Rachel’s Corner
“For a child* is born to us, a son is given to us, upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:5)
· National Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C.
o The nation’s capital comes abloom every spring with the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. See the famed cherry blossom trees, lining the Tidal Basin, while strolling by iconic sites like the Jefferson and Martin Luther King memorials.
· Spirit Hour: Wine in honor of St. John of Capistrano
· Religion in the Home for Preschool: March
· do a personal eucharistic stations of the cross.
· Motivating Children to Perform Good Deeds
· 30 Days with St. Joseph Day 9
· Bucket List trip: Patagonia
Thursday Feast
Thursday is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
According to Mary Agreda[8] in her visions it was on a Thursday at six o'clock in the evening and at the approach of night that the Angel Gabriel approached and announced her as Mother of God and she gave her fiat.
Dinner Menu
Best Places to Visit in March
Arches National Park, Utah This iconic spot located near Moab in Utah is a jaw-dropping spot! Spanning over 76,000 acres, I was seriously in awe of its striking collection of over 2,000 highly photogenic natural sandstone arches.
With summer temperatures reaching up to 100 degrees, I took a trip here during the spring and found much more comfortable (and safer!) temperatures to explore and hike the beautiful scenic trails.
I found the most Instagram-worthy spots to be the Delicate Arch, which I reached via the moderate Delicate Arch Trail, the incredible Landscape Arch, accessible through the easy Devils Garden Trail, and the striking Double Arch, which I could easily see from the Windows Section Parking Lot and the ancient Wolf Ranch Petroglyph Panel. I also stayed for sunset and saw the whole park bathed in an ethereal orange glow!
- Visitor’s Centre Address: Ut-211, Canyonlands National Park, Moab, UT 84532, +1 435-259-4711
- Map Location
- Average temperature –61 degrees
My favorite highlights…
- Going on a free Ranger-Led guided tour on the maze-like Fiery Furnace trail and seeing narrow sandstone canyons and arches as well as learning all about the history of the park.
- The Arches Scenic Drive was an unforgettable experience – I passed iconic landmarks such as the towering Park Avenue, the gravity-defying Balanced Rock, the majestic Double Arch, and tonnes of breathtaking viewpoints along the way! So, March is a great time to get the best of both worlds.
MARCH 27 Thursday of
the Third Week of Lent
Ester, Chapter 9, Verse 2-4
2 The
Jews mustered in their cities throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus to
attack those who sought to do them harm, and no one could withstand them, for FEAR of them fell upon all the peoples.
3 Moreover,
all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, governors, and royal
procurators supported the Jews out of fear
of Mordecai; 4 for Mordecai was powerful in the
royal palace, and the report was spreading through all the provinces that he
was continually growing in power.
The
Jews destroyed their tormentors, and the feast of Purim was established but
what the heck is a satrap.
Satrap[1]
Satraps were the governors of the
provinces of the ancient Median and Achaemenid Empires and in several of their
successors, such as in the Sasanian Empire and the Hellenistic empires. The
word satrap is also often used
metaphorically in modern literature to refer to world leaders or governors who
are heavily influenced by larger world superpowers or hegemonies and act as
their surrogates.
Satraps
today
·
It
is also used in modern times to refer (usually derogatorily) to the loyal
subservient lieutenants or clients of some powerful figure (with equal
imprecision also styled mogul,
tycoon,
or the like), in politics or business.
·
In
Portuguese, Italian
and Spanish, the word sátrapa not only carries
the aforementioned ancient historical meaning, but in modern usage also applies
to people who abuse power or authority. It can refer as well to those living in
luxurious and ostentatious conditions or to individuals who act astutely and
even disloyally.
·
The
College of 'Pataphysics used the title Transcendent Satrap
for certain of its members, including Marcel Duchamp, Jean Baudrillard and the Marx brothers.
·
In
the Serbian language, satrap is used to mock a person who displays servile
tendencies to an authority figure.
·
THRUSH, the primary antagonist
organization in the TV series The Man From
U.N.C.L.E., was
divided into satrapies, based on geographic location.
Is the New World order
a Satrap?[2]
The New World Order (NWO) is a conspiracy theory in which
adherents believe that a cabal of powerful elites is secretly implementing a
dystopian international governing structure that will grant them complete
control over the global populace. Under this regime, dissidents will be
arrested, and the masses enslaved. Supporters of the
conspiracy theory claim that most global leaders are complicit in the
establishment of this “New World Order,” aiding the NWO through the
manufacturing of global events (such as the coronavirus pandemic and mass
shootings) and controlling their associated narratives to sow
civil unrest.
The NWO conspiracy theory can be found in the online chatter of
fringe conspiracy theorists. While the associated rhetoric within these online
groups can appear innocuous at first, this conspiracy theory presents a
real-world danger, as it promotes a fatalistic worldview for adherents,
possibly inciting them to commit violence against communities, infrastructure,
and individuals deemed complicit in the NWO’s implementation. This cabal
narrative is commonly associated with other anti-Semitic conspiracy theories
that claim Jewish culpability, alleging that they are behind the
orchestration of the NWO, leading to an increased danger towards
Jewish communities.
The NWO conspiracy theory has a complex history
with a high degree of believability and a broad support base. Its malicious
elements give its adherents the agency to threaten violence against any
individual or group deemed complicit in the NWO agenda. Not only that, the
conspiracy theory acts as a gateway to further hate and violence and has
provided the foundation for more radical movements. If NWO-adjacent rhetoric is
left unchecked on social media platforms, it can lead to further
dehumanization, radicalization, and violence.
Thursday of the Third
Week of Lent[3]
Prayer. MAY heavenly propitiation increase Thy people subject to Thee, O
Lord, we beseech Thee, and make them ever servants of Thy commandments.
EPISTLE. Jer. vii. 1-7.
In those days the word of
the Lord came to me, saying Stand in the gate of the house of the Lord, and
proclaim there this word, and say: Hear ye the word of the Lord, all ye men of
Juda, that enter in at these gates, to adore the Lord. Thus, saith the Lord of
hosts, the God of Israel: Make your ways and your doings good: and I will dwell
with you in this place. Trust not in lying words, saying: The temple of the
Lord, the temple of the Lord, it is the temple of the Lord. For if you will
order well your ways, and your doings: if you will execute judgment between a
man and his neighbor, if you oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the
widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, and walk not after strange
gods to your own hurt, I will dwell with you in this place: in the land which I
gave to your fathers from the beginning and forever, saith the Lord Almighty.
GOSPEL. Luke iv. 38-44.
At that time Jesus, rising up out of the synagogue, went
into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever, and
they besought Him for her. And standing over her, He commanded the fever, and
it left her. And immediately rising, she ministered to them. And when the sun
was down, all they that had any sick with divers’ diseases brought them to Him.
But He laying His hands on every one of them, healed them. And devils went out
from many, crying out and saying: Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them He
suffered them not to speak, for they knew that He was Christ. And when it was
day, going out He went into a desert place, and the multitudes sought Him, and
came unto Him: and they stayed Him that He should not depart from them. To whom
He said: To other cities also I must preach the kingdom of God: for therefor am
I sent. And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.
Lenten Calendar[4]
Read:
The Seven Penitential Psalms, Day Three:
(During times when we wish to express
repentance, and especially during Lent, it is customary to pray the seven
penitential psalms. The penitential designation of these psalms’ dates back to
the seventh century. Prayerfully reciting these psalms will help us to
recognize our sinfulness, express our sorrow and ask for God’s forgiveness.) Today
we will focus on Psalm 38.
Reflect:
Read this reflection on Psalm
38—Prayer of an Afflicted Sinner.
Pray:
“LORD, do not punish me in your anger, in your wrath do not chastise me!”
(Ps 38:2)
Preparing for Battle[5] Know Your Weapons
The weapon of
Sacred Sacraments
1.
Baptism. Baptism is a
sacrament of liberation and deliverance from Satan and his realm.
2.
Reconciliation. Each time we sin,
the Devil strengthens his grip on us; that is why it’s so important to go to
sacramental Confession regularly.
3.
The Eucharist. Mass is a
great defense against the assault of the Devil. Before Him the all-conquering
power, the demons must flee. “We must return from that Table like lions
breathing fire, having become terrifying to the Devil!”
4.
Confirmation. To confirm
means to make strong.
5.
Anointing of the Sick.
Illness, especially serious illness, can be a trial in which Satan comes to
tempt us to be overcome by fear, discouragement, doubt, and even despair.
6.
Matrimony. The Devil’s first
attack on the human race was focused on a married couple. The home must become
a sanctuary, a holy place, a fortress against Satan’s assaults.
7.
Holy Orders. The sacrament
through which Christ’s mission for the Church continues to be exercised until
the end of the world.
Holy Order of Porters[6]
In the last 50 years, various minor
orders in the church, including porter, exorcist, and the major order of subdeacon
simply no longer exist in the Latin Church who no longer felt they were
necessary [all of the minor orders and the subdiaconate are still
used within the Independent Sacramental Movement]. What is the theology
behind these orders and why were they abolished?
As early as the third century, certain roles of service, including deacon, subdeacon, lector, and acolyte, were present in the church. These orders over time became linked to preparation for the priesthood and were divided between “minor orders” (porter, exorcist, lector, and acolyte) and “major orders” (subdeacon, deacon, and priest). Each order was received, and its function performed for a suitable time before a man was ordained to the priesthood.
The roles were varied but served a
legitimate purpose in the early church, usually related to the Mass. For
instance, the porter was the doorkeeper, responsible for opening and closing
the church and guarding the door during the celebration of Mass.
Together the orders constituted
ministries of service that developed in the church according to need. Yet over
time, many of them lost their function. The orders, especially porter and
exorcist, became symbolic. The loss of these functions occasioned a revision of
the orders after the Second Vatican Council.
The Ordination of Porters.
This order confers the office of caring for the dignity of the house of God and of maintaining order therein. During the early persecutions it was necessary to indicate to the faithful the time and place of divine service, and to keep the doors of the place of meeting locked against intruders. This was the duty of the “porters” and “messengers of God.” The duties of this office are pointed out by the bishop to be: “To strike the cymbal and ring the bell, to open the church and the sanctuary, and the book of him who preaches.” These duties are symbolic for the still higher duty “of closing to the devil and opening to God, by their word and example, the invisible house of God, namely, the hearts of the faithful.”
The matter of this order is the
presenting of the keys of the church to the clerics to be touched by their
right hand, and the form is the accompanying admonition: “Conduct yourselves as
having to render an account to God for those things which are kept under these
keys.”
The bishop then invites all present to
pray with him “that these porters may be most diligent in their care of the
house of God.”
Although the Ostiariate is no longer a distinct institution in the Church, still for that very reason every pastor ought to be a true ostiary, consumed with zeal for the house of God. He must love the church, frequently visit it, banish from it all uncleanliness, disorder, and irreverence, procure decent vestments and ornaments, and guard against the loss or profanation of anything consecrated to divine service. He must himself be punctual and urge others to punctuality in divine service.
Still greater care must he bestow on
the “invisible house of God, the hearts of the faithful,” that they may be
closed to the devil and opened to the graces and blessings of God, promoting
thus the interior service of God by word and deed.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Porters of Saint Joseph is a
volunteer apostolate with the mission to imitate St. Joseph as the Protector of
the Holy Church, Pillar of Families, and Terror of Demons.
We do this by providing a safe
environment at our parishes so the faithful can worship God in peace and
security. We build teams of faithful men who have felt the call to get involved
but have not yet found the opportunity to put their courageous, heroic,
masculine heart at the service of their parish, while at the same time, forming
a bond of Christian brotherhood with like-minded men.
Fulfill our successor to the apostle’s
call to step into the breach and join the Porters of St. Joseph!
SERVING & PROTECTING
PHOENIX
SAN DIEGO
TUCSON
“The Porters of St. Joseph are a very active and important ministry for men in our parish. They provide support to the parish and to me as the Pastor in many ways, most especially as security and medical assistance during Masses. Recently we had two instances where members of the parish had medical emergencies during Mass. The Porters of St. Joseph immediately assisted these parishioners, getting them to safety and assessing their need for treatment without a disruption to the congregation or the Mass. The Porters of St. Joseph also provided our parish with a safety assessment and a plan to increase safety on our parish campus. I highly recommend this ministry to any Pastor who would love to mobilize the men of their parish to grow in their spirituality and devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, while providing a much needed ministry.” Fr. John Muir // Vicar General // Diocese of Phoenix
ESTABLISH YOUR CHAPTER
Contact
us and let us get you everything you’ll need to start a chapter and schedule
training for your Porters.
Catechism of the
Catholic Church
Day
284 2196-2200
PART THREE: LIFE IN CHRIST
SECTION TWO-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
CHAPTER
TWO-YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
Jesus said
to his disciples: "Love one another even as I have loved you."
2196 In
response to the question about the first of the commandments, Jesus says:
"The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you
shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and
with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall
love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than
these."
The apostle St. Paul reminds us of this: "He who loves his neighbor has
fulfilled the law. the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery, You shall
not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,' and any other commandment,
are summed up in this sentence, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the
law."
ARTICLE
4-THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
Honor your
father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord
your God gives you.
He was
obedient to them.
The Lord Jesus himself recalled the force of this "commandment of God." The Apostle teaches: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' (This is the first commandment with a promise.) 'that it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth."'
2197 The
fourth commandment opens the second table of the Decalogue. It shows us the
order of charity. God has willed that, after him, we should honor our parents
to whom we owe life and who have handed on to us the knowledge of God. We are
obliged to honor and respect all those whom God, for our good, has vested with
his authority.
2198 This
commandment is expressed in positive terms of duties to be fulfilled. It
introduces the subsequent commandments which are concerned with particular
respect for life, marriage, earthly goods, and speech. It constitutes one of
the foundations of the social doctrine of the Church.
2199 The
fourth commandment is addressed expressly to children in their relationship to
their father and mother, because this relationship is the most universal. It
likewise concerns the ties of kinship between members of the extended family.
It requires honor, affection, and gratitude toward elders and ancestors.
Finally, it extends to the duties of pupils to teachers, employees to
employers, subordinates to leaders, citizens to their country, and to those who
administer or govern it. This commandment includes and presupposes the duties
of parents, instructors, teachers, leaders, magistrates, those who govern, all
who exercise authority over others or over a community of persons.
2200 Observing
the fourth commandment brings its reward: "Honor your father and your
mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives
you." Respecting this commandment provides, along with spiritual
fruits, temporal fruits of peace and prosperity. Conversely, failure to observe
it brings great harm to communities and to individuals.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Protection
of Life from Conception until natural death.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Make
reparations to the Holy Face
[2]https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/academics/centers-initiatives/ctec/ctec-publications/new-world-order-historical-origins-dangerous
[3] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896
[5]Thigpen, Paul. Manual for Spiritual
Warfare. TAN Books.
[6]https://celtichermit.com/2021/12/09/a-look-at-minor-orders-the-porter-exorcist-lector-and-acolyte/
[7] Sheraton, Mimi. 1,000 Foods
To Eat Before You Die: A Food Lover's Life List (p. 892). Workman Publishing Company.
Kindle Edition.
[8] Venerable Mary of Agreda. The
Mystical City of God: Complete Edition Containing all Four Volumes with
Illustrations (p. 770). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition
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