 Mary Mother of GOD  On the fourth day
of the
Afterfeast of the Dormition, the Church continues to honor the passage
of the Most Holy Theotokos from death to life. Just as Christ once
dwelt in the virginal womb of His Mother, now He takes Her "to dwell in
His courts."Et álibi aliórum plurimórum sanctórum Mártyrum et Confessórum, atque sanctárum Vírginum. And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins. Пресвятая Богородице спаси нас! (Santíssima Mãe de Deus, salva-nos!) Pope Benedict XVI to The Catholic Church In China {whole article here } The saints are a “cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible. “Our wish, our object, our chief preoccupation must be to form Jesus in ourselves, to make his spirit, his devotion, his affections, his desires and his disposition live and reign there. All our religious exercises should be directed to this end. It is the work which God has given us to do unceasingly” (St. John Eudes, The Life and Reign of Jesus in Christian Souls). 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who recite the Rosary Holy Father's Prayer Intentions For 2009 BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST VATICAN CITY, 31 JUL 2008 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That public opinion may be more aware of the problems of millions of displaced persons and refugees, and that concrete solutions may be found for their often tragic situation". His mission intention is: "That those Christians who are discriminated against and persecuted in many countries because of the name of Christ may have their human rights, equality and religious freedom recognised, in order to be able to live and profess their own faith freely".
O God, thou hast cast us off because of our sins: thou hast had mercy on us by the Virgin Mary. Intercede for us, O saving Mother of God: who hast brought forth salvation for men and angels. For thou infusest joy into the sad: and joy and sweetness into the mourners. Rejoice us by the sweet sounds of thy speech: and pour thy balm of roses forth into our hearts. Thunder, ye heavens, from above, and give praise to her: glorify her, ye earth, with all the dwellers therein. Glory be to the Father, etc. Mary's Divine Motherhood Called in the Gospel "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos). Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251. August 19 On the Fitness of Our Lady's Assumption Venerable Cardinal John Henry Neuman Sermon Notes July 1, 1849 http://www.newmanreader.org/works/sermonnotes/file1.html#return13 1. Recollect Luke xxiv. 26, 'Ought not Christ,' etc.; Hebrews ii. 10, 'It became him,' etc.; Rom. xii., 'Analogy of Faith.' 2. In like manner it became our Lord to
raise His mother, and her so sinless. Let us think of this.
3. Doctrine from the first—that God was
her Son, lay in her womb, was suckled by her, etc. She enjoyed His
voice, smile, etc.
4. Esther vi. 6, 'What should be done to
the man whom the king is desirous to honour?' 'He ought to be clothed
in royal robes,' etc. And so of our Lady—she should be the Mirror of
Justice, the Mystical Rose, etc. Thus has King Solomon risen up to meet
his mother.
5. Now go into details—sanctity and
spiritual office or work go commonly together: (1) the angels; (2)
seraphim. Exceptions: (i) Balaam, Caiaphas, overruled; (ii) many shall
say in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name,' and
He shall answer, 'I never knew you'; (3) They may have fallen away; (4)
gifts are [imparted] separately from sanctity, but gifts are not
offices. On the contrary (5) Enoch, Noe, Moses, Samuel, David,
etc.—except Judas. [These are instances where, according to the general
rule, 'sanctity and spiritual office go together.']
6. If such to whom the word was made,
much more [does sanctity go with spiritual office] in [her, in] whom He
was born. Was it not fitting? Do human parents otherwise? Do they give
their children to suckle to common persons? Nature says that the fount
of truth should be holy. Here is the difference [as between] miracles
and sacraments. Prophets receive, beget, and bear the Divine Word.
Scripture-writers different from each other, and so the Fathers. As the
tree, so the fruit. 'Beware of false prophets' [says our Lord, and then
He adds, 'from their fruits ye shall know them']. Mary not a mere
instrument—as the first-fruit, so the mass. The Word did not pass
through [her]. He took a body from her, therefore she was worthy of the
Creator—full of grace.
7. Hence doctrine of Immaculate
Conception—grace before Gabriel [i.e. before the Annunciation], before
vow of virginity, before Temple, before birth, before St. John the
Baptist [i.e. at an earlier period in her existence than that in which
it was bestowed upon the Baptist]. She must surpass all saints.
8. Again with her co-operation—this her
merit. She was peccable; she grew in grace, etc. Enoch merited, Noe
merited, Abraham merited, Levites merited, David, Daniel [merited]; how
much more Mary since her reward was such!
9. Her glories were not simply from her
being Mother of God: it implies something before it.
The feast of Annunciation implies feast
of Conception and of Assumption.
10. Come then (I would not weary you) to
Assumption—more difficult not to believe Assumption than to believe it
after the Incarnation. Human Sons sustain their mothers. She died; she
saw no corruption, for she had no original sin. 'Dust thou art,' etc.
11. Therefore she died in private. Give
history of Assumption.
12. What is it fitting that we should be
with such a mother?
August 19: OUR LADY OF
THE DON Two Loves Have Merged
in One (IV)
The continual miracle was that Mary could live separated from her beloved. (...) But could I tell you how this miracle ended? (...) If I may say, O Christians, what I think, I attribute this last effect not to extraordinary movements, but to the sole perfection of the Blessed Virgin's love. For as this divine love was reigning in her heart, without any obstacles, filled all her thoughts, it grew each day by its actions, becoming more perfect through its desires, by multiplying itself; so that it eventually reached such a perfection that earth couldn't contain it anymore. Jacques Bénigne Bossuet First Homily for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, point one. THE EUCHARIST, A MYSTERY TO BE BELIEVED POST-SYNODAL
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
Morning
Prayer and Hymn Meditation
of
the Day
Prayer
for PriestsSACRAMENTUM CARITATIS OF THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI The great psalm of the Passion, Chapter 22, whose first verse "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus pronounced on the cross, ended with the vision: "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him" For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations. All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you. The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought. So Many Souls Go to Hell Because No One Prays for Them Aug 19 - 4th Apparition of Fatima: the Announcement of the Great Miracle (Portugal) On that bright Sunday of August 19, 1917, Lucia, Francisco and his brother John, took their flock out to graze. On the way, Lucia felt something supernatural approach. Feeling that Our Lady was about to appear, John hurried away to get his sister Jacinta. Our Lady did appear, in a gleam of light, but she waited for little Jacinta before becoming visible above the oak tree. She then said to them, "I want you to continue to come to Cova da Iria on the 13th day of the month, and to recite the rosary daily. The last month, I will do the miracle so everyone believes. If they hadn't imprisoned you in town, the miracle would have been far more known. Saint Joseph will come with the Child Jesus to give peace to the world. Our Lord will come to bless the people. Then Our Lady of the Rosary and Our Lady of Sorrows will come as well." Lucia asked what should be done with all the money that people left at the foot of the green oak of Cova da Iria. "I want two procession floats to be made. You will carry one with Jacinta and two other little girls dressed in white, the other Francisco will carry the other with three boys like him, dressed in white albs. It will be for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary." "I would like to ask you to cure some sick people," asked Lucia. "Yes, I will cure some this year." Then, with a sad expression, Mary added, "Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners, since so many souls go to hell because no one make sacrifices and prays for them." |
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| 190
St. Julius
Roman senator martyr Recorded by Sts. Eusebius and Pontian. Anágniæ sancti Magni, Epíscopi et Mártyris, qui in persecutióne Décii necátus est. At Anagni, St. Magnus, bishop and martyr, who was put to death in the persecution of Decius. 300 St. Andrew Stratelates the Tribune lead converts in Roman army 304-306 Sts. Timothy, Thecla, & Agapius martyrs Romæ sancti Xysti Tértii, Papæ et Confessóris. 440 ST SIXTUS, OR XYSTUS, III, POPE and confessor. 535 St. Donatus Hermit born in Orleans, France. He lived as a recluse on Mount Jura near Sisteron in Provence. 535 St. Mochta Bishop of Ireland last disciple of St. Patrick 580 St. Elaphius Bishop of Chalons-sur-Marne, France. Sent to Spain as an ambassador 640 St. Bertulf Abbot famous for miracles 656 St. Magnus born in Avignon, France, which he ruled as governor; Benedictine bishop father of St. Agricola 7th v. St. Guenninus Bishop of Vannes, Brittany, France. His relics are revered there. 690 St. Calminius hermit-founder Also called Calmilius; lived in France founded of Villars and Mauzac, near Riom. 770 St. Sebald Hermit, missionary assisting in the work. of St. Willibald in the Reichswald; miracles 780 St. Credan Benedictine abbot Evesham, England, in the reign of King Offa of Mercia. 850 St. Badulfus A Benedictine abbot mentioned in the Proprium of Lyons. He was abbot of Ainay, Lyons, France. 1297 St Louis of Anjou, Bishop of Toulouse; “Jesus Christ is my kingdom. If I possess Him alone, I shall have all things if I have not Him, I lose all.” St. Marinus Benedictine bishop and abbot; governed abbey of St. Peter at Besalu, in Catalonia, Spain. St. Rufinus Martyred priest at Mantua, Italy; suffered during persecutions of the Church by the Roman Empire. St. Namadia Widow and nun Wife of St. Calminius, she entered a convent after his death and lived at Marsat. 1314 Blessed Emily Bicchieri frequent ecstasies visions miracles 1380 The Don Icon of the Mother of God painted by Theophanes the Greek The wonderworking icon 1456 Saint Pitirim, Bishop of Great Perm; composer of Canon to St Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow (February 12), and wrote his Life 16th v. St Theophanes the New native of Ioannina city; founded monasteries; worked miracles 1622 Bl. Peter Zuniga Martyr in Japan 1622 Bl. Louis Flores Dominican martyr Japan 1622 Bl. Thomas Koyanangi Japanese martyr 1622 Bl. Bartholomew Monfiore native Martyr of Japan 1622 St. James Denshi, Blessed 1622 Bl. Lawrence Rokuyemon Martyr of Japan 1622 Bl. Leo Suchiemon Martyr of Japan 1622 Bl. Michael Diaz martyr of Japan 1622 Bl. Paul Sanchiki Martyr of Japan 1632 Bl. Anthony native Martyr of Japan 1662 Bl. John Foyamon Martyr of Japan 1662 Bl. John Nangata Martyr of Japan 1662 Bl. John Yano Martyr of Japan 1670 St. John
Eudes studied at Paris and Aubervilliers, ordained 1625;
missionary; shared with St. Mary Margaret Alacoque honor of
initiating
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (composed Mass for the Sacred
Heart in 1668) and the Holy Heart of Mary, popularizing devotions with
his "The Devotion to the Adorable Heart of Jesus" (1670) and "The
Admirable Heart of the Most Holy Mother of God"
|
|
“The
saints must be honored as friends of Christ and children and heirs of
God, as John the theologian and evangelist says: ‘But as many as
received him, he gave them the power to be made the sons of God....’
Let us carefully observe the manner of life of all the apostles,
martyrs, ascetics and just men who announced the coming of the Lord.
And let us emulate their faith, charity, hope, zeal, life, patience
under suffering, and perseverance unto death, so that we may also share
their crowns of glory” Exposition of the Orthodox Faith
Called in the Gospel "the Mother of Jesus," Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the Mother of my Lord" (Lk 1:43; Jn 2:1; 19:25; cf. Mt 13:55; et al.). In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos). Catechism of the Catholic Church 495, quoting the Council of Ephesus (431): DS 251. The saints “a cloud of witnesses over our head”, showing us life of Christian perfection is possible. Jesus said, “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (Jn. 12:47) Dear Priests, The Western culture which, by means of the globalised media and human mobility, is currently dominant and increasingly widespread throughout the world, even in countries of a different culture, presents no small challenge to evangelisation. It is a culture which is marked profoundly by a relativism which refuses any affirmation of an absolute and transcendent truth and thus which ruins the foundations of morality and which closes itself off to religion. In this way the passion for truth is lost, being relegated to the place of a “useless passion”. In contrast Jesus Christ is the Truth, the Universal Logos, the Reason which enlightens and explains all that exists. Relativism, then, is accompanied by an individualistic subjectvism, which places one’s own ego at the centre of everything. In the end one cannot but arrive at a nihilism according to which there is nothing and nobody in whom there is any point in investing one’s entire life, and consequently life has no real meaning. However, one must recognise that the post-modern culture which is currently dominant brings with it a truly great scientific and technological progress which fascinates the human being, especially the young. The use of this progress, unfortunately, does not always have for its principal aim the good of mankind or of individuals. It lacks an integral humanism which could give it an ultimate meaning. We could talk of many other aspects of this culture: consumerism, libertarianism, the culture of spectacle and of the body. It is impossible not to recognise that all this produces a laicism which refuses religion, does everything to weaken it, or, at least, relegates it to the sphere of the private life of the individual. This culture produces a dechristianisation, already all too evident, in the majority of Christian lands, and in a particular way in the West. The number of priestly vocations there has dropped, as also has the number of priests, due to the lack of vocations and due to the influence of the cultural ambiance in which they live. This could all lead us to a discouraged pessimism which condemns the world of today and could lead us to retreat to a defensive position in the trenches of resistance. Instead, Jesus Christ says, “I did not come to judge the world but to save the world” (Jn 12: 47). We must not allow ourselves either to be discouraged, to fear our current society, or to simply condemn it. We must save it! Every human culture, even the present one, can be evangelised. There are in every culture “semina Verbi” as openings to the Gospel, and this is certainly the case even in our present culture. Without a doubt even the so called “post-Christians” can be touched and reopened, if they were to be brought to a true personal and communitarian encounter with the living person of Jesus Christ. In such an encounter every human person of good will can be reached by Him. He loves all and knocks at the door of all, because he wants to save all, without exception. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, for all. He is the one mediator between God and men. My dear Priests, we, shepherds, are called urgently today to the mission both “ad gentes” and in the regions of the Christian lands, where many of the baptised have distanced themselves from participation in our communities or, indeed, have lost the faith entirely. We must not be afraid or remain subdued within our home. The Lord said to his disciples, “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” (Mt. 8:25). "Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me” (Jn. 14:1). “Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house” (Mt. 5:15). "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mk. 16:15). “Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age” (Mt. 28:20). We will not cast the seed of the Word of God merely from the window of our parochial house, but we will go out into the open fields of our society, beginning with the poor and arriving at all levels and institutions of society. We will go to visit families, every person, above all the baptised and those who are distanced. Our people want to feel the nearness of the Church. We will do so, going out to our contemporary society with joy and enthusiasm, certain of the presence of the Lord with us on the mission, and certain that he will knock on the door of the hearts of those to whom we will announce Him. Cardinal Claudio Hummes Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy Join us on CatholicVote.org. Be part of a new movement committed to using powerful media projects to create a Culture of Life. We can help shape the movement and have a voice in its future. Check it out at www.CatholicVote.org Morning
Prayer and Hymn Meditation
of
the Day
Prayer
for Priests
The great psalm of the Passion, Chapter 22, whose first verse "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus pronounced on the cross, ended with the vision: "All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him" For kingship belongs to the LORD, the ruler over the nations. All who sleep in the earth will bow low before God; All who have gone down into the dust will kneel in homage. And I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you. The generation to come will be told of the Lord, that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn the deliverance you have brought. Saint Frances Xavier Seelos Practical Guide to Holiness 1. Go to Mass with deepest devotion. 2. Spend a half hour to reflect upon your main failing & make resolutions to avoid it. 3. Do daily spiritual reading for at least 15 minutes, if a half hour is not possible. 4. Say the rosary every day. 5. Also daily, if at all possible, visit the Blessed Sacrament; and toward evening, meditate on the Passion of Christ for a half hour, 6. Conclude the day with evening prayer & an examination of conscience over all the faults & sins of the day. 7. Every month make a review of the month in confession. 8. Choose a special patron every month & imitate that patron in some special virtue. 9. Precede every great feast with a novena that is nine days of devotion. 10. Try to begin & end every activity with a Hail Mary breviary.net/martyrology/mart08/mart0819 stlukeorthodox.com/html/saints/august/ usccb.org ewtn.com St Patricks 0819 domcentral.org/life/martyrAugust syriac oca.org glaubenszeugen.de/tage/August/ Serbian http://www.copticchurch.net Melkite Monthly Saints with pics here http://www.stfrancisenid.com/memorials.htm One Saint per day stthomasirondequoit.com/SaintsAlive/index.htm stjohndc.org God's Humourous Saints |
|
God loves variety. He
doesn't
mass-produce his saints. Every saint is
unique, for each is the result of a new idea. As the liturgy
says: Non
est inventus similis illis--there are no two exactly alike. It is we
with our lack of imagination, who paint the same haloes on all the
saints. Dear Lord, grant us
a
spirit that is not bound by our own ideas and
preferences. Grant that we may be able to appreciate in others
what we
lack in ourselves. O Lord, grant that we may understand
that every
saint must be a unique praise of Your glory. Catholic
saints are holy people and human people who lived extraordinary lives.
Each saint the Church
honors responded to God's invitation to use his
or her unique gifts. God calls each one of us to
be a
saint in order to get into
heaven: only
saints are allowed into heaven. The more "extravagant"
graces are bestowed NOT for the
benefit of the recipients so much as FOR the benefit of others.
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| Mary the
Mother
of Jesus Miracles_BC Lay Saints
Miraculous_Icons
Miraculous_Medal_Novena
Patron Saints
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 |
|
God calls
each
one of us to be a saint in order to get into
heaven.
440 ST SIXTUS, OR
XYSTUS,
III, POPE {see March 28, Feast Day}
Sixtus was one of the principal clergy of the Roman church before his pontificate, and when he succeeded Pope St Celestine I in 432 St Prosper of Aquitaine wrote that, “We trust in the protection of the Lord, and that what He has done for us in Innocent, Zosimus, Boniface and Celestine He will do also in Sixtus; and as they guarded the flock against declared and openly professed wolves, so he may drive off the hidden ones”, referring to the teachers of Semi-Pelagianism. He was not disappointed; but St Sixtus was of a peace-loving nature and conciliatory in his policy, so that some of the hot-heads of orthodoxy were dissatisfied and did not scruple to accuse the pope of Pelagian and Nestorian leanings. Among
other buildings in the City, St Sixtus III restored
the Liberian basilica, now called St Mary Major, and in it he set up
this noble inscription “0 Virgin Mary, I, Sixtus, have dedicated a new
temple to thee, an offering worthy of the womb that brought to us
salvation. Thou, a maiden knowing not man, didst bear and bring forth our
Salvation. Behold! These martyrs, witnesses to Him who was the fruit of
thy
womb, bear to thee their crowns of victory, and beneath their feet lie
the
instruments of their passion—sword, flame, wild beast, water and cruel
poison:
one crown alike awaits these divers deaths.” Over the arch of the apse
can
still be read the words in mosaic: “Sixtus the bishop for the people of
God.”
This pope consecrated a number of churches, and the dedications of two of them are feasts universal in the Western church, St Peter ad Vincula (August 1) and St Mary Major (August 5). The more "extravagant" graces are bestowed NOT for the benefit of the recipients so much as FOR the benefit of others. "The answers to many of life's questions can be found by reading the Lives of the Saints. They teach us how to overcome obstacles and difficulties, how to stand firm in our faith, and how to struggle against evil and emerge victorious." 1913 Saint Barsanuphius of Optina Paul VI_Athenagoras_05_01_1964  Quote: Pope
Paul
VI’s 1969 Instruction
on the Contemplative Life includes this passage: "To
withdraw into the desert is for Christians tantamount to associating
themselves more intimately with Christ’s passion, and it enables them,
in a very special way, to share in the paschal
mystery and in the passage of Our Lord from this world to the heavenly
homeland" (#1).
 "Christianity
is not a moral code or a philosophy,
"Evil, is only eradicated by holiness, not
by harshness. And holiness introduces into society a seed that heals
and transforms. It is like the tectonic plates of the earth’s
crust: The deepest layers need only shift a few millimeters to shatter
the world’s surface. Yet for this spiritual revolution to occur, we
must experience radical 'metanoia'--a conversion of attitudes, habits
and practices--for ways that we have misused or abused God’s Word,
God’s gifts and God’s creation. The challenge before us is the
discernment of God’s Word in the face of evil, the transfiguration of
every last detail and speck of this world in the light of
Resurrection." "The
victory is al ready present in the depths of the Church, whenever we
experience the grace of reconciliation and communion."
but an encounter with a person" -- Benedict XVI Patriarch_Bartholomew I: SYNOD
OF BISHOPS VATICAN CITY, OCT. 17, 2008
"The
answers to many of life's questions
can be found by reading the Lives of the Saints.
They teach us how to overcome obstacles and difficulties,how to stand firm in our faith, and how to struggle against evil and emerge victorious." God calls each one of us to be a saint in order to get into heaven. The more "extravagant" graces are bestowed NOT for the benefit of the recipients so much as FOR the benefit of others. Non est inventus similis illis |
| His Holiness Aram I,
current (2008) Catholicos of Cilicia
of Armenians, whose See is located in Lebanese town of Antelias. The Catholicosate was founded in Sis, capital of Cilicia, in the year 1441 following the move of the Catholicosate of All Armenians back to its original See of Etchmiadzin in Armenia. The Catholicosate of Cilicia enjoyed local jurisdiction, though spiritually subject to the authority of Etchmiadzin. In 1921 the See was transferred to Aleppo in Syria, and in 1930 to Antelias. Its jurisdiction currently
extends to Syria, Cyprus, Iran and Greece.
|
Christian priests from
Edessa evangelized
Eastern
Mesopotamia and Persia, established the first Churches in the
kingdom of the Sassanides. Atillâtiâ,
Bishop of Edessa, assisted at the Council of
Nicæa (325). The "Peregrinatio Silviæ" (or
Etheriæ) (ed. Gamurrini,
Rome, 1887, 62
sqq.) gives an account of the many sanctuaries at Edessa about 388.
Although Hebrew had
been
the language of the ancient Israelite
kingdom, after their return from Exile the Jews turned more and more to
Aramaic, using it for parts of the books of Ezra and Daniel in the
Bible. By the time of Jesus,
Aramaic was the main language of Palestine, and quite a number of texts
from the Dead Sea Scrolls are also written in Aramaic. Aramaic continued to be an
important language for Jews, alongside
Hebrew, and
parts of the Talmud are written in it. After Arab
conquests of
the seventh century, Arabic quickly
replaced
Aramaic as the main language of those who converted to Islam, although
in out of the way places, Aramaic continued as a vernacular language of
Muslims. Aramaic,
however,
enjoyed its greatest success in
Christianity. Although the New Testament
wins written in Greek, Christianity had come
into existence in an Aramaic-speaking milieu, and it was the Aramaic
dialect of Edessa, now known as Syriac, that became the literary
language of a large number of Christians living in the eastern
provinces of the Roman Empire and in the Persian Empire, further east.
Over the course of the centuries the influence of the Syriac Churches
spread eastwards to China (in Xian, in western China, a Chinese-Syriac
inscription dated 781 is still to be seen), to southern India
where the
state of Kerala can boast more Christians of Syriac liturgical
tradition than anywhere else in the world.
Aramaic
dialect of Edessa, now known as
Syriac: The exact date of
the
introduction of Christianity into Edessa
{Armenian Ourhaï in Arabic Er
Roha, commonly Orfa or Urfa, its present name} is
not known. It is certain, however, that the Christian community was at
first made up from the Jewish population of the city. According to an
ancient legend, King Abgar V, Ushana, was converted by Addai, who was
one of the seventy-two disciples.
In fact, however, the first King of
Edessa to embrace the Christian Faith was Abgar IX (c. 206)
becoming official kingdom religion.Christian council
held at Edessa early as 197
(Eusebius,
Hist.
Eccl., V,xxiii). In 201 the city was
devastated by a great flood, and
the Christian church was destroyed ("Chronicon Edessenum", ad. an.
201). In 232 the relics of
the Apostle St.
Thomas were brought from
India, on which occasion his Syriac Acts were written. Under
Roman
domination martyrs suffered at Edessa: Sts. Scharbîl and
Barsamya,
under Decius; Sts. Gûrja, Schâmôna, Habib, and others
under Diocletian.
680 Shiite saint Imam Hussein, grandson of Islam's Prophet Muhammad Known as Ashoura and observed by Shiites across the world, the 10th day of the lunar Muslim month of Muharram: the anniversary of the 7th century death in battle of one of Shiite Islam's most beloved saints. Imam Hussein died in the 680 A.D. battle fought on the plains outside Karbala, a city in modern Iraq that's home to the saint's shrine. The battle over a dispute about the leadership of the Muslim faith following Muhammad's death in 632 A.D. It is the defining event in Islam's split into Sunni and Shiite branches. The occasion is the source of an enduring moral lesson. "He sacrificed his blood to teach us not to give in to corruption, coercion, or use of force and to seek honor and justice." According to Shiite beliefs, Hussein and companions were denied water by enemies who controlled the nearby Euphrates. Streets get partially covered with blood from slaughter of hundreds of cows and sheep. Volunteers cook the meat and feed it to the poor. Hussein's martyrdom recounted through a rich body of prose, poetry and song remains an inspirational example of sacrifice to many Shiites, 10 percent of the world's estimated 1.3 billion Muslims. |
 Meeting of the
Saints walis (saints of Allah)Great men covet to embrace
martyrdom for a cause and principle.
So was
the case with Hazrat Ali. He could have made a compromise with the evil
forces of his time and, as a result, could have led a very
comfortable,
easy and luxurious life. But he was not a person who would succumb to
such temptations. His upbringing, his education and his training
in the lap of the holy Prophet made him refuse such an offer.
Rabia Al-Basri (717–801 C.E.) She was first to set forth the doctrine of mystical love and who is widely considered to be the most important of the early Sufi poets. An elderly Shia pointed out that during his pre-Partition childhood it was quite common to find pictures and portraits of Shia icons in Imambaras across the country. Shia Ali al-Hadi, died 868 and son Hassan al-Askari 874. These saints are the 10th and 11th of Shia's 12 most revered Imams. Baba Farid Sufi 1398 miracle, Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki renowned Muslim Sufi saint scholar miracles 569 A.H. [1173 C.E.] hermit gave to poor, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti greatest mystic of his time born 533 Hijri (1138-39 A.D.) , Hazrat Ghuas-e Azam, Hazrat Bu Ali Sharif, and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia 1236-1325 welcomed people of all faiths & all walks of life Sufi Saint Hazrath Khwaja Syed Mohammed Badshah Quadri Chisty Yamani Quadeer (RA) |
 To
Save A Life is Earthly; Saving A Soul is Eternal
Donation by mail,
please send check or money order to:Support Catholic Television Network Supported entirely by donations from viewers help spread the Eternal Word, online Here Mother Angelica saving souls is this beautiful womans journey  Shrine_of_The_Most_Blessed_Sacrament Colombia was among the
countries Mother Angelica
visited. In Bogotá, a Salesian priest -
Father Juan Pablo Rodriguez brought Mother and the nuns to the
Sanctuary of the Divine Infant Jesus
to attend Mass. After Mass, Father Juan Pablo took them into a
small Shrine which housed the miraculous statue of the Child Jesus.
Mother Angelica stood praying at the side of the statue when suddenly
the miraculous image came alive and turned towards her. Then the
Child Jesus spoke with the voice of a young boy: Thus began a great adventure that would eventually result in the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, a Temple dedicated to the Divine Child Jesus, a place of refuge for all. Use this link to read a remarkable story about Father Reardon, Editor of The Catholic Bulletin for 20 years  Lover of the poor; "A very Holy Man of God"  Monsignor
Reardon P.A.
BASILICA OF SAINT MARY Minneapolis
MN
America's First Basilica
Largest Nave in the World
August 7, 1907-ground broke for the
foundation by Archbishop Ireland-laying cornerstone 5/31/1908Brief History of our Beloved Holy Priest Here and his published books of Catholic History in North America Reardon, J.M. Archbishop Ireland; Prelate, Patriot, Publicist,1838-1918. A Memoir (St. Paul; 1919); George Anthony Belcourt Pioneer Catholic Missionary of the Northwest 1803-1874 (1955); The Catholic Church IN THE DIOCESE OF ST. PAUL from earliest origin to centennial achievement 1362-1950 (1952); The Church of Saint Mary of Saint Paul 1875-1922; (1932) The Vikings in the American Heartland; The Catholic Total Abstinence Society in Minnesota; James Michael
Reardon B. 1872, Nova Scotia; Priest, ordained by
Bishop Ireland;
Member St. Paul
Seminary faculty
Sanctuary spaces filled between with grilles of hand-forged wrought iron Life of our Blessed Lady After the Crucifixon Apostle
statues Replicas
of those in St
John
Lateran--Christendom's earliest Basilica. Ordered
by Rome's first Christian Emperor, Constantine the Great. It
became the
Popes' own cathedral and official residence for the first millennium of
Christian history. The only
replicas ever made: in order from west to east {1932}. Saints
Simon
(saw), Bartholomew (knife), James the Lesser (book), John
(eagle), Andrew (transverse cross), Peter (keys), Paul (sword),
James the
Greater
(staff),
Thomas (carpenter's square), Philip (serpent), Matthew (book), and Jude (sword). Every Christian
must be a living
book wherein
one can read the teaching
of the
gospel
It Makes No Sense Not To Believe In GOD |
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The 15 Promises of the Virgin Mary to those who
recite the Rosary ) Revealed to St. Dominic and Blessed Alan)
1.
Whoever
shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall
receive signal graces. 2. I promise my special
protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the
Rosary. 3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armor
against hell, it will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4. It will cause virtue and good works to flourish;
it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw
the hearts of people from the love of the world and its vanities, and
will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that soul
would sanctify them by this means. 5. The soul
that recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Rosary shall not
perish. 6. Whoever shall recite the Rosary devoutly,
applying themselves to the consideration of its Sacred Mysteries shall
never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise them in
His justice, they shall not perish by an unprovided death; if they be
just, they shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of
eternal life. 7. Whoever shall have a true devotion
for the Rosary shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
8. Those who are faithful to recite the Rosary shall
have during their life and at their death the light of God and the
plentitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate
in the merits of the Saints in Paradise. 9. I shall
deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
10. The faithful children of the Rosary shall merit a
high degree of glory in Heaven. 11. You shall
obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Rosary.
12. I shall aid all those who propagate the Holy
Rosary in their necessities. 13. I have obtained from
my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Rosary shall have for
intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the
hour of death. 14. All who recite the Rosary are my
children, and brothers and sisters of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of
predestination.
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By
Father John Corapi, SOLT
THE
BLESSED MOTHER AND ISLAM Among the most important titles we have in
the Catholic Church for the Blessed Virgin Mary are Our Lady of Victory
and Our Lady of the Rosary. These titles can be traced back to one of
the most decisive times in the history of the world and Christendom.
The Battle of Lepanto took place on October 7 (date of feast of Our
Lady of Rosary), 1571. This proved to be the most crucial battle for
the Christian forces against the radical Muslim navy of Turkey. Pope
Pius V led a procession around St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City
praying the Rosary. He showed true pastoral leadership in recognizing
the danger posed to Christendom by the radical Muslim forces, and in
using the means necessary to defeat it. Spiritual battles require
spiritual weapons, and this more than anything was a battle that had
its origins in the spiritual order—a true battle between good and evil.Today we have a similar spiritual battle in progress—a battle between the forces of good and evil, light and darkness, truth and lies, life and death. If we do not soon stop the genocide of abortion in the United States, we shall run the course of all those that prove by their actions that they are enemies of God—total collapse, economic, social, and national. The moral demise of a nation results in the ultimate demise of a nation. God is not a disinterested spectator to the affairs of man. Life begins at conception. This is an unalterable formal teaching of the Catholic Church. If you do not accept this you are a heretic in plain English. A single abortion is homicide. The more than 48,000,000 abortions since Roe v. Wade in the United States constitute genocide by definition. The group singled out for death—unwanted, unborn children. No other issue, not all other issues taken together, can constitute a proportionate reason for voting for candidates that intend to preserve and defend this holocaust of innocent human life that is abortion. As
we watch the
spectacle of the world
seeming to self-destruct before our eyes, we can’t help but be saddened
and even frightened by so much evil run rampant. Iraq, Lebanon,
Afghanistan, Somalia, North Korea—It is all a disaster of epic
proportions displayed in living color on our television screens. These are not ordinary times and this is
not business as usual. We are at a crossroads in human history and the
time for Catholics and all Christians to act is now. All evil can
ultimately be traced to its origin, which is moral evil. All of the
political action, peace talks, international peacekeeping forces, etc.
will avail nothing if the underlying sickness is not addressed. This is
sin. One person at a time hearts and minds must be moved from evil to
good, from lies to truth, from violence to peace.
Islam, an Arabic word that has
often been defined as “to make peace,” seems like a living
contradiction today. Although it is supposed to be a religion of peace,
Islam has been hijacked by Satan and now operates in the dark space of
international terrorism. As we celebrate the birthday of Our Lady,
I am proposing that each one of us pray the Rosary for peace. Prayer is
what must precede all other activity if that activity is to have any
chance of success. Pray for peace, pray the Rosary every day without
fail. There is a great
love for Mary among Muslim people. It is not a coincidence that a
little village named Fatima is where God chose to have His Mother
appear in the twentieth century. Our Lady’s name appears no less than
thirty times in the Koran. No other woman’s name is mentioned, not even
that of Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima.
In
the Koran Our Lady is described
as “Virgin, ever Virgin.” Archbishop
Fulton Sheen
prophetically spoke of the resurgence of Islam in our day. He said it
would be through the Blessed Virgin Mary that Islam would be converted.
We must pray for this to happen quickly if we are to avert a horrible
time of suffering for this poor, sinful world. Turn to our Mother in this time of great
peril. Pray the Rosary every day. Then, and only then will there be
peace, when the hearts and minds of men are changed from the inside.
Talk
is weak. Prayer is strong.
Pray! God bless you, A New Series by Fr.
Corapi! The Moon Under Her Feet CD-Audio
Set: $39.00 DVD-Video Set:
$45.00 call
1-888-800-7084 or go to Site http://www.fathercorapi.com
The
four titles are: 1. The
Real War We Fight 2. The
Battle for Hearts & Minds 3.
Leadership: Essential for Victory 4. With the Moon Under Her Feet
In this four part series Father John Corapi goes to the heart of the contemporary world's many woes and wars, whether the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Somalia, or the Congo, or the natural disasters that seem to be increasing every year, the moral and spiritual war is at the basis of everything. "Our battle is not against human forces," St. Paul asserts, "but against principalities and powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness..." (Ephesians 6:12). The "War to end all wars" is the moral and spiritual combat that rages in the hearts and minds of human beings. The outcome of that unseen fight largely determines how the battle in the realm of the seen unfolds. The title talk, "With the Moon Under Her Feet," is taken from the twelfth chapter of the Book of Revelation, and deals with the current threat to the world from radical Islam, and the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the ultimate victory that will result in the conversion of Islam. Few Catholics are aware of the connection between Islam, Fatima, and Guadalupe. Presented in Father Corapi's straight-forward style, you will be both inspired and educated by this four part series on topics more timely than ever. |
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DECREES OF THE CONGREGATION
FOR THE CAUSES OF SAINTS
VATICAN CITY, 17 JAN 2009 (VIS) - Today, during a private
audience with Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the Pope authorised the
congregation to promulgate the following decrees:All Servants of God
MIRACLES: - 1909 Ciriaco Maria Sancha y Hervas, Spanish cardinal archbishop of Toledo, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Cardinal Sancha (1833-1909). - 1956 Carlo Gnocchi, Italian diocesan priest and founder of the "Pro Juventute" Foundation (1902-1956). - 1735 Bernardo Francisco de Hoyos, Spanish professed priest of the Company of Jesus (1711-1735). - 1919 Raphael Rafiringa (ne Louis), Madagascan professed religious of the Institute of Brothers of Christian Schools (1856-1919). - 1946 Eustachio Kugler, (ne Joseph), German professed religious of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God (1867-1946). HEROIC VIRTUES - 1659 Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Spanish bishop of Osma (1600-1659). - 1888 Robert Spiske, diocesan priest and founder of the Congregation of Sisters of St. Hedwig (1821-1888). - 1932 Carolina Beltrami, Italian foundress of the Institute of "Immaculatine" Sisters of Alessandria (1869-1932). - 1998 Mary of the Immaculate e Conception Salvat y Romerio (nee Maria Isabella), Spanish superior general of the Institute of Sisters of the Company of the Cross (1926-1998). - 1842 Liberata Ferrarons y Vives, Spanish laywoman of the Third Order of Carmelites (1803-1842). In the course of a private audience with Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B. on 22 December 2008, the Pope authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree regarding the heroic virtues of 1871 Jose Tous y Soler, Servant of God Spanish professed priest of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins and founder of the Capuchin sisters of the Mother of the Divine Shepherd (1811-1871). CSS/DECREES/AMATO VIS 090119
(320)
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| LINKS:
Marian Shrines
India Marian Shrine
Lourdes
of the East Lourdes
1858 China Marian
shrines 1995 Kenya national Marian shrine Loreto, Italy Marian Apparitions (over 2000) Quang Tri Vietnam La Vang 1798 Links to Related MarianWebsites Angels and Archangels Saints Visions of Heaven and Hell |
| Doctors_of_the_Church Acts_Of_The_Apostles Roman Catholic Popes Purgatory Uniates Chalcedon |
