A Daily Prayer

This website has a new prayer to say everyday, and these can even be emailed to you. I think this is a great way to continue in devotional prayer, and through these simple emails we can start our day off with something so simple and marvelous - a prayer to the God of Life.

http://www.familyrosary.org/main/prayer-day.php

Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain

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How Can I Improve This Blog?

I made this blog to be helpful to others, and I certainly hope it has. I have been working on setting up my other blog, and it looks really good; however, I was wondering how best to make this blog as user-friendly as possible.

What are your ideas? Should I remove some links from the sidebar? Which ones? Should I not have so many posts on the main page?

I'm really looking for advice. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks

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St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Memorial (1969 Calendar): September 23

Biography

Today is the Church remembers the life of one of my favorite saints, St. Pio of Pietrelcina - also called St. Padre Pio - (1887-1968), who was canonized recently in 2002. St. Padre Pio is the only priest to ever have the visible wounds of Christ, the Stigmata, and he lived a life dedicated to prayer and God.

On May 25, 1887, St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina was born to a southern Italian farm family, the son of Grazio, a shepherd. At the young age of 15, St. Pio entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars in Morcone and joined the order at age 19. Suffered several health problems, and at one point his family thought he had tuberculosis. However, through God's will, he was ordained at the age 22 on August 10, 1910.

On September 20, 1918, while praying before a crucifix, St. Pio received the stigmata. Following World War II, he became a point of pilgrimage. St. Pio would hear confessions by the hour and have the ability to read the consciences of those who held back sins. He could bilocate, levitate, and heal by touch. In 1956, St. Pio founded the House for the Relief of Suffering, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. In the 1920's he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000 members worldwide. He died on September 23, 1968. Throughout his life, even after Vatican II, he was given permission to continue to exclusively celebrate the Tridentine Latin Mass.

His canonization miracle of the healing of a sick child, Matteo Pio Colella, age 7, the son of a doctor of the House for the Relief of Suffering. Matteo was admitted with meningitis on June 20, 2000, and by morning doctors feared that he was gone - his organs were shutting down. That night, following a prayer vigil attended by friars of St. Padre Pio's monastery and Matteo's mother, his condition suddenly improved. Matteo said that he had seen an elderly man with a white beard and a long, brown habit, who said to him: "Don´t worry, you will soon be cured." However, St. Padre Pio has worked countless miracles not only after his death but during his life. Read my post entitled: The Miracles of St. Padre Pio.

Prayers

For prayers to St. Padre Pio and ones he loved to say, please visit this site. I especially love the first prayer on that site.

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US Catholic Population

Here are some statistics I found from a local diocese paper:

From 1978 to 2004 the US Catholic population increased from 49,836,176 to 67,259,768. Overall the entire Catholic population during that time saw a 44% increase. Parishes also increased from 18,625 to 19,431.

However, the number of priests actually dropped from 58,485 to 44,212. There was a total 2.6% drop during this time span, and I certainly hope the their will be more priests. It seems that society doesn't view the priesthood much anymore, and many people don't think it requires any intelligence or work.

But, once again, Christ tell us, "You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you" (John 15:16, Douay Rheims). The priesthood is a calling and the most important one a person can get. My advice is to ask yourself, if you're single, if God is calling you that way and if He is, then talk with another priest on possibly going into the priesthood. I'm considering this possibility and just wanted to share these statistics.

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Katrina Update

We've been hearing so much about Hurricanes Katrina & Rita, and I would like us to certainly prayer for them. However, I also wanted to share some updates on Katrina. Today the death toll rose past 1,000 but far less than the colossal estimates I heard weeks ago around 10,000. Thanks be to God for His mercy. Let us keep Hurricane Katrina and Rita victims in our prayers too.

Please also remember all of the animals that were left behind in your prayers.

I also found a photo today of a man praying the Rosary on Yahoo News after suffering through the Hurricane. The faith of some obviously was tested, but God is merciful. Let us thank Him and give Him praise. For through the Crucifixion came the Resurrection. Through this disaster, I pray that a new dawn of peace will arrive in New Orleans - a city that is turned back to God. For if the city doesn't turn back to God then it will ultimately face greater destruction in the future.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain (Wikpedia)

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Lifechecks

I wanted to share a link to a page about lifechecks. I think that there are so many organizations that call themselves pro-life like the March of Dimes, but they support abortion anyway. I just wanted to share this link in case one of my readers buys lifechecks or knows someone that does.

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The 3 O'Clock Prayer

 

Preface: For a listing of hundreds of prayers with indulgences and special blessings attached to them, be sure to refer to a copy of the Raccolta often.  Click here to order one.

Here is a prayer for 3 o'clock, but you don't necessarily have to say this one. The important thing is to say something - to honor Our Lord's sacrifice, who chose to save us from a fate we deserve, and to approach the Fount of mercy, which was opened up "for the washing of the sinner, and of the unclean woman" (Zechariah 13:1). Our Lord died for us; He died for a reason not to be put on our wall or in a textbook but to be placed in our hearts to make us remember we are to be Eucharistic tabernacles to let the light of Christ to shine through us. We can never forget the Lord's infinite love.

The Prayer:

O Divine Jesus, we transport ourselves in spirit to Mount Calvary to ask pardon for our sins which are the cause of Thy death. We thank Thee for having thought of us in that solemn moment, and for having made us children of Thy own Mother.

Holy Virgin, show thyself our Mother by taking us under thy special protection.

S. John, be our patron and model, and obtain for is the grace of imitating thy filial piety of Mary, our Mother. Amen.

Source: Christian Warfare

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UNFPA News

For the fourth year, the US has denied UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) money due to continued reports that it has involvment with the forced abortions in China. The UNFPA would normally receive $34 million; instead, $25 million will be routed to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

However, Canada in last November, announced a $67 million increase (over a four period) to its annual $13.1 million UNFPA contribution.

I certainly am glad we are not giving money just as the US is not giving money to the "Mexico City Policy" which would be used for abortions. Since the drop in funding in 2001 no US funds have gone to funding abortions in Mexico, and I'm very happy with this. I am, however, disappointed in Canada's increased funding for UNFPA.

Also, even worse is that in 2003 there were more donations than ever before to the UNFPA from 142 of 191 UN member states. (http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/jan/04010701.html)

For more information as well as links to related articles see this link:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/sep/05091905.html

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St. Pio's Quotations on Prayer

I have recently blogged on prayer and what how essential I believe it is, but now I would like to illustrate this necessity of prayer on this anniversary of St. Padre Pio receiving the stigmata by two quotations by him.

" Prayer is the best weapon we have. It is a key opening God’s Heart."

"...God needs our prayers."

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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The Stigmata

Today is September 20th, and today is the anniversary of St. Padre Pio receiving the Stigmata in 1918; St. Pio kept that stigmata for over 50 years. The Stigmata is a great gift received only by a select few including St. Francis of Assisi, St. Catherine of Genoa, St. Catherine of Siena, and St. Padre Pio to name a few. The Stigmata (for those that are new to this term) is the presence of Christ's wounds from His hands, feet, and side on these saints.

The Catholic Church has no official position on the stigmata, but it certainly is a great gift indeed going back to Sacred Scripture: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20)

I remember one story where a man came to St. Padre Pio and asked if he could take some of the pain from the stigmata (it bled and hurt every day). So that man went home and he had a horrible migraine, which felt like nails being driven in his hand. Finally, the next time he saw St. Padre Pio, St. Pio said, along these lines, "I told you it would be too much."

St. Padre Pio was a miracle worker (see: The Miracles of St. Padre Pio) able to be in two places at once, read peoples' thoughts in Confession to remind them of past sins to confess, and he had a special and unique fervor to serve Christ in the 1900s.

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Defend the Pledge!

Our Lord asked us to love and we can certainly Love Him by defending Him. If you have not already please contact your elected officials (through the action alert posted on http://www.congress.org) and tell them that you believe the we are one nation "Under God" and that phrase should certainly remain in our pledge of allegiance to a nation that acknowledges we are all under God's rule and love.

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Novena to St. Vincent de Paul

The novena is said for 9 days to his feast day, and the novena is said by saying the chaplet of St. Vincent De Paul for 9 consecutive days.

St. Vincent de Paul is remembered for his tireless work among the poor and today the St. Vincent de Paul society works to help the poor just as their patron did.

The Feast of St. Vincent de Paul was moved to September 27th in the Novus Ordo Calendar of 1969 but from the institution of the feast in 1737 up until 1969, it was held on July 19th.

NOVENA TO ST VINCENT DE PAUL 

O Glorious Saint Vincent de Paul, the mention of your name suggests a litany of your virtues: humility, zeal, mercy, self-sacrifice. It also recalls your many foundations: Works of Mercy, Congregations, Societies. The Church gratefully remembers your promotion of the priesthood. Inspire all Charitable Workers, especially those who minister, to both the spiritually and the materially poor. O Lord, give us the grace that You bestowed upon, your servant St. Vincent de Paul, to relinquish the temptation of material things, in our holy effort to minister to the poor. Amen.

 Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory Be...

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Prayer Before and After Mass

I found a few more nice prayers in the Catholic prayer book I recently got and planned on sharing. Here they are. If you like any of them let me know.
Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Before Mass):
Almighty and eternal God, I am about to approach the sacrament of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Sick, I draw near to the physician of life; unclean, to the fountain of mercy; blind, to the light of eternal brightness; poor and needy, to the Lord of heaven and earth. I ask you in the abundance of your goodness to heal my ills. Cleanse my sins, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness. Make me ready to receive the Bread of angels with such reverence and humility, such sorrow and devotion, such purity and faith, such purpose and intention as shall best lead to my salvation. Dear God, grant that I may so receive the Body of your only-begotten Son, that I may be worthy to be incorporated into his Mystical Body and counted among his members. O most loving Father, let me see your beloved Son, whom I now intend to receive, veiled indeed in this life, revealed throughout eternity face to face. He reigns and lives with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen
Thanksgiving of Baldwin of Canterbury (After Mass):
How great is your goodness, Lord, who does not shrink from letting your servant place you upon his heart! How great my own worth, since you have chosen me to have part in yours, to have you abiding in me, to love you as you deserve, above, myself.
Lord, take from me this hard heart, and give me a new, clean heart of flesh and blood. You who make my heart pure, take possession of mine and make it your home. Hold it and fill it, you who are higher than my topmost height, more inward than my inward being. You, the seal of holiness, beauty of all beauties, engrave on my heart your image and the imprint of your mercy. Be, O God, my eternal love and my inheritance. Amen.
Image Source: In the Public Domain

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Christmas Cards Already In Stores

Yesterday I had a chance to go shopping (something I normally don't like to do), but I went and was surprised at the large selection of Christmas cards. Now, Christmas is probably my favorite time of year, and I love looking through the Christmas cards particularly for the religious cards. Last year I got a box of over 30 for around $3.00 and I thought they were great. Some were of the Magi, some of Christ, some of the angels in Heaven.

Well, yesterday I saw one beautiful card with the three Magi on the front riding camels to a great star in the distance, and this reminded me of a tradition in Syria. On the Feast of the Epiphany children receive gifts not from Santa but the smallest camel. The story goes that this camel traveled with the Magi and was so small and tired but refused to stop in a desire to see Christ. And when the child Christ saw the camel He blessed it with immortality and now every year the Camel brings gifts because of his great faith. I just loved that story the first time I heard it.

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A Prayer of Praise

When we pray we shouldn't just ask God or even only thank Him, but we should in addition to these give Him praise and glory as the Most High King over all creation, who saved us through a death He could have chose not to accept. But instead He died for every last soul.

Here is St. Francis of Assisi's Prayer in Praise of God given to Brother Leo:

You are holy, Lord, the only God,
and Your deeds are wonderful.
You are strong.
You are great.
You are the Most High.
You are the Almighty.
You, Holy Father, are King of Heaven and earth.
You are Three and One, Lord God, all good.
You are good, all good, supreme good.
Lord God, living and true.
You are love. You are wisdom
You are humiliy. You are endurance.
You are rest. You are peace.
You are joy and gladness.
You are justice and moderation.
You are all our reaches, and you suffice for us.
You are beauty.
You are gentleness.
You are our protector.
You are our guardian and defender.
You are our courage.
You are our haven and our hope.
You are our faith, our great consolation.
You are our eternal life, great and wonderful Lord,
God almightly, merciful Savior.

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Missouri Pro-life Laws Passed

Another bill became a pro-life law today in Missouri although Planned Parenthood, the main abortion funder in the US, is filled suit.

The law would do two things:

"One prevents adults other than a minor girl's parents from taking her to another state for an abortion. The other requires abortion practitioners to have admitting privileges in a local hospital within a 30 mile radius of the abortion facility."

July 14, 2006 Update: Planned Parenthood has dropped the lawsuit, the abortion center is closed down, and the building is now being run by a Pregnancy Crisis Center, which helps women find abortion alternatives!!!

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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My thoughts on Cafeteria Catholics

The other day I participated in a discussion on why Rwanda's population is predicted to triple in the future, and they brought up their "facts" that contraception would really help. Needless to say since I was there, a discussion on the Catholic Church and contraception came with some Catholics not knowing that all artificial contraception is not allowed and some that didn't think it was relevant (Cafeteria Catholics) Why can the Pope tell us what to do?

I'll tell you the answer: the Pope is God's chosen representative on earth who takes the place of St. Peter and guides the Body of Christ (us) through the challenges in morality and faith. Nothing said on contraception though is new; it all goes back to the Gospels and placing God first. We all must have a relationship in prayer with Him and that is the ONLY way to know Him.

God gave us His Church to lead us closer to Him and any disregard for the Church as an institution can only show a disregard to Christ.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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More Prayers for New Orleans

The Archdiocese of New Orleans is hoping for pledges of prayers reaching 20 million. Be a part of helping these people through prayer.

Here is a prayer from an email I received after signing up in the pledge:

O Jesus, in our grief and despair,
Destroy death and conquer evil
That we may walk in a spirit of hope
And a newness of life once again.

O Jesus, in our suffering and pain,
Extend your healing hand
That health of mind, body and spirit
May be restored to the fullness of life.

O Jesus, in our hunger and thirst,
Feed us with your precious Body and Blood
That our longing hearts may be satisfied
And our empty spirits filled to overflowing.

O Jesus, in our fear and doubts,
Stop the winds and scatter the darkness
That we may see your majesty and power
As our beacon of hope.

O Jesus, in our anger and impatience,
Calm all violence and hostilities
And bathe us in the serenity of your peace
That we may have the courage to endure.

O Jesus, all our trust and hope is in you.
Hear Our Prayer. Amen.

To this prayer may very properly be added the classic invocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title as Patroness of the State of Louisiana.

V. Our Lady of Prompt Succor

R. Hasten to aid us!

Composed on August 29, 2005, by Father Christopher M. Romaine of the Diocese of Baton Rouge.

Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain

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Thoughts on the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows

As I sat today meditating on each one of Our Lady's sorrows I came to the one where Jesus' body is taken down from the Cross and I could only think of Michaelangelo's masterpiece of Mary holding Our Lord's lifeless body (The Pieta).

I encourage all to say some pray for Mary's intercession today on the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Seven Sorrows of Mary:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon.
2. The Flight into Egypt.
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days.
4. Meeting Jesus on the Way to Calvary.
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus.
6. Jesus Taken Down from the Cross.
7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb.

Promises of the Devotion:

According to the visions of St. Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373)our Blessed Mother promises to grant seven gracesto those who honor her and draw near to her and her Son every day by meditating on her dolors (sorrows) and entering into her grief.

1. "I will grant peace to their families."
2. "They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries."
3. "I will console them in their pains and will accompany them in their work."
4. "I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of my divine Son or the sanctification of their souls."
5. "I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives."
6. "I will visibly help them at the moment of their death-- they will see the face of their mother."
7. "I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy."

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain, Image of the Pieta

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Another Pledge Ruling (USA)

With Hurricane Katrina and the anniversary of 9/11, I recently wrote on how God must be the center of our lives and our days as Pope Benedict XVI recently said again.

Well, the same atheist that brought the case against the pledge has done so again and a judge has ruled that the pledge is "unconstitutional" because of the words "under God". This is another example of the dark intentions to destroy one's faith in God. How great Our Lord is that He willfully gave us life, still died for our wrongs, and continues to bless us. Imagine how merciful that is for the victim to still die for his offenders - all of them. And then we see how horrible some people can become where they want to take God out of every facet of life.

I certainly like the pledge (typically I say it in Spanish to practice), but I will never remove "under God" when I say it because God is always there.

Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain

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