St. Joseph of Leonissa

Today the Church remembers St. Joseph of Leonissa (1556-1612), a saint I was not too familiar with. He was born in the Kingdom of Naples and lived life by denying himself hearty meals and comfortable quarters in order to live a humble life focused on Christ’s humility and love.

In 1587, St. Joseph journeyed to Constantinople to take for the Christian slaves working for the Turkish. His work there for the Gospel lead to his imprisonment. St. Joseph was released and told never again to help the Christian slaves. And, St. Joseph went and helped them still. He was imprisoned and condemned to die when he was miraculously freed. St. Joseph journeyed to Italy and worked to heal family feuds and serve the poor.

St. Joseph of Leonissa was beatified by Clement XII in 1737 canonized in 1746 by Benedict XIV.

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First Friday of the Month

Today is the First Friday of February. Because today is the first Friday of the Month, many Catholic parishes will have special Masses today for the First Friday Devotion.

Beginning on December 27, 1673, through 1675, Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque asking her to receive Him in Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month and to meditate on His passion from 11:00 PM to 12:00 midnight each Thursday. He also revealed to her twelve promises for all who are devoted to His Sacred Heart; he asked for a Feast of the Sacred Heart to be instituted in the liturgical calendar of the Church. Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque with twelve promises for those devoted to His Most Sacred Heart.

Promises for those devoted to the Sacred Heart:

1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Pro-life Action:

MarchTogether.com has a monthly Call for Life in which pro-lifers are urged to call their elected officials and voice their support for the dignity of life. Today, being the first Friday, is this month's Call for Life.

For more information on the First Friday Devotion, please see The Miracle of the Rosary Mission. Please remember to pray for the unborn today and make an act of reparation to Our Lord. Remember, it was on Friday that Our Lord died and all Fridays in the year are days of penance (Canon 1250 - 1253)

Prayer of Reparation:


O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore thee profoundly. I offer thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of thee the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.

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Let us Defend the Church

I noticed a huge amount of non-Catholics commenting negatively on Our Blessed Mother on the my post for the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes. It is sad that they reject Mary, Our Mother, who Christ gave to us, His Church: "Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own" (John 19:26-27).

On one of their blogs, I was called a "Mary worshiper". How sad... Mary, pray for us sinners!

Mary is such an important part of our faith as are the saints, which these commenters challege. I however, welcome their comments. It gives me a topic to pray upon and something to write about. I ask you non-Catholics to please read some of these posts of mine and other websites below. You don't have to agree, but please be informed. I've heard too many times that "Catholics worship Mary." It's time for people to learn the truth, and I want to help spread this truth of the Catholic faith.

1. Why is Mary sinless?
2. Why is Mary called Co-Redemptrix?
3. Everything you'd like to know on praying to the saints
4. Saint Worship?

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Blessing of the Throats

With today being the Feast of St. Blase, it's time to get your throat blessed!

For centuries, it has been a tradition for Catholics to have their throats blessed on the Feast of St. Blase, the patron saint against throat ailments. It's a lovely tradition with St. Blaise, who healed a boy with a fishbone stuck in his throat. St. Blase is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.

The priest takes two unlit candles and crosses them. He places one on one side of the parishioner's neck and one on the other. And, the priest says this prayer:

By the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every malady of the throat, and from every possible mishap; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. R. Amen.

Also, the priest will pray over and bless the candles prior to using them for this blessing.  The blessing he will use is this: Blessing of Candles for the Feast of St. Blase.

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Alito Votes Pro-life Already

Although he was confirmed only a few days ago, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has sided with liberals and moderates in his recent decision. This decision stopped Missouri from executing a man, and as a death-penalty opponent I'm pleased with the outcome.

For more information on this case, please see MSNBC

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Second Day of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

Today is the Second day of this Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes. Please join me in praying this novena even if you have not started yet.

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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St. Blase, Bishop and Martyr

Simple (1955 Calendar): February 3

St. Blase's feast day is today. Many people, including myself, go to Mass today to receive a special blessing of the throats. I have always loved this devotion after I received it one year and my sore throat was healed the next morning. See also the special candle blessing given on this day.

Before the changes to the Roman Calendar in the early 1960s, the Divine Office provided this lesson on his life for our edification:

Blase, whose signal virtues made him dear to the people of Sebaste in Armenia, was chosen bishop of that city. When the emperor Diocletian waged his cruel persecution against the Christians, the saint hid himself in a cave on Mount Argeus, and there he remained some time concealed, but was at length discovered by some soldiers of the governor Agricolaus, while they were hunting. They led him to the governor, who gave orders that he should be put into prison. During his imprisonment, many sick people, attracted by the reputation of his sanctity, came to him, and he healed them. Among these was a boy, whose life was despaired of by the physicians, on account of his having swallowed a bone, which could not be extracted from his throat. The saint was twice brought before the governor, but neither fair promises nor threats could induce him to offer sacrifice to the gods. Whereupon, he was first beaten with rods, and then his flesh was torn with iron hooks while he lay stretched on the rack. At length he was beheaded, and nobly gave testimony to the faith of Christ our Lord, on the third of the Nones of February (February 3).

Prayer:

O God, Who dost gladden us by the annual feast of blessed Blase, Thy Martyr and Bishop: mercifully grant that we, who celebrate his heavenly birthday, may also rejoice in his protection. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Remember to Spread the Light of Christ

On the Feast of the Purification of Our Lady.

We are also called to be these beacons of light in a world of darkness. On the EWTN Mass today, the priest called for us to be missionaries for the whole world. Right now the world is 27% Christian. He said our goal is 100%. We are all called to work to saving others souls. Your very prayers and works could save dozens for souls. This is the responsibility to each of us.

The priest said his father goes out to libraries and puts pro-life pamphlets in books on abortion. The point is this - serve Christ. Be his light and He shall give to you life, eternal life.

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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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