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.
For this year, 2017 March 1st 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.
The Miracle Prayer by Fr Peter Rookey Lord Jesus, l come before You, just as I am. I am sorry for my sins, I repent of my sins, please forgive me In Your name, I forgive all others for what they have done against me. I renounce Satan, the evil spirits and all their works. l give You my entire self. Lord Jesus, now and forever, I invite You into my life Jesus, I accept You as my Lord, God and Saviour. Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul and spirit. Come Lord Jesus cover me with Your precious blood, and fill me with Your Holy Spirit, I love You Lord Jesus. I praise You Jesus. I thank You Jesus. I shall follow You every day of my life. Amen.
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.
JUNE 1 ST. JUSTIN, MARTYR (165). He lived in Palestine. He was converted to the Catholic Faith by the reading of Holy Scripture.
JUNE 2 STS. MARCELLINUS AND PETER (304).
Marcellinus was a priest and Peter an exorcist (one of the minor orders), who both lived in Rome and labored there under the cruel Emperor Diocletian.
JUNE 3 ST. CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS (1886-1887). These were 22 young men and boys, from 13 to 30 years old, who were marÂtyred for the Catholic Faith in Uganda in Africa after undergoing cruel torments.
JUNE 3
ST. CLOTILDE (545) St. Clotilde was a queen, the wife of King Clovis of the Franks. Her husband brought the French people as a nation into the Catholic Church in 496, when he was baptized at Rheims by St. Remigius. Her husband died in 511, and St. Clotilde was left a widow for 34 years.
JUNE 4
ST. FRANCIS CARACCIOLO (1608). He was born of a royal family in the King - dom of Naples. As a little boy he started reciting the rosary daily. Very early in his life he contracted leprosy, and was miraculously cured of it. Francis spent every possible moment of his life in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
JUNE 5
ST. BONIFACE (755). Saint Boniface was born in England, in 680. His name in English was Winfrid, which in Latin is translated to Boniface, and means "he who does good.
JUNE 6
ST. NORBERT (1134).
He was born near Cologne, in Germany, and was educated at the court of the emperor. After a somewhat worldly life, he was struck down one day by lightning while riding on a horse.
JUNE 6
ST.PHILIP THE DEACON (FIRST CENTURY).
He was one of the Seven Deacons ordained by the Apostles, as we are told in the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 6.
JUNE 7
ST. ROBERT OF NEWMINISTER (1159).
He was an English priest from York - shire, England, who became a Cistercian monk.
JUNE 7
ST. WILLIBALD
St. Willibald was a bishop and missionary. A native of Wessex, England, he was the brother of Sts. Winebald and Walburga and was related through his mother to the great St. Boniface.
JUNE 8
ST.MEDARD AND GILDARD (558).
These two French saints were twin brothers, as we are told in the Roman Martyrology.
JUNE 9
ST. EPHREM (373).
St. Ephrem the Syrian is both a Father and a Doctor of the Church. He was born in Mesopotamia, not far from the place where Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden.
JUNE 9
ST. COLUMKILLE (597).
St. Columbkille, also known as Columba, was born in Donegal, Ireland, on the feast of St. Ambrose, on December 7. Columbkille founded many monasteries and churches not only in Ireland, but in Scotland as well.
JUNE 10
BLESSED DIANA (1236).
She was a Dominican nun, a native of Bologna, Italy. Despite opposition from her noble born family, Diana gave up the world to follow Jesus and became a nun.
JUNE 10
ST.GETULIUS.
St. Getulius was martyred with Amantius, Caerealis, and Primitivus.
JUNE 11
ST. BARNABAS (60).
St. Barnabas was the cousin of St. Mark the Evan-gelist.
JUNE 12
ST. JOHN OF ST. FACUNDO (1479).
He was born in northern Spain, in the town of St. Facundo. He was a brilliant and attractive young boy, educated in the household of a bishop, and became one of the Hermits of St. Augustine.
JUNE 12
ST. LEO III.
St. Leo III is remembered as Charlemagne's pope. The cardinal priest of Santa Susanna, Leo was unanimously elected to the papal see in 795.
JUNE 13
ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA (1231).
There is no more loved and admired saint of the Catholic Church than Anthony of Padua. Though his work was in Italy, he was born in Portugal.
JUNE 14
ST. ELISEUS (NINTH CENTURY B.C).
He was an Old Testament prophet, the disciple and companion of St. Elias.
JUNE 15
ST. VITUS (303).
Vitus, whose name can also be Guy, was a child saint, entrusted by his pagan parents to the care of a Catholic nurse, Crescentia, and her husband, Modestus.
JUNE 15
ST. GERMAINE COUSIN (1601).
She was the daughter of a poor farmer who lived near Toulouse in France.
JUNE 16
ST. JOHN FRANCIS REGIS (1640).
He was one of the greatest priests of the Society of Jesus.
JUNE 17
ST. BOTOLPH (680).
Botolph was a Benedictine, and an Englishman, with over 70 churches dedicated to him in England. An English town, origiÂnally called Saint Botolphstown.
JUNE 18
STS. MARK AND MARCELLIAN (THIRD CENTURY).
They were twin brothers and deacons of the Church at Rome who were martyred under Diocletian.
JUNE 19
ST. ROMUALD (1027).
He was a Benedictine monk, and later an abbot. He was the founder of the Camaldolese Order of the Benedictines in 1024. This saint's life was written by another holy man, Saint Peter Damian, Doctor of the Church.
JUNE 20
ST. SILVERIUS (538).
This 60th Pope of the Catholic Church suffered great persecution for defending the dogmatic truths of the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ.
JUNE 21
ST. ALOYSIUS GONZAGA (1591).
He was born on March 9, 1568, and is the model of the virtue of holy purity for all young Catholic boys.
JUNE 22
ST. PAULINUS OF NOLA (431).
Paulinus was born at Bordeaux, France, of one of its noblest and wealthiest families. He was appointed by the Roman Emperor, Prefect of all France.
JUNE 22
ST. THOMAS MORE (1535).
He was the wonderful English martyr, Chancellor of the Realm, who was beheaded on Tower Hill, just outside London.
JUNE 23
ST.AUDREY (ETHELDREDA) (679).
St. Audrey was an East Anglian princess, and later a queen. Driven to do so by her parents, she first married a prince named Tonbert, who died three years after their marriage.
JUNE 24
THE NATIVITY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST (1 B.C).
John the Baptist was the miraculous son of Sts. Zachary and Elizabeth, given to them when Elizabeth was well beyond the years of childbearing.
JUNE 25
ST. WILLIAM THE ABBOT (1142).
St. William the Abbot (1142).
Of the many saints and holy people named William, none is better remembered than St. William of Monte Vergine, in Italy.
JUNE 26
ST. JOHN AND PAUL (362).
Sts. John and Paul (362).
These two notable Roman soldiers were martyred under the rule of the cruel Julian the Apostate. They were executed for refusing to support Julian's defection from the dogÂmatic truths of the Catholic Church.
JUNE 27
ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA (444).
A Doctor of the Church, St. Cyril was "the soul of the Council of Ephesus" in 431.
JUNE 28
ST. LRENAEUS (202).
This great saint was born to Christian parents in Asia Minor, and died when he was 72, the same age as Our Lady at her death. Irenaeus is one of the Fathers of the Church and is sometimes called "the father of Catholic theology.
JUNE 29
ST. PETER AND PAUL(67).
Peter the Apostle, the first Pope of the Catholic Church, was the son of a fisherman in Galilee, named Jona.
JUNE 30
ST.THE FIRST MARTYRS OF ROME(64).
On this day the Church lovingly remembers the first fruits of the martyrs of the Church at Rome.
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.
