Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

A New Springtime for the Church in Ireland: Who is Saint Patrick and Why Does it Matter? - News excerpt from Catholic Online

His story still inspires us for a reason. It needs to be heard once again and written in the lives of contemporary saints for the Third Christian millennium, a new missionary age. Let us pray for the Church of Jesus Christ which St. Patrick helped to plant in Ireland. Let us ask the Lord to heal, restore and revive the whole Catholic Church.

Read More: Who is Saint Patrick and Why Does it Matter?

Drowning Victim’s Visit to Heaven

News Video - CBN.com

Mary Neal describes her experience of heaven and angels after drowning for over 15 minutes in a kayaking accident. In her book, To Heaven and Back she tells her story.

Angel in Sky Photos: South Florida Sees a Message from Above

News excerpt from WPTV.com

By Laura Santos

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A message from above?

That’s what several South Florida residents thought after looking toward the sky on the day a new pope was named.

Most saw an angel in the clouds and grabbed their cameras to document the vision.

For some, it was a clear sign from heaven, maybe a message from God himself, showing his pleasure at the election of the first Latin American as the 267th successor of St. Peter.

Thom George wondered “if Pope Francis ordered that.”

“The Pope asked to pray for Him. .. God answered,” was Cat Sunn’s reaction.

Read more: Angel in the Sky

New Pope Greets the World Francis I

RomeReports.com

Just moments after being elected, the new Pope of the Catholic Church, Francis I, gave his first Papal 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing as he stood on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Francis I said that during the conclave the papal electors wanted someone from farther away but with the qualities of Benedict XVI. Before imparting his blessing, the new Pope asked the people to pray for him and his task ahead.

The new leader of the Catholic Church also said a few words to the thousands of people who came out to greet him. Giving a short improvised speech, was actually a tradition that John Paul I began when he was elected.

An Extended Look at "The Bible" Miniseries

The History Channel - "The Bible" Miniseries

CBN.com: Catch a glimpse of the 10-hour TV drama that tells the Biblical story of Genesis to Revelation, from executive producers Mark Burnett ("The Voice", "Survivor") and Roma Downey ("Touched by an Angel").

Pray for a New Pope to be Selected for the Catholic Church

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Please join in prayer for the Holy Spirit to guide the hearts of all Cardinals as they prepare to vote and select a new Pope in the Catholic Church.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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'The Bible' is a History Channel Hit

The following excerpt is from The Clicker

By Drusilla Moorhouse, TODAY contributor

"The Bible" was a television ratings miracle when the History Channel miniseries premiered on Sunday (March 3, 2013).

With 13.1 million tuning in to the five-part docudrama's debut, "The Bible" smote the competition -- including the networks -- and became cable's most-watched program this year.

"Today, more people are discussing God's chosen people -- Moses and Abraham -- in one day than ever before," said Mark Burnett and his wife and producing partner Roma Downey in a History Channel statement.

But the über-producer isn't taking all the credit for "The Bible's" miraculous success.

"The hand of God was on this," Burnett told EW. "The edit came together perfectly, the actors came together perfectly, it just comes to life."

Read More: The Bible

Priorities for Next Pope: Successful Communication

News Story from RomeReports.com

Having a good message, is no longer enough. In today's world, it's essential to communicate it clearly. The Vatican has long perceived that communication is an ongoing issue, in which it needs to raise its game.

One of the last measures Benedict XVI took was hiring American journalist Greg Burke as the Vatican's media adviser, a formal role supervised by the Secretariat of State

GREG BURKE
Vatican Communications Adviser

“Things move very slow in the Vatican. I don't think we are totally up to date. But certainty in recent months, we saw the Pope go on Twitter, and I think that was positive. We saw also a hub, news.va. There had been a lot of criticism the Vatican had a website early on, but it's very slow to change. But the hub of news.va, bringing many of the Vatican news sources together, it's been very positive.”

To dialogue with society, outreach is essential. The Vatican recognized it and increased its online presence, as well as on social networks and mobile devices. But, there's one more thing the Vatican improve upon.

GREG BURKE
Vatican Communications Adviser

“I think we can learn from things that work. We can learn from things that work in other Church institutions, in local churches and we can learn from other institutions. I always use an example that might be slightly heretical, but of the UN World Food Program. They have a great website, they offer video, the have all their spokespeople, their names, the faces, the emails, the cells phone. And I thinks that's a very good kind of example.”

Communication of an international institution like the Church will pose a great challenge for whoever takes over the @Pontifex Twitter account.

Prayer to Our Lady of Mental Peace

Our Lady of Mental Peace by Stephen B. Whatley

New painting released by artist Stephen B Whatley | Flickr.com

A new 2013 tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary by expressionist artist Stephen B. Whatley; inspired by a prayer to Our Lady of Mental Peace (below) from the prayer book, The Illustrated Book of Mary (2010, William J. Hirten Co., RI, USA).

O Lady of Mental Peace,
Mother of Tranquility
and Mother of Hope,
look upon me in this time
of my weakness and unrest.
Teach my searching heart
to know that God's Love
for me is unchanging and
unchangeable, and, that
true human love can only
begin and grow by touching
His Love.

Let your gentle Peace -
which this world cannot give
- be always with me.
And, help me to bring this
same Peace into the lives
of others.

Our Lady of Mental Peace,
- Pray for me!

***

Our Lady of Mental Peace - Pastel on paper
Created on March 3, 2013
23.4 x 16.5in

To order prints from the artist, please visit his website at www.stephenbwhatley.com

THE ROSARY CHAPLET OF OUR LADY'S TEARS

YouTube Video on Praying the Chaplet

The following excerpt regarding the origin of the chaplet is from CatholicTradition.com:

Next to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus there is nothing more touching and effective than the tears of our heavenly Mother! How many tears she shed on the Way of the Cross and when she stood beneath the Cross! She shed bitter tears in reparation for the many insults her Divine Son then and which He would receive in the future. She wept bitter tears for the many souls who would not submit to the Commandments of God, and so would be lost forever.

 

This rosary or chaplet was revealed in 1929 and 1930 by Our Lord and His most holy Mother to Sister Amalia in Campina, Brazil, and was confirmed as supernatural by Bishop Campos Baretto.
 

Our Lords words to Sister Amalia on November 8, 1929 were:

 

"My daughter, whatever I am asked through the tears of My Mother, I shall give lovingly."

On March 8, 1930 the most Pure Mother stated:

 

"Through this rosary the devil will be subdued and the power of Hell will be destroyed. Prepare yourself for this great combat."

 

From CatholicExchange.com:

 

The sorrows used for meditation are also known as the seven sorrows of Mary

• the prophecy of Simeon;
• the flight into Egypt;
• the loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple;
• the meeting of Mary and Jesus as he carried His Cross;
• the Crucifixion; the striking of Jesus with the lance;
• Mary receiving the body of Jesus in her arms; and
• the Body of Jesus being placed in the tomb.

 

Read more: The Power of Tears

Our Lady of Medjugorje's Monthly Message to Mirjana Soldo

Cross of Light, Mine Hill, NJ - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Medjugorje Today - News Agency Reporting on the Virgin Mary's Apparitions in Medjugorje

Our Lady's March 2, 2013 Message to Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo

"Dear children! Anew, in a motherly way, I am calling you not to be of a hard heart. Do not shut your eyes to the warnings which the Heavenly Father sends to you out of love. Do you love Him above all else? Do you repent for having often forgotten that the Heavenly Father, out of His great love, sent his Son to redeem us by the Cross? Do you repent for not yet having accepted the message? My children, do not resist the love of my Son. Do not resist hope and peace. Along with your prayer and fasting, by His cross, my Son will cast away the darkness that wants to surround you and come to rule over you. He will give you the strength for a new life. Living it according to my Son, you will be a blessing and a hope to all those sinners who wander in the darkness of sin. My children, keep vigil. I, as a mother, am keeping vigil with you. I am especially praying and watching over those whom my Son called to be light-bearers and carriers of hope for you – for your shepherds. Thank you."

Emotion fills St. Peter's Square: Benedict XVI flies overhead as he leaves Vatican

News from RomeReports.com

March 1, 2013. (Romereports.com) Hundreds of emotional people filled St. Peter's Square to watch the Pope emeritus' departure from the Vatican. It was their last chance to see Benedict XVI as he boarded the white helicopter that took him through across the skyes of Rome, and to Castel Gandolfo.

Read More: Benedict XVI

Routine Surgery Opens Door to Heaven

From CBN TV

Multiple organ failure during a routine kidney stone removal put Dean Braxton's life in the balance and gave him a glimpse of the afterlife and Jesus.

Documentary Sheds New Light on Our Lady of Guadalupe Miracle

Photo by Loci B. Lenar

The following excerpt is from the NCRegister:

By Celeste Behe, Register Correspondent

A barren hillside in Mexico. A humble peasant named Juan Diego. A beautiful lady. A painted tilma.

The facts surrounding the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe are known to most informed Catholics. Or are they?

 

"Ask just about any educated Catholic where Guadalupe is, and the answer you’re likely to get is ‘Mexico,’" says movie director and producer Tim Watkins. "But, in fact, Guadalupe is in Spain."

It’s a surprising piece of information, one of many revealed in the fascinating documentary The Blood and the Rose.

 

"There are numerous connections between certain events that took place in both the Holy Land and in Europe and the events which led up to Our Lady’s miraculous appearance in the New World," says Watkins. "Their convergence, more than 15 centuries in the making, was guided by the hand of divine Providence."

 

The feature-length documentary — which brings together the talents of executive producer Steve McEveety (The Passion of the Christ) and actor Eduardo Verastegui (Bella) — includes on-location interviews with experts in the fields of science, history and theology.

Their findings help to recount the "untold" part of the Guadalupe story, which, says Watkins, "doesn’t end with Juan Diego."

 

"The movie really conveys much more than the Guadalupe story," agrees Raymond Arroyo, creator and host of EWTN’s The World Over and guest speaker at the Jan. 24 premiere screening of the documentary.

Referring to the image of Guadalupe, he says that "any image that shows up 500 years after its premiere on an air freshener or a rapper’s bicep is an image firmly ensconced in the popular imagination."

 

But, as Watkins observes, key elements of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe are usually missing from these reproductions. "This is no ordinary icon that we can just alter at will to suit different applications and tastes," he says. "God himself is the artist, and he conveys in the image numerous messages and proofs that demonstrate that it is nothing less than his word."

 

The film sheds light on many of these elements, including the pattern on Our Lady’s garment.

Read more: Documentary of  Lady of Guadalupe

Pope's last Angelus: I will not abandon the Church. I will serve in a different way

News from RomeReports.com

It was the last time that Benedict XVI appeared before his studio window to lead the Angelus as Pope. It's estimated that about 200,000 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square to thank the Pope for his eight year Pontificate.

Some came with banners to thank the Pope and be part of history. With only days left as Pope, Benedict XVI clearly spoke about his retirement. In Italian he said, God is asking me to serve the Church in a way that's more appropriate for my age and strength.

BENEDICT XVI
“The Lord is calling me 'out to the mountain' to devote more time to prayer and meditation, but this does not mean I'm abandoning the Church. In fact, if God is asking this of me, it's precisely to continue serving the Church with the same dedication and love with which I have served so far, but in a way that's more suited for my age and strength.”

The Pope's Angelus was repeatedly interrupted by applause and cheers. Before completing the last Angelus of his Pontificate, the Pope said he will always be close to the Church and its people.

BENEDICT XVI
“Thank you, I will always be near you.”

This Angelus was the Pope's first public appearance, following a spiritual retreat which ended on Saturday. On Monday he will meet with Cardinals of the Roman Curia and on Wednesday, he will celebrate his last General Audience in St. Peter's Square.

Rachel Lozano's recovery from cancer could be labeled a miracle by the Vatican

Rachel Lozano

The following excerpt is from KSDK.com

By Art Holliday

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - "Whether the church says it or was or not, I believe it was a miracle."

That "M" word: miracle. During the nine years she's been cancer free, Rachel Lozano has used that word a lot, explaining over and over again why she's still among the living.

"Sometimes it's a little overwhelming at times," said Lozano. "I think of this time as my extra years on earth."

Most of Rachel's high school years at St. Joseph's Academy were spent fighting a rare and sometimes fatal form of cancer, Askin's tumor. She had multiple surgeries and underwent a bone marrow transplant. Chemotherapy claimed her hair, but she whimsically turned her bald head into a canvas for colorful artwork. In her high school graduation photo, she was smiling brightly, even though she was fighting for her life.

"It was strange. I actually had a peacefulness when I would think and pray about it," said Lozano. "I didn't know what that peacefulness meant. I didn't know if that meant dying or that meant living."

When the cancer appeared for the third time, the doctors delivered the worst news possible.

"That I pretty much had a few weeks to live at the most, depending on which organ was hit first, because the tumor recurred between my heart, lung, and spine."

During one last surgery to remove cancer, Rachel Lozano's doctors were shocked to find no cancerous tissue. The cancer was gone.

A 2000 photograph shows Lozano at the gravesite of Father William Chaminade, founder of the Marianists in 1817. She had flown to Rome to attend a ceremony honoring Father Chaminade. Feeling a strong connection to the priest, Lozano prayed to Chaminade to cure her cancer.

"He also overcame a lot of obstacles in his life and never gave up hope," said Lozano. "I see the parallels in our lives that way."

Eventually Rachel Lozano's recovery was declared to be a miracle by the St. Louis Archdiocese and the investigation was passed along to the Vatican. If the Vatican certifies that Lozano's case is a miracle, it would be the second miracle attributed to Father Chaminade, and the Pope could declare Chaminade a saint. She doesn't know if or when that will happen.

Read More: Rachel Lozano