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The Second International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism
will commence on October 1 and will be completed on November 23, 2011.
Full details about the novena can be found here:
http://missionbell.homestead.com/54-Day-Rosary-Novena-for-the-healing-of-autism.html
(Please spread the word. Thank you.)
Surviving a heart attack
This following story comes from the USA. The priest mentioned in this story was born in Australia and grew up there. He was educated at a school run by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the order founded by Blessed Mary MacKillop) in Adelaide, South Australia.
Here is Father’s story. On Saturday the January 29th, 2005 I woke up feeling really out of sorts. I confess that I hadn’t felt this bad since the morning after my 21st birthday party in 1965! Puzzled, I showered, and then noticed that both shoulders were aching badly; I had been treated a few years earlier for Bursitis in one shoulder, but this was like a double dose! I fed my dogs and then made a cup of tea. (Things are always better after a cuppa!) and sat on the sofa, looking out the front door, but the aching got worse, and it became hard to breathe. For the life of me, I couldn’t think what was wrong. (At that time my only knowledge of coronary symptoms was numbness in the left arm and jaw.) I was wondering what to do, and what on earth was wrong. I suddenly saw a movement out the corner of my eye, in the small hallway to my right. I automatically turned to see what it was. In the hallway were standing Father David my assistant, and a Josephite nun, being an old Saint Joseph’s Russell Street boy, I immediately recognised “Mother Mary of the Cross” as we called her, the foundress of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart, in Adelaide in 1866. Father David, had died of Pancreatic Cancer in 2002! Yet, there they both stood; quite real, no lights, clouds, or music. And oddly, I felt too ill to be impressed or surprised at the time!
I blurted out to Father David (who was 64 at the time of death, but who now looked late twenties in cassock and surplice, but easily recognisable); “is this the big one?” – a private joke of ours from the TV show “Sanford & Son”. He just smiled and shook his head – he never actually spoke. I got the impression that he had somehow wrangled a “ride” on this expedition, and Blessed Mary had agreed, as I’d pay more attention if he was seen(?). Mary, however, spoke; she was dressed in her usual habit; plus traveling mantle; (I still find Religious, disguised in lay clothes these days to be somehow dishonest, as if they’re ashamed to be identified.) She seemed also to be in her late twenties, quite alive, and solid, like Father David. Her welcoming smile changed to an expression of concern, and she said with a slight Scottish accent; “Quickly now, go and take two aspirin, and start coughing! You are having a heart attack, you must get help!” They then looked at each other, with a smile of satisfaction (I guess at completing their task?) Then they seemed to step back – and weren’t there!
So I got up, took the aspirin, and began coughing; it actually eased the chest discomfort. Then, I drove myself to the medical Center. I had Angioplasty two days later (after the entire nursing staff all peeked in to see the “idiot priest who drove himself here with a heart attack”.) During the Angioplasty, Blessed Mary Mackillop and Father David appeared again, and helped me when a problem developed. The Cardiologist later informed me that the coughing most likely saved my life, as they were experimenting, and it appeared coughing kept the heart and lungs steady. Sure enough, ten months later, the AMA publicly announced on TV that aspirin combined with coughing was the way to go-until medical help arrived, yet, Blessed Mary of the Cross, came from heaven and gave me that information ten months earlier! So to (soon to be) Saint Mary of the Cross I owe my life! As soon as I recovered I erected a shrine to her in our Chapel, and we celebrate her feast each year on the first Sunday in August.
The story above is one of several stories that have recently been added to my book: Help from Heaven (Answers to Prayer), that will be added to the second print edition of the book. The online version of the book is at:
This is the link to the website of the shrine of Blessed Mary MacKillop at North Sydney, where her body is buried in the chapel:
http://www.marymackillop.org.au/prayer-space/add-a-prayer.cfm?loadref=33
You can send prayer petitions to her shrine via this link.
The following story was told to me by a friend. Irene was in financial trouble and had debts of about $1,000 to pay off. She had no way of doing this and was very worried. Irene made a novena to St Philomena for a solution. The bank sent her a statement on an old account which previously had a zero balance in it. She had not used this account in years. There was a balance of $1,000 in the account. Irene was confused and telephoned the bank for an explanation. They told here that someone had deposited the money into her account. Irene wanted to know who that was, but no one at the bank knew! She was able to use this money to pay off her debts and to this day many years later, Irene still does not know who deposited the money into her account.The healing of vertigo (The blessing of a priest)
A young boy of about four years of age was suffering from vertigo attacks. (This feels as though the room is spinning very quickly around the person. This can be terrifying experience even for an adult, so it is hard to imagine how a young child would cope with it). He used to cry out in terror: “The room is falling down”. His mother asked every priest that they met to bless her son. He was healed of the vertigo.
The Sacrament of the Sick
A priest was called to a nursing home to give the Sacrament of the Sick to a dying elderly lady. After he had done that, he had a cup of the tea with the nursing home’s matron. A few minutes later to their amazment the elderly lady walked into the room. She was healed.
Another priest gave a blessing to a very ill patient in a hospital and the patient, much to the surprise of the priest was healed immediately of the sickness.
A situation has just come about that makes me feel just how hard it is to pray for conversions among my relatives. Each thing that pops up seems to be worse than the last thing. The praying is everyday, the conversions seem to be non-existent. It might be hard to get some of these relatives to accept a Green Scapular. Do any of you know of any cases where someone kept a Green Scapular in their own house and said the prayer on the Green Scapular daily for a person who lives elsewhere and that person’s conversion took place?
Background information: Our Lady said that the Green Scapular should be given to the person or at least placed in their room. (That can be done without their knowledge). Some people sew a Green Scapular into the clothing of the person they want converted. They also have to say the prayer on the Green Scapular daily for the person (with confidence in Our Lady to grant this conversion).
This is just to clarify things:
My relatives are actually Catholics, but some do not go to Mass or only go when the mood suits them, others live in wrong situations. (Some relatives do live proper Catholic lives). There are many serious problems there. They need conversions because they are baptised Catholics who don’t live or think Catholic.
I recommend to everyone to read the first comment to this posting by Sandy about her conversion from being a Protestant to coming into the Catholic Church. It is a wonderful inspiring testimony.
Prayers to find a good spouse
A lady in the USA asked for a petition to be placed at the shrine of Blessed Mary MacKillop in Australia. One at the petitions was for her 28 year old daughter Lyn to find a good husband. A few days after the petition was placed at Blessed Mary Mackillop’s tomb, Lyn’s mother received a telephone call from a man that Lyn had dated eight years ago. Lyn and her former boyfriend went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, in France to pray there to discern God’s will for their lives. They have since married. Another of the mother’s petitions to Blessed Mary MacKillop was also answered. Her son decided to give up living with his girlfriend. They started to attend Mass regularly and also began making preparations to marry.
Blessed Mary MacKillop “fixes” a microwave oven
I had arranged to go on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Blessed Mary MacKillop at North Sydney. On the morning that I was due to go I discovered that my microwave oven had stopped working. When I went to the shrine I prayed for many important petitions. I also mentioned to Blessed Mary, the little matter of my microwave oven. When I arrived home I tried my microwave oven again. It was still not working. After this I slammed the oven door very hard and the microwave started working! It seems that the only thing that was wrong was that there was a fault in the closing mechanism of the door. The microwave oven was not fully closing. It only appeared to be fully closed.
These stories are in my book Help from heaven (Answers to prayer) which can be read free-online by pressing here.
O beautiful Flower of Carmel, most fruitful vine, Splendor of Heaven, holy and singular, who brought forth the Son of God, still ever remaining a Pure Virgin, assist me in this necessity. O Star of the Sea, help and protect me!
Show me that Thou art my Mother.
O Mary conceived without sin,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee!
Mother and Ornament of Carmel, Pray for us!
Virgin, Flower of Carmel, Pray for us!
Patroness of all who wear the Scapular, Pray for us!
Hope of all who die wearing the Scapular, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Friend of the Sacred Heart, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Chaste Spouse of Mary, Pray for us!
St. Joseph, Our Patron, Pray for us!
O sweet Heart of Mary, Be our Salvation!
Some years ago, there was a period when it rained almost continuously for ten weeks. This made it difficult for people to get their washing dry. On one occasion because everything was still drying, I literally had no jumpers, left to put on my children. It was time for them to walk to school and all that I could do was say a prayer for some help in the matter. I prayed the prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel which is called the Flos Carmeli, (The Flower of Carmel). After saying the prayer, I opened the front door. There on the verandah was a cardboard box filled with clean ironed jumpers, slacks, jeans and blouses. I later learned that they had been put there by a lady who lived in the next street, who had received them from a cousin and had no need of them. This gift was the answer to my prayer. Jumpers are known as sweaters in the USA. (Mary Ann), Australia.
The feast day of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel is July 16.
This story is in my book: Help from heaven (Answers to prayers). The book can be read free on-line at the link provided. I would appreciate any feedback that you would like to make on the book.
When my daughter was about three years old she was very autistic. We sent her to the local preschool. She was totally unable to cope and cried a great deal and would sometimes vomit because of the stress. The pre-schooling for my daughter was totally unworkable. (She was unable to communicate at this stage of her life, but has since told me that she was afraid that I would never come back to pick her up from the preschool).
The autistic association came up with the idea of sending her to one of their schools which was many miles away. I was amazed that this was suggested in view of the fact that my daughter could not even cope with one hour at preschool so I turned to St. Joseph for his help and for seven Sundays in a row I prayed fourteen Glorias in honour of the seven Sorrows and the Seven Joys of St. Joseph.
On the first day that she was taken in the school taxi to the special school when they arrived at the school she hopped out of the car and waved goodbye to the lady from the autistic association who was helping out and from then on my daughter had no more difficulties separating from me in order to go to school.
Read my book: Help from heaven (Answers to prayer), free on-line
I came across a wonderful story of the Miraculous Medal yesterday on the internet, about a boy who had been involved in a terrible accident and who made a fantastic recovery due to the Miraculous Medal:
Click here to read the account of the miracle.
Then get yourself a Miraculous Medal and wear it around your neck trusting in Mary’s intercession for you.
There is a miraculous picture of Our Lady of Good Counsel at the monastery of New Norcia in Western Australia. This painting was given to the Benedictines in 1845 by Saint Vincent Pallotti, when they were leaving Rome to start missions in Western Australia. In December, 1847 a terrible bushfire was ranging and threatened to destroy the monastery. The picture was placed against the standing corn in front of the fire. As soon as the sacred image of Mary was placed before the raging fire, the wind blew in the opposite direction, carrying the flames away from the Mission where everything was already burned black. The fire soon died away. The native people who witnessed this were amazed. On another occasion the mourners in a funeral procession were in danger of perishing because bushfires had hemmed them in on all sides. Dom Salvado seeing this in the distance, got the picture from the church and ran with it toward the fire area and prayed to Our Lady to save the people. The wind changed direction and the danger passed.
I am afraid of dogs. Sometimes I have the misfortune to meet one in the street and have a hard time coping. A friend gave me this piece of advice, which she received from her mother-in-law. When you come across a dog in the street call upon St Roch to get it away from you and he will do so. I was very pleased to hear this and wished that I had learnt it much earlier in my life, but better late than never. I informed my friend that the feast of St Roch was the following day and told her his story. The next time I came face to face with a dog in the street, I became paralyzed with fear and could not remember the name of the saint who was going to rescue me. Silently I prayed “Lord, I can’t remember the name of the saint who gets rid of dogs, but PLEASE HELP ME!” The dog went away.
Promises of Saint Therese of Lisieux
True son of St Francis that he was St Anthony had a great love for the poor and even now he still continues to help them by encouraging the devotion known as St Anthony’s bread. This is a very old devotion too and it had its origin in Padua as the result of another miracle.
A little child whose parents lived near the Basilica, which was then being built fell into a vessel of water and drowned. The poor mother was heart broken but great as was her grief she had a greater confidence in the power of St Anthony. She begged him to help and give her back her babe promising that if her prayers were heard she would give the child’s weight in grain to the poor. Towards midnight while the bereaved mother was still praying the child rose up as if from sleep. After this miracle the practice developed of promising alms to the poor in return for favours received through the intercession of the saint. Today this practice is widespread and in most of our churches boxes are provided to receive alms for the poor from those who have been assisted by this great friend of the poor.
Great impetus was given to this devotion by a simple incident that occurred towards the end of the last century. A pious French girl Louise Bouffier who owned a small linen store in Toulon, found difficulty, one morning, in opening the door of her shop. After repeated efforts she sent for a locksmith, whose assortment of keys proved useless. Deciding that the lock must be forced, the man departed to get tools for the purpose. While he was away, Louise prayed earnestly to St. Anthony, promising him bread for his poor if the door was opened without injury to the lock. When the locksmith returned she asked him to try his keys once more, telling him of her promise to the Saint. The man did as she asked, and with the first key he tried, opened the door without any difficulty.
This incident greatly strengthened Louise Bouffier’s confidence in St. Anthony. She increased her devotion to him, always promising bread to the poor. Her friends followed her example with the result that, in a short time the rear of her store became a centre for St. Anthony’s Bread in Toulon. People of all ranks and conditions came there to pray before the statue of St. Anthony which had been erected.
Alms of bread arrived in great quantities, until the task of distributing it became too difficult. Then it was decided to accept money offerings for the poor, who were thereby enabled to purchase not only food, but clothing and other necessities. The thank-offerings also took the form of alms for the education of poor boys for the Priesthood.
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 bought 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.
by Mary Ann Matulis
To the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the people still living on this earth are like millionaires. The people living on the earth have access to the spiritual treasures of the Church and to the merits of Our Lord’s Passion. If they are in a state of grace, they can freely avail themselves of those treasures.
To the Holy Souls in Purgatory, the people still living on this earth are like millionaires. The people living on the earth have access to the spiritual treasures of the Church and to the merits of Our Lord’s Passion. If they are in a state of grace, they can freely avail themselves of those treasures.
The living can (and should) chose to bestow these spiritual treasures upon The Poor Souls in Purgatory, just as a wealthy man can and should give some of his wealth to the poor. A millionaire can easily help the poor. We can easily help the Poor Souls in Purgatory. If this is not done, when it can be done, an account of this neglect will have to be given to God at our judgement.
Think about it: how much time and effort does it take to say prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory each day. The answer is: very little time and effort.
The powerful intercession of the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors
There is a way which you can help the Holy Souls in Purgatory after your own death. The following information will show you how to do this. The Heroic Act, consists in offering to God in favour of the Souls in Purgatory all the works of satisfaction we practice during life and all the suffrages that will be offered for us after death. If God rewards so abundantly the most trifling alms given to a poor man in His name what an immense reward will he not give to those who offer all their works of satisfaction in life and death for the Souls He loves so dearly. This Act does not prevent priests from offering Mass for the intentions they wish, or lay-people from praying for any persons or other intentions they desire. We counsel everyone to make this act. Will you be disadvantaged by doing this? The following story shows that this is highly unlikely.
St. Gertrude was fiercely tempted by the devil when she came to die. The evil spirit reserves dangerous and subtle temptations for our last moments. As he could find no other ruse sufficiently clever with which to assail the saint, he thought to disturb her beautiful peace of soul by suggesting that she would surely remain long years in the awful fires of Purgatory since, he reminded her, she had made over long ago all her suffrages to other souls. Our Blessed Lord, not content with sending His angels and the thousands of souls, she had released, to assist her, came Himself in person to drive Satan away and comfort His dear saint. He told her that in exchange for all she had done for the Holy Souls He would take her straight to heaven and would multiply a hundredfold all her merits.
More ways to help the Holy Souls in Purgatory and also information on their powerful intercession for their benefactors.
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