Novena for Vocations: Final Day

Today K has posted the final day of the Novena to St. John Vianney for greater vocations to the priesthood. Several other Catholics have joined in this novena for me, and I thank you all earnestly for your cooperation.

Image Source: Ordination Class of 1928, Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Words of Inspiration: May 4, 2006

"May Mary be the star which shines on your path, and May she show you the safe way to reach the Heavenly Father. May she be like an anchor to which you must be more closely attached in time of trial."

Image Source: Assumption of Mary by Veronese

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Beginning the Fatima Novena

Today is the beginning of the Novena to Our Lady of Fatima. It will last from today through May 13th - the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. For more information concerning the approved apparations of Mary in Fatima in 1917, please see Our Lady of Fatima Post.

Novena Prayer:

Most Holy Virgin, who has deigned to come to Fatima to reveal to the three little shepherds the treasures of graces hidden in the recitation of the Rosary, inspire our hearts with a sincere love of this devotion, so that by meditating on the mysteries of our redemption that are recalled in it, we may gather the fruits and obtain the conversion of sinners, the conversion of Russia, and this favor that I so earnestly seek... (State your request here...) which I ask of you in this novena, for the greater glory of God, for your own honor, and for the good of all people. Amen

(Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be three times each)

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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Sts. Philip and James, Apostles

Double of the II Class (1954 Calendar): May 1
1st Class Feast (1962 Calendar): May 11
Feast (1969 Calendar): May 3

Back when the Feasts of the Apostles were kept as Holy Days of Obligation, this day was a Holy Day of Obligation on May 1st. It was kept as such in Rome longer than in other places, but some localities kept the day as well. 

With the advent of the 1955 Calendar, Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of “St. Joseph the Worker” on May 1 (moving the feast of “Saints Philip and James” from May 1, where it had been since the sixth century, to May 11; and suppressing the Patronage of St. Joseph that, since Pope Pius IX’s decree of September 10, 1847, had been celebrated on the second Wednesday after the Octave of Easter).

For more on the lives of all the Apostles, pick up a copy of "The Twelve: Lives and Legends of the Apostles" on paperback or as part of the online course on the Apostles, which includes a Certificate of Completion.

St. Philip

St. Philip was one of the first disciples that Jesus called. Jesus said, "Follow Me" and Philip didn't ask questions. He knew the Lord and He followed. St. Philip didn't just use nice words, but rather, he acted and followed Jesus. Action is what is important.

"The next day Jesus was about to leave for Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him: 'Follow Me'. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him: 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets wrote, Jesus the Son of Joseph of Nazareth'. And Nathanael said to him: 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him: 'Come and see'" (John 1:43). St. Philip suffered martyred in c. 80 AD at Hierapolis, Phrygia.

Patron: Hatters; Luxembourg; pastry chefs; Uruguay.

Traditional Breviary Reading:

Philip was born in Bethsaida, and was one of the twelve Apostles that were first called by Christ our Lord. It was from Philip that Nathanael learned that the Messias who was promised in the Law had come; and by him also he was led to our Lord. We have a clear proof of the familiarity wherewith Philip was treated by Christ, in the fact that the Gentiles addressed themselves to this Apostle when they wished to see the Saviour. Again when our Lord was about to feed the multitude in the desert, he spoke to Philip, and said: ‘Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?' After having received the Holy Ghost, he went into Scythia, which was the country allotted to him, wherein to preach the Gospel; and converted almost the entire people to the Christian faith. Having finally reached Hierapolis in Phrygia, he was crucified there for the name of Christ, and then stoned to death on the Kalends of May (May I). The Christians buried his body in the same place; but it was afterwards taken to Rome, and, together with the body of the Apostle St James, was placed in the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles.

St. James the Lesser

He is called "the Lesser" simply to distinguish him from the other St. James. The other St. James is called "St. James the Greater" only because he was called by our Lord before this St. James. St. James the Lesser was a brother of the St. Jude the Apostle, and he would later write the Epistles of St. James, part of the New Testament. After the dispersion of the apostles, St. James was made the bishop of Jerusalem. St. James loved Jesus so much that he gave up his life. Because he refused to deny Christ's divinity, the Jews cast him down from a temple and clubbed him to death in c. 62 AD.

Traditional Matins Reading:

James, the brother of our Lord, was called the Just. From his childhood he never drank wine or strong drink; he abstained from flesh meat: he never cut his hair, or used oil to anoint his limbs, or took a bath. He was the only one permitted to enter the Holy of holies. His garments were of linen. So assiduous was he in prayer, that the skin of his knees was as hard as that of a camel. After Christ’s Ascension, the Apostles made him bishop of Jerusalem; and it was to him that the Prince of the Apostles sent the news of his having been delivered out of prison by an angel. A dispute having arisen in the Council of Jerusalem concerning the Mosaic Law and circumcision, James sided with Peter, and in a speech which he made to the brethren, proved the vocation of the Gentiles, and said that the absent brethren were to be told not to impose the yoke of the Mosaic Law upon the Gentiles. It is of him that the Apostle speaks in his Epistle to the Galatians, when he says: Bat other of the Apostles I saw none, saving James, the brother of the Lord.

Such was James's holy life, that people used to strive with each other to touch the hem of his garment. At the age of ninety-six years—of which he had spent thirty governing the Church of Jerusalem in the most saintly manner—as he was one day preaching, with great courage, Christ the Son of God, he was attacked by stones being thrown at him; after which he was taken to the highest part of the Temple, and cast headlong down. His legs were broken by the fall; and as he was lying half dead upon the ground, he raised up his hands towards heaven, and thus prayed for his executioners: ' Forgive them, O Lord! for they know not what they do.’ Whilst thus praying, he received a blow on the head with a fuller’s club, and gave up his soul to his God, in the seventh year of Nero's reign. He was buried near the Temple, from which he had been thrown down. He wrote a Letter, which is one of the seven Catholic Epistles.

Patron: Apothecaries, druggists, dying people, fullers, hatmakers, hatters, milliners, pharmacists, Uruguay.

Prayer:

O God, Who dost gladden us by the yearly festival day of Thine Apostles Philip and James: grant, we beseech Thee, that we who rejoice in their merits, may be taught by their example. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Positive update for Andrea Clark

I've previously posted about Andrea Clark, a disabled woman in Texas, whose treatment was to be taken away by the decision of a hospital's ethics clinic. Last I heard was that she was to be transported to Chicago but those plans fell through. However, St. Luke's Hospital has decided to stop seeking to end her treatment. She will be treated, and now she has a chance at life.

From Andrea's sister:

How am I doing? I am doing FABULOUS! My sister, Andrea, is GETTING WELL. Her white blood cell count has been down to normal for the FOURTH day in a ROW now, and she has been able to get off of the blood pressure raising drugs that she has had to be on for MONTHS. She is doing GREAT. Her new doctor ... has also halved the amount of pain medications that she is taking, so that she can talk to her family. He says that her condition is "serious," but that she does have the ability to get much better.

The futility proceedings are stopped now. Because this new doctor took over her case, it is all stopped.

I'm so happy I don't know what to think, or say, or do. Not only is my sister NOT going to be put to death by St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, but it also looks like she is RECOVERING from her heart surgery, finally.

Melanie

Our prayers and emails helped save this woman's life and now she was a chance.

From Andrea's attorney, Jerri Ward:

I want to let you know that St. Luke’s is doing the right thing in this case now. The physician team met with the new attending and it went well. The team is on board and the medical futility procedure has been stopped. For the time being, Andrea will continue to receive life-sustaining and appropriate treatment at St. Luke’s.

Quotations were from Pro-life Blogs

Update (May 9, 2006): Andrea Clark has died

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Novena for Vocations: Day Eight

Please pray the eighth day of this Novena, which is posted on K's blog. It is vitally important to pray for holy, traditional vocations to the priesthood and to religious life.

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

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Excerpts from the Diary of St. Faustina

I received the following email with some wonderful paragraphs from the Diary of St. Faustina. She received visions of Our Lord, and through her, we have the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Divine Mercy Sunday.


[The next night] I saw my Guardian Angel, who ordered me to follow him. In a moment I was in a misty place full of fire in which there was a great crowd of suffering souls. They were praying fervently, but to no avail, for themselves; only we can come to their aid. The flames which were burning them did not touch me at all. My Guardian Angel did not leave me for an instant. I asked these souls what their greatest suffering was. They answered me in one voice that their greatest torment was longing for God. (20)

Jesus, when I cannot sing You the hymn of love, I admire the singing of the Seraphim, they who are so dearly loved by You. I desire to drown myself in You as they do. (195)

When I went to the garden one afternoon, my Guardian Angel said to me, "Pray for the dying." And so I began at once to pray the rosary with the gardeners for the dying. (314)

As the sisters were making their vows, I heard angels singing in various tones, "Holy, Holy, Holy," with chanting so delightful that no human tongue could ever match it. (1111)

[I] asked Him to arrange it that no evil person would dare come to the gate (of the convent). Then I heard these words: My daughter, the moment you went to the gate I set a Cherub over it to guard it. Be at peace. After returning from my conversation with the Lord [in the Chapel] I saw a little white cloud and, in it, a Cherub with his hands joined. His gaze was like lightning, and I understood how the fire of God's love burns in that look.. (1271)

As I was meditating on the sin of the Angels and their immediate punishment, I asked Jesus why the Angels had been punished as soon as they had sinned. I heard a voice: Because of their profound knowledge of God. No person on earth, even though a great saint, has such knowledge of God as an Angel has. (1332)

When I entered the chapel for a moment, the Lord said to me, My daughter, help Me to save a certain dying sinner. Say the chaplet that I have taught you for him. When I began to say the chaplet, I saw the man dying in the midst of terrible torment and struggle. His Guardian Angel was defending him, but he was, as it were, powerless against the enormity of the soul's
misery. A multitude of devils was waiting for the soul. But while I was saying the chaplet, I saw Jesus just as He is depicted in the image. The rays which issued from Jesus' Heart enveloped the sick man, and the powers of darkness fled in panic. The sick man peacefully breathed his last. When I came to myself, I understood how very important the chaplet was for the dying. It appeases the anger of God. (1565)

When during adoration, I repeated the prayer, "Holy God" several times, a vivid presence of God suddenly swept over me, and I was caught up in spirit before the majesty of God. I saw how the Angels and the Saints of the Lord give glory to God. The glory of God is so great that I dare not try to describe it, because I would not be able to do so, and souls might think that what I have written is all there is. Saint Paul, I understand now why you did not want to describe heaven, but only said that eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him...Now I have seen the way in which I adore
God; oh how miserable it is! And what a tiny drop it is in comparison to that perfect heavenly glory. (1604)

Once, when a certain doubt rose within me shortly before Holy Communion, the Seraph with the Lord Jesus stood before me again. I asked the Lord Jesus, and not receiving an answer, I said to the Seraph, "Could you perhaps hear my confession?" And he answered me, "No spirit in heaven has that power." And at that moment, the Sacred Host rested on my lips. (1677)

Read more from the Diary of St. Faustina.

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The Month of Mary

Image Source: Facebook

All of the months of the year have a particular devotion. However, the particular focus assigned to each month is not dogmatically defined by the Church’s solemn authority. Rather, these devotions have been practiced by the faithful and grown as popular piety over the centuries. They have varied according to both region and local custom.

As we enter the month of May, those of us in the northern hemisphere celebrate the return of springtime as evident in creation emerging from winter, just as Our Lord has emerged from the tomb on Easter Sunday. The time of winter is now passed. And in a similar fashion, the month of May brings us the joy of celebrating in a special manner the Blessed Virgin Mary. This month features a number of Marian feastdays and, with the American celebration of Mother’s Day always in May, it is a fitting time for us to recall the maternal protection of our Heavenly Mother and live out this devotion through long-established Catholic customs. 

She is the Virgin Mother of God, whose fiat allowed Our Lord to take human form in her womb. She was preserved from all stain of sin throughout her entire life. And, after her life, she was assumed body and soul into Heaven by the power of God and crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth. She is an example for us to imitate in faithful obedience to Jesus, and she is our special advocate with Her Divine Son.

In May there are a number of wonderful liturgical feasts in honor of Mary throughout the month. See the Catholic Calendar in order to see some of those which occur throughout the month of May on the General Calendar, though keep in mind there are many others kept in various local calendars in the Catholic world.

8 Ways to Honor the Month of Mary:

1. Pray the Rosary Every Day, if you do not do so already
2. Encourage others to be enrolled in the Brown Scapular and to wear the Scapular Daily
3. Pray the Litany of Loreto each day
4. Honor the many feastdays in honor of Mary during May
5. Visit a Marian Shrine in your area
6. Consecrate yourself and your family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
7. Take time to better understand the Blessed Virgin Mary in a Mariology Course
8. Attend your parish's May Crowning.

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Novena for Vocations: Day Seven

I can't believe we have already been praying this Novena for vocations for seven days. Please pray today's short novena prayer, which is posted on K's blog.

Image Source: Jasna Gora

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How Old is Your Church?

I received this fabulous email:

IF YOU ARE A LUTHERAN, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

IF YOU BELONG TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 A.D., because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to re-marry.

IF YOU ARE A PRESBYTERIAN, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560 A.D..

IF YOU ARE A PROTESTANT EPISCOPALIAN, your religion was an offshoot of THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND founded by Samuel Seabury in the American Colonies in the 17th Century A.D..

IF YOU ARE A CONGREGATIONALIST, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582 A.D..

IF YOUR ARE A METHODIST, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744 A.D..

IF YOU ARE A UNITARIAN, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1744 A.D..

IF YOU ARE A MORMON (Latter Day Saints) Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, New York, in 1829 A.D..

IF YOUR ARE BAPTIST, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1605 A.D..

IF YOU ARE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628 A.D..

IF YOU WORSHIP WITH THE SALVATION ARMY, your sect began with William Booth in London, England in 1865 A.D..

IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST, you look to 1879 A.D. as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

IF YOU BELONG TO one of the religious organizations know as "CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE," "PENTECOSTAL GOSPEL," "HOLINESS CHURCH," "PILGRIM HOLINESS CHURCH," "JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES," your religion is one of hundreds of new sects founded by men within THE PAST 100 YEARS!

IF YOU ARE ROMAN CATHOLIC, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 A.D. by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church. All the other churches listed above are Horizontal Churches (not Vertical) CREATED BY MEN, not by JESUS CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES!

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