Prayers that need to be revived

In my opinion Catholics everywhere need to start saying these prayers again. Often!

O God, our refuge and our strength, look down with mercy upon the people who cry to Thee; and by the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Saint Joseph her spouse, of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and of all the saints, in Thy mercy and goodness hear our prayers for the conversion of sinners, and for the liberty and exaltation of the Holy Mother the Church. Through the same Christ Our Lord.


Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray: and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, 29 JUL 2011 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That World Youth Day in Madrid may encourage young people throughout the world to have their lives rooted and built up in Christ".

His mission intention is: "That Western Christians may be open to the action of the Holy Spirit and rediscover the freshness and enthusiasm of their faith".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/ VIS 20110729 (80)

This is the Night: The Exultet

It's finally here. The Easter Vigil, the high point of our liturgical year is upon us. Jesus Christ is Risen!

Tonight we will hear one of the most beautiful prayers that our Church offers. The Exulet. This prayer should be chanted by a deacon (if you are lucky enough to have one) or a priest. Here are a couple of recordings of the Exultet that I enjoy. The files are large, however, well worth the wait:


Fr. Tim Hepburn chants the Exultet in English.

Father John Zuhlsdorf's podcast has a wonderful version of the Exultet sung in Latin along with some very interesting information about this glorious prayer.


The Exultet

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing choirs of angels!
Exult, all creation around God's throne!
Jesus Christ, our King is risen!
Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, O earth, in shining splendor,
radiant in the brightness of your King!
Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!
Darkness vanishes for ever!

Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory!
The risen Savior shines upon you!
Let this place resound with joy,
echoing the mighty song of all God's people!

My dearest friends,
standing with me in this holy light,
join me in asking God for mercy,
that he may give his unworthy minister
grace to sing his Easter praises.


The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly right that with full hearts and minds and voices
we should praise the unseen God, the all-powerful Father,
and his only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
For Christ has ransomed us with his blood,
and paid for us the price of Adam's sin to our eternal Father!

This is our passover feast,
When Christ, the true Lamb, is slain,
whose blood consecrates the homes of all believers.

This is the night,
when first you saved our fathers:
you freed the people of Israel from their slav'ry,
and led them dry-shod through the sea.

This is the night,
when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin.

This is night,
when Christians ev'rywhere,
washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,
are restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

This is the night,
when Jesus broke the chains of death
and rose triumphant from the grave.

What good would life have been to us,
had Christ not come as our Redeemer?

Father, how wonderful your care for us!
How boundless your merciful love!
To ransom a slave you gave away your Son.

O happy fault, O necessary sin of Adam,
which gained for us so great a Redeemer!

Most blessed of all nights,
chosen by God to see Christ rising from the dead!

Of this night scripture says:
"The night will be as clear as day:
it will become my light, my joy."

The power of this holy night dispels all evil,
washes guilt away, restores lost innocence,
brings mourners joy;
it casts out hatred, brings us peace,
and humbles earthly pride.

Night truly blessed,
when heaven is wedded to earth
and we are reconciled to God!

Therefore, heavenly Father, in the joy of this night,
receive our evening sacrifice of praise,
your Church's solemn offering.

Accept this Easter candle,
a flame divided but undimmed,
a pillar of fire that glows to the honor of God.

Let it mingle with the lights of heaven
and continue bravely burning
to dispel the darkness of this night!

May the Morning Star which never sets
find this flame still burning:
Christ, that Morning Star,
who came back from the dead,
and shed his peaceful light on all mankind,
your Son, who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society

In searching through my blog list this caught my eye. The Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society. I want to spotlight this because I feel that praying for the souls in purgatory is becoming a lost practice. I encourage everyone who might stop by my blog to enroll your deceased loved ones and to pray for the souls in this society.

Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society



Please pray for the enrolled souls and the holy priests of the Society:
"For all the souls enrolled in the Rorate Caeli Purgatorial Society: Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the Faithful departed rest in peace. Amen."


Then ...

Eternal God,
please bless our priests,
who are selflessly saying Masses for this Society.
Make them more greatly aware of the grace
that You pour out through them
when they minister the sacraments,
and help them to fall more deeply in love with You
after each and every Mass that they celebrate.
Please strengthen our priests,
who shepherd Your flock,
when they are in doubt of their faith,
that they may be examples of Your Truth
and guide us always on the path to You.
We ask these things of You, our Eternal Priest.
Amen.

Regina Caeli

During the Easter season the Regina Caei is sung/recited in the place of the Angelus (The Angelus is usually at 6am, noon, and 6pm). It was customary to ring the church bells at these times as well (The Angelus Bells).

Latin:

Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia:
Quia quem meruisti portare. alleluia,
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia,
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.

English:

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as He said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Pope's prayer intentions for April

Pope's prayer intentions for April released :: EWTN News


On Wednesday, the Vatican's Press Office released the Holy Father's prayer intentions for the month of April. In his intentions, the Pontiff prays for the perseverance of Christians who are persecuted and that respect and tolerance will counter fundamentalism and extremism.

Pope Benedict's general prayer intention is: "That every tendency to fundamentalism and extremism may be countered by constant respect, by tolerance and by dialogue among all believers."

His mission intention is: "That Christians persecuted for the sake of the Gospel may persevere, sustained by the Holy Spirit, in faithfully witnessing to the love of God for the entire human race."

The Holy Father's February Prayer Intentions

VATICAN CITY, 1 FEB 2010 (VIS) – Pope Benedict’s general prayer intention for February is: “That by means of sincere search for the truth scholars and intellectuals may arrive at an understanding of the one true God”.

His mission intention is: “That the Church, aware of her own missionary identity, may strive to follow Christ faithfully and to proclaim His Gospel to all peoples”.

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for January

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JANUARY
 
VATICAN CITY, 30 DEC 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict XVI's general prayer intention for January 2010 is: "That young people may learn to use modern means of social communication for their personal growth and to better prepare themselves to serve society".
 
 His mission intention is: "That every believer in Christ may be conscious that unity among all Christians is a condition for more effective proclamation of the Gospel".
BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/JANUARY/...                                 VIS 091230 (80)
 

Emmaus Retreat

This weekend my wife and several other women from our area faith community have started their annual Emmaus Retreat in Currie. MN. I would like to offer my prayers for them as they start their travel together down the road to Emmaus.

I would like to ask for prayers tonight for my wife who is giving a witness talk on the sacraments as they have affected her life.

Also, she just called me to help her find a priest to give a discussion on reconciliation as they one she has scheduled is sick with the flu. Please pray for Father Patrick Arens.

Thank you to Father Robert J. Mraz who is filling in for Fr. Arens on short notice.

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR JUNE

VATICAN CITY, 1 JUN 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for June is: "That international attention towards the poorer countries may give rise to more concrete help, in particular to relieve them of the crushing burden of foreign debt"

His mission intention is: "That the particular Churches operating in regions marked by violence may be sustained by the love and concrete closeness of all the Catholics in the world".

BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/JUNE/... VIS 090601 (80)

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR MAY

VATICAN CITY, 30 APR 2009 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for May is: "That the laity and the Christian communities may be responsible promoters of priestly and religious vocations".



His mission intention is: "That the recently founded Catholic Churches, grateful to the Lord for the gift of faith, may be ready to share in the universal mission of the Church, offering their availability to preach the Gospel throughout the world".

BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/MAY/... VIS 090430 (80)

Prayer

Every time Lent rolls around I always pledge to myself that I am going to really focus on prayer and every year when Lent is over I realize that I did not focus on prayer. This year, however, I am praying more. I have found a short ten minute window between the time I am done getting dressed in the morning and when I wake the boys of for school where I can spend some quiet time with God. It has really been a calming experience for me. A time for me to offer God my fears and ask him for strength. I also as for prayers for the people in my life who need them.

I think what is helping me focus on prayer is the fact that I attended an Emmaus retreat shortly before Lent. It was a weekend retreat and it really helped me let go of a lot of the baggage in my life that was keeping me from praying. I also was able to spend time getting to know 20 other guys form our area and discovered that I a not alone. And you bet, those 20 guys are in my morning prayers every day.

This week I was also able to give thanks for an answered prayer because one of my friends from Schwan's who was laid off finally found a job. Prayers do work.

The Holy Father's Prayer Intentions for November

VATICAN CITY, 31 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Benedict's general prayer intention for November is: "That the testimony of love offered by the saints may fortify Christians in their devotion to God and their neighbor, imitating Christ who came to serve and not to be served".



His mission intention is: "That the Christian communities of Asia, contemplating the face of Christ, may know how to find the most suitable ways to announce Him, in full faithfulness to the Gospel, to the people of that vast continent so rich in culture and ancient forms of spirituality".

BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/NOVEMBER/... VIS 081031 (90)

Black Wednesday

Due to the economic downturn and other such heartless corporate mumbo jumbo my job was eliminated today after twelve years of service.

If anyone has a spare prayer. I honestly could use it.

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR OCTOBER

VATICAN CITY, 1 OCT 2008 (VIS) - Pope Benedict XVI's general prayer intention for October is: "That the Synod of Bishops may help the pastors and theologians, the catechists and promoters who are engaged in the service of the Word of God to courageously transmit the truth of faith in communion with the entire Church".

His mission intention is: "That in this month dedicated to the missions, through the promotional activities of the Pontifical Missionary Works and other organisms, every Christian community may feel the need to participate in the Church's universal mission with prayer, sacrifice and concrete help".

BXVI-PRAYER INTENTIONS/OCTOBER/... VIS 081001 (110)

Faithful Citizenship

I am a firm believer that deep down inside all of know which things are truly wrong, immoral or downright evil. God has permanently inscribed this knowledge on our soul. We might try to cover this knowledge up or pretend not to listen to it but it's there.

When it comes to this year's election my prayer is twofold. I pray that the citizens of the United States will take a moment to listen to their soul and vote accordingly. It is also my prayer that our elected officials will listen to their souls and craft and execute laws accordingly.

To that end, I want to direct everyone to a website produced by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called Faithful Citizenship. At this site you will find the Novena for Faithful Citizenship. There are options for when to pray this. I intend to start this Novena on October 26 and pray this each day until the election.

I hope that people who read this will join me. Please feel free to post a comment if you are going to pray along.

BENEDICT XVI'S PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR AUGUST

VATICAN CITY, 31 JUL 2008 (VIS) - Pope Benedict's general prayer intention for August is: "That the human family may know how to respect God's design for the world and thus become ever more aware of the great gift of God which Creation represents for us".

His mission intention is: "That the answer of the entire people of God to the common vocation to sanctity and mission may be promoted and fostered, with careful discernment of the charisms and a constant commitment to spiritual and cultural formation".

Source: Vatican Information Service

Hell, Confession, and Purgatory

Father Z over at his blog has a wonderful post dealing with Hell, Confession, and Purgatory. He reminds us that there is really a hell and it isn't really all that hard for us to end up there. Fortunately for us, Jesus gave us the Sacrament of Penance to help us avoid that eternal nightmare.

Father Z asks us how long it has been since we heard the words "I absolve you of your sins..." For me it has been about 4 months. Perhaps it is time for me to go again.

Father also reminds us that even if we have not done enough penance for our sins when we die. As long as we are in His friendship he gives us Purgatory so that we can be purified. He reminds us that we can help those people currently in Purgatory with our prayers, and by earning indulgences. When is the last time you have talked about indulgences in your parish? For me. it was during RCIA where I was told that indulgences are old an no longer observed anymore. That is not true, by the way.

Please go read what Father Z has to say. I cannot do his words justice here.

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2008/08/a-fervorino/

Prayer for the Diocese of New Ulm.

O Lord,

Thank you for answering our prayers
and guiding your vicar on Earth in selecting
our new shepherd.

Please give our bishop the strength, courage and
wisdom that he will need to face the challenges
that the future may bring.

For us Lord, open our hearts and minds to what
our bishop has to teach us so that our faith may
grow stronger.

Amen

Prayer for Vocations

O God,

Thank you for the priests of the Diocese of New Ulm.
Today I wish to pray for Fr. Paul TImmerman.
May you grant him all the grace he needs to do his job
in this hectic world.

I also wish to pray for Seminarian Matt Wiering.
May you grant him the wisdom and courage to move
forward toward achieving his vocation as a priest.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen!