Novena to the Holy Spirit for the Conclave of Cardinals

Pope Benedict  XVI (Photo:CNS)

Today Pope Benedict stepped down as Supreme Spiritual Head of the Catholic Church and made a surprise statement to his fellow Cardinals:

“I will continue to be close to you the next few days in prayer that you may be full of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new Pope.  May the Lord show you what He wants from you.  Among you is the next Pope.”

Hearing these words of Pope Benedict XVI there was a feeling that we should join with him in prayer for the same intention.  Could there be a better phrasing of a prayer for the Cardinals then the one Our Holy Father spoke from the depths of his heart.  May I humbly ask you to join together beginning tomorrow (March 1st 2013) a 9 day novena of prayer to the Holy Spirit for the intention given to us by our dear Pope Benedict XVI.  We have been given a precious gift and privilege to know the prayers of the Holy Father for his successor may we not lose this opportunity to be one with him in prayer for a most Divinely inspired Conclave.  Thank you all and may the Lord bless you for your love and prayers for the future of Our Holy Church.  Amen.

(photo courtesy of Catholic News Service)

Novena to the Holy Spirit

Dearest Holy Spirit, confiding in Your deep, personal love for me, I am making this novena for the following request, if it be Your Holy Will to grant it: that the Cardinals may be full of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new Pope.  May the Lord show them what He wants from them.(mention your additional requests). 

Teach me, Divine Spirit, to know and seek my last end; grant me the holy fear of God; grant me true contrition and patience. Do not let me fall into sin. Give me an increase of faith, hope and charity, and bring forth in my soul all the virtues proper to my state in life.

Make me a faithful disciple of Jesus and an obedient child of the Church. Give me efficacious grace sufficient to keep the Commandments and to receive the Sacraments worthily. 

Give me the four Cardinal Virtues, Your Seven Gifts, Your Twelve Fruits. 

Raise me to perfection in the state of life to which You have called me and lead me through a happy death to everlasting life.

I ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen. 

(novena to the Holy Spirit obtained from EWTN website)

A Gift to Pope Benedict XVI

As we approach the last days of Pope Benedict's papacy may we keep the Holy Father in a special way in our daily prayers.  Especially today on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter the Apostle which honors the authority and mission of the pope. 

The Children's Rosary has also requested a Mass be said for Pope Benedict on February 28th as a gift of love to Our Holy Father for his selfless service to Our Church.  

Lightning Strikes St. Peter's Hours after Pope's Announcement

On February 11th the Holy Father announced his resignation which will take effect February 28th.  Hours after his announcement a bolt of lightning hit St. Peter's Basilica.

You may also like the following posts:
Transcript of Pope's Resignation Announcement

A Rosary for Our Holy Father

Photo from the Holy Father's Apostolic Journey to Cameroon
(photo obtained from www.the papalvisit.org.uk)

Dear Friends,

Many of us are just hearing of Our Holy Father's Announcement today of his upcoming resignation February 28th due to health reasons.  An announcement of such importance must have weighed heavily on the Holy Father and required great courage.  Today as we remember Our Lady of Lourdes may we join together in prayer of the Holy Rosary to Our Blessed Mother to guide and protect Our Holy Father and the Church through these days ahead.  The Children's Rosary would like to offer a Rosary at 3:00PM.  We are inviting all who would like to join us to unify our prayers together to Our Lady where ever you may be at 3PM.  Many of us our still home due to the effects of the blizzard.  Please feel free to share this with friends.

PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYER OF THE HOLY ROSARY

 FROM YOUR HOME AT 3:00PM EST 

Transcript of Our Holy Father's announcement today.
Lightning Strikes St. Peter's Hours after Pope's Announcement

Transcript of Pope's Announcement Today

Pope Benedict XVI  (Pier Paolo Cito/AP)

"Dear Brothers,

I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.

Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer."

Join Us for a Rosary for Our Holy Father Today

Pope Benedict XVI Announces He Will Resign Feb 28th

A Call For Prayers for Our Holy Father

Today the Holy Father announced in Latin that due to advanced age he did not have the strength to continue to carry out his duties.

The Holy Father said "After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine Ministry. "

An announcement of such importance must have weighed heavily on the Holy Father and required great courage.  Today as we remember Our Lady of Lourdes may we join together in prayer of the Holy Rosary to Our Blessed Mother to guide and protect Our Holy Father and the Church through these days ahead.  

PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYER OF THE HOLY ROSARY 

FROM YOUR HOME AT 3:00PM  EST 

Holy Father Calls Christian Families to be Schools of Prayer

Feast of the Holy Family

Just a year ago, before the Feast of the Holy Family Our Holy Father spoke of the importance of prayer in our families.  

Our Holy Father  at the Crib of Jesus
Reuters picture

Benedict XVI December 28th 2011 “Our continuing catechesis on prayer leads us, during this Christmas season, to reflect on the place of prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. In the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, we learn to contemplate the mystery of God’s presence and to grow as faithful disciples of Christ. The Gospels present Mary as the supreme model of prayerful meditation on the mysteries of Christ’s life; in praying the Rosary, in fact, we unite ourselves to her contemplation of those mysteries in faith and hope. Saint Joseph fulfilled his vocation as the father of the Holy Family by teaching Jesus the importance of quiet fidelity to work, prayer and observance of the precepts of the Law. Jesus’ unique relationship with his heavenly Father was reflected in the prayer life of the Holy Family and stands at the heart of all Christian prayer. May the example of the Holy Family inspire all Christian families to be schools of prayer, where parents and children alike come to know that closeness to God which we joyfully celebrate in these days of Christmas.”

The Catechism echoes Our Holy Father’s directives regarding prayer in the family.

“Through the grace of the sacrament of marriage, parents receive the responsibility and privilege of evangelizing their children”. (Catechism 2225)  When should this evangelization begin?  The catechism is clear that it should start at an early age: “Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the ‘first heralds’ for their children. They should associate them from their tenderest years with the life of the Church”.(Catechism 2225)

The Children’s Rosary has dedicated this year to Renewal of Family Prayer.  To this end we have offered 31 Masses for the intention of Renewal of Family prayer.  Over 660 novenas to different saints have been said praying for renewal of family prayer.  Close to 400 Children’s Bibles have been given out to families to assist them in renewing family prayer in their homes.  Countless rosaries have been said in by children at their parent's knee that renewal of family prayer will spread across the globe.  On this Feast of the Holy Family may Our Lord bless each one of our families with a spirit of prayer. Amen. 

Getty Image- St. Peter's Square on Christmas Eve 

A Birthday Present for Your Soul

This year we began a new tradition in our home.  For each member of our family we requested one Mass be said as a birthday present.  Instead of having the Mass said on our birth date, the Mass was chosen on a special Saint's Feast day. This year I did the choosing of the Saints for each member of the Family but next year I hope the children will help choose their favorite saint.  My husband is Jewish, but I thought it was important to request one for him as well, regardless of religion a Mass has wonderful benefits for our Soul.  Pope Benedict XVI said, "The Holy Mass would be of greater profit if people had it offered in their lifetime, rather than having it celebrated for the relief of their souls after death."

Today the 8AM Mass at our Church was offered for my daughter Alina who is 12 years old.  She was so excited to see her name in the bulletin on Sunday as all the Mass intentions are listed each week.  Today is the Feast of Bl. Mother Theresa of Calcutta.  Alina has watched programs on Mother Theresa and I knew this would be a wonderful saint to intercede for her.

During the summer when our son, Asher, had a Mass said for him I noticed a wonderful thing that night.  He went and found his Bible which he received for Christmas and asked that his father read it to him before bed.  We always read the Bible as a family each night but usually Asher has different books he likes read before he falls asleep.  On the day the Mass was said he sought out his Bible and wanted it read to him as he fell asleep.  He continued this for several days after the Mass was said.  In a small child, like my son who is only 5 years old, the effects of grace seem more transparent. The Mass was truely a gift for his soul.

Here are the Feast days we chose this year:
Asher age 5- Feast of John Mary Vianney
Kostin age 8-  Feast of St. Joseph
Alina age 12 -Feast of Bl Mother Teresa
Grandma- Feast of St. Faustina
Seth- Feast of Padre Pio
Blythe (me)- Feast of Bl. Pope John Paul II

For those of you not farmiliar with requesting a Mass, contact your Parish or speak to a priest.  Usually there is a customary donation which is made when requesting the Mass.

The Holy Father is Praying For Us That We May Recognize the Living Christ in the Eucharist

The Holy Father’s Intentions for the Month of June 2012:

General: That believers may recognize in the Eucharist the living presence of the Risen One who accompanies them in daily life.

Pope Benedict XVI

As this month comes to a close we are receiving the graces of prayers not only of the Holy Father but Christians from across the Globe.  These prayers which are bombarding heaven ask that each one of us may recognize the living Christ in the Eucharist.  As these beautiful graces are before us we should also join these prayers with our own.  It is such a wonderful and Blessed time to receive the Holy Eucharist.  One can also experience this meeting of Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration.

Please see the following posts for further discussion of the many reasons for participating in this Holy practice of Eucharistic Adoration.
12 Biblical Reasons for Wanting to Spend an Our with Jesus in Adoration
12 Reasons from the Teaching of the Church for Visiting Jesus in Adoration

"The Rosary is Experiencing a New Springtime"

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Saturday, 3 May 2008

Today, together we confirm that the Holy Rosary is not a pious practice banished to the past, like prayers of other times thought of with nostalgia. Instead, the Rosary is experiencing a new Springtime. Without a doubt, this is one of the most eloquent signs of love that the young generation nourish for Jesus and his Mother, Mary. In the current world, so dispersive, this prayer helps to put Christ at the centre, as the Virgin did, who meditated within all that was said about her Son, and also what he did and said. When reciting the Rosary, the important and meaningful moments of salvation history are relived. The various steps of Christ’s mission are traced. With Mary the heart is oriented toward the mystery of Jesus. Christ is put at the centre of our life, of our time, of our city, through the contemplation and meditation of his holy mysteries of joy, light, sorrow and glory. May Mary help us to welcome within ourselves the grace emanating from these mysteries, so that through us we can “water” society, beginning with our daily relationships, and purifying them from so many negative forces, thus opening them to the newness of God. The Rosary, when it is prayed in an authentic way, not mechanical and superficial but profoundly, it brings, in fact, peace and reconciliation. It contains within itself the healing power of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, invoked with faith and love at the centre of each “Hail Mary”.

"Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours"

"Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”.(Mark 11:22-24)

This was the Gospel Friday. This was also the day when at least 11 novenas to different saints were completed, 8 of them by children.  The intention which was being prayed for I am inlcluding here:

MAY THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY, THEIR FAMILIES, THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY INCLUDING OUR PRIESTS, OUR BISHOP AND OUR HOLY FATHER THE POPE BE THE EXTENDED HANDS OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND HER SON.  MAY WE GATHER A GREAT MANY SOULS ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE LORD.  MAY WE EXPERIENCE RENEWAL OF FAMILY PRAYER AND SPREAD IT ACROSS THE GLOBE. IN A SPECIAL WAY WE ASK EACH SAINT TO CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY OR A PRIEST, ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CHILDREN’S ROSARY GROUP TO LEAD IN THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. DEAR SAINT PRAY FOR OUR EXTENDED GROUP THAT WE MAY EMBODY THE VIRTUES YOU EXEMPLIFIED HERE ON EARTH. AMEN

Over 250 Novenas to Saints have been completed.  Novenas to Divine Mercy, Our Lady, The Holy Spirit, and The Holy Trinity have also been said for the above intention(with the exception of the part about a saint choosing a family). 

We believe very strongly what our Lord tells us in his Gospel.  "If we have Faith ...whatever you ask in prayer, believe it and it will be yours".(Mark 11:24) 

As these novenas were being completed Our Lord held true to His promise.  A mother of one of the second grade students from St. Thomas School emailed me to say she wanted to add her name and her two daughters age 3 and 8 to our letter for the Pope.  She also told me that her daughter received the Bible in her class from the children’s rosary.  They were so excited and have been reading about the Saint that chose them.  Three new families approached me after daily Mass Friday and joined our adult morning rosary group.  One mother had brought her 4 year old daughter who has a heart condition.  One mom asked if she could bring her children to our next children’s rosary so they could learn how to pray the rosary.  One of the three families has recently moved to the United States from Syria and they are just learning all the prayers in English.  

One cannot underestimate the effect one kind act can have on another person.  Each one of these events would have made my day alone.  They gave me such hope and joy.  After Mass on Friday I made an announcement about our letter in support of Our Holy Father from the children’s rosary.  Many of the the folks at the Mass had said our children’s rosary novena and were eager to sign the letter.  After I made the announcement the whole chapel started clapping.  The support and beautiful fruits of all these prayers were truly pouring down upon us.  The Lord hears each prayer.  He waits for us.  When we call upon His help He answers in the most beautiful way.  In writing the post for Friday I came upon the intentions of the Holy Father and saw that the general intention of the Holy Father for May was: The Family. That initiatives which defend and uphold the role of the family may be promoted within society.  The children’s rosary has chosen to dedicate our year to renewal of family prayer.  When we wrote the letter to the Holy Father and sent it off last week, we were telling him of the prayers we say for him but seeing what his prayer intention was for May, it is he who has been praying for us. What we have achieved may be as a result of the prayers of the Holy Father and the world. As we know, people all over the planet pray for the intentions of the Holy Father each day.  When we pray we may never know who benefits but be sure someone is somewhere.  It is not for us to know all these things but when the Lord in his generosity allows us to have a glimpse of the fruits of prayer it is pure joy.  I share these things that you may share the joy that I have experienced this weekend.  Thanks to the many people who have through prayer allowed these things to flourish. I thank those of you who by your presence on this blog encourage us to keep pushing forward.  Thank you all and God Bless!

Month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Entire Month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on June 15th 2012

The late Pope John Paul II said in the canonization speech of Claude de la Colombiere, the Spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alocoque,"For evangelization today, the Heart of Christ must be recognized as the heart of the Church: It is He who calls us to conversion, to reconciliation. It is He who leads pure hearts and those hungering for justice along the way of the Beatitudes. It is He who achieves the warm communion of the members of the one Body. It is He who enables us to adhere to the Good News and to accept the promise of eternal life. It is He who sends us out on mission. The heart-to-heart with Jesus broadens the human heart on a global scale."(May 31 1992)

Subsequent posts this month will involve different ways of honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus such as Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Litany to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Pope Benedict XVI attends a meeting at his private library May 28, 2012, in Vatican City. (Vatican Pool via Getty Images)

The Holy Father’s Intentions for the Month of June 2012:

General: That believers may recognize in the Eucharist the living presence of the Risen One who accompanies them in daily life.

Missionary: That Christians in Europe may rediscover their true identity and participate with greater enthusiasm in the proclamation of the Gospel. 

Faith

 "All things are possible to him who believes."(Mark 9:23)
At his annual Christmas speech to the Roman Curia on Dec 22 2011, Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI cited an "ethical crisis" and a "crisis of faith" as the cause of the financial and economic crisis in the West.  This crisis of faith results in a triumph of selfishness over social responsibility.  

Jesus encountered a lack of Faith while he was on earth,  as the gospel from today describes.  "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?"(Mark 9:19) The disciples had brought a man with his sick son possessed by an evil spirit which they had been unable to cast out.  Jesus tells the father who beseeches him for help, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes."(Mark 9:23)  The man responds "I believe; help my unbelief!"(Mark 9:24)

This reading gives us such hope that with total faith anything is possible.  Even when we have little faith if we acknowledge our complete dependance on God and call upon his pity He in His love will reach out and pick us up. The man in the gospel acknowledges his lack of faith and Jesus makes up for his inadequacies and his son is healed.
Faith is a gift.  It is one of the fruits of the rosary.  It is the fruit of the first Glorious Mystery: the Resurrection. It is the most important fruit of the rosary.  The second most important fruit is grace of a happy death which is associated with the Fourth Glorious Mystery: the Assumption of Mary. We must pray to strengthen our faith.  When our faith deepens the Lord can work greater and greater things in us.  
When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer."(Mark 9:29)  How powerful is prayer!  Through prayer we can increase our faith and ward off evil.  To pray more is a decision. To pray better is a grace.  The more we pray the better we will pray. 
Below is a beautiful story of a small boy with immense faith.  May it inspire you...
http://www.godvine.com/The-Inspirational-Story-of-Garvan-Byrne-a-Must-See-731.html
To recite a prayer by St. Thomas Aquinas, "Lord grant us an unconquered heart that no hardship can wear out". 
May the children's rosary and all who are associated with us experience a deepening of faith and find that they possess an unconquered heart.  May the Spirit of Prayer descend upon us that we may have a desire to pray more and the grace to pray better.  Thank you Lord for your Love and Mercy. Amen