The Faithful Traveler - Season One DVD

The Faithful Traveler Mash-Up from The Faithful Traveler on Vimeo.

The following update is from the website of The Faithful Traveler:

The Faithful Traveler is an independently produced travel series featuring Catholic shrines and places of pilgrimage.  Join the show’s host, Diana von Glahn, as she explores the glories of the Catholic Church through the art, architecture, history and doctrine behind these inspiring sites.  The TV show airs on EWTN.

A new 2-DVD set of all 13 TV episodes of The Faithful Traveler Season One is now available on their website at the following link: The Faithful Traveler

Season One Episodes:

Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Newark, NJ

Cathedral of Mary Our Queen, Baltimore, MD

Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York, NY

National Blue Army Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Washington, NJ

National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Emmitsburg, MD

National Shrine of St. John Neumann, Philadelphia, PA

National Shrine of St. Katharine Drexel, Bensalem, PA

National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia, Philadelphia, PA

Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Philadelphia, PA

Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, New York, NY

St. Alphonsus Church, Baltimore, MD

St. Mary’s Spiritual Center & Historic Site on Paca Street,
Baltimore, MD

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Part 1, New York, NY

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Part 2, New York, NY

St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, New York, NY

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and the Brown Scapular

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and Saint Simon Stock

The following excerpt regarding Saint Simon Stock and history of the brown scapular is from Catholic Online:

Although little is known about Simon Stock's early life, it is also believed that, as a young man, he went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land where he joined a group of Carmelites with whom he later returned to Europe.

Simon Stock founded many Carmelite Communities, especially in University towns such as Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, and Bologna, and he helped to change the Carmelites from a hermit Order to one of mendicant friars. In 1254 he was elected Superior-General of his Order at London.

Simon Stock's lasting fame came from an apparition he had in Cambridge, England, on July 16, 1251, at a time when the Carmelite Order was being oppressed. In it the Virgin Mary appeared to him holding the brown scapular in one hand. Her words were: "Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection."

The scapular (from the Latin, scapula, meaning "shoulder blade") consists of two pieces of cloth, one worn on the chest, and the other on the back, which were connected by straps or strings passing over the shoulders. In certain Orders, monks and nuns wear scapulars that reach from the shoulders almost to the ground as outer garments. Lay persons usually wear scapulars underneath their clothing; these consist of two pieces of material only a few inches square.

There are elaborate rules governing the wearing of the scapular: although it may be worn by any Catholic, even an infant, the investiture must be done by a priest. And the scapular must be worn in the proper manner; if an individual neglects to wear it for a time, the benefits are forfeited.

The Catholic Church has approved eighteen different kinds of scapulars of which the best known is the woolen brown scapular, or the Scapular of Mount Carmel, that the Virgin Mary bestowed on Simon Stock. His feast day is May 16th.

***

Prayer of Saint Simon Stock to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart, to succor me in this my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us that have recourse to thee. (Repeat 3 times)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (Repeat 3 times)

***

The statue of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is on display at the Church of Saint Ann in Hoboken, NJ. I photographed the statue while attending the St. Ann's Italian Festival on July 25, 2010.

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

Religious Harmony in the Middle of New Jersey

Deputy Adam Gussen and Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin

Jews and Muslims Live in Harmony in the Middle of New Jersey - CBS News Video

The following article is from CBSnews.com :

By Dave Price

CBS - Any public discussion about religion can quickly turn into a loud argument these days. Dave Price from The Early Show shows a town that's become an example of how to get along - despite your differences. Far away from the religious strife of the Middle East and the simmering tensions of our post September 11 world, there's an oasis of hope in the small community of Teaneck, New Jersey.

Thirty percent of its residents are Jewish, and their new mayor is a practicing Muslim.

Working together to keep this community not only intact but flourishing, are Mayor Mohammed Hameeduddin and his Deputy Adam Gussen - an Orthodox Jew.

Mayor Hameeduddin says Teaneck "is an incubator for understanding." He added, "it's not a homogeneous community - and you want your children in a community where they're going to meet all different kinds of people."

"The things that are most important are the things that we share in common," Gussen added. "Our differences become less important."

Teaneck is like looking through a cultural prism - reflected on "Main Street" throughout its restaurants and shops. The sounds of prayer that ring out from the town form a diverse constituency within a tiny 6 square mile radius.

"Is there a Jewish way to fill a pot hole? Is there a Muslim way to plow the streets," Gussen asks. "The answer is, no."

It's that practicality and synchronicity that are sources of pride for Teaneck's residents.

"There are people of all kinds here, and you should be able to get along with everybody," said Teaneck resident Aggie Siletski.

"So what do you say to the people who say this is a small community in New Jersey - this isn't the rest of the country," Price asked.

Teaneck resident Amber Sheikh replied, "Small little people, small little communities are the ones who get into the world and change it slowly, right?"

This town of 39,000 has often been at the forefront of cultural diversity and change - stretching all the way back to the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's.

In the spring of 1964, Teaneck became the first American town with a white majority to desegregate its schools.

Fast forward 46 years and that mission for equality is still clear.

"Are there things that happen in Teaneck that could happen elsewhere? Yeah, I really think there are," Gussen said.

"It shows that kids can dream a little bigger - that they don't have to worry about all the stereotypes," Hameeduddin added. "Anybody can do anything," he said. "That's what it really comes down to.

Appearance of Christ on the Blessed Sacrament

Christ’s Apparition Attracts Thousands - The Nigerian Observer

The following excerpt is from the NigerianObserverNews.com

By THOMPSON ERHOMONSELE/KEN ABU/OGBEMUDIA JAMES

BENIN CITY- St Paul’s Catholic Church along Airport Road in Benin City, yesterday, turned into a mecca of sorts as people from all walks of life thronged the church to catch a glimpse of what has been literally described as an apparition of Jesus Christ.

The uncommon but holy phenomenon according to catholic faithful and enthusiasts present at the church premises, came up early Wednesday morning immediately after the offering of adoration at the church. It has however generated so much frenzy amongst catholic faithful and non-Catholics who jostled through the ever-busy Airport Road in the state capital to witness the rare spiritual occurrence.

According to Rev. Fr. John Edosomwan, a Catholic Priest in Edo State, the “apparition of Christ” to people serves to reinforce the faith of Christians in the presence of Christ while tending to reassure the present day followers of Christ that they should re-direct their steps to the faith as exemplified by Christ in the holy scriptures.

“The modern people have lost the presence of God, they have lost insight into the life of Christ and of his presence amongst us because we begin to pursue so many unnecessary things and that has made them far from God,” the Catholic Priest stated.

Rev. Fr. Edosomwan further stressed that the appearance of Christ on the Blessed Sacrament through the monstrance would help re-direct the lives of Christians whose faith have been ebbing out owning to varying challenges of life.

The “apparition of Christ” according to the Priest,” was to remind Christians that through His presence they can draw support and increase their faith in God.”

He pointed out that as Christians we must always appeal for the presence of God in our lives in order to transform our lives and those around us.

Similarly, the spiritual significance of the “apparition of Christ” at the St Paul’s Catholic Church was further described to connote the signs of the end of time by Prince Ken Ebosele, a committed catholic faithful who was present at the church to catch a glimpse of the “apparition”.

Prince Ebosele revealed that it was a reassurance of the fact that the salvation in Christ which Christians profess was not in vain, adding that the appearance of Christ was a manifestation of the presence of Christ in our lives.

A member of the Edo State House of Assembly representing Ikpoba Okha Constituency, Hon. Jude Ise-Idehen who was also in the Church described the occurrence as a re-affirmation that “Jesus Christ is real,” adding that, “this is the belief of Catholics and other Christians. It is our faith and belief.”

A woman, Mrs. Mary Omare, who disclosed that she is a member of the Church of God Mission and that she came from Warri to attend a programme in her denomination in Benin City, said she was passing by on a commercial motor-bike but out of curiosity she came to see what was actually happening in St Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road.

She confirmed that she saw Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament that was placed on the altar, stressing that “it is real and that with her coming to Jesus on the altar, all her hearts desires have been received by faith”.

Meanwhile, the miraculous appearance of Jesus Christ in Benin City yesterday have been described as a good Omen and an indication that better things are coming to Edo State.

The state Director of Poverty Alleviation Agency who said she personally went to St. Paul, Catholic Church along Airport Road in Benin City to see things for herself, remarked that she was amazed stressing that “it was a miracle.”

British Soldier Credits Rosary With Saving His Life

Photo of Glenn Hockton

Eastnews Press Agency / Peter Lawson

The Following story appeared on FoxNews.com:

FOXNews.com - British Soldier Credits Rosary Beads With Saving His Life

A British soldier says that rosary beads given to him by his mother saved his life after he stepped on a land mine while serving in Afghanistan.

He also claims that his grandfather was saved the exact same way, The Daily Mail reported Monday.

Now home from a seven-month tour of duty, 19-year-old Glenn Hockton was on patrol when his rosary beads suddenly dropped from his neck. He bent down to retrieve the chain and realized he was on top of a land mine.

Hockton stood still for 45 minutes while his colleagues worked to secure the land mine.

During his tour, Hockton's duties involved patrolling and loading the mortars while he was based in Kabul and Helmand Province, which has seen a significant amount of violence.

On a separate occasion, Hockton, who joined the military when he was 16, was shot in the chest, but his body armor protected him from the bullet. Since then, Hockton's mother and stepfather have kept the bullet that could have ended their son's life.

Hockton's great grandfather, Joseph (Sunny) Truman, also is convinced a rosary saved his life in World War II when a blast killed six members of his platoon.

Before Hockton was deployed to Afghanistan, his mother gave him the rosary beads for protection. Despite the gesture, his mother, Sheri Jones, feared the worst. "I couldn't watch the news because the children used to say: 'Is Glenn on there?' each time they said another soldier had been killed," she told the Daily Mail.

Hockton currently is training for his next deployment.

For additional details, please visit the following link: DailyMail.com

Remarkable Sunlight at Our Lady of Fatima Shrine

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

By Loci B. Lenar

My visit to the Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima on Saturday, July 31, 2010, included attending Mass at noon time. The Mass was celebrated by Father Paul Ruge with a few other visiting priest in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. While at the shrine, I had Father Paul bless some scapulars. I also took some interesting photographs of the sun, right above the amphitheatre. On top of the amphitheatre is a statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which is also located right above the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

Photograph by Loci B. Lenar

Please consider visiting Christian-Miracles.com and reading Father Paul Ruge's interview with Fr. Hubert Schiffer. Father Schiffer miraculously survived the atomic explosion on August 6,1945 in Hiroshima, Japan. To read the story and to view a documentary trailer, please visit the following link: Rosary Miracle at Hiroshima

The World Apostolate of Fatima, USA, will hold Healing Masses throughout 2010 with Father Paul Ruge. Father Paul is the chaplain and spiritual advisor at the National Blue Army Shrine.

The Mass will begin with Divine Mercy Prayer at 3:00 PM in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. Healing Masses will also include the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick right after the Homily. For any changes or updates on the Healing Mass schedule, please call the shrine at the following number (908) 689-1700.

The Healing Mass Schedule for 2010:

Sunday, September 5, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010

The Catholic shrine is in scenic Warren County on 674 Mountain View Road, Washington, New Jersey, USA.

Copyright 2010 Loci B. Lenar
Christian-Miracles.com