New Mary App

The Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, creators of the popular DIVINE MERCY APP, are pleased to release the MARY APP.

This FREE app offers a complete resource for information on the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, in an easy to navigate format. The app has three main chapters with these features:

DOCTRINE

Introduction to Mary
Marian Dogmas
Titles of Mary
Marian Timeline
FAQs
Resources

DEVOTION

Interactive Rosary with an audio option
Marian Consecration
Marian Sacramentals
Marian Feasts
Marian Chaplets
Marian Prayers

MARY PLUS

Images of Mary
Apparitions
Pilgrimage Sites
Information about the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception
Introduction to the Association of Marian Helpers
Link to online religious catalog

Mary’s whole task is to lead people closer to Jesus. The more we get to know her and have a fervent devotion to her, the better she can lead us to her Son. For this reason, the Second Vatican Council states, “Everyone should have a genuine devotion to [Mary] and entrust his life to her motherly care.”

Download here: http://www.marian.org/app/?em=nl201202

A Moment of Beauty

A good friend of mine brought me these flowers almost two weeks ago. I was having a very bad day and it was such a kind gesture!

They have been brightening up my windowsill ever since and every time I see them I smile. They are dying now, but even in that, they are beautiful - they almost look like porcelain. I wanted to share them with you, and by photographing them, help them live longer. Enjoy :)

Giving Everything to God

I'm currently reading My Other Self: Conversations with Christ on Living Your Faith by Clarence J. Enzler. It is a reprint of a book originally published in 1957. In the tradition of "The Imitation of Christ," it encourages Christians to "take on Christ" - to imitate him in all things. It is written as if it is Christ himself talking to you. It is truly a powerful book and every page has me reflecting.

One of the passages I read today talked about giving everything to God, even our sins and failings (which are the parts of ourselves we most try to hide.) It offered this prayer:

Take my sins, dearest Lord, as you desire, . . . Take my impurities, my quarreling, my disobedience, my laziness, my unkindness, my impatience, my thefts, my lies, my angers, my intemperance, my avarice, my horrible pride.

Take all these sins and faults and cleanse my soul with a single drop of your precious Blood - and teach me to love your will.

I am yours, Lord, and I belong to none but you; I love you more than my own being, more than myself. I am not my own. I am wholly yours, your other self.

Book Review: Streams of Contentment

Streams of Contentment: Lessons I Learned on My Uncle's Farm
by Robert J. Wicks
Notre Dame: Sorin Books, 2011


Streams of Contentment: Lessons I Learned on My Uncle's Farm is a series of short essays on making the most out of life. Robert J. Hicks, who is a Doctor of Psychology working in Amish country, offers lessons he has learned from his professional work as well as from living in the country to offer some commonsense wisdom. These lessons are simple - there is nothing groundbreaking in these pages, but they are truths often lost in our busy, technology-driven world.

Wicks doesn't reject the desire for us to continue trying to be more, but he encourages us to take the "counter-cultural risk to appreciate who and what is already in my life . . . to be content with who and what I already am." He emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge, pruning, and transformation. At various times in our lives we are called to use different gifts. We also need to to decide what is truly essential when we are making decisions about what to do. He offers a five-step hierarchy with "very critical in life" at the top and "critical not to do" at the bottom.

How we treat others is of utmost importance. We may never know what our kindness or willingness to listen may have meant to another person. Even when we ourselves are hurting, we can still reach out to others. In dealing with others, he advises us to have "low expectations and high hopes." Sometimes, people just aren't able to be all that we would have them be at this moment. If we accept people as they are, they just might surprise us!

Wicks also addresses how to cope with criticism. While it is always hard to take, there is usually some truth in it that can help us improve if we let it. Having humility and being able to see ourselves honestly is important. And, while most of us fear it and hate it, failure can also be a very good teacher.

The last part of the book offers a thirty day retreat to help cultivate greater contentment. Each day offers a short reflection and a task to put into practice. Honestly, focusing on all thirty would be overwhelming. Choosing a few to implement in one's life would be greatly beneficial.

Streams of Contentment encourages readers to embrace a simpler way of living and to focus on what is important. That is a reminder all of us in this crazy world can benefit from.

Quote of the Day

"God has promised us forgiveness for our mistakes; he has not promised us tomorrow for our procrastination." - St. Augustine

And, on that note, I need to get back to work!

Letter from Bishop McDonnell on the HHS Mandate

I write to you concerning an alarming and serious matter that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith. The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population— and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on January 20 that almost all employers, including Catholic hospitals, Catholic colleges and Catholic institutions, will be forced to offer their employees health coverage that includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception. Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those “services” in the health policies they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.

In so ruling, the Administration has cast aside the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, denying to Catholics our Nation’s first and most fundamental freedom, that of religious liberty. And as a result, unless the rule is overturned, Catholic entities will be compelled either to violate conscience, or drop health coverage for employees (and suffer the penalties for doing so). The Administration’s sole concession was to give our institutions one year to comply.


We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens. We are already joined by our brothers and sisters of all faiths and many others of good will in this important effort to regain our religious freedom.

Our parents and grandparents did not come to these shores to help build America’s cities and towns, its infrastructure and institutions, its enterprise and culture, only to have their posterity stripped of their God-given rights. In generations past, the Church has always been able to count on the faithful to stand up and protect sacred rights and duties. For the sake of future generations, I hope and trust she can count on this generation of Catholics to do the same.

And therefore, I would ask of you two things. First, as a community of faith we must commit ourselves to prayer and fasting that wisdom and justice may prevail, and religious liberty may be restored.

Without God, we can do nothing; with God, nothing is impossible. Second, I would also ask you to visit www.usccb.org/conscience, to learn more about this severe assault on religious liberty, and how to contact Congress in support of legislation to reverse the Administration’s decision.

You are in my prayers; please keep me in yours.

In Christ,
Most Reverend Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell
Bishop of Springfield, MA

Watch a Live Traditional Latin Mass

On my list of things I'd like to do someday is attend a traditional Latin Mass. I have no desire to give up attending the Novus Ordo, but I am curious about the Extraordinary Form. I think it would be interesting to see.

Tomorrow (February 2nd), His Excellency Archbishop Wenski of Miami will celebrate a Solemn Pontifical High Mass for the Feast of Candlemas at 7:30 p.m. It will be streamed live at www.LiveMass.net and on iMass.