St. Maria Goretti

Today is the feastday of the young martyr, St. Maria Goretti. Please say a prayer for her intercession today. See the link for my post dedicated to St. Maria Goretti.

Official Prayer to St. Maria Goretti:

Oh Saint Maria Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth,with what courage and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus anything that could offend Him or stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg of thee (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with thee the imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen.

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Video: Last Mass of St. Padre Pio

Via A Catholic Mom in Hawaii

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First Friday Devotion

Today is the First Friday of July. 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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St. Anthony Zaccaria

According to both the 1969 Calendar of Saints and the Traditional Catholic Calendar, today is the feastday of St. Anthony Zaccaria (1502-1539), priest, the founder of the Clerks Regular of St. Paul, later called the Barnabites.

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Title for motu proprio: Summorum Pontificum

From CWNews.com:

A papal document widening use of the 1962 Roman Missal will be released on July 7, the Roman news agency I Media says, confirming reports that circulated late in June.

The motu proprio will be entitled Summorum Pontificum, I Media adds. The title of the Pope's document had not previously been mentioned in the media, despite numerous reports of its existence and intense speculation over its contents.

The German-language agency Kath.net reported on June 27 that the document by Pope Benedict XVI will be released on Saturday, July 7. The Kath.net story appeared after a special Vatican meeting in which a small group of prelates were briefed about the contents of the motu proprio. The Vatican press office later confirmed that the meeting had taken place, but did not confirm the publication date for the document.

The motu proprio is reportedly a 3-page document. It will be released in conjunction with a 4-page explanatory letter in which the Pope sets out his reason for encouraging the use of the pre-conciliar liturgy as an "extraordinary" form of the Latin rite.

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Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus

July is designated especially as the Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus, a special time to honor the Blood of Jesus. Please see my post entitled Devotions to the Precious Blood of Jesus for more information.

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Catholic Carnival 126

Catholic Carnival 126: The Fourth of July Style is now available!

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St. Thomas the Apostle

Today according to the 1969 Calendar of Saints is the feastday of St. Thomas the Apostle. I highly encourage others to read my previous post on St. Thomas. In particular, I would like to share this story:

While in India, St. Thomas witnessed a group of people desperately trying to remove a post from the earth. With ease, St. Thomas removed it and thrust it back into the ground saying that water shall never again pass the point. Atop the post now stands Santhome Cathedral. And, quite miraculously, when the Tsunami of 2004 hit and destroyed much of the buildings in Chennai, the water stopped at the steps of the Cathedral. The miracle of St. Thomas is still alive.

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Daily Prayer Schedule

Greetings and peace!

Since I am not yet in the seminary and am able to utilize much of my free time for prayer, I have devised a daily schedule. I follow these prayer times daily unless I happen to be working at the time of the prayer. However, for the most part, I am able to pray most of my prayer schedule daily.

• 7:30 AM Lauds in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel
• 8:00 AM Rosary in the church during Eucharistic Adoration
• 8:30 AM Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
• 9:00 AM Terce in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel
• 12 Noon Sext
• 3:00 PM None
• Sunset Vespers
• 9:00 PM Compline

I really like this current schedule because I am able to pray all of the daytime offices: Terce, Sext, and None. If I arrive at the Adoration Chapel early I spend extra time in prayer for the end of abortion and for the poor souls in purgatory. Below is a copy of a prayer that I really enjoyed praying today. I ask everyone reading this blog to pray it.

Prayer to Jesus Christ:

O Jesus, it is not the heavenly reward you have promised which impels me to love you; neither is it the threat of hell that keep me from offending you. It is you, O Lord, it is the sight of you affixed to the Cross and suffering insults; it is the sight of your broken body, as well as your pains and your death. There is nothing you can give me to make me love you. For even if there were no heaven and no hell I would still love you as I do. Amen.

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Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

For those who follow the pre-Vatican II Calendar of the Saints, today is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the 1955 Calendar, today is a Double of the II Class. The Faithful who use the 1962 Calendar also celebrate the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary today.

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