Date: Sunday, July 13, 2025

Time: 3:00 PM Service

Location: St. William Catholic Church, Round Rock, TX

Join us for a special Blessing and Investiture of the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at 3:00 PM at St. William Catholic Church. The Investiture will include reading of the Word, preaching, and a blessing with the investiture

The Brown Scapular, given by the Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Simon Stock in the 13th century, is one of the most beloved sacramentals in the Catholic Church. It is a sign of devotion to Our Lady and a commitment to live a life of prayer and faithfulness to Christ.

Tradition holds that Mary made a powerful promise to those who wear the scapular with devotion:

“Whoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire.”

It is a spiritual gift that encourages a life of virtue, prayer (especially the Rosary), and trust in Mary’s intercession.

All are welcome to receive the scapular blessing and investiture. Scapulars will be provided.

Come take part in this beautiful tradition and entrust yourself to the care of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Learn more: st-william.org/events/blessing-and-investiture-of-the-brown-scapular-of-our-lady-of-mount-carmel

The post Brown Scapular Investiture July 13 first appeared on ATX Catholic.

The Psalms are more than ancient poetry. They are the Church’s universal prayer book, offering comfort, praise, and guidance for every soul seeking God. For centuries, Christians have turned to the Psalter to give voice to their deepest joys and sorrows, and you can, too.

Why Pray the Psalms?

The Psalms are uniquely powerful because they capture the full range of human emotions—from gratitude to lamentation, from despair to unshakable hope in God. St. Athanasius, one of the early Fathers of the Church, said in his letter to Marcellinus:

“[…] the Psalms comprehend the one who observes the commandment as well as the one who transgresses, and the action of each. […] And it seems to me that these words become like a mirror to the person singing them, so that he might perceive himself and the emotions of his soul, and thus affected, he might recite them. For in fact he who hears the one reading receives the song that is recited as being about him, and either, when he is convicted by his conscience, being pierced, he will repent, or hearing of the hope that resides in God, and of the succor available to believers — how this kind of grace exists for him — he exults and begins to give thanks to God” (A Letter of Athanasius, Our Holy Father,
Archbishop of Alexandria, to Marcellinus on the Interpretation of the Psalms).

In other words, no matter what you are experiencing, the Psalms have words to help you pray through it. That’s why St. John Chrysostom called the Psalms “an excellent master” of prayer because they teach us to glorify God, repent, and intercede with fervor. Whether you’re new to prayer or a seasoned soul longing for renewal, the Psalms invite you to draw closer to God by joining the prayer of Christ and His Church.

How to Pray the Psalms in Three Weeks

In the Byzantine custom of the Orthodox Christian Tradition, the Psalter is divided into 150 Psalms, arranged into 20 sections called Kathismata (a Greek word meaning “sittings”). Each Kathisma is further divided into three parts, or stases, making it easy to pray the Psalms in manageable portions. By following a simple schedule, you can complete the entire Psalter every three weeks.

First, take the Kathismata traditionally assigned to each day for a weekly Psalter cycle.

Next, use the date of the month to determine which part (stasis) of the day’s Kathismata to pray:

• If the date is divisible by 3, pray the third stasis.
• If the remainder is 1, pray the first stasis.
• If the remainder is 2, pray the second stasis.

For example, on the 6th of the month (6 ÷ 3 = 2 remainder 0), you would pray the third stasis of the day’s Kathisma. On the 7th, you’d begin with the first stasis of the next day’s Kathisma.

This rhythm ensures variety and keeps the Psalter fresh, even for beginners. As the days pass, the Psalms will begin to resonate more deeply, guiding your heart and mind into communion with God.

If you are worried about how Psalms are grouped together into Kathismata – don’t worry. There are a variety of Psalters in both contemporary and traditional English that are already organized this way.

Here are a few:

• The Holy Psalter: An Orthodox Christian Translation
• A Pocket Psalter for Prayer – Holy Trinity Publications
• The Pocket Psalter
• The Holy Psalter – St. Ignatius Orthodox Press
• The Ancient Faith Psalter

If you prefer to use your Bible, you can refer to the following chart. Be sure to determine which Psalm numbering your Bible uses – most modern Bibles (including Catholic ones) will use the Hebrew numbering. Older Bibles, and Eastern Catholic or Orthodox Christian ones, will use the Greek.

Praying with the Heart of the Church

The beauty of praying the Psalms is that you are never alone. St. Augustine reminds us that the Psalms are the voice of Christ and His Body, the Church:

“Whether the Psalm contains words of joy or sorrow, of praise or lamentation, Christ is speaking in it, sometimes in the form of the Head, and sometimes in the form of His Body” (St. Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos (Expositions on the Psalms), as quoted in various commentaries on his theological reflections on the Psalter.)

When you pray the Psalms, you are joining millions of believers across time and space who have used these same words to lift their souls to God. Begin this timeless practice today, and discover the Psalms as your own prayer — your own song to the Lord.

The post How to Encounter God in the Psalms first appeared on ATX Catholic.

“The first rule is simply this; live this life and do whatever is done, in a spirit of thanksgiving. Abandon attempts to achieve security, they are futile; give up the search for wealth, it is demeaning; quit the search for salvation, it is selfish; and come to comfortable rest in the certainty that those who participate in this life with an attitude of thanksgiving will receive its full promise.”

– Always We Begin Again, John McQuiston

The Thanksgiving Holiday presents the perfect opportunity to take stock of every blessing we’ve received from our great God and Savior Jesus Christ and start fresh on the path of holiness. That’s why I’ve returned to writing for ATX Catholic – to forge ahead, together, in living and writing about a life filled to the brim with gratitude. I believe, as firmly as ever, in this website’s mission, “bringing the good news of Jesus Christ into the world through engaging new and social media.”

Years ago, I used to blog here during a very different time in my life, our world, and the Church. Since then, this site has sadly fallen into disuse. I’ve experienced many life changes in the intervening years, and I’m sure you all have as well. But through it all, God the Father remains my hope, God the Son my refuge, and God the Holy Spirit my shelter – all glory, honor, and praise to the Holy Trinity!

Undoubtedly, this opening post is a gamble. I’m not even sure this website is still monitored or active in any meaningful capacity. But I’ve found that good things happen for those who are willing to walk in faith and take risks. I simply stumbled on an old WordPress account and decided to login – what happens next is up to the Lord.

Let’s see if God wills this door to open.

If so, I hope you, and whoever maintains this website, will join me in dusting off and renovating this online space to become a community of mutual support and friendship between Catholic and Orthodox Christians in the greater Austin area, operated in accordance with the beautiful spirituality and guidelines set forth for us by our father among the saints, Benedict of Nursia.

The post Always We Begin Again first appeared on ATX Catholic.

Have you ever wanted to witness a living miracle? The miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is in Mexico City and is one of the most-visited holy sites in the world. This is an opportunity to visit with others from the Diocese of Austin and led by clergy that knows the story and culture well.

JOIN US FOR A 11-DAY PILGRIMAGE (AUGUST 14-24,2022) TO THE SHRINES OF MEXICO!

The pilgrimage will be led by Fr Juan Carlos López and Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez.

A pilgrimage to Mexico is a great way to experience the incredibly rich culture of our neighboring country and strengthen your faith. On this memorable trip, you will celebrate mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and see the tilma of Juan Diego bearing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that hangs above the main altar. Other common sites include the relics of Blessed Miguel Pro.

On our pilgrimage, we offer a complete itinerary that includes round-trip airfare, accommodation in first-class hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, all transportation, daily Mass, and all under excellent organizing, leadership, and teaching from Nativity pilgrimage expert staff and Guides

The post August 2022 Pilgrimage to Shrines in Mexico first appeared on ATX Catholic.

The pilgrimage will be led by Fr Juan Carlos López and Deacon Guadalupe Rodriguez

Lady of Guadalupe also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a Roman Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary associated with a venerated image enshrined within the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The basilica is the most visited Catholic pilgrimage site in the world.

A pilgrimage to Mexico is a great way to experience the incredibly rich culture of our neighboring country and strengthen your faith. On this memorable trip, you will celebrate mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and see the sackcloth of Juan Diego bearing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe that hangs above the main altar. Other common sites include the Pyramids of Teotihuacan and Chapultepec Park to see collections of the ancient Mayan civilization.

On our pilgrimage, we offer a complete itinerary that includes round-trip airfare, accommodation in first-class hotels, breakfast and dinner daily, all transportation, daily Mass, and all under excellent organizing, leadership, and teaching from Nativity pilgrimage expert staff and Guides

Learn more at the pilgrimage website >

The post Pilgrimage to Shrines of Mexico Fall 2021 first appeared on ATX Catholic.

Excerpts on St. Michael the Archangel, Conductor of Souls were taken from the messages from a Soul in Purgatory [Sister M.G.] to Sister M. de L. C. who was under the care of a spiritual director (priest) when receiving the messages.  The messages were published in a book called: AN UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT ON PURGATORY 

The Church has given the messages an imprimatur and nihil obstat, which ensures that it is free from any doctrinal errors.

Nihil Obstat – Reverend Monsignor Carroll E. Satterfield, S.T.D. Censor Liborium 

Imprimatur – His Eminence, Lawrence Cardinal Shehan

PLEASE NOTE: In conformity with the decrees of Pope Urban VIII, the author formally declares that the seemingly supernatural facts recorded in this historical narrative rest on purely human authority, and consequently he does not in any way intend to pronounce a final judgment, or to anticipate any future decision of lawful Church authority as to their nature.

You do well to pray to St. Michael and to urge others to do so.

We see St. Michael as we see the angels. He has no body. He comes to get the souls that have finished their purification. It is he who conducts them to Heaven. He is among the Seraphim as Monsignor said. He is the highest angel in Heaven. Our own Guardian Angels come to see us, but St. Michael is far more beautiful than they are. 

As to the Blessed Virgin, we see her in the body. She comes to Purgatory on her feasts and she goes back to Heaven with many souls. While she is with us, we do not suffer. St. Michael accompanies her. When he comes alone, we suffer as usual.

St. Michael, who has loved and protected you for so long a time, wishes that one of his missionary priests should know all that I have told you. God has His own designs in all this, and you will know them later. Later on, you may be able to give him more precise information about St. Michael.

What is the best way of honoring St. Michael? The best and most efficacious way of glorifying him in Heaven and honoring him on earth is to spread devotion to the souls in Purgatory, and to make known the great mission he fulfills towards these suffering souls. It is he who is entrusted by God to lead the souls to the place of expiation and to bring them to their eternal home after purification.

Each time a soul arrives to increase the number of the elect, God is glorified, and this glory in some way communicates itself also to the celestial minister. It is an honor for him to present to Our Lord the souls that will sing their thanks and His mercies through all eternity. I could never make you understand the intense love which the Heavenly Archangel has for his Divine Master, and the love which God in His turn has for St. Michael. Neither can I convey to you a true idea of the love and pity St. Michael has for us. He encourages us in our sufferings by speaking to us of Heaven.

Tell the Father that if he wishes to please St. Michael, he will most earnestly recommend devotion to the souls in Purgatory…Perhaps if they had been reminded to pray for the dead and had been told a little about Purgatory, they might have acted differently. When God allows it, we can communicate directly with St. Michael in the way that spirits communicate.

How do they celebrate the feast of St. Michael in Purgatory? On that day St. Michael comes to Purgatory and returns to Heaven with a great number of souls, especially with those who had been devout to him in life.

What glory does St. Michael receive from his feast day on earth? When the feast of a saint is celebrated on earth, he receives an increase of accidental glory in Heaven, even if he is not actually remembered on earth. He receives a special recompense in memory of some particular act of heroic virtue, or of some increase of glory, which he procured for God at a given time. This reward consists in an increase of accidental glory joined to the happiness which the memory of his work on earth causes him. The accidental glory which the Archangel receives is far above that of the other saints, because this glory is proportioned to the greatness of the merit of the recipient and also to the value of the action which merits the reward.

What I have sometimes told you about certain persons and what I will tell you, I only know from God at the moment. For example, I do not know what is God’s will in regard to your Father’s parents. Perhaps later on I may know. I will pray to God for them and recommend them to St. Michael.

About Father P— who is retired, St. Michael is not pleased about that. But God leaves one free. He wishes to have in His service only those who serve Him willingly without ever looking back. Tell Father P— God wants him to continue with great courage to accomplish all that he has undertaken for His sake.

St. Michael is present when the soul leaves the body. I saw him only, and he is the only one that every soul sees. (Later) I also saw my Guardian Angel. From this you can understand why it is said, “St. Michael conducts souls to Purgatory”, for a soul is not taken, but he is there at the carrying out of each sentence. All that happens in this other world is a mystery for yours.

Thoughts of earth can be made known here, but there is not much in all that, because I have already told you that the souls in Purgatory know those persons who interest themselves in their behalf on earth. God sometimes allows those on earth to receive a prayer, a warning or some information. All that I told you about St. Michael was from himself and all that I said about your Father was from God.

Are the promises made to those who recite the rosary of St. Michael true? The promises are real, but you need not think that people who recite it out of routine and without any pains to become holy are taken out of Purgatory at once. That would be false. St. Michael does more than he promises, but he is not overanxious to relieve those who are condemned to a long Purgatory. Certainly, as a reward for their devotion to the Archangel their sufferings are shortened, but as to delivering them at once, not so. I, who used to say it, can serve as an example of this. Immediate deliverance takes place only in the case of those who have worked with courage at their perfection and who have little to expiate in Purgatory.

St. Michael will intervene in the personal struggle of the Church, which is so terribly persecuted, but not so easily destroyed as the wicked think. It is he who is also the special patron of France and who will help her to take her rank as the eldest daughter of the Church, because, notwithstanding all the wickedness that is committed in France, there is still much good and so many devoted souls there. I do not know when St. Michael will intervene; you must pray much for this intention. Invoke the Archangel, remind him of his titles and beseech him to intercede with Christ, over whose Heart he has such influence. But be sure that the Blessed Virgin is not forgotten. France is her kingdom, privileged over all others. She will save it. Those who promote the recitation of the Rosary everywhere deserve praise. It is this prayer that is the most efficacious in the present time of need.

THE END.

Recommended

The post Angels & Dragons XXVIII: St. Michael the Archangel, Conductor of Souls! first appeared on ATX Catholic.

One of my favorite sections in the book “CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH, THE WONDERS OF OUR SPIRITUAL FATHER” by Fr. Donald Calloway is Day 21 – St. Joseph Most Faithful, Pray for Us.  This section and meditation show St. Joseph’s faithfulness in rescuing Jesus and Mary in different life and death circumstances (Mat. 2:13 & 2:22) they faced.  Fr. Calloway writes, “St. Joseph was faithful to Jesus and Mary in good times and in bad times.”

In a time where everyone and everything including institutions, governments, and countries are unraveling, St. Joseph is a very good model of faithfulness for us to follow and keep in mind.  If you, too, take him as your spiritual father, he will never fail you especially during these crazy plague-ridden times!  

One of the traditional ways to seek and obtain favors from God and the Saints is to make a vow.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains the significance of a vow,

“In many circumstances, the Christian is called to make promises to God…Out of personal devotion, the Christian may also promise to God this action, that prayer, this alms-giving, that pilgrimage, and so forth. Fidelity to promises made to God is a sign of the respect owed to the divine majesty and of love for a faithful God…A vow is a deliberate and free promise made to God concerning a possible and better good which must be fulfilled by reason of the virtue of religion. A vow is an act of devotion in which the Christian dedicates himself to God or promises him some good work. By fulfilling his vows he renders to God what has been promised and consecrated to Him. The Acts of the Apostles shows us St. Paul concerned to fulfill the vows (Acts 18:18; 21:23-24) he had made [CCC 2101-2102].”

The book, “The Glories of the Catholic Church” describes the pious practice of vows made while imploring a saint’s intercession. In this case, vows made to Saint Joseph during a plague in France.  The people of France understood that St. Joseph is very faithful. They made vows on their deathbeds for St. Joseph’s faithful intercession and received miracles of healing and deliverance from the plague.

I wish to share a few of these miracles in the book “The Glories of the Catholic Church” so you, too, can encounter the faithful and powerful healing intercession of Saint Joseph.  Illustrations are by Laura Beth Ramsay (A very talented artist from Austin, Texas who can be reached at laurab.ramsay@gmail.com for commissioned artwork.) 

MIRACLE 1:

“Fr. Melchior, of Faug, a religious of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), being a month exposed to serve those who were in the quarantine or the pest-house, having taken the plague, and lying near death, all despairing of his recovery – after having been three days in agony, a friend of his, of the same religious order, made a vow, and invited the sick man to do the like, in case he recovered, to offer nine masses in the Church of St. Joseph, in thanksgiving for his recovery. At the same hour that the vow was made, he recovered his speech, and found himself out of all danger.” (The Glories of the Catholic Church)

MIRACLE 2:

“Bennet Gontelle, a gardener, living in a garden that joins St. Joseph’s Church, every day lost one of his family members, consisting of seventeen; out of which one daily fell sick, and was led to the pest-house, where his wife and children were already dead from the plague, and he and one servant only left in the house, who daily expected to follow the rest. I visited him in this sad affliction, and, being his next neighbor, counseled him to make a vow to St. Joseph, which he did, and I joined with him in it; promising to offer several masses and Holy Communions in his honor, if by his intercession he would obtain his and his servant’s preservation from the plague. God heard his prayers and preserved them both from the infection.” (The Glories of the Catholic Church)

MIRACLE 3:

“Martin de Bau, a little child, four years old, was struck with the plague while he was at play. All gave him up for lost; and his mother, being in a very great desolation and affliction, was counseled to recommend him to St. Joseph, which she immediately did, in these words, “St. Joseph, to you I recommend my child.” About two hours after, the child’s father perceiving some signs of death called his wife, who, giving him up for dead, made a kind of pious complaint, saying, “Ah, St. Joseph!” She came to the child, and found the evil diminished, who a little after called to his mother for some meat, recovered his wonted countenance, rose from his bed, and cried out, “I am well – St. Joseph has cured me.” The morning following, there was not the least sign of any complaint, and he felt no more weakness than if he had never been sick. His parents carried him to the Church of St. Joseph to give thanks, where they hung up a votive picture, to testify not only the child’s but the father’s deliverance from the plague; who afterwards was visited and delivered also by St. Joseph’s intercession, from the same evil.” (The Glories of the Catholic Church)

MIRACLE 4:

“Mr. Augery, an advocate in the parliament of Dauphine, being at Lyons, and understanding, on July 15, 1638, that Theodore Augery, his son, seven years of age, was seized by the plague … he made a vow to God, that if St. Joseph, by his intercession, would procure his son’s recovery, and preserve his family from the plague, he would for nine days together hear Mass in his church in his honor… the sick youth, being visited by the plague surgeons, who gave him up for dead, was taken out of the house, and carried to St. Laurence, the pest-house, for fear of infecting others. Suddenly, here he found himself perfectly well, nor were any more of his family, nine in number, infected.” (The Glories of the Catholic Church)

MIRACLE 5:

“Tevenet, a good old man of St. Laurence Dauger, a village near Lyons, infected with the plague, asked the vicar of the place whether there were no means for his recovery, who answered him that there were none but by having recourse to St. Joseph, and by making a vow every year to keep his feast, and to confess and communicate upon it, and for nine days to say seven paters (Our Fathers) and aves (Hail Mary’s), and conclude it with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The pious old man immediately made the vow, and at the same time found himself freed from the plague.” (The Glories of the Catholic Church)

Many people continue to give witness that the book ‘Consecration to St Joseph’ is best thing that has happened to them during these times of isolation and quarantine! The author, Fr. Calloway, shared with me the impact ‘Consecration to St. Joseph’ has had on the faithful during the pandemic, 

“There have been vocations, healing of marriages, renewal of faith, and people come back to the Church as fruits of this consecration.  Without a doubt, now is the time of St. Joseph!” 

Eight U.S. bishops have declared a Year of St. Joseph because of ‘Consecration to St. Joseph.’ They are the dioceses of Charlotte, NC; Green Bay, WI; Lafayette, LA; Scranton, PA; Venice, FL; Ogdensburg, NY; La Crosse, WI; St. Augustine, FL; and a 9^th diocese will go public in December. 

The artwork for the book has been selling off the charts!  The entire world wants better images of St. Joseph and other artists and sculptors are beginning to get commissioned requests around the world. The book has sold nearly 200,000 copies so far and is being translated into other languages.  Truly, it is the Era of St. Joseph!

The book is now available in Spanish at this English link or in Spanish at this Spanish website link. The English version is now available on audio at this link.

Finally, don’t be left out!  The next big ENGLISH consecration is from November 8^th – December 10^th (Feast of Our Lady of Loreto). The next big consecration in SPANISH is from November 10^th – December 12^th (Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe).  You can follow in Spanish on this YouTube link

THE END

LINK TO BUY BOOK IN ENGLISH:

The post CONSECRATION TO ST. JOSEPH VI: ST. JOSEPH MOST FAITHFUL, PRAY FOR US! first appeared on ATX Catholic.

One of my favorite parts in the book Consecration to St. Joseph, The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Fr. Donald Calloway is Day 29 – St. Joseph, Hope of the Sick, Pray for Us.  This is and was a powerful part of the book during the consecration because it covers the miraculous physical healings of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Avila.  These Doctors of the Church giving witness of his healing intercession speak volumes during these difficult times of the coronavirus.

We should discover that one of St. Joseph’s greatest attributes is his powerful intercession to heal the sick as St. André Bessette and many saints have discovered.  The book Saint Joseph – A Man for All Seasons by Fr. Alfons Maria Weigl contains many healing miracles of St. Joseph interceding for the sick at the last minute. I wish to share a few of the miracles in the book so you, too, can encounter his powerful healing intercession. Illustrations by Charles Jaskewicz and Renate Mross translated and put together the book from German to English.

MIRACLE 1

There is a woman who had been living by herself and was unable to eat and drink for many days.  This would happen once a month if not twice and sometimes she needed intravenous feeding.  Feeling desperate in March 1994, she started a novena to St. Joseph.  At the end of the novena on March 19, 1994 (Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary) she received a miraculous healing allowing her to live a normal life.

MIRACLE 2

A man finds his wife in the arms of another man, and he shoots her and then shoots himself.  This couple were practicing Catholics with children.  The wife was only wounded and survived, but the man went into a coma and with little hope of surviving according to the doctors.  The children prayed a novena to St. Joseph and on the eighth day, he opened his eyes and asked for a priest to hear his confession.  On the ninth day (March 19^th) he received Holy Communion, and his wife repented plus the husband went on to fully recover.  St. Joseph not only healed the husband, but he also healed the marriage.

MIRACLE 3

A seventy-one-year-old man develops pain in his knees (osteoarthritis) when walking, climbing stairs, etc.  He suffers for four years trying medicines, dressings, and radiation therapy.  He runs into a booklet where St. Thérèse of Lisieux says, “Bring your problems to St. Joseph.  He will help you. Just try it.”  He begins a novena to St. Joseph and on the ninth day he is completely healed after four years of painful suffering.

MIRACLE 4

A woman worked for United Airlines and was transferred to Houston, Texas in 1983.  She had problems adjusting to the change and other wellness issues, so she retired, and she moved back to Pennsylvania where a friend lent her a place to stay until she found an apartment.  During all this time she was praying to St. Joseph when he suddenly appeared to her and said, “I am going to do something for you.”  On that day she found the strength to leave her bed, find a job, and an apartment. 

Finally, many people continue to share with me that ‘Consecration to St Joseph’ is best book they have ever read because it has changed their life!  If you are a man, it shows you what a real man should be and act like.  If you are a woman it shows you what to look for in a husband and father.  Entire countries like Poland are consecrating themselves to St. Joseph because he is so important during these times.  Give this book a try and you will be very, very surprised! THE END

Recommended

The post Consecration to St. Joseph V: St. Joseph, Hope of the Sick, Pray for Us! first appeared on ATX Catholic.

One of my favorite parts in the book Consecration to St. Joseph by Fr. Donald Calloway is the “Wonders of Our Spiritual Father” section number 10 on St. Joseph, Terror of Demons.  This is and was a powerful part of the book while doing the Consecration to St. Joseph, twice this year.

Here is one of my favorite parts from the book where Fr. Calloway quotes Blessed Bartolo Longo (former Satanic priest) on why St Joseph is the Terror of Demons:

Similarly, Venerable Mary of Agreda writes in Mystical City of God that when we call on the powerful and holy name of St. Joseph it terrorizes the demons, 

“The intercession of St. Joseph is most powerful: For filling the demons with terror at the mere mention of his name by his clients.”

In the book, A Manual of Practical Devotion to St. Joseph by Fr. Patrignani, S.J., Sister Jane of the Angels who belonged to the Ursuline religious order was possessed by a demon for an extended period time, and the exorcist had been unsuccessful until she decided to pray daily for a year the Office of St. Joseph, practice weekly corporal austerities, and make a novena of Holy Communions.  

On the ninth day during the official exorcism the demon said that St. Joseph was commanding him to leave her body plus that the powerful and holy name of St. Joseph would be engraved on Sister Jane’s hand as proof.  True to the demon’s painful confession, it happened, and she was completely delivered forever.

Likewise, Fr. John Doe (real name delated), exorcist, related to me that St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, had interceded during a solemn exorcism.  He stated that for a long time, the possessed person could not be delivered.  As a last resort, Fr John made a pilgrimage to Brother Andre’s Oratory of St. Joseph in Montreal, Quebec (Canada) to say mass, and during the mass which was offered for the possessed person the person was delivered from possession while the person was hundreds of miles away.

Jessie Romero, a retired cop, during a live interview on Virgin Most Powerful Radio stated that during an exorcism which he was present at as a helper, the priest called on St. Joseph under the title of St. Joseph, Terror of Demons and the demon started to immediately cry out in pain “No Joseph! No! No Joseph!” and the person was immediately delivered.  You can find this story (here) at 5:39 minutes.

The testimonies of St. Joseph, Terror of Demon’s powerful intercession, is found everywhere. The following testimony was given “live” while Fr. Donald Calloway was on Relevant Radio during the Drew Mariani Show while speaking about Consecration to St. Joseph.  

Betty from Irvine, California, the caller, is a mother who explained that on first Saturday she got a prompting from the Holy Spirit after mass at 11 A.M. to pray for her son so she expressed to her husband that they should pray for their son who might be in trouble.  She said to her husband we need to pray to St. Joseph for him, immediately! 

The next day 12 hours later, the son came home, and he said that a terrible thing happened at a basketball game.  He said after the game as he was walking out a mentally ill man attacked him with a knife.  The man stabbed the son in the heart, and the knife left a hole on the jacket.  

But, miraculously, through St. Joseph’s powerful intercession, the knife didn’t pierce beyond the jacket.  Previously, the mother had tried getting her friends at the First Wednesday St. Joseph devotion to sign up for the Consecration to St. Joseph, and her 15 friends didn’t want to join her.  

The mother now wears the jacket with a hole over the heart to give testimony to St. Joseph’s powerful protection of her son, and now all her friends have signed up for Consecration to St. Joseph! They too want their children protected by St. Joseph, Terror of Demons. 

You can find this story on Relevant Radio by going to 20:33 minutes (here).

In the book “Saint Joseph, A Man for All Seasons” by Renate Mross, a mother and daughter in the Hungary mountains relate a miraculous rescue when they called on the holy name of St. Joseph for help.  One day they decided to visit a family in the mountains.  They prayed on the way to visit the family and on the way back.  As they were praying for St. Joseph’s protection and for the souls of purgatory on the way back, a man jumped out of the bushes towards them in a very menacing way. 

In total fear, they cried out to St. Joseph for help!  At hearing St. Joseph’s name, the man immediately stopped dead on his tracks and uttered a curse, but his eyes remained fixed on a spot as if someone had appeared to him, and he didn’t move.  The mother and daughter while running in tears looked back, and the man was still looking at the same spot unable to move. 

Who did the man see?
St. Joseph, Terror of Demons?  

Finally, many people have shared with me that ‘Consecration to St Joseph’ is best book they have ever read because it has changed their life!  Give this book a try and you will be very, very surprised! Below is a great prayer on St. Joseph, Terror of Demons found in Fr. Calloway’s book. THE END

NOTE: If you missed doing the 33 – day consecration another begins on May 20^th – June 21^st (Father’s Day) or you can wait for the consecration from July 20^th – August 21^st.

A reminder that a LIVESTREAM of Consecration to St. Joseph will take place from May 20 – June 21 (Father’s Day) every day at 7:30pm (EDT) Eastern Daylight Time on Facebook page called “Consecration to St. Joseph with Fr. Calloway”  If you want to participate, you need to have your own book (hardcopy or ebook). Without your own book, you will be clueless as to what is going on each day. 

Here is where to get your hard copy or you can download the E-book.

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The post Consecration to St. Joseph IV: St. Joseph, Terror of Demons! first appeared on ATX Catholic.

As thousands prepare to consecrate themselves on March 19^th (Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary) and others prepare for the second consecration beginning March 30^th and ending May 1^st (Feast of St. Joseph the Worker) let us contemplate the power of our spiritual father St. Joseph and his mighty “Staff” which is a prefiguration of the cross.  

In the history of salvation, God gave a staff to the patriarchs of Israel to be the instrument of His power. Through it, GOD performed great signs and wonders.  According to the Rabbinic Jewish tradition, Midrash Yelammedenu (Yalḳ. on Ps. ex. § 869) states,

“The staff with which Jacob crossed the Jordan is identical with that which Judah gave to his daughter-in-law, Tamar (Gen.32:10, 38:18). It is likewise the holy staff with which Moses worked (Ex.4:20,21), with which Aaron performed wonders before Pharaoh (Ex.7:10), and with which, finally, David slew the giant Goliath (I Sam.17:40). David left it to his descendants, and the Davidic kings used it as a scepter until the destruction of the Temple, when it miraculously disappeared. When the Messiah comes it will be given to him for a scepter in token of his authority over the heathen.”

Biblically, the staff is one of the weapons God gave to his chosen people to defeat Satan from the beginning of time.  So, let’s connect St. Joseph’s staff to the Old Testament staff. In Hebrew 9:4, St. Paul mentions Aaron’s ancient staff,   

“The ark of the covenant entirely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar containing the manna, the staff of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant.”  

Jewish tradition says the staff was created to be passed on to all the patriarchs from Adam, Shem, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Joseph, David, and finally to “Joseph, Son of David (Mt.1:20)” as a sign of God’s power and authority because the Ineffable Name of God was engraved upon it.  

Jewish tradition says God gave it to Adam as a sign of His authority and protection when he was put out the garden as when he placed a sign (Gn. 4:15) on Cain that he would be protected when he walked among the people lest he be killed.  

We read about the staff when Jacob says, “I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan (Gn.32:10),” and in the Letter of Paul to the Hebrews, Jacob uses his staff to bless Joseph’s sons, 

“By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff (11:21).”

Likewise, the same staff is later mentioned when Moses and Aaron worked 15 powerful miraculous signs and wonders before Pharaoh and the Hebrews.  Later, the staff is used to rescue the Hebrews by parting the Red Sea, to strike the Rock for water to flow (Ex.17:5-7), and finally with arms and staff raised high Moses defeated the Amalekites (Ex.17:9). 

The Lord himself reminds Moses concerning this staff as a sign of the previous generations who carried it in Exodus 4:2-5, 

“What is that in thine hand? And he said, A staff. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand: That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.”

Joshua received the staff from Moses which he used in battle (Jos.8:18), and later, we read how David slew the giant Goliath with staff in hand, 

“Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones (I Sam.17:40).”  

The staff is then used by the Davidic Kings as a scepter until the destruction of the temple when it mysteriously disappears as does the Ark of the Covenant; however, a prophecy in Isaiah 11:1 tells of the staff’s return, 

“And there shall come forth a rod (staff) out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root.”

Jewish tradition says that it was buried in the Garden of Gethsemane until it was revealed to St. Joseph. (Similar to when a hidden sword was revealed to St. Joan of Arc by St. Michael the Archangel.)  

Now going back a little to connect St. Joseph’s staff to Aaron’s staff to Mary and the Ark of the Covenant, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that Mary is, 

“The Daughter of Zion in person, The Ark of the Covenant, the place where the glory of the Lord dwells.” (2676)

Analogically, we read in Number 17:4-5 where the Lord says to place everyone’s staff and the staff of Aaron next to the first Ark of the Covenant which was a prefiguration of Mary to see which will sprout and blossom,

“Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the Ark of the Covenant law, where I meet with you.  The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout… The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds… The Lord said to Moses, ‘Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the Ark of the Covenant law.’”

Keep in mind Aaron’s staff is, also, a prefiguration of St. Joseph’s staff as it, too, is placed by the Ark of the Covenant.  

Amazingly in a vision, Ven. Mary of Agreda in Mystical City of God sees St. Joseph’s staff blossom next to the Mary, the real Ark of the Covenant, in preparation for the betrothal ceremony, 

“While they were thus engaged in prayer the staff which Joseph held was seen to blossom and at the same time a dove of purest white and resplendent with admirable light, was seen to descend and rest upon the head of the saint, while in the interior of his heart God spoke: ‘Joseph, my servant, Mary shall be thy Spouse; accept Her with attentive reverence, for She is acceptable in my eyes, just and most pure in soul and body, and thou shalt do all that She shall say to Thee.’ At this manifestation and token from heaven the priests declared Saint Joseph as the spouse selected by God himself for the maiden Mary.”

Likewise, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich sees, “Joseph…and his staff with a crook at the top” plus blossoming while the staff of the other descendants of David do not blossom,

“I saw the end of St. Joseph’s staff with its blossom, whereby the lot had fallen upon him in the Temple to become Mary’s spouse.”

Similarly, the Benedictine mystic Sister Maria Cecilia Baij, whose visions and writings on St. Joseph, Pope Benedict XV encouraged its publication, saw in a vision, 

“Our Joseph had purposely chosen a very unobtrusive spot as being more befitting of his unworthiness.  Then, suddenly, he saw his staff begin to sprout and become bedecked with snow-white blossoms! Everyone around him was soon staring wonderfully at this miraculous sign.” 

Mary of Agreda refers to the staff as “the wonder-working staff of miracles and prodigies” or as God says to Moses, “And take this staff in thy hand, wherewith thou shalt do the signs (Ex.4:17).”

The staff is also a prefiguration of the cross when God says to Moses to place a bronze serpent on the staff (Num. 21:8) and those that look upon it will be healed.  Ven. Mary of Agreda explains that the staff and the cross are closely linked even today, 

“He [God] worked great wonders with the staff of Moses, which prefigured the cross on which the incarnate Word was to be sacrificed as the Lamb, as salvation to many, a ruin to others (Lk.2:34). It was like the staff of Moses, and like the Red Sea, the waves of which shielded the people and annihilated the Egyptians. Thus, he filled the live of the saints with joys and sorrows, with hardships and with comforts; with infinite wisdom and providence.”

Similarly, the Church Father, Origen explains concerning Exodus chapter 7, 

“This staff of Moses, with which he subdued the Egyptians, is the symbol of the cross of Jesus, who conquered the world.” 

This prophecy concerning the staff of authority to rule the nations is further mentioned in the Book of Revelation,

“She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne (12:4-5).”

Today, we see the prophecy of Jesus ruling with an iron rod through our bishops who still carry a staff (crosier) as a sign of God’s authority and rule as King of kings even on this earth.  Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich even sees the staff of the early apostles (bishops). 

“I saw the Apostles and disciples arrive mostly in a very tired condition.  They had long staffs with crooks and knobs of different shapes in their hands which showed their rank.”

Interestingly, the staff (crosier) is given to a bishop at his ordination. The bishop holds the staff with the open side of the crook facing the people while processing, listening to the gospel, preaching, accepting vows, the profession of faith, during confirmation, and during the triple blessing of the people at the end of mass reminding us of the prophet Micah,

“Shepherd your people with your staff (7:14).”

Finally, may God, through St. Joseph’s staff destroy the evil Coronavirus.  Let us not fear but totally entrust and consecrate ourselves to St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, putting our faith in the words of King David, 

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) 

THE END

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The post Consecration to St. Joseph III: St. Joseph’s Staff! first appeared on ATX Catholic.