MARY, OUR MOTHER

Rosary App to Support Annual Global Rosary Relay for Priests

2013-05-18T12:40:00.002-04:00

Annual Global Rosary Relay for Priests June 7

NEW YORK, May 18, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Blessed Pope John Paul II, World Priest, the inspiration and the organizers of the Annual Global Rosary Relay for Priests, has teamed up with Holy Cross Family Ministries to present the Rosary App.

The interactive app is available free for download for all ipads and smart phones from the Holy Cross Family Ministries website www.familyrosary.org and the apple app store.

The salient features of this Rosary app is it helps everyone to participate in the Rosary with a daily special scriptural prayer, and specific intentions. Merciana Lopez a new user says, "This application is great especially for people who do not have time to sit and pray the rosary." Lopez further added that this is a very helpful learning tool for people who do not know how to pray the rosary.

Speaking on the collaboration, Marion Mulhall, Founder & CEO of World Priest says, "This collaboration adds a boost to the heart of the charisma of World Priest and especially because Fr. Patrick Peyton, csc, the founder of Holy Cross Family Ministries, blessed me when I was just one day old, and today we are collaborating to spread our common mission the Rosary and as one global family."

This app will be a great asset for all individuals to participate in the Global Rosary Relay for Priests on 7 June 2013.

www.worldpriest.com & www.worldpriestday.com

Christian Newswire

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/18/2013

2013-05-18T07:48:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2013
Come, Holy Spirit!!!

J.M.J.

May 18, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

On this last day of the Novena to the Holy Spirit let's consider two early messages, given by Our Lady to the visionaries in the little side chapel of St. James Church. The first message:

"The important thing is to pray to the Holy Spirit, so that He may descend on you. When one has Him, one has everything. People make a mistake when they turn only to the saints to request something." (Friday, October 21, 1983)

Clearly, Our Lady was guiding the young people and the parish to call down the Holy Spirit upon them. She couldn't make it any clearer. When one has the Holy Spirit, one has everything!!

Our Lady had firsthand proof of this statement. On the day of the Annunciation, the Holy Spirit descended upon her when she said "yes" to the plan of God:

And the angel said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.' (Luke 1:35)

And from that moment on, she had everything! She had Jesus, alive inside her! Truly, Jesus is everything!

And the second message:

"Begin by calling on the Holy Spirit each day. The most important thing is to pray to the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit descends on earth, then everything becomes clear and everything is transformed." (Advent 1983)

Our Lady knows the powerful effects of the Holy Spirit. She experienced it with the Apostles on that day of Pentecost:

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2: 1-4)

The Apostles had been frightened, defeated men after the Passion and Death of Jesus. And though Jesus had been with them for 40 days of Resurrected Glory, they still were hiding in the upper room after He ascended. It was not until the Holy Spirit came down upon them that they had the courage to witness to Jesus publicly. The Holy Spirit made everything clear for them and transformed them into the foundation of the Church! Wow!

So, we will enter the Feast of Pentecost tomorrow with great expectations! Mother Mary is with us to help us pray to the Holy Spirit and call Him down upon us.

Together let us pray:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

V. Send forth Thy Spirit and they shall be created.
R. And Thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.

O God, Who didst instruct the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit to be truly wise, and ever to rejoice in His consolation. Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

©Mary TV 2013

PPS. Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

From Mark Mallett: The Great Gift

2013-05-17T17:26:00.000-04:00

The Great Gift

IMAGINE a small child, who has just learned to walk, being taken into a busy shopping mall. He is there with his mother, but does not want to take her hand. Every time he begins to wander, she gently reaches for his hand. Just as quickly, he pulls it away and continues to dart in any direction he wants. But he is oblivious to the dangers: the throngs of hurried shoppers who barely notice him; the exits that lead to traffic; the pretty but deep water fountains, and all the other unknown dangers that keep parents awake at night. Occasionally, the mother—who is always a step behind—reaches down and grabs a little hand to keep him from going into this store or that, from running into this person or that door. When he wants to go the other direction, she turns him around, but still, he wants to walk on his own.

Now, imagine another child who, upon entering the mall, senses the dangers of the unknown. She willingly lets the mother take her hand and lead her. The mother knows just when to turn, where to stop, where to wait, for she can see the dangers and obstacles ahead, and takes the safest path for her little one. And when the child is willing to be picked up, the mother walks straight ahead, taking the quickest and easiest path to her destination.

Now, imagine that you are a child, and Mary is your mother. Whether you are a Protestant or a Catholic, a believer or an unbeliever, she is always walking with you… but are you walking with her?

From New Oxford Review: News You May Have Missed

2013-05-17T10:47:00.000-04:00

------------------------------------------------------------------

Lethal Literalism... Alligators Are Alright... Holy Autographs... Five Boys in Two Years... The Power of Toys... Dumpster-Diving 2.0... The Body as Billboard
Read all about it...

http://www.newoxfordreview.org/article.jsp?did=0413-news

From The Friars eLetter: Four Friars to be Ordained in New York May 25th

2013-05-17T10:07:00.000-04:00

Four Friars to be Ordained to the Priesthood

Cardinal Dolan to Ordain 11 to Priesthood

at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, NYC.

Saturday, May 25, 2013 at 9 AM – All are welcome!

Click here to read the full story from The Catholic New York

Click on each name to read about our four new CFR priests!

Father Paschal Coby, C.F.R.

Father Felix Desilets, C.F.R.

Father Luke Leighton, C.F.R.

Father Bonaventure Rummell, C.F.R.

Empty Tabernacles (1 of 3)

Posted: 16 May 2013 07:02 AM PDT

What's drastically on the rise in the U.S. & other countries recently? Churches are ransacked & desecrated. Sacred images are smashed to pieces. Consecrated hosts are scattered all about & trampled underfoot. But perhaps not as overtly 'shocking' but of similar concern & more within our power to change is the loss of faith in & reverence for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (including many who consider themselves to be 'good Catholics').

Along with the Eastern Orthodox, every Catholic should know the *one reason* that makes their churches uniquely different than all others throughout the whole world: the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament (i.e. the Eucharist, which is received during Mass as Holy Communion). We see the sanctuary candle (usually encased in red-colored glass) burning next to the tabernacle, & we know *SOMEONE* is present here. That's why we prayerfully genuflect in adoration, reverently making the Sign of the Cross. This simple witness of our faith works *wonders* in overcoming the loss of reverence.

Now-a-days people are dying for many reasons. When *I* die, I want to die for CHRIST, for love of HIM & HIS Holy Will, not for some half-baked 'cause', personal philosophy, or even...sin.

Just imagine the emptiness of the world without Jesus present in every tabernacle! A desolate wasteland... And yet, every one of our souls is a 'living temple' where God *already* dwells through Baptism, & He desires to increase His presence & love in us & our personal union with Him through every Communion well-received. Whenever a baptized Catholic in the state of grace receives Jesus in Holy Communion with the proper dispositions, we 'give joy' to Jesus who desires to dwell in us fully - we become 'living tabernacles'! And people *notice* when Jesus' love shines out!

+Br. Philip Maria, CFR

Most Blessed Sacrament Friary

Newark, NJ, USA

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Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/17/2015

2013-05-17T09:49:00.001-04:00

Come, Holy Spirit!

(c)Mary TV 2013

J.M.J.

May 17, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Pray with me to the Holy Spirit for Him to lead you in the search of God's will on the way of your holiness. And you, who are far from prayer, convert and, in the silence of your heart, seek salvation for your soul and nurture it with prayer. I bless you all individually with my motherly blessing. Thank you for having responded to my call." (May 25, 2007)

Our Lady urges us to be led by the Holy Spirit into God's will. She wants us to travel with her along the path of God, the path that God has designed for each of us, individually. That path contains all that is essential for our formation in holiness and our ultimate attainment of heaven. It is a beautiful path, filled with opportunities to love. But we can miss the path. We can ignore the path, and walk down another road, one that contradicts God's loving plan.

And so she counsels us to pray with her to the Holy Spirit. And for those of us who are far from prayer, she suggests that we convert right now, turn around and go into silence where we can seek the Lord. She is with us, individually, to help us find the way that the Holy Spirit is pointing out.

We may not be accustomed to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. Though the Spirit is with us, we may not be aware of Him, and might not have a relationship with Him. And so Our Lady's words seem a bit outlandish.

There is a French priest, Fr. Jacques Philippe, who has written several little books about just this subject. These books are simple, easy to read, and very clear. I want to excerpt from Fr. Philippe's book, "In the School of the Holy Spirit". You will see how helpful his writings are! Like Our Lady, he seems to know how to help us get close to God:

The Spirit of God is a spirit of peace, and he speaks and acts in peace and gentleness, never in tumult and agitation. What's more, the motions of the Spirit are delicate touches that don't make a great noise and can penetrate our spiritual consciousness only if we have within ourselves a sort of calm zone of silence and peace. If our inner world is noisy and agitated, the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit will find it very difficult to be heard.

If we want to recognize and follow the Spirit's motions, it is of the greatest importance to maintain a peaceful heart in all circumstances.

It isn't easy; but by practicing hope in God, abandonment, humility, and the acceptance of our inner poverty through an unshakeable trust in God's mercy, we will reach peace little by little....It is important to underline the importance of peace of mind, because if we don't seek actively to "practice peace" in all the circumstances that threaten to make us lose it (and there are plenty of them!) it will be difficult for us to hear the Holy Spirit's voice when he wants to speak - the agitation we allow in our hearts will almost certainly prevent it...When we experience difficult moments, the effort that we make to remain at peace in spite of everything does a lot of good, because the very fact of maintaining peace of mind will give us the best chance of reacting to the situation not in a human, agitated, hasty way (and making plenty of messes) but in a way that is attentive to what the Holy Spirit might suggest to us, which will obviously be much more profitable. So we should put into practice what St. John of the Cross said:

Take care to preserve your heart in peace; let no happening of this world upset it...Even if everything here below crumbled apart and all things were against us, there would be no use in upsetting ourselves over it, for that upset would bring us more harm than benefit. (St. John of the Cross, Maxims 173 and 175)

The greatest harm that upsetting ourselves does to us is that it makes us incapable of following the impulses of the Holy Spirit.

Maintaining peace is linked to the practice of silence. This silence is not an empty silence: it is peace, attentiveness to God's presence and attentiveness to others, waiting in trust and hope in God. We sometimes let ourselves be overtaken by excessive noise - not so much physical noise as the ceaseless whirlwind of thoughts, imaginations, and words that we've heard or said - and all this merely feeds our worries, fears, and frustrations, and obviously leaves the Holy Spirit little chance of making himself heard. Silence is not emptiness but that general attitude of inwardness that enables us to have an "inner cell" in our heart, to use an expression of St. Catherine of Siena's, where we are in God's presence and converse with him. Silence is the opposite of the dissipation of souls in curiosity, gossip, and so forth. It is a capacity for returning almost spontaneously within ourselves, drawn by the presence of God within us. (Fr. Jacques Philippe. "In the School of the Holy Spirit". p. 37-39)

Silence of heart. This is the key to detecting the movements of the Holy Spirit. We achieve this silence by converting (turning everything over to God, turning toward Him) and quieting our inner self through acts of trust and peace. In that silence, we are capable to listening to God because we have stopped listening to ourselves and to the world. We have turned our attention to the One who loves us and we will certainly hear Him. He will lead us into God's will for our lives, which is the way of holiness. This way is the way of joy!

As we near Pentecost, we should be very aware of Our Lady. As she says, "Pray with me to the Holy Spirit..." She prayed with the Apostles in the upper room to the Holy Spirit. She wants to pray with us as well. We are in good hands!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

©Mary TV 2013

PS. Books by Fr. Jacques Philippe are available at Scepter Press:

www.scepterpublishers.org

PPS. Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

Tribulation Times: UNVEILING THE APOCALYPSE: Prophecy of Pope Leo XIII: Update

2013-05-16T15:30:00.001-04:00

Tribulation Times
May 16, 2013
(1Th 5:20-21) Despise not prophecies. But prove all things: hold fast that which is good.

UNVEILING THE APOCALYPSE: Prophecy of Pope Leo XIII: Update

AMERICAN CATHOLIC: Pope Leo and Saint Michael the Archangel (includes YouTube Video voice recording of Pope Leo XIII)

CRITICAL COMMENTARY by Graehame Thorne: Thank you for the interesting article on the prophecy of Pope Leo XIII (ED: refers to Unveiling the Apocalyse link above) . While I was of course familiar with many of its elements, it did offer a somewhat different perspective.

For example, I knew that the prophecy couldn't be traced back prior to c. 1933. I didn't regard this as a serious objection-- & I still don't-- for 2 reasons.

1st, b/c it's an established historical fact that Pope Leo wrote the Prayer to St. Michael in 1884 & had it distributed thruout the Church with instructions that it be said at every Low Mass. The Prayer specifically calls upon the archangel to protect the Church against Satan, & it contains one startling element, in that it refers to Satan being-- not in Hell-- but "prowling the world". The Prayer calls upon God to thrust him back into Hell. Aside from the Prophecy, no other event can be pointed to that seems sufficient to motivate either the Prayer & its accompanying instruction to be said worldwide at every Low Mass, or this startling theological change-- that Satan isn't in Hell, but is "prowling the world".

...and 2d, b/c the Prophecy accurately predicted events that took place in the 1958-72 timeframe. Whether dated to 1884 or c. 1933, its prediction & precise dating of the decline of the Church seems compelling. And that prediction makes sense only if the Prophecy actually took place as described in 1884, not if it was fabricated c. 1933.

For these reasons, I regard the 1934 conclusion of Fr. Bers, "that the prophecy was a later invention that was 'spreading like a virus'", as untenable. The fact that an eyewitness later surfaced-- Fr. Domenico Pechenino, a priest who worked at the Vatican during the time of Leo XIII-- adequately demonstrates my point. And Fr. Pechenino's account, although vague in other details, links the Prophecy firmly to the Prayer to St. Michael. Also, the fact that Fr. Pechenino's account is vague in some of its details is convincing ervidence of his veracity, as he said only what he personally witnessed. In fact, even the author of your article, Emmett O'Regan, concludes, "The fact that Fr. Pechenino's account confirms the later 1933 version can be used to establish that the prophecy of the 100 years of Satan's greater power is in fact genuine."

Where I part company with Mr. O'Regan is when he says, "But when should this 100 year period be calculated from? ...there are only two real options-- either the year the vision was first received (1884)...or the turn of the century. It seems the latter position is the most likely..."

Where does Mr. O'Regan get the idea that there's a 100-year period at all? Or that it should be calculated from the turn of the century? He-- along with the "most interpreters" whom he doesn't bother to name-- doesn't say. Surely in a vision received in 1884, the most likely starting point for its fulfillment is in 1884.

...but the Prophecy doesn't mention a "100 year period" at all. If it did then that might lend marginal credibility to the notion that the period might begin in 1901. But what it actually says is "a period of 75 to 100 years". Mr. O'Regan & the "most interpreters" whom he doesn't name don't mention this b/c a period of 75 years wouldn't logically begin in 1901.

Furthermore, there's a curious chain of reasoning which I've alluded to before that links the year 1884 to the Prophecy of La Salette. In 1846, the year that the Apparitions of La Salette took place, the Church had no systematic means of establishing & recording the details of a vision; and when Melanie Calvat & Maximin Giraud sent the secrets they'd been told to the pope, Rome never made them public (an example that the Vatican would later follow in the case of the 3d Secret of Fatima). So 33 years after the vision, when Melanie published her recollections, it is possible that she erred in certain details (eg. demons released from hell in 1864 vs. 1884). The Vatican claimed as much when it condemned her book, but Rome never made public the information which she & Maximin had previously sent.

Furthermore, the key element in the Prophecy of Pope Leo was that Satan would endeavor to destroy the Church within 75 to 100 years. It makes no sense to date this period of time from the turn of the century b/c he was evidently given the power & the time in which to use it in 1884, not 1901.

...so if we add 75 years to 1884 we get 1959, the year that Pope John XXIII both refused to release the 3d Secret of Fatima & convened the 2d Vatican Council. That Council that began the formal decline of the Church. I believe these 2 things to be closely related b/c the 3d Secret speculatively may have contained a warning not to convene an ecumenical council. Disregarding the 3d Secret of Fatima & convening the 2d Vatican Council are the 2 key events that are most intimately involved in the deterioration of the Church and the inexorable rise of relativism. The fact that the Prophecy of Pope Leo accurately predicted that this would take place "in 75 to 100 years" is further convincing proof of the genuineness of the Prophecy.

What all this means is that the 75 to 100 year period has to be dated from 1884, & not from 1901. The fact that Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on 11 Jun 1899 does absolutely nothing to refute this view, since following his vision of 1884 & for the rest of his pontificate Pope Leo did many things to strengthen the Church against Satan. Writing a longer & more explicit Prayer to St. Michael, for example. The date of the consecration is simply coincidence, nothing more.

When Mr. O'Regan alludes to the 20th century being framed by 2 rare planetary alignments, I have no problem with this b/c nothing that he says about it has anything whatsoever to do with the Prophecy of Pope Leo.

...but when he "...suggests that the opening of the abyss...is marked by just such an event," I have to take issue.

The opening of the Abyss occurs at the beginning of Ch. 9. But the very last thing that happens in Ch. 8 is the eagle flying in mid-heaven, "...crying out 'Woe! Woe! Woe!' to the inhabitants of the earth." St. Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419) identified himself as this eagle, he raised people from the dead to testify to the truth of his claim, & his claim was endorsed by the Church in its Bull of Canonization. So if St. Vincent Ferrer was the eagle of the Apocalypse in the early 15th Century, then we should expect the events of Ch. 9 to be interpretable in terms of something that happened not too long afterward. But Mr. O'Regan would have us believe that the next 500+ years passed with nothing in the Apocalypse to show for them.

I believe that Fr. Herman Kramer ("The Book of Destiny" (© 1955, published by Beuchler Press) made much better sense of these passages when he said that the star which fell from heaven to earth at the beginning of Ch. 9 was Martin Luther, to whom was given the key to the Abyss to loose the Protestant Reformation on Mankind. The locusts released by Martin Luther would not therefore signify combat aircraft, as supposed by O'Regan, but were in fact the preachers of the Reformation, to whom was given "...power to torture them for 5 months". According to Kramer those 5 months are 500 years, which began within ~100 years of St. Vincent Ferrer & neatly bridges the gap between 1517 & c. 2017.

Kramer's chronology also strongly implies that the war of the 200 million horsemen in Ch. 9 should be taken to refer to the world wars of the 20th Century, which is entirely different from the great war of Gog & Magog referred to-- by O'Regan-- in Ch. 20. The war of the 200 million horsemen in Ch. 9 takes place before the advent of the AntiChrist & in preparation for it, while the great war of Gog & Magog related in Ch. 20 occurs at the end of the reign of the AntiChrist & brings him down.

BTW, I believe the amillennial interpretation of the Apocalypse is correct. "...the millennium is not a literal thousand year period, but rather it represents a very long period of time during which the power of Satan is restricted, in order to allow the spread of the Gospel." This period ended c. 1884, & Satan now has the ability "to deceive the inhabitants of the earth, and gather the nations together for war." O'Regan agrees with this view when he writes, "...given that this is exactly the situation we are faced with today in the fulfilment of the prophecies of the Great Apostasy, we can only be left to conclude that the 'millennium', or age of the Church has already came to end, and that the forces of Satan have already been unbound." With these sentiments I am in full agreement, except when O'Regan links them to the events of Ch. 20, when in reality they are part of the chronology of Chs. 8-13.

Sr. Lucy of Fatima supported this view when she was asked about the 3d Secret & she answered, "It's in the Bible. Read Chapters 8 thru 13 of the Book of the Apocalypse."

When O'Regan writes, "...we are left with the inescapable conclusion that the unbinding of Satan described in the Apocalypse is directly related to the two world wars"; I have no problem with that either, except as pointed out above. The 2 world wars occurred within the 75-year period of the Prophecy of Pope Leo.

...however, when he writes, "...we find an earlier parallel reference to Satan being unbound from his prison in Rev 20, which is to be directly equated with the opening of the abyss in Rev 9. These two passages undoubtedly refer to the exact same event..."; I have literally no idea what he's talking about. Ch. 20 refers to Satan being bound with a chain & being thrown intothe Abyss-- the lake of fire, but Ch. 9 refers to him being let out. These 2 events are bookends, not the same event at all.

When O'Regan writes, "...I argue that the three 'woes' described in chapters 9-11 of the Book of Revelation correspond to three world wars...", once again I'm lost. There haven't been 3 world wars, but only 2. He's alluding here to a war that hasn't happened yet (ED: perhaps at the doorstep see: http://tinyurl.com/am3an7k). And once again he's allowing 500+ years to pass between St. Vincent Ferrer & the present with not a word in the Apocalypse to account for them. And furthermore, the 3 woes obviously correspond to the blowing of the last 3 trumpets-- not to 3 world wars. The 5th trumpet is the opening of the Abyss, the 6th is the war of the 200 million horsemen, & the 7th is the opening of the temple, the lightning & thunder, and the earthquake & hailstorm. All this happens in Chs. 9-11-- not Ch. 20, to which he constantly refers.

When O'Regan writes, "...it is noteworthy that calculating 75 years from 1914 brings us to the year 1989-- the year of the fall of Communism"; I have to wonder where he gets 1914 from? A minute ago we were calculating a 100-year period from 1901-- but now we're calculating 75 years from 1914? In reality the period is 75 to 100 years, so it should be calculated from the same start-point.

I was unaware of the visionary element of the Prophecy of Pope Leo recorded by Card. di Corneliano-- the army of demons converging on Rome-- & I'm grateful to you & Emmett O'Regan for familiarizing me with it. If I'm able to substantiate it, then the testimony of Card. di Corneliano should constitute further evidence that the Prophecy of Pope Leo is absolutely genuine.

Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Self-effacement--Detachment

29. Let us beg this lovable Heart to establish this devotion firmly and to fill with the unction of Its grace and of Its ardent charity all whom It will send us. I would willingly die that He might reign!

Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com

This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

From Mark Mallett: SOME questions and answers on the “era of peace

2013-05-16T14:57:00.001-04:00

Your Questions on the Era

SOME questions and answers on the “era of peace,” from Vassula, to Fatima, to the Fathers.

Q. Didn’t the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith say that the “era of peace” is millenarianism when it posted its Notification on Vassula Ryden’s writings?

I have decided to answer this question here since some are using this Notification to draw flawed conclusions regarding the notion of an “era of peace.” The answer to this question is as interesting as it is convoluted.

Bergoglio, a Revolutionary His Own Way

2013-05-16T13:08:00.003-04:00

Liberation theologians extol him, but between him and them there is a chasm. The progressives enlist him, but he keeps himself far from them. The true Francis is very different from the one that some imagine
by Sandro Magister

ROME, May 16, 2013 – In an ongoing honeymoon with public opinion, Pope Francis has also gained the praise of the most revolutionary of the Franciscan theologians, the Brazilian Leonardo Boff: "Francis will teach a lesson to the Church. We are coming out of a bitter and gloomy winter. With him comes the spring.”

Boff set aside his religious habit some time ago, got married, and replaced his love for Marx with an environmentalist's fondness for mother earth and brother sun. But he is still the most famous and most frequently cited of the liberation theologians.

When, just three days after his election as pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio called for “a Church that is poor and for the poor,” his admission among the ranks of the revolutionaries seemed like a done deal.

In reality, there is a chasm between the vision of the Latin American liberation theologians and the vision of this Argentine pope.

Read more here: http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350519?eng=y

[Video] Welcome this Victory

2013-05-16T12:13:00.001-04:00

Welcome this Victory

by apostleshipofprayer

Reflection for 5/16/13

http://youtu.be/MiG4KS6qAQc

www.apostleshipofprayer.org

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/16/2013

2013-05-16T12:05:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2012
Ivan encounters Our Lady in Kalamazoo
Come, Holy Spirit!

J.M.J.

May 16, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Today I pray for you and with you that the Holy Spirit may help you and increase your faith, so that you may accept even more the messages that I am giving you here in this holy place. Little children, comprehend that this is a time of grace for each of you; and with me, little children, you are secure. I desire to lead you all on the way of holiness. Live my messages and put into life every word that I am giving you. May they be precious to you because they come from heaven. Thank you for having responded to my call." (June 25, 2002)

Our Lady gives us the key to being able to live her messages in this message. She tells us that we need the help of the Holy Spirit to truly accept and live the messages she is giving us in Medjugorje. We need the Holy Spirit in order to put into practice everything she is teaching us in her school. We cannot do it on our own power, our own understanding. We cannot muscle our way into living the messages. Only the Holy Spirit can provide the strength and the insight needed to live these messages.

Ivan Dragicevic always speaks about the main messages of Our Lady, trying to help us understand them. He is tireless in explaining them. Here is an excerpt from his talk in Kalamazoo, Michigan on January 31, 2012, in which he speaks about the messages and how to put them into practice. As we read his words, let's ask the Holy Spirit to move in us, showing us how to live the messages more purely and completely!

Ivan in Kalamazoo, Michigan, January 31, 2012.

What are those things to which our mother is calling us? What are those most important messages by which Our Lady is leading us? You know that throughout these 30 years Our Lady has given us very many messages. But if we were to focus just on the most important messages, I would like to emphasize these messages by which Our Lady is guiding us:

Peace

Conversion

Prayer of the Heart

Penance and Fasting

Strong Faith

Love

Eucharist

Forgiveness

Confession

The Message of HOPE

These are the most important messages through which Our Lady is guiding us....

Throughout these 30 years Our Lady has taken each one of these messages and she has simplified them and brought them closer to us so we can better understand them and live them in our lives...

A friend of mine, he is always a little skeptical. Whenever Our Lady gives a message he will come see me the next day and he will say to me, "I know the message Our Lady gave yesterday. She said again, "Pray, pray, pray." And I said again, "My friend I know that message." I asked my friend, "Did you begin to pray?' And he wasn't certain within himself. And I said again, "I am certain that if you had begun to pray, then Our Lady would not have given the message, "Pray, pray, pray", but would have given another message yesterday. You see, whenever Our Lady repeats a message, it is a new invitation for each of us, telling us that something is not good. Our Mother is awakening us again. Throughout these years, truly Our Lady has not been criticizing us but she is teaching us. She doesn't tell us about the end of the world, or the second coming of Jesus. No, she comes as a mother of hope, because she wishes to bring hope to the families, and church and the world because this world today has been left without hope.

Our Lady comes to us to speak about confession. She calls us to adoration before the Cross and the Blessed Sacrament. She is especially requesting and asking priests to organize Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in their parishes. Our Lady is calling us to pray the Rosary. She is calling us to read Holy Scripture. In one message she said, "My dear children, may the Holy Bible be in each of your family homes in a visible place." Read Holy Scripture. So that through the reading of Holy Scripture Jesus may be born anew in your hearts and in your families. May that be the food on your path of life. Forgive one another. Love others. But I would like to particularly emphasize the gift of forgiveness. Forgive. Forgive yourself, forgive others. And open your vessel to the Holy Spirit because without forgiveness there is no physical or spiritual healing." We must know how to forgive. That is why Our Lady is calling us so much to forgiveness.

But we must pray for that [the gift of forgiveness]. We have to pray with the heart. Not just with our lips. Not just mechanically. Or to pray and then look at your watch to see how quickly you can finish. Our Lady desires that we make a decision for prayer, that we set time aside for prayer. To pray with the heart primarily means to pray with love and out of love, to pray with our entire being so that our prayer can be an encounter with God. Then when we pray with the heart we can leave that prayer with peace and joy. Our Lady says, "My dear children, may prayer be a joy for you. My dear children, if you wish to attend the school of prayer, then you have to know that in the school of prayer there are not weekends and no breaks." Every day we must attend the school of prayer. And our Lady says, "My dear children, if you wish to pray better, then you always have to pray more, because to pray more is always an individual decision, but to pray better is always a grace, a grace given to those who pray more."

Often times we say today, that we don't have time for prayer, that we are busy, that we work a lot and that we cannot always find time for the family and for the children. We come home from work, and we have to cook and clean, go shopping, go watch TV! We don't have time for prayer. But Our Lady says, simply, "My dear children, no, don't always say that you don't have time. Because, my dear children, time is not the problem. The problem is love. Because, my dear children, when someone loves something and cares for it, they will always find time for it. But when somebody doesn't love something and doesn't care for it, they will not find time for it." That is why Our Lady is calling us so much to prayer. And that is why throughout these years, Our Lady has been awakening us out of the spiritual coma and spiritual death we are in. (Ivan Dragicevic, January 31, 2012, Kalamazoo, Michigan)

Oh Holy Spirit, we want to respond to Our Lady's call to Peace, Conversion, Prayer of the Heart, Penance and Fasting, Strong Faith, Love, Eucharist, Forgiveness, Confession, the Message of HOPE. We long to live according to her call to holiness. But we are not able to respond as we would like. Only with Your divine help can we choose to convert and live the messages she is giving us. Please, Oh Holy Spirit, inspire us with Your grace, fill us with Your love, and change us by Your power, so that we can live and proclaim Our Lady's messages. We long to help her save souls all over the world. Please, Holy Spirit, Come!

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

©Mary TV 2013

PPS. Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

From EWTN: Fatima, Our Hope

2013-05-15T17:22:00.003-04:00

May 16, 2013

WEEKLY FEATURED PROGRAM

'Fatima: Our Hope' – What You Haven't Heard!
By Michelle Laque Johnson

“Fatima, Our Hope,” a fabulous documentary filmed in Portugal, is a must-see for anyone who seeks to understand the significance of what some believe is the most important Marian apparition of our time – Fatima! (This one-hour documentary airs 2 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 16 and 5 a.m. ET, Saturday, May 18 – exclusively on EWTN.)

Many Catholics know the story of the three shepherd children to whom Our Lady appeared in a series of apparitions beginning on May 13, 1917 and which continued on the same date for six months thereafter. Many even know about the Miracle of the Sun, which occurred after the last apparition so that everyone would believe the apparitions were authentic. Local newspapers reported that after a torrential rainstorm, the sky became blue, and people could look directly into the sun, which began spinning and shooting off shafts of light. This happened three times and then, after standing still for a moment, the sun appeared to plunge towards the earth.

But few remember the warnings associated with the apparitions, warnings that are very applicable today, or the state of Portugal before the apparitions occurred, which is very similar to that of many nations today.

Portugal, a formerly Catholic country, had gone down a dark path. First, a new ruler attempted to establish the secularism of the so-called “Enlightenment.” Then, on Oct. 4, 1919, a revolution broke out and Free Masons took over. Their goal was to eradicate Catholicism in two generations. Relations with the Vatican were broken off, almost all Church property was confiscated, Catholic schools were outlawed, and religious instruction was done away with.

As the documentary shows: “The degeneration of morals, economic ruin and the disintegration of order went hand in hand. The nation, so successful in its seafaring since the Middle Ages, was now steering herself straight into moral and economic ruin. Cities threatened to collapse into total atheism.”

But Our Lady would eventually turn the tide by appearing at Fatima. Will she help us today? Will people remember to live the messages of Fatima; will they offer up the suffering God allows in their lives in reparation for sin and for the conversion of sinners; will they turn to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and encourage others to do the same?

This film takes viewers through Our Lady’s requests during the apparitions, examines the global spiritual response to the apparitions (including the inspiring faith of the pilgrims who visit Fatima today), and explains the significance of the visit to Fatima by the late Pope John Paul II.

Gather your children and your neighbors. This special film will remind you how special it is to be a Catholic. The account will inspire you to evangelize everyone you know during this Year of Faith and beyond. Pray, say the rosary, join EWTN in its First Saturday Devotions, which were requested by the Blessed Mother at Fatima. Make reparation for poor sinners. Encourage devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Repent and believe.

This documentary is a reminder that getting to heaven – and bringing as many of our brothers and sisters with us as possible – is the only goal that really matters.
ENCORE OF ‘CONCILIO VATICANO II’
If you missed the first airing of this special on the Second Vatican Council, produced by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, tune in for the encore at 8 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 18 – exclusively on EWTN!

http://www.ewtn.com/

[video] Pope: Pray for priests and bishops, so we can be good shepherds and not wolves

2013-05-15T11:24:00.002-04:00

Pope: Pray for priests and bishops, so we can be good shepherds and not wolves

by romereports

http://en.romereports.com The Pope usually asks people to pray for him. During Wednesday's Mass, he asked others to pray for bishops and priests, so that they can be good shepherds. The Pope also warned them about the harm that comes when one gets attached to riches or fame.
http://youtu.be/he1KsPOs_GQ

Pope to visit Our Lady of Bonaria, Cagliari, this September [video]

2013-05-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

by vatican

POPE ANNOUNCES VISIT TO SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF BONARIA
Vatican City, 15 May 2013 (VIS) – At the end of today's general audience, the Pope, addressing a group of pilgrims from the Italian island of Sardinia, announced that he would like to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Bonaria that is located in the Sardinian city of Cagliari.
“I would like to visit the Sanctuary in Cagliari—almost surely in the month of September,” he said, “because there is a brotherhood between the cities of Buenos Aires and Cagliari because of an ancient story. At the moment of the founding of the city of Buenos Aires ifs founder wanted to name it 'City of the Most Holy Trinity', but the sailors who had brought him there were Sardinian and they wanted it to be called 'City of the Madonna of Bonaria'. There was an argument and, in the end, they arrived at a compromise. Thus the city's name turned out rather long: 'City of the Most Holy Trinity and Port of Our Lady of Bonaria'. Since it was so long only the last [word] remained: Bonaria, Buenos Aires, in memory of your image of the Madonna of Bonaria.”
http://youtu.be/CMbg5pj_Qmg

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/15/2013

2013-05-15T08:01:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2013
Come, Holy Spirit!

J.M.J.

May 15, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! At this time of grace, I call you to prayer. Little children, you work much but without God's blessing. Bless and seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to lead you at this time so that you may comprehend and live in the grace of this time. Convert, little children, and kneel in the silence of your hearts. Put God in the center of your being so that, in that way, you can witness in joy the beauty that God continually gives in your life. Thank you for having responded to my call." (May 25, 2001)

This message brings to mind a passage from the book of Haggai:

"Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes. "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the LORD." (Haggai 1:5-8)

The Lord is telling the people through the prophet that they are working without God's blessing. They work much and reap little. Why? Because they do not put God first. They do not put God's house first. They just work for themselves, without God.

Our Lady is pointing out the same thing in the message. "Little children, you work much but without God's blessing." It seems that most of the world works in this way. But Our Lady wants us to have a different kind of life, a life of grace and joy. She wants us to experience God's blessings. And so she tells us: "Bless and seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to lead you at this time so that you may comprehend and live in the grace of this time." Bless and seek the Holy Spirit! It is through the Holy Spirit that we can be led into the plan of God for our lives, and experience His blessing.

God's blessing comes as we turn to Him in simplicity and trust. Our Lady tells us: "Convert, little children, and kneel in the silence of your hearts. Put God in the center of your being so that, in that way, you can witness in joy the beauty that God continually gives in your life." This is so concrete, so simple, and so profound. Put God in the center of our being. Wow!

St. Faustina wrote a prayer to the Holy Spirit that asks for exactly this grace of having God in the center of our being. I share it today, for us to pray with all our hearts, so that we can enter into the blessing of God!

O Divine Spirit, Spirit of truth and of light,

Dwell ever in my soul by Your divine grace.

May Your breath dissipate the darkness,

And in this light may good deeds be multiplied.

O Divine Spirit, Spirit of love and of mercy,

Who pour the balm of trust into my heart,

Your grace confirms my soul in good,

Giving it the invincible power of constancy.

O Divine Spirit, Spirit of peace and of joy,

You invigorate my thirsting heart

And pour into it the living fountain of God's love,

Making it intrepid for battle.

O Divine Spirit, my soul's most welcome guest,

For my part, I want to remain faithful to You;

Both in days of joy and in the agony of suffering,

I want always, O Spirit of God, to live in Your presence.

O Divine Spirit, who pervade my whole being

And give me to know Your Divine Threefold Life,

Initiating me into Your Divine Essence,

Thus united to You, I will live a life without end.

(1411 - Diary)

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

©Mary TV 2013

PPS. Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

The Moynihan Report: Letter #72: The Consecration

2013-05-14T12:14:00.001-04:00

May 14, 2013, Tuesday -- The Consecration

Francis' pontificate consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima

As requested by Pope Francis in at least two personal telephone calls, the cardinal archbishop of Lisbon, Patriarch Jose da Cruz Policarpo, yesterday consecrated the papacy of Pope Francis, in a ceremony in Fatima, Portugal, to Our Lady of Fatima.

This shows the profoundly Marian devotion of this present Holy Father, and suggests that other consecrations to the Virgin may come in the weeks and months ahead.

The Rorate Caeli website, among others, posted the following news report from the Catholic News Service:

FATIMA, Portugal (CNS) — Entrusting Pope Francis’ pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima, Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo of Lisbon, Portugal, asked Mary to give the pope courage and strength, particularly as he moves to renew and reform the Catholic Church.

“Give him the gift of discernment to know how to identify the ways of renewal of the church; give him the courage not to hesitate to follow the ways suggested by the Holy Spirit; support him in the hard hours of suffering to overcome with the charity the trials that the renewal of the church will bring,” the cardinal prayed May 13, the feast of Our Lady of Fatima.

“We consecrate to you, Our Lady, mother of the church, the ministry of the new pope,” he prayed. “Fill his heart with the tenderness of God that you experienced so that he can embrace all the men and women of our age with the love of your son Jesus Christ.”

Cardinal Policarpo recited the prayer, which he wrote himself, at the end of a Mass concluding a major international pilgrimage to Fatima for the feast day marking the 96th anniversary of the apparition of Mary to three children.

The Portuguese cardinal, who participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis, said the new Pope had asked him twice to consecrate his pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. He also asked Mary to give Pope Francis “the desire to be a pilgrim to this shrine.”

But Pope Francis was not the only object of a special consecration during the mid-May pilgrimage; at a Mass May 12 at the Fatima shrine, Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta of Rio de Janeiro entrusted to Mary all the young people who are preparing to attend World Youth Day in Rio with Pope Francis in July.

===========================

What is the meaning of such a consecration?

From a Catholic website comes this definition of consecration.

Consecration (nowadays also called dedication or entrustment) is a well-known term in the history of spirituality. It has biblical roots, and became the quest of many saints and spirituals through the centuries. Martyrs, virgins, monks are so-called consecrated persons...

But what is the meaning of consecration (dedication or entrustment)?

1. God consecrates

In a strict and primary sense, there is room only for one type of consecration, the one made by God himself. Only God can appropriate a human being and make him/her sacred. God communicates his holiness to us; he gives us participation in his holiness. He is our creator and wants us to be in his image. This transformation into his likeness is the foremost meaning of consecration.

2. Consecration is a response

Our consecration is therefore essentially a response to his call. In acquiescing, we bind ourselves to a consecration that comes from God. We consecrate ourselves to belong to the Lord in a new way. In fact this new way is the only way by which we truly become who we are. The foremost example of God-human consecration is Jesus Christ himself. He is the "Anointed," meaning he totally belongs to God. When, by a free act of his person (intelligence, will, affection), he accepts the mission for the salvation of the world (Jn 17, 19; 30) he consecrates himself. This is what we call his subjective consecration in response to the objective consecration of his being which occurred in his humanity at the moment of the Incarnation.

3. Consecration in Christ through baptism

Christ imparts to his disciples and followers a very special belonging to God. He gives us his own life by making us participants in his own consecration. This happens in baptism. Baptism is our first and most important consecration. Baptism is our objective consecration. With Christ and through him we are destined and commissioned to the glory of God and the salvation of the world. There is a radical meaning to this mission: through baptism we do not belong to ourselves anymore but to Christ who imparts his life to us.

4. A consequence of baptism

What we commonly regard as consecration--our subjective consecration through promises, renewal of baptismal promises, confirmation, and vows--is consecration by voluntary adherence to what baptism has made of us. We promise to live as sons and daughters of God, and thus fulfill subjectively our objective consecration. All consecrations which follow baptism are rooted in this primary act of our Christian vocation.

5. Consecration to Mary

Can we consecrate ourselves to Mary? Mary is not the Creator, she is not the Redeemer. She is the opposite of a Goddess; she never substituted herself for God. But it was God's will that Mary had something to do with our Christian life, with our sanctification. It is a role assigned to her by God. In perfect union with her Son and subordinate to him, the Vatican II Council calls her "our mother in the order of grace" (LG 61). Let us not forget that Mary is the prototype of perfect consecration at the beginning of the New Testament. She was chosen to help us in our consecration through her intercession and by her maternal care, which disposes us to receive the gift of God we receive in baptism. She is the perfect example of the Church, and the model of all faithful. In her extreme spiritual sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's inspiration she is God's creaturely masterpiece.

All consecrations to Mary have this Spirit-oriented (meaning Christocentric and theocentric) meaning. Consecration to Mary is consecration to the "perfect means" (Montfort) which Jesus chose to unite himself with us and vice versa. Consecration to Mary heightens the depth and truth of our commitment to Christ. Consecration to Mary must explicitly state that our ultimate goal and end is God (Holy Spirit; Christ our Lord). Consecrations to Mary where one pledges to perform all actions "through Mary, in Mary, and for Mary" are in fact a pledge to perform them more perfectly through Jesus Christ, with him, in, and for him. Dedication to the Heart of Mary must therefore maintain the vital unity between the Heart of Mary and the Heart of Jesus. We must confide ourselves to the Heart of Mary in view of our consecration to God. We offer ourselves to this divine consecration through Mary, for she points the way to the heart of Jesus.

Source

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"I pray for you, but I ask you to pray for me, because I am in need of your prayers. Three 'Hail Marys' for me..." —Pope Francis, Saturday, May 4

=======================================

New Book on Pope Francis

Entitled Pray for Me: The Life and Spiritual Vision of Pope Francis, First Pope from the Americas, my new book on Pope Francis was released on April 30 by Random House.

Pray for Me is geared toward those who would like to accompany Pope Francis on his journey of faith in the months and years ahead.

Here are links where you can order the book:

1. Amazon

2. Barnes and Noble

If you would like a signed copy of the book, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-789-9494 in the US. Signed copies will be $30 (all shipping and handling included).

Please consider ordering this book if you enjoy this newsletter. It would be much appreciated.

===============================

"Think nothing else but that God ordains all, and where there is no love, put love, and you will draw love out." --St. John of the Cross

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/14/2013

2013-05-14T11:43:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2013
Come, Holy Spirit!

J.M.J.

May 14, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! I rejoice with you and in this time of grace I call you to spiritual renewal. Pray, little children, that the Holy Spirit may come to dwell in you in fullness, so that you may be able to witness in joy to all those who are far from faith. Especially, little children, pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that in the spirit of love, every day and in each situation, you may be closer to your fellow-man; and that in wisdom and love you may overcome every difficulty. I am with you and I intercede for each of you before Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call." (May 25, 2000)

Our Lady counsels us to ask for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in us. This very simple prayer expresses an equally simple desire. We want to be inhabited by the Holy Spirit. We want the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts and live there, within us. This indwelling of the Holy Spirit is something wonderful!! We hear about it in the early chapters of the book of Acts. The Apostles and disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and their entire beings were transformed. They began to speak in tongues, to pray in ways they had never before dreamed of, and to understand Jesus with new eyes. Those in whom the Holy Spirit dwelt were set on fire with love for God and for one another. All because of the simple desire and prayer for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell in them. (It is wonderful to realize that it was Our Lady who taught the Apostles to pray for the Holy Spirit! She taught them and now she is teaching us to ask for the Holy Spirit!)

St. Faustina allowed the Holy Spirit to dwell in her constantly. She knew that without Him, she could do nothing good, but that with Him all things were possible. She once wrote:

In the evening during benediction, such thoughts as these began to distress me: Is not perhaps all this that I am saying about God's great mercy just a lie or an illusion...? And I wanted to think about this for a while, when I heard a strong and clear inner voice saying, "Everything that you say about My goodness is true; language has no adequate expression to extol My goodness." These words were so filled with power and so clear that I would give my life in declaring they came from God. I can tell this by the profound peace that accompanied them at that time and that still remains with me. This peace gives me such great strength and power that all difficulties, adversities, sufferings, and death itself are as nothing. This light gave me a glimpse of the truth that all my efforts to bring souls to know the mercy of the Lord are very pleasing to God. And from this springs such great joy in my soul that I do not know whether it could be any greater in heaven, Oh, if souls would only be willing to listen, at least a little, to the voice of conscience and the voice - that is, the inspirations - of the Holy Spirit! I say "at least a little" because once we open ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit, He Himself will fulfill what is lacking in us. - Diary, 359

St. Faustina was being tempted by the enemy to disbelieve her mission and to give up on Divine Mercy. But because the Holy Spirit was dwelling within, she was protected from that temptation by those bold and clear words that she heard in her heart. Those words of the Holy Spirit brought her peace and the clear assurance that she was on the right track and nothing could dissuade her from proclaiming God's Mercy. She knew that "once we open ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit, He himself will fulfill what is lacking in us." She knew the power of the Holy Spirit in her life!

That same Holy Spirit gave St. Faustina great love for others. She was able to suffer and pray for souls because of the Holy Spirit within her. St. Faustina prayed for the Holy Spirit to fill her:

This evening, I prepared with great care and prayed long to the Holy Spirit that He might deign to grant me His light and take me under His special guidance.

- Diary, 1174

Our Lady advises us to ardently pray to the Holy Spirit, that He will come into our hearts and bring His Gifts. May we be wise children, and do as she says! We will not regret it!

St Augustine wrote this beautiful prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.

Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.

Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.

Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.

Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.

Amen.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

©Mary TV 2013

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

©Mary TV 2013

PPS. Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

From Mark Mallett: The Triumph – Part III

2013-05-13T11:53:00.001-04:00

The Triumph – Part III

NOT only can we hope for the fulfillment of the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart, the Church has the power to hasten its coming by our prayers and actions. Instead of despairing, we need to be preparing.

What can we do? What can I do?

For Pope Bergoglio, the devil is not a myth, but a real person.

2013-05-13T11:28:00.003-04:00

Francis and the Devil

He refers to him continually. He combats him without respite. He does not believe him to be a myth, but a real person, the most insidious enemy of the Church

by Sandro Magister

ROME, May 13, 2013 – In the preaching of Pope Francis, there is one subject that returns with surprising frequency: the devil.

Read this article here: http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/1350517?eng=y

Cardinal-Patriarch consecrates pontificate Francisco and anticipates 'trials'

2013-05-13T10:24:00.000-04:00

Tribulation Times
May 13, 2013
(John 16:33) These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress. But have confidence. I have overcome the world.

ARCHIVED ROME REPORTS: Pope Francis's Pontificate to be consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima on May 13th

Just hours after being elected, Pope Francis asked Portuguese Cardinal José Policarpo for a special request. The Pope asked the patriarch of Lisbon to consecrate his pontificate to Our Lady of Fatima. The celebration will held on May 13th and it will be led by Cardinal Policarpo, who also serves as the president of Portugal's Episcopal Conference. The bishops have also invited pilgrims to take part in the ceremony to honor the 'Pope's pastoral service.'

[video]

http://youtu.be/247eTu4fk_U

FATIMA: Cardinal-Patriarch consecrates pontificate Francisco and anticipates 'trials'

Cardinal-Patriarch of Lisbon, D. José Policarpo, consecrated today at Fatima the pontificate of the Virgin Mary, responding to a request of the same, and said that Francisco will face "trials" in his ministry.
"Give her the gift of discernment to know how to identify the ways of renewal of the Church; give him the courage not to hesitate to follow the ways suggested by the Holy Spirit; Amparai it in hard hours of suffering, to win, the charity, the trials that the renewal of the Church will bring ", referring to prayer addressed by the President of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP) of Fatima, at the end of the pilgrimage Anniversary International May.
D. José Policarpo, one of the cardinals who participated in the election of the successor of Francis recalled that three of the last popes (Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI) visited the Cova da Iria.
"Only you, Madam, in your motherly love to the whole Church can put Francisco in the heart of the Pope's desire to be a pilgrim this Shrine. It is not something that you can ask for other reasons, "he said.
The Patriarch of Lisbon stressed that "only the silent complicity" between the Virgin Mary and the Pope can do what they feel "attracted to this pilgrimage in the certainty that it will be joined by millions of believers."
"Here at this altar of the world, he may bless mankind, to impress on the world today that God loves all men and women of our time, the Church loves them and that you, Mother of the Redeemer, tenderly to lead into the ways of salvation, "he added.
The president stressed that the CEP ways of renewing the Church lead to "rediscover the relevance" of the message of Fatima, "the requirement of conversion to God who has been so offended, why so forgetful."
"Contemporary humanity needs to feel loved by God and the Church. Just feeling loved overcome the temptation to violence, materialism, of God's forgetfulness, loss of direction that will lead to a new world, where love reigns, "needed.
In this context D. José Policarpo maintained that the Church has to assert itself as a "place of conversion and forgiveness, because it expresses the truth always in charity."
"So you consecrate Lady, you who are the Mother of the Church, the ministry of the new Pope: fill your heart the tenderness of God, that you have experienced as anyone, so that it can embrace all men and women of this time with the love of your Son Jesus Christ, "he said.
Cardinal-Patriarch recalled the late Pope, Benedict XVI, "who chose the way of silent prayer, challenging the church to the ways of prayer."
The gesture was highlighted with a clap of pilgrims at the Cova da Iria.
After the moment of consecration of the pontificate, at the end of Mass, the bishop of Leiria-Fatima, D. António Marto, read a message sent by the Apostolic Nunciature in Portugal.
"The Holy Father expressed his satisfaction for the initiative and deep appreciation for the satisfaction of his desire in union of prayer with all the pilgrims of Fatima, which, at heart, gives apostolic blessing as a pledge of all goods," referring text.

A MOMENT WITH MARY: God's Grace Will be Your Strength!
NCR REVIEW: 9 things to know and share about Fatima
MORE: Pilgrims To Fatima Include Many Devoted Popes

Thoughts and Sayings of Saint Margaret Mary: Self-effacement--Detachment

27. Now I shall die happy, since the Sacred Heart of my Saviour is beginning to be known; for it seems to me that, through His mercy, I am almost wholly stripped and divested of esteem and reputation in the minds of others, which consoles me more than I can say.

Prayer request? Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com

This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/13/2013

2013-05-13T09:54:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2013
Pray always!

J.M.J.

May 13, 2013

Our Lady of Fatima

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Today I thank you for all the sacrifices you have offered me these days. Little children, I invite you to open yourselves to me and to decide for conversion. Your hearts, little children, are still not completely open to me and therefore, I invite you again to open to prayer so that in prayer the Holy Spirit will help you, that your hearts become of flesh and not of stone. Little children, thank you for having responded to my call and for having decided to walk with me toward holiness." (June 25, 1996)

Day 4 of our Novena to the Holy Spirit!!

On this beautiful day on which we remember Our Lady of Fatima (May 13), and the great work of conversion she began in Portugal with the three children, I want to quote Sr. Lucia. In her book, "'Calls' from the Message of Fatima", Sr. Lucia shares her deep insights into the call of Our Lady to us. She speaks about what Our Lady began in Fatima. But everything she says finds resonance with Medjugorje. She speaks about the call to prayer and her words add meaning to this message from 1996 in which Our Lady called us to open to prayer so that in prayer the Holy Spirit will help us, that our hearts will become of flesh and not of stone!

The sixth call of the Message - Pray, pray very much!...Our prayer can be predominantly vocal, that is addressed to God in words, either those that well up spontaneously from our heart or using existing formulas such as, for example, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory be to the Father, the Creed and many other such prayers that are used in the Sacred Liturgy...

Then there is another kind of prayer which we must offer to God together with our vocal prayer: it is the prayer of our work, of the performance of all the duties in our state in life in a spirit of humble submission to God, because it was He who imposed on us the law of work. We must do it with love and fidelity to God and to our neighbor; in this way, our everyday occupations, however seemingly insignificant, when offered to God will be a prayer of praise, thanksgiving, repentance and petition. Like Tobit, to whom the angel said: "And so, when you and your daughter-in-law Sarah prayed, I brought a reminder of your prayer before the Holy One; and when you buried the dead, I was likewise present with you. When you did not hesitate to rise and leave your dinner in order to go and lay out the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me, but I was with you." (Tb. 12: 12-13)

This passage of Sacred Scripture tells us how we are to use the time that God gives us in our lives: part of it must be devoted to prayer, another part to performing the duties of our state in life and the rest in doing good to others for the love of God. There are twenty-four hours in every day; we are doing nothing special if we set aside a few minutes of each day for our encounter with God.

In carrying out our everyday tasks, we must endeavor to be aware of God's presence; call to mind that God and our Angel Guardian are close to us, see what we are doing, and in what frame of mind we are doing it. Hence, we must sanctify our work, our rest, our meals, our wholesome entertainments, as if they were an ongoing prayer. Knowing that God is present, it is enough to call Him to mind and from time to time say a few words to Him: whether of love - I love you, Lord! - or of thanksgiving - Thank you, Lord for all your benefits -, or of petition - Lord, help me to be faithful to You; forgive me my sins, my ingratitude, my coldness, my failure to understand, my backsliding - or of praise - I bless you Lord, for your greatness, for your goodness, for your wisdom, for your power, for your mercy, for your justice, for you love. This intimate and familiar converse with God transforms our work and our daily occupations into a true and abiding life of prayer, making us more pleasing to God and bringing down upon us extra special graces and blessings.

And we can't say that we have no time for this kind of prayer, because it is precisely the time that we are using in order to do our work. Like a wife working alongside her husband, chatting quietly and intimately with him, telling him how much she appreciates all he does for the family, praising his knowledge and experience, encouraging him in his work, asking him for his help and advice, telling him about her worries and desires. Or like children who show their father everything, tell their father everything, and expect everything from him. Like a mother bringing up her children, who always has something to say to them even when they, either because they are very small, or because they are not paying attention, cannot understand her. God, however, always understands what we say, always listens to us, always sees us and always pays attention to us! (Sr. Lucia of Jesus of the Immaculate Heart. "'Calls' from the Message of Fatima" p. 94-95)

Surely we can all enter into these two kinds of prayer, no matter our state in life! And in this sweet converse with God, our hearts will become of flesh and not of stone! The Holy Spirit will enter in, as we speak with Him during the course of our regular day, and inspire us with all His gifts!

Let's pray together the Pentecost Sequence, the prayer we will pray on Pentecost Sunday. It reflects this wonderfully human aspect of prayer, the fact that God is present to us in all our daily needs and activities, ready to help us on our journey home.

Pentecost Sunday Sequence

Come, O Holy Spirit, come!

From Your bright and blissful Home,

Rays of healing light impart.

Come, Father of the poor,

Source of gifts that will endure

Light of ev'ry human heart.

You of all consolers best,

Of the soul most kindly Guest,

Quick'ning courage do bestow.

In hard labor You are rest,

In the heat You refresh best,

And solace give in our woe.

O most blessed Light divine,

Let Your radiance in us shine,

And our inmost being fill.

Nothing good by man is thought,

Nothing right by him is wrought,

When he spurns Your gracious Will.

Cleanse our souls from sinful stain,

Lave our dryness with Your rain,

Heal our wounds and mend our way.

Bend the stubborn heart and will,

Melt the frozen, warm the chill,

Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful who in You,

Trust with childlike piety,

Deign Your sevenfold gift to send.

Give them virtue's rich increase,

Saving grace to die in peace,

Give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

PS. Tonight is another wonderful "Fruit of Medjugorje" Show! 8:00 pm EDT!! Don't miss it!

PPS. Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/12/2013

2013-05-12T07:42:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2013
Come, Holy Spirit!

J.M.J.

May 12, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

"Dear children! Today I wish to say to everyone in the parish to pray in a special way to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment. From today God wishes to test the parish in a special way in order that He might strengthen it in faith. Thank you for having responded to my call." (April 11, 1985)

Though it doesn't always make sense to us, we often go through trials and tests of faith. Life gets tough. It seems like God is far off, and we are left alone. But these testing times are important for us in our journey towards heaven.

It says in Scripture that gold is tested in fire: "And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, `They are my people'; and they will say, `The LORD is my God.'" (Zech 13: 9)

Assaying precious metals in fire is an ancient way of determining the content of ore. The precious metal is separated from the ore in a firing process of intense heat. We can see our trials as moments when our hearts are tested to see if they are pure, like the gold in the assayers fire. As it says in Zechariah, God tests His people, and chooses those who call on His name in time of trail!

But we need help to survive these tests, and God wants to help us. He offers us His Holy Spirit as that help. And Our Lady wants us to have this powerful help. She told the parish to pray to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment in their time of testing. Really, the only way to endure tests and actually grow from them is to cling to the Holy Spirit. He provides the way and gives us the gifts that sustain us when things get tough.

A friend shared with me recently that she and her husband had endured a big test of faith which involved his job. After months of difficulty at work, and much soul searching, her husband had decided to seek other employment, and the process was long and arduous. They prayed many novenas and rosaries in the process. She said that now, as the trial is ending, they look back and see how much stronger their faith is, how much more peace they have as a family, and how much their trust in God has increased because of this trial. Indeed, they are better off for the testing.

I think this is what Our Lady is saying in this message. She wants us to know that we get tested by God now and then, and that in the test God provides the strength and wisdom and counsel and understanding and knowledge and trust through His Holy Spirit. The test actually cements our relationship with the Lord by adhering us to the Holy Spirit as our constant friend.

Let's pray for the gifts of the Spirit, so that we can endure our trials with victory and peace!

Prayer for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler, I adore You as my true God, with God the Father and God the Son. I adore You and unite myself to the adoration You receive from the angels and saints.

I give You my heart and I offer my ardent thanksgiving for all the grace which You never cease to bestow on me.

O Giver of all supernatural gifts, who filled the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with such immense favors, I beg You to visit me with Your grace and Your love and to grant me the gift of holy fear, so that it may act on me as a check to prevent me from falling back into my past sins, for which I beg pardon.

Grant me the gift of piety, so that I may serve You for the future with increased fervor, follow with more promptness Your holy inspirations, and observe your divine precepts with greater fidelity.

Grant me the gift of knowledge, so that I may know the things of God and, enlightened by Your holy teaching, may walk, without deviation, in the path of eternal salvation.

Grant me the gift of fortitude, so that I may overcome courageously all the assaults of the devil,
and all the dangers of this world which threaten the salvation of my soul.

Grant me the gift of counsel, so that I may choose what is more conducive to my spiritual advancement and may discover the wiles and snares of the tempter.

Grant me the gift of understanding, so that I may apprehend the divine mysteries and by contemplation of heavenly things detach my thoughts and affections from the vain things of this miserable world.

Grant me the gift of wisdom, so that I may rightly direct all my actions, referring them to God as my last end; so that, having loved Him and served Him in this life, I may have the happiness of possessing Him eternally in the next. Amen.

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

Mary TV Daily Reflection 5/11/2013

2013-05-11T10:14:00.001-04:00

(c)Mary TV 2013
Come, Holy Spirit!

J.M.J.

May 11, 2013

Dear Family of Mary!

Day 2 of the Novena to the Holy Spirit!

"Dear children! You are not conscious of the messages which God is sending you through me. He is giving you great graces and you do not comprehend them. Pray to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment. If you only knew how great are the graces God is granting you, you would be praying without ceasing. Thank you for having responded to my call." (November 8, 1984)

We are not aware of the graces God is pouring out upon us. We cannot perceive them. And so we waste them. Graces can be given, but their efficacy also depends on our receptivity, our openness to them. Just as we can go to Holy Communion, and not perceive the presence of Jesus, and thus waste the grace of His coming, so we can waste the actual graces that are being poured out in our day, if we are not disposed to receive them.

And so Our Lady tells us to pray to the Holy Spirit to show us the graces we are being given. If we ask to understand then we will be given the gift of understanding! And the graces will show themselves to us in astounding ways.

In order to pray to the Holy Spirit today, let's pray the Litany to the Holy Spirit, spending time with each title of the Third Person of the Trinity.

Litany of the Holy Spirit

(For private use only)

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Father all-powerful, have mercy on us.
Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father, Redeemer of the world, save us.
Spirit of the Father and the Son, boundless life of both, sanctify us.
Holy Trinity, hear us.

Holy Spirit, Who proceedest from the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.
Holy Spirit, Who art equal to the Father and the Son, enter our hearts.

Promise of God the Father, have mercy on us.
Ray of heavenly light, have mercy on us.
Author of all good, [etc.]
Source of heavenly water

Consuming fire
Ardent charity
Spiritual unction
Spirit of love and truth
Spirit of wisdom and understanding
Spirit of counsel and fortitude
Spirit of knowledge and piety
Spirit of the fear of the Lord
Spirit of grace and prayer
Spirit of peace and meekness
Spirit of modesty and innocence
Holy Spirit, the Comforter
Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier
Holy Spirit, Who governest the Church
Gift of God, the Most High
Spirit Who fillest the universe
Spirit of the adoption of the children of God

Holy Spirit, inspire us with horror of sin.
Holy Spirit, come and renew the face of the earth.
Holy Spirit, shed Thy light in our souls.
Holy Spirit, engrave Thy law in our hearts.
Holy Spirit, inflame us with the flame of Thy love.
Holy Spirit, open to us the treasures of Thy graces.
Holy Spirit, teach us to pray well.
Holy Spirit, enlighten us with Thy heavenly inspirations.
Holy Spirit, lead us in the way of salvation.
Holy Spirit, grant us the only necessary knowledge.
Holy Spirit, inspire in us the practice of good.
Holy Spirit, grant us the merits of all virtues.
Holy Spirit, make us persevere in justice.
Holy Spirit, be Thou our everlasting reward.

Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Send us Thy Holy Spirit.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
pour down into our souls the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
grant us the Spirit of wisdom and piety.

V. Come, Holy Spirit! Fill the hearts of Thy faithful,
R. And enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.

Let us pray.

Grant, O merciful Father, that Thy Divine Spirit may enlighten, inflame and purify us, that He may penetrate us with His heavenly dew and make us fruitful in good works, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who with Thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, forever and ever.

R. Amen.

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/pent13.htm#ixzz2SwyKPyw1

In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!

Cathy Nolan

Here is a link to the traditional Novena to the Holy Spirit:

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/pentecost/seven_tx.htm

"Medjugorje is the spiritual center of the world!"

Blessed John Paul II -

Be connected!

www.marytv.tv

Kidnapped Aleppo Bishops - update

2013-05-10T19:08:00.002-04:00

May 10, 2013

Reblogged from Old Roman Catholic News Portal:

Al-Bawaba: Acting President of the Syrian National Coalition George Sabra said Wednesday that the two Orthodox archbishops kidnapped in Syria were being held in a small village northwest of Aleppo by a rebel group.
In a telephone conversation with Kataeb Party leader Amin Gemayel, Sabra said that Aleppo’s Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi and Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim were both in good health and still in the custody of a small group of rebels in the Syrian town of Bshaqtin.

Pilgrims To Fatima Include Many Devoted Popes

2013-05-10T10:09:00.000-04:00

Pope Francis, in asking that his papacy be consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima, continues the close interrelationship between popes and this 20th-century apparition of Mary.
On May 13, 2013, the bishops of Portugal are expected to pray on Pope Francis’ behalf this prayer of consecration, as he has asked them to do.
Fatima, located in Portugal, is where three shepherd children had a series of reported apparitions of the Blessed Mother in 1917, beginning on May 13 and ending on Oct. 13 of that year.

Our Lady Of Fatima

Between May and October 1917, the Blessed Mother appeared six times to three young Portuguese children, who had been brought up in an atmosphere of piety and often would kneel and pray the rosary in an open field while tending sheep.
Mary asked the children to pray the rosary daily for the conversion of sinners and asked for devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She asked for prayer, penance and the consecration of Russia to her Immaculate Heart and observing the first Saturdays of the month with confession and receiving holy Communion in reparation to the hearts of Jesus and Mary.
At the last apparition Mary identified herself as Our Lady of the Rosary and 70,000 people observed what is called the “miracle of the sun.”
The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary was started in 1928 and consecrated in 1953. Over 1 million pilgrims visit annually.
Our Lady of Fatima is the patroness of Portugal.

Read this article here: http://www.georgiabulletin.org/local/2013/05/09/yof_fatima/#.UYz9YZrosdY

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