Category Archives: Blessed Virgin Mary

“The Sober Catholic Way” is available!

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I have a new book out: The Sober Catholic Way is a basic handbook on how anyone can live a sober life and helps Catholics by describing the many ways in which their faith can assist in maintaining sobriety. Drawn from nearly two decades of blogging at SoberCatholic, “The Sober Catholic Way” shows the importance of the sacraments, the Bible, the Catechism and other books. It continues on with the various ways one can “live” out Catholicism by nurturing devotions to the Sacred Heart, Blessed Virgin Mary, and other saints. All of these contribute to sobriety as well as one’s spiritual progression! 

Discover the importance of the Real Presence, the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, St. Joseph, St. Therese (the “Little Flower”) and Matt Talbot. You’ll get ideas on how to apply the Beatitudes, the Divine Mercy Message, as well as learning about the Apparitions of Our Lady at Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima and how they can guide one’s life.00000 TSCWBookCover.jpg.It is currently available through Amazon on Amazon Kindle, as well as a paperback: click here to buy as a paperback. It is also available as a paperback through Barnes and Noble: Order The Sober Catholic Way as a B&N paperback! as well as an ebook for your Nook! It is also now available at numerous other ebook retailers like Apple Books and Smashwords.

 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

I went on a retreat this weekend and didn’t even realize it

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I went on a retreat this weekend and didn’t even realize it.

I’ve been feeling a combination of being ‘sorry for myself’ and dealing with recurring stress and anxiety (who isn’t these days?) Much of my stress is over chronic pain (fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoarthritis… if it’s a muscle or a joint, it hurts. And hurts really bad, too. Plus I’ve had two tooth extractions over the past month. Can anyone say “Broken down, crotchety old man?” Not to mention that I’ve been plagued for the past few months by a voice in my head that has been repeatedly putting me down.

When this happens and I want to remain at home, I often select one of Mother Angelica’s books. I’ve written about this before .

And so I opened Mother Angelica’s Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality and read a few passages on pain, meaning accepting it and the benefits of offering it up. I knew all this as I continually ‘offer it up’ for the usual devotional suggestions (reparation for sins – mine, yours, other people’s; reparations for sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary; for the conversion of sinners; for saving souls…….)

And so I felt better. But I could feel even more better. So I watched a few of her classic programs on EWTN On-Demand. I caught one on using the scraps of your life. “Scraps,” according to Mother, are those things in your past that you cannot let go of. All the mistakes, the stupid, rotten, bad things you’ve done or were done to you,  traumas perpetrated against you, and so forth that still haunt you. I know all about scraps; they are the fuel for my fiction writing. I am a firm believer that writing is a form a therapy. Even if you don’t publish a word, creating stories in which you dump all the dumb things you’ve ever done or traumas you’ve experienced to flesh out characters and backstory helps your perspective on them. It also objectifies the pain. But she went on about how the scraps can be used to sanctify yourself. That the scraps of you past life can make you sensitive other people who also are carrying bags of scraps. People who are hurt often are more sensitive to other people who are hurt. 

That latter sentence is where I have some difficulty at times. I’ve seen social media memes that say something like “Hurt people hurt other people.” Meaning that hurt people often lash out at others. Their pain causes them to make others feel pain. (This is often the reason why the ‘bad guys’ in fiction often become bad guys. Something bad happened to them long ago, they never got help or justice and so their pain festered and transformed them into a ‘bad guy’ and they kill a lot of people, or rampage across the galaxy enslaving entire species or go around blowing up planets or are just truly wicked. I wrote about that on my other blog. 

The “where I have some difficulty ‘at times’” is the feeling that lashing out at others can be justified if the ‘bad guy’ never got justice, help or some kind of moral satisfaction against whoever perpetrated the evil done to him. Of course that’s wrong. The ‘bad guy’ is just creating more victims from innocent people; he is extending to others the evil done to him. It is easy to fall prey to the idea of being justified in one’s victimhood; hey, if no one helped me when I was being driven to suicide by my family long ago, why should I be considerate of others?   

OK, I went off on this topic longer that I thought I should, but I’m leaving it in. The thing is, and this is what struck me out of the blue as I was watching Mother talk about sensitivity to others and the marginalized seeking solace in one another due to the accumulated scraps from their past, is that although I didn’t really have an ally or advocate during the many times in my life when I was bullied, mocked and ridiculed or made an outcast, (or driven to consider suicide,) I really did (though I didn’t realize it until later, but that’s OK.) This may sound trite, but my allies were Jesus and His Blessed Mother. I may have mentioned this in a much earlier post (I can’t find it) but I often go to my nearby Adoration Chapel… because I felt summoned to go there. Or to attend a Daily Mass when I didn’t feel like it….because I felt summoned to go there. Same for prayers, at time…. I am just ‘not up to it’ but feel that call to pray a rosary or whatever. 

To me, that means that Jesus and Mary want me around them. Therefore, there is no need for me to ever feel like I’ve never had an advocate or an ally. Yes, it would have been nice for God to have ‘done something’ back when I was going through trials, but we all know, but often forget, that trials are there for a reason. (Mother Angelica has lots to say about that in the book I mentioned way up above. In short, they are there to prune us of our pride, self-will, self-love, and teach humility.) In God’s time, justice will be served, and not earlier. I can, right now, just take some comfort in the fact that I am not alone; besides my wife (who also seems to enjoy having me around, go figure) there is Jesus and Mary asking me to spend some extra time with them every so often. They know about the bad things that have happened to me in the past, all the scraps of my life that still haunt me and mutter in the recesses of my mind that “I’m a loser.” But in their own fashion, they will deal with the people who’ve hurt me. And what they can do about them  is far better than whatever I could have done. By some divine combination of Mercy and Justice, all will come out in the end. I just have to remain cognizant that my pains and agonies can be companions on the journey and not tormenters. I can convert them into assistants to help me to be kinder and more compassionate.

Incidentally, I watched more than just a few of Mother Angelica’s classics on EWTN On-Demand, but the other shows are beyond the scope of this post. But they all contributed to the feeling that I went on a retreat this weekend for a few hours and my head got rescrewed back on. The little negative voices that have been tormenting me these past few months have fallen silent, today. I hope they stay quiet as it may have been a case of demonic oppression, but I hesitate to give extra credit to Satan to what may have merely been low self-esteem. But on the other hand, given the voice’s persistence….

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

What I’ve done with my Marian Consecration

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Twenty-two years ago today I made myself the property and posession of the Blessed Virgin Mary when I consecrated myself to her accordng to the method and formula of St. Maximilian Kolbe and so became a member of the Militia of the Immaculata.

This has meant different things to me over the years. For the first decade or so, it was merely a pious devotional act. “I belong to Mary! Yay!” And nothing beyond that. At times, it didn’t mean much of anything and was something on the periphery of my devotional life. 

However, within the past decade it has taken on a more substantive meaning. It had partly to do with the centennial anniversary of the MI in 2017. I became more interested in what it actually meant to be an MI and consecrated to Mary. The sudden availablity of Mary’s Knight,an epic biography of St. Maximilian that I long had my eye on, but had been out of print, helped with that. It is a very comprehensive biography with incredibly detailed information, presented in narrative (it reads like a novel) form. Toss in the Complete Writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe and I was on fire.

This lead to me also consecrate this blog to Mary.

In more recent times my consecration has lead me to try and implement the teachings and life of St. Maximilian Kolbe in my blog and writing as well as to figure out how to work out my consecration in a practical, concrete form. I had written a few posts on ‘Marching Orders from Mary’ which, after a fashion, became fleshed out as a book, ‘Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics.’

BuildingaCivilizationofLoveCover81224-4.1 copy.

(This is the second version of the book, the earlier version “The Catholicpunk Manifesto,” is now unpublished and pulled from circulation; “Building…” is a revised and retitled edition. The Catholic Punk material is still present, but I’ve added several chapters on Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima. Why? Read on…)

I really thought that at this time in my life I should have something to show for it. “It” being my life. Or, more precisely, “it” is more like “proof” that Marian Consecration has made a significant impact and difference in my life. I wanted to show some sign that that Marian Consecration impacted my thinking and that I have something important and useful to suggest and share with others. 

Marian Consecration via St. Maximilan’s method contains and outward evangelican dimension. That’s the fundamental difference between it and DeMontfort’s. With St. Maximilian’s, you become a tool of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a “pen” or “paintbrush” in her hands. You take your consecration and do something with it to change the world. And in writing that book, “Bulding a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics,” I had thought to provide some inspiration and motivation to other Catholic creatives. The book is NOT a ‘how to write,’ or ‘how to do a podcast,’ or anything else like that. It is directed at people who are creatives, have done something about it, but may need encouragement and inspiration to ‘get them through’ tough times when they might doubt their efficacy or purpose. It is also directed at people who aren’t ‘working creatives’ but who have the dream of writing or filming and so forth, but like established creatives, might need a ‘manifesto’ to help them ‘get going.’ (Not to mention page after page at the end of “creative prompts” derived from litanies to St. Max Kolbe. The prompts aren’t just for writers…)

One reason why I unpublished the original version is that it was  made known to me that calling it “Catholicpunk Manifesto” may be offputting. But that also inspired me in another way: I had gotten some ideas on expanding it. Hence, the first half is now on Our Lady of Guadalupe, Lourdes and Fatima. Why? Because in studying their messages and lessons I detected some themes that serve as blueprints for a ‘new world order’ (oh, my!) but based upon Catholic social and moral teachings. Mary, in those apparitions, has the answer to today’s slide towards cultural and social moral decadence and decline, plus the antidote to the negative and demeaning identity politics that are rampant today. I used those chapters to exhort Catholic creatives and creative “wannabes” to apply the lessons the Blessed Mother taught us in Mexico, France and Portugal. 

Again, the book is not a how-to on writing, filming or painting. It assumes you know your craft and how to perfect it. What it hopes to accomplish is to inspire you to more effectively connect your Catholic faith to your creativity and change the world.

For information on how to order, visit: ‘Building a Civilization of Love: A Call to Creative Catholics” or visit my Amazon Author Page. Direct link to Amazon: Kindle version and paperback version.

Thank you!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

“How To Break EVERY Addiction: The Catholic Way” (EDITED)

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I chanced upon a YouTube video (YT suggested it) and was immediately intrigued by the title. “How To Break EVERY Addiction: The Catholic Way.” I do not recall seeing this YouTuber before.

In summary, Riecker suggests that one recite the Seven Sorrows Rosary of Our Lady of Sorrows. Why? Because Our Lady made several promises to those who do so faithfully. One key promise is: “By the recitation of the Seven Sorrows Rosary, you shall be freed from obsessions and addiction.”

Riecker provided a link to where he found these promises: 16 Powerful Graces Our Lady Promises To Those Who Honor Her 7 Sorrows.

I must, however, remind you that this is not a thing you can assume will happen just because you do it. As with every promise, such as the promises of the Sacred Heart for those who do the Nine First Fridays, or the promises given to those who say the rosary daily; the mere act is not in itself a guarantee it will work. You must have the faith in the power of the prayer and apply the devotion to your life (like make it into a spiritual relationship with the object of the devotion) so that it transforms it. I think many people just do the requirements of the devotion and feel “that’s it.” You must do it in such a way that your faith in it plus your desire to grow closer to the object (in this case, Our Lady of Sorrows) helps accomplish the deired result; in this case, freedom from addictions. I may have to watch the video again, but I do not recall Riecker saying anything like that. 

The video is below. I highly recommend the video, even though he deleted my comment on it (probably because I linked to Sober Catholic and The Sober Catholic Way).

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Triumph and the Sorrow

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This weekend was a special one; yesterday was the feast of the Triumph (or Exaltation) of the Cross and today is the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. 
Both are important inasmuch as the Triumph of the Cross can be compared to our triumph over our addictions. Alcoholism and drug addiction would have been our death, but we survived. Whether it was through a Twelve Step program of we ‘found religion’ or a combination, we triumphed over that which was crucifying us. We nailed or addictions to the Cross and rose again as new people, clean and sober.

Our Lady of Sorrows present another dimension to the suffering: just as Our Lady suffered throughout her life because she knew through the prophecy of Simeon that Jesus was to suffer a death that would pierce her heart and soul, to so did the people in our lives suffer over our addictions and the behaviour we acted out. As Mary stood at the foot of the Cross watching her Son die, so to did many of our loved ones (those that did not abandon us) watch us, often helplessly, as we strode towards death. And they rejoiced as we beat the addiction and rise again.

I found an old post that, like this, was written about these feast days late. From 2009:

Earlier this week (September 14th and 15th) the Church celebrated two feasts which I had written about before in these two posts: Triumph of the Cross and Our Lady of Sorrows.

I think it is intentional that these 2 feasts are linked by being placed a day apart.

The triumph of Jesus on the Cross was His death. Death is usually a defeat but His liberated us from the prison that was ours. He opened the gates of Heaven for us. Heaven is now attainable, whereas previously it was prohibited to us by the Original Sin of Adam. The Sorrows of Mary were many but in tying these dates together, the Church is perhaps emphasizing Jesus’ suffering, death and burial and how they must have ripped apart the heart of Mary as she witnessed them.

Both Jesus and Mary are marked in their obedience to God the Father’s will. Jesus accepted that His role and mission was to suffer and die for our sins. Mary accepted hers as being the bearer of the Messiah, the Savior of Humanity. Her willing submission to God’s will linked her life to that of Jesus.

So it can be said of us. If we accept that our duty as Christians is to submit ourselves to God’s will in our lives, looking to the Church for guidance, then we open ourselves to the sufferings and sorrows about us. In accepting God’s will for us, it is necessary for us to “die to ourselves” so that the inspirations and beckoning of the Holy Spirit can be felt. We decrease, so it can increase. In so dying, we are reborn into the person God intended for us to be and therefore are able to fulfill His plan for our lives. The sufferings and sorrows we feel are our compassion for others.

As addicts and alcoholics, we are especially attuned to this. Our old selves died when we gave up drinking and using. Our truer selves were resurrected from the Cross we nailed our addictions to. And in our new lives we see others about us differently. We see others and broken and wounded souls, as we are also. Our hearts are pierced by the swords of their pain and suffering. 

As Jesus on the Cross gave Mary to each of us to be our Mother, we, in our recovery, are given to others to nurture and sustain them.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

A Prayer to the Holy Face from EWTN

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I ran across this prayer to the Holy Face of Jesus from EWTN on my Facebook feed a few minutes ago. I had been planning on writing a post on the Holy Face Chaplet as it can be used by alcoholics, so I took this as a reminder to get around to it (which will be the next post in a little while after this.)

The Holy Face | EWTN

I included a screenshot in case the link vanishes (as does happen quite a lot with EWTN links after several years pass.)

If you read the prayer, it invokes the Sorrowful Mother (“piercing sorrow of Our Lady as she beheld You in Your cruel Passion”) and that line served as yet ANOTHER reminder to ME to remind YOU that today kicks off the month of September, which is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows. Her Feast Day is September 15, which is a Sunday this year which means there will be no Mass honoring Our Lady under that title this year. 

Nevertheless, I will post a few things about the Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows over the next two weeks. 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The apparitions of Our Lady as “Rosa Mystica”

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Tomorrow, July 13th, is a new feast day in honor of the Blessed Virgin under a new title, that of “Rosa Mystica” (Mystical Rose.) I am posting this today to give you a head’s up on it. Tomorrow I’ll be posting information on devotions.

The apparitions of Our Lady as “Rosa Mystica” occurred between 1947 and 1976 in Montichiari, Italy, to Pierina Gilli, a nurse. The primary purpose was the reform of clergy and religious houses, continuing the message of Fatima by urging prayer, penance, and the Rosary. Today is the feast day of the Apparition. Interestingly, July 13th is the anniversary of the Fatima Apparition when the three seers were given a vision of Hell as well as three secrets. What is really intersting is that this newly approved apparition taken as a extension of Fatima. 

The Church had doubts about the apparition’s supernatural character. After initially refusing to acknowledge the apparition, about a decade after the seer’s death in 1991, the investigation was reopened and only within the past few years “gained steam” leading to its official approval this past Monday, July 8th.

This is the story of the Apparition, gleaned from several sites listed in the link in the previous sentence.

The first Apparition ocurred in the Spring  of 1947. Our Lady appeared to Pierina Gilli  in a hospital room, wearing a violet dress and white veil about her head. She also appeared to be sad, with tears and three swords in her chest. She called for “Prayer, Penance, Expiation.”

During the second Apparition on July 13, 1947, Our Lady appeared in a white dress with three roses (white for prayer, red for sacrifice, yellow for penance and conversion) instead of swords. Our Lady said:

“I am the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of you. Our Lord sends me to bring you a new Marian devotion to all religious orders and institutes, male and female, and to the priests of the world. I promise to protect those religious orders and institutes who will venerate me in this special way, increase their vocations, and achieve a greater striving for saintliness among the servants of God.”

She also requested Marian devotion on the 13th of each month, with July 13th being celebrated in honor of her under her title of Mystical Rose.

In the third Apparition on October 22, 1947,  Mary emphasized her role as, quote:

“I have placed myself as the mediatrix between my Divine Son and mankind, especially for the soul consecrated to God. Tired of the continuous offenses, He already wanted to dispense His Justice.”

Our Lady concluded her visit with saying:

“Live out of love!”

The fourth Apparition on November 16, 1947, Our Lady appeared in the Basilica of Montichiari, saying:

“Our Lord can no longer watch the many grievous sins against purity. He wants to send a flood of punishments. I have interceded that He may be merciful once more! Therefore, I ask for prayer and penance to atone for these sins.”

The Blessed Virgin added:

“I lovingly ask the priests to express their great love and stop the people from committing those sins. Whoever will atone for those sins, will receive my blessing and graces.”

In reply to the Pierina Gilli’s question as to whether we may hope for forgiveness, Our Lady said:

“Yes, as long as these sins are no longer committed.”

With these words, she went away.

In the fifth Apparition on November 22, 1947, Our Lady appeared in the Basilica of Montichiari and said:

“I descend on this place, for many great conversions will happen here,”

and in a sad voice she continued:

“The Christians of your Italian nation belong to those who offend most my Divine Son, Jesus through their sins of unchastity. Our Lord demands, therefore, PRAYER, GENEROUS SACRIFICES, AND PENANCE!”

Pierina asked: “What do we have to do to fulfill your demands for prayer and penance?”

Our Lady replied full of tenderness:

“Prayer!”

After a short, silent pause, she explained:

“Penance means to accept every day all the little crosses and the duties too, in the spirit of penance.”

Thereupon, she promised solemnly:

“On the December 8th, at noon, I shall appear again here in the Basilica. It will be the Hour of Grace.”

Pierina asked: “Please explain to me the meaning of the “Hour of Grace?””

This Hour of Grace will produce great and numerous conversions. Hardened and cold hearts resembling this marble will be touched by Divine Grace, and they will become faithful to Our Lord in loyal love.” 

For sixth Apparition onDecember 7, 1947, Our Lady appeared at the Basilica of Montichiari with the two deceased Fatima children, Jacinta and Francisco Marto (now saints), emphasizing her connection to the message of Fatima and the devotion to her Immaculate Heart, along with her desire to be venerated under the title of  “Rosa Mystica.” Another reason for appearing with the two Fatima seers was revealed when Our Lady said:

Jacinta and Francisco” they will help you in your trials and suffering. They too, suffered. I wish from you the simplicity and goodness of these two children.

On the seventh Apparition on December 8, 1947, Our Lady appeared on a large white staircase, decorated with a white, red and yellow rose. She said with a smile:

I am the Immaculate Conception. 

And descending several steps with great majesty, she continued:

I am Mary, full of grace, Mother of my Divine Son, Jesus Christ.

Descending even more, she said:

Through my coming to Montichiari, I wish to be known as the Rosa Mystica. It is my wish that every year, on the 8th of December, at noon, the Hour Of Grace for the World be celebrated . Many divine and bodily graces will be received through this devotion. Our Lord, my Divine Son Jesus, will send His overflowing mercy if good people will pray continuously for their sinful brothers. One should very soon notify the Holy Father of the Church, Pope Pius XII, that it is my wish that the Hour Of Grace for the World be made known and spread throughout the world. If anyone is unable to visit his church, yet will pray at noon at home, he will also receive graces through me. Whoever prays on these tiles and weeps tears of penance, will find a secure heavenly ladder and receive protection and grace through my motherly heart.

Then Our Lady showed Pierina her heart and said:

Look at this heart, which loves mankind so very much, but most people only shower offenses upon it. If the good and the bad unite in prayer they will obtain mercy and peace through this heart. The Lord is still protecting the good and is holding back a great punishment because of my intercession.

Our Lady smiled again and went on:

Soon one will recognize the greatness of this Hour of Grace.

(More on this “Hour of Grace” in this post.)

In 1966, a new series of apparitions  ocurred at Fontanelle, on the outskirts of Montichiari. These focused on the healing powers of a spring where pilgrims gather water for pious uses. Our Lady touched the water twice with her hands and said to Pierina.

My Divine Son sent me here to bestow healing power on this water. I want the sick and all my Children to come to this miraculous well. children must first ask pardon for their sins and draw the water lovingly from the well.

There were more apparitions in the ensuing years, as this post is long enough already, I will just refer you to: The History Of Apparitions Mary Appears As “Rosa Mystica” In Montichiari And Fontanelle

So, there it is. We have a new day to honor Our Lady with some new devotions (see the links in the Vatican approval post of mine I linked to way up above.)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Hour Of Grace from Mary, Mystical Rose

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This is a post on “The Hour of Grace” announced during a recently approved apparition of Our Lady to Pierina Gilli in 1947.

The Hour Of Grace is on December 8th, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From 12 Noon To 1 PM, (your local time, so this should cover the Earth with graces for a 24 hour period.)

THE REQUEST OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER FOR THE HOUR OF GRACE:

1. The Hour of Grace is to be one full hour of prayer, beginning at 12:00 Noon and continuing until 1:00 PM, on December 8th, Feast of the Immaculate Conception. 

2. During this hour, the person making the “Hour of Grace” either at home, church, the grotto, must put away all distractions (do not answer the phones or answer any doors or do anything but totally concentrate on your union with God during this special Hour of Grace).

3. Begin the Hour of Grace by praying Psalm 51 three times with out-stretched arms.

4. The rest of the Hour of Grace may be spent in silent communication with God meditating upon the Passion of Jesus, saying the Holy Rosary, Precious Blood Chaplet, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Chaplet of St. Michael, Sorrowful Mother Chaplet, etc.

The Blessed Virgin has requested that Her important message be sent throughout the entire world. Please help Her Mission: “that all souls be drawn to God and that Jesus will be loved in every heart.” (My note on this: If you have a Catholic-centric blog or podcast, or routinely post Catholic stuff on your social media accounts, please share this post and/or at least the links I gave in this postand this one. Obviously, prior to the Hour of Grace!)

If the children cannot recite Psalm 51 between 12 noon and 1:00 p.m., because they may be in school, say it in the evening as a family.  

The Blessed Virgin Mary promised that whatever a person asked Her for during this Hour of Grace (even in impossible cases) would be granted to them, in accordance with the Will of the Eternal Father.

Since December 8th is still five months off, I will reblog this just before that day. I’m posting this today just to get you thinking about it and perhaps prepare.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Devotions to honor Our Lady, the Mystical Rose

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Yesterday I told you about a new Marian Apparition that was approved by Rome. The following is the list of general devotions to Our Lady, the Mystical Rose, whose feast day is this upcoming Saturday, July 13th! 

1. Each 13th day of the month must be dedicated to special acts of devotion to Mary, with preparation of prayer and mortification during the 12 preceding days. 

2. First Sunday after Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday!): we honor the Anniversary of the coming of Rosa Mystica to Fontenelle, where she blessed the water manifesting God’s mercy. 

The springs are reputed to have miraculous curative powers, just like that of Lourdes.

3. The 13th of July each year will be celebrated in honor of Mary as the “Rosa Mystica.” 

4. The 13th of October of the first year (I assume this is 2024? The “first year” of the aparition’s approval?) and then the second Sunday of the month each year thereafter will be sanctified with Holy Communion of Reparation, preceded by confession. 

Under this title, Holy Communions of Reperation, prayer groups or congregations can be formed. 

5. Each year on December 8th, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, at midday the Hour of Grace will be practiced, awaiting particular graces of conversion and sanctification, promised for that hour. It shall be practiced in one’s own church, worshiping the most Blessed Sacrament if possible; otherwise privately or in groups of prayer. 

6. Go to the blessed spring, in procession, with pentitential prayers and bring the sick. Those in need of spiritual help for themselves and for their loved ones shall go there in a pilgrimage. 

(Obviously this can’t be done if you live far from Italy. Perhaps in the future Rome will make allowances for this and it can be done at Marian shrines outside of Italy.) 

7. The three words signified by the three roses, “Prayer, Sacrifice, and Penance,” remain fundamental characteristics of the devotion of Mary Rosa Mystica. We are to pray with perserverance and not seek to avoid sufferings. We are to do this on behalf of consecrated souls, and in particular for the conversion of consecrated souls who are unfaithful to their vocation; for the sactification of souls; and for an increase in the number of religious and priestly vocations. This purpose for the devotion was first suggested by Mary primarily for religious institutes, while remaining a proposal open to everyone. 

8. Also characteristic of all these messages is the purpose of reparation for offenses against the sacrament of the Eucharist, against the name of God and of Jesus, against the privaleges of Mary, against the Church and the Pope, against the innocence of the young ones and of simple souls, against the sacredness of human life and the sancity of the family. 

Naturally presupposed in all of these devotional practices is the obeservance of the Commandments, the practice of Christian virtues and first of all charity towards our neighbor.

Now we come to the daily observances of the devotion:

Everyday, make an effort to pray:

Thers is also this special version of the Rosary: A Meditated Holy Rosary, that is, “The Rosary of Three Roses”

I JUST LOVE HAVING NEW DEVOTIONS TO DO!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Devotion to Rosa Mystica approved

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I was not really aware of this apparition of Our Lady as I tend to ignore unapproved apparitions. However….. WE HAVE A NEW APPROVED APPARITION AND SOME NEW DEVOTIONS!!!!

The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has stated that it found no elements in the messages disseminated by Pierina Gilli that contradict the teachings of the Catholic Church on faith and morals. This declaration is included in a letter published on July 8, signed by the Prefect of the DDF, Victor Manuel Fernandez, and approved by the Pope. The letter addresses the devotion to Maria Rosa Mystica (‘Mary Mystical Rose’) and the messages that Pierina Gilli claims to have received from the Virgin Mary in 1947 and 1966. The letter highlights the positive aspects of these messages, while also noting some elements that require clarification to prevent misunderstandings.

Source: Green light for devotion to Our Lady Mystical Rose

OK, now on to the particulars of the devotion: 

The story of the devotion is told here: The Miraculous Image of Rosa Mystica, and here: Apparitions of Our Lady – Rosa Mystica – 1947 – 1976

These are “official” sites of the Apparition, this one is About Our Lady Maria, Rosa Mystica and details the life of the seer, Pierina Gilli and the basic story behind Our Lady’s visits and messages. 

This details all of the  Devotions to Honor Our Lady Maria, Rosa Mystica, whereas this tells you about what to do every day: Daily Devotions & Additional Prayers.

Here’s a link to the Diocesan Sanctuary of the Mystical Rose – Mother Of The Church and Montichiari Fountains

Here’s a nice downloadable PDF!

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)