Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great (for the relief of the Holy Souls in Purgatory)

Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St Gertrude the Great to release many souls from Purgatory each time it is said.

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.

Special Note
The above prayer was given approval in 1936 by the Bishop of Liera, Portugal. This prayer is widely publicised with the claim that 1000 souls are released from Purgatory each time that it is said, however the words “1000 souls” were replaced from the original word “many” and the words “those in my own home and within my family” were added after 1936.

Testimony of the powerful intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors

Below is the latest testimony, which has been send for publication, on my Holy Souls in Purgatory webpage, which is located at: http://missionbell.homestead.com/Afavourgrantedbytheholysouls.html

How we got our house papers
The Holy Souls are such powerful intercessors for us. My brother made a down payment for a flat in Thane, to the tune of 4 lakhs. Suddenly there was no contact from the building contractor. After calling many times in vain, my brother was convinced that this was a scam, and he became increasingly desperate.

My mother and I learnt about the power of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors, through a book, which was distributed by a man in our parish, on the anniversary of wife’s death as a remembrance of her. (I think that this is a great idea, instead of giving bookmarks with poetry, which people read once and then forget).

The book ‘Read me or Rue it’ by Fr. Paul O’Sullivan is very simple to understand, and gives detailed information about the intense sufferings of the souls in purgatory. My brother was sceptical but…no surprise…on the 9th day of the novena, his call finally got through. The contractor’s brother informed us, that his brother had met with a serious car accident, and that as a result of this accident, that his brother’s wife had died, and that his brother was in a coma, and had been in the ICU for quite a few days. (Thankfully, his three small children were unharmed).

We prayed for him, and at the same time we were worried about our house papers, since he was the only one who had dealt with us. As the days went by his health dramatically improved, and soon he was back home.

When he finally met us, he handed over the keys of the flat to my brother, who was greatly relieved. He had the key with him at the time of the accident, and it still has scratch marks and is slightly bent, which is a good reminder to us, of how miraculously he was saved.

In utmost gratitude, we have picked up about thirty to fifty copies from St. Pauls, and distribute these books or leave them in public places, so that others will come to know of the distress of the Holy Souls in Purgatory and pray for them.

There are so many homebound people, and also those who feel they have not done enough charity in their life. What not pray for the Holy Souls in Purgatory in your own home, maybe while doing the dishes, which is a monotonous job, or while waiting in a queue.

Our Lord revealed to St. Gertrude, that many souls leave purgatory, every time the prayer, that he taught her is said, so I have made it a point to say this prayer at least three times a day. Since we all cannot be great heroes, doing things like visiting prisons, or tending to the sick like Blessed Mother Teresa, I think that it is a small task, that we can offer each day, in order to relieve the sufferings of the Poor Souls, who need our prayers so desperately. Also pray to St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless cases in times of great difficulties and needs. Try it, it works. L. B. (India).

St. Rita facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/645578448832341/

St. Rita Testimony

Deep vein thrombosis
Three years ago I suffered from a severe case of deep vein thrombosis in my right leg. My calf was double its size and blue/purple due to a lack of circulation. The majority of the main deep veins were completely clotted from foot to knee, including the popliteal vein.

Usually the body can dissolve a small clot, but as my veins were clotted solid I was told by doctors the clotting could not dissolve. I had real fears I would lose my limb as my circulation was so bad.

We had been given Blessed Oil from Saint Rita’s church in Egypt, which was scented with roses. My mother decanted the small vial of oil into a litre of olive oil, and would massage my leg, and pray with tears in her eyes, that God would heal my leg. We also prayed to Our Lady, and asked her to intercede as well.

Nine weeks after discovering the clots, I asked the doctor for a repeat ultrasound and was told there would be no point as this would never heal. Nonetheless I insisted and this ultrasound revealed the clots had dissolved! Even more miraculous is the fact that my valves are functioning, so my circulation has been fully restored. My doctors were amazed!

During this time of prayer, after my mother had decanted the oil the following day we noticed the vial had refilled itself! We couldn’t believe it, and once again the oil had a strong smell of roses.

Sometime later I accidently pushed the vial on its side and it spilled out. I was distraught, but once again on the following day the oil refilled itself! St Rita really is the Saint of the Impossible. S. Y. (Australia)

The testimony above, is one of the many testimonies, in my free online book about answers to prayer, which can be read in full starting at the following link on the internet: http://missionbell.homestead.com/HelpFromHeavenBook.html

The Fourth International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism, commenced on October 1, 2013

The Fourth International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism, commenced on October 1 and will conclude on November 23, 2013. Please let people know about this. You can still join in this novena. Just start on the day that you found it. There is more information here:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/54-Day-Rosary-Novena-for-the-healing-of-autism.html

Please share information about this novena to those who you think would be interested, and share it on Facebook, Twitter, email, mailing lists, etc. Thank you.

Kookaburras

Kookaburra at our barbeque.

Some Kookaburras joined at yesterday’s barbeque.

If you want to see some Kookaburras in action and hear them laugh, here’s a link that you might be interested in:

The Rosary in history

The Rosary in History

The story of Pauline Jaricot.

(This article was published in the newsletter of  The Association of St. Philomena, with the kind permission of the Rosary Magazine, Ireland.)

An answer to prayer

From my free online book: Help from Heaven (Answers to Prayer)

 A severely impacted wisdom tooth
Vicky’s face swelled up overnight on the left side. It was very painful. She did not know what had caused this, and was very alarmed by the development. Vicky said the Divine Mercy Chaplet several times on the same day for help. She then paid a visit to the doctor. While she was waiting to see the doctor, Vicky and her husband decided to visit a pharmacy to obtain some pain relief tablets. The pharmacist was shocked by the size of the swelling on Vicky’s face and remarked that it must be very painful.

While she was in the pharmacy shop Vicky was stunned to see a picture of the Divine Mercy, up on the back wall. Never before had she seen any kind of religious picture in a pharmacy and certainly not one of the Divine Mercy. She took this as a sign that she would be helped, and pointed the picture out to her husband. The doctor said that she had an infection, and he prescribed a course of antibiotics and ordered x-rays. Later-on a 3D scan confirmed that her severely impacted wisdom tooth was infected, and that a cyst had formed around it. It had been known for about ten years that this tooth was a real problem.

Every dentist who had ever seen it on x-rays said that it was the worst impacted wisdom tooth that they had ever seen. In fact Vicky had become uneasy about this matter about six months before the infection set in, and had started praying to Saint Rita (the saint of the impossible) that the dire consequences predicted by dentists regarding this tooth would never happen. This in itself was a bit strange, because on the last visit that Vicky made to her mother, before her mother’s death, Vicky mentioned the concerns about the wisdom tooth to her mother for the very first time. Her mother brushed this off with; oh that is nothing. I have had that for 50 years and nothing ever happened.

Vicky was temporarily reassured by this and then felt the need to pray to St. Rita about the matter. No one wanted to operate to remove the tooth, because the operation ran the risk of having Vicky’s jaw broken, (because of the thin bone in the jaw), and of having her face permanently numbed, because the tooth was very close to a nerve. The infection forced the issue. There was no longer any choice. The failure to operate ran an even greater risk than operating. If left alone, the infection could have gone done to Vicky’s heart and killed her. What a terrible choice!

The operation was scheduled and Vicky continued to pray. One night on the way to the vigil Mass, she said a prayer to Saint Therese asking for the success of the operation. On the way home from Mass, she found a number of roses on the footpath (sidewalk), that made up a small bouquet. On the day of the operation Vicky was asked to sit in the TV room with other people, who were waiting to be operated on; while waiting there she asked Saint Therese for a sign that the operation would be successful. Finally the time came to be prepared for the operation, but to her dismay there was no sign. After all the preparations were done, Vicky’s was placed on a bed, and wheeled into a small cubical just outside the actual operating room. She looked at the wall just beside her bed, and the wall was completely covered with a picture of roses. The operation was a complete success with no complications at all. (Roses are a well-known sign from Saint Therese.)

Vicky had also prayed for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and had asked for their intercession for a successful operation. The operation was performed on All Souls Day and from this, it is clear that the Holy Souls in Purgatory had indeed interceded for Vicky.

Join a Living Rosary

I am currently building up a new Living Rosary Circle consisting of 20 people.

Members of the Living Rosary say one allocated decade of the Rosary each day

Full details here:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/missionbellorganisationbook.html

If you would like to join, please email me: Mary Ann at

catacomb@bigpond.com

Lourdes replicas and Lourdes Grottoes anywhere in the world

If you know of any Lourdes grottoes in any part of the world, please tell us about it here and give some details.  I will start; there is a beautiful one at Earlwood in Sydney, Australia  in the grounds of the parish church. I have a Lourdes shrine in my backyard. It is pictured  below.

Lourdes in Sydney!

Have you always dreamed of going to Lourdes, but alas you live in Sydney, Australia and can’t afford to go there?  Here is the next best thing. There is a beautiful Lourdes grotto in the grounds of the parish church at Earlwood in Sydney.

Christmas Crib

This is the Christmas Crib which my brother John has just made up according to instructions he found on UTube!

Would you like to join a Living Rosary?

If you would like to join a Living Rosary please go to the  following link:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/missionbellorganisationbook.html

for more information.

The Right Choice (a pro-life poem)

Below is my latest poem.

The Right Choice (a pro-life poem)

Sharon was expecting a baby
What would her family say?
The school counselor pressured her
To abort without delay

Fortunately friends stepped in
and did all that they could do
to help Sharon keep her baby
and to make it through

Today Sharon is so happy
that she made the choice for life
As she proudly watched the wedding
of her son and his sweet wife.

Other Matters

Learn special ways to help the Holy Souls in Purgatory and read inspiring stories of how the Holy Souls in Purgatory have helped their benefactors

The first International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism (September 25 – November 17, 2010)

A 54 day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism has been set up. It will run from September 25 – November 17, 2010

More details at this link:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/54-Day-Rosary-Novena-for-the-healing-of-autism.html

Please let others know about this novena and share the link with them.

The Memorare

Remember O most loving Virgin Mary that never was it known in any age that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession was left unaided, inspired by this confidence, therefore I fly to thee O Virgin of Virgins my Mother, to you do I come, before you I stand sinful and sorrowful, do not O Mother of the Word Incarnate despise my prayers but in thy mercy graciously hear and answer them.  Amen.

Help for bronchitus (Crochet!)

About 17 days ago I got a really bad throat infection.  The doctor prescribed antibiotics for me. I also took garlic, horseradish and Vitamin C tablets.  I had a really bad cough due to my irritated throat.  The cough just went on and on and on.  Nothing helped and I was feeling desperate. I confidently prayed the prayer on the Miraculous Medal which is: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee”

I also prayed for and to the Holy Souls in Purgatory asking them for a healing.

Yesterday I thought of doing some crocheting.  I thought that it might have a soothing effect on my mind, that might translate in a positive way to my highly irritated throat.  It worked.  I am much better today and the cough is almost gone.

(The throat infection was very real, but it seems that when I felt the problems in the throat and started to cough, it set up a pattern of coughing and the crocheting was a calming influence on the mind that distracted it from noticing the trouble in my throat.  If it works for this, the  distraction therapy (crochet) might also help those who are experiencing pain, even if the pain is due to real physical problems.)

Some more thoughts on the subject
The more I coughed, the more my poor throat was irritated, and the more that it was irritated, the more that I noticed it, and the more that I noticed it, the more I coughed!  A vicious cycle was set up, that the calming influence of doing crocheting interrupted.

The Kookaburra in the old gum tree song legal case

I have no financial interest in this case.  Today I listened twice to the 70’s hit song, which the judge decided took part of the Kookaburra song, and which he then awarded part of the royalties to the owner of the Kookaburra song. For the life of me, I can’t see any part of the Kookaburra song in the other song.  I wonder how the judge can.

(Today the hit song was played twice on the radio on 2ch in Sydney.)

Invoke your Guardian Angel (poem)

Give your angel
some work to do
he will not mind at all.
Invoke him in all situations
whether big or small.

Send him in ahead of you
to prepare and smooth your way
and take care of all the details
that crop up in your day.

Talk to your angel
as you’d talk to a friend
and his wonderful assistance
to you he’ll extend.

Help the Holy Souls in Purgatory and read inspiring stories of their powerful intercession for their benefactors.

Read my book an answers to prayer free on-line by clicking here

Share these two links with your family and friends.

Internet Etiquette and more

Internet Etiquette and more
On email on twitter on facebook
on forum,
write your messages with
heaps of decorum

If you can’t put it on a postcard
then don’t put it on the net.
Don’t send off something
you’ll live to regret!

Reputations are ruined
and jobs have been lost.
Bad behaviour on the internet
comes at high cost.

Don’t criticise work mates
Don’t slander your neighbour.
Make Christianity the standard
for internet behaviour.

The cyber bullies and
the hackers who steal,
need to stop and think
how their victims will feel.

Some spread viruses that
computers do wreak
and congratulate themselves
on being hi-tech.

In reality
their just plain mean,
no matter how clever
to themselves they seem.

If you have failed
there’s no need for despair.
A simple apology
will start to repair.

When paying bills
on the net,
Security
do not neglect!

Cyber criminals
Will always trim,
any bank account
that they can skim!

Your WiFi connection
should be password protected
To stop it from being
intercepted.

This is an updated version of my poem.

St Philomena the Wonder Worker (poem) and some of her miracles

The king and queen no baby had;
They longed to be a mum and dad;
To pagan gods they prayed each day;
But still no baby came their way.

Then good advice was given them;
It proved to be a priceless gem;
Christians are what you should be;
Then a baby blessing;
You shall see!

When this was done;                                                                                     
The grace was granted;
And with little Philomena;
They were enchanted!

When little Philomena had reached twelve years;
Bad news filled up their eyes with tears;
On their country small and poor;
The emperor of Rome;
declared a war !

Let’s go to Rome;
The King told wife and daughter;
To plead with the emperor;
to prevent this slaughter.

At the mighty
Emperor’s court;
They pleaded with him;
the war to abort.

The emperor had a new idea;
He said there’s nothing more to fear.
Give me your daughter;
To be my wife;
And I promise her;
A wonderful life!

The offer took them
By surprise;
A refusal would mean;
Their country’s demise.

The king and queen were filled with gladness;
But Philomena was overcome by sadness.

To be a bride of Christ;
She’d already taken a vow;
No way would Philomena;
Let it be broken now.
The answer was a steadfast no;
The emperor now his force would show!

To the dungeon Philomena was deployed;
All manner of torture was employed;
It was all to no avail;
The emperor’s methods were doomed to fail.
Because God Himself defended her soul;
Philomena kept her eyes on her heavenly goal.

The maiden Philomena;
Was strengthened by faith and grace;
Until the day she could behold;
God face to face.

Finally the maiden Philomena was beheaded;
And the onlookers wept;
For many centuries in the catacombs;
She silently slept.

At last her relics were located;
And the excavators were elated;
When Philomena’s relics,
Were brought up to the ground;
Miracles started to abound !

Some folks thought that miracles;
Had stopped with the Bible;
With Philomena;
They had a revival.

The sneering cynics;
Who had announced God’s demise;
Were by Philomena’s miracles;
Dealt a surprise.

Saint Philomena’s fame;
Spread everywhere;
And people ran to her;
Pleading in prayer.

No one was forgotten;
No one was left out;
The cripples;
The dying;
The sad;
And the needy;
All of them found;
Her miracles speedy.

From heaven she surveys;
All of our needs;
And on our behalf;
With God she pleads.

Say a prayer to Saint Philomena;
And light her a candle;
Because there is no problem;
That she cannot handle.

There’s one thing more;
We should not ignore;
From her grave of silent obscurity;
She has come back to teach us;
About goodness and purity.

Electrocuted!

Joanna’s younger brother and sister both had the bad habit of putting their wet hands on the electric light switches. One night Joanna’s mother received a striking sign from Saint Philomena and straight after that, she heard Joanna scream. When Joanna turned on the light she got electrocuted. Joanna felt the 240 Volts travel right down her arm, despite this she was alright and no real harm was done. Joanna’s mother attributes this protection to Saint Philomena. A priest who heard about this incident quipped that “You could say that she is a girl with good connections!”

An unexpected visit from the doctor

The following event took place in Ireland over seventy years ago.  A lady was seriously ill and needed urgent medical attention, however the family did not send for a doctor, because they could not afford the necessary fee. They knew that the doctor would not come to the house unless they could pay the fee. Later in the day the doctor arrived (unexpectedly) at the house.  He said that a tall girl with long hair had come into his office that day and had paid the fee on their behalf.  The family had not mentioned the matter to anyone except to Saint Philomena in prayer.

The poem and the stories are from my book: Help from Heaven (Answers to Prayer) which can be read free on line at the following link:

http://missionbell.homestead.com/HelpFromHeavenBook.html