JMJ's Rosa Mystica and Shield

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The Prayer for 2010

Father, we thank you for revealing yourself to us in Jesus the Christ, we who once were not your people but whom you chose to adopt as your people. As ancient Israel confessed long ago, we realize that it was not because of our own righteousness, or our own superior wisdom, or strength, or power, or numbers. It was simply because you loved us, and chose to show us that love in Jesus.

As you have accepted us when we did not deserve your love, will you help us to accept those whom we find it hard to love? Forgive us, O Lord, for any attitude that we harbor that on any level sees ourselves as better or more righteous than others. Will you help us to remove the barriers of prejudice and to tear down the walls of bigotry, religious or social? O Lord, help us realize that the walls that we erect for others only form our own prisons!

Will you fill us so full of your love that there is no more room for intolerance? As you have forgiven us much, will you enable us with your strength to forgive others even more? Will you enable us through your abiding Presence among us, communally and individually, to live our lives in a manner worthy of the Name we bear?

May we, through your guidance and our faithful obedience, find new avenues in ways that we have not imagined of holding the Light of your love so that it may be a Light of revelation for all people through this year of 2010.

We thank you for your love, we thank you for the gift of our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph,  ask for your continued Presence with us and especially for our Priests, and bring these petitions in the name of your Son, who has truly revealed your heart.  AMEN

Good Works of St. John Vianney (Part 1)

"People say it is too much trouble to save one’s soul; but does not striving after honors or riches involve trouble?"
St. John Vianney, Of Holy Communion

After twenty-five years of struggling with his village to bring them to task on the importance of modesty and of keeping the faith in tact he won out in the end.

In 1823 the parish of Ars became part of the revived diocese of Belley. This was an occasion for slanderous attacks on St. John because of his zeal to reform made many powerful enemies. Fortunately, his bishop soon learned to have confidence in the Cure of Ars and later offered him as important parish elsewhere which he refused after a good deal of hesitation. The reputation of his holiness and achievements was also becoming known, and he was asked to give several parochial missions but his confessional was always besieged, this in the end was to be his lasting legacy.

In 1824 there opened, through the enterprising work of the Cure, a school for girls run by Catherine Lssagne and Benedicta Lardet, two young woman of the village whom St. John had sent to a convent for training. From this school sprang forth the famous institution of "La Providence," a shelter for orphans and other homeless or deserted children, with the wide spread reputation for accepting all who came to its door. Neither Miss Lassagne or Miss Lardet nor any other helper received any salary; nor any of the staff members, it was a charity run solely on alms with not so much as farthing being paid by those who sought shelter there.

As the shelter flourished the Cure of Ars continued his ministry of reconciliation. His confession lines were long and the penitents varied from the rich to the poor and were not limited to his small hamlet...

Next month... more good works.

More about St. John Vianney:

St. John Vianney - Patron Saint of Parochial Clergy

St. John Vianney and His Studies Under The "Age of Enlightenment"

St. John Vianney - Part 3

St. John Vianney - Part 4

St. John Vianney - Part 5