City
of Santa Fé, in New Mexico, USA.
A mystery of over 130 years and attracting around 250 thousand
visitors every year. Point of attention : Loretto Chapel
What makes this chapel different from all others is that the
subject of the supposed miracle that took place in it is a
Staircase....
SCRIPTURES
People Mark 1:40-45 And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, If you will, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, I will; be clean. And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, and said to him, See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people. But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
FEB 18th - ASH WEDNESDAY MARKS THE FIRST DAY OF LENT
For this year, 2013, Feb 13 will be Ash Wednesday and to those who will attend the Mass will be marked on the forehead with a cross of ashes as a sign of penitence and mortality. Putting a cross mark on the forehead was an imitation of the spiritual mark or seal that is put on a Christian in baptism. This is when the newly born Christian is delivered from slavery to sin and the devil, and made a slave of righteousness and Christ (Rom. 6:3-18).
Ashes are biblical symbol of mourning and penance. In Bible times the custom was to fast, wear sackcloth, sit in dust and ashes, and put dust and ashes on one's head. Blessed ashes having been used in God's rituals since the time of Moses (Numbers 19:9-10, 17).
Symbolism
The marking of their forehead with a cross made of ashes reminds each churchgoer that; (1) God made the first human being by breathing life into dust, and without God, human beings are nothing more than dust and ashes, (2) the phrase often used when the ashes are administered reminds Christians of the doctrine of original sin and (3) the cross of ashes may symbolize the way Christ's sacrifice on the cross as atonement for sin replaces the Old Testament tradition of making burnt offerings to atone for sin.
As the ashes are being administered, is for the priest to say "Turn away from sin and believe in the gospel"this is for us to reflect on our sins and do penance during the Lenten season.
The ashes used on Ash Wednesday are made by burning the palms that were blessed on the previous year of Palm Sunday. The ash is sometimes mixed with anointing oil, which makes sure that the ashes make a good mark. The use of anointing oil also reminds the churchgoer of God's blessings and of the anointing that took place at their baptism
From the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy:
The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent.
FEAST OF STS. MICHAEL, GABRIEL, AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS – SEPTEMBER 29th
The feast of the three archangels- Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael- will be commemorated on September 29.
St.
Michael whose name means "Who is like God" was the archangel who fought
against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of
God. He is the protector of all humanity from the snares of the devil.
St. Gabriel which means "Strength of God" announced to Zachariah the
forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus.
His greeting to the Virgin, "Hail, full of grace," is one of the most
familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people. St Raphael
meaning "Medicine of God" is the archangel who took care of Tobias on
his journey.
Prayer links with the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, please click on the following links:
RomanRaccolta, July 23, 1898, supplement approved July 31, 1902,
London: Burnes, Oates & Washbourne Ltd., 1935, 12th edition.
Original - Prayer to St. Michael
"O
Glorious Prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, defend
us in the battle and in the terrible warfare that we are waging against
the principalities and powers, against the rulers of this world of
darkness, against the evil spirits. Come to the aid of man, whom
Almighty God created immortal, made in His own image and likeness, and
redeemed at a great price from the tyranny of Satan.
"Fight
this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as
already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and
his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there
place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is
called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into
the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men
has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about
with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order
to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and
cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal
glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom
of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of
lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity,
and of every vice and iniquity.
"These
most crafty enemies have filled and inebriated with gall and bitterness
the Church, the spouse of the immaculate Lamb, and have laid impious
hands on her most sacred possessions. In the Holy Place itself, where
the See of Holy Peter and the Chair of Truth has been set up as the
light of the world, they have raised the throne of their abominable
impiety, with the iniquitous design that when the Pastor has been
struck, the sheep may be.
"Arise
then, O invincible Prince, bring help against the attacks of the lost
spirits to the people of God, and give them the victory. They venerate
thee as their protector and patron; in thee holy Church glories as her
defense against the malicious power of hell; to thee has God entrusted
the souls of men to be established in heavenly beatitude. Oh, pray to
the God of peace that He may put Satan under our feet, so far conquered
that he may no longer be able to hold men in captivity and harm the
Church. Offer our prayers in the sight of the Most High, so that they
may quickly find mercy in the sight of the Lord; and vanquishing the
dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, do thou again
make him captive in the abyss, that he may no longer seduce the nations.
Amen.
V. Behold the Cross of the Lord; be scattered ye hostile powers.
R. The Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered the root of David.
V. Let Thy mercies be upon us, O Lord.
R. As we have hoped in Thee.
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.
R. And let my cry come unto Thee.
Let us pray.
O
God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we call upon Thy holy Name,
and as supplicants, we implore Thy clemency, that by the intercession of
Mary, ever Virgin Immaculate and our Mother, and of the glorious St.
Michael the Archangel, Thou wouldst deign to help us against Satan and
all the other unclean spirits who wander about the world for the injury
of the human race and the ruin of souls. Amen."
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When humans lose touch with God, The Mother of Jesus Weeps.
Why is Our Lady weeping in Korea ?
Why she loves us and warns us.
http://www.marys-touch.com/
About Fr. Rookey's Passing - A Saintly Healing Priest
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Fr. Peter M. Rookey, OSM.Fr. Peter died peacefully in his sleep in the overnight hours of September 9-10, 2014, at Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery, Chicago, IL. The friars of the community had gathered around his bed to offer prayers.Born in Superior, WI, October 12, 1916, he was ninety-seven years of age. He entered the Order at Hillside, IL, in 1930 and was a priest for seventy-three years. (VISIT http://www.servite.org/about/InternationalCompassionMinistry.aspx)
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.
FEBUARY 11 FEAST DAY OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES On this day we also remember and offer prayers for those who are sick and suffering.
FEBUARY 17 SEVEN FOUNDERS OF THE ORDERS OF SERVITES
Seven members of Florentine Confraternity founded the Order of Servites of the blessed Virgin Mary.
FEBUARY 21 PETER DAMIAN Bishop and Doctor of the Church. "Let us faithfully transmit to posterity the example of virtue which.
FEBUARY 22
CHAIR OF ST. PETER Since early times, the Roman Church has had a special commemoration of the primatial authority of St. Peter.
PHOTO
OF THE MONTH
Tour
of the Relics of the Passion (International Center
for Holy Relics) www.HolyRelics.org
St. Joseph
“Dear brothers and sisters, our meditation
on the human and spiritual journey of Saint Joseph invites
us to ponder his vocation in all its richness, and to see
him as a constant model for all those who have devoted their
lives to Christ in the priesthood, in the consecrated life
or in the different forms of lay engagement. Joseph was
caught up at every moment by the mystery of the Incarnation.
Not only physically, but in his heart as well, Joseph reveals
to us the secret of a humanity which dwells in the presence
of mystery and is open to that mystery at every moment of
everyday life. In Joseph, faith is not separated from action.
His faith had a decisive effect on his actions. Paradoxically,
it was by acting, by carrying out his responsibilities,
that he stepped aside and left God free to act, placing
no obstacles in his way. Joseph is a just man
(Mt 1:19) because his existence is adjusted
to the word of God.” Pope Bendict XVI, March 18,
2009
People 
"Fight
this day the battle of the Lord, together with the holy angels, as
already thou hast fought the leader of the proud angels, Lucifer, and
his apostate host, who were powerless to resist thee, nor was there
place for them any longer in Heaven. That cruel, ancient serpent, who is
called the devil or Satan who seduces the whole world, was cast into
the abyss with his angels. Behold, this primeval enemy and slayer of men
has taken courage. Transformed into an angel of light, he wanders about
with all the multitude of wicked spirits, invading the earth in order
to blot out the name of God and of His Christ, to seize upon, slay and
cast into eternal perdition souls destined for the crown of eternal
glory. This wicked dragon pours out, as a most impure flood, the venom
of his malice on men of depraved mind and corrupt heart, the spirit of
lying, of impiety, of blasphemy, and the pestilent breath of impurity,
and of every vice and iniquity.
