Fatima Family

Meditation on Sacred Scripture- By John C. Preiss

admin — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:09:38 +0000

“For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” Psalms 1:6

Do we actually think that those who live in sin will not perish and will not have everlasting life? In the world in which we live, it is as though people almost forget the existence of God or they have this belief that they can live however they want and be saved. According to the Sacred Scriptures in this verse in Psalms, it is not the case. We must not fall into the clutches of sin especially mortal sin because this will lead to death and the devil. Mortal sin causes decay to our soul and can only be repaired by the Sacrament of Confession. After one commits a mortal sin they often forget about this very important part of absolution by Jesus, “Go and sin no more”. Let us reflect on this verse in Psalms and strive to live a righteous and virtuous life in Christ.

Our Lord through His death and ressurection has overcome death through the cross. We all have our own crosses to bear that lead us on this path to righteousness. As we accept our cross, then overcome it within our lives our road to salvation will be paved with the grace of God and we will live forever in His Kingdom of eternal happines. God Love You!

Discovering God’s Will in our Lives

admin — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:22:29 +0000

Let’s face it – not all of us have a
prophet like Nathan living in our home and we are not likely to be visited by
an Archangel. So how are we to discover God’s plan for us? I think too many of
us look for a great sign and fail to hear the quiet voice of God when He speaks
to us in our hearts and through others. So here are what I believe are five
essentials for discovering and living God’s Will:

Live in Christ’s Friendship – We Catholics refer to this as being in a state of
grace. That is, live the sacramental life and, particularly, seek
forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation whenever you become aware
of committing a grave sin. Mortal sin particularly deafens our spiritual
hearing.
Practice Humility and Surrender to the Lord – We are all inclined to be prideful. If we think we
already have all the answers, we won’t be open to new ones, so get into
the habit of practicing humility daily. Humbly surrender your will to the
Lord.
Pray Daily
– Do we really love God above all else? Then we should be praying before
and above all else. That’s what you do when you love someone; you spend
time in their company. Prayer is spending time with God. In prayer, we
must ask God to reveal His Will to us.
Be Aware and Listen
– Do you normally limit your prayer to speaking to God? If so, you need to
set aside time during and after your prayer to listen. Trust Jesus. He
said, “Seek and you will find, ask and you will receive, knock and the
door will be opened.” Have faith that God will answer and you will
discover that answer – one way or the other.
Decide to Act
– The desire to live God’s Will is not the same as the decision to live
God’s Will. The former is a feeling; the latter is an act of human will.
This is not always easy and it can sometimes be painful, but you can
believe that God has only the good for you in His answer. We cannot always
see very far down the road. We won’t always understand the specific
purpose and end, beyond our own salvation, for our actions and decisions
that God has in His Plan of Divine Providence for us. It is only ours to
trust and act.

A Simple Act of Kindness- by John C. Preiss

admin — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 13:08:23 +0000

It is amazing to view those who say that they are Christians. This short article is not an article to be judgemental in any way it is to help us exceed in our daily effort to help others. Recently I have been listening to an audio book called, “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”, by Dale Carnegie. This book is helping me dramatically in a sense to help others with kindness. Many times we tend to focus on self and not others. What we don’t realize is that if we do a simple act of kindness each day we will remove the focus of self and we will be filled with happiness. Also, this will open up another element of our Christianity that should already be embedded within us.

I want to encourage all of you to try this: A simple act of kindness each day.

COUNTDOWN to 2017

admin — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 23:16:33 +0000

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

Any formula may be used to consecrate oneself to the Mother of God, as long as it involves a total oblation of oneself. As a suggestion, one of the following consecrations could be renewed each first Saturday with the shorter formula renewed daily.

0 Virgin Mary, most powerful Mother of Mercy, Queen of Heaven and earth, in accordance with your wish made known at Fatima, I consecrate myself today to your Immaculate Heart. To you I entrust all that I have, all that I am. Reign over me, dearest Mother, that I may be yours in prosperity, in adversity, in joy and in sorrow, in health and in sickness, in life and in death.Most compassionate Heart of Mary, Queen of Virgins, watch over my mind and heart and preserve me from the deluge of impurity which you lamented so sorrowfully at Fatima. I want to be pure like you. I want to atone for the many crimes committed against Jesus and you. I want to call down upon this country and the whole world the peace of God in justice and charity.Mindful of this consecration, I now promise to strive to imitate you by the practice of the Christian virtues without regard for human respect. I resolve to receive Holy Communion on the first Saturday of every month when possible, and to offer daily five decades of the Rosary, with all my sacrifices in the spirit of penance and reparation. Amen.I, . . ., a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy Heart, O Immaculate Mother, the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, in the presence of all the heavenly court, I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, and to thy Immaculate Heart, as thy child and slave of love, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God, in time and in eternity. Amen.Short daily renewal of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, I renew my consecration to you and to your Immaculate Heart. Please accept me, my dear Mother, and use me as you wish to accomplish your designs upon the world. I am all yours, my Mother, my Queen, and all that I have is yours.TO JESUS THROUGH MARYLest there should be any misconception about the place of devotion to Mary in Catholic piety, we honor in a special way the Immaculate Heart of the Mother of Jesus, i.e., the person of Mary in her eminent sanctity and glorification by God, because it is the wish of her Son – as Our Lady revealed in her second apparition at Fatima. Jesus knows well that true devotion to His Mother leads souls to Him. As Pope Paul VI wrote in his encyclical celebrating the centenary of the apparitions at Lourdes:”Everything in Mary leads us toward her Son, our only Savior, by whose foreseen merits she was preserved immaculate and full of grace; everything in Mary lifts up our hearts to the praise of the Holy Trinity.”And as Our Lady assured Lucy, June 13, 1917:”I will never abandon you, my child. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”The Church sees Mary, then, not as the goal, but as the guide, who always leads souls who honor her with true devotion – to her Son, especially to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. When we pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for help in time of need, she in turn points to the Tabernacle, to Him who is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” and has a way of conveying to us what she said to the steward at Cana: “Do whatever he tells you.” (Jn.2:5)

In Amazement of St. Bernadette Soubirous

admin — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 23:00:49 +0000

After reading the life of any saint, we close the book exclaiming, “What a great saint! I did not think something like this could exist.” Indeed, as long as it is well written, the life of any saint is a unique marvel full of surprises.
The life of Saint Bernadette Soubirous is no exception. She was a French peasant girl from an area of the Pyrenees mountains which, from a certain standpoint, blends together aspects of Spain and France. She looks very French although she has Spanish features. Looking at her authentic pictures (not usually found in churches), we see a person with a slightly squarish face with regular and well-defined features. She has large black eyes with a certain fixed Spanish gaze unlike the quicker and darting French gaze. Her Spanish gaze is penetrating almost to the point of an x-ray. Together with her Spanish nose, her face presents a coherence that really stands out and marks her from top to bottom.
Her mindset is direct and straightforward. She does not mince words. She was a person with very high horizons but had a very simple upbringing, meaning that she was never taught to be reserved or discreet. What she thought, she would come right out and say.
Her whole expression is one of complete detachment. She was completely humble and did not want to be anyone special. Her goal was to go about the service of Our Lady without caring about what others think.
Her whole expression is one of complete detachment. She was completely humble,and her goal was to go about the service of Our Lady without caring about what others thought.Consider the fact that Saint Bernadette could have become vain when seeing huge crowds gathered to see her speak with Our Lady at the Grotto during the apparitions.
This fact is aggravated by the fact that Saint Bernadette was from the countryside where such attention causes a much greater impression. The smaller the town, the more importance one attaches to it. It is easier for a New Yorker (to use an American example) to criticize New York than for villagers to criticize their own little town. When the mayor of the small village dies, the whole town shows up for the funeral. The entire village represents the whole world. It is considered extraordinary.
We might add that this atmosphere of the small countryside village has much more life and is more accommodating than the huge modern-day Babels in which the individual is like a loose grain of sand. In the village, each inhabitant is like the living cell of an organism. In New York or Sao Paulo, each is like a grain of sand in a huge pile in which each grain weighs on top of the others, and from which every windstorm takes grains far away.
Thus, we can understand what it meant for Saint Bernadette to have the whole town of Lourdes come see her. It was something extraordinary. However, her reaction was not to become vain. Rather she remained indifferent to the attention. During the whole time, she was completely and naturally herself before everyone. When called by the police to speak about the revelations, she behaved with extraordinary fearlessness and ease. Toward her parents, the parish priest and other upright people with whom she dealt, and later with her religious superiors, she was a model of respect and obedience.
Thus, we can see in her the spirit of a true ultramontane and Catholic woman. She is a true saint totally indifferent to the pomp and esteem of this world. By disregarding everything, she was not disregarded. For if she would have sought the applause of the world, she would not be free to do anything except those actions which would gain her this applause. She would be forced to play to their tune. Saint Bernadette Soubirous’ attitude was to be herself. If the world did not like it, she did not care. All she cared about was being faithful to the Holy Catholic Church.
When it came to legitimate authorities, her attitude was different. She took great care to show extreme obedience and respect. This is because there was a supernatural principle that was involved and not merely the human factor of herself. She did not care about the ways of the world, but she showed all due care and respect to things with a religious root, which came from God.
Our Lady of Lourdes in the grotto where she appeared to Saint Bernadette and declared“I am the Immaculate Conception.”Saint Bernadette Soubirous impressed many by her conduct during the apparitions. She converted countless people simply by the way she made the sign of the cross. She learned this from Our Lady – the supreme model of friends and worshippers of Jesus Christ – and thus she acquired a love of suffering and of the Cross of Christ. Hence something of Our Lady’s unction would show in her when she made the sign of the cross.
Even after the apparitions, she edified people as they watched her make the sign of the cross, something we often do haphazardly without attaching due importance to what we are doing.
However, what most deeply impressed people was her whole demeanor during the apparitions. They perceived she was in contact with something they could not see but came from outside her.
They noted an extraordinary transformation in her. From a simple peasant girl, she would take on a majesty that impressed everybody. One lady from high society who saw her during an apparition said she had never seen a girl from the aristocracy with the bearing and stature of Saint Bernadette while speaking to Our Lady. In other words, because she was dealing with the Queen of Heaven and Earth, this Queen communicated to her something regal, and something of this virtue remained in her soul.
Many people realized that Our Lady was speaking to her, not because they saw Our Lady but because they saw Bernadette as a mirror of Our Lady. Indeed, during the apparitions, the seer was a kind of Speculum Mariae, or better, Speculum Justitiae. It is truly admirable to see how Our Lady communicates her virtues to her devotees, who, so to speak, imbibe them from her.
Through Our Lady, Saint Bernadette acquired a love for suffering and of the Cross of Christ. She offered her life as an expiatory victim for sinners, but aboveall for a mysterious sinner who she did not name.When a sister at her convent insisted with Sister Bernadette to tell them about the dress Our Lady was wearing when she appeared. She answered that if they wanted to know the details let them ask Our Lady to come back so they can see for themselves.
This was characteristic of Saint Bernadette’s many picturesque comments. Her superior often tried to make them less biting and more polite but finally allowed them to go through. Bernadette’s sayings had a note that was both comic and fiery with a sharp edge that showed her bubbly temperament.
When asked if she was proud of being chosen by Our Lady, she replied: “Who do you think I am? The Blessed Mother picked me because I was the most ignorant one. Had she found someone more ignorant than me she would certainly have chosen her.”
Such a comment was not only humble but also quite true. Humility is truth. Our Lady chose her because she was the most ignorant girl in Lourdes. Before the revelations, she was a good girl but not a saint. Our Lady chose her because her ignorance was one of the extraordinary arguments to confirm the apparitions. She was such an ignorant peasant girl that she simply had no means to know about the spiritual things she told the authorities. She did not have the spiritual background to maintain the attitude she maintained. Her ignorance was one of the apologetic aspects of Lourdes.
While very lively, Saint Bernadette could easily go unnoticed. In time, her illness gradually wore her down. Actually her situation is similar to that of Saint Therese, the Little Flower. She offered her life as an expiatory victim for sinners, but above all for a mysterious sinner who she did not name and for whom she suffered horribly so he would make amends and be sanctified. Was it a man of her time or a man to come in the future, whose existence Providence revealed to her? No one knows.
One biography of Saint Bernadette mentions the fact that Our Lady revealed a secret to her, which she never said anything about. It seems that it was something related to the identity of that mysterious sinner. Thus the three great apparitions of Our Lady of our times all had secrets: Our Lady of La Salette, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Our Lady of Fatima.
Let us ask Saint Bernadette to obtain for us a great devotion to Our Lady and that she may increasingly communicate Our Lady’s virtues to us.

Reclaiming the loss vision of motherhood

admin — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 22:53:29 +0000

Oh, for mothers to hold in their hands a child whose soul is eternal and to grasp the vision of changing the world through her mothering as she proposes toward multigenerational faithfulness.
To look into the eyes of her child and know that God has put a purpose for that child here on earth to advance the kingdom of heaven, which is glorifying the Father he serves above. Mothers are also put on earth for Royal purposes, to raise children for the keen. Shaping and molding them to one day become warriors for the Lord. Mothers, do we understand that what is done in the four walls of our home- that it is holy work done to the Lord? As we teach that small child to stand, are you praying that one day he will stand strong for the Lord against wickedness? As you teach him to walk, are you teaching them to walk to the lost and preached the gospel? When you teach them to read, are you telling them that one day they will read the word to the masses and that Lives will be transformed forever?
In other words, are you raising your children to be world changers? Yesterday I gathered all my children together and shared with them how God gave them life for the sole purpose of changing the world for Him. Who is the child who understands his purpose in life, his calling? Where is the child who has been whispered to and reminded that he will one day change the world since he was a wee babe? How would our lives have been different had our mothers embraced such a vision?
As mothers, we need to equip our children well to do the work the Lord has assigned for them to do. We must diligently teach the faith, we must teach godly character, we must teach love for the Lord and the lost without growing discouraged ourselves for we have the master’s work at hand, an honorable and momentous responsibility! We must understand that lost souls could be at stake in nations could be destroyed if we do not fulfill this high calling of motherhood. We cannot simply route render ourselves weary and ultimately give up. Do you notice that little boy who is playing in the sandbox? He might very well be the world’s next leader. That little girl in the corner who is quietly playing dolls might one day raise a martyr for Christ. The little baby in your arms the cradle today could very well go to Africa one day and share the gospel to the lost tribes or become a Priest.
I am convinced that the greatest world changers have not been written about in the history books, and that only God knows who they are. They are God’s best kept secrets. They are the unnoticed people in society. They are the ones who do great and mighty works in private where only He sees. They are the ones that make a difference through the one small, powerful act that the Lord assigned them. These will be richly rewarded in heaven for their faithfulness.
Our lasting influence impacts future generations through our children our grandchildren and great-grandchildren whether for good or for evil. Which are you raising for the Lord? Descendents who could be an army to take the world by storm or descendents who build up altars to false gods? We must revive the vision of multigenerational faithfulness! We cannot change our homes through the efforts of our flesh it comes from grace and power from God alone but we are required to do our part. We cannot fall short of this glorious vocation because our Lord has called us to and what he calls us to we must obey.
Now, in honor of those great mothers who have come before us who have sacrificed their lives, gave unselfishly, wept in the dark to the Lord and persevered to the end-we applaud you! You have paved the way for us behind you. The Lord has used you as a mighty instrument in his hand, and you are surely called blessed among your children. Your dedication has lasting power that is the sweet aroma of Christ.
God certainly uses the week to shame the strong. And He uses ordinary people who serve an amazing God that has extraordinary plants to help us reclaim our vision for motherhood and build a godly nation for him.

Island of Faith In a Fast Moving World-by John C. Preiss

admin — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 21:56:01 +0000

Today God is calling all His families to be something special. One may ask, how do we become special? We become special when we raise our families opposite to the agenda of our society. Parents who are heroic in the nurturing of their children will reap the benefits of Godly children. Thus, when we think of the family we should think of it as an island of faith. This island is filled with loving parents who act out there love by disciplining there children, setting boundaries and formation of the faith.

The parents are the primary educators of their children and should not rely on others. As parents we need to understand the importance of protecting our family and providing our children with a Christian example to follow. If as a Catholic husband and father I realize that I am truly the head of the family, in union with and support of my wife, then I must see that this family needs to fight for the preservation of Catholic values in our hearts and in the hearts of each family member. In order to secure our Island of faith we must protect it from all outside evils. When family life is corrupted civilization is destroyed. The media has such a great effect on our family and human life. The Catechism states that “parents receive the responsibility and privilege to evangelize their children.”(CC2225) Evangelization should start in the home and then branch out to others. Evangelization is so important and must be constant among parents and there children, because our society continues to try and take over our thoughts, feelings and opinions. Society tries and creates a reality away from the home and away from Christianity.

Effects of Technology

Technology is amazing, who would of thought we would be talking on a telephone without a chord, or in our car. What about the internet and the ability to communicate within minutes by email or send a picture to someone overseas. Then, we have the advancement of video games the on-screen reality they try and produce. Are these technological advances bad? No, if they are used for the proper reason and monitored in the home. With these new technologies we have created a fast paced society. Families are spending less time together. These families lack creativity and imagination. Their homes are filled with technological gadgets. I was shopping in a store recently and I saw a girl about ten years old talking on a cell-phone. The thought came to me, What would a ten year old girl need a cell-phone for? Her parents are creating a future problem and are oblivious to it. I also know of a young father who enjoys playing video games in his free-time at home. This man should be spending this time with his wife and family. How can children respect a father who plays childish games? Many families are not eating supper together and not sharing thoughts and discussing values. Families are to busy and are not allowing for adequate prayer time in the home. The children are growing up so fast in this fast paced world they are missing out on life and the value of life and the beauty of our Catholic faith. Today, in the home everyone including the teenagers have their own vehicle to go as they please. This world is spinning fast and taking the souls of many with it.

Spirit of Prayer in the Home

Make prayer an essential element of your family life. “The family that prays together stays together.” Praying in the home is more than saying prayers at meals or even the family rosary. It involves establishing a constant environment of prayer in the home, especially reflecting the liturgical year. Devotions to the Blessed Mother and other saints are important. If Catholicism exists in the air of the home it will be perceived to the children as a natural and normal way of life. Restore a Sunday observance of the Sabbath day and make it a family day.

Being Creative in the Home

What can we do to counter this fast moving world? First the father, as head of the home needs to evaluate his family. Have a family meeting, sit down and talk and discuss and schedule. It is ideal for families with young children to start cultivating a Christian home with Christian ideals. Decorate your home as Catholic with Catholic art. Discuss the lives of the saints with your children, of course make this fun and not burdensome. If it becomes a chore then the children will not enjoy it and not want to do this when they become parents. Sing around the home and develop a positive atmosphere. It is important for the parents to enjoy teaching their children. Teach your children different arts and crafts instead of spending wasteful hours playing video games and watching television. The children can enter their crafts in a local fair or craft show and help develop their self-esteem. Each home is different yet so much can be done to block out the effects of society. It is important to find one’s own individual identity as a family. A new family must realize that they are not an extension of their parent’s family. As parents we are given a special mission to bring out the creativeness and gifts of our children. A child may want music lessons and play piano and that may be there special gift. Unless we slow-down our fast paced lives we will not be able to develop the full potential of each child. To develop this potential, it will take hard work from the parents and discipline to stick to the guidelines. Fathers wrestle on the floor with your little ones, mom let your little girls help bake cookies in the kitchen. Teach them the value of authentic home life. Parents give your children every advantage to not fall into this fast paced society. Develop your island of faith to the fullest and each family member will reap the rewards of a happy, loving family life.

The War on Family Life- by John C. Preiss

admin — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:08:01 +0000

The battle is on and the war against traditional family has been brewing for many years. This war is getting heated up the last few months with the homosexual, feminist agenda that we face in our society. What can we do? First, we must not live in fear to speak the truth and the truth comes from Christ. This truth we must re-experience during this Lenten season to prepare ourselves for the battle that we face on a daily basis. We are in a fight and we are slowly losing, but in the end we win, yet in order to win we must understand our roles as husbands and wives. We must train our children to obedient and form them in the Catholic faith. We must educate our fellow Catholics and non-Catholics about the importance of life.

In order to win we must pray daily for our families for our Country and elected officials that they make the right choices. Right now we seem powerless but we must not get discourged. If we fall to dispair the devil will come in for the kill and destroy family life. God has to be the center of our lives in order for us to succeed to victory over evil. Our LAdy of Fatima, Pray for us!

Father Fox at Home in 2008

admin — Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:14:47 +0000

Father Fox doing Spiritual Reading at his house in Hanceville, AL. in 2008. Father always did spiritual reading and said that we all must do at least 20 minutes a day for it to be effective.

Crossword Puzzle – Mary Mother of God

admin — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 13:56:24 +0000

http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pca/crossword_puzzle_Mary.html