St. Gemma Galgani

In the Passionist Order, today marks the feast date of St. Gemma Galgani. A contemporary saint ( she died in 1903 at the age of 25) , her extraordinary life was marked by the sufferings and trials saints so often bear in the service of Our Lord. St. Gemma was gifted with the wounds of Christ at age 21.

I am enthralled and inspired by the life of this beautiful, humble saint. Divine grace surrounded her always, and Our Lord and Our Lady appeared to her often. She used to send letters to her spiritual director, Father Germano, through a very special delivery service….

However, the most unusual angelic errands were the one’s that Father Germano writes about in Gemma’s biography. Gemma would write a letter to him (Father Germano) seeking some spiritual guidance, and then place it in a “Little Manger Shrine” that was in the Gianinni home (her "adopted" family -editor), and because she had no money for stamps, she would request her angel to deliver the letter for her. Father Germanus, living several hundred miles away in Rome at the time, would soon “find” the letter unstamped on his desk, or another such place. (yet another reason for the angelic deliveries was the fact that Father Germanus travelled extensively in his preaching ministry, and Gemma never knew where to reach him)Realizing how unusual this was, Father Germano asked Heaven for a sign that these "angelic deliveries" were it was in accord with God’s Will. Afterwards, while he was staying at the Passionist house in Corneto, Italy, a "young boy" knocked at the door asking for him. Father Germanus answered the door and the boy handed him a letter from Gemma, and ubruptly turned and left without saying a word. Who was the boy and how could Gemma have known that he was visiting at Corneto? He opened the letter and immediately realized that God anwered his prayer as to the authentcity of these "angelic" deliveries. After Gemma’s death, he wrote: “I always received the angelic letters faithfully. The fact is unusual … I confess I do not understand it at all....To how many tests did I not I submit this singular phenomenon in order to convince myself that it took place through a supernatural intervention! And yet none of my tests ever failed; and thus I was convinced again and again that in this, like in many other extraordinary things in her life, Heaven was delighted in amusing itself, as it were, with this innocent and dear maiden.”

For more on St. Gemma, please visit this outstanding site . It is one of my favorite places to visit when I have a free moment in the day!

Our Lady Help of Christians Novena

The Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians (also called Mary, Help of Christians) is celebrated May 24th. Today around the world novenas are beginning to honor the Virgin Mary in this manner.

St. John Bosco dedicated much of his ministry to Our Lady bearing this title. Spreading devotion to Mary, Help of Christians is one of the three primary devotions of the Salesian Order, which he founded. The accounts of intercession by Mary, Help of Christians are astonishing.

With secularism, socialism and anti-Catholic sentiment rampant the world over, I am so grateful that we have recourse to Our Lady with yet another powerful prayer. Please encourage prayer warriors everywhere to honor The Blessed Mother and invoke her powerful patronage as Our Lady, Help of Christians.

I found three great Novenas :

Novena #1

Novena#2

Novena #3

Prayer to Our Lady Help of Christians

St. John Bosco

Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians,how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help.If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me?

Grant then to me, I implore you, your perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations.I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering. Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners.Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life.

Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians,that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.

A New Majority!

A new Gallup poll has found that a majority of Americans consider themselves to be pro-life.

"PRINCETON, NJ -- A new Gallup Poll, conducted May 7-10, finds 51% of Americans calling themselves "pro-life" on the issue of abortion and 42% "pro-choice." This is the first time a majority of U.S. adults have identified themselves as pro-life since Gallup began asking this question in 1995...

The new results, obtained from Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs survey, represent a significant shift from a year ago, when 50% were pro-choice and 44% pro-life. Prior to now, the highest percentage identifying as pro-life was 46%, in both August 2001 and May 2002."

Thank you Jesus, thank you Mary for this shift in the hearts of mankind. Please touch the hearts and minds of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and every elected official so that they may govern as God would have them govern; protecting the most innocent and vulnerable lives among us, from natural conception to natural death. Amen.

Really Relevant Radio

As a HappytoBeCatholic, I am always striving for a deeper understanding of Truth. I love to read about the lives of the saints, read accounts of the lives of Our Lady and St. Joseph as reported by mystics and historians, and watch documentaries and movies about Catholics, Christians and other world religions. I am inspired by stories of miraculous healings and accounts of the power of prayer.

Of all the resources available to my inquiring Catholic mind, none has proven more valuable than a talk radio station called Relevant Radio.
Every time I turn on this Catholic station, I learn something new or my faith is deepened in some way.

You can tune in each morning and receive in your-face- Truth courtesy of the incomparable Father John Corapi. Catholic family and relationship issues? Dr. Ray Guarendi hosts a program just for that. The treasure of spiritual direction is available for all to experience, on The Inner Life – a program featuring various spiritual directors from around the country. My personal favorite is afternoon drive time The Drew Mariani Show. This skillfully presented show features experts discussing politics, faith, culture, spiritual warfare, prayer and more. Drew’s show leaves me inspired, uplifted, energized and occasionally outraged. His talent is truly extraordinary and has helped me explore aspects of Catholicism that I might not have discovered on my own.

Relevant Radio is in a number of states, for a complete list, click here. But the good news is that even if you aren’t fortunate to have an affiliate in your area, you can listen online anytime, free of charge! Free audio archives are available for download as well.

Lots of non-Catholics listen as well. The programming is that great.

If you tune in this week, you will find yourself at the tail end of their quarterly pledge drives. Another unique thing about Relevant Radio is that they are listener supported. Four times a year they host a week long pledge drive, and listeners call and contribute $5, $10, $25…whatever they can afford to help keep this extraordinary Catholic station on the air. Even the pledge drives are fun…it feel nice to be a part of something that brings so many people closer to God.

Enjoy!

Two Daughters Too Many

The consumption of fetal soup in China...Dr. George Tiller... Jill Stanek's account of babies dying alone in soiled laundry closets. Sometimes I long for the days when I was blissfully ignorant about the depraved depths of abortion on demand, but I recognize that I, as a baptized Catholic, am a soldier in Our Lady's army and I must pray the rosary every single day to end the genocide of 'inconvenient' children.

Today a story out of Sweden shocks the conscience. The right words, if any , elude me...

So here is the story, in its heartbreaking entirety. *sigh*

STOCKHOLM, May 12, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Swedish health authorities have ruled that it is not illegal to kill a healthy unborn child based simply on its gender, according to Swedish news service The Local.
Doctors had asked health authorities about the matter after a woman from southern Sweden had two of her children killed in utero for being an undesired sex. The woman had already given birth to two daughters.
The gender was determined during an amniocentesis requested to determine whether the child had a disability.
Concerned doctors at Mälaren Hospital then asked Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare to determine a protocol for future instances in which they "feel pressured to examine the foetus's gender" without a medical necessity.
The medical board responded that such requests must be accommodated.
According to Swedish law, abortion is legal on any basis whatsoever up to the 18th week of gestation, and therefore the board said doctors cannot deny a mother seeking to have an unborn child killed because it is the wrong gender.
A medical ethics consultant told The Local in March that mothers regularly travel to Sweden from Norway, where sex-selective abortions are illegal, to abort unwanted girls.


Our Lady of Fatima, please pray for us.

The Most Powerful Prayer

Do you have an urgent prayer need?

Feeling hopeless?

Empty?

Lost?

Angry?

The answer is here.

St. Joseph the Worker

Today is the feast date of St. Joseph the Worker.

We are reminded today that we are called to holiness in all our endeavors. Every task, no matter how mundane, can be done with joy and offered with gratitude to Our Lord.

It is true that today is a wonderful day for job-seekers, fathers, families and laborers to offer their petitions to St. Joseph.

But it is also an exceptionally powerful day for anyone to approach this great saint.

It seems that God grants special intercessory authority to certain saints. St. Peregrine, Patron Saint of Cancer Sufferers, is an example. He may be a powerful intercessor for a prayer to heal cancer; however, asking him to help you pray to find a lost article might not prove particularly effective.

Areas of intercession appear to correspond to a specific saint's calling or reflect the ways God uniquely touched them while on Earth. It logically follows then that the two most glorious saints in all of heaven, The Blessed Virgin Mary and her Most Chaste Spouse, St. Joseph, who were called to know the Lord more intimately than any others, who were touched in every way by the magnificence of God and His mysterious plan, would be granted the ability to intercede - powerfully - for every prayer presented to them.

Numerous mystics and visionaries report that God grants Saints special power on their feast dates. While prayers are always heard, the connection to heaven might be extra-clear on those days. Just one more generous gift from our wonderful, loving merciful God.

Make the most of this powerful day to draw closer to the carpenter, spouse of the Blessed Virgin and humble servant of God who held the Christ child in his arms.

He who protected Our Lord and Our Lady while being hunted by cruel King Herod, is a extraordinary patron in uncertain times like this.


Litany of St. Joseph

V/ Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
V/ Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
V/ Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
V/ Jesus, hear us. R/ Jesus, graciously hear us.
V/ God, the Father of Heaven, R/ have mercy on us.
V/ God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, R/ have mercy on us.
V/ God, the Holy Spirit, R/ have mercy on us.
V/ Holy Trinity, One God, R/ have mercy on us.
R/ pray for us.

Holy Mary,
St. Joseph,
Renowned offspring of David,
Light of Patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Foster father of the Son of God,
Diligent protector of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most strong,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful,
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of artisans,
Glory of home life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the wretched,
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,

R/ spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,

R/ graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world.
R/ have mercy on us.
He made him the lord of his household.
R/ And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray.

O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever and ever.

Amen.

additional resources

Prayers to St. Joseph

A fabulous book about the life of St. Joseph

Another great book about St. Joseph

A fantastic 31 day novena to St. Joseph

The Holy Cloak of St. Joseph - an extraordinary prayer

US National Shrine of St. Joseph

St. Joseph's Oratory, Montreal, Canada

A Special Prayer to St. Joseph for Employment

God My Father, the Feast Day of Saint Joseph the Worker was instituted to draw attention to the dignity of labor, and to remind us of the spirituality of our jobs. I give the workers of my family and circle of friends-and their jobs-to Saint Joseph's intercession, and I especially ask for his prayers in the protection and guidance of husbands and fathers. Help us to view these men-and all workers-with the same appreciation as You have, O Lord. Teach us to prioritize our jobs rightly, for the sake of loving our families, and lead the unemployed to work that is right for them. Saint Joseph, pray for us. Amen.

One final note, if you wish to learn more about how devotion to St. Joseph can transform a life, please research Blessed Brother Andre. Wow!

Thank you St. Joseph for your extraordinary example. Bless us all, especially those in need of work and those who do not yet know your Son.

Thank you God for the graces granted to St. Joseph and Our Lady.

Good night and God Bless.

URGENT PRAYER NEED

Please, please pray for God to guide President Obama as he selects a candidate to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. And please pray that God touches this individual profoundly, and guides their every decision.

How important is one supreme court justice?

The lives of one million unborn children per year hang in the balance of this decision.

President Obama's decidedly liberal personal stance is no guarantee that the justice he apppoints will vote in a liberal manner.

Souter himself is a perfect example.

Souter was a Republican appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, largely on the recommendation of New Hampshire's former Gov. John Sununu, who had become the first President Bush's chief of staff.
But Souter surprised Bush and other Republicans by joining the court's more liberal wing.

He generally votes with Stevens and the two justices who were appointed by President Bill Clinton — making up the bloc of four more liberal members of the court, a group that has usually been in the minority throughout Souter's tenure.

npr has the full story here

Please forward this request to prayer warriors everywhere.

Thank you and God Bless.

A Day in the Life of a Carmelite Monk

There is no noise for all is still, except perhaps for the wind from the canyon beating against the walls. Each room is dark and silent as the bright brilliant moon shines its glow and the stars twinkle in the heavens above. The towns and cities of Wyoming are black; every man is asleep in bed. It is 4:10 in the morning and the day for many has not yet begun, but in this silent stillness there tolls a bell for the space of a “Hail Mary” and those precious words of the new day sound from the monk’s lips, “Praised be Jesus Christ!” Many do not hear these words, but to the monks who wake to such a resounding cry the day has begun. Jesus is waiting for them in their small, poor little chapel; there is work to be done, prayers to be said and souls to be saved.

Read more here ( wow!), and please keep these dedicated servants of God in your prayers.

Rejoicing in Principle over Prestige

Harvard Law professor and former US Ambassador the the Vatican Mary Ann Glendon announced this week that she would turn down Notre Dame University's prestigious Laetare medal.

From Politics Daily...

The Laetare Medal is the highest honor conferred on Catholics in the United States. For a Catholic, it has greater prestige than a Nobel Prize for a scientist or an Academy Award for an actor, as the award is given for career-long achievement, for "staying the course" in the words of St. Paul. It doesn't just showcase a single discovery or film role.

To renounce it, therefore, is not the lightest of matters.

Laetare, translated from Latin, means 'rejoice'. As in the Catholic community rejoices in your good example.

I am inspired, yet not surprised, that a woman who has dedicated her life to defending Truth concluded that she could not in good conscience accept this year's award.

God Bless you, Professor Glendon.

And thank you God, for the grace of her good example.

For God and Country

Temptation to despair abounds at present.

The United States of America is run by a man who is doing everything in his power to violate some of the most sacred principles of the Catholic faith.

He seems capable of only spending massive amounts of money to morally and economically cripple future generations of America.

But a very smart group of people remembered that Jesus promised that the gates of Hell would not prevail against His Church.

They know that prayers from YOU could turn this country around overnight.

They know God responds to prayers from the heart by touching the most hardened of hearts.

These smart folks launched America's Prayer Campaign, an inspired initiative harnessing the power of promised prayers everywhere.

Visitors to their site make a prayer 'pledge' - rosaries, chaplets of Divine Mercy, alms giving, fasting, general prayer , etc. - offering prayers "... To Renew, Re-awaken and Restore our Nation"

"The constitution of the United States of America states clearly that we as citizens have the right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Yet in this great nation that holds individual rights as supremely sacred, the most basic right, the right to life is systematically denied to its most vulnerable. Faith and God in our nation are under attack and new government policy is moving us even further down the path to atheism, secularism, and from the vision of our founding fathers.

I visited America's Prayer Campaign, and made my humble offering.

Guess what?

It was so much FUN to to offer those prayers!

I love my country. I don't want to see it destroyed with Godless secularism, socialism, immorality, greed and indifference. The United States of America desperately needs prayers. This is an opportunity for anyone, anywhere to serve this great nation of ours.

Please consider visiting America's Prayer Campaign and making a spiritual offering. Forward the link to friends and family, asking prayer warriors to join in the fight to renew the divinely inspired, Christian nation of the United States of America.

God Bless you.

God Bless America.

Totus Tuus

Today is the feast date of St. Louis de Montfort. His book True Devotion to Mary is a must-read for Catholics everywhere. Check the reviews on Amazon.com and you will get an idea of how the timeless message of this book continues to transform lives and hearts hundreds of years after it was written.

In his work as a preacher and author, St. Louis de Montfort spread devotion to the rosary. He knew better than most the incredible power of this glorious prayer. St. Louis de Montfort understood that when the faithful pray the rosary from the heart, miracles happen.

So St. Louis de Monfort wouldn't have been a bit surprised to learn what happened centuries later when the world's super-powers were locked in the global arms and intelligence standoff known as the Cold War.

In response to the escalating tensions between the United States and Russia, Pope John XXIII called for prayers, and a million pilgrims in Fatima held an all-night prayer vigil before the Blessed Sacrament on October 12-13, 1960. On October 24th, a bizarre accident resulted in the explosion of a new Soviet missile, killing many of their top scientists and setting back the Soviet nuclear arms program.

On May 13, 1984, one of the largest crowds in Fatima’s history gathered to pray. On the same day, a series of explosions started at Severomorsk, Russia, the site of the Soviet Union’s northern fleet. The explosions continued for five days and destroyed much of the weaponry that was stored there at the time, but fortunately the nuclear weapons and ships were missed.

Four years later, it happened again. As thousands prayed all night long on May 12, 1988 during the vigil of the anniversary of the apparition at Fatima, another major explosion shut down the Soviet Union’s only missile motor plant.

Did the faithful ask for destruction of Russia's nuclear capabilities? I don't know. But I have no doubt that many people prayed the rosary for peace during those vigils.

A testament to the awesome power of prayer.

Especially prayer of the rosary.

Even if you've never heard of St. Louis de Montfort, his motto may ring a bell. In it's entirety it reads:

Totus tuus ego sum, et omnia mea tua sunt, O Virgo, super omnia benedicta.

which translates as:

I am all yours, and all that is mine is yours, O Virgin, blessed above all.

Sound familiar? Pope John Paul II shared St. Louis de Monfort's True Devotion to Mary, and adopted Totus Tuus as the motto of his pontificate.

with appreciation to 2heartsnetwork.org

Bishop D' Arcy Responds to Father Jenkins

An update on the Notre Dame scandal follows. This whole mess is so sad, and is just such an unnecessary trial for the Church. I guess it is a lesson to us all on the importance of obedience and humility.

Bishop John D'Arcy released the following statement this week:

Statement to the faithful

April 21, 2009

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Recently, Father John Jenkins, CSC, in a letter of response to Bishop Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix, who had written him, critical of the decision to invite President Obama to speak and receive an honorary degree of law at Notre Dame, indicated that it was his conviction that the statement “Catholics in Political Life” (USCCB) did not apply in this matter. Father Jenkins kindly sent me a copy of his letter, and also at a later meeting, asked for a response.

In an April 15th letter to Father Jenkins, I responded to his letter.Now the points made in his letter have been sent by Father Jenkins to the members of the Notre Dame Board of Trustees and have been publicized nationally, as well as locally in the South Bend Tribune. Since the matter is now public, it is my duty as the bishop of this diocese to respond and correct. I take up this responsibility with some sadness, but also with the conviction that if I did not do so, I would be remiss in my pastoral responsibility.

Rather than share my full letter, which I have shared with some in church leadership, I prefer to present some of the key points.

1. The meaning of the sentence in the USCCB document relative to Catholic institutions is clear. It places the responsibility on those institutions, and indeed, on the Catholic community itself.“The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” — “Catholics in Political Life,” USCCB.

2. When there is a doubt concerning the meaning of a document of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, where does one find the authentic interpretation? A fundamental, canonical and theological principal states that it is found in the local bishop, who is the teacher and lawgiver in his diocese. — Canon 330, 375 §§ 1 & 2; 380; 381 § 1; 391 § 1; 392, & 394 §1.

3. I informed Father Jenkins that if there was any genuine questions or doubt about the meaning of the relevant sentence in the conference’s document, any competent canonist with knowledge of the tradition and love for Christ’s church had the responsibility to inform Father Jenkins of the fundamental principle that the diocesan bishop alone bears the responsibility to provide an authoritative interpretation.

4. I reminded Father Jenkins that he indicated that he consulted presidents of other Catholic universities, and at least indirectly, consulted other bishops, since he asked those presidents to share with him those judgments of their own bishops. However, he chose not to consult his own bishop who, as I made clear, is the teacher and lawgiver in his own diocese. I reminded Father Jenkins that I was not informed of the invitation until after it was accepted by the president. I mentioned again that it is at the heart of the diocesan bishop’s pastoral responsibility to teach as revealed in sacred Scripture and the tradition. (“Lumen Gentium,” 20; and “Christus Dominus,” 2.) I reminded him that it is also central to the university’s relationship to the church. (“Ex corde ecclesiae,” 27 & 28; Gen. Norm., Art. 5, §§ 1-3.)

5. Another key point. In his letter to Bishop Olmsted and in the widespread publicity, which has taken place as the points in the letter have been made public, Father Jenkins declared the invitation to President Obama does not “suggest support” for his actions, because he has expressed and continues to express disagreement with him on issues surrounding protection of life. I wrote that the outpouring of hundreds of thousands who are shocked by the invitation clearly demonstrates, that this invitation has, in fact, scandalized many Catholics and other people of goodwill. In my office alone, there have been over 3,300 messages of shock, dismay and outrage, and they are still coming in. It seems that the action in itself speaks so loudly that people have not been able to hear the words of Father Jenkins, and indeed, the action has suggested approval to many.In the publicity surrounding the points Father Jenkins has made, he also says he is “following the document of the bishops” by “laying a basis for engagement with the president on this issue.” I indicated that I, like many others, will await to see what the follow up is on this issue between Notre Dame and President Obama.

6. As I have said in a recent interview and which I have said to Father Jenkins, it would be one thing to bring the president here for a discussion on healthcare or immigration, and no person of goodwill could rightly oppose this. We have here, however, the granting of an honorary degree of law to someone whose activities both as president and previously, have been altogether supportive of laws against the dignity of the human person yet to be born.

In my letter, I have also asked Father Jenkins to correct, and if possible, withdraw the erroneous talking points, which appeared in the South Bend Tribune and in other media outlets across the country. The statements which Father Jenkins has made are simply wrong and give a flawed justification for his actions.

I consider it now settled — that the USCCB document, “Catholics in Public Life,” does indeed apply in this matter.The failure to consult the local bishop who, whatever his unworthiness, is the teacher and lawgiver in the diocese, is a serious mistake. Proper consultation could have prevented an action, which has caused such painful division between Notre Dame and many bishops — and a large number of the faithful.That division must be addressed through prayer and action, and I pledge to work with Father Jenkins and all at Notre Dame to heal the terrible breach, which has taken place between Notre Dame and the church. It cannot be allowed to continue.

I ask all to pray that this healing will take place in a way that is substantial and true, and not illusory. Notre Dame and Father Jenkins must do their part if this healing is to take place. I will do my part.

Sincerely yours in our Lord,

Most Reverend John M. D’Arcy

God Bless You, Emma

This story about a little girl, Pope Benedict, and the Make A Wish Foundation made my day. I hope it makes yours.

Deepest gratitude to God for the grace of Emma's heartwarming example. May He bless Pope Benedict and everyone at Make a Wish who worked to make Emma' s dream come true.

Et Tu, Georgetown?

What is it with 'Catholic' universities these days?

There are a lot of other things that my HappyToBeCatholic self would prefer to write about, but I find myself again confronted with a prestigious Catholic university honoring an undeniably pro-abortion elected official in a big way.

This time it is Georgetown, and they are honoring Vice President Joe Biden.

This is every bit as bad as the Notre Dame scandal.

Consider the following:

Biden is Obama's VP. I don't care what he says about his personal feelings about abortion, he is second in command in the most radically pro-abortion administration our country has ever seen.

Biden professes to be Catholic, yet maintains a pro-life political position despite admonition from Church authorities. Obama is not Catholic.

Georgetown is violating the USCCB 'Catholics in Political Life' directive. "...Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

Georgetown is bestowing the "Legal Momentum Hero' award on Biden tomorrow at a symposium celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

Cruel irony there. Abortion is the ultimate act of violence against a woman and her unborn child.

Please pray for all involved.

No Shame at Notre Dame, Part II

Nearly seventy bishops have now have publicly expressed disapproval for Notre Dame University's decision to invite unapologetically pro-abortion President Barack Obama to deliver their upcoming commencement address. For the full list, click here.


Father John Jenkins, Notre Dame University President and Inviter-in Chief of President Obama is apparently unperturbed by the prolific and profound admonitions from the bishops, as evidenced by his comment yesterday that "(Notre Dame is)..proud and honored to welcome (Obama)...This is a tremendous event for us. We're tremendously proud."

Jenkins continued "I think it's unfortunate that the great event of President Obama coming to this campus has been a little clouded by that controversy... but we believe what we believe, and we're clear on that, but at the same time, we recognize this remarkable leader and this remarkable person who has accomplished so much."


Accomplishments? Let me list them for you in case you missed them.

1. Gave the Queen of England an Ipod


2. Befriended Hugo Chavez


3. Rescinded the Mexico City policy on his second day in office


4. Lifted the ban on fetal stem cell research


5. Fired the Chairman of GM


6. Spent more money in two weeks than we can ever hope to repay

Jenkins gushed "He will speak to our graduates in such a powerful way. He's one of our great orators of our time, and we're just so proud to have him."

Speech was my college major. Do you know who else was often referred to as one of the greatest orators of all time?

Adolf Hitler.

He didn't value life either.

Mass of Reparation

The Most Reverend Thomas G. Wenski, Bishop of Orlando, is offering a Mass of Reparation to atone for Notre Dame University's invitation and intent to confer an honorary degree on anti-life extremist President Barack Obama.

All are invited to attend, please spread the word. If Orlando is too long a journey, please consider asking your diocese to consider a similar Mass.

A statement from the Diocese of Orlando follows:

As Catholics we are aware of the many shortcomings and transgressions committed against the dignity and sacredness of human life in our world. That is why it is inconceivable that the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic institution of higher learning, should receive and honor anyone who promotes policies that are contradictory to who we are as a people of faith.

As our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI stated in his visit to the U.S. last year in reference to Catholic university presidents, "to justify positions that contradict the faith and teaching of the church would obstruct or even betray the university's identity and mission."

Mass of Reparation

May 3 at 6:00 p.m. Cathedral of St. James 215 N. Orange Avenue

Downtown Orlando

Come and pray with Bishop Wenski for all of our transgressions against the Gospel of Life.

Reparation is the making amends for a wrong done or for an offense against God. By his death on the cross, the Son of God offered his life out of love for the Father to make reparation for our sinful disobedience (CCC #614).
We are obliged to make reparation for personal sins against justice and truth (CCC #2412 and #2487).

Happy Divine Mercy Sunday!!!

I begin this post with apologies for not posting the ninth day of the novena, the very important day that Jesus asked us to bring him the Lukewarm Souls. I wasn't able to get to my computer, hopefully you were able to find the prayers elsewhere on the Internet.

Now, about today.

Divine Mercy Sunday!!!

Today Our wonderful, loving and MERCIFUL Lord opens the floodgates of heaven.

The promises are so BIG, so bold and so wonderful that I don't dare try and describe them myself...instead I quote Our Lord himself from St. Faustina's Diary. (699)

My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.

There is one more thing. In order to receive God's mercy, we must be merciful to others. We must live His example.

We are not only to receive the mercy of God, but to use it by being merciful to others through our actions, our words, and our prayers; in other words, we are to practice the Corporal and Spiritual Works (Acts) of Mercy.
The Lord wants us to do these works of mercy, because even the strongest faith is of no use without works.

What are the Works of Mercy?

Corporal Works

Feed the hungry
Give drink to the thirsty
Clothe the naked
Shelter the homeless
Comfort the prisoners
Visit the sick
Bury the dead

Spiritual Works

Teach the ignorant
Pray for the living & dead
Correct sinners
Counsel those in doubt
Console the sorrowful
Bear wrongs patiently
Forgive wrongs willingly

Jesus' Call to Mercy

"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.
I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy" (1317).

with appreciation to the Marians of the Immaculate Conception

http://www.thedivinemercy.org/

Divine Mercy Novena, Day Eight

Divine Mercy Novena

Eighth Day

"Today bring to Me the Souls who are in the prison of Purgatory,
and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice."

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion.

Amen.

Divine Mercy Novena, Day Seven

Divine Mercy Novena
Seventh Day

Today bring to Me the Souls who especially venerate and glorify My Mercy*,
and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.


Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God:Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory.

Amen.

*The text leads one to conclude that in the first prayer directed to Jesus, Who is the Redeemer, it is "victim" souls and contemplatives that are being prayed for; those persons, that is, that voluntarily offered themselves to God for the salvation of their neighbor (see Col 1:24; 2 Cor 4:12). This explains their close union with the Savior and the extraordinary efficacy that their invisible activity has for others. In the second prayer, directed to the Father from whom comes "every worthwhile gift and every genuine benefit,"we recommend the "active" souls, who promote devotion to The Divine Mercy and exercise with it all the other works that lend themselves to the spiritual and material uplifting of their brethren.

Divine Mercy Novena, Day Six

The other day my two year old daughter tugged on my hair. I was about to scold her when I saw that she was actually reaching for the crucifix I wear around my neck.

She leaned in to kiss it and then smiled sweetly at me.

No wonder the souls of children bring Jesus so much joy.

Divine Mercy Novena

Sixth Day

Today bring to Me the Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence.

Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages.

Amen.

Novena prayers may be followed by the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

Divine Mercy Day Five, Divided States of America?

President Obama would have the world believe that, despite our name, we are a nation divided.

The proffered premise: he represents a nation of fractured faith, certainly not a Christian nation. Jesus can't unite America, or the world for that matter, but he can.

Please.

A recent Newsweek poll of 1,003 American adults found that 62 percent consider the United States to be Christian.

You will recall that Barack Obama won the election with 52.92% of the vote, not quite ten percent less than Jesus.

So, who better represents America?

However misleading his remarks, Obama does highlight a good point. The world is full of division.

One need look no further than Notre Dame University to see examples of division within our own faith. Interestingly enough, the Greek roots of the English word diabolic is 'to divide' or 'to tear apart'

Jesus is pained by division in the Church. He revealed that to St. Faustina when He asked that today we bring Him all the souls who have left the faith or those who deliberately disturb harmony in the Church.

But find solace in His words " As they return to the Church my wounds heal..."

Divine Mercy Novena

Fifth Day

"Today bring to Me the Souls of those who have separated themselves from My Church*,
and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart, that is, My Church. As they return to unity with the Church My wounds heal and in this way they alleviate My Passion."

Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Church. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who have separated themselves from Your Son's Church, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in His Most Compassionate Heart. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages.

Amen.

*Our Lord's original words here were "heretics and schismatics," since He spoke to Saint Faustina within the context of her times. As of the Second Vatican Council, Church authorities have seen fit not to use those designations in accordance with the explanation given in the Council's Decree on Ecumenism (n.3). Every pope since the Council has reaffirmed that usage. Saint Faustina herself, her heart always in harmony with the mind of the Church, most certainly would have agreed. When at one time, because of the decisions of her superiors and father confessor, she was not able to execute Our Lord's inspirations and orders, she declared: "I will follow Your will insofar as You will permit me to do so through Your representative. O my Jesus " I give priority to the voice of the Church over the voice with which You speak to me" (497). The Lord confirmed her action and praised her for it.

Biased Reporting Smackdown

No, it is not your imagination.

There really is an anti-Catholic bias in many mainstream media venues.

Reverend Thomas J. Paprocki, auxiliary bishop of Chicago agrees. And he's not going to take it anymore.

The Chicago Tribune today ran a letter to the editor written by Bishop Paprocki, calling attention to the paper's long and not-so-secret history of anti-Catholicism.

History provides helpful perspective here. In the post World War II Nuremberg trials, hatemonger tabloid publisher Julius Streicher was viewed by the court to have committed worse crimes than the soldiers in the concentration camps.

The judgement against him, reads in part:

"In his... articles, week after week, month after month, he infected the German mind with the virus of anti-Semitism, and incited the German people to active persecution... "

"In its extent Streicher's crime is probably greater and more far-reaching than that of any of the other defendants. The misery which they caused ceased with their capture.

The effects of this man's crime, of the poison that he has put into the minds of millions of young boys and girls will continue on for years to come, since he concentrated so much of his hatred for the Jews upon the youth and childhood of Germany.

He leaves behind him a legacy in print, that swayed the hearts of thousands of people poisoning them with hate... Those thousands will remain a problem and perhaps even a menace to the rest of civilization for generations to come."

Streicher was found guilty of crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial and sentenced to death on October 1, 1946.

Is the venerable Chicago Tribune comparable to Julius Streicher's hateful tabloid Der Stürmer? Of course not.

Der Stürmer was an obnoxious, lie-filled instrument of genocide. It's hateful rhetoric was over the top.

The Tribune's anti-Catholic bias is more subtle. Instead of hate speech, it is more of a hate whisper.

Both are journalistic crimes. Both are dangerous. And I would argue, both are immoral.

Appreciating God-Given Talent

All talent is God given.

Seems obvious enough, but more often than not I forget that.

But every once in a while, we are treated to a display of talent so pure and so uncontrived that one knows instantly that God's precious gifts are on full display.

I once saw the original painting of Van Gogh's Irises. I appreciate art, but had never been moved by it. I recall rounding a corner, looking up and seeing it there on the wall in front of me. I gasped. It literally took my breath away. It didn't register that I was in a museum, or that it was an original Van Gogh or that it was a painting of which I had seen countless reproductions. It was just...breathtaking. And for a moment, time stood still.

Since that time, I've seen other original work by the Masters - including Da Vinci and Rubens - but nothing has affected me in the same way.

Tonight I happened on an Internet site that told the story of a British woman called Susan Boyle who recently appeared on the television program Britain's Got Talent ( looks similar to American Idol). Ms. Boyle is 47, unemployed and lives alone with her cat Pebbles. She spent much of the recent past caring for her widowed mother. Neighborhood children make fun of her and the judges on Britain's Got Talent seemed barely able to repress snickers as she introduced herself on their program.

And then she began to sing.

It felt like I was seeing Irises again for the first time.

I closed my eyes and listened to this middle-aged British woman sing.

And I thanked God, because I knew without a doubt, it was a gift from Him.

One more happy thing - Ms. Boyle is a devout Roman Catholic. It was reported that her fellow parishioners gave her a standing ovation upon returning home.

More on Mercy!

Just a quickie, I am so looking forward to the upcoming Feast of Divine Mercy and I wanted to share more info.

Here's background on the graces Our Lord says are waiting for all who approach Him with a sincere heart that day...

The Extraordinary Graces of Divine Mercy Sunday

According to the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, Jesus Christ made a special promise, which she was to communicate to the whole world:

My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy(Diary, 699).

In three places in her Diary, St. Faustina records a promise from our Lord of specific, extraordinary graces He will make available through the devout reception of Holy Communion on this Feast Day; truly a "whole ocean of graces" is contained in these promises:

I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy (1109).

Whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (300).

The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment (699).

More information on how to prepare for this spectacular feast can be found here.

with appreciation to The Marians of the Immaculate Conception

Divine Mercy Novena, Day Four

Thomas, who doubted the Risen Christ even though he saw Him with his own eyes, probably offers special prayers for the souls we bring to Jesus today.

This novena is so very, very powerful. And if there ever was a day to ask Jesus for forgiveness, to ask for His mercy...it is fast approaching.

He showers us with mercy every day, of course. But on Mercy Sunday...the floodgates are open.

Divine Mercy Novena

The Fourth Day

"Today bring to Me those who do not believe in God and those who do not know Me,
I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy."

Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who do not believe in God and of those who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of those who do not believe in You, and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages.

Amen.

*Our Lord's original words here were "the pagans." Since the pontificate of Pope John XXIII, the Church has seen fit to replace this term with clearer and more appropriate terminology.

He is Risen!

Happy Easter!!!


What a spectacular day.

Can you imagine the joy, the wonder, the absolute awe that the apostles and Our Lady felt to be in the presence of the risen Lord?

How do we as Christians ever thank the Father, Son and Holy Spirit enough for something so loving, so profound and so awesome as the Passion, death and resurrection?


A good start is to continue the Divine Mercy Novena.

Our Lord specifically requested we say this prayer. And on Easter Sunday, he asked that we bring him the souls of the faithful.

This prayer may be followed by the Divine Mercy chaplet.


Third Day

"Today bring to Me all Devout and Faithful Souls,
and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. These souls brought me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were a drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness."


Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy, You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from It. We beg this grace of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify Your boundless mercy for endless ages.


Amen.

Divine Mercy Novena, Day Two

Today is Holy Saturday

At this point in time, the Apostles were probably a little overwhelmed. Their Lord had been crucified, betrayed by own of their own. This was the first day He was not physically present among them. It had to be very unsettling.

But they were comforted in their belief that He would rise again.

A fitting day to pray for priests and religious everywhere.

I imagine at times priests of today feel very much like the apostles did on that uncertain first Holy Saturday.

Overwhelmed. Unsettled.

They have lived through the betrayal of Our Lord by some of their own.

And they have faith that He will come again.

Divine Mercy Novena, Day Two

Jesus asked that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday. He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said:
"These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy."

In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:
"On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may also be offered each day for the day's intention, but is not strictly necessary to the Novena.


Second Day

"Today bring to Me the Souls of Priests and Religious,
and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave me strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them as through channels My mercy flows out upon mankind."

Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in men and women consecrated to Your service,* that they may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company of chosen ones in Your vineyard -- upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end.

Amen.

* In the original text, Saint Faustina uses the pronoun "us" since she was offering this prayer as a consecrated religious sister. The wording adapted here is intended to make the prayer suitable for universal use.

Good Friday: Day of Mercy

Good Friday

The day Our Lord suffered and died for us.

Suffering unimaginably, willingly, even gladly... until death. All because he loves you.

The greatest victory world will ever know.

How can we ever thank Him enough?

A few suggestions...

Obey His Father's commandments.

Love your neighbor as yourself.

Pray, fast and pray some more.

Love and honor His Mother and Foster Father.

Pick up your cross and follow Jesus.

and finally

tell everyone you can about His mercy!

Which brings me to the fact that one of the Church's most powerful novenas begins today

The Divine Mercy Novena.

Please join in this magnificent prayer!

Background ( courtesy ewtn.com)

Jesus asked that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday.

He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said:

"These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy."

In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:

"On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

Prayer for Today, Good Friday

"Today bring to Me all mankind, especially all sinners,
and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me."

Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from It. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever.

Amen.

Mercy for Binghamton

Please take a moment to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for the victims of the hostage situation in Binghamton.

Thank you.

Santo! Santo!

Today marks the 4th anniversary of the death of our beloved Pope John Paul II.

Hard to say how much he means to the world. He loved Truth. He loved freedom. He lived to advance the cause of both, and we loved him for it.

Thank you Jesus for the grace of his example.

Serdecznie dziękuję , Papa. We love you. We pray for your canonization, and pray that you continue to intercede for the Church and people everywhere.

Salt and Light TV has a beautiful tribute here.

Sixty-two and Counting...

In case anyone is keeping track, sixty-two bishops have publicly expressed disapproval of Notre Dame University's decision to invite pro-abortion, pro-fetal stem cell research President Barack Obama to speak and receive an honorary degree.

In alphabetical order, following Notre Dame's diocesan authority Bishop John D'ARcy, the bishops are:

1. Bishop John D'Arcy - Fort Wayne-South Bend, IN
2. Bishop Samuel Aquila - Fargo, ND
3. Bishop Gregory Aymond - Austin, TX
4. Bishop Gerald Barbarito - Palm Beach, FL
5. Bishop Leonard Blair - Toledo, OH
6. Archbishop Daniel Buechlein - Indianapolis, IN
7. Bishop Robert Baker - Birmingham, AL
8. Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz - Lincoln, NE
9. Archbishop Eusebius Beltran - Oklahoma City, OK
10. Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú - San Antonio, TX
11. Archbishop Charles Chaput - Denver, CO
12. Bishop Paul Coakley - Salina, KS
13. Bishop Edward Cullen - Allentown, PA
14. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo - Houston, TX
15. Archbishop Timothy Dolan - New York, NY
16. Bishop Thomas Doran - Rockford, IL
17. Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty - Scranton, PA
18. Bishop Robert Finn - Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO
19. Bishop Joseph Galante - Camden, NJ
20. Bishop Victor Galeone - St. Augustine, FL
21. Cardinal Francis George - Chicago, IL; President, USCCB
22. Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger - Evansville, IN
23. Archbishop José Gomez - San Antonio, TX
24. Bishop Bernard Harrington - Winona, MN
25. Bishop Robert Hermann - St. Louis, MO
26. Bishop William Higi - Lafayette, IN
27. Archbishop Alfred Hughes - New Orleans, LA
28. Bishop Michael O. Jackels - Wichita, KS
29. Bishop James V. Johnston - Springfield-Cape Girardeau, MO
30. Bishop Peter Jugis - Charlotte, NC
31. Bishop Joseph Latino - Jackson, MS
32. Bishop John LeVoir - New Ulm, MN
33. Bishop Jerome Listecki - La Crosse, WI
34. Bishop William E. Lori - Bridgeport, CT
35. Bishop Paul Loverde - Arlington, VA
36. Bishop George Lucas - Springfield, IL
37. Bishop Robert Lynch - St. Petersburg, FL
38. Bishop Joseph Martino - Scranton, PA
39. Bishop John McCormack - Manchester, NH
40. Bishop Robert Morlino - Madison, WI
41. Bishop William Murphy - Rockville Centre, NY
42. Bishop George Murry - Youngstown, OH
43. Archbishop John J. Myers - Newark, NJ
44. Archbishop Joseph Naumann - Kansas City, KS
45. Bishop R. Walker Nickless - Sioux City, IA
46. Archbishop John C. Nienstedt - St. Paul-Minneapolis, MN
47. Archbishop Edwin O'Brien - Baltimore, MD
48. Bishop Thomas Olmsted - Phoenix, AZ
49. Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk - Cincinnati, OH
50. Bishop Reymundo Pena - Brownsville, TX
51. Bishop Glen Provost - Lake Charles, LA
52. Cardinal Justin Rigali - Philadelphia, PA; Chairman, USCCB Pro-Life Committee
53. Bishop Kevin Rhoades - Harrisburg, PA
54. Bishop Alexander Sample - Marquette, MI
55. Bishop Edward J. Slattery - Tulsa, OK
56. Bishop Richard Stika - Knoxville, TN
57. Bishop Anthony Taylor - Little Rock, AR
58. Bishop Robert Vasa - Baker, OR
59. Bishop Michael Warfel - Great Falls-Billings, MT
60. Bishop Thomas Wenski - Orlando, FL
61. Archbishop Donald Wuerl - Washington, D.C.
62. Bishop David Zubick - Pittsburgh, PA


Archbishop Beltran said this in a letter to Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins:

"... President Obama has publicly and ruthlessly affronted the Catholic Church of America during the short time of his presidency. His single-handed actions have totally reversed decades of successes of the Church in the prolife cause. Needless to say, he deserves no honor or recognition from Notre Dame or any other Catholic institution."

Tipping My Hat to Cardinal George

Francis Cardinal George wears two hats, and I am not just referring to his mitre and biretta. He has one as the Archbishop of Chicago and the other as head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

It was in his role as the latter that Francis Cardinal George spoke in grave terms about the 'extreme embarrassment' Notre Dame University has caused Catholics everywhere.

He is referring to the University's decision to invite President Barack Obama to deliver the 2009 commencement address. To add insult to injury, the University bearing the name of the Mother of Our Lord has also decided to confer an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on the most anti-life President the United States has ever had.

*Sigh*

Thanks to Franics Cardinal George and the USCCB for taking a stand on this issue.

Please take a minute and follow the links in this story if you would like to join the nearly 240,000 people who have recorded their objections thus far.

First Saturday

The first day of a month means a first Saturday is right around the corner...

A wonderful opportunity to take part in the FIRST SATURDAY DEVOTION

If you're not familiar with this devotion, it is a wonderful practice that Our Lady specifically implored us to do!

First Saturday Devotion

The desire for a First Saturday devotion revealed by the Blessed Virgin Mary to the three children at Fatima in 1917.

Purposes

To establish devotion (in accordance with God's wishes) to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and to make reparation for...

1. Attacks upon the reality of Mary's Immaculate Conception

2. Attacks against her the reality of Mary's Perpetual Virginity

3. Attacks upon Mary's Divine Maternity and the refusal to accept her as the Mother of all mankind

4. Those who try to publicly implant in children's hearts indifference, contempt and hatred for Immaculate Mary

5. For those who insult Mary directly in her sacred images.

Practices

The devotion involves the following practices on five consecutive first Saturdays with the specific intention of making reparation for the offenses (above) against the Blessed Virgin.

1. Go to Confession (within 8 days before or after the first Saturday)

2. Receive Holy Communion

3. Recite five decades of the Rosary*

4. "Keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on fifteen mysteries of the Rosary" (separate from the Rosary itself)* (*Preferably done in the presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle or at Exposition)

Promises

1. The Virgin Mary's assistance at the hour of death with the graces necessary for salvation for those who practice the devotion.

2. Salvation of souls and peace as a result of promoting of the Devotion to the Immaculate Heart.

with appreciation to memorare.org