Angels, Wonders, and Miracles of Faith

Monday, January 14, 2013

Joe Melendrez, Texan dedicated to spreading the Gospel through rap

The following news story and video is from RomeReports.com:

At the tender age of 11, Joe Melendrez wrote his first poem. His Puff Daddy album inspired him to put the words to a beat. At school, he would “break it down,” like Michael Jackson or Usher.

Then in 2001, at 15-years-old, he was invited to a spiritual retreat, where he decided his verses would praise God.

Since then, he has published two rap albums, and has toured throughout the United States. He's also breaking ground abroad, participating in World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, and in Uganda, where he volunteered at several orphanages.

JOSE MELENDREZ
Rapper
“Notorious BIG, a big time rapper said you always gotta rap about what's real to you. And God is real to me, and that's all I wanna rap about it. I wanna rap about what's real to me. I'm gonna rap about things or topics that can encourage people to live better lives, to know Christ. Because I know it's so necessary, and God it's everything to me.”

Above all things, Joe Melendrez enjoys his concerts. It allows him to get closer to his fans and explain to them his verses.

He goes on to say that much of today's music is dominated by superficial messages. He aspires to something greater. Melendrez explains that some of the greatest rappers also talk about their faith in their verses because God is still a relevant topic. However, he recognizes there's a lot of work.

JOSE MELENDREZ
Rapper
“A lot of time people have negative ideas of rap, and they're like 'oh you can't do that.' And rap is a literally a style, it's poetry with rhythm. I call mine spiritual poetry. And so once you get past it, once you see the fruits of the rap, once they see people going deeper into prayer... Moms come up to me and say 'Hey my kids wanna rap the rosary every morning when it's time to go to school.'”

Music, performing and helping those in need define the life of Joe Melendrez, since that retreat in 2001. Nearly 12 years later, he now helps organize similar retreats in California to help young people there find their way to God.

Friday, January 11, 2013

St. Mary's Monthly Prayer Service Scheduled for January 17, 2013

St. Mary's Church Window - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

From the Homepage of www.Christian-Miracles.com:

Please consider visiting S t. Mary's Catholic Church for Mass and prayer services.

With help from Loci B. Lenar and support of Father Richard Tartaglia, including Barbara Jones from the National Conference of Catholic Women (NCCW), prayer requests which are submitted through "Christian-Miracles.com" are prayed for every Monday morning after Mass during Holy Hour Adoration, held between the hours of 8:30 to 9:30 am. If you're unable to attend St. Mary's Church, please remember to join in prayerful unity on Monday mornings every week as we petition God to answer all of our prayers.

Are you in need of prayer? Submit your prayer requests to PrayerRequest@Christian-Miracles.com

The church also holds a monthly service for prayer with Fr. Richard Tartaglia including special prayer intentions which are submitted through the website of Christian-Miracles.com.

Previous services have included prayer for Christian Unity. However, prayers for world peace are always included.

St. Mary's prayer service is held every third Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM with a new theme. January will focus on Christian Unity. The prayer service is scheduled for January 17, 2013.

There is great power through the Holy Spirit when people join together in agreement while praying for God’s help and intervention.

However, if you cannot attend St. Mary's prayer service, you can still join in by praying in unity with St. Mary’s Church for all special prayer intentions.

God wants us to approach him with the desires of our heart. Our Lord calls us to connect with his divine grace in order to receive blessings in our lives.

Trust and believe in God's word and wait for his timing to receive an answer to your prayers. Miracles happen when least expected!

Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)

Regarding prayer, Jesus said, "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Matthew 18:19-20)

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)

If you live in the area or plan on visiting New Jersey, please consider attending and joining in the evening prayer service with Fr. Richard Tartaglia. The service begins with singing of hymns followed with psalm prayers and then reading of the gospels. After the reading, Fr. Tartaglia gives his homily which is followed with a prayer of intercession for Special Prayer Intentions (prayer requests). The Lord's Prayer is recited and after that there is a closing prayer with a blessing given by Fr. Tartaglia. The prayer service is concluded with a closing song.

St. Mary's Catholic Church is located on 15 Myers Avenue in Denville, New Jersey. Father Martin Glynn is the head pastor of the church.

For directions to St. Mary's Church, please visit the following link: http://www.stmarys-denville.org/directions.htm

Regardless of your religious denomination, please feel free to submit your prayer request by email to PrayerRequest@Christian-Miracles.com. Your email will remain confidential.

Prayer request can also be submitted at the following link: http://www.christian-miracles.com/prayerrequest.htm

Mr. Lenar visits Father Richard Tartaglia on a regular bases for spiritual guidance and shares with him the prayer requests.

Saint Mary's Monthly Prayer Schedule and Related Themes for 2013

Christian Unity - Thursday, January 17 at 7:30 PM

Lent - Thursday, February 21 at 7:30 PM

Easter - Thursday, March 21 at 7:30 PM

St. Mark - Thursday, April 18 at 7:30 PM

Pentecost - Thursday, May 16 at 7:30 PM

John the Baptist - Thursday, June 20 at 7:30 PM

Mary Magdalene - Thursday, July 18 at 7:30 PM

Michaelmas Day - Thursday, September 19 at 7:30 PM

Church Memorial Day - Thursday, October 17 at 7:30 PM

Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 21 at 7:30 PM

Advent - Tentatively set for Thursday, December 19 at 7:30 PM

St. Mary's Weekly Mass Schedule

Sunday: 7:00, 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 AM

Saturday: 5:00 PM

Weekdays: 8:00 AM and 12:05 PM - (Except June ~ Labor Day - No 12:05 PM)

First Fridays: 8:00 AM, 12:05 PM, 8:00 PM - (Except June ~ Labor Day - No 12:05 PM)

Holy Days: 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 12:00 noon, 7:00 PM

Eve of Holy Days: 5:00 PM

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Are You in Need of Prayer?

Mr. Lenar, founder of www.Christian-Miracles.com has arranged with the support of Fr. Richard Tartaglia, including Barbara Jones of the National Conference of Catholic Women (NCCW), for prayer requests from this blog and our website (Christian-Miracles.com) to be prayed for every Monday morning after Mass, during Holy Hour Adoration held 8:30 to 9:30 am at Saint Mary's Church. In addition, requests will be prayed for every third Thursday of each month during the 7:30 pm evening prayer service held at St. Mary's Catholic Church for peace. If you live in the area or plan on visiting New Jersey, please consider attending and joining in the prayer services. St. Mary's Parish is located on 15 Myers Avenue, Denville, NJ, USA.

Submit your requests to the following link: Prayer Request

Interviews Recorded Live on Radio Maria

Thank you very much for tuning into Radio Maria on January 24, 2011 and listening to Loci B. Lenar, Donna Ott, and Father Richard Tartaglia discuss God's spiritual blessings on the radio program, Sacred Treasures. The show is hosted by Kathie Duggan.

(A recording of the broadcast can be listened to by clicking above.)

Loci Lenar began the show by sharing his testimony on witnessing the Miracle of the Sun. He gave his perspective on God's plan for Christian unity, including the spiritual locutions he receives from Jesus. He also discussed being healed of several medical conditions after receiving the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

Donna Ott is the administrative assistant at St. Mary's Church and shared her faith about being healed of arthritis in her fingers.

Fr. Richard Tartaglia is Loci Lenar's spiritual advisor for over fifteen years. Fr. Tartaglia spoke about Mr. Lenar and church history. Mr. Lenar shares with Fr. Tartaglia the spiritual presence of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ through spiritual locutions which began over twenty years ago. Lenar is a parishioner of St. Mary's Church, Denville, NJ. Documentation is posted on Lenar's website at the following link: http://www.christian-miracles.com/.

For interested parties, a recording of the radio broadcast is also posted on the home page of Christian-Miracles.com.

Sacred Treasures can be heard live with new guests every Monday between the hours of 3:00 and 4:00 PM (EST) through internet streaming by visiting the following link: Radio Maria

Prayer to Mitigate Natural Disasters

God the Father, we join together in prayer, and petition heaven for divine intervention to mitigate earthquakes and natural disasters throughout the world.

We invoke the powerful name of Jesus to calm the storms of time and to bring forth a millennium of peace and tranquility.

We pray to the Virgin Mary to intercede on behalf of humanity for God's hand of mercy to bless us with divine protection.

We ask this and thank thee in the name of Jesus. Amen

I wrote the prayer in 2010 as a result of the earthquake in Haiti.

Our Lord inspired my heart to compose a prayer in order to petition God to mitigate earthquakes and disasters while I was praying for the victims of Haiti.

Please join in by reciting the prayer daily. Pray for the victims and families affected by the devastating earthquake in Turkey.
Thank you very much for your thoughtful prayer support.

-Loci B. Lenar

Click above to Hear Recording

By Loci B. Lenar

I wish to convey my thanks to everyone for tuning into Sacred Treasures on Monday (September 27, 2010) and listening to my testimony regarding God's spiritual gifts. I also wish to thank radio host, Kathie Duggan, for inviting me on her program.

Some of the topics discussed on the radio show are the events leading to my conversion. Our conversation focused on the spiritual presence of Archangel Michael including a cross which continues to appear on my property since 2005. I also discussed my healing of several medical conditions by receiving the sacrament of the anointing of the sick.

As a witness to God's signs, my hope is that everyone that hears my account will open their heart to receive the Lord's blessings and grace. By doing so, may Jesus guide you on the pathway to salvation, healing, and peace.

I believe God's timing has arrived to move forward with a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit for an upsurge of church wide evangelization.

With that in mind, radio host, Kathie Duggan has invited me back to her show to continue my testimony. An update will be posted when the schedule becomes available.

In the meantime, if anyone was unable to tune into Radio Maria, a recording of the radio program is available here on my blog for interested parties.

Sacred Treasures is a Catholic radio show, which is broadcasted on radio stations located in Pennsylvania and south into Texas. However, listeners can also visit the website of Radio Maria at http://radiomaria.us/ to hear the broadcast live between 3:00 PM -4:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time).

While visiting the website of Radio Maria, please do consider listening to some of their other wonderful programs.

"Cross Appears in 2011 during Lent and Holy Week as a Sign of God's Love," -- Loci B. Lenar

My wife had her cousin Diane Kayal visit our home with her family on Saturday, March 26, 2011. Her cousin's daughter, Brooke stayed overnight. The miracle cross appeared Sunday morning and while standing next to the image, Brooke said in awe, "It looks like Jesus." I believe that God has opened the windows of heaven and is pouring out the Holy Spirit on our world. Joel 2:28 says, "...I will pour out my Spirit on all people..." In Psalm 84:11, it reads, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”

"Cross Appears Annually Since 2005," Loci B. Lenar

The above cross appeared on my propetry several times in 2005. Incidentally, on March 25, 2008 by coincidence or perhaps I should say by providence, the Gloucester County Times of Woodbury, NJ, reported a front page story of a similar cross which was photographed by 9 year old Gwynna Crawford on Easter Sunday.

The cross appeared on a neighbor's house in Pitman, NJ (above photo). The article indicated that Gwyanna's mother and the neighbor were unable to find the source of the sun reflection.

Since 2005 and each year following, God the Father has blest me through His divine son, Jesus Christ, with a miraculous sign of a cross which appears annually on my residence in Mine Hill, NJ. Once again, on Saturday morning, March 27, 2010, a cross surrounded by a shield appeared on my backyard fence (above photo). The spiritual presence of God and His angels coincided with the start of Holy Week. The cross started appearing at the top of the fence as a result of sunlight and then slowly moved downward until it came in contact with the ground. At that point it turned into a round circle of light and then afterward it disappeared. The most recent cross was seen by my wife, Teresa, including my son, Ryan and his friend Nicole. With that in mind, God is calling for everyone to join in prayer for His blessings and graces to mitigate and extinguish violence throughout the world in order to usher in an era of peace. Our Lord is also calling for us to return to the sacraments of the church and to celebration of the Holy Mass. Additional information pertaining to the spiritual locution with more photos can be seen by clicking on the following link: Signs from Heaven

Fr. Richard Tartaglia: Spiritual Director

By Loci B. Lenar

Almost twenty years have passed since I began my initial search for a spiritual advisor. I expected the process to be straightforward and simple; however, it became rather challenging. The most important element in my mind at the time was to find someone that could understand and relate to my spiritual circumstances. As a result, Fr. Richard Tartaglia (above photo) became my spiritual advisor. However, before making my decision, it was a hit and miss process with a few other priests. In hindsight, it was the appropriate choice. Fr. Richard is not only a skillful spiritual counselor, but I also consider him a friend. To read the complete story and for other photographs, please click on the above image.