Give us the kindness to hear with compassion,
to offer support,
loving comfort, and care.
Give us the courage to do what is needed,
the wisdom to choose
what is right and fair.
Give us the vision to see what is possible.
Give us the faith
that will help pave the way
for a present that is hopeful,
a future that is peaceful—
Give us a heart to bring joy to each day.
Amen.
The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Catholic Church in honor of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family. We celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family on the last Sunday of the year which this year falls on December 27. The primary purpose of this feast is to present the Holy Family as a model for Christian families. Today is the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Pope Francis: Prayer to the Holy Family for the Synod
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
in you, we contemplate
the splendor of true love,
to you, we turn with trust.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that our families too
may be places of communion and prayer,
authentic schools of the Gospel
and small domestic Churches.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may families never again
experience violence, rejection, and division:
may all who have been hurt or scandalized
find ready comfort and healing.
Holy Family of Nazareth,
may the approaching Synod of Bishops
make us once more mindful
of the sacredness and inviolability of the family,
and its beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,
graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.
Pope Francis
June is the month of the Sacred Heart. The Feast of the Sacred Heart is a moveable feast. It is celebrated on the first Friday after the Octave of Corpus Christi. This year 2020 it will be celebrated on June 19. Among many different religious practices during this month is singing or reciting the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sometimes we do this without giving too much attention to the content and meaning of each invocation. In this connection, the Priests of the Sacred Heart would like to invite you to meditate on it together with Fr. Leo Dehon, the founder of the Congregation dedicated to the Divine Heart of Jesus.
The meditations are taken from the following address: http://dehoniansusa.org/feature-stories/meditations-on-the-litany-of-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/ and supplied with the biblical references. Continue reading
St. Isidore, the Farmer (1070-1130) is considered the patron saint of farmers and rural communities. He was born to very poor yet very pious Catholic parents in Madrid; as a young boy, he went to work on the estate of John de Vergas, a wealthy landowner from the nearby town of Torrelaguanna.
Isidore labored on Vergas’ farm for the rest of his life. He was a model worker, a simple and caring person, and a very devout Christian.
In the morning before going to work, Isidore would usually attend Mass at one of the churches in Madrid. One day, his fellow farm workers complained to their master that Isidore was always late for work in the morning. Upon investigation the master found Isidore at prayer while an angel was doing the ploughing for him. Continue reading
