Category Archives: Prayer

St. Maximilian Kolbe Novena for Alcoholics and Addicts begins again

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It is early August and that means that it is trime for the annual novena through St. Maximilian Kolbe for alcoholics and addicts.

It starts August 6th and ends on his Feast day, August 14th. Although some sources begin it today, the 5th.

Here are links to two prior blog posts on the Novena, the first one contains links to all nine days of the novena that I wrote in 2007, the second one is a much shorter one.

St. Maximilian Kolbe Novena for Alcoholics and Addicts (links to all nine days).

St. Maximilian Kolbe Novena for Alcoholics and Addicts (a shorter one).

For the complete archive of Kolbe posts: St. Maximilian Kolbe Archives at Sober Catholic.

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 Fatima Apparition of June 13th and the Immaculate Heart

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I am late in getting to post on the June 13, 1917 Marian Apparition at Fatima, Portugal. Last month, near the 97th Anniversary of the first one, I had mentioned that these best-known of the approved apparitions can be very beneficial to recovering Catholic alcoholics and addicts due to the emphasis on prayer, penance and reparation. You can read that post here: The Apparitions at Fatima.

The June Apparition occurred on the 13th, as Mary promised. Word had gotten out that Mary was to appear and so the three little shepherd children were not alone, a small crowd was also present. Those gathered were saying the Rosary.

Mary appeared, visible to only the children. Mary reiterated what she had requested during the May 13th Apparition, that the shepherds were to return on the 13th of each month through October, and pray much as well as to learn to read.

She also confirmed what she said in May, that two of the children will be going home to Heaven shortly (Blessed Francisco Marto and his sister Blessed Jacinta Marto.)

One other thing (and this is why it might not be bad that I’m late with this): Mary stated that the Lord wishes that there shall be a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Feast day for that is coming up on this next Saturday, June 28th. I shall have a post on that with a further explanation.

So, that is it for this month’s post on the Fatima Apparitions. Like I had said in the post linked to above, I plan on blogging about these Apparitions in hopes that Catholics in recovery can find some additional tools to pack in their spiritual toolkit for fighting addictions. Every month from May through October, on or about the 13th, I shall post something on Fatima through the 100th Anniversary of the Apparitions in 2017.

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!!)

Venerable Alfred Pampalon, a Patron of Alcoholics and Drug Addicts

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Last Sunday when my wife and I were in Eucharistic Adoration she found some literature about a Venerable I had never heard of, one Alfred Pampalon. The little novena pamphlet and informational brochure labelled him as a “Patron of Alcoholics and Drug Addicts.”

There was nothing whatsoever in the literature to indicate as to why he might be considered a patron of us alcoholics and addicts save for some anonymous testimonials regarding miraculous cure of addictions.

There is nothing wrong with this, you can pray for the intercession of anyone that you think might be in Heaven, and for any reason. But I like to think that if someone is going to be the patron saint of something, then their life on Earth should be connected to it in some manner. Therefore, in my opinion, the Venerable Matt Talbot is still our guy. Matt was an alcoholic, and lived a Catholic spirituality that foreshadowed the Twelve Steps decades before they were ever conceived. St. Maximilian Kolbe is often considered to be a patron of addicts, and I agree; although he was not an addict or an alcoholic, he was executed at Auschwitz by a lethal injection. (St. Maximilian is a patron of mine, I am a member of his “Militia of the Immaculata,” links for him and the MI are in a linkroll on the left sidebar. I have also blogged before on him, just visit “St. Maximilian Kolbe” in the Post Category drop down menu over on the right.)

By no means am I disregarding the Venerable Alfred Pampalon; we alcoholics and addicts can use every means at our disposal to help us keep clean and sober. If the anonymous testimonials are true, then he is indeed a powerful intercessor for us.

The following link is to a website that contains information similar to what I read in the pamphlets, including a Novena and an intercessory prayer (it will be added to links in the sidebar):

Venerable Alfred Pampalon.

By every indication, the Venerable Alfred Pampalon is a person worthy of further study and emulation. His life was saintly, pious and holy, and we can certainly use more examples like him. So, please visit the link above, as well as do a search of your own for more information.

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 at Fatima

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In 1917 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three Portuguese shepherd children 5 times near the town of Aljustrel, in the parish of Fatima. It is one of the best known and documented Marian Apparitions.

Mary requested of the children that they pray much, and return to the site on the 13th of the month for the next 5 months; which they did through the last epic appearance in October. August was missed on the 13th due to the seers’ being kidnapped by the authorities. Mary did appear to them on the 19th, however. Our Lady is not to be denied.

I bring this up as I have long believed that the Fatima Apparitions are important, especially in these times. But they are also important to us alcoholics and addicts as they concern prayer, reparation and admonishments against sexual sin.

The devotion to the Rosary is an obvious major development of the Fatima Apparitions, and as readers of this blog know, I regard the Rosary as a great tool for people in recovery. I even wrote a devotional book using the Rosary for alcoholics (details on ordering are at the end of each Sober Catholic post! 🙂 )

May 13th is the first of the 5 appearances, and this year is the 97th anniversary. Try and go to Mass, or if not possible, say the Rosary.

I do not think I have blogged about the Apparitions before, if so that is an oversight that is being corrected. I will continue with this, either here or on my other blogs (In the Land of My Exile I Praise Him… and The Four Last Things ) on or before the 13th of the month through October. Which blog depends upon the subject, at any rate I will post information here when I blog about them elsewhere.) I plan on doing this annually until 2017, the centenary of the Apparitions (God-willing).

To get you started, please visit the following links, the first two are from the official Fatima site in Portugal (they’re in English, but also other languages); the latter two are from the EWTN site.

History of the Apparition.

The Message of Fatima.

FATIMA at EWTN.

FATIMA – The Apparitions (on EWTN).

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 simple and quite possibly powerful Novena to Mary

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I was thinking of a Novena to say to the Blessed Virgin Mary one day a week ago, and it occurred to me to cleverly combine two ancient and classic prayers. Quite possibly this has happened before, but I do not know of it.

I use as the basic prayer the “Memorare” (first paragraph below, and use as the petition (or intention, whichever term you’d rather use) the “Hail Mary.”

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,
that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,
Implored thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee,
O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come,
before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,
but in thy mercy hear and answer me.

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen.

The Memorare requests her intercession, the Hail Mary is the petition (“pray for us sinners”). I sneak in another small petition immediately after “hour of death.”

Not sure if this is odd, but I’ve been saying it for 8 days already, and feel that the petition has been heard.

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!!)

Asking God for help

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I’m going to be lazy today and not pick from any one of the Mass Readings for this post’s Lenten reflection. All three are interrelated (they usually are) but today the commonality among them is rather important. Hence my laziness. 😉

Mass Readings for Thursday of the First Week in Lent 2014.

They all involve asking God for help.

In the First Reading, Queen Esther is in dire, desperate straits and the Israelite people more so. Survival is at stake and only God can rescue them. And God does, through Esther. In a way, doesn’t that sound familiar? Might God at some dark period in your life sent someone to pull you out of your misery and hopeless situation?

The Responsorial Psalm is gratitude for the Lord answering a prayer. Are you grateful for the Lord answering your prayers? (And sometimes that the reply is “No!”)

And the Gospel reading is a classic “comfort read” about your Heavenly Father giving good things to those who ask. (Although it isn’t as straightforward as you ask, and God gives. He isn’t a vending machine.)

So, As St. Pio of Pietrelcina said, “Pray, Hope and don’t worry.”

Place it in God’s hands.

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 heart contrite and humbled

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The response for the Psalm (Psalm 51:9) for today’s Mass is: “a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn.”

As this is Lent, chances are that if you are taking it seriously as a means of spiritual progression in the rejecting of sin and self-will, as well as in the casting off of character defects, then you might be taking advantage of the Sacrament of Confession more so than during the rest of the year.

The Responsorial Psalm today is from Psalm 51. It is an excellent Psalm to pray and meditate upon before going to Confession. I have written a series of meditations before on it, found here: Psalm 51.

Pray for the humility to be truly contrite, and make a good Confession.

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!!)

Temptation and the Cross

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Often it has been suggested that we “offer it up” and unite our sufferings to that of Christ.

You know those temptations that you get? The ones about drinking or drugging again, or viewing online porn, or engaging in some impure act? The urge in general to do something sinful?

Those are Crosses. The feelings associated with them, such as enduring the urges and maintaining resistance to them, are painful. That is the weight of the Cross. As Christians we are called to “take up the Cross” if we are to be His disciples. Don’t succumb to relieve the weight. The Crosses are the badges that signify you are a disciple of Christ.

Bear the Cross, you aren’t alone in your suffering. Offer it up. Pray to Jesus for strength, ask Him to take the pain you are going through in resisting the temptation and enduring it and apply it as a intercessory prayer for your salvation or for others’.

Offer it up for all those who are still suffering from alcoholism, for those caught in sexual sin. For anyone in pain.

I think I’ve blogged about this relatively recently, but I felt the need to cover it again.

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 Walk With the Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots, Day 9

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Today is Day 9 and thus the final one in our Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots. We ask Mary’s intercession for “this knot in my life…You know very well the suffering it has caused me…”

So, what knot is it? Is it the same one you may have prayed about daily, or one of the more knotty ones from a particular day? (A rhetorical question, don’t post the knot in the comments!)

Ponder, meditate and offer up this knot for Mary to undo. Offer up all the pain, trauma and suffering it has brought into your life. Let Mary’s maternal love work its healing into 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!!)

A Walk With the Novena of Mary, Undoer of Knots, Day 8

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Today is Day 8 in our The Novena of Mary Undoer of Knots. We ask Mary’s intercession for us “to practice the virtues of courage, joyfulness, humility and faith…”

It has never been easy to be a Christian, even in supposedly Christian countries. The pressing needs of daily living stress us to the point of neglecting or compromising our Faith.

We should be joyful; after all God became man to be one with us and to pay the price for our sins. We became His adopted children. We will gain Heaven if we follow His will, as best we are able.

We humbly pray that our Faith is increased, we have the courage to practice and follow it and to use it to make a difference in the world.

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!!)