Archive by Author : Richard Heilman

Day 7, Novena for Our Nation – Courage

GOD’S WORD “Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14) HEROES’ WORDS “Fortitude is the disposition of soul which enables us to despise all inconveniences and the loss of things not in our power.” -St. Augustine “I know well that the greater and more beautiful the work is, the more terrible will be the storms that rage against it.” -St. Faustina “Moreover, Christians are born for combat, whereof the greater the vehemence, the more assured, God willing, the triumph: ‘Have confidence; I have overcome the world’ (Jn 16:33).” -Pope Leo XIII “Though the path is plain and smooth for men of good will, he who walks it will not travel far, and will do so only with difficulty, if he does not have good feet: that is, courage and a persevering spirit.” -St. John of the Cross MEDITATION Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to overcome obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause. “The Lord is my strength and my song.” “In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (CCC 1808). PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Sorrowful Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Joyful Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee, thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, Dispenser of God’s graces. and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Annunciation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Visitation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Nativity – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of detachment from the world and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Presentation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of purity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of obedience to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are asking everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Day 6, Novena for Our Nation – Justice

DAY 6 – MOTHER MOST PURE, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF JUSTICE! GOD’S WORD “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:34-40) HEROES’ WORDS “Charity is no substitute for justice withheld.” -St. Augustine “The source of justice is not vengeance but charity.” -St. Bridget of Sweden “If you want God to hear your prayers, hear the voice of the poor. If you wish God to anticipate your wants, provide those of the needy without waiting for them to ask you. Especially anticipate the needs of those who are ashamed to beg. To make them ask for alms is to make them buy it.” -St. Thomas of Villanova MEDITATION Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Justice toward God is called the “virtue of religion.” Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good. The just man, often mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, is distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor. (CCC 1807). PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Joyful Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days):Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou bast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Resurrection – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Ascension – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Assumption of Mary – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Coronation of the Blessed Mother – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are asking everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Day 5, Novena for Our Nation – Prudence

DAY 5 – MOTHER OF DIVINE GRACE, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE GIFT OF PRUDENCE GOD’S WORD “The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.” (Proverbs 14:15) HEROES’ WORDS “The prudent man considers things afar off, in so far as they tend to be a help or a hindrance to that which has to be done at the present time.” -St. Thomas Aquinas MEDITATION Human virtues are firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will that govern our actions, order our passions, and guide our conduct according to reason and faith. They make possible ease, self-mastery, and joy in leading a morally good life. The virtuous man is he who freely practices the good (CCC 1804). Four virtues play a pivotal role and accordingly are called “cardinal”; all the others are grouped around them. They are: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. “If anyone loves righteousness, [Wisdom’s] labors are virtues; for she teaches temperance and prudence, justice, and courage.” These virtues are praised under other names in many passages of Scripture (CCC 1805). Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; “the prudent man looks where he is going.” “Keep sane and sober for your prayers.” Prudence is “right reason in action,” writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle. It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid (CCC 1806). PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Glorious Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Sorrowful Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Agony in the Garden – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of resignation to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Scourging at the Pillar – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of mortification and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Crowning with Thorns – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Carrying of the Cross – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Crucifixion – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of love of our enemies and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are asking everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Day 4, Novena for Our Nation – Love

DAY 4 – MOTHER OF CHRIST, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE VIRTUE OF LOVE! GOD’S WORD “Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love.” (John 15:9-10) HEROES’ WORDS “Love to be real, it must cost — it must hurt — it must empty us of self.” -Mother Teresa “To love God is something greater than to know him.” -St. Thomas Aquinas “It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.” -St. Ignatius of Loyola MEDITATION Charity is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things for his own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God (CCC 1822). Charity: The infused supernatural virtue by which a person loves God above all things for his own sake, and loves others for God’s sake. It is a virtue based on divine faith or in belief in God’s revealed truth, and is not acquired by mere human effort. It can be conferred only by divine grace. Because it is infused along with sanctifying grace, it is frequently identified with the state of grace. Therefore, a person who has lost the supernatural virtue of charity has lost the state of grace, although he may still possess the virtues of hope and faith. (Fr. John Hardon, Modern Catholic Dictionary) Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own “to the end,” he makes manifest the Father’s love, which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus, which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.” And again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (CCC 1823). The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which “binds everything together in perfect harmony”; it is the form of the virtues; it articulates and orders them among themselves; it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice. Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love (CCC 1827). PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Joyful Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Joyful Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee, thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, Dispenser of God’s graces. and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Annunciation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Visitation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Nativity – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of detachment from the world and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Presentation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of purity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of obedience to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are asking everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Day 3, Novena for Our Nation – Hope

DAY 3 – HOLY VIRGIN OF VIRGINS, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE VIRTUE OF HOPE! GOD’S WORD “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23) HEROES’ WORDS “Pray, hope, and don’t worry.” -St. Pio of Pietrelcina MEDITATION Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1817). The virtue of hope responds to the aspiration to happiness which God has placed in the heart of every man; it takes up the hopes that inspire men’s activities and purifies them so as to order them to the Kingdom of heaven; it keeps man from discouragement; it sustains him during times of abandonment; it opens up his heart in expectation of eternal beatitude. Buoyed up by hope, he is preserved from selfishness and led to the happiness that flows from charity (CCC 1818). Christian hope unfolds from the beginning of Jesus’ preaching in the proclamation of the beatitudes. The beatitudes raise our hope toward heaven as the new Promised Land; they trace the path that leads through the trials that await the disciples of Jesus. But through the merits of Jesus Christ and of his Passion, God keeps us in the “hope that does not disappoint.” Hope is the “sure and steadfast anchor of the soul … that enters … where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf.” Hope is also a weapon that protects us in the struggle of salvation: “Let us … put on the breastplate of faith and charity, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” It affords us joy even under trial: “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation.” Hope is expressed and nourished in prayer, especially in the Our Father, the summary of everything that hope leads us to desire (CCC 1820). PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Sorrowful Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days):Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou bast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Resurrection – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Ascension – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Assumption of Mary – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Coronation of the Blessed Mother – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are asking everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Day 2, Novena for Our Nation – Faith

DAY 2 - HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, PRAY THAT WE RECEIVE THE VIRTUE OF FAITH! GOD’S WORD “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) HEROES’ WORDS “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” -Attributed to St. Thomas Aquinas MEDITATION The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity; they animate it and give it its special character. They inform and give life to all the moral virtues. They are infused by God into the souls of the faithful to make them capable of acting as his children and of meriting eternal life. They are the pledge of the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the faculties of the human being. There are three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity (CCC 1813). Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself. By faith “man freely commits his entire self to God.” For this reason the believer seeks to know and do God’s will. “The righteous shall live by faith.” Living faith “work[s] through charity” (CCC 1814). “Our faith must be complete. We completely submit our intellect and will to God. Our faith therefore illuminates our daily life. Our fallen race inherits from its first parents a propensity to sin, but our constant objective must be to live as Holy Mother Church teaches. We seek to live by the theological and cardinal virtues. We consciously avoid the seven capital sins. We go to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every day if possible, or every Sunday at minimum. We go to Confession every month if possible, or every year at minimum. We do all this because we have faith that the Catholic Church has Christ’s authority to teach us how to prepare for heaven.” PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Luminous Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Sorrowful Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses blood red roses to remind thee of the passion of thy divine Son, with Whom thou didst so fully partake of its bitterness each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Agony in the Garden – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of resignation to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Scourging at the Pillar – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of mortification and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Crowning with Thorns – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Carrying of the Cross – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of patience in adversity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Crucifixion – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these blood red roses with a petition for the virtue of love of our enemies and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are encouraging everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Day 1, Novena for Our Nation – Perfection

DAY 1 - HOLY MARY, HELP US TO STRIVE FOR PERFECTION! GOD’S WORD “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) HEROES’ WORDS “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!” -St. Catherine of Siena “This is the very perfection of a man, to find out his own imperfections.” -St. Augustine “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.” -Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman “He who climbs never stops going from beginning to beginning, through beginnings that have no end. He never stops desiring what he already knows.” -St. Gregory of Nissa “Let us begin in earnest to work out our salvation, for no one will do it for us, since even he himself, who made us without ourselves, will not save us without ourselves.” -St. Margaret Mary Alacoque MEDITATION “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” All are called to holiness: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (CCC 2013) Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ. This union is called “mystical” because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments - “the holy mysteries” - and, in him, in the mystery of the Holy Trinity. God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all. (CCC 2014) The way of perfection passes by way of the Cross. There is no holiness without renunciation and spiritual battle. Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes. (CCC 2015) PRAY A ROSARY Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Glorious Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Joyful Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys, each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee, thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses snow white buds to remind thee of thy joys each bud recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, Dispenser of God’s graces. and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Annunciation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of humility and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Visitation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Nativity – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of detachment from the world and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Presentation – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of purity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Finding the Child Jesus in the Temple – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these snow-white buds with a petition for the virtue of obedience to the will of God and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. St. Michael's Lent: The first 40 days of our 54 Day Rosary Novena coincides with, what St. Francis of Assisi practiced as, "St. Michael's Lent." During these 40 Days, we are asking everyone to offer some kind of fasting/abstinence/penance, and to pray the daily prayers of the Auxilium Christianorum. Specifically, we are asking for protection and for reparation, particularly for the sins in our Church and in our culture. The Auxilium Christianorum prayers we are using for St. Michael's Lent can be found: HERE   Information for the October 7 Rosary Coast to Coast can be found at RosaryCoasttoCoast.com Order all items related to the 54 Day Novena for Our Nation and Rosary Coast to Coast HERE *All sales support Catholic charities

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Amazing Victory Today, in God’s Amazing Timing!

There’s no doubt that faithful spiritual warriors have remained diligent in marching and praying out in front of Planned Parenthood for all these years since Roe v. Wade in 1973. But, the call for spiritual warfare was ramped up in a momentous way in 2012. No longer a “grass roots” effort, as the bishops rose up, in consensus, to call the faithful to be united a very special prayer campaign. As you may recall, the Obama Administration mandated, in August of 2011, that all employers cover birth control, allowing only a very narrow religious exception for a certain select group of conscientious objectors. This was so narrow a religious exception that even nuns didn't qualify. For the bishops, this was a “last straw.” This was when the call went out for a "Fortnight for Freedom." The Fortnight for Freedom is a campaign initiated by the Roman Catholic bishops of the United States. Events over the course of fourteen days from June 21 to July 4 each year, call upon Catholics to participate in a pledge to religious liberty and an appeal for the inclusion of a "conscience clause" for religious institutions and religious faithful to practice according to the moral tenets of one's religious faith. More than 70 of the 195 dioceses in the U.S. scheduled events. The “Fortnight for Freedom” campaign began on June 21, 2012 with a Mass at the Baltimore Basilica, chosen because Baltimore is the oldest diocese in the United States. It ended with a Mass held at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. (pictured in this article), on July 4, 2012, the Independence Day holiday. I, actually, got a team together and we started with the scheduled Fortnight for Freedom, but then asked the faithful to join together in front our State Capitol in Madison, WI every Thursday evening for three Summers in a row. Over 200 would gather every Thursday night. It would be in that third Summer that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby. Victory! Since 2014, we have galvanized faithful prayer warriors to join in several prayer campaigns that, mostly, revolve around the extremely powerful 54 Day Rosary Novena. In 2016, we formed a team and began planning for “Novena for Our Nation.” This was held from August 15 (Feast of Our Lady of the Assumption) to October 7 (Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary). Over 20,000 prayer warriors joined ranks from around the country. The Novena for Our Nation campaign concluded with a “National Rosary Rally” in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC. Many miracles occurred during this campaign, but avoiding more of the radical secular agenda in the 2016 Presidential election was certainly an answer to our prayers, many believed. We decided to continue this campaign in 2017, especially as we are celebrating the 100^th Anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady in Fatima, Portugal. The ranks of our Prayer Warriors rose to over 50,000! Many of us have traveled to Washington DC today to get ready for this year’s National Rosary Rally tomorrow, October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Originally named “Our Lady of Victory” by Pope St. Pius V, after a miraculous sea battle victory in 1571 at Lepanto, which he attributed to the rosary). So, here’s the “amazing part.” As we are arrived in our nation’s Capital, in the shadow of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (pictured in this article), where the Fortnight for Freedom was inaugurated, we learned that President Trump had overturned the Obama Contraceptive mandate. That’s the right … on the very eve of the National Rosary Rally on the Feast of Our Lady of Victory … victory is, indeed, granted to us by God, through the powerful intercession of Our Lady. What began in Washington DC in 2012 has concluded in Washington DC in 2017, the year in which we celebrate the centennial of Our Lady of Fatima. WOW!! This is “one” battle won. Many battles lie ahead. So, let’s advance with the “belief” that God is, indeed, the God of miracles!

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Day 54, Novena for Our Nation – No Cross, No Crown!

DAY 54 - OUR LADY OF VICTORY, PRAY FOR US

NO CROSS, NO CROWN!

No cross, no crown. No pain, no gain. No guts, no glory. St. James summons us to see the challenges we face as opportunities to rise to new heights of existence, “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (Jas 1:12). In the military, the cross and crown symbolizes a soldier’s willingness to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other, and to country, no matter what. This kind of unwavering dedication is exactly what Jesus meant when he gave us the criterion for enlisting in his elite fighting force: “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” (Lk 9:23-25). While sounding like a military drill instructor, St John Vianney expounds on this radical call to discipleship: “There is no doubt about it: a person who loves pleasure, who seeks comfort, who flies from anything that might spell suffering, who is over-anxious, who complains, who blames, and who becomes impatient at the least little thing which does not go his way — a person like that is a Christian only in name; he is only a dishonor to his religion, for Jesus Christ has said so: ‘Anyone who wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day of his life, and follow Me.’” The Gospels stories show how Jesus touched people in ways that made them question the direction of their lives. Some turned away because his challenge seemed to be too hard. But many others were so moved by his mission and ministry that they were compelled to search for a more perfect way of living and being. Where do you stand? Are you ready to put it all on the line? This means nothing less than to do what God is calling you. Are you ready to say “yes” to the call to become his champion? (Excerpt from Church Militant Field Manual).

PRAY A ROSARY

Choose either:

1. Rosary of the Day: Joyful Mysteries
2. Traditional 54 Day Rotation: Glorious Mysteries

PRAYERS FOR TRADITIONAL 54 DAY NOVENA THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES OF THE HOLY ROSARY Prayer before the recitation: Sign of the cross. Hail Mary. In petition (first 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I humbly kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses, full-blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee, each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery, each 10 bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God’s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! Thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my petition; from thy bounty thou wilt give me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly seek. I despair of nothing that I ask of thee. Show thyself my Mother! In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Hail, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary, my Mother Mary, hail! At thy feet I gratefully kneel to offer thee a Crown of Roses full blown white roses, tinged with the red of the passion, to remind thee of thy glories, fruits of the sufferings of thy Son and thee each rose recalling to thee a holy mystery; each ten bound together with my petition for a particular grace. O Holy Queen, dispenser of God s graces, and Mother of all who invoke thee! thou canst not look upon my gift and fail to see its binding. As thou receivest my gift, so wilt thou receive my thanksgiving; from thy bounty thou hast given me the favor I so earnestly and trustingly sought. I despaired not of what I asked of thee, and thou hast truly shown thyself my Mother. Say: The Apostles’ Creed, Our Father, 3 Hail Marys, Glory Be. For each of the following Mysteries, say: Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. The Resurrection – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of faith and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Ascension – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of hope and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Descent of the Holy Spirit – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of charity and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Assumption of Mary – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with Christ and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. The Coronation of the Blessed Mother – Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, Glory Be. Concluding Prayer: I bind these full-blown roses with a petition for the virtue of union with thee and humbly lay this bouquet at thy feet. Say: The Hail Holy Queen. In petition (first 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this spiritual communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow. O my Mother! Look with favor upon my gift, and in thy love obtain for me (specify request). Hail Mary … In thanksgiving (last 27 days): Sweet Mother Mary, I offer thee this Spiritual Communion to bind my bouquets in a wreath to place upon thy brow in thanksgiving for (specify request) which thou in thy love hast obtained for me. Hail, Mary, etc. Now, along with over 50,000 faithful from around the nation, and those praying in front of the United States Capitol in Washington DC today, make your Total Consecration. St. Maximilian Kolbe Prayer of Consecration O Immaculata, Queen of heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, N…, a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you. If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: “She will crush your head,” and, “You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world.” Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. V. Allow me to praise you, O sacred Virgin. R. Give me strength against your enemies. Enroll in the Militia of the Immaculata HERE

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