Pope Benedict Calls for Worldwide Prayer to End Abortion

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict Calls for Pro-Lifers Worldwide to Pray Against Abortion - LifeNews.com

The photograph and following excerpt is from LifeNews.com:

Pope Benedict XVI has issued what Catholic pro-life advocates are calling an unprecedented request for prayers worldwide from all pro-life people against abortion.

The head of the Catholic Church will begin Advent by celebrating a solemn “Vigil for all nascent human life” at St. Peter’s Basilica on Saturday, November 27.

The call is not limited to Catholics as the Pope is asking that “all Diocesan Bishops (and their equivalent) of every particular church preside in analogous celebrations involving the faithful in their respective parishes, religious communities, associations and movements.”

Mary McClusky, the Special Projects Coordinator at the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, says the call is especially important at a time when attacks on the dignity and worth of human life seem to be at an all-time high.

“At this moment in history, when societies are now endorsing the killing of humans as a perceived solution to social, economic, and environmental problems, the Holy Father is reminding us of the necessity and power of prayer to protect human life,” she said. “Despite the challenge of these events being held on Thanksgiving weekend in the United States, Catholics should not miss this opportunity to pray for unborn life.”

She said the Pope’s call “may help increase awareness among family and friends about abortion, embryonic stem cell research, and other threats to children in their earliest days and weeks of life” while women who have had abortions “may be inspired to learn more, or to begin a much-needed conversation about healing from a past abortion.”

Human Life International is calling on pro-life people to join in the historic event.

“We hope that Catholics understand the historical significance of Pope Benedict’s invitation,” said Joseph Meaney, HLI’s director of international coordination.

Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula, interim president of HLI, says Christians of all stripes can find unity in the call to prayer against abortion.

“We recognize with the Holy Father that as the assaults on human life that are accelerating around the world have evil as their root cause, the most powerful response we in the Church can make is to pray in unity for an end to the assault,” he says.

Barreiro will be present at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome with Pope Benedict to pray for the protection of human life on November 27th.

Read More: Pope Benedict Calls for Prayer Worldwide

Jeff Markin: Back from the Dead, Reborn Into the Light

Jeff Markin: Back from the Dead, Reborn Into the Light - Amazing Stories on CBN.com

By Sheryl Fountain

CBN.com – It was the morning of September 20, 2006. Jeff Markin recalls heading for work as usual. What he doesn’t remember is driving himself to the hospital.

He had called his boss and told him he didn’t feel well. His boss was concerned and convinced Jeff to go to the emergency room. Somehow Jeff made it. Once he got there, he collapsed.

Dr. Chauncey Crandall was doing rounds in the intensive care unit that morning. He recalls, "An alert call came over the PA system that someone had arrived at the hospital with a massive deadly heart attack. Then a second call went out over the PA system and specifically asking for me because I was the cardiologist on that day. When I arrived there, it was like a war zone. It was chaos. Everyone there fighting to keep this man alive."

The ER staff worked on Jeff for 40 minutes. They shocked him a dozen times. Despite their efforts, there was no response.

Once Dr. Crandall decided the team had done everything medically possible, he called the time of death. Medically Jeff was dead, but he was still experiencing consciousness.

"I was standing in the back of a funeral home, and at that time, I determined that I had died," Jeff Markin says. "This funeral home was empty and was wondering where all my friends and family were."

While a nurse prepared Jeff’s body for the morgue, Dr. Crandall updated the charts.

"As soon as my note was completed, I walked out through the door to this emergency room and I heard this voice say, 'Turn around and pray for this man.' I wanted to ignore that voice because I said to myself, How can I pray for that man? He’s dead he’s gone. There’s no life in him, so I keep walking. The voice came back again and said, 'Turn around and pray for that man.' I stopped and thought I need to honor the Lord. So I turned around at the doorway, and I walked to the side of the body.

"The nurse was on the other side of the body, and she’s looking at me like, 'What are you doing? Why are you here?' And I stood there next to the corpse and I opened my mouth and these words came out: 'Father God, I cry out for this man’s soul. If he does not know you as his Lord and Savior, Father, raise him from the dead now, in Jesus name.‘"

‘I remember staring at bright lights and they were swirling around," Jeff says. "Out of those bright lights came an image and he told me that he was there to look over me and make sure that everything was going to be fine."

Dr. Crandall continues, "The other doctor walked in the room and I pointed to him and said, 'Shock this man one more time.' He looked at me and said, 'Dr. Crandall, we can’t shock him. He’s dead. There’s no life in him. He’s gone.' I said, 'For me, shock him one more time.' That doctor out of respect and honor for me went over to that body with those defibrillator paddles and put his paddles on that patient and shocked him. Immediately an instant heartbeat came back. Instant perfect, regular, which we’ve never seen before. Then suddenly this abdomen started moving and starting breathing and then a couple moments later, the fingers started twitching."

They immediately moved Jeff to the intensive care unit. Three days later, Jeff woke up with no evidence of brain or organ damage.

"Once I woke up, my daughter Jillian was there," Jeff says. "That’s when she told me what had happened."

Dr. Crandall says, "When I came in Monday morning, Jeff was sitting up in bed, and I said, 'Where were you that day that I prayed for you in the emergency room?' And he said, 'I was in total darkness and I was so disappointed.' I said, 'Jeff, what were you disappointed about?' He said, 'I was alone for eternity.'"

Jeff recalls, "He asked me at that time if I was willing to accept God into my life and into my heart and I did. I just opened my arms and accepted God. It was just a very emotional time and I remember crying in his arms."

Today Jeff is back at work and gets regular check-ups with Dr. Crandall.

"He still has no heart problems or residual complications from his brush with death," Dr. Crandall says.

"To know what I had gone through and to be fortunate... That’s been part of my daily battle is why me," Jeff ponders. "Why have I been so fortunate to have God shine on me? It’s been tremendous. I’ve been physically reborn. I’ve been spiritually reborn, and I’m just very grateful for that."

"This day that I prayed for Jeff was a day of very little faith. It wasn’t one of my big God days," Dr. Crandall says. " I was so much in a rush with my work, and I didn’t have a lot of faith backing that prayer up that day. But the Lord asked me to do it, so I honored the Lord and prayed. That’s all we need. Just a spark of faith like that mustard seed, and when you cry out to the mighty Holy Spirit, He will take over. Miracles are real, and they’re real today."

Corpus Christi Church: A Display of Colorful Light



Light of Corpus Christi - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

By Loci B. Lenar

While driving through Chatham Township, NJ, I experienced what could be described as a spiritual invitation by Our Lord Jesus to visit Corpus Christi Catholic Church. As I entered the church, my eyes were beholding a rear and beautiful display of light shining through the stained glass windows. The exhibition of colorful light can be seen throughout the church. Sunlight is creating beautiful colors as it shines through the stained glass and reflects on the church floor, the plants, and pews. 

In the center of the church there is a large cross depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus.



Crucifixion - Photo by Loci B. Lenar



Corpus Christi Church Pews - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

I also photographed a series of images thoughout the church which are part of the Corpus Christi Church set on Flickr.com.

Corpus Christi 8 - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Corpus Christi 10 - Photo by Loci B. Lenar



Window with Angel - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

St. Joseph - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Corpus Christi Church - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

If you decide to visit the church, it's located on 234 Southern Boulevard in Chatham, New Jersey. The town is located in Morris County.

Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

St. Teresa of Avila Church: Inspirational Window Art

Jesus Christ (window detail)
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

By Loci B. Lenar

While driving through Summit, New Jersey, I came across and stopped at the St. Teresa of Avila Church. The beautiful Catholic Church is located on 306 Morris Avenue.

Since I had my camera in hand, it was a perfect opportunity to take some photographs of the stained glass windows. The photos are posted here for your enjoyment. I've added scripture to some photos to illustrate the image.



St. Joseph (window detail)
Photo by Loci B. Lenar



Angel of the Lord (window detail)
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you."   -Matthew 28:5-7

Sacred Heart of Jesus (window detail)
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Assumption of Mary into Heaven
Photo by Loci B. Lenar



Baptism of Jesus (window detail)
Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."  
-Matthew 3:13-17

More of Lenar's Photos: Stained Glass Window Gallery

Photographs Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar

Christian-Miracles.com

A Peek Inside St. Virgil's: Photographer Captures the Beauty of Stained Glass

St. Virgil Catholic Church - Photo by Loci B. Lenar



A Peek Inside St. Virgil's: Photographer Captures the Beauty of Stained Glass - Morris Township - Morris Plains, NJ Patch

Thousand-year-old art form continues to provide spiritual inspiration

By Kathy Shaskan

When Loci Lenar is on the move, he usually packs his camera. That's how he captures so many inspiring photos of religious art, a longtime hobby that he says expresses his strong spiritual beliefs. A series of photographs Lenar shot of the stained glass windows in St. Virgil Roman Catholic Church in Morris Plains (NJ), displays both his creative eye and the unique play of light and color that has made stained glass a popular art form for over a thousand years.

St. Virgil Church - Photo by Loci B. Lenar


"I'm in a family business," the Mine Hill resident said.  "In my travels, I'll often stop at a church and say a prayer." If he is inspired by the religious art he encounters, "I'll photograph it."

St. Virgil Church - Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Shooting stained glass windows is a challenge. "It's difficult. You have to take the lighting into account. You can't use a flash because you would lose a lot of the color."  Lenar said. The wonder of shooting these colorful panes, though, is that they glow as if lit from within. "The exterior light enhances the colors."

Asked to explain his attraction to stained glass windows, Lenar replied, "They make reference to the gospels and they're helpful during prayer. You can reflect on an image and it gives you inspiration."

To see more photographs by Loci Lenar, visit his Stained Glass Window Gallery.

Signs and Wonders: Incorrupt Body of St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Video from YouTube of Incorrupt Body of St. Padre Pio

Sainthood and Recognition of Padre Pio

Excerpt from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

On 20 September 1918, while hearing confessions, Padre Pio (1887-1968) is said to have had his first occurrence of the stigmata—bodily marks, pain, and bleeding in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ. This phenomenon continued for fifty years, until the end of his life. The blood flowing from the stigmata is said to have smelled of perfume or flowers, a phenomenon mentioned in stories of the lives of several saints and often referred to as the odour of sanctity.

In 1982, the Holy See authorized the Archbishop of Manfredonia to open an investigation to discover whether Padre Pio should be considered a saint. The investigation went on for seven years, and in 1990 Padre Pio was declared a Servant of God, the first step in the progression to canonization.

Beginning in 1990, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints debated how heroically Padre Pio had lived his life, and in 1997 Pope John Paul II declared him venerable. A discussion of the effects of his life on others followed, including the cure of an Italian woman, Consiglia de Martino, which had been associated with Padre Pio's intercession. In 1999, on the advice of the Congregation, John Paul II declared Padre Pio blessed.

After further consideration of Padre Pio's virtues and ability to do good even after his death, including discussion of another healing attributed to his intercession, the Pope declared Padre Pio a saint on 16 June 2002. Three hundred thousand people were estimated to have attended the canonization ceremony.

Padre Pio is one of only two saints who were priests living after the Second Vatican Council; the other being Saint Josemaria Escriva. Both priests had permission from the pope to offer the traditional Latin Mass without any of the liturgical reforms that stemmed from the Council.

On 1 July 2004, Pope John Paul II dedicated the Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church in San Giovanni Rotondo to the memory of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. A statue of Saint Pio in Messina, Sicily attracted attention in 2002 when it allegedly wept tears of blood. Padre Pio has become one of the world's most popular saints. There are more than 3,000 "Padre Pio Prayer Groups" worldwide, with three million members. There are parishes dedicated to Padre Pio in Vineland, New Jersey and Sydney, Australia. A 2006 survey by the magazine Famiglia Cristiana found that more Italian Catholics pray to Padre Pio than to any other figure. This prayer, more properly understood as a request, is not to be confused with worship which the Catholic Church teaches is due only to God himself.

A statue of Padre Pio will be built on a hill near the town of San Giovanni Rotondo in the southern province of Puglia, Italy, close to the town where he is commemorated. The project will cost several million pounds, with the money to be raised from his devotees around the world. The statue will be coated in a special photovoltaic paint which will enable it to trap the sun's heat and produce solar energy, making it an "ecological" religious icon.

On 3 March 2008, the body of Saint Pio was exhumed from his crypt, 40 years after his death, so that his remains could be prepared for display. A church statement described the body as being in "fair condition". Archbishop Domenico D'Ambrosio, papal legate to the shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo, stated "the top part of the skull is partly skeletal but the chin is perfect and the rest of the body is well preserved".  Archbishop D’Ambrosio also confirmed in a communiqué that “the stigmata are not visible.” He went on to say that St. Pio's hands "looked like they had just undergone a manicure".

Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints, celebrated Mass for 15,000 devotees on 24 April at the Shrine of Holy Mary of Grace, San Giovanni Rotondo, before the body went on display in a crystal, marble, and silver sepulcher in the crypt of the monastery. Padre Pio is wearing his brown Capuchin habit with a white silk stole embroidered with crystals and gold thread. His hands hold a large wooden cross. 800,000 pilgrims worldwide, mostly from Italy, made reservations to view the body up to December 2008, but only 7,200 people a day will be able to file past the crystal coffin. Officials extended the display through September, 2009.

Saint Pio's remains were placed in the church of Saint Pio, which is beside San Giovanni Rotondo. In April 2010 they were moved to a special golden "Cripta".