BLACK CATHOLICS, BLACK SAINTS

I spent a half-hour in contemplative prayer this morning with Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour. He said, Melvin, My brother and sharer in My priesthood, I love you and bless you.

I open My Heart to all My brothers and sisters throughout the world for I love you all and I want you all with Me as My great family.

Come and stay with Me during these forty days in the desert. You will learn the importance of suffering, which we all have to go through.

I made use of suffering to redeem you from your sins and I called you to carry your cross behind Me. Every person has a cross to carry but if you carry it with Me, I will help you and it will be much lighter.

The cross refers to all the pain, hurts, rejections, sickness, etc. that you experience in life. Do not fight with your cross; that will just make it more difficult for you. Accept it as I accepted Mine and call upon Me for the strength you need to carry it every day.

Many people face all kinds of sicknesses during their lives. How many people suffer from headaches or backaches? Today there are many who have cancer and this is a heavy cross to carry.

Sickness should bring you close to Me, your Brother and Friend. I am not the one who causes a person to be sick but I am always very close to all those who suffer.

I call you, My brothers and sisters, to a loving relationship with Me. I wish to live in your heart as your preferred friend and I will bring you many gifts every day.

Do not envy what others have. Remember, when you have Me, you have what is most important in your life. Come and receive Me today in Holy Communion. I bless you.

Father Melvin

Father Melvin's schedule - Sunday, February 17

Holy Mass

9:00 a.m. St. Patrick's Church, Grand River

10:30 a.m. Immaculate Conception Church, Richmond

To send a personal message to Fr. Melvin, address your e-mail to: melvin.doucette@ pei.sympatico. ca

To read the day's message online, visit www.ourladyofpei. ca/message. php

To access archived messages, visit http://groups. google.ca/ group/Heaven- Speaks-to- Us

Prayer Room Schedule*

Holy Mass Wednesday and Saturday 9:30 a.m.

Rosary and Healing Mass usually on first Friday 7:00 p.m.

Marian Cenacle other Fridays of the month 7:30 p.m.

*Schedules may change depending on Fr. Melvin's commitments. The Prayer Room is usually open during the day, but we recommend that visitors call ahead.

Medjugorje Day By Day Feb 17 - MASS IS THE GREATEST PRAYER TO GOD

"Jesus is 'a man Who knows suffering'. In this year consecrated to the Eucharist, I invite you to unite yourselves in your thoughts and in your heart to the sacrifice of the Mass, an endless source of hope for all of life's trials"
(Pope John Paul II, Feb. 12, 2005).

The Center of Her Love

"Mary lived in the divine Eucharist, the center of her love.
All her thoughts, words and actions sprang from It like the rays from the sun."
(St. Peter Julian Eymard)

Mother Teresa -
Love one another as I have loved you.
As the Father loves me, love one another. "

Meditations by Padre Pio -

Reflect upon and keep before your mental gaze the great humility of the Mother of God, our Mother. The more She was filled with Heavenly gifts, the more deeply She humbled Herself.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen -
Impressions are a reflection of behavior or image!

"People are like a mirror which reflects back on us the kind of image we cast. The kind man bears with the infirmities of others, never magnifies trifles and avoids a spirit of fault finding.

He knows that the trouble with most people in the world is that they are unloved. No one cares for them either because they are ugly or nasty, or troublesome, or so-called bores.

To a great extent their character is made by the resentment they feel toward others who are unkind."

St. Faustina's diary

Jesus, You have given me to know and understand in what a soul's greatness consists: not in great deeds but in great love. Love has its worth, and it confers greatness on all our deeds.

Although our actions are small and ordinary in themselves, because of love they become great and powerful before God. (889)

Love is a mystery that transforms everything it touches into things beautiful and pleasing to God. The love of God makes a soul free.

She is like a queen; she knows no slavish compulsion; she sets about everything with great freedom of soul, because the love which dwells in her incites her to action.

Everything that surrounds her makes her know that only God Himself is worthy of her love.

A soul in love with God and immersed in Him approaches her duties with the same dispositions as she does Holy Communion and carries out the simplest tasks with great care, under the loving gaze of God.

She is not troubled if, after some time, something turns out to be less successful. She remains calm, because at the time of the action she had done what was in her power.

When it happens that the living presence of God, which she enjoys almost constantly, leaves her, she then tries to continue living in lively faith. Her soul understands that there are periods of rest and periods of battle.

Through her will, she is always with God. Her soul, like a knight, is well trained in battle; from afar it sees where the foe is hiding and is ready for battle. She knows she is not alone-God is her strength. (890)

MEDJUGORJE DAY BY DAY

These thoughts for a day are taken from a daily meditation book based on the Messages of Our Lady of Medjugorje by Father Richard J. Beyer, Ave Maria Press.

Feb 17 - MASS IS THE GREATEST PRAYER TO GOD

Today Our Lady emphasizes the importance of preparing for Mass:

The Mass is the greatest prayer to God. You will never be able to comprehend its importance. That is why you must be perfect and humble at Mass, and should prepare yourselves beforehand (First Years 1983).

The word "eucharist" translates into "thanksgiving, " which is the spirit of Psalm 116:
What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord. --Psalm 116:12-13

Reflection:

In reflecting on the Eucharist today, as the readings indicate, it would be appropriate to hear as well from one of the visionaries on its importance to our spiritual lives. Several years ago, Vicka said:

"Before going to holy Mass, focus intently on who you will be receiving. During Mass, open your heart to Jesus. See him with the "eyes" of your heart. We see and experience and live with Jesus through faith.

That's why, during Mass, our faith must be very strong. The stronger our faith, the better prepared we are to welcome him in the Holy Eucharist.
We must not only listen during Mass, we must really experience all the holy words of the Mass with love.

That's why, toward the end of Mass when you are receiving Jesus alive, if your heart is open, he is truly with you. When the Mass ends and you leave the church, you will be filled with unspeakable joy!"

Application:

When attending your next Mass, arrive early so you can prepare. Think of Christ, as Vicka recommends, and give him any worries or problems that might distract you from the eucharist.

Review the day's readings from the Sunday missalette, or if attending a daily Mass, use a weekday missal for this purpose (available at religious goods stores).

Message to Sharon Fitzpatrick Feb.17,2008

PRAYER GROUP ROSARY . WEDNESDAYS - 7:00 P.M. . SUNDAYS - 3:00 P.M.
OUR LADY OF LOURDES GROTTO (BEHIND HOSPITAL) PANA, IL
MESSAGE FROM HEAVEN
SHARON FITZPATRICK, LOCUTIONIST

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2008

MY DEAR DEAR PRECIOUS LITTLE CHILDREN,

AS THE WIND BLOWS AGAINST YOU, SO TOO DOES THE ILL WINDS OF THE WORLD. THE DEMANDS ARE ON YOU MOST EVERY DAY AND YOU STRUGGLE TO REMAIN FIRMLY PLANTED.

I SAY TO YOU, IT IS THE WORLD THAT MAKES DEMANDS. CONSIDER THAT YOUR SPIRITUALITY WAS STRENGTHENED EVERY TIME YOU OVERCAME THESE DEMANDS.

YOU ARE TIRED AND YOU GROW OLDER, BUT WITH THIS YOU HAVE ALSO GROWN STRONGER AND WISER, NOT BECAUSE THE WORLD DID THIS, BUT THE OUTPOURING OF GRACE AND HOLY SPIRIT HAVE EMBRACED YOU.

THIS IS THE DAY OF THE LORD AND ONCE MORE I AM GRATEFUL YOU KEEP IT HOLY. KEEP ALSO THE DAYS OF LENT HOLY.

USE THEM TO THE FULLEST. THESE DAYS WILL BRING YOU MUCH NEEDED GRACE FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE.

I LOVE YOU SO DEEPLY, SO TENDERLY AND I HOLD YOU DEEP WITHIN MY HEART. WITHIN MY HEART YOU ARE SHELTERED FROM THE ILLS OF THE WORLD, BUT YOU MUST DESIRE TO REMAIN THERE.

I LOVE YOU, I PRAY FOR YOU, I BLESS YOU, ALL IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF CHRIST AND REMAIN EVER PRAISING AND THANKING GOD.

12 Steps to Avoid Purgatory

http://friendsofthe poorsouls. blogspot. com/2006_ 06_01_archive. html

1. In every prayer you say, every Mass you hear, every Communion you receive, every good work you perform have the express intention of imploring God to grant you a holy and happy death and no Purgatory. Surely God will hear a prayer said with such confidence and perseverance.

2. Always wish to do God's will. It is in every sense the best for you. When you do or seek anything that is not God's will, you are sure to suffer. Say, therefore, fervently each time you recite the Our Father: Thy will be done.

3. Accept all the sufferings, sorrows, pains and disappointments of life, be they great or small, ill health, loss of goods, the death of your dear ones, heat or cold, rain or sunshine as coming from God. Bear them calmly and patiently for love of Him and in penance for your sins.

Of course, one may use all his efforts to ward off trouble and pain, but when one cannot avoid it let him bear it patiently. Impatience and revolt make sufferings vastly greater and more difficult to bear.

4. The greatest act in Christ's life was His Passion. As He had a Passion so each one of us has a Passion. Our Passion consists in the sufferings and labors of every day.

Therefore, let us do our work, accept its disappointments and hardships and bear our pains in union with the Passion of Christ. We gain more merit by a little pain than by years of pleasure.

5. Forgive all injuries and offences for in proportion, as we forgive others, God forgives us. Go to confession.

This sacrament does more than just rid us of our sins; it gives us a tremendous increase in sanctifying grace. It wins for us a higher place in Heaven, with increased union with God.

Each time we go to confession, we are preserved from many dangers and misfortunes which might otherwise have befallen us. A devout confession helps us to hear the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, and to hear and follow the advice of our guardian angels.

6. Avoid mortal sins, deliberate venial sins and break off bad habits. Then it will be relatively easy to satisfy God's justice for sins of frailty.

Above all avoid sins against charity and chastity in thought, word and deed for these sins are the reason why many souls are detained in Purgatory for a long time.

7. If afraid of doing too much work, do many little things, acts of kindness and charity, give the alms you can, don't grumble or complain when things are not as you please, don’t complain of others, never refuse to do a favor for others when possible. These and such acts are a splendid penance.

8. Do all in your power for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Pray for them constantly, get others to do so, join the Friends of the Poor Souls and ask all those you know to do likewise. The Holy Souls will repay you most generously.

9. There is no more powerful way of obtaining from God a most holy and happy death than by weekly confession, daily Mass and daily communion. Masses may be arranged after or before someone's death to expedite their time in Purgatory.

10. A daily visit to the Blessed Sacrament if only for three or four minutes is an easy way of obtaining the same grace.

Kneel in the presence of Jesus with eyes fixed on the Tabernacle or Monstrance, sure that He is looking at you, then repeat little prayers like these: My Jesus, Mercy. My Jesus, have pity on me a sinner. My Jesus, I love you. My Jesus, give me a happy death.

11. Enroll in and wear the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Whosoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer eternal fire. This is the Blessed Virgin Mary's Promise, made July 16, 1251 to St. Simon Stock.

The Sabbatine Privilege is Mary's promise to release from Purgatory soon after death all those who: 1) wear the brown scapular 2) observe chastity according to their state in life and 3) say the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary every day.

To be eligible for this scapular promise, one must be enrolled in the Family of Carmel. This is a simple ceremony which takes only a moment and may be done by any Carmelite or duly authorized priest. Mary’s motherhood is not limited.

It is extended to all men. Many miracles of conversion have been wrought in favor of Christians who have practiced the scapular devotion.

12. Use holy water. Holy water is a sacramental that remits venial sin. Because of the blessing attached to it, Holy Church strongly encourages its use upon her children especially when danger threatens such as fire, storms, sickness and other calamities.

Every Catholic home should have a supply of holy water. Keep your soul beautifully pure in God's sight by making the Sign of the Cross carefully while saying:

By this holy water and by Thy Precious Blood, wash away all my sins and the sins of the Poor Souls in Purgatory, O Lord.

Posted by realm/blackcatholics at 10:35 AM PST
Post Comment | Permalink | Share This Post

Comments Page

View Latest Entries