Making a New Chaplet...

Saint Gemma is my patron saint.....

The chaplet of Saint Gemma Galgani, has a medal of her likeness and is made up of 25 beads representing her life on earth. The 20 Crystal beads are for her Memorial day April 1, and 5 Aquamarine beads are for her Birthday March 12. The center roses are for your petition to her when praying the chaplet.
How to Pray
On the medal pray:
The Most Glorious St Gemma Prayer: O Most Glorious St. Gemma, Mirror of innocence and penance, may we who humbly invoke thy Heavenly intercession obtain from thee the grace of purity in all our thoughts, words and actions. Amen
On the set of 2 beads pray:
O my soul, bless Jesus. Never forget the many graces He has given thee. Love that God who so loves thee. Lift thyself up to Him, who has lowered Himself for thee; show thyself as He shows Himself with thee; be clean of heart, be pure. Love thy Jesus, who has lifted thee out of so much misery. Love thy God, bless thy Lord
Saint Gemma Galgani
On the center:
Pray the Saint Gemma Petition Prayer.
"Dearest St. Gemma. Sister and friend in Christ; You know the value of suffering and the blessings of healing. Please pray that Our Lord will heal me/us and my/our family of my/our, physical, emotional and spiritual ailments, Through Christ, Our Lord. Amen"
On the first set of 5 pray:
"Jesus, let me come to thee, I thirst for thy life giving blood."
Followed by 5 Hail Mary's
On the next bead pray:
If I saw the gates of Hell open and I stood on the brink of the abyss, I should not despair, I should not lose hope of mercy, because I should trust in You, my God.
Followed by One Our Father
Continue to the end of the chaplet in this pattern.
At the end of the chaplet pray again The Most Glorious St. Gemma Prayer.

St. Ignatius Loyola: Rules for Spiritual Discernment

Something I am following at the moment is a wonderful series on EWTN about the rules of St Ignatius

FOR PERCEIVING AND KNOWING IN SOME MANNER THE DIFFERENT MOVEMENTS WHICH ARE CAUSED IN THE SOUL THE GOOD, TO RECEIVE THEM, AND THE BAD TO REJECT THEM.

The first Rule: In the persons who go from mortal sin to mortal sin, the enemy is commonly used to propose to them apparent pleasures, making them imagine sensual delights and pleasures in order to hold them more and make them grow in their vices and sins. In these persons the good spirit uses the opposite method, pricking them and biting their consciences through the process of reason.

The second: In the persons who are going on intensely cleansing their sins and rising from good to better in the service of God our Lord, it is the method contrary to that in the first Rule, for then it is the way of the evil spirit to bite, sadden and put obstacles, disquieting with false reasons, that one may not go on; and it is proper to the good to give courage and strength, consolations, tears, inspirations and quiet, easing, and putting away all obstacles, that one may go on in well doing.

The third: Of Spiritual Consolation. I call it consolation when some interior movement in the soul is caused, through which the soul comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord; and when it can in consequence love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but in the Creator of them all. Likewise, when it sheds tears that move to love of its Lord, whether out of sorrow for one’s sins, or for the Passion of Christ our Lord, or because of other things directly connected with His service and praise. Finally, I call consolation every increase of hope, faith and charity, and all interior joy which calls and attracts to heavenly things and to the salvation of one’s soul, quieting it and giving it peace in its Creator and Lord.

The fourth: Of Spiritual Desolation. I call desolation all the contrary of the third rule, such as darkness of soul, disturbance in it, movement to things low and earthly, the unquiet of different agitations and temptations, moving to want of confidence, without hope, without love, when one finds oneself all lazy, tepid, sad, and as if separated from his Creator and Lord. Because, as consolation is contrary to desolation, in the same way the thoughts which come from consolation are contrary to the thoughts which come from desolation.

The fifth: In time of desolation never to make a change; but to be firm and constant in the resolutions and determination in which one was the day preceding such desolation, or in the determination in which he was in the preceding consolation. Because, as in consolation it is rather the good spirit who guides and counsels us, so in desolation it is the bad, with whose counsels we cannot take a course to decide rightly.

The sixth: Although in desolation we ought not to change our first resolutions, it is very helpful intensely to change ourselves against the same desolation, as by insisting more on prayer, meditation, on much examination, and by giving ourselves more scope in some suitable way of doing penance.

The seventh: Let him who is in desolation consider how the Lord has left him in trial in his natural powers, in order to resist the different agitations and temptations of the enemy; since he can with the Divine help, which always remains to him, though he does not clearly perceive it: because the Lord has taken from him his great fervor, great love and intense grace, leaving him, however, grace enough for eternal salvation.

The eighth: Let him who is in desolation labor to be in patience, which is contrary to the vexations which come to him: and let him think that he will soon be consoled, employing against the desolation the devices, as is said in the sixth Rule.

The ninth: There are three principal reasons why we find ourselves desolate. The first is, because of our being tepid, lazy or negligent in our spiritual exercises; and so through our faults, spiritual consolation withdraws from us. The second, to try us and see how much we are and how much we let ourselves out in His service and praise without such great pay of consolation and great graces. The third, to give us true acquaintance and knowledge, that we may interiorly feel that it is not ours to get or keep great devotion, intense love, tears, or any other spiritual consolation, but that all is the gift and grace of God our Lord, and that we may not build a nest in a thing not ours, raising our intellect into some pride or vainglory, attributing to us devotion or the other things of the spiritual consolation.

The tenth: Let him who is in consolation think how he will be in the desolation which will come after, taking new strength for then.

The eleventh: Let him who is consoled see to humbling himself and lowering himself as much as he can, thinking how little he is able for in the time of desolation without such grace or consolation. On the contrary, let him who is in desolation think that he can do much with the grace sufficient to resist all his enemies, taking strength in his Creator and Lord.

The twelfth: The enemy acts like a woman, in being weak against vigor and strong of will. Because, as it is the way of the woman when she is quarrelling with some man to lose heart, taking flight when the man shows her much courage: and on the contrary, if the man, losing heart, begins to fly, the wrath, revenge, and ferocity of the woman is very great, and so without bounds; in the same manner, it is the way of the enemy to weaken and lose heart, his temptations taking flight, when the person who is exercising himself in spiritual things opposes a bold front against the temptations of the enemy, doing diametrically the opposite. And on the contrary, if the person who is exercising himself commences to have fear and lose heart in suffering the temptations, there is no beast so wild on the face of the earth as the enemy of human nature in following out his damnable intention with so great malice.

The thirteenth: Likewise, he acts as a licentious lover in wanting to be secret and not revealed. For, as the licentious man who, speaking for an evil purpose, solicits a daughter of a good father or a wife of a good husband, wants his words and persuasions to be secret, and the contrary displeases him much, when the daughter reveals to her father or the wife to her husband his licentious words and depraved intention, because he easily gathers that he will not be able to succeed with the undertaking begun: in the same way, when the enemy of human nature brings his wiles and persuasions to the just soul, he wants and desires that they be received and kept in secret; but when one reveals them to his good Confessor or to another spiritual person that knows his deceits and evil ends, it is very grievous to him, because he gathers, from his manifest deceits being discovered, that he will not be able to succeed with his wickedness begun.

The fourteenth: Likewise, he behaves as a chief bent on conquering and robbing what he desires: for, as a captain and chief of the army, pitching his camp, and looking at the forces or defenses of a stronghold, attacks it on the weakest side, in like manner the enemy of human nature, roaming about, looks in turn at all our virtues, theological, cardinal and moral; and where he finds us weakest and most in need for our eternal salvation, there he attacks us and aims at taking us.

Inspired to Seek ....

While on retreat at Hyning I met a lovely man who gave his name as Wild Mad Irish John. He was indeed Wild, certainly Irish and no doubt named John, but he had a peace and joy which marked him out as one of the sanest people I have ever met!

He was what is known as an oblate, or lay associate and offered his help and gave of his skills to the Sisters with Joy and Love.

I have considered the oblate life my self and was deeply moved by his story.

He encouraged me to join them, but I did  not feel that this was the right order for me, as lovely as the Sisters are the "fit" was not quite right. I had considered the Franciscans previously, as a friend of mine is very drawn to them, but I knew that it just was not the right order for me.

So, on return from my retreat I searched for other orders to look into.

I was amazed to find that there was a convent almost on my own doorstep, that I had no idea existed.

I checked out the details on the Internet and was even more amazed (and somewhat amused) to find that they were a Passionist order.

This was the one order I had felt truly drawn to!

My Patron Saint Gemma Galgani (who chose me not the other way round) is a passionist saint and everything I knew about the passionist drew me to them.

So I took the bull with the horns and rang the convent.

It was a strange call to make as I wasn't sure how to start.

I suppose that "We haven't met, but I know you husband!" could be an opening when talking to any Sister.

After quite a lengthy conversation I was invited to the convent for a chat.

St Nicholas Day

I have always been a big fan of Santa, after all every Christmas he made my house smell like new dollies!

I even worked for him for a few years, knitting outfits for dolls, if you don't believe this ask my daughters who caught me doing just this when they were little and they will tell you its all true.

Good old St Nick himself is a big believer in the truth and wasn't always the jolly chap we know him as today.

Now I am not suggesting that we follow his lead and take up punching the people we disagree with in the face, but it does make the saints more "human" when we see them occasionally giving in to their instincts.

I wont go into the whole story (its readily available on the Internet, just look up st Nicholas/Arius) but the "gentleman" Nicholas lost his temper with was teaching that Jesus was not divine in nature.

When Nicholas reached the end of his tether he punched Arius in the face and pulled his beard!

Now we know why so few kids actually end up on the naughty list, Santa must remember he could be not so nice himself!

St Nicholas - Pray for Us

St Catherine Laboure 28th November

St Catherine - Pray For Us

St Cecillia 22nd November

PRAY FOR US

Hail Holy Queen

The first time I read this book it took me weeks because the concepts were so new to me, I kept having to stop to take them in.

The second time reading it was more of a celebration of the concepts which had sunk in during the 18 months between the 2 readings and it only took 24 hours!

I took it with me and read it while on the Walsingham Pilgramage.

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our Life, our Sweetness, and our Hope.
To Thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.
To Thee do we send up our sighs mourning
and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
Thine Eyes of Mercy toward us,
and after this our exile show us the
Blessed Fruit of thy Womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us O Holy Mother of God
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

St George - My Husband's Patron Saint

As well as being Holy Saturday today is St George's Day.

St George is the Patron Saint of England and although I myself am Scottish I am making the traditional English Roast Beef Dinner complete with Yorshire Pudding to celebrate, because my husband is English and St George is his Patron Saint!
This is his flag and printed on it is my husband's favourite hymn.

I hope my husband enjoys his dinner and I hope St George appreciates me celebrating his day on the day I am to be received into the Catholic Chruch!

I will be asking good St George to assist me in praying for my husband!

St Valentine - Patron Saint of Marriages - Especially Mine!

Valentine would have done what all priest do: minister to their congregation. Valentine became a patron saint of lovers (and marriage) when the Roman Emperor Claudius II made it illegal for couples to get married.

He needed men for his army and could not draft married men. Valentine continued to marry couples in secret.

When the emperor found out, he had valentine thrown into prison. While in jail he became a close friend of the jailer's young daughter. Just before he was executed for his crime, he sent her a letter in which he told her to remain faithful to God. He signed it, "From your Valentine."

He is a saint because he died for doing what was correct, he was martyred in 269 in Rome.

Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

He is the patron saint of marriages, but especially mine because we married many years before I became a Christian on 14th February, St Valantine's Day!

The Assumption of Mary

I made a desert to celebrate the Assumption of Mary:-

Tiramisu - which means "lift me up" topped with whipped cream which I turned blue and some individual meringues on top to represent clouds. I then put the see through dishes on blue and white plates.

Monica and Augustine

There was a change of plans yesterday and I did not get to have lunch alone with my son but with my grandson instead. Last night I made a desert to celebrate St Monica and St Augustine - I called it Monica's Tears.
I made some pancakes and trimmed them into tear shapes. Then topped then with orange flavoured chocolate and whipped cream.
I told the 2 boys (son, grandson and fosterson) about these saints before we eat them.