Divine Mercy Novena

Friday, August 2, 2024

Today if you can go to confession and make the first Friday communion. 

Next week we will be celebrating 14 holy helpers of the church. Reflecting on this I decided to enlist the aid of these 14 holy helper in my making the nine consecutive first Fridays requested by our Lord making them a part of my "master mind group". Problem? 14 does not go in nine. Then I realized that I also want to completed the 5 first Saturdays. Bingo 9+5=14.

Today's holy helper is St. George.

Saint George, a victim of the Diocletian persecution. What little is known about this popular saint comes by way of Saint Ephrem the Syrian. George was born in Cappadocia (Turkey) but moved with his noble mother to Palestine after the death of his father. Being of robust body he enlisted in the army and advanced to a high rank of tribune. When the persecution of Diocletian broke out George rebuked him for his cruelty. Consequently, the brave tribune was cast into prison in the city of Lydda and tortured. No torment could move him to renounce Christ. Rather, he said to the judge, “It were better for you to acknowledge the true God and seek His kingdom.” While being tortured and tied to a spiked wheel, George was encouraged by a vision of Our Lord. Many witnesses were converted by his steadfast firmness of faith. Finally, he was sent to heaven by being beheaded. The year was 303. Saint George is invoked against diseases of the skin and palsy.

I will ask St. George to pray for me and guide me to our Lord's heart and in relay fashion hand me off at the approach of the 2nd first Friday to Saint Blaise on the first Friday of September.

You need simply watch; the punishment of the wicked you will see.

Because you have the LORD for your refuge and have made the Most High your stronghold,

No evil shall befall you, no affliction come near your tent.

For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go.

With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You can tread upon the asp and the viper, trample the lion and the dragon. Psalm 91:8-13.

August 2

Saint of the day:

Saint Eusbius of Vercelli


AUGUST 2 First Friday

FEAST OF OUR LADY OF ANGELS-International Beer Day 

Joshua, Chapter 24, Verse 14

Now, therefore, FEAR the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely. Cast out the gods your ancestors served beyond the river and in Egypt and serve the LORD.

 

Joshua was telling the Israelites that it was a day for decision-making, a day for clarifying what they worship and to what they will give their ultimate allegiance.

In a sermon by Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas she states:

“Put away the gods that your ancestors served...” Joshua declares. Doing that requires an act of self-examination.

·         What are the gods that I serve?

·         What does my bank statement or my credit card statement say about my values?

·         What does the way I spend my free time say about what matters most to me?

·         How does the way that I treat family-members and co-workers, neighbors and friends show which gods I serve?

·         To what do I give my best, most focused attention and care?

·         What do I Really care about?

·         What motives really drive me?

·         What goals really draw me forward?

·         Are there compulsive patterns of thought or behavior to which I am excessively attached?

You and I can go to church and say very sincerely that we worship God, but in the hurly-burly of daily life there are all kinds of lesser gods that tug at us and clamor for our attention and our devotion.[1]

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:3)


 

First Friday[2]

"On Friday during Holy Communion, He said these words to His unworthy slave, if I mistake not: I promise you in the excessive mercy of my Heart that its all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on nine first Fridays of consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they will not die under my displeasure or without receiving their sacraments, my divine Heart making itself their assured refuge at the last moment."

With regard to this promise it may be remarked:

(1) that our Lord required Communion to be received on a particular day chosen by Him.

(2) that the nine Fridays must be consecutive.

(3) that they must be made in honor of His Sacred Heart, which means that those who make the nine Fridays must practice the devotion and must have a great love for our Lord.

(4) that our Lord does not say that those who make the nine Fridays will be dispensed from any of their obligations or from exercising the vigilance necessary to lead a good life and overcome temptation; rather He implicitly promises abundant graces to those who make the nine Fridays to help them to carry out these obligations and persevere to the end.

(5) that perseverance in receiving Holy Communion for nine consecutive First Fridays helps the faithful to acquire the habit of frequent Communion, which our Lord eagerly desires: and

(6) that the practice of the nine Fridays is very pleasing to our Lord since He promises such great reward, and that all Catholics should endeavor to make the nine Fridays.

Party all Night

All-Night Eucharistic First Friday Vigils to Help Save America

In the wee hours of the morning, while most people are sleeping, a growing number of people are praying in a monthly powerhouse Eucharistic all-night Vigil every First Friday in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo in Mundelein, Illinois. The Vigil, which is intended to draw worshippers from all over the Archdiocese of Chicago, begins Friday at 9 p.m. with Confessions and Mass at 10 p.m. After the Mass, the Blessed Sacrament is exposed and devotional prayers are prayed throughout the evening, but allowing enough quiet and reflection time, and concluding with Benediction shortly before 7 a.m. on the First Saturday.

The purpose of the Vigil is to pray for LIFE, MARRIAGE, FAMILY and for PRIESTS/RELIGIOUS, important elements which form the essence of civilization and fruitfulness. From conception until natural death, LIFE is sacred. Those who attend the Vigil pray for an end to all actions against life: abortion, euthanasia, human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and even In-Vitro Fertilization procedures. They pray for the sanctity of MARRIAGE as a permanent covenant between one man and one woman committed to each other for life, which is chaste, open to life and lived according to God's plans. They pray to promote the building up of strong, loving, holy and heroic FAMILIES. They pray for the renewal of the vocation of PRIESTS AND RELIGIOUS, so that they may be faithful to their vows and the teachings of the Catholic Church, and for the increase of holy vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Additionally, they pray in reparation against sins committed against LIFE, MARRIAGE, FAMILY and the PRIESTLY and CONSECRATED VOCATIONS. Also, they give Jesus truly and really present in the Holy Eucharist praise and honor because He wants it and deserves it. Finally, they seek the transformation of hearts so that society can be transformed.

This Vigil is part of the St. Therese Marian Vigil Society (STMVS), an emerging Catholic apostolate that helps get started and promotes all-night Eucharistic Vigils nationwide aimed at renewing society and the Church through the restoration of the four root pillars--life, marriage, family and priests/religious vocations. These elements are essential in the cultivating of a culture of life and the restoration of Church and society on various levels. The STMVS has developed a model to help others start their own Vigil, which can be found on the Website of the STMVS: www.vigilsociety.org. There is no need to re-invent the wheel since everything one would need to accomplish this, such as prayers, schedule and more, is on the Website.

The Mundelein Vigil and the St. Therese Marian Vigil Society Apostolate were both founded by a concerned young wife and mother of 5, in response to a feeling that something must be done to combat the attacks on the very essence of our Church and society. The Apostolate is named after St. Therese of Lisieux, the Patroness of the Foundress of the STMVS, and the Blessed Mother to whom the Foundress is consecrated and has a strong devotion. The STMVS is rooted in the observable fact, supported by Church teaching, that an increase in holiness of our shepherds--bishops, priests and religious--leads directly to an increase of holiness among the laity they guide, just as growth in holiness of parents leads to an increase in holiness of children. In addition, to the degree that life and the Church are placed in danger, so is American society at large in danger. To secure the outpouring of divine grace for the strengthening of these four essentials and so help save America from suffering further moral decay, the concerned mother started the first Vicariate/Diocese-wide all-night Vigil and then Apostolate soon after. The first Vigil began on February 6, 2004, with permission from her pastor in Mundelein, Illinois. Both the Vigil and the Apostolate have been endorsed by the local vicariate bishop. The hope, vision and prayer of the Foundress are to spread more Vigils like this based on these four key pillars of LIFE, MARRIAGE, FAMILY, and PRIESTS/RELIGIOUS.

"The nighttime hours were chosen for good reason," says the Foundress. "Giving up sleep is hard, and the greatest sacrifice brings great graces. This is the time of the day when Jesus prayed at Gethsemane. It is also a time when most people are available to pray as the hours don't conflict with their schedules, just their sleep."

"Eucharistic adoration transforms hearts, no doubt about it," she says. "The more people that join us, the more hearts will be transformed. An entire culture can be transformed if only people will hear and respond to 'His voice' and not continue in the hardness of their hearts."

We are all called to be saints, and attending this Vigil is a good start towards that end! DON'T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY!

For more information to help you start your own Vigil in your area modeled after that of the STMVS, go to (www.vigilsociety.org).

You may also contact Nancy Martin at (847) 566-7711 or email her info@vigilsociety.org.

Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula[3], the Virgin under whose mantle Saint Francis of Assisi was wrapped; Mary's maternal protection made it possible for blessed Francis to experience an intense Presence of the Lord and to receive his vocation to rebuild the Church. Likewise, his intimate devotion to the Blessed Mother, under whose protection did he place himself to do the Lord's work did this place become holy for the members of the Franciscan family and for the Church universal. Without meeting Christ, little makes sense. 

The Portiuncula is an ancient church dedicated to Mary under the title Our Lady of the Angels and is located in Assisi, Italy. It was a spot very dear to the heart of Saint Francis. 

The Portiuncula is the place where Franciscanism developed, and where Saint Francis lived and died. Here he began and grew in his religious life; here he founded the Franciscan Order; here he manifested his love and great devotion to the Mother of God. When Francis knew he was dying, he requested to be brought to the Portiuncula to end his earthly life. 

Saint Bonaventure had this to say about this devotion: 

The Portiuncula was an old church dedicated to the Virgin Mother of God which was abandoned. Francis had great devotion to the Queen of the world and when he saw that the church was deserted, he began to live there constantly in order to repair it. He heard that the Angels often visited it, so that it was called Saint Mary of the Angels, and he decided to stay there permanently out of reverence for the angels and love for the Mother of Christ. This is also the place where St Clare took her vows and where Saint Francis died. 

He loved this spot more than any other in the world. It was here he began his religious life in a very small way; it is here he came to a happy end. When he was dying, he commended this spot above all others to the friars, because it was most dear to the Blessed Virgin. 

This was the place where Saint Francis founded his Order by divine inspiration, and it was divine providence which led him to repair three churches before he founded the Order and began to preach the Gospel. 

This meant that he progressed from material things to more spiritual achievements, from lesser to greater, in due order, and it gave a prophetic indication of what he would accomplish later. 

As he was living there by the church of Our Lady, Francis prayed to her who had conceived the Word, full of grace and truth, begging her insistently and with tears to become his advocate. Then he was granted the true spirit of the Gospel by the intercession of the Mother of mercy and he brought it to fruition.
He embraced the Mother of Our Lord Jesus with indescribable love because, as he said, it was she who made the Lord of majesty our brother, and through her we found mercy. After Christ, he put all his trust in her and took her as his patroness for himself and his friars.
 

Consider the words of an early biographer of Saint Francis of Assisi: 

From there he moved to another place, which is called the "Portiuncula," where there stood a church of the Blessed Virgin Mother of God built in ancient times. At that time, it was deserted, and no one was taking care of it. When the holy man of God saw it so ruined, he was moved by piety because he had a warm devotion to the Mother of all good and he began to stay there continually. The restoration of that church took place in the third year of his conversion. At this time, he wore a sort of hermit's habit with a leather belt. He carried a staff in his hand and wore shoes. One day the gospel was being read in that church about how the Lord sent out his disciples to preach. The holy man of God, who was attending there, in order to understand better the words of the gospel, humbly begged the priest after celebrating the solemnities of the Mass to explain the gospel to him. The priest explained it all to him thoroughly line by line. When he heard that Christ's disciples should not possess gold or silver or money, or carry on their journey a wallet or a sack, nor bread nor a staff, not to have shoes nor two tunics, but that they should preach the kingdom of God and penance, the holy man, Francis immediately exulted in the spirit of God. "This is what I want," he said, "this is what I seek, this is what I desire with all my heart." The holy father, overflowing with joy, hastened to implement the words of salvation, and did not delay before he devoutly began to put into effect what he heard. (From The Life of Saint Francis by Thomas of Celano) 

PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS 

August Queen of Heaven, sovereign queen of Angels, you who at the beginning received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan, we beseech you humbly, send your holy legions so that, on your orders and by your power, they will track down demons, fight them everywhere, curb their audacity and plunge them into the hell.

Who can be compared to God? Oh, good and tender Mother, you will always be our love and our hope. Oh, divine Mother, send the Holy Angels and Archangels to defend me and to keep the cruel enemy far from me. Holy Angels and Archangels defend us, protect us. Amen.

The Pardon of Assisi or the Portiuncula Indulgence  

The Holy Father made reference to this in his Sunday Angelus address:

... today is the feast of the "Pardon of Assisi," which St. Francis obtained from Pope Honorious III in the year 1216, after having a vision while he was praying in the little church of the Portiuncula. Jesus appeared to him in his glory, with the Virgin Mary on his right and surrounded by many Angels. They asked him to express a wish and Francis implored a "full and generous pardon" for all those who would visit that church who "repented and confessed their sins". Having received papal approval, the Saint did not wait for any written document but hastened to Assisi and when he reached the Portiuncula announced the good news: "Friends, the Lord wants to have us all in Heaven!". Since then, from noon on 1 August to midnight on the second, it has been possible to obtain, on the usual conditions, a Plenary Indulgence, also for the dead, on visiting a parish church or a Franciscan one.

 

St. Francis Asked and Obtained the Indulgence of Forgiveness


 

He awoke one night in 1216 at the Porziuncola and an inspiration stronger than usual prompted him to arise and go into the little chapel. He knelt in prayer and, as he prayed, our Lord, accompanied by His Mother, appeared to him and bade him ask for that which he desired most. "O God," he said, "although I m a great sinner, I beseech You to grant a full pardon of all sins to all who, having repented and confessed their sins, shall visit this church." And Jesus said to him: "Francis, you ask much, but you are worthy of greater things, and greater things you shall have."

 

Our Lord then granted Francis' request and told him to go to His Vicar for ratification of the indulgence. Honorius III, who was just beginning his Pontificate, was holding court at Perugia, and it was to him that Francis presented his petition.

Honorius was a spiritual, unworldly man, yet at such a request he hesitated. "Holy Father," Francis said urgently, "a little while ago I restored a chapel for you in honor of the Virgin Mother of Christ (the Portiuncula), and I beseech you to bestow on it an indulgence."

"For how many years do you want this indulgence?" the Pontiff inquired. "Holy Father," said Francis, "I ask not for years but for souls." "Just what do you want?" Honorius asked. "Holy Father," replied Francis, "the Lord has commanded me to ask you that all those who after confession shall visit the Portiuncula with contrite hearts may obtain full remission of the punishment due to the sins of their whole lives from the day of Baptism to the day they enter this church." Honorius pondered the extraordinary request, and said slowly three times: "I also, in the name of God, grant you the indulgence." 

Honorius wanted to give Francis the document of the indulgence, but Francis saw no need for it. "What have you to show that this indulgence has been granted you?" the Pope asked in amazement as Francis prepared to depart for Assisi without any written confirmation of the great permission. "Holy Father," he replied, "Your word is enough for me. If this is the work of God, it is for Him to make His work manifest. I desire no other document. The Blessed Virgin Mary shall be the charter, Christ the notary, and the angels the witnesses." Some days later, before the Bishops of Umbria, Francis said: "Brethren, I want to send you all to Heaven!"

 

Conditions to Obtain the Plenary Indulgence of The Forgiveness (for oneself or for a departed soul)

 

1. Sacramental Confession to be in God's grace (during the eight days before or after); 

2. Participation in the Holy Mass and Eucharist;

3. Visit to a Catholic Church (especially a Franciscan Church), followed by PROFESSION OF FAITH, in order to reaffirm one's own Christian identity; 

4. Say the OUR FATHER, in order to reaffirm the dignity as child of God that one received in Baptism; 

5. A prayer for the Pope's intention, in order to reaffirm one's membership in the Church, of which the Roman Pontiff is the foundation and sign of visible unity.

 Novena in Honor of Saint John Marie Vianney[4]

Exquisite Purity

O Holy Priest of Ars, a witness of your life made this magnificent praise of you:

'We would have taken him for an angel in a mortal body."

You so edified others: the modesty and the exquisite purity radiated from your body. With such charm and with such enthusiasm you preached to others about these beautiful virtues which you said resembled the perfume of a vineyard in bloom.

Please I beg you to join your entreaties to those of Mary Immaculate and Saint Philomena in order that I guard always, as God asks me, the purity of my heart. You, who have directed so many souls towards the heights of virtue, defend me in temptations and obtain for me the strength to conquer them.

Holy Priest of Ars, I have confidence in your intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for ... (mention silently your special intentions).

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Day 49

344 There is a solidarity among all creatures arising from the fact that all have the same Creator and are all ordered to his glory: May you be praised, O Lord, in all your creatures, especially brother sun, by whom you give us light for the day; he is beautiful, radiating great splendour, and offering us a symbol of you, the Most High. . .

May you be praised, my Lord, for sister water, who is very useful and humble, precious and chaste.
May you be praised, my Lord, for sister earth, our mother, who bears and feeds us, and produces the variety of fruits and dappled flowers and grasses. . .
Praise and bless my Lord, give thanks and serve him in all humility.

345 The sabbath - the end of the work of the six days. the sacred text says that "on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done", that the "heavens and the earth were finished", and that God "rested" on this day and sanctified and blessed it. These inspired words are rich in profitable instruction:

346 In creation God laid a foundation and established laws that remain firm, on which the believer can rely with confidence, for they are the sign and pledge of the unshakeable faithfulness of God's covenant. For his part man must remain faithful to this foundation, and respect the laws which the Creator has written into it.

347 Creation was fashioned with a view to the sabbath and therefore for the worship and adoration of God. Worship is inscribed in the order of creation. As the rule of St. Benedict says, nothing should take precedence over "the work of God", that is, solemn worship. This indicates the right order of human concerns.

348 The sabbath is at the heart of Israel's law. To keep the commandments is to correspond to the wisdom and the will of God as expressed in his work of creation.

349 The eighth day. But for us a new day has dawned: the day of Christ's Resurrection. the seventh day completes the first creation. the eighth day begins the new creation. Thus, the work of creation culminates in the greater work of redemption. the first creation finds its meaning and its summit in the new creation in Christ, the splendour of which surpasses that of the first creation.

IN BRIEF

350 Angels are spiritual creatures who glorify God without ceasing and who serve his saving plans for other creatures: "The angels work together for the benefit of us all" (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh I, 114, 3, ad 3).

351 The angels surround Christ their Lord. They serve him especially in the accomplishment of his saving mission to men.

352 The Church venerates the angels who help her on her earthly pilgrimage and protect every human being.

353 God willed the diversity of his creatures and their own particular goodness, their interdependence and their order. He destined all material creatures for the good of the human race. Man, and through him all creation, is destined for the glory of God.

354 Respect for laws inscribed in creation and the relations which derive from the nature of things is a principle of wisdom and a foundation for morality.

International Beer Day[5] another hedonistic holiday but even the saint enjoyed a beer-check out “Pints with Aquinas”. International Beer Day celebrates the taste of beer and the achievement of beer brewers. Beer is an ancient alcoholic drink brewed mainly from malted barley, hops, yeast and water although it is possible to brew it from other grains such as maize, wheat and rice. Records of beer date back to 4000 BC, making it one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in the world. The three stated goals of the International Beer Day are to: appreciate brewers and servers, enjoy the taste of all beers from around the world, and to unite the world under the banner of beer.  Founded in 2007 by the Association of California Brewers, International Beer Day has become an international event that is observed in more than 50 countries worldwide.  It is held annually on the first Friday of August.

International Beer Day Facts & Quotes

 

·         International Beer Day began in Santa Cruz, California, in 2007.  It was founded by beer enthusiasts, Jesse Avshalomov and Evan Hamilton.

·         As far back as ancient Egypt, beer was a staple food.  Known as Hqt, heqet or heket, beer was a thick and sweet source of nutrition including vitamins, minerals and protein that was consumed daily by adults and children.

·         On average, a can of beer contains 100-150 calories and 10-15g carbohydrates.

·         I work until beer o'clock - Stephen King

 

International Beer Day Top Events and Things to Do

 

·         Visit your local watering hole and try a new beer that you have never had.

·         Attending a beer festival to taste beer from around the world and learn more about brewing and craft beers.  

·         Visit a local craft brewery in your state.

·         Try a Orval beer or a Chimay.

Fitness Friday-The 5 Switches of Manliness: Providing[6]

In case you haven’t noticed men and women are different both physically and mentally. Men’s brains are constructed by our creator differently than women. Men’s brains are uniquely suited for survival and providing for the tribe. If we wish to provide for the tribe we must make use of the male body and mind.

The Providing Brain

The male brain is particularly adept at visual-spatial skills. Men tend to be better than women at rotating objects in their minds to gain a 3-D view and are better able to track moving objects, gauge how fast they’re going, and determine the objects’ proportions and location. Men also have keener long-range vision than women, are more sensitive to objects entering their field of vision, and are better at noticing the small movements of those objects. In fact, there is a correlation between higher testosterone levels and visual-processing speeds. Men’s visual and spatial abilities give them a leg up when it comes to geography, orientation, and navigation–skills that come in handy when out on the hunt or engaging in battle. The male brain is also built with a larger dorsal premammillary nucleus, also called the “defend-your-turf” part of the brain. The circuity of this part of the brain is designed to detect territorial challenges by other males. Men’s brains also include a larger amygdala than women, which can be thought of as an alarm system for possible danger. Thus, men are especially alert to potential threats to themselves and their loved ones.

These inborn proclivities not only helped men in their roles as searchers and scouts, but they may also have been used in ways that then strengthened their ability to envision the future; giving us an ability to track animals or have better math skills.

Men have an innate need to look ahead, to plan, to prepare, to strategize. Or in other words, men have an innate need for vision, for providing.

While we’re no longer hunting antelopes, our brains are still primed to engage in searching, scanning, recognition, and long-term planning. These activities are carried out in the left side of the brain and are fueled by dopamine, the neurotransmitter which neuroscientists have shown motivates the male brain to a greater extent than the female brain.

Flipping the Provider Switch


 

If you’re a single man, you need to have a vision for your own life. If you’re a married man, you need to have a vision for your own life and for your family. Women don’t want a man who’s a domineering oaf, but they also don’t want to feel like they’re always pulling and dragging their husband along. They want a man who’s personally motivated, takes initiative, makes decisions, and has a discernible sense of direction and purpose. A man who is always scouting the way to take care of his family and lead them through the storms of life. I’ve sometimes had that conversation with my wife where I tell her that I feel unhappy, and she asks me what I want out of life and what would make me happy, and all I can answer is, “I don’t know.” That’s a failure of vision. And a failure in being a provider.

 

Having a vision involves growing in self-awareness and awareness of the world around you. The man of vision understands his own strengths and weaknesses, how the world works, and what makes people tick. He looks out from a high point in the landscape, takes in the lay of the land, fixes his sights on where he wants to go, and figures out how to get there. And then he leads and navigates, watching for and surmounting obstacles, until the destination is reached.

 

Here are some suggestions for harnessing your inner-Scout and flipping the Provider Switch:

·         Find your core values

·         Create a blueprint for your life.

·         Keep a journal.

·         Spend some time in solitude. Hike, camp overnight or even rent a hotel room.

·         Find your vocation.

·         Create a daily schedule.

·         Work on becoming fully present in your life.

·         Meditate or pray.

·         Write down your goals each night.

·         Unplug and take periodic technology “fasts” to recharge and clear your mind.

·         Read biographies–by taking in the sweep of another man’s life you can really gain perspective on your own life, what a man is capable of accomplishing, and insight on the paths other men took.

·         Create a morning routine that pumps you up for the coming day.

·         Turn off the radio on the way to work and think about what you want to accomplish that day.

·         Carry a pocket notebook so you can capture your ideas and make to-do lists to keep track of what needs to get done.

·         Practice memorization–memorize a poem or work on remembering names.

·         Keep track of data in your life–when you work out, record how much weight you’re lifting. Write down what you eat. Keep track of your goals or new habits with something like Joe’s Goals.

·         Read up on human psychology, relationships, body language, etc.

·         Educate yourself on things like health insurance and retirement plans (stay-tuned for a post on this).

·         Create a budget and understand exactly what’s going on with your finances.

·         Start an emergency fund.

·         Be prepared for disaster and learn survival skills–like how to handle a weapon, pack a bug-out bag, and forage for food.

·         If you have a family, hold a regular family council. We’ll do a post on this in the future.

·         Talk with your kids one on one to find out what is going on in their lives. Make it casual–like when you’re driving around together.

·         Stay up on politics, news, and current events.

NIC’s Corner-Be not fat but Phat.

·         Let Freedom Ring Day 27 Freedom from Gluttony

o   The Benefits of a Feasting & Fasting Diet for optimal health

§  The mindset and lifestyle of most of us is one of excess. As a society, we are simply accustomed to it. Fasting, for most, seems a rather foreign concept and that’s unfortunate. There is mounting anecdotal and scientific evidence that shows a wide range of benefits to be had from intermittent fasting or being in a fasted state.

§  There is even some scientific evidence supporting an occasional feast. Combining fasting and feasting creates several benefits at a cellular and molecular level. In fact, it can change gene expression and profoundly improve the way you look, feel and function. Many of these benefits are tied directly to the fact that the hormone leptin increases with an over-intake of food.

§  Do you think the Catholic Church may have something great with the seasons of feasts and fasts? Does being a catholic makes you Phat?

·         Make a holy hour today. You might find this work — My Eucharistic Day — from the Catholic Culture Library helpful. It was compiled from the writings of Saint Peter Julian Eymard with the permission and encouragement of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers.[7]

·         Friday is a fast day

o   Today is international beer day so it is ok to have only one angels envy shot in only one beer. Believe me, only one will do; it’s called a boilermaker.

·         Baked Rockfish for St. Peter in Chains (feast Aug. 1st)[8]

o   Ingredients:

§    5 cups fresh spinach

§    2 (6 ounce) fillets rockfish

§    10 cherry tomatoes, halved

§    1/2 cup vegetable broth

§    2 tablespoons minced fresh dill

§    1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

§    1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

§    1/4 teaspoon onion powder

§    salt and ground black pepper to taste

§    2 lemon slices

§    2 onion slices

§    1 teaspoon butter

§  Directions:

§   1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

§   2. Layer the spinach in the bottom of a 2 quart baking dish. Lay the rockfish atop the spinach. Scatter the tomatoes around the fish. Pour the broth into the dish. Season the fillet with the dill, garlic powder, lemon pepper, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Place the lemon, onion, and butter on the rockfish. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil.

§   3. Bake in preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, 20 to 25 minutes.

o   Have pie for dessert: Today is Braham Pie day 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Restoring the Church

·         Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

·         Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Iceman’s 40 devotion

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Operation Purity

·         Rosary

 



[2]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=876&repos=3&subrepos=3&searchid=2158533

[4]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1129

[7]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2022-08-02

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