By Thomas Mulcahy




"These desires to satiate the longings of Our Lord for souls of the poor — for pure victims of his love — goes on increasing with every Mass and Holy Communion" (Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta).

Sometimes we get into a rut and we almost begin taking Holy Communion for granted. We must resist this temptation towards tepidity because Holy Communion is a great gift from Jesus - a priceless treasure. One Holy Communion, says Father Faber, is enough to make a saint. Faber says, "No one can tell how much grace lies in a single Sacrament. In a single communion lies all grace; for in it is the Author and Fountain of all grace...." (The Precious Blood, page 116).

Blessed Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910 (about 50 years after Father Faber's death). The Church across the street from her house was named The Sacred Heart of Jesus. Mother Teresa - then known as Gonxha (Agnes) Bojaxhiu - made her First Holy Communion when she was only five and one half years old! But as Father Brian Kolodiejchuk M.C. (the postulator for her Canonization) relates, Mother Teresa received "an exceptional grace" on "the day of her first Holy Communion" which "fueled her desire to take this daring step into the unknown" (to form the Missionaries of Charity). Father Kolodiejchuk is referring to a letter written by Mother Teresa in 1947 to Archhbishop Perier of Calcutta wherein she related:

"From the age of 5 1/2 years, -when first I received Him [Jesus] - the love for souls has been within-It grew with the years - until I came to India - with the hope of saving many souls" (Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, Doubleday, page 15)

Saint Therese of Lisieux - Mother Teresa's namesake - also received exceptional graces when she made her first Holy Communion at age eleven. The Saint - describing her first Holy Communion "as a flood of divine joy" - relates the following in her autobiography, The Story of a Soul:

"Oh how sweet the first kiss of Jesus was! It was a kiss of love. I knew that I was loved and I declared: 'I love you and I give myself to you forever!' ...on that day it was no longer a matter of gazing: it was a union. There were no longer two of us . Therese had disappeared like a drop of water in the depth of the ocean. Only Jesus remained...." (Image Books, page 52).

Returning to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Gina Loeher describes Mother Teresa's profound Eucharistic faith in the quote which follows:

"Mother Teresa believes that the union the sisters experience with Jesus in Holy Communion is inseparable from their lives. He himself renews and refreshes them every morning at Mass. 'Our life is linked to the Eucharist,' [Mother Teresa] would say. She also stated simply that without beginning each day with Jesus in Communion, 'we could do nothing.'" (The Four Teresas, page 91)

The next Communion you receive will be the first Holy Communion of the rest of your life. There is no greater privilege in your life than to receive Jesus in Holy Communion.
“If thou didst know the gift of God" (John 4:10).


Reference: The material for this note comes from the books referenced in the note. John 4:10,referring to the living waters of baptism (the prelude to the gift of the Eucharist). See Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, page 168.

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Tags: Mother Teresa, First Holy Communion, Eucharist, Tom Mulcahy, Thomas Mulcahy , Communion,

All over the country businesses are being sued , and in multiple cases sued successfully, for not taking part in homosexual celebrations.
According to the Times, businesses have been sued for the following:

New Mexico, a photographer declined to take pictures of a lesbian couple’s commitment ceremony. In Washington State, a florist would not provide flowers for a same-sex wedding. And in Colorado, a baker refused to make a cake for a party celebrating the wedding of two men.

Arizona has a chance to prevent this in its state by passing a bill that would allow business to exercise their religious believes and not participate in homosexual celebrations. However, many organizations are putting pressure on the Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto this bill. In fact some have suggested that a few businesses might boycott the SuperBowl which is to be held in Arizona in 2015.
HumanEvents.com wrote

The question Gov. Jan Brewer faces? Should Christians, Muslims, Mormons who refuse, on religious grounds, to serve same-sex couples — that photographer, that florist, that baker, for example — be treated as criminals?

I really hope that the governor of Arizona does the right thing and tells the entire world that the freedom of individuals cannot be bought out by football.

Please contact the Arizona Governor (http://azgovernor.gov/contact.asp) and tell her businesses should be able to exercise their religious rights and not participate in homosexual celebrations.

Tags: Arizona, governor Brewer, homesexual, bill, veto, businesses, forced

By Thomas Mulcahy

"Knowing how much is at stake, the devil wants at all costs to keep us from being faithful to mental prayer." (Father Jacques Philippe)

"Mary treasured all these things [about Jesus], pondering them in her heart." (Luke 2:19)

The great Catholic spiritual writers agree that regular meditation is a crucial component of the spiritual life and of growth in holiness. Meditation is important because it helps us focus with intensity and depth on what is of utmost importance to our lives - the reign of Jesus Christ in our hearts. The focal point for our meditations should, in fact, be the life of Jesus Christ - he who came into the world to enlighten all men (see John 1:9 ). Admittedly, some of the books and manuals on meditation propose long and complex methods of meditation that may be more advisable to professional religious than busy lay men and women. Here is a very simple way to meditate which I am formulating from good books I have read.

Begin your meditation by placing yourself mentally - recollected - in the presence of God and ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to guide you through the meditation and make it profitable for you. The heart of the meditation will then be:

1. Read over slowly and carefully and with deep attention the written material (text) you have chosen to meditate on (for example: the Parable of the Prodigal Son or a few paragraphs from The Imitation of Christ or any suitable book);

2. When the meditation strikes at your heart, and you are moved, make acts of love, praise and thanksgiving to God. These "acts" are the beginning of prayer. The ultimate purpose of the meditation is to produce these acts of affection - to ignite the flame of love in our hearts for God and His truths, etc.

3. Full of love for God, enter into conversation with Him in a deeply personal manner. Converse with God. Talk to Him. Share your heart with Him. Listen. Rest in Him. Saint Teresa of Avila is very adamant that this conversing with the Lord through meditation is the fuel which propels the spiritual life to much greater growth! If helpful to your conversation, you can use your imagination to enter into a Bible scene to talk to Jesus or Mary (for example, kneeling before the Lord during his Agony in the Garden and talking to him and consoling him, and letting him console you).

When the meditation is over, you can then thank the Lord for the graces and love you have received through the meditation, and perhaps make a line or verse from the meditation into your "go-to" prayer for the day!

That's it! The length of the meditation depends upon the amount of time you have and your preference. However, even a fifteen minute meditation can be quite profitable. With practice you will develop your own style and method of meditating which need only incorporate acts of worship towards God and personal conversation with Him.

References: I am relying completely on four excellent books by four priests. The key point from these books is
that meditation should lead to acts of love and worship to our God, and also to deep and intimate conversation
with Him (telling Him, as well, our needs and difficulties). Here are the books:

1. Conversation with Christ by Thomas Rohrbach
2. Time for God by Jacques Phillippe
3. Progress through Mental Prayer by Edward Leen
4. Difficulties in Mental Prayer by Eugene Boylan

Tags: Catholic meditation, catholic prayer, Meditation, Thomas Mulcahy , Tom Mulcahy

During Easter in 1461, Bertrand, the 12-year-old son of Mrs. Jehan Leclerc, was in attendance at Holy Mass at the church of St. Bartholomew, where in 1257 two drops of blood collected at Calvary had been brought and preserved. Bertrand indicated that he wished to receive Holy Communion but, since he was paralyzed and mute since the age of 7, the priest objected because the boy was unable to go to Confession. Bertrand pleaded with the priest and ultimately the priest was convinced to give him Communion. At the reception of Holy Communion, the boy was shaken by an unexplainable force and able to move and speak. He was cured. Bertrand's first words were "Our help is in the name of the Lord!" based on a manuscript collected after the miracle occurred.

www.therealpresence.org
eucharistjesuswithus.blogspot.com

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Tags: Eucharist, Miracle, la Rochelle, france, EUCHARISTIC MIRACLE

The Girl Scouts are upset with LifeNews.com (a pro-life organization) because it exposed the Girl Scouts link to Planned Parenthood (the biggest abortion provider). The Girl Scouts decided to send a demand letter that (1) claims there is no relationship between the Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood, (2) demands that LifeNews.com “immediately cease using the Girl Scouts Logo® on [its] website."

Examining the first claim that there is no relationship between Planned Parenthood and the Girl Scouts, an objective observer can see that there is a link between the two organizations. Even the former Girl Scouts’ CEO admitted to the Today Show that “[w]e have relationships with our church communities, with YWCAs, and with Planned Parenthood organizations across the country, to bring information-based sex education programs to girls[.]” (Emphases added). Read More...

Tags: blood cookies, girl scouts, Gril scout, girl scout cookies, Girl scouts cookies, lifenews.com, life news

By Thomas Mulcahy

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)

The question was brought up the other day, "What does it mean to perish?" Besides John 3:16 (quoted above) we also have 2 Peter 3:9 letting us know that it is not God's will that anyone should perish. The verse says,"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." But the question is: what does it actually mean to perish?
Blessed Pope John Paul II (in his Apostolic Letter, SALVIFICI DOLORIS) has specifically addressed, in very sobering words, what it means to perish. In answering this question the Pope first says, "Salvation means liberation from evil, and for this reason it is closely bound up with the problem of suffering. According to the words spoken to Nicodemus, God gives his Son to 'the world' to free man from evil, which bears within itself the definitive and absolute perspective on suffering." A few lines later the Pope specifically tells us what it means to perish. The Pope says:

"Man" perishes" when he loses "eternal life". The opposite of salvation is not, therefore, only temporal suffering, any kind of suffering, but the definitive suffering: the loss of eternal life, being rejected by God, damnation. The only-begotten Son was given to humanity primarily to protect man against this definitive evil and against definitive suffering. In his salvific mission, the Son must therefore strike evil right at its transcendental roots from which it develops in human history. These transcendental roots of evil are grounded in sin and death: for they are at the basis of the loss of eternal life. The mission of the only-begotten Son consists in conquering sin and death. He conquers sin by his obedience unto death, and he overcomes death by his Resurrection" (no. 14).

What, then, does it mean to perish? It means to enter into the definite and never-ending suffering of hell caused by sin. The only liberation from this sin-driven eternal death is Jesus Christ. The Pope explains:

"Christ goes towards his Passion and death with full awareness of the mission that he has to fulfill precisely in this way. Precisely by means of this suffering he must bring it about "that man should not perish, but have eternal life". Precisely by means of his Cross he must strike at the roots of evil, planted in the history of man and in human souls. Precisely by means of his Cross he must accomplish the work of salvation. This work, in the plan of eternal Love, has a redemptive character" (no.16).

Our escape from the ravages of sin is the Merciful Love of God manifested through His son, Jesus Christ, who died and gave his life for us (see Galatians 2:20), so that we need "not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Let us, therefore, draw closer to the Lord.

Tags: Perish, hell, everlasting, catholic, God's love, Thomas Mulcahy, Tom Mulcahy

By Thomas Mulcahy

"[T]he Kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21)

God in near - "nearer to us than we are to ourselves." Perhaps we might even say that God is too close for comfort. But when we pray the first line of the Our Father ("Our Father who art in Heaven"), we are reminding ourselves (in a truly poignant moment of adoration)  that God dwells within our souls. This is a point of great significance. It helps to bring alive the Our Father prayer.
    
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states in paragraph 2794 that "Our Father who art in heaven is rightly understood to mean that God is in the hearts of the just, as in his holy temple." Again, these are truly profound words; they help to awaken in our hearts a profound realization that through sanctifying grace God indwells our souls. Here is the full and very striking text of CCC 2749:

"Who Art in Heaven" This biblical expression does not mean a place ("space"), but a way of being: it does not mean that God is distant, but majestic. Our Father in not "elsewhere": he transcends everything we can conceive of his holiness. It is precisely because he is thrice-holy that he is so close to the humble and contrite heart.

"Our Father who art in Heaven" is rightly understood to mean that God is in the hearts of the just, as in his holy temple. At the same time, it means that those who pray should desire the one they invoke to dwell in them" (quoting Saint Augustine).

"Heaven could also be those who bear the image of the heavenly world , and in whom God dwells and tarries"
(quoting Saint Cyril of Jerusalem).

My dear friend, we begin the practice of contemplative prayer (active contemplation) precisely when we begin to "lovingly contemplate" the presence of God within us. It is the deep recollection of God's interior presence which helps greatly to mold saints! What a striking invitation the Our Father prayer gives us to spend some time in silence deeply recollecting the interior presence of God. Vocal prayer is tremendously important; and so too is meditative prayer, especially on the mysteries of our Lord's life, but contemplative prayer (which seeks interior union with God) is the pathway of great holiness.
    
The CCC has an entire section on contemplative prayer, beginning at
2709 through 2719. But as a practical matter, you can begin a simple form of contemplative prayer merely by recollecting the interior presence of God within your soul whenever you say, "Our Father Who Art in Heaven."

In fact, I remember Father Garrigou-LaGrange recommending that we sometimes pray the "Our Father" very slowly. The “method” employed here can be quite quick and simple: in a moment, in a flash, you gaze inwardly at God’s presence within you as you say, “Our Father who Art in Heaven.” This isn’t hard, but rest assured it is very beneficial!

I do hope that this note "ups" your appreciation of the first line of the Our Father, and thus your personal love of God. Saint Paul and Saint John were no doubt great contemplatives, and so too Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint John of the Cross, but the Virgin Mary was the greatest of all contemplatives (a point made by Father Garrigou-LaGrange). Mary's awareness of God's presence within her compels her to acknowledge: - 

                                  "My soul doth magnify the Lord" (Luke 1:46)

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Tags: Our Father, Meaning, Catholic, Thomas Mulcahy, Tom Mulcahy

By Joan Hartzell


In 1597, the confession of a penitent thief at the Jesuit church in Alcala, revealed that he, with other marauders, had sacked churches, stealing monstrances and other sacred objects in various towns, thereby committing many sacrileges. In tears, the penitent turned over consecrated Hosts. The priest, in conference with his superior, decided to place the Hosts in a silver casket to allow them to decompose naturally and eliminate the possibility of the Hosts having been poisoned, which had occurred in other towns.
Eleven years later, the 24 Hosts were found to be still intact. They were placed in an underground cellar along with some unconsecrated Hosts. Six years later, the unconsecrated Hosts had decomposed but the consecrated Hosts remained intact.
Academic and medical tests were held, at which time this was declared a true miracle.

Sources
www.sansecondodasti.org
therealpresence.org
fromoceantoocean.org

Tags: Eucharist, Miracle, alcala, Spain, EUCHARISTIC MIRACLE

Parents always seem to be encouraging their kids to be lawyers, doctors, dentists, or some other lucrative and worldly dignified career. While there is nothing wrong with being successful and educated, society tends to care more about worldly success than on eternal life.

The holy scriptures are very clear on this issue.

Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal. [20] But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.

Matthew 6:20

What should kids become when they grow up? The answer is simple whatever God wants them to be. It is very important then to encourage your child to pray and act upon God’s will. To put it simply we need to encourage our children to grow up and become saints! Nothing short of that will do.

Tags: Gabriella, Childern, Encouraging, Child, Saint, sister , Sister Gabriella, baby nun

By Joan Hartzell

In 1194, a woman from Augsburg who was particularly devoted to the Most Holy Sacrament and wanted to have a consecrated Host in her home, received Holy Communion and, without being noticed, placed the Host in a handkerchief, took it home, and placed it between two pieces of wax inside a cupboard. Five years passed and on the 11th of May 1199, the woman, tormented by remorse, confessed to the superior of the convent of the Heilig Kreuz, Father Berthold, who returned the Host to the Church of the Holy Cross. The wax covering that enclosed the Host was opened where it was discovered that the Holy Eucharist had appeared “divided into two parts connected together by the thin threads of the bleeding flesh.” Father Berthold went immediately to the bishop of the city of Udalskalk who ordered that the Miraculous Host be “transferred into the cathedral and exhibited in an ostensorium of crystal for public worship.”

The Host began to grow and to swell up and this phenomenon lasted before the eyes of all from Easter Sunday until the Feast of St. John the Baptist. It cracked the wax casing and separated from it. Following this, Bishop Udalskalk had the Host brought back near the convent of the Heilig Kreuz and proclaimed that “in memory of such a memorable and extraordinary event,” there should be a special commemoration each year in honor of the holy relic. The miraculous Host has been kept under glass in the Church of the Holy Cross in perfect condition for over 780 years.

Besides the Eucharistic miracle, other extraordinary incidences took place, such as the apparition of the Host with Baby Jesus dressed in white with radiant face and His forehead encircled with a crown of gold, or in another case the bleeding of the crucifix of the church, or the apparition of Jesus blessing the assembly of worshippers.

Over the centuries various analyses were done which have always maintained that it is flesh and human blood.

www.therealpresence
digilander.libero,it/rexur/miracoli/inglesi/index.htm
Eucharistic Miracles, Joan Carroll Cruz

Tags: Eucharist, Miracle, ausburg, germany, EUCHARISTIC MIRACLE

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Nigeria “imposes a 14-year prison term for anyone entering into a same-sex relationship, as well as a 10-year sentence for anyone found to support gay clubs or meetings.”

Read More...

Tags: Nigeria Law Makes Gay Relationships A Crime, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, Nigeria gay, Nigeria Homosexual

The Law Offices of Walter H. Bentley III, PLLC is holding a contest this Valentine’s Day that has nothing to do with love. The lawfirm is holding a contest to determine “the most compelling and convincing story” on who deserves a divorce.
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Tags: Valentine’s, Day, Divorce lawfirm, lawfirm gives away a divorce this valentine's day

The United Nations issues a recent report telling the Vatican to change its stance on abortion, contraception, and homosexuality. Here are a few of excerpts of the United Nations report:
Abortion

The Committee urges the Holy See to review its position on abortion which places obvious risks on the life and health of pregnant girls and to amend Canon 1398 relating to abortion with a view to identifying circumstances under which access to abortion services can be permitted.

Homosexuality

[T]he Committee is concerned about the Holy See’s past statements and declarations on homosexuality which contribute to the social stigmatization of and violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adolescents and children raised by same sex couples.

The Committee recommends that the Holy See bring all its laws and regulations, as well as its policies and practices, in conformity with article 2 of the Convention and promptly abolish the discriminatory classification of children bornout of wedlock as illegitimate children. The Committee also urges the Holy See to make full use of its moral authority to condemn all forms of harassment, discrimination or violence against children based on their sexual orientation or the sexual orientation of their parents and to support efforts at international level for the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Contraception

The Committee is seriously concerned about the negative consequences of the Holy See’s position and practices of denying adolescents’ access to contraception, as well as tosexual and reproductive health and information.

So basically, the United Nations is telling the Catholic Church to change its teachings on moral issues. The United Nations actually thinks its taking the high moral ground by promoting the killing of children, encouraging disordered gay relationships, and preventing the births of babies. The UN condemns the Bride of Christ (the Catholic Church) for proclaiming the truth! This is an example of what happens when Catholics do nothing. Next time someone brings up the subject of abortion, homosexual relationships, and contraception LET THEM KNOW THE TRUTH and tell them that these evils come from satan himself. In fact, do not wait for people to bring up the subject, you bring it up! Do not be ashamed of being a Christian, be bold. You and I will stand before God one day, I do not know about you, but I do not want to tell God I was too scared to loudly preach His truth.

Tags: United Nations, UN , attacks, Catholic Church, United Nations Tells Vatican to Change , contraception, abortion, homosexuality

Planned Parenthood’s negligence results in a death of a mother and the killing of a baby. Planned Parenthood is not new to the baby killing scene, but what many women fail to realize is Planned Parenthood’s negligence can and does result in deaths to mothers as well.

Lifesitenews.com and other media outlets are commenting on the recent death of Tonya Reaves. Sources confirm that she died as a result of botched abortion that happened at a Planned Parenthood in Illinois.
Read More...

Tags: Planned Parenthood negligence resulted in death of a mother, Tronya Reaves, Planned Parenthood , $2 Million dollars

On February 9, 2014 Time Magazine in an article entitled “Poll: Catholic Beliefs at Odds With Vatican Doctrine” reports “On issues like contraception, gay marriage, divorce and women’s admittance into the priesthood, the church is at odds with a majority of Catholics in many countries across the world, the poll shows.”

There is a lot of Catholics who either do not understand, choose to ignore or out right reject many Catholic doctrines. The group that out right reject Catholic doctrines are an odd group. Why be Catholic then if you do not believe in Catholic doctrine?

The New York Times admits that the Pope Francis “has yet to issue any fundamental changes in doctrine.” The Times seems to suggest by the words “has yet” that the Church might actually change doctrine. The Church however can never change fundamental doctrine! Catholic fundamental doctrine is unchanging. The Catholic Church has never and will never change any official teaching. I dare you to look at the Church’s 2000 plus history. You will not find ANY official Catholic Church doctrine that has ever been changed! Catholic official teaching is infallible. Any Catholic waiting for an official teaching to change can stop waiting because official Catholic Church teachings will never change!

I recommend that Time Magazine starts to do some research before it reports. The magazine sounds uneducated to a trained mind.

Tags: Time, Magazine, Poll: Catholic Beliefs at Odds With Vatican Doctrine, offical Catholic teaching

Google’s corporate slogan is "Don't be evil”. A promise this corporate giant did not keep. On February 7, 2014 Google puts the following image on its homepage:



While it appears harmless. It is an attack on Russia because Russia refuses to promote the gay agenda at the Olympics. Google strategically decides to quote the following from the Olympic charter:

"The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play."

The devil is in the details at Google. The devil is currently using the biggest search engine to spread the lies of so called “homosexual marriage”. The evil one is attacking the family in the name of equality? He is trying to equate the love that bears the fruit of procreation (traditional marriage) to the fruit that yields the fruit of extinction (so called “homosexual marriage&rdquo. I don’t know about you, but I am slowly going to transition to another search engine.

Tags: google, olympic, homesexual, agenda