Paul, Apostle of Christ | Now Playing In Theaters

Paul, Apostle of Christ: Official Movie Trailer

About the Film

Starring Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ).

Paul, Apostle of Christ is the story of two men. Luke, as a friend and physician, risks his life every time he ventures into the city of Rome to visit Paul, who is held captive in Nero’s darkest, bleakest prison cell. Before Paul’s death sentence can be enacted, Luke resolves to write another book, one that details the beginnings of “The Way” and the birth of what will come to be known as the church. But Nero is determined to rid Rome of Christians, and does not flinch from executing them in the grisliest ways possible. 

Bound in chains, Paul’s struggle is internal. He has survived so much—floggings, shipwreck, starvation, stoning, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure—yet as he waits for his appointment with death, he is haunted by the shadows of his past misdeeds.  Alone in the dark, he wonders if he has been forgotten ... and if he has the strength to finish well.

Two men struggle against a determined emperor and the frailties of the human spirit in order to bequeath the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world.

The Story of Mr. Loci B. Lenar and His Fatima Related Mission

The Story of Mr. Loci B. Lenar: by Claire Smith - Amazon.com: Books

Book excerpt by Claire Smith

After beholding two astounding sights in the sky, and receiving a vision of the future world blessed in peace, New Jersey resident Loci B. Lenar made his choice – he would travel the road on the right, the narrow path leading to grace and salvation. The road on the left would lead only to chaos, Jesus had warned him in a dream. Thirty years later, the devout Catholic continues to dedicate his life to sharing his faith and carrying out a personal mission connected to the ushering in the future Era of Peace that was promised by Our Lady of Fátima in 1917.

Today, Lenar’s ministries include his popular website (www.christian-miracles.com) – featuring news on miracles, saints and other faith topics – and his photographs of sacred art. Many of his photos are visually stunning; others are truly miraculous.

(Several photographs including prayers written by Lenar are published in the book. The statue on the book cover is a photograph shot by Lenar at the 100 Year Anniversary of Our Lady Fatima on October 13, 2017 at The National Blue Army Shrine on the grounds of the World Apostolate of Fatima, USA. The Catholic shrine is in Warren County, New Jersey. The shrine celebrated the six apparitions of the Virgin Mary to three shepherd children of Fátima, Portugal.

Claire Smith is a Catholic author whose works include Forty Catholics who Shaped the World in Which we Live, The Great Catholics Trivia Challenge, Can I Confess by E-Mail?, Catholicism - Now I get It!, and approximately one thousand newspaper articles.

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Take a leap of faith and read the book!

"So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

Our Lady's Messages of March 2018

By Mariusz Musiał (Own work) [Public domain]
, via Wikimedia Commons

The Medjugorje Web - Apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Medjugorje

Our Lady's Palm Sunday Message on March 25, 2018 to Marija

"Dear children! I am calling you to be with me in prayer in this time of grace when darkness is fighting against the light. Pray, little children, confess and begin a new life in grace. Decide for God and He will lead you towards holiness; and the cross will be a sign of victory and hope for you. Be proud that you are baptized and grateful in your heart that you are a part of God’s plan. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Annual Message on March 18, 2018 to Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo 

"Dear children! My earthly life was simple. I loved and I rejoiced in small things. I loved life - the gift from God - even though pain and sufferings pierced my heart. My children, I had the strength of faith and boundless trust in God's love. All those who have the strength of faith are stronger. Faith makes you live according to what is good and then the light of God's love always comes at the desired moment. That is the strength which sustains in pain and suffering. My children, pray for the strength of faith, trust in the Heavenly Father, and do not be afraid. Know that not a single creature who belongs to God will be lost but will live forever. Every pain has its end and then life in freedom begins there where all of my children come - where everything is returned. My children, your battle is difficult. It will be even more difficult, but you follow my example. Pray for the strength of faith; trust in the love of the Heavenly Father. I am with you. I am manifesting myself to you. I am encouraging you. With immeasurable motherly love I am caressing your souls. Thank you."

Divine Mercy Novena begins on Good Friday

By Alma Pater (Self-photographed) 
[GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], 
via Wikimedia Commons 

Divine Mercy Novena - EWTN

Jesus asked that the Feast of the Divine Mercy be preceded by a Novena to the Divine Mercy which would begin on Good Friday. He gave St. Faustina an intention to pray for on each day of the Novena, saving for the last day the most difficult intention of all, the lukewarm and indifferent of whom He said:

"These souls cause Me more suffering than any others; it was from such souls that My soul felt the most revulsion in the Garden of Olives. It was on their account that I said: 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass Me by.' The last hope of salvation for them is to flee to My Mercy."

In her diary, St. Faustina wrote that Jesus told her:

"On each day of the novena you will bring to My heart a different group of souls and you will immerse them in this ocean of My mercy ... On each day you will beg My Father, on the strength of My passion, for the graces for these souls."

The different souls prayed for on each day of the novena are:

DAY 1 (Good Friday) - All mankind, especially sinners

DAY 2 (Holy Saturday) - The souls of priests and religious

DAY 3 (Easter Sunday) - All devout and faithful souls

DAY 4 (Easter Monday) - Those who do not believe in Jesus and those who do not yet know Him

DAY 5 (Easter Tuesday) - The souls of separated brethren

DAY 6 (Easter Wednesday) - The meek and humble souls and the souls of children

DAY 7 (Easter Thursday) - The souls who especially venerate and glorify Jesus' mercy

DAY 8 (Easter Friday) - The souls who are detained in purgatory;

DAY 9 (Easter Saturday) - The souls who have become lukewarm.

During the Solemn Novena leading to Divine Mercy Sunday, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy should be offered each day for the day's intentions.

Divine Mercy Sunday (Feast of the Divine Mercy) is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Breastplate

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In the predictions of prophets,
In the preaching of apostles,
In the faith of confessors,
In the innocence of holy virgins,
In the deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through
The strength of heaven,
The light of the sun,
The radiance of the moon,
The splendor of fire,
The speed of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of the sea,
The stability of the earth,
The firmness of rock.

I arise today, through
God's strength to pilot me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptation of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and near.

I summon today
All these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel and merciless power
that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man's body and soul;
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Saint Patrick's Breastplate, a Prayer of Protection, also known as The Deer's Cry or The Lorica of Saint Patrick or Saint Patrick's Hymn is a lorica whose original Old Irish lyrics were traditionally attributed to Saint Patrick during his Irish ministry in the 5th century.

More St. Patrick Prayers

The stained glass window of St. Patrick can be seen inside the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, High Street, Hackettstown, NJ, USA.

Photograph Copyright Loci B. Lenar
www.Christian-Miracles.com

Pope Francis – A Man of His Word

A new film on Pope Francis written and directed by three-time Academy Award nominee Wim Wenders

Vatican News: Released on the 5th anniversary of his Pontificate, a new film entitled “Pope Francis – A Man of His Word” opens a unique window onto the Holy Father’s ideas and his encounters with people from all walks of life.

Pope Francis’ ideas and message are central to the film, which presents his work of reform and his answers to today’s global questions regarding death, social justice, immigration, ecology, wealth inequality, materialism, and the role of the family.

See it in theaters on May 18th.

Welcome Home to Healing - Lent 2018

Sacrament of Reconciliation - Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey

Catholics in the Diocese of Paterson, especially those who have been away from the Church, are invited to experience God’s healing love and forgiveness through the Sacrament of Reconciliation during Lent. Catholic churches in Morris, Sussex and Passaic Counties will be open for Confession every Monday, starting February 19, 2018 to March 19, 2018 from 7:00 PM-8:30 PM.

Message from Bishop Arthur Serratelli:

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Nothing is more startling and, at the same time, more consoling than the truth for which Jesus lived and preached and died. It is this: God is love. As the Psalmist says, “The Lord is a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, most loving and true” (Ps 86:15).

Throughout his public ministry, Jesus shows the face of God as compassionate and merciful in his healing miracles and exorcisms. Even before Jesus issues the summons to repent, he announces, “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand” (Mk 1:15). The kingdom is nothing other than the presence of God making his love known and felt in our lives.

Jesus opens us to the profound meaning of the kingdom with his parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15: 11-32). It is found at the very center of Luke’s Gospel. It is the very heart of the gospel itself! The son who takes his inheritance, squanders it away and finds himself unfulfilled is each of us. We take the gifts that God gives us and use them against God’s will. We are the ones left empty, longing and desiring more than our sinful lives can give.

As in the parable, so in life. God is the Father who sees us, runs to us and embraces us. He takes our feeble confession of sin and turns it into a moment of great rejoicing. Our sins strip us of our dignity. God clothes us with his grace and peace. Nothing can make God stop loving us. In fact, as Paul says, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Rom 5: 8).

When Jesus preached such great love to sinners, the self-righteous took scandal. But not the tax-collector and the prostitutes (cf Mt 21: 31). They recognized in his ready forgiveness of even their worst sins that God was drawing them back to Himself. The self-righteous would not acknowledge their sins. They did not accept the free gift of God’s forgiveness offered in Christ. But others, like Zacchaeus and the woman caught in adultery, did and found peace.

Photographs by Loci B. Lenar

Through the ministry of the Church, God offers us his forgiveness in Christ Crucified and Risen. In the great sacrament of Reconciliation, God is already running to meet us. He wants to welcome us. He wants to exchange our dirty rags of prideful self-indulgence with the righteousness of Christ Crucified. He wants to bring us back into the joy of his home and into the fellowship of his Church. He longs to see us reconciled with Himself and with others.

Like the prodigal son barely able to confess his sins, we, at times, are ashamed and even afraid to name those evils that separate us from God who loves us so much. But the Father is not ashamed to recognize us as his own son or daughter. He longs to wrap his arms around us. He is waiting to welcome us to home.

Now is the time to meet the Lord in Confession and know the joy of coming home.

May the Lord who calls us to be one with him lead us through repentance into the embrace of his love.

***

The billboard with the Lenten message is located on the eastbound side of Route 46, Rockaway, Morris County, New Jersey,

Photographs Copyright 2018 Loci B. Lenar