Holy Viaticum...

  While some are preparing for 

their First Holy Communion...

others are preparing for their last...

Call a priest!

 

 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) ...

1526 "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15).

1527 The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age.

1528 The proper time for receiving this holy anointing has certainly arrived when the believer begins to be in danger of death because of illness or old age.

1529 Each time a Christian falls seriously ill, he may receive the Anointing of the Sick, and also when, after he has received it, the illness worsens.

1530 Only priests (presbyters and bishops) can give the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, using oil blessed by the bishop, or if necessary by the celebrating presbyter himself.

1531 The celebration of the Anointing of the Sick consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite) or of other parts of the body (in the Eastern rite), the anointing being accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of this sacrament.

1532 The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects:
- the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church;
- the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age;
- the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of Penance;
- the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul;
- the preparation for passing over to eternal life.

Be prepared for those special times... 

Consider a Crucifix Sick Call Set which hangs 

on the wall ... readily available for this sacred use ... 

Carry this/similar card in your wallet, purse, backpack... 

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Day 5

Novena to the Holy Spirit
KINDNESS

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

Sweetest prayer...

Let us love God because He hath first loved us.

 

"Talk to Me.

For Me there is no sweeter prayer."

Gabrielle Bossis

Excerpt from book, He and I

Image credit: "La porte duciel" - vintage holy card (Holy Card Heaven)

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Day 4

Novena to the Holy Spirit
PATIENCE

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

Come in and rest...

Seventh Sunday of Easter

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord*
*for those places where the observance has been transferred to this day  

(See last Thursday's ARCHIVED Reflection)
_____________________________________

"Friend, there is a welcome in this Church for Thee. 

Come in and Rest and Think and Kneel and Pray. 

What men have builded for God’s Glory, See. 

Give Thanks, and so in Peace go on Thy way." 

Plaque - Shrewsbury Abbey, England

 

"Learn from Jesus by 

often being in His company."

St. John Baptist de la Salle

___________________________

 

Day 3

Novena to the Holy Spirit
PEACE

 

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

The voice of the bell...

"Church bells beyond the stars heard, the soul's blood.

The land of spices; something understood." 

 George Herbert

The bells they sound on Bredon

And still the steeples hum -

'Come all to Church, good people',

Oh, noisy bells, be dumb;

I hear you, I will come. -  A.E. Housman

"Ringing the bells also gave notice to those unable

to attend the Mass (the sick, slaves, outside guards, etc.)

that something divine and miraculous

was taking place inside of the church building.

The voice of the bell would allow people

to stop what they were doing

to offer an act of adoration to God. 

Additionally, the bells provided the ancillary benefit of 

focusing (or re-focusing) the attention of the faithful

inside the church to the miracle

that was taking place atop the altar of sacrifice."

Excerpt from 

Sanctus Bells by Matthew D Herrera

The Last Mass of St Benedict, Fray Juan Rizi (Spain, 17th c)

"For bells are the voice of the church;

They have tones that touch and search

The heart of young and old."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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Day 2

Novena to the Holy Spirit
JOY

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS

Content with grace...

  The fear of the LORD leads to life: 

Then one rests content, 
untouched by trouble. - Prov 19:23 

 

"Realize above all that you are in God's presence.

Empty yourself completely and sit waiting,

content with the grace of God,

like a chick that tastes nothing and eats nothing

except what its mother gives it." 

St. Romuald

Founder Camaldolese Order

 

St Isidore the Farmer

Spain ~ 1070 - 1130

Patron of farmers

Incorrupt

Feast Day - May 15

His wife is also a canonized Saint -

St Maria (Torribia) de la Cabeza

 

Isidore attended Holy Mass every morning which caused him to come to work late. Late, though he was, his plowing was nevertheless accomplished by angels that resulted in three times more productivity. His co-workers and his boss witnessed such miraculous events and showed him great respect. He often spent holidays on pilgrimage to local shrines. He died May 15, 1130, and was declared a saint in 1622 with Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Teresa of Avila and Philip Neri. Together, the group is known in Spain as “the five saints.”

Click here: The Farmer - YouTube (Apostleship of Prayer: 3 mins)

May 15 - Homily: St. Isidore the Laborer - YouTube

St Isidore, pray for us!

Day 1

Novena to the Holy Spirit
CHARITY

 

Novena to the Holy Spirit - Pentecost Novena PRAYERS