Fortnight to Freedom

Dear Sisters,

Friday, June 21st, begins the Fortnight to Freedom which is rooted in our deep desire to preserve religious liberty in our nation.  In addition to fasting and/or offering sacrifices on all Fridays for religious liberty throughout the Year of Faith we have been encouraged to pray the rosary daily, and to attend monthly Eucharistic holy hours for religious liberty.  As the Fortnight for Freedom approaches, it is time for us to "up the ante" in our prayers and activities for this very important freedom, so I will make a few suggestions:

1. Attend the opening Mass, 7pm June 21, for the Fortnight at the Basilica in Baltimore:http://www.archbalt.org/about-us/fortnightforfreedom/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=84176

2.  Attend the closing Mass, 12 noon July 4, at the National Shrine:http://www.sacredproperty.org/event.html

3. Attend the Knights of Columbus Religious Liberty Vigil June 22:http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/uploadedFiles/Library/docs/Communications/6-7-13%20prayer%20vigil.pdf.  Mass is at 7pm, with the Vigil following at 8:45pm

4.  Participate in the Archdiocese of Washington Sacred Property visit program (this could be especially cool for our families!--there are many sites on the list which are part of the Year of Faith indulgence list.  http://site.adw.org/faithquest  (this is really cool, please check it out!)

5.  Pray the Rosary each day, as a family, for Religious Liberty

6. Attend a talk on Religious Liberty or one of the Eucharistic Holy Hours.  Please check your parish bulletin and the diocesan site for ideas and times: http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/religiousliberty/index.aspx

7. Pray the Novena to the Mother of God For the Nation which we offered last fall.  (I have attached a copy here).  

8. Pray a Novena to St. Thomas More (our diocesan patron) whose Feast Day is celebrated this Saturday along with St. John Fisher.  Here is one option: http://www.stthomasmoresociety.org/STMNOVENAPRAYERs.pdf

9.  Read a daily reflection on Dignitatis Humanae, the Vatican II document on Religious Freedom.  This in particular, would be a good choice: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/upload/Fortnight-Reflections-pref-statement.pdf

You can also access the document on a "day by day" basis. The links are here: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/fortnight-for-freedom-reflections.cfm

There are many ways you can participate in the Fortnight for Freedom, so I urge you to pick at least one, and commit to doing it.  

I also ask you to consider checking out the blog Conversation with Women.  So many of us have been hurt by the lies of the "benefits" and "rights" and dare I say "need" for contraception and abortion. This blog has beautiful stories from real women who have suffered and found peace.  I encourage you to read these wonderful words of hope. 

http://www.conversationwithwomen.org/

My prayers are with you,

Melissa

Our Blessed Mother

One of my most fond memories was as a small girl, I think I was around four years old.  My siblings were at school and my mother pulled me aside to give me something that was very dear to her heart.  It was a Miraculous Medal.  She told me that I had a Mother who was always with me, and that I should always turn to her.  I was to treasure this simple medal, and the blessings it represented, for many years.  Sadly, somewhere in our military moves, it got lost, but I still remember that day: the light in the living room, the sweater I was wearing, and my mother's face as she bent down to place this medal in my hand with the most tender of movements.  My mother's eyes were filled with love.  I am so grateful for that gift.

I turn to our Mother often-asking for help, thanking her for the many blessings she has bestowed on my family, and at times, simply resting in her gaze.  As we celebrate the month of May, and in particular the Feasts of Our Lady of Fatima and Mary, Help of Christians, I urge you to increase your devotion and affection to Our Blessed Mother.  May she bring comfort to each of our souls.

Melissa

Answered prayers

The young man's father passed away a week ago surrounded by the love and prayers of family and friends.  Suffering and death have a way of rearranging our priorities.  This family showed  how, in the darkest of times, the light and love of God can be sought and found.  I will continue to pray for an increase of vocations in our diocese in honor of this family and the fine priest that served them through this difficult time, and for the repose of the soul of this loving dad.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, 

and let perpetual light shine upon him.  

May he rest in peace.

Prayer for the intercession of Frank Parater

A prayer asking for the intercession of Frank Parater can be found below.  I have also pasted a link to the diocesan website about this Servant of God.  

Thanking you in advance for your prayers,
Melissa

Loving Father, Your servant, Frank Parater, sought perfection as a student, scout, and seminarian.  He offered himself to You completely through the Sacred Heart of Your beloved Son, Jesus. Through the intercession of Frank Parater, may young  people answer Your call to follow Jesus as priests and religious.  Grant the favors I seek, so that Your Church may recognize his holiness and proclaim him Blessed.   Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen  

http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/vocations/voc_parater.php

Prayer to Our Lady by St Maximillian Kolbe

Click on prayer to "zoom in"

Allow me to praise You, O most holy Virgin, with my personal commitment and sacrifice.

Allow me to live, work, suffer, be consumed and die for You, just for You.

Allow me to bring the whole world to you.

Allow me to contribute to Your ever greater exaltation, to Your greatest possible exaltation.

Allow me to give You such glory that no one else has ever given You up to now.

Allow others to surpass me in zeal for Your exaltation, and me to surpass them, so that by means of such noble rivalry Your glory may increase ever more profoundly, ever more rapidly, ever more intensely as He Who has exalted You so indescribably above all other beings Himself desires.

In You alone has God been adored beyond compare, more than in all His saints.

For You God has created the world. For You God has also called me to existence. For what reason have I merited this fortune?

Oh, allow me to praise You, O most holy Virgin!

Director's Message

I have been thinking of our unique position as children of God and what that union entails for us as His daughters.  We are blessed with sanctifying grace, given access to the Sacraments, and are called to unite ourselves more fully with the sufferings of Christ.   As I mentioned at Easter, I am inclined to think of my day as a love letter to Our Lord.  As I look back on my Lent (and my life), I see so much failure: not keeping my sacrifices, realizing how attached I am to my own will, etc. But I also have great hope.  Christ looks on each one of us with His eyes of love, and literally begs us to accept His forgiveness and peace.  He desires to take all of our failures, disappointments, and hurts, and purify them in the furnace of His love so they may be presented to the Father as a sacrifice that is "acceptable and pleasing".  His love does not fail.  

My "love letter" is a renewal of my promise to seek the "pleasing of Him in all things".  To offer my tattered, yet hope-filled, heart to Him to be loved, and to love Him in return.  I desire each time things do not go my way today (and every day), to place these pricks upon my heart as a sacrifice of love on one of His five wounds, begging the grace in the moment to do as He wills, or as will too often happen, asking Him to perfect my actions where I fall short.  

In each of these moments my heart will be united to yours, knowing that through our united prayers and God's grace, our struggles will indeed be loved and perfected by Christ. 

Director's Message: Our Pope

The announcement from our Holy Father this morning that he will be stepping down at the end of the month saddens my heart, for he has been a good and faithful servant. At the same time it is also a beautiful reminder that the Holy Spirit has always been with the Church, and always will. Our Lord asks us to trust, and pray. 

 As we enter Lent, I urge each of us to direct our prayers and sacrifices to the needs of holy Mother Church. This is a time of great grace, and as Scripture reminds us, "the gates of hell shall not prevail against us" (Mt 16:18). God never loses battles. Trust in His providence. To prepare our hearts, and the hearts of the Cardinals, check out the prayer for the upcoming conclave. 

I remain with you in prayer,
Melissa

Novena Prayer for the Conclave

Heavenly Father,

We, the people of God, gathered in solidarity as did the disciples in the Upper Room, pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the cardinals who will be in conclave for the election of the next Vicar of our Lord Jesus Christ. May the hearts of our cardinals be open to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, beyond any human judgment, to elect the candidate most pleasing to you, Heavenly Father, and who will guide the Church at this momentous time in history and the beginning of the Third Millenium.

We invoke our Mother Mary, united in prayer with the disciples in the Upper Room, to intercede for our cardinals to select the next Holy Father in docility to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, her divine Spouse. With Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, we entrust this conclave to your maternal and Immaculate Heart, and offer these prayers for your guidance and protection over the choosing of the next Vicar of your Son.

Our Father...

Hail Mary...

Glory Be...

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

(credit: Dr. Mark Miravalle)

Availability

This morning, as I spent time with Our Lord, some words from Adrienne von Speyr really struck me. I would like to share this thought with you: When you approach the Father in prayer, do you come with a heart directed to "availability"? This is not the availability of the Father to hear you, but rather of you to hear the Father, to be present to what He desires for you. Ask Our Lady to teach you her prayer of availability. May the Spirit of God fill your heart with His wisdom and peace.