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