We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages
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with the Holy See of Rome.
| Mary has requested that the daily message be given each day to the
world. It is read nightly at the prayer service from her Image Building in Clearwater,
Florida, U.S.A. This is according to her request. All attempts will be made to publish
this daily message to the world at 11 p.m. Eastern time, U.S.A. We acknowledge that the final authority regarding these messages
rests |
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January 28th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 3 Period II.The Novena Rosary Mystery
for January 28th is Luminous.
Reading of Response to God's Love
after 6:20 Rosary
A new disc will be played entitled
Intimacy A Valentine for you
tomorrow at 4:37 am & pm on the radio.
This disc can be ordered for $10.00
The Blue Book Reading
will be Sunday at 4:30.
January 27, 1994 - February 1, 1994
will be read.
COME TO FLORIDA
FEBRUARY 5, 2003
THERE WILL BE A
LIVE BROADCAST AT
6:20 on February 5, 2003
See Mary's Image
during the rosary
tune in.
March 5, 2002
February 5, 2001
Our new Cincinnati Store
is open.
9859 Rt. 42
about 1 mile north of 275
open 10am to 5pm
Everything in the store
is 10% off!
The Shepherds of Christ
radio is awesome.
Go to the homepage and click.
You can listen while you are doing
many things and the
Blue Book readings and the
messages of Father Carter,
Newsletters and prayers,
will keep you very focused on God,
will help reveal to you some of
the tactics of satan,
and help you to be happy.
Listen as you see Mary on the building.
It is a real gift from God.
January 27, 2003.Here is the schedule for our web radio
4:00 a.m. - Mass
4:37 a.m. - Valentine disc on Intimacy
5:55 a.m. - Songs from Jesus
6:20 a.m. - 6:20 prayers led by Father Carter
Holy Spirit Novena
Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual
Rosary7:24 a.m. - Blue Book Reading
from January 19, 2003 in Texas9:25 a.m. - Grace by Father Carter
read by Father Mike Paraniuk10:33 a.m. - Mary's Message
11:30 a.m. - Messages and Songs
October 24, 199512:32 p.m. - Live Rosary from January 13, 1997
2:00 p.m. - Newsletter 2000 Issue 1
read by Father Carter3:22 p.m. - Songs from Jesus
4:00 p.m. - Mass
4:37 p.m. - Valentine disc on Intimacy
5:55 p.m. - Songs from Jesus
6:20 a.m. - 6:20 prayers led by Father Carter
Holy Spirit Novena
Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual
Rosary7:24 p.m. - Blue Book Reading
from January 19, 2003 in Texas9:25 p.m. - Grace by Father Carter
read by Father Mike Paraniuk10:33 p.m. - Mary's Message
11:30 p.m. - Messages and Songs
October 24, 199512:32 a.m. - Live Rosary from January 13, 1997
2:00 a.m. - Newsletter 2000 Issue 1
read by Father Carter3:22 a.m. - Songs from Jesus
4:00 a.m. - Mass
January 27, 2003
Jesus speaks:
On Tuesdays after the prayer service
I wish My messenger to read
Response to God's Love for
about one hour unless there is
a Sidney Rosary or a special event.
(Response to God's Love is a very
special book written by Fr. Carter.)
Here is an outline of today's message.
I. About Married Couples Ministry
1. November 28, 1998
2. November 29, 1998
3. Married Couple's Questions
II. April 4, 2001
1. Witness Letters
2. Priest Letters
3. Song: In My Heart
III. Mysteries of Light
1. Baptism of Jesus
2. Marriage at Cana
3. Kingdom of God
4. Transfiguration
5. The Last Supper
I. About Married Couples Ministry
1. November 28, 1998
Excerpt from November 28, 1998 message
Today is the couples rosary in Morrow, Ohio. Jesus has asked couples to share their feelings, writing for ten minutes. This is given in a daily message (September 25, 1998)
I am Mary your Mother, I ask you to write on this question. I ask all to write:
Q: 1) Who has offended me in my past loving relationships?
In this question list those who have caused you great pain in your heart: your mother, father, sister, husband, friend, etc.
Ask Jesus to help you be truthful and bring the pain to light. Feel the pain, cry if you hurt and ask God to help you to forgive them. Ask God to help you heal from the wound.
I am Mary, your Mother. I want to help you to heal from old wounds and fight off satanic attacks.
You will not heal from the old wounds if you do not admit the truth to yourself. You must admit the truth to yourself.
end of excerpt from November 28, 1998 message
2. November 29, 1998
November 29, 1998 message
Messenger:
(Written as directed by Mary as a response to last night's question.)The reality of the life beyond
At five years of age, my mother died of cancer. At this early age, I was made drastically aware of the reality of the life beyond. When other children had to deal with the loss of their favorite dolls, I had to deal with the cold, hard reality: one day mother was alive here on this earth, the next day I would never see her again. Now this may seem hard, but never until this moment did I realize the great gift in it. It made the invisible world in which God existed a vivid reality to me. It brought me a special awareness of that mysterious place beyond, heaven, where I knew my mother was. Now to a child of five her mother is the most important person in her life, or so it was for me. So to lose her forced me to deal with the reality of heaven and God and the life beyond. This was most important to me. Heaven became, to me, a place that was very real, for my mother was there. She wasn't here anymore, so I had to try to understand what those around me had told me. But I remember how I felt. I remember a place within where I knew of heaven, a place I knew that was invisible, but really immensely visible in my heart and soul because my mother was there. I knew that she was alive even though her body was put under the ground.
Until this night, I never saw the profound lesson God had taught me in that experience about the soul living some where else or the reality of the invisible world, in which an Almighty God existed. It all fit, though, because I could see the Creator, GOD, that I really couldn't see visibly. I knew this invisible place beyond. It was quite real to me. They really didn't let me mourn her passing. They were strongly fixed to life elsewhere.
When I made my First Communion, I knew this God and the reality of His existence quite well. I knew He loved me. They had told me that she gave me birth. They told me God took her because she was so special to Him. They said she went home to Him. Now I knew the invisible God, truly present in the Eucharist. I knew the reality of His existence so vividly because of dealing with her death. I felt she was with Him in heaven and He was here also truly present in the Eucharist. He gave Himself to me and came inside of me. I loved and wanted Him. I was so starved for love. I wanted Him, He was so much more. I experienced the presence of God in that first reception of the Eucharist. He filled that place inside, the aching hole I knew from the loss of my mother.
I write to you tonight after 3:00 a.m. in the morning, for Our Lady has awakened me and asked me to write to you. Many years later a friend of mine said, "Oh you have to grieve the loss of your mother, you never did it." And so I tried to do that and realized that I could cry from the pain and loss of losing her and it made me feel better I thought. It was a deep wound within and I needed to look into it, for I always wanted her love.
But now this day I see the immense folly in it all as if the Lord laughs once again at me and says, "Silly child, I told you last night in the couples rosary I give you exactly as you need to grow in greater life in Me."
There is a section in Father Carter's newsletter; (issue no. 5, 1998) so beautifully written, that says suffering when encountered according to God's will always leads to greater life. (Please include here, the section "Our Union with the Resurrected Christ" from Father Carter's newsletter.)
(Excerpt from Shepherds of Christ Priestly Newsletter: ISSUE 5 - 1998)
Our Union with the Resurrected Christ
The Church invites us to share deeply in the passion of Christ, in the cross of Christ. She does so that we might share deeply in His life of resurrection-here and hereafter. The more we die with Christ, the more we share in His life of resurrection-here and hereafter. Our ultimate goal here below is not the cross, but resurrection-the newness of life the cross leads to - here below as well as in eternity.
We are meant to share in all the mysteries of Christ here below-we are meant to relive them in our own lives. And all of these mysteries are directed to the crowning mystery of Jesus, His resurrection: "As the Church is ever re-enacting, during all the ages, the life story of her Divine Spouse-undergoing in the Mystical Body what He suffered in His Natural Body, so it must be too, in some measure, for every individual Christian that lives in real unity with Christ. It was thus that the saints understood the life of the Divine Master. They not merely contemplated it, they lived it. This was the source of the immense sympathy they were capable of experiencing for Him in His different states. They felt in a certain measure what He felt, and what is true of Our Lord's life considered as a whole must be true in no imperfect or limited manner of that which was the supreme and crowing mystery in that life-namely, the Resurrection. This must be, not merely a fact in Christian history, but a phase of Christian experience "...We do not readily perceive that, in God's plan, not only the Cross, but the Risen Life that followed it, is meant to be part of our terrestrial existence. Christ did not pass from the Cross straight to heaven. The Christian is not meant to do so either. In the case of Jesus the Cross preceded, prepared and prefaced a risen life on earth. In the case of the Christian the Cross is meant to play a somewhat similar role-that is, to be the prelude to a risen life, even here below.
The Cross cannot be completely understood except it is viewed in the full light of the Resurrection. It is the latter, not the former, that is the ultimate mystery for us...The Cross is a means, not an end; it finds its explanation only in the empty tomb; it is an entrance into life, not a mode of death. Any death that enters into God's plan must necessarily issue forth in life. If He lays upon us the necessity of dying it is in order that we may live...In order that we may live as we ought, our rebellious nature must be crucified. Crucifixion always remains the only mode of salvation.
"God sends trials and crosses simply to deaden in us the activity of the forces that make for the decay of the spiritual life, in order that that spiritual life may develop and expand unimpeded. According as the life of perverse nature ebbs away from us on our cross united with Christ's, the Divine Life that God has placed in all whom He has called begins to make itself more manifest and to display increased vigour and vitality...It is to that Resurrection, that life in death, that God directs all the circumstances of our life-it is the object He aims at in His dealing with us." 9
In his above words, Fr. Edward Leen, C.S.Sp., speaks about a special episode of our participation in the resurrection of Jesus. He speaks of our Christ-life, our life of grace, in the highly developed state. We should all strive for this state. We must realize, however, that all those who live in the state of grace are, in an essential way, living the life of resurrection. They are alive in Christ Jesus. St. Paul tells us: "You have been taught that when we were baptized in Christ Jesus we were baptized in His death; in other words, when we were baptized we went into the tomb with Him and joined Him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too might have a new life." (Rom 6:3-4).
9
Edward Leen, In the Likeness of Christ, Sheep and Word, pp. 290-300.
Messenger: As we meditate on the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary, we see the suffering of the Lord, the horrible torture and suffering of a God-made-Man consumed with love for men. We hear Him say in the garden Matthew 26:39
Matthew 26:39
And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. 'My Father,' he said, 'if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it.'
Messenger: Is this not the story of our lives, learning that suffering leads to greater life? God the Father willed the suffering of His only Son. He gave His Son Who gave Himself as a sacrifice so that we would share in His life.
It is that realization of the life beyond, though not visibly seen, the reality of God's world, that leads us to march out with greater determination toward the goal we seek, which is to be possessed by an invisible God.
Our Lady woke me that I would write to you of my own loss concerning the death of my precious mother, but until this night I did not realize the gift He gave me. Because of her death at an early age, I had to deal with life and death. I learned about the invisible God.
The Eucharist at age seven filled my heart and soul with the love my heart craved. I knew from her death about His life. I knew about His life in me. I knew I was not alone, even though she died. He was alive in me and now I knew Him and experienced His Presence in the Eucharist. Other children had their mothers and fathers at their First Communion, but my dad was sick, my step-mother who I loved was there, but my whole consuming desire was to focus on Jesus. He filled that hole in my soul with His divine love.
Many people try to analyze other people and help them come to grips with problems dealing with loving, but never will any person be able to give a person the gift that the resurrected Lord gives to a soul when He gives Himself completely to the soul in the reception of the Eucharist. He outpours His grace to them. They share most abundantly in His life.
After suffering for several days, I got out of my bed one morning and said "What is life?" My answer came loud and clear "The Eucharist." "Jesus is life.", and I went as fast as I could to the tabernacle to sit before Him. I wanted to receive His grace, given in such abundance through the Eucharist.
So Our Lady woke me to write this to you. In a rosary March 17, 1998, Our Lady spoke and I do not remember exactly how she said it, but she said something to the effect Jesus will give you whatever you need to help you to be more like Him. And in all the sufferings and struggles we are being led to a place in which we know Him and His ways more and more. And the struggles were immense, but slowly and surely He has allowed us all in the core group of the Shepherds of Christ to share more and more in the dying and rising in Him. Our primary goal and focus of our lives is Jesus, Jesus, and Jesus again. The desire of our heart and soul is to be possessed by God, to be showered with His grace, to know Him more and more and to help save souls. He is our end. His desires have become our desires, His wants are our wants because of great intimacies with Him through consecration and the Eucharist.
We do not always understand the workings of the Lord in our lives, but the Father wills us to suffer to bring us to greater life in Him. We should always trust Him in our lives and give ourselves to Him so He can work in us.
Last night in the rosary He touched on the reality of the invisible world. In my heart and soul, His world is more real than the world I see. I know Him truly present in the Holy Eucharist.
He has penetrated my heart and soul in such a way that I have been existent in such a profound way in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in such ecstasies after Communion. To me this is reality. To me God is my goal, God is whom I seek, God is what my soul craves. Knowing this existence in Him, being possessed most intimately by the Almighty God, is what leaves me in a constant state of partial hell when He does not grant these special experiences. It is like living in a desert land, wanting what I know. From these experiences I know His intimate action on my soul. This is what I desire, to be possessed by God.
I write to you as a messenger from God and from Our Lady. On this special day, Sunday November 29, 1998, I give you this reflection of mine as Our Lady has requested. Great graces are given from God on Sunday. He truly loves Sunday, it is His special day. Jesus has requested our core prayer service be on Sundays. He gives us a great teaching and we pray 3-4 hours every Sunday at 2:00 p.m. Jesus has requested the Junior Shepherds of Christ to meet at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday all over the world. He wishes us to honor Him through special prayer services on Sundays. He wishes the youth to come and pray. Jesus wants the youth to know Sunday is His day. We should set aside special time for God on Sunday to honor Him in a special way on His day.
Our Lord and Our Lady have asked this information be given to all parents in the world.
Mary speaks: Swiftly go the years, my children, and soon you are old and gone. It never seems it will end this way, for no one knows the plan of God. My children, you think with human minds, you look for concrete realities, you see with your eyes. You miss the glory of the mystery beyond.
This is my child and I have mothered her from birth. When your mothers were off on their own or doing whatever they did that led you to wrong places in your lives, I was the Mother always by your side, protecting you and loving you. I walked next to my Son, Jesus, and I have walked next to you. I know you feel afraid many times, afraid of the life beyond and death and the unknown. You must seek Him, you must obey God and love Him. Little children, the angel told me not to fear. God speaks to you today.
The Father speaks: My beloved children, I give you My Son, Jesus, in the Eucharist. I give you your Mother Mary. I give you My love through Jesus in the Holy Spirit. What more do you want, My little tiny children? You want to be in control, you do not want to come as a child.
If a person knew when the thief would come, the person would prepare for it.
Like a thief in the night I will come to you and snatch this earthly existence away from you, and what will remain will be the life beyond.
My children, you determine your own fate. Sufficient grace is given to you to be saved.
You know not the day nor the hour.
It has offended Me the way My Son, Jesus, is treated in the Eucharist. I wished not to speak so harshly My little ones, nor scare you. But My wrath will blaze above your towering buildings and you will know how your God expresses displeasure. But I do not write that you would fear, but that you would listen and know My immense love for you as your Creator and Father.
Oh children, the invisible world is indeed real. The more you come to the Eucharist, the more you know the divine presence of God and the more I shower you with this life in Jesus. I am the Father, you are My beloved children. You are children of God, forever. Many of you have abandoned Me. You have left your home for arid lands. The prodigal son left his father's home and went his way. It is My desire that all My wayward children return carrying their shields to help build Me a Kingdom on this earth where men will love God and one another as they should in the Father's family.
Jesus speaks: I am Jesus, I am truly present in the Eucharist, I reveal Myself most intimately to the chosen soul. I implant knowledge of Myself and insight into the divine mysteries on your soul.
I love you so much.
end of November 29, 1998 message
3. Married Couple's Questions
Questions for married couplesQ: 1) Who has offended me in my past loving relationships?
Q: 2) How do I feel my relationship with my Mother Mary has helped me to be loving and gentle to you?
Q: 3) How do you feel our relationship has helped us grow closer in our relationship with God?
Q: 4) How do I feel when I am upset and you will not listen or even try to understand in love?
Q: 5) How do I feel inside when I share my feelings and you support and love me and try to understand?
Q: 6) How do you feel we can carry the love of Christmas through our lives every day of the New Year?
Q: 7) How can we love each other more every day by writing these letters every day?
Q: 8) How do I feel we can grow closer in our relationship by seeing ourselves as children in the Father's family?
Q: 9) How do I feel writing to you daily helps me to express the love in my heart?
Q: 10) How do I feel when I do not get time to share the thoughts of my heart with you all day?
Q: 11) How have we merged in oneness in Jesus since we have joined the Shepherds of Christ Movement?
Q: 12) How often can we go to Mass together each week? How does it make me feel to go to Mass with you?
Q: 13) How does my deep connection with Our Lord keep me permanently united to you in my heart even when we are not together or with others?
Q: 14) What can I do to help us be more united?
Q: 15) How has loving you helped me to grow to be a better person in the world?
II. April 4, 2001
1. Witness Letters
Sue H.
How has being a member of Shepherds of Christ changed my life?It seems that I have been searching for a good part of my adult life for a fulfillment I didn't know existed. I guess I always thought that raising my five children and providing a good home for them and my husband was where I was supposed to be.
A friend came back from Medjugorje in 1988 and told me that Our Lady requested that we pray the rosary everyday. And so this is where it all started. I started praying the rosary daily and my life started to change. It was as though from that point Our Lord was leading me on a journey-- prayer groups, St. Louis de Montfort consecration, more prayer groups, grasping for any knowledge I could.
Then in August of 1994 I was led to Falmouth, Kentucky, for Our Lady's apparitions after finding out Our Lady was no longer appearing in Conyers monthly. I continued to visit Our Lady's farm on the 8th's for the next 11 months, the last being Oct. 8, 1995. I remember saying monthly that I felt as if I was being prepared for something but didn't know what. If I'm to be honest, I would have to say that I felt somewhat guilty always praying to Mary and not feeling a deeper relationship with God. I knew she took our prayers to her Son, Jesus, but I felt an emptiness that wasn't being fulfilled.
Then on June 8th, 1995, we went to the Holy Spirit Center after the Falmouth apparition and Rita came up to us and asked us if we would like to pray the rosary with her. We declined because of the long and hot day and returned home. We then went down to the Holy Spirit Center for the Miracle of the lights on Aug. 31st, 1995. The next day we stopped at the Center again and Rita again asked us to say the rosary with her. And so we did this time. It was truly beautiful (Sept. 1, 1995). In June when we met with Rita she gave me a Blue Book. I honestly didn't open it right away because I had so much other material to read. My sister-in-law said that I really should open it. I did.
This was what would finally fulfill my longing. This is what I had been looking for, a relationship with my Lord. I learned so much through these Blue Books. I started to talk to Rita weekly and started to learn more and more. I then began writing up rosaries for her and continued the learning. I learned of Our Lord's great love and how He is always with us. I learned of His presence in the Eucharist, something I always knew but it never really sank in. My life changed dramatically and I had this craving more and more to be with Jesus in front of the tabernacle. I attended the 13th's at Tom's Farm and the Holy Spirit Center and couldn't wait until the following month.
Sometimes I feel I'll explode if I can't say what I know and I feel. But it also brings such sadness to know of His great love and not have the whole world be able to experience it.
This is why I feel Our Lord is teaching us to pray. It does help to know we are helping to save souls and it helps me to deal with the lack of faith that surrounds me in today's world.
When He gives me a gift or grace and my heart feels so full of love I never want to leave the tabernacle.
God has so graced my soul to have allowed me to become a Shepherd of Christ apostle leader, for I have done nothing to earn this gift. And yet He allows me to love and know so many wonderful people in the Movement.
I accept this gift and pray that I will spend the rest of my life doing the Father's will and dwelling in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Melanie Mary N.What has the Shepherds of Christ done for my life?
How do you put into words God's Grace? How do you express His Almighty Love and Goodness? How do you write about things that are not tangible?
Through the Shepherds of Christ Ministries I have learned to KNOW, LOVE and SERVE Him, my God.
I remember as a child in grade school learning the catechism. The dear sisters would say, "You must know, love and serve God to be happy with Him in Heaven." I loved learning about Him!
The Blue Books and writing to Jesus daily is such a gift. I have learned personally about my Jesus, my spiritual Spouse. To really know Him is certainly to love Him and all mankind. Because I know and love Him so, I want to serve Him every minute of the day. In doing so, I pray, offer up daily duty, love and serve others, strive to be a good wife and mother and an apostle.
I want to identify with His Passion, and He allows me to experience His sufferings and His Mother's sufferings. To identify is to know.
I want to help in the salvation of souls. Not just one, but millions. I desire souls to love Him as I do and more, because He deserves to be loved so.I have continued my catechism classes, when I thought 12th grade was the end. There is a knowledge that I know that I am not worthy of or deserving of. He has touched me and I have responded to His call. I pray I will only do His Will.
Thank You God, for choosing this little, tiny soul for Your very special service in the Shepherds of Christ Ministries.
Lord, I am not worthy, but only say the word and my soul will want to say, "Yes".
He has graced me throughout my life, but now more than ever. As a Married Couple and Leader Apostles, He has taken our life and expanded it so greatly that I cannot express all of this in words. It is certainly a privilege to be working side by side with the Almighty.
He has blessed us a hundred fold, my family and myself. We are more loving and forgiving of one another's imperfections. God has given us one another to serve Him together. I can never give back to Him what He has given to us, but we can try to give as much as we can.
Thank You Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for allowing me to be with You in the Shepherds of Christ Ministries.
I love You, Mary, and the Shepherds of Christ Movement very much.
Daniel N.
What has the Shepherds of Christ done for my life?In Luke 24:13-35 we are given the beautiful account of the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. It was evident that they "knew" of Jesus, but they were unable to recognize Him when He joined them on their journey. As they walked, Jesus interpreted all the scriptures concerning Himself. Upon arriving near the village they begged Him to stay. Jesus complied with their request. At table, Jesus blessed and broke the bread and gave it to them. Their eyes were opened and they "recognized" Him. Jesus immediately vanished from their site and they hurriedly returned to Jerusalem to tell the Apostles what had happened.
I see myself as one of those disciples on my journey to the Kingdom. I "know" Jesus, but do not always recognize Him. Through my involvement in the Shepherds of Christ Ministries, Jesus joins me on my journey. As we walk, Jesus teaches me about Himself through the Priestly Newsletter, the Blue Books, the Daily Messages and all of the various publications of the ministry. When I receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, I recognize His presence in me and I in Him. Thank You, Jesus, for opening my eyes and allowing me to come closer to You.
I realize my relationship with Jesus is not a one way street. I must respond to His love for me and be willing to serve Him. My connection with the Shepherds of Christ allows me to serve in a most special way. Eucharistic Adoration, praying the Prayer Manual prayers and the Holy Spirit Novena, spreading devotion to His Sacred Heart and complying with Mary's request at Fatima, enable me to demonstrate my love for the Most Blessed Trinity. In a marvelous way, the more willing I am to serve Jesus, the closer I come to Him through increased knowledge and love.
I want to thank all of the Shepherds of Christ Associates whom I have come to know since joining the ministry in 1996. The love and concern for one another is truly Christ-like. Finally, I want to thank my wife Melanie for leading me into the Movement. Our love for Jesus and each other has grown immensely. Praise Jesus!
Ellen S.
Looking back on my life, I see how our Blessed Lord has been preparing me for Shepherds of Christ. My childhood revolved around prayer and involvement in Church activities. I am eternally grateful for the influence of my parents who taught me to love the Mass, and to respect priests and religious. My father would not tolerate prejudice of any kind, setting the background for the career I would have serving abroad in many countries.When I retired and returned home I wondered what I would do, as I looked immediately for a Charismatic Prayer Group, studied the Bible and attended daily Mass. I decided to continue working as a secretary, but something kept gnawing at me that there was more. One evening at a Baptism of the Spirit Seminar I was participating in, I met Rita and her son. I was taken with this young boy as I prayed with him and smiled at his mother, inviting them to come to our prayer group.
One day I arrived at work and went immediately to my computer to write a resignation letter. I had not thought of this at all and when I read it, I smiled and thanked the Holy Spirit because it was a most loving note. My boss was taken back in unbelief but was convinced I was serious. That weekend I had a knock on my door and "enter Rita." She said, "I receive letters from Jesus and wondered if you would type for me. I’ll bring over my computer." I said I would be glad to (not even a blink of the eye or questioning her receiving letters from Jesus!) This began our friendship and my privilege for the next seven years as together we recorded love letters from Jesus and Mary and from the Father. The Blue Books were born.
I could write volumes about my experiences, but will share one: I had a large Sacred Heart of Jesus picture before me as I worked and from day one as I began I heard, "I bless the work of your hands." and knew it was from Him because my hands would fly across the keys and I knew He was doing the work for me. Every message I typed went straight to my heart. I began to attend Mass and daily adoration with a love I never thought was possible. I now know Him as my personal friend and constant companion. I love Him with my whole soul and my whole being. From the very first rosary I attended with Rita and the founder, I knew, believed and can witness to the love that exists in Shepherds of Christ.
Presently I am living in Clearwater, Florida, working as a volunteer at Mary’s Image Site along with the handmaids, servants and apostles our Lord has chosen to be here. I am amazed how our Movement has spread world wide. I love greeting people from all over the world and listening to their testimonies, especially the many who come to tell us how Shepherds of Christ has changed their lives.
Thank you, Lord, thank you, Father, and thank you, Mary, our Mother who blesses us each day. Amen.
Sheila L.
Shepherds of Christ - it's hard to express in words what you know in your heart regarding the tremendous effect Shepherds of Christ has had on one's life. Where does one begin? As I look back on my life with Shepherds of Christ the miracles begin to visualize in my mind. I see myself back in the fall of 1994, when Rita first asked me to come to the Tuesday Shepherds of Christ meetings and bring my family. I was shy and not brave enough to step out, but gradually Jesus began to work in me and I have stepped out more and more and have become bolder and bolder as a soldier for Christ.God was definitely preparing me all of my life for my involvement with the Shepherds of Christ. I can see how God has fulfilled many of my prayers, hopes and dreams through the Shepherds of Christ Movement. I remember as a child being able to go to Mass every day and I loved it. Little did I know that this love would blossom into a deeper love and understanding of the tremendous power of the Mass. I have learned to live my whole day and night no matter what I'm doing as a prayer, lifting it all up to the Father, with and through the Son and in the Holy Spirit, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass going on ALL over the world to help with the salvation of souls!!! WOW!!! Shepherds of Christ has immensely affected my prayer life, especially offering up my life for those souls on the edge of death. Before Shepherds of Christ, I didn't know how we could share in a major way to help save souls.
I remember when I got older, I always wished that I could talk to Jesus for just one hour so He could help me through my trials. Here again God has fulfilled another prayer beyond my wildest dreams through my learning to spend one hour with Jesus before the tabernacle, especially after receiving Him in Holy Communion. Yes, it is there that Jesus has helped me through many, many trials and just filled me with His LOVE.
Again God fulfills my prayers and hopes and dreams beyond all telling with God's Blue Books and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. They have been my daily weapons in the fight against Satan. Whenever confronted with daily battles, a message from God's Blue Book always comes to mind, especially my favorite, February 17, 1994:
Jesus speaks: Store up your moments as part of eternity. Every moment here is part of your pass to My kingdom. How are you living this moment? Is it used to give service to Me and preach My gospel? Are you making all your moments count towards your eternity? Each moment is but a breath and it is gone. Did you use the moment I gave you to do My work? This time is not yours. I can snatch your moments away in one breath. It matters, My children, only as you choose to serve Me and spread My love!
That is so powerful!!! It takes your breath away. And then there is the Rosary Book, Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I can't describe in words my love for these rosaries. I can only quote again from one of my favorite and powerful rosaries, July 11, 1995:
Jesus speaks: Know that, as you go through each day, as you suffer all through the day with different trials, different obstacles that are put in your path, I am with you as you struggle... I allow you to suffer many sufferings, for you are being strengthened... I am sending you into the world as My special apostles of love.
These two books are always there to guide, comfort and lift me up. I can see more and more the peace, unity and oneness that God is wanting for all of us.
Lastly, Shepherds of Christ has fostered a bond of love between myself and my husband, Steve, that words can't express. We have come to realize the power of praying as a couple and being able to go to Mass in the morning together. I can see more and more the close connection between our spousal union in marriage and my spousal union with Jesus, the Bridegroom of my soul. We have been very blessed with our two children who are also involved with Shepherds of Christ, Emily as a handmaid and Nick as Junior Shepherds of Christ Coordinator.
God is so good and has blessed us with one of the greatest gifts that He could give us -- The Shepherds of Christ Movement!!!
Margaret C.
How Shepherds of Christ Has Changed My LifeIn midsummer of 1996, after receiving some material from a friend, I asked people to help form a Shepherds of Christ prayer chapter. I requested and obtained our Pastor's permission to expose the Blessed Sacrament nightly for our prayer gatherings. I also began making monthly pilgrimages to China, Indiana, for the special prayer service on the 13th of each month and a bit later, for the three-day retreats with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.
The teachings, prayers, love letters, and way of life given to us by Jesus through His Shepherds of Christ Movement helped me realize that I held erroneous views about my faith and God's ways. I recognized too, that I had developed several unChrist-like habits. As ridiculous as it sounds now, the discovery that I could not make myself holy by hard work and perseverance, was quite an insight. But these disconcerting conclusions were accompanied by the refreshing realization that I was made to be totally dependent upon my Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier, and Heavenly Mother for all things -- including my sanctification. I came to understand that I needed an increased dependency:
On God the Father for His mercy, grace and the manifestation of His will for me,
On Jesus for His example, word, Sacrifice of the Mass, Sacraments, and Shepherds of Christ teachings,
On the Holy Spirit for His gifts and transforming action,
On Mary, my Mother for her protection, modeling and intercession.
The fact that all these gifts are free for my taking, will never cease to amaze me.
The pace with which self dies and gives way to Christ would be discouraging if it were not for the infinite, unconditional love and patience Jesus has for each soul, the explicit guidance He provides us on how to become more like Himself, and His generous promises. Jesus' love, expressed most vividly for me in His Incarnation, Passion, death, Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, provides the impetus I need to forever plead and beg for God's transforming action in me.
The stations and the rosary prayed as Jesus and Mary request, have made Their lives so real and made me increasingly aware that Their lives were always shaped by love for God the Father, for each Other, and for souls. I often now place myself at the scene of the mystery or station, and find myself asking questions, seeking counsel, expressing gratitude, or making a request or Act of Contrition. I have come to recognize that the slightest lack of love between my brother and myself is offensive to God and my Mother and that it distances me from Them. I have come to equate the lives of Jesus and Mary with a never-ending "fiat" -- some prayed tearfully, some joyfully, but all said unconditionally. This unending and uninterrupted fiat has become a source of great inspiration. While I believe it is rarely if ever attained in this life, I know that Jesus has set this as a goal for the members of His Movement. Stations, rosary and the messages from Jesus and Mary have also convinced me that working as a co-redeemer with Jesus and Mary is not only an essential component of Christianity but a privilege that allows us to truly share Divinity.
One of my favorite lessons is the channeling of grace and mercy from the Father, and the reverse channeling of our prayers to Him. A second favorite is the instructions Jesus has given us for more effectively offering the Sacrifice of the Mass. These two lessons have substantially affected my prayer life. I still frequently find myself trying to devise my own strategies, my own goals, my own time table; but when I catch myself doing so, I at least now recognize the absurdity of such self-direction and the wisdom of using the fool-proof methods identified by Jesus and Mary in the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
So with the grace of God I intend to daily nestle in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary through frequent consecration, learn to listen with my heart to Their counsel, beg for Their help to discern the Father's will, and join Them in praying "fiat".
Oh Jesus and Mary, I'll need eternity to begin to thank You for the lessons You are teaching me and the call and mission You have given me as a member of Shepherds of Christ. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! I give to each of You, my body, my heart, mind and soul. I place my trust in You.
Emily L.How Being a Member of Shepherds of Christ Changed My Life
Walking the aisle with that vision so deep in the heart, of a bride in her brilliant, pure white dress, white radiant veil, and white roses in her hair, ready to meet her Bridegroom. What words can express the intensity of that moment - everyday walking to the altar to be wed to the Almighty God?
The moment of reception, after receiving the Almighty God, the Divine Bridegroom of the soul. For isn't it, indeed, a "reception" after the wedding, for within my heart I dance with my precious Spouse as He sings of His ardent love. And what words can describe the embrace of the King of Heaven, the dancing to His heartfelt voice, the longing to express the burning love as He gives Himself so completely? Our Bridegroom is with us at every second, as we walk, talk, eat, drive, sing. He sits there as we read His tender letters of love, with His beating Heart feeling such emotion in each word that we read and smiling on us with the most gentle, sweet love. What words can describe the excitement of that moment - a new bride so over-flowing with vibrant life as she sits next to her Lover outpouring Himself?
What words can describe this love from a Mother that leads us to such a union with God?
What words can satisfy the burning within the soul to express the depth to which we feel for this Movement?
All this far surpasses the little terms we could use to say what has been imprinted on our hearts.
So many gifts given from heaven: the morning offering and consecration, the precious Blue Books and Daily Messages, the Rosary Book and the Children's Rosary Book, all the tools for intimacy with Jesus, the Mass, the Eucharist and the word, the Juniors, the 6:20 prayers, the joys and the sufferings, the love and the graces, the beautiful apostles, handmaids, servants, and Fred. ( I love you guys a whole lot!! )
From death to life I've traveled on my journey in the Shepherds of Christ, with constant death - resurrections, but the knowledge of God and the great union with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the Blessed Mother are beyond all words.
It's such an ache to write this letter because it doesn't even scratch the surface. I could go on forever and it seems like I am. What a gift, this tremendous LIFE in Him that He has revealed through the Shepherds of Christ!
And what words can truly express it?
Sheila W.
Written January 14, 2000Jesus has led me gently and gradually into closer union with Him through Shepherds of Christ. From the Prayer for Union that I found in church, to the first time I read a Blue Book, to my first 13th meeting, to starting a prayer chapter in my parish, He has patiently led me into doing things I didn’t know I could do.
I have loved Shepherds of Christ from the beginning because I have experienced Jesus' guidance in a special way.
And here I am, a Handmaid of the Good Shepherd, being a spouse of Jesus, loving and serving Him here in China, Indiana. For many years, I wanted to work for Jesus in the Church, but didn’t know how.
The daily Mass and holy hour were a part of my life before I knew about Shepherds of Christ or the Blue Books. Reading the Blue Book for the first time confirmed what I was already doing and gave me the direction on how to spend that hour with Jesus before the tabernacle.
During the last few years of my working days, I looked forward to the time off so I could spend it with Jesus before the tabernacle. I purposely did my housework during the weeknights so I could have Saturday totally free to spend with Him before the tabernacle.
So, to be here in China, where I can focus totally on Jesus, loving and adoring Him in the Eucharist, and helping to send out His newsletters and filling the orders, is a dream come true for me.
Being a handmaid has been a joy and a challenge. A joy to know this is God’s will for me and a challenge to change myself and to let go of the things I am attached to.
I am now sitting before Jesus, in the exposed Blessed Sacrament, and I am thankful to Him that He has fulfilled my heartfelt wish to be able to love and serve Him 24 hours a day and to adore Him in the Eucharist.
I am also grateful to Jesus for letting me work with the most selfless people who are in Shepherds of Christ. They are always willing to help me out when I need them and go the extra mile to make things easier for me. It is a blessing to be in this family called Shepherds of Christ.
I am also thankful for my friends back home who have been a great support to me, who have prayed for me and helped me to move to China.
On the 13ths, when everyone is gathered for the rosary here in China, I look at the people and I feel a connection in my heart to all of them, to my friends from Jasper and my Shepherds of Christ family and I thank Jesus for loving me through these beautiful people.
And I thank Jesus for leading me to the Shepherds of Christ and for teaching me so many things, especially how to be a better spouse of the Lamb. It is my heartfelt desire to be united with Him forever and He is continuing to lead me there a step at a time. I love Him with all my heart and I love the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
Sheila W.
Dan & Melanie
What has the Shepherds of Christ done for us as a Married Couple?We were married on May 6, 1972 and were very much in love. Just as it was at Cana, we invited Jesus and Mary to be with us in our marriage. We have always tried to make God first in our lives and adhere to the Church's teachings on all matters.
Through the Shepherds of Christ Ministries we can live our faith together. The Married Couples Rosaries are excellent and the questions on the Daily Messages are very thought provoking. Writing to one another enhances our relationship as does the consecration prayers. These seem to be areas where we have strengthened our marriage and know that our love is more alive than on our wedding day.
Bringing our imperfections to light helps to bring more of an understanding towards one another and an examining ourselves rather than pointing the finger at our spouse. To say, "I am sorry" or "I love you" is very necessary in a marriage or other relationships. We try to work together everyday to improve. We thank one another and thank God for bringing us together in the Shepherds of Christ Movement. What a privilege to be a Married Couple - Apostle Leader in the Shepherds of Christ Ministry.
The Blue Books have strengthened our faith together. We no longer leave right after Mass. Thanksgiving to God for the reception of Himself is very important to us. Yes, our life has changed from good to Great!
Do we have struggles? Yes. God allows us to suffer to make us stronger. We have an opportunity to offer our sufferings, trials and sacrifices to help in the salvation of souls.
One of the most important lessons we want to pass down to our children is to LIVE YOUR FAITH!!! A holy example speaks a thousand words.
We are blessed with 3 holy children. Steven Daniel, Julie Marie and Mary Lucia. We also have 3 miscarried babies in heaven. Francisco, Jacinta, and Theresa.
What a wonderful God we have. Thank you God!
In the two Hearts,
Dan and Melanie
Carol K.
How Shepherds of Christ has changed my lifeMy spiritual life up to 1994 was almost nothing. I had been out of the Catholic Church since my marriage in 1965 (27 years). My husband and I would go to his Lutheran Church on Christmas and Easter every year, that was the extent of my faith. After my civil divorce in 1988, I began searching and feeling this compulsion to come back to the Catholic Church. In 1992, I went to my cousin, who is a priest, and made my first confession and after 27 years came back to the Catholic Church. This began my spiritual journey.
I joined Shepherds of Christ in 1994, at the very beginning of the Movement. I always thought I loved Jesus, but I only loved Him with words. It wasn’t until I joined Shepherds of Christ that I became aware of a love for Jesus that I never knew was possible. This love became deeper and deeper in my heart for Him, not a lip service love, but a love I feel deeply in my heart and soul with such deep emotion.
Shepherds of Christ has taught me how to pray, how to consecrate myself to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, how to grow in my union with Jesus through reading the Scriptures, through the Shepherds of Christ Prayers and the Blue Book messages. To know Him and to love Him and I find this love in the Blue Book messages. He gives us His loving words in His love letters to us. He is a personal God to each one of us. He tells us of His love in words we understand and with such emotion. I never properly knew the love of Jesus before this. I now know the true meaning of the Mass and receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and how truly present He is in each one of us in His Divinity and Humanity, a uniting with each one of our souls. I love Jesus so much!
I would never have known this love and this union with Jesus if it wasn’t for Shepherds of Christ. All I want is to know, love and serve God with my whole heart and soul. Jesus outpours His grace on us when we say the Shepherds of Christ prayers. He has given us great gifts in this Movement, including each other. Our Shepherds of Christ members have grown into a loving, spiritual family and we are all one in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
I thank God for not giving up on me after all the years I neglected Him and for giving me the grace to know, love and serve Him.
Kathy W.
Shepherds of Christ Ministries has brought peace into my life. Our Lord directs this Movement and guides all peoples through His daily messages to the world. I have become a practicing Catholic again, now with great fervor and participation in the Mass which previously seemed like only a duty to fulfill the Third Commandment, "Remember to Keep Holy the Sabbath Day," I felt as if I were a 'bump on a log' at Mass; just putting in my time. Now there is participation of the heart. Our Lord has revealed the importance of His presence at Mass and that He wishes all to attend as frequently as possible. He tells of the gifts of healing and spiritual growth we receive for ourselves, families and the positive effect this celebration has on the entire human race. Our Lord is only reiterating what our priests, bishops, cardinals and Pope have taught us regarding the benefits of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.Through daily consecration we say "yes" to our Lord's request to give Him our lives and allow Him to step in and transform us. I find Shepherds of Christ Ministries very loyal to all the teachings of the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. This ministry bears great fruit for the world through its dedication to prayer. Our prayer chapters all over the world plead for the needs of the priests, Church and world through the recitation of the rosary and formal prayers.
I am proud to be part of an organization that follows the traditions of the Catholic Church and is dedicated to building up the body of Christ through prayer, sacrifice and pure love for her.
Rosie R.
How has Shepherds of Christ changed my life?The first time I opened God's Blue Book, I knew that Jesus was speaking to me! The message was just what I needed that day!
I had not attended daily Mass since Catholic High School, approximately 30 years previous. MY PRAYER LIFE had been practically non-existent -- attending Sunday Mass and calling on God during trials. In fact, the threat of my husband dying of cancer took me back to praying the rosary and praying novenas to the Blessed Mother. After he died I was at a loss, for I considered him my "rock". For the first time ever in my life, I began praying to do God's will. I had a career, but I felt in my heart that I didn't want to do that for the rest of my working life.
I was invited by a friend to make a Cursillo weekend and without hesitation, said yes. Following the grace-filled weekend, I entered the chapel for adoration and picked up the Blue Book, which I had ignored for weeks. I immediately fell in love with Jesus and my life began to change! With the help of Jesus through the Blue Book, along with daily Mass and Holy Communion and spending time after Communion with Jesus and time in prayer, I was able to work through my depression, which I had even denied existed.
After giving out many Blue Books to relatives and friends, I received an invitation to attend the first monthly Shepherds of Christ national prayer meeting at Tom A's farm held on October 13, 1996, with Rita leading a Live Rosary. I felt drawn to every meeting after that, and soon found myself in the core group at Morrow, Ohio, attending weekly prayer meetings with Live Rosaries. Through the use of the Blue Books, mostly in front of the tabernacle, weekly prayer meetings, and rosaries at Morrow, I have grown closer to Jesus than I ever thought possible.
I thank Jesus every day for His many graces and the deep love that He gives me to draw me closer and closer to Him. I also thank my spiritual Mother, Mary, with all my heart for her help when I turned to her in desperation and for the help she's given me throughout my life.
As an apostle working in Florida at Our Lady's Image Site, I have a great opportunity to spread the light and love of Christ to all I meet!!!
Mary G.How has being a member of Shepherds of Christ has changed my life?
When I was a baby, we lived next door to a convent and I had 12 years of Catholic education. I married and lived Cincinnati eventually. After my civil divorce, my three younger children and I moved back to Price Hill in Cincinnati where I grew up. This time brought me the Catholic Charismatic experience.
Dad died in '86, and I moved away to a small town. Though I tried, I thought no Catholic church or prayer group met my needs so I attended Protestant prayer meetings and services. I found ministers and prayer groups that deeply love the Lord Jesus, and I would still be in these circles except that I went back to Cincinnati to visit. I hadn't told my old friends that I was no longer a practicing Catholic so I joined them when they attended charismatic functions. At one of these I was given Blue Book I.
Actually, someone tried to give it to me and I wouldn't take it saying, I had too much to read , so it was given to the friend I was staying with. When we got home and she was out of the room, I opened the book so I could congratulate myself for not accepting it.
That's Jesus! Jesus is speaking in this book! I read almost the whole book that night, then I ate humble pie and phoned the lady who had pressed me to accept it. I received it in a few days.
Back home I read and reread it. Jesus was speaking loud and clear and I went to the nearest church and made a confession and resumed my long neglected practice of daily Mass. I also began to go to the Shepherds of Christ chapter meetings in Morrow, Ohio, where I heard the call for volunteers to come to the Virgin Mary Site in Clearwater, Florida.
How well I understand God's words, "Your thoughts are not My thoughts!".
Changing my thoughts and my ways comes more slowly than changing my address, which is now Clearwater, Florida.
Though retirement isn't at all what I thought it would be, I wouldn't trade places with anyone at all.
Kathleen W.
I give my heart to Jesus and Mary with you in love! I write this for the honor and glory of God and in thanksgiving to Jesus for calling me to this Movement.Jesus says in St. John's Gospel, "You did not choose me, no, I chose you…" Jn 15:16.
What a calling! To be chosen to be a Handmaid of the Good Shepherd! His special spouse! The spouse of THE KING & CREATOR of the Universe!
WOW! And a Movement personally directed by Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!
Words cannot express all I would like to say. Since 1st grade I wanted to be a nun. I saw the nuns at my school and I wanted to be like them. Unfortunately growing up... all the peer pressure in school and the struggles of young adulthood took away any hope of being a nun. I followed the ways of the world and left Jesus out of my life.
During my senior year of nursing, the seed of pursuing a religious vocation sprang up again in my heart. I started attending daily Mass as often as I could, and Mary our Mother was bringing me closer to Jesus. My 1st choice was Mother Teresa's Order, however, that didn't happen for me.
After graduation from nursing school I went to a Bible Institute Retreat at Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. While there, I attended a Baptism of the Spirit Seminar and felt a strong presence of the Holy Spirit.
That fall, in 1996, I went back to Ohio for another retreat, and while I was in the chapel one evening, I picked up God's Blue Book II and read a message on Communion from Jesus. I almost fell out of my pew! The message touched me deep in my heart. Thankfully, I was able to take the book home. the messages were awesome! I never knew of having such an intimate relationship with Jesus!
I started spending an hour everyday after Mass. I joined the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart and later started a Shepherds of Christ Prayer Chapter. I got the other Blue Books, the rosary book and rosary tapes. I felt so committed to praying the prayers and the rosary mediations were so powerful! I thank Jesus and Mary for all these revelations!
I heard about the handmaids in 1998, while ordering through the Shepherds of Christ. I was really interested in them. I thought maybe this is where God is calling me. I kept praying to do His will.
Jesus, in His time, made it all work out. When we give our lives to Jesus, He can do more than we could ever ask for or imagine! Jesus loves us!
I feel so blessed and privileged to be in the formation of being a handmaid! Thank you, my Father, for this Movement and all the beautiful people in it! Thank you, Holy Spirit, for your tremendous work in my soul! Thank you, Jesus, for choosing me for this special calling. And like Mary, my life is a continuous FIAT. "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." and "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."
Doris J.
What has Shepherds of Christ and being a Handmaid done for my life and for my relationship with Jesus?I first heard of Shepherds of Christ from a letter received concerning a rosary gathering at Tom’s Farm in October 1996. My family already had plans for the 13th. When I received a notice for November 13th my brother and I went not knowing much about Shepherds of Christ, but if it was praying the rosary-it had to be good. It was the most powerful rosary I ever attended. I didn’t go for several months, but felt drawn to this ministry and compelled to pray the prayers and read the blue books. Jesus was talking directly to me through them and it was great.
Jesus has always worked slowly in my heart. Pain and suffering in my early adult life brought me to realize that God was the only one I could turn to in my need. God alone was my strength.
In July 1997, news came that the department where I worked was being phased out by the parent company on the east coast. I was disenchanted with my job and I only continued working there to live, so I wasn’t concerned about the lack of a job.
During this same time, I felt pulled in my heart to pray with Shepherds of Christ as a body. I was shy and I would just come, sit, pray and be silent, not really talking to anyone very much.
I knew from my childhood that I would never marry. The pull Jesus had on me was stronger than the world’s, though I didn’t realize the source. For the past year I had become closer to Jesus and I felt what I would do with my life, next, would be for him alone.
On August 13, 1998, I went to China, Indiana, to the monthly rosary knowing something was going to happen-but not knowing what. During the rosary the president of Shepherds of Christ started reading a letter from Jesus about women being called as handmaids and their way of life. I felt the power of the Holy Spirit descend on my head and I was glad to be sitting. I knew Jesus was calling me to become a handmaid, a call that I had been waiting patiently for, for over two years.
After the rosary I acted on the Holy Spirit’s prompting immediately-knowing if I didn’t, I would find excuses not to. Jesus’ hand is very strong in my life. I was accepted as a candidate for a handmaid within a few days and gave two weeks notice at work. I found myself in Clearwater, Florida, within three weeks.
As a Handmaid of the Good Shepherd my life is very prayerful and very one on one with Jesus as His spouse. He is the Bridegroom of my Soul. Just being with him after Mass and in front of the tabernacle is candy to my soul and leaves me speechless. Being a handmaid has brought the joy, love and peace of my Divine Bridegroom into my life to an extent I didn’t even know could exist.
He calls me to constant change and growth. I cannot remain the same, for my life and love for him would stagnate. I live to serve him. I have only scratched the surface of the depth to which my soul craves union with my Lord and Savior. Any life in God is hard work, but the rewards are unbounded.
Jesus loves each and everyone of us on a personal level. He died on the cross to save each soul. He, the living God, is truly waiting in the tabernacle for us, to love us, if we would only come and sit with him.
Since my move to Clearwater, Florida, in 1998, I have recently traveled to China, Indiana, for a stay and I am currently in Morrow, Ohio, doing the work Jesus has called me to do. Jesus knows where I will be next, even though I do not.
There is nothing boring about being on Jesus’ roller coaster. The ride is into eternity! I can’t wait to see you there!
Paul C.
My journey to do and know God's willPresented by: Paul, a Servant of the Good Shepherd
For many years I have been searching to know and do God's will.
I always knew in my heart that some day I would be doing something special.
For many years I was always attending daily Mass and saying my rosaries.
One day in 1988, in the back pew of the church, where I was attending, there was a pamphlet on Medjugorje. It said to pray three rosaries daily, fast twice a week, attend Mass, go to Communion and confession.
My prayer life intensified from then on. In that same year, I went to Medjugorje. After that I went on pilgrimages to Rome, Fatima, Lourdes, Garabandal, and to the Holy Land. In Canada: St. Joseph Oratory, Ste. Anne de Beaupres, Notre Dame de l'Assomption in my hometown of Rogersville N.B. and other places.
In 1995, Rita (a messenger) came to Delray Beach, Florida, for a prayer meeting at the Marian Center, where I was working. I asked her to pray for me that I may know our Lord's will and have direction in my life.
Two years later, she got in touch with Don and asked if we could make tapes for the Shepherds of Christ Movement. We started making tapes of Mary's message and getting more involved in the Movement. We would come to Clearwater, Florida, on the 5th of the month for the rosary. In Delray Beach, Florida, we had a prayer chapter of the Shepherds of Christ on Monday nights. I felt more and more drawn into the Movement. In July 1999, I went to Cincinnati, Ohio, and China, Indiana, for a retreat, where I read the Blue Book and prayer manual. It was a very powerful retreat. I freely decided to answer what I believe was a call from Jesus to go to Clearwater, Florida, and live there. Jesus works in strange ways at times. I have learned to know and love Jesus more and more and become closer to Him. I put my life in His hands and with the protection of Mary by my side, I trust that they will take care of me.
Harold K.
I feel that my association with Jesus and His Mother began many years ago. I really believe that we are shaped and molded throughout our lives for what we are meant to do later. I was born at a Convent in the small town of St. Marys, Pennsylvania. The hospital was under construction at the time, so the St. Marys convent was used as a temporary hospital. My father was in the hospital for a number of operations while I was in grade school. Since children were not allowed into the patient's rooms at that time, my mother asked me to paint or draw a picture for my dad, and she would take it to him. I think that was the beginning of my art career. My family and I were Methodist at that time, and I was Methodist until my Sophomore year in college. At that time, I met the girl who is now my wife. She was Catholic, so I began instructions to see if I could accept the teachings of this religion. I had many questions about Mary and the devotion given to her by Catholics. Fortunately, I had a very excellent instructor in Fr. Thomas Gavin, and I now have a great deal of love and respect for Our Lady. We lived in Cincinnati a number of years where I became a part time wedding photographer and wildlife artist. My wife and I joined two prominent Marian movements, and in December of 1994 we began praying with a Shepherds of Christ visionary. I was asked to illustrate a Blue Book cover, then another, another and another. Since then I have been asked directly or indirectly by Our Lord and Our Lady to illustrate, paint, photograph and videotape many things for Shepherds of Christ Ministries. All of these things, I am very happy to do as my part in bringing souls to the service of Our Lord and Our Lady. I also enjoy singing for Our Lady especially when she requests it. I truly love being a part of this great ministry.Yours in Their Hearts,
Harold K.
Messenger: Here are some examples of Harold's artwork.
Diane K.
I remember when I was young and I would think of Fatima and Mary appearing there and wonder what it would be like to live at a time when Mary or Jesus would come and directly talk to us on earth. I remember wishing that I could have lived and been around when Mary appeared to the children at Fatima.On December 23rd the family was driving by the Holy Spirit Center and decided to stop and see how the chapel was coming along. A nice man showed us around and then said that some people were praying the rosary at the back of the chapel and we could join them. We decided to do that and had the beautiful experience of participating in one of Rita's rosaries. We told her how nice it was and she said we could come back on Christmas Day if we wanted to. We said that it was a possibility and a time to meet was set. The family, along with my parents went back to the center that Christmas Day to pray a rosary with Rita. At the end of that rosary my mother very calmly asked if anyone else saw Mary's statue coming to life at different times during the rosary. We were very happy with the gift that was given to Mom. That was our introduction to the Movement.
As time went on we joined in the rosaries whenever we could. As things developed our prayer time became longer and more intense. I remember one time when I was silently communicating with Jesus, explaining to Him that I would not be able to go to daily Mass the next morning because I needed that time to clean the house for those that were coming to learn about the new Catechism that evening. I had, after a fairly lengthy, one sided, conversation with Jesus, convinced myself that I could stay home and clean. During the rosary meditations that night Jesus said, "It doesn't matter what your house looks like, you should go to Mass." Needless to say, I went to Mass. This was what Jesus was asking. He wants to be so close to us and give us many graces to help us through the day. Jesus and Mary want us to come into their Hearts. What helped me was when we were told to come into the "red room" of their Hearts. It is such a peaceful, safe place to be!
Our prayer lives have developed and drawn us together as a couple and as families even through our children are grown and married. We greet each other with the prayer: "I give my heart to Jesus and Mary with you in love." It is a powerful consecration prayer, and I recommend it to everyone. Say it with your whole family, whether they are at home, away at school or married.
The Shepherds of Christ Movement has affected my life in many ways. I thank Jesus and Mary for asking me to be a part of this ministry that has fulfilled my childhood dream. I am thankful to Jesus for drawing me ever closer to Him in the Eucharist.
2. Priest Letters
Letters from Priests and others
From the Priestly Newsletter - Shepherds of Christ
January/February 1995
I read with deep interest your edition of Shepherds of Christ. It is spiritually based, neatly organized, and very readable. Again, congratulations on a beautiful ministry.
Rev. Joseph F. Brennan Pastor, St. Genevieve Church LaFayette, Louisiana
Thank you for sending me the newsletter, Shepherds of Christ. I loved it. I need all the help you can give during these confusing times. I must not lose sight of my objective—a true salesman for Our Lord. I must be sold first to love Him before I bring others to Him.
Fr. Sabbas R. Christ the King Rectory Commack, L.I., New York
March/April 1995
A blessed New Year—and a quick note of thanks for the excellent bulletin, Shepherds of Christ.
Eamon Carroll, O. Carm. Chicago, Illinois
I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how much I enjoyed reading Shepherds of Christ. I found it good spiritual reading—and refreshing. Keep up the good work.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Eugene P. Hruska, V.G. Great Falls, Montana
May/June 1995
Dear Ed,
I just wanted to take this chance to thank you for sending to me the Shepherds of Christ Newsletter. I have appreciated it very much, both to keep in touch with what you are doing and to enjoy the rich variety of topics needed for priestly reflection today—topics like friendship, prayer, and the Holy Spirit (a subject close to a Paulist’s heart) in recent issues.Sincerely,
Larry Boadt, CSP Paulist Press, Mahwah, NJ
I like your newsletter very much. Shepherds of Christ gave me plenty of food for prayer!
Fr. Michael A. Becker St. Rose of Lima, Altoona, PA.
July/August 1995
Dear Fr. Ed,
From nowhere I received a copy of your newsletter. Reading it was a source of simple delight as is anything buoying up our priesthood these days. The folksy “Joys of Being a Priest” (by Fr. Philip Hamilton, March-April issue) brought a smile. I think of these fifty-one years with their ups and downs as something very special. As life moves quickly and relentlessly on I am sure of this: It Is Great To Be a Priest. To have spent this one life on anything less would appear to this simple soul as a great waste. Please keep the newsletter coming—and thank you for the lift!Fraternally in Christ,
Rev. Charles Mallen, C.Ss.R. Venice, Florida
Dear Ed,
It is slow in coming, but I want to add my voice to the praise your newsletter for priests must be getting. I find the material good for reflective, meditative reading and praying. Heaven knows we priests need that.In the Heart of Christ,
Bob Harvanek, S.J. Loyola University, Chicago
Dear Fr. Ed,
Of all the stuff that comes cascading into my mailbox every day, “Shepherds of Christ” really stands out. To me it exemplifies one of the great strengths of Catholicism—its spirituality. I use the newsletter for my prayer after Mass. It has brought me closer to God through Christ by focusing on the basics of Catholic-Christian spirituality in a way that enlightens and inspires.Fr. Bill Zimmer Chicago, Illinois
September/October 1995
It gives me special pleasure to share the following letter. It comes from my doctoral dissertation director, Fr. Ernie Larkin, O. Carm. He is one of the leading experts on the spiritual teaching of St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila. He has also been one of my most influential teachers, and for this I am most grateful to him.—Editor
Dear Ed,
I am embarrassed not to have been one of the first to congratulate you on your obviously successful newsletter for priests. It is…solid, inspirational, and founded in the best of our tradition. I am very proud of you. May the Lord touch many of our hearts through this ministry. All the best to you!Ernie Larkin, O Carm. Phoenix, Arizona
Dear Father Ed,
Prayer is truly the food of faith and faith is the foundation of our priestly lives. Through your Shepherds of Christ newsletter you remind us through your insights and prayers that emotion does indeed feed devotion and that we are all only a heartbeat away from the face-to-face presence of the Father through the Son in the Spirit! Thanks for all your letter means to all of us.Fraternally,
Msgr. Jeremiah F. Kenney Baltimore, Maryland
Dear Father Ed,
The enclosed is a small way of thanking you for the articles in Shepherds of Christ.The article “Thoughts on the Eucharist” (July-August) reminds me of the overwhelming love of Christ for me, fellow Catholics and the world. I pray in the vein of St. Peter Eymard that I might return my all and answer Christ with “this is me for you”.
In Christ,
Fr. Joe Kenlon, O.F.M.Cap New Paltz, New York
Dear Father Ed,
I must sincerely tell you how enjoyable your newsletter is. I find it spiritually uplifting. Many times in our earnestness to be of help we forget our own spiritual needs.You are doing a great service to the American priesthood. May God bless you and sustain you in your endeavors. My prayers are with you, because I (and I am sure many other priests) feel enriched every time I read your newsletter. Thanks.
In Jesus’ love,
Rev. William Bonnici Clinton Township, MI
November/December 1995 Issue
Dear Fr. Ed,
Thanks for the Shepherds of Christ newsletter. I enjoyed the July-August one. 'Twas very good and uplifting. May the Holy Spirit pierce your mind with ways to encourage your brother priests. Fraternally in Christ,Rev. John Turk
Warren, Ohio
Dear Father Ed,
With all the misquotes and the twisted interpretations of the Catholic Teachings in our daily Press, it is enjoyable to pick up Shepherds of Christ and read some solid Catholic Teaching. Keep up the good work. Thank you for the Newsletter.Fr. Werner Verhoff, C.PP.S.
Dear Fr. Carter,
I appreciated very much that you wrote to me. I can imagine the amount of work you have in publishing a newsletter for 45,000 priests and preparing to send it to priests in other countries. I congratulate you that you send it free of charge…I received only two issues. I would love to get every issue. Your newsletter is a mine of thoughts and inspirations…
…in my humble opinion, encouragement is what priests need the most today. Everybody should show them their appreciation…for bearing the burdens of those who left or are not coming. I admire the great majority of young priests for their beautiful spirituality. Yours respectfully in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Leonard Currieri, M.SS.CC.
Linwood, New Jersey
Dear Ed,
In the true spirit of St. Ignio you have captured the essence of some very great saints in the Church. I found your selections truly inspiring and reinforcing of the beliefs that must be at the center of every priest's life. Thank you and keep up this long needed newsletter.Father Jim Wysocki,
Marine City, Michigan
January/February 1996 Issue
Dear Father,
Your publication is most welcome; a breath of fresh air and wisdom.
All the best in Christ,Don Derivaux
St. Alphonsus Church
McComb, Mississippi
Dear Ed,
Your current Newsletter, December issue, is simply exceptional. Very solid food. I'm reading it very slowly. I especially liked Basil Pennington's image of the Christic self.
In Christ JesusJohn Wetmore
Church of St. Stephen, Protomartyr
St. Louis, Missouri
(Dear Father Ed,)
Thank you for the great newsletter. I use it for spiritual reading. It's a great help.Fr. John Le Voir
Church of the Holy Trinity
South St. Paul, Minnesota
Dear Fr. Ed,
I always enjoy the newsletter. It is always full of such a broad range of solid spiritual and doctrinal authors and topics. Very inspiring! As someone rather newly ordained (Oct., 1993), I'll take all the support and inspiration I can get!
In Christ,Glenn Eftink
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Annunciation
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
March/April 1996 Issue
Dear Fr. Carter,
Thank you for your valuable newsletter of spirituality for priests.
Fraternally,
Msgr. Walter Schroeder
Church of the Magdalene
North Tarrytown, New York
Dear Ed,
I've read every issue of Shepherds of Christ, which is rather rare, because I've received a ton of junk mail every day. Thanks for taking time out to share your inspiring reflections with us who are "too busy."Just a token to defray some of your costs.
In Christ,
Msgr. Domenic M. Luong
Mary Queen of Vietnam Church
New Orleans, Louisiana
Dear Father Ed,
Thank you for your Nov/Dec Newsletter. Some paragraphs are clearly gifts of the Holy Spirit for me. Keep up the great work for Jesus Christ.In JMJ,
Gus Biehl, S.M.
East St. Louis, Illinois
Dear Fr. Carter,
Thank you for your most welcome newsletter. I read it gradually, one section at a time, so I can sit with and let sink in the penetrating thoughts you have gleaned from a wonderful variety of sources. If it weren't for this well-chosen digest I would not meet some of the spiritual writers you feature. Yours is an excellent resource for contemplatives on a tight schedule.In Christ's peace,
Frank Desiderio, C.S.P.
St. Paul's College
Washington, D.C.
Greetings!
I am enclosing a donation for Shepherds of Christ which I find uplifting and inspiring.
Rev. Gino Dalpiaz, C.S.
Scalabrini Mission Center
Stone Park, Illinois
May/June 1996
Dear Fr. Carter,
I just received my first newsletter, Shepherds of Christ. I am very grateful for this publication. It provides some wonderful reflections and it is possible to read them even with a busy parish schedule.Thank you for providing this wonderful service. Please accept the enclosed donation as a token of my appreciation.
Gratefully,
Rev. Gregory F. Hoppough, C.S.S.
Sacred Heart Church
Waltham, Massachusetts
As we are establishing the newsletter in an increasing number of countries, we are beginning to receive letters from our brother priests in different parts of the world. This helps all of us to be more aware of our fraternal union with all priests throughout the Universal Church. Here is a letter from a priest in Uganda, Africa:
Dear Father,
I am writing you to thank you for a well-done job for the renewal and growth of priests through the spirituality newsletter, Shepherds of Christ. I am also grateful for the copy I received recently, the Nov/Dec 1995 issue. How I wish I had received all issues. The articles are nourishing, supportive, informative and challenging. Thank you very much for your work and generosity.I am wondering whether it is possible for me to continue receiving a copy of Shepherds of Christ regularly. As a person involved in giving renewal courses for priests, seminarians, and religious men and women, I have found it helpful.
Fr. Albert Gavamukulyo
Kisubi, Uganda
September/October 1996
Dear Fr. Carter,
Deo Gratias and also to you for your Shepherds of Christ newsletter-a gem. Your articles always have solid meditation material and an inviting way of leading us priests on that path of holiness to which we are called.
May your work be graced by the Lord.Sincerely in Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Eugene Golas,
Grand Rapids, Michigan
My dear Fr. Carter:
Many thanks for the March-April issue of Shepherds of Christ. That is the first issue I ever saw or received. May the good Lord bless you. It is a wonderful newsletter. I am enclosing a small donation. May God love you.Sincerely,
Fr. Charles Jirik,
Minneapolis MN
Note: If you know of other priests who have not been receiving the Newsletter, please tell them we would be very glad to add them to our mailing list upon receiving their names and addresses.
-Editor
Dear Ed,
I recently ran across your publication. As a newly ordained priest, I found it most refreshing and affirming. Please subscribe me at the above address. We are all grateful to people like you who help people like us.Gratefully,
Fr. John Kennedy,
Monroe, Louisiana
November/December 1996
Dear Fr. Carter,
Thanks so much for the spirituality newsletter. I'll be using the Sept.-Oct. issue for meditations for the rest of the year and beyond.I was a little down due to the fact that there are four terminal cancer patients in the parish and it is hard to cope-with them, their families, and oneself. Then your lovely newsletter came and truly lifted my spirits.
Please accept the enclosed to support your grace-filled ministry.
In Christ,
Fr. Walter E. Heinz
Pomeroy, Ohio
Dear Father,
Using your reflections is like making a retreat-great for reviewing.
God bless you,Fr. Edmund Schreiber
Franklin Park, Illinois
Dear Friend,
I want to thank you for publishing Shepherds of Christ. I really do appreciate your thoughtfulness of helping us pastors to keep our mind's focus on Jesus.Thank you,
Rev. Gerald Cernoch
Shiver, Texas
March/April 1997
Dear Fr. Carter,
I want to thank you for sending me a copy of Shepherds of Christ. This Spirituality Newsletter for Priests contains very nourishing food for priests. Reading through it lifted up my "drooping spirit." May you be blessed in this ministry.
And I have a request: There are 78 Diocesan priests in the Diocese of Darjeeling, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, working in the remote missions. A copy of Shepherds of Christ to each one of them would be very enriching. May I request you to send to me about 80 copies of Shepherds of Christ regularly so that I can send each priest in the Diocese a copy.Thanking you in advance,
Yours fraternally in the Lord,
Fr. Thomas DiSouza
Diocesan Administrator
Darjeeling, India
My dear Fr. Carter:
Just a short note and a small donation to support the wonderful work you are doing for the Lord. May He bless you and your spiritual ministry to His priests throughout the world. I read all that you have been writing with care and prayer.
In your charity, please remember me and the Church in China.Fr. Bernard Hwang
Oregon City, Oregon
July/August 1997
Dear Rev. Fr. Ed Carter, S.J.,
Thank you very much for providing us with rich spiritual literature.
The Shepherds of Christ Newsletter has been very useful to us and I have received positive response from a good number of priests. Thank you for the good work and we shall be happy if you continue sending them to us.Fr. John Bazimenyera, St. Augustine's Institute, Kampala, Uganda.
Dear Fr. Carter,
It took me such a long time to answer your letter of over a month ago. I am sorry for this delay. I have just received your issue of SHEPHERDS OF CHRIST for March/April 1997 for which I heartily thank you. I have already distributed quite a lot to our Gozitan priests, and they want to thank you as they find your newsletter very enriching spiritually. I am sending some copies to the Seminarians in Malta and to other priests there.
By the way, I have some good news for you, I think. A little over a month ago His Lordship, the bishop of Baton Rouge was our guest at Manresa Retreat House. He came over to visit the families of three Gozitan priests who work in his diocese. I have introduced the SHEPHERDS OF CHRIST newsletter to him, which he appreciated greatly. I also passed over some copies to the Spiritual Father of the American College in Rome who was accompanying His Lordship.God bless you with His love and peace. Rev. Joseph M. Galdes, S.J., Gozo, Malta.
1998 - ISSUE ONE
Dear Fr. Ed Carter,
Thank you very much for your kind letter and for the enclosures. Congratulations for the wonderful work that is being done to animate the Shepherds. I believe such material is very essential these days to nourish and strengthen the Ministers of the Word and the Sacraments.
I would like to give a copy each to every Priest working in the diocese and to the seminarians in their final stages of formation. I will be happy to receive 100 copies of Shepherds of Christ for that purpose.Yours in Christ Jesus,
Robert Kerkerketla, SDB DD
Bishop of Tezpur, India
Dear Fr. Ed Carter,
Peace be with you!
My name is Joseph Grima and I am a seminarian studying theology at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Victoria, Gozo-Malta. I was handed a copy of your Newsletter not long ago and was very impressed with the spiritual information you provide for priests.
I would like to ask you, if it is not too much trouble, if you could send some copies for us here at the seminary. At the moment we are 15. Also, in that issue there was a note for those interested in obtaining the first 12 issues in book form. I am very interested in your spirituality and would like very much to have it.
Continue the good work. The modern world is in much need of spiritually prepared priests.
God Bless and may the New Year be for you a year full of joy, blessings and service in the Lord.Yours in Christ,
Sem. Joseph Grima
Dear Fr. Ed Carter,
Thank you very much for your kind letter. Sorry for the long delay in answering. I was always on the move.
I found the Newsletter very much spiritually enriching. Congratulations for this very meaningful apostolate. I have some 80 priests and 60 Major Seminarians. I would like to give to all, so kindly send 150 copies.
Once again I congratulate you for this noble effort and the trouble you take for the Church.Yours in Our Lord,
Bishop Gregory Karotemprel, CMI
Gujarat, India
1998 - ISSUE TWO
Dear Fr. Carter,
I would like to thank you for the first issue of l998 of Shepherds of Christ which you have sent me.
I have found your newsletter thought-provoking and spiritually enriching. I have handed four of the five copies you sent me to the two Rectors of our Minor and Philosophy seminaries, to the priest in contact with our young priests and with vocations, and to our cloister at Carmel. I am sure that they will appreciate it as much as I do.
I shall be grateful if you could send me 75 copies. You can be sure they will be read avidly and greatly appreciated. Also, I shall be extremely grateful if you send me 3 copies of the first l2 letters that have appeared in book form.
Congratulations on this excellent apostolate. Keep up the good work you are doing. May Mary, our blessed Mother, bless this spiritual apostolate of yours. I have appreciated very much the quotations you put from Fr. Angelo Amato, S.D.B. and from Cardinal Newman regarding our blessed Mother.Thanking you once again,
In caritate Christi
Armando Trinidad
Archbishop of Lahore, Pakistan
Dear Father,
I have been asked by His Excellency Bishop Frances Gerard Brooks, D.D., to thank you for your recent letter.
At a recent diocesan conference our bishop informed the priests of the diocese of your recent letter and provided for their perusal the samples of your newsletter. The response was very positive, with many priests indicating a desire to receive your newsletter on a regular basis.
His Excellency has asked me to confirm with you the possibility of ordering 60 copies of your newsletter. This will allow for a copy to be given to every priest, deacon and seminarian of the diocese. It will also facilitate "sample" copies to be distributed further afield.Rev. Niall Sheehan
Cathedral Presbytery
Newry, Northern Ireland
1998 - ISSUE THREE
Dear Fr. Carter,
A priest friend of mine has introduced me to your excellent publication, Shepherds of Christ.
I would be pleased if you could include me in your mailing list.
With every blessing on your special work,Yours Sincerely,
Rev. Daniel Barr
Lifford, Ireland
Dear Fr. Carter,
I got your newsletter, Shepherds of Christ from a Jesuit friend in Kampala. It has been a service of inspiration, not only to me, but also to those with whom I shared it. I would appreciate it if you could avail me of some of the issues.God Bless,
Yours,
Fr. Michael Canuroma Opoki
Awasa, Ethiopia
Dear Fr. Carter,
God Bless you for your kindness in sending me the 1998, Issue Two, of your Newsletter.
How I love to receive those copies. The priests to whom I distribute them want to thank you too as they find in your newsletter a useful spiritual guide. Even the Seminarians are appreciating your kindness. We have all to thank you prayerfully, especially at mass.
Please thank also your Shepherds of Christ Associates for their prayers and good work. I am offering a Mass for all your intentions. God bless you all.Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Joseph, M. Galdes, S.J.
Victoria, Gozo-Malta
1998 - ISSUE FOUR
Dear Father,
This date two copies of your Catholic newsletter reached my desk. I put other mail aside and read your publication.It sold itself. Therefore I would ask for 60 copies that can be spread among our priests, brothers, sisters, deacons and catechists.
I am sure they will appreciate what you send.
Blessings and best wishes.
Your servant in Christ,
Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u
Archbishop of Samoa-Apia
Dear Fr. Edward:
Thank you for the Shepherds of Christ Newsletter. You are putting in the hands of our priests timely materials for spiritual reading and for allocutions and homilies. I myself will find this helpful for my apostolate of giving recollections and retreats to seminarians and priests.I will be glad to have 60 copies of each issue of the Newsletter starting with the forthcoming newsletter.
Permit me to extend to you and your companions in the apostolate my appreciation and gratitude for extending your help to your fellow priests in the ministry.
God bless you.
Sincerely yours,
Angel N. Lagdameo
Bishop of Dumaguete, Philippines
Dear Fr. Carter,
I have just finished reading issue Two, 1998 of Shepherds of Christ.I really enjoyed it. It had real spiritual depth. I especially enjoyed the piece on Spiritual Freedom and John of the Cross. Really all the pieces were worthwhile. I liked the mix of traditional pieces (the two consecration prayers and Anima Christi) and your quoting of contemporary writers like Henri Nouwen and Robert Schwartz.
It was an act of the Holy Spirit--divine intervention--that I even read the newsletter. Like all priests, I receive so much unsolicited mail that I automatically toss out a lot of it without looking at it. Somehow, I looked at your newsletter on May 21, my birthday. Your newsletter was my best birthday gift. Keep up the good work.
In Christ,
Fr. Eamon Tobin, Cocoa Beach, Florida
Dear Fr. Carter,
Thank you for your newsletter of priestly spirituality, "Shepherds of Christ". It is both informative and inspirational.In the peace of Christ,
Fr. Austin Green, O.P. University of Dallas
1998 - ISSUE FIVE
Dear Father,
Yesterday I received your letters and the book, Spirituality Newsletters.I am delighted because there is so much material coming on to my desk it is well-nigh impossible to read much of it. However, your gift looks to me as if it will fill a great need for us here. We simply do not have the time to read a great deal and have often thought it would be a great thing if one of us could digest a great deal of the writings we receive, summarize them and send them to the rest of us. However, that too is quite impractical we find. And I rather think that what you have sent is the very thing we need, and because it is on spirituality it will be the greatest help and inspiration. I have to tell you that all the priests here are great workers, and all of them work long hours manually in travel by boat, in caring for light plants, boat engines, buildings, etc., just to support their stations, (most on pretty lonely islands) so that they have little money to buy good books, and little time to read them if they get them. What you have sent seems to really fill a bill for us. It seems at first sight to be the essence of the great need we have, for the development of the priest himself in spirituality.
Thank you very much indeed. I am really grateful.
Yours very sincerly and fraternally in Our Lord
Bishop D.C. Morre
Diocese of Alotau
Papua new Guinea
Dear Fr. Carter,
I look forward to receiving my Shepheds of Christ newsletter. Each issue is truly an uplifting experience.Would it be possible to take articles from the newsletter for publication in my parish bulletin? I would like to share such inspiring information with my parishioners.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. W. Paysse
Slidell, Louisiana
1999 - ISSUE ONE
Dear Ed,
Thank you for Shepherds of Christ which I treasure and read as spiritual reading. It contains a volume of practical recommendations.Let's pray for each other...
Rev. Msgr. James J. Rugel
Oak Ridge, New Jersey
Dear Fr. Edward,
The peace of the Lord be always with you. Recently I received your newsletter, Shepherds of Christ from my Bishop. It is very interesting for me and the priests who are working with me in this parish.I would like to ask you for the cassettes (Newsletters on cassettes).
Could you please supply me with these cassettes, which will be of great help to priests and the thirty catechists working in the same parish.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Hilary Abela
Mpiketoni
Kenya
1999 - ISSUE TWO
Dear Fr. Carter,
We priests get so many things in the mail for the parish and all its ministries and ministers. I was dumfounded that there was something for the pastor, and what a good thing it is, "Shepherds of Christ"! It is like geting a mini-retreat in the mail. How good of you to do this for us! Bless you.Sincerely in Christ and the Blessed Mother,
Fr. Guilbert Manaric
Skidmore, Texas
Dear Fr. Carter,
Thank you. I have just got your Shepherds of Christ Newsletter for l998, Issue Five. I was eagerly waiting for it so that I could distribute it among our clergy and seminarians. Every issue is a precious little mine of spiritual insights which helps us priests, always on the go, to stop and cherish the Spirit.Sincerely in Christ, the Good Shepherd
Fr. Joseph M. Galdes, S.J.
Victoria, Gozo - Malta
1999 - ISSUE THREE
Dear Fr. Carter,
I am writing to ask you to please send me ten copies of the Spiritual Newsletter for Priests, Shepherds of Christ, and a copy of the book which includes the first 12 issues of your newsletter.I have received two issues of 1998, and I have found them very useful to enhance our priestly on-going formation, and I wish to give one to my nine diocesan priests and keep one for myself.
Sincerely yours in Christ
Bishop Ambrose Ravasi, IMC
Diocese of Marsabit, Kenya
Dear Ed,
Thank you for sending us copies of the Shepherds of Christ Newsletter. We appreciate your good efforts to support the clergy in their vocations--an excellent apostolate, especially in these "difficult" days for the clergy.Keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Tom Radloff,S.J.
North American College, Rome
Dear Father,
Pax Christi! Recently a colleague placed a copy of your newsletter on my desk in order that I may partake of its richness. I was very pleased at the various articles found within. On occasion I find myself looking for just the right article that will spark my attention, but one short enough to not require much time. I am pleased to say that your newsletter is a very good source that falls under my guidelines. If you would please place me on your mailing list, I would be most appreciative.In Christ,
Rev. Mark A. Mc Anally
St. Mary's Seminary & University
Baltimore, Maryland
1999 - ISSUE FOUR
30 June 1999
Reverend and dear Father Carter,
Warmest Greetings to you from Plentong, Malaysia.I write to thank you for your kindness and thoughtfulness in sending us several copies of your "Spirituality Newsletter for Priests". We have received Issues One & Two, 1999.
There is no doubt that our priests will benefit from the articles of your Newsletter and hopefully they will inspire and encourage them to seek holiness in their pastoral work.
With renewed gratitude and warm regards.
Yours sincerely in the Lord,
Bishop James Chan
Melaka-Johor Diocese
Dear Father Edward J. Carter, S.J.:
Greetings and prayerful good wishes!I am edified etc., etc., by my reading "Shepherds of Christ"...
Congratulations on publishing and editing such an excellent "diamond of spirituality".
Oremus pro invicem.
Sincerely,
in Jesus our Good Shepherd and High Priest,
Father Bruce Riski, Capuchin
Appleton, Wisconsin
Dear Rev. Fr. Edward Carter,
I am Am Nguyen, a Salesian priest. I am a full-time student in the S.T.D. program at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley. My desire is that after the completion of studies, I will be back in Vietnam.I have usually received "Shepherds of Christ." I highly appreciate what you have been doing. It promotes a new awareness of the gift of the priesthood.
I wonder whether I can have a free copy of Newsletters both in cassette form and in book form. Burned with a zeal to serve the Body of Christ more effectively through an ongoing spiritual renewal, I think that these Newsletters will be useful. At the same time, I wish I can share them with my other companion priests in Vietnam.
Thanks for your consideration. May God bless your ministry and make it fruitful for the sake of his Church.
With gratitude and prayers in Christ the Lord,
Am Nguyen, S.D.B
1999 - ISSUE FIVE
Dear Ed,
Just want to tell you I liked your 1999, Issue Three, with its two articles on "Personal Uniqueness" and "Jesus". I’ll be looking for a chance to use them in my retreats and liturgies. Thanks a lot.In Christ,
Bob Thul, S.J.
Chicago, Illinois
Dear Father,
Please receive my cordial greetings.It was really an opportune moment and a gracious one to come in touch with a "Shepherds of Christ" issue. I was nearly overjoyed by the spiritual nourishment it contained. As a parish priest, I would find it highly useful if I could regularly receive it.
Also, please send me the newsletter in book form and the newsletter audio cassettes. Yours in Christ,
Fr. Felix Rashid
Tanzania, East Africa
Dear Fr. Carter,
I have come to know that your newsletter, "Shepherds of Christ", so rich in spiritual resources and so useful, are now available on audio-cassettes.I would be very grateful if I could have them, since I can no longer read.
Would you kindly place me on your mailing list and send also 10 copies of "Shepherds of Christ", together with some copies of the prayer manual for distribution?
May the good Shepherd bless your precious work and keep you in His loving care.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Luigi Gerardi
Contemplative Evangelizers
Pongai, Kenya
2000 - ISSUE ONE
Dear Father Carter,
For years I have received Shepherds of Christ Newsletter; I do not know who put me on your mailing list, but I’m grateful to you both. Since I first began to receive the newsletter I have been assigned as the Director of Formation Advising for the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
I would like to know if it would be possible to make a bulk order so that our seminarians could benefit from the newsletter as well. I will make sure they are distributed to our seminarians. At present we have about 200 seminarians and student priests on our campus, all eager for good spiritual reading!
Please let me know if we can make an arrangement for the delivery of the newsletter here at the college.
Please keep our faculty and seminarians in your prayers.
Sincerely yours in Christ,Rev. J. Mark Williams
Director of Formation Advising
Pontifical North American College
00120 Vatican City State
Dear Rev. Father,
Greetings to you from Dimapur. During the past year I have been receiving Shepherds of Christ newsletters from the diocese. Having found it very fruitful and enriching I thought that I would offer it to all my priests of this Province. Will it be possible for you to send me 140 books of your newsletters? I would like to offer it as a Millenium gift to all my priests. From the year 2000 I would like to get regularly the newsletters for our priests. I am sure the contents of the newsletters will inspire my priests to a life of renewal.
Congratulations for the wonderful work you are doing. Yours in Christ, The Good ShepherdFr. Varghese Palathingal, sdb.
Provincial
Don Bosco Provincial House
Nagaland, India
Dear Father Carter,
I am praying for your work and I have asked all other priest beneficiaries to pray for you and all who are working with you.
I am receiving Shepherds of Christ regularly and I distribute them among some of our priests who are interested. I need not say how useful they are for personal reflection and for homilies and other talks.
If possible kindly send us some audio cassettes.
Thank you. Yours sincerely,Fr. V. Savarimuthu
Tamilnadu, India
Dear Fr. Carter,
I received the parcel you so kindly sent me. Thank you for the book "Shepherds of Christ" and the set of audio cassettes.
May I request of you this favour. There are more than 100 priests in the dioceses of Cuddapah and also Kurnool where I served as Apostolic Administrator for three years. They love me also and visit me when they come this side. I want to give them all the book, "Shepherds of Christ" and ask them to study and meditate on it.
I admire this great work that you are doing for the priestly holiness. The holiness of the Church depends on the holiness of its priests. It is a great pity that many fail to be "Christ". Only prayer and love can bring them around. My congratulations to you once again. With love and blessings,Rev. S. A. Aruliah D.D.
Bishop Emeritus of Cuddapah
India
Dear Father Carter,
I have thoroughly enjoyed your compiled newsletters in "Shepherds of Christ". Please continue to send your letters to me as I use them for morning meditations. Thank you for providing these wonderful letters! Please accept the enclosed donation as a small token of my appreciation!
Sincerely in Him,Rev. Salvatore Piazza
Ransomville, NY
Dear Revd. Edward,
May peace of God which transcends all understanding guard your heart and your mind in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.Thank you for Shepherds of Christ which I so much admire, love, value and treasure. In this connection, I humbly request a free copy of cassettes so as to more fully acquaint myself with the Spirituality it teaches to priests in its practicality.
Praying always that the good Lord should imbue you with His Spirit. Amen.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Revd. Fr. Williams Adeforth
St. Gregory’s Catholic Church
Nigeria
Dear Fr. Edward J. Carter,
I have followed with keen interest your publication titled "Shepherds of Christ" newsletter. I write from the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas, here in States to encourage you, Father.Spirituality is an on-going process in the life of every man and woman. Hence, do not relent in your publications. Everybody needs it, for many lives have been enriched spiritually via your publications.
May Christ the Good Shepherd invigorate you.
Prayerfully yours,
Rev. Fr. Oliver Ochieze
St. Mary’s Church
North Little Rock, Arkansas
Dear Father,
Greetings from Kenya - Africa. I am grateful that you have continued to send me your most edifying Newsletter which supports my spiritual journey.May I also request you to send me the newsletter in book form and the audio-cassettes.
With best wishes for your apostolate, I remain,
Yours sincerely in the Lord,
Fr. Francis Gichia Mwaniki
Our Lady of Victory
Nakuru - Kenya
2000 - ISSUE TWO
Dear and Rev. Edward,
Loving and cordial greetings to you from Most Rev. G. Johannes, Bishop of Kurnool.I am glad to learn that you are publishing a magazine by name Shepherds of Christ. Recently, I was given some magazines to be distributed to our priests by Most Rev. Bishop S. A. Aruliah of Cuddapah and the magazines are very good and worth reading.
As the magazines are useful to our priests, I would like to get them for our priests too. Presently there are 70 priests in our diocese and distribution of these magazines to our priests will surely help their spiritual life. As your magazine covers so may theological, pastoral themes, it helps our priests in their pastoral life.
Hence, I request you to send at least 70 Shepherds of Christ magazines to us so that we may distribute to our priests. I also request you to send some audio-video tapes which can help our priests pastorally.
With Blessings,
GORANTLA Johannes D. D.
Bishop of Kurnool, India
Dear Father Edward J. Carter, S. J.
Greetings and good wishes for Christmas and happy New Year 2000!I am a diocesan priest. I am working in Mbinga Diocese. I, by good chance, came across your Shepherds of Christ, A Spirituality Newsletter for Priests.
After having read it, I decided to ask for a free copy of the newsletter both in cassette form and in book form. I believe that this book and the cassette will continue helping me to fervently renew my spirituality. I hope that this will be useful too to my fellow priests who are engaged in the pastoral activities.
Thanking you in advance, and May God bless your work too,
Yours sincerely,
Father Andrew J. Ndimbo, CARITAS Director
MBINGA DIOCESE
TANZANIA
2000 - ISSUE THREE
Dear Fr. Carter,
I have been reading the newsletter book Shepherds of Christ meditatively since it came. All the articles are deep theology and spirituality. If only priests read it properly and prayerfully, a change towards Christ cannot but come. All my Diocesan priests got the book and are reading it. I have sent a few copies to the seminary rector in South India whom I know, asking him to read it and also order the newsletter. I am sure they will profit by it.Bishop S.A. Aruliah
Cuddapah
India
Congratulations on a first-class publication.
Gerard Joubert, O.P.
Houston, Texas
Rev. and Dear Fr. Carter,
Compliments of the Easter Season to you! After reading your recent newsletter Shepherds of Christ, I found it very profitable and thought of making a request for subsequent copies as the one I read was given to me by one of our priests.I shall, therefore, be very thankful if you do me the favour of sending me copies of the newsletter in the future. May God bless your apostolate most abundantly.
In union of prayers in the Lord’s Vineyard, I remain,
Sincerely yours in the Lord
Rev. Fr. Charles Anemelu
Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
2000 - ISSUE FOUR
Dear Ed,
The latest special issue of Shepherds of Christ is very good (Issue 3, 2000). I like the idea that you are expanding it so that although aimed for the needs of priests it is an available resource for lay people as well. It will keep it more viable in the long run. But the choice of articles and topics in the issue are an excellent thematic list of the major spiritual topics of today.My best,
Lawrence Boadt, CSP
Paulist Press
Mahwah, NJ
Dear Father Carter,
Please let me tell you how much I am grateful for your "Shepherds of Christ" newsletter. I received the Issue 3, 2000, manual from a long-time family friend and monk who handed it along to my family. The articles are interesting and inspirational!I am a 20-year old college student and I attend a private, secular school. The prayers and articles in "Shepherds of Christ" help me understand the Eucharist and live a life focused on Jesus. I especially like the Act of Consecration prayer. It is so beautiful! I say it daily.
Thank you again and may God bless all those involved in the "Shepherds of Christ" ministry.
Sincerely,
Bonnie Deignan
Farmingdale, New Jersey
Dear Fr. Carter,
I just finished reading the Special Issue "Overview of the Spiritual Life" Excellent! Please send me the book form of the 1st 12 issues.
Thank you.
In Christ
Fr. Gerald Sherer
Hermosa, SD
Reverend and dear Fr. Ed,
Mabuhay! Greetings from the Philippines! Please allow me to congratulate you for the expansion of your readership. It is indeed true that even the laity would benefit from your spiritual publication. As for my case, I am not yet a priest yet I found your notes to be helpful in my personal spiritual journey. Thus, I am asking for a personal copy of Shepherds of Christ. The ones that I had been reading were given by a fellow seminarian. May I also request the audiocasette recording of your previous issues. Thank you very much for your dedication. May Mary’s protection never leave you in your life.In Christ
Sem. Nono Acompanado
Holy Rosary Major Seminary
Concepcion Heights, Naga City
Philippines
Dear Father Carter,
Greetings in the name of the Risen Lord! I hope you had a good Lent and a joyful celebration of Easter. Here at St. Anne the Vigil and the Easter Sunday celebrations were memorable.Father, since the time I started receiving these spiritual newsletters through my Vicar General Mons. Joseph Kimu of St. John the Baptist Major Seminary in the diocese of Mangochi here in Malawi, I feel my spiritual life has been enriched tremendously.
On the other side, I would like to welcome most gratefully the idea of extending the readership to the laity. I think there could be some food for them too. We as priests, and they as the flock need each other’s assistance.
Sincerely in the Risen Christ
Rev. Fr. Lucious Kamwana
St. Anne Catholic Parish
Balaka - Malawi - AFRICA
Dear Father Ed,
I have been receiving your newsletters for over a year now and have enjoyed it immensely. Every issue I read from front to back. I am now 48 years ordained and each newsletter renews me spiritually.Enclosed is a little donation. I enjoy each issue very much.
Yours in Christ and Mary,
Father John Graham, C. SS. R
St. Cecilia’s Rectory
New York, NY
February 2, 2001
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Most Reverend Bishop ________, D.D. CUDDAPAH - 516004
Bishop Emeritus of Cuddapah A.P.S IndiaDATE 23-1-2001
Dear Fr. Carter,
Let me start this letter wishing you a Very Happy New Year with all its blessings of peace, joy and happiness and success. May God bless you.
I received the Shepherds of Christ - Issue 4, 2000 only yesterday. I have not gone through it. I hope that you get enough and more funds to continue. My special prayers for you for this purpose. It is a surprise for me to know that you print in Spanish and are going to do it also in French. I cannot but admire your courage and hard work.
Congratulations. You will have enough funds. No good work will suffer by lack of funds. That's my experience.
How are you? Please keep up your health and joy.
I came back to Cuddapah and remain at my old address given above. Neck pain affects me to sit and work. Otherwise I keep well and happy.
Once more I congratulate you and wish you every success. Please pray for me. My love to all those there.
With much love, wishes, prayers and blessings.
Yours in Jesus, Mary, Joseph
_______________
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Parroquia Nuestra Señora de Fátima
Orocovis, Puerto Rico 00720February 12, 2001
Dear Father Carter:
I am very grateful for the the Letter: Shepherds of Christ, which you so generously send me. I have read them and am re-reading most of them.
I am sending a small donation to help pay the expenses of sending some of them. I wish I could send more. I am in a Rural Parish in the hills of Puerto Rico where work is scarce.
If possible and available, I would like to have the last four copies in Spanish. I am stationed with a Puerto Rican Confrere and his English is limited. Having the copies in Spanish, we both can enjoy reading them. In the future, please send me the Spanish copy instead of the English copy.
Gratefully yours,
Rev. ________, O.S.S.P.
P.S. Keep up the fine work-The letters are spiritually uplifting.
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Church of ___
Berkeley Heights, New Jersey 079222-9-01
Dear Rev. Ed. Carter,
Thank you very much for the materials from the Shepherds of Christ which you sent to me last year: Newsletters and Cassettes. They are well appreciated. Enclosed you will find a little sum of $50 in support of what you are doing for the Church and for us all.
May God bless and keep you.
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Rev. ______________
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February 3, 2001
February 8, 2001
Society of Christian Doctrine
KENYA - East Africa
28th January, 2001
Dear Rev. Edward Carter,
We
are members of a Lay Movement Called Society
of Christian Doctrine founded in Malta by Father George Preca who is to be
declared a Blessed by our Church very soon. Enclosed you find a short history
of our Society.
We have been working in Kenya as Lay Missioners for this last 12 years. Our new Bishop passed to us a copy of issue 3 and 4 year 2000 of your Newsletter Shepherds of Christ which we have found very useful for our spiritual nourishment.
We kindly request you to be sending us a copy of this publication. Please send us also some information about Lay Apostles.
We thank you for providing a very much needed Newsletter. We also promise you our prayers.
Yours in Christ,
Bro. _______ s.d.c.
MPEKETONI
KENYA
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February 14, 2001
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! I have asked by the co-ordinator of our local chapter of the SofC to contact you. I wish to update you on our membership listing as well as ask for more material.
I have sent this e-mail in case you did not receive the one I sent earlier.
Shepherds of Christ Associates
Chapter Title: Purified
Chapter Co-ordinator:____________
Address: ...Gweru, Zimbabwemembership listing: names and addresses
1. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
2. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
3. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
4. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
5. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
6. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
7. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
8. .... Gweru, Zimbabwe
9. .... Gweru, ZimbabweWe will keep you posted should there be changes to our membership.
Yours in Christ,
____________
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February 10, 2001
Dear Shepherds of Christ and Rita,
With great sympathy and prayers go out to all of you regarding the loss of Father Carter. I will always remember him in my prayers. I am sure he is in Heaven and in Our Lady's Arms. He was such a saintly priest. I love to listen to his soft and gentle voice on the tapes that I have here at home. I was so saddened when I first learned of his passing... My prayers go to you all. Father Carter accomplished his mission on earth and will be surely remembered by us all.
At this time, I'd like to place two parishes for the priestly news letter...to be sent to:
1. Father______ Pastor
St.........Church
_______________
Exeter, PA 186432. Father______ Pastor
St.........Church
_______________
Merchantville, NJ 08109I am sure Father ____, and Father_____, will enjoy reading the blessings of the Priestly News Letter, and perhaps promote the Rosaries in lower grade schools, and also in the high schools in the area.
May the Blessings of Our Lady and Jesus be with you all always....
In His Love and Peace,
________
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February 12, 2001
Dear Fr. Edward,
Greetings of Peace from _______ community!
I wish to thank you for granting me my request by sending some of your recent newsletters to me. I did appreciate that. More importantly, thanks for including me as one of your readers and for sending to me the book that contains the first 12 issues of your newsletter. I pray that the good Lord will reward you for your generosity.
As for some of the newsletters, I shared them with my companions, who were very appreciative of the contents.Thanks for everything, praying that God will always bless you in all your endeavors.
Peace!Yours
_____________ S.J.
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February 13, 2001
Subject: She wants to order Response to God's Love
To whom it may concern:
Can you please let me know how I can purchase a copy of the above-mentioned book.
If not available from the Shepherd's of Christ, please let me know where I may order it and how much it costs and the shipping charges.Thank you and May God bless you all at Shepherds of Christ.
Regards,
___________
Singapore
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February 13, 2001
Dear Father,
I was looking at your web site "Shepherds of Christ", and was very pleased to see the five coloring books that were offered to print. However, when I tried to download the PDF file it wouldn't download. I was able to download a copy of the newsletter, so I don't think there is a problem with my computer. Is there any problem at your end?
I was hoping to get a copy of these coloring books as I am catechist and would find them a valuable resource.
I hope you can help me with this problem.May God bless you,
________________
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Arch-Diocese of Jos
Sacred Heart Church,
________________
Shendam,
PLATEAU STATE
Nigeria12th December, 2000
Dear Fr. Carter,
Warmest greetings from Shendam, I by chance received a copy of your Newsletter and some beautiful prayer cards.
Reading them was a source of delight, they gave me all the inspiration, faith and zeal, the type of things we need to nourish our priesthood these days, it has brought me closer to God by focusing on your faith-filled and highly spiritual articles and writings. How I wish I had received most of the issues, I must be a long way behind.
I hereby wish to sincerely ask your favor, if it will be possible for me to receive more of 'Shepherds of Christ' Newsletters, books and other articles of faith. As a person involved in training Catechists, Seminarians and the general Laity in my Parish, I find it very supportive and helpful.
Thank you very much for your work and generosity in spreading the Good News.
Good bye and God bless, I hope my request will be favored.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Fr._________
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Please send me your teaching tape. I listened to a 1998 tape and was very Blessed.
I was raised Catholic but for many years jumping to different Churches. The Lord is showing me that the Catholic Church is the Real Church.
I pray true conversion and repentance for myself, my husband, 2 sons, a married daughter and my husband. I pray God's will for our son Fred concerning a vocation to priesthood. He works part time at a monastery. That he would be open to God's call. If the Lord is truly calling him, rather than going to college for engineering.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
______________
Michigan
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3. Song: In My Heart
III. Mysteries of Light
Mysteries of Light
1. Baptism of Jesus
1.
John 1: 1-5In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came into being,
not one thing came into being
except through him.
What has come into being in him was life,
life that was the light of men;
and light shines in darkness,
and darkness could not overpower it.
2. Matthew 3: 1
7...‘This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.’
3. Jesus Christ is the Son of God,
King of heaven and earth.
4. John 1: 20, 23-28
He declared, he did not deny but declared, ‘I am not the Christ.’
So he said, ‘I am, as Isaiah prophesied:
A voice of one that cries in the desert:
Prepare a way for the Lord.
Make his paths straight!’Now those who had been sent were Pharisees, and they put this question to him, ‘Why are you baptising if you are not the Christ, and not Elijah, and not the Prophet?’ John answered them, ‘I baptise with water; but standing among you—unknown to you— is the one who is coming after me; and I am not fit to undo the strap of his sandal.’ This happened at Bethany, on the far side of the Jordan, where John was baptising.
5. God prepared His people for the
coming of Jesus.
6. Jesus is the New Adam.
7.
John 1: 29The next day, he saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
8. John 1: 31
I did not know him myself, and yet my purpose in coming to baptise with water was so that he might be revealed to Israel.’
9.
John 1: 32-33And John declared, ‘I saw the Spirit come down on him like a dove from heaven and rest on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, "The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is to baptise with the Holy Spirit."
10.
John 1: 34I have seen and I testify that he is the Chosen One of God.’
2. Marriage at Cana
1. John 1:
51And then he added, ‘In all truth I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of man.’
2. John
2: 1-3On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. And they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the feast had all been used, and the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’
3. John 2:
4-5Jesus said, ‘Woman, what do you want from me? My hour has not come yet.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’
4. John 2:
6-8There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’ and they filled them to the brim. Then he said to them, ‘Draw some out now and take it to the president of the feast.’
5. John 2: 1
0-11and said, ‘Everyone serves good wine first and the worse wine when the guests are well wined; but you have kept the best wine till now.’
This was the first of Jesus’ signs: it was at Cana in Galilee. He revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
6. This was the first miracle
worked by Jesus.
7. The Blessed Mother has
powerful intercession.
8. In the second sign at Cana we
see Jesus heals a man's son
near death.
9. Jesus restores life.
10. Jesus tells us to have faith
in Him.
John 5: 2-5
Now in Jerusalem next to the Sheep Pool there is a pool called Bethesda in Hebrew, which has five porticos; and under these were crowds of sick people, blind, lame, paralysed. One man there had an illness which had lasted thirty–eight years,
3. Kingdom of God
1. Jesus performed many miracles
while on earth.
2. Jesus said
John 5: 43
I have come in the name of my Father
and you refuse to accept me;
if someone else should come
in his own name
you would accept him.
3. It is so powerful to pray to the
Father in the name of Jesus,
in the Holy Spirit.
4. Jesus loves us so much, He has told me.
He is attentive to my every need.
He wants us with Him forever
in heaven.
5. Here is a message Jesus
gave to Fr. Carter in Fr. Carter
own handwriting.
6. Jesus said
John 6: 34-35
‘Sir,’ they said, ‘give us that bread always.’
Jesus answered them:I am the bread of life.
No one who comes to me will ever hunger;
no one who believes in me will ever thirst.
7.
Jesus saidJohn 6: 28
Then they said to him, ‘What must we do if we are to carry out God’s work?’
8. Jesus performed so many miracles,
so we would believe.
- Jesus walked on the water
- Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish
- Jesus healed a dying son whose father pleaded for healing
- Jesus healed the paralyzed man
- Jesus healed the dead son of the widow of Naim
- Jesus cured the deaf mute
Jesus said
John 6: 35
Jesus answered them:
I am the bread of life.
No one who comes to me will ever hunger;
no one who believes in me will ever thirst.
John 6: 53
Jesus replied to them:
In all truth I tell you,
if you do not eat
the flesh of the Son of man
and drink his blood,
you have no life in you.
9. Jesus refers to His Father many
times in the scriptures.
John 5: 19-30
To this Jesus replied:
In all truth, I tell you,
by himself the Son can do nothing;
he can do only
what he sees the Father doing:
and whatever the Father does
the Son does too.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him everything
he himself does,
and he will show him
even greater things than these,
works that will astonish you.
Thus, as the Father raises the dead
and gives them life,
so the Son gives life to anyone he chooses;
for the Father judges no one;
he has entrusted all judgement to the Son,
so that all may honour the Son
as they honour the Father.
Whoever refuses honour to the Son
refuses honour to the Father
who sent him.
In all truth I tell you,
whoever listens to my words,
and believes in the one who sent me,
has eternal life;
without being brought to judgement
such a person
has passed from death to life.
In all truth I tell you,
the hour is coming—
indeed it is already here—
when the dead
will hear the voice of the Son of God,
and all who hear it will live.
For as the Father has life in himself,
so he has granted the Son also
to have life in himself;
and, because he is the Son of man,
has granted him power
to give judgement.
Do not be surprised at this,
for the hour is coming
when the dead will leave their graves
at the sound of his voice:
those who did good
will come forth to life;
and those who did evil
will come forth to judgement.
By myself I can do nothing;
I can judge only as I am told to judge,
and my judging is just,
because I seek to do not my own will
but the will of him who sent me.
10. John 6: 40
It is my Father’s will
that whoever sees the Son
and believes in him
should have eternal life,
and that I should raise that person up
on the last day.
4. Transfiguration
1.
Jesus gave the Apostles,
2. Jesus gives us Himself in the
Eucharist.
3. The priest is so important to us.
4.
5. Matthew 17: 1-2
, 5-6Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light.
He was still speaking when suddenly a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’ When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear.
6. I heard Our Lord say
This is My Beloved Son in
whom I am well
pleased listen to Him.
7. Jesus is the Light of the World.
8. God wants us to love Him.
9. Jesus took them up the Mountain.
10. Jesus gives us the priest —
the altar of sacrifice —
Jesus is truly present in the
Eucharist, through the
hands of the priests.
5. Last Supper
1.
Priestly Newsletter 1998 Issue 313. Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests, as in Inside the Vatican, Nov., 1994, Special Supplement, No. 49.~ The Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests tells us: "It is necessary to recall the irreplaceable value that the daily celebration of the Holy Mass has for the priest… He must live it as the central moment of his day and of his daily ministry, fruit of a sincere desire and an occasion for a deep and effective encounter with Christ, and he must take the greatest care to celebrate it with intimate participation of the mind and heart."13
2. Priestly Newsletter
September/October 1997"In a society ever more sensitive to communication through signs and images, the priest must pay adequate attention to all that which can enhance the decorum and sacredness of the Eucharistic celebration. It is important that, in such ceremonies, proper attention is given to the appropriateness and cleanliness of the place, the structure of the altar and tabernacle, the dignity of the sacred vessels, the vestments, the hymns, the music, the necessary silence, etc. These are all elements which can better contribute to a better participation in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In fact, a lack of attention to the symbolic aspects of the liturgy and, even more, carelessness and coldness, superficiality and disorder...weaken the process of strengthening the faith. Those who improperly celebrate the Mass reveal a weakness in their faith and fail to educate the others in the faith. Celebrating the Eucharist well, however, constitutes a highly important catechesis on the Sacrifice...
3. Priestly Newsletter September/October 1997
9. Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests as in Inside the Vatican, November 1994, Special Supplement. For quotation within the excerpt, see C.I.C. can. 929; Missale Romanum, Institutio generalis, nn. 81; 298; S. Congregation for the Divine Cult, Instruction Liturgicae instaurationes (5 September 1970, 8c; AAS 62 (1970), 701.)"The centrality of the Eucharist should be apparent not only in the worthy celebration of the Sacrifice, but also in the proper adoration of the Sacrament so that the priest might be the model for the faithful also in devote attention and diligent meditation...whenever possible done in the presence of our Lord in the tabernacle. It is hoped that the priests entrusted with the guidance of communities dedicate long periods of time for communal adoration and reserve the greatest attention and honour for the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar, also outside of the Holy Mass, over any other rite or gesture. 'Faith and love for the Eucharist will not allow Christ to remain alone in his presence in the tabernacle.9'"
4. Priestly Newsletter September/October 1997
10. Rita Ring, Mass Book, Shepherds of Christ Publications, p. 103.From a person's spiritual journal we read: "When a priest is filled with the love of Jesus, he will unite more deeply with Christ in the great sacrifice being offered to the Father. In the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the faithful will see Jesus through the priest offering sacrifice to the Father. We will lift our eyes and we will feel, at this great sacrifice, the presence of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We unite in offering sacrifice to the Father. We all unite as one and give ourselves in such oneness with Jesus, in such love to the Father, in the Holy Spirit. We die to all those things that are not of Him and join in this great miracle taking place. The Father looks down and He sees the sacrifice of His beautiful Son through the consecrated hands of His holy priests. Heaven unites to earth. Earth cries out in such jubilation at the great gift given from the Almighty God and we unite as creatures giving ourselves as a sacrifice to our beloved Creator. Do we experience the presence of God as His power flows through the hands of a man, the priest who takes ordinary bread and wine and changes them into the Body and Blood of Our Lord? Do we hear Jesus cry out, as He did at the last supper, with the intensity in His voice reflecting all knowledge of the upcoming events of His passion and death?"10
5. Priestly Newsletter
July/August 19972. The Liturgy Documents, "The 1967 Instruction on Eucharistic Worship", Liturgy Training Program, Archdiocese of Chicago, pp 37-41.The document, Instruction on Eucharistic Worship tells us: "The mystery of the Eucharist is the true center of the sacred liturgy and indeed of the whole Christian life. Consequently the Church, guided by the Holy Spirit, continually seeks to understand and to live the Eucharist more fully."
Then, after referring to various Church documents, the Instruction continues:
"Among the doctrinal principles concerning the Eucharist formulated in these documents of the Church, the following should be noted as having a bearing upon the attitude of Christians toward this mystery, and, therefore, as falling within the scope of this instruction."
"a) The Son of God in the human nature which He united to Himself redeemed man and transformed him into a new creation by overcoming death through his own death and resurrection (cf. Gal.6:15; II Cor.5-17). For by giving His Spirit He mystically established as His body His brethren gathered from all nations. In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe; for through the sacraments they are joined in a mysterious yet real way to the Christ who suffered and is glorified.
"Therefore 'Our Saviour at the Last Supper on the night when He was betrayed instituted the Eucharistic Sacrifice of His Body and Blood so that He might perpetuate the Sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries till His coming. He thus entrusted to the Church, His beloved Spouse, a memorial of His death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal meal in which Christ is eaten, the mind filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory given to us.'
"Hence the Mass, the Lord's Supper, is at the same time and inseparably:
" - A sacrifice in which the Sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated;
" - A memorial of the death and resurrection of the Lord, who said 'do this in memory of me' (Luke 22:19);
" - A sacred banquet in which, through the communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord, the People of God share the benefits of the Paschal Sacrifice, renew the New Covenant which God has made with man once for all through the Blood of Christ, and in faith and hope foreshadow and anticipate the eschatological banquet in the kingdom of the Father, proclaiming the Lord's death 'till His coming'.
"b) In the Mass, therefore, the sacrifice and sacred meal belong to the same mystery-so much so that they are linked by the closest bond.
"For in the sacrifice of the Mass our Lord is immolated when 'he begins to be present sacramentally as the spiritual food of the faithful under the appearances of bread and wine.' It was for this purpose that Christ entrusted this sacrifice to the Church, that the faithful might share in it both spiritually, by faith and charity, and sacramentally, through the banquet of holy Communion. Participation in the Lord's Supper is always communion with Christ offering Himself for us as a sacrifice to the Father.
"c) The celebration of the Eucharist, which takes place at Mass, is the action not only of Christ, but also of the Church. For in it Christ perpetuates in an unbloody manner the sacrifice offered on the cross, offering Himself to the Father for the world's salvation through the ministry of priests. The Church, the spouse and minister of Christ, performs together with Him the role of priest and victim, offers Him to the Father and at the same time makes a total offering of herself together with Him.
"Thus the Church, especially in the great Eucharistic prayer, together with Christ, gives thanks to the Father in the Holy Spirit for all the blessings which He gives to men in creation and especially in the Paschal Mystery, and prays to Him for the coming of His kingdom.
"d) Hence no Mass, indeed no liturgical action, is a purely private action, but rather a celebration of the Church as a society composed of different orders and ministries, in which each member acts according to his own order and role.
"e) The celebration of the Eucharist in the sacrifice of the Mass is the origin and consummation of the worship shown to the Eucharist outside Mass. Not only are the sacred species which remain after Mass derived from the Mass, but they are preserved so that those of the faithful who cannot come to Mass may be united to Christ and His Sacrifice celebrated in the Mass, through sacramental Communion received with the right dispositions.
"Consequently the Eucharistic sacrifice is the source and the summit of the whole of the Church's worship and of the Christian life. The faithful participate more fully in this sacrament of thanksgiving, propitiation, petition, and praise, not only when they wholeheartedly offer the Sacred Victim, and in it themselves, to the Father with the priest, but also when they receive this same Victim sacramentally.
"f) There should be no doubt in anyone's mind 'that all the faithful ought to show to this most holy sacrament the worship which is due to the true God, as has always been the custom of the Catholic Church. Nor is it to be adored any the less because it was instituted by Christ to be eaten'. For even in the reserved sacrament He is to be adored because He is substantially present there through that conversion of bread and wine which, as the Council of Trent tells us, is most aptly named transubstantiation.
"g) The mystery of the Eucharist should therefore be considered in all its fullness, not only in the celebration of Mass, but also in devotion to the sacred species which remain after Mass and are reserved to extend the grace of the sacrifice.
"These are the principles from which practical rules are to be drawn to govern devotion due to the sacrament outside Mass and its proper relation to the right ordering of the sacrifice of the Mass according to the mind of the Second Vatican Council and the other documents of the Apostolic See on this subject."2
6. Priestly Newsletter July/August 1997
Father Edward Leen gives us these inspiring words on the Eucharist: "Again Our Lord raised His hands over the apostles, His lips moved in prayer, and He then said: 'Do this in commemoration of Me'; and the great mystery that He had just accomplished is perpetuated, is made possible to the end of time. The Catholic Priesthood was inaugurated. By this act Our Lord made possible for all time His stay on earth amongst men, whom He loved to such an excess. And yet He knew with His Divine foresight what that meant for Him. Though He saw that His Body and Blood would be treated with reverence by a multitude of devout souls, yet He realized full well that in many and many an instance in the course of ages He would be placing Himself at the mercy of unworthy and sinful priests who would treat Him with irreverence and sacrilege. He saw in vision all the profanations, outrages and, what was more painful still to His loving heart, the cold indifference that He was to endure from tepid and careless Christians. Nothing of that was unknown to Him, but He willed to submit Himself to all in the interests of those who were to profit by His Divine Condescension and meet His advances of love. Love, especially Divine Love, does not halt to calculate and weigh advantage and disadvantage in the balance. He risked all to serve some, whom He aimed at drawing into close intimacy with Himself.
"This love of His for us compels Him to enter into ever closer union with human souls, to be ever nearer to them than He was when He moved on earth and conversed with those about Him. During His mortal life He spoke and His words sank into His hearers' hearts and stirred them strangely. But in Holy Communion His contact with us is much more intimate and vital than it then was with those who thronged His footsteps along the Galilean highways. It is also much more active and life-giving.
"On two distinct occasions God His Father in Heaven proclaimed that the Child of Mary was His beloved Son in Whom He was well pleased. The significance of this testimony lies in this: there is no being in whom God can find His pleasure, and to whom therefore He can extend His love, unless it be Jesus Christ or one who bears a resemblance to Him. No other form of human life can please God except His, or one that takes it pattern from His' Unless we are pleasing to God we cannot be saved, we cannot realize the purpose of our divine adoption. We cannot please God unless we resemble Jesus Christ, and the Blessed Sacrament is instituted for the very object of perfecting in us this likeness. Bodily food is transformed into the flesh of him that receives it; this heavenly food, the food of our souls, which is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, has the directly opposite effect: it changes him who receives it into Itself. It must not be forgotten that the presence in us which follows the reception of Holy Communion is a living active presence. Our Lord is more present with us than is a person with whom we are speaking. As He influenced whilst on earth those who allowed themselves to fall under the charm of His Personality, so He exercises a profound effect on the soul of the communicant, if that soul wishes to submit to His action. We cannot be in the society of one who is good without being incited to goodness; we cannot be with Our Lord-and we are as close to Him as our desires extend-without receiving the effects of His virtue and without being stirred to become as he was, without being drawn, in a mystical sense to become one with Him, to become 'Christified'."3
3. Fr. Edward Leen, C.S..Sp., In the Likeness of Christ, Sheed and Ward, pp. 250-252
7. Priestly Newsletter July/August 1997
Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us: "Since it was the will of God's only-begotten Son that men should share in his divinity, he assumed our nature in order that by becoming man he might make men gods. Moreover, when he took our flesh he dedicated the whole of its substance to our salvation. He offered his body to God the Father on the altar of the cross as a sacrifice for our reconciliation. He shed his blood for our ransom and purification, so that we might be redeemed from our wretched state of bondage and cleansed from all sin. But to ensure that the memory of so great a gift would abide with us forever, he left his body as food and his blood as drink for the faithful to consume in the form of bread and wine.
"O precious and wonderful banquet, that brings us salvation and contains all sweetness! Could anything be of more intrinsic value? Under the old law it was the flesh of calves and goats that was offered, but here Christ himself, the true God, is set before us as our food. What could be more wonderful than this? No other sacrament has greater healing power; through it sins are purged away, virtues are increased, and the soul is enriched with an abundance of every spiritual gift. It is offered in the Church for the living and the dead, so that what was instituted for the salvation of all may be for the benefit of all. Yet, in the end, no one can fully express the sweetness of this sacrament, in which spiritual delight is tasted at its very source, and in which we renew the memory of that surpassing love for us which Christ revealed in his passion.
"It was to impress the vastness of this love more firmly upon the hearts of the faithful that our Lord instituted this sacrament at the Last Supper. As he was on the point of leaving the world to go to the Father, after celebrating the Passover with his disciples, he left it as a perpetual memorial of his passion. It was the fulfillment of ancient figures and the greatest of all his miracles, while for those who were to experience the sorrow of his departure, it was destined to be a unique and abiding consolation."4
4. St. Thomas Aquinas, as in The Liturgy of the Hours, Catholic Book Publishing Co., Vol III, pp. 610-611.
8.
9. Priestly Newsletter July/August 1997
Here is an Eucharistic prayer: "O Jesus I do love you so much! Help me grow in love for you. Help me to grow in the realization of the great love with which Your Heart beat for me upon Calvary, a love which is present in Your glorified Heart. Let me grasp, with deeper knowledge, that Your Heart was pierced on Calvary with a soldier's lance for love of me. Take me, Jesus, ever more closely to Your Heart. And there, let me draw forth from this burning furnace of charity. Thus, strengthened, refreshed, and encouraged, let me go forth to live the Mass all day, every day."
10. Priestly Newsletter July/August 1997
Fulton Sheen gives us this dramatic account: "There was a priest who had a high office in one diocese. He was removed from office principally because of alcoholism. He went to another diocese but continued to give scandal. He happened to come into a retreat when I was talking about the holy hour, and he made the holy hour from that time on. He died in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament a month or two later. He had been battling drunkenness for years. But he overcame it in the end because of the power of the new affection. He fell in love with the Lord.
"Why do we not have zeal? Simply because we're not in love. Once we're on fire we'll do anything. When we love the Lord, we want to be with him. That is love's first effect."5Henri Nouwen observes: "The tragedy is that much resentment is hidden within the Church. It is one of the most paralyzing aspects of the Christian community.
'Still, the Eucharist presents another option. It is the possibility to choose not resentment but gratitude. Mourning our losses is the first step away from resentment and toward gratitude. The tears of our own grief can soften our hardened hurts and open us to the possibility to say 'thanks'.
"The word 'Eucharist' means literally 'act of thanksgiving'. To celebrate the Eucharist and to live a Eucharistic life has everything to do with gratitude. Living Eucharistically is living life as a gift, a gift for which one is grateful."6St. Peter Julian Eymard, founder of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, tells us: "It is true also that the world does all in its power to prevent us from loving Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament with a real and practical love, to prevent us from visiting Him, and to cripple the effects of this love.
"The world engrosses the attention of souls; it finds and enslaves them with external occupations in order to deter them from dwelling too long on the love of Jesus.
"It even fights directly against this practical love and represents it as optional, as practicable at most only in a convent.
"And the devil wages incessant warfare on our love for Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament.
"He knows that Jesus is there, living and substantially present; that by Himself He is drawing souls and taking direct possession of them. The devil tries to efface the thought of the Eucharist in us, and the good impression made by it; for in his mind, that should decide the issue of the struggle.
"And yet God is all love.
"This gentle Savior pleads with us from the Host: 'Love Me as I have loved you; abide in My love! I came to cast the fire of love on the earth and My most ardent desire is that it should set your hearts on fire."75. Through the Year with Fulton Sheen, compiled by Henry Dietrich, Servant Books, p. 15.
6. Henri Nouwen, With Burning Hearts, Orbis, p. 30..
7. St. Peter Julian Eymard, The Real Presence: Eucharistic Meditations, published by Eymard League, as in The Treasury of Catholic Wisdom, Fr. John Hardin, S.J. ed., Ignatius Press, p. 584.
We have a disc of children praying the
Rosary Aves.
It is awesome. Father Carter loved this disc.
We need to order image rosaries
and image blankets.
It's $900 per color for the image rosaries.
It is $1800 to order image blankets.
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