For the Feast of St. John Vianney

Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. John Mary Vianney on August 8.  Also known as the Cure D'Ars, St. John Vianney is the patron Saint of parish priests.  Born in France in 1786, St. John was ordained to the priesthood on August 13, 1815 and sent to the little town of Ars to be the pastor to the people there, most who lacked the true Faith.  

He provided his parishioners with an example of a true love of God, the Faith, and zeal for souls.  St. John Vianney offered many penances for his parishioners, and he spent long hours in prayer before our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  The Saint told his parishioners, “One need not say much to pray well...  We know that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle. Let us open our hearts to Him, let us rejoice in His sacred presence. That is the best prayer.”

St. John became known as "a great hospital of souls," spending up to 16 hours a day in the confessional, hearing the confessions of people from all over Europe.  God granted the Cure D'Ars the ability to read souls, which allowed him to bring many stubborn hearts back to the Faith.  He also had a great devotion to St. Philomena, whose feast day is August 11, and many miracles worked through him were at the same time through her intercession.

With the good being accomplished through him, St. John Vianney was at times tormented by the devil.  Once, while the Saint was praying his Office at the end of a long day, the devil kept extinguishing his candle, thus making it too dark to read the prayers.  Finally St. John, relighting the candle again, handed it to the devil, making him hold it for him until he finished. 

Act of Love of the Holy Cure D'Ars 

I love Thee, O my God. 

My only desire is to love Thee, 

until the last breath of my life. 

I love Thee, O infinitely loveable God, 

and I prefer to die loving Thee, 

rather than to live for an instant without Thee. 

I love Thee, O my God, 

and I desire only to go to Heaven, 

to have the happiness of loving Thee perfectly. 

I love Thee, O my God, 

and my only fear is to go to Hell, 

because one will never have the sweet 

solace of loving Thee there. 

O my God, if my tongue cannot say

at all times that I love Thee, 

at least I want my heart to repeat it to Thee! 

as many times as I breathe. Ah! Do me the grace 

to suffer while loving Thee, 

to love Thee while suffering, 

and, that when I die: 

I not only will love Thee, 

but experience it in my heart. 

I beg Thee that: the closer I come to my final end, 

Thou wilt increase and perfect my love for Thee.   Amen.

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Just as God worked much good through the life of St. John Vianney, likewise He continues to work through our own priests.  May we daily remember to pray for our priests and the priests throughout the world, thanking God for them and begging His graces to be bestowed abundantly upon them.

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A Prayer for Priests 

O Jesus, Eternal Priest, keep Thy priests within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Thy Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Thy Precious Blood. Keep pure and unworldly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Thy Holy Love surround them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and their everlasting crown hereafter. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us: obtain for us numerous and holy priests. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to Our Queen

Beginning on Candlemas, February 2, and extending through Spy Wednesday in Holy Week, Holy Mother Church honors our Lady with the hymn "Ave Regina Caelorum."  It is believed to have been composed by 11th century Benedictine Monk Herman Contractus; the hymn honors our Lady as Queen of Heaven and of the Angels, and begs Mary to intercede for man as our mediator with Christ.

Ave Regina Caelorum Ave, Regina caelorum, Ave, Domina Angelorum: Salve, radix, salve, porta Ex qua mundo lux est orta: Gaude, Virgo gloriosa, Super omnes speciosa, Vale, o valde decora, Et pro nobis Christum exora.

Hail, Queen of Heaven Hail, O Queen of Heaven enthroned. Hail, by angels mistress owned. Root of Jesse, Gate of Morn Whence the world's true light was born: Glorious Virgin, Joy to thee, Loveliest whom in heaven they see; Fairest thou, where all are fair, Plead with Christ our souls to spare.

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Following this idea of Mary as Queen of heaven and earth, the following prayer written by Pope Pius XII provides the faithful with a fitting way to honor Our Lady and ask for her intercession in all our needs.

Prayer to our Queen

Out of the depths of this valley of tears, through which suffering humanity painfully struggles, up from the billows of this sea, endlessly buffeted by the waves of suffering, we raise our eyes to thee, most beloved Mother Mary, to be comforted by the contemplation of thy glory and to hail thee as Queen of Heaven and earth, Queen and Mother of mankind. With legitimate filial pride, we wish to exalt thy queenship and to recognize it as due to the sovereign excellence of thy entire being, O dearest one truly Mother of Him Who is King by right, by inheritance and by conquest. 

Reign, O Mother and Queen, by showing us the path of holiness, and by guiding and assisting us that we may never stray from it. In the heights of Heaven, thou doth exercise thy primacy over the choirs of Angels, who acclaim thee as their sovereign, and over the legions of Saints who delight in beholding thy radiant beauty. So, too, reign over the entire human race above all by opening the path of faith to those who do not yet know your Divine Son. Reign over the Church which acknowledges and extols thy gentle dominion and has recourse to thee as a safe refuge amid the calamities of our day. Reign especially over that part of the Church which is persecuted and oppressed; give it strength to bear adversity, constancy never to yield under unjust compulsion, light to avoid falling into the snares of the enemy, firmness to resist overt attack, and at every moment unwavering faithfulness to thy kingdom. 

Reign over the minds of men, that they may seek only what is true; over their wills, that they may follow solely what is good; over their hearts, that they may love nothing but what thou thyself loveth. Reign over individuals and over families, as well as over societies and nations; over the assemblies of the powerful, the counsels of the wise, as over the simple aspirations of the humble. Reign in the streets and the squares, in the cities and the villages, in the valleys and the mountains, in the air, on land and on the sea; and hear the pious prayer of all those who recognize that thine is a reign of mercy, in which every petition is heard, every sorrow comforted, every misfortune relieved, every infirmity healed, and in which, at a gesture from thy gentle hands, from death itself there arises smiling life. 

Obtain for us that all who now, in every corner of the world, acclaim and hail thee Queen and Mistress, may one day in Heaven enjoy the fullness of thy kingdom in the vision of thy Divine Son, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever and ever. Amen.

--Pope Pius XII

God bless!

+JMJ+

St. Clare's Prayer of the Sacred Wounds

Holy Mother Church traditionally celebrates the feast of St. Clare of Assisi on August 12.  Born into a noble family in the town of Assisi, St. Clare later followed the example of St. Francis of Assisi, becoming a religious.  With his help, she founded the Poor Clares, an Order of nuns who lived by a strict Rule including vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  While many people thought the Rule was too strict, St. Clare's nuns joyfully embraced this simple lifestyle, offering the daily acts of suffering out of love for the Lord.  St. Clare provided her nuns an example of great faith and love in God and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.  The following 7th century prayer was composed by St. Clare who recited it daily.

St. Clare's Prayer of the Sacred Wounds

Praise and honor be given Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of the Sacred Wound in Thy Right Hand. By this adorable wound, I beseech Thee to pardon me all the sins I have committed by thoughts, words and deeds, by neglect in Thy service, and by self-indulgence, both waking and sleeping. Grant me the grace that, by a devout and frequent remembrance of Thy Holy Passion, I may honor Thy sacred wounds and the death which Thou didst endure for love of me; and that, by chastising my body, I may testify my gratitude for Thy sufferings and Thy death: Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen.  Our Father. Hail, Mary. 

Praise and honor be given Thee, O most amiable Jesus, by reason of the Sacred Wound in Thy Left Hand. By this holy wound, I beseech Thee to have pity on me and to change within me whatever is displeasing to Thee. Grant me to be victorious over Thine enemies, so that, by the power of Thy grace, I may overcome them; and do Thou, by Thy holy and adorable death, deliver me from all dangers, present and to come, and make me worthy to share in the glory of Thy Blessed Kingdom: Who livest and reignest, world without end. Amen. Our Father. Hail, Mary. 

Praise and honor be given Thee, O sweetest Jesus, by reason of the Sacred Wound in Thy Right Foot. By this holy and adorable wound, I beseech Thee to enable me to bring forth worthy fruits of penance for my sins. I humbly entreat Thee, for the sake of Thine adorable death, to keep me, day and night, in Thy holy will, to preserve me from all adversity of soul and body, and, on the dreadful day of judgment, to deal with me according to Thy mercy, that I may obtain eternal joys: Who livest and reignest, world without end.  Amen. Our Father. Hail, Mary.

Praise and honor be given Thee, O sweet and merciful Jesus, by reason of the Sacred Wound in Thy Left Foot. By this adorable wound, I beseech Thee to grant me pardon and full remission of all my sins, so that, with Thine aid, I may escape the rigors of justice. I entreat Thee, O good and merciful Jesus, for the sake of Thy Holy Death, to grant that at the hour of my death, I may have the grace to confess my sins with a perfect contrition, to receive the adorable Sacrament of Thy Body and Thy Blood, and likewise, the holy Sacrament of Extreme Unction for my eternal salvation: Who livest and reignest, world without end.  Amen. Our Father. Hail, Mary. 

Praise and honor be given Thee, O good and sweetest Jesus, by reason of the Wound in Thy Sacred Side. By this adorable wound and by that immense mercy shown Longinus and to us all, in allowing Thy Sacred Side to be opened, I beseech Thee, O good Jesus, that as in Baptism Thou didst purify me from original sin, so now Thou wouldst be pleased, by the merits of Thy Most Precious Blood, Which is offered up this day over the whole world, to deliver me from all evils, past, present, and to come. I entreat Thee, by Thy bitter death, to give me a lively faith, a firm hope, and perfect charity, so that I may love Thee with my whole heart, with my whole soul, and with all my strength. Uphold me by Thy grace in the practice of good works, so that I may persevere to the end in Thy holy service and glorify Thee in time and eternity.  Amen. Our Father. Hail, Mary.

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee. R. Because, by Thy death and Thy precious blood, Thou hast redeemed the world. 

Let us pray. O Almighty and Eternal God, Who hast ransomed the human race by the five wounds of Thy Son, Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: we beseech Thee, by the merits of His precious blood, to grant unto us, who, each day, venerate these same adorable wounds, to be delivered from a sudden and unprovided death: Through the same Jesus Christ Thy Son, Our Lord, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end.  Amen.

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“Our labor here is brief, but the reward is eternal. Do not be disturbed by the clamor of the world which passes like a shadow. Do not let the false delights of a deceptive world deceive you.” -St. Clare of Assisi

God bless!

+JMJ+

On the Feast of St. Louis IX

"Fair son, the first thing I would teach thee is to set thine heart to love God; for unless he love God none can be saved. Keep thyself from doing aught that is displeasing to God, that is to say, from mortal sin. Contrariwise thou shouldst suffer every manner of torment rather than commit a mortal sin."  --from St. Louis IX's last instructions to his eldest son.

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On August 25 Holy Mother Church honors St. Louis IX, holy King of France and defender of Christianity.  At the age of 12, St. Louis inherited the throne, but he did not reign fully until the age of 21.  Until this time St. Louis was guided by his devout mother, Queen Blanche, who once told her young, royal son, "I love you my dear son, as much as a mother can love her child; but I would rather see you dead at my feet than that you should commit a mortal sin.” His mother’s influence was to direct St. Louis' life, guiding him to be a king filled with compassion for the poor, devoted to his kingdom, to his wife and eleven children, and especially to his Faith.  St. Louis heard two Masses a day and spent hours in prayer, even reciting the Office while imprisoned with two priests.  Just as his mother gave him advice to direct his life towards God, St. Louis did likewise with his eldest son, leaving him with final instructions before his death.  He was canonized in 1297.

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"If God send thee adversity, receive it in patience and give thanks to our Saviour and bethink thee that thou hast deserved it, and that He will make it turn to thine advantage. If He send thee prosperity, then thank Him humbly, so that thou becomest not worse from pride or any other cause, when thou oughtest to be better. For we should not fight against God with his own gifts."--from St. Louis IX's last instructions to his eldest son.

Litany in Honor of St. Louis IX

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, . .
Holy Virgin of virgins, . . .
Saint Louis of France, . . .
Saint Louis, scion of devout parents, . . .
Saint Louis, constant protector of the children of God, . . .
Saint Louis, steadfast teacher of piety, . . .
Saint Louis, true model of Christian virtue, . . .
Saint Louis, faithful confessor of the living Christ, . . .
Saint Louis, kingly bearer of humiliations, . . .
Saint Louis, staunch defender of the glorified Christ, . . .
Saint Louis, true martyr of the flesh by mortification, . . .
Saint Louis, detester of worldly pride and honor, . . .
Saint Louis, saviour of souls, . . .
Saint Louis, ardent lover of God, . . .
Saint Louis, kind friend of enemies, . . .
Saint Louis, rapt in prayer to God, . . .
Saint Louis, hope of sinners, . . .
Saint Louis, giver of gifts, . . .
Saint Louis, founder of charitable institutions for the afflicted, . . .
Saint Louis, generous giver of alms, . . .
Saint Louis, lavish dispenser of riches, . . .
Saint Louis, guard of the holy places of pilgrimage, . . .
Saint Louis, detester of immoderate people, . . .
Saint Louis, protector of widows and orphans, . . .
Saint Louis, defender of the sepulchre of Our Lord Jesus Christ, . . .
Saint Louis, victor over the Saracens, . . .
Saint Louis, protector of those in pagan slavery, . . .
Saint Louis, converter of unbelievers to the Christian faith, . . .
Saint Louis, visitor of hospitals and dispenser of favors to the infirm, . . .
Saint Louis, healer of the sick, . . .
Saint Louis, intercessor and patron of the French King, . . .
Saint Louis, from whom those who flee to thee obtain the infallible help of God, . . .
Saint Louis, at whose request divers diseases are miraculously cured, pray for us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Our Father (secretly). Hail Mary (secretly).

℣. Pray for us, Saint Louis:
℟. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray.
O Lord, King of kings, Jesus Christ, Who didst love Saint Louis and didst lead him into the heavenly Kingdom: grant that by his intercession and good works, we may participate in his glory for all eternity. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

"Finally, my very dear son, cause Masses to be sung for my soul, and prayers to be said throughout thy realm; and give to me a special share and full part in all the good thou doest. Fair, dear son, I give thee all the blessings that a good father can give to his son. And may the blessed Trinity and all the saints keep and defend thee from all evils; and God give thee grace to do His will always, so that He be honored in thee, and that thou and I may both, after this mortal life is ended, be with Him together and praise Him everlastingly. Amen." --from St. Louis IX's last instructions to his eldest son.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Consecration to the Admirable Heart of Mary

On August 22 Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With the words of St. John Eudes in mind, let us strive to honor our Lady's Immaculate Heart, consecrating ourselves to her, making reparation for offenses committed against her, and showing her acts of love and thanksgiving for all she does for us.  Through our daily Rosaries, our five First Saturdays, and many other devotions, may we always strive to honor the Mother of God.

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"Mary is truly admirable in all her perfections and in all her virtues. But what is most admirable in her is her virginal heart. The heart of the Mother of God is a world of marvels, an abyss of wonders, the source and principle of all the virtues which we admire in our glorious Queen: 'All the glory of the king's daughter is within.'"  He continues, "Her Heart is a vast sea of grace, a measureless ocean of perfections, an immense furnace of love.... O most holy Mary, Thy divine Son, Jesus, hath created thy Heart, and He alone knows the great treasures he has hidden therein. He it was who lit the fire burning in this furnace, and none but He can measure the heights reached by the flames which leap from its abyss. He alone can measure the vast perfections with which He has enriched the masterpiece of His all-powerful goodness, or count the innumerable graces He has poured into this ocean of grace..." --St. John Eudes

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Sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!

Consecration to the Admirable Heart Of Mary

by St. John Eudes

0 most holy Heart of Mary, ever Immaculate, ever Virgin, holiest, purest, noblest, greatest,
inexhaustible fountain of goodness, sweetness, mercy and love; model of every virtue, image of the
Adorable Heart of Jesus Christ ever burning with the most ardent charity, who lovest God more than
all the Seraphim together. Heart of the Mother of the Redeemer, seat of peace, wherein mercy and
justice are allied, whence peace between Heaven and earth has begun to be treated, who didst feel our
miseries so deeply, who didst suffer so much for our salvation, who still lovest us so ardently and
who dost merit by all these rights, the respect, love, and confidence of all men: deign to accept my poor tribute of love.

Prostrate before thee I tender thee the most profound homage of which I am capable; I thank
thee for the feelings of love and mercy with which thou art so deeply moved at the sight of our misery;

I offer thee my humble thanks for all the gifts I have received from thy goodness, and I unite with all
the pure souls who delight in honoring, praising and loving thee. They have learned from the Holy
Spirit Who directs them, that it is through thee they must go to Jesus Christ, and offer to this God-
Man their need of adoration.

Therefore, 0 most loving Heart, thou shalt henceforth be the object of my veneration, of my
love and most tender devotion; thou shalt be the way whereby I shall go to my Saviour, as it is
through thee that His mercy shall come to me; thou shalt be my refuse in every need, my consolation
in every affliction; from thee I shall learn the purity, humility, meekness and above all, the love of
Jesus; I shall ask for these virtues through thy merits and so shall infallibly obtain them. I presume
to offer thee my heart sullied with a thousand sins; all unworthy as it is I trust that thou wilt not
despise it. Grant by thy powerful mediation that it may be purified and detached from every creature;
penetrate it with sorrow for my sins; fill it with the love of the Divine Heart of Jesus, thy Son, that
it may be eternally united with thee in Heaven, there to love God forever. Amen.

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"The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. She seeks souls that will consecrate themselves entirely to her, that will become in her hands forceful instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spread of God's kingdom." 
 --St. Maximilian Kolbe

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer in Honor of the Shoulder Wound of Christ

August 20 is the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Cistercian monk who lived during the Middle Ages. He is a great Saint and Doctor of the Church. It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked our Lord which was His most painful wound, and our Lord answered:

“I had on my shoulder while I bore My Cross on the way of sorrows, a grievous wound which was more painful than the others, and which is not recorded by men. Honor this wound with thy devotion, and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit. And in regard to all those who shall venerate this wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins, and will no longer remember their mortal sins.”

Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Christ

Most loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee, and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer to St. Dominic Guzman

Although the feast of St. Dominic Guzman is celebrated on August 4 (August 8 on the new calendar), October, the month of the Holy Rosary, is a fitting month to ask this saint for his intercession. St. Dominic, born in Spain and well-know for his love of learning, charity, and our Lady, was ordained a priest at age twenty-five and lived according to the rule of St. Augustine. However, during a journey through France, Dominic saw the lack of Faith among the common people, with the Albigensian heresy gaining popularity, and the great need to convert them to the Truth. From that moment St. Dominic understood God's will for him was preaching in the world, thus he founded the Order of Preachers, or Dominicans.

St. Dominic worked tirelessly to combat the spread of heresy, imploring heaven in this task. Tradition holds that Mary appeared to St. Dominic, telling him that he would only conquer the enemies of the Church with her Rosary. She encouraged him to pray the Rosary and spread its use throughout the world. It was by following our Lady's command that St. Dominic was able to overcome the Albigensians, and the use of the Holy Rosary continued to increase among the faithful.

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As the month of the Holy Rosary comes to a close, may we remember to pray our Lady's psalter, her Rosary, imploring heaven, as did St. Dominic, for grace and virtue for ourselves and the entire world. Through Mary's Rosary as our “weapon” we may also transform souls and bring them to the Truth, following the holy St. Dominic Guzman. Through the following prayer to St. Dominic, we seek his intercession in obtaining an increase of virtues, to aid us in living a holy life, filled with love of God, prayer, and kindness toward all.

A Prayer to Saint Dominic

O glorious Saint Dominic, thou who wast a model of mortification and purity, by punishing thy innocent body with scourges, with fastings, and with watchings, and by keeping inviolate the lily of thy virginity, obtain for us the grace to practice penance with a generous heart and to keep unspotted the purity of our bodies and our hearts. *** Recite 1 Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be.

O great Saint, who, inflamed with divine love, didst find thy delight in prayer and intimate union with God, obtain for us to be faithful in our daily prayers, to love Our Lord ardently, and to observe His commandments with ever-increasing fidelity. ***Recite 1 Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be.

O glorious Saint Dominic, who, being filled with zeal for the salvation of souls, didst preach the Gospel in season and out of season and didst establish the Order of Friars Preachers to labor for the conversion of heretics and poor sinners, pray thou to God for us, that He may grant us to love all our brethren sincerely and to cooperate always, by our prayers and good works, in their sanctification and eternal salvation. *** Recite 1 Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be.

V. Pray for us, Saint Dominic; R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who are weighed down by the burden of our sins may be raised up by the patronage of blessed Dominic Thy Confessor. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

With August being dedicated by Holy Mother Church as the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, it is a fitting time to make an act of consecration to her Immaculate Heart. Although the feast of the Immaculate Heart has been changed in the new calendar to the Saturday following the second Sunday after Pentecost, traditionally August 22nd, this Saturday, is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This beautiful consecration provided below reminds us of the importance of being united to Mary, for through her guidance we can more easily follow Christ's will and gain our heavenly reward.

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Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Heavenly Mother Mary , I come to thy most lovable and sweet Heart, refuge of sinners. I offer myself to thee and consecrate my entire life to thine Immaculate Heart. In this consecration of my total person, I offer thee my body and soul with all its miseries and weaknesses. I offer thee my heart with all its affections and desires, my prayers, works, joys and sufferings. I offer thee every temptation that comes to me so that my every thought and desire may be purified through thy holy intercession.

My Queen, my Mother, I offer thee in consecration all sufferings which come into my life, both physical and spiritual. I offer thee especially my death with all that will accompany it. I offer thee my last agony. Accept all this, my Mother, and take all into thy Immaculate Heart as I give to thee irrevocably all that I am and all that I have, together with all property and possessions. I offer thee my family and all who are near and dear to me. Take them all into thine Immaculate Heart and keep us ever one in thy Son Jesus Christ.

I renew today the vows of my Baptism and Confirmation. Keep me ever faithful to God and to Holy Church, and loyal in obedience to the Holy Father, the Pope. I desire to pray the Rosary properly, meditating on its mysteries. I desire to participate in the Sacrifice of thy Son perpetuated at Holy Mass and receive Him frequently, even daily in Holy Communion. I attach special importance to the first Saturday of the month in reparation to thine Immaculate Heart and I will work for the conversion of sinners. I will strive to live daily the spirit of Eucharistic reparation.

O Queen of the Angels, my Queen and my Mother, I humbly prostrate myself before thee as I approach thee with my Guardian Angel. I desire all the holy Angels, and especially my Guardian, to venerate thee always as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Command my Guardian and all holy Angels to keep me always in thy love and in the union of grace with thy Divine Son. Send forth thy Angels to assist me in spreading devotion to thine Immaculate Heart so that through thine intercession there may be peace in the world and in the Church, and the Kingdom of Christ may come on earth as it is in Heaven. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Novena Honoring St. John the Baptist

Holy Mother Church honors St. John the Baptist with two feast days: his birth on June 24 and the remembrance of his beheading on August 29. St. John is one of only three individuals who the Church honors their birth with a feast day; the other two individuals are the Blessed Virgin Mary and Jesus.
St. John the Baptist is widely known for his penance and humility, using his life in a way to lead others to Christ and glorify Him. He led a life of great simplicity and virtue. As the following prayer indicates, St. John the Baptist was freed from original sin at the moment of Mary's greeting to Elizabeth, when St. John leapt in Elizabeth's womb. The prayer below may be said as a novena, asking St. John to help us follow his example of dedication to Christ. The novena is to be recited from August 20 through August 28, the eve of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist.

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In Honor of St. John the Baptist

O glorious Saint John the Baptist, greatest prophet among those born of woman, although thou wast sanctified in thy mother's womb and didst lead a most innocent life, nevertheless it was thy will to retire into the wilderness, there to devote thyself to the practice of austerity and penance; obtain for us of thy Lord the grace to be wholly detached, at least in our hearts, from earthly goods, and to practice Christian mortification with interior recollection and with the spirit of holy prayer.
 ***Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

O most zealous Apostle, who, without working any miracle on others, but solely by the example of thy life of penance and the power of thy word, didst draw after thee the multitudes, in order to dispose them to receive the Messias worthily and to listen to His heavenly doctrine; grant that it may be given unto us, by means of thy example of a holy life and the exercise of every good work, to bring many souls to God, but above all those souls that are enveloped in the darkness of error and ignorance and are led astray by vice.
 ***Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

O Martyr invincible, who, for the honor of God and the salvation of souls didst with firmness and constancy withstand the impiety of Herod even at the cost of thine own life, and didst rebuke him openly for his wicked and dissolute life; by thy prayers obtain for us a heart, brave and generous, in order that we may overcome all human respect and openly profess our faith in loyal obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, our divine Master.
 ***Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be

V. Pray for us, Saint John the Baptist R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O God, who hast made this day to be honorable in our eyes by the commemoration of blessed John the Baptist, grant unto Thy people the grace of spiritual joy, and direct the minds of all Thy faithful into the way of everlasting salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Rembrandt

God bless!

+JMJ+

A Hymn for the Feast of the Assumption of Mary

"By contemplating Mary in heavenly glory, we understand that the earth is not the definitive homeland for us either, and that if we live with our gaze fixed on eternal goods we will one day share in this same glory and the earth will become more beautiful. Consequently, we must not lose our serenity and peace even amid the thousands of daily difficulties. The luminous sign of Our Lady taken up into Heaven shines out even more brightly when sad shadows of suffering and violence seem to loom on the horizon.

We may be sure of it: from on high, Mary follows our footsteps with gentle concern, dispels the gloom in moments of darkness and distress, reassures us with her motherly hand. Supported by awareness of this, let us continue confidently on our path of Christian commitment wherever Providence may lead us. Let us forge ahead in our lives under Mary's guidance".
 --Pope Benedict the XVI

"Who is She Ascends So High"

Who is she ascends so high,

Next the heav’nly King,

Round about whom angels fly,

And her praises sing?

Who is she adorned with light;

Makes the sun her robe?

At whose feet the queen of night

Lays her changing globe?

This is she in whose pure womb

Heaven’s Prince remained;

Wherefore in no earthly tomb

Could she be contained.

Heav’n she was, which held that fire,

Whence the world took light,

And to heav’n doth now aspire:

Flames with flames unite.

She that did so clearly shine,

Our Day once begun,

See how bright her beams decline,

Sitting with the Sun.

--Sir John Beaumont

May you have a very blessed Feast of the Assumption!!

God bless!

+JMJ+

Marian Feasts during August

During the month of August two significant Marian feasts are celebrated by the Church. These feasts are the Assumption of Mary, which is a holy day of obligation (although this year in America it is not recognized as such) and falls on August 15, and the feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on August 22..

Since both of these Marian feast days are also Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, praying the Glorious mysteries during August would be a wonderful way to honor Our Lady. As Pope Leo XIII writes, “The Glorious Mysteries reveal the mediation of the great Virgin, still more abundant in fruitfulness. She rejoices in heart over the glory of her Son triumphant over death, and follows Him with a mother's love in His Ascension to His eternal kingdom; but, though worthy of Heaven, she abides a while on earth, so that the infant Church may be directed and comforted by her... .”

The Glorious Mysteries in order are the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. One lesser known prayer of the Rosary, simply named “The Rosary Prayer,” follows below. It is to be prayed after the recitation of the Hail Holy Queen, or Salve Regina.

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The Rosary Prayer

O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life, grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ Our Lord.  Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Chaplet of St. Maximillian Kolbe

In the new calendar August 14 is the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a saint often known for his martyrdom while imprisoned in a concentration camp during World War II. Besides his heroic sacrifice St. Maximilian is also known for his devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. To spread devotion to her and to convert sinners, St. Maximilian founded the confraternity of the Militia Immaculata, encouraging people to make an act of consecration to Mary and to wear the Miraculous Medal. He was canonized by John Paul II in 1982.

To pray the Chaplet of St. Maximilian Kolbe, individuals could use the chaplet, which consists of a medal of St. Maximilian, one bead, a medal of the Immaculate Heart, and fourteen beads, or simply count the correct numbers.

+ On the first bead of the chaplet, pray the Memorare:
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help or sought thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

+ On each of the next 14 beads pray:
O Mary, Conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee, and for all those who do not have recourse to Thee, especially for the enemies of Holy Mother Church, and all those in most need of Thy mercy. St. Maximilian, pray for us.

+ At the medal of the Immaculate Heart: Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

+ At the medal of St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe: St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.

God bless!

+JMJ+

For the Feast of St. Augustine

St. Josemaria Escriva, author of The Way, wrote,

 “Persevere in prayer. Persevere, even when your efforts seem sterile. Prayer is always fruitful.”  

Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. Augustine of Hippo on August 28.  (On the new calendar the feasts of Sts. Monica and Augustine, mother and son, are celebrated on August 27 and 28, but traditionally St. Monica's feast day is on May 4.)  St. Monica provides us with a wonderful example of perseverance in prayer. As a wife to a pagan and a mother to a son who was living an immoral life, Monica stormed heaven with prayers for their souls, for their conversions. Her prayers proved to be fruitful; her husband converted a year before his death and her son, Augustine, returned to his Christian upbringing and eventually became a great saint and Doctor of the Church. May we persevere in our own prayers in the same manner as St. Monica, trusting in God to answer our prayers.

After St. Augustine's conversion, he spoke and wrote about God, becoming one of the Church's most influential theologians of the time. His works and words were filled with his fervent love for God.  The following prayer was composed by St. Augustine.

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Prayer of Trust in God's Heavenly Promise

My God, let me know and love you, so that I may find my happiness in you. Since I cannot fully achieve this on earth, help me to improve daily until I may do so to the full. Enable me to know you ever more on earth, so that I may know you perfectly in heaven. Enable me to love you ever more on earth, so that I may love you perfectly in heaven. In that way my joy may be great on earth, and perfect with you in heaven.
O God of truth, grant me the happiness of heaven so that my joy may be full in accord with your promise. In the meantime let my mind dwell on that happiness, my tongue speak of it, my heart pine for it, my mouth pronounce it, my soul hunger for it, my flesh thirst for it, and my entire being desire it until I enter through death in the joy of my Lord forever. Amen.
--Saint Augustine of Hippo

On the Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

August 20 is the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a Cistercian monk who lived during the Middle Ages. He is a great saint and Doctor of the Church, well known for his counsels to kings and popes, his writings, and his leadership as Abbot of the monastery of Clairvaux. Though born of a rich and noble family, St. Bernard continually asked the question of himself: "For what purpose are you on earth?" This simple question is one each of us should ask of ourselves to ensure we are doing God's work and to help us remember the importance of serving God and not the world. St. Bernard had a great love for Our Lord and Our Lady. He penned numerous hymns in honor of Jesus, including the beautiful hymn “O Jesus, King Most Wonderful,” included below.

“O Jesus, King Most Wonderful”

O Jesus, King most wonderful,

Thou Conqueror renowned,

Thou Sweetness most ineffable,

In Whom all joys are found!

When once Thou visitest the heart,

Then truth begins to shine,

Then earthly vanities depart,

Then kindles love divine.

O Jesus, Light of all below,

Thou Fount of life and fire,

Surpassing all the joys we know,

And all we can desire!

Thy wondrous mercies are untold,

Through each returning day;

Thy love exceeds a thousand fold,

Whatever we can say.

May every heart confess Thy Name;

And ever Thee adore;

And seeking Thee, itself inflame,

To seek Thee more and more.

Thee may our tongues forever bless;

Thee may we love alone;

And ever in our lives express

The image of Thine own.

--St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

Prayer to St. Philomena

The historical feast of St. Philomena, virgin and martyr, is on August 11. This amazing young saint was thirteen when she refused the request of marriage by Emperor Diocletian, having vowed to give herself to Jesus alone. Despite enduring captivity for thirty-seven days and torture, including drowning, beating, being shot with arrows, and burning, for three more days, St. Philomena refused to consent to the emperor. After each torture, heavenly angels appeared to St. Philomena, healing her wounds and giving her new courage. The Blessed Mother also often appeared to the young girl, filling her with hope, and on day forty, suffering beheading, St. Philomena joined her beloved Lord in heaven, from whence God worked many miracles through her. She soon became known as the wonder-worker and powerful saint of God. Saint John Vianney held a great devotion to her, writing her litany and spreading her name. We would do well to pray for the intercession of this young, but powerful saint, asking for her strength and virtue to give ourselves to God despite the temptations and attractions of the world.

Prayer to St. Philomena
Humbly kneeling before thy throne, O great and glorious Virgin, St. Philomena, I beseech thee to look favorably on the petitions I present to thee. My Patroness, St. Philomena, pray for me! Glory be …

Overwhelmed with sorrow and distress, I have need of thee, great Saint. Heed my supplications and help me in my present tribulation. O glorious Saint, pray for me and help me! Glory be …

Inconsolable in my grief and weighed down with so many trials, I turn trustingly  to thee. O valiant Saint, beseech God to have compassion on me. My powerful advocate, pray for me and help me! Glory be...

Courageous Martyr, well do I know that my grievous sins deserve God’s severe punishment. Good St. Philomena, beseech God to pardon me all my sins and to teach me the ways of His holy love. Illustrious Saint, beloved child of Jesus and Mary, pray for me and help me! Glory be …

Gracious Saint, look graciously upon this house and bless the members of our family who devoutly honor thee. Wipe away our tears and smile benignly upon us, imparting the blessings of peace, hope, love, and good health to all of us. O Wonder-working Saint, pray for us and help us! Glory be …

O Child of Wisdom, well thou knowest the graces of which I stand in need, so be with me at every moment of my life, but be with me especially at the hour of my death. Establish my soul in peace, protect me from danger, and permit me to enjoy thy sweet companionship here as well as in eternity. Amen.

All-powerful Saint, hear and help me!

Prayer of Intercession to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the prayers offered for our family after my miscarriage.  May God bless you for your kindness.  Will you also please pray for the Snodgrass family, who recently lost their toddler, the Harkins family, whose mother and unborn child recently died, Jessica and her family from Shower of Roses who also recently suffered a miscarriage, and all other families who are either blessed with the news of a new life or working to cope with the loss of that new life?  Thanks!

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+The following beautiful novena asks Mary to intercede for us. The prayers remind us of Mary's perfect acceptance and fulfillment of God's will and encourages us to strive to imitate her virtuous life. Through the novena we are also reminded how powerful is Mary's intercession. This novena could be prayed at any time, but it would be especially appropriate to pray for nine days during the month of August, which is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.+

Prayer of Intercession to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O God, come unto my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father.....

I. Immaculate Virgin, who being conceived without sin, didst direct every movement of thy most pure heart toward God, and wast always submissive to His divine will, obtain for me the grace to hate sin with all my heart and to learn from thee to live in perfect resignation to the will of God. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

II. O Mary, I wonder at that profound humility, which troubled thy blessed heart at the message of the Angel Gabriel, that thou hadst been chosen to be the Mother of the Son of the most high God, the while thou didst profess thyself His lowly handmaiden; ashamed at the sight of my own pride, I beg of thee the grace of a contrite and humble heart, so that, acknowledging my misery, I may come to attain the glory promised to those who are truly humble of heart. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

III. Blessed Virgin, who didst keep in thy heart the precious treasure of the words of Jesus thy Son and, pondering over the sublime mysteries therein contained, couldst live only for God, how I am confounded by the coldness of my heart! Ah, dear Mother, obtain for me the grace of meditating always on the holy law of God, and of seeking to follow thine example in the fervent practice of all the Christian virtues. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

IV. O glorious Queen of Martyrs, whose sacred heart, in the Passion of thy Son, was cruelly pierced by the sword foretold by the holy and aged Simeon, obtain for my heart true courage and holy patience to bear well the tribulations and trials of this wretched life; may I show myself to be thy true child by crucifying my flesh and all its desires in following the mortification of the Cross. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

V. O Mary, Mystic Rose, whose lovable heart, burning with the living fire of love, adopted us as
thy children at the foot of the Cross, becoming thus our most tender Mother, make me experience the sweetness of thy motherly heart and the power of thine intercession with Jesus, in all the dangers that beset me during life, and especially at the dread hour of my death; in such ways may my heart be ever united to thine, and love Jesus both now and through endless ages. Amen. *** Pray 1 Our Father and 7 Hail Marys.

Prayers Honoring the Immaculate Heart of Mary for the Month of August

Holy Mother Church dedicates the month of August to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love and of her virtue. All of the faithful are encouraged to imitate this love and virtue and are encouraged to make an act of consecration to the Heavenly Queen. We should attempt to live out that consecration by imitating Jesus and Mary, by being dependent upon them, and by obeying them. By encouraging us to consecrate ourselves to the Immaculate Heart, the Church also asks us to make reparation for the sins committed against her. Every sin of ours brought her grief and suffering in union with her Divine Son since sin caused the terrible suffering of Calvary in which her heart was torn with pain. Two prayers intended for these purposes follow: an act of consecration and an act of reparation.

St. Louis De Montfort's Consecration 

I, N., a faithless sinner-- renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day, for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.
(from The Secret of the Rosary)

Reparation for Blasphemy Against the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Most glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, turn thine eyes in pity upon us, miserable sinners; we are sore afflicted by the many evils that surround us in this life, but especially do we feel our hearts break within us upon hearing the dreadful insults and blasphemies uttered against thee, O Virgin Immaculate. O how these impious sayings offend the infinite Majesty of God and of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ! How they provoke His indignation and give us cause to fear the terrible effects of His vengeance! Would that the sacrifice of our lives might avail to put an end to such outrages and blasphemies; were it so, how gladly we should make it, for we desire, O most holy Mother, to love thee and to honor thee with all our hearts, since this is the will of God. And just because we love thee, we will do all that is in our power to make thee honored and loved by all men. In the meantime do thou, our merciful Mother, the supreme comforter of the afflicted, accept this our act of reparation which we offer thee for ourselves and for all our families, as well as for all who impiously blaspheme thee, not knowing what they say. Do thou obtain for them from Almighty God the grace of conversion, and thus render more manifest and more glorious thy kindness, thy power and thy great mercy. May they join with us in proclaiming thee blessed among women, the Immaculate Virgin and most compassionate Mother of God. Amen.
(from the Raccolta)