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.