Category Archives: Blessed Virgin Mary

Novena to the Immaculate Conception for Alcoholics: Day 3

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Pray daily: O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for thy Son, we beseech thee that, as by the foreseen death of this, thy Son, thou didst preserve her from all stain, so too thou wouldst permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Three Intentions: Pray for those who are feeling that their addiction is too strong, that they need an immediate end to their suffering and sobriety is unattainable. Pray for those considering suicide.

Conclude daily: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, those who do not have recourse to you, enemies of the Holy Catholic Church, and all those recommended to you. Amen.

We ask all this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Amen

Background for this post is right here.

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!!)

Novena to the Immaculate Conception for Alcoholics: Day 2

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Pray daily: O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for thy Son, we beseech thee that, as by the foreseen death of this, thy Son, thou didst preserve her from all stain, so too thou wouldst permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Day Two Intentions: Do not forget those who are still trapped in addictions. But for the grace of God go you! Offer up your prayers and your charitable deeds today, and most especially all of your sufferings for those who still are in the throes of their addiction.

Conclude daily: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, those who do not have recourse to you, enemies of the Holy Catholic Church, and all those recommended to you. Amen.

We ask all this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

Background for this post is right here.

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!!)

Novena to the Immaculate Conception for Alcoholics: Day 1

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Pray daily: O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, didst prepare a worthy dwelling place for thy Son, we beseech thee that, as by the foreseen death of this, thy Son, thou didst preserve her from all stain, so too thou wouldst permit us, purified through her intercession, to come unto thee. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, who livest and reignest with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.

Day One Intentions: For the souls of all alcoholics and addicts who have gone before us marked with the sign of Faith, Eternal Rest be granted unto them, O Lord, and may Perpetual Light shine upon them. May the Rest in Peace, Amen.

Conclude daily: O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you, those who do not have recourse to you, for enemies of the Holy Catholic Church, and all those recommended to you. Amen.

We ask all this in the Name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

Background for this post is right here.

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!!)

Novena to the Immaculate Conception for Alcoholics

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Today begins the “Novena to the Immaculate Conception for Alcoholics.” For information regarding the Church’s teaching of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, see this link from the CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA

There is also this excerpt from an earlier blogpost of mine:

…Such a vessel has to be free of all stain of sin, hence the angel’s greeting to her with the phrase “Hail, Mary, full of grace” (or “Hail, Highly Favored One” in some translations.) Mary was preserved from Original Sin by the anticipated merits of Jesus’ eventual death and Resurrection. This is the Catholic Dogma of Mary’s Immaculate Conception. If she had Original Sin, then Jesus, by being in her womb and sharing her body and blood, would have shared in her Sin, which is impossible as God is sinless. One could argue then that why couldn’t Jesus have been conceived immaculately? He could have, but the difficulty in that would be that He still would be in Mary’s womb, and what would be the barrier between Him and Original Sin? His own sacrifice on the cross, decades later? He is divine and sinless, so His own death was not for Himself, He died for humanity. So Mary, by sharing her body and blood with Jesus in her womb, would benefit from the eventual sacrifice of Jesus. Mary is the physical barrier between Jesus and her ancestral line, caught in Original Sin like the rest of humanity. The physical barrier protecting Mary from her mother’s state of Original Sin was Jesus, operating from the fullness of time, as God dwells in Eternity.

I believe it was done in this manner to signify the importance of the sacrament of Baptism. Original Sin is washed away by Baptism, which is the sacrament signified by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. By His Blood we are redeemed of Original Sin and born into the Body of Christ (Christianity). Baptism enables us to receive the Holy Spirit. Mary could not have conceived Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit if she was trapped in Original Sin. If she could have, then there would be little rationale for Baptism. Baptism is so important in our being born into the Body of Christ (well, it’s the only way to accomplish that) that this rather confusing and impossible to fully comprehend method occurred. Her “baptism”, so to speak, was Jesus’ eventual shedding of His Blood during His torture and Crucifixion. Through it, she was preserved from inheriting Original Sin. If Jesus was conceived immaculately, solely by God the Father’s will, then there would be no real need for Baptism. It would be purely symbolic, as the Father could make us into his own by use of His own will…

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!!)

Audio Rosaries!

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My friend Sean over at the Catholic Roundup recorded the full Rosary at the Catholic New Media Celebration held this past August in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Attendees recorded some meditations, and Our Father and a Hail Mary for the project. Not all who participated in the project attended the CNMC: my wife Rose (of ARTIST4GOD) and I were recorded by Sean when he and his family stayed at our house en route to the conference.

Here are the links to each Mystery, from there you can download the MP3 file for play on your desktop, notebook or mp3 player. The links also list who recorded what and where, so you can discover where I said mine, and why I will probably never do podcasting. :-0

The Joyful Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries

The Sorrowful Mysteries

The Glorious Mysteries

(Via Catholic Roundup)

I am posting these today as it is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

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!!)

Rosary Novena

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October 7th is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Today would be a good day to start a rosary novena.

I am not going to post one daily, as I am “all novena’d out” what with the Little Flower Novena and the Three Archangels Novena currently on.

I trust you to grab your rosaries, think of a specific special intention, perhaps peruse the rosary links in the left sidebar, and pray your own novena.

Today is the first day, the ninth day would be October 7th.

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 can you discern God's Will?

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Quite often in 12 Step meetings the topic of “God’s Will” is brought up. How do you know God’s will?

The following is a nearly 6 minute long homily that helps to answer this question.

Magnificat Anima Mea Domino: “The Sign that Contains all Others”

(Via Fr. Samuel Medley PodBean.)

In short, the ability to discern God’s will is tied to your humility. You need to purify your heart of its selfish intentions and humbly submit by listening to the voice of God. Do not test God by scripting your prayer requests to reflect your desires.

Ask for help in doing so. The Blessed Virgin Mary is excellent in aiding those who seek God’s will as she “wrote the book” in humbly submitting to the Lord’s will. Her submission opened the gates of Heaven to all of humanity, perhaps a similar wonder can bless your life by simply opening your heart and listening.

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 met up with St. Maximilian Kolbe while I was offline

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A wonderful thing happened while I was offline with a dead hard drive a week ago: I rediscovered the joy of reading books. Actually sitting down in a comfortable chair and digging into paper and softcover and getting prompted to read another person’s life. Notice I said “prompted to read” and “another person’s life”, for I felt that I was lead by the Holy Spirit during that “unfortunate week” to explore more fully a favorite saint of mine: St. Maximilian Kolbe.

I’ve read 2 biographies when my Mac was dead, and finished a third after its resurrection after Easter. I just started a fourth.

Who is St. Maximiliam Kolbe? He was a man who used the latest technology available to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the masses, in order to win the world to Jesus through a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

From a blog post of mine from 2007:

“St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Polish Franciscan priest who was executed at the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz in 1941. He offered himself up in place of another man, who survived the death camp and lived to see Fr. Kolbe’s canonization…

…St. Kolbe also founded the “Militia of the Immaculata” a Catholic organization dedicated to evangelizing the world. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. All of its members are consecrated (sworn ‘by blood’ to belong to) the Virgin. I am a member…

St. Kolbe, due to the nature of his execution, is one of the patron saints of addicts. Although he was not an alcoholic or an addict, he died by lethal injection in a cell.”

To me it is a stretch to regard him as a patron of addicts as, like I stated, he was neither an alcoholic nor an addict. I think it may be due to the unavailability of saints who were decidedly alcoholics and addicts that some devotees “reach” a little and have adopted him. Not that St. Maximilian would mind, if it were God’s will that he be such a patron and if it helped spread the Good News to those who needed it, then he’d willingly submit.

I think it may be more accurate to regard him as a patron of Addiction Recovery, due to the following line from one of the biographies I read:

“St. Maximilian would propose a spirituality of an interior “holocaust” in order to burn away sin and imperfections to let love triumph.” (From Kolbe: Saint of the Immaculata; Kalvelage, Francis M, F.I., editor. Franciscans of the Immaculate, New Bedford, MA; 2001. site: MaryMediatrix )

Isn’t that what we are doing when we enter our recovery? We “burn away sin and imperfections” to allow our truer selves through. We “let love triumph” for as much as we were self-centered during our addictions, we are more apt to turn towards others and act with compassion after our recovery begins.

Love was what St. Maximilian was about, serving others selflessly and finally paying the ultimate price: sacrificing himself for another man.

While we may not be called to be martyrs in the usual sense, those of us in recovery may be more ready to sacrifice ourselves for others in some manner. We have already “died”, inasmuch as our old addictive self perished in the interior “holocaust” of conversion and recovery.

I have a medal of St. Maximilian Kolbe, and on it he is identified as the “Saint of Addiction Recovery.” There is a prayer on it which reads:

“Give me the strength to overcome my habits, clear vision to righteousness, and the will to overcoma all obstacles.”

There is an excellent biographical summary here:

Saint Maximilian Kolbe

(Via SQPN Saints Index.)

I have written about him before:

Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe

St. Maximilian Kolbe Novena for Alcoholics and Addicts

Consecration Anniversary

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!!)

Our Lady of Lourdes Novena for Alcoholics: Day 9

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The intention of this novena was to focus attention on the healing aspects of Catholicism through a devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. Mary as Our Lady of Lourdes was chosen as she is an obvious recourse for Catholic addicts and alcoholics. She is our primary intercessor with the Trinity, and like any good Mom wants her children to do well.

But there is ongoing healing available within the Catholic Faith. Through the sacraments we have certain access to God’s graces. In the sacrament of Confession (also known as Penance or Reconciliation) our sins are forgiven and we grow in holiness if we have a “firm purpose of amendment.” In the Eucharist (Holy Communion) we receive Jesus. The Divine Healer Himself enters into us. How intimate is that? (And Protestants and Evangelicals claim that the Catholic Church doesn’t encourage a personal relationship with Jesus!)

Pray this novena at any time of the year, it doesn’t have to be in February. But also know that healing is there, all the time (if you are patient and humble and understand that things happen in His time and in accord with His will.)

Pray:

Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen

From: Prayers – Catholic Online: “Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes”

NOTE: a repost from last year

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!!)

Our Lady of Lourdes Novena for Alcoholics: Day 8

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Recovery from addictions is quite often referred to as a “path” or “road”. In AA literature there is the often used phrase: “trudging the road of happy destiny.” Many times people fall away or drift off that road. This is a relapse.

People relapse for many reasons. Some, like me, relapse early on in recovery. The “plan” or program of recovery hadn’t yet firmed up in the person and something too difficult happened and an old crutch was used to deal with the problem. Or some other mysterious reason had caused the person to return to the addiction, it isn’t always a problem too difficult too handle.

A guy I knew in my old AA home group had said that when in meetings during which a person discussed their relapse, he didn’t really pay too much attention as to why the relapse occurred if the individual had been sober for less than 5 years. Five years being a conservative time frame for “early recovery”. Over 5 years, and he focused on the story as he was very much interested in why a person with a proven history of sober living had strayed. Humility pretty much demands that anyone can relapse, no one is ever immune from the life-long allure of your “drug of choice.” No matter how long your sobriety, no matter what your “program of recovery” is, you are susceptible.

But there is always help. Yes, there are the people in your recovery meetings and such that you can call on. But there is also always your Blessed Mother, ready, willing and able to stand by and help her children whenever they are in distress. Just develop the faith needed to trust in her.

Pray:

Oh ever Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Mercy, Health of the Sick, Refuge of Sinners, Comfortess of the Afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings. Look upon me with mercy. When you appeared in the grotto of Lourdes, you made it a privileged sanctuary where you dispense your favors, and where many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence to implore your maternal intercession. My loving Mother, obtain my request. I will try to imitate your virtues so that I may one day share your company and bless you in eternity. Amen

From: Prayers – Catholic Online: “Prayer to Our Lady of Lourdes”

Note: reposted from last year.

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!!)