On my Baptismal Anniversary 2013 - What it means to me to be a baptised Catholic today!

St. John Eudes

- Love of the Mass, Eucharist & Communion
- My devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- My Patron Saints
- Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory and young people
- My Guardian Angel

These five things above help me on my pilgrimage to eternal life. Permit to me explain!

Today is my baptismal anniversary. Glory to God. On 19th August 1984, at 3 months old, I was baptised at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Botwell, Hayes (Greater London, UK). The priest who baptised me was called Fr. Bernard (please say a prayer for him). I do not really celebrate my birthday anymore... and prefer to celebrate my baptismal day instead. This was really when I was born in Christ! Of course, both are important, but if I could, I'd still prefer to celebrate the anniversary of when I first came into existence at conception, than when I was born!

The testimony of Catalina on the Holy Mass

Over the last 3 years since my reversion to the faith, I cannot express more fervently than now, what a gift the Holy Mass & Communion has been to me. Roughly this time two years ago, as I was putting in my application for Evangelisation School, the Holy Spirit inspired me to write

"the Mass has really come alive for me. The very depths of me rejoices solemnly at every sacrifice of the Lamb at Mass. Understanding that life for many people is very busy, I can empathise that not everyone can receive Jesus in the Eucharist everyday... but I find it a tremendously beautiful thing to meet Christ in the Eucharist every day. If people only knew the significance of Holy Communion, then this foretaste of the glory and splendour of the Father's heavenly banquet would shake 'the world' to it's awakening". 

We in our limited mindsets cannot possibly comprehend the magnificence of all that takes place in the Mass - but our hearts can certainly partake in a tiny way in it. One day, I stumbled upon this testimony of Catalina on the celebration of the Eucharist: http://www.michaeljournal.org/holymass.htm. It felt like this woman was expressing everything that I feel during the Mass. I beg you to read it, because it breaks down the Mass in a vivid and understandable way to us. It's not unnecessarily theological neither - a teenager with a humble disposition of heart can understand it. I recommend it to anybody who struggles to understand what Mass is really all about.

I wish to share with you a beautiful prayer that I have been saying just before I receive Holy Communion:

My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God of love and of goodness, on the altar, you have just renewed the Sacrifice upon the Cross, and Your Will is to consummate it in my heart. Lord, Your Will is that I should receive You, in order to participate in all Your merits, to profit by Your graces, to receive from You all the help my weakness needs. O Loving Lord Jesus, I am only a sinner, how should I dare to take my place at Your table?... But it was You who commanded me to do so, or pay the penalty of having no life in me. Do, then, prepare my heart which You are about to enter: cleanse my soul; say to me as You said to Zaccheus, 'Make haste, for this day I must abide in your house'.

I hope that you will be inspired by this prayer of Fr. John Croiset S.J. in whatever way the Lord leads you!

My devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary

My family prayed the rosary everyday when I was growing up. So I prayed everyday as part of the prayers to the Sacred Heart & Immaculate Heart... but of course, they didn't mean anything to me. Not until that pivotal moment in my life when Jn 14:6 became a reality to me and Ezk 36:26 actually happened! These are hearts of Love that simply invoke a desire for contemplation, thus drawing us into the merits of increased faith, reparation, increased hope, thanksgiving and increased charity
.

My Patron Saints

Two years ago, I did not know who my Patron Saints were. Although everyone calls me Claz, that is not my full first name. And I do not have a middle name, which would normal be given during baptism. So I have no saints name! I will admit that even my Confirmation name is made up (long story - and how I got away with it, I have no idea!)! For at least a year, I prayed to God to reveal to me who my Patron Saint would be. At the moment of my profound and mystical experience with God, one of the seeds He'd planted in my heart was to learn more about the lives of the Saints. The first saint I was drawn to was St. Augustine, and I fell in love with him. I also fell in love with St. Mary Magdalene, as I really empathised with her in the fact that she was given a second chance after living such a sinful life. St. Paul was another that I fell in love with because of his conversion being somewhat similar to mine! In fact... after reading more about the saints, I was falling in love with them all. Particularly the Mystics. St. Gertrude for her love of Holy Souls for example.

God eventually answered my prayer. I was born on the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. So naturally he is one of my Patron Saints. I'm just about to read a highly recommended book about him: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mystery-Joseph-Benedict-Groeschel/dp/0972598138. And the other, St. John Eudes, I discovered when I was researching Saints for 19th August, came upon this site and knew in my heart with certainty that he was another of my Patron Saints after discovering that he founded the Society of Jesus and Mary.

Praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory & young people

I thoroughly believe that my reversion to the faith partly came about because of my prayer for my grandaddy's soul whilst I was pilgrimaging El Camino. Ever since that time, I have increased in devotion to praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Please do pray for them - they desperately need our prayers. If you can even have Mass offered for them, please do! I would be eternally grateful. I reckon that today, at least 6 Masses have been offered for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and I leave it to Our Lady to decide which souls merit the offerings. Knowing the need of the Holy Souls helps me to understand better how my baptism benefits the Church - Triumphant, Militant & Suffering. And this is a tremendous grace for me.

Earlier I spoke of the seeds planted in my heart during a mystical moment with Our Father in Heaven. The other seed was 'Youth Evangelisation', which is where my life is currently committed.

My Guardian Angel

My special companion throughout my whole journey in life. [H]e's been with me through absolutely everything. Present during my sin, my joys, my hurt, my pains, my prayer, my  relationships, my rest. I can't recommend enough getting to know your own Guardian Angel. Without my Guardian Angel, my baptismal journey would not be where it is today. I would not even know what holiness is all about. Neither will I be able to get to where my baptism is meant to take me: Heaven.

My Prayer on my Baptismal Anniversary

And so my day today will be devoted to praying for the Holy Souls and all those praying and having Masses offered for the Holy Souls in Purgatory. Also in my prayers in a big way today will be those who are discerning their life vocations like I am, the evangelisation of youth & young adults in the world, and those suffering and in turmoil with same-sex attraction. I return to the Church where I was baptised to contemplate the gift of my life, and to offer God myself, as His slave of Love.

Loving Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of this day, for the gift of my Baptism, and that I still benefit to celebrate it this day. Grant me Your Peace and

Prayer for the Holy Souls on All Souls Day | Novena Day 9

This picture is directly linked to a wonderful blogpost which very briefly invites people to pray for the Holy Souls. It isn't Theological, and expresses the key reason why, in Charity, we pray for those who have departed before us. Please visit it: http://padrescottsolt.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/pray-for-holy-souls-in-purgatory.html

So on this Feast of the Commemoration of the Dead (All Souls), I invite all who read this post to pray for all those departed before us. 

Lux æterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in æternum, quia pius es.
Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis, cum Sanctis tuis in æternum, quia pius es. Amen.

[And in English:
May everlasting light shine upon them, O Lord, with your Saints forever, for you are kind.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may everlasting light shine upon them, with your Saints forever, for you are merciful.
Amen]

Novena Day 9

Great are all the sufferings of the holy souls: the fire, the grief, the darkness, the uncertainty of the time of their deliverance from prison; but the greatest of all these sorrows is this, that these holy souls are separated from their divine Spouse, and deprived of His beatific vision.

Prayer: O my God! How was it ppossible that I, for so many years, have borne tranquilly the separation from Thee and Thy holy grace! O infinite Good, how long-suffering hast Thou shown Thyself to me!  Henceforth, I shall love Thee above all things. I am deeply sorry for having offended Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance and do not allow that I should ever again fall into sin.
Have compassion on the holy souls in purgatory. I pray Thee, moderate their sufferings; shorten the time of their misery; call them soon unto Thee in heaven, that they may behold Thee face to face and forever love Thee.

O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession, and pray for us also who are still in danger of eternal damnation.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
O most sweet Jesus, have mercy on them!
On Thy spouses have compassion,
on these suffering children Thine;
make these holy souls partakers
of Thy happiness Divine.
Amen.

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great, to release 1000 souls from Purgatory
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, 
in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, 
for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, 
those in my own home and within my family. 
Amen.
--------------------------------------------------

All 9 days of this novena found on my blogposts have been extracted from Susan Tassone's "Praying in the Presences of Our Lord for the Holy Souls" and is a novena by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri.
Susan's writing on the Holy Souls are all worth purchasing and reading, and I highly encourage you to buy her materials from any worthy supplier. The ISBN for this particular book is 978-0-87973-921-8.

Prayer for the Holy Souls | Novena Day 8

Another bitter sorrow of these souls is caused by the reflection that God had distinguished them by so many graces not granted to others, and that they compelled Him, by their sins, to condemn them to these sufferings, and that they had deserved hell, but were pardoned and saved only by the mercy of God.

Prayer: O my God! I also am one of these ungrateful beings, having received so much grace, and yet despised Thy love, and deserved to be cast by Thee into hell. Thy infinite goodness has spared me until now. Therefore, I now love Thee above all things, and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I would rather die than ever again offend Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in purgatory.


O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.


Our Father...
Hail Mary...
O most sweet Jesus, have mercy on them!
On Thy spouses have compassion,
on these suffering children Thine;
make these holy souls partakers
of Thy happiness Divine.

 
This has been extracted from Susan Tassone's "Praying in the Presences of Our Lord for the Holy Souls" and is a novena by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri.
Susan's writing on the Holy Souls are all worth purchasing and reading.

Prayer for the Holy Souls | Novena Day 5

Another great suffering is caused these holy souls by the ignorance of the time of their deliverance. They are certain of being one day released, yet the uncertainty of the time when their purgatorial term will have ended gives them great pain.


Prayer: Woe to me, unhappy being, if Thou, O Lord, had cast me into hell; for from that dungeon of eternal pain there is no deliverance. I love Thee above all things, O infinite God, and I am sincerely sorry for having ever offended Thee again. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls in purgatory.

O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.
 
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
O most sweet Jesus, have mercy on them!
On Thy spouses have compassion,
on these suffering children Thine;
make these holy souls partakers
of Thy happiness Divine.

This has been extracted from Susan Tassone's "Praying in the Presences of Our Lord for the Holy Souls" and is a novena by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri. 
Susan's writing on the Holy Souls are all worth purchasing and reading.

Prayer for the Holy Souls | Novena Day 3

Another great pain of the holy souls is caused by the hideous vision of their guilt, for which they now suffer. In this life the hideousness of sin is not seen as in the life to come; and this is one of the greatest sufferings of purgatory.

Prayer: O my God! Because Thou art infinte goodness, I love Thee above all things, and repent with my whole heart of my offenses against Thee. Grant me the grace of holy perseverance. Have compassion on me, and, at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in purgator.

O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.



Our Father...
Hail Mary...
On Thy spouses have compassion,
on these suffering children Thine;
make these holy souls partakers
of Thy happiness Divine.

Prayer for the Holy Souls | Novena Day 2

The second pain which causes these holy souls much suffering, is the time lost in life, when they might have gained merits for Heaven, and the thought that they are unable to repair this loss, because the time of life and merit is passed.

Prayer: Woe to me, unhappy being, so many years have I already spent on earth and have earned naught but hell! I give Thee thanks, O Lord, for granting me time even now to atone for my sins. My good God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. Send me Thy assistance, that I may apply the time yet remaining to me for Thy love and service; have compassion on me, and at the same time, on the holy souls suffering in purgatory.



O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
O most sweet Jess, have mercy on them! 
On Thy spouses have compassion, 
on these suffering children Thine;
make these holy souls partakers
of Thy happiness Divine.

This has been extracted from Susan Tassone's "Praying in the Presences of Our Lord for the Holy Souls" and is a novena by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri. Susan's writing on the Holy Souls are all worth purchasing and reading.

Prayer for the Holy Souls | Novena Day 1

Manifold are the sufferings which those blessed souls must endure, but the greatest of all is the reflection that their sins in life are the cause of their present torment.

O Jesus, my Saviour, I have so often deserved to be cast into hell; how great were my sufferings if I were now cast away and obliged to think that I, myself, had caused my damnation! I thank Thee for the patience with which Thou has endured me. My God, I love Thee above all things and I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee because Thou art infinite goodness. I would rather die than offend The again. Grant me the graces of perseverance; have pity on me and at the same time on those blessed souls suffering in purgatory.


O Mary, Mother of God, come to their assistance with thy powerful intercession.

Our Father...
Hail Mary...
O most sweet Jesus, have mercy on them! On Thy spouses have compassion, on these suffering children Thine; make these holy souls partakers of Thy happiness Divine.

This has been extracted from Susan Tassone's "Praying in the PResences of Our Lord for the Holy Souls" and is a novena by St. Alphonsus de Ligouri. Susan's writing on the Holy Souls are all worth purchasing and reading.