I usually resist the urge to simply refer to something else as my post, but this is way too wonderful not to share with the world. PLEASE, take the time to listen to this. Everyone needs to hear this and take it to heart.
What I wish every Catholic Knew: The Truth
What I wish every Catholic would Do: Listen to this man, and take his words truly to heart. Please.
Our Holy Father has declared June 2008-June 2009 as the Pauline Year, in celebration of the Saint’s 2000th birthday. He has invited us to share in celebrating the work of St. Paul, in all that he did to spread the Gospel. This “apostle to the gentiles” brought the Lord to countless people during the first century, and continues to do so today. From Christian persecutor to apostle and Saint, his is one of the most dramatic and well-known conversion stories of all time. His letters contain great insights into the understandings of the early Church, and continue today to shed light on the teachings of Christ and his Church. We should take the time to get to know this man whom the Holy Father has dedicated an entire year to!
“May he guide us and protect us in this bi-millenary celebration,” he added, “helping us to advance in the humble and sincere search for the full unity of all the members of the mystical body of Christ.” ~ Pope Benedict XVI
What I wish every Catholic Knew: That we are celebrating the year of St. Paul
What I wish every Catholic would do: Spend some time each day reading his letters.
The 40th anniversary of the release of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae is just a few weeks away. Human Life International has introduced an initiative to further educate Catholics about the dangers of contraception. To be part of the effort, you can sign HLI’s pledge of fidelity to the teachings of the encyclical and the Church. Here is how the pledge reads:
As an act of public reparation for the damage inflicted and scandal given by those who publicly defied the Church when it issued Humanae Vitae in 1968, I PLEDGE my complete loyalty to the Church’s teaching authority, especially in the area of morals. Further,
I PLEDGE total obedience to the positions Pope Paul VI put forward in Humanae Vitae,
which is the Church’s loving invitation to all mankind - but especially married couples -
to embrace God’s precious gift of life.
To sign the pledge, go to: https://www.hli.org/humanae_vitae_pledge.php
What I wish every Catholic knew: The teachings of the Church in regards to contraception, and how beautiful these teachings are
What I wish every Catholic would do:
1) Read/re-read the encyclical http://www.hli.org/humane_vitae.html
2) Amend one’s life to reflect this beautiful teaching
3) Sign the pledge (there is a separate pledge for clergy on the HLI website)
Everyone is called to fight in the battle against abortion. Everyone. Now, this does not mean everyone is called to pray or protest outside of an abortuary. Not everyone is called to work in public office to fight for the sanctity of human life. Everyone is, however, called to do what their station in life allows for. There are hundreds of ways in which one can help fight abortion (I know, I’ve written an unpublished book listing them!). But that is not what this post is about. It is not about what you can do, but how you can do it. It is about doing whatever it is you are already doing, or are capable of doing, with the support of the Church. It is about the Missionaries of Evangelium Vitae.
Missionaries of Evangelium Vitae is a new Society of Apostolic Life formed by Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life. All people, religious and laity, are welcome. The society works to further the Gospel of Life through the four spiritual disciples of prayer, study, community and witness. The spirituality is biblical, prophetic, liturgical, ecumenical, eucharistic and Marian. Aside from the daily prescribed prayers, one’s involvement varies according to their capabilities. For example, I am a stay-at-home, homeschooling mother. I do not have the ability to participate in the same types of activities a single woman would. That is okay. Evangelium Vitae (Gospel of Life - encyclical written by John Paul II) states that as a wife, my first and foremost duty in promoting the Gospel of life is being open to and raising my children. So even if I never step foot outside of my house, I am perfectly capable of fulfilling the call. In other words, every adult can do this. “Every Catholic is called to be a missionary of human dignity redeemed by the cross…sent by God to evangelize the world.” (US Catholic Bishops, Living the Gospel of Life, n. 7)
What I wish every Catholic knew: That every one of us is called to do battle against the evil of abortion.
What I wish every Catholic would do: Learn more about the MEV’s and prayerfully consider joining us.
Thats right, you have your own personal Saints in heaven! Who were you named after? Whose feast day were you born on? Who did you take as your Confirmation Saint? These Saints should hold a special place in your heart, and you should make the effort to ask for their intercession daily. They sit before the throne of God, awaiting your prayers that they may present them to the Lord. Do you even know how they got there? What did they do that the Church declared them Saints?
What I wish every Catholic knew: The stories of their personal patron Saints
What I wish every Catholic would do: Ask for your patron Saints’ help every day.
St. Mary, St. Maria Goretti, St. Jeanne d’Arc, pray for me!
“And so we will stand up every time that human life is threatened. When the sacredness of life before birth is attacked, we will stand up and proclaim that no one ever has the authority to destroy unborn life. When a child is described as a burden or is looked upon only as a means to satisfy an emotional need, we will stand up and insist that every child is a unique and unrepeatable gift of God, with the right to a loving and united family. When the institution of marriage is abondoned to human selfishness or reduced to a temporary, conditional arrangement that can easily be terminated, we will stand up and affirm the indissolubility of the marriage bond. When the value of the family is threatened because of social and economic pressure, we will stand up and reaffirm that the family is ‘necessary not only for the private good of every person, but also for the common good of every society, nation and state’. When freedom is used to dominate the weak, to squander natural resources and energy, and to deny basic necessities to people, we will stand up and reaffirm the demands of justice and social love. When the sick, aged or dying are left in loneliness, we will stand up and proclaim that they are worthy of love, care and respect.”
~ John Paul II
Homily, October 7, 1979
What I wish every Catholic knew: We will; not we can, or should, or could if we wanted to, but WE WILL
What I wish every Catholic would do: Reread this quote and stand up.
…have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Could you finish the prayer? I hope so. I wish all Catholics could. The Divine Mercy chaplet is a beautiful prayer, and it brings you so close to the merciful heart of Our Lord. It begs His mercy upon this sinful world. I was first introduced to this beautiful prayer when it was given to me as a penance. It has now become a favorite. I especially pray it in reparation for the sin of abortion.
There are many devotions associated with this chaplet (the three o’clock hour, stations of the cross, the image itself,etc.) All have been given to us through St. Faustina by the Lord Himself. Her diary, “Divine Mercy in My Soul” is an account of His messages for us through her. So much can be said…I wish I had the ability to capture the beauty of this devotion in but a few words.
Invite the grace awaiting you by learning about this beautiful devotion: http://www.thedivinemercy.org/
What I wish every Catholic knew: About the Divine Mercy
What I wish every Catholic would do: Learn the chaplet. Pray it daily. Read “Divine Mercy in my Soul.”
Can you finish the prayer? Or have you not recited it since you were a little kid. After all, only children have a guardian angel, right? Wrong! We all have a guardian angel given us at birth, who does not leave our side until we meet Christ face-to-face. Yet, how many of us haven’t spoken to this protector of ours for years? Imagine, God offers you a heavenly intercessor, a heavenly bodyguard, if you will, for your entire time here on earth. Would you take it? of course! Would you neglect him? Of course! Oh, wait. Thats not good. But aren’t you doing so?
Guardian angels are not a silly invention created for children to feel more secure. Nor are they an invention of medieval times. (You know, those people were certainly creative, if you believe the modern theologians who like to accredit things they disregard to ‘a creation of medieval times). Many of our contemporary popes have accredited their own guardian angels with so many of their earthly successes. Pius XI, John XXIII, and John Paul I have all addressed their flock, reminding them of the powerful intercessors we have, imploring us to keep them close in our minds and hearts. We should cherish such a wonderful gift!
Padre Pio was infamous for his conversations with his own guardian angel. He loved to send him on missions to he guardian angels of others (much like John XXIII). I absolutely love this idea, and do it often, especially for those who do not know Christ.
So please, let us be ever-thankful for such a wonderful gift. And let us show this gratitude, for we are never alone in this battle for our souls and those of others.
What I wish every Catholic knew: That guardian angels are real. Given to us at birth, they never leave our side.
What I wish every Catholic would do: Pray to/with your guardian angel. Speak to him every day. His entire mission is to help and protect you!
(And in case you couldn’t finish it: … To whom God’s love commits me here. Ever this day, be at my side. To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen. )
‘But its no longer Lent’ you say? So what, I say. And so says the Church. Fridays are still to be observed as days of fasting THROUGH OUT the liturgical year. The US bishops may have decided that believers may replace their meat with something more significant, but how many of us are doing that? Personally, I’ll stick with the meatless Fridays. Its much simpler.
What I wish every Catholic knew: Every Friday is a day of fasting.
What I wish every Catholic would do: Fast from meat (or make another type of sacrifice) every Friday.
Its REEEEAAAALLLL simple people. If they are pro-choice, you don’t vote for them. Period. End of sentence. No if, ands, or buts. So how is it that in Pennsylvania, a state that is 30% Catholic, that there are even that many people voting for either Democrat candidate? Hello? When did your brain, or should I say your faith, stop functioning? These two people think its okay to kill babies. These two people think its okay to kill babies being born, provided their heads have not exited the mother. How on earth does one reconcile this fact with voting for either of them? How does one come to the conclusion that anyone with this distorted way of thinking can possible make rational judgments in any other arena? I just don’t get the cloud of disillusion you must be walking around in.
What I wish every Catholic knew: Knowingly voting for a pro-choice candidate is a mortal sin. (And I just told you, so you know)
What I wish every Catholic would do: Get their priorities regarding voting in proper order. Human life comes first.
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