Katrina Update

We've been hearing so much about Hurricanes Katrina & Rita, and I would like us to certainly prayer for them. However, I also wanted to share some updates on Katrina. Today the death toll rose past 1,000 but far less than the colossal estimates I heard weeks ago around 10,000. Thanks be to God for His mercy. Let us keep Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims in our prayers too.

Please also remember all of the animals that were left behind in your prayers.

I also found a photo today of a man praying the Rosary on Yahoo News after suffering through the Hurricane. The faith of some obviously was tested, but God is merciful. Let us thank Him and give Him praise. For through the Crucifixion came the Resurrection. Through this disaster, I pray that a new dawn of peace will arrive in New Orleans - a city that is turned back to God. For if the city doesn't turn back to God then it will ultimately face greater destruction in the future.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain (Wikpedia)

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Lifechecks

I wanted to share a link to a page about lifechecks. I think that there are so many organizations that call themselves pro-life like the March of Dimes, but they support abortion anyway. I just wanted to share this link in case one of my readers buys lifechecks or knows someone that does.

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The 3 O'Clock Prayer

 

Preface: For a listing of hundreds of prayers with indulgences and special blessings attached to them, be sure to refer to a copy of the Raccolta often.  Click here to order one.

Here is a prayer for 3 o'clock, but you don't necessarily have to say this one. The important thing is to say something - to honor Our Lord's sacrifice, who chose to save us from a fate we deserve, and to approach the Fount of mercy, which was opened up "for the washing of the sinner, and of the unclean woman" (Zechariah 13:1). Our Lord died for us; He died for a reason not to be put on our wall or in a textbook but to be placed in our hearts to make us remember we are to be Eucharistic tabernacles to let the light of Christ to shine through us. We can never forget the Lord's infinite love.

The Prayer:

O Divine Jesus, we transport ourselves in spirit to Mount Calvary to ask pardon for our sins which are the cause of Thy death. We thank Thee for having thought of us in that solemn moment, and for having made us children of Thy own Mother.

Holy Virgin, show thyself our Mother by taking us under thy special protection.

S. John, be our patron and model, and obtain for is the grace of imitating thy filial piety of Mary, our Mother. Amen.

Source: Christian Warfare

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UNFPA News

For the fourth year, the US has denied UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) money due to continued reports that it has involvment with the forced abortions in China. The UNFPA would normally receive $34 million; instead, $25 million will be routed to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

However, Canada in last November, announced a $67 million increase (over a four period) to its annual $13.1 million UNFPA contribution.

I certainly am glad we are not giving money just as the US is not giving money to the "Mexico City Policy" which would be used for abortions. Since the drop in funding in 2001 no US funds have gone to funding abortions in Mexico, and I'm very happy with this. I am, however, disappointed in Canada's increased funding for UNFPA.

Also, even worse is that in 2003 there were more donations than ever before to the UNFPA from 142 of 191 UN member states. (http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/jan/04010701.html)

For more information as well as links to related articles see this link:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/sep/05091905.html

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St. Pio's Quotations on Prayer

I have recently blogged on prayer and what how essential I believe it is, but now I would like to illustrate this necessity of prayer on this anniversary of St. Padre Pio receiving the stigmata by two quotations by him.

" Prayer is the best weapon we have. It is a key opening God’s Heart."

"...God needs our prayers."

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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The Stigmata

Today is September 20th, and today is the anniversary of St. Padre Pio receiving the Stigmata in 1918; St. Pio kept that stigmata for over 50 years. The Stigmata is a great gift received only by a select few including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Padre Pio to name a few. The Stigmata (for those that are new to this term) is the presence of Christ's wounds from His hands, feet, and side on these saints.

The Catholic Church has no official position on the stigmata, but it certainly is a great gift indeed going back to Sacred Scripture: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20)

I remember one story where a man came to St. Padre Pio and asked if he could take some of the pain from the stigmata (it bled and hurt every day). So that man went home and he had a horrible migraine, which felt like nails being driven in his hand. Finally, the next time he saw St. Padre Pio, St. Pio said, along these lines, "I told you it would be too much."

St. Padre Pio was a miracle worker (see: The Miracles of St. Padre Pio) able to be in two places at once, read peoples' thoughts in Confession to remind them of past sins to confess, and he had a special and unique fervor to serve Christ in the 1900s.

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Defend the Pledge!

Our Lord asked us to love and we can certainly Love Him by defending Him. If you have not already please contact your elected officials (through the action alert posted on http://www.congress.org) and tell them that you believe the we are one nation "Under God" and that phrase should certainly remain in our pledge of allegiance to a nation that acknowledges we are all under God's rule and love.

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Novena to St. Vincent de Paul

The novena is said for 9 days to his feast day, and the novena is said by saying the chaplet of St. Vincent De Paul for 9 consecutive days.

St. Vincent de Paul is remembered for his tireless work among the poor and today the St. Vincent de Paul society works to help the poor just as their patron did.

The Feast of St. Vincent de Paul was moved to September 27th in the Novus Ordo Calendar of 1969 but from the institution of the feast in 1737 up until 1969, it was held on July 19th.

NOVENA TO ST VINCENT DE PAUL 

O Glorious Saint Vincent de Paul, the mention of your name suggests a litany of your virtues: humility, zeal, mercy, self-sacrifice. It also recalls your many foundations: Works of Mercy, Congregations, Societies. The Church gratefully remembers your promotion of the priesthood. Inspire all Charitable Workers, especially those who minister, to both the spiritually and the materially poor. O Lord, give us the grace that You bestowed upon, your servant St. Vincent de Paul, to relinquish the temptation of material things, in our holy effort to minister to the poor. Amen.

 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...

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Prayer Before and After Mass

I found a few more nice prayers in the Catholic prayer book I recently got and planned on sharing. Here they are. If you like any of them let me know.
Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Before Mass):
Almighty and eternal God, I am about to approach the sacrament of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Sick, I draw near to the physician of life; unclean, to the fountain of mercy; blind, to the light of eternal brightness; poor and needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth. I ask you in the abundance of your goodness to heal my ills. Cleanse my sins, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. Make me ready to receive the Bread of angels with such reverence and humility, such sorrow and devotion, such purity and faith, such purpose and intention as shall best lead to my salvation. Dear God, grant that I may so receive the Body of your only-begotten Son, that I may be worthy to be incorporated into his Mystical Body and counted among his members. O most loving Father, let me see your beloved Son, whom I now intend to receive, veiled indeed in this life, revealed throughout eternity face to face. He reigns and lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen
Thanksgiving of Baldwin of Canterbury (After Mass):
How great is your goodness, Lord, who does not shrink from letting your servant place you upon his heart! How great my own worth, since you have chosen me to have part in yours, to have you abiding in me, to love you as you deserve, above, myself.
Lord, take from me this hard heart, and give me a new, clean heart of flesh and blood. You who make my heart pure, take possession of mine and make it your home. Hold it and fill it, you who are higher than my topmost height, more inward than my inward being. You, the seal of holiness, beauty of all beauties, engrave on my heart your image and the imprint of your mercy. Be, O God, my eternal love and my inheritance. Amen.
Image Source: In the Public Domain

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Christmas Cards Already In Stores

Yesterday I had a chance to go shopping (something I normally don't like to do), but I went and was surprised at the large selection of Christmas cards. Now, Christmas is probably my favorite time of year, and I love looking through the Christmas cards particularly for the religious cards. Last year I got a box of over 30 for around $3.00 and I thought they were great. Some were of the Magi, some of Christ, some of the angels in Heaven.

Well, yesterday I saw one beautiful card with the three Magi on the front riding camels to a great star in the distance, and this reminded me of a tradition in Syria. On the Feast of the Epiphany children receive gifts not from Santa but the smallest camel. The story goes that this camel traveled with the Magi and was so small and tired but refused to stop in a desire to see Christ. And when the child Christ saw the camel He blessed it with immortality and now every year the Camel brings gifts because of his great faith. I just loved that story the first time I heard it.

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