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April 8, 2012 The Resurrection of the LordThe Mass of Easter Sunday  Reading 1 Acts 10:34a, 37-43 Peter proceeded to speak and said:"You know what has happened all over Judea,beginning in Galilee after the baptismthat John preached,how God anointed Jesus of Nazarethwith the Holy Spirit and power.He went about doing goodand healing all those oppressed by the devil,for God was with him.We are witnesses of all that he didboth in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be...

The buzz on the new "Exultet": here come the bees! Mar 15th, 2011 by Deacon Greg Kandra With Easter rapidly approaching, deacons everywhere will be clearing their throats and getting ready to give voice to the great hymn of the Paschal Proclamation — also known as “The Exultet,” a seven-minute a capaella chant that fittingly, as the lyric proclaims, “humbles earthly pride.”    It is the Mother of All Chants, an epic best approached with a strong heart and steeled nerves.(For those interested, there’s an excellent downloadable version here that I’ve used for the last three years.)My pal Elizabeth...

  The Fifteen Promises Granted to those who Recite the Rosary The Fifteen Promises of Mary Granted to those who Recite the RosaryThe Glory of St DominicGuido Reni 1613 A.D. FrescoSan Domenico, Bologna The Blessed Virgin Mary promised to Saint Dominic and to all who follow that "Whatever you ask in the Rosary will be granted." She left for all Christians Fifteen Promises to those who recite the Holy Rosary. Imparted to Saint Dominic and Blessed Alan Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary, shall receive signal graces. I promise my special protection and the greatest...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 20 12. “ Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. 13. “You shall not murder. 14. “You shall not commit adultery. 15. “You shall not steal. 16. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

April 7, 2012   Holy Saturday - Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter   Reading 1 Gn 1:1; 2:2 In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth,the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss,while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said,"Let there be light," and there was light.God saw how good the light was.God then separated the light from the darkness.God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night."Thus evening came, and morning followed-the first day. Then God said,"Let there be a dome in the middle of the...

The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy The Divine Mercy Novena of Chaplets A novena is typically nine days of prayer in preparation of a celebration of a feast day. At the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy Novena is recited perpetually at the Hour of Great Mercy — the three o'clock hour. The Chaplet can be said anytime, but the Lord specifically asked that it be recited as a novena. He promised, "By this Novena (of Chaplets), I will grant every possible grace to souls." Intentions For each of the nine days, our Lord...

The Reproaches (Improperia) Since this is a day of mourning, remembering Christ's death, Good Friday is not typically a day of songs and hymns. During the Veneration of the Cross, the following Antiphon and verses known as "The Reproaches" (Improperia) are sung. Individual parts are indicated by no. 1 (first choir) and no. 2 (second choir); parts sung by both choirs together are indicated by nos. 1 and 2. Directions The Reproaches (Improperia) Antiphon 1 and 2: We worship you, Lord, we venerate your cross, we praise your resurrection. 1: Through the cross you brought joy to the world....

IsaiahChapter 53 1 Who would believe what we have heard? To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 1 He grew up like a sapling before him, like a shoot from the parched earth; There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him, nor appearance that would attract us to him. 3 2 He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, One of those from whom men hide their faces, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. 4 3 Yet it was our infirmities that...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 1 The Ten Commandments 1. And God spoke all these words, saying: 2. “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3. “You shall have no other gods before Me. 4. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5. you shall not bow down to them nor serve them....

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.  And sitting down they watched him there;  And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. . . . . Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My...

April 6, 2012   Good Friday of the Passion of the Lord   Reading 1 Is 52:13-53:12 See, my servant shall prosper,he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.Even as many were amazed at him—so marred was his look beyond human semblanceand his appearance beyond that of the sons of man—so shall he startle many nations,because of him kings shall stand speechless;for those who have not been told shall see,those who have not heard shall ponder it. Who would believe what we have heard?To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?He grew up like a sapling before him,like...

On the Trip to Mexico and Cuba "When God is excluded, the world becomes a place inhospitable to man" VATICAN CITY, APRIL 4, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Italian-language catechesis Benedict XVI gave today during the general audience held in St. Peter’s Square. He offered a review of his recent apostolic trip to Mexico and Cuba, as well as giving a reflection on the Sacred Triduum. * * * Dear brothers and sisters, The emotions evoked within me during my recent Apostolic Journey to Mexico and Cuba are still alive, and today I wish to focus upon...

Pray For Our American Heroes and Our Nation Isaiah 54:17 (New King James Version) 17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.Isaiah 54:17 God Bless America!

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 19 Israel at Mount Sinai 1. In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. 2. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So Israel camped there before the mountain. 3. And Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell...

April 5, 2012 Holy Thursday: Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper   Reading 1 Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;you shall reckon it the first month of the year.Tell the whole community of Israel:On the tenth of this month every one of your familiesmust procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household.If a family is too small for a whole lamb,it shall join the nearest household in procuring oneand shall share in the lambin proportion to the number of persons...

April 5, 2012 Holy Thursday: Chrism Mass   Reading 1 Is 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,because the LORD has anointed me;He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly,to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captivesand release to the prisoners,To announce a year of favor from the LORDand a day of vindication by our God,to comfort all who mourn;To place on those who mourn in Ziona diadem instead of ashes,To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning,a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit. You yourselves shall...

Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem The Book Of Exodus Chapter 18 Jethro’s Advice 1. And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. 2. Then Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, 3. with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”)[a] 4. and the name of the other was Eliemzer[b] (for he said, “The God...

April 4, 2012   Wednesday of Holy Week   Reading 1 Is 50:4-9a The Lord GOD has given mea well-trained tongue,That I might know how to speak to the wearya word that will rouse them.Morning after morninghe opens my ear that I may hear;And I have not rebelled,have not turned back.I gave my back to those who beat me,my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;My face I did not shieldfrom buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help,therefore I am not disgraced;I have set my face like flint,knowing that I shall not be put to shame.He is near...

Let the wicked forsake his way,and the unrighteous man his thoughts:and let him return unto the Lord,and he will have mercy upon him;and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:7)