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Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T10:48:00.001-05:00

A Christmas Meditation

It's Christmas ~ a time of rejoicing, feasting, presents & love! A time to remember and celebrate the GREATEST present of all for it is Jesus' birthday!!!

What is your image of the first Christmas? Do you think of the Christmas Crib under your tree???? A quiet stable filled with clean straw, and beautiful statues of Joseph, Mary, the shepherds and the magi kneeling in prayer ~ worshiping the baby??? Perhaps an odorless cow, donkey and some equally odorless sheep & camels???

However, the first Christmas was an actual event that came complete with the sights, smells and the sense of the coldness of the night. People aren't plaster statues kneeling in prayer ~ so what was the first Christmas actually like????

Close your eyes and try to imagine what the people actually felt and thought as they experienced the first Christmas.

At that time, Rome was a great empire ruled by Caesar Augustus and King Herod governed the land of Israel.

Far in the East, the magi searched the heavens and in their separate palaces they were amazed to discover the Star of Destiny rising in the western sky. The ancients had foretold that the Star of Destiny would rise in the night sky and lead those who are wise to the Light of the World. Surely, the Star of Destiny was a myth, but there it was beaming in the night sky. Balthasar, Melchoir & Caspar, who NEVER agreed on anything consulted with each other. They all saw the star and agreed that this unusual occurrence was an adventure that couldn't be missed. As soon as they could assemble a caravan, they followed the star.

At the same time, in the land of Israel, in the little unimportant village of Nazareth there lived a young carpenter, Joseph and his wife Mary, who was pregnant. They were eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child. All births are special, but the birth of this child had been announced by the Angel Gabriel. Very close to Mary's due date the Roman soldiers marched through the villages announcing that the Emperor had ordered a census. In two weeks everyone had to register for the new taxes in the towns of their birth. No exceptions, no questions, this is the law!!!

Joseph & Mary had expected the birth of their child to occur in Nazareth, but it was not to be so. Joseph was furious, he protested that his wife was due any day WHY couldn't they register in Nazareth?? His protests were to no avail; the soldiers just laughed at him. He felt so incompetent!!

This new problem caused the nagging doubts to reappear ~ did an angel really appear to him or was it just his over active imagination providing a solution to a horrible problem?? Mary's unusual pregnancy originally was a difficult experience for Joseph. Especially, because he became aware of it after Mary had returned from a three month stay in Ain-Karim with her cousin Elizabeth. If this child was the foretold one, why all these difficulties??? As he prepared for the trip, he prayed and his hand trembled when the sacred prophecy flashed into his mind. Away in Rome, Caesar Augustus dreamed that his might had worked their departure from hearth and home by his decree ~ while in truth the word of God had decreed it ages ago.. "You Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least of the cities of Judah, for out of you shall come the one to be Ruler in Israel." He felt relief ~ everything was arranged by the Lord of history, his little family were safe in the Lord's hands.

The trip was extremely difficult; the roads were filled with stressed out people traveling under duress. Mary's labor pains started hours before they reached Bethlehem. They finally arrived and to their dismay discovered a town swarming with people. The baby was coming, and there was no lodging available in any of the Econo-inns.

Against his better judgment, a frantic Joseph tried a distant cousin's house, begging accommodations for the night. After delivering a sermon about premarital sex and how he had tarnished the family name, his cousin sniffed and informed them that she was busy preparing for her Hanukkah celebration and just had no room for them. In desperation, they even tried Jesse's spacious inn, which they really couldn't afford. However, it was overflowing with people and the innkeeper took one look at Joseph & Mary's clothes and said we have no room. Joseph pleaded that his wife was having her baby, only to be informed that wasn't Jesse's problem. Jesse ended the conversation as a Temple priest arrived and inquired concerning available accommodations. The innkeeper just about pushed Joseph over as he welcomed the priest to the inn.

Joseph was in a state of panic! There has to be someplace, anyplace where Mary could have the baby with some privacy. Then he remembered the caves in the field of Ruth that he used to play in when he was a boy. Some provider he was, but time was running out and there seemed to be no other options. Better the privacy of a cave then to have the baby born in the street. It appeared that others had the same thought and the first couple of caves were filled with beggars and other poor travelers. Luckily, the last one was being used as a stable and because of the smell had only animals in it.

Rachel, who was camping out in the second cave, noticed Mary's condition and offered to help. So she came with them and assisted Mary with the birth. Joseph gathered wood and started a fire and soon there was a squeal announcing the new birth. Rachel fussed and chattered as she helped Mary lie down and hold the baby. It was a beautiful baby boy and Joseph smiled as the baby's little hand gripped his finger. Rachel was still chattering..."the little fellow certainly resembles his mother..... he appears to be healthy but we have to wrap him up before he catches his death of cold". She took Jesus, anointed him, and wrapped him snugly in swaddling bands, placing him into the manger, which Joseph had converted into a makeshift crib. Joseph walked Rachel back to the second cave, he was very grateful for her kindness. Upon his return, he laid another log on the fire to protect against the bitter cold night. As he snuggled with Mary and was drifting off to sleep, he thanked God for this long and difficult day, which had turned into the most wonderful day in his whole life!

Meanwhile, the shepherds were watching their sheep on the hills of Bethlehem. From nowhere there was a whirlwind and an angle appeared and shouted. "Glory to God in the highest and tidings of joy to all!" The shepherds were stunned and frightened as the angel stood before them and said; "Do NOT fear, but rejoice!! I come to bring tidings of great joy!!! Shepherds, you are the chosen ones of God who are to announce the fullness of time! Glory to God and tidings of joy to all! Let all people exult for in Bethlehem is born the Messiah, Glory to God and tidings of joy to all!"

One of the shepherds struggled to respond. "Surely, this must be a joke, you are mistaken. We are shepherds. The Messiah would appear in a palace and certainly not to such as us." However, the angel insisted, repeating the message. "Go to Bethlehem and announce this good news to all!" The shepherd retorted; "But Bethlehem is a big town, how are we to know where to find the child?" The angel responded; "This will be the sign. In a cattle cave, in a manger filled with hay, you will find wrapped in swaddling clothes the infant Messiah born this day." The shepherd shook his head, and said; "I must have drunk too much wine. Dirty shepherds announcing to all in Bethlehem that the Messiah is a baby lying in a manager in a cattle cave ~ give me a break. No one is going to believe us. I'm not sure I believe it. This isn't a good idea!"

Suddenly, the night exploded with the sound as hundreds of angels appeared singing and the angel insisted "GO, proclaim the glad tidings!!" Then just as suddenly the angels disappeared, leaving the astonished shepherds by themselves.

After that display, the shepherds carrying a lamb as a present for the baby hurried off to announce the good news to all that they met. They played their flutes as they announced the good news. Unfortunately, other then threats to call the Romans on them for disturbing the peace, no one joined them in the search for the Messiah.

Disappointed, they left the town, heading towards the caves. Their music awakened the children who excitedly joined the procession leading the way to the last cave containing Joseph and Mary who were woken by the noise.

"Shalom, Shalom," Joseph greeted the crowd. "Come, warm yourselves. Have your sheep strayed?" The shepherds responded, "We have come to see the Messiah child, just born." Joseph was startled and asked, "Who sent you?" Mary sleepily interrupted and said, "Enter and be welcome!"

The shepherds shared the story of the angels and presented the lamb as a gift. They shared their food, their music and their love. All of heaven was awed by the music of the poor ascending from the little town of Bethlehem.

Not far out of Bethlehem, the magi were still following the star. They had traveled for many days over mountains, through the desert and the wilderness. During the journey they discussed whom this King, this light of the world would be. Balthazar felt that they would find royalty who would rule the whole world. Melichor believed that they would find someone so wise that he would end all of the world problems. Caspar believed that they would find someone so holy that he would show them the way to the gods.

They had many adventures during their trip, but all of their charts indicated that this night was the night of destiny and the signs all pointed to the little town of Bethlehem.

They had actually reached Bethlehem the previous week, but at Balthazar's insistence they made their way to Jerusalem to ask advice from King Herod. Herod and his court were filled with corruption and even Balthazar had to admit that the journey was a waste of time. Funny fellow that Herod, who would dream that someone so treacherous would also want to come and visit the person who would be the greatest King. Making us promise to send immediate word of what we discovered ~ you never know.

The magi arrived at the stable and squabbled prior to entering. Balthazar was adamant that they were looking for royalty, so this certainly wasn't the right place. Caspar, especially protested that the charts must be wrong. He insisted that there had to be a great religious experience, some divine revelation indicating the Light of the World. Melichor insisted that the signs all point to this spot, and as wrong as it appears, the least we can do is to check it out. The disappointment was overwhelming as they entered the stable. It seemed unbelievable that the conclusion of their long journey was here.... in a shabby, smelly stable, looking at an infant snuggling with a lamb for warmth in a manger of straw, his two peasant parents beside him. There were no heavenly lights, no divine thunder rumbling, no angelic music, no servants, no riches, nothing of what they had anticipated. However, when the baby looked at them, they were suddenly aware that they had successfully completed their quest. As crazy as it appeared there was something very special there, and they were honored to have the privilege of entering the stable.

Jesus came into a fallen and unpleasant world. The world rejected him. The world still rejects him. But where ever he is accepted, love is there. On the first Christmas, Christ was revealed only to a few witnesses in the dead of night. Further, while God had at hand many rulers, priests and philosophers available to witness this special occasion, he chose shepherds, people who were looked down upon and considered unimportant. Sometimes, God's ways doesn't seem to make sense, but if we desire to come to the Christ, we must not be ashamed to follow those whom God chose and answer for ourselves the call to follow him.

With gratitude to Fr. Ed Hays for his many parables & Meditations that we have enjoyed, some of which have deeply influenced the above meditation!!

Come to the Health Fair!

2007-09-25T09:34:00.000-04:00

Our Bodies are a gift from God and we are responsible to take good care of it.

COME TO THE HEALTH FAIR!!

The Fair will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Church Auditorium. 249 9th Street, Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, September 29th, 2007 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

FREE Blood Pressure Testing ~ FREE Cholesterol Screening ~ LOTS OF GIVE-AWAYS :-)

September - the Month of the Sorrowful Mother

2007-09-16T14:48:00.001-04:00

September is dedicated to the Holy Cross and the Sorrowful Mother.

Litany of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows by Pope Pius VII

V. Lord, have mercy on us. R. Christ, have mercy on us.

V. Christ, hear us. R. Christ, graciously hear us.

God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Virgin of virgins, pray for us.

Mother of the Crucified, pray for us.

Sorrowful Mother, pray for us. Mournful Mother, pray for us.

Sighing Mother, pray for us. Afflicted Mother, pray for us. Foresaken Mother, pray for us. Desolate Mother, pray for us. Mother most sad, pray for us. Mother set around with anguish, pray for us. Mother overwhelmed by grief, pray for us. Mother transfixed by a sword, pray for us. Mother crucified in thy heart, pray for us. Mother bereaved of thy Son, pray for us. Sighing Dove, pray for us. Mother of Dolors, pray for us. Fount of tears, pray for us. Sea of bitterness, pray for us. Field of tribulation, pray for us. Mass of suffering, pray for us. Mirror of patience, pray for us. Rock of constancy, pray for us. Remedy in perplexity, pray for us. Joy of the afflicted, pray for us. Ark of the desolate, pray for us. Refuge of the abandoned, pray for us. Shield of the oppressed, pray for us. Conqueror of the incredulous, pray for us. Solace of the wretched, pray for us. Medicine of the sick, pray for us. Help of the faint, pray for us. Strength of the weak, pray for us. Protectress of those who fight, pray for us. Haven of the shipwrecked, pray for us. Calmer of tempests, pray for us. Companion of the sorrowful, pray for us. Retreat of those who groan, pray for us. Terror of the treacherous, pray for us. Standard-bearer of the Martyrs, pray for us. Treasure of the Faithful, pray for us. Light of Confessors, pray for us. Pearl of Virgins, pray for us. Comfort of Widows, pray for us. Joy of all Saints, pray for us. Queen of thy Servants, pray for us. Holy Mary, who alone art unexampled, pray for us.

V. Pray for us, most Sorrowful Virgin, R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray. O God, in whose Passion, according to the prophecy of Simeon, a sword of grief pierced through the most sweet soul of Thy glorious Blessed Virgin Mother Mary: grant that we, who celebrate the memory of her Seven Sorrows, may obtain the happy effect of Thy Passion, Who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

The Seven Sorrows of Our Lady ~ 1. The Prophecy of Simeon 2. The Flight into Egypt 3. The Loss of Jesus in the Temple 4. Mary meets Jesus Carrying the Cross 5. The Crucifixion 6. Mary Receives the Dead Body of Her Son 7. The Burial of Her Son and Closing of the tomb.

August - The month dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

2007-08-16T10:22:00.000-04:00

The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.

On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.

Pope Paul VI, on the floor of the Vatican Council at the close of the third session, renewed publicly the consecration of the Church and the world to Mary's Immaculate Heart. He said that his thoughts turned to the whole world "which our venerated predecessor Pius XII . . . not without inspiration from on high, solemnly consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. . . . O Virgin Mary, Mother of the Council, to you we recommend the entire Church."

When he visited Fatima on May 13, 1967, the same Pope recalled this "consecration which we ourselves have renewed on November 21, 1964 — we exhort all the sons of the Church to renew personally their consecration to the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of the Church and to bring alive this most noble act of veneration through a life ever more in accord with the divine will and in a spirit of filial service and of devout imitation of their heavenly Queen."

Act of Consecration

to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
St. Louis-De Montfort's Consecration taken from The Secret of the Rosary.

I, N., a faithless sinner-- renew and ratify today in thy hands, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.
In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day, for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2007-08-15T10:07:00.000-04:00

Prayer of Pope Pius XII

"O Immaculate Virgin, Mother of God and Mother of Men, — we believe with all the fervor of our Faith in your triumphal Assumption, both in body and soul, into heaven where you are acclaimed as Queen of all the choirs of angels and all the legions of the Saints; and we unite with them to praise and bless the Lord Who has exalted you above all other pure creatures, and to offer you the tribute of our devotion and our love." (from the Assumption Prayer of Pope Pius XII)

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb JESUS.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Patron of our Difficult Times, pray for us!

2007-08-14T09:01:00.000-04:00

Maximilian Mary Kolbe was born in Poland. He consecrated himself to the Lord in the Franciscan Order. Filled with love for the Virgin, he founded the Militia of the Immaculate Mary and, with his preaching and writing, undertook an intense apostolic mission in Europe and Asia. Imprisoned in Auschwitz during the Second World War, he offered himself in exchange for the father of a large family who was to be executed. He was given a lethal injection when he failed to die fast enough from starvation in the concentration camp. John Paul II proclaimed him the Patron of Our Suffering Century.

Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate

St. Maximilian M. Kolbe

O Immaculate, Queen of heaven and earth, Refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, to whom God willed to entrust the entire order of mercy, I an unworthy sinner cast myself at your feet, humbly begging you to be so good as to accept me wholly and completely as your possession and property, and to do with me, with my whole life, death and eternity, whatever pleases you. If it pleases you, use my whole self without reserve to accomplish what has been said of you: "She will crush your head," (Gen. 3:15), and also: "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world" so that I may become a useful instrument in your immaculate and most merciful hands for promoting and increasing your glory to the maximum in so many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus extend as much as possible the blessed Kingdom of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and sanctification, since it is through your hands that all graces comes to us from the Most Sweet Heart of Jesus.

V: Allow me to praise you, O most holy Virgin.

R.: Give me strength against my enemies.

Amen

Final Day of our Novena

2007-08-14T08:56:00.000-04:00

Da pacem Dómine in diébus nostris: quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu Deus noster.

Give us every day Your peace, Lord:for there is no one else who would defend us but You, our God.

Our Lady Queen of Peace, pray for us!

LEADER: Help us, in all our opinions, words and actions, to be ruled by the gracious love of God our Father, Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit, our constant companion.
Pause for silent meditation.
(Luke 17:20-21) The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God was to come. He answered, "The Kingdom of God is not like something you can observe and say of it: 'Look, here it is! There it is! See, the kingdom of God is among you!"
ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

Monday's Novena!

2007-08-13T14:03:00.000-04:00

MONDAY, AUGUST 13th

LEADER: Help us to be mindful of the times when we do not admit our own faults but blame others instead.
Pause for silent meditation.
(Luke 6:41-42) Why do you pay attention to the speck in your brother's eye while you have a log in your eye and are not conscious of it? How can you say to your neighbor: 'Friend, let me take this speck out of your eye,' when you can't remove the log in your own? You Hypocrite! First remove the log from your own eye and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your neighbor's eye.
ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

Novena - Opps!!

2007-08-13T13:58:00.000-04:00

Sorry, I haven't been able to post since Thursday..... :-(

Novena Update!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10th
LEADER: Help us to remember the ordinary people in Iraq, Afghanistan and Darfur who have died, have lost their homes or have fled to another country to escape death.
Pause for silent meditation.
(Luke 9:58) The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.
ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

SATURDAY, AUGUST 11th
LEADER: Help us to be mindful of the times when we express strong feelings using abusive language.
Pause for silent meditation.
(James 3:2b) A person who commits no offense in speech is perfect and capable of ruling the whole self.
ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

SUNDAY, AUGUST 12th
LEADER: Help us to be mindful of the times when we allow anger in ourselves or others to grow, and we do not seek reconciliation.
Pause for silent meditation
(Matthew 5:23-24) If you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.
ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

St. Edith Stein ~ Pray for us!

2007-08-09T10:36:00.000-04:00

St. Edith Stein pray for us

From the Novena in honor of St. Edith Stein

The Auschwitz Extermination Camp

Auschwitz was at that time a small provincial Polish town, which was to give its name to the notorious concentration camp, opened nearby by order of Himmler for political prisoners on April 27, 1940. The first camp was rather small in size and was called, subsequently, Auschwitz I. In October 1941, a far more extensive camp was set up, named after a neighboring village, Auschwitz II-Birkenau (Encyclopaedia Judaica Vol. 3, Coll. 854-871). From March 1942, Jews were directed to the second camp. Mass murders of Jewish prisoners by Zyklon B (prussic acid) gas was instituted at Birkenau as from January 1942, at the instigation of Adolf Eichmann, who was in overall command of the execution of the "Final Solution" of the Jewish Problem by genocide, decided on by the Nazis at Wansee in 1941. The gassing continued for two years and ten months, during which time a million Jews perished in the camp. The convoys arrived at the rate of three or four a day; they were usually met at the platform by the Camp Commandant, Rudolph Hoess, later executed for war-crimes, and the infamous Dr. Mengele, who performed the "Selektion", strong prisoners being separated for forced labor in mines and factories, the remainder being consigned for immediate "elimination."

The first transport of prisoners from Holland arrived in July 1942; the one carrying our Saint was, perhaps, the third, being preceded by a transport of men which had reached the camp that afternoon. The newcomers were taken to barracks and told to leave their clothes on a numbered peg, to be retrieved after the shower, which they were falsely led to believe would follow. Women usually had their hair cut off. The prisoners had then to walk four hundred meters along a path till they came to a large room, with tubes running across the ceiling. Force was used to get them to enter, when necessary. The metal doors were locked, levers operated and the gas introduced into the rooms. Twenty to twenty-five minutes later, electric-pumps evacuated the gas, allowing special commando-units to enter and empty the chambers. Not all the victims were dead. Gold dentures were removed and the corpses carted away to be thrown into a common fosse. Crematoria had not yet been installed at Auschwitz; but, later, to obliterate traces of their crimes, the Nazis exhumed the corpses and had them burnt. From the moment of the arrival of a convoy to the extermination of the victims, no more than an hour and a half would elapse, as a rule. The killing of human beings became a monotonous routine.

Saint Edith, her companions and a thousand other Hebrew Catholics died in the gas-chambers of Auschwitz II-Birkenau on the morning of August 9th from suffocation by prussic acid fumes. She then entered into her glory, accompanied, as we like to believe, by many others.

Saint Edith Stein was accompanied by a group of Hebrew Catholics throughout her ordeal; they lived with her, prayed with her, shared her spiritual sentiments, and died, most of them, together with her in the same gas-chamber. They are the rays of light that scintillate around our Saint’s crown of glory. Divine Providence wanted to give the world an example of an ideal Hebrew Catholic Community, though one assembled under duress and for a short period only.

We recall a few names, those most closely associated with Saint Edith in her trial:

Rosa, Edith’s sister ~ She was the only member of the Stein family to follow Edith into the Church, delaying her entry until the death of her mother, so as to spare the latter the suffering her entry would have occasioned her. She became a Tertiary Carmelite and rendered service to the Nuns at Echt, from where she left with her sister, Edith, for Auschwitz.

Dr. Bromberg and his family ~ The Doctor, his wife, son and daughter travelled in the transport from Amersfoort to Westerbork. They survived the war, as by a miracle. Mrs. Bromberg, who was very close to Edith, left a fine testimony to her bearing during the two days Edith spent in the camp. The son was ordained a priest in the Dominican Order after the war: Fr. Ignatius Bromberg, O.P.

The Löb family ~ The father was a Dr. Löb; of his five children, two became Trappist priests, two Trappistines, and one, a Trappist lay-brother. The two priests deployed an admirable ministry amongst the prisoners, proving a benediction to them in their distress. All were to die with Edith and Rosa.

Sister Judith Mendez da Costa ~ Her family had left Portugal in the 16th century to settle in Amsterdam. She became a Dominican nun and was conventual in Bilthoven from where she was carried off by the Gestapo on August 2nd. Her distant Portuguese origin provided an excuse, so that she was set free for a while and returned to her convent on the 15th August. On the 25th February 1944, she and the entire Portuguese community were transferred from Westerbork to Theresienstadt camp and from there to Auschwitz (16th May) where they were all gassed. Her brother and sister died in the torment. Sister Judith managed to send to her Superior a detailed description of her stay in Westerbork, from August 4th to August 15th, during which time she met Saint Edith.

Alice Reis ~ She entered the Church in 1932, Edith Stein standing as her godmother. Two years later she entered the Sisters of the Good Shepherd as a postulant. Circumstances in Germany being what they were at the time, she was sent to Holland. On account of her asthma, she was not accepted as a religious, but remained on as a lay-helper to the Sisters in several of their establishments. At 5 o’clock on the morning of August 2nd, she was snatched from her convent at Almelo by the Gestapo and sent to Amersfoort camp, from where she accompanied our Saint on the journey to Auschwitz.

Dr. Ruth Kantorowicz of the Ursuline Convent at Venlo ~ She had been an old friend of Edith’s. She was arrested on August 2nd and carried off to Amersfoort and then in a goods-train to Hooghalen. She was one of those who were forced to walk across fields, woods and hedges to the Westerbork camp. In answer to an urgent note, the Ursulines sent her supplies with two gentlemen. They saw her in the camp with Edith Stein, both wearing the yellow star-shaped patch. She remarked that the Trappist priests had not been able to celebrate Holy Mass for them. She left with Edith for Auschwitz.

Dr. Meirowsky ~ Since 1940, she had been resident in the lodge of the Trappistine Abbey near Tilburg. She was a medical doctor of Polish-Jewish origin, acquainted with our Saint with whom she had exchanged several letters. At Tilburg, she rendered valuable services to the community as doorkeeper and community doctor. She was a member of the Dominican Third Order and was regarded by the Trappistines as one of themselves.

In a letter addressed to Dr. Meirowsky's confessor from Westerbork, dated "Transfiguratio, 6, VIII." Dr. Meirowsky expressed the most admirable spiritual sentiments, showing to what extent our Saint was seconded in her intentions by other Hebrew Catholics. We quote the following passages from her letter: "I want to send you my last greetings and to tell you that I have complete confidence in God and have surrendered myself entirely to His will. Even more — I regard it as a grace and privilege to be driven along this road under these conditions, a witness to the words of our good Fathers and shepherds in Christ. "If our sufferings have been increased somewhat then we have received a double portion of grace and a glorious crown is being prepared for us in heaven. Rejoice with me. I am going forward unshaken, confidently and joyfully — like the Sisters who are with me — to testify to Jesus Christ and to bear witness to the Truth in company with our Bishops. We are going as children of Our Holy Mother, the Church; we will unite our sufferings with the sufferings of our King, our Saviour and our Bridegroom, sacrificing ourselves for the conversion, for the Jews, for those who persecute us, so that all may know the peace of Christ and his Kingdom. Join with me in thanking God for this great favor by singing an exultant Magnificat." The letter was signed, Sister M. Magdalena Dominica (in the world, Dr. Meirowsky).

In our humble option, the sentiments that emanate from Dr. Meirowsky’s letter are no less sublime than those expressed by the early Christian martyrs as they went to their death by fire, by torture and by the lions, in the arenas of the Roman Empire.

Thursday Novena Prayer

2007-08-09T10:09:00.000-04:00

LEADER: Help us to remember the pain suffered by ordinary people from the atom bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, near the Catholic cathedral, this day in 1945. Let us also remember today the entrance into heaven of Edith Stein, St. Teresia Benedicta of the Cross, from Auschwitz in 1942.

Pause for silent meditation.

(Matthew 5:43-44) You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

Wednesday Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Peace

2007-08-08T12:02:00.000-04:00

LEADER: Help us to embrace God's entire creation as careful stewards and to share God's gifts unselfishly.

Pause for silent meditation.

(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky, over every other living creature that moves on the ground."

ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

Tuesday Novena in Honor of Our Lady of Peace

2007-08-07T08:59:00.000-04:00

LEADER: Help us to remember that each human being is to be valued at every stage of life, from conception to natural death.

Pause for silent meditation

(Genesis 1:26a-27) God said, "Let us make man in Our image, to Our likeness. So God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

Pope Paul VI

2007-08-06T22:45:00.000-04:00

In his Sunday, August 5, 2007 general audience at Castel Gandolfo, the pope's summer home, Pope Benedict XVI remembered Pope Paul VI who died August 6, 1978, on the Feast of the Transfiguration: “The solemnity of the Transfiguration remains linked to the memory of my venerated predecessor, the Servant of God, Paul VI, who in 1978, here in Castel Gandalfo, completed his earthly mission and was called into the heavenly house of the Father. His memory invites us to raise our eyes to heaven and to faithfully serve the Lord and the Church as he did in the difficult years of the last century.” Pope Paul VI

"Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it! I say. Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows." ~ Pope Paul VI

Requiescat in Pace - Amen

Our Lady, Queen of Peace - Patroness of El Salvador

2007-08-06T14:27:00.000-04:00

Da pacem Dómine in diébus nostris: quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu Deus noster.

Give us every day Your peace, Lord: for there is no one else who would defend us but You, our God.

Tradition has it that some time in 1682 some merchants found an abandoned box on the southern shore of El Salvador. They were unable to open the box. As it was tightly closed and sealed, they surmised that it contained something of value, and decided to take it to the City of San Miguel where they would find out how to open it. They tied the box on a donkey's back and undertook the long and dangerous journey to the city, where they arrived on November 21, meaning to inform the local authorities of their find. But when they went by the parish church, now a cathedral, the donkey lay down on the ground. They were then able to open the box and were surprised to find that it contained a lovely image of Our Lady holding the Child.

The origin of this image is still a mystery, as it never was known for whom the box was intended, or how it came to reach the beaches of El Salvador. But it is evident that the image was sent to heal a divided populace.

It is said that a hard and bloody struggle was going on between the inhabitants of the region, but when they heard of the marvelous discovery in the abandoned box, they put down their weapons and immediately ceased fighting. It is also related that during the 1833 struggles, when everyone expected a blood bath, the victorious side, instead of taking reprisals, had the blessed image placed in the atrium of the parish church. At the feet of Our Lady, a solemn vow was made to keep no grudges and to erase all hatred from the people's hearts so that peace would bring about brotherhood and reconciliation. This is why the image was given the beautiful title of Our Lady of Peace, whose liturgical celebration is held on November 21 in memory of its arrival at San Miguel.

The statute is a dressed wood carving. It has the coat-of-arms of El Salvador embroidered on the front of the image's white robe. The image holds a gold palm leaf in memory of the eruption of the Chaparrastique volcano, which threatened to destroy the city with burning lava. The frightened dwellers of San Miguel brought out the statute of Our Lady of Peace to the principal door of the cathedral, and at that precise moment the force of the lava changed direction, moving away from the city. In the exact place where the lava changed direction there's a town called "Milagro de la Paz" (Miracle of Peace).

On the day this happened, September 21, 1787, everyone saw in the sky, formed by the clouds, a white palm frond that seemed to sprout from the crater of the volcano. Considering that this was a sign of the Virgin's protection, her faithful decided to place in her hand a gold palm like the one they had seen in the sky.

Benedict XV authorized the crowning of the image, which took place on November 21, 1921. The goldsmith who made the Virgin's crown used 650 grams of gold and many precious stones, among which was a huge emerald surrounded by diamonds. The new shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Peace was completed in 1953.

Our Lady of Peace intercede for us, Archbishop Oscar Romero, pray for us

August 6th ~ Novena Prayer in Honor of Our Lady of Peace

2007-08-06T14:19:00.001-04:00

DAILY OPENING PRAYER:Mary, our Mother, Queen of Peace, we pray for your help as we meditate on violence of word and action in families, communities and among nations. Through your maternal love, show us how to follow those teachings of your Son Jesus, His apostles and the prophets that will convert us to nonviolent love and draw us into the kingdom of God. Amen

LEADER: Help us to remember the ordinary people who were killed by our nation's atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan this day in 1945.
Pause for silent meditation.
(Isaiah 2:4) God will rule over the nations and settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not raise sword against nation, they will train for war no more.

ALL: Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it know, that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother. To you do we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer them. Amen

The Virgin Mary - Queen of Peace

2007-08-03T10:03:00.000-04:00

Da pacem Dómine in diébus nostris:

quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu Deus noster.

Give us every day Your peace, Lord:

for there is no one else who would defend us but You, our God.

OUR LADY OF PEACE,

Patroness of El Salvador

pray for us.

Although, Our Lady of Peace is the patroness of the Hawaiian Islands -- Santa Fe, NM and El Salvador, the title of Our Lady of Peace is not too well defined. It appears normally as the title of “Queen of Peace” for which the Church has a special Mass -- “Missa Beata Maria Virgo Regina Pacis”.

Mary is the Immaculate Conception, a person at peace with herself and with God. There are many papal encyclicals asking Mary to intercede for peace.

The Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary contains a Mass (for ordinary times) devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace. In this Mass there is detailed the reasons why Mary is called the Queen of Peace. She is the Mother of the “Prince of Peace” (see the Introit) who reconciled heaven and earth (see Communion). She was standing at the foot of the cross where Christ merited peace for the whole world. At Pentecost Mary prayed for the Spirit of Peace (see the Preface). She is our intercessor with God to obtain the Spirit of Love, Unity and Reconciliation (see the Collect & Communion).

In 1917 Pope Benedict XV added the advocation “Queen of Peace” to the Litany of Loreto.

Join our Parish Novena in honor of OUR LADY, QUEEN OF PEACE. This Novena will be celebrated from August 6th, 2007 to August 14th, 2007 -- After the daily 7 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. Masses. Please join with us in praying this Novena.

Lord, Grant us your Peace

2007-08-02T08:53:00.000-04:00

As we pray for peace in our hearts, our homes, our church, our community and our world, we intercede to our Blessed Mother for her intercession on our behalf.

From the Solemnity Of Mary, Mother Of God

XXXV World Day Of Peace

Homily Of John Paul II

Tuesday, 1 January 2002

If Jesus is Life, Mary is the Mother of Life.

If Jesus is Hope, Mary is the Mother of Hope.

If Jesus is Peace, Mary is the Mother of Peace, Mother of the Prince of Peace.

Holy Mother, Mother of the Prince of Peace, help us!

Mother of Humanity and Queen of Peace, pray for us!

Amen

Join our Parish Novena in honor of OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE will be celebrated from August 6th, 2007 to August 14th, 2007 ~ After the daily 7 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. Masses. You are welcome to join us online in praying this Novena.

Precious Blood of Jesus wash away our sins!

2007-07-31T08:35:00.000-04:00

Act of Reparation to the Precious Blood of Jesus

Adorable Jesus, Lamb without spot, who ceasest not to pour forth Thy Divine Blood in order to appease and justice of Thy Heavenly Father; innocent and thrice holy Victim, who hast paid for the guilty a ransom infinite in merit and in sacrifice, I come before Thee to render thanksgiving for Thy benefits to us, and to make some poor amends for the crimes committed upon earth. Lord, how small, alas, are the number of those who do Thee honor, and how numerous, on the contrary, are they who despise and trample under foot Thy Precious Blood! How many daily satiate Thee with the approbrium of Calvary!

O Jesus, by the potent voice of Thy Divine Blood, and in the name of the infinite merits of Thy heart-rending Passion, I implore Thy mercy, not for myself alone, but for the many souls who, resisting the call of grace, refuse to seek, at the foot of the Cross, or under the shadow of the Tabernacle, pardon and life. Pity, gentle Jesus, pity all these; pity also those who dare to approach Thee all uncleansed, and to mingle Thine adorable Blood with the mire of their sins. Yes, pity, mercy, pardon! We implore these graces in the name of Thy Blood and Thy Eucharist!
Most holy Mary, bless me! Take my heart, hold it fast, and keep it in perpetual adoration before the altar; that there it may ever be, glorifying Jesus, and making reparation for the outrages offered to His Blood.

Amen

Peace Novena

2007-07-29T23:06:00.000-04:00

OUR LADY, QUEEN OF PEACE, pray for us!

Join us in praying our Peace Novena in honor of Our Lady of Peace -- from August 6th, to August 14th, 2007. This is an opportunity for all of us to pray for peace in the world and in our hearts. The Novena will be prayed after the daily 7 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. Masses at Saint Thomas Aquinas Church and after all the Sunday Masses at both Saint Thomas Aquinas Church and Holy Family Church. Copies of the novena in English & Spanish will be available in the church vestibule or online for those who wish to pray at home. With all of the problems in the world, there certainly is no question regarding the importance of saying a Novena with the intention for peace in our world and in our hearts!!

Our Lady, Queen of Peace is the patroness of the Hawaiian Islands. The first Catholic missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands arrived at Honolulu Bay on July 7, 1827. These missionaries were members of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and of Perpetual Adoration and upon their arrival in the islands dedicated their labors to the patroness of the Congregation, Our Lady Queen of Peace and placed the Islands under her protection. It was in her honor that these missionaries erected the first Catholic Church.

After more than a decade of contentious relations with the Hawaiian government, the missionaries were finally allowed to proceed with their evangelization work. In thanksgiving, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace was erected. Completed in 1843, a statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace was placed in the niche above the main altar. The Cathedral was solemnly blessed and dedicated to Our Lady of Peace on the feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1843. Blessed Damien of Molokai was a member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

The original statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace is located in the Convent Chapel of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts in Picpus, France. During the troubled days of the Commune, in 1871, the populace, incited by atheistic leaders, invaded churches, chapels and convents, destroying every emblem of religion that fell into their hands. The chapel of Our Lady Queen of Peace became their prey. The Superior, with tears in her eyes, begged them to spare their beloved shrine; and, strange to say, the rabble went away, leaving it unharmed. When the tempest of the persecution subsided, the statue was again returned to its usual place and honored and venerated by a phalanx of devout souls. On July 9, 1906, the statue of Our Lady Queen of Peace was solemnly crowned in the name of Pope Pius X by his Eminence Cardinal Amette, Archbishop of Paris. Every year on July 9 the feast of Our Lady Queen of Peace is celebrated with great solemnity in the Congregation of the Fathers and Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary and Perpetual Adoration.

During World War I Pope Benedict XV added the title Queen of Peace to the Litany of Loreto.

The Novena prayer will be available online very soon! Please join us in prayer asking the Lord to grant us the gift of His peace.

Da pacem Dómine in diébus nostris: quia non est álius qui pugnet pro nobis, nisi tu Deus noster. Amen
Give us every day Your peace, Lord: for there is no one else who would defend us but You, our God. Amen

July ~ the month of the Most Precious Blood

2007-07-15T17:30:00.000-04:00

Precious Blood of Jesus, wash away our sins!

Offering

Of the Precious

Blood for Souls

O my God, I beg of Thee in

union with the Immaculate Heart

of Mary, through the merits of the

Precious Blood offered Thee in every

Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world,

to grant that this day one mortal sin may be

averted, one soul in doubt may be converted to

the truth, one soul about to die in sin may receive

the grace of repentance and a happy death, and

the deliverance of that soul in purgatory which is

nearest Heaven. I wish by this offering to console

the Heart Of Jesus in agony for the souls lost

through the Teaching of error against the

true Church of Christ Jesus,

Our Lord. Amen

Our Lady of Lourdes

2007-02-11T16:26:00.000-05:00

Our Lady of Lourdes Pray for us!

It was on February 11th, 1858, that a beautiful lady first appeared to Bernadette Soubirous of Lourdes, France.
Marie Bernard, or Bernadette as she was affectionately called, explained the vision she experienced in these words: "A gentle Light brightened the dark recess and there in the Light, a smile. A girl dressed in a white dress, tied with a blue ribbon, a white veil on her head, and a yellow rose on each foot."

A beautiful image [avoiding thinking about the connection to the Cheshire cat :-) ]. May our Lady lead us to her Son, heal our problems and help our parish community! Amen

I also found it interesting to discover the St. Bernadette was the first Canonized Saint that we have an actual photograph of. Interesting.....

Epiphany at St. Thomas Aquinas ~ Holy Family

2007-01-14T16:15:00.000-05:00

The Lord has been manifest to us!!

O God, by Your heavenly star, You guided those who were wise to your beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

May Your blessing come to rest on our homes and all of us. Make our lives wise with Your wisdom, true to Your teaching, and enlivened by Your love. May Your Word made flesh make His home among us. Amen.

We thank the Lugo Family for their incredible generosity in facilitating our Three Kings Celebration. May God always bless you!

Our Lady of the Rosary

2006-10-14T10:41:00.000-04:00

October is the Month of the Rosary.

In keeping with Fr. Jesus' devotion to this prayer, let us all make a special attempt to pray the Rosary during October.

To quote Pope John Paul II ~ "October is the month in which Mary Most Holy, Queen of the Holy Rosary, is venerated. Within the current international context, I invite all ~ individuals ~ families ~ communities ~ to pray this Marian prayer, possibly every day, for peace, so that the world can be preserved from the wicked scourge of terrorism."

Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us.......

The Christian Bill of Rights

2006-10-07T11:52:00.000-04:00

Happy Autumn -- it's a chill day and the trees are starting to show some color!! Thank God for the beauty of our world!!

I've been meaning to post this link for a while......

With thanks to our Anglican brother at http://monasticmumblings.typepad.com/ the following is his September 5th, 2006 posting.....

We, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, have given our hearts, minds and lives to Him and are dedicated to serving the world in His name and in His love. We believe the following 9 rights to be self-evident in scripture.

We believe, furthermore, that these rights are God-given and are therefore not subject to the will of man, the legislation of government nor the fiat of the courts. Namely,

We have the right to be known as the children of God. (John 1:12)

We have the right to suffer persecution for our faith and to accept this persecution as normal. (2nd Timothy 3:12)

We have the right to shower our persecutors with love, grace, mercy and kindness. (Romans 12:14)

We have the right to suffer insult and injury without redress. (Matthew 5:39)

We have the right to be compelled to serve others and to serve over and above that which we are legally required to do. (Matthew 5: 41)

We have the right to pay more than a court 0rdered settlement against us requires, regardless of the justness of the verdict. (Matthew 5:40)

We have the right to poverty. (Luke 18: 18-25)

We have the right to pay taxes without complaint or comment as to how those taxes are spent. (Mark 12:13-17)

We have the right to refuse our self determination for submission and obedience to God. (Mark 8:34 - 38)

With this document I hereby call upon all Christians to petition their government and demand their rights.
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Interesting