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Dear Brothers and Sisters In Christ,  The Knights will be hosting Adoration after the Stations of the Cross on the Friday’s of Lent from 7pm-10pm starting February 24, 2012 and ending March 30, 2012.
There will be no Adoration of Good Friday.
Adoration will be held in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. We will need a minimum of two knights/parishoners for each hour starting at 7pm.
Soup and Salad will be available after the Stations of the Cross, so you can sneak away even for a few minutes and pray for our parish and our seminarian David Orsak.
I encourage each of you to come and sit with Jesus for an hour. You can pray the Rosary, sit quietly, talk in silent prayer to Jesus in the Host, bring a spiritual book, the list is endless. I encourage you to bring your family and loved ones. If we don’t bring our children to Jesus, how will they get to know Him and discern His will (I suspect one or two of us has a son or daughter who has a calling from God to the Priesthood or Religious life)?
Vivat Jesus,
Jose Ibarra Jr.
Treasurer/Church&Vocations Chair
The Stations of the Cross are a Catholic devotion which commemorates the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Each of the fourteen stations represents an event which occurred during Jesus’ Passion and death at Calvary on Good Friday.
The Stations were originally performed many centuries ago by Christian pilgrims who visited the Holy Land and the sites of Jesus’ Passion. Promotion of the devotion to the Stations began in earnest with the Franciscans, who were given custody of the Holy Places in the Holy Land in the 1300s. Countless Catholics have all enriched their spiritual lives with this powerful devotion.
by Chris Frame, PGK
The Battle of Lepanto
Saint of the Day Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary
Pope St. Pius V established this feast in 1573. The purpose was to thank God for the victory of Christians over the Turks at Lepanto—a victory attributed to the praying of the rosary.
After communion about 2 weeks ago as I was kneeling down and saying my little after communion prayer* I had this odd feelingand I stopped and looked around. There were still a few peple in line but most everyone was back in the pews kneeling or sitting quietly, even the children, , praying and reflecting, some even contemplative I assumed. All of a sudden I got this overwhelming feeling of peace and oneness. It was a feeling of warmth and security kind of the way you feel when you are a small child sitting in mom or dad’s lap when they are reading you a book. It was the feeling you get when you are surrounded by LOVE! Then I started thinking about how that was happening at all the 9am Masses and then again at the 10am, the 10:30 and on ond on into the next time zone. And I smiled.
Where did this peace and love come from? What just happened? Of course we all just received Jesus in the Eucharist through the mystery of the bread and wine but would I have felt the same way if I was the only one in the church, the only one who had received communion. Would I have the same feelings of warmth, safety, security, peace and Love if I sat down in a chair and started to read a book to myself?
What would happen if all the priests in the world said Mass at the same time the pope did in Rome, every Catholic, Episcopal, Orthodox or whatever received the Eucharist at the same moment!?
What DID happen when everyone in Europe prayed the Rosary at the same time?A small coalition of Catholic maritime states, decisively defeated the main fleet of the Ottoman Empire and prevented the Mediterranean Sea from becoming an uncontested highway for Muslim forces, protected Italy from a major Ottoman invasion, and prevented the Ottomans from advancing further into the southern flank of Europe.
I’ll bet there are a lot of people saying the Rosary today. Maybe the story of the Battle of Lepanto would be a good one to read to your kids this evening and then afterward pray the Rosary together. I’m getting that warm fuzzy feeling all over again.
Vivat Jesus!
“As Knights of Columbus of Pope St. Pius V Council 14041 we will work to create an environment within the Domestic Church which combines both a movement inward toward God and outward to society through service to those in need…”
These words are from our Mission Statement, the guiding principle which directs our Council in it’s planning, activities and programs and it occurred to me that I didn’t fully understand the real meaning of what the Domestic Church really is. It turns out it is not a what but a who.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified
(1655-1657) The Home as the First Church
From the beginning, the Church was formed from believers “and their whole household.” New believers wanted their family to be saved (Acts 18:8).
In our modern world (often hostile to religion), religious families are extremely important centers of living faith. They are “domestic churches” in which the parents are the first heralds of faith (Second Vatican Council). In the home, father, mother, and children exercise their baptismal priesthood in a privileged way. The home is the first school of the Christian life where all learn love, repeated forgiveness, and prayerful worship.
and
(1658) Single Persons
Single persons (often not married by force of circumstances) are close to Jesus’ heart. Some, are without a human family. Christian families and the Church must open their doors to them. “The Church is a home and family for everyone” (Second Vatican Council).
As the documents of Vatican II explain, the “domestic church” is the first level of church, the church that exists in the home. The “priests” of the domestic church are the parents, and the “flock” is composed of the children. We become part of the “priesthood of all believers” at our baptism.
In Mexico City on January 29, 2009 Luis Guevara, assistant to the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, D. Carl Anderson, spoke about the purpose of the Catholic men’s fraternal organization, saying, “The family is reason the Knights of Columbus exist as it is the domestic church, the first Christian community.”
“By making committed laymen the foundation of the order, Father McGivney (founder of the Knights) sought to effectively and concretely safeguard the life of the family as the foundation of the community, conscious that it is from the parish where the family also gives itself to the world with Christ,” Guevara explained.
The Domestic Church is the principle upon which the order was established and so it is with Council 14041 and stated explicitly in our Mission Statement. The primary focus of our Council Leadership should always bear this basic principle in mind when planning the direction for the next fraternal year and when contemplating new projects as they arise. We should constantly be asking ourselves how can we best use the resources available to us to make not only the Knights of this Council but all father’s in our Parish the best member of the Domestic Church they can possibly be.
 Join Knights of Columbus Council 14041 for the Free Throw Championship.
The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship is sponsored annually, with winners progressing through local, district, and state competitions. International champions are announced by the K of C headquarters based on scores from the state-level competitions.
The competition will be held on February 18th, 2012 from 10am to 2pm at Holy Rosary Church. All children ages 10-14 are welcome. We will hold the council and district competitions on the same day. There are winners for each age and gender for both the council and district.
If you are interested, please contact Joe Seago @ josephlseago@att.net for more information.
by Chris Frame, PGK Follow me on Twitter: @pax_domini
http://paxdomini.org/
The following is Our Lady of Medjugorje’s October 2, 2011 monthly message on the day for nonbelievers through Mirjana. Whenever Mary speaks of the Shepherds through the visionaries she is referring to our priests.
“Dear children; Also today my motherly heart calls you to prayer, to your personal relationship with God the Father, to the joy of prayer in Him. God the Father is not far away from you and He is not unknown to you. He revealed Himself to you through my Son and gave you Life that is my Son. Therefore, my children, do not give in to temptations that want to separate you from God the Father. Pray! Do not attempt to have families and societies without Him. Pray! Pray that your hearts may be flooded by the goodness which comes only from my Son, Who is sincere goodness. Only hearts filled with goodness can comprehend and accept God the Father. I will continue to lead you. In a special way I implore you not to judge your shepherds. My children, are you forgetting that God the Father called them? Pray! Thank you.”
by Chris Frame, PGK
St Faustina, through a series of visions from Jesus, gave us the Chaplet of Divine Mercy which is one of the 3 Prayers listed on the Knights of Columbus Prayers and Devotions web page http://www.kofc.org/un/en/cis/devotional/. It takes 7 minutes (or less) to pray. For more info on her life: St. Faustina For more info on the Divine Mercy Devotion, see below.
FYI. Nativity has a Divine Mercy prayer group that meets every Friday morning at 9am. The Chaplet is said aloud followed by a short reading from St Faustina’s diary. The Chaplet is also said aloud on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before the Blessed Sacrament with veneration of a 1st class relic of St. Faustina at the small chapel at St. Ann’s Bartlett.
CHAPLET OF DIVINE MERCY
Opening prayers
1. Using a normal rosary, make the Sign of the Cross on the first large bead.
2. On the first small bead, recite the Our Father.
3. On the second small bead recite the Hail Mary.
4. On the third small bead, recite the Apostles’ Creed.
For Each Decade
5. On the large beads, recite:
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.
6. On the ten small beads, recite:
For the sake of Your sorrowful passion,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Concluding Prayer
7. After five decades, recite three times:
Holy God,
Holy Mighty One,
Holy Immortal One,
have mercy on us and on the whole world.
Three to four o’clock in the afternoon is the Hour of Great Mercy. Jesus promised St. Faustina that during this hour He would give extraordinary graces to whomever might ask for them. So that we don’t let such an amazing opportunity pass us by, let’s get the “three o’clock habit” and tap into these great graces. Before reading suggestions for how we might do this, let’s first read Jesus’ actual words to Faustina on this topic.
Jesus spoke to Faustina about the Hour of Great Mercy on two separate occasions. On the first occasion, he said:
At three o’clock, implore My mercy, especially for sinners; and, if only for a brief moment, immerse yourself in My Passion, particularly in My abandonment at the moment of agony. This is the hour of great mercy for the whole world. I will allow you to enter into My mortal sorrow. In this hour, I will refuse nothing to the soul that makes a request of Me in virtue of My Passion (1320).
On the second occasion, Jesus spoke at greater length about this special time of grace:
I remind you, My daughter, that 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; and if you are not able to make the Stations of the Cross, then at least step into the chapel for a moment and adore, in the Blessed Sacrament, My Heart, which is full of mercy; and should you be unable to step into the chapel, immerse yourself in prayer there where you happen to be, if only for a very brief instant (1572).
In light of these two passages, let’s consider three ways by which we can take advantage of the amazing graces available to us every day during the Hour of Great Mercy. We can choose the way or ways that work best for us.
First way: We can immerse ourselves in the Lord’s Passion, especially in his abandonment on the Cross. We can do this briefly, even “for an instant” or a longer period of time. If our duties allow us only a brief moment, we can simply call to mind an image of Jesus on the Cross or look at a crucifix or a picture of Jesus. We can also pray the “Three O’clock Hour Prayer” from the Diary of St. Faustina:
You expired, Jesus, but the source of life gushed forth for souls, and the ocean of mercy opened up for the whole world. O Fount of Life, unfathomable Divine Mercy, envelop the whole world and empty Yourself out upon us. … O Blood and Water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in You (186, 1319).
If we have more time, we can pray the sorrowful mysteries of the Rosary or make the Stations of the Cross. Jesus told St. Faustina to try her best to make the Stations of the Cross during the three o’clock hour. Here’s an idea for those who want to make the stations but don’t have time because of other duties. First, pick one of the fourteen stations and keep it at the back of your mind as you work during the three o’clock hour, thinking about it from time to time. Then, meditate on the next station during the next day in the same way, and so on. The following list, which assigns a day of the week to each station (in two cycles), may be helpful to those who want to use this method:
(Week One)
Sunday — I. Jesus is condemned to death.
Monday — II. Jesus takes up his Cross.
Tuesday — III. Jesus falls the first time.
Wednesday — IV. Jesus meets his blessed mother.
Thursday — V. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his Cross.
Friday — VI. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.
Saturday — VII. Jesus falls a second time.
(Week Two)
Sunday —VIII. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem.
Monday — IX. Jesus falls the third time.
Tuesday — X. Jesus is stripped of his garments.
Wednesday — XI. Jesus is nailed to the Cross.
Thursday — XII. Jesus dies on the Cross.
Friday — XIII. Jesus is laid in the arms of his blessed mother.
Saturday — XIV. Jesus is laid in the tomb.
Second way: We can confidently present our petitions to the Father by virtue of his Son’s Passion. In particular, we can invoke God’s mercy on the whole world and especially on unrepentant sinners. The Lord’s promise that he would grant everything we ask for ourselves and for others during the three o’clock hour should help us to pray during it with great boldness and confidence. Of course, God always hears our prayers, but during the three o’clock hour, he has promised to be especially generous. It’s a perfect time to pray for others and a great idea to do so through the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, which only takes about seven minutes. While we can surely pray for ourselves and for our family and friends during the Hour of Great Mercy, let’s not forget to pray also for those who need it most: unrepentant sinners and the dying.
Third way: We can visit Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus asked St. Faustina (provided that her duties allowed it) to go to the chapel during the Hour of Great Mercy and adore his Eucharistic Heart, which is full of mercy. Of course, for most of us, it won’t always be easy to visit a church or chapel during this hour. Still, if we have the time and an opportunity — for example, if while running errands we pass by a Catholic church — we just might want to pay Jesus a visit.
by Chris Frame, PGK
If everyone in the world woke up every morning and said this prayer what do you think would happen?
Saint of the Day
Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen
PET YOUR PET!!
by Chris Frame, PGK
PRAYER TO
SAINT MICHAEL
THE ARCHANGEL
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen
http://www.americancatholic.org/features/saintofday/
Prayer to St Michael paxdomini.org
by Chris Frame, PGK
Today is the Feast Day of St Lorenzo Ruiz whose statue is on the right toward the back as you enter the sanctuary.
Saint of the Day September 28,2011
The followers of Christ, arriving unexpectedly in Japan, without any permission, have spread and propagated their wicked law, destroying the good and legitimate one and plotting to overthrow authority in the country. This is the beginning of great calamity, which we should avoid by all means. All these Christians should be eliminated without any delay. If anyone dares to contravene this order, he will be put to death.
Lawrence Ruiz was born in Manila of a Chinese father and Filipino mother. He was married and had three children. He joined a Dominican missionary expedition to Japan in order to escape arrest for a crime of which he was accused. He was arrested by the Japanese authorities in Nagasaki, tortured and executed in September 1637. He is the first Filipino martyr.
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