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|   NEWSLETTER JULY 2011 | | | |  | | | | | | Strong Words
“The destruction of life has been immense...” Strong Words indeed from our Saviour. Everywhere on this earth life is being destroyed, it is as though we were carrying out satan’s greatest desire. Many times our philosophy on abortion is ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ We are so blind we cannot see the devastation unfolding.
Not only is there the physical carnage of abortion but there is the spiritual fallout that we do not see. None of us can really understand this because we cannot see it. Jesus sees it. He feels it and He wants us to do something about it.
Redouble our efforts
We have attempted in this Newsletter to bring the plight of the unborn back to the forefront of all our minds. We endeavour to redouble our efforts, and encourage you to do the same, to do all that we can against this heinous crime.
On the Feast of the Assumption, Monday 15 August 2011, we will be holding a Day of Prayer offered against all forms of abortion and on Saturday 13 August, we will walk silently around Cookstown bringing the truth of abortion to our streets. We would ask you, if you possibly can, to attend this Walk or try to organise something in your own area so that we can fight abortion with love and truth.
Also in this Newsletter
Many of you are possibly wondering about the ‘changes to the Mass’ which are to be implemented by no later than Advent of this year. We have included in this Newsletter a little about these ‘changes’ in a very simple, clear way. The Mass itself is not changing but we have a revised translation of the Mass. This simply means that the words we will say now in Mass are more true to the original Latin text.
Volunteers
We continue our appeal for volunteers to man the other Houses of Prayer. Jesus spoke again of this in His Message given on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. In it He says, “...I am your Master and I tell you that the harvest is great but the labourers are few. Come to Me! Come to Me this Day! I call you, will you ignore Me? My Houses are in great need, they become like blocked pipes that cannot let My Mercy and Love flow...”
There are still a number of Houses to be opened and manned this year. Please consider this if it is at all possible for you to go. There is little point in Jesus opening these Houses if there is no one there to keep them alive.
The Pilgrimage
This will be the last opportunity for those wishing to go on the Pilgrimage to Poland to book. The information about it is on page 20. To book, please contact the House of Prayer.
Printer Appeal
Unfortunately, we are still relying on your spiritual and financial support to help us solve our printing problems. As we told you last month, our print machinery still hangs by a thread and we really do need to update our equipment in order to keep the ‘Print Room of David’ alive and active. Please pray for us in this task. | | | | | | | | Sunday 30 January 2011
Patrick:
Jesus, we do not seem to have a voice. Most of the Church and everyone else seem to be against You and we are a voice so small that we hardly matter.
Jesus:
My son and My children, do not fear, I must allow this world to go to the point of totally rejecting Me then they will realise Me and the Gift of free will that I have given. Then My Remnant shall have a voice for My Power will be seen and I shall bring this world to its knees and they shall know what they have done to Me and My people. This world will know how it rejected Me, its God. Do not worry but work tirelessly and try to spread My Love to all that you meet and, trust in Me. I Love you.
Patrick: Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Wednesday 2 March 2011
Jesus:
My Love is not a game, it is a serious way of life. It is given to you in order that you go out and find My lost and lonely children. My Love is given so that you, in turn, can give it away to others. It cannot be kept for, in order for it to grow, it must be given freely to all those that you meet. Trust in Me and trust in My Words so that all will come to know My Love through you, My children. Come now and listen to My Words while there is still time, I Love you, My children, I Love you.
Patrick: Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Thursday 3 March 2011
Come, love Me, My children, by the way that you love those around you. Come, help My children who are in need. I Love you, My children. Trust in Me, children, I, your Jesus, Love you. Thank you, I Love you.
Thursday 5 May 2011
Jesus:
Look always to the Truth, children, and realise that I am with you every second of every day. I never leave you. Come, My little ones, and listen to My call. Come, My children, I am your Brother, your Father, your Saviour and My only desire is that My children be with Me in My Kingdom. Do not be lost to Me by listening to the lies of this world for it is the domain of lucifer. he tries to entrap you with the glitter of this world, it will gain you nothing only eternal death. Come, listen to Me before it is too late. I Love you.
Patrick: Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Jesus:
Look to the Truth and do not deceive yourselves into thinking that I am not among you. I am here with you, children, I am the Lifeblood that flows through your veins. Come, My little ones, let Me protect you from the tempest that falls upon this world. Do not be afraid but, come, follow Me and you shall be released from all fear. For I am the One that strengthens you. Come, beloved children of My Heart, and hear My calls within you. Come, I Love you.
Patrick:Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Thursday 30 June 2011
Jesus:
Look at the Truth, My little ones, and see what I am offering to you. I hold out an outstretched Hand so that you can come follow Me into the joys of this life with Me. The more that you learn, the easier it will become for, you will be able to see the truth of this world that you live in. It will not be a burden to you to do the things that I ask when you become filled with My Knowledge. But, you must prove to Me, in your free will, that you are willing to take the burden of this world upon your shoulders and help your brothers and sisters. The way that you do this is by dying to self: the more that you die to self, the more that you will see and understand and the less fear you will have in doing My Work. Come, My little ones, and listen to My call for there is little time left to do My Work. There is little time left to prepare for things are about to change and, if you are not ready, you, too, shall be swept away in the tide of deceit. I Love you, My little ones, and I call out to you in these Words to come, follow Me and do not be afraid for I am your Saviour, I am your Lord and your Love and I shall strengthen you. I Love you.
Patrick:Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Thursday 30 June 2011
Look to the Truth, My little ones, and do not be ashamed of Me, your God, for I am the One who stands beside you always. I will not abandon you, so do not reject Me in front of your friends and family and those that you do not know. This is not friendship, children, I am not a God to be hidden. Bring Me out into the light and let those around you see that you believe. I am your Guide. Through you I will bring many back into the Light of My Truth but I cannot do this if you hide Me from My children. Come, My beloved children, do not hide Me or be ashamed any longer but stand up for the One that you believe in. I am Coming soon, children, and I ask you to prepare the path for My Coming. I Love you.
Feast of the Sacred Heart
Friday 1 July 2011 2.55pm
This is the Hour of Mercy, the Hour when great Rivers of Mercy and Love flow from Me. More so, on this Day, the great Feast of My Heart. Its Fire Burns incessantly but on this Day it Burns evermore, increasing beyond its bounds of Love. Think, My children, think of My Heart! Think of My Love and be about My business. Let love flow from you. I ask of you to increase My Houses for, from them, My Love and Mercy can flow in great torrents. Be not afraid of this for it is My greatest Desire to make alive all that is dead and sinful in this world. Come to Me! Come to Me for My Desire is that you, who hear these Words, would wear the Garb of My Heart to become My little Army of Love. Increase in numbers, gather quickly, muster as an army for My Heart wills it. I am your Master and I tell you that the harvest is great but the labourers are few. Come to Me! Come to Me this Day! I call you, will you ignore Me? My Houses are in great need, they become like blocked pipes that cannot let My Mercy and Love flow. Come to Me, Your Lord has great need of you. I Love you.
Wednesday 20 July 2011
Jesus:
Come, beloved children of My flock, and listen to My calls. Do not desert this Path of Truth which I have set before you. Do not listen to the lies of this world as they call ever louder. I am calling you to stand firm and listen to Me. Accept this Love that I am offering and give it freely away to those that you meet. I Love you, My little ones. Trust in Me, your God. Trust! I, your Jesus, Love you.
Patrick:Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Jesus:
Only look to the Truth, My children, and do not despair in these times of darkness. Trust in Me and believe that I will Come to remove all that is not of Me and My Love. Trust that I am giving all a chance to return to Me before it is too late. Trust that I am with you, children, and that I am Coming to free you from the burdens of this world. I Love you, children, and I am Coming. You must simply prepare by loving all that you meet and do not judge them. I Love you.
Patrick:Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Wednesday 27 July 2011
Jesus:
Look only to the Truth, My little ones, do not allow yourselves to be deceived by the lies of lucifer for you are My children and I am calling you to stand up for the Truth. You know the Truth within your hearts. Do not deny it as it calls to you from within. Come, children, come listen to My calls. It is I, Jesus, who calls to you.
Come, beloved children of My Heart, I Love you.
Patrick:Thank You, Jesus, I love You.
Sunday 31 July 2011
My children, I greet you this day. I am like one who is ill. I wait for My friends to come to Me, to see Me, to wish Me well. Few come.
Abide in Me, stay in Me. The world’s voice is strong and loud but Mine is a quiet voice; listen within your heart and you will hear it. It is not a mighty wind but a gentle breeze to cool your face on a hot day. Come to Me. |
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| | | Roman Missal
In the Jubilee year 2000, the Pope announced that there was going to be a revised edition of the Roman Missal. The Roman Missal is the book containing the prescribed prayers, chants, and instructions for the celebration of Mass in the Roman Catholic Church.
Revised edition
Among other things, this revised edition contains prayers for the observances of recently canonized Saints, additional prefaces for the Eucharistic Prayers, additional Votive Masses, Masses and prayers for various needs and occasions, and some updated and revised rubrics (instructions) for the celebration of the Mass. The English translation of the Roman Missal will also include updated translations of existing prayers, including some of the well-known responses and acclamations of the people.
Changed
There seems to be a little bit of confusion and, at times, even consternation and dissatisfaction about this. Some are asking why the Mass has to be changed again, why it can’t just stay as it is. Indeed, when I first heard about the ‘changes’ I wanted to know who was changing the Mass, was it from Jesus or was this the evil one taking inclusive language to the limits, changing the words of the very centre of our faith, the Mass! With very little investigation, it became clear that the Mass is not changing. What is changing is the English translation of the Mass.
Very liberal
During the time of the Second Vatican Council, when it was decided that the Mass would be changed from Latin into the vernacular, it seems that English speaking countries were very liberal in their translation. Many parts of the Mass were paraphrased rather than translated word for word and indeed some of the English translations were considered to be defective by Rome.
Pontificate of John Paul II
During the Pontificate of John Paul II, the Holy Father noticed, as he made his travels to English-speaking nations, that the English translation of the new Missal (1969 Missal) was different depending on what English-speaking nation he was in. In the UK they translated the new Missal one way. In Canada, they translated it another, and still yet in the United States, a different translation and so on. Some of these translations were considerably bad - very poor expressions of the original Latin text. So Pope John Paul II gave the order to create a universal English translation of the Roman Missal, which would properly translate the Latin text. This is what the ‘New Mass’ is all about. It is a question of language, not change. It has been a monumental work in progress for many years!
Literary masterpiece
This new English translation has been hailed by English scholars around the world as a literary masterpiece, unparalleled in modern history. It is completely true to the original Latin text. New congregational responses. Below we have printed the changes to the translation which the congregation will be responding with. Most parishes will begin the slow introduction of these changes in September but the old translation will no longer be permitted from Advent. I suppose it is good to familiarise ourselves with these so that we are better prepared and so able to participate fully in the Mass.
Greeting
Priest: The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Or: Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Or: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Penitential Act A
I confess to Almighty God
And to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned,
In my thoughts and in my words,
In what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
Through my fault, through my fault,
Through my most grievous fault;
Therefore I ask Blessed Mary, ever-Virgin,
All the Angels and Saints,
And you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Penitential Act B
Priest: Have Mercy on us, Oh Lord.
People: For we have sinned against You.
Priest: Show us, Oh Lord, Your Mercy.
People: And grant us Your Salvation.
Gloria
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We praise You, we bless You, we adore You, we glorify You, we give You thanks for Your great Glory, Lord God, Heavenly King, O God, Almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
Son of the Father,
You take away the sins of the world,
have Mercy on us;
You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
You are seated at the right Hand of the Father, have Mercy on us.
For You alone are the Holy One,
You alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the Glory of God the Father. Amen.
Dialogue before the Gospel
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: A reading from the Holy Gospel according to N.
People: Glory to You, Oh Lord.
Nicene Creed
I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through Him all things were made.
For us men and for our Salvation He came down from Heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became Man.
For our sake He was Crucified under Pontius Pilate, He Suffered Death and was buried, and Rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right Hand of the Father.
He will Come again in Glory to judge the living and the dead and His Kingdom will have no end.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son
is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the Prophets.
I believe in one, holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the Forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was Crucified, Died and was buried;
He descended into hell;
on the third day He Rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and is seated at the right Hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He will Come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the Forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen
Orate, fraters
Priest: Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the Almighty Father.
People: May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of His Name, for our good and the good of all His holy Church.
Preface dialogue
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord.
Priest: Let us give thanks
to the Lord our God.
People: It is right and just.
Sanctus
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of Your Glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes
in the Name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The mystery of faith
Priest: The mystery of faith.
People: We proclaim Your Death, O Lord, and profess Your Resurrection until You Come again.
Or: When we eat this Bread
and drink this Cup,
we proclaim Your Death, O Lord,
until You Come again.
Or: Save us, Saviour of the world,
for by Your Cross
and Resurrection,
You have set us free.
Sign of Peace
Priest: The Peace of the Lord be with you always.
People: And with your spirit.
Invitation to Holy Communion
Priest: Behold the Lamb of God,
behold Him who takes away the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called
to the Supper of the Lamb.
People: Lord, I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
Concluding Rites
Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And with your spirit.
Deeper and more spiritual
As you can see, the literal translation of the original Latin is much deeper and more spiritual.
There is absolutely nothing to worry about. The Mass is not changing but simply what was already there in the Latin is being made clear now in the English. Since it was John Paul who initiated the revision of the English Roman Missal, then we all here at the House of Prayer will embrace the new translation since it is only what we should have always been saying. | | | | | | | | IVF
...the devil in disguise
Destruction of life
The evil one’s greatest desire is the destruction of life. Jesus said on Wednesday 28 May 2003, “…My children, My children, how I Love you! How I desire that you be with Me in My Father’s Kingdom. Too long have you wandered in the wilderness of self, too long have you allowed lucifer to guide you. Now is the time, My children, to stop and realise what is happening. I speak once again about the murder of the innocent.
Abortion, children, is how lucifer is gaining so much strength in this world. The destruction of life is his desire; he wishes to destroy that that I created. Abortion! It is the greatest sacrifice that can be given to him for innocent life is destroyed…”
Deceived millions
Many of us on this earth do not see abortion for what it is. lucifer has deceived millions into thinking that abortion is an acceptable and necessary thing for today’s society. We have to remember that lucifer is the deceiver. Not only has he enticed many of Gods children to murder their own children within the womb but now he murders millions in the guise of giving life. What is completely unbelievable is that we do not see it. We are, as Jesus says, blind and complacent.
We recently came across this article in the Daily Mail.
THIRTY embryos created for every baby born by IVF... and thousands are thrown away
By Daniel Martin and Simon Caldwell from the Mail Online
Thirty human embryos
More than thirty human embryos are created for every successful birth by IVF, official figures have revealed. Hundreds of thousands have been simply thrown away or destroyed in the name of scientific research over the past twenty years.
Discarded
The figures show that British scientists have created more than three million human embryos by IVF since 1991. But fewer than one hundred thousand have been successfully implanted into women to result in live births in that period. Nearly a million and a half were discarded in the course of treatment and more than one hundred thousand were given for research in destructive experiments.
Industrial scale
Lord Alton of Liverpool, a veteran Pro-Life campaigner, said he found the Department of Health figures ‘staggering.’
He said: ‘We are creating and destroying human embryos on an industrial scale.’
Josephine Quintavalle, of pressure group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, said: ‘Human life begins at the point of conception. It should not be created as a surplus in such a careless way.’
Destructive experiments
The figures show that 3,144,386 embryos have been created in UK laboratories since the passage of the 1991 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. A total of 1,455,832 embryos were discarded in the course of treatment, 101,605 were given for research in destructive experiments, and 764,311 were frozen for later use. The rest were implanted, resulting in 94,090 births, meaning that in the region of thirty two embryos are created for every live birth.
Usually fail
Lord Alton said the figures revealed the folly of spending huge amounts of money on treatments which usually fail at a time when there are six hundred abortions a day and only seventy babies put up for adoption each year.
‘We would be less than human if we didn’t feel joy for the parents of a newborn baby and even if IVF has helped them to have that child it is right to celebrate with joy that they have a child in that family,’ said the crossbench peer.
‘But we shouldn’t remove from the debate how many other human embryos are discarded without any thought in order to achieve that object.’
Low success rate
Lord Alton added: ‘I think the real work that should be going on in fertility treatment is to fund the development of implantation techniques which don’t require the destruction of human embryos.’ The figures were revealed by Health Minister Lord Howe in a written answer to a question posed by Lord Alton. IVF has a notoriously low success rate of only fifteen per cent, though the numbers of babies born as a result of the technique has risen in the last three years to about twelve thousand a year. The cost of a single cycle of treatment is usually more than £4,000, which is sometimes met by the NHS.
Killed more
Reading this article brings home to us again just how much destruction of life there is. It is all around us, we could be walking past buildings where this is going on and we do not see or feel it. Think now of the famine in Africa that we have been asked to give generously to, think of all the wars that have been fought in our lifetime, think of all the natural disasters. We are horrified at times as to the number of lives that are lost during these, we are horrified by the suffering caused. Do we not see and realise that abortion and IVF treatments have killed more than all these put together? Why can we not see? We are blinded to the Light by the darkness of sin. We do not see. In the spiritual world we walk and stumble in the darkness because there is far more sin now than there is good.
Become a god
We think medical advancement is great. In many ways it has become a god in these days. We do not trust in the One true God, we trust in science. We do not pray for children and accept it as Gods Will if we still do not conceive, we go for IVF because what we want we must have. It is the time of self.
What Jesus said
Science and technology could have been really good for mankind, we could have benefited greatly from it but, as Jesus says, we are guided by lucifer and so, we use what is given for evil and self. Look what Jesus said on Friday 9 May 2003:
“...That, that you believe to be good was given by the power of lucifer. Look, children, see the technology that was not and is now. It was not given through My Power, My Love.
The aeroplanes that you believe to be good have been responsible for the deaths of millions. The military might use these for the destruction of life. All life is precious, children.
You are blinded, generation, by the lies of lucifer. What technology is there that is not used for the destruction of life?
In the medical world, you see great advances; you say millions are being saved. I say, saved from what? You use the destruction of life to save life! You cannot see what is happening in the scientists’ laboratories within this world, but I can, children. Their experiments are fuelled by the inspirations of lucifer. Your children die so that you can have longer lives upon this earth. You cannot see or understand the reality, the Truth, of what is happening. Your lives are being extended upon this earth only to be lost in death eternal. What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?
See the reality of this earth, children. See what is happening around you. You are being blinded by lucifer. You are being taken in by your own desires, your own greed. All you can see are the comforts of this life. You do not prepare for the next life. You are bringing about a great disaster; you are fuelling lucifer’s power by your sin. The murder of the innocent is giving him the blood sacrifice he needs to destroy this world. This earth shall crumble under his fist. You shall realise what you have done but it will be too late. Then the heavens shall open and My Power, My Justice, shall descend and I shall rid all evil from this earth. My creation shall be made new and no blemish of what was, shall mar it. All that you created in your lust shall be gone. Your technology, that you used for the destruction of life, shall be no more. My Church shall be made strong, once again, and never again shall you laugh at what I have given. Fear shall touch this generation and they shall know the Truth of their God. Do not think that I cannot see your deeds. I can see all things, children. I can see into the darkness of your lives. I know what happens when none other can see...”
It cannot continue
The world has gone far away from its God in these days and as Jesus says, it cannot continue.
We may say that we do not have anything to do with this, we don’t go for IVF treatment or have abortions; we may all agree that these are terrible things and that the earth has indeed rejected its God. But, brothers and sisters, this is not enough. If we sit idly by and allow these things to continue we are as guilty, or perhaps moreso because we know that it is wrong, than those who perpetrate these acts.
Pray and sacrifice
We must do all in our power now to help Jesus defeat these evils. Sometimes it is not always possible to get out on the streets, but it is always possible to pray and sacrifice. | | | | | | | | This is only the beginning
A bunch of weary eyed people make their way towards the security checks in Dublin airport at 5am. Yet, this is only the beginning of the journey. As we set off towards Slovenia, there is a mix of excitement and nerves at the thought of playing in front of a group of people whom we have only met on a handful of occasions. We touch down in Italy, Treviso and head to our first port of call, Venice. We explore the town, using the little shrines dotted high and low on the walls of the houses and buildings as our signposts.
Returning family
We finally reach the House of Prayer just after 10pm and are met by a lovely, simple but tasty meal and then we have a much needed night’s sleep. Thursday was a day to both relax and recover from the journey and the last chance to run over the songs with our drummer for the concert, Jani. Áine and David had been here the previous week for a few practises with him so he had an idea how to play the music and he fitted in as if he had been playing the songs all his life. That evening we met up with some of the locals who welcomed us as if we were returning family members. The locals were so open, kind and helpful to us, it was unbelievable.
The place was packed
Finally, Friday came upon us, the day of the concert. We had a sound check in the venue, the Firehouse, before kitting ourselves out for the performance. We would be the first group on the stage and we did not really know what to expect, how many people would come, and the fact we did not speak the local language didn’t help! Much to our surprise and, more especially ,to the locals’ surprise, the place was packed with an estimated two hundred strong crowd in attendance.
The effort
The girls broke the ice saying a line or two in Slovenian to introduce us. That went down a storm! The Slovenians loved the fact that we had made the effort to say even a little bit in their own language. The rest of the groups did their bit with the crowd being treated to a mix of classical multi-piece harmony and a local rock band with the sweet innocence of a children’s group to top it all off. We then came on as the last band and played one of our tightest performances to date. To end the night, all the groups came back on stage and sang a local favourite “Siva Pot” or better known to us, “Country Roads.” We came armed with a load of Irish hats and headgear which we passed amongst the other singers who loved them so much that they kept them as souvenirs!
A great success
After the crowd started to depart once again the local’s great kindness was shown as food was laid out for all the performers and we ate and chatted for a while before one of the other bands once again took to the stage to entertain those who had stayed behind. To us it was a great success and, from the feedback from the other performers and the spectators, the whole event went better than anyone could have imagined.
May Day celebrations
On the Saturday night we took part in the village’s May Day celebrations which included their traditional lighting of bonfires. Us mixing with the locals over the few days helps integrate the House of Prayer into the village and show them we are willing to be part of the community there.
Tough and tiring
On Sunday, after attending Mass in their temporary chapel, we cleaned the House and prepared for our journey home, leaving the House of Prayer at 3am. Again, the travelling was tough and tiring but it was the sacrifice endured like this that helped prepare the path for the success of the trip and the concert and bringing the little bit of SonLight into the hearts of the people of Dole and its surroundings! Thank You, Jesus, for a memorable trip!
Stephen
Reach out and touch
The House of Prayer has had a music ministry for some time now, but it has increased and become known as ‘SonLight’ within the last two years. In this time, under the guidance of Patrick Rushe, we have taken part in many events and much practice in order to become a ‘ministry’ to allow the Words of Jesus to reach out and touch those who do not know Him and, indeed, to those who do.
Something so sacred
We have taken part in, and hosted, many fundraising events and, more and more, we are being invited by our local parish, and others further afield, to become a part of their weekly celebration of Mass, weddings, funerals etc. This is my favourite part of this Work, to be a part of something so sacred is a privilege but, moreso, as we are singing the Songs which Jesus inspired and, also, the Messages of Love. Very often, people will comment that it is these Songs that have touched them the most! This is a testament to the Power of these Messages and inspirations.
Relations began to grow
After the House was purchased in Slovenia, many from the House of Prayer, including Patrick Rushe, travelled to Slovenia in order to carry out maintenance etc. to the ‘Virgin Most Pure’ House. It was on these trips that relations began to grow between ourselves and the local people, so much so that Áine married one!
Above and beyond
We learned that the church in Gore needed some extensive refurbishment which would take a long time and cost a substantial amount of money.
Patrick felt inspired that we should do something to help our Slovenian neighbours, and so, the idea for the latest SonLight gig was born. We travelled to Slovenia on 27 April 2011. The next day we met with all those who had pledged their expertise and support in order to practice, for the first time, ahead of the concert, the following night. We were truly touched by the effort, love and support we had from the local people who had gone above and beyond to ensure this was to be a great night and we were not disappointed.
Out of our comfort zone
On the night of the concert, there were a few nervous faces waiting in the wings to be introduced. It was very much out of our comfort zone to play in a country where we did not speak the language and where we are very different to what they are familiar with in terms of style of music. However, Patrick assured us earlier that day that he felt no trepidation about that night and trusted and believed that everything would go very well. Indeed, he will be happy for me to say he was right, it was a great success!
What could be done next
After the concert, Patrick met with Fr Tomaž, a Slovenian Jesuit priest, who he had met on a previous trip, who was very touched by the concept of this fundraising concert and was keen to see what could be done next, in particular for the youth of this area. Jesus was back at Work!
He can bring a beauty
What was most apparent to me during this trip was the great relationships that have been built between the House of Prayer and the wider community. I always notice a difference in the relationships which can be built by Jesus and those we build ourselves and will take away from this trip the knowledge that, when I invite Him to be a part of each area of my life, He can bring a beauty that I Myself cannot. Many thanks to all who support this ministry through their giving and their prayers, including the servants of the Sacred Heart House, who show such love and support for SonLight. Hopefully, with our sacrifice and willingness to respond to these inspirations, Jesus can achieve everything He Desires in this beautiful country. A big thank You, Lord, for a great trip.
Anne – Marie
The church in Dole
We arrived at the House of Prayer in Cookstown at 1am on Wednesday 27 April. I couldn’t believe it had come around so quickly. We had been practising for the concert for a few months but it felt like a couple of weeks. We were going to Slovenia to do a concert in the Firehouse to raise money for the church in Dole as it is an old church and is being renovated. I was sad to leave my husband and two children but I knew Jesus would give me the strength to cope. I was also worried about going away as I was seven months pregnant. We left the House and started our journey to Slovenia. We drove to Dublin and got the plane from Dublin to Treviso in Italy. I wouldn’t be that fussed on flying but I put my trust in Jesus, well sort of!! Patrick said you just need to pray once, Jesus will hear you. I made sure He heard and prayed about fifty times, lol (laugh out loud)!
Venice
We arrived in Treviso airport: myself, Anne-Marie, Kathleen, David, Stephen, Patrick and Emma. We were then to meet up with Áine and Matej who were already there. It was about 10.30am when we arrived and we weren’t far from Venice, only about forty minutes drive, so we decided to go and see it as a lot of us had never been before. We walked and walked until I thought my feet were going to fall off trying to keep up with Patrick, lol! On our walk around Venice, we visited a few chapels, some of which were absolutely amazing but I was sad by the fact that most of the chapels were tourist attractions and you had to pay to get in.
At long last we made it back to the car. If all that walking didn’t put me into labour, I don’t know what would!
We hadn’t slept
Eventually we were on our way to Slovenia. We were so excited and full of joy and the best about it was that we hadn’t slept in twenty four hours but that didn’t matter, Jesus gave us the strength to go on. It was about a three or four hour drive to Slovenia but it seemed to go very fast. It was dark so we couldn’t see the scary bends going up into the mountains and the wee narrow roads. We got closer to the House and, as tradition goes, we sang ‘Hail Queen of Heaven’ as we approached. It felt lovely to be back in the House again and I couldn’t wait until morning to see the mind-blowing views I could remember from the last time I was there.
How random it was
The next morning came and just one day left until the concert and we had a busy day of practising. I couldn’t help but wonder how random it was for a wee group of people from Cookstown to be in the Slovenian mountains doing a concert. God knows where Jesus will have us at next, hopefully Nashville lol!
There wasn’t a seat left
The day of the concert eventually came and I had never seen a day going as fast. I had mixed feelings of joy, excitement, nerves and probably a bit sad because, in a couple of hours, it would all be over. We had to be at the Firehouse for 7pm for a practise and it wasn’t long creeping round. We made our way up to the Firehouse and had a quick run through, the concert was due to start at 8pm so at 7.50pm we went backstage to get ready as we were opening the concert. The place started to fill up, we couldn’t believe our eyes, there wasn’t a seat left in the Firehouse. There were about two hundred people and the nerves were flying high.
Flowing well
The big moment came and out we went. We introduced ourselves and each said a line in Slovenian, well, we tried to say a line in Slovenian! We opened the concert with two original songs that Jesus gave (Shine Your Light and I Don’t Care.)
Then we went backstage again and the next group to go on was the children’s choir, they were from the local parish and they really touched me as one of the kids was about the same age as my son. After that a group called Vasovalci performed, they were a group of about ten male singers and they sang Slovenian folk songs. After them, a group of girl singers went on called Radost. Their harmonies were amazing. These girls have won a lot of competitions and have also performed on television. They sang classical songs. Then the last group to perform before us was the Hillbillies, they are a local rock group. It was really nice to have such a variety of music from folk, to classical, to rock. Each group that performed had about twenty minutes and everything seemed to be flowing well.
They absolutely loved them
Before we knew it, it was time for us to go back on again. I think we were all on a high and not as nervous this time, we couldn’t wait to get back out on stage again. We did a few acapella Gospel-country songs. We finished off by getting all the groups back on stage to sing ‘Country Roads.’ We brought shamrock hats with us for people to wear, they absolutely loved them and we didn’t get them back!
So kind
It was such a well organised concert. Jesus definitely had His Hand in it. There were so many people that were so kind, Áine’s husband’s mother did the most amazing flowers, one of the Hillbillies called Jani drummed along with us, another friend, Tina, organised so much and acted as compere on the night.
One of the best
We really have so much to thank Jesus for. It was one of the best experiences and concerts I have done so far. We’ve really only been together as a group for about two years now and Jesus has taken us so far. It does scare me sometimes wondering what He has Planned for us next!
Thank You, Jesus.
Brigid. | | | | | | | | Attack
A NUMBER of Catholic groups in Ireland have given their support to a radical new leftwing report calling for the legalised killing of unborn children in this country.
The report also contains an attack on religious freedom and recommends an end to the Constitution’s protection for the family based on marriage.
Its recommendations were drawn up by a seventeen member umbrella group which included Educate Together, the Children’s Rights Alliance, Simon, USI (Union of Students in Ireland), the ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions) and the pro-abortion agency, Amnesty International.
Publicly endorsed it
A further one hundred or so groups and agencies have publicly endorsed it, including religious groups, two teachers’ unions and the ISPCC (Irish Society for the prevention of Cruelty to Children).
Titled, Your Rights, Right Now, the report has been submitted to the UN’s Human Rights Council, which will, in October, examine Ireland’s “human rights record” and make its own recommendations.
“Criminalisation of abortion,” says the Irish report, “means that safe and legal terminations are inaccessible in Ireland for all women and girls.”
And it claims that “by restricting abortion, the State disproportionately interferes with women’s rights to health, privacy, life, freedom from inhuman or degrading treatment and non-discrimination.”
It recommends repeal of the 1861 Offences Against the Persons Act, which outlaws the killing of the unborn, and calls for “legislation to clarify the circumstances under which an abortion may be lawful.”
Marriage
On the issue of marriage, it complains that the legal framework for marriage and family life in Ireland is “dominated” by Article 41 of the Irish Constitution.
This recognises that the family based on marriage is the natural primary and fundamental unit of society, and is a moral institution “possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights.”
Same-sex couples
The report wants the state to devalue the status of marriage, calling for article 41 to be amended “to recognise modern, pluralist and inclusive family relationships.”
It also calls for the introduction of “full civil marriage for same-sex couples.” And for a law for “gender recognition” for “transgender and intersex people.”
School’s religion
In a dramatic attack on religious freedom and the rights of parents, it rejects the view that a school’s religion should permeate the whole school programme.
Instead, it recommends that “religious schools should be required to de-couple faith-specific content from the national curriculum and ensure that such content is genuinely optional for all children.”
Dispense with the rights
The report also claims that “the Irish Constitution is largely silent on the rights of children,” and it gives its full backing to a referendum on such rights.
Some time ago, however, Supreme Court justice Adrian Hardiman warned against “[a] view calling itself ‘child-centred’ because it is prepared more easily to dispense with the rights and duties of parents.”
Mr Hardiman wrote: “The Constitution does not prefer parents to children.” But, “it prefers parents to third parties, official or private, priest or social worker, as the enablers and guardians of the child’s rights.”
The UN “review” of Ireland’s record on human rights illustrates how extremists at the UN and in the EU can use treaties and conventions to bypass democracy in imposing a destructive, leftwing agenda on society.
Trócaire
Among the Catholic groups that are listed as having put their names to this report are Trócaire, Mercy Justice Office, Crosscare Migrant Project, Ruhama and the Vincentian Refugee Centre.
The other groups include the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, the government-funded National Women’s Council, Atheist Ireland, the National Council for the Blind and Barnardos.
The Children’s Rights Alliance, one of the organisers of the project, is a coalition of some ninety voluntary groups, including a number of Catholic agencies.
• A full list of groups backing the report is at www.rightsnow.ie
Update
No idea
Interestingly, in the succeeding issue of the Alive Newspaper, the June edition, some of the organisations back tracked, claiming they had no idea what they had signed up to!
Possibly the withdrawal of donations might have shook them up!
But what’s even more worrying is the fact that not all the organisations have! Some so-called Catholic organisations are doing nothing about losing their Catholic identity in order to be seen to be adopting ‘Human Rights’ policies.
Steering group
Seventeen Groups (The Transgender Equality Network, the Irish Family Planning Association, Union of Students in Ireland and the National Women’s Council...etc.) are a “steering group” behind the Your Rights, Right Now report. Pro-Life and pro-marriage groups were not invited by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties to be part of this “steering group.”
The Your Rights, Right Now report is anti-life, anti-marriage and anti-religious freedom. I can’t understand how any group could have supported it!
Funded
Then in the July-August Alive edition, it emerged that Atlantic Philanthropies, the Bermuda-based fund set up by Irish-American Chuck Feeney funded the Your Rights, Right Now report! As revealed on his website, last year it gave a €150,000 ($190,245) grant for the drawing up of the report.
Atlantic’s website reveals that Chuck Feeney granted a staggering €6.3 million to the Irish Council for Civil Liberties between 2001 and 2010.
The future of Ireland
Is it another case of: “...My Ireland once bloomed like a beautiful rose in My Hands but she decided to turn her back on Me, now she withers in the hands of lucifer to whom she has sold herself for a few coins...” Feast of Love, Saturday 15 January 2011?
We need to pray for this and sacrifice, we must make our objection heard. If we lie down and do nothing, the future of Ireland is heading to become a pagan, anti-God, anti-Catholic society who will end up murdering its young! We have to stop this! | | | |  The Witness of Saint Juan Diego
Father Richard Veras
What is a Saint?
What is a Saint? A Saint is a man or woman who responds to the initiative that God takes in his or her life. A Saint is not a hero who makes ingenious plans but is one who humbly lets go of plans and preconceptions for the truer and more fruitful Will of God.
Intensely faithful
Look at David in the Old Testament who was told that it was not he who would build a house for God, but God who would build a house for him and his people. Look at Saint Francis of Assisi, and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta and so many founders of religious communities and movements who never expected to have followers and never expected to be instruments of the renewal of the Church. Look at Saint Joan of Arc who was intensely faithful to Gods “strategy” and preferred it to any human wisdom. And today let us look at Saint Juan Diego, whose life bears witness to the fact that it is God who builds and increases the Church, and it is we who are privileged to be His instruments and servants.
Juan Diego
Saint Juan Diego seems to have been an ordinary, middle-class member of the Aztec empire. He and his wife and uncle had converted to Christianity. This new-found faith in a God who was so much more Loving and Merciful than any of the gods the Aztecs had imagined, held great promise for a peaceful and happy life for Juan and his family. When Juan Diego’s wife died, his Christian faith must have been a great consolation to him, as well as the fact that he could continue to share this faith with his uncle, Juan Bernardino, and continue to learn more about the faith from the Franciscans who taught him Catechism.
Cooperation
However, the Mystery of God desired more for Juan Diego and more for the Aztecs. And, through Juan Diego’s cooperation, God broke into the life of this man and his country in a way no one could have planned.
Turn to Jesus
Bishop Zumarraga prayed from his missionary heart for a miracle. He knew that no plan or strategy originating from himself could bring large numbers of Aztecs to abandon their destructive religious rituals and turn to Jesus. They were too frightened of their gods and they were too suspicious of anything coming from the Spaniards.
Our Lady of Guadalupe
 The answer to Zumarraga’s prayer was the Appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego. Mary is the supreme witness to the fact that it is God who builds the Church. She did not ask to be the Mother of God; it was God who proposed this to Her through the Angel Gabriel. All the good that has ever happened in the Church began with the initiative of God and the yes of Mary.
Cool reception
At Mary’s request, Juan Diego told Zumarraga of his vision and of Gods Will that a chapel be built on Tepeyac Hill. But Juan was saddened by the seemingly cool reception he received and returned to Mary to advise Her to choose a more noble Messenger. Mary told Juan that this was not possible. Juan Diego was not asked to give advice regarding a more suitable Messenger but to accept the choice that God had already made.
A sign for all
In a later Apparition, when Mary sent Juan up Tepeyac Hill for out-of-season roses to give as a sign to the bishop, Juan must have thought he had Gods Plan all figured out. These roses would be the sign the bishop needed. When he excitedly opened his tilma before the bishop, how surprised he must have been when Zumarraga was not looking at the roses, but at the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe on his tilma. For the sign God wanted to give was not just for Zumarraga, but for all of the Aztecs. The beauty and the Message of this image would convert millions of Aztecs, and unite the natives and the Spaniards in a way that no human could have engineered. And since the fragile tilma has survived for over four hundred years, God apparently gave the sign to all of the Americans and to all the world.
Saints before him
Like so many Saints before him, Juan Diego would spend the rest of his life at the service of the initiative that God had taken. A room was added to the chapel on Tepeyac Hill so that Juan Diego could live there and recount his story over and over to pilgrims and new converts.
Bore witness
And from that little room, next to that little chapel, on that little hill, Juan Diego bore witness to the great things that God had done through him, and pointed to the image of Our Lady which graced the tilma through the inexplicable Grace of God. And he lived the last seventeen years of his life marvelling at the fruits of Gods initiative as he saw Christian faith and unity flourish among his own people and the Spaniards, like the unexpected flourishing of roses in December.
Father Richard Veras is the pastor of the Church of Saint Rita in Staten Island, New York, and a regular contributor to ‘Magnificat.’ He is the author of “Jesus of Israel: Finding Christ in the Old Testament,” and “Wisdom for Everyday for the Book of Revelation.”
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46 James St.,Cookstown, Co. Tyrone, BT80 8LT, Northern Ireland.
Tel:(+44) 02886766377 Fax:(+44) 02886762247 E-mail: info@thetwopatricks.org
| | | | Events Celebrated Feast of Corpus Christi
The prayers of the Day were focused on the True Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and this theme ran throughout the Day.
SonLight had the great privilege of leading the singing for the Corpus Christi procession for the local church in the parish and for Benediction afterwards. A group of servants also had the honour of helping with the carrying of the canopy that shaded the Monstrance on the journey to the chapel.
Feast of Saints
Peter and Paul
The prayers throughout the Day were offered in thanksgiving for the teachings and leadership of Pope John Paul II. A servant spoke during the day of the vast volume and diverse subject matter which he wrote on, leaving us with such a wealth of teachings on how to follow Jesus in all walks of life.
Weekend Retreat for the Feasts of the Sacred and Immaculate Heart
The Weekend began with the Feast of the Sacred Heart. One of the servants shared on how she came to the House and what made her say yes to the Commitment and the Habit.
A Message was read out during the 3pm prayers that Jesus had just given at 2.55pm, in which He spoke about His Mercy (see page four for Message).
In the evening, we held a vigil. This year the Feast of the Sacred Heart happened to also fall on the First Friday which made the vigil that bit more special. Leading up to midnight, we had the Stations of the Cross and some prayers and litanies to the Sacred Heart as well as music from SonLight. After midnight, the emphasis switched to the Immaculate Heart and we prayed litanies to Our Lady as well as the Rosary.
Throughout Saturday’s prayers, we did the Baptism of the Unborn, prayed and sang hymns to Our Lady.
The retreat ended on Sunday with the Day’s prayers dedicated to the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
The Day began with a talk from one of the servants from the Mother of Love House in Illinois, USA. He had been away for a few days at another House of Prayer and wanted to share with us the life story of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha whose Feast Day was a few days earlier. She is the patron of the Mother of Love House.
During the 3 o’clock prayers a servant spoke on the power of the Brown Scapular and the Carmelite Order. Again, throughout the Day, SonLight provided us with song and praise. | | | | | | | | | | | | Shout it from the Rooftops! Comfort zones
Jesus has often spoken in Messages about shouting His Truth from the rooftops. Unfortunately, most of us are doing nothing to answer His calls. We hear about the bad things going on in the world and say its awful but just continue in our comfort zones as we have done for many years.
Oppressed and persecuted
The people I can hear loudly shouting from the rooftops now are not us Christians but the secularists, liberalists, atheists and homosexual activists and those who want to destroy all forms of Christianity and Holy Mother Church. How did we get to this point in time where Christianity has become so oppressed and persecuted? I am not speaking of the obvious persecution we have seen recently in Egypt and Baghdad, no I’m speaking of the subtle persecution that has come in with the oppressive equality laws we see now.
Examples
Recently we have seen many examples of this including:
• The B&B owners who were taken to court and fined because they would not accept a homosexual couple sharing a room in their home because it was against their Christian morals and beliefs.
• Mr and Mrs Johns, who had been fostering children for twenty years, have lost their case in the High court to continue fostering because they believed it was inappropriate to teach children that homosexuality was normal behaviour.
• The attempt to ban Crucifixes in schools in Italy.
• A doctor who had written papers on the psychological and physical problems with homosexuality has been taken off a government health select committee because of his comments, even though they were scientific facts.
• The government are trying to push for compulsory sex education, even in faith schools, for children from five years old. The content of which is explicit and prepares children for sex.
• A parent in another European country was imprisoned for keeping his child out of compulsory sex education classes.
• A woman in London was suspended from her job for talking to her colleagues about the damaging psychological and physical effects of abortion that women are not told about.
• Another Christian counsellor was suspended when she gave advice to a homosexual who claimed he wanted to be cured of his homosexuality.
• In France, a teacher was suspended for having a debate on abortion with his students.
• In Willesden, North London, the Annual Good Friday March, in which Christian churches join together, has been banned due to health and safety! Father Hugh MacKenzie, of Saint Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, said: ‘The rights of Christians are just not respected in Britain.’
Not be able to worship Me
These events remind me of a previous Message given by Jesus on Tuesday 2 October 2007:
“My people, prepare yourselves for the times to come when nothing will be as it seems. Already they deceive you in many ways and you do not realise it.
Truly, I tell you, the days are coming when you will not be able to worship Me in truth openly. ‘They’ are about to change many things that will effect them that believe in Me but, I tell you, do not believe them but, rather, believe in what you already know. Remember, I am the same yesterday, today and forever as My Word is (Scripture.) So, understand, the deceiver may change My Laws but he cannot break My True Church, those who have held firm to My true Teaching, those that cannot be changed. I Love you, My children, I Love you.”
A communistic society
I remember in many of the past Messages that Jesus has given, He spoke about how we have become a communistic society. I didn’t really understand this but I also remember Our Lady spoke at Fatima saying that Russia would spread her errors - meaning communism - throughout the world.
Two schools of thought
Timothy Matthews of Catholic Family News wrote an article entitled “The Quiet Revolution Rolls Forward.” In it he discusses how two schools of thought have brought about the destruction of society through cultural - not political - revolution.
“Until now,” wrote Joseph Comte de Maistre (1753- 1821), who, for fifteen years, was a freemason, “nations were killed by conquest, that is by invasion: but here an important question arises; can a nation not die on its own soil, without resettlement or invasion, by allowing the flies of decomposition to corrupt to the very core those original and constituent principles which make it what it is?”
Marxist cultural revolution
In the days following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, it was believed that the workers’ revolution would sweep into Europe and, eventually, into the United States. But it did not do so. Towards the end of 1922 the Communist International (Comintern) began to consider what were the reasons. On Lenin’s initiative, a meeting was organized at the Marx-Engels Institute in Moscow. Its aim was to clarify the concept of, and give concrete effect to, a Marxist cultural revolution. This became known as the Frankfurt School.
The Frankfurt School
Basically, the Frankfurt School believed that as long as an individual had the belief — or even the hope of belief — that his divine gift of reason could solve the problems facing society, then that society would never reach the state of hopelessness and alienation that they considered necessary to provoke socialist revolution.
Spread like a virus
Their task, therefore, was as swiftly as possible to undermine the Judeo-Christian legacy. To do this they called for the most negative, destructive criticism, possible of every sphere of life, which would be designed to de-stabilize society and bring down what they saw as the “oppressive” order. Their policies, they hoped, would spread like a virus — “continuing the work of the Western Marxists by other means” as one of their members noted.
Emptying of churches
To further the advance of their “quiet” cultural revolution — but giving us no ideas about their plans for the future — the school recommended (among other things):
1) The creation of racism offenses.
2) Continual change to create confusion.
3) The teaching of sex and homosexuality to children.
4) The undermining of schools and teachers’ authority.
5) Huge immigration to destroy identity.
6) The promotion of excessive drinking.
7) Emptying of churches.
8) An unreliable legal system with bias against victims of crime.
9) Dependency on the state or state benefits.
10) Control and dumbing down of media.
11) Encouraging the breakdown of the family.
Pansexualism
One of the main ideas of the Frankfurt School was to exploit Freud’s idea of “pansexualism” — the search for pleasure, the exploitation of the differences between the sexes, the overthrowing of traditional relationships between men and women. To further their aims they would:
• Attack the authority of the father, deny the specific roles of father and mother, and wrest away from families their rights as primary educators of their children.
• Abolish differences in the education of boys and girls.
• Abolish all forms of male dominance — hence the presence of women in the armed forces.
• Declare women to be an “oppressed class” and men as “oppressors.”
Munzenberg summed up the Frankfurt School’s long-term operation thus: “We will make the West so corrupt that it stinks.”
They have succeeded
The school believed there were two types of revolution: a) political and b) cultural. Cultural revolution demolishes from within. “Modern forms of subjection are marked by mildness.” They saw it as a long term project and kept their sights clearly focused on the family, education, media, sex, and popular culture.
The revolutionaries knew exactly what they wanted to do and how to do it. They have succeeded.
(Tim Matthews is the editor of Catholic Family News, the news service of the National Association of Catholic Families, UK. See their web site at: www.cfnews.org.uk)
Hang on to His Truth
So, it seems all is almost in place. We have been corrupted through the media, education, political correctness and laws have been put in place in the name of equality that suppress Christians so that if we don’t agree with something that goes against Gods Laws we can be arrested, fined or imprisoned because of our beliefs. But let Jesus, our Saviour, have the last Word, as we try to hang on to His Truth.
Friday 6 April 2007 Good Friday
My children, I Love you.
On this Day of My Passion, I give this Love of Mine to you. Do not look at or worry about the times when all will seem lost to Me for you shall know and see My Love.
Understand, children, what I say. Only look to what you can see to be true for I am the Truth. I am the Light that will bring you through the times to come. I am the Path that will guide you into the land of milk and honey. I Love you and I ask you to only look to Me. Only look to the Path that I guide you upon.
I Love you and I speak Words that will encourage you to walk with Me through the times of darkness that you are now living in.
I Love you and thank you for listening to My Words.
Patrick: Thank You, Jesus, I love You. | | | | 
Betty and Bill Gallivan, 1519 Callender, Peoria, 11 61606 USA.
Tel; (001) 309 676 5191 E-mail bbgallivan@gmail.com
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| | | The Way of the Sacred Heart Jesus speaks to us
I often pick up the little book, “The Handbook of The Way of the Sacred Heart,” and read from it randomly. I have read it from beginning to end, more than once, since it is one of my favourites. I see myself in so many things that Jesus speaks to us about and dying to self keeps jumping out at me.
Great tools
If the truth be known, we, who are trying to die to self, must allow His many, many Messages, His Words, to enter our hearts and minds, in all our thoughts, every single day and in every single action. Sounds impossible? Not really, but you do have to take it seriously and work on it. For example, so many of the Words of Jesus in this one little Handbook are great tools for thought which continue to help me keep focused on Him first and foremost. I dare say that, after seventy nine years, of wanting and doing “things” first, in what we call our normal day-to-day routine, and then working Jesus into the day, I am indeed changing. Don’t get me wrong. I keep Jesus in my heart every day through my prayers, daily Mass, helping others, etc., but I am no longer putting the cart before the horse as they say. It is a transition and on-going process in my life, which keeps Jesus in front of me, and all else follows.
A peek
I’ll give you a peek into some of the things Jesus is saying to us in this little Handbook. “...I give so many Graces to all My children and these are wasted; they do not want to know. Their lives are taken up with so much. They cannot see the reality of My calls.
...They are the times when you feel inspired that you would like to come to Me in prayer. This can be at any time of the day or night. These are the times that I need your love most. The times when I feel the sins of this world stab Me most. I Love all of My children but they fail to recognise Me and this leaves Me in great Pain and Sorrow.
I am always the last to be recognised. My children have so many things that they feel are so important - the things of this world - and when these are fulfilled then, if they have the time, they might take time to come to Me. But more often, the calls of the world become ever louder and I am left...” (This actually happens to me, and I, too, am guilty of sometimes leaving Him alone, especially during the night. How can I push Him aside for a little bit of sleep, I ask!)
The most important
So Jesus continues: “...To overcome, you must begin to die to yourself. Begin to treat Me as the most important Person in your lives. Then all time will become Mine. We, together, shall do all things. We shall be One.
To begin this you must take time each day to come to Me. This time should be ‘good time,’ not just when you can fit Me in. You must look upon it as if you have a very important meeting with a Very Important Person. Then, through time, you will begin to realise that I am a Very Important Person in your lives.
Our relationship shall become stronger and deeper. My Gifts will become apparent in your lives and you will recognise My calls. You will know that it is I and you will answer. I Love you, My son. Thank you for this time you have given to Me...”
Try it, you’ll like it
There is so much more in this little Handbook to really make a difference in how we can work on dying to self. And, mind you, there are countless other Messages in Books and Newsletters from the Sacred Heart House of Prayer, not only this one. I find it most effective to ‘listen’ to His Words in front of the Tabernacle or in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Try it, you’ll like it. Jesus has a Way of growing on you and you will find yourself eager to be with Him in all you do and say, all day, every day. |
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| | | | | My Time in Poland Friendliness and willingness
There were a few touching things for me in Poland this time.
Arek, the electrician, was doing work in the House of Prayer while no one was there. On the night we arrived, he came in and showed us the room he had prepared for our arrival. He had two beds made in the room and the heater was on. I was also touched by the friendliness and willingness of some of the neighbours to help out if and when we needed them.
A rare privilege
There were a few highlights also. One was the First Friday celebration in the chapel of Saint Joseph. The local people had plenty of time to have their Confessions heard, a rare privilege these days. The priests wore their berettas which was nice to see. Nothing was rushed and there was plenty of singing too. When all the Confessions were heard, the Divine Mercy Chaplet was said followed by the Celebration of the Mass.
Thank You
Jesus, I hope you were able to get something out of my time in Poland. Even something small. Thank You, Jesus. | | | |  Saint Nikolaus Haus Des Gebetes, Sophienplatz 1, 04680 Colditz, Germany
Tel:(0049) 343 8155 0996 E-mail: info@thetwopatricks.org | | | | I thank Jesus for the Grace I prayed for the Grace
Jesus has told us, throughout the Messages of Love, to see Him in each other. This, for me, was mission impossible. When I looked at others, I only saw the face in front of me, especially if they were having an unloving attitude towards me. I could see no Jesus within. I prayed for the Grace to be able to see Jesus within each child of God.
I saw Jesus within them
When we were manning Saint Nicholas House of Prayer in Germany recently, four workmen, Jim, Andy, Alex and Anton, travelled all the way from England to install a new kitchen, two toilets, new stairs and to do other various tasks which took two weeks in total. Not only did I see Jesus at Work but I saw Jesus within them, in their love, their smiles and happy banter and also in Bridie, a true sister in Jesus.
I thank Jesus
“...See Me in the naked, who line your streets; see Me in the neighbour, cast out because of your own selfishness; see Me in the baby who cries; see Me in the stranger who calls at your door and you deny him. Love them all for My Sake. It is I who is in them...”
Sunday 16 February 1992
I thank Jesus for the Grace to be able to see Him within His children that I encounter every day. Jesus is Alive within us, therefore His Love should well up within our hearts for each child of God we meet on the Journey. We must be the signpost for them, pointing the way to Jesus. All Jesus asks of us is to be a loving servant of God.
Many Graces are given
While manning a House of Prayer, many Graces are given to help us love and serve Jesus and His children whom He, Himself, sends to us so that He can Love them through us. Thank You, Jesus, for using us as Your vessels of love.
Many beautiful Gifts
Jesus granted us many beautiful Gifts including gifts, from the local parishioners, who are now very accepting of us. The most beautiful gift was the key of Saint Raphael, the local Church, so we could go and visit Jesus whenever we wished. During Holy Week, they invited us to a “Jewish Meal” based on the Old Testament.
Smile
Jesus said, even a smile is ministering to His children. The parishioners truly ministered their love to us with their laughter, smiles and hugs and in the kindness they showed to us.
“...and, yes, a simple smile is ministering to My children. If you do it with Me, then they shall recognise Me within your smile, but, if you do not come to Me then I cannot fill you with My Light...”
Friday 1 April 2011
Concert in Dole
On Friday 29 April, SonLight was partaking in a Church fundraising concert in Dole, Slovenia. Bridie and I had the great honour of visiting Virgin Most Pure House of Prayer and being present at the concert along with Patrick and his daughter, Emma. It was my first visit to Slovenia and it was most enjoyable.
On Thursday night, we went up to the Firehouse where the concert was to take place and SonLight were having a practice. We met many of the locals and, after the practice, SonLight sang for them and in return the locals joined in. One local man brought along his accordion and David accompanied him on the guitar. It was a tremendous night of unity, bonding, making friends with old and new. The Hand of Jesus was truly at work, language no barrier.
The audience loved it
The concert was a huge success with around two hundred people in attendance. We were expecting around fifty at the most. We had brought along Irish hats, with shamrocks, and ties for the boys. At the end of the performance, all the artists came out on stage wearing the hats; the audience loved it. It was a huge success.
Thank You, Jesus
On Sunday evening, Urban, a local lad, took us to visit the little Church that was being renovated and which the money raised was going towards. It was lovely to visit this little Church to see how much work has already been carried out but much more has to be done.
I thank Jesus for the honour of manning Saint Nikolaus House of Prayer in Germany, and visiting Virgin Most Pure House of Prayer, Slovenia, and for being present at the concert.
Thank You, Jesus, I love You. | | | |  Saint Therese La Maison de Priere. Rue de la Station 65, 7070 Le Roeuix, Hainaut.
Region Wallonne, Belgium. Tel/Fax:(0032) 6445 1007 E-mail: info@thetwopatricks.org | | | | He knows what He is doing! Everything worked out
When I was asked to man Saint Thérèse House of Prayer in February, to fill in for another servant who had to go somewhere else, I said OK. I wasn’t excited or anything, I just thought, ‘I have the Newsletter to finish!’ and of the other jobs I needed to do in the Print Room before I left for I only had a few days. But everything worked out great, thanks to Jesus!
Nervous
I met Joan, my companion, at Dublin airport and we set off. Our flight was at 7.45am. I got nervous on the plane because I don’t like flying very much and I wasn’t sure of the route to the House of Prayer from the airport. We just had a timetable for the buses and trains. We knew we had to get the bus first, then two trains, then another bus, before we would reach the House of Prayer.
So helpful
It is not a long journey, only a little over an hour. We met some very helpful people who could speak English and they were delighted to point us in the right direction. Everyone that we asked was so helpful. They told us where our stop was and where to get the next connection for the train or bus. When we arrived at Le Roeulx, we phoned Mary and Bernie who had been manning in January and they came down the town and met us.
We were amazed
When we first saw the House of Prayer, we were amazed at how beautiful it was and could understand why Jesus had chosen this House.
The prayers are the most important thing here, as Jesus had said:
“…Today, I do a new thing. I call upon My two sons and My servants to find My House in the city of the seat of power in Europe for there the prayer can thwart what they plan to do with the little ones as yet unborn. This I ask for quickly...”
Friday 11 June 2010, Feast of the Most Sacred Heart
Very relaxing
We went to the Prayer Room first and then caught up with Mary and Bernie and found out where everything was.
Mary and Bernie left early the next day, and Joan and I settled in. We found it very relaxing, just spending time with Jesus. We had found the church on our arrival to Le Roeulx but it took us a couple of days to find the supermarket!
Brilliant
The Peace in the Incarnation Prayer Room is brilliant, as is the rest of the House of Prayer.
I really want to thank Jesus for the privilege of going away for the month to this very special House. I was worried about the work in the print room I had to get done before I left, as I only knew six days beforehand that I was going, but Jesus worked it all out, He had it all in hand. He knows what He is doing! | | | | | | | | Demands on our time
We all have many demands on our time. Family, religious commitments, work, our homes etc. We will always have some demand on our time and attention but I wonder how much of my time I spend worrying about ‘me’ and ‘my needs’ and how much I spend thinking about Jesus and the needs of others.
Thank God that’s not me
There have been many awful tragedies in the last few years; natural disasters in New Orleans, Haiti, Australia and Thailand to name but a few. Many people in our own country have also gone through personal tragedy which leaves us all thinking, thank God that’s not me!
Images
Since the 1980s, images from Africa and other developing countries have been broadcast showing the poor starving children. I remember as a child seeing these images and it broke my heart. I couldn’t help but wonder why there was nothing people could do or had done to help these poor suffering people. When I see these images now, I have to admit that they do not affect me in the same way.
‘Compassion fatigue’
Whilst at university and writing my dissertation, I studied third world aid and was still baffled by the question: is there nothing anyone can do to help these people? Apparently, we do not donate to these causes like we used to. The reason for this, apparently, is ‘compassion fatigue’ - we are tired of giving to others.
I wonder if it is not so much compassion fatigue but, rather, indifference to the plight of others.
Wrapped up
I know that I am not affected by the pain and suffering of others as I should be. I do not feel enough compassion and motivation to help. I hate to admit it but the reason is probably because I am too wrapped up in my own problems to think of others.
I tell myself that I do not want to read an article or look at pictures because I would probably find it too upsetting but I wonder if it is because I just don’t care enough.
Taught by the Messages
 Jesus Teaches us in the Messages of Love of the Pain that He is in for His children. He speaks of how much He Suffers when we reject His pleas to love one another and reach out to those in great need of Him. We are taught by the Messages not to be selfish with His Love but to bring it to the places where there is suffering and pain, to give those people hope and comfort.
Provides opportunities
He pleads with us to change, to help others, to love. He fills us with love and provides opportunities. He places us within situations where He could use us to further Him in this world. Yet the world still cries out there is no God! He does nothing for me!
Jesus is the biggest Victim of indifference in this world and the plight truly is His. His children are hungry, homeless, abused and thirsty and who actually cares for Him in it all?
Fight for Him
It is a Grace to know and love Jesus. We are so Blessed to have Him in our lives. To know that we always have hope and Someone who Loves us unconditionally is a great Gift. We have the armour and the ammunition that He gave to us to go into this world and fight for Him against all that is wrong and unjust.
The One who Loves
Our circumstances or abilities don’t matter. We can fight for Him wherever we are, at work, in the supermarket, at home. By fighting against evil and showing love, we are not ignoring Jesus or being indifferent to Him, we are easing His Pain.
I pray this year that the plight of others will be shown compassion and love, understanding and prayers especially to the One who Loves the most, Jesus. | | | | | | | | 1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain, and when He was set down, His Disciples came unto Him.
2 And opening His Mouth, He taught them, saying:
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
4 Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, this could be any one of us in our own way. We are called to be holy, sanctified and set apart, to be modest, gentle and humble of heart, following in the Footsteps of our Saviour, Jesus. This all can be found only in answering the calling (His call) within our hearts.
5 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
How many of the faithful mourn over family that are gone before us yet, to us who believe, they have only gone home. Let us pray for them so that we can help each other, praying in faith and hope in that reassurance and at ease, free from worry and in the Peace that Jesus gives.
6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice: for they shall have their fill.
All the simple things in life are taken for granted; food, water, clothes, heating etc, all of us have all these things. To me, from what Jesus has taught is, yes we need all of the above but the hunger and thirst for justice are the things of the soul and that Love of God and our neighbour are more important.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain Mercy.
8 Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.
We are called to have mercy. Mercy is to have compassion and to forgive, not seven times but seventy times seven. To care, to be kind-hearted is part of what our hearts should be working towards at all times, love.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.
With all the hustle and bustle in this world, that takes away our peace of mind and heart, we need Jesus to bring us back into His Peace. We need to find Jesus’ Peace and stillness by simply being quiet and still. “Be still and know.”
10 Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
11 Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for My sake:
Jesus calls us blessed when we suffer persecution for His Sake for then we are truly following Him.
 12 Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in Heaven. For so they persecuted the Prophets that were before you.
Our lives belong to Jesus. In our Path to Him, all the little crosses should be carried in gladness of heart, knowing that the Kingdom of God is at hand.
13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.
In order to keep the taste of salt, we need to keep close to Jesus in His Work and prayer.
14 You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.
16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.
In order to let us shine our light and glorify our Father in Heaven, we must keep very close to Jesus. We must fight for the truth within our hearts then, with the Grace of God, no bushel will cover or overshadow the Light, and men will see Jesus Alive in us. | | | | | | | | Slavorum apostoli (continued)
II. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
4. Following the example offered by the Epistle Grande Munus, I wish to recall the life of Saint Methodius, without however thereby ignoring the life - so closely liked to it - of his brother Saint Cyril. This I will do in general terms, leaving to historical research the detailed discussion of individual points.
The city which saw the birth of the two holy Brothers is the modern Salonika, which in the ninth century was an important centre of commercial and political life in the Byzantine Empire, and occupied a notable position in the intellectual and social life of that part of the Balkans. Being situated on the frontier of the Slav territories, it also certainly had a Slav name: Solun.
Methodius was the elder brother and his baptismal name was probably Michael. He was born between 815 and 820. His younger brother Constantine, who came to be better known by his religious name Cyril, was born in 827 or 828. Their father was a senior official of the imperial administration. The family’s social position made possible for the two Brothers a similar career, which in fact Methodius did take up, reaching the rank of Archon or Prefect in one of the frontier Provinces where many Slavs lived. However, towards the year 840 he interrupted his career and retired to one of the monasteries at the foot of Mount Olympus in Bithynia, then known as the Holy Mountain.
His brother Cyril studied with great success in Byzantium, where he received Holy Orders, after having resolutely refused a brilliant political future. By reason of his exceptional intellectual and religious talents and knowledge, there were entrusted to him while he was still a young man delicate ecclesiastical appointments, such as that of Librarian of the Archive attached to the great church of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople, and, simultaneously, the prestigious position of Secretary to the Patriarch of that city. However, he very soon made it known that he wished to be relieved of these posts, in order to be able to devote himself to study and the contemplative life, far from the pursuit of ambition. Thus he retired secretly to a monastery on the Black Sea coast. He was discovered six months later, and was persuaded to accept the task of teaching philosophy in the school of higher learning in Constantinople, where by reason of the excellence of his knowledge he gained the epithet of The Philosopher by which he is still known. Later on he was sent by the emperor and the Patriarch on a mission to the Saracens. On the completion of this task he retired from public life in order to join his elder brother Methodius and share with him the monastic life. But once again, together with Methodius, he was included in a Byzantine delegation sent to the Khazars, acting as a religious and cultural expert. While staying in the Crimea at Kherson, they identified what they believed to be the church in which had been buried Saint Clement, Pope of Rome and martyr, who had been exiled to that distant region. They recovered his relics and took them with them. These relics later accompanied the two holy Brothers on their missionary journey to the West, until they were able to bring them solemnly to Rome and present them to Pope Hadrian II.
5. The event which was to determine the whole of the rest of their lives was the request made by Prince Rastislav of Greater Moravia to the Emperor Michael III, to send to his peoples “a Bishop and teacher ... able to explain to them the true Christian faith in their own language.”
Those chosen were Saints Cyril and Methodius, who readily accepted, set out and, probably by the year 863, reached Greater Moravia - a State then including various Slav peoples of Central Europe, at the crossroads of the mutual influences between East and West. They undertook among these peoples that mission to which both of them devoted the rest of their lives, spent amidst journeys, privations, sufferings, hostility and persecution, which for Methodius included even a period of cruel imprisonment. All of this they bore with strong faith and indomitable hope in God. They had in fact prepared well for the task entrusted to them: they took with them the texts of the Sacred Scriptures needed for celebrating the Sacred Liturgy, which they had prepared and translated into the Old Slavonic language and written in a new alphabet, devised by Constantine the Philosopher and perfectly adapted to the sounds of that language. The missionary activity of the two Brothers was accompanied by notable success, but also by the understandable difficulties which the preceding initial Christianization, carried out by the neighbouring Latin Churches, placed in the way of the new missionaries.
About three years later, while travelling to Rome, they stopped in Pannonia where the Slav Prince Kocel, who had fled from the important civil and religious center of Nitra, gave them a hospitable reception. From here, after some months, they set out again for Rome together with their followers, for whom they desired to obtain Holy Orders. Their route passed through Venice, where the innovating elements of the mission they were carrying out were subjected to a public discussion. In Rome Pope Hadrian II, who had in the meantime succeeded Nicholas I, received them very cordially. He approved the Slavonic liturgical books, which he ordered to be solemnly placed on the altar in the Church of Saint Mary ad Praesepe, today known as Saint Mary Major, and recommended that their followers be ordained priests. This phase of their efforts concluded in a most favorable manner. Methodius however had to carry out the next stages by himself, because his younger brother, now gravely ill, scarcely had time to take religious vows and put on the monastic habit before he died shortly afterwards, on 14 February 869 in Rome. Continued next month | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | Prepare My Houses of Prayer - Available Free of Charge
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