| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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| Shepherds of Christ Daily Writing |
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September 11, 2021
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September 12th Holy Spirit Novena |
The Novena Rosary
Mysteries |
Pray the Rosary for the World
Please Pray for Fr. Joe & Bob, Sanja
Prayer for Grace for our Country
Dear Father united to Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the Sacrifice of Calvary sacramentally made present, celebrated around the world, in the Holy Spirit. We offer up all we do united to the Mass. We unite in one mind and one heart as members of the mystical body of Christ, with Christ our head in the pure and holy Hearts of Jesus and Mary, through the powerful intercession of Mary with all the angels and saints and souls in purgatory, and we beg for the saving grace, for our country, the United States. Please help us. We further pray for unity to always do the will of God in love. We spread the Blood of Jesus on the leaders and people of the United States and cast the devil into hell. We consecrate our country to the Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart and all our dioceses, and beg for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God help us. We pray for our families, the priests, the Church and the world. In the Name of Jesus please hear us, we pray. We pray for our president and leaders. We pray that we are united as one nation under God to work together in love as God wants.
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China Retreat
Friday September
10th - 1:30pm |
September 11, 2021
From the Priestly Newsletter Book II - Issue 5 1998
Our Union with the Resurrected Christ
The Church invites us to share deeply in the passion of Christ, in the cross of Christ. She does so that we might share deeply in His life of resurrection-here and hereafter. The more we die with Christ, the more we share in His life of resurrection-here and hereafter. Our ultimate goal here below is not the cross, but resurrection-the newness of life the cross leads to - here below as well as in eternity.
We are meant to share in all the mysteries of Christ here below-we are meant to relive them in our own lives. And all of these mysteries are directed to the crowning mystery of Jesus, His resurrection: "As the Church is ever re-enacting, during all the ages, the life story of her Divine Spouse-undergoing in the Mystical Body what He suffered in His Natural Body, so it must be too, in some measure, for every individual Christian that lives in real unity with Christ. It was thus that the saints understood the life of the Divine Master. They not merely contemplated it, they lived it. This was the source of the immense sympathy they were capable of experiencing for Him in His different states. They felt in a certain measure what He felt, and what is true of Our Lord's life considered as a whole must be true in no imperfect or limited manner of that which was the supreme and crowing mystery in that life-namely, the Resurrection. This must be, not merely a fact in Christian history, but a phase of Christian experience "...We do not readily perceive that, in God's plan, not only the Cross, but the Risen Life that followed it, is meant to be part of our terrestrial existence. Christ did not pass from the Cross straight to heaven. The Christian is not meant to do so either. In the case of Jesus the Cross preceded, prepared and prefaced a risen life on earth. In the case of the Christian the Cross is meant to play a somewhat similar role-that is, to be the prelude to a risen life, even here below.
The Cross cannot be completely understood except it is viewed in the full light of the Resurrection. It is the latter, not the former, that is the ultimate mystery for us...The Cross is a means, not an end; it finds its explanation only in the empty tomb; it is an entrance into life, not a mode of death. Any death that enters into God's plan must necessarily issue forth in life. If He lays upon us the necessity of dying it is in order that we may live...In order that we may live as we ought, our rebellious nature must be crucified. Crucifixion always remains the only mode of salvation.
"God sends trials and crosses simply to deaden in us the activity of the forces that make for the decay of the spiritual life, in order that that spiritual life may develop and expand unimpeded. According as the life of perverse nature ebbs away from us on our cross united with Christ's, the Divine Life that God has placed in all whom He has called begins to make itself more manifest and to display increased vigour and vitality...It is to that Resurrection, that life in death, that God directs all the circumstances of our life-it is the object He aims at in His dealing with us." 9
In his above words, Fr. Edward Leen, C.S.Sp., speaks about a special episode of our participation in the resurrection of Jesus. He speaks of our Christ-life, our life of grace, in the highly developed state. We should all strive for this state. We must realize, however, that all those who live in the state of grace are, in an essential way, living the life of resurrection. They are alive in Christ Jesus. St. Paul tells us: "You have been taught that when we were baptized in Christ Jesus we were baptized in His death; in other words, when we were baptized we went into the tomb with Him and joined Him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too might have a new life." (Rom 6:3-4).
9. Edward Leen, In the Likeness of Christ, Sheep and Word, pp. 290-300.
From the Priestly Newsletter Book II - Issue 3 1998
7~ Here are certain stanzas from one of the poems of St. Therese of Lisieux,
who has recently been declared to be a doctor of the Church by Pope John Paul II:It’s to you alone Jesus, that I’m attached.
It’s into your arms that I run and hide.
I want to love you like a little child.
I want to fight like a brave warrior.
Like a child full of little attentions,
Lord, I want to overwhelm you with caresses,
And in the field of my apostolate,
Like a warrior I throw myself into the fight!…Your heart that preserves and restores innocence
Won’t betray my trust!
In you, Lord, rests my hope.
After this exile, I’ll go to see you in Heaven…
When in my heart the storm arises,
To you, Jesus, I lift up my head.
In your merciful look,
I read: "Child, for you I made the Heavens".I know well, my sighs and tears
are before you, all radiant with charms,
The seraphim in Heaven form your court,
And yet you beg for my love!…You want my heart, Jesus, I give it to you.
I surrender all my desires to you,
And those whom I love, O my Spouse, my King,
From now on I only want to love them for you.
7. St. Thèrèse of Lisieux, Poem 36, as in Spiritual Life, Spring 1998.
Our Life in Christ
~ Here is an excerpt from a spiritual journal: "And I opened my heart, but I waited and felt suspended in mid-air for my whole desire was to embrace Him and it felt as if He did not come. I suffered and suffered and wanted only to experience Him with this outpouring of His grace. Then His grace overtook my weary soul and He dwelt in me in this heightened form. The Bridegroom made Himself known to me and then it felt as if this intensity had left, but the lingering memory of this moment when He intimately united Himself to me was implanted forever on my weary soul, as I sit and wait for that day when I will experience the fulfillment of myself existing only in Him. I long to have oneness in the Divine Master, the Bridegroom of my soul. I love you Jesus, come to me, that I may know you most intimately. Embrace my soul and fill me with your gifts. I desire to experience the deepest union with you, my Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, Lamb of God. Through my union with you, My Jesus, I desire to experience the deepest union with the Father in the Holy Spirit."
And, "I rested my head on the pierced chest of my Savior. I felt His presence and put my head on His pierced wound. I see His side and I experience the wound within my own heart. His Heart was wounded by our sins, and I rest upon this wound.
"Open up the wound and go into His burning Heart. See the wound opening and enter into the great, red abyss of His fiery love. It is in the wound that I enter.
"His glorified body has this wound. It is from His pierced Heart that our life flows.
"The glorified wounds of Christ are my delight. He carried the cross. He bore the pain. He was pierced that we could live in Him!"
- Rita Ring
September 8, 2021
Glorious Mysteries
The Resurrection
1. Jesus died and rose to teach us His way.
We see in history the selfish - self-
centered attitude, every man for
himself attitude is not successful.
Jesus teaches us justice, honesty,
kindness. Jesus is the light of the
world. God is love –
Love is giving oneself for the good
of the other.
2. We can make our world a beautiful
place by how we treat each other –
or we can make it an unpleasant
place. Being self-centered and
not thinking of anyone else
makes it hard to survive
and this brings unhappiness.
Jesus shows us He loved us and gave
Himself to His death on the cross.
We are here to love one another and
love God.
3. We must see ourselves as team players.
A single, selfish player can dominate
the game, play the game, but he
makes everybody else lose.
Team players work together to
win the game.
4. Jesus: I am the way, the truth and
the life. I paid a precious price
to teach you how to love.
Those who refuse to give a
crumb will not thrive or
prosper. It is in giving you
receive. Giving to others and
allowing others to grow by
giving to you. No man is an
island. I showed you the way.
5. Jesus: A house divided will fall.
Those rooted in Me love and
give to others, live to lift
each other up as I taught you.
6. Jesus tell us
"You are the salt of the earth,
You are the light of the world."
We are here to bring light and
joy to others in little simple
ways and in big ways too.
7. God has chosen us to make a
unique contribution to the
world. Nobody can take
our place and do it quite
like us. We are created uniquely
by God.
8. Jesus: I bring you living water –
Water that would lead to eternal life.
R. We need water for life.
Mary appeared in CLEAR-WATER.
Jesus gives us the sacrament
of baptism, in baptism we
share in His life.
9. Fr. Carter wrote the books
God loved us first –
We are to respond to God –
have a relationship with
Him.
How can we know God if
we have hard-hearts
that have the every-man
for himself attitude?
Jesus wants to be one in us.
He gives us a sharing in His life
in baptism –
He feeds that life with Himself
in the Eucharist –
We were created to know, love and
serve God.
10. Jesus told me December 5, 1996 nobody
was listening to Him.
Disciples of Jesus take time
to listen – they respond –
they know Jesus in their
hearts, they take time for
a relationship with
Him – they are lifted up by
God.
The Ascension
1. Luke 24:50-53
Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and raising his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.
2. Jesus said
"I'm Alive, I'm Alive, I'm Alive,
I'm treated like a dead object."
3. Jesus came to give us life.
We will never get to know Jesus
if we keep the attitude –
every man for himself, hold
out and expect others to serve
us.
Jesus was the suffering servant –
Jesus, the perfect servant!!
Servants wash feet as Jesus
showed us.
Servants serve - they give
to others.
4. The devil said "I will not serve".
If Jesus is important to us – we
show Him we are under Him –
we do God's will – we serve God,
we put God first. We set
time aside to just be with
Jesus – our life is lived to
please God.
5. We have eyes to see, but so do
dogs and cats – what is
important is that God gives
us an intellect and a heart
to know and understand.
But we see that some things
are a mystery. We have to
accept some things on
faith, like Abraham and
Moses and Joseph the prophet –
6. We see Jesus healed the blind man.
When a person is full of the attitude
"every-man for himself" –
He's like a spiritual blind man.
Blindness in our minds and
hearts – where we don't hear
or see what Jesus teaches
and blindness in our hearts
where we don't love is
a real handicap toward our
eternal life.
7. i.e. Some people keep dating people
who abuse them – some are
addicted to drugs, alcohol,
pride, anger, giving
abuse and they make
their own life a hell –
I was trying to pray in a noisy
rocker that got louder and louder.
Finally I didn't know how to
stop it so I had to get rid of it.
Some times people just keep doing
the same thing over and over
again because its familiar –
even though it makes them
hard-hearted.
As a child Casper had to "zone-out"
because his parents were
fighting and alcoholic –
Casper, as an adult, never learned
to work out simple matters
after surviving such a
childhood –
He would not work with
others then zone-out and
hold-out – waiting
for others to make up to him
for his nasty, rejecting,
abusive behavior.
Heaven is a reward promised
to those who love and serve
the Lord.
What about someone who
won't give a crumb
because it's familiar.
Love is giving oneself for
the good of the other.
8. In the Ascension we see Jesus
lifted up and a cloud
took Him out of
sight. We are here to
die to the bad habits
and rise to new life in Jesus.
That takes letting go to God.
That takes putting God first.
That takes surrender –
relationship, conversion
and love –
That takes a co-operating
heart – co-operating with
others – obeying God –
God commands us to love
Him and love our neighbor
as ourselves.
9. We can have eyes to see with
but inwardly be blind.
We must open our eyes to
God, to His Plan, to His
will, to purification.
10. We can pray to be healed of our
blind-spots, but a prideful
person expects others to
change, in his prideful ways.
Some people hate others and
allow themselves to
deliberately hate others.
Jesus commands us to love
Him and love others as
ourselves.
Blindness rooted in pride
blocks all healing.
Can you imagine being so
stubborn in your ways
to miss the beauty and
love of God for all eternity?
Jesus ascended into heaven and
a cloud took Him out of
sight –
We are here to be raised up.
If a person's life is going down
deeper and deeper in
hatred, pride, addiction,
abuse –
they need to listen – not
get more stubborn
and caved-in –
These rosaries are from
the Pure and Perfect Hearts
of love of Jesus and Mary.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles
1. Acts 2: 1-4
When Pentecost day came round, they had all met together, when suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves.
2. God gives us baptism. The
Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwell
in the graced, baptized soul.
God gives us light and grace
in baptism –
3. Our knowing and loving capacity
is elevated in baptism.
Jesus raised Lazarus from
the dead.
Jesus said to Martha
"I am the resurrection and
the life, whoever
believes in Me, even
if he dies, will live,
and everyone who lives and
believes in Me will never die". ref
4. Do you believe this?
Romans 8: 28
We are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good.
Do you believe the Pascal Mystery –
Death / Resurrection
We die to the ways not like
Christ to rise in Him.
5. Pentecost is one of the 3 most
important feasts of the Church
year.
It is 50 days after Jesus'
resurrection.
6. We thank God for the Church!
7. We thank God for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
who dwell in our graced
baptized soul.
8. We thank God for the gifts of the
Holy Spirit.
Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel,
Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety
and Fear of the Lord.
9. We thank God for Confirmation.
10. Sing:
Veni Sancte SpiritusFrom the Lectionary
Pentecost Sequence
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine!You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul's most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;In our Labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!Where you are not, man has naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill!Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away;Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sev'nfold gift descend;Give them virtue's sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end. Amen.
Alleluia.
Sing:
Come Holy Ghost
The Assumption
1. Mary was taken body and soul
into heaven.
2. Mary always did the will of the Father.
Mary loved the Father's will –
Mary was conceived without
sin.
3. Mary is Mother of the Church.
Mary is Our Mother.
Mary is Mother of Jesus.
Mary takes us to Jesus.
4. Sing:
See the Eyes That Look at Mary
5. Mary is all pure –
Sing:
Immaculate Mary
6. Mary is the perfect handmaid
of the Lord.
Mary is our spiritual
Mother.
7. From Tell My People
by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.Mary: "My beloved priest-son, how often I have pressed you to my maternal and Immaculate Heart in the greatest love! How often I allow you to taste the sweetness of this Heart. How often I make you aware that my Heart is your refuge where you feel so much loved, where you feel so secure, where you feel bathed in peace! I desire that you tell all the people about the riches contained in my Immaculate Heart. Tell my people to come to my Heart each day. I will caress them with my maternal love. I will lead them ever closer to the Sacred Heart of my Son. I will tell them to listen to Jesus. I will remind them that He is their Lord and Master. I will remind them to do whatever He tells them to do.
"Yes, my dearly beloved son, tell my people all these things. Keep reminding them of my great love for them. Keep reminding them how I love to draw them to my maternal and Immaculate Heart!"
Reflection: Is there anyone who, listening to these words of Mary, does not long for a closer union with the loving Heart of our Mother?
Prayer: Mary, draw me each day more deeply within your Heart, so that each day you can place me more deeply within Jesus’ Heart!
8. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, how often I have embraced you! How often I have told you how much I love you! How often, at your request, I have held you in my arms as my child. You have told me you realize how helpless you are of yourself, but how strong and secure you feel dwelling in my heart and Jesus' Heart. Your sense of your littleness and helplessness endears you to me all the more. I take you ever more securely to my maternal and Immaculate Heart. Tell all my people of the riches you have found within my heart. Tell them how I place you within my Son's Heart. Tell them that, because of my motherly action, you are now more closely united with Jesus than ever before. Tell my people to come to my heart and draw forth similar riches. Tell all my little ones that Jesus, Who is Lord and Master, bids me to lead all to His Sacred Heart. The more my little ones dwell within my Immaculate Heart, the more I place them within Jesus' Heart. Oh, how I love all my little ones! How I love to bring them to the Heart of Jesus!"
Reflection: Again, let us remind ourselves that we live in the Age of the Two Hearts. The Hearts of Jesus and Mary are inseparable. The more we dwell in Mary's heart, the more she places us within Jesus' Heart. Within these Two Hearts, the Holy Spirit fashions us more and more in the likeness of Christ, and the more we become like Christ, the more closely He unites us to the Father.
Prayer:
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, we place our trust in You.
9. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, I have led you to greatly increase your prayers and sacrifices for others. I have often reminded you of my teaching at Fatima—that many souls go to Hell because they have no one to pray and make sacrifices for them. My Immaculate Heart longs that all my little ones be saved. Tell my little ones that they must love their neighbor through prayer, sacrifices, and other ways, too. All should learn from me. My Heart is symbol, not only of my great love for God, but also of my tender love for all my little ones. Imitate my love for God and all my children. If you love Jesus and me, this means you also love all of God's children. Jesus died for all. You cannot exclude anyone from your love.
"My Heart is the perfect imitator of the Heart of my Son. I will teach you how to love the Father and all mankind after the example of Jesus. All my little ones, I long for you to come to my Heart so I can teach you the ways of love! I love you so much! Come to my Immaculate Heart. Pressed against my Heart, I will hold you in my arms. I will clothe you with my motherly and protective mantle. As I hold you close to my Heart, I will teach you the ways of love!"
Reflection: In the above message, our dear mother tenderly reminds us that the following of Jesus is summed up in love of God and neighbor.
Prayer:
Mary, in your great love for us, teach us the ways of love. Help us to surrender more and more to your Immaculate Heart, so that you can lead us to an ever closer union with the Heart of Jesus, the source of our being able to love.
10. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, I have given you a profound conviction of how necessary it is to realize I am your motherly mediatrix with Jesus. I have been appointed by the Triune God. Constantly remind all my little ones of this great truth! The more my little ones give themselves to my maternal and Immaculate Heart, the more I bring them to the Heart of Jesus!"
Reflection: Some mistakenly think that Mary "gets in the way" of their relationship with Jesus. How far from the truth is this erroneous attitude. Mary's role in our salvation has been willed by God. Enough said!
Prayer:
Lord, give us a deeper realization of Mary’s motherly mediation. In Your great love for us, You gave Mary to us as our mother as You hung upon the cross. Give us the grace to entrust ourselves to Mary’s maternal love every day, all day. We ask You to take this petition to Your Heavenly Father in the Holy Spirit.
The Queenship of Mary
1. Mary is Queen of Heaven and Earth.
2. Sing:
Hail Holy Queen3. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, how I love you! You give me such great joy because you love to dwell in my Immaculate Heart. In my great love for you, I have obtained this grace for you—that you love to dwell in my Heart! In my Heart, I caress you as a little child. I shower you with expressions of my motherly love. I take you each day to the Heart of Jesus and place you deeply within His Heart. How you love for me to do this, and how I love to do it! Tell all my little ones of the riches you have discovered in my Heart and Jesus' Heart. Tell them to come to Our Hearts in order to experience similar riches. Oh, how I love all my little ones, and how I long for them to come to me!"
Reflection: Again, we are reminded that we live in the age of the Two Hearts. Great graces are given to those who practice devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. These Two Hearts are given to us as our special refuge during this most critical stage of human history.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we approach You as we dwell in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. We ask you for the grace to draw more and more from the riches of these Two Hearts. We make our prayer through Jesus and in the Holy Spirit.
4. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, how I love to enfold you in my arms as my little child! Enfolded in my arms in my maternal embrace, I press you against my Immaculate Heart. I draw you within my Heart. There, through my maternal intercession, I clothe you with Jesus' graces. As you dwell in my Heart, I place you ever more deeply within Jesus' Heart and there the Holy Spirit fashions you increasingly in the image of my Son. As you grow in the likeness of Jesus, He takes you ever closer to the Father.
"Thus, as you grow in the sense of your helplessness without God, the stronger you become in Jesus. Childlike thus becomes strength. The smaller you become in living out spiritual childhood, the taller you stand beside Jesus. Weakness becomes strength, your sense of helplessness becomes spiritual maturity!
"Tell all my children about the wonders of spiritual childhood! Tell them to come to me and I will school them in its ways. How I love all my children! Oh, how I love to exercise my motherhood toward them all!"
Reflection: In the Gospel, Jesus speaks emphatically to us about spiritual childhood: "At this time the disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, 'I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven'" (Matthew 18:1-4).
Prayer:
Jesus, in union with Mary, we ask for the grace to realize the supreme importance of spiritual childhood. We ask for the grace to grow as little children each day. Let us realize that the smaller we become—the more we depend on God—the greater we become in your kingdom. We ask You, dear Jesus, to take our petition to Your Father in the Holy Spirit.
5. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, I have taught you many times the great importance of prayer. I have obtained for you the gift to love to pray—not only during your set periods of prayer, but also during the day in a manner which permits you to perform your daily duties. I have taught you to always be aware that all prayer should be made in union with the Mass. Indeed, the Eucharistic sacrifice is itself the greatest prayer. All other prayers should be consciously united with the Mass which is constantly being offered throughout the world. I have taught you the great importance of praying before the tabernacle. My Son is really present there in the Eucharist—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Special graces are given to those who pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
"There is so much to pray for in this most critical era! The Church and the world exist in most difficult times. I desire that all my children pray daily for all the needs of the Church and the world. I ask special prayers for the conversion of sinners.
"I ask that my children pray the Rosary each day. Very special graces are given to those who do so. During these times of great purification, I promise special protection to those who regularly pray the Rosary. I also promise protection to their loved ones.
"The more one is united with me, the more I lead them to make their prayer in the Heart of my Son, Jesus. He, in turn, places all prayer in the bosom of the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
"My dear son, please keep reminding all my little ones of the great importance of prayer for their own needs and the needs of all others! Keep telling them of the great necessity of prayer for growth in love of God and neighbor! I love all my children with the most tender love. I desire that all listen to my words and live them in their daily lives!"
Reflection: All the great spiritual masters throughout the history of the Church have echoed the words of Mary in stressing the great necessity of prayer for growth in the spiritual life. Prayer is becoming aware in a special way of our relationship with the Triune God. In prayer we open ourselves once again to the awareness of God's great love for us. In prayer, we respond to this great love with our own love, telling God that whatever He wills for us, we want to do with all our hearts.
All prayer, in one way or another, should be centered in Christ. He is our Mediator with the Father. As our Mother tells us above, we should also include her in our prayers to Christ, Who leads us ever closer to the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer:
Jesus, we approach Your Sacred Heart united to the Heart of Your Mother and our mother. We ask You to obtain for us from Your Heavenly Father the grace to pray always, and the grace to deepen our prayer life through increased faith, hope, and love. We make this petition under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
6. From Tell My People by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
Mother of Our Christian Virtues
Mary: "My beloved priest-son, I wish all my children to come to my Immaculate Heart each day. I cooperate with the Holy Spirit in helping all my little ones to grow in the life of the Christian virtues. As my children dwell within my maternal Heart, the Holy Spirit leads them along the path of the virtues. Faith, hope, love, prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance, humility, chastity, and the other virtues take deeper root in the hearts of my children. Above all, the queen of the virtues, love, increasingly rules the lives of my little ones.
"I am ever at the side of my children to help them grow in the life of the virtues. As I do so, I place them more deeply within the Heart of Jesus, the source of growth in all the virtues. The Holy Spirit, then, desires that my children dwell both within my Heart and Jesus' Heart. Within Our Hearts He clothes you with growth in the life of the virtues. The more you dwell in my Heart, the more ready you are for my placing you deeply within the Heart of Jesus where the Holy Spirit clothes you more and more with the splendor of all the virtues. Thus you grow in the likeness of Christ, and Jesus unites you more closely to the Father."
Reflection: Since Mary is our spiritual Mother, she has a special God-given role in helping us grow in the life of the Christian virtues. As she tenderly and lovingly leads us in the life of the virtues, she is our great model in how to follow Christ. She lived the Christian virtues perfectly. She is so eager to help us increasingly put on Christ through a more dynamic living of the Christian virtues, especially the virtue of love.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we ask for the grace to grow daily in the practice of the Christian virtues—especially faith, hope, and love. And most especially, we ask that love for God and neighbor will more and more dominate our lives. We make this petition together with Mary, through Christ, and in the Holy Spirit.7. From the Priestly Newsletter January/February 1995
Pope John Paul II on Faithfulness
The Holy Father offers us some very meaningful words on the subject of faithfulness. Faithfulness, of course, is one of the chief characteristics of love: “Virgo fidelis, the faithful Virgin. What does this faithfulness of Mary mean? What are the dimensions of this faithfulness? The first dimension is called search. Mary was faithful first of all when she began, lovingly, to seek the deep sense of God’s plan in her and for the world. ‘Quomodo fiet? How shall this be?’, she asked the Angel of the Annunciation.
“The second dimension of faithfulness is called reception, acceptance. The quomodo fiet is changed, on Mary’s lips, to a fiat, ‘Let it be done, I am ready, I accept.’ This is the moment in which man perceives that he will never completely understand the ‘how’; that there are in God’s plan more areas of mystery than of clarity; that, however he may try, he will never succeed in understanding it completely…
“The third dimension of faithfulness is consistency to live in accordance with what one believes; to adapt one’s life to the object of one’s adherence. To accept misunderstanding, persecutions, rather than a break between what one practices and what one believes; this is consistency…
“But all faithfulness must pass the most exacting test, that of duration. Therefore, the fourth dimension of faithfulness is constancy. It is easy to be consistent for a day or two. It is difficult and important to be consistent for one’s whole life. It is easy to be consistent in the hour of enthusiasm. It is difficult to be so in the hour of tribulation.”4
4. Pope John Paul II, Inside the Vatican, December, 1994, pp. 29-39.
8. From the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Queen of angels,
Queen of patriarchs,
Queen of prophets,
Queen of apostles,
Queen of martyrs,
Queen of confessors,
Queen of virgins,
Queen of all saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy rosary,
Queen of families,
Queen of peace,9. From the Priestly Newsletter January/February 1996
Mother of Our Christ-life
Mary is the Mother of our Christ-life, this life which flows to us from the bosom of the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit. Pope John Paul II beautifully links Mary's spiritual motherhood toward us with her being Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church, and Model of the Church. "Mary is present in the Church as the Mother of Christ, and at the same time as the Mother whom Christ, in the mystery of the Redemption, gave to humanity in the person of the Apostle John. Thus, in her new motherhood in the Spirit, Mary embraces each and every one in the Church, and embraces each and every one through the Church. In this sense, Mary, Mother of the Church, is also the Church's model. Indeed, as Paul VI hopes and asks: the Church must draw 'from the Virgin Mother of God the most authentic form of perfect imitation of Christ.'" (10)
10. Pope John Paul II, The Mother of the Redeemer, United States Catholic Conference, No. 38.
10. From the Priestly Newsletter September/October 1996
Mother of Our Christ Life
Rita Ring writes: "Mary is always desiring to bring forth her children to a greater Christ likeness. It is through Mary that we join in deepest intimacy with Jesus' Heart. Jesus came into this world in the womb of His Mother through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is today, in the womb of Mary, in the heart of Mary, that we are transformed through the Holy Spirit more and more to the likeness of Jesus. Let us go to the heart of our Mother and ask the Holy Spirit to increasingly sanctify us that we may go ever more deeply into the Heart of Jesus, the Heart of endless love. We do not fully comprehend the love of God. We are so limited in our vision. We do not fully know how Jesus' Heart is truly burning and on fire. Do we know what it is to feel love burning in our heart? This is what Jesus felt when He allowed Himself to suffer during His Passion and to die on the cross. His Heart was on fire."7
7. Rita Ring, Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, to be published by Shepherds of Christ Publications.
| Rita Ring | ||||
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Mass Book,
by Rita Ring: Many of the entries in the Priestly Newsletter Volume II from a
spiritual journal came from this book. These entries |
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Rosary Meditations
for Parents and Children, by
Rita Ring, Short Meditations for both parents and children to be used when
praying the |
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God'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 |
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God'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 |
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God'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 |
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God'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 |
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Apostles 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 |
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Rosaries 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 |
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Rosaries 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 |
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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 |
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Short 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 |
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Songs 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 |
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| Fr. Joe Robinson |
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Guiding Light — The Word Alive in Our Hearts. — Cycle B 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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Guiding Light — The Soul Who Could. — Cycle A Homilies by the Reverend Joe Robinson given at St. Boniface Church in Cincinnati, Ohio. $10 |
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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. $10 |
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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. $10 |
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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. $10 |
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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. $10 |
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| Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J. |
Here are all the products in this category:
Books written by the founder of Shepherds of Christ Ministries
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Response to God’s Love by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. In this book Fr. Carter speaks of God as the ultimate mystery. We can meditate on the interior life of the Trinity. Fr. Carter tells us about our uniqueness in the Father's Plan for us, how the individual Christian, the Church and the world are in the state of becoming. Imprimatur. $10 |
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Shepherds of Christ — Selected Writings on Spirituality for all People as Published in Shepherds of Christ Newsletter for Priests. Contains 12 issues of the newsletter from July/August 1994 to May/June 1996. $15 |
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Shepherds of Christ — Volume 2: by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. Contains issues 13—29 of the newsletter (September/October 1996 — Issue 5, 1999) $15 |
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Shepherds of Christ — Volume 3 by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. Contains Newsletter Issues 1 through 4 of 2000 including Fr. Carter’s tremendous Overview of the Spiritual Life $10 |
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Tell My People. Messages from Jesus and Mary (As given to Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.) One of Fr. Edward Carter, S.J.'s Synopsis of the Spiritual Life From Jesus to Fr. Carter "On Holy Saturday, 1994, Jesus told me that on the following day, Easter, I would also begin to receive messages for others. Our Lord also told me that some of these were eventually to be published in a book and here is that book." $10 |
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Spirituality Handbook. Fr. Edward Carter, S.J. did 3 synopsis of the spiritual life. The Spirituality Handbook, the Priestly Newsletter 20he Tell My People book. The way of spiritual life proposed to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates is centered in consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. All aspects of the spiritual life discussed below should be viewed as means to help members develop their lives in consecration to Christ, the Sacred Heart, and to Mary, the Immaculate Heart. $3 |
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The Spirituality of Fatima by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. The Fatima apparitions and messages received official Church approval in 1930. In giving her official approval to the Fatima event, the Church tells us that what took place at Fatima involving the three young visionaries is worthy of our belief. $5 |
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Shepherds of Christ Holy Spirit Novena CD
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Statues/Religious Items
Blue Crystal Rosary
Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping
Red Crystal Rosary
Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping
Clear Crystal Rosary
Rosary with the Image of Our Lady of Clearwater
8mm - $ 40.00 plus shipping
R. Pray for These Things
1) Pray for the Pope & hierarchy to help us start prayer chapters.
3) Pray for the priests, the Church and the world!
2) Pray for Special people.
4) Pray for the spread of prayer chapters,
also for the spread of priests doing prayer chapters.
5) Pray for the spread of Blue Books.
6) People going to Florida and China.
7) Vocations to all 7 categories.
8) Pray for spread of Consecration and Rosary.
9) Pray for pope helping us.
10) Pray for Jeff.
11) Pray for the country
12) All intentions on my list, Jerry's list.
13) Priests getting Fr. Joe's book.
14) Pray for Fr. Joe's new book, cover & funds for printing & postage.
15) Donors and members and their families.
16) Healing of the Family tree.
17) Pray for the Corona Virus to go away
18) All who asked us to pray for them.
19) All we promised to pray for.
20) Rita, Doris, Sheila, Jerry, Sanja, Fr. Mike, Louie, Laverne,
Fr. Joe, all priests helping us, Ed, Jimmy, Mary,
Carol R., a special couple, Rosie & all involved.
21) All of our families.
22) Funds and insurance.
23) All of our houses.
24) In thanksgiving for gifts, graces, & blessings received.
25) Spread the Blood of Jesus on all of us here.
26) Consecrate all hearts.
27) Cast the devil out of all of us here and all in Movement.
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
Copyright © 2021 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.
