First Day of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

Please join me in prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes for the health of all those who suffer. Today is the first day of the Novena, but please keep praying with me for the whole nine day of this novena.

Novena (Feb 2-10):

O ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfort to the Afflicted,

you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Deign to cast upon me a look of mercy. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, you were pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence you dispense your favors; and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal.

I come, therefore, with the most unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the granting of my requests.
Through gratitude for favors, I will endeavor to imitate your virtues that I may one day share your glory.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. Amen. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.)

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The Word "Love"

"Today the word 'love' is so tarnished, so spoiled and so abused that one is almost afraid to pronounce it with one's lips. We must take it up again, purify it and give back to it its original splendor so that it might illuminate our life and lead it on the right path."

Pope Benedict XVI (January 23, 2006)

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Blessing of Candles for the Feast of St. Blase

The day after The Feast of the Purification of our Lady (called Candlemas) is the feastday of St. Blase. The following prayer for the Blessing of Candles may be said by the ordained. Blessed candles are used in the special Blessing of Throats given on this day.

BLESSING OF CANDLES on the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

All: Who made heaven and earth.

P: The Lord be with you.

All: May He also be with you. 

Let us pray. God, almighty and all-mild, by your Word alone you created the manifold things in the world, and willed that that same Word by whom all things were made take flesh in order to redeem mankind; you are great and immeasurable, awesome and praiseworthy, a worker of marvels. Hence in professing his faith in you the glorious martyr and bishop, Blaise, did not fear any manner of torment but gladly accepted the palm of martyrdom. In virtue of which you bestowed on him, among other gifts, the power to heal all ailments of the throat. And now we implore your majesty that, overlooking our guilt and considering only his merits and intercession, it may please you to bless + and sanctify + and impart your grace to these candles. Let all men of faith whose necks are touched with them be healed of every malady of the throat, and being restored in health and good spirits let them return thanks to you in your holy Church, and praise your glorious name which is blessed forever; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

They are sprinkled with holy water.

Source: 1962 Roman Ritual

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Feast of the Purification of Our Lady (Candlemas)

Feast (1969 Calendar): February 2
Double of the II Class (1955 Calendar): February 2

Today is the 40th day after Christmas and the final day of the Christmas season. Today is Candlemas, known as the Feast of the Purification of our Lady. Our Lord was presented in the temple on this by the aged Simeon. This beautiful mystery of the Rosary is recorded in the Gospel according to St. Luke:

"And when the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And inspired by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel." 

[And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."
And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanu-el, of the tribe of Asher; she was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, and as a widow till she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks to God, and spoke of Him to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. 

And when they have performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.]" (Luke 22:40)

Today our purification comes in baptism, where by the grace of God our sins are washed clean. See the special prayers for the Blessing of Candles on Candlemas.

This is the Sequence for Candlemas, sung to Dominican chant by the Dominican friars at Blackfriars, Oxford.

Prayer:

Almighty and ever living God, we humbly beseech thy Majesty, that as Thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple in substance of our flesh, so Thou wouldst cause us too with purified hearts to be presented unto Thee. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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HB 1127 in New Hampshire

PowerBlog! writes of a new bill in the New Hampshire legislature (HB 1127), which would mandate all clergy members to report instances of sexual abuse with no exceptions. A good idea, but there has to be one exception - Confession.

This bill would require the Seal of the Sacrament of Confession to be broken and force clergy to reveal these confessions by parishners. What this will do will not help children, but it will keep people from Confession. I know that many people fear others to know there sins, and with Confession lines low anyway, they will only hit rockbottom in New Hampshire if this becomes law.

I hope the "no exceptions" aspect can be removed to allow Confession to be what it is - a special place between God and us.

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St. Brigid

Feast (1969 Calendar): February 1

Today the Church in Ireland celebrates the Feast of St. Bridgid of Ireland while today is an optional memorial in New Zealand. St. Bridgid was a very holy woman and much more information can be found on her at the Patron Saint Index. The Catholic Encyclopedia also has valuable information on her.

But, I wanted to share this email I received:

"When St. Brigid died an old woman in A.D. 523 , her sisters kept a fire burning in an enclosure at her Kildare convent. This fire burned for centuries, tended by the Sisters and not burning out until A.D. 1220. It was re-lit and burned for 400 years, when the effects of the Protestant "Reformation" extinguished it again. St. Brigid's association with fire and the proximity of her Feast to Candlemas tomorrow -- a day celebrating Christ as the Light Unto the Nations, make the two Feasts entwined in the Irish imagination. On the day following Candlemas, the Feast of St. Blaise with its blessing of the throats with two crossed candles make for three days associated with light and fire."

Please join me in saying a prayer to St. Brigid.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Abortions have Decreased under President George W. Bush

Last night I wanted the State of the Union address by President George W. Bush. And, I was generally pleased with his words. I thought that he did a superior job at speaking, and I think he touched all important issues while still incorporating stats and figures.

I was very pleased to hear his remarks on abortion:

"There are fewer abortions in America than at any point in the last three decades," President Bush said. "These gains are evidence of a quiet transformation -- a revolution of conscience, in which a rising generation is finding that a life of personal responsibility is a life of fulfillment." (Source)

And, he's right. I looked up this on Life News and found abortions falling extremely sharply. Look at Michigan. Abortions in Michigan have decreased 11 percent in 2005 and, since 1987, they have fallen by 46.5%. Pro-life legislation works!

Washington's abortions are at the lowest numbers that have been recorded there, and Wisconsin abortions are under 1974 levels.

Furthermore, "Last year abortions dropped 7 percent in Tennessee and reached their lowest levels since 1977. Abortions in Georgia dropped 5 percent last year, and Minnesota's abortion numbers are down to their lowest since 1975. " (Source)

Let's lower abortions to the lowest level yet. Let's push for the reversal of Roe v. Wade and the protection of all the unborn. If you haven't yet please sign the petition against Planned Parenthood, the number one abortion provider.

Stand up for life! (For information on the pro-life cause see this link) For President Bush's complete speech, please see the GOP site.

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Pope's February Prayer Intentions

Here are Pope Benedict XVI's February prayer intentions:

General: That the International Community may be ever more aware of the urgent duty to bring an end to the trafficking of human beings.

Missionary: That in the Missions the lay faithful may recognize the need to serve their own coun­try with greater commitment also in its po­litical and social life.

Please add these to your prayers as well as the intentions list from the Community Catholic Forum, which I organize each month.

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God is Always There

"God is always there. He never leaves our prayers unanswered" (Mother Teresa).

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A Daily Schedule for Living a Christ-Centered Life

I received this excellent email yesterday and wanted to post it here. Even if we incorporate just one more of these suggestions in our lives, we will become much holier. This schedule is one where Jesus Christ is the foundation of daily life. Is your schedule founded on Christ? If not, then please read through this. I'm hoping to add some of these into my life.

A Rule of Life For Those Who, Living in the World, Aspire after Perfection

By Father Michael Muller, C.Ss.R.

In the Morning

1. Rise at affixed hour, for example, six o'clock; do not remain longer in bed without a reasonable motive.
2. As soon as you awake, offer your heart to God, make the sign of the Cross, and dress yourself quickly and modestly. Then, on your knees, say three "Hail Marys," in honor of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to obtain a great purity of body and soul.
3. Say your morning prayers, and make a meditation during half, or at least a quarter of an hour. It is better to say short prayers - "Our Father" and "Hail Mary," - or to say your prayers going to or at your work, than to say no prayers at all.
4. Hear Mass, if it is possible.

During the Course of the Day

5. Read a spiritual book for at least a quarter of an hour.
6. Say your beads, if possible, with the rest of the household.
7. Pay a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, and to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the church if you can do so. N.B. - For these three last exercises you can choose whatever time will
least interfere with your daily occupations.
8. Frequently make short ejaculatory prayers, above all at the beginning and end of your actions. Employ chiefly acts of the love of God, such as these: My dear Jesus, I love Thee ... I wish very much to love Thee ... make me love Thee more and more, etc.
9. Practice the mortification of the eyes, of the ears, and of the tongue, by sometimes refraining from looking, hearing, or saying things, which, though not dangerous, are useless, in order to be able more easily to abstain from what is dangerous, or even bad.
10. Seize carefully every opportunity of suffering any little pain, contradiction, or humiliation, for the love of God. In every such occasion submit yourself to the will of God, saying: O my God, this is Thy Will; may Thy holy Will be done!
11. At your meals deprive yourself in part or entirely of some little thing you are fond of; and never completely satisfy your appetite.
12. Do not eat between meals without necessity.
13. Fly idleness, bad company, and every occasion of sin, especially those in which chastity is in danger.
14. In temptations, especially those of impurity, make the sign of the Cross, if you are alone; and say in your heart, Jesus and Mary, help me. If the temptation still continues, do not be troubled, but pray with greater earnestness, saying, My dear Jesus, I would rather die than offend Thee.
15. If you have the misfortune to commit a sin, so not give way to trouble, even though the sin be grievous, but make immediately a good act of contrition, with a firm purpose not to fall again, and to confess it as soon as possible.

In the Evening

16. At a fixed hour, for example, nine o'clock, say your night prayers, and make your examination of conscience; recite the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, and then read over the subject of the next morning's meditation.
17. Having said, on your knees, the three "Hail Marys," as in the morning, undress yourself with all modesty, and be careful to remain always decently covered in bed, and to preserve a modest posture.
18. Until you fall asleep, occupy your mind with the subject of the tomorrow's meditation, or with the remembrance of death, or some other pious thought.
19. Choose a good [Traditional] Confessor, in whom you have confidence; open your heart to him without reserve, and be guided by his advice; do not quit him without strong reason.
20. Go to confession once a week, and receive the Holy Communion as often as your director judges proper. (Note: This was before Pope St. Pius X's decree encouraging frequent and daily communion.)
21. Attend sermons and instructions as often as you can, endeavoring always to apply them to yourself, and to draw some practical resolution from them; enter some pious confraternity, with the sole view of attending to the interest of your soul.
22. If your health will permit, fast on every Saturday, and on the eves of the Feasts of the Blessed Virgin. At least perform in Her honor some little act of mortification on those days, according to your state of health and your occupations. Nourish in your heart a tender devotion towards the Blessed Virgin, and address to Her from time to time this fervent prayer: My
good Mother Mary, help me to love your divine Son Jesus with all my heart. Wear the scapular, and at least the miraculous medal.

Observation

As this rule of life does not of itself impose any obligation under pain of sin, no one must be alarmed if he cannot follow it in every thing. Let each one take that which is in accordance with the duties of his state of life, which ought always to be attended to in preference to any exercises of piety which are not of obligation. Thus let each one do what he can, but cheerfully, and for the love of God.

A Short Practical Method of Meditation

In the preparation, say: 1. My god, I believe that Thou art really present, and I adore Thee with all my heart. 2. O Lord, I ought to be at this moment in hell; I am sorry for having offended thee: grant me pardon. 3. O Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus and Mary, enlighten me. Then
recommend yourself to the most holy Virgin, to St. Joseph, to your Angel Guardian, and to your Patron Saint; for this purpose say a "Hail Mary," and then pass on to the meditation.
Read the meditation, and pause wherever you find food for reflection. After this, be careful to make affections of humility, gratitude, and, above all, of sorrow and love, resigning yourself in ever thing to the divine will, and make an offering of yourself, saying: O Lord, do with me whatever Thou pleasest, and tell me what Thou wilt have me to do, for I wish to do
Thy will in all things. Be also very careful to ask for particular blessings and graces, as for
example, begging God the grace of holy perseverance, His divine Love, and the light and strength to do always the divine Will, and always to pray. Before concluding your meditation, make a special resolution to avoid some defect, into which you fall most frequently; and then finish with an "Our Father" and "Hail Mary"; and remember always to recommend to God the
souls in Purgatory, and poor sinner. Live Jesus our Love, and Mary our Hope!

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Taken from A Familiar Explanation of Christian Doctrine, 1875 (out-of-print), by Father Michael Muller, C.Ss.R. The above is a reprint from "Catholic Family News"


Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain, From the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX)

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