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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Favorite Quotes of St. John Bosco

St. John Bosco

"Every virtue in your soul is a precious ornament which makes you dear to God and to man. But holy purity, the queen of virtues, the angelic virtue, is a jewel so precious that those who possess it become like the angels of God in Heaven, even though clothed in mortal flesh."
~St. John Bosco

"If we want to have a good society, we must concentrate all our forces on the Christian education of the young. Experience has taught me that if we wish to sustain civil society then we should take good care of the young." ~St. John Bosco

"Guard your eyes since they are the windows through which sin enters the soul." 
~St. John Bosco

"When tempted, invoke your Angel. he is more eager to help you than you are to be helped! Ignore the devil and do not be afraid of him: He trembles and flees at the sight of your Guardian Angel." ~St. John Bosco
“What I recommend most earnestly is not to lose heart when you are tempted. Do you wish to succeed? The best way is to reveal the temptations to your spiritual director immediately. The devil loves darkness. He always operates in the dark because he knows that if he is discovered he is beaten.” ~St. John Bosco

“The usual snare with which the devil catches the young is to fill them with shame when they are about to confess their sins. When he pushes them to commit sins, he removes all shame, as if there were nothing wrong with it, but when they are going to confession, he returns that shame magnified and tries to convince them that the priest will be shocked by their sins and will no longer think well of them. Thus the devil tries to drive souls to the brink of eternal damnation. Oh, how many lads does Satan steal from God – sometimes forever – by this trick .” ~St. John Bosco

Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for February 2013

Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican Basilica on January 1,  2013
(Photo: AFF/Getty Image)
February 2013
General: That migrant families, in particular mothers, may be sustained and accompanied in their difficulties.

Missionary: That peoples experiencing war and conflicts may be the protagonists in the building of a future of peace.

First Meeting of the Children's Rosary at St. Peter Church

The Children's Rosary at St. Peter Church in Steubenville, Ohio will meet for the first time at 4:00PM EST tomorrow February 2nd.  They will begin by consecrating this new group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In this way the group will be under the guidance and protection of Christ and His Mother.  

Please consider joining this group in prayer either at the Church or from your home.  The children will be praying for the intentions of all the members of the Children's Rosary.  

If you have any questions please email Molly at molly_mcgovern@yahoo.com

God Bless you all!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Children's Rosary to Lead Stations of the Cross

The Children's Rosary at St. Thomas Apostle Church will be leading the Stations of the Cross on Friday March first.  

Stations of the Cross are held each Friday in Lent at St. Thomas Apostle Church.  Each Friday is typically led by a different ministry from the Parish.  Members of the ministry take turns leading readings at each station and carrying candles and a cross.  Last year several members of the Children's Rosary assisted by carrying candles and holding the cross while other ministries lead the readings.  The children were so excited to help and showed remarkable reverence. 

This year we asked if the Children's Rosary might be able to lead one Friday on their own.  We were given permission and chose March 1st which is also First Friday.  A short time later we heard that our Parish would be hosting one town wide Stations of the Cross and the Friday assigned to our Parish was March first.  We are very grateful for such a blessing to be granted to the Children's Rosary.

Our Blessed Mother is always pointing us toward her Son so it seems fitting that after close to two years of holding our monthly Children's Rosary the children should be brought to the foot of the Cross by Our Lady.  

Stations of the Cross 
Where: 
St. Thomas Apostle Church
872 Farmington Avenue 
West Hartford CT 06107 USA
When:
7PM in the Upper Church

*Fish Dinner at 6PM provided by the Knights of Columbus.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

"Do whatever He tells you."

This was taken from the Gospel reading last Sunday, January 20th.  It so beautifully sums up Our Lady.  She wants none of the attention and is always directing us to following her Son.

Our Blessed Mother rarely speaks in Holy Scripture which is in itself a profound message of humility.  Her last recorded words in the Gospels come at the Wedding Feast at Cana.  She has just told Jesus "They have no wine."(John 2:3)  Jesus responds "O woman, what have you to do with Me? My hour has not yet come."(John 2:4)  Then Our Lady's last recorded words... "Do whatever He tells you."(John 2:5)

Spending time with these words and the event which is represented in the Second Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary, one can contemplate why Our Lady chooses a wedding celebration as the first time she will ask her Son for such a favor.  Could Our Lady be speaking to us all through her actions?  Do her efforts to save the joy and celebration of this new marriage speak to the importance she places on the family and the efforts she will go to interceding before her Son to protect it and nurture it?

Our Lady is such a wonderful intercessor for us.  Our Lord's response to her request gives us confidence that when we come to her and ask her help our intentions will be warmly received by her Son.

"I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

This was phrase was taken from the Gospel reading last Saturday January 19th.  It is a passage that Jesus spoke while sitting at table with sinners and tax collectors.  

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."(Mark 2:17)

This phrase has been such a consolation to me in those moments when I have failed to love and have lost my patience with those closest to me.  What is so interesting is these moments of spiritual weakness and sinfulness come after moments of such closeness with Our Lord.  After such grace and closeness to stumble so quickly leaves a soul feeling all the more low and a disappointment to Our Lord.  Yet isn't this the nature of many parts of our lives.  I remember as a new Endodontist out of training I joined a dental practice and the senior dentist told me that even after 30 years of practice and the feeling that he had perfected his skills periods of time would come when his cases never seemed to turn out well and he felt like he could do nothing right.  He said year after year these episodes would alternate back and forth.  His words have remained with me even after my physical disability has taken me from clinical dentistry.  

This experience in dentistry seemed in many ways to mirror the struggle of the soul.  Just in those moments when we are so close to Our Lord and in such perfect harmony a trial or temptation comes and one goes tumbling down again.  The ability to look up despite such sinfulness comes from a Trust in Our Lord's Love and Mercy for sinners.  Jesus' words to St. Faustina act as a life line as they remind us that Our Lord is just waiting with a burning heart to forgive us, we have only to ask.


"[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy. My daughter, write about My mercy towards tormented souls. Souls that make an appeal to My mercy delight Me. To such souls I grant even more graces than they ask. I cannot punish even the greatest sinner if he makes an appeal to My compassion, but on the contrary, I justify him in My unfathomable and inscrutable mercy. Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice..." (Diary, 1146)

Tell [all people], My daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches Me with trust, I fill it with such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls." (Diary, 1074)

"Proclaim that mercy is the greatest attribute of God. All the works of My hands are crowned with mercy." (Diary, 301)



Children's Rosary This Morning

The Children's Rosary in Thomaston, CT USA will meet this morning at 11AM EST.  Please consider joining them if you can either in person or in prayer from your home.  The Children always pray for the intentions of ALL the members of the Children's Rosary.  

God Bless you all!

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Favorite Quotes by St. Francis de Sales


Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Memorial January 24th

Quotes by St. Francis de Sales:

“Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue.”

“Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.”

“Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections.”

“Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength”

“Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly.”

“Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either he will shield you from suffering or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.” 
“There is no artifice as good and desirable as simplicity.” 

Writings by St. Francis de Sales:
Introduction to the Devote Life

Monday, January 21, 2013

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

Tuesday January 22nd is the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The Catholic Church has named this a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children.  The Children's Rosary has offered the 8AM Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in West Hartford, CT USA for the Protection of the Unborn.  We also invite you to say a Rosary tomorrow for the Unborn.  May Our Lady bless you abundantly for your prayers and efforts to protect the most vulnerable of her children. Amen.

God Bless!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Prayer for the Unity of Christians

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity began January 18th and will conclude on January 25th 2013 the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle.  It is an international ecumenical observance lasting eight days.  The Holy Father today emphasized the importance of unity among Christians during his Sunday Angelus at the Vatican.  "One of the most serious sins that disfigures the face of the Church is agains its visible unity."  He also urged thousands of pilgrims at St. Peter's Square today to pray for peace as part of this Christian Unity week.
Pope waves after general audience
Giampiero Sposito/ Reuters
Prayer for the Unity of Christians

Almighty and eternal God,
You gather the scattered sheep
and watch over those You have gathered.

Look kindly on all who follow Jesus, You Son.

You have marked them with the seal of one baptism; 
now make them one in the fullness
of faith and unite them in the bond of love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Children's Rosary Tomorrow

Children's Rosary Tomorrow at St. Thomas Church in Thomaston, CT USA

Please consider joining the Children's Rosary tomorrow, January 20th, at 11AM EST for the Rosary.  If you live far away join your prayers to those of the children from your home.  The children always pray for the intentions of all the members of the Children's Rosary.  

A small reception of food will be provided after the Children's Rosary by members of the Legions of Mary.

Do you have thirty minutes a month?

This past weekend at our Children’s Rosary at St. Thomas Apostle Church in West Hartford, we had two new members Anna age 6 and Clare age 3.  They were brought by a mom of one of our regular members, Conner. The girls took their place kneeling in front of the Statue of Mary.  During the Rosary they kept reaching out to touch the statue of Mary.  The older sister Anna went and got her coat so it was softer as she would reach forward to touch Our Lady.  Her younger sister followed along as little sisters are fond of doing.  

Connor who usually sits in the pews and places a rose at the end of one of the decades was watching all this very closely.  As we were finishing the rosary I heard Connors voice behind me.  He was saying the prayers.  This was a new and very surprising thing as Connor has a disability.  When I turned around he had his hands together in prayer and was smiling at me as he said the words to the Hail Mary.  I handed the last rose to him as we finished the final decade.  He went forward with his mom and placed it at Our Lady’s feet.  Then he did something which left us all speechless.  He knelt down next to the two girls and put his elbows on the step where the statue of Mary was placed.  He put his hands together and began to say the prayers for the Pope that we say at the end of the Rosary.  His mother asked if he wanted to stay kneeling and he said, yes! 
When we had finished praying I went over to Connor and the girls.  Little Clare looked up at me with the most innocent eyes.  She smiled and looking at the three of them I felt for a moment as if I were looking at angels.  They were silent and only smiled.  I kept repeating to them that they were so special to Our Lady and were our little angels.  Connor was so happy and I asked him if next month he wanted to lead a decade of the rosary.  He pointed at the podium and said, yes.  His mom was beaming, too. 

A photo taken of the children after the rosary.  
Our Blessed Mother is so good to us.  She helps us with our children and through them shows us the beauty of prayer.  Sunday morning was a moment that touched my heart to its depths.  There was so much hope.  To see what Our Lady could do with these little ones.  Oh, that more children were brought to her.  This is my daily prayer.  It is my hope that many of you reading this will ask yourself a question: could I spend thirty minutes a month having a Children's Rosary at my parish?  We have new groups that are forming with mom's of young children and mom's of older children.  We have a grandmother who has begun one of our largest groups.  We also have a young single member without any children in her twenties that started a group.  Currently, we have a husband and father of three who is organizing a new group.  Please pray about it and I will pray for you, too.  Our Lord and Our Lady know who you are and I trust in them that they are speaking to your heart.  

Thank you all for reading this message.  It comes from the heart with the hope that we may all bring joy to Our Lady and her Son.  

God Bless you all abundantly. Amen

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

New Children's Rosary in Steubenville Ohio

St. Peter Church
A new Children's Rosary is forming at St. Peter's Parish in Steubenville, Ohio.  The new group will meet on each First Friday of the month at 4:30 PM in the Church.  This is such a wonderful blessing for the Children's Rosary, to not only have a new group but to have one meeting on the First Friday of the Month. 
Inside St. Peter Church in Steubenville, Ohio
The first meeting of the Children's Rosary at St. Peter Church will be held on February 1st.  They will gather at 4PM to consecrate the new group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  In this way we are asking Our Lady and her Son to keep this group close to Their Hearts and to protect and guide them in all things.  

For more information on the Children's Rosary at St. Peter Church please contact Molly at molly_mcgovern@yahoo.com

Divine Praises

Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete.
Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy.
Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph, her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God in His angels and in His saints.

During the walk home from Mass today I was overcome with the generosity and love of Jesus and words seemed to well up inside, I praise you Jesus, I praise you Jesus, I thank you Jesus....  It was then that I remembered the Divine Praises.  I could not remember them as I was walking but upon returning home I quickly found them and read them aloud.  

It seemed timely to include the Divine Praises here as the month of January is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. The Divine Praises usually follow the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and are led by a priest before the Eucharist is placed back in the tabernacle.  However, these wonderful prayers can be said privately or in a group not in association with Benediction.  The Divine Praises were composed by Luigi Felici, a Jesuit priest, in 1797 and were composed to make reparation for blasphemy and profane language.  They were originally written in Italian and were later expanded by Pope Pius VII in 1801.


"In the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth and under the earth" (Phil 2:10). 

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Prayer to St. Joseph by Brother Andre

"Saint Joseph, pray for me as you would pray if you were here in my place with the same difficulties. Saint Joseph, hear my prayer." (...) "Help me as you would have liked to be helped yourself, had you been here on earth in my situation."
-Brother Andre, CSC

Litany to St. Joseph
Memorare to St. Joseph

Memorare to Saint Joseph

Remember,
O most chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary,
that never has it been known that 
anyone who asked for your help
and sought your intercession
was left unaided.

Full of confidence in your power,
I hasten to you,
and beg your protection.

Listen,
O foster father of the Redeemer,
to my humble prayer,
and in your goodness
hear and answer me.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Reflections from the First Meeting of the Children's Rosary in Naples Florida


The Children's Rosary at St. Agnes Church had their first meeting on January 5th 2013.  It was a special day being the 12th day of Christmas as well as the Memorial of St. John Neumann.  Early in the process of starting this new Children's Rosary group, Valerie, wife and mom to 4 beautiful children asked if there was a new saint which had not been prayed to yet by members of the Children's Rosary.  I mentioned that we would love to invite St. John Neumann to join our Children's Rosary.  He is know for being the first saint to be canonized from the United States and his fervor for the Catholic education of children led to many Parish Catholic Schools being opened.

Several months later Valerie was given permission by her pastor to have her first meeting of the Children's Rosary at St. Agnes Parish and the date she was given was January 5th the memorial of St. John Neumann. A blessing to be sure!
This new little group met at 9:30 AM in the little Chapel off of the Main Church.  Four families met together for a rosary led by the children.

Seeing these children in prayer one thinks of St. Bernadette or the Children of Fatima.  Yet these are wonderful children from our own time.  Some are learning the rosary others have woven it into their daily lives.  It is an image of hope for our New Year....


What Am I Doing for Jesus?

This was the question that the priest celebrating the Saturday vigil Mass yesterday kept asking during his homily.  As yesterday was the 12th day of Christmas and Epiphany is celebrated today our thoughts are on the 3 Magi. After a long journey they found themselves before the crib of the baby Jesus.  They knelt before Him and presented Him with their greatest treasures.

As Christians, we are all on a journey to find Jesus.  The Magi had a star to guide them but we have something greater.  Jesus gave us his Mother to guide us to Him.  She points us on the surest and straightest path to her Son and when we reach Him she has us ready with arms full of gifts.  What gifts has she prepared us to give on the 12th day of Christmas, the day of the 3 Magi?  She has us bringing our most precious treasures to the Lord: our children.  What gifts do our children hold before the crib of Jesus? They hold arms full of prayers..prayers of the Holy Rosary.  Through the prayers of the joyful mysteries of the rosary we are brought to contemplate the wonder and majesty of the birth of Our Lord in Bethlehem.  A contemplation which brings with it a fruit of desiring things from above and not things of this world often referred to as poverty of spirit. The Children's Rosary had three groups meeting yesterday with many members joining them in prayer from their homes across the globe.  These three groups knelt just as the three Magi did over two thousand years ago.  
Hands full of prayers
 at the Children's Rosary yesterday

Friday, January 4, 2013

Three Children's Rosary Groups to Meet Tomorrow

Tomorrow is a special day for the Children's Rosary.  Three individual groups will be meeting:

The Children's Rosary group at St. Agnes Church in Naples Florida USA will have their first meeting.    It will be held in the Chapel at 9:30AM EST.

The Children's Rosary group at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury CT will meet at 3:30PM EST.

The Children's Rosary group at St. Brigid Church in West Hartford will meet at 3:15PM EST in the Upper Church.

Please consider joining these groups in prayer from your home.  I have asked them to pray for the intentions of all the members of the Children's Rosary tomorrow.

May Our Lady find joy in praying with our little ones tomorrow on the first Saturday of the month which honors her Immaculate Heart. Amen.

Tomorrow is the First Meeting of the Children's Rosary in Naples Florida

A New Children's Rosary group at St. Agnes Church will meet for the first time tomorrow January 5th at 9:30AM EST.  They will be meeting in the Chapel. Please consider joining them in prayer from your home.  I am asking each group to pray for the intentions of all the members of the Children's Rosary. 

On the beautiful Memorial of St. John Neumann who spent much of his life founding schools in the Unites States a new Children's Rosary is forming a short distance from St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples.


St. John Neumann
It is also a wonderful gift to present this new Children's Rosary group to Our Lady on the first Saturday of the month which honors her Immaculate Heart.

For anyone interested in joining this new group or with questions please contact Valerie at friarscottage@hotmail.com

First Saturday Devotion

Reflections from the First Children's Rosary in Thomaston CT

On the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God a new Children's Rosary was presented to Our Lady and her Son.  A beautiful group of children joined in prayer of the Holy Rosary under the watchful eye of their heavenly Mother.  Who could not smile to see such innocence.  Cindy who brought this wonderful new group together wrote to me that "we adults had an occasional tear in our eyes as our little ones led us in prayer."

The Legions of Mary provided yummy refreshments and treats for the children and their families after the rosary.

Contemplating Our Lady looking down upon these Children.  What joy must she feel in her heart that the youngest of her children are learning the rosary and praying together.  Thinking of Our Lady happy, thinking that we here on this tired earth have brought a smile to her face.  Oh it is such a wonderful image to contemplate.  Might Our Blessed Mother bring her Son with her to show Him the hope and goodness that still exists in this world.  The innocent kneeling in prayer to their Heavenly Father.  Might these monthly prayer meetings be a joyful appointment that all heaven waits for each month?  Yes, I think they are and more than Mary and Jesus are there.  Before many of the Children's Rosary meetings I personally invite the Angels and many Saints to come to our Rosaries.  In faith we know each prayer is heard and through faith I believe they hear and come when they are called.  To further contemplate so many from Heaven filing in to kneel next to the children in prayer with Our Heavenly Mother and Jesus.  It is nothing less than awe inspiring yet we can be assured we are not alone in our prayers as Jesus tells us "where two or three have gathered in My name, I am there in their midst (Matthew 18:20).

Thursday, January 3, 2013

What is the Simplest Prayer?

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the invocation of the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always(2666).  

The Catechism goes on to say: when the holy name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty phrases, but holds fast to the word and "brings forth fruit with patience." This prayer is possible "at all times" because it is not one occupation among others but the only occupation: that of loving God, which animates and transfigures every action in Christ Jesus.


Father Paul O' Sullivan author of the book, Wonders of the Holy Name, describes the wonderful affects of saying the holy name of Jesus. "Each time we say Jesus it is an act of perfect love, for we offer to God the infinite love of Jesus".





Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory: A Beautiful Lesson From Mother Teresa


Footnote: account from Maronite website:

Pat Murnahan was coming back from a business trip to New York during the month of November, 1996.  He felt his presentations had gone very well and he felt relaxed as he sank back into his seat ready for the flight to London and then on to Dublin.  He had chosen a window seat so that he could sleep and not be disturbed by people coming and going.  As more passengers entered the plane and it began to fill up, he could hear the hum of continuous conversation up and down the aisles, mixed with the sound of bags being stowed in the overhead lockers.

 After ten minutes Pat was beginning to snooze and the rhythmic sound finally lulled him to sleep.  But just minutes after he fell asleep he found himself sitting up fully awake.  He heard nothing and wondered what had woken him, then he realized there was complete silence in the plane.

He sat fully upright wondering what had caused the silence, he felt a slight tinge of terror, the first thing coming to mind was that terrorists were taking over the plane.

Pat turned hi s head to see what was happening and his mouth dropped open when he recognized the slight bent figure and smiling face that had caused the complete silence as she moved quietly up the aisle; it was Mother Teresa of Calcutta, with another slight bent figure in similar dress following behind her.

Both nuns were dressed in simple white habits edged in blue.  The familiar face, the wrinkled skin and the warm smiling eyes were instantly recognizable by everyone, from the youngest back packers to the eldest on board.  The plane was full of American tourists who had never been so close to this world renowned figure before in their lives.  An image they had seen on hundreds of television newscasts and on the covers of Time Magazine, on more than one occasion.

The two nuns stopped and Pat realized with a start, that the designated seats of this most extraordinary person and her companion were the seats beside him and he felt strangely unworthy as Mother Teresa herself was the one beside him.  As the last few passengers settled in and the flight prepared to take off, Mother Teresa and her companions took out their Rosary beads.   He noticed as they unfolded the beads that each decade was a different color.

They both closed their eyes as they immersed themselves in prayer and Pat stole a closer look at the unusual Rosary beads.  He noticed that the decades at the beginning were totally black but as the beads went on they got lighter until, at the end of the rosary, they were completely white.

After about three Rosaries Mother Teresa and her companion put away the beads and she took out a little red prayer book.  But before she opened the book she turned to Pat and asked him where was going.  When he told her Ireland and then having replied to her next question to confirm the ‘yes, he was Irish,’ he raised himself up in his seat more, no longer eager to sleep as he suddenly felt elated and privileged to be taking part in a conversation with probably not only the most famous person on the planet but also probably the holiest.  He was not ready for her next comment which showed that her knowledge of the Irish was from another era.

She said, “Well, you being Irish you must of course be Catholic and very prayerful.”

Pat felt embarrassed and didn’t respond.  Then he felt even more embarrassed, if that was possible, as she put away her little red book and took out her Rosary again, saying “As you are Irish we will say another rosary for you and the wonderful country you come from.”  Pat knew if he could see himself then in a mirror his face would have turned a very crimson red.

She told him, “Is there anyone in particular you wish to keep in prayer?”  Pat thought for a minute and he suddenly thought of his elderly grandmother who was bedridden and just clinging to life.  He knew she would really be taken with the thought of Mother Teresa praying specially for her, so he mentioned his grandmother’s name to Mother Teresa.

As she took out the Rosary he ventured to ask about the differing colors of the beads.  She explained they were called Holy Souls Beads and the changing colors signify coming from darkness into light.  We know as we pray a Rosary for the holy souls, Jesus brings many of them out of darkness into the light.  Mother Teresa asked Pat to take out his Rosary and they would begin.

Pat fumbled around in his pockets feeling extremely embarrassed as this saint in waiting expected hi to take out a Rosary, which she undoubtedly thought every Irish person carried around with them.  After a short interval Mother Teresa handed him her Rosary, which he was relieved about as he did not want to tell even half lie to this saint, as he was about to, saying, “I don’t seem to have one on me,” somehow implying that he normally did.

She produced another one for herself and he was also glad that they said all the prayers very quietly, so his mumbling was accepted as discreet prayer in unison with them.  He did, however, notice their petitions in between decades were for the souls in purgatory and did not include the name of his grandmother.

Afterwards, he asked the Reverend Mother why his grandmother’s name wasn’t mentioned in the petitions.  Her answer surprised him.

“When you pray for the souls in purgatory God will be so pleased with your unselfish prayers for those you don’t even know, that he will grant you your dearest wish, without even asking and sometimes maybe without you even knowing what your dearest wish is.”

Though Pat considered himself not very religious, knowing when he did go to church he went mostly just out of habit with his family and hardly ever prayed outside a church, he found these prayers extremely uplifting and he was in explicably happy afterwards, as he returned the Rosary to Mother Teresa.

As she smiled again at him Pat understood for the first time in his life what people meant when they spoke of a person possessing an ‘aura’ and, as his eyes connected with hers, a sense of peace overwhelmed him; he felt like when he was a little boy sitting by the river, with a warm summer breeze blowing through his hair, completely at peace with the world.

As they landed at Heathrow and alighted from the plane Mother Teresa was just ahead of him.  She turned back to him and asked, “Do you say the Rosary often?”  “No, not really,” he admitted. She took his hand, looked straight at him with her extraordinary gentle loving eyes and said, “Well, you will now,” and she pressed her Rosary into his hands.

Two hours later Pat entered the waiting area at Dublin airport where he was met by his wife, Alice.  “What in the world?” she asked, when she noticed a Rosary inhis hand.  They kissed and Pat explained the Rosary and described his encounter with Mother Teresa in the plane as being like a visit to heaven.  Driving home he said, “I really feel as if I have met a living Saint.”

The next day he heard his grandmother was up out of bed and seemed to have found a whole new lease of life.

Six months later Pat and Alice visited a close friend of theirs who they had just heard had cancer, with a short time left to live.  The friend told them that many prayers had been offered for her.  Then, after reaching into his pocket and taking out the special beads, Pat gently entwined Mother Teresa’s Rosary around the friend’s fingers.  He told her the story and said, “Pray for the Holy Souls, it may help you.”  Although the friend wasn’t Catholic, her hand closed willingly around the black and white beads.

Between one thing and another, Pat did not meet the friend again for a month.  This time her face was simply glowing, she hurried toward him and handed him the Rosary.

“I have carried it with me ever since and prayed for the Holy Souls whenever I got the change,” she said, and you won’t be surprised to hear that just this week I had another check up, the doctors could find nothing, the tumor was gone.  Pat, I am completely healed!”

Pat Murnahan vowed that day to get some more of these special Rosary beads, he knew they were not special in themselves but special in what they inspired people to do.  To help Jesus bring souls into the Kingdom would be reciprocated by that person receiving great graces from God.

With this particular friend of Pat’s not only did it bring physical healing to her but spiritual healing as well, for two years later she joined the Catholic Church.

Pat now promotes this Rosary telling people it can save lives and souls.