Author: Resa

  • HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS ON THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING” | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN | NOVEMBER 24, 2024 |

    HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS ON THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING” | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN | NOVEMBER 24, 2024 |

    HOLY MASS

    HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

    Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
    Saint Peter’s Basilica – Sunday, 24 November 2024

    [Multimedia]

    At the end of the liturgical year, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the universe. This celebration invites us to look towards him, the Lord, the source and fulfilment of all things (cf. Col 1:16-17), whose “kingdom shall not be destroyed” (Dan 7:14).

    As we contemplate Christ the King, we are uplifted and moved. However, what we see around us is quite different, and this contrast may make disturbing questions arise in our hearts. What are we to make of so many wars, the ongoing violence and natural disasters? What can be said about the many problems that you, dear young people, must face as you look towards the future: the scarcity of job opportunities, uncertainty about the state of the economy, the rise of inequalities that polarize our society? Why is all this happening? And how can we avoid being overwhelmed? It is true that these are challenging questions but they are important ones.

    Today, as the Church celebrates World Youth Day, I would like to encourage you to reflect, in the light of the Word of God, on three ideas that can help us face these challenges courageously. These three ideas are: accusationsapproval and truth.

    First: accusations. In today’s Gospel, Jesus is being accused (cf. Jn 18:33-37). He is, as they say, “on the witness stand” in court. Pilate, an official of the Roman Empire, is questioning Jesus. This can be taken as an image representing all the powers that have violently oppressed peoples throughout the course of history. Although Pilate personally had no interest in Jesus, he also knew that the people followed him, believing him to be a guide, a teacher, the Messiah. The procurator could not allow any disturbance or turmoil threaten the “forced peace” of his district, so he resolved to placate the powerful enemies of this defenceless prophet. He put Jesus on trial and threatened to condemn him to death. The Lord, who had always preached justice, mercy and forgiveness, was not afraid. He did not allow himself to be intimidated; he did not rebel. Jesus was faithful to the truth he proclaimed, faithful to the point of sacrificing his life.

    Dear young people, perhaps you also feel “accused” at times for following Jesus. At school, or among your friends and acquaintances, some may try to make you think that your faithfulness to the Gospel and its values is a mistake, because it keeps you from conforming to the crowd and blending in. Do not be afraid of their “condemnations”! Have no worries; sooner or later, their criticism will fall through, their condemnations will prove false, and their superficial values will be revealed for what they are: illusions. Dear young people, be careful not to get carried away by illusions. Please be concrete because reality is concrete. Beware of illusions.

    What endures, as Christ teaches us, is quite different: the work of love. That is what remains and makes life beautiful! The rest will fade away. Love is made concrete in works. Therefore, I repeat: do not be afraid of the “condemnations” of the world. Keep on loving! But love according to the light of the Lord; by giving your life to help others.

    This brings us to the second point: approval. Jesus says: “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36). What does Jesus mean by this statement? “My kingdom is not of this world”. Why does he not do anything to ensure his success, to garner up the support of the authorities, to get approval for his programme? Why does he not do it? How can he expect to change things if he has been “defeated”? Jesus behaves in this way because he rejects the mentality of power (cf. Mk 10:42-45). Jesus is free from it!

    Dear young people, you too would do well to follow his example. Do not allow yourself to be dragged along by the need to be seen, approved of and praised. Those who get caught up in this frenzy experience anxiety. They end up pushing others around, falling into rivalries, being disingenuous, giving into peer pressure and compromising just to gain a bit of recognition and visibility. Please be careful, your dignity is not for sale. It is not for sale! Be careful.

    God loves you just as you are, and not as you appear. Before him, the innocence of your dreams are worth more than success and fame, and the sincerity of your intentions are worth more than worldly approval. Do not be deceived by those who seek to lure you with vain promises, but only want to manipulate you and use you for their own interests. Beware of being exploited. Be careful not to be conditioned. Be free, but free in harmony with your dignity. Do not settle for being “stars for a day” on social media or in any other context! I recall an occasion when a young woman wanted to be noticed, even though she was pretty, she put on all her make-up before going to the party. I thought, “after the make-up, what is left?” Do not put make-up over your soul and do not put make-up over your heart. Be as you are: sincere and transparent. Do not be ‘stars for a day’ on social media or in any other context. You are called to shine in a wider sky. In heaven, the infinite love of the Father is reflected in many little lights. His love is revealed in us through the faithful affection between spouses, the innocent joy of children, the enthusiasm of young people, caring for the elderly, the generosity of consecrated persons, the charity shown towards the poor and the honesty upheld in work environments. Think of the things that will make you strong. These little lights of: the faithful affection of spouses – a beautiful thing -; the innocent joy of children – this is a beautiful joy! -; the enthusiasm of young people – be enthusiastic, all of you! -; and care for the elderly. I ask you: do you care for the elderly? Do you visit your grandparents? Be generous in your lives and charitable to the poor, and hones in your work. This is the true firmament where we shine like stars in the world (cf. Phil 2:15). Please do not listen to those who lie to you! No approval you receive can save the world or make you happy. Only the free gift of love can bring us happiness. What saves the world is the free gift of love. Love cannot be bought, it cannot be sold: it is gratuitous, it is a giving of oneself.

    This brings us to the third point: truth. Christ came into the world “to bear witness to the truth” (Jn 18:37), and he did so by teaching us to love God and our brothers and sisters (cf. Mt 22:34-40; 1 Jn 4:6-7). Only in love does our existence find light and meaning (cf. 1 Jn 2:9-11). Otherwise, we remain prisoners of a great lie. What is this big lie? That of self-sufficiency, the ‘I’ that is self-sufficient (cf. Gen 3:4-5). This type of selfishness is the root of all injustice and unhappiness. It is the ‘I’ that turns in on itself – I, me, with me, always ‘me’ – and it does not have the ability to see others or to talk to them. Beware of this disease of the ‘I’ turned in on itself.

    Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life (cf. Jn 14:6), by stripping himself of everything and dying on the cross for our salvation, teaches us that only in love can we live, grow and flourish in our full dignity (cf. Eph 4:15-16). Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati — a young man like you — once wrote to a friend, saying that, without love we no longer live, but we simply get by (cf. Letter to Isidoro Bonini, 27 February 1925). We want to live, not just get by. That is why we must strive to bear witness to the truth in charity, loving one another as Jesus taught us (cf. Jn 15:12).

    Sisters and brothers, it is not true, as some think, that world events have “escaped” God’s control. It is not true that history is written by oppressors, tyrants and the proud. Although many of the evils that afflict us are the work of men who have been deceived by the Evil One, everything is ultimately subject to the judgement of God. Those who oppress people, who make wars, what will their faces look like when they stand before the Lord? “Why did you start that war? Why did you commit murder?” How will they respond? Let us think about that, and about us too. We do not start wars and we do not kill, but I did commit this or that sin. When the Lord will say to us, “But why did you do this? Why have you been unjust in this way? Why did you spend money on your vanity?” The Lord will also ask us these things. The Lord gives us freedom, but he does not abandon us. He corrects us when we fall, but he never ceases to love us. If we wish, he picks us up so we can continue our journey with joy.

    At the end of this Eucharist, the Portuguese youth will entrust to the Korean youth the symbols of WYD: the cross and the icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani. This, too, is a sign. It is an invitation to all of us to live out the Gospel and take it to every part of the world, without stopping, without being discouraged, getting up after every fall and never ceasing to hope. Indeed, the theme of the message for today’s celebration is: “Those who hope in the Lord shall run and not be weary” (cf. Is 40:31). You, young Koreans, will receive the Cross of Our Lord, the Cross of life, the sign of victory, but you are not alone: you will receive it along with our Mother. It is Mary who always accompanies us on our journey towards Jesus. It is Mary who in difficult moments is beside our Cross to help us, because she is our Mother, she is mum. Keep Mary in mind.

    Let us keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, on his Cross and on Mary, our Mother. In this way, even throughout our difficulties, we will find the strength to go forward, without fear of accusations, without the need for approval, based on your own dignity, with your own security of being saved and being accompanied by Mother Mary. Without making compromises and without spiritual make-up. Your dignity needs no make-up. Let us go forward, happy to live for others, to be in love, and to be witnesses of the truth. Please do not lose your joy. Thank you.

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT CLEMENT I, POPE AND MARTYR; SAINT COLUMBAN, ABBOT  AND BLESSED MIGUEL AGUSTIN PRO, PRIEST AND MARTYR

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT CLEMENT I, POPE AND MARTYR; SAINT COLUMBAN, ABBOT  AND BLESSED MIGUEL AGUSTIN PRO, PRIEST AND MARTYR

    THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 23, 2024

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast day, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for our safety and well-being. With special intentions for all the souls of the faithful departed. As we continue to remember the faithful departed, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal ¹rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 23, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 23, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 23, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 23, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Saturday, November 23, 2024
    Reading 1, Revelation 11:4-12
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 144:1, 2, 9-10
    Gospel, Luke 20:27-40

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 | https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    We thank God for the successful completion of our Novena to Christ the King and we pray for God’s Grace and mercy as we celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe tomorrow, November 24, 2024.

    DAILY NOVENA PRAYER: Pray this novena to Christ the King anytime of year, but especially from Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time until Saturday of the Thirty–Third Week in Ordinary Time (Nine days prior to the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe).

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen 🙏
    Our Father | Hail Mary | Glory Be

    Let us Pray: O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth. Guard us we pray Most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you. Jesus, You are a King of Mercy. We have deserved Your Just Judgment Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your Great Mercy.
    O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray; May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth. Amen 🙏

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT CLEMENT I, POPE AND MARTYR; SAINT COLUMBAN, ABBOT  AND BLESSED MIGUEL AGUSTIN PRO, PRIEST AND MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 23RD: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Clement I, Pope and Martyr; Saint Columban, Abbot and Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, Priest and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the sick and dying, especially sick children, those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world… Amen🙏

    SAINT CLEMENT I, POPE AND MARTYR: St. Clement I of Rome (92-101), also known as Pope St. Clement I, was one of the first popes; according to St. Ireneus, he was the third after St. Peter. He is considered the first Apostolic Father of the Church. He is mentioned by name in the Bible by the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:3 as his companion. St. Clement is also said to be one of the band of seventy followers of Jesus’ ministry as described in the Gospels. Clement was a disciple of St. Peter and was ordained by him, and became the fourth Bishop of Rome. Of his life and death little is known, but he has left one definite writing: a letter to the Church in Corinth, Greece. St. Clement most probably died as a martyr. St. Clement’s letter to the Corinthians is authentic; in it he authoritatively intervenes in that strife-torn community, a memorable act in the early history of the papacy.

    The breviary gives these legendary details. Because of his zeal for souls, Pope Clement was banished to distant Chersonese; there he found two-thousand Christians who had received a similar sentence. When he came to these exiles he comforted them. “They all cried with one voice: Pray for us, blessed Clement, that we may become worthy of the promises of Christ. He replied: Without any merit of my own, the Lord sent me to you to share in your crowns.” When they complained because they had to carry the water six miles, he encouraged them, “Let us all pray to the Lord Jesus Christ that He may open to His witnesses a fountain of water.” “While blessed Clement was praying, the Lamb of God appeared to him; and at His feet a bubbling fountain of fresh water was flowing.” Seeing the miracle, “All the pagans of the neighborhood began to believe.”

    When Trajan heard of these marvels, he ordered St. Clement to be drowned with an iron anchor about his neck. “While he was making his way to the sea, the people cried with a loud voice: Lord Jesus Christ, save him! But St. Clement prayed in tears: Father, receive my spirit.” At the shore the Christians asked God to give them the body. The sea receded for three miles and there they found the body of the saint in a stone coffin within a small marble chapel; alongside lay the anchor. “You have given a dwelling to Your martyr Clement in the sea, O Lord, a temple of marble built by the hands of angels.” The body was taken to Rome under Nicholas 1 (858-867) by Sts. Cyril and Methodius and placed in a church dedicated to his honor (S. Clemente). The Basilica of St. Clement is one of the earliest parish churches of Rome and was built on the site of his home. This is one of the most venerable of the churches in Rome because it retains all the liturgical arrangements of ancient times. He’s Patron Saint of Boatmen; marble workers; mariners; sailors; sick children; stonecutters; watermen. His feast day is celebrated on November 23rd.

    PRAYER: Almighty and ever-living God, You show forth Your glory in the strength of Your Saints. Help us to be filled with joy in the annual celebration of St. Clement who by his death bore witness to the Death of Jesus, which he proclaimed and which he commemorated in the sacrifice of the Mass. Amen 🙏

    SAINT COLUMBAN, ABBOT: St. Columban was born in West Leinster, Ireland, sometime between 540 and 550, and decided when he was a youth, to dedicate himself to God despite his mother’s opposition. He lived for a time on Cluain Iris, an island in Lough Erne, with a monk named Sinell, and then became a monk at Bangor. With twelve other monks he was sent as a missionary to Gaul about 585. He built his first monastery at Annegray about 590, and it was so successful that he followed with two more, at Luxeuil and Fontes (Fontaines). Soon his followers spread all over Europe, building monasteries in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. He aroused much opposition, especially from the Frankish bishops, by the Celtic usages he installed in his monasteries and for refusing to acknowledge bishops’ jurisdiction over them. He defended his practices in letters to the Holy See and refused to attend a Gallican synod at Chalons in 603 when summoned to explain his Celtic usages.

    In 610 King Theodoric II of Burgundy, angered by Columban’s denunciation of his refusal to marriage and his practice of keeping concubines, ordered all Irish monks banished from his realm. Columban was shipwrecked on the way to Ireland but was offered refuge by King Theodebert II of Neustria at Metz and began to evangelize the Alemanni in the area around Bregenz on Lake Constance. Though successful, he was again banished in 612, when Burgundy warred against and conquered Neustria; Theodoric now ruled over the area in which Columban was working. Columban decided to flee his old adversary and crossed the Alps to Italy, where he was welcomed to Milan by Arian King Agilulf of the Lombards. Columban founded a monastery at Bobbio, between Milan and Genoa, which became one of the great monasteries of its time—a center of culture, learning, and spirituality. He died there on November 23. Columban wrote his Monastic Rule, sermons, poetry, and treatises against Arianism. He’s Patron Saint against floods; motorcyclists

    PRAYER: God, in St. Columban You joined the gift of proclaiming the Gospel with a love for the monastic life. Through his intercession and example, help us to seek You above all things and labor to increase the company of believers. Amen.🙏

    BLESSED MIGUEL AGUSTIN PRO, PRIEST AND MARTYR: Miguel Pro was born January 13, 1891, at Guadalupe Zacatecas, Mexico. From his childhood, high spirits and happiness were the most outstanding characteristics of his personality. The loving and devoted son of a mining engineer and a pious and charitable mother, Miguel had a special affinity for the working classes which he retained all his life. At 20, he became a Jesuit novice and shortly thereafter was exiled because of the Mexican revolution. He traveled to the United States, Spain, Nicaragua and Belgium, where he was ordained a priest on August 31, 1925. Father Pro suffered greatly from a severe stomach problem and when, after several operations his health did not improve, in 1926 his superiors allowed him to return to Mexico in spite of the religious persecution in the country. The churches were closed and priests were in hiding. Father Pro spent the rest of his life in a secret ministry to the sturdy Mexican Catholics. In addition to fulfilling their spiritual needs, he also carried out the works of mercy by assisting the poor of Mexico City with their temporal needs. He adopted many disguises to carry out his secret ministry. In all that he did, he remained filled with the joy of serving Christ, his King, and obedient to his superiors.

    Falsely accused in a bombing attempt on the President-elect, Pro became a wanted man. He was betrayed to the police and sentenced to death without the benefit of any legal process. On the day of his death, Father Pro forgave his executioners, prayed, bravely refused the blindfold, and died proclaiming “Viva Cristo Rey!” (Long Live Christ the King!). The sentence was carried out by shooting on November 23, 1927. Known for his religious piety and innocence, Miguel was beatified by Pope John Paul II as a Catholic martyr on September 25, 1988.

    PRAYER: Lord, You gave Blessed Miguel the grace to seek Your glory and the salvation of souls. Through his prayers, may we serve and glorify You by faithfully performing our daily duties and helping our neighbors. Amen.🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

    Bible Readings for today, Saturday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Luke 20:27-40

    “He is not God of the dead, but of the living”

    “Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.”

    In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus’ opponents, the Sadducees, who did not believe in life after death, present a scenario to Jesus which seeks to make belief in life after death look ridiculous. The Sadducees were one of the two most powerful and influential groups within the community of the Jewish people at the time of the Lord Jesus’ ministry, together with the Pharisees. The Sadducees were powerful and the ruling group of the Jews, those who were chosen as the High Priest and the other chief priests, the religious and secular elites of the community. And many of them were worldly in their views and beliefs, seeking to preserve their worldly influence and power above all else. And hence, they were among those who refused to believe in the resurrection from the dead and any other spiritual matters and beliefs, as opposed to the Pharisees, who were intellectual elites and the teachers and preservers of the Law, who believed firmly in all things spiritual and the resurrection after death. Thus, as the Lord often spoke about life and existence transcending death, the Sadducees were strongly opposed to the Lord on this matter, and questioned Him about this belief in the resurrection. Their example quoting the seven brothers who shared a wife, as per the Law of Moses which dictated that the wife be taken care of by a man’s brothers should he die without a child, was an example of their lack of understanding and appreciation of the teachings and belief in the resurrection and life after death. It is obvious that the Sadducees understand that Jesus Himself teaches the reality of life after death. Their challenge to Jesus is based on the false assumption that if there is life after death it will simply be a kind of continuation of this earthly life. In His reply Jesus challenges this false assumption. He declares that those who belong to the ‘other world’ beyond this earthly life ‘no longer die’. They live with a life that is eternal. Therefore, there is no need for procreation or for marriage that is the basis of procreation. In other words, because the life that we enter after death is eternal life, the way we will relate to each other in this life to come will be fundamentally different to how we relate to each other now. Jesus does not elaborate on how we will relate to each other in the next life; He simply states that this new way of relating to each other will be qualitatively different to how we relate to each other in this earthly life. When Jesus does speak about the life beyond this life, however, he uses images that suggest some form of communal life, such as the image of the great banquet at which people gather. He invites us to imagine a life in which we are in a new relationship with Himself, with God, and with each other. Jesus’ earthly ministry was about gathering people together around Himself, forming a new kind of community. He understood this community, which was soon called the church, to be a sign of the life to come; it pointed ahead to life in God’s kingdom. Yet, Jesus suggests that the life of heaven is so totally new that no earthly experience can compare with it. According to the Gospel, the Lord made it clear that life and existence after death should not be compared to our lives in this world, and it will be different from our lives here on earth which is full of desires and imperfections, corruptions and the temptations due to sin that has afflicted each and every one of us. Those who have passed on from this life to the world that is to come, and eventually after the Last Judgment, all of them, and all of us shall share in the fullness of God’s glory and rejoice together with Him in eternity of true happiness and bliss. We who will share in the joy of the Lord will no longer have desires for worldly matters, possessions, attachments and all the other things that those Sadducees and many among us may be desiring. That is what each and every one of us as Christians must realise as well.

    Our first reading today from the Book of Revelations of St. John, is a continuation of the series of revelations received by St. John the Apostle during his exile and persecution in the Island of Patmos and in that vision, we heard of how the Lord will send to His people and to this world two great witnesses who then went on to proclaim the Word of God and His truth amongst the many people who have abandoned and rejected Him and His salvation, choosing instead to obey and follow the Devil, the one who is foretold to try to rise up against all of us at the end of time, persecuting all the ones who are faithful to the Lord. But God will not abandon us and through His servants, He will continue to show His love and encouragement. According to the reading, those two servants are protected from all those who will seek to destroy them, up to the appointed time, when the forces of the evil one will come up and strike at those servants of God. And yet, in the end, the Lord raised them all up to His Presence, as His Spirit of Life descended upon them, striking fear against all those who have persecuted, oppressed and attacked them. It also showed how not even Satan, all sorts of evil forces, sin and death can triumph against God and His power. Ultimately, God will be triumphant against all those who are against Him, Satan and all his fellow fallen angels and demons, and all those who sided with them, while all those who are faithful to Him shall be vindicated and shall share His glorious triumph.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, each and every one of us are reminded of the coming of the end of times and the need for us to continue to have faith and trust in God, no matter what sufferings or hardships we may encounter in our respective paths in life. We are all reminded of the need for all of us to remain steadfast in our faith despite the challenges, trials and difficulties that we may have to face in the midst of us living up to the faith which we have in God. We must always trust that God will have our back and that we will not be disappointed if we put our faith in Him. At the end of time, we will be raised body and soul to be truly and fully reconciled with God. As highlighted to us in todays readings, there may likely be circumstances and moments when we will end up being forced to choose between obeying God and His Law, and following the ways and customs of this world, and the frictions and challenges that happen may lead us to many sufferings and trials in our paths ahead in life. Let the good examples and inspirations from the Holy men and women, and the Saints, particularly from those we celebrate today, Pope St. Clement I and St. Columban be sources of strength and inspiration for each and every one of us so that in all the things we say and do, in all things throughout our lives, we may always aspire to be fully and thoroughly committed to God, despite and regardless of any challenges and trials that we may have to face in life. We are all reminded that as Christians, we are all called to be truly obedient to God and to put our full trust and faith in Him at all times, striving at all times to do whatever is pleasing to Him, to obey Him, His Law and commandments. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful in the Lord in the midst of apparent failure. May He grant us ‘eloquence and wisdom’ as we rely on the resources the Lord gives us, so that we may endure to the end, and not just for a while in times of struggle and failure. May the Lord, our most loving and compassionate God continue to help, strengthen and empower us all in our journey of faith through life, and may He continue to bless us in all of our efforts and endeavours to glorify Him in each and every moments of our lives. Amen🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    My resurrected Lord, You now reign in Heaven, body and soul, in anticipation of the final and glorious resurrection of all the dead. May I always keep my eyes on this final goal of human life and do all that I can to prepare for this eternity of glory and love. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Clement I, Pope and Martyr; Saint Columban, Abbot and Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, Priest and Martyr ~ Pray for us🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR

    THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 22, 2024

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Friday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, through her intercession and the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, we pray for our safety and well-being. With special intentions for all the souls of the faithful departed. As we continue to remember the faithful departed, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal ¹rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 22, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 22, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 22, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 22, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Friday, November 22, 2024
    Reading 1, Revelation 10:8-11
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131
    Gospel, Luke 19:45-48

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 | https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: November 24, 2024

    DAILY NOVENA PRAYER: Pray this novena to Christ the King anytime of year, but especially from Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time until Saturday of the Thirty–Third Week in Ordinary Time (Nine days prior to the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe).

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen 🙏
    Our Father | Hail Mary | Glory Be

    Let us Pray: O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth. Guard us we pray Most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you. Jesus, You are a King of Mercy. We have deserved Your Just Judgment Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your Great Mercy.
    O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray; May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth. Amen 🙏

    *SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 22ND: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for all musicians, poets and authors. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world… Amen🙏

    SAINT CECILIA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Cecilia is one of the most famous and most venerated of Roman martyrs. St. Cecilia was so highly venerated by the ancient Roman Church that her name was placed in the Canon of the Mass (First Eucharistic Prayer). She is honored as the Patroness of ecclesiastical music. In the city of Rome there was a virgin named Cecilia, who came from an extremely rich family. She wore sackcloth next to her skin, fasted, and invoked the saints, angels, and virgins, beseeching them to guard her virginity. St. Cecilia led a life of prayer and meditation and had vowed lifelong virginity, but was given in marriage to a pagan youth named Valerian by her parents. When the wedding night arrived, she confided to Valerian, “There is a secret, Valerian, I wish to tell you. I have as a lover an angel of God who jealously guards my body.” Valerian promised to believe in Christ if he would be enabled to see that angel. St. Cecilia explained how such was impossible without baptism, he could see the angel if he would go to the third milestone on the Via Appia and be baptized by Pope Urban I and Valerian consented to be baptized. After he was baptized by Pope Urban and had returned “He found Cecilia in her little room lost in prayer, and next to her the angel of the Lord was standing. When Valerian saw the angel, he was seized with great terror.” The angel handed to them a bouquet of fiery red roses and snow-white lilies as a reward for St. Cecilia’s love of chastity, a bouquet that would not wither, yet would be visible only to those who love chastity. As a further favor Valerian besought the conversion of his brother Tiburtius. Upon arriving to congratulate the newlyweds, Tiburtius was astounded by the unspeakably beautiful roses and lilies. As soon as he was informed regarding their origin, he too asked for the waters of baptism. “St. Cecilia said to Tiburtius: Today I acknowledge you as a brother-in-law, because the love of God has made you despise the idols. Just as the love of God gave me your brother as a spouse, so it has given you to me as a brother-in-law.”

    During that era, it was forbidden for anyone to bury the bodies of Christians, so together the newly baptized brothers, Valerian and Tiburtius dedicated their lives to burying the saints (Christians) who were murdered each day by the prefect of the city, Turcius Almachius. Both brothers were eventually arrested and brought before the prefect where they were executed after they refused to offer a sacrifice to the Roman god Jupiter. They were martyred because they refused to deny their Christian faith. Their death occurred probably in the reign of Marcus Aurelius or of Commodus, between the years 161 and 192. Maximus was the officer ordered by Almachius to arrest and imprison them. Maximus and his family were baptized during the night preceding execution. As her husband and brother-in-law buried the dead, St. Cecilia spent her time preaching and in her lifetime was able to convert over four hundred people, most of whom were baptized by Pope Urban. St. Cecilia was later arrested and advised to renounce her faith. In reply, she told them that she would prefer to die than to denounce the true faith. She was condemned to be suffocated in the baths. She was shut in for one night and one day, as fires were heaped up and stoked to a terrifying heat – but St. Cecilia did not even sweat. She remained unharmed and prayed, “I thank You, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, that through Your Son the fire was extinguished at my side.” When Almachius heard this, he sent an executioner to cut off her head in the baths. The executioner struck her three times (the law prohibited more) but was unable to decapitate her so he left her bleeding and she lived for three days. Crowds came to her and collected her blood while she preached to them or prayed. On the third day she died and was buried by Pope Urban and his deacons.

    Officials exhumed her body in 1599 and found her to be incorrupt, the first of all incurrupt saints. She was draped in a silk veil and wore a gold embroidered dress. Officials only looked through the veil in an act of holy reverence and made no further examinations. They also reported a “mysterious and delightful flower-like odor which proceeded from the coffin.” St. Cecilia’s remains were transferred to Cecilia’s titular church in Trastevere and placed under the high altar. In 1599 Cardinal Paolo Emilio Sfondrati, nephew of Pope Gregory XIV, rebuilt the church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere on the site of the house where she lived. St. Cecelia is known for “singing in her heart to the Lord” upon her wedding day, despite her consecration to God. St. Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music, because she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married, and is represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her hand. She is the patron Saint of musicians and poets because of this sentiment and her alleged singing within the oven during her martyrdom. Her fortitude may inspire the modern Catholic in the trials of life and inspire one to find God within music. St. Cecilia is the Patron Saint of martyrs; musicians; music; poets; singers; composers; authors; musical instrument makers; Albi, France; archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska. St. Cecilia’s Feast day is November 22nd.

    PRAYER TO SAINT CECILIA: O glorious St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr, you won the martyr’s crown without renouncing your love for Jesus, the delight of your soul. We ask that you help us to be faithful in our love for Jesus, that, in the communion of the saints, we may praise Him twice in our song of rejoicing for the Blood that He shed which gave us the grace to accomplish His will on earth… Amen🙏

    PRAYER: O God, who gladden us each year with the feast day of your handmaid Saint Cecilia, grant, we pray, that what has been devoutly handed down concerning her may offer us examples to imitate and proclaim the wonders worked in his servants by Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen 🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

    Bible Readings for today, Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Luke 19:45-48

    “You have made it a den of thieves”

    “Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.” And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.”

    In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus refers to the Temple of Jerusalem as a ‘house of prayer’. He clearly felt that some of the other activities that were going on there were working against it being the house or place of prayer that God intended the Temple to be. The issue that the Lord Jesus took great offense with and which angered Him very much was just how corrupt those who have carried out those businesses had been, in how they overcharged and profitted a lot from gaining money from all the transactions they did, in fooling those pilgrims and cheating them of their money. The chief priests and the Temple officials also turned a blind eye to all the injustice and wickedness, and that was likely because they also profitted from the proceeds and efforts of all those merchants and money changers, and hence, tacitly gave their quiet support for the continued wicked deeds by those who sought to profit above the sufferings of others. Hence, the Lord was truly angered by this, and He cast those wicked merchants and money changers all out, reminding everyone and all of us that God’s Temple is a House of Prayer, and not for such wicked things. Every Parish Church is a house of prayer. We think of a house as a place where a family gathers. The Temple was the place where the family of God’s people gathered for prayer, whether it was the prayer of petition, of thanksgiving or of intercession. In our prayer, as Christians, we recognize the God to whom the Jewish people prayed in the Temple as the Father of Jesus and we recognize Jesus as God’s beloved Son. We pray to God our Father, through Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, whom we recognize as the Spirit of both God the Father and God the Son. When we gather in this house of prayer, we do so as family, as the family of faith, recognizing ourselves and one another as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus and temples of the Holy Spirit. Even when we come into the church on our own, we are always conscious of the other members of our family of faith and of the human family, and, indeed, the family of all God’s creatures, all God’s creation. In the house of prayer, which is our various Parish Churches, as in every house of prayer, we open ourselves up to God present to us through His Son and the Holy Spirit. As a result, we are strengthened in our identity as sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus and temples of the Holy Spirit. We leave this house of prayer empowered to live out of that identity more generously and courageously.

    As we reflect on the Gospel reading, we are then also reminded that, our own body, heart, mind and soul are also actually Temples of the Lord’s Holy Presence, the House of the Lord in which God Himself dwells. He is in us, dwelling in us and journeying with us as He has provided us all His own Most Precious Body and Blood, which we all partake through the Most Holy Eucharist, the Lord Himself, in His Body and Blood, His Real Presence, coming into us. And at the same time, God has also given us all His Holy Spirit, bestowed on us all through His Son, sending down the Spirit of Life and grace to us, as He has given to His Church ever since the Pentecost Sunday till this day. And hence, since the Lord Himself is present in us, we should all then ensure that our bodies, minds, hearts and souls, our whole beings as the temple of God are truly worthy of Him.

    Our first reading today from the Book of Revelations of St. John, the Apostle continues with the account of the heavenly vision of St. John that he received during his exile in the Island of Patmos about the end of times and the upcoming tribulations and challenges for the faithful people of God, and how God ultimately will redeem and deliver all of them to the ultimate triumph and victory with Him. In today’s part of the vision that has been told to us, we heard of the Angel of God giving the small book from his hand to St. John to eat as instructed by the Angel, and St. John tasted that this Book of the Word of God is truly sweet in the mouth and yet bitter in the stomach after he had swallowed it. This is in fact a very good reminder for all of us that the truth and the Word of God is something that is very reassuring and a show of God’s love for us, which is represented by the sweetness of that book which St. John the Apostle consumed in his vision. Then, that bitterness in the stomach is a representation of the hardships and sufferings, the trials and challenges that those who are on the side of the Lord will have to endure to be truly living good and worthy Christian lives. This is a metaphor of what faithful Christians, holy and committed people of God would be going through in their journey, like what the Apostles and the many early Christians had endured and suffered from. Many of them were persecuted, and faced all kinds of martyrdom.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, all of us are reminded through them of the need for each and every one of us to be truly faithful and committed to God, to follow the Lord in all of our ways and to embody our faith in each and every one of our actions so that we may truly be worthy of Him through our various efforts and contributions, in focusing ourselves upon God’s Law and commandments, in keeping ourselves free from the taint and corruption of evil and sin, all the things that can keep us away from the Lord and His salvation, and all the things that had brought us to the corruption that defiled the sanctity of the Temple of God that is our body, our mind, heart and soul, our very beings, which God has made to be His temple and House. Each and every one of us are reminded that without action and contribution in our lives, and without actively living our Christian faith, then we cannot truly be the followers and disciples of Christ. We are called to follow in the courageous and faithful examples of our holy predecessors, and Saints, particularly, St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, who we celebrate today. She remained ever faithful to the Lord and became great role model and example for many other Christians during her time and afterwards, right up to this very day. Her courage and example in faith should continue to inspire us all in how we ourselves ought to live our faith as Christians. As we have reflected on the Sacred Scriptures and from the life and examples shown by St. Cecilia, holy martyr and servant of God, let us all therefore commit ourselves to a renewed life in faith, doing whatever we can in order to live a life that is truly and wholly righteous, good and full of virtue, distancing ourselves from the taint and corruption of sin to the best of our abilities to do so. Let us all be good role models and inspirations for one another, to be the shining beacons of God’s light, hope and Good News in our world today. May God be with us always and may He always strengthen us in our faith. Let us all therefore as Christians living in our present day world be filled with faith and commitment to God, inspired and strengthened by the virtues and the courage of those who have gone before us. Let us all not be easily swayed or threatened to abandon our faith, and let us all commit ourselves anew to the Lord. May the Lord, our loving God and Master, continue to guide and strengthen us in our journey of faith, in our pursuit of His salvation and truth, now and always. May He inspire us all to become great role models and inspirations ourselves, in how we live our lives with great faith and charity. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to remain faithful even in the midst of all our challenges. May the Lord bless us always, and may He remain with us, by our side, leading us through the path to eternal life. Amen.🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    My purifying Lord, the corruption within our world, and at times even within our Church, requires Your holy preaching and purifying action. Please send Your messengers to those in need so that all may be cleansed as You cleansed the Temple. May I share in this mission in the ways in which You call me, and may I always hang on every word spoken from Your merciful and fervent heart of love. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr ~ Pray for us🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

  • MEMORIAL OF BLESSED MARIA FRANCISZKA SIEDLISKA, RELIGIOUS

    MEMORIAL OF BLESSED MARIA FRANCISZKA SIEDLISKA, RELIGIOUS

    THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 21, 2024

    FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: PREPARING TO BECOME THE MOTHER OF GOD

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we pray for the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. With special intentions for all the souls of the faithful departed. As we continue to remember the faithful departed, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal ¹rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 21, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 21, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 21, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 21, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time |November 21, 2024
    Reading 1, Revelation 5:1-10
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9
    Gospel, Luke 9:41-44

    Bible Reading for the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary | November 21, 2024
    Reading 1, Zechariah 2:14-17
    Responsorial Psalm, Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55
    Gospel, Matthew 12:46-50

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/21/the-holy-rosary-what-is-the-holy-rosary-and-why-do-we-pray-the-holy-rosary/

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 |https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe: November 24, 2024

    DAILY NOVENA PRAYER: Pray this novena to Christ the King anytime of year, but especially from Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time until Saturday of the Thirty–Third Week in Ordinary Time (Nine days prior to the Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe).

    In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty and merciful God, you break the power of evil and make all things new in your Son Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. May all in heaven and earth acclaim your glory and never cease to praise you. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen 🙏
    Our Father | Hail Mary | Glory Be

    Let us Pray: O Lord our God, You alone are the Most Holy King and Ruler of all nations. We pray to You, Lord, in the great expectation of receiving from You, O Divine King, mercy, peace, justice and all good things. Protect, O Lord our King, our families and the land of our birth. Guard us we pray Most Faithful One. Protect us from our enemies and from Your Just Judgment Forgive us, O Sovereign King, our sins against you. Jesus, You are a King of Mercy. We have deserved Your Just Judgment Have mercy on us, Lord, and forgive us. We trust in Your Great Mercy.
    O most awe-inspiring King, we bow before You and pray; May Your Reign, Your Kingdom, be recognized on earth. Amen 🙏

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: PREPARING TO BECOME THE MOTHER OF GOD | MEMORIAL OF BLESSED MARIA FRANCISZKA SIEDLISKA, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 21ST: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this special feast day, we humbly pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world.

    THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: PREPARING TO BECOME THE MOTHER OF GOD: Today, we commemorate the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple of Jerusalem. According to tradition, there was a religious custom among the Jews, in former times, of promising to dedicate children to God’s service in the Temple, even before the children were born. The child, before its fifth year had passed, was taken to the Temple at Jerusalem and committed to the care of the priest who offered it to Lord, and, sometimes, the child remained in the Temple to be educated and trained to serve the sanctuary and sacred ministers by making vestments and ornaments, assisting at the services, and contributing to the worship of God in the various liturgical offices. Following this tradition, Our Lady was solemnly consecrated to God as an infant in the temple of the Lord. The blessed Virgin Mary’s total offering of herself throughout her young life prepared her to become the Theotokos, the Mother of God.

    Our Blessed Virgin Mary was presented as a child by her parents, Joachim and Anne in the Temple in Jerusalem. Before Mary’s birth, her parents received a heavenly message that they would bear a child. In thanksgiving for the God’s gift of Mary’s birth, they brought her to the Temple to consecrate their only daughter to The Lord. The celebration of the Feast is first documented in the 11th century within the Byzantine Catholic Church. It was introduced into the Roman Catholic Church in the 15th century by Pope Gregory XI, then removed from the calendar by Pope Pius V in the mid 16th century. Pope Sixtus V later reestablished the feast in 1585, and it is still celebrated today, commemorating the faith of her parents, Joachim and Anne, and the purity of Mary. Our Mother Mary was taken to the temple in Jerusalem when she was 3-years-old and dedicated to God. What we celebrate on this day is the fact that God chose to dwell in Mary in a very special way. In response, Mary placed her whole self at the service of God. Every moment since our Baptism, God invites us to be open to His grace and dedicate ourself to Him, as Mary did. This offering and dedication of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Church commemorates the feast of the Presentation on November 21. In some religious communities the day is observed with special devotion as a patronal feast.

    PRAYER FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: As we venerate the glorious memory of the most holy Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, O Lord, through her intercession, that we, too, may merit to receive the fullness of your grace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏

    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.🙏 ~ Matthew 11:28-30

    MEMORIAL OF BLESSED MARIA FRANCISZKA SIEDLISKA, RELIGIOUS

    On this special feast day, we also celebrate the Memorial of Blessed Maria Franciszka Siedliska, Religious.

    BLESSED MARIA FRANCISZKA SIEDLISKA, RELIGIOUS: Bl. Maria Franciszka Siedliska (1842-1902) was born to a noble and wealthy family in Warsaw, Poland. When a Capuchin friar prepared her for her First Holy Communion, she began to desire the religious life and made a private act of consecration to God. Her father was greatly opposed and said he would rather see her dead than lost to the cloister. Her vocation was not deterred, and she went to Rome to obtain the Pope’s blessing for founding an active apostolic Order modeled on the hidden virtues of the Holy Family. The Congregation of Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth was formed in 1875, and she took the name Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd. In 1885 the Nazareth Sisters arrived in New York, eventually settling near Chicago where they made their first foundation in the U.S.A. She was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1989. Her feast day is November 21st.

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

    Bible Readings for today, Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/1121-memorial-presentation-virgin-mary.cfm

    Gospel Reading ~ Matthew 12:46-50

    Stretching out His hands toward His disciples, He said, Here are my mother and my brothers

    “While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, His mother and His brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with Him. Someone told Him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But He said in reply to the one who told Him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

    In today’s Gospel reading, as the Church commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a child to God at the Temple in Jerusalem by her parents, St. Joachim and St. Anne, according to the Church and Apostolic tradition, as their firstborn and only daughter, dedicating her for the purpose which they then had not known or realised yet. The feast reflects the church’s understanding of Mary’s subsequent grace-filled life as wholly given over to God’s purpose. According to the Gospel reading, there were times when she struggled to understand God’s purpose for her life, especially in relation to her son Jesus. She sets out from Nazareth with other members of Jesus’ family to Capernaum where Jesus was ministering. Perhaps, they wanted Him to come home and rest. However, Mary subsequently discovered that this was not God’s purpose for Jesus or for her. Jesus sent word out to Mary and His relatives that they no longer had any claim on Him because He was starting a new family of His disciples and from now on they would be His mother and brothers and sisters. There was much here for Mary to ponder. What she wanted for Jesus as a mother was not necessarily what God wanted for Him as His heavenly Father. In that sense, Mary’s experience can be very close to our own. Like her, we may want to give ourselves over to God’s purpose, we may want to do God’s will, but, like her, we can struggle to discern what God’s purpose for our lives really is. We sometimes have to come to the painful recognition that what we want for ourselves and for others isn’t always what God wants. We can’t allow ourselves to become too sure of God’s desire for our lives or the lives of others. Like Mary, we have to keep ourselves open to where the Lord is leading us. Like her, we need to keep prayerfully pondering on our life experience, trusting in the Lord’s promise that those who seek will find. We ask our Blessed Mother Mary to pray for us now so that we may always do the will of the Father and so become temples of God as she was.

    Our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Zechariah is the reassurance of God’s salvation and His providence to His people which He delivered to them all through His prophet, amidst all the hardships, challenges and difficulties that they had all endured because of their own disobedience and refusal to obey God’s words and will. The Lord has never forgotten or abandoned them all despite their disobedience, wickedness and stubbornness in refusing to follow His Law and commandments. And He has kept on promising His salvation and deliverance to all of them, all throughout the time, encouraging and strengthening them, guiding and helping them through His many prophets and messengers, including that of Zechariah himself. All these would hence be fulfilled in due time, a few centuries after the time of the prophet Zechariah, when as mentioned, when Mary came to be in this world, set aside by God to be the faithful servant and the woman through whom His salvation, the long awaited Saviour would come into this world. God has not forgotten about His people and He proved it all through the sending of this woman, preserved and kept from all the taints of sin and evil so that the Saviour may come through her into this world, bringing forth the light and hope that had long been dimmed by a world filled with sin and darkness. Through Mary, and her willingness to follow the Lord and to do what she has been entrusted to do, all of us have received the assurance of salvation and eternal life, the straight path back towards the Lord and the glory of Heaven that has always been intended for us. For Mary is indeed the New Eve, the one who directs us all to the New Adam, that is Christ Himself, her beloved Son and our Saviour. While the first and old Adam had disobeyed God and sinned against Him, the New Adam, Our Lord and Saviour as the New Man obeyed perfectly the will of His Father and became for us therefore the source of salvation and eternal life. And this is mirrored by the examples of His own Mother Mary, who as the New Eve obeyed the Lord and refused to follow the path of sin done by the first and original Eve, who gave in to temptation and disobeyed the Lord’s words and command, choosing to follow the whim of human desire and ambition rather than to follow and trust in the Lord. Mary obeyed perfectly when she was entrusted with the most important mission of bearing the Saviour in her.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this special Feast were the Church celebrates the occasion of the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, commemorating the moment when Mary, the Mother of God, was presented at the Temple of Jerusalem, the House of God in accordance to the rules and ways of the Law of God. She was presented and consecrated to God, as a prefigurement of the role that she would later on play in the history of our salvation. Let us all therefore look upon Mary, the one through whom God had done so many great and wonderful works, in bringing forth His salvation into this world. What is important is, we must also realise that Mary is not just worthy of veneration, honour and following because of her having been set aside by the Lord to be the holy vessel for Our Lord and Saviour, but she herself had lived her life worthily of the Lord, at all times throughout her life. She has shown what it means for us to live a good, holy and worthy Christian living, in all of our lives, our words, actions and deeds. And she is therefore a great inspiration and role model for all of us, just as she has also always encouraged us to remain true and faithful to the Lord as our loving Mother. May the Lord, our loving God and Master continue to love us and strengthen us in faith, and may through the good examples and inspirations of His Blessed Mother, Mary, who is our mother too, we all may come ever closer to the Lord and His Holy Presence. May God be with us always and may He continue to guide in our journey in life, together with His most loving Mother Mary, our own beloved Mother. May God in His infinite grace and mercy grant us His grace and may all of us be shown mercy and forgiveness, and may we all draw ever closer to God, to His love and grace, now and always, and may He continue to bless our every good efforts and endeavours, all for the greater glory of God, now and always. Amen 🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    My sorrowful Lord, You endured the sins of many. You were treated with cruelty and injustice. To all of these sins, including those that you foresaw, You reacted with the love of holy sorrow. And that sorrow led you to true compassion and concern for all. Please give me the grace to imitate this same love of Yours so that I, too, may share in the holiness of Your sorrowful heart. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, you were conceived without sin and remained sinless throughout your life. With the perfection of every virtue and grace, you loved and served God even as a young child. Please pray for me, as I help to inspire young people in the ways of holiness, that I will never shy away from pointing them to you as a model and mediator of God’s grace. Most Holy Blessed Virgin Mary, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏🏽

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Blessed Maria Franciszka Siedliska, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

  • THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY?

    THE HOLY ROSARY: WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY AND WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY?

    A PRESENTATION ON THE HOLY ROSARY BY DR. PHILOMENA IKOWE ON THE MEMORIAL OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY ON OCTOBER 7, 2024

    FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 7TH

    THE HOLY ROSARY

    The history of the Holy Rosary and what we need to know about the Holy rosary.

    WHAT IS THE HOLY ROSARY?

    The Holy Rosary is traditionally a Catholic prayer that has been in existence for many centuries. The Holy Rosary is an incredibly rich practice of prayer that’s Scripture based. The Holy Rosary is an incredibly rich practice of prayer that’s Scripture based. The Holy Rosary is a combination of prayers and meditations on important events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

    WHY DO WE PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY?

    The Holy Rosary is one of the most powerful prayers and the reason why we pray the Holy Rosary is because it helps to keep in our memory certain principal events in the history of our Catholic faith and salvation. The Holy Rosary consists of 20 mysteries divided into four distinct parts. The Joyful Mysteries, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries. Each Mystery is represented by a Decade made up of the Our Father, Ten Hail Mary’s an a Glory be. It begins with the Apostles’ Creed, which summarizes the great mysteries of the Catholic faith.

    The Saints and the Popes view on the Holy Rosary:

    • Our Lady has 117 titles. She selected the title at Fatima: “I am the Lady of the Rosary.”
    • Holy Rosary:
    • St. Francis de Sales said the greatest method of praying is – Pray the Rosary.
    • St. Thomas Aquinas preached 40 straight days in Rome Italy on just the Hail Mary.
    •  St. John Vianney, patron of priest, was seldom seen without a rosary in his hand.
    • “The rosary is the scourge of the devil” — Pope Adrian VI
    •  “The rosary is a treasure of graces” — Pope Paul V
    •  Padre Pio the stigmatic priest said: “The Rosary is THE WEAPON”
    • Pope Leo XIII wrote 9 encyclicals on the rosary.
    • Pope John XXIII spoke 38 times about our Lady and the Rosary. he prayed 15 decades daily.
    • St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort wrote: “The rosary is the most powerful weapon to touch the Heart of Jesus, Our Redeemer, who so loves His Mother.”

    HISTORY OF THE HOLY ROSARY

    The word “Rosary” comes from the Latin word “Rosaria,” which means a crown of roses or a garden of roses. Rosary comes from the root word rose, which was a symbol for Mary during the Middle Ages. The prayer form became known as the rosarium, which means “rose garden.” The Holy Rosary is an ever ancient and ever new prayer tool that has been in existence for many centuries. It developed slowly and has evolved over the centuries. While the first recorded use of the word “rosary” did not appear until 1597, the roots of the Holy rosary were found far earlier before that time. The rosary’s structure evolved between thje 12th and 15th centuries. It grew up in the second millennium of Christianity, particularly in Western Christianity around the 14th century. It’s attributed to Saint Dominic.

    Early Origins of the Holy Rosary:

    The origins of the Holy Rosary are unclear or unknown, but the practice developed over several centuries ago. The rosary has roots in several early Christian prayer traditions. They share similar format to the rosary with repetitive structures and prayers.

    Early prayer practices: Before Christ, people prayed repetitively and used objects like rocks or pebbles to keep count.

    Counting Psalms: Third century Christian hermits and monks in Egypt (known as Desert Fathers) used stones and pebbles and later prayer ropes to keep track when reciting or praying the 150 psalms.

    Strings of  beads to count Our Fathers and Hail Marys: In the Middle Ages, to keep count, strings of  beads with knots were used to count , Hail Marys and Our Fathers. The Our Father was prayed 50 or 150 times each week, using a string of beads with five decades became known and referred to as a “Paternoster” (Latin for “Our Father’)

    – Various forms of “the Jesus Prayer” (such as “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”) became popular. The short prayer was Said over and over again in a type of mantra while counting beads.

    The Meaning of Rosary Beads

    Catholics were not the first to pray with beads. And while the exact origin of prayer beads is unknown, men and women of many faiths and cultures (Hindus, Greeks, Buddhists, Muslims, and more) have (and do) use beads to pray. In fact, the word bead in English is actually derived from an Old English word bede that means prayer.

    The use of prayer beads almost universally is to allow the person to keep track of the number of prayers that have been said, while at the same time focusing on the deeper meaning of the prayers themselves.

    While praying with beads certainly wasn’t an original idea, it’s a powerful reminder that everything before the coming of Jesus was preparing for that moment and that God yearns to transform everything into something holy, even something as ordinary as a small rope with some beads on it.

    How Many Beads Are on a Set of Rosary Beads?

    Today, Roman Catholics use a rosary made up of 59 beads. The 6 large beads are used for praying the Our Father prayer, and the 53 smaller beads are used for praying the Hail Mary prayer. Other prayers of the rosary include the Apostles’ Creed, the Glory Be, and the Hail, Holy Queen. There are 5 decades, or groups of 10 small beads, that make up the main portion of the rosary.

    The Growth of the Holy Rosary

    The earliest form of the rosary developed when Pope Gregory the Great (590-604) popularized an earlier version of the Hail Mary prayer by asking it to be prayed on the fourth Sunday of Advent. Many individuals began praying the Hail Mary in a repetitive fashion using a string of beads to keep track of the prayers. This was the practice from this time up to the medieval era when we had a fully developed form of prayer.

    After the full development of the Hail Mary prayer, the term “rosary” was finally given in 1597. During this time, the structure of the five-decade rosary based on the three sets of mysteries prevailed. There was much written and spoken about the rosary. Most notably, Pope Paul VI said when we pray the Holy Rosary, we can experience the key moments of the Gospel. It is a simple, beautiful, and focused meditation, especially when focusing on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

    The Story of St. Dominic

    According to tradition, St. Dominic (d. 1221) devised the rosary as we know it. It is widely believed that in 1214 St. Dominic nad a vision of Mary. She is said to have presented him with the rosary, both the beads and the prayers to be prayed. St. Dominic had a tremendous devotion to Mary and the Holy Rosary, which he promoted wherever he traveled to preach. Moved by a vision of our Blessed Mother, he preached the use of the rosary in his missionary work among the Albigensians, who had denied the mystery of Christ. He encouraged Catholics to gather in small groups to pray together what was an early form of the rosary together. These were quite possibly the first expressions of the prayer groups and small group communities that are still having a powerful impact today. Some scholars take exception to St. Dominic’s role in forming the rosary. The earliest accounts of his life do not mention it. The Dominican constitutions do not link him with it, and contemporaneous portraits do not include it as a symbol to identify the Saint.

    The Story of St. Louis de Montfort

    St. Louis de Montfort was ordained a priest in 1700. He was known not only as a preacher but especially for his devotion to Mary and his practice praying the rosary. Through this devotion, he wrote often on the idea of being consecrated to Jesus through Mary, recognizing that a powerful way to connect with God is through His mother. His writings make up some of the earliest works on Mariology or the study of the theology of Mary.

    The Battle of Lepanto (Our Lady of Victory)

    The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Feast of Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated on October 7th each year in the General Roman Liturgical Calendar. October 7th is the anniversary of the decisive victory of the combined fleet of the Holy League of 1571 over the Ottoman navy at the Battle of Lepanto.

    In 1571, Pope Pius V organized a fleet under the command of Don Juan of Austria, the half-brother of King Philip II of Spain. While preparations were underway, the Holy Father asked all of the faithful to say the rosary and implore our Blessed Mother’s prayers, under the title Our Lady of Victory, that our Lord would grant victory to the Christians. Although the Moslem fleet outnumbered that of the Christians in both vessels and sailors, the forces were ready to meet in battle. The Christian flagship flew a blue banner depicting Christ crucified. On October 7, 1571, the Moslems were defeated at the Battle of Lepanto. The following year, Pope St. Pius V established the Feast of the Holy Rosary on October 7, where the faithful would not only remember this victory, but also give thanks to the Lord for all of His benefits and remember the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother.

    The Feast of the Holy Rosary (October 7th) continues to be included in the liturgical calendar, which estifies to the importance and goodness of this form of prayer. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said, “The rosary is the book of the blind, where souls see and there enact the greatest drama of love the world has ever known; it is the book of the simple, which initiates them into mysteries and knowledge more satisfying than the education of other men; it is the book of the aged, whose eyes close upon the shadow of this world, and open on the substance of the next. The power of the rosary is beyond description.’

    PRAYERS RECITED IN THE HOLY ROSARY

    THE HAIL MARY PRAYER

    The Holy Rosary prayer has its foundation in the Bible. The very words of Elizabeth to Mary during the visitation, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb” (Luke 1:42) was the first addition to be made. In 1050 AD, these words formed the basis of the Rosary prayer, and then in 1261, ope Urban IV added the name of Jesus to the end of Elizabeth’s words. This early form of the Hail Mary was recited 150 times on the beads. By the fifteenth century, the 150 Hail Marys had been divided into sets of ten, Known as “decades, with an Our Father at the beginning of each. The Hail Mary prayer came together slowly. It took more than a thousand years. The earliest version simply added Mary’s name to the message delivered by the angel Gabriel to Mary: “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee” (Luke 1:28).

    St. Peter Canisius published the Hail Mary in his 1555 Catechism with almost the entire final petition: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners.” Eleven years later, the Catechism of the Council of Trent (a work that Canisius was instrumental in creating) included, for the first time, the entire final petition, concluding with the words “now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” The version of the Hail Mary we pray today was given official approval in 1568.

    Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

    THE FATIMA PRAYER

    On May 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in the village of Fatima, Portugal. On that fateful day near that tiny village, The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, appeared to three young peasant children: Francisco and Jacinta Marto, and Lucia Santos; ages 10, 9 and 7. As was the custom, these youngsters were tending their family’s sheep when “a Lady all in white, more brilliant than the sun… indescribably beautiful,” standing above a bush, appeared to the youngsters. From May through October 1917, the Lady appeared and spoke to the children on the 13th day of each month. She told them to come back to that exact place on the 13th day of each month for the next six months. The last apparition on October 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary had promised a sign that would convince the world she had appeared, many pilgrims made plans to attend. Though the region had been subjected to three days of torrential downpour, nearly 70,000 people, including believers and skeptics journeyed through the heavy rain and mud to the place of the previous apparitions to witness the predicted miracle. Suddenly, the “clouds separated…and the sun appeared between them in the clear blue, like a disk of white fire.” After the series of events, it has become what is known as the Miracle of the Sun, or the Miracle of Fatima. During the apparitions, the Blessed Virgin Mary promised she would appear to them each time and entrust a message to them. The Blessed Virgin Mary told the children to pray for world peace by reciting the Holy Rosary every day. During the apparition on July 13, 1917, the Blessed Virgin Mary asked the children to add a short prayer (the Fatima prayer) to the end of each decade of the rosary:

    O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, Save US from the fires of hell; lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of thy mercy.

    Today, this is referred to as the Fatima prayer, and many Catholics incorporate it into the Holy Rosary as the Blessed Virgin Mary requested.

    THE MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY

    The mysteries of the Holy Rosary were introduced by St. Dominic of Prussia sometime between 1410 and 1439. This gave each decade of the Holy Rosary a unique quality. Each mystery leads us to ponder very specific events in the lives of Jesus and Mary and the lessons they hold for our own lives today.

    There were originally three sets of mysteries: the Joyful Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries, and the Glorious Mysteries. On October 16, 2002, almost 600 years after the original Mysteries of the Holy Rosary were established, Pope John Paul II proposed adding a new set of mysteries called the Luminous Mysteries (the Mysteries of Light). The Catholic Church has set aside days to aid in praying the Holy Rosary. The mysteries are prayed on specific days of the week; with the addition of the Luminous Mysteries on Thursday, the others are the Glorious on Sunday and Wednesday, the Joyful on Monday and Saturday, and the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday.

    The Catholic Holy Rosary prayers beautifully accompany the various seasons within the Church year. These special Catholic prayers are adjusted during the seasons of Christmas and Lent. In the Christmas season, the Joyful Mysteries are prayed on Sundays. Likewise, during the season of Lent, the Sorrowful Mysteries are prayed on Sundays. Thereby giving emphasis to the events in the life of Jesus that are being celebrated during those two seasons of the year. His incarnation and birth during Christmas and His assion and death during Lent.

    JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY

    ROSARY

    Recited on Monday & Saturday

    – The Annunciation of the Lord to Mary

    Mary is chosen to be the mother of Jesus.

    – The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth

    Elizabeth recognizes Mary as the mother of our Lord.

    – The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ

    Jesus is born and laid in a manger.

    – The Presentation of our Lord

    Jesus is presented in the Temple of Jerusalem.

    – Finding Jesus in the Temple at age 12

    Jesus is found discussing God’s laws in the temple.

    SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY

    ROSARY

    Recited on Tuesday & Friday

    – The Agony of Jesus in the Garden

    Jesus prays when confronted with the sins of the world.

    – The Scourging at the Pillar

    Jesus is whipped before His execution.

    – Jesus is Crowned with Thorns

    Jesus is mocked with a painful crown of thorns.

    – Jesus Carried the Cross

    Jesus carries the weight of our sins to His crucifixion.

    – The Crucifixion of our Lord

    Jesus Christ dies to save all mankind

    GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY

    ROSARY

    Recited on Wednesday & Sunday

    – The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

    Jesus rises triumphant over death.

    – The Ascension of Jesus to Heaven

    As Jesus ascends, He gives us a special task.

    – The Descent of the Holy Ghost

    At Pentecost the Church is born.

    – The Assumption of Mary into Heaven

    The Virgin Mary is gloriously assumed into heaven.

    – Mary is Crowned as Queen of Heaven and Earth

    Mary is honored above all creatures

    LUMINOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY

    ROSARY

    Recited on Thursday

    – The Baptism in the Jordan

    God proclaims Jesus is His Son.

    – The Wedding at Cana

    Jesus performs a surprising miracle ata wedding.

    – The Proclamation of the Kingdom

    Jesus calls us to do something important.

    – The Transfiguration

    Jesus is gloriously transformed.

    – The Institution of the Eucharist

    Jesus shares His Body and Blood for our salvation

    HOW TO PRAY THE HOLY ROSARY

    (Please refer to the attached link instructions with pictorials on how to pray he Holy Rosary | https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc: VA6C2:4ad4595e-cf42-4fe7-8e41-bf2898d35347)

    The Holy Rosary is one of the most cherished prayers of our Catholic faith. In praying the Holy Rosary, it begins with the introduction of the Creed (“I believe”); the Our Father, three Hail Marys and the Doxology (“Glory Be”), and concluded with the Salve Regina (“Hail Holy Queen’).

    The Holy Rosary involves the recitation of ive decades consisting of the Our Father, 10 Hail Marys and the Doxology (“Glory Be”). During this recitation, the individual meditates on the saving mysteries of our Lord’s life and the faithful witness of our Blessed Mother Mary.

    Journeying through the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, the Joyful, Luminous, (Mysteries of Light), Sorrowful and Glorious mysteries of the Holy Rosary, the individual brings to mind our Lord’s incarnation; His public ministry; His passion and death, and His resurrection from the dead. In so doing, the rosary assists us in growing in a deeper appreciation of these mysteries, in uniting our life more closely to our Lord and in imploring His graced assistance to live the faith. We also ask for the prayers of our Blessed Mother, who leads all believers to her Son.

    How to Pray the Rosary: Step-By-Step Instructions for Praying The Rosary

    – Begin by holding the crucifix, saying “In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (making the sign of the Cross while doing that), then say the Apostles Creed.

    – On the single bead just above the cross, pray the “Our Father.’ This and all prayers of the rosary are meditative prayers. – The next cluster has 3 beads. The “Hail Mary” prayer is said on these three beads. You pray the 3 Hail Marys while meditating on the three divine virtues of faith, hope, and love/charity.

    ¢ On the chain or cord after the three beads, say the ‘Glory be…’

    – On the next bead, which is a single bead, you announce the first divine mystery of contemplation. For example, if it were a Monday, you would say the first Joyful Mystery is ‘The Annunciation’, at this point you pray the “Our Father” prayer.

    * Now this will bring you to the first decade, or set of 10 beads of the Rosary.

    You will then pray 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the first mystery, example: The Annunciation.

    – After the 10th Hail Mary you will have completed the first of 5 decades, which makes up a Chaplet of the Rosary. You now come to another single bead. At this point, you pray the… Glory be to the Catha tha n tha a haad)\ ray tharauiel. .. then (on the same Dead), pray LIIS O My Jesus… then (on the same bead), announce the next or second mystery. For example: if it’s Monday and you’re praying the Joyful Mysteries, the second Joyful Mystery is The Visitation. At this point, you pray the Our Father…

    – You will now come to the second decade or group of 10 beads, and you will now pray the 10 Hail Marys while contemplating the appropriate mystery.

    – You continue to pray the rosary the same way throughout. If your intention is to pray a Chaplet (a single set of mysteries) at the end of the fifth mystery you will come back to the joiner, this is where the decades all join with the lower part of the rosary which contains the cross. When you come to the joiner, you decide whether or not you wish to say another Chaplet or end. If you decide to say another Chaplet, you simply announce the next mystery and continue. lf you wish to end, you simply say the Glory Be To The Father, the O My Jesus, The Our Father, and end the rosary with the Hail Holy Queen and the sign of the Cross……..

    Various Rosary Prayers in approximate order as prayed in the Holy Rosary:

    THE APOSTLE’S CREED

    I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. | believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen

    THE OUR FATHER

    Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

    THE DOXOLOGY

    Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. (This prayer is optional and may be said after all. Glory Be to the Fathers…..) my Jesus, have mercy on us. Forgive us our sins. Save us from the fires of hell. Take all souls into heaven, especially those most in need of thy mercy. Amen.

    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.

    DECADE PRAYER

    (Prayer for Priests): God, our Father, please send us holy priests, all for the sacred and eucharistic heart of Jesus, all for the sorrowful and immaculate heart of Mary, in union with saint Joseph. Amen.

    THE SALVE REGINA

    (Hail Holy Queen): Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! V: Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

    LET US PRAY

    O God, whose only begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation. Grant, we beseech Thee, that while meditating on these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through Christ our Lord. Amen. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

    FATIMA PRAYER

    Most Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – | adore thee profoundly. | offer Thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference’s whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, | beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners. “Let this prayer be echoed all over the world.’ – Mary Fatima Prayer My God, | believe, | adore, | hope, and | love You. | beg pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love You. Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, pray for us. Mary, Queen of Peace, pray for us. Mary, Our Loving Mother, pray for us.

    MEMORARE

    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, we fly to you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To You we come; before You we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in Your mercy, hear and answer us. Amen.

    The Fifteen Promises of Mary to Christians Who Recite the Holy Rosary

    – Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Holy Rosary shall receive signal graces.

    – | promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Holy Rosary.

    – The Holy Rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.

    – It will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the heart of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire of eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.

    – The soul that recommends itself to me by the recitation of the Holy Rosary shall not perish.

    – Whoever shall recite the Holy Rosary devoutly, applying himself to the consideration of its sacred mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune. God will not chastise him in His justice. He shall not by an unprovided death; if he be just he shall remain in the grace of God, and become worthy of eternal life.

    ¢- Whoever shall have a true devotion for the Holy Rosary shall not die without the sacraments of the Church.

    – Those who are faithful to recite the Holy Rosary shall have during their life and at their death the light of God and the plenitude of His graces; at the moment of death they shall participate in the merits of the saints in paradise.

    – | shall deliver from purgatory those who have been devoted to the Holy Rosary.

    – The faithful children of the Holy Rosary shall merit a high degree of glory in heaven.

    – You shall obtain all you ask of me by the recitation of the Holy Rosary.

    – All those who propagate the Holy Rosary shall be aided by me in their necessities.

    – | have obtained from my Divine Son that all the advocates of the Holy Rosary shall have for intercessors the entire celestial court during their life and at the hour of death.

    – All who recite the Holy Rosary are my son and brothers of my only son, Jesus Christ.

    – Devotion of my Holy Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

    The Holy Rosary and its impact on us

    The Holy Rosary is an incredibly beautiful and rewarding spiritual practice for people of all ages. The Holy Rosary is ever new because the situations and mysteries we are pondering have an unlimited number of dimensions to consider. It is like an ancient treasure map that has led countless men and women from all walks of life to the treasures of peace, joy, clarity, and contentment. It has, for many centuries, impacted lives positively and powerfully to this day! According to the words of Pope Paul VI, “when we pray the rosary we can experience the key moments of the Gospel. It is a simple, beautiful, and focused meditation, especially when focusing on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary.”

    We thank God for His grace and mercy. May our Blessed Mother Mary continue to intercede for us all. Amen.

    Jesus MARY, Queen of the Holy Angel ~ Pray for us.

    Jesus, Mary, | Love You, Save Souls

    J.M.J. = JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH – the Holy Family ~ Pray for us.

    COMMON CATHOLIC PRAYERS | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/common-catholic-prayers/

    REFERENCES

    The History of the Rosary | https://www.dynamiccatholic.com/rosary/history-of-the-rosary.html

    History of the Rosary | Fr. William Saunders | EWTN | https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/history-of-the-rosary-1142

    The Origins of the Rosary | Franciscan Media | https://www.franciscanmedia.org/st-anthony-messenger/the-origins-of-the-rosary/

    A Brief History of the Rosary – Part | | Fr.Thomas Nathe | Holy Redeemer

    Catholic Parish, Vancouver, WA | https://holyredeemervan.org/pastor-columns/rosary-history-1

    The Holy Rosary | https://www.catholic.org/prayers/rosary.php

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT JUSTINA OF PADUA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR:

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT JUSTINA OF PADUA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR:

    TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT JUSTINA OF PADUA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR:

    FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family. Happy Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time and Happy Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary!

    Pope Francis, on the eve of the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, yesterday, October 6, 2024 led the recitation of a Holy Rosary for peace at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and prays that violence and hatred may be extinguished from human hearts.

    Today, on this Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, may our Blessed Mother Mary Comfort us and intercede for us all as pray for the gentle repose of the soul of our loved ones who recently passed away. We pray for the repose of the souls of all those who will die today, asking God to have mercy on their souls and to lead them into Eternal Life. And we continue to pray for the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    On this feast day, we continue to pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally, physically and critically ill and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for our children and children all over the world, for students, for those seeking for the fruit of the womb, for the poor and needy, we pray for difficult marriages, for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | October 7, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | October 7, 2024 |

    *Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes France” | October 7, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| October 7, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Reading: Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, Monday October 7, 2024
    Reading 1, Acts 1:12-14
    Responsorial Psalm, Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55
    Gospel, Luke 1:26-38

    and/on

    Today’s Bible Reading: Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time, October 7, 2024
    Reading 1, Galatians 1:6-12
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 111:1-2, 7-8, 9, 10
    Gospel, Luke 10:25-37

    HOLY ROSARY PRAYER FOR PEACE FOR OUR ‘WORLD IN DANGER’ LED BY POPE FRANCIS: Pope Francis leads the recitation of a Rosary for peace at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and prays that violence and hatred may be extinguished from human hearts.

    “Transform the hearts of those who fuel hatred, silence the din of weapons that generate death, extinguish the violence that brews in the heart of humanity, and inspire projects for peace in the actions of those who govern nations.”

    Pope Francis made that supplication for peace on Sunday evening, October 6, 2024, as he prayed the Rosary at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. He was joined by participants in the Synod on Synodality taking place in the Vatican this month.

    ‘Wipe tears of those who mourn’

    In his prayer for peace, the Pope brought the sorrows and hopes of peoples at war to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as he sat at the feet of the ancient icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani.

    “We lift our gaze to you, immerse ourselves in your eyes, and entrust ourselves to your heart,” he prayed, noting that in her earthly life, Mary drew near to those who suffered. Pope Francis said humanity currently has great need of her loving gaze, which calls us to trust in her Son, Jesus Christ.

    “Fly to our aid in these times oppressed by injustices and devastated by wars,” he prayed. “Wipe the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones, awaken us from the stupor that has darkened our path, and disarm our hearts from the weapons of violence”.

    The Holy Father expressed his concern that our world is in danger, as we have lost the “joy of peace and the sense of fraternity.” He prayed that humanity may learn to “cherish life and reject war, care for those who suffer, the poor, the defenseless, the sick, and the afflicted, and protect our Common Home.”

    In conclusion, Pope Francis asked Mary, Queen of the Rosary, to untie “the knots of selfishness and disperse the dark clouds of evil” and to fill us with her tenderness.

    POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER TO INVOKE PEACE

    O Mary, our Mother, we come again here before you. You know the sorrows and struggles that weigh heavily on our hearts in this hour. We lift our gaze to you, immerse ourselves in your eyes, and entrust ourselves to your heart.

    You, too, O Mother, have faced difficult trials and human fears, but you were courageous and bold. You entrusted everything to God, responded to Him with love, and offered yourself without reservation. As the intrepid Woman of Charity, you hurried to help Elizabeth, promptly addressing the needs of the couple during the Wedding at Cana; with steadfastness of heart, on Calvary you illuminated the night of sorrow with the Easter hope. Finally, with maternal tenderness, you gave courage to the frightened disciples in the Upper Room and, with them, welcomed the gift of the Spirit.

    And now we beseech you: heed our cry! We have need of your loving gaze that invites us to trust in your Son, Jesus. You who are ready to embrace our sorrows, fly to our aid in these times oppressed by injustices and devastated by wars, wipe the tears from the suffering faces of those who mourn the loss of their loved ones, awaken us from the stupor that has darkened our path, and disarm our hearts from the weapons of violence, so that the prophecy of Isaiah may quickly be fulfilled: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not take up sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Isaiah 2:4).

    Turn your maternal gaze upon the human family, which has lost the joy of peace and the sense of fraternity. Intercede for our world in danger, so that it may cherish life and reject war, care for those who suffer, the poor, the defenseless, the sick, and the afflicted, and protect our Common Home.

    We invoke you for the mercy of God, O Queen of Peace! Transform the hearts of those who fuel hatred, silence the din of weapons that generate death, extinguish the violence that brews in the heart of humanity, and inspire projects for peace in the actions of those who govern nations.

    O Queen of the Holy Rosary, untie the knots of selfishness and disperse the dark clouds of evil. Fill us with your tenderness, uplift us with your caring hand, and grant us your maternal caress, which makes us hope in the advent of a new humanity where “… the wilderness becomes a garden land and the garden land seems as common as forest. Then judgment will dwell in the wilderness and justice abide in the garden land. The work of justice will be peace…” (Isaiah 32:15-17).

    O Mother, Salus Populi Romani, pray for us! 🙏🏽

    Pope Francis leads Rosary prayer for peace for ‘world in danger’ | https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2024-10/pope-francis-rosary-prayer-peace-mary-major.html

    FEAST OF OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY | MEMORIAL OF SAINT JUSTINA OF PADUA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY – OCTOBER 7TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and the memorial of Saint Justina of Padua, Virgin and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary on this feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, we humbly pray for God’s Divine Grace and Mercy upon us all. We pray for the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed. We pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for peace, love, and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, for vocations to the priesthood and religious life, for the Church, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world…. Amen🙏

    OUR LADY OF THE HOLY ROSARY: Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was originally known as “Our Lady of Victory,” the feast was changed to Our Lady of the Rosary to honor the spiritual weapon through which the Blessed Virgin Mary saved Catholic Europe from the threat of Muslim invasion. This victory saved Europe from being overrun by the forces of Islam. The feast of Our Lady of the Rosary was instituted following the Christian victory over the Turks at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571. Pope St. Pius V, the “Pope of the Rosary,” attributed the naval victory of the Catholic forces, who were greatly outnumbered, to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Lady was invoked on the day of battle through a papal campaign asking the faithful across Europe to pray the rosary for the triumph of the Church. In thanksgiving for the miraculous victory, Pope St. Pius V instituted a feast to be celebrated throughout the world every year on October 7th. Pope St. Pius V and all Christians had prayed the Rosary for victory. The Rosary, or the Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one of the best prayers to Our Mother Mary, the Mother of God.

    This month of October is the Month of the Holy Rosary when the Church encouraged all the faithful to pray the rosary daily, as an offering of prayer to God made through His blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary. The rosary as we know is the long chain of beads used by Christians in prayers, most commonly for the rosary in offering of the set of fifty Hail Mary or Ave Maria interspersed with the Lord’s Prayer and Gloria Patri or ‘Glory Be’ prayer, as well as some other prayers and devotions such as the Devotion to the Divine Mercy which also uses the rosary. In modern times successive popes have urged the faithful to pray the Rosary. It is a form of contemplative prayer, mental and vocal prayer, which brings down God’s blessing on the Church. It is a biblically inspired prayer which is centered on meditation on the salvific mysteries of Christ in union with Mary, who was so closely associated with her Son in his redeeming activity.

    On October 7, the first Sunday of October in the year 1571, Don Juan of Austria gained his famous naval victory over the Turks at Lepanto. In thanksgiving for this event, which he attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin through the recitation of the Holy Rosary, St. Pius V instituted an annual feast under the title of Our Lady of Victory. In 1585, his immediate successor, Gregory XIII, changed the title to that of the Rosary, and granted its Office to all churches in which there was an altar dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. In 1716, the army of Emperor Charles VI, under Prince Eugene, gained a remarkable victory over the Turks near Belgrade, on the Feast of Our Lady of the Snows, at a time when the members of the Society of the Holy Rosary were offering solemn prayers in Rome. Soon after, the Turks were forced to raise the siege of Corcyra. Clement XI, in memory of this, extended the feast of the Most Holy Rosary to the Universal Church in 1721. Benedict XIV caused an account of all this to be inserted into the Roman Breviary, and Leo XIII raised the feast to the rank of a feast of the second class. He also added to the Litany of Loreto the invocation: “Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us.” In 1961, the title of this feast became: Our Lady of the Rosary.

    According to tradition, the devotion to the Holy Rosary was revealed to St. Dominic by the Blessed Virgin. It is one of the most highly indulgenced of all devotions and both a vocal and a mental prayer. Vocally, we recite the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. Mentally, we meditate on the great Mysteries of our Faith. Medieval nobleman used to wear wreaths of flowers, called “chaplets”, which were also offered as a symbol of homage to distinguished people. The Rosary was originally made up of 150 Hail Marys (in imitation of the 150 Psalms of the Divine Office) and divided into three “chaplets” of roses, called the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious Mysteries. These “chaplets” were offered to our Lady, who is the Queen of heaven and earth and has a right to our homage. She is the Daughter of the Father, Mother Of the Son, and Spouse of the Holy Spirit. The Church urges all of us to offer her a crown of roses, i.e., the Rosary. In 2002, Pope John Paul II added another “chaplet”, or series of the Mysteries entitled the Luminous Mysteries contain events from the Hidden and Public Life of Jesus, i.e., the foundation of the work of our salvation. For four hundred years, the Popes have recommended the Rosary as the remedy for the evils afflicting society.

    The Church wants us not so much to recall a distant victory but to discover Mary’s place in the Mystery of Salvation and to greet her by saying “Hail Mary” without ceasing. When Mary gave her consent to God at the Annunciation, “she committed herself wholeheartedly to God’s saving will and, impeded by no sin, she devoted herself totally, as the handmaid of the Lord, to the Person and work of her Son, under and with Him, serving the Mystery of the Redemption by the grace of Almighty God”. We are reminded to always be ever vigilant, resisting the temptations to disobey God and sin. We should make good use of whatever means that the Lord has given us to help us, with the Holy Rosary itself being one of these. We are encouraged to spend some time each day especially in this month of the Holy Rosary to pray the rosary. And when we pray the Holy Rosary, we should pray it with genuine understanding and intention, and not just uttering the words of prayer without meaning and understanding them. Let us pray the Holy Rosary in offering a most beautiful spiritual bouquet of prayer to our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of the Rosary, who will then offer them on our behalf before her Son.

    PRAYER: God, pour Your grace into our hearts, and grant that, as we learned of the Incarnation of Christ Your Son by the message of an Angel, so by His Cross and Passion and the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Amen 🙏

    THE STEPS FOR PRAYING THE HOLY ROSARY ARE:

    • Make the Sign of the Cross and say the “Apostles’ Creed”
    • Say the “Our Father”
    • Say three “Hail Marys” for Faith, Hope, and Charity
    • Say the “Glory Be”
    • Announce the First Mystery and then say the “Our Father”
    • Say ten “Hail Marys” while meditating on the Mystery
    • Say the “Glory Be” (Optional: Say the “O My Jesus” prayer requested by Mary at Fatima)
    • Announce the Next Mystery; then say the “Our Father” and repeat these steps (6 through 8) as you continue through the remaining Mysteries.
    • Say the closing prayers: the “Hail Holy Queen” and “Final Prayer”
    • Make the “Sign of the Cross”

    Pope Saint John Paul II suggested the recitation of the Rosary as follows: ▪︎The JOYFUL Mysteries Monday and Saturday,
    ▪︎The LUMINOUS Mysteries on Thursday,
    ▪︎The SORROWFUL Mysteries  on Tuesday and Friday,
    ▪︎ The GLORIOUS Mysteries Wednesday and Sunday (with this exception; Sundays of Advent and Christmas – the JOYFUL; Sundays of Lent – the SORROWFUL).

    HAIL MARY: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.🙏

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

    PRAYER: God, whose Only-begotten Son, by His Life, Death and Resurrection obtained for us the rewards of eternal salvation, grant, we beg Thee that meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.🙏

    On this special feast day, we also celebrate the Memorial of Saint Justina of Padua, Virgin and Martyr.

    SAINT JUSTINA OF PADUA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Justina of Padua (d. 304 A.D.) was a young and pious Christian woman who dedicated her virginity to Christ. She received baptism at the hands of St. Prosdocimus, the first Bishop of Padua in Italy. At the age of sixteen she was arrested for being a Christian under the persecutions of Roman Emperor Maximinian, and was ordered to make sacrifice to the pagan gods. When she refused, she was stabbed with a sword and left to die. Overlooking the field where she was martyred is a basilica named in her honor which holds her relics, as well as those of St. Luke the Evangelist, St. Matthias the Apostle, St. Prosdocimus, and other patron saints of Padua. Her feast was the day the Catholic naval forces won victory over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, which increased her popularity among the faithful. St. Justina of Padua’s feast day is October 7th.

    Saint Justina of Padua, Virgin and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

    Bible Readings for today, Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/1007-memorial-our-lady-rosary.cfm

    Monday of the Twenty-Seventh Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Luke 1:26-38

    “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son”

    “The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.”

    Today, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. The month of October has been traditionally the month of the Rosary. The Rosary has been a very important prayer in the prayer life of the church for many centuries. It is a prayer which invites us to reflect on the birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and on the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, as well as on Mary in glory. The two readings today present us with two of the mysteries we reflect on in the Rosary. The Gospel reading is the first Joyful Mystery, the annunciation to Mary. The first reading is the beginning of the story of Pentecost; the disciples are in continuous prayer, together with Mary the mother of Jesus and other members of Jesus’ family as they wait for the coming of the Spirit. In the Gospel reading, Mary is told by Gabriel that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and so the child to be born of her will be holy and will be called Son of God. It could be said that Gabriel announces Mary’s personal Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was needed at this moment of crucial new beginning. The first reading reflects another moment of new beginning, the beginning of the church. Again the Holy Spirit is needed at this second moment of new beginning, and, once again, this second moment involves Mary. Having had her own personal Pentecost, she is present at the Pentecost of the whole community of believers. There are always moments of new beginning in our own lives. Regardless of where we are on our life’s journey, the Lord is always calling us to make some new beginning. The same Holy Spirit is given to us as our resource at each of our own moments of new beginning, as he was given to Mary and the early church. As we set out on whatever new beginning we are making, no matter how small, we can confidently pray, ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill my heart’. Through the working of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, we are continually reborn as sons and daughters of God, and brothers and sisters of Jesus. Saint Paul, in his letter to the Romans, tells us that the Spirit is given to us to help us in our weakness, because we do not know how to pray as we ought. We need the Spirit to pray as God desires us to pray. Whether we pray the Rosary or pray in some other form, our opening prayer needs to be, ‘Come Holy Spirit, help me in my weakness; empower me to pray as God desires me to pray’.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, on this special Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, we are reminded to remain faithful and be steadfast in prayer, we are all encouraged to pray the Holy Rosary daily, as an offering of prayer to God made through His blessed Mother Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary. The Blessed Mother of God granted the Rosary to us all in order to help us all to find our way to the Lord through prayer, and by focusing ourselves on the Lord and to the good examples that Mary herself had done in her life, as one who is truly full of grace and blessed, fully faithful and committed to the Lord, to her Son, by her perfect obedience and virtues. Through the repetitive prayers of the rosary, we are in fact brought into that state of prayer and silence that can break us out from our attachments and distractions in life which had often prevented us from finding our way to God. Through the prayer of the Rosary, our Blessed Mother Mary, our Lady of the Rosary wanted more and more people to spend more time in prayer and in communication with God, and also with her that she may help to bring us all and direct us towards her Son, our Lord and Saviour. On this Feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary we are reminded of the need for all of us to adopt this prayer of the Holy Rosary to help us to come ever closer to God, through His mother Mary, our mother and our role model in faith. May the Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us in our journey of faith through life, and may all of us grow ever closer to God through the guidance of Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, and our loving mother. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen 🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF OCTOBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY: The Catholic Church designates and dedicate October as the Month of the Holy Rosary. During this month the faithful venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary especially under her title of Our Lady of the Rosary, and make special effort to honor the Holy Rosary with group recitations and rosary processions. The Lady of the Rosary honors a large battle between the Catholic Church and the Muslim caliphate of the Ottoman Empire. This battle, in the Gulf of Patras, near Greece, took place in the 16th century, on October 7, 1571. St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers, is the Saint to whom Our Lady famously appeared and gave the prayers of the Holy Rosary to assist him as a spiritual weapon in combating heresy and leading souls back to the one, true Catholic faith. Our Blessed Mother Mary ~ Pray for us 🙏

    THE MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARY: Until about the 15th century hundreds of mysteries were part of the Rosary devotion then the 15 mysteries that we know today were definitively fixed as “the Mysteries of the Rosary.” Pope John Paul II, in his encyclical, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, in 2002 added the five Luminous Mysteries.

    Through the meditations of the complete Rosary one recalls and has impressed on his mind, the Popes tell us, “the chief mysteries of the Christian religion,” “the mysteries of our Redemption,” “the great mysteries of Jesus and His Mother united in joys, sorrows, and triumphs.” The twenty mysteries are divided into four equal groups, known as “The Joyful,” “The Sorrowful,” “The Glorious,” and “The Luminous Mysteries.”

    PRAYER OF ST. LOUISE DE MONTFORT: O Jesus living in Mary, come and live in Your servants, in the spirit of Your holiness, in the fullness of Your might, in the perfection of Your ways, in the truth of Your virtues, in the communion of Your mysteries. Subdue every hostile power, the devil, the world and the flesh, in the strength of Your Spirit, for the glory of Your Father, Amen 🙏🏽

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER – FOR A SHARED MISSION: We pray that the Church continue to sustain in all ways a Synodal lifestyle, as a sign of co-responsibility, promoting the participation, the communion and the mission shared among priests, religious and lay people.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    We have tried so many times and over so many years to resolve our conflicts by our own powers and by the force of our arms. How many moments of hostility and darkness have we experienced; how much blood has been shed; how many lives have been shattered; how many hopes have been buried… But our efforts have been in vain. Now, Lord, come to our aid! Grant us peace, teach us peace; guide our steps in the way of peace. Open our eyes and our hearts, and give us the courage to say: “Never again war!”; “With war everything is lost”. Instill in our hearts courage to take concrete steps to achieve peace. Lord, God of Abraham, God of the Prophets, God of Love, you created us and you call us to live as brothers and sisters. Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace; enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister. Make us sensitive to the plea of our citizens who entreat us to turn our weapons of war into implements of peace, our trepidation into confident trust, and our quarreling into forgiveness. Keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation. In this way may peace triumph at last, and may the words “division”, “hatred” and “war” be banished from the heart of every man and woman. Lord, defuse the violence of our tongues and our hands. Renew our hearts and minds so that the word which always brings us together will be “brother”, and our way of life will always be that of: Shalom, Peace, Salaam! Amen 🙏🏾

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the gentle soul of our beloved family members who recently passed away and the souls of all the faithful departed, may the Lord receive them into the light of Eternal Kingdom. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians, with special intention for those Seminarians who will be ordained into Priesthood. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    My deep and wise Lord, You and You alone have every answer to life. You and You alone can reveal to me all that I need to know in life so as to achieve holiness and fulfillment. Please open my heart so that I can come to You with humility and sincerity, open to all that You wish to reveal to me.

    My indwelling Lord, I am blessed beyond belief by Your divine presence dwelling within me. Please open my eyes to see You and my ears to hear You so that I will be able to dwell with You Who have come to dwell in me. Lord, may I understand the power of this precious gift, the Holy Rosary. Give me the grace of making this part of my daily prayer.  Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and Saint Justina of Padua, Virgin and Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful and week and month of October 🙏🏽

    Blessings and Love always, Philomena💖

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT FELIX OF VALOIS, CO-FOUNDER; SAINT BERNWARD, BISHOP; SAINT EDMUND THE MARTYR AND BLESSED MARIA FORTUNATA VITI, RELIGIOUS

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT FELIX OF VALOIS, CO-FOUNDER; SAINT BERNWARD, BISHOP; SAINT EDMUND THE MARTYR AND BLESSED MARIA FORTUNATA VITI, RELIGIOUS

    THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 20, 2024

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 20, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 20, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 20, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 20, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday, November 20, 2024
    Reading 1, Revelation 4:1-11
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 150:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
    Gospel, Luke 19:11-28

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 | https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT FELIX OF VALOIS, CO-FOUNDER; SAINT BERNWARD, BISHOP; SAINT EDMUND THE MARTYR AND BLESSED MARIA FORTUNATA VITI, RELIGIOUS – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 20TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Felix of Valois, Co-Founder; Saint Bernward, Bishop; Saint Edmund the Martyr and Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti, Religious. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mental and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases, and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for torture victims, the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world.

    SAINT FELIX OF VALOIS, CO-FOUNDER OF THE TRINITARIAN ORDER: St. Felix of Valois, the companion of St. John of Matha in founding the Trinitarian Order for the redemption of Muslim captives. St. Felix died in 1212, in Cerfroid. The Trinitarian Order’s motto inscribed in the heart of Trinitarians is, “Gloria Tibi Trinitas et captivis libertas.” (Glory to you O Trinity and liberty to the captives.). Saint Felix of Valois was born on April 16, 1127, a hermit and a co-founder (with Saint John of Matha) of the Trinitarian Order. St. Felix together with John of Matha founded the Order of Trinitarians for liberating captured Christians from Saracen (Muslim) slavery. He belonged to the royal family of Valois. The breviary recounts several marvelous events from his life. As a boy he frequently gave away his clothes to clothe the naked. He pleaded for the life of a murderer condemned to death and foretold that he would reform and lead a highly edifying life-which prophecy proved true. With St. John of Matha he journeyed to Rome at the bidding of an angel and requested permission from Pope Innocent III to found a religious Order (1198). During holy Mass the Pope was granted a revelation regarding the proposed foundation; an angel appeared to him clothed in white with a red and blue cross. At Innocent’s bidding the Order took the name of the Blessed Trinity. Margaret of Blois granted the order 20 acres of the wood where Felix had built his first hermitage, and on almost the same spot he erected the famous Monastery of Cerfroid, the mother-house of the institute. Within forty years the order possessed six hundred monasteries in every part of Europe. St Felix remained in France and founded a house in Paris.

    In the newly-founded monastery at Cerfroi, Felix was favored with a visit by the Blessed Virgin. During the night preceding the feast of Mary’s Nativity all the brethren slept through Matins by a special divine dispensation. Felix alone appeared at choir, where he found the Blessed Virgin clothed in the habit of the Trinitarians, accompanied by a great throng of angels similarly dressed. United with them, with Mary as choir leader, Felix recited the Office as usual. When he was about to leave the earthly choirs to join those of heaven, an angel foretold to him the day of his departure; he admonished his brethren to persevere in love toward captives and the poor. St. Felix died amongst his fellow Trinitarians at their motherhouse in Cerfroid on November 4, 1212, mature in age and merit and was canonized by Pope Urban IV on May 1, 1262.

    Saint Felix of Valois, Co-Founder of the Trinitarian Order ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SAINT BERNWARD, BISHOP: Saint Bernward served as the thirteenth Bishop of Hildesheim, Germany during the middle of the tenth century. His grandfather was Athelbero, Count Palatine of Saxony. After having lost his parents, Bernward was sent to live with his uncle Volkmar, Bishop of Utrecht. His uncle enlisted the assistance of Thangmar, the pious and learned director of the cathedral school at Heidelberg, for the boy’s education. Under the instruction of Thangmar, Bernward made rapid progress in Christian piety as well as in the sciences. He became very proficient in mathematics, painting, architecture, and particularly in the manufacture of ecclesiastical vessels and ornaments of silver and gold.

    Saint Bernward completed his studies at Mainz, where he was then ordained a priest. In leiu of being placed in the diocese of his uncle, Bishop Volkmar, he chose to remain near his grandfather, Athelbero, to comfort him in his old age. Upon his grandfather’s death in 987, he became chaplain in the imperial court, and the Empress-Regent Theophano quickly appointed him to be tutor of her son Otto III, who was only six years old at the time. Bernward remained at the imperial court until 993, when he was elected Bishop of Hildesheim. His knowledge and practice of the arts were entirely employed in the service of the Church. A man of extraordinary piety, he was devoted to prayer as well as the practice of mortification. Shortly before his death in 1022 he was vested in the Benedictine habit. He was canonized by Pope Celestine III in 1193.

    PRAYER: God, Light and Shepherd of souls, You established St. Bernward as Bishop in Your Church to feed Your flock by his word and form it by his example. Help us through his intercession to keep the Faith he taught by his word and follow the way he showed by his example. Amen. Saint Bernward, Bishop ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SAINT EDMUND THE MARTYR: Saint Edmund was born in 841 and died on November 20, 869, Martyred king of the East Angles. He was elected king in 855 at the age of fourteen and began ruling Suffolk, England, the following year. Of his life little is known. In the year 869 the Danes, who had been wintering at York, marched through Mercia into East Anglia and took up their quarters at Thetford. The Danes invaded Edmund’s realm, Edmund engaged them fiercely in battle, but the Danes under their leaders Ubba and Inguar were victorious and remained in possession of the field of battle. He was captured at Hone, in Suffolk. After extreme torture, Edmund was beheaded and died calling upon Jesus. He was ultimately buried at Beadoricesworth (now Bury St. Edmund’s, West Suffolk), where his shrine became famous. His shrine brought about the town of Bury St. Edmund’s. He is depicted as crowned and robed as a monarch, holding a scepter, orb, arrows, or a quiver. He’s Patron Saint against plague; pandemics; torture victims, wolves, various kings, the Roman Catholic diocese of East Anglia, England, English county of Suffolk, Douai Abbey, Toulouse.

    Saint Edmund the Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    BLESSED MARIA FORTUNATA VITI, RELIGIOUS: Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti (1827–1922) was born in Italy, the eldest daughter of nine children. Her father had a gambling and alcohol addiction, and her mother died when she was 14 years old. Maria then cared for her younger siblings and worked as a housekeeper to earn money for the family as her father sunk deeper into his addiction. Maria rejected an offer for marriage, deciding instead to become a Benedictine nun at the age of 24. Sr. Maria Fortunata, illiterate her entire life, spent more than seventy years in the monastery as a housekeeper attending to the washing, sewing, and other simple tasks, which was her path to holiness. She was admired for her great simplicity of heart, and her confessor testified that she was often accosted by the devil with threats, physical attacks, and vile insults in attempts to break her virtue. She had great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and made frequent visits to the chapel tabernacle as she carried out her daily tasks. She died at the age of 95, and after her death miracles were reported at her grave. She is a patron saint against poverty, temptations, loss of parents, and mental illness. Her feast day is November 20th.

    Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

    Bible Readings for today, Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Luke 19:11-28

    “Why did you not put my money in a bank?”

    “While people were listening to Jesus speak, He proceeded to tell a parable because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So He said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’” After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.”

    In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus told His disciples a parable about a rich man who goes abroad and entrusts each of his ten servants with significant resources and responsibilities in his absence. He expects them to use the resources he has given them creatively. What distinguishes one of the servants from the other nine is fear of his master, a man of noble birth who went to a far country and returned as king. This noble ruler who became king is a clear reference to Jesus. The ruler gifts each of the ten with the same financial resource; at no point in the story does he ask for his money back. He just wanted his servants to make good use of what he has so generously entrusted to them. Fear paralyzed that one servant who did nothing with the gift he had been given. Although the ruler trusted him, he did not trust the ruler. He thought it was safer to do nothing than to do something with the gift and fail. This is not the kind of relationship that the Lord wants us to have with Him. The Lord has placed rich resources into our possession, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit, the community of believers. He wants us to draw on those rich resources and to share them courageously with others. He calls on us to give as we have received, without allowing ourselves to be held back by fear of failure. As Mother Teresa once said, the Lord does not ask us to be successful but to be faithful. He wants us to be faithful servants who live generously and courageously out of the fullness that he has entrusted to us. If we are faithful in that way, the Lord will work powerfully through us, including through our failures. The Lord wants to work through us, but we need to give Him scope to do so. We need to recognize the resources the Lord has given us and then place them at his disposal by being creative and courageous in our use of them. He looks to us to use courageously the gifts we have been given to serve the coming of His kingdom in the world. Fear of others should not disable us. If we are courageous and generous in our service of the Lord, then He will work powerfully through us for the good of others.

    In our first reading today, from the Book of Revelations of St. John, the Apostle highlighted the great vision of Heaven and God in all of His glory upon His Throne, which showed the revelation of the One Whom we truly believe in and have been worshipping. God had indeed made Himself visible and approachable to us through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word of God, but at the same time, He is still the Almighty, Omnipotent and Omniscient God, Master and Lord over all the whole Universe, over all of Creation. That is why St. John elaborated on all the glorious things he had witnessed of the Lord, of the greatness and glory that is unparalleled and full of perfection, and the glory of the Angels, the Seraphim and the Cherubim surrounding the Throne of God, which reflects God’s far greater glory and might in them.Through the Scripture reading, we are all reminded that God Who is our Lord and Master is truly beyond our comprehension and understanding, and He is Almighty and perfect, and has no need for us, and yet, He chose to share the overflowing Love that comes forth from His loving Heart with us all, creating all of us to share in His love and joy, and to exist with Him in His Holy Presence forevermore. This glorious existence and truth has been revealed and presented to us by St. John who also wanted each and every one of us to keep in mind the manner how we all live our lives each day. All of us must always strive to be worthy of the Lord in everything that we say and do so that everyone may know Him through us and our actions.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded of the responsibilities that we have as Christians, that is as all those whom God had called and chosen to be His own people, so that we all should live worthily in the presence of God, being inspiration and role models for each other in how we live our lives well, committed and dedicated to glorifying the Lord by our every actions throughout our daily living. We must always make good use of the many blessings, gits, talents, opportunities and all the other things which God has granted us and presented to us in all of our lives, so that by our contributions and works, we may indeed be living true and genuine Christian lives, in accordance with God has commanded us all to do. We should not keep those gifts and talents idle, ignoring the many things that we can do for the benefit of all those whom we encounter in life. If we ignore these opportunities and do nothing in order to help all those around us whom we can help and empower through our own efforts, our care and love, then we shall have to account for it before God. For sin is not just about doing what is wrong and against the Law of God, but also includes the sin of omission, that is not doing and ignoring what we can perfectly do in our daily lives and activities, through the many opportunities and things that God had provided for us. Each and every one of us are the ones whom God had entrusted with the care of this world, the place that He has prepared for all of us, and we are also entrusted with the care of our fellow brothers and sisters, all fellow children of God, in our various capacities, be it as a parent, a child, a family member, a relative, a friend, or even as a stranger, offering love and kindness in all things. Now, are we willing and able then to commit ourselves to a life that is filled with true grace and loving actions towards one another? Are we willing to put in the effort to invest in whatever it is that God had given us, just like those good and hardworking servants in the parable? Let us all remember that God, as St. John the Apostle showed part of His glory to us, has kindly given us all these blessings and good things, be it small or significant in amount so that we can make good use of them for everyone’s benefit. Yet, many of us had chosen to selfishly keep them to ourselves, gathering things that we desire for our own wants and ambitions. This is what we are warned against doing, and we should heed God’s reminders for us so that we do not wait until it is too late before we do something about it. Let us all therefore continue to do our best to follow the Lord faithfully and worthily through our caring and loving actions towards our fellow brothers and sisters around us. Let us all do our part in making this world a better place, starting from ourselves and our communities, in how we act towards those whom we encounter in our daily activities and lives, and in our society surrounding us. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to work for the coming of God’s kingdom by bearing witness to the truth as courageously as Jesus did. May our actions, words and deeds continue to glorify the Lord and proclaim His truth and Good News, and bring the love of God to more and more people and may the good Lord continue to guide us and strengthen us all, and be with us all in this journey, and bless our every good efforts and endeavours, all for His greater glory. Amen🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    My demanding Lord, You have entrusted me with much, and You demand that I use all that You have given me to help build Your Kingdom of grace. What a privilege it is to be called by You and used by You for this apostolic mission. Please free me from all fear, dear Lord, so that I will never hesitate to serve You in the ways that You call me to serve. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe….have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Felix of Valois, Co-Founder of the Trinitarian Order; Saint Bernward, Bishop; Saint Edmund the Martyr and Blessed Maria Fortunata Viti, Religious ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT MECHTILDIS  (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN AND SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT MECHTILDIS  (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN AND SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR

    THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 19, 2024

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Tuesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 19, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 19, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 19, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 19, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, November 19, 2024
    Reading 1, Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 15:2-3, 3-4, 5
    Gospel, Luke 19:1-10

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 |https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT MECHTILDIS  (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN AND SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 19TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Mechtilde (Mathilda) of Hackeborn, Virgin and Saint Barlaam of Antioch, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, World day of the poor, we humbly pray for the poor, the needy and the most vulnerable in our communities and around the world. We pray for abuse victims, immigrants, orphans, children, students and Healthcare workers. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world.

    SAINT MECHTILDIS  (MATHILDA) OF HACKEBORN, VIRGIN: Saint Mechtildis (1240-1298), born in 1240 in Saxony, she belonged to one of the noblest and most powerful Thuringian families; she was the younger sister of the illustrious Abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn. She was so attracted to religious life at the age of seven, after a visit to her sister in the monastery of Rodardsdoft, that she begged to be allowed to enter the monastic school there. Her gifts caused her to make great progress both in virtue and learning. Ten years later, when her sister had transferred the monastery to an estate at Helfta offered by their brothers, St. Mechtildis went with her. She was already distinguished for her virtues, and while still very young became the valuable Assistant to Abbess Gertrude. One of the children who in the monastic school were committed to her care, it became St. Mechtilde’s lot to train the five-year-old who entered the monastery in 1261 and went on to become St. Gertrude the Great. The pupil wrote of her mistress: “There has never been anyone like her in our monastery, and I am afraid there will never be again.” In collaboration with another nun St. Gertrude wrote an account of Mechtilde’s spiritual teaching and mystical experiences entitled The Book of Special Grace, which was made public after Mechtilde’s death on November 19, 1298.

    Saint Mechtildis was gifted with a beautiful voice, and was choir mistress of the nuns all her life. Divine praise, it has been said, was the keynote of her life, as also of her famous book, The Book of Special Grace. When she learned, at the age of fifty, that two of her nuns had written down all the favors and words of their Abbess, which she had become, she was troubled, but Our Lord in a vision assured her that all this has been committed to writing by My will and inspiration, and therefore you have no cause to be troubled over it. He added that the diffusion of the revelations He had given her would cause many to increase in His love. She immediately accepted the Lord’s bidding, and the book became extremely popular in Italy after her death. Its influence on the poet Dante’s Purgatorio is undeniable, for she had described the place of purification after death under the same figure of a seven-terraced mountain. The Donna Matelda of his Purgatorio, who guides him at one point in his vision, is Saint Mechtildis as she represents mystical theology. She died in 1298 at the monastery of Helfta. She’s Patron Saint against blindness.

    PRAYER: God, You prepared a pleasing abode for Yourself in the heart of St. Mechtilde the Virgin. Through her intercession mercifully lighten the darkness of our heart so that we may rejoice in the knowledge that You are present and working within us. Amen 🙏

    SAINT BARLAAM OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR: St. Barlaam of Antioch (d. 304 A.D.) was an elderly, uneducated peasant laborer from a village near Antioch. He was arrested for his Christian faith under the persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian. He was detained for a long time in a dungeon before being brought before his judge. At his trial he was severely scourged, his bones dislocated on the rack, and tortured in other ways in an attempt to force him to renounce his faith in Christ and sacrifice to idols. Instead of crying out, there was joy in his countenance. His meekness, answers, and resolute will confounded his persecutors. The judge, determined to not be humiliated by a peasant, then devised a plan that would force Barlaam to offer sacrifice to the gods despite his constancy. He had an altar with a fire prepared, and had Barlaam’s right hand held over the fire and filled with incense and hot coals. This would force Barlaam’s burning hand to recoil, causing the incense to fall before the pagan altar, which the judge could then proclaim as a public act of sacrifice to the idols. Instead, Barlaam endured the pain in perfect stillness. He held his hand steady until it burned off completely. Irate, the judge ordered his immediate death. St. Barlaam’s feast day is November 19th.

    Saint Barlaam of Antioch, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

    Bible Readings for today, Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Luke 19:1-10

    “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost”

    At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”

    Today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel according to St. Luke details the famous story of the encounter between the Lord Jesus and Zaccheus the infamous tax collector. Acoording to the Gospel, at that occasion, the Lord was visiting the place where Zaccheus lived in, and Zaccheus, being intrigued and wanting to meet the Lord, made the effort to go and climb up a tree to be able to see Him, as he was short in stature. Zacchaeus showed an extraordinary determination to see Jesus. When he couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd, he did something that would have been considered very strange for a man of his position as a chief tax collector by climbing up into a sycamore tree to be sure of seeing Jesus. As Jesus says in the Gospels, ‘Seek and you will find’, literally, ‘Keep on seeking and you will find’. Zacchaeus was one of those people who kept on seeking the Lord, and, in the end, Jesus found him. Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree and said to him, ‘I must stay at your house today’. Not only was Zacchaeus seeking Jesus but Jesus was seeking Zacchaeus, because he was the Son of Man who had come to seek out and to save the lost. Yet, it was Zacchaeus’ persistent seeking of the Lord which created the opening for the Lord to find Zacchaeus. The Lord is seeking us long before we seek Him, but it is our persistent seeking of the Lord which creates the opening for the Lord to enter our lives. That is why the Lord’s call, ‘Seek and you will find’ is addressed to all of us.

    Zacchaeus was someone who was far from perfect. However, we see the first of Zaccheus’ good qualities, being the effort that he put into seeking the Lord, going out of his way to seek Him and to find Him, when many others could be less bothered to do the same, ignoring Him and even rejecting His message and refusing to believe in Him. Then, not only that, but Zaccheus also pledged Himself to the Lord in a most public manner before everyone who were assembled there, pledging that he would undo whatever wicked things and deeds that he might have done in the past as a tax collector. One of the many reasons why tax collectors during the time of the Lord Jesus were often reviled, hated and ostracised was that they were themselves corrupt, putting heavier taxes on the people while pocketing some of those gains for their own selfish desires and ambitions. Zaccheus must have been doing the same and hence, he was mentioned as being quite notorious among the people. But the Lord did not care about all that, as what He truly saw in Zaccheus is the potential as well as the strong desire to seek Him, which Zaccheus committed firmly in his public confession of faith and desire to repent from his many sins. Zaccheus showed us all that even the greatest of sinners may have a change of heart and repent from his or her many sins, provided that the sinner is willing to embrace God’s most generous and wonderful love and mercy, like Zaccheus had done. His public form of repentance and commitment, as well as the desire to follow the Lord is an inspiration for many of us that God truly loves us all and wants us all, His beloved children and people to come back to Him and to be reconciled and reunited with Him without any exception. No one is truly beyond God’s rich mercy and love, and we should keep this in mind as we continue to progress through this life. We must not forget that God loves each and every one of us and He does not discriminate us one from another. It is always us who made artificial and man-made categories and barriers separating us from other people. As the crowds saw Zacchaeus as a sinner, Jesus saw him as lost; if the crowds dismissed him because he was a sinner, Jesus sought him out because he was lost. The story shows us that Jesus has come not to condemn the sinner but to seek out the lost. We are all lost to some degree. We wander from the path the Lord calls us to take, the path of life. If, like Zacchaeus, we recognize that we are lost and seek the Lord from where we are, then, like him, we will discover that the Lord is seeking us with even greater energy. Lord can work powerfully in and through us, if we acknowledge it and allow it to propel us in the direction of the Lord who is always seeking us.

    In our first reading today from the Book of Revelations of St. John the Apostle, the Apostle reminded the faithful people of God throughout the many prominent early churches that were spread then across Christendom of the words of the Lord that had been passed and revealed to him in the series of the revelations and visions he received while he was exiled to the Island of Patmos, many decades after the Lord’s Passion, suffering, death and Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. The Lord showed St. John what happened to those who have not obeyed the Lord and followed His ways, those who have fallen into the path of wickedness and evil, and refused to listen to Him and turn towards the light of God. He also showed then what those who have been living righteously and worthily of the Lord will enjoy at the end of time. Thus, St. John passed on the words of the Lord delivered through the visions that he had received to the faithful people of God across Christendom, reminding them and all of us of all that we are expected to do as God’s people, His disciples and followers. We must not be lukewarm in our faith and be ignorant of our calling and the missions which God has entrusted to us, reminding all of us that everything that we should be actively doing in our lives, in each and every one of our actions and interactions with one another. We must show love and compassion to our fellow brothers and sisters around us, to be the shining beacons of God’s light, hope and truth to everyone, so that everyone may know the Lord through our dedication and commitment, our every examples and inspiration in life.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded to repent from our many wickedness and sins, to stop our acts of disobedience towards God and all the things which had separated us from Him, all the things that had kept us from being able to commit ourselves thoroughly and wholeheartedly to His path. All of us are reminded that God has always been rich in mercy and generous in offering us His compassionate love and kindness, and all of us are truly precious to Him, being those whom He has always loved and cared for from the very beginning, and He has created us all with love and truly intends for us all to enjoy the fullness of His love and grace. As we reflect on today’s Gospel reading we are called to begin with following the example of humility that Zaccheus had shown us all and also the realisation that we are all sinners, imperfect and flawed, needing God’s healing and mercy above all else. We cannot and should not think that we are better and superior than others, or that there are those who does not deserve God’s love and kindness. In fact, if we see around us that there are those who are bereft of love, compassion and kindness, we should lead the way in showing them the genuine love that our Lord Himself has shown to us. In each and every one of our actions, words and deeds, in our every efforts and works, in our every interactions, we should always show love, care and concern for everyone without prejudice, and strive to seek the Lord together, helping and supporting one another in this endeavour. May the Lord, our ever loving and compassionate God, our patient and ever caring Father, continue to bless us all with His love and grace, and help us to open our hearts and minds to Him, to get rid of the pride and stubbornness which had prevented us to come towards His salvation. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may His compassionate love and mercy embrace us all much as He Himself has embraced Zaccheus the penitent in the past. May God always be with us and may He continue to journey together with us as He has always done, in our every efforts and endeavours, now and forevermore. Amen 🙏🏽

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    My attentive Lord, You are always aware of every heart that longs for You. You never ignore those who desire You in their life. Please help me to see my own interior needs and struggles and to see You as the only source of fulfillment in life. I commit myself to seeking You out, dear Lord. And as You come to me, I commit to abandon all that has kept me from You in the past. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Mechtilde (Mathilda) of Hackeborn, Virgin and Saint Barlaam of Antioch, Martyr ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

  • FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES; SAINT ROSE PHILIPPINE, DUCHESNE, VIRGIN AND SAINT ODO OF CLUNY, ABBOT

    FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES; SAINT ROSE PHILIPPINE, DUCHESNE, VIRGIN AND SAINT ODO OF CLUNY, ABBOT

    THIRTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 18, 2024

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Monday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast day, as we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 18, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 18, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 18, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 18, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, November 18, 2024
    Reading 1, Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6
    Gospel, Luke 18:35-43

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 |https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    FEAST AND SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST OF THE DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES; SAINT ROSE PHILIPPINE, DUCHESNE, VIRGIN AND SAINT ODO OF CLUNY, ABBOT – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 18TH: Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles; Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin and  Saint Odo of Cluny (Odon), Abbot. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases.

    DEDICATION OF THE BASILICA OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES: Today’s feast celebrates the dedications of two of the four major basilicas of Rome. This feast is a spiritual journey to two holy tombs, that of St. Peter and that of St. Paul in Rome. These two basilicas, marking the place of each apostle’s martyrdom, are the common heritage and glory of Christendom; it is, therefore, easily seen why we observe their dedication.

    SAINT PETER’S BASILICA: Among the sacred places venerated by Christians from ancient times, one of the most celebrated has always been the tomb of St. Peter, at Rome. Was originally built in 323 by the emperor Constantine. The basilica was constructed over the tomb of Peter the Apostle, the Church’s first Pope.  After standing for more than a thousand years, Pope Julius II ordered the building to be torn down due to structural concerns. The construction of the new church spanned over 200 years before its completion. It was dedicated on Nov. 18, 1626.  It is considered the most famous church in Christendom.

    SAINT PAUL’S BASILICA: This basilica is located outside the original walls of Rome. It was also originally built by the emperor Constantine though it was destroyed by fire in 1823. Donations from around the world made the reconstruction possible. Before the completion of Saint Peter´s Basilica, St Paul’s was the largest church in Rome. The Basilica was built over St. Paul´s grave.  Pope Pius IX consecrated the Basilica in 1854 before an assemblage of Cardinals and Bishops who were in Rome to attend the ceremonies connected with the promulgation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. These two churches continue to draw millions of faithful pilgrims each year as well as many visitors from other faiths. The anniversaries of both dedications are united and form the object of today’s feast.

    PRAYER: God, give apostolic protection to Your Church, so that as she received the first revelation about You from the Apostles she may also receive through them an increase of heavenly grace until the end of time. Amen 🙏

    SAINT ROSE PHILIPPINE, DUCHESNE, VIRGIN: St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769–1852) was born in Grenoble, France, to a wealthy and prominent family with political connections on August 29, 1769. Her father, Pierre Francois Duchesne, was a lawyer, businessman, and prominent civic leader in Grenoble, while her mother, Rose Perier, was a member of a leading family from the Dauphine region. From the young age of eight, St. Rose had a desire to evangelize in the Americas, sparked by hearing a Jesuit missionary speak of his work there. She received a basic education at home from tutors, and religious education from her mother. Educated from age 12 at the convent of the Visitation nuns in Grenoble, Rose joined them in 1788 at age 19 without the permission or knowledge of her family, taking her religious name after St. Rose of Lima and St. Philip Neri. Initially they were violently opposed to her choice, but finally gave in. After her convent was closed during the reign of terror, she joined the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1804, which sent her to the United States in 1818 fulfilling her childhood desire to do missionary work in the New World, especially among the Native Americans. This was realized when she and four nuns traveled across the Atlantic, a journey of eleven weeks, and another seven weeks up the Mississipi river to serve in one of the remotest outposts in the region in St. Charles, Missouri.

    St. Rose Philippine Duchesne was sent to the Louisiana territory as a missionary and founded a boarding school for daughters of pioneers near St. Louis and opened the first free school west of Missouri. She also began a school for Indians. From the convent and school she founded at St. Charles, Mo. — later moved to Florissant, Mo. — she traveled over a wide area, founding schools for girls, doing charitable work, and finally ministering to Native Americans. St. Rose Philippine was a hardy pioneer woman ministering in the Midwest during its difficult frontier days. At the age of seventy-one she opened several schools and served the Potawatomi Indians who gave her the name “Quah-kah-ka-num-ad,” meaning, “Woman-who-prays-always.” She is often referred to as “The Lady of Mercy,” or ” Woman Who Prays Always.” St. Rose Duchesne was a valiant missionary and a well-known benefactress. She spent her last ten years in retirement in a tiny shack at the convent in Saint Charles, Missouri where she lived austerely and in constant prayer. She died on November 18, 1852 at Saint Charles, Missouri. She was beatified on May 12, 1940 by Pope Pius XII, and canonized July 3, 1988 by Pope John Paul II. St. Rose Duchesne is the Patron Saint of Opposition of Church authorities, diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau Missouri.Saint Odo (Odon) of Cluny. Her feast day is November 18th.

    PRAYER: Gracious God, You filled the heart of Rose Philippine Duchesne with charity and missionary zeal and gave her the desire to make You known among all peoples. Fill us, who honor her memory today, with the same love and zeal to extend Your Kingdom to the ends of the earth. Amen 🙏

    SAINT ODO OF CLUNY, ABBOT: Saint Odo (Odon) of Cluny (878-942), was born on ca. 878 at Le Mans, France and died on November 18, 942. A saint of the Roman Catholic Church, was the second abbot of Cluny. He enacted various reforms in the Cluniac monastery system of France and Italy. Devoted to St Martin of Tours, Odo died in that city. The Benedictine Abbey of Cluny was founded in AD 910 by William I, Count of Auvergne, who installed Berno of Baume as its first abbot and placed the abbey under the immediate authority of the Pope. In this way Cluny was immune from all secular interference. Odo had been educated at the court of William. At nineteen he received the tonsure, and became a canon in the church of Saint Martin at Tours. Here he ceased reading Virgil and other profane authors, resolving only to read such books as nourished Christian devotion. He studied theology for four years at Paris and on his return to Tours devoted himself entirely to prayer and the study of the Scriptures. Reading the Rule of St Benedict, he decided to become a monk under Berno at the abbey of Baume. Soon he became a priest and when Berno became the founder and first abbot of Cluny Abbey in 910, Odo followed him there, bringing his library. On Berno’s death in 927, Odo became the second abbot of Cluny.

    Odo Inspires reform: Most Benedictine monasteries up till then were independent, but those founded from Cluny remained priories subject to the mother house. In this way Cluny became the model of monasticism for over a century in both France and Italy. Odo insisted on the strict observance of silence as absolutely necessary for interior solitude and the communion of a soul with God. He also stressed humility, obedience, self-denial and especially chastity. Influence in Italy: Odo visited Italy several times between 936 and 942, founding in Rome the monastery of Our Lady on the Aventine and influenced reform in other monasteries, such as Subiaco and Monte Cassino. Death at Tours: Out of devotion to Saint Martin, Odo wanted to die at Tours, and hastened there in his last illness. He died on the 18th of November 942 and was buried there. He’s Patron Saint for rain.

    Saint Odo (Odon) of Cluny, Abbot ~ Pray for us 🙏

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:

    Bible Readings for today, Monday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    Gospel Reading ~ Luke 18:35-43

    “What do you want me to do for you? Lord, please let me see”

    “As Jesus approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.”

    In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus was going into Jericho, intending to pass through on His way to Jerusalem. However, He stopped, in response to the earnest cry of a blind beggar, ‘Jesus, son of David, have pity on me’. Jesus’ face was set towards Jerusalem; He was determined to get to the city that had a reputation for killing prophets. Yet, He wasn’t so fixed on getting to where He was heading that He was indifferent to whatever happened along the way. What happened on the way was as important to Him as the destination. That is why He gave this blind man His full attention when others were rebuking him and telling him to keep quiet. Jesus always responded to the call of the present moment. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He answered the man’s heartfelt prayer of petition, ‘Let me see again’, and, as a result, His prayer of petition gave way to a prayer of praise which spread to all the people who saw what had happened. Jesus models for us the importance of responding to the call of the present moment. We can all be too focused on where we are going to the neglect of where we are. What we might be tempted to think of as interruptions can actually be where the Lord’s call to us is to be found.

    In our Gospel reading, the people around Jesus initially didn’t show the blind beggar much love. When he calls out to Jesus in his need, they came out to him and told him to keep quiet. They would have walked past him as if he wasn’t there, and they didn’t want him drawing attention to himself. However, he wasn’t invisible or inaudible to Jesus. The gospel reading simply says, ‘Jesus stopped’, and then he ordered the very people who were trying to silence the beggar to bring him over. We are never invisible or inaudible to Jesus, our risen Lord. He always stops for us whenever we cry out to Him in our need. As He did for the blind beggar, Jesus invites us to express what it is we want Him to do for us. It is a question worth asking. What is it we want the Lord to do for us? The blind man wanted to see again. He once saw and now he was blind. The church in Ephesus were once very loving, and now much less so. We can all drift from the person we used to be. We all need to recover something worthwhile that we may have lost. That awareness can be a good starting place for our prayer of petition to the Lord.

    Today, the Church marks the occasion of the Dedication of the two great churches of Christendom, following after just over a week ago the celebration of the Dedication of the Lateran Archbasilica, the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour and of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist in Lateran, the Cathedral of the Vicar of Christ in Rome, the Mother Church of the whole world. Today, the two other great churches, namely the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican and the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls are remembered in their dedication and consecration to become hallowed and worthy places of Divine worship and the sacred offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, to be the dwelling place of God Himself amongst us.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, on this special Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles, let us all also reflect and ponder on the fact that each and every one of us are also truly the Temples of the Lord’s Holy Presence, where He dwells, just as the Basilicas are truly great Houses of God, the House of the Lord’s Holy and Real Presence. We ourselves have received the Lord Himself, in the flesh, through the Eucharist, of His Real Presence in His Most Precious Body and Blood, as well as through the Holy Spirit that the Lord has imparted upon us, and dwelled in us. Hence, just as in the dedication of churches, and the Dedication of the great Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, the edifices and places have been set aside, sanctified and made worthy of God’s Holy Presence, thus, we should also do the same with our own lives, our own bodies, hearts, minds and souls. Essentially, our whole being, in which God dwells in, should be truly holy and worthy of God. Let us all reflect and remember upon the lives and works of the great Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, their great courage and faith, and also how they have turned their lives for the better by following the Lord and committing themselves to Him. They both serve as great reminders for all of us that we ourselves have also been called to be great servants and disciples of the Lord, to proclaim Him in our world today and to do what the Lord has entrusted us all to do in our own respective capacities and opportunities we have been given. And as we rejoice in the memory of the Dedication of the great Basilicas dedicated to their name and memories in Rome, let us all also commit ourselves anew to the Lord in faith. Let us all strive to be good, holy and worthy in everything that we say and do, so that we may indeed be truly worthy of God, Who dwells in us and in our midst. Let us all therefore strive to be ever more faithful to the Lord in all things, being ever more filled with God’s love and grace and to be truly worthy of Him, dedicating ourselves ever more to His cause. May the Lord continue to help and encourage us, and strengthen us with the power and the will to live our live worthily as Christians, at all times. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace to open ourselves more fully to God’s purpose for our lives and for our world. May the Lord bless us all and encourage our every good efforts and deeds, for His greater glory now and forevermore. Amen 🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    Saints Peter and Paul, God used you in unique and powerful ways that continue to have a profound impact upon the lives of God’s people today. Please pray for me, that I will also become a foundation upon which God continues to build His Church and from which the message of salvation goes forth. Saints Peter and Paul, pray for me.🙏

    My compassionate Lord, I come to You in my weakness and poverty, I come in need of Your divine touch and healing. As You do pass by, I acknowledge Your presence and call to You. Jesus, please do come to me, have pity on me. Help me to overcome every obstacle to Your love and to trust in You always, never wavering from my commitment to You. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles; Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin and  Saint Odo of Cluny (Odon), Abbot ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |

  • MEMORIAL OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, RELIGIOUS AND SAINT GREGORY THAUMATURGE, BISHOP, CONFESSOR

    MEMORIAL OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, RELIGIOUS AND SAINT GREGORY THAUMATURGE, BISHOP, CONFESSOR

    THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR B)

    EIGHTH WORLD DAY OF THE POOR
    Theme: “The prayer of the poor rises up to God.” (cf. Sirach 21:5)

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 17, 2024

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024. Please see Novena link below]

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? [Please see link to the article below]

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? [Please see link to this article below]

    KIND REMINDER: Please remember to continue to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory throughout the month of November

    Greetings and blessings, beloved family and Happy Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time!

    On this special Feast day, we celebrate the World Day of the Poor, we pray for the poor, the needy, the vulnerable and those marginalized in our communities. As we continue to remember the faithful departed, please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the souls of our faithful departed loved ones, for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed. May God grant our departed loved ones eternal rest, may they reach their full stature. We pray for all those who mourn, for widows and widowers. May our Blessed Mother Mary Intercede for all those in pain and sorrow. We particularly pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one who recently passed away and the souls in Purgatory. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their gentle souls and souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯

    “Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” ~ Rev 14:13

    PRAYER FOR THE DEAD: In your hands, O Lord, we humbly entrust our brothers and sisters. In this life, you embraced them with your tender love; deliver them now from every evil, and bid them eternal rest. The old order has passed away: welcome them into paradise, where there will be no sorrow, no weeping or pain, but fullness of peace and joy with your Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen🙏

    We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children and for peace in our family and the whole world. 🙏

    A PRAYER FOR PEACE: Lord Jesus Christ, You are the true King of peace. In You alone is found freedom. Please free our world from conflict. Bring unity to troubled nations. Let Your glorious peace reign in every heart. Dispel all darkness and evil. Protect the dignity of every human life. Replace hatred with Your love. Give wisdom to world leaders. Free them from selfish ambition. Eliminate all violence and war. Glorious Virgin Mary, Saint Michael the Archangel, Every Angel and Saint: Please pray for peace. Pray for unity amongst nations. Pray for unity amongst all people. Pray for the most vulnerable. Pray for those suffering. Pray for the fearful. Pray for those most in need. Pray for us all. Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us. Jesus, hear our prayers. Jesus, I trust in You! Amen 🙏

    Watch “POPE FRANCIS’ HOLY MASS FOR THE 8TH WORLD DAY OF THE POOR | NOVEMBER 17, 2024 | LIVE FROM THE VATICAN” |

    Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube” | November 17, 2024 |

    Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | November 17, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary for Peace with Pope Francis” | LIVE Basilica of St. Mary Major | October 6, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary Novena From Lourdes” | November 17, 2024 |

    Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy in song”| November 17, 2024 |

    Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteries VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” oùn YouTube |

    Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |

    Today’s Bible Readings: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | November 17, 2024
    Reading 1, Daniel 12:1-3
    Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
    Reading 2, Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
    Gospel, Mark 13:24-32

    NOVENA TO CHRIST THE KING [Traditionally Nine Days Prior to the Solemnity of Christ the King. Novena prayed daily from November 15–23, 2024 | https://www.usccb.org/Christ-the-King-2024-novena

    THE SAINTS: WHO ARE THEY AND HOW ARE THEY CANONISED? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/01/the-saints-who-are-they-and-how-are-they-canonised/

    PURGATORY: WHAT IS PURGATORY? | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/15/purgatory-and-limbo/

    PURGATORY: The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.

    What Happens in Purgatory?: When we die, we undergo what is called the particular, or individual, judgment. Scripture says that “it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). We are judged instantly and receive our reward, for good or ill. We know at once what our final destiny will be. At the end of time, when Jesus returns, there will come the general judgment to which the Bible refers, for example, in Matthew 25:31-32: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. In this general judgment all our sins will be publicly revealed (Luke 12:2–5).

    November is a month when we remember our dead in a special way. It is a month when we are prone to reflecting on death, not in a morbid way but in the hopeful way that is rooted in our faith. Please let us remember to pray for the Poor Souls in Purgatory this month of November and always.

    WORLD DAY OF THE POOR: The Pope presided over the Eucharistic Celebration marking the eighth edition of the World Day of the Poor in St. Peter’s Basilica today, November 17, 2024.

    MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE EIGHTH WORLD DAY OF THE POOR, NOVEMBER 17, 2024: “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (cf. Sirach 21:5) | Pope Francis | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/17/eighth-world-day-of-the-poor/

    Today, on this thirty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time and the second last Sunday of this current liturgical year, we commemorate the eighth World Day of the Poor instituted by Pope Francis in 2016 and since then celebrated on the penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year. The World Day of the Poor was established for Catholics to “reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel.” This year the World Mission Sunday is celebrated with the theme “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (cf. Sirach 21:5). This theme emphasizes that God hears the prayers of the poor and is impatient with their suffering until justice is served. 

    According to Pope Francis in the beginning of his message for the day, “In this year dedicated to prayer in anticipation of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025, this expression of biblical wisdom is most fitting as we prepare for the Eighth World Day of the Poor, which will be observed on 17 November. Indeed, Christian hope embraces the certainty that our prayer reaches God’s presence; not just any prayer but rather the prayer of the poor! Let us reflect on this word and “read” it on the faces and in the stories of the poor whom we encounter daily, so that prayer can become a path of communion with them and a sharing in their suffering.” The Pope’s message for the 2024 World Day of the Poor encourages people to reflect on this theme by “reading” it on the faces and in the stories of the poor they encounter. He also encourages people to pray with the poor, sharing in their suffering and becoming a path of communion with them. 

    Today, on this eighth annual World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis strongly urges all of us to be steadfast in prayers. “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord; he will not desist until the Most High visits him, and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment. And the Lord will not delay” (Sir 35:17-18). “The poor hold a privileged place in God’s heart,” Pope Francis said in his message for the day. “God knows the sufferings of His children because he is an attentive and caring father. As a father, he takes care of those who are most in need: the poor, the marginalized, the suffering, and the forgotten. No one is excluded from His heart, for in His eyes, we are all poor and needy. We are all beggars because without God, we would be nothing. We would not even have life if God had not given it to us. Yet how often we live as if we were the masters of life or as if we had to conquer it! The mentality of the world demands that we become somebody, that we make a name for ourselves at any cost, breaking social norms in order to accumulate wealth. How sad of an illusion this is! Happiness cannot be acquired by trampling on the rights and dignity of others.” The pope stressed that God will never abandon us and will never leave us without a response to our prayers. “He does not forget you nor could He ever do so. We all have had the experience of prayers that seem to remain unanswered. Sometimes, we ask to be freed from a misery that makes us suffer and humiliates us, and God seems not to hear our cry. However, God’s silence does not mean He is inattentive to our sufferings; rather, it contains a word that must be received with trust, surrendering ourselves to Him and to His will,” Pope Francis said.

    As we journey towards the Holy Year, Pope Francis is urging everyone to become pilgrims of hope, setting tangible goals for a better future. “We are called in every circumstance to be friends of the poor, following in the footsteps of Jesus who always began by showing solidarity when dealing with the least among us. May the Mother of God, Mary Most Holy, who appeared at Banneux and left a message not to be forgotten:  “I am the Virgin of the poor,” sustain us on this journey. To Mary, whom God has looked upon with favour for her humble poverty, accomplishing great things through her obedience, we entrust our prayers, convinced that they will rise to heaven and be heard.”

    This day calls on us to live out the Gospel by showing compassion, solidarity, and generosity toward those in need, following the example of Christ who showed love and mercy to the most vulnerable. Pope Francis reminds us that the poor are not merely recipients of charity but are central to the Gospel. The World Day of the Poor encourages us to recognize the dignity of every person and work to address the root causes of poverty, both locally and globally. As we observe the World Day of the Poor, let us renew our commitment to being true disciples of Christ, who calls us to serve the least among us. All are welcome to join in this day of prayer, reflection, and action for the poor.

    PRAYER INSPIRED BY THE HOLY FATHER, POPE FRANCIS’ MESSAGE FOR THE 8TH WORLD DAY OF THE POOR

    O God of peace, our Father, You know the sufferings of Your children, for You are attentive and caring toward all.

    No one is excluded from Your heart, since, before You, we are all in need. You call us to be Your instruments for the liberation and betterment ofthe poor, so that they may be fully integrated into society.

    O Lord Jesus, who first stood in solidarity with the lowliest, teach us to listen to the prayer of the poor. Help us to place ourselves at their service, giving a voice to the response of Your Father and ours, who never abandons those who turn to Him.

    O Holy Spirit, giver of life, make us vigilant and persevering in prayer so that we may welcome the poor, recognizing and serving Christ in them and may we learn from them.

    O Blessed Mary, Virgin of the Poor, since God has looked upon Your humble poverty, accomplishing great things by Your obedience, we entrust our prayer to You, convinced that it will be heard. Amen. Alleluia! 🙏🏽

    SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS

    Bible Readings for today, Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) | USCCB | https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading

    MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE EIGHTH WORLD DAY OF THE POOR, NOVEMBER 17, 2024: “: “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (cf. Sirach 21:5) | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/2024/11/17/eighth-world-day-of-the-poor/

    Gospel Reading ~ Mark 13:24–32

    “He will gather His elect from the four winds”

    “Jesus said to His disciples: “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. “And then they will see the ‘Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. “Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

    In today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel according to St. Mark, the Lord Himself tells His disciples of the sign of times and everything that will happen for sure at the time of the Lord’s own knowing. He told them there will be signs accompanying His coming, but no one can surely know of the exact time that He will come. The Lord then highlighted to them of the lesson from the fig tree, which bears fruit at the appropriate time and with signs accompanying them. Our Gospel reading speaks of the Lord’s coming using two quite different images. It says that He will come in the clouds with great power and glory but also that He is near, at the very gates. There is something of a contrast between the ‘clouds’ and the ‘gates’. The ‘clouds’ suggest the otherness and the power of the Lord; the ‘gates’ suggest his nearness and his accessibility. In other words, the Lord’s powerful coming at those moments of great trauma will not overwhelm us; it will be like meeting a good friend at the gate of our home. Whenever we experience profound change that shakes the foundations of our world and that of others, we feel the need for some form of stability, something firm and fixed by which we can begin to navigate the strange territory in which we suddenly find ourselves. Such a solid point of reference will often take the form of another human being. A loved one, a friend, a family member who walks with us through the trauma, can keep us steady and enable us to negotiate the difficult journey on which we find ourselves. The readings of today’s Mass remind us that our faith, our relationship with the Lord, can be an indispensable resource at such times. In the Gospel reading, Jesus declares that ‘heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away’. The Lord’s words to us remain a constant in the midst of even the most traumatic and world shattering experience of change. His words will never lose their life-giving power. In the midst of traumatic change, we need someone who is constant and enduring; such a person is the Lord. The Psalmist in today’s responsorial psalm drew strength from the Lord’s enduring presence, ‘I keep the Lord ever in my sight; since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm’. We try to keep the Lord ever in our sight, the one who, according to today’s second reading, offered one single sacrifice for our sins and who is working even now to achieve our eternal perfection.

    Our first reading this Sunday from the Book of the prophet Daniel details the prophecy of the coming of the end times which was one of the apocalyptic prophecies mentioned by Daniel, predicting the time of struggle and strife for God’s holy people, and how despite all the challenges and trials they will have to face, God will lead them all to victory, and the figure of the great Archangel, St. Michael, the leader and prince of the Heavenly Host features prominently in this vision, being echoed in the later Revelations according to St. John the Apostle. It is a reminder that the end of times and the time of reckoning and the Last Judgment is something that is real and certainly will come for us, although none of us will know when exactly this will happen for sure, as only the Lord Himself knows the time and occasion of His coming. But we must always have faith in Him and have trust and complete faith in His compassion and love for each and every one of us, much as He has shown it to us through His beloved Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, through Whom God has brought His salvation and redemption, making His love manifested and real to us, tangible and approachable to us, that has been the focus of our second reading this Sunday from the Epistle to the Hebrews. The author of this Epistle spoke at length about the role that Christ our Lord, as the Son of God and Son of Man both, had in becoming the one true Eternal High Priest for all of us mankind, offering on our behalf the perfect and most worthy offering for the atonement of all of our sins, and to redeem us into eternal life.

    Both the first reading and the Gospel reading speak of a time of great distress, reflecting this gloomy mood we can all be prone to. We have all known great distress. It can be triggered by many things. According to the Gospel reading, the shaking of the heavens and the earth signals the Lord’s coming to us with great power and glory, not to judge but to gather all those who call on Him in their need. The Lord asks us to believe that He is coming towards us, present to us in the midst of the chaos that threatens to engulf us. He asks us to trust that if we are open to His coming, to His presence, it is He who will gather us and not the chaos. The good news to be heard in today’s readings is that no trial need ever destroy us because the Lord is near, at the very gates. In his message on this eighth annual World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis strongly urges all of us to be steadfast in prayers. “The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds, and he will not be consoled until it reaches the Lord; he will not desist until the Most High visits him, and does justice for the righteous, and executes judgment. And the Lord will not delay” (Sir 35:17-18). According to the Pope, “God knows the sufferings of His children because He is an attentive and caring father. As a father, He takes care of those who are most in need: the poor, the marginalized, the suffering and the forgotten. No one is excluded from His heart, for in His eyes, we are all poor and needy. We are all beggars because, without God, we would be nothing. Therefore if the Lord Himself has already affirmed the fact and has repeatedly reminded His disciples of the coming of this time of judgment and reckoning then we have to keep in mind our way of life and faith in this world, so that we will not be found unworthy at the appropriate time. Each and every one of us as Christians have received from God and through His Church the revelation of God’s truth, His Good News and of everything that will happen, as contained within the Scriptures and as the Lord has revealed to His Church through the Holy Spirit, bestowed upon the Apostles and through them to all of us. And because of that, it is important that we should be ever ready to welcome the Lord by doing our very best in every opportunities and moments, to be exemplary in all the things that we say and do so that we may be growing ever stronger in our faith and commitment to God, and be the shining examples and the worthy beacons of God’s light and truth in our world today, bearing His love and Good News to all the people whom we encounter daily in our lives.

    As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, being the second last Sunday before the end of the current liturgical year, which is the Solemnity of Jesus Christ the King next Sunday, the Scriptures talks about the coming of the end of times which we all should be well prepared for in our journey of faith and life as Christians, as we are all reminded that the Lord is sure to come again just as He Himself said that He will, and at that time, all of us shall have to give an account of everything that we have done, as well as whatever it is that we have not yet done, or failed to do in whatever opportunities and chances that the Lord has provided to us. We must always remember that as Christians we have to embody our faith in God and follow Him wholeheartedly through our every actions and deeds, in our every interactions and relationship with one another. On this Sunday, the Church also celebrates the World Day of the Poor, which was instituted by our current Pope, Pope Francis who wanted us all to remember the poor around us, those who need our care and compassionate love as we must realise that there are many around us who are struggling to make ends meet, and there are many of those all around the world who are suffering various ailments and troubles, from the effects of poverty and from injustice and oppression, those who have been marginalised and ostracised because of their background and origins, and all those who have no one to love and care for them. Each and every one of us are challenged today therefore to be the ones to bear the love of God to them all, and to truly embody our faith in God by our actions, especially our help and care to the poor and those less fortunate around us. That is why we have to be ever active and be aware of our calling in life, our mission and commitment which the Lord has entrusted to all of us, the commission which God has given us to do in our respective lives and capacities, in the many opportunities and chances He has provided to us. We have been given the freedom to choose our course of action and path in life, and hence, as we have discussed about the end of times and the coming reckoning of our lives and worthiness, which will surely come at the end of time, let us all therefore remind one another and be ever more committed to live our lives in a most Christian manner, following the inspiration and example from the Lord Himself, Who has loved us all so much that as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews mentioned that He has given Himself to be the perfect sacrifice for the atonement of our sins. Brethren in Christ, having been reminded of the coming of the Lord and the moment of the reckoning of our lives, let us all therefore renew our commitment to follow the Lord ever more faithfully from now on. Let our every efforts and endeavours, our words, actions and deeds from now on continue to bring glory to God and proclaim His goodness before the people whom we meet and encounter in life. Let us all do our part to contribute to the good works and efforts of the Church, and to follow the Lord in all the things He has entrusted to us to do. May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us, and may He empower and encourage us all to remain ever more committed and faithful to Him, particularly in our show of love and care for those around us who are in need and suffering from poverty and hardships in life. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us the grace and assurance that our most important relationships will not be destroyed by death but will be deepened and transformed. May the Lord bless our every good works and efforts, and empower us to be ever better and more committed disciples and witnesses of His truth and to live our lives in His path in our world today. Amen 🙏

    SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, RELIGIOUS AND SAINT GREGORY THAUMATURGE, BISHOP, CONFESSOR – FEAST DAY ~ NOVEMBER 17TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious and Saint Gregory Thaumaturge, Bishop, confessor. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. We pray for the souls in Purgatory and the repose of the souls of the faithful departed and we pray for all widows and widowers. We pray for all parents and children, for peace, love, justice and unity in our marriages, our families and our world. We pray for the sick and dying, especially those who are mentally and physically ill, strokes, heart diseases and those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases.

    SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY, RELIGIOUS: St. Elizabeth (1207-1231) was the daughter of the Hungarian King Andrew II. She was born in 1207, either in Bratislava (Slovakia) or in Sárospatak (East of Hungary), and at the age of four, she was brought to the court of her future husband, Ludwig, landgrave of Thuringia. After her marriage in 1221, she very conscientiously fulfilled her duties both toward her husband and as a servant of God. During the night she would rise from bed and spend long periods in prayer. Zealously she performed all types of charitable acts; she put herself at the service of widows, orphans, the sick, the needy. During a famine she generously distributed all the grain from her stocks, cared for lepers in one of the hospitals she established, kissed their hands and feet. For the benefit of the indigent she provided suitable lodging. After the early death of her husband (in 1227 while on a crusade led by Emperor Frederick II), Elizabeth laid aside all royal dignities in order to serve God more freely. She put on simple clothing, became a tertiary of St. Francis, and showed great patience and humility. Nor was she spared intense suffering – the goods belonging to her as a widow were withheld, she was forced to leave Wartburg. In Eisenach no one dared receive her out of fear of her enemies. Upon much pleading a shepherd of the landgrave permitted her to use an abandoned pig sty. No one was allowed to visit or aid her; with her three children, of whom the youngest was not more than a few months old, she was forced to wander about in the winter’s cold.

    In 1228 she took the veil of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis at Marburg and there built a hospital with some property still belonging to her. She retained for herself only a small mud house. All her strength and care were now devoted to the poor and the sick, while she obtained the few things she needed by spinning. Working continually with the severely ill,  Elizabeth became sick herself. Young in years but rich in good works, she slept in the Lord on November 17,1231, only twenty-four years old. After she died, miraculous healings soon began to occur at her grave near the hospital, and she was declared a saint only four years later. She was canonized in 1235 by Pope Gregory IX. Pope Benedict XVI has praised her as a “model for those in authority,” noting the continuity between her personal love for God, and her public work on behalf of the poor and sick. She’s Patron Saint of Bakers; beggars; brides; Catholic charities; charitable societies; charitable workers; charities; countesses; death of children; exiles; falsely accused people; Franciscan Third Order; hoboes; homeless people; hospitals; in-law problems; lacemakers; lace workers; nursing homes; nursing services; people in exile; people ridiculed for their piety; Sisters of Mercy; tertiaries; Teutonic Knights; toothache; tramps; widows.

    PRAYER: God, You taught St. Elizabeth to recognize and serve Christ in the poor. Grant, through her intercession, that we may always lovingly serve the needy and the oppressed. Amen 🙏

    SAINT GREGORY THAUMATURGE, BISHOP, CONFESSOR: St Gregory (c 213-c 270) “the Wonder-Worker,” Bishop, Confessor, Miracle-worker, Writer, Preacher – also known as Gregory of Neocaesarea, Gregory the Wonder-Worker, Theodorus. He was a Christian bishop of the 3rd century. He was born in c 213 at Neocaesarea, Pontus, Asia Minor (in modern Turkey) to a wealthy pagan family. Originally he was known as Theodore (“gift of God”). He was introduced to the Christian religion at the age of fourteen, after the death of his father. St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335-c 395) wrote the Life and Panegyric of Gregory Thaumaturge drawing on family traditions and a knowledge of the neighbourhood, the facts for which, were supplied to the writer by his grandmother, St Macrina the Elder (c 270-c 340). According to the writings of St. Gregory of Nyssa about St. Gregory Thaumaturge, the Wonder-Worker was the first person known to receive a vision of the Mother of God. The Virgin and Saint John the Baptist appeared to him in a vision and gave him what became a statement of doctrine on the Trinity. St. Gregory had the power of healing by laying on of his hands. Often the healing was so powerful that the patient was cured of his illness, and became a fervent convert on the spot.

    It is believed that St. Gregory died in the year c 270, on 17 of November at Pontus, Asia Minor (in modern Turkey) of natural causes. The death of St Gregory took place in the seventieth year of his age and the 270th of the Christian Era. Shortly before closing his eyes, he asked if there were yet some in the city who had not received holy baptism.  ” Seventeen,” was the answer. The Saint, already in his agony, raised his eyes to heaven and said:  ” Thanks and praise to God!   When I took possession of my See, I found only seventeen Christians. May God preserve all in the true faith, and give to all infidels, in the whole world, the light of the Saviour’s divine Word!” St Gregory’s remains were translated to Calabria, Italy, where many miracles once more occurred and continue so, as St Gregory intercedes for impossible causes. He’s Patron Saint against earthquakes, desperate causes, floods, forgotten causes, impossible causes, lost causes.

    Saint Gregory Thaumaturge, Bishop, Confessor ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and Saint Gregory Thaumaturge ~ Pray for us 🙏

    DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:

    MONTH OF THE HOLY SOULS: The Catholic Church dedicates the entire month of November to praying in a special way for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. The Holy Souls (also called the Faithful Departed) are members of the Church who await the purification of their souls before joining the Saints in heaven for all eternity. Specifically, they are referred to as the Church Suffering (the Saints in heaven are the Church Triumphant, and the faithful on earth are the Church Militant).The poor souls in purgatory cannot pray for themselves or do anything to hasten their entrance into heaven, but we can and ought to pray for them as an act of charity. The feast of the Holy Souls is November 2nd. 

    The entire month of November falls during the liturgical season known as Tempus per Annum or Ordinary Time (formerly Time After Pentecost), which is represented by the liturgical color green. Green is a symbol of hope, as it is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. The liturgical color green is worn during the praying of Offices and celebration of Masses of Ordinary Time. The last portion of the liturgical year represents the time of our pilgrimage to heaven during which we hope for reward. As we come to the end of the Church year we are asked to consider the end times, our own as well as the world’s.

    The month of November is very full of Memorials, feasts and solemnities. The main feast days are the Solemnity of All Saints (November 1), The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls) (November 2), the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (November 24), and St. Andrew (November 30).
    The other saint days are: St. Charles Borromeo, (November 4), Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (November 9), St. Martin of Tours, (November 11), St. Josaphat (November 12), St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (November 13) St. Albert the Great (November 15), Sts. Margaret of Scotland and Gertrude (November 16), Presentation of Mary (November 21), St. Cecilia (November 22), Sts. Clement I and St. Columban (November 23), and
    St. Catherine of Alexandria (November 25). The commemorations of St. Martin de Porres (November 3), St. Leo the Great (November 10), St. Elizabeth of Hungary (November 17), and St. Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions (November 24) fall on Sundays and are superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

    https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/10_1.cfm

    THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER – FOR ANYONE WHO HAS LOST A CHILD: We pray that all parents who mourn the loss of a son or daughter find support in their community and receive peace and consolation from the Holy Spirit.

    https://www.usccb.org/prayers/popes-monthly-intentions-2024

    PRAYER FOR PEACE ~ POPE FRANCIS:

    Lord God of peace, hear our prayer!

    Prayers for Peace | https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/prayers-for-peace/

    During this Ordinary Time, please let us all continue to pray for peace all over the world, particularly in Africa, Nigeria, the Middle East, for an end to the current war in Israel-Palestine, and the Ukraine-Russia conflicts and for peace in our families and throughout our divided and conflicted World. Amen 🙏🏾

    PRAYER INTENTIONS: During this season of the Ordinary Time, through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for our children and children all over the world, we pray for their health, safety and well-being, we particularly pray for those who have no one to care for them and those who are terminally ill, we pray for God’s Divine healing upon them. We pray for all mothers, wives, those going through challenges in their marriages, Victims of verbal and spousal abuse, and we pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. Every life is a gift. We pray for God’s deliverance from impossible causes or situations. For all widows and widowers. And we continue to pray for our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishops, the Clergy, and all those who preach the Gospel. We pray for Vocation to the Priesthood and Religious life. We particularly pray for all Youths and all Seminarians. For the Church, for persecuted Christians, for all the innocent who suffer violence due to political or religious unrest, for the conversion of sinners and Christians all over the world. Amen 🙏

    Let us pray:

    Most glorious Judge, You will return one day in glory to judge the living and the dead. Before that day, You have revealed that Your Church will endure much suffering. Please give me hope during those moments in my life so that I can offer to You every suffering I endure as a sacrifice of love, offered in union with Your own perfect sacrifice. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏

    Save Us, Savior of the World. Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Most Precious Blood of Jesus, have mercy on us. Our Blessed Mother Mary; Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and Saint Gregory Thaumaturge ~ Pray for us 🙏

    Thanking God for the gift of this day and praying for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for God’s Divine Mercy and Grace upon us all. Have a blessed, safe and grace-filled Sunday and week🙏

    Blessings and  love always, Philomena💖

    Daily Reflections | https://dailyreflectionswithphilomena.com/

    Foundation | https://gliopiepehe.org

    Sir G.L.I Opiepe’s Health and Education Foundation |