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MyCatholicSource.com Newsletter - October, 2013
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IN THIS ISSUE:
* Greetings
* MCS News & Notes
* The Month of October: Dedicated to the Holy Rosary
* Hymn to Your Guardian Angel
* Prayer After a Toilsome Day
* Liturgical Feasts in October
* 'Catholic Trivia' [Themed: Angels]
* Defending the Faith: "Apologetics Brief" - Do You Reject the Concept of Lengthy or Repetitive Prayers?
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Dear Friend,
"Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Col. 1:9-14)
Greetings! We hope Fall has gotten off to a good start for you and that it will continue to be a happy & holy season. The month of October, which is dedicated to the Holy Rosary, begins with the feast of the Guardian Angels (10/2) and the Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary (10/7) and concludes with the traditional feast of Christ the King (10/27) and All Hallows Eve/Vigil of All Saints (10/31). Also included are feasts of beloved saints such as St. Theresa of Avila and St. Francis of Assisi. We also look forward to a rather full calendar here with our Fifth Annual Rosary Week scheduled from 10/21 through 10/27 and our five year anniversary falling on 10/28.
Speaking of Rosary Week, if you have not already signed up, we invite you once again to join us. Participation is easy, free, and takes only a little time - yet the rewards you receive may be great! Since we plan to have a Traditional Latin Mass said for all Rosary Week participants, you'll also get to share in the benefits of the Holy Mass in addition to the rewards already to be had for praying the holy rosary. Please join us! Sign up today at www.MyCatholicSource.com/RosaryWeek
Thank you very much for your support & participation.
Best wishes to you for God's blessings,
Your Friends at MyCatholicSource.com
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Prayer to Christ the King: "O Christ Jesus, I acknowledge Thee to be the King of the universe; all that hath been made is created for Thee. Exercise over me all Thy sovereign rights. I hereby renew the promises of my Baptism, renouncing Satan and all his works and pomps, and I engage myself to lead henceforth a truly Christian life. And in an especial manner do I undertake to bring about the triumph of the rights of God and Thy Church, so far as in me lies. Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer Thee my poor actions to obtain the acknowledgement by every heart of Thy sacred kingly power. In such wise may the kingdom of Thy peace be firmly established throughout all the earth. Amen." (Raccolta)
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MCS News & Notes
* Last chance to sign up for our Fifth Annual Rosary Week (10/21/13 - 10/27/13): Don't miss out! Please sign up today for this FREE event at www.MyCatholicSource.com/RosaryWeek . Don't pray the rosary? Why not start now? Already pray the rosary? Why not join us for a few extra rosaries? We're confident that you'll be glad you participated in this powerful, yet easy & 'hassle-free' Catholic event. Why not also invite your friends to join? [Note: If you'd like help praying the rosary, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/how_to_pray_the_rosary.htm ]
* October 28 marks fifth anniversary of the official unveiling of MyCatholicSource.com. We send our thanks to all visitors for their support over these past five years. We hope, by God's grace, to be able to continue to remain online for years to come. Prayer of Thanksgiving: "With all our heart and voice, we acknowledge, we praise, and we bless Thee, God the Father unbegotten, Thee, the only-begotten Son, Thee, the Holy Ghost the Paraclete, O holy and undivided Trinity." (Raccolta)
* New Online Forms: We have changed to a new style of online forms for posts. These new forms are able to provide more immediate validation information to users. For assistance with the new forms, please visit http://mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/mcs_forms_assistance.htm . We hope you will like the new forms! Also, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/transition_feedback.htm to tell us what you think about our new forms. We love to hear from you! [Note: Data submitted via online forms may be sent to us via e-mail. To avoid having posts filtered out as spam, please avoid using certain keywords (e.g. common spam keywords). Thank you.]
* Due to an increase in the volume of junk e-mail received, we are now limiting various e-mail accounts so that they will no longer receive outside e-mail. E-mail sent to these accounts from outside our server may simply be deleted with no notification sent. If you have trouble getting e-mail through to us, please try our online forms instead (e.g. the 'quick feedback' form at http://mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/quick_feedback.htm )
* Please note that the ` character is now restricted on various forms. The quotation mark character (") may also be disallowed. Please do not attempt to include these character(s) with your submissions (except where allowed). Thank you.
* Reminder: There will be an interruption in many of our services in early October due to vacations. Services affected may include: lending library, live chat, post / ad / order processing, subscription processing, correspondence, site/blog updates, etc. Although you may notice delays in the above services, access to the MyCatholicSource.com website itself should NOT be affected. For details, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/notices.htm
* For centuries, numerous popes, saints, and others have strongly encouraged all to pray the rosary. In fact, the Blessed Virgin herself has urged us to pray the holy rosary. We would also like to encourage all subscribers to pray the rosary daily - and October is a great month to start. Please see http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/daily_rosary.htm for reasons to pray the rosary daily. "I beg of you to beware of thinking of the rosary as something of little importance - as do ignorant people and even several great but proud scholars. Far from being insignificant, the rosary is a priceless treasure which is inspired by God." (St. Louis de Montfort)
* Feast of St. Francis (10/4): Why not celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi by reviewing biographical information on this great saint, reading some of his inspiring writings, or praying some of his beautiful prayers? You can find this and more at the St. Francis Section at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/saint_francis_page.htm . And while you're there, why not add your pet's name to the list of special pets? This is a must-see section for animal lovers.
* Reminder: October 27 is the traditional feast of Christ the King. As you may know, the motto of our site, "Christ the King", took root from the encyclical of Pope Pius XI entitled "Quas Primas". This encyclical makes great reading for the month of October. To view Quas Primas, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pd/quas_primas.htm
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MyCatholicSource.com App News...
* With the recent introduction of iOS7 ("the most significant update since the original iPhone" according to Apple), some of our apps have experienced issues [e.g. extraneous text appears in the iOS version of iStations (on the main page) & in our Catholic Bible References app (on the search screen), and the top border color is off in our Just Checkin' In app]. These issues were NOT present in earlier versions of the iOS and, thankfully, they do NOT seem to affect the functionality of these apps. At this time, we are looking into (but not guaranteeing) possible resolutions for these issues. Please contact us with any feedback concerning these issues. Thank you.
* Regrettably, our Saints4U app is NOT compatible with iOS7. We are considering updating or discontinuing this app. While we strongly believe this is a great app for locating patron saints, saint names & feasts, we are not presently sure that we can justify the expense of re-coding this app to work with the new iOS. Please contact us with any feedback concerning this issue. Thank you.
* Did you know? Research indicates that most apps 'struggle to break even' from their initial costs. Furthermore, keeping up with changing operating systems & technology can be very costly for developers (e.g. to upgrade developer operating systems, to learn new methods, to re-code & test apps on new systems, to redo marketing materials, etc.). App developers face tough competition and constantly have to worry about new entrants, updated algorithms affecting their ranking, satisfying high customer expectations with little corresponding sales revenue per app, ongoing difficulty getting persons to review apps, fear of being hampered by undeserved negative app reviews...just to name a few things. While it is true that we have recovered our initial costs for development, our app sales are not yet able to sustain our site, much less being able to compensate us for ongoing development costs (e.g. re-coding apps). We are trying to do the best we can with app development, but it is extremely challenging. [Did you know? You can help developers continue by posting your positive/5-star reviews. Those really help. Persons who leave unfair negative (and often uncharitable) reviews actually do themselves a disservice as this may cause the app to fall down in the rankings, costing the developer money and possibly reducing the likelihood of future free updates.]
* If you have any thoughts to share regarding our apps, please contact us using the e-mail address provided in the app or online at http://www.bfsnet.com/bfsapps/bfsapps-feedback.htm
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* Please see our Notices page at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/notices.htm for dates of anticipated service delays through January 2014
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The Month of October: Dedicated to the Holy Rosary
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"[E]xperience shows that no sooner do the people commence to practice this devotion that they open their hearts to the largest channel of grace, so as to be flooded with heavenly gifts." (Muller)
"We desire very earnestly, Venerable Brethren, that the Holy Rosary should be recited in a special manner in the month of October and with increased devotion both in the churches and in homes." (Pope Pius XI, "Ingravescentibus Malis", 1937 A.D.)
"Next to the holy sacrifice of the Mass, there is, indeed, nothing more terrifying to [the devil], nor does he bear a more implacable hatred to anything than to the devotion of the Rosary." (Muller)
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Related Resources...
* The Holy Rosary (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-holy_rosary.htm
* Promises of the Rosary - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/promises_of_the_rosary.htm
* What is the Rosary and Why Pray it? - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/what_the_rosary_is_and_why_pray_it.htm
* Facts About the Rosary - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/rosary_facts.htm
* History of the Rosary - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/history_of_the_rosary.htm
* How to Pray the Rosary / Mysteries of the Rosary - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/how_to_pray_the_rosary.htm
* Tips for Praying the Rosary - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/dusub/rosary_tips.htm
* The Holy Rosary (Reflections) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/qt/holy_rosary_reflections.htm
* The Holy Rosary (Papal Writings) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pd/classic_encyclicals_by_category.htm
* The Daily Rosary - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/daily_rosary.htm
* The Rosary in Latin - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/rosary/the_rosary_in_latin.htm
* Rosary Prayers (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-rosary_prayers.htm
* How to Pray the Rosary (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-how_to_pray_the_rosary.htm
* Holy Rosary (Section) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/holy_rosary.htm
* Sacramentals (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-sacramentals.htm
* Popular Marian Devotions - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/the_Blessed_Virgin/popular_marian_devotions.htm
* Rosary / Apologetics - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/nc/non_catholics__Marian.htm
* Devotions, Sacramentals & Pious Practices - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/prayers_and_devotions/devotions.htm
* Rosary (Coloring Pages) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_coloring_activities.htm
* Rosary (Crossword Puzzle) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pca/crossword_puzzle_rosary.html
* Rosary (Word Search) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pca/word_search_rosary.htm
* Blessed Virgin Mary (Topic Page) - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-Blessed_Virgin_Mary.htm
Looking For Something Else? Try Our Various Indexes For 15,000+ Entries - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/help.htm
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"Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray. This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood." (St. Louis de Montfort)
"How great is the power and mercy of the Blessed Virgin for those who are faithful in the practice of the Rosary! If you wish then, to save your soul, practice the devotion of the Rosary with fervor and perseverance. If you wish to save the souls of those who are near and dear to you, try to introduce this devotion without delay into your family." (Muller)
"We decreed by an Encyclical Letter that, to win the help of Heaven for the Church in her trials, the great Mother of God should be honored by the means of the most holy Rosary during the whole of the month of October. In this We followed both Our own impulse and the example of Our predecessors, who in times of difficulty were wont to have recourse with increased fervor to the Blessed Virgin, and to seek her aid with special prayers." (Pope Leo XIII, "Superiore Anno", 1884 A.D.)
"[M]ay the beads of the Rosary be in the hands of all" (Pope Pius XII, "Ad Caeli Reginam", 1954 A.D.)
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Reminder: The MyCatholicSource.com Fifth Annual Rosary Week will be held this year from 10/21 - 10/27. Please join us! It's easy & free to participate! Sign up today at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/fdb/rosary_week_sign_up.htm
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Hymn to Your Guardian Angel
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The following is taken from a 20th century Catholic Hymnal. The original publication bears an imprimatur. [Note: We have made some changes to the original text (e.g. punctuation, capitalization & spelling changes)]
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Dear Angel, ever at my side, how loving thou must be to leave thy home in heaven to guard a sinful child like me; For thou were with me from the hour when I first drew my breath, and thou shalt be my faithful friend, unfailing, till my death.
Dear Angel, let my every thought, from morning till close of day, my every action, every word, my love of God display; That thus, celestial friend, with thee and by thy constant care, I may the world's corruption flee, that would my soul ensnare.
Dear Angel, in temptation's hour, oh, whisper in my ear: "Be brave, nor fear the tempter's power, thy guardian standeth near." And if my wayward feet should stray along the paths of sin, forsake me not, but strive and pray my wandering soul to win.
Dear Angel, to repay thy care, more holy will I be; But I am weak, and when I fall, oh, weary not of me: Oh, weary not, but guard me still, and make me mind thee more; And guide me safely, till I come to heaven's eternal shore.
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For Prayers to Angels, Try Here - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pr/prayers_and_hymns_angels.htm
For Angels Topic Page, Try Here - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-angels.htm
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Prayer After a Toilsome Day
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The following is taken from a 19th century 'Family Prayer Book'. Although an imprimatur was not located on the publication, the work indicates it has the approval of the Vicar Apostolic. [Note: We have made some changes to the original text (e.g. spelling, capitalization & wording changes)]
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Conducted by thy Providence, O God, through the toils, the vexations, the turmoils, and the business of this day, I present myself before Thee to beg pardon of all my failings, and to acknowledge that Goodness which has upheld me in all my difficulties. Notwithstanding my renewed professions of resignation, I have offended Thee by attaching too much importance to the things of this world; by forgetting that Thou didst call upon me, and offer interests true and eternal. But, O Lord, Thou knowest my weakness; and I can only again confess mine unworthiness, and pray Thee to enable me now to seek into the state of my soul that I may unite myself more firmly to Thee before this day be for ever past away.
Oh, forgive me all my sins before I sleep; and grant that I may wake in the morning with a strong and lasting resolve to work out my salvation. Assist my weak endeavors that I may grow in grace as I grow in years. Cleanse my heart from all those corrupt dispositions which are offensive to Thee; from pride, wrath, selfishness, and inattention to serious things. To my sense of mine unworthiness, let me add real sorrow; and to sorrow, a sincere purpose of amendment. May I always reverence Thy holy name, Thy Church, Thy word and ordinances. May I be ever just, mild, and compassionate to others: temperate, chaste, and humble in the government of my passions: content with my condition: and although diligent in my business, yet ever mindful to heap up to myself treasures there where no foe can break in upon my hoard.
Where I err, let me amend; and where I amend, let me give the glory to Thee, my Creator, my Redeemer, and my Sanctifier.
Bless all my relations and friends, and especially those who are near and dear unto me; and grant that I may never give pain to those for whom I am beseeching thy mercy. Accept the prayers, and pardon the imperfections, of all, through the merits of Thy Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Note: For more prayers, please try here - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-catholic_prayers.htm
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Liturgical Feasts in October
The following is a listing of all liturgical feast dates for October as they appear at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/saints/feasts.htm
Note: (T) = Traditional, (N) = New (Novus Ordo)
Reminder: Feasts may be superseded / transferred / etc.
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October 1 - St. Remigius (T)
October 1 - St. Theresa of the Child Jesus (N)
October 2 - The Holy Guardian Angels (T)
October 2 - The Guardian Angels (N)
October 3 - St. Teresa of the Child Jesus (T)
October 4 - St. Francis of Assisi (T)
October 4 - St. Francis of Assisi (N)
October 5 - St. Placid & companions (T)
October 6 - St. Bruno (T)
October 6 - St. Bruno (N)
October 7 - Holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary (T)
October 7 - St. Mark, pope (T)
October 7 - Sts. Marcellus & Apuleius (T)
October 7 - Sts. Sergius & Bacchus (T)
October 7 - Our Lady of the Rosary (N)
October 8 - St. Bridget of Sweden (T)
October 9 - St. John Leonardi (T)
October 9 - Sts. Denis, Rusticus & Eleutherius (T)
October 9 - St. Denis & companions (N)
October 9 - St. John Leonardi (N)
October 10 - St. Francis Borgia (T)
October 11 - The Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (T)
October 13 - St. Edward, king of England (T)
October 14 - St. Callistus I, pope (T)
October 14 - St. Callistus I, pope (N)
October 15 - St. Teresa of Avila (T)
October 15 - St. Teresa of Avila (N)
October 16 - St. Hedwig (T)
October 16 - St. Hedwig (N)
October 16 - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (N)
October 17 - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (T)
October 17 - St. Ignatius of Antioch (N)
October 18 - St. Luke the Evangelist (T)
October 18 - St. Luke the Evangelist (N)
October 19 - St. Peter of Alcantara (T)
October 19 - St. Paul of the Cross (N)
October 19 - Sts. Isaac Jogues, John de Brebeuf & companions (N)
October 20 - St. John Cantius (T)
October 21 - St. Hilarion (T)
October 21 - St. Ursula & companions (T)
October 23 - St. John of Capistrano (N)
October 24 - St. Raphael the Archangel (T)
October 24 - St. Anthony Claret (N)
October 25 - Sts. Chrysanthus & Daria (T)
October 26 - St. Evaristus, pope (T)
October 28 - Sts. Simon & Jude, apostles (T)
October 28 - Sts. Simon & Jude, apostles (N)
October 31 - Vigil of All Saints (T)
Please Note: Above may exclude moveable feasts. For moveable feasts, see below and try here: http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/latin_mass_and_tradition/traditional_liturgical_calendar.htm . For other feasts, try the MCS Daily Digest each day at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/mcs_daily_digest.asp
Also...
10/27/13 - Feast of the Kingship of Our Lord Jesus Christ (T) [Refresher re: traditional timing of this feast: "It is not necessary, Venerable Brethren, that We should explain to you at any length why We have decreed that this feast of the Kingship of Christ should be observed in addition to those other feasts in which his kingly dignity is already signified and celebrated. It will suffice to remark that although in all the feasts of our Lord the material object of worship is Christ, nevertheless their formal object is something quite distinct from his royal title and dignity. We have commanded its observance on a Sunday in order that not only the clergy may perform their duty by saying Mass and reciting the Office, but that the laity too, free from their daily tasks, may in a spirit of holy joy give ample testimony of their obedience and subjection to Christ. The last Sunday of October seemed the most convenient of all for this purpose, because it is at the end of the liturgical year, and thus the feast of the Kingship of Christ sets the crowning glory upon the mysteries of the life of Christ already commemorated during the year, and, before celebrating the triumph of all the Saints, we proclaim and extol the glory of him who triumphs in all the Saints and in all the Elect." (Pope Pius XI, "Quas Primas", 1925 A.D.)]
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'Catholic Trivia'
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Note: This month all trivia items are themed. [Theme: Angels]
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1. Which is the highest of the nine choirs of angels?
2. What choirs of angels are "agents of strength"?
3. What are the names of three angels as given in Holy Scripture? What do their names mean?
4. Who said...? "If you find it impossible to pray, hide behind your good angel and charge him to pray in your stead."
5. Who in Genesis wrestled with an angel?
6. What do the seven angels have in Rv. (Apoc.) 15:1?
7. Which angels were stationed to guard the tree of life after the Fall?
8. What do our guardian angels do for us?
9. Were angels ever sent to punish men?
10. What is the difference between a saint and an angel?
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Answers:
1. Seraphim are the highest of the nine choirs of angels.
2. Principalities and powers are "agents of strength".
3. Three angels named in the Bible are: Raphael, Gabriel, and Michael. The angel names mean: God heals (Raphael), The power of God (Gabriel), and Who is like God? (Michael).
4. St. John Vianney
5. In Genesis, Jacob wrestled with an angel.
6. "Then I saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring: seven angels with the seven last plagues, for through them God's fury is accomplished." (Rv. 15:1)
7. After the Fall, Cherubim were stationed to guard the tree of life.
8. "Our guardian angels pray for us, protect and guide us, and offer our prayers, good works and desires to God." (Baltimore Catechism)
9. "Angels were sometimes sent to punish men. An angel killed 185,000 men in the army of a wicked king who had blasphemed God; and an Angel also slew the first-born in the families of the Egyptians who had persecuted God's people." (Baltimore Catechism)
10. "The saints lived upon the earth in bodies like our own. The angels never inhabited the earth, though they visit it and remain for a time with us. They have not now and never will have bodies." (Baltimore Catechism)
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For more information concerning the topics above, try our General A-Z Index at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/help.htm and also try here - http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/tp/topic_page-angels.htm
Like trivia? You might enjoy our crossword puzzles located at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/pc/catholic_activities/catholic_fun_crossword_puzzles.htm
You might also be interested in the Q & A and historical information which may be found each day on the MCS Daily Digest at http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/cg/mcs_daily_digest.asp
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Defending the Faith: "Apologetics Brief" - Do You Reject the Concept of Lengthy or Repetitive Prayers?
It is good for Catholics to be able to defend their faith against attacks (or even simple questions) from those outside the Church. We therefore hope you may find the following "apologetics brief" helpful.
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Note: Text below is taken from http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/nc/non_catholics__prayers_indulgences.htm
The following may be used as discussion points when discoursing with those outside the Church (or even among Catholics).
Topic: Do You Reject the Concept of Lengthy or Repetitive Prayers? [Note: Topic is directed at certain Protestants]
Consider:
* If Christ opposed the repeating of prayer, why did He Himself repeat his prayer (e.g. see Mt. 26:44, Mk. 14:39)?
* If prayer should not be repeated, why does Scripture show the heavenly creatures repeating prayer?
Rv. 4:8: The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come."
* If prayer should not be repeated, why does Scripture praise those who are persistent in prayer (e.g. see Lk. 18:1-8)?
* How can Scripture instruct us to "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thes. 5:17), if we are not to repeat our prayers?
* How can Christ be opposed to lengthy prayer considering that He "spent the night in prayer to God" (see Lk. 6:12)?
* Do you base your rejection of lengthy prayer on the following Scripture passages?
Mk. 12:38-40: In the course of his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation."
Lk. 20:45-47: Then, within the hearing of all the people, he said to (his) disciples, "Be on guard against the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and love greetings in marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation."
Can you not see that Jesus is condemning lengthy prayers said as a pretext? Jesus' words certainly cannot be said to apply to sincere, heartfelt prayers!
* Do you base your rejection of repetitive prayer on Mt. 6:7-8 ("In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.")? In light of Christ's spending whole nights in prayer and the Apostle telling us to pray without ceasing, can you not see that lengthy prayers are not prohibited per se? Rather, "we are not to act as though God needs to hear many words in order to know our wants". Clearly we are not prohibited from spending much time in prayer - but are rather instructed to do so.
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"This practice of praying in spirit is peculiar to Christians, and is not at all used by infidels. Of these Christ the Lord has said: When you pray, speak not much, as the heathens; for they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. Be not ye, therefore, like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you before you ask him. But though (our Lord) prohibits loquacity, He is so far from forbidding continuance of prayer which proceeds from the eager and prolonged devotion of the soul that by His own example He exhorts us to such prayer. Not only did He spend whole nights in prayer, but also prayed the third time, saying the self-same words. The inference, therefore, to be drawn from the prohibition is that prayers consisting of mere empty sounds are not to be addressed to God." (Catechism of the Council of Trent)
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For more apologetics resources, please visit http://www.mycatholicsource.com/mcs/non-catholics.htm
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In Closing...
"If, therefore, the rulers of nations wish to preserve their authority, to promote and increase the prosperity of their countries, they will not neglect the public duty of reverence and obedience to the rule of Christ." (Pope Pius XI)
"He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever." (Lk. 1:32)
"It is impossible to meditate with devotion upon the mysteries of the Rosary and live in a state of sin." (St. John Vianney)
"O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, His death and His resurrection hath purchased for us the reward of eternal salvation; grant, we beseech Thee, that meditating on these mysteries in the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may both imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Lord." (10/7 Collect)
"I have no better way of knowing if a man is for God than if he likes to say the Hail Mary and the Rosary." (St. Louis de Montfort)
"In every place show respect to thy angel. Let gratitude for his benefits incite thee to honor his greatness. Love this thy future coheir, the guardian appointed for thee by the Father during thy childhood. For though we are souls of God, we are as yet but children, and long and dangerous is our journey. But God hath given His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. In their hands they shall bear thee up, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone...Yes; where the road is smooth enough for a child they will content themselves with guiding thee, and sustaining thy footsteps, as one does for children. But if trials threaten to surpass thy strength, they will bear thee up in their hands. Oh those hands of angels! Thanks to them, what fearful straits we have passed through, as it were without thinking, and with no other impression left upon us, than that of a nightmare suddenly dispelled!" (St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Doctor of the Church)
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