WHY DO CATHOLICS CROSS THEIR FOREHEAD, LIPS, HEART AT THE GOSPEL?

We cross our forehead so that the Word of God may be in our thoughts and purify our minds. We cross our lips so that our speech may be holy and incline us to share the Gospel with others. We cross our hearts to invite God to strengthen our love for him and others.This is so we may know, proclaim and love Jesus more.

THE MAGNIFICAT

The Magnificat

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 remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.

COMPARED APOSTLES CREED AND NICENE CREED

COMPARED APOSTLES CREED AND NICENE CREED

Nicene Creed:

I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen. 

 

Apostles’ Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,  and the life everlasting. Amen.

NICENE CREED

Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty, 
Maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
consubstantial with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:by the power of the Holy Spirit
was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is adored and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins,
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.

Amen.

SAINT DOMINIC PRAYER

Prayer of St. Dominic

May God the Father who made us bless us.
May God the Son send his healing among us.
May God the Holy Spirit move within us and
give us eyes to see with, ears to hear with,
and hands that your work might be done.
May we walk and preach the word of
God to all.
May the angel of peace watch over us and
lead us at last by God's grace to the
Kingdom.

Amen.

SAINT BENEDICT PRAYER

Prayer of St. Benedict

Gracious and holy Father,
grant us the intellect to understand you,
reason to discern you, diligence to seek you,
wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you,
a heart to meditate upon you.
May our ears hear you, may our eyes behold you,
and may our tongues proclaim you.
Give us grace that our way of life may be pleasing to you,
that we may have the patience to wait for you
and the perseverance to look for you.
Grant us a perfect end--your holy presence,
a blessed resurrection and life everlasting.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

A MOTHER'S PRAYER TO THE GUARDIAN ANGELS OF HER CHILDREN

The world is a dangerous place. When you leave the comforts of your home there is no telling what may happen to you or your children. This has been the case since Adam and Eve and will continue to be so until Jesus comes again.

The good news is that we are not alone.

As the Catechism of the Catholic Church declares, “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by [angels and] their watchful care and intercession” (CCC 336). God appoints to each one of us a guardian angel whose mission is to guide, guard and protect. We don’t always see them or sense their presence, but the truth is that they are there, ready and willing to come to our aid.

We just have to ask.

For parents, it is easy to forget that our children have guardian angels and that we can pray to them (through the mediation of our own guardian angel) and invoke their powerful protection over our children. When we can’t physically be there with our children to protect them, it is most appropriate to pray to their guardian angel.

Here is a short prayer that is usually entitled, “A Mother’s Prayer to the Guardian Angels of Her Children,” and is one way that we can quiet our heart and be at peace knowing who is protecting our little ones.

SAY PRAYER

I humbly salute you, O you faithful, heavenly friends of my children! I give you heartfelt thanks for all the love and goodness you show them. At some future day I shall, with thanks more worthy than I can now give, repay your care for them, and before the whole heavenly court acknowledge their indebtedness to your guidance and protection. Continue to watch over them. Provide for all their needs of body and soul. Pray, likewise, for me, for my husband, and my whole family, that we may all one day rejoice in your blessed company. Amen.

THE GREAT SAINT WHO HAD THE GIFTS OF VISIONS, MIRACLES AND PROPHECY

Saint Gertrude The Great

Saint Gertrude was born January 6, 1256 in Germany. By 1261 as a student at the Benedictine abbey at Helfta in Saxony she had been placed in the care of the Abbey, Gertrude. The nuns of Helfta described Gertrude as a loveable and quick-witted. At the age of 15 or 16 she entered the Benedictine community as a novice, where she eventually became a teacher at the school. Gertrude was not very pious as a nun. She began to find the routine of the Benedictine community tiresome. By 1280 she had become depressed and withdrawn.

Shortly after her 25 birthday Jesus spoke to Gertrude. She tells us that she heard Christ say to her, "Do not fear. I will save you and set you free." This was the first in a series of visions that transformed her life. From then on, she spent many hours reading the bible and writing essays on the word of God. When she was asked to write about her experiences, she claimed that it would serve no purpose. When she was told that her words would encourage others, Gertrude agreed to write spiritual autobiography. Only the first 24 chapters of this book, THE HERALD OF GOD'S LOVING-KINDNESS, is her writing. The remainder has been added by members of the community to which she belonged. Gertrude also wrote her SPIRITUAL EXERCISES, a book of prayers, hymns and reflections. St. Gertrude is one of the leading women religious writers of the late 13th century. Outwardly, she appeared to be a the simple Benedictine nun. She had a great devotion to the Holy Souls in purgatory. Her raptures were frequent and so absorbing that she was insensible to what passed around her. She had the gift of miracles well as that of prophecy.

During one of her visions Jesus told ST. Gertrude that the following prayer would release

1000 souls from purgatory each time it is said:

'Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious blood of thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family’

RELEASE SOULS FROM PURGATORY THROUGH THIS POWERFUL PRAYER

CHAPLET OF SAINT GERTRUDE

If one prays the entire St. Gertrude Chaplet (see below), which is said on an ordinary rosary, Our Lord releases 50,000 souls from purgatory each time it is said!

How easy it would be to empty out purgatory if we each prayed this form of the rosary just once a day!

 How to pray the Chaplet of Saint Gertrude

The Chaplet of Saint Gertrude is prayed on an ordinary Rosary.

Beginning at the Cross, pray the "Apostle's Creed".

This is followed by 1 "Our Father", 3 "Hail Mary" and 1 "Glory be".

Starting on the Medal and then on the 4 large beads between each decade (sets of 10 beads), pray the "Our Father."

On each of the small beads (in the sets of 10 beads), say the following prayer:

"Eternal Father,

I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus,

in union with the Masses said throughout the world today,

for all the holy souls in Purgatory,

for sinners in the universal Church,

those in my own home,

and within my family.

Amen."

At the end of each set of 10 beads, say the following prayers:

"Most Sacred Heart of Jesus,

open the hearts and minds of sinners

to the truth and light of God, the Father."

"Immaculate Heart of Mary,

pray for the conversion of sinners and the world."

and 1 "Glory be."

Then on the next large bead start again with the "Our Father".

Repeat above to the end of the Rosary.

THE DIVINE MERCY CHAPLET THROUGH THE ROSARY

The Divine Mercy Chaplet is a relatively recent but very popular devotion revealed by Our Lord to St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun. On Good Friday 1937, Christ appeared to Saint Faustina and asked her to recite this chaplet for nine days, starting on Good Friday and ending on the Octave of Easter (the Sunday after Easter Sunday), now known as Divine Mercy Sunday.

The chaplet is most often recited during those nine days, but it can be prayed at any time of the year, and Saint Maria Faustina recited it almost unceasingly.

A standard rosary can be used to recite the chaplet, and the entire devotion takes just 20 minutes—about the time it takes to pray the rosary.

Step 1

Make the Sign of the Cross

Step 2

Pray the opening prayers. There are two opening prayers; the second is repeated three times:

First Prayer
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us.

Second Prayer
O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You! (repeat three times)

Step 3

Pray the Our Father

Step 4

Pray the Hail Mary

Step 5

Say the Apostles' Creed

Step 6

Pray the prayer "Eternal Father." On the Our Father bead before each decade, pray the following prayer:

Eternal Father
Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. Amen.

Step 7

Pray the prayer "For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion" 10 times. On each of the Hail Mary beads in each decade, pray the following prayer:

For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion

For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

Step 8

Repeat steps 6 and 7: On each of the next four decades of the Chaplet, repeat steps 6 and 7 (pray the "Eternal Father," followed by 10 "For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion")

Step 9

After you have prayed all five decades of the Chaplet, pray "Concluding Doxology," which is repeated three times:

Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." (repeat three times)

Step 10 

After the doxology, pray the Closing Prayer:

Eternal God, in Whom mercy is endless, and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us, and increase Your mercy in us, that in difficult moments, we might not despair, nor become despondent, but with great confidence, submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy Itself. Amen.

Step 11

End With the Sign of the Cross