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Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 15:45:21 GMT

Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska

Dr Roderick Campbell Guion OCDS

An article taken from the September 2022 Edition of the Faith Companion Magazine - Authorised to publish.

God must surely enter our lives in many more ways than we realise but what about all those special graces we notice from time to time – are they hints from God or just mere coincidence? Coincidence is a question that has interested me for years and a quick scan through Google will show that it is a subject that provides substance for the ongoing debate between theists and atheists

One day about seven years ago a woman I was speaking to suddenly

asked me what I understood by the Divine Mercy devotion, and I could see that the evasive answer I gave did not convince her. The next time that we met she presented me with a substantial 700-page volume containing the diaries of St Maria Faustina Kowalska and extracted a promise from me that I would read it. At the time we were shortly due to move back to Scotland so in the meantime the book ended up being put on a shelf. In our new house I am ashamed to admit that the book had remained unopened on another shelf in my study – that is until Kathy, our editor-in-chief, asked me to write this article on St Faustina. Coincidence or message? Well, that must be for others to judge.

Helena Kowalska was born in the village of Głogowiec in Poland on 25th August 1905. At the age of seven she was to receive her first call to the religious life: “I heard God’s voice in my soul; that is, an invitation to a more perfect life. But I was not always obedient…” Her parents in any case refused

to grant permission for a religious vocation and over time Helena was drawn into the normal distractions of teenage life, as indeed had been St Teresa of Ávila in the years before she answered her own vocation. One day, whilst

attending a dance in Łódź along with her sister, she relates that the

music suddenly stopped and the company seemed to disappear as she received a vision of the suffering and wounded Jesus standing by her side. The vision spoke these words to her: “How long shall I put up with you and how long will you keep putting me off?”

Making an excuse to her sister she fled from the party and made her way to the Cathedral, where, as she lay prostrated before the Blessed Sacrament, she heard a voice that told her she was to, “Go at once to Warsaw; you will enter a convent there.” Helena confided this to her sister and immediately set off for Warsaw with little other than the clothes she was wearing. Not knowing where to go she knocked at the door of several convents but after a series of rejections she was now beginning to doubt the mission she had been given. She was finally invited into a convent where the prioress, having heard her story, instructed her to go to the chapel and pray for discernment. The positive message that Helena reported she had received in prayer convinced the prioress of her vocation and so at the age of 19 she entered the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy, taking the name of Sister Maria Faustina. During her novitiate she experienced repeated periods of darkness interspersed with recurring visions. After making her vows she spent a number of years at different convents throughout Poland where she was engaged in mostly menial tasks, but this did allow her to commit time to prayer and reflection. This was of course during the 1930s, a period of mounting political tension in Europe.

In 1933 the Nazi party gained control of Germany, an event that led to the subsequent annexation of St Faustina’s homeland, igniting thus a conflict that would spread across three continents. With the benefit of hindsight

we might not be surprised that Our Lord should have been concerned

about the perilous state of humanity at this particular time and the message of Divine Mercy that St Faustina received was surely a response to the direction in which humanity was moving. The collapse of stock markets in

1929, and the subsequent severe economic recession, had created great uncertainty and in Europe the platitudes of fascism would appear fatally attractive for many.

It had gained control of Italy during the 1920s, spreading to Germany in 1933 and finally to Spain in 1936. In 1934 Sir Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists were able to claim some 40,000 members, showing that even those countries who finally stood against Hitler were themselves not free from what with hindsight might now be described as a malevolent energy.

It was at the outset of this troubled decade that St Faustina received a dramatic vision of Christ. On 22nd February 1931, she received the folowing message:

“Paint an image according

to the pattern you see, with

the signature: Jesus, I trust

in you. I desire that this

image be venerated, first

in your chapel, and [then]

throughout the world.”

In response St Faustina commissioned an artist to create a painting of the image she had seen, resulting in the now familiar image showing Jesus facing us, with His right hand raised in blessing and His left hand on His Heart, from which dramatic rays of light are streaming. Tragically St Faustina would die of tuberculosis at the age of 33, possibly even a mercy

by saving one so sensitive from the Nazi invasion that occurred the following year. During these intervening years she had kept the diary which would provide the foundation for what was to become the Divine Mercy devotion. So how did this message come to reach an international audience? After the Nazi invasion Fr Józef Jarzębowski was fearing for his life and thus made a dramatic bid to escape to America, crossing through Stalin’s Russia and wartime Japan with little more than what he could carry on his back. He made a promise that if he was permitted to reach the United States unharmed he would spend the rest of his life spreading St Faustina’s message of the Divine Mercy. Arriving there safely In 1941 he was as good as his word. Along with colleagues from the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception he was to establish ‘The Mercy of God Apostolate’ in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, which has since become the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy.

The theology of St Faustina’s diaries has not been without its critics, and in 1959 the devotion was condemned by the Holy Office, at that time under Cardinal Ottaviani, and there it might have stayed but for it being championed by Pope St John Paul II. In 1978, whilst he was still Cardinal Wojtyła, he finally got the ban lifted after having been continually working for this since 1968. This had included commissioning Fr Ignacy Różycki, one of Poland’s leading theologians, to conduct a detailed investigation of the text. Fr Ignacy would later admit that he had initially been sceptical of the devotion and had apparently already drafted a letter asking to decline the project when he chanced to read a few pages from the diary ‘to pass the time of day’. This decision was surely another of those happy coincidences. In this case it would lead him to devote the rest of his life to studying and

propagating St Faustina’s message. It came to light that the text that had been condemned in 1959 contained some serious translation errors and a revised authentic version led to the ban being lifted in 1978. So returning to my earlier question, we might again ask: coincidence or message? Well, having admitted earlier that St Faustina’s diary had remained unopened on my bookshelf, research for this article has made me start reading and I am already drawn to go deeper. I’ll call that a blessing!

REFERENCES

1. St Maria Faustina Kowalska.

1981. “Diary of Saint Maria Faustina

Kowalska: Divine Mercy in My Soul”,

1st ed. Stockbridge, Massachusetts:

Marian Press, para 7.

2. Diary, para 9.

3. Diary, para 10.

4. Diary, paras 47 & 48.

5. Diary, paras 47 & 48.

6. NRSV.

7. Diary, para 47.

Pilgrimages Website: Pilgrim Ways (UK)

Sun, 14 Apr 2024 13:31:20 GMT

The Project: UK Diocese Pilgrim Walks

Pilgrim Ways, founded by Dr. Phil McCarthy, is a specialised UK Pilgrimage platform designed to organise walking pilgrimages throughout the UK. The mission is to develop walking pilgrimages from the Cathedrals of the UK's 22 Dioceses to enhance the Church's recognition of sacred locations.

Visit the Website :

https://www.pilgrimways.org.uk/

What are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:32:20 GMT

An article published in the March/April 2023 Faith Companion Magazine - Permission to publish granted

Visit the Faith Companion Community Space

What are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

The first gift we receive is the gift of ‘sanctifying grace’, which is “a participation in the nature and life of God.”1 It is the gift by which we are inserted into the “intimacy of Trinitarian life.” 2 It is a gift that is infused by the Holy Spirit into the soul to heal it of sin and to sanctify it. It raises us to a new supernatural level of being which is capable of living an elevated supernatural life. It is the grace by which we are born again: “It perfects the soul itself to enable it to live with God and to act by His love.” 4 It remains in us while we are in a state of grace and is lost by mortal sin. It is a permanent grace which is given for us to keep. Jesus calls us all to holiness.5 Sanctifying grace is therefore given to us for our personal sanctification or holiness. With it comes all the additional helps we need to co-operate with the Holy Spirit in the work of our own sanctification. These helps are known as the ‘seven virtues’ or the ‘seven gifts of the Holy Spirit’.

The seven virtues are divided into two groups. The theological vir- tues are the virtues of faith, hope and charity. They are called theo- logical because they unite us to God: “[they enable us] to believe in God, to hope in Him, and to love Him.” 6

The second group are called the cardinal virtues, which “[allow us] to grow in goodness through the moral virtues” and lead vir- tuous lives.7 These are prudence, justice, temperance and fortitude.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are known as the ‘Isaiah 11 gifts’, to distinguish them from the ‘charismatic gifts’ that Paul spoke about in 1 Corinthians 12:7-10. These are the gifts that we were taught about in preparation for our Confirmation, and they are probably the gifts with which we are most familiar. Isaiah prophesied that when the promised Messiah came, the Spirit of the Lord would rest on Him and that He would demonstrate a number of attributes.

These are: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might (i.e. courage or fortitude), the spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord.8 The final gift is that of piety (reverence), which the Church Fathers always included. This prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus.

The ‘charismatic gifts’ of the Holy Spirit refer to a second group of gifts. It is to this group that I refer to primarily in this article. According to the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’,

“...grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth in the Body of Christ, the Church.”9

The term ‘ charismatic’ simply means ‘free gift’. These are free gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to us to be given away to others. They are not given as permanent abilities but are given afresh on each occasion they are needed.

They are given in order to help others to grow in holiness. They are given as actual graces. An actual grace refers simply to an intervention by God.10 The one most usually recognised is the group that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 12. However, there are others and it is important for us to know about them too.

The first group is given to us by Paul in Ephesians 4:1-12. In this list he refers to the differ- ent leadership roles needed in the Church. He outlines five – apostles, prophets, evange- lists, pastors and teachers – whose roles are given to equip the saints for ministry and for

building up the Body of Christ.

The second group of charismatic graces are given to us by Peter. He urges us to be good stew- ards of the manifold graces of God and to serve one another with whatever gift we have re- ceived. He singles out speech and service: “Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoev- er serves must do so with the strength that God supplies...”11

The third group are of seven charismatic graces that I like to define as ‘everyday graces’.

These are: “prophecy...ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teach- ing; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the lead- er, in diligence; the compassion- ate, in cheerfulness.”12 This group is less well known but it is import- ant that we know about them.

Prophesy I will reflect on later in the next article in the series. Min- istry is service. It is the manifesta- tion of the Holy Spirit’s generosity in the giving of Himself in service to others. It is the ability to no- tice need anywhere and looks for the means to help. It is the Spir- it-enabled willingness to meet the need of others. This may be a sim- ple, practical thing like offering to clean the church, or it could mean helping in more difficult situations, such as ministering to the needs of others as described in the spiri- tual and corporal works of mercy.

Exhortation is the Spirit-enabled ability to bring God’s word of en- couragement to someone experi- encing a time of discouragement, who may be feeling down or de- jected. With this gift my pres- ence and encouraging word are empowered by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to break those feelings free from the per- son experiencing them. It is the power to say the right thing, at the right time, and in the right place.

The gift of compassion is so im-portant for the spiritual life. Our God is a God of compassion.13 Compassion is an attribute of God. Compassion is the God-given abili- ty to ‘feel with’ the pain or distress of another. It is God’s compassion flowing through me to the one in need.

There are four stages in the ministry of compassion. First is the ability to notice the need. The second is to feel empathy (feel with the other as if the pain and distress were my own). The third is a compulsion to act in some way to relieve the pain or distress. This may mean simply to offer a prayer or to take action against an unjust system. The fourth is to act on the compulsion. The recognition of compulsion is the Spirit-enabled authority of God for us to act in His name in a particular situation.

(Series concludes in next edition) - please visit the community portal

REFERENCES

1. CCC 1994:1997;2009. 2. n.1997.
3. n.2023.
4. n.2000.

5. Matthew 5:48. 6. n.1266.
7. Ibid.
8. Isaiah 11:2-3. 9. n.2003.

10. n.2000.
11. 1 Peter 4:11 NRSV.
12. Romans 12:6-8 NRSV.
13. See James 5:11, Hebrews 13- 14 and Matthew 20:34.

What is the Divine Mercy Devotion?

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 19:04:59 GMT

An article published in The Faith Companion Magazine - Permission to publish granted. - View the Community Space

St Faustina is one of the most important saints of the 20th century due to private revelations she received from Jesus and recorded in her Divine Mercy diary,1 which has now been officially sanctioned by the Catholic Church. It is through St Faustina that God made known His message of abundant Divine Mercy to the entire Church – a rich devotion. Devotion to the Divine Mercy of God shows us He sees us through the eyes of Mercy – the reason for our salvation.

There are five ways in which the message of

Divine Mercy can be understood:

firstly, Jesus asked that the Divine Mercy image given to St Faustina be meditated upon; secondly, through the establishment of a Divine Mercy celebration, which is now the Solemnity of Divine Mercy Sunday; thirdly, through praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet, preferably daily; fourthly, honouring the day (Friday) and hour of Jesus’ death (3pm), remembered preferably by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet; and lastly, He asked for all to actively spread the message of Divine Mercy by sharing its message and showing Mercy to others.2 When requesting a special Feast Day to be attributed to His Divine Mercy, which is now held on the first Sunday after the Easter weekend, Jesus said,

“I desire that the Feast of Mercy

be a refuge and shelter for all

souls, and especially for poor

sinners. On that day the very

depths of My tender mercy

are open. I pour out a whole

ocean of graces upon those

souls who approach the fount

of My mercy. The soul that will

go to Confession and receive

Holy Communion shall obtain

complete forgiveness of sins and

punishment. On that day all the

divine floodgates through which

grace flow are opened. Let no

soul fear to draw near to Me, even

though its sins be as scarlet.”3

It is worthy to note that at one point St Faustina’s diary was forbidden

by the Church due to the message of Divine Mercy being given via a private revelation. The Church had to spend time discerning its legitimacy. The Church has created norms discerning the legitimacy of private revelations

and apparitions in the document, ‘Norms Regarding the Manner of

Proceeding in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations.’

4 Backed by Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis we have no need for caution with St Faustina’s private revelations. The types of experiences and private revelations we uncover in ‘The Faith Companion’

are not officially sanctioned and recognised by the Church;

we simply publish peoples’ experiences of God as lived in ordinary

life. However, like officially sanctioned private revelations, God doesn’t intend them to be ‘private’ for the individual but are given for the good of the whole

of God’s children and His Church, which is why we share them

“I demand the worship of My

mercy through the solemn

celebration of the Feast and

through the veneration of the

image which is painted. By

means of this image I shall grant

many graces to souls. It is to be

a reminder of the demands of

My mercy, because even the

strongest faith is of no avail

without works.”

“I am offering people a vessel with

which they are to keep coming for

graces to the fountain of mercy.

That vessel is this image with the

signature: ‘Jesus, I trust in You’.”

1. Make the Sign of the Cross

“In the name of the Father, and

of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.”

2. Optional Opening Prayers

St Faustina’s Prayer for Sinners: “O Jesus, eternal truth, our life, I call upon you and I beg your mercy for poor sinners. O sweetest Heart of my Lord, full

of pity and unfathomable mercy, I plead with you for poor sinners.

O most Sacred Heart, fount of mercy from which gush forth rays of inconceivable graces upon the entire human race, I beg of you

light for poor sinners.

O Jesus, be mindful of your own bitter Passion and do not permit

the loss of souls redeemed at so dear a price of your most precious Blood.

O Jesus, when I consider the great price of your Blood, I rejoice at

its immensity, for one drop alone would have been enough for the salvation of all sinners. Although sin is an abyss of wickedness and

ingratitude, the price paid for us can never be equalled.

Therefore, let every soul trust in the Passion of the Lord, and place

its hope in His mercy. God will not deny His mercy to anyone. Heaven

and earth may change, but God’s mercy will never be exhausted. Oh, what immense joy burns in my heart when I contemplate your incomprehensible goodness, O Jesus! I desire to bring all sinners to your feet that they may

glorify your mercy throughout endless ages”.

O Fount of Life:

“You expired, Jesus, but the

source of life gushed forth for

souls, and the ocean of mercy

opened up for the whole world. O

fount of life, unfathomable Divine

Mercy, envelop the whole world

and empty yourself out upon us.”

O Blood and Water: (X3)

“O blood and water, which gushed

forth from the Heart of Jesus as

a fount of mercy for us, I trust in

you!”

3. Our Father

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and

forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen.”

A central theme that grows from the Divine Mercy devotion is trust in Jesus, which is central to the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer, ‘Jesus, I Trust in You’.

“I desire trust from My creatures.

Encourage souls to place great

trust in My fathomless mercy. Let

the weak, sinful soul have no fear

to approach Me, for even if it had

more sins than there are grains

of sand in the world, all would be

drowned in the unmeasurable

depths of My mercy.”

Many may pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayer, but according to the revelations to St Faustina it is through the image that graces are given. So, viewing the image is as essential as praying the chaplet – graces flow through the image.

With venerating the image and honouring these devotions Jesus promises protection over our lives and against evil:

“I promise that the soul that

will venerate this image will not

perish. I also promise victory

over [its] enemies already here

on earth, especially at the hour

of death. I Myself will defend it as

My own glory.”

“Souls who spread the honour of

My mercy I shield through their

entire lives as a tender mother

her infant, and at the hour of

death I will not be a Judge for

them, but the Merciful Saviour. At

that last hour, a soul has nothing

with which to defend itself except

My mercy. Happy is the soul that

during its lifetime immersed itself

in the Fountain of Mercy, because

justice will have no hold on it.”

In today’s trying times it is comforting to know we have a loving, merciful God in heaven who, by seeing us through the eyes of His Divine Mercy, will always be there for us with open arms. No matter how sinful, how wayward we His children are, His Mercy will always be superabundant and His graces never-ending. So, having this revealed to us, it is up to us to honour Divine Mercy Sunday, with Confession beforehand, if necessary, but the important thing to note is we also need to venerate the Divine Mercy image through which flow graces unfathomed.

How to Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet

The Chaplet of Mercy is recited using ordinary Rosary beads of five decades. The Chaplet is preceded by two opening prayers from St Faustina’s diary and

followed by a closing prayer.

4. Hail Mary

“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou

amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy

Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of

our death, Amen.”

5. The 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.”

6. The Eternal Father “Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.”

7. On the 10 Small Beads of Each Decade

“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

8. Repeat for the Remaining

Decades Say the ‘Eternal Father’ (step 6) on the ‘Our Father’ bead, and then

repeat “For the sake of His sorrowful

Passion…” (step 7) 10 times on

the following ‘Hail Mary’ beads.

9. Conclude with Holy God

(Repeat three times)

“Holy God, Holy Mighty One,

Holy Immortal One, have mercy

on us and on the whole world.”

REFERENCES

1. St Maria Faustina Kowalska. 1981.

“Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska:

Divine Mercy in My Soul”, 1st ed.

Stockbridge, Massachusetts: Marian

Press.

2. My Catholic Life. 2020. “Catholic Daily

Reflections: The Divine Mercy”. Found

at: https://catholic-daily-reflections.

com/2020/04/18/the-divine-mercy/

Accessed on 4th February 2023.

3. Pronechen, J. 2020. “17 Things Jesus

Revealed to St Faustina About Divine

Mercy”, Diary, para 669. Published by

National Catholic Register. Found at:

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/17-

things-jesus-revealed-to-st-faustinaabout-

divine-mercy Accessed on 30th

January 2023. All of St Faustina’s diary

extracts for this article have been

taken from this source, unless stated

otherwise.

4. Francis Cardinal Šeper. 1978. “Norms

Regarding the Manner of Proceeding

in the Discernment of Presumed

Apparitions or Revelations”. Found at:

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/

congregations/cfaith/documents/

rc_con_cfaith_doc_19780225_normeapparizioni_

en.html Accessed on 11th

February 2023.

5. Diary, para 1059.

6. Diary, para 742.

7. Diary, para 327.

8. Diary, para 48.

9. Diary, para 1075.

10. “How to Recite the Chaplet” . Found

at: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/

message/devotions/pray-the-chaplet

Accessed on 9th February 2023.

11. Diary, para 72.

How to Listen to God

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:44:52 GMT

An article published in The Faith Companion Magazine - Permission to publish granted. - View the Community Space

These are a few simple suggestions for people who are willing to make an experiment. You can discover for yourself the most important and practical thing any human being can ever learn – how to be in touch with God. All that is needed is the willingness to try it honestly. Every person who has done this consistently and sincerely has found that it really works.

Before you begin, look over these fundamental points. They are true and are based on the experience of thousands of people.

1. God is alive. He always has been, and He always will be.

2. God knows everything.

3. God can do anything.

4. God can be everywhere – all at the same time. (These are the important differences between God and us human beings).

5. God is invisible – we can’t see Him or touch Him – but God is here. He is with you now. He is beside you. He surrounds you. He fills the room or the whole place where you are right now. He is in you now. He is in your heart.

6. God cares very much for you. He is interested in you. He has a plan for your life. He has an answer for every need and problem you face.

7. God will tell you all that you need to know. He will not always tell you all that you want to know.

8. God will help you do anything that He asks you to do

9. Anyone can be in touch with God, anywhere and at any time, if the conditions are obeyed..

These are the conditions:

- To be quiet and still - To listen

- To be honest about every thought that comes

- To test the thoughts to be sure that they come from God

- To obey.

So, with these basic elements as a background, here are specific suggestions on How to Listen to God:

1. Take Time Find some place and time where you can be alone quiet and undisturbed. Most people have found that the early morning is the best time. Have with you some paper and pen or pencil.

2. Relax Sit in a comfortable position. Consciously relax all your muscles. Be loose. There is no hurry. There needs to be no strain during these minutes.

God cannot get through to us if we are tense and anxious about later responsibilities.

3. Tune In: Open your heart to God. Either silently or aloud, just say to God in a natural way that you would like to find His plan for your life – you want His answer to the problem or situation that you are facing just now. Be definite and specific in your request.

4. Listen Just be still, quiet, relaxed and open. Let your mind go “loose.” Let God do the talking. Thoughts, ideas, and impressions will begin to come into your mind and heart. Be alert and aware and open to everyone.

5. Write! Here is the important key to the whole process. Write down everything that comes into your mind. Everything. Writing is simply a means of recording so that you can remember later. Don’t sort out or edit your thoughts at this point. Don’t say to yourself: This thought isn’t important; This is just an ordinary thought; This can’t be guidance; This isn’t nice; This can’t be from God; This is just me thinking..., etc. Write down everything that passes through your mind: Names of people; Things to do; Things to say; Things that are wrong and need to be made right. Write down everything: good thoughts - bad thoughts; Comfortable thoughts - uncomfortable thoughts; “Holy” thoughts - “unholy” thoughts; Sensible thoughts - “crazy” thoughts. Be honest! Write down everything! A thought comes quickly, and it escapes even more quickly unless it is captured and put down.

6. Test: When the flow of thoughts slows down, stop. Take a good look at what you have written. Not every thought we have comes from God. So, we need to test our thoughts. Here is where the written record helps us to be able to look at them.

a. Are these thoughts completely honest, pure, unselfish and loving?

b. Are these thoughts in line with our duties to our family – to our community?

c. Are these thoughts in line with our understanding of the teachings found in our spiritual literature?

7 Check: When in doubt and when it is important, what does another person who is living two-way prayer think about this thought or action? More light comes in through two windows than one. Someone else who also wants God’s plan for our lives may help us to see more clearly. Talk over together what you have written. Many people do this. They tell each other what guidance has come. This is the secret of unity. There are always three sides to every question – your side, my side, and the right side. Guidance shows us which is the right side – not who is right, but what is right.

8. Obey: Carry out the thoughts that have come discerned to be from God. You will only be sure of guidance as you go through with it. A rudder will not guide a boat until the boat is moving. As you obey, very often the results will convince you that you are on the right track.

9. Blocks: What if I don’t seem to get any definite thoughts? God’s guidance is as freely available as the air we breathe. If I am not receiving thoughts when I listen, the fault is not God’s. Usually, it is because there is something I will not do: - something wrong in my life that I will not face and make right; - a habit or indulgence I will not give up; - a person I will not forgive; - a wrong relationship in my life I will not give up; - a restitution I will not make; - something God has already told me to do that I will .

Written in the late 1930’s by John E. Batterson (A personal friend of Dr. Bob’s — co-founder of A.A.) Pamphlet distributed by Wally P., A.A. Archivist/ Historian/ Author P.O. Box 01648, Tucson, AZ 85752- 1648 Tel: (520) 297-9348 Fax: (520)297-7230

Sacramentals

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 15:16:08 GMT

Sacraments and sacramentals are closely linked, as their names suggest. In describing sacraments, to summarise the ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’, (1994:1084), Christ pours out the Holy Spirit upon His Body, the Church, and acts through the Sacraments which He instituted to communicate His Grace.1 So, sacraments are signs, be they words or actions, through which the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit effectively make present His Grace bestowed upon us all.

My understanding of our Faith is the Creator of the world, the Lord Our God, created the world out of an abundance of Love that flflows outward from the Heart of the Trinity. This supernatural Love is dynamic and cannot be contained. When the Good Lord created humanity in Adam and Eve, His creative Love and favour didn’t end there, but continues to bestow upon humankind this Loving Grace, especially through the action of His Son who became flflesh, was crucifified, died and rose again to redeem us, sending the Holy Spirit who continues to communicate that Grace to us today. I believe Our Father didn’t just create humankind once and for all, He continues to create and sustain us every minute of every day and invites us, through His Grace poured out upon and through the Church, to co-operate with Him to make Christ alive and present in the world today. Sacramentals are one way of reminding us of this Grace bestowed upon us which we receive in a fuller way through the Sacraments. So let us take a closer look at what sacramentals are.

So, by using sacramentals, the grace we receive from the Church can, in part, be carried with us as we leave to go about our daily lives. Sacramentals can increase our devotion, helping us to draw closer to Christ, God with us. Sacramentals can be material objects like medals, Crosses and Crucifixes, scapulars, holy oils, candles, palms and ashes, holy water, sacred images and statues, Rosaries and chaplets, prayer books and Bibles, and also actions like blessings, exorcisms, and liturgical gestures.3 However, what we are considering in this article are sacramentals which are physical items only.4

The ‘Catechism’ (nn.1667-1670) lays out the theology of sacra- mentals as such:

“Holy Mother Church has, moreover, instituted sacramentals. These are sacred signs which bear a resemblance to the sacraments. They signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature, which are obtained through the intercession of the Church. By them men [and women] are disposed to receive the chief effect of the sacraments, and various occasions in life are rendered holy.

“...Sacramentals are instituted for the sanctification of certain ministries of the Church, certain states of life, a great variety of circumstances in Christian life, and the use of many things helpful to man [and woman]. In accordance with bishops’ pastoral decisions, they can also respond to the needs, culture and special history of the Christian people of a particular region or time. They always include prayer, often accompanied by a specific sign, such as the laying on of hands, the sign of the Cross, or the sprinkling of holy water (which recalls Baptism).

“Sacramentals derive from the baptismal priesthood: every baptized person is called to be a ‘blessing’ and to bless. Hence, lay people may preside at certain blessings; the more a blessing concerns ecclesial and sacramental life, the more is its administration reserved to the ordained ministry (bishops, priests, or deacons).

“Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us
to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. ‘For well-disposed members of the faithful, the liturgy of the sacraments and sacramentals sanctifies almost every event of their lives with the divine grace which flows from the Paschal mystery of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. From this source all sacraments and sacramentals draw their power. There is scarcely any proper use of material things which cannot be thus directed toward the sanctification of men [and women] and the praise of God.’”

Sacramentals are a particular feature of the Catholic Faith and can be a major stumbling block for non-Catholics. Sacraments are dependent on God’s power, in which grace derived from Christ’s Passion, is communicated to the recipient through the Church’s minister of the Sacrament, and through the sacrament itself, which causes the grace that it signifies, as long as the recipient does not block the effect of grace by placing “an obstacle in the way.”1 The sanctifying grace conferred through the Sacraments comes from an inherent power within the rite of the Sacrament itself as an act of Christ, whereas grace given through sacramentals is dependent on the disposition of the recipient. The Church emphasizes the importance of the blessing of items that endows a spiritual character, transforming them into sacramentals. As the ‘Catechism’ says:

However, there is a hierarchy within the Church in that a blessing from a bishop or priest has the power to transform an item into a sacramental, whereas a blessing from a Lay person is more like a prayer or a plea to God. It is only through the blessing bestowed by clergy that an item can become a sacramental. Although the sacramentals we use today are not in Scripture as such, there are many passages that support their use, such as: 2 Kings 5:10 showing the use of water for ritual healing and purification and Luke 8:43-44 where the woman with the hemorrhage touches the hem of Christ’s garment and is healed immediately. There are many more Scripture passages in support of sacramentals.

Some non-Catholics may see the use of sacramentals as just superstition, so what is the difference between the correct use of sacramentals and superstition? Regina Doman answers this question by saying that it has to do with inner attitude. Superstition is not something of the Faith as it is akin to magic. Doman says the superstitious person says, “If I sprinkle holy water, say these prayers and cross myself,

I can make God, or His Saints, do such and such for me.” However, the person using a sacramental in the correct manner says, “I want to draw closer to God – to be constantly reminded of the power of His Love and the glory of His protection, forgiveness and mercy.” So sacramentals are used to make our Faith stronger and help us draw closer to God in Faith. Sacramentals are a way of weaving our Faith into the ordinariness of our lives, allowing us to be reminded of God’s Grace and Blessings upon our lives beyond the Church. Doman gives some good examples: a father who sprinkles holy water around the beds of his young children before they go to bed, whilst praying for God’s protection against nightmares which had been a problem; and a mother who uses blessed salt to bake bread for her family. I have also seen car engines being blessed with holy oil before a long journey. I touch my Crucifix when eeling anxious as a reminder that God is with me, with a silent prayer asking for His Blessing and protection.

To summarise then, the Sacraments of the Church are of Divine institution where Christ Himself makes efficacious the grace received, whereas sacramentals are instituted by the Church and their efficacy, in part, depends on the devotion, Faith, and charity of the person who uses them. Using artistic license here, I am reminded of St Ignatius of Loyola who asked his retreatants and students to close their eyes and imagine God’s Grace pouring out upon them in what he described as warm rays of sunshine touching the skin or a shower of rain falling upon them.

From the moment of our creation God has showered His Love and Grace upon us continually, however, when Christ established the Church and instituted the Sacraments God’s Grace comes to us in a new way in the New Covenant. Through Christ, Grace is bestowed upon us through the Church’s minister of the Sacrament and when this same minister blesses an object like a candle, a spiritual character is conferred to make the candle holy and marked out for a sacred purpose, like lighting the blessed candle during prayer. I like to think that if I take home a blessed candle, statue or Rosary, I carry home a sign of God’s Grace to increase my Faith, love and devotion. Like one of St Ignatius’ rays of sunshine, when I’m at home it becomes a constant reminder of God’s Love for me and His closeness, thus sanctifying my home and my life.

REFERENCES

1 Catechism of the Catholic Church. 1994. Note 1084. Found at: https://www.catholicculture. org/search/searchResults.cfm?querynum=1&se archid=2178734&showCount=1&fulltext=no& returnpage=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecatho licculture%2Eorg%2Fculture%2Flibrary%2Fcat echism%2Findex%2Ecfm&CFID=46786118&CF TOKEN=607d4bb403e70377-1038DF90-AE09- 2FC9-F414B3C080332B1C Accessed on 27th January 2022.

2 Catechism of the Catholic Church.
1994. Note 1677. Found at: https://www. catholicculture.org/search/searchResults.cfm? querynum=1&searchid=2178734&showCount =1&fulltext=no&returnpage=https%3A%2F%2 Fwww%2Ecatholicculture%2Eorg%2Fculture% 2Flibrary%2Fcatechism%2Findex%2Ecfm&CFI D=46786118&CFTOKEN=607d4bb403e70377- 1038DF90-AE09-2FC9-F414B3C080332B1C Accessed on 27th January 2022.

3 World of Sacramentals. 2019 . “List of
Catholic Sacramentals”. Found at: https:// worldofsacramentals.com/list-of-sacramentals/ Accessed on 24th January 2022.

4 Behind the Catholic Counter. 2016 . “What
is a Sacramental?” Found at: https://blog. aquinasandmore.com/what-are-sacramentals/ Accessed on 24th January 2022.

5 Catholicism.org “Sacramentals and Relics Found at https://catholicism.org/sacramentals- and-relics Accessed on 15/2/2022

6 Catechism of the Catholic Church.
1994. Note 1671. Found at: https://www. catholicculture.org/search/searchResults.cfm? querynum=1&searchid=2178734&showCount =1&fulltext=no&returnpage=https%3A%2F%2 Fwww%2Ecatholicculture%2Eorg%2Fculture% 2Flibrary%2Fcatechism%2Findex%2Ecfm&CFI D=46786118&CFTOKEN=607d4bb403e70377- 1038DF90-AE09-2FC9-F414B3C080332B1C Accessed on 27th January 2022.

7 O’Neill, E. 2021. “What Are Sacramentals?” Found at: https://www.simplycatholic.com/ what-are-sacramentals/ Accessed on 27th January 2022.

8 Doman, R. 1996. “Sacramentals: What Are They? ” Found at: https://www.ewtn.com/ catholicism/library/sacramentals-what-are- they-1171 Accessed on 27th January 2022.

Welcome to the UK's 1st Dedicated Catholic Community

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 22:47:34 GMT

Dear Visitor,

A huge warm welcome to our Everyday Catholic Portal which is scheduled to be launched for an exclusive week special preview on the 21st April 2024.

Invitees who have registered via this website will receive access and be able to navigate the new communities. The portal will then be launched nationally on the 1st May 2024

On the initial launch we will be giving exclusive access to those who have requested an invite from ourselves or someone you know. Simply register for an invit e through this website and we will send your access in readiness for the 14th April.

We believe that this platform is a new thing that God is working for His glory, and we hope as a Catholic Lay person, you will help us to make the project a success.

God bless and prayers

Anthony Evans

Everyday Christian Marketing

Lay Website: Our Lady of Sorrows

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 12:45:38 GMT

The Project: New Catholic Lay Website

Everyday Christian Marketing worked with members of the Lay community who were very passionate about the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows

Visit the Website :

https://www.maryourladyofsorrows.co.uk/

Website: Catholic Magazine

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:39:37 GMT

Everyday Christian Marketing was entrusted with the exciting project of developing a cutting-edge digital platform to serve as the online hub for The Faith Companion, the UK's premier Catholic Magazine. This bespoke publication is dedicated to providing a wealth of valuable content, including in-depth discussions on Church teaching, inspiring testimonies, and practical guidance tailored for the diverse members of the Catholic Church. With a keen focus on modernity and innovation, the new website aims to enhance the readers' experience and foster a deeper connection with the rich tradition and teachings of the Catholic faith.

Parish Website: St Teilos-Olol (Cardiff)

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 15:18:30 GMT

Project Overview: Re-Design for the Parish Website

Collaborating with the St. Teilo's with Our Lady of Lourdes Cardiff team, a newly designed contemporary digital website was unveiled to encapsulate the vibrancy of parish life, incorporating all the essential dynamic elements for effective digital evangelisation.

Visit the Website :

https://www.stteilos-olol.co.uk/

Oblates Website: Wistaston Retreat Centre (Cheshire)

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:55:00 GMT

The Project: New Catholic Retreat Center Website

Everyday Christian Marketing worked with the Oblate Community to build a new Retreat Centre Platform for the Oblate Events at Wistaston Hall. A new modern and engaging platform was completed to reflect the spiritual and meditational dimensions of the retreats.

Visit the Website :

https://www.chilworthbenedictines.com/

Benedictine Website: Chilworth Abbey (Surrey)

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:23:30 GMT

The Project: New Monastic Website

Everyday Christian Marketing is proud to present a beautifully crafted website dedicated to capturing the spirit and essence of the Benedictines of St. Augustine's Abbey Chilworth, Surrey. Through this platform, visitors can immerse themselves in the rich history and traditions of the abbey, gaining a deeper understanding of the Benedictine way of life. Join us on a digital journey that celebrates the legacy of St. Augustine's Abbey and the profound impact of the Benedictines on the world. Explore the stories, teachings, and inspirations that have shaped the community at Chilworth Abbey, and experience the spiritual essence that continues to resonate through the ages.

Visit the Website :

https://www.chilworthbenedictines.com/

Parish Website: St Jeanne Jugan (Leeds)

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:11:17 GMT

The Project: New Parish Website

The Everyday Christian Marketing team was excited to be entrusted with the task of creating a contemporary and lively parish website that would not only showcase the vibrant community of the parish but also serve as a platform to encourage interaction and engagement among St. Jeanne Jugan's parishioners. By skillfully blending modern design elements with the church's dynamic and inviting atmosphere, the website beautifully captures the essence of parish life, offering a visually compelling and user-friendly experience for visitors. It aims to be a virtual reflection of the warm and welcoming environment that defines the parish, inviting individuals to explore and connect with the various aspects of parish life.

Visit the Website :

https://www.jeannejuganleeds.org.uk/

Parish Website: Catholic Church (Portsmouth)

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:45:19 GMT

The Project: New Parish Website

The Everyday Christian Marketing team was commissioned to create a contemporary and lively parish website that would mirror the parish's vibrant community and foster interaction among parishioners. The website effectively captures the church's dynamic and inviting atmosphere, beautifully showcasing the essence of parish life.

Visit the Website :

https://www.catholicchurchfareham.org.uk/

Digital Sound Systems Website: UK

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 15:15:11 GMT

Project Overview: Catholic Sound Systems Website

A new platform was created to support the marketing and distribution of the new Hymnal Plus HT-400. Everyday Christian Marketing serves as the official Supplying Dealer for Catholic parishes throughout the UK.

Visit the Website :

https://www.catholicsoundandvideosystems.co.uk/

Evangelisation Website : Divine Mercy (Scotland)

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 13:02:11 GMT

The Project: Divine Mercy Website

The Everyday Christian Marketing team has successfully carried out a project for the Divine Mercy Scotland Team. This mission is a a highly effective evangelisation initiative, and includes driving a specially branded Divine Mercy double-decker bus into the city centers of Scotland to provide aid to the underprivileged, offer confession services, and engage in prayer with those in need. Bishop John Keenan (Bishop of Paisley) actively participates in this mission, which is overseen by Helen Border.

Visit the Website :

https://www.divinemercy.scot/

Ecumenical Website / Catholic-Christian (UK)

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 12:52:34 GMT

The Project: Ecumenical Christian Unity Website

The website project is tailored for couples where each partner comes from a distinct Christian denomination. These couples, commonly known as Interchurch Families or referred to more broadly as "mixed marriages," are particularly prevalent within the Roman Catholic church.

Visit the Website :

https://www.interchurchfamilies.org.uk/