Articles For Heart Mind Soul

A CHALLENGE TO FOCUS ON FASTING AND PRAYER WHY? When you fast, you are denying something that your own desires, your flesh want, in order to focus on God and what He wants for you, and to spend time in prayer. God honors the sacrifice you make and works in your heart to draw you closer to Himself. Fasting is for the purpose of focusing on God, and devoting yourself to prayer. You are challenged to commit to a three (3) day media fast, and commit to eliminating distractions and focusing on God. During the fast, dedicate your thoughts and prayers to seeking God for Contagious excitement, Clarity, Connections, and Confidence in sharing the Gospel of Christ. For this time of fasting, you are encouraged to focus on praying the following prayers, unite in prayer for this specific time: -CONTAGIOUS EXCITEMENT “God, ignite in my heart an excitement about being contagious with my faith.” (Luke 8:39) -CLARITY “Open my eyes to see people in my life who need the love of Jesus Chr

On Memorial Day we honor the memories of the armed forces members who were killed fighting for their country in wars, police actions, peace-keeping missions or terrorist attacks. This Memorial Day we join together in prayer with all those who have served our country. Both veterans and those currently serving in the military have our heartfelt blessings and deepest gratitude. Honor your loved ones and those that protect us, living and deceased, this Memorial Day.

Pope Benedict XVI, through the Vatican’s Congregation of Bishops, has named Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú Apostolic Administrator for the Archdiocese of San Antonio . The appointment is effective May 26, 2010, as Archbishop José Gomez vacates his seat as Archbishop of San Antonio and assumes his position as coadjutor archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, CA. The announcement was made by Apostolic Nuncio, Pietro Sambi, theVatican’s ambassador and its liaison to the Catholic Church in the United States. While there are limitations placed on the apostolic administrator by church law, Bishop Cantú will generally have the same authority and responsibilities as an archbishop. Cantú will hold this office on an interim basis, until the new archbishop is named by the Pope, which could take six to twelve months. Upon learning of his appointment, Bishop Cantú said, “I thank the Congregation for Bishops for the confidence they have placed in me to serve as caretaker of the minis

Coadjutor Archbishop Jose Gomez. Los Angeles, Calif., May 26, 2010 ( CNA ).- Archbishop Jose Gomez was officially welcomed at a Rite of Reception Mass in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Wednesday, a move that officially begins his ministry within the southern California community. Archbishop Gomez, currently the Coadjutor Archbishop of the L.A. Archdiocese, will succeed Cardinal Roger Mahony, who will retire at the age of 75 in February of next year. An estimated 4,000 people, including 59 bishops and 411 priests, attended the multilingual celebration at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles. “Today we recognize that Jesus is present in our midst as when he commissioned Peter,” Cardinal Mahony noted. “ As I near the end of my time of tending this corner of the vineyard, the shepherd's staff is being passed to Archbishop Gomez.” “Mahony goes, Gomez comes, but Christ alone endures.” Following Communion, Archbishop Gomez addressed the congregation, speaki

PRAYER AGAINST STORMS AND FLOODS Graciously hear us, O Lord, when we call upon You, and grant unto our supplications a calm atmosphere, that we, who are justly afflicted for our sins, may, by Your protecting mercy, experience pardon. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * PRAYER FOR PROTECTION FROM HURRICANES AND STORMS God, our Father, Eternal and Omnipotent, Creator and Lord of the Universe, you have set the earth on its foundation and all elements of nature obey your command. You give food to all flesh, cover the heavens with clouds, and provide rain to the earth ─ We humbly beseech you Lord, Most High, to keep us safe from all dangers and to calm all the storms of life that threaten us: especially the attack of whirlwinds and tornadoes, the calamity and destruction of hurricanes, the din and damage of hail storms, the striking of thunderbolts and lightning, and the devastation of floods and tidal waves.

No Church without Pentecost, no Pentecost without Mary, Pope says Vatican City, May 23, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) He taught that there is no Church without Pentecost and no Pentecost without Mary. “So,” he observed, “there is no Church without Pentecost.” And, he added, “there is no Pentecost without the Virgin Mary.” She was present in the Upper Room when with the disciples when the Holy Spirit descended and, as she is “in all places and times,” the Pope explained, including his recent trip to Fatima as an example. “What did that immense multitude live, in fact, in the esplanade of the Sanctuary, where all of us were a single heart and soul, if it wasn’t a renewal of Pentecost? “Among us was Mary, the Mother of God,” Pope Benedict said of the Mass he celebrated in Fatima with 500,000 people in attendance on May 13. He said that wherever Christians join in prayer with Mary, the Lord offers them his Spirit. The Holy Spirit... The Seven Gifts Of The Holy Spirit The Twe

Choose Beauty over Un-Beauty/Non-Beauty Choose Goodness over Un-Goodness/Non-Goodness Choose Truth over Un-Truth/Non-Truth Choose Joy over Un-Joy/Non-Joy No Beauty – Know Beauty No Goodness - Know Goodness No Truth – Know Truth No Joy – Know Joy If it is Beautiful, it is God’s Beauty If it is Good, it is God’s Goodness If it is True, it is God’s Truth If it is Joyful, it is God’s Joy Choose to Know God's Beauty Choose to Know God's Goodness Choose to Know God's Truth Choose to Know God's Joy

Novena to the Holy Spirit Ninth Day: Sent With The Power To Reconcile Thou on those who evermore, Thee confess and Thee adore, In Thy sevenfold gifts, descend; Give them comfort when they die; Give them life with Thee on high; Give them joys which never end. Amen. Father, through Jesus, Your Son, You sent the Paraclete to be at our side, to reconcile all Creation to you. Grant that I may be forever open to Jesus' invitation to "Receive The Holy Spirit!" Father, open our hearts to accept Your forgiveness for our sins and to offer that same forgiveness to those who we feel have offended us. For merciful forgiveness is the essence of Your love revealed in Your Son. Come, O Divine Spirit, fill my heart with Your Heavenly Fruits - Your charity, joy, peace patience, benignity, goodness, faith, mildness and temperance, that I may, by faithful submission to your Inspiration, merit to be united eternally with You in the love of the Father and the Son. Amen.

A grassroots effort to show gratitude for the true value of Catholic Priests. Submit a letter describing the value a priest had in your life. letterstopriests@gmail.com Please email your letters of gratitude. Website to send letters to: http://letterstopriests.blogspot.com/ Mailing address: P.O. Box 482, Ada, MI 49301

Vatican City, May 21, 2010 ( EWTN News ) Lourdes, France is this weekend's destination for thousands of military personnel and their families who will participate in the 2010 International Military Pilgrimage. Since 1958, the Shrine has seen soldiers from all over the world come in peace to venerate Mary. The tradition of the International Military Pilgrimage (IMP) to the French Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes began in 1958, after what was initially a regional pilgrimage and later national pilgrimage was made international to officially recognize the many NATO soldiers that had been arriving. This year's 52nd pilgrimage takes place from May 21-23 and, according to organizers, will see nearly 12,000 pilgrims. An American outfit is represented in addition to 36 other delegations from as far away as Australia and Kenya and one formed of UN-mandated troops based in Kosovo. Major events planned for the three-day stay in the foothills of the French Alps, which will involve all m

Novena to the Holy Spirit Eighth Day: Gifted Through The Spirit Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray! Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Wisdom, strengthen my faith, increase my hope, perfect my charity. Father, enlighten us each day, in the silence of our hearts, to discern the voice of Your Spirit, to do what He asks of us and to understand the gifts He freely gives us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit Seventh Day: Growth In The Freedom That Love Gives   Heal our wounds - our strength renew; On our dryness, pour thy dew; Wash the stains of guilt away! Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Counsel. Make my thoughts holy, my love pure, and my works pleasing to God. Father, guided by Your Spirit, may I strive to make loving choices and respect all life. May we be aware of our dignity as Your sons and daughters, redeemed with the Blood of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit Sixth Day: Human Weakness And Sinfulness If Thou take Thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay, All his good is turn'd to ill. Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Understanding, enlighten our minds that we may appreciate and see more fully what we know by faith. Come to us in our weakness and give voice to our petitions, for "the prayers that the Spirit makes for God's holy people are always in accordance with the mind of God."

VATICAN CITY, MAY 19, 2010 ( Zenit.org ).- Benedict XVI will visit the Don Orione Center in Rome's Monte Mario district to bless a 29-foot tall restored statue of the Virgin Mary. The Vatican press office announced today that the Pope will bless the statue of the Virgin on June 24, in what will be a short, half-day pilgrimage. The image, which is made of gilded copper and looks out over the city of Rome, fell from its 62-foot pedestal in a storm last October. It has been recently restored and replaced. Benedict XVI's visit to Monte Mario also coincides with the Feast of the Pope that the Sons of Divine Providence, following a tradition of their founder, St. Luigi Orione, promote all over the world. The Pope will also visit the cloistered nuns of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria del Rosario in Monte Mario, where the seventh-century icon known as Our Lady of St. Luke is kept.

The Mass of Thanksgiving and Farewell for Archbishop José Gomez was celebrated by an overflow assembly of clergy, religious, parishioners and other admirers and friends at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. Since his appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archbishop of Los Angeles on April 6, many have anticipated this opportunity to offer a prayerful farewell Archbishop Gomez's last major liturgical function before leaving for Los Angeles. He remains archbishop of San Antonio until May 26 when he will be welcomed by his new archdiocese at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Archbishop Gomez was the Principal Celebrant at the Mass. The Concelebrants were Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantú, Archbishop Emeritus Patrick F. Flores, Retired Bishop Thomas J. Flanagan, and Bishop Kevin W. Vann, Bishop of Fort Worth. After communion, several special gifts will be presented to Archbishop Gomez as tokens of gratitude and love by several individuals. The gifts included. An origin

Novena to the Holy Spirit Fifth Day: Gifted To Serve And Build Others Up Light immortal! Light Divine! Visit Thou these hearts of Thine, And our inmost being fill! Come, 0 Blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father. Father, through Your Spirit, You invite us to participate in the fullness of Creation. Help me to see that all gifts are from You and intended for your Glory. For there are many different gifts, but always the same Spirit, many ways of serving, but 'always the same Lord. Amen.

Novena to the Holy Spirit Fourth Day: The Dignity Of The Christian Thou, in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe. Come, O Blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity. O, Divine Trinity, grant that we may be strengthened to see in ourselves and each other the dignity that is ours as temples of Your Holy Spirit, to be loved by one another as each of us is loved by Jesus. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Princeton, N.J., May 16, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) A Gallup poll of Americans’ views on abortion again reports that slightly more Americans self-identify as pro-life instead of pro-choice. A poll conducted May 3-6 showed 47 percent of Americans say they are pro-life while 45 percent say they are pro-choice, Gallup reports, claiming a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. Particularly large increases in pro-life sympathies are apparent among young adults and those aged 50 to 64 years.

Novena to the Holy Spirit Third Day: The Soul Of Christ's Body, The Church Thou, of all consolers, best, Visiting the troubled breast Dost refreshing peace bestow. Come, O Blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart. God, our Father, may I, through the grace of your Spirit, be forever filled with filial affection for you. Grant that I may be inspired to love and respect all members of your family as brothers and sisters of Jesus, who, together with him, call you Abba, Father. Amen.

By Catholic Digest Staff It is customary to assign each chaplet to a particular day of the week. Rosarium Virginis Mariae (RVM) suggests that the Joyful mysteries be prayed on Monday and Saturday, the Luminous on Thursday, the Sorrowful on Tuesday and Friday, and the Glorious on Wednesday and Sunday. One popular opening prayer is the first verse of Psalm 70, “O God, come to my assistance. O Lord make haste to help me.” A variation of the opening prayer is to say the Apostles Creed. This is followed by an Our Father, three Hail Marys, and a Glory Be. Then announce the chaplet and the first mystery; for example, “The five Joyful mysteries, the first mystery, the Annunciation.” After announcing each mystery, pause for the proclamation of a related biblical passage, and silence for meditation. Then follow with the Our Father, the decade of Hail Marys, and the Glory Be for each of the five mysteries. There are different ways to conclude. Typical, however, is to end with the Hai

Novena to the Holy Spirit Second Day: Christ's Promise To Send The Paraclete   Come, Father of the poor! Come, treasures which endure! Come, Light of all that live! Come, O Blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, fill me with devotion to God alone. In the Risen Christ, I welcome You, O Spirit of truth, whom the Father sends in Jesus' name. Wash clean the sinful soul, and rain down your grace that we may be one with the Church in fidelity to our Lord Jesus, Christ. Amen.

For 2000 years Christians have asked for the Virgin Mary's intercession in times of great need. STOP Planned Parenthood is launching a new campaign to bring Jesus to Planned Parenthood through Mary. Prayer at the Planned Parenthood facility   Holy Mary, Mother of God, we humbly ask that you use the power granted to you by the Holy Trinity and bring about the closing of this Planned Parenthood facility. We ask you, oh Mother of Mercy, to ask your Son to have mercy on the preborn babies whose lives are ended either directly at this facility or by products sold to their mothers here. We also implore you, “who destroys heresies and crushes demons,”* to protect the teenagers who are lured to this facility and led into lives of sin. Remove this place of evil from their lives and grant them the graces to reject Satan and to live lives of purity and chastity. Oh Virgin Most Pure, in honor of your inestimable purity, we pray, (Recite the “Hail Mary” prayer three times) Amen. Prayer appro

Novena to the Holy Spirit First Day: Creation Awaits Fulfillment Holy Spirit, Lord of light! From Your clear celestial height, Your pure' beaming radiance give! Almighty and eternal God, send forth Your Spirit, who brought order from chaos at the beginning of the universe, and peace to the Lord's disciples. Grant that I, as your creation, baptized in your Spirit, may be filled with the seven gifts so that I may forever do your will and renew the face of the earth. Amen.

A statue of Our Lady of Fatima is seen in the background as Pope Benedict XVI waves to the crowd during a candlelight vigil at the Marian shrine of Fatima in central Portugal May 12. - CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano via Reuters

Fun, family-friendly 2-mile walk-a-thon to raise funds to support the life-saving work of Texas Alliance for Life. The Walk 2010 takes place at Sun City in Georgetown on May 22, Seguin Outdoor Learning Center in Seguin on June 5, and The Quarries in Austin on June 19. To sign up as a walker or to pledge to sponsor a walker, visit http://www.texasallianceforlife.org/  and click on the "Walk 2010" button. The latest issue of  Life Matters is full of updates you will want to read! Check out the online version of Life Matters ...

Fatima, Portugal, May 13, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) During the Pope's visit to Portugal, Bishop Antonio Marto of Leiria-Fatima presented him with the first official Rosary of Our Lady of Fatima. The Holy Father thanked him for the gift and led the thousands gathered at the Shrine of Fatima in the recitation of the Rosary. Kneeling and praying the Rosary, the Holy Father recited the first half of the Our Fathers and the Hail Marys in Latin while the faithful responded in their own languages. In a press release regarding the gift, the Shrine of Fatima explained that the Rosary is “made of gold, a noble metal … whose color evokes the sun, the symbol the Church associates with Jesus Christ.” The beads for the Our Father are also made of gold, while those of the Hail Marys are made of topaz, which “allow the blue light of the heavens,” to pass through them. The medal on the Rosary features an image of the three shepherd children before Our Lady of Fatima, explained the statement

Prayer of the Holy Father to Our Lady of Fatima By Pope Benedict XVI Our Lady, Mother of all men and women, I come before you as a son visiting his Mother, and I do so in company with a multitude of brothers and sisters. As the Successor of Peter, to whom was entrusted the mission of presiding in the service of charity in the Church of Christ and of confirming all in faith and in hope, I wish to present to your Immaculate Heart the joys and hopes as well as the problems and sufferings of each one of these sons and daughters of yours who are gathered in the Cova di Iria or who are praying with us from afar. Mother most gentle, you know each one by name, you know each one’s face and personal history, and you love them all with maternal benevolence that wells up from the very heart of Divine Love. I entrust and consecrate them all to you, Mary Most Holy, Mother of God and our Mother. ( http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/ )

Fatima, Portugal, May 12, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) After praying Vespers this evening in Fatima, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the priests of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. In order to consecrate the more than 400,000 men, he prayed the following prayer while adoring the Blessed Sacrament, and accompanied by priests, religious and consecrated persons gathered at the Church of Holy Trinity. Consecration Prayer Immaculate Mother, in this place of grace, called together by the love of your Son Jesus the Eternal High Priest, we, sons in the Son and his priests, consecrate ourselves to your maternal Heart, in order to carry out faithfully the Father’s Will. We are mindful that, without Jesus, we can do nothing good (cf. John 15:5) and that only through him, with him and in him, will we be instruments of salvation for the world. Bride of the Holy Spirit, obtain for us the inestimable gift of transformation in Christ. Through the same power of the Spirit that overshadowed y

Bishop Thomas Olmsted and Bishop-elect Eduardo Nevares Phoenix, Ariz., May 11, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) Tuesday morning, a priest from the Diocese of Tyler, Texas was appointed Phoenix's first auxiliary bishop by the Holy Father. The youngest of five children, the bilingual bishop-elect will bring his rich experience in forming priests and deacons to his new diocese. Fr. Eduardo A. Nevares is currently vice rector of the College of Liberal Arts at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio. “With just one phone call, your life changes,” Bishop-elect Nevares told Phoenix's diocesan paper, the Catholic Sun. “In the seminary, I’m surrounded by all sorts of doctors of theology. I never expected to be named a bishop.” The bishop-elect was born in San Antonio, Texas to a Mexican-American family in 1954. The youngest of five, young Eduardo would attend daily Mass with his mother while his older siblings were in school, reports the Catholic Sun. Upon hearing the news

Catholic PRWire SAN ANTONIO, TX – The Alexander House announces that Fr. John Corapi, S.O.L.T., the internationally known radio/TV personality and Scripture scholar, will be the keynote speaker at a major Catholic conference scheduled for Saturday, August 7, 2010, in San Antonio, Texas. Entitled “Life, Love and the Purpose of Our Existence,” the all-day event will be held at the AT&T Center (located five miles east of downtown San Antonio) to accommodate the crowd of 13,500 people expected to attend. Many believe Fr. Corapi is one of the greatest living preachers of our age. He has been blessed with a remarkable ability to teach the truths of the Faith with such authority and clarity that even the “hardest hearts” are brought closer to God. During his Alamo City engagement, the beloved priest will give talks explaining how Catholic Church teachings provide clear answers to society’s most difficult and hotly contested issues. He also will give much-needed spiritual guidance on

Vatican City, May 9, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) After noting the arrival of spring, the Holy Father remarked before Sunday's Regina Coeli that May is the Month of Mary. He spoke of her as the Mother and model of the Church, "the perfect disciple of Jesus." The Pope was joined by thousands in St. Peter's Square for the recitation of the Marian prayer on a sunny and clear spring day. Explaining that for the Liturgy, May always falls within the Easter season, he said, it is "the time of 'alleluia,' of the waking of the mystery of Christ in the light of the Resurrection and of the Paschal faith. It is the time of waiting for the Holy Spirit, that came down powerfully on the nascent Church at Pentecost." Thus, continued the Pope, the natural and liturgical contexts go together well with the Church's tradition of dedicating the month of May to Mary, the "most beautiful flower" of creation, a "rose" through whom God, in sending

Prayer to the Mother of the Lord for all mothers Mary, on this day when we honor all mothers, we turn to you. We thank the Lord whom you serve for the great gift of motherhood. Never has it been known that anyone who sought your intercession was left unaided by grace. Dear Mother, thank you for your “Yes” to the invitation of the angel which brought heaven to earth and changed human history. You opened yourself to God’s word and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Dear mother, intercede for all of our mothers. Ask your Divine Son to give them the grace of surrendered love so that they could join with you in giving their own “Fiat.” May they find daily strength to say yes to the call to the sacrificial love- the very heart of the vocation of motherhood. May their love and witness be a source of great inspiration for all of us called to follow your Son. On this Mothers day, Mother of the Word Incarnate, pray for us who have recourse to you… In the Name of the Father, the

Vatican City, May 8, 2010 ( EWTN News/CNA ) Today the Holy Father named Archbishop Jose H. Gomez as a member of the Special Council for America of the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. The responsibility is one of many for the newly appointed head of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Archbishop Gomez comes into the new position from a background rich with experience in multicultural issues within the U.S. Church. In addition to a variety of other positions and responsibilities he currently holds, he is the chair of the U.S. bishop’s Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America, chair-elect of the Committee on Migration and is a founding member of the Catholic Association of Latino Leaders (C.A.L.L.). He was also nominated in 2008 by the Holy Father to be a consultant to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, which assists in providing for the Latin American Church's human and spiritual needs and was the first chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Cultur

National Right to Life Our movement does many things. We teach. We persuade. We save lives. We also have the privilege to honor Life. And especially, to honor those who give Life. This weekend our thoughts turn to those who not only gave us life, but who gave us love. A day in honor of mothers doesn’t even begin to repay the sacrifice, the devotion, the love our mothers gave us. But it does give us a day to think, to say thanks. So this Mother’s Day, say thank you to someone who is caring for a child. She is the most important person in the world, because she holds the future in her hands and in her heart. Say thank you to your Mother, your Grandmother, your wife, sister, daughter, anyone who is making loving sacrifices to make someone else’s life better. And know that your life--that all of Life--is better because someone did that for you. Thanks to all Moms . . . for Life!

By Marjorie Dannenfelser President, Susan B. Anthony List As Mother’s Day approaches, I am reminded of a beautiful story I once heard. While serving the poor in Calcutta, Mother Teresa once found a young boy on the streets and brought him back to Shishu Bhavan—one of the homes she established for impoverished and disabled children. There, the boy was given food and clean clothes—but he ran away! The next day, again the boy was brought back to Shishu Bhavan, and again he ran away. Three times, the boy ran away, until on the third day, one of the Sisters followed him. “Why do you keep running away from home?” the Sister asked when she caught up to him. The boy pointed to a tree, under which a woman was standing, cooking a simple meal of food she had found in the garbage. “But this is home,” he said, “This is where my mother is.” Every time I hear that story I am struck by the pure, simple meaning of those words. “But this is home. This is where my mother is.” Our mothers are our fi

Catholic News Agency Twelve Reasons From The Teachings Of The Church For Wanting To Spend One Hour With Jesus In The Blessed Sacrament 1. You are greatly needed! "The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic Adoration." (Pope John Paul II, Dominicae Cenae) 2. This is a personal invitation to you from Jesus. "Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love." (Pope John Paul II, Dominicae Canae) 3. Jesus is counting on you because the Eucharist is the center of life. "Every member of the Church must be vigilant in seeing that the sacrament of Love shall be at the center of the life of the people of God so that through all the manifestations of worship due Him shall be given back ‘love for love’ and truly become the life of our souls." (Pope John Paul II, Redeemer of Man) 4. Your hour with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament will repair for evils of the world and bring about peace on earth. "Let us be generous with our time in go