January 4, 2025

Devotions

Infallible Prayer to St. Joseph

Mother & Refuge01 mins

“Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interest and desires. Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers. Oh, St. Joseph, I never weary contemplating you, and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him close in my name and kiss His fine head for me and ask Him to return the kiss when I draw my dying breath. St. Joseph, patron of departing souls, pray for me. Amen.”

Read More

The Miracle Prayer| Say this prayer faithfully, Jesus will change your whole life in a very special way!

Mother & Refuge02 mins

Say this prayer faithfully, no matter how you feel. When you come to the point where you sincerely mean each word with all your heart, Jesus will change your whole life in a very special way. You will see. Lord Jesus, I come before you, just as I am, I am sorry for my sins, I repent of my sins, please forgive me. In your Name, I forgive all others for what they have done against me. I renounce Satan, the evil spirits and all their works. I give you my entire self, Lord Jesus, now and forever. I invite you into my life, Jesus. I accept you as my Lord, God and Savior. Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul, and spirit. Come Lord Jesus, cover me with your Precious Blood, and fill me with your Holy Spirit. I love you Lord Jesus. I praise you Jesus. I thank you Jesus. I shall follow you every day of my life. Amen. Mary, My Mother, Queen of Peace, St. Peregrine, the cancer saint, all the Angels and Saints, please help me. Amen. Prayer © 1993 Peter M. Rookey and Servite Fathers, O.S.M.

Read More

Miracle at Fátima? World Youth Day pilgrim receives her sight after Communion at Mass!

Mother & Refuge15 mins

“I opened my eyes and I could see perfectly,” said Jimena, a 16-year-old Spanish World Youth Day pilgrim who said she miraculously recovered her sight after receiving the Eucharist at Fátima, Portugal, during a Mass there. This possible miracle has moved hearts and filled with hope all those who have been following the events at WYD, which brought together more than a million young people in the Portuguese capital last week. Jimena traveled to Lisbon from Madrid with a group from Opus Dei. During the days prior, relatives and acquaintances of the young woman organized a novena to pray to Our Lady of the Snows, whose feast day is commemorated Aug. 5, the same day she recovered her sight. For two and a half years, Jimena has suffered a loss of sight due to a myopia problem that left her with a 95% vision loss. On the morning of Aug. 5, when the Holy Father was also praying the rosary at the Fátima shrine, Jimena received what she herself describes as a “great gift” from the Virgin Mary. Not long after having recovered her sight, Jimena told the Spanish radio station COPE that she woke up that morning “as I have been getting up for two and a half years, seeing super blurry, very badly.” She explained that she had gone to Mass with her friends “because we are at WYD and after receiving Communion I began to cry a lot, because it was the last day of the novena and I wanted to be cured and I had very much asked God please [cure me].” “When I opened my eyes, I could see perfectly,” the young woman continued, “it was overwhelming; very many thanks must be given for the miracle, because I saw the altar, the tabernacle, my girlfriends were there, and I could see them perfectly.” In addition, she said that she was able to read the novena prayer that she was praying and that she still reads “quite well” — she hadn’t forgotten at all how to read. The young woman said she is “super happy” and thanked all those who were part of the prayer group. “This has been a test of faith; the Virgin has given me a great gift that I will not forget,” she said. In an Aug. 6 statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Cardinal Juan José Omella, the archbishop of Barcelona and president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, referred to the possible miracle as “a grace from God” during the press conference at the end of WYD held at Eduardo VII park in Lisbon.   The cardinal said he was able to speak with Jimena on a video call and that she explained what happened in a natural and unaffected manner. “The girl was very excited; she had been blind for a while and she had been learning the Braille method for two or three years,” he said. The prelate also noted that Jimena “had to read the prayer of thanksgiving at Mass that day with the Madrid group” and that, after receiving Communion, she was able to read it without any problem. The young woman also told the cardinal that they had been praying for “nine days asking the Virgin for her healing.” Read more…

Read More

Use this prayer if you’re widowed and feeling lonely

Mother & Refuge03 mins

By Aleteia Did Jesus not say, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Mt 5:4)? This promise gives those who have lost a loved one the right to hope. They can hope for a new encounter with God, hope that Christ will come to live and fill their hearts, hope to live in communion with their deceased loved ones, hope to find new meaning and purpose… Vatican II, in Gaudium et Spes, notes that widowhood is part of the vocation to marriage: Widowhood, accepted bravely as a continuation of the marriage vocation, should be esteemed by all.(8) There are many different paths that can lead to joy and consolation for those who remain in this life after the loss of a spouse or any loved one. Here’s one example of a prayer a widowed person can pray when they feel lonely and need to encounter the risen Jesus: Lord Jesus, You know the sorrow and pain I endured when my spouse went to our Father’s house.I beg you to give me the support and comfort I need so much today.Fill my loneliness with joy and hope and ease my fears for the future. Like the Virgin Mary who was widowed when Joseph died,keep my heart pure and give me a clear vision of God’s plan for me. If it is not good for me to be alone (see Gen 2:18),grant me the grace of finding again those who will be my helpers here below,while living in communion with my deceased spouse in the hope of being reunited in eternity. You, who were compassionate to the widow of Naim (Lk 7:11-16),have mercy on me and intercede with God the Fatherthat joy may spring up again in my wounded heart. Amen.

Read More

Why witches hate the St. Benedict Medal?

Mother & Refuge13 mins

By Aleteia The exact origin of the St. Benedict Medal is hard to pinpoint, but it is believed that the various symbols on it can be traced to a Benedictine monastery in the 17th century. According to Dom Prosper Guéranger in his short book The Medal or Cross of St. Benedict, a Benedictine monastery thwarted the plans of witches in the area. In the year 1647 at Nattremberg in Bavaria, certain witches who were accused of having exercised their spells to the injury of the people of the neighborhood were put into prison by the authorities … they confessed that their superstitious practices had never been able to produce any effect … over the monastery at Metten and this circumstance had made them feel sure that the house was protected by the cross. It was later discovered that there were “several representations of the holy cross painted on the walls and together with the cross were found the letters [now on the St. Benedict medal].” There was also a manuscript that had “drawings that represented St. Benedict in a monk’s cowl and holding in his right hand a staff, the end of which was formed into a cross.” Nearly everything that is now on the St. Benedict Medal was found at the Benedictine monastery at Metten. The medal itself was only first introduced in the 18th century and given full approval in the 19th century. Ever since, wearers of the medal have invoked the intercession of St. Benedict in the expulsion of evil influences. This is partially due to various exorcism prayers that were written on the medal. Starting from the top, in a clockwise direction, and around the edge appear the initials of the prayers: V. R. S. (Vade Retro Satan): “Get away, Satan”N. S. M. V. (Not Suade Mihi Vana): “Never tempt me with your vanities!”S. M. Q. L. (Sunt Mala Quae Libas): “What you offer me is evil.”I. V. B. (Ipse Venena Bibas): “Drink the poison yourself!” Read more…

Read More

Be careful of Satan when he’s sweet and polite, warns pope.

Mother & Refuge03 mins

By Aleteia The devil is out to seduce us, and he comes into our lives “so sweetly and politely” to take possession of our attitudes, Pope Francis warned. The pope said this today in his morning homily, drawing from today’s Gospel reading about the unclean spirit who goes out of a person but then decides to return, and brings with him seven other spirits “more wicked than itself.” Vatican Radio reported Pope Francis’ emphasis that the passage reflects how demons enter quietly, progressively becoming more and more part of a person’s life. The devil slowly changes our attitudes, camouflaging himself to lead us to what’s called worldliness, Francis explained. This attitude brings us to look at things in ways contrary to the spirit of the Gospel. When the devil enters “so sweetly, politely and takes possession of our attitudes,” the pope said, our values pass from the service of God to worldliness. Thus we become “lukewarm Christians, worldly Christians.” Francis described this as being like a fruit salad — a bit of the spirit of the world and a bit of God’s spirit. PreventionNevertheless, the Holy Father also said there is a method for preventing this progressive progression of the devil’s seduction: “stopping for a while to examine my life, whether I am a Christian, whether I educate my children, whether my life is Christian or worldly.” The daily examination of conscience is one of the spiritual practices most promoted by the Society of Jesus, the religious order to which the pope belongs. It involves taking a few minutes at the end of the day to look over one’s day — to see the graces that God offered, and to thank him for them, and to see the moments when we refused his grace and chose to act in a way contrary to the Gospel. The examen concludes with a specific resolution to work on the next day. Read more…

Read More

Inviolate| 11th century prayer

Mother & Refuge01 mins

Inviolate, spotless and pure art thou, O Mary Who wast made the radiant gate of the King. Holy mother of Christ most dear, receive our devout hymn and praise. Our hearts and tongues now ask of thee that our souls and bodies may be pure. By thy sweet sounding prayers obtain for us forgiveness forever. O gracious queen, O Mary, who alone among women art inviolate. Inviolata, integra, et casta es Maria, quae es effecta fulgida caeli porta. O Mater alma Christi carissima, suscipe pia laudum praeconia. Te nunc flagitant devota corda et ora, nostra ut pura pectora sint et corpora. Tu per precata dulcisona, nobis concedas veniam per saecula. O benigna! O Regina! O Maria, quae sola inviolata permansisti.

Read More

Maker of All, Eternal King |from the Roman Breviary, by St. Ambrose

Mother & Refuge04 mins

Maker of all, eternal King, who day and night about dost bring: who weary mortals to relieve, dost in their times the seasons give: Now the shrill cock proclaims the day, and calls the sun’s awakening ray, the wandering pilgrim’ guiding light, that marks the watches night by night. Roused at the note, the morning star heaven’s dusky veil uplifts afar: night’s vagrant bands no longer roam, but from their dark ways hie them home. The encouraged sailor’s fears are o’er, the foaming billows rage no more: Lo! e’en the very Church’s Rock melts at the crowing of the cock. O let us then like men arise; the cock rebukes our slumbering eyes, bestirs who still in sleep would lie, and shames who would their Lord deny. New hope his clarion note awakes, sickness the feeble frame forsakes, the robber sheathes his lawless sword, faith to fallen is restored. Look in us, Jesu, when we fall, and with Thy look our souls recall: if Thou but look, our sins are gone, and with due tears our pardon won. Shed through our hearts Thy piercing ray, our soul’s dull slumber drive away: Thy Name be first on every tongue, to Thee our earliest praises sung. All laud to God the Father be; all praise, Eternal Son, to Thee; all glory, as is ever meet, to God the Holy Paraclete. Amen. Aeterne rerum conditor, noctem diemque qui regis, et temporum das tempora, ut alleves fastidium; Praeco diei iam sonat, noctis profundae pervigil, nocturna lux viantibus a nocte noctem segregans. Hoc excitatus lucifer solvit polum caligine, hoc omnis erronum chorus vias nocendi deserit. Hoc nauta vires colligit pontique mitescunt freta, hoc ipsa petra ecclesiae canente culpam diluit. Surgamus ergo strenue! Gallus iacentes excitat, et somnolentos increpat, Gallus negantes arguit. Gallo canente spes redit, aegris salus refunditur, mucro latronis conditur, lapsis fides revertitur. Iesu, labantes respice, et nos videndo corrige, si respicis, lapsus cadunt, fletuque culpa solvitur. Tu lux refulge sensibus, mentisque somnum discute, te nostra vox primum sonet et ore psallamus tibi. Sit, Christe, Rex piissime, tibi Patrique gloria cum Spiritu Paraclito, in sempiterna saecula. Amen.

Read More