Asking for Mercy

Pope John Paul II refers to the need to pray for mercy with a new urgency for our own times: "At no time… especially at a moment as critical as our own — can the Church forget the prayer that is a cry for the mercy of God… The Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy 'with loud cries' " (Rich in Mercy, 15).
To St. Faustina, Jesus revealed this same message once again. He gave her three new ways to ask for mercy on the strength of His passion: the Chaplet, the Novena, and prayer at three o'clock; and He taught her to transform her daily life into a continuous prayer for mercy. Through her, He calls us all to ask for His mercy:
Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion (Diary, 1146). Beg for mercy for the whole world (570). No soul that has called upon My mercy has ever been disappointed (1541).

Prayer to be Merciful to Others

This prayer gives us a true measure of our mercy, a mirror in which we observe ourselves as merciful Christs. We can make it our morning invocation and our evening examination of conscience.
O Most Holy Trinity! As many times as I breathe, as many times as my heart beats, as many times as my blood pulsates through my body, so many thousand times do I want to glorify Your mercy.
I want to be completely transformed into Your mercy and to be Your living reflection, O Lord. May the greatest of all divine attributes, that of Your unfathomable mercy, pass through my heart and soul to my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my eyes may be merciful, so that I may never suspect or judge from appearances, but look for what is beautiful in my neighbors’ souls and come to their rescue.
Help me, that my ears may be merciful, so that I may give heed to my neighbors’ needs and not be indifferent to their pains and moanings.
Help me, O Lord, that my tongue may be merciful, so that I should never speak negatively of my neighbor, but have a word of comfort and forgiveness for all.
Help me, O Lord, that my hands may be merciful and filled with good deeds, so that I may do only good to my neighbors and take upon myself the more difficult and toilsome tasks.
Help me, that my feet may be merciful, so that I may hurry to assist my neighbor, overcoming my own fatigue and weariness. My true rest is in the service of my neighbor.
Help me, O Lord, that my heart may be merciful so that I myself may feel all the sufferings of my neighbor. I will refuse my heart to no one. I will be sincere even with those who, I know, will abuse my kindness. And I will lock myself up in the most merciful Heart of Jesus. I will bear my own suffering in silence. May Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon me.
You Yourself command me to exercise the three degrees of mercy. The first: the act of mercy, of whatever kind. The second: the word of mercy — if I cannot carry out a work of mercy, I will assist by my words. The third: prayer — if I cannot show mercy by deeds or words, I can always do so by prayer. My prayer reaches out even there where I cannot reach out physically.
O my Jesus, transform me into Yourself, for You can do all things (163).

Difference Between Living in the Divine Will and Doing the Will of God

May 31, 1926 Volume 19The Difference Between Who Lives In the Divine Will and Who is Resigned and Submitted. The First is Sun; the Other is Earth Who Lives by the Effects of the Light.The Light of the Divine Will continues to envelop me; and my little intelligence, while it swims in the immense sea of this light, scarcely can take some drops of light and some little flame of the so many truths and knowledges and happinesses that this interminable sea of the Eternal Will contains. At times I do not find the vocabulary adapted to put on paper that little bit of light. I say little; by that I leave out so much because my poor, little intelligence takes as much as suffices to fill me; the rest I leave.It happens as to a person who dives into the sea. She becomes all wet; the water flows everywhere over her, perhaps even into her vital organs; but, going out of the sea, what does she bring with her of all the water of the sea? Very little and almost nothing compared to that water that remains in the sea.And, by having been in the sea can it be said, perhaps, how much water, how many species and quantity of fish that remain there in the sea?... Certainly not; but, nevertheless, she will know how to speak about that little that she has seen in the sea. Such is my poor soul. And so, my sweet Jesus, while I found myself in this light, went out from my interior and said to me: "My daughter, this is the unity of the light of my Will; and so that you always love It more and confirm yourself increasingly in It, I want to let you know the great difference that there is between who lives in my Will in the unity of this light and who is resigned and submitted to my Will. And, to make you understand well, I will present you the similitude of the sun in the sky.The sun being in the vault of the heavens expands its rays upon the surface of the earth. Look, between earth and sun there is a kind of agreement: the sun in touching the earth and the earth in receiving the light and touch of the sun. Now, the earth, by receiving the touch of the light submits itself to the sun, receives the effects that the light contains; and these effects transform the face of the earth. They make it green again, they flower it; the plants develop; they mature the fruits and so many other marvels that are seen upon the face of the earth -- products always of the effects that the solar light contains.But the sun, by giving its effects, does not give away its light; indeed, jealous, it conserves its unity; and the effects are not lasting. Therefore, the poor earth is seen now all flowered and then all stripped; in nearly every season it is changed; it undergoes continued mutations.Now, such is the soul who is resigned and submits herself to my Will. She lives by the effects that are in It; and, not possessing the light, she does not possess the sources of the effects that there are in the Eternal Will. And, therefore, she is seen almost as earth, now rich in virtue, then poor. She is changed in every circumstance; much more so that if she is not always resigned and submitted to my Will, she will be as the earth that does not want to be touched by the light of the sun; since, if it receives the effects, it is because it let itself be touched by its light. Otherwise, it would remain squalid without producing a blade of grass. Such became Adam after sin; he lost the unity of the light and, therefore, the source of the goods and effects the Sun of my Will contains. He no longer felt in himself the fullness of the Divine Sun; there no longer flowed in him that unity of the light that his Creator had fixed in the depths of his soul, which, communicating to him his likeness, made of him a faithful copy. Before sinning, possessing the source of the unity of the light with his Creator, bringing Him the love and the exchange of all that had been made by Him in all Creation, it was he who harmonized everything and formed the note of accord between Heaven and earth. But, as he withdrew from my Will, no longer did his acts as rays invade Heaven and earth but were restrained almost as plants and flowers in the little circuit of his terrain.Therefore, losing the harmony with all Creation, he became the discordant note of all Creation. Oh! how he descended to the bottom and cried bitterly. He lost the unity of the light which, elevating him above all created things, made of Adam the little god of the earth.Now, my daughter, from that what I have said to you, you can understand that the living in my Will is to possess the source of the unity of the light of my Will with all the fullness of the effects that there are in It. So there rises in her every act light, love, adoration, etc. Who delivers herself up, act for each act, love for each love, as solar light invades everything, harmonizes everything, centers everything in herself and, as refulgent ray, carries to her Creator the exchange for all that I have done for all creatures and the true note of accord between Heaven and earth. What a difference there is between who possesses the source of the goods that the Sun of my Will contains, and who lives by the effects! There would be the difference that there is between the sun and the earth. The sun possesses always the fullness of the light and of the effects. It is always brilliant and majestic in the vault of the heavens, nor does it have need of the earth; and, while it touches everything it is untouchable; it does not let itself be touched by anyone. If someone would even dare to stare at it, with its light it eclipses, blinds him and terrifies him. On the other hand the earth has need of everything, to be touched, stripped; and, if it were not for the light of the sun and its effects, it would be a dismal prison, full of squalid misery.Therefore, there is no comparison that rules between who lives in my Will and who subjects himself to It. Such was the unity of the light that Adam possessed before sinning, and he could not recover it during his life. With him it happened as the earth that goes around the sun, which, not being fixed, while it rotates, it opposes itself to the sun and forms its night. Now, to render him firm again and thus be able to sustain the unity of this light, there was needed a Repairer; and He had to be superior to him. A divine strength was needed to rectify him. Behold the necessity of the Redemption.My Celestial Mamma possessed the unity of this light; and, therefore, more than sun, She can give light to everyone; and, so, between Her and the Supreme Majesty there was never night nor any shadow but always full day. And, therefore, in each instant this unity of the light of my Will made flow in Her all the Divine Life which brought Her seas of beauty, of glory and of love. and She, as in triumph brought her Creator all these seas as hers to attest her love for Him, her adoration, and to make Him fall in love with her beauty. And the Divinity made flow other new seas more beautiful. She possessed so much love that, as connatural, She could love for everyone, adore and supply for everyone. Her little acts, done in the unity of this light, were superior to the greatest acts and all the acts of all creatures together. Therefore, the sacrifices, the works, the love of all other creatures can be called little flames before the sun, little drops of water before the sea, in comparison to the acts of the Sovereign Queen.
April 8, 1918 Volume 12Difference between living united with Jesus, and living in His Will. Returning to the point about living in the Divine Will, I was told that it was like living in the state of union with God; and my always adorable Jesus, in coming, said to me: "My daughter, there is a great difference between living united with Me and living in my Will." As He was saying this, He stretched His arms toward me and told me: "Come into my Will, even for one instant, and you will see the great difference."I found myself in Jesus. My tiny atom was swimming in the Eternal Volition. And since this Eternal Volition is one single Act that contains, altogether, all the acts, past, present and future - as I was in the Eternal Volition, I took part in that Act which contains all acts, as much as it is possible for creature. I took part also in the acts which do not exist, and which must yet exist, until the end of the centuries, and until God will be God. And for these acts too I loved Him, I thanked Him, I blessed Him, etc. There was no act which escaped me. I took the Love of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and I made it mine, just as their Will was mine; and I gave it to Them as if it were my own... How happy I was to be able to give Them their own Love as though my own! And how They found their full contentment and complete outpouring in receiving their own Love from me, as if It were mine! But who can say everything? I lack the words.Now, blessed Jesus told me: "Have you seen what living in my Will is? It is to disappear and to enter the sphere of Eternity; it is to penetrate into the Omnipotence of the Eternal One - into the Uncreated Mind, and take part in everything and in each divine act, as much as it is possible for creature. It is to make use, even while on earth, of all the divine qualities; it is to hate evil in a divine way. It is spreading oneself to everyone without exhaustion, because the Will which animates this creature is divine. It is the Sanctity which is not yet known, which I will make known, and which will place the last adornment, the most beautiful and the brightest among all other sanctities. It will be the crown and the fulfillment of all the other sanctities. Now, to live united with Me is not to disappear - two beings appear together; but one who does not disappear cannot enter into the sphere of Eternity to take part in all the divine acts. Ponder well, and you will see the great difference."

40 Days for Life Campaign, beginning this Fall

Check out the trailer for the 40 days for life Campaign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On9jankGqB0&feature=related

Check out their website for Los Angeles

http://40daysforlife.com/losangeles/

For Orange COunty

http://40daysforlife.com/orangecounty/

for other cities check

http://40daysforlife.com/

40 DAYS FOR LIFE This fall, from September 23rd thru November 1st, Los Angeles will be one of more than 170 cities in 45 states joining together for the largest and longest coordinated pro-life mobilization in history -- the 40 Days for Life campaign. 40 Days for Life is a focused pro-life effort that consists of:

40 days of prayer and fasting

40 days of peaceful vigil & prayer walk

40 days of community outreach

We are praying that, with God's help, this groundbreaking effort will mark the beginning of the end of abortion in our city -- and throughout America. While all aspects of 40 Days for Life are crucial in our effort to end abortion, the most visible component is the peaceful prayer vigil outside the local abortion facility. You can help make a life-saving impact by joining our local vigil at:
Family Planning Associates

S. 601 Westmoreland Ave.

Los Angeles CA

Prayers to Eliminate Racism

Prayers for the Elimination of Racism

To God the Father, Creator of all races and peoples, who loves each of us for our uniqueness, we offer our prayers of petition:
For an end to discrimination in all its forms, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That each person may be respected and valued as a child of God, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That the Church may be a witness and a universal sign of unity among all peoples, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That each of us may acknowledge our part in mistakes and sins of the past pertaining to discrimination and racism, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
For a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation among peoples who share a history of mutual mistrust, hatred or aggression, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That the victims of racial prejudice may forgive those who persecute them, and that their persecutors may have a change of heart, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That the Church will continue to strive to make every element of human life correspond to the true dignity of the human person, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
For those who have struggled in the past and continue to do so today for civil rights, economic justice and the elimination of discrimination based on race, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
For the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who allow another's race to influence their relationships and limit their openness, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That we may work to influence the attitudes of others by expressly rejecting racial stereotypes, slurs and jokes and be affirming of the cultural contributions of every racial group in our world, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That we may make a personal commitment to abolish social structures which inhibit economic, educational and social advancement of the poor, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.
That we may work for decent working conditions, adequate income, housing, education and health care for all people, we pray ... Lord of all nations, hear our prayer.

Almighty God, source of our life, we acknowledge you as Creator of all people of every race, language and way of life. Help us to see each other as you see us: your sons and daughters loved into being and sustained by your parental care. Keep watch over our hearts so that the evil of racism will find no home with us. Direct our spirits to work for justice and peace so that all barriers to your grace which oppress our brothers and sisters will be removed. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Fight World Slavery

Let us fight to erradicate from the face of the earth the 27 million men, women and children that continue to be oppressed by the scourge of slavery. Educate yourself and see how you can help to free these our brothers and sisters.
Please check this link, Slavery 101
http://www.freetheslaves.net/Page.aspx?pid=348

St. Peter Claver, September 9

St. Peter Claver (1580-1654) was a Spanish Jesuit missionary to Latin America. He is known as the "Apostle of the West Indies" and the "Slave to the Slaves."
Peter Claver was born in Verdu, Catalonia, on July 26, 1580, of prosperous parents. Little is known of his early years. In 1602 he entered the Society of Jesus. Three years later he began to study with Alphonsus Rodriquez in Majorca, with whom he shared a spiritual model of life focused on "suffering with Christ," which he would try to emulate for the rest of his life.
Haunted by a vision of going where he was really needed, Claver left his theological studies before completion and in 1610 went to Cartagena, New Granada (now Colombia). "Why stay in Europe," he asked, "when there are so many men of God needed in America?" He finished his Jesuit requirements and was ordained a priest in 1616 in Bogotá at the age of 35. In his profession he stipulated that he would "never admit any inferiority in the Negro slaves," and so that there would be no doubt of this, he proclaimed himself their slave, adding to his signature ethiopium semper servus (slave of the Negroes forever). One of his biographers states that "there have been few saints so specialized."
For the remaining 38 years of his life, Claver lived in Cartagena, one of the major Caribbean ports in Latin America to which slaves were imported. He had no social program but simply geared his life to the primary needs of the often sick and broken slaves who arrived on American shores. He was not a "revolutionary" priest, intent on changing the fabric of society; he simply cared for the slaves and exhorted the slave masters to be humane.
Claver made himself available to the black slaves. He met them at the port of the city, inquired about their Christian state, catechized those who had had no instruction before crossing the Atlantic, and allegedly baptized more than 300,000. After baptism he tried to nurture his "children," visiting the plantations and mines where the slaves were employed. In accordance with Pauline maxims, he urged slaves to be obedient but exhorted slave masters to be generous. In order to humanize these people hardly regarded as humans, he visited prisoners, nursed lepers and the sick, and worked for the release of some. He often protected fugitive slaves while seeking out good masters for them.
In 1650 Peter Claver became a victim of the plague and lived the rest of his life in almost complete solitude, dying on Sept. 8, 1654. The city magistrates, who had previously frowned at his constant solicitations on behalf of the slaves, ordered that he should be buried at public expense and with great pomp. Only after his death did people begin to realize the true scope of his activities; and the astronomical number of persons he had single handedly baptized. He was canonized in 1887, and Pope Leo XIII declared him the worldwide patron of missionary work among black slaves. St. Alphonsus Rodriguez was canonized on the same day as Peter Claver.
His bones were moved to a glass coffin under the altar of Cartagena's Cathedral de San Pedro Claver, where Pope John Paul II prayed during his 1986 visit. In the cloister adjoining the Cathedral, the room where he spent the last years of his life is open to visitors, along with a series of graphic paintings telling the story of how he helped the slaves.

Quote: Peter Claver understood that concrete service like the distributing of medicine, food or brandy to his black brothers and sisters could be as effective a communication of the word of God as mere verbal preaching. As Peter Claver often said, "We must speak to them with our hands before we try to speak to them with our lips."

Happy Birthday Mary

JMJ
AMDG
Let us celebrate our Lady's Birthday by singing the MANANITAS, a very beautiful song from Mexico. Here is the link to that video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YmL146DCqY

Novena to Fr. Bruno Lanteri

NOVENA TO VEN. FR. LANTERI(Founder of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary) in preparation for the celebration of the titular Feast of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary on September 12, feast of the HOLY NAME OF MARY.

O Father, fountain of all life and holiness You gave Fr. Pio Bruno Lanteri great faith in Christ, your Son, a lively hope, and an active love for the salvation of his brethren. You made him a prophet of your Word and a witness to Your Mercy. He had a tender love for Mary and by his very life he taught fidelity to the Church. Father, hear the prayer of Your family and through the intercession of Fr. Lanteri, grant us the grace for which we now ask…

May he be glorified on earth that we may give greater praise. We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayer for Priests

A PRAYER FOR PRIESTS
Keep them, I pray Thee, dearest Lord, keep them, for they are Thine -
Thy priests whose lives burn out before thy consecrated shrine.
Keep them, for they are in the world, though from the world apart;
When earthly pleasures tempt, allure, shelter them in Thy Heart.
Keep them, and comfort them in hours of loneliness and pain,
When all their life of sacrifice for souls seems but in vain.
Keep them, and O remember Lord, They have no one but Thee,
Yet they have only human hearts, with human frailty.
Keep them as spotless as the Host, that daily they caress;
Their every thought and word and deed, deign, dearest Lord, to bless. Amen

Let us NOT FORGET the MIRACLE IN MEXICO, Swine Flu under Control

On Sunday April 26th the Catholic Church took out in solemn procession throughout the streets of Mexico City the statue of the Christ of Health (El Cristo de la Salud). Sources indicated that the famous statue had not been taken to the streets for about 150 years, since a cholera outbreak scourged the Capital of Mexico in the 1850s. At that time Christ performed the miracle and stopped the outbreak. In a similar manner now in 2009, the MIRACLE has being performed once again by the same Jesus who is alive and risen. On April the 26th the city was overwhelmed with terror and fear, deaths were on the rise and the Church wisely asked the people to pray to the Lord of health for mercy and healing. After the procession, the statue of the Christ of Health was taken to the Cathedral of Mexico, where it was placed in a prominent place within it, at the Altar of Forgiveness, and invitation to the people of Mexico to seek reconciliation with God and implore His Mercy. The prayers of the people have been heard and the MIRACLE WAS PERFORMED by Jesus, and now the outbreak is under control and life in Mexico City is going back to normality. However, nobody seems to give credit to God for what has taken place, He who is the source of all life and healing, and people are simply going back to their lives without a real sense of understanding of the magnitude of the Miracle that has been accomplished in their midst, where the Mercy of God has been quickly showered upon the Mexican People and avoided a potentially tragic situation for Mexico and for the rest of the world. I must add that in addition to the procession of the Christ of Health, the Cardinal of Mexico also celebrated Mass at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and asked her also to intercede for the people of Mexico and spare them from a tragedy. THANK YOU JESUS FOR SPARING THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO AND THE WHOLE WORLD from a potentially tragic situation. We pray for those who died, that God in His Mercy will grant them eternal rest. And THANK YOU also to Our Lady of Guadalupe for interceding for the people of Mexico and of the whole world and obtaining this amazing MIRACLE!!

Medjugorje Messages to Mirjana

JMJ
AMDG
Once again the Church remains the ultimate source of authority in determining the authenticity of any private revelations including those allegedly taking place in Medjugorje. Because of the personal effect Medjugorje has had in my life I have been very close to these apparitions. And one can really see the sense of urgency of the messages given to Mirjana in her last two apparitions. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to see that the world continues to close itself to the ultimate DIVINE REALITY and accept the Mercy of God. These messages are at least worth considering from a devotional point of view as a call to further conversion.

Our Lady's message given through Mirjana May 2nd. 2009.
Our Lady was very sad. She only gave a message and blessed us.
Dear children!Already for a long time I am giving you my motherly heart and offering my Son to you. You are rejecting me. You are permitting sin to overcome you more and more. You are permitting it to master you and to take away your power of discernment. My poor children, look around you and look at the signs of the times. Do you think that you can do without God's blessing? Do not permit darkness to envelop you. From the depth of your heart cry out for my Son. His Name disperses even the greatest darkness. I will be with you, you just call me: 'Here we are Mother, lead us.' Thank you.


Our Lady's message given through Mirjana April 2nd. 2009.
Dear children, God's love is in my words. My children, that is the love which desires to turn you to justice and truth. That is the love which desires to save you from delusion. And what about you, my children? Your hearts remain closed; they are hard and do not respond to my calls. They are insincere. With a motherly love I am praying for you, because I desire for all of you to resurrect in my Son. Thank you.

Who are the Homophobes?

Interesting article by Peter Heck.
http://www.peterheck.com/columns


Who are the homophobes?
Peter Heck - Guest Columnist - 4/8/2009 10:25:00 AM

Demonstrating the commitment the far left has to elevating the level of civil discourse in our society, belligerent homosexual Congressman Barney Frank recently resorted to name-calling in an interview with the website 365gay.com. Answering a question about the Supreme Court potentially overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, Frank dismissed that possibility saying, "I wouldn't want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this current court." How classy. In Frank's warped worldview, anyone who opposes the spread of homosexuality in our culture is a homophobe. This offensive misuse of the term is more than irresponsible. It is ignorant and slanderous.

Homophobia is defined as a fear or hatred of homosexuals. To pejoratively label anyone who has moral objections to the practice of homosexuality a homophobe is such a blatant overreach that it effectively strips the term of any real meaning. There are homophobes in America today. But who they are just might surprise you. To illustrate this, let me first begin by asking a question. When someone you care about picks up a loaded revolver to play a game of Russian Roulette, what is the loving response? To pat them on the back and say, "Well, this wouldn't be my cup of tea, but go for it...it's who you are!"? Or would it be to rip the gun out of their hand and tell them how dangerous, irresponsible, and deadly their behavior is? If you're struggling to answer this question, please stop reading and seek counseling.

Physically, the consequences of homosexuality are devastatingly apparent. According to the Omega Journal of Death and Dying, the median age of death for homosexual men is between 40 and 43. The median age of death for heterosexuals is between 74 and 80. In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control noted that homosexuals accounted for nearly 65 percent of all new HIV cases (keeping in mind that they make up only 2-3 percent of the entire population), and that cases of Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Hepatitis A and B, Lymphogranuloma Venereum, and virtually every other sexually transmitted disease disproportionately affected the homosexual community.

Psychologically, the effects of homosexuality on an individual are just as deplorable. According to the well-respectedArchives of General Psychiatry in 1999, "homosexual people are at substantially higher risk for some forms of emotional problems, including suicid(e), major depression, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, and nicotine dependence." Further, Dr. N.E. Whitehead from the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuals stated, "Studies show homosexuals have a substantially greater risk of suffering from psychiatric problems than do heterosexuals. We see higher rates of suicide, depression, bulimia, antisocial personality disorder, and substance abuse." And contrary to the misconceptions advanced by the homosexual lobby, these psychological problems are rarely associated with a stigma they endure from society.

Spiritually, an unrepentant practicing homosexual is engaging in an activity that is explicitly and unquestionably condemned by both the Old and New Testaments, and is completely irreconcilable with any biblical understanding of Godly living.

In light of these realities, could someone explain to me how knowing these crippling physical, psychological, and spiritual consequences of the homosexual lifestyle -- and then encouraging a person to embrace it -- is loving? Urging another human being to engage in a risky behavior that will leave them dead at nearly half the age of the general population is an odd definition of love in my book. The truth is that the people who love homosexuals are the ones who have the courage to face the bigotry and slander from hate-peddlers like Barney Frank and stand up for moral truth. They are the ones who face the mockery and derision of fools in an effort to take the Russian Roulette pistol from the hand of the homosexual. So who is the homophobe, Barney? The gay rights lobby in this country works unceasingly to advertise and glamorize a deadly lifestyle. They celebrate behavior that tears families apart, wrecks homes, and sentences people to lifetimes of loneliness, confusion, disease, and heartache. And politicians like Barney Frank use their positions to make it easier for them to ensnare and attract hurting, confused people in need of love and help. Quite frankly, I can't think of anything more homophobic than that.

Characteristics of the Risen Body

From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
All shall rise from the dead in their own, in their entire, and in immortal bodies; but the good shall rise to the resurrection of life, the wicked to the resurrection of Judgment. It would destroy the very idea of resurrection, if the dead were to rise in bodies not their own. Again, the resurrection, like the creation, is to be numbered amongst the principal works of God; hence, as at the creation all things are perfect from the hand of God, so at the resurrection all things must be perfectly restored by the same omnipotent hand. But there is a difference between the earthly and the risen body; for the risen bodies of both saints and sinners shall be invested with immortality. This admirable restoration of nature is the result of the glorious triumph of Christ over death as described in several texts of Sacred Scripture: Isaiah 25:8; Hosea 13, 14; 1 Corinthians 15:26; Apocalypse 2:4. But while the just shall enjoy an endless felicity in the entirety of their restored members, the wicked "shall seek death, and shall not find it, shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them" (Revelation 9:6).
These three characteristics, identity, entirety, and immortality, will be common to the risen bodies of the just and the wicked. But the bodies of the saints shall be distinguished by four transcendent endowments, often called qualities.
The first is "impassibility", which shall place them beyond the reach of pain and inconvenience. "It is sown", says the Apostle, "in corruption, it shall rise in incorruption" (1 Corinthians 15:42). The Schoolmen call this quality impassibility', not incorruption, so as to mark it as a peculiarity of the glorified body; the bodies of the damned will be incorruptible indeed, but not impassible; they shall be subject to heat and cold, and all manner of pain.
The next quality is "brightness", or "glory", by which the bodies of the saints shall shine like the sun. "It is sown in dishonor," says the Apostle, "it shall rise in glory" (1 Corinthians 15:43; cf. Matthew 13:43; 17:2; Philippians 3:21). All the bodies of the saints shall be equally impassible, but they shall be endowed with different degrees of glory. According to St. Paul: "One is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the moon, another the glory of the stars. For star differs from star in glory"'(1 Corinthians 15:41-42).
The third quality is that of "agility", by which the body shall be freed from its slowness of motion, and endowed with the capability of moving with the utmost facility and quickness wherever the soul pleases. The Apostle says: "It is sown in weakness, it shall rise in power" (1 Corinthians 15:43).
The fourth quality is "subtility", by which the body becomes subject to the absolute dominion of the soul. This is inferred from the words of the Apostle: "It is sown a natural body, it shall rise a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:44). The body participates in the soul's more perfect and spiritual life to such an extent that it becomes itself like a spirit. We see this quality exemplified in the fact that Christ passed through material objects.

Obituary for Common Sense

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- There is such a thing as truth, and good and evil
- and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common sense could not breathe anymore when people tried to redefine marriage, and began to call evil good, and evil good. Those who had any kind of morals were demonized in the name of tolerance, and those who called themselves tolerant became the personification of intolerant bullies, and they were glorified in their abhorrent behaviors.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, I'm A Victim, I do what I want and that is it. Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.

Who are the Intolerants?

I do not follow beauty paegants, nor watch much TV either, but I was appalled to hear the commentaries by one of the Judges of the Miss USA pageant Perez Hilton, indicating that the answer of Miss California to the question about "HER OPINION" regarding same sex marriage had cost her the crown. So let me get this straight, according to Perez, since Miss California Carrie Prejean gave an answer according to her convictions regarding same sex marriage, then he voted against her. How INTOLERANT and simply stupid can that be? That is like asking her what you think about the President, and she said she did not agree with many of his policies, then that would mean she would lose the vote. It was not because her answer did not make sense, it was not because she was shallow, it was not because she did not know what she was talking about, it was simply because she happened to have a different opinion than the judge on this particular question, a view which in fact is the majority of the voters within the state of California, and even more so overwhelmingly the view of most Americans. So who is the intolerant? Who is the irrational? Who are the ones that are really close-minded? The answer is clear, the intolerants by experience are those who actively support the homosexual agenda. Here in the state of California, these same people vandalized Churches, and other establishments when proposition 8 was upheld, these are the people what advocate for tolerance and respect. Except that they will have it their way or no way. Their tactics have now turned to intimidation and media management, and they are doing a good job at silencing people, and even more so, they are doing a great job at belittling anybody who happens to oppose their depraved and corrupt agenda. How sad that even a pageant, is controlled by your views on homosexuality as dictated by many of the attendees to this kind of pageant rather than by beauty and common sense. Where has common sense gone??

Do not Judge a Book by its Cover

We live in such a world that we are always tempted to judge people based on appearances, and we tend to look down on people that do not look appealing, or based on our prejudices we even look down on people of a different race, people of a different religion, or people with different ideas. Christ always encourages us not to judge so as not to be judged, even more so, Christ calls us to recognize the intrinsic dignity and worth of EVERY SINGLE HUMAN BEING regardless of age, race, sex, color, ideas, etc. Thus, we must respect all people and treat others with the dignity they deserve without exceptions. The following two videos are good examples that should teach us a lesson about not judging. The first one is from Paul Potts and the second one is from Susan Boyle. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Pray for Vocations to the Priesthood and Consecrated Life

Today as we celebrate Holy Saturday, our Lord asked St. Faustina to pray in the Novena of Divine Mercy for the souls of priests and religious:
"Today bring 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."
And thus we pray:
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.
This prayer is a great preparation for the upcoming world day of prayer for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life to be celebrated on May 3rd. Here is the text of the Holy Father for that day:
http://www.zenit.org/article-25529?l=english

Novena to the Divine Mercy

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 whole Novena can be found at:
http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/mercy/novena.htm

and in Spanish at:
http://www.ewtn.com/SPANISH/prayers/nov-divinamis.htm

Walter Hoye is Free from Jail

Walter Hoye, a pastor at a Berkeley church was jailed for 30 days after unsuccessfully arguing that an order requiring him to stay 100 yards away from an Oakland abortion clinic violates his right to free speech. Walter Hoye is free now after being in jail only 18 days out of the 30 days he had originally been sentenced to. But the truth is that in that jail where he spent the last 18 days he was freer than his prosecutors and jailers, because he enjoyed the freedom of the children of God, he enjoyed the freedom of truth.

Walter Hoye of Union City was the first person convicted under an Oakland ordinance barring protesters from coming within 8 feet of anyone entering an abortion clinic. In February, Judge Stuart Hing of Alameda County Superior Court sentenced Hoye to three years' probation and 30 days in jail, and ordered him to pay $1,000 plus a $130 restitution fee. Hoye could have disposed of the jail time in a sheriff's work detail or by volunteering. But he balked at the judge's order to stay 100 yards from Family Planning Specialists Medical Group at Second and Webster streets. Hoye argued that the order was more severe than Oakland's ordinance and stifled his First Amendment rights. Judge Hing refused to budge at a hearing Friday at which Hoye's attorneys tried to stay the sentence pending an appeal. The judge asked Hoye to decide whether he wished to serve a month in jail or in an alternative program, and the pastor chose jail. Hoye was arrested May 13, 2008 at the Oakland clinic, carrying a sign that read, "Jesus loves you and your baby. Let us help you!"As women approached the door, he asked them, "May I talk to you about alternatives to the clinic?"

Now Walter is free from jail and we must continue to express our support for him. He is an awesome guy and a true witness of courage in the face of opposition. He has shown truly how silly our judicial system is, as Mark Shea said "sin makes you stupid," and we live in a very stupid society indeed, where the real criminals are allowed to walk free, where the real criminals are protected so that they can continue their criminal activity, this is absolute stupidity. The amazing thing is that the abortion center where Hoye used to go to counsel women has been shut down in Oakland during the time Hoye was in prison due to "financial hardships." To me the closing is a sign of the power of prayer and fasting. We must remember that before Hoye was sentenced last month, he has engaged himself in a 40 day campaign of prayer and fasting, and the results are obvious. In the end is one more abortion clinic that has been closed and no more babies will be killed there. Awesome!

Pastor Rick Warren Supports Homosexual Agenda

It has been reported that Pastor Rick Warren, the famous California mega-church pastor and author of The Purpose Driven Life Rick, has apologized to his homosexual friends for making comments in support of California's Proposition 8, and now claims he "never once even gave an endorsement" of the marriage amendment. The truth of the matter is that Warren endorsed Proposition 8 before the election, perhaps not "publicly", if publicly means beyond the thousands of people who make up his congregation. This is an excerpt of what he said regarding Proposition 8:

"The election's coming just in a couple of weeks, and I hope you're praying about your vote. One of the propositions, of course, that I want to mention is Proposition 8, which is the proposition that had to be instituted because the courts threw out the will of the people. And a court of four guys actually voted to change a definition of marriage that has been going for 5,000 years. "Now let me say this really clearly: we support Proposition 8 -- and if you believe what the Bible says about marriage, you need to support Proposition 8. I never support a candidate, but on moral issues I come out very clear."

Obviously he is not so clear about moral issues, since he has basically retracted from his initial support for Proposition 8 and now says he has "never been and never will be" an "anti-gay or anti-gay marriage activist." While the Christian position is one of loving the human person with homosexual tendencies and respect his or her dignity as a human person, the Christian position has been also one of rejecting homosexual behavior, and even more so, the Christian position is one that rejects the glorification of a behavior that is considered to be abhorrent and sinful. It is very sad that Pastor Warren has radically changed his views on this issue, and one wonders how far he will go in the opposite direction, in order to grab the attention of our President and the popularity of the "new" Messianic movement. Sadly this seems to be more important to Warren than the teachings of Christ.

Tonly Blair Correcting the Pope on Homosexuality

It has been reported that Tony Blair who became a Catholic on December 2007, and now he is correcting the Pope and telling Catholics what we must believe. That is amazing for a new convert, and one wonders at the motivations of his conversion. Why would he convert to a Church he disagrees with on many issues including its stand on homosexuality? For the record, before his conversion Blair had a clear proabortion record, and also supported embryonic stem cell research. The Prime Minister never once voted with the pro-life lobby and voted 14 times for the pro-choice lobby in Parliament. In 1990, during the debates leading up to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Act, he voted on three occasions to extend the time limit for abortion to birth on grounds of handicap. In December 2000 he gave personal backing to regulations permitting stem-cell research on human embryos; and his government enthusiastically promoted the morning-after pill. On family issues the married-couples allowance has been abolished, funding has been switched from groups backing marriage to those taking a relaxed view of any kind of relationship, the benefits system has been changed to target all money for children regardless of family structure, etc., etc. Far from being morally neutral on the family, the Blair government has actively discriminated against it. His record on life and family issues has been horrible. In one of his outgoing speeches as Prime Minister, in September last year Blair said: "America does not want stem cell research, we do, we welcome it here." Blair was referring to embryonic stem cell research, which kills embryonic children in order to extract their stem cells. Why would he come into a Church he disagrees with on all these critical issues and leave his Anglican church which in facts holds the same beliefs that he sponsored during his government? That is beyond comprehension. And now that he is Catholic he wants to tell the Pope what to believe and what not to believe, he is even trying to teach Catholics how to interpret the Bible correctly, that is Blair' way. To me that is a sign of pride and a great lesson for all RCIA programs. We do not simply bring people into the Church, we must scrutinize all those seeking admission into the Church so that they truly adhere to what the Church OFFICIALLY believes and holds to be true. Even more so if that person is a POLITICIAN, since politicians tend to be manipulative and in great numbers lack integrity and humility. If that is not enough this particular politician was well known in advance to disagree with the Church on many issues. What a mistake!! Numbers are not important, we have tons of numbers, numbers is not a problem, what we need is FAITHFUL Catholics, this is what this world needs the most and what the Church needs the most. We do not need more dissenters, we do not need more voices of division, we do not need any more people trying to tell the Church that the Church is wrong and they are right, we do not need any more proud intellectuals, what we need is saints, what we need is humble people, what we need is holiness, what we need is men and women in love with Christ. We only have one Pope and that Pope is in Rome, not in England nor anywhere else.

Messages from Our Lady of Medjugorje - March

Latest Monthly Medjugorje Message, March 25, 2009

“Dear children! In this time of spring, when everything is awakening from the winter sleep, you also awaken your souls with prayer so that they may be ready to receive the light of the risen Jesus. Little children, may He draw you closer to His Heart so that you may become open to eternal life. I pray for you and intercede before the Most High for your sincere conversion. Thank you for having responded to my call. ”

Latest Special Medjugorje Message, March 2, 2009 - Our Lady's apparitions to Mirjana

“Dear Children, I am here among you. I am looking into your wounded and restless hearts. You have become lost, my children. Your wounds from sin are becoming greater and are distancing you all the more from the real truth. You are seeking hope and consolation in the wrong places, while I am offering to you sincere devotion which is nurtured by love, sacrifice and truth. I am giving you my son. ”

Burial or Cremation?

For the first Christians, the resurrection after death was a strong reality. They did everything they could to be able to bury the bodies of their dead. When we visit the catacombs in Rome, we are struck by the care and the faith with which the dead were buried. They are laid out as if they were sleeping. «We look for the Resurrection of the dead and life everlasting» (The Creed) Such is the faith of Christians who believe that, just as Christ rose from the tomb with his body, so too we will rise with our body by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is why cremation had been rejected for a long time since it was seen as a refusal to believe in the Resurrection. Today the Church no longer forbids a funeral ceremony if a person chooses cremation for a GOOD REASON, and there is no danger in compromising the belief in the resurrection of the dead. In certain countries, it is sometimes a necessity, and also under certain circumstances. The same respect ought to be given to the ashes as is given to the body of the deceased. They should be deposited in an established and respectable place in a cemetery but NEVER IN ONE’s HOME. Nevertheless, the relationship between faith and practice leads us to PREFER burying the body whenever possible. This signifies more clearly the respect of the body of each person who has become a temple of the Holy Spirit through baptism and who is called to the resurrection on the last day. Nourished by the Eucharist - the Body of Christ - our mortal bodies are given the promise of immortality. Burying the dead, as the first Christians did, signifies the expectation of the Resurrection. Even in those situations where cremation seems the only possible alternative, the Church always desires that the Funeral Mass be celebrated with the body present, and then the cremation can take place afterwards.

The Signs before the Day of Judgement

The Gospel of St. Matthew speaks to us about the tribulations and events that will take place before the final Judgement. This is what our Lord said:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he will send out his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. " (Mt 24:29-31)

Our Lord spoke to St. Faustina and revealed to her some of the events that will take place before the Day of judgement. Interestingly enough the revelations to St. Faustina are in perfect agreement with Scripture, but provide a more detailed nature about the sign of the Son of Man that will appear in heaven. Jesus said to St. Faustina:
Write this: Before I come as the just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy. Before the day of justice arrives, there will be given to people a sign in the heavens of this sort: All light in the heavens will be extinguished, and there will be great darkness over the whole earth. Then the sign of the cross will be seen in the sky, and from the openings where the hands and the feet of the Savior were nailed will come forth great lights which will light up the earth for a period of time. This will take place shortly before the last day (Diary, 83).

In Akita in the third message given to Sister Agnes, our Blessed Mother revealed to her about the upcoming chastisement if people do not repent and better themselves. In that apparition, our Lady also speaks in similar terms to those given by Scripture and St. Faustina, and predicts that the only thing remaining for the faithful in those days will be the Rosary and the sign left by her Son. Although one can think that this sign (also a reality) is probably the sacrament of the Eucharist, one can also argue that perhaps another possibility would be a sign left on the sky as predicted by Matthew and St. Faustina:
"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests."
We are living in times of Grace and Mercy and the Lord keeps reminding us of that fact. There is a sense of URGENCY in those messages coming from private revelations in which God seems to be inviting humanity to change and to repent before it is too late. Will we heed the voice of God? Will we hear the voice of the Lord while there is still time or will we harden our hearts? The choice is ours!

Aramaic still spoken in Maaloula, Syria

Aramaic has been extinct for many centuries. However in Maaloula, a small village in Syria , Aramaic is still alive. The word Maaloula means entrance in Aramaic. It's situated at an altitude of more than 1500 meters; with its little houses cling to the face of an enormous rock; making it look suspended in mid-air.
There are two important monasteries in Maaloula: Mar Sarkis and Mar Taqla. Enter Mar Sarkis Monastery, and you will find yourself in the midst of history. This monastery was built in the 4th century on remains of a heathen temple,with a simple, plain appearance. It was named after St. Sarkis, one of Syrian horsemen who fell in the reign of king Maximanus in 297. This monastery still maintains its solemn historical character.
Then visit renowned Mar Taqla Monastery, along with scores of pilgrims, both Muslim and Christian, who go there to gain blessings and to make offerings; the place holds the remains of St. Taqla; daughter of one of Selucid princes, and pupil of St. Paul.
Should you want to see more, there are the remains of numerous monasteries, convents, churches, shrines and sanctuaries some of which lie in ruins, while others continue to stand, defying age.

Aramaic was one of the languages spoken in the Middle East and by Jesus Christ during the time that He appeared on the scene about 2000 years ago. Click on the following link to see this very interesting and informative program, and to hear what Aramaic sounds like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy38UQ9EQ6o

Apparitions of the Blessed Mother in Akita

Perhaps one of the less known approved apparitions of Our Lady are those of Akita. The three messages were given by Our Lady in 1973. The apparitions were formally approved after years of investigation by the local Bishop in 1982. And finally in June of 1988, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, at that time the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave his definitive judgement on the Akita events and messages as reliable and worthy of belief. And as we know this Cardinal is now our beloved Holy Father Benedict XVI.

The events of Akita began in June 12, 1973 when Sr. Agnes Sasagawa in Akita Japan began to see brilliant mysterious rays emanate suddenly from the Tabernacle. The same thing happened on each of the two days that followed. On June 28, 1973 a cross-shaped wound appeared on the inside left hand of Sr. Agnes. It bled profusely and caused her much pain. On July 6, Sr. Agnes heard a voice coming from the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the chapel where she was praying, and the first message was given to Sr. Agnes. The statue was carved from a single block of wood from a Katsura tree and is three feet tall. On the same day, a few of the sisters noticed drops of blood flowing from the statue's right hand. On four occasions, this act of blood flow repeated itself. The wound in the statue's hand remained until September 29, when it disappeared. On September 29, the day the wound on the statue disappeared, the sisters noticed the statue had now begun to "sweat", especially on the forehead and neck. On August 3, 1973, Sr. Agnes received a second message. Then in October 13, 1973 , Sr. Agnes received the third and final message from Our Lady. Two years later on January 4, 1975, the statue of the Blessed Virgin began to weep. It continued to weep at intervals for the next 6 years and eight months. It wept on 101 occasions. Then on September 28, 1981, Sr. Agnes suddenly felt the presence of the angel at her side during the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. She did not see the angel in person, but a Bible appeared open before her eyes and she was invited to read a passage (Genesis 3:15)... The voice of the Angel was heard explaining in sort of a preamble that the passage had relationship with the tears of Mary, then continued: "There is meaning to the figure one hundred and one. This signifies that sin came into the world by a woman and it is also by a woman that salvation came to the world. The "zero" between the two signifies the Eternal God who is from all eternity until eternity. The first "one" represents Eve and the last "one" the Virgin Mary." This the content of the three different messages:

JULY 6, 1973

"My daughter, my novice, you have obeyed me well in abandoning all to follow me. Is the infirmity of your ears painful? Your deafness will be healed, be sure. Does the wound of your hand cause you to suffer? Pray in reparation for the sins of men. Each person in this community is my irreplaceable daughter. Do you say well the prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist? Then, let us pray it together."

"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in Holy Eucharist, I consecrate my body and soul to be entirely one with Your Heart,being sacrificed at every instant on all the altars of the world and giving praise to the Father pleading for the coming of His Kingdom.""Please receive this humble offering of myself. Use me as You will for the glory of the Father and the salvation of souls.""Most holy Mother of God, never let me be separated from Your Divine Son. Please defend and protect me as Your Special Child.Amen."

When the prayer was finished, the Heavenly Voice said:

"Pray very much for the Pope, Bishops, and Priests. Since your Baptism you have always prayed faithfully for them. Continue to pray very much...very much. Tell your superior all that passed today and obey him in everything that he will tell you. He has asked that you pray with fervor."

(Sr. Agnes was indeed healed from her deafness nine years later in 1982, attesting to the authenticity of these messages)
AUGUST 3, 1973

"My daughter, my novice, do you love the Lord? If you love the Lord, listen to what I have to say to you.""It is very important...You will convey it to your superior.""Many men in this world afflict the Lord. I desire souls to console Him to soften the anger of the Heavenly Father. I wish,with my Son, for souls who will repair by their suffering and their poverty for the sinners and ingrates."

"In order that the world might know His anger, the Heavenly Father is preparing to inflict a great chastisement on all mankind. With my Son I have intervened so many times to appease the wrath of the Father. I have prevented the coming of calamities by offering sufferings of the Son on the Cross, His Precious Blood, and beloved souls who console Him forming a cohort of victim souls. Prayer, penance and courageous sacrifices can soften the Father's anger. I desire this also from your community...that it love poverty, that it sanctify itself and pray in reparation for the ingratitude and outrages of so many men. Recite the prayer of the Handmaids of the Eucharist with awareness of its meaning; put it into practice; offer in reparation(whatever God may send) for sins. Let each one endeavor, according to capacity and position, to offer herself entirely to the Lord."

"Even in a secular institute prayer is necessary. Already souls who wish to pray are on the way to being gathered together.Without attaching to much attention to the form, be faithful and fervent in prayer to console the Master."

After a silence:

"Is what you think in your heart true? Are you truly decided to become the rejected stone? My novice, you who wish to belong without reserve to the Lord, to become the spouse worthy of the Spouse, make your vows knowing that you must be fastened to the Cross with three nails. These three nails are poverty, chastity,and obedience. Of the three, obedience is the foundation. In total abandonment, let yourself be led by your superior. He will know how to understand you and to direct you."
OCTOBER 13, 1973

"My dear daughter, listen well to what I have to say to you. You will inform your superior."

After a short silence:

"As I told you, if men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the deluge, such as one will never seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priests nor faithful. The survivors will find themselves so desolate that they will envy the dead. The only arms which will remain for you will be the Rosary and the Sign left by My Son. Each day recite the prayers of the Rosary. With the Rosary, pray for the Pope, the bishops and priests."

"The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres...churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demons will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord."The demon will be especially implacable against souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them""With courage, speak to your superior. He will know how to encourage each one of you to pray and to accomplish works of reparation."

"It is Bishop Ito, who directs your community."

And She smiled and then said:

"You have still something to ask? Today is the last time that I will speak to you in living voice. From now on you will obey the one sent to you and your superior.""Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved."

It is time that all of us read and pray with these messages of urgency for our troubled times and make once and for all a decision to pray the Rosary daily for peace, and for the conversion of sinners, and to offer sacrifices and do penance in order to make reparation for the many sins of the world including our own, and choose to console the Sacred Heart of Our Lord truly present in the Eucharist but afflicted by our own ingratitude and indifference.

I THIRST FOR YOU

The author of the following reflection based on the writings of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta does not want to be identified. I wanted to share it with you nonetheless, for it is very powerful. Spend some time to ponder it in your heart; make it available to family and friends. I hope and pray that many souls will be genuinely touched.
It is true. I stand at the door of your heart, day and night. Even when you are not listening, even when you doubt it could be Me, I am there. I await even the smallest sign of your response, even the least whispered invitation that will allow Me to enter. I want you to know that whenever you invite Me, I do come – always, without fail. Silent and unseen I come, but with infinite power and love, bringing the many gifts of My Spirit. I come with My mercy, with My desire to forgive and heal you, and with a love for you beyond your comprehension – a love every bit as great as the love I have received from the Father. “As much as the Father has loved Me, I have loved you.” (John 15:10) I come, longing to console you and give you strength, to lift you up and bind all your wounds. I bring you My light, to dispel your darkness and all your doubts. I come with My power, that I might carry you and all your burdens; with My grace, to touch your heart and transform your life; My peace I give to still your soul.
I know you through and through. I know everything about you. The very hairs of your head I have numbered. Nothing in your life is unimportant to Me. I have followed you through the years and I have always loved you – even in your wanderings. I know every one of your problems. I know your needs and your worries. Yes, I know all your sins. But I tell you again that I love you – not for what you have or haven't done – I love you for you, for the beauty and the dignity My Father gave you by creating you in His own Image. It is a dignity you have often forgotten, a beauty you tarnished by sin. But I love you as you are, and I have shed My Blood to win you back. If you only ask Me with faith, My grace will touch all that needs changing in your life and I will give you the strength to free yourself from sin and all its destructive power.
I know what is in your heart – I know your loneliness and all your hurts – the rejections, the judgments, the humiliations; I carried it all before you. I carried it all for you, so that you might share My strength and victory. I know especially your need for love - how you are thirsting to be loved and cherished. But how often have you thirsted in vain, by seeking that love selfishly, striving to fill the emptiness inside you with passing pleasures – the the even greater emptiness of sin. Do you thirst for love? “Come to Me all you who thirst ...” (John 7:37) I will satisfy you and fill you. Do you thirst to be cherished? I cherish you more than you can imagine – to the point of dying on the cross for you. I thirst for you. Yes, that is the only way to even begin to describe My love for you. I THIRST FOR YOU. I thirst to love you and to be loved by you – that is how precious you are to Me. I THIRST FOR YOU. Come to Me, and I will fill your heart and heal your wounds. I will make you a new creation and give you peace; even in all your trials, I THIRST FOR YOU. You must never doubt My mercy, My acceptance of you, My desire to forgive, My longing to bless you and live My life in you. I THIRST FOR YOU. If you feel unimportant in the eyes of the world, that matters not at all. For Me, there is no one any more important in the entire world than you. I THIRST FOR YOU. Open to Me; come to Me; thirst for Me; give Me your life – and I will prove to you how important you are to My Heart.
Don't you realize that My Father already has a perfect plan to transform you life, beginning from this moment? Trust in Me. Ask Me every day to enter and take charge of your life – and I will. I promise you before My Father in Heaven that I will work miracles in your life. Why would I do this? Because I THIRST FOR YOU. All I ask of you is that you entrust yourself to Me completely. I will do the rest.
Even now I behold the place My Father has prepared for you in My Kingdom. Remember that you are a pilgrim in this life, on a journey home. Sin can never satisfy you, or bring you the peace you seek. All that you have sought outside of Me has only left you more empty, so do not cling to the things of this life. Above all, do not run from Me when you fall. Come to Me without delay. When you give Me your sins, you give Me the joy of being your Saviour. There is nothing that I cannot forgive and heal; so come now, and unburden your soul.
No matter how far you may wander, no matter how often you forget Me, no matter how many crosses you may bear in this life, there is one thing that I want you to always remember, one thing that will never change. I THIRST FOR YOU – just as you are. You don't need to change to believe in My love, for it will be your belief in My love that will change you. You forget Me and yet I am seeking you every moment of the day – standing at the door of your heart and knocking. Do you find this hard to believe? Then look at the cross, look at My Heart that was pierced for you. Have you not understood My cross? Then listen again to the words I spoke there, for they tell you clearly why I endured all this for you: “I thirst ...” (John 19:28) Yes, I thirst for you – as the rest of the psalm verse I was praying says of Me: “I looked for love and I found none ...” (Psalm 69: 20) All your life I have been looking for your love – I have never stopped seeking to love you and be loved by you. You have tried many other things in your search for happiness; why not try opening your heart to Me, right now, more than you ever have before? Whenever you do open the door of your heart, whenever you come close enough, you will hear Me say to you again and again, not in mere human words, but in spirit: “No matter what you have done, I love you for your own sake. Come to Me with your misery and your sins, with your troubles and needs, and with all your longing to be loved. I stand at the door of your heart and knock. Open to Me, for I THIRST FOR YOU ...”

St. Faustina and the Practice of the Present Moment

To practice mercy and compassion, St Faustina wrote of the importance of living in the present moment and using it to love God and others with all our hearts. In her diary, she said that
“only the present moment is precious to me, as the future may never enter my soul at all”
She aimed to use the present moment as best as she could because it is the present moment that truly belongs to a person. As a result, to ward off fears and doubts in her soul she would pray,
“Jesus, be with me each moment; and no fear will enter my heart”
By doing this, the doubts that racked her soul from the very beginning of the fulfilment of her vocation and until her death at 33 were always faced with courage and trust in God’s compassion, love and mercy.

Protecting Conscience Rights in Health Care

Brothers and Sisters:
The attached video by Cardinal George (2 ½ minutes) and the 30 seconds it takes to fill in the user information/home address, is a very important step in the process of public hearings now being conducted by the US Congress with regard to legislation that could remove all conscience protections from health care personnel and institutions. It is one easy way for us to support our country and move away from despotism. Just hit this link, then the petition link in the right column:
http://www.usccb.org/conscienceprotection/

Holy Year of Priests- 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010

Today I am happy to celebrate my seventh anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood. It is also with great joy that on this day the Holy Father has also announced the proclamation of a Holy Year for priests based on the theme: "The missionary identity of priests in the Church as an intrinsic dimension of the exercise of the 'tre munera'". " Benedict XVI highlighted the "indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every truly priestly heart. In order to favour this tendency of priests towards spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends, I have", he said, "decided to call a special 'Year for Priests' which will run from 19 June 2009 to 19 June 2010". This year marks "the 150th anniversary of the death of the saintly 'Cure of Ars', Jean Marie Vianney, a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock". Benedict XVI stressed the need to "have care for the formation of candidates to the priesthood", a formation that must maintain "communion with unbroken ecclesial Tradition, without pausing or being tempted by discontinuity. In this context, it is important to encourage priests, especially the young generations, to a correct reading of the texts of Vatican Council II, interpreted in the light of all the Church's doctrinal inheritance". Priests must be "present, identifiable and recognisable - for their judgement of faith, personal virtues and attire - in the fields of culture and of charity which have always been at the heart of the Church's mission". "The centrality of Christ leads to a correct valuation of priestly ministry, without which there would be no Eucharist, no mission, not even the Church. It is necessary then, to ensure that 'new structures' or pastoral organisations are not planned for a time in which it will be possible to 'do without' ordained ministry, on the basis of an erroneous interpretation of the promotion of the laity, because this would lay the foundations for a further dilution in priestly ministry, and any supposed 'solutions' would, in fact, dramatically coincide with the real causes of the problems currently affecting the ministry".

Mary the Perfect Model of Humility

The following is an edited excerpt from some of Fr. Hardon's writings on the Eucharist. In this particular article he shows how Mary was humble because she carried God within and tries to show us that the way for us to acquire and receive this divine virtue is through the Eucharist, the real presence of Christ. Here it goes:

Mary practiced to an eminent degree the virtue of humility. At the Annunciation, she told the Angel, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." In the Magnificat, she repeated the same term except she spoke of the lowliness of His handmaid to make sure nobody misunderstood what she meant by "handmaid." She told of how the Lord scatters the proud and exalts the lowly.
There are two kinds of exaltation: self-exaltation and divine exaltation. The greatest danger on earth is self-exaltation, because then we call down on ourselves the curse of God. But the condition for divine exaltation is lowly, Marian humility. She declared that the Lord fills the hungry (those who admit their emptiness) with good things. Hunger in the Bible means emptiness not only of the body, but a symbol of the admitted emptiness of everything. By ourselves, we are emptiness, a vacuum. But we must admit that we are a vacuum, or we shall not be filled by the goodness of God. We must admit and constantly confess our emptiness, which is another word for humility.
Mary declared how grateful she was that the Lord had done so much for Israel and His servant. Humility serves. Humility waits on others. Humility responds to the bidding of the one whom it serves. This is the mother of God, but only because she is also the lowly handmaid of the Lord. The more gifted a person, the more prone that person is to pride. Possession of anything naturally generates pride. And not only does possession generate pride, but the greater the possession the more pride it generates. Wealth of any kind inflates the human heart. The more a person has of physical or mental or moral or even spiritual riches, the harder it is for that person to be humble. How are we to be humble? How can we possess without being proud? Only through being in the presence of Jesus Christ.
We can consider the unspeakable humility of God not only in the Incarnation when He appeared as man, but also in remaining on earth in the Holy Eucharist. This is double humility: the humility of hiding His divinity as He did during His visible stay on earth and the divine humility in hiding even His humanity in the Holy Eucharist. He not only gives us the example of how humble we should be, but through Him, we receive the most fundamental grace we need in life: the grace of humility.
No matter what we possess, it tends to induce us to pride, and the more we have, the more tempted we are to be proud. But it's not just quantitative possession; it is qualitative possession that inclines to pride. And the highest possession we can have is sanctity. Dear God, how can I stay humble and grow in sanctity? This was the greatest temptation of the mystics. One does not possess the close union with God that saints like Catherine of Siena or Theresa of Avila or John of the Cross enjoyed without being tempted by pride. It's tempting to look down on "those lower mortals."
But Mary's humility is a paradox. The most gifted creature ever produced by the Creator was also the lowliest in her own eyes. That is the key to humility: seeing everything we are, everything we have, everything we hope to become, everything we hope to achieve or possess – seeing everything as a free, undeserved and totally gratuitous gift from God. But this is possible only by the grace with which the God who became man provides us. The same grace He provided Mary by His Real Presence with her, He provides by His Real Presence with us today. There's no more basic reason for the Real Presence on earth of Jesus Christ than to provide us with the humanly impossible grace of humility.

Anti-Catholic Bill 1098 Pulled today- VICTORY for the Catholic Church

I just got this great news. Notice also the association of Tom Gallagher with the National Catholic Reporter (a left wing so called "Catholic" newspaper), not to be confused with the National Catholic Register ( a truly Catholic newspaper). Praise the Lord!!

BREAKING NEWS:Connecticut Anti-Catholic Bill Pulled
3/10/2009
Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights (www.catholicleague.org/)
Chalk up a big victory for Catholics who are loyal to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and to the religious liberty provisions of the First Amendment.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will now review the constitutionality of the bill.
HARTFORD (Catholic League) - The bill that would allow the state legislature in Connecticut to reconfigure the governing structure of the Catholic Church has been pulled. Introduced by Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald, the bill was withdrawn at the behest of the person who proposed it, Tom Gallagher; he is a contributor to the National Catholic Reporter, a left-wing Catholic newspaper. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal will now review the constitutionality of the bill. Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded as follows: “Every pre-law undergraduate knows that what Lawlor and McDonald tried to pull off—in stealth fashion—was flagrantly unconstitutional. For their fascist stunt, they should at least be censured by their colleagues. Ideally, they should resign or be forced out of office. “The big losers are the Catholic left-wing activists who pushed for this measure. To be specific, Voice of the Faithful, a dissident Catholic group comprised mainly of senior citizens, has been promoting a lay Catholic takeover of the Catholic Church for many years. .......................................

Excerpt taken from the following site (to read the complete article click below)
http://www.catholic.org/politics/story.php?id=32530

Fr. Tim Gallagher, OMV on EWTN

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY SERIES ON EWTN. Fr. Tim Gallagher, Oblate of the Virgin Mary, will be on EWTN on Friday March 13 at 6:30 a.m. EST talking about Ignatian Prayer, on Tuesday March 17 at 6:00 p.m. EST talking about Ignatian Discernment, and on Friday March 20 at 6:30 a.m. EST talking about Ignatian Discernment. Fr. Tim's books can be purchased by clicking on the link provided in this blog on the left hand side column.

The anti-Catholic Bill in Connecticut: Bill 1098

As we know there is a proposed Bill 1098 before the Judiciary Committee which proposes to modify "corporate laws" for certain religious institutions", namely the Catholic Church. The Bill has been advanced by so called Catholics, members of the dissident group Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), that have as their real aim the destruction of the Church. The Bill oddly disregards the principle for separation of Church and State and is a meddling of the state in the affairs of the Chruch that interferes with the way the Church is administered and governed. In fact is an attempt also by the state to change the laws of Canon law within the Church that determine clearly how the temporal goods of the Church have to be administered. The saddest thing about this is that those people who are actually promoting this anti-Catholic Bill dare to call themselves Catholics. The website of the VOTF has tried to state more clearly their identity in the last couple of years, and now their site clearly state that their main objectives are " protecting children, to embrace an agenda aimed at reducing the power of the hierarchy, eliminating a celibate priesthood and introducing female priests." This comes as a no surprise to anybody who has seen what VOTF has done in the past years. Such dissident group has now been able to orchestrate a frontal attack on the Church that it is clearly of demonic origin and joins the ranks of other corporate structures that aim at destroying the Church in one way or another. The proposed legislation, S.B. 1098, aims to reorganize the internal structure of the Church, removing the bishop as the head of the board of the parishes in his diocese and requiring the pastor to report finances to a board composed of laity, instead of the bishop. Under the bill, the bishop is also relegated to being an "ex officio" member of the board, without voting rights. Anthony Picarello, General Counsel of the U.S. Conference of Bishops has described the bill as “blatantly unconstitutional” since it “targets the Catholic Church explicitly and exclusively, and attempts to use the civil law to alter Church governance.” We Catholics must pray that the smoke of Satan that hovers over the Church may be dispelled, and we must also express our opinion against such blatant attack on the Church by contacting the Judiciary through the following link provided by the Family Institute:
http://www.votervoice.net/Core.aspx?AID=274&IssueID=16729&atid=13401&siteid=0&App=GAC&target=true&isVisited=true&targetID=29729223

For more information about the Bill and the Church's view about this bill check this link:
http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0901086.htm
This is a link that shows how VOTF has been ivolved
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2202864/posts