Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The “word” for today, November 27^th, in Sarah Young’s popular devotional, Jesus Calling, is:

“Let thankfulness rule in your heart. As you thank Me for blessings in your life, a marvelous thing happens. It is as if scales fall off your eyes, enabling you to see more and more of My glorious riches. … A life of praise and thankfulness becomes a life filled with miracles. ….This is how I created you to live, for I made you in My own image.”

excerpt taken from Jesus Calling W4177

Feast of All Saints

Today the Church celebrates All Saints’ Day. On this day we honor all the Saints who live now in heaven with Jesus, His Father and the Holy Spirit. The earliest observance of this day was a commemoration of “all the Martyrs” in the fourth century. Later, when Christians were free to worship according to their conscience, the Church acknowledged other paths to sanctity besides dying for the Faith.

In the early centuries the only criterion for sainthood was popular acclaim, even when the bishop's approval became the final step in placing a commemoration on the calendar. The first papal canonization occurred in 993 AD; the lengthy process now required to prove extraordinary sanctity took shape over the past 500 years. Today's feast honors the obscure as well as the famous—the saints each of us have known.

“After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue.

They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands....

One of the elders said to me, ‘These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;

they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’”

-Revelation 7:9, 14

Our Lady of the Rosary

In the 16^th century, Vienna and the rest of the European nations were threatened by Moslem military power and incursions. Pope Saint Pius V tried to alert the great powers of Europe to the coming menace, calling on the Holy League, which consisted of the Spain, Genoa, Venice, the  Papal States, and the Knights of Malta, to address the Moslem threat.
Don Juan of Austria, the son of the King of Spain, gathered a sturdy fleet. The Venetians were especially passionate about this battle, since they had suffered greatly at the hands of the Turks. The Christian fleet consisted of 300-ships, with 50,000 rowers and 30,000 fighters. Still, they were greatly outnumbered by the Turkish fleet. Pope Pius V called upon all Christendom to pray the Rosary.
Don Juan had a picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe, newly sent over from the Spanish colony of Mexico, on his vessel, and Andrea Doria, one of the Catholic admirals for the Genoans at Lepanto, carried on his ship a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The morning of the battle arrived on October 7th, 1571, with a strong wind blowing in favor of the Turkish fleets. Don Juan sailed in a small, speedy vessel to each of his ships, shouting encouragement and prayers to the men. Immediately, the winds shifted in favor of the Christians. The battle lasted 5 hours and Christians won a stunning victory, defeating the Turks and saving Europe from Moslem invasion and eventual domination.
In gratitude, Pope Pius V celebrated the Battle as "Our Lady of Victory." Later, the feast of October 7th was renamed "Our Lady of the Rosary" and extended throughout the Universal Church.

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

James 5:16

Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi

Patron of Animals and All Who Care for the Earth

Saint Francis was born as the son of a wealthy merchant in Assisi

in 1182. He loved to sing songs and have fun with his friends.

One day, Jesus spoke to Francis from the crucifix in the tiny

chapel of San Damiano. He said, “Go, rebuild My Church.”

Francis fell in love with Jesus. He gave away his rich clothing and

wore poor clothes. He cared for the sick and needy. He taught

that everything God made, like the sun, the moon, the animals

and plants, is good. God wants us to take good care of our earth.

Francis gathered many followers and set about spiritually

rebuilding the Church.

The pope blessed Saint Francis and his followers. Saint Francis

prayed and preached much. He received the wounds of Jesus,

and died with the words, “Welcome, Sister Death!”

As you know, our new Holy Father is the first pope in history to choose the name of St. Francis.

Pope Francis said he was inspired to do so out of concern for the poor.

Prayer to Saint Francis

Dear Saint Francis, you loved Jesus with all your heart. You

allowed Him to live His life through you. Please bless all who

care for others as you did. Bless those who care for the earth and

all God’s creatures. Help us to love one another. Amen.

Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us.

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

5 September

Born in Albania in 1910, Mother Teresa of Calcutta won recognition throughout the world for her work among the poorest of the poor.

Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu was the youngest of the three children. For a time, the family lived comfortably, and her father's construction business thrived. But life changed overnight following his unexpected death.

During her years in school Agnes participated in a Catholic sodality and showed a strong interest in the foreign missions. At 18 she entered the Loretto

Sisters of Dublin. In 1928 she said goodbye to her mother for the final time and made her way to a new land and a new life. The following year she was sent to Darjeeling, India. There she chose the name Teresa and prepared for a life of service. She was assigned to a high school for girls in Calcutta, where she taught history and geography to the daughters of the wealthy. But she could not escape the realities around her: "the poverty, the suffering, the overwhelming numbers of destitute people."

In 1946, while riding a train to Darjeeling to make a retreat, Sister Teresa heard within her spirit what she later explained as: "a call within a call. The message was clear. I was to leave the convent and help the poor while living among them." She also heard a call to give up her life with the Sisters of Loretto and, instead, to "follow Christ into the slums to serve him among the poorest of the poor."

After receiving permission to leave Loretto, establish a new religious community and undertake her new work, she took a nursing course for several months. She returned to Calcutta, where she lived in the slums and opened a school for poor children. Dressed in a white sari and sandals (the ordinary dress of an Indian woman) she soon began getting to know her neighbors-especially the poor and sick - and getting to know their needs through visits.

The work was exhausting, but she was not alone for long. Volunteers, some of them former students, joined her in the work, becoming the core of the Missionaries of Charity. Others donated food, clothing, supplies, the use of buildings. In 1952 the city of Calcutta gave Mother Teresa a former hostel, which became a home for the dying and the destitute. As the Order expanded, services were also offered to orphans, abandoned children, alcoholics, the aging and street people. Mother Teresa and her nuns opened more homes for the dying, treatment centers and hospitals for those suffering from leprosy, AIDS—the list is endless.

Until her death in 1997, Mother Teresa continued her work among the poorest of the poor, depending on God for all of her needs. In her own eyes she was "God's pencil—a tiny bit of pencil with which he writes what he likes." Despite years of strenuous physical, emotional and spiritual work, Mother Teresa seemed unstoppable. Though frail and bent, with numerous ailments, she always returned to her work, to those who received her compassionate care for more than 50 years.

Finally, on September 5, 1997, after finishing her dinner and prayers, her weakened heart gave Mother Teresa back to the God who was the very center of her life.  Pope John Paul II declared her blessed—beatified— on October 19, 2003, prompting waves of applause before the 300,000 pilgrims in St. Peter's Square. In his homily, the Holy Father called Mother Teresa "one of the most relevant personalities of our age" and "an icon of the Good Samaritan." Her life, he said, was "a bold proclamation of the Gospel."

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us

First Encyclical by Pope Francis

The Heart of Pope Francis' Message Summarized in a Fashion for All the Faithful

When the light of faith begins to shine, your parish will grow! Pope Francis' first encyclical completes the message triad started by Pope Benedict XVI, guiding Catholics to a full communion with Christ. This concise, easy-to-understand pamphlet encourages your parishioners to keep the light of faith burning strong through the profession of faith, celebration of the sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and prayer. Use this pamphlet to encourage your parishioners to take Pope Francis' words to heart, be strengthened in their faith, and hand on our Catholic faith tradition. To order English Pamphlet pkg/50 #W4195 To order Spanish Edition pkg/50 # W4196

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Today, August 15, is the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

What does this mean? The Church teaches that, “the immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory.” In other words, God raised Mary up, body and soul, to be with Him in heaven forever.

Pope Pius XII pointed to the Book of Genesis (3:15) as scriptural support for the dogma in terms of Mary's victory over sin and death as also reflected in 1 Corinthians 15:54: “then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”
Revelation 12 also speaks of a woman, clothed with the sun, who is caught up in the battle between good and evil. Many see this woman as a symbol both of Mary and of all God’s people. Since Mary best embodies the people of both Old and New Testament, her Assumption can be seen as an exemplification of the woman’s victory.


What does this mean for us? Mary is understood as “the first among the disciples of the Lord.” Thus, she is a sign of what God wants to do for us, and will do for us, if we follow her direction given to the servants at the wedding of Cana: “Do whatever He tells you.”

Feast of Saint John the Baptist

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

Feast Day: June 24

Patron of Baptism

Zechariah was the husband of Elizabeth, who was the Virgin

Mary’s cousin. Elizabeth and Zechariah were very old, and

had never been able to have any children.

One day the angel Gabriel appeared to Zechariah and said,

“Do not be afraid! Your wife Elizabeth will bear a son, and

you shall call his name John. Many will rejoice at his birth.

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will turn the

hearts of many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

He will prepare the way for the Lord.”

John grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the

desert until God called him to begin his ministry. John

preached the coming of the Savior and baptized many

repentant converts in the waters of the Jordan River. The

people thought that John might be the coming Messiah, but

he told everyone that he was sent to prepare the way for one

who “is mightier than I.”

Finally, John baptized Jesus. He said, “Behold the Lamb of

God, who takes away the sin of the world.” After that, King

Herod arrested John and then had him beheaded. Saint John

the Baptist gave his life for Jesus, his Lord.

The Church celebrates the birth of John the Baptist 6 months before the birth of Jesus, as is recorded in Luke’s Gospel. We have just passed the summer solstice; hence, the days grow shorter in the Northern Hemisphere, until around Christmas, where the days grow longer. This illustrates John’s prophetic words about Jesus: “He must increase, and I must decrease” (John 3:30).

Even so, Jesus said of John,  “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).

We are given these enigmatic words to ponder, as we stand at the halftime of 2013....

Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua

Feast Day: June 13

Patron of Lost Things and Missing Persons

Saint Anthony was born in Portugal in 1195 and became a

Franciscan at the age of 26. God gave him the gift of preaching

to touch the hearts of his listeners. When Saint Anthony spoke

about Jesus and his Mother Mary, many people returned to Jesus

and the Catholic faith. Saint Anthony asked Mary to help him

when he preached, and God worked many miracles through him.

One night, a friend saw a beautiful little Child standing upon the Bible,

coming up as it were out of the very Word of God,

and clinging with both of His little arms around

Anthony’s neck. It was the Infant Jesus! Saint Anthony died at

the age of 36, and the very next year he was canonized a saint.

Prayer to Saint Anthony to Find Lost Articles

Dear Saint Anthony, God has made you a powerful patron and

helper to find lost or misplaced objects. We turn to you today

with confidence and love. Through your prayer, may God help us

to find what we have lost. Dear Saint Anthony, help us also be

close to Jesus this day, and to always find Him in our hearts.

Amen.

Saint Anthony, pray for us.

Excerpt taken from RS887S, Ilustrated Lives of the Saints

Feast of the Sacred Heart

Born in 1647, Margaret Mary Alacoque was crippled by a disease at age 8.  After promising to give her life to Jesus’ service, she was miraculously healed through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At 23, she entered the Visitation Order of Nuns.

Sister Margaret Mary loved our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament—the consecrated Body of Christ from Holy Communion, which is kept in the tabernacles of Catholic churches—very much. The world had grown cold and unresponsive to God and His offer of salvation through the grace His Son won for us all on the Cross. Over the course of a few years, Jesus appeared to Margaret, revealing to her His Sacred Heart.

The flames coming forth from Jesus’ Heart remind us of His burning love for us and His desire that we love Him in return. The crown of thorns around His Heart reminds us of His sacrifice for us and His invitation that we offer our sufferings to Him, as Saint Paul teaches us: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24).

Jesus made at least twelve promises to Sister Margaret Mary, revealing the abundance of His love and telling her how He would help those who honor His Sacred Heart. He said, “Behold this Heart which has loved men and women so much, and yet they do not want to love Me in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth.” He further promised, “I will bless every home in which an image of My Heart will be honored.”

Sister Margaret Mary died in 1690, and was canonized a saint in 1920.

Feast of Saint Rita of Cascia

Saint Rita was born at Spoleto, Italy, in 1381. From her early youth, Rita liked to visit the Augustinian nuns at Cascia, and begged her parents’ permission to enter the convent.  However, when she was 12, they betrothed her to the town watchman, a man who struggled with a violent temper. Rita obediently married him and bore twin sons.

     Rita put up with her husband’s mistreatment as best she could, praying and receiving the sacraments frequently. Unfortunately, her sons learned from their father’s violent ways. After eighteen years of marriage, her husband was stabbed to death by an enemy, but repented on his deathbed, thanks to Rita’s prayers. Rita’s sons were determined to avenge their father, but through Rita's prayers, they forgave his murderers, and shortly thereafter died themselves.

Rita then applied for admission to the convent of Saint Mary Magdalene at age 36. However, the mother superior was reluctant to admit her as she had been married and was no longer a virgin. After some delay, Rita was admitted to the convent, but to test her faith and loyalty, the mother superior asked her to tend a dead stick planted in the ground. Rita obediently watered the dead stick daily. Many years the stick sprouted a grape vine, which to this day continues to supply the grapes used to make the wine for the Pope!

Rita lived 40 years in the convent, in great prayer and charity, working for peace in the area. She had a deep devotion to the Passion of Christ, and begged to suffer for others as Jesus had. One day, a thorn from the crucifix pierced her forehead, causing a deep wound which did not heal. After suffering 15 years, Saint Rita died on May 22, 1457.  Amazingly, her body did not decay and has remained incorrupt to this day in Cascia, where  it can be seen in a glass coffin in the basilica of Saint Rita.

Saint Rita is a patron of desperate, seemingly impossible causes and situations. This is because she lived through so many stages of life—wife, mother, widow, and nun—but always as a beloved child of God. J

Saint Rita, Pray for Us

Feast of Our Lady of Fatima

In a mountainous region near the town of Fatima, Portugal, the Mother of God appeared six times between May 13th and October 13^th, 1917, to three shepherd children: Lucia Santos and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Mary told the children that she had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman, and child in our century. Coming at a time when civilization was torn asunder by war and violence, Mary promised that Heaven would grant peace to the entire world if her requests for prayer, reparation, and consecration were heard and obeyed.

Mary explained that war is a punishment for sin. She warned that if people continued to disobey God’s Will, they would suffer consequences of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church. She also prophesied that Russia would “spread her errors” of atheism and materialism across the earth. Our Lady of Fatima repeatedly emphasized the necessity of praying daily, especially the Rosary, of wearing the Brown Scapular, and of performing acts of reparation and sacrifice. She also promised a sign as proof of her messages.

On October 13, 1917, a crowd of 50,000 people at Fatima, including many noted skeptics, saw the sun rotating and spinning in the heavens; then, leaving its orbit, it plunged toward the earth. The “Miracle of the Sun” is fully documented. On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II was shot in the chest and in the abdomen at point blank range in St. Peter’s Square. He credited his miraculous escape from death to the intervention of Our Lady of Fatima. One year later he traveled to Fatima, and placed the bullet in the crown resting upon the statue of Mary. He said, “One finger fired the bullet, but another guided its path.”

Seven years later, the Berlin Wall fell without a bullet being fired, and Communism collapsed across the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

     Finally, last month, in the first weeks of his new pontificate, Pope Francis consecrated his papal ministry to Our Lady of Fatima.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.

Be Beautiful, Be You!

Lizzie, Be Beautiful Be You
by Lizzie Valasquez

"After spending years wanting to look like everyone else, I realized I needed to love and accept myself just as I am. When I stopped listening to other people and started making a life for myself, I discovered my purpose in life, my passion. Is someone or something hurting you? Are you feeling alone or lonely? Afraid? Misunderstood? Do you wish even just one person would listen to you? Do you have a decision to make and need help choosing a path? I want to give you the tools to figure out what to do about each of those problems." —Lizzie Velasquez, Be Beautiful, Be You

When an Internet video calling her "The World’s Ugliest Woman" went viral, Lizzie Velasquez set out to discover what truly makes us beautiful. Now she shares what she learned on that faith-filled journey. In Be Beautiful, Be You, Lizzie uses anecdotes and exercises to teach readers to recognize their own unique gifts and blessings, talk to God in their own words, deal with disappointment, make and maintain healthy friendships, and set realistic goals.

In a world filled with airbrushed celebrity photos and plastic surgery, Lizzie Velasquez is a refreshing force of nature whose story will inspire anyone who has ever felt singled out, misunderstood, or afraid—and who hasn’t? 

Lizzie Velasquez is a communications major at Texas State University in San Marcos. She is one of only three known people in the world with a medical syndrome that doesn't allow her to gain weight or create muscle. Lizzie has appeared as a motivational speaker at more than 200 workshops. Her story has been featured in both national and international media, including The Today Show, Inside Edition, Australia's Sunday Night, Germany's Explosive and Dr. Drew. This is her second book.

  http://www.catholicgiftsandmore.com/lizzie-be-beautiful-be-you/p/W4140/      

Paperback
5 1/2" x 8 1/4"
144 pages

Blessed Easter!

Heavenly Father, You delivered your Son

to the death of the Cross to save us from

evil. Grant us the grace of the Resurrection.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Feast of Saint Joseph - March 19

God the Father had one opportunity to choose one man to be father to His one Son on earth, and from the far reaches of eternity, He chose Joseph of Nazareth. That’s impressive!

Joseph, a carpenter, was betrothed to Mary, a young girl from the same town. Before they lived together, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that God had chosen her to be the mother of His son.

Mary accepted, and at that, moment became the Mother of God. In a dream, an angel told Joseph, ”Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.  She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

When Joseph awoke, he did all the angel had said, and took Mary into his home.  And Jesus was born.

Saint Joseph, it seems, represents God the Father more closely than any other person in history, other than Christ Himself. Like God the Father, Joseph had one son. Like the Father, Joseph loved Jesus and Mary fervently, chastely, and purely. Like God, Joseph protected and provided for his family.

However, Joseph was not God. Though he was chosen, he struggled with life. Though he was righteous, he faced some very difficult moments seeking to know and do God’s will. Though he was humble, he had to act with decision and valor in dangerous situations whose outcomes would affect the eternal destiny of humanity. In short, Joseph was a real man!

St. Joseph is the Patron of all Christians throughout the world.  He is the Patron of a Happy Home, the Safeguard of Families, the Patron of Fathers, the Protector of Children, and the Model of Single and Married Men.

St. Joseph is the Consolation of the Poor, the Rescuer of Sinners, the Solace of the Afflicted, the Hope of the Sick, and the Patron of a Happy Death.

St. Joseph is the Model of Righteousness, the Model of Christian Workers, the Patron of Priests and Seminarians, and the Guardian of Virgins.

Pray to St. Joseph! He will faithfully intercede for you before His Son Jesus, and the Eternal Father.

Finally, today is especially special as in Rome, Pope Francis was inaugurated as our new Holy Father.

Joseph and Son, Carpenters. Help Wanted!

Dear Saint Joseph, pray for us!

God the Father had one opportunity to choose one man to be father to His one Son on earth, and from the far reaches of eternity, He chose Joseph of Nazareth. That’s impressive!

Joseph, a carpenter, was betrothed to Mary, a young girl from the same town. Before they lived together, the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that God had chosen her to be the mother of His son.

Mary accepted, and at that, moment became the Mother of God. In a dream, an angel told Joseph, ”Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.  She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

When Joseph awoke, he did all the angel had said, and took Mary into his home.  And Jesus was born.

Saint Joseph, it seems, represents God the Father more closely than any other person in history, other than Christ Himself. Like God the Father, Joseph had one son. Like the Father, Joseph loved Jesus and Mary fervently, chastely, and purely. Like God, Joseph protected and provided for his family.

However, Joseph was not God. Though he was chosen, he struggled with life. Though he was righteous, he faced some very difficult moments seeking to know and do God’s will. Though he was humble, he had to act with decision and valor in dangerous situations whose outcomes would affect the eternal destiny of humanity. In short, Joseph was a real man!

St. Joseph is the Patron of all Christians throughout the world.  He is the Patron of a Happy Home, the Safeguard of Families, the Patron of Fathers, the Protector of Children, and the Model of Single and Married Men.

St. Joseph is the Consolation of the Poor, the Rescuer of Sinners, the Solace of the Afflicted, the Hope of the Sick, and the Patron of a Happy Death.

St. Joseph is the Model of Righteousness, the Model of Christian Workers, the Patron of Priests and Seminarians, and the Guardian of Virgins.

Pray to St. Joseph! He will faithfully intercede for you before His Son Jesus, and the Eternal Father.

Finally, today is especially special as in Rome, Pope Francis was inaugurated as our new Holy Father.

Joseph and Son, Carpenters. Help Wanted!

Dear Saint Joseph, pray for us!

Welcome, Pope Francis!

“Let us begin this journey!”

Today in Rome, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., was elected as Supreme Pontiff, the 265th successor of Peter, choosing the name Francis. Preceded by the Cross, Pope Francis stepped out on the balcony of St. Peter’s basilica and greeted the enormous crowd gathered in the cold and rainy St. Peter's Square, saying:

“Dear brothers and sisters, Bona sera!—Good evening! You know that the duty of the Conclave was to give Rome a bishop. It seems that my brother cardinals picked him from almost the ends of the earth. But here we are! The diocesan community of Rome has its bishop. Thank you!

“First and foremost I would like to say a prayer for our Bishop Emeritus Benedict XVI. Let us pray together for him, that the Lord bless him and the Virgin keep him. … And now, let us begin this journey, bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which is the one that leads all the churches in charity—A journey of fraternity, of trust between us. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the world so that this might be a great brotherhood.”

Departing from tradition, the new leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics then said,

“I ask that you pray to the Lord that He bless me: the prayer of the people asking a blessing for their bishop. Let us pray in silence, this your prayer for me.”

Pope Francis then imparted his first apostolic blessing to Rome and to the world—“to all men and women of good will.” His final words on this momentous night were: “Brothers and sisters, I take my leave. Thank you for your warm welcome. Tomorrow I'm going to pray to the Virgin, that she will safeguard all of Rome. Good night and rest well.”

Born of Italian immigrant parents in Buenos Aires, the 76-year-old Argentinean has four brothers and sisters. He is the first Jesuit and the first person from the Americas to be elected Pope, and is also the first non-European pope since the death of Syrian-born Pope Gregory III in 741 AD.
The new pontiff holds a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires, which he obtained before joining the Jesuits in 1958. He also holds a degree in philosophy. He taught literature and psychology before being ordained a priest in 1969. He then ministered in Spain and was elected as Head of the Jesuit order in Argentina in 1973, before finishing his doctoral studies in Germany. In 1992, Pope John Paul II ordained Bergoglio a bishop and in 2001, a Cardinal. Pope Francis speaks fluent Italian, Spanish, and German, and has served on a number of councils in the Church, among them the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Cardinal Bergoglio chose to live in a simple apartment rather than the archbishop’s palace, gave up his chauffeured limousine in favor of taking the bus to work, and cooked his own meals. In the words of Father Lombardi, director of the Vatican Press Office, “I am absolutely convinced that we have a Pope who wants to serve. His election was the election of a rejection of power.”

Pope Francis is orthodox on matters of sexual morality, opposing abortion, same-sex marriage, and contraception. On the other hand, he has supported the social justice ethos of Latin America Catholicism, strongly defending the poor, has criticized priests who refuse to baptize babies born to single mothers, and visited a hospice for HIV-AIDS patients to kiss and wash the feet of 12 AIDS sufferers.

Tomorrow (Thursday), the Holy Father will make a private visit to a Rome church to thank Our Lady, and then he will visit Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. The eyes of the world will again return to Rome next Tuesday, March 19^th, when Pope Francis will be installed on the feast of St. Joseph, Patriarch of the Universal Church.

So how do you wish a pope well?

“Ad multos annos!—May you live for many years!”

At least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs, are mentioned in the early martyrologies under the date of February 14th. For our purposes we will reflect on the life of Valentine, Bishop of Interamna, Italy.

In 270 A.D. Emperor Claudius issued an edict forbidding marriage because he believed that married men made poor soldiers, not wanting to leave their families to go to battle. Bishop Valentine disagreed with the emperor and invited young lovers to come to him in secret to be married. When Claudius found that Bishop Valentine was performing secret marriage ceremonies, he was incensed. He had Valentine seized and brought before him. When Valentine refused to change his views and renounce Christianity, he was imprisoned to await execution. In February of 270, Valentine was clubbed, stoned, and then beheaded.

Tradition tells us that while Valentine was in prison he corresponded with those under his care by sending little letters and love notes to those in his parish. He would always close his letters with the signature, “From your Valentine”. From then on, the tradition grew of sending Valentines, for as it has ever been, those who love~remember.

May you celebrate this day of affection by sending Valentines to those you love as well!

Happy Valentine’s Day  to one and all!

May the LORD bless you and keep you!

May the LORD let his face shine upon you,

and be gracious to you!

May the LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

-Numbers 6:24-26

Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes

Bernadette Soubirous was born to a poor family in Lourdes, in southern France, on January 7, 1844. Her family lived in a small dark cottage that had once been a jail. Bernadette was often sick and had a hard time at school. One day the 14-year old Bernadette went with some friends to gather firewood. Suddenly, in a cave beside a river, she saw a beautiful Lady wearing a blue and white dress and floating above a rose bush. The Lady smiled at Bernadette and made the sign of the cross with a golden rosary. Bernadette knelt down and began to pray.

Crowds began to follow Bernadette to the cave as the Virgin Mary’s visits continued. Our Lady appeared a total 18 times to Bernadette, revealing herself as the Immaculate Conception. Our Lady asked Bernadette to dig at a spot near the grotto, and suddenly a fresh cool spring of healing waters began to flow. Mary asked Bernadette to have a chapel built by the spot, so people could come there to wash and drink. The water from this spring, which now flows at the rate of 32,000 gallons a day, continues to bear remarkable healing power, bringing medically documented healings to many people, and deep spiritual healing to countless more.

Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity in Nevers, France, and died there in 1879 at the young age of 35 from tuberculosis. Lourdes has become the most famous modern shrine of Our Lady. Each year more than five million people come to the grotto of Massabielle, in Lourdes, to pray, honor Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and seek healing of spirit, soul, and body.

The response of so many has made Lourdes a Town of Friendship, a world center of pilgrimage, and a special place where God meets His people.

Pope Pius XI canonized Saint Bernadette in 1933, and to this day, her exhumed body remains entirely and miraculously incorrupt, at her convent in Nevers, France.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us