A Holy Communion Prayer
Dear Lord, May I receive you in this Communion with open arms and a loving and contrite heart, so that I may be filled with Your grace, …
Faith
Confession for Grown-Ups
If you are like most of us “Cradle Catholics” what you know about Confession, is what you were taught prior to making your First Holy Communion. The problem with our…
“I (Still) Do”
Lord Jesus, grant that I and my husband will continue to have a true and understanding love for each other. Grant that we may both forever be filled with faith…
40 Days
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40 days—the duration of Lent—is one of the most symbolically significant periods of time in the Bible. Lent, the special season that precedes Easter, is an English word and…
Splinters from the Cross
Although, this prayer can certainly be prayed at any time, I find praying Splinters from the Cross, particularly meaningful at the close of The Way of the Cross SPLINTERS FROM…
Shoulder Wound of Christ
The cross our Lord carried was indeed quite heavy — heavy enough that he fell several times under its weight, as we prayerfully observe when making the Stations of the…
The Way of the Cross
“Mary advanced in her pilgrimage of faith through her perfect union with her Son unto the cross, and offers an eminent and singular example to the whole People of God,…
My Morning Offering
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day, for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union…
Holy Moments
You have so much more to offer. You sense it. You may have known it for a long time. It’s a truth that lingers, waiting patiently for us to pay…
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary
Today is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary (not to be confused with another mysterious and miraculous event, the virgin birth of our Lord Jesus). The Immaculate Conception…
Advent Reflections 2022
Advent marks the beginning of the church’s liturgical year. It is a season of joyful expectation, hope and preparation for the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. We all know…
Feasting and Fasting
For many Catholics, fasting is usually thought of primarily (almost exclusively) during the liturgical season of Lent, the 40-day penitential period leading up to Easter. During this time, the faithful…
A Reflection on Fasting
In the early Church and, to a lesser extent still today, there were two fasts. There was the “total fast” that preceded all major feasts or sacramental events. The ancient…
Indulgences for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
In order to understand how you can help the “Poor Souls” in Purgatory by offering up your Plenary and Partial Indulgences, you may need to review All Soul’s Day, Prayers…
Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is recited using ordinary rosary beads of five decades. At the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, the chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from…
Spiritual Works of Mercy
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40) The human…
Indulgences
Simply put, an indulgence is a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins! Now that I have your attention … Indulgence is the English…
Enchiridion of Indulgences
“Enchiridion” means “handbook,” and the Enchiridion of Indulgences is the Church’s official handbook on what acts and prayers carry indulgences and what indulgences actually are. In 1967 Pope Paul VI…
Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory
Praying in cemeteries, for departed loved ones, especially in November is customary in all Catholic countries. It’s typical for the faithful to visit the graves of relatives and friends on…
All Soul’s Day
All Souls Day is November 2 (the day after All Saint’s Day). A most popular prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is traditionally attributed to St. Gertrude the Great.…