Pilgrims! Please come and tell others...

 Pilgrimage to Guadalupe – August 14-18, 2009 had to cancel but that does not mean we can’t go or celebrate…we will go via prayer and the blog! 

 

INVITATION: Monsignor Andrew Vaccari from BROOKLYN just let us know that he is coming into Elkhorn, NE to the Pro Sanctity Retreat Center. We are going to have a little gathering to celebrate our Lady of Guadalupe and in honor of the Assumption on Sunday, August 16^th, 2009

 

Sunday, August 16^th  will be a time of prayer, a talk by Msgr. Andrew Vaccari and picnic dinner. Everyone is welcome, 5:00-9:00 pm Retreat Center in Elkhorn. 11002 North 204th Street psm@prosanctity.org

 

Let us know if you can come... if you would like to bring something for the potluck, that would be great too!

11002 N. 204th St. Elkhorn, NE 68022

 psm@prosanctity.org or 402-289-2670

 

 

Check out our Virtual Pilgrimage to Guadalupe

…starting August 14, 2009 - on the Blog!

BLOG: http://prosanctity.blogspot.com/

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY....Pope Benedict XVI

May the Virgin Mary — proclaimed Mater Ecclesiae by Paul VI and honored by Christians as Speculum Iustitiae and Regina Pacis — protect us and obtain for us, through her heavenly intercession, the strength, hope and joy necessary to continue to dedicate ourselves with generosity to the task of bringing about the “development of the whole man and of all men”

 

Rosary #69 Charity in Truth

Charity in Truth

 

Meditated Rosary: Pope Benedict’s Encyclical, CARITAS IN VERITATE, #1

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

FIRST MYSTERY: Charity in truth, to which Jesus Christ bore witness by his earthly life and especially by his death and resurrection, is the principal driving force behind the authentic development of every person and of all humanity.

·        In this mystery we pray for awareness of the witness Charity in truth in Jesus Christ.

 

SECOND MYSTERY: Love — caritas — is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. It is a force that has its origin in God, Eternal Love and Absolute Truth. Each person finds his good by adherence to God's plan for him, in order to realize it fully: in this plan, he finds his truth, and through adherence to this truth he becomes free (cf. Jn 8:22).

·        Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to enlighten us in the work living out God’s plan in love and truth.

 

THIRD MYSTERY: To defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity. Charity, in fact, “rejoices in the truth” (1 Cor 13:6).

·        Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to help us rejoice in the truth and live it!

 

FOURTH MYSTERY: All people feel the interior impulse to love authentically: love and truth never abandon them completely, because these are the vocation planted by God in the heart and mind of every human person. The search for love and truth is purified and liberated by Jesus Christ from the impoverishment that our humanity brings to it, and he reveals to us in all its fullness the initiative of love and the plan for true life that God has prepared for us

·        .Let us continually meditate the movements of the Holy Spirit that lead us to live out the plan of love that God has for every human person.

 

FIFTH MYSTERY: In Christ, charity in truth becomes the Face of his Person, a vocation for us to love our brothers and sisters in the truth of his plan. Indeed, he himself is the Truth (cf. Jn 14:6).

·        We are invited in this mystery to see in Christ our vocation to love our brothers and sisters in the truth.

 

“Give us the Spirit of Love to guide us in living out your message, form in us the image of your Son and grant us the courage to extend to all, your invitation to holiness” (G. Giaquinta)

 

 

Rosary #66 - Bring all to prayer

 

Meditated Rosaries

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

 

“I must not worry. Even though I need to be concerned about things and occupations,

I must bring all to prayer.”

 

FIRST MYSTERY:

Every morning, every day, and every hour of our life is a call from God. This call can be heard only by those who are alert and vigilant, whose eyes and ears are open, in order to see and to hear, not necessarily with bodily eyes and ears but with the eyes and ears of the heart.

 

SECOND MYSTERY:

St. Benedict once said: “Bend the ear of your heart and listen.” This phrase is beautiful, for it expresses an active and participating listening. Many times we listen to God, but our listening does not transform us. We listen to each other, but not with the heart. Let us bend the ear of our heart that we may listen in truth and in love.

 

THIRD MYSTERY:

“Those things which eyes cannot see, and ear cannot hear, which God has prepared for those who love Him”: what makes our life unhappy is the fact that our hearts and minds remain closed, that we want to see and hear only through human eyes and ears, only with the eyes and ears of the flesh, our bodily eyes and ears. God uses a mysterious language: it is therefore urgent that we wake up, rise, listen, and be like sentinels. But in order to really listen, the heart must be touched and converted.

 

FOURTH MYSTERY:

In this spirituality of the present moment, listening is not enough, we must consent to receive all that the Lord provides for us each day – day by day, according to His will.  Listening and welcoming are two essential elements. The Lord freely provides nourishment for his hungry people with the daily manna sent down from the heaven. They were hungry and He satisfied their hunger. Today, and every day, we say: “Give us this day our daily bread.” 

 

FIFTH MYSTERY:

The Lord provides or today, therefore, “Do not worry about what you are to eat or to drink. Your father in heaven knows all your needs. Seek first the kingdom of God.” I must not worry. Even though I need to be concerned about things and occupations, I must bring all to prayer.

 

 

Meditations by Giuliana Spigone

 

 

Rosary #65 Duc in Altum

Meditated Rosaries

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

 “DUC IN ALTUM”

 

After he had finished speaking,

he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water

and lower your nets for a catch."

Simon said in reply,

"Master, we have worked hard all night

and have caught nothing,

but at your command

I will lower the nets."

Luke 5,4-5

First Mystery:

To believe is an attitude required of man. Christ’s invitation to believe is extended to us in every situation of life.

Second Mystery:

To believe that Jesus is the true vine, and therefore to remain firmly rooted in Him; to believe that we are God’s vineyard and therefore people precious and chosen by Him to bring much fruit.

Third Mystery:

To believe that the seed, that is the Word, will bring abundant fruit if kept it in the good soil.

 Fourth Mystery:

To believe that the risk of proclamation holds the promise of a great harvest.

Fifth Mystery:

To believe that to “put out into deep” without really fishing will leave us with empty nets; to believe that to go in depth will open our lives to divine perspectives.

 

Our desire for the General Assembly:

Duc in Altum!   We want to ‘put out into deep‘; we want to sail without fear, without being afraid of a fruitless night, we want to resume the catch with trust. More then anything we want to give glory to God and be grateful “ because in the face of chaotic situations, of suffering, and of despair that we find in the world, there is only one possibility: that a voice and a light may come from heaven to speak of hope and of security.  This light is Mary and this voice God’s Revelation to humankind. (G. Giaquinta, La Speranza, pag 29).

Meditations by Giuliana Spigone

 

 

Rosary #64 A seed of hope

Meditated Rosaries

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

The Apostolic Oblate

 

FIRST MYSTERY:

She is a seed of hope; a small sacrament, a sower of God in the family, work, life, in the entire world!

 

SECOND MYSTERY:

She goes as missionary full of love's experience, for a life-changing experience with Man-God.

 

THIRD MYSTERY:

She goes poor, but she can do all things in Him who gives her strength.

She goes silently into the world and allows herself to be led: her nature is transformed in freedom.

 

FOURTH MYSTERY:

The Oblate does not fear sacrifice: she lives the experience of a mother that opens her heart to the needs of her children.

The fruitfulness of the Spirit moves her to be open to dialogue with everyone.

 

FIFTH MYSTERY:

Her life is born from the heart beats of Christ who prays in her, waiting for faith, joy…

In this way her presence tirelessly repeats God's love to the entire world!

 

Text by Giuliana Spigone, 9 November 1974

 

 

Rosary #61 Pentecost Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day SEVEN*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

The Oblates shall have a special devotion and docility to the Holy Spirit, Who wills to bring about in every Christian the Father's eternal plan of love by molding everyone into the image of Christ.

 

Our theme for this rosary will be "Do nothing to sadden the Holy Spirit"

(Eph. 4: 25-42).  (Meditations by +G.G)

 

First Mystery

Father, give us the Spirit of love who leads us to live out your message.

 

Second Mystery

Come, Holy Spirit, Spirit of love and holiness.  You, who overshadowed Mary making her mother of the eternal Word, stay within us and make us apostles of holiness.

 

 

Third Mystery

Come, Holy Spirit, who gathered your Church in the Cenacle around the Immaculate Mary and the Apostles, instill in us the spirit of the Cenacle and help us gather in the unity of the family, our brother priests who will love you and share your love with all people.

 

Fourth Mystery

Come, Holy Spirit, we wish the Church and the world to become a Cenacle from which love for the Father and our brothers and sisters is spread.

 

Fifth Mystery

Holy Spirit, make us instruments of your plan of love. Amen.

 

 

Rosary #62 Pentecost Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day EIGHT*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

As they strive for holiness, the Oblates shall look upon Our Lady of Trust as the Mother who sustains, and see Her as the example upon whom to model themselves.

 

Our Lady, A Model of Trust -- A Rosary with quotes by +G. G.

 

First Mystery:  Annunciation Luke 1: 26-38

Mary is model of trust. She is a model for the trust she had in God: "Ecce - Behold; Fiat - be it done to me" are signs of her abandonment to the Lord and therefore her trust.

 

Second Mystery: Visitation Luke 1:45

"Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's word to her would be fulfilled."  Our Lady appears to us as someone on whom God has been able to depend, in whom he has placed his trust. Let us ask ourselves whether God can count on us. Can God trust us?

 

Third Mystery: Birth of Christ Luke 2:19

"Mary treasured all these things and reflected on them in her heart."  We can think of the Holy Spirit, of the ceaseless interior motions he had within Mary. She fully adhered to the plan of the Father, and could only follow faithfully the single movements of the Spirit who trusted her and counted on her.

 

Fourth Mystery: The Wedding at Cana Jn 2:1ff

At the wedding at Cana, Christ went before Mary with a giant step and our Lady followed. Christ knew he could count on her fidelity and he trusted her completely.

 

Fifth Mystery: At the Foot of the Cross Jn. 19:25-27

Even though our Lady had reasons not to trust, Mary accepts with faith, with serenity and with trust. She had trust in the love of God, she was open to acceptance of the mystery, open in every moment, from the encounter with the angel, to the encounter with the Cross.

 

 

 

Rosary #63 Pentecost Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day Nine*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

Come, Holy Spirit!

 

FIRST MYSTERY:

"The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance... He comes with the tenderness a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console..."

St. Cyril of Jerusalem

 

SECOND MYSTERY:

"The Spirit is the source of holiness, a spiritual light... He raises our hearts to heaven, guides the steps of the weak, and brings to perfection those who are making progress..."  St. Basil the Great

 

THIRD MYSTERY:

"All who are led by the Spirit are children of God; you have not received a spirit of slavery... but a spirit of adoption through whom we cry out 'ABBA!' -- that is, 'Father.'"

Rom 8:14-17

 

FOURTH MYSTERY:

"The Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with sighs too deep for words."

Rom 8:26-27

 

FIFTH MYSTERY:

 "The Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful as in a temple..."

 Vatican Council II, L.G. # 4 & 12

 

 

Rosary #60 Pentecost Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day SIX*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

Pray for an Interior Pentecost!

 

"The experience of the Holy Spirit can happen in a 'pentecostal'

    way (as in Acts) or through an interior pentecost where the Holy

    Spirit is met personally and quietly..."

    G. Giaquinta

 

 

With the Spirit/...Co-redemptive MEN AND Women!

Rosary #4

 

FIRST MYSTERY: With the Holy Spirit...By consecrating ourselves in a particular and total way to the work of redemption, we become co-redemptive souls, as we place our selves on a level of generative collaboration with Jesus.

 

SECOND MYSTERY: With the Holy Spirit...we become Jesus’ instruments, as we strive to draw souls to the Father.

 

THIRD MYSTERY: Through the action of the Holy Spirit, we remain united with Jesus and help Him in this mysterious work of redemption.

 

FOURTH MYSTERY: Christ came for this: to gather into one all the children of God dispersed throughout the world…

 

FIFTH MYSTERY: Those who lend themselves to this work, to this redemptive mission, participate with the Holy Spirit and with Christ in forming the great family of the children of God.

 

(W. Giaquinta – THE FAMILY).

 

 

“Give us the Spirit of Love to guide us in living out your message, form in us the image of your Son and grant us the courage to extend to all, your invitation to holiness.” (*Pro Sanctity Creed – G. Giaquinta)

 

Rosary #59 Pentecost Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day FIVE*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

Our Lady "mother and teacher in the Spirit"

 

FIRST MYSTERY:  Mary Mother and teacher in the Spirit

Our Lady has always been "mother and teacher in the Spirit" because she was a perfect disciple of Christ and "is still a mother, continuing to give God children.... encouraging them by her love, and drawing them by her example to pursue perfect charity" (Pref from the Liturgy).

 

SECOND MYSTERY: One mind and one heart in prayer

"Since it pleased God not to manifest solemnly the mystery of the salvation of the human race until he poured forth the Spirit promised by Christ, we see the Apostles before the day of Pentecost 'continuing with one mind in prayer with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren' (Acts 1: 14). We see Mary prayerfully imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation." (LG 59)

 

THIRD MYSTERY: In the footsteps of the Holy Spirit

Mary advanced in her pilgrimage of faith through her perfect union with her Son unto the cross and goes before, presenting herself in an eminent and singular way to the whole People of God, which follows the same path, in the footsteps of Christ in the Holy Spirit (Letter to the Priests, 1988).

 

FOURTH MYSTERY:  From the upper room reveal the love of God

Those who together with Mary in the Upper Room in Jerusalem were awaiting the day of Pentecost have already experienced the "new era." having received the breath of the Spirit of truth they are to go out of the Upper Room in order to bear witness, in union with this Spirit, to Christ crucified and risen (cf. Jn 15:26-27) In doing so they are to reveal God who, as love, embraces and fills the world (To all Consecrated Persons, 1988).

 

FIFTH MYSTERY: Be present with Mary in the upper room

Try to be present with Mary in the Upper Room at Pentecost. She more than anyone will bring you close to this saving vision of the truth about God and man, about God and the world, which is contained in Saint Paul's words: "For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (To all Consecrated Persons, 1988).

 

“Give us the Spirit of Love to guide us in living out your message, form in us the image of your Son and grant us the courage to extend to all, your invitation to holiness.” (*Pro Sanctity Creed – G. Giaquinta)

 

Rosary #59 - Pentecost Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day FOUR*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

FIRST MYSTERY:  Redemptive love - -   that is, the infinite love of the Father

which, in Christ and through the Holy Spirit, saves, sanctifies and calls people to be available in collaborating with God's action of love  - -   is the fundamental doctrine that animates the Institute (Const. #9).

• Let us pray for a greater awareness of the Holy Spirit stirring us to self-giving every moment of the day!

 

SECOND MYSTERY: The Oblates shall base their sincere effort toward holiness on an intense  ascetic life, which implies the renunciation and the overcoming of one's own selfishness; and  transformation in Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit (Const. #13).

• In this mystery let us pray to be open to the action of the Holy Spirit transforming us in Christ!

 

THIRD MYSTERY: The Oblates shall have a special devotion and docility to the Holy Spirit, Who wills to bring about in every Christian the Father's eternal plan of love by molding everyone into the image of Christ (Const. #14).

• We pray to be totally receptive to the molding action of the Spirit in our lives!

 

FOURTH MYSTERY: For us, the promised land is sanctity, the fullness of love,

the ultimate goal  in our journey toward the Father, the essential purpose of the Incarnation (see St. Athanasius “God became man so that man could become God!"), and the fruit of the continuous action of the Holy Spirit (Const.# 16).

• May we be never tire of allowing the Spirit to motivate us to our final goal of holiness!

 

FIFTH MYSTERY: The Apostolic Oblate promotes adoration of the Eucharist, the  presence of

            Christ among us as the Redeemer and the perfect model of our  holiness; and devotion to

            the Holy Spirit, source of our sanctification  (Const. #5).

• May the gift of the Spirit that we have received become a gift in turn that we share with our brothers and sisters.

 

“Give us the Spirit of Love to guide us in living out your message, form in us the image of your Son and grant us the courage to extend to all, your invitation to holiness.”

(*Pro Sanctity Creed – Article III From the writings of Bishop William)

 

Rosary #58 Holy Spirit

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day THREE*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

 

FIRST MYSTERY: According to St. Augustine, the Father generates the Word, the Word loves the Father and the Father loves the Word and from this unity emerges the third reality, the principle and wellspring of love – the Spirit. 

·        In this mystery we pray to intensify our devotion to the Holy Spirit.

 

SECOND MYSTERY: From a theological point of view, it can be said that in the ‘womb’ of the Trinity, all that which is love is attributed to the Spirit.

·         Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to enlighten us in the work of our sanctification.

 

THIRD MYSTERY: Jesus will speak to us words that he heard in the ‘womb’ that can give us a glimpse of the mystery of the Trinity where the Son and the Spirit listen to the Father and make known to us what they have heard. 

·        Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to help us understand our vocation to Redemptive Love.

 

FOURTH MYSTERY: And what is the Spirit revealing?  His gifts that become like the strings of a harp within us. 

·        Let us continually meditate on the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

 

FIFTH MYSTERY: The more we let the Spirit pluck the strings, the more melodic the music and the more open we will be to the insight, understanding, acceptance and strengthening of our will so we can respond to actual grace.

·        We are invited in this mystery to recite slowly the hymns to the Holy Spirit, contemplating them

 

“Give us the Spirit of Love to guide us in living out your message, form in us the image of your Son and grant us the courage to extend to all, your invitation to holiness.”

(*Meditations from the Pro Sanctity Creed – Article III From the writings of Bishop William Giaquinta

And the points for prayer were written by Bishop Giaquinta in the retreat on the Interior Life)

 

 

Rosary #57 Holy Spirit Novena

Pentecost Novena of Meditated Rosaries

Day TWO*

Special Intention: Conversion of mind and heart in preparation for the AO General Assembly 2009

FIRST MYSTERY: Jesus was anointed, and therefore consecrated by the work of the Holy Spirit in Him, “Et concepit de Spiritu Sancto”, “He was conceived by the Holy Spirit” (Creed).

Let us pray for all those consecrated in the Pro Sanctity Family for the love of God and our brothers and sisters.

SECOND MYSTERY: The Immaculate Mary conceived Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, who is the love between the Father and the Son. Consequently, since the Holy Spirit is love, every act of love on the part of Jesus is from the Holy Spirit, including Jesus’ incarnation.

Let us pray for conversion of heart and mind to Jesus – to fall in love again with our Spouse and Savior!

THIRD MYSTERY: We can say that Jesus’ incarnation is the masterpiece of the Spirit’s act of love.

Let pray for docility, allowing the Spirit to form in us the image of Jesus.

FOURTH MYSTERY: The Holy Spirit is particularly present in Mary during her nine-month pregnancy, fashioning not only Jesus’ physical body, but also his created soul.

Let us pray to be filled and fruitful at all times with the power of the Holy Spirit.

FIFTH MYSTERY: Truly, Jesus is the masterpiece of the Holy Spirit, fashioned in the immaculate womb of Mary as on a sacred altar.

Let us dwell in Mary and allow the Holy Spirit to knit us in her womb into holy men and women of God.

*Reflections by Servant of God, Bishop Giaquinta from his retreat on “Jesus”