Sunday in the Year for Priests

Catechism #1577

"Only a baptized man validly receives sacred ordination." The Lord Jesus chose men to form the college of the twelve apostles, and the apostles did the same when they chose collaborators to succeed them in their ministry. The college of bishops, with whom the priests are united in the priesthood, makes the college of the twelve an ever-present and ever-active reality until Christ's return. The Church recognizes herself to be bound by this choice made by the Lord himself. For this reason the ordination of women is not possible.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

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Saturday of Our Lady

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Feast Day: July 16

O Glorious Queen of Angels! Most pure and ever Blessed Virgin Mary of Mt. Carmel! Powerful advocate of all those who wear your holy Scapular! Faithful Protectress of all the servants of thy Son Jesus Christ! I, an unworthy sinner, do this day, in the presence of your beloved son, my Savior, choose thee for my Patroness, that through your intercession, I may receive from Him whatsoever grace may be necessary and profitable for me now, and at the hour of my death. Amen.


Peace be with you!
Rosemarie
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Stained Glass Scapulars-Reflections on the Secular Carmelite Rule

The Secular Order sets before its members ideals, based upon the charism and teachings of the Order's saintly Founders, which constitute their particular way in Christian holiness. These are: a deep sense of God's love; fidelity to contemplative prayer with the spirit of detachment it entails; and generosity in the practice of fraternal charity and the apostolate. They will place themselves under Our Lady's protection, and endeavor to live out these ideals in her presence.

The Nature of the Secular Order, Article 2

For the Secular Carmelite the ideals that are set before us are not unattainable goals. We must remember that with God's grace we can attain a blessed state in this life. This is the highest goal we seek: perfect charity.

Again, as stated above, the ideals are:

#1-A deep sense of God's love

If we are progressing in the spiritual life, God's love will permeate our being and our life.We become more patient, merciful and loving to our neighbor. We are eager to share the fruit of our prayer with others. We want to return "love for love" in the words of St. Therese.

#2-Fidelity to contemplative prayer

with the spirit of detachment it entails

This ideal is not some worldly goal we are seeking, that we will "never miss morning or evening prayer" in this ideal we seek to become a living prayer. We must become detached from all that distracts us and divides our heart. Detachment is a painful process on the road to union with God, but if we are sincere, He sees our efforts to please him. He gradually weans us away from worldly things, and even spiritual consolations.

#3-Generosity in the practice of fraternal charity

If we are sincere in our effort to please God, we do indeed produce good fruit of the Spirit, which manifests itself in love of neighbor. We only need to look at the lives of the saints to see the great lengths they went to, to show their love for God by their service to all those they met.

The Rule also states, "They will place themselves under the protection of Our Lady." We must have great confidence in the Mother of the Church, who loves each member of the Body of Christ as her own son or daughter. If we are faithful, she will not fail to defend us before her Son.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

Carmelite Quote

You ask me to tell you about my daily schedule. We get up at five fifteen. At six we go to choir, where we have an hour of prayer. They close all the doors, and we see only the sanctuary lamp. It's really lovely. Then we say the Divine Office, praying the Hours. After that there is Mass and Communion, and we come with Rev. Mother to the novitiate a little before nine, reciting the "Miserere Mei." We ask for permission to leave our cells, to write letters, etc. We have a breakfast in a little room which is an oratory too. We put our cups on little benches and sit on the floor. At first I didn't know how to sit down, but now I am used to it...At ten forty five, the clappers sound to go to bed, and by 11 the lights are out so we can sleep. From Compline on we must keep the great silence.

St. Teresa of Jesus of the Andes

(Letter #108 to her sister Rebecca)

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

Sunday in the "Year for Priests"

All priests, who are constituted in the order of priesthood by the sacrament of Order, are bound together by an intimate sacramental brotherhood, but in a special way they form one priestly body in the diocese to which they are attached under their own bishop...

Catechism #1568

A Prayer for Priests

Almighty God, look upon the face of Him who is the eternal High Priest, and have compassion on Your priests in today's world. Remember that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation. Keep them close to You lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation.

O Jesus, keep them all close to Your heart and bless them abundantly in time and in eternity. Amen.

Excerpt from the Gold Book of Prayers

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

Saturday of our Lady

Our Lady of Charity

An Act of Love

O my God, I love You above all things, with my whole heart and soul, because You are all-good and worthy of all love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of You. I forgive all who have injured me, and I ask pardon of all whom I have injured.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie

Stained Glass Flowers-Little Accounts of the Miraculous

From the life of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

(Known in the world as Edith Stein)

Edith Stein was born into a German Jewish family in 1891. A gifted student, she excelled in literature and languages and had a great love for poetry. When she was twenty years old she entered the University of Breslau where she studied Philosophy.

While in Frankfurt, she visited the Catholic cathedral and observed a woman enter the church, kneel down, and pray. This made a deep impression on Edith.

Later when visiting friends she needed to occupy herself while the couple went away. She chose a book from their library: St. Teresa of Avila's Autobiography. It is said she read the entire book without a break. When she was finished, she remarked, "This is the truth." The following morning she bought a Catholic catechism and a missal. This began her conversion to the Faith. Her feast day is August 9.

Excerpts from The Science of the Cross by Edith Stein. Introduction by Kieran Kavanugh, OCD.

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie