Sunday, May 18, 2014

15 PROMISES TO CHRISTIANS WHO PRAY THE ROSARY


The Holy Rosary is an enormous source of grace and protection, one of the most powerful sacramentals of the Catholic Church. Sister Lucia dos Santos, one of the children to whom Our Lady appeared at Fatima, once said,

“There is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or above all spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families . . . that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem, I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary.”


In honor of the Blessed Mother, to whom the month of May is dedicated, we would like to share her 15 promises to Christians who pray the Rosary. Although there is much suffering in this world, these promises ensure a holy death, salvation and eternal happiness in heaven. Our Lady revealed the following promises to St. Dominic (the saint to whom the rosary was first given) and Blessed Alan de la Roche (who reignited devotion to the rosary):




15 Promises to Christians Who Pray the Rosary

1. Whosoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.

[ A signal grace may be a simple sign in daily life that answers a question made in prayer or points towards God’s will. For example, seeing a rose after finishing a novena to St. Therese of Lisieux could be considered a signal grace. Signal graces are often subtle or seemingly coincidental. ]

2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.

3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.

4. It will cause good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for Eternal Things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

5. The soul which recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not perish.

[ In other words, anyone who faithfully prays the Rosary and asks Mary’s intercession will be saved from hell. ]

6. Whosoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice, he shall not perish by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of Eternal Life.

[ An unprovided death means dying while not in a state of grace. The Blessed Mother promises that anyone who regularly prays the Rosary and earnestly tries to live according to God's plan will be spiritually prepared when their time comes. ]

7. Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.

8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the Light of God and the plenitude of His Graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the Merits of the Saints in Paradise.

9. I shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.

10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a high degree of Glory in Heaven.

11. You shall obtain all you ask of me by recitation of the Rosary.

12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

13. I have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire Celestial Court during their life and at the hour of death.

14. All who recite the Rosary are my Sons, and brothers of my Only Son Jesus Christ.

15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

[ By this the Blessed Mother means that a devotion to the Rosary is a good indication that the devotee is on the path to Heaven. ]

 . . .


It is amazing to realize how much grace and heavenly help we can receive by an act so simple as praying the Rosary regularly. It only takes 15 minutes to pray! Set aside time alone, with your family or with some friends to start the habit of a daily Rosary. If you don’t think you have time, try praying on the way to work in the morning. You will surely see the blessings it brings, as promised by Our Lady.

Reference Link: 
https://www.catholiccompany.com/blog/15-promises-to-christians-who-pray-the-rosary

Thursday, May 15, 2014

MAY 15, FEAST OF ST. ISIDORE THE LABOURER


The Lord, holiness, and St. Isidore the Farmer

“Holiness is not perfection according to human criteria; it is not reserved for a small number of exceptional persons.  It is for everyone; it is the Lord who brings us to holiness, when we are willing to collaborate in the salvation of the world for the glory of God, despite our sin and our sometimes rebellious temperament.” 

What do these words by Pope John Paul II have to say to those who struggle with depression?

First, it states a terrific reality.  “Everyone” includes those who struggle with depression!  After all, one in four women, one in eight men, one in eight teenagers, and one in thirty-two children will experience depression at some point.  That’s a lot of people!

Second, since holiness is not “perfection according to human criteria,” we don’t have to achieve a perfectly depression-free life in order to be holy.  We don’t have to go through life with browbeating, sweat-evoking, grit-teethed endurance or effort.  The Lord is Savior, not us.  We simply need to keep an honest relationship with Him, practice the faith as best as possible, and try to do what’s right for our circumstances, which oftentimes includes addressing depression.  The Lord does the rest of the work!  Hey, I’m not making this up.  Go back and read the quote!

People who tend towards depression spend too much time making themselves doubly suffer by expecting too much of themselves. It’s much easier to assume we will fail — repeatedly — and relax about it.  Confess of course but relax about it.

Today is the feast of St. Isidore the farmer.  He and his wife, St. Maria de la Cabeza had one child who died in youth. They spent their entire lives tending the fields of a wealthy landowner.  Having lived in the eleventh century there are lots of legends about them but in essence God made them holy through their regular unremarkable lives—just like mine, and most of yours too.  This can be very encouraging if we allow ourselves to be encouraged. 

St. Isidore the Labourer, pray for us!

Reference Link:
http://depressedandcatholic.com/post/23100231019/the-lord-holiness-and-st-isidore-the-farmer

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

THE SATANIC CASE FOR CATHOLICISM

Have you noticed a lack of Satanists mocking the worship of Hindus, Jews, Muslims, or even Protestants?

The Harvard Extension Cultural Studies Club was planning on hosting a Black Mass (a Satanic mockery of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass). They originally announced they would be desecrating a consecrated Host during this “service.”

Now the group responsible for the Black Mass is claiming that they don't have a Host, because “we respect all religions and don’t want anyone to feel offended. We understand the powerful role that the Eucharist plays in the Christian religion and in no way want to appear as though we don’t respect your traditions.”

My first reaction was that this was a perfect image of 21st century academia: they want to perform a Satanic Black Mass without offending anyone. But upon further reflection, it occurs to me that this is a powerful case for Catholicism. Think about it this way:


The Eucharist Is Either Jesus or Evil


As I pointed out last month, the Eucharist is either Jesus or mere bread and wine. If the Eucharist is Jesus, everyone should be at Mass, worshipping Our Lord. If the Eucharist is Jesus, there should be no such thing as Protestantism, Mormonism, Islam, atheism, etc. But if the Eucharist isn't Jesus, then for two thousand years, the would-be followers of Jesus Christ were actually idolaters. If that's the case, nobody should be Catholic.

So those are the stakes. Everyone who encountered Jesus of Nazareth was faced with a crucial question: is this God, in some mysterious guise, or not? The early Christians called this “the aut Deus aut malus homo” (“either God or a bad man”). Everyone encountering the Eucharist is faced with the same question: either God or idolatry.

And of course, if the Eucharist is pagan idolatry, it's demonic. As 1 Corinthians 10:20 says, “what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God.” The whole world hangs on this point: is the Eucharist Jesus or an idol? Is the Sacrifice of the Mass being offered to God, or to demons?


Satan Hates the Eucharist


The satanic Black Mass is a ritual inversion (and mockery) of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass performed by Satanists. Now, there are two types of Satanists: “LaVey Satanists,” and “theological Satanists.” The Satanic Temple folks behind tonight's Black Mass are LaVey Satanists. In other words, they're atheists who don't believe in Satan, and use “Satanism” as a tool to harass and provoke Christians (unlike“theological Satanists,” who believe in Satan and worship him). This whole thing, like the satanic monument in Oklahoma, is a deliberate provocation and an attention-seeking measure. But whether the practitioners are playing at the occult, or serious, there's no question that they're tapping into some seriously dark spiritual forces. Satan is at work here.

And it worth pointing out that when Satanists (of both kind) want to mock a religious ritual, you can bet that it's going to by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that they target. How often do you hear about Muslim or Hindu or Jewish (or even Protestant) services being subjected to such intense Satanic mockery?

Nor is this Satanic targeting of the Mass anything new. As far back as the fourth century, St. Epiphanius of Salamis described a sect of Gnosticism performing a perverted mockery of Mass. I won't go into the details, but it was graphic enough that the members of this sect became known as “Borborians” (“filthy ones”).


Satan Doesn't Drive Out Satan 


So the Eucharist is either Jesus or evil (since if it's not Jesus, it's idolatry) and since the devil hates the Eucharist, we can cross “evil” off the list. For some additional Biblical support, consider  Matthew 12:22-28:


          Then a blind and dumb demoniac was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the dumb man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” But when the Pharisees heard it they said, “ It is only by Be-el′zebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.” Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “ Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand; and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Be-el′zebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.


This passage is important: it shows, for example, that Catholic exorcists are operating by the Spirit of God when  they drive out demons. But it also means that if Satan hates the Mass, we can be sure that the Mass isn't evil.

Of course, if the Mass  isn't demonic, if it  isn't idolatry, that really only leaves one option: that the Eucharist is Jesus Christ, and that the Sacrifice of the Mass is presenting Jesus to the Father. This (and as far as I can tell, this alone), accounts for the Satanic mockery.

Even if the  only thing you knew about Catholicism was that its central form of worship, the Mass, was the target of Satanic ire, you would already have good reason to believe that Catholicism was the true religion. But taken with all of the other evidence for the truth that the Eucharist is Jesus, that the Mass is a Sacrifice instituted by God, and that the Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ, Satan is just one more (unwitting) witness for the truth of Jesus Christ and His Church.

Courtesy of Shameless Popery

Reference Link:
http://www.aleteia.org/en/religion/aggregated-content/the-satanic-case-for-catholicism-5819784050507776

MAY 14, FEAST OF ST. MATTHIAS THE APOSTLE


"Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias,
and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles."
— Acts 1:26

St. Matthias, pray for us!

© Word On Fire Catholic Ministries
© Father Robert Barron

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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

HAPPY FEAST OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA!
( May 13 )









"Do not be afraid, I will not harm you. I am from heaven."
— Our Lady's words to Sister Lucia. (Sunday, May 13, 1917)

Today is the feast day of OUR LADY OF FATIMA

"I am the Lady of the Rosary, I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask for pardon for their sins. They must not offend Our Lord any more, for He is already too grievously offended by the sins of men. People must say the Rosary. Let them continue saying it everyday."



NOVENA PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF FATIMA



Most holy Virgin, who hast deigned to come to Fatima, to reveal the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary, 
inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion, 
that meditating on the Mysteries of our Redemption recalled therein, we may obtain the conversion of sinners, 
the conversion of Russia, and (here name the other favors you are praying for), which we ask of you in this Novena, for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of souls. 
Amen.

Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima!
Pray for us!

Monday, May 12, 2014

PRAYER FOR MOTHERS


A Prayer for Mothers

God our Father, we thank You for the gift of life and the gift of our mothers. Bless our mothers and make their hearts glad. Fill our homes with laughter and love. Grant that our mothers might always rejoice in their sons and daughters. And may they hold their children's children in their arms.

© Archbishop José H. Gomez

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Sunday, May 11, 2014

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

#MothersDay #Mother #Mothers #Mom #Mama #Ma Mommy

PRAYER FOR PRIESTS


PRAYER FOR PRIESTS

O Jesus, our great High Priest, Hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priests. Give them a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of his priestly life.

In their loneliness, comfort them. In their sorrows, strengthen them. In their frustrations, point out to them that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show them that they are needed by the Church, they are needed by souls; they are needed for the work of redemption.


O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your sons who are close to you because of their priestly ordination, and because of the power which they have received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs them so much.


Be their comfort, be their joy, be their strength, and especially help them to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy.

Amen.


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He has the most important job in the world.
He has the most powerful enemy trying to stop him from doing his work.
Will you help him in his vocation?

Please pray for our Priests.

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Saturday, May 10, 2014

WELCOME TO OUR LADY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION SAN PEDRO LAGUNA BLOGSPOT!

(Image above: Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception)