NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024. June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family. Happy Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time!
We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this school. year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch ” Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | June 5, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 5, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 5, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 5, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 5, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday, June 5, 2024 Reading 1, Second Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 123:1-2, 2 Gospel, Mark 12:18-27
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT BONIFACE, BISHOP AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 5TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Boniface and all the Saints, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, particularly pray for those who are terminally ill and those suffering from pathologies of the hands and the feet, we pray for God’s divine healing and intervention. We pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. We also pray for tailors and brewers. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT BONIFACE, BISHOP AND MARTYR: The English monk St. Boniface (672-754) is known as the Apostle of Germany because he organized twe ⁴he Church there in the 8th century. St. Boniface was born in 672 to a noble Christian family in Devonshire, England, near Exeter, Devon. He was named Winfrith by his well-to-do English parents. As a boy, he studied in Benedictine monastery schools and became a monk himself in the process. For 30 years he lived in relative peace, studying, teaching, and praying. In his early 40s he left the seclusion of the monastery to do missionary work on the Continent. Because his first efforts in Frisia (now the Netherlands) were unsuccessful, Winfrith went to Rome in search of direction. Pope Gregory II renamed him Boniface, “doer of good,” and delegated him to spread the gospel message in Germany. As a Benedictine monk, he devoted his life to the evangelization of the pagan Germanic tribes in what is now Germany at the request of Pope Gregory II in 719 A.D. and systematically opened up the vast tracks of wilderness to the Gospel, building on the work of the earlier Irish missionaries. St. Boniface organized the Catholic Church in Germany, instructed the faithful, and converted the pagans. He evangelized Hesse, Saxony and Thuringia and became Archbishop of Mainz and founded or restored many dioceses. Working alongside him as evangelists were his nephews and niece, St. Willibald, St. Winebald, and St. Walburga, who all came from England to Germany to assist him.
Legend has it that at Christmastime he chopped down a large tree which was worshiped as a god and used in child sacrifice, and the local pagans converted to Christianity as a result. Instead of worshiping the tree, St. Boniface gave them a smaller evergreen tree as a symbol of eternal life in Christ, the origin of the Christmas tree tradition. He was put to death by the Frisians at Dokkum in 754 during the last of his missionary journeys. He was martyred for his faith along with 52 others as he read the Scriptures on Pentecost Sunday. St. Boniface profoundly influenced the course of German history in the Middle Ages and helped to make it a Christian nation. For his missionary work he is known as the “Apostle of Germany.” He well earned the title of Apostle of Germany, and Catholic Germany in our own times still venerates him as its father in the faith. The famous abbey of Fulda, where his body lies, has remained the national shrine of Catholic Germany. He is Patron Saint of Brewers; Tailors; Germany; Prussia. His feast day is June 5th.
An excerpt from a letter by St Boniface (672-754) “The Apostle of Germany”, Bishop and Martyr:
“Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God’s strengthening aid and say to Him:“O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations.” Let us trust in Him, who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear, let us bear with the help of Christ. For He is all-powerful and He tells us: “My yoke is easy and my burden light.” Let us continue the fight, on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us. If God so wills, “let us die for the holy laws of our fathers,” so that we may deserve, to obtain an eternal inheritance with them. Let us be neither dogs that do not bark, nor silent onlookers, nor paid servants, who run away before the wolf. Instead, let us be careful shepherds, watching over Christ’s flock. Let us preach the whole of God’s plan, to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season.”
PRAYER: May the Martyr Saint Boniface be our advocate, O Lord, that we may firmly hold the faith he taught with his lips and sealed in his blood and confidently profess it by our deeds. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen. St Boniface, Pray for us!🙏
“Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, 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 and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is approached by the members of a Jewish group, the Sadducees, who did not believe in life after death. They approach Jesus as someone whom they know has a different view on this issue to themselves. The question the Sadducees put to Jesus about the woman with seven husbands suggests that they understood life beyond death as simply an extension of this earthly life. However, Jesus’ reply suggests otherwise. ‘When they rise from the dead, men and women … are like the angels in heaven’. Life in heaven is not a mirror image of life on earth; it is qualitatively different. St Paul speaks about this life beyond death in terms of transformation. ‘We shall all be changed’, he says. For one thing, it will be a life with no trace of death in it. Today’s first reading declares that Christ has ‘abolished death and has proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News’. We would, of course, like to know more about this transformed life. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus refers to heaven as the place where God’s will is done to the fullest possible extent. We are invited to pray, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’. The transformation that awaits us is all that God wills for us, our being fully conformed to the image of Christ himself.
In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy, the Apostle spoke of the reminder for all the faithful through St. Timothy, that all Christians, all of God’s faithful and holy people ought to do their best to stand up for their faith in the Lord, to be ever more committed to walk in the path of God’s righteousness and love. Saint Paul declares that Jesus ‘abolished death, and proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News’. This was one of the ways St. Paul understood the ministry of Jesus, as the proclamation of eternal life and immortality through the Good News or Gospel. Each and every one of us have been given the various gifts and talents, the opportunities and chances by the Lord for us to reach out to our fellow brothers and sisters, to all those whom we encounter in our every day moments, so that by our interactions with them, and through our commitment to the Lord, our pious and faithful lives, we may inspire many others to believe in God as well and to embrace Him as their Lord and Master.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures we are all reminded that we are God’s holy and beloved people, and we often may have to endure sufferings and hardships, one after another in the midst of our journey of faith as Christians, as those whom God had called and chosen to be His own people. All of us must always remain firm in our faith in the Lord and we must strive to focus our lives and existences on Him, He Who is the Lord and Master of all of our lives, the Lord and Master of all the living and the dead, the Master of all the Universe. We are all called as Christians to be the bearers of God’s truth and love, and to live lives that are truly good, righteous and worthy of the Lord at all times. As Christians, we are called to emulate the Saints and Holy men and women, especially Saint Boniface, who we celebrate today. All of us should strive to do what we can so that our lives may truly be holy and worthy of God, and that everyone who witnesses our works and actions may truly recognise the Lord being present in all of us. Let us all thus continue to glorify the Lord by our lives. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord continue to bless us all and our every good efforts, works and endeavours, now and always, forevermore. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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 Lord of infinite wisdom, You are Truth Itself, and You continually reveal Yourself to us. Give me the humility I need to always be open to all divine Truth in my life so that I will come to know You and Your holy will as You desire. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Boniface ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit 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 and fruitful week🙏
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024. June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family. Happy Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time!
We continue to pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this school. year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch ” Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | June 4, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 4, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 4, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 4, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 4, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, June 4, 2024 Reading 1, Second Peter 3:12-15, 17-18 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 90:2, 3-4, 10, 14, 16 Gospel, Mark 12:13-17
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT FRANCIS CARACCIOLO, PRIEST AND SAINT FILIPPO SMALDONE, PRIEST ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 4TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Francis Caracciolo, Religious and Saint Filippo Smaldone, Priest. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick, we pray for God’s divine healing and intervention. We also pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT FRANCIS CARACCIOLO, PRIEST: St. Francis Caracciolo (October 13, 1563 – June 4, 1608), was an Italian Catholic priest who co-founded the Congregation of the Clerics Regular Minor with St. John Augustine Adorno. He was born Ascanio Pisquizio, in Villa Santa Maria, Italy on October 13, 1563 and was given the name Ascanio at his baptism. His mother was a relative of St. Thomas Aquinas. He lived a virtuous life as a youth and seemed inclined towards a religious vocation. He decided to adopt a religious life at the age of 22. Saint Francis is well known for been powerfully drawn to our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, he fasted every Saturday in honor of the Virgin Mary, and he had a generous love for the poor. When he was 22 he contracted a form of leprosy which he begged God to cure him of. He promised to follow what seemed clear to him as his calling to the priesthood immediately upon being cured. He was cured instantly upon making the promise, and left immediately for Naples to study for the priesthood. On his ordination he joined the confraternity of The White Robes of Justice, who were devoted to helping condemned criminals to die a holy death, reconciled with God. Five years after he went to Naples, a letter was delivered to him which was in fact addressed to another Ascanio Caracciolo, a distant relative. The letter was an appeal from Father Giovanni Agostino Adorno (Fr. John Augustine Adorno), of Genoa, to this other Ascanio to join him in founding a religious order. Reading the lettter he realized that the vision of Fr. Adorno was in total compliance with his own ideas for a religious institute and he interpreted this as a sign of God’s plan. He responded to the letter and the two men spent a few weeks together in retreat to draw up the institutions and rule for the Order of Minor Clerks Regular. The congregation was approved by Pope Sixtus V on July 1, 1588.
The congregation’s apostolate was preaching missions and performing diverse works of charity. The congregation lives both and active and contemplaive life, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament being one of the pillars of their life. They work with the sick, poor, prisoners and as missionaries. In addition to the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, they have a fourth which forbids them to seek or accept ecclesiastical honors. Upon making his profession, Caracciolo took the name Francis in honor of the saint of Assissi. He was noted for his ardent devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, often being found in ecstasy, and frequently repeating the words of the Psalm, “Zeal for Thy house has consumed me.” He died of a severe fever on the eve of Corpus Christi in Agnone, on June 4, 1608, with his oft-repeated words on his lips. Those same words were found burned into the flesh of his heart when his body was opened after his death. “Zeal for Thy house has consumed me.” He was canonized by Pope Pius VII on May 24, 1807. He has been the Patron Saint of Eucharistic Congress of Abruzzo since 1925 and Patron Saint of Italian chefs since 1996 and Naples, Italy.
PRAYER: God, You adorned St. Francis, the founder of a new Order, with a zeal for prayer and love for penance. Help Your servants to make such progress by imitating him that by praying unceasingly and bringing their bodies into subjection they may be worthy to attain heavenly glory… Amen🙏
SAINT FILIPPO SMALDONE, PRIEST: Filippo Smaldone (27 July 1848 – 4 June 1923) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest and the founder of the Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Hearts (Salésiennes des Sacrés-Cœurs). Smaldone is best known for his extensive work with the deaf during his lifetime. Smaldone was a gifted preacher known for his commitment to proper catechesis and to the care of orphans and the mute, which earned him civic recognition. St. Filippo Smaldone was born on July 27, 1848 in Naples, Italy, during a time of upheaval and unrest both in Italy and in the Church. He was the first of seven children to Antonio Smaldone and Maria Concetta De Luca. He made his First Communion in 1858 and received his Confirmation in 1862. He decided to become a priest, and while in seminary he took on a personal apostolate of assisting the deaf and mute community in Naples. He dedicated so much time to this work that he barely passed his exams. He almost failed the examination for minor orders because he did not want to abandon his apostolate for his studies. He returned to Naples in 1876 – with the permission of the Cardinal Archbishop of Naples Sisto Riario Sforza – after a period of education in the Archdiocese of Rossano-Cariati. He was made a subdeacon on July 31, 1870 and ordained a deacon on March 27, 1871. Smaldone was ordained to the priesthood on September 23, 1871. After his ordination, he continued to assist the marginalized of his community, especially the sick and the deaf of Naples. But at one stage he grew depressed, discouraged at the difficulty of the task and frustrated over his mute students. He asked to give up teaching in favor of going to the foreign missions. But his spiritual director convinced him to remain and to continue his work. When the cholera plague hit his city in 1884 he contracted it and almost dead, however, he was healed after praying to Our Lady of Pompeii / Madonna. He credited his survival to the Our Lady to whom he had a special devotion.
Dissuaded from the abandonment of his work by his confessor, St. Filippo committed his life’s mission to the needs of the deaf and mute, training a group of nuns in the work which grew into a new religious foundation. He later expanded his work to include children that were blind, orphaned, and abandoned. In 1885 he founded an institution for the deaf and for the mute at Lecce, with the assistance of Lorenzo Apicella and several nuns that he had under his care. He opened several other branches of his order in 1897 in both Rome and Bari. On December 18, 1912, his order was aggregated to the Order of Friars Minor. The order went on to receive the decree of praise from Pope Benedict XV on November 30, 1915 and full papal approval from Pope Pius XI after Smaldone’s death on 21 June 1925. St. Smaldone founded both the Eucharistic League of Priest Adorers and the Eucharistic League of Women Adorers to promote the Eucharist and he also served for a brief period of time as the superior of the Missionaries of Saint Francis de Sales. The civic authorities commended and recognized him for his work as did religious authorities who made him a canon of the Lecce Cathedral. In 1880 he was sent to Milan as an expert at a conference of teachers for the deaf. St. Filippo Smaldone died on June 4, 1923 at 9:00 pm at the age of 74 in Lecce, Kingdom of Italy from diabetes-related complications combined with heart difficulties. His remains were later relocated in 1942 to the order’s motherhouse. In 2005 there was a total of 40 houses with 398 religious in nations such as Rwanda and Moldova. St. Smaldone’s sainthood cause commenced in 1964 and in 1995 he became titled as Venerable under Pope John Paul II who soon after Beatified him in mid-1996. Pope Benedict XVI Canonized him as a saint of the Catholic Church on October 15, 2006 in Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City. He’s the Patron Saint of Salesian Sisters of the Sacred Hearts; Deaf people; Mute peopl. His feast day is June 4th.
NOVENA TO ST. FILIPPO SMALDONE, PRIEST: Dear St. Smaldone, in your earthly life you were a model of charity. Your love for those with disabilities especially the deaf brought you the beloved name “Apostle of the Deaf”. In your heavenly home please intercede for us here on earth that we may see Jesus in those hardest for us to love. Take our hand and gently guide us on the surest way to salvation. We humbly ask that you place our petitions before the Sacred Heart of Jesus. [Mention your needs here…Say 1 Our Father; 1 Hail Mary and 1 Glory Be] Amen🙏
Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God
“Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion. You do not regard a person’s status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?” Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, “Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at.” They brought one to him and he said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They replied to him, “Caesar’s.” So Jesus said to them, “Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” They were utterly amazed at him.”
In today’s Gospel reading, the Lord and His disciples were faced with question from the Pharisees who wanted to test the Lord and potentially trap Him with the question regarding whether one should pay their taxes to Caesar or the Roman Emperor or not. At the time, this was indeed a very risky and politically charged issue which would have led to great trouble for the Lord and His disciples if that question was not answered in the right way. First of all, if the Lord had told the Pharisees that they all should pay the taxes to Caesar, then the latter could have assigned blame to the Lord as traitors to the people, as back then, Roman taxes were widely hated and despised by the people, who saw those taxes as sign of oppression. On the other hand, should the Lord mention that the people do not need or should not pay the taxes to Caesar, then the Pharisees could then accuse Him to the Romans of wanting to incite rebellion against them, as they eventually did against Him during the time of His Passion, His suffering and death on Good Friday. The Romans took particular emphasis on all those who went against their authority and rule, oppressing and punishing harshly all those who attempted insurrection and rebellion against them. As such, we can see that the Lord was faced with problems no matter what he decided to do. But, He wisely and wonderfully settled it, by saying to the Pharisees that one ought to pay to Caesar what belonged to Caesar, and to God what belonged to God. The coins that the people used to pay for their Roman taxes were minted by the Romans and were engraved with the image of the Roman Emperors, and hence, they indeed belonged to the Roman Emperors. Therefore, it is indeed lawful to pay what was due to the Caesars, just as one ought to pay what was due to God. And the latter was a reference and intention for the Lord to tell all of us to give our best to the Lord. Since all of us belong to the Lord, our Master and Creator, we must always strive to give Him the best of our lives, our every efforts to proclaim Him and His truth, to live worthily at all times, just as St. Peter had reminded the faithful earlier on as we heard in our first reading today. We must always strive to proclaim the Good News of God through our exemplary lives, and part of this is by our fulfilment of our obligations as citizens of our respective states in this world.
When J esus declared that people should give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give back to God what belongs to God, He meant certain loyalty is due to the political authorities but an even greater loyalty is due to God. Later in the Gospel, Jesus will spell out what is due to God. God is to be loved with all our heart, soul and mind. God is to be our first and greatest love. That certainly can never be said of any human authority, be it political or otherwise. Our primary loyalty is to the God whom Jesus reveals to us by His life, death and resurrection; all other loyalties are shaped by that primary loyalty.
In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Peter in which the Apostle spoke to all the faithful regarding what they all must do in the meantime as they were awaiting the coming of the Lord. He reminded all of them to do what was right and just, in accordance to the things that the Lord had taught them and led them through the Church. They must still continue to carry on living their lives worthily in the Lord and not to be idle or ignorant of their missions in life, and at the same time also reminding them to be careful and vigilant that they might not be tempted and swayed by the false teachings and ideas by those who might attempt to mislead them down the wrong path in life.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that we have to always commit ourselves to the Lord wholeheartedly in each and every moments of our lives, in our daily living and in everything we do, while at the same time doing what we can to be good and dutiful citizens and members of our communities in this world. All of us must always be exemplary in our every lives and actions so that in whatever we do, we are both truly seen and witnessed as holy people of God, whose actions, words and deeds truly reflect His light, truth and love. At the same time, we must also be good and law-abiding in our world as best as we can, as long as the worldly laws are in accordance to Divine laws. Let us all therefore do what we can so that in each and every one of our actions in life, we may always be truly committed and faithful to the Lord, to give our best to Him, just as we live our lives dutifully as the citizens and members of the states and countries of this world. Let our lives and examples be great inspirations and role models for everyone else all around us, so that we may show the path of righteousness and virtue to everyone whom we encounter, and that we may help one another to come ever closer to God and His salvation. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the good Lord be with us always, and be with His Church, empower and strengthen us to live ever more worthily in His Presence, now and always. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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:
Lord of all Truth, You are wise beyond all worldly wisdom, and You thwart the trickery of the evil one. Open my mind, dear Lord, to Your holy Truth so that I may be able to navigate through the challenges of life. Bestow Your wisdom upon me, dear Lord, so that I may follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Francis Caracciolo and Saint Filippo Smaldone ~ 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 and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024. June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family. Happy Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time!
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this school. year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch ” Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on EWTN on YouTube | June 3, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 3, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 3, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 3, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 3, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, June 3, 2024 Reading 1, Second Peter 1:2-7 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 91:1-2, 14-15, 15-16 Gospel, Mark 12:1-12
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINTS CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS; SAINT KEVIN OF GLENDALOUGH, ABBOT AND SAINT CLOTILDA, QUEEN OF FRANCE ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 3RD Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs; Saint Kevin of Glendalough, Abbot and Saint Clotilda, Queen of France. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all Youths all over the world, praying for God’s guidance and protection upon them. We pray for parents, for wisdom, patience and understanding. For the sick, we pray for God’s divine healing and intervention. We also pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINTS CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS: Today, we honor twenty-two Ugandan martyrs. They are the first martyrs of Sub-Saharan Africa and true witnesses of the Christian faith. In an effort to resist a Christian worldview that undermined the authority of his office, King Mwanga II insisted that Christian converts abandon their new faith and executed many Anglicans and Catholics between 1885 and 1887, including Lwanga and other officials in the royal court or otherwise very close to him. St. Charles Lwanga is revered as a saint by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. In 1879 Catholicism began spreading in Uganda when the White Fathers, a congregation of priests founded by Cardinal Lavigerie were peacefully received by King Mutesa of Uganda. The priests soon began preparing catechumens for baptism and before long a number of the young pages in the king’s court had become Catholics. However, on the death of King Mutesa, his son Mwanga, a corrupt man who ritually engaged in pedophilic practices with the younger pages, took the throne. When King Mwanga had a visiting Anglican Bishop murdered, his chief page, Joseph Mukasa, a Catholic who went to great length to protect the younger boys from the king’s lust, denounced the king’s actions and was beheaded on November 15, 1885.
St. Charles Lwanga (1 January 1860 – 3 June 1886) was a 25 year old Ugandan convert to the Catholic Church, who was martyred for his faith. He was a member of the Baganda tribe, Lwanga was born in the Kingdom of Buganda, the central and southern part of modern Uganda, and served as chief of the royal pages and later major-domo in the court of King Mwanga II of Buganda. He became a moral leader. He was a man wholly dedicated to the Christian instruction of the younger boys, became the chief page, and just as forcibly protected them from the kings advances. On the night of the martyrdom of Joseph Mukasa, realizing that their own lives were in danger, Lwanga and some of the other pages went to the White Fathers to receive baptism. Another 100 catechumens were baptized in the week following Joseph Mukasa’s death. St. Charles was baptised by Pere Giraud on 15 November 1885, a year before his death in 1886. The following May, King Mwanga learned that one of the boys was learning catechism. He was furious and ordered all the pages to be questioned to separate the Christians from the others. The Christians, 15 in all, between the ages of 13 and 25, stepped forward. The King asked them if they were willing to keep their faith. They answered in unison, “Until death!” They were bound together and taken on a two day walk to Namugongo where they were to be burned at the stake. On the way, Matthias Kalemba, one of the eldest boys, exclaimed, “God will rescue me. But you will not see how he does it, because he will take my soul and leave you only my body.” They executioners cut him to pieces and left him to die alone on the road, which took at least three days. When they reached the site where they were to be burned, they were kept tied together for seven days while the executioners prepared the wood for the fire. On June 3, 1886, the Feast of the Ascension, St. Charles Lwanga was separated from the others and burned at the stake. The executioners slowly burnt his feet until only the charred remained. Still alive, they promised him that they would let him go if he renounced his faith. He refused saying, “You are burning me, but it is as if you are pouring water over my body.” He then continued to pray silently as they set him on fire. Just before the flames reached his heart, he looked up and said in a loud voice, “Katonda! – My God!,” and died. His companions were all burned together the same day all the while praying and singing hymns until they died. There were 24 protomartyrs in all. The last of the protomartyrs, a young man named John Mary, was beheaded by King Mwanga on January 27, 1887. The persecutions spread during the reign of Mwanga, with 100 Christians, both Catholics and Protestants, being tortured and killed. St. Charles and many other martyrs for the faith died between November 15, 1885 – January 27, 1887 in Namugongo, Uganda. St. Charles and his companions were beatified in 1920 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964. St. Charles Lwanga is the patron saint of African Catholic Youth Action. Patron Saint of African Catholic Youth Action; converts; torture victims; Courage Apostolate.
PRAYER: O God, who have made the blood of Martyrs the seed of Christians, mercifully grant that the field which is your Church, watered by the blood shed by Saint Charles Lwanga and his companions, may be fertile and always yield you an abundant harvest. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen 🙏
SAINT KEVIN OF GLENDALOUGH, ABBOT: St. Kevin of Glendalough (498-618 A.D.) lived in Ireland during the age of the great early Irish saints, many of whom were his contemporaries. St. Kevin, also known as Coemgen in Ireland was born of noble birth, the son of Coemlog and Coemell of Leinster in 498 AD at the Fort of the White Fountain and baptized by Saint Cronan of Roscrea. His given name Coemgen (anglicized Kevin) means “fair-begotten”, or “of noble birth”. According to tradition, St. Kevin from the age seven was a pupil of Saint Petroc of Cornwall, who had come to Leinster about 492. From age twelve he lived with monks and studied under the Irish monks as a student of St. Eonagh and eventually became a monk himself. Among his friends were St. Comgall, St. Columba, St. Cannich, and St. Kieran. After his ordination he lived a penitential life as a cave-dwelling hermit for seven years in Glendalough Ireland (meaning glen of two lakes).
Word of his holiness spread, and he attracted a group of followers which led him to found the famous monastery at Glendalough to teach the people of Ireland about God. Because of his fame this remote spot became a town and then a city, with offshoots of several other monastic foundations rising up around it. He served as abbot at Glendalough, and once the monastery was well-established he withdrew to live as a hermit again for four years. He was then called back to Glendalough, and continued to serve as abbot there until his death at age 120. He died on June 3, 618 AD, Glendalough and was Canonized in 1903 (cultus confirmed). St. Kevin has many legends surrounding him involving wild animals obeying his commands, seeking him for refuge, and helping him feed others. Blackbird is even said to have made a nest in his prayerfully outstretched hands. His life is surrounded by many extravagant miracles. St. Kevin is the Patron Saint of blackbirds, Glendalough, the Archdiocese of Dublin, Ireland, Glendalough, Kilnamanagh. His feast day is June 3rd
PRAYER: Saint Kevin, you were privileged to live in the Age of Saints, O Father Kevin being baptized by one saint, taught by another and buried by a third. We celebrate your saintly and holy life. You lived a life filled with a wonderful reverence and awe of all living things. Let us imitate the respect and appreciation you showed toward life in all its forms, and to see the presence of God in all his Creations. Pray to God that He will raise up saints in our day to help, support and guide us into the Way of salvation. Amen🙏
SAINT CLOTILDA, QUEEN OF FRANCE: Saint Clotilda (Clotilde) was Queen of the Franks, born in Lyons France, probably around the year 470 or 474. St. Clotilda was the daughter of Chilperic, the Catholic King of Burgundy, domain of the Germanic tribe which had entered the southeastern region of ancient France in the fifth century; Chilperic had succeeded his father in that royalty. His jealous older brother, infected with Arianism, declared war on him, surrounded him with an army, captured and slew his own brother and his brother’s wife and two sons, while sparing the two daughters, then took over their dominions. Clotilda’s older sister became a nun, but the younger daughter was brought up under her uncle’s protection, and, by a singular providence, instructed in the Catholic religion. Her beauty, modesty, and Catholic piety inspired the prayers of her fellow Christians that an alliance might be arranged between the young princess and Clovis, king of the Franks, victorious in the north. In 493, she married the Salian Frankish king Clovis I, who used their alliance as a means of strengthening his position with the Romanized Celts. Clovis had already defeated several minor Frankish kings in Gaul and the Rhineland and established himself as the sole Frankish king and founder of the Merovingian Dynasty. St. Clotilda was instrumental in the King’s conversion, converting him to Christianity on Christmas Day in 496. With her husband King Clovis (c. 466-511) she founded the Merovingian dynasty, which ruled the Franks for over 200 years. She is credited with bringing Christianity to Europe. Queen Clotilde was known for her charitable and penitential works of mercy.
Although not a Christian himself, Clovis allowed his Catholic Christian wife to baptize their children. His tolerance of Catholic Christianity angered other Germanic tribes, who were either pagans or Arians. In 496, while fighting the Alemanni tribes, Clovis prayed to “Clotilde’s God” and promised to convert if victorious in battle. On Christmas Day of 496, Bishop St. Remigius (St. Remy) of Reims baptized Clovis I, supposedly with about 3,000 of his followers. Clovis and Queen Clotilde chose Paris as their capital city, where the monarchs founded the Church of the Apostles, later known as St. Genevieve. The famous prince, Clovis died on the 27th of November in the year 511, at the age of forty-five, having reigned thirty years. His eldest son, Theodoric, reigned from Rheims over the eastern parts of France, Clodomir reigned at Orleans, Childebert II at Paris, and Clotaire I at Soissons. This division produced wars and mutual jealousies until in 560, after the death of Clotilda, the whole monarchy was reunited under Clotaire, the youngest of the four brothers. Upon Clovis’s death in 511, Clotilde was extremely wealthy but powerless to control her rebellious children. King Clovis I had divided his kingdom among his four sons Theodoric I, Clodomir, Childebert I and Clothaire I but each desired the others’ kingdoms. Clodomir was murdered, and Clotilde took his three sons under her care. Nevertheless, her son Clothaire murdered two of the boys, his own nephews. Clotilde secreted the youngest, five-year-old Clodoaldus, to a monastery at Versailles, where he grew to become St. Cloud. Her daughter, also named Clotilde, was forced to marry the Arian Visigoth king Amalaric, who treated her cruelly. Childebert murdered Amalaric to avenge his sister, but Clotilde II died on her way back to Paris. Mortified at her children’s sins and unable to change their ways, Queen Clotilde retired to the Abbey of St. Martin of Tours, where she lived the rest of her life near the tomb of St. Martin of Tours. The dissension in her family detached Clotilda’s heart still more perfectly from the world. She spent the last thirty years of her life in exercises of prayer, almsgiving, night vigils, fasting, penance, service to the sick and the poor, seeming to forget that she had been queen. Her sons’ quarrels caused her great sorrow. Eternity filled her heart and occupied all her thoughts. She foretold her death one month before it happened. On the thirtieth day of her illness, she received the Sacraments, made a public confession of her faith, and departed to the Lord on June 3, 545. She died at the tomb of St. Martin of Tours and was buried in Sainte-Genevieve in Paris, a church that she and Clovis founded. Historians attribute the founding of churches at Laon, Andelys and Rouen to Clotilde. She’s Patron Saint of brides, adopted children, parents, exiles, widows and skin disease.
PRAYER TO ST. CLOTILDA: Hail, gentle and loving St. Clotilde, sweet illustrious Queen of the Franks, who by thy faith and perseverance in the Lord didst convert thy husband and made France for many centuries a venerable stalwart of the Catholic faith, I implore thy powerful intercession in this my great need. Assist me, holy St. Clotilde, from thy height of glory in heaven. Thou, who during thy earthly sojourn, didst drink deeply from the Saviour’s chalice of sorrows, have pity on my dire distress, especially . . . (Here make your intention). Grant also that through my sorrows I may, like thee, purify my faith and never lose hope in the mercy of God. Amen🙏
SCRIPTURE REFLECTIONS:
Bible Readings for today, Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time | Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga and companions, martyrs | USCCB |https://bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading
Gospel Reading ~ Mark 12:1-12
“They seized the beloved son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard”
“Jesus began to speak to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey. At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants to obtain from them some of the produce of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent them another servant. And that one they beat over the head and treated shamefully. He sent yet another whom they killed. So, too, many others; some they beat, others they killed. He had one other to send, a beloved son. He sent him to them last of all, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they seized him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, put the tenants to death, and give the vineyard to others. Have you not read this Scripture passage: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?” They were seeking to arrest him, but they feared the crowd, for they realized that he had addressed the parable to them. So they left him and went away.
In today’s Gospel reading, our Lord Jesus taught His disciples through the parable of the evil tenants and the landowner of a field. In that parable, the Lord told His disciples about the story of how those evil tenants refused to pay their rental dues, and how they went to the great lengths even to resist the landowner and all the servants that he had sent to them to remind them of their obligations, going as far as to persecute the servants and to made their lives difficult, and finally, killing them, and lastly, even killing the son of the landowner, whom the latter had sent hoping that the evil tenants would listen to his son. This parable Jesus told was clearly referring to the way how the people of God treated His servants, the prophets and messengers of God and finally, His own beloved Son, Jesus Christ Himself. Therefore, the Lord was in fact making a premonition and predicting everything that He Himself would have to endure and to suffer from because of the stubbornness of those who continued to doubt Him and refusing to listen to Him and His words. Those evil tenants represent the people of this world, while the landowner himself represents God, Who had entrusted this world to us, and we are indeed His stewards and the guardians of His Creation. To each and every one of us He has entrusted to us this world with all of its obligations and responsibilities.
The parable that Jesus tells in today’s Gospel is a story about rejection. In this case, Jesus is really the story of the rejection of God’s messengers, the prophets, culminating in the rejection of God’s Son by the religious leaders. Yet, Jesus’ comment on the story shows that rejection, even violent rejection, does not have the last word. Quoting from one of the psalms, Jesus says that the stone rejected by the builders became the keystone. God brought good out of the experience of rejection. Although his Son was rejected, God raised Him to new life and He became the keystone, the foundation, of a new community, the church. The parable suggests that God works in a life-giving way even in the darkest of situations. Our own painful experiences, including the experience of rejection, do not have the last word. If we open ourselves to the Lord He will bring some good out of our most painful experiences. The rejected stone can always become the keystone with the Lord’s help.
In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. Peter, the Apostle spoke to the faithful regarding the need for all of them to follow the Lord and commit themselves to the path of Christian living, in doing what God has called them to do. This is because as St. Peter himself had explained and elaborated, all of us have shared in His divine nature and we are all indeed created in His image and likeness, and as His beloved children and chosen people, all of us truly should live our lives worthily and be holy just as our Lord Himself is holy. It is crucial that we must be Christians that are truly committed to God and truly genuine in our Christian living. Otherwise, we will end up being hypocrites and no better than unbelievers and pagans, if we do not truly live our lives in accordance to our faith. Especially if we call ourselves as Christians and have known the way and the truth of God, and yet, we have allowed ourselves to be deluded and swayed by the evils of this world, by the corruptions of worldly pleasures and desires, all of which could lead us to actions that are contrary to God’s path and teachings. Many of our own predecessors have shown us of what could happen if we choose to follow those temptations and if we succumb to the forces of evil and darkness, to the temptations of power, glory and worldly comforts and pleasures. We cannot truly call ourselves as Christians if we have chosen this path, and not only that, but we may even scandalise our faith and sully the Holy Name of God and His Church, as many of our predecessors had done.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that each and every one of us are called to a truly holy and worthy existence, one that is truly blessed by God, that in our every words, actions and deeds, in our every dealings and interactions with one another, we will always continue to do what is right according to what the Lord has taught and shown us. As Christians, that is as those who have professed our faith in the Lord and have embraced Him as our God and Saviour, each and every one of us must always be exemplary and inspirational in how we all carry out our actions throughout our respective lives. We must also be wary lest we may be tempted by those pleasures, coercions and temptations present all around us which may mislead us down the wrong path. Through the examples and the inspirations from the Saints and Holy men and women, especially the story of the Holy Ugandan Martyrs, St. Charles Lwanga and his many companions in martyrdom, who we celebrate today, let us all therefore live our lives from now on to the fullest, in the best way possible as those who are committed to the Lord, devoting ourselves in each and every moments to glorify the Lord by our lives, to live in a holy and worthy way so that by our every actions, deeds and interactions with one another, we may always truly proclaim the Lord at all times, and be the shining beacons of His light, truth, love and Good News in this world, as we have all been called to do. May the Lord continue to bless us all in all of our every good works, efforts and endeavours. May He empower each and every one of us so that by our good examples and actions, we will continue to shine forth with the light of faith, helping many around us to come to the fullness of God’s love and grace. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us all, His beloved people, His Church and flock. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
*THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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:
Loving Father, You have chosen to send me, as a tenant of Your Kingdom, to bear good fruit for eternal life. Please help me to always exercise the authority and duty entrusted to me with humility so that I will seek to fulfill Your will and Your will alone. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saints Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs, Saint Kevin of Glendalough and Saint Clotilda, Queen of France ~ 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 and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST [THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI] ~ JUNE 2, 2024
[Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ is celebrated on Thursday after Holy Trinity or, where this is not a holy day of obligation. In the United States and some other parts of the world, it is always transferred to the Sunday after the Most Holy Trinity. May 30, 2024 (Where celebrated Thursday), June 2, 2024 (Where transferred to Sunday)]
SAINTS OF THE DAY ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 2, 2024
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024. June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family. Happy Corpus Christi Sunday!
On this special feast day, as we commemorate this great Solemnity of the Most Holy and Precious Body and Blood of Christ or Corpus Christi, let us all reflect on how much we truly believe in the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist.
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this school. year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch “Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ | (Corpus Christi Sunday) Holy Mass Presided Over by Pope Francis | Live from Rome | June 2, 2024” |
Watch ” Holy Mass and Holy Rosary on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ | EWTN on YouTube | June 2, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 2, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 2, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 2, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 2, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ | Sunday June 2, 2024 Reading 1, Exodus 24:3-8 Responsorial Psalm Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 Reading 2, Hebrews 9:11-15 Gospel, Mark 14:12–16, 22–26
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024 June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart | https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/devotions/novena-prayer-to-the-sacred-heart-311
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST [THE FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI]: Today, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as the Feast of Corpus Christi. The feast of the Eucharist is a day when we honor and give thanks for the gift of the Eucharist, through which the Lord is present among us in a very special way. We commemorate the real presence of the body (corpus) of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist which we partake and consume during every celebration of the Holy Mass. As Christians, we all firmly believe that the Eucharist we partake and receive in the Holy Mass is none other than the Most Holy and Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord Himself. The Feast of Corpus Christi, is celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday in honor of the institution of the Holy Eucharist (it is a movable observance that is transferred to the following Sunday in some countries and U.S. dioceses). The celebration on Sunday after Trinity Sunday is then considered its proper day in the calendar. The Mass includes an option of singing or reciting the Sequence Laud, O Zion or Lauda Sion before the Alleluia. This sequence is optional. There are only two other feasts (Easter and Pentecost) with Sequences. The feast of Corpus Christi is a holy day of obligation in many countries.
The Feast of Corpus Christi originated in 1246 when Robert de Torote, bishop of Liège, ordered the festival celebrated in his diocese. He was persuaded to initiate the feast by St. Juliana, prioress of Mont Cornillon near Liège (1222–58), a Belgian nun deeply devoted to the Holy Eucharist, who had experienced a vision, Jesus appeared requesting a feast in honor of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Juliana shared this vision with the Church hierarchy. It did not spread until 1261 when Jacques Pantaléon, formerly archdeacon of Liège, became pope as Urban IV, after decades of opposition. In 1264, Pope Urban IV instituted the feast of Corpus Christi for the universal Church. At the time there was a formal dispute among theologians on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist—that is, Christ’s actual Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—for the first time in Church history. In response to this heresy and in support of the authenticity of St. Juliana’s visions, a Eucharistic Miracle took place in Orvieto, Italy which proved the truth of the literal interpretation of Christ’s doctrine handed down from the Apostles. The Holy Father, Pope Urban IV requested that the liturgy for the feast be composed by St. Thomas Aquinas in the year 1264, now one of the Church’s most sublimely poetic liturgies. It is unquestionably a classic piece of liturgical work, wholly in accord with the best liturgical traditions. . . It is a perfect work of art. Pope Urban’s order was confirmed by Pope Clement V at the Council of Vienne in 1311–12. By the mid-14th century the festival was generally accepted, and in the 15th century it became, in effect, one of the principal feasts of the church.
The feast of Corpus Christi calls us to focus on two manifestations of the Body of Christ, the Holy Eucharist and the Church. The primary purpose of this feast is to focus our attention on the Eucharist. The opening prayer at Mass calls our attention to Jesus’ suffering and death and our worship of Him, especially in the Eucharist. At every Mass our attention is called to the Eucharist and the Real Presence of Christ in it. The secondary focus of this feast is upon the Body of Christ as it is present in the Church. The Church is called the Body of Christ because of the intimate communion which Jesus shares with His disciples. He expresses this in the gospels by using the metaphor of a body in which He is the head. This image helps keep in focus both the unity and the diversity of the Church. The Feast of Corpus Christi is traditionally accompanied with Eucharistic large and elaborate public processions, most notably by the Holy Father in Rome. The public Eucharistic processions serves as a sign of common faith and adoration. Our worship of Jesus in His Body and Blood calls us to offer to God our Father a pledge of undivided love and an offering of ourselves to the service of others.
“Take it; this is my body. This is my blood.” ~ Mark 14:22-25
“For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” ~ John 6:55
PRAYER: O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament have left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen. Save Us, Savior of the World 🙏
“On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”
Today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel of Mark describes the moment when Jesus gave the gift of the Eucharist to His first disciples. It was Jesus’ last meal with them, on the evening before He was crucified. It was the last in a whole series of meals that Jesus shared with all sorts of people, with His disciples and friends, with those considered sinners, with the religious leaders. At all these meals Jesus gave Himself, gave something of God, to those present. Sometimes He gave God’s loving mercy to those who had been labelled sinners by others. Sometimes, He gave God’s word to those present, a word that brought comfort to many and disturbed others. At this last supper, Jesus gave Himself to His disciples in a way that was distinctive and memorable. He took the bread that was on the table, blessed it, broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘This is my body’. He then took the cup of wine that was on the table, blessed it and gave it to His disciples, saying, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant’. He identified all of himself, body and blood, with the simple fare of bread and wine that was on the table, and He called on His disciples to consume them. He wanted to give Himself to His disciples and, through them, to all of us, to disciples of every age, and He wanted them and us to receive His gift of Himself, to take him and all he stands for into our lives, as we take food and drink into our bodies. The last supper may have been the last in a whole series of meals, but Jesus also intended it to be a beginning, the beginning of what we have come to call the Eucharist. This is why in the earliest account of the last supper in one of Paul’s letters, and also in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus goes on to say, ‘Do this in memory of me’. In other words, ‘Repeat what I have just said and done’. Before his death, Jesus was giving his followers a gift through which he would always be present to future disciples in a way that was unique.
At the last supper there was a giving and a taking, the Lord’s giving and the disciples’ taking. That is true of every Eucharist. The Lord’s giving of Himself in love to his disciples at the last supper looked ahead to the gift he would make of Himself to them and to all humanity the following day. On the cross he gave his body and his blood, his entire self, out of love for us all. The love that shone through Jesus on the cross was shining through him at the last supper, and continues to shine through him at every Eucharist. That is why Saint Paul could write to the church in Corinth about twenty five years after the last supper, ‘As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes’. At every Eucharist we are proclaiming the Lord’s death, the Lord’s self-giving love on the cross, and that love becomes present to us in a powerful way. The Lord who gave Himself on Calvary gives Himself to us at every Eucharist. As at the last supper He called on His disciples to take His gift of himself, the gift of his love, so at every Eucharist he calls on us to take His gift of Himself, to receive His love into our lives. The Lord’s love that we are invited to receive at every Eucharist is a costly love, it is the love of one who came not to be served but to serve and to give His life for all. We are sent from the Eucharist to share this costly love that we have received, so that the Lord can continue to serve others through us. The Lord comes to us in the Eucharist to catch us up into the rhythm of His own self-giving love. He comes to us so that he can live in and through us, so that His attitudes and values can take flesh in our daily lives.
The last supper must have had a tremendously unifying effect on the disciples. In living through that last supper together, they became conscious in a new way that they belonged not only to the Lord, and also to each other. In a similar way, our weekly celebration of the Eucharist can and must have a bonding effect on ourselves. As St. Paul says in one of his letters, ‘we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread’. As together we take the body of Christ and eat, we become more aware of ourselves as members of one body, the body of Christ. Our celebration of the Eucharist inspires us, and obliges us, to relate to each other as members of one body, Christ’s body, Corpus Christi. At this Eucharist, we commit ourselves again to being Corpus Christi, members of one body, the body of Christ. St. Paul spells out what that means in practice. He says that the members of Christ’s body are to ‘have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it’. On this feast of Corpus Christi, here is a vision of church worth reminding ourselves of and recommitting ourselves to.
In our first reading today from the Book of Exodus, Moses, the leader of the Israelites during the time of their Exodus from Egypt and their journey towards the Promised Land of Canaan, spoke to the Israelites regarding the great and most wonderful love which God has shown to His people in all that He had done for them, and this culminated with the Covenant which He established anew with all of His people at the holy mountain of God, Mount Sinai, where the people of Israel had journeyed towards. There at the holy mountain, through Moses, the Covenant between God and His people was sealed and established, by the sacrifice and the outpouring of the blood of a sacrificial lamb upon the altar. This was in fact a prefigurement of what would happen much later on, mentioned in our second reading today from the Epistle to the Hebrews. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews often linked the Lord Jesus to the role of the High Priest for indeed, Christ is the one and only True, Eternal High Priest for all mankind. Why is this so? This is because by His Passion, His sufferings and His trials, His crucifixion and ultimately His death on the Cross, our Lord has willingly offered the perfect and only worthy offering to the Lord for our salvation and redemption. In the past, the sacrifice and the outpouring of the blood of the animals like lambs were used to represent the redemption and forgiveness of God for the sins of His people.
However, the blood of the lambs alone would not have been enough to redeem all of mankind for all their innumerable sins and faults, and that was why the sacrificial and sin offerings were repeatedly done again and again by the priests and the high priests who offered them for the sake of the people of God. But God had promised His salvation to all of His people, telling and reassuring them all that one day He would send His Saviour, Who would deliver them all from their sins, much as how He has once delivered them and freed them from the hands of the Pharaoh and the Egyptians, leading them to freedom and bringing them to the Promised Land where He settled them and made them to dwell in peace. Again all of those were prefigurement of the salvation that is to come for all of us, the whole people, all the children of mankind. For through His Beloved Son, His only Begotten Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Eternal High Priest, He showed us all the sure path to eternal life and salvation, because by His offering of the perfect and most worthy offering, which is worth all of the immense and unimaginably great extent of our many sins and wickedness, of all mankind that has, is and will ever exist, from the beginning to the end of time, He has redeemed all of us, once and for all through this supreme act of sacrifice and offering. And what is this perfect and most worthy offering, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is none other than His own Most Precious Body and Blood, the Body and Blood of the Lamb of God, broken and outpoured upon us from the Altar of the Cross. Through His Precious Body and Blood, Christ has made with us all, a New and Eternal Covenant between us and God. As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures on this great Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, we celebrate the great and Most Precious Body and Blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Who has given His Body and Blood for us to partake, in Holy Communion of the Church, the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist, Corpus Christi. On this day, celebrating this great and most important aspect of our faith and pondering upon the mystery and the important tenet of this Real Presence in the Eucharist, of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord that we have partaken, all of us are called to be faithful bearers of this truth, and to proclaim the Real Presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, as our faith has required of us. All of us are brought together and reminded of this great real and spiritual union all of us have as the parts and members of the same Church of God, the Body of Christ, that is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. On this day, all of us are called to remember our belief in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, as we all believe that the bread and wine offered by the Priests at the Holy Mass is truly turned into the real and true essence, material and substance of the Lord Himself in the Flesh and Blood. All of us believe that the bread and wine while they may seem to appear still like bread and wine, but we believe that they have been completely turn in reality, essence and all things to the very essence of the Body and Blood of the Lord Himself, and this is what we all know as the Real Presence in the Eucharist. We believe wholeheartedly that when we receive the Eucharist in Holy Communion, all of us are not just merely remembering the event of His giving us His Body and Blood, and we are also not just commemorating the event of the Last Supper and the Lord’s sacrifice on His Cross. Instead, all of us truly believe that the Holy Mass itself is the same Sacrifice that the Lord had made on His Cross, through time immemorial and beyond the boundaries of time and space, uniting all Christians, all sharing in the Most Precious Body and Blood of the Lord that has been given to us, for us to eat, drink and share amongst us all as the tangible sign of unity in us all as Christians, members of the same Body of Christ, the Church. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the Lord, truly present in the Eucharist, continue to help and guide us, strengthen us all in our journey throughout life. May He continue to guide and empower His Church, all of us who are faithful in this world and beyond, so that each and every one of us will continue to proclaim His truth and Good News, and may all of us continue to grow ever closer to God and His love, and may He be glorified by our actions and works, in each and every moments. Amen 🙏
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINTS MARCELLINUS AND PETER, MARTYRS; SAINT ERASMUS (ELMO), BISHOP AND MARTYR AND SAINT BLANDINA, MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: JUNE 2ND On this feast of Corpus Christi, as we continue the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in preparation for the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs; Saint Erasmus (Elmo), Bishop and Martyr and Saint Blandina, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the sick, we pray for God’s divine healing and intervention. We also pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINTS MARCELLINUS AND PETER, MARTYRS: Sts. Marcellinus and Peter are two fourth century Roman martyrs who suffered under the Diocletian persecution, about the year 304; St. Peter was an exorcist and St. Marcellinus was a priest. Eminent for their zeal and piety, they were condemned to die for their faith. Saints Marcellinus and Peter were highly venerated after the discovery of their tomb and the conversion of their executioner. In 302, the ruler changed his tolerant stance and pursued a policy intended to eliminate the Church from the empire. Diocletian and his subordinate ordered the burning of Catholic churches and their sacred texts, as well as the imprisonment and torture of clergy and laypersons. The goal was to force Christians to submit to the Roman pagan religion, including the worship of the emperor himself as divine. It was at the mid-point of this persecution, around 303, that a Roman exorcist by the name of Peter was imprisoned for his faith. While in prison, tradition holds that St. Peter freed Paulina, the daughter of the prison-keeper Artemius, from demonic influence by his prayers. This demonstration of Christ’s power over demons is said to have brought about the conversion of Paulina, Artemius, his wife, and the entire household, all of whom were baptized by the Roman priest St. Marcellinus.
After this, both St. Marcellinus and Peter were called before a judge who was determined to enforce the emperor’s decree against the Church. When St. Marcellinus testified courageously to his faith in Christ, he was beaten, stripped of his clothes, and deprived of food in a dark cell filled with broken glass shards. St. Peter, too, was returned to his confinement. But neither man would deny Christ, and both preferred death over submission to the cult of pagan worship. It was arranged for the two men to be executed secretly, in order to prevent the faithful from gathering in prayer and veneration at the place of their burial. Their executioner forced them to clear away a tangle of thorns and briars, which the two men did cheerfully, accepting their death with joy. Both men were beheaded in the forest called the Silva Nigra and buried in the clearing they had made. They were beheaded in secret so that their place of burial would remain unknown. The location of the saints’ bodies remained unknown for some time, until a devout woman named Lucilla received a revelation informing her where the priest and exorcist lay. With the assistance of another woman, Firmina, Lucilla recovered the two saints’ bodies and had them re-interred in the Roman Catacombs. By an irony of Divine Providence, the Martyr’s names Sts. Marcellinus and Peter that were doomed to oblivion have been inserted in the Western Church’s most traditional Eucharistic prayer, the Roman Canon of the Mass (that is, Eucharistic Prayer I) where they have been perpetuated over the centuries. Pope St. Damasus I, who was himself a great devotee of the Church’s saints during his life, he composed an epitaph to mark the tombs of the two martyrs. The source of his knowledge of the Saints, he said, was the executioner himself, who had subsequently repented and became a Christian and joined the Catholic Church. Their cultus was so important that after peace was restored to the Church, Constantine built a basilica in their honor.
PRAYER: God, You surround and protect us by the glorious confession of Your holy Martyrs, Sts. Marcellinus and Peter. Help us to profit from their example and be supported by their prayer. Amen🙏
SAINT ERASMUS (ELMO), BISHOP AND MARTYR: St. Erasmus of Formia (d. 303 AD), also known as St. Elmo was born in the 3rd century. St. Erasmus name morphed into St. Elmo as it was passed along. He is also one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, saintly figures of Christian tradition who are venerated especially as intercessors, they are a band of saints whose intercession was asked for around the time of the bubonic plague. St. Erasmus or Elmo was an Italian bishop of Formia in Asia Minor. Formia, sits between Rome and Naples. When that city burned, he moved to the nearby town of Gaeta, and he remains the city’s patron. Both Formia and Gaeta sit on the west coast of Italy, and St. Erasmus was invoked by sailors who frequented their ports—today he is patron saint of those who make their living at sea. During storms at sea, sailors noticed a blue electrical discharges dancing in their rigging and masts, and took it as a sign of St. Erasmus’ protection. This meteorological phenomenon – the electrical discharge on ships at sea, gave the evolution of his name, we know this today as “St. Elmo’s Fire.”
St. Erasmus or Elmo was bishop during the reign of Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. According to legend, during their brutal persecution against Christians, St. Elmo left his diocese and fled to Mount Lebanon where he lived for seven years and being sustained by food delivered by a raven. An angel advised him to return to his diocese in order to vanquish his enemies. As he traveled there he was stopped and questioned by Roman soldiers. After declaring himself to be a Christian, he was brought to stand trial before Diocletian himself. St. Elmo confessed his faith in Christ and denounced the emperor for his impiety. For this rebuke he was tortured and thrown into prison, but an angel miraculously freed him so that he could continue on his journey and save many souls along the way. Two more times St. Elmo would endure the cycle of working miracles, baptizing thousands of people, getting arrested and mercilessly tortured, and being miraculously freed before arriving back in his own diocese. During his travels he suffered many horrible tortures at the hands of his enemies, but according to the oldest tradition he died at peace in Formia, though later accounts have him being martyred there by disembowelment. Died in 303 AD at Illyria. Relics of St. Erasmus rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. St. Elmo is venerated as the patron saint of those suffering from abdominal pain because he was martyred by being disemboweled. He’s the Patron Saint of sailors, mariners, abdominal pain, colic in children, intestinal ailments and diseases, cramps and the pain of women in labor, cattle pest, Gaeta, Formia, Fort St. Elmo, (Malta). His feast day is June 2nd.
PRAYER: Holy martyr Erasmus, who didst willingly and bravely bear the trials and sufferings of life, and by thy charity didst console many fellow-sufferers; I implore thee to remember me in my needs and to intercede for me with God. Staunch confessor of the Faith, victorious vanquisher of all tortures, pray Jesus for me and ask Him to grant me the grace to live and die in the Faith through which thou didst obtain the crown of glory. Amen🙏
SAINT BLANDINA, MARTYR: St. Blandina, lived as a slave at Lyons, Gaul in the second century after Christ. She was a Christian martyr, one of the illustrious company of those martyred under the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius in Lugdunum. She was apprehended and taken into custody together with her master, who was also a Christian. St. Blandina was tortured for her faith; she endured every torment imaginable, to the extent that the tormentors confessed that they could not think of anything else to do to her. And to every question put to her, she gave the same answer: “I am a Christian, and we commit no wrong.” Brought to the arena for fresh torments, St. Blandina was bound to a stake and wild beasts were released upon her but refused to harm her. She witnessed the podvigs (struggles) of all her fellows, and was the last to suffer martyrdom, by being placed on a red hot grate, enclosed in a net, and thrown before a wild steer, who tossed her into the air with his horns. In this manner the great martyr of Christ received her crown. He body was burned and ashes thrown in the Tiber River. She is Patron Saint of those falsely accused of cannibalism, servant girl, torture victims.
PRAYER: Grant, O Lord, that we who keep the feast of the holy martyrs Blandina and her companions may be rooted and grounded in love of you, and may endure the sufferings of this life for the glory that shall be revealed in us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
*THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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:
Corpus Christi: My ever-glorious Eucharistic Lord, I do believe that You are here, made present in our world under the form of bread and wine, every time the Holy Mass is celebrated. Fill me with a deeper faith in this Holy Gift, dear Lord, so that I may be drawn into wonder and awe every time I witness this holy Consecration. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saints Marcellinus and Peter; Saint Erasmus (Elmo) and Saint Blandina ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of this day and the gift of the Holy Spirit 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 Corpus Christi Sunday and week🙏
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024. June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family and Happy New Month of June!
We thank God for the gift of life and for the gift of a new month. We thank Him for bringing us safely and successfully to the month of June and the second half of the year. Praying for a safe, blessed and fruitful month of June🙏
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | June 1, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 1, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” |June 1, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 1, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | June 1, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY: JUNE 1ST Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr and Saint Pamphilus, Priest and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for all lecturers, teachers, philosophers, speakers and those who proclaim the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT JUSTIN, MARTYR: St. Justin, Apologist and Martyr (100–165 A.D.) was a pagan philosopher from Samaria, born at Nablus (ancient Shechem), Palestine, about 100. St. Justin came from a pagan family, the son of Priscus, was a Greek by race. He passed his youth in the study of letters. When he grew to manhood he was so taken with the love of philosophy and the desire of truth, that he became a student of philosphy and examined the teaching of all the philosophers. He found in them only deceitful wisdom and error. At the age of thirty-three years of studying the various systems of Philosophy, he became converted to Christianity by way of Platonism. Thereafter, his whole life was devoted to the propagation and defense of the faith in Asia Minor and at Rome. Though he retained the garb of a philosopher, he is most important Christian Apologist of the 2nd century and the first of whom we possess written works.
After meeting a Syrian Christian, venerable old man, who was a stranger to him, he received the light of heaven and embraced the philosophy of the true Christian faith. Henceforth he had the books of Holy Scripture in his hands by day and night, and his soul was filled with the divine fire enkindled by his meditations. Having thus acquired the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, he devoted his learning to the composition of many books explaining and propagating the Christian faith. He was convinced that the biblical prophets were more trustworthy in the pursuit of truth than worldly philosophers, St. Justin renounced his paganism and studied Sacred Scripture. The bold witness of the early Christian martyrs led to his own conversion to the Catholic faith. St. Justin then used his philosophical and rhetorical skills to defend Christianity, the “true philosophy,” against rival pagan philosophies and political powers which maligned and persecuted the Church. He traveled throughout Asia Minor teaching, arguing, and persuading others to accept baptism and follow Christ, before arriving in Rome where he settled and started his own school.
St. Justin is particularly celebrated for the two Apologies which he was courageous enough to address in succession to the persecuting emperors Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius. One of them contains a description of the rites of baptism and the ceremonies of Mass, thus constituting the most valuable evidence that we possess on the Roman liturgy of his day. In 165, while bearing witness to the Faith in Rome, St. Justin was denounced as a Christian, most likely at the instigation of a Cynic philosopher whom he had outshone in a public debate. St. Justin was arrested for his faith in Rome and ordered to make sacrifice to false gods, which he refused, he replied: “No right-minded man forsakes truth for falsehood.” He was martyred by beheading along with several of his students, the six others who were with him and remained steadfast with him and they all attained the palm of martyrdom. St. Justin is also referred to as “the Philosopher.” He is famous for writing the Church’s first “Apology,” or defense of the Christian faith, showing that Christianity was superior to the pagan religions, and that Christians were model citizens and should not be mistreated. His writings are a prime source of the history of the primitive Church in worship and sacraments, including the Holy Eucharist. He is one of the first great apologists of the Church, and for this he is the Patron Saint of speakers, apologists, and philosophers, lecturers; orators. His feast day is June 1st.
Quotes of St. Justin, Apologist and Martyr:
“We used to hate and destroy one another and refused, to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies ”
“Let it be understood, that those who are not found living as He taught, are NOT Christian- even though they profess with the lips, the teaching of Christ.”
“Not as common bread or as common drink, do we receive these…..We have been taught, that the food, that has been Eucharistised, by the word of prayer, that food, which by assimilation, nourishes our flesh and blood, is the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus.”
“We have strayed from the Immortal’s ways and worship with a dull and senseless mind, Idols, the workmanship of our own hands!”
PRAYER: God, in a wonderful manner You taught St. Justin, the Martyr the lofty science of Jesus Christ manifested in the folly of the Cross. Through his intercession grant that we may never fall into error but remain firm in the Faith. Amen🙏
SAINT PAMPHILUS, PRIEST AND MARTYR: St. Pamphilus, a scholar and martyr of the early fourth century. He was born latter half of the 3rd century at Beirut, modern-day Lebanon to a rich and honorable family, was a native of Berytus in Phenicia. That city was famous then for its schools, and St. Pamphilus in his youth pursued studies in all the existing branches of learning; afterwards he went to the renowned Christian school of Alexandria, where he had as master a celebrated Christian philosopher named Pierius. Then he journeyed to Caesarea in Palestine, and was there ordained a priest. After he began to know Christ, he could relish no pursuit but that of the doctrine of salvation, and he renounced all other occupations to apply himself wholly to the study of Holy Scripture and the practices of virtue. At his own expense, he collected a great library of thirty thousand volumes and bestowed it on the church of Caesarea. The Saint also established there a school of sacred literature open to the public, and to his labors the Church was indebted for a corrected edition of the Holy Bible. This, with infinite care, he transcribed himself. Nothing was more remarkable in Saint Pamphilus than his extraordinary humility. He distributed his paternal estate among the poor; his behavior towards his servants was always that of a brother or a tender father. He led a very austere life, sequestered from the world and its company, and was indefatigable in his scholarly labors. He attached himself to the “perfect men”. This virtue was his apprenticeship for the grace of martyrdom.
St. Pamphilus was giving public lessons in the city of Caesarea, when the persecution of Maximius Daius interrupted them. In the year 307, Urbanus, the cruel governor of Palestine, had him arrested, and after trying unsuccessfully to win this important personage by promises and flattery, commanded him to be inhumanly tormented. But the iron hooks which tore the holy priest’s sides served only to cover the judge with confusion, for no means could alter his holy convictions. The governor had Saint Pamphilus transported half-dead to a prison, where he remained virtually forgotten for two years, his cruel persecutor himself having been reproved and executed by orders of the Emperor, and another having replaced him. Finally, with nine other imprisoned Christians, Saint Pamphilus was sentenced to death without burial. But no wild creatures approached the bodies of Saint Pamphilus and the other martyrs who died on the same evening. Their guards were impressed, and finally the faithful were allowed to carry away the blessed martyrs for honorable burial. St. Pamphilus died on February 16, 309 at Caesarea Maritima, Palestine. His feast days are February 16th and June 1st.
“Jesus and his disciples returned once more to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple area, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders approached him and said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things? Or who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I shall ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was John’s baptism of heavenly or of human origin? Answer me.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?”– they feared the crowd, for they all thought John really was a prophet. So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” Then Jesus said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
In today’s Gospel reading, after Jesus had entered the Temple in Jerusalem and drove out those who were selling and buying there, the religious leaders of the time approached Jesus and asked him, ‘Who gave you authority to do these things?’ It was a good question, but they would not have been open to the answer that Jesus could have given them. Jesus did what He did on God’s authority; He said what He said on God’s authority. It was God who was acting and speaking through Jesus. Because the religious leaders could not have accepted this, Jesus did not answer their question. Instead, He asked them a question of His own, ‘John’s baptism, did it come from heaven or from earth?’ In other words, ‘Was John’s authority for acting human or divine?’ The correct answer to that question was that John’s authority was from heaven; it was divine. He was authorized by God to prepare the way for the Lord. Yet, John pointed to Jesus as the more powerful one, as the more authoritative one. That is why we venerate John, but we worship Jesus. We take Jesus as our supreme authority, as our Lord. We rejoice to have such an authority figure, one who not only shows us the way but empowers us to take that way through the gift of his Spirit.
In our first reading today from the Epistle of St. Jude, the Apostle exhorted all the faithful people of God to live worthily and truly obedient to God’s will and Law, walking in the path which He has shown and taught us to do. St. Jude also spoke of the need for all the faithful to build their lives upon the foundation of God, and to do all of their actions and to base their whole lives upon the compassion and love of God, to show love in their whole lives so that by their every words, actions and deeds, they may indeed show that they truly belong to the Lord and are truly His disciples and followers in all things, not merely in words and formality only. The Lord calls upon His disciples through this exhortation by St. Jude, including that of all of us that we must always strive to live our lives in the most Christ-like manner, in our desire to keep away from all sins and evils, from all the temptations of worldly pleasures and all the other things that often misled many people to their downfall and destruction. Each and every one of us are reminded that we must indeed be holy just like our Lord is all holy and perfect, or else we are hypocrites and we may sully and slander the goodness and holiness of His Name and Presence. Many people have been scandalised and put off from embracing the Christian faith precisely because of the wicked attitudes and behaviours of some of our fellow Christians, if not we ourselves.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, all of us are called to remember the Lord and everything that He has done for our sake, that despite all which we have done to spite and anger Him, because of our disobedience, stubbornness and sins, but God still loves us all and still patiently called on all of us to follow Him, and to turn away from all those evils and wickedness, so that we may be renewed and reconciled with Him, and no longer separated from Him due to our sins and evils. We are reminded us that all of us are Christians must always be firmly established in our faith in God, as we are called to live a most worthy and wholesome life, in each and every moments of our lives, as God’s disciples and followers. As those who believe in the Lord, we are all expected to put our trust and faith in Him, and strive to do whatever we can so that by our exemplary commitments and devotion to God, we may always continue to do His will and to carry out whatever missions that He has entrusted to us even amidst all the challenges and trials that we may have to face in our lives and in our journey as faithful Christians, that is as holy and beloved people of God. May the Lord continue to bless each and every one of us, and may He empower us all to be His ever faithful and worthy followers, so that in everything that we say and do, we will always do our very best to live our lives as good and worthy Christians, persevering amidst the many challenges and difficulties that we may have to face in our daily lives and journey as the faithful people of God. Let us all continue to go forth with faith and conviction, with the strength and guidance of God to guide our path. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may He be with us always and bless us in our every good endeavours, works and efforts for His greater glory, now and always. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF JUNE: The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. “From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion.” These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.
*THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE – FOR MIGRANTS FLEEING THEIR HOMES: We pray that migrants fleeing from war or hunger, forced to undertake journeys full of danger and violence, find welcome and new opportunities in the countries that receive them.
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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 unwavering Jesus, You confront those who are proud, arrogant and obstinate with much strength and love. You do so to help them overcome their stubbornness of heart. Give me the grace of humility, dear Lord, so that I will always be able to admit my sin and turn to You in love. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Justin, Martyr and Saint Pamphilus, 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 and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend!🙏
FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024 June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family and Happy Feast of the Visitation!.
We thank God for the gift of life and for bringing us safely and successfully to the end of the month of May. May God’s grace and mercy be with us all now and always…. Amen🙏
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | May 31, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 31, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 31, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 31, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 31, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Friday, May 31, 2024 Reading 1, Zephaniah 3:14-18 Responsorial Psalm, Isaiah 12:2-3, 4, 5-6 Gospel, Luke 1:39-56
SAINTS OF THE DAY: FEAST DAY: MAY 31ST Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Our Mother Mary who was pregnant with our Lord Jesus visited her cousin, Saint Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Let us on this feast day reflect on our Mother Mary’s goodness and humility in serving her cousin Elizabeth. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this special feast day of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we humbly pray for all expectant mothers and those seeking for the fruit of the womb. We pray for the safety and well-being of all mothers, our children and our families. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY: The Feast of the Visitation celebrates the providential meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, when two of the Church’s greatest prayers were first spoken. After being told by the Archangel Gabriel that she would give birth to the Son of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, in the mountains about six miles west of Jerusalem, who was then pregnant with John the Baptist. In the presence of Jesus in the womb of the Blessed Virgin, Elizabeth exclaimed through the Holy Spirit, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!” ~ Luke 1:42. Mary, overflowing with joy, responded with her Magnificat (Mary’s Song): And Mary said: “My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.” Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. ~ Luke 1:46-56
The Mass of today salutes her who in her womb bore the King of heaven and earth, the Creator of the world, the Son of the Eternal Father, the Sun of Justice. It narrates the cleansing of John from original sin in his mother’s womb. Hearing herself addressed by the most lofty title of “Mother of the Lord” and realizing what grace her visit had conferred on John, Mary broke out in that sublime canticle of praise proclaiming prophetically that henceforth she would be venerated down through the centuries. In his great Apostolic Letter on Devotion to Mary, Pope Paul VI summarized this feast as follows: “The Liturgy recalls the Blessed Virgin Mary carrying her Son within her, and visiting Elizabeth to offer charitable assistance and to proclaim the mercy of God the Savior.” “Mary set out and journeyed in haste into the hill country to a town of Judah, where she entered Zachariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and cried out in a loud voice: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? Behold, the moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words to her would be fulfilled.’ “Then Mary said: ‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit finds joy in God my Savior’ ” (Luke 1:39-47).
The feast of the Visitation was instituted in 1389 by Urban VI to obtain the end of the Western schism, and it was inserted in the Roman Calendar on July 2, the date on which it had already been celebrated by Franciscans since 1263. The feast has now been assigned to the last day of May, between the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord and the Birth of St. John the Baptist, to conform more closely to the Gospel account. Patronage: St. Elizabeth: Expectant mothers.
PRAYER: 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🙏
Almighty and eternal God, under Your inspiration the Virgin Mary, pregnant with Your Son, visited St. Elizabeth. Grant that we may follow the guidance of the Spirit and praise You eternally with her in heaven… Amen🙏
SAINT OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT PETRONILLA (PETRONILLE), VIRGIN AND MARTYR: On this special feast day, we also celebrate the Memorial of Saint Petronilla, Virgin and Martyr. St. Aurelia Petronilla, who was guided in the Faith by St. Peter, the first pope. She died three days after refusing to marry a pagan nobleman, Flaccus.
SAINT PETRONILLA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Aurelia Petronilla also known as St. Petronille (1st c.) is an early Christian Saint, venerated as a virgin martyr in the Church in Rome. She is remembered for being beautiful, for refusing marriage to a pagan king due to her vow of chastity, and for suffering martyrdom for her unwavering faith. According to tradition, it is probable that Aurelia Petronilla was of the imperial family of the Flavii and she was connected to St. Peter the Apostle; she may have been either his natural daughter, servant, convert (spiritual daughter), or co-laborer in the faith. She was guided in the Faith by St. Peter, the first pope. It is also a tradition that St. Petronilla was cured of palsy by St. Peter. The early traditions of the Church speak of her as being the spiritual daughter of the Prince of the Apostles; and though she did not, like Domitilla, lay down her life for the faith, she did offer to Jesus that next richest gift, her virginity. According to tradition, a Roman Patrician, by name Flaccus, having asked her in marriage, she requested three days for consideration, during which she confidently besought the aid of her divine Spouse. Flaccus presented himself on the third day, but found the palace in mourning, and her family busy in preparing the funeral obsequies of the young virgin, who had taken her flight to heaven, as a dove that is startled by an intruder’s approach. She died three days after refusing to marry the pagan nobleman, Flaccus.
In the 8th century the chapel containing her relics became the burial place of French kings. This is due to the fact that she was the supposed daughter of St. Peter, and the French kings were considered the “adopted sons” of St. Peter; therefore, St. Petronille was invoked as an intercessor for all treaties between the Holy See and the French crown. Later in the eighth century, the holy Pope Paul I had the body of Petronilla taken from the cemetery of Domitilla, on the Ardeatine Way. Her relics were found in a marble sarcophagus, the lid of which was adorned, at each corner, with a dolphin. The Pope had the relics of St. Petronilla enshrined in a little church, which he built near the south side of the Vatican Basilica. This church was destroyed in the sixteenth century, in consequence of the alterations needed for the building of the new Basilica of St Peter; and the relics of St Petronilla were translated to one of its altars on the west side of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It was but just that she should await her glorious resurrection under the shadow of the great Apostle who had initiated her in the faith, and prepared her for her eternal nuptials with the Lamb. On her feast day Mass at St. Peter’s is offered for France and attended by French residents living in Rome. St. Petronille is the Patron Saint of the dauphins of France; mountain travellers; treaties between Popes and Frankish emperors; invoked against fever. Her feast day is May 31st.
PRAYER: “Thy triumph, O Petronilla, is one of our Easter joys. We lovingly venerate thy blessed memory. Thou didst disdain the pleasures and honors of the world, and thy virginal name is one of the first on the list of the Church of Rome, which was thy mother. Aid her now by thy prayers. Protect those who seek thine intercession, and teach us how to celebrate, with holy enthusiasm, the solemnities that are soon to gladden us”… Amen🙏
“And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?”
“Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.”
In today’s Gospel reading, our Blessed Mother Mary sets out from Nazareth in Galilee into the hill country of Judah to visit her cousin Elizabeth. She set out in response to the message of the Angel Gabriel that Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Even though she herself was with child, Mary set out on a journey of love to give support to her older cousin. Mary brought herself to Elizabeth but she also brought Jesus, the Lord, whom she was carrying in her womb. Mary graced Elizabeth by her journey. As a result of Mary’s visit, we are told that Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth declares Mary blessed. In her response to Elizabeth’s greeting Mary acknowledges that ‘all generations will call me blessed’. In other words, Elizabeth’s recognition that Mary is blessed is only the beginning of a long line of believers who will declare Mary blessed. Elizabeth declared Mary blessed because of the child she is carrying, whom Elizabeth refers to as ‘my Lord’, and because of Mary’s faithful response to God’s word of promise, God’s call. We declare Mary blessed today for the same two reasons. She is the mother of our Lord and she exemplifies a faithful response to God’s word. In a sense, the latter is more important than the former. It is because of her faithful response to God’s word that she became the mother of the Lord. She is the mother of the Lord because she is firstly the Lord’s disciple, the one who does the will of the Father in heaven. It is her faithful response to God’s word that we can all imitate. Her surrender to what God wants, ‘let it be to me according to your word’, anticipated Jesus’ own surrender to what God wants, ‘not my will but yours be done’. She shows us what surrendering to God’s purpose looks like. When we pray in the Our Father, ‘Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven’, we are praying as she did.
Just as Mary was initially perplexed that the Lord should visit her through Gabriel, Elizabeth is perplexed that the Lord should visit her through Mary. Both Mary and Elizabeth were humbled by the Lord’s visit to them. The story of Gabriel’s visit to Mary and Mary’s visit to Elizabeth reveals an important truth about our own lives as the Lord’s disciples. The Lord visits each of us, as He visited Mary and Elizabeth. He comes into our lives in different ways, sometimes in very ordinary ways, such as through the visit of a friend, at other times in more mystical ways, such as during a time of prayer. We are called to receive the Lord’s visit with the same openness and humility that Mary and Elizabeth showed. Having received the Lord’s visit, we are then called to bring the Lord to others, as Mary brought the Lord to Elizabeth. The Lord who visits us always wishes to visit others through us.
In our first reading today from the Book of the prophet Zephaniah, we are reminded that this day is truly a joyful celebration because of the great things that the Lord had done for His faithful servants, for Mary and Elizabeth, in performing great and miraculous deeds through them and their respective conceiving of their children. The prophet Zephaniah was conveying the great joy that the people of God ought to experience because of everything that the Lord had shown them, in the faithfulness and steadfastness that He had shown towards His Covenant with all of His beloved people, and in many other things that He has done for us. And most importantly, as mentioned, through Mary and Elizabeth, the light of God’s salvation and Good News was finally revealed to us, through our Lord and Saviour Himself, and through His Herald, St. John the Baptist.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, as we celebrate this Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, let us all remind ourselves of the faith that we should have in the Lord, and how Mary, the Mother of God showed us this faith. Let us recall how the Lord had performed His great and wonderful deeds through those two great and holy women, Mary, Mother of God and Mother of us all, and St. Elizabeth, the Mother of St. John the Baptist, all of us are reminded that each and every one of us also share in their grace and the love which God has shown both of them. All of us are also beloved children, the sons and daughters of God by adoption through Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Therefore, all of us, having been made sharers in our Lord’s plan of salvation and the New Covenant that He has established with us, the Church that He has established in this world as the tangible and real Communion of all those who are faithful to Him, all of us have also received the same assurance of salvation and eternal life, and we should emulate both Mary and Elizabeth in their response and faith. Each and every one of us have been blessed and provided by the Lord with a variety of gifts, talents, abilities and opportunities, unique to each one of us and our various circumstances. Therefore, all of us are called and sent out to do God’s will in our various capacities and opportunities, and we should do whatever we can to glorify God in all things, and in our every actions and works, in even the smallest and least significant of the things we do. We should live our lives with zeal and commitment, entrusting ourselves to the Lord and doing whatever we can to carry out His will and to follow Him as best as we are able to. We should not be idle or ignorant of what we can contribute to the good works of the Church, but do our best always, at all times to serve the Lord and to inspire each other by our own lives and actions. Let us emulate the faith that Mary and Elizabeth had in the Lord and let us do what we can to make good use of the blessings and opportunities provided for us so that we may help to lead more and more souls back towards the Lord and that we may proclaim God and His Good News among more people and in more places, that we do not waste these opportunities provided for us. Each one of us can serve our role and parts as members of God’s Church and as an integral part of the work of the Church’s mission in evangelising the world. Each one of us should help others to fulfil their parts and roles in loving God and loving one another, that the Lord’s works become ever more tangible in this world, and more and more may come to experience God’s great love and glory. May the Lord continue to guide us in our path, and may He empower all of us to walk ever more faithfully in His ways, providing us the courage and strength to do His will, and the perseverance and commitment to endure the challenges and trials that may come our way. May the Lord give us the Spirit to walk ever more faithfully like Mary and Elizabeth had done, so that we may be more and more like them and through His Blessed Mother Mary, and all the great saints, holy men and women who had dedicated their lives to God, all of us may also be more inspired to live in the same way that they had done, be ever more worthy of God in all of our actions, words and deeds. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and be with us always, now and evermore. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners and help us to live our lives in the manner you have lived yours. Amen🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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:
Dearest Mother Mary, I love you and consecrate my life to You, trusting in your motherly care and mediation. Help me, dear Mother, to be open to all that you desire to bring to me from your Son, Jesus. I am honored and humbled that you would care for me and desire to bring to me the mercy of the Heart of your Son Jesus. Mother Mary, pray for us.
My holy infant Jesus, as You dwelt in the sacred womb of Your own dear mother, Your presence caused much rejoicing in her heart and in the hearts of Elizabeth and John. Help me to see Your presence in our world and in my life, so that I, too, will be filled with the joy of You constantly coming to me. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Most Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Petronilla ~ 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 and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and relaxing weekend!🙏
SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST [FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI] – JUNE 2, 2024
[Thursday after Holy Trinity or, where this is not a holy day of obligation, on the following Sunday. In the United States it is always transferred to the Sunday after the Most Holy Trinity. May 30, 2024 (Where celebrated Thursday). June 2, 2024 (Where transferred to Sunday)]
NOVENA TO THE SACRED HEART: Novena dates: May 29 – June 6, 2024 June 7, 2024: Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (Novena link below)
Greetings beloved family and Happy Thursday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time!
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | May 30, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 30, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 30, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 30, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 30, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Thursday, May 30, 2024 Reading 1, 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12 Responsorial Psalm, Psalm, 100:2, 3, 4, 5 Gospel, Mark 10:46-52
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT JOAN OF ARC, VIRGIN AND SAINT DYMPHNA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 30TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin and Saint Dymphna, Virgin and Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for the safety and well-being of all those in the military, for captives and those in prison. We pray for justice, peace, love and unity in our families and our world. We also pray for the sick and dying especially those suffering from cancer and and those with mental illness. We pray for the poor and the needy and we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted Christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT JOAN OF ARC, VIRGIN: St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431), nicknamed “The Maid of Orléans; La Pucelle,” was born in 1412, at the obscure village of Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France, near the province of Lorraine during the Hundred Years War between France and England. St. Joan was a daughter of poor pious tenant farmers Jacques d’ Arc and his wife, Isabelle Romée. St. Joan learned piety and domestic skills from her mother. Never venturing far from home, St. Joan took care of the animals and became quite skilled as a seamstress. She was a pious child, and from age 13 she received visions of saints, most notably St. Michael the Archangel, St. Margaret of Antioch, and St. Catherine of Alexandria, who became her special Patrons. Through these visions, voices, and other interior promptings, St. Joan understood that she was to go help the King of France regain his throne and reconquer his kingdom from the invading forces of England and Burgundy. In 1428, she traveled to Vaucouleurs and requested to be taken to Charles. Her request to see the king was rejected twice, but she was finally given an escort to meet Charles at Chinon. After their interview, overcoming her own reluctance, and oppositions and convincing members of the court, the military and the Church ecclesiastical authorities, Charles sent St. Joan to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief army, she was given a small army. She arrived at the city on April 29, 1429, and quickly gained prominence during the fighting. She heroically led the French army in battle. She charged into battle bearing a banner which bore the names “Jesus” and “Mary” as well as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. A national heroine of France, at age 17 Joan of Arc led the French army to victory over the English at Orléans. Due to her leadership and trust in God, she was able to raise the siege of Orleans on May 8, 1429. St. Joan and her army went on to win a series of battles, they fought to drive the English out of France and recaptured Orleans and Troyes. Because of her efforts, the king was able to enter Rheims, which allowed Charles VII to be restored to the throne of France, as the French king. He was crowned with St. Joan at his side. All the while she wore the dress of a soldier to protect her virtue and modesty.
The following year, as St. Joan was attempting to relieve Compiegne, she was eventually captured by the forces of Burgundy in May of 1430. When her own king and army did nothing to save her, she was sold to the English. She was imprisoned for a time and then placed on trial under accusation of heresy and witchcraft. Bishop Peter Cauchon of Beauvais presided over her trial. His hope was that in being harsh with St. Joan, the English would help him become archbishop. She was treated unjustly and illegally during her captivity, and her trial became a circus. On May 29, 1431, the tribunal announced St. Joan of Arc was guilty of heresy. On the morning of May 30th, under political pressure she was condemned to death on counts of heresy, witchcraft, and adultery, even though she proved herself to be blameless and fearless in character and faith. She was taken to the marketplace in Rouen, France and burned alive at the stake, before an estimated crowd of 10,000 people. As she burned she kept her eyes on a crucifix and repeatedly called on the name of Jesus. She was 19 years old when she died on May 30, 1431. One legend surrounding the event tells of how her heart survived the fire unaffected. Her ashes were gathered and scattered in the Seine. A second Church trial twenty-five years later nullified the earlier verdict and found her innocent of all charges, paving the way for her veneration as a saint. St. Joan of Arc was Beatified on April 18, 1909, Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome by Pope Pius X and Canonized as a Roman Catholic saint more than 500 years after her death, on May 16, 1920, Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome by Pope Benedict XV. In 1456, twenty five years after her death, Pope Callixtus III authorized an inquisitorial court to investigate the original trial. The court nullified the trial’s verdict, declaring it was tainted by deceit and procedural errors, and Joan was exonerated. Since her death, Joan has been popularly revered as a martyr. After the French Revolution she became a national symbol of France. St. Joan was declared a secondary patron saint of France in 1922. She is the Patron Saint of France; martyrs; captives; rape victims; military personnel; people ridiculed for their piety; prisoners; soldiers; women who have served in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service); and Women’s Army Corps. Her feast day is May 30th.
QUOTES OF ST. JOAN OF ARC, VIRGIN ☆“About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know, that they are just one thing and we shouldn’t complicate the matter.” ☆“If I be not in a state of grace, I pray God place me in it, if I be in it, I pray God keep me so.”
PRAYER: God, You chose St. Joan, Your virgin, to defend her country against its invader. Through her intercession enable us to work for justice and to live in peace… Amen🙏 Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin ~ Pray for us🙏
SAINT DYMPHNA, VIRGIN AND MARTYR: St. Dymphna was born in the 7th or 9th century. Her father, Damon, an Irish chieftain of great wealth and power, was a pagan. Her mother was a very beautiful and devout Christian. St. Dymphna was raised as a Christian, and she consecrated her virginity to Christ at a young age. St. Dymphna was fourteen when her mother died. St. Dymphna’s father loved his wife deeply. When her mother died, Dymphna’s father was so overcome with grief that he became mentally unstable. He sent messengers throughout his own and other lands to find some woman of noble birth, resembling his wife, who would be willing to marry him. When none could be found with equal character and beauty to his first wife, his evil advisere told him to marry his own daughter. He attempted to marry Dymphna due to her close resemblance to her mother. Upon learning of her father’s wicked plan and incestuous interest, Dymphna fled across the sea into Belgium along with her tutor and confessor, Father Gerebernus and two companions. They then built an oratory at Gheel where they lived as hermits. Her father pursued them and eventually discovered their location by tracing the foreign money they used along the way. St. Dymphna’s father search led to Belgium. There an innkeeper refused to accept his money, knowing it was difficult to exchange. This told Damon that his daughter was close – it would be unusual for a village innkeeper to know a lot about foreign currency, and his knowledge indicated that had recently seen it. The king concentrated his search in the area. Tracked down by Dymphna’s father, he found them in Gheel, the two companions and the priest, Fr. Gerebernus were murdered by his men, and Dymphna was beheaded by her father when she refused his plea to return with him to Ireland to be his wife. He cut off her head in a mad rage. She was then only fifteen years of age. St. Dymphna received the crown of martyrdom in defense of her purity.
Many miracles have taken place at her shrine, the Church built on the spot where she was buried in Gheel, Belgium, near Antwerp. There have been numerous accounts of those afflicted with epilepsy and mental illness visiting her tomb and receiving miraculous cures through her intercession. Because of this, St. Dympha is the Patron Saint of those suffering from nervous and mental affections; neurological disorders and illnesses, as well as of mental health professionals; against sleepwalking; against epilepsy; against insanity; family happiness; incest victims; loss of parents; martyrs; mental asylums; mental health caregivers; mental hospitals; mentally ill people; nervous disorders; possessed people; princesses; psychiatrists; rape victims; runaways; sleepwalkers; therapists. There is now a well-known institution on the site, and her relics are reported to cure insanity and epilepsy.
PRAYER IN HONOR OF ST. DYMPHNA: Lord Jesus Christ, You have willed that St. Dymphna should be invoked by thousands of clients as the patroness of nervous and mental disease and have brought it about that her interest in these patients should be an inspiration to and an ideal of charity throughout the world. Grant that, through the prayers of this youthful martyr of purity, those who suffer from nervous and mental illness everywhere on earth may be helped and consoled. I recommend to You in particular, (name). Be pleased to hear the prayer of St. Dymphna and of your Blessed Mother. Give those whom I recommend the patience to bear their affliction and resignation to do Your divine will. Give them the consolation they need and especially the cure they so much desire, if it be Your will. Through Christ, our Lord… Amen🙏
PRAYER: Hear us, O God, our Savior, as we honor St. Dymphna, Patroness of those afflicted with mental and emotional illness. Help us to be inspired by her example and comforted by her merciful help. Amen🙏
“As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus, sat by the roadside begging. On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me.” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you.” He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man replied to him, “Master, I want to see.” Jesus told him, ‘Go your way; your faith has saved you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Bartimaeus, a blind man of Jericho after hearing that Jesus was passing by, he cried out, ‘Son of David, Jesus, have pity on me’. When some of the crowd around Jesus gave out to him and told him to be quiet, he only shouted out his prayer all the louder. He was determined to make contact with Jesus and would not succumb to the pressure of others to hold his tongue. It is not always easy to bear witness to our faith in Jesus in today’s world. Like the blind man by the roadside in today’s Gospel reading, we can feel a certain pressure to keep quiet, to become invisible with regard to our faith in the Lord. Yet, this tenacious man encourages us to keep the Lord in view, regardless of the pressure to do otherwise. In the gospel reading, Jesus’ response to the man was very different to the crowd’s response to him. They wanted to silence him. In contrast, Jesus asked the very people who were trying to silence the man to call him over. In the midst of the hostility towards him, the Lord called him. In a similar way, the Lord keeps calling out to us even in those contexts that are not supportive of our relationship with Him. If we try to respond to the Lord’s call as generously as Bartimaeus did, the Lord will be as generous with us as He was with him.
Our first reading today is the continuation of the exhortations of St. Peter the Apostle in his Epistle to the faithful people of God in which he reminded each and every one of them that they are all God’s holy and chosen people, and therefore, every one of them ought to live their lives worthily in accordance with the way and path of the Lord, because He has given us all His beloved Son, to be our Saviour, to deliver us all from the destruction because we truly belong to the Lord, as His holy people, consecrated and dedicated to Him. Through His Son, Our Lord and Saviour, we have been reconciled with God our loving Father and Creator, and through this, we have been called and chosen to be His flock and people. Because of this, as we have all been made to be God’s people, His possessions and belongings, therefore, we must truly be holy just as He is all holy and perfect. Once we have been sundered and separated from God because of our sins, born of our disobedience and disregard for God’s Law and His ways, as we followed instead the whims and the temptations of our desires, and the pleasures of the world. This was why we have been lost to God and had to suffer and wander in this world because of our rebelliousness and stubborn disobedience. But God has always loved us and He wanted us all to follow Him regardless, reaching out to us with His ever patient and enduring love. He wants us all to be healed and fully reconciled with Him, to be holy and worthy once again, to be worthy in His Presence once again. We must always endeavour and put the effort to resist the temptations of sin and evil, and to do what is right and just in all things.
As we reflect on the words from the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that we have been so fortunate to have been called and chosen by God, to be so beloved by Him that we receive such great graces and love that He had made manifest to us through His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour. Through Him we have all received the assurance of God’s salvation and grace, the light of His hope and truth, which He has revealed to us all. All of us as the holy people of God are called and expected to live a life that is truly righteous, full of virtue and worthy of the Lord, so that we are not merely just believers in the name only but also in our every words, actions and deeds, in our whole lives and in our way of interacting with one another. Let us all therefore as Christians, as God’s holy, chosen and beloved people continue to follow the Lord and His path, doing whatever we can in each and every moments so that our whole lives may truly be righteous, just and worthy of the Lord. Each and every one of us should always continue to strive for the kingdom of God, in doing what we can for the greater glory of God. We should not be idle in the living of our faith, but we must instead commit ourselves ever more, each day, to do what God has called us to do, to be ever more faithful in all things, to be holy just as He is all holy and perfect, and to rid ourselves of the sins and wickedness of our past. May the Lord continue to watch over us all in our respective journeys and paths in life, so that in everything that we say and do, we will continue to focus ourselves and our attention on the Lord, and that we will always do whatever we can so that we may be good role models and examples, inspiration and strength for each other. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and bless us all in our every endeavours, our efforts and works, in each and every moments of our lives. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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 merciful Jesus, You are constantly passing by, drawing me to Yourself by Your divine presence. Give me the grace I need in order to see my need and to call out to You with all my heart. May I never be deterred from this fervent prayer, dear Lord, and when temptation sets in, may I call out all the more. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin and Saint Dymphna, 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 and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏
Greetings beloved family and Happy Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time!
We pray for the safety and well-being of our children, youths, students and children all over the world. With special intention for all students graduating this year. May God continue to grant them all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and may He empower them as they walk into the future with faith, hope, and love guided by the Holy Spirit through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary. Amen🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | May 29, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 29, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Wednesday May 29, 2024 Reading 1, First Peter 1:18-25 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 Gospel, Mark 10:32-45
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT PAUL VI, POPE; SAINT MAXIMINUS OF TRIER, BISHOP; SAINT URSULA (GIULIA) LEDÓCHOWSKA AND SAINT BONA OF PISA, RELIGIOUS ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 29TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Paul VI, Pope; Saint Maximinus of Trier, Bishop; Saint Ursula (Giulia) Ledóchowska and Saint Bona of Pisa, Religious. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, Mother of the Church and the Saints on this feast day, we humbly pray for those going through difficulties especially during these incredibly challenging times, we pray for the sick, especially those suffering from cancers and other terminal diseases, for the poor and the needy, for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT PAUL VI, POPE: St. Paul VI (Pope: June 21, 1963 – August 6, 1978) was born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini on September 26, 1897, in Concesio, Italy. Ordained in 1920, he spent many years working in the Vatican Secretariat of State. While there, he organized the Vatican’s massive relief work for political refugees during World War II. After being named “Pro-Secretary of State” in 1952, Montini was appointed Archbishop of Milan the following year and became known as the “archbishop of the workers.” He revitalized the diocese, preaching the Gospel’s social message and promoting both Catholic education and the Catholic press. St. Paul VI was canonized and added to the liturgical calendar on January 25, 2019, the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Giovanni Battista Montini was born on September 26, 1897, in a village near Brescia Concesio. On May 29, 1920, he was named Archbishop of Milan. He became Pope on June 21, 1963. He presided over the completion of the Second Vatican Council. He died On August 6, 1978.
Saint Paul VI, Pope ~ Pray for us 🙏
SAINT MAXIMINUS OF TRIER, BISHOP: St. Maximinus was Bishop of Trier, Germany, from 332, and a miracle worker. He was probably born at Silly, France, and a native of Poitiers, France. St. Maximinus left for Trier early in his life, drawn by the saintly reputation of its Bishop, St. Agritius. He received his education there and eventually succeeded to the episcopacy upon the death of St. Agritius in 325 as bishop of Trier. This provided an ideal base for Maximinus to carry on his lifelong battle with Arianism, since Trier at that time was the usual residence of the Emperors of the West and the capital of the Western Empire. He gave refuge to St. Athanasius in 336. St. Maximinus deemed it an honor to have St. Athanasius living under his protection during his first exile from 335 to 337; and he later provided equal protection for St. Paul, Patriarch of Constantinople, when the latter was banished by the same Emperor, Constantius. St. Athanasius praised the nobility, vigilance, and courage of his host who was famous for miracles. St. Maximinus was an ardent enemy of the Arian heretics, opposing them in the councils of Milan, Sardica, and Cologne. St. Maximinus convened the Synod of Cologne that declared Euphratas a heretic and removed him from his See; he also participated in the Council of Sardica in 347. Perhaps his finest moment came when he was coupled with the great St. Athanasius and anathematized by Arians at their Council of Philippopolis. This provided irrefutable evidence of his redoubtable opposition to Arianism and his marked success in that regard. He was a known miracle worker and apologist for orthodox Catholicism and was called “one of the most courageous bishops of his time” by St. Jerome. Unfortunately, though he seems to have written much, we do not possess any of the works of this intrepid defender of the true Faith, who died about the year 346. He’s the Patron Saint of Trier; invoked as protection against perjury, loss at sea and destructive rains.
PRAYER: Father, You gave us St. Maximinus to defend the Divinity of Your Son. Grant that we may enjoy his teaching and protection and grow continually in our knowledge and love of You🙏
SAINT MOTHER URSULA OF LEDÓCHOWSKA, RELIGIOUS: St. Ursula Ledóchowska (1865-1939), an Austrian-born religious leader. She became a Roman Catholic nun and founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonizing Heart of Jesus. She is a prominent member of the Ledóchowski family. Canonised on May 18, 2003 by Pope John Paul II at Vatican Basilica. At her canonization, the pontiff proclaimed:
“Mother Ursula Ledóchowska made her life a mission of mercy for the most deprived. Wherever Providence took her, she found young people in need of instruction and spiritual formation, poor, sick or lonely people, battered by life in various ways, who expected of her understanding and concrete help. In accordance with her means, she never refused help to anyone. Her work of mercy will remain engraved forever in the message of holiness, which yesterday became part of the whole Church.”
Saint Ursula Ledóchowska died May 29, 1939. Her body is incorrupt, it was transferred to the Gray Ursuline motherhouse in Pniewy, Poland on May 29, 1989.
Saint Ursula Ledóchowska, Religious ~ Pray for us🙏
SAINT BONA OF PISA, RELIGIOUS: St. Bona (1156 – 1207 A.D.) was born in Pisa, Italy. She experienced visions at a young age which led her into an ascetical life of penance and fasting. She dedicated herself to God at the early age of ten and became an Augustinian tertiary. At the age of fourteen she went on her first pilgrimage to Jerusalem where her father was fighting in the crusades. On her trip home she was captured and wounded by Muslim pirates and imprisoned, later being rescued by her fellow countrymen. She became fond of making pilgrimages and returned to the Holy Land many times. She also led a large pilgrimage group along the Way of St. James (Santiago de Compostela), a 1,000 mile journey. She had a great devotion to St. James, whom she had seen in a vision as a child. She was named an official guide of the ancient route by the Knights of St. James. St. Bona made the Way of St. James a total of nine times. On her tenth trip she had to return home due to illness, and died soon after. St. Bona of Pisa is the Patron Saint of travelers, couriers, tour guides, pilgrims, flight attendants, and the city of Pisa. Her feast day is May 29th.
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be handed over”
“The disciples were on the way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them. They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. Taking the Twelve aside again, he began to tell them what was going to happen to him. “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death, but after three days he will rise.” Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, ‘What do you wish me to do for you?” They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to him, ‘We can.” Jesus said to them, “The chalice that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus was letting His disciples know that in the city of Jerusalem towards which they were journeying He would be condemned and put to death. It had already been said by the evangelist that the disciples were apprehensive as they travelled with Jesus to Jerusalem. What Jesus said could only have made them more apprehensive. Two of the disciples, James and John, immediately strike a very different note to the one Jesus had just struck. They ask Him for places of honour when Jesus enters His glory. Jesus had spoken of the cross and shame, and they immediately speak of glory and greatness. He has to bring them back to the painful reality of what lies ahead with the question, ‘Can you drink the cup that I must drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I must be baptized?’ There is an implicit reference to both Eucharist and baptism in Jesus’ question. Every time we drink the cup of the Lord at the Eucharist we are saying ‘yes’ to our baptismal calling to share in the Lord’s work of giving of ourselves in the service of others. Jesus will drink the cup of suffering, not because He is in love with suffering, but because suffering will be the inevitable outcome of His life of loving service of all. As He says of Himself at the end of the Gospel reading, He is the Son of Man who came not to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for all. His loving service of us all was a service unto death. Jesus goes on to teach His disciples that within the circle of His followers glory and greatness consist in self-emptying service of others. The Lord wants to continue His mission of loving service of others through each one of us. Whenever we give of ourselves in some way in the service of others, we are making present in the world the Lord’s self-emptying love and we will be considered great in the eyes of the Lord.
In our first reading today from the First Epistle of St. Peter, the Apostle continued with his exhortation to all the faithful people of God in the Church to remind them all of everything which God had done through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit that He had sent into the world, to strengthen all of His beloved people despite the trials and challenges that they might have to face. St. Peter also quoted the prophets of the days past, who had foretold of the coming of the Lord and His salvation in Christ, who did not know of the full details and truth, and yet longed to see the salvation and light of God. Those prophets themselves also faced a lot of hardships and struggles as we all will know well if we read through the Old Testament. St. Peter was preparing the faithful for the trials and tribulations that they might have to face and endure amidst those challenging moments, when their faith would be tested by those who seek the destruction of the Church and the Christian faith. He was telling them all not to give up on their faith and to remain true to their commitment and dedication to God, so that in everything that they say and do, they would continue to obey the Lord, following His path and being true to their Christian faith despite the challenges and trials that they might have to suffer from. This would indeed come true as the Church would face lots of hardships, persecutions and trials from not only the Jewish authorities, but also the Roman government and other organisations and figures that refused to believe in the Lord and His truth.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded of the need for us all as Christians to be always committed to God at all times, so that by our every efforts and endeavours, in our every words, actions and deeds throughout our lives, we will always be faithful to God. We are all also called to be holy as our Lord is Holy, and to be exemplary in all that we do that despite the challenges we may be facing in life, we will always inspire one another and strengthen our fellow brothers and sisters to persevere through those many challenges that we may have to face amidst those difficult moments. We are reminded that as Christians we may have to bear through difficulties and sufferings in our journey just as the Lord Himself had suffered. Let us all therefore continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord despite the difficulties and challenges that we may be facing now in our lives. Let us all remember that God Himself has sent to us His only begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour Himself, to be with us and to suffer for our sake. He has suffered the most grievous and most painful death for our salvation, to journey together with all of us and to carry His Cross together with the crosses that we carry in our own respective lives. Let us all be ever grateful and appreciative of everything that He had done for our sake, for the salvation of our souls and the liberation from the power of sin and death. And let us all be generous in helping one another to endure these various sufferings and burdens that each one of us have to endure as well. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may the good Lord our most loving God and Master continue to be with us in our every efforts and endeavours, in all of our journeys and works, in everything that we do for the sake of His greater glory and for the salvation of many souls, our fellow brothers and sisters. May He continue to strengthen us all that we may continue to be good and worthy role models in every moments of our lives, that we may truly be the worthy beacons of God’s light, truth and Good News to all the people. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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 generous Lord, You ask everything of me. You ask me to abandon everything in my pursuit of Your perfect will. Give me the grace I need to answer Your call and to live sacrificially for You without counting the cost. You are generous beyond description, dear Lord, and I trust that following You will produce an abundance of good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Apostles and Saint Paul VI, Pope; Saint Maximinus of Trier; Saint Mother Ursula (Giulia) Ledóchowska and Saint Bona of Pisa ~ 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 and for vocations to priesthood and consecrated life. Have a blessed, safe, grace-filled and fruitful week🙏
Greetings beloved family and Happy Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time!
We pray for the safety and well-being of all those affected by the recent storms and extreme weather conditions. For the gentle repose of the souls of all those who lost their lives. May the good Lord grant them eternal rest and comfort their families. 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🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | May 28, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 28, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 28, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 28, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 28, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Memorare Chaplet | Prayer in Difficult Times (Powerful Prayer) |
Today’s Bible Readings: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 Reading 1, First Peter 1:10-16 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4 Gospel, Mark 10:28-31
SAINTS OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT GERMANUS, BISHOP OF PARIS, SAINT BERNARD OF MONTJOUX, PRIEST AND BLESSED MARGARET POLE, COUNTESS OF SALISBURY, MARTYR ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 28TH: Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Germanus, Bishop of Paris; Saint Bernard of Montjoux, Priest and Blessed Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, Martyr. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and all the Saints on this special feast, we humbly pray for the sick and dying, particularly pray for those who are terminally ill and for those going through difficulties especially during these incredibly challenging times, we pray for the poor and the needy and we also pray for the safety and well-being of all travelers. We pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT GERMANUS, BISHOP OF PARIS: St. Germanus (Germain), one of the glories of France in the 6th century, was born about 496 near Autun in what is now France, to noble Gallo-Roman parents. He was known as Germain d’Autun, rendered in modern times as the “Father of the Poor”. He was renouned for his miracles which were recorded by Bishop Fortunatus. St. Germain studied at Avallon in Burgundy and at Luzy under the guidance of his cousin Scallion, who was a priest. At the age of 35, he was ordained by Agrippinus of Autun and subsequently chosen Abbot and administrator of the nearby Abbey of St. Symphorianus in one of the suburbs of Autun. He was known for his hardworking and austere nature; however, it was his generous alms-giving which caused his monks to fear that one day he would give away all the wealth of the abbey, resulting in their rebellion against him. While in Paris in 555, Sibelius, the bishop of Paris, died, and King Childebert had him consecrated as the bishop of Paris but he continued to lead his former austere life. His example and his preaching brought about the conversion of many sinners and careless Christians. The King himself abandoned his total absorption in worldly affairs, and became a benefactor of the poor and the founder of many religious establishments.
Throughout his episcopate St. Germanus remained unwearying and fearless in his endeavors to halt civil strife, curb the licentiousness of the nobles, and check the viciousness of the Frankish Kings—but to no avail. He founded a monastery in Paris in whose church he was buried after his death on May 28, 576; it went on to become very famous under the name of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. At his death, he was mourned by the people and King Chilperic, who composed the Bishop’s epitaph, extolling his virtues, miracles, and zeal for the salvation of souls.
PRAYER: God, Light and Shepherd of souls, You established St. Germanus as Bishop in Your Church to feed Your flock by his word and form it by his example. Helps us through his intercession to keep the Faith he taught by his word and follow the way he showed by his example. Amen🙏
SAINT BERNARD OF MONTJOUX, PRIEST: St. Bernard of Montjoux (c. 923–1008 A.D.), also known as St. Bernard of Menthon, was born to a wealthy and noble family in the Kingdom of Arles (present day France and Switzerland) in 923, probably in the castle Menthon near Annecy, in Savoy. He received a thorough education. As an adult he refused an honorable marriage proposed by his father and decided to devote himself to the service of the Church. Placing himself under the direction of Peter, Archdeacon of Aosta, under whose guidance he rapidly progressed, St. Bernard was ordained priest in northern Italy and on account of his learning and virtue was made Archdeacon of Aosta (966), having charge of the government of the diocese under the bishop. Seeing the ignorance and idolatry still prevailing among the people of the Alps, he resolved to devote himself to their conversion. For forty two years he continued to preach the Gospel to these people and carried the light of faith even into many cantons of Lombardy, effecting numerous conversions and working many miracles.
St. Bernard spent more than four decades doing missionary work in the Alps and was the founder of the Alpine hospices of Saint Bernard. He built schools and churches, and is especially known for aiding travelers. The area where he ministered had an ancient, snowy, and dangerous pass winding through the mountains along which pilgrims traveled to and from Rome. To serve the pilgrims St. Bernard built a hospice at the highest point of the pass, 8,000 feet above sea level. Later he founded another hospice along another smaller pass. St. Bernard obtained papal approval for communities of priests to serve in the hospices, which have generously aided travnelers for more than a millennium. The priests and their well-trained dogs (the St. Bernard breed named after the saint) would seek and rescue lost pilgrims. St. Bernard is the Patron Saint of Alpinists; travelers in the mountains. mountaineers and was declared the Patron Saint of skiers and mountain climbers by Pope Pius XI in 1923.
Saint Bernard reminds us of the epistle of Saint Peter: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever… Amen”🙏 ~1 Peter 4: 7-11
Saint Bernard of Montjoux, Priest ~ Pray for us🙏
BLESSED MARGARET POLE, COUNTESS OF SALISBURY, MARTYR: Bl. Margaret Pole (1473-1541) was born Margaret Plantagenet on August 14, 1473, Farleigh Hungerford Castle, Farleigh Hungerford in Somerset, United Kingdom into the ruling dynasty. She was the only surviving daughter of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence and Isabel Neville, Duchess of Clarence. Her father, the Duke of Clarence, was brother to both Edward IV and Richard III. This meant that all her life she was seen as a threat to the ruling monarchs, as she had a legitimate claim to the throne and was therefore a potential figurehead in any revolt against the crown. Indeed as soon as the Tudors came to power they imprisoned Bl. Margaret’s brother, the Earl of Warwick, and eventually executed him. The Tudors sought to defuse her potential threat by keeping her close to them, marrying her to Sir Richard Pole, who was related to Henry VII, and keeping her close at court. She married Sir Reginald Pole about 1487–1504 and bore five sons, including Reginald Cardinal Pole.
Bl. Margaret was widowed, named countess of Salisbury, and appointed governess to Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VIII and lady in waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon, Spain, beginning a lifelong friendship. At first Henry favoured Margaret, restoring to her lost family lands and titles, but this came to an end at the time of his divorce from Catherine. Her loyalty to Catherine, and to Mary, as well as to her Catholic faith, brought her into conflict with the King at the time of his divorce and remarriage to Anne Boleyn. She opposed Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, and the king exiled her from the court, although he called her “the holiest woman in England.” If her own opposition to Henry’s behaviour, and her position as a possible contender for the throne when the Tudor dynasty was looking shaky were not enough, her son Reginald Pole was needling the King from overseas and encouraging opposition to him. When Reginald Pole, denied Henry’s Act of Supremacy, this made Bl. Margaret’s position very dangerous indeed. Although the King described her as ‘the holiest woman in England’ she was arrested on the grounds of treason, and imprisoned for some time at Cowdray in the Tower of London, United Kingdom for two years in 1538-9, although she never faced trial and there was no credible evidence against her. In spite of this she was executed by beheadinimmg on May 28, 1541, at the age of about 70. Reportedly the inexperienced executioner took ten blows to sever her head. In 1538, her oI oll her son Reginald Pole, now a cardinal, heard of his mother’s death, he is reported to have said: “Hitherto I have thought myself indebted to the divine goodness for having received my birth from one of the most noble and virtuous women in England; but from henceforth my obligation will be much greater, for I understand that I am now the son of a martyr. May God be thanked and praised. We must rejoice, because now we have one more patron to intercede for us in Heaven.” Bl. Margaret was one of just two women in 16th-century England to be a peeress in her own right without a husband in the House of Lords. Blessed Margaret Pole was beatified with other martyrs of penal times in 1886.
Blessed Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, Martyr ~ Pray for us🙏
“You will receive a hundred times as much persecution in this present age, and eternal life in the age to come”
“Peter began to say to Jesus, ‘We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Peter declares to Jesus, ‘We have left everything and followed you’. He spoke the truth. He and his companions had left their family and their fishing business to follow Jesus. Jesus goes on to acknowledge that Peter and the others did indeed leave their household, family and possessions for his sake. He assures them that their leaving family will open them up to an experience of a new kind of family, brothers, sisters, mothers, children in the here and now. Jesus is talking here of the family of disciples, what we have come to call the church. Most of us have not been asked by the Lord to leave our families and livelihood in order to follow Him. Yet, our following the Lord will often require some form of letting go on our part. By the standards of this age, there may appear to be a loss involved in our remaining faithful to the way of the Lord. Yet, Jesus assures us in the Gospel reading that in losing our lives for His sake we will gain something new. Our faithful follower of the Lord, even at a cost to ourselves, will open us up to an experience of a new spiritual family, the family of the church. In giving our lives to the Lord we will receive abundantly from Him in and through the community of His followers, the church. This is a community that extends beyond this life into eternal life.
In our first reading today, from the First Epistle of St. Peter, the Apostle continued with his exhortation to all the faithful people of God in the Church to remind them all of everything which God had done through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit that He had sent into the world, to strengthen all of His beloved people despite the trials and challenges that they might have to face. St. Peter also quoted the prophets of the days past, who had foretold of the coming of the Lord and His salvation in Christ, who did not know of the full details and truth, and yet longed to see the salvation and light of God. Those prophets themselves also faced a lot of hardships and struggles as we all will know well if we read through the Old Testament. St. Peter was preparing the faithful for the trials and tribulations that they might have to face and endure amidst those challenging moments, when their faith would be tested by those who seek the destruction of the Church and the Christian faith. He was telling them all not to give up on their faith and to remain true to their commitment and dedication to God, so that in everything that they say and do, they would continue to obey the Lord, following His path and being true to their Christian faith despite the challenges and trials that they might have to suffer from. This would indeed come true as the Church would face lots of hardships, persecutions and trials from not only the Jewish authorities, but also the Roman government and other organisations and figures that refused to believe in the Lord and His truth.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are reminded of the need for us all as Christians to be always committed to God at all times, so that by our every efforts and endeavours, in our every words, actions and deeds throughout our lives, we will always be faithful to God. We are all also called to be holy as our Lord is Holy, and to be exemplary in all that we do that despite the challenges we may be facing in life, we will always inspire one another and strengthen our fellow brothers and sisters to persevere through those many challenges that we may have to face amidst those difficult moments. We are reminded that as Christians we may have to bear through difficulties and sufferings in our journey just as the Lord Himself had suffered. Let us all therefore continue to put our faith and trust in the Lord despite the difficulties and challenges that we may be facing now in our lives. Let us all remember that God Himself has sent to us His only begotten Son, Our Lord and Saviour Himself, to be with us and to suffer for our sake. He has suffered the most grievous and most painful death for our salvation, to journey together with all of us and to carry His Cross together with the crosses that we carry in our own respective lives. Let us all be ever grateful and appreciative of everything that He had done for our sake, for the salvation of our souls and the liberation from the power of sin and death. And let us all be generous in helping one another to endure these various sufferings and burdens that each one of us have to endure as well. May the Lord our most loving God and Master continue to be with us in our every efforts and endeavours, in all of our journeys and works, in everything that we do for the sake of His greater glory and for the salvation of many souls, our fellow brothers and sisters. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and may He continue to strengthen us all that we may continue to be good and worthy role models in every moments of our lives, that we may truly be the worthy beacons of God’s light, truth and Good News to all the people. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 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🙏
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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 generous Lord, You ask everything of me. You ask me to abandon everything in my pursuit of Your perfect will. Give me the grace I need to answer Your call and to live sacrificially for You without counting the cost. You are generous beyond description, dear Lord, and I trust that following You will produce an abundance of good fruit. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Germanus, Bishop of Paris; Saint Bernard of Montjoux and Blessed Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit on this special feast day of the Holy Trinity 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 and fruitful week🙏
Greetings beloved family. Happy Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time and Happy Memorial Day!
On this Memorial Day, we pray for the repose of the souls of all the faithful departed, we particularly remember, honor and pray for all those in the military who sacrificed their lives to make the world a better place for all of us. 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🙏
Watch “Holy Mass and Holy Rosary | EWTN on YouTube | May 27, 2024 |
Watch “Holy Mass from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 27, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from Lourdes, France” | May 27, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 27, 2024 |
Pray “The Chaplet of Divine Mercy | from the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy” | May 27, 2024 |
Pray “Holy Rosary ALL 20 Mysteriels VIRTUAL🌹JOYFUL🌹LUMINOUS🌹SORROWFUL🌹GLORIOUS” on YouTube |
Today’s Bible Readings: Monday, May 27, 2024 Reading 1, First Peter 1:3-9 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 111:1-2, 5-6, 9, 10 Gospel, Mark 10:17-27
SAINT OF THE DAY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, BISHOP ~ FEAST DAY: MAY 27TH Today, we celebrate the Memorial of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop. Through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Augustine of Canterbury on this feast day, we humbly pray for those going through difficulties especially during these incredibly challenging times, we pray for the sick, those suffering from cancer and other terminal diseases. We also pray for peace, love and unity in our families and our world and for the poor and needy. And we continue to pray for the Church, the Clergy, for persecuted christians, for the conversion of sinners, and Christians all over the world.🙏
SAINT AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY, BISHOP: St. Augustine of Canterbury (d. 604 A.D.), also known as St. Austin, was prior of monastery of St. Andrew in Rome, before being called by Pope Gregory the Great to be a missionary to the British Isles. Under the direction of Pope Saint Gregory the Great, St. Augustine founded the famous See of Canterbury and preached the Catholic faith to the country’s Anglo-Saxon pagans during the late sixth and early seventh centuries. St. Augustine was born in Rome and died in Canterbury, England, in 604. St.. Augustine’s date of birth cannot be established, nor are any details of his early life known. Most likely born in Rome to a noble family, he entered monastic life as a young man. The community he joined had been recently founded by a Benedictine monk named Gregory, who would go on to become Pope and eventually be known as St. Gregory the Great. The friendship between St. Gregory and St. Augustine had great historical consequences, as it was the Pope who would eventually send his fellow monk to evangelize England.
Around 595, five years into his 14-year pontificate, Pope Gregory set to work on a plan for the conversion of the English people. The Catholic faith had already been preached and accepted among England’s original Celtic inhabitants in earlier times, but from the mid-fifth century onward, the country was dominated by Anglo-Saxon invaders who did not accept Christianity, and were not converted by the small number of isolated Celtic Christian holdouts. Thus, England largely had to be evangelized anew. For this task the Pope chose a group of around forty monks – including St. Augustine, who was to represent the delegation and communicate on its behalf. Though he was not explicitly chosen as its leader at that time, that was the role he ended up taking on with Gregory’s support. The group left for England in June 596, but some of the missionaries lost their nerve after hearing fearsome reports about the Anglo-Saxons. St. Augustine ended up returning to Rome, where he got further advice and support from the Pope. Persuaded to continue on their way, the missionary-monks reached their port of departure and set sail for England in spring of 597. After arriving they gained an audience with King Ethelbert of Kent, a pagan ruler whose Frankish wife Queen Bertha was a Christian. Speaking with the king through an interpreter, St. Augustine gave a powerful and straightforward presentation of the Gospel message, speaking of Christ’s redemption of the world and his offer of eternal life. King Ethelbert would later convert, and eventually even be canonized as a Saint. But his initial response to St. Augustine’s preaching was only mildly positive: he would receive the missionaries with hospitality, and permit them to evangelize without any restriction. Despite his early ambivalence, however, the king became a generous patron of the monks. They made their home in Canterbury, after dramatically entering the city in procession with the Cross and an image of Christ.
The Canterbury community lived according to the Rule of St. Benedict, as they had in Italy, but they also preached in the surrounding area in accordance with their mission. St. Augustine and his companions succeeded in converting King Ethelbert himself, while Queen Bertha also became more zealous in her practice of the faith after her husband’s baptism. St. Augustine traveled to Gaul, where he was consecrated as a bishop for the English Church. By Christmas of 597, over ten thousand people were actively seeking baptism from the missionaries. Through his written correspondence, Pope Gregory continued to guide the work of St. Augustine – the first Archbishop of Canterbury – and the other Catholic missionaries. The great Pope, and the “Apostle of England,” would both die during the same year, 604. Though St. Augustine had not managed to sort out some disagreements with the native Celtic bishops, he had given the faith a firm foothold among the Anglo-Saxons. Canterbury would continue on for centuries as the ranking see of English Catholicism, until its fall into schism during the 16th century. Although St. Augustine’s labor among the pagans was slow and difficult, his work bore much fruit and England eventually became a Christian nation. St. Augustine died on May 27, 604 as the first Archbishop of Canterbury. He’s the Patron Saint of England.
Saint Augustine of Canterbury’s quote
“God, in His promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow Himself upon us; if you find anything better than Him, ask it; but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront upon Him, and hurt yourself by preferring to Him a creature which He framed: Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.” ~ Saint Augustine (Austin) of Canterbury
PRAYER: O God, who by the preaching of the Bishop Saint Augustine of Canterbury led the English peoples to the Gospel, grant, we pray, that the fruits of his labors may remain ever abundant in your Church. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever… Amen🙏
“As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement, his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
In today’s Gospel reading, a rich man ran up to Jesus with the question, ‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ When Jesus asked him to go beyond the Ten Commandments he had been keeping and to sell all he owned and follow Jesus along the way, he couldn’t live with that answer. According to the Gospel, he walked away sad. Jesus did not ask everybody He met to sell everything and to journey with Him, but He did ask this man. This was this man’s particular calling. Like this rich man, we can often find ourselves faced with a call to do something which seems beyond us. The temptation can be to walk away from the call, even though to say ‘yes’ to the call would be the path to life for us. The Lord can call any one of us beyond where we are; He can call on us to grow in our relationship with Him, to be more generous in our response to His presence. We may not be able to answer that call in our own strength, but we will be able to answer it with the Lord’s strength. In the Gospel reading, Jesus declares that ‘everything is possible for God’. When the Blessed Virgin Mary was called to become the mother of Jesus and she hesitated, that was the message she heard. The Angel declared to her ‘Nothing will be impossible with God’. It is the message we too will hear whenever we seek to answer the Lord’s very particular call to each of us. Today’s Gospel is a reminder to us that Jesus needs our co-operation if His purpose for our lives is to come to pass. He calls but He cannot force a response, as He couldn’t force the response of the idealistic man who had run up to Him with such energy. The story reminds us that following Jesus will often mean letting go of something that we are holding onto for dear life. We may struggle to let go of what we need to let go of; it may seem impossible to do so at times, but we have the reassuring words of Jesus to the disciples after the rich man had left, ‘everything is possible for God’. With God’s grace we can do the seemingly impossible.
In our first reading today from the first Epistle of St. Peter, the Apostle spoke of the great joy that all of the faithful ought to experience and commemorate because of everything that the Lord Himself had done for them, in sending His own Son to be our Saviour, to lift us all up from our sorry state in this world, to uplift us from all of our sufferings and to assure us of the everlasting life that will be ours if we put our faith and trust in Him, and if we continue to uphold the faith which we all should have in Him and in all the things He has done for us. At the same time, St. Peter also reminded the faithful and hence all of us that there will likely be sufferings and challenges facing us, just as there will be joy for us in being the followers and disciples of the Lord. This is a reminder for all of us that we must always do whatever we can so that our lives and our whole existence will always be focused and centred on the Lord, our God in all things. We must not allow the many temptations and coercions present all around us from tempting and pulling us away from the path towards God and His salvation. We must also not easily lose our faith in Him, especially whenever we are facing hardships and difficulties in the midst of following God and His commandments. There may be time when all the challenges and hardships facing us may tempt us to give in to the pressures of the world all around us, but we should always be strong and we should inspire one another to remain faithful to God.
As we reflect on the words of the Sacred Scriptures today, we are all reminded that to be true and genuine Christians, often times we may have to face hardships, challenges and trials, all of which may be part of our path and journey in life. We have also been reminded of the need for all of us to follow and obey God’s Law and commandments, all the things which He had revealed and given to us to be our guide and help in our journey towards Him, as a means to help us to keep a most worthy and virtuous life, that by our every words, actions and deeds, everyone will know that we are indeed Christians, those whom God had called and chosen to be His own. This is what God had entrusted to us, and what God has also expected for us to do in each and every one of our live. Today, we are called to emulate the Saints. Especially St. Augustine of Canterbury, who we celebrate today, his commitment and dedication to the mission entrusted to him by the Lord and the Pope, and everything that he had done for the propagation of the Christian faith. Let us all continue to be good role models and inspirations for one another, and be the faithful and worthy bearers of God’s truth and Good News at all times. May the Lord continue to help us to persevere amidst all the challenges and trials that we may have to face in our journey. May God in His infinite grace and mercy, grant us His grace and bless our every endeavours and may He strengthen all of us in our various vocations and missions in life, that we may be holy and missionary, courageous and evangelising as St. Augustine of Canterbury had done. Amen 🙏
DEVOTION OF THE MONTH OF MAY: MONTH OF OUR LADY: In addition to the myriad feast days honoring Our Lady under her many titles and virtues, the entire month of May is especially given to her praise. In the words of Pope Paul VI, May is “a month which the piety of the faithful has long dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God … For this is the month during which Christians, in their churches and their homes, offer the Virgin Mother more fervent and loving acts of homage and veneration; and it is the month in which a greater abundance of God’s merciful gifts comes down to us from our Mother’s throne.”
THE POPE’S MONTHLY INTENTIONS FOR 2024: FOR THE MONTH OF MAY – FOR THE FORMATION OF RELIGIOUS AND SEMINARIANS: We pray that religious women and men, and seminarians, grow in their own vocations through their human, pastoral, spiritual and community formation, leading them to be credible witnesses to the Gospel.🙏
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 beķķen in vain. Now, Lord, come to our ajnid! 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 the 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, 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 🙏
On this special feast day, as we continue to celebrate our risen Lord, with special intention through the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, and the Saints, we pray for the Clergy and religious as they serve in the Lord’s Vineyard. We also pray for the sick and dying. We especially pray for our loved ones who have recently died and we continue to remember our beloved, we pray for the repose of their gentle souls and 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 through the mercy of God rest in perfect peace with our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen 🙏 ✝️🕯✝️🕯✝️🕯
PRAYER INTENTIONS: As we begin 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. 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 generous Lord, You call me to perfection. You call me to turn from everything that hinders my perfect love of You and my full embrace of Your will. Please help me to sincerely turn to You every day, seeking only Your full will in all things. As I do, please set me free from all that keeps me from the life of perfection to which I am called. Jesus, I trust in You ~ Amen 🙏
Save Us, Savior of the World. Our Blessed Mother Mary and Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop ~ Pray for us🙏
Thanking God for the gift of the Holy Spirit on this special feast day of the Holy Trinity 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 and fruitful week🙏
