 Arguably one of the most famous saints of our time, with his own parade, is Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick, the “Apostle of Ireland,” was a missionary to Ireland, and he helped convert Pagan Ireland to Catholicism. Saint Patrick was born in Roman Britain, and kidnapped when he was fourteen years old. He was sent to Ireland to work as a slave, as a shepherd, he began to turn to God as a way of escape. Saint Patrick wrote "The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain." Prayer became Saint Patrick’s lifeline. When he turned twenty, he had a dream that told him to go to the coast of Ireland so that he could escape. The escape was successful and Saint Patrick was reunited with his family. However, after a few years, Saint Patrick had another dream which he felt called him to go back to Ireland and be a missionary to them. Saint Patrick decided to become a priest and when he was ordained bishop he travelled to Ireland. In Ireland, he began his work as a missionary. Saint Patrick converted many Irishmen, but he also gained many influential enemies in the process. One legend states that when Saint Patrick lit the Paschal fire and celebrated the Easter mysteries in Tara, he greatly angered the Druids because they had a rule that no one cold light a fire until the Chief Druid kindled the sacred fire. The Druids then devised a plan to kill Saint Patrick, since he had broken that rule. They gave him a cupful of poison ale; however, Saint Patrick blessed the goblet with the words, “In nomine Dei Patris," turning over the goblet, the poison alone fell out of it in front of all the Druids and guests. Saint Patrick’s trust in God was so great that death did not scare him. Additionally, one of Saint Patrick’s most famous quotes is his prayer the “Breastplate,” “Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.” Saint Patrick teaches us to have faith in God’s plan for our lives. Saint Patrick put his own life in risk to follow God’s call for him to be a missionary. Let us also trust in God even when the path seems to be impossible. Saint Patrick, pray for us that we will be able to follow God’s voice in our own lives, Amen. View My Catholic Family Magazine Easter Issue at: http://online.anyflip.com/zywc/fnmd/mobile/index.html#p=1 
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 Mount Calvary is the Academy of Love –St. Francis de Sales. During the Lenten Season, we mediate on the Jesus’ suffering during His Crucifixion. One of the best ways to reflect on Jesus’ Passion and Death is by praying the Stations of the Cross. The Stations of the Cross help us to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, by meditating on Christ's sufferings and death. The object of the mediations is to become one with Christ in his Sufferings. Jesus said to Saint Faustina, “There is more merit to one hour of meditation on My sorrowful Passion than there is to a whole year of flagellation that draws blood; the contemplation of My painful wounds is of great profit to you, and it brings Me great joy.” –Diary 369. This prayer is the mediation and one Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be on each of the fourteen Stations of the Cross. The stations range from Jesus being condemned to death by Pontius Pilate, to His first fall on the way to the Calvary, to Jesus’ Crucifixion, and to His lifeless body being laid in the tomb. This prayer offers many powerful promises for those who have a devotion to it. One indulgence given to Br. Estanisloa by Jesus is “I promise them my special protection; my hands will always be open to protect them.” Jesus also said "I promise eternal life to those who pray, from time to time, the Way of the Cross." Jesus directly reveals in these promises the amazing graces granted by Himself for all those who pray the Stations of the Cross from time to time. Because of this, the Stationers was founded. The Stationers is a prayer group dedicated to praying the Stations of the Cross as well as a short prayer at least once a week. Members of the Stationers pray together throughout the world to obtain grace for themselves and all of the members each week. The Stationers, also, strive to pray the Stations of the Cross on Friday at 3:00 pm. for sinners and the Souls in Purgatory. Jesus said to St. Faustina “As often as you hear the clock strike the third hour, immerse yourself completely in My mercy, adoring and glorifying it; invoke its omnipotence for the whole world, and particularly for poor sinners; for at that moment mercy was opened wide for every soul. In this hour you can obtain everything for yourself and for others for the asking; it was the hour of grace for the whole world — mercy triumphed over justice. ...My daughter, try your best to make the Stations of the Cross in this hour, provided that your duties permit it” –Diary 1572. A hymn that is often played during Lent is “Were you there?” The lyrics ask the questions “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” “Were you there when they nailed Him to the cross?” and “Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?” These questions become reality when we pray the Stations of the Cross because we go on a spiritual journey with Christ. Let us make the effort this Lenten Season to pray the Stations of the Cross at least once a week. To become a member of the Stationers go to: www.thepoweroftherosary.com/the-stationers.html
 Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. Saint Thomas the Apostle’s story of doubt is one of the most famous stories involved with Christ’s Resurrection. St. Thomas was the only one of the Apostles not present when the Resurrected Christ appeared to them in the upper room. When he heard the other apostles’ tale, he did not believe them. He said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” –John 20:25. Thomas had seen Christ crucified and could not believe that anyone could come back to life after that horrible ordeal. However, a week later, when he was eating with the disciples, Jesus came into their locked room and said “Peace be with you!” Thomas is stunned with astonishment; then, Jesus tells Thomas, “put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe” –John 20:27. At this moment, Thomas’ doubt became faith; he believed that Jesus was truly God and could do anything, “My Lord and my God!” Then, Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed” –John 20:28. This Beatitude that Jesus says to Thomas is directed to us, those who have not seen Jesus, but still believe. Saint Augustine said “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe." Additionally, Thomas went on to spread the news of Jesus’ life and Glorious Resurrection to the world; he travelled as far as India. Thomas’ faith was so strong that he died for it. Oftentimes doubt clouds our vision, and we begin to question our faith. In times when we feel like the “doubting Thomas,” we should pray for the gift of faith. Simple prayers like, “Lord, increase my faith,” can help us see the light of faith amidst the clouds of doubt. St. Thomas the Apostle, pray for us! View My Catholic Family Magazine Easter Issue at: http://online.anyflip.com/zywc/fnmd/mobile/index.html#p=1   Over 2000 years ago, the greatest miracle ever preformed occurred, the Resurrection of Jesus after three days in the tomb. This glorious miracle has given the world, hope. Hope for an eternal life. Who are the Easter People? The Easter people are those who live with hope instead of despair.. We are the Easter People when we believe that Jesus’ death transformed suffering and death. We are the Easter people when we hold firm in the belief of our Living Hope, Jesus Christ. We are the Easter People when we still have hope for Easter Sunday even when it feels like Good Friday. There is no guarantee that the problems will end, but we still believe that there is hope because Jesus has already come and conquered the grave. St .John Paul II said “We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery - the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. “We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!” The Easter people are a people who understand that there will be many times when we feel like despairing, but because of the Paschal Mystery, we are able to say Alleluia even in the middle of the storm. How do we live our lives as the Easter People in the midst of a world full of suffering? We live as the Easter People by living with hope in our words and actions. We act when times are hardest, we pray in times of sorrow, and we do not let despair overcome us. By small acts of kindness and love, we help put back the pieces of our broken world. Like, Mary Magdalene after seeing the Resurrected Christ, let us go out proclaiming that “Christ is Risen!” View My Catholic Family Magazine Easter Issue at: http://online.anyflip.com/zywc/fnmd/mobile/index.html#p=1   “He Sent His Son to die for us!” After the fall, God sent us a Messiah, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die for our sins so that we could be restored to the Kingdom of Heaven. Imagine the creator of the universe would sacrifice His own life for us. Jesus Christ is our hero that offered his life for us. This fact often seems incomprehensible, the question, “Why would anyone endure the suffering of the cross for my sake?” is often asked. The answer is simple: Christ endured the scourging, the crown of thrones, the mockery, the agonizing trek to Calvary, the nailing to the cross, and his death because every soul is so precious to him. Jesus knew the price He would pay for our salvation, but His love for us was greater than any pain. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” –John 3:16 This Good Friday, let us remember God’s sacrifice and let us thank Him for His love for us and the hope He has given us for a life in Heaven for all eternity. I will end this with a quote from St. Augustine, “As they were looking on, so we too gaze on his wounds as he hangs. We see his blood as he dies. We see the price offered by the redeemer; touch the scars of his resurrection. He bows his head, as if to kiss you. His heart is made bare open, as it were, in love to you. His arms are extended that he may embrace you. His whole body is displayed for your redemption. Ponder how great these things are. Let all this be rightly weighed in your mind: as he was once fixed to the cross in every part of his body for you, so he may now be fixed in every part of your soul." God Bless You, The Editor View My Catholic Family Magazine Easter Issue at: http://online.anyflip.com/zywc/fnmd/mobile/index.html#p=1  My Catholic Family's Christmas Issue, an Advent of Actions Calendar will help us get closer to God and to our brothers and sister through prayer and action. "Faith in Action is Love, and Love in Action is Service." ~St. Mother Teresa    Lifeboat Coffee is a coffee for the pro-life generation. It was founded on three principles: 1. All human life is sacred, beautiful and deserving of protection from natural conception to natural death. No exceptions & no compromise. 2. That their coffees must be ethically sourced, sustainable and of superior quality and taste. 3. And that they will give 10% of every purchase back to your favorite pro-life charity. Lifeboat Coffee is truly a coffee with a life-affirming mission. Lifeboat Coffee was founded by John Lillis. He and his wife have been blessed with seven children. For John Lillis being pro-life is personal because he was a proto-survivor of America’s abortion-holocaust. In August 1967, he was given up for adoption five-months after the California legislature passed the Therapeutic Abortion Act.  He came up with the idea of a pro-life coffee company while working on the construction of a pro-life radio station right next door to a Planned Parenthood. While remodeling the pro-life center around the radio studio, he thought to himself: “Almost everyone loves coffee, why not marry my love for life with my near obsession for great coffee and see if we can’t create something to help sustain this place!” And that’s how the Lifeboat Coffee Co. idea was born. Lifeboat Coffees are made from the best quality and tasting coffee companies. All of Lifeboat Coffees are purchased, cupped and roasted from the open-exchange and not from unethical sources. Lifeboat Coffee is the pro-life alternative to big brand coffee companies who support the "culture of death." To order one of Lifeboat Coffee's excellent roasts and give back 10% of your purchase to a pro-life charity go to: Lifeboatcoffee.com Help them finish their first store and at the same time get yourself amazing coffee at: www.gofundme.com/lifeboatstoreNo1 Lifeboat Coffee is their family's whole life and it means everything to them. They are grateful for your prayers and support!
If you love life, you will love Lifeboat coffee! |
