I oppose the RH Bill.

Loving Life

Why would a college girl, like me, be PRO-LIFE?

Pro-lifers are:

old

conservative

middle-aged thinkers

miserable

anti-fun

serious

rude

grouchy

control-freaks

everything not nice under the sun

YES?

Well. 

WRONG.

Pro-lifers, taken from the word “LIFE” are life-loving.

Pro-lifers:

love life

live life to the full

stand by what is right

fight alongide truth

easily forgive others

cheerfuly gives

give their lives to God, just as Jesus gave His life to us ♥ 

 Thank you Lord! Thank you Jesus!

Seat of Wisdom, pray for us.

Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women

and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary,

Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen +

Quotes for Meditation

“If in this world there be any knowledge of this sacrament stronger than that of faith, I wish now to use it in affirming that I firmly believe and know as certain that Jesus Christ, True God and True man, Son of God and Son of the Virgin Mary, is in this sacrament…I receive Thee, the price of my redemption, for Whose love I have watched, studied and labored. Thee have I preached; Thee have I taught. Never have I said anything against Thee: if anything was not well said, that is to be attributed to my ignorance. Neither do I wish to be obstinate in my opinions, but if I have written anything erroneous concerning this sacrament or other matters, I submit all to the judgment and correction of the Holy Roman Church, in whose obedience I now pass from this life.”

Holy War

 1 Maccabees 1: 41-50

 

41

Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,

42

each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king,

43

and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath.

44

The king sent messengers with letters to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, ordering them to follow customs foreign to their land;

45

to prohibit holocausts, sacrifices, and libations in the sanctuary, to profane the sabbaths and feast days,

46

to desecrate the sanctuary and the sacred ministers,

47

to build pagan altars and temples and shrines, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals,

48

to leave their sons uncircumcised, and to let themselves be defiled with every kind of impurity and abomination,

49

so that they might forget the law and change all their observances.

50

Whoever refused to act according to the command of the king should be put to death.

 

——————

We cannot be like some of the Jews who renounced their Covenant with God and practiced pagan beliefs and customs. We must stand for that which Jesus gave to us as our inheritance and quality to distinguish us from other so-called religions: WE MUST STAND FOR LOVE.

 

 

OPPOSE THE RH BILL!

“I am the Way, the Truth and the LIFE.” Jn 14:6

 

St. Gemma Galgani

“I wish, oh Jesus, that my voice could reach to the ends of the world, to call all sinners and tell them to enter into Thy Heart….Oh, if only all sinners would come to Thy Heart!… Come! Come sinners, do not be afraid! The sword of Justice cannot reach you Here!”
———————-

-St. Gemma Galgani

http://www.stgemmagalgani.com/

St. Gemma Galgani

“I wish, oh Jesus, that my voice could reach to the ends of the world, to call all sinners and tell them to enter into Thy Heart….Oh, if only all sinners would come to Thy Heart!… Come! Come sinners, do not be afraid! The sword of Justice cannot reach you Here!”

“Dear Blessed Mother, lend me your heart. I look for it each day to pour my troubles into” 

Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with you,

Blessed are you among women and

Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death. Amen +

Mama Mary, please keep me under your mantle of protection and close to your arms of guidance.

Mother of Christ, pray for us.

Alone.

I know sometimes you feel ALONE.

I do too. But always remember: GOD IS NOT THE ENEMY. PRAYER IS NOT WHAT’S MAKING YOU LONELY. 

When you have nowhere else to go, GOD IS ALWAYS WAITING FOR YOU. ALWAYS THERE. ALWAYS WAITING. 

You just need to calm yourself, close your eyes, breathe deeply and say:

JESUS, I’M HERE NOW. AND I FEEL SO LONELY. 

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.

In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him.

In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God.

Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.

-1 John 4: 7-12

TOTUS TUUS

O Lord, my God, my Spirit and my soul, my Wisdom from whom I recognize my foolishness, sinfulness and nothingness. O Holy Trinity, One Triune God, HOLY AND UNCHANGING THROUGHOUT ETERNITY, I cry to You, I moan and I weep, MY GOD! How indebted I am to You! My whole existence, even my love and my heart, everything I am and all that I have are FOR YOU AND FROM YOU. HOW IMMENSELY INDEBTED I AM TO YOU MY GOD, MY ONLY GOD!

 BLESS ME, PARDON ME, LOOK NOT ON MY WRONGDOINGS BUT ON MY INDEBTEDNESS TO YOU, HAVE MERCY ON ME O GOD, SEE, SEE HOW I WRITHE AND HOW CRIPPLED I AM WHEN APART FROM YOU. SEE HOW I NEED YOU, O ETERNAL SOURCE OF LIFE. MY FATHER! MY GOD! MY LOVE! LOOK AT YOUR POOR DAUGHTER, NOT WITH CONTEMPT BUT WITH LOVE.

O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, YOU ARE ALL MY HOPE. IN YOU, MY LIFE RESTS AND NOWHERE ELSE.

Ave Maria gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedictatu in mulie ribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesu.Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis pecatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen +

 TOTUS TUUS EGO SUM ET OMNIA MEA TUA SUNT +

J.M.J +

O you of little faith, why did you doubt?

O Jesus, I asked You to turn all the consolations of this earth into bitterness for me. Why do I tremble at the sight of spiritual dryness and the war of the flesh and soul? 

O Jesus, why am I so weak? I am afraid, Jesus. I am afraid of the big waves all around me. Please, help me keep my focus on You. You and You alone.

Oh Jesus, inflame my heart with love for you that my spirit may not grow weary amidst the storms, the sufferings and the trials. You see how weak I am. Love can do all. (St.  Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament)

 —————————————————

Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how (strong) the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” –Matthew 14: 28-31

Santa María de Guadalupe

J.M.J.+

Saturday, December 11, there was a Christmas party for children in depressed areas. There was a girl there, full of life and confidence, and she was called “Guada“. At first, I wondered, what a peculiar name, and I was very intrigued by such a name so rare, I heard it only now. 

And it came to me.

Guadalupe. Santa María de Guadalupe.

Ah yes. One of the names our Blessed Mother Mary is called. What a very beautiful name! 

I learned the next day, December 12,that it was the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Do you know what “Guadalupe” means?

Guadalupe in Spanish corresponds phonetically to Coatlaxopeuh in Náhuatl*, which means,

“I smashed the serpent with the foot.”

In these times, when good is persecuted and wickedness worshipped and adored– these times when the Catholic Church- the Mystical Body of Christ- is scourged, crowned with thorns, blasphemed, and discriminated against, we, Christians are given a hope which is holy, a hope which never burns out nor ever extinguished-  we are given the Health of the Sick, the Refuge of Sinners, Comforter of the Afflicted and the Help of Christians- we are given the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Mama Mary”, and this name, Santa María de Guadalupe, which resounds from age to age sending Satan and all demons to the deepest, darkest pit of hell in fear of her who smashed the serpent with her foot.

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedictatu in mulie ribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesu. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis pecatoribus nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen +

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recoursed to thee +

*Náhuatl is the native language of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared.

—————————————————-

God of power and mercy, You blessed the Americas at Tepeyac with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. May her prayers help all men and women to accept each other as brothers and sisters. Through your justice present in our hearts may Your peace reign in the world.

(Benedictus P.P. XVI, 2005)

———————————–

Click HERE to read more about the apparitions and miracle of the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Birth Control

ABC or Artificial Birth Control goes against natural law or rather against the God-given nature of our bodies and God’s purposes for sex. Here are two points why:

1) Fertility is the natural state of a healthy body. It’s not an illness or disorder for which you need to take a pill or alter the functioning of your body with physical devices or through surgery. [The Bible makes it clear that fertility is a gift not a curse.]

2) The sexual relationship between husband and wife has three natural purposes: Pro-creation, marital unity/bonding, and pleasure.

Part of the Catholic position on artificial birth control is based on this proposition: When you intentionally deny and do not respect these natural purposes of sex you distort the God-given and natural purpose of the sexual relationship between husband and wife and do harm to marriages, families and ultimately society.

———————————

There are natural, God-given reasons for eating. So, what do we call it when we distort or try to deny the natural purposes and consequences of eating? For example:

•     What’s it called when someone who wants to enjoy food but deny their body the natural consequences of the calories they just took in by binging and purging? It’s called bulemia and it’s known as an eating ”disorder.”
•     What’s it called when someone denies the body’s natural need for calories by not eating enough food in order to be thin? It’s called anorexia. It too is known as an eating ”disorder.”
•     Finally, what’s it called when someone takes in more calories than necessary by elevating the pleasure of eating above the natural limited number of calories needed in order to be healthy? It’s called gluttony and it too is “disordered” in relation to our nature and God’s purposes for our bodies.

What happens when we distort the God-given purposes of sex? What does this disorder or distortion look like?

When it comes to certain distortions or disorders with respect to sex there is one that most Christians can agree upon: Illicit sexual relationships outside of the covenant of marriage.

Illicit relationships obviously deny or distort the unifying nature of the marital sexual relationship. It is safe to say that of the three natural purposes of sex, the illicit sexual relationship is most often for the sake of pleasure (emotional and physical).  This, we know, is out of order from God’s plan for sex and our bodies.

We have seen see the damage done to individuals, families and society as a result of this disordered use of sex when it occurs between two people who aren’t married to one another (think broken families, children born to single moms and raised without a father, promiscuity, STDs, abortion, etc.).

Sexual behavior between two people of the same sex is a distortion of the natural, God-given purposes of sex. It’s obvious that homosexual behavior inherently denies the union of marriage between a man and woman and the pro-creative nature of sex which leaves pleasure to be exalted as the primary purpose of sexual behavior.

In addition, most- if not all- of us are appalled by other cultures that perform procedures known as “female circumcision” in which the woman’s body is surgically altered so she can’t experience any pleasure during sex. Why? Obviously because of the inhumanity of this act, the pain and harm it does to the women. But at the root of this is the fact that this too goes against the God-given nature of our bodies. It goes against the natural law of things. God created our bodies in such a way that pleasure is to be part of the sexual union between a man and woman.

How is this any different than distorting one of the other natural purposes of sex? Aren’t all three God-given natural purposes for sex? We know that when we distort the  marital unifying nature of sex it leads to all kinds of problems. We also know that when we don’t respect the mutual gift of pleasure in marital sex there can be problems in the relationship. Wouldn’t it “naturally” follow that distorting the God given pro-creative nature of our bodies might cause some problems too.

 
At first glance most people don’t see the problems with artificial contraception. A lot of people- especially women, even Christian women think, “So, what if people want to avoid having a child, isn’t that their God-given right? Shouldn’t we be prudent and not have more children than we can “afford” (whether that means affording it financially or emotionally)?” 

 
The answer, is that people should use wisdom and prayer when growing their families. And if there is a need to avoid pregnancy then God has provided them with a reliable means of doing so, it’s called abstinence.

Interestingly one gentleman pointed out that the real motivation for ABC isn’t avoiding pregnancy; it’s to be  able to have sex whenever one pleases without experiencing the possible natural consequence of a pregnancy. If the goal were to simply avoid pregnancy then the couple could avoid sexual intercourse during times of fertility and experience the bonding and pleasure of sex during natural times of infertility. So the real motivation behind ABC is pleasure without consequence.

One may argue that artificial birth control allows for the natural purpose of bonding in the marriage without worrying about becoming pregnant. But we- especially us, women- should realize that distorting one purpose for the sake of another is akin to saying God made a mistake when He gave us the gift of fertility and sex and we must rectify it by altering our bodies or the act of sex.

Abstinence can actually strengthen the bonds of marriage. The argument goes like this: When a couple wants to avoid a pregnancy and chooses abstinence and self-control during times of fertility, instead of ABC, their bond is strengthened because it requires open discussion, self-control and mutual respect. It requires a willingness to die to self for the sake and benefit of the family. If abstinence can strengthen the marital bond then it speaks volumes about the true purposes and motivations behind ABC and sterilization. Because there are other ways to strengthen the marital bond then ABC (including sterilization) isn’t about being able to have sex whenever one wants in order to strengthen the marital bond. Instead, ABC is about being able to have sex whenever one wants for the sake of pleasure.

***

 
The logic of this natural law argument is very evident. How could there not be a problem with artificial contraception?  It goes against the natural order, the gift of fertility and God’s intention for our bodies.  It literally requires some kind of distortion to our bodies (i.e. chemical, surgical, invasive implants) or the distortion of or interference with the act of sex in order to avoid the natural procreative consequences of sex.

Contracepted sex is a lot like the disorder of bulemia. The bulemic wants to enjoy eating all of the food she can without experiencing the possible natural consequences of ingesting so many calories. Contracepted sex is really no different.  But how much more disordered is contracepted sex given the life-giving creative power of sex. The effects of disordered eating are obvious. Eating disorders, left untreated, lead to death. So what are the consequences of distorting the pro-creative purpose of sex?

Some might and have argued that ABC is actually a good thing for marriages. I’m sure most of us thought so, too. But we only have to look at what the advent of the birth control pill and the coinciding sexual revolution has brought with it to see one of the most obvious effects of ABC.

 
One of the little discussed effects of birth control in marriage is the fact that sexual temperance or self-control is no longer necessary nor expected. This is true within marriage and outside of marriage. With the risk of an ”unplanned or unwanted” pregnancy done a way with, the pleasure is for having whenever one wants. And often this happens at the expense of what one spouse might want or might need in the relationship (either emotionally or physcially). How often do we hear about women who feel sexually used even in their marriages because of their husband’s uncontrolled desires?  This speaks to the issue of respect and self-control.

***

One article asked, “Is it any wonder that the message of abstinence and self-control is lost on this generation of youth?” Many adults want to make sure that teens have access to ABC because in they don’t believe that the youth can/will control themselves and abstain from sex. In our society, when it comes to sex, humans have been reduced to mere animals without the ability to reason and have self-control over their bodies.

Now this may not be the case in Christian circles but, as one lady* recalls, “.. as a single woman, I can remember on more than one occasion hearing single Christian men (and even some women) comment about how they couldn’t wait to marry and have sex whenever they wanted. It was as if the fruit of the spirit, self-control, was applicable to single men only or to married men who might be considering an adulterous affair. Otherwise, all bets were off.” 

ABC puts the desire for pleasure above the self-control necessary to abstain when a woman is fertile and a couple wants to avoid pregnancy.

 
Other points made about artificial birth control:

    * The fact that the pill and IUD can cause abortions.
    * The harmful effects of the pill on women’s bodies.
    * The way in which pregnancies and children are viewed and talked about (planned/unplanned, wanted/unwanted). 
    * The increased acceptance of abortion (especially after the advent of the pill). The motivation for which is not far removed from the reasons why people use artifical birth control [i.e.” no one is going to tell me what to do with my body,” financial security, career planning].

****

Here, I’d like to add these words written by the lady I mentioned earlier, “It wasn’t about whether the Catholic Church was right or wrong. And it wasn’t about whether some old celibate man in Rome was going to tell me what to do with my body. It became clear to me this was about knowing God’s will for my life, my body, my marriage and my family. It was about what the Holy Spirit was speaking to depths of my heart about God’s design for sex.

As it turns out I’d only just begun to understand why the Catholic Church was against ABC. The natural law argument and eating analogy showed me the disordered nature of using artificial birth control. To me this argument was compelling in and of itself. But there was more to learn about the Biblical and theological truths as well as the beautiful affirmation of marriage and sex found in this teaching.“

****

Thank you Ms. Amy (First Comes Love), the lady I mentioned above, from whom I copied most of these (almost all actually). She was PRO-CHOICE before, but through constant, even passionate searching for the TRUTH, she has found- that above everything, FIRST COMES LOVE ♥

****

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you! Most blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen +

With Jesus In the Garden of Gethsemane…

Last night was the night that broke my heart. It was the night that my father told us,

“Our president has consented to the Reproductive Health Bill- to the legalization of family planning and nationwide distribution of condoms.”

In a way, we knew this before the elections. The president was unstable with his decisions with regards to this matter. But last night was the night that my heart surrendered to torrents of anguish and pain.

BLESSED MOTHER, YOU SAID THAT YOU’RE IMMACULATE HEART WILL TRIUMPH. WHY DID YOU LET THIS HAPPEN? WHY TO OUR FAMILY? WHY TO OUR CHILDREN?

JESUS, I BEG YOU FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THE INNOCENT CHILDREN- ON THE COLDNESS AND INDIFFERENCE WHICH THEY WILL HAVE TO SUFFER, FOR ALL THE FAMILIES THAT WILL BE BROKEN, HAVE MERCY ON US JESUS! 

While my heart is as hard and cold as stone and it experienced such sorrow, imagine, what Jesus had to go through in the Garden of Gethsemane, thinking of all these? Thinking of the mothers who would gladly kill their children for earthly pleasure, thinking of all the children who are to die, who are to be treated with coldness and repulsiveness instead of love; Thinking of the people who would easily exchange momentary pleasure for eternal life, who would rather choose lust instead of love- perversion instead of holiness, the way to damnation instead of the way to perfection.

Jesus, is this what made your agony so bitter? Is this why you cried out, “Father take this cup away from me…!” ?

But like you, Jesus, help me cry, “Not my will, but Yours, be done.”

To you, O most Merciful, Sweet Jesus, I resign my life- my joys and sufferings, my cross and my Calvary.

Totus tuus ego sum at omnia mea tua sunt +

DYING TO SELF

(a meditation, author unknown)

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely provoked and you don’t sting and dwell on the hurt, the insult or the oversight, but your heart is at peace, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ

–THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When your good is spoken of as evil, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, when you reach out and the door is closed in your face and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patience and with love

– THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any impunctuality, any interruption or any annoyance; when you stand face-to-face with folly, wastefulness, spiritual insensibility and endure it as Jesus endured

–THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any climate, any people, any clothing, any shelter

– THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good words and when you can truly love to be unknown

– THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met and you honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances

 – THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive correction, reproof, encouragement, advice or exhortation from “one of less stature than yourself “and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart

 – THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Dear Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bring me to a place of humility before the cross so that I willingly die to myself in order that I may live in, with and through you alone . Amen.

*from First Comes Love (Thank you!)

The Importance of the Imprimatur and Nihil Obstat

 

An Imprimatur is an official declaration from the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church that a literary or similar work is free from error in matters of Roman Catholic doctrine and morals, and hence acceptable reading for faithful Roman Catholics. Ordinarily an imprimatur is granted by the bishop of a diocese (after a declaration of nihil obstat has been granted by a theologian in regard to the work). On rare occasions, a bishop’s imprimatur may be overruled by higher authorities within the Catholic Church; this happened twice in 1984 and again in 1998.

It is of greatest significance in works directly addressing Roman Catholic theology and doctrine, and was introduced as a measure to reduce exposure, particularly of the laity, to heresy. The presence of the imprimatur was at one time a matter of the greatest concern to many Roman Catholics. (In fact, in some officially Roman Catholic countries, nothing could be legally published without such an imprimatur. This was a form of prior restraint or censorship.) Today it is likely of concern only to more orthodox Roman Catholics; however, it is also required under canon law that all religion textbooks in Catholic schools must have received the imprimatur.

A Roman Catholic imprimatur can consist of up to three stamps, each followed by a signature (name and title):

Imprimi potest (Latin, meaning “it can be printed“) — If the work is that of a member of a religious order, this stamp indicates that it has first been examined and approved by the religious superior or head of the religious order (or a duly appointed representative)

Nihil obstat (Latin, meaning “nothing hinders“) — This stamp indicates that the work has been examined and approved by the censor of the diocese, and that he finds it free of doctrinal or moral error. The censor is often a scholarly priest appointed by the bishop, and it is his task to work back-and-forth with the author of the work to correct any inaccuracies or problems.

Imprimatur (Latin, meaning “let it be printed“) — Finally, this stamp indicates that the work has been approved for printing by the bishop of the diocese, or other ecclesiastical authority.
These “stamps” and “signatures” are simply rendered in plain type on a page at the front of the book (i.e. they are not literal stamps and handwritten signatures), and are often followed by the date and place of signing, as on legal documents.

Following this, some works may also include the following statement:

“The Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat and the Imprimatur agree with the content, opinions or statements expressed.”

(While at first glance this statement might seem contradictory, an example might be that of a Roman Catholic work that offered parenting advice — the advice may not be morally wrong or contradict Roman Catholic doctrine, but it might not reflect the views on parenting of the censor or bishop.)

Imprimaturs are not automatically transferrable to later versions of a work. Any new edition also requires a new imprimatur to be obtained.

The imprimatur can be revoked if, upon further examination, any doctrinal or moral error is found to be contained in the work.

*Some Text from Wikipedia an online co-op encyclopedia.

*Whether you are curious about the Roman Catholic faith; attending the RCIA program, or want to brush up on your Catholicism, these symbols, Imprimatur’s and Nihil Obstat simply mean that the literature is approved for the correct teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.  It doesn’t necessarily mean all Catholic books without these symbols are inappropriate.

Unfortunately, there are many books available that are not the correct teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.  If you are interested in books that do not include these symbols, the best thing to do is to ask your Parish Priest about a particular book before you purchase it, or read it.

Mea culpa.

Mea culpa

Mea culpa

Mea maxima culpa

through my own fault

through my own fault

through my own grievous fault

 Jesus, I’m sorry. Please, be patient with me.

————————————

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with You! Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, please pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen +

Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself

“Write, my daughter, that I am Mercy itself for the contrite soul. A soul’s greatest wretchedness does not enkindle Me with wrath; but rather, My Heart is moved towards it with great mercy.”

“My daughter, write down these words: All those souls who will glorify My mercy and spread its worship, encouraging others to trust in My mercy, will not experience terror at the hour of death. My mercy will shield them in that final battle… My daughter, encourage souls to say the chaplet which I have given to you. It pleases Me to grant everything they ask of Me by saying the chaplet. When hardened sinners say it, I will fill their souls with peace, and the hour of their death will be a happy one.”

“As I write these words, I hear the cry of Satan: “She’s writing everything, she’s writing everything, and because of this we are losing so much! Do not write about the goodness of God; He is just!” And howling with fury, he vanished.”

(Divine Mercy in my soul, Diary of the Servant of God, Sister Faustina Kowalska)

Jesus, Goodness Itself! I have no doubts anymore! You have expelled them! I trust in You Jesus! In Your Most Merciful Heart!

JESUS, KING OF MERCY, I TRUST IN YOU!

Using the name of JESUS in vain.

There is this large group of different “religious” movements growing here in the Philippines (and has apparently flourished in other parts of the world) which uses the Name of Jesus Christ. And yet, when you look at their religion- its interiors, first of all, what is it all about? 

USING THE NAME OF JESUS IN VAIN.

It is changing- “restructuring” the REAL ESSENCE of Christianity. Reformatting the boundless depth and height of the religion Jesus Christ established to fit the modern man. 

Oh no, mortifications are not needed. We’re saved by grace already. Jesus undertook for Himself all that should be undertaken by us. 

Did not Jesus say, “UNLESS THIS GRAIN OF WHEAT FALLS INTO THE GROUND AND DIES, IT REMAINS ALONE, BUT IF IT DIES, IT BEARS MUCH FRUIT.”

Then He said,

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:25)

And what is it that separates a PROTESTANT (They may say they are “born- again” or “Christians” after being dipped in the pool, but they are PROTESTANTS- they shoud know that they protested against the TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST.) from a REAL CHRISTIAN?

 He did not say, “Make sure to read the Book (Bible)!” Because there was NO BIBLE THEN! The Bible was written by the apostles! And even then, not all can be written! “Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written.” -John 21:25

What separates a FALSE Christian from a REAL follower of Christ then is that, the TRUE Christian follows Christ. How? By renouncing everything. By letting our Heavenly Father’s will be done to us rather than our own will.

Do not go bashing our priests then, FALSE followers of Christ! Renounce everything first, then we shall see if you do not realize your own stupidity.

BUT, I am not finished.

A true follower of Christ has the Love Christ has for His Blessed Mother, Mary, the Theotokos, the Mother of God. 

Ah, Mama Mary, gladly and lovingly will I prostrate myself at thy feet in front of all these people and say that it is YOU who saved me from the clutches of Satan! YOU! For so much that I attribute all to You, so much the more will You attribute EVERYTHING to JESUS.

Oh Mystical City of God, House of Gold, Ark of the Covenant, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star!

Who will be bewildered by this statement rather than be inflamed with the Holy Spirit for love of you, Dearest, Purest Mother?

By honoring you, would I be dishonoring Jesus? Are you Jesus’ rival? Are you not the one who first followed and first died to yourself, the one who first conformed your will- your everything- to the will of God? Was it not you, who said, “Behold the hand maid of the Lord, be it done to me according to Thy word.”?

How would someone who loved God- who loved Jesus- this much lead someone away from Him?

We are a wretched people, we love out of NEED. And yet by GRACE, by UNIQUE GRACE bestowed ONLY on the Blessed Virgin Mary, she loved as much as God was willing to be loved by any other human being.

Was it not in your womb that God made flesh desired to be hidden, to be imprisoned for 9 months? Oh Help of Christians, help your children that you may be glorified in us and Jesus may be glorified in You!

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy! Hail, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry poor banished children of Eve, to you do we send up our sighs, mournings and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, O Most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, that after this, our exile, show unto us the Blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus!

O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us O holy Mother of God, that we be made worthy of the promises of Christ!

The more the world converts to secularism, the more does the Church need to cry out "Mercy!"

The more the human conscience succumbs to secularization, loses its sense of the very meaning of the word “mercy,” moves away from God and distances itself from the mystery of mercy, the more the Church has the right and the duty to appeal to the God of mercy “with loud cries.” (Mt 15,23) These “loud cries” should be the mark of the Church of our times…

Modern man often anxiously wonders about the solution to the terrible tensions which have built up in the world and which entangle humanity. And if at times he lacks the courage to utter the word “mercy,” or if in his conscience empty of religious content he does not find the equivalent, so much greater is the need for the Church to utter his word, not only in her own name but also in the name of all the men and women of our time. She must utter an ardent prayer, a cry that implores mercy according to the needs of man in the modern world.

May this cry be full of that truth about mercy which has found such rich expression in Sacred Scripture and in Tradition, as also in the authentic life of faith of countless generations of the People of God. With this cry let us, like the sacred writers, call upon the God who cannot despise anything that He has made, the God who is faithful to Himself, to His fatherhood and His love.

*Encyclical - Dives in misericordia , ch. 8, §15 -Pope John Paul II

© Libreria Editrice Vaticana 

ABORTION BLACKOUT | End abortion by 2020

At eight o’clock I was seized with such violent pains that I had to go to bed at once. I was convulsed with pain for three hours….. No medicine had any effect on me, and whatever I swallowed I threw up. At times, the pain caused me to lose consciousness. Jesus had me realise that in this way I took part in His Agony in the Garden, and that He himself allowed these sufferings in order to offer reparation to God for the souls murdered in the wombs of [their] mothers (Divine Mercy in My Soul, Diary of St. Faustina Kowalska; 1276)

Sign the pledge

1. Pledge to Wear Black on Fridays. Join others and pledge to wear black on Fridays to mourn the lives lost to abortion. This is a very simple way for you to get involved immediately and show others what you believe.
2. Educate. Begin a dialogue with friends and tell them what you believe and why. Use the resources on this site to help educate them. Discuss with your children and teens the truth of what abortion is and how to prevent falling into situations where they would be confronted with having to make those tough choices, and what to do if someone they know is considering having an abortion.
3. Donate $1 a week to make a difference.This is an easy way to make a direct impact in the life of a pregnant mother and her unborn child. Giving just one dollar for every Friday you wear black, will help us spread this cause and help support Pregnancy Resource Centers across the United States. These centers give women real choices that do not include abortion. They help pregnant women by giving them free sonograms, providing them diapers, formula and cribs, etc. They also help women through the adoption process if they choose, and provide them housing if their families have abandoned them.

Sign the pledge, get involved, spread the word.

Ladder to Heaven

If there is a prayer that would surely lead us to Heaven, it is the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

This is HELP at its BEST- because Our Beloved Mother Mary, herself, comes to our aid in whatever situation we may be and will lead us, surely, to her Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

So let us pray to Mary, the Mother of God, like a child running to her mother for help, for refuge, for aid, for guidance when we are in despair; that we may say with Mama Mary and the countless saints who loved her; 

“BEHOLD I AM YOUR SERVANT, O LORD, BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD.”

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From Satanic Priest to Knight of Mary

Blessed Bartolo Longo: Modern Rosary Saint

SINNER. SATANIST. SOCIAL worker. Saint. A strange progression taken by Blessed Bartolo Longo. On February 11, 1841, a sweet tempered physician’s wife of Latiano, Italy, gave birth to a son whom she named Bartolo. Devoted to Our Lord and His Mother, she taught all her children to pray the Rosary daily and to visit and care for the poor, while Dr. Longo instilled in them a love of music and beauty. Bartolo would later describe himself as “a lively and impertinent imp, sometimes rather a rascal.” The priests who educated him found Bartolo to be highly intelligent, cordial, and accommodating although prone to a fiery temper.

When Bartolo was ten, his mother died. Slowly Bartolo began to drift away from his faith. Eventually he studied law from a private tutor, then attended the University of Naples to complete his education. It wasn’t the same University of Naples where St. Thomas Aquinas taught, but a dangerous place for Bartolo’s young mind. Searching for meaning in life, Bartolo became emneshed in the political movements and spiritism so popular with college students at that time in Italy. Deeply involved with a satanic sect, Bartolo aspired to the satanic priesthood, so he entered upon a long preparation of studies, fastings, and mortifications. On the night of his ordination by a satanic bishop, the walls of the “church” shook with thunder while blasphemous, disembodied shrieks knifed the air. Bartolo fainted with fright and for a while afterwards was deeply tormented and physically ill. Despite this depression and nervousness, he exercised his satanic priesthood by preaching, officiating at satanic rites, and publicly ridiculing Catholicism and everyone and everything connected with it.

During these bleak years, the Longo family was besieging heaven for their wayward member. One day Bartolo seemed to hear the voice of his dead father begging him to return to God. Troubled, he paid a visit to one of his friends from Latiano, Professor Vincenzo Pepe, who was living and teaching near Naples. Shocked by Bartolo’s appearance, Pepe exclaimed, “Do you want to die in an insane asylum and be damned forever?” When Bartolo admitted his mental confusion, Pepe took him under his wing. He introduced the troubled young man to many holy people who gave him support and counsel. One of these was a well-educated Dominican priest, Alberto Radente, who gave Bartolo a detailed course in the Catholic faith which included the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. After much study, prayer, and a lengthy confession, Bartolo was again admitted to the sacraments. On the feast of the Annunciation, March 25, 1871, he was professed into the Third Order of St. Dominic and given the name of Brother Rosary in recognition of his favorite daily prayer.

To complete his break with satanism, the new convert made one final visit to a seance, held up a medal of Our Lady, and cried out that he renounced spiritism because it was “a maze of error and falsehood.” He then went to student parties and cafes, denouncing the “religion” he had formerly embraced and proclaiming his faith in the Catholic Church. This was a brave thing to do as the Catholic Church was, at that time, being suppressed. He considered becoming a priest but was discouraged by both friends and his spiritual director. After making a retreat, he discerned not to marry, but rather to devote himself unreservedly to God and Our Lady. He was later to write:

“I place myself, my God, in Your hands; as a son I abandon myself to Your Fatherly embrace; roll and roll again this mud, it has nothing to say; it is enough that it serve Your designs and not resist Your Will for which I was made. Ask, command, prohibit. What do You wish that I do, or that I not do? Lifted up, knocked down, suffering, dedicated to Your works by sacrificing my will to Yours, I can only say, as did Mary: ‘Behold I am your servant. O Lord, let it be done to me according to your Word.”

Friar Radente told Bartolo that he had to repair the damage he had caused to others, so he joined his pious friends in caring for the poor, sick, and needy. One of this pious group was the wealthy widow Countess Mariana di Fusco. The Countess commissioned Bartolo, who was a lawyer, to collect the rent from poor farmers on a vast tract of land she owned near the ancient city of Pompeii. She needed the money to support her five children. In 1872, Bartolo arrived in marshy Pompeii, accompanied by two armed escorts to protect him from bandits that overran the area. He was shocked and filled with pity at the ignorance, lack of faith, superstition, poverty, and moral corruption of the people. The aging priest in a decaying church rarely saw any parishioners. People and animals slept together in ramshackle, filthy quarters. How could Bartolo help? Bartolo later wrote,

“One day in the fields around Pompeii called Arpaia. . .I recalled my former condition as a priest of Satan. Father Alberto had told me repeatedly never again to think of, or reflect on (this), but I thought that perhaps as the priesthood of Christ is for eternity, so also the priesthood of Satan is for eternity.

“So, despite my repentance, I thought: I am still consecrated to Satan, and I am still his slave and property as he awaits me in Hell. As I pondered over my condition, I experienced a deep sense of despair and almost committed suicide. Then I heard an echo in my ear of the voice of Friar Alberto repeating the words of the Blessed Virgin Mary: ‘One who propagates my Rosary shall be saved.’ These words certainly brought an illumination to my soul. Falling to my knees, I exclaimed: ‘If your words are true that he who propagates your Rosary will be saved, I shall reach salvation because I shall not leave this earth without propagating your Rosary.’ At that moment the little bell of the parish church rang out, inviting the people to pray the Angelus. This incident was like a signature to my firm decision.”

Later he wrote, “What is my vocation? To write about Mary, to have Mary praised, to have Mary loved.”

Bartolo lost no time. He made repeated trips to the Valley of Pompeii to teach the people how to pray the Rosary. Beginning in 1873, he organized a yearly Rosary feast, incorporating music, fireworks, races, and a lottery into it. In 1875, as part of a parish mission, he invited a group of priests to speak about devotion to the Rosary. To conclude the mission, he promised to display a painting of Our Lady of the Rosary, and the painting that he obtained has been the cause of numerous miracles of healing. He constructed a church to hold this image and then, around it, an entire city dedicated to helping orphans and the poor. He also wrote books about the Rosary and composed novenas and a prayer manual. In all of these works, he was assisted by the Countess. When evil rumors began to spread about the relationship between the widow and the handsome, intelligent lawyer, Bartolo and the Countess consulted their friend Pope Leo XIII, a great devotee of the Rosary. “Lawyer, you are free; Countess, you are a widow; get married and no one can say anything against you.” So on April 7, 1885, they were married. In this chaste union, for Bartolo had taken a vow of chastity, the couple continued their charitable works until the Countess’s death in 1924.

Bartolo was tireless in his work. He founded a congregation of Dominican nuns to help educate the orphans in his city and also brought in the Christian Brothers for the boys. He urged people to learn the catechism and worked to have defined by Rome the doctrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. After laboring fifty years for his “Lady,” Bartolo was the object of calumny and slander as lies spread about his mishandling of funds. He bore these with resignation and was cleared of all charges. In 1906, Bartolo turned all his property, including his own personal property, over to the Holy See. He then assisted the new head of the administration and continued to work in the city he had built, but only as a humble employee. He remained at his work at the Shrine until he was 85-years-old, ever promoting the Rosary and going to confession twice weekly.

Over the years his prayer had become so intense that one of those who saw him could say, “I often saw him with his arms outstretched and his eyes fixed on heaven or on the image of Our Lady, or even with his eyes half-closed, totally enraptured without being aware of those around or near him.” Asked if he saw the Blessed Mother, Bartolo would answer, “Yes, but not as she is in heaven.” During his last hours on October 5, 1926, he prayed the Rosary, surrounded by the orphans whom he so loved. “My only desire is to see Mary, who has saved me and who will save me from the clutches of Satan,” he said with his final breath. On October 26, 1980, Pope John Paul II pronounced Bartolo Longo Blessed, calling him the “Man of Mary.”

(Written by Madeline Pecora Nugent, SFO)