Catholic Church studying possible miracle of John Paul II in Yucatan, Mexico

Catholic Church studying possible miracle of John Paul II in Yucatan, Mexico

The following news story from RomeReports.com is regarding a miracle attributed to Blessed John Paul II:

(RomeReports.com) - In the coming days, an official study will look at an alleged miracle obtained through the intercession of the Blessed John Paul II in the state of Yucatan, Mexico.

The case is the healing of this woman, Sara Guadalupe Fuentes García. She was suddenly cured of a tumor that blocked 80% of her throat and required emergency surgery.

It was during the recent visit of John Paul II relics to Mexico. The woman says that she had placed a picture of the pope on her chest and throat to ask for healing.

The bishop of Yucatan will investigate the case. If confirmed, it could become the miracle to be submitted to the pope to declare the Blessed John Paul II as a saint.

Prayer for Married Couples

The Monitor - Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, NJ


Commentary by Loci B. Lenar

The Monitor is a newspaper published by the Catholic Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. The publication requested permission to use one of my stained glass window photographs in their September 15, 2011 issue.

The photograph of Jesus and Mary at the Wedding at Cana appears on page four in the article "For the Love of God" by Mary Morrell. The image also appears on page six and is combined with a Prayer for Married Couples.

The stained glass window can be seen inside Saint Peter the Apostle Church, Baldwin Road, Parsippany, New Jersey.



Jesus and Mary at the Wedding at Cana - Stained Glass Window Detail
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar



Prayer for Married Couples - (The Monitor)

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,
By the Sacrament of marriage,
your grace unites man and woman
in an unbreakable bond of love and peace.

You have designed the chaste love of husband
and wife for the increase both of the human family
and of your own family born in baptism.

You are the loving Father of this world of nature;
you are the loving Father of the new creation of grace.

In Christian marriage you bring
together the two orders of creation:
Nature's gift of children enriches the world
And your grace enriches also your Church.

May those who are called
to the vocation of marriage always be mindful
of your love and presence in their lives.
Amen

For More Devotional Prayers: Christian-Miracles.com

Go! Sign: Christ in the Deaf Community

Go! Sign Magazine - Issue 77

Go! Sign Magazine: Christ in the Deaf Community

Commentary by Loci B. Lenar

Recently I was contacted by Esther Maycock, Media Co-ordinator and editor of "Go! Sign," a magazine that she indicates helps meet the individual spiritual and social needs of Deaf people.

Esther requested permission to use two of my photographs in the Summer 2011 issue, which by the way is published in the UK. I am delighted to announce that two stained glass windows which I photographed in St. Jude's Catholic Church and St. Virgil Church, both located in NJ, are published on page 22 in this beautiful and informative magazine. The photographs are used for an article that explains the mystery of the Holy Trinity. 

I believe it's very important to reach out with the gospels by helping everyone in need of God's blessing and grace, especially through such inspiring magazines as Go! Sign.

The Lamb of God - St. Virgil Church, Morris Plains, NJ
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar



The following excerpt is from the website of GoSign.org:



Of the 250,000 people who use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first or second language, only 2% are professing Christians mainly due to the lack of BSL or interpreted services. Globally, they are the fourth largest unreached group in the world. Our vision is to see more Deaf people coming to know Christ through our mission “Go! SIGN” Christ in the Deaf Community” focusing on evangelism, Christian network, teaching, equipping and outreach work.



Baptism of Jesus - St. Jude's Catholic Church - Hopatcong, NJ
Photograph by Loci B. Lenar



In fulfilling the “Go! SIGN Christ in the Deaf Community” vision, GO! SIGN (the working name of Christian Deaf Link UK) is dedicated to serving the spiritual and social needs of Deaf people, their families and friends through the G.R.A.C.E. programme:

• Growth in the network of Deaf Christian groups, leaders, churches, fellowship and individuals
• Renewal and spiritual growth through training, support, events and conferences

• Access to information promoting Deaf Christian issues, support and service provisions
• Churches: strengthening members through Deaf Spiritual Awareness, network support and equipping
• Evangelism via drama shows, video resources and training

To achieve this purpose, Go! Sign, as an interdenominational organisation, works towards:

Developing and providing opportunities to Deaf people, their families and friends, recognising and accepting each other to serve in the Christian community;

Developing public awareness and breaking down barriers created by society’s attitude towards deafness and the consequences of being Deaf in the wider Christian community;

Offering Deaf people full responsibility and leadership in all areas of work through role-model examples and training;

Offering opportunities to Deaf people, as fellow-workers with hearing Christians, to demonstrate their abilities and potential, and gain acknowledgement of God’s given gifts;

Offering advice, information and support to enable Deaf people to increase their self-esteem and skills in their own churches and/or fellowship groups;

Reaching out to the Deaf Community through Christian and Outreach programmes.

For more information, visit the following link: Go! Sign

The Greatest Miracle - Movie Trailer

MovieToMovement - Now Playing Movies and Movie Details

The following excerpt regarding the animated film is from MovieToMovement.com:

The Greatest Miracle

Coming to 3D theaters across the country beginning October 14th!

The Greatest Miracle is a contemporary story of hope, inspiration and faith. The film follows three Catholics who have each reached a period of crisis. The first, Monica, is a widowed mother doing everything possible to provide for her son, Diego. The second, Don Chema, is a public bus driver who receives the news that his child is ill and without hope of survival. The third, Doña Cata, is an elderly woman who feels she has little left to live for.

These stories intertwine when Monica, Don Chema and Doña Cata feel a great need to visit their local parish. They have no idea that their lives are about to change forever. With the help of their guardian angels, each will witness the true meaning of the Mass and the supernatural forces behind Christ's sacrifice on the altar - a constant struggle between good and evil ending in a triumphant victory of Faith.

Read more: The Greatest Miracle

The Mighty Macs Opens in Theaters on October 21, 2011



The Mighty Macs Movie Poster


The Mighty Macs - About the Movie

Review By Loci B. Lenar

I am pleased to express my delight in attending The Mighty Macs pre-release, which by the way went beyond by expectations. The screening of this uplifting movie was held on August 9, 2011 at the AMC Clifton Commons 16, Route 3, Clifton, NJ.

The Mighty Macs is a movie that soars with inspiration and is an enjoyable first-rate sports flick, especially for basketball fans! I was pleasantly surprised on its cheery and good-humored approach in connecting with a general audience by integrating faith into the film and showing its effect on the woman's college basketball team.

Interesting Fact and Movie Trivia: Basketball coach, Cathy Rush is a Babtist; and her assistant, Sister Sunday is Catholic. The movie is based on a true story and is indeed a wonderful showcase for communicating on how Christians of various denominations can interact together for a common goal - Winning for God!

The women's basketball team at Immaculata College soars to a national championship for the first time in its 1971-72 season! The team also wins the National Women's College Basketball Championships in 1973 and 1974!

I highy recommend buying tickets and seeing this flick when it opens in theaters on October 21, 2011.

***

The following excerpt is from the website of TheMightyMacs.com:

It's 1971. Cathy Rush is a woman ahead of her time ... and she's about to embark on an adventure for the ages. A new era is dawning in the country and in collegiate athletics, where a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women's basketball.

In the lead up to this historical season, major universities are preparing their game plans to win that first title. Meanwhile a tiny all-women's Catholic college in Philadelphia has a more modest goal: find a coach before the season begins. Providentially, Cathy Rush is about to find Immaculata College.

Recently married, Cathy is dealing with the aftermath of a truncated playing career. While cultural norms would have her staying at home, she's willing to do the hard work necessary to help her new team reach their goals—or perhaps she's just trying to achieve her unfulfilled dreams through them.

From the beginning, her challenges are as imposing as the big-school teams Immaculata will face on the court. Cathy learns there is no gymnasium on campus, she receives little support from the school's Mother Superior, and the school is in dire financial straits. To top it off, she may not even have enough players to field a team!

While it appears the Macs don't have a prayer, all hope is not lost. With the help of Sister Sunday—a spunky assistant coach—and the support of a booster club of elderly nuns, Coach Rush creates a new game plan that just might bring the team—and the school—together.

THE MIGHTY MACS is based on the incredible true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College team that started in obscurity but became the original Cinderella story in women's basketball. This team of pioneers went from barely making that inaugural tournament to the first dynasty in their game. And Cathy Rush, the woman that was ahead of her time, became immortalized when she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

THE MIGHTY MACS stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush; David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush; Marley Shelton as Sister Sunday; and Academy Award and Tony Award winner Ellen Burstyn as Mother St. John. The film was written, directed, and produced by Tim Chambers. The film's executive producers are Pat Croce, the former president of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and Vince Curran, a successful businessman and former basketball star at Penn. Curran and Chambers are founders and partners of Quaker Media.

Read more: The Mighty Macs 

Signs of Christian Unity: Episcopal Parish Received into Catholic Church

Pastor and People from Former Episcopal Parish Received into Catholic Church - U.s. - Catholic Online

The following excerpt is from Cathoic Online:

WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - On Sunday morning, October 9, almost 80 parishioners of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Bladensburg, Maryland were received into full communion with the Catholic Church by Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington during Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

St. Luke's parish is a small, tight-knit congregation with a majority of their members from Africa and the Caribbean. While enjoying a rich cultural diversity, the church has been unified in it's one dream - becoming a part of the new Anglican Ordinariate as Catholics in full-communion with the Church.

Cardinal Wuerl was visibly joyful throughout the confirmation Mass and expressed his personal delight, during his homily, in receiving these faithful pilgrims. [His prepared remarks are available in a separate article.]

The cardinal spoke of the increasing momentum toward unity in the Church since Vatican II, with the Anglican Ordinariate the most recent response to those who desire to enter in.

"In recent years," he stated, "there have been communities in the Anglican Communion who said, 'we're ready!'

"Pope Benedict XVI, hearing that call, said 'Why do we not prepare a vehicle to allow this corporate reunion to take place?'

The Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum coetibus became that vehicle, as a way for the Church to receive individuals and parishes that desire to enter into full-communion. They have also been invited to bring their rich Anglican heritage with them.

The Cardinal stated that the St. Luke Community eagerly anticipated the announcement of the Ordinariate in America and their establishment as a Catholic Parish with the ordination of their pastor. He also said they approached him about moving forward.

"They asked, 'Rather than wait; why can't we just start now?' In God's good time the Holy See will announce the Ordinariate."

Today's Rite of Reception was the culmination of their preparation.

Read more: Episcopal Parish Received into Catholic Church