Jan/Feb/Mar
2017
Newsletter 123
*O come, let us adore Him, O come, let
us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, Lo! star led chieftains, Magi, Christ adoring,
O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem.
Offer
Him incense, gold, and myrrh;
Come and behold Him, born the King of angels* We
to the Christ Child bring our hearts’ oblations.*
Sing, choirs of angels, sing in
exultation; Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;
O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Jesus, to Thee be
glory given;
Glory to God, all glory in the highest*
Word of the Father,
now in flesh appearing.*
His mother [Mary] said …
“Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn 2:5)
“The Holy Hour is
not a devotion; it is a sharing in the work of redemption . . . He [Jesus]
asked for an hour of reparation to combat the hour of evil; an hour of victimal
union with the Cross to overcome the anti-love of sin” (Ven. Archbishop Fulton
J. Sheen). Evil must be overcome with good. Greater evil must be overcome with
greater good. The extraordinary evils of the world today must be overcome with
the extraordinary good of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration!
In response the question “What can I
do—if I am a Catholic?” Ven. Archbishop Sheen wrote: “If the duty of my state
of life permits and if it is physically possible, I can make a daily Holy Hour
in the presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament in reparation for
blasphemies and irreverences and that Christ may reign in the hearts and souls
of men. ‘Could you not watch one hour with me?’” (Matthew 26:40).
2017: Year of the 100th
anniversary of Fatima
Our Lady of Fatima’s last apparition, witnessed by 70,000
people, occurred on October l3th, 1917, culminating with the Miracle of the
Sun! This miracle was a manifestation of the great love, mercy and glory of
Jesus in the Holy Eucharist! Our Blessed Mother said, “I am the Lady of the
Rosary, and I desire a chapel built in my honor in this place.” In her
apparitions Our Lady always asks for a chapel so that her Son may be adored in
the Holy Eucharist. During the course of her six apparitions, Our Lady asked
that we go to confession, frequently receive and adore Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament, daily pray the Rosary, and make sacrifices for the conversion of
sinners. In this her last visit, she was with St. Joseph who held the Christ
Child in his arms, as he blessed everyone—stressing the importance of invoking
his intercession. Mary was dressed as Our Lady of Mount Carmel, wearing the
brown scapular, highlighting its importance as a sacramental. Our Lady of
Fatima promised “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will
lead you to God.” “If people do what I tell you, many souls will be saved and
there will be peace.” “My Immaculate Heart will triumph.” Our Blessed Mother warned that, if this
message is not heeded, there will be great tribulations and sufferings upon the
earth.
“All the supreme teachers, the popes,
have been unanimous in proclaiming that the devotion to the Most Blessed
Sacrament and the Holy Rosary are the hope and salvation of the world in our
evil and dangerous era. They have endeavored, by word and example, to bring the
faithful more closely to Jesus Christ in the Most Blessed Sacrament and to Our
Lady’s Rosary” (The Eucharist and the
Rosary: The Power to Change the World, by Louis Kaczmarek, available
through us).
Solemnity, Blessed Virgin
Mary, Mother of God & World Day of Peace—Feast, Jan. 1:
“Above all, let us
listen to Mary Most Holy, in whom the mystery of the Eucharist appears, more
than in anyone else, as a mystery of light. Gazing upon Mary, we come to know
the transforming power present in the Eucharist. In her we see the world
renewed in love.” (Pope St. John Paul II)
Sts. Basil the Great &
Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops, Doctors, Cappadocia (4th c.)—Feast,
Jan. 2:
St.
Gregory Nazianzen, wrote “When I was about to die, the immaculate table [the
Eucharist] saved me.” This was also true of his sister, Gorgonia. When
suffering from a serious illness, she went before the Jesus in Eucharistic
Adoration and prayed that he would heal her. Gorgonia told our Lord that
she would not leave until she was well. After spending much time at the feet
of Jesus she was completely healed!
Feast of the Most Holy Name
of Jesus: Blessed be His holy name!— Feast, Jan. 3:
May the most holy, most sacred, most
adorable, most incomprehensible and ineffable Name of God be forever praised,
blessed, loved, adored and glorified, in Heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of Our Lord Jesus Christ
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen. (An Act of Praise and
Reparation, dictated by Jesus to Sr. Mary of St. Peter)
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Widow, Mother,
Convert, Religious, U.S. (1774-1821)—Feast, Jan. 4:
St.
Elizabeth, foundress of the Sisters of Charity, started the first parochial
school in the United States, and was the first native born citizen to be
canonized. It was St. Elizabeth’s belief in the real Presence of Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament which led to her conversion to Catholicism. She wrote
beautifully of her love of the Holy Eucharist.
St. John Neumann, Redemptorist Priest,
Bishop, Bohemia (1811-1860)—Feast, Jan. 5:
Promulgator
of 40 Hours (of Eucharistic Adoration) in the U.S., St. John wrote: “How much I
love You, O my Jesus! I wish to love You with my whole heart; yet I do not love
You enough. My lack of devotion and my negligence still haunt me. I have one
desire, that of being near You in the Blessed Sacrament. You are the sweet
bridegroom of my soul. My Jesus, my love, my all, gladly would I endure hunger,
thirst, heat and cold to remain always with You in the Blessed Sacrament.”
St. Br. Andre Bessette,
Miracle Worker, Holy Cross Brother, Montreal, Canada (1845-1937)—Feast, Jan. 6:
“O Holy
angels, make me see God on the altar as you see Him in heaven.” (St. Br. Andre)
Solemnity of the Epiphany
of Our Lord—Feast, Jan. 8:
O Holy Child Jesus,
who shed Your blessings on whoever invokes Your name, look kindly on us who
kneel humbly before You, and hear our prayers. We commend to Your
mercy the many poor and needy people who trust in Your Divine Heart. Lay Your
all-powerful hand upon them and help them in their needs. Lay Your hand upon
the sick, to cure them and sanctify their suffering; upon those in distress, to
console them; upon sinners, to draw them into the light of your divine grace;
upon all those who, stricken with grief and suffering, turn trustingly to You
for loving help. Lay Your hand also upon all of us and give us Your blessing. O
Little King, grant the treasures of Your Divine Mercy to all the world, and
keep us now and always in the grace of Your Love! Amen.
Feast of the Baptism of the
Lord—Feast, Jan. 9:
(Jn 1:29-33): John the Baptist saw Jesus
and exclaimed: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the
world." "It is He who will baptize with The Holy Spirit.” When
we go to “The Lamb,” Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we ask for grace to live out
our Baptismal calling as faithful children of the Father. With each Hail
Mary we pray—to be open to receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit (from our
A-13 Rosary pamphlet).
O Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Mercy, at this most
critical time, we entrust the United States of America to your loving care. Most Holy Mother, we beg you to reclaim
this land for the glory of your Son. Overwhelmed with the burden of the sins of
our nation, we cry to you from the depths of our hearts and seek refuge in your
motherly protection. Look down
with mercy upon us and touch the hearts of our people. Open our minds to the
great worth of human life and to the responsibilities that accompany human
freedom. Free us from the
falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion and threaten the sanctity of
family life. Grant our country the wisdom to proclaim that God’s law is the
foundation on which this nation was founded, and that He alone is the True
Source of our cherished rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. O Merciful Mother, give us the courage
to reject the culture of death and the strength to build a new Culture of Life.
St.
Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor of the Church, Italy, (c. 1225-1274)—Jan. 28:
St.
Thomas was known as “the sun of theological schools” and for his great love of
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, he wrote many prayers and hymns which the
Church continues to use to honor Our Lord in The Eucharist. “I firmly believe that Jesus Christ, true God and true
man, is present in this august Sacrament.”
St. John Bosco, Priest, Salesian Founder, Patron of
Editors, Italy (1815-1888)—Jan. 31:
St. John
proclaimed the importance of holding fast to the Two Pillars, the Holy
Eucharist and Our Lady. “I beg you to recommend to everyone, first adoration of
the Blessed Sacrament then reverence for the most holy Mary.”
The
Presentation of the Lord—Feast, February 2:
“Simeon
gave back Jesus to His Mother, he was only suffered to keep Him for one moment.
But we are far happier than Simeon. We may keep Him always if we will. In
Communion He comes not only into our arms but into our hearts” (St. John
Vianney).
St. Blase, Bishop and Martyr, Armenia (d. 316)—Feast,
February 3
Invoked for the healing of throat diseases, St. Blase wrote: “Father of mercy
and God of all consolation, graciously look upon me and impart to me the
blessing which flows from this Holy Sacrament [The Eucharist]. Overshadow
me with Your loving kindness, and let this divine Mystery bear fruit in me.”
St. Paul Miki,
Priest and Martyr, Japan (1564-1597)—Feast, February 6
St.
Paul’s family converted to Christianity when he was a child. As a Jesuit,
empowered by the Eucharist, he proclaimed and defended the Catholic
faith. St. Paul and 25 other Catholics were brutally tortured and
crucified during a persecution. While hanging on the Cross, St. Paul encouraged
spectators, saying, “Ask Christ
to help you to become happy. I obey Christ. After Christ’s example I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate
them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow
men as a fruitful rain.”
St. Josephine Bakhita, Religious, Africa (1869-1947)—Feast,
February 8
Kidnapped at 9 from Sudan, St. Josephine was enslaved, beaten and
tortured. She was freed from slavery at 21 and joined the Canossian
Sisters. The Real Presence of
Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament attracted her to the Catholic faith. St.
Josephine spent hours in Eucharistic Adoration and, when one Sister asked
if it tired her, she said, “Not at all! I have been having a wonderful
time with Him. He has waited so long for me.”
St. Scholastica,
Benedictine Nun, Abbess, Italy (480-547)—Feast, February 10
Scholastica,
was the first abbess of the order of nuns founded in Monte Cassino by her twin
brother St. Benedict. She was a devout and dutiful religious who spent many
hours daily in prayer before Jesus Eucharistic. Scholastica was also very close
to her twin brother Benedict. When she died, St. Benedict saw her soul rise to
heaven in the form of a dove!
Our Lady of Lourdes, France—Feast, February
11:
“The first
ever person reportedly healed at Lourdes had previously fallen from a tree
while pregnant. Her hand broke her fall and saved the baby. But she dislocated
her upper arm, tearing through a major bundle of nerves and paralyzing two of
her fingers—permanently, or so people presumed. During the very early morning
hours of March 1, 1858, Catherine visited Lourdes, still pregnant. She met
Bernadette, and the two prayed together. When Bernadette discovered the stream
there for the first time, Catherine bathed her hand in it, and her fingers
could move as they had before the accident. She returned home later that
evening and gave birth to the son she was carrying. In 1882, 24 years later,
that son was ordained a priest.” (M.J. Szimanski)
Sts.
Cyril and Methodius, Co-patrons of Europe, Thessalonica (9th
century)—Feast, February 14:
Sts. Cyril and Methodius “were brothers in blood but even more so in faith” (St. John Paul II). They evangelized Crimea and Moravia. St. Cyril designed an alphabet for the Slavs and St. Methodius translated numerous Greek texts into their language. This enabled them to promoted culture while translating sacred books (e.g., for the Mass) into the vernacular. Additionally, they promoted ecumenism, uniting the faith of their Byzantine Greek heritage with their fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church.
St. Claude de la Colombiere, Priest, France (d.
1682)—Feast, February 15:
Jesuit Spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, St. Claude was
inspired during his adoration before the Blessed Sacrament to promulgate the
message of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as revealed to St. Margaret Mary.
He spent many Holy Hours in Eucharistic Adoration.
St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Patron of Clerics
& Youth, Italy (1838-1862)—Feast, February 27:
As a
teen, St. Gabriel spent much time with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. It was
through these visits and devotion to Our Lady that he received his calling to
the religious life. St. Gabriel was handsome, popular, and loved to dance. He
became a Passionist Brother, taking the name of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of
Sorrows and died at the age of 24.
Bl. Angela of Foligno, Widow &
Mother, Secular Franciscan, Italy (1248-1309)—Feast, February 28:
“Burning with love for us, [Jesus] You desired to give Yourself to us and took
up Your dwelling in the consecrated Host, entirely and forever, until the end
of time. And You did this, not only to give us a memorial of Your death which
is our salvation, but You did it also, to remain with us entirely and forever”
(Bl. Angela of Foligno, Third Order Franciscan).
St. Toribio Romo Gonzalez, Priest, Martyr, Mexico (1900-1928)—Feast,
February 28:
Fr. Gonzalez reverently and secretly offered the Holy Mass. He zealously worked
to spread Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and to administer the
Sacraments. Father was victimized, persecuted and martyred because of his
faith and priesthood.
“Oh! Yes, Lord Jesus, come and reign!
Let my body be Your temple, my heart Your throne, my will Your devoted servant;
let me be Yours forever, living only in You and for you!” (St. Peter Julian
Eymard)
St. Katharine Drexel,
Religious, Foundress, Philadelphia, PA, United States (1858-1955)—Feast, March
3:
St. Katharine Drexel, of Philadelphia, gave up her wealth
to spend her life for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist in prayer and work for the
poor. She founded the order of Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament to
serve Native and African Americans. St. Katharine wrote: “I adore
You, my Eucharistic God. You are there exposed in the ostensorium
[monstrance]. The rays are the rays of Your love for me, for each
individual soul. If it wasn’t for Your love, I would be in hell. I
return You thanksgiving through Mary, through St. Joseph, through all the
Apostles, Martyrs, Virgins and Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament in
heaven. And lastly, I thank You through the sacred host on all the altars
throughout the world.”
St. John of God, Rel.,
Hospitallers Founder, Patron of Heart Patients, Portugal (1495-1550)—Feast,
March 8:
St. John was
a holy youth and spent the first part of his life as a shepherd. As a young man
St. John joined the military and veered from his faith, but later converted and
dedicated his life totally to God. St. John founded the Brothers Hospitallers
of St. John of God who tirelessly care for the sick. St. John wrote, “Love our
Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist above all things in the world.” He is the
patron of those suffering from heart disease.
St. Patrick, Bishop and
Patron of Ireland (d. 461)—Feast, March 17:
I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me; God’s might to uphold me, God’s
wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear
me, God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me, God’s
way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me, God’s hosts to save
me From snares of the devil, From temptations of vices, From
everyone who desires me ill, Afar and anear, Alone or in a multitude
. . . Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ
beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ
when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ in the heart of every man
who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ
in the eye that sees me, Christ in the ear that hears me. I arise
today Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, Through a
belief in the Threeness, Through a confession of the Oneness Of the Creator of
creation (From St. Patrick’s Lorica)
St. Joseph, Patron of
Universal Church, Spouse of B.V.M.—Feast, March 20:
“The Blessed Sacrament and St. Joseph.
Behold our hope in these perilous times!” (Bishop Pichenot) “Aside
from the Blessed Virgin, Saint Joseph was the first and most perfect adorer of
our Lord.” (St. Peter Julian Eymard)
Go to Joseph in thy joys, thou wilt rejoice
the more.
Go to Joseph in thy grief, when death knocks
at thy door.
Go to Joseph no matter when, thy refuge he
will be.
He holds the key to Jesus' Heart, Its
treasures are for thee!
Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord—March 25:
“In an instant the Holy Spirit overshadows her [Mary], making her a living ciborium
privileged to bear within herself for nine months the Guest who is the Host of the
world” (Ven. Archbishop Fulton J.
Sheen).
Memorare: Remember, O most gracious Virgin
Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored
thy help, or sought thine intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this
confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to thee do I come,
before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate,
despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
JESUS, EUCHARISTIC SAVIOR,
WE ADORE YOU!
Prayer Intentions: Please send us the
names of your family, relatives, loved ones, friends and any special intentions
you would like us to pray for throughout these holy days before Jesus, Our
Eucharistic Lord!
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We need your prayers and financial contributions more urgently than ever to
continue on this most important saving work! Won’t you help
us? Please be generous. (Visa / MC accepted)
M.B.S., P.O. Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518)561-8193 http://www.acfp2000.com/
Start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in your parish or community today!