Dara’s Corner
· I will not delude you with prospects of peace and consolations; on the contrary, prepare for great battles. Be vigilant.
· Fairness is giving animals their due too this is “Responsible Animal Guardian Month”.
· Spirit Hour: Wine from the Benedictine descendants of St. William
· Foodie-Anthony Bourdain’s Favorite Sandwich Recipe
· Bucket List Trip: National Oceans Month:
o “The World” next port of call: Valletta, Malta
JUNE 25 Wednesday-Most Chaste Heart
of St. Joseph
St. William of Monte Virgine, Abbot-Moharram (Islamic New Year
Genesis, Chapter 15, verse 1
Sometime afterward, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: Do not FEAR, Abram! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great.
Let
us take heart for the word (Christ) appeared to Abram and told him to not to fear the world. Abram was sore afraid because he had just been in
battle with four Kings to rescue Lot his nephew and he feared retribution. Christ is our shield against the world (the
four kings east, west, north and south) and he has rewarded us the spiritual
children of Abram with eternal life. Our shield is our Faith.
Do you believe? Do you really
believe it?
Think of a shield, it protects the heart from the
arrows of the devil-which is doubt. But notice the shield does not protect the
eyes and the head unless it is raised. When doubt comes around raise your
shield of Faith and after the assault lower the shield and advance using your
reason and your head and eyes in faith to make a difference in the world.
Additionally in Proverbs 2 it states that he is a shield to those who walk in integrity; let us resolve to walk resolutely in integrity by using faith and reason in the battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil. True integrity is being willing to lay down your life for what you hold fast as the truth without wavering. Having integrity means avoiding the sins of envy and having a true love for God our creator and to love our neighbor as ourselves and our fellow humans treating them with kindness.
Copilot:
Genesis 15
opens with a powerful reassurance: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your
reward shall be very great.” From a Catholic perspective, this chapter
offers rich spiritual lessons on fear, trust, and divine promise.
Here are a
few key takeaways:
- God meets us in our fear: Abram
had just come from battle and was likely anxious about retaliation or the
future. Yet God speaks directly to his fear, not with rebuke, but with
comfort. This reflects the Catholic understanding that God is intimately
aware of our inner struggles and desires to console us.
- Fear often stems from uncertainty:
Abram’s fear wasn’t just about enemies—it was about legacy. He questioned
God’s promise because he had no heir. Catholics can relate to this: fear
often arises when we don’t see how God’s plan will unfold. But faith, like
Abram’s, means trusting even when the path is unclear.
- Faith dispels fear: Verse 6
says, “And he believed the Lord; and he reckoned it to him as
righteousness.” This is a cornerstone of Catholic teaching: faith is
not just belief, but a relationship of trust. When we believe in God’s
promises, fear loses its grip.
- God’s covenant is a source of peace:
The dramatic covenant ritual that follows—God passing between the divided
animals—symbolizes His unbreakable commitment. In Catholic theology, this
foreshadows the New Covenant in Christ, who conquers fear through love and
sacrifice.
- Fear can be transformed into awe:
When Abram falls into a deep sleep and experiences “a dreadful and great
darkness,” it mirrors the mystery and reverence Catholics associate with
divine encounters. Fear, in this sense, becomes a gateway to deeper
understanding and surrender.
Feast of the Most Chaste Heart of
St. Joseph[1]
The Feast of the Most Chaste Heart of
St. Joseph is to be celebrated on the first Wednesday after the Feast of the
Sacred Heart of Jesus. These apparitions were approved
by Bishop Dom Carillo Gritti on January 31, 2010. The messages of Itapiranga
contain 10 promises to those who are devoted to the Most Chaste Heart of St.
Joseph. Jesus, Mary and Joseph disclose these promises for the benefit of the
whole Church.
I - St Joseph: I
promise to all that honor this Most Chaste Heart of mine, and who do here on
earth good deeds in favor of the most needy, especially of the sick and dying
for whom I am a consoler and protector, to receive in their last moment of
their lives the grace of a good death. I myself will be to these souls their
petitioner to my Son Jesus and, together with my spouse, Most Holy Mary, we
will console them in their last hours here on earth with our holy presence, and
they will rest in the peace of our Hearts.
II - St. Joseph: I
promise to all the faithful that honor my Most Chaste Heart with faith and
love, the grace to live with holy purity of soul and body and the strength to
resist all attacks and temptations by the Devil. I myself will preciously
protect you.
III - St. Joseph: I
promise to intercede before God for those who come to me, honoring this Heart
of mine. I will give them the graces to be able to resolve the most difficult
problems and urgent necessities, that to the eyes of man seem impossible, but that,
through my intercession to God, will be possible.
IV - St. Joseph: I
promise all who will trust in my Most Chaste Heart, devoutly honoring it, the
grace to be consoled by me in their greatest afflictions of the soul and in the
danger of judgment, when by misfortune lose divine grace because of their grave
sins. To these sinners, who have recourse to me, I promise the graces of my
Heart for the purpose of amendment, of repentance and of sincere contrition of
their sins.
V - St. Joseph: To
all who honor this Heart of mine and trust in me and in my intercession, I
promise they will not be abandoned in their difficulties and in the trials of
life. I will ask Our Lord to help them with his Divine Providence in their
material and spiritual problems.
VI – St. Joseph:
Mothers and fathers – consecrate yourselves to my Heart, likewise your
families, and you will receive my help in your afflictions and problems. Just
as I brought up the Son of the Most Hight in his holy laws, I will assist you
with the upbringing and education of your children. I will help all fathers and
mothers that consecrate their children to me, to bring them up with love in the
holy laws of God, so they may find the secure road to salvation.
VII – St. Joseph: So
then, my son, tell all those that honor this Chaste Heart of mine they will
receive the grace of my protection from all evils and dangers. For those who
surrender to me will not be slaughtered by misfortunes, by wars, hunger, by
diseases and other calamities, they will have my Heart as a refuge for their
protection. Here, in my Heart, all will be protected against the divine justice
in the days that will come. All who consecrate themselves to my Heart, honoring
it, they will be looked upon by my Son Jesus with eyes of mercy. Jesus
will pour out his love and will take to the glory of his Kingdom all those I
put in my Heart.
VIII – St. Joseph:
All those who propagate the devotion to my Heart, and practice it with love,
have the certainty of having their names engraved on it just as my Son Jesus'
cross and the "M" of Mary are engraved on it, as formed by wounds.
This also applies for all priests whom I love with predilection. The priests
who have a devotion to my Heart and spread it will have the grace of touching
the most hardened hearts and convert obstinate sinners.
IX – Our Lady: All
who honor the Most Chaste Heart of St. Joseph will benefit with my maternal
presence in their lives in a special way. I will be at the side of each son and
daughter of mine, helping and comforting them with a mothers' Heart, just as I helped
and comforted my Most Chase Spouse Joseph in this world. To those who ask of
his Heart with trust, I promise to intercede before the Eternal Father, my
Divine Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I will obtain for them, from God, the
grace to reach perfect sanctity in the virtues of St. Joseph, this way reaching
the perfect love in which he lived. Men will learn to love my Son Jesus and
myself with the same love as my Most Chaste Spouse Joseph, receiving the most
pure love from our Hearts.
X – Our Lord Jesus
Christ: All who will honor my Virginal Father Joseph's Most Chaste Heart, will
receive at the hour of death the grace to resist the schemes of the enemy of
salvation, receiving victory and the deserved recompense in the Kingdom of my Heavenly
Father. Those who devoutly honor this Chaste Heart in this world have the
certainty of receiving great glory in Heaven. The devoted souls of my Virginal
Father Joseph will benefit from the beatific vision of the Holy Trinity and
will have the profound knowledge of the One Triune God, the thrice Holy. They
will enjoy the presence of my Heavenly Mother and my Virginal Father Joseph in
the heavenly Kingdom. These souls will be loved by the Holy Trinity and by my
Holy Mother Mary and will encircle the Most Chaste Heart of my Virginal Father
Joseph like the most beautiful of lilies.
St. William of Monte Virgine, Abbot[2]
William was born in Vercelli, Italy, in
1085. His parents died when he was a baby. Relatives raised him. When William
grew up, he became a hermit. He worked a miracle, curing a blind man, and found
himself famous. William was too humble to be happy with the people’s
admiration. He really wanted to remain a hermit so that he could concentrate on
God. He went away to live alone on a high, wild mountain. No one would bother
him now. But even there he was not to remain alone. Men gathered around the saint,
and they built a monastery dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Because of
William’s monastery, people gave the mountain a new name. They called it the
Mountain of the Virgin.
Things
to Do:
·
William's pilgrimage to the tomb of St. James
the Apostle in Spain was the turning point of his
life.
·
Is it not easily possible for you to make
a pilgrimage to some holy place in your neighborhood now during the summertime?
First of all, however, are you familiar with the relics in your own parish
church?
o Remember
that any visit to a church is a pilgrimage to the grave of a saint!
·
Read more about the life of St. William here
and the monastery he founded, Monte Vergine.
Bible
in a Year-Day 7
Fr.
Mike talks about the significance of God's covenant with Abram, and how it
points to God's immense love for us. Today's readings are Genesis 14-15, Job
3-4, and Proverbs 1:8-19.
Moharram
(Islamic New Year)[3]
·
Muharram
(1st first month of the Islamic calendar) is the holiest month after Ramadan.
This month is most recommended by Muhammad to fast and worship in.
·
The
Islamic method of dating was invented by Umar ibn Al-Khattab, a close friend of
Muhammad. He was the second Islamic Caliph (rulers) and in the year 638
he standardized the many calendars of the Arabian Peninsula.
·
The
Islamic calendar is lunar cycle based and contains twelve months that make up a
total of 354.36 days together.
·
There
are parallels between this holiday and the day of Ashura. Ashura commemorates what
Muslims believe is Moses crossing the Red Sea to escape the oppressive Pharaoh
on Ashura. Similarly, the Islamic New Year marks Muhammad's crossing the
desert between Mecca and Medina to escape the oppressive Quraish nobles.
For both observances, Muhammad recommended Muslims to fast.
·
The
Islamic calendar is abbreviated A.H. or Anno Hegirae in Western languages.
The first date on the Islamic calendar, 1,1 Muharram A.H. corresponds to
July 16, year 622.
Top Events and Things to Do
·
Muslim
parents traditionally tell their children of Muhammad's escape from Mecca to
Medina on this night.
Read more about Muhammad's journey from Mecca to Medina by reading his biography, The Sealed Nectar
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: The
sanctification of the Church Militant.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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