Entering the mystery of our heavenly mother's Rosary

Opening the door to greet his friend, Hector nodded hello and smiled, but he did not open his mouth to speak, though he did appear to be mumbling something. He extended his arm toward the sofa, bidding his friend take a seat. The crucifix dangling from a string of rosary beads explained for the young man that he was finishing up his prayers. Hector resumed a kneeling position at a little prayer area where religious pictures graced the wall and pretty statues of saints adorned a small table, and several books were stacked up neatly underneath. Hector took a couple of minutes there to finish praying.


The visitor waited with patient, curious interest, observing Hector as he prayed, self-consciously rolling one bead after another around with his fingers. When Hector concluded the Rosary by making the sign of the Cross and rising to his feet, his friend stated, "I know I'm early, I didn't mean to disturb you praying, sorry about that." "No problem," Hector responded, placing the rosary into his jacket, and locking the door behind them as they headed out to a Bible study together. Hector thought it might be a good idea to share this devotion, and he said, "I can teach you how to pray the Rosary some time. Do you want to know more?"

"It's superstitious to pray repetitious prayers, you know that don't you?" came the unexpected objection. Hector stopped walking and looked at his friend with a puzzled scowl. "Who told you praying the Rosary was superstitious? What do you know about it, anyway?" he asked defensively.

The other young man answered this way: "Sorry, man, I don't mean to offend you, but as your friend I think I should tell you the truth. The Bible tells us not to pray with vain repetitions. You know that, right, so why are you still praying that old-fashioned way that your grandma taught you. She didn't know any better, but I know you do, Hector. Just pray from your heart. I mean, you're not even thinking about what you're saying. It isn't talking to God at all. Do you think praying is like magic, you pray a certain numbers of prayers and God'll finally hear you? Carrying on saying the same memorized thing over and over again is nothing but babbling, Hector. It's just nonsense."

Hector walked on in a confused silence. He was pensive, and had no idea what to say in response to such a reasonable argument. He was feeling hurt and offended because his friend had negative ideas about his family's religious beliefs. His grandma sure hadn't been any kind of saint, for all the Rosaries she had prayed, so what did she know? The Bible does speak against vain repetitions, he thought. Maybe his friend was right.

After Bible study ended, Hector headed home in better spirits, but the practice of praying the Rosary had become a mystery to him. His mother was there and greeted him when he entered. He hugged her, but avoided making eye contact with his mother. "What's on your mind, son?" she asked. She always knew when something troubled him, and as much as he didn't ever want to let her know if he was having a problem, he always would trust her with his concerns. Hector confided in his mother saying, "Mom, why do we pray with old-fashioned vain repetitions? Why do we pray the Rosary instead of just praying right from our hearts?"

Hector's mother smiled in an assuring and consoling manner, explaining it this way: "When I pray the Holy Rosary, I am praying from my heart, Hector, with all my love for Jesus and Mary, entrusting everything to our Blessed Mother to intercede for us. Hail Marys are theologically sound prayers right out of the book of St. Luke. Praying the Rosary is praying the Gospel. At the wedding feast in Cana, Mary interceded for the people there, and so Jesus performed His first miracle at his mother's request. You could say that Hail Marys are like roses you give to your mother, or that praying a Hail Mary is like saying, 'I love you, Mom.' You can't tell your heavenly mother that you love her too many times, you know."

Hector was amazed at all his mother knew and how she had explained to him so clearly. "How do you know all this, Mom? he asked. She smiled and held his face close to her own. "Well, for one thing, Hector, I'm your mother."

Traditional prayer and praying "in the Spirit"

As a Catholic, you may have had the experience of being told that our devotional prayers like the Memorare are lacking something, they are memorized, and they aren't from you; and that spontaneous prayers that come from your heart are better. Unfortunately, this is a view from ignorance that  lately, even some well-meaning Catholic Charismatics believe. Is it "superstitious" to pray a certain number of repetitions when we pray? Doesn't the Bible tell us not to pray vain repetitions? Isn't it better to pray "in the Spirit"?

Let's take a brief look at our traditional Catholic prayers and why it is valuable to continue in our practice of praying them.

Those old-fashioned prayers that are memorized and recited by Catholics are powerful and they are theologically sound. They have an amazing history to them as well. And they have been approved by the Church. Catholics have devotions for Mary and the saints because over the centuries, miraculous events have been attributed to them. These are the main reasons that they are prayed and passed down from generation to generation. We pray traditional prayers because it works!

The Memorare, for example, has an awesome history of miraculous intervention by the Blessed Virgin Mary. It brings healing and the conversion of sinners as we trust and rely on our Blessed Mother to intercede for us. Accounts of St. Francis de Sales, and Father Claude Bernard, who popularized the prayer, can be read at the link. Check the original sources there at the bottom of the page for additional reading.

It is always a good thing for us to pray for one another. At the same time, this doesn't mean that we shouldn't avail ourselves of the holy saints and angels who are there for us. Spontaneous prayers are great to pray, and Catholics do pray these prayers, too. Yet when somebody prays memorized devotional prayers, it does not mean that the person does not pray from their heart. No, it is just the opposite, for the devotee finds it so dear that it is given a regular place of importance in the Catholic's life. And lastly, even Jesus prayed the same prayer three times for the cup to be taken away from Him by our Heavenly Father. Clearly, our Lord has no problem with repeating prayers. Let's just remember, that when we pray, we likewise agree to accept that God's will be done in the matter, as Jesus did in His repetitious prayer. It is the Son of God Who taught us to pray The Our Father, and The Lord's Prayer, which is not spontaneous, is repeated to this day by all Christian denominations.

Treasure the tried and true. Remember that when we pray traditional Catholic prayers given to us by our Church, we can be sure that we are truly praying "in the Spirit" for it is the Holy Spirit Who guides our Church. So come on, and pray the Memorare with me, with love from our hearts:

You're not alone if your life is too busy to pray for dead people

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The days are so busy. There's always something more to get done, so many things are still needing to be attended to, life has so many demands, so who has time to pray for the dead on top of everything else? It's hard enough just to find time to pray for the living, isn't it?

Those who have read the first line of this blog entry, just prayed for the dead. Yes, you've already done it. That's how quickly and easily it is done. Please pray with me for the souls in purgatory every day.

There is more about purgatory and praying for the dead here.

It's All Saints Day, so let's pray a Litany together

Today is a holy day of obligation. Please be sure to go to Mass. It's All Saints Day. Let's remember all those who have gone before us, and let us ask for their intercession.

Today is a great day to pray a Litany, so click on one of these and join me in a beautiful and powerful prayer. We all need prayer, someone you know needs prayer. Let's do it! You can follow along with the words here.

Denver joins in the National Rosary Crusade, 2011

October is the month of the Holy Rosary. "Father Hearty, chaplain for the Denver comitium of the Legion of Mary, organized the  Denver Family Rosary Crusade in hopes of reviving devotion to the Virgin Mary. The idea for a Denver Crusade was proposed to him by a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Littleton, where he is Parochial Vicar."

Father Peyton, known as the Rosary Priest, started this movement back in the '50s with many creative ways that he encouraged families to pray the Rosary together. National Rosary Crusade info

It was a wonderful experience for my family to be a part of the Rosary Crusade Denver on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at Civic Center Park, Greek Amphitheater. It was very dear to us having it take place during this special month of Our Lady's Holy Rosary, and being planned so close to the 13th of the month, which is the anniversary of the miracle of the sun which took place in 1917 during a Marian apparition in Fatima, Portugal.

There was very little notice about the event, and yet a couple hundred of the Catholic faithful came together to pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary for our country. Though we all have different personalities and different ways of doing things in life, there is spiritual unity among us, for Catholics are of one body, that of Christ, having many different parts, with Jesus as our Head. Together we sought the intercession of our Blessed Mother for the conversion of America, storming the gate of heaven for our God's help.

Prayer is truly powerful, and the prayers of virtuous followers of Jesus avail much. Catholics entrust our prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary because she is the most virtuous of us all, and because she is the mother of God, having asked her Son for His first miracle at the wedding feast at Cana. Our Lady of the Rosary takes our petitions to the Lord, knowing best how to present them to her Son. If one wishes the conversion of our nation, pray.

Voting, running for public office, creating petitions, peacefully demonstrating, educating, and any other human endeavor is certainly important, to help the United States of America to be a country that we can be proud of, but there is nothing more important than spending some time in prayer. In fact, sometimes nothing can help except prayer. Please pray for America.

Let's plan on getting together this time next year to be a part of the Rosary Crusade Denver. I hope to see you there!

Hundreds of the Catholic faithful participate in Rosary Crusade Denver

Hundreds of the Catholic faithful came out to the Civic Center Park Greek Amphitheater to participate in Rosary Crusade Denver. Father Joseph Hearty, FSSP, Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Littleton, Colorado, led the group in praying the Holy Rosary. Father Joseph is also the Chaplain for the Denver Comitium of the Legion of Mary.

From the program: Rosary Crusade Denver is sponsored by the Denver Comitium of the Legion of Mary in honor of Fr. Patrick Peyton who led many Rosary Rallies around the world. This year is the 50th Anniversary of the 1961 Rosary Rally in San Francisco where over half a million people gathered to pray the Rosary.

Father Joseph Hearty was quoted in the Denver Catholic Register as saying that this event is "a great demonstration of our faith, our trust in God, and our devotion in the role of the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary." There is more background information on this event at the link.

With a difficult traffic situation, and the on-going protesting, and another event scheduled in front of the Capitol, it took my family about an hour to arrive rather than the few minutes we expected. We prayed along the way when it became obvious that we would be late, and consequently, our prayers were in union with all those being said as a part of the nation-wide Rosary Crusade.

Thank you for making this event successful, for our holy mother has repeatedly requested that we pray the Rosary for God's peace in the world, and to make up for the offenses committed against our Lord and our Lady. God bless you, and hopefully we can do it again next year.

This is how to make praying the Rosary even more inspiring

Today I prayed the Mysteries of Light. Just in praying 5 decades of Mary's Holy Rosary, the inspirations are very numerous. In fact, before I even prayed the Mysteries, I was already in awe of the wonders of our glorious Lady and our holy and merciful God. You might say this is a part of that story, a peek into how I pray and contemplate on the Rosary.

It began with the reverent and uplifting music that I heard. It was the holy call to arms. I pulled out my weapon and joined the ranks of the soldiers of the Lord.

I knelt down to join Mother Angelica in the televised recording of the Holy Rosary, and I saw the nuns. I marveled that there are so many different gifts and personalities that all work in unison in the Body of Christ.

We made the Sign of the Cross together. We are Christian warriors, after all, and Mary's Rosary is done in the Name of the Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is such an honor to be in the holy family of God.

Immediately, then, we prayed the Apostle's Creed, and I felt grateful for history having been recorded, and for what our Lord Jesus has done for us through pure holy love for us.

The next prayer was the Our Father, the very prayer taught to the first disciples by Jesus. Who am I to be a disciple, sinful as I am, yet God is holy, and I can aspire to be holy and make it to heaven by His amazing unfathomable grace.

Three Hail Marys followed. For me, today, the Holy Spirit led me to think of them representing peace, love, and joy. Oh, thank you Blessed Mother, for saying yes to being the mother of Jesus, and in that fiat, to also become the mother of the Church. Thank you for being my Mom, because I really need your love and guidance and your intercession :)

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, it is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

Color your life Magnificat

We can learn a lot about our Blessed Mother, and we can apply her words of The Magnificat to our lives today. She gives credit to God for everything that happens to her and calls these "great things". She even speaks to a positive and blessed future. She praises and glorifies God, rejoicing, filled with faith in God's providence and protection and provision. She speaks of God's mercy for those who have a high regard and reverence for our Lord. And she recounts how God keeps His promises.

Stress, uncertainty, fear, disappointments, wicked ordeals may indeed be a part of your life. I know I have much to deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes we can get stuck focusing on the negative pieces and not see the positive side of the whole scenario. Think about it--we also have unexpected resolved difficulties, various talents to make use of, joyful experiences, and many freedoms to be grateful for.

We may not be able to avoid dealing with the bad things in life, but we certainly can make the decision to trust in Jesus, to be thankful to God for all of the good, and reflect on the better things. Remember the bottom line--God loves you! Roses are beautiful and soft and fragrant. And they have thorns. Can you imagine not noticing the glorious flowers and only seeing the smaller thorns?

I like the idea of making The Magnificat my own, as if I had composed this beautiful prayer about my own life. Try it. Pray the words spoken by the Virgin Mary, making them your own:


The Magnificat
My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour,
Because He hath regarded the humility of His handmaid:
for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He that is mighty, 
has done great things to me; and Holy is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation unto generations, 
to them that fear Him.
He has shewed might in His Arm: 
He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has cast down the mighty from their seat, 
and has exalted the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things, 
and the rich He has sent empty away.
He has received Israel, 
His servant, mindful of His mercy.
As He spoke to our fathers, 
to Abraham and to his seed, for ever.

When I Cannot Pray

                         
                                                               

When I cannot pray because I am sorrowful, my heart cries out to God in silence anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am bitter, my body kneels in submission to the Lord anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am upset, my tongue receives Jesus in peace anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am disheartened, my actions reflect hope anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am lonely, my arms embrace Love anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am doubtful, my legs stand in His Presence faithfully anyway.
When I cannot pray because I am too busy, my mind prays anyway.

I'm back!

It has been over a year that I have been unavailable and absent. Where have I been? I will tell you part of it. I've been on God and me time. I was learning more about Him, about my Holy Mother Mary, and about my faith. I also have been posting on facebook, as I have been gathering information. Faith and reason work together in our Catholic faith. Not just faith. There are some things we need to understand. Not just reason. God does not fully reveal all aspects of His Mysteries to us. We would never be able to handle it. The followers of Jesus were first called to be His disciples, his students. Then they were prepared to be His apostles. This is why I have been missing in action for so long, as I have been busy being a student of Jesus and Mary.

From St. John chapter 1: And the two disciples heard him [John the Baptist] speak, and they followed Jesus. [38] And Jesus turning, and seeing them following him, saith to them: What seek you? Who said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? [39] He saith to them: Come and see. They came, and saw where he abode, and they stayed with him that day: now it was about the tenth hour. [40] And Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who had heard of John, and followed him.

[41] He findeth first his brother Simon, and saith to him: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. [42] And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter. [43] On the following day, he would go forth into Galilee, and he findeth Philip. And Jesus saith to him: Follow me. [44] Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. [45] Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.

[46] And Nathanael said to him: Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see. [47] Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him: and he saith of him: Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile. [48] Nathanael saith to him: Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered, and said to him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. [49] Nathanael answered him, and said: Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.

I've been in Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. I've been on my knees praying the Tessera and the Holy Rosary. I've been in Mass and in Divine Liturgy. I've been reading what time allows with regard to our faith; the Bible, Saint Faustina's Diary, the many works of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, bits and pieces of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and portions of works by assorted Catholic apologists and theologians and other saints.

One more important thing to mention is that I have the best teacher in the whole world-the Blessed Virgin Mary. If you want to find her school and be a blessed classmate of mine, pray the Rosary. You will find your mother Mary there :)

Evidence that the communion of saints scored big on May 20th

There is a young person, not quite a teenager yet, whose mother makes it a rule that the television is kept on EWTN just about any time that it is on to add a counter voice to the lives of those in the household who get bombarded every day with pagan and secular and anti-Christian messages from everywhere else. It may seem to her that her son is opposed to learning anything related to spiritual matters, but much to her surprise, going to Mass each Sunday, praying the Rosary each evening together as a family, and the daily influence of this Catholic channel have begun to impact him.

As a part of his education at home, he was required to write an essay. About anything he wanted to write about. There was no prompting on any subject. Her son has no habit of writing anything to please her. Here is the ultimate surprise produced by the hands of her child...

Why we need priests

We need priests. If we did not have them then the world would be more corrupt. We need priests because God wants us to have them for Mass. In Mass the priest makes bread and wine into the body and the blood of our Lord. The priests also are the mouth and hands of God. Like Confession and the Eucharist. The priest makes the bread and wine body and blood, and Confession he absolves us of our sins.

Without priests there would be no church and no one going to church. That is why we need priests. We would not be forgiven of our sins and it would be harder to go to heaven. Lots of people have been saved because of the priests. They are very important in our life.


My heart is thankful to the priests who have set good examples before my son, and for the vocation that they have chosen to serve us in the Catholic Church. I am grateful to Mother Angelica and all who serve us at EWTN through so many excellent programs. And I wish to especially give a shout out to those who usually go unnoticed by the rest of us who still exist in this physical world.

So thank you so much:

Albert of Bologna Alexander of Aegea Amalbert Anastasius Jakob Pankiewicz Anastasius of Brescia Aquila of Egypt Arcangelo Tadini Asterius of Aegea Asterius of Edessa Austregisilus of Bourges Bartolomeus Holzhauser Basilla of Rome Baudelius of Nîmes		Bernadine of Siena Columba of Rieti Ethelbert of East Anglia Guy de Gherardesca Hendrina Josefa Stenmanns Hilary of Toulouse Lucifer of Cagliari Orlando of Vallombrosa Plautilla of Rome Saturnina of Neuenheerse Thalelaeus of Aegea Theodore of Pavia

From: http://saints.sqpn.com/20-may/ And happy feast day to all :)!

If you are really looking for God, you will find Him

I don't know how everything works, and I don't know the answers to most questions, nor do I know what I am doing from one day to the next most of the time. I may have something planned but then something else comes up and enters in to change everything. I thank God that these are not usually emergencies. When they are unexpected blessings, though, I love it!

It used to be the case that I didn't understand that when things go sour, it does not mean that God's hand isn't in it. Happy things were attributed to God working in my life. But suffering is also used by our Lord. Jesus also suffered, and he asked for the cup to be taken away. Thinking about this during my times in praying the sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary, I have come to understand that it was God's will for sorrowful things to happen in my life as well. Meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary must include a connection to our own lives. This is necessary for spiritual growth.

Be encouraged today to just keep on praying and amending your life to be more pleasing to God each day. Read the Bible. If you are lazy, put on EWTN to learn from, borrow a movie like "The Gospel of John" from the library, or listen to the Word of God through a CD. But daily get something somehow some way from the Holy Scriptures. When you pray the Rosary, you are praying the Gospel. So pray the Rosary every day.

Every Sunday Mass is a must. Make time for it no matter how many other things are pulling at you for your time. Even if you haven't "felt" anything, even if it is just to go and get it over with so that you have the rest of the day free for other endeavors, continue to go. Sometimes it seems like God isn't even there in the Church. Sometimes it seems like He has forgotten you. Maybe you have tried to find Him, but can't, there are so many beliefs, so many different religions. I can assure you of this, if you seek Him, you will find Him. He wants you to seek Him. He will reveal Himself to you as you are able to receive the truth. To some He can only do so a little at a time, and to others He can bring you close like a small child can sit right up on the lap of his or her father for interaction and love and affection.

Do not be afraid to risk feeling or looking like a fool. I have found that there are always people unwittingly listening to the evil one, who want to drag people along with them to indulge in sinful things. What are their opinions to you? You have to be true to yourself, to find God and live your own life. The truth is there for you, and you can study and learn all about God, and still not "know" Him. When you pray the Rosary, Mary, His Mother can best show Him to you, for she knows Him better than any other human being.



You were created unique and special. Your gifts, your talents, these are blessings that have been given to you by God, Himself, and as you begin to use them as God designed them to be used, to glorify Him, you will find that you will be given new and better friends. You will begin to see that you belong to a holy family of brothers and sisters who are not perfect but cultivate gardens of virtues in their lives that helps you to want to sin less and please our Heavenly Father more.

None of us has all the answers. None of us knows it all. None of us has all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As the Scriptures say, we are all parts of His body, with Jesus being the head. All of us are important to the whole, and it is a mystery how everything works together for the good of them who serve the Lord.Think about it this way: Jesus chose to lay His life down for us to save us from sin and death. He prayed to our Father, not His will, but that of the Father be done, agreeing to do whatever it took to liberate us and save our souls. Jesus embraced what was going to happen willingly, always having in His power as the Son of God to say NO.

In His Paschal sacrifice, His death, what appeared to be a tragic ending, it was, in fact, the ultimate victory. God will likewise use all of our sufferings for the benefit and value of His redemption plan. Trust Jesus. He did not come to condemn the world, He came to reconcile us to God. You don't have to understand how it all works, but it does.

Terrorist attempt in Times Square thwarted by the Virgin Mary?

Our Lady of Fatima, our Holy Mother wants us to return to God, to pray, and to do penance. Some Catholics have a regular devotion to our Blessed Mother. She requested that we pray the Rosary on the 1st Saturdays of the month of 5 consecutive Saturdays. There is more that she asked of us, but at least more and more Catholics a little at a time, have begun to pray. http://www.shrineofsaintjude.net/home1211.html

Praying the Rosary is more powerful than you can image. All the same, I'm about to imagine, and I'll do so right here. May 1st was the 1st Saturday of the month of the first apparition of Mary in Fatima in 1917 to 3 shepherd children. Typically the first Saturday of each month is also when pro-life Americans participate in prayer vigils across the nation at abortion clinics. The Catholic faithful are out there praying the Rosary.

I have no way to guess about the numbers, but all around the world there was a tremendous amount of prayer that was happening on Saturday and Sunday, depending upon time zones, with Marian groups and Apostolates, pro-life warriors being there at the preborn human killing places, and all these Catholics were praying the Holy Rosary as Mary requested.

In addition, Saturday and Sunday are the days that Christians of all denominations are praying at their Churches, too, both Catholic and Protestant believers in Jesus. Considering all of the concentrated public and private prayer that was going on for these 2 days, I believe it is very possible that the reason that the IED did not go off and kill anybody in the failed terrorist attempt in Times Square Saturday night is because of our Blessed Mother.

It is the first thing I thought of. And it wouldn't be the first time that she has done miracles even concerning battles and war. http://catholicism.org/mary-of-victory.html In my opinion, this makes more sense than anything else. And since others are getting credit for doing a good job in their part in saving many innocent people who were out enjoying the spring evening, I want to say, "Thank you, Blessed Mother. I love you!"

Here's a little something to help you learn to pray the Rosary: The mystery-of-the-Resurrection-of-our-Lord-Jesus-Christ

Are you living the message of Fatima...

The Rosary held in the hands of my dead mother

Yesterday while praying the Rosary along with Mother Angelica and the nuns on EWTN, at the end of the Mystery of the Transfiguration, as I contemplated on being transformed into the image of Christ, I remembered something from long ago. I'd like to share it here.

Someone had placed a rosary into the dead hands of my mother for a proper Catholic funeral, an adornment that I had never seen her pray with. The whole family and friends of my mother came to the funeral home to pray the rosary. That is the first time I ever heard that prayer. I doubt I was the only one who did not even know to contemplate on the mysteries as we prayed the prayers over and over. I assumed this was to help my dead mother in some Catholic funeral ritual of some superstitious nature. Before my mother's burial, I believe I was given that rosary. I did not know it was anything other than a token for remembrance of my dead mother.

After Mom was buried, I never saw anyone in my family ever pray the Rosary again, either. Nor did any priest or nun tell me to pray the Rosary even though I was searching for God, had a lot of questions, and was even ripe for becoming a nun myself. Neither did they suggest this devotion to me for myself or for my deceased parent even as I questioned them about where my mother might be since she had killed herself.

There are so many ironies connected to that memory that I experienced yesterday that I am not going to get into here. But there is something very important that I want to say.

Like many other Catholics, I have a rosary hanging from my rear-view mirror in my car. Yet a rosary is not a decoration. It is not meant to be put into a corpse's hands. It is meant to be for the living to run to and use as a holy weapon of spiritual warfare. Better still, it should be always handy in a pocket, ever ready, as a knight is not w/o his sword nor a soldier w/o his weapon on the battlefield. Use that rosary, pray the Rosary, and pray it often, every day.

If you would like me to help you to learn about the Holy Rosary please contact me or leave me a comment and I will help you. How many years has my mother been suffering in purgatory because there was nobody to pray for her? I do not know. Pray for the poor souls in purgatory. Like me, you may have never been told that you can pray for your deceased loved ones. Now you know. So pray for them.

I sought a close-up picture of a rosary in the hands of a corpse to go with this post. And can you believe it, out of 365 days, this post and the first and best photo that I could find is this one that accompanies this entry. It is a picture of St. Bernadette. And as I looked for information about who is in the picture, I read that today is also her feast day. Yes, it just "happens" to also be her feast day on the very day I publish this entry. And you don't believe in miracles? What, do you think that this is a coincidence?  Think again.

Prayers for Kayleah Wilson's safe return

"Kayleah is described as 5-foot-1, 145 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a white and pink shirt over a white tank top, blue jeans, and white and red shoes. Kayleah has been missing since March 28,2010 3:40 PM

"The 12-year-old girl left her home Sunday afternoon to go to a friend's birthday party and never arrived. She didn't show up at the pick-up location, and she hasn't come back home..." It has now been 2 weeks since her disappearance from Greeley, Colorado.

Michelle Thompson of Greeley, created a cause group at http://www.facebook.com/ called "Prayers for Kayleah Wilson's Safe Return". It is here that the world-wide community has come together to help find missing Kayleah Wilson. The photo and the information about Kayleah as quoted above is available at the facebook group page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=110710275614207

At this point, there are over 4000 members who belong to this group. People have joined the group from all across the country and from Canada. Posts include information, news, updates, hopeful possible clues or tips, and a whole lot of support and prayer. There are now 54 helpful links included, with one being from The Greeley Tribune, which has been regularly reporting on missing Kayleah.

At the present time (Saturday, April 10, 2010) there is an active community search being led by The Friendswood Texas-based Laura Recovery Center for Missing Children. If you are at least 18 years of age, you can still participate, as this event will continue again tomorrow, Sunday, April 11th. Details can be found on the facebook group site.

Anyone with information about Kayleah's whereabouts is asked to call 1-800 225-5324. 

More info on the Kayleah Wilson case here: http://www.amw.com/missing_children/case.cfm?id=72088

A prayer vigil was held last night. Those who attended did so not out of a sense of loss, but in prayerful hope and expectation for Kayleah Wilson's safe return home. In reading the posts on the group wall, the message is clearly positive and collectively encouraging and affirming. Please pray for Kayleah and her family. Along with the many other courageous and prayerful voices, this examiner says: Kayleah, your family loves and misses you, and we want you home safely soon. 

For Kayleah and her family, here is a song with a message of hope... "there's a light at the end of this tunnel, hold on."

This post is an exception to my blog posts and my column posts not being identical. The reason I have done this is because the article is important, we need to pray for and find this missing child. The original is here: http://www.examiner.com/x-4317-Denver-Roman-Catholic-Examiner~y2010m4d10-Prayers-for-Kayleah-Wilsons-safe-return 

Make your faith an active faith

The Acts of the Apostles is about some of the recorded activity, through their faith in Christ, of those who first followed Jesus. Today, we who know our Lord are also called to an active faith. Some of these things we do as His disciples, we are called to do daily, like praying. Other things come upon us suddenly, like helping others in times of need. And then there is a special call for each of us...

Part of what I have been called to do in this life on earth is to teach children. At the present time, God is leading me in writing for children in order to share the Catholic faith with them. Honestly, I have learned some things from books written for children, myself. So I believe that what I am given to write from my Lord and my Lady, by the grace of God, will reach many more than children; parents, too, I'm sure.

I'm pretty much decided upon this artistic representation of "The Annunciation" for my first book. It is from the 1600s by Caravaggio. It is available in the public domain, which is a real blessing, as it is free for the taking. It pleases me to be able to use it in such a noble endeavor, that being the reaching others for God with His truth.

The daily scriptural reading from the Holy Gospel for today is about how after Jesus had risen from the dead, His disciples were walking and talking with Him, but they did not recognize Him.

They listened to Jesus explain the Holy Scriptures to them and they asked Him to stay with them. He stayed with them, and in the breaking of the bread is when they recognized Him as their Lord. It is my prayer that more Catholics will begin to see that Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. He is present in the consecrated bread at Mass. (Thank you Lord, for our priests.)

It is also my desire to share the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for this prayer is the contemplation of the Gospel, and we know that the Word of God is Jesus. I'd like to think that whenever people open my book, they are in a spiritual way breaking open the truth of the Bread of Life, supping with Jesus, through Mary, as they learn of our Redeemer through the one who knew Him better than anybody--His Holy Mother.

The book I am speaking of is the first in a series of books that I am answering God's call to write. Simultaneously I am writing other books, a little here and there. But this is the gem that will be coming out first. I am very pleased with the progress. I'll write of "The Annunciation: The First Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary" from time to time as things move along through the grace of God and the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit.

It is a true honor to be given this Holy task. It is a pleasure to work at crafting a masterpiece of God. I find it both humbling and fulfilling. The "Joyful" mysteries indeed :)

If you have an idea of some sort that you think might have been given to you by God, just step out in faith and do it. Go for it. This is active faith. Trust Jesus and take that first step of faith. Like a toddler, step by step, the Holy Spirit will lead you along. As you make progress, you can also sense our Heavenly Father saying that you are His child, and with you He is well pleased.

Just one decade, this, even you can do

Our Catholic children may be able to recite an Our Father and a Hail Mary prayer. But do we really expect them to be able to pray the Rosary? Most Catholic adults don't even know how to pray the Holy Rosary any more. It looks very complicated. Prayer should be simple and from the heart, you may protest. Well, here's good news. Mary's prayer, the Holy Rosary, is simple and is to be prayed from the heart. Well, it looks very time consuming and repetitious. That's a real turn off, you say. Well, considering your day has 24 whole hours in it, is about a half an hour really too much time for you to give to God? Don't you want to bless somebody that you love with a dozen roses rather than 2 or 3? Repeating the prayers in the Holy Rosary are not vain repetitions but they are like the most beautiful of roses that you present to our Blessed Mother.

The Rosary is the most powerful prayer that there is next to the Mass, when you pray in contemplation on the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and Mary. Sometimes, though, looking at the whole of it looks like several tasks and inconveniences that today's busy Americans just aren't going to take the time to learn to do it. The sad truth is that their busy-ness is more about rest and relaxation and entertainment and fun than anything else. But here's an idea that may help fellow Catholics brave dipping their toes into the refreshing and grace-filled water of the Holy Rosary. Just one decade... http://www.examiner.com/x-4317-Denver-Roman-Catholic-Examiner~y2010m3d26-The-mystery-of-The-Annunciation 
The mystery of the Visitation is here...

Pray, pray, pray!!!

Pray, pray, pray for our country and all of her citizens whether born or preborn for our right to liberty and to life. There are so many links I can add to this post later, but for now, I just really want to encourage everyone to pray united together, prayer warriors joining to the army of the Lord. Myriads of angels are fighting. We need to get into the fight as well, for this is not just one small battle we may lose but certainly a major loss in the war from the culture of death. Many do not even realize that their tax dollars are already going to fund abortions in other places in the world. We have money going to developing countries. Look up the Mexico City Policy. And read what the Bishops have said about it: http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-022.shtml . Also read "Building and Promoting a Culture of Life" by Archbishop Chaput for explanations of excellent "do"s and "don't" in the fight for life: http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/1406 . I will also add a photo later as well. Not now. My heart is so heavy. Yet miracles are very real and they can and do happen. Lord God, we need a mighty miracle. Holy Mary, Mother of God, intercede for us and for our nation, for if this bill becomes law, we surely will see the judgment of our Lord come upon us with great fury. Lord have mercy on us. Amen. Wow, just in time w/ the finish here, it's the Holy Rosary on EWTN. Joining... 

Kill the pro-death healthcare bill

Senator Michael Bennet had emails sent out inviting feedback on "how to fix Washington." So I sent this letter via email.

Dear Senator Michael Bennet:

Kill the pro-death healthcare bill. 

I will keep you in my prayers, for you are one of those who are most in need of God's mercy. Blind, deaf, and unrepentant.

The way to fix Washington is for everyone over there to find a low-paying job and learn some humility. (You should be able to get a job, although regular US citizens cannot find any that are gainful to provide for our families now.)

Sincerely,

Theresa M. Navarra

Here's a must see from here: http://www.sba-list.org/site/c.ddJBKJNsFqG/b.5489321/k.656C/Stop_Hiding_Behind_Hyde.htm

Going from "why me?" to "be it done unto me"

Black-eyed Susan is that beautiful and resilient flower full of sunshine and upright in stature. Yet, she is punched in the eye. Oh how the saints have endured much to be where they are in the holy kingdom of God. Take heart those who suffer. These things do not go unnoticed. Nor unrewarded.

In this life, character will be refined and purified. And in the next life, you will spend an eternity with God Holy Trinity and the blessed Virgin Mary, our Holy Mother who also suffered so. Our guardian angels are here for us, that is true. And yet we will never be exempted from trials and tribulations. Was Jesus? No. Nor was Mary. Nor the great saints and martyrs of our true faith.

Catholics, these days, for the most part, do not grasp that Jesus hung there on the cross for us not just paying a price for us, but also as the model for us to emulate in sacrifice and love for others. We must embrace our crosses. Wait a minute, you wanted the flowers to bloom without having the rain?

When something bad happens, we lament, "why me?" and we never saw it coming. We should see it coming. Jesus Himself told us that in the Book of John. He said if the world hates you, remember, He was hated first. There is a spiritual battle for your soul going on. The love that Jesus brought to us to take into the world involves standing up for that which is right and suffering for lining your will up with God's.

We continue to pray for ourselves and our loved ones, but isn't it time to add in those who persecute us? Vengeance belongs to the Lord. In looking at the abuse He endured and the death he suffered for our sakes, it looks like the only one He evened up the score with is the evil one. Thank God for His forgiveness. Thank Jesus for His mercy. Thanks be to our Lord Holy Spirit who teaches and comforts us. Thank your Holy Mother for saying, "let to be done unto me according to your word." Let us do likewise.

Interesting: The Real Third Secret of Fatima: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s1KPfTY6LU