Prayers of St. Francis Xavier

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Prayers of St. Francis Xavier - Liturgies.net

Prayer to St. Francis Xavier
Preacher and Miracle Worker

O God, You who were pleased
to gather into your Church the peoples of the East
by the preaching and miracles of St. Francis Xavier,
grant that we, who honor his glorious merits,
may also imitate the example of his virtues.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.

Amen.


Prayer to St. Francis Xavier
Herald of the Gospel

Almighty and everlasting God,
we thank you for your Servant Francis,
whom you called to preach the Gospel
to the peoples of Asia.
Raise up, we pray,
in this and every land
heralds and evangelists of your kingdom,
that your Church may proclaim
the unsearchable riches
of our Savior Jesus Christ;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen


Prayer to St. Francis Xavier

Creator God
Inspired by the example of St. Francis,
We pray to you for the courage to be missionaries,
Reaching out and leading others to Jesus.
Like St. Francis
May we help those in need,
May we live a life rooted in prayer and
May we bring Christ to all those we meet.
This we ask through your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

For additional prayers, please visit the following link: Devotional Prayers 

The miniature stained glass window of St. Francis Xavier can be seen inside of Saint Jude's Catholic Church, located on 40 Maxim Drive in Hopatcong, NJ, USA.

Photograph Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

O Mary Bright Dawn Of The New World

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

O MARY BRIGHT DAWN OF THE NEW WORLD - Catholic Online

O Mary bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life: Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born, of the poor whose lives are made difficult, of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy. Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our time. Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life.

The beautiful miniature stained glass window can be seen inside of Saint Jude's Catholic Church, located on 40 Maxim Drive in Hopatcong, NJ, USA.

For other prayers, please visit the following link: Devotional Prayers

Photograph Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com

Sign of Cross Draws Crowds

Photo by Lora Schraft

The photographs and video, including the following excerpt is from Morgan Hill Times which reported a story about a cross that continues to appear in a window of home in Watsonville, CA.

The original story first was reported on April 2, 2010 by Pajaronian.com.  An excerpt can be found on this blog at the following link: Apparition of Cross Appears in Window.
                                                                                                                



Morgan Hill Times.com - Apparition draws crowds

By Jonathan Partridge

Sylvia Torres recalls being skeptical when she traveled to a home in Watsonville a couple of weeks ago to see a cross in the house's window that was purported to be a miracle.

Then crosses of refracted light began appearing in the front window of her family's own house on Swaner Drive last week.

Now, she is a believer.

"I've been here eight years, and this has never happened," she said.

At least 200 people have stopped by the home at 1288 Swaner Drive since Friday, when a young boy first spotted the image.

Neighbor Jesus Gonzalez, 10, was the first person to see the image while hanging out with the Torres children last week.

"I was right here waiting for my friend, and I said hey, 'Doesn't that look like a cross?'" Jesus recalled.

Sylvia said she did not know what to think when she first heard about it. The Torreses have used various light sources since that time, including light bulbs, candles and flashlights. The result is always the same: a luminous cross of refracted light with a diamond-like aura behind it. The usual light bulb the Torreses use inside the house creates an image that's nearly three feet tall, while the candles create smaller crosses of light that are only several inches.

The Torreses said they are Christians, but they are not "practicing," and they do not attend church anywhere in town.

"We're gonna start," Torres said with a laugh.

Photo by Lora Schraft

People gradually have been finding out about the cross through word of mouth, she said. They come from all walks of life - different ethnicities, different faith backgrounds, even different towns, Torres said. Some people have traveled from Morgan Hill and Watsonville to see the apparition.

People generally come en masse about 5 or 6 p.m., after they finish work, said Horacio Torres, Sylvia Torres' husband. In addition, about 10 people show up per hour throughout the day.

"It's like their coming like ants," Horacio said with a laugh.

It's even gotten to the point that the family is planning to set up visiting hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

A priest from the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Jose stopped by this week to see the cross, and told the family that it was a blessing, Sylvia said.

One man, who was passing out Christian literature in front of Arteaga's Super Save market on First Street, stopped by and also told the family it was a sign from God.

"He said, 'You have a great responsibility'," Sylvia said. "'It's to tell people to repent of their sins.'"

Practicing Roman Catholics tend to believe the cross' veracity right away, but some people who are logically minded are more skeptical, Sylvia said.

Yet, even some of the skeptics said they have been convinced.

Kern Avenue resident Jackie Velazquez was among the throngs of people who were amazed at the image.

"It's incredible!" Velazquez said. "We went inside the house, and it's not a trick. I'm not even a believer, and it made me cry."

Family members say it has become a bit wearisome to contend with all the onlookers.

"It takes privacy away from my home," Sylvia said.

Still, she and Horacio said they have felt a sense of peace come over their house since crosses began appearing in the window.

Their young daughter, Lucila, said she is not sure what to think of it all.

"I'm kind of scared," she said.

The family plans to have a recital of a rosary at the house at 5 p.m. Monday.

They said they are not trying to attract attention from outsiders, but they are also not refusing those who want to take a look.

"It's a blessing," Sylvia Torres said. "God said, 'If you don't come to visit me, we're going to visit you.'"

The Major Characters of the Bible - The New Testament

Cover Illustration by Stephane Jorisch

The Major Characters of the Bible - The New Testament - Compiled by Lise Lachance

By Loci B. Lenar

I was recently contacted by FPR Editions, a Christian book publisher located in Quebec, Canada.  The publisher requested permission to use my photograph of the stained glass window showing the Transfiguration of Jesus. The photograph appears inside The Major Characters of the Bible on page eighty.

Transfiguration of Jesus

Photo by Loci B. Lenar

I photographed the colorful glass window inside of St. Peter the Apostle Church, which is located on 179 Baldwin Road in Parsippany, New Jersey, USA.

To view a larger photograph of the image, please visit the following link: Transfiguration of Jesus

The book is published in the French language and has beautiful illustrations and artwork to complement the stories of the bible. Published in 2010, the book (ISBN: 978-2-89499-108-4) is now available through the publisher by visiting this link: FPR Editions 

The following excerpt regarding The Major Characters of the Bible appears on the website of FPR:

Joseph and Mary through John the Baptist and the disciples; Zacchaeus, the rich young man to Nicodemus, the New Testament is full of witnesses to the faith which have marked the history of the Christian culture. Rediscover these witnesses who knew Jesus of Nazareth with the first Christian communities. They are now grouped into a single volume: The Major Characters of the Bible - The New Testament.

The book is written by Lise Lachance. She studied literature at the University of Laval in Quebec and Bible studies at the Catholic Institute of Paris. She also writes for publications such as Prions en Église. Her training as a teacher allows her to share the love of the Bible, both with children and with adults.

The cover Illustration is by Stephane Jorisch who has received on four occasions the Governor General's Award for his work as an illustrator. He is considered one of the most talented illustrators of his generation. Born in Brussels, he is now based in Montreal.

Faithful Pray for Miracles in Manaoag

Photograph from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following article appeared on Manila Bulletin.com regarding miracles associated with the Blessed Mother with her title of Nuestra Señora del Santissimo Rosario:

Faithful, tourists pray for miracles in Manaoag - Manila Bulletin

By ANGIE CHUI

Centuries after the Virgin Mary appeared before a farmer with an infant in her left arm and a rosary in her right hand in the town of Manaoag, local and foreign tourists continued to flock to the Shrine of Our Lady of Most Holy Rosary in Pangasinan, one of the most visited shrines in the country and in Asia.

Every second week of April, during the celebration of the feast of Manaoag, devotees arrive in droves to the area to venerate the Blessed Mother under the title of Nuestra Señora del Santissimo Rosario, whose image was brought to the Philippines from Spain by the Acapulco. The image was canonically crowned in 1926.

This year’s pilgrimage started last April 15 and will last until May, and continues the tradition of faith, miracles and healing since the 1500s.

The tradition of the Manaoag originated from the story of a man who heard a mysterious voice of a lady calling him. When he turned around, he saw a lady dressed in white standing atop a cloud covering the treetop. The man in the story fell on his knees at the vision. The name of Manaoag stemmed from the word “Taoag” is the local term which means “call.” Thus, Manaoag means “She calls.”

Many devotees have claimed to be witnesses to the Manaoag’s miracles. It is said that the jewels attached to the image of the Blessed Virgin of Manaoag were donated by people whose sicknesses were healed. Some of the stories also pointed to the Virgin Mother as their savior from calamities and invasion by other tribes.

Modern day devotees believe that the water from the well near the church possesses healing powers, most of them bringing water containers during their visits to drink or use it for bathing.

Others believe that simply touching the Virgin’s image’s mantle can cure them of their illnesses and uplift them from their troubles. Lining up for hours, they light candles to pray, recite the Holy Rosary, and thank the Holy Mother for blessings.

During the pilgrimage period, masses and novenas are held daily from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. in honor of the Blessed Mother. Roughly half a million pilgrims arrive annually.

In 2008, the late Pope John Paul II who is known as the “Marian Pope” and the “Pope of the Rosary” for his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary said that the practice of the Rosary is that it represents a most effective means of fostering among the faithful that commitment to the contemplation of the Christian mystery.”

“As we pray the Rosary, we contemplate on the mysteries of our redemption. We recall Christ’s life here on earth and reflect on His love for human beings,” he said.

The Genealogy of Jesus

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

The Genealogy of Jesus

Scripture - Matthew 1:1-17

A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth,

Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife,

Solomon the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram,

Jehoram the father of Uzziah,

Uzziah the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah,

and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

After the exile to Babylon:

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

Akim the father of Eliud,

Eliud the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob,

and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary,

of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.

The beautiful minature stained glass window can be seen inside of Saint Jude's Church, located on 40 Maxim Drive in Hopatcong, NJ, USA.

Photograph Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com