The post Our Lady of Knock, Queen of Ireland first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #081103 ( 05min) Play – “Let us work good to all men, but especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal 6:10). Today we commemorate and pray for all the Franciscan souls who have died who are still being purified in the cleansing fires of Purgatory. Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord. Ave Maria! +++

The post Nov 03 – Homily – Fr Ignatius: Franciscan Souls in Purgatory first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.

Psalm 116:15

A happy death is one of the greatest and the last blessings of God in this life. The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death. In the litany of the saints, for instance, she has us pray: “From a sudden death and unforeseen death, deliver us, O Lord,” to ask the Mother of God to intercede for us “at the hour of our death” in the Hail Mary; and to entrust ourselves to St. Joseph, the patron of a Happy Death. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1014.)

Why should we be dedicated to St. Joseph?

St. Joseph is the Foster Father of our Judge and Savior. His power is dreaded by the devil. His death is the most singularly privileged and happiest death ever recorded as he died in the Presence and care of Jesus and Mary.

St. Joseph will obtain for us that same privilege at our passage from this life to eternity.

We are called to pray for a happy death and for the dying. Blessed Louis Guanella said, “There is a need of living well, but there is even more need of dying well. A good death is everything.”

Every day more than 152,000 persons die worldwide and are judged. The are souls that died in the tsunami, earthquakes in Pakistan, Iraq war, suicides, sudden deaths. More people are dying at a faster rate than ever before. Each time we pick up the paper or watch the news there is a crisis of huge proportion. Is it a wake up call? We are called through our prayers and sacrifices to assist these souls. Justice demands it if through our faults some souls are lost.

If by your prayers, sufferings or other good works, you have obtained a good death for a dying sinner, you shall look upon yourself as a mother or father to that soul.Their souls may be going the wrong way, but by your prayers you have saved them. You have placed their souls in purgatory. Now you can assist by all the means possible in obtaining the soul’s release from purgatory. To do this, you should be anxious to have Masses offered, pray the Rosary, do the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic Adoration, and obtaining all the indulgences you can. These are the greatest devotions to help the souls reach Heaven. Blessed Leonard of Port Maurice thought so highly of praying for the holy souls he considered a person on the road to sanctity who adopted it. Save the dying if you have been a stumbling block to the living.

St. Joseph repays us generously if we come to the rescue of the sufferings souls. Holy Communions offered to him for seven consecutive Sundays in honor of the Holy Souls is what pleases him most.

St. Teresa of Avila says, “I do not remember that I ever asked St. Joseph at any time anything which he did not obtain for me.” Do you need a conversion in your family? Are your children away from the Church? Do you want peace of mind? Do you need a job? And yes, do you want to sell our home?

Go to St. Joseph and pray for the holy souls in honor of him.

St. Joseph sanctified labor, poverty, and privations by bearing them with patience, humility, and resignation to the will of God. We have many trials in life to endure, we have need of these virtues. We need many things. Make out a list of your necessities, write them down and go confidently to St. Joseph. Let us pray especially for all the holy souls who were dedicated to St. Joseph.

Let us pray for our eternal salvation. Offer Masses in honor of St. Joseph for your deceased loved ones and for the grace of a “happy death” for you and your family. The greatest need in the world today is family life. Remember to arrange for Gregorian Masses in your Will. They are 30 consecutive Masses offered for one deceased soul. The Mass is the quickest means to help a soul reach God. The Mass heals the living and the dead.

Pope John Paul II lived and died a holy death. His whole life was a prayer to the very end. He lived and died in the state of grace. That is a “happy death.” To live and die in the state of grace with the last sacraments. This is the grace of all graces. And it is ours for the asking.

My new book, Prayers For Eternal Life, gives you all the practices and devotions for the grace of a “happy death.” Use it for yourselves, your loved ones and those who are dying. Encourage everyone to become a member of the Pious Union of St. Joseph. Pay a visit to this beautiful shrine. Visit an altar or statue of St. Joseph and pray to him for the grace of a holy life and happy death for you and your loved ones. Pray for the holy souls in Purgatory. They suffer day and night. They suffer the loss of the sight of God. They long to be with God. They cry out, God! God! I must be with God! Make their desire your desire!

What’s in it for you? Heaven! Our Lord has conferred on St. Joseph the special favor and privilege of obtaining a happy death for all, who during life, and especially at the our of death, invoke his aid. St. Joseph and the holy souls will pray for you all the days of your life protecting you, interceding for you now and until you are safely home in Heaven. They become your nearest, sincerest, and dearest friends now and for all eternity!

To honor the Father, you honor Jesus. To honor Jesus, you honor His mother. To honor His mother, you honor Joseph. As you know, our world is in great peril. We need Joseph. Are you ready to join St. Joseph in prayer?

The time has come that St. Joseph be hidden no longer. The time has come that St. Joseph be known to the people of God. The time has come that St. Joseph receive the honor that will glorify God and bring back the most abundant blessings upon this entire world. May Jesus, Mary, St. Joseph and the holy souls lead you and your families to the House of the Father!

This article is by Susan Tassone who is a member of the Pious Union of St. Joseph and the author of several best selling books, including ‘The Way of the Cross for the Holy Souls’, (CD/Audio), ‘Praying in the Presence of Our Lord for the Holy Souls’, ‘The Rosary for the Holy Souls’, ‘30 Day Devotions for the Holy Souls’, ‘Prayers for Eternal Life’, all published by Our Sunday Visitor.

And for more information on the Pious Union of St. Joseph see http://www.piousunionofstjoseph.org/ –this pious union is dedicated to the suffering, dying and deceased with St. Joseph as the Patron of the dying.  JosephMary is also a member. In this month of November, dedicated to the aid of the holy souls in Purgatory, we beseech St. Joseph in a most special way.  Having the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass offered for our deceased loved ones is the greatest thing we can do for them!

Litany of St. Joseph

V/ Lord, have mercy.
R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Christ, have mercy.
R/ Christ, have mercy.

V/ Lord, have mercy.
R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Jesus, hear us.
R/ Jesus, graciously hear us.

V/ God, the Father of Heaven,
R/ have mercy on us.

V/ God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
R/ have mercy on us.

V/ God, the Holy Spirit,
R/ have mercy on us.

V/ Holy Trinity, One God,
R/ have mercy on us.

+++

R/ for following: pray for us.

Holy Mary,
St. Joseph,
Renowned offspring of David,
Light of Patriarchs,
Spouse of the Mother of God,
Chaste guardian of the Virgin,
Foster father of the Son of God,
Diligent protector of Christ,
Head of the Holy Family,
Joseph most just,
Joseph most chaste,
Joseph most prudent,
Joseph most strong,
Joseph most obedient,
Joseph most faithful,
Mirror of patience,
Lover of poverty,
Model of artisans,
Glory of home life,
Guardian of virgins,
Pillar of families,
Solace of the wretched,
Hope of the sick,
Patron of the dying,
Terror of demons,
Protector of Holy Church,

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
R/ spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
R/ graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world.
R/ have mercy on us.

He made him the lord of his household.
R/ And prince over all his possessions.

Let us pray. O God, in your ineffable providence you were pleased to choose Blessed Joseph to be the spouse of your most holy Mother; grant, we beg you, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in heaven whom on earth we venerate as our Protector: You who live and reign forever and ever.

R/ Amen.

The post St. Joseph and the Souls in Purgatory first appeared on AirMaria.com.

November 16th: St. Gertrude  (1256-1302)

Prayer to Saint Gertrude:

Model of total fidelity to the Heavenly Bridegroom and to your Cistercian Rule, the Lord was pleased to make available wonderful private revelations through you. Help religious to realize that where there is total generosity, trials are usually not lacking, but there is also God’s infinite love. Make all religious generous like you. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Gertrude to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Your love. Let my heart be united with Yours. Let my will be conformed to Yours in all things. May Your Will be the rule of all my desires and actions. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

HAIL, MARY, queen of mercy, olive-branch of forgiveness, through whom we receive the medicine that heals our mortal sickness, the balsam of pardon; Virgin Mother of the divine offspring, through whom the grace of heavenly light has been shed upon us, the sweet-scented scion of Israel! Through thy Son, thy only Child who stooped to become the Brother of mankind, thou art become the true Mother of us all. For the sake of his love take me, all unworthy as I am, into thy motherly care.  Sustain, preserve, and enlighten my conversion; be thou for all eternity my incomparable cherished mother, tenderly caring for me throughout my earthly life, and enfolding me in thy arms at the hour of my death. Amen.

Prayer of Saint Gertrude the Great for the Souls in Purgatory:

Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy Souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the Universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen

The post Saint Gertrude the Great first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Ignatius gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Nov 03 on the commemoration of the Franciscan Deceased and how we should pray for those who may be in purgatory and this includes Franciscan Friars and Sisters who will be judged more strictly. He also points out that we can get to heaven without having to go to purgatory and this is, in fact, what God wants most and we should strive for this.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Commemoration of the Franciscan Deceased – Mem
Readings: 
1st: wis 3:1-9
Resp: psa 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6 0
Gsp: joh 6:37-40

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=2209

Please like and share this video on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/319672932181677

The post Franciscan Departed – Nov 03 – Homily – Fr Ignatius first appeared on AirMaria.com.

In the homily for this Requiem Mass (Sep 25, 2019), Fr. Matthias explains the Franciscan custom of praying for the dead, as we do in this monthly Mass offered for deceased Friars, Sisters, Third Order members and associated lay faithful, relatives, and benefactors.

The fruits of the Redemption, obtained by Our Lord at Calvary and applied to each generation through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, have to be applied to each and every faithful soul. We can assist the deceased in the expiation of their sins by praying for them. That is why we offer Masses for the holy souls in Purgatory.

Ave Maria!

Mass: Wednesday 25th Week of Ordinary Time – Wkdy

Readings: 
1st: Ezr 9:5-9
Resp: Tob 13:2, 3-4, 6, 7-8, 6
Gsp: Lk 9:1-6

More on the Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092519.cfm

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/391855085078727
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/Xpz3IEFzRsI

To Subscribe to our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=franciscanfriars

The post Holy Sacrifice of Mass for Holy Souls in Purgatory – Sep 25 – Homily – Fr Matthias first appeared on AirMaria.com.

FOUR PRAYERS FOR THE DEPARTED

When St. Gertrude was about to say these prayers together with the psalter, she asked Our Lord whether they were acceptable to him, and received this answer: They are so acceptable to me that whenever a soul is liberated from Purgatory, it is to me as though my own soul were delivered out of captivity, and I will surely reward them in due time, in the omnipotence of my boundless compassion. Wherefore, although you cannot recite the whole psalter, say at least these four most effectual prayers, and after each of them say:

HAIL, Jesus Christ, Splendor of the Father; Hail, Prince of Peace, Gate of Heaven, Living Bread, Offspring of the Virgin, Vessel of the Godhead.

V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.

Or, De profundis ( Psalm 129).

FIRST PRAYER

I ADORE, salute, and bless thee, O sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, and I praise thee and give thee thanks with the love of all thy creatures for the vast love wherewith thou didst condescend to be made man for us, to be born, to endure hunger and thirst, toils and sorrows, for thirty-three years, and to bestow on us thyself in the most holy Sacrament; beseeching thee that thou wouldst vouchsafe to unite and blend with the merits of thy most holy conversation and life this my prayer, which I make to thee for the soul of N. departed [or, for the souls of all the faithful departed]; and to supply from the great abundance of those merits, and perfectly to complete whatsoever he has neglected in thy worship and love, in thanksgiving and in prayer, in virtue and good works, and all the service due to thee, in all that by thy grace he might have done and has not done, or did from impure motives, or carelessly and imperfectly. Amen.

SECOND PRAYER

I ADORE, salute, and bless thee, O sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, and I give thee thanks for that love wherewith thou, the Creator of all things, didst condescend for our redemption to be seized and bound and dragged away to judgment, to be trampled upon, buffeted and spit upon, to be scourged and crowned with thorns, to be condemned, to bear thine own cross, to be stripped and nailed to the cross, to die a most bitter death, and to be pierced through with the lance. And in union with that love I offer thee these my unworthy prayers, beseeching thee to blot out and efface utterly through the merits of thy most holy Passion and Death whatsoever this soul for which I pray has ever done against thy will, by evil thoughts or words or deeds; and that thou wouldst vouchsafe to offer to God the Father all the sorrow and the anguish of thy torn Body and of thy desolated Soul, all thy merits and all thine actions, for all that chastisement which he has incurred at the hands of thy justice. Amen.

THIRD PRAYER

I ADORE, salute, and bless thee, O sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, and I give thee thanks for all the love and the faithfulness with which thou didst overcome death and rise from the dead, and glorify our flesh by ascending in it to the right hand of the Father; beseeching thee that thou wouldst now vouchsafe to render the soul for which I pray partaker of thy triumph and of thy glory. Amen.

FOURTH PRAYER

I ADORE, salute, and bless thee, O sweetest Lord Jesus Christ, and I render thee thanks for all the graces thou hast ever bestowed on thy glorious Mother and on all thine elect, in union with the gratitude with which all thy saints exult in the bliss thou hast obtained for them through thy holy Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection; beseeching thee that thou wouldst vouchsafe to supply to this soul from the merits and prayers of the same glorious Virgin and all thy saints, whatever is lacking to his own. Amen.

The post Four Prayers for the Holy Souls first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Ignatius gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Nov 02, 2019 on All Souls day on how God is Love and that we are made for love, but if we are not ready for this fullness of love then we must be purified before entering paradise.

Ave Maria!

Mass: All Souls
Readings: 
1st: wis 3:1-9
Resp: psa 23:1-6
2nd: rom 5:5-11
Gsp: mat 11:25-30

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1187

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/2542750215947771
and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUOb3LYoWpE

The post All Souls, Purification of Love – Nov 02 – Homily – Fr Ignatius first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Fr Ignatius gives the homily at Bloomington, IN on Nov 02, 2020, All Souls Day, on how the souls in Purgatory are saved but suffering for time to be purified and how we can help them.

Ave Maria!

Mass: All Souls
Readings:  – http://usccb.org/bible/readings/110220.cfm
1st: wis 3:1-9
Resp: psa 23:1-6
2nd: rom 5:5-11
Gsp: mat 11:25-30

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1187

Also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/90378558559/videos/647016369320630
and YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZGTLPzDcHls

The post Helping the souls in Purgatory – Nov 02 – Homily – Fr Ignatius first appeared on AirMaria.com.

The Life of S. of God Mary Catharine Seger, Virgin, Second Order (d. 1637) for the Franciscan Saint of the Day for Nov 2. S. of God Mary Catharine Seger was born in Munich in Bavaria, Germany. She became founding abbess at a Poor Clare convent and held a strong commitment to praying for the suffering souls in purgatory.

Reflection is on Prayer for the souls in purgatory. Prayer for the souls of purgatory is an act of charity to those who have no ability to help themselves and takes time off our own purgatory

Also on Youtube: https://youtu.be/q1fvhugOBhw

Read by Fr. Ignatius Manfredonia, FI from Marion Habig’s ‘The Franciscan Book of Saints’ Revised Edition, Franciscan Herald Press, ISBN: 978-0819907516

Playlist of Franciscan Saints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TxcAETrU_k&list=PLejh_e0-LN4wErRczZGry4TXytCZFiLCm
Ave Maria!

+++

The post Nov 2 – S. of God Mary Catharine Seger – Franciscan Saint of the Day first appeared on AirMaria.com.