impossible to unravel

A family hemmed in prayer

Is impossible to unravel...

their first courageous step

 For all the saints, 

their first courageous step 

was to daily and continually 

turn away from all things worldly 

in favor of Jesus Christ.

In this way

every thought word and action,

every intention, success and failure,

every labor and sacrifice

was miraculously transformed into

a sweet step to climb 

into the loving arms of Jesus

for all eternity.

A Priest's Love for Mary

Throughout his life as a priest, 

his love for Mary grew. 

He shared this miraculous love 

by remembering everyone's prayer needs, 

and blessing all of us with encouragement and hope.

His message to us was 

that praying the Rosary 

is the answer for every difficulty 

the world presents to our families.

His grace filled love for Mary 

melodiously echoed throughout the sanctuary 

as he lead us in praying the Rosary.

Dear Father,

Thank you for being such a wonderful priest. 

May your retirement be a happy and blessed one.

Mother's Lessons

Our Blessed Mother

 Earnestly cradled

Within her young heart

 God's love and promises

Mother's lessons

Inspired by the Holy Spirit 

Sculpted Mary's life~and ours

To Jesus through Mary!

 Painting of Saint Anne and the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
Saint Anne Shrine, Isle La Motte, VT

Eucharistic Procession

     Our Parish Priest has re established the tradition of a yearly Eucharistic Procession on the Solemnity of the feast of Corpus Christi.I especially remember a procession which took place a few years ago.

     Carrying the Blessed Sacrament in a Monstrance, Father was accompanied by a small group of parishioners and a faithful altar server bearing holy incense. We walked through our town, praying the  Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, reading Scripture passages and singing hymns. At the edge of town, we crossed a bridge where we greeted some people fishing on this warm resplendent afternoon. 

     A couple passing through town got out of their truck and reverently genuflected while making the sign of the Cross.

     At the conclusion of our procession, before we convened inside the Church for Benediction, a Knight of Columbus graced us with beautiful bagpipe music.

Prayer Before a Crucifix:

"Behold, o good and most sweet Jesus, 

I fall upon my knees before Thee 

and with most fervent desire beg and beseech Thee 

that Thou would impress upon my heart 

a lively sense of faith, hope and charity, 

true repentance for my sins, 

and a firm resolve to make amends. 

And with deep affection and grief, 

I reflect upon Thy five wounds, 

having before my eyes 

that which Thy prophet David spoke about Thee, 

Oh good Jesus. 

"They have pierced my hands and feet, 

they have counted all my bones." 

AMEN

Communion Prayer

My Lord Jesus Christ, 

I firmly believe that I am about to receive, in Communion,

Your Body, Your Blood, Your Soul and Your Divinity.

I believe it because You have said it

and I am ready to give my life to maintain this truth. 

Amen

Someone is Praying for Me

     Saint Monica's enduring prayers for her son, Saint Augustine, are memorable. Our Church history reveals the Almighty Father's glorious response to her ardent supplication.

     As Mother Theresa's prayer filled life has taught us, praying the Rosary is "loving Jesus with the heart of Mary". I trust in Jesus and in Our Blessed Mother's constant intercession. All mothers' prayers for their children and loved ones reach Heaven. Upon review of my own life with all of its trials and spiritual upheavals, I have no doubt that someone is praying for me.

Only God

Whenever something wonderful would happen

My grandmother would say "Only God!"

Whenever there was a great need

My grandmother would pray "Only God!"

Whenever, in the midst of tragedy, miraculous transformation emerged

My grandmother would praise "Only God!"

A Story of a Mother Praying for Her Children

         My mother recalls that when she was a little girl, there was a woman at Church who she always saw quietly praying her Rosary~before Mass began, and again after Mass. My mother described the woman as being serene and focused, only occasionally glancing to smile briefly at others. My mother often wondered for whom this woman was praying so intently~perhaps she was praying for her children.

     So impressed by this story, I've had my mother tell it to me again. I can almost visualize the quiet praying woman. 

     Recollection of this story occupies my mind more frequently with time. Whenever friends at church converse asking each other to lift our loved ones in prayer, the woman in my mother's story comes to mind. I never actually saw her, yet I have a perception of her~quietly kneeling and completely focused as she devoutly prays her Rosary. 

Who are the Moms?

     Moms are birth moms, adoptive moms, spiritual moms, grand moms, aunts, big sisters, best friends, teachers, mentors, Mother Superiors and Patron Saints. A mom might be the kind person we chatted with while traveling on the train, or someone whom we haven't heard from in a long, long time.

     Our Loving Father cherishes every woman's heartfelt prayers for her children and loved ones. 

Mothers and Prayers

     Our Blessed Mother's constant intercession is a beautiful example of praying throughout all circumstances.

     Watching the late Mother Angelica's facial expression as she prayed the Saint Michael's Chaplet, I realized the power of every determined, praying mom. Birth moms, adoptive moms, spiritual moms, grand moms, aunts, sisters, Mother Superiors and mentors are all women whose prayers are more powerful than we realize. I am sure that the adversary does anything possible to distract, divert and derail the prayers of these most powerful warriors. When we pray we are on the "front lines" of battle. That's why so many times, our best efforts seem to be thwarted by the unexpected. Saint Teresa of Avila advised "In time of sorrow and trouble cease not from the good works of prayer and penance which thou art in the habit of doing, for Satan is striving to make thee uneasy, and then to abandon them: on the contrary, do thou apply thyself thereunto more earnestly than before, and thou shalt see quickly our Lord will come to thy succor."

months and days

Day of Week	Dedicated to:	Mystery of Rosary
Sunday	Resurrection & the Holy and Undivided Trinity	Glorious
Monday	The Holy Ghost & the Souls in Purgatory	Joyful
Tuesday	The Holy Angels	Sorrowful
Wednesday	St. Joseph	Glorious
Thursday	The Blessed Sacrament	Joyful
Friday	Christ's Passion and His Sacred Heart	Sorrowful
Saturday	The Blessed Virgin and her Immaculate Heart.	Glorious

Month	Dedicated to:
January	The Holy Name and Childhood of Jesus
February	The Holy Family
March	St. Joseph
April	The Blessed Sacrament
May	Mary
June	Sacred Heart of Jesus
July	The Precious Blood
August	Immaculate Heart of Mary
September	Seven Dolours (Sorrows) of Mary
October	The Holy Rosary (and, less formally, the Holy Angels)
November	Poor Souls in Purgatory
December	The Immaculate Conception