2013 Our Lady of Fatima Rosary Rally

Mother Mary protected us from the wind and rain by her mantle this afternoon.  

We had a wonderful turn out for our rally this year especially since we didn't prepare 

that far in advance.  

In fact, we initially felt that we would join another local rally however;

we felt the nudging of the Blessed Mother to do this for her Son and she was not to be ignored!

With rosaries in hand, we had about 40 Fatima apostles today who stood in the public square praying for peace, conversion of hearts and repentance. 

We joined in with over 11,000 public rosary rallies today across the US.  

All praying for the conversion of America.

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

Peace & Blessings,

Noreen

Pentecost Novena to the Holy Spirit

The Novena starts today ~ May 10th and ends on Pentecost Saturday, May 18th.

On Ascension Day begins the nine days of waiting and preparing, together with the Apostles and Mary, the coming of the Holy Spirit. These are the days when families should discuss the "Gifts of the Holy Ghost" and the "Fruits of the Holy Ghost" evening after evening.
We can either focus on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

Day 1   Gift of Knowledge
Day 2   Gift of Understanding
Day 3   Gift of Counsel
Day 4   Gift of Fortitude
Day 5   Gift of Piety
Day 6   Gift of the Fear of the Lord
Day 7   Gift of Wisdom
Day 8   Fruits of the Holy Spirit
Day 9   Meditate on Veni, Sancte Spiritus and Veni, Creator Spiritus.

Find additional information at Catholic Culture.

Or we can pray the following scripture:

Friday -  You Will Receive Power    Acts 1:8

Saturday -  Jesus' Promise of the Advocate    John 16:13

Sunday -  The Need to be Born of the Spirit    John 3:5

Monday -  The Spirit Gives Life To Dry Bones    Ezekiel 37:5

Tuesday -  Life Through His Spirit    Romans 8:11

Wednesday -  Understanding Comes Through the Spirit    1 Corinthians 2:12

Thursday -  One Spirit, Many Gifts    Corinthians 12:4-6

Friday -  The Fruit of the Spirit    Galatians 5:22-23

Saturday -  The Outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost    Acts 2:3-4

Novena Prayer

Come, Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with your love.

Set our lives aflame with your gifts.

Grant us wisdom to choose what is good and true;

understanding to embrace your plan of salvation;

right judgment to act according to your will;

courage to share our faith with others;

knowledge to live as disciples of Jesus Christ;

reverence to respond faithfully to your grace each day;

and wonder and awe in your presence.

Inspire us with enthusiasm for our Catholic faith.

Grant us boldness to proclaim the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ,
and help us to bring the transforming power of the gospel to our world.
We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord.
Amen

OUR FATHER, HAIL MARY, GLORY BE
SIGN OF THE CROSS

Blessings,
Noreen

Jericho March

Please keep us in your prayers today.

I am participating in a Jericho March at one of our local abortion clinics.

It has been closed for 5 weeks for "remodeling" and we're praying it won't reopen!

Photo Credit

Our group had a Jericho March a few years ago around another local abortion clinic, 

and our prayers were heard and answered!  

That place of death, shut down!  

May God reach the hearts of the doctors, nurses and staff who work at this clinic,

 and remove the scales from their eyes! 

 May their hearts be converted!

Blessings,
Noreen

Prayers Needed

We are experiencing flooding in our area and prayers are needed!

Personally, we only had puddles in our basements but many others have upwards from 1 inch to 6 feet of water.  Yes, 6 feet of water.

Both rain water and sewage water.

Many streets and roads are closed.

Here are some pictures in my neighborhood.

Lots of damage but no reports of injury or death.

Water is still cresting though.

We have another 12 hours before it should reach it's peak.

Please pray for those who are experiencing major flooding and as well as our brothers and sisters in Boston.

God bless,

Noreen

Prison Ministry Cookies

As part of our Peace & Justice Ministry at my church, we participated in baking cookies for a 

Kairos Retreat to be held this week at a state prison.  

We were one of four churches who baked.  

We were given prison approved recipes that had to be precisely followed

and bagged in a certain way.  Or they wouldn't accept them.

We were given instructions to pray for the prisoners, guards and wardens 

while we prepped, baked and bagged the cookies.  

We prayed that the love of Jesus touch the hearts of the cookie recipients and may 

that love flow to the general population of prisoners.  

Our combined incredibly high goal was 36,000 cookies.

We new it was unattainable but we did our best!

My church baked 1,452 cookies!

The total combined number of baked cookies was approximately 4,800 cookies!

This was our first year joining this ministry so we were thrilled with this outcome!

It was a small dent into the high goal, but we were pleased.

I baked 9 dozen peanut butter cookies.

We've been asked to participate again for their next Kairos Retreat in the fall.

Perhaps we'll set a goal of 2,000 or more from our church this time.

Please remember to pray for the prisoners in your state correctional facilities!

Blessings,

Noreen

Novena to St. Joseph Starts Today

EWTN

Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.

Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.

Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:

(Mention your request).

Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God.

Amen.

Go to EWTN for each day's devotion.  It starts today and ends on his feast day, March 19th.

St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us!

Blessings,

Noreen

Prayer for the New Pope

O God, eternal shepherd, who govern your 

flock with unfailing care, grant in your 

boundless fatherly love a pastor for your 

Church who will please you by his holiness 

and to us show watchful care. Through our 

Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and 

reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. 

Amen. 

Shared this over at Community of Catholic Bloggers.

Blessings,

Noreen

Lenten Lapbook

Yesterday's class was a busy one even though I'd done most of the prep work ahead of time. 

 I went to some of my favorite sources for help:

  

 Regina from A Living Garden, 

Monica from Equipping Catholic Families and 

CeAnne from Sanctus Simplicitus.

I downloaded Regina's Papal Election Playset and used it on our prayer table.  I included a picture of Cardinal Theodore-Adrien Sarr that we will be praying for this Lenten Season and beyond:

Isn't Regina's Papal Election Set perfect for little hands? 

 They stand up because they're attached to toilet paper tubes.

Our Lenten Lapbook was a hit too with the kids.  

The daily prayer cards came from Monica Equipping Catholic Families on the lower right hand corner of the above picture.  I made a pocket out of cardstock to hold the prayers yet make it easy for them to take in and out.

The other source is from CeAnne at Sanctus Simplicitus.  The coloring picture of Jesus on the Cross, Holy Day pictures and explanations plus the beautiful purple Stations of the Cross all came from her blog.  She has so many other ideas too so I highly recommend you visit her blog HERE.

The backcover had additional prayers from Monica at Equipping Catholic Families. 

 I found it in her freebie section.

Here are the daily prayers from Monica displayed before putting them into the Lapbook.

I explained to the parents at pick up, that it's not homework, but I had

 encouraged their children to use this Lenten Lapbook. 

 Recite the prayers, learn about the Holy Days and to pray for our adopted Cardinal!

Thank you Regina, Monica and CeAnne!

Blessings,

Noreen

Adopt a Cardinal...I did!

I read over at Tiffany's Family at the Foot of the Cross blog that there is a website that allows us to click a button and be given a cardinal to pray for during the conclave and papal election.   I thought it was a fabulous idea and will bring it to my class for all of my students to pray for him.   In fact, I will place his picture on our prayer table with Regina's Papal Election Set this weekend. Here is my Cardinal: Congratulations! You have adopted this Cardinal: Théodore-Adrien Sarr, from Senegal, born 28.11.1936. He's been a Cardinal since 24.11.2007 and his function is: Archbishop of Dakar, Senegal May the prayer for your Cardinal be deeply blessed. The team behind Adopt a Cardinal. Thank you Tiffany and Regina! God Bless, Noreen

Graffiti and the Lord's Message of Love

I woke up early this morning to attend our morning Liturgy of the Hours before Mass at my church.  I walked outside to see this on my neighbor's garage:

On closer inspection, I saw this:

And this:

This wasn't only on one neighbor's garage but ALL DOWN THE ALLEY ON BOTH SIDES.  For some unexplainable reason, they skipped our garage and one other neighbor's.  Everyone else was tagged with similar markings.  The police said that our alley was not the only one hit last night.  So some group of teens, assuming they are teens, were very busy last night.

On a side note:  I told my parish priest and one of the deacons of this incident and the deacon said "perhaps your house/garage is covered in the Blood of the Lamb and that's why they passed it over!"  If that's the case, it's urging me to pray more for my neighbors!

Now, I have this big guy as our family pet and he didn't make a peep last night.  So, they were quiet.

Many of the neighbors whose garages were graffiti-ted last night, have dogs and none of them gave any sign of alertness either to something happening in the alley.

It didn't happen to my garage but when I look out my kitchen window, I see this:

Needless to say, I went to church unsettled and angry.  Praying it's only "wanna be gang members" according to the police's assessment of what happened.  But I was angry and scared.  I don't understand this kind of vandalism.  The perpetrators have no clue or care that it costs money, time and effort to clean this garbage off our garages.  Arghhhh!

Today's reading spoke directly to me when the Lord told Moses:

"You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart.  Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him.  Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen   You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:11-18.

Ok Lord, I will stop fueling my frustrated and angry thoughts.  I will let it go and hand it over to you. Please forgive my sin of hanging on to my anger.  May You work good and blessings out of this nuisance.  May You reach their hearts so they come to know they're wrong in vandalizing property. May they hear Your word and be convicted to change their ways.

Blessings,

Noreen

Pope Benedict XVI

Today was a confusing day with Pope Benedict's announcement.  

I didn't see it coming even though I've heard commentators on EWTN say

 "it's shocking but not a surprise."  

That he'd alluded to it over the past few months.  

I believe he is a holy man, a holy Pope who has discerned this is the path 

the Holy Spirit is leading him on. 

 I pray that his remaining years ahead are healthy to live out his life in prayer.

I pray that his successor will Shepherd the Catholic people as God calls him to do.

Source

"On this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." 

 Matthew 16:18

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!

Blessings,

Noreen

Memorial to the Unborn

Eric Schiedler, the founder of Pro Life Action League, has asked us to go and visit a memorial to the unborn today.  His prayer campaign is called "Blessed Are They Who Mourn" and he's asked for each of us to go and pray for the unborn, their mama's and our nation.  We are a nation in need of healing.

On his website, there is a link that will let you check by state, each and every memorial to the unborn.  There are 227 sites in over 41 states that have this special memorial.  How touching yet so sad.

Here are some pictures from the one I visited today.  It's especially poignant with it's tear drop shape and Mary embracing the newborn babe.

My time was short since it was 4 degrees outside but long enough so I could pray for mercy on our nation and ask for the intercession of Mary and all the angels and saints.

"Truly children are a gift from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward" (Psalm 127:3).
Blessings,
Noreen

Family Prayer Intentions

For my 5 year old nephew, Timmy:
Blessed Savior, I thank you that his operation is safely past, and now may he rest in your abiding presence, relaxing every tension, releasing every care and anxiety, receiving more and more of your healing life into every part of his being. In moments of pain may Timmy turn to you for strength, in times of loneliness may he feel your loving nearness. Grant that your life and love and joy may flow through Timmy for the healing of others in your name. Amen.

For my sister-in-law, Linda:
Lord, look upon Linda with eyes of mercy, may your healing hand rest upon her, may your lifegiving powers flow into every cell of her body and into the depths of her soul, cleansing, purifying, restoring her to wholeness and strength for service in your Kingdom. Amen.


To Saint Peregrine
O great St. Peregrine, you have been called "The Mighty," "The Wonder-Worker," because of the numerous miracles which you have obtained from God for those who have had recourse to you. For so many years you bore in your own flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fiber of our being, and who had recourse to the source of all grace when the power of man could do no more. You were favored with the vision of Jesus coming down from His Cross to heal your affliction. Ask of God and Our Lady, the cure and healing of Timmy & Linda whom we entrust to you. Aided in this way by your powerful intercession, we shall sing to God, now and for all eternity, a song of gratitude for His great goodness and mercy. Amen. 

To Archangel St. Raphael
Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners. I beg you, assist Timmy & Linda in all their needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the "medicine of God" I humbly pray you to seek God's authority to heal the many infirmities of Timmy & Linda's souls and the ills that afflict their bodies. I especially ask of you the favor of healing Timmy & Linda, and the great grace of purity to prepare them to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Please join me in prayer for my nephew Timmy as he heals from his operation and for my sister-in-law Linda, who lives with chronic pain.

Blessings,

Noreen

Today I received in my email, Our Lady of Medjugorje's latest message dated today February 25th:

                                         Dear Children!       

At this time, in a special way I

call you:  'pray with the heart.'  Little children,

you speak much and pray little.  Read and 

meditate on Sacred Scripture, and may the

words written in it be life for you.  I encourage

and love you, so that in God you may find your

peace and the joy of living.  Thank you for

having responded to my call."

Our Lady's message is perfect timing for Lent and all that is going on in our country regarding the HHS Mandate and abortion.  Twice now I have called my local state representative who is pro-choice.  She did not come to the phone when I asked, so her receptionist took down my message and promised to have her call me back.  I have yet to hear back but my message was clear:

Vote against the HHS Mandate 

(100% of the dioceses have done so which means 181 bishops have spoken against this.)

Vote yes to HB 4117: for basic safety regulations in abortion 

clinics that perform more than 50 abortions per year.

Vote yes to HB 786: that women past 6 weeks gestation, 

be offered to view an ultrasound picture of her baby.

I'm joining in the Rosary Across America daily novena to pray for an end to the violation against conscience and religious freedom!  Are you?

Resources:

Medjugorje.com

Catholic Vote

Blessings,

Noreen

Rosary Across America

I linked up with RAnn at Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival.  Please come over and meet other wonderfully talented Catholic Bloggers!  RAnn brings together a diverse group of men and women who blog about their faith.

photo credit

On February 11, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes, Relevant Radio started a 54 Day Novena that justice and wisdom will prevail regarding the HHS mandate, for true freedom of religion, for the protection of freedom of conscience and for an end to abortion.  

They are calling for all Catholics to pray the rosary each morning at 7:30am with EWTN or later in the day.  

They will rebroadcast this program at 8pm and 10:30pm.  If the times do not work into your schedule, pray the rosary at your convenience for this very special intention.

Here is a statement from Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan of New York:

"Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience.  This shouldn't happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights."

For more information, please visit Relevant Radio. 

Blessings,

Noreen

I Cried Today

My day started out great.  I went to daily mass and then stayed to pray with my rosary group.  I quickly came home to walk the dog for 30 minutes and then went to fulfill one of my on-going spiritual gifts to Jesus.  I returned to the abortion center to pray for an hour or so.  The mood was different today even though we had planned on meeting and singing Christmas songs as well as praying.  When I arrived, I was informed that the clinic was busier than usual.  I checked their website and they're still offering 20% of an abortion surgery.  Perhaps that would explain the increase in appointments to day?

photo credit

One of the sidewalk counselors had learned and attempted to talk to 15 women... yes, 15 women who had scheduled abortions for today.  More than usual for a Thursday and it is a few days before Christmas.  As I arrived, a mom, dad and young teenage daughter left the clinic following their abortion.  Mom and dad with rigid backs were filled with anger and refused to look at us.  Their daughter looked as they drove out of the parking lot.  She looked at us with confusion.  She was most likely told that she was doing the right thing but then she probably wondered, "why are people out here praying for me NOT to have an abortion?"

We continued to sing and pray as we watched couples leave the clinic and one couple in particular, made my heart ache.  They looked to be a young college couple who obviously hadn't planned to have a baby at this time in their lives but because of their actions and choices, a baby was conceived by the grace of God.  That little life was snuffed out this morning and my tears flowed.  I could see the boyfriend attempting to console his girlfriend and encourage her that she did the right thing.

I don't know them or their current circumstance but I do know this:

a young college-age girl with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, will regret this decision.  

She will try to bury it but her feelings will push through one day.

She will anguish over this decision.  

She will hate herself for it one day.  

And I pray that she turns to God and asks for forgiveness for she will be forgiven.  

God's mercy is great. 

I pray that she learns to forgive herself.  

photo credit

This was not how I wanted my Advent Season to come to a close but it is what it is.  Please join me in prayer for all these women who entered Dr. Goyal's office of death this morning and believed they were doing the right thing.  Or that they had no other choice.  I pray that their eyes will be opened by the grace of God so they can repent and then heal from their pain.

Blessings,

Noreen

Lock Down Drill

I was chatting with a friend's daughter yesterday and she was telling me about a drill she had at her elementary school.
She's in first grade.  I assumed she was talking about a fire drill or a tornado drill.  She corrected me and said it's "a lock down drill."  My jaw dropped and I asked her to explain what she had to do in this drill.  Here are her words:

"We have to go to the back of the classroom and hide behind the desk against the wall.  So, if the bad guys come into my classroom, they won't see us."

How sad of a testament to our society that our schools have to teach 6 year olds how "to hide from the bad guys."  

I remember when my son first started elementary school, the front doors were not locked but that happened soon after because a local high school was on lock down due to a gun shooting on it's premises.

I pray that she never has to experience that horror.  I will include in my prayers tonight, all school children who do have to live in fear of being shot on their way to and from school or while in school.

Blessings,
Noreen

A Return to the Abortion Clinic, and a Call to Prayer

We went back to the abortion clinic today with holy water and prayers.  We made the sign of the cross, using holy water, on the iron gate door and prayed quickly since we were INSIDE the building yet outside the locked iron gate, in the hallway leading to their office suites.  We were there later today so there were more people walking around yet I did not see one person enter or leave that medical center.  I know that good will come of our prayers but I'm concerned that we may face some hostility since we were on the property.  I'm sure they'd just ask us to leave but I don't want my son negatively affected by it.

My friend Holly told me about a prayer she heard on Relevant Radio to say when one is feeling scared, it is "I claim the protection of the Blood of the Lamb."  I said this prayer on our way into the building and I felt better about that.  Yet, why do I feel like what I am doing is sneaky?  Why do I feel I cannot pray in a public place?  This building has a long history of doctors who perform abortions so peaceful protesters are not uncommon but they're outside on public property.  What would happen if the doctor came out to confront me?  Could they call the police on me?   Would they?

We are going back to this same building tomorrow morning because my son has an appointment to remove two ingrown toenails.  They will sedate him for this minor procedure but I'm anxious that he will be knocked out for the procedure.  The other option was much less appealing to my son, multiple Novocain shots in each big toe.  He preferred the one IV needle prick to the multiple shots... he will still get the Novocain shots but he won't feel it since he'll be lights out.

Please pray there are no complications with the IV medication going in and that the procedure goes smoothly!

God's Blessings,
noreen

A Call to Prayer

This call to prayer hits close to home and it's about the safety of the children who live on my block.  Last week I was listening to a Jeff Cavins CD about forgiveness and as usual, he is a plethora of information on this subject.  What really hit home was how we walk through life being "jabbed" by offenses and we must be vigilant to offer these feelings to God.  If not, we may be allowing Satan to set up a trap and what was a little  has now become a huge toxic deal. 

And as usual I'm listening and agreeing with everything he says and I go on with my day.  Then WHAM, the offenses start rolling in and not just one or two but many.   I'm telling myself over and over again to walk in forgiveness and offer it up...etc.  Then, the worst jab yet occurred.  I learned that a sex offender has moved onto my block and I'm not sure how long he's been living down the street from me.  Back in the Fall we had a meeting at my son's school with our city police who identified sex offenders living in our neighborhood and this guy was not one of them. 

He is now though.

My neighbor called the mayor and we've been promised increased police patrol on our block but that's all they can do.  She is also calling the State's Attorney's office to see what rights we have as individuals and I'm guessing none unless he does something and then it's too late.

So, I'm placing this in God's hands and asking for fervent prayer to protect the children who live on our block and within our neighborhood.  I'm also asking for prayer for the offender himself that he may be healed from his impulses, forgiven for his transgressions and that he's committed his life to Jesus.  Lastly, please pray for me because I do not want to live in fear in my own home and community.

God Bless,
noreen

Role Modeling to my Son

Today I had to bring my son in for a doctor appointment and as it so happens, his doctor is in the same building as the abortion clinic.  Now that I know this, I took it as an opportunity.  We arrived about 10 minutes early and I prepped my son with these words "before we go into your doctor's office, we will go to the locked gate of the abortion clinic and pray.  If someone comes out and asks what we are doing, we will respond peacefully that we're praying." 

I brought my holy water and used some of it on the door trim by making the sign of the cross.  We prayed straight from our hearts asking God to touch the hearts of the doctors and staff as well as the young women who enter their doors.  Our Lord's Prayer, a Hail Mary Prayer and then my son suggested The Glory Be Prayer were also done.

We said our prayers and returned to our doctor's office without being approached.  I have to say it was a bit unnerving being outside the locked gate entrance but I knew what we were doing was right.  We couldn't even get down to the actual office door, they have their hallway blocked off by a locked gate. 

That locked gate speaks volumes... I hope that it means prayerful men and women have been praying and gently protesting to stop abortion.  I don't agree with hard tactics or violence.  I believe Jesus calls us to stand for truth and to speak out in love.

I am joining my friend Trish today at L.A.C.E.  You can visit her too at:  http://angelwingsandapronstrings.blogspot.com/

God Bless,
noreen