Message January 25, 2018

MESSAGE OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

January 25, 2018

Dear Children!

May this time be for you a time of prayer, so that the Holy Spirit, through prayer, may descend upon you and give you conversion. Open your hearts and read the Sacred Scripture, that through the testimonies you also may be closer to God. Above everything, little children, seek God and the things of God and leave earthly ones to the earth, because satan is attracting you to the dust and sin. You are called to holiness and created for Heaven: therefore seek Heaven and the things of Heaven. Thank you for having responded to my call."

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS

(EXCERPTS)

FOR WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY

24 JANUARY 2018

FAKE NEWS AND JOURNALISM FOR PEACE

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

The Truth Will Set You Free (Jn 8:32)

Communication is part of God's plan for us and an essential way to experience fellowship.

Made in the image and likeness of our Creator, we are able to express and share all that is true, good, and beautiful. We are able to describe our own experiences and the world around us, and thus to create historical memory and the understanding of events. But when we yield to our own pride and selfishness, we can also distort the way we use our ability to communicate.

The capacity to twist the truth is symptomatic of our condition,...On the other hand, when we are faithful to God's plan, communication becomes an effective expression of our responsible search for truth.

___We are witnessing the spread of what has come to be known as "fake news". This calls for reflection, which is why I have decided to return in the World Communications Day Message to the issue of truth.

___I would like to contribute to our shared commitment to stemming the spread of fake news and to rediscovering the dignity of journalism and the personal responsibility of journalist to communicate the truth.

___The term "fake news" has been the object of great discussion and debate.

___Untrue stories can spread so quickly that even authoritative denials fail to contain the damage.

___Fake news...risks turning people into unwilling accomplices in spreading biased and baseless ideas (lies). The tragedy of disinformation is that it discredits others, presenting them as enemies, to the point of demonizing them and fomenting conflict. Fake news leads only to the spread of arrogance and hatred. That is the end result of untruth.

___None of us can feel exempted from the duty of countering these falsehoods. Praiseworthy are those institutional and legal initiatives aimed at developing regulations for curbing the phenomenon.

___Identifying the way disinformation works also calls for a profound and careful process of discernment. We need to unmask what could be called the "snake-tactics". This was the strategy employed by the 'crafty serpent" in the Book of Genesis. The strategy of this skilled "Father of Lies", that sly and dangerous form of seduction that worms its way in to the heart with false and alluring arguments.

___Fake news often goes viral, spreading so fast that it is hard to stop.

___The deceptive power of evil moves from one lie to another in order to rob us of our interior freedom. That is why education for truth means teaching people how to discern,...lest we lose sight of what is good.

___Constant contamination by deceptive language can end up darkening our interior life.

Dostoevsky's observation is illuminating: "People who lie to themselves and listen to their own lies come to such a pass that they cannot distinguish the truth within them, or around them, and so lose all respect for themselves and for others. And having no respect, they cease to love, and in order to occupy and distract themselves without love they give way to passions and to coarse pleasures, and sink to bestiality in their vices, all from continual lying to others and to themselves." (The Brothers Karamazov, II, 2).

Truth involves our whole life. In the Bible, it carries with it the sense of support, solidity, and trust, as implied by the root 'aman', the source of our liturgical expression Amen. Truth is something you can lean on, so as not to fall.

In this relationship sense, the only truly reliable and trustworthy One - the One on whom we can count - is the living God. Hence, Jesus can say; "I am the truth"

____Peace is the true news

I would like, then, to invite everyone to promote a journalism of peace.

To this end, drawing inspiration from a Franciscan prayer, we might turn to

Truth in person:

Lord, make us instruments of your peace.

Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion.

Help us to remove the venom from our judgments.

Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters.

You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world:

where there is shouting, let us practice listening;

where there is confusion. let us inspire harmony;

where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;

where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;

where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;

where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;

where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;

where there is hostility, let us bring respect;

where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.

Amen.

Note: The Eighth Commandment condemns lying. Because God is regarded as the author of all truth, the church believes that humans are obligated to honor the truth. The most obvious way to fulfill this commandment is not to lie - intentionally deceive another by speaking a falsehood.

For the sake of their souls, please feel free to copy this message and forward it to anyone you know who is spreading 'Fake News'.

The Exorcist

Lent is a season in the church year when we are encouraged to cleanse our souls through confession. The effects of a good confession were brought home by a Catholic Priest who is involved in Exorcism: a very dangerous ministry. When asked how he prepared in praying for exorcism he said, fasting for an extended period is important, also, confession. Stating if he did not cleanse his own soul, through confession, when he confronted the evil demons they would know his sins and shout them out to him in a confrontational, embarrassing way. Confession cleansed his soul of sin and eliminated that problem. He also noted that he would always take with him a Bible, Crucifix, holy water and rosary-all necessary to perform the rite. Most cases, he said, are 'obsessions' and 'not evil demonic possession' which is rare. (Note: scripture teaches us that evil spirits are fallen angels)

Our Blessed Mother continually reminds us to pray for our Priests, our Shepherds; who suffer great temptation and, abuse from all sides.

(Note: "The Exorcist" was a 1973 movie loosely based on actual facts. It is one of the highest grossing films of all time.)

Prominently Placed in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC Are the words from Deuteronomy 4:9

"Only guard yourself and guard your soul carefully, lest you forget the things your eyes saw ... and you shall make them known to your children and your children's children.''

Pope Benedict XVI - 'A Conversation with Peter Seewald'

"On Last Things"

Q. The doctrine of "The Last Things" hell, purgatory, the antichrist, the persecution of the church in the end times, Christ's Second Coming and the Last Judgment. All very serious but not preached?

A. ' ... We need to examine our consciences on this point. Of course one has to meet ones listener half-way, speak to them in terms of their own horizon, to broaden it, and to turn our gaze toward the ultimate.

Q. All of Jesus' prophecies have come to pass, except ... His Second Coming.! (??)

A. Prophecies...not a kind of fictitious utopia, but they correspond exactly to reality....We always have to keep present in our minds the fact that He tells us with the greatest certainty "I will come again." This statement comes before everything else. This is also why the Mass was originally celebrated facing East, toward the returning Lord, who is symbolized in the rising sun.

Every Mass is therefore an act of going out to meet the One who is coming. In this way his coming is also anticipated, as it were; we go out to meet him-and he comes, anticipatively, already now. I like to compare this with the account of the wedding at Cana. The first thing the Lord says to Mary there is "My hour has not yet come." But then, in spite of that, he gives the new wine, as it were, anticipating his hour, which is yet to come. This eschatological realism becomes present in the Eucharist: we go out to meet him---as the One who comes-and he comes already now in anticipation of this hour, which one day will arrive once and for all. If we understand this as we should, we will go out to meet the Lord who has already been coming all along, we will enter into his coming-and so will allow ourselves to be fitted into a greater reality, beyond the everyday, just as we were saying before.

Benedict XVI, ‘Light of the World': Ignatius Press An excellent book: ISBN 978-1-58617-606-8

On Abuse in the church

Q. It was immediately said by mass media that catholic teaching on sexuality and celibacy is directly, connected with abuse. The fact of similar incidents in non-Catholic institutions faded into the background.

The German criminologist Christian Pfeiffer reported that approximately 0.1 percent of those who committed abuse come from the personnel of the Catholic Church; 99.9 percent came from other areas. In the United States, a government reports for the year 2008 lists the proportion of priest who were involved in cases of pedophilia at 0.03 percent. The Protestant Christian Science Monitor published a study according to which the Protestant denominations in America are affected by a much higher rate of pedophilia.

Q. Is the Catholic Church being watched differently and evaluated differently with regard to abuse?

A. Actually you have already given the answer. If you look at the real statistics, that does not authorize us to look away from the problem or to minimize it. But we must also note that in these matters we are not dealing with something specific to the Catholic priesthood or the Catholic Church. They are, unfortunately, simply rooted in man's sinful situation, which is also present in the Catholic Church and led to these terrible results....I think that whereas we must not minimize the evil and must sorrowfully acknowledge it, by the same token we must also still be grateful for how much light streams forth from the Catholic Church and should make that visible. It would lead to a collapse of entire sectors of social life if she were no longer there"...The Lord told us that among the wheat there will be weeds-but that the seed, His seed, will nevertheless continue to grow. We are confident of that."

"It is to those who have the most need of us that we ought to show our love more especially." St. Francis deSales

Civil Rights Act - Enacted July 2, 1964

A central theme behind the Civil Rights movement came from Genesis 1:27 which says that all human beings are "created in the image of God." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote: "The Bible was central to the energy of the Civil Rights Movement..."

Our Lady of Medjugorje’s January 2, 2018 monthly message on the day for nonbelievers through Mirjana

"Dear children, when love is beginning to disappear on earth, when the way of salvation is not being found, I, the mother, am coming to help you to come to know true faith - living and profound - so as to help you to truly love. As a mother, I am longing for your mutual love, goodness, and purity. My desire is that you be just and that you love each other. My children, be joyful in your soul, be pure, be children. My Son used to say that he loves to be among pure hearts, because pure hearts are always young and joyful. My Son said to you to forgive and to love each other. I know that this is not always easy. Suffering makes you grow in spirit. For you to spiritually grow all the more, you must sincerely and truly forgive and love. Many of my children on earth do not know my Son, they do not love Him; but you who do love my Son, you who carry Him in your heart, pray, pray and in praying feel my Son beside you. May your soul breathe in His spirit. I am among you and am speaking about little and great things. I will not grow tired speaking to you about my Son - the true love. Therefore, my children, open your hearts to me. Permit me to lead you as a mother. Be apostles of the love of my Son and of me. As a mother I implore you not to forget those whom my Son has called to lead you. Carry them in your heart and pray for them. Thank you."

A Powerful Blessing of St. Anthony

"Behold the Cross of the Lord, Depart powers with darkness. Jesus, The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has conquered." Alleluia

When at Eucharistic Adoration you are Enveloped in His Love.

St. Michael the Archangel Church, DuBois. Blessed Sacrament exposed every Wednesday 9 am-9 pm. Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3 P.M. and Holy Rosary at 6:30 P.M.

Holy Rosary for Families

We Pray for Our own family and friends return to the Sacraments. Every Tuesday 6 pm St. Michael the Archangel Church, DuBois, P A

"May the Holy Family never withdraw their loving gaze from you and your family..." St. Pio

To hear Our Lady’s Message, very early by phone, call 1-814-787-5683. (LOVE) Usually available the 26 of the month. Prayer request at this number are given to the visionary, Vicka, so that she may offer them to Our Lady. Prayer petitions can also be hand written and sent in a sealed envelope to: The Holy Family, Inc. PO Box 442, St. Mary's, PA 15857-0442. They are forwarded to Vicka who presents them to Our Lady. Happy New Year.

Can You Help in Finding Cherrie Ann?