Novena to the Holy Spirit Video Format

Nine day novena to the Holy Spirit. Visually and audibly this novena is an beautifully done and one that you can easily pray with children.

Day One “Spirit”

Day Two “Fear”

Day Three “Piety”

Day Four “Fortitude”

Day Five “Knowledge”

Day six “Understanding”

Day Seven “Counsel”

Day Eight “Wisdom”

Day Nine “Fruit of the Holy Spirit”

Share/Save

Five New Saints Announced from Vatican City

FIVE NEW SAINTS FOR THE CHURCH

VATICAN CITY, 26 APR 2009 (VIS) – In St. Peter’s Square at 10 a.m. today, the Holy Father celebrated the Eucharist and canonised the Italian Blesseds: Arcangelo Tadini (1846-1912), Bernardo Tolomei (1272-1348), Gertrude Comensoli (1847-1903) and Caterina Volpicelli (1839-1894), and the Portuguese Blessed Nuno de Santa Maria Alvares Pereira (1360-1431).

At the beginning of his homily, the Holy Father commented on today’s Gospel which recounts how the two disciples of Emmaus, returning to Jerusalem, told the eleven disciples that they had recognised Jesus “in the breaking of the bread”.

“Each community relives this same experience in the celebration of the Eucharist, especially on Sundays”, said the Pope. “In celebrating the Eucharist we communicate with Christ, victim of atonement, and from Him we draw forgiveness and life. What would our lives as Christians be without the Eucharist?”

Going on then to recall certain fundamental aspects of the lives of the five new saints, the Holy Father began by referring to the “concrete and courageous initiatives” of St. Arcangelo Tadini. These included establishing the Catholic Workers’ Mutual Assistance Association, building a textile mill and a residence for female workers, and founding the Congregation of Worker Sisters of the Holy House of Nazareth in 1900, his aim being to evangelise the world of work, sharing in its fatigues and following the example of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

“How prophetic the charismatic intuition of Don Tadini was, and what relevance his example still has, even today in times of serious economic crisis!” cried the Pope.

Benedict XVI described St. Bernardo Tolomei, abbot and founder of the Olivetan Benedictine Congregation who died of the plague in 1348 while assisting his fellow monks who had contracted the disease, as a “true martyr of charity. … The example of this saint invites us to translate our own faith into a life dedicated to God in prayer and spent in serving others under the impulse of charity, a charity ready also to make the supreme sacrifice”, he said.

St. Nuno de Santa Maria Alvares Pereira, he went on, “was a great soldier and a great leader who never allowed his personal qualities to overshadow the supreme action of God. …. At the end of his life he retreated to a Carmelite convent that he himself had ordered to be built”.

“This exemplary figure, his life characterised by faith and prayer in apparently unfavourable settings, shows that in any situation – even military life and warfare – it is possible to enact and fulfil the values and principles of Christian life, especially if one places oneself at the service of the common good and the glory of God”.

Turning then to focus on St. Gertrude Comensoli, foundress of the Institute of Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, Benedict XVI explained that the aim of her institute was “to translate ‘charity contemplated’ in the Eucharistic Christ into ‘effective charity’ through dedication to the needy.

“In a confused and often wounded society such as our own; to young people, such as those of our time, in search of values and of a meaning to give to their lives, St. Gertrude indicates a firm point of reference in God, Who in the Eucharist made Himself our travelling companion”, he added.

Turning his attention then to St. Caterina Volpicelli, foundress of the Institute of Handmaidens of the Sacred Heart, the Pope noted how she “strove ‘to be of Christ in order to bring to Christ’ the people she came across in late nineteenth-century Naples, at a time of spiritual and social crisis”.

This saint, the Holy Father concluded, “shows her own spiritual daughters, and all of us, the demanding path to a conversion that changes the heart at its roots and translates into activities coherent with the Gospel. Thus it is possible to lay the foundations for a society open to justice and solidarity, overcoming that economic and cultural imbalance which still exists in a large part of our planet”.

HML/CANONISATION/… VIS 090427 (670)

Share/Save

Divine Mercy Sunday

Divine Mercy Sunday will be April 19th.
This is great opportunity to learn about St. Faustina and what Divine mercy is all about.

[singlepic id=16 w=320 h=240 float=left]

You can find out more about Divine Mercy of Jesus and St. Faustina by visiting the Divine Mercy Website. They have a good section of articles from basic to indepth, as well as a question and answer section. It may be a little over a 2nd graders head however, its easy reading and as a parent its a good education for those who want to pass on the information.

Share/Save

New Favorite Free to Read Books

Let’s face it there are times when we get interupted and we see that are the kids are starting to slip away from what they are doing. This read to me website is especially nice for children who are less likely to grab a good book and go read it. For those times let me recommend this website for reading. It’s called OneStepHigher.com I think the entire Beatrix Potter collection is on this site, Raggedy Ann, and Tom Sawyer as well.

I am sure that you have all seen a pdf book or two, free online however, this set up is fantastic, these are flip books that really look like books. The book keeps kids attention by reading along aloud as it highlights the text and has wonderful classical pictures children love. I really think it helps the younger reader to keep a rhythm or steady pace yet the story book can be stopped and started right in its place. Of all my free book websites – I have to say this is my new favorite.