Our Beautiful Catholic Faith

God Loves Us Enough To Give Us Another New Year To Be Our BEST FOR HIM!

2012-01-06T21:05:00.001-05:00

I dedicate all that I am for You in 2012, Lord God!

Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

2011-10-07T12:49:00.004-04:00

Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

The feast of the Holy Rosary was established by Saint Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto, October 7, 1571. The victory was attributed to the help of the holy Mother of God whose aid was invoked through praying the Rosary.

The celebration of this day invites all to mediate upon the mysteries of Christ, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary who was so singularly associated with the incarnation, passion and glorious resurrection of the Son of God. From the Christian Prayer(Liturgy of the Hours)

Prayers

Collect:
Lord, fill our hearts with your love,
and as you revealed to us by an angel the coming of your Son as man,
so lead us through his suffering and death to the glory of his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 1:12-14
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away; and when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

RECITATION OF THE HOLY ROSARY
MEDITATION OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Pontifical Shrine of Pompeii
Sunday, October 19, 2008

Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate and in the Priesthood,
Dear men and women religious,
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Before entering the Shrine to recite the Holy Rosary with you, I paused briefly before the tomb of Bl. Bartolo Longo and, praying, I asked myself: "Where did this great apostle of Mary find the energy and perseverance he needed to bring such an impressive work, now known across the world, to completion? Was it not in the Rosary, which he accepted as a true gift from Our Lady's Heart?" Yes, that truly was how it happened! The experience of the Saints bears witness to it: this popular Marian prayer is a precious spiritual means to grow in intimacy with Jesus, and to learn at the school of the Blessed Virgin always to fulfil the divine will. It is contemplation of the mysteries of Christ in spiritual union with Mary as the Servant of God Paul VI stressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Marialis cultus (n. 46) and as my venerable Predecessor John Paul II abundantly illustrated in his Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae that today I once again present in spirit to the Community of Pompeii and to each one of you. You who live and work here in Pompeii, especially you, dear priests, men and women religious and lay people involved in this unique portion of the Church, are all called to make Bl. Bartolo Longo's charism your own and to become, to the extent and in the way that God grants to each one, authentic apostles of the Rosary.

To be apostles of the Rosary, however, it is necessary to experience personally the beauty and depth of this prayer which is simple and accessible to everyone. It is first of all necessary to let the Blessed Virgin take one by the hand to contemplate the Face of Christ: a joyful, luminous, sorrowful and glorious Face. Those who, like Mary and with her, cherish and ponder the mysteries of Jesus assiduously, increasingly assimilate his sentiments and are conformed to him. In this regard, I would like to quote a beautiful thought of Bl. Bartolo Longo: "Just as two friends, frequently in each other's company, tend to develop similar habits", he wrote, "so too, by holding familiar converse with Jesus and the Blessed Virgin, by meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary and by living the same life in Holy Communion, we can become, to the extent of our lowliness, similar to them and can learn from these supreme models a life of humility, poverty, hiddenness, patience and perfection" (I Quindici Sabati del Santissimo Rosario, 27th edition, Pompeii, 1916, p. 27: cited in Rosarium Virginis Mariae, n. 15).

The Rosary is a school of contemplation and silence. At first glance, it could seem a prayer that accumulates words, therefore difficult to reconcile with the silence that is rightly recommended for meditation and contemplation. In fact, this cadent repetition of the Hail Mary does not disturb inner silence but indeed both demands and nourishes it. Similarly to what happens for the Psalms when one prays the Liturgy of the Hours, the silence surfaces through the words and sentences, not as emptiness, but rather as the presence of an ultimate meaning that transcends the words themselves and through them speaks to the heart. Thus, in reciting the Hail Mary, we must be careful that our voices do not "cover" the voice of God who always speaks through the silence like the "still small voice" of a gentle breeze (1 Kgs 19: 12). Then how important it is to foster this silence full of God, both in one's personal recitation and in its recitation with the community! Even when the Rosary is prayed, as today, by great assemblies, and as you do in this Shrine every day, it must be perceived as a contemplative prayer. And this cannot happen without an atmosphere of inner silence.

I would like to add a further reflection concerning the Word of God in the Rosary, particularly appropriate in this period in which the Synod of Bishops is taking place on the theme: "The Word of God in the life and mission of the Church". If Christian contemplation cannot leave the Word of God out of consideration, if it is to be a contemplative prayer, the Rosary must always emerge from the silence of the heart as a response to the Word, after the model of Mary's prayer. Seen clearly, the Rosary is completely interwoven with scriptural elements. First of all there is the enunciation of the mystery, preferably made, as it has been today, with words taken from the Bible. The Our Father follows; by giving the prayer a "vertical" orientation, the soul of who recites the rosary is opened to the correct filial attitude in accordance with the Lord's invitation: "When you pray say: Father..." (Lk 11: 2). The first part of the Hail Mary, also taken from the Gospel, lets us listen again each time to the words that God addressed to the Virgin through the Angel and to the words of her cousin Elizabeth's blessing. The second part of the Hail Mary resounds like the answer of children who, in addressing supplications to their Mother, do nothing other than express their own adherence to the saving plan revealed by God. Thus the thought of those who pray remains ever anchored to Scripture and to the mysteries presented in it.

Lastly, remembering that today we are celebrating World Mission Sunday, I wish to recall the apostolic dimension of the Rosary, a dimension that Blessed Bartolo Longo lived intensely, drawing inspiration from it to carry out on this earth so many charitable initiatives and works of human and social promotion. Furthermore, he wanted this Shrine to be open to the whole world as a centre of outreach of the prayer of the Rosary and as a place of intercession for peace among peoples. Dear friends, I would like to reinforce both of these aims: the apostolate of charity and prayer for peace, and I wish to confirm and entrust them once again to your spiritual and pastoral commitment. Following the example and with the support of the venerable Founder, never tire of working with enthusiasm in this part of the Lord's vineyard for which Our Lady has shown a special fondness.

Dear brothers and sisters, the time has come to take my leave of you and of this beautiful Shrine. I thank you for your warm welcome and especially for your prayers. I thank the Archbishop Prelate and Pontifical Delegate, his collaborators and those who worked to prepare my Visit in the best possible way. I must leave you, but my heart remains close to this region and to this community. I entrust you all to the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary and I cordially impart the Apostolic Blessing to each one.

© Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Pope John Paul II asks us to pray the Rosary
(October 16, 2002), Pope John Paul II issued Rosarium Virginis Mariae - Apostolic Letter on Rosary of the Virgin Mary. He declared October 2002 October 2003 The Year of the Rosary, and added Mysteries of Light that focus on events of Christ's ministry.

On September 30, 2001, after the morning Mass opening the Synod of Bishops, Pope John Paul II asked people to pray the Rosary. Here is his message:

"October is the month in which Mary Most Holy, Queen of the Holy Rosary, is venerated. Within the current international context, I invite all -- individuals, families, communities -- to pray this Marian prayer, possibly every day, for peace, so that the world can be preserved from the wicked scourge of terrorism.

"The terrible tragedy of September 11th will be remembered as a dark day in the history of humanity. In the face of this, the Church tries to be faithful to her prophetic charism and remind all men about their duty to build a future of peace for the human family. Certainly, peace is not separated from justice, but it must be nourished by mercy and love.

"We cannot forget that Jews, Christians and Muslims adore God as the only God. The three religions, therefore, have the vocation of unity and peace. May God allow the Church's faithful to be agents of peace, in the front line of the search for justice and the prohibition of violence.

"May the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede for all humanity, so that hate and death never have the last word!"

On September 29, 2002, Pope John Paul II ask that we pray the Rosary for Peace:

JOHN PAUL II
ANGELUS
Castel Gandolfo
Sunday, 29 June 2002

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. We are already on the threshold of the month of October, which, with the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, inspires us to rediscover this traditional prayer, so simple yet so profound.

The Rosary is a way of contemplating the face of Christ seeing him - we may say - with the eyes of Mary. For this reason, it is a prayer that drawing upon the core of the Gospel is in full accord with the inspiration of the Second Vatican Council and very much in keeping with the direction I gave in the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte: the Church has to launch out "into the deep" in the new millennium beginning with the contemplation of the face of Christ.

Therefore, I wish to suggest the recitation of the Rosary to individuals, families and Christian communities. To give force to this invitation, I am preparing a document which will help to rediscover the beauty and depth of this prayer.

2. I wish once again to entrust the great cause of peace to the praying of the Rosary. We are facing an international situation that is full of tensions, at times threatening to explode. In some parts of the world, where the confrontation is harsher - I think particularly of the suffering land of Christ - we can realize that, even though they are necessary, political efforts are worth little if one remains exacerbated in his mind and no one cares to demonstrate a new disposition of heart in the hope of reviving the struggle and effort of dialogue.

Who but God alone can infuse such sentiments? It is more necessary than ever that from every part of the earth prayer for peace be made to Him. In this perspective, the Rosary turns out to be the form of prayer most needed. It builds peace because, while it appeals to the grace of God, it sows in the one praying it the seed of good from which we can expect the fruit of justice and solidarity for personal and community life.

I am thinking of nations and also of families. How much peace would flow into family relationships if the family would begin again to pray the Rosary.

John Paul II greeted the pilgrims in French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and Italian.
To the English-speaking

3. I extend a warm greeting to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, and invite you to make the month of October a time of special attention to the recitation of the Rosary, the great prayer of intercession to Mary. Upon you and your families I invoke the joy and peace of the Lord.

4. The prayer we are about to pray begins by recalling the annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary. In fact, today is the feast of the holy Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. May these powerful ministers of God obtain for us the grace to correspond always with generous love to his will.

Dear Friends, this is the last Angelus of the vacation period. With affection, I greet once again the townsfolk of Castel Gandolfo: Goodbye until next year. Next Sunday, 6 October, God willing, we shall be in St Peter's Square.

more injustice at work ~ ~ asking for God's direction!

2011-09-17T16:54:00.003-04:00

More unethical behavior has taken place at work to basically "ice the bitter cake" that was served to me last week. Two weekends in a row have been filled with disbelief and sadness over the condition of humanity!

Lord, what do you want me to do?

Lord, where do you want me to go according to your will?

I cannot change these people and You know that.

If I am to continue suffering, please help me do so as your saints did . . . with joy, grace and dignity . . . keeping my eyes constantly on you.

Continually clinging to You and to our Blessed Mother . . .

I Am Pondering The Lord's Beatitudes

2011-09-09T02:19:00.002-04:00

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Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall have their fill.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.*

*Please Lord, fulfill Your promises to those who are faithful to You.

Help me sustain my trust and faith in you in this unjust situation that I am in.

I beg you, Lord, to lead me and guide me to where you want me to go to fulfill your wishes and Will.

In Jesus' name, I pray.

Let Us All Remember to Defend The Catholic Faith

2011-09-05T14:47:00.000-04:00

And here's one fine new resource that will help us in defending Her:

Resolving To Live My Faith More in 2011

2011-01-09T20:05:00.001-05:00

I have finally fallen apart at the seams. No need to go into all of the details, but things have just got to change and there's no time than the present (which happens to be January, 2011) to begin again.

I know that I cannot live a second of my life without God and know that I need to pray more fervently and constantly for the intimacy with Him that I seek and need. It just seems to me that as things worsen around the world, in this country, in my family with my father failing more each day, and my work environment stress increasing each day with the sad state budget problems, that it is just as true now as it has always been: I cannot live without God's love, Providence, forgiveness, and protection in every beating moment of my life.

For this I re-committ myself to Him now and forever.

Blessings in this new year.

2011 image above source: Ramakanta Sahoo

The One True Faith : Mary and the Eucharist

2010-08-15T10:22:00.000-04:00

A Great Catholic Quote!

2010-07-01T20:03:00.002-04:00

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"When I was born, my mother laid me on a bed of straw, and I desire no better pallet when I die, asking only to be in the state of grace and worthy of salvation."

-- Anton Slomsek, Austrian Bishop.

July ~ ~ Catholics Honor the Precious Blood of Jesus

2010-07-01T08:13:00.004-04:00

The Chaplet of the Precious Blood

This devotion focuses on seven mysteries on which to meditate on the seven main sheddings of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus. It is broken down into into 7 groups that contain 33 beads which honor our Lord's 33 years of life here on earth.

The Our Father is said five times after each mystery except the last, when it is said three times. When finished, 33 Our Fathers are said honoring Christ's life. While praying this devotion, you are asked to meditate on each of the seven bloodsheddings of Jesus.

Mystery 1

Jesus shed His Blood in the Circumcision.
Let us ask for chastity of soul and body.

Say the Our Father... 5 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Mystery 2

Jesus shed His Blood whilst praying in the Garden of Olives.
Let us ask for the spirit of prayer.

Say the Our Father... 5 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Mystery 3

Jesus shed His Blood in the scourging.
Let us ask for the grace of mortification.

Say the Our Father... 5 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Mystery 4

Jesus shed His Blood in the crowning with thorns.
Let us ask for contempt of worldly honors.

Say the Our Father... 5 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Mystery 5

Jesus shed His Blood while carrying His cross.
Let us ask for patience.

Say the Our Father... 5 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Mystery 6

Jesus shed His Blood in the crucifixion.
Let us ask for contrition for our sins.

Say the Our Father... 5 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Mystery 7

Jesus shed His Blood and water when His side was pierced.
Let us ask for the grace of perseverance.

Say the Our Father... 3 times.

Say the following prayer:

"Incline unto my aid, O God. O Lord, make haste to help me."

Say the Glory Be... 1 time.

Say the following prayer:

V. "We beseech You, Lord, help Your servants."
R. "Whom You have redeemed with Your Precious Blood."

Conclude this devotion with this final prayer:

Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
in satisfaction for my sins,
for the needs of Holy Church
and for the relief of the souls in purgatory.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help ~ ~ June 27th

2010-06-27T01:00:00.004-04:00

Today Catholics honor Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Succour). The original images of her are painted in the Byzantine style and illustrates our Blessed Mother of God holding her Divine Child, Jesus. The Archangels Michael and Gabriel are presenting Jesus, Our Lord with the instruments of His Passion. In Greek, are the names Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel.

Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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Mother of Perpetual Help, you have been blessed and favored by God.
You became not only the Mother of the Redeemer but the Mother of the redeemed as well.
We come to you today as your loving children.
Watch over us and take care of us.
As you held the child Jesus in your loving arms, so take us in your arms.
Be a mother ready at every moment to help us.
For God who is mighty has done great things for you, and His mercy is from age to age on those who love Him.
Our greatest fear is that in time of temptation, we may fail to call out to you, and become lost children. Intercede for us, dear Mother, in obtaining pardon for our sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace always to call upon you, Mother of Perpetual Help

~ ~ From the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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The Message of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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The child Jesus has just seen the angels who have shown him the instruments of his passion. St. Michael the Archangel holds the lance and gall-sop. St. Gabriel the Archangel holds the Cross and the nails. Frightened by the sight, Jesus has run to his mother’s arms so quickly that he almost lost one of His tiny sandals. It dangles from his foot. Mary holds Him lovingly but her eyes look at us - pleading with us to avoid sin and love Her Son. His hands are in hers to show that, as a child, Jesus placed Himself in Mary’s hands for protection and to remind us that He now has placed into Her hands all graces, to be given to those who turn to His mother and ask. The star on Mary’s veil shows her to be the one who brought the light of Christ to the darkened world - the beacon that leads the way to Heaven. The falling sandal symbolizes a soul clinging to Christ by one last thread--devotion to Mary. The golden background is symbolic of Heaven and shines to show the heavenly joy Jesus and His mother can bring to tired human hearts.

Front of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Scottsdale, Arizona

When I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona in the late '80s, I was so fortunate to be able to send my daughter to Kindergarten at this wonderful Catholic school. She had the most incredible education with a Catholic foundation. Sadly, I could not send her to OLPH after her first year enrolled as my husband left me and abandoned my two children. Without the funds and far too much pride to take charity from the Church, my daughter left the halls of OLPH to attend first grade in public school where both of my children completed their pre-university years. Both my daughter and I were heart-broken over the move to a different school, but the Lord and Our Lady continued to help and take care of us and her little brother. We never once felt alone or abandoned. We always felt safe and protected and watched over. I feel the same today! Our beautiful Catholic faith, the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Mother, and all of the angels and saints were (and are) with us each and every day that we were a broken family. The Lord sent me a most loving man who raised my children as if they were his own. Never lose the faith my friends!

Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

O Mother of Perpetual Help,
grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name,
which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying.
O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips.
Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee,
for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee,
ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

O what consolation, what sweetness,
what confidence, what emotion fill my soul
when I pronounce thy sacred name, or even only think of thee.
I thank God for having given thee, for my good,
so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name.
But I will not be content with merely pronouncing thy name:
let my love for thee prompt me ever to hail thee,
Mother of Perpetual Help.

Amen.

The Feast and Devotion To The Sacred Heart of Jesus

2010-06-11T22:43:00.006-04:00

The Feast of the Sacred Heart falls nineteen (19) days after Pentecost Sunday, and is usually celebrated in June, thus the reason to Catholics, the month of June is celebrated as the Month of the Sacred Heart. Catholics are asked to pray to the Sacred Heart daily during June.

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

Blessings!

Catholics Support All Human Life and Dignity!

2010-06-10T23:52:00.005-04:00

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Greetings again for this day!

Please consider looking into the following web-site which supports all aspects of human life from conception to death. Why? This is what our Catholic faith believes!!!

Here is the link for you:

Whole Life Ethic

Blessings!

A Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan

2010-06-10T22:24:00.010-04:00

Have you ever wondered where to begin to discover some of the BEST Catholic references and/or books to learn more about Our Beautiful Catholic Faith? I know that I sure have!

There is SO MUCH that I did not learn from my Catholic school teachings, from my CCD classes when I was in public schools, and even from my parents. I am a self-educating Catholic from simply the constant reading of literature that is approved by the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Today I discovered this list from a conservative Catholic web-site linked to the Cardinal Newman Society that supports true Catholic education. I can't wait to start reading this list . . . and as the title states, it will take a LIFETIME! Why? The Holy Roman Catholic Church is rich in its treasures and beauty and it will take a lifetime and MORE, to discover Her treasures!

Here is the link for you too:

A Catholic Lifetime Reading Plan

Blessings!

Invocation To The Sacred Heart of Jesus

2010-06-06T16:04:00.006-04:00

Holy Card image above posted with permission from Holy Cards For Your Inspiration

Another wonderful short prayer that Catholics should pray often during their day is this little prayer that follows which was written back in the 17th century by St. Margaret Mary Alocoque whose visions of Jesus were the inspiration for the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

Invocation to the Sacred Heart

O Heart of love,
I put all my trust in Thee;
for I fear all things from my own weakness,
but I hope for all things from Thy goodness.

Amen.

Blessings!!

Prayer For the Help of The Sacred Heart

2010-06-05T15:59:00.002-04:00

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Another powerful prayer that Catholics can recite is the following prayer in which we request the help of the Sacred Heart, more specifically we ask our Lord to remove any and all of our human shortcomings and failures that prevent us from living a full Catholic Christina life.

For the Help of the Sacred Heart

Take away, O my Jesus,

the blindness of my heart, that I may know Thee;

take away the hardness of my heart, that I may fear Thee;

take away the coldness of my heart,

that I may resist everything that is contrary to Thy will;

take away its heavy, earthly sluggishness and selfishness,

that I may be capable of heroic sacrifice for Thy glory,

and for the souls whom Thou has redeemed

with Thy own most precious blood.

Amen.

Blessings!

The Memorare to The Sacred Heart

2010-06-04T15:52:00.004-04:00

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Yet again is another beautiful Catholic prayer that we know as a "memorare" in which we ask our Lord to recall or remember something. In this Memorare to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we ask Him to look not at our sins but to hear our request for a special favor.

Memorare to the Sacred Heart

Remember, O most sweet Jesus,

that no one who has had recourse to Thy Sacred Heart,

implored its help, or sought its mercy was ever abandoned.

Encouraged with confidence, O tenderest of hearts,

we present ourselves before Thee,

crushed beneath the weight of our sins.

In our misery, O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

despise not our simple prayers,

but mercifully grant our requests.

Amen.

Blessings!

Prayer to The Sacred Heart

2010-06-03T15:40:00.006-04:00

Holy Card reprinted with loving permission from 'Holy Cards for Your Inspiration' blog (see sidebar)

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Here is another beautiful prayer to The Sacred Heart of Jesus written by St. Gertrude the Great, who was a Benedictine nun and mystic (1256-1302). In this we ask Jesus to conform our hearts and will to His Heart and Will.
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Prayer to the Sacred Heart

Hail! O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

living and quickening source of eternal life,

infinite treasure of the Divinity,

and burning furnace of divine love.

Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, O my amiable Savior.

Consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed.

Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love,

and let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one,

and mine in all things, be conformed to Thine.

May Thy divine will be equally the standard

and rule of all my desires and of all my actions.

Amen.

Blessings!

More June Prayers for Devotion to The Sacred Heart of Jesus

2010-06-02T15:34:00.004-04:00

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Here is another little prayer that is easy to put to memory in order to pray several times a day, especially whenever we come across and/or see a picture or statue of our Lord's Sacred Heart.

Aspiration to the Sacred Heart

May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be loved in every place.

Blessings!

JUNE! The Month Catholics Pray To The Sacred Heart of Jesus

2010-06-01T15:32:00.005-04:00

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Catholics pray during each day of June various prayers to our Lord's Sacred Heart. Here is a very simple prayer that can be memorized in order to be recited frequently throughout the day.

Sweet Heart of Jesus

Sweet Heart of my Jesus, grant that I may ever love Thee more.

Our Lord told us to pray without ceasing and constantly. This is one way we can keep our thoughts ever-present on Him!
Blessings!

God's Beauty Reflected in My Gardens!

2010-05-28T16:17:00.006-04:00

Our God is a most loving God, and is the creator of all things! That is exactly why I am in utter AWE with the breathtaking, literally breathtaking, beauty of nature that surrounds me. I try my best to work alongside with what God has given me to create a little paradise here on earth, constantly remembering that everything, all the way down to the soil and organisms, is from our loving, heavenly Father! I have always loved beautiful things, but most especially I love the beauty found in natural, living things. My God knows this about me and gives me these beautiful, precious reminders of His Glory on a simple and daily basis. I am ever so grateful!

Here is just a glimpse of what He gave me to see and enjoy in my gardens this spring. I hope that you enjoy them too and gain a sense of AWE when considering how beautiful and loving our Father in Heaven is for giving us this beauty around us!

The bleeding hearts have just taken over the shady part of my gardens this spring after establishing themselves for five years! So abundant in blooms!

Who can resist staring and glaring at the vivid lavender and purple colors of the Eastern redbud trees that flash in front of us every spring? This year the lavish winter rains really helped the bloom development!

I just planted these gorgeous blue and white iris last fall and have simply been taken back by their beauty. I think of our Blessed Mother Mary every time I look at these blue darlings!

And for a last minute flash of fuscia, hot pink color, here's my clematis that joyfully opens every spring. Just incredible! God is so beautiful in all His creations, isn't He? I have so many more photos and glimpses of His beauty around me and will certainly share them with you as time goes by.

I hope and pray that you enjoy the beauty around you that God has blessed you with! He loves us so much!

Blessings!

Catholics Should Sing Hymns Reflecting Our Faith Alone

2010-05-27T07:28:00.005-04:00

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Here's a superb video from "The Vortex" that really educated me further about our Catholic faith. I had no idea what the words of "Amazing Grace" meant in certain parts. I am so grateful for this enlightenment!

Blessings!

Pentecost - The Coming of The Holy Spirit, Third Person of The Trinity

2010-05-23T01:00:00.005-04:00

As Catholics, we celebrate the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon Mary and the Apostles fifty days after our Lord's Resurrection into Heaven. For Catholics, Pentecost is very important and during Mass, priests wear red vestments which symbolize tongues of fire and the love of the Holy Spirit. At present it is of equal rank with Easter Sunday.

An interesting custom that takes place in my mother country of Italy is the scattering of rose leaves from the ceilings and alcoves of Catholic Churches which symbolize the miracle of the tongues of fire descending on Mary and the Apostles. Thus, the name of Pentecost Sunday is also known as "Pascha Rosatum" in Italy. The name in Italian refers to the red vestments worn by priests.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church instructs that when the Easter season of seven weeks is complete, "Christ's Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance".

On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. Since that day, the Kingdom announced by Christ has been open to those who believe in him: in the humility of the flesh and in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy Trinity. By his coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit causes the world to enter into the "last days," the time of the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated (732).

We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us (123).

God is Love and love is his first gift, containing all others. God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (733; 124-125).

Because we are dead or at least wounded through sin, the first effect of the gift of love is the forgiveness of our sins. The communion of the Holy Spirit 126 in the Church restores to the baptized the divine likeness lost through sin (734).

He, then, gives us the "pledge" or "first fruits" of our inheritance: the very life of the Holy Trinity, which is to love as "God [has] loved us." 127 This love (the "charity" of 1 Cor 13) is the source of the new life in Christ, made possible because we have received "power" from the Holy Spirit (753; 128).

By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit: . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." 129 "We live by the Spirit"; the more we renounce ourselves, the more we "walk by the Spirit" (736; 130).

Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God "Father" and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory (131)

The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This joint mission henceforth brings Christ's faithful to share in his communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection. He makes present the mystery of Christ, supremely in the Eucharist, in order to reconcile them, to bring them into communion with God, that they may "bear much fruit" (737; 132).

Thus the Church's mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: in her whole being and in all her members, the Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity (738).

All of us who have received one and the same Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, are in a sense blended together with one another and with God. For if Christ, together with the Father's and his own Spirit, comes to dwell in each of us, though we are many, still the Spirit is one and undivided. He binds together the spirits of each and every one of us, . . . and makes all appear as one in him. For just as the power of Christ's sacred flesh unites those in whom it dwells into one body, I think that in the same way the one and undivided Spirit of God, who dwells in all, leads all into spiritual unity (133).

Because the Holy Spirit is the anointing of Christ, it is Christ who, as the head of the Body, pours out the Spirit among his members to nourish, heal, and organize them in their mutual functions, to give them life, send them to bear witness, and associate them to his self-offering to the Father and to his intercession for the whole world. Through the Church's sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body (739).

These "mighty works of God," offered to believers in the sacraments of the Church, bear their fruit in the new life in Christ, according to the Spirit (740).

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words." The Holy Spirit, the artisan of God's works, is the master of prayer (134; 741).

"Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!"' (Gal 4:6) (742).

From the beginning to the end of time, whenever God sends his Son, he always sends his Spirit: their mission is conjoined and inseparable (743).

In the fullness of time the Holy Spirit completes in Mary all the preparations for Christ's coming among the People of God. By the action of the Holy Spirit in her, the Father gives the world Emmanuel "God-with-us" (Mt 1:23) (744).

The Son of God was consecrated as Christ (Messiah) by the anointing of the Holy Spirit at his Incarnation (cf. Ps 2:6-7) (745).

By his Death and his Resurrection, Jesus is constituted in glory as Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). From his fullness, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Church (746).

The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates, and sanctifies the Church. She is the sacrament of the Holy Trinity's communion with men (747).

Blessings!

Catholics Themselves Need To Be Evangelized!

2010-05-20T09:01:00.005-04:00

Hello dear friends in Christ!

Throughout my life, I can say that there definitely have been periods of time when my faith was weak, when I didn't know the tenants of the Catholic faith as well as I do now, where I haven't practiced my faith, and more. I don't think that I am alone in this behavior. I believe, as illustrated in this version of "The Vortex", that this was because I didn't KNOW my faith because I wasn't TAUGHT my faith, at least completely.

Although I attended Catholic school and also attended Catechism classes while in public school, I was easily caught up in what I thought would make me happy in the "world". I'm not going to be a liar and a hypocrite and say that I don't like nice 'things' anymore, because I still do. I just know that I don't need everything or more of anything but rather know that I need GOD and His Church here on earth for my lasting happiness.

I know that I have family members and friends in the Catholic Church who do not practice their faith in accordance with the Magesterium and who've asked why I know so much more about the faith than they do. My response is that "I taught myself by pouring through Church approved books . . . and can say that it has been, is, and hopefully always will be a daily prayer to strengthen my Catholic faith. So the Holy Spirit has led me to the information that I need to read and learn from. And I am SO GRATEFUL. I also pray for those in my life who have either drifted from or who are weak in the practice of their Catholic Faith. This video validates what I have felt. Do you know other Catholics who need to be evangelized in our very own Catholic faith?

Blessings!

More Reasons To Be Catholic

2010-05-19T17:28:00.001-04:00

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This is SIMPLY Beautiful and I encourage you to view this video on being Catholic and to share it with others!
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Blessings!

A Beautiful New Catholic Blog To Visit!

2010-05-19T16:23:00.004-04:00

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Just recently one of my dear Catholic blogging friends has informed me about a new blog resource for my readers to discover. The name of the blog is "A Blessing To Read". Micki, my friend, is kindly posting daily e-mail messages from a devotee of the Blessed Sacrament in a permanent venue to read through a new blog. I have visited the blog and find it to be very inspirational and will have a new link for it on my sidebar. I hope that you take the time to visit and to leave a comment or two!

Here's a direct link for "A Blessing To Read":

http://www.ablessingtoread.blogspot.com

Blessings!

Beautiful Catholic Podcasts For Your Daily Commute And Spiritual Growth!!

2010-05-18T20:01:00.015-04:00

Hello to all my dear friends in Christ Jesus,

I may never have mentioned this on my blogs, but I have a 3-hour daily commute to work (one and a half hours each way). Now, you're probably thinking that this is a complete and total waste of God's time that he as blessed me with. Quite honestly, it is quite a good time for me to spend with the Lord and our Lady in prayer. I drive a fairly fuel-efficient Honda Civic that we lovingly call our "Iddy Biddy Blue" car. I have my Rosary hanging from the rear-view mirror and it is one of the first things that I see each morning as I embark upon my day.

I usually begin my driving time with my morning prayers and follow the recommended prayers of adoration, prayers of gratitude, prayers for forgiveness, and finally prayers for requests. After this good morning hello to God, I proceed to say my Rosary. I may stop through a drive-through to pick up a cup of caffeine so that I don't fall asleep driving.

Then I plug in my earbuds from my handy-dandy little iPod and listen to my downloaded Catholic podcasts. The iPod is truly a wonderful technical innovation and tool that has helped me to learn more about and to strengthen my Catholic Faith! I am so grateful for this blessing of a gadget in my time-crunched schedule. Without it, three hours of simply driving would definitely be an absolute and complete waste of God's precious resource of time!

So I thought it would be nice to share the names of the Catholic podcasts from which I receive spiritual and Catholic nourishment. I found all of these through iTunes which you need to sign up for a free membership online. Several of these on my list below have not podcasted in a few years, but they had already been downloaded onto my iPod and I never deleted them. There may also be some new Catholic podcasts out there either on iTunes or elsewhere that I'm not aware of or didn't find interesting enough to listen to after a couple of episodes. You have to be your own judge of what you want to listen to for your own spiritual needs and growth in our beautiful Catholic faith.

Here's my list of Catholic Podcasts that I listen to:

American Catholic Radio

The BreadCast

Catholic Answers Live

Catholic Bible Boot Camp

Catholic Exchange's Rock Solid

Catholic Forum

Catholic Music Express

Catholic Podcasts Ministry

Catholic Praise Cast

Catholic Radio International

Catholic Sound Insight Radio Daily

Catholic Spotlight

ChantCast

ChristLife: We Have Been Sent

Daily Bread - Catholic Reflections

Daily Readings from the New American Bible

Divine Office - Liturgy of the Hours

Dr. James Dobbins - Catholic Apologetics

EWTN's Audio Library

Into The Deep

Our Catholic Life

Pray-As-You-Go

Pray-As-You-Go's Review of The Day

Prayer Reflection with Father James Kubicki

Relevant Answers with John Salza

The SaintCast

Verbum Domini

I hope you comment back and let me know what you think of these and if you also have any recommendations for other great Catholic Podcasts that are not on this list! I would really appreciate that!

Blessings to each of you!

May 14th: First Day of Novena to the Holy Spirit

2010-05-14T06:28:00.003-04:00

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Catholics are blessed with a wonderful array of beautiful prayers during which we publicly and privately speak to our Lord directly and/or to our beautiful Blessed Mother and the saints and angels for their "intersession" to pray along with us to the Lord and Heavenly Father. And one of the prayers that we traditionally recite are "novenas". The Latin word, novena, means 'nine' and so Catholic pray novenas for a series of nine days in order to receive special graces, to implore special favors, or to pray for special petitions. Many novenas are available to pray for various intentions and can be prayed privately at home or publicly in church or at chapel. We believe that God sees us giving Him greater devotion.

The oldest and only official Catholic Church prescribed novena honor the Holy Spirit and was first directed to the apostles by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Himself! Jesus instructed his disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to come to them, which is the first Pentecost. Addressed to the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, it is a powerful plea for the light and strength and love so sorely needed by every Christian. The Novena to the Holy Spirit starts the day after the Solemnity of the Ascension, Friday of the 6th Week of Easter, even if the Solemnity of the Ascension is transferred to the 7th Sunday.

Here are nine easy steps on how to proceed with a Novena:

1. Decide on an intention, whether very specific or general, that is important to you or someone important in your life. If there are prayers and intentions of your local Church, priests, Bishops, or even the Pope, you may also pray for those petitions.

2. Pray the novena at a set time each day so that you always remember when you're going to say it.

3. Decide in advance which of the novenas that you will pray.

4. Recite each of the prayers required, while all the while stating your intention.

5. Repeat Step 4 for nine days straight.

6. Say novenas whenever and as often as you wish for your own intentions and others.

7. Be GRATEFUL even if your intention hasn't been answered immediately. Trust that God hears and listens to each of our prayers, and sometimes doesn't give us what we are praying for (I'd say add that He knows better than we do what is good for us and others!). You can always say the novena again for that particular intention.

8. Be open to hear God especially if it's something you might not want to know or hear.

9. Inform others about novenas and tell them how they help you in your life and spiritual journey of faith development.

THE NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS

OUR FATHER

Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL MARY

Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death Amen.

GLORY BE TO THE FATHER

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (Recited 7 times daily during the Novena)

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT (To be recited daily during the Novena)

On my knees I before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, and listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds, and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant hears." Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (To be recited daily during the Novena)

O Lord Jesus Christ Who, before ascending into heaven did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul, the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal, the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth, the Spirit on Counsel that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven, the Spirit of Fortitude that I may bear my cross with You and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation, the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints, the Spirit of Piety that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable, and the Spirit of Fear that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

FIRST DAY (Friday after Ascension or Friday of 6th Week of Easter)

Holy Spirit! Lord of Light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure beaming radiance give!

The Holy Spirit

Only one thing is important -- eternal salvation. Only one thing, therefore, is to be feared--sin· Sin is the result of ignorance, weakness, and indifference The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Light, of Strength, and of Love. With His sevenfold gifts He enlightens the mind, strengthens the will, and inflames the heart with love of God. To ensure our salvation we ought to invoke the Divine Spirit daily, for "The Spirit helped our infirmity. We know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit Himself asked for us."

Prayer:

Almighty and eternal God, Who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us your sevenfold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

SECOND DAY (Saturday of 6th Week of Easter)

Come. Father of the poor. Come, treasures which endure; Come, Light of all that live!

The Gift of Fear

The gift of Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread nothing so much as to offend Him by sin. It is a fear that arises, not from the thought of hell, but from sentiments of reverence and filial submission to our heavenly Father. It is the fear that is the beginning of wisdom, detaching us from worldly pleasures that could in any way separate us from God. "They that fear the Lord will prepare their hearts, and in His sight will sanctify their souls."

Prayer:

Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set you, my Lord and God, before my face forever, help me to shun all things that can offend You, and make me worthy to appear before the pure eyes of Your Divine Majesty in heaven, where You live and reign in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God world without end. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

THIRD DAY (7th Sunday of Easter or transferred Ascension)

Thou, of all consoler’s best, Visiting the troubled breast, Does refreshing peace bestow.

The Gift of Piety

The gift of Piety begets in our hearts a filial affection for God as our most loving Father. It inspires us to love and respect for His sake persons and things consecrated to Him, as well as those who are vested with His authority, His Blessed Mother and the Saints, the Church and its visible Head, our parents and superiors, our country and its rulers. He who is filled with the gift of Piety finds the practice of his religion, not a burdensome duty, but a delightful service. Where there is love, there is no labor.

Prayer:

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. Enkindle therein such a love for God, that I may find satisfaction only in His service, and for His sake lovingly submit to all legitimate authority. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

FOURTH DAY (Monday, 7th Week of Easter)

Thou in toil art comfort sweet, Pleasant coolness in the heat, solace in the midst of woe.

The Gift of Fortitude

By the gift of Fortitude the soul is strengthened against natural fear, and supported to the end in the performance of duty. Fortitude imparts to the will an impulse and energy which move it to under take without hesitancy the most arduous tasks, to face dangers, to trample under foot human respect, and to endure without complaint the slow martyrdom of even lifelong tribulation. "He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved."

Prayer:

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from Thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

FIFTH DAY (Tuesday, 7th Week of Easter)

Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill!

The Gift of Knowledge

The gift of Knowledge enables the soul to evaluate created things at their true worth--in their relation to God. Knowledge unmasks the pretense of creatures, reveals their emptiness, and points out their only true purpose as instruments in the service of God. It shows us the loving care of God even in adversity, and directs us to glorify Him in every circumstance of life. Guided by its light, we put first things first, and prize the friendship of God beyond all else. "Knowledge is a fountain of life to him that possesses it."

Prayer:

Come, O Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for Thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to Thee, and Thy eternal rewards. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

SIXTH DAY (Wednesday, 7th Week of Easter)

If Thou take Thy grace away, nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turned to ill.

The Gift of Understanding

Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our holy religion BY faith we know them, but by Understanding we learn to appreciate and relish them. It enables us to penetrate the inner meaning of revealed truths and through them to be quickened to newness of life. Our faith ceases to be sterile and inactive, but inspires a mode of life that bears eloquent testimony to the faith that is in us; we begin to "walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Prayer:

Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of Thee and the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

SEVENTH DAY (Thursday, 7th Week of Easter)

Heal our wounds--our strength renews; On our dryness pour Thy dew, Wash the stains of guilt away.

The Gift of Counsel

The gift of Counsel endows the soul with supernatural prudence, enabling it to judge promptly and rightly what must done, especially in difficult circumstances. Counsel applies the principles furnished by Knowledge and Understanding to the innumerable concrete cases that confront us in the course of our daily duty as parents, teachers, public servants, and Christian citizens. Counsel is supernatural common sense, a priceless treasure in the quest of salvation. "Above all these things, pray to the Most High, that He may direct thy way in truth."

Prayer:

Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

EIGHTH DAY (Friday, 7th Week of Easter)

Bend the stubborn heart and will, melt the frozen warm the chill. Guide the steps that go astray!

The Gift of Wisdom

Embodying all the other gifts, as charity embraces all the other virtues, Wisdom is the most perfect of the gifts. Of wisdom it is written "all good things came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her hands." It is the gift of Wisdom that strengthens our faith, fortifies hope, perfects charity, and promotes the practice of virtue in the highest degree. Wisdom enlightens the mind to discern and relish things divine, in the appreciation of which earthly joys lose their savor, whilst the Cross of Christ yields a divine sweetness according to the words of the Savior: "Take up thy cross and follow me, for my yoke is sweet and my burden light.

Prayer:

Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Help me to attain them and possess them forever. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

NINTH DAY (Saturday, Vigil of Pentecost)

Thou, on those who evermore Thee confess and Thee Adore, in Thy sevenfold gift, Descend; Give Them Comfort when they die; Give them Life with Thee on high; Give them joys which never end. Amen

The Fruits of the Holy Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit perfect the supernatural virtues by enabling us to practice them with greater docility to divine inspiration. As we grow in the knowledge and love of God under the direction of the Holy Spirit, our service becomes more sincere and generous, the practice of virtue more perfect. Such acts of virtue leave the heart filled with joy and consolation and are known as Fruits of the Holy Spirit. These Fruits in turn render the practice of virtue more attractive and become a powerful incentive for still greater efforts in the service of God, to serve Whom is to reign.

Prayer:

Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Thy heavenly fruits, Thy charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness, and temperance, that I may never weary in the service of God, but by continued faithful submission to Thy inspiration may merit to be united eternally with Thee in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

Our Father and Hail Mary ONCE.

Glory be to the Father SEVEN TIMES.

Act of Consecration,

Prayer for the Seven Gifts

Blessings!

The Catholicism Project! How Beautiful!

2010-05-12T11:57:00.001-04:00

This is so beautiful . . . please go to the link at the end of the video for more information!

Blessings!

I Apologize For My Blog Absence! Life Happens!

2010-05-07T17:55:00.005-04:00

Hello my dearest friends in Christ,

I am so sorry that I have not posted anything in nearly a month and a half, and I do have a good reason though: Many of you know that I am a university professor and with that knowledge, I have extremely heavy responsibilities at the end of every semester regarding student advising, counseling, teaching, grading, etc. That's not to mention the research and service obligations that I also have. I ask for your forgiveness and continual readership of posts that will certainly increase during the summer months.

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In the meantime, I have been listening to many interesting Catholic podcasts during my commute to and from work, and most especially enlightening and disturbing has been what I'm learning about Islam and Muslims. We are truly in a spiritual battle and those who follow true Islam want us to either deny Christ and convert to Islam or die. This is radical, extreme, and TRUE. Americans and all Christians and Jews around the world need to understand this because it is Muslims' belief to rid the world of us until none of us are left.

Please do your research on this horrible reality that we will deal with until Christ's return. Stay strong Catholic and non-Catholic Christian denomination soldiers. Stay strong with the shield of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Blessings, ~ bella

Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City Last Week

2010-03-15T21:30:00.007-04:00

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The week after one of the worst snow storm's in New York City's history (21 inches of snow) and just before this past weekend of thunderstorms with trees uprooting everywhere, the Lord blessed the city with a week of warm temperatures, soft breezes and bright, clear blue skies! It was the week that I attended a professional conference with my husband. We attended Mass last Sunday and took the photo below (and many, many more) of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

The Archbishop of New York said Mass to hundreds of the faithful and pilgrims. The choir sounded so angelic and beautiful. The surrounding enclaves inside the beautiful cathedral with twinkling candles to light with a prayer, were so inspiration and moving.

What a privilege it was for us to attend Mass in this extraordinary Catholic cathedral. I will never, ever forget this experience of our beautiful Catholic faith!

The photo above is from MY own camera taken by ME in NYC on March 7, 2010

Blessings,

~ bella

ASH WEDNESDAY, The Beginning of Our Lenten Journey

2010-02-17T10:03:00.006-05:00

Today Catholics and many other Christians embark on the Lenten season when we go within ourselves to do penance and engage in activities that promote our spiritual transformation in order to draw closer to our Lord and prepare for Easter. It is time to purify ourselves through sacrifice and good works. During Lent, I try harder to keep Christ stronger in my mind and heart, by remembering what He sacrificed so unselfishly, so lovingly for my redemption, salvation, and eternal life in Heaven. I keep in mind the time that Jesus went into the desert Himself and that I need to experience my own desert and grow closer to Him through what I do during this 40-day journey.

Catholics receive ashes on our foreheads while the priest repeats the words that remind us that we will ultimately return to dust (Genesis 3:19). We are simply nothing without God!

Ways for Catholics to Live a Holy Lenten Season Life

• Fast from judging others; Feast on the Christ dwelling in them.
• Fast from emphasis on differences; Feast on the unity of life.
• Fast from apparent darkness; Feast on the reality of light.
• Fast from thoughts of illness; Feast on the healing power of God.
• Fast from words that pollute; Feast on phrases that purify.
• Fast from discontent; Feast on gratitude.
• Fast from anger; Feast on patience.
• Fast from pessimism; Feast on optimism.
• Fast from worry; Feast on divine order.
• Fast from complaining; Feast on appreciation.
• Fast from negatives; Feast on affirmatives.
• Fast from unrelenting pressures; Feast on unceasing prayer.
• Fast from hostility; Feast on non-resistance.
• Fast from bitterness; Feast on forgiveness.
• Fast from self-concern; Feast on compassion for others.
• Fast from personal anxiety; Feast on eternal truth.
• Fast from discouragement; Feast on hope.
• Fast from facts that depress; Feast on verities that uplift.
• Fast from lethargy; Feast on enthusiasm.
• Fast from thoughts that weaken; Feast on promises that inspire.
• Fast from shadows of sorrow; Feast on the sunlight of serenity.
• Fast from idle gossip; Feast on purposeful silence.
• Fast from problems that overwhelm; Feast on prayer that strengthens.

-William Arthur Ward (American author, teacher and pastor, 1921-1994.)

Your Support Has Helped Me to Decide to Keep The Blog Going

2010-01-23T16:58:00.007-05:00

Holy Card image reprinted with permission from Micki at

"Holy Cards for Your Inspiration"

which has an additional link posted on the sidebar

Dear Friends in Christ,

I received so many emails from all you in which you demonstrated such love and support for me to continue this blog after the unwarranted attacks that I received lately from one very unhappy soul. I even spoke on the phone with Micki, a wonderful Catholic blogger from the Midwest, who suggested that I prayerfully reconsider this decision.

She also said that if I did indeed shut down this blog and/or make it for private readership only, then the person who is obviously very possessed by the evil one, will certainly have won his/her goal. She is absolutely correct! She said that someone had also been harassing her in an 'anoymous' way. A kind soul then wrote to her stating that there are people influenced by Satan 'out there' who are trying to shut down Catholic Christian blogs! So it is not just my blog! How sad this is, but triumphant in Christ we shall all stand!

'nuff said, friends . . . I'll keep the blog (that really is ALL of ours, not just mine) public and posted for all of us to come together to share and learn about "OUR Beautiful Catholic Faith"!

Many blessings to each and all of you for your kindness and support,

"Courage does not always roar.
Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying,
I will try again tomorrow."

Anonymous

Please Donate To Catholic Relief Servies For Trusted Aid To Haiti Victims

2010-01-20T10:31:00.012-05:00

Haiti still needs all of our help and will continue to need our aid for years to come. As we all continue to pray for Haitians and everyone involved in the rescue and recovery efforts, many of us want to offer financial assistance as well. So where should you send your valuable, hard-earned money and KNOW that your money is in trusted hands and going where you want it to go to help the victims in Haiti?

Give to Catholic Relief Services

The following information is taken directly from the web page of Catholic Relief Services, ranked as one of the top charities around the world.

(I have correctly and professionally provided an official credit and legal citation to the CRS web-site. I also place the information in "quotations" which correctly indicates that the statement is from CRS and not myself. I take no credit in the words of CRS, but only own the desire to share information for trusted use of charitable donations).

You can go directly to the site by following this link or read the information that I have posted for you.

To donate, you need to go to CRS at:

http://www.catholicrelief.org/

Here is the information for you to feel more confident of where your money is being used for not only Haiti aid, but throughout the world:

"You've probably heard some of the inspiring stories of people whose lives have been transformed through the generosity of CRS donors like you. Your donations hold incredible power to alleviate suffering and restore hope for our brothers and sisters overseas. But we know you want to be sure your gifts will be used wisely, and we respect your concern. Through careful stewardship of resources, we make sure the funds you have so generously entrusted to us go where they are most needed. We want you to feel confident that your decision to give to Catholic Relief Services is a sound one, and that your donations will be used effectively and efficiently to make a lifesaving difference.

Please take a moment to review some of the resources provided here and learn more about how we work. CRS is most thankful for your help—we would be unable to carry out our lifesaving work without it.
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CRS is Efficient

Additional Ratings and Rankings of CRS:
Chronicle of Philanthropy's Top 400 Charities
NonProfit Times' Top 100
Valued Partner of Guidestar
Awarded Best in America Seal

How we ensure your donation will be used wisely:

We are one of the most efficient organizations in the world. Did you know that 93 percent of the money we spend goes directly to programs that benefit the poor overseas? We work hard to keep our overhead down and consistently work smarter and find better ways of doing things to eliminate redundancies that often plague other organizations. You are always welcome to review our financial statements.

Additionally, we meet all 20 of the strict Charity Standards set by the

Better Business Bureau's charity rating arm, the Wise Giving Alliance, and have an "A" rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy. Both of these charity watchdog groups use criteria that confirm fiscal efficiency, such as percentage of funds going directly to programs, cost to raise a dollar, transparency and honoring of donor intent.

CRS-funded relief supplies are packed by students at Saint Paul University in Manila, the Philippines, to be delivered to flood victims affected by 2009 Typhoon Ketsana.

We strive for efficiency in all that we do. Under our Guiding Principles, based on Catholic social teaching, we follow the tenet of subsidiarity: A higher level of government—or organization—should not perform any function or duty that can be handled more effectively at a lower level by people who are closer to the problem and have a better understanding of the issue. In many of the countries where we work, our local Church partners represent an efficient network already on the ground. Their work allows us to mobilize quickly to distribute food, emergency supplies and information, often within hours of a disaster. Together, we can meet the most critical needs and then help people "build back better" so that their communities will be stronger and better able to contend with future events.

CRS is Effective

How do we know we are making a difference?

Catholic Relief Services has more than 60 years of experience and technical expertise to help as many people as possible in an organized and manageable way, quickly and reliably. The unspeakable 1994 genocide in Rwanda was a turning point for our agency as we vowed to not only meet immediate needs but also challenge structures that promote injustice. In 1988, our experience responding to Hurricane Mitch in Central America gave us invaluable knowledge and honed our approach to disaster response. It was this expertise—and the overwhelming donor response—that fueled our five-year effort to help survivors rebuild their lives after the Indian Ocean tsunami.

Our programs are carefully executed, monitored and evaluated by our talented staff—some of the best and brightest—who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving the poor overseas, even if it often means long hours and scant visits back home to the United States. It is the caliber of CRS' staff around the world that has earned CRS respect in the humanitarian community. Thanks to their expertise, CRS is regarded as a leader in many of the diverse fields that we work. Below are some examples where CRS embodies the best:

A CRS water project has had a profound impact on the health of residents, especially children—who are most susceptible to illness and disease—in Legedini, southern Ethiopia.

Founding member of the Sphere Project that set the standards for humanitarian and disaster response.
Founding member of NetHope, an Information Technology consortium with the goal of bringing technology to the developing world.
Member of the PEPFAR Consortium—the largest undertaking by any nation to combat HIV and AIDS.
CRS' work for orphans and children affected by HIV is considered to be a key model to follow, and a forum was held in 2008 to share best practices.

Learn more about why CRS' emergency response programming is held in high esteem by reading this article about Pat Johns, known as the "Master of Disaster." CRS' microfinance programming helps the very poorest by introducing savings and internal lending communities and self-help groups that strengthen the entire community.

CRS strives to be innovative and solve problems in creative ways that often resolve two needs at the same time. Take, for instance, building keyhole gardens in Lesotho. These waist-high gardens allow people with HIV to tend their gardens without stooping, giving them a way to get manageable levels of exercise as well as grow fresh food to eat.

CRS is Accountable

How do we maintain integrity in all the work that we do?

As a faith-based 501(c)(3) charity, Catholic Relief Services is exempt from filing a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. However, we make all of this information available on our website every year. We invite you to look under the hood and read our Financial Information Form, Annual Report and Summary of Program Activities. You'll see that 93 percent of the money we spend goes directly to programs that benefit the poor overseas.

We so value the trust placed in us by our donors that we have created a Pledge to Donors. To report back on how donations are being used to transform lives overseas, we publish a monthly CRSbriefing e-newsletter, presenting stories of those we serve with our donors' support. Additionally, our interactive Annual Report highlights the previous year's accomplishments and a breakdown of how much money was raised and how it was spent.

We strive to be good stewards, not only with the donations entrusted to us, but also through careful program planning that ensures good stewardship of natural resources by using strategic measures in watershed management and conservation agriculture that will protect resources for future generations.

Each year we sign pledges with many outside organizations to uphold integrity in the work we do overseas. We also comply with U.S.-based charity watchdog groups who confirm that we meet their strict standards:

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (CRS is governed by the USCCB)
Caritas Internationalis (consortium member)
National Catholic Development Conference (accountability standards)
Association of Fundraising Professionals (Donor Bill of Rights)
Direct Marketing Association (Commitment to Consumer Choice)
InterAction (PVO Standards)
Sphere (Standards in Disaster Response)
Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance (Charity Standards)
Independent Charities of America (Best in America seal holder)
2008 Global Accountability Report results - CRS ranked six out of 30 overall.

Finally, please take a minute to review our revised Mission Statement, Guiding Principles and Privacy Policy. We are most accountable to those we serve, alleviating the suffering of the poor overseas and giving Catholics in the United States the opportunity to live their faith in solidarity with their brothers and sisters around the world."

Again, this information is directly from the CRS web-site, with proper, legal citation and quotations, and is only posted for you to help you make a more confident decision, with the help of the Holy Spirit, regarding which relief organization to send your financial assistance to for the victims in Haiti and around the world.

Blessings,

~ bella

Catholic Prayers for New Year's Blessing

2010-01-01T20:26:00.004-05:00

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Prayer for a Blessing on the New Year
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O sacred and adorable Trinity,
hear our prayers on behalf of our holy Father the Pope,
our Bishops, our clergy, and for all that are in authority over us.
Bless, we beseech Thee, during the coming year,
the whole Catholic Church;
convert heretics and unbelievers;
soften the hearts of sinners so that they may return to Thy friendship;
give prosperity to our country and peace among the nations of the world;
pour down Thy blessings upon our friends, relatives, and acquaintances,
and upon our enemies, if we have any;
assist the poor and the sick;
have pity on the souls of those whom this year has taken from us;
and do Thou be merciful to those who during the coming year
who will be summoned before Thy judgment seat.
May all our actions be preceded by Thy inspirations and carried on by Thy assistance,
so that all our prayers and works, having been begun in Thee,
may likewise be ended through Thee.
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Amen.
..
..

New Year's Prayer
(By Archbishop Carroll)
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Almighty and eternal God,
You have, through Jesus Christ, revealed Your glory to all nations.
We pray You to preserve the works of Your mercy,
that Your Church, being spread through the whole world,
may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Your name.
We pray You, who alone are good and holy,
to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life our Chief Bishop,
Pope Benedict, the vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of His Church;
our own Archbishop and Bishop; all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church;
and especially those who are appointed to exercise among us the functions of the holy ministry and conduct Your people into the ways of salvation.
We pray You, O God of might, wisdom, and justice,
through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed,
to assist with Your Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude of the President of the United States,
that his administration may be conducted in righteousness,
and be eminently useful to Your people over whom he presides;
by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion,
by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy,
and by restraining vice and immorality.
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Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power. By me kings reign and rulers make laws that are just; by me princes govern, and all nobles who rule on earth. PROVERBS 8:14-16
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Let the light of Your divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress,
and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government,
so that they may tend to the preservation of peace,
the promotion of national happiness,
the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge,
and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.
We recommend likewise to Your unbounded mercy all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States,
that they may be blessed in the knowledge and
sanctified in the observance of Your most holy law;
that they may be preserved in union,
and in that peace which the world cannot give;
and after enjoying the blessings of this life,
be admitted to those which are eternal.
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Amen.
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Blessings for the New Year of 2010,
~ bella
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Sunrise Over the Ocean on New Year's Day 2010!

2010-01-01T19:03:00.005-05:00

.Watching God's Glory during a perfect sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean

on New Year's Day, 2010!

(photo taken from my own camera on Jan. 1, 2010)

Wishing all of you a blessed New Year!
~ bella

New Year's Eve On The Beach 2009

2010-01-01T18:57:00.008-05:00

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A view of the peaceful Atlantic Ocean on New Year's Eve, 2009!

So beautiful!

(photo taken from my own camera on Dec. 31, 2009)

Blessings,
~ bella

Buon Natale! Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T16:39:00.004-05:00

. . reprinted with permission from "Holy Cards For Your Inspiration" blog

(link is listed for you on my sidebar below)

Buon Natale Amici!

Merry Christmas Friends!

Wishing You Beautiful Christmas Blessings,
~ bella

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

2009-10-03T01:53:00.001-04:00

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

First Fridays Devotion: What Catholics Believe

2009-10-02T01:43:00.002-04:00

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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.

..
"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.
..
Blessings,

~ bella

Thanks and Welcome!

2009-09-29T11:32:00.005-04:00

Lately I've had a lot of new followers that want to chat or learn more about our Catholic faith. Lola, Claudia (from Brazil!), Karen Louise, Agnes, Jean, Dawn, Becca, Cam, Heidi, SAHM, Jackie and Rachel are just a few of my new friends!
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What an honor and a blessing....each new person leads me to his/her blog and it goes on and on from there. What a community of faithful that continually help me and give me strength in my journey of learning more about this gift of the Church from our Heavenly Father and His Son on earth!
Here's what Lola said recently on her blog, "What Lola Wants"

"Adrienne, who has my attention daily, had a link to La Bella Vita, a fabulous Foodie Blog, and it really has some mouthwatering photos... Well by googling chance I found, it's blogger also has another blog Beautiful Catholic Faith that has the above video! And now I am a FOLLOWER! Why is it that when I google and find a wonderful blog, that it is no surprise that their blogroll also has some of my favorite blogger's listed?"

Lola's blog link is: http://lolawantsunsoclicited.blogspot.com/

Do stop by and learn more about current events and Catholicism from Lola and Adrienne (Adrienne's Catholic Corner..... the link is on my sidebar on the right)

Blessings to both of you for all that you write about for your readers,

~ bella

Catholic Videos from "Real Catholic TV" -- Very Educational About Our Faith!

2009-09-28T21:16:00.009-04:00

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Hello dear friends,
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I just want to give a big shout out of recognition to the web-site "RealCatholicTV.com" for developing so many, many, MANY helpful and informative videos about our beautiful Catholic faith AND current events that keep every Catholic and non-Catholic IN THE KNOW of current events!

Many of us learn better visually (especially our younger generations) and some of us don't have time to read every sound bite of every blog (like me!), so therefore, with credit given to where credit is due, I've embedded some videos from this awesome website.....please visit and donate if you can so that they can keep producing such valuable materials.
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I hope that your faith is increased by the videos' messages.
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Blessings,
~ bella

More On How Catholics Differ From Protestants

2009-09-27T21:33:00.000-04:00

Blessings,

~ bella

More Protestant Errors by RealCatholic.TV

2009-09-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Blessings,

~ bella

Catholocism: The One True Faith vs. Protestantism

2009-09-25T21:41:00.000-04:00

Blessings,

~ bella

Why I Am Catholic

2009-09-21T14:27:00.002-04:00

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I found this wonderful video over on "Doing All Things Graciously" blog:

Blessings,

~ bella

Blessing of My New Rosary

2009-09-19T19:35:00.011-04:00

(Photos above and below were taken from my own camera in my home.)

This week I bought a new rosary, one that has a little bit of water from Lourdes contained in a glass centerpiece. It is simply so beautiful, with a lovely crucifix and clear, shimmery glass beads. So this evening I took it with me to have our pastor bless it after Mass.

You can see the bubble in the water from Lourdes in the rosary's centerpiece above.

So I decided that it would be a good thing to chat about regarding our Catholic faith. So I went to the Catholic Answers web-site and found the following information regarding the Catholic practice of blessing our rosaries:

"The Rosary, like a cross or Crucifix, Holy Water, Blessed Palm is a sacramental.

A sacramental stems from the Church's Sacraments, which are instruments of God's Grace. When you get a sacramental blessed, this holy object now becomes an instrument of blessing.

As Fr. John Corapi says, the prayers said over a blessed object are applied to every situation where that object is used. So, when a priest blesses your Rosary, you receive the blessing of the Rosary, each time you pray with it. You should therefore get your scapula, Crucifixes and other objects blessed.

If you look up the link you will see how the Church has wisely given blessings to many objects of daily use. http://www.catholicdoors.com/prayers/blessings.html

This is so that we live our lives in such a way that we are already living as we would in Heaven - because in Heaven everything we use and every corner of our Heavenly home will be blessed. I got my guitar blessed, so that I can praise God with my music. You can get some salt blessed, to remind you of how you have to be salt of the earth, use the salt to bless your food or add some to clean water and then bless your house with it.
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Sacramentals stem from the Sacraments, they need to be blessed before they are used so that the prayers of the Universal Church can be applied to the person using that Sacramental.
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From the Cathechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)
Chapter 4: OTHER LITURGICAL CELEBRATIONS ARTICLE
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1 SACRAMENTALS 1667 "Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy."
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The characteristics of sacramentals1668 Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man. In accordance with bishops' pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture, and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include a prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism).
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1669 Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a "blessing," and to bless.
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Hence lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).
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1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church's prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. "For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men and the praise of God."
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Various forms of sacramentals
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1671 Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father "with every spiritual blessing."
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This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ.
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1672 Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons - not to be confused with sacramental ordination - are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). The dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects.
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Tony Blair, His Catholic Conversion, and Anti-Catholicism in England

2009-09-15T19:07:00.005-04:00

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Who says Anti-Catholicism doesn't exist?

"Granny told me not to marry a Catholic, Tony Blair tells paper"
(from http://www.guardian.co.uk/)

Tony Blair has revealed that after ignoring a stern warning from his great-grandmother about marrying a Catholic, he now finds his new-found faith has become the driving force in his life as he seeks to clear up the world's religious conflicts.
Speaking to L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican's daily newspaper, Blair said today he considers Pope Benedict's belief that God is central to politics, society, economics and culture "brilliant".
Weeks after a packed Catholic conference in Italy gave Blair an ovation for his words about the universality of Catholicism, the pope's newspaper was equally effusive, calling the convert "a gentleman, educated, smiley, courteous in a way few know how to be".
Letting slip the Vatican's possible ambition for Blair, the paper also described him as "a probable future president of the European Union".
With a double page spread at his disposal, Blair served up a mix of anecdotes about his conversion and strong indications of how faith is at the heart of every step he takes.
Starting with his childhood, he recalled how "in one of her rare moments of lucidity, during an illness, my great-grandmother – who was in many ways fantastic – told me,
'Do whatever you want but don't marry a Catholic.' Which is exactly what I did."
Despite ambitions to be a rock star or a footballer when he arrived at university,
Blair said he was soon taken by his future wife, Cherie Booth, who was already an active Catholic on campus.
During his recent speech, Blair said she had been the driving force behind his conversion shortly after leaving office two years ago. Today
he added that conversion was "a path I have followed for 25 years," helped, he added, by a crucial private mass held by Pope John Paul II in 2003.
"It was an episode which really struck me," he said.
Catholicism's universality was its appeal, he added.
"If you are Catholic you can go anywhere in the world and take part in mass in any country."
The last people to understand this, he complained, are British journalists, who are still unprepared for religious, let alone Catholic, politicians.
"It's a shame but that is how it is.
However, I can say that for normal people, as opposed to those who speak on TV or write in newspapers, it was never a problem."
Faith, he added, would help him tackle "the Christian responsibility" of fighting climate change, creating dialogue with China ("They are talking a lot about Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism"), understanding what makes a family strong, and even how to fight poverty.

Going beyond Mr. Blair's grandmother's anti-Catholocism, I highly recommend that you click on the news link above (under the title of the article) and search under 'politics', 'religion' and "Tony Blair' to read the ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC ANTI-CATHOLIC comments left by British commentors on this article. Ignorance.....sheer and utter ignorance about the Catholic Church prevail in England!

In Memory of The 9/11 Tragedy

2009-09-11T13:54:00.002-04:00

Catholics Against Obama Care -- Sept. 11 Day of Prayer & Fasting

2009-09-08T19:03:00.005-04:00

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Thank you Esther, for posting this important notice on your blog; I am pleased to share it with my readers as well.
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Press Release: Catholics Against Obama Care set September 11 as Day of Prayer and Fasting for defeat of Health Care Reform
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For Immediate Release(September 8, 2009)
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Catholics Against Obama Care is calling Catholics as well as those of other denominations to participate in a day of prayer and fasting on September 11, 2009, for the special intention that Obama health care reform be defeated.Catholics Against Obama Care acknowledges that Catholic Church has always advocated health care reform; but Obamacare, as delineated in the

HR-3200 Bill, is not health care -- it is death care. Mandated abortion, health care rationing, and euthanasia are not health care. Obamacare is government control over people's lives and, as Jon Voight points out the removal of a person's free will. Voight said in an interview on Fox News with Mike Huckabee, "They're taking away God's first gift to man -- our free will and no man no matter what his title, even if he's president of the United States, has the consent of God to decide he's God."Jean M. Heimann, the founder of Catholics Against Obama Care, is a Catholic freelance writer and also the author and administrator of the award-winning weblog Catholic Fire.
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Catholics Against Obama Care, a grassroots movement, which began on August 22, the feast day of the Queenship of Mary, has selected the Mother of God to be the group’s special intercessor in their efforts to defeat this anti-Catholic, anti-life bill. Heimann explains how Catholics Against Obama Care began: “I had been praying for Obama's conversion at daily Mass and for the truth to be revealed about this administration's deceptive health care reform bill. One day, I felt that I needed to do more than just sign petitions and contact my congressmen. I felt that God was calling me to do something more to stop this evil bill which mandates abortion, rations health care to the disabled and the seriously ill, and encourages euthanasia for the elderly. So, I selected several talented pro-life Catholic writers/bloggers from different areas of the country -- CT, Idaho, Hawaii, Florida, Wisconsin, and Kansas -- who agreed to use their gifts to share the truth with others about this so-called health reform bill. In addition to educating and enlightening others about what the bill is really all about, we also want to encourage other Catholics to become pro-active by praying and fasting that this bill does not become law.”
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For more information, contact Jean M. Heimann at jean.heimann@gmail.com
Catholics Against Obama Weblog Site: Catholics Against ObamaCare
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NOBOCare
Catholic Fire Weblog Site: Jean M. Heimann
Catholic Fire
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Let us pray together,
Blessings,
~ bella

What We Lose When We Don't Receive the Eucharist

2009-09-07T16:24:00.005-04:00

Holy card image from Holy Cards for Your Inspiration

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This was posted by Esther over on her "Catholic Mom in Hawaii" blog and I wanted to pass it along. I agree with her and the Church that it is so important to receive Our Lord through receiving His body in the Eucharist, especially in these times when many Americans fail to go to Mass, and then fail to go to Confession to confess the failure to attend Mass, and then they either don't go to Communion or they do go to Communion with sin on their souls for failing to make a good confession for missing Mass.
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It is well for you to consider what you lose every time that you pass up Holy Communion.

You miss a personal visit with Jesus, Author of all spiritual energy and of all holiness;
You lose a special increase of sanctifying grace, which makes your soul more pleasing to God;
You lose a quota of sacramental grace which entitles you to special help in times of temptation and in the discharge of your daily duties;
You lose a precious opportunity of having all of your venial sins wiped away;
You miss the special preserving influence which each Holy Communion confers against the fires of passion;
You miss the opportunity of having remitted a part, or all, of the temporal punishments due to your sins;
You lose the spiritual joy, the sweetness and particular comfort that comes from a fervent Holy Communion;
You lose a part of the glory that your body might enjoy at its resurrection on the Last Day;
You lose the greater degree of glory you would possess in Heaven for all eternity;
You may lose: a) complete victory over some fault or passion;b) some particular grace long prayed for;c) the conversion or salvation of some soul;d) deliverance of a relative or friend from Purgatory;e) many graces for others, both the living and the dead.

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Will a few extra minutes of sleep repay you for all these losses?
At the hour of death our greatest consolation will be the Masses we have heard and the Holy Communions received. What riches hundreds of thousands of Catholics deprive themselves daily by neglecting Mass.

.With Ecclesiastical ApprovalChicago, December 6, 1940

~ bella

Google and Confession

2009-09-06T21:37:00.000-04:00

Google and Jesus

2009-09-06T21:34:00.001-04:00

Remember to Pray to Our Blessed Mother

2009-09-04T15:34:00.005-04:00

Here is a beautiful poster from Resources from Catholic Educators web-site (you can download the larger poster from the site) that I wanted to share. It is so important that we, Catholics, continuously pray to our Blessed Mother for her intercession to her Son, Jesus. For those who don't know the Hail Mary, here are the words within the poster:
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Hail Mary, full of grace,
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of they womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen
~ bella

The 4 Marks of the Catholic Churh: How Jesus Said His One, True Church Was, Is, and Always Will Be

2009-09-03T14:52:00.000-04:00

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Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, said that His true Church would be identified by the following 4 MARKS:

One (unified)
Holy
Catholic (universal)
Apostolic
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Truth is truth . . . and ONLY the Holy Roman Catholic Church possesses those 4 marks/qualities/characteristics.

As thoroughly explained in the video (below), this is not being arrogant, but TRUTHFUL!

Seek the Truth....and the Truth shall set you free!

http://www.tangle.com: search for "No Apologies"

Blessings,
~ bella

September Massacres of Catholic Priests During French Revolution

2009-09-02T10:58:00.000-04:00

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This program is from RealCatholicTV.com

Blessings,

~ bella

My Name-Patron Saint, St. Rose of Lima, Peru

2009-08-23T15:01:00.004-04:00

St. Rose of Lima, Peru

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5rBjmwP27s

Hello my dear friends in Christ!

I found this lovely Holy Card illustration (from Holy Cards for your Inspiration blog) because I had been searching for my Name Saint. My real name is not Bella, but is Rosalind (Roz) and when I looked up names for Catholic children and their corresponding saints, St. Rose of Lima, Peru popped up for my name. I think that this is so wonderful because I have wanted to visit Peru for the longest time. Has St. Rose been calling me gently to visit her country and continent? We'll see and I'll let you know if I am ever fortunate enough to visit!

It is also very interesting to me because the rose is my absolute favorite flower, of which I post numerous photos of my garden on my other blog: La Bella Vita (listed on the side bar on the right). St. Rose is also of Latin (Spanish) descent and I am as well (Italian). And lastly, she was born in April and so was I!

Here is a little more on St. Rose of Lima (source: American Catholic Saint of the Day and a simple yahoo.com inquiry)

St. Rose of Lima, Patron Saint Day: August 23rd
(1586-1617)

The first canonized saint of the New World has one characteristic of all saints—the suffering of opposition—and another characteristic which is more for admiration than for imitation—excessive practice of mortification.

She was born to parents of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru, at a time when South America was in its first century of evangelization. She seems to have taken Catherine of Siena as a model, in spite of the objections and ridicule of parents and friends.

The saints have so great a love of God that what seems bizarre to us, and is indeed sometimes imprudent, is simply a logical carrying out of a conviction that anything that might endanger a loving relationship with God must be rooted out. So, because her beauty was so often admired, Rose used to rub her face with pepper to produce disfiguring blotches. Later, she wore a thick circlet of silver on her head, studded on the inside, like a crown of thorns.

When her parents fell into financial trouble, she worked in the garden all day and sewed at night. Ten years of struggle against her parents began when they tried to make Rose marry. They refused to let her enter a convent, and out of obedience she continued her life of penance and solitude at home as a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic. So deep was her desire to live the life of Christ that she spent most of her time at home in solitude.
During the last few years of her life, Rose set up a room in the house where she cared for homeless children, the elderly and the sick. This was a beginning of social services in Peru. Though secluded in life and activity, she was brought to the attention of Inquisition interrogators, who could only say that she was influenced by grace.

What might have been a merely eccentric life was transfigured from the inside. If we remember some unusual penances, we should also remember the greatest thing about Rose: a love of God so ardent that it withstood ridicule from without, violent temptation and lengthy periods of sickness. When she died at 31, the city turned out for her funeral. Prominent men took turns carrying her coffin.

Virgin, born at Lima, Peru 20 April, 1586; died there 30 August, 1617.St. Rose of Lima is the patroness of Latin America and the Philippines. This South American Saint's real name was Isabel, but she was such a beautiful baby that she was called Rose, and that name remained.

As she grew older, she became more and more beautiful, and one day, her mother put a wreath of flowers on her head to show off her loveliness to friends. But Rose had no desire to be admired, for her heart had been given to Jesus. So she put a long pin into that wreath and it pierced her so deeply, that she had a hard time getting the wreath off afterward. Another time she became afraid that her beauty might be a temptation to someone, since people could not take their eyes off her. Therefore, she rubbed her face with pepper until it was all red and blistered.

St. Rose worked hard to support her poor parents and she humbly obeyed them, except when they tried to get her to marry. That she would not do. Her love of Jesus was so great that when she talked about Him, her face glowed and her eyes sparkled.

Rose had many temptations from the devil, and there were also many times when she had to suffer a feeling of terrible loneliness and sadness, for God

seemed far away. Yet she cheerfully offered all these troubles to Him. In fact, in her last long, painful sickness, this heroic young woman use to pray:

"Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart."

Many miracles followed her death. She was beatified by Clement IX, in 1667, and canonized in 1671 by Clement X, the first American to be so honoured. Her feast is celebrated 30 August. She is represented wearing a crown of roses.

~ bella

Thank You For This Blog Award . . . I Am Truly Honored!

2009-08-16T00:55:00.012-04:00

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To one of the most spiritual Catholic bloggers on the web, Esther, of "Catholic Mom in Hawaii", I extend my humble gratitude for your kindness and acknowledgement in honoring me through this blog award . . . what can I say, but "WOW"! Mahalo, dear Aloha friend.
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Now I realize that there are a few rules that one must adhere to in their acceptance of a blog award, and so here are a few simple rules for this particular blog award in order to pass on the love to others!

1. Copy the picture above and post it on your blog.
2. Pass it on to who you think who is/are deserving.
3. Leave a message to them.
4. Pass as many as you want.
5. Message back or leave a comment to the owner.

With love and encouragement to carry on the good Word of and works for the Lord, I joyfully pass this award on to the following Catholic blogging friends:

1. Adrienne, of Adrienne's Catholic Corner
2. Squelly in England, of A Dreamer's Day
3. Cam, from A Catholic Harvest

Adrienne said on her blog, " Lovely Bella from La Bella Vita, a fellow Italian, awarded me this from one of her other blogs, Our Beautiful Catholic faith. My only excuse (I'm digging deep here for justification) is I am always so busy copying her wonderful recipes on La Bella, I sometimes miss her other posts.Roz, also known as Bella, has posted her picture on La Bella Vita and we could be sisters. I, of course, hold the title of older and wiser, while Roz would be the younger and prettier. We'll have to draw straws for best cook.Take a moment to stop over and say congrats on her blogoversary today..."

Thanks for the kind comments, Adrienne! You've got a heck of blog too!

Blessings to all,
~ roz

Blue Ridge Mountains are Truly One of God's Beautiful Masterpieces!

2009-08-14T18:41:00.007-04:00

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Our brief trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina has sadly come to a close. I am in continual AWE over the incredible beauty of this great land that we live in. What a blessing to have experienced God's incredible creation! One is truly humbled in the grandeur of these 'blue' mountains! We were in the very northwestern corner of N.C. where Christmas tree farms permeate the landscape, tiny bed and breakfasts and eateries dot the roads, and even fledgling wineries can be seen.
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The temperatures were between 10 to 15 degrees cooler in the mountains than down in the foothills where we have our little acreage. It's so interesting to see how the vegetation, trees, and plants change as the altitude increases. I loved all of the different kinds of evergreen trees. The residents, whether rich, poor, or somewhere in between, all take great pride in their landscaping with so many flower gardens! Landscaping, stone businesses, and nurseries are big business up there! All which keep the area so quaint and inviting for an escape from daily mania. Now I understand why so MANY folks from Florida have second homes there.
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It really was a clear day when we hiked this enormous mountain, but part of the intrigue of the Blue Ridge mountains is the constant levels of 'haze'. A super camera, I do not own, so the pictures from my trusty little digital will have to suffice to capture the scenery. Truly, no camera can do justice this natural beauty anyway!
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Blue grass music being picked and sung on the back porch of the Old Mast General Store.
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On the way back down the mountains into South Carolina we bought a couple of baskets of Carolina peaches that are so sweet and perfect right now, that when you bite into one, the juice just pours down your chin and neck....napkins are required! So that's where I'm going to pick back up again in the kitchen. . .

that is . . . AFTER I prep enough for my classes which resume next week (advising and meetings are first in order).

It's so nice to be back blogging and chatting again with you! I'm really looking foward to getting a good discussion going again on our beautiful Catholic Faith!

Blessings,

~ roz

I Have Not Posted In A While, But Am Thinking And Praying For Each Of You!

2009-07-10T22:22:00.005-04:00

Hello My Dear Friends In Christ,

I am so sorry that I have not posted in nearly one month; I've been teaching summer school and then just simply catching up with everything on the acreage now that I have been out of school on July 1st. So I promise you that I have not forgotten my Catholic blog, nor any of you, and I just wanted you to know that I ask our Lord to bless each of you this summer season!

Blessings to each of you,

~ bella

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Prayers for Catholics Who Love Nature, Gardening & Rural Life!

2009-06-12T22:35:00.006-04:00

Dear Friends In Christ,

Here are a few more prayers that I found on ConservationCatholic on the web for those of you like-minded/soul folks who, like me, believe that God's natural creation is a blessing given to us and who also believe in being 'stewards' who care for God's beautiful natural creation for us! Please know that the source that I found these beautiful Catholic prayers is ConservationCatholic.org.

Prayer on Contemplating Nature

You, O God, Majestic Creator, are the origin of all life.
Nothing can exclude itself from your creative influence.
You are wonderful in your words and in your sovereignty.
Amazed, I contemplate the perfection of the world

you created for human beings.
You are unmatched in your power and in your goodness.
O Lord, you direct like a conductor the orchestration of a storm,

and you shape like a sculptor the petals of a flower.
You are prodigious in your majesty and in your wisdom.
Lord, you have fashioned human beings to accept

the challenges of nature and to be your voice in creation.
O Lord and King, Majestic Creator,

you have made your mystery transparent,

in the world you have created.
I worship you in your creation and in your providence.
Amen.

.From Prayers of Blessing and Praise for All Occasions, 1987, Hugo Schlesinger & Humberto Porto.

Blessings of Fields and Gardens

Let us together praise the Lord,
from whom we have rain from the heavens
and abundance from the earth.
Blessed be God now and for ever.

Let us bless God,

whose might has created the earth

and whose providence has enriched it.

God has given us the earth to cultivate,

so that we may gather its fruits to sustain life.

As we thank God for this bounty,

let us learn also, as the Gospel teaches,

to seek first God's way of holiness:

then all we need will be given us besides.
O God,
from the very beginning of time
you commanded the earth to bring forth vegetation
and every fruit of every kind.
You provide the sower with seed and give bread to eat.
Grant, we pray, that this land,
enriched by your bounty and cultivated by human hands,
may be fertile with abundant crops.
Then your people, enriched by the gifts of your goodness,
will praise you unceasingly now and for all ages unending.

From Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. Contains excerpts from the English translation of Book of Blessings, 1988, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc.

The Lord has bestowed the fruits of the earth

for the benefit of all the world's people.

May we share with all in need

and so be good stewards of God's earth and its abundance.

We remember the words Mary speaks

in the Gospel story of the visitation:

"The hungry He has filled with good things."

Praise in Creation
by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Glory be to God for dappled things --
For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow;
For rose-moles all in stipple upon trout that swim;
Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings;
Landscape plotted and pieced -- fold, fallow, and plough;
And all trades, their gear and tackle and trim.

All things counter, original, spare, strange;
Whatever is fickle, freckled (who knows how?)
With swift, slow; sweet, sour; adazzle, dim;
He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change:
Praise him.

To Christ, King of the Universe
O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge You King of the Universe.

All that has been created has been made for You.

Exercise upon me all Your rights.

I renew my baptismal promises renouncing Satan and all his works.

I promise to lead a good Christian life and to do all in my power to procure the triumph of the rights of God and Your Church.

Divine Heart of Jesus,

I offer You my poor actions

in order to obtain that all hearts may acknowledge

Your sacred royalty

and that thus the reign of Your peace

may be established throughout the universe.
Amen.

Blessings on your gardens, rural acreages and/or farmlands!

~ bella

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It's Gardening Time: Catholic Prayers for Gardeners!

2009-06-11T20:58:00.007-04:00

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My Dear Friends in Christ,
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Gardening is simply one of my greatest passions in life. I feel so grateful to our Lord for the simple blessings of beauty in both my flower and vegetable gardens and the ability to live out our dream of living on a country acreage . . . for His little piece of paradise that we lovingly call "La Bella Vita", the beautiful life (in Italian). Each and every time I am in the gardens, I feel so happy and so grateful. Besides being next to the horses, it is when I feel the most taken away from the stresses and worries of every day life.

I found the following beautiful Catholic prayers for gardeners and those who live a rural, country life on the Web today and wanted to share them with you. The e-source that I found these prayers is ConservationCatholic.com for your perusal.

The photos are all from my flower garden beds.

May God bless you and your gardens this year!

Mother Earth
by St. Francis of Assisi

Dear mother earth, who day by day
Unfolds rich blessing on our way,
O praise God! Alleluia!
The fruits and flowers that verdant grow,
Let them his praise abundant show.
O praise God, O praise God,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!
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Prayer of the Christian Farmer (or Gardener)

O God, Source and Giver of all things,

Who manifests Your infinite majesty, power and goodness

in the earth about us, we give You honor and glory.

For the sun and rain, for the manifold fruits of our fields,

for the increase of our herds and flocks we thank You.

For the enrichment of our souls with divine grace,

we are grateful.

Supreme Lord of the harvest,

graciously accept us and the fruits of our toil,

in union with Christ Your Son, as atonement for our sins,

for the growth of Your Church,

for peace and charity in our homes,

for salvation to all.

Amen.

Prayer Source: Novena in Honor of St. Isidore: Patron of Farmers by National Catholic Rural Life Conference, National Catholic Rural Life Conference.
Any farmer or city gardener will find this a beautiful prayer.

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Prayer of a Rural Family

Wise and compassionate God, accept this our prayer;

Sheltered from storm and darkness, under this roof,

This family kneels to adore You.

For the day just past,

For keeping us safely, body and soul,

Now we most humbly Thank You.

For hilltops and verdure,

For sunlight and wind and boundless space,

For rain and sky's rich color,

For boughs and blossoms and cold clean snow,

We are eternally grateful.

For birds and beasts,

For the good black earth and the seeds producing

The plenteous harvest; for times without number

When we have eaten of that same harvest,

We thank You and bless You forever.

Deliver us safely, if such be Your will,

From deluge and drought,

From famine and war and disaster.

Give us tomorrow, as yesterday and today.

All things most needed for rightful living;

And move our hearts that we may have sorrow

For sinning against You.

God of the hearth and the harvest,

Your children, here kneeling, adore You.

Bless now our rest

And cherish us safe till the morrow.

Amen.

Prayer Source: Novena in Honor of St. Isidore: Patron of Farmers by National Catholic Rural Life Conference, National Catholic Rural Life Conference
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Blessings to you this beautiful springtime of year!

~ bella

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Praying Rosary For My Father's Cancer Radiation Treatments

2009-06-07T17:22:00.002-04:00

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My Dear Friends in Christ,

I apologize if I have not blogged for a week or so, but I have begun teaching summer school classes, adopted two new horses, have been gardening and harvesting, and have had my father's health on mind as well. After his first two weeks of radiation, he is in much less pain and the treatment appears to be working positively! Praise Our Lord!
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I have added his health to my rosary petitions and if you are reading this, I humbly ask that you add just a second of a thought in your rosary petitions for him as well. We all know the tremendous power of PRAYER!
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I hope that you are having a blessed day!
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Blessings,
~ bella

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Prayers for the Dead on Memorial Day - Honoring our Loved Ones Who Have Passed Away &/Or Died For America

2009-05-25T17:28:00.012-04:00

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My Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is a special day in that we, Americans, remember, recall, honor, and pray for our loved ones who have passed away, and for those who have sacrificed their lives for America and her values.

I am unable to visit any of the graves of my deceased relatives because I simply live so far away from the Midwestern state of Iowa where I was born and raised and where both my husband's and my relatives are laid to rest. I am very sad about this reality, but I know that prayer is powerful no matter WHERE it takes place.

Who do you remember today? Do you remember who died for us in WWI? in WWII? in any other war, including the devastating war that we are currently engaged in?

There was no one who died in any war in my immediate family, however, I do know that one of my relatives in Italy stood up to Mussolini's Fascist soldiers in his tiny village, REFUSING TO MAKE AN ALLEGIANCE TO FASCISM and NAZISM. He was placed along a wall and SHOT TO DEATH for his position on democracy and freedom in Italy. What an incredible level of strength in the face of extreme adversity! His Catholic faith and love of our Lord will hopefully redeem him in his ultimate sacrifice of personal life!

Let us always remember: FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

I googled the web to find some Catholic prayers for the deceased for today's post for Memorial Day. I have found the following on Catholic Evangelism.com

Catholic Prayers for the Dead

O loving God . . .
I pray you to welcome my deceased family,friends, loved ones into heaven with you. Forgive them their sins and reward them their goodness.
Grant that I may be with them again in your Peaceful presence.
Amen.

O God our Father,Creator of all the living,
we entrust to Your gentle care all those we love who have gone before us;
and have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

O God, Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful,
grant to the souls of our departed loved ones,
the remission of all their sins,
that by means of our pious supplications,
they may obtain the joy of heaven which they have earnestly desired.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us Pray:

Merciful Father, hear our prayer and console us.
As we renew our faith in your Son,whom you raised from the dead,
strengthen our hope that all of our departed brothers and sisters
will share in his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

blessings today and always,
~ bella

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God's Glory in Springtime!

2009-05-24T18:53:00.013-04:00

Hello my Dear Friends in Christ,
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God's gift of beauty in nature is popping up all around me here on the acreage this Spring. We have been so blessed with weekly rains this year and there is hope that the 3-year long drought that has gripped the area is ending (at least for this spring anyway). I just had to go outside with my camera and capture some of the glory of spring. I hope you enjoy what I photographed on my nature walk:
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azaleas and hostas shimmering in the sun

sun dappled shade on this lime-colored hosta

mama bird lovingly protecting her babies in her nest

tender bleeding hearts growing in the shade

a magnificent throat of a stargazer lily

the beauty of dogwoods

brilliant blue columbine

brilliant azaleas

the birdbath to welcome our feathery friends among the hostas

proud and stately foxglove

. . . and finally, a perfect old fashioned rose for all of my blogging friends!

Blessings, and wishes for a lovely spring for you too,

~ bella

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First Holy Communion for My God Daughter

2009-05-24T18:18:00.009-04:00

Holy Card Image from Holy Reflections
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Hello my dear friends in Christ,
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This month my family and I celebrated a most holy and special occasion: The First Holy Communion of Ashleigh, my Godchild. It was a most beautiful and sacred event in our lives and we are so delighted for her ability to now receive the Eucharist - "the source and summit" of the Catholic Church.
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Thank you Lord for the precious gift of Yourself that we are invited to receive each and every day of our lives as Catholics.
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Holy Card Image from Holy Reflections
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I found this lovely prayer on CatholicOnline.com:

A Prayer for those who are preparing Children for their First Holy Communion

O Jesus,
who hast loved us with such exceeding great love

as to give us the ineffable gift of the Holy Eucharist,

inflame us with a burning zeal to promote Thy glory

by preparing worthily the little children

who are to approach Thy holy table for the first time.

Protect, O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

these young souls from the assaults of evil,

strengthen their faith,

increase their love and

endow them with all the virtues that will make them worthy to receive Thee.

Amen.

Blessings,

~ bella

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Let's Pray for the Conversion of Obama's Heart

2009-05-17T12:22:00.008-04:00

Dear Friends in Christ,

Let us pray today and always for the conversion of Obama's heart towards protecting the life of the unborn, for his understanding of the sanctity of life, and for his conversion away from the culture of death.

Let us also pray for the strengthening of our Catholic universit's in upholding, teaching, and representing with integrity, the beliefs of the Holy Catholic Church.

Let us pray for all Catholics and non-Catholics alike to walk away from the culture of death that exists in today's society.

Blessings,

~ bella

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Catholics ARE Christians! Evangelicals today tell me we're NOT CHRISTIAN! UGGGHH!!

2009-05-08T22:52:00.007-04:00

Hello dear friends in Christ,

Well the village evangelical idiots are alive and well in the Southeast as I found out during lunch with a friend today.....Oh my precious Lord, I was told by this brainwashed anti-Catholic that Catholics believe that Jesus was just another person and nothing else.

I knew that my prayers to defend the faith and to hopefully draw more in to love and respect the Catholic Church were being answered.

It all started with our discussion of the lack of moral authority that exists today in America and this horrible president that is now seeking shallow fame and glory through his "rock-stardom" and his pitifully self-absorbed wife that the world is setting on a pedestal (what is WRONG with everyone, other than the fact that we know with sincerity that it is the work of the devil that is (and has) influencing(ed) America's first couple and their shallow, glitz-thirsty followers).

So anyhow, during this once peaceful lunch, this fool asks me "Where do you go to church?"

I said, "Our Lady of Lourdes."

He stared at me.

I stared back with a nice smile and said, "Yea, I'm Catholic". Our Lady of Lourdes is the one and only Catholic church in town. No surprise, amidst the 35 Southern Baptist churches, and who knows how many evangelical churches there are, that there is just one Catholic church in this Southern town.....growing beyond their dismay and with, oh my gosh are you ready for this . . . plans to open a new Catholic school soon!

And then, hold on to your Rosaries, my dear friends, this "evangelical" questioned me, by asking with audacity, "Who do you believe Jesus Christ is?"

And I responded with firm conviction, "Jesus is the Word, the Revelation, He is God made flesh, became man, He is one of the Holy Trinity: The Father, the Son, and The Holy Spirit . . . This is not only stated in the Book of John, but also in the Catechism of the Catholic Church". I could have gone on and on, but I wanted to give this fool a simple definition . . . I'll save more for later . . . hee hee!

He asked, "Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God?" And I said, "Of course!"

He said that every Catholic he had ever met stated that Jesus is just a person and not God. And I said, you don't the Catholics that I know and worship with.

WHERE DO THESE FOOLS GET THIS GARBAGE INFORMATION THAT IS EVIL-Y PASSED ON TO OTHERS?? -- WHAT EVIL UNTRUTHS about the Holy Roman Catholic Church are being spread out there!!!

Then he told methat I was a CANNIBAL because Catholics believe that the Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus......and so forth and so on!

Then . . . oh here's the line that always goes for the main vein and artery - - HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE BORN AGAIN? YOU NEED TO READ NICODEMUS, cuz YOU AREN'T BORN AGAIN!

Hey friends, can someone point me in the right direction for some good statements to defend ourselves and our Faith? This uneducated, ultra anti-Catholic biased fool will see me again next week and I want to give him some valid grounds for his errors, and of course in a most loving and gracious manner! :)

I don't know about you, but I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MORE IN LOVE WITH MY CATHOLIC FAITH I AM EACH AND EVERY DAY and how I know that there is going to be a JUDGEMENT DAY for fools such as this one that I met today. Little does he know that I have been placed in HIS LIFE to show him the TRUTH and not the other way around. Bring it on!

With peace and love to my friends of the TRUE and ORIGINAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH,

~ bella

PS....After one month's absence from my blogs (due to my teaching vocation), I'M BACK, stronger than ever to defend our Faith and our beliefs!

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Easter is the Cause of Our JOY! The Most Important Holy Day For Catholics!

2009-04-12T00:01:00.002-04:00

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My Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is RISEN! Our sins are forgiven! Let us REJOICE in gladness and thanksgiving for this MIRACLE!

Blessings,

~ bella

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Cherry Blossoms and A Random Act of Kindness

2009-03-20T22:29:00.010-04:00

Hello dear friends in Christ,
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You know lately it seems that the local, state, national, and global news is simply just depressing. . . It's true, I'm a very sensitive person and when my boundaries are weak, I pick up on this negativity so much that it just drags me down . . . which is not my nature at all.

So tonight during my commute home from campus, I thought to myself, "Just think about the good things around you and anything nice that someone did for me lately that was a blessing!"

Well of course, being the flower and gardening freak that I am, I first thought of all the precious, delicate cherry blossoms now in bloom in the Carolinas, right next to the powerful splash of purple in the Eastern Redbud trees. I even saw a few brilliant red tulips on campus today, which I cannot grow on the acreage because the deer eat them for treats.

Well, those thoughts were certainly very effective in lifting my spirits, but then I thought of something else that I forgot to tell you about that happened one afternoon during my spring break visit to my parents in Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ.

One afternoon I stopped in one of the local/regional grocery stores for a few things and when I was checking out, the check-out lady asked me if I had a "Frye's card" (the name of the store). I said, "No, I don't have one because I am just visiting; we don't have a Frye's where I live". Very unexpectedly and totally out of the blue, a tiny, little elderly lady said, "Here, use mine", and handed her card to the check-out lady. I said to the kind lady, "Thank you, and I hope that the blessing you gave me is returned to you too." She smiled at me and said, "You know, I've heard of that happening"! And I said, "It really does!"

This nice lady saved me $10.00 during that shopping transaction. It was so sweet and pure of an act of kindness. And that just makes me smile! Even more so than the beauty of earth's flowers in spring . . . because it was human beauty!

There really are good people out there; many of them are you who I read your blogs and you who read mine. In these times, I think that it is just so important that we focus on these little, tiny, wonderful things to keep our smiles going . . . and hopefully it will be contagious and we will be the next blessing of human beauty to another person.

Blessings,

~ bella

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Happy St. Joseph's Day - An Italian Traditional Tribute

2009-03-18T14:58:00.014-04:00

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Hello my dear friends in Christ,

Well the fun and festivities around the globe for St. Patrick's Day have come and gone. And today a very little known feast day is observed among Italians and Italian-Americans. It is a quiet form of tribute, but is very meaningful. On this day Italians give thanks for prosperity, fulfilled promises and/or to simply share with those who are less fortunate. Here is a brief explanatory background of this feast day:

In Italy this day is known as "La Festa di San Giuseppe". St. Joseph is the Patron Saint of Sicily and in many American-Italian communities. On this day people show their gratitude to St. Joseph because back in the Middle Ages, there was a servere drought, so the people prayed to St. Joseph for rain with an oath to honor him with a large feast if their prayers were answered. The skies opened up with rain, a famine was prevented, and the people of Sicily kept their promise by preparing a massive banquet for St. Joseph. Everyone participated, including the needy.

The good news does not stop there. On this day, it is still tradition for Italians to give food to the poor and needy, in addition to placing fava beans (the crop that helped prevent starvation during the drought) on altars created for St. Joseph.

The altar is commonly 3 tiers high to represent the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and is covered with white linen fabric. Flowers, limes, wine, cakes, cookies, breads, candles, and a special Sicilian pastry called "Zeppole" are also placed on the altars. No meats or meat-filled dishes are allowed either on the altar and people are not allowed to eat meat during the dinner, because this feast takes place during Lent. Bread crumbs are commonly used in some of the recipes in order to represent saw dust, since St. Joseph was a carpenter. Many people will wear red.

A very special food made by Italians is called "Cuccadati" which beautiful bread loaves that are decorated in designs symbolic of a crown of thorns or other spiritual symbols of the Church. These cover latticework known as La Vastedde, along with lemons, limes, oranges, bay leaves, and myrtle branches.

In the United States, St. Joseph is honored in larger metropolitan cities where there is a high population of Italians. . . New Orleans, especially, because it is the port where many Sicilians entered America. Buffalo, NY, New York City, Chicago, and Kansas City also have public and private St. Joseph's altars constructed. A parade also takes place in New Orleans.
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an immense St. Joseph's Day altar in New Orleans, LA, USA
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Here is another beautiful explanation with photos of outstanding St. Joseph altars. In this web-site, the author explains in extreme details, the contents and their meanings of the food and wine items on the altars. It is highly recommended reading to understand the dedication to this Feast Day tradition: http://annachupa.com/StJo/index.html

and here is a link to a "Virtual St. Joseph's Altar": http://www.thankevann.com/stjoseph/

Buona Festa di San Giuseppee !!

Holy Card Image reprinted from Holy Cards for Your Inspiration blog http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com

Blessings,

~ bella

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Happy St. Patrick's Day Especially to All of My Irish Friends and Family Members

2009-03-16T19:33:00.016-04:00

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Hello dear friends in Christ,
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As the grass becomes greener this spring time of year, many Catholics and non-Catholics remember St. Patrick today.
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Here's to all of you and to my Irish friends and family members:

HAPPY ST. PATRICK's DAY!

"Irish" blessings t'ya,

~ 0'bella

For a beautiful prayer from St. Patrick, I recommend reading the post from Esther on her Catholic Mom in Hawaii blog. It is quite beautiful and inspirational. Her blog link is posted in my sidebar on the right.

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Horses and Heaven

2009-03-16T02:43:00.009-04:00

Hello my dear friends in Christ,

It is nearly 3:00 in the morning and I just can't sleep. After the death of my most precious horse companion-friend, Ace, yesterday, I feel like a living zombie (if there even is such a thing). Today before he was buried, we clipped strands of his mane and tail to have a few bracelets tastefully braided.

I wrapped a blue rosary around his right front hoof and asked our Lady to watch over him. (Later I realized how perfect 'blue' was for Ace due to all of the blue ribbons he won when he was in Hunter/Jumper competitions before we adopted him). My husband said, "I didn't know that horses were Catholic (trying to cheer me up) . . . and I said, "Mine is." We'll plant a tree over him when the time is right.

I'd like to thank Esther, Reenie, Kathy, Sally, Janice, Adrienne, Maryann, and Danielle, my blogging friends, for their immediate sentiments of sympathy to me. My tears flooded with gratitude for their caring concern for me.

But I wanted to just talk about my prayers that I said tonight before (trying to get to) sleep:

I am feeling this emotion of sadness, Lord, and yet I feel so SELFISH because there are so many FAR WORSE situations and issues in this world that are taking place right now. I am so sorry, Lord, if I am being selfish.

Yet, on the other hand, Lord, I believe that you gave us our emotions to feel, and to love, and to mourn, and to feel joyful. So I think that if You gave me these emotions, that it must be OK to feel them.

Lord, I truly do believe that you gave Ace to me. You love me and all of Your children so much, that You would do anything for our happiness, including the sacrifice of Your son for our eternal life with You in Heaven.

You gave me a love for horses upon my conception or even before the human thought of my conception! You strengthened that love throughout my younger years. You instilled in me, my own special dream . . . the goal of living on a country acreage with horses someday. Dear Father, I KNOW that You gave Ace to me and my son. He was a gift from You. Because of Ace's need for pasture, we found this lovely acreage that we know he enjoyed in the last 5 years. Father, I thank You for him and the years that he had with us.

Once again, Father, please forgive me for my sins and please help all the souls here on earth who suffer from loss, whatever that may be.

~ bella

P.S. If you care to see photos and a poem (author unknown) for Ace and how it all came about, you can find it on the 2 posts on March 15th, on my "La Bella Vita" blog at http://bellavita-bellasblog.blogspot.com

Buona Notte' (Good Night)

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Praying the Rosary During Lent: The Sorrowful Mysteries

2009-03-04T08:15:00.004-05:00

Hello dear friends in Christ,

As we increase our prayer time during Lent, we are called to focus on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Here is a gentle reminder of what those mysteries focus on:

1. Jesus at Gethsemene: His agony in the garden.

2. The Scourging at the Pillar

3. The Crowning of Thorns

4. The Way of the Cross

5. The Death of Jesus on the Cross

Blessings,

~ bella

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Request to Join Me in a Good Deed for Lent

2009-03-02T15:17:00.007-05:00

My Dear Friends in Christ,

I would like to ask you for some help regarding SOCIAL JUSTICE that the Catholic church is one of the strongest advocate for. Below is my post from today that I have on my other blog about Italian cuisine. It is in response to a negative ad campaign currently taking place on the part of Denny's restaurants here in the USA, in which Italians and Italian-Americans are depicted as mobsters.

It will only take a few seconds of your time to e-mail the company to pull the negative stereotypical advertisements. This would be a wonderful good deed to do for Lent to help stop the wrongful depiction of good people in this country.

Many thanks are extended to Janice T. Mancuso for granting permission to re-print this announcement excerpted in her e-newsletter "Tutto Italiano", here is her link: http://www.jtmancuso.com/.

From my blog:

"Would Black African-Americans tolerate prejudice and negative stereotypes in advertisements? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! An ad with that negative type of betrayal would be confronted IMMEDIATELY. So why should Italians and Italian-Americans have to continue to be mis-represented in the media ? WE SHOULD NOT!!!. . . . Please join me and others concerned about negative ethnic bashing of Italians and Italian-Americans by telling Denny's restaurants and other institutions that misrepresent people, that Italians are not mobsters. . . . . Italians and Italian-Americans are decent, educated, kind, and spiritual people who contribute positively to society and are sick and tired of the Godfather and Soprano humor and false drama that is out there!"

Please read on:

Italian Americans Protest Stereotypes in Denny's Ad Boycott Threatened If Commercial Is Not Pulled

WASHINGTON, DC - February 24, 2009

The Sons of Italy Commission for Social Justice (CSJ) is calling for a boycott of Denny's to protest the stereotyping of Italian Americans in the company's new national ad campaign, "Serious Breakfast." The CSJ isthe anti-defamation arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America, the nation's largest Italian American organization. Denny's is the largest family restaurant chain in the U.S. The CSJ has criticized one of the commercials in the series for its portrayal of three men who appear to be Italian American gangsters, discussing murdering "Benny" as they wait for their breakfast at a Denny's restaurant. The CSJ called for the commercial to be permanently removed from both television and the internet. In response to the CSJ's complaint, Nelson Marchioli, Denny's president and CEO, said the company had reviewed the commercial and found "no ethnic stereotyping, just fun and humor." "This is an unsatisfactory reply," says CSJ National President Anthony Baratta. "The Godfather movies and The Sopranos television series have helped make violence and criminality synonymous with Italian Americans," he says, "And the Denny commercial perpetuates this stereotype. That is not funny." If Denny's refuses to archive the commercial, Baratta says "Italian Americans can and will enjoy a 'serious breakfast' at a restaurant that does not insult them. Denny's should know that Italian Americans are the nation's fifth largest ethnic group, and to offend us will only hurt Denny's bottom line."

Baratta urges all concerned to contact Nelson Marchioli at: Denny's Corporation, 203 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29319; (800) 733-6697 or directly at (864) 597-7781

Email: nmarchioli@dennys.com

The Sons of Italy CSJ is the anti-defamation arm of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the largest and oldest national organization for people of Italian descent in the U.S.

To learn more about the CSJ, visit us on the Web at http://www.osia.org/ or contact us via e-mail at csj@osia.org.

Sons of Italy News Bureau Press Release

Please pass this message on for social justice concerns.

Grazie,

Blessings and Amore,

~ bella

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Catholics Believe in Fasting During Lent

2009-02-27T11:19:00.009-05:00

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Dear Friends in Christ,

Many people simply cannot understand the whole concept and behavior of fasting. They think, "Why in the world would anyone want to deprive themselves of food, or at least a decreased amount of food during one's day"? During the Lenten period, Catholics imitate Christ's own fasting for forty days in the desert and His resistance to the temptations of Satan that He encountered in the desert. When we humbly imitate Christ in our own self-denial, we purify our hearts, and our heavenly Father is pleased with us. Our souls receive spiritual benefits when we refrain from a variety of food, drink, and other negative temptations.

When Catholics fast during Lent, we do so as a willing penance for our offenses against God. We go beyond simply asking for forgiveness in our prayers or through the Sacrament of Penance. If we feel that little hunger pain by eating twice a day instead of three (or more) times a day. . . we can offer up that discomfort and share in Christ's suffering, thus helping our souls a little bit more as well.
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The glory of these forty days

We celebrate with songs of praise;

For Christ, by whom all things were made,

Himself fasted and has prayed.

Alone and fasting Moses saw

The loving God who gave the law;

And to Elijah, fasting, came

The steeds and chariots of flame.

Then grant that we like them be true,

Consumed in fast and prayer with you;

Our spirits strengthen with your grace,

And give us joy to see Your face.

Hymn, The Magnificat, February 27, 2009, p. 371

Today, Lord, grant me Thy grace to fast in a way that is pleasing to You.

Blessings,
~ bella

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Denying Ourselves During Lent: Personal Sacrifices and Fasting

2009-02-26T19:59:00.004-05:00

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Holy Card image re-printed with loving permission from "Holy Cards for Your Inspiration"

http://thewindowshowsitall.blogspot.com/

"If anyone wishes to come after me,

he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

What profit is there for one to gain the whole world

yet lose or forfeit himself?"

Luke 9:22 - 25

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Lenten Prayers

2009-02-26T08:37:00.008-05:00

.image of a holy card from my personal collection

Dear Friends in Christ,

Let's begin our 40 days of Lent by increasing our prayer time.

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Dear Lord,

During these forty days time of Lent

give me strength to turn away from worldliness

and lift my our eyes to You.

Grant me the required discipline

to make a daily commitment to drawing closer to You.

Help me recognize the many opportunities that you offer to me

to draw ever closer to You each day.

Help me remove myself from my busy-ness

in order to spend time with You.

Help me turn off the noise around me

so I can listen to You.

In its place, lead me to Your Word

in Sacred Scripture, art, and music.

Lord, let me never forget Your suffering and Passion

and what you sacrificed for my salvation.

Amen.

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God of all compassion, Father of all goodness,

to heal the wounds our sins and selfishness bring upon us,

you bid us turn to fasting, prayer, and sharing

with our brothers and sisters.

We acknowledge our sinfulness, our guilt is ever before us:

when our weakness causes discouragement,

let your compassion fill us with hope and

lead us through a Lent of repentance to the beauty of Easter joy.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

.Amen

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Gracious Savior,

You have given us this season of Lent

so that we might open ourselves more fully

to your saving grace and new life.

By our fasting, prayer and almsgiving,

may we realize anew that we rely on You in all things.

Your gift of grace makes all good things possible,

including our desire to reject sin and return to you.

Grant your people a spirit of reconciliation this Lent

so that we may forgive one another as you have forgiven us.

.Amen

3rd prayer re-printed with permission from "Catholic Mom in Hawaii"

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Ash Wednesday and Lent

2009-02-25T14:09:00.010-05:00

Dear friends in Christ,

Today is a most holy day, one that all Catholics around the planet unite together to begin our 40-day journey of repenting our sins, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, sacrificing, and doing good works. Pope John Paul II said that Catholics who fast and pray together as one body, are a most effective weapon against the power of the devil.

Today, I join with all of you in this wonderful spiritual opportunity to improve our souls, to continue the fight against evil in this world, and to grow in faith ever closer to our Heavenly Father, His Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Blessings,

~ bella

Through all your days . . . keep the Lord in mind, and

suppress every desire to sin or to break His commandments.

Perform good works all the days of your life, and

do not tread the paths of wrongdoing.

Do not turn your face away from any of the poor, and

God's face will not be turned away from you.

Give to hungry some of your bread, and

to the naked some of your clothing.

Whatever you have left over, give away as alms; and

do not begrudge the alms you give.

At all times bless the Lord God, and

ask Him to make all your paths straight and

to grant success to all your endeavors and plans.

Tobit 4:5, 7b, 16, 19a

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