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Wishing You and Yours a Blessed (Extra)Ordinary Time
"Remember your leaders who spoke the Word of God to you; consider how their lives ended, and imitate their Faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching."
— The Letter to the Hebrews 13:7-9a, quoted by the Liturgy of the Hours, Common of Pastors, (Vol. IV at 1765). - more quotes
Sunday: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
READINGS: usccb.org/bible/readings/021212.cfm
+ "I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and You fill me with the joy of Salvation."
+ "A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged Him and said, 'If You wish, You can make me clean.'
Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand,
touched him, and said to him,
'I do will it. Be made clean.' ... The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter
... so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere."
+ " whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense ...
just as I try to please everyone in every way,
not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,
that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
+ "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 'If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest ...'"
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Find a Mass + Today's Readings + Today's Saint
:: Pope says selfishness, individualism fed economic crisis - CNS 1.14.12
+ FAITHLINK: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord - Homily of Benedict XVI - 2012
+ NEWSLINK: Paralyzed priest's 'miraculous' cure could lead to canonization - CNA
+ NEWSLINK: Pope names 22 new cardinals, including two Americans - CNS
+ NEWSLINK: Christmastide - For the Love of Beauty
+ NEWSLINK: Need to serve extends past Christmas season - Catholic Review
+ FAITHLINK: Message for the 20th World Day of the Sick, 11 February 2012 - Benedict XVI
+ FAITHLINK: Saint Basil - General Audience, 4 July 2007
+ FAITHLINK: Message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace, January 1, 2012 - Pope Benedict XVI - Vatican.va
+ FAITHLINK: The Mystery of Time - blog.adw.org
+ FAITHLINK: Prayer and the Holy Family - General Audience of Pope Benedict XVI, 28 December 2011- Vatican.va
+ FAITHLINK: Catechesis on Prayer: Jesus' Cry of Exaltation, Pope Benedict XVI General Audience
+ FAITHLINK: Roman Missal: Changes in the People's Parts - USCCB
+ FAITHLINK: [PDF] Order of Mass - USCCB
Quick headlines:
:: NEWSLINK: Pope celebrates Guadalupe feast, confirms he'll travel to Mexico, Cuba - CNS
:: NEWSLINK: Archbishop Dolan defines human dignity as a 'primary doctrine' of church - CNS
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Pray for the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI and his February 2012 prayer intentions
Feburary 2012
+ General Intention: Water - "That all peoples may have access to water and other resources needed for daily life"
+ Mission Intention: Health Workers in Poor Regions - "That the Lord may sustain the efforts of health workers assisting the sick and elderly in the world's poorest regions"
... and recall that praying for the Holy Father and his intentions also is among the set of conditions when undertaking to earn an indulgence ...
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Going to Mass ...
Find a Mass + Today's Readings + Today's Saint
This Week's Readings:
+ Sunday: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
+ Monday: Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
+ Tuesday: Memorial of Saint Cyril, Monk, and Saint Methodius, Bishop
+ Wednesday: Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
+ Thursday: Thursday the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
+ Friday: Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
+ Saturday: Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
+ Sunday: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
+ DailyGospel.org: Saintly historical commentary
+ Mass & Divine Liturgy, Faith Central
+ Watch Mass Readings Online: today's Readings and Homily (EWTN)
+ Watch Mass Online: view Sunday Mass (Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame du Lac)
+ Watch Mass Online: download Sunday TV Mass (Diocese of Burlington; available Saturday 3 PM through Sunday 11:59 PM)
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Music
Let All Things Now Living
Salve Regina, Lourdes
Here I am, Lord
Ave Maria
Divine Mercy Chaplet Sung
O Sanctissima
Sacraments: Spotlight on Reconciliation (Confession)
Updated Feb. 22, 2010
Coming home to God and Holy Mother Church in our hearts and souls ...
"Those who approach the sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from God's mercy for the offense committed against him, and are, at the same time, reconciled with the Church ... "
"To speak of reconciliation and penance is for the men and women of our time an invitation to rediscover ... the very words with which our savior and teacher Jesus Christ began his preaching: "Repent, and believe in the Gospel,"[ ] that is to say, accept the good news of love, of adoption as children of God and hence of brotherhood .... "
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Catholic Devotions: Spotlight on the Divine Mercy Chaplet
Divine Mercy Chaplet Sung
The Divine Mercy Chaplet only takes a few minutes to pray.
Praying the Chaplet on Rosary beads, we pray an opening Our Father, Hail Mary, and Apostles' Creed.
Then we pray Chaplet prayers to God the Father asking His Divine Mercy, recalling the Passion of His Beloved Son Jesus.
For each decade, on the large bead we pray: "Eternal Father, we offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ/in Atonement for our sins, and those of the whole world."
(When praying in a group, in call-and-response fashion, the part before the slash is prayed by the leader, with the part after the slash the response by the group.)
On the small beads, we pray, ten times per decade, "For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion/have Mercy on us, and on the whole world."
After the conclusion of five decades, we pray a closing prayer three times:
"Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have Mercy on us and on the whole world."
One custom is to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day at 3 PM, the time associated with Jesus giving up His Life for us on the Cross.
Jesus gave us this Chaplet when He visited Saint Faustina in her convent early in the 20th Century.
The Sunday after Easter is Divine Mercy Sunday, as instituted by Servant of God Pope John Paul II.
Click here for additional information and links, and to view the Divine Mercy Image.
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Sacred Heart of Jesus: John Paul II Homily on the Sacred Heart, from 1984 Apostolic JourneyThis external link opens the Vatican transcript of a wide-ranging and inspiring Homily by Pope John Paul the Great on the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, given on an Apostolic Journey to Canada in 1984 (opens in new window).
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Prayers of Deliverance: Anima Christi
"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 ...."
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Catholic Devotions: Spotlight on the RosaryThe Most Holy Rosary, Scripture-based and a compendium of the Gospel, as described by Pope John Paul the Great "[s]imple yet profound, it still remains, at the dawn of this third millennium, a prayer of great significance, destined to bring forth a harvest of holiness."
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Catholic Devotions and Angels: Spotlight on The Saint Michael the Archangel Chaplet
The devotee seeks God's Grace for various intentions and virtues. This Chaplet honors Saint Michael the Archangel, other Archangels, and in fact nine choirs of Holy Angels, seeking their intercession and assistance. In addition to the Chaplet prayers, there is extensive praying of the Our Father and the Hail Mary, as well as an opening that includes "God come to my Assistance" and a Glory Be.
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Catholic Washington: Catholic Events, Links [please check back for redevelopment]
... Catholic events, links for the Washington, D.C., area; check back for frequent updates ...
Revised Sunday Oct. 25, 2009
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Fruits of the Holy Spirit ... from Pentecost Sunday
The Fruits of the Holy Spirit, as explained by the Apostle Paul (in Galatians 5, in one of the alternatives for the Second Reading for Pentecost Sunday), include Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control
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Spotlight on The Stations of the Cross
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Liturgy of the Hours
Volume IV:
Ordinary Time
Weeks 18-34
Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
Invitatory, Office of Readings, Morning Prayer, Daily Prayer, Evening Prayer (Vespers), Night Prayer (Compline) ...
+ Spotlight on the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
... The Liturgy of the Hours, in addition to the Mass, is the Universal Prayer of Holy Mother Church ...
+ Liturgy of the Hours online [partial free access; external link]
[external site ebreviary.com includes daily Night Prayer, full Liturgy of the Hours for Sundays and Fridays, and paid subscription for additional days ...]
+ "The Liturgy of the Hours" — Catechism of the Catholic Church [external link, new window]
"The Liturgy of the Hours is intended to become the prayer of the whole People of God. In it Christ himself "continues his priestly work through his Church. ... The celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours demands not only harmonizing the voice with the praying heart, but also a deeper 'understanding of the liturgy and of the Bible, especially of the Psalms.'"
+ "General Instruction on the Liturgy of the Hours" — Congregation For Divine Worship [external link, new window]
"To the different hours of the day the Liturgy of the Hours extends ... praise and thanksgiving, the memorial of the mysteries of salvation, the petitions and the foretaste of Heavenly Glory ... present in the Eucharistic Mystery ... The Liturgy of the Hours is in turn an excellent preparation for the celebration of the Eucharist itself ... it inspires and deepens in a fitting way the dispositions necessary for the fruitful celebration of the eucharist: Faith, Hope, Love, Devotion, and the Spirit of Self-Denial."
+ Listen Online: Morning Prayer
... from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame du Lac (sung and spoken)
+ Listen Online: Evening Prayer (Vespers)
... from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, University of Notre Dame du Lac (sung and spoken)
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