The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Every time we pray the Sign of the Cross, we call upon the Trinity to be with us as we pray. Where the Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is with them.  The Trinity is love.

The Angel Prayer of Fatima Prayer to the Holy Trinity was given by an angel to the children during the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima. With the Blessed Sacrament suspended in the air, the Angel of Peace recited this prayer during the third apparition to the children in Fatima in 1916.  

O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly. I offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary I beg the conversion of poor sinners.

O glorious Mother Mary, you were crowned Queen of heaven and earth by God the Father as his beloved daughter, by Jesus, the Son as his dearest mother and by the Holy Spirit as His chosen spouse. You became the most perfect adorer of the Blessed Trinity. You are our most powerful intercessor and merciful Mother. We entrust our prayers and petitions for all the names we receive through this ministry into your loving care.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.  John 3:16

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church; 2761
"The Lord's Prayer "is truly the summary of the whole gospel." "Since the Lord...after handling over the practice of prayer, said elsewhere, 'Ask and you will receive,' and since everyone has petitions which are peculiar to his circumstances, the regular and appropriate prayer (the Lord's Prayer) is said first, as the foundation of further desires."

We pray in the Name of our Heavenly Father, and of the Son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit. Where the Holy Trinity dwells, our Blessed Mother Mary is in the center.

Memorial Day: We remember our fallen heroes...

I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.  John 14:18

On this Memorial Day, we honor all those who have given their lives for our freedom. May they rest in eternal peace. As we look at this image, we remember all military who gave their lives and we remember their families, especially the children of these brave men and women.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.  In green pastures He makes me lie down; to still waters He leads me;  He restores my soul.  He guides me along right paths for the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff comfort me. You set a table before me in front of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely, goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of the Lord for endless days.  Psalm 23

A Pentecost Meditation: Come Holy Spirit...Veni Sancte Spiritus

After the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the Apostles and Mary went to Jerusalem and stayed in the Upper Room as they awaited the promise of Jesus, the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate.  

Let us enter the Upper Room with Mary. The disciples are filled with fear and Mary is standing in their midst, comforting them. The fear is palpable. Let Mary comfort you. Invite her to come into your heart. Suddenly, a noise came from the sky like a strong driving wind. As we stood there, tongues of fire appeared, which parted and came to rest on everyone. All were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues. We were no longer afraid.  Fear was replaced with fortitude, the courage to speak and do the Will of God.  On this beautiful day of Pentecost, let us ask the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and pour out His gifts that we may proclaim the love of Jesus!

They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke of the great things God had done, alleluia. Acts 2:4, 11

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." John 20:19-22

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now Your Spirit over all the names we have received through this ministry.  Let the Holy Spirit live in their hearts.  May Our Blessed Virgin Mary be our Advocate.  God of Spirit and Truth, today we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Like the Apostles and Mary in the Upper Room, we are, at times, afraid and need to be assured that You are with us. As Your Spirit enlightened them, may Your Spirit give us the gifts we so desire.  Like the Apostles and Mary, may we go out into the world to proclaim Your words.

In the musical treasure of Gregorian chant, there are some compositions that stand out for their exceptional beauty. The Sequence for Pentecost Sunday, Veni Sancte Spiritus, a prayer to the Holy Spirit, is a melody of unusual beauty. The words and melody blend together so well that it is a fine example of Saint Augustine's observation that one prays twice through song. The melody reflects supplication to the Holy Spirit, revealing a desire for His Love to fill us. Alleluias are not always joyous acclamations, but are often humble interior prayers as is this one. It has become the customary prayer to the Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit. Come through Mary.

Reflection: Jesus prays to the Father, "That they may be one as we are One."

Lifting up His eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed saying: “I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe Me through their word, so that they may all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one, as we are One, I in them and You in Me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that You sent Me, and that You loved them even as You loved Me.  John 17:20-23  

Meditation:  Jesus always did the Will of the Father.  Jesus would often go away to a quiet place to pray.  Imagine you are sitting beside Jesus as He prays to the Father. Listen as He speaks words of love and listen as the Father responds with these words to you:

Behold, this is My Beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him.  Matthew 17:5

Spend time sitting with the Father and the Son and listen to them. Then pour out your heart to them.  Lay down your burdens and tell them your fears and worries, joys and sorrows, struggles and blessings.  They will listen to you and you will know how much they love you.  

When you go to Eucharistic Adoration, you can experience this same intimacy with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit will come to you.  If you have never been to Eucharistic Adoration, stop into an adoration chapel, even for a few minutes.  When you enter the chapel, you will notice a peace that you will not find anywhere else. Sit for a moment and place yourself with the Father and the Son and ask them to be with you.  You don't have to do anything else.  Just be.  

There is a chapel at my church called Saint Joseph Chapel. I treasure the time I spend there in Eucharistic Adoration and I visit frequently. When I think about Jesus in the monstrance on the altar, I think about the image of Divine Mercy. In the image, the rays of Blood and Water are gushing forth from the Heart of Jesus. This is what happens during Eucharistic Adoration. Rays of love and mercy are coming out of Jesus and going into the hearts of all who come and sit with Him. If you want to know Jesus and the Father intimately, go to adoration. You will come to know Jesus and the Father and you will come to know the Will of the Father for your life.  Spending time in adoration, you will know a peace that surpasses human understanding. 

As you prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, ask Mother Mary to bring you to the Upper Room where you can be with her in prayer, united with one accord, praying to the Father and the Son, and receiving the Holy Spirit.  

All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and His brother.  Acts 1:14

O Blood and Water which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a Fount of Mercy for us, I trust in You.

Holy Mary Mother of God

O Blessed Mother Mary, heart of love, heart of mercy, ever listening, caring, consoling, hear our prayer. As your children, we implore your intercession with Jesus, your Beloved Son. Receive with understanding and compassion the petitions we place before you:

The John 10:10 Prayer Ministry 

We consecrate and entrust all the names we have received and all the names we will receive and into your gentle, motherly care.  We are comforted in knowing your heart is ever open to those who ask you for prayer. We ask for your intercession for all these intentions.  Help all of us, Holy Mother, to bear our burdens in this life until we may share eternal life and peace with God forever. Amen.



O Mary, Our Queen, Our Lady and Our Mother, in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we implore you to take our cause into your hands and grant it good success. Amen  Fr. Dermot Roache, SMA Fathers

The Miraculous Medal

The proper name is the Medal of the Immaculate Conception.  It was called this name from the beginning until people were so pleased with the wonders it worked, they called it the Miraculous Medal. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is portrays Mary crushing the head of the serpent, a reference to Genesis 3:15,   "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed; she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." 
O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

THE MEANING OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

The Front Side - On the front of the Miraculous Medal, Mary stands on a globe, representing the earth, with a crushed snake under her feet. This image represents Mary's role as "Queen of Heaven and Earth". The snake represents Satan, who was defeated by Mary's obedience to God. The rays coming from her hands symbolize the graces Mary gives to those who ask her. The year 1830 commemorates the year that the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure.

The Reverse Side - On the reverse side of the Miraculous Medal is a cross and the letter "M". The cross represents Christ's sacrifice for our salvation, while the bar under the cross stands for the Earth. The "M" stands for "Mary" and her true devotion both to Jesus and to her children on Earth. The two hearts are the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The entire image is surrounded by twelve stars. The stars can represent both the twelve Apostles and the verse from the Book of Revelation, "a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars." Revelation 12:1 

THE PROMISES OF THE MEDAL

During Our Lady's visit to Catherine on November 27, 1830, rays of light flowed from rings on her fingers that were made of precious stones.  However, some of the stones on the ring did not shine. Mary explained:

"These rays symbolize the graces I shed upon those who ask for them. The gems from which rays do not fall are the graces for which souls forget to ask."

Mary then spoke of the medal with these words:

"All who wear it will receive great graces; they should wear it around the neck. Graces will abound for persons who wear it with confidence."

The medal is simply a visible sign of the inner devotion the wearer has for Mary and  her Son, Jesus.

The miraculous medal apparition was for all mankind.  Our Lady is concerned with each individual and the medal is a personal link between Our Lady and all who wear the medal.  When she appeared to Saint Catherine of Laboure, she did not call for pilgrimages nor the building of a shrine, simply to wear the medal.

O Mary, the Immaculate Conception, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Our Lady of Fatima: I am the Lady of the Rosary

Our Lady appeared in Fatima between May 13th and October 13th, 1917 to three shepherd children, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco. Mary, the Mother of God, told the children that God had sent her with a message for every man, woman and child. At the time, there was war and violence in many parts of the world, much as it is today. Mary told the children to pray the rosary daily. The Blessed Mother appealed to all to pray hard so that the war would cease. On many occasions, the children were asked to tell the people to pray the rosary daily for personal conversion and world peace. Mary warned that people would suffer the consequences of war, hunger and persecution of the Church if they disobeyed God's Will.

The saintly Pope Pius XII, on July 7, 1952, consecrated Russia to the Blessed Virgin. Pope John Paul II consecrated the entire world to the Virgin Mary in 1984, a year after the assassination attempt on him. John Paul II believed that he was saved because of the protection of Our Lady of Fatima. Thus, after consecrating the world to her Immaculate Heart, the Pope placed the bullet that hit him on the crown of Our Lady.

Let us pray to Our Lady of Fatima and ask her intercession to unite our families in love and to heal our relationships. Let us entrust our nation and the whole world to Our Blessed Mother's care and guidance. Her message at Fatima is that of world peace and reconciliation to God. May all men and women heed the call of love and peace of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Our Lady wants us to consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart, a consecration in which we make a complete surrender of self to our Mother, promising her that we will: Say her Rosary every day. Offer the little daily sacrifices that come our way for the conversion of sinners. Make the five Communions of Reparation on the first Saturdays of five consecutive months. In the last apparition at Fatima Our Lady appeared as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, holding the Scapular in her outstretched hand. The Scapular is the sign of our consecration to Mary's Immaculate Heart. Daily it should remind us of the promise we have made to Mary.

"I am the Lady of the Rosary."
In this manner did the Mother of God identify herself to the shepherd children of Fatima. Repeatedly during Our Lady's series of apparitions to the children, she exhorted the praying of the daily Rosary. And even more, "to pray the Rosary well," with meditation on the mysteries. The Queen of Heaven held out the Rosary to mankind as a means of obtaining the salvation of souls, the conversion of sinners, true world peace, and the conversion of Russia. Let us, as devout Christians and faithful disciples of Jesus and Mary use this spiritual treasure.

Our Lady of Fatima, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, we entrust all the names we receive to your loving care.

Reflection: A mother's love...

Today we celebrate Mother's Day, a day to honor and remember all mothers and in a very special way, our Blessed Mother Mary. On the Cross, Jesus gave Mary to us when He said, "Behold, your Mother." John 19:27

"In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent His only Son into the world so that we might have life through Him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is brought to perfection in us. This is how we know that we remain in Him and He in us, that He has given us of His Spirit. Moreover, we have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as Savior of the world. Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in Him and He in God. We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in Him." 1 John 4:9-16

Meditation: 
Find a quiet place, be still and ask the Holy Spirit to come into your heart.  Ponder this image of Mary gazing at the Face of Jesus and holding Him tenderly. Imagine the love between Mother and Holy Child.  Now ask the Holy Spirit to be with you and place yourself in Mary's arms. Feel the tenderness of her embrace. Listen as Mary speaks to you words of love. Allow her love to wash over you and console you. As you receive her love, she will draw you to Jesus who is Love and Mercy.  As your time of stillness comes to a close, ask Mary to teach you how to stay close to the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Mary dwells there with them. In the school of Mary, she will teach you how to love as she loves, how to ponder as she ponders and to how to trust as she trusts in the Goodness of  God. Offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for this special time of gazing at the Face of Jesus with Mary.

"Eternal God, in whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence submit ourselves to Your Holy Will which is Love and Mercy itself."  Closing Prayer of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

A young mother describes her experience as the mother of Christian, a baby born with severe disabilities, including no eyes. Christian's Mom deflected cruel taunts with love. This video shows the love she has for her child, her miracle. Christian and his Mom and Dad are love.

In this is love... 1 John 4:10

"Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth." 1 John 3:18



Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of the Angels, we entrust to you all these special Moms and their precious little ones.  Bless all mothers and wrap them under your protective mantle of love.

Mary's Garden

Mary's Garden is a garden, filled with flowers, plants and trees named for Mary and Jesus. It is designed to be a place of beauty that reminds us of our Lord and Our Lady, to experience God's creation, and to invite prayer and contemplation.

During the Middle Ages, people saw reminders of Mary, the Mother of God, in the flowers and herbs growing around them. Violets were symbols of her humility, lilies her purity and roses her glory. They called her “Flower of Flowers,” and named plants after her. Marigolds were Mary’s Gold, clematis was the Virgin’s Bower and lavender was Our Lady’s Drying Plant.

Devoted to Mary, people decorated her altars with flowers on her feast days. Poets and popes praised her in hymns, as in this 15th-century Ave Maria: Heil be thou, Marie, that aff flour of all As roose in eerbir so reed.

In the last century, people also honored Mary with flowers. May crownings were the tradition in Catholic schools during Mary’s month of May, and makeshift home altars bearing an image of Mary were decorated with the choicest home-grown blossoms. Those traditions have almost disappeared, but the medieval custom of finding reminders of Mary’s attributes, glory and sorrows in flowers and herbs has left a legacy that can enrich our lives in this millennium. In medieval times, legends about flowers and herbs, some of them dating from the first century, were used to instruct people, as well as entertain them. Those legends, as well as the Mary names of flowers, can still inform and delight us.

Reflecting on the flower names, we can honor Mary and find relevance for our own lives. We model Mary’s humility as we gaze upon the humble violet, sing her praises with petunias and share her sorrows as we behold the purple blossoms and sword-like leaves of the blue flag iris. Flower and herb legends tell us about important moments in Mary’s life. The Madonna Lily was carried by the Angel Gabriel when he visited Mary to tell her God had chosen her to be the mother of the Savior. Our Lady’s Bedstraw, Holy Hay and other herbs became radiant in the humble manger where Mary gave birth to Jesus. Carnations and the Christmas Rose bloomed on that night.

More than 30 flowers and herbs bear legends about Mary’s life. Many of the plants can be easily grown in your own Mary Garden, a garden dedicated to Mary and containing her image and plants associated with her by name or legend. They are found in Mary Gardens throughout the world, should you want to make a pilgrimage in Mary’s honor. The legends and reflections which follow can take us, in spirit and in our hearts, on a virtual journey with Mary.

Lily of the Valley Convalleria majalis Mary’s Tears.
It was said that when Mary wept at the foot of the Cross, her tears fell to the ground and turned into the tiny fragrant blossoms of this early spring plant. In England it had the name “Our Lady’s Tears” because when viewed from a distance the white flowerets gave the appearance of teardrops falling. The lily of the valley was a symbol of the Virgin Mary because of its pure white flowers, sweet smell and humble appearance. It symbolized Mary’s Immaculate Conception and represented the purity of body and soul by which Mary found favor with God.

Reflection The sacred text does not speak of your tears, Mary, as our legend does. It tells us instead that you stood by the cross and you were not alone. Other women and John were also there. We wonder at the sorrow, the bitterness, the pain of this little community standing by. Fragrant tiny white lily-bells, a thousand quiet tears bowing before the still-cold winter winds, teach me of springtime and the Resurrection just beyond the stone-cold tomb.  Excerpt from Mary's Flowers by Vincenzina Krymow and M. Jean Frisk, illustrations by A. Joseph Barrish, S.M.

O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today, Queen of the Heavens, Queen of the May. Make our hearts a garden of prayers for these little ones and their families.

John 10:10 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly...5th Anniversary of the Ministry

Today we celebrate the 5th Anniversary of this ministry. We honor Our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary, on this first day of May, Mary's month.

A Prayer of Entrustment to Mary was prayed for this prayer ministry at the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome, Italy and at the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  The ministry is consecrated to Jesus Christ, Wisdom Incarnate, through the hands of Mary.

"Good and devout souls, who walk in the light of the Holy Spirit: I do not think you will mind my giving you this mystical rose tree which comes straight from heaven and which is to be planted in the garden of your soul. This mystical rose tree is Jesus and Mary, in life, death and eternity."  Saint Louis Marie de Montfort

This ministry began on May 1, 2010 but the prayers actually began in May 2006, praying for an unborn baby, Lily Grace. There were medical problems with the baby and we began praying the novena to Saint Anne that "Lily Grace would have abundant life." Through the intercession of Saint Anne, mother of Our Blessed Mother and grandmother of Jesus, Lily Grace was born in November 2006. We give thanks for all the prayers for this precious little baby. She is now eight years old and will receive her First Holy Communion this Sunday!

Over these past years, as we pray each day, we have received so many other names to include in our prayers through this ministry. We pray for families, for unborn babies and for children who are healthy, sick or disabled. We pray for priests and seminarians whose vocations are nurtured in their families. We pray for pregnant women, couples who are trying to become pregnant, couples who want to adopt, mothers who have had miscarriages. We pray for parents who have suffered the death of a baby or a child. We pray for grandparents and their grandchildren. We pray for mothers and fathers who have had an abortion or considered having one. We pray for parents who are struggling to accept their disabled child, as well as parents who embrace their disabled child and see, in that child, the beauty that was created by God.

"The Rosary, though clearly Marian in character, is at heart a Christocentric prayer. In the sobriety of its elements, it has all the depth of the Gospel message in its entirety, of which it can be said to be a compendium. It is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer."  Apostolic Letter of Saint Pope John Paul II Rosarium Virginis Mariae (the Rosary of the Virgin Mary)

"There is no surer means of calling down God's blessings upon the family...than the daily recitation of the Rosary." Pope Pius XII

We give thanks for the John 10:10 prayer partners who pray the Memorare every day for all the names we have received and all the names we will receive. A monthly Mass will be offered in thanksgiving for all the prayer partners and for all the intentions we receive.

SWEET VIDEO
(This video was posted on the first blog posting on May 1, 2010)