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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!
Saturday, July 06, 2013
Benedict XVI and Francis meet in the Vatican Gardens
Friday, July 05, 2013
July 4 Update: Our Lady's Apparition at Caritas
July 4 Update: Our Lady's Apparition at Caritas
Caritas Update July 4, 2013
July 4, 2013 A.D.
During the apparition of
July 3, which took place at 10:30 in the Field of Apparitions, Our Lady
said that the apparition of the 4th would take place in the Field at
6:45 P.M. Thousands gathered for the Re-consecration of the United
States into the hands of Our Lady, for the feast of the birth of the
United States. The Rosary was prayed followed by the Solemn Act of
Consecration. Afterward, Marija began the 7 Our Father’s, 7 Hail Mary’s,
and 7 Glory Be’s in preparation for Our Lady. Our Lady appeared around
6:48 PM and the apparition lasted about 5 minutes. After Marija said:
“In the moment of the apparition, I started
to recommend all of us and all of our intentions. I started to
recommend this nation and all the people here present tonight. I said to
Our Lady, I wanted to put all the prayer intentions of the people here
tonight under Her mantle. Our Lady started smiling, stretched Her hands,
and started praying over us. And She prayed for a long time. Then She
finished with the Sign of the Cross, giving Her blessing. I asked Our
Lady to bless not only us, but also all the religious article and
objects that you brought here tonight as a sign of our belonging to Her.
And I asked Her to bring all our hearts to Her Immaculate Heart, and
through this, to the Holy Heart of Jesus. Our Lady smiled again, gave
Her blessing to the objects, and said, ‘Go in peace.’ She didn’t give us a message, but Her smile, and this is a joy for all of us. May God bless you all.”
Everyone was touched at Our Lady's smile tonight, not just one, but twice in the apparition. All felt Our Lady heard the Solemn Act of Consecration in a very special way. Marija said afterwards that Our Lady told her the apparition of July 5, 2013 will take place in the Bedroom of Apparitions at 6:40 P.M.
To Be United in Prayer for Our Nation 6:40 p.m. Caritas time.
| Your Time Zone | Apparition Time |
| Eastern Time | 7:40 PM |
| Central Time | 6:40 PM |
| Mountain Time Mountain Time Alternate |
4:40 PM (Standard Time) 5:40 PM (Daylight Time) |
| Pacific Time | 4:40 PM |
| Alaska Time | 3:40 PM |
| Hawaii Time | 2:40 AM |
| Brazil Time | 8:40 PM |
| Sydney, Australia | 11:40 AM - (July 6) |
| Seoul | 7:40 AM - (July 6) |
| Beijing, Singapore | 6:40 AM - (July 6) |
| Calcutta | 6:10 AM - (July 6) |
| Baghdad, Moscow, Lebanon | 2:40 PM - (July 6) |
| Jerusalem, Athens, Cairo | 2:40 AM (July 6) |
| Warsaw, Paris, Prague, Rome, Berlin, Medjugorje | 1:40 AM (July 6) |
| Nigeria | 12:40 AM (July 6) |
| South Africa | 1:40 AM (July 6) |
| Kenya | 2:40 AM (July 6) |
| London, Dublin | 12:40 AM (July 6) |
| United Arab Emirates | 3:40 AM (July 6) |
Copyright SJP Lic. Caritas of Birmingham. Used with permission. All information contained on this site including all text, images, sound tracks, logos, including all matter which may not be viewable to the user, and all matter which, may not be, or is downloadable and/or printable, are protected under international copyright and cannot be used without permission from Caritas of Birmingham, other than non-commercial personal use and/or for positive personal promotional purposes of said material.
http://www.medjugorje.com/copyright.html..
Mary TV Daily Reflection 7/5/2013
Blessed are the peacemakers...
(c)Mary TV 2013.
J.M.J.
July 5, 2013
St. Zaccaria
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer - open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call." (June 25, 2013)
Our Lady tells us that
Jesus' peace and love are the nourishment we each need. His peace will
give us the strength and energy for our lives. I have been wondering
about this, ever since I heard this message, until I read a passage from
a sermon by St. Peter Chrysologus in the Liturgy of the Hours for the
feast day of Elizabeth of Portugal, July 4. This sermon is incredible,
and I will quote some of it here. Be fed!!
"Blessed
are the peacemakers," the evangelist said, dearest brethren, for they
shall be called sons of God. Truly Christian virtues grow in a man who
enjoys the unchangeable possession of Christian peace, nor does one come
to the title of son of God except through that of peacemaker.
Peace,
dearest brethren, rescues man from servitude, provide him with the name
of a free man, changes his identity before God together with his
condition, from a servant to a son, and from a slave to a free man.
Peace among brethren is the will of God, the joy of Christ, the
completion of holiness, the rule of justice, the teacher of truth, the
guardian of morals and a praiseworthy discipline in every regard. Peace
lends strength to our prayers; it is the way our petitions can reach God
easily and be credited; it is the plenitude which fulfills our desires.
Peace is the mother of love, the bond of concord and the manifest sign
of a pure soul, one which seeks to please God, which seeks to be
fulfilled and has its desire rewarded. Peace must be preserved according
to the Lord's precepts, as Christ said: "I leave you peace, my peace I
give you," that is as I left you in peace, in peace shall I find you. As
Christ left the world, he wished to leave the gift he wanted to find
when he returned.
We
have a commandment from heaven to retain his gift; his one word is: 'I
shall find what I left." God's is the planting of peace in the root, but
the uprooting is from the enemy; for, just as brotherly love comes from
God, so hatred comes from the devil; therefore, we must condemn our
hatred of men, for it is written: "He who hates his brother is a
murderer."
Now
you see, dearest brethren, why we should love peace and cultivate
harmony: because they beget and nurture love. But you know also from the
apostle John that, "Love comes from God,' and that whoever is not with
God does not possess love.
Let
us therefore, my brethren, keep the commandments, which are life for us;
let us carry on together the obligations of our brotherhood in profound
peace; let us bind one another with the ties of salvific charity in
this mutual love which "covers a multitude of sins." Love ought to be
embraced with the grasp of all our desires, since the goods it provides
amount to as many rewards. We must keep peace before all other virtues,
since God is always in peace.
Love
peace, and all the world will be tranquil and quiet. By doing so you
store up rewards for me, and joy for yourselves, that the Church of God
may be founded on the bond of peace and may cling to perfect observance
in Christ. (From a sermon attributed to Peter Chrysologus, bishop)
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"
Thursday, July 04, 2013
Mary TV Daily Reflection 7/4/2013
Let's take Our Lady wherever we go!!
(c)Mary TV 2013.
J.M.J.
July 4, 2013
Independence Day in the USA
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children, with a motherly love I am imploring you to give me the gift of your hearts, so I can present them to my Son and free you - free you from all the evil enslaving and distancing you all the more from the only Good - my Son - from everything which is leading you on the wrong way and is taking peace away from you. I desire to lead you to the freedom of the promise of my Son, because I desire for God's will to be fulfilled completely here; and that through reconciliation with the Heavenly Father, through fasting and prayer, apostles of God's love may be born - apostles who will freely, and with love, spread the love of God to all my children - apostles who will spread the love of the trust in the Heavenly Father and who will keep opening the gates of Heaven. Dear children, extend the joy of love and support to your shepherds, just as my Son has asked them to extend it to you. Thank you." (July 02, 2013)
Our Lady gave us this beautiful message on Tuesday.
She speaks about freedom. She wants us to experience the freedom of
being God's children. It is interesting that today, in the United States
of America, we are celebrating our independence as a nation and our
constitutional freedom. We do have a wonderful heritage of human rights,
but no government can make us free. Freedom in its true form comes
from God. Our Lady has been trying to lead us into God's freedom these
past 32 years. Today, I have assembled most of her messages in which she
speaks about freedom, so we can meditate on them. May we all find the
freedom she offers us, freedom of the sons and daughters of God!
"Dear children! You know that I promised you an oasis of peace, but you don't know that beside an oasis stands the desert, where satan is lurking and wanting to tempt each one of you. Dear children, only by prayer are you able to overcome every influence of satan in your place. I am with you, but I cannot take away your freedom. Thank you for having responded to my call." (August 7, 1986)
"Dear children! Today I call you all to pray that God's plans for us may be realized and also everything that God desires through you! Help others to be converted, especially those who are coming to Medjugorje. Dear children, do not allow satan to get control of your hearts, so you would be an image of satan and not of me. I call you to pray for how you might be witnesses of my presence. Without you, God cannot bring to reality that which He desires. God has given a free will to everyone, and it's in your control. Thank you for having responded to my call." (January 30, 1986)
"Dear children! Today also I call each one of you to decide to surrender again everything completely to me. Only that way will I be able to present each of you to God. Dear children, you know that I love you immeasurably and that I desire each of you for myself, but God has given to all a freedom which I lovingly respect and humbly submit to. I desire, dear children that you help so that everything God has planned in this parish shall be realized. If you do not pray, you shall not be able to recognize my love and the plans which God has for this parish and for each individual. Pray that satan does not entice you with his pride and deceptive strength. I am with you and I want you to believe me, that I love you. Thank you for having responded to my call." (November 25, 1987)
"Dear children! I call you to prayer, to have an encounter with God in prayer. God gives Himself to you, but He wants you to answer in your own freedom to his invitation. That is why little children during the day, find yourself a special time when you could pray in peace and humility, and have this meeting with God the creator. I am with you and I intercede for you in front of God, so watch in vigil, so that every encounter in prayer be the joy of your contact with God. Thank you for having responded to my call." (November 25, 1988)
"Dear children! I am inviting you for years by these messages which I am giving you. Little children, by means of the messages I wish to make a very beautiful mosaic in your hearts, so I may be able to present each one of you to God like the original image. Therefore, little children, I desire that your decisions be free before God, because He has given you freedom. Therefore pray, so that, free from any influence of satan, we may decide only for God. I am praying for you before God and I am seeking your surrender to God. Thank you for responding to my call." (November 25, 1989)
"Dear children! Open your heart to God's mercy in this Lenten time. The heavenly Father desires to deliver each of you from the slavery of sin. Therefore, little children, make good use of this time and through meeting with God in confession, leave sin and decide for holiness. Do this out of love for Jesus, who redeemed you all with his blood, that you may be happy and in peace. Do not forget, little children: your freedom is your weakness, therefore follow my messages with seriousness. Thank you for having responded to my call." (February 25, 2007)
"Dear Children; Today I call you with prayer and fasting to clear the path in which my Son will enter into your hearts. Accept me as a mother and a messenger of God's love and His desire for your salvation. Free yourself of everything from the past which burdens you, that gives you a sense of guilt, that which previously led you astray in error and darkness. Accept the light. Be born anew in the righteousness of my Son. Thank you." (June 2, 2010)
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"
Wednesday, July 03, 2013
CNN exclusive: Catholic monk not beheaded by Syrian rebels, friar says
Reblogged from CNN Belief Blog:
By Mohammed Jamjoom and Daniel Burke, CNN
Jerusalem (CNN) -- A Catholic monk was not among the men beheaded in a gruesome video circulating online, a friar who oversees Franciscans in the Middle East told CNN in an exclusive interview.
Father FranÒ«ois Mourad, a Syrian, was shot eight times and killed June 23 at a Catholic monastery in Gassanieh, said Friar Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
Jerusalem (CNN) -- A Catholic monk was not among the men beheaded in a gruesome video circulating online, a friar who oversees Franciscans in the Middle East told CNN in an exclusive interview.
Father FranÒ«ois Mourad, a Syrian, was shot eight times and killed June 23 at a Catholic monastery in Gassanieh, said Friar Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
These Stone Walls’ Latest Loose Ends and Dangling Participles By Fr. Gordon J. MacRae
What do Independence Day, Les Miserables, Robert Frost, and missing socks all have in common? You will find them all in one place nowhere else but in "These Stone Walls' Latest Loose Ends and Dangling Participles."
In the United States, we’re in the middle of a peak vacation week. As I write this, we’re also in the middle of this summer’s first real heat wave with temperatures hovering around 90 degrees (Fahrenheit) and high humidity. My barred prison cell window faces west, so for much of the day into early evening my concrete and steel abode is assaulted by the relentless sun. Blocking the cell windows is not permitted so there is little we can do to escape the heat. This cell has only two electrical outlets and multi-plug extension cords are forbidden. To type this post I have to unplug my fan, and it’s just stifling in here. Like a tomb.
Read more here: http://thesestonewalls.com/gordon-macrae/these-stone-walls-latest-loose-ends-and-dangling-participles/
These Stone Walls
Tuesday, July 02, 2013
Mary TV: July 2, 2013 Medjugorje Message
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Mary TV | P.O. Box 899 | Notre Dame | IN | 46556
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The Good Pope, sainted within the year
Pope John XXIII
“He cured a dying nun”. The canonization will be at the same time as Wojtyla
ANDREA TORNIELLI vatican cityWojtyla "instant saint" but along with John XXIII, the "Good Pope." This morning at the Vatican cardinals and bishops who are members of the “ordinary” Congregation of Saints, were meeting to examine various cases before the summer. Among these, the miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed John Paul II, the instantaneous healing of a woman. The last crucial step before Francesco’s final seal of approval, which will lead to the canonization in record time, of the Polish Pontiff beatified two years ago.
But surprisingly, the cardinals and bishops will also discuss another subject, added in the last few days, the canonization of John XXIII, the Pope who convened the Second Vatican Council, who died fifty years ago in June and was beatified in 2000. An unexpected turn of events, which attests to the desire to celebrate the two sanctifications together, bringing the halo and the universal worship to both the Pope of Bergamo, and Pope John Paul II.
Read more here: http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/giovanni-xxiii-john-xxiii-juan-xxiii-26148/
July 1 Update: Our Lady Said, "Same Time, Same Place"
July 1 Update: Our Lady Said, "Same Time, Same Place"
Caritas July 2, 2013 A.D.
July 2, 2013 A.D.
Description of July 1, 2013 Apparition and Events at Caritas:
Pilgrims began gathering
in the Field for the apparition of Our Lady to visionary Marija
throughout the afternoon leading up to the Rosary that began at 6:00
p.m. Our Lady had stated the day before that the apparition would be
in the Bedroom and a short time before the prayer began, several members
of the Caritas community were sent out among the crowd in the Field to
choose at random various pilgrims to come to the Bedroom. Our Lady
always blesses everyone in the Field every apparition, and hears their
prayers, but it is a special grace to be able to be in close proximity
to Marija when she is in ecstasy during the visitation of Our Lady—to
see her voice fade away while her lips continue to move and watch as her
upturned eyes stare into. Following is Marija’s description of the
July 1, 2013 apparition in the Bedroom:
“Our Lady prayed over us and she blessed us all. And She said “Same time, same place.” (In regards to tomorrow’s apparition on July 2.)
And She blessed everyone out in the Field? “Yes, I recommend all.”
Were Her eyes opened or closed? “Open. She watch us.”
What Marija means when Our Lady “watches” those present in the apparition, is that She moves Her eyes from face to face, taking in each person before Her. Marija says this is a beautiful gesture of Our Lady, who is a real Mother who dearly loves each of Her children. She desires us to know that She knows and sees us all as individual people, not just a conglomeration of faces in a crowd.
The first day of the Five Days of Prayer was
beautiful in many ways. On the way to 6:30 Mass at Our Lady of the
Valley Church in Birmingham, pilgrims arriving from all the area hotels
as well as those who first came to pray in the Field at Caritas for 5:00
a.m. Morning Prayer, were greeted by a full brilliantly- colored
rainbow. It was taken as a sign from God, a remembrance of His covenant
with His people, an encouragement to everyone that there would be
beautiful blessings from these days of prayer for ourselves, our
families and our nation. The weather was actually cool this morning,
not typical for July in the South. Even so, the pilgrims came with a
spirit to cheerfully suffer with whatever the weather conditions may be
as an offering to God to add greater merit to their prayers. July 1,
was a day of repentance, a day for pilgrims to meditate upon their
relationship with God and to repent of their sins. In doing so, they
would be ready to make their individual consecration to Our Lady on July
2.
Pictures from Caritas, Alabama July 2013
Pictures from Caritas, Alabama July 2013
In 1986, this Crucifix hung in the rectory of St. James Church in Medjugorje where the daily apparitions of the Virgin Mary were taking place at the time. The visionaries came before this Crucifix everyday and knelt before it to receive Our Lady. There were hundreds of apparitions that had taken place before it. This special crucifix was given to our founder by Fr. Slavko as a gift, and before returning home to Alabama, he took it to Marija and asked her to pray over it that it could be used by Our Lady for great conversion for our nation. It has hung in this room ever since, a room that has had 134 apparitions of Our Lady in it since 1988 when Marija first came. Along with the apparitions in the Bedroom, Our Lady has also appeared in the Field of Apparitions and other locations during these years marking the total of 167 apparitions here at Caritas. Everything that has grown and evolved through the past 25 years of Caritas mission and community is foundationed in this room, before this Crucifix.
Late Friday evening, June 28, 2013, Marija, her husband Paolo, their children, Michele, Francesco, Marco & Giovanni along with a very dear friend of their family, Maggie from Scotland, arrived to our founder’s home greeted by all of the community. With them was our founder, his wife and daughter and two other community members all of whom were returning from Medjugorje. The room was filled with lots of happy chatter and laughter as everyone made their way around the room greeting one another, sharing stories and remembrances. Even Rebel, the community dog, was invited in which caused Marija’s youngest son, Giovanni, overly tired from the long trip, to break out in smiles and laughter. Giovanni was a little baby, just learning to talk, when he first met Rebel. It was one of the first words he learned. So, it was a happy reunion also for them.
Bridget, daughter of our founder, was one of the one’s returning from Medjugorje. Opening her arms wide, she gets ready to pick up her little niece, Lucy who is running into her arms to welcome her home. The joy was contagious, not only because of being reunited with Marija and her family and returning community members, but because of knowing these would be special days of grace with Our Lady. Marija said in her greeting today that when she comes back to Alabama, she always feels like she is coming home. The family of our founder and Marija’s family are as family, with Our Lady there between.
Another year had gone by since Our Lady was present in the Bedroom, Her last apparitions being last July 1-6, 2012. The community began gathering here at around 9:30 p.m. to begin a Rosary in preparation for Our Lady’s coming. Tired from the many months of preparation, but in peace knowing the day had come for Our Lady’s arrival, we entered into prayer with our hearts open and waiting to receive our Queen.
Monday afternoon, July 1, Marija greeted the pilgrims, in the front of the Tabernacle of Our Lady’s Messages, who had journeyed across the United States to be here at Caritas for Our Lady’s apparitions. Always so gracious and welcoming, she extended to everyone the love of Our Lady through her joy and genuineness.
Following Marija’s greeting, A Friend of Medjugorje welcomed the ever increasing numbers of pilgrims who were still arriving, and who would be arriving throughout the day. His words encouraged everyone to truly live these days with the heart, days that will pass unbelievably fast, but if lived well will change each life. A pilgrim does not just let the days pass, waiting upon God’s blessing, doing nothing for his own conversion. Our Lady says it takes work to change your heart.
April 25, 1985
Laid on the Bed where Our Lady appeared in Her apparition the evening of July 1, were 95,000 petitions that were taken from the petition section of Medjugorje.com. We will be placing petitions in Our Lady’s presence everyday while She is with us. This is a simple way of becoming a part of the events with Our Lady here at Caritas. On one occasion when the Caritas Community was with Our Lady, we spent more than an hour writing out everything we wanted to say and ask of Our Lady. Marija allowed us to place these petitions at the feet of Our Lady during the apparition, which we did, one by one. When after the last petition was placed there, Our Lady gave these words: “I wish to give you graces. Ask for them.” Take the time to write out your heart to Our Lady through Medjugorje.com, and we will place them near to Our Lady in Her apparition each day. She won’t just see the paper upon which they are printed, She will see your heart.
Marija in ecstasy in the July 1, 2013 apparition in the Bedroom.
To Be United in Prayer for Our Nation 6:40 p.m. Caritas time.
| Your Time Zone | Apparition Time |
| Eastern Time | 7:40 PM |
| Central Time | 6:40 PM |
| Mountain Time Mountain Time Alternate |
4:40 PM (Standard Time) 5:40 PM (Daylight Time) |
| Pacific Time | 4:40 PM |
| Alaska Time | 3:40 PM |
| Hawaii Time | 2:40 AM |
| Brazil Time | 8:40 PM |
| Sydney, Australia | 10:40 AM - (July 3) |
| Seoul | 7:40 AM - (July 3) |
| Beijing, Singapore | 6:40 AM - (July 3) |
| Calcutta | 6:10 AM - (July 3) |
| Baghdad, Moscow | 2:40 PM - (July 3) |
| Jerusalem, Athens, Cairo | 2:40 AM (July 3) |
| Warsaw, Paris, Prague, Rome, Berlin, Medjugorje | 1:40 AM (July 3) |
| Nigeria | 12:40 AM (July 3) |
| South Africa | 1:40 AM (July 3) |
| Kenya | 2:40 AM (July 3) |
| London, Dublin | 12:40 AM (July 3) |
Copyright SJP Lic. Caritas of Birmingham. Used with permission. All information contained on this site including all text, images, sound tracks, logos, including all matter which may not be viewable to the user, and all matter which, may not be, or is downloadable and/or printable, are protected under international copyright and cannot be used without permission from Caritas of Birmingham, other than non-commercial personal use and/or for positive personal promotional purposes of said material.
http://www.medjugorje.com/copyright.html..
Mary TV Daily Reflection 7/2/2013
Let's take Our Lady wherever we go!!
(c)Mary TV 2013.
J.M.J.
July 2, 2013
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer - open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call." (June 25, 2013)
I am sending just a
brief reflection today, since we will be streaming Mirjana's apparition
today, and the message will be shared later on.
But, let me share an email I received in response to the June 25 message that shows the practical side of what it means to "...open yourselves to my love."
Cathy,
just a short note...I too take Our Mother with me wherever I go now. I
consciously think of Her walking with me and doing things with me. To
help me remember Her at all times, I carry my Rosary in my hand and it
feels like I'm holding Her hand. I really feel that She loves to be
with me when I am assigned shopping chores by my wife. She is so easy
to talk to and She has me mentally blessing everyone I see! We are so
lucky to be her children. I love Her immensely!! Chuck
Thank you, Chuck!! This is so simple and so effective!
Like Augusto, Chuck
has discovered the "way" that St. Louis de Montfort recommended. It is
the way of total consecration to Mary. And it means to take Our Mother
with us wherever we go!!
God bless all of you so much!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
PS. Don't forget: Mary TV will stream the July 2, 2013 apparition to Mirjana Soldo beginning at 8:00 am Medjugorje time (2:00 am EDT). The apparition will occur at approximately 8:45 am Medjugorje time (2:45 am EDT). Join us in welcoming Our Lady!
"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"
Monday, July 01, 2013
Honoring Fr. Kapaun and All Those Who Fight for Our Freedom During a Fortnight for Freedom and Independence Day
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| English: Roman Catholic Chaplain Emil J. Kapaun, United States Army (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Celebrate the heroes who bravely serve our country
ATLANTA,
July 1, 2013
/Christian Newswire/ -- Independence Day is a holiday that
unites us as we celebrate our freedom and independence as "the land of
the free and the home of the brave." It also is the final day of a
"Fortnight for Freedom," a two-week period of prayer and action called
by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to address many current
challenges to religious liberty, including the HHS mandate and attempts
to redefine marriage. It's a time to honor the men and women who have
courageously fought, and continue to fight, for our religious freedom,
as well, including the late military chaplain Fr. Emil Kapaun.
Kapaun posthumously received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama in April, nearly 60 years after he heroically gave his life as a POW in the Korean War. The Vatican is also considering him a possible candidate for Sainthood.
His life, service and hero's death is the subject of an incredible new book, THE MIRACLE OF FATHER KAPAUN, co-written by Roz Wenzl and Travis Heying, and published by Ignatius Press. One of the most remarkable aspects of his story surrounds the atypical movement of support for both his sainthood cause and his Medal of Honor award. The witnesses to both his sanctity and his bravery have come from non-Catholics, men of Jewish faith, Muslim faith and Protestant tradition, who served with Fr. Kapaun in battle or in the brutality of conditions where he drew his last breath - a prisoner of war camp.
Three blogs are conducting giveaways this week of THE MIRACLE OF FATHER KAPAUN in honor of Father Kapaun's heroic life:
CatholicMom.com
Brandon Vogt
Catholic Fire
We would never be able to celebrate Independence Day without the contributions of our military, past and present. Fr. Kapaun's story is timely for Independence Day, because we have relied upon the sacrifice, bravery and courage of heroes such as Fr. Kapaun to maintain our freedom and independence.
To schedule interviews with the authors, or to receive a review copy, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or KWandra@CarmelCommunications.
Direction For Our Times Monthly message from Anne, a lay apostle
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We continue our cycle of monthly messages with July 2005 for our prayer groups and personal reflection.
July 1, 2005
Jesus
Today I cry out to young people. Young souls are the cherished jewels in the Kingdom of God on earth. The formation of these souls must be treated with reverence. Each individual in the Kingdom bears a responsibility to young souls, even if it is simply through setting an example of Christian living. Dear children of God, you are accountable for the impact of your actions and each sin carries an impact, however unnoticeable. Search your life and you will discover where I am asking you to assist young people. Many children live in families lacking a parent. Perhaps I am asking you to share your Christianity with those children in order to be a role model. Dear souls, in most cases, young people learn how to be adults by watching others. So your life, the model of your living out your walk with Me, has impact. Your life can be something which a child can measure sin against. Think of a holy person you knew while you were growing up. Now remember back to a time when you saw others committing acts that were unholy. Did you not recognize that these acts would not be acceptable to this holy person? Sometimes it is simply speech. There are certain people near whom you will be careful about what you say. I am asking you to become one of those people. I want others to take note of your presence and know that Jesus should not be insulted. I want others to understand that your Church should not be unjustly vilified in your presence. In short, I want others to know that when you are present, I am present. They will then use you as the standard against which they measure their actions. You must stand for Me. I am asking each of you to sit in silence and consider how I am asking you to assist My young people in the world. Be assured of My great gratitude in this matter. Through this mission of mercy and love I wish to call all young people back to My heart. Will you help Me?
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Mary TV Daily Reflection 7/1/2013
A mother's helping hand
(c)Mary TV 2013.
J.M.J.
July 1, 2013
Dear Family of Mary!
"Dear children! With joy in the heart I love you all and call you to draw closer to my Immaculate Heart so I can draw you still closer to my Son Jesus, and that He can give you His peace and love, which are nourishment for each one of you. Open yourselves, little children, to prayer - open yourselves to my love. I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in wandering and sin. You are called, little children, to be my children, my beloved children, so I can present you all to my Son. Thank you for having responded to my call." (June 25, 2013)
Again I wish to say
that I am so struck by the intensity of this message from Our Lady,
given on June 25, 2013. She is declaring her love for us, over and over
again. "With joy in the heart I love you all...open
yourselves to my love...I am your mother and cannot leave you alone in
wandering and sin...You are called, little children to be my children,
my beloved children..." Only the hardest heart could
ignore these words of love for us. But they are not just words, they are
reality! Our Lady loves us so much that she gives herself to us
completely. She is completely given to us as our mother, our friend, our
confidant, our intercessor, and our guide. She wants to be involved in
our lives in every way. Her love is real, concrete, and practical. Our
Lady wants to help us draw close to Jesus, in every day practical
realities.
This extraordinary love of Mary is described by St. Louis de Montfort in "True Devotion" in practical terms. He writes:
144. The
Blessed Virgin, mother of gentleness and mercy, never allows herself to
be surpassed in love and generosity. When she sees someone giving
himself entirely to her in order to honor and serve her, and depriving
himself of what he prizes most in order to adorn her, she gives herself
completely in a wondrous manner to him. She engulfs him in the ocean of
her graces, adorns him with her merits, supports him with her power,
enlightens him with her light, and fills him with her love. She shares
her virtues with him - her humility, faith, purity, etc. She makes up
for his failings and becomes his representative with Jesus. Just as one
who is consecrated belongs entirely to Mary, so Mary belongs entirely to
him. We can truthfully say of this perfect servant and child of Mary
what St. John in his gospel says of himself, "He took her for his own."
145. This
produces in his soul, if he is persevering, a great distrust, contempt,
and hatred of self, and a great confidence in Mary with complete
self-abandonment to her. He no longer relies on his own dispositions,
intentions, merits, virtues and good works, since he has sacrificed them
completely to Jesus through his loving Mother. He has now only one
treasury, where all his wealth is stored. That treasury is not within
himself: it is Mary. That is why he can now go to our Lord without any
servile or scrupulous fear and pray to him with great confidence. He can
also share the sentiments of the devout and learned Abbot Rupert, who,
referring to the victory which Jacob won over an angel, addressed our
Lady in these words, "O Mary, my Queen, Immaculate Mother of the
God-man, Jesus Christ, I desire to wrestle with this man, the Divine
Word, armed with your merits and not my own."
How much
stronger and more powerful are we in approaching our Lord when we are
armed with the merits and prayers of the worthy Mother of God, who, as
St. Augustine says, has conquered the Almighty by her love! (St. Louis
de Montfort. "True Devotion to Mary")
This language may be
flowery and a bit outlandish to our ears today. But what St. Louis is
saying is exactly the experience we have in Medjugorje as we live the
messages. He says that when Our Lady sees someone opening their heart to
her with childlike trust, she comes to that person with her gifts and
abilities and helps him along the way. She becomes his partner, his best
friend in his daily life.
I have been
experiencing this more and more lately myself. I have begun a simple
practice of asking Our Lady to help me with all my tasks, from cooking
dinner to shopping, to planning family parties to doing my computer
work, and on and on. I have always been industrious, but I always worked
with a certain anxiety within. I never have felt quite up to the tasks
at hand. But when I ask Our Lady to work with me, shop with me, pray
with me, think with me, I experience her very close and my mind becomes
clear and my thoughts placid. I feel her motherly expertise guiding me.
And my day becomes enjoyable and fruitful! Anxiety goes out the window.
St. Louis says "She makes up for his failings..." and I truly experience
this. My weaknesses are still there, but somehow Mother Mary fills in
the gaps, and everything is blessed!
And it is true, that
the more I rely on Mary to help me moment by moment, the more I begin to
distrust my own abilities. Not because I am dismissive of myself, but
because I realize that entrusting everything into Mary's hands is the
way to true peace and joy! Since I now realize that my own strength and
merits are not enough, I realize that "[I] now have only one treasury,
where all [my] wealth is stored. That treasury is not within [my]self:
it is Mary." Truly, the more I entrust my entire life into Mary's hands,
the more I experience the loving care of my Mother, and through it the
salvific love of my Savior, Jesus! It is the way, the only way, as
Augusto told us (see the June 28, 2013 reflection).
I believe that Our
Lady wants us to live our consecration to her in very practical terms,
not in flowery ideals. She wants us to turn to her, just as a little
child turns to her mother when she knows she needs help. Children do not
hesitate to call for their mother. We should not hesitate to call for
Mary, to ask her to be there with us in our daily duties, in our moment
by moment realities. This is when she can help us the most. And she will
tend our lives towards Jesus, gently and beautifully moving us towards
Him, towards His love and His glory. She will do it. We have only to
open our hearts to her in everything.
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
©Mary TV 2013
PS. Tonight we have another "Fruit of Medjugorje" Episode, 8:00 pm EDT!!
PPS. Mary TV will stream the July 2, 2013 apparition to Mirjana Soldo tomorrow - beginning at 8:00 am Medjugorje time (2:00 am EDT). The apparition will occur at approximately 8:45 am Medjugorje time (2:45 am EDT). Join us in welcoming Our Lady!
"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"
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