10.03.2009

The Catholic Practice of "First Saturday" Devotion to Mary's Immaculate Heart

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On the first Saturday of every month, Catholics are called by the Blessed Mother (as relayed to us through many of her visitations, including Fatima), to honor her. We believe that on Holy Saturday, the eve of Easter, Mary, the mother of Christ, suffered terribly, yet had great faith.

Catholics believe that on these first Saturdays of each month, we help to console the sorrows of our heavenly father, our Lord, Jesus Christ and our Lady, Christ's mother . . . because we have sinned against
Mary's Immaculate Heart. The First Saturdays devotion had already been an established custom in the Catholic Church. In 1905, Pope Pius X approved the devotion and granted indulgences for its practice of the First Saturdays of twelve consecutive months in honor of the Immaculate Conception.
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For this devotion, whether alone or in a group, one can select any five success months, and engage in each of the following four (4) activities, each of which must be done with the sincere intention (in their minds and hearts) to honor Mary and for the reparation of the damage done to her Immaculate Heart:

1. Go to confession: This can be done one week earlier, however, the intention of reparation to the Immaculate Heart must be in one's mind and heart prior and during confession.
2. Attend Saturday Mass.
3. Receive the Eucharist with the necessity of offering it in reparation to Our Lady, and finally,
4. Pray the Rosary with a minimum of 15 minutes spent in the company of Mary while properly meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary (which represent Christ's life). One or more decades of the Rosary can be said. Our Lady promises us that she will be present to those who keep her company.

All of these spiritual elements of the five "First Saturday" devotions are unique in that the primary intention within the hearts of devotees is to repair the damages caused to her for blasphemies and offenses against her, her name and her holy initiatives.
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In 1925, Sister Lúcia, the only Fátima visionary to survive into adulthood reported that the Blessed Mother came to her in her convent at Pontevedra, Spain with the following statement:
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"Look, my daughter, at my Heart encircled by these thorns with which men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You, at least, strive to console me, and so I announce: I promise to assist at the hour of death with the grace necessary for salvation all those who, with the intention of making reparation to me, will, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the beads, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary."

"You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace... I shall come to ask for... the Communion of reparation on the first Saturdays..."

Five ways in which people offend the Immaculate Heart of Mary:

1.attacks upon Mary's Immaculate Conception

2.attacks against her Perpetual Virginity

3.attacks upon her Divine Maternity and the refusal to accept her as the Mother of all mankind

4.for those who try to publicly implant in children's hearts indifference, contempt and even hatred of this Immaculate Mother

5.for those who insult her directly in her sacred images.

Our Lady said to Lucia:

“I shall come to ask... that on the First Saturday of every month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the world.”

It was there Our Lady completed her request for the Five First Saturdays and gave her great promise. Appearing with the Queen of Heaven in that apparition was the Infant Jesus, Who said to Lucia:

“Have pity on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother. It is covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment, and there is no one to remove them with an act of reparation.”

Our Lady then spoke:

“See, my daughter, my Heart encircled by thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. Do you, at least, strive to console me. Tell them that I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation all those who, in order to make reparation to me, on the First Saturday of five successive months, go to confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary.”

To those who faithfully follow Our Lady’s requests for the Five First Saturdays, she has made a wonderful promise which she will certainly fulfill:

“I promise to assist at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation.”

Her presence at the hour of our death and giving us the final grace of perseverance is of paramount importance (the final gift of the grace of perserverance is second only to the gift/grace of Faith). After completing the Five First Saturdays, one may continue the devotion simply to console the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady and to atone for the sins of the world.

Blessings and a beautiful First Saturday of September, 2009,

~ bella

10.02.2009

First Fridays Devotion: What Catholics Believe

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Hello to My Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is the first Friday in the month of October, 2009. Catholics have a tradition known as the Nine First Fridays Devotion to the Sacred Heart.
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Well, what is that some you may be asking? Here is quoted information provided by Catholic Culture.com and a direct link is provided for you below.
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From the writings of St. Margaret Mary:
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"On Friday during Holy Communion, He said these words to His unworthy slave, if I mistake not: I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under my displeasure or without receiving their sacraments, my divine Heart making itself their assured refuge at the last moment."

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With regard to this promise it may be remarked:

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(1) that our Lord required Communion to be received on a particular day chosen by Him;
(2) that the nine Fridays must be consecutive;
(3) that they must be made in honor of His Sacred Heart, which means that those who make the nine Fridays must practice the devotion and must have a great love for our Lord;
(4) that our Lord does not say that those who make the nine Fridays will be dispensed from any of their obligations or from exercising the vigilance necessary to lead a good life and overcome temptation; rather He implicitly promises abundant graces to those who make the nine Fridays to help them to carry out these obligations and persevere to the end;
(5) that perseverance in receiving Holy Communion for nine consecutive First Firdays helps the faithful to acquire the habit of frequent Communion, which our Lord eagerly desires; and
(6) that the practice of the nine Fridays is very pleasing to our Lord since He promises such great reward, and that all Catholics should endeavor to make the nine Fridays.
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Prayer Source: Enthronment of the Sacred Heart by Rev. Francis Larkin, SS.CC., St. Paul Editions.
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=876

and here ia another link to The Devotion To The Sacred Heart of Jesus:

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http://www.catholictradition.org/Two-Hearts/devotion12.htm

Sacred Heart of Jesus

Where your treasure lies there will you find your heart.
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in your wounds I find my consolation,
in your pierced heart I find a companion for my sorrows.
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in your heart's joy I find my contentment,
in your purity I find my hope.
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in the radiant light streaming from your heart my blindness disappears,
in your fiery love I am ablaze with awe.
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in your humiliation I can bear scorn from others,
in your longings I am fulfilled.
O most Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in the blood and water which gushed forth from your lanced heart I am reborn in you,
you refresh my very being.
Forever beating in the love of the Holy Trinity is found your human heart,
authoring life and radiating eternal affection.
Would that I could find God's treasure,
it would be found in a humble and contrite heart.
You by your divinity know all things divine and
by your humanity you feel all things human.
By the mystery of your Sacred Heart,
you have united man to yourself forever.
Hold back nothing from me that could draw me
more completely into the deepest recesses of your heart.
Whether peace or distress, bliss or grief,
I accept all as an invitation to know you and love you more profoundly.
O Lord perfect me in your love, confirm me in your grace
and take delight in the richness of my surrender.
Where your treasure lies there will you find my heart.

Amen.

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"I promise you, in the excessive mercy of my heart that my all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance; they shall not die in my disgrace nor without receiving the sacraments; my divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in that last moment."
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The Twelve Promises for the Devotion to the Sacred Heart.for

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state in life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of death.
5. I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
9. I will bless the homes in which the image of My Sacred Heart shall be exposed and honoured.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Those who propagate this devotion shall have their name written in My Heart, and it shall never be effaced.
12. The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under My displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My Heart shall be their assured refuge at the last hour.
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Blessings,

~ bella