Facebook 40

 The Sacred use of Lectio Divina, or Divine Reading, is a traditional Catholic practice of praying with Scripture. 

It is a four-step process of reading, reflecting, responding, and resting. 

The practice has been used for centuries as a way to deepen one's relationship with God and grow in spiritual understanding.

The Four R's of Lectio Divina:

Reading - The first step in Lectio Divina is to read a passage from the Bible. It is important to choose a passage that speaks to you, or one that you feel drawn to. As you read, pay attention to any words or phrases that stand out to you.

Reflecting - After reading the passage, take time to reflect on what you have read. This step involves thinking deeply about the meaning of the text and how it applies to your life. This can involve asking questions, making connections to your own experiences, and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Responding - The third step is to respond to the passage through prayer. This can involve thanking God for the insights gained during reflection, asking for guidance, or simply expressing your feelings about the passage.

Resting - The final step in Lectio Divina is to rest in God's presence. This involves simply being still and allowing God to speak to you in silence. This can be a time of deep peace and renewal, as you open yourself up to the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The Four R's of Lectio Divina are often compared to the steps of climbing a ladder. 

As you read, reflect, respond, and rest, you ascend higher and higher into a deeper understanding of God's Word.

Saints throughout history have practiced Lectio Divina as a way of deepening their relationship with God. 

One of the most well-known proponents of Lectio Divina was Saint Benedict of Nursia, who founded the Benedictine Order in the 6th century. 

He believed that the practice of Lectio Divina was essential for spiritual growth, and included it as a key component of his Rule for Monks.

Another well-known saint who practiced Lectio Divina was Saint Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. He developed a method of prayer known as the Spiritual Exercises, which included elements of Lectio Divina. 

In his autobiography, he wrote: "I would remain for a long time in contemplation or in reflection, with the aim of stirring up within me feelings of contrition, love, and praise of God."

Saint Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers and journalists, also practiced Lectio Divina. 

He wrote: "The first part of prayer is the preparation to hear the Word of God. 

This is done by a short consideration of our sins, and then by a sincere desire to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit."

The practice of Lectio Divina is rooted in the Bible itself. In Psalm 119:105, we read: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." This verse speaks to the power of Scripture to guide us on our spiritual journey.

In Hebrews 4:12, we read: "Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." This verse reminds us that the Word of God has the power to penetrate deeply into our hearts and transform us from within.

In James 1:22, we read: "But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves." This verse reminds us that it is not enough to simply read the holy scriptures. 

We must absorb the meaning and apply it in our own lives.

©️ Angelo Mucciolo: 2023

#liberangelorum

Facebook 39

 THREE HAIL MARYS DEVOTION

One of the greatest means of salvation and one of the surest signs of predestination, is unquestionably, the devotion to the Most Blessed Virgin. All the holy doctors of the Church are unanimous in saying with St. Alphonsus of Liguori: "A devout servant of Mary shall never perish." The chief thing is to persevere faithfully till death in this devotion.

Numerous examples show how agreeable the three Hail Marys Devotion is to the Divine Mother and what special graces it draws, during life and at the hour of death, on those who never omit it for a single day.

This practice was revealed to St. Melchtilde (13th century) while she was beseeching Our Blessed Mother to assist her in her hour of death. Our Lady appeared to her and said: "I will, certainly. But I also want you to say three special Hail Marys to me every day.

"The first will be in honor of God the Father, Whose omnipotence raised my soul so high above every other creature that after God I have the greatest power in heaven and on earth. In the hour of your death I will use that power of God the Father to keep any hostile power far from you.

"The second Hail Mary will be said in honor of the Son of God Who communicated His inscrutable wisdom to me. In the hour of your death I will fill your soul with the light of that wisdom so that all the darkness of ignorance and error will be dispelled.

"The third Hail Mary will be in honor of God the Holy Ghost Who filled my soul with the sweetness of His love and tenderness and mercy. In your last hour I will then change the bitterness of death into divine sweetness and delight."

Our Blessed Mother also revealed to St. Gertrude the Great: "To any soul who faithfully prays the Three Hail Marys, I will appear at the hour of death in a splendor so extraordinary that it will fill the soul with heavenly consolation."

St. Leonard of Port Maurice, the celebrated missionary, had the Three Hail Marys recited morning and evening in honor of Mary Immaculate, to obtain the grace of avoiding all mortal sins during the day or night; moreover he promised in a special manner eternal salvation to all those who proved constantly faithful to this practice. He gave this devotion of Three Hail Marys as a penance in the confessional, especially for those who were struggling with sins of impurity.

Practice: Recite morning and evening, three Hail Marys in honor of the three great privileges bestowed upon Our Blessed Mother by the most Blessed Trinity with this invocation at the end: for the morning: "O my Mother preserve me from mortal sin during this day." For the evening: "O my Mother preserve me from mortal sin during this night."

(Indulgences of 200 days granted by Leo XIII, 300 days for the members of the Archconfraternity of the Three Hail Marys by Benedict XV, and Apostolic Benediction by St. Pius X.)

The Hail Mary: Hail Mary, full of grace; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst 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 our death. Amen.

Facebook 38

 THE DEVIL DOES NOT SUPPORT US PRAYING TO THE THREE HAIL MARY FOR THE SALVATION OF SINNERS!!!

The demon violently stabbed poor Gemma and said to him:

"Pray for yourself but not for the sinners! ", in fact, the young woman often prayed for conversions and for the worst sinners because she knew Satan couldn't stand him.

The 3rd Hail Mary

The power of the 3 Hail Marys to the Virgin are an effective tool of salvation Ella welcomes them and always fulfills this request, let's cooperate with her project of love to save all her children!

1 Hail Mary ....

{ For the salvation of our souls }

2 Hail Marys....

{For the conversion of our entire family}

3 Hail Marys.....

{ For the conversion of Sinners}

In heaven, the Virgin Mary herself will let you know the great good you did with this prayer!

Facebook 37

 WHY THE DEVIL HATES THE VIRGIN MARY ! Especially During Exorcisms!

Italian priest Sante Babolin said that Satan is behind attacks in various parts of the world against the Virgin Mary.

Noting that she is a powerful advocate for him during exorcisms.

“In my experience - so far I have performed 2,300 rites of exorcism - I can say that the invocation of the Most Holy Virgin Mary often provokes significant reactions in the person being exorcized,” he told Mexican weekly Desde la Fe.

Fr. Babolin, who also taught at the Gregorian University in Rome, said that “In face of the failure of the onslaught by non-believers now, in order to offend and confound the Catholic people, the Virgin Mary, whom the devil hates, is being attacked.”

Desde la Fe noted the 2017 events of the Spanish drag queen Borja Casillas, who masqueraded as the Virgin Mary and mocked her in a performance.

As well as a woman who dressed up as the Virgin Mary and simulated an abortion during a protest in Argentina.

The Italian exorcist said that “As proof of this hatred” of the devil toward the Mother of God “while I was insistently invoking the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the devil answered me: ‘I can’t stand That One (Mary) any more and neither can I stand you anymore.’”

Fr. Babolin also noted that “the Second Vatican Council declares that Mary, daughter of Adam, in accepting the divine message became the mother of Jesus, and embracing with her whole heart and without the hindrance of any sin the saving will of God consecrated herself totally, as the servant of the Lord, to the person and work of her Son.”

The priest pointed out the passage in the book of Genesis which is evoked in the Rite of Exorcism where God says to the serpenr that “she will crush your head.”

In this ritual, he said, the exorcist says to the devil: “Most cunning serpent, you shall no more dare to deceive the human race, persecute the Church, torment God’s elect and sift them as wheat. The sacred Sign of the Cross commands you, as does also the power of the mysteries of the Christian Faith. The glorious Mother of God, the Virgin Mary, commands you; she who by her humility and from the first moment of her Immaculate Conception crushed your proud head.”

Fr. Babolin also said that “the strongest reactions” of the devil during the exorcism occur “when references are made to her apparitions.”

Because of this, he frequently pronounces the name of Holy Mary with her titles of Lourdes, Fatima or Guadalupe. In the latter case, he said, “I use this formula: ‘Holy Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of Tepeyac.’”

The exorcist warned that “the instrument the devil normally uses to trap us is money since it offers the possibility of satisfying the impulses that converge in pleasure and power.” Satan “subjugates us to himself manipulating the truth and offering us his dazzling light, showing us his version of ‘freedom’ and promising us the instant gratification of our whims.”

As far as interpersonal communication, the sense of sight overtakes the sense of hearing; and consequently the image over the word, that is to say, desire precedes reflection,” he said.

Fr. Babolin encouraged Catholics to denounce attacks on the faith as well as to organize and participate in prayer events, pray the Rosary, and participate in Masses at places where offenses were committed.

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us.

“Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as the powers of Hell fear thr name and protection of Mary.”

- SAINT BONAVENTURE

Ctto: YouTube

Facebook 36

 THE ARMOR OF GOD AND OTHER SPIRITUAL WEAPONS:

- THE SACRAMENTALS -

Are you in awe, albeit a bit puzzled why our Catholic faith has numerous Sacramentals?  The Catholic Church has been in existence for over 2,000 years, and has over the centuries produced many saints. 

These sacramentals are weapons handed down to us by the great saints of the Catholic faith; tested and proven in the spiritual battlefield. 

They are not meaningless gestures and devotions; nor amulets and talismans for protection. The blessed object itself is not the source of power, but the Faith that goes with it.

These are "sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments" (CCC 1667), given to us by the Church to remind us of God's grace and presence. 

We are visual, sensate people. The blessed crucifix, statues, holy pictures, novenas, medals, rosaries, stations of the cross, candles, etc., are visible signs of our faith; a constant physical reminder of the fidelity we share with God and the communion of saints. 

A blessed wedding ring is a constant physical reminder to the couple of their vows of fidelity and love. Much like we have pictures of our loved ones in our wallet and homes, so we have pictures of the loved ones of God in our Church and homes. 

Let us take a brief look on the commonly used sacramentals:

▪HOLY ROSARY - was given to St. Dominic in an apparition by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the 13th century in the church of Prouille, France. This Marian Apparition received the title Our Lady Of The Rosary.

▪CRUCIFIX - A crucifix is not Jesus, but it is a beautiful reminder of His passion and great love for us.

▪HOLY WATER, EXORCISED SALT, EXORCISED OIL - Demons hate holy water. St. Teresa of Avila once said, "I have found by experience that there is nothing from which the Devils fly more quickly than from holy water." They also fly from the Cross, but they return almost immediately. Certainly, the power of holy water must be great." Exorcisms have recourse to these sacramentals. If the demons are hurt or weakened by holy water, exorcists use it generously. To facilitate the vomiting of ingested cursed object (ex.gayuma), the victim is given a little exorcised oil mixed with holy water. Exorcised salt can be placed around the perimeters of the room, on the window sills and doorways.

▪MIRACULOUS MEDAL - Medals are worn as an act of devotion. The Miraculous Medal came about as a result of an apparition of Our Lady  to St. Catherine Laboure on November 27, 1830. In response to the request of the Blessed Mother, St. Catherine created a medal portraying Mary just as she appeared, so that all who wear it would receive great graces. St. Catherine's incorrupt body lies in a crypt of the convent.

▪BROWN SCAPULAR - Our Blessed Mother appeared to St. Simon Stock and promised, "Whoever dies wearing this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire. It shall be a sign of peace and safeguard in times of danger.

▪ST. BENEDICT MEDAL - Honored and employed for centuries, this medal has been associated with many miracles, as well as with powers of exorcism. It is used in many ways, but always as a protection against evil.

References: catholicgentlemen.net; catholicstraightanswers.com; ncregister.com; "Exorcist"/Fr. Jocis Syquia

Facebook 35

 Mary pleads with us during her many visits

Make the Sign of the Cross

Act of Contrition

In this National Day of Prayer we pray for all people past, present and future. I am reminded of the many messages amongst them was La Salette which highlights more and more the mess we are in in those times.

The Beautiful Lady, the Virgin Mary at LaSalette was weeping when Maximin Giraud and Melanie Calvat, saw her near the small village of La Salette in the French Alps on September 19, 1846, she invited them to come near to listen and she said: “If my people do not obey, I shall be compelled to loose my Son’s arm. It is so heavy that I can no longer hold it.

“How long have I suffered for you! If my Son is not to abandon you, “I have given you six days to work. The seventh I have reserved for myself yet no one will give it to me. This is what causes the weight of my Son's arm to be so heavy and the second thing that makes my Son’s arm heavy is when people swear and they bring in my Son's name.”

Mary pleads with us to give up work on Sundays and to stop swearing- taking the Lords name in vain [third of God's Ten Commandments [Exodus 20:7] “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.”

She also spoke of “Only a few rather elderly women go to Mass in the summer. Everyone else works every Sunday all summer long. And in winter, when they don't know what else to do, they go to Mass only to scoff at religion. During Lent, they go to the butcher shop like dogs.”

This is familiar for today, few go to Mass, many take the Lord’s name in vain and as for Sunday a few go to Mass and the rest of the day is steeped in whatever people indulge themselves in- you know I do not need to spell it out. Commandment: “keep holy the Sabbath”

Mary! you are Interceding on our behalf I pray for the grace to listen to the many lessons you desire to give us.[4th day in the Kingdom— you invite us to come: “It is the heart of me, your tender Mother, which seeks to pour itself out upon you, my child. I desire to tell you my secrets which have not been revealed to anyone until now, because the hour of God has not yet come. 

I wish to bestow upon souls many surprising graces…. My child the test is the flag of victory. The test matures the soul to gain the greatest conquests.Mother Mary you have loved me and I long to love you with all my hearts so let the tests of my life be as a sweet smelling bouquet in your heart.

St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta always prayed nine Memorare [Flying Novena]. This prayer never fails: 

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.O Mother of the Word Incarnate despise not our petitions but hear and answer us. Amen

Pray the Rosary, let it be as a chain extending to heaven and down to all peoples 

as we bind it to your Immaculate Heart.

Pray for Priests, Consecrated, Religious, Vocations, Persecuted Christians, spend time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, Eucharistic Adoration and pray daily for all confusion. Pray “Standing in the Gap” 🙏

Facebook 34

 WE NEED TO PRAY FOR THE SOULS IN PURGATORY.

Once a person dies they lose the merit to pray for themselves and if they are saved and are in purgatory, they rely on us the living to pray for them. They know that God has bestowed on us this Heaven Given Grace to pray for them while we still have time left. We have been given the keys to unlock the Gates of Purgatory by our prayers, so let us not waste time we have left. Pray for our brothers and sisters who are in urgent need of prayers as they cry out with unheard voices and desperately wave their hands trying to get our attention for even a single prayer, mass, rosary, eucharistic adoration, stations of the cross, penance, good deed, thought, word, action which will hasten their release.

ANY PRAYER FOR THEM WILL DO, EVEN IF IT IS ONE LINE...

1. Jesus and Mary we love You save souls

2. Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them everlasting rest and hasten their deliverance to Thy Kingdom of the Blessed.

3. Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on the dying and the Holy Souls in Purgatory

4. Eternal Father,

I offer You the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus,

in union with the Masses said

throughout the world today for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory,

for sinners everywhere,

for sinners in the Universal Church,

for those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

5. O Heart of Jesus, burning with Love for us, Inflame our hearts with Love for Thee and deliver the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

6. My Lord and my God,convert sinners, have Mercy on the dying and grant deliverance to the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

7. Jesus, Mary, Joseph, assist me in my last agony and deliver the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

8. Hail, O  Holy Cross, our only hope.Convert sinners, save the dying and deliver the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

9. Oh glorious Saints who found favour in the Divine Presence, intercede for the Church Suffering.

10. Whenever you hear the sound of an ambulance, police siren, or fire engine, you can say...Jesus We SURRENDER EVERTHING INTO YOUR HANDS. AMEN

Facebook 33

 ☦️Background of Our Lady of Kibeho☦️

In these Church-approved apparitions that began in 1981, the Virgin Mary appeared to young girls in Kibeho, Rwanda under the name “Nyina wa Jambo” that is, “Mother of the Word”. In the visions, the Virgin Mary asked for penance and fasting for the conversion of sinners, and the frequent recitation of the Rosary. The girls also saw a prophetic vision of the Rwandan genocide that would occur thirteen years later.

⚜️Our Lady of Kibeho Messages⚜️

1. An urgent appeal to the repentance and conversion of hearts:

“Repent, repent, repent!"

"Convert while there is still time."

2. An assessment of the moral state of the world:

"The world conducts itself very badly." ("Ngo isi imeze nabi cyane.")

"The world hastens to its ruin, it will fall into the abyss”, in other words, “it is plunged into innumerable and unrelenting disasters." ("Ngo isi igiye kugwa mu rwobo.")

"The world is rebellious against God (ubu isi yarigometse), it commits too many sins, it has neither love nor peace."

"If you do not repent and do not convert your hearts, you will fall into the abyss."

5. The deep sorrow of the Mother of God:

The visionaries said to have seen the Virgin Mary crying on August 15th, 1982. The Mother of God was very saddened because of people’s unbelief and lack of repentance. She complained of our bad way of life, which is characterized by the slackness of customs, the likeness of evil, and continuous disobedience to God’s Commandments.

4 . "Faith and unbelief will come unseen". (“Ngo ukwemera n’ubuhakanyi bizaza mu mayeri.”)

These mysterious words were repeatedly spoken by Mary to Alfonsine at the beginning of the revelations. She was asked to repeat them to the other people.

5. The suffering that saves:

This subject is among the most important among the revelations in Kibeho, particularly for Natalie Mukamazimpaka. Suffering, which is unavoidable in this life, is necessary for Christians to attain eternal glory. On May 15th, 1982, Mary said to her visionaries, especially to Natalie, “No one will reach heaven without suffering,” or, “A child of Mary does not reject suffering.” Suffering is both a means of compensating for the sins of the world and participating in Jesus’ and Mary’s sufferings for the salvation of the world. The visionaries were invited through this address to live very specifically, accepting suffering through faith in love, mortifying themselves and denying themselves pleasures for the conversion of the world. Thus, Kibeho is a reminder of the role of the cross in the life of a Christian and the Church.

6. “Pray always and single-heartedly”:

People are not praying, and those who do pray, do not pray as they should. Mary begs the visionaries to pray in abundance for the whole world, to teach others to pray, and to pray for those who do not pray themselves. Mary begs us to pray with greater zeal and purity of heart.

7. Marian devotion – expressed through sincere and regular praying of the rosary.

8. The Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary:

The visionary Marie Claire Mukangango said to have received revelations about the Rosary of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary. The blessed Virgin loves this rosary. Well known in the past, it had been forgotten. The Mother of God of Kibeho desires for it to be renewed and spread in the Church. However, this prayer does not replace the Holy Rosary.

9. Mary desires that a chapel be built for her – as a sign of the remembrance of her revelations in Kibeho. This subject appears in the revelations of January 16th, 1982 and recurs many times in the course of the year with new supplements.

10. Pray always for the Church, when many troubles are upon it in the times to come. Thus Mary said to Alfonsine on August 15th, 1983 and on November 28th, 1983.

⚜️Seven Promises to those who meditate on our Lady's Sorrows (Revealed to St. Bridget of Sweden) ⚜️

1) I will grant peace to their families.

2) They will be enlightened about the divine Mysteries.

3) I will console them in their pains and I will accompany them in their work.

4) I will give them as much as they ask for as long as it does not oppose the adorable will of My divine Son or the sanctification of their souls.

5) I will defend them in their spiritual battles with the infernal enemy and I will protect them at every instant of their lives.

6) I will visibly help them at the moment of their death — they will see the face of their Mother.

7) I have obtained this grace from My divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to My tears and sorrows will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and My Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.

⚜️Four Graces to those devoted to Her Sorrows According to St. Alphonsus de Liguori in his book The Glories of Mary, it was revealed to Saint Elizabeth at the request of Our Lady, that Our Lord promised four principal graces to those devoted to Her Sorrows:⚜️

1) That those who before death invoke the divine Mother in the name of Her Sorrows will obtain true repentance of all their sins;

2) That He will protect all who have this devotion in their tribulations, and will protect them especially at the hour of death;

3) That He will impress on their minds the remembrance of His Passion;

4) That He will place such devout servants in Mother Mary’s hands to do with them as She wishes and to obtain for them all the graces She desires.

🌹References:🌹http://kibeho-sanctuary.com/en/apparitions/brief-overview.html

https://carmelitesistersocd.com/devotion-to-our-lady-of-sorrows/

https://www.hcc-nd.edu/our-lady-of-kibeho/

Do not work on Sunday

 Maria Paola Daud 

This beloved story from Northern Italy tells of a miraculous apparition when Our Lady came to the aid of a little girl.

This story of faith comes to us from Porzus, a small town in northern Italy, almost bordering Slovenia. The protagonist is a well-behaved little girl named Teresa Dush.

Teresa was born on September 11, 1845, in Porzus, and was baptized on the same day. Her parents, Giuseppe Dush and Caterina Grimaz, had been married for 18 years before the child arrived, so they considered her a great gift from God.

They were a very poor family and lived on a steep and rocky land where the harvest was scarce and the landscape was only meadows and pastures.

Although Teresa had very fragile health, she never complained about the fatigue caused by the work she had to do with her parents. At the age of 9, she began to take catechism lessons with the pastor of her church, and was always attentive to what he taught.

An event that changed the whole town

On September 8, 1855, the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (a holy day of obligation at the time), three days short of Teresa’s 10th birthday, an extraordinary event took place that would forever mark the entire city of Porzus.

Caterina, the girl’s mother, had completely forgotten about that holy day of obligation, which in that year fell on Saturday. The complication was that the next day was Sunday, and both were days on which, by Church teaching, they should abstain from labor – but they had not collected enough hay to feed the animals.

Obviously they could not leave the poor animals without food for two days, so Caterina called Teresa and told her to go and cut some hay in the meadow.

The girl timidly reminded her mother that she had learned in catechism that Catholics should not work on holy days. Her mother understood, but replied, “If we eat, the animals must also eat.”

Full of doubts, the girl obeyed her mother and went to the meadow, asking for guidance from the Virgin Mary whom she loved so much. As soon as she raised the sickle to cut the hay, she felt someone take it out of her hand.

She looked up and saw a beautiful Lady, who with a sweet voice said to her:

“You shouldn’t work on this holy day! Here, this will do,” cutting some hay and handing it to the girl.

Then she added, “Tell everyone to sanctify the name of the Lord and not to blaspheme, because in doing so they offend my Son and wound my maternal Heart. Moreover, I want days of fasting and vigils to be observed.”

Quickly the news spread throughout the city. She answered the villagers who did not believe what she said: “Tell Our Lady to give you another sign.”

The “other sign” was not long in coming

The following Sunday, while Teresa was in church, the Virgin Mary appeared to her again.  She was next to the altar wearing a dress covered with roses, and she called to the girl.

The girl fearfully approached her. All her friends and everyone who was in the church saw the girl participate in a long conversation, but didn’t see anything else.

She left the church in ecstasy and later said that the Virgin had accompanied her home, and that before leaving, she left her a gift. This gift was the sign that the villagers had asked for: the mark of a cross shining like gold, about 2 inches long, imprinted on the back of the girl’s left hand.

This sign could be seen by everyone, and no matter how hard they tried to clean the cross off Teresa’s hand, it would not go away; in fact, it became even brighter.

The Virgin Mary later continued to give private revelations to Teresa, who eventually became a religious, living a life of devotion, humility, and obedience.

Her health had always been precarious, but eventually she was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. During the “Calvary” of her illness, the cross on her hand became red, and when she died (she was not yet 25 years old), it became white.

The sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Health

After the first apparition, the people began to observe an unusual phenomenon at the site of the vision: The meadow was always in bloom, and in the winter when it snowed, it melted at that spot before anywhere else. They started gathering there every Sunday to pray the Holy Rosary.

In 1885 they decided to build a small chapel, and in 1886 they put up a picture depicting the scene of the apparition, with a message written on the top: “Keep the feast days holy. Do not blaspheme, and observe fasts and vigils.”

THE TRUTH ABOUT PURGATORY 

In 1870, Belgium fought as an ally with France against Germany.

In September of that year, Sister Maria Serafina, a Redemptorist nun in Malines, Belgium, was suddenly seized with inexplicable sadness.

Soon after, she received the news that her father had died in that war.

From that day on, Sister Maria repeatedly heard distressing groans and a voice saying, "My dear daughter, have mercy on me!"

Subsequently, she was besieged with torments, which included unbearable headaches. While laying down one day, she saw her father surrounded with flames and immersed in profound sadness.

He was suffering in Purgatory and had received permission from God to beseech prayers from his daughter and relate Purgatory's suffering to her. Thus he said:

I want you to have Masses, prayers and indulgences said on my behalf. Look how I am immersed in this fire-filled hole! Oh! If people knew what Purgatory is, they would suffer anything to avoid it and alleviate the suffering of souls here. Be very holy, my daughter, and observe the Holy Rule, even in its most insignificant points. Purgatory for religious is a terrible thing!

Sister Maria saw a pit full of flames, spewing black clouds of smoke. Her father was immersed in the pit where he was burning, horribly suffocated and thirsty. Opening his mouth she saw that his tongue was entirely shriveled.

"I am thirsty, my daughter, I am thirsty."

The next day, her father visited her again saying, "My daughter, it has been a long time since I saw you last."

"My father, it was just yesterday . . ."

"Oh! It seems like an eternity to me. If I stay in Purgatory three months, it will be an eternity. I was condemned for many years, but, due to Our Lady's intercession, my sentence was reduced to only a few months."

The grace of coming to earth was granted to him through his good works during his life and because he had been devoted to Our Lady receiving communion on all her feast days.

During these visions, Sister Maria Serafina asked her father several questions:

"Do souls in Purgatory know who is praying for them, and can they pray for us?"

"Yes, my daughter."

"Do these souls suffer, knowing that God is offended in their families and in the world?"

"Yes."

Directed by her confessor and her superior, she continued to question her father:

"Is it true that the sufferings of Purgatory are much greater than all the torments of earth and even of the martyrs?"

"Yes, my daughter, all this is very true."

Sister Serafina then asked if everyone who belongs to the Scapular Confraternity of Carmel (those who wear the scapular), is freed from Purgatory on the first Saturday after death:

"Yes," he answered, "but only if they are faithful to the Confraternity's obligations."

"Is it true that some souls must stay in Purgatory for as long as five hundred years?"

"Yes. Some are condemned until the end of the world. These souls are very guilty and entirely abandoned."

"Three main things draw God's malediction over men: failure to observe the Lord's Day through work, the very widespread vice of impurity, and blasphemy. Oh my daughter, how these blasphemies provoke the wrath of God!"

For over three months, Sister Serafina and her community prayed and offered penance for the soul of her tormented father who often appeared to her. During the elevation of the Host at Christmas Mass, Sister Maria saw her father shining like a sun with matchless beauty.

"I finished my sentence, and have come to thank you and your sisters for your prayers and pious exercises. I will pray for you in Heaven."

If Purgatory did not exist to remove the stain of sin from imperfect souls, the only alternative would be Hell. Therefore, Purgatory is a necessary place of expiation.

All personal sin carries two consequences: blame (which, in the case of mortal sin, destroys sanctifying grace and leads to Hell) and temporal punishment warranted by the offense to God. Although Confession frees us from blame and part of the punishment, we must still make additional reparation to God. In this life, this can be done through prayer, Mass intentions, alms, penance and acquiring indulgences. One who dies in a state of venial sin or without sufficient reparation goes to Purgatory.

Facebook 32

 St Charbel.

Why do human beings have to descend when the path of the Lord ascends? People are loaded down with many burdens that bend their backs so much that their foreheads touch the ground , preventing them from standing up and raising their heads to see the face of God.

Jesus Christ is the only one capable of liberating all human beings from their burdens, for a slave cannot set another slave free.

Your happiness does not come from men who cannot offer it to you, because they do not possess it, and because no one can give what does not belong to him . Jesus alone is able to give you true happiness.

If a human being is not transformed by love, he dies, for God is love, a love that is eternal. Let him fill your hearts and let humility govern your minds. Pray and be converted. Pray to Jesus Christ, he will hear you prayer; open your hearts to him he will enter in and give you peace. Pray from the bottom of your hearts without ceasing.

When you know Christ, you will know the truth and you will be free. Christ wants you to be free. Have no fear, take courage, know that Christ has conquered the world.

Facebook 30

 Such thoughts made St. Faustina fearless in battle:

I see that God never tries us beyond what we are able to suffer.Oh , I fear nothing ; if God sends such great suffering to a soul, He upholds it with an even greater grace , although we are not aware of it."

Ignatius 's second instruction for helping us to fortify our hope is as follows: During desolation we should be patient, knowing that the time of consolation will return soon. This is great hope. The bad spirits make us think our desolation will never end.

Facebook 31

 Thinking back to times of consolation as we fight desolation not only aids our hope but sometimes even wins the battle right then and there.

Many people find it helpful to write in a journal during times of particularly strong consolation.

The very act of writing out  the time of consolation helps impress it more firmly on one's mind.

When times of desolation return, one can read from his journal as an aid to jogging his memory to recall past times of consolation.

Such recalling of consolation in one's life often increases hope.

Reading something like a journal or a " list of blessings" can be like a blast of fresh air that dispels desolation's smoke.

Facebook 29

 From St Faustina diary. ( 625)

" In the evening , when I was praying, the Mother of God told me , Your lives must be like Mine: quiet and hidden, in unceasing union with God, pleading for humanity and preparing the world for the second coming of God."

Facebook 28

 In order to fulill God's will, Faustina knew to stay very close to Our Lady. She loved the Rosary , the Immaculat Heart, Marian Novenas, the sorrows of Our Lady, and consecration prayers to the Mother of God. She consecrated to Our Lady all her concerns . Faustina understood that without the Blessed Mother, there would be no Eucharistic Jesus. In order to love Jesus in the Eucharist we must love His Mother , the first tabernacle.

Facebook 27

 St Faustina loved to pray the Rosary, not just in the chapel but while walking or even while weeding the garden! She encourgaed the " wards" under her supervision to pray the Rosary----- or say Hail Marys ------ for someone living or dead.

Facebook 26

 St. Maximilian Kolbe---- who died in the Auschwitz concentration camp only three years after St. Faustina passed away in Krakow ( a distance of about forty miles)---- was a fellow Polish " Apostle of Adoration,"

Like St. Faustina, he frequently visited the Blessed Sacrament throughout his day, and he sometimes focused the entire period expressly on Our Lady. On those occasions , he might simply repeat the one-word prayer " Mary" because , he was certain, in that way he gave " the greatest joy possible " to Jesus.

Facebook 25

 After the power of the Father, the Wisdom of the Son, and the Tender Mercy of the Holy Spirit , nothing compares to the power , Wisdom and Tender Mercy of Mary.

Revelation to St . Gertrude

True greatness of a soul

 A Certain Moment, May 12, 1935

Of st faustina diary

424

In the evening, I just about got into bed, and I fell asleep immediately. Though I fell asleep quickly, I was awakened even more quickly. A little child came and woke me up. The child seemed about a year old, and I was surprised it could speak so well, as children of that age either do not speak or speak very indistinctly The child was beautiful beyond words and resembled the Child Jesus, and he said to me, Look at the sky. And when I looked at the sky I saw the stars and the moon shining. Then the child asked me,Do you see this moon and these stars? When I said yes, he spoke these words to me, These stars are the souls of faithful Christians, and the moon is the souls of religious. Do you see how great the difference is between the light of the moon and the light of the stars? Such is the difference in heaven between the soul of a religious and the soul of a faithful Christian. And he went on to say that, True greatness is in loving God and in humility.------------------------------

I am not a nun. I am an associate of confraternity of penitent, franciscan third order.

But I also want to sanctify myself. I believe both the religious and faithful souls can reach perfection if they follow Jesus gospel teachings.

Facebook 24

 THE ROSARY DELIVER SOULS FROM PURGATORY.

A devout lady, had been bereaved of her brother, grieving at the loss, afflicted at the thought that he had been a very good Christian, she had a dream == She saw Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who consoled her and said, 'RECITE TWO HUNDRED ROSARIES AND YOUR BROTHER WILL PASS AT ONCE INTO PARADISE.' When the lady woke up, she reflected on the dream, but decided that it was only a dream and no more. Then the next morning she set out on a trip to see Padre Pio. As soon as she met Padre Pio, without thinking of the dream, the lady weepingly asked him where the soul of her brother was and what she ought to do for him. Padre Pio answered at once, "And did I not tell you last night? Pray two hundred Rosaries and your brother will pass at once into paradise."

• One day Padre Pio gave a Rosary to a spiritual daughter, remarking to her with a trembling voice, 'I AM ENTRUSTING YOU WITH A TREASURE. KNOW HOW TO VALUE IT. LET US EMPTY PURGATORY.' The Rosary has extraordinary power to hasten the deliverance of souls from Purgatory and to bring them great relief and comfort.

The seat of St Francis of Assisi in heaven

 TIL St. Francis of Assisi sits in the vacated throne of Lucifer in heaven

From Francis' biographer and friend, Br. Leo of Assisi:

"In the morning Brother Pacificus returned to him. Blessed Francis was standing before the altar in prayer, and Brother Pacificus remained outside the choir, also praying before the crucifix. And while he was absorbed in prayer he was lifted up in spirit and rapt into heaven, whether in the body or out of the body God alone knoweth; and he saw in heaven very many seats, and one amongst them was raised above the others, glorious to behold, adorned with splendour and many precious stones, so that he marvelled at its great beauty, and wondered whose seat this could be. And he heard a voice that said: "This was the seat of Lucifer, and in his place will be seated the humble Francis."

When he had returned to his senses St. Francis suddenly came out to him, whereupon this friar fell at his feet, and stretching out his arms in the form of a cross, as if he already saw him on that throne in heaven, cried, "Father, grant me your forgiveness, and pray God to have mercy on me and condone my sins." Taking his hand, Blessed Francis raised him up, knowing at once that he had seen some mysterious vision during his prayer, for he spoke to Blessed Francis not as if he were still in the body, but as if he were already an inhabitant of heaven. Afterwards, as he did not like to speak of it directly to Blessed Francis, he hinted at it, as it were, and while talking of other things, said, "What do you believe of yourself, Brother?" To which Blessed Francis answered, "It seems to me I am a greater sinner than any one else in the world." At this instant Brother Pacificus heard an inner voice say: "By this may you know the truth of the vision revealed to you, since Lucifer for his pride was hurled from his seat, while Francis by his humility has merited to be exalted and gloriously enthroned!""

-The Mirror of Perfection (Br. Leo's biography of Fr. Francis and his miracles)

Facebook 23

 ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

On my knees, before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself, soul and body to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice, and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You, I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light, listen to Your voice, and follow Your gracious inspirations. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You, by Your compassion, to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus, looking at His Five Wounds, trusting in His Precious Blood, and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to You always and everywhere, "Speak Lord for Your servant heareth." Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE SEVEN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that He may perfect in my soul the work of Your grace and Your love. Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel, that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with You and overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; and the Spirit of Fear, that I may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and may dread in any way to displease Him. Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples, and animate me in all things with Your Spirit. Amen.

Facebook 22

 TRUE STORY 🙏🙏🙏

A man from Texas in the US. and he does carpentry work. This man, every morning, passes in front of a Church on his way to work. One day he took a decision that he must go into the Church at the chapel to greet JESUS before going to his work.

So each day he passes the Church he will go to the chapel and say "JESUS l ‘m here to greet you" he did this for many years and it became part of hm. One day he went to work as usual and fell down from the roof where he was working and had a spinal cord injury, he was taken to many hospitals and there was no remedy to his health and he became paralyzed.

One day at the hospital where he was on his sick bed without hope, his wife left him alone in the room to bring something from the house. A man who dressed in white walked into the room and greeted him saying, "my friend l have come to greet you. JESUS came to visit him since he couldn't come to visit Him as usual. And the sick man said Thank You, the visitor left and this man started to notice changes on his body, and to his greatest surprise, he got up and sat down on the bed still thinking if it was a dream when his wife came and saw him sitting down she thought it was a Ghost and raised alarm ran out from the room. The Doctor and Nurses rushed to the room thinking the sick man is dead, when the Doctor first entered and saw the man sitting comfortably, he also ran back, before he decided to ask him what happened and the healed man told him all that happened,He was visiting JESUS daily for many years but one singular visit by JESUS changed his hopelessness to joy!

My brother, sister and Friend who is reading this message, this is a true life testimony. This happened somewhere.! JESUS lives, do not allow any body to deceive you please. GOD IS GOOD

Facebook 21

 THE NINE SINS OF THE TONGUE

From online sources 

1.  THE LYING TONGUE

Lying is one of the things God finds detestable (Proverbs 6:17) and all liars have their place in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). You should also note that the devil is the father of liars. 

2.  THE FLATTERING TONGUE

God hates flattery (Psalm 12:3-4) . As  believers, we should never praise others because we want to get something from them. 

3.  THE PROUD TONGUE

A proud/boastful tongue is sinful. Proud believers are full of themselves and learn little from anyone else.God hates a proud tongue. Psalms 12: 3-4 says that God will cut off a proud tongue.  Humble yourself when God uplifts you.

4. THE OVERUSED TONGUE

This is simply talking too much. Ecc 5:3 says that many words mark the speech of a fool, while 

Prov 10: 19 says that the prudent hold their tongues.  Ecc 5: 2 cautions us against been too quick to speak. We are advised to be persons of fewer words. 

5. THE SWIFT TONGUE

This is talking too quick or being too quick to answer without listening.  Proverbs 18:13 says that to answer without listening is folly and shame. 

James 1:19 tells us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to be angry. 

 6. THE BACK BITING TONGUE

A sin of the tongue where somebody says good things to your face but says bad and negative things against you when you are not present. 

A backbiter is someone who uses their tongue against you when you are absent. Prov 25:23  "The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance." In Rom 1:30, the scriptures say that those who practice back biting, among other sins, deserve death.  According to Prov 6:19 God hates back biters. 

If you are a believer with this habit, you need to change. If you have ever been a victim of back biting, you need to be still and not back bite back; God will fight for you.

 7. THE GOSSIPING TONGUE

This is the tale-bearing tongue that's forbidden in Psalm 15:3 and Proverbs 18:8. These people engage in conversations about others, usually involving details that are unconfirmed as being true.

Gossip is such a common sin in Churches today. The devil uses believers as altars to harm others. 

God hates a gossiping tongue. Take caution not to spread information against others; you will not only be harming the other person but also injuring your fellowship with God. 

8. THE CURSING TONGUE

Romans 3:13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.”  “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”

God hates cursing tongues and people that curse have no place in the Kingdom. 

In your anger and frustrations, do not utter cursing words against the other person. 

Rom 12:17,18 says that we should not pay evil with evil. We should strive to maintain peace with all men and never seek to revenge; vengeance belongs to the Lord. 

It is not good for pastors to curse their followers after a fall out. Same case applies to parents as far as their children are concerned.

9. THE PIERCING TONGUE

The piercing tongue is sinful as revealed in Proverbs 12:18. While conveying a message to you, these people tend to speak indirectly in reference to something that concerns you.Do not use your tongue indirectly against someone an effort to mock them.

God hates a tongue that pierces others. 

James 3: 9 "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness."

Jesus entered into a covenant with us at Calvary when he spat the bitter drink; wine mixed with myrrh offered to him. He cleansed and exchanged all the nine sins of the tongue with clean tongues supposed to be used to glorify God. 

How do you use your tongue as a believer? 

In which of these areas are we guilty? We need to make a deliberate and conscious effort to control our tongue lest it leads us to hell. Allow the Holy Spirit to reign over your tongue today!

Be blessed !

Facebook 20

 Dear loved ones, 

in Jacareì (Brazil, Sao Paolo), on 03.08.2005, our Lord Jesus Christ gave 10 wonderful promises in His message to Marcos Tadeu for those who pray every day the rosary of the Tears of Blood of Virgin Mary.

1. He/she will not die a violent death.

2. He/she will not know the fire of Hell.

3. He/she will not be afflicted with misery.

4. He/she will not know the fires of Purgatory.

5. He/she will not die before he has received God's forgiveness.

6. My Mother herself will comfort him/her in his agony.

7. The Queen of Heaven will accompany him/her, placing him beside her throne.

8. He will be counted among the martyrs, as if he were truly so on earth.

9. the souls of his relatives will not be condemned until the fourth generation.

10. he will follow My Mother everywhere in Heaven, and will have a knowledge, a unique happiness, which is not granted to others who have not prayed the Rosary of My Mother's Tears.

+++

Message of the angel Mariel to Marcos Tadeu (10.05.2010):

"Marcos, peace!

Peace to all!

Pray, pray much the Rosary of the Tears of the Mother of God, which is very powerful against the forces of evil and in achieving the conversion of sinners!

Pray it every day!

Peace, I bless you all!"

+++

"My daughter, what people ask of Me through the tears of My Mother, I lovingly grant."

(Jesus said to Sister Amalia - Campinas, Brazil, Sao Paolo)

+++

"Have you never heard that I am ready to restore friendship with you, because I am obliged by those most pure Tears that the Most Holy One offers Me in Reparation?"

(Jesus said to Deborah - Manduria, Italy)

+++

"Devotion to My Tears will save the world. They constitute the last hope.... It is the devotion that will save Italy from the great spiritual decay! Today in the world there is no longer any importance given to the Eucharist, and My Tears will save the world from a great catastrophe... Offer acts of Reparation beginning with the hearts of families, so that the Lord God may succor you and give you the necessary power during the trials, which He will allow... "

Rosary of the Tears of Blood

Pray the Rosary of the Tears of Blood and spread its devotion. The devil is put to flight when it is said.

Begin:

"Crucified Jesus, prostrate at Thy feet, we offer Thee the tears of blood of Her, who with devotional sympathetic love accompanied Thee on Thy painful way to Calvary. Grant, O good Master, that we take to heart the lessons which the blood-stained tears of Thy most holy Mother taught us, so that we may fulfill Thy holy will on earth and become worthy to praise and bless Thee in Heaven for all eternity. Amen.

On the large beads is said (a, b, c, d, e, f):

"O Jesus, look upon the tears of blood of Her who loved Thee most while on earth and who loves Thee most intimately in Heaven.

On the small beads is said (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7): (seven times)

"O Jesus, hear our petitions for the sake of the tears of blood shed by They dearest Mother.

At the end, say 3 times:(a1, a2, a3)

O Jesus, look upon the tears of blood of Her who loved Thee most while on earth and who loves Thee most intimately in Heaven.

and then

"O Mary, mother of love, of sorrows and of mercy, we beg thee, join Thy prayers with ours so that Jesus Thy Divine Son, to whom we turn, will graciously hear our petitions in the name of Thy maternal tears of blood, and, together with the graces we implore, grant us finally the reward of eternal life. Amen.

With thy tears of blood, O sorrowful Mother, destroy the rule of satan. Through Thy divine tenderness, O bound and fettered Jesus, defend the world from the errors which threaten it.

Facebook 19

 ⚜️Our Lady of Tears⚜️

➡️Sister Amalia Aguirre (1901–1977) was a professed religious of the Missionaries of Jesus Crucified in Brazil. Visited by a relative with an ill loved one, Sr. Amalia took her request for healing to Jesus in the Tabernacle and offered herself as a victim. Jesus then spoke the words of this rosary to her and told her that whatever is asked of Him through the tears of His Mother, He will grant with much love.

➡️Mary promised Sr. Amalia that many souls will be converted through this rosary, especially those possessed by the devil. Given that this rosary has the power to convert even the most hardened and lost souls, it is surely a weapon of defense against any kind of spiritual attack.

➡️In these times, the evil one seeks to lead us into despair and hopelessness by way of fear and a lack of trust in Our Lord and Savior. Through the tears of our Heavenly Mother, we stand in great faith that Our Beloved Jesus will grant any request we bring to Him for a restoration of faith, hope, love, deliverance, peace, and healing. To Jesus, through Mary. Now and always.

➡️This rosary or chaplet was revealed in 1929 and 1930, by Our Lord and His most holy Mother to Sister Amalia in Campina, Brazil, and was confirmed as supernatural by Bishop Campos Baretto.

➡️Our Lords words to Sister Amalia on November 8, 1929 were: “My daughter, whatever I am asked through the tears of My Mother, I shall give lovingly.” On March 8, 1930 the most Pure Mother stated: “Through this rosary the devil will be subdued and the power of Hell will be destroyed. Prepare yourself for this great combat.” Today the devil has much power because we have forgotten sin and no longer believe that Satan exists.

🙏😇Beginning Prayer😇🙏

✝️Start with Our Father and Hail Mary.✝️

Crucified Jesus, prostrate at Your feet, we offer You the tears of the Mother who, with love full of devotion and sympathy, accompanied You on Your painful way to Calvary. Grant, O Good Master, that we take to heart the lessons which the tears of Your Most Holy Mother have taught us, so that we may fulfill Your Holy Will on earth and become worthy to praise and bless You in heaven for all eternity. Amen.

🙏😇Large Beads😇🙏

🛐Instead of the “Our Father” say:🛐

V. O Jesus, look upon the tears of the Mother who loved You most while on earth,

R. And who loves You so ardently in heaven

🙏😇Small Beads😇🙏

🛐Instead of the “Hail Mary” say:🛐

O Jesus hear our petitions, for the sake of the tears shed by Your dearest Mother.

🙏😇At the end (repeat 3 times)😇🙏

O Jesus, look upon the tears of the Mother who loved You most while on earth, and who loves You so ardently in heaven (x3)

🛐Concluding Prayer🛐

O Mary, Mother of Love, of Sorrows and of Mercy, we beg You, join Your prayers with ours so that Jesus, Your Divine Son to whom we turn, will graciously hear our petitions for the sake of Your maternal tears, and, together with the graces we implore, grant us finally the reward of eternal life. Amen.

With Your tears, O sorrowful Mother, destroy the dominion of Satan. Through Your divine tenderness, O bound and fettered Jesus, defend the world from the errors which threaten it. Amen. 

🌹References:🌹

https://healingheartofjesus.com/2021/03/03/the-rosary-of-our-lady-of-tears/

https://stfrancisnewtonparish.com/the-rosary-of-the-chaplet-of-tears/

Facebook 18

 The Miraculous Story Behind the Shoulder Wound of Jesus

In His Passion, our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ suffered greatly for the sins of man. He wore the crown of thorns, was scourged at the pillar, and had the Five Holy Wounds inflicted upon Him. While most Catholics know of these, few are familiar with the shoulder wound of Jesus, and the miraculous story behind its devotion.

Tradition says as Jesus walked the three miles from Pontius Pilate’s courtyard to His Crucifixion at Calvary, the Cross dug through His shoulder ripping flesh from bone. According to a pious legend, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux prayed and asked of Christ what was his greatest unknown suffering, and what wound suffered in His Passion was most painful. Christ replied to him:

       “I had on My Shoulder while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound which was more painful than the others, and which is not recorded by men.”

Christ asked that Saint Bernard and other members of the Faithful keep a devotion to his shoulder wound, and that those who do will receive God’s grace.

       “Honor this Wound with thy devotion, and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost ask through its virtue and merit. And in regard to all those who shall venerate this Wound, I will remit to them all their venial sins, and will no longer remember their mortal sins.”

Saint Bernard heeded Christ’s call, composing a beautiful devotional prayer to honor the shoulder wound of Our Savior:

       “O Loving Jesus, Meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy Flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain and by the crushing burden of Thy heavy Cross, to be merciful to me, a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins and to lead me on towards Heaven along the Way of Thy Cross. Amen.”

While Saint Bernard was the first to venerate the shoulder wound, he was not the last. Saint Padre Pio kept a devotion and also suffered the same wound himself as a stigmata. When Pope Saint John Paul II was still a priest he visited Padre Pio and asked him which wound was his most painful. Father Wojtyła expected that it was his chest wound, but the saint replied:

       “It is my shoulder wound, which no one knows about and has never been cured or treated.”

Prior to his death, Padre Pio confided to Brother Modestino Fucci at his friary in San Giovanni Rotondo that his greatest pains happened when took off his shirt. At the time, Fucci believed it to be his chest wounds much like John Paul II. When he was later assigned the task of inventorying all the items inside the cell of the late Padre Pio, he noticed his undershirts had blood stains on the right shoulder.

That night, Brother Fucci prayed asking Padre Pio for a sign if he truly bore the shoulder wound of Christ. At 1 A.M., he awoke with an excruciating pain in his right shoulder and the room was filled the aroma of flowers, the sign Padre Pio’s spiritual presence, and he heard a voice call out: “This is what I had to suffer!”

Facebook 17

 THE IMPORTANCE AND 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗨𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

1. A Holy Hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament is so important to Jesus that a multitude of souls go to heaven who otherwise would have gone to hell. (Jesus’s revelation to Blessed Dina Belanger)

2. Our Lord hears our prayers anywhere, but He has revealed to His servants that those who visit Him in the Eucharist will obtain a more abundance of grace. (St. Alphonsus Ligouri)

3. ”You can come to me (in Eucharistic Adoration) at any time; I want to speak to you and I desire to grant you grace!” (Jesus to St. Faustina)

4. If souls understood the treasure they possess in the Divine Eucharist the churches would overflow with adorers no less by night than by day. (Blessed Dina Belanger)

5. Restoration, sanctification, transformation, reparation and salvation are the graces being poured out graciously upon us with each Holy Hour we make. (excerpt from “Letters to a Brother Priest”)

6. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is the best time you will spend on earth! (St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

7. A thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. (St. Padre Pio)

8. Let us take time, in the course of the week, to go in and spend a moment with the Lord who is so near. (Pope Benedict XVI).

Facebook 16

 THE 10 COMMANDMENTS - A DETAILED CATHOLIC EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

From online sources 

A good Catholic examination of conscience can be a great help in making a new start in the life of faith. We use an examination of conscience to help call to mind our sins and failings during a period of quiet reflection before approaching the priest in Confession.

It's important for a good Catholic examination of conscience to be thorough. This will help you learn about things that you may not be aware of. It's also a chance to develop your conscience. This is a critical aid for the beginning Catholic.

To make an examination:

1 - Set aside some quiet time for reflection.

2 - Start by praying to the Holy Spirit, asking for help in making a good examination to prepare for Confession.

3 Read through the items on this list and honestly reflect on your behavior for each item.

4 - If necessary, take this list or some brief notes (keep them private!) to Confession to help you remember things.

A Catholic examination of conscience traditionally follows the outline of the Ten Commandments

(I) - “I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD BESIDES ME.”

1 - Have I doubted or denied God’s existence?

2 - Have I been ungrateful to God for His benefits?

3 - Am I open to God’s will?

4 - Do I rely solely on myself and not on God?

5 - Have I abandoned the Catholic Faith? Formally left the Catholic Church?

6 - Have I joined a non-Catholic church or anti-Catholic group or practiced another religion or joined a group forbidden to Catholics (Masons, communists, etc.)?

7 - Have I refused to believe any truths of the Faith or any teachings of the Church?

8 - Did I fail to profess or defend the Faith?

9 - Have I failed to go to confession at least once a year?

10 - Have I been faithful to my daily prayers?

11 - Have I practiced any superstitions? Engaged in superstitious practices?(Including horoscopes,fortune tellers, etc.). Been involved in the occult? (Seances, ouija board, worship of  Satan, etc.)

12 - Am I unwilling to turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s work in my soul. 

13 - Disobeyed the commandments of God or the Church?

14 - Refused to accept what God has revealed as true ?

15 - Nourished and protected my faith?

16 - Rejected everything opposed to a sound faith?

17 - Deliberately misled others about doctrine or the faith?

18 - Despaired about my salvation or the forgiveness of my sins?

19 - Presumed on God's mercy? (Committing a sin in expectation of forgiveness, or asking for forgiveness without conversion and practicing virtue.)

20 - Loved someone or something more than God (money, power, sex, ambition,etc.)?

21 - Let someone or something influence my choices more than God?

22 - Hidden a serious sin or told a lie in confession?

(II) - “YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD, YOUR GOD, IN VAIN.”

1 - Have I taken the Lord’s name in vain, for example, carelessly, in anger, or surprise?

2 - Do I speak irreverently of holy persons, places or things?

3 - Have I cursed myself or others?

4 - Did I use profanity, vulgar, suggestive or obscene speech ?

5 - Have I called down evil upon anyone or anything?

6 - Did I get angry with God and blamed God for my failings?

7 - Have I angered others so as to make them curse?

8 - Have I broken or failed to keep a vow made to God?

9 - Have I murmured or complained about God?

10 - Used the name of God in cursing or blasphemy?

11 - Spoken about the Faith, the Church, the saints, or sacred things  with irreverence,hatred or defiance?

12 - Watched television or movies, or listened to music that treated God, the Church,the saints, or sacred things irreverently?

13 - Belittled others in my speech?

14 - Behaved disrespectfully in Church?

15 - Misused places or things set apart for the worship of God?

16 - Committed perjury? (Breaking an oath or lying under oath.)

(III) - “REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.”

1 - Set time aside each day for personal prayer to God?

2 - Missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation (through own fault without sufficient reason)?

3 - Committed a sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament?

4 - Received a sacrament while in the state of mortal sin? 

5 - Habitually come late to and/or leave early from Mass without a good reason?

6 - Shop, labor, or do business unnecessarily on Sunday or other Holy Days of Obligation?

7 - Not attend to taking my children to Mass?

8 - Knowingly eat meat on a forbidden day (or not fasting on a fast day)?

9 - Eat or drink within one hour of receiving Communion (other than medical need)?

10 - Have I been irreverent while receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament?

11 - Have I been willfully distracted during Mass?

12 - Do I distract others during Mass?

(IV) - “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.”

1 - (If still under my parents' care) Obeyed all that my parents reasonably asked of me?

2 - Neglected the needs of my parents in their old age or in their  time of need?

3 - (If still in school) Obeyed the reasonable demands of my teachers?

4 - Neglected to give my children proper food, clothing, shelter, education, discipline and care (even after Confirmation)?

5 - Provided for the religious education and formation of my children for as long as they are under my care?

6 - Ensured that my children still under my care regularly frequent  the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion?

7 - Educated my children in a way that corresponds to my religious convictions?

8 - Provided my children with a positive, prudent and personalized education in the Catholic teaching on human sexuality?

9 - Been to my children a good example of how to live the Catholic Faith?

10 - Prayed with and for my children?

11 - Lived in humble obedience to those who legitimately exercise authority over me?

12 - Have I broken the law in regards towards the elderly ?

13 - Have I supported or voted for a politician whose positions are opposed to the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church?

14 - Have I disobeyed, insulted, or shown disrespect to my parents or legitimate superiors?

15 -  Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?

16 - Did I neglect to give a good religious example to my family?

17 - Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous toward my family?

18 - Have I failed to meet my children’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational needs?

19 - Have I disobeyed the lawful demands of my superiors, teachers, or employer?

20 - Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children?

21 - Did I cause tension and fights in my family?

22 - Did I care for my aged and infirm relatives?

(V) - “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER"

1 - Unjustly and intentionally killed a human being?

2 - Been involved in an abortion, directly or indirectly ( through advice, etc.)?

3 - Have I entertained thoughts of suicide, desired to commit suicide, or attempted suicide?

4 - Supported, promoted or encouraged the practice of assisted suicide or mercy killing?

5 - Deliberately desired to kill an innocent human being?

6 - Unjustly inflicted bodily harm an another person?

7 - Unjustly threatened another person with bodily harm?

8 - Verbally or emotionally abused another person?

9 - Hated another person, or wished him evil?

10 - Been prejudiced, or unjustly discriminated against others because of their race, color, nationality, sex or religion?

11 - Joined a hate group?

12 - Purposely provoked another by teasing or nagging? Have I spread gloom through my words and actions?

13 - Recklessly endangered my life or health, or that of another, by my actions?

14 - Driven recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs?

15 - Abused alcohol tobacco or other drugs?

16 - Sold or given drugs to others to use for non-therapeutic  purposes?

17 - Over-eaten?

18 - Encouraged others to sin by giving scandal? Have I led others into sin

19 - Helped another to commit a mortal sin (through advice, them somewhere, etc.?) 

20 - Caused serious injury or death by criminal neglect?

21 - Indulged in serious anger?

22 - Refused to control my temper?

23 - Been mean to, quarreled with, or willfully hurt someone? Have I used harsh or abusive language toward others?

24 - Been unforgiving to others, when mercy or pardon was requested? Is there anyone with whom I refuse to speak, or against whom I bear a grudge?

25 - Sought revenge or hoped something bad would happen to someone? Do I deliberately harbor unkind and revengeful thoughts about others? Have I taken revenge?

26 - Delighted to see someone else get hurt or suffer? Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortunes?

27 - Treated animals cruelly, causing them to suffer or die  needlessly?

28 - Used artificial contraception or birth control?

29 - Have I failed to help someone in danger or in need?

30 - Have I wished evil on anyone?

(VI) - “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY” 

1 - Practiced the virtue of chastity?

2 - Given in to lust? (The desire for sexual pleasure unrelated to spousal love in marriage.)

3 - Used an artificial means of birth control?

4 - Refused to be open to conception, without just cause? (Catechism,  2368)

5 - Participated in immoral techniques for in vitro fertilization or  artificial insemination?

6 - Sterilized my sex organs for contraceptive purposes?

7 - Deprived my spouse of the marital right, without just cause?

8 - Claimed my own marital right without concern for my spouse?

9 - Deliberately caused male climax outside of normal sexual  intercourse? (Catechism, 2366)

10 - Willfully entertained impure thoughts?

11 - Purchased, viewed, or made use of pornography?

12 - Watched movies and television that involve sex and nudity?

13 - Listened to music or jokes that are harmful to purity?

14 - Committed adultery? (Sexual relations with someone who is married, or with someone other than my spouse.)

15 - Committed incest? (Sexual relations with a relative or in-law.)

16 - Committed fornication? (Sexual relations with someone of the opposite sex when neither of us is married.)

17 - Engaged in homosexual activity? (Sexual activity with someone of the same sex.)

18 - Committed rape?

19 - Masturbated? (Deliberate stimulation of one's own sexual organs for sexual pleasure.)

19 - Engaged in sexual foreplay (petting) reserved for marriage?

20 - Preyed upon children or youth for my sexual pleasure?

21 - Engaged in unnatural sexual activities?

22 - Engaged in prostitution, or paid for the services of a Prostitute?

23 - Seduced someone, or allowed myself to be seduced?

24 - Made uninvited and unwelcome sexual advances toward another?

25 - Purposely dressed immodestly?

(VII) - “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.”

1-  Stolen? (Take something that doesn't belong to me against the reasonable will of the owner.) Have I accepted or bought stolen property?

2 - Envied others on account of their possessions?

3 - Tried to live in a spirit of Gospel poverty and simplicity?

4 - Given generously to others in need?

5 - Considered that God has provided me with money so that I might use it to benefit others, as well as for my own legitimate needs?

6 - Freed myself from a consumer mentality?

7 - Practiced the works of mercy? Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent need?

8 - Deliberately defaced, destroyed or lost another's property?

9 - Cheated on a test, taxes, sports, games, or in business? Am I dishonest in my business dealings?

10 - Squandered money in compulsive gambling?

11 - Make a false claim to an insurance company?

12 - Paid my employees a living wage, or failed to give a full day's  work for a full day's pay? Have I cheated my employees of their wages?

13 - Failed to honor my part of a contract? Have I cheated my employer of an honest day’s work?

14 - Failed to make good on a debt?

15 - Overcharge someone, especially to take advantage of another's  hardship or ignorance?

16 - Misused natural resources.

17 - Have I failed to make restitution for what I stole.

18 - Have I helped someone steal?

19 - Have I borrowed without permission? Have I failed to return things borrowed?

(VIII) “YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGBOR.”

1 - Have I lied deliberately?

2 - Have I deliberately misled or deceived anyone?

3 - Perjured myself under oath?

4 - Did I gossip or reveal others’ faults or sins?

5 - Committed detraction? (Destroying a person's reputation by telling others about his faults for no good reason.)

6 - Committed slander or calumny? (Telling lies about another person in order to destroy his reputation.)

7 - Committed libel? (Writing lies about another person in order to  destroy his reputation.)

8 - Been guilty of rash judgment? (Assuming the worst of another person based on circumstantial evidence.)

9 - Failed to make reparation for a lie I told, or for harm done to a  person's reputation?

10 - Failed to speak out in defense of the Catholic Faith, the Church, or of another person? Have I failed to prevent the defamation of another’s character?

11 - Betrayed another's confidence through speech?

12 - Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?

13 - Have I signed false documents?

14 - Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?

15 - Have I revealed secrets and betrayed trust?

16 - Have a failed to forgive someone or held a grudge?

17 - Did I fail to keep secret what should be confidential?

18 - Have I disclosed another’s sins without serious reason?

(IX) “YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S WIFE”

1 - Did I commit impure acts with another – fornication (premarital sex) or adultery (sex with a married person)?

2 - Did I commit impure acts by myself (masturbation)?

3 - Do I engage in homosexual acts?

4 - Have I refused my spouse the marriage right without good reason?

5 - Am I dating someone who is civilly divorced but still bound by a valid marriage?

6 - Did I marry or advise anyone to marry outside the Catholic Church?

7 - Have I willfully entertained impure thoughts or desires?

8 - Did I respect all members of the opposite sex, or have I objectified them?

9 - Have I read, listened to, viewed, or spoken of impure things?

10 - Have I worn revealing or immodest clothing?

11 - Have I succumbed occasions of impurity?

(X) “YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GOODS”

1 - Am I greedy or selfish?

2 - Am I envious of someone’s possessions, talents, or blessings?

3 - Do I indulge in self-pity?

4 - Am I proud, vain, or desire to be praised?

5 - Have I exaggerated my success?

6 - Have I minimized or made excuses for my failures?

7 - Have I measured my charity by what others have given, rather than my ability to give?

Facebook 15

 13 THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT SATAN AND HIS DEMONS

The renowned exorcist P. Jose Antonio Fortea in his “Summa Daemoniaca” mentions a large set of questions related to the devil that is important for every Christian to take into account for the spiritual battle to reach heaven. 

Here are 13 things you may not have known about the devil and his demons.

1. - THE ENEMY HAS MANY NAMES 

In the Old Testament, he is called “Satan” which would mean “accuser, foe, adversary.” Also, in the New Testament he is referred to as “Devil,” which comes from the Greek word “diablos” (accuse). Instead the word demon, from the Greek “daimon” (genius), is used to designate evil spiritual beings.

Lucifer is a name that is not in the Holy Scriptures and meaning “morning star” or “the bearer of the light.” Which "remember the sorrow so great that being so beautiful, it falls", says Fr. P. Fortea . However, the presbyter follows the same idea of another renowned exorcist, P. Gabriele Amorth, who considers Lucifer to be the proper name of the second demon in importance in the demonic hierarchy.

2. - THE GREAT TEST 

All the angels when created by God knew that He was their creator, but they went through a test “before the vision of the essence of Divinity.” By comparison, the priest explains that it would be like saying that “they saw God as a light, they heard Him as a majestic and holy voice, but their face continued if they were relieved.”

"In that test some obeyed, others disobeyed. Those who irreversibly disobeyed were transformed into demons. They themselves became what they are. Nobody made them like that.”

3. - THE BATTLE IN HEAVEN WAS INTELLECTUAL 

In that regard, the exorcist indicates that the disobedient angels began to hate God and to see Him as a chain that oppressed their freedom. The battle between Michael and Lucifer, each with his angels, was not with weapons, since they have no body, "the only weapons that can blaze are intellectual arguments", he explains.

“Some became more arrogant, others not so much. Each rebellious angel was being deformed more and more, each into specific sins. Just as, on the contrary, the faithful angels went away sanctifying themselves progressively. Some angels are more sanctified in one virtue than others in another.. the angels were admitted into the divine presence, and the demons were allowed to go away.”

4. - THE REASON FOR THEIR REBELLION 

Only at this point is the book "History of the Angelic World" taken as a reference, also from Fr. Fortea. There it suggests, like a novel, that the test that the angels would have gone through is the revelation that God made to them about creating the material world with humanity, that He would become man to save sinners and that He would be born of a woman, the woman would be the queen of the angels.

Lucifer couldn't handle this idea, he believed he should be birthed by being the Creator's "masterpiece". Later on with other angels they accused God of being wrong and rebelled completely. The angels who obeyed the will of God bowed down to worship their creator, yet without seeing their essence yet.. While the rebels turned away from the love of God.

5. - THEY ARE SPIRITUAL BEINGS 

“A demon is a spiritual being of angelic nature condemned eternally.” That is, they have no body, they feel no inclination towards any sin committed with the body, but they can tempt men to sin in such matters. They understand those sins in a purely intellectual way and their faults are only spiritual..

In this sense the exorcist states that Satan “remains a beautiful angel in nature, albeit repugnant in his moral appearance... His personal being has been deformed, but his nature remains and will remain intact no matter what he does. Since both are inseparable, he genuinely is a monster, a deformed being, someone who produces repugnance and aversion

6. - BETWEEN THE DEMONS THERE IS ALSO TIME 

Their time is not material like that of humans, but is a time typical of the spirits, which is called “aeviternity” (“aevum” in Latin) and is the succession of acts of understanding and will in a spiritual being.

The Creator, on the other hand, lives in an eternal present. In Him alone there is no succession of time of any kind. Not a single second has ever passed in Him, not a second before or after. The eternity of God is qualitatively different from the eternity of material time (with a beginning, but without an end) and the eternity of evo (also with a beginning, also without an end)”, points Fr. Fortea .

7. - THEY SUFFER TO CONSIDER GOD 

Every fallen angel “in knowing finds pleasure, but also suffering. You suffer every time that knowledge leads you to consider God. And the devil continually perceives the order and glory of the Creator in all things.. Even in the seemingly most neutral things, he finds the reflection and memory of divine attributes.”

However, the exorcist states that "the devil is not always suffering at every moment. A lot of times you just think. He only suffers at certain moments, when he remembers God, when he becomes aware of his miserable state, of his separation from God

8. - THEY DO NOT KNOW THE FUTURE, NOR CAN THEY READ THE THOUGHTS 

Demons do not see the future, but with their intelligence far superior to that of humans they can infer from their causes some things that will happen. They don't know what one will decide because "human freedom is the great factor of indetermination in their predictions," says Fr. Fortea.

“Demons can tempt us but they can’t read our thoughts. Although given their great intelligence they can guess what we think. By being more intelligent than we are, they infer far more things and more safely with very few external signs than we would infer. But we must always remember that they are out of our soul, only God can read our soul

9. - BEWARE OF TEMPTATIONS 

“The devil may introduce thoughts, images, or memories to us, but he cannot introduce himself to our will. We may be tempted, but in the end we do what we want. “Not all the powers of hell can force someone to commit even the smallest sin,” claims the priest.

Similarly he points out that “if one is tempted and prays, the temptation disappears. Temptation is incompatible with prayer. Prayer first creates a barrier against temptation because our will and intelligence are focused on God. And if we insist a little more, the devil can’t resist it and flees.”

10. - THEY HATE THE ASCETICS MORE 

Exorcist Fortea confidently states that of all the Christians that are in the Church, the devil hates the most is the one that is devoted to asceticism (discipline, fasting, meditation, prayer, sacrifices, etc. to achieve the virtue ).

"The devil hates much more the ascetic than the ecclesiastical hierarchy or the exorcists themselves. The Exorcist casts out one, two, a dozen demons... The man who mortifies himself breaks in a much more powerfully the demonic influence in this world by the mere fact of bearing upon his body and spirit the everyday passion of his crucified life

11. - THE MEANING OF THE CROSS FOR DEMONS 

The priest describes that “each and every one of the demons were there, surrounding the Cross, contemplating with delight their triumph.” However, they couldn’t imagine that it was the greatest victory of the Kingdom of Heaven that left them “speechless” with the Resurrection.

“God the Father had not spared the Passion nor his own Son... The Passion on the Cross was palpable proof that Divine Justice was not tragedy in vain. It was at that moment when all the demons became fully aware that their condemnation would not have any pardon for centuries and centuries.”

"That's why they were contemplating the Cross with the joy of their evil victory, they came to understand that for them it would be forever the terrible memory of Divine Justice. And that is why above all, the demons hate the image of the cross more than the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the image of any other saint or the representation of another sacred mystery.”

12. - OBJECTS THAT TORMENT THE DEMONS 

“The Church with the power it has received from Christ can attach a spiritual effect to an object,” explains Fr. Fortea . He recounts that at one time there was no water during an exorcism and he blessed the contents of a lemonade bottle, but the effect it had was much smaller.

“After a few minutes I ordered in the name of Jesus the demon to tell me why that was so. He resisted, but in the end he said that water was a symbol of purity and cleanliness. Well, he said that that other blessed liquid also had some effect on him, but less.”

Other objects that torment the demons are the relics of the saints and the cross. Likewise, religious images also torment them, more if they are blessed, and with greater strength "if in the blessing expressly asked God to repel demons".

13. - 666 ISN'T THE NUMBER OF SATAN BUT A MAN 

The exorcist claims that identifying the biblical figure of the Antichrist with that of the devil is a mistake because the "666" mentioned in the Revelation is the number of a human being.

Therefore he is a man who spreads hate, war and evil. "Nero, Napoleon, and especially Hitler, are the figure and sketch of the ultimate and perfect Antichrist," he says.

"It is also very clear to us the figure of the Antichrist is his very name Anti-Christ. That is, it's about the anti-Christ figure. Christ was a man, so was the Antichrist. Christ spread love peace mercy The Antichrist will spread hate, war, vengeance.”

SOURCE

https://www.facebook.com/101423297904682/posts/750744489639223/

Facebook 14

 A TOUR OF HEAVEN

For centuries, man has pondered the existence of an afterlife. Is there really a Heaven? Are there pearly gates, streets paved with gold, angels playing harps, and eternal happiness?

Is there actually a Hell? Is it truly governed by Satan and filled with fire and misery? Are there any other realms that exist between these two extremes?

People who have described near-death experiences report glimpses of these realms in the precious minutes during which they were declared clinically dead. One of the more recent and intriguing accounts was publicized in the book “Heaven is for Real.” As an assertive, matter-of-fact, no-nonsense, four-year old, Colton Burpo confidently described seeing beautiful views of Heaven:

“Heaven is more amazing than you can imagine.  I could hear beautiful music and see lots of colors.  Big, bright rainbows are everywhere you look.  The streets are gold, the gates are made of pearl, and shiny jewels are on the walls.” (64:9)

Are these the fanciful wishes of a four-year old’s imagination?  Perhaps – that is, until you read Revelation 21:19, 21 –

 “The foundation stones of the city walls had every kind of jewel in them … The twelve gates were twelve pearls.  Each gate was made from a single pearl.  The street of the city was made of pure gold.  The gold was clear as glass.”

Don Piper was on his way home from a conference when his car was crushed by a semi-truck that crossed into his lane.  Medical personnel said he died instantly.  While his body lay lifeless inside the ruins of his car, Piper experienced the glories of heaven, awed by its beauty and music.  Ninety minutes after the wreck, while a minister prayed for him, Piper miraculously returned to life on earth with only the memory of inexpressible heavenly bliss.  He describes the gates and walls of heaven as well as the streets within — and the glorious music:

“Looming just over the heads of the loved ones who had come to greet me stood an awesome gate interrupting a wall that faded out of sight in both directions.  It struck me that the actual entrance was small in comparison to the massive gate itself.  I stared, but I couldn’t see the end of the walls in either direction … The gate wasn’t made of pearls, but was pearlescent – perhaps iridescent … To me it looked as if someone had spread pearl icing on a cake.  The gate glowed and shimmered.” (65:50-51)

“I paused just outside the gate, and I could see inside.  It was like a city with paved streets.  To my amazement, they had been constructed of literal gold.  If you imagine a street paved with gold bricks, that’s as close as I can come to describing what lay inside the gate.  Everything I saw was bright – the brightest colors my eyes had ever beheld – so powerful that no earthly human could take in this brilliance.” (65:51)

“It was the most beautiful and pleasant sound I’ve ever heard … I felt awestruck, wanting only to listen … It seemed like I was part of the music – and it played in and through my body … I felt embraced by the sounds … As I became aware of the joyous sounds and melodies that filled the air … I felt as if the heavenly concert permeated every part of my being … I call it music, but it differed from anything I had ever heard or ever expect to hear on the earth.  The melodies of praise filled the atmosphere … the praise was unending … Praise was everywhere, and all of it was musical, yet comprised of melodies and tones I’d never experienced before.” (65:46-47)

Four-year old Colton also describes,

“Heaven is not scary – ever!  There is no sun, but it never gets dark in heaven because the light of God is so bright.  No one ever cries or is afraid in heaven.  No one ever gets sad or mad.  Everyone is happy there!” (64:10)

 Don Piper adds his impression of the light in heaven:

“Coming out from the gate – a short distance ahead – was a brilliance that was brighter than the light that surrounded me, utterly luminous … Everything I saw glowed with intense brightness … as far ahead as I could see, there was absolutely nothing but intense, radiant light … The light engulfed me, and I had the sense that I was being ushered into the presence of God.” (65:44)

Revelation 21: 23-24 –

“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it.  The glory of God is its light, and the Lamb is the city’s lamp.  By its light the people of the world will walk.”

If we can accept that the visionaries who have encountered the Virgin Mary are credible, honest, and genuine witnesses to supernatural visits, can we also believe their accounts of visiting or seeing Heaven, Hell, and other realms?  Hesitate before you answer that question – because first you need to hear what they are actually reporting.  Here are some excerpts from their testimonies:

CUAPA, NICARAGUA  (1980)

On June 8, 1980, Mary appeared again, giving Bernardo four visions – “which were like movies in the sky.”  The first vision was of the first Christians, singing and marching towards Heaven.  They were dressed in white – their bodies glowing with light.  The second vision was of another group of people also dressed in white.  They held illuminated rosaries in their hands.  The leader read from a book, and after meditating on the reading, they prayed one “Our Father” and ten “Hail Mary’s.”  Mary explained that they were the first ones to whom she had given the Rosary.  She wanted everyone to pray the Rosary like they were doing.  In the third vision, Bernardo saw a group of men dressed in brown robes.  Mary explained that these were the Franciscans.  “They received the Rosary from the hands of the first ones.”  In the fourth vision, he saw a large group, as big as an army, of people in normal dress, all holding rosaries.  Light radiated from their bodies, and they were beautiful.  He wanted to join them and go with them even though he was not illuminated, himself.  The Virgin replied,

“No!  You are still lacking.  You have to tell the people what you have seen and heard.  I have shown you the glory of Our Lord, and you people will acquire this if you are obedient to Our Lord, to the Lord’s Word – if you persevere in praying the Holy Rosary and put into practice the Lord’s Word.”

Bernardo only shared these visions with the priest, knowing that the church must approve them first.  The priest gave Bernardo approval and permission to spread the visions. (2:159-161)

MEDJUGORJE, BOSNIA-HERZOGOVINA (1981-present)

In early October of 1981, Vicka received a surprise while visiting Jakov at his home.  The Virgin Mary suddenly appeared and announced that she was going to take them to see Heaven.  Jakov became frightened, thinking that they would not return and said, “Why don’t you just take Vicka?  She has many brothers and sisters, but I am the only child of my mother.”  The Virgin just smiled sweetly and took the two of them by their hands.  Vicka describes the experience:

“I was wondering how many days we would be traveling (to get to heaven), and whether we would go through the sky or the ground.  Our Lady took my right hand and Jakov’s left hand and took us with her.  We saw the ceiling opening, giving us just enough space to go through, and within the wink of an eye, we found ourselves in heaven.  Heaven is one huge endless space.  It has a brilliant light which does not leave it.  There is a special kind of life that does not exist on the earth at all.  We saw people dressed in pink, yellow, and gray gowns.  Nobody was older than 33 years old.  They were walking, praying, and singing, and there were small angels circling around.  We saw people praying and singing, together in groups, but we could not understand what they were saying.  It must have been some heavenly language.  We experienced a special indescribable joy.  Our Lady told us to have a good look at how overjoyed all those who were in heaven were.  It was a special kind of joy that cannot be experienced on the earth.  Everything is definitely so much more beautiful.  When you are entering heaven, you experience an enormous feeling of separation from this life and enter a special new life.” (48:65-66)(45:135)

Mary:    “All those who are faithful to God will have that.  I did this so you could see the happiness which awaits those who love God.” (45:135)

The children were not dreaming this, nor were they just given visions.  They were physically absent from Jakov’s house for exactly twenty minutes.  Jakov’s mother saw them in the home right before they departed.  When she couldn’t find them a moment later, she frantically searched everywhere for them, inside and outside of the house for twenty minutes.  She was becoming very fearful when they suddenly reappeared within the home, telling her where Blessed Mary had just taken them. (45:135)(52:61)

Speaking of Heaven, Ivanka was granted a special request by Our Lady on May 7, 1985.

“I never saw Mary so beautiful as on this evening.  She wore the most beautiful gown I have ever seen in my life.  Her gown, veil, and crown had gold and silver sequins of light.  There were two angels with her – I don’t have words to describe this!  Our Lady asked me if I had some wish.  I told her I would like to see my earthly mother (recently deceased).  She smiled, nodded her head, and my mother immediately appeared.  She was smiling.  Our Lady told me to stand up.  I did, and my mother embraced and kissed me, and said, ‘My child, I am so proud of you.’ Then she kissed me and disappeared.  After this, I asked Our Lady if I could kiss Her.  She nodded her head, and I kissed Our Lady.  She blessed me, smiled, and said, ‘Go in God’s peace.’” (52:234)

Ivanka said later that her mother looked the same but much prettier with no evidence of the suffering that she had gone through in the last years.  But her body was no longer like our earthly bodies.  Ivanka added that touching Our Lady’s body was different than that – and that her dress had a “metallic” feel to it. (52:33) Ivanka adds,

“Many people do not believe there is life after this life.  But I am here as a living witness, and I can say there is life after life because I was able to see my Mom.  This witnessing was not just for me, but for all mankind.” (45:127)

Vicka said that “nobody is older than 33 years old” in Heaven.  Colton Burpo validates her perception as he further describes his views of heaven from his four-year old perspective:

“One of the most wonderful things about heaven is that no one ever gets sick or hurt there.  No one ever has bumps or bruises or skinned knees.  No one needs glasses or wheelchairs.  In heaven, no one is old; everyone is young and healthy.  And no one dies in heaven.  In heaven, you live forever with God!” (64:20)

Young Colton had never met or seen a picture of his great-grandfather, “Pop,” who had died years before Colton was born.  Yet, he reports that this great-grandfather came up to him and greeted him while he was in Heaven.  When Colton’s parents showed him a recent picture of “Pop” before he died, Colton did not recognize him.  Then his parents remembered that Colton had said that everyone was young in heaven.  They found a picture of the great-grandfather at age 29 in 1943 (that Colton had never seen), and he immediately recognized him this time. (63)

Colton also described a young girl about age seven running up to him and hugging him.  He did not recognize her either, but she said that she was his older sister.  She knew about Colton and was so glad to finally meet him in person.  Colton says,

“My big sister was so excited to see me that she wouldn’t stop hugging me!” (64:13)

Later, Colton confronted his mother on not telling him that he had had an older sister.  His mother was stunned and in tears; she had never revealed that she had had a miscarriage of a female fetus several years before Colton was born.  How could he possibly have known about this?  When shown a picture of his mother as a young girl, Colton stated that she looked just like that older sister in Heaven! (63)

Visionary Geraldine from Australia had a very similar experience in November of 1989.

“Many things had been going wrong … I needed my grandmother who had partly raised me and was missing her very much.  I needed advice, and I was still grieving for her (she had died in 1982).  With tears streaming down my face, I was thinking of how we used to talk – and of her loving ways – my heart breaking as I wished she was still here.”

“Then, to my surprise, I heard a woman’s voice speaking inside of me clearly.  She said, ‘I am your Blessed Mother.  I am speaking to you from within.  Your earthly mother is not here with you right now so I have come to comfort you during your trials.  However, your other mother (grandmother) is here with Me.  Would you like to speak to her?’  At that moment I thought I was losing my mind … but yet … I felt peaceful and calm and very comforted and loved by this voice.  So, I said, ‘Yes, I would.”

“The next thing I knew, somehow, I was flying in spirit through the sky.  By my left side was an Angel guiding me, and I felt it was my Guardian Angel – and it was nighttime.  I saw in the distance a city.  As we approached this city, it was like a warm and peaceful Sunday afternoon because there was a holiness about it.  I saw white stone houses with flat roofs and park bench seats outside.  There were people sitting on the seats.  As we got closer, I recognized some of the people.  My grandmother was sitting on the right side and my (deceased) sister, Karen, opposite her.  My grandmother looked younger, and there was a beautiful glow about her.  I could see she was looking forward to my being with her.”

“Then I found myself looking towards my sister.  It was like looking through a camera as the focus moved from place to place.  My sister looked about thirty years old now; she was twelve years old when she had died.  Yet, her features were the same.  She was beaming and so happy and smiling.  She said, ‘I have someone very, very special here who is really looking forward to meeting you.  Don’t worry, I am looking after her for you.’  At that moment my view shifted down to see that she was holding the hand of a little girl about nine years old.  She had long hair tied back in a ponytail, and she wore a plain gray dress.  I didn’t know who she was.”

“Then my sister said, ‘This is Geraldine Margaret.’  At that moment I nearly fainted with shock.  I felt the hair stand up on the back of my head, and I felt hot, then cold, as I realized it was the little baby I had miscarried nine years earlier, and it was a girl.  I was going to call her Margaret Geraldine after my grandmother, but instead, they called her after me.  Then this experience ended.  As I came out of the room, my husband said, ‘What’s the matter?’ as he could see by the look on my face that something had happened.”

“I cried continuously at the thought of having a daughter and not knowing her.  Again, I was so upset – not knowing what to make of all this.  Again, I heard this beautiful, soft, loving woman’s voice:  ‘Do not be sad at what you have seen.  Rejoice, rejoice, for your Father in Heaven has given you a wonderful gift.’  I stopped crying and was comforted, feeling a great peace.”  (14:29-30)

The last three examples have suggested that everyone appears younger in Heaven, perhaps no older than 33, the age at which Jesus Christ died.  Maybe nobody is allowed to appear older than Jesus?  In any case, the last two examples suggest that miscarried babies continue to grow up in Heaven, consistent with the age that each would have been if still living on earth.

John Carpenter 

Tours of Eternity

Divine Mysteries and Miracles

Good Catholic 

The Catholic Company