Wysteria Blossom's LOVE STARS

Question + Free Minutes for Month of December ~ Special

Wysteria Blossom — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:03:00 GMT

This Month's Special:

I am including free follow-up minutes with your answer to your question.

May God bless bless your footsteps with sunshine! -Wysteria Blossom

$15.00

Ask ANY Question

2 Free Minutes
Phone Reading Included

Ask Any One Question only $15.00
All information is private and confidential.
Please allow up to 24 hours for your answer.
Only one question per request. Thank you.

Relaxation Spell

Relaxation is KEY to opening yourself up to blessings!
Plus 2 FREE minutes
Perfect to perform before a reading
or
if you just need to de-stress
Only 50¢
Complete Instructions

POWERFUL Relaxation Spell only $0.50
2 Free minutes sent if you request them.
All information is private and confidential.
The instructions for this spell will be e-mailed to you immediately!

Let's Talk!

Only $1.99/min.

My Summer 2011 Specials

Wysteria Blossom — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:09:00 GMT

How To Win Back Your Ex

While Holding On To Your Dignity

There is a 92% success rate

if you follow the instructions I've outlined.

How To Win Back Your Ex only $5.99
Plus, I'll send you 2 FREE Minutes!
All information is private and confidential.
E-mailed Immediately!
Thank you.

Thank you

for such a great response!

Tune into my blog each day to keep up with future sales events.

Tarot by Keen-Mail Reading only $50.00

I will do a Life Spread (21-cards) tarot reading.

I provide an Anchor (7 additional cards) to provide further detail

I include 5 FREE minutes to discuss your reading over the phone

You will receive an in-depth, detailed reading that you can print out and refer back to at any time.

The Life Spread will give a complete overview of all present events and the potential future of each area in your life.

A question is not required, however if there is something specific you wish to know, you may ask and I will look further into that situation.

I do not do Tarot Readings via phone because of the length of time it takes for me to do an in-depth, detailed reading. PLUS, you have the added benefit of referring back to your reading later. I advise my clients to print it out for future reference.

I offer a fixed rate and spend well over an hour working on your layout before I send your report.

Life Spread Tarot with Anchor Reading

Tarot by Keen-Mail Reading only $50.00
All information is private and confidential.
Please allow up to 24 hours for your answer.
Thank you.

Have you met your soul-mate?

Do you want to improve your relationship?

Is your beloved your "One-Forever"?

For the MOST accurate report, please fill out these details:
(This information can be found on your birth certificate)

Your Birthdate:

Your Birth Time (am/pm):

Your Place of Birth:

His/Her Birthdate:

His/Her Birth Time (am/pm):

His/Her Place of Birth

Love Compatibility Report Keen-Mail Reading only $19.95
All information is private and confidential.
Please allow up to 24 hours for your answer.
Thank you.

*~ CALL ME ~*

Only 1.99/min.

Relaxation Spell

Relaxation is KEY to opening yourself up to LOVE!
Plus 2 FREE minutes
Perfect to perform before a reading
or
if you just need to de-stress
Only 50-cents
Complete Instructions

POWERFUL Relaxation Spell only $0.50
2 Free minutes sent if you request them.
All information is private and confidential.
The instructions for this spell will be e-mailed to you immediately!

$15.00

Ask Any Question

Ask Any One Question only $5.00
All information is private and confidential.
Please allow up to 24 hours for your answer.
Only one question per request. Thank you.

Numerology Reading

Relationships of numbers to dates and names

have been studied for over 2500 years.

To find out what Numerology reveals about your life,

let me send you your own personal Numerology reading.

You can use numerology to:

Determine your Life Path and your Destiny.
Know your Pinnacles and Karmic Lesson numbers.
Learn what Challenges you may have to overcome.
Discover your numbers for This Month and This Year and learn how they affect you.
Identify Peak Moments in your life.
Explore your Special Talents and Skills and how to use them wisely.
Discover your own innate Abilities.
Identify your Soul and Personality numbers.
Do you already know which number is Lucky for you? I do.

Numerology Reading...only $20.°°

Numerology Reading...only $20.°°
All information is private and confidential.
Please allow up to 24 hours for your answer.

Let's Talk!

Only 1.99/min.

SAINT OF THE DAY -- May 24 - Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

Wysteria Blossom — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:33:00 GMT

May 24

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

(1566-1607)

Patron Saint of Sexual Temptation and People with Illnesses

"A little drop of simple obedience is worth a million times more than a whole vase of the choicest contemplation."

-Saint Mary Magdalen de' Pazzi

"Prayer ought to be humble, fervent, resigned, persevering, and accompanied with great reverence. One should consider that he stands in the presence of a God, and speaks with a Lord before whom the angels tremble from awe and fear."

-Saint Mary Magdalen de Pazzi

Mystical ecstasy is the elevation of the spirit to God in such a way that the person is aware of this union with God and both internal and external senses are detached from the sensible world. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi was so generously given this special gift of God that she is called the "ecstatic saint."

She was born into a noble family in Florence in 1566. The normal course would have been for Catherine de Pazzi to have married wealth and enjoyed comfort, but she chose to follow her own path. At nine she learned to meditate from the family confessor. She made her first Communion at the then-early age of 10 and made a vow of virginity one month later. When 16, she entered the Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion daily there.

Catherine had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near so her superiors let her make her profession of vows from a cot in the chapel in a private ceremony. Immediately after, she fell into an ecstasy that lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion on the following 40 mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of union with God and contained marvelous insights into divine truths.

As a safeguard against deception and to preserve the revelations, her confessor asked Mary Magdalene to dictate her experiences to sister secretaries. Over the next six years, five large volumes were filled. The first three books record ecstasies from May of 1584 through Pentecost week the following year. This week was a preparation for a severe five-year trial. The fourth book records that trial and the fifth is a collection of letters concerning reform and renewal. Another book, Admonitions, is a collection of her sayings arising from her experiences in the formation of women religious.

The extraordinary was ordinary for this saint. She read the thoughts of others and predicted future events. During her lifetime, she appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of sick people.

It would be easy to dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary Magdalene only had spiritual highs. This is far from true. It seems that God permitted her this special closeness to prepare her for the five years of desolation that followed when she experienced spiritual dryness. She was plunged into a state of darkness in which she saw nothing but what was horrible in herself and all around her. She had violent temptations and endured great physical suffering. She died in 1607 at 41, and was canonized in 1669.

Comment:

Intimate union, God's gift to mystics, is a reminder to all of us of the eternal happiness of union he wishes to give us. The cause of mystical ecstasy in this life is the Holy Spirit, working through spiritual gifts. The ecstasy occurs because of the weakness of the body and its powers to withstand the divine illumination, but as the body is purified and strengthened, ecstasy no longer occurs. On various aspects of ecstasy, see Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, Chapter 5, and John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, 2:1-2.

Quote:

There are many people today who see no purpose in suffering. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi discovered saving grace in suffering. When she entered religious life she was filled with a desire to suffer for Christ during the rest of her life. The more she suffered, the greater grew her desire for it. Her dying words to her fellow sisters were: "The last thing I ask of you—and I ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—is that you love him alone, that you trust implicitly in him and that you encourage one another continually to suffer for the love of him."

A small piece of her writings:

Come, Holy Spirit. Spirit of truth, you are the reward of the saints, the comforter of souls, light in the darkness, riches to the poor, treasure to lovers, food for the hungry, comfort to those who are wandering; to sum up, you are the one in whom all treasures are contained.

Come! As you descended upon Mary that the Word might become flesh, work in us through grace as you worked in her through nature and grace.

Come! Food of every chaste thought, fountain of all mercy, sum of all purity.

Come! Consume in us whatever prevents us from being consumed in you.

-from the writings of Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

Prayer:

Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, pray that we will make a commitment to seek the presence of God in prayer the way you did. Guide us to see the graces God gives us as gifts not rewards and to respond with gratitude and humility, not pride and selfishness. Amen

Source: American Catholic Organization

Many great miracles have been associated with the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide. Miracles continue to the present day.

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

Are you asking yourself....

Wysteria Blossom — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:15:00 GMT

Why won’t my ex call me back?

Is your ex driving you crazy by not returning your phone calls, texts and/or emails?

Have you lost the love of your life and you haven't received any contact, nor reply to your many attempts to initiate conversation and hopefully a reconciliation? If you are wondering if it is at all possible for you to win back your lost love, the answer is YES...especially if you are committed and willing to work at it.

You may be feeling totally helpless when trying to find approaches to get your ex back. A breakup leaves you with emotions that feel devastating. If you want to rekindle the relationship and you believe that your ex feels the same and will come back to you, then there are a lot of things that you can do. These methods will help you to work and win back the love of your life.

Have you considered using Telepathy to jump-start the communication?

Have you ever had the feeling that the phone would ring... and it did? Or maybe you knew who was calling... and you were right. A song plays in your head; you turn on the radio, and there it is... the same song. You are overwhelmed, somehow, with the feeling that a close friend or relative is in trouble or needs your help at that moment... and you soon learn that is actually true. This ability is known as telepathy.

Just because you lost your love, it does not mean that you have lost them permanently. Couples reunite every day. Quite simply, the answer to, "Can I get my ex back?" is...YES!

Let me share with you some ways you can use to get your ex back into your arms.

Getting Your Ex to Contact You

only $9.99

All information is private and confidential.
E-mailed Immediately!
Thank you.

Thank you

for such a great response!

Tune into my blog each day to keep up with future sales events.

*~ CALL ME ~*

Only 1.99/min.

SAINT OF THE DAY -- May 18 - Saint John I

Wysteria Blossom — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:15:00 GMT

May 18

St. John I

(d. 526)

'God is gracious'

Pope John I inherited the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. Italy had been ruled for 30 years by an emperor who espoused the heresy, though he treated the empire’s Catholics with toleration. His policy changed at about the time the young John was elected pope.

When the eastern emperor began imposing severe measures on the Arians of his area, the western emperor forced John to head a delegation to the East to soften the measures against the heretics. Little is known of the manner or outcome of the negotiations—designed to secure continued toleration of Catholics in the West.

When John returned to Rome, he found that the emperor had begun to suspect his friendship with his eastern rival.

On his way home, John was imprisoned when he reached Ravenna because the emperor suspected a conspiracy against his throne. Shortly after his imprisonment, John died, apparently from the treatment he had received.

Comment:

We cannot choose the issues for which we have to suffer and perhaps die. John I suffered because of a power-conscious emperor. Jesus suffered because of the suspicions of those who were threatened by his freedom, openness and powerlessness. “If you find that the world hates you, know it has hated me before you.”

Quote:

“Martyrdom makes disciples like their Master, who willingly accepted death for the salvation of the world, and through it they are made like him by the shedding of blood. Therefore, the Church considers it the highest gift and supreme test of love. And while it is given to few, all however must be prepared to confess Christ before humanity and to follow him along the way of the cross amid the persecutions which the Church never lacks” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 42, Austin Flannery translation).

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- May 11 - Saint Ignatius of Laconi

Wysteria Blossom — Wed, 11 May 2011 07:03:00 GMT

May 11

St. Ignatius of Laconi

(1701-1781)

Apostle of the Street

He Made Peace Between Enemies

Ignatius is another sainted begging brother.

He was the second of seven children of peasant parents in Sardinia. His path to the Franciscans was unusual. During a serious illness, Ignatius vowed to become a Capuchin if he recovered. He regained his health but ignored the promise. A riding accident prompted him to renew the pledge, which he acted on the second time; he was 20 then. Ignatius’s reputation for self-denial and charity led to his appointment as the official beggar for the friars in Cagliari. He fulfilled that task for 40 years; he was blind the last two years.

While on his rounds, Ignatius would instruct the children, visit the sick and urge sinners to repent. The people of Cagliari were inspired by his kindness and his faithfulness to his work.

Vincent, from an early age showed signs of a religious vocation. His father would not permit him to pursue this because the family depended on his help. As an adolescent, he fell gravely ill and made a vow that if he should recover he would become a Capuchin.

His father however, was still opposed Vincent's promise. But when he confronted his parents and told them of the vow he made to enter the Capuchin Order, and they quickly relented.

When Vincent approached the provincial minister to ask if he could enter the Capuchin Order, his request was met with a resounding, "No". The provincial judged that Vincent's frail appearance to be too much of an obstacle for living the austere, rigorous life of a Capuchin. Through persistence, Vincent was eventually accepted.

He was given the name Ignatius. For the last 40 years of his life, he served as questor. Ignatius was illiterate, his grammar poor and his dialect rough. However, he was recognized for his holiness.

He always set out on his quest with rosary in hand and eyes down cast. People often gave alms to this "apostle of the street", out of personal devotion than charity. He was always held in high esteem by others and was referred to as the "holy friar". He never sought personal prestige or recognition. His words, though unpolished, always reflected a faith perspective.

To those who came to him for comfort, he would advise, "Trust God". He had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary. For the last two years of his life, Ignatius was completely blind, although he was still actively engaged in ministry. He died on 11 May 1781. He was beatified by Pius XII on 16 July 1844 and canonized on 21 October 1951.

Comment:

Why did the people of Cagliari support the friars? These followers of Francis worked hard but rarely at jobs that paid enough to live on. Under these conditions St. Francis allowed them to beg. The life of Ignatius reminds us that everything God considers worthwhile does not have a high-paying salary attached to it.

Quote:

"And I used to work with my hands, and I [still] desire to work; and I firmly wish that all my brothers give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know how [to work] learn, not from desire of receiving wages for their work but as an example and in order to avoid idleness. And when we are not paid for our work, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, seeking alms from door to door" (St. Francis, Testament).

Prayer:

Lord God,
you led St Ignatius along the way of humility,
innocence and fraternal charity to the heights of sanctity.
Help us to imitate his virtues and to practice charity on earth
with word and deed.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Source: American Catholic Organization

Many great miracles have been associated with the Rosary throughout history.
The tremendous power of the Rosary can overcome any problem,
be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day!

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- May 10 - Blessed Damien of Molokai

Wysteria Blossom — Tue, 10 May 2011 21:22:00 GMT

May 10

Blessed Damien of Molokai

(1840-1889)

Patron Saint of Lepers, Outcasts, HIV/AIDS and Hawaii

Apostle of the Lepers

When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy (Hansen's disease). By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could soften the ravages of this disease.

Forced to quit school at age 13 to work on the family farm, six years later Joseph entered the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, taking the name of a fourth-century physician and martyr. When his brother Pamphile, a priest in the same congregation, fell ill and was unable to go to the Hawaiian Islands as assigned, Damien quickly volunteered in his place. In May 1864, two months after arriving in his new mission, Damien was ordained a priest in Honolulu and assigned to the island of Hawaii.

In 1873, he went to the Hawaiian government's leper colony on the island of Molokai, set up seven years earlier. Part of a team of four chaplains taking that assignment for three months each year, Damien soon volunteered to remain permanently, caring for the people's physical, medical and spiritual needs. In time, he became their most effective advocate to obtain promised government support.

Soon the settlement had new houses and a new church, school and orphanage. Morale improved considerably. A few years later he succeeded in getting the Franciscan Sisters of Syracuse, led by Mother Marianne Kope, to help staff this colony in Kalaupapa.

Damien contracted Hansen's disease and died of its complications. As requested, he was buried in Kalaupapa, but in 1936 the Belgian government succeeded in having his body moved to Belgium. Part of Damien's body was returned to his beloved Hawaiian brothers and sisters after his beatification in 1995.

When Hawaii became a state in 1959, it selected Damien as one of its two representatives in the Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol.

Comment:

Some people thought Damien was a hero for going to Molokai and others thought he was crazy. When a Protestant clergyman wrote that Damien was guilty of immoral behavior, Robert Louis Stevenson vigorously defended him in an "Open Letter to Dr. Hyde."

Quote:

During the beatification homily, Pope John Paul II said: "Holiness is not perfection according to human criteria; it is not reserved for a small number of exceptional persons. It is for everyone; it is the Lord who brings us to holiness, when we are willing to collaborate in the salvation of the world for the glory of God, despite our sin and our sometimes rebellious temperament."

Prayer for the Canonization of Blessed Damien:

Our Father, while your Son Jesus walked among us on earth, He taught us by work and example to love one another. We pray that you glorify your servant Damien, in order that inspired by the example of his love for you, and for his fellow human beings, we too, might live your great commandment and reach out to our brothers and sisters in their spiritual and temporal needs.

Inspired by your love, Damien gave his life for the most wretched of his brothers and sisters.

May we, in your goodness, soon see him honored as Saint.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Source: American Catholic Organization

Many great miracles have been associated with the Rosary throughout history.
The tremendous power of the Rosary can overcome any problem,
be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day!

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 31 - Saint Stephen of Mar Saba

Wysteria Blossom — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 31

St. Stephen of Mar Saba

(d. 794)

A "do not disturb" sign helped today's saint find holiness and peace.

Stephen of Mar Saba was the nephew of St. John Damascene, who introduced the young boy to monastic life beginning at age 10. When he reached 24, Stephen served the community in a variety of ways, including guest master. After some time he asked permission to live a hermit's life. The answer from the abbot was yes and no: Stephen could follow his preferred lifestyle during the week, but on weekends he was to offer his skills as a counselor. Stephen placed a note on the door of his cell: "Forgive me, Fathers, in the name of the Lord, but please do not disturb me except on Saturdays and Sundays."

Despite his calling to prayer and quiet, Stephen displayed uncanny skills with people and was a valued spiritual guide.

His biographer and disciple wrote about Stephen: "Whatever help, spiritual or material, he was asked to give, he gave. He received and honored all with the same kindness. He possessed nothing and lacked nothing. In total poverty he possessed all things."

Stephen died in 794.

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 30 - Saint Peter Regalado

Wysteria Blossom — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 30

St. Peter Regalado

Patron Saint of the Internet

(1390 - 1456)

When his body was exhumed thirty-six years after his death, at the instance of Isabella the Catholic, it was found incorrupt and placed in a more precious tomb.

Peter lived at a very busy time. The Great Western Schism (1378-1417) was settled at the Council of Constance (1414-1418). France and England were fighting the Hundred Years’ War, and in 1453 the Byzantine Empire was completely wiped out by the loss of Constantinople to the Turks. At Peter’s death the age of printing had just begun in Germany, and Columbus's arrival in the New World was less than 40 years away.

Peter came from a wealthy and pious family in Valladolid, Spain. At the age of 13, he was allowed to enter the Conventual Franciscans. Shortly after his ordination, he was made superior of the friary in Aguilar. He became part of a group of friars who wanted to lead a life of greater poverty and penance. In 1442 he was appointed head of all the Spanish Franciscans in his reform group.

Peter led the friars by his example. A special love of the poor and the sick characterized Peter. Miraculous stories are told about his charity to the poor. For example, the bread never seemed to run out as long as Peter had hungry people to feed. Throughout most of his life, Peter went hungry; he lived only on bread and water.

Immediately after his death on March 31, 1456, his grave became a place of pilgrimage. Peter was canonized in 1746.

Comment:

Peter was an effective leader of the friars because he did not become ensnared in anger over the sins of others. Peter helped sinning friars rearrange the priorities in their lives and dedicate themselves to living the gospel of Jesus Christ as they had vowed. This patient correction is an act of charity available to all Franciscans, not just to superiors.

Quote:

"And let all the brothers, both the ministers and servants as well as the others, take care not to be disturbed or angered at the sin or the evil of another, because the devil wishes to destroy many through the fault of one; but they should spiritually help [the brother] who has sinned as best they can, because it is not the healthy who are in need of the physician, but those who are sick (cf. Mt 9:12; Mk 2:17)" (Rule of 1221, Chapter 5).

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 29 - Blessed Ludovico of Casoria

Wysteria Blossom — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 29

Blessed Ludovico of Casoria

(1814-1885)

"The Lord called me to himself with a most tender love, and infinite charity
he led and directed me along the path of my life"

Born in Casoria (near Naples), Arcangelo Palmentieri was a cabinet-maker before entering the Friars Minor in 1832, taking the name Ludovico. After his ordination five years later, he taught chemistry, physics and mathematics to younger members of his province for several years.

In 1847 he had a mystical experience which he later described as a cleansing. After that he dedicated his life to the poor and the infirm, establishing a dispensary for the poor, two schools for African children, an institute for the children of nobility, as well as an institution for orphans, the deaf and the speechless, and other institutes for the blind, elderly and for travelers. In addition to an infirmary for friars of his province, he began charitable institutes in Naples, Florence and Assisi. He once said, "Christ’s love has wounded my heart." This love prompted him to great acts of charity.

To help continue these works of mercy, in 1859 he established the Gray Brothers, a religious community composed of men who formerly belonged to the Secular Franciscan Order. Three years later he founded the Gray Sisters of St. Elizabeth for the same purpose.

Toward the beginning of his final, nine-year illness, Ludovico wrote a spiritual testament which described faith as "light in the darkness, help in sickness, blessing in tribulations, paradise in the crucifixion and life amid death." The local work for his beatification began within five months of Ludovico’s death. He was beatified in 1993.

Comment:

Saintly people are not protected from suffering, but with God’s help they learn how to develop compassion from it. In the face of great suffering, we move either toward compassion or indifference. Saintly men and women show us the path toward compassion.

Quote:

Ludovico’s spiritual testament begins: "The Lord called me to himself with a most tender love, and with an infinite charity he led and directed me along the path of my life."

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 28 - Saint Hesychius of Jerusalem

Wysteria Blossom — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 28

St. Hesychius of Jerusalem

(c. 450)

“He who has no prayer free from thoughts has no weapon for battle. By prayer I mean the prayer which is constantly active in the innermost secret places of the soul, so that the enemy in his secret onslaughts is invisibly flogged and scorched by calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

-St. Hesychius of Jerusalem

Not only is the name of today's saint a bit hard to pronounce and spell. It's also difficult to learn about such a modest and gentle man who lived in the fourth and fifth century and who is better known in the Russian Orthodox Church.

The birth date of Hesychius (pronounced HESH-us) is unclear, but we know that he was a priest and monk who wrote a history of the Church, unfortunately lost. He also wrote about many of the burning issues of his day. These included the heresy of Nestorianism, which held that there were two separate persons in Jesus—one human, one divine—and the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. Some of his commentaries on the books of the Bible as well, along with meditations on the prophets and homilies on the Blessed Virgin Mary, still survive.

It's believed Hesychius delivered Easter homilies in the basilica in Jerusalem thought to be the place of the crucifixion.

His words on the Eucharist, written centuries ago, speak to us today: "Keep yourselves free from sin so that every day you may share in the mystic meal; by doing so our bodies become the body of Christ."

Hesychius died around the year 450.

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 27 - Blessed Francis Faà di Bruno

Wysteria Blossom — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 27

Blessed Francis Faà di Bruno

(1825 - 1888)

Francis, the last of 12 children, was born in northern Italy into an aristocratic family. He lived at a particularly turbulent time in history, when anti-Catholic and anti-papal sentiments were especially strong.

After being trained as a military officer, Francis was spotted by King Victor Emmanuel II, who was impressed with the young man's character and learning. Invited by the king to tutor his two young sons, Francis agreed and prepared himself with additional studies. But with the role of the Church in education being a sticking point for many, the king was forced to withdraw his offer to the openly Catholic Francis and, instead, find a tutor more suitable to the secular state.

Francis soon left army life behind and pursued doctoral studies in Paris in mathematics and astronomy; he also showed a special interest in religion and asceticism. Despite his commitment to the scholarly life, Francis put much of his energy into charitable activities. He founded the Society of St. Zita for maids and domestic servants, later expanding it to include unmarried mothers, among others. He helped establish hostels for the elderly and poor. He even oversaw the construction of a church in Turin that was dedicated to the memory of Italian soldiers who had lost their lives in the struggle over the unification of Italy.

Wishing to broaden and deepen his commitment to the poor, Francis, then well into adulthood, studied for the priesthood. But first he had to obtain the support of Pope Pius IX to counteract the opposition to his own archbishop's difficulty with late vocations. Francis was ordained at the age of 51.

As a priest, he continued his good works, sharing his inheritance as well as his energy. He established yet another hostel, this time for prostitutes. He died in Turin on March 27, 1888, and was beatified 100 years later.

Comment:

It wasn’t Francis’ lack of scholarly ability or deep-down goodness that almost kept him from the priesthood, but his bishop’s distrust of “late vocations.” Until the later part of the 20th century, most candidates for the priesthood entered the seminary right out of grade school. Today no bishop would refuse a middle-aged applicant—especially someone whose care for people in need is constant. Francis is a holy reminder that God’s call to reassess our life’s direction can reach us at any age.

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 26 - Blessed Didacus of Cadiz

Wysteria Blossom — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 26

Blessed Didacus of Cadiz

His lineage dated from the Visigoth kings.

(1743 - 1801)

Once when his superior chided him because of the austerity of his life, Didacus Joseph replied:

"Ah, Father, my sins and the sins of the people compel me to do it. Those who have been charged with the conversion of sinners must remember that the Lord has imposed upon them the sins of all their clients. By means of our penances we should atone for the sins of our fellowmen and thus preserve ourselves and them from eternal death. It would hardly be too much if we shed the last drop of our blood for their conversion."

Born in Cadiz, Spain, and christened Joseph Francis, the youth spent much of his free time around the Capuchin friars and their church. But his desire to enter the Franciscan Order was delayed because of the difficulty he had with his studies. Finally he was admitted to the novitiate of the Capuchins in Seville as Brother Didacus. He later was ordained a priest and sent out to preach.

His gift of preaching was soon evident. He journeyed tirelessly through the territory of Andalusia of Spain, speaking in small towns and crowded cities. His words were able to touch the minds and hearts of young and old, rich and poor, students and professors. His work in the confessional completed the conversions his words began.

This unlearned man was called "the apostle of the Holy Trinity" because of his devotion to the Trinity and the ease with which he preached about this sublime mystery. One day a child gave away his secret, crying out: "Mother, mother, see the dove resting on the shoulder of Father Didacus! I could preach like that too if a dove told me all that I should say."

Didacus was that close to God, spending nights in prayer and preparing for his sermons by severe penances. His reply to those who criticized him: "My sins and the sins of the people compel me to do it. Those who have been charged with the conversions of sinners must remember that the Lord has imposed on them the sins of all their clients."

It is said that sometimes when he preached on the love of God he would be elevated above the pulpit. Crowds in village and town squares were entranced by his words and would attempt to tear off pieces of his habit as he passed by.

He died in 1801 at age 58, a holy and revered man. He was beatified in 1894.

Comment:

Didacus was such a poor student that the Franciscans wouldn’t have him. When Capuchins finally took him into their order and eventually ordained him, he proved to be a powerful preacher—to everyone’s surprise. As we often do, Didacus’s contemporaries expected little from someone with a slow mind. Didacus proved to them that intelligence is not the only measure. The person who has a loving heart, a listening ear and a wealth of compassion is, in the long run, much wiser.

Prayer:

God our Father,
you endowed blessed Didacus with the knowledge of the saints
and wonderfully guided him in his labours for the salvation of his people.
Through his intercession grant us to relish what is right and good,
and to preach to all nations the unfathomable riches of Christ.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. AMEN.

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 25 - Annunciation of the Lord

Wysteria Blossom — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 25

Annunciation of the Lord

The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the most important in the Church calendar. It celebrates the actual Incarnation of Our Savior the Word made flesh in the womb of His mother, Mary.

The feast of the Annunciation goes back to the fourth or fifth century. Its central focus is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. From all eternity God had decided that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become human. Now, as Luke 1:26-38 tells us, the decision is being realized. The God-Man embraces all humanity, indeed all creation, to bring it to God in one great act of love. Because human beings have rejected God, Jesus will accept a life of suffering and an agonizing death: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).

Mary has an important role to play in God’s plan. From all eternity God destined her to be the mother of Jesus and closely related to him in the creation and redemption of the world. We could say that God’s decrees of creation and redemption are joined in the decree of Incarnation. As Mary is God’s instrument in the Incarnation, she has a role to play with Jesus in creation and redemption. It is a God-given role. It is God’s grace from beginning to end. Mary becomes the eminent figure she is only by God’s grace. She is the empty space where God could act. Everything she is she owes to the Trinity.

She is the virgin-mother who fulfills Isaiah 7:14 in a way that Isaiah could not have imagined. She is united with her son in carrying out the will of God (Psalm 40:8-9; Hebrews 10:7-9; Luke 1:38).

Together with Jesus, the privileged and graced Mary is the link between heaven and earth. She is the human being who best, after Jesus, exemplifies the possibilities of human existence. She received into her lowliness the infinite love of God. She shows how an ordinary human being can reflect God in the ordinary circumstances of life. She exemplifies what the Church and every member of the Church is meant to become. She is the ultimate product of the creative and redemptive power of God. She manifests what the Incarnation is meant to accomplish for all of us.

Comment:

Sometimes spiritual writers are accused of putting Mary on a pedestal and thereby discouraging ordinary humans from imitating her. Perhaps such an observation is misguided. God did put Mary on a pedestal and has put all human beings on a pedestal. We have scarcely begun to realize the magnificence of divine grace, the wonder of God’s freely given love. The marvel of Mary—even in the midst of her very ordinary life—is God’s shout to us to wake up to the marvelous creatures that we all are by divine design.

Quote:

“Enriched from the first instant of her conception with the splendor of an entirely unique holiness, the virgin of Nazareth is hailed by the heralding angel, by divine command, as ‘full of grace’ (cf. Luke 1:28). To the heavenly messenger she replies: ‘Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word’ (Luke 1:38). Thus the daughter of Adam, Mary, consenting to the word of God, became the Mother of Jesus. Committing herself wholeheartedly and impeded by no sin to God’s saving will, she devoted herself totally, as a handmaid of the Lord, to the person and work of her Son, under and with him, serving the mystery of redemption, by the grace of Almighty God” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 56).

Prayers:

God our Father,
Your word became man and was born of the Virgin Mary.
May we become more like Jesus Christ,
whom we acknowledge as our redeemer, God and man.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Almighty Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
You have revealed the beauty of Your power
by exalting the lowly virgin of Nazareth
and making her the mother of our Savior.
May the prayers of this woman
bring Jesus to the waiting world
and fill the void of incompletion
with the presence of her Child,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the Child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?

SAINT OF THE DAY -- March 24 - Saint Catherine of Genoa

Wysteria Blossom — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:33:00 GMT

March 24

St. Catherine of Genoa

Apostle of Purgatory

Patron Saint of Brides, the Childless, Difficult Marriages, Temptation, Widows

(1447 - 1510)

"If it were given to a man to see virtue's reward in the next world, he would occupy his intellect, memory and will in nothing but good works, careless of danger or fatigue."

~ St. Catherine of Genoa

"O Lord, do with me what you will."
~ St. Catherine of Genoa

Going to confession one day was the turning point of Catherine’s life.

When Catherine was born, many Italian nobles were supporting Renaissance artists and writers. The needs of the poor and the sick were often overshadowed by a hunger for luxury and self-indulgence.

Catherine’s parents were members of the nobility in Genoa. At 13 she attempted to become a nun but failed because of her age. At 16 she married Julian, a nobleman who turned out to be selfish and unfaithful. For a while she tried to numb her disappointment by a life of selfish pleasure.

One day in confession she had a new sense of her own sins and how much God loved her. She reformed her life and gave good example to Julian, who soon turned from his self-centered life of distraction.

Julian’s spending, however, had ruined them financially. He and Catherine decided to live in the Pammatone, a large hospital in Genoa, and to dedicate themselves to works of charity there. After Julian’s death in 1497, Catherine took over management of the hospital.

She wrote about purgatory which, she said, begins on earth for souls open to God. Life with God in heaven is a continuation and perfection of the life with God begun on earth.

Exhausted by her life of self-sacrifice, she died September 15, 1510, and was canonized in 1737.

Comment:

Regular confessions and frequent Communion can help us see the direction (or drift) of our life with God. People who have a realistic sense of their own sinfulness and of the greatness of God are often the ones who are most ready to meet the needs of their neighbors. Catherine began her hospital work with enthusiasm and was faithful to it through difficult times because she was inspired by the love of God, a love which was renewed in her by the Scriptures and the sacraments.

Quote:

Shortly before Catherine’s death she told her goddaughter: "Tomasina! Jesus in your heart! Eternity in your mind! The will of God in all your actions! But above all, love, God’s love, entire love!" (Marion A. Habig, O.F.M., The Franciscan Book of Saints, p. 212).

Source: American Catholic Organization

The Rosary is a powerful prayer!

Each lesson is only 10¢

God bless you!

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries

Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries

If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.

If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)

SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP

Do you:

feel afraid of your partner much of the time?

avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?

feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?

believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?

wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?

feel emotionally numb or helpless?

Does your partner:

humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
blame you for his own abusive behavior?
see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?

Does your partner:

have a bad and unpredictable temper?

hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?

threaten to take your children away or harm them?

threaten to commit suicide if you leave?

force you to have sex?

destroy your belongings?

Does your partner:

act excessively jealous and possessive?
control where you go or what you do?
keep you from seeing your friends or family?
limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
constantly check up on you?