The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Feast (1969 Calendar): September 14
Greater Double (1955 Calendar): September 14

Every Good Friday we enter into the mystery of the Passion and Death of the God-Man, the 2nd Person of the Divine Trinity, meditating in silence and remorse on the Cross, the instrument of torture. It was an instrument of torture that our Savior willfully deigned to take upon Himself so that all of our offenses to Almighty God could be paid by His Precious Blood. We accordingly offer the Supreme worship of latria to relics of the True CrossWe accordingly offer the Supreme worship of latria to relics of the True Cross.

On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th), we recall the Cross not as an instrument of death but as a symbol of our Lord's triumph over sin, satan, and death. We recall that it is through Baptism that each one of us is baptized into the death of Christ, and by accepting our sufferings in this world, we too carry our crosses, in imitation of the Divine Redeemer, so that we may be brought to the Resurrection (Luke 9:23, 24)

The Servants of the Holy Family said of today's feast: "Originally, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated solely to honor the anniversary of the discovery of the Holy Cross by St. Helena and the dedication of the Basilicas consecrated at Jerusalem on September 14, 335, on the very site of the Holy Sepulcher and of Calvary. But today's feast is also the commemoration of another event-the return of the Holy Cross by the Persians in 629. It had been carried off fifteen years earlier on the occasion of a Persian victory and only after the heroic and brilliant campaign of the Emperor Heraclius was it restored. In this sign of the Holy Cross will we, all and each, overcome the devil and his forces to reach our heavenly goal much like Constantine did when he followed the apparition which instructed him to engage in battle with the sign of the Cross as his insignia."

Indulgence Alert:

There are several special indulgences for today's Feast.  Click here to read.

The Collect:

O God, Who this day dost gladden us by the yearly feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: grant, we beseech Thee, that we who on earth acknowledge the mystery of Redemption wrought upon it, may be worthy to enjoy the rewards of that same Redemption in heaven. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

Exaltation of the Holy Cross Novena

Jesus, Who because of Your burning love for us willed to be crucified and to shed Your Most Precious Blood for the redemption and salvation of our souls, look down upon us and grant the petition we ask for ... (mention here)

We trust completely in Your Mercy. Cleanse us from sin by Your Grace, sanctify our work, give us and all those who are dear to us our daily bread, lighten the burden of our sufferings, bless our families, and grant to the nations, so sorely afflicted, Your Peace, which is the only true peace, so that by obeying Your Commandments we may come at last to the glory of Heaven.

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Ohio Parental Consent Law, Women Three Times More Likely to Die After Abortions

Here are some recent pro-life news that I would like to share:

1. The Parental Consent law in Ohio has been upheld and will take effect Sept. 22. Also, Abortions in Ohio have dropped by 15 percent from 41,673 to 35,319 between 1993-2003.

"The law not only requires teens to get parental approval for an abortion, but it allows women considering an abortion to receive information 24 hours ahead of time about its risks and alternatives. Similar laws in other states have been responsible for significantly reducing the number of abortions." (Read More)

2. New Study: "Women are three times more likely to die after an abortion"

Image Source: Source Unknown

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Holy Name of Mary

Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): September 12
Greater Double (1955 Calendar): September 12

September 12th is the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary. The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary began in Spain in 1513 and was extended to all of Spain and Naples in 1671. Following this, in 1683, John Sobieski, the king of Poland, brought an army to the outskirts of Vienna in an effort to stop the advancement of Muslim armies loyal to Mohammed IV in Constantinople. Sobieski entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and he and his soldiers defeated the Muslims. Pope Innocent XI extended this feast to the Universal Church as a solemn thanksgiving for the relief of Vienna when it was besieged by the Turks in 1683.  Click here to read more of the attack.

This feast day, previously kept on the Sunday following the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, was moved to September 12 in the 1911 reforms of Pope St. Pius X. May this day be a blessing for all of us, and by God's Grace also a day in which we may learn to love in union with the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Sermon of St Bernard of Clairvaux in the Office of the Most Holy Name of Mary:

In dangers, in difficulties, in doubts, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let Her not be away from thy mouth or from thine heart, and that thou may obtain the succour of Her prayers, turn not aside from the example of Her conversation. If thou follow Her, thou wilt never go astray; if thou pray to Her, thou wilt never despair; if thou keep Her in mind, thou wilt never wander. If She hold thee, thou wilt never fall; if She lead thee, thou wilt never be weary; if She help thee, thou wilt reach home safe, and so prove in thyself how rightly it was said, “And the Virgin’s name was Mary.” 

Collect:

Grant, we beseech Thee, O almighty God, that Thy faithful people, who rejoice in the name and protection of the most holy Virgin Mary, may by her loving intercession be delivered from all evils on earth and be found worthy to everlasting joys in heaven. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Repose of the Soul of Susan Torres

Susan Torres, the little baby born to the mentally-disabled woman, has died at the age of 5 weeks. The doctors fought diligently to save her, but it is obviously the Lord's will for thus to have been done. Please say a prayer for her soul and for her mother that both of them may enjoy the unending bliss of Heaven with the Lord as their light. I hope and pray that she was baptized.

http://www.susantorresfund.org/

Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescat in pace. Amen.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Relying on Faith from Hurricane Katrina

I was reading a good article on how many people are now relying on faith because of Hurricane Katrina. I do hope that these people, though, know that many of us are praying for them. Many Churches have been destroyed but I certainly hope that God is put into the city and remain in these peoples' hearts.

As this article details, the Gospel is more than just going to Mass on Sunday; it is also loving others as Jesus loved us (John 13:40). And besides giving a few dollars anyone could and should offer a Rosary for these people. Anyone could work as a volunteer some way to help raise supplies or money. Remember, God didn't ask for us to be successful but He certainly asked for us to be faithful and try.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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After Cologne 2005

I received an email a few days back on a new blog, After Cologne 2005, and I wanted to share part of the email.

What is it?
This project aims to study the spiritual impact of the WYD on the lives of the young people who attended the World Youth Day in Cologne, 2005, through an Internet portal.

Impulse
This project started out as a voluntary project to get to know more people who came to Cologne for the World Youth Day 2005 through the help of an Internet portal that connects pilgrims and volunteers and everyone else who was involved in the WYD'05. This is my personal reasons:

1. I find that my own experience as a volunteer is quite different from most pilgrims, and I personally would like to learn from other pilgrims what they have experienced in WYD'05.
2. There was a huge mass of attendance in Köln (and Düsseldorf and Bonn), and it was not always possible for pilgrims (and volunteers), especially from different pilgrimage groups, to exchange contact information during the short while in Cologne.
3. There is a potential for establishing new friendships and communities based on shared experience in WYD'05 and common desire to extend the extraordinary experience onto our own homes and families and communities.

Specific Objectives of this Project
Bearing in mind that the medium of choice here is an Internet portal, the specific objectives of this project are as follow:
1. To help young people to get to know each other better: friends they have just met during the WYD'05, fellow pilgrims with whom they have come together to WYD'05, and new friends they may or may not have encountered personally.
2. To facilitate the sharing of experience, exchange of ideas that contribute to the development of Christian communities both in their own cities/countries and those that span over distance.
3. (A little bit too far--depends on resources and abilities) To measure the long-term spiritual impact of the WYD'05, whether in terms of what contribution it had to the youth ministry, or to the individual participant's involvement in the Church. I'd like to ask questions like: does WYD mark a turning point in many young people's lives? More regular attendance at Mass? Encourages vocations or joining of ministry? Grown in faith, etc? I can't think of more relevant questions, perhaps you can help?

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The Majesty of Our Lord

"My Lord, if you did not cover Your Greatness, who would dare to come to You so often to join a soul so full of misery with Your ineffable Majesty? May you always be blessed, O my God! The Angels, all creatures praise you for having adjusted Your mysteries to our weaknesses, so that we may enjoy Your riches without terrifying us with Your great power. Poor and fragile creatures that we are, we would never have dared approach you"

(St. Teresa of Jesus)

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Let Us Never Forget

Let us never forget September 11th, 2001, and the great people who died on that day. May God Bless America and may America praise and glorify God.

Image Source: Associated Press

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Good News with St. Blogs

St. Blog's Parish Hall recently announced it was closing down, but now someone has come forward and the website is currently in the process of changing webmasters. It looks like it will remain for some time to come and I'm very glad given the great amount of Catholic information there including an excellent list of Catholic websites.

Update: The new address is here

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Image of Pope Pius XII

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St. Francis's Final Words

Do you know what St. Francis's final words were?

Well, St. Francis, now nearly blind, as he lay on the cold ground, sang one verse from the Bible: "Lead me from my prison, that I might give thanks to Your name." (Pslam 142)

I think it's so beautiful that in such horrible conditions St. Francis still praised God. And we too should also praise Him through the greatness of creation and joy of life. Lift up a prayer now to Him and thank Our Heavenly Father for life. It is such a joy to know Our Lord and not just know about Our Lord. At the end of times we won't be given a quiz on theology or a test on IQ but will be asked one thing: how much did we love. Our mind and actions should come after our heart since it is through the love of a heart that Jesus Christ saved us from sin and through the love of a heart that all judgment rests.

Jesus Christ is Lord and worthy of all praise. It is truly amazing that the same Lord we pray to, the same one we hear of in epic stories, the same one that died on the Cross and was raised on the third day is present in the Eucharist...waiting for us.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Title Unknown

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