Tag Archives: Prayer

Prayer for the election of a new Pope

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Heavenly Father, We, the People of God, gathered in solidarity as did the disciples in the Upper Room, pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the cardinals who will be in conclave for the election of the next Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the hearts of our cardinals be open to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, beyond any human judgment, to elect the candidate most pleasing to You, Heavenly Father, and who will guide the Church at this momentous time in history at the beginning of the Third Millennium.

We invoke our Mother Mary, united in prayer with the disciples in the Upper Room, to intercede for our cardinals to select the next Holy Father in docility to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, her divine Spouse. Holy Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, we entrust this conclave to your maternal and Immaculate Heart, and offer these prayers for your guidance and protection over the choosing of the next Vicar of your Son:

1 Our Father
1 Hail Mary
1 Glory Be

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

St Peter, and all the Holy Apostles and their Saintly successors, pray for us!

For a PDF of this prayer to print and distribute:

ConclavePDF

 

When the doctors don’t know what to do next

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The mystery of suffering is one that stumps us all. It is very easy to know objectively that suffering has great merit in God’s eyes, and that it is an essential part of the process of purifying our souls. However when acute pain strikes our first impulse is to panic. When chronic pain strikes our first response tends to be ‘Why me?’. Often dealing with suffering is harder when we have to watch someone we love go through it.

Back on 20 Jun 2012 I told you about our friend K. On 22 June she came though the lengthy neurological operation to place a further stent in her brain. Coming through it is one thing – and a rather big thing – but signs that the operation has benefited her condition are hard to find. Horrible new pains have begun, and CT scans are unable to reveal the cause of the pains in this case. The doctors don’t know what to do next, and any further medical interventions would definitely call into the category of ‘extraordinary’ and ‘disproportionate’.

This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says (2278): ‘ Discontinuing medical procedures that are burdensome, dangerous, extraordinary, or disproportionate to the expected outcome can be legitimate, it is the refusal of ‘over zealous’ treatment. Here one does not wish to cause death ; one’s inability to impede it is merely accepted. The decisions should be made by the patient if he is competent and able or, if not, by those legally entitled to act for the patient, whose reasonable will and legitimate interests must always be respected.’

Most of us, thankfully, are not experiencing acute stabbing pains in the head that come and go, as K is. Knowing that the doctors have said that any further treatment would it itself be invasive and extensive (a shunt, perhaps even removal of part of the frontal part of the skull), and that even these measures may not give her relief, puts K and her family into looking at the ramifications of discontinuing further surgical attempts to help her. It is a very hard road to be on. Choosing to let nature take its course, and not knowing how long, nor how painful and distressing that course will be, is a very hard thing to do. The accounts the doctors have given of people dying this way are heart wrenching.

Others must be facing similar difficult life and death decisions. They need our prayers. Those who face an extraordinarily difficult road to eternity need our prayers. The parents, siblings and loved ones who accompany them on this journey need our prayers, too. One day, we ourselves might be in a similar situation.

At times like these, renewing our trust in the Mercy of Jesus that He won’t permit anything that He won’t give us the grace to handle, is the only way to peace. Before us He has placed a loved one whose sufferings mirror His own sufferings on the Cross. He knows that we need visible reminders of what he has undergone for us, and that we should receive them as an immense gift when they come along. May He give us the grace to stay close like Mary and John did, offering the sufferings of our loved one to the Father to obtain Mercy for many. May He give our suffering loved ones the grace to unite their sufferings with His and to trust that He will call ‘enough’ at the most perfect time. And should He grant a miracle, – like he did for the long-suffering woman with the haemorrhage, or for the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5) – may He grant us the grace to appreciate it fully and to give Him all the thanks, honour and glory that are His due. 

These two Prayers of Resignation come from Fr Lawrence G. Lovasick’s magnificent book, ‘Jesus Joy of the Suffering’ c.1964. May they be of help to those suffering and for those looking after them :

‘O my God, I accept from Your hands whatever You wish to send me, health or sickness, joy or sorrow, comfort or suffering. I know that You, my infinitely loving Father, will allow nothing that is not for Your glory and for my good. I offer all things for Your good pleasure. I take all things in obedience to Your divine Will. Do with me what You wish, in this short life, O Father of infinite goodness, but bring me safely by Your mercy and protection to the happiness of Your home in Heaven. Amen.’

‘My God, lover of the sick and the afflicted, since I am cast down on my bed of pain, I cannot pray as much as I desire. Accept each pain, each heartbeat, each tear, each sigh, as an act of love, of submission to Your holy Will, and of sorrow for my sins. My heart shall supply what my lips cannot do. Accept my good will for the deed, and let my sufferings be blessed in Your sight. Mary, Mother of Sorrows, help me to bear sickness and infirmity, and all the pains that accompany them, patiently and humbly and resignedly, after the wonderful model of patience that you, my Mother, have given me, Amen.’ 

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us.  

 

A day to give thanks

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Today, 25 Jun 2012, marks the 31st anniversary of the reported apparitions of Our Lady to six youngsters in Medjugorje. While we wait for the Church to give its definitive judgment, it is only right that we give thanks to God for all of the blessings and graces received by us and by many others that have the events at Medjugorje at their source.

After reading so many glowing things about Medjugorje, we were able to visit for the first – and so far only – time in the year 2000. We went out of season when the crowds were low and had a few challenges to deal with which made the visit less than ideal. (Moral of the story : avoid going with high expectations, as soon as a pilgrimage there becomes likely stop reading anything written about the place.) Nevertheless, those few moments each evening when a church packed with people goes totally silent and each heart places all of their deepest longings and desires into the safe hands of the Mother of Jesus, and through her to God, are precious and treasured. It was good, because of the numbers of generous priests there, to be able to make a confession at a greater depth and length than usual.

Without Medjugorje would the ancient tradition of fasting on bread and water on Fridays have been lost to modern generations? Most probably. It has only been the continuous gentle encouragement to give fasting a go, coming from Medjugorje, that has enabled many to take up the challenge – and to keep at it regularly.  

The many graces that come from the ancient tradition of picking out a patron Saint at the start of each new year can trace their renewal back to Medjuorje and Sr Emmanuel.

Would we have been inspired to think about holy Mass as ‘the gift of the day’, and have been challenged by ‘long for it to begin’ without the Messages coming through Medjugorje? I think not.

“Dear Children! I want Holy Mass to be the gift of the day for you. Go to it; long for it to begin, because Jesus gives Himself to you in the Holy Mass. So, live for this moment when you are purified. Pray much that the Holy Spirit will renew your parish. If the people attend Holy Mass in a half-hearted fashion, they return home with cold, empty hearts. Thank you for having responded to my call.” Our Lady at Medjugorje 30th March 1984

At regular intervals the reported Messages request that we make reading Sacred Scripture a part of our lives. Would we have actually done something about it if we hadn’t been reminded so often? Probably not. So we owe many of the graces we receive each night as we read a chapter of Scripture to Our Lady’s encouragement.

Rare indeed is the Message coming out of Medjugorje which doesn’t mention prayer, and prayer that comes from the heart and not from superficial places. Prayer is the key ingredient our spiritual lives need in order to find the path that leads us to eternal life with God – and not apart from him. Just like a good Mother, Our Lady doesn’t shy away from nagging about the things that are essential for life, health and happiness. If you still haven’t made a place for prayer in your life, give her daily recommendation of an Apostles Creed, 7 Our Fathers, 7 Hail Marys and 7 Glory Bes a go.

Where would we be without the encouragement of Our Lady’s presence, and her reminders that she is with us, praying with us and interceding for us constantly? How many good things would we not have attempted if we didn’t have that loving encouragement in the background? 

We give thanks, too, for all of the magazines and websites which promote Our Lady’s messages. How many regular religious publications are going strong today because they took on the challenge of transmitting the Messages? I know I depend on them for regular doses of inspiring stories and news about the what is going on in the world of private revelation.

How many people are sitting with us at daily Mass and Sunday Mass because of a conversion initiated through Medjugorje? At least half of them, and probably far more.

So we give thanks for all of these wonderful blessings and graces flowing from Medjugorje, knowing that there are far many more that we have barely touched upon.

Our Lady, Queen of Peace, thank you. Please continue to pray for us.

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for Pentecost with Our Lady

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In only a few days time the Church universal will be celebrating the great Solemnity of Pentecost. On that first Pentecost all of the believers were gathered together in constant prayer with the Mother of Jesus (cf Acts 1:14). It follows that if we want to come into deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit then we need to make a special place in our lives for the Woman the Holy Spirit overshadowed to bring about the extra ordinary event of the Incarnation of Jesus.

The great Saints all share traits in common : profound love for the Eucharist, meditation upon the Passion, devotion to the Holy Souls in Purgatory, humility, thirst for the graces which come with suffering, a commitment to hours of daily prayer, an apostolate of service towards others and especially an ardent love for Our Lady. Of all the Saints, she is one who can best teach us how to love Jesus, she is the one most able to help us to grow in holiness. The kind of holiness that Jesus wants for us cannot be obtained without her assistance.

The Catechism of St Pius X teaches: Question. What do the Saints teach us on devotion to Mary? Answer. Regarding devotion to Mary the Saints teach us that those who are truly devout to her are loved and protected by her with a most tender Mother’s love, and that with her help they are sure to find Jesus and obtain Paradise. 

This next excerpt comes from ‘To the Priests, Our Lady’s beloved sons’, 22 May 1988, from a and e. ‘On this day of Pentecost of the Marian Year, consecrated to me, I am calling upon you to unite your prayer to that of your heavenly Mother, to obtain the great gift of the Second Pentecost….I am calling upon you all today to enter into the cenacle of my Heart. Thus you will be prepared to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which will transform you and make you the instruments with which Jesus will establish His reign.’

So the best preparation for Pentecost is to unite our prayers to those of Our Lady, joining her in begging the Holy Spirit to send those charisms upon us which will help bring about the kingdom of God and dispell the rampant secularism and atheism of our times.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has this to say (from sections 723, 724 and 725) : ‘In Mary, the Holy Spirit fulfills the plan of the Father’s goodness…In Mary, the Holy Spirit manifests the Son of the Father, now become the Son of the Virgin….Finally, through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, the objects of God’s merciful love, into communion with Christ. And the humble are always the first to accept Him.’

So if we want to come into the fulness of communion with Jesus, we need the aid of the Holy Spirit and the aid of Mary, His Mother.

To begin, renew or strength our relationship with Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother it is very fruitful to pray a prayer of consecration. This one from St Francis de Sales is a favourite of mine:

Consecration to Our Lady (Prayer of St Francis de Sales)

Most holy Mary, virgin Mother of God, most unworthy though I am to be your servant, yet moved by your Motherly care for me and longing to serve you, I choose you this day to be my Queen, my Advocate, and my Mother. I firmly resolve ever to be devoted to you and to do what I can to encourage others to be devoted to you.  My loving Mother, through the Precious Blood of your Son Jesus shed for me, I beg you to receive me as your servant forever. Aid me in my actions and beg for me the grace never by word or deed or thought to be displeasing in your sight and that of your most holy Son. Remember me, dearest Mother, and do not abandon me at the hour of death. Amen.

Our Lady, Help of Christians, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us.

 

 

Unconquered Athlete of Christ

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Today, 16 May 2012, is the 355th anniversary of the death of St Andrew Bobola (a.k.a. Andreas, Andrzej), a Polish martyr and priest of the Society of Jesus. By God’s grace he conquered his own temperament, conquered souls with the love of Jesus and conquered the tortures of one of the most brutal martyrdoms on record.

St Andrew Bobola was born in 1591 in the Polish district of Sandomira, into a family with noble roots. From them he received excellent Christian example and a thorough education. He was sent to the Jesuit school near Vilnius. The holiness of the lives of the Jesuits who taught there must have made a good impression upon Andrew, because by the time he was 20 he had entered the novitiate. Interested not only in the studies for the priesthood, but also in attaining holiness, Andrew sought to grow closer to God through prayer and the acquisition of humility. Growing in humility wasn’t an easy task for Andrew because naturally he was inclined to pride, impatience and obstinacy.

Step by step he grew closer to the Heart of Jesus, through long hours before the tabernacle and generous service to the needy. In 1622 Andrew was ordained to the priesthood and with increasing ardour sought to bring as many souls as possible back to the Divine Redeemer. The closer his union with Jesus, the more effective his ministry was to souls. To which ever parish or Jesuit centre he was send, Andrew brought about spiritual renewal and called forth the laity to prayer and fellowship in the sodalities of the time and to service as catechists and as visitors to the poor and sick. Thus when plagues hit the region in 1624 and 1629 Andrew had a ready army of holy helpers to lead in ministering to those struck by these sicknesses.

By 1630 Andrew’s thirst to bring souls back into full communion with the Catholic Church was gathering pace. At the parish of Bobruisk he got stuck into building a church, because the lack of one was drawing people over to the Orthodox Church. From 1636 he was released from parish work and started missionary work, with the prime focus of helping people return to the Catholic faith. Often whole villages returned to the Catholic faith through his zeal and preaching. 

Around the age of 52, Andrew’s health deserted him, and he wasn’t able to minister to as many souls. For someone as on fire for the salvation of souls as he was, this would have been a great trial. By the age of 58, (1649), Andrew was healthy enough to return to preaching. Not only did he get them to reconcile with God, but also with each other – thus diffusing disputes and healing divisions.

Meanwhile the Cossacks were mustering on the borders and eager to wipe out Jews and Catholics. When the Cossacks came, the Jesuits had to leave all their buildings and retreat into swampy districts. Andrew didn’t go with them, but returned to places he had visited urging the people to keep the fullness of faith that they had embraced. Where ever he went souls returned to God, and this earned him hostility from several quarters.

With the Cossacks working hard to eradicate Catholicism and Russian troops invading, it was inevitable that Andrew would one day be arrested. It happened at Pinsk  in 1657 that he was taken into custody shortly before the Ascension. He was 76 yeas old and about to undergo a long and savage martyrdom. To his torturers he witnessed his faith in Jesus and his immense desire that their souls be saved from hell. Reading the lives of the early martyrs of Christianity, modern ears tend to discount the extent of the tortures they went through. This cannot be the case for Andrew because God decided to preserve his body incorrupt as a witness to the horrible things done to him and as a witness to His own almighty power to suspend the normal laws of decomposition. Andrew was burned, half- strangled, mutilated, partly skinned alive, an eye torn out, stabbed in the chest and finally dispatched with the sword.

It was 40 years after Andrew’s death that God permitted him to appear to the rector of a school for the purpose of showing the rector where his body was. From then on his incorrupt body was several times moved from place to place and now resides in a Jesuit church at Cracow, Poland. Over 400 miracles have been attested through Andrew’s intercession. May his prayers help us to conquer our weaknesses and to draw many souls back to Holy Mother Church and the successor of St Peter.

Prayer

Saint Andrew Bobola, in this Hour of Darkness – Pray for us. We pray for your intercession before our Most Glorious Lord Jesus Christ that we may have the strength to endure the unendurable…the protection of the Great God Almighty in the midst of persecution and the grace to accept His will.. whatever that may be. St Andrew stand with me, give me fortitude and peace of soul, let not my faith waiver. Let me stand faithfully in union with the Sacred Heart of Christ, under the protection of His Immaculate Mother, always trusting in the Infinite Mercy and Love of God – Our Father. Amen

 

May is Mary’s month

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Traditionally May has been the month dedicated to renewing and intensifying our relationship with the Mother of Jesus. At any time of the year doing this is a good idea because one of the things that the Saints all have in common is deep, sincere and abiding devotion to Our Lady. So the question is how to develop a relationship with Mary, – and if you already have one – how to deepen it.

Before I get to those questions, I’ll mention my own plans. What I’m doing to celebrate this special month of May is reading aloud to my son a couple of pages each night from the book, ‘Fatima in Lucia’s own words’, edited by Fr Louis Kondor SVD. My copy was published in 1976 and most probably came into my hands from one of the many holy people I have met in parish life who are now in eternity. Choosing this particular book wasn’t hard because I wanted something that would show Our Lady in an active relationship with the three children of Fatima. Already, since reading aloud slows down the reading process and enriches the story because the mind has a chance to let mental images of the story emerge, I have been taken by the words to events that I don’t recall reading before. Later in the month when a rather long novena finishes we’ll swap the Litany of St Joseph for the Litany of Our Lady and St Joseph and start the Chaplet of the Flame of Love of Immaculate Heart of Mary (there will be more information about this later).

A relationship with Our Lady tends to start during times of crisis. When an urgent need for prayer comes up we turn naturally to those who can assist us the most, and this frequently needs to dusting off the rosary beads and praying with them. As soon as you have experienced the power and love of Our Lady’s intercession a person can’t help but wish to know her better and seek to please her. Many, many times this heavenly Mother has responded to my pleas, has obtained answers from God, and has been a companion through some very dark moments, so any chance to honour her is a pleasant one. So step 1 is seeking Mary’s intercession when trouble strikes. She is trustworthy.

The next necessary thing is to read about her. St Alphonsus Ligouri and St Louis de Monfort have written wonderful books about her, as have many other Saints. Hearing about recent actions of Our Lady also helps. I find the quarterly magazine ‘Ave Maria’ from PO Box 118, Midland, Western Australia 6936, Australia to be something that reawakens my trust on a regular basis. ($15 AUS per year for locals, $20 AUS per year for international subscriptions. In the current April 2012 issue there is a story about how the lives of two parents were saved at the time of the French Revolution because the daughter prayed the rosary and never gave up; a story about the fruits of a visit to Lourdes; and a story about how God answered a mother’s prayers or the salvation of her son. The more we know her the more we will love her.

The last step is to enter into relationship by praying with Our Lady, as well as to her. The holy Rosary is a privileged means, by which we can ponder the life of Jesus through Mary’s eyes. Delve into some of the other prayers that Christians have treasured over the centuries; the Magnificat, the Memorare, the Hail Holy Queen, the Rosary of Tears, the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows, the Litany of Our Lady, and learn from them how to love her and seek her aid. Prayer is how we connect with her and take on her mind and her values.

And what did Our Lady ask for in May, via Fr Stefano Gobbi in 1988 (message 381)? For prayer, for trust and for love. Which is a good and easy recipe to follow.

Attatched to the Flame of Love Chaplet, mentioned above, is a special promise, ‘While this chaplet is prayed ‘no dying soul in that neighbourood will be damned.’

At the beginning make the Sign of the Cross five times in veneration of Our Saviour’s Five Holy Wounds. On the large beads of the Rosary…Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us who seek refuge in you! On the small beads…Holy Mother save us, through your Immaculate Heart’s Flame of Love! At the end, three times Glory Be…

Any small effort we make on Our Lady’s behalf is received with gratitude. Like God, she cannot be outdone in generous rewards for all those who help her bring souls back to God.

May all of us receive a deeper and truer love for the holy Mother of Jesus during the month of May.

Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

Every job is important

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That’s the slogan my former employer used on t-shirts for a joint family-employee appreciation day some 20 years ago. ‘Every job is important’ could also be the underlying theme for each celebration of the feast day of St Joseph the Worker. Feast days for Apostles, Martyrs, Scholars, Preachers, Founders of Religious orders abound, but their holy lives are usually too far from our lived experience. However this feast day of St Joseph is different, because absolutely everybody can relate to it and be encouraged by it.

I see it as the great feast day of the laity, but sadly the Episcopal Conferences of Australia, England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland do not. Since the last aproved editions of the Divine Office in 1974-76, St Joseph the Worker only ranks as an optional memorial. It is my profound hope that when the next revision of the Divine Office occurs that this celebration will be elevated to at least memorial status. Does it not seem wrong to you that St Athanasius gets a memorial tomorrow and the Apostle Philip and James a feast the day after, but that the man who provided for the Holy Family from the work of his hands and taught the Lord Jesus how to use a carpenter’s tools gets an optional memorial? It does to me.

Because it was an optional memorial today, our priest totally ignored this much loved celebration, despite the facts that we have a statue of St Joseph the Worker within the church walls, a flourishing group of Josephite Associates in the parish (how lay people can connect with the mission of the Sisters of St Joseph founded by St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – Australia’s first Saint) and many others inspired to greater love of St Joseph because of St Mary MacKillop and her nuns. This feast day of the laity and of the immense value of the humble work of St Joseph should not be optional.

As we go about our daily lives shopping, banking, gardening, educating children, fixing things that are broken, doing paperwork, writing letters, paying bills, preparing meals we need to be reminded that every job is important, because then we will remember that in God’s eyes every task done in love has eternal value. I need that encouragement, and that reminder, don’t you?

With St Joseph as our model, we can learn how to sanctifty the activities of each day. A holy garbage man can do untold good. A holy handyman can be the source of untold blessings. A holy commercial traveller can spread the Gospel without words far and wide. A holy check-out operator in a supermarket or store can sprinkle God’s love in every personal interaction. We need holy accountants. We need holy lawyers. We need holy day-care assistants. We need holy nurses. We need holy car mechanics. Following St Joseph’s lead and working to the best of our skills and abilities, offering that work to God, and using the opportunities that our occupations give for showing charity, showing compassion, offering a word of sympathy or encouragement, growing in virtue and accepting the times of monotony,stress and frustration in reparation for sinn, will lead us to true holiness.

Here is what Blessed Pope John Paul II has to say (or repeat) in Redemptoris Custos, Chapter IV: ‘Work was the daily expression of love in the life of the Family of Nazareth…If the Family of Nazareth is an example and model for human families, in the order of salvation and holiness, so too, by analogy, is Jesus’ work at the side of Joseph the carpenter…At the work bench where he plied his trade together with Jesus, Joseph brought human work closer to the mystery of the Redemption…The importance of work in human life demands that its meaning be known and assimilated in order to ‘help all people to come closer to God, the Creator and Redeemer, to participate in His salvific plan for man and the world, and to deepen… friendship with Christ in their lives”…. “St Joseph is the model of those humble ones that Christianity raises up to great destinies;…he is the proof that in order to be a good and genuine follower of Christ, there is no need of great things – it is enough to have the common, simple and human virtues, but they need to be true and authentic.”"

This prayer to St Joseph the Worker authored by St Pius X says it alll….

O Glorious St Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labour, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honour to employ and to develop the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty; to work, above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so baneful to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O Patriarch St Joseph! This shall be my motto for all eternity. Amen.

St Joseph the Worker, pray for us.

 

 

Bride of Christ and servant of His Body, the Church

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Today, 29 April 2012, is the feast day of St Catherine of Siena, a 14th century Italian mystic, Doctor of the Church, and member of the Third Order of St Dominic. Her life closely mirrored that of Jesus, with a hidden life of prayer and fasting to begin it, a very active period of public apostolate to end it, bearing the stigmata and dying at the same age as Jesus, at the age of 33 in 1380.

The good Lord has raised up many Saints with the name of Catherine, and each one I have come to know holds her own special place in my heart. Since my parents chose the name of Catherine for me, I consider myself under the patronage of all of them. However, St Catherine of Siena holds first place among them, due to her active love, service and intercession for the Church. So it is with particular joy and gratitude that I honour her today.

During my university years I read her Dialogue, despite the English translation of Algar Thorold’s that must have been well received in 1907 but which seems rather formal and stilted today. It’s one of those spiritual classics that deserves re-reading at least every ten years, and which I must be due to re-read again soon.

What I didn’t realise was that many of St Catherine’s letters are still extant. Given that The Dialogue is almost entirely written as a dictation from God the Father, apart from her heartfelt prayers, it bypasses her personality. So using the marvellous material at Project Gutenberg www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext05/8ltcb10.txt I’m going to honour my patroness today by learning from these letters of hers.

The first extract from one of these letters is from St Catherine to Monna Agnese, the wife of Orso Malvolti and in it she speaks about impatience – something which I give in to on a regular basis:

“I Catherine, servant and slave of the servants of Jesus Christ, write to you in His Precious Blood, with the desire to see you established in true patience, since I consider that without patience we cannot please God. For just as impatience gives much pleasure to the devil and to one’s own lower nature, and revels in nothing but anger when it misses what the lower nature wants, so it is very displeasing to God. It is because anger and impatience are the very pith and sap of pride that they please the devil so much. Impatience loses the
fruit of its labour, deprives the soul of God; it begins by knowing a foretaste of hell, and later it brings men to eternal damnation: for in hell the evil perverted will burns with anger, hate and impatience.”

Ouch! But true! The second extract comes from a letter of St Catherine to Sr Bartolomea Della Seta of Pisa, and speaks about uniting our thoughts to Jesus and how difficult we can find it at times. St Catherine stresses how much perseverance is necessary:

“You, who are a bride of Christ Crucified, ought not to think or will anything apart from Him–that is, not to consent to any other thoughts. That thoughts should not come, this
I do not tell thee–because neither thou nor any created being couldst prevent them. For the devil never sleeps; and God permits this to make His bride reach perfect zeal and grow in virtue. This is the reason why God sometimes permits the mind to remain sterile and gloomy, and beset by many perverse cogitations, so that it seems unable to think of God, and can hardly remember His Name. Beware, when thou mayest feel this in thyself, lest thou fall into weariness or bewildered confusion, and do not give up thy exercises nor
the act of praying, because the devil may say to thee: “How does this prayer uplift thee, since thou dost not offer it with any feeling or desire? It would be better for thee not to make it.” Yet do not give up, nor fall for this into confusion, but reply manfully: “I would rather exert myself for Christ Crucified, feeling pain, gloom and inward conflicts, than not exert myself and feel repose.” And reflect, that this is the state of the perfect; if it were possible for them to escape Hell, and have joy in this life and joy eternal beside, they do not want it, because they delight so greatly in conforming themselves to Christ Crucified; nay, they want to live rather by the way of the Cross and pain, than without pain. Now what greater joy can the bride have than to be conformed to her bridegroom, and clothed with like raiment? So, since Christ Crucified in His life chose naught but the Cross and pain, and clothed Him in this raiment, His bride holds herself blessed when she is clothed in this same raiment; and because she sees that the Bridegroom has loved her so beyond measure, she loves and receives Him with such love and desire as no tongue can suffice to tell.”

So, when dryness and distaste in prayer hits us, let us be consoled by these words of St Catherine’s and see these difficulties from her helpful perspective. The last extract is from a letter of St Catherine to Catarina of the Hospital and advises her that when she sees the Church subject to scandal and disaster, to seek prayer. It is wise advice in our age when it seems that each news report delights in reminding people of the sinfulness and frailty of the priests of the Church.

“We see with our wretched eyes that Blood which has given us life persecuted in the holy Church of God. Then let our hearts break in torment and grieving desire; let life stay in our body no more, but let us rather die than behold God so reviled. I die in life, and demand death from my Creator and cannot have it. Better were it for me to die than to live, instead of beholding such disaster as has befallen and is to befall the Christian people. Let us draw the weapons of holy prayer, for other help I see not. That time of persecution has come upon the servants of God when they must hide in the caves of knowledge of themselves and of God, craving His mercy through the merits of the Blood of His Son. I will say no more, for if I did according to my choice, my daughters, I should never rest until God removed me from this life.”

Do we love the Church, the Body of Jesus, this much? Are we concerned for her welfare and holiness. Do we pray for her, for the Pope who leads her on earth, and for her priests? From St Catherine we can learn to make the desires and interests of Jesus our own. May she help us to do so, that we may please Him better! In each one of her letters, St Catherine writes to people through the Precious Blood of Jesus. One of my favourite prayers is this one about the Precious Blood, which is attributed to her….

Precious Blood, ocean of Divine Mercy, flow upon us! Precious Blood, most pure offering: Procure us every grace! Precious Blood, hope and refuge of sinners: Atone for us! Precious Blood, delight of holy souls: Draw us! Amen.  

St Catherine of Siena, pray for us.

St Catherine of Siena, please continue to intercede for me.

A seed that produced a rich harvest

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Today, 28 April 2012, is the feast day of St Peter Chanel,  St Peter Chanel (April 28), priest, missionary, martyr and religious of the Society of Mary (Marist Fathers). To him belongs the title of first martyr of Oceania and first martyr of the Marist Order. As with many martyrs, his life was so holy that he would have been canonised even if he had died peacefully in his sleep at advanced old age.

The good Lord, obviously, wished instead that he be honoured with these titles and with the patronage of all the peoples of Oceania. He, our Redeemer, knows best how to richly reward his servants. 

Of all the many amazing Saints that the Church recalls to memory today, St Peter Chanel has a special place in my heart. Living in Australia is not like living in most other Western nations because we do not yet have a rich heritage of sanctity. It was 1995 before St Mary of the Cross McKillop was beatified, and still she is the only Australian so far raised to honour throughout the universal Church. Because of this relics are something that we but rarely come across. Thus it was around 1977-1979 before I ever laid eyes on a relic, and when I did it was a relic of St Peter Chanel. As a teenager it was deeply moving to be in the actual presence of a part of someone who had died for the sake of the spread of the Gospel. In those moments, Saints were no longer stories, but living, breathing, real people of ardent faith. I remain ever grateful to him.

St Peter Louis-Marie Chanel was born in the diocese of Belley in eastern France in 1803 into a rural farming family. When he was young Peter took care of his father’s sheep. As the gift of reason developd in him, Peter became conscious that where the family lived had once been a church – something that must have happened around the time of the French Revolution – and desired to make reparation by dedicating his life to God. A local priest noticed his intelligence and helped to educate him.

Following studies at Meximieux, Belley and Brou, Peter was ordained a diocesan priest in 1827. In the three years that he was in his first parish of Crozet, he completely revitalised it largely by his sincere desire for the welfare of his flock and the special care he lavished upon those who were sick. His desire grew to become a missionary, and in 1831 he received permission to join the newly formed Society of Mary (the Marist order). He hoped to be sent off to mission lands, but was appointed to teach at the junior seminary at Belly. At this seminary he served for 5 years.

In 1836 Peter was at last able to join a group of eight Marists being sent to the Pacific Islands. He was assigned to the island of Futuna (part of the Hoorn island group) together with a young Marist brother and an interpreter. Peter kept a diary to record his slow progress in learning the local language and his activities. He said, ‘On so difficult a mission we must be saints’. Truly his patience was tested, because his one desire was to preach about Jesus to the islanders and until he attained some fluency in the local dialect he was unable to preach with words. Nevertheless he preached with actions, with kindness, generosity and forgiveness.

Bit by little bit their Christian witness and preaching began to bear fruit in 1840, with the baptisms of some dying children and elderly adults. It was said of Peter ‘This man loves us, and he himself practices what he teaches us to do.’ Peaceful relations with the islanders began to break down when the king of the island’s son asked to be baptised. The king’s family were outraged. For them this was a major threat to their traditional way of life. Peter was aware of the danger and said, ‘It does not matter whether or not I am killed; the religion has taken root on the island; it will not be destroyed by my death, since it comes not from men but from God.’

Following an attack on some catechumens, Peter was clubbed to death on April 28, 1841. Within a year of his death almost the whole island had accepted Christianity and been baptised. Pope Pius XII canonized him in 1954. In Peter the promise of Jesus was fulfilled in a particular way, ‘Unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but it if dies, it yields a rich harvest’ (John 12:24). The good Lord permitted what could not be accomplished by Peter by preaching to be accomplished through the savage attack which shed his blood and the intercessory power of his prayers before the throne of God in heaven.

Novena Prayer

St Peter Chanel, you left your homeland to proclaim Jesus, Saviour of the world, to the peoples of Oceania. Guided by the Spirit of God, Who is the strength of the gentle, you bore witness to love, even laying down your life. Grant that, like you, we may live our daily lives in peace, in joy, and in fraternal love. May your prayer and example call forth from our midst many workers for the Gospel so that God’s kingdom may reach to the ends of the earth. Amen. 

St Peter Chanel, pray for us.

From the Church’s treasury…

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Jesus himself tells us that ‘every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storehouse things both new and old’. (Matt 13:52). Holy Mother Church has a vast treasury from which most of us rarely draw from, although these spiritual treasures are free for the asking. So, let’s explore some of them; some you might vaguely remember, others might be totally new.

In recent weeks I have been exploring some of the treasures in the ‘The 1910 Raccolta or Collection of Indulgenced Prayers and Good Works’ via Amazon Kindle. Sadly the version provided has a lot of formatting errors and typographic errors (we hope they get fixed soon), but it is still a treasure house and extremely valuable to souls because of this.

Since most people these days don’t know what an Indulgence is, here are some excerpts from the 1910 Raccolta that go some way towards explaining them….

‘An Indulgence is the remission by the Church, on specified conditions, of the whole or a part of the debt of satisfaction remaining due for sin. The Church has power to absolve from guilt; she has also power to remit the punishment. The one she exercises in the Sacrament of Penance; the other she exercises when she grants an Indulgence. And it is clear from what has been said that an Indulgence is supplemental to Absolution, and presupposes the forgiveness of the guilt of sin. Theologically considered, an Indulgence is not a mere exercise of spiritual power and authority on the part of the Church ; it is truly a payment of the debt, made out of her Treasury of satisfactory merit; for in this are stored up the superabundant merits of JESUS CHRIST, and the accumulated merits of our Lady and all the Saints. With this inexhaustible fund at her command, she has the means of satisfying the debts due from her children to the justice of GOD…Indulgences are either Plenary or Partial, according as a remission of all, or of part, of the debt of punishment due is granted. In either case the actual benefit obtained depends upon the dispositions of the penitent, and the care and accuracy he employs in fulfilling the conditions laid down.’ Ambrose St John (2009-05-30). The 1910 Raccolta or Collection of Indulgenced Prayers and Good Works (Kindle Locations 858-864,869-871). St Athanasius Press. Kindle Edition.

One of the treasures I came across was the recitation of the 3 Glory Be’s, once in the morning, once in the middle of the day, and once at evening, in thanksgiving to the Most Holy Trinity for the graces and privileges granted to Our Lady, particularly in her Assumption. This would make a very easy Novena in preparation for Marian feast days, specially in preparation for the Assumption on August 15.

Another treasure is making the Sign of the Cross. For praying it properly with the words ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ there is a partial indulgence. That partial indulgence is doubled if the Sign of the Cross is made with holy water. The good news is that the indulgence implies each and every time the Sign of the Cross is made. Needless to say, I have been a bit more diligent about starting and finishing prayers with the Sign of the Cross since reading this.

How simple, and yet profound is this next treasure! It, too, can be prayed as many times a day as you wish, obtaining a partial indulgence each time. All a person has to do is pray the Glory Be 7 times asking God for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the spread of the Faith and the intentions of our holy Father, the Pope. This is short enough to pray each time before you teach or preach. If you are in the midst of a discussion at uni, work or elsewhere and you need an inspired answer to contribute to that discussion, it is short enough to pray under your breath, begging the Holy Spirit for His aid.

Another treasure that can be obtained frequently each day is praying ‘Jesus. my God, I adore You here present in the Sacrament of Your love’. It can be prayed on a visit to the Blessed Sacrament AND whenever passing by a church or chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved. Most people pass by a church or chapel on their way to work, to school or the shops. 

Often during the day in conversations, overheard in public places or on the television or other visual media we will be exposed to someone uttering a blasphemy (ie using the name of God or Jesus as a swear word or without any intent of prayer at all). As many times as such an assault on our ears occurs, praying ‘Blessed be God’, will attract a small partial indulgence. How easy is that!

Some of you might visit hospitals and nursing homes on a regular basis. Should you come across someone taking Holy Communion to the sick in those places and you feel inspired to follow them – go with that inspiration. There is a partial indulgence for anyone who accompanies the Blessed Sacrament carried to the sick.

Here is an indulgenced prayer that St Thomas Aquinas composed, to be used before beginning a study session or classroom teaching, which is short enough to commit to memory. ‘O merciful God, grant that I may eagerly desire, carefully search out, truthfully acknowledge, and ever perfectly fulfill all things which are pleasing to You, to the praise and glory of Your name. Amen.’ 

I’ve only scratched the veriest tip of the iceberg with these small offerings. Each one is Holy Mother Church saying to us, ‘Your brothers and sisters in the Faith who lived in centuries past found these prayers and spiritual practices extremely helpful for growing in holiness. With great love they are passed on to you. It is their hope and the Church’s hope that you will use at least some of them and experience great spiritual profit thereby. Don’t forget that these indulgences can be used to pay the debts of your loved ones suffering in Purgatory. Offering indulgences for them will greatly shorten their time of purification, advancing the moment of utter happiness when they are welcomed into Heaven by Jesus and all the Saints and Angels.’

All the holy Popes who approved these indulgences, especially Blessed Pius IX and St Pius X, pray for us.