Defend Us in Battle: Benedict XVI and Pope Francis Consecrate the Vatican to Michael the Archangel

Photo by Loci B. Lenar

The following news excerpt is from Catholic Online

Friday morning Pope Francis was joined by Pope emeritus Benedict XVI in the gardens for a ceremony during which the Holy Father blessed a statue of St. Michael  at the same time consecrating the Vatican to the Archangel's protection. Following a brief ceremony, Pope Francis addressed those present noting how St. Michael defends the People of God from its enemy, the adversary, the devil. He said even if the devil attempts to disfigure the face of the Archangel and thus the face of humanity, St Michael wins, because God acts in him and is stronger.

Read More: Michael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

Consecration of America

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

Prayer of the Day for Thursday, July 04, 2013 - Catholic Online

Immaculate Mary, most Holy Mother of God and of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we the people of the United States of America at this historic moment stand before you in a humbled condition of love, loyalty, affection, and thankfulness. To your Immaculate Heart we recommit and dedicate ourselves throughout the entire American nation. To your Son Jesus Christ we pledge to serve His teaching, His church, and to work for His kingdom on earth. O Mary, to you do we flee for protection.

Surround the American family with your maternal care; enfold us in your arms. Give to this American land, built on the blood and tears of so many faithful forebears, a peaceful and praiseworthy existence in truth, love, justice, and freedom.

O Mary, we submit to you as the Patroness of our beloved country. O Mary, Help of Christians, enfold the Holy Father and the Catholic Church within your protective cloak; be our shield in the days ahead. Give to the Church true holiness and freedom. Obtain for our leaders holy zeal, the ability to face the truth, and the courage to correct all abuses. Stop the flood of atheism, greed, heresy, impurity, lukewarmness, materialism, and selfishness that threaten our nation. Show to those who have strayed from the Church the way to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mother of God, accept our personal consecration to you and, through you, bind us forever to the Holy Trinity. Gather us all into your Immaculate Heart and unite us forever with Jesus. O Mary, we love you.  Amen.

Nine Minutes in Heaven

News Video from CBN.com

During a minor surgery Crystal  McVea took a nine minute journey into heaven which restored her faith in God.

Jesus: Sacred Heart of Love

By Stephen B. Whatley

New work of art painted by artist Stephen B. Whatley in 2013 | Flickr.com

The following excerpt regarding the new painting is from website of artist Stephen B. Whatley:

Spontaneously created on the Feast Day of The Sacred Heart of Jesus, June 7th, a new tribute drawing, by expressionist painter Stephen B. Whatley, to the bountiful love that can be received from the Sacred Heart of Jesus in faith...especially through the following prayer, published in the prayer book, The Illustrated book of Jesus (William J. Hirten Co. 2011):

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee,
Whatever may befall me, Lord, though dark the hour may be;
In all my woes, in all my joys, though nought but grief I see,
O sacred heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee.
When those I loved have passed away, and I am sore distressed,
O sacred heart of Jesus, I fly to thee for rest.
In all my trials, great or small, my confidence shall be
Unshaken as I cry, dear Lord, I place my trust in thee.
This is my one sweet prayer, dear Lord, my faith, my trust, my love,
But most of all in that last hour, when death points up above,
O sweet savior, may thy face smile on my soul all free.
Oh may I cry with rapturous love, I've placed my trust in thee.

Pastel on paper.
16.5 x 11.5in

St. John the Baptist: Saint of the Day for June 24

Photo by Loci B. Lenar

Excerpt from Catholic Online

John the Baptist was the son of Zachary, a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem, and Elizabeth, a kinswoman of Mary who visited her. He was probably born at Ain-Karim southwest of Jerusalem after the Angel Gabriel had told Zachary that his wife would bear a child even though she was an old woman. He lived as a hermit in the desert of Judea until about A.D. 27.

When he was thirty, he began to preach on the banks of the Jordan against the evils of the times and called men to penance and baptism "for the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand". He attracted large crowds, and when Christ came to him, John recognized Him as the Messiah and baptized Him, saying, "It is I who need baptism from You".

When Christ left to preach in Galilee, John continued preaching in the Jordan valley. Fearful of his great power with the people, Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Perea and Galilee, had him arrested and imprisoned at Machaerus Fortress on the Dead Sea when John denounced his adultrous and incestuous marriage with Herodias, wife of his half brother Philip. John was beheaded at the request of Salome, daughter of Herodias, who asked for his head at the instigation of her mother.

John inspired many of his followers to follow Christ when he designated Him "the Lamb of God," among them Andrew and John, who came to know Christ through John's preaching. John is presented in the New Testament as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the precursor of the Messiah. His feast day is June 24th and the feast for his beheading is August 29th.

Pope Francis: Christians cannot be anti-Semitic, we share common roots!

News story from RomeReports.com

June 24, 2013 - While speaking to a delegation of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations, Pope Francis underlined the importance of the strong bond that unites Christian and Jews. After addressing the audience as 'elder brothers and sisters', the Pope reminded that the Second Vatican Council and its declaration 'Nostra Aetate' were in the forefront of promoting cooperation between the two religions.  

POPE FRANCIS

“In that Council text, the Church recognizes that “the beginnings of its faith and election are to be found in the patriarchs, Moses and prophets”. And, with regard to the Jews, the Council recalls the teaching of Saint Paul, who wrote “the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.”

Pope Francis also told the assembly that he was personally acquainted with many Jewish leading figures. The Pope said that he has enjoyed talking and exchanging views with Jewish people since his days as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Back then he even hosted a TV show and wrote a book with Argentinian rabbi Abraham Skorka.  Finally, Pope Francis ended his speech with the Hebrew word for peace: 'shalom'.