Thursday, October 21, 2021

5 Important Lessons to Learn From St. John Paul II, Pope, a witness to hope


 St. John Paul II, A witness to hope

Introduction 

Coming to papacy after his his election, he addressed the world saying, "Be not afraid, open wide the doors for Christ." This speech reveals his great desire to build bridges and promote peace. He featured in a world full of tension, war, national and international crisis and other threats to peace.

Who is Pope John Paul II?

-Karol Jósef Wotjtyła was born in 1920 in Wadowice, Poland. 

-On October 16, 1978, he was elected Supreme Pontiff and took the name John Paul II. 

-His exceptional apostolic zeal, particularly for families, young people, and the sick, led him to make numerous pastoral visits throughout the world. 

-Among the many fruits which he has left as a heritage to the Church are above all his rich body of teachings, the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and of the Codes of Canon Law for the Latin Church and for the Eastern Churches.

- In Rome on April 2, 2005, the eve of the Second Sunday of Easter (or of Divine Mercy), he died peacefully in the Lord.

The Lagacy of Pope JP II as a Man of Peace

- A preacher and Witness of Peace

-Religious and National Freedom 

-The End of Communism in Poland

-The International Recognition of the Republic of Croatia

-Inter-Religious Dialogue

-Apology on behalf of the Catholic Chruch. Amongst others. 

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Conclusion 

Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the sons of God (Matt 5:9). We have noted the points that actually proclaims him a son of God. No wonder the UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan in 2005, praised him as "a tirelwss advocate of peace." The voice of the people which is the voice of God could be heard after his death, Santo subato! Sainthood Now!

Reference

Nwogueze, G. 2022. Pope John Paul II is a Man of Peace: A Discourse (Unpublished) 

Saint of the Day

Homily of Pope John Paul II for the Inauguration of his Pontificate www.vatican.va>document assessed 11th May, 2022.

Saturday, October 16, 2021

How to say the Rosary

 All Catholic Prayers

Praying the Holy Rosary Devotion

The Holy Rosary is one of three Sacramentals that the Blessed Virgin Mary has given to the Holy Catholic Church. In the thirteenth century, Mary gave the Rosary as a powerful weapon to mankind to combat the evils that were in this world as a result of the spiritual battle that is taking place between Satan and God. Since then, the blessings received through this Sacramental are beyond man's count. 

STEP 1: Make the sign of the Cross:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

STEP 2: Say the Apostle's Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day He rose again. He ascended into heaven, And is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.

Amen.

STEP 3: Say 1 "Our Father":

Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done, On earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

Amen.

STEP 4: Say 3 "Hail Mary's": (For the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity)

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of death. 

Amen.

STEP 5: Say 1 "Glory Be":

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 

Amen.

STEP 6: The Rosary Breakdown:

The Holy Rosary consists of 20 decades.

A decade consists of: 1 Our Father 10 Hail Mary's 1 Glory Be.

To pray an entire Rosary, you must pray 20 times the "Our Father," 10 "Hail Mary's" and the "Glory Be" in that order.

The Rosary is been divided into 4 parts of 5 decades each. Each of the four parts are called a Chaplet.

To pray an entire Chaplet, you must pray 5 times the "Our Father," 10 "Hail Mary's" and "Glory Be" in that order.

The general practice of Catholic is to commit themselves to praying one Chaplet per day.

STEP 7: The Mysteries of the Rosary:

While praying a decade, you reflect on a mystery. There are specific mysteries for each day of the week.

For example, when praying the Holy Rosary on a Monday, you meditate on the Joyful Mysteries. 

During the recitation of first decade, you meditate on the Annunciation of Mary. During the recitation of the second decade, you meditate on the Visitation. During the recitation of the third decade, you meditate on the Nativity of Jesus. Etc...

The following is a list of the Mysteries:

Joyful Mysteries - Monday and Saturday

1. The Annunciation 2. The Visitation 3. The Nativity 4. The Presentation 5. The Finding in the Temple

Sorrowful Mysteries - Tuesday and Friday

1. The Agony in the Garden 2. The Scourging at the Pillar 3. The Crowning with Thorns 4. The Carrying of the Cross 5. The Crucifixion

Glorious Mysteries - Wednesday and Sunday

1. The Resurrection 2. The Ascension 3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit 4. The Assumption 5. The Crowning of Mary

Mysteries of Light - Thursday

1. Baptism in the Jordan 2. Self-manifestation at the wedding of Cana 3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, with His call to conversion 4. The Transfiguration 5. Jesus' institution of the Eucharist

STEP 8: The "Fatima Prayer": After the completion of one decade, you recide the "Fatima Prayer": O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are in most need of Thy mercy. STEP 9: The "Hail Holy Queen": After the completion of one Chaplet (5 decades which represents 5 mysteries), you pray the "Hail Holy Queen" prayer. Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. STEP 10: The Sign of the Cross: You conclude the Rosary by doing the Sign of the Cross. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.


Catholic Prayers - http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=wiktoria.goroch.bible_prayers

Sunday, October 3, 2021

Our Seraphic father, founder and patron, St. Francis of Assisi.

 

Francis of Assisi was poor only that he might be Christ-like. He recognized creation as another manifestation of the beauty of God. In 1979, he was named patron of ecology. He did great penance—apologizing to “Brother Body” later in life—that he might be totally disciplined for the will of God. Francis’ poverty had a sister, Humility, by which he meant total dependence on the good God. But all this was, as it were, preliminary to the heart of his spirituality: living the gospel life, summed up in the charity of Jesus and perfectly expressed in the Eucharist.

The Transitus of St. Francis of Assisi

 

 Traditionally celebrated by Franciscans all over the world on October 3rd. This is the vigil of the Feast of St. Francis and is an evening to commemorate the glorious passing away of our beloved seraphic father. Transitus is a Latin word that means passage or crossing over. In every account written on the death of St. Francis, it is remembered that he crossed over from life on earth to eternal life with the Lord, full of great joy and song.

Friday, October 1, 2021

The Holy Guardian Angels


 The concept of an angel assigned to guide and nurture each human being is a development of Catholic doctrine and piety based on Scripture but not directly drawn from it. Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:10 best support the belief: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father”

Devotion to the angels began to develop with the birth of the monastic tradition. Saint Benedict (July 11) gave it impetus and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (August 20), the great 12th-century reformer, was such an eloquent spokesman for the guardian angels that angelic devotion assumed its current form in his day.
-ibreviary

Feast of the conversion of St. Paul

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