December 23, 2024

2024

ST.RAFQA | THE LEBANESE MARONITE NUN

Mother & Refuge014 mins

1- RAFQA in Himlaya (1832 – 1859) She is like the lily of HimlayaGrown as a bud in the land of JrabtaAnd will grow thanks to the sky 1. The idea of Saint Rafqa’s basilica Saint Rafqa was born in Himlaya, one of the villages of Northern Metn near Bikfaya, on June 29, 1832. She was the only child of Saber El-Choboq Al Rayess and Rafqa Gemayel.On July 7, 1832, she was baptized and named Boutroussieh. Her parents taught her to love God and pray daily. At the age of seven, she suffered her first great loss with the death of her mother. In 1843, her father experienced financial difficulties and sent her to work as a domestic servant for four years in Damascus in the house of Assaad Al-Badawi, of the Lebanese Nationality. Rafqa became a beautiful, pleasant, humorous young woman, pure and tender with a serene voice. In 1847, she came back home to find that her father had remarried. His new wife wanted Rafqa to marry her brother. A conflict developed when her aunt tried also to arrange a marriage between her son and Rafqa. Rafqa asked God to help her and clear her thoughts. Thus, her decision, to devote her life to Jesus Christ and to become a nun was her greatest joy. 2- RAFQA in the Congregation of the Mariamettes (1859 – 1871) At that time, Rafqa felt drawn to the religious life and asked God to help her achieve her desire. She decided to go to the convent of Our Lady of Deliverance in Bikfaya. There, she joined the Mariamette Order, founded by Father Joseph Gemayel. When she entered the convent church, she felt deep joy and happiness. One look at the icon of Our Lady of Deliverance was enough to confirm God’s voice who told her to enter the religious life: “You will become a nun”. The Mother Superior accepted Rafqa with no questions asked. Rafqa entered the convent, and refused to go back home with her father and his wife, when they came to discourage her from becoming a nun. Following her postulate, Rafqa wore the congregation’s robe of novice on the feast of St. Joseph on March 19, 1861. A year later and at the same date, she pronounced her temporary vows. She was sent to the seminary in Ghazir to take charge of the kitchen services. Among the seminarians were Elias Howayek, who became a Patriarch, and Boutros El- Zoghbi, who became an Archbishop. Rafqa studied in her free time Arabic, calligraphy and arithmetic and also helped aspiring girls to join her congregation. In 1860, Rafqa was sent to Deir El Qamar to teach catechism. There, she witnessed the bloody clashes that occurred in Lebanon during that period. On one occasion, she risked her own life by hiding a child under her robe and saving him from death. After a year in Deir El Qamar, Rafqa returned to Ghazir. In 1863, she was sent to teach in a school of her congregation in Byblos. One year later, she was transferred to the village of Maad. There, with another nun, she spent seven years establishing a new school for girls, this was made possible through the generosity of Mr. Antoun Issa. 3- RAFQA in the Lebanese Maronite Order: In the Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito (1871 – 1897). While living in Maad and following a crisis in her congregation, Rafqa asked God to guide her to the right decision. Entering at St. George Church, to pray for help, she heard the Lord’s voice telling her: “You will remain a nun.” In that same night, she saw in her dreams St. George, St. Simon the Stylite and St. Anthony the Great, the Father of monasticism. St. Anthony the Great told her: “Join the Lebanese Maronite Order.” Her trip from Maad to the Maronite Monastery of St. Simon El Qarn in Aito was facilitated by the generosity of Mr. Antoun Issa. She was immediately admitted in the Order. She wore the novice robe on July 12, 1871, and pronounced her solemn vows on August 25, 1872 and chose the name “Sister Rafqa,” after her mother. She spent 26 years in the monastery of St. Simon and was a role model to the other nuns in her observation of the rules and her devotion to prayer and silence. Her life was full of sacrifice and austerity. On the first Sunday of October 1885, she entered the monastery’s church and began to pray asking Jesus to permit her to experience some of the sufferings He endured during His Passion. Her prayer was immediately granted: Unbearable pain began in her head and moved to her eyes. Her Superior insisted that she undergoes a medical treatment. After all local attempts to cure her had failed, she was sent to Beirut for treatment. Passing by St. John-Marcus Church in Byblos, her companions learned that an American doctor was in the area. So, they took her to him. He ordered an immediate surgery for her right eye. St. Rafqa refused anesthesia. In the course of the surgery, the doctor uprooted by mistake her eye which fell on the floor. Rafqa did not complain and told him: “For Christ’s Passion, God bless your hands and may God pay you back.” Within a short time, the disease struck the left eye. For the next 12 years she continued to experience intense pain in her head. As always, she remained patient and uncomplaining, praying in joy for the gift of sharing in Jesus’ suffering. In Saint Joseph Monastery Al Dahr in Jrabta, Batroun (1897 – 1914).. At Saint Simon’s monastery, lived sister Ursula Doumit who suffered from arthritis. Her doctors advised her to live near the coast. Sister Ursula’s brother, Fr. Ignatius Doumit decided to found a monastery for nuns in Jrabta in the district of Batroun. Fr. John Basbous, donated the land for the project. On November 3, 1897, six nuns, led by Mother Ursula Doumit, were…

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Filipino teenager is being considered for canonization

Mother & Refuge03 mins

By Aleteia 13-year-old Niña Ruiz-Abad is now recognized as a “Servant of God.” She was known for her deep love of the Eucharist during her short life. Born in Quezon City, Niña Ruiz-Abad was attracted to the Catholic faith at a young age, which was fostered by her mother’s devotion to Divine Mercy. Niña eventually attended Holy Angels Montessori School in Quezon City, before moving with her mother to Sarrat. According to Agenzia Fides, “She was described as having a strong devotion to the Eucharist and devoted her life to distributing rosaries, Bibles, prayer books, holy images and other religious items. An unwavering faith encouraged her, even though she was beginning to feel the effects of heart disease.” She was “diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at the age of 10 and she lived three years of illness, always with joy and deep faith.” Niña died on August 16, 1993, after suffering from cardiac arrest while attending school. Cause for canonization The local bishops approved a cause for canonization to be initiated in 2023 and submitted their proposal to the Vatican. On March 16 the Vatican granted the “nihil obstat” (“nothing stands in the way”) for the local bishops to continue their investigation into her life. The local bishops will now look more intensely into her life to determine if she lived with “heroic virtue.” If the Vatican similarly finds that she lived heroically, she will be granted the title of “venerable.” Until that time, she will be known as “Servant of God.” Read more…

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If You Are in Fear Of Death! Make friends with Sister Death -St Francis of Assisi

Mother & Refuge01 mins

St. Francis of Assisi closes his beautiful praise of God’s creation with a prayer addressed through Sister Death. When we meet her and recognize her as our sister, we can prepare ourselves to be ready when she welcomes us home. From Canticle of the Creatures (St. Francis of Assisi) All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,From whose embrace no mortal can escape.Woe to those who die in mortal sin!Happy those she finds doing your will!The second death can do them no harm.Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks.And serve him with great humility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnIvygf0BQA

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 ‘St. Joseph’s bread’| The recipe

Mother & Refuge03 mins

In honor of St. Joseph, a prudent and just man, the book offers the following recipe for a sweet bread for four people: St. Joseph’s Bread Serves 4 Cooking time: 1 hour Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk (110 degrees Fahrenheit) 2 packages active dry yeast 6 cups bread flour, divided 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons melted butter, at room temperature 5 large eggs, divided 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon anise seeds 2 tablespoons sesame seeds   Directions: 1. Combine lukewarm milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Stir together and rest for 10 minutes until yeast blooms. 2. Add melted butter, sugar, and 1 cup of the flour and beat with the regular paddle attachment of the mixer for about 2 minutes. 3. Add 4 of the eggs, the anise seeds, and 1 more cup of flour and beat for 2 more minutes. 4. Switch out the regular paddle attachment on the mixer for the dough hook and add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough starts to tighten up. (Depending on the size of the eggs, you may not need all the flour.) Continue to knead the dough for about 3-4 minutes. 5. Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with a cloth towel, and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. 6. Punch the dough and divide it into 3 equal pieces. 7. Roll each piece of dough into the shape of a thick noodle, about 1/2- to 1-inch thick and 20-22 inches long. Braid the dough together loosely and tuck the ends of the braids under the dough. Place the braided loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 9. Combine the water and the remaining egg to make an egg wash, and use it to brush the loaf. 10. Generously sprinkle the top of the dough with sesame seeds. 11. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 12. Transfer dough to a wire rack and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArAiNPETdGA

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Where did St. Joseph die?

Mother & Refuge03 mins

By Aleteia St. Joseph is widely known as the patron saint of a “happy death,” but do we even know where he died? The Bible does not give us much information about St. Joseph, aside from a few verses that explain what he did in Jesus’ early childhood. After Jesus’ childhood, it is not certain what happened to St. Joseph, or the precise date when he died. Location of St. Joseph’s death Most scholars believe that St. Joseph died before Jesus’ public ministry, as he is absent from all of the events that occur during the last three years of Jesus’ life on earth. With this in mind, most scholars point to Nazareth as the location of St. Joseph’s death.    While the precise location is not known, there does exist a church in Nazareth dedicated to St. Joseph. The Franciscans in the Holy Land describe the local traditions of Nazareth on their website: In the 17th century, Father Francesco Quaresmi describes a place “that the locals call Joseph’s House and Workshop where, for a time, there was a beautiful church dedicated to Saint Joseph.”  Furthermore, “The apocryphal ‘Story of Joseph the Carpenter’ narrates the death and interment of Jesus’ foster father, describing how Jesus himself helped and comforted him at the moment that he passed out of this life.“ All of this places St. Joseph’s death in the family home in Nazareth, and possibly in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary and their son, Jesus. His body is not located in any particular tomb, though there are some traditions that say he was “assumed” into Heaven, similar to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Whether or not that actually happened is difficult to pinpoint, but many saints claim it is true. Read more…

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What Happened at Venerable Fulton J. Sheen’s Last Day?

Mother & Refuge06 mins

‘I want to see the Lord. I have spent hours before Him in the Blessed Sacrament. … [N]ow I want to see Him face-to-face.’   God lavished many gifts upon Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen, including a brilliant mind, a remarkable memory, a magnificent voice, and enviable oratorical skills. He transcended the parish and the diocese. He was, as Thomas Reeves stated in the title of his masterful biography, “America’s Bishop.” Archbishop Sheen made is easy for Catholics to be openly proud of their faith and others to want to imitate it. The Italian phrase comes to mind: Natura il fence, poi rupee lo stampo (“Nature made him and then broke the mold”). Would there ever be another Bishop Sheen? The Jesuit magazine America called him “the greatest evangelist in the history of the United States.” Another journalist remarked, “No Catholic bishop has burst upon the world with such power as Sheen wields since long before the Protestant Reformation.” Despite his gifts and immense popularity, Archbishop Sheen always deflected praise. “I am only a porter who opens the door,” he said. “It is the Lord who walks in and does the carpentry and the masonry and the rebuilding on the inside.” He dismissed publicity, stating that it was “as artificial as rouge on the cheek. Doing the job is the important thing, even if you’re a street cleaner.” Sheen frequently spoke of his death, much to the consternation of his friends. “It is not that I do not love life; I do,” he would assure them. “It is just that I want to see the Lord. I have spent hours before Him in the Blessed Sacrament. I have spoken to Him in prayer, and about Him to everyone who would listen, and now I want to see Him face-to-face.” In his chapel was a painting of Christ on the cross, done by Dr. Simon Stertzer, a cardiologist whom Archbishop Sheen credits with saving his life. In the painting, there is a concentration on Christ’s eyes that shows both pity and love. For the archbishop, the crucifix is not just something that happened but is something that continues to happen by everyone who commits a sin. The second year after his open-heart surgery, Bishop Sheen was confined to his bed for many months due to overwork. During that time, he instructed four converts and validated two marriages. As he quipped, “The horizontal apostolate may sometimes be just as effective as the vertical.”   Overwork was the story of his life. His typical working day was 19 hours. In 1946 alone he was writing between 150 and 200 letters a day. In the early 1950s, his television show was generating between 15,000 and 25,000 letters per day. He answered as many as his working schedule allowed. His demanding schedule, however, was his way of responding in gratitude for the gifts God bestowed on him. But “the greatest gift of all,” he confesses in his autobiography, “may be His summons to the Cross, where I found His continuing disclosure.” On the morning of Dec. 9, a young couple was with Archbishop Sheen at Mass and listened as he practiced part of a Christmas homily he was to deliver at midnight Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. That same day he wrote a letter to a certain Ann O’Connor, thanking her for a blanket she sent. “My heart must be elastic,” he wrote, “otherwise it would break in gratitude for you friendship and gifts during the year.” Read more…

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Three Egyptian Coptic monks killed in S.Africa, Coptic Orthodox Church says

Mother & Refuge01 mins

Three Egyptian Coptic monks have been tragically killed in what’s described as a “criminal assault” within a monastery in South Africa, according to the Christian Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt. The incident is under investigation by South African authorities as a triple murder. The church spokesman stated on Facebook, “Three monks were subjected to a criminal assault inside our Coptic monastery,” while a police spokesperson confirmed the discovery of the victims with stab wounds and noted that the motive remains unclear The surviving monk alleged being attacked with an iron rod before escaping. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of violence in South Africa, with the Egyptian embassy in Johannesburg notified of the situation.

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Photos | Incorrupt hand of St Theresa of Avila

Mother & Refuge02 mins

Catholic tradition has long venerated the remains of saints. Don’t confuse veneration, which is honoring a saint; with worship, which is given to God alone. After the death of a particularly saintly person, the physical remains and personal effects are preserved (relics). The vessel which holds such relics is called a reliquary. The ornate metal encasement which contains the hand (relic) of St. Teresa of Avila is a reliquary. When this particular reliquary is rotated, palm side towards the viewer, it is possible to see her actual hand through some of the transparent areas. In the palm you see the mark of the wounds of Christ, referred to as stigmata. When St. Teresa of Avila died the sisters in her convent buried her, hoping to preserve her within their order. Nine months later, when her coffin was opened, her body was found to be incorruptible (intact and undecayed). Before it was re-interred, her hand was removed. That is the source of the relic referred to in this story. Relatively recently, 1939-1976, following the end of the Spanish Civil War, this relic of St Teresa was removed from the convent by General Franco, a devout Catholic. Rumor is he kept it in his sleeping quarters while he was ruler of Spain. It is said, that at the time of his death, he had it beside him on his pillow. After his death in 1976, the Discalced Carmelites of Ronda requested and were granted the return of the relic.

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The Litany of Trust

Mother & Refuge04 mins

From the belief that I have to earn Your love, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear that I am unlovable, Deliver me, Jesus. From the false security that I have what it takes, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear that trusting you will leave me more destitute, Deliver me, Jesus. From all suspicion of your words and promises, Deliver me, Jesus. From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You, Deliver me, Jesus. From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will, Deliver me, Jesus. From anxiety about the future, Deliver me, Jesus. From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past, Deliver me, Jesus. From restless self-seeking in the present moment, Deliver me, Jesus. From disbelief in Your love and presence, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of being asked to give more than I have, Deliver me, Jesus. From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth, Deliver me, Jesus. From the fear of what love demands, Deliver me, Jesus. From discouragement, Deliver me, Jesus. That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me, Jesus, I trust in You. That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings and transforms me, Jesus, I trust in You. That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You, Jesus, I trust in You. That You are with me in my suffering, Jesus, I trust in You. That my suffering, united to Your own, will bear fruit in this life and the next, Jesus, I trust in You. That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church, Jesus, I trust in You. That Your plan is better than anything else, Jesus, I trust in You. That You always hear me and in Your goodness always respond to me, Jesus, I trust in You. That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others, Jesus, I trust in You. That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked, Jesus, I trust in You. That my life is a gift, Jesus, I trust in You. That You will teach me to trust You, Jesus, I trust in You. That You are my Lord and my God, Jesus, I trust in You. That I am Your beloved one, Jesus, I trust in You. Amen. Powered By EmbedPress

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Vatican confirms miracle for new Canadian saint

Mother & Refuge03 mins

On Wednesday, January 24, the Vatican Dicastery of the Causes of Saints officially approved a second miracle that was attributed to the intercession of Bl. Marie-Léonie Paradis. The miracle involved the medically unexplained recovery of a baby girl on November 9, 1986. The baby was born without any signs of life, but after her family prayed for the intercession of Bl. Marie-Léonie, the child began to move and is now a healthy woman. The confirmation of this miracle paves the way for her canonization, after which she will be called a “saint.” Previously she was beatified by St. John Paul II on September 11, 1984, at Jarry Park in Montreal. Who is Bl. Marie-Léonie Paradis? Born to a poor family in 1840 in Quebec, Alodie-Virginie Paradis was drawn to the religious life at an early age. By 13 she joined the Congregation of the Marianites of the Holy Cross and flourished in the convent, taking the name Marie-Léonie. She was known as a great teacher and was sent in 1862 to St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage in New York. Marie remained at her new assignment for several years, until the United States branch of the congregation split and moved to Notre Dame, Indiana. There she taught at St. Mary Academy for a few years, but was then invited back to Canada to help at the College of St. Joseph in Memramcook, New Brunswick. Marie traveled back to Canada and soon enough her joyful example of religious life attracted women who wanted to work with her in a new religious congregation. The Bishop of Montreal heard of Marie and encouraged her to found a new congregation of religious who would aid priests and religious. With the bishop’s support, she established the Little Sisters of the Holy Family on May 31, 1880.  Read more…

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