A Trip to Israel

Here was a joke that couldn't apply better to this world today...

A Jewish businessman in Chicago sent his son to Israel for a year to absorb the culture. When the son returned, he said, "Papa, I had a great time in Israel. By the way, I converted to Christianity.""Oy vey," said the father. "What have I done?"He took his problem to his best friend. "Ike," he said, "I sent my son to Israel, and he came home a Christian. What can I do?""Funny you should ask," said Ike. "I too, sent my son to Israel, and heal so came home a Christian.." Perhaps we should go see the rabbi. So they did, and they explained their problem to the rabbi."Funny you should ask," said the rabbi.. "I, too, sent my son to Israel,and he also came home a Christian. What is happening to our young people?" And so they all prayed, telling the Lord about their sons. As they finished their prayer, a voice came from the heavens: "Funny you should ask," said the voice. "I, too, sent my son to Israel...."

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Prayer Request from Fatima, NJ

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

I received this prayer request in my Inbox, and I ask you to please say a prayer for this man's soul.

Please say a special prayer formy dad. He passed away 7 months ago today. I always thought it would get easier with time, but not a day goes by that I don't cry for him. Maybe it's because of the horrible pain I saw him go through... I truly believe my father lived his purgatory on earth. For the last six months of his life, he was semi-comatose due to an overdose of anesthesia given him for a simple out patient procedure. He was left paralyzed and couldn't communicate to us, but could see and hear us and feel pain. I tried to put myself in his position and couldn't fathom it...like being locked up in your own body! He would look me right in the eye when I would speak to him and start crying and I never felt more helpless. He ended up with these horrific bed sores on his back which eventually led to his death. He died a week before his 65th birthday. I hope and pray that he's at peace with God. Please help me ask God to let him know how much he is loved and missed.

Thank you all and God Bless,

Fatima - NJ

Image Source: Photo of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Peter's Pence Collection

The annual collection given to the Holy Father was presented to him recently. In the closed meeting, he reminded the members of the Circle of St. Peter of his emphasis in Deus Caritas Est on Christian charity. The 2004 Peter's Pence raised $51 million, 7.4% below 2003 (Source: CWNews).

A remember that this collection given to the Holy Father to carry out his work for those in need is now online. Please visit the Vatican's Peter's Pence Page to donate to Our Holy Father online.

Photo Source: Associated Press

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St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Double (1955 Calendar): February 27 or February 28 if leap year

Today we remember St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows (1838-1862). At the young age of four, he lost his mother and lived in worldly pleasures. Our Lady brought him to deeper reverence, and after being cured of two serious diseases, he knew that he was called to religious life. His request to join the Jesuits was turned down because he was only 17, but after his sister died of cholera, he was accepted to the Passionists. He then took the name Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows.

He was a joyous person and a shining example that living the Catholic life, one that is centered on God, is not burdening but liberating. The regulations of the Church help us to serve Christ and this brings out greater joy. St. Gabriel possessed a strong spirit of prayer, love for the poor, and a consideration of the feelings of others.

While only four years after entering religious life, St. Gabriel developed pneumonia and on February 27, 1862, at age 24, he died. In 1920 he was canonized. Pope Benedict XVI has called him a pattern for young people.

His Words:

"Love Mary! She is lovable, faithful, constant. She will never let herself be outdone in love, but will ever remain supreme. If you are in danger, she will hasten to free you. If you are troubled, she will console you. If you are sick, she will bring you relief. If you are in need, she will help you. She does not look to see what kind of person you have been. She simply comes to a heart that wants to love her. She comes quickly and opens her merciful heart to you, embraces you and consoles and serves you. She will even be at hand to accompany you on the trip to eternity."

For more see: Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows: Life and Prayers.

Prayer:

O God, Who didst teach blessed Gabriel to think continually of the sorrows of Thy most sweet Mother, and didst exalt him through her by the renown of holiness and miracles; grant us through his intercession and example so to join Thy Mother in her grief that we may be saved by her maternal protection: Who livest and reignest.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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"Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity."

Those words from Matthew 9:36 have been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to be our theme as we journey through this year's Lent. This will be my first year blogging through Lent, and I want to make this a spiritually-rich time. My posts will reflect the cornerstone our our Lenten journey - Christ.

I will not make these posts "politically correct" or at times even polite; they will be the truth. And this is the truth - that Christ is the Lord and we must follow Him. His commandments do not just apply to those who follow Him now but to ever last individual sharing in his divine image. We as human beings are called to salvation - and this is done only through Our Lord. Prayer will be focal point of my posts, and I hope that my readers will not only read them but pray them. Prayer is the key to the Heart of God! Prayer is essential.

Lent is about prayer, fasting, and penance. I will try to touch on all of these issues.

Pope Benedict XVI's Lenten Message:

Lent is a privileged time of interior pilgrimage towards Him Who is the fount of mercy. It is a pilgrimage in which He Himself accompanies us through the desert of our poverty, sustaining us on our way towards the intense joy of Easter. Even in the “valley of darkness” of which the Psalmist speaks (Ps 23:4), while the tempter prompts us to despair or to place a vain hope in the work of our own hands, God is there to guard us and sustain us. Yes, even today the Lord hears the cry of the multitudes longing for joy, peace, and love. As in every age, they feel abandoned. Yet, even in the desolation of misery, loneliness, violence and hunger that indiscriminately afflict children, adults, and the elderly, God does not allow darkness to prevail. In fact, in the words of my beloved Predecessor, Pope John Paul II, there is a “divine limit imposed upon evil”, namely, mercy (Memory and Identity, pp. 19ff.). It is with these thoughts in mind that I have chosen as my theme for this Message the Gospel text: “Jesus, at the sight of the crowds, was moved with pity” (Mt 9:36)...

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Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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My Word Cloud

I found a really interesting website through Ma Beck's blog. The site is made to design a t-shirt, but I still went through the process just to create my word cloud. The above image is my word cloud - a list of some of the most common words in my blog. I'm quite pleased with the results. (click on it for a larger image)

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Pray for the Repose of the Soul of Fr. Andrea Santore

Please offer up your prayers for Andrea Santore. He was shot and murdered in Trabzon, Turkey while praying in St. Mary Church. Fr. Santore was part of the Vatican's "Fidei Donum" program, which sends priests to help in missionary areas. He had worked in Turkey for 10 years and worked diligently to help young women escape from traffickers who would force them into prostitution. May Our Lord forgive Him his sins and grant Him eternal life. For this is the true example of faith - willingly putting your life in danger for Christ. This is how you know if you have faith, that you would lay down your life for Christ.

"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33)

Pope Benedict XVI noted the "generosity and apostolic zeal" of Fr. Santore and assured Fr. Santore's community of his spiritual closeness to them "at this moment of sorrow". The Holy Father also said that he was "deeply affected" by the "serious loss of such an esteemed and enthusiastic priest."

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

Read the last letter Fr. Andrea Santore ever wrote

Update: The European Parliament has condemned his killing

Update (July 3, 2006): It's been awhile since I posted about Fr. Andrea, but I found some information today. His killer, a 16-year old Muslim, is currently on trial (source).

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A Prayer Before Praying

I received this beautiful prayer in my inbox today and wanted to share it:

"Almighty Father, I place the Precious Blood of Jesus before my lips before I pray, that my prayers may be purified before they ascend to Your Divine Altar." AMEN

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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The Da Vinci Joke

Zenit has published an interview with Mark Shea on his recent book "The Da Vinci Deception". I have been a strong proponent against this blasphemous book for months, and I'm thankful to see a good resource by a good author coming out.

"Those who say, "It's just a story," simply do not understand that this deception is part of the book's power. People often receive through fiction what they would be on guard against in reasoned debate.

And this is particularly true as Dan Brown, the author of "The Da Vinci Code," has actually stated he would not change any of his basic assertions if he were writing nonfiction. Brown means for us to understand that his claims about the origins are Christianity are true."

Shea listed just a few of the numerous errors of Dan Brown in this interview:

"He claims Leonardo Da Vinci doesn't give Jesus a chalice in his painting "The Last Supper" in order to hint that Mary Magdalene is the true chalice who held the "blood of Jesus" -- i.e., his child -- despite the fact there are 13 cups in the painting. He chatters about the meaning of an Aramaic word in the Gnostic gospel of Philip, oblivious to the fact it's written in Coptic. He calls Mary Magdalene the victim of a Catholic smear campaign without pausing to wonder why she's a Catholic saint. He blames "the Vatican" for various plots and conspiracies that are alleged to have taken place centuries before there was any Vatican to plot them. And, of course, in the biggest lie of them all, he declares that nobody before the year A.D. 325 thought of Jesus as anything other than a "mortal prophet" until Constantine muscled the Council of Nicaea into declaring him God "by a relatively close vote." Of course, he does not stop to ask why, if Jesus was just a "mortal prophet," he bothered founding a Church at all -- nor what the Church was about for the first 300 years if nobody was worshipping Jesus as God."

I hope that Catholics and Christians alike will join me in boycotting the movie and/or the book. Fr. Benedict Groeschel's Sunday program, "Sunday Night Live" at 7 PM EST tomorrow will center on the topic of the Da Vinci Code. If you have had questions with the book I recommend tuning into EWTN for the program.

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Getting Better

I wrote last week about being sick with the flu, and I'm thankful for all of your prayers as I am getting well. Please keep me in your prayers as I near the end of this and get ready for Lent.

Thanks everyone

PS: I forgot how much I hate the flu...

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