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Homily #100115 ( 05min) Play – Fr. Ignatius explains how St Paul the Hermit (229-342) showed extraordinary zeal and devotion by spending almost one hundred years of his very long life in the deserts of Egypt, alone with God. Then he asks why should this be so extraordinary.
Ave Maria! St. Paul the First Hermit, Confessor – Mass: EF, Iustus Ut Palma – Readings: 1st: phi 3:7-12 – Gsp: mat 11:25-30

Audio (MP3)

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Marycast #101 ( 10min) Play – Dr. Mark Miravalle continues with his discourse on the Second Vatican Council’s teaching on Mary. Here he covers Lumen Gentium 66-68 on the two extremes of devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, of attributing divinity to Mary or, on the other extreme, not acknowledging her prerogatives, especially in regard to accepting her as our mother.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com

Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Marycast #95 ( 10min) Play – Dr. Miravalle outlines the events since the apparitions in 1948 which he describes as tragedy and persecution followed by the fidelity of the seers and the trust of the devotees and the final victory when in 1991, after further miraculous signs, the bishops of the Philippines approve the apparitions and even start a national day of prayer in honor of Our Lady of Lipa, Mediatrix of Grace.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com
Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Marycast #94 ( 10min) Play – Dr. Mark Miravalle explains the final messages of Our Lady of Lipa to do prayer and penance for non-believers, then the golden two years of growing devotion to Our Lady of Lipa and then the tragic events that followed which were prophesied in the apparitions themselves.

To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com
Ave Maria!

Audio (MP3)

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Ave Maria Meditations

With all the many things that could be said about the Apostle of Divine Mercy, St. Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament, let us look at this beautiful litany of love to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament composed by the Saint.

Prayer of St. Faustina While in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament:

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the testament of God’s mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus as proof of infinite mercy for us, and especially to poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained life eternal and of infinite mercy, dispensed in abundance to us and especially to poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the mercy of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit toward us, and especially toward poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the infinite price of mercy which will compensate for all our debts, and especially those of poor sinners.

O Blessed Host, in whom is contained the fountain of living water which springs from infinite mercy for us, and especially for poor sinners.

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Homily #090922 ( 11min) Play – Today’s Gospel is used by Protestants and Catholics alike to support the idea that Marian devotion should be minimized. Fr. Angelo counters that this is not the correct interpretation and the early Christians thought that way.
Ave Maria! Mass readings

Audio (MP3)

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Ave Maria Meditations

St. Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

Feast Day is August 11th

In the year 1240, St Clare saved her sisters and her convent from plundering hordes of Saracen mercenaries through the miracle of the Eucharist. As the Saracens were placing ladders against the walls of the convent she placed a monstrance containing the Eucharist in the sight of the men while she lay prostrate before Jesus and prayed. Here is an account of the incident from The History of Saint Clare, Virgin, written by Tommaso da Celano:

“By imperial order, regiments of Saracen soldiers and bowmen were stationed there (the convent of San Damiano in Assisi, Italy), massed like bees, ready to devastate the encampments and seize the cities. Once, during an enemy attack against Assisi, city beloved of the Lord, and while the army was approaching the gates, the fierce Saracens invaded San Damiano, entered the confines of the monastery and even the very cloister of the virgins. The women swooned in terror, their voices trembling with fear as they cried to their Mother, Saint Clare.

“Saint Clare, with a fearless heart, commanded them to lead her, sick as she was, to the enemy, preceded by a silver and ivory case in which the Body of the Saint of saints was kept with great devotion. And prostrating herself before the Lord, she spoke tearfully to her Christ: ‘Behold, my Lord, is it possible You want to deliver into the hands of pagans Your defenseless handmaids, whom I have taught out of love for You? I pray You, Lord, protect these Your handmaids whom I cannot now save by myself.’ Suddenly a voice like that of a child resounded in her ears from the tabernacle: ‘I will always protect you!’ ‘My Lord,’ she added, ‘if it is Your wish, protect also this city which is sustained by Your love.’ Christ replied, ‘It will have to undergo trials, but it will be defended by My protection.’ Then the virgin, raising a face bathed in tears, comforted the sisters: ‘I assure you, daughters, that you will suffer no evil; only have faith in Christ.’

Upon seeing the courage of the sisters, the Saracens took flight and fled back over the walls they had scaled, unnerved by the strength of she who prayed. And Clare immediately admonished those who heard the voice I spoke of above, telling them severely: ‘Take care not to tell anyone about that voice while I am still alive, dearest daughters.’”

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Ave Maria Mediations

St. Dominic: Feast Day is August 8th

Tradition associates the origin of the Rosary with St. Dominic as you can see depicted in this painting but it was not exactly the Rosary as we know it today.

Dominic Guzman (1170-1221 AD) was a Spanish priest who in southern France encountered the Albegensian heresy. He was having great difficulty and not very successful in touching hard hearts. But when he began to preach the rosary, he had great success.  It was Our Lady’s special devotion and her intercession was strong with its praying.

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Ave Maria Meditations

August 1st: St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Order

SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1696-1787)

An Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that You are truly in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I long for you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart as though You have already come. I embrace You and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from You!

I say that it is the will of God that all graces should come to us by the hands of Mary. Sooner would heaven and earth be destroyed than would Mary fail to assist anyone who asks for her help, provided he does so with a good intention and with confidence in her.

To learn more of this good doctor, continue on…

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An Encore:

Ave Maria Meditations

O Most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel,

fruitful vine, splendor of heaven,

Blessed Mother of the Son of God,

Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity…

O, star of the sea,

help me and show me herein you are my mother.

O holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth,

I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart,

to aid me in my need;

there are none that can withstand your power.

O show me herein you are my Mother.

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O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

(and for those who do not have recourse to thee, especially the enemies of the Holy Church)

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Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands.

(state your petition)

Amen.

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Ave Maria Mediations

Jesus, our Savior, true God and true man, must be the ultimate end of all our other devotions; otherwise they would be false and misleading. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and end of every­thing. ‘We labor,” says Saint Paul, “only to make all men perfect in Jesus Christ.”

For in him alone dwells the entire fullness of the divinity and the complete fullness of grace, virtue, and perfection. In him alone we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing; he is the only teacher from whom we must learn; the only Lord on whom we should depend; the only Head to whom we should be united and the only model that we should imitate. He is the only Physician that can heal us; the only Shepherd that can feed us; the only Way that can lead us; the only Truth that we can believe; the only Life that can animate us. He alone is everything to us and he alone can satisfy all our desires.

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May 20^th: St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

One Minute Meditation

This holy Franciscan priest had a particularly great love for the virtue of purity. It was only natural that he also had a most tender and deep love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was a gifted preacher who also spread the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus and is often depicted holding a sun-like staff with the “IHS” engraved on it.

PRAYER:

O Lord Jesus, who didst grant to St. Bernadine, Thy confessor, a very special love for Thy most holy Name, pour forth in us, we beseech Thee, through his merits and intercession, the spirit of Thy love. Who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.

St. Bernardine, help us to seek purity in our hearts and souls, in our words and in our deeds. May we grow in our love for Our Blessed Lady and for Our Lord, Jesus Christ, whose sacred Name we venerate.