Malayali Christians

Prayer to Blessed Alphonsa

2008-12-10T07:28:00.000-08:00

Prayer to AlphonsAmma ( Blessed Alphonsa )

Oh, Blessed Alphonsa, you have been graciously chosen from our midst to be united with Jesus Christ, our savior, in the misery of his passion, death and resurrection. You have grown to the heights of holiness and have been crowned with heavenly glory.

Help us in our trials and tribulations. Oh! Daughter of sufferings, obtain for us the grace to lead a holy life, following your example, in total submission to the will of God. Be with us, transforming all our sorrows into a holy sacrifice in union with Christ Crucified, in reparation to our sins, for the sanctification and salvation of the whole world.
Amen

Prayer for the intercession of Blessed Alphonsa

O, Holy Spirit, descend upon us. Pour out your gifts upon us and strengthen us in faith. Guide us with the hope for the kingdom of heaven. Enkindle our hearts with the fire of divine love. Just as you led Blessed Alphonsa along the path of sanctity, lead us also on the path of righteousness. Grant us the grace to grow in sanctity and wisdom, by serving you faithfully in humility and gentleness.

Celebrant : With joy and hope in our hearts, let us pray: "Lord, hear our prayer".

All : Lord, hear our prayer.

Celebrant : Lord, you raised Sr. Alphonsa to the host of the Blessed, fill us with the spirit of prayer and sacrifice.

All : Lord, hear our prayer.

Celebrant : Lord, grant us the grace to seek the hand of god in all our sufferings and sorrows, like Bl. Alphonsa who bore witness to you through her sufferings and self-sacrifice.

All : Lord, hear our prayer.

Celebrant : Lord Jesus, you offered yourself as a victim on the cross for us sinners. Bl. Alphonsa imitated you by offering herself as a victim on your alter. Grant us the strength and grace to offer ourselves to you every moment, as a burnt offering, like this holy sister.

All : Lord, hear our prayer.

Celebrant : Lord Jesus, at the moment of your death agony, your prayer to the father saying: "Not my will, but they will be done". Bl. Alphonsa also imitated you praying in the same fashion. Help us to see you in our superiors and do your will in all circumstances.

All : Lord, hear our prayer.

Let us pray

Merciful and benevolent God, we offer ourselves completely to you. We give you thanks for all the blessings you shower upon us. Forgive us our sins and offences. Lord, you gave us Bl. Alphonsa as our model and mediator. We seek her intercession now. Protect us from all evils, spiritual and material. Fill us with your blessings. We make this prayer in your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Prayer of Blessed Alphonsa (this is the prayer Alphonsamma used to pray)

O Lord Jesus, hide me in the wound of your Sacred Heart. Free me from my desire to be loved and esteemed. Guard me from my evil attempts to win fame and honor. Make me humble till I become a small pearl in the flame of love in your Sacred Heart. Grand me the grace to forget myself and all worldly things. Jesus, sweet beyond words, convert all worldly consolations into bitterness for me. O My Jesus, Sun of Justice, enlighten my intellect and mind with your sacred rays. Purify my heart, consume me with burning love for you, and make me one with you.
Amen

Images of Cannonisation of Sr.Alphonsa

2008-12-10T07:08:00.000-08:00

St Alphonsa-Canonization Video-Part 1

2008-12-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

St Alphonsa-Canonization Video-Part 2

2008-12-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Story of Alphonsa

2008-12-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

Blessed Alphonsa

2008-12-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

Life of Alphonsamma

2008-03-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

A BRIEF LIFE HISTORY OF ALPHONSAMMA

Blessed Alponsa was born on 19th August 1910 as the fourth child of Joseph and Mary Muttathupadath, in the parish of Kudamaloor in the state of Kerala. She was baptized on the 27th August. Her baptismal name was Anna and her pet name Annakutty. Her mother passed away three moths after her birth.

Annakutty started her schooling at Arpookara and left for Muttuchira Govt. School for pursuing her studies from the fourth class onwards under the immediate supervision of her maternal aunt Annamma Muricken. The aunt brought her up extremely affectionately, but equally strictly also. Her one ambition was that the child should be brought up as a respectable housewife for a deserving bridegroom. Annakutty had a vision of St. Theresa of Liseux whose life in spired her to become a religious. She therefore did not yield to any marriage proposal. Finally when she was almost compelled to be betrothed at to the church, she extricated herself from it by voluntary burning her foot placing it an ash pit of burning husks. Against such determine resistance the aunt succumbed to her desire and permitted her to join a convent .

Annakutty joined Clarist convent at Bharananganam in 1927 on the feast of Pentecost. She recived the veil postulant on second August 1928 with the name Alphonsa. Her vestition was on 19th May 1930. Later she joined the St. Theresa’s School Chenganacherry for higher studies, on completing which she engaged in teaching for a period of one year at Vakakkad. Sr. Alphonsa entered the novitiate on 12th August 1935. During this period, she had a sever attack of hemorrhage and it was feared that she would have to be sent back. But on the ninth day of novena held by her and the community seeking intercession of Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavera, she was miraculously cured her. She completed the novitiate and made the solemn profession of her religious vows on 12th August 1936.

Sr. Alphonsa continued to have her repeated spells of sickness and pain. She was on a bed of thrones torn and tortured by excruciating pain and prolonged agony. Here was an rejoiced in the lord and magnified Him. She was longing to suffer even more for her own sanctification and that of the world.

She constantly advised her companions and novices to accept suffering cheerfully citing the biblical references to the grain of wheat which has to fall down and decay for raising new sprouts; it has to be ground in order to be turned into hosts for transformation as the body of Our Lord. She also reminded them of the grapes which have to be crushed for yielding wine to become the blood of the Lord.
Her death(28th July 1946) was unnoticed by the public. The funeral was simple and thinly attended. But soon the school children , who loved her received favors through her intercession. Her tomb at Bharananganam turned into a great centre of pilgrimage attracting people from far and near.

H.E. Cardinal Tisserant inaugurated the diocesan process for her beatification on 2nd December 1953. The Long diocesan and subsequent apostolic processes bore fruit when on 9th November 1984 the Holy Father officially declared that she had practiced the Christian virtues heroically. A miracle wrought through her intercession was also formally approved by the Pope on 6th July 1985.
Providence has been pleased to bestow on this generation the grace to see a daughter of the soil, a seed of the ancient Christian community of Kerala and India, beatified (8th February 1986) in her homeland by the Supreme Pontiff during his visit to this chosen land.

Now Sr. Alphonsa is to be declared as Saint by Pope Benedict XVI. All the canonization process was over.

Alphonsa - Indian Saint

2008-03-30T07:19:00.000-07:00

THE CANONISATION OF BL. ALPHONSA, The first lady of Indian origin to be beatified by the Catholic Church.

The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has officially announced the canonization ceremony of Bl. Alphonsa, the first officially declared saint from India, will take place on Sunday 12 October 2008 in Vatican , together with three other blessed. The Holy Father announced it during a consistory in Vatican confirming the closing of the process of canonization and the formal announcement of the exact date of the canonization ceremony, which will take place at 9.00 am, local time on 12 October at St. Peter’s Square, Vatican. On the same day three other blessed will also be canonized. It is expected that the canonization ceremony will be attended by thousands of faithful from all over the world, especially from Kerala.

More Photos:

Give a second view to your life !!

2008-03-30T04:54:00.000-07:00

If you think you have huge tension, look at them

if you think your job is tough, how about him?

if you think your salary is low, how about her?

If you think you don't have many friends, ask yourself if you have one sincere friend…

you think study is a burden, how about her?

when you feel like giving up, think of this man if you think you suffer in life, do you suffer as much as he does?

if you complaint about your transport system, how about them?

if your society is unfair to you, how about her?

I hope this page would help you look life with a different perspective.

Brains !!!!!!!

2008-01-14T03:35:00.001-08:00

It was a sports stadium.

Eight Children were standing on the track to participate in the running event.

* Ready! * Steady! * Bang!!!

With the sound of Toy pistol , all eight girls started running .

Hardly have they covered ten to fifteen steps , one of the smaller girls slipped and fell down , due to bruises and pain she started crying.

When other seven girls heard this sound, stopped running, stood for a while and turned back , they all ran back to the place where the girl fell down.

One among them bent, picked and kissed the girl gently and enquired ' Now pain must have reduced' . All seven girls lifted the fallen girl , pacified her, two of them held the girl firmly and they all seven joined hands together and walked together and reached the winning post.

Officials were shocked. Clapping of thousands of spectators filled the stadium. Many eyes were filled with tears and perhaps it had reached the GOD even!

YES. This happened in Hyderabad [INDIA], recently!

The sport was conducted by National Institute of Mental Health.

All these special girls had come to participate in this event and they are spastic children.

Yes, they were mentally retarded Challenged .

What did they teach this world?

Teamwork?
Humanity?
Equality among all?????

Successful people help others who are slow in learning so that they are not felt far behind. This is really a great message... spread it!

We can't do this ever because we have brains!!!!!!!!!

Hary..The Potter.....

2007-12-17T21:53:00.001-08:00

A potter was at work, he stepped on his pedal rhythmically, turning his "table" slowly. He took a lump of clay and in minutes, the lump of "clay" began to change form. His seasoned fingers shaped the clay into a "beautiful" vase (minus the colours ).

On both sides of the potter were two shelves of "Finished" vases, some were long and slender, while some were short and stout, with most of them somewhere in between.

A young kid stepped out, and reached for one of the vases on left shelf.
"Don't touch" shouted the potter, send the kid rearing backwards to the comforting arms of his mother.

"You can touch those on that shelf, as long you don't break it", as he pointed to the right shelf of vases.

At this point most of the "spectators" were getting their brains "fried", thinking what's the difference between the vases on the left and right shelf.

"Those have not gone through the "fire" yet" as he pointed to the vases on his left shelf. The potter explained to his audience the art of pottery.
"There is more to making vases than "shaping" clay into beautiful shapes"

"If I don't use my fingers to "force" the lump of clay to "shape-up" and continued to "stretch" it and "pull" it up, this lump of "mud' will never see the daylight as a beautiful vase.
"If they don't go through the "fire", they will be unable to "last".
"Those on the right shelf can be handled, because they had been "baked" in my oven at high temperatures. "
"The fire adds the final touch to their lasting beauty" concluded the potter.

Our life can be liken to a lump of "clay", just as it is, a lump. But no matter what, God will definitely put His "skillful" "fingers" into work on this lump of "clay".
The "Shape-up", "Stretching" and "Pull" process are kind of painful, but it is something you must go through in order to grow.

In life, we will have to go through the "Fire" (rejection, failure ). Yes, it is not going to be comfortable, it is not going to be easy, and sometimes how we wish that we could get out of that "oven" to avoid the "heat", but if we could just hold on to the view of the "Finished Vase", we will arrive there.

When GOd is "Stretching" , "Pulling", & "Burning" you, just bare in mind that He is transforming you, from a lump of "clay" to a beautiful "vase".

Who Is Perfect.??

2007-12-17T21:51:00.001-08:00

A man and his girlfriend were married. It was a large celebration. All of their friends and family came to see the lovely ceremony and to partake of the festivities and celebrations. A wonderful time was had by all.

The bride was gorgeous in her white wedding gown and the groom was very dashing in his black tuxedo. Everyone could tell that the love they had for each other was true. A few months later, the wife comes to the husband with a proposal: "I read in a magazine, a while ago, about how we can strengthen our marriage." she offered. "Each of us will write a list of the things that we find a bit annoying with the other person. Then, we can talk about how we can fix them together and make our lives happier together."

The husband agreed, so each of them went to a separate room in the house and thought of the things that annoyed them about the other. They thought about this question for the rest of the day and wrote down what they came up with.

The next morning, at the breakfast table, they decided that they would go over their lists. "I'll start," offered the wife. She took out her list. It had many items on it, enough to fill 3 pages, in fact. As she started reading the list of the little annoyances, she noticed that tears were starting to appear in her husbands eyes.
"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing" the husband replied, "keep reading your lists."
The wife continued to read until she had read all three pages to her husband. She neatly placed her list on the table and folded her hands over top of it.

"Now, you read your list and then we'll talk about the things on both of our lists." She said happily.

Quietly the husband stated, "I don't have anything on my list. I think that you are perfect the way that you are. I don't want you to change anything for me. You are lovely and wonderful and I wouldn't want to try and change anything about you."
The wife, touched by his honesty and the depth of his love for her and his acceptance of her, turned her head and wept.

In life, there are enough times when we are disappointed, depressed and annoyed. We don't really have to go looking for them.

We have a wonderful world that is full of beauty, light and promise.
Why waste time in this world looking for the bad, disappointing or annoying when we can look around us, and see the wondrous things before us?

I believe that WE ARE HAPPIEST WHEN we see and praise the good and try our best to forget the bad. Nobody's perfect but we can find perfectness in them if we change the way we see them.

Read the BIBLE any time now!

2007-12-14T03:32:00.001-08:00

You can now read the Bible at the click of a button.

Books

Chapters

Genesis

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Exodus

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

Leviticus

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

Numbers

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

Deuteronomy

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Joshua

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Judges

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Ruth

1 2 3 4

1 Samuel

1

Books	Chapters
Genesis	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Exodus	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
Leviticus	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Numbers	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Deuteronomy	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
Joshua	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Judges	1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Ruth	1 2 3 4
1 Samuel	1