Category: PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 23 January – Thank You, Jesus

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 23 January – Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year A and the Memorial of Blessed Benedetta Bianchi Porro (1936-1964) “The White Winter Rose” An Extraordinary Love

Blessed Benedetta last words were “Thank You”

Thank You, Jesus
By Cardinal Nicholas Cusa (1401-1464)

Thank You, Jesus,
for bringing me this far.
In Your light, I see the light of my life.
Your teaching is brief and to the point,
You persuade us to trust in God,
You command us to love one another.
You promise everything
to those who obey Your teaching,
You ask nothing too hard for a believer,
nothing a lover can refuse.
Your promises to Your disciples are true,
nothing but the truth.
Even more, You promise us Yourself,
the perfection of all
that can be made perfect.
Amenthank you jesus by card nicholas cusa 12 aug 2019

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 10 January – May the Lord Jesus Touch Our Eyes

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Our Morning Offering – 10 January – Fifth Day after Epiphany

May the Lord Jesus Touch Our Eyes
By Origen (c 185-253)
Father of the Church

May the Lord Jesus touch our eyes,
as He did those of the blind.
Then we shall begin to see in visible things
those which are invisible.
May He open our eyes to gaze,
not on present realities
but on the blessings to come.
May He open the eyes of our heart,
to contemplate God in Spirit,
through Jesus Christ the Lord,
to whom belong,
power and glory,
through all eternity.
Amenmay the lord jesus touch our eyes by origen - 10 jan 2020.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PRAYERS for SEASONS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, THE EPIPHANY of the LORD

Chalk the Door – Epiphany House Blessing

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Chalk the Door – Epiphany House Blessing

20 C+M+B 20

“Christus mansionem benedicat”

The equation is written to be the first two digits of the year,
followed by the initials C, M, and B,
followed by the last two digits of the year.
Each portion is split by plus signs.
For this year, the equation would be written as
“20 + C + M + B + 20.”

The chalking holds two meanings.
The C, M and B, refer to the traditional names
of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
The letters also stand for the Latin phrase
“Christus mansionem benedicat” which means
“May Christ bless the house.”
The plus signs represent the cross
and the 20 and 20 simply refer to the year.

epiphany-house-blessing-2019 - half done - changed for 2020.jpg

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS

Our Morning Offering – 4 January – Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 4 January – Saturday of Christmas

Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart
(Treasury of the Sacred Heart 1950)

Everyday of my life belongs to You,
O my God
and every action of my life
should be performed with the pure intention
of honouring You alone.
From this moment, I offer them
to Your Sacred Heart
and by this offering,
I consecrate them without reserve
to Your glory.
What a motive for performing
all my actions with all possible perfection!
Do not permit them, O my divine Saviour,
to be sullied by any motives unworthy of
Your Sacred Heart.
I renounce all that could lessen
the merit of my offering.
I renounce all vanity,
self-love and human respect.
Grant, O my God,
that I may commence, continue
and end this day in Your grace
and solely from the pure motive
of pleasing and honouring You.
Amenmorning offering to the sacred heart - treasury of the sacred heart 1950.jpg

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME

Second Thought for the Day – 3 January – This Name is the cure for all diseases of the soul. 

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Second Thought for the Day – 3 January – Christmas Weekday and the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

This Name is the cure for all diseases of the soul.

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Doctor of the Church

“The sweet Name of Jesus produces in us holy thoughts, fills the soul with noble sentiments, strengthens virtue, begets good works and nourishes pure affections. All spiritual food leaves the soul dry, if it contain not that penetrating oil, the Name Jesus. When you take your pen, write the Name Jesus, if you write books, let the Name of Jesus be contained in them, else they will possess no charm or attraction for m, you may speak, or you may reply, but if the Name of Jesus sounds not from your lips, you are without unction and without charm.

Jesus to me is honey in the mouth, light in the eyes, a flame in our heart.   This Name is the cure for all diseases of the soul.   Are you troubled? think but of Jesus, speak but the Name of Jesus, the clouds disperse and peace descends anew from heaven.

Have you fallen into sin? so that you fear death? invoke the Name of Jesus and you will soon feel life returning.   No obduracy of the soul, no weakness, no coldness of heart can resist this holy Name, there is no heart which will not soften and open in tears at this holy name.   Are you surrounded by sorrow and danger? invoke the Name of Jesus and your fears will vanish.

Never yet was human being in urgent need and on the point of perishing, who invoked this help-giving Name and was not powerfully sustained.   It was given us for the cure of all our ills, to soften the impetuosity of anger, to quench the fire of concupiscence, to conquer pride, to mitigate the pain of our wounds, to overcome the thirst of avarice, to quiet sensual passions and the desires of low pleasures.

If we call to our minds the Name of Jesus, it brings before us His most meek and humble heart and gives us a new knowledge of His most loving and tender compassion.   The Name of Jesus is the purest and holiest, the noblest and most indulgent of names, the Name of all blessings and of all virtues, it is the Name of the God-Man, of sanctity itself. To think of Jesus is to think of the great, infinite God Who, having given us His life as an example, has also bestowed the necessary understanding, energy and assistance to enable us to follow and imitate Him, in our thoughts, inclinations, words and actions.

If the Name of Jesus reaches the depths of our heart, it leaves heavenly virtue there.   We say, therefore, with our great master, St Paul the Apostle – If any man love not our Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema.”

Jesus, I offer You my thoughts,
that You may keep them pure,
my actions, that they may
always glorify Your Name,
my words, that they may
forever give You praise!jesus i offer you my thoughts 3 jan 2020 most holy name of jesus.jpg

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 2 January – Steer the Ship of my Life, Lord

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Our Morning Offering – 2 January – Christmas Weekday and The Memorial of St Basil the Great (329-379) and St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)

Steer the Ship of my Life, Lord
By St Basil the Great (329-379)

Steer the ship of my life, Lord,
to Your quiet harbour,
where I can be safe from
the storms of sin and conflict.
Show me the course I should take.
Renew in me the gift of discernment,
so that I can see the right direction
in which I should go.
And give me the strength
and the courage to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough
and the waves are high,
knowing that through enduring
hardship and danger in Your name
we shall find comfort and peace.
Amensteer-the-ship-of-my-life-lord-st-basil-11-june-2018-no-2-jpg.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC TIME, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for January 2020

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Holy Father’s
Prayer Intention for
JANUARY 2020

Prayer Intention for Evangelisation

Promotion of World Peace

We pray that Christians,
followers of other religions
and all people of goodwill,
may promote peace
and justice in the world.

the holy father's prayer intention january 2020.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, franciscan OFM, PAPAL SERMONS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Thought for the Day – 29 December – Bless Your Children!

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Thought for the Day – 29 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave

I am most grateful for my upbringing in a truly Catholic family, not one exit was made by the children without a blessing by our parents.   This is such an important and vital element in our daily lives as Catholic families.   And you too, parents, as you exit and enter your homes, bless yourselves with the Sign of the Cross – have a Holy Water Font at your doors – habits are formed by action – start today!bless your children - pope francis - 29 dec 2019.jpg

Bless Your Children
Pope Francis

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
27 December 2015

“How important it is for our families to journey together towards a single goal!   We know that we have a road to travel together, a road along which we encounter difficulties but also enjoy moments of joy and consolation.   And on this pilgrimage of life we also share in moments of prayer.

What can be more beautiful, than for a father and mother, to bless their children at the beginning and end of each day, to trace on their forehead the Sign of the Cross, as they did on the day of their Baptism?   Is this not the simplest prayer which parents can offer for their children?   To bless them, that is, to entrust them to the Lord, just like Elkanah and Anna, Joseph and Mary, so that He can be their protection and support throughout the day.

In the same way, it is important for families to join in a brief prayer before meals, in order to thank the Lord for these gifts and to learn how to share what we have received with those in greater need.   These are all little gestures, yet they point to the great formative role played by the family in the pilgrimage of everyday life.”

grace before meals - 29 dec 2019 - holy family feast .jpg

The Grace before Meals

Bless us, O Lord
and these Thy gifts,
which we are about to receive
from Thy bounty,
through Christ our Lord.
Amen

grace after meals - 29 dec 2019 - holy family feast.jpg

The Grace After Meals

We give Thee thanks,
Almighty God,
for all Thy gifts,
almighty God,
living and reigning
now and forever.
Amen

I learnt this Capuchin Grace Before a Meal from Fr Raneiro Cantalamessa, the Preacher to the Papal Household:

Lord, bless this food
that we are about to receive
from Your bounty.
Help us to provide
for those who do not have any
and make us partakers one day
in Your heavenly banquet,
through Christ, our Lord,
amen.

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 28 December – The Feast of the Holy Innocents – A Prayer for Life by St John Paul

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Our Morning Offering – 28 December – The Feast of the Holy Innocents – The Fourth Day of the Christmas Octave.

When you think about the slaughter of these innocent children and the continuing slaughter of the unborn through the horrors of abortion, it becomes clear that they come from the same supreme act of selfishness.   Even though Herod heard the message coming from the prophets of his own people, he had no desire to align his heart with the purposes of God.

 

A Prayer for Life
By St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

O Mary,
bright dawn of the new world,
Mother of the living,
to you do we entrust the cause of life.
Look down, O Mother,
upon the vast numbers of babies
not allowed to be born,
of the poor whose lives are made difficult,
of men and women
who are victims of brutal violence,
of the elderly and the sick killed
by indifference or out of misguided mercy.
Grant that all who believe in your Son
may proclaim the Gospel of life
with honesty and love to the people of our time.
Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel
as a gift ever new,
the joy of celebrating it with gratitude
throughout their lives
and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely,
in order to build,
together with all people of good will,
the civilization of truth and love,
to the praise and glory of God,
the Creator and lover of life.
Amen

Taken from Pope John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical, “The Gospel of Life.”a-prayer-for-life-st-pope-john-paul-28-dec-2017 and 2019

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Quote of the Day – 17 December – The Trisagion Chaplet

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Quote of the Day – 17 December – The Memorial of St John of Matha O.SS.T (1160-1213) – Founder of the Trinitarians

The Trisagion Chaplet

The Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives, more commonly known as The Trinatarians, was founded in France by St John de Matha and St Felix of Valois (1127-1212) in 1198.

meeting-of-saint-john-of-mata-and-saint-felix-de-valois-vincenzo-carducci.jpg
Meeting of St John and St Felix by Vincenzo Carducci

From the very early stages of the of order, the Trinitarians have used a form of prayer based on the Trisagion (sometimes Trisagium or Triagion, from the Greek “three” + ”holy”).
This is a Byzantine prayer still used in the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox churches in praise of the Holy Trinity.
It’s simplest form is “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.”

The Trisagion Chaplet (also called a rosary) has three sets of nine beads each – of course, a rosary can be used too.
When reciting the Trisagion Chaplet, each set begins with the Trisagion: “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us.” and the Pater Noster.
An invocation is said on each of the nine beads – “To you be praise, glory, and thanksgiving forever, blessed Trinity. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”
Each set of nine prayers is followed by a Gloria Patri (“Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”) and the recitation of the chaplet ends with a closing prayer.

Let us Pray!The-Trisagion-Chaplet-17-dec-2018 and quote of the day 17 dec 2019,jpg.jpg

St John here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/12/17/saint-of-the-day-17-december-st-john-of-matha-o-ss-t-1160-1213/
St Felix here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/04/saint-of-the-day-4-november-st-felix-of-valois-1127-1212/

Posted in ADVENT, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 13 December – “Bringer of Light”

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Thought for the Day – 13 December – The Memorial of St Lucy (c 283-304) Martyr “Bringer of Light”

Every little girl named Lucy must bite her tongue in disappointment, when she first tries to find out, what there is to know about her patron saint.   The older books, will have a lengthy paragraph, detailing a small number of traditions.   Newer books, will have a lengthy paragraph, showing that there is little basis in history for these traditions.   The single fact survives, that a disappointed suitor accused Lucy of being a Christian and she was executed in Syracuse, Sicily, in the year 304.   But it is also true, that her name is mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer, geographical places are named after her, a popular song has her name as its title and down through the centuries, many thousands of little girls, have been proud of the name Lucy.

One can easily imagine what a young Christian woman had to contend with in pagan Sicily in the year 300.   If you have trouble imagining, just glance at today’s pleasure-at-all-costs world and the barriers it presents against leading a good Christian life.

Her friends must have wondered aloud about this hero of Lucy’s, an obscure itinerant preacher in a far-off captive nation that had been destroyed more than 200 years before. Once a carpenter, He had been crucified by the Romans after His own people turned Him over to their authority.   Lucy believed with her whole soul that this man had risen from the dead.   Heaven had put a stamp on all He said and did.   To give witness to her faith she had made a vow of virginity.

What a hubbub this caused among her pagan friends!   The kindlier ones just thought her a little strange.   To be pure before marriage was an ancient Roman ideal, rarely found but not to be condemned.   To exclude marriage altogether, however, was too much.   She must have something sinister to hide, the tongues wagged.

Lucy knew of the heroism of earlier virgin martyrs.   She remained faithful to their example and to the example of the carpenter, whom she knew to be the Son of God.   She is the patroness of eyesight.

If you are a little girl named Lucy, you need not bite your tongue in disappointment.  Your patron is a genuine authentic heroine, first class, an abiding inspiration for you and for all Christians.   The moral courage of the young Sicilian Martyr shines forth as a guiding light, just as bright for today’s youth as it was in 304.

Saint Lucy’s name (Lucia in Latin) shares the root luc with the Latin word for light, lux. Because of this connection, Saint Lucy is often depicted in art and religious custom as a bringer of light – which also ties in to her patronage of eyes and sight.   Her feast day today, is during Advent when we await the Light of Christ and is in winter, for the Northern Hemisphere, so there is significant iconography of Lucy as a bringer of light in the darkness.   For this reason, she is particularly venerated as part of Scandinavian Christian custom – young girls dress in a white gown and wear wreaths of lights during celebrations in the darkest days of winter.   Indeed, the fact that Saint Lucy’s feast day is celebrated as a festival of light, seems appropriate for a woman, who believed, she was bearing the light of Christianity in a world that punished her for it.   Let us pray to St Lucy, for the intercession for all those with eye illnesses and for the protection of the ‘eyes of our faith’ of all of us.

O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out
instead of denying the faith
and defiling your soul
and God, through an extraordinary miracle,
replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes
to reward your virtue and faith,
appointing you as the protector against eye diseases.
I come to you for you to protect my eyesight
and to heal the illness in my eyes.

O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes
so that I may see the beauties of creation,
the glow of the sun,
the colour of the flowers
and the smile of children.

Preserve also the eyes of my soul,
the faith, through which I can know my God,
understand His teachings,
recognise His love for me
and never miss the road that leads me
to where you, St Lucy,
can be found in the company of the angels and saints.
St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith.
Amenprayer to st lucy for our eyes and the eyes of our faith - 13 dec 2019.jpg

St Lucy, “Bringer of Light” Pray for those with eye ailments,

Pray for us all!st lucy bringer of light pray for us 13 dec 2019.jpg

Posted in PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for DECEMBER 2019

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Holy Father’s
Prayer Intention
for
DECEMBER 2019

The Future of the Very Young

That every country
take the measures necessary,
to prioritise the future of the very young,
especially those who are suffering.

the holy father's prayer inention for december 2019.jpg

Posted in ADVENT PRAYERS, ADVENT REFLECTIONS, DOCTORS of the Church, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WORD

Advent Reflection – 1 December – The First Sunday of Advent

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Advent Reflection – 1 December – The First Sunday of Advent, Year A –
Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122:1-9, Romans 13:11-14, Matthew 24:37-44

“So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”

Matthew 24:44

St Bernard (1091-1153)
Doctor of the Church
Sermons 4 and 5 for Advent

“It is only right, my brothers, to celebrate our Lord’s coming with all possible devotion, so greatly does His comfort gladden us… and His love burn within us.   But do not just think about His first coming when He came “to seek and save the lost” (Lk 19:10), think, too, of that other coming when He will come to take us with Him.  I should like to see you constantly occupied in meditating on these two comings… “resting among the sheepfolds” (Ps 68[67]:14), for they are the two arms of the Bridegroom in which the Bride of the Song of Songs took her rest:  “His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me” (2:6)…

But there is a third coming between the two to which I have just referred and those who know of it, can rest in it for their greater happiness.   The other two are visible but this one is not.   In the first, “ the Lord has appeared on earth and has spoken to us” (Bar 3:38)… in the last, “all mankind shall see the salvation of God” (Lk 3:6; Is 40:5)…   But the one that comes between them is secret, it is that in which the elect alone see the SavioUr within themselves and their souls find salvation.

In His first coming, Christ came in our flesh and in our weakness;  in His coming in the midst of time, He comes in Spirit and power;  in His final coming, He will come in His glory and majesty.   But it is by the strength of the virtues, that we attain to glory, as it is written:  “The Lord, the king of armies, he is the king of glory” (Ps 24[23]:10) and, in the same book:  “That I may see your power and your glory” (Ps 63[62]:3).   And so the second coming is like a road leading from the first to the last.   In the first, Christ has been our redemption, in the last, He will appear as our life, in His coming between, He is our rest and our consolation.”in-the-first-coming-st-bernard-3-dec-2017 AND 1 DEC 2019.jpg

Prayer for the Advent Wreath

Lord, our God,
we praise You for Your Son, Jesus Christ,
for He is Emmanuel, the Hope of all people.
He is the Wisdom that teaches and guides us.
He is the Saviour of us all.
O Lord,
let Your blessing come upon us
as we light the first (purple) candle of this wreath.
May the wreath and its light
be a sign of Christ’s promise of salvation.
May He come quickly and not delay.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

Waiting

We light a advent candle today, a small dim light against a world that often seems forbidding and dark.   But we light it because we are a people of hope, a people whose faith is marked by an expectation that we should always be ready for the coming of the Master.   The joy and anticipation of this season is captured beautifully in the antiphons of hope from the monastic liturgies:

See! The ruler of the earth shall come,
the Lord who will take from us the heavy burden of our exile
The Lord will come soon, will not delay.
The Lord will make the darkest places bright.

We must capture that urgency today in the small flame of our candle.   We light the candle because we know that the coming of Christ is tied to our building of the kingdom. Lighting the flame, feeding the hungry, comforting the sick, reconciling the divided, praying for the repentant, greeting the lonely and forgotten – doing all these works hastens His coming.

O Come, O Come, Emmanuelthe first sunday of advent - 1 dec 2019 matthew 24 44

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, The HOLY FACE, The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 29 November – Lord Jesus, May we seek Your Face

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 November – Friday of the Thirty Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 21:29–33

“The issue is now clear.
It is between light and darkness
and every one must choose his side.”

G K Chesterton (1874-1936)

(Chesterton’s last words)the-issue-is-now-clear-g-k-chesterton-26-oct-2018 and 29 nov 2019.jpg

“Each and everyone of us,
at the end of the
journey of life,
will come,
face to face
with either one
or the other
of two faces…
And one of them,
either, the
merciful face of Christ
or the
miserable face of Satan,
will say,
“Mine, mine.”

May we be Christ’s!”

Ven Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)each-and-everyone-of-us-ven-fulton-sheen-26-oct-2018 and 29 nov 2019.jpg

“Many who plan
to seek God
at the eleventh hour
die at 10:30.”

Bumper Stickermany-who-plan-to-seek-god-at-the-11th-hour-die-at-10-30-26-oct-2018 and 29 nov 2019.jpg

Lord Jesus, May we Seek Your Face
By Pope Benedict XVI

Lord Jesus,
grant us restless hearts,
hearts which seek Your Face.
Keep us from the blindness of heart
which sees only the surface of things.
Give us the simplicity and purity
which allows us to recognise
Your Presence in the world.
When we are not able
to accomplish great things,
grant us the courage
which is born of humility and goodness.
Impress Your Face on our hearts.
May we encounter You along the way
and show forth Your image to the world.
Amenlord-jesus-may-we-seek-your-face-pope-benedict-da-vinci-face-of-christ-no-2-26-oct-2018 and 29 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 29 November -O Christ Jesus, When All is Darkness

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Our Morning Offering – 29 November – Friday of the Thirty Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of Blessed Bernardo Francisco de Hoyos SJ (1711-1735)

O Christ Jesus,
When All is Darkness
By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

O Christ Jesus,
when all is darkness
and we feel our weakness
and helplessness,
give us the sense of Your presence,
Your love
and Your strength.
Help us to have perfect trust
in Your protecting love
and strengthening power,
so that nothing may frighten or worry us,
for, living close to You,
we shall see Your hand,
Your purpose,
Your will through all things.
Ameno christ jesus when all is darkness - st ignatius loyola - 26 april 2018.jpg

Posted in NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS

Thank You! on your Thanksgiving Day – 28 November

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Dear American Friend,

On your Thanksgiving Day, I wanted to be sure to remind you of this:

“You are greatly appreciated!”

There is no greater blessing God has given me than the people that support, pray and join me in my mission to advance the Gospel and the teachings of the Catholic Church, in communion with our Saints.

Thank you.

I pray you are reminded not just today but every day,

of how grateful I am for you all.

May God bless you and your beloved families.

Ana
Breathing Catholic

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

We thank you, Father,
for the gift of Jesus, Your Son,
who came to our earth
and lived in a simple home.
We have a greater appreciation
of the value and dignity
of the human family
because He loved
and was loved within its shelter.
Bless us this day.
may we grow in love,
for each other in our family
and so give thanks to You,
who are the Maker of all human families
and our abiding peace.
Amenthanksgiving day prayer - 28 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 November – In Thy Hands

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One Minute Reflection – 27 November – Wednesday of the Thirty Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 21:12–19 and the Memorial of Saint Virgilius of Salzburg (c 700-784)

“But not a hair of your head shall perish.” … Luke 21:9

REFLECTION – “I cry out to Thee and entreat Thee, first that Thou would keep me from myself and from following any will but Thine.
Next, I beg of Thee, that in Thy infinite compassion Thou would temper Thy will to me, that it may not be severed but imdulgent to me.
Visit me not, O my loving Lord – if it be not wrong so to pray – visit me not those trying visitations which saints alone can bear!
Still, I leave all in Thy hands, my dear Saviour – I bargain for nothing.   Only, if Thou shall bring heavier trial on me, give me more grace – flood me with the fulness of Thy strength and consolation, that they may work in me, not death but life and salvation. Amen” … St John Henry Newman (1801-1890), Priest, Founder of the Oratory in England, Theologian, Writer, Poet, Apologistluke 21 9 but not a hair of your head - visit me not loving lord - st john henry newman 27 nov 2019

PRAYER – Shed Your clear light on our hearts O Lord, so that walking continually in the way of Your commandments, we may never be afraid, never be deceived or misled but by Your strength, stand firm in our faith.   For Your Son, walks before us, beside us and behind us.   The Holy Spirit of Your love fills us.   Let nothing put us to shame.   Grant that by the prayers of St Virgilius of Salzburg and all Your saints, we may be strengthened for the journey.   Through our Lord Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, God eternally and forever, amen.st virgilius of salzburg pray for us 27 nov 2019

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS

Our Morning Offering – 26 November – I Wish to Clasp Your Hand – Do Not Refuse Me!

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Our Morning Offering – 26 November – Tuesday of the Thirty Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C

I Wish to Clasp Your Hand – Do Not Refuse Me!
Prayer of Count Eugene de Ferronays (1827-1894)

Dear Lord!
It is just when I am in the world
that I have most need of You
because You know it is full of snares
that the devil has set for me.
You must hold my hand, dear Lord,
if You will not abandon me.
A little of the world is not bad for me,
it is even good, for it teaches me how small it is
and I feel the greater happiness
when I come back to You.
But, that I may surely do so,
You must only loose Your hold a little,
that it may not try me too far,
You must not entirely leave hold.
Do You see dear Lord?

I wish to clasp Your hand – do not refuse me!
Amen.i wish to clasp your hand do not refuse me - count eugene de ferronays 26 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

Our Morning Offering – 25 November – The Elder Brother’s Prayer

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Our Morning Offering – 25 November – Monday of the Thirty Fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year C

The Elder Brother’s Prayer

Teach me, my Lord,
to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life,
in disappointments,
in the thoughtlessness of those I trusted,
in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.
Let me put myself aside,
to think of the happiness of others,
to hide my little pains and heartaches,
so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.
Teach me to profit by the suffering
that comes across my path.
Let me so use it that it may make me
patient, not irritable.
That it may make me broad in my forgiveness,
not narrow, haughty and overbearing.
May no-one be less good
for having come within my influence.
No-one less pure, less true, less kind,
less noble for having been a fellow traveller
in my journey toward Eternal Life.
As I go my rounds from one distraction to another,
let me whisper from time to time,
a word of love to Thee.
May my life be lived in the supernatural,
full of power for good,
and strong in its purpose of sanctity.
Amenprodigal the elder brother's prayer - teach me my lord - 25 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST the KING, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on PRAYER, The LAST THINGS

Thought for the Day – 24 November – “Jesus remember me”

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Thought for the Day – 24 November – The Solemnity of Christ the King, the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year C, Gospel: Luke 23:35–43

“Jesus remember me”

jesus remember me - luke 23 42 - christ the king 24 nov 2019.jpg

These words are brought to mind by a line from the Eucharistic hymn “Adoro te devoto,” by St Thomas Aquinas – “I ask for what the repentant thief asked” (Peto quod opetivit latro paentitens). – “Jesus, remember me.”
What a beautiful aspiration!
Each day and throughout the day, we can ask Jesus for the many things we need, summing up our prayers of petition, by asking Jesus to remember us, according to His mercy, remembering not our sins (Ps 25:7).
And, like the good thief, let us ask at the moment of our death:
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

“Angels, saints and nations sing
‘Praised be Jesus Christ, our King.
Lord of life, earth, sky and sea,
King of love on Calvary.”angels saints and nations sing praise be jesus christ our king 24 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 17 November – At Your Table, Lord

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Our Morning Offering – 17 November – The Third World Day of Prayer for the Poor and the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

At Your Table, Lord
Cafod Prayer for the World Day of the Poor

Bountiful God,
When we eat this Bread,
and drink this Cup,
remind us that it is at Your table
that we do it,

a table weighed down with good things,
a table full to overflowing.

Remind us that we have neither earned,
nor deserve,
what You freely give.

For it is to the starving
that You bring satisfaction,
whereas the full, You send away empty.

Help us to respond to Your invitation
by sharing what we have received,
by breaking the body and blood of creation
with love and reverence
and by adjusting our own wants,
so that no-one is turned away.
Amen

Ged Johnson/CAFOD
Catholic Agncy for Overseas Developmentat your table lord - cafod prayer for the world day ofthe poor 17 nov 2019.jpg

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 7 November – Feast of All Dominican Saints

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Thought for the Day – 7 November – Feast of All Dominican Saints

On 7 November, the Order of Preachers celebrates the feast of All Dominican Saints, in which the Order honours those saints and blesseds of the Order who cannot be celebrated individually throughout the year, as well as those whose place in heaven is known only to God.
One of the proper readings available for Dominicans on this day is Sirach 44:1-15, in which the praises of the Israelites are connected with the diversity of the holy men and women of the Order.dominicans 800th anniversary

I will now praise the godly,
our ancestors, in their own time,
The abounding glory of the Most High’s portion,
his own part, since the days of old.
Subduers of the land in kingly fashion,
renowned for their might,
Counselors in their prudence,
seers of all things in prophecy,
Resolute princes of the flock,
lawgivers and their rules,
Sages skilled in composition,
authors of sharp proverbs,
Composers of melodious psalms,
writers of lyric poems.
Stalwart, solidly established,
at peace in their own estates—
All these were glorious in their time,
illustrious in their day.
Some of them left behind a name
so that people recount their praises.
Of others no memory remains,
for when they perished, they perished,
As if they had never lived,
they and their children after them.
Yet these also were godly;
their virtues have not been forgotten.
Their wealth remains in their families,
their heritage with their descendants.
Through God’s covenant their family endures,
and their offspring for their sake.
And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out,
Their bodies are buried in peace,
but their name lives on and on.
At gatherings their wisdom is retold,
and the assembly proclaims their praises.dominicans

For over 800 years, numerous Dominicans, faithful to the way of life established by St. Dominic, have achieved great holiness.  Allegory of the Virgin Patroness of the Dominicans - Miguel CabreraThe Order can boast of more than 70 Canonised saints and 200 Blesseds, including three Popes, two novices and a master Renaissance artist, the Blessed Fra Angelico.

And for the past 800 years, Dominican Friars (and Sisters, of course) have donned the white habit, the familiar robes, the brand unique of the Order of Preachers. Each day whilst dressing, they quietly recite prayers as they do so.   This is a glimpse into a rarely seen Dominican ritual.

Dominican Prayer whilst donning the Habit

Clothe me, O Lord, with the garments of salvation.a
By Your grace. may I keep them pure and spotless,
so that clothed in white,
I may be worthy to walk with You in the Kingdom of God
Gird me, O Lord, with the cincture of justice
and the cord of purity,
that I may unite the affections of my heart
in the love of You alone.
O God, whose only-begotten Son,
by His life, death and resurrection,
has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life,
grant we beseech Thee,
that meditating upon the mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate
what they contain and obtain what they promise,
through the same Christ our Lord
Show yourself a mother,
He will hear your pleading whom your womb
has sheltered and whose hand brings healing.
Lord, You have set Your sign upon my head
that I should admit no lover but You.
We fly to Your patronage, O Holy Mother of God,
do not despise our prayers in our necessity
but free us from all peril, O Blessed Virgin.
Heavenly Father,
Who were with Your great servants Moses and Joshua
and used them to bring Your children out of bondage,
fill us with that same grace,
that we may preach Your word boldly
and with authority for the deliverance of those
under the bondages of sin.
We ask this through Christ our Lord,
Amendominican-prayer-clothing-prayer-no-2-with-st-juan-macias-18-sept-2018 and 7 nov 2019 all dom saints.jpg

All you Holy Men and Women

of the Order of St Dominic, Pray for Us!all dominican saints pray for us 7 nov 2019

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HYMNS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PURGATORY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, The HOLY FACE, The HOLY SOULS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 November – ‘O my Lord, what a day, a long day without ending …’

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One Minute Reflection – 2 November – The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls), Gospel: John 6:37-40

‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’ … John 6:34john 6 34 - come o blessed of my father 2 nov 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Thomas came and touched Thy sacred wounds.   O will the day ever come when I shall be allowed actually and visibly to kiss them?   What a day will that be when I am thoroughly cleansed from all impurity and sin and am fit to draw near to my Incarnate God in His palace of light above! what a morning, when having done with all penal suffering, I see Thee for the first time with these very eyes of mine, I see Thy countenance, gaze upon Thy eyes and gracious lips without quailing and then kneel down with joy to kiss Thy feet and am welcomed into Thy arms.
O my only true Lover, the only Lover of my soul, Thee will I love now, that I may love Thee then.   What a day, a long day without ending, the day of eternity, when I shall be so unlike what I am now, when I feel in myself a body of death and am perplexed and distracted with ten thousand thoughts, anyone of which, would keep me from heaven.
O my Lord, what a day when I shall have done once for all with all sins, venial as well as mortal and shall stand perfect and acceptable in Thy sight, able to bear Thy presence, nothing shrinking from Thy eye, not shrinking from the pure scrutiny of Angels and Archangels, when I stand in the midst and they around me!” … Saint John Henry Newman (1801-1890)thomas came and touched thy sacred wounds - st john henry newman 2 nov 2019 holy souls.jpg

PRAYER-   Breviary Hymn – Psalter Week 3 –  It were my Soul’s Desire

It were my soul’s desire
To see the face of God;
It were my soul’s desire
To rest in His abode.

Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire,
Deep waves of cleansing sighs;
Grant, Lord, my soul’s desire
From earthly cares to rise.

It were my soul’s desire
To imitate my King,
It were my soul’s desire
His ceaseless praise to sing.

It were my soul’s desire
When heaven’s gate is won
To find my soul’s desire
Clear shining like the sun.

This still my soul’s desire
Whatever life afford,
To gain my soul’s desire
And see Thy face, O Lord.it-were-my-souls-desire-breviary-hymn-sat-psalter-week-3-18-aug-2018 and 2 nov 2019.jpg

 

Posted in CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PURGATORY, The HOLY SOULS

Our Morning Offering – 2 November – O Most Gentle Heart of Jesus

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Our Morning Offering – 2 November – Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

O Most Gentle Heart of Jesus
A Prayer for the Souls in Purgatory

O most gentle Heart of Jesus,
ever present in the Blessed Sacrament,
ever consumed with burning love
for the poor captive souls in Purgatory,
have mercy on the souls
of Your departed servants.
Be not severe in Your judgements,
but let some drops of Your Precious Blood
fall upon the devouring flames.
And do You, O Merciful Saviour,
send Your holy angels to conduct them
to a place of refreshment, light and peace.
Amenprayer-for-the-holy-souls-o-most-gentle-heart-of-jesus-month-of-the-holy-souls-1-nov-2018 and 2019.jpg

Posted in Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, The HOLY GHOST

Our Morning Offering – 29 October – O Holy Spirit, Soul of My Soul

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Our Morning Offering – 29 October – Tuesday of the Thirtieth week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Désiré Joseph Cardinal Mercier – (21 November 1851-23 January 1926) was Archbishop of Malines, Belgium from 1906 until his death.   Besides the heroic leadership he demonstrated during World War I, he hosted the famous Catholic-Anglican dialogue known as the ‘Malines Conversations’ and obtained the establishment of the liturgical feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces, with its proper Mass and Office.
His spiritual mentor was Blessed Dom Columba Marmion.
Here, in his own words, is the daily practice he recommended:

“I am going to reveal to you the secret of sanctity and happiness.   Every day for five minutes control your imagination and close your eyes to the things of sense and your ears to all the noises of the world, in order to enter into yourself.   Then, in the sanctity of your baptised soul (which is the temple of the Holy Spirit), speak to that Divine Spirit, saying to Him:

O Holy Spirit, Soul of My Soul
By Désiré Joseph Cardinal Mercier (1851-1926)

O Holy Spirit,
Soul of my soul,
I adore You!
Enlighten me,
guide me,
strengthen me,
console me.
Tell me what I should do,
give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself
to all that You desire of me
and to accept, all
that You permit to happen to me.
Just make me know Your Will.
Amen

If you do this, your life will flow along happily, serenely and full of consolation, even in the midst of trials.   Grace will be proportioned to the trial, giving you strength to carry it and you will arrive at the Gate of Paradise, laden with merit.   This submission to the Holy Spirit is the secret of sanctity.”

Cardinal Mercier was also a noted Thomist scholar and the founder of the higher Institue of Philosophy at Louvain University, as also, the Revue Neoscholastique. … (In Sinu Jesu, Monday 16 March 2009)o holy spirit soul of my soul - cardinal desire joseph mercier in sinu jesu 29 oct 2019.jpg

 

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD

Thought for the Day – 8 October – Reaching out towards God – St Gertrude

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Thought for the Day – 8 October – Tuesday of the Twenty Seventh week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 10:38–42

Reaching out towards God

Saint Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)
The Herald of Divine Love, Book III, SC 143

On a certain occasion, while she was interiorly worrying that she was unable to feel as much desire as was fitting to the glory of God, Gertrude received this divine explanation: that God is fully satisfied when a person, without being able to do more, is in a state of wanting, if possible, to have great desires.   Just as great as they would like to have, so they are before God.   In a heart filled with the desire, of wanting to desire, God finds greater delights to dwell, than we do in the flowering of early spring.

On another occasion, due to illness, she had been less attentive to God for several days when, regaining consciousness of this fault, she started to confess this negligence to the Lord with a pious humility.   And as she was fearing she would have to bear a long delay before recovering the former sweetness of the divine presence, all at once, in a flash, she was aware that God was bending towards her with a truly loving embrace with these words:  “Daughter, you are always with me and all that is mine, is yours” (cf. Lk 15:31). She understood by this reply that, even though, through the weakness of nature, a person might sometimes omit to direct their attention to God, nevertheless, in His merciful kindness, He Himself does not neglect to hold all our works, as worthy of an eternal reward, provided only, that we do not deliberately turn away from Him and that we always repent of everything, for which our consciences reproach us.

“You are always with me and all that is mine, is yours”

The Elder Brother’s Prayer

Teach me, my Lord,
to be sweet and gentle in all the events of life,
in disappointments,
in the thoughtlessness of those I trusted,
in the unfaithfulness of those on whom I relied.
Let me put myself aside,
to think of the happiness of others,
to hide my little pains and heartaches,
so that I may be the only one to suffer from them.
Teach me to profit by the suffering
that comes across my path.
Let me so use it that it may make me
patient, not irritable.
That it may make me broad in my forgiveness,
not narrow, haughty and overbearing.
May no one be less good
for having come within my influence.
No one less pure, less true, less kind,
less noble for having been a fellow traveller
in our journey toward Eternal Life.
As I go my rounds from one distraction to another,
let me whisper from time to time,
a word of love to Thee.
May my life be lived in the supernatural,
full of power for good,
and strong in its purpose of sanctity.
Amenprodigal the elder brother's prayer - beautiful fantastic 8 october 2019 - martha amry luke 10 42.jpg

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!the jesus prayer - 3 jan 2018.jpg

Posted in NOVENAS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRIDE

Journeying with Newman – The Thanksgiving Novena, Day One

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Journeying with Newman
The Thanksgiving Novena for, with and to
the beloved and blessed John Henry Newman

Day One – 4 October

Example of Humility

Intention
That we find opportunity to alleviate the sufferings of those who are homeless and marginalised.

“I sought to hear the voice of God
And climbed the topmost steeple.
But God declared
“Go down again –
I dwell among the people.”

From John Henry’s writingsi-sought-to-hear-the-voice-of-god-bl-john-henry-newman-29-march-2019.jpg

Prayer
Please pray one decade of the Rosary (any you choose) for this Intention and add the following Prayer:

O God our heavenly Father,
we offer You heartfelt thanks
for the life and holiness of John Henry Newman.
In him You give us,
an inspiring example of priest and teacher,
heroic and humble, in his labour
for the salvation of souls
and the pursuit of holiness.
Through his intercession,
we ask You to lead us,
by the kindly light of the Holy Spirit
and so grant us peace and joy,
in the one fold of the Redeemer.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen

Ora pro nobis!day one newman novena - 4 oct 2019

Posted in NOVENAS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thanksgiving Novena and Preparation for the Canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

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Thanksgiving Novena
and Preparation for the
Canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

The Journey to Sainthoodannouncing the novena with newman in prep and thanksgiving begins 4 oct 2019.jpg

“I have a part in this great work, I am a link in a chain.”

I know there are some of you, “Newmanites”  here with me.   So let us join our prayerful hands,  with those faithful, all over the world, who are preparing to celebrate the Canonisation of Blessed John Henry Newman on Sunday 13 October. This is a time of special grace for us to form links in a great chain of prayer, where we call upon the soon-to-be-Saint to crown our prayers with his intercession in heaven.

I encourage you to become part of this chain by joining in the Novena with Newman – nine days of prayerful preparation for the Canonisation, starting on tomorrow, Friday 4 October and finishing on Saturday 12 October on the eve of the Canonisation.

The novena highlights each day an aspect of Newman’s character – an example of humility, child of Mary, priest of God’s altar, man of prayer, guardian of conscience, counsellor of converts, educator of the laity, servant of the Church, and model of friendship.   These meditations by the new saint will lead us to a more personal loving conversation with God.   They can be a very good preparation for his Canonisation and ultimately for heaven, calling to mind that we are on a journey to God.   We can also simply say – Saint Newman, help me from heaven to better follow and love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Each day of the Novena includes an intention, an extract from his writings, a decade of the rosary and the Novena prayer.

Let us Pray:
Saint John Henry Newman, Pray for Us!

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 30 September – O Lord, show Your mercy to me

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Our Morning Offering – 30 September – Monday of the Twenty Sixth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and The Memorial of St Jerome (347-419) Father and Doctor of the Church

O Lord, show Your mercy to me
By St Jerome (347-419)

O Lord, show Your mercy to me
and gladden my heart.
I am like the man on the way to Jericho
who was overtaken by robbers,
wounded and left for dead.
O Good Samaritan,
come to my aid.
I am like the sheep that went astray.
O Good Shepherd,
seek me out and bring me home
in accord with Your will.
Let me dwell in Your house
all the days of my life
and praise You for ever and ever
with those who are there.
Ameno-lord-show-your-mercy-to-me-st-jerome-30-sept-2017 and 2019.jpg

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 3 September – Ad Jesum per Maria – to Jesus through Mary

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Thought for the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)

Ad Jesum per Maria – to Jesus through Mary

Blessed Brigida loved Mary, the Immaculate Mother of God, with tenderness.   She venerated Her and instilled in her daughters the truth that Mary is the most faithful follower of Her Son, Jesus.   Loving and imitating Her, is the shortest way to holiness – (Ad Jesum per Maria – to Jesus through Mary).   Constant union with God would be possible by devotion to the Eucharist, to the Word of God, wholly abandoned to His Providence.   Such was the spirituality of Brigida who, with filial devotion, could exclaim: “Confidence, Confidence! A large heart! God is a Father and He will never abandon us!”

The Ursuline Anthem:

Mary, Mother of God,
Immaculate Mother of God,
We see in you the pattern
of our mission and our life.
God’s will was your search,
God’s will was your joy.
Our joy also, shall be in surrender to His will.
Give us a heart like yours,
a heart that always loves.
A heart that’s never hardened,
a humble, noble heart.
A heart that lives for Jesus
and all for whom Jesus loves,
A heart whose sole desire
is fixed on loving, as Jesus loves.

Text and music by Fr JB Fernandez, SJ

St John Paul II said at the General Chapter of the Ursuline Sisters of Mary Immaculate on 27 August 2003:

“The secret of the apostolate consists precisely in knowing that “we have not loved God, but that He has loved us and has sent His Son to be the expiation for our sins” (I Jn 4: 10).3. Contemplating Christ crucified and risen – the heart of the spirituality of Bl Brigida Morello – will expand the horizons of your dedication to the poor, to the sick and to those reduced to the most stringent material and spiritual need, with particular attention to women and to youth.   Thus, you will faithfully safeguard the inheritance the blessed Foundress has left you, her spiritual daughters and you will be ready to adapt the charismatic inspiration to our time, stressing above all who you “are” before what you “do”.

Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello, Pray for Us!bl brigida of jesus pray for us 3 sept 2019.jpg