A Blessed and Special Feast

Blessed Miguel Pro, Nov. 23:  Cue the “Mission Impossible” music… A clandestine priest in Mexico during the persecution of Catholics (1920s), he celebrated Mass, administered the sacraments and helped the poor, despite suffering from a chronic stomach ailment.  As he was martyred by firing squad, he cried, “Viva Cristo Rey!”  Blessed Miguel, pray that we can be fearless in living out our faith.

                Feast of Christ the King, Nov. 25:  Let’s honor Him, the true King of the Universe, who lives and reigns now and will come again.

A blessed and joyful Thanksgiving to you and your families,

Geri Guadagno

Saints for mid-November

St. Josaphat of Polotsk, Nov. 12:  Who?

He was born in Lithuania around the year 1580.  A mystical experience during childhood inspired him to commit Church rituals and psalms to memory, and to desire poverty and martyrdom for Jesus. As an archbishop, his work to reunite the Eastern Church with Rome incited so much wrath that he was indeed martyred.  St. Josaphat, patron of Christian unity, pray that we grow in charity and end our divisions through love.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Nov. 13:  My Italian grandmother, Frances, kept a statue of Mother Cabrini on her dresser.  Unfortunately, I don’t know where she got it or what happened to it after she passed.  Like my grandmother, Frances Cabrini was an immigrant who became a naturalized citizen.  The first U.S. citizen to be canonized (1946), she is the patroness of immigrants.  She founded nearly 70 institutions, including orphanages, hospitals and schools.  Mother Cabrini, pray that we have a heart for the most vulnerable and serve them as we would Jesus.

Two Holy Days

Feast of All Saints, Nov. 1:  The ghoulies, ghosties and long-legged beasties had their fun on “All Hallow’s Eve,” but the saints march in today, including those known to God alone.  I think of my little buddy, John of the Smiles…  Do you have a favorite saint?  Why is he/she special to you?  Write to me and share your thoughts.  Maybe I’ll feature them in a future newsletter!

Feast of All Souls, Nov. 2:  The Church asks us to pray for our beloved dead and to honor their resting places today and during this month.

                Susan Tassone has almost single-handedly revived the practice of praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.  Belief in Purgatory is as old as the Church and based in scripture (see the Second Book of Maccabees 12:45, 1 Cor 3:12-15, and Rv 21:27), though it wasn’t defined in doctrine until the high Middle Ages.* Many saints such as my Birgitta, Gertrude (who also gave us a prayer), Vincent Ferrer, Louis Bertrand, Gemma of Galgani, Faustina, and (Padre) Pio had revelations or visions about Purgatory.

                Tassone has compiled several devotionals for the Holy Souls, who need our prayers and sacrifices to gain quicker entrance into Heaven.  Her Prayers, Promises, and Devotions for the Holy Souls in Purgatory (Our Sunday Visitor, 2012) includes novenas of reflections and prayers, Marian supplications, Holy Hour prayers, saint invocations and more.

 If your bookshelf is bursting and your Kindle is crammed, here is a simple guide of offerings for the Holy Souls: 

1.       Thirty minutes of Adoration

2.       Pray the Rosary

3.       Pray the Stations of the Cross

4.       Fast and abstain from meat on

All Souls Day

5.       Fast and abstain from meat on

all Fridays in November.

*https://www.osv.com/Article/TabId/493/ArtMID/13569/ArticleID/11051/9-truths-about-purgatory.aspx