https://www.azriseupfaithful.com/
CANDLEMASS-GROUND HOG DAY-Natl. Signing Day
Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verse 14-15
14
Now since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that
is, the devil, 15
and free those who through FEAR of death had been subject to
slavery all their life.
Science is a great gift to
mankind, yet it does not erase the fear
of death; only Christ can do this. In fact, we are engaged in a great spiritual
battle where our fears are the
very chains that enslave us.
Think
of how many have responded to COVID which has half the mortality rate of heart
disease; yet people via fear are going apoplectic over COVID and still eat
things that will kill them while standing in line for the latest jab or become
mask NAZI’s.
Napoleon Hill writes in his tale “Outwitting the Devil”[1] his thoughts on fear during an imaginary interview with the devil to obtain his secrets.
Q.
Go ahead and describe your clever tricks, Your Majesty.
A. One of my cleverest devices for mind
control is fear. I plant the
seed of fear in the minds of people, and as these seeds germinate and grow,
through use, I control the space they occupy. The six most effective fears are the fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age, and
death.
Q. Which
of these six fears serves you
most often, your majesty?
A. The
first and the last-poverty and death! At one time or another during life I
tighten my grip on all people through one or both of these. I plant these fears in the minds of people so deftly
that they believe them to be their own creation. I accomplish his end by making
people believe I am standing just beyond the entrance gate of the next life,
waiting to claim them after death for eternal punishment. Of course, I cannot
punish anyone, except in that person's own mind, through some form of fear-but fear of the thing which does not exist is just as useful to me as fear of that which does exist. All
forms of fear extend the space I
occupy in the human mind.
Although Napoleon thoughts may not be theologically
correct; he still makes a strong case as does our God that fear is the root of sin.
Today
we fight
Novena
to fight the Devil in Scottsdale[2]
The
Satanic Temple has announced that Scottsdale has been selected as the site for
the group’s first religious convention. They call it “SatanCon.com”
a three-day event that will take place February 11-13, 2022. Scottsdale officials
made clear that they are, in fact, accepting and inclusive regarding Satanists.
Lucien Greaves (co-founder of the Satanic Temple) stated: “We heard you,
Scottsdale, and we accepted that as an invitation to turn Scottsdale into the
Happy Satanic Fun Capital of the World.” Satanic
Temple To Host Satanic Convention, “We’re To Bring Satan To Scottsdale –
Arizona Daily Independent
Their website
says: ‘Lupercalia in Scottsdale'
What does ‘lupercalia’ in
Scottsdale mean? Lupercalia
is a Roman festival held on Feb. 15 in honor of Lupercus, regarded as the
god of fertility, in the celebration of which dogs and goats were sacrificed
and their skins cut up into thongs, with which the pagan priests ran through
the city striking everyone, particularly women… https://www.definitions.net/definition/lupercali
What Is the
Catholic Response from the Laity?
·
February
11th (Friday) Noon to 3 pm Rosary and Prayer in front of
hotel.
·
February
12th (Saturday) Noon to 3 pm Rosary and Prayer in front of hotel.
·
February
13th (Sunday) Noon to 3 pm Rosary and Prayer in front
of hotel.
Why Is the Rosary So Powerful Against Satan?
The
Secret of the Rosary,
Saint Louis de Montfort said: “Public prayer is far more powerful than
private prayer to appease the anger of God and call down His Mercy, and Holy
Mother Church, guided by the Holy Ghost, has always advocated public prayer in
times of public tragedy and suffering.” Through our prayers we will call
the grace of God down upon us and the city of Scottsdale. We will have a Marian
consecration done for the city of Scottsdale. Catholics must confront this evil
cult in every city they seek to consecrate to satan. Every square inch on
planet earth belongs to Our Lord Jesus Christ, He purchased it with his blood.
This is a rallying cry for Catholic men to stand up and non-Catholic men of
good will.
Click
the button below to view the prayers we will pray during the protest
“Why
Protest”? Below are the FAQs that will help you understand why we should take a
stand in this fight
Why Are We
Protesting? Click Here FAQs
PREPARATION for the Protest
It
is important to be SPIRTUALLY PREPARED for this event. We STRONGLY
recommend that you are in a STATE of GRACE:
·
Go
to CONFESSION within 7-Days before the event and receive the Holy Eucharist as
often as possible
·
Start
a 9-Day Rosary Novena
to Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patron Saint of the Diocese of Phoenix, AZ on
Wednesday, 02-02-22
·
PRAY:
at least 3 times-a-DAY as Daniel did in Daniel 6:10-11
·
PENANCE:
(Rosary & Divine Mercy on your knees) and fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays
·
BRING:
your Rosary, Sacramentals, and Holy Images
Our
Church is under attack! It is the laity’s time to rise up and “step into the
breach.” We need “boots on the ground” and show the strength of our Catholic
Faith. Make a prayerful discernment on how YOU are going to participate in this
battle for Mother Church!
“I begin
this letter with a clarion call and clear charge to you, my sons and brothers
in Christ: Men, do not hesitate to engage in the battle that is raging
around you, the battle that is wounding our children and families, the battle
that is distorting the dignity of both women and men.” – First words
of Bishop Thomas J Olmsted’s 2015 Apostolic Exhortation, ‘Into the Breach’
In this fight with the children of Satan let us call
upon the great St. Joseph who is a Terror of Demons.
First Wednesday[3]
Our Heavenly Father desires all three hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph to be honored. And so along with devotion to Jesus on First Fridays, and to Mary on First Saturdays, Our Father longs for us to add devotion to St. Joseph on each First Wednesday of the month.
"The Sacred Hearts of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have been chosen by the Most Holy Trinity to bring peace to the world." It is at God's request that "special love and honor be given to them" to help us "imitate" their love and their lives, as well as "offer reparation" for the sins committed against them and their love.
The St. Joseph First Wednesday devotion is:
1. Pray the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary - remembering St. Joseph's love, his life, his role and his sufferings
2. Receive Holy Communion - in union with the love St. Joseph had for Jesus the first time and each time he held him - his son, his God and Savior - in his arms.
In the approved
apparitions of Our Lady of America, St. Joseph revealed:
· "I am the protector of the Church and
the home, as I was the protector of Christ and his Mother while I lived upon
earth. Jesus and Mary desire that my pure heart, so long hidden and unknown, be
now honored in a special way.
· Let my children honor my most pure heart in a
special manner on the First Wednesday of the month by reciting the Joyful
Mysteries of the Rosary in memory of my life with Jesus and Mary and the love I
bore them, the sorrow I suffered with them.
· Let them receive Holy Communion in union with
the love with which I received the Savior for the first time and each time I
held Him in my arms.
· Those who honor me in this way will be
consoled by my presence at their death, and I myself will conduct them safely
into the presence of Jesus and Mary."
Every Wednesday is
Dedicated to St. Joseph
The Italian culture has
always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make
Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or
spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass.
You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous you
could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family
night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.
·
Do the St.
Joseph Universal Man Plan.
·
Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St.
Joseph
Candlemas[4],
Until 1969, the ancient feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, which is of
Oriental origin, was known in the West as the feast of the Purification of Our
Lady, and closed the Christmas Cycle, forty days after the Lord's birth. This
feast has for long been associated with many popular devotional exercises. The
faithful:
- gladly
participate in the processions commemorating the Lord's entry into the
Temple in Jerusalem and His encounter with God, whose house He had come to
for the first time, and then with Simeon and Anna. Such processions, which
in the West had taken the place of licentious pagan events, always had a
penitential character, and were later identified with the blessing of
candles which were carried in procession in honor of Christ, 'the light to
enlighten the Gentiles' (Lk 2, 32);
- are
sensitive to the actions of the Blessed Virgin in presenting her Son in
the Temple, and to her submission to the Law of Moses (Lk 12, 1-8) in the
rite of purification; popular piety sees in the rite of purification the
humility of Our Lady and hence, 2 February has long been regarded as a
feast for those in humble service.
Popular piety is sensitive to the
providential and mysterious event that is the conception and birth of new life.
Christian mothers can easily identify with the maternity of Our Lady, the most
pure Mother of the Head of the mystical Body — notwithstanding the notable
differences in the Virgin's unique conception and birth.
These too are mothers in God's plan
and are about to give birth to future members of the Church. From this
intuition and a certain mimesis of the purification of Our Lady, the
rite of purification after birth was developed, some of whose elements reflect
negatively on birth.
The revised Rituale Romanum
provides for the blessing of women both before and after birth, this latter
only in cases where the mother could not participate at the baptism of her
child.
It is a highly desirable thing for
mothers and married couples to ask for these blessings which should be given in
accord with the Church's prayer: in a communion of faith and charity in prayer
so that pregnancy can be brought to term without difficulty (blessing before
birth), and to give thanks to God for the gift of a child (blessing after
birth).
In some local Churches, certain
elements taken from the Gospel account of the Presentation of the Lord (Lk 2,
22-40), such as the obedience of Joseph and Mary to the Law of the Lord, the
poverty of the holy spouses, the virginity of Our Lady, mark out 2 February as
a special feast for those at the service of the brethren in the various forms of
consecrated life.
The feast of 2 February still retains
a popular character. It is necessary, however, that such should reflect the
true Christian significance of the feast. It would not be proper for popular
piety in its celebration of this feast to overlook its Christological
significance and concentrate exclusively on its Marian aspects. The fact that
this feast should be 'considered [...] a joint memorial of Son and Mother'
would not support such an inversion. The candles kept by the faithful in their
homes should be seen as a sign of Christ 'the light of the world' and an
expression of faith.
Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, [5]
Commonly Called Candlemas-Day.
FEBRUARY 2.
ON this day the Church solemnly celebrates the presentation of Jesus in the temple, and the obedience and humility both of Mary and her divine Son, who, though not subject to the law in regard to purification and presentation yet subjected themselves to it. Hence this feast is called the Purification of the Virgin Mary.
In common speech we call it also Candlemas, because on this day the candles required for the divine service are blessed and carried in procession. What is the design of this custom?
1. It is to remind us that Jesus, the light of the world, was offered up to His heavenly Father, by Mary, in the temple at Jerusalem, where He was called by Simeon “a light for the revelation of the gentiles, and the glory of the people of Israel.”
2.
To remind us, also, of several important truths, to which the priest refers in
the prayers at the blessings. Thus he prays that as the earthly light dispels
the darkness of night, so Jesus, with the light of His divine doctrine, may
clear away our spiritual blindness and ignorance, and lead us in the way of
virtue; that as the Holy Ghost enlightened Simeon, so He may also enlighten us
to acknowledge Jesus as the true light, to love Him and follow Him, to keep our
hearts from the way of sin, and to guide them in the way of virtue, and to
kindle them with the fire of holy love; finally, that God may preserve, in soul
and body, those who use blessed candles with devotion, may hear their prayers,
and grant them entrance into the kingdom of the eternal and ever-blessed light.
In the Introit of the Mass the Church sings: We have received Thy mercy, O God,
in the midst of Thy temple; according to Thy name, O God, so also is Thy praise
unto the ends of the earth; Thy right hand is full of justice. Great is the
Lord and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy
mountain.”
Prayer.
Almighty,
everlasting God, we suppliantly beseech Thy majesty that, as Thy only begotten
Son was this day presented in the temple in the substance of our flesh, so Thou
wouldst grant us to be presented to Thee with purified souls.
EPISTLE. Mai iii. 1-4.
Thus,
saith the Lord: Behold I send My angel, and he shall prepare the way before My
face. And presently the Lord Whom you seek, and the angel of the testament whom
you desire, shall come to his temple. Behold he cometh, saith the Lord of
hosts: and who shall be able to think of the day of his coming? and who shall
stand to see him? for he is like a refining fire, and like the fullers herb:
and he shall sit refining and cleansing the silver, and he shall purify the
sons of Levi, and shall refine them as gold, and as silver, and they shall
offer sacrifices to the Lord in justice. And the sacrifice of Juda and of
Jerusalem shall please the Lord, as in the days of old, and in the ancient
years, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL. Luke ii. 22-32.
At that time: After the days of Mary’s purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they carried Jesus to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; and to offer a sacrifice according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when His parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law: he also took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said: Now Thou dost dismiss Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace: because my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; a light to the revelation of the gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.
Explanation.
The Blessed Virgin presented herself and her divine Son at the temple so as not to give scandal to such as were ignorant of their being exempt from the law, to show from the first that Jesus was come to redeem sinners, and to leave us an example of humility and obedience. Mary offered the gift of a pair of doves, like the poor, because she was poor, and was not ashamed to acknowledge it before the world.
INSTRUCTION FOR WOMEN AFTER CHILDBIRTH.
The law of purification in the Old
Testament, it is true, no longer applies to Christian women, because the Church
has done away with Jewish ceremonies. But the spirit and intention of that law
the Church would yet have complied with. She permits women, therefore, to
remain at home, with a good conscience, for six weeks after childbirth, or so
long as circumstances may require, without attending divine service, in order
to care for their health. This permission is, at the same time, an excellent
admonition to women, that, in order to their recovery, they should refrain from
anger, from exposure, from hard labor, from injurious food; to men, not to
refuse their wives during this period, set apart by God Himself under the Old
Law, the rest and attention which their nature requires. But when this time is
past the Church desires that women should, after the example of Mary, repair to
the church with their children, to procure the blessing of the priest, to give
thanks to God for their safe delivery, to dedicate their children to Him, and
to implore of Him, with the priest, grace to bring up their offspring in piety
and holiness. In this consists the so-called “churching of women”; and, from
what has been said, it is evident, not only that it contains nothing to be
ashamed of, but that it should by no means be omitted by such as desire God’s blessing.
The feeble health of both women and children after childbirth is almost always
owing to their having injured themselves by want of care.
Prayer for Women after Childbirth.
Almighty
and merciful God, Who didst lay upon our mother Eve the fit punishment for her
disobedience that she should bear children in sorrow, I offer to Thee all the
pains of my child-bearing in propitiation for my sins; and I thank Thee that,
through Thy help, the fruit of my womb has been safely brought forth into the
world, and new-born in Baptism. According to the example of the Mother of Thy only
begotten Son, I also offer to Thee my child for Thy holy service, and will earnestly
strive to bring it up to Thy honor. To this end give me, through the
intercession of the most blessed Virgin, thy grace; bless me and my child, and
grant that we may live according to Thy will here, and hereafter may obtain
everlasting happiness. Amen.
Things to Do[6]
- Ask
your parish priest to bless the candles that you will be using on your
home altar this year.
- Read
Luke 2:22-35, the account of the presentation including the Canticle of
Simeon.
- Meditate
on the constant fiat of Our Lady of Sorrows, who embraced the will
of God even as Simeon predicted that a sword would pierce her heart.
Since the
children share in blood and flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through
death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their
life.
Candle Blessings[7]
One
of the grandest feasts of the Middle Ages and one of only three feasts in the
English language verbally denoted by a Mass (Christmas and Michaelmas being the
other two), Candlemas, or the Feast of
the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, commemorates Our Lady's visit
to the Temple in humble obedience to that clause of the Old Law which requires
a woman to be ritually purified forty days after bearing a son. On the
assumption that Our Lord was born on December 25, the date of Mary's visit to
the Temple would be February 2. It was on this day that Simeon the aged
prophet, upon seeing the infant Jesus, proclaimed him to be "a Light to
the gentiles" (Lk. 2.32). Hence the day has always involved a celebration
of light. The most famous of these customs -- and the one from which the feast
takes its common name -- is the blessing
of, and procession with, candles. The day begins with five beautiful blessings of candles that invoke God's
aid in living out allegorically what the light and fire of a candle symbolize:
wisdom and illumination, purification and charity, and so on. A solemn and
penitential procession (in which the
celebrant wears purple) exits and then re-enters the church, at which point the
purple is cast aside for the jubilance of white and a joyful Mass is offered.
One of the more distinctive features of this Mass is that the candles are held lighted in the hand during the
Gospel and from the Sanctus to the Communion. Candles used in the
procession are not the only ones blessed on this day. Many families
traditionally had most or all of their special candles -- for Advent, St.
Lucy's Day, Christmas, or the family shrine -- blessed on this day.
The
Feast's association with light also made it a great day for predicting the
weather. According to an old legend, if the sun shines bright for the better
part of the day, it means forty more days of winter. Subsequently this quaint
superstition became Groundhog Day. Finally,
Candlemas is the absolute last day for ending
the Christmas season. Any Christmas items that had not been taken down on
Epiphany or its Octave were now carefully put away.
Customs[8]
·
A lot of Christians will also bring candles with them to their local
church. They will then have their candles blessed, and they will use them for
the rest of the year. This is especially the case for Roman Catholics,
Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists, and Anglicans. The candles are essential, as
they are viewed as a symbol of Jesus Christ. If you’re familiar with the
teachings of the Bible, you will know that Jesus often referred to Himself as
the Light of the World.
·
There are different celebrations that take place all around the world
on this date. It is certainly interesting to learn about the various ways that
countries celebrate this occasion, and you can easily find this information
online if you would like to learn more. For example, in Peru, one of the
biggest festivals of dancing, music, and culture takes place during the first
fortnight of February. There are many different events taking place, which are
in honor of the Virgin of Candelaria, which is considered the patron saint of
Puno; a city in Peru.
·
In Mexican tradition, some of the important celebrations on this day
include enjoying family meals with tamales, which is a classic dish from Mesoamerican
cuisine. The adoration and dressing of the child Jesus also plays a role in
this symbolic day. In Puerto Rico, the end of Christmas is celebrated on this
day. There are a number of different festivities that will occur on this date.
·
This includes a statue of the “Virgen de la Candelaria” carried on the
shoulders, with people following behind with lit candles. In Luxembourg, this
day is very much centered on the children. Small groups of children and adults
will roam the streets, singing traditional songs to every house that they pass
and holding a homemade wand or lantern. In exchange for singing songs, it is
hoped that the children will receive some sort of reward. Today, this is
typically some loose change or sweets. Traditionally, it was biscuits, peas, or
bacon.
·
There are also celebrations across Swiss Romandy, Belgium, and France.
It is considered the day of crepes here! Not only does everyone enjoy some
delicious crepes, but everyone is prompted to light all of the candles in the
house. Tradition also indicates that manger scenes should be kept out until
Candlemas.
Ground Hog Day[9]
I ask Christ if he has seen the movie, “Ground Hog day”. He laughs and says playfully, “No, but I
inspired it”. I continue, well today is Ground Hog Day and tradition say that
if the ground hog sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. Christ asks, “So what happens in the movie?”
I state it is a story of a cranky young man who keeps magically repeating his
ground hog day until he has a life changing attitude toward people and life in
general. Christ says that is the reason for His coming to these coffee clutches
with me and that He wants to give me a whole new view of life. This is what I
referred to when I told Nicodemus that a person must be born again to enter the
kingdom. That is, you must awaken or give birth to the Spirit of the Father
that is in you-the spirit of love and you must also live in the truth. Your
action and behavior must be true to the spirit the Father reveals to you.
National Signing Day
National
Signing Day marks the start of the college football signing season. From this
day forward, high school football players can sign a National Letter of Intent
to play football for a university in the National College Athletic Association
(NCAA). The National Letter of Intent is a binding agreement between a
potential student-athlete and a NLI member institution. Once signed, the
agreement requires the athlete to attend and represent the institution for at
least two semesters or three quarters, and in return, the institution must
provide athletic financial aid for the same duration. National Signing
Day marks the start of many football players' careers as they transition into
more professional setting. National Signing Day was established in 1981 by the
College Football Association in an effort to eliminate separate conference
signing dates and force student-athletes to commit to only one NCAA
institution. Prior to 1981, NCAA football conferences required recruits
to sign separate letters of intent since conference letters only restricted
signing within the conference itself.
National
Signing Day Top Events and Things to Do
·
Get
out to your local park and play a game of football with your family and friends
to celebrate all those who are committing to playing in NCAA football today.
·
Watch
the day's events of your favorite conference live. Most are aired live
across networks such as ESPN and they can often be found online.
·
Review
some of the student-athlete rules and criteria in order to gain a better
understanding of the players' responsibilities and duties in addition to
playing ball. Some basic requirements include:
1) earn at least a 2.3 GPA in core courses
2) earn at least 9 credits per semester
3) adhere to amateurism requirements (limiting agent involvement, prize money,
salaries and contracts with professional teams)
·
Watch
a movie about NCAA Football. Our favorites are Friday Night Lights
(2004), The Blind Side (2009), Rudy (1993) and The Express (2008).
·
Support
a local high school football team. Your financial and time donations can mean
the chance to get a scholarship for a high school student to pursue university
studies.
John McCain in his book “Character is Destiny” portrays the life of “The Four Chaplains” as a model of great religious tolerance that allowed them to risk all to protect others of a different faith or race.
It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers. Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The Dorchester was one of three ships steadily moving across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland.
Hans J. Danielsen, the ship’s captain, was concerned and cautious because he knew he was in dangerous waters. German U-boats were constantly prowling these vital sea lanes, and several ships had already been blasted and sunk. The Dorchester was now only 150 miles from its destination, but the captain ordered the men to sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on. Many soldiers sleeping deep in the ship’s hold disregarded the order because of the engine’s heat. Others ignored it because the life jackets were uncomfortable.
On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the cross hairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the Dorchester. The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface, and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was decisive–and deadly–striking the starboard side, amid ship, far below the water line. Captain Danielsen, alerted that the Dorchester was taking water rapidly and sinking, gave the order to abandon ship.
In less than 20 minutes, the Dorchester would slip beneath the Atlantic’s icy waters. Aboard the Dorchester, panic and chaos had set in. The blast had killed scores of men, and many more were seriously wounded. Others stunned by the explosion were groping in the darkness. Those sleeping without clothing rushed topside where they were confronted first by a blast of icy Arctic air and then by the knowledge that death awaited. Men jumped from the ship into lifeboats, over-crowding them to the point of capsizing, according to eyewitnesses. Other rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in them. Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness.
Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed. Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety. “Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live,” says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox. One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Bednar recalls. “I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.” Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to reenter his cabin but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, concerned about the cold Arctic air, explained he had forgotten his gloves. “Never mind,” Goode responded. “I have two pairs.” The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves.
In
retrospect, Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two
pairs of gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester. By
this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage
locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer
Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight. When there were no more lifejackets
in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four
frightened young men. “It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this
side of heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains’
selfless act. Ladd’s response is understandable. The altruistic action of the
four chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a
person can make. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out
for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the
Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life
jackets to the next man in line. As the ship went down, survivors in nearby
rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting
deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers. Of the 902 men aboard
the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached
American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and
heroic conduct of the four chaplains.
Daily
Devotions/Practices
·
Today's Fast: Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Restoring
the Church
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Total Consecration
to St. Joseph Day 11
· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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