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‘Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb’ approved by RomeWASHINGTON (March 26, 2012) -- The Vatican has approved the publication of the "Rite for the Blessing of a Child in the Womb," which will be printed in English and Spanish in a combined booklet and should be available for parishes by Mothers' Day. The U.S. bishops who collaborated on the development of the blessing welcomed the announcement of the recognitio, or approval, by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in Rome. "I'm impressed with the beauty of this blessing for human life...

And Samuel said, Hath the Lordas great delight in burnt offeringsand sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.(1 Samuel 15:22)

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 11 Death of the Firstborn Announced 1. And the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. 2. Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.” 3. And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of...

March 27, 2012   Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Lent   Reading 1 Nm 21:4-9 From Mount Hor the children of Israel set out on the Red Sea road,to bypass the land of Edom.But with their patience worn out by the journey,the people complained against God and Moses,"Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,where there is no food or water?We are disgusted with this wretched food!" In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,which bit the people so that many of them died.Then the people came to Moses and said,"We have...

"Yea, Tho I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Will Fear No Evil... For Thou Art With Me."Psalm 23:4 "Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare of the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I am trusting Him." (Psalm 91:1-2)

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 10 The Eighth Plague: Locusts 1. Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2. and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.” 3. So Moses and Aaron came in to...

March 26, 2012   Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord   Reading 1 Is 7:10-14; 8:10 The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying:Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God;let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!But Ahaz answered,"I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David!Is it not enough for you to weary people,must you also weary my God?Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign:the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son,and shall name him Emmanuel,which means "God is with us!"...

"The Mystery of the Annunciation is the Mystery of Grace" by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger The Mystery of the Annunciation is the Mystery of Grace | Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) | Ignatius Insight The mystery of the annunciation to Mary is not just a mystery of silence.It is above and beyond all that a mystery of grace. We feel compelled to ask ourselves: Why did Christ really want to be born of a virgin? It was certainly possible for him to have been born of a normal marriage. That would not have affected his divine Sonship, which was not...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 9 The Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased 1. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2. For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, 3. behold, the hand of the LORD will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence. 4. And the LORD...

March 25, 2012   Fifth Sunday of Lent   Reading 1 Jer 31:31-34 The days are coming, says the LORD,when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israeland the house of Judah.It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathersthe day I took them by the handto lead them forth from the land of Egypt;for they broke my covenant,and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.But this is the covenant that I will makewith the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.I will place my law within them and...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 8 The Second Plague: Frogs 1. And the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. 3. So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into...

March 24, 2012   Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent   Reading 1 Jer 11:18-20 I knew their plot because the LORD informed me;at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings. Yet I, like a trusting lamb led to slaughter,had not realized that they were hatching plots against me:"Let us destroy the tree in its vigor;let us cut him off from the land of the living,so that his name will be spoken no more." But, you, O LORD of hosts, O just Judge,searcher of mind and heart,Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,for to you...

A history of Jewish literacy remains to be written. It will be a colorful and complicated work, as befits the variegated linguistic history of the Jews, and for American Jewish readers of our day, I mean the honest ones, it will be a disturbing work. Whereas the Jews have always used many languages, Jewish and non-Jewish ones, and whereas complaints about the faltering level of competence in Hebrew appear in many medieval and modern sources, the awful fact is that Jewry of the United States has decided—it was a decision, even if it was never formally made—that the Jewish tradition...

Pope Benedict sent telegrams to the heads of state of the countries he was scheduled to fly over as he made his way to Mexico, the first leg of his Latin American trip. These countries are Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greenland (Denmark), Canada, and the United States. In his telegrams, he assures the leaders of his prayers and best wishes for the people of their nations. The full text of the telegrams in their original languages are below:Italy A SUA ECCELLENZA ON. GIORGIO NAPOLITANOPRESIDENTE DELLA REPUBBLICA ITALIANAPALAZZO DEL QUIRINALE 00187 ROMA NEL MOMENTO IN CUI LASCIO ROMA PER...

…let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting. (James 1:4-6)

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 7 1. So the LORD said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. 3. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring...

March 23, 2012   Friday of the Fourth Week of Lent   Reading 1 Wis 2:1a, 12-22 The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright:"Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;he sets himself against our doings,Reproaches us for transgressions of the lawand charges us with violations of our training.He professes to have knowledge of Godand styles himself a child of the LORD.To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us,Because his life is not like that of others,and different are his ways.He judges us debased;he holds...

Pray For Our American Heroes and Our Nation The Beatitudes "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful,for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 6 1. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” 2. And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the LORD. 3. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them. 4. I have also established My covenant with them,...