say, that devotion to the Sacred Heart is really devotion to the love of God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
When God became man, it was God – who is love – who became man. In the languages of all nations, the heart is identified with love.   Consequently, our devotion to the Heart of Jesus is directed to the love of Jesus in different ways.
We love Him as our God, who has loved us from all eternity and out of selfless love brought us into existence and destined us to possess Him for all eternity.
We love Him as our God Incarnate, who loved us so much that He assumed our human nature and by His bodily death redeemed us from the eternal death we deserved for our sins.
We love Him as our Redeemer who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where He is preparing a place for us.   Where He is, our God united with His human body and soul, we hope to be in His blessed company.
We love Him as our Eucharistic Lord who is on earth in His humanity, in the Blessed Sacrament.   He offers Himself in the Mass through which He now communicates the graces He won for us on the Cross.   By His Real Presence, He invites us to offer Him our adoring love and ask Him to work the miracles He performed during His visible stay in Palestine.
To be emphasised is the unique character of devotion to the Sacred Heart.   It is nothing less than a synthesis of Catholic Christianity in its loving response to the unspeakable love of God for the sons and daughters of the human family.

For the sake of convenience, we may divide the terms “Sacred Heart” and “Devotion” into two parts:
Sacred Heart stands for the love of God, which means the love that is God, the love that God has shown for us from the dawn of creation until now and the love that God will continue to pour out on us into the endless reaches of eternity.
Devotion stands for our grateful return of love for love, which is shown in loving sacrifice by the total surrender of our wills to the mysterious and demanding will of God, in loving imitation of Jesus Christ, whose virtues as man, are so many manifestations of His divine attributes as God, in loving worship of Mary’s Son, who is present with His living, pulsating human Heart in the Blessed Sacrament, in loving petition for the graces that we and others, need to serve Him faithfully, here on earth and enjoy Him in the life that will never end.
A simple but very effective way of growing in devotion to the Sacred Heart, is to recite daily the very old morning offering, used for centuries within the Catholic heart:

O Jesus,
through the Most Pure Heart of Mary
and in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world today,
I offer You all my prayers,
works, joys and sufferings of this day,
for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart,
I offer them for
the salvation of souls,
the reparation of sins,
the intentions of all our bishops, priests,
apostles of prayer
and our Holy Father, the Pope.
Amenmorning offering - 1 june 2019.jpg

Among the promises made by our Lord to St Margaret Mary, was the assurance that, “Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be blotted out.”

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MARY, MATER ECCLESIAE, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

The Second Official Memorial of this new feast day, the first Monday after Pentecost – Mary Mater Ecclesiae – Mary , Mother of the Church – 10 June 2019

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Mary Mater Ecclesiae – Mary , Mother of the Church – 10 June 2019

Vatican Decree here:   https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/pope-francis-institutes-new-celebration-of-mary-mother-of-the-church/

“As a caring guide to the emerging Church,
Mary had already begun her mission
in the Upper Room, praying with the Apostles,
while awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit.”

Cardinal Robert Sarah

Congregation of Divine Worship
and the Discipline of the Sacraments,
11 February 2018, the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes.
DECREE ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY,
MOTHER OF THE CHURCH IN THE GENERAL ROMAN CALENDAR

as-a-caring-guide-to-the-emerging-church-cardinal-sarah-21-may-2018.jpg

“…She is clearly the Mother
of his members;
that is, of ourselves,
because she cooperated
by her charity,
so that faithful Christians,
members of the Head,
might be born in the Church.
As for the body,
she is the Mother of its Head…
Mary gave birth to our Head;
the Church gave birth to you.
Indeed, the Church also,
is both virgin and mother,
mother, because of her
womb of charity,
virgin, because of the integrity
of her faith and piety.”

St Augustine (354-430) Doctor of Graceshe-is-clearly-the-mother-of-his-members-st-augustine-first-memorial-of-mother-of-the-church-21-may-2018

“Who, more than Mary, could be, a star of hope for us?
With her “yes”, she opened the door of our world,
to God Himself; she became the living Ark of the Covenant,
in whom God took flesh, became one of us
and pitched His tent among us.”

Spe Salvi 49 – Pope Benedict XVIwho-more-than-mary-pope-benedict-xvi-11-may-2018.jpg

Prayer to Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of our Faith
By our Holy Father, Pope Francis

Mother, help our faith!
Open our ears to hear God’s word
and to recognise His voice and call.
Awaken in us a desire, to follow in His footsteps,
to go forth from our own land
and to receive His promise.
Help us to be touched by His love,
that we may touch Him in faith.
Help us to entrust ourselves fully to Him
and to believe in His love,
especially at times of trial,
beneath the shadow of the cross,
when our faith is called to mature.
Sow in our faith the joy of the Risen One.
Remind us that those who believe are never alone.
Teach us to see all things with the eyes of Jesus,
that He may be light for our path.
And may this light of faith,
always increase in us,
until the dawn of that undying day,
which is Christ Himself, your Son, our Lord!
Amen

Prayer to Mary at the conclusion of the Encyclical Lumen Fidei (29 June 2013)
Image of Mary – Our Lady of the Column in St Peter’s Basilicaprayer-to-mary-mother-of-the-church-and-mother-of-our-faith-pope-francis-21-may-2018-memorial-of-mater-ecclesiae.jpg

St Augustine(354-430)
The Image of the Holy Church

Gracious Lady,
you are a mother and virgin,
you are the mother
of the body and soul
of our Head and Redeemer,
you are also truly mother
of all the members of Christ’s Mystical Body.
For through your love,
you have co-operated
in the begetting of the faithful in the Church.
Unique among women,
you are mother and virgin,
mother of Christ and virgin of Christ.
You are the beauty and charm of earth, O Virgin.
You are, forever, the image of the holy Church.
Through a woman came death,
through a woman came life,
yes, through you, O Mother of God.the image of the holy church - st augustine - 10 june 2019 - mary mater ecclesiae mother of the church.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, Ven Servant of God John A Hardon

1 June – the Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

“The month of June is traditionally dedicated
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the highest human expression of divine love.
The Heart of Jesus is the ultimate symbol of God’s mercy –
but it is not an imaginary symbol, it is a real symbol,
which represents the centre,
the source from which,
salvation for all humanity gushed forth.”

Pope Francis

the month of June - pope francis - 1 june 2019.jpg

Devotion to the Sacred Heart
By Ven Servant of God John A Hardon SJ (1914-2000)

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is as old as Christianity.   When the side of Christ was pierced on Calvary, there immediately flowed out blood and water.   The Church has interpreted this to mean the outpouring of grace through the Church, which began the moment that Christ expired on the Cross.
Over the centuries, the gratitude of the faithful for this manifestation of divine love has centred on the physical Heart of Jesus as the symbol of God’s love for man.   We may, therefore, say, that devotion to the Sacred Heart is really, devotion to the love of God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
When God became man, it was God – who is love – who became man.   In the languages of all nations, the heart is identified with love.   Consequently our devotion to the Heart of Jesus is directed to the love of Jesus in different ways.

We love Him as our God, who has loved us from all eternity and out of selfless love brought us into existence and destined us to possess Him for all eternity.
We love Him as our God Incarnate, who loved us so much that He assumed our human nature and by His bodily death redeemed us from the eternal death we deserved for our sins.
We love Him as our Redeemer who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven where He is preparing a place for us.   Where He is, our God united with His human body and soul, we hope to be in His blessed company.
We love Him as our Eucharistic Lord who is on earth in His humanity, in the Blessed Sacrament.   He offers Himself in the Mass through which He now communicates the graces He won for us on the Cross.   By His Real Presence, He invites us to offer Him our adoring love and ask Him to work the miracles He performed during His visible stay in Palestine.

To be emphasised is the unique character of devotion to the Sacred Heart.   It is nothing less than a synthesis of Catholic Christianity in its loving response to the unspeakable love of God for the sons and daughters of the human family.june month of the sacred heart 1 june 2019.jpg

For the sake of convenience, we may divide the terms “Sacred Heart” and “Devotion” into two parts:
Sacred Heart stands for the love of God, which means the love that is God, the love that God has shown for us from the dawn of creation until now and the love that God will continue to pour out on us into the endless reaches of eternity.
Devotion stands for our grateful return of love for love, which is shown in loving sacrifice by the total surrender of our wills to the mysterious and demanding will of God; in loving imitation of Jesus Christ, whose virtues as man are so many manifestations of His divine attributes as God; in loving worship of Mary’s Son, who is present with His living, pulsating human Heart in the Blessed Sacrament; in loving petition for the graces that we and others, need to serve Him faithfully here on earth and enjoy Him in the life that will never end.
A simple but very effective way of growing in devotion to the Sacred Heart is to recite daily the traditional Morning Offering:

O Jesus,
through the Most Pure Heart of Mary
and in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
throughout the world today,
I offer You all my prayers,
works, joys and sufferings of this day,
for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart,
I offer them for
the salvation of souls,
the reparation for sins,
the intentions of all our bishops, priests,
apostles of prayer
and our Holy Father, the Pope.
Amen

Among the promises made by our Lord to St Margaret Mary was the assurance that, “Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in my Heart, never to be blotted out.”morning offering - 1 june 2019.jpg

Posted in 7 GIFTS of the HOLY GHOST: Wisdom, Understanding, Prudence, Strength, Knowledge, Piety, Fear, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, NOVENAS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The HOLY GHOST

Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit – Day Two – 1 June

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Novena to the Holy Spirit – Day Two – 1 June

“Enrich your soul in the great goodness of God –
The Father is your table,
the Son is your food
and the Holy Spirit waits on you
and then makes His dwelling in you.”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

the father is the table the son is the food and the holy spirit waits on you st c of siena 1 june 2019

For the Traditional Novena, Day One here with the Act of Consecration: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/05/11/pentecost-novena-to-the-holy-spirit-for-the-seven-gifts-day-one-11-may-2018/

DAY TWO

Begin by reciting the following prayer…

O Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler!
I adore You as my True God.
I offer You my whole heart
and I render You heartfelt thanks
for all the benefits You have bestowed upon the world.
You are the author of all supernatural gifts
and enriched the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the Mother of God,
with all favours.
I ask You to visit me by Your grace and Your love,
and grant me the favour
I so earnestly seek…
…………………………………. State your request here…
O Holy Spirit,
spirit of truth, come into our hearts.

Let us Pray:

O Holy Spirit,
make me faithful in every thought,
and grant that I may always listen to Your voice
and watch for Your light
and follow Your gracious inspirations.
I cling to You
and give myself to You
and ask You, by Your compassion,
to watch over me in my weakness.
Holding the pierced feet of Jesus,
looking at His Five Wounds,
trusting in His Precious Blood,
adoring His opened side and stricken heart,
I implore You adorable Spirit,
helper of my infirmity,
to keep me in Your grace,
now and always,
and grant us the favour me ask in this novena…

Come, O Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of Your faithful,
and kindle in them the fire of Your love.
Amenday-two-pentecost-novena-12-may-2018.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Marian Thoughts –22 May – Pope Francis – The Third Luminous Mystery: The Proclamation of the Kingdom

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Marian Thoughts – 22May – ‘Mary’s Month’ – Wednesday of the fifth Week of Easter, C

Mini Series – Pope Francis and the Holy Rosary

“Through prayer and meditation on the life of Jesus Christ, we see once more his merciful countenance, which he shows to everyone in all the many needs of life. Mary accompanies us along this journey, pointing to her Son who radiates the very mercy of the Father.”...Pope Francis 9 October 2016

The Third Luminous Mystery:

The Proclamation of the Kingdom

Jesus Christ came to proclaim and bring about the Lord’s everlasting time of grace.   He brought good news to the poor, freedom to prisoners, sight to the blind and freedom to the oppressed (cf. Lk 4:18-19).
Proclaiming the Gospel, forgiving, carrying out His will – when we do these things, we are never alone.   Jesus walks ahead of us, taking our steps before us, preparing the way.

Pope Francis
WYD 2016

pope francis - 3rd luminous proclamation of the kingdom 22 may 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Marian Thoughts – 16 May – Pope Francis – The Third Joyful Mystery: The Nativity

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Marian Thoughts – 16 May – ‘Mary’s Month’ – Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter, C

Mini Series – Pope Francis and the Holy Rosary

“The month of May is dedicated to Our Lady
and it is “fitting” to start the habit of a daily rosary now.”
Pope Francis

The Third Joyful Mystery – The Nativity

“Mary and Joseph had to leave their people, their home and their land and to undertake a journey in order to be registered in the census.
This was no comfortable or easy journey for a young couple about to have a child – they had to leave their land.
At heart, they were full of hope and expectation because of the child about to be born, yet their steps were weighed down by the uncertainties and dangers that attend those, who have to leave their home behind.
They they found themselves, having to face perhaps, the most difficult thing of all. They arrived in Bethlehem and experienced that, it was a land that was not expecting them. A land, whee there was no place for them.   And there, where everything was a challenge, May gave us Emmanuel.   The Son of God, had to be born in a stable because His own had no room for Him. “He came to what was his own and his own people did not accept him” (Jn 1:11).
That night, the One who had no place to be born, is proclaimed to those who had no place at the table or in the streets of the city.   The shepherds are the first to hear this Good News.   By reason of their work, they were men and women forced to live on the edges of society.   Their state of life and the places they had to stay, prevented them from observing all the ritual prescriptions of religious purification, as a result, they wee considered unclean.   Their skin, their clothing, their smell, their way of speaking, their origin, all betrayed them.   Everything about them generated mistrust. They were men and women to be kept at a distance, to be feared.   They were considered pagans among the believers, sinners among the just, foreigners among the citizens. Yet, to them – pagans, sinners and foreigners – the angel says:  “Do not be afraid – for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for the people, to you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Lk 2:10-11)”

Pope Francis

pope francis meditations on the rosary - the third joyful mystery - the nativity - 16 may 2019.jpg

Posted in CATECHESIS, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The ANNUNCIATION, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The INCARNATION

Marian Thoughts – 14 May – Pope Francis – The First Joyful Mystery: The Annunciation

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Marian Thoughts – 14 May – ‘Mary’s Month’ – Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter, C

Mini Series – Pope Francis and the Holy Rosary

“I want to recommend some medicine for all of you.   It’s a spiritual medicine.   Don’t forget to take it.   “It’s good for your heart, for your soul, for your whole life.” (17 November 2013)pope francis' reflections on the joyful mysteries 1st mystery 14 may 2019.jpg

The First Joyful Mystery:   The Annunciation

“The annunciation to Mary can be read alongside the announcement to Zechariah of John the Baptist’s birth.   One annunciation happens to a priest in the Temple of God, during a liturgy, where everyone is waiting outside, while the other, happens to a young woman named Mary, in a small town that did not necessarily have a good reputation.   This contrast is not insignificant.   It serves as a sign that the new Temple of God, the new encounter of God with His people, will happen in places which we normally do not expect, on the margins, on the peripheries.   By now, it will no longer be in a place reserved for the few, while the majority wait outside. Nothing and no-one, will be indifferent, no situation will be deprived of His presence, the joy of salvation began in the daily life of the home of a youth in Nazareth.
Even today, God is still searching for hearts like Mary’s that are open to welcoming His invitation and providing hope, even when it’s hard.
God continues to walk our neighbourhoods and our streets, He pushes in each place in search of hearts capable of listening to His invitation and making it become flesh here and now.
In the end, the Lord continues to seek hearts like that of Mary, disposed to believe even in very extraordinary conditions.
Just like He did with Mary, God also takes the initiative in our lives, inserting Himself into our daily struggles, anxieties and desires.
It is precisely in the daily routine of our lives, that we receive the most beautiful announcement we can hear – “Rejoice, the Lord is with you!”
(Pope Francis, 2017)

Holy Mary of the Annunciation of Emmanuel,

God with us,

Pray for us!mary's fiat - holy mary pray for us 14 may 2019 pope francis and the rosary from Fr Enrico no 1.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 13 May – Act of Entrustment to Our Lady of Fatima

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Our Morning Offering – 13 May – The 102nd Anniversary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima

Act of Entrustment to Our Lady of Fatima
By Pope Francis

Blessed Virgin Mary of Fatima,
with renewed gratitude for your motherly presence
we join in the voice of all generations that call you blessed.
We celebrate in you the great works of God,
who never tires of lowering Himself
in mercy over humanity,
afflicted by evil and wounded by sin,
to heal and to save it.
Accept with the benevolence of a Mother
this act of entrustment that we make in faith today,
before this your image, beloved to us.
We are certain that each one of us is precious in your eyes
and that nothing in our hearts has estranged you.
May that we allow your sweet gaze
to reach us and the perpetual warmth of your smile.
Guard our life with your embrace,
bless and strengthen every desire for good,
give new life and nourishment to faith,
sustain and enlighten hope,
awaken and animate charity,
guide us all on the path to holiness.
Teach us your own special love for the little and the poor,
for the excluded and the suffering,
for sinners and the wounded of heart,
gather all people under your protection
and give us all to your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus.
Amen.

*Act of entrustment to Mary, Virgin of Fátima, at the conclusion of Mass on the occasion of the Marian Day (Saint Peter’s Square, 13 October 2013)act of entrustment to our lady of fatima by pope francis 13 may 2019 102nd anniversary.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Mothers’ Day! 12 May – Mothers’ Day Prayer to Mary, our Mother

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Mother’s Day! 12 May and Mary’s Month

Wishing all Mothers a Blessed and Happy Mothers’ Day

May Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ

and our Mother, be a comfort to us all.

Mothers’ Day Prayer
to Mary, our Mother
Intercessions from 1727 the Liturgical Order of Blessing

Mary,
Mother of God
and our Mother,
pray for all mothers,
so that they will be able
to fulfill their maternal responsibilities.
Help them to be lovers and nurturers of
all human life from the moment of conception
until natural death,
all the while being examples
for their own children.
Pray for their children,
so that they, too,
will be faithful followers of your Son.
We pray for our mothers,
who have given us life and love,
that we may show them reverence and love.
We pray for mothers,
who have lost a child through death,
that their faith may give them hope
and their family and friend,
support and console them.
We pray for mothers who have died,
that God may bring them
into the joy of His kingdom
We offer these prayers
through Christ, our Lord
and your Son,
in union with the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
Amenmother's day prayer to mary our mother - 12 may 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 12 May – Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of our Faith

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Our Morning Offering – 12 May – ‘Mary’s Month” – The Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Prayer to Mary,
Mother of the Church
and Mother of our Faith
By Pope Francis

Mother, help our faith!
Open our ears to hear God’s word
and to recognise His voice and call.
Awaken in us a desire to follow in His footsteps,
to go forth from our own land
and to receive His promise.
Help us to be touched by His love,
that we may touch Him in faith.
Help us to entrust ourselves fully to Him
and to believe in His love,
especially at times of trial,
beneath the shadow of the cross,
when our faith is called to mature.
Sow in our faith, the joy of the Risen One.
Remind us, that those who believe are never alone.
Teach us to see all things
with the eyes of Jesus,
that He may be light for our path.
And may this light of faith
always increase in us,
until the dawn of that undying day
which is Christ Himself, your Son, our Lord!
Amen

*Prayer to Mary at the conclusion of the Encyclical Lumen Fidei (29 June 2013)prayer to mary mother of the chuch and of our faith - pope francis - 12 may 2019

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Marian Thoughts – 6 May – Pope Francis and Mary

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Marian Thoughts – 6 May – ‘May, the Month of Mary’ – Pope Francis and Mary

Mary, Pope Francis said, “shows us the way home.
She brings us to Jesus, who is the Gate of Mercy.”

Francis’s love affair with Our Lady is well documented and it began long before Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio was made a bishop – in 1990, the future pope gave up TV because of a promise he made to the Virgin of Carmel.

After he was appointed archbishop of Buenos Aires, in Argentina, he’d participate in a massive pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Lujan, patroness of his country.

Before and after every foreign trip today, he visits Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major to venerate the famous icon of Our Lady known as Salus Populi Romani (protectress of the Roman people) and usually leaves a bouquet of flowers presented to him during the trip.pope francis bows in front of populus mary.jpeg

In early 2016, he made a politically-charged trip to Mexico, visiting Ciudad Juarez on the border with the United States to deliver a strong appeal in favour of immigrants.   Yet before and during the trip, he said time and time again he would visit Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and everything else was decided after.   “How could I not come?” Francis asked the Mexican bishops when he met with them.   “Could the Successor of Peter, called from the far south of Latin America, deprive himself of seeing la Virgen Morenita?”

Francis has spoken about how his devotion to Mary helped him through his election to the papacy, about praying the Rosary three times a day and that he always makes a point of stopping and even presenting flowers at the feet of Our Lady when she’s in St Peter’s Square or, wherever, he celebrates Mass during his trips abroad.

In 2005, after the death of St John Paul II, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Beroglio wrote a piece for a special issue of the Italian magazine 30 Giorni, dedicated to the late pontiff.  In it, the man who today leads the Church wrote about once praying the rosary with the Polish pope and the impact it had on him.

“I felt that this man, chosen to lead the Church, was following a path back to his Mother in the sky, a path set out from his childhood,” he wrote. “I understood the presence of Mary in the life of the pope, a witness he never ceased to give.   From that moment, I recite the 15 mysteries of the Rosary every day.”

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee!hail mary and ave maria -stpetr canisius holy mary - 21dec2018 .jpg

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Our Morning Offering – 5 May – Marian Prayer before Mass

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Our Morning Offering – 5 May – Third Sunday of Easter, Year C

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Before Holy Mass

O most blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of tenderness and mercy,
I, a miserable and unworthy sinner,
fly to you with all the affection of my heart
and I beseech your motherly love,
that, as you stood by your most dear Son,
while he hung on the Cross,
so, in your kindness,
you may be pleased to stand by me, a poor sinner,
and all Priests who today are offering the Sacrifice
here and throughout the entire holy Church,
so that with your gracious help
we may offer a worthy and acceptable oblation
in the sight of the most high and undivided Trinity.
Amen.

(This prayer is adapted from the Priests’ Prayers Before each Mass)prayer-to-the-blessed-virgin-before-mass-15-april-2018.jpg

Posted in BAPTISM, CATHOLIC Quotes, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SACRAMENTS, The ASCENSION of the LORD, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The RESURRECTION

Thought for the Day- 4 May – God’s Plan of Salvation

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Thought for the Day- 4 May – Saturday of the Second Week of Easter

God’s Plan of Salvation

Second Vatican Council

An excerpt from Sacrosanctum Concilium, #7-8

In His desire that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, God spoke in former times to our forefathers through the prophets, on many occasions and in different ways.   Then, in the fullness of time He sent His Son, the Word made man, anointed by the Holy Spirit, to bring good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted as the physician of body and spirit and the mediator between God and men.   In the unity of the person of the Word, His human nature was the instrument of our salvation.   Thus in Christ, there has come to be, the perfect atonement that reconciles us with God and we have been given the power to offer the fullness of divine worship.

This work of man’s redemption and God’s perfect glory was foreshadowed by God’s mighty deeds among the people of the Old Covenant.   It was brought to fulfilment by Christ the Lord, especially through the paschal mystery of His blessed passion, resurrection from the dead and ascension in glory – by dying He destroyed our death, and by rising again He restored our life.   From His side, as He lay asleep on the cross, was born that wonderful sacrament, which is the Church in its entirety.

As Christ was sent by the Father, so in His turn He sent the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit.   They were sent to preach the Gospel to every creature, proclaiming that we had been set free from the power of Satan and from death by the death and resurrection of God’s Son and brought into the kingdom of the Father.   They were sent also to bring into effect, this saving work that they proclaimed, by means of the sacrifice and sacraments that are the pivot of the whole life of the liturgy.

So, by baptism men are brought within the paschal mystery. Dead with Christ, buried with Christ, risen with Christ, they receive the Spirit that makes them God’s adopted children, crying out – Abba, Father and so they become the true adorers that the Father seeks.

In the same way, whenever they eat the supper of the Lord they proclaim His death until He comes.   So, on the very day of Pentecost, on which the Church was manifested to the world, those who received the word of Peter were baptised.   They remained steadfast in the teaching of the apostles and in the communion of the breaking of bread, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.

From that time onward the Church has never failed to come together to celebrate the paschal mystery, by reading what was written about Him in every part of Scripture, by celebrating the Eucharist in which the victory and triumph of His death are shown forth, and also by giving thanks to God for the inexpressible gift He has given in Christ Jesus, to the praise of God’s glory.

Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning,
is now and ever shall be world without end.
Amenglory be to the father and - 4 may 2019

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Our Morning Offering – 2 May – ‘O Mary of all women’

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Our Morning Offering – 2 May “Mary’s Month” – Thursday of the Second week of Easter

Opening Hymn from the Little Office of Mary

O Mary of all women,
You are the chosen one,
Who, ancient prophets promised,
Would bear God’s only Son;
All Hebrew generations
Prepared the way to thee,
That in your womb the God-man,
Might come to set us free.

O Mary, you embody
all God taught to our race,
For you are first and foremost
In fullness of His grace;
We praise this wondrous honour
That you gave birth to Him,
Who from you took humanity
And saved us from our sin.opening-hymn-from-the-little-office-of-mary-of-mary-of-all-women-1-may-2018 (1).jpg

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One Minute Reflection – 1 May – “The light that never dims”

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One Minute Reflection – 1 May – Wednesday of the Second week of Easter, the first day of Mary’s Month and the Memorial of St Joseph the Worker, Gospel: John 3:16–21

“But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.”…John 3:21

REFLECTION – “In the evening, when the Bishop is present, the deacon carries in the lamp.   And standing in the midst of all the faithful who are there, he will offer thanksgiving.   First of all he says the greeting:  “The Lord be with you,” and the people respond:  “And with your spirit.” – Then he says: “Let us give thanks to the Lord” and they reply: “It is right and just.   To Him be the greatness and supremacy together with the glory”… Then he will pray thus, saying:
“We give you thanks, Lord, through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom you enlighten us by revealing the light that never dims.   Since day is spent and we have now reached evening, filled with the light of the day you created for our joy and since, through your grace, we do not now lack the light of evening, we praise and glorify you through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom to you be glory and power and honour, with the Holy Spirit, now and for ever and through all ages. Amen.”   And everyone will say: “Amen.”
In this way, after the meal, all will stand in prayer.   The children say psalms as also the virgins.”…St Hippolytus of Rome (c 170– c 235) Priest and Martyr – Apostolic Tradition, 25john 3 21 but he who does what is true - we give you thanks Lord - st hippolytus 1 may 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Shed your clear light on our hearts, Lord, so that walking continually in the way of Your commandments, we may never be deceived or misled.   Your ways are not our ways, teach us to willingly agree to them, for You know which way we should go. Help us to say “yes” always to Your plan and to render ourselves as a sacrament of Your divine love to all we meet.   Fill us with the grace to be your tools to bring glory to Your kingdom.   St Joseph, silent and loving husband and father, as you worked for and protected your family on earth, protect us all now in the Church of Your adopted son. Through Him, our Our Lord Jesus Christ with You, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.st joseph the worker pray for us 1 may 2019.jpg

 

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Our Morning Offering – 1 May – Transforming our daily work into something beautiful for God

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Our Morning Offering – 1 May – Wednesday of the Second week of Easter, the first day of Mary’s Month and the Memorial of St Joseph the Worker

Transforming our daily work into something beautiful for God.

On 1 May 1955, Venerable Servant of God Pope Pius XII (1876-1958) established a new Memorial in the Church’s calendar, dedicating 1 May to “St Joseph the Worker.”   He sought to affirm the rights of workers and to put forth St Joseph as the supreme model.

“As the Vicar of Christ, we wish to reaffirm highly, on this day of 1 May… the dignity of work and [to] inspire social life and laws, based on a fair share of rights and duties … We have determined to establish the liturgical feast of St Joseph the Worker, assigning it precisely on the 1st of May … because the humble craftsman of Nazareth not only embodies the dignity of the arm of the worker … he is also always the guardian of you and your families.”

St Pope Pius X (1835-1914) had similar desires when he composed a prayer to “St Joseph the Worker.”   It is a prayer that recognises the great dignity of work and how it can be offered to God as a sacrifice, pleasing in His sight.   St Joseph has always been the supreme example of this type of holy work, teaching his son, Jesus, how to work with great care and precision, giving to God His best work possible.

O Glorious St Joseph,
model of all those who are devoted to labour,
obtain for me the grace to work conscientiously,
putting the call of duty above my natural inclinations,
to work with gratitude and joy,
in a spirit of penance for the remission of my sins,
considering it an honour to employ
and develop by means of labour,
the gifts received from God,
to work with order, peace, moderation and patience,
without ever shrinking from weariness
and difficulties, to work above all,
with purity of intention
and detachment from self,
having always death before my eyes
and the account that I must render of time lost,
of talents wasted, of good omitted,
of vain complacency in success,
so fatal to the work of God.
All for Jesus,
all through Mary,
all after thine example,
O Patriarch, St Joseph.
Such shall be my motto in life and in death.
Amenprayer-to-st-joseph-the-worker-st-pope-pius-x-1-may-2018

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Our Morning Offering – 24 April – An Ancient Easter Prayer

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Our Morning Offering – 24 April – Wednesday of Easter week

An Ancient Easter Prayer
Roman Missal, Easter Vigil

O God of unchangeable power and light eternal,
look kindly upon the wonderful mystery of Your Church
and by the tranquil operation of Your perpetual providence,
carry forward, the work of human salvation
and let the whole world feel and see,
that things, which were cast down
are being raised up,
that things which had grown old,
are being made new
and all things are returning to perfection,
through Him, in whom they have their source,
in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amenan ancient easter prayer - roman missal - wed of octave 24 april 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, EASTER, MARIAN PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Reminder! – Regina Cœli “Queen of Heaven”

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Remember to exchange your Angelus prayer for the Regina Coeli as from Easter Sunday for the next 50 days of Eastertide.

The Regina Cæli or Regina Cœli “Queen of Heaven”, is an ancient Latin Marian Hymn of the Christian Church.

It is one of the four seasonal Marian antiphons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, prescribed to be sung or recited in the Liturgy of the Hours at the conclusion of the last of the hours to be prayed in common that day, typically night prayer (Compline or Vespers).   Anyone of these four or of other suitable antiphons may now be sung at any time of the liturgical year.   The Regina Coeli is sung or recited in place of the Angelus during the Easter season, from Easter Sunday until Pentecost.

While the authorship of the Regina Caeli is unknown, the hymn has been traced back to the 12th century.   It was in Franciscan use, after Compline, in the first half of the following century.   According to Catholic tradition, St Gregory the Great (540-604) heard angels chanting the first three lines one Easter morning in Rome, while following barefoot in a great religious procession of the icon of the Virgin painted by St Luke the Evangelist.   He was thereupon inspired to add the fourth line.

The Regina Coeli

Queen of heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For He whom thou did merit to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
Rejoice and be glad, O virgin Mary, alleluia.
For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray.
O God, who gave joy to the world
through the resurrection of Thy son,
our Lord Jesus Christ,
grant we beseech Thee,
that through the intercession
of the virgin Mary,
His mother, we may obtain
the joys of everlasting life.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amenregina coeli snipped.JPG

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Our Morning Offering – 22 April – Easter Prayer

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Our Morning Offering – 22 April – Monday of Easter Week

Easter Prayer
By St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604)
One of the original four Doctors of the Latin Church

It is only right,
with all the powers of our heart and mind,
to praise You Father and Your Only-Begotten Son,
Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear Father,
by Your wondrous condescension
of Loving-Kindness toward us, Your servants,
You gave up Your Son.
Dear Jesus,
You paid the debt of Adam for us,
to the Eternal Father by Your Blood
poured forth in Loving-Kindness.
You cleared away the darkness of sin
by Your magnificent and radiant Resurrection.
You broke the bonds of death
and rose from the grave as a Conqueror.
You reconciled Heaven and earth.
Our life had no hope of Eternal Happiness
before You redeemed us.
Your Resurrection has washed away our sins,
restored our innocence and brought us joy.
How inestimable is the tenderness of Your Love!
We pray You, Lord, to preserve Your servants
in the peaceful enjoyment of this Easter happiness.
We ask this through Jesus Christ Our Lord,
Who lives and reigns with God The Father,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever.
Ameneaster prayer by st pope gregory the great monday in easter week 22 april 2019.jpg

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The Stations of the Cross – 20 April – Thirteenth & Fourteenth Stations

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The Stations of the Cross – 20 April – Holy Saturday, – Easter Vigil in the Holy Night

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition

Pardon us, O Lord, pardon us
By William of Saint-Thierry OSB, O.Cist. (c 1075-1148)
Abbot, Monk, Theologian, Mystic, Writer
Friend of St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

Pardon us, O Lord, pardon us.
We beg to shift the blame for our sins,
we make excuses.
But no-one can hide
from the Light of Your Truth,
which both enlightens those,
who turn to it
and exposes those,
who turn away.
Even our blood and our bones
are visible to You,
who created us out of dust.
How foolish we are,
to think that we can rule our own lives,
satisfying our own desires,
without thought of You.
How stupid we are,
to imagine that we can keep our sins hidden.
But although we may deceive other people,
we cannot deceive You.
And since You see into our hearts,
we cannot deceive ourselves,
for Your Light reveals to us,
our own spiritual corruption.
Let us, therefore, fall down before You,
weeping with tears of shame.
May Your judgement,
give new shape to our souls.
May Your power,
mould our hearts
to reflect Your love.
May Your grace,
infuse our minds,
so that our thoughts
reflect Your Will.
Amenpardon us o lord pardon us by william saint thierry - 20 april 2019 holy sat.jpg

The Thirteenth Station
Jesus is taken from the Cross, and laid in Mary’s Bosom

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

THE multitude have gone home.   Calvary is left solitary and still, except that St John and the holy women are there.   Then come Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and take down from the Cross the body of Jesus and place it in the arms of Mary.

O Mary, at last you have possession of your Son.   Now, when His enemies can do no more, they leave Him in contempt to you.   As His unexpected friends perform their difficult work, you look on with unspeakable thoughts.   Your heart is pierced with the sword of which Simeon spoke.   O Mother most sorrowful, yet in your sorrow there is a still greater joy.   The joy in prospect nerved you to stand by Him as He hung upon the Cross, much more now, without swooning, without trembling, you receive Him to your arms and on your lap.   Now you are supremely happy as having Him, though He comes to you not as He went from you.   He went from your home, O Mother of God, in the strength and beauty of His manhood and He comes back to you dislocated, torn to pieces, mangled, dead.   Yet, O Blessed Mary, you are happier in this hour of woe than on the day of the marriage feast, for then He was leaving you and now in the future, as a Risen Saviour, He will be separated from you no more.

Pater, Ave. &c. thirteenth station jesus is taken from the cross bl john henry newman 20 april 2019 holy sat

The Fourteenth Station
Jesus is laid in the Tomb

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

BUT for a short three days, for a day and a half—Mary then must give Him up.   He is not yet risen.   His friends and servants take Him from you and place Him in an honourable tomb.   They close it safely, till the hour comes for His resurrection.

Lie down and sleep in peace in the calm grave for a little while, dear Lord and then wake up for an everlasting reign.   We, like the faithful women, will watch around You, for all our treasure, all our life, is lodged with You.   And, when our turn comes to die, grant, sweet Lord, that we may sleep calmly too, the sleep of the just.   Let us sleep peacefully for the brief interval between death and the general resurrection.   Guard us from the enemy, save us from the pit.   Let our friends remember us and pray for us, O dear Lord. Let Masses be said for us, so that the pains of Purgatory, so much deserved by us and, therefore, so truly welcomed by us, may be over with little delay.   Give us seasons of refreshment there, wrap us round with holy dreams and soothing contemplations, while we gather strength to ascend the heavens.   And then let our faithful guardian Angels help us up the glorious ladder, reaching from earth to heaven, which Jacob saw in vision. And when we reach the everlasting gates, let them open upon us with the music of Angels and let St Peter receive us and our Lady, the glorious Queen of Saints, embrace us, and bring us to You, and to Your Eternal Father and to Your Co-equal Spirit, Three Persons, One God, to reign with Them forever and ever.

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.fourteenth station - tomb - bl john henry newman - 20 april 2019 holy sat

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my
whole heart for having
offended You.
Never permit me
to separate myself from You again
grant that I may love always
and then do with me
what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

LET US PRAY

God, Who by the Precious Blood of Your only-begotten Son did sanctify the Standard of the Cross, grant, we beseech You, that we, who rejoice in the glory of the same Holy Cross, may at all times and places, rejoice in Your protection, Through the same Christ, our Lord.   Amen.

Lord Jesus, I am too tired to go on but in You I find rest.
Lord Jesus, I feel so alone but You promised that You would never leave me.
Lord Jesus, I am so afraid but Your arms constantly protect me.
Lord Jesus, I cannot make it but You promise that You will carry me.
Lord Jesus, I am lost but through You and You alone I am found.

End with one Pater, Ave and Gloria, for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

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Friday of the Passion of the Lord, 3 p.m.

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The Stations of the Cross – 19 April – Friday of the Passion of the Lord, 3 p.m.

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

The Twelfth Station
Lord Jesus, You die on the cross

You hang on a cross like a criminal, a few faithful gather at Your feet.   Your mother is there as her Son drips to death for His human creatures.
Yet, even nailed to a cross and dying from the torture, there is no mercy for You.
You ask for a small compassion and are given gall to drink.
There is no mercy for You, yet You constantly plead for mercy for me.
You even give me the Mother that You chose for Yourself.
And in Your passion, without solace, alone in the midst of the crowd, cut off from everyone, You are utterly alone.
Defiled even as You die, cursed and ignored with no possibility of human comfort, You cry out Your agony from the cross and at that moment tear, any barrier, between Your Father and me.
I should be the one hanging on that cross, guilty with all my sin but out of love, You have taken my place.
You give your last drop of precious blood and then looking at me, You breathe Your last, bow Your head, and die…for me.

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.twelfth station jesus dies on the cross - bl john henry newman 19 april good friday 2019.jpg

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my
whole heart for having
offended You.
Never permit me
to separate myself
from You again
grant that I may love always
and then do with me
what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Bei love you lord jesus - st alphonsus - 19 april 2019 - good friday.jpg

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The Stations of the Cross – 19 April – Stations Ten and Eleven

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The Stations of the Cross – 19 April – Friday of the Passion of the Lord

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

The Tenth Station
Lord Jesus, You are stripped of Your garments

They strip your garments off You and as they do, Your blood encrusted wounds are ripped open again and start to bleed once again and in Your pain, they mock You in Your nakedness, thinking that they are revealing how pitiful You are.
What they don’t see is how God exalted man by becoming man.
Taking Your clothes, the soldiers want to leave You nothing but You are God and cannot be made nothing.
They want You to be shamed in your nakedness, as Adam and Eve were shamed but You are God and cannot be shamed.
They want to reveal Your guilt but instead only reveal Your innocence.
They try to take away your dignity and every last bit of You but You are God, You alone are everything.tenth station jesus is tripped - bl john henry newman - 19 april 2019

The Eleventh Station
Lord Jesus, You are nailed to the cross

Wounded, mangled, bleeding, dying, You consent to the violent attack of the hammer. Patient in Your agony, You allow the cruel tearing of Your body to make me one with You.
Pilate writes “Jesus Christ, King of the Jews” to mock You.   If only He knew how right He was!   Onto that wood is nailed the Messiah, the Christ, the King.
You give me Bread of life to fill me, even as You receive the nails caused by my sin.
You are constantly bombarded by sin, all the rage, all the hatred lust and greed and incessant lies of all mankind through all the ages bearing on You.   You are bombarded with poison and still You love.
Because of Your love, You have holes ripped into Your hands and Your feet and You continue to bleed for me.the eleventh station jesus is nailed to the cross bl john henry newman 19 april 2019

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my
whole heart for having
offended You.
Never permit me
to separate myself
from You again
grant that I may love always
and then do with me
what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a Sinner.

the jesus prayer - good friday 19 april 2019.jpg

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The Stations of the Cross – 18 April – Maundy Thursday

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The Stations of the Cross – 18 April – Maundy Thursday

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition

Forgive my sins, O my God,
forgive my sins –
the sins of youth,
the sins of age,
the sins of my soul
and the sins of my body,
the sins which, through frailty,
I have committed,
my deliberate and grievous sins,
the sins I know
and the sins I do not know,
the sins I have laboured so long
to hide from others,
that now they are hidden
from my own memory;
let me be absolved
from all these iniquities
and delivered from
the bond of all these evils,
by the Life, Passion and Death
of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen

act-of-contrition-7-march-thurs-after-ash-wed-2019.jpg

The Ninth Station
Again, a third time, Jesus falls

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

JESUS had now reached almost to the top of Calvary but, before He had gained the very spot where He was to be crucified, again He fell and is again dragged up and goaded onwards by the brutal soldiery.

We are told in Holy Scripture of three falls of Satan, the Evil Spirit.   The first was in the beginning; the second, when the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven were preached to the world, the third will be at the end of all things.   The first is told us by St John the Evangelist.   He says: “There was a great battle in heaven.   Michael and his Angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought, and his angels.   And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven.   And that great dragon was cast out, the old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan.”   The second fall, at the time of the Gospel, is spoken of by our Lord when He says, “I saw Satan, like lightning, falling from heaven.” And the third by the same St John:  “There came down fire from God out of heaven, … and the devil … was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone.”

These three falls—the past, the present and the future—the Evil Spirit had in mind when he moved Judas to betray our Lord.   This was just his hour.   Our Lord, when He was seized, said to His enemies, “This is your hour and the power of darkness.”   Satan knew his time was short and thought he might use it to good effect.   But little dreaming that he would be acting in behalf of the world’s redemption, which our Lord’s passion and death were to work out, in revenge and, as he thought, in triumph, he smote Him once, he smote Him twice, he smote Him thrice, each successive time a heavier blow.   The weight of the Cross, the barbarity of the soldiers and the crowd, were but his instruments.   O Jesus, the only-begotten Son of God, the Word Incarnate, we praise, adore and love You for Your ineffable condescension, even to allow TYourself, thus for a time, to fall into the hands and under the power of the Enemy of God and man, in order thereby, to save us, from being his servants and companions for eternity.

Or this

This is the worst fall of the three.   His strength has for a while utterly failed Him and it is some time before the barbarous soldiers can bring Him to.   Ah! it was His anticipation of what was to happen to me.   I get worse and worse.   He sees the end from the beginning.   He was thinking of me all the time He dragged Himself along, up the Hill of Calvary.   He saw, that I should fall again in spite of all former warnings and former assistance.   He saw, that I should become secure and self-confident and that my enemy would then assail me with some new temptation, to which I never thought I should be exposed.   I thought my weakness lay all on one particular side which I knew.   I had not a dream that I was not strong on the other.   And so, Satan came down on my unguarded side and got the better of me, from my self-trust and self-satisfaction.   I was wanting in humility.   I thought no harm would come on me, I thought I had outlived the danger of sinning, I thought it was an easy thing to get to heaven and I was not watchful  . It was my pride and so I fell a third time.

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.the ninth station jesus falls the third time - he sees the end from the beginning - bl john henry newman 18 april 2019 holy thursday.jpg

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my whole heart
for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself
from You again grant that I
may love always
and then do with me what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HOLY WEEK 2019, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, STATIONS of the CROSS, The PASSION, The STATIONS of the CROSS

The Stations of the Cross – 17 April – The 7th and 8th Stations

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The Stations of the Cross – 17 April – Wednesday of Holy Week

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition:

ACT OF CONTRITION

Forgive my sins, O my God, forgive my sins: 
the sins of youth, 
the sins of age;
the sins of my soul 
and the sins of my body;
the sins which, through frailty, I have committed; 
my deliberate and grievous sins, 
the sins I know and the sins I do not know, 
the sins I have laboured so long to hide from others,
that now they are hidden from my own memory; 
let me be absolved from all these iniquities
and delivered from the bond of all these evils, 
by the Life, Passion, and Death 
of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 
Amenact-of-contrition-ash-wed-17 march 2019.jpg

The Seventh Station
Jesus falls a second time

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

THE pain of His wounds and the loss of blood increasing at every step of His way, again His limbs fail Him and He falls on the ground.

What has He done to deserve all this?   This is the reward received by the long-expected Messias from the Chosen People, the Children of Israel.   I know what to answer.   He falls because I have fallen. I have fallen again.   I know well that without Your grace, O Lord, I could not stand and I fancied that I had kept closely to Your Sacraments, yet in spite of my going to Mass and to my duties, I am out of grace again.   Why is it but because I have lost my devotional spirit and have come to Your holy ordinances in a cold, formal way, without inward affection.   I became lukewarm, tepid.   I thought the battle of life was over and became secure.   I had no lively faith, no sight of spiritual things.   I came to church from habit and because, I thought others would observe it.   I ought to be a new creature, I ought to live by faith, hope and charity but I thought more of this world, than of the world to come—and at last I forgot that I was a servant of God and followed the broad way that leads to destruction, not the narrow way which leads to life.   And thus I fell from You.

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my whole heart
for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself
from You again grant that I
may love always
and then do with me what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Bethe seventh station jesus falls 2nd time - what has he done - bl johnhenry newman 17 april 2019.jpg

The Eighth Station
Jesus comforts the Women of Jerusalem

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

AT the sight of the sufferings of Jesus the Holy Women are so pierced with grief that they cry out and bewail Him, careless what happens to them by so doing.   Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

Ah! can it be, O Lord, that I shall prove one of those sinful children for whom You bid their mothers to weep.   “Weep not for Me,” He said, “for I am the Lamb of God and am making atonement at My own will for the sins of the world.   I am suffering now but I shall triumph and, when I triumph, those souls, for whom I am dying, will either be my dearest friends or my deadliest enemies.”   Is it possible?   O my Lord, can I grasp the terrible thought that You really did weep for me—weep for me, as You did weep over Jerusalem? Is it possible that I am one of the reprobate? possible that I shall lose by Your passion and death, not gain by it?   Oh, withdraw not from me.   I am in a very bad way.   I have so much evil in me.   I have so little of an earnest, brave spirit to set against that evil.   O Lord, what will become of me?   It is so difficult for me to drive away the Evil Spirit from my heart.   You alone can effectually cast him out.

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.eight station jesus women jerusalem - 17 april 2019 bl john henry newman.jpg

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my whole heart
for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself
from You again grant that I
may love always
and then do with me what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Bei love you lord jesus - st alphonsus 11 april 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HOLY WEEK 2019, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, STATIONS of the CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The STATIONS of the CROSS

The Stations of the Cross – 16 April – The Sixth Station Jesus and Veronica

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The Stations of the Cross – 16 April – Tuesday of Holy Week

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition

Act of Contrition
By St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621) Doctor of the Church

O my God,
I am exceedingly grieved for having offended thee
and with my whole heart
I repent of the sins I have committed.
I hate and abhor them above every other evil,
not only because, by so sinning,
I have lost heaven and deserved hell
but still more, because I have offended thee,
O infinite Goodness,
who are worthy to be loved above all things.
I most firmly resolve,
by the assistance of thy grace,
never more to offend thee for the time to come
and to avoid those occasions
which might lead me into sin.
Amen

Note:  It is little known that St Robert is the Author of this, one of our most widely used prayersact-of-contrition-written-by-st-robert-bellarmine-o-m-god-i-am-exceedingly-grieved-17-sept-2018.jpg

The Sixth Station
Jesus and Veronica

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

AS Jesus toils along up the hill, covered with the sweat of death, a woman makes her way through the crowd and wipes His face with a napkin.   In reward of her piety, the cloth retains the impression of the Sacred Countenance upon it.

The relief which a Mother’s tenderness secured is not yet all she did.   Her prayers sent Veronica as well as Simon—Simon to do a man’s work, Veronica to do the part of a woman.   The devout servant of Jesus did what she could.   As Magdalen had poured the ointment at the Feast, so Veronica now offered Him this napkin in His passion.   “Ah,” she said, “would I could do more!   Why have I not the strength of Simon, to take part in the burden of the Cross?   But men only can serve the Great High Priest, now that He is celebrating the solemn act of sacrifice.”

O Jesus! let us one and all minister to You according to our places and powers.   And as You did accept from Your followers refreshment in Your hour of trial, so give to us the support of Your grace when we are hard pressed by our Foe.   I feel I cannot bear up against temptations, weariness, despondency and sin.   I say to myself, what is the good of being religious? {138}   I shall fall, O my dear Saviour, I shall certainly fall, unless You renew for me my vigour like the eagle’s and breathe life into me by the soothing application and the touch of the Holy Sacraments which You have appointed.the sixth station - jesus and veronica - 16 april - bl john henry newman - o jesus i shall certainly fall - 16 april 2019.jpg

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.

I love You, Lord Jesus,
my love above all things,
I repent with my whole heart
for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself
from You again grant that I
may love always
and then do with me what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, LENT 2019, LENTEN THOUGHTS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The STATIONS of the CROSS

The Stations of the Cross – 13 April – The Third Station

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The Stations of the Cross – 13 April – Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Year C

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Begin with an Act of Contrition, this one by St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787).

My Lord Jesus Christ,
You have made this journey
to die for me, with love unutterable
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You
but now I love You with my whole heart
and because I love You,
I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God
and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me,
I wish also, my beloved Redeemer,
to die for love of Thee.
My Jesus, I will live
and die always united to You.
Amenact of contrition - st alphonsus 13 april 2019.jpg

The Third Station
Jesus falls the first time beneath the Cross

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

JESUS, bowed down under the weight and the length of the unwieldy Cross, which trailed after Him, slowly sets forth on His way, amid the mockeries and insults of the crowd.   His agony in the Garden itself was sufficient to exhaust Him but it was only the first of a multitude of sufferings.   He sets off with His whole heart but His limbs fail Him and He falls.

Yes, it is as I feared.   Jesus, the strong and mighty Lord, has found for the moment our sins stronger than Himself.   He falls—yet He bore the load for a while, He tottered but He bore up and walked onwards.   What, then, made Him give way?   I say, I repeat, it is an intimation and a memory to thee, O my soul, of thy falling back into mortal sin.   I repented of the sins of my youth and went on well for a time but at length, a new temptation came, when I was off my guard and I suddenly fell away.   Then all my good habits seemed to go at once, they were like a garment which is stripped off, so quickly and utterly did grace depart from me.   And at that moment I looked at my Lord and lo! He had fallen down and I covered my face with my hands and remained in a state of great confusion.the third station jesus falls the first time - bl john henry newman 13 april 20195.jpg

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.

I love You,
Lord Jesus,
my love
above all things,
I repent
with my
whole heart
for having
offended You.
Never permit me
to separate myself
from You again
grant that I
may love always
and then do with me
what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, LENT 2019, LENTEN THOUGHTS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The STATIONS of the CROSS

The Stations of the Cross – 12 April – The Second Station

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The Stations of the Cross – 12 April – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Year C

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross
By Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)the stations of the cross - meditations by - for each post - header 11 april 2019

Begin with an Act of Contrition, this one by St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787).

My Lord Jesus Christ,
You have made this journey
to die for me, with love unutterable
and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You
but now I love You with my whole heart
and because I love You,
I repent sincerely for having ever offended You.
Pardon me, my God
and permit me to accompany You on this journey.
You go to die for love of me,
I wish also, my beloved Redeemer,
to die for love of Thee.
My Jesus, I will live
and die always united to You.
Amen

V. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R. Quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum.
V. We adore You, O Christ and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

The Second Station
Jesus receives His Cross

A STRONG, and therefore heavy Cross, for it is strong enough to bear Him on it, when He arrives at Calvary, is placed upon His torn shoulders.   He receives it gently and meekly, nay, with gladness of heart, for it is to be the salvation of mankind.

True – but recollect, that heavy Cross is the weight of our sins.   As it fell upon His neck and shoulders, it came down with a shock.   Alas! what a sudden, heavy weight have I laid upon Thee, O Jesus.   And, though in the calm and clear foresight of Your mind—for You see all things—You were fully prepared for it, yet Your feeble frame tottered under it when it dropped down upon You.   Ah! how great a misery is it that I have lifted up my hand against my God.   How could I ever fancy He would forgive me! unless He had Himself told us, that He underwent His bitter passion, in order that He might forgive us.   I acknowledge, O Jesus, in the anguish and agony of my heart, that my sins it was that struck You on the face, that bruised Your sacred arms, that tore Your flesh with iron rods, that nailed You to the Cross and let You slowly die upon it.the second station jesus receives his cros - 12 april 2019 bl john henry newman.jpg

V. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy on us.

I love You,
Lord Jesus,
my love
above all things,
I repent
with my
whole heart
for having
offended You.
Never permit me
to separate myself
from You again
grant that I
may love always
and then do with me
what You will.
(St Alphonsus Liguori)

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Bei love you lod jesus - st alphonsus 11 april 2019

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 31 March – I Thank You!

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Our Morning Offering – 31 March – “Laetare” Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C

I Thank You!
Prayer after Holy Communion
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

LORD, Father all-powerful,
and ever-living God,
I thank You,
for even though I am a sinner,
Your unprofitable servant,
not because of my worth,
but in the kindness of Your mercy,
You have fed me with the precious Body
and Blood of Your Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray that this holy communion
may not bring me condemnation
and punishment
but forgiveness and salvation.
May it be a helmet of faith
and a shield of goodwill.
May it purify me from evil ways
and put an end to my evil passions.
May it bring me charity and patience,
humility and obedience,
and growth in power to do good.
May it be my strong defense
against all my enemies,
visible and invisible,
and the perfect calming
of all my evil impulses,
bodily and spiritual.
May it unite me more closely to You,
the one true God
and lead me safely through death
to everlasting happiness with You.
And I pray that You will lead me,
a sinner to the banquet
where You with Your Son and Holy Spirit,
are true and perfect light,
total fulfillment,
everlasting joy,
gladness without end,
and perfect happiness to Your saints.
Grant this through Christ our Lord.
AmenI thank YOU- prayer after holy comm st thomas aquinas - 31 march 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, LENT 2019, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 23 March – Help Me to Bear My Crosses

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Our Morning Offering – 23 March – Saturday of the Second Week of Lent, Year C “Marian Saturdays”

In his General Audience on Ash Wednesday, 5 March 2014, Pope Francis highlighted the special protection and help of the Blessed Virgin for the journey of Lent:

“Let us give thanks to God for the mystery of His crucified love, authentic faith, conversion and openness of heart to the brethren.   These are the essential elements for living the season of Lent.   On this journey, we want to invoke with special trust the protection and help of the Virgin Mary.   

May she, who was the first to believe in Christ, accompany us in our days of intense prayer and penance, so that we might come to celebrate, purified and renewed in spirit, the great paschal mystery of her Son.”

These words of Pope Francis help us to appreciate one reason why Mary is the perfect companion for Lent.   She is the model of the perfect disciple because she entrusted herself completely to God.   At the Annunciation, Mary tells the angel:  “I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).

In 1974, Pope Paul VI taught that Mary is “worthy of imitation because she was the first and the most perfect of Christ’s disciples” (Marialis Cultus, No. 35).

Lent is a perfect time to renew our devotion to Mary as our spiritual mother who cares for us in the midst of challenges and difficulties.

My Sorrowful Mother,
Help Me to Bear My Crosses
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

My sorrowful Mother,
by the merit of that grief
which you felt
at seeing your beloved Jesus
led to death,
obtain for me the grace
to bear with patience,
those crosses which God sends me.
I will be fortunate
if I also shall know how
to accompany you
with my cross until death.
You and Jesus,
both innocent,
have borne a heavy cross
and shall I,
a sinner who has merited hell,
refuse mine?
Immaculate Virgin,
I hope you will help me
to bear my crosses with patience.
Amenmy sorrowful mother help me to bear my crosses - st alphonsus liguori 23 march 2019.jpg