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Shepherds of Christ |
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February 25
, 2012
February 26th Holy Spirit Novena
Scripture selection is Day 7 Period II.The Novena Rosary Mysteries
for February 26th are Luminous.
Give a friend a gift
for Lent
Blue Books 4 & 5 - $5.00 Total plus shipping
12" Fatima statue with glass $50 off -
normally $160
now $110 plus tax and/or shipping
Please call Rosie - 1-888-211-3041
Special Sale for Lent
We have been sending
out mailings
and we need funds for bills.
Could you please help us with funds?
1-888-211-3041
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For a $500 donation we will give you the gift of the 12" Guadalupe Statue with glass from Mary's image face and you will help 500 priests in the United States get Fr. Joe's homily book. |
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In these trying times in the United States preceding the election, Jesus has asked us to circulate the Priestly Writing, Fr. Joe's homily book focusing on the Word and the Eucharist with the Shepherds of Christ prayers in the back of the book. The only thing that will help to renew the Church and the world is following the commandments and the Father's Plan. Please help us send this book to the United States priests.
Call Rosie 1-888-211-3041
Available $15.00 plus shipping
Call Rosie
1-888-211-3041
The Florida Book Store
Please pray for some special intentions.
Through the intercession of Fr. Carter
and Our Lady of Clearwater
please pray for Dan's healing.Please pray for Betty, Jimmy &Adeline.
Pray for Hal Wittrock & family
Blue Book 6C is here!
Available for $10.00 plus shipping
Call Rosie
1-888-211-3041
February 25, 2012
R. In the Sundays of Cycle B
The 1st Reading of the First Sunday we
see deals with Covenant
"A Covenant", Fr. Joe says, "is a
serious commitment or promise
two people make to each other.
It defines their relationship and
the expectations they have of each
other. Except when people get married
the word 'covenant' is not often
used today. However before the time
of Christ, it was the usual manner
by which people, and sometimes
nations, entered into binding agreements
with one another. It was the way
God chose to enter into a relationship
with the people. During this season
of Lent, the theme of covenant will
keep coming up in the weeks to come.
Today we hear about the covenant
God made with Noah and all creation
after the great flood. Notice this
covenant is unusual in that God
makes all the promises and asks
nothing of Noah and his family in
return. St. Peter, in the second reading,
tells us this covenant prefigured
baptism with God promising us
salvation and eternal life. As we
learn in the weeks to come, God does
have expectations of us. Whenever we
come to Mass, we renew this covenant
God has made with us. We are assured
of eternal life through Jesus Christ and
we commit ourselves to loving
and obeying him."
Fr. Carter says with regard to baptisms
and covenant in Response in Christ
Excerpt from Response in Christ by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
The Christian, then, shares in the life of Christ's Resurrection. But if he participates in the Resurrection of Christ he must also share in Christ's death, since death is the way to Resurrection. St. Paul tells us: "We are dead to sin, so how can we continue to live in it? You have been taught that when we were baptised in Christ Jesus we were baptised in his death; in other words, when we were baptised 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 live a new life." (Rm 6:2-4).
Through Baptism therefore the Christian is incorporated into Christ's death-resurrection. Baptism pledges the Christian to die to sin and ideally to all that is not in accordance with God's will, even though sin is not involved. Baptism also pledges the Christian to live vitally his new life in Christ, his share in Christ's Resurrection. As he is incorporated into Christ through baptism, the Christian is also made a member of the Church. Awareness of this simultaneous incorporation into both Christ and the Church emphasizes for the Christian the fact that his life of holiness in Christ is to be lived out in community. In other words, the Christian lives in Christ within the People of God, within the Church. This stress of contemporary spirituality upon the communal aspect of Christian holiness is firmly rooted in God's revealed truth. Throughout salvation history God has lovingly communicated Himself to man within the covenant framework with its communal dimension. He has also asked for man's response in love within this same covenant framework.
The Church in union with Christ is the new covenant. Since Christ is the Head of His Church, it follows that the Church with her members must live out the covenant life according to the structure which Christ gives her. The Church has no life, no pattern of life, except that which Christ gives her. This basic pattern or structure is death-resurrection. Christ established the Church by His paschal mystery, His death-resurrection. In so establishing the Church by such an event, Christ also determined how the Church essentially lives out her covenant life down through the ages through death and Resurrection.
The Church, then, continues Christ's death-resurrection. She consequently continues the entire mystery of Christ, since Christ's entire life is contained in His passover event.2 We see therefore why the Church can be referred to as the continuation of the redemptive Incarnation. Indeed the Church is Christ, the mystical Christ. Because she is the earthly continuation of Christ, the Church has everything within her structure needed to be the source of salvation and sanctification for men of all times. For instance, in reference to the presently much-discussed theme of the Church's relevancy to modern man, we know from theological reflection that the Church has this relevancy radically structured within her very existence. This is simply an application of the reality that the Church actually does prolong the mission of the Incarnate Word; since Christ was relevant to His age, the Church has the capacity to be relevant to all ages.
What do we mean by saying Christ was relevant to His age? Christ revealed the Father and communicated the Father's life to men by adapting Himself in a fundamental way to the life situation which existed at that particular time in Jewish history. Since Christ through His humanity adapted His message to the people of His times, so the Church must use her innate capacity to be relevant for the men of this or that age. She must in a sense be constantly reincarnating Christ, for she is the only visible Christ which this world now has. This reincarnation largely means being relevant.
As the Church is the continuation of Christ, so is the life of the Christian. Just as the Church centers her life in Christ's death-resurrection, so does the life of the Christian. Both Church and Christian then are continually dying with Christ, dying to all which is not of Christ. At the same time Church and Christian are meant to rise more and more with Christ, assimilating ever more perfectly His life through grace. This life of grace is the Church's and the Christian's share in Christ's Resurrection. It is true that this life of grace will have its completion only in eternity. Nevertheless, it does have very real beginnings here in this life.
It is therefore apparent why the Church's life is directed to the liturgy, especially the eucharistic liturgy.3 For it is within the liturgy culminating in the Mass that the death-resurrection of Christ is constantly renewed in a special manner. In the Mass the People of God have the constant opportunity to assimilate the death-resurrection of Christ more and more into their lives. As they do so collectively and individually, the People of God are continuing Christ's life and mission upon earth.
The Christian life, then, is a response to God's gift of Himself. God in love gives us a life of grace, a share in His own divine life. We respond in love by giving ourselves to God and our fellowman, by dynamically living out this life of grace, this Christ-life, in the pattern of death-resurrection. This life of grace is meant to be exercised constantly, as the Christian loves God and man, in Christ, according to the will of the Father. Also, to reiterate, God intends that our life in Christ be lived out in the community of the Church. The Christian life can never solely be an individual's response to his God.
As the Christian lives out this life of grace in community, he is offering Christ a new humanity through which He can reincarnate Himself. It is not only through the Church as a whole that Christ reincarnates Himself, but also, ideally, through each Christian within the Church. Each Christian has a special responsibility and privilege. No one else can offer Christ the unique opportunity of reincarnating Himself as can this or that particular Christian. For each Christian is a unique, created imitation of God never again to be repeated. Each Christian has a unique humanity to offer Christ. To the extent that he fails to do so, to that degree Christ has lost this opportunity to reincarnate Himself through this humanity.
Consequently, the Christian life can be conceived as the Christian permitting Christ to live more and more through his total person. Christian holiness is continual growth in the assimilation of that great thought of St. Paul, ". . . I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me." (Ga 2:20).
There are many ways in which the Christian can permit Christ to live in and through him. Love of the Father and love of all men, of course, are the two great themes which will channel this reincarnation of Christ. These were the great driving forces in Christ's life, and consequently they will be so in the life of the Christian.
If the Christian is to grow in projecting Christ through his Christian personality, he must be aware of the many various ways in which Christ loved His Father, and His will. He must be aware of the various ways in which the Father's will comes to him, and thus he will realize the multiple ways in which he is to love the Father in embracing that will. The Father's will can come to him in joy and happiness or in pain and sorrow; in work or in relaxation; in a life of great obscurity as well as in a life which commands public attention; in frustration or in success. These and many other channels of the Father's will offer the Christian the opportunity to continue this witness of Christ's life: no matter how easy or difficult, the Father's will must be lovingly embraced in all things. This is how Christ radically saved the world. This is how the Church, living according to the same principle, cooperates with Christ in furthering His redemptive work.
Christ's great love and concern for men must also be continually reincarnated through the Christian. Contemporary spirituality makes considerable use of personalism.4 One basic way we can apply personalism to our present theme is as follows: God revealed His love to men in a concrete way, through a Person possessing a tangible, visible human nature. Although this tangible, historical Christ is no longer with us upon earth, the basic plan of the Father continues. To a considerable degree He still continues to give Himself, His love, through tangible, visible human natures. It is through the Christian united with Christ that God continues in many ways to make His love tangible, visible and human to mankind.
Through these brief indications we can realize the various and many possibilities through which Christ lives again in the Christian. As the Christian in this manner projects Christ to his contemporary world he relives the total mystery of Christ. All the mysteries of Christ's life will be apparent somehow in such a Christian existence. But as the Christian puts on Christ more and more, death-resurrection will be especially apparent. For the Christian will be more and more going out of a self-centered existence, dying to that which is not really life at all, and increasingly passing over into a greater existence, into the life of Christ Himself. In this manner the Christian continues that transition process of passing from a lower to a higher mode of existence. We have seen this transition process to be at the heart of salvation history. We saw it in the exodus-event of the Jewish people. We saw it in the death-resurrection of Christ. We continue to find it in the life of the Christian as he prolongs the paschal mystery of Christ.
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3. Cf. Second Vatican Council, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, No. 10.
4. Cf., for example, E. McMahon and P. Campbell, Becoming a Person in the Whole Christ (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967).
end of excerpt
R. I remember the words Fr. Carter
said to me on Tom's farm on
June 1, the month of the Sacred
Heart
The river was behind us and
one of Tom's children had been
married and he said
R. "I have a covenant with you"
Fr. Carter took his call as Founder of the
Shepherds of Christ very serious. He helped me
get the Blue Book writings published
and the Daily Messages
When Mary appeared on December 17, 1996,
Fr. Carter had already required me to keep
track of the 13th rosaries October 13th,
November 13th, December 13th of 1996
and the messages involved. Mary was
appearing every 5th since July 5, 1994.
On December 5, 1996 because Fr. Carter had
told me to go to Holy Cross-Immaculata
after we were kicked out of the
Holy Spirit Center, the old seminary, Jesus
appeared on the cross at the point
of death. 12 days later Mary appeared
in Clearwater.
When Fr. Carter died December 18, 2000
4 years after Mary had appeared
he had passed the "baton" on
in this photo in his house when
I said good-bye 4 days earlier
December 14, 2000
December 14, 2000
4 days before Fr. Carter's death
R. He called others in that place
that day, a select few to take
the Movement on
Melanie and Dan, John,
the Kellners, His sister, and
another couple which never came.
But this was the Covenant he
made with us to carry out this
commission God gave us in this
message.
July 31, 1994
Words of Jesus to Members of
Shepherds of Christ Associates:"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
R. God calls us to live in community
with each other to relationship
When Jesus gave me this vision
5 years to the day earlier on December 17, 1991
December 17, 1991
Jesus: I am Jesus. I have spoken as never before, you will spread My love to all souls on this earth.
The vision of Jesus' Heart on fire I had in the same pew at All Saints Church, December 17, 1991. The heart that is on the 2nd Blue Book. The first vision March 26, 1996, I had in the same pew on the other end of the pew toward the center aisle, the first pew on the right side of the church as I faced the altar.
His Burning Heart
R. I was alone in All Saints Church after Mass and Communion, in front of the tabernacle, when I saw the Sacred Heart. It was red around the outside, then a layer of yellow and then the brightest light in the center. I felt heat and it looked like an open furnace.
I thought about it all day and it instantly gave me peace and warmth in my heart. This is the purpose of these lettersto draw hearts to the ardent on-fire love of Jesus. I received the following message that day:
"Open your heart to the fire of God's love. He is ablaze in your heart. He wants to dwell in you and love you and others through you. Love God, yourself and one another and experience the fire set aglow in your heart and experience the warmth of His love."end of writing
R. Jesus wanted this picture on
Blue Book II
R. There were visions of Our Lady
by another visionary at Falmouth
on the 8ths 8 people were on
the Ark that survived at the time of Noah
Here is the reading for Sunday
Genesis 9: 8-15
God spoke as follows to Noah and his sons, I am now establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants to come, and with every living creature that was with you: birds, cattle and every wild animal with you; everything that came out of the ark, every living thing on earth. And I shall maintain my covenant with you: that never again shall all living things be destroyed by the waters of a flood, nor shall there ever again be a flood to devastate the earth.
And this, God said, is the sign of the covenant which I now make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come: I now set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I shall recall the covenant between myself and you and every living creature, in a word all living things, and never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all living things.
R. After things went the way
they did at Falmouth they
would not publish the messages
God gave for the Shepherds of Christ or
put out the Blue Books
Falmouth, the city flooded
We see Mary appeared in Clearwater
December 17, 1996
The sign of the Rainbow I went there
and she then appeared in Clearwater in
rainbow gold and gold on the 5ths
here is how she appeared as I
prayed there
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All 5ths -
Our Lady of Clearwater Florida
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 November 5, 2003 |
 December 5, 2003 |
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R. I see the Covenant goes on
the union with the Servant and
Handmaids and Apostles and members
still operating and carrying out
Fr. Carter's directions from Jesus
and Fr. Carter prayed at every Mass
for vocations to all 7 categories
in the Shepherds of Christ.
Fr. Carter took his relationship
seriously to his death
The mission of the Shepherds of Christ so
serious to carry it on and
on, the 24 hour adoration
I see Betty and Sheila and Rosie and
Jerry and Sophie all doing the
adoration 24 hours a day,
7 days a week, praying constantly
before the exposed Eucharist
R. Praying and giving, sending
Fr. Joe's book now, out of China,
to over 21,000 priests in the United States
Keeping on, keeping on having
been given this commission by
God to send the Priestly Newsletter
every other month to all the priests
in the United States we have circulated
well more than 15,000,000 Priestly
Newsletters in books and loose to
hierarchy and all priests in
the United States since July, 1994 about
18 years of circulating these
writings which Jesus commissioned
Fr. Carter.
We see the Priestly Writing weekly
in Fr. Joe's book as we have sent
only 21,000 so far of Cycle B to
the priests in the United States.
Sunday's Readings
Genesis 9: 8-15
God spoke as follows to Noah and his sons, I am now establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants to come, and with every living creature that was with you: birds, cattle and every wild animal with you; everything that came out of the ark, every living thing on earth. And I shall maintain my covenant with you: that never again shall all living things be destroyed by the waters of a flood, nor shall there ever again be a flood to devastate the earth.
And this, God said, is the sign of the covenant which I now make between myself and you and every living creature with you for all ages to come: I now set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I gather the clouds over the earth and the bow appears in the clouds, I shall recall the covenant between myself and you and every living creature, in a word all living things, and never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all living things.
Psalm 25: 4-9
DIRECT me in your ways, Yahweh,
and teach me your paths.ENCOURAGE me to walk in your truth and teach me
since you are the God who saves me.FOR my hope is in you all day long
such is your generosity, Yahweh.
GOODNESS and faithful love have been yours for ever,
Yahweh, do not forget them.HOLD not my youthful sins against me,
but remember me as your faithful love dictates.INTEGRITY and generosity are marks of Yahweh
for he brings sinners back to the path.JUDICIOUSLY he guides the humble,
instructing the poor in his way.
1 Peter 3: 18-22
Christ himself died once and for all for sins, the upright for the sake of the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life, and, in the spirit, he went to preach to the spirits in prison. They refused to believe long ago, while God patiently waited to receive them, in Noahs time when the ark was being built. In it only a few, that is eight souls, were saved through water. It is the baptism corresponding to this water which saves you nownot the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience given to God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has entered heaven and is at Gods right hand, with angels, ruling forces and powers subject to him.
Mark 1: 12-15
And at once the Spirit drove him into the desert and he remained there for forty days, and was put to the test by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels looked after him.
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the gospel from God saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.
R. Here is the rest of that homily
for Sunday the priests got for this
year.
1st Sunday of Lent
March 1, 2009
In Arthur Millers play, Death of a Salesman, the central character is Willy Loman, an aging salesman who has been forced to work only on commission. His meager income cant pay the bills. Yet he refuses to face reality. He struggles to keep the illusion that he is highly successful and greatly loved by all his customers. Eventually he loses his job and decides to end his life, which he does. His son said of his father, he never knew who he really was.HOMILY
Who are we? Answering who we are is often best answered when we know what we are looking for in life? What do we want most out of life? Ive just finished reading a wonderful book:
The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton. Thomas Merton grew up pretty much without any relationship with God. He struggled to find happiness and peace in life but couldnt seem to find it anywhere, not until he found his way into the Catholic Church and ultimately to the Trappist Monastery near Bardstown, Kentucky. He found himself, he found who he was, in finding God.I am reminded of a retreat I made about 30 years ago. It was a guided retreat where I met with the retreat master for an hour every day. The retreat master asked me to reflect on the question What do you want most in life? Being younger as I was, my answer to myself was immediate: I thought I would be happiest if I could have a beautiful, young, loving wife (maybe rich too!). Even as a priest I couldnt help envying couples I would happen to see together, wishing I could have been the one holding hands with the loving wife. It seemed like the right answer to the question, What do you want most in life? But the question continued to reassert itself throughout the three days of retreat, continued to seek an answer as if it had not been answered at all. On the last day of retreat, I was praying in church. Looking deep into my soul, I discovered the real answer to that question, an answer that gave me the greatest peace, a peace that has held up in almost all the difficulties Ive faced since then. The real answer to the question, what do I want most in life? was to be and to do whatever God wanted of me. I realized if I did that, my life would be a success. That peace was tested and demonstrated itself almost immediately. When I left the church, apparently there was a couples retreat going on at the retreat house, and lots of couples were walking around talking and holding hands. I felt very peaceful about it, watching them, happy for them and not feeling any envy at all, or wishing I were anything other than what I was. The natural yearning for love and companionship and intimacy didnt disappear that day, but I experienced a new peace in dealing with it.
What was Jesus doing in the desert? He didnt need to do penance for any misdeeds. Perhaps he was asking himself the same questions: Who am I? What do I want in life? What does God, the Father, want of me? The next forty days invite us to our own time of retreat. Maybe we cant get away for a few days, but maybe we can find some way to ask our self, what am I looking for in life? What are the temptations that keep me from knowing God better, knowing myself better? Jesus tells us: The kingdom of God is at hand. Its right in front of us, if we only have eyes to see and ears to hear.
R. Next week in the 2nd Sunday of Lent
Fr. Joe speaks of Covenant again
because of these scriptures
Genesis 22, 1-2, 9-13, 15-182nd Sunday of Lent
It happened some time later that God put Abraham to the test. Abraham, Abraham! he called. Here I am, he replied. God said, Take your son, your only son, your beloved Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, where you are to offer him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall point out to you.?
When they arrived at the place which God had indicated to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the wood. Then he bound his son and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son.
But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven. Abraham, Abraham! he said. Here I am, he replied. Do not raise your hand against the boy, the angel said. Do not harm him, for now I know you fear God. You have not refused me your own beloved son. Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.
The angel of Yahweh called Abraham a second time from heaven. I swear by my own self, Yahweh declares, that because you have done this, because you have not refused me your own beloved son, I will shower blessings on you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will gain possession of the gates of their enemies. All nations on earth will bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed my command.
Psalm 116: 10, 15-19
My trust does not fail even when I say,
"I am completely wretched."
Costly in Yahweh's sight
is the death of his faithful.I beg you, Yahweh! I am your servant,
I am your servant and my mother was your servant;
you have undone my fetters.
I shall offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of Yahweh.I shall fulfil my vows to Yahweh,
witnessed by all his people,
in the courts of the house of Yahweh,
in your very heart, Jerusalem.
Romans 8: 31-34
After saying this, what can we add? If God is for us, who can be against us? Since he did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for the sake of all of us, then can we not expect that with him he will freely give us all his gifts? Who can bring any accusation against those that God has chosen? When God grants saving justice who can condemn? Are we not sure that it is Christ Jesus, who died-yes and more, who was raised from the dead and is at God's right hand-and who is adding his plea for us?
Mark 9: 2-10
Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain on their own by themselves. There in their presence he was transfigured: his clothes became brilliantly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus, Rabbi, he said, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah. He did not know what to say; they were so frightened. And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and from the cloud there came a voice, This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him. Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them any more but only Jesus.
As they were coming down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of man had risen from the dead. They observed the warning faithfully, though among themselves they discussed what rising from the dead could mean.
2nd Sunday of Lent
March 8, 2009
INTRODUCTION
(Gen 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18; Rom 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10) Last week we heard about Gods covenant with Noah. Another important covenant is implied in todays first reading - Gods covenant with Abraham. God promised Abraham numerous blessings, including many descendants. In return, God asked Abraham simply to trust him. Today we hear how Abraham remained trusting in a most difficult situation. Abraham must have felt great anguish when he sensed God was asking him to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. I often wonder if God really asked this of Abraham or if Abraham just thought God was asking this of him. Human sacrifice was common in many cultures, including that of Abrahams closest neighbors, so it was natural that Abraham may have thought he should make this kind of sacrifice just as others were doing.HOMILY
One cold winter evening a priest was walking through a dangerous neighborhood. A man hiding in the shadows didnt recognize him as a priest because the priest had his topcoat buttoned up to his chin. The man came out of the shadows with a gun and asked the priest to give him his wallet. When the priest opened his coat to get it, the man with the gun saw his Roman collar and apologized. He said Sorry Father, I didnt know you were a priest. I cant steal from you. Just go on your way. The priest was so relieved he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a cigar. He said Thank you my good man. Let me give you a cigar. The robber said I appreciate that Father, but I cant take it. I gave up smoking for Lent.Well, the obvious point is that whatever spiritual practice we choose to take on during Lent, it is supposed to change us, it is supposed to make us better people. Changes come in many ways. Some are good, some are not. Some are gradual, some occur with amazing speed. Todays readings deal with the most profound change any human will ever face: the end of life in this world and the beginning of life in the next. Did you notice how the themes of death and life are part of each of todays readings?
Abrahams son Isaac came within seconds of having his life taken from him, but he was spared. His having been spared was like a resurrection for him. Abrahams relief in his sons remaining alive would have been enormous.
St. Paul reminds us that Jesus death and resurrection is an assurance of Gods love.
In the gospel, Jesus transfiguration is not only a revelation of divine glory hidden in Jesus, but the transfiguration is closely tied to Jesus death and resurrection. If you go to St. Marks gospel and read the passage immediately preceding the account of the transfiguration, you will see that right before Jesus went up the mountain, Jesus warned his apostles that he would be put to death and would rise again. Immediately after the event, when coming down from the mountain, he tells Peter, James and John, who were with him during the transfiguration, not to tell anyone what they had experienced until he had risen from the dead.
Our season of Lent prepares us to celebrate again what Jesus has done for us in his death and resurrection. We are called to enter into new life with him now so that when our time comes we can enter fully into his glory. Some day, as Jesus was changed, we too will be changed if we remain in union with him. If we continue to share in his life through faith, when we lay aside this present life with its joys and sorrows, its triumphs and its weaknesses, we will enter into a glorious new world which Jesus has opened up to us. We too will be transfigured. Amen.
R.
Be a part of this
To send this Priestly Mailing
every Sunday to the priests
We do this all through donations
and volunteers
2011 Bishops and Priests Responses to the Cycle B Book
1. 10/2011 - Cardinal - Thank you for the book, Guiding Light, by Fr. Joe Robinson.
2. 10/24/11 - Bishop - Many thanks for sending me a copy of Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word. Homilies by Fr. Joe Robinson, and information about Shepherds of Christ. I am deeply grateful for your kindness and thoughtfulness. I look forward to reading it! Please be assured of my prayers, and may the Holy Spirit continue to guide everything you do.
3. 10/25/11 - Bishop - I would like to thank you for the courtesy of sending me the publication Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word, Homilies by Fr. Joe Robinson and related materials. I send my prayers to you and your ministry.
4. 10/25/11 - Bishop - I thank you for your letter and the helpful information you sent me on Shepherds of Christ, and a big thank you for the book that is filled with much helpful information especially as we enter into the Advent season. Thank you for all you do. God's peace.
5. 10/25/11 - Bishop - Thank you very much for the book entitled, Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word, homilies by Father Joe Robinson, and the Shepherds of Christ Prayer Manual. Your kindness in sending this material to me is greatly appreciated.
6. 10/25/11 - Bishop - I thank you sincerely for your letter of October 13, 2011, and for sending a complimentary copy of Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word - Homilies by Father Joe Robinson. I look forward to review this work in the near future.
7. 10/25/11 - Archbishop - This card acknowledges the receipt of your recent correspondence. Your letter has been forwarded to the Archbishop.
8. 10/26/11 - Bishop - This letter acknowledges receipt of your recent letter and the information you included from Shepherds of Christ Ministries. Thank you for your kindness.
9. 10/26/11 - Bishop - Thank you for sending me a copy of the Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word, by Father Joe Robinson. Thank you as well for the other enclosures and for the information about the Shepherds of Christ Ministries. I appreciate the work that went into their publication and I am please to receive them.
10. 10/26/11 - Bishop - On behalf of the Bishop, thank you very much for the copy of Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word. Bishop will no doubt appreciate your thoughtfulness in remembering him with this gift. Thanks again!
11. 10/27/11 - Bishop - I am in receipt of your letter of October 13, 2011, with enclosed materials. Thank you for sending a copy of "Guiding Light", a compilation of homilies from Fr. Joe Robinson. I appreciate the work of Shepherds of Christ Ministries in their support for the life and ministry of priests. Please know that I will join you in prayer for all priests.
12. 10/27/11 - Bishop - Thank you for your letter of October 13th and for the book, Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word, by Father Joe Robinson. I look forward to perusing your brother's homilies. I am deeply grateful, as well, for the prayer chapters you have established for priests, Church and world, as well as for all of your prayers in Indiana. Your devotion to the spiritual life is exemplary. May our gracious God abundantly bless you and all who serve in the ministry of the Shepherds of Christ.
13. 10/28/11 - Archbishop - I would like to express my gratitude for the copy of the book, "Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word", Homilies by Father. Joe Robinson; how very thoughtful of you! I look forward to meditating and reading over Father Robinson's homilies. Be assured of my prayers for you and everyone at Shepherds of Christ Publications. May you continue to serve the Lord with love, and may He continue to bless you. Entrusting you to the care of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
14. 10/28/11 - Bishop - I appreciate you sharing the book, Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word, Fr. Joe Robinson along with other supporting materials. It is good to see the Holy Spirit alive and working in the Universal Church. Assuring you and Shepherds of Christ Ministries of my prayers and best wishes.
15. 10/31/11 - Archbishop - Thank you most sincerely for your letter of October 13, 2011, together with the enclosed publications. Your thoughtfulness in updating me on the Shepherds of Christ Ministries is deeply appreciated.
16. 11/1/11 - Bishop - Thank you for your letter and for the enclosed materials and book, Guiding Light: Reflect on the Word. I appreciate you thinking of me and taking the time to send them. Be assured of my prayers for you. May the Lord bless you with His love and mercy.
17. 11/2/11 - Bishop - I wish to express my gratitude for your letter of October 13, 2011, with the accompanying book of homilies, Guiding Light, by your brother, Father Joe Robinson. I look forward to reading them and benefiting from their spiritual insight. Please know of my continued prayers for the work of the Shepherds of Christ Ministries. May God continue to bless your efforts especially on behalf of your service to priests.
R. We receive lots of letters and
responses from priests and
bishops, cardinals who thank us
Fr. Joe says
3rd Sunday of Lent
March 15, 2009
INTRODUCTION
(Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Cor. 1:22-25; John 2:13-25) Covenant is a theme that keeps recurring in our first reading these Sundays of Lent. The first Sunday of Lent we hear about Gods covenant with Noah. Last Sunday we heard about Gods covenant with Abraham and how Abrahams trust in God was tested when he heard God tell him to sacrifice his son. Today, the third Sunday of Lent, we hear about Gods covenant with his people as they traveled under the leadership of Moses from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. God, for his part of the covenant, promised his people liberty, land, prosperity and his special care and love. Todays first reading tells us what God expected of them in return.HOMILY
I want to draw for you a mental picture of what Jerusalem looked like at the time of Jesus during the Passover celebration. At that time the activities at the Temple were the years major event: religiously, culturally and economically for all of Israel, especially for Jerusalem. Jews came to Jerusalem from all over the world at Passover. Josephus, the Jewish historian, may be exaggerating when he says over 250,000 Passover victims - oxen, sheep and doves - were sacrificed during Passover, but certainly the figure ran into many thousands. (Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, Joachim Jeremias, pg. 57). The Law required that the animals for sacrifice be perfect. Since people came from distant places, which would have been burdensome to bring an animal with them, not to mention risking the possibility their animal would be rejected because it had some imperfection, it was expedient that the great majority of the animals be sold in Jerusalem. With only one place to buy what they needed, they would get no bargains. Are you beginning to get a picture of something like a county fair with people packed together coming and going, moving along with thousands of oxen and sheep, or carrying doves in little birdcages. The high priestly family may have been in on this business big time. Josephus described the High Priest Ananias as the great procurer of money. (ibidem, pg 49) On top of all this there were the moneychangers.The law required that people purchase their sacrifice with Jewish currency. Roman coins were considered idolatrous because they were engraved with pagan inscriptions and images. Since the Jews were under Roman occupation, they probably had to use Roman currency in their everyday lives. So when people came to Jerusalem and they wanted to buy an animal for sacrifice, they had to exchange their foreign money for Jewish currency. Thus we have the moneychangers. One wonders how much profiteering was happening as the exchange was made.
Aside from any cheating or dishonesty, there were those who were getting quite wealthy in the name of God. Jesus told the Jewish leaders who challenged him for doing what he did: you have made it (the Temple) a den of thieves. We sometimes wonder why Jesus reacted so violently in this instance. We see him nowhere else in the Scriptures expressing such anger. Quite possibly he was angry at seeing how poor people coming to worship God were being ripped off. The gospels give us another reason too for his anger as they recalled the psalm verse: Zeal for your house will consume me. Obviously he placed worship of God much more highly than most people do. We all know how easy it is to become careless in our reverence and devotion to our Heavenly Father. Often God gets put in second place, or even further down in our list of priorities. It was not that way with Jesus. His Heavenly Father always took first place with him.
We heard the Commandments in our first reading. Notice they are not suggestions or recommendations. They are spoken by one who speaks with authority. Notice that our obligations to God are placed at the top of the list. Is that because God is in need of our worship? No, its just putting things in perspective. If we value our relationship with God, everything else falls into place. When God is forgotten, then we have no anchor, no ground on which to base our morality, no one to whom we are accountable. We make up our own rules; we make ourselves into our own gods. Thats where Adam and Eve got into trouble; they wanted to make themselves equal to God and make their own rules. That is how they lost the happiness God initially gave them.
The commandments and the cleansing of the Temple might prompt us today on this third Sunday of Lent to reflect on our own relationship with God. We call him Lord. Do our lives show that we believe what we say?
R.
We read that3rd Sunday of Lent
Then God spoke all these words. He said, I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you lived as slaves.
You shall have no other gods to rival me.
You shall not make yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the waters under the earth.
You shall not bow down to them or serve them. For I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God and I punish a parents fault in the children, the grandchildren, and the greatgrandchildren among those who hate me; but I act with faithful love towards thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not misuse the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will not leave unpunished anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath for Yahweh your God. You shall do no work that day, neither you nor your son nor your daughter nor your servants, men or women, nor your animals nor the alien living with you. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens, earth and sea and all that these contain, but on the seventh day he rested; that is why Yahweh has blessed the Sabbath day and made it sacred.
Honour your father and your mother so that you may live long in the land that Yahweh your God is giving you.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not give false evidence against your neighbour.
You shall not set your heart on your neighbours house. You shall not set your heart on your neighbours spouse, or servant, man or woman, or ox, or donkey, or any of your neighbours possessions.
Psalm 19: 8-11
The precepts of Yahweh are honest,
joy for the heart;
the commandment of Yahweh is pure,
light for the eyes.The fear of Yahweh is pure,
lasting for ever;
the judgements of Yahweh are true,
upright, every one,more desirable than gold,
even than the finest gold;
his words are sweeter than honey,
that drips from the comb.Thus your servant is formed by them;
observing them brings great reward.
While the Jews demand miracles and the Greeks look for wisdom, we are preaching a crucified Christ: to the Jews an obstacle they cannot get over, to the gentiles foolishness, but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is both the power of God and the wisdom of God. God's folly is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
Making a whip out of cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, sheep and cattle as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the dove sellers, 'Take all this out of here and stop using my Father's house as a market.' Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: I am eaten up with zeal for your house. The Jews intervened and said, 'What sign can you show us that you should act like this?' Jesus answered, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews replied, It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple: are you going to raise it up again in three days? But he was speaking of the Temple that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and what he had said.When the time of the Jewish Passover was near Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting there.
During his stay in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he did, but Jesus knew all people and did not trust himself to them; he never needed evidence about anyone; he could tell what someone had within.
4th Sunday of Lent
March 22, 2009
INTRODUCTION
(2 Chronicles 36:14-16, 19-23; Eph. 2:4-10; John 3:14-21) Last Sunday we heard about Gods covenant with his people as they traveled with Moses from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. God promised his people many blessings and his special love and in return they were to keep his Law, especially the part of the Law we call The Ten Commandments. The Jewish historian who wrote the book of Chronicles gives us a summary of over seven centuries of infidelities on the part of Gods people to their covenant. The consequences of their infidelity led to untold disaster for the nation, but God would not let them be destroyed totally. Just to help you visualize this better, the Babylonians who practically destroyed them came out of modern day Iraq. The Persians who restored them to their land came out of Iran. Our psalm refrain is the lament of Gods people as they suffered captivity in Babylon. Next week we will hear Jeremiah promise that God would make a new covenant with his people since the old one was so poorly kept. We celebrate and renew Gods new covenant as always as we celebrate the Eucharist today.
2 Chronicles 36: 14-16, 19-23
Furthermore, all the leaders of Judah, the priests and the people too, added infidelity to infidelity, copying all the shameful practices of the nations and defiling the Temple of Yahweh which he himself had consecrated in Jerusalem. Yahweh, God of their ancestors, continuously sent them word through his messengers because he felt sorry for his people and his dwelling, but they ridiculed the messengers of God, they despised his words, they laughed at his prophets, until Yahweh's wrath with his people became so fierce that there was no further remedy.
He burned down the temple of God, demolished the walls of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces to the ground and destroyed everything of value in it. And those who had escaped the sword he deported to Babylon, where they were enslaved by him and his descendants until the rise of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfil Yahweh's prophecy through Jeremiah: Until the country has paid off its Sabbaths, it will lie fallow for all the days of its desolation--until the seventy years are complete.
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia--to fulfil the word of Yahweh through Jeremiah--Yahweh roused the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom: 'Cyrus king of Persia says this, "Yahweh, the God of Heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God be with him! Let him go up." '
Psalm 137: 1-6
By the rivers of Babylon
we sat and wept
at the memory of Zion.
On the poplars there
we had hung up our harps.For there our gaolers had asked us
to sing them a song,
our captors to make merry,
Sing us one of the songs of Zion.How could we sing a song of Yahweh
on alien soil?If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand wither!May my tongue remain stuck to my palate
if I do not keep you in mind,
if I do not count Jerusalem
the greatest of my joys.
Ephesians 2: 4-10
But God, being rich in faithful love, through the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, brought us to life with Christit is through grace that you have been savedand raised us up with him and gave us a place with him in heaven, in Christ Jesus.
This was to show for all ages to come, through his goodness towards us in Christ Jesus, how extraordinarily rich he is in grace. Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. We are Gods work of art, created in Christ Jesus for the good works which God has already designated to make up our way of life.
John 3: 14-21
as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert,
so must the Son of man be lifted up
so that everyone who believes
may have eternal life in him.
For this is how God loved the world:
he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him
may not perish
but may have eternal life.
For God sent his Son into the world
not to judge the world,
but so that through him
the world might be saved.
No one who believes in him
will be judged;
but whoever does not believe
is judged already,
because that person does not believe
in the Name of Gods only Son.
And the judgement is this:
though the light has come into the world
people have preferred
darkness to the light
because their deeds were evil.
And indeed, everybody who does wrong
hates the light and avoids it,
to prevent his actions
from being shown up;
but whoever does the truth
comes out into the light,
so that what he is doing
may plainly appear as done in God.
5th Sunday of Lent
March 29, 2009
INTRODUCTION
(Jeremiah 31:31-35; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33) The prophet Jeremiah lived 600 years before Christ. He was sent by God to mercifully warn Gods people that they were living on the edge of catastrophe. If they didnt start following Gods ways the Babylonians would invade their land and destroy them. Centuries of wanton idolatry and social injustice had seriously demoralized and weakened Gods people. If they followed what God was telling them through Jeremiah they could avoid disaster. Of course, they ignored Jeremiah and punished him for his message. Todays first reading comes shortly before the Babylonian invasion. God speaks, through Jeremiah, that he is gravely disappointed with the way Gods people continually violated the covenant they made with Godat Mt. Sinai, a covenant Moses solemnly sealed in blood centuries earlier. In spite of their unfaithfulness, God still loved his people and would make a new covenant with them. Six hundred years later, Jesus used these words new covenant when he gave the cup of his blood to his apostles at the Last Supper. We renew that covenant with him each time we come to Mass.
Jeremiah 31: 31-34
Look, the days are coming, Yahweh declares, when I shall make a new covenant with the House of Israel (and the House of Judah), but not like the covenant I made with their ancestors the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt, a covenant which they broke, even though I was their Master, Yahweh declares. No, this is the covenant I shall make with the House of Israel when those days have come, Yahweh declares. Within them I shall plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I shall be their God and they will be my people. There will be no further need for everyone to teach neighbour or brother, saying, "Learn to know Yahweh!" No, they will all know me, from the least to the greatest, Yahweh declares, since I shall forgive their guilt and never more call their sin to mind.
Covenant
Covenant
Covenant
Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-15
For I am well aware of my offences,
my sin is constantly in mind.
Against you, you alone, I have sinned,
I have done what you see to be wrong,Give me back the joy of your salvation,
sustain in me a generous spirit.
I shall teach the wicked your paths,
and sinners will return to you.Deliver me from bloodshed, God, God of my salvation,
and my tongue will acclaim your saving justice.
Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will speak out your praise.
Hebrews 5: 7-9
During his life on earth, he offered up prayer and entreaty, with loud cries and with tears, to the one who had the power to save him from death, and, winning a hearing by his reverence, he learnt obedience, Son though he was, through his sufferings; when he had been perfected, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation
John 12: 20-33
Jesus foretells his death
and subsequent glorificationAmong those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, Sir, we should like to see Jesus. Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus.
Jesus replied to them:
Now the hour has come
for the Son of man to be glorified.
In all truth I tell you,
unless a wheat grain falls into the earth
and dies,
it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies
it yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me, must follow me,
and my servant will be with me
wherever I am.
If anyone serves me,
my Father will honour him.
Now my soul is troubled.
What shall I say:
Father, save me from this hour?
But it is for this very reason
that I have come to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!A voice came from heaven, I have glorified it, and I will again glorify it.
The crowd standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, It was an angel speaking to him. Jesus answered, It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.Now sentence is being passed
on this world;
now the prince of this world
is to be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I shall draw all people to myself.By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.
R. We do this all by donations.
Can't you help us?
January 2012 Response to Cycle B Homily Book
1. 1-9-2012 - Priest - I got your books and booklets and I tried founding a prayer group which has stood the test of time until now. During our last meeting, a nun asked me if I still have in possession some of the books of Rita Ring. She read the first two you sent to me and she is asking for more if there were any new copies or editions. These books were highly appreciated for their daily meditations on life!
2. 1-2012 - Priest - Dear Rita Ring and Good Shepherds of Christ Ministries. Thank you for your ministries and prayers and for sending the sermons of Fr. Joseph Robinson. May God bless your work.
3. 1-24-2012 - Priest - I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the useful book "Guiding Light, Homilies by Fr. Joe Robinson." I can use all the help I can get to prepare my Sunday Homilies. Count on my prayers for you and for your Spiritual family. At the same time, I beg for your prayers on my behalf, asking Our Lord for the holy grace of perseverance in my vocation all the days of my life.
4. 1-4-2012 - Priest - Thank you very much for your good service and sorry for the delay... May God bless you abundantly with your ministry!
5. 1-2012 - Priest - Thank you very much for the "Guiding Light" I am retired now I'll use the book for Spiritual Reading. I am enclosing a donation for your good work. In Jesus and Mary
6. 1-2012 - Priest - Thank you for Fr. Joe's reflections on the Word. I can use all the help I can get. I also thank you for the prayers you offer in behalf of priests. You give me a light on a rainy day. May God continue to nourish your ministry.
7. 1-2012 - Priest - I am so thankful to you for providing me with the marvelous sermons of Fr. Joe Robinson. Merry Christmas.
From Fr. Joe's Book
5th Sunday of Lent
March 29, 2009
Todays gospel is from John chapter 12, verses 20 to 33. If you would look at verse 1 of this chapter, John tells us it was six days before Passover and Jesus had just arrived in Bethany, a little town located on the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron valley from Jerusalem. Jesus was going there to celebrate Passover that year, just as thousands of other Jews were doing. That year Passover began on Friday evening, so six days before meant Jesus arrived in Bethany sometime on Saturday. Some of his friends, including Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, prepared a dinner for him - not necessarily at their home. It would have to have been a big dinner remember Jesus had 12 apostles with him. Lazarus, some time before as you know, had been raised from the dead by Jesus, an event that led many Jews to believe in Jesus. While at this dinner, Mary anointed Jesus feet with expensive perfume. Judas registered a complaint that the gesture was wasteful and the perfume should have been sold so the proceeds could have been given to the poor. Judas, John tells us, was the treasurer for the group and he didnt care for the poor but used to steal from the money with which he had been entrusted. Jesus told Judas to leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. And, indeed, Jesus would be buried before the week was over.HOMILY
John tells us that the next day, which would have been the first day of the week, news got around that Jesus was going into Jerusalem just a couple of miles from where he was in Bethany. When a crowd heard he was going into the city, they met him with palm branches singing Hosanna. Blessed is he who comes in the nameof the Lord. The Pharisees remarked to each other: We cannot win! Look the whole world has gone after him. Although we wont commemorate Palm Sunday until next week, I wanted to mention this because the anointing at Bethany and the triumphal entry into Jerusalem immediately preceded todays gospel and are connected with it, especially the theme of Jesus death. After the Pharisees commented that the whole world has gone after him, John tells us its true. Some Greeks showed up wanting to see Jesus and thats where todays gospel begins.
Most scripture scholars believe that it was after Jesus entered Jerusalem on this occasion that he drove the merchants and money-changers out of the Temple. Thats where Matthew, Mark and Luke place the cleansing of the temple in their gospels. But John had already told us about that incident earlier in his gospel, so he does not mention it here. Instead, when these Greek worshippers sought to see Jesus, Jesus saw this as a sign that his hour had come. Hour is a key word in John. It described the time he would complete hismission here on earth. It was the time when he would be put to death for faithfully fulfilling his work of teaching, healing, forgiving sins and spreading Gods love. It was the time when Jesus would be raised up, both on the cross and in the resurrection, a time when God would manifest to the utmost his presence in his Son.
Todays gospel is Jesus own reflection on his death. Being human it is not something he wants to go through. I am troubled now, he says. The Greek word used here does not mean something like a mother telling her children I am troubled when you dont come when I call you. The Greek word means to experience inward turmoil, to be stirred up, disturbed, unsettled, thrown into confusion. He wonders aloud if he should say: Father, save me from this hour. If he escaped or ran away, he would abandon all that he had done and all he came to do and his good works would be forgotten forever. He had to face this hour so that he could be glorified and God would be glorified in him. Here the word glory does not mean Jesus was looking for human praise. Glory in the scriptures means a special revelation of Gods presence. It means that he would save us through his death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus gave us an example to help us understand how his death would lead to our salvation. Like a seed must die in order to produce a new growth, so through Jesus death, resurrection and return to the Father new life would come forth in those who have followed him. He tells us, where I am, there also will my servant be. We will all face death, but following him involves another kind of death, death to selfishness and sin, and maybe even martyrdom. But death to ourselves will lead to life eternal. As Jesus prays for the strength to get through the ordeal ahead and thus give glory to the Father by fulfilling his mission, God the Fathers voice is heard. The Fathers words give testimony about Jesus. The gospel ends on a note of hope, for this will be a time of judgment for the world. This means it will look as if evil has won with Jesus death. But Christs glorification will put an end to the power of evil in this world. (Incidentally I read once this is the idea behind April fools day: its association with Easter. When Jesus rose, the devil, who thought he got rid of Jesus was made to look a fool.) Evil will not triumph. Jesus will win in the end. We need to keep this optimism in trying times and know that in Jesus is our hope and our life. Amen.
R. Help us now in this troubled
times in the United States
Help us send this dynamic
tool to all the priests
in the United States
We have sent at least 21,000
to the 38,000 priests, for
weekly use
July 31, 1994
Words of Jesus to Members of
Shepherds of Christ Associates:"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
Fr. Carter had a Dream.
R. From Response in Christ by Edward J. Carter, S.J.
4. Love of Friendship
a) The Nature of FriendshipIn the course of our daily lives we encounter many people, and some of these we encounter rather regularly. We can thus establish amicable relationships with a number of people. We can say therefore that we have many friends. But full, deep friendship, friendship in the stricter sense of the word, is another matter. For various reasons it seems that we can establish this sort of relationship only with a relatively small number of individuals. However, whatever may be the degree and kind of friendship, it is a gift from God. It has its place in the Christian life. Friendship, in fact, is one of the great forms of Christian love. Christ Himself has shown us this. Christ, too, had friends, such as Lazarus, Martha and Mary.
What is friendship, especially in the stricter sense of the word? It is a mutual self-giving in love. By the mutual gift of one another, friends desire to promote the good of one another. Although I-thou encounters are not limited to friendship, what M. Nιdoncelle says concerning these relationships certainly can be applied here: ". . . love is a will to promotion. The I that loves is willing above all the existence of the thou. . ."4
As with all forms of true love, the love for a friend above all desires the total good of that friend. In my love for a friend I desire that this person become everything that he or she can become. But in my love for a friend I not only desire his total development. In the love of friendship I also give myself in a very direct, personal and intimate way to help achieve this growth.
This desire to give myself to the friend necessitates that the friend also love me. For I cannot give myself fully to the other unless that person reciprocally loves me and opens himself to receive my love. Consequently, the love of friendship means a decision to love and be loved on the part of both involved. "For friendship, it is not sufficient that I love another directly as myself; to be friendship, my love of benevolence must be explicitly reciprocated. Friendship exists only between those who love one another."5
One of the most distinctive qualities of friendship is this mutual love which is given in complete freedom.6 Friends are united in a love which does not depend on a tie such as marriage. Friends are radically free to desist loving one another with the love of friendship at any time: yet the fact that they continue to love is one of the glories of friendship. This is not to say that each and every friendship perennially endures. At times, one or both decide for various reasons to end the friendship. But, ideally, friendship is forever. This points up the necessity of not entering lightly into a friendship. Full, deep friendship is an important human relationship, and it should be treated accordingly.
Through their mutual love friends can give profound support to one another. To know that I am accepted and loved by another in friendship helps give me the courage to make my full contribution to Christ and to man. Friends look at life together, and they live life together. This is why there must be a basic affinity between friends, a basic set of common ideals and goals. Otherwise the close union of friendship does not seem possible. On the other hand, this basic affinity does not exclude all differences. Each person in the friendship is an unique individual, and he will give his individuality to the other with the inevitable differences which distinguish one person from another. These personal differences, properly blended into the unity of friendship, help to enrich the encounter.
Friendship is a form of love, and therefore it is a life. As with all life, friendship must be properly nourished. Otherwise, it will wither and die. Each person must realize his responsibility in keeping the friendship alive and healthy. Notice, we are not saying that there should be a morbid anxiety on the part of friends concerning the perdurability of their encounter. We are merely stating that friends, while resting assured in their mutual love, can never afford to take one another for granted, in the pejorative sense of this phrase.
b) Man-Woman FriendshipsSome seem to distrust friendships between men and women, unless, of course, these are part of the integral pattern leading to marriage. Is this a correct attitude? We should examine the question, since it is of particular contemporary concern.7
In giving an answer to this question there are two extremes which should be avoided. One extreme says that to achieve personal fulfillment every man and woman must have a deep interpersonal relationship with a person of the opposite sex. If this is not achieved through marriage, it must be achieved through a celibate form of interpersonal communion. The other extreme says that an intimate personal relationship with a person of the opposite sex must always be considered suspect for the unmarried, whether they be priests, religious or laity. Let us briefly examine these two extreme positions.
There are countless examples of unmarried men and women in the Church who have achieved Christian maturity, including personality development, without intimate, hetero-sexual relationships. This is a fact which is true today, as it has been in the past also. Simply stated, the facts do not substantiate the claim of those who maintain that, whether married or not, every man needs a woman and every woman needs a man.
The opposite opinion which condemns every intimate man-woman relationship beyond the vocation of marriage is equally false. Here again, the facts are the proof. There are classical examples of deep friendship involving celibate men and women. Included in such a list are St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Jordan of Saxony and Diana of Andalo. St. Ignatius Loyola also had friends who were women, and, close to our own day, Teilhard de Chardin maintained a deep, personal relationship with his cherished cousin. The history of the Church, past and present, proves that God's providence can lead certain celibate men and women to meaningful and very beneficial friendships with those of the opposite sex. It is a testimony to God's grace that these friendships can exist, and even become very profound, while the erotic element is properly sublimated. This is not to say that all man-woman friendships among those vowed to celibacy have remained noble, but what other gift of God to man has not also been abused?
Among other values, such friendships give an eschatological witness to eternal life. In heaven there will be no marriage. But all the saved, whether male or female, will be deeply united in love, not only with God, but also with one another. Consequently, the fact that these relationships are not intended for every celibate man and woman does not mean they are not intended for any of them. If this type of friendship is to remain authentically Christian, however, the persons involved must be committed to a desire for progress in the Christian life. They must have already achieved a certain degree of spiritual and affective maturity, and they should have some worthwhile goal that transcends their own relationship. The achievement of this goal, in fact, is meant to be promoted by their friendship.
Without becoming anxious, and while not overemphasizing possible dangers involved, those engaged in a man-woman friendship should be realistic and be guided by the virtue of prudence. If one feels reasonably assured that such a relationship is according to God's will, one may prudently expose himself to possible risks involved.
c) Friendship as a School of LoveFriendship is a form of Christian love. It is therefore intended by God to help make me a Christian who loves more sincerely, more deeply, more selflessly. Friendships are not meant to close in upon themselves. Through friendship we should be learning how to go out of ourselves anew in love to God and man. This is true because I cannot authentically love a friend without at the same time growing in my capacity to relate more deeply in love to God and others. In friendship I should be learning how to love more perfectly.
Since friendship is a school of love, it is evident why it cannot be exclusive. A friendship which makes me less loving towards others needs examination. Although, I have a special love for my friends, exclusiveness must be avoided. Jealousy or neglect of duty arising from a friendship are other indications that not all is right with the relationship. These and other possible negative characteristics should not overly surprise us if they appear, especially in a minor way. If they appear, they are merely a sign that we are still learning to love, and that at times we fail to some extent. However, negative characteristics, especially those of a serious nature, must be either eliminated or properly controlled. If there is a case of a serious disorder which cannot be corrected, the course of action seems obvious. The friendship or what was a friendship should be terminated, for the relationship has ceased to be a form of real Christian love.
As always, though, we should accentuate the positive. We should be optimistic about our friendships, confident that with God's grace they will always remain what they should be. This grace of God has been made concrete for us in the person of Christ. For the Christian, Christ should be present in every friendship. It is in His presence and with His help that our friendships are to be rooted. In this way they will flourish and become more beneficial, more profound and more beautiful.
5. Christian Love Exercised According to the Various Vocations
Since the Christian life is rooted in love, all of its various vocations are primarily vocations to love. The single life in the world, the married life, the religious life and the priestly life, are all various life-forms in which the multiple dimensions of Christian love are to be exercised and experienced. In this context of Christian love we will make brief observations concerning each of these vocations.
Some choose to remain single; others have to resign themselves to such a vocation. In either case the committed Christian will positively choose to use the single state in a loving service of God and man. If such a positive choice is made, the single state can be a very meaningful life of dedicated love, even visibly so. A single person who has given such a witness is Dr. Thomas Dooley, the young American doctor who gave his life to the poor, diseased, forgotten people in a far-off corner of the world.
The lives of the vast majority of single persons will be much more hidden than that of Dr. Dooley. The important matter is that these also be lives of love. The single person should be convinced that he or she can make a contribution to the Church that those in other vocations cannot. This type of life can be a full and happy one despite the inevitable loneliness which at times will make itself felt. This loneliness can to a large extent be offset by the formation of meaningful friendships and other healthy personal encounters. In such relationships the single person can receive the acceptance and love which in part will help him to grow in his particular form of Christian life.
As we turn our attention to the vocation of marriage, we immediately notice a significant difference which distinguishes this vocation from the others. Marriage is a life-form of love which binds two human beings in the closest union possible. This fact gives a very definite structure to the manner in which man and wife approach the Christian life.
Union in marriage first of all gives a basic orientation to one's stance before God. Ideally, it is a question of approaching God in various ways with another person. This, of course, does not mean that a married person does not often approach God just as does the non-married. But the undeniable truth does remain. Married people in many ways stand together before God in love, and together receive His love.
By their exercise of married love, man and wife should be growing in the capacity of loving God and receiving His love. For in learning to give themselves as completely as possible to one another spiritually, physically, and in every other way, man and wife should be learning how to give themselves more perfectly to God. And in opening themselves to one another's love, they should be learning to open themselves more authentically to God's love.
The married have to be related in love not only to God, to one another, and to their children, but also to all men and to some in a very direct manner. Here again marriage is a school of love. Man and wife in their mutual sharing of love are to learn how to give and receive love in reference to those outside the family circle. They should realize their responsibility as married persons in contributing to the building of a better world influenced by the truth of Christ. Man and wife, precisely because of their married love, have their own special responsibility to love man and his world. They have received a gift in one another's love, and this gift is meant to overflow into the world of men. The married love of husband and wife is intended not only to enrich their own lives, but those of many others, who are the recipients of their capacity to love, a capacity which is increased by the proper exercise of married and parental love.
Finally, we now consider the celibate love of priests and religious. This type of love is also a life-form of loving. This form of Christian loving has its own particular contribution to make to the Church and world. One facet of this contribution is the powerful witness value of celibate love. The celibate priest and religious give an unmistakable manifestation that God has entered this world and given Himself in love to man. For celibate love, with its renunciation of marriage, is a striking testimony that God can seize a person with His loving grace and enable that person to sacrifice one of man's most treasured gifts, marriage. This visible witness of God's love among us is always a necessity in the Church, and no other vocation can give this witness in the same way as can that of publicly professed celibacy.
Another advantage attached to the celibate life is that it allows for a type of service to Church and world which marriage ordinarily does not allow. Celibacy gives a physical and material freedom which is not possible in marriage. A married person always has to be aware of his obligation to spouse and children. God intends such a person to render a service to Church and world which is compatible with these obligations. Inevitably, this usually means a certain limitation on the contributions the married vocation can make to the life of the Church, although, as already indicated, the service married couples are intended to give is great in its own way. What we are actually saying is that each vocation in the Church has its own limitations as it makes its own peculiar contribution to the work of Christ.
We believe that history proves our point concerning celibacy. The celibate life has played a major role in much of the apostolic work of the Church throughout the ages. It seems impossible that the same degree of apostolic service could have been achieved without religious and priestly celibacy. (Notice, that in regard to the priesthood, we are not claiming that a married clergy alongside a celibate clergy in the Western Church will not be able to make its own particular contribution if the Church eventually permits it.)
In claiming that celibacy has attached to it a peculiar freedom which is meant to allow a more universal type of service given to one's fellowman, we are not pretending that this freedom to love and serve has not at times been hindered, sometimes severely so. As Church structures are renewed, we must strive to eliminate those unnecessary obstacles which have exteriorly hindered priests and religious from rendering the type of service to man which their celibate life-form itself permits. Notice, we speak of an exterior hindrance. For no one and no structure can ever prevent one from loving interiorly. In God's plan of redemption this interior love has its own great salvific force.
There is a final point we wish to make in reference to the celibate love of religious life. We refer to the various types of personal encounter which are possible both within and without the religious community. For many, many years deep friendship between fellow religious was looked upon askance by many. It was thought that such a relationship detracted from the universal love which a religious should have for all members of the religious family. This theory is based upon a false psychology and theology of love. We have observed above that friendship is a school of love. The love of friendship helps increase my capacity to love God and all others. To the extent that a friendship does not make me a person with a capacity to love everyone more deeply, to that degree it is less a real friendship. Authentic friendships between fellow religious, then, ultimately make for the greater happiness and union in love of the entire religious family. Furthermore, there is no reason why a religious should not have the opportunity of forming friendships with those outside his or her own religious community.
In conclusion, we repeat that every state of life within the Church is fundamentally a particular life-form of Christian love. According to his vocation it is the primary task of the Christian to open himself to God's love and to respond to that love, to love man and to open himself to receive love from other human persons. These various dimensions of love are at the heart of our participation in Christ's death-resurrection. It is in trying to love properly that we really learn what it means to die with Christ. Receiving God's love and giving ourselves in return can cost us much, very much, at times. And to love others and open ourselves to their love can involve its own share of pain, hurt and frustration. Yes, to love properly truly means to die with Christ. Yet more importantly, to love properly also means to share in His Resurrection, His newness of life. Life here and hereafter is essentially a life of love. Without love there is no real happiness, no real joy, no real peace. If we are not willing to pay the price of loving, then we do not really wish to experience life in its fullness. For the Christian especially, to live is to love.
_______
4. M. Nιdoncelle, Love and the Person (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1966), p. 8.
5. Robert Johann, The Meaning of Love (Glen Rock, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1966), p. 46.
6. Cf. L. Vander Kerken, Loneliness and Love (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967), pp. 129-130.
7. Cf. Eugene Kennedy, Fashion Me a People (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1967), pp. 93-108.
end of excerpt
- 1 John 4: 17-21
Love comes to its perfection in us when we can face the Day of Judgement fearlessly, because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there is no room for fear, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear implies punishment and no one who is afraid has come to perfection in love. Let us love, then, because he first loved us. Anyone who says 'I love God' and hates his brother, is a liar, since whoever does not love the brother whom he can see cannot love God whom he has not seen. Indeed this is the commandment we have received from him, that whoever loves God, must also love his brother.
October 1, 1994
God Calls Us to Love
John 13:34
I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you.
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Messenger:
Dear Jesus, I stand at the door of Your Heart and knock to come in. I want entry - to be lost totally and entirely in Thee. I want to be sheltered inside of Your Heart and wrapped deeply in Your infinite love.Jesus:
I call you, child, to love. Love is rooted in Me. I gave My all for love of you. I held nothing back. Love gives freely for the good of the other. Love exists to draw the other closer to God. If your relationship with your brother in anyway separates you from God, it is not love.Love is not haughty, love does not demand its own way, love exists to lead the other to closer union with Me. I loved you to My death. I gave to you My all! I ask you to give your all for your beloved brothers. In loving them, you are loving Me. I live in your brothers. How can you love Me who you do not see, if you do not love your brother who you see.
I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. I give that you will know Me and know how to love one another. Love your brothers as I have loved you. When they persecute you and holler every evil word against you, love them. This is My way - to lay down My life for My friends.
John 13:34
I give you a new commandment: love one another; you must love one another just as I have loved you.
Messenger:
And to those who heeded His words, their lives were lived in peace and love and they experienced joy in their hearts, for true love brings peace and true love gives joy to the heart of the beholder. It is in loving that you receive, it is in giving that you are rendered to and it is in following the way of Christ that we are led into a life of everlasting happiness.Jesus:
I have not gone. I live with you this day. I am in your brothers. Love them as I have loved you.Messenger:
And He sent them such blessings in such abundance and they knew a little of His unending mercy and love.
October 1, 1994
I Feed the Hungry Soul
Jesus:
Another person cannot feed your hungry soul. You search, you seek. Your starved soul craves only that which I can give. When your heart is searching for love, come, My sweet dear child, into My Heart. My Mother will take you to the deepest recesses of My Heart. There you will know such comfort - in My Heart on fire for love of you this day.You are a child of dignity. You are precious to Me. You are the creation of the Father. I gave the last drop of My blood for you. This is love - you need grace to realize the immenseness of God's love. You are so special to God, all three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mary loves you so much.
You can never be satisfied on this earth. If you find the dearest mother, father, lover, friend, they will not fill you with the love your soul craves. To find Me is to seek Me. You will not be satisfied on this earth.
You, My child, experience longing for My intense love. I love you to want Me. This is how I long for love of each precious soul. I long for them with the most tender Heart, beating and breathing with fire. I never falter. I never grow dim. I am the same, with the same burning love. Come to Me and jump into My precious Heart. I love you so much.
October 2, 1994
You Are the Fathers Creation
Jesus:
I come to you in one another. Let not your hearts be hard, let your hearts be as little children, tender and pure. They do not hold grudges, they love each other, they love themselves.You are the creation of My beloved Father. You were created with such dignity and love. I died for you. I gave My life that you would share My life. Oh, My child, pray to the Holy Spirit to open your eyes, to let you see where you are blind, to open your hearts to the ways of God. Pray to Him to sanctify you.
You are called to be Christ to one another. Your hearts have turned hard. Your ways are not My ways. My way is always to love. My ways are to give. My ways are to see in your brother the creation of the Father, so beautiful, so uniquely created.
Each child is a gift from God to this world. Each child is a gift of unique love, given by the Father. You were uniquely created. You are so loved. Pray to know your specialness to God. It is in realizing His love for you that you will love your brothers.
Messenger:
We are all brothers in Christ. God is our Father. We are all one.Jesus:
Join, My little ones, in such love. It is in loving that you will be at peace. Love of each other creates joy in your hearts. Pray for the grace to know and love God more. It is in this knowledge and God's love that you will be My light that shines in the darkest night.I am the Way, I am the Truth. I am the Life! To live in Me you must come to know and love Me. Follow My ways. My ways are the ways of truth. My ways are not always the easy way, they are the ways of love.
If you are to be joined in your hearts, you must love every man. Every man is your brother. You must put on Christ in all your ways. Would Christ act as you are acting?
I love you so much. It is in meditating on My love for you that you will love your brothers.
I put you on this earth to love one another. Pray to the Spirit to know My ways. I am Jesus, Son of the Living God. I truly come to bring you new life. It is in Me you will have the light of life. I love you so, the Father loves you so, the Spirit wants to live in your hearts and make you alive with the love of God. Pray to Mary to lead you through her loving heart into such love of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
My child, come to My ever burning Heart. I do not love you one moment and forget you the next. I am forever burning brightly for you. I never falter. I am forever on fire for love of you. If you forget Me, I never ever forget you, I love you so much.
October 4, 1994
These Messages Need to Circulate
Jesus:
My dear children, I tell you to listen to Me here. I am delivering messages for all to be read and distributed. Souls need to read these messages. Your Center will grow in love of Me when you circulate these messages. I ask. You have a free will. These are My letters of love to all. They are not being read. I deliver these messages to you to deliver to My faithful ones. Please, I beg you to circulate My messages. What more do I say to you!This world is moving further and further from Me. I control your every breath. Do you think you are independent of He Who keeps you alive, second by second?
You do not know how truly frail you are? You do not control the air, the water, the sun, your food. You are dependent on Me for your existence, second by second.
I am your Most loving Savior. I speak to you here. Please listen to Me. This is an urgent request. I love you so and love each hurting soul. All the Blue Books have different messages. They speak to all of you. They need to be published. I will provide the funds to see to this. Your delays are stopping the progress of so many returning to My most intimate love. I beg you, please answer My plea.
end of excerpt
Prayer for Union with Jesus
Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.
I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling within me.
I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of the Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.
When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You, I adore You and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.
-God's Blue Book, January 17, 1994
4 days before Fr. Carter's death
Prayer from St. Ignatius
Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To toil and not to seek for rest;
To labor and not to ask for any reward,
Save that of knowing
that I am doing your will.
From July 31, 2011 - St. Ignatius
R. Lords and Ladies of the Court
St. Ignatius had his leg shot by
a cannon ball
He had a big recovery time
Ignatius realized that there was
a difference of the spirits
The Spirit of God that gives peace
and joy
And the spirits of this world that
excite us for a while and then
leave us tired and sad
We are on a journey
Prayer of St Ignatius
Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
O good Jesus, hear me
Within Thy wounds hide me
Permit me not to be separated from Thee
From the wicked foe defend me
at the hour of my death call me
and bid me come to Thee
That with Thy saints I may praise Thee
For ever and ever. Amen.
From The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius,
by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p. 12
23. FIRST PRINCIPLE AND FOUNDATION
Man is created to praise, reverence and serve God
our Lord, and by this means to save his soul.
From The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius,
by Louis J. Puhl, S.J. p.1121. SPIRITUAL EXERCISES
Which have as their purpose the conquest of self
and the regulation of one's life in such a way that
no decision is made under the influence of any
inordinate attachment
Excerpt of The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, by Louis J. Puhl, S.J., pp. 60-61
136. THE FOURTH DAY
A MEDITATION ON TWO STANDARDS
The one of Christ, our supreme leader and lord,
the other of Lucifer, the deadly enemy of our
human naturePRAYER. The usual preparatory prayer.
window at a former Jesuit Seminary
137. FIRST PRELUDE. This is the history. Here it will be that Christ calls and wants all beneath His standard, and Lucifer, on the other hand, wants all under his.
138. SECOND PRELUDE. This is a mental representation of the place. It will be here to see a great plain, comprising the whole region about Jerusalem, where the sovereign Commander-in-Chief of all the good is Christ our Lord; and another plain about the region of Babylon, where the chief of the enemy is Lucifer.
139. THIRD PRELUDE. This is to ask for what I desire. Here it will be to ask for a knowledge of the deceits of the rebel chief and help to guard myself against them; and also to ask for a knowledge of the true life exemplified in the sovereign and true Commander, and the grace to imitate Him.
FIRST PART
THE STANDARD OF SATAN
140. FIRST POINT. Imagine you see the chief of all the enemy in the vast plain about Babylon, seated on a great throne of fire and smoke, his appearance inspiring horror and terror.
141. SECOND POINT. Consider how he summons innumerable demons, and scatters them, some to one city and some to another, throughout the whole world, so that no province, no place, no state of life, no individual is overlooked.
142. THIRD POINT. Consider the address he makes to them, how he goads them on to lay snares for men and bind them with chains. First they are to tempt them to covet riches (as Satan himself is accustomed to do in most cases) that they may the more easily attain the empty honors of this world, and then come to overweening pride.
The first step, then, will be riches, the second honor, the third pride. From these three steps the evil one leads to all other vices.
SECOND PART
THE STANDARD OF CHRIST
143. In a similar way, we are to picture to ourselves the sovereign and true Commander, Christ our Lord.
144. FIRST POINT. Consider Christ our Lord, standing in a lowly place in a great plain about the region of Jerusalem, His appearance beautiful and attractive.
145. SECOND POINT. Consider how the Lord of all the world chooses so many persons, apostles, disciples, etc., and sends them throughout the whole world to spread His sacred doctrine among all men, no matter what their state or condition.
146. THIRD POINT. . . .
end of excerpt
R. We pray for the grace to know Jesus more
We pray for the grace to love Jesus more
We pray for the grace to imitate Jesus more
Fr. Carter, our Founder
Fr. Carter had a Dream.
R. Fr. Carter did his thesis when he
got his doctorate on the Sacred Heart
R. Fr. Carter got this message on the
Feast of St. Ignatius founder
of the Jesuits
July 31, 1994
Words of Jesus to Members of
Shepherds of Christ Associates:"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Founder, as given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits)
R. Fr. Carter was a Jesuit
Fr. Carter had a great devotion to the
Sacred Heart
Fr. Carter examined his conscience
10 minutes twice a day
In this we stop to be alone with God
We thank God for all He is doing for us
God is so good to us
He gives us the air, water,
our eyes, our arms, hands,
each other
the world
our talents
Can we ever exhaust thanking God and
yet we who are so richly blessed
grumble and grumble
So in the examination of conscience
we thank God for His gifts to us
Then we see where we are in our hearts
Are we doing God's will? Or are we
doing our will opposed
to God's will?
Are we in desolation?
Are we acting against God's will?
Are we constantly grumbling like the
Israelites when God is blessing
us with so many gifts?
Examine your conscience in the
middle of the day and at the end of the day
See how God is blessing you
See how things are working out
in your lives because of God's
gifts
Thank God for His presence with you
Thank God for the grace He has given you
Where have we been grumbling?
Where have we hurt others
Am I struggling away from God
because I want my will and I
am opposing God's will
God made the world
God created Adam and Eve out of love
We see in the Old testament how the chosen people
of Yahweh were formed
they suffered, but they were faithful
to one God
God wants this intimacy with us
God gave us the Blue Books
Jesus' letters of love
R. Fr. Carter said the Blue Books
were as much his as
mine
Fr. Carter discerned them
He wanted them out
Given July 31, 1999
A Prayer for Intimacy with the Lamb, the Bridegroom of the Soul
Oh Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world, come and act on my soul most intimately. I surrender myself, as I ask for the grace to let go, to just be as I exist in You and You act most intimately on my soul. You are the Initiator. I am the soul waiting Your favors as You act in me. I love You. I adore You. I worship You. Come and possess my soul with Your Divine Grace, as I experience You most intimately.
GRACE and MERCY
R. The words cry out in me at Mass:
LAMB of God, You take away the sins of the world, have MERCY on us.
LAMB of God, You take away the sins of the world, have MERCY on us.
LAMB of God, You take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.I wish I had a movie or a way to show what goes on at the Mass when He acts on my soul and I unite with Him so intimately in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
There must be that union in our hearts between Him (Jesus), the priest and us. This is furthered in deep consecration in our hearts.
Our whole desire is to want what He wants: to partake in the Masses as completely as possible in Him to help to accomplish what He wishes in us in allowing us to offer sacrifice.
Our desire is that as many souls as possible will be united to Him for all eternity. Our desire is that men LOVE and serve God and honor and obey Him.
We must see ourselves as Lucia, united to Their pure and holy Hearts, pleading at the altar of sacrifice, uniting in the deepest oneness with Christ, the Chief-Priest and Victim.
Oh, the glory of the Mass. Oh, the joy to offer sacrifice. He, our beloved Bridegroom, implants fire in our souls. It is the fire that comes from that intense union with His most Sacred Heart consumed with burning love for men.
My heart is consumed with love for Him from all these Masses in which He most intimately implanted knowledge of Himself on my soul and drenched me in His divine, all-powerful, most holy love.
Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus, consumed with such burning fire for the souls of men that You sacrificed Yourself for love of them, please, I beg in this Mass that You drench the souls of the faithful with love for Your holy Heart, filled with fire for love of us. Oh God, I adore Thee and love Thee so much.
Oh Heart of Jesus, we love Thee, we adore Thee and we worship Thee, our beloved Savior.
Oh Father, Our Creator, we adore Thee and love Thee and worship Thee.
Oh Holy Spirit, fill us with the fire of God's love. We love Thee so much and thank You for Your gifts given to us.
We thank You, God, for our Blessed Mother. We love her so much, our pure and Immaculate Virgin Mary.
It is not what I speak with words or write with my pen that expresses what has filled me. My very being, with this presence of God, desires to be more and more possessed by God, and I struggle to express this to you, my beloved ones.
I write as a messenger from God of His divine love, using my tongue and my pen, but the divine love of God cannot be contained in matter. Yet I try to use a means of communication to describe it.
If my tongue were removed, or my vocal chords severed, my hand cut from my body, the message lives within my soul and His presence within me and my desire to live in Him, praying and being in Him, is so important to this world. He is the Planner, the Communicator, my God. I am but an imperfect instrument used to express a flame of burning love that has consumed my soul. It is only His grace and your openness to Him that will implant this message within you. I am but a feeble human creature and that which is implanted on my heart and soul is not the words you read or the words you hear me speak. It is about the invisible, untouchable love and knowledge of the Divine God. I give my hands and tongue to Him and speak and write, as He beckons, to you on this special Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola.
July 31, 1999 - 2nd message
R. He gave me such a presence at the Mass on the Feast of St. Ignatius. I existed in Him, I was His instrument, I prayed with the fervor of knowing how He lives in me in the Mass. I knew about the graces being outpoured on the earth. I know the desires of His Heart. I feel as the soul in Lucia's vision. Every word I experience in a deep union in Him.
During the next Mass He may not give me this grace. I may not participate in the next Mass existing in Him to this heightened degree as in the Mass when He possessed my soul and gave me a very special grace of experiencing this deep union of existing in Him and of participating in the Mass.
I am still the instrument. The gift is given. My whole soul wants what He wants, but I do not share in this intense union of experiencing this as I did in the other Mass.
I do not know to what extent grace is poured out on souls. I know I want this outpouring with my whole heart.
It is from the previous experience mentioned I write to you. It is as if He takes me into His Heart and reveals such secrets of the Mass. It is so hard to express what goes on in the "batting of an eye" when He gives this grace. If I could write it all down it would fill volumes.
I know this: the Mass is truly a great gift of God's love given to us.
end of July 31, 1999
July 31, 2011
R.
From Fr. Carter
From Response in Christ - The Concept of the Christian Life - Chapter 1
1. The Christian Life as Prefigured in the Mosaic Covenant (excerpt)
In the age prior to the coming of Christ, salvation history was rooted in the Mosaic period. At the heart of this Mosaic era was the great salvific event of the exodus (Ex 15:1-18). Through this event Yahweh led the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery and under Moses formed them into His People. The history of the Jewish people previous to this exodus event was merely a preparation for this central happening. Thus Israel in recalling its ancient traditions could see that Yahweh's covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was a preparation for the great covenant definitively established through Moses on Mount Sinai.
God, then, within the framework of salvation history has determined to communicate Himself according to a covenant. What is covenant? In reference to salvation history it is a mutual life relationship in love between God and His People, and among the People themselves. God on His part communicates His own life through grace, and man in return gives himself to God and his fellowman in loving service. There are various laws governing the multiple aspects of this life-relationship. There is a formal worship with its determined ritual. Yet everything centers around the essence of covenant, the life relationship.
As mentioned, the Mosaic covenant dominated the Old Testament period. At the heart of the formation of this covenant there was a transition process involved as the Jews were led forth from Egyptian slavery to freedom under the leadership of Moses. The Egyptians had finally consented to this departure of the Jews under the pressure of the last of the plagues inflicted upon them. Under this plague the Egyptians' first-born were slain. The Jews escaped this deathblow of Yahweh by marking their doorposts with the blood of the paschal lamb: ". . . I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, man and beast alike, and I shall deal out punishment to all the gods of Egypt, I am Yahweh! The blood shall serve to mark the houses that you live in. When I see the blood I will pass over you and you shall escape the destroying plague when I strike the land of Egypt." (Ex 12:12-13).
As the Jewish people escaped from Egyptian bondage they experienced a transition which was essentially religious in nature. This transition was from a less perfect to a more perfect type of existence, for in being released from slavery they were gradually formed into Yahweh's People. The definitive event of this formation occurred on Mount Sinai. Here the covenant between Yahweh and His People was sealed with sacrificial blood. Moses sprinkled with blood both the altar, representing Yahweh, and the Jewish people. Since blood signified life for the Jews, such an action had deep meaning for them. It symbolized the sealing of the covenant, the establishment of a new life-relationship between Yahweh and themselves.
end of excerpt
end of July 31, 2011
Given November 10, 2010
R. Open your eyes and
your heart —
Open your heart —
Christ's Heart was opened
by a lance —
Open your heart and
receive His life —
Blessed are the eyes that are
open to see the treasures
Christ is revealing
to us about His
burning Heart of
love —
Christ gave His life
to serve and not be
served —
Matthew 11: 28-30
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
Matthew 25: 34-40
Then the King will say to those on his right hand, "Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take as your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you made me welcome, lacking clothes and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me." Then the upright will say to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome, lacking clothes and clothe you? When did we find you sick or in prison and go to see you?" And the King will answer, "In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."
R. When we do this to our
brothers
we do it to Jesus —
Song: I Love You Jesus
Song: Teach Me to Love with Your Heart
Matthew 5: 43-48
‘You have heard how it was said, You will love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even the tax collectors do as much? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Do not even the gentiles do as much? You must therefore be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.’
Matthew 26: 51-52
And suddenly, one of the followers of Jesus grasped his sword and drew it; he struck the high priest's servant and cut off his ear. Jesus then said, 'Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
R. God's Kingdom is a Kingdom
of love —
Jesus shows us His Heart
end of November 10, 2010
Given November 8, 2010 (excerpt)
R.
The Jesuits were very strong
on devotion to the Sacred Heart —
Fr. Carter said this picture in His
novitiate brought him close
to the Sacred Heart
R. Here is his ordination card
R. St. John Eudes had devotion to
the Sacred Heart
From the Priestly Newsletter Book III - 2000 Issue 3 - p. 42
The following words of St. John Eudes remind us of the glorious goal the Christian is called to: the most intimate union with Jesus.
"I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is your true head and that you are a member of his body. He belongs to you as the head belongs to the body. All that is his is yours: breath, heart, body, soul and all his faculties. All of these you must use as if they belonged to you, so that in serving him you may give him praise, love and glory. You belong to him as a member belongs to the head. This is why he earnestly desires you to serve and glorify the Father by using all your faculties as if they were his.
"He belongs to you, but more than that, he longs to be in you, living and ruling in you, as the head lives and rules in the body. He desires that whatever is in him may live and rule in you: his breath in your breath, his heart in your heart, all the faculties of his soul in the faculties of your soul...
"You belong to the Son of God, but more than that, you ought to be in him as the members are in the head. All that is in you must be incorporated into him. You must receive life from him and be ruled by him. There will be no true life for you except in him, for he is the one source of true life. Apart from him you will find only death and destruction. Let him be the only source of your movements, of the actions and the strength of your life.
"Finally, you are one with Jesus as the body is one with the head. You must, then, have one breath with him, one soul, one life, one will, one mind, one heart. And he must be your breath, heart, love, life, your all. These great gifts in the follower of Christ originate from baptism. They are increased and strengthened through confirmation and by making good use of other graces that are given by God. Through the holy eucharist they are brought to perfection." 8
8. St. John Eudes, from a treatise on the Admirable Heart of Jesus, as in The Liturgy of the Hours, Catholic Book Publishing Co., Vol. IV, pp. 1331-32.
R.
St. Margaret Mary's first apparition of Jesus
occurred on the feast of St. John the Evangelist
probably 1673.
St. Margaret Mary was before the Blessed
Sacrament when she was
overwhelmed with the presence of God.
Christ told her His love and the
secrets of His Heart —
He told Margaret Mary He was
consumed with love for her
Jesus told St. Margaret Mary
"See, My well-beloved, I give
thee a precious token of My love,
having enclosed within thy side a
little spark of its glowing flames,
that it may serve thee for a heart
and consume thee to the last
moment of thy life . . .
If hitherto, thou hast taken
only the name of My slave, I
now give thee that of the
beloved disciple of My Sacred Heart"
R. We can see putting ourselves in
the Heart of Jesus — Jesus
consumed with love for us —
We can see Father, Son and
Holy Spirit dwelling in our graced
baptized soul.
The second apparition 1674
I never knew this
From Fr. Carter's writings — I see
how he knew this long ago from these writings —
Christ showed St. Margaret Mary as on a throne
of flames —
It had a crown of thorns —
Above the heart was a cross —
Fr. Carter said this signified that Christ's
mortal life was one of humiliation,
poverty, pain and scorn.
Our Lord showed St. Margaret Mary that He had
a great desire to be loved by men —
He told her about satan leading
men off —
He said He would manifest His
Heart to men with its multiple
treasure of love, mercy, grace,
salvation and sanctification —
Those who serve Him could be
abundantly enriched with such
spiritual blessings of which
His Heart is the source.
He told St. Margaret Mary to honor Him
under the symbol of His Sacred Heart.
He said He wanted the image
of the Sacred Heart exposed.
He promised grace and blessings
to those who expose and honor
His Sacred Heart —
He said He wanted to draw men
from giving into satan by
focusing on the love of His Sacred Heart.
He told her He wanted devotion
to His Sacred Heart —
Jesus told Margaret Mary
"These are the designs for which I
have chosen you. That is why
I have given you so many graces
and have taken quite special
care of you from your very
cradle. I Myself have been
your teacher and your director
only that I might prepare you for
the accomplishment of this
great design and confide to you
this great treasure which
I am displaying to you here."
R. This is what Fr. Carter wrote was said
to Margaret Mary —
I read this now from Fr. Carter's writings —
Here is a picture taken of Fr. Carter on July 2, 1996.
Message from Jesus: "Peace will abound when nations, churches, families and individuals are consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary."
"Fr. Carter is a pillar of light to the dark world. This is the explanation of the photo. It is through him, I will turn darkness to light. Circulate this message with the picture. Encourage all to consecrate their hearts to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, to join the Shepherds of Christ Chapters, and the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Movement to pray for your Church and your world. This is My Movement for renewal of the Church and the world, based in consecration, joining your every act to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, praying the rosary, and making reparation to Our Hearts, especially on First Fridays and First Saturdays. It is through your prayers and sacrifices many souls will be helped to be saved. Grace will flow from those whose hearts are consecrated to Our Hearts and the fire of My Love will light up this darkened world."
As you look at the picture, you see Fr. Carter's arm and hand on your left. This picture of Fr. Carter was taken July 2, 1996 at the Tuesday Shepherds of Christ Meeting at Tom Arlinghaus' Farm.end of excerpt
R. The 3rd apparition July 2, 1674 —
July 2nd was my dad and husband's
birthday —
Margaret Mary was before the Blessed Sacrament
Fr. Carter says —
|
Christ said He has given such |
|
Fr. Carter quoted from St. Margaret Mary's
autobiography
"I feel this more than all that I suffered
during My Passion.
If only they would make Me some
return for My love, I should
think but little of all I have
done for them and would wish,
were it possible, to suffer
still more.
But the sole return they make
for all My eagerness to do them
good is to reject Me and treat
Me with coldness.
Do thou at least console Me
by supplying for their ingratitude,
as far as thou are able"
He told her to go to Holy Communion as
often as obedience
permitted and about
the First Friday Devotion
to His Sacred Heart.
He shared His sufferings
with her on Thursday before
Friday —
My Heart Bleeds
March 6, 1994 Sunday Night
Jesus: My little ones, I never give you more than you can handle. Come to Me and I give you rest. I am Jesus, the Son of God, and I love you. This is not a myth. If the whole world does not believe it doesn't matter. I, Jesus Christ, talk to you. I am present right now and I love you.
These trials will strengthen you. You will come forth steadfast in My love. Turn to Me. This is where our union is strengthened. I want you entirely dependent on Me for everything. When you are hurting, come to Me and cry at My feet. I love you more than any person ever could. I am God, child. I love with the most ardent love and I care when you hurt. I want to comfort you. I am Whom you seek. Your heart aches for union with Me and Me alone.
R. It is not this. It is not that. It is You, Lord. The more I grow in loving You, the more I experience such aching in my heart for love of You. I want to behold You so!
The aching soul craves this union with God. The more I know how You love me, how You died so brutally for me and how You want to be close to me, the more I want to be closer to You and I cannot experience You this way on earth. I crave You, my Lord and God. I want to be so close to You! I ache so in my heart. I only know a little how You suffered for love of us. I only know a little how the souls in purgatory ache for love of You.
Oh, my precious Jesus, I love You so. I long to be close to You and know You more. It is this longing and aching I have for You. Such unrest in my soul! And it will not be satisfied here in my earthly form. Oh, sweet Jesus, when they show pictures of saints and those who love You, do they ever show their hearts aching to want to behold you more? They look so peaceful with their halos and saintliness!
This relationship with You, this way to You, is the Way of the Cross. I see pictures of saints with crucifixes. Why did they carry these? Was it that when they were given their crosses they looked at how You suffered and it made their crosses easier to carry? You suffered so, my Lord, for love of me. Oh, my Lord, I truly love You.
Jesus: I am Jesus, Son of God. I truly suffered. Your heart is experiencing aching. I allow you to ache and feel some of My emotions. I am a person. When people love one another, they share each other's pain. Your heart aches as I, too, ache for love of My beloved ones. Preach about My aching heart.
Every soul has periods of unrest because the soul was made to love the Lord. Sunday is a day I let you suffer My aching heart. I want you to tell others how I ache for love of them. I allow you to suffer on Saturday and Sunday for My aching heart.
My heart is on fire for love of each soul and many do not ever come to Me. Some come to Me in Communion and the thought of Me never crosses their minds. How this wounds My aching heart! Such indifference! It pierces My heart and makes it bleed. You will never comprehend the love of God. You will never know how My heart aches. I let you feel this aching heart, to suffer with Me and tell others of My intense love for them. My indifferent loved ones are piercing My heart. I suffered for love of you.
Please preach My love to them. Tell them of My aching, waiting, longing, bleeding heart. You do not know even a tiny amount of the torrent of My love for You.
I am Jesus, Son of the Living God.
end of excerpt
R. The 4th apparition Fr. Carter said
1675 during the octave of
Corpus Christi
Margaret Mary was before the Blessed
Sacrament
Christ showed her His Heart
He spoke of the men's
ingratitudes
He wanted Margaret Mary to make
amends for this
Therefore, Jesus asked for a
special feast in honor
of His Sacred Heart be established
the First Friday after
the octave of Corpus Christi.
He asked for an Act of Reparation
and the reception of Holy Communion
on this Feast in order to atone
for the outrages His Heart
had received while exposed
on altars.
Christ promised that His
Heart would pour forth
love on all who gave
Him such honor —
Jesus wanted Margaret Mary to bring
greater love and devotion to His
Sacred Heart on fire for men and treated
with such ingratitude by
them — asking for the Feast
of the Sacred Heart and for communal
reparation and devotion before
the Blessed Sacrament especially
for ingratitude to the Blessed Sacrament
We see this so consistent with
the message of the Angel of
Peace that appeared to the
children of Fatima
Excerpt from The Spirituality of Fatima
by Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.
(3)Before receiving the six apparitions of Our Lady, May through October of 1917, the three Fatima visionaries were visited by an angel on three different occasions during the preceding year. He appeared to them in the spring, summer, and fall. Lucia (now Sr. Lucia) describes the springtime apparition of the angel:
"My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You."
Then, rising he said: "Pray thus. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications."
His words engraved themselves so deeply on our minds that we could never forget them
During the summer of 1916, the angel again appeared to the three visionaries. He said to them:
(4)Pray! Pray a great deal. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary have merciful designs on you. Offer prayers and sacrifices continually to the Most High. Make everything you do a sacrifice, and offer it as an act of reparation for the sins by which God is offended, and as a petition for the conversion of sinners. Bring peace to our country in this way.... I am the Guardian Angel of Portugal Accept and bear with submission all the sufferings the Lord will send you.
In the fall of the same year, the angel visited the visionaries a final time:
(5)The angel came...bearing a golden chalice in one hand and a Host above it in the other. The amazed children noticed that drops of blood were falling from the Host into the chalice. Presently, the angel left both suspended in mid-air and prostrated himself on the ground, saying this beautiful prayer: "Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and [the intercession of] the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of poor sinners."
Sr. Lucia relates how the angel gave them Communion:
Then, rising, he took the chalice and the Host in his hand. He gave the Sacred Host to me and shared the Blood from the chalice between Jacinta and Francisco, saying as he did so:
(6)"Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men! Make reparation for their crimes and console your God."
Reflecting upon these messages of the angel, we see how much they contain for our spiritual instruction.
NOTES:
3.
Louis Kondar, SVD, editor, Fatima in Lucia's
Own Words (Fatima: Postulation Center,
1976), p.62. Distributed in the U.S.A. by the
Ravengate Press, Cambridge, MA.
4. Our Lady's Peace Plan,
op cit.,
pp.1-2.
5. Ibid., p.2 (The words in brackets are
my own-added for clarification).
6. Fatima in Lucia's Own Words,
op
cit., pp.64-65.
R. In reading Fr. Carter's document I see
why He supported me so strongly
for Jesus outpoured and still does
outpour His love for men —
and He wants them to come to His
Heart —
 Blue Book I |
 Blue Book II |
 Blue Book III |
 Blue Book IV |
Blue Book V |
 Blue Book VI |
 Mass Book |
end of November 8, 2010
July 31, 2011
R. We see God created man out of love
and God wants intimate love with man
Adam and Eve rebelled against God
But He still loved them and gave
them mercy
God gives us the Fathers in the Old Testament
God loved His People
God wanted relationship with His People
end of July 31, 2011
February 24, 2012
R. The Heart of Christ beats in the
hearts of men
I had a vision of a beautiful
beating heart First I saw a map
and it was of the world and I kept
hearing the word the pope the pope
Seeing the connection of the whole
Catholic Church, I saw, like stations
all over the world where the churches
were united to the pope It was vast
the map of the world,
But the unity was unity one
the Church, one, united under the
pope The Church, the body of Christ
one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic
And I heard the word "pope"
united with all the Churches on
the map all over the world
"pope"
The map was blue and the Churches
white scattered on the map of
the earth and there was a little
red on the vision
The blue was the blue of my room
at home and the white the Churches
Then a big red heart covered it all
movement as it beated
I can't even explain the heart
It covered the map
It was red and it sparkled with
light as it beat I can't even
write about it, but I can see it
now, I cannot explain it because
It is beyond words
R. The heart pretty much covered the map.
It was so big
end of excerpt
February 17, 2012
Anniversary first Blue Book Meeting February 17, 1994 - 18 Years
R. I had a vision of all the different
vocations that happened at the China,
Church before we got it. At first I
saw a single handmaid before the
altar - then a handmaid and a servant
together before the altar they were
beautiful long veils were in the vision
the Church was awesome
so beautiful I cannot even say
The vision I saw was from above
and looking down The servant had
black on
Then the vision went into the marriages
of men and women married before we
got the China Church
The married vocation - with long
veils and Jesus told me most of these
people had died and moved on
The Church again was so beautiful
from above and in the back
Such beauty
Long veils with lace around
the edges I see it, but could
only show a picture from my
vision what I saw - the beauty
the finest clothes
The Church adored with flowers
in an arch before the altar
and flowers all at top of Church
a cloth runner - white
Expectations of this life - the
children, grandchildren, the
most beautiful wedding
white
I cannot even describe its elegance
To God
We are so blessed when we receive
the sacrament of marriage
It was as if I saw it above
the Church roof open
So vivid So beautiful
Jesus: Marriage is a gift I have given
to people in My China Church
now the marriage of My servants
and handmaids is a marriage to Me
I turned in the Monstrance on
February 13, 2012 looking out over
My servants and handmaids --
My Spouses
I want this special love union
with them
My Church is to be used to
promote love, unity
I want beautiful prayer
Live your life according to your
vocation like Mary
saying "yes" as the brides of Christ
The Church of St. Anthony's
of China functioned for the
families who grew up there
Now My China Church is My
Church for this Movement
Fr. Carter told you it was
the Eucharistic Center of the World
Jesus: From here
My Church has been a Center
of Prayer and Adoration
I want love from My Spouses
I want unity
I want prayer for the priests,
the Church and the world
Millions and millions of writings
on the Eucharist have gone
around the world
Jesus: I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd
of the Flock, the
Bridegroom of your soul
end of February 17, 2012
R.
Please help us
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
My dear fellow Associate Members,
Jesus is calling special apostles to join a new division of the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Here is a message from Jesus given to Father Carter:
My beloved priest-companion, I am requesting that a new prayer movement be started under the direction of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. I am asking for volunteers who are willing to pray before the Blessed Sacrament for one hour, twice-weekly. Members of the Shepherds of Christ prayer chapters, as well as others, are to be invited to join this movement.
These apostles are to pray for the intentions I am giving you. For part of the hour they are to use the prayers of the Shepherds of Christ Associates Handbook. They may spend the rest of the hour as they so choose.
I will use this new prayer movement within My Shepherds of Christ Ministries in a powerful way to help in the renewal of My Church and the world. I will give great graces to those who join this movement. The name, Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, is to be given to this movement.
I am inviting My beloved Rita Ring to be coordinator for this activity.
I pour out the great love of My Sacred Heart to all. I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock.
This is indeed a special calling for us to unite in one heart with His Eucharistic Heart and pray for the following intentions:
1. For the spread of the devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary culminating in the reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
2. For the Pope.
3. For all bishops of the world.
4. For all priests.
5. For all sisters and brothers in the religious life.
6. For all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement, and for the spread of this movement to the world.
7. For all members of the Catholic Church.
8. For all members of the human family.
9. For all souls in purgatory.
end of Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart message
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Genesis 2: 18-24
Yahweh God said, "It is not right that the man should be alone. I shall make him a helper." So from the soil Yahweh God fashioned all the wild animals and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild animals. But no helper suitable for the man was found for him. Then, Yahweh God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And, while he was asleep, he took one of his ribs and closed the flesh up again forthwith. Yahweh God fashioned the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. And the man said:
This one at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh!
She is to be called Woman,
because she was taken from Man.
This is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Hebrews 2: 9-11
but we do see Jesus, who was for a short while made less than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he submitted to death; so that by God's grace his experience of death should benefit all humanity. It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should, in bringing many sons to glory, make perfect through suffering the leader of their salvation. For consecrator and consecrated are all of the same stock; that is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers
Mark 10: 2-16
Some Pharisees approached him and asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?' They were putting him to the test. He answered them, 'What did Moses command you?' They replied, 'Moses allowed us to draw up a writ of dismissal in cases of divorce.' Then Jesus said to them, 'It was because you were so hard hearted that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female. This is why a man leaves his father and mother, and the two become one flesh. They are no longer two, therefore, but one flesh. So then, what God has united, human beings must not divide.' Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them, 'Whoever divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.'
People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples scolded them, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. In truth I tell you, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. Then he embraced them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
October 8, 2006
(Genesis 2, 18-24; Hebrews 2, 9-11; Mark 10, 2-16) The waiters and waitresses at Cinderellas Castle in Disney World treat their customers like royalty literally. A man wrote in to Readers Digest that after lunch the waiter asked, Is there anything else My Lord wishes? Yes, he said. Id like my wife to treat me like this at home. Then the waiter bowed to the wife and said to her My Lord desires to be treated like a king in his castle. May I suggest a reply? Sure, his wife said. Tell him hes spent too much time in Fantasyland.
Marriage brings joys and laughter, but it can also bring pain and suffering. Of course, life itself brings all these things, whether a person is married or not, but the pains and joys associated with our closest relationships touch us where we are most vulnerable. Jesus is talking to us today about those times when the joy and laughter is gone and the wife or the husband, or perhaps both, decide to call it quits.
Its always difficult to preach on this gospel without at the same time seeming to condemn those who have had to get a divorce. Sometimes there is good reason for getting a divorce. I have given my support to many people who needed to file for divorce for the legal protection it affords. Notice, as our Lord teaches that no human being has the power to separate what God has joined, he does not mention the word sin until he talks about divorce and remarriage. The Church has constantly taken Jesus words literally even in the face of ongoing criticism for not following the liberal spirit of society today.
Everyday observation tells us the value our society places on marriage declines year by year. There are hundreds of statistics about marriage, but there are two that I think are of special significance. One is that the percent of second marriages that end in divorce is considerably higher than the percent of first marriages. This statistic shows that simply changing partners doesnt necessarily eliminate problems. The people themselves so often havent really changed, and many of the same problems that caused the first marriage to fall apart are carried with people into a second or third relationship. Thats what that statistic tells me. The second statistic is significant in that couples who live together before marriage have a slightly higher rate of divorce than couples who are more conventional and who do not live together until after they are married. This statistic destroys the assumption that its better to test it out before tying the knot. Even those who find out what its like to live together before they get married cannot find out what its like to be committed to someone else until they really are committed to someone else. You cant try out the commitment of marriage until youve made the commitment. One of the many problems with societys attitude about marriage is that too many people view marriage as their own private affair. Jesus reminds us today in the quote from Genesis, that human beings didnt invent marriage. The origin of marriage is from God and God has some ideas about what marriage should be like. Its not just a private affair that allows two people to determine what the rules and regulations are. In marriage two people make a promise to each other but at the same time their promise is called a vow because that promise is also made to God. God made rules about marriage because he wants it to be a blessing for his people. And although Moses allowed divorce (which Jesus said was allowed because of the hardness of their hearts) Jesus said it was not Gods plan. Gods plan from the beginning was for marriage to be permanent, and although divorce is sometimes necessary, its usually not a blessing for anyone. Evidence is building even in the scientific environment that divorce is not good either for adults or for kids. Marriage, which often is not easy, needs Gods help and God will be there to help if we ask. Another item from modern day research shows that people who attend church weekly have greater marital happiness.
At a recent psychological meeting I attended, the speakers were pleading with the psychologists in the audience to get involved in helping people learn how to work out their differences and to relate with one another better, than just to break up and get a divorce. They kept insisting that divorce is more than just a legal event. It does considerable damage to all parties involved, especially the children. Children do not just bounce back after divorce, and the effects are more destructive and long lasting than what people want to recognize.
I could go on and on about this. I taught marriage in high school. I did my masters thesis in psychology on marital happiness. One conclusion I have come to is that people confuse falling in love with real love. Falling in love is wonderful, but its only a beginning. Real love requires a certain amount of compatibility, taking time to get to know one another, it takes a lot of work, and a lot of sensitivity, understanding, forgiveness and unselfishness. When Jesus tells us the most important commandment is love, we have in that word commandment that its not always going to be easy. An article I read recently surveyed couples who were unhappy in their marriages but who decided to stick it out. They reported that after five years their marriages had turned around and they were as happy as they had ever been or even happier. Todays gospel was about marriage, but whether were married or not, we all must learn how to love. That is our calling as followers of Christ and that will be our joy in eternity.
A pastor was called to a local nursing home to perform a wedding. He was met by the anxious groom, and on meeting him the pastor started up a conversation. He asked the old man: Do you love her? The old man replied: Nope. Is she a good Christian woman? I dont know for sure, was the old mans answer. Well, does she have lots of money? asked the pastor. I doubt it. Then why are you marrying her? the preacher asked. Cause she can drive at night, the old man said.
One of my favorite statements about marriage is this: The shortest sentence in the English language is I am, the longest is I do. I asked a few of my friends if they had some statements they could make about marriage that would help me with my sermon. One man said, I better not say anything. Im a married man. One wife said, It depends on the day whether Im for it or against it. One widow said, Enjoy it while you can. Giving up marriage was the major issue I had to deal with before being ordained; and it is the major reason most people do not go into religious life or enter the priesthood.
You know, one of the things the people of Jesus day admired most about Jesus was that he spoke with authority. He didnt have to quote other rabbis or give other peoples opinions when giving the answer to a question. And his authority went beyond what he taught. He spoke with authority too when he healed diseases and cast out demons. One of the things modern people like least about him is that he spoke with authority. They would rather look upon Christs teachings as opinions or suggestions. Especially this is true with regard to marriage. The attitude of Catholics toward marriage, divorce, sex outside of marriage, cohabitation, homosexuality, etc. is not for the most part formed by what Jesus tells us. Its pretty much formed by the attitude of society. Instead of us being a light for the world as we should be, too many of us take our light and direction from society and overlook the teachings of Christ.
One of the most difficult parts of my job is trying to convince people I have to uphold the rules the Church has about marriage. For one reason or another people often complain: Why does the Church have all these rules? It looks like the Church is trying to make it hard for people to stay in the Church? I have to say Im sorry; the Church is not trying to make it hard for people. The Church is just trying to be faithful to the teachings of Jesus about marriage. If its meant to be permanent, why shouldnt the couple put some time into trying to prepare for it properly? If a person was married before and they dont want to bother with an annulment, they expect the Church to just throw Jesus teaching on marriage out the window because its too much trouble for them to follow. The Church would not be doing its job if it didnt treat marriage seriously.
When the Jews asked Jesus if it were lawful for a man to divorce his wife, they already believed they knew the answer. Divorce was permitted by Jewish law. But Jesus surprised them. He referred to the original intention God had in creating men and women. They were to provide companionship and love for one another and keep the human race going. And this drive God put in us to procreate is to be exercised in the exclusive, permanent relationship of marriage. As the Scriptures tell us, they become two in one flesh. It is based on this unique kind of union that the Church teaches and has always taught that the only appropriate expression of physical love is in marriage. Sexuality is sacred. It has to have boundaries or it will become little more than pure animal behavior. And without adequate boundaries human society will suffer and we would not be faithful to the teachings of the Scriptures.
One of the things that confuses people is the difference between annulments and divorces. A divorce is a legal matter. It is the declaration by the state that the marriage is ended. Sometimes it is necessary. Sometimes a spouse has to protect himself or herself from serious harm. But Ive seen too many that were not necessary, simply because one or the other gave up too soon, or thought someone else looked more interesting. If a couple are not relating well, they can learn. I think too many people expect heaven on earth from their marriage and when it doesnt happen they look elsewhere. The Church does not grant divorces to end a marriage. The Church may grant an annulment after a marriage has broken up. An annulment is a statement that after serious investigation by Church authorities a couple are not obligated to each other under God because there was something seriously lacking in their commitment from the beginning. So often it was that one or the other person was unable or not ready at the time to make the kind of serious commitment marriage requires. It can be a very complicated process and its best not to make rash judgments about people who could or could not get an annulment.
Part of the problem with marriage today is that it is seen by many people as a private arrangement. Its origin is from God as we heard in the first reading. In marriage two people promise God as well as each other to take each other as husband and wife for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health until death.
I could go on talking a long time about marriage. Ive worked with people before marriage. Ive counseled couples who were having problems. Marital happiness was the basis for my thesis when I got my degree in psychology. In my own personal struggle with not being able to be married because of the priesthood, Ive mellowed a lot. I guess thats old age. I learned that every way of life has its joys and its difficulties. Whether were married or not, our major task in life is learning how to grow in love. Thats what its all about and that will be our joy in this life and in heaven.
Excerpt from March 24, 2001
Messenger: Father Carter
stated that a stumbling block
to growth in
the spiritual life is lack of humility.
In communities, if one person maintains
an attitude of superiority over the leader it
can cause the dysfunction of the whole
community if not addressed. Likewise in a
family we see a teenage son can cause the
dysfunction of the whole family.
In community life all are affected by the
imperfections of those in the community.
I quote from Response to God's Love.
Here Father Carter discusses community.
"The Christian community is a terrestrial
reflection of the ultimate and absolute
communitynamely, the Trinity. In a
special way, we are privileged to give
witness to Trinitarian life, a life of
divine intimacy and loving. From all eternity, the
persons of the Trinity are united in the most
intimate bonds of knowledge and love;
these have also brought about creation
and redemption."
I wish to quote an entire section of Father
Carter's book on the Church.
Priests are the leaders in this Christian
community.
Some people may be called to a special talent
in which they must be alone a good part of the
time to do a special mission, but on the whole
they can mix in great oneness with others
if they have matured in the spiritual life.
If a person maintains an attitude of
unhealthy superiority in a community
whether they are the leader or not, that
imperfection can help to damage the community
life.
In community life all desire to function as
a unit for a particular purpose to love and
serve God. They operate in the bonds of
love, driven by the goal to serve God
and do His work.
When one individual sees themselves
superior or maintains an attitude that
they do not need to mix with the others
and lives in a community, the community
life of the others is effected.
I will give you a parable. One man wanted
something and worked toward that goal. He
saw himself as self-sufficient. He only
would work by himself and he needed the assistance
of others to accomplish his goal.
Because of his desire to be alone, to be in control
of the situation, not wanting to ever let go
of the control, he could not work in community.
He only saw his work being done in isolation.
Even though he may have a wider goal, the inability
of the individual to let down his own
personal walls which can end in isolation
a great amount of the time, stops the work
which is needed to accomplish the goal.
God has put us here on earth to learn to
love God and love one another, to work
hand in hand.
Our purpose is to grow in the ways of God.
Matthew 22: 37-39
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself.
Messenger: Look at the ant hill. They have a job
to do. How would it look if there were
a mass of willful ants?
How would it look if they all worked
together?
When mothers and fathers truly love their
children, they try to work with the willful
ones to build a community of love. All
different problems may arise there which
we will not discuss.
In communities the superior must truly
love those under them and deal with them
in love, but people who really refuse to
live in a community in love
can cause massive problems for unity
and community life.
Father Carter clearly spoke to me of one of the
great stumbling blocks to the spiritual life: it is lack
of humility.
He wrote this article in his 20 page
Newsletter on humility when he told me
that statement.
From the Newsletter I quote.
Excerpt from priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, Issue 3, 2000
Humility
Humility is a very important virtue given to us for the spiritual journey.
Humility is both the realization of what we are as creatures of God and the concrete implementation of this realization in our Christian lives. Humility, therefore, is not an exercise in self-depreciation; it is not telling yourself that you are no good, that you really have nothing of any significance to contribute to the service of God. Humility is based on truth. It is compatible with the recognition that God has given a person certain gifts, even great gifts, of nature and grace. If we do not recognize our God-given gifts, we do not thank God for them as we should, nor properly develop these gifts according to His will. God wants us not only to recognize the good that is in us, but also to realize the source of this goodness. Although we have a responsibility to cooperate with His graces, God is the One Who is chiefly responsible for what we are. If one person has advanced to a level in the Christian life that is beyond the level of another, it is ultimately because God has given that person greater graces.
If humility is based on truth and, consequently, allows us to properly recognize our gifts, it also necessitates that we admit to the evil within us, which is also part of the truth and must be acted upon. Humility not only bids us to admit that there is evil in us, but also tells us that, as creatures of God, we should conform to His will and work against this evil side of our persons. In summary, humility allows us to properly evaluate both the good and evil within ourselves.
Here is a quotation from St. Paul which helps us to preserve, and grow in, humility: Who made you so important? What have you got that was not given to you? And if it was given to you, why are you boasting as though it were your own? (1 Cor 4:7).
And in the Letter of James we read: Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up. (Jm 4:10)
Messenger: As one praying for the renewal of
the Church
and the world, it is silly to think we
can have a major part in this, if we
truly fail to work with our own imperfections
and the desires within ourselves to want to
isolate and not work with others.
This is not to say that some people have
different personalities, some more outgoing
and vibrant, some more quiet, but the
people that are always judging others
and criticizing them, unhealthily making
themselves above and others below them,
can be a party to spiritual pride.
No one likes to be accused of this, but in
order to live and operate in oneness, the
leaders must be recognized as leaders and
those under them, must surrender
to their position or there is havoc. There is a
constant battle amongst the members of
the community seeking superiority causing
pressure on the leader.
It can be seen very clearly in the family
when the teenage son or daughter wishes
their own way.
Let's face it, we are here to grow in the
spiritual life. We want to mature in our
ways of relating. In interacting with others
intimately we see our faults and we try
with God's grace to change them.
Many people will not admit they have
any imperfections. They see themselves as
perfect. They just don't get too close to
anyone else because they don't
want anyone to see they
are imperfect. They live in a world that is not
true for we are all imperfect.
In working with each other in an intimate
way we allow others to see the real self
and if we continue to work toward oneness
we must change many things that lead to
disharmony with others.
Married couples can become one and let each
other see their imperfections. It can take
a lifetime to continually bring out hidden
faults we have.
There is a purification process that takes
place here on earth as we allow ourselves to
be seen in our imperfections and struggle
to change for our good and the good of
others.
There is so much work that is
blocked because people refuse to let
down their superior walls
and work with each other.
Think of many hands working together, all
"chipping in", giving of themselves to accomplish
the work.
Think of one person who wants to run on their
own schedule and so they never come and
work with the others, they just plan everything
around their own way.
When I first needed to put out these writings,
I knew I couldn't do it alone. It took a team.
It took my good friend Ellen to help me type, I
couldn't type very good, she typed a "mile a
minute", she typed all the Blue Books in a
flash.
I had to have help. I had to go to others
and depend on them to help me.
|
Father Carter discerned every word. He disciplined himself and gave a lot of time. It is because he believed the Blue Books were as much his as mine, he told me. We had to work with people to put the books together. The Blue Book III was held up for two years because of the inability of one to smoothly work together to get it out. Father Carter had to discern it a couple of times. The rest of the Blue Books were blocked. It was a lot of work to get out the Blue Books and many helped in their own way. |
|
I cried about the Red Rosary book. Father
Carter prayed every day at Mass for it.
Messenger: I thought it would never go out and I knew
the deadline Mary and Jesus gave me that it was
to get to the Associates before Christmas. Now
I know why Mary and Jesus wanted the Red
Rosary Book out for December 17, 1996. It was so
hard because we were dependent on so many
people that didn't work together.
Messenger: Today the
writings are out there because we are
learning more and more how to work with each
other to do it.
None of the writings would be out there, or the
Movement formed if everyone was working
their own plan.
They all work together.
It is a big problem if everybody has to
work through a lot of problems personally
whenever they work with anybody even to do a
mailing.
Some people always have to control.
Some people have to work on their own
schedule.
Some people won't ever do what you ask
them to do, they have to change it some
way that gives them a piece in it. It
throws off the plan.
Look at the symphony if every player
played their own tune.
Yuk!! What a gross melody.
Look at the symphony when all precisely
follow the conductor.
A lot of work is not being accomplished because
people just won't let down their own walls and
chip in.
A lot of work is being stopped.
When every one has the same plan. When they
really want to help bring about the Reign of
the Sacred Heart with their whole heart and become
handmaids of the Lord, great things will be accomplished.
I do look at Florida. Our responsibility
is to work in love for Jesus. We work
within the Movement in love. We don't
have plans with others on the outside
that take us away from doing His plan
the way He wants.
We are following the direction God is
giving us to help bring about the Reign
of the Sacred Heart. We work as a unit on
His plan. We love and respect each others
differences, but we work in love as one.
I give you the picture of Jesus. Since
Father Carter's death Jesus has appeared
on the building.
Messenger:
I was sent to Florida for the filming
of a documentary March 22, 2001. Before
I went I lost my voice for 3 days solid, I
couldn't talk.
Look at the picture of Jesus on the cross
at Immaculata.
Excerpt from January 19, 1999 Daily Message Messenger: I saw Him at the point of death on the cross December 5, 1996, after Mary appeared 500 times. He hung, all battered, greatly weakened. His mouth moved very clearly. It seems that a man in His condition could not move His mouth to that extent. Later in the rosary that night, He gave messages and said: "No one was listening." (End of Excerpt from January 19, 1999 Daily Message) |
Messenger: Look at the picture of Jesus February 5, 2001.
Since Father's death Jesus has appeared
on the building, He is leading the Movement.
I am working closely with a Catholic priest
and other priests and bishops are
helping us especially with translations.
Here are some pictures I took of Jesus
as He appeared on the building March 22, 2001
during the 6:20 prayers.
Jesus speaks: I state
clearly, so much work is not
accomplished because you will not work
together.
I want you to pull together and work as
a body. All must realize they are imperfect
and try to do the job the way God
intends. All get together, you work together
to accomplish the task in love. If one person
can never make a mistake, so they think,
you won't be able to work together. You must
be humble and work to do the job and serve
Me in love.
You are growing in the spiritual life when you
work in love with one another. You will be more
advanced in the spiritual life when you work in love.
Do you think My Father likes your disharmony?
I give you the gift of Myself truly
present in the Eucharist, how can
you complain?
My Mother is appearing on the building.
I am appearing on the building.
Please help Me. How can you argue
when you are given such gifts?
I give to you the writing of your founder
on the Church.
To help renew the Church, to be a
good priest, you must be humble.
You realize you are under God. You
realize you must work as a family in
love.
Learning how to work together in love is
the purpose of My Movement. My Movement
exists to tell the world of My love.
See how they love one another.
The people in the Movement must work
together in love. They must work on one plan,
to help renew the Church and the world.
I wish the Chapter on the Church from
Father Carter's book Response to God's Love
appear here at the end of the writing.
I want you to study it.
How can men lead the Church when
they won't work together? How can you
lead the Church if you do not recognize
those over you? I always operate in
structure. Power comes from Me through the
people in charge. Those that cannot obey
authority, when authority is trying
to do God's will, make themselves head.
I am the Head of My Body the Church.
March 24, 2001 - Second Message
Messenger: My sweet and
adorable love, I desire You implant
knowledge of Yourself on my soul that where I was
blind I will clearly see as never before.
I want Your life outpoured so deep in my soul.
I want Your image implanted on my soul.
I want to know oneness as never before and
love to open myself that You will so deeply
dwell within me.
I want to know and to see with the greatest light.
I want to live in love and harmony with my fellows
as a child of God.
Oh God impart to me knowledge of Yourself and
Your plan for men.
Oh Holy Spirit fill me with the fire of God's love,
We see so blindly, but soon we
will see Him
face to face.
God speaks through me in the messages He gives.
When speaking of the Body of Christ I was given the
word "connection" when opening the Response
to God's Love, I see how Jesus in writing
through Father Carter used this exact word
when speaking of the body of Christ.
Jesus gave me a message in which He used
the word comprises. In reading a section
He directed me to, today in Father Carter's
20 page Newsletter he used the word comprises
when He wrote through Father Carter.
Jesus writes these writings through my hand and
He wrote through Father Carter to help renew
the Church and the world.
Jesus said "The seeds of time move exceeding slow"
This is an excerpt from Blue Book III and a
rosary given in the summer of 95. Father Carter
did not remove this phrase.
I did not see Jesus on the building until
the pictures came back from February 5, 2001. I saw
Him February 5, 2001 He appeared transfigured
in the statue in the most brilliant light
I cannot describe. On the picture of February 5, 2001
someone remarked the statue was golden.
The statue was awesome. Jesus appeared to me
that night.
Jesus kept telling me He was appearing on the building,
I did not see Him at first.
We see with blinded eyes.
I remember Jesus gave me an experience the first
Saturday in September (September 3, 1994).
Father Carter was in the back of the rosary chapel.
On September 3, 1994 - First Saturday (Excerpt)
Messenger:
That
afternoon we came for the 6:30 p.m. prayers where Our Lady would appear. At 6:00
p.m. I went to the tabernacle in the Rosary Chapel and there was this picture of
Jesus to the left of the tabernacle and a
candle with the Sacred Heart of Jesus on it. There was sunlight in the room from
the rosary windows. I sat before the tabernacle on the altar as I had done so
many times, before the picture and left of the tabernacle. I began to experience
the deepest agony of His Heart. I knew the sorrow of His Heart for all who do
not come before Him in the Blessed Sacrament . I knew His sorrow so deep within
me for all the blocks I had experienced in delivering the messages. I was so
weakened and I was suffering. Then the lights in the room dimmed and the picture
of the Sacred Heart turned black before me. I could very faintly see His outline
behind the blackness. The candle of the Sacred Heart went out. I sat on the end
of my chair in pain and suffering and a fear shot through me. I wondered what
had happened. It remained this way for about 5 minutes.
Then the light in the room returned, the candle went on and the picture became bright, all instantaneously, brighter than ever before. I went to the back of the chapel where Mary would appear, to do the 6:30 p.m. prayers and I cried. I was so shaken from the experience. Father Carter was there for the prayers. I was told to tell Father Smith, which I did.
(End of September 3, 1994 Excerpt)
Messenger: I still see the Sacred Heart picture when it
was
covered with a black veil. (I do not know how
to say it, I do not know how to describe it.) I
could barely see Him
through this black haze,
then I saw Him in great light.
Oh how to describe it to you for it is etched in my
soul. I see it as clearly as the day it happened.
Then the lights came on more brilliantly than
before. The sun shown, the candle with
the Sacred Heart on it was lighted and
the picture of the Sacred Heart was
clearly visible to me.
We see with clouded vision now, but soon
we will see Him face to face.
Oh Sacred Heart of Jesus please give us light to see.
Take the scum off our eyes.
Open our hearts to know and love You.
Help us Jesus. Help us please, impart to us
these gifts from heaven.
I long to see Him face to face, I long to know
Him more and more on this earth below.
How blinded we are indeed.
The world He desires is one of deep love, of men working
together as brothers and sisters for His honor
and glory; of one in which we look into the
face of each other and see Jesus and love
each other as sons and daughters of God.
We are so huffy thinking all this money and our
things are so important.
We can't take it with us.
It is our hearts that must be filled with love.
We must make the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
the King and Center of Our Hearts.
I speak as a messenger of God.
Jesus speaks: Pray for wider vision to see the earth
filled with
children at play with little hearts focused on
the love of God and love of one another learning
to work together to spread love to all.
I am God and I am love. I want men to love each other.
Jesus speaks: I appear to deliver this message.
You are so stiff!
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From the September 22, 1997 message
(Messenger: On September 22, 1997, He said this. I suffered for several days. Then the basilica in Assisi was destroyed.) Messenger: On September 22, 1997, He said, "Would the destruction of your temples bring you to your knees? Or should I destroy My own houses?" I suffered and suffered for three days. At the end of the week, an earthquake tore apart the Basilica in Assisi and a picture of St. Francis and St. Clare, a famous fresco, was on many of the newspapers around the world. |
Messenger: On September 22, 2000 three years later
they opened up Father Carter and found out
he had cancer.
Jesus speaks: Don't change My words, I will open the
hearts
filled with cancer and I will fill
them with My love through My
writings.
My writings given here through My visionaries
Father Carter and Rita will open the cancer-
ridden hearts and they will know
the power of My love.
Please help Me, do not give into Satan to fight
the gift I give here.
With all your heads together you will
spread My writings on love more and
more to all the ends of the earth.
I give these writings to help renew
My Church and My world.
Please put your heads together and help
Me, don't be jealous, you must work
as a unit in love.
This is a gift I give you.
See Mary on the building
See the Fire of My Love
Jesus speaks:
Please how can I reach you, souls are at stake,
I ask you to help Me. You measure and you think
you see who did what to you and how they
acted and a lot of work isn't done while the
devil distracts you and keeps you in a "stupor".
Please time is short. Your days on earth will
soon be over. Please help Me. Let
go of jealousy.
Look at the gifts I have given you. I want
you to help Me spread this. I gave it to
you and you measure and do not help
Me.
Please help Me. What other sign would
help you, if I sent St. Joseph you would
want more. You want another sign and
another you are never satisfied.
I give you Myself in the Eucharist.
See My Face February 5, 2001
I am crying to you to help Me and hear Me.
Please put aside your selfish pride
and help Me.
Please spread the message I give here to
the ends of the earth. Tell them of My love.
Please help Me, Spread My prayer manuals.
Spread My Newsletter and letters of love.
I love you,
Jesus, I am the Sacred Heart
of Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock
Messenger: When they operated on my mother's chest
when she had cancer they had
grafted new
skin from her leg.
Jesus speaks: A grafting is in order,
but the deep cancer within the
body must be healed.
Cancer is a menace.
There is so much black evil in the
hearts of many.
I want to open up their hearts and
flush out the evil with My
message of love.
I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
This is My Movement to help bring
about the Reign of My Sacred Heart.
These are My letters of love I give you,
to flush out the hearts filled
with poison and pain.
My writings and My prayers I give you,
What sign would change your hearts anyway,
March 22, 2001
Jesus speaks: It is only My grace that will
change the hearts.
I have begged you to begin prayer
chapters praying for the priests,
the Church and the world.
Praying theses prayers will help bring down
great grace for the Church and the world.
Please help Me.
Please help Me.
Please help Me.
end of March 24, 2001
Rita Ring
Books written by the cofounder of Shepherds of Christ Ministries
Mass Book
A Journey Into the Heart of Jesus - Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
$ 12.00 plus postageMass Book, by Rita Ring: Many of the entries in the Priestly Newsletter Volume II from a spiritual journal came from this book. These entries
are to help people to be more deeply united to God in the Mass. This book is available in English and Spanish with the Churchs Imprimatur.
$12
Rosary Meditations for Parents and Children
From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
$ 10.00 plus postageRosary Meditations for Parents and Children, by Rita Ring, Short Meditations for both parents and children to be used when praying the
rosary. These meditations will help all to know the lives of Jesus and Mary alive in their Hearts. Available in both English and Spanish with
the Churchs Imprimatur. $10
God's Blue Book I
Teachings to Lift You Up. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book I by Rita Ring. Open Anywhere This book will change your life. These are beautiful love letters to us from Jesus. A million books have been printed and circulated. Jesus loves us so much He wants a personal relationship with us He wants us to go to the Eucharist and be with Him before the tabernacle. $10
God's Blue Book II
The Fire of His Love. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S. J.
$ 10.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book II by Rita Ring. Letters from Jesus about His on fire love Jesus wants this great intimacy with us On fire love Personal love letters from Jesus about the love of His Heart A book on surrender Fr. Carter said! $10
God's Blue Book III
Love God, Love One Another. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book III by Rita Ring. Fr. Carter's favorite book It is about loving and forgiving each other Being pure in heart A book for unity in family, community, in life!! $10
God's Blue Book 4
The Love of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Author: Rita Ring
$ 5.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book IV by Rita Ring. This book is about the love Jesus has for Mary and Mary has for Jesus and Jesus and Mary have for us It is truly the Love of the Two Hearts. Mary appeared every day at the Holy Spirit Center Fr. Carter was there. Mary's first apparition July 5, 1994. $5
God's Blue Book 5
So Deep Is the Love of His Heart. Author: Rita Ring.
$ 5.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book V by Rita Ring. Jesus wants to be the bridegroom of our soul He is our beloved Jesus tells us about pure love how we are to be pure of heart and love God and love others. It is a must, to hear about love from Jesus Jesus is love $5
God's Blue Book 6A
He Calls Us to Action Author: Rita Ring.
$ 10.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book 6A by Rita Ring. Rosaries from Their Hearts during apparitions. Jesus and Mary appeared every day and I received rosaries from Them and They were transcribed from a tape. Also messages of love from Jesus on days of January, 1995 About Baptism writings from Fr. Carter and the Scriptures. $10
God's Blue Book 6B
He Calls Us to Action Author: Rita Ring.
$ 10.00 plus postageGod's Blue Book 6B by Rita Ring. Jesus and Mary appeared every day in February, 1995 So beautiful transcribed from a tape the Stations, 7 Sorrows, prayers in the Prayer Manual, the Holy Spirit Novena Book and the Song Book. Pure love loving and forgiving a book about Jesus' love, baptism, grace and Fr. Carter's Newsletter. $10
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume I
Red Rosary Book - Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00 plus postageRosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Book 1. Mary appeared in Clearwater December 17, 1996 in rainbow color and these rosaries left the printer the same day from Apparitions of Jesus and Mary transcribed from a tape. $10
Blue Rosary Book
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume II
$ 12.00 plus postageRosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary Book 2. This is a book of so many rosaries - transcribed from a tape. So many beautiful rosaries. pages $12
Short Rosary Meditations for the Ederly, Ill, and Homebound
From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary: Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. Imprimatur
This book is 8 1/2" by 11" and you can open it up and sit it on your lap.
$ 10.00 plus postageShort Rosary Meditations for the Elderly, Ill and Homebound. This book is so important with pictures they can open it and lay it on their laps and pray the rosary. $10
Messages From Jesus
Given by Jesus to His Messenger Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
This book is 8 1/2" by 11" and you can open it up and sit it on your lap.$ 10.00 plus postage
Messages for the Elderly, Ill and Homebound. This is a big book of loving messages for nursing home people and homebound from Jesus and Mary Their lives are so important united to the Mass offering up their suffering, their lives for the souls of this earth. $10
Daily Messages From Heaven 1
From the Florida Apparition Site Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00 plus postageDaily Messages From Heaven Volumes 2 thru 5 (Spiral bound)
From the Florida Apparition Site Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$25.00 each plus postageDaily Messages from Heaven. First book of Daily Messages. $10
Rosary Meditations for Little People and Elderly
Short Meditations for the Rosary
$ 3.00 plus postage
Color the Lives of Jesus and Mary, Books 1 thru 5
A Coloring Book with Short Meditations on the 15 mysteries of the rosary. Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 5.00 each plus postageColor the Lives of Jesus and Mary. Volumes 1 through 7. Coloring books and meditations for grade school children and others on the mysteries of the rosary - really good. $5 each.
Coloring the Lives of Jesus and Mary Books 6 and 7
Mysteries of Light
$ 5.00 each plus postageColor the Lives of Jesus and Mary. Volumes 6 through 7. Coloring books and meditations for grade school children and others on the mysteries of the rosary - really good. $5 each.
God's Blue Book I on CD, Disk #1
God's Blue Book I, Disk #1 Read by author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 10.00 plus postage
Mysteries of Light Rosary Book
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume I
$ 5.00 plus postage
Mysteries of Light Rosary Book
Rosaries From the Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Volume II
$ 5.00 plus postage
Apostle's Manual
Shepherds of Christ Overview: Very carefully discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S. J.
$ 20.00Apostles Manual. About the Movement - the structure of the Movement All Ministries - from the time 3 months before Mary appeared in Clearwater and 3 months after. Rosaries of the 13ths, Fr. Carter's Newsletters. Messages from God the Father Reaching the priests, the Church, the schools and the world. $20
Songs From Jesus
Given by Jesus to His Messenger Author: Rita Ring. Discerned by: Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
$ 3.00Songs from Jesus Songbook. These loving songs were given from Jesus. So beautiful Love Songs from Jesus of His love - helping us have pure and loving hearts. $3
Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena
Holy Spirit Novena by: Rita Ring
$ 1.00 plus postageHoly Spirit Novena Booklet. In four languages with the Imprimatur with 18 scripture readings for two complete novenas this very powerful Holy Spirit Novena has prayers for prayers for Protection by the Blood of Jesus, Healing, Strength and Light, To Be One with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One with Jesus, To Dwell in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Prayer for the Holy Spirit and His Gifts, and the Word Alive in Our Hearts. All these prayers take about 10 minutes daily recited out loud. $1
Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena CD
Holy Spirit Novena Read by: Rita Ring
$ 10.00 plus postage
Holy Spirit Novena CD. Prayers and scripture readings from the Holy Spirit Novena Booklet read by Rita Ring. $10
Colorea 1 thru 5
las vidas de Jesϊs y Marνa (recibido el Imprimαtur)
$ 5.00 each plus postage
Para Comprender Mejor La Santa Misa
Una Jornada Hacia el Corazσn de Jesϊs
$ 10.00
Meditaciones del Rosario
para Pequenos y Ancianos
$ 10.00
Fr. Joe Robinson
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Guiding Light homily series - Reflect on the Word - Cycle B The Word leaves an impression on our souls. In my thoughts and reflections are born a more tangible understanding of these eternal concepts presented in the Gospels and the readings. Anyone can read a sentence, but not anyone can absorb it's true meaning. Truth, in this day and age, is almost a matter of opinion or individual entitlement. We believe that Christ's truth is our Roman Catholic Church. We, as priests, champion it's teachings; we are ambassadors for the Pope and Christ to those faces looking at us. We are the light by which our congregation reads to reflect upon real truth and we do it hand in hand. $15 |
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Guiding Light homily series - Steadfast to the Son - Cycle A The sunflower is a great example of how we should be steadfastly guided by light. What a powerful thought that this exceptional plant is not stuck in one pose day in and day out, yet adaptable and magnetized to the sun. We feel the same about our Son. Our heads turns to face Christ as each day presents its challenges to find light. We join together like plants in a field and soak up the Son through the pulpit. We are a warm circle of strength using the wind of our breath to carry our priests' words, Christ's words, to new rich soil. $15 | ||
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Guiding Light - Feed My Soul - Cycle C In a world rapidly advancing and encouraging personal gain, we are faced with modern problems. There is a challenge to find time in our busy schedules for Sunday Mass or a family meal. We are able to research, shop, bank and even work without hearing one human voice. It is no wonder that we may often feel disconnected and famished at our week's end. In Fr. Joe's third book of homilies from Cycle C, we are reminded of the charity that Christ intended us to show each other. We have a calling to turn the other cheek and be the Good Samaritan to others. We are rewarded with the Father's kingdom and love when we are not worthy. We are not left alone or hungry. $15 |
Guiding Light - Focusing on the Word - Cycle B At times we may feel that our path to Christ is a bit "out of focus". Like the disciples in the Book of Mark, this ordinary life clouds our vision of Christ's Divinity. We may doubt the practicality or possibility of applying His teachings and example to our modern life. Cycle B's homilies are a "guiding light" to help us realize Jesus' Messianic greatness and His promise of better things to come. $15 |
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Guiding Light - The Word Alive in Our Hearts. - Cycle A (partial) Homilies by the Reverend Joe Robinson given at St. Boniface Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is a tremendous honor Fr. Joe has allowed us to share these great gifts with you – for greater holiness and knowing more and more about God. $10 |
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Fr. Edward J. Carter |
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Light, Happiness, & Peace
Journeying Through Traditional Catholic Spirituality Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageThis book Light, Happiness and Peace is a journey into the spiritual life an awakening of deeper life IN HIM. Here are some of the comments we received from bishops and cardinals about the book. Cardinal – Pontifical Council for Culture – Vatican City “I am sure that this book, Light, Happiness and Peace through a discussion on traditional Catholic Spirituality will contribute in bringing back prayer into the mainstream of life.” $10
In Imitation of Two Hearts
Prayers for Consolation, Renewal and Peace in Times of Suffering Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageIn Imitation of Two Hearts - Prayers for Consolation, Renewal and Peace in Times of Suffering Fr. John J. Pasquini leads a suffering soul to the gentle Hearts of Jesus and Mary. In these most loving Hearts - the prayers by Fr. John Pasquini - help the person suffering to know more deeply the pascal mystery of death/resurrection. President of the Pontifical Council for Health $10
Authenticity
Authenticity - Prayers and Meditations Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageAuthenticity, the Yellow Book of prayers by Fr. John Pasquini, can lead the soul into deeper intimacy with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, can lead to greater love of Mary which leads to the unitive life and greater holiness. The book of prayers Authenticity by Fr. John J. Pasquini is to help one grow ever deeper in the Unitive life. Apostolic Nuncio – Archbishop – Philippines “With Authenticity, much is gained in prayer, and much is accomplished through prayer. More especially if prayer is directed in behalf of the Church.” $10
Medicine of Immortality
Prayers and Meditations for Mass and Eucharistic Adoration Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postage“In Medicine of Immortality, Father John Pasquini offers his readers the richness of Catholic devotional prayer, the wisdom of the Fathers and, most of all, the fruits of his own prayer and meditation before the Blessed Sacrament. I recommend this book to all who wish to grow in their love for the Lord, who sustains the life of His Church through the precious gift of His Body and Blood.” Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Archbishop of Chicago $10
Ecce Fides
Pillar of Truth - Dedicated to defending Catholic beliefs through reason, Scripture, and the life of the Holy Spirit Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 10.00 plus postageEcce Fides is a work dedicated to defending Catholic beliefs through reason, Scripture, and the life of the Holy Spirit. "It is important that we (as people of God) return to the source of life, our faith, which is usefully exposed in this volume, and take it out to our contemporaries, evangelizing them and their cultures and inculturating the Gospel." Cardinal – Pontifical Council for Culture – Vatican City $10
Shepherds of Christ Spirituality Newsletters
Author: Fr. John J. Pasquini
$ 35.00 plus postageShepherds of Christ, a book of Spirituality Newsletters, is a compilation of the first nine newsletters from Fr. John J. Pasquini begining in August 2006. The Newsletter has been circulated to the priests and hierarchy spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart, promoting love for the Eucharist, greater love for the Church, the Priesthood, Mary and the Holy Spirit, the Mass, Prayer, and greater intimate relationship with God. $35
Authenticity Ocean DVD
The Authenticity Prayer Book is read with the Ocean as a backdrop.
$ 10.00 plus postageDVD - Prayers from the Authenticity Book read by Rita Ring on the ocean it is beautiful. 410
Nursing Home Mass DVD
A special mass by Fr. John J. Pasquini for those in nursing homes or homebound.
$ 10.00 plus postageDVD - A beautiful Mass was done by Fr. John J. Pasquini for Nursing homes and assisted living. It was done at St. Joseph's magnificent chapel St. Joseph's assisted living in Jupiter, Florida. It last about 33 minutes. We call it the golden Nursing Home Mass from St. Joseph's. $10
Consolation DVD
Give this DVD as a sympathy present.
$ 10.00 plus postageConsolation by Fr. John J. Pasquini upon the passing of a loved one. Fr. Pasquini has done a beautiful gift of his most wonderful homily given when someone dear has died. It can be given as a tremendous gift. $10
Divine Mercy Chaplet CD
Give this DVD as a gift.
$ 10.00 plus postageDivine Mercy Chaplet CD. Prayed by Fr. John J. Pasquini $10
Statues/Religious Items
Statues, Crucifixes, and Religious Artwork
These items are very special additions to your home or place of worship.
Special 27" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
27" Statue with crown
$ 450.00 plus shipping
Special 18" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
$ 250.00 plus shipping
Special 15" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
White gown with gold trim around mantel
$ 200.00 plus shipping
Special 12" Pilgrim Virgin of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
White gown with gold trim around mantel
$ 160.00 plus shipping
Special 18" Our Lady of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
Blue and Pink gown with a rosary over her hand.
$ 250.00 plus shipping
Special 11" Our Lady of Fatima/Clearwater Statue with Glass
Blue and Pink gown.
$ 150.00 plus shipping
Crucifix by Felix - Hand Carved
Crucifix with incredible detail!
$ 750.00 plus shipping
Imitation of Two Hearts
Giclee Art Print on Canvas
$ 150.00 plus shipping
Lucia's Vision
Giclee Art Print on Canvas by Harold Kellner
$ 150.00 plus shipping
Mary's Image 12 x 16
Giclee Art Print on Canvas of Mary's image with a sliver of glass and a little bottle of Jesus and Mary water. The glass will be fixed behind the back of the picture.
$ 200.00 plus shipping
Blue Crystal Rosary
Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
6mm - $ 30.00 plus shipping
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping
Red Crystal Rosary
Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
6mm - $ 30.00 plus shipping
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping
Clear Crystal Rosary
Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
6mm - $ 30.00 plus shipping
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping
Mug
Mug with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
$ 15.00 plus shipping
Call Rosie
1-888-211-3041
or
1-727-725-9312
Statues
OL-Guadalupe
w/glass - 28
OL-Grace
w/glass - 24OL-Mt. Carmel
w/glass - 24
OL-Lourdes
w/glass - 24
IH-Mary
w/glass - 24
IH-Ivory
w/glass - 24
SH-Jesus
w/glass - 24SH-Blessing
w/glass - 24
Sorrow M
w/glass - 24
Inf.-Prague
w/glass - 24
OL-Lourdes
w/glass - 18
OL-Mt. Carmel
w/glass - 18I Heart
w/glass - 18
I Heart - Ivory
w/glass - 18
OL-Grace
w/glass - 18
SH-Jesus
w/glass - 18OL-Guadalupe
w/glass - 12
PV-Fatima
w/glass - 27
PV-Fatima
w/glass - 18
PV-Fatima
w/glass - 15
OL-Fatima
w/glass - 18
PV-Fatima
w/glass - 12
OL-Fatima
w/glass - 11
St. Padre Pio
St. Joseph
St. Therese
St. Francis
St. Anthony
St. Claire
Limpias
St. Jude
Divine Mercy
Holy Family
Angel
St. Philomena
Pieta - Marble
Pieta - Color
Holy Family 12
St. Anthony - 18
St. Francis - 18
St. Joseph - 18
St. Therese - 18
St. Rita - 18
St. Clare - 12
St. Rita - 12
St. Padre Pio - 12
Divine Mercy - 12
St. Michael - 11
Limpias - 8
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P. O. Box 627
China, IN 47250
Toll free - 1-888-211-3041
Local - 1-812-273-8405
fax - 1-812-273-3182
web: www.sofc.org
e-mail: info@sofc.org
Size
Price
Quantity
Holy Family
24"
$180
Limpias
24"
$125
St. Anthony
24"
$125
St. Claire
24"
$125
St. Francis
24"
$125
St. Joseph
24"
$125
St. Jude
24"
$125
St. Padre Pio
24"
$125
St. Therese
24"
$125
Divine Mercy 22" $125
Angel 22" $100
St. Philomena 20" $100
St. Philomena 16" $65
St. Joseph 18" $65
St. Francis 18" $65
St. Anthony 18" $65
St. Rita 18" $65
St. Therese 18" $65
Pieta - Color 15"
$125
Pieta - Marble 15"
$125
Holy Family 12" $75
St. Padre Pio - standing 12" $100
St. Padre Pio - sitting 9" $100
St. Michael 11" $40
St. Rita 12" $40
Divine Mercy
12" $50
St. Claire 12" $40
Pieta - Color 8"
$75
Pieta - Marble 8"
$75
Limpias 8" $25
Our Lady of Guadalupe w/glass 28" $500
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel w/glass 24" $500
Immaculate Heart of Mary w/glass
24"
$500
Immaculate Heart - Ivory w/glass
24"
$500
Infant of Prague w/glass
24"
$500
Our Lady of Grace w/glass
24"
$500
Our Lady of Lourdes w/glass
24"
$500
Sacred Heart of Jesus w/glass 24"
$500
Sacred Heart -Blessing w/glass 24"
$500
Sorrowful Mother w/glass
24"
$500
Immaculate Heart of Mary w/glass 18" $300
Immaculate Heart - Ivory w/glass 18" $300
Sacred Heart of Jesus w/glass 18" $300
Our Lady of Lourdes w/glass 18" $300
Our Lady of Grace w/glass 18" $300
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel w/glass
18"
$300
Our Lady of Guadalupe w/glass 12" $200
Fatima w/glass
11"
$150
Fatima w/glass
18"
$250
Pilgrim Virgin w/glass 12"
$160
Pilgrim Virgin w/glass 15"
$200
Pilgrim Virgin w/glass 18"
$250
Pilgrim Virgin w/glass 27" $450
Call for Shipping Price (1-888-211-3041)
Name
Sub-Total
Address
IN Tax (7%)
City
Shipping
State Zip
Donation
Telephone
Order Total
Call Rosie
1-888-211-3041
or
1-727-725-9312
Immaculate Heart and Sacred Heart Pictures Available
with & without frames - different sizes available
Copyright
© 2012 Shepherds of Christ.
Rights for
non-commercial
reproduction granted:
May be copied in its entirety, but neither re-typed nor edited.
Translations are welcome but they must be reviewed for moral and
theological accuracy by a source approved by Shepherds of Christ Ministries
before any distribution takes place. Please contact us for more information.
All scripture quotes are from the
New Jerusalem Bible, July 1990, published by Doubleday.
Revised: January 1, 2012
URL: http://www.sofc.org
Contact Information for Shepherds
of Christ
Email: info@SofC.org
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 627
China, Indiana 47250
Telephone: (toll free) 1-888-211-3041 or (812) 273-8405
FAX: (812) 273-3182
