Friday, March 29, 2013

Divine Mercy Novena 2013




This year the novena starts on March 29th (Good Friday) and ends on April 7th - Divine Mercy Sunday.

Jesus said to Sister Faustina:
"I desire that during these nine days you bring souls to the fountain of My mercy, that they may draw there from strength and refreshment and whatever grace they need in the hardships of life, and especially at the hour of death. On each day you will bring to My Heart a different group of souls, and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy, and I will bring all these souls into the house of My Father. You will do this in this life and in the next. I will deny nothing to any soul whom you will bring to the fount of My mercy. On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My bitter Passion, for graces for these souls". (Diary 1209).

First Day of the Novena (Good Friday)
Today, bring to Me all mankind,especially all sinners, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. In this way you will console Me in the bitter grief into which the loss of souls plunges Me.
Most Merciful Jesus, whose very nature it is to have compassion on us and to forgive us, do not look upon our sins but upon our trust which we place in Your infinite goodness. Receive us all into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart, and never let us escape from it. We beg this of You by Your love which unites You to the Father and the Holy Spirit.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy (see how to pray this prayer at the end of the novena)
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon all mankind and especially upon poor sinners, all enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, show us Your mercy, that we may praise the omnipotence of Your mercy for ever and ever. Amen. (Diary 1210-1211).

Second Day (Holy Saturday)
Today bring to me the souls of priests and religious, and immerse them in My unfathomable mercy. It was they who gave Me the strength to endure My bitter Passion. Through them, as through channels, My mercy flows out upon mankind.
Most Merciful Jesus, from whom comes all that is good, increase Your grace in us, that we may perform worthy works of mercy; and that all who see them may glorify the Father of Mercy who is in heaven..
*  Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the company [of chosen ones] in Your vineyard - upon the souls of priests and religious; and endow them with the strength of Your blessing. For the love of the Heart of Your Son in which they are enfolded, impart to them Your power and light, that they may be able to guide others in the way of salvation and with one voice sing praise to Your boundless mercy for ages without end. Amen.

Third day  (Easter Sunday)
Today bring to Me all devout and faithful souls, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. These souls brought Me consolation on the Way of the Cross. They were that drop of consolation in the midst of an ocean of bitterness.
Most Merciful Jesus, from the treasury of Your mercy You impart Your graces in great abundance to each and all. Receive us into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart and never let us escape from it. We beg this of You by that most wondrous love for the heavenly Father with which Your Heart burns so fiercely.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon faithful souls, as upon the inheritance of Your Son. For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, grant them Your blessing and surround them with Your constant protection. Thus may they never fail in love or lose the treasure of the holy faith, but rather, with all the hosts of Angels and Saints, may they glorify your boundless mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Fourth Day (Easter Monday)
Today bring to Me the unbelievers and those who do not yet know me. I was thinking also of them during My bitter Passion, and their future zeal comforted My Heart. Immerse them in the ocean of My mercy.
Most compassionate Jesus, You are the Light of the whole world. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of pagans who as yet do not know You. Let the rays of Your grace enlighten them that they, too, together with us, may extol Your wonderful mercy; and do not let them escape from the abode which is Your Most Compassionate Heart.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of pagans and of those who as yet do not know You, but who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Draw them to the light of the Gospel. These souls do not know what great happiness it is to love You. Grant that they, too, may extol the generosity of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Fifth Day (Easter Tuesday)
Today bring to Me the souls of heretics and schismatics, and immerse them in the ocean of My mercy. During My bitter Passion they tore at My Body and Heart; that is, My Church.. As they return to unity with the Church, My wounds heal, and in this way they alleviate My Passion.
Most Merciful Jesus, Goodness Itself, You do not refuse light to those who seek it of You. Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of heretics and schismatics. Draw them by Your light into the unity of the Church, and do not let them escape from the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart; but bring it about that they, too, come to glorify the generosity of Your mercy.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls of heretics and schismatics, who have squandered Your blessings and misused Your graces by obstinately persisting in their errors. Do not look upon their errors, but upon the love of Your own Son and upon His bitter Passion, which He underwent for their sake, since they, too, are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Bring it about that they also may glorify Your great mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Sixth Day (Easter Wednesday)
Today bring to me the meek and humble souls and the souls of little children, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who would keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. Only the humble soul is able to receive My grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence.
Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon the souls of little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Seventh Day (Easter Thursday)
Today bring to me the souls who especially venerate and glorify My mercy, and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over My Passion and entered most deeply into My Spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life.. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death.
Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy. These souls are united to Jesus and carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their spirit, overflowing with joy, sings a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God: Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them, I Myself will defend as My own glory, during their lifetime, and especially at the hour of their death, those souls who will venerate My fathomless mercy. Amen.

Eighth Day (Easter Friday)
Today bring to Me the souls who are in the prison of Purgatory, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice.
Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of the purifying fire, that in that place, too, the power of Your mercy may be praised.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen

Ninth Day (Easter Saturday)
Today bring to Me souls who have become lukewarm, and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: "Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will." For them, the last hope of salvation is to flee to My mercy.
Most Compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love let these tepid souls, who like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.
* Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls, who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.

How to Pray the Chaplet
Jesus told St. Faustina, "This prayer will serve to appease My wrath. You will recite it for nine days, on the beads of the rosary, in the following manner: First of all, you will say one 'Our Father' and 'Hail Mary' and the 'I Believe in God'. Then on the Our Father beads you will say the following words, "Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world." On the Hail Mary beads you will say the following words, "For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world." In conclusion, three times you will recite these words: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." (Diary 476)
- Begin with: one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and The Apostle's Creed.
- On the Our Father Beads say the following words:
"Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world".
- On the Hail Mary Beads say the following words:
"For the sake of His sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world".
- After the five decades say three times:
"Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world".
- At the end, say three times: "Jesus, I trust in You."

"My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy."

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Holy Triduum

"The Last Supper" by Jacopo Bassano

Picture source

The Death of Jesus

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Easter Vigil



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A very happy and blessed Easter to each and every one of you and your family!


Picture source

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Holy Thursday: Prayer for Our Priests

Adoration Chapel - Benedictine Monastery, Oahu
On Holy Thursday we celebrate not only the institution of the Holy Eucharist but also the institution of the holy priesthood.  Let us pray for our priests with the Holy Thursday prayer from The Magnificat:

Sts. Peter and Paul, Honolulu
Divine Savior Jesus Christ,
who has entrusted the whole work of Your redemption,
the welfare, and salvation of the world to priests
as Your representatives,
through the hands of Your most holy Mother
and for the sanctification of Your priests
and candidates for the priesthood,
I offer You this present day wholly and entirely,
with all its prayers, works, joys, sacrifices, and sorrows.
Give us truly holy priests who, inflamed with the fire of Your divine love,
seek nothing but Your greater glory
and the salvation of our souls.

And you, Mary, good Mother of priests,
protect all priests in the dangers of their holy vocation and,
with the loving hand of a Mother, also lead back to the Good Shepherd
those poor priests who have become unfaithful to their exalted vocation and have gone astray.

Amen.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Statement of Bishop Larry Silva regarding the Election of Pope Francis


March 13, 2013
I join all the people of Hawaii in congratulating our new Holy Father, Pope Francis!  His election by the College of Cardinals was sooner than I expected, which is an indication that the Holy Spirit moved them to an early consensus that this is the one the Lord has chosen to be the Successor of Peter and the Vicar of Christ on earth.  It is refreshing to know that he is from Latin America.  The Catholic Church has had its major growth in the Southern Hemisphere for the last few decades, and Hispanic Catholics in the United States have been a major force in the Church’s growth in our own country.  It is therefore very appropriate to have a Pope from the Southern Hemisphere and from a Hispanic country.  For centuries missionaries were sent from Europe and North America to Latin America, Asia, and Africa.  Now that the faith has waned in the Northern Hemisphere, we pray that this “missionary Pope” will bring a fresh perspective and energy to the New Evangelization.  At the same time, I was very impressed that Pope Francis’ opening remarks focused on his role as Bishop of Rome and spoke directly to the people of his new diocese.
I must admit I was a little surprised that the Cardinals elected a Pope who is 76 years of age, when the bishops of the world are asked to submit their resignations from pastoral office at the age of 75.  However, Pope Benedict XVI was elected at the age of 78 and gave eight energetic years to the service of the Church and the world as our Pope.  I pray that Pope Francis will enjoy many years of good health and dedicated service to the Church as the Successor of Peter.
There is great hope in the name our new Holy Father has chosen.  St. Francis was the most humble of people, whose preaching and example set the world on fire and continue to inspire us.  He was sent by the Lord at a critical time in history to renew and rebuild the Church.  We pray that Pope Francis will serve the Lord humbly and effectively by calling us all to the joyful task of renewal and self-sacrifice.  We pledge him our prayers throughout his Petrine ministry.  In the name of all the people of the Diocese of Honolulu I have sent him our congratulations and best wishes.
Diocese of Honolulu

Monday, March 18, 2013

EWTN EXCLUSIVE Pope Francis on his love for the Eucharist

Our Holy Father speaks about the Holy Eucharist, the priesthood and addresses young men about considering the call to the priesthood.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Prayer for the Conclave

From World Priest Day

Heavenly Father, We the People of God, gathered in solidarity as did the disciples in the Upper Room, pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the cardinals who will be in conclave for the election of the next Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

May the hearts of our cardinals be open to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, beyond human judgment, to elect the candidate most pleasing to you, Heavenly Father, and who will guide the Church at this momentous time in history at the beginning of the Third Millennium.

We invoke our Mother Mary, we entrust this conclave to her maternal and Immaculate Heart, and offer this prayer for her guidance and protection over the choosing of the next Vicar of her Son.

Amen


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I hope by now you have adopted a cardinal to pray for specifically. 

There is still time to Adopt a cardinal.