Ten Things You Should Know About St. Monica

August 27 is the feast of St. Monica, one of my favorite saints. Here are ten facts about her that you should know.

1. Monica was born in 332 to Christian parents in Tagaste, northern Africa and her Christian parents arranged for her to be married at the age 13 or 14 to an older man named Patricius, a pagan, who lived nearby.


2.  Patricius had little to offer Monica. He was neither wealthy nor Christian. He had a bad temper and was both irritable and unfaithful.


3. Monica did not imitate her husband, but she remained faithful to him and never uttered a bad word about him. In fact, she advised her friends: "Guard your tongue when your husband is angry." She was remained at peace, despite her husband's bad temper, due to her amazing self-control.


4. Monica's mother-in-law lived in the house with the couple. She disliked Monica intensely to the point where she would gossip with the servants about her behind her back. She also criticized Monica constantly. Nevertheless, Monica remained kind and charitable to her and eventually won her over.


5. Monica sought refuge from all this by developing an intimate prayer life with Jesus. She also invested her time in raising her three children: Augustine, Navigius, and Perpetua.


6. Through her prayers and good example, both Monica's mother-in-law and her husband, Patricius converted to Christianity.


7. Augustine, Monica's brilliant young son, was a rhetoric student at Carthage and cared only about his academic career, wine, and women. He took a mistress, whom he lived with for 15 years, and fathered a son out of wedlock. In addition, he was not a Christian, but professed beliefs in the Manichean heresy (all flesh is evil).


8. At age 29, Augustine was assigned to a teaching position in Italy and Monica followed him there. Here, she found St. Ambrose, who became her spiritual director, and later the Bishop who catechized and baptized St. Augustine, bringing him into the Church after 17 years of resistance. Monica had prayed and fasted for Augustine's conversion for nearly 20 years (She also prayed and fasted during the time of his instruction.)


9. Monica died at Ostia, near Rome, on her way back to Africa in 387. Although Monica was buried in Ostia, Archbishop of Rouen, Cardinal d'Estouteville, built a church at Rome in honor of St. Augustine, the Basilica of St. Augustine in 1483, and deposited the relics of St. Monica in a chapel to the left of the high altar.  


10. St. Monica is the patron saint of: abuse victims, alcoholics, alcoholism, Bevilacqua, Italy, difficult marriages, disappointing children, homemakers, housewives, Mabini, Bohol, Philippines, married women, mothers, victims of adultery, victims of unfaithfulness, victims of verbal abuse, widows, and wives.

Fr. Barron comments on The Shawshank Redemption

Birthday Special:Blessed Mother Teresa's Life in Pictures Plus Prayers and Pithy Quotes

 Today, August 26th, marks the 103rd birthday of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. Happy Birthday, Mother Teresa!

Mother Teresa's life in Pictures

A PICTORIAL TRIBUTE TO BLESSED MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA (1910 - 1997)

Official Novena to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Best Pithy Quotes:

"When you look at the crucifix you understand how much Jesus loved you then. When you look at the sacred host, you understand how much Jesus loves you now."

"Like Jesus we belong to the world living not for ourselves but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength."

"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand. Anyone may gather it and no limit is set. Everyone can reach this love through meditation, spirit of prayer, and sacrifice, by an intense inner life."

"God still loves the world and He sends you and me to be His love and His compassion to the poor.”

"If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive."

"There is hunger for ordinary bread, and there is hunger for love, for kindness, for thoughtfulness, and this is the great poverty that makes people suffer so much."

"We should not serve the poor like they were Jesus. We should serve the poor because they are Jesus."

"Before you speak, it is necessary for you to listen, for God speaks in the silence of the heart."

"Little things are indeed little, but to be faithful in little things is a great thing".

"Please don't kill the child. I want the child. Please give me the child. I am willing to accept any child who would be aborted, and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child, and be loved by the child."

"A child is God's greatest gift to the family, to the nation, to the world. The child is a life from God, created in the image of God, created for great things, to love and to be loved."

“Mary my Mother, give me your heart so beautiful, so pure, so Immaculate, so full of love and humility, that I may be able to receive Jesus.”

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."

'We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do."

"A sacrifice to be real must cost, must hurt, must empty ourselves. The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, the fruit of service is peace."

"Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion."

Fr. Barron comments on The Sacrament of the Eucharist as Real Presence

Pope Francis: You are not excluded!

(Vatican Radio) (Vatican Radio) In his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis spoke about the words of Jesus from the day’s Gospel: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate.”

The Holy Father noted that Jesus was responding to the question of how many people will be saved. But, the Pope said, “it is not important to know how many are saved. Rather, it is important to know what is the path of salvation.” Jesus Himself is the gate, a gate “that allows us to enter into God's family, into the warmth of the house of God, of communion with Him. This gate is Jesus Himself.”

Pope Francis emphasised that “the gate that is Jesus is never closed . . . it is always open and open to everyone, without distinction, without exclusions, without privileges.” Jesus, he continued, does not exclude anyone. Some people might feel excluded because they are sinners – but Pope Francis definitively rejected this idea. “No,” he said, “you are not excluded! Precisely for that reason you are preferred, because Jesus prefers the sinner, always, in order to pardon him, to love him. Jesus is waiting for you, to embrace you, to pardon you.”

We are called to enter the gate that is Jesus. “Don’t be afraid to pass through the gate of faith in Jesus,” Pope Francis said. Don’t be afraid “to let Him enter more and more into our lives, to go out of our selfishness, our being closed in, our indifference toward others.”

Jesus speaks about a narrow gate not because it is a “torture chamber," but “because it asks us to open our hearts to Him, to recognize ourselves as sinners, in need of His salvation, His forgiveness, His love, needing the humility to accept His mercy and to be renewed by Him.”

Finally, the Holy Father emphasised that Christianity is not a “label” – it is a way of life. Christians must not be Christians in name only: “Not Christians, never Christians because of a label!” he said. He called us to be true Christians, Christians at heart. “To be Christian,” said Pope Francis, "is to live and witness to the faith in prayer, in works of charity, in promoting justice, in doing good. For the narrow gate which is Christ must pass into our whole life.” Read More.

Our Lady of Czestochowa

Today is the historical feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa (The Black Madonna).

The Black Madonna was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist; and it was while painting the picture, Mary told him about the life of Jesus, which he later incorporated into his gospel. The next time we hear of the painting is in 326 A.D. when St. Helen found it in Jerusalem and gave it to her son and had a shrine built for it in Constantinople. During a battle, the picture was placed on the walls of the city, and the enemy army fled. Our Lady saved the city from destruction. The picture was owned by many other people until 1382 when invading Tartars attacked a Prince Ladislaus' fortress, where the painting was located. A Tartar's arrow lodged into through the throat of the Madonna. The Prince transferred the painting to a church in Czestochowa, Poland.

In 1430, the church was invaded and a looter struck the painting two times with his sword, but before he could strike it another time, he fell to the ground in agony and pain, and died. The sword cuts and the arrow wound are still visible on the painting. The miracles worked by Our Lady of Czestochowa seem to occur mainly on a public scale. During her stay in Constantinople, she is reported to have frightened the besieging Saracens away from the city. Similarly, in 1655 a small group of Polish defenders was able to drive off a much larger army of Swedish invaders from the sanctuary. The following year, the Holy Virgin was acclaimed Queen of Poland by King Casimir.

When the Russians were at Warsaw's gates in 1920, thousands of people walked from Warsaw to Czestochowa to ask the Madonna for help. The Poles defeated the Russians at a battle along the Wisla (or Vistula) River. Today, every school child knows the victory as "The Miracle on the Wisla." During World War II under German occupation, the faithful made pilgrimages as a show of defiance. That spirit deepened during the atheistic years of Soviet-enforced communism. Government attempts to stop the pilgrimages failed.

In the early 1980s, Walesa didn't drape himself in the Polish flag when he was leading the outlawed Solidarity movement; he placed an Our Lady of Czestochowa lapel pin on his jacket. Poles knew it to be a subversive message. Pope John Paul II, a native son of Poland, prayed before the Madonna during his historic visit in 1979, several months after his election to the Chair of Peter. The Pope made another visit to Our Lady of Czestochowa in 1983 and again in 1991.

Why is She Black?

There have been reports for centuries of miraculous events such as spontaneous healings occurring to those who made a pilgrimage to the portrait. It is known as the 'Black Madonna" because of the soot residue that discolors the painting. The soot is the result of centuries of votive lights and candles burning in front of the painting. With the decline of Communism in Poland, pilgrimages to the Black Madonna have increased dramatically.

~ excerpted from the Mary Page 

St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars

Today is the feast day of St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars (also known as Saint Teresa de Gesu, Jornet y Ibars), the Foundress of the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Poor.

Born in 1843 at Catalonia, Spain, she was raised on a farm and later became a teacher at Lérida. She had been preparing to take her final vows as a Poor Clare nun, when the government suppressed all convents and she was sent home. She struggled to understand why God would permit this to happen and for several years asked Him what she was to do with her life. Then, she met a priest/spiritual director who provided the answer. Along with Father Saturnino Lopez Novoa, she opened a shelter for the poor and the elderly. At the age 29, in Barbastro, Spain, Teresa founded the community known today as the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Poor. By the time of her death, at age 54, she had established more than 100 shelters in Spain and 58 congregation houses. Today the Little Sisters of the Abandoned Poor have more than 200 houses in Europe, Africa, and the Americas. She was beatified in 1958 and canonized in 1974 by Pope Paul VI.

St. Teresa of Jesus Jornet Ibars is the patron saint of senior citizens and retired people.

"The Little Sisters have been and are the witnesses of the emptiness that often afflicts the old. They have been chosen to fill that emptiness with warmth and human affection. They have been chosen by God to reaffirm the sacredness of human life and to underline the truth that man is a child of God and can never be regarded only as a tool of cold utilitarianism."

~ Pope Paul VI

Pope lays out concerns, petitions one tweet at a time, with ever growing following

August 24, 2013. (Romereports.com) A month after the end of WYD Rio 2013, the event's impact on the Pope's Twitter account is very noticeable. In August, the account @Pontifex grew by more than 585,000 followers. In the months before, the account added an average of 240,000 followers per month. In other words, during the month of August, it grew twice as fast.

This month, Pope Francis has issued tweets every other day, and several have been re-tweeted more than 13,000 times. 

His Latin profile is perhaps the biggest surprise of all. It grows by 200 followers daily, and is now in sixth place among the nine official @Pontifex accounts. So far, it has gathered 154,000 followers. That's a striking number, considering that the Vatican expected about 5,000 when they launched the account.

In August, Pope Francis' public appearances have trickled down, but not his activity on Twitter. In that time he was tuned in on how to reach the 500-million-strong Twitter universe. Those efforts are reciprocal. Catholics who want to know what the Pope expects of them simply have to read his messages on Twitter.

60th anniversary of iconic 'Roman Holiday' film

August 24, 2013. (Romereports.com) It's been more than 60 years now since the world saw Audrey Hepburn's historic holidays through the streets of Rome.

In 1953, the iconic 'Roman Holiday' was filmed in the Eternal City. It inspired people across the world to tour the streets of Rome by Vespa, with Gregory Peck as tour guide.

In a way, Rome itself became the film's third star. Using what was considered innovative techniques at the time, the full movie was filmed outside. Director William Wyler refused to recreate sets, to showcase the city.

The story chronicles the story of a princess that arrives in Rome for an official state visit. Tired of her mandatory functions, she escapes into the city as a normal, everyday woman. She then meets a journalist who guides her throughout Rome. However, he recognizes her and wants to write an sell the story about their meeting.

'Roman Holiday' shows off some of Rome's most emblematic sites like the Spanish Steps, the Bocca della Verita, the Imperial Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum and Castel Sant'Angelo. Notably, no church appears in the film, or even St. Peter's Square, for that matter.

Her starring role in the film catapulted Hepburn to the spotlight, leading her to win the best actress Oscar. The film also won two additional awards. And even though 2013 will also mark 20 years of her death, her work in the film continues to inspire thousands of tourists on their own Roman Holidays.

St. Bartholomew, apostle and martyr

Today, August 24, is the feast of St. Bartholomew, apostle and martyr.

Saint Bartholomew is one of the Twelve Apostles, mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14), and seventh in the list of Acts (1:13). The name (Bartholomaios) means "son of Talmai" which was an ancient Hebrew name.

Besides being listed as an Apostle, he is not otherwise mentioned in the New Testament. At least not under the name Bartholomew: many ancient writers, and Catholic tradition have identified Bartholomew as Nathaniel in the Gospel of John (John 1:45-51, and 21:2).

The Gospel passage read at Mass on the feast of Saint Bartholomew is precisely this passage from John (1:45-51) where Nathaniel is introduced to Jesus by his friend Phillip, and Jesus says of him "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him (1:47)."

We are presented with the Apostle's character in this brief and beautiful dialogue with the Lord Jesus. He is a good Jew, honest and innocent, a just man, who devotes much time to quiet reflection and prayer - "under the fig tree (1:48)" - and has been awaiting the Messiah, the Holy One of God.

At Jesus' mention that "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you (1:48)," Nathaniel responded "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel (1:49)!"

Being "a true child of Israel," Nathaniel was a man well-read in the Scriptures and knew what they said of the Messiah and where he would come from. This is why he is skeptical of Phillip's claim that Jesus is the Messiah, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth (1:46)?"

But Nathaniel was lacking "duplicity" - that is, his heart was undivided, his intentions pure - his openness to reality was always ready to recognize and surrender to the truth when he encountered it. He remained open to his friend Phillip's invitation to "Come and see (1:46)."

In encountering Jesus and hearing His words, he found himself face to face with the Truth Himself, and, like John the Baptist's leap in his mother's womb at the Lord's presence, Nathaniel's words lept out of his own heart in a clear and simple confession of faith, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

Jesus, in Matthew 5:8, says, "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God." In Nathaniel we have an example of the pure man who sees - recognizes - God when confronted with Him, and on seeing Him believes in Him, and upon believing in Him follows Him.

Nothing is known for sure about the life of Nathaniel/Bartholomew after the Ascension of Jesus. But tradition has it that he preached in the East and died a martyr's death in Armenia, being flayed alive for having won converts to the Lord Jesus.

St. Bartholomew is the patron of: bookbinders, butchers, furriers, leather-workers, plasterers, shoemakers, tailors, tanners, vine-growers, and Florentine salt and cheese merchants. He is invoked against nervous disorders and twitchings.

First Latin American saint honored worldwide for piety and devotion to God and poor

August 23, 2013. (Romereports.com) She lived hundreds of years ago, but her impact is no less profound. Saint Rose of Lima was the first saint from the New World, a place that today houses more than half of Catholics worldwide.  

FATHER JOSE TOLA
Pontifical Commission for Latin America
“She was a woman with an exemplary Christian life, a woman of constant and deep prayer. She is well known for her penitence, because she suffered from the ailments of Christ. And she spent many years of her life doing strong penitence, fasting and other sacrifices. But she also dedicated herself greatly to helping out the poor and the needy.”

Saint Rose was born Isabel Flores de Oliva to a large family in Lima, during the early days of the Spanish colony. It was a time of expansion and conversion for the Catholic Church.

Early on, Saint Rose displayed an affinity to religion. Her beauty was well known, and her nickname, Rose, came from her rosy cheeks. Although her beauty attracted many suitors, she rejected them all in favor of her true love.

FATHER JOSE TOLA
Pontifical Commission for Latin America
“When the time came to marry her off, her parents did all they could to get her to marry, but after 10 years, they gave up. She refused because she said she wanted to consecrate her life to God.”

In her lifetime, she also cared for the sick, eventually even turning her own home into a makeshift hospital. She also used her time to convert the local populations to Christianity. She inspired such piety and devotion, that Pope Clement X canonized her 54 years after her death in 1617, a speedy process in that era.

FATHER JOSE TOLA
Pontifical Commission for Latin America
“Her canonization along with others from Peru definitely had an impact on society, and their devotion. Especially in poorer areas, because that's where these saints had their greatest impact.”

As the first saint from the Western Hemisphere and because of her impact, Saint Rose of Lima holds a very important distinction, shared only with Our Lady of Guadalupe. She is also regarded as the patroness of the Americas.

St. Rose of Lima

 August 23 is the optional memorial of St. Rose of Lima, virgin.

Isabella Flores de Oliva was born April 20, 1586 to Spanish immigrants in Lima, Peru. At her confirmation, she took the name of Rose, because as an infant, her face had been seen transformed by a mystical rose.

She was pious from an early age. At age five, she built a small chapel for herself in the family garden. When she made her first Confession, she obtained permission from her confessor to make a vow of virginity.


Rose had a strong devotion for Jesus and His Holy Mother and spent long hours praying before the Blessed Sacrament. With St. Catherine of Siena as her model, Rose fasted three times a week, offered up severe penances, and when her vanity was attacked, she cut off her beautiful hair, and wore coarse clothing. She frequently deprived herself of food, water, and sleep. As a result of her exterior mortification, she had interior mystical experiences as well as long periods of darkness and desolation. For fifteen years, she went through the "dark night of the soul."

Rose worked hard to support her poor parents (by embroidering and gardening) and she humbly obeyed them, except when they tried to get her to marry. That she would not do. For ten years she fought them on this issue as she had secretly taken a vow of virginity with the permission of her confessor at the age of five. At the same time, she experienced great temptations which resulted in excruciating mental anguish and loneliness.

At age 20, Rose joined the Third Order of St. Dominic and and thereafter increased her penances as well as her good works. She moved into a small hut in her parents' garden and served the poor and the sick in a makeshift infirmary. Our Lord frequently manifested Himself to her, filling her heart with peace and joy, leaving her in ecstasy for hours. In her last long, painful sickness, this heroic young woman prayed: "Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart." Exhausted from her many penances and austerities, Rose died of a fever and paralysis at age 31. She was canonized in 1671 by Pope Clement X and became the first American saint.

Rose stands out among Dominican saints in her understanding of the immeasurable value of redemptive suffering. Speaking of the power that directed her life, she wrote, “That same force strongly urged me to proclaim the beauty of Divine Grace.”

Patronage: the Americas; Central America; embroiderers; florists; gardeners; India; Latin America; needle workers; New World; people ridiculed for their piety; Peru; Philippines; diocese of Santa Rosa, California; South America; vanity; Villareal Samar, Phillipines; West Indies.

Quotes

“Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.”

“When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus.”

“Would that mortal men might know how wonderful is divine grace, how beautiful, how precious; what riches are hidden therein, what treasures, what joys, what delights. If they but knew, surely they would direct their energy with all care and diligence to procuring sufferings and afflictions for themselves. Instead of good fortune all men everywhere would seek out troubles, illness and suffering that they might obtain the inestimable treasure of grace. This is the final profit to be gained from patient endurance. No one would complain about the cross or about hardships coming seemingly by chance upon him, if he realized in what balance they are weighed before being distributed to men.”

~St. Rose of Lima

Prayer

O God, You filled St. Rose with love for You and enabled her to leave the world and be free for You through the austerity of penance. Through her intercession, help us to follow her footsteps on earth and enjoy the torrent of Your delights in heaven.

Video: 15 and Pregnant: Why I Chose Adoption Instead of Abortion

Give Miranda a minute to tell you why she chose adoption to provide the best life for her and her baby. Just 15, Miranda knew she needed a few more years of being a kid before she could even think about being a parent. So if you're pregnant but you're not ready to be a mom, we're ready to help you choose adoption too. Because you're not giving your baby away, you're giving your baby a chance.

The follow video is very inspirational. Visit their web site at http://ichooseadoption.org/.



~ Via LifeNews.com

Mary Untier of Knots, Pope Francis, and His Prayer to Her

August 22, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis has displayed a special devotion to the Virgin Mary, over the course of his first six months as Pope. That includes his visit to the Aparecida Shrine during WYD in Rio.

But there's another German advocation that he has shows fondness to, Mary Untier of Knots.

MSGR. EDUARDO GARCIA
Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires
“It's a German advocation, and that same face full of surprise, we placed it in Argentina when he first enthroned a depiction at a parish. Mary Untier of the Knots is Our Lady who unties all problems in life, and frees us from the deceptions the Devil bounds us to.”

Pope Francis discovered this Marian advocation when he lived in Germany in the 1980's, while he researched the works of theologian Romano Guardini.

He was drawn to the significance of Mary Untier of Knots so much that when he returned home he promoted her devotion. Today, the image is worshiped by thousands in Argentina.

MSGR. EDUARDO GARCIA
Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires
“It's a deep devotion to Our Lady, so deep that in the parish where he enthroned the depiction, it has naturally become a sanctuary. In other words, large groups of people are drawn to the image.”

Mary Untier of Knots is a depiction of the Immaculate Conception, so her feast day is also celebrated on December 8. Her image was painted by Johann Melchior Georg Schmittdner, at the start of the Eighteenth Century.

Pope Francis's Prayer to Our Lady Untier of Knots

Jorge Bergoglio brought this devotion to Argentina and composed this prayer.

Holy Mary, full of God's presence during the days of your life,
you accepted with full humility the Father's will,
and the Devil was never capable to tie you around with his confusion
Once with your son you interceded for our difficulties,
and, full of kindness and patience you gave us example of how to untie the knots of our life.
And by remaining forever Our Mother,
you put in order, and make more clear the ties that link us to the Lord.
Holy Mother, Mother of God, and our Mother,
to you, who untie with motherly heart the knots of our life, we pray to you to receive in your hands (the name of person),
and to free him/her of the knots and confusion with which our enemy attacks.
Through your grace, your intercession, and your example,
deliver us from all evil, Our Lady, and untie the knots that prevent us from being united with God,
so that we, free from sin and error, may find Him in all things, may have our hearts placed in Him, and may serve Him always in our brothers and sisters. Amen

Book Review -- Murder in the Vatican: The Church Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes

By Ann Margaret Lewis, released 2010, Gasogene Books, Indianapolis Indiana, 151 pages. Paperback. Available from Gasogene Books, Ignatius Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Major book stores and Catholic book stores.

Reviewed by Jean M. Heimann, M.A. in Theology, freelance writer, retired psychologist, and oblate with the Community of St. John.

If you are fan of Sherlock Holmes and even if you aren't, you will become instantly and totally immersed in these titillating tales of mystery and suspense. In Murder in the Vatican, Ann Lewis skillfully weaves three exciting tales of murder and intrigue – two from the viewpoint of Dr. Watson and one from the perspective of Pope Leo XIII. Stories include "The Death of Cardinal Tosca," "The Vatican Cameos," and "The Second Coptic Patriarch."

What fascinated me about these stories is the fact that they seemed so authentic – in terms of dialogue, setting, and character --that I felt as if I were reading the actual works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I also relished the theology and Catholicism that was contained in these wonderful stories, which was very orthodox. Pope Leo comes to life as a man of wit, practicality, great intelligence and much compassion. He reminded me, in some ways, of our current Holy Father, Pope Francis. It is very entertaining to see him match wits with Holmes and to observe the growth of their relationship in the stories. Murder in the Vatican is clever, entertaining, and pure fun. It is a book of tales to read privately or to be shared with family or friends and read aloud. These stories are just too good not to be shared with others.

Ann Lewis’s Murder in the Vatican is a book to be savored.  It is chock full of all the elements of a great mystery story:  an intriguing plot, adventure, and a healthy dose of suspense. Above all that, it has characters that are likeable and very realistic, rich historical settings, brilliant illustrations, and my favorite part – Catholicism and theology. I highly recommend Murder in the Vatican.

~ © Jean M. Heimann, August 2013

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, we celebrate a beautiful Marian Feast -- the Queenship of Mary. This special Liturgical Feast was proclaimed by Pope Pius XII on October 11, 1954 through his Encyclical Letter Ad Caeli Reginam. The Catholic Church made this proclamation based upon the fact that whether in time of peace or in time of war, the faithful have incessantly offered prayers of petition and hymns of praise and veneration to the Queen of Heaven.

Following the tremendous destruction that occurred during World War II and considering the reality that the threat of a similar catastrophe filled the faithful with a great anguish, the Church turned its eyes towards Mary, the Heavenly Queen, in the hope of her protection. Mary has never failed those who have sought her intercession in prayer, placing their total trust in her.

Mary’s queenship has its roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. (Luke 1:32 -33) At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “Mother of my Lord.” (Luke 1:43) As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share in Jesus’ kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.

In the fourth century, St. Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen” and Church Fathers and Doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.” The Dominican rosary and the Franciscan crown as well as numerous invocations in Mary’s litany celebrate her queenship.

The Saints on Mary's Queenship:

“When she became Mother of the Creator, she truly became Queen of every creature.”
~ St. John Damascene

"No one has access to the Almighty as His mother has; none has merit such as hers. Her Son will deny her nothing that she asks; and herein lies her power. While she defends the Church, neither height nor depth, neither men nor evil spirits, neither great monarchs, nor craft of man, nor popular violence, can avail to harm us; for human life is short, but Mary reigns above, a Queen forever."

~  John Henry Cardinal Newman

"Just as Mary surpassed in grace all others on earth, so also in heaven is her glory unique. If eye has not seen or ear heard or the human heart conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2:9), who can express what He has prepared for the woman who gave Him birth and who loved Him, as everyone knows, more than anyone else?"

~St. Bernard of Clairvaux

"She has surpassed the riches of the virgins, the confessors, the martyrs, the apostles, the prophets, the patriarchs, and the angels, for she herself is the first-fruit of the virgins, the mirror of confessors, the rose of martyrs, the ruler of apostles, the oracle of prophets, the daughter of patriarchs, the queen of angels."

~St. Bonaventure

Queenship of Mary in Scripture

Litany of the Queenship of Mary

Pope Emeritus Benedict says God told him to resign during 'mystical experience'

The former pope Benedict has claimed that his resignation in February was prompted by God, who told him to do it during a "mystical experience".

Breaking his silence for the first time since he became the first pope to step down in 600 years, the 86-year-old reportedly said: "God told me to" when asked what had pushed him to retire to a secluded residence in the Vatican gardens.

Benedict denied he had been visited by an apparition or had heard God's voice, but said he had undergone a "mystical experience" during which God had inspired in him an "absolute desire" to dedicate his life to prayer rather than push on as pope.

Read more.

Pope to announce canonization date of late popes on September 30

(Vatican Radio) "On September 30th, the Pope will hold consistory and on this occasion he will announce the date of canonizations." It is with these words that Cardinal Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints responded to reporters who asked him when was the planned canonizations of John Paul II and John XXIII.

The two Popes, who will be canonized at the same ceremony, will be canonized certainly in 2014. "I think it is difficult this year and will probably be next year" added Cardinal Amato on the sidelines of the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples in Rimini.

Cardinal Amato only confirms what was already spoken of by the Pope himself. "The Holy Father on the plane that brought him to Brazil had already announced that the canonizations would not be imminent during the last months of 2013, but in 2014," says Cardinal Amato.

Why does the priest drop a piece of host into the chalice?

Bishop Christopher Coyne tells you Everything You Wanted To Know About Catholic Liturgy (but were afraid to ask).

Beer-brewing monks celebrate 1 year of production

Benedictine monks in Norcia, Italy, celebrate their first year of beer production. It looks like a good way to evangelize!

Pope thanks Argentine painter for self-portraits

August 21, 2013.(Romereports.com) Just minutes after his election as Supreme Pontiff, the entire world wanted the image of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis. The historic moment also inspired Argentine painter Mercedes Fariña with the idea to paints the new Pope.  

MERCEDES FARIÑA
Painter
“I thought that it was a good opportunity to show this moment, which is so important, through an Argentine painter, someone from his same nationality. Another thing that drew me to the Holy Father is that I'm from the Flores neighborhood, which is where he was born and grew up. In the first painting, I placed him next to his church, where he found his religious vocation.”

The painter found a way to get a letter and a picture of her painting to the Pope. The Vatican responded to the painter with an Apostolic Blessing. But the best surprise was yet to come.

MERCEDES FARIÑA
Painter
“I received a second letter handwritten by him. It was an immense joy for me, and he thanked me for the allegoric portrait, and he congratulated me for my artistic skills.”

Mercedes has so far done four portraits of Pope Francis and she hopes to see him so she can hand them to him in person.

MERCEDES FARIÑA
Painter
“The Nunciature in Buenos Aires also contacted me and told me they would ask for a private audience with the Pope, to hand him the first painting. So now were are waiting on confirmation from Rome, and hopefully I'll be lucky. My greatest wish to to be able to personally hand my allegoric painting to the Holy Father.”

This painter continues working on a series of portraits on the Pope. Next year, she will exhibit in Rome seven of the portraits of her fellow Argentine, Pope Francis.

The Fourth Cup - Dr Scott Hahn

Pope St. Pius X, "Pope of the Eucharist"

Today is the memorial of St. Pius X, pope.

Guiseppe Sarto was born June 2, 1835, the second of ten children born to a poor family in the village of Riese, Province of Treviso, near Venice. His mother, Margherita Sanson, was a seamstress. His father, Giovanni Sarto, who was a cobbler by trade, as well as the caretaker of the city hall and the town's postmaster, passed away when Gisueppe was 16.

Gisueppe entered the seminary at the age of 15 and was ordained at the age of 23. For nine years, he served as chaplain at Tombolo, having to assume most of the functions of parish priest, as the pastor was old and in poor health. He sought to prefect his knowledge of theology by studying Saint Thomas of Aquinas and canon law. He established a night school for adults, and devoted himself to pastoral ministry for 17 years. He became the bishop of Mantua, cardinal patriarch of Venice, and Pope in 1903. As Pope, he took as the motto of his reign "to renew all things in Christ."

Referred to as the "Pope of the Eucharist", he advocated frequent Communion for adults, sacramental preparation for children, and instruction in catechism for everyone. It was by his desire that the Eucharistic Congress of 1905 be held in Rome.

Pius X reformed the liturgy, promoted clear and simple homilies, and brought Gregorian chant back. He reorganized the Roman curia, worked against the modern antagonism of the state against the Church. He helped to draft the New Code of Cannon law, issues in 1917. He encouraged Scripture reading by all the faithful.

Pope Pius X died on August 20, 1914 at Vatican City from natural causes aggravated by worries over the beginning of World War I and was buried under the altar of the Chapel of the Presentation, Saint Peter's basilica.

Patron: Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia; diocese of Des Moines, Iowa: first communicants; diocese of Great Falls-Billings, Montana; pilgrims; diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Quotes

"Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven."

"I was born poor, I have lived poor, I wish to die poor."

"My hope is in Christ, who strengthens the weakest by His Divine help. I can do all in Him who strengthens me. His Power is infinite, and if I lean on him, it will be mine. His Wisdom is infinite, and if I look to Him counsel, I shall not be deceived. His Goodness is infinite, and if my trust is stayed in Him, I shall not be abandoned.”

Let the storm rage and the sky darken - not for that shall we be dismayed. If we trust as we should in Mary, we shall recognize in her, the Virgin Most Powerful "who with virginal foot did crush the head of the serpent."

"Truly we are passing through disastrous times, when we may well make our own the lamentation of the Prophet: "There is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land" (Hosea 4:1). Yet in the midst of this tide of evil, the Virgin Most Merciful rises before our eyes like a rainbow, as the arbiter of peace between God and man. "

Prayer to Saint Pius X

Glorious Pope of the Eucharist, Saint Pius X, you sought "to restore all things in Christ." Obtain for me a true love of Jesus so that I may live only for Him. Help me to acquire a lively fervor and a sincere will to strive for sanctity of life, and that I may avail myself of the riches of the Holy Eucharist in sacrifice and sacrament. By your love for Mary, mother and queen of all, inflame my heart with tender devotion to her. Blessed model of the priesthood, obtain for us holy, dedicated priests, and increase vocations to the religious life. Dispel confusion and hatred and anxiety, and incline our hearts to peace and concord. so that all nations will place themselves under the sweet reign of Christ. Amen. Saint Pius X, pray for me.

Go here to pray the Litany of Pope Pius X.

Papal Quote of the Day: the Greatest Poverty

“The greatest poverty is in fact the lack of Christ, and until we bring Jesus to men we will have done too little for them.”

~ Pope Francis in a letter to Bishop Francesco Lambiasi of Rimini, on the occasion of the opening of the annual gathering of the Rimini Meeting organized by the lay movement Communion and Liberation

Novena to St. Augustine begins today

Begin this prayer today and recite for nine days.

Saint Augustine, great Bishop of Hippo and Doctor of the Church, may your life of conversion to the Catholic Faith be an example to both those who have never been apart of the Church, and to those who have fallen away from Christ's Church. Through your closeness with Our Lord in Heaven, intercede for us and bring to the One True Faith the following people (mention names).

May your conversion centuries ago continue to inspire those who are lost today and with the help of your prayers, may God bring them to a full understanding of the Faith. Most importantly, may your struggle to find Truth, through many sins and failings be an example of the Lord Jesus' forgiveness and eternal saving Grace. Amen.

Oh God, hear the prayer of your servant, St Augustine, and bring the message of salvation to all who seek you in sincerity. Amen.

Back to School Prayers for College Students

A Student's Prayer (by St. Thomas Aquinas)

Come, Holy Spirit, Divine Creator, true source of light and fountain of wisdom! Pour forth your brilliance upon my dense intellect, dissipate the darkness which covers me, that of sin and of ignorance. Grant me a penetrating mind to understand, a retentive memory, method and ease in learning, the lucidity to comprehend, and abundant grace in expressing myself. Guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to successful completion. This I ask through Jesus Christ, true God and true man, living and reigning with You and the Father, forever and ever.
Amen.

Prayer to Our Lady (by St. Thomas Aquinas)

O Mary, Seat of Wisdom, so many persons of common intellect have made through thy intercession admirable progress in their studies. I hereby choose thee as guardian and patron of my studies. I humbly ask thee to obtain for me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that from now on I could

understand more quickly,
retain more readily, and
express myself more fluently.

May the example of my life serve to honor thee and thy Son, Jesus.

Amen.

Our Lady Seat of Wisdom, pray for us!

Benedict XVI 'escapes' to Castel Gandolfo to pray to Our Lady, and listen to classical music

August 20, 2013.(Romereports.com) Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI traveled to Castel Gandolfo on Sunday, where he spent the afternoon strolling through the gardens of the villa where he spent the hot summer months in the past eight years.  

According to Italian news agency ANSA, Benedict XVI spent Sunday afternoon at Castel Gandolfo, joined by the 'memores domini,' the four consecrated women that have cared for him for several years. He used that time to pray the Rosary at the gardens, and even enjoyed a brief piano concert. The visit lasted approximately three hours, and then he returned to the Vatican.

Before the start of the summer, Pope Francis invited Benedict XVI to take refuge from the Roman heat at Castel Gandolfo, but the Pope emeritus declined, and opted instead to remain inside the Vatican.

Duck Dynasty Preaches God, Life, Family

A record number of viewers tuned in to watch the fourth season premier of Duck Dynasty, a politically incorrect hit reality show that preaches faith, good morals, and family values.

LiveActionNews.com is reporting that the A&E reality show focuses on the lives of the Robertson family who run a business that makes products for duck hunters. Instead of glamorizing adulterous housewives and the antics of drunken youth at the Jersey Shore, Duck Dynasty features a refreshing line-up of solid characters and healthy American living.

Read more.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Today is the memorial of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, abbot and doctor of the Church.

Bernard, the founding abbot of Clairvaux Abbey in Burgundy, was one of the most commanding Church leaders in the first half of the twelfth century as well as one of the greatest spiritual masters of all times and the most powerful propagator of the Cistercian reform. Bernard is also known as the second founder of the Cistercians, the Mellifluous Doctor, and the last of the Fathers of the Holy Church.

He was born to a noble family at Fontaines, near Dijon, France in 1090, the third of seven children, six of whom were sons.

Bernard left his privileged life near Dijon, France, to join the Cistercians at the age of 22. He was well educated and so passionate about his faith that he convinced 30 of his relatives -- including all of his brothers, his uncle, and later his widowed father -- as well as many friends to join him at the abbey. Bernard first entered the abbey at Citeaux, but only three years later was sent with 12 other monks to establish another monastery in the Diocese of Champagne. The monastery came to be known Clairvaux, the Valley of Light.

As a young abbot he published a series of sermons on the Annunciation. These marked him not only as a most gifted spiritual writer but also as the "cithara of Mary," especially noted for his development of Mary's role as mediator.

Bernard's spiritual writing as well as his extraordinary personal magnetism began to attract many to Clairvaux and the other Cistercian monasteries, leading to many new foundations. He was drawn into the controversy developing between the new monastic movement which he preeminently represented and the established the Cluniac order, a branch of the Benedictines. This led to one of his most controversial and most popular works, his Apologia.

Bernard's dynamism soon reached far beyond monastic circles. He was sought as an advisor and mediator by the ruling powers of his age. More than any other he helped to bring about the healing of the papal schism which arose in 1130 with the election of the antipope Anacletus II. He was commissioned by Pope Eugene III to preach the second Crusade. In obedience to the Sovereign Pontiff he traveled through France and Germany, and aroused the greatest enthusiasm for the holy war among the masses of the population. The failure of the expedition raised a great storm against the saint, but he attributed it to the sins of the Crusaders.

Although he suffered from constant physical pain and illness and had to govern a monastery that soon housed several hundred monks and was sending forth groups regularly to begin new monasteries (he personally saw to the establishment of sixty-five of the three hundred Cistercian monasteries founded during his thirty-eight years as abbot), he yet found time to compose many spiritual works that still speak to us today. He laid out a solid foundation for the spiritual life in his works on grace and free will, humility and love.

His gifts as a theologian were called upon to respond to the dangerous teachings of the scintillating Peter Abelard, of Gilbert de la Porree and of Arnold of Brescia. His masterpiece, his Sermons on the Song of Songs, was begun in 1136 and was still in composition at the time of his death. With great simplicity and poetic grace Bernard writes of the deepest experiences of the mystical life in ways that became normative for all succeeding writers. For Pope Eugene he wrote Five Books on Consideration, the bedside reading of Pope John XXIII and many other pontiffs through the centuries.

Bernard died at Clairvaux on August 20, 1153. He was canonized by Pope Alexander III on January 18, 1174. Pope Pius VII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1830.

~ Excerpted, in part, from The Modern Catholic Encyclopedia

Patron: beekeepers; bees; candlemakers; chandlers; wax-melters; wax refiners; Gibraltar; Queens College, Cambridge.

Some of St. Bernard's writings can be downloaded here.

St. Bernard on the Blessed Virgin Mary:

"In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips; never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may more surely obtain the assistance of her prayer; neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.”

"If the hurricanes of temptation rise against you, or you are running upon the rocks of trouble, look to the star- call on Mary!"

St. Bernard on Love:

"Love is sufficient of itself; it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in the practice. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return. The sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him."

Prayer

O God, by whose grace your servant Bernard of Clairvaux, kindled with the flame of your love, became a burning and a shining light in your Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and walk before you as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Pope Francis: Faith and Violence are Incompatible

August 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) During Sunday's Angelus at St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis renewed his calls for peace in Egypt, where violent clashes between the army and supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi continue to drive up the death toll among its citizens.

POPE FRANCIS
“We continue to pray for peace in Egypt together, Mary Queen of Peace pray for us.”

During his Angelus remarks, Pope Francis spoke on the Gospel reading for the day, which, coincidentally, dealt with peace, and how violence is incompatible with faith.

He said the Gospel's message explained that Jesus set the criteria for which to live by peacefully: live for God or live for oneself, to serve or be served. But he added that living in peace, does not mean being neutral.

POPE FRANCIS
“Jesus does not portray neutrality. This peace is not a compromise at all costs. To follow Jesus, means to renounce all evil and egoism, to do good, and choose truth and justice.”

However, the Pope went on to condemn all forms of violence, saying that the words of the Gospel do not authorize the use of the force to spread the faith.

POPE FRANCIS
“Just the opposite: the true strength of Christians is the power of truth and love, which means renouncing all forms of violence. Faith and violence are incompatible! Faith and violence are incompatible! Instead, faith and fortitude go hand in hand. A Christian is not violent.”

During his remarks, Pope Francis also added that faith is not meant to be a decorative or ornamental item, but that is should be at the center of each person's life.

More than 50 churches in Egypt attacked in past few days

August 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) Christians have come under fire from Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood since violent clashes between supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi and the army broke out. Islamists largely accuse the Christian population in Egypt of backing the coup that removed Morsi as president.  

MARTA PETROSILLO
Spokesperson, Help to the Church that Suffers
“They believe that Christians and the Christian Churches supported the army in removing President Morse. There are even some who have spoken about a Christian crusade against Morsi. This is not true, because the Church has not taken positions. It allowed its members to act freely.”

About 10 percent of the population in Egypt is Christian. They have increasingly become a minority under attack from an on-going struggle. Those attacks have centered on churches, monasteries, schools and even Christian-owned businesses across Egypt. This video shows how flames engulfed a church in Minya, south of Cairo.

MARTA PETROSILLO
Spokesperson, Help to the Church that Suffers
“We are hearing that during these tragic days, about 50 churches have been torched or attacked, but it's hard, in these cases, to have exact figures because, unfortunately, there is a lack of information.”

As time goes by, the situation continues to worsen despite international calls for restraint. However, the persecution of Christians in Egypt is not new phenomenon.

MARTA PETROSILLO
Spokesperson, Help to the Church that Suffers
“Surely Christians must not be happy about what has happened this year under Morsi's presidency. There have been an increase in sectarian violence, and attacks against Christians.”

In the past few days, Pope Francis has also appealed for peace, dialogue and reconciliation in Egypt.

Back to School Prayer

Father of all mercies

We ask that you would bless

the youngest and littlest of learners,

the most helpless and powerless of persons,

with Your infinite and loving mercy,

granting them the strength to learn, concentrate,

and act appropriately towards their teachers and fellow students.

We also ask that You would watch over them,

at home and at school

and grant them proper direction so that they may learn

of Your wonderful virtues.

We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen


~ by David Bennett

Via Nick at Catholic School Chronicle (News, Resources and Discussion for Catholic Teachers and Catechists)

Giving Away Two Mater Eucharistiae CD's

I have 2 Mater Eucharistiae CD's to give away, courtesy of Carmel Communications:

Here's the scoop on the CD's:

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, are well-known for their Dominic spirituality, teaching missions across the country and publicity from numerous national media outlets. Now, they have entered the realm of music with the release of their first album, MATER EUCHARISTIAE, with Decca Record Label and De Montfort Music.

The 15-track album, recorded live from the sisters’ chapel in Ann Arbor, Michigan, features songs in both English and Latin, and includes ancient chants, polyphony and original compositions. Some pieces are accompanied by the organ, trumpet and chimes, while others are sung a capella. The album is produced by the 2013 Grammy Award-winning Classical Producer of the Year, Blanton Alspaugh.

Track Listing:
1. Holy Mary Mother of God
2. Jesu Dulcis Memoria
3. Te Deum
4. O Gloriosa Virginum
5. Ave Maria To Thee Holy Virgin
6. Quid Retribuam
7. I Am In Thy Hands O Mary
8. Sicut Cervus
9. Stella Splendens
10. Pange Lingua
11. The Annunciation
12. Ave Maris Stella
13. Angelus Ad Virginem
14. Adoro Te
15. Salve Regina

To qualify for the drawing, just send me an email with your full name and mailing address at jean.heimann(at)gmail(dot)com and you are entered! The giveaway ends on Wednesday, August 28, so don't delay - enter now!

St. John Eudes

Today is the optional memorial of St. John Eudes, a French priest, parish missionary, founder of the Eudists and of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity, and author of the liturgical worship of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

John Eudes was born at Ri, Normandy, France, on November 14, 1601, the son of a farmer. He went to the Jesuit college at Caen when he was 14. Despite his parents' wishes that he marry, he joined the religious order of the Oratorians in France and was ordained a priest at the age of 24. John worked as a volunteer, caring for the victims of the plagues that struck Normandy in 1625 and 1631. In order to avoid infecting his fellow religious, he lived in a huge cask in the middle of a field during the plague.

At age 32, John became a parish missionary, building a reputation as an outstanding preacher and confessor
During his long life,  he preached not less than one hundred and ten missions in different parts of France.. He was known for his opposition to Jansenism, which taught that human nature was corrupt, original sin rampant, and perfection was both necessary for salvation and practically unattainable.

He became interested in helping prostitutes, and in 1641, with Madeleine Lamy, founded a refuge for them in Caen under the direction of the Visitandines.

John resigned from the Oratorians in 1643 and founded the Congregation of Jesus and Mary (the Eudists) at Caen, composed of secular priests not bound by vows but dedicated to upgrading the clergy by establishing effective seminaries and to preaching missions.

In 1650, the Bishop of Coutances invited him to establish a seminary in that diocese. The same year the sisters at his refuge in Caen left the Visitandines and were recognized by the Bishop of Bayeux as a new congregation under the name of Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge.  He also established the Society of the Heart of the Mother Most Admirable -- which resembles the Third Orders of St. Francis and St. Dominic.

St. John Eudes is known for his writings, especially The Ideal Confessor, The Wonderous Childhood of the Holy Mother of God, The Admirable Heart of Mary, and The Apostolic Preacher. Above all, St. John Eudes taught that Jesus was the source of all holiness and Mary was the example of a Christian life
He died at Caen on August 19, 1680 at the age of 79. He was beatified in 1909 by Saint Pius X, and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925.

Quotes

"He belongs to you, but more than that, He longs to be in you, living and ruling in you, as the head lives and rules in the body. He wants His breath to be in your breath, His heart in your heart, and His soul in your soul."

“Our wish, our object, our chief preoccupation must be to form Jesus in ourselves, to make his spirit, his devotion, his affections, his desires and his disposition live and reign there. All our religious exercises should be directed to this end. It is the work which God has given us to do unceasingly.”

"I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is our true head, and that you are one of his members. He belongs to you as the head belongs to its members; all that is his is yours. . . . You must make use of all these as of your own, to serve, praise, love, and glorify God."

Prayer by St. John Eudes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Heart all lovable and all loving of my Savior, be the Heart of my heart, the soul of my soul, the spirit of my spirit, the life of my life and the sole principle of all my thoughts, words and actions, of all the faculties of my soul, and of all my senses, both interior and exterior. Amen.

Prayer by St. John Eudes to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Hail Mary! Mother of God the Son.
Hail Mary! Spouse of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary! Temple of the Most Blessed Trinity.
Hail Mary! Pure Lily of the Effulgent Trinity.
Hail Mary! Celestial Rose of the Ineffable Love of God.
Hail Mary! Virgin pure  and humble,of whom the King of heaven willed to be born and with thy milk to be nourished.
Hail Mary! Virgin of Virgins,
Hail Mary! Queen of Martyrs, whose soul a sword transfixed.
Hail Mary! Lady most blessed! unto whom all power in heaven and earth is given.
Hail Mary! My Queen and my Mother! my Life, my Sweetness and my Hope,
Hail Mary! Mother Most Amiable,
Hail Mary! Mother of Divine Love,
Hail Mary! Immaculate! Conceived Without Sin!
Hail Mary! Full of Grace! The Lord is with Thee!
Blessed art thou among women! And blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
Blessed be thy spouse, Saint Joseph,
Blessed be thy father, Saint Joachim,
Blessed be thy mother, Saint Anne,
Blessed be thy guardian, Saint John,
Blessed be thy holy angel, Saint Gabriel,
Glory be to God the Father, Who chose thee,
Glory be to God the Son, Who loved thee,
Glory be to God the Holy Spirit, Who espoused thee.

O Glorious Virgin Mary, may all people love and praise thee.

Pope Francis urges Catholics to pray the Rosary in the fight against evil

August 16, 2013. (Romereports.com) Nearly 12,000 pilgrims packed the small square outside the Papal Residence at Castel Gandolfo, for Pope Francis' Mass for the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pope Francis emerged behind the iconic doors that closed off the papacy of his predecessor Benedict XVI, to a makeshift altar, wearing a simple tunic and stoll. His homily focused on the contributions of Our Lady to the Church.

POPE FRANCIS
“Through the light of this beautiful icon, of our mother, we can analyze the message inside the today's biblical readings. We can focus on three words, struggle, resurrection, hope.”

The first term, according to Pope Francis, addresses the inherent struggle between good and evil, and how Our Lady plays an important role in guiding the world along this struggle.

POPE FRANCIS
“Mary joins us, she fights at our side. She supports Christians in the fight against the forces of evil. Especially through prayer, through the rosary. Hear me out, the rosary... Do you pray the Rosary each day? I don't know, are you sure? There we go!”

The Pope continued saying that Our Lady had shared in the struggles of her son, Jesus Christ. She suffered along with him, and so when Jesus resurrected, she was also given redemption.

POPE FRANCIS
“Our Mother, we can add, represents us. she is our Sister, our first Sister to be granted redemption and taken to Heaven.”

Because of her suffering and redemption, Our Lady is also the most iconic image of hope, Pope Francis said. She is close to those who suffer throughout the world, and she provides them the hope to overcome their struggle.

The Pope ended the Mass with the Angelus. He remained at Castel Gandolfo for the day. After a private visit to a local parish, he returned to the Vatican.

Mother Dolores remembers Elvis

Former Hollywood actress Mother Dolores Hart remembers her former co-star, Elvis Presley, on the 36th anniversary of his death. Presley died Aug. 16, 1977.



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St. Stephen of Hungary

Today's saint of the day is St. Stephen of Hungary, the first Christian king of Hungary.

Born a pagan, Stephen was baptized at age 10, along with his father, and was raised as a Christian. In 996, at age 20, he married Gisela, the daughter of Duke Henry II of Bavaria and devoted much of his reign to the promotion of the Christian faith. He gave his patronage to Church leaders, helped build churches, and was a proponent of the rights of the Holy See.

Stephen also crushed the pagan counter-reaction to Christianity, and converted the so-called Black Hungarians after their failed rebellion. In recognition of his efforts, Stephen was crowned king of Hungary in 1000, receiving the cross and the crown from Pope Sylvester II. His crown and regalia became beloved symbols of the Hungarian nation, and Stephen was venerated as the ideal Christian king.

The secret of St. Stephen's amazing success in leading his people to the Christian faith was his deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He placed his entire kingdom under her protection and built a magnificent church in her honor.

Stephen served as King of Hungary for 42 years and died at Szekesfehervar on August 15, 1038. Soon after Stephen's death, miracles of healing occurred at his tomb. Stephen was canonized by Pope Gregory XVII in 1083.

He is the patron saint of: bricklayers, death of children, Hungary, kings, masons, stone masons, and stone cutters

Fr. Barron comments on The Great Gatsby

Pope's homily on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Here is the homily that Pope Francis gave at Castel Gandolfo today, August 15, 2013:

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

At the end of its Constitution on the Church, the Second Vatican Council left us a very beautiful meditation on Mary Most Holy. Let me just recall the words referring to the mystery we celebrate today: “the immaculate Virgin preserved free from all stain of original sin, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, when her earthly life was over, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things” (no. 59). Then towards the end, there is: “the Mother of Jesus in the glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven is the image and the beginning of the church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise, she shines forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come” (no. 68). In the light of this most beautiful image of our Mother, we are able to see the message of the biblical readings that we have just heard. We can focus on three key words: struggle, resurrection, hope.

The passage from Revelation presents the vision of the struggle between the woman and the dragon. The figure of the woman, representing the Church, is, on the one hand, glorious and triumphant and yet, on the other, still in travail. And the Church is like that: if in heaven she is already associated in some way with the glory of her Lord, in history she continually lives through the trials and challenges which the conflict between God and the evil one, the perennial enemy, brings. And in the struggle which the disciples must confront – all of us, all the disciples of Jesus, we must face this struggle - Mary does not leave them alone: the Mother of Christ and of the Church is always with us. She walks with us always, she is with us. And in a way, Mary shares this dual condition. She has of course already entered, once and for all, into heavenly glory. But this does not mean that she is distant or detached from us; rather Mary accompanies us, struggles with us, sustains Christians in their fight against the forces of evil. Prayer with Mary, especially the rosary – but listen carefully: the Rosary. Do you pray the Rosary every day? But I’m not sure you do [the people shout “Yes!”]… Really? Well, prayer with Mary, especially the Rosary, has this “suffering” dimension, that is of struggle, a sustaining prayer in the battle against the evil one and his accomplices. The Rosary also sustains us in the battle.

The second reading speaks to us of resurrection. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians, insists that being Christian means believing that Christ is truly risen from the dead. Our whole faith is based upon this fundamental truth which is not an idea but an event. Even the mystery of Mary’s Assumption body and soul is fully inscribed in the resurrection of Christ. The Mother’s humanity is “attracted” by the Son in his own passage from death to life. Once and for all, Jesus entered into eternal life with all the humanity he had drawn from Mary; and she, the Mother, who followed him faithfully throughout her life, followed him with her heart, and entered with him into eternal life which we also call heaven, paradise, the Father’s house.

Mary also experienced the martyrdom of the Cross: the martyrdom of her heart, the martyrdom of her soul. She lived her Son’s Passion to the depths of her soul. She was fully united to him in his death, and so she was given the gift of resurrection. Christ is the first fruits from the dead and Mary is the first of the redeemed, the first of “those who are in Christ”. She is our Mother, but we can also say that she is our representative, our sister, our eldest sister, she is the first of the redeemed, who has arrived in heaven.

The Gospel suggests to us the third word: hope. Hope is the virtue of those who, experiencing conflict – the struggle between life and death, good and evil – believe in the resurrection of Christ, in the victory of love. We heard the Song of Mary, the Magnificat: it is the song of hope, it is the song of the People of God walking through history. It is the song many saints, men and women, some famous, and very many others unknown to us but known to God: mums, dads, catechists, missionaries, priests, sisters, young people, even children and grandparents: these have faced the struggle of life while carrying in their heart the hope of the little and the humble. Mary says: “My souls glorifies the Lord” – today, the Church too sings this in every part of the world. This song is particularly strong in places where the Body of Christ is suffering the Passion. For us Christians, wherever the Cross is, there is hope, always. If there is no hope, we are not Christian. That is why I like to say: do not allow yourselves to be robbed of hope. May we not be robbed of hope, because this strength is a grace, a gift from God which carries us forward with our eyes fixed on heaven. And Mary is always there, near those communities, our brothers and sisters, she accompanies them, suffers with them, and sings the Magnificat of hope with them.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, with all our heart let us too unite ourselves to this song of patience and victory, of struggle and joy, that unites the triumphant Church with the pilgrim one, earth with heaven, and that joins our lives to the eternity towards which we journey. Amen.

Governments Increasingly Object to UN Abortion Agenda

By Rebecca Oas, Ph.D.

NEW YORK, August 16 (C-FAM) A growing sense of urgency surrounds the UN development agenda as major milestones approach and long-term goals are set to expire. Of particular concern to some is the fate of sexual and reproductive health and rights. Indeed many governments are expressing increasing exasperation with abortion advocates. In the closing minutes of a recent conference, delegates complained that human rights were being reduced to sexual and reproductive rights.

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Pope Francis celebrates the Assumption of Mary

Documentary shows how Our Lady brings back people to the Faith

August 15, 2013. (Romereports.com) Every year, an all across the world, millions of people visit sactuaries dedicated to Our Lady. Behind each pilgrim there's a story. A documentary “Fiction or Reality” shares the testimonies of people that have come back to the Catholic faith, after experiencing a type of intervention from the Mother of Christ.  

“I heard this voice that sounded so sweet, so... motherly. She told me, 'My son, it's enough. Are you ready to come back home?'”

JUAN MANUEL COTELO
Producer “Fiction or Reality”
“The movie is based on that. The easiest and most nurturing path to go back to God is through Mary.” 3:16 – 3:31 “It's very, very beautiful to see how Our Lady is not some precious legendary figure or a Greek tale. She is not just another legend.”

Juan Manuel Cotelo explained that the main goal of this film is to investigate, to learn more about the people's reality; including those who claim they speak to God himself.

JUAN MANUEL COTELO
Producer “Fiction or Reality”
“If someone says they speak to Michael Jackson we don't doubt it. We think they are either lying or mentally unstable, they need a psychiatrist. But there are millions, not one, but millions of people who claim to speak with Jesus Christ daily. Are they lying, crazy? Or do they speak the truth?”
“Let's talk about people that have lived without God for many years, and now live with Him. They have the authority to say, I've tested both recipes, and this one is better. Well, let's see if they are fed up, if they are mentally unstable, or if they show some truth.”

One of the surprising things for non-Catholics is the amount of devotion that Catholics display for the Virgin Mary. Their calendar is full of days dedicated to her, and her shrines are always full of pilgrims. “Fiction or Reality” helps the viewer understand the role Our Lady plays within the Catholic Church.

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today the universal Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which we commemorate her being taken up body and soul into heaven when her earthly life was finished. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: “The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of His Body” (974). Thus, the Assumption looks to eternity and gives us hope that we, too, will follow Our Lady when our life is ended.

The Assumption first began to be celebrated as a feast day in the Eastern Church after the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431) proclaimed Mary the Mother of God. By the sixth century, the feast celebrated Mary’s Dormition, “her falling asleep.” The western church began to celebrate this feast around 650.  St. John Damascene (675-749), an early Father and Doctor of the Church, expressed the belief of his time by writing that Mary’s “pure and sinless body was not left on earth but was transferred to a heavenly throne.”   The Church’s teaching on the Assumption was formally proclaimed a doctrine by Pope Pius XII in 1950.

Today we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, who always directs us to her Son.  According to Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, “The main ministry of Mary is to incline men’s hearts to obedience to the Will of her Divine Son.” Her last recorded words at Cana are the words that she conveys to us on the solemnity of the Assumption: “Do whatever He tells you.” She asks us to be obedient to Him, to surrender our hearts to Him, and to say “Yes” to Him, just as she did, despite our uncertainties. She desires that we come to Him with open and contrite hearts, seeking His mercy and His holy will in our lives, so that we may one day be united with Him in heaven for all eternity. The Blessed Mother is our advocate and guide in this life who loves us as only a mother can. Her maternal heart overflows with compassion for us, and she is always there for us, eager to listen to our prayers, and to draw us closer to the heart of her Son. Our Blessed Mother has preceded us into Heaven so that on the day of final judgment she will be there to accompany us on our eternal journey.

Papal Quote
 "The Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the oldest Marian Feast, returns every year in the heart of summer. It is an opportunity to rise with Mary to the heights of the spirit where one breathes the pure air of supernatural life and contemplates the most authentic beauty, the beauty of holiness."
~ Pope Benedict XVI, homily on the Solemnity of the Assumption, August 15, 2008



Recommended Reading:

The Holy Bible (Catholic)

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Munificentissimus Deus

Lumen Gentium

Redemptoris Mater

Introduction to Mary; Mark Miravalle

True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by St. Louis De Montfort

The Secret of Mary by St. Louis De Montfort.

An Overview of the Life and Spirituality of Saint Louis De Montfort by Father Pat Gaffney.

Montfortian Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. (This is a 40-day prayer consecrating oneself to Jesus through Mary.)

The Little Crown of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a morning prayer recommended by St. Louis De Montfort.

Methods for Saying the Rosary by St. Louis De Montfort

Mary Mystery of Mercy, Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P.

Queen Mother: A Biblical Theology of Mary's Queenship, Edward Sri

Catholic for a Reason II: Scripture and the Mystery of the Mother of God; Scott Hahn (Editor) and Leon J. Suprenant, Jr (Author)

Hail Holy Queen, Scott Hahn

The Glories of Mary, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, Tan Books

The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Ven. Anne Catherine Emmerich by Anne Catherine Emmerich, Tan Books

Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, Ignatius Press

Theotokos: Woman, Mother, Disciple, John Paul II, Pauline Books and Media

Saint Alphonsus de Liguori: Where is the Tomb of the Virgin Mary and what is its significance?

Mary and the Fathers of the Church: The Blessed Virgin Mary in Patristic Thought, Luigi Gambero

Mary: The Church at the Source, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Hans Urs von Balthasar

Fourteen Questions About Heaven by Peter Kreeft, Ph.D.