#The Surrender Novena

[angeltreasure]

No matter what happens, good or bad to me, I accept it is God’s will now. The peace when you surrender and let yourself go to God is nothing I can describe.

[angeltreasure]

Recommended reading:

The Surrender Novena by Father Dolindo Ruotolo.

self-care tip: surrender yourself totally to the will of God

[portraitsofsaints]

Father Dolindo Ruotolo

Servant of God

1882-1970

The Surrender Novena Apostle

Father Dolindo Ruotolo was an Italian Roman Catholic priest, miracle worker and prophet, who suffered the wounds of Christ. He was called the “mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit.” He was totally dedicated to Mary, Mother of God and the rosary. He was Padre Pio's spiritual director who called him a saint. His life was one of humiliation and inner pain. Our Lord gave him the “Surrender Novena” “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, You take care of everything.” He offered himself as a victim soul for mankind and was afflicted with many sufferings, including complete paralysis for the last ten years of his life.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[joanofarcs-stigmata]

(was preparing some novenas and found one I wrote for Good Shepherd Sunday, but I think it is a lovely little prayer for more than just that feast and wanted to share. Not the most 'Lenten' prayer, but even Lent needs a little light. Includes an optional personalized prayer request section at the end!)

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Sweet Jesus of Nazareth, the world’s most gentle Shepherd, beloved Son of God, and Pascal Lamb, Your cloak is red as blood and white as light and Your staff is worn and warm, held by pierced palms as You hold open the pasture gate. The sight of my Shepherd fills my broken heart with such joy, and I rejoice in knowing I have been gifted a pasture beside You, Shepherd most patient, most kind, most loving.  Heavenly Savior and Shepherd of the world, create a clean heart within me; make my coat white as snow. Leave behind the ninety-nine when I go astray, and hold me to Your breast when I cry out in fear. Lead me to grasses of joy and tranquility, and feed me with Your milk and honey, that I might grow strong in the arms of the Spirit. To You do I surrender, for unwavering peace and boundless joy find their fill in Your gracious presence. Without You, this pasture is filled with brambles and wolves, terrible beasts and cold nights. But You are a goodly Shepherd who never leaves his flock, and I need not fear the dark. Hold me close, sweet Jesus! Cradle me in Your arms, and let me never forget the pleasure that Your rod and staff brings as I dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  I ask now, goodly Shepherd, as I meditate on Your kind works, that you provide for me [---], if it is according to Your Will. May my plea and prayers of thanksgiving rise to you alongside the prayer of Your holy mother, for no adore You more than she. With a full heart, I pray, Amen. 

[findingrome1]

Happy Advent again!! Here is another post with some thoughts I'd like to share about the season.

So Advent is one of two main fasting seasons of the Western Christianity (I know in the Eastern Christianity it is 3 to 4 depending on the liturgical cycle). For those who are new to the faith, or maybe in turning a leaf to be less lukewarm, committing to a fast can be hard. Especially if food is a maladaptive coping with feelings of stress, sadness or loneliness. But this is why fasting is important as a discipline. Another challenge someone may encounter while fasting is if they live with their family and they are none Catholic when you eat from this maybe a challenge. Something you can do is fast on different days when you do have control over what you eat. If you have trouble with fasting just start off small and work your way from there.

Fasting at its heart is not about the absence of food or another activity, but exchanging an ordinary part of our daily routine for an activity that will deepen our relationship with our God. If fasting is about eating less and avoiding meat on certain days but nothing else changes then you aren't in the spirit of fasting, you are merely falling the letter of the prescribed dietary practice by the Magistrium. You are making the Faith a checklist.

Fasting is best accompanied with a difference in routine as well because it ties the acting of abstaining with an increase in spiritual practice. Here are a few things I intend to do, so feel free to borrow from my example.

Before I was a Catholic I would read the Bible in the year (minus the Deutro Cannon). Now that I am I plan to read the Bible in a year, every year at the start of the liturgical calendar.

Do the daily Gospel readings throughout Advent.

Praying Novenas with the saints through the season.

Going to cemeteries to pray for the dead and sing hymns.

Finally and very important is to remember what Advent is about. It isn't just some count down to Christmas. It is the season where remember how Christ our Lord was born for you. The infinite chose to surrender his power to humble himself and be part of our finite world and participate in it, in the ultimate way: Christ our Lord has died for you. By his death we are allowed us finite to now participate in the life of the infinite. So then now, we keep watch for his second coming for when all things are made new. We don't go to heaven, heaven is coming down to us.

[ave-immaculata]

"And when I must lead you on a path different from the one you see, I will prepare you; I will carry you in my arms; I will let you find yourself, like children who have fallen asleep in their mother’s arms, on the other bank of the river. What troubles you and hurts you immensely are your reason, your thoughts and worry, and your desire at all costs to deal with what afflicts you." (From the Surrender Novena)

[ominouspositivity-or-else]

my life rn consists of

writing kafka fanfic

reading philosophy about being happy

seasonal affective disorder(big SAD)

iron deficiency

spite and rage in equal amounts

reading mary barton by elizabeth gaskell

my mother trying to subtly convince me to be more republican again(it is not working)

applying to jobs i am not even remotely qualified for on a literal whim

trying to figure out what to say on linkedin

saint thomas aquinas

surrender novena i promise i'll finish(it's been three days i keep forgetting the book when i stop in at adoration)

ice cold air that feels like breathing in spikes.

english degree with a theology minor

bad college campus food options

dreaming of winning a literary award or seven

[doveloveroftheholyspirit1234]

starting the Surrender Novena today and a lot went wrong tonight, however, I know God is testing me and I’m going to force myself to practice radical trust in God and really trying to see the bigger picture. He knows better than me and trying to judge situations and things by my own understanding comes from pride.

[yesterdaywastheonlyeasyday]

A song for David ... a story from Medjugorje

(shared from a FB post)

Since 1988, Medjugorje has become a spiritual lifeline to our family. David, our second son, was born April 17, 1981, on Good Friday, a few weeks before the apparitions began in Medjugorje; a significant day, as from them onwards his life would pivot closely around Good Friday. David was born with a hare lip and during the early months and years of his life it became apparent that he had multiple problems, including paralysis affecting his left hand side and, more seriously, a diagnosis of severe aplastic anaemia, a rare bone marrow disease. Children with this disease seldom survived beyond their teenage years, alternating between endless blood transfusions to stabilise their condition to keep them alive in the short term, and then experiencing brief periods of remission.

In 1988 we had returned from Lourdes. My husband Bryan, although an agnostic, travelled to Lourdes with us. He enjoyed his week but spiritually he returned the same, much to my frustration. However, God has his own timing and ways of accomplishing his plan in our lives. I then decided to pray a nine-day novena to Our Lady for Bryan and surrendered him totally into her maternal care. During the novena I came to hear about the apparitions taking place in Medjugorje. Excitedly I shared the information with Bryan and said that I would love to visit the place.A few days later Bryan asked me where exactly Medjugorje was in what was then Yugoslavia and expressed an interest in going there one day. I was totally surprised by this sudden interest and had still not completed the novena I was saying for him. I continued to pray and then decided to book a surprise pilgrimage to Medjugorje for Bryan. I made the arrangements in faith, and then informed him. To my amazement he was delighted and six weeks later I packed his case. Before I shut the suitcase I remembered that I had bought some Rosary beads in Lourdes as a gift for Bryan and had put them in a drawer until I felt it was a suitable time to give them to him. I quickly found the brown wooden beads and placed them on top of his clothes.

Whilst Bryan was away, our son David had a profound spiritual experience. Because of his poor health he had been allowed to make his First Holy Communion a few months before, at the age of seven. As usual, one evening, at the same time the apparitions took place in St James Church, I lit a candle and placed it in the centre of the kitchen table. I gathered my three children with Hannah, the youngest, on my knee, and began to pray the Rosary with them. I didn't particularly feel in the mood for prayer that evening. I was exhausted at the end of the day and just wanted to put the children to bed. As we began to make the Sign of the Cross, David became rather excitable and seemed absolutely fascinated with the candle. Mummy, mummy, just look at the candle. It's flashing three lights! he exclaimed. We all looked at the candle and it was no different to any other evening it had been lit. We began to pray, and as I glanced up I noticed that David, normally such a fidget, had his eyes gently closed and sat perfectly still without joining in.

After prayers he continued to sit quietly before eventually opening his eyes. He's gone, he pronounced simply. David, who's gone? I asked. Jesus is gone. After the three flashes of light from the candle, I saw a mist. As the mist cleared, Jesus was standing beside the candle. Do you mean a Child Jesus or a Daddy Jesus, I asked. A Daddy Jesus. He wore a white robe and had wounds on his hands and feet. He then spoke to me and said, You are to pray the Rosary for you are a son of Mary. Jesus then showed me the world of Medjugorje. It was like a moving picture. I saw a church with two high steeples. I then saw Jesus standing beside my daddy. Daddy was wearing a necklace around his neck with a cross. When he comes home he will be leading the Rosary in our family.

David's prophetic words came true. Bryan had a profound conversion experience in Medjugorje. As he stood listening to Vicka, one of the young visionaries, describe her experiences with the Blessed Mother, he just knew that she was speaking the truth. When he returned home, he was wearing around his neck the brown Rosary beads I had packed in his suitcase. David just pointed to the necklace that he had seen. Bryan was received into the Catholic Church exactly one year later, on the Feast of St Therese of the Child Jesus. Bryan took David to Medjugorje two years later. He was, by this time, quite a sick little boy. He had a wonderful time. He especially loved climbing the big mountain by torchlight. It was the last holiday that David had.

He died from a brain haemorrhage on April 9, 1991. Mummy I don't want to be attached to this drip on my birthday. The Lord heard and answered his prayer. He was in heaven for his tenth birthday. The following year his birthday fell on Good Friday.

[bylagunabay]

Power of Saint Joseph (March 19 Solemnity)

SAINT JOSEPH SAVES 32,000 PRISONERS FROM EXECUTION

"𝓘𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝓸 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓷 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓲𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓽𝓻𝓸𝓾𝓫𝓵𝓮𝓼, 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓢𝓽. 𝓙𝓸𝓼𝓮𝓹𝓱." 𝓢𝓽. 𝓐𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓮𝓽𝓽𝓮

At around 5:00 pm on the 29th of April 1945, the US Army liberated about 32,000 prisoners at the Nazi Dachau Concentration Camp. At that time the prisoners did not know that Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler had given a secret order to exterminate all inmates of the camp beginning 9:00 pm of the same day. Providentially, a few Polish Catholics had gathered for 9 days starting the 14th of April to hear Mass in the chapel managed by German priests and to ask Saint Joseph for a miracle for their liberation from bondage. On the last day of the novena (22nd of April 1945) 800 inmates surrendered themselves to the guardianship of St Joseph.

Four hours before the secret order was to be carried out, the camp which was guarded by Nazi soldiers was taken over by allied soldiers belonging to General Patton’s Army. As soon as the prisoners heard about the American soldiers, 32 thousand of them fearlessly and happily ran out of the barracks.

Right after the liberation the American commander summoned everyone to say “Our Father” as a thanksgiving prayer and they sang “Te Deum” hymn in the chapel.

For the 856 priests interred in Dachau, it became clear that they owed their lives to the intercession of Saint Joseph.

[angeltreasure]

Today was so blessed! I originally volunteered for overtime, but since there isn’t much they cancelled. I caught up on some much needed sleep even though I fell asleep with my light on again after Night prayers! 😅

I had enough time to eat breakfast with Morning prayers and headed off to Mass farther away. It was a little Mass again, the priest, me, and four other people. Father prayed for me again, knowing about my vocation. After Mass ended, we spoke concerning details of my vocation that I’ve wanted to tell him in my heart. I wasn’t sure if he would understand the details, but also know that this is the priest that is so kind to me. In fact, it was if the Holy Spirit had been speaking to his own heart, so he asked the very question I was holding in mine about a concern I had! I explained my situation and he in fact, understood! He gave an answer and asked if there was anything I would need at the moment. I asked to teach me about this certain saint, so he offered me a book!! (I’ll return it when I’m down.) I met another person of the parish as Father went to get the book, but they didn’t stay long. That surprised me because of how I used to feel here but now I keep meeting people! I was alone with Jesus for a few minutes before Father returned with the book.

He started to put things away as it was my time to go, but that’s when I gathered the courage to ask him about being my spiritual director. I explained I was given this advice by a few people, but know well that priests are so busy and that I would understand if he would say no, and if there would be anyone he knew who could especially for this particular detail of differences in Rite… He said yes!!! I thanked him and we spoke for a little then it was my time to go so he could lock the little church.

We said goodbyes and I headed to the shrine. I often forget how hot it gets here in the desert so I didn’t stay long. I drove, got a coffee, and drove for a bit without any destination, just to enjoy the scenery and hymns. The drive was so busy and had construction, so I wanted to drive home. Of course, there is a perpetual adoration chapel closer to home!

When I came I have never seen so many people for Adoration! Perhaps 12 people with me. That was such a a joy to see, but then spontaneously, a women in the middle handed out papers to pray the 3 o’clock hour Divine Mercy Chaplet!!! My favorite Chaplet… I never had anyone do such a thing during a little chapel. After that was done, I remembered at the ending of The Sound of Freedom that Jim said now it’s our turn to pass the torch and explain the reality of child human trafficking. My mind immediately came up with a personal Chaplet. It’s basically modeled after the Divine Mercy Chaplet, but it changes one line. Instead of, For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion have mercy on us and on the whole world—- I came up with For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on children and their captives. (I also made a second alternative For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on children and their abusers.) it came out of no where! I’m going to pray it with Mom tonight when she gets home. We have a video about angels to watch.

Wow! And the night isn’t even over yet. God, what else do You have for me?

[portraitsofsaints]

Father Dolindo Ruotolo

He promoted the “Surrender Novena” “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, You take care of everything.”

Father Dolindo Ruotolo was an Italian Roman Catholic priest, miracle worker and prophet, who suffered the wounds of Christ. He was called the “mouthpiece of the Holy Spirit.” He was totally dedicated to Mary, Mother of God and the rosary. He was Padre Pio's spiritual director who called him a saint. His life was one of humiliation and inner pain. Our Lord gave him the “Surrender Novena” “O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, You take care of everything.” He offered himself as a victim soul for mankind and was afflicted with many sufferings, including complete paralysis for the last ten years of his life.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

[stowrice]

Unwavering Faith despite uncertainty

When I was a kid, the familiar story and scenes of Christmas that were always retold centered around how the angel declared to Mary that she would bear our Savior and how Jesus was born in a very lowly condition, receiving three gifts from wise men from the East. This marked Jesus' dwelling with us.

However, what’s striking about the story I used to hear and watch is that the characters most often highlighted were our Blessed Mother and Jesus. What’s also amazing is that throughout the life of Jesus, Mary was the parent who was always present, accompanying Him even at His death on the cross.

Similarly, we Filipinos show our love and devotion to our Blessed Mother. For instance, we are currently celebrating the Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo, a nine-day novena Mass that begins on December 16 (or the evening of December 15) and concludes on December 24, with the Misa de Gallo on Christmas Eve to accompany our Blessed Mother as she carries Jesus in her womb.

And as we continue to journey with our Blessed Mother, on the third day of Misa de Gallo, we hear about another character who was present at the first coming of Jesus. Unlike our Blessed Mother, this character is not mentioned much throughout Scripture, nor is he present during the ministry of Jesus. This character is quite fascinating. Though we have limited knowledge of him and he is not often spoken about, like our Blessed Mother, he is also a significant instrument of how God dwelt among us and became human like us.

In my Christology class last semester with Fr. Arnel Aquino, SJ, part of our outline was to discuss Jesus’ anthropology, particularly His infancy narrative. The infancy narrative in our class was quite similar to the Christmas story I heard when I was a kid. However, what’s quite amazing about the infancy narrative in our class is that we didn’t just highlight our Blessed Mother, but also St. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, whom we only hear about twice in the Synoptic Gospels. We also explored the context of the birth of Jesus and how chaotic the situation was at that time.

Joseph, a quiet yet significant character in Scripture, is portrayed without grand descriptions or fanfare attached to his name. He is known as a carpenter, as Jesus was referred to by the hierarchs as "the Son of the Carpenter." Joseph was a man of unwavering faith who fearlessly obeyed God's plans without question, surrendering everything to follow Him.

What’s striking about Joseph’s story, as reflected in today’s readings, is his profound love for our Blessed Mother and Jesus. Despite being a devout Jew, he embraced Mary’s condition with remarkable courage, knowing she might be seen as an adulterer for bearing a child that was not his. Without confusion or hesitation, Joseph followed God’s plans completely. After receiving the Angel's message in a dream, he abandoned his own plans and devoted himself to caring for Mary and Jesus.

Pope Francis highlights St. Joseph in his apostolic letter Patris Corde, describing him as a father obedient to God. With his fiat, St. Joseph protects Mary and Jesus and teaches his Son to “do the will of the Father.” Called by God to serve the mission of Jesus, he “cooperated… in the great mystery of Redemption,” as St. John Paul II said, and is truly “a minister of salvation.”

St. Joseph embraced God’s will without hesitation or complaint, despite uncertainty and contradictions to his own plans. He was filled with profound love and committed himself to doing what is right and just. For this reason, may today’s readings help prepare and inspire us for the coming of Jesus. Like His earthly father, St. Joseph, may we be willing to follow God’s plans over our own and be courageous enough to serve our brothers and sisters in great need.

[martinwilliammichael]

Consecration at any age, a sure step toward heaven

Each of us is called to holiness. Each of us has a unique vocation … or combination of vocations.  A special purpose according to God’s design. 

Several years ago, I consecrated myself to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. By doing this, I consecrated myself to holiness, to discerning God’s will for me and allowing our Mother to use me as she knows best. I renew that consecration annually to remind myself of my baptismal vows and to reinvigorate my efforts toward fulfilling my purpose.

To clarify, consecration in this sense is not the consecrated life of a brother, monk, sister or nun, but a solemn dedication to holiness and toward bringing others to holiness. And by aligning myself with God’s will, I receive more fully his graces and his protection. 

On the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, my family celebrates with me as I renew my yearly consecration to Jesus through Mary. I feel not only surrounded by Mary’s maternal love and protection, but also lifted up by the prayers and good will of my loved ones. 

When we baptize our children, we are taking the first step toward bringing our children to Christ and the gift of eternal life. We are marking our children as belonging to him. As responsible parents and godparents, we continue that journey with our children, educating them in the faith by our words as well as our actions. While my personal consecration is a good example for young ones, did you know that you can consecrate your children to Jesus as well?

It took me a few years after my own consecration before I realized I could share this astounding gift with my child. Now, I see it as a critical and necessary step that all parents can take.

We cannot protect our children from all the evil in the world … by ourselves, that is. They absolutely need armor for the spiritual battles ahead. We insist they wear seat belts and bike helmets. Of course, they must be consecrated to Jesus as well! 

The Catholic Church asserts that parents have authority over their children, even grown children.

So, you may consecrate your children at any time. It is not necessary to have an elaborate event or even have your children present, but we discussed as a family and prayed a novena together leading up to consecration day. We also arranged for a priest to perform the consecration and repeat this annually with a fitting family celebration.  

As with my own consecration, we are renewing baptismal vows and showing openness to our children being fit instruments in Our Lady’s most capable, beautiful and loving hands, whatever that vocation may be. It is a surrender to God’s design for us. And in return, our children will have not only the seal of the Holy Spirit, but also the full force of divine protection.

Charla Misse, September 4, 2024

www.clarionherald.org

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

[busy-with-little-things]

All Saints' Day Novena: Day 4

Time for my patron saint, Mar Taqla, aka St. Thecla!

Here's an image I painted of her! Do me a favor and don't look at the lion. What did I just say

There isn't very much writing attributed to St. Thecla. She was a friend of St. Paul, and she is called "Equal-to-the-Apostles." The book The Acts of Paul and Thecla is an apocryphal book because it promotes essentially female priesthood, and normally an apocryphal book is an apocryphal book to me, but, like. That's it? Idk I think it's something I'll check out in the future. It's linked below if you are curious.

I relate to St. Thecla in that she is delivered from many trials that would otherwise end in death. I feel like while I am not being persecuted, I get anxiety about my suffering before it even happens. But I've been trying to surrender to God's will before I undergo something, and most of the time, the thing I'm dreading doesn't happen. Not to say that they never will, but rather that I am warmed by the fire without having to step on hot coals. And that must have been something she experienced a lot. Mar Taqla, pray for me not only to be ready to give up comfort but to live in discomfort when I need to.

St. Thecla, pray for us!

[jholie]

The Surrender Novena: Miracles and Healing -Trusting in the Sacred Heart...