Saint Thomas the Apostle

Feast: December 21

Prayer to Saint Thomas the Apostle.

Touching the Lord's side, thou didst attain to the perfection of good things, for, as a sponge, thou drew therefrom the fount of all good and drank the drought of everlasting life, driving out ignorance from the minds of men and filling them with the doctrines of the knowledge of God.

First incredulous, then believing, thou strengthened those who were tempted, preaching to every creature how our Lord and God became flesh for us on earth and suffered death on the cross, being transfixed with nails and having His side opened with a lance, whence we draw life.

Most holy apostle, who dost rejoice in the vision of God, thou didst flood with light all the land of the Indies; when thou hadst enlightened these children of the light and the day, inspired by the Spirit, thou didst overthrow their pagan temples and didst raise their people in the love of God, to the praise and glory of the Church. O blessed intercessor for our souls.

Through a vision of the divine, thou didst become, O Thomas the Apostle, the mystic cup of the spiritual wisdom of Christ, in whom the souls of the faithful rejoice; a spiritual net, thou didst draw men from the abyss of ignorance. Hence thou became as a stream of charity from Sion, filling every creature with thy teachings of the divine. Thou didst imitate the Passion of Christ and, with thy side pierced for Him, didst put on immortality. Pray to Him for us, that He may have mercy on our souls.

The Immaculate Conception

We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.
__Bl. Pius IX.

V Anniversary

Saint Cecilia

The feast of Saint Cecilia this year marks the fifth anniversary of my entrance into the the third order of Saint Dominic (these days its known as the priestly fraternity of Saint Dominic. The lay folk of the third order are said these days to belong to the Dominican laity).

I had the singular privilege, on that memorable night, of being accepted into the order in the Friar's Chapel in the Church of Saint Vincent Ferrer in Manhattan.

Saint Cecilia, Blessed Father Dominic, Bl. Jordan pray for us all.

View of the High Altar at Saint Vincent Ferrer in Manhattan NY.

All Souls day (Dominican rite) Nov.7

O God,
the Giver of pardon
and the Author of human salvation,
we beseech Thy clemency, through the intercession of the ever Blessed Virgin Mary
and of all Thy saints,
to admit the brethren and sisters, the friends and the benefactors of our congregation,
to the fellowship of eternal life.

Feast of All Saints

Dominican Saints

Feast of all Saints: November 1.

Almighty and everlasting God,
who hast granted us to honor in one solemn Feast
the merits of all Thy Saints:
we beseech Thee, that, since so many are praying for us,
Thou wouldst pour forth upon us
the abundance of Thy mercy,
for which we long.
Amen.

Christ the King. Last sunday in October

Christ the King

Consecration of the Human Race
to the the Sacred Heart.

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Your altar. We are Yours, and Yours we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with You, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Your Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known You; many too, despising Your precepts, have rejected You. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Your Sacred Heart.

You are King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken You, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned You; grant that they may quickly return to their Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

You are King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof; call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

You are King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism; refuse not to draw them all into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Your eyes of mercy toward the children of that race, once Your chosen people. Of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.

Grant, O Lord, to Your Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to It be glory and Honor forever. Amen.

Our Lady of the Rosary. Oct VII

Our Lady giving the rosary to
Saint Dominic.

Marymas: Aug.15

Assumpta est Maria
in Coelorum
Gaudent Angeli,
collaudates benedicunt Dominum,
Alleluia.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and the poor souls in purgatory

Feast: July 16.

O God, Who didst adorn the Order of Carmel with the unique title of the most blessed ever-Virgin Mary Thy Mother: propitiously concede that we, who with solemn office celebrate her commemoration today, may merit to attain to everlasting joys, strengthened by her protection. Who livest...etc.

S.S. Peter and Paul.

S.S. Peter and Paul

Feast: June 29

Almighty God, whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified thee by their martyrdom: Grant that thy Church, instructed by their teaching and example, and knit together in unity by thy Spirit, may ever stand firm upon the one foundation, which is Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 2010

Sacred Heart of Jesus

On the Closing of the year of the Priest

“On that day there shall be a fountain opened
for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness”

____Zechariah 13:1.

Saint Joan of Arc

In the face of your enemies, in the face of harassment, ridicule, and doubt, you held firm in your faith. Even in your abandonment, alone and without friends, you held firm in your faith. Even as you faced your own mortality, you held firm in your faith. We pray you, that we may be as bold in our faith as you were in yours. O blessed saint of God, we beg accompany us with your prayers as we face our own daily battles. Help us to be mindful that what is worthwhile can be won when there is persistence. Help us hold firm to the true faith without which we cannot please God. Show us how to always be attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

tres Catholique

The ceremony of the flag in Quito Ecuador

Ascension Thursday 2010

Not only Christ’s humanity but our humanity ascended into heaven. Preaching in June of 444 Pope St. Leo the Great (+461) stated:

“Truly it was a great and indescribable source of rejoicing when, in the sight of the heavenly multitudes, the nature of our human race ascended over the dignity of all heavenly creatures, to pass the angelic orders and to be raised beyond the heights of archangels. In its ascension it did not stop at any other height until this same nature was received at the seat of the eternal Father, to be associated on the throne of the glory of that One to whose nature it was joined in the Son.”

__Taken from Fr. Z's blog.

Feast of Saint George

Feast: April 23

O GOD, who didst grant to Saint George strength and constancy in the various torments which he sustained for our holy faith; we beseech Thee to preserve,through his intercession, our faith from wavering and doubt, so that we may serve Thee with a sincere heart faithfully unto death. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Passio D.N.

Good Friday 2010

From the Cross the Lord lifted His heart to His Father and prayed:
"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."
These words of the Lord spoken as He was suspended between earth and sky, like the words of the Sacrament effect what they signified.

Palm Sunday

Second Sunday of the Passion:
O almighty and everlasting God, who didst cause our Savior to take upon Him our flesh, and to undergo the cross, for an example of humility to be imitated by mankind: mercifully grant that we may deserve to possess not only the lessons of His patience, but also the fellowship of His Resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son .

Holy Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph Patron of the Universal Church

Feast: March 19

"Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work; above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain complacency in success, so baneful to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O patriarch St. Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity."
- Pope Pius IX