For the Feast of St. John Vianney

 Holy Mother Church celebrates the feast of St. John Mary Vianney on August 8.  Also known as the Cure D'Ars, St. John Vianney is the patron Saint of parish priests.  Born in France in 1786, St. John was ordained to the priesthood on August 13, 1815 and sent to the little town of Ars to be the pastor to the people there, most who lacked the true Faith.  

He provided his parishioners with an example of a true love of God, the Faith, and zeal for souls.  St. John Vianney offered many penances for his parishioners, and he spent long hours in prayer before our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament.  The Saint told his parishioners, “One need not say much to pray well...  We know that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle. Let us open our hearts to Him, let us rejoice in His sacred presence. That is the best prayer.”

St. John became known as "a great hospital of souls," spending up to 16 hours a day in the confessional, hearing the confessions of people from all over Europe.  God granted the Cure D'Ars the ability to read souls, which allowed him to bring many stubborn hearts back to the Faith.  He also had a great devotion to St. Philomena, whose feast day is August 11, and many miracles worked through him were at the same time through her intercession.

With the good being accomplished through him, St. John Vianney was at times tormented by the devil.  Once, while the Saint was praying his Office at the end of a long day, the devil kept extinguishing his candle, thus making it too dark to read the prayers.  Finally St. John, relighting the candle again, handed it to the devil, making him hold it for him until he finished. 

Act of Love of the Holy Cure D'Ars 

I love Thee, O my God. 

My only desire is to love Thee, 

until the last breath of my life. 

I love Thee, O infinitely loveable God, 

and I prefer to die loving Thee, 

rather than to live for an instant without Thee. 

I love Thee, O my God, 

and I desire only to go to Heaven, 

to have the happiness of loving Thee perfectly. 

I love Thee, O my God, 

and my only fear is to go to Hell, 

because one will never have the sweet 

solace of loving Thee there. 

O my God, if my tongue cannot say

at all times that I love Thee, 

at least I want my heart to repeat it to Thee! 

as many times as I breathe. Ah! Do me the grace 

to suffer while loving Thee, 

to love Thee while suffering, 

and, that when I die: 

I not only will love Thee, 

but experience it in my heart. 

I beg Thee that: the closer I come to my final end, 

Thou wilt increase and perfect my love for Thee.   Amen.

+                    +                    +

Just as God worked much good through the life of St. John Vianney, likewise He continues to work through our own priests.  May we daily remember to pray for our priests and the priests throughout the world, thanking God for them and begging His graces to be bestowed abundantly upon them.

  +

A Prayer for Priests 

O Jesus, Eternal Priest, keep Thy priests within the shelter of Thy Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. Keep unstained their anointed hands, which daily touch Thy Sacred Body. Keep unsullied their lips, daily purpled with Thy Precious Blood. Keep pure and unworldly their hearts, sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. Let Thy Holy Love surround them from the world's contagion. Bless their labors with abundant fruit, and may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and their everlasting crown hereafter. Mary, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us: obtain for us numerous and holy priests. Amen.

God bless!

+JMJ+

Prayer of Thanksgiving

 "Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art exceedingly great."

Did you see the wonderful news from the Fraternity?  On February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and the day of the consecration of the Fraternity of St. Peter to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pope Francis issued a decree concerning the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter and the Traditional Mass.  The link is at the Fraternity website.

"The Holy Father Francis, grants to each and every member of the Society of Apostolic Life “Fraternity of Saint Peter”, founded on July 18, 1988 and declared of “Pontifical Right” by the Holy See, the faculty to celebrate the sacrifice of the Mass, and to carry out the sacraments and other sacred rites, as well as to fulfill the Divine Office, according to the typical editions of the liturgical books, namely the Missal, the Ritual, the Pontifical and the Roman Breviary, in force in the year 1962..."

+

May we remember to offer Our Blessed Lord and His Holy Mother prayers and penance of thanksgiving for the protection and help granted to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter.  May we never take for granted this amazing gift we have been given.  May we also remember to pray for the Holy Father and all of the priests and bishops throughout the Church.  Attending Mass tomorrow on the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter would also be a fitting way to offer thanksgiving.

+

An Act of Adoration and Thanksgiving 

 O Eternal God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost; the beginning and end of all things, in Whom we live and move and have our being; prostrate before Thee in body and soul, I adore Thee with the most profound humility. I bless Thee and give Thee thanks for all the benefits Thou has conferred upon me, especially that Thou hast created me out of nothing, made me after Thine own image and likeness, redeemed me with the Precious Blood of Thy Son, and sanctified me with Thy Holy Spirit. I thank Thee that Thou hast called me into Thy Church, helped me by Thy grace, admitted me to Thy Sacraments, watched over me by Thy special Providence, blessed me, not withstanding my sins and unworthiness, with Thy continuing and gracious protection, and for all the innumerable blessings which I owe to Thy undeserved bounty. I thank Thee especially for having preserved me during the past night and for bringing me in safety to the beginning of another day. What return can I make to Thee, O my God, for all that Thou hast done for me? I will bless Thy Holy Name and serve Thee all the days of my life. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me praise His Holy Name. Amen.

+

Litany of Salutations to Mary 

Hail Mary, daughter of God the Father. Hail Mary, Mother of God the Son. Hail Mary, Spouse, of God the Holy Ghost. Hail Mary, Temple of the Most Blessed Trinity. Hail Mary, Pure Lily of the Trinity, One God. Hail Mary, Celestial Rose of the love of God. Hail Mary, Virgin pure and humble, of whom the King of Heaven willed to be born. Hail Mary, Virgin of virgins. Hail Mary, Queen of Martyrs, whose soul a sword transfixed. Hail Mary, my Queen and my Mother, my life, my sweetness and my hope. Hail Mary, Mother most amiable. Hail Mary, Mother most admirable. Hail Mary, Mother of Divine Love. Hail Mary, Immaculate, conceived without sin. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. 

Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Blessed be your spouse, Saint Joseph, Blessed be your father, Saint Joachim. Blessed be your mother, Saint Anne. Blessed be your guardian, Saint John. Blessed be your holy Angel, Saint Gabriel. Glory be to God the Father, Who chose you. Glory be to God the Son, Who loved you. Glory be to God the Holy Spirit, Who espoused you. O Glorious Virgin Mary. May all people love and praise you. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us and bless us, Now and at death, in the name of Jesus, your Divine Son. Amen.

--St. John Eudes

+

Marian Prayer of St. Francis de Sales

Most Holy Mary Virgin Mother of God, I am unworthy to be your servant. Yet moved by your motherly care for me and longing to serve you, I choose you this day to be my Queen, my Advocate, and my Mother. I firmly resolve ever to be devoted to you and to do what I can to encourage others to be devoted to you. My loving Mother, through the Precious Blood of your Son shed for me, I beg you to receive me as your servant forever. Aid me in my actions and beg for me the grace never by thought, word, or deed to be displeasing in your sight and that of your most holy Son. Remember me, dearest Mother, and do not abandon me at the hour of death.

--St. Francis de Sales

God bless!

+JMJ+

A Great Petition to Stand Behind

 

The following website Preserve the Latin Mass has a great, respectful petition to sign, urging the Holy Father to protect the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments.  I encourage all of you to sign it and forward it to others to sign as well.  We need to help Pope Francis hear the voices of the laity.  Please continue to pray for the Traditional Orders, protection of the Latin Mass, and for our Holy Father.  

May God reward you!

God bless!

+JMJ+

Please Pray

 I am asking each of you to include a special intention in your prayers.  A terrible incident has occurred, and I cannot even begin to comprehend this action.

 Last night the Mater Misericordiae (Mother of Mercy) Mission in Phoenix, Arizona, the Latin Mass Parish, was burglarized.  Two priests from the Fraternity of St. Peter were attacked.  Fr. Kenneth Walker, FSSP was shot and killed, and Fr. Joseph Terra was severely hurt.  He is in critical, but stable condition.  Please pray for the soul of Fr. Walker and for his family.  Also please pray for a full recovery for Fr. Terra.  Finally prayers for the entire Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter would be wonderful as well as they face this difficult situation.
A link to the Fraternity concerning Fr. Walker follows: Pray for the Priests of Mater Misericordiae in Phoenix, AZ


+Requiem aeternum dona ei Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei.
Requiescat in Pace. Sacerdos in Aeternum. Amen.+

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.  May he rest in peace.