Meditations

HOME THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES The Annunciation   “Jesus Incarnate”  +Luke 1:26-38 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Incarnation, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy most Holy Mother, a profound humility. Scripture “...the angel Gabriel was sent from God... to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin‘s name was Mary. And the angel said unto her: ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. ..Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call His name Jesus… ... And Mary said: ‘Beold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.’” Meditation  The love of God descended upon all of humanity when the power of the Most High came upon Mary. It is in Mary that the Word was made Flesh, and it is in Mary that we receive the graces with which He wishes to visit us. Let us, within the Heart of Mary, open our hearts to receive in faith the love He wishes to pour into our souls.  Fatima Reflection “What do you want of me?” It is to a heart thus disposed that God sends His tidings of peace, first through the Heart of Mary, and again to us, through the message given to Lucia. We are all called to give our heart to God in asking Him, “What do you want of me?” Let Him enter in. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the Incarnation, come down into my soul and make it truly humble.

THE SECOND JOYFUL MYSTERY The Visitation  “Jesus Sanctifying”  +Luke 1:39-56 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the Visitation of Thy Holy Mother to her cousin St. Elizabeth, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through Mary’s intercession, a perfect charity towards our neighbor. Scripture “[Mary] entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth... [who] cried out with a loud voice, andsaid: ‘Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb’… ‘... And Mary said: ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior’. Because He hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;… all generations shall call me blessed… .. holy is his name.’” Meditation Mary’s faith .brought to us our Savior. Her visit to Elizabeth. is the sharing of her Gift of God’s Promise, Whom He entrusted to her. Our Lady’s Magnificat is her Heart’s proclamation of God’s goodness for thosewho trust that the Word of the Lord to them will be fulfilled. Let us always proclaim the greatness of the Lord! And our spirit will rejoice in God our Savior! Fatima Reflection The angel comes to visit Mary, God’s humble handmaid in Nazareth. At Fatima, Our Lady visits poor shepherd children, just as she visited her cousin Elizabeth. Jesus is with Mary and in Mary. In her, the splendor of God is revealed., Rays shine forth from beside Him where His power is concealed. (‘Malachi 3:4) Let us approach the Throne of Grace. (Mary), as the children did, to ponder the words that proceeds from her lips to bring tidings of hope and peace. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer Grace of the mystery of the Visitation, come down into my soul and make it truly charitable.

THE THIRD JOYFUL MYSTERY The Birth of Jesus  “Jesus Born in Poverty” +Luke 2:1-14 Prayer We offer Thee, O Child Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Blessed Nativity, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, detachment from things of this world, love of poverty and love of the poor. Scripture  “[Joseph] went up... to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem… .to be enrolled with Mary….. .who was with child…. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn... Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.”  Meditation In fulfilling the duties of their state in life, Mary and Joseph obey Caesar’s decree, bearing patiently with the sufferings and inconveniences this journey entailed. Out of this silent suffering was born our Lord, Who came to be with us, and to accompany us through our own daily trials and sufferings, with a promise of peace.  Fatima Reflection “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!” What does Our Lady say to those souls who seek peace by embracing the devotion to Her Immaculate Heart, which God willed to be made known at Fatima? “I promise salvation”, She says, “and these souls will be loved by God like flowers placed by me to adorn His throne.” Jesus is ‘born again in the hearts of those who love Him and seek to please Our Lady for His sake. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer Grace of the mystery of the Nativity, come down into my soul and make me truly poor in spirit.

THE FOURTH JOYFUL MYSTERY The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple  “Jesus Sacrificed”  +Luke 2:22-35 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Presentation in the Temple by the hands of Mary, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, the gift of wisdom and purity of heart and body. Scripture  “...they carried Him to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord: ..And to offer a sacrifice. . .And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon... told by God that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord... ‘Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted, And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may he revealed’”. Meditation  Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple according to the prescriptions of the law. Marvel with themat Simeon’s revelations of what Jesus would accomplish during His life … a glory and tragedy to be fulfilled, both then and today: a light to those who are separated from Him, and the glory of His people, the New Israel; yet also a sign of contradiction through divisions found among us the same sword which pierces the soul of Mary today.  Fatima Reflection  Our Lady reveals her Heart pierced with thorns on every side, outraged by the sins of humanity, and she seeks reparation.”…. God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.” “Do not offend the Lord our God anymore because He is already so much offended.” One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the Purification, come down into my soul and make it truly wise and pure.

THE FIFTH JOYFUL MYSTERY  The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple  “Jesus, Wisdom Manifested”  +Luke 2:42-52 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Finding in the Temple among the learned men by Our Lady, after she had lost Thee, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, to convert us and help us amend our lives, and also to convert all sinners, those who have fallen away from the Church, and those who do not believe in God. Scripture “And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, and having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem, and his parents knew it not... ‘Son, why hast thou done so to us? behold thy father and I sought thee sorrowing’…. ‘How is it that you sought me? did you not know, that I must be about My Father’s  business?’”  Meditation Seeking Him, Mary and Joseph find Jesus on the third day. Two days of sorrow, followed by the third day of joy, turns into amazement upon their finding Him. A similar loss and finding was to come later - an event which Mary would forever ponder in her Heart:  Jesus’ Death and Ressurection. This loss is one that we should never forget, lest we lose Him forever.  Fatima Reflection Our Lady comes to a world that has largely lost Christ due to sin. Mary comes seeking Him among us, His members, to teach us how to find Him through prayer and repentance. Let us seek the Holy Face of Christ in the Eucharist - where He is really and truly present and in each other - where He is veiled under human form, so that in loving God for Himself, and loving each other for His sake, we may experience the joy of finding Him in this life and in the next. Let us show Him to a lost and suffering world. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer Grace of the mystery of the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple, come down into my soul and truly convert me.

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES  The Baptism of Jesus  “Jesus Baptized”  +Mark 1:2-11,  Matthew 3:1-17 / Luke 3:15-22 / John 1:29-37 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Holy Baptism, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, a firm determination to fulfill our baptismal vows. Scripture  “It came to pass, in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And forthwith coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit as a dove descending, and remaining on Him. And there came a voice from heaven: ‘Thou art My beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased.’” Meditation  As the Lord Jesus submits to John’s baptism of repentance and enters the waters of the Jordan River, He not only makes known His willingness to take on our sins as the Lamb of God, but He also sanctifies the waters of our own baptism. We enter into these hallowed waters, are cleansed of all sin and are drawn into the bosom of the Holy Trinity. May we have the faith to see the heaven that was torn open for us and for our salvation.  Fatima Reflection  Jesus comes to communicate His desire to form a binding Covenant of Love with the whole human race. It is already accomplished in the bond He has formed Heart to Heart with Mary — Our Two-in-One Paragon of Love and Love’s response. As we have entered the waters of this Covenant at Baptism, let us now enter upon the way Jesus and Mary lived and pointed out to us in the relationship of these Two Hearts revealed in Our Lady’s Message at Fatima. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of Our Lord’s Baptism, come down into my soul and make me truly committed to keep my baptismal vows.

THE SECOND LUMINOUS MYSTERY The Wedding Feast at Cana  “Jesus Manifests His Divinity” + John 2:1-11 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the Wedding Feast at Cana where Thou didst perform Thy first miracle at the request of Thy Blessed Mother, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through Her intercession, the grace of fidelity and generosity in Thy service. Scripture “…... there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there.  And Jesus also was invited, and His disciples…..And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to Him: ‘They have no wine.’… ‘...His mother saith to the waiters: ‘Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye.’” Meditation in order to make known to His disciples the New Covenant that will transform the old, Jesus, at the prompting of His Mother, changed water into choice wine. He performs the miracle that anticipates the transformation of wine into Blood in the Passover cup. May we find, in the faith-filled petitions of the Mother of God, a source of new faith; and may we be faithful to the sacramental grace that flows from the open side of the Lamb who was slain. Fatima Reflection At the Last Vision, the Eucharistic Cup receives the Blood that flows from Jesus’ Face and Side, with Our Lady at His side as though to beckon us to participation: “Make of everything you can a sacrifice, and offerit to God as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended, and in supplication far the conversion of sinners”….. “and say many times.. ‘O Jesus, it is for love of You, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary.’ Thou has saved the best wine until now!” One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer Grace of the mystery of Our Lord’s first miracle, come down into my soul and make me faithful and generous.

THE THIRD LUMINOUS MYSTERY The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the Call to Repentance  “Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom”  +Mark l: 14-15  Matthew 13:24-34 / Matthew 13:36-43 / Matthew 13:44-52  Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the Proclamation of Thy Kingdom and the Call to Repentance, and we ask of’ Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, an awareness of God’s Kingdom within us and to be truly repentant. Scripture  “And after that John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying: ‘The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.’”  Meditation  Jesus spent three years proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom. All were blessed to witness the tender, yet fierce love of Israel’s God. In the Gospels we find not only the immensity of God’s saving wisdom in Jesus’ public ministry, but also the bewildering array of responses offered by fallen humanity; and in that story we find our own. May we never tire of drinking from the well of Jesus’ teachings and reverencing the Gospels as the daily bread that alone can satisfy our soul’s hunger for holiness. Fatima Reflection  “What do you want of me?” Lucia’s question at each apparition reveals an eagerness of heart that can be ours in seeking the Will of God. Our Lord instructs, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, for of such is the kingdom of Heaven.” Our Lady comes with a Message for childlike souls who wish to learn of the Kingdom of God. “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God to bear all the sufferings He wills to send you...?” The faithful fulfillment of duties God seeks and requires. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the, Proclamation of God’s Kingdom and Call to Repentance, make me hunger and thirst for a deeper union with Christ present in my soul.

THE FOURTH LUMINOUS MYSTERY The Transfiguration  “Jesus Transfigured”  +Mark9:1-8  Luke 9:28-36 / Matthew 17:1-9 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Transfiguration, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, spiritual courage. Scripture  ……………. Jesus taketh with Him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them... And there was a cloud overshadowing them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: ‘This is My most beloved son; hear ye Him.’”  Meditation  In this mystery of light, the Lord ascends Mount Tabor to manifest His glory to His inner circle of disciples. They witness Moses and Elijah conversing with the glorified Jesus of His upcoming Passion and discover the unity of the Old Testament’s witness to Jesus’ destiny, as well as the hope that awaits them on the far side of Golgotha. May we also find faith in the mysterious providence of God that penetrates life’s darkest corners.Per Crucem ad Lucem: “Through the Cross to the Light.”  Fatima Reflection  Our Lady, transfigured in her heavenly state, opened her hands and bathed the children in light which penetrated their souls, making them see themselves in God. They were caught up in the ecstasy of what participation in the life of God means: “O most Holy Trinity, I adore You! My God, my God, I love You in the Most Blessed Sacrament!” This memory was to carry them through their trials, just as the Blessed Sacrament will be our strength during ours. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the Transfiguration, come down into my soul and strengthen it in fortitude.

THE FIFTH LUMINOUS MYSTERY The Institution of the Holy Eucharist  “Jesus Gives Himself as Food” +Luke 22:14-20 Mark 14:22-26 / Matthew 26:26-30 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the Holy Eucharist, wherein Thou didst sacrificially give Thine own Body and Blood to be our Food, made possible through Mary’s gift of self; and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy most Holy Mother, a deep and intimate love for Thee in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. Scripture “And He said to them: ‘With desire I have desired to eat this pasch with you before I suffer For I say to you, that from this time I will not eat it, till it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.  Meditation In the institution of the Eucharist, the Lord Jesus left us a token of a love beyond all human comprehension. So great was His desire to grant us a total sharing in His Divine Life that He shattered the substance of bread and wine and filled them with Himself. It was the gift of His paschal sacrifice that He left mystically hidden in the Eucharist, that we who receive should become what we eat and drink:  living sacrifices of love broken and offered for the life of the world. May the Lord, who offered this precious Gift, preserve us in faith, hope, and love, that we may never be parted from Him now or in the world to come.  Fatima Reflection The Fatima Message is Christ-centered in the Heart of Mary. Our Lady leads us to be Eucharistic-centered by uniting our heart with hers. Reparation is an expression of love which consoles the pain of the Beloved.“Take and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, horribly outraged by ungrateful men! Make reparation for their crimes and console your God.” Offer it “in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifference with which He is offended.” ‘ In showing mercy, we are shown mercy. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer Grace of the mystery of the Institution of the Holy Eucharist, come down into my soul and inflame me with the fire of love for Christ truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament.

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES  The Agony in the Garden  “Jesus in His Agony”  +Luke 22:39-46  Matthew 26:36-46 / Mark 14:32-42 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Mortal Agony in the Garden of Olives, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, perfect sorrow for our sins and the virtue of perfect obedience to Thy Holy Will. Scripture “…kneeling down, He prayed, saying, ‘Father: if Thou wilt, remove this chalice from Me: but yet not My will, but Thine be done.’ And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony, He prayed the longer.  And His sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.” Meditation  Jesus’ participation in the anxieties of His agony lead us to consider how to act when it seems all our strength, supports, and even our friends, have left us in our time of need. It is in that moment we must face the knowledge of our Heavenly Father’s Will, and our inner pain of natural resistance, to accept what we have no power to change. “And being in an agony, He prayed the longer.” Fatima Reflection  The children were trained in the exercise of prayer, as directed by the angel, to make sacrifices that were necessary to save souls, and as a means to overcome their own natural feelings of recoiling from difficulty. Falling prostrate, they would pray for hours offering to the Lord all that mortified them, repeating the prayer the angel taught them. Jesus said, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, “yet, like Jesus, these children exercised their will in prayer to overcome temptation and weakness. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be’, Decade Prayer Prayer  Grace of the mystery of Our Lord’s Agony, Come down into my soul and make me truly contrite and perfectly obedient to Thy Will.

THE SECOND SORROWFUL MYSTERY The Scourging at the Pillar  “Jesus Scourged”  +Luke 23:13-25  Matthew 27:11-26 / Mark 15:1-15 / John 18:37- 40; 19:1 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy bloody scourging and we ask of Thee, through this Mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, the grace to mortify our senses perfectly. Scripture  “[Pilate] said to them: ‘You have presented unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people; and behold I, having examined Him before you, find no cause... in those things wherein you accuse Him... I will chastise Him therefore, and release Him’… but Jesus he delivered up to their will.”  Meditation  Vehemently accused by the chief priests, Jesus did not return accusations or justify Himself before Pilate. And in a man-made hour of mercy, a man of death is chosen to be freed of his prison, while Christ our Life is delivered to death - He Who so desires to free us from the prison we create by what we choose to do of our own free will. How forcefully do we impose our will in our dealings with others? How easily do we back down before the insistent force of those who have no respect for the least among us?  Fatima Reflection  The shepherd children, from very early on, had to overcome human respect and the scourging of words: the incessant attention, the false accusations, even threats of death. They held fast to their appointed task, and to the truth, for in Mary they heard His voice. We must all have the determination of martyrs, in the face of every obstacle, to hold firm to the fullness of our Catholic Faith to the end. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer  Grace of the mystery of Our Lord’s scourging, come down into my soul and make me truly mortified.

THE THIRD SORROWFUL MYSTERY The Crowning with Thorns  “Jesus Crowned with Thorns”  + John 19:2-16  Matthew 27:27-31 / Mark 15:16-20 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Cruel Crowning with Thorns, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, a great contempt of the world. Scripture  “And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns put it upon His head, and they put on Him a purple garment. And they came to Him, and said. ‘Hail, king of the Jews’; and they gave Him blows... [Pilate] saith to them: Behold the Man …Shall I crucify your king?’ The chief priests answered: ‘ We have no king but Caesar. ‘Then therefore he [Pilate] delivered Him to them to be crucified.”  Meditation Christ is ridiculed as a mock king. They hailed Him as “the Son of David Who comes in the Name of the Lord” upon His entry into the Holy City; yet shortly thereafter, they said, “We have no king but Caesar!” The only earthly crown Jesus accepts is the crown of thorns. What could possibly be a reason for such a radical rejection of Jesus and of His Kingdom? The terms of accepting Christ’s Kingship exclude determining for ourselves the law by which we are to live. Fatima Reflection In the humble ways of a child, which Jesus bids us to live, the Fatima children submit to the demands of their parents, Church leaders and government officials. Yet in all of its agonizing circumstances, the children kept their priorities straight. There is no power except that which is given from above. Jesus does not use His Power to assert His personal rights; and the Fatima children surrender themselves to God’s Power, Who prevails in the end. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer  Grace of the mystery of Our Lord’s Crowning with Thorns, come down into my soul and make me despise the world.

THE FOURTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY Jesus Carries the Cross “Jesus Carrying His Cross”  +Luke 23:26-32  Matthew 27:32-33 / Mark 15:21-22 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Carrying the cross and we ask of Thee through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, to give us great patience in carrying our cross in Thy footsteps every day of our life. Scripture  “And as they led Him away... they laid the cross on [Simon of Cyrene] to carry after Jesus... Women... bewailed and lamented Him... ‘Weep not over Me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren... Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us;…Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?’” Meditation  Jesus, as if to bear up the lives of each of us as a family upon His shoulders, takes up His Cross. Without Jesus looking to seek relief, they laid hold of Simon; though not for the sake of charity. Women lament Him, but Jesus directs their grief to the source of His affliction —  the rejection by those who had experienced His love. (Luke 23:29-31, Is. 2:19, Rev. 6:16-17) Fatima Reflection  “Penance! Penance! Penance!” was the cry of the avenging angel of the Third Secret whose fiery sword was prevented by Our Lady from striking the earth. “Pray, pray very much, and make sacrifices for sinners,” Our Lady pleads, ‘for many souls go to hell because there are none to sacrifice themselves and to pray for them.” In imitation of the loving Hearts of Jesus and Mary, let us direct all things to g1orify  God, and to save souls, to keep the waters of grace flowing. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the Carrying of the Cross, come down into my soul and make me truly patient.

THE FIFTH SORROWFUL MYSTERY The Crucifixion  “Jesus Crucified”  +John 19:17-30  Matthew 27:33-50 / Mark 15:22-37 / Luke 19:17-30 / Luke 23:33-47 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Crucifixion on Mt. Calvary, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, a great horror of sin, a love of the Cross, and the grace of a holy death for us and for those who are now in their last agony. Scripture “...He went forth to that place which is called Calvary... where they crucified Him...Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His mother,… ... and the disciple standing whom He loved... ‘Woman, behold thy son’…to the disciple: ‘Behold thy mother.’…when He had taken the vinegar... bowing His head, He gave up the ghost.”  Meditation Jesus experienced utter desolation, refusing to deliver Himself from death. Who overcomes when even faith is at the brink of being lost? The answer is found where the heart is formed: “Woman, behold Thy son.” After that He said to the disciple: “Behold thy. Mother.”“  <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--> <!--[endif]--> Fatima Reflection What could motivate children to want to give up their lunch, or refuse to drink water in the heat of summer, or choose to wear stiff bristled ropes day and night, or to suffer still more when a choice is given to go on suffering or receive now the promise of heaven? Today, children and adults alike are unwilling to give up anything that pleases themselves. It is only through devotion to Mary that we can take refuge in her Immaculate Heart and find therein the way that leads us to God. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer Prayer Grace of the mystery of the Death and Passion of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, come down into my souland make me truly holy.

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES    The Resurrection  “Jesus Risen from the Dead” +Luke24:36-48 Matthew 28:1-15/Mark 16:1-14 /Luke 24:1-12 /Luke 24:13-35/ John 20:1-10/John 20:11-18/John 20:19-29/John 21:1-14 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Triumphant Resurrection, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, a lively faith. Scripture  “And He said to them: ‘Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead, the third day: and that penance and remission of sins should be preached in His name, unto all nations…you are witnesses of these things.’” Meditation  Jesus, having conquered death with life, and sin with love, appears to the women and His followers, at various times and in various ways, to deliver a pro-life message that goes beyond what this finite existence is able to contain. Christ’s power is over life and death in this world and in the next! LOVE is more powerful than death; LIFE reaches beyond the grave for those who believe. Suffering has saving power! Penance, and remission of sins in Christ, saves souls. Fatima Reflection  The day of the miracle had arrived. Not since the resurrection was a miracle of this magnitude ever foretold. Undaunted by the fears of those who said it might not take place, Lucia believed; and her faith was not disappointed. Our Lady keeps her promises. The sun displayed its power, pilgrims cried out for mercy, some confessed their sins and conversions took place. Let us enter into partnership with Mary and faithfully keep our commitments for true peace. God cannot be outdone in generosity. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the Resurrection, come down into my soul and make me truly faithful.

THE SECOND GLORIOUS MYSTERY The Ascension  “Jesus Ascending to Heaven”  +Acts 1:4-12  Matthew 28:18-20 / Mark 16:15-20 / Luke 24:46-53 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of Thy Glorious Ascension, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Thy Blessed Mother, a firm hope and a great longing for Heaven. Scripture  “...you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth. And when He had said these things…He was raised up: and a cloud receivedHhim out of their sight.”  Meditation  All that Jesus said and did, His Life He gave, His Spirit He imparted, was entrusted to His apostles that they might preach to all nations, giving what they had received. As members of His Body, we, too, have a part in this commission to live out in our own lives what we have received from Christ in body and in spirit. His ascension into heaven is the incense of our presence in Christ before the Father, Who presents all our love and needs to Him, until God’s Plan is fulfilled in making Jesus and Mary known and loved.  Fatima Reflection  Our Lady drew all three children to live a way of life that brought them to the heights of holiness in a very short period of time. Jacinta and Francisco were taken to heaven soon. But Lucia was to stay here some time longer. Do we recognize in this invitation the same call for us to spread the Gospel in our own day? “Jesus wishes to make use of you to make Me known and loved. He wants to establish in the world devotion to My Immaculate Heart.” How will I respond? One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of the Ascension of Our Lord, come down into my soul and make me ready for Heaven.

THE THIRD GLORIOUS MYSTERY The Descent of the Holy Spirit  “Jesus Filling Thee with the Holy Spirit”  +Acts 2:1-18, 34-41 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Holy Spirit, this decade in honor of Pentecost, and we ask of Thee, through this mystery and through the intercession of Mary, Thy most faithful Spouse, Thy Holy Wisdom so that we may know, really love and practice Thy truth, and make all others share in it. Scripture  “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with diverse tongues... Now when [the multitude] had heard these things, they had compunction in their heart... But Peter said to them: Do penance, and be baptized... in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins: and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”  Meditation  Compunction of the heart, penance, remission of sins: These are the work of the Holy Spirit, Who helps us choose to live without sin, like Mary “... and they that work by Me, shall not sin.” (Eccli. 24:30) As we come to realize our spiritual birth as members of the Church, let us live a new life for God as children of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  Fatima Reflection  “Offer prayers and sacrifices constantly to the Most High.” Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit, can make supple our heart to receive all the inspirations God wishes to send us. When we deny ourselves, we can be moved by inspiration. Jesus can use us to bring light to a world in darkness which is moved only by its lusts and self interests. Let sacrificial love be the moving force of your life as the Fatima children allowed themselves to be moved, no longer acting according to their feelings and personal desires. One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mystery of Pentecost, come down into my soul and make me truly wise in the eyes of the Almighty God.

THE FOURTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY Our Lady’s Assumption  “Jesus Raising Thee up Body and Soul into Heaven”  + Ecciesiasticus 24:22-32  Ecclesiasticus 24:1-11 / Ecclesiasticus 24:12-19 Prayer  We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Thy Holy and Blessed Mother, Body and Soul into Heaven, and we ask of Thee, through these two mysteries and through her intercession, ‘the gift of true devotion to her to help us live and die in holiness. Scripture  “I am the mother of fair love, and of fear and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits.. .He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded... They that explain me shall have life everlasting.”  Meditation  “Then the Creator of all things commanded, and said to me: and He that made me, rested in my tabernacle” (Eccli. 24:12). All that can be said of Mary can be expressed in saying that she is all that any of us want to be in loving Jesus with the fullness of that love, which He deserves. She is the perfection of all the love He desires from us. We can offer our hearts to Him, united to hers, offering a total love, which makes up for our deficiencies. Our Lady’s assumption into heaven is the incense of our presence in Mary’s Immaculate Heart before Christ, who presents all of our love and needs to Him, to help us be disposed to fulfill God’s Plan.  Fatima Reflection  Our Lady made known her desire to have the Rosary recited every day. At the last apparition she held out the Brown Scapular because she wants us to wear it. Our Lady was not communicating a mere symbolic presence. She has given us a means to enter into a mystical union with her, a union which is caught up in the mystery of Mary’s bodily assumption. What does this suggest to you in your offering of prayers at Holy Communion? One Our Father, 10 Hail Mary’s, One Glory Be, Decade Prayer  Prayer  Grace of the mysteries of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary, come down into my soul and make me truly devoted to her.

THE FIFTH GLORIOUS MYSTERY The Coronation of Our Lady as Queen of Heaven and Earth  “Jesus Crowning Thee” +Psalm 44:10-18  Revelation 12:1-8,13-17 Prayer We offer Thee, O Lord Jesus, this decade in honor of the Glorious Crowning of Thy Blessed Mother in Heaven, and we ask of Thee through this mystery and through her intercession, the grace of perseverance and increase of virtue until the very moment of death and after the eternal crown that is prepared for us. We ask the same grace for all the just and for all our benefactors. Scripture “On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir... So will the king desire your beauty: he is your lord, pay homage to him… The daughter of the king is clothed with splendor, her robes embroidered with pearls set in gold. She is led to the king with her maiden companions...May the peoples praise you from age to age” [Office of Readings]  Meditation As the world, lost through Adam, was restored through Christ, so also man sinned by the influence of a woman, and by a Woman, the old influence was replaced. Ave reverses Eva, and Life reverses Evil. By means of Mary, Christ crushes the head of Satan; and in the original translation of Gen. 3:15 (“She shall crush thy head”), we see Mary’s role in playing her part in God’s Plan of salvation. As members of His Body, Jesus gathers us together in Himself, with Mary as Type and Model. In her let us allow Christ to use us, too, in fulfilling our part in accomplishing His ultimate victory.  Fatima Reflection “Continue to pray the Rosary everyday in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you.” Our Lady’s role as Mother and Queen is intrinsic in our relationship with God, if we are to live according to God’s pleasure. Not according to our ways does God see things, but according to His own. Therefore, let us fulfill the desire of Our Lord’s Most Sacred Heart: to console Him by relieving the wounds directed against our Mother and Queen by means of the reparation of the Five First Saturdays for the conversion of sinners and for peace.  Prayer Grace of the mystery of the Coronation of the Blessed Mother in Heaven, convert sinners, help the dying, deliver the holy souls from purgatory and give us all thy grace so that we may live and die well – and please give us the light of thy glory later on so we may see Thee face to face and love Thee for all eternity. Amen. So be it.

Diocesan Imprimatur: Rev Msgr William Benwell,J.C.L., Vicar General, Diocese of Metuchen, January 17, 2008 © 1996, 2008 World Apostolate of Fatima, USA/ Blue Army, USA (Pages 358-397 of “Spiritual Guide For The Salvation Of Souls And World Peace” available at  http://www.wafusa.org/shrine/shrine_hours.html

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The Fruits of the Rosary

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur

When I was growing up, my mother and I would say the rosary every day together. Before each decade, she would announce the mystery and the fruit, or virtue, associated with it. I have continued the practice of saying the rosary in my adult life. Indeed, it is one of my favorite devotions and can’t imagine life without it. I do remember all the mysteries of the original Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious sets of five decades. It took me a while, but I even managed to memorize the Luminous Mysteries established by Pope John Paul II. My memory had long since forgotten the fruits of the mysteries, however. In talking to some friends recently, we realized we were all in the same boat. No one knew the fruits of the mysteries of the rosary — only that there were some! To rectify that ignorance, here are the mysteries of the rosary and their corresponding fruits along with a brief reflection on each one. They offer yet one more good reason to say the rosary.
The Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation – Humility

It is appropriate to begin the rosary with the virtue of humility. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that “humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that ‘we do not know how to pray as we ought,’ are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. ‘Man is a beggar before God.’ “ (CCC 2559)

2. The Visitation – Love of Neighbor

Mary hastened to her cousin’s Elizabeth’s house to help her in her time of need. In what ways can we be of service to our own neighbor’s today, whether we find that neighbor in our own home, in our community, at work, or on the internet?

3. The Nativity of the Lord – Poverty of Spirit, Detachment from the Things of the World

We live in a very consumerist culture. This mystery invites us to detach ourselves from our many possessions. What do we truly need and what is excess? What can we share with others?

4. Presentation – Obedience

Mary and Joseph humbly brought Jesus to the temple in accord with Jewish law. Obedience to God and to others can be very difficult, but offers us the opportunity to subjugate our own will to that of our heavenly Father. Not my will, but God’s will be done.

5. Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple – Piety

Piety is dedication to the Church’s sacramental life and devotions. Mary and Joseph were surprised to find Jesus in the temple. We, too, should be dedicated to our Church and the sacraments.
The Luminous Mysteries

1. The Baptism of Jesus – Openness to the Holy Spirit

We each receive the Holy Spirit in a special way in Baptism and again at Confirmation. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. We need only ask the Holy Spirit for help and help will be provided.

2. The Miracle at Cana – To Jesus through Mary

Mary encouraged her Son to perform his first miracle at the Wedding at Cana. She simply told the servants to “do whatever he tells you.” She helps us in a similar way — always pointing us to her Son and interceding on our behalf. We need only to turn to her and ask for help.

3. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God – Repentance, Trust in God

Jesus spent the active years of his ministry preaching and performing miracles to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He asks us to express sorrow from our sin, turn away from sin, and trust in God.

4. Transfiguration – Desire for Holiness

Jesus gave three of his closest friends a glimpse of His glory at the Transfiguration. We, too, are called to holiness, and to ultimately live in glory in heaven. But, we need to want it and we need to want it more than what the world and the devil attempts to offer us.

5. Institution of the Eucharist – Eucharistic Adoration, Active Participation at Mass

Jesus gave us the greatest gift in the Eucharist. He gave us His very self. This mystery invites us to appreciate that gift fully and to participate at Mass often
Sorrowful Mysteries

1. Agony in the Garden – Contrition, Conformity to the Will of God

Jesus, both fully human and fully divine, suffered immensely in the garden. He knew what was coming and he was terrified. He begged His Father to spare him, but submitted Himself fully to His will. We, too, are called to do this.

2. Scourging at the Pillar – Purity, Mortification

Mortification isn’t popular these days, but making small sacrifices and offering them up can be a great help to one’s spiritual life. There is an opportunity every day to sacrifice and to suffer in some small way.

3. Crowning with Thorns – Moral Courage

Jesus remained resolute even as he was being made fun of. Do we have the courage to stand up for our convictions even when we are being laughed at? Whose opinion matters more – God’s or those who surround us?

4. Carrying of the Cross – Patience

Patience is something we all seem to have difficulty with. Jesus patiently carried his cross through the streets of Jerusalem on the way to his Crucifixion. We can look to him for help when we are tempted to lose our patience.

5. Crucifixion – Salvation, Self-Denial

Jesus gave up everything for us on the cross. His took on the sins of the world, past, present, and future, and died for our salvation. We need to be so thankful for that gift. At the same time, when we are asked to die to ourselves and put others first, we can look to the cross for the example of total self-giving.
Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection – Faith It takes great faith to believe that Jesus rose from the dead and that we, too, shall rise. As Jesus told his apostles, “Blessed are that who have not seen, and yet believe.” This mystery offers us help in maintaining that faith. “Lord, I believe. Please help my unbelief!”

2. The Ascension – Hope, Desire for Heaven

We hope for a world that is better than this one. We desire to live forever with Jesus in heaven. May that hope help shape our lives here on Earth.

3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Wisdom, Love of God

The disciples were scared. They huddled together in that upper room not sure of what to do. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon them and they were ready to go out and give their very lives in service to God. May the Holy Spirit also grant us that wisdom and love of God.

4. The Assumption of Mary – Devotion to Mary

Mary was brought up to heaven body and soul. We are devoted to her because of her relationship to her Son and because God saw fit to raise her up. “Blessed are you among women and Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.”

5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Eternal Happiness

Mary is the Queen of Heaven, enjoying forever her rightful place next to her Son. May we one day share in her happiness.

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MEDITATIONS FROM THE MYSTICAL CITY OF GOD

A thought for each Hail Mary, taken from the “Mystical City of God,” by Sister Mary of Jesus of Agreda.

The Annunciation.

The first day: God makes the most holy Mary a participant of his wisdom.
The second day: He makes her a participant of the divine omnipotence.
The third day: He manifests to her the desire of his divine love to come to the aid of men.
The fourth day: He manifests to her the new law of grace.
The fifth day: the Princess is instructed in the great mysteries regarding the number of the predestined and the reprobate.
The sixth day: The Most High manifests to Mary, our Mistress, additional mysteries and shows her the works of the sixth day of creation.
The Most High celebrates a new espousal with the Princess of Heaven, in order to inaugurate the nuptials of the Incarnation.
The great Queen pleads for the hastening of the Incarnation.
The Most High manifests to her the fabric of the universe, and makes her Sovereign and Queen of all.
Mary listens to the message of the holy angel; the mystery of the Incarnation is enacted by the conception of the eternal Word in her womb.

The Visitation.

Mary and Joseph journey to Juda: “The Lord be with you, my dearest cousin.”
The Redeemer justifies the soul of John; Mary says: “May God save thee, my dearest cousin, and may his divine light communicate to thee grace and life.”
Elizabeth and John see the Word made man, and extol Him and his Mother.
Elizabeth and Mary, like two seraphim, discourse on these mysteries.
A sweet competition arises between the two cousins.
The heavenly Princess converses with her angels.
Our Queen obtains pardon and remedy for a servant of the house, and the love of chastity for a woman living in the neighborhood.
The Queen receives in her arms the new-born Precursor.
St. Elizabeth secures the good counsel and instruction of the Mother of wisdom.
Most holy Mary commands the dumbness of Zacharias to leave him.

The Nativity.

The ten thousand angels accompany Mary and Joseph, composing new songs in honor of the Lord.
The heavenly Lady exercises heroic virtues in return for the in-hospitality of mortals.
The Virgin Mother beholds the Godhead itself for over an hour.
At the end of the rapture, the most exalted Lady gave to the world the Onlybegotten of the Father.
She received her Son in her arms from the hands of the holy an-gels and said: “My sweetest love and light of my eyes, Thou hast arrived in good hour into this world as the Sun of justice, in order to disperse the darkness of sin and death! True God of the true God, save thy servants, and let all flesh see him, who shall draw upon it salvation.”
The shepherds come to adore the Lord.
The most holy name of Jesus is brought from heaven by two cohorts of angels.
The divine Infant is circumcised and receives the name Jesus.
There is an interchange of caresses between the Infant and His Mother.
The three kings of the Orient come to adore the Word made man in Bethlehem.

The Presentation

The Holy Family journeys to Jerusalem, accompanied by many angels in visible human forms.
Simeon and Anne are enlightened and send the chief procurator to receive the holy Travelers.
The great Princess passes the night in divine colloquies.
Upon entering the temple, the most blessed Mother is immersed in an intellectual vision of the most holy Trinity.
Simeon offers the Infant Jesus up to the Eternal Father and ad-dresses himself to the most holy Mother.
The heavenly Lady begins a novena in the temple, and on the fifth day the Divinity reveals itself to her.
The angel of the Lord appears to St. Joseph.
The ten thousand heavenly courtiers accompany Jesus, Mary and Joseph as they set forth from the portals of the city.
An angel proceeds to inform the fortunate and blessed Elizabeth of all these events.
Most Holy Mary entertains the poor in Gaza, and interchanges canticles of praise in honor of the infinite essence of God.

The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.

The Lord tries the most holy Mary for thirty days.
The sweetest Jesus, most pure Mary, and Joseph go up together to the feasts of the unleavened breads, accompanied by ten thousand angels.
Jesus and Mary perform heroic works of charity for the benefit of mortals.
The afflicted Mother returns to Jerusalem, questioning the ten thousand angels.
She searches the byways and hospital of Jerusalem.
The most holy Mother and St. Joseph arrive at the temple and she approaches her most loving Son and speaks to him the words recorded by St. Luke.
At some distance from Jerusalem, the most prudent Lady kneels before her Son and his soul is revealed to her.
Upon arriving at Nazareth, the great Lady responds to the obedience and subjection of her most holy Son by heroic works.
The great Queen has a vision of the Divinity, in which she perceives that the holy Trinity decrees that she is to receive the New Testament.
The Lord enlightens the most blessed Mother by giving her a knowledge of the whole militant Church, the Sacraments, the doctrines, and all the Scriptures.

The Agony in the Garden.

The Lord washes the feet of the disciples.
The Lord celebrates the sacramental supper.
The Lord’s prayer in the garden, and His sorrow at the reprobation of so many.
The Eternal Father sends the Archangel Michael.
Christ returns to visit the Apostles and weeps over their sloth and negligence.
Christ is delivered into the hands of his enemies by the treason of Judas.
The Lord spoke to the soldiers: “I am He,” and they all fell back-wards to the ground.
The apostles flee, and most holy Mary from her retreat sees them and prays for them.
Jesus the Savior is dragged to the house of Annas, where the wicked servant strikes Him in the face.
Christ is dragged to the house of Caiphas, and proclaims that He is the Son of God.

The Scourging at the Pillar.

Frightful insults were heaped upon the Redeemer, during which He established the beatitudes, which He had promised and proposed some time before.
The Savior is locked in a dungeon and the ministers of wicked-ness insult Him again.
The council convenes and condemns Christ to death.
The executioners bring Christ to the house of Pilate; the Blessed Virgin goes forth to meet Him, and prostrates herself before His sovereign Person.
Christ is sent to Herod and mocked.
Herod sends the Lord back to Pilate, during which the multitudes trod Him underfoot and kicked Him.
Christ is stripped and bound to one of the columns.
The first pair of executioners scourged the innocent Savior with thick cords, full of rough knots.
The second pair continued the scourging with hardened leather thongs.
The third pair of scourgers beat the Lord cruelly with extremely tough rawhides, and they also beat Him in the face and in the feet and hands, leaving unwounded not a single spot.

The Crowning with Thorns.

Jesus is clothed in a purple mantle.
A cap of woven thorns is placed on His head.
A contemptible reed is placed in His hand.
A violet-colored mantle is placed over His shoulders.
The soldiers bent their knees and buffeted Him.
Then they snatched the cane from His hands and struck Him.
They ejected their disgusting spittle.
Pilate showed Him to the people and said: “Ecce homo!” Mary fell upon her knees and openly adored Him as the true God-man. The same was also done by saint John and the holy women.
Pilate decrees the sentence of death against the author of life.
The Redeemer addressed the Cross with a countenance full of extreme joy.

The Carrying of the Cross.

The sorrowful Mother feels in soul and body the same torments as her Son.
The heavenly Mother hinders Lucifer and his companions.
She meets her Son face to face.
The sorrow of the most sincere Dove and Virgin Mother was be-yond all human thought while She witnessed with her own eyes her Son carrying the Cross.
The sweetest Jesus speaks to the women.
Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross.
The invincible Mother prays on Mt. Calvary and offers her Son to the Eternal Father as a sacrifice for the redemption of man.
The Savior is stripped of the seamless tunic.
With inhuman cruelty He is nailed to the Cross.
His bones are dislocated.

The Crucifixion.

When the Queen of the angels perceived the insults heaped upon her Son, she was inflamed with a new zeal. By virtue of her prayer, all the elements were changed during the cruci-fixion and the hearts of the bystanders were enlightened.
Christ our Lord makes His testament in His prayer to the eternal Father, bestowing on the elect their inheritance, and disinheriting the reprobate.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
“Woman, behold thy son!” “Behold thy Mother!”
The side of Christ is opened with a lance.
The body of the Lord was taken down from the Cross and placed in the arms of most holy Mary.
The sacred body was embalmed with the aromatic ointments, and placed on a bier. The heavenly Queen, accompanied by many angels and by some of the faithful, proceeded to the sepulchre, and therein placed the sacred body of Jesus.
She passed the night in the deep consideration of these mysteries.
She consoles the Apostles.
She contemplates the soul of her Son descend into limbo.

The Resurrection.

The Savior arose from the grave, and in the presence of the saints and Patriarchs He promised universal resurrection to all men. The great Queen was aware of this and participated in it from her retreat in the Cenacle.
Accompanied by the saints and Patriarchs, our Savior appeared to the most blessed Mary, and she enjoyed briefly the beatific vision.
Still remaining in her exalted state, the great Lady turned to the holy Patriarchs and all the just, and spoke to each in succession.
The Lord appeared to Mary Magdalen and the holy women. Then they sought the Queen of Heaven to tell Her of the events.
The Lord appeared to Cleophas and St. Luke on the road to Emmaus.
The Lord appeared to the Apostles and later to St. Thomas. They immediately sought most holy Mary in order to relate to Her what had happened.
The Lord appeared at the sea of Tiberias to St. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples. Most holy Mary had a full intelligence of these mysteries and preserved them within her most prudent and chaste heart.
The great Lady persevered in her retirement for the forty days after the Resurrection and there enjoyed the sight of her divine Son and of the angels and saints.
Amid all the delights and jubilations of her retreat, the kindest Mother did not forget the misery of the children of Eve, and like a true Mother of mercy, offered for all of them her most fervent prayers.
The Eternal Father and the Holy Ghost appeared in the Cenacle upon a throne of ineffable splendor, surrounded by the choirs of angels and saints there present, and they entrusted Mary with the care of the Church and the new law of grace.

The Ascension.

On the day of the Ascension, while the Lord was at the table with the eleven Apostles, other disciples and pious women gathered at the Cenacle, and the Lord bade them not to leave Jerusalem until He should send the Holy Spirit.
With this little flock Jesus left the Cenacle and conducted them all through the streets of Jerusalem to mount Olivet.
Jesus, His countenance beaming forth peace and majesty, joined his hands and, by his own power, began to raise Himself from the earth, drawing after Him also the celestial choirs of the angels and the holy Patriarchs. The most blessed Lady was raised up with her divine Son and placed at his right hand.
The entire divine procession arrived at the supreme regions of the empyrean, and the angels repeated the words of David: “Open, ye princes, open your gates eternal; let them be raised and opened up, and receive into his dwelling the great King of glory, the Lord of virtues, the Powerful in battle, the Strong and Invincible, who comes triumphant and victorious over all His enemies.”
The Eternal Father placed upon the throne of his Divinity at his right hand, the incarnate Word, and in such glory and majesty, that He filled with new admiration and reverential fear all the inhabitants of heaven.
The great Queen hovered at the footstool of the royal throne, and prostrate she adored the Father and broke out in new canticles of praise for the glory communicated to His Son.
The Redeemer sent down two angels in white and resplendent garments, who appeared to all the disciples to console and encourage them.
After having remained in heaven for three days, enjoying in body and soul the glory of the right hand of her Son and true God, the most holy Mary departed with the benediction of the blessed Trinity from the highest empyrean and returned to the earth. She was enveloped in a cloud or globe of most resplendent light, and was borne downward by the seraphim, amid great splendor.
The three days in which the great Lady enjoyed the after-effects of glory and while the redundance of its splendors gradually lessened, She spent in most ardent and divine sentiments of love, gratitude and ineffable humility.
She began to converse with the faithful, offering prayers for all who in future ages were to receive the grace of the holy Catholic faith.

The Descent of the Holy Ghost.

A few days later she spent five hours with the Incarnate Word, enjoying His presence.
She instructed and prepared the Apostles and disciples for the advent of the Holy Ghost.
Prostrate in the form of a cross, she saw the petition of the Savior to send the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is sent, and the Blessed Virgin enjoys briefly the beatific vision.
The Apostles preach, and three thousand are converted.
The Blessed Mother speaks words of consolation to the new converts.
The catechumens are baptized; St. Peter celebrates the first Mass.
From her retirement the great Lady by especial vision saw the martyrdom of saint Stephen and his entrance into heaven.
She fasted for forty days, in preparation for the formulation of the Creed.
She prayed for the conversion of St. Paul, and witnessed it by an especial vision.

The Assumption.

The most blessed Mary takes leave of the holy places and of the Holy Church; she makes her will.
Three days before, St. Peter arrives; he speaks to the assembly.
The Blessed Virgin kneels before St. Peter and St. John, and takes leave of the entire assembly.
The Incarnate Word descends from heaven; the angels sing the canticles.
Surrounded by the Apostles, the most blessed Mother dies of love.
The assembly sings hymns and psalms; great miracles occur.
The Apostles bear her body in procession to the valley of Josaphat and place it in a sepulchre.
The soul of Mary is received into glory and placed upon the throne of the most Holy Trinity.
Christ descends from heaven, accompanied by many angels and saints; Mary’s soul resuscitates her body.
The saints and angels formed a solemn procession and ascended into heaven; the most blessed Mary arrived at the throne of the most blessed Trinity and was received by the three divine Persons with an embrace eternally indissoluble.

The Coronation.

The most blessed Mary was assigned to the supreme position and state on the throne of the most blessed Trinity.
The eternal Father spoke to the angels and saints and said: “Our daughter Mary was chosen according to Our pleasure from among all creatures. We recognize Her dominion by crowning Her as the legitimate and peerless Lady and Sovereign.”
The Incarnate Word said: “Of all things over which I am King, She too shall be the legitimate and supreme Queen.”
The Holy Ghost said: “Since She is called my beloved and chosen Spouse, She deserves to be crowned as Queen for all eternity.”
The three divine Persons then placed upon the head of the most blessed Mary a crown of such new splendor and value, that the like has been seen neither before nor after by any mere creature.
At the same time a voice sounded from the throne saying: “My Beloved, chosen among the creatures, our kingdom is Thine; Thou shalt be the Lady and the Sovereign of the seraphim, of all the ministering spirits, the angels and of the entire universe of creatures. Receive now the supreme dignity deserved by Thee and the dominion over all creatures.”
The Almighty commanded all the courtiers of heaven, angels and men, to recognize Her as their Queen and Lady, and all rendered homage to her, especially saints Joseph, Joachim and Anne, and the thousand angels of her guard.
Within her body, over her heart, was visible a small globe or monstrance of singular beauty, in testimony of her having received holy Communion so worthily and holily.
St. Peter calls the Apostles and disciples, and decides to remove the stone from the sepulchre; he takes out the tunic and mantle and they sing psalms and hymns in honor of Mary.
An angel of the Lord descends from heaven to console the Apostles, and from her throne Mary takes care of them and protects them in their wanderings and at the hour of their martyrdom.

LITANY OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for our dear country.
Our Lady of Fatima, sanctify our clergy.
Our Lady of Fatima, make our Catholics more fervent.
Our Lady of Fatima, guide and inspire those who govern us.
Our Lady of Fatima, cure the sick who confide in thee.
Our Lady of Fatima, console the sorrowful who trust in thee.
Our Lady of Fatima, help those who invoke your aid.
Our Lady of Fatima, deliver us from all dangers.
Our Lady of Fatima, help us to resist temptation.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain for us all that we lovingly ask of thee.
Our Lady of Fatima, help those who are dear to us.
Our Lady of Fatima, bring back to the right road our erring brothers.
Our Lady of Fatima, give us back our ancient fervour.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain for us pardon of our manifold sins and offences.
Our Lady of Fatima, bring all men to the feet of thy Divine Child.
Our Lady of Fatima, obtain peace for the world.

O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Let Us Pray:
O God of infinite goodness and mercy, fill our hearts with a great confidence in Thy dear Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary and our Lady of Fatima, and grant us by her powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

United in Prayer: 

Honouring St. John Paul II through the Rosary and Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima

Guidelines for Our Online “Hour of Holiness”  As we gather for our online Hour of Holiness, let's remember that our purpose is to connect with Jesus through his Mother Mary and each other in a spirit of unity and reverence. Here are some guidelines to help us create a smooth and meaningful experience for everyone: Join Early: Please join the meeting 5-10 minutes early to ensure you are ready when we begin. This helps us start on time and minimises disruptions. Mute Your Microphone: To reduce background noise and distractions, please keep your microphone muted unless you are pre-delegated a prayer to Lead or Respond to. This allows everyone to focus on the prayers and messages being shared. Remember, God hears our prayers even when our microphones are muted. Video On (Optional): We encourage you to keep your video on if you are comfortable. This helps us feel more connected as a community, all from various Parishes of Goa - Far North to Far South, all on one platform praying together.. However, if you prefer, you can turn off your video. Respectful Backgrounds: If you have your video on, please ensure your background is appropriate and free from distractions. You may use a virtual background if needed. Stay Present: Please avoid multitasking during the One hour of Prayer. Give your full attention to the prayers and messages being shared, as this is a sacred time for us all. Participation: If you are pre-invited to speak or lead a prayer, (1) switch your video on, (2) unmute yourself and speak clearly. Once you have finished, please mute yourself again. Use the Chat: Feel free to use the chat feature to share prayer requests, messages of encouragement, or any technical issues you may be experiencing. However, keep chat messages respectful and relevant to our gathering. Be Patient: Technical issues can happen. If you encounter any problems, please be patient and understanding. We will do our best to resolve any issues promptly. Dress Code: Dress modestly and appropriately, as you would for an in-person meeting. This helps maintain a respectful and reverent atmosphere. End with Grace: At the end of the meeting, remain online for a few moments to say goodbye and share any final thoughts or blessings with the group. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Let us come together in faith, knowing that God is with us, hearing our prayers, and blessing our time together.

United in Prayer: 

Honouring St. John Paul II through the Rosary and Devotion to Our Lady of Fatima | Pray for increased Vocations and for our Priests

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Hail Mary……

Opening Prayer:  (Feast of St. John Paul II - October 22nd) 

O God, who entrusted the care of Your Church to St. John Paul II, we gather in prayer on this feast day to honour his legacy of faith and love. Inspired by his devotion to the Rosary and his consecration of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we turn to you, O Blessed Mother, seeking your intercession. We ask for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, that many may hear and respond to Your call with generous hearts.

In a world where our priests face slander and criticism, grant them strength and courage to carry their crosses as they serve Your people. May they be guided by the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and find solace in Your loving embrace. We pray this through your intercession and the intercession of St. John Paul II, who devoted his life to spreading the message of your love and mercy. Amen.

Meditative Rosary: Sorrowful Mysteries

1. All Responses - Led by Cecilia Fernandes | Leader - WAF Tropa Parish

2. Led By Francis |  WAF Caranzalem Parish

Apostles Creed,,,

Our Father x 1

Hail Mary x 3

Led by Carmeline Vaz. Mumbai - ExCom Member of WAF Indian Nation Council 1. First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden Fruit of the Mystery: Sorrow for Sin

Meditation:
As we meditate on Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, we contemplate His deep sorrow and anguish as He prays to the Father, facing the weight of humanity’s sins. In His suffering, Christ exemplifies obedience to the Father’s will and love for all people, even as He anticipates betrayal, abandonment, and the cross.

St. John Paul II, throughout his life, found strength in prayer during his own moments of suffering and anguish, especially through the Rosary. After surviving the assassination attempt on May 13, 1981, he believed Our Lady of Fatima’s intercession had saved his life. Like Christ in Gethsemane, John Paul II offered his suffering in union with Christ’s for the salvation of souls. He would often say, “The Rosary is my favourite prayer,” turning to it not only as a source of personal solace but as a powerful means of entrusting the Church and its people to the maternal care of the Blessed Virgin.

As Jesus suffered in the garden, He asked His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him. In this mystery, we are called to do the same—to stay vigilant in prayer for our priests and those discerning vocations, who face immense spiritual and worldly trials.

Intention:
Lord Jesus, in this mystery, we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Inspired by St. John Paul II’s devotion to Our Lady of Fatima, we ask that through her intercession, young men and women may respond generously to the call to serve You. May they, like Your Son in Gethsemane, say “yes” to the Father’s will, even when faced with challenges and suffering.

We also lift up our priests, who are Your shepherds. They often face criticism, slander, and spiritual attacks, even from those they serve. Give them the grace to remain steadfast in their mission, persevering in faith and love, no matter the trials they endure. Strengthen them to bear their crosses with courage, and protect them from the assaults of the enemy.

Mother Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, enfold our priests in your loving care. Lead them to your Son, and help them to be beacons of His mercy and compassion in the world. Through your intercession, may the Church flourish with new vocations, and may our priests remain strong, faithful, and holy.

Amen.

Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be…

Decade Prayer.. O, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell….

“Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse

Hymn - Ave , Ave Ave Maria ….. 

4. (Led by Shalom - Vagator Parish)

2. Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

Fruit of the Mystery: Purity

Meditation:
In this mystery, we meditate on the brutal scourging that Jesus endured. His innocent body was wounded and torn as He accepted the suffering necessary to redeem humanity. As each lash struck His flesh, Jesus endured humiliation, physical pain, and rejection, all for the salvation of souls.St. John Paul II experienced profound suffering in his life, particularly during the assassination attempt in 1981. Yet he understood suffering through the lens of Christ’s passion and the Rosary, often turning to prayer during his darkest moments. In his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, he called the Rosary a “school of Mary” that draws us closer to the heart of her Son. It was through this devotion that he sought strength, particularly in times of adversity.

John Paul II’s deep connection to Our Lady of Fatima sustained him through trials, just as she continues to sustain the Church. As priests endure challenges today—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual—they are often subjected to the modern-day scourges of slander, criticism, and misunderstanding. Through this mystery, we reflect on the sufferings of our priests and offer prayers for their perseverance.

Intention:
Lord Jesus, in this mystery, we offer our prayers for an increase in vocations. As You endured the scourging for love of us, we ask that You inspire young men and women to courageously answer the call to serve You as priests and religious, offering their lives in service of Your Church.

We also pray for our priests, who carry heavy crosses in their ministry, often facing unjust criticism and personal attacks. Strengthen them, Lord, in their resolve to follow You, and protect them from discouragement or despair. May they find solace in the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima, just as St. John Paul II did during his own trials. Help them to remain faithful to their vocation and confident in Your love, even when confronted with the scourges of the world.  Mother Mary, wrap our priests in your mantle of protection. Help them to find refuge in your Son’s wounds and strength in your Immaculate Heart. May their sufferings, united with Christ’s, bear fruit in the salvation of souls and the renewal of the Church.

Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be…

Decade Prayer.. O, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell….

“Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse

Hymn - Ave , Ave Ave Maria ….. 

(Led by Jovita Mendonca - Caranzalem Parish Member of World Apostolate of Fatima - Goa) 3. Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns Fruit of the Mystery: Courage

Meditation

In this mystery, we reflect on Jesus’ crowning with thorns, where He was mocked and humiliated, yet accepted this suffering with humility and love for our salvation.

St. John Paul II, devoted to the Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima, saw suffering as a path to deeper union with Christ. He endured many trials, turning to the Rosary for strength, and entrusted his life to Mary with "Totus Tuus." (Totally Yours) Like Jesus’ crown of thorns, our priests often bear spiritual and emotional suffering through criticism and slander, yet are called to endure with love and humility.

Intention:

Lord Jesus, as You bore the crown of thorns, we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Grant courage to those called, and help our priests endure the wounds of slander and criticism with patience and trust in You. 

May Our Lady of Fatima, who guided St. John Paul II, protect and strengthen our priests as they lead Your flock, finding peace in her Immaculate Heart. Amen.

Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be…

Decade Prayer.. O, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell….

“Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse

Hymn - Ave , Ave Ave Maria ….. 

6)  (Led by Maria Lopez-  Leader | WAF Ribandar Parish) 4. Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross Fruit of the Mystery: Patience

Meditation:

In this mystery, we contemplate Jesus carrying His cross to Calvary, burdened by the sins of the world. Out of love, He embraced this path for our salvation, modelling for us the acceptance of suffering, especially for those called to serve Him in vocations.

St. John Paul II, deeply devoted to the Rosary and Our Lady of Fatima, carried many crosses during his life, including illness and leading the Church through trials. Like Jesus, he recognised his mission to carry the cross for the church, finding strength in prayer and Mary’s intercession.

As we reflect on Christ's cross, we remember the burdens priests carry today: leadership, criticism, and slander. Yet they continue to walk Christ's path with humility and service.

Intention:

Lord Jesus, as You carried Your cross, we pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Grant those called the strength and courage to serve. We also pray for priests enduring criticism and slander. Protect and strengthen them as they bear their crosses in union with You, finding solace in Your love and the prayers of Our Lady of Fatima, as St. John Paul II did.

Through Mary’s intercession, may our priests faithfully carry their crosses and lead Your people to holiness. Amen

Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be…

Decade Prayer.. O, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell….

“Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse

Hymn - Ave , Ave Ave Maria ….. 

7) (Lead by  Cheryl Menezes - Betim | Member of World Apostolate of Fatima - Goa ) 5. Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion and Death of Our Lord Fruit of the Mystery: Salvation

Meditation:
In this mystery, we meditate on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. His outstretched arms bore the weight of the world’s sins as He offered His life for our salvation. His death was the fulfilment of God’s redemptive plan, a moment of great love and self-offering that opened the gates of heaven for all humanity.

St. John Paul II had a profound devotion to the Crucifixion, often reflecting on the mystery of Christ’s redemptive suffering. He united his own suffering with Christ’s, especially after surviving the assassination attempt on May 13, 1981—an event he believed was miraculously connected to Our Lady of Fatima. Deepening his Marian devotion, he consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984, fulfilling the request of Our Lady of Fatima for peace in the world and the conversion of sinners. This act of consecration was a powerful expression of entrusting the Church and the world to Mary’s maternal protection.

As we contemplate Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, we also lift up our priests, who offer their lives daily in service to the Church. They, too, share in the sufferings of Christ as they face challenges, criticism, and slander. Through their vocation, they participate in Christ’s priesthood, offering themselves as instruments of His mercy and love.

Intention:
Lord Jesus, in this mystery, we pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life. As You offered Your life on the Cross, inspire young men and women to offer their lives to You through service in the Church. May they hear Your call and respond with generous hearts, dedicating their lives to Your mission of love and salvation.

We also pray for our priests, who, like You, often face trials and persecution. In a world where they are subject to criticism and slander, give them the grace to remain steadfast in their vocation, trusting in Your love and finding strength in Your Cross. Just as You entrusted the world to Your Mother at the foot of the Cross, we entrust our priests to the protection of Our Lady of Fatima. May her maternal care shield them from harm and strengthen them in their ministry.

St. John Paul II entrusted the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, recognizing her as the powerful intercessor for peace and conversion. Through her intercession, we ask for the protection of our priests, that they may serve with purity of heart and unwavering faith, despite the crosses they bear.

Mother Mary, as you stood by Your Son at the foot of the Cross, stand by our priests in their suffering and challenges. Guide them, protect them, and lead them closer to Your Son, that they may continue to be faithful shepherds to His flock.

Amen.

Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be…

Decade Prayer.. O, My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell….

“Come, Holy Spirit, come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, your well-beloved spouse

Hymn - Ave , Ave Ave Maria ….. 

8) Led By ________

HAIL HOLY QUEEN…  LET US PRAY Oh God, Whose only begotten Son, by his life, death and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant we beseech Thee, that meditating on these mysteries of the most Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain, and obtain what they promise, through the same christ, Our Lord Amen.

Closing Prayer: (Lester DeMello-World Apostolate of Fatima - Goa)

Loving God,
As we conclude our time of prayer on this feast of St. John Paul II, we thank You for the example of his life, a life dedicated to serving You with love, courage, and unwavering faith. Through his witness, we have seen the power of the Rosary, the importance of consecration to Our Lady, and the call to trust in Your providence in times of trial.

We lift up to You once more our priests, who carry the burdens of leadership in Your Church. Protect them from all harm, especially from the wounds of slander and unjust criticism. Strengthen them with the grace of Your Holy Spirit, that they may continue to serve with humility and perseverance, just as Christ carried His Cross.

We also ask You to bless Your Church with an abundance of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. May those whom You are calling respond with generous hearts, ready to dedicate their lives to Your service. May they, like St. John Paul II, place their trust in the Immaculate Heart of Mary and walk in the footsteps of Your Son.

As we go forth from this time of prayer, we ask for the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima and St. John Paul II. May their prayers guide us closer to Your heart, and may we continue to live our lives in faithful service to You.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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