The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Fr. Richard Tartaglia Celebrates Pentecost Sunday at St. Mary's Catholic Church,
Denville, New Jersey - Photo by Loci B. Lenar 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wisdom: We see God at work in our lives and in the world. For the wise, the wonders of nature, historical events, and the ups and downs of life take on deeper meaning. We see God as our Father, appreciate the dignity of others, and find God in all things.

Understanding: In understanding, we comprehend how we need to live as followers of Christ. A person with understanding is not confused by the conflicting messages in our culture about the right way to live. The gift of understanding perfects a person's speculative reason in the apprehension of truth. It is the gift whereby self-evident principles are known, Aquinas writes.

Counsel (Right Judgment): With the gift of counsel/right judgment, we know the difference between right and wrong, and we choose to do what is right. A person with right judgment avoids sin and lives out the values taught by Jesus.

Fortitude (Courage): With the gift of fortitude/courage, we overcome our fear and are willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus Christ. A person with courage is willing to stand up for what is right in the sight of God, even if it means accepting rejection, verbal abuse, or physical harm. The gift of courage allows people the firmness of mind that is required both in doing good and in enduring evil.

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Knowledge: With the gift of knowledge, we understand the meaning of God. The gift of knowledge is more than an accumulation of facts.

Piety (Reverence): With the gift of reverence, sometimes called piety, we have a deep sense of respect for God and the Church. A person with reverence recognizes our total reliance on God and comes before God with humility, trust, and love. Piety is the gift whereby, at the Holy Spirit's instigation, we pay worship and duty to God as our Father, Aquinas writes.

Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe): With the gift of fear of the Lord we are aware of the glory and majesty of God. A person with wonder and awe knows that God is the perfection of all we desire: perfect knowledge, perfect goodness, perfect power, and perfect love. This gift is described by Aquinas as a fear of separating oneself from God. He describes the gift as a "filial fear," like a child's fear of offending his father, rather than a "servile fear," that is, a fear of punishment. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov 1:7) because it puts our mindset in correct location with respect to God: we are the finite, dependent creatures, and He is the infinite, all-powerful Creator.

Bryan Clay's Path to Olympic Gold through Faith

Bryan Clay's Unlikely Path to Olympic Gold - CBN TV - Video

An anger problem almost derailed the career of this Olympic athlete, but a mother's prayers helped to turn things around.

Supporters Claim Miracle Led to Child's Survival

Faith helps Mexican girl battle life-threatening condition

The following excerpt is from The Compass News:

By Steve Wideman

APPLETON — As surgeons prepared to connect Alejandra Anacieto Gregorio to a maze of life-sustaining tubes and wires, one pair of gloved hands gently removed a child's rosary from around her neck, carefully avoiding a life-threatening lesion the size of a softball covering half the 14-year-old girl's face.

The rosary, its pink leather cord holding a brightly painted medallion of the Blessed Virgin, was then wrapped several times around Alejandra's wrist.

Over the next eight hours, as a medical team at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee successfully removed the lesion from her face.

Alejandra, unaware the rosary was now on her wrist, would dream twice of meeting Jesus.

Leticia Santiago Geniesse of Appleton purchased the rosary for Alejandra months earlier during a visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe near Mexico City. The shrine marks the spot where the Virgin Mary appeared to peasant Juan Diego in 1531.

"Mexicans are very devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe. And Alejandra is a girl of huge faith," Leticia said.
Leticia believes the visit to the basilica, and a Feb. 18, 2012, visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wisconsin, produced a medical miracle for Alejandra.

"There is no doubt in my mind God intervened when all the doors seemed closed to getting help for Alejandra. There is no doubt it was a miracle," Leticia said.

Alejandra, the lesion now all but invisible, expects to reunite in two weeks with her parents and nine siblings in their remote home in the Mexican village of Citlaltepec.

"Our Lady of Guadalupe helps everyone during the most difficult moments," Alejandra said six weeks after the surgery. Without the procedure, physicians had given her a year to live.

During her eight-plus hours on the operating table, Alejandra told Leticia she dreamed twice of seeing Jesus.

"In her first dream, Jesus was standing in front of her home under a tree. She heard birds singing and said everything looked so beautiful. She saw his image but didn't know who he was right away. He said 'Don't worry. Don't be afraid. I will take care of you,'" Leticia said. "As she told me of her dream her face was so beautiful. She was looking up like she wasn't really there. I don't know how to explain it."

In her second dream, Alejandra was joined by her siblings and parents inside her Citlaltepec home.

"She said everyone was very happy," Leticia said. "Alejandra was hiding behind her mom when her mom took her hand and said 'Alejandra. Come see this. This is the Almighty.' There was so much light behind the image, then he opened his arms and she wasn't afraid anymore."

Read more: Alejandra Anacieto Gregorio

Miracle Cross a Topic of Conversation on Radio Maria

Cross Appears on Easter Sunday 2012
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Gloria.tv: Fr. Richard Tartaglia and Loci B. Lenar Discuss Miracle Cross on Radio Maria

Reaching out with evangelization, Fr. Richard Tartaglia and parishioner Loci B. Lenar of St. Mary's Church, Denville, NJ, were guest speakers on Sacred Treasures, a Catholic radio show hosted by Kathie Duggan.

If you missed hearing Fr. Tartaglia and Mr. Lenar on Radio Maria, we are happy to report that you can listen to the May 7, 2012 broadcast right here on our blog.



The topic of conversation focused on signs related to scripture and a Cross of Light which has appeared on the residence of Mr. Lenar in Mine Hill, New Jersey.  In the interview, Mr. Lenar shares his testimony and gives an explanation for the cross appearing during Lent through Holy Week and ending around Easter.  Mr. Lenar's spiritual advisor, Fr. Richard Tartaglia photographed the image on Good Friday, April 6, 2012 and validated the sign.

The first half of the show starts with Margarita Rodriguez, who was healed during a Rosary that she was leading when a seer, Ivan Dragicevic of Medjugorje, came to St. Brendan Catholic Church in Miami, Florida.




Documentation of similar signs of a cross appearing elsewhere is published in a video with Fr. Richard Tartaglia's homily about the miracle. The video is posted on Gloria.tv and on www.Christian-Miracles.com at the following link: Cross of Light Appears in New Jersey

Artwork of Stephen B. Whatley displayed at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in England

Archbishop Vincent Nichols and Stephen B. Whatley

The following excerpt from the website of Stephen B. Whatley:

On Sunday May 6, 2012, artist Stephen B. Whatley was invited by Fr. John Deehan of St. Thomas More RC Church, Eastcote, to a concelebrated Mass with Archbishop Vincent Nichols, Head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales; followed by the blessing by the Archbishop of the new church hall.

The Glory of Christ by Stephen B. Whatley

The church hall was adorned with new prints of Stephen's paintings purchased by St. Thomas More Church; at which the artist gave a lecture about his art and faith in July 2009.

On loan at the church is Stephen B Whatley's original painting, "The Glory of Christ" - pictured here with the Archbishop and the artist, after the blessing ceremony - in a photograph kindly taken by Parish secretary, Helen Howley.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols is a kind man who showed much interest in Stephen's work; humbly asking to take his own personal photograph of the painting on his mobile phone camera - which impressed the artist who is not so adept at using his own cell phone!

View more of Stephen B. Whatley's work at the following link: Christian Tributes

What the Arab Spring can learn from the history of the Catholic Church and democracy

What the Arab Spring can learn from the history of the Catholic Church and democracy

The following excerpt is from RomeReports.com:

In the long history of the Church, its embrace of democracy is still relatively new. David Forte is a historian and a professor of law, he says the Church's support of democracy helped to create many of Europe's modern political parties.

David Forte
Professor of Law, Cleveland State University (USA)

“One of the things that I've been researching is how Catholicism moved from an initial position against liberal democracy in the 19th century because of persecutions by Napoleon and the French Revolution to as not only embracing it but becoming one of it's great sponsors in Christian Democracy.”

Professor Forte met with members of Rome's Acton Institute, a conservative think tank that promotes individual freedoms with religious principles.

They say the Church's support of democracy can serve as an example to countries that are transitioning from autocratic regimes to a representative government. In Egypt, where elections have boosted the Muslim Brotherhood, observers say this could tension relations with neighboring Israel.

David Forte
Professor of Law, Cleveland State University (USA)

“So far as I know, all the presidential candidates have been supporters of Hamas, against Israel in the past. So the continuation of peace with Israel looks very iffy with the development of the Muslim Brotherhood's strength.”

Egypt is also home to a large population of Coptic Christians, that make up around 9% of Egypt's 80 million people. The protection of religious freedom and maintaining good relations with neighbors are two prescriptions that Professor Forte and other observers hope to see carried out in these emerging democracies.

Rock and Roll Priests get ready to perform in Latin America

Rock and Roll Priests

From RomeReports.com: After taking part in several World Youth Day concerts in Madrid, now a group of priests is getting ready to perform in Latin America. The group is called “La Voz del Desierto” which translates to “The Voice of the Desert.”

This coming August the group will perform in the Rock' n Rieles Festival in Costa Rica and Guatemala. The group was formed in Madrid, Spain. It consists of three priests and four lay people whose main purpose is to evangelize through music.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day from ROME REPORTS

From RomeReports.com:

Every year, during the month of May, millions of people celebrate Mother's Day. In some countries the celebration takes place on the first weekend of May, in others the second. Regardless of the specific day, ROME REPORTS wants to congratulate all mothers on their special day!

Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima started 95 years ago

Apparitions of Fatima started 95 years ago

The following excerpt is from RomeReports.com:

On May 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared at the Cova da Iria in Fatima to the three shepherds Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia. It was an apparition that was repeated on the 13th of every month, for six consecutive months.

The Virgin asked them to pray the rosary for the conversion of sinners and revealed three messages.
In the first message she showed hell to them. In the second, the Virgin Mary said that Russia would be converted to Christianity which would bring peace.

The third message was the secret of Fatima, which was revealed by the pope in 2000. There they saw a bishop dressed in white that at the top of a mountain knelt at the foot of a cross where soldiers shot him. They also saw the death of bishops, priests, religious and laity.

Many say that the vision led toward the persecution of Christians, throughout the twentieth century, causing an estimated 45 million victims because due to their faith.

John Paul II was also the victim of an assassination attempt that took place in St. Peter's Square on May 13, 1981. He said he survived the shooting thanks to the intercession of the Virgin Mary. One year later, he even traveled to Fatima and placed in the crown the bullet that had struck him.

Today, Fatima is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the world. The shepherd seers Francisco and Jacinta were declared blessed on May 13th in 2000. Lucia died in 2005 and a study on her life is under way that could lead to a possible beatification.

Benedict XVI officially declares Hildegard of Bingen a Saint

Benedict XVI officially declares Hildegard of Bingen a Saint

Commentary by Loci B. Lenar

In 2011 a DVD about the life of Hildegard von Bingen was released in the USA. Produced in Germany by Zeitgeist Films, Vision was originally released in 2009, but is available to purchase in a DVD format with English subtitles for the U.S. market.

My review of the film can be read at the the following link, Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen

***

The following excerpt is from Rome Reports.com:

Even though Hildegard of Bingen was already on the list of Catholic saints, she had not been officially canonized. So to remove all doubt, Benedict XVI extended the liturgical cult of St. Hildegard of Bingen, to the Universal Church, which automatically inscribes her in the catalogue of saints.

Hildegard of Bingen was from Germany. She's mostly known for her religious visions and prophecies. She lived in the XI and XII century, but even so, her message is still quite alive. The Pope has talked about her and her message in two general audiences.

Also, in coming months, the Pope is considering declaring her a Doctor of the Church for her high intelligence and feminine sensibility.

St. Hildegard was one of the most active women of her time. She wrote about theology and morals, but also about medicine and science. She even found the time to compose 78 musical pieces.

Fr. Richard Tartaglia and Loci B. Lenar to Speak Live on Radio Maria!

Fr. Richard Tartaglia - St. Mary's Catholic Church

Sacred Treasures with Kathie Duggan

Fr. Richard Tartaglia and Loci B. Lenar of St. Mary's Parish (Denville, NJ) are scheduled to speak live on the Catholic radio show, Sacred Treasures, on Monday, May 7, 2012.  The topic of conversation will focus on signs as connected to scripture and a Cross of Light which has appeared on the residence of Mr. Lenar in Mine Hill, NJ, during Lent and Holy Week of this year.

Other guests include Margarita Rodriguez who was healed during a Rosary that she was leading when a seer, Ivan Dragicevic of Medjugorje, came to St. Brendan Catholic Church in Miami, Florida.

Sacred Treasures is hosted by Kathie Duggan and is broadcasted live on Monday's by Radio Maria, US, between the hours of 2:00-3:00 PM (Central Time), and 3:00-4:00 PM (Eastern Time).  Fr. Tartaglia and Mr. Lenar are slated to speak during the second half of the show on Monday, May 7.

If the radio station is not available in your area, listeners can still tune into the Sacred Treasures broadcast through internet streaming by visiting the website of Radio Maria at the following link: http://radiomaria.us/

Radio Maria is a tool of evangelization which serves the Catholic Church in the United States and is a radio network committed to calling for conversion through programming which offers plenty of space for prayer, catechism and human development.

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Miracle Performed by God Through the Intercession of Sister Lucia

Sister Lucia - Photo Courtesy of the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA

Miracle Will be Investigated by Church Authorities

The following news report is supplied by the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA.

The Blue Army Shrine is part of the World Apostolate of Fatima and is located on 674 Mountain View Road East, Asbury, NJ 08802.

By Prof. Americo Pablo López-Ortiz
International President of the World Apostolate of Fatima

Sister Lucia, the third of the Little Shepherds of Fatima, who lived until the 13^th of February of 2005 as a Carmelite Nun in Coimbra, Portugal, and who wrote the famous MEMOIRS containing the Message of Fatima brought by Our Blessed Mother to the world, may have performed a sensational cure of a child four years old at the moment of the miracle at Salta, Argentina.

Rosario André was hospitalized for ten days with hemolytic-uremic syndrome, having a very serious infection with hemolytic-uremic syndrome, having a very serious infection that needed desperately antibiotics but at the same time could not receive them due to renal failure caused by her rare sickness, that affects blood, the central nervous system and the kidneys. She was close to death when her mother, Alexandra Maria took the book by Sister Lucia, MEMOIRS, and placed it in her child's breast, and embracing her, both prayed to Sister Lucia to cure little Rosario.

Immediately, the symptoms of fever, diarrhea and vomiting disappeared. Next day, the lab exams showed no infection as the bacteria was killed without antibiotics. The miraculous cure happened on the same day of Sister Lucia's death! Rosario was healthy again! And she has remained healthy afterwards. Medical evidence was forwarded to Church authorities.

THE NEXT ISSUE OF SOUL MAGAZINE WILL FEATURE A COMPREHENSIVE ARTICLE ON THIS TOPIC BY PROF. AMERICO PABLO LOPEZ-ORTIZ, WHO MET PERSONALLY THE ANDRE FAMILY AND ROSARIO AT THEIR HOME AT SALTA, ARGENTINA.