Lord Grant Us Saints!: October 2009

Friday, October 30, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 9, 10-31-09, SAINTS ARE SELFLESS

If there is one word that describes Damien and encapsulates everything we have learned of his life, it is selflessness. Fr Damien never thought of himself. He gave every ounce of his time, energy, and love to care for those God placed in his charge. From the day he arrived on the island to the day he died himself from leprosy, he gave everything he had. The maximum love Bishop Giaquinta always spoke of was exemplified by Damien to the core. He worked, prayed, played with the children, said Mass and administered the sacraments until his life was completely spent in the love of God

How does this apply to us? As we study this remarkable life, it is clear to us that so often we forget that our lives are not our own, that we have been purchased with a price. We too easily spend our time as we choose, doing what we want when we want, pushing Christ to the side.

Prayer: Dear Lord, as we celebrate All Saints Day tomorrow remind us of all those who have gone before us who spent their lives completely in your service, and remind us to give ourselves more completely to create a world of All Saints, All brothers and Sisters

Thursday, October 29, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 8, 10-30-09, SAINTS ARE HUMBLE

If anyone had reason to boast, Damien did, he did so much good for so many in his care. I wish I could find the source again, but I am unable to. I read among St Damien’s writing how critically important humility was in his eyes. He said that he knew if he became proud, God would stop using him—so anytime anyone tried to give him credit, he refused it.

How does this apply to us? Pride is at times hard to avoid. I tend to feel pleased and important when I am complimented. I too easily forget that I have nothing that is not from God

Prayer: Dear Lord, Keep us ever mindful that everything we have is a gift from you, and to give You the glory when we are praised

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 7, 10-29-09, SAINTS SUFFER

Damien suffered greatly during his life, both from the spiritual and emotional suffering mentioned earlier in this novena, as well as the physical suffering of leprosy itself. It is said that even in his last days of life, he continued to offer Mass and the sacraments, and build what the people needed—until he was too weak to stand. He undoubtedly took comfort in the suffering of Christ Himself on the cross, knowing the one that loved him and all of the people in the colony was not without understanding of what they were experiencing

How does this apply to us? It seems that daily we are taught to avoid suffering at all costs, take a pill, escape into a movie or silly tv show, anything to avoid the unpleasant.
If Christ Himself, the One we are to model our lives after, could not avoid suffering, how can we as His followers expect to avoid it.

Prayer: Dear Lord, the next time we must suffer with a twisted ankle, a common cold, being stuck in traffic or any number of things, help us to remember what you suffered and to avoid the tendency to complain. Help us to offer our sufferings for those who are in so much more need than we are.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 6, 10-28-09, SAINTS LONG FOR COMMUNITY

Practically since the day Damien arrived on Molokai, Damien longed for fellow priests to share his work and faith with, and most especially nuns to help teach and care for the children. For the longest time they were forbidden from coming by those in power who said it was for their own health and safety, but it seemed that it was for the selfish reasons of wanting to keep them where they were. Finally near the end of his life, Damien got to see his wish for community become a reality and he rejoiced greatly.

How does this apply to us? It can be too easy for many of us to avoid community, because we would rather do things ourselves or we do not wish to be held accountable.
Let us take a lesson from Damien knowing that community divides our work and multiplies our joy. He had reasons for sending his disciples out by twos.

Prayer: Lord, help us to seek out the company of believers who will help us to see you more clearly and be your light in the world.

Monday, October 26, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 5, 10-27-09, SAINTS LONG FOR THE SACRAMENTS

Perhaps one of the boldest and most compelling aspects of Damien’s life was his longing for the sacrament of reconciliation. This was illustrated in the movie we watched in that no other priests would go to Molokai to hear Damien’s confession, so his Bishop agreed to go. For his own safety and the safety of his crew, the ship’s captain would not allow Damien to board the ship or the Bishop to get off the ship and go to the island. Damien’s desire to go to confession was so strong, that he got into a boat and shouted his confession in French as to make it private loud enough so that the Bishop could hear.

We found among his writing also a strong desire for the Eucharist:

"Were it not for the constant presence of our divine Master in our humble chapel, I would not have found it possible to persevere in sharing the lot of the afflicted in Molokai… The Eucharist is the bread that gives strength…It is at once the most eloquent proof of His love and the most powerful means of fostering His love in us. He gives Himself every day so that our hearts as burning coals may set afire the hearts of the faithful"

How does this apply to us? In reviewing both of these accounts it occurs to us that the sacraments are so readily available to us any time we should choose to partake in them, that we sometimes take them for granted and don’t have the extreme longing that Damien exemplified.

Prayer: Lord, renew the wonder in our hearts that the creator of the universe comes so very near to us in the sacraments. Remind us to be amazed at your desire to be close to us and to stay a long while with that amazement.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 4, 10-26-09, SAINTS FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT AND ARE PERSECUTED

In conjunction with meeting his parishioners needs, Fr Damien fought ceaselessly to end abuse and obtain resources. While common sense would dictate that this would result in consensus and accord, because so many of his direct requests go unanswered and public attention is brought to these issues, it caused embarrassment to those in power and brought persecution. False witness is brought against Fr Damien and he is accused of both excessive pride and sexual immorality.

How does this apply to us? To be painfully honest as we ponder these questions, we are made aware that in reality we have very rarely been persecuted for our faith. This should most certainly bother us because it should make us wonder if we have ever stood up for Christ in a non Christian environment. We challenge ourselves as well as each of you to take action this week to do one thing which might result in persecution—writing a letter about inadequate housing in your area, standing up at a pro life event, vocally stating that you don’t appreciate a joke or a popular movie of the day because of the moral implications

Prayer: Lord, help us expect and even welcome persecution because You said it was part of being a follower of yours, and through it we would inherit the kingdom of heaven

Saturday, October 24, 2009

RE: [The Pro Sanctity Family Reflects] ALL SAINTS NOVENA, DAY 3, 10-25-09, SAINTS...

Thank you Dan and Joan! You two are witnesses of the Lord’s love and generosity to so many and in a multitude of ways! On behalf of the Pro Sanctity community thank you for living in the spirit of St. Damien! Teresa

From: Dan and Joan Kash [mailto:djkash@cox.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 24, 2009 9:20 PM
To: psm@efanz.com
Subject: [The Pro Sanctity Family Reflects] ALL SAINTS NOVENA, DAY 3, 10-25-09, SAINTS...

Another aspect of St Damien’s life that astounded us was how much he cared for the people’s practical needs. Far from being limited to only spiritual pursuits such as the Mass, Sacraments and counseling, Fr Damien saw overwhelming physical needs and met them tirelessly. He planted food, he planted trees, he built houses, schools, and hospitals, he bandaged wounds, he dug graves, even building caskets for the dead with his own two hands.

How does this apply to us? It takes no time at all, especially in today’s economy and the practically limitless access we have to the media, to be made aware of the overwhelming human needs all around us. And perhaps it is nowhere clearer than in the book of James that it is our responsibility as Christians to meet these needs whenever we can: “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it?”. (James 2:15-16) We may have financial resources, and if we do we should give them. If we do not, we could give our time volunteering at a shelter or a food bank, or offer to make a meal for a friend going through hard times.

Prayer: Lord, make me sensitive to the needs around me and help me meet them as an expression of your love

--
Posted By Dan and Joan Kash to The Pro Sanctity Family Reflects at 10/24/2009 09:13:00 PM

ALL SAINTS NOVENA, DAY 3, 10-25-09, SAINTS CARE FOR PRACTICAL NEEDS

Friday, October 23, 2009

ALL SAINTS NOVENA DAY 2, 10-24-09, SAINTS ARE AFFECTIONATE

As we were watching the film mentioned above, nothing struck us more profoundly than how often Damien was warned not to touch ANYONE who was known to have leprosy, and conversely how quickly he ignored that advice. He was ever shaking their hands in greeting, putting his arms around children, embracing and comforting those who were dying, administering the sacraments fully and without hesitation and the list goes on. He was putting aside his own health and safety without a thought to show Christ’s love in a tangible way.

How does this apply to us? How often do we become so busy and distracted in our daily lives that we neglect to express affection even to those who are closest to us—even though it does not put our health or safety at risk in the slightest? How ashamed we should be of this. How much of an effort we should make to give affection both to those closest to us and those who just need to know the touch of Christ with a note in the mail or a hand on the shoulder

Prayer: Lord, remind me to show your love today by being affectionate to those who need to feel your pure and holy affection for them.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Pray for Teresa Pauls and Palmira Tafani....

My Mother, My Confidence!

October 23, 2009

Please pray for:

Pray for Teresa Pauls and Palmira Tafani will attend the USA Conference of Secular Institutes this weekend in Plymouth, Michigan from October 23-25. This will be the first time in the history of the Institute here in the USA that we have an Internal and External Oblate attending! We will be praying for them and eager to hear all the good news when they return!
Please pray for Lilly Illickal our new member of the General Council in Rome. She leaves India on October 24^rd for India. She writes, “I am going as Abraham has done. I am leaving everything and going where God has shown me to be. Everything as God wants. So please pray and help me. Love, Lilly” Write her: lillyillickal@gmail.com
Please continue to pray for Loredana our new General Moderator and her Dad’s health needs. Pray for her too as she will be coming to join us Thanksgiving week for the USA Week of the Institute in California.
Pray for John and Francis Monaghen that we find a safe and healthy place for them to live as John is recuperating from major surgery. They need some answers very soon.
Pray for Leela Sebastian’s mom, Celine for her needs and those of her family.
Pray for Jessi Kary’s mom who is in need of prayer for her health issues too!
Pray for the 1100 6^th graders (yes, that is the number!) gathering today for a Vocation Awareness Day in Omaha, sponsored by the Archdiocesan Association of Consecrated life but run by many of the Apostolic Oblates, Sodales and Pro Sanctity Members! PRAY that seeds of vocation will be planted!
Join us in prayer as we begin the Novena countdown to the Celebration of the Day of Universal Sanctification! Join us on the Pro Sanctity Blog, open to all, to the whole world for that matter. Pro Sanctity members, Joan and Dan Kash are the chairs of this year’s Novena. Stop in at the via the WEB-SITE: www.prosanctity.org
Pray for Msgr. Andrew Vaccari who will be installed as a new pastor of the parish Mary, Mother of Jesus in Brooklyn, NY this Saturday! Write him: ajvaccari@aol.com
We pray for all our members and their special needs as we enter into this holy season of the Celebration of the Day for Universal Sanctification on November lst!

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Check out the Fall Central States Newsletter on the WEB SITE and click on NEW YORK to read the Newsletter of the East: www.prosanctity.org

· The NEW and LOVELY Pro Sanctity Formation Guide, assembled by our own Rosemary Darmstadt is now on the web and/or you can order a beautifully published version for only $7.00! Use it, share it, and spread it! Be an evangelizer of holiness!!

If you have not made your Annual Retreat (a must for EVERY Institute Member and Pro Sanctity Member), please join us in Schuyler, NE from November 6-8, 2009 for the Pro Sanctity co-sponsored retreat, Praying with Pope John Paul II and the Saints with Msgr. Andrew Vaccari and Teresa Monaghen. Sign up now, only a few places are left!! Email: retreats@stbenedcitcenter.com

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Thought for the day ... G. Giaquinta
Lord, remain with us. Give convincing strength to our words, so that when we come back to you, O Eucharistic Jesus, we will not be alone, but will be accompanied by your other children and who desire to love you and make you loved.

Teresa Monaghen, National Moderator

USA NATIONAL PRO SANCTITY CENTER
11002 N. 204th St. Elkhorn, NE 68022
psm@prosanctity.org or 402-289-2670

www.prosanctity.org

BLOG: http://prosanctity.blogspot.com/

ALL SAINTS NOVENA, DAY 1, 10-23-09 SAINTS ARE MISSIONARIES

Father Damien was in his heart of hearts a missionary . He was born in Belgium with the name Joseph DeVeuster. It is said that his mother often shared stories of the saints with the family. His favorites were those of missionary saints
As stated earlier he was ordained a priest in 1864. It wasn’t until 1873 that volunteers from the priests on the Islands were asked to go to Molokai This was no ordinary assignment because Molokai was known as a place of exile for the lepers of the day. Those who went knew they would be ministering to the ill and dying, and would likely become ill themselves (Source:
http://www.missionsla.org/missionprograms/hca/pdfs/hca_lessons/damienmolokai.pdf

How does this apply to us? It is far too easy to be filled with a distant admiration for such individuals but in no way think of ourselves as missionaries. To the contrary we are all missionaries. We may not be called to far off lands to preach the Good News, but we most certainly are called to witness in our own mission fields, our work, our school, our neighborhoods, our friends, and even strangers who just need a smile or a friendly hello to brighten their day

Prayer/Call to action: Lord, help me see that I am a missionary, bring to my heart and my path those who need a word from You today

LORD GRANT US SAINTS

At the start of each day of this novena, let us pray “Lord Grant Us Saints” as a reminder to us that whatever we ask in humility, God will help us to become

LORD, GRANT US SAINTS

Lord, grant us saints.

Grant us people of God,
people for whom God is everything.
Grant us people
filled with love for you;
people who never look
without seeing you,
never listen
without hearing you.
Grant us people able to rescue the world
from its materialism
by impressing it
with the evidence of your salvation.

Lord, we need saints.

You are the author and the apex of sanctity;
raise saints everywhere - -
among the poor and among the wealthy,
among the untutored and among the learned,
among people of the world
and among those consecrated - -
for the sanctification of the world
through the witness and proclamation of your
transcendence.

Help people understand
that holiness is both a gift and a conquest.
Help them understand that to be a Christian
is to be a saint;
for a Christian is a person conformed to God:
a whole, integrated person.

Evoke in people the desire to become
what you have meant them to be,
by walking in integrity
as on a journey toward the dawn,
progressing into the perfect day.
Lord, we need saints because we need salvation.
Lord, grant us saints!

This novena could not have been produced without first and foremost the help of the Holy Spirit. Secondly an invaluable source of inspiration has been one of the most beautiful films we have ever seen: Molokai: The Story of Father Damien. If you have not seen it, please do so at your earliest convenience. Finally several Pro Sanctity members provided input, including Stephen and Nancy Tefft, and David Eckel

PRO SANCTITY ALL SAINTS NOVENA, DAMIEN OF MOLOKAI

The most important feast day of the year for all Pro Sanctity Members is November 1st, All Saints Day. Bishop Giaquinta spent his life and ministry making known the Universal Call to Holiness, that we are all, not just a select few, called to be saints. The focus of this novena will be Fr Damien of Molokai. Fr Damien was canonized on October 11th 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI.
His life so clearly exemplified the maximalism of Christ Himself, that which Bishop Giaquinta was continually asking us to strive toward. He was born January 3rd 1840, and ordained a priest May 21, 1864. He had a strong desire to be sent on a misson and prayed every day to St Francis Xavier for this gift. On May 10th 1873, he was sent to the island of Molokai to establish a parish at a leper colony there. He ministered to the people, most sick and dying, built houses and schools for them, dug graves for them. He eventually contracted the disease himself and died April 15th 1889. We will spend the next 9 days reflecting on his life and work, and discussing how we can emulate his selfless example

Monday, October 12, 2009

Welcome our new Cooperative!

My Mother, My Confidence!

Jackie Irene Logue, Cooperative and her son Jacob- see her whole family below!

The Cooperative Vocation

We just returned from a weekend in Wakonda, South Dakota where we celebrated the first promises of Jackie Irene Logue. She began her formation in 2005 prior to her husband’s illness, took a little extra time after his death and took her first promises as a Cooperative on Sunday, October 11, 2009 in her home parish with family (five children) parents and friends. Her husband Bill was smiling from heaven; we all felt his presence. Fr. Scott Traynor, Pro Sanctity Priest Friend and pastor of Jackie’s parish was our celebrant. He presented the Cooperative vocation in such a beautiful manner and we were all inspired by his invitation to rejoice with Jackie at this momentous time in her life, her family’s life and the gift that the Cooperative is to the Church and the world.

Present at the celebration were many of our Cooperatives from Nebraska – in fact they had come up the day before for mini-retreat led by Theresa Gabriel and Jessi Kary. Along with the ladies were Leonard Gabriel, our active Pro Sanctity Representative from Columbus, Nebraska (and husband of Theresa G.) and Social Animator, Dr. Hejkal (husband of Rita H). It was a real Pro Sanctity “family” event! Present were all saints in the making and brothers and sisters in Christ!

Fr. Scott reminded us that the Cooperatives are associate members who have been called to the married state and family life. They live their specific sacramental vocation with apostolic availability, according to the spirit of the Institute of the Apostolic Oblates. They become a part of the family of the Apostolic Oblates through the promises of apostolate, and of availability, taken after a suitable period of specific formation.

Our Lady of Confidence, pray for us, was a constant invocation of Bill, Jackie’s husband and so we ask Bill and our Lady to watch over Jackie and her children in these years to come as she lives to the fullness her call as a Cooperative in the family of the Apostolic Oblates!

Blessings to all, Teresa Monaghen

National Moderator of the Apostolic Oblates USA

Jackie’s email is jackielogue@hotmail.com

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Booklet finished! -- Holiness: A Gift for All

My Mother, My confidence!

TO PRO SANCTITY BOARD AND COMMITTED MEMBERS

October 7, 2009

Pro Sanctity Annual Formation Guide 2009-2010

Holiness: A Gift for All – The Pro Sanctity theme for the new year.

The project is finished and going to the printers on October 8, 2009!

Cover
Msgr. Letter of Introduction
91 page booklet!

If you want copies, let me know and I will let you know the cost and we can send them to you! Tremendous gratitude fills our hearts for Rosemary; this was a labor of love and we will all benefit from it!

Blessings, Teresa

P.S. If by chance you catch a mistake, you will have a small window of time to tell me Thursday morning. Thanks!

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Thought for the day ... G. Giaquinta
Lord, remain with us. Give convincing strength to our words, so that when we come back to you, O Eucharistic Jesus, we will not be alone, but will be accompanied by your other children and who desire to love you and make you loved.

USA NATIONAL PRO SANCTITY CENTER
11002 N. 204th St. Elkhorn, NE 68022
psm@prosanctity.org or 402-289-2670

www.prosanctity.org

BLOG: http://prosanctity.blogspot.com/

Prayer for the Beatification of
Bishop William Giaquinta

O loving God, Father of all goodness Christ our Redeemer, Spirit of Holiness, in your infinite and untiring love for us you never fail to invite us to holiness. We thank you because in our servant, William Giaquinta, you have made your gifts shine forth. He contemplated the infinite love of your Son and he was a tireless apostle of the Universal Call to Holiness. We pray to you, if it is your will, to manifest in him your glory and by his intercession to grant us the grace that we ask of you:

(Pause for your own personal intentions.) Amen.

With ecclesiastical approval Diocese of Brooklyn July 19, 2004

If anyone has had a miracle, grace or questions
about the Canonization cause of our founder, please write:
PSM@PROSANCTITY.ORG (ENGLISH)
postulazione.giaquinta@prosanctitate.org (Italian)