Mother Mary said at Fatima: "My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the sure way which will lead you to God." St. Thomas Aquinas said: "The things we love tell us who we are!" With that in mind, I will try to post each day something about Our Blessed Lady, items about the Holy Roman Catholic Church, and public domain Catholic books too! I pray you enjoy my ministry! Below are two albums of pictures that I created: 1. Our grand daughter Adrianna. 2. Tears of Mary!
More than 500 people gathered at the Orlando Airport Marriott Hotel August 25-27 for the Orlando Liturgical Conference which focused on the new English translation of the Roman Missal, third edition.
The new translation uses more formal language that better reflects the dignity of the Sacred Liturgy and will be prayed at Mass beginning the first Sunday of Advent, November 27.
“It is a more exalted style, but we don’t speak the same way in liturgy as in the street,” said Father Paul Turner, keynote speaker at the Orlando Liturgical Conference. “I think the words will fit the ceremony because the ceremony has serious intent and has a way of lifting-up our minds and hearts to God.”
Father Turner is pastor of St. Munchin Parish in Cameron, Missouri, a prolific author who holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant’ Anselmo in Rome and whose own enthusiasm is contagious.
“In going through the process of translation, the prayers have a deeper meaning,” Father Turner added. “They will hold up very well under repetition and meditation.”
Blessed Pope John Paul II announced the revised translation of the text in celebration of the jubilee year 2000. It is finally completed and many parishes around the Diocese of Orlando have begun preparing Catholics for what to expect on November 27.
The Liturgical Conference is organized by the Diocese of Orlando Office of Liturgy and Music every two years to help parish leaders, including priests, deacons, religious sisters and Christ’s faithful stay informed of liturgical best practices. With the new English translation of the Roman Missal just three months away, attendees were grateful for the opportunity to hear from national and local experts.
“I’ve learned new ways to introduce the Roman Missal, 3rd edition and to honor the translation in a richer way. This is saving me so much time and research,” said Helen Telep-Gonzalez, pastoral associate, St. Matthew Parish, Winter Haven. “The key is helping people to understand the Mass is not changing,”
What exactly is changing? The structure of the Mass (the order of the elements, the actions of the priest celebrant, and so forth) remains unchanged in the new edition of the Roman Missal. However, the translation of the prayer texts will change to more closely reflect the original Latin texts. In some cases, new options for prayers may be available, and some old options may no longer be present.
Father Bob Webster, director of the Diocese of Orlando Office of Liturgy said “it’s critical” that parish leaders fully understand the impact of the Roman Missal, third edition.
“We are laying a foundation for parish ministry leaders and volunteers and working to energize them so they can be good ambassadors and reassure people this is not a new Roman Missal. It’s a rephrasing according to new translation principles that open our eyes, ears and heart to new understanding.”
Father Gilbert Medina, Parochial Administrator, St. Mary of the Lakes Parish, Eustis attended all three days of the Orlando Liturgical Conference.
“I’m extremely positive about the changes. The language is richer and more meaningful and worthy of who God is. We’re talking about the glory of God. He deserves the very best.”
Image by Getty Images via @daylife
A worldwide survey by the Pew Forum shows an increase in restrictions and violence. The top offenders are Egypt, Pakistan, and India. Among the Muslim countries, the only one going against the trend is Turkey. The most mistreated: Christians
by Sandro Magister
Published: August 31, 2011
$5000 in damages for $39 worth of copper
Antioch parish hit by thieves again, latest in statewide crime wave against Catholic institutions
The lights went out at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church in Antioch during the wee hours of Saturday, Aug. 27 -- the work of thieves who stole about 500 yards of copper wire from an outdoor pipeline containing the church’s electrical cables. Parish officials had to scramble to get the power back on just in time for Saturday’s 5 p.m. Vigil Mass.
“The theft was the third copper-related burglary in about two months at the church on Contra Loma Boulevard,” the Contra Costa Times reported. The parish is located in the Oakland diocese.
“Thieves also stole seven air conditioning units and five outdoor security cameras recently, said the Rev. Robert Rien, the church's parochial administrator,” the Contra Costa Times report said.
“St. Ignatius has been targeted by thieves several times over the past few years, including in 2008 when Rien's one-of-a-kind chalice made of Norwegian silver and his parents' wedding rings were stolen,” said the Contra Costa newspaper. “About $1,000 of landscaping was taken from the church's parking lot when it was refurbished last year.”
"Here we've worked so hard to beautify this place of worship; it's sad to think we may have to put a gate around the outside like a prison yard," Fr. Rien told the newspaper.
According to the Times, Fr. Rien said other churches in the area have also been victimized by copper thieves recently.
“What's particularly upsetting to Rien is that thieves in the June 18 heist at St. Ignatius took about $39 worth of copper from each unit while causing about $5,000 in damage,” the Times reported.
"It looks like someone threw a grenade in there," Fr. Rien was quoted as saying.
The theft at St. Ignatius is the latest in a series of crimes against Catholic institutions in California. Over Easter weekend, St. Barbara Parish at historic Mission Santa Barbara was defaced by graffiti linking the Catholic Church to the Holocaust. The graffiti attack came just a week after a deliberately set fire destroyed St. John Vianney Church in Hacienda Heights. The fire over Palm Sunday weekend left only a burned out shell where the 5000-member parish’s sanctuary once stood.
In January, a vandal spray-painted the words “Kill the Cathlics” on the walls of St. Boniface Catholic Church in Anaheim and St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Irvine. Beginning in December 2010, Holy Family Catholic Church in Glendale was forced to tighten security measures after a thief repeatedly broke into collection boxes used by parishioners to donate money to the needy.
In November 2010, Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Woodland was victimized by criminals for the fourth time since 2007. Thieves broke into the parish office and stole more than $2000. Just days before Christmas 2009, vandals knocked over and smashed into pieces a 60-year-old statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary dedicated to the memory of veterans outside Holy Rosary. Vandals also entered the church sometime during the same time period and desecrated a Nativity scene. A week earlier, someone entered the church and pushed over a statue of St. Joseph, cracking the base of the statue.
In October 2010, someone burglarized the rectory at St. Stanislaus Church in Modesto. The thief or thieves stole a computer sometime over the weekend of Oct. 16-17. In late August, vandals broke into and vandalized St. Stanislaus, breaking a window to gain entrance. The vandal or vandals knocked down four statutes of the Blessed Virgin and desecrated the sanctuary. Among the damaged statues was one from Belgium that was more than 200 years old and is considered irreplaceable.
In late May 2010, vandals broke into and ransacked St. Rose of Lima parish school in Maywood. They scrawled “666” on walls and drove a knife into the face of a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Maywood-Cudahy Police Department reported.
In April 2009, just hours before Easter services were to commence, a vandal or vandals decapitated a statue of the Blessed Virgin outside Santa Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica. In early January of 2009, vandals spray-painted swastikas and the message “Niederauer, Ratzinger – where is the love” on the front walls of Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in San Francisco.
In late October of 2008, a ciborium containing consecrated hosts was removed from a locked tabernacle and stolen during a burglary at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Watsonville. The thieves also stole a safe that had been bolted to the floor containing $44,400 in cash and checks.
DALLAS,
As the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist acts approaches, Denison invites Christian readers to download a complimentary daily devotional and prayer guide, "Redeeming 9/11: Building God's Kingdom Today." He also invites readers to share via Twitter or the Denison Forum's Facebook wall their Prayer Pledge to engage spiritually in praying for our country.
"The global threat posed by radical Islam is greater than on Sept. 11, 2001," Denison said. "For every militant who dies in jihad, a thousand others seek to avenge his -- or her -- death.
"This book is a primer that tells Westerners what they need to know about this threat, why radical Muslims still hate us and what we can do about it."
Cost is $13.99 for "Radical Islam: What You Need to Know," which is distributed by Wesscott Marketing. The book is available as a trade paperback atwww.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.Christianbook.com, Parable Stores, Munce Stores, LifeWay Stores, via Ingram and Spring Arbor Distributors, independent Christian booksellers, and www.denisonforum.org.
The "Redeeming 9/11" devotional and prayer guide, available atwww.denisonforum.org, contains thought-provoking examples from current events that tie into inspirational lessons from history and the Bible, all of which illustrate God's sovereignty, redemptive purpose in suffering and faithfulness to his people. The booklet concludes with a hope-filled call to join the Fifth Great Awakening spiritual movement sweeping the world today. Denison's commentary, "Redeeming 9/11 on our knees," ( www.dftc.co/911prayerpledge) offers guidance on how to use the prayer guide and how to participate in the Prayer Pledge.
As America prepares for the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, Denison asks Christians to pledge their prayers for our country. Those wishing to participate in the 9/11 Prayer Pledge may post their prayers on Twitter using the #911prayerpledge hashtag or on the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture Facebook page at www.facebook.com/DenisonForum.
Denison cites Ephesians 6:12 as his reason for including spiritual engagement among suggested strategies for fighting the war on terror. He asks Christians reading his book to join him in daily prayer that Muslims will find hope in Christ. "The Bible says that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, authorities and powers of this dark world and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms," Denison says.
"Radical Islam: What You Need to Know" (ISBN 978-0-9837857-1-2) begins with a look at Osama bin Laden, the Al Qaeda leader killed in May in a U.S. Special Forces raid in Pakistan, and examines the ramifications of bin Laden's death, including whether it was just. The book goes on to explain what distinguishes radical Islam from the rest of the Muslim world and addresses basic questions: "Where was God on 9/11?" and "How Do We Win This War?"
Denison briefly touches on basic Muslim beliefs before focusing on the two tenets that distinguish radical Islam. First, extremists contend the West has been attacking Islam since the Crusades and especially by supporting Israel. Since the Qur'an requires Muslims to defend Islam, jihadists believe they are required to attack us. Second, radical Muslims believe all Westerners are complicit in the ongoing siege of Islam because we elect our leaders and support our military. In their minds, killing us is defending Islam.
Faced with this worldview, Denison writes, both Christians and secular Westerners must act. He offers practical ideas on how to handle the threat, including praying for Muslims and supporting Christians from Muslim backgrounds.
Chapter 1 on bin Laden and his death, along with Dr. Denison's cultural commentary subscription, are available at www.denisonforum.org.
"Radical Islam" is the first in the "Unlocking the Truth" series of books offering a spiritual perspective on key cultural issues facing America. Denison is also the author of six books, including the most recent, "Wrestling with God: How Can I Love a God I'm Not Sure I Can Trust?" by Tyndale House Publishers.
James C. Denison, Ph.D., is an author, educator and cultural apologist, building a bridge between faith and culture by engaging contemporary issues with historical, scientific and biblical truth. He founded the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture (DFTC) in February 2009 and writes for The Dallas Morning News, contributing weekly to the "Texas Faith Forum." He currently serves on the board of the Baylor Health Care System and as chair of the advisory board for Dallas Baptist University. Denison is former senior pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church, a 10,000-member congregation in Dallas.
Denison's daily cultural commentary is made available worldwide to thousands of subscribers at www.denisonforum.org/cultural-commentary. His faith perspective sheds light on topics ranging from same-sex marriage, to bioethics, to the recent turmoil in the financial markets.
Connect with the Denison Forum on Twitter @JimDenison (www.twitter.com/JimDenison) and on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/DenisonForum. For more information, visitwww.denisonforum.org.
To schedule an interview with Denison, contact Ty Mays at 770-256-8710 ortmays@inchristcommunications.com.
LET'S BE NOT AFRAID AND OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. THE 40 DAY CONSECRATION TO JESUS THROUGH MARY DOES EXACTLY THIS.
Once we believe in Christ we are called to not only follow Him but also to imitate Him. How do we do this? Because we are baptized in Jesus, we have become connected to His mission. He gave His life to repair the damage of all sin in the world. Through His perfect sacrifice of reparation we are now enabled to start making our own acts of reparation. As it says in the Bible, we are called to add to what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the benefit of the Church! The writings of St. Louis de Montfort and Pope John Paul II reveal that we are able to change ourselves, our families and even the world as long as we connect ourselves more completely to Our Lady.
Consecration is a way of live that will protect you and your family in these perilous times. We all need the help and comfort of the Blessed Virgin Mary to confront the trials and challenges of each day. Consecration is the answer to the different crises that we face, the crisis of morality, crisis of Faith, the crisis of the family, and the chaos around the world. This is what makes this consecration unique because we go to Jesus through Mary in union with St. Joseph. It is a consecration to the Holy Family. It takes into account that each family is an extension of the Holy Family who is there to help us live our consecration to God as His children.
Consecration is a powerful way to offer our prayers and sufferings for sinners. It transforms every action that we do in fulfilling our daily responsibilities into an act of reparation. This will not only stop evil in the world by decreasing Satan's power, but will also merit actual graces of repentance to save souls who are dying at that particular moment. It will also alleviate the pain of those suffering in Purgatory. We know the temptation we all have towards fear. When we look at the evil engulfing our society today, we can become paralyzed. But remember the words of Pope John Paul II "Be Not Afraid" and "Overcome Evil with Good" The spiritual benefits are many.
FR. Kevin Barrett, International Chaplain for the Apostolate for Family Consecration, who did the Lenten 2009 Mission at Assumption Parish, will be here to talk about the Power of Consecration to Jesus through Mary, in union with St. Joseph.
When and Where:
Saturday, Sept. 10th, 2011
12 Noon Mass at Immaculate Conception Church in Jacksonville, FL
5:30PM Vigil Mass at St. Joseph's Church in Jacksonville, FL
Sunday, Sept. 11th , 2011
11:00am Mass at Mary, Queen of Heaven in Jacksonville, FL
5:00PM Evening Mass at San Juan Del Rio Church in Jacksonville, FL
We will start the 40-day Preparation for the Consecration on Nov. 5, 2011 and will make the Consecration on Dec. 8, 2011, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, with all of the members of the AFC Family who are on 5 Continents. Any questions, please call Betty and Barry Hurtz at 904-363-2002.
To learn more about this consecration, please go to www.FamilyHoliness.com. All of the resources that you need are online for FREE!
Barry Hurtz
9111 Sugar Meadow Trail
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Phone: 904-363-2002
Fax: 904-352-1201
Mobile: 904-608-3634
Email: bhurtz@comcast.net
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A first reponder during 9/11, T.J Gilmartin, attends a news conference about illnesses of 9/11 responders, November 29, 2010 in Washington, DC. A New York Congressional delegation headed by U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) hosted the news conference with 9/11 survivors and family members to unveil a special exhibition of 29 police badges belonging to members of the New York City Police Departmentwho assisted in rescue efforts at Ground Zero and later died from 9/11 related illnesses.Image by Getty Images via @daylife
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(c)Mary TV 2011
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August 31, 2011 Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! Today I call you to pray and fast for my intentions, because Satan wants to destroy my plan. Here I began with this parish and invited the entire world. Many have responded, but there is an enormous number of those who do not want to hear or accept my call. Therefore, you who have said 'yes', be strong and resolute. Thank you for having responded to my call." (August 25, 2011)
This message is so serious. Our Lady commissions us to be strong and resolute. She turns to us as those she can rely on, as those she can lean on in this difficult battle for souls. We are the ones who have said 'yes'.
I think now is the time to share a beautiful talk that Ivan gave in his chapel on June 24, 2011 to our small group of pilgrims. He allowed us to film it, and I have the transcript of it for you. Ivan spoke eloquently. He has learned so much from Mother Mary over the past 30 years. You could see it in his clear eyes, his careful delivery, his peaceful demeanor, and the wisdom that he shared.
We will begin at the beginning of the talk, with installments over the next few days. I think it will help us all to respond to Our Lady's message. Ivan Dragicevic, in his chapel on June 24, 2011: I would like to greet you all in the beginning on this very special day for all of us and I think I don't have to explain how special it is for me. I slept last night, or should I say I hadn't slept at all. I was expecting this day. I was expecting the new day thinking about these memories that brought me to the new life. I actually entered in a new school, the school that was started by Our Lady, the school of peace, the school of love and school of prayer. I was 16 years old when the apparitions started. As I said the other day, I didn't understand many things at that time, before the apparitions of Our Lady. I didn't know at all that it could be possible to have the apparitions. I had never heard before about Lourdes or Fatima or any other places of apparitions.... I had never read anything about apparitions.... And if you want me to be honest, I didn't like to read at all. That was me, like a child. Now when I just recall 30 years ago on this day - in the morning hours - probably around this time, my mom was knocking on the door of my room. She was waking me up, saying that I had to get up, to wake up. She said that Mass is at 11:00 AM. There is no time to wait, you have to get ready! And that morning at this time I woke up and I went with them to the church. And you know the rest... Today I would like to give emphasis to those most important things to which Our Lady has been calling us. It is 30 years today since Our Lady has been calling us. But these 30 years could be called years of many graces. I want to say that these apparitions of Our Lady are a great cross roads for mankind. This is a new call. This is a new way. a way that leads to the new future of mankind. How much are we aware of this message, how serious it is, the call of Our Lady? We have to ask ourselves do the messages of Our Lady come to our hearts? Do we live the messages of Our Lady? This is the crucial, the most important question for each one of us. And I am sure that during all these 30 years we have wished that Our Lady would give us a message every day! Don't you think so? But now I'm asking another question. Would we be able to live the messages that Our Lady would give us every day - every day a new message, knowing we would have to live it, understand it, and allow it to be a part of our life? Is it too short a time? If you have lived the messages, if you have followed these messages, you will remember that Our Lady used to give messages once a week. It was on Thursday. And the message was given for the parish of Medjugorje and for the entire world. Some years later Our Lady started giving us monthly messages. Why? Our Lady wanted to give us more time so that we had enough time to understand the message she was giving us and to start living and practicing the message. And I have to say once again it is so important to use the time during the month, to use the time well and live the message.  Many pilgrims, even priests, bishops, cardinals, are not able to comprehend some thing....they cannot understand why Our Lady has been appearing for such a long time. Every day! So many ask what does Our Lady say? What do you talk with her about? They ask me, 'Every day?' [I tell them] we talk a lot! And I believe even if we had 24 hours we would miss some minutes. But one day when the time comes, when certain things get revealed you will understand why the apparitions have been for such a long time, why the apparitions have been every day. Later on we will understand some things. Later on our eyes will be opened when we see the physical changes that are going to happen in the world. And this is so important to understand. (I'm not going to tell you any secrets!) The time that is in front of us is the time of great responsibility. Each one of us here today has to be very responsible. We are invited to responsibility in the family. We talk here about spiritual dimensions in our families as well. To lead the family to grow spiritually. To base our family life on the most important things of the Holy Gospel. To do and practice what the Gospel teaches us. And this is the message. This is the message that is being repeated by Our Lady during all these 30 years. So Our Lady hasn't said anything new in these years. We already know the messages, even from before, from the Church tradition, but we don't live them. Therefore Our Lady invites us to be responsible. To start living the messages is a heavy responsibility. (Part One of Ivan's talk in his chapel on June 24, 2011)
Ivan spoke these words with such clarity and depth. He wanted us to understand the gravity of our situation. We are the carriers of the gifts now, the gifts Our Lady has brought to us. And those gifts are her messages! We can only give those gifts to others by living the messages. In living them, we give them. |
More tomorrow! In Jesus and Mary!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2011
PS. You can watch the video of this talk on our web page:
http://www.marytv.tv/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=310&Itemid=40
Click the title "Ivan reflects on 30 years of apparitions - June 24, 2011"
www.marytv.tv
By DANIEL SHOER ROTH. ElNuevoHerald.com. Sunday, 08.28.11.
As a prelude to the 50th anniversary celebration of the arrival in Miami of the statue of Our Lady of Charity, Cuba’s patron saint, a group of Catholic faithful took the image for a colorful maritime procession in Biscayne Bay on Sunday.
A dozen boats participated in the three-hour parade, dubbed “The Lady of Charity Blesses Miami,” which carried the statue to sites significant in the history of the city and of Cuban exiles.The marine procession departed from the Our Lady of Charity shrine in Coconut Grove, and was highly symbolic because the original version of this depiction of the Virgin Mary was found floating in Nipe Bay in eastern Cuba almost 400 years ago, according to Catholic tradition. “In the mind of a Cuban you cannot separate the Virgin and the ocean,” said Msgr. Agustín Román, founder of the shrine and retired auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami. “Through these waters we also remember the Cuban rafters” he said. On Sept. 8 South Florida’s Cuban Catholic community will celebrate a Mass in remembrance of what happened in 1961, when a replica of the image of Our Lady of Charity was smuggled from the island to Miami just in time to celebrate the Feast of the Virgin at the old Bobby Maduro stadium, a Mass attended by 30,000 Cuban exiles. Due to the success of the Mass, in 1966 then-Archbishop Coleman Carroll appealed to all Cuban refugees to build a sanctuary dedicated to the patron saint on land next to Mercy Hospital. Today Our Lady of Charity shrine stands there, and is spiritual center of Cuban exiles. On Sunday, hundreds of the faithful congregated in the sanctuary to participate in a midday Mass and bid farewell to the Virgin as the image was carried, surrounded by roses and flanked by flags of Latin American countries, to a 35-foot boat. “We invite your attention to the importance of this anniversary,” said the shrine’s rector, Juan Rumín Domínquez, who used a megaphone to deliver his message to the curious boaters who moved closer to photograph the image. “Long live the Lady of Charity!” shouted Rumín. “ Viva!” responded the spectators in their swimsuits, not knowing exactly what they were applauding.The first stop was Mercy Hospital, where prayers asked the Virgin to intercede and help those who are ill. Then the boats continued to the marina next to Miami City Hall, where they met Mayor Tomás Regalado. This time, the priests prayed to God to instill harmony and good will in the world of politics and public service. Before Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992, the Feast of the Virgin was celebrated in the historic Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key. Today, the stadium is a graffiti-strewn wreck, but its history prompted the stop. “This beautiful structure often became a temple of faith and home for all,” said Rumín. “As we receive your image and gather solemnly in prayer and joy of celebration, we are surrounded by the beauty of creation.” Back at the shrine, the faithful welcomed the image back with cheers, waving white flags and, in some cases, weeping.“I have felt a very strong emotion,” said Minerva Saez, a Cuban exile, as she witnessed the return of the image. The 66-year-old woman had been there since 11:30 a.m., and did not mind having to wait. “The Virgin has blessed this city.” To the sounds of a Cuban band, dozens of devotees then stood in line to have their photographs taken with the image and to whisper a prayer.Published: August 30, 2011
‘Next 24 hours are critical’
San Franchisco archbishop undergoes emergency heart surgery
News release from Archdiocese of San Francisco
Monday, Aug. 29, 2011
After experiencing some chest discomfort over the weekend, Archbishop George Niederauer was taken to the emergency room at Long Beach Memorial Hospital last night by Cardinal William Levada. They had been in the final days of their vacation in Southern California. The Archbishop was given an angiogram and his doctors recommended he stay overnight at the hospital for observation.
This morning, at the recommendation of his cardiologists, the Archbishop underwent successful cardiac double by-pass surgery. Cardinal Levada has relayed the doctors’ report that Archbishop Niederauer is doing well and is in good condition in the Intensive Care Unit at Long Beach Memorial. We are encouraged by this initial report. However, the doctors have informed us that the next 24 hours are critical. Prayers are requested from the priests, deacons, religious and laity of the Archdiocese.
Please be assured that we will keep you informed regarding the Archbishop's progress in the days ahead.
http://www.canada.com/life/5278505.bin?size=620x400
DURING HIS VISIT OF VISION to Spain, the Pope assured 1,600 sisters, representing nearly 300 religious communities and institutes that the church and society continue to need the "gospel radicalism" of their religious consecration.
The pope listened to Belén González, a member of the Siervas de Maria congregation, who spoke on behalf of all the nuns present:
SISTERS AWAIT the pope's arrival at
the Monastery of San Lorenzo outside Madrid.
Photograph: Andrea Comas, Reuters
“Your Holiness, we know that the Cross placed on your shoulders by God is heavy. We want you to know that you are not carrying it alone, you can count on us who, in the silence of the cloister or in serving the Church in our work, help you in our simplicity and poverty, and with the strength that we receive from Jesus Christ”.
The Pope thanked the women religious for their “generous, total, and perpetual yes” and expressed his wish that this “yes” might “speak to young people, inspire them and illuminate them.” Read more. http://www.vocationnetwork.org/blog/spiritcitings_blog/2011/08/the_church_nee...
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/view.image?Id=5048
East Coast Agencies Ready to Help with Shelter and Other Recovery Efforts; Funds Needed to Provide Support
Alexandria, VA—Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) reports that its east coast agencies are assessing the damage created by Hurricane Irene and are fully prepared to assist families and individuals with shelter, food, and other immediate and long-term needs.
“In many ways, we were blessed—Irene came with less intensity and impact than what we expected, but there are still thousands of people dealing with power outages, property damage, and personal loss,” said Kim Burgo, Vice President of Disaster Operations for CCUSA. “As the nation moves on from this hurricane, and the headlines cover the next story, we cannot forget about the people that have been affected. Catholic Charities will be there to help.”
Following its work with Katrina, Ike and numerous other hurricanes and natural disasters, Catholic Charities and its agencies represent an experienced resource, ready to serve all those impacted by Irene.
On the heels of this year’s numerous spring and summer disasters, dollar resources are strained. Donations to assist people impacted by storms and flooding are needed.
To help disaster-stricken areas across the country, please visit the Catholic Charities USA Disaster Donation Page.
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/SSLPage.aspx?pid=2357
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/august.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101
August 31, 2011 (Act 19:17-18) And this became known to all the Jews and the Gentiles that dwelt a Ephesus. And fear fell on them all: and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. And many of them that believed came, confessing and declaring their deeds NCREGISTER: Vatican Publishes Confession and Spiritual Direction Manual for Priests
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Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 30- "Concerning the Supreme Trinity Among the Virtues"
7. Love, by reason of its nature, is resemblance to God, as far as that is possible for mortals; in its activity it is inebriation of the soul; and by its distinctive property it is a fountain of faith, an abyss of patience, a sea of humility.This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.
Written by Archbishop José H. Gomez Friday, 26 August 2011 00:00
This coming Advent, Catholics throughout the English-speaking world will begin using a new translation for the prayers that we say in the Mass.
This new, third edition of the Roman Missal is the fruit of many years of work by the Vatican and bishops in America, Canada, England and elsewhere, working with the Vatican’s Vox Clara Committee and the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL).
The translators did a beautiful job. They have given us prayers that will help us to lift up our hearts and minds to give glory and praise to God in language that is reverent and inspiring.
This is not a new Mass. It is a new translation of the ancient Latin prayers of the Mass.
This new translation continues the liturgical renewal envisioned by the Second Vatican Council (1963-65).
This new translation restores the beauty of the original Latin. It lets us hear the many Scriptural allusions that are woven into the fabric of the Mass. And it helps us to experience how our worship on earth unites us in love to the liturgy of heaven.
The new translation of our Mass prayers will give us the strength we need for our Christian mission of the new evangelization. And it will inspire us to see the vital connection between the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist and his presence among us in the poorest and most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters.
So I am excited to start implementing this new translation. Practically speaking, this means we will be learning together how to pray our familiar prayers in a new way, using new language.
Most of the changes are in the prayers that the priest prays. But the people’s parts also change. We will be praying a new translation of the Confiteor (“I confess to God”), the Gloria, the Creed and the prayer that we say before Communion (“Lord, I am not worthy”), among other changes.
Implementing this new translation means much more than simply memorizing new prayers. I really believe this new translation offers us a special moment of grace.
It is a fact of life that anything we do over and over again can become routine, something we just do without paying too much attention.
But we can never let the Mass become routine for us. We need to love the Eucharist! We need to live the holy Mass! Our Christian life, our whole life, must be centered in the Eucharist.
That is why this new translation is such a wonderful gift. It gives us the opportunity for a new Eucharistic catechesis. It gives us the chance to reflect more deeply on the meaning of our worship — on what we do when we celebrate the Eucharist, and why.
All the words and actions in the sacred liturgy reflects the ancient faith of the Church and are carefully arranged to bring us to the encounter with the living God who comes to us in these sacred mysteries.
There is an ancient principle in the Church: lex orandi, lex credendi — the law of prayer is the law of faith. That means that the words we pray — and how we pray them — shape what we believe and how we live out our beliefs.
We become what we pray.
The prayer of our Eucharistic worship is meant to make us become more like Jesus Christ. It meant to make us the Eucharistic people that he intended us to be.
Jesus commanded us: “Do this in memory of me.” In our worship, we remember his example of love and self-offering, how he gave his Body and Blood as bread for the life of the world.
In our Eucharistic worship, we join our own sacrifices to his. We make our lives a prayer of self-offering — as he did on the cross. In union with Jesus, we offer ourselves to the Father as a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.
And through our worship, we become more and more committed to living as Jesus did — in generous service to others. We come to live the Mass — working in everything we do to bring Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters.
The promise of this new translation of the Mass is that we will enter more deeply into the mystery of the faith — the mystery of God’s love for the world, a love he wants to spread through each one of us.
So as we pray for each other this week, let us ask Mary, our Blessed Mother, to help make us souls devoted to the Eucharist.
This is the first of a four-part series of columns that Archbishop Gomez intends to write on the translation of the Mass. To learn more, visit the U.S. bishops’ website: “Welcoming the Roman Missal, Third Edition” (www.usccb.org/romanmissal).
Follow Archbishop Gomez at: www.facebook.com/ArchbishopGomez.
BTW – people who can’t get EWTN on their TV’s can watch live online at www.ewtn.com.
These are sad times when some leaders in the church go against the grain and decide how we as Catholics can worship our God, truly Present in the Blessed Sacrament! It's always been a scandal to me when a priest or deacon refuses to give Holy Communion to someone kneeling. I complained about this incident years ago and told those in charge of the deacons that I would never refuse to give Holy Communion to someone kneeling. Let's hope that the Archbishop told his clergy the same!
The Archbishop of Glasgow, Scotland has told Catholics in his archdiocese not to kneel to receive communion.
“The Faithful should follow the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, namely coming to communion in procession and standing to receive Holy Communion,” wrote Archbishop Mario Conti in a letter to all his priests, dated August 25.
“Standing in our Western culture is a mark of respect: kneeling at the altar rails (where they continue to exist) is not the practice envisaged by the instructions in the Missal,” he stated.
The archbishop’s letter was issued ahead of the introduction of the new translation of the Roman Missal, which comes into effect throughout the English-speaking world this coming November.
Ironically, his instruction comes only a year after Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Mass in Glasgow. At that papal Mass, all those receiving communion from the Pope did so kneeling on a pres-dieu.
“This is really awful,” one Glasgow priest, who wished to remain anonymous, wrote to EWTN News.
“The bishop is indeed the moderator of the liturgical life of the diocese. However, what concerns a number of the priests in Glasgow is that our Archbishop knowingly exceeds his legitimate authority when he attempts to remove liberties foreseen by the Roman Missal itself.”
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal states that “the faithful communicate either kneeling or standing, as determined by the Conference of Bishops.” The Instruction adds, “(w)hen they communicate standing, however, it is recommended that they make an appropriate sign of reverence, as determined in the same norms, before receiving the Sacrament.”
In 2002, then-Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Jorge Medina Estévez, attempted to clarify the issue after receiving complaints from lay Catholics who were being refused communion after kneeling to receive the host.
The Congregation, he wrote in an open letter, “considers any refusal of Holy Communion to a member of the faithful on the basis of his or her kneeling posture to be a grave violation of one of the most basic rights of the Christian faithful, namely that of being assisted by their Pastors by means of the Sacraments (Codex Iuris Canonici, canon 213).”
He went on to add that even when the Congregation has given its approval for a bishops’ conference to make a standing posture the norm, “it has done so with the stipulation that communicants who choose to kneel are not to be denied Holy Communion on these grounds.”
He also highlighted that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, believed the “centuries-old tradition” of kneeling to receive communion is a “particularly expressive sign of adoration, completely appropriate in light of the true, real and substantial presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ under the consecrated species.”
Cardinal Estévez concluded with a warning that “the Congregation will regard future complaints of this nature with great seriousness” and, if those complaints are verified, it would “seek disciplinary action consonant with the gravity of the pastoral abuse.”
“There is no question of anybody being refused communion if they choose to kneel,” a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Glasgow told EWTN News on Aug. 30.
“The purpose of the bishop’s letter is to encourage, and certainly not diminish, devotion to the Blessed Sacrament by reminding people of the need to make an act of reverence before receiving Holy Communion standing and in procession – which is the overwhelming custom in the diocese and the rest of Europe.”
The latest development is not first time that Archbishop Conti has made headlines for his stance on liturgical matters.
In 2007, he sent an advisory note to all his priests following the publication of Pope Benedict’s document “Summorum Pontificum” on the provision of the older Tridentine Rite in parishes. The archbishop’s guidelines were dubbed the “coldest, most hostile I have read so far” by the renowned Catholic blogger Fr. John Zuhlsdorf.
Archbishop Conti turned 77-years-old earlier this year and has already handed in his resignation to Pope Benedict. His replacement could be announced within the next few months.
Read more: http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/World.php?id=3880#ixzz1WXSSqPY6
By: Caitlin Bootsma
With the academic year beginning once again and Fall around the corner, schedules are inevitably filling up rapidly. For most of us, especially living in a busy place like Northern Virginia, our hours and minutes are exhausted with work, classes, chores, errands and volunteer work.
If you are like me, it can be a struggle to stay faithful to a commitment to pray every day. Sometimes I get overly ambitious with prayer commitments, only to give up entirely several days later.
Yet, with a life that can often be chaotic, I know that I need to remind myself daily about what is truly important to me – living my life with God. One of the wonderful things about our Faith is the richness of prayer traditions. If you are looking for a way to focus on prayer each day (even if it’s only for a few minutes) here are a few ideas:
(Please add to the list in the comment section!):
Praying before leaving the house each morning: I’m always surprised what a difference it can make to stop to pray before rushing out the door. Whether it’s a commitment you make by yourself or with your family, even the action of prioritizing prayer over anything else for a minute or two sets the day on the right track.
Daily Mass readings: Even if you do not have the opportunity to attend Daily Mass, the daily readings are available every day on the USCCB website and are a great way to re-familiarize yourself with Scripture.
Saint of the day: Perhaps you are someone who is most inspired by real-life examples of heroic virtue. It is easy to bookmark sites that tell us briefly about men and women who overcame great struggles to live lives of virtue. See one site here.
Keeping a prayer or reminder near your work space: It can be easy to get distracted at work or to act uncharitably in emails, on phone calls to co-workers etc. Several friends have told me that keeping a prayer card, a quote or a crucifix near their workspace reminds them in a physical way to give their work the attention it deserves and to act with charity to those around them.
Praying for intentions at dinner: Many of us say grace before meals, but consider making this the time to pray either silently or as a family for your intentions. Offering difficulties to God as a prayer often seems to lend perspective to challenges in my life.
Examining your conscience each night: I’ve had several priests recommend a daily examination of conscience. Consider thinking over your day each night before you go to sleep, asking God for the grace to do better tomorrow.
Stop in and visit Our Lord in the Eucharist: While we attend Mass every Sunday, it’s a great idea to pop into an open church, even if for just 15 minutes once a week, to say “hello” to Our Lord. We often, unplanned, stop to chat briefly with our neighbors, people in the grocery store and our coworkers. In fact, sometimes those brief conversations can lead to insights, laughter or a sense of love. The same will happen with Christ in the Eucharist!
There are many more ways of forming daily prayer habits, please consider sharing some that you have found to be most helpful in your life.
http://encourageandteach.wordpress.com/
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò is set to become the new papal nuncio to the United States, according to Vatican sources who asked to remain anonymous.
Archbishop Viganò will succeed Archbishop Pietro Sambi who died in July from complications that developed after he had a delicate lung surgery.
Archbishop Viganò, 70, is currently the second in command within the Governatorate of the Vatican City, the office in charge of many of the City State’s departments such as its police, observatory, museums, post office and tourist information service.
The Italian newspaper La Stampa this week claimed to have copies of the private correspondence confirming the appointment of Archbishop Viganò as nuncio to the U.S.
The paper reported that Archbishop Viganò made it clear to the Vatican’s Secretariat of State that he had no desire to be posted overseas, and that he preferred to remain in Rome.
The response came in a letter from the Vatican Secretary of State, dated Aug. 13, which informed Archbishop Viganò of Pope Benedict’s personal desire that he go to the U.S. It stated that the Pope wanted an experienced diplomat in charge of the Washington, D.C. nunciature during an election year in the U.S.
The newspaper reported that Archbishop Viganò would have preferred to take over from his immediate superior at the Governatorate of the Vatican City, Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo, who submitted his resignation to the Pope last year after turning 75. The cardinal's resignation has not yet been accepted and no successor has been appointed.
Archbishop Carlo Mario Viganò is a native of the town of Varese in the northern Italian region of Lombardy. He was ordained a priest in 1968 and entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 1973. Since then he has served in the diplomatic missions to Iraq, the United Kingdom and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. He was nuncio to Nigeria between 1992 and 1998. He also worked in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State from 1978 to 1989. No date has yet been set for his arrival in Washington, D.C.
“We haven’t heard anything official yet so we can’t confirm an official time scale,” a spokesman for the nunciature told EWTN News on August 29.
Read more: http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/Vatican.php?id=3877#ixzz1WXEK3SvX
