Gallon of Milk

I got this truly inspirational story in my inbox today. Let me know your feelings. I found great comfort and peace in reading it:

Gallon of Milk

"A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study. The priest had spoken about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, "Does God still speak to people?" After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, "God...If you still speak to people speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey."

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, "God is that you?" He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk. The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

"Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk." It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.

As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, "Turn down that street." This is crazy he thought and drove on past the intersection.

Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street. At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, "Okay, God, I will."

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi-commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, "Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street."

The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. "Lord, this is insane. Those people are in bed and asleep, and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid."

Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door. "Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here. He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, "Who is it? What do you want?" Then the door opened before the young man could get away. The man was standing there in his jeans and t-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. "What is it?" The young man thrust out the gallon of milk. "Here I brought this to you."

The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway, speaking loudly. Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen, the man following her, holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face. The man began speaking and half-crying, "We were just praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk." His wife in the kitchen yelled out, "I asked him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?" The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face. He now had no doubt that God still answers prayers. "

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Pro-life action needed in Australia

I doubt many readers here are from Australia, but I have been following the legislature there. And, unfortunately, their senate, in a 45-28 vote, passed a bill that would legalize the abortion drug RU-486.

This abortion drug must not be made legal! Abortion is murder. Referring to RU 486, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago said, "It’s a pill that brings death. That’s strange medicine."

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2319 - Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God.
2322 - From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a "criminal" practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life.
2323 - Because it should be treated as a person from conception, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared for, and healed like every other human being.

Let us pray that this abortion drug will not pass their House of Representatives. The Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, is expeceted to vote against the legalization of the drug.

Read more on the news from Life News. For General information on this murderous "medicine" see this site.

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Last day of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

Today is the Last Day of this Novena. Please join me in praying today, and if you are also completing the Novena today, please let me know.

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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Prayer Request: Joan Pruitt & Bridget Calamari

Would you please join me today and begin to pray for all of the sick that have asked for prayers. Please add these two people to your prayers. I received this email this morning:

I am requesting that you all keep in your prayers 2 very dear and wonderful friends who are suffering terribly at this time. The first, Joan Pruitt, has a severely debilitating back and neck condition which keeps her wheelchair-bound for the most part. She is a diabetic and will be undergoing surgery on her neck on Feb 21st (my deceased mother's birthday--a good sign!) and I would like to ask that, on that early morning you recite the prayer I always say on the occasion of a difficult surgery. Please ask your guardian angel to fly to the tomb of Padre Pio and request his intervention--that he will ask Jesus to guide the hands of the surgeon for Joan Pruitt. The surgeon's name is Marc Arginteanu.

Secondly, a dear friend, Bridget Calamari, who has been battling cancer for at least 7 years and doing well, has just learned that the cancer, despite aggressive treatments, has spread to her lymphatic system.

The Lord healed so many with His very touch. But above all, people were healed according to their faith. Let us pray for the Lord's forgiveness and mercy as well. For it was through sin that death and suffering entered the world.

"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner"

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Is your Spiritual Life Burdened by Distractions?

If your like most of us including myself, you would have said "yes". It's rather hard at time to live an entire day for Christ. Try to live one day without committing any sins at all. It's certainly not easy.

I hope to begin a series of posts at this blog centered on ways and suggestions of living a Christ-centered life in today's world. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

But until I make those posts, Catholic Culture has a good piece on it entitled "The Cacaphony of Life"

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8th Day of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

We are nearing the end of this novena, so please keep praying. With so many ill people lately, we desperately need Mary's intercession for our healing. May the Lord heal us. Our Lady of Lourdes is the patron for those who are ill. Please join me in praying for the sick.

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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Hospital Update

Thank you everyone who has been praying for my father and sister, who were in the hospital. Both are home right now and both of the are improving. My father still has to undergo some tests, so please pray keep praying for him.

Thank you

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St. Alphonsus Liguori's Prayer Before the Blessed Sacrament

My Lord Jesus Christ, for the love which You bear to men, You remain night and day in this Sacrament full of compassion and of love, awaiting, calling, and welcoming all who come to visit You. I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the Altar:

I adore You from the abyss of my nothingness, and I thank You for all the graces which You have bestowed upon me and in particular for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given me your holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit You in this chapel. I now salute Your most loving Heart: and this for three ends:

1. In thanksgiving for this great gift;
2. To make amends to You for all the outrages which You receive in this Sacrament from all Your enemies;
3. I intend by this visit to adore You in all the places on earth in which You are the least revered and the most abandoned.

My Jesus, I love You with all my heart. I grieve for having so many times offended Your infinite goodness. I promise with Your grace never more to offend You in the future. Now, miserable and unworthy though I be, I consecrate myself to You without reserve; I give You my entire will, my affections, my desires, and all that I possess. From now on dispose of me and of all that I have as You please.

All that I ask of You and desire is Your holy love, final perseverance, and the perfect accomplishment of Your will. I recommend to You the souls in purgatory; but especially those who had the greatest devotion to the most Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary. I also recommend to You all poor sinners. My dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with the affections of Your most loving Heart; and I offer them, thus united, to Your eternal Father, and beseech Him in Your name to vouchsafe, for Your love, to accept them. Amen.

*For those non-Catholics: The Blessed Sacrament (called the Eucharist) is truly the Body, blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. It is not a symbol but is Jesus. For more information, please see this post.

Image Source: Believed to be in the Public Domain

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The Purpose of Life

A reflection that came upon me today:

The very aim our our lives is to know and love God. In humbling ourselves and experiencing the most radical poverty, we unite ourselves deeper with Our Lord, who became for us all a prison of love. And only through the door of the Cross can we escape our prison of sin and into the loving arms of Our Father, who ransomed us by His own blood.

Many people ask what is love. But I must clarify that love is a person - His name is Jesus Christ.

There comes a time as we journey in life when we realize the utter beauty of our faith. Know that Christ loves you! It was for you that He died. As his hands, which healed so many, and his feet, which walked on water, where pierced with steel, He was thinking and loving you. Only in seeking to become united with Him through faith and the sacraments do we experience an inner love unlike any other. For God is love. Think sit and think about that...God is love.

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St. Jerome Emiliani

Saint Jerome Emiliani, Patron of the Orphans, by Flavia Ghelardi, photo by the Somascan Brothers in Brazil

Optional Memorial (1969 Calendar): February 8
Double (1955 Calendar): July 20

St. Jerome Emiliani was born in Venice in 1486 to Angelo and Eleanor Mauroceni Emiliani. After his father's death, Jerome ran away from his home. He became a soldier in Venice and was captured on August 27, 1511, by Venetian forces. While imprisoned in a dungeon, he prayed to Our Lady for help and was miraculously freed by her apparition. St. Jerome hung his chains on a church wall as an offering. He converted to Christianity after his dissolute youth.

St. Jerome Emiliani lived the rest of his life dedicated to serving the poor, the sick, and abandoned children. In 1518, he was ordained as a priest. In 1532 he founded a congregation (Somaschi) that was dedicated to educating children, especially orphans. St. Jerome Emiliani founded six orphanages, a shelter for penitent prostitutes, and a hospital. He died in 1537 of the plague while serving the afflicted. Later, in 1928 Pope Pius XI named him the universal patron of orphans and abandoned children.

Traditional Matins Reading:

Jerome was born at Venice, of the patrician family of the Æmiliani, and from his boyhood embraced a military life. At a time when the Republic was in great difficulty, he was placed in command of Castelnovo, in the territory of Quero, in the mountains of Treviso. The fortress was taken by the enemy, and Jerome was thrown, bound hand and foot, into a horrible dungeon. When he found himself thus destitute of all human aid, he prayed most earnestly to the Blessed Virgin, who mercifully came to his assistance. She loosed his bonds, and led him safely through the midst of his enemies, who had possession of every road, till he was within sight of Treviso. He entered the town; and, in testimony of the favour he had received, he hung up at the altar of our Lady, to whose service he had vowed himself, the manacles, shackles, and chains which he had brought with him. On his return to Venice he gave himself with the utmost zeal to exercises of piety. His charity towards the poor was wonderful; but he was particularly moved to pity for the orphan children who wandered poor and dirty about the town; he received them into houses which he hired, where he fed them at his own expense and trained them to lead Christian lives. 

At this time Blessed Cajetan and Peter Caraffa, who was afterwards Paul IV, disembarked at Venice. They commended Jerome’s spirit and his new institution for gathering orphans together. They also introduced him into the hospital for incurables, where he would be able to devote himself with equal charity to the education of orphans and to the service of the sick. Soon, at their suggestion, he crossed over to the continent and founded orphanages, first at Brescia, then at Bergamo and Como. At Bergamo his zeal was specially prolific, for there, besides two orphanages, one for boys and one for girls, he opened a house, an unprecedented thing in those parts, for the reception of fallen women who had been converted. Finally he took up his abode at Somascha, a small village in the territory of Bergamo, near to the Venetian border, and this he made his headquarters; here, too, he definitely established his congregation, which for this reason received the name of Somaschan. In course of time it spread and increased, and for the greater benefit of the Christian republic it undertook, besides the ruling and guiding of orphans and the taking care of sacred buildings, the education, both liberal and moral, of young men in colleges, academies, and seminaries. Pius V enrolled it among religious Orders, and other Roman Pontiffs have honoured it with privileges.

Entirely devoted to his work of rescuing orphans, Jerome journeyed to Milan and Pavia, and in both cities he collected numbers of children and provided them, through the assistance given him by noble personages, with a home, food, clothing, and education. He returned to Somascha, and, making himself all to all, he refused no labour which he saw might turn to the good of his neighbour. He associated himself with the peasants scattered over the fields, and while helping them with their work of harvesting, he would explain to them the mysteries of faith. He used to take care of children with the greatest patience, even going so far as to cleanse their heads, and he dressed the corrupt wounds of the village folk with such success that it was thought he had received the gift of healing. On the mountain which overhangs Somascha he found a cave in which he hid himself, and there scourging himself, spending whole days fasting, passing the greater part of the night in prayer, and snatching only a short sleep on the bare rock, he expiated his own sins and those of others. In the interior of this grotto, water trickles from the dry rock, obtained, as constant tradition says, by the prayers of the servant of God. It still flows, even to the present day, and being taken into different countries, it often gives health to the sick. At length, when a contagious distemper was spreading over the whole valley, and he was serving the sick and carrying the dead to the grave on his own shoulders, he caught the infection, and died at the age of fifty-six. His precious death, which he had foretold a short time before, occurred in the year 1537. He was illustrious both in life and death for many miracles. Benedict XIV enrolled him among the Blessed, and Clement XIII solemnly inscribed his name on the catalogue of the Saints.

Prayer:

O God, the Father of mercies, grant, that by the merits and intercession of blessed Jerome, whom Thou wast pleased to make a helper and father of orphans, we may faithfully keep the spirit of adoption whereby we are Thy sons both in name and in deed. Through our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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We are all a Thought of God

What really bothers me is hearing people say "Why must I follow Jesus"? But, why wouldn't you. Jesus Christ, our God, created us out of nothing. He gave us the gift of life, and so that we might one day enter His presence in Heaven, Our Savior laid down His life to the last drop of His Blood.

As Our Lord carried His Cross with His body being ripped apart with beatings, He was thinking of you. All the time, as nails were slammed into his skin, He was offering to the Father His own death so that you might be redeemed for your sins. He died so that we might not have to go to eternal death.

With that said, I wanted to share some words by Pope Benedict XVI:

"The purpose of our lives is to reveal God to men. And only when God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary."

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Seventh Day of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

Please join me in prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes for her intercession. Since she appeared in Lourdes many suffers have been healed through her intercession there. Please join me in praying for the sick. I was so pleased when several visitors posted that they will be praying along.

Today is the Seventh 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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Let It All Be for Jesus

Blessed Mother Teresa - "All glory and honor are His. We must let Jesus use us as He sees fit."

Image Source: Images in the Public Domain. If you are interested in obtaining all of the images of this series in high resolution, please click here to visit my post to obtain them.

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Update on Fr. McKenna's condition

On January 15, 2006, I asked for prayers for Fr. McKenna. Here is an update I got today:

"Thank you sooo much for all your prayers for Reverend Emeritus Father Jim McKenna. He is still taking the chemotherapy and radiation to the brain and he is managing with his condition We get a weekly update and he thanks everyone for their prayers and asks that we continue to pray for him. Don't stop! He needs and deserves all he can get. He has a very strong faith and he is very happy to know that you are all praying for him. I sent him a mass card and let him know that he is being supported by all our prayer warriors around the world through the internet. This pleased him very much. Thanks again for all your time and efforts. Will keep you informed."

Please keep praying

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Blessed Pope Pius IX

Today the Church remembers, the longest reigning pope after St. Peter, Blessed Pope Pius IX. He lived from 1792 to February 7, 1878. Pope Pius IX was born Giovanni Maria Mastai-Ferretti as the son of Italian nobles. He was elected Pope on June 16, 1846, and he took the name Pius IX.

Pius IX is best known for declaring the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which is about the sinlessness of Mary. During his life, Pius IX was known for unconditional love for the Church, missionaries, and the priesthood.

His beatification process took many years until the miraculous cure of a French nun was attributed to him. Pope John Paul ll declared him blessed on September 3, 2000. His canonization is still pending.

Image Source: Photo believed to be in the Public Domain

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James 2:14-26

Tell me what is your opinion when you read James 2:14-26. I get the impression that works and faith are both very important. I don't know how someone can read this and say that works are not important to remain in grace.

What shall it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but hath not works? Shall faith be able to save him? And if a brother or sister be naked, and want daily food: And one of you say to them: Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; yet give them not those things that are necessary for the body, what shall it profit? So faith also, if it have not works, is dead in itself. But some man will say: Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without works; and I will shew thee, by works, my faith. Thou believest that there is one God. Thou dost well: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, offering up Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou, that faith did co-operate with his works; and by works faith was made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled, saying: Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him to justice, and he was called the friend of God. Do you see that by works a man is justified; and not by faith only? And in like manner also Rahab the harlot, was not she justified by works, receiving the messengers, and sending them out another way?

For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.

James 2:14-26

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Fr. Andrea's last letter

This is an update to the post about Fr. Andrea, who was recently murdered in Turkey. Zenit recently published the 60-year-old priest's last letter. Read the whole letter at Zenit.

Here is an excerpt:

Jesus said: "I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness." If his light illuminates us, not only will it illuminate every situation, even the most tragic, but in addition we too, as He always said, will be light. The tenuous light of a candle illuminates a house, an extinguished lamp leaves everything in darkness. May he shine in us with his Word, with his spirit, with the sap of his saints. May our life be the wax that is consumed willingly.

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Sixth Day of the Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes

Please join me in prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes for her intercession. Since she appeared in Lourdes many suffers have been healed through her intercession there. Please join me in praying for the sick.

Today is the Sixty day of this Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes. Please join me in praying this novena even if you have not started yet. Is anyone praying along with me in 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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Hospital Update

I just got back from the hospital. My father is admitted and will be undergoing tests tomorrow, and my sister is now very ill with apparently a case of the flu. It's been a horribly stressful day. Please pray for me and my whole family that we might be well.

Thank you. I'll be able to post more tomorrow.

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Prayers Needed: For My Father and Emily

I ask for your prayers for my father, who was just admitted to the hospital. Please pray for him. Also please pray for Emily. I just got this email about her from a member of the Holy Souls Prayer Group:

I do have to beg you all for your prayers for my niece, Emily. She is an exceptional 12 year old girl who has cystic fibrosis. My brother just let us know that her lung functioning has not been good and she is going in for special treatment the week of 2/20, if hospital space is available.

Please, please storm heaven for this little girl that there will be a turnaround in her lung functioning. And pray for a miracle that a cure can be found for CF for Em, her sister Liz and everyone with this illness. With all the research the CF Foundation does, a breakthrough for CF would very likely benefit patients with many genetic illnesses. The CF Foundation does not do embryonic stem cell research. May God reward them for not harming innocents in their search for a cure.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Sharon

O, Lord, whose very touch healed, please save them and heal them from sin and illness of mind and body. My Lord, I place these requests in your Sacred Heart. Please hear me in your mercy. Amen

Prayer to St. Anthony:

Compassionate St. Anthony, you are called the "Miracle Worker" by those who have been blessed by your special friendship. I ask you to look with favor on (name the person) who is weak and failing.

Great St. Anthony, come to the assistance of (name). Obtain for him/her health in mind and body, and the strength to accept all suffering in union with Christ, our Savior through your intercession.

Loving St. Anthony, console all those who are afflicted, and guide them to the heart of the Divine Physician, where they will obtain compassion, mercy and hope. Please O loving, St. Anthony, may your prayers reach the Sacred Heart of Our Savior. Amen.

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