The Documentary

Bon Jour!

Erin and I are just back from a whirlwind weekend in Europe filming the documentary on the life and mission of Sr. Marie.

We began filming in Paris at the Miraculous Medal Shrine on Rue de Bac. Recall that St. Catherine Laboure, also a Daughter of Charity, is the one chosen by God and Our Lady to give the world the Miraculous Medal. (The date commemorating the Medal is November 27, a particularly special day for my husband and I as it is our wedding anniversary!) In these times, God has chosen Sr. Marie to give the world Mary's House. The Daughters of Charity seem to be specially chosen by God to give the world gifts from Our Lady! One of their own, the very sweet and hospitible Sr. Loretto, assisted us the entire day (and the day before) as we filmed in the Chapel, courtyard, and garden.

Members of the De Mandat-Grancey family met at the Shrine to be filmed as they recounted their memories of Sr. Marie and the impressions she has made in their lives. Among those who where filmed were the Countess De Mandat-Grancey and her sons including the Count and two Barons along with her daughter, a Sister of St. Dominic, and another Baroness.

From there we headed for Dijon in Burgundy to find the Chateau Grancey. It was a spectacular sight! Inside the walls of the castle is also the Collegialle, or the Church of St. John the Evangelist. The Baron was filmed in the morning sharing the incredibly interesting and detailed history on the De Mandat-Grancey Family which includes saints, Popes, and a long blood line with records going back as far as 400 AD.

After the Baron painted the history picture in the first film session our next film session after lunch was inside the Chateau Chapel where the reliquary holding the Cornerstones of Mary's House in Ephesus are enshrined. In this chapel the Baroness told of her many pilgrimages to Mary's House in Ephesus over the years and the profound effect Mary's House has had upon her. She also shared her insightful and edifying understanding of the Providential fact that Sr. Marie was born in and grew up in the Chateau which is blessed to have a Church dedicated to St. John the Evangelist to call it's own. How fitting that Sr. Marie grew up honoring St. John the Evangelist in this Church just a stroll down a path from her home, and then one day is honored by the Catholic Church as Foundress of Mary's House in Ephesus, the haven where St. John the Evangelist brought our dear Blessed Mother after Our Lord' death and resurrection; a place that also honors St. John!

Next the Baroness introduced Erin on film. Erin shared her story of learning about Sr. Marie while living in London and meeting the Baroness De Mandat-Grancey. She lovingly told the story of the life of Sr. Marie including references to her early childhood, her calling to the religious life, leaving the grand life of nobility, and her sacrificial religious life serving the poor and her devotion to building the solidarity of the Children of Mary. Of course she then went on to tell of the finding of Mary's House in Ephesus.

In the early evening it was my turn to try to honor Sr. Marie. I was filmed outside at sunset on the grand terrace that wraps the seven story rear of the chateau. It was my job to to help people understand the connection Sr. Marie has with our times and world peace especially between God's children of different faiths. I told the story of 9/11 (see the sidebar for the article Why Sister Marie? Why Now?), my attempt to assist with the cause for Sr. Marie with this blog, and the need we have for signatures and testimonies. (Also see the sidebar!)

The last filming of the day after dinner, took place in the great room in front of the fire place in the late evening. There the Baron, Baroness, Erin and I sat and were filmed adding to our earlier comments. The day ended at 11:30. We were all very tired but quite satisfied with the day's effort.

The following day Erin and I headed by train to London where we met the film crew in the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Erin was filmed telling the story of how the prayer on the prayer card came to be written with the dearly departed Father Ignatius, and then how the prayer received the Imprimatur of the Church from Archbishop Bernardini. I spoke about how the greater Church is currently in dialogue with Muslim clerics (see http://www.acommonword.com/), and how five Archbishops recently petitioned the Holy See to consider a new title for Our Lady; Mary, Mother of All Humanty. It is confirmation to me that Sr. Marie's mission is in line with the Vatican's current spirit for peace between God's children of different religions all under the Mantle of Our Lady and Mother.

I cannot end without mentioning the film crew. These fine and noble young men are originally from Poland. Dominic, Robert, and Jarek worked tirelessly from dawn until late night on Saturday after filming on Friday in Paris. Just prior to this they had travelled by road from London to Paris in their van packed with equipment, and now were headed by road from Paris to Dijon. Then on Sunday they drove again from Dijon back to London to film the short clips from the Shrine of O.L. Mt. Carmel. Their generosity to the Cause for Sr. Marie and their dedication to her mission in these times is only outdone by their patience, kindness, great humor, and above all obvious zeal and love for Jesus Christ and His Holy Mother. I will always keep them in my heart and prayers. I ask you too to pray for them as they dedicate their lives to God's service in film. May Sr. Marie bless them abundantly.

I await permission to share some of my simple photos of the weekend with you and especially for the time when I can say that the documentary is ready to share with you. Until then I bid you "adieu."

It's May...Mary's Month

Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us.


50 reasons to pray the rosary.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxjjyXhO9EA

Happy Mother's Day...

...to the Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

the Mother of all Humanity,

my own,

your own,

dearest Mother.

I love you Mama Mary.

Totus Tuus, Maria.

Sr. Marie spent her life spreading devotion to the Blessed Mother both within the context of her work within the association of Children of Mary and her perseverance in founding and preserving for all time and all humanity Mary's House in Ephesus. She loved all things Mary! She is a powerful intercessor with the Blessed Mother. Sr. Marie, please pray for us and obtain for us true devotion to Mary, Mother of God.

Pentecost!!

click below to listen to beautiful Gregorian Chant
Hymne et séquence au Saint Esprit

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, before ascending into heaven, did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples -- deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of Your grace and Your love.

Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom -- that I may not be attached to the perishable things of this world, but asp[ire only after the things that are eternal.

The Spirit of Understanding -- to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth.

The Spirit of Counsel -- that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven.

The Spirit of Fortitude -- that I may bear my cross with You, and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation.

The Spirit of Knowledge -- that I may know God and know myself, and grow perfect in the science of the Saints.

The Spirit of Piety -- that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable.

The Spirit Fear -- that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may avoid anything that may displease Him.

Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of Your true disciples and animate me in all things with Your spirit. Amen.

God-incidence!

Click here: Sister Marie De Mandat-Grancey: Archbishop Guiuseppe G. Bernardini

Back in October of 2007 I posted a small note about Archbishop Bernardini. It is incredible to me that I didn't realize at the time of the post that is was the Feast Day of St. Francis, October 4th! If I had realized it I surely would have made mention. I certainly had gone to Mass that day, but probably it was later in the day when I got around to actually writing about the Mass I had been priviledged to attend with this holy Capuchin Franciscan only the day before.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 9

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Thou on those who evermore,

Thee confess and Thee adore,

In Thy seven fold gift descend.

Give them comfort when they die,

Give them life with Thee on high,

Give them joys which never end.

Meditation
The first great novena in honor of the Holy Spirit was crowned with an abundant outpouring of the Divine Spirit upon the Apostles. It enkindled within their bosom a zeal that knew not fear of starvation or death, that defied the sword and the cross, that braved storms at sea and bloody persecutions on land, for the propagation of the faith of Jesus Christ. Before we close the novena, let us beg the Holy Spirit to fill the world with zeal for the triumph of honesty and purity over deceit and sensuality. Let us pray that the Divine Spirit may fill many of our young men and women with zeal for the propagation of the faith, with courage to sacrifice the comforts of home and the company of parents, to labor in the service of Christ and the Church. Let us pray that he may pour out an abundance of the apostolic spirit upon our priests, missionaries and nuns. Let us pray that he may draw the hearts of heretics and pagans to the one true fold of Jesus Christ, so that from every quarter of the earth the cry will ascend heavenward: Praised be the holy and adorable Trinity; to it be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer
Holy, Divine Spirit, by the infinite merits of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, deign to pour abroad thy most ardent and omnipotent charity into all hearts, so that there may be one fold and one shepherd in the whole world; and that we may all come to sing thy divine praises in heaven forever. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

Archbishop Bernardini's Parents, Servants of God

Notice the wedding rings at the top of the image and the wedding candles at the bottom. "Servi di Dio" means Servants of God. It is such a grace to have a married couple to pray to for all those now married with families. May God expedite their cause. I can't help but smile knowing that these two Servants of God are praying for their son, the dear Archbishop Bernardini, and are glad to pray the Sr. Marie prayer for which he gave the Imprimatur! Sergio and Domenica, pray for us!

Archbishop Bernardini's Family

His Excellency is the Friar on the right in his young Capuchin years.

Capuchin Franciscans!

Archbishop Bernardini with Father Charles and another Caphuchin priest in their Church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Msgr. Michael Connelly signing the Sr. Marie petition.

Arhcbishop Bernardini meeting one of the retired Caphuchin Fathers.

It has been a week of blessing! Archbishop Bernardini (who granted the Imprimatur for the Sr. Marie prayer card) was visiting Huntington and I had the honor of attending his Holy Mass on Tuesday with our Rosary Group. Then today I travelled with Erin and His Excellency to Yonkers to visit the Capuchins in their home there. Did you know that His Excllency is a Capuchin? It was such an honor to see his brothers welcome him today. Archbishop taught me a lesson in our car ride home. He said, "It is true what we read in the Gospel. If we leave our family to follow Jesus, then Jesus gives us family all over the world a hundred fold." His Capuchin family welcomed him with open arms today.

Erin and I were privaledged to share the story of Sr. Marie with our hosts who most graciously welcomed the information and were happy to sign Sr. Marie's petition.

Please keep all these holy men in your prayers, especially Archbishop Bernardini who, by the way, shared with us all the story of his parents, Sergio Bernadini and Domenica Bedonni, Third Order Franciscans, who have been named Servants of God by our Catholic Chruch. His parents had ten children. Five of his sisters became nuns with the Pauline sisters. One other sister became a Franciscan nun. His brother also became a Capuchin! I will post their pictures in the very next post. It is easy to see where His Excellency received his humility and holiness.

The Great Novena to the HolySpirit - Day 8

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Bend the stubborn heart and will,

Melt the frozen, warm the chill,

Guide the steps that go astray.

Meditation
Wisdom is that gift of the Holy Spirit whereby the Divine Spirit raises up our intellect and our heart to rest in God alone. Knowledge tells us the value of earthly things, and how we can enjoy them licitly without offending God; but Wisdom gives us courage to trample under foot wealth, honor and pleasure, if these things,--I will not say, impede our salvation,-- but even cast so much as a shadow between us and our God. You may be inclined to think that the gift of Wisdom is only for Saints. You are right when you say this gift is only for the Saints, but you are wrong if you think that you are not destined to be a Saint. We must all aspire to sanctity. Why not aim high? God will reward the effort. Let us begin today by trying to make an act of thanksgiving for every little cross that falls on us.

Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Wisdom, and reveal to my soul the mysteries of heavenly things, their exceeding greatness, power and beauty. Teach me to love them above and beyond all the passing joys and satisfactions of earth. Show me the way by which I may be able to attain them and possess them for ever. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.
You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,
compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,
in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena ot the Holy Spirit - Day 7

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;

On our dryness pour Thy dew;

Wash the stains of guilt away.

Meditation
Understanding, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, helps the Christian, in the state of grace, to grasp according to his mental capacity, the meaning of the truths of our holy religion. Perhaps, to many of us, the articles of the creed are but dry disconnected truths. God gives us the gift of Understanding to enable us to penetrate the truths of our holy religion in a manner that will enable us to live them. Many Catholics find the Catholic newspapers flat and unsavory. On Sundays they would like to hear the Priest speak of the topics of the times rather than give catechetical instructions. That is because they are imbued with the spirit of the age. They have never become accustomed to thinking seriously of religious subjects. They have no religious, no Catholic, no supernatural ideals. Perhaps one of the reasons why we do not duplicate the majestic cathedrals of Europe is, because we do not live the religious mysteries and ideals which inspired those monuments of faith. We need an increase of the gift of Understanding to make our religion real and living. Therefore let us pray fervently for that intention.

Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Understanding, and enlighten our minds, that we may know and believe all the mysteries of salvation; and may merit at last to see the eternal light in Thy Light; and in the light of glory to have a clear vision of thee and the Father and the Son. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.

You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,

compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,

in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 6

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

If Thou take Thy grace away,
Nothing pure in man will stay;
All his good is turned to ill.

Meditation
The gift of Counsel is a disposition in the soul through which the Holy Spirit prompts us to choose to do the better of two good actions. It is the elder sister of the supernatural gift prudence. Prudence teaches us the A,B,C, of Christian life, the gift of Counsel trains us in the fine arts of Christian perfection. As this gift gains greater influence over our actions, the soul begins to realize more and more the full meaning of the words of Saint Paul: "All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient." (I Cor. VI. 12) This gift can never be developed in the Christian soul which stops short of only mortal sin in its use and abuse of liberty. Such a rule of conduct will not keep us long from mortal sin, and when mortal sin enters the soul, grace and all the supernatural gifts depart. Because my use of the things of this world may give my neighbor a pretext for abusing them, it is often expedient for me to hearken to the counsel of my divine Guide and refrain from licit pleasures and actions. Above all, as Catholics, we should be as shining lights to our neighbors, going before them in the path of virtue. To do so, we need the gift of Counsel, and therefore, let us pray for it.

Prayer
Come, O Spirit of Counsel, help and guide me in all my ways, that I may always do Thy holy will. Incline my heart to that which is good; turn it away from all that is evil, and direct me by the straight path of Thy commandments to that goal of eternal life for which I long. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!



Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier. You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 5

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Light immortal, light divine,

Visit thou these hearts of thine,

And our inmost being fill.

Meditation
Fortitude is a gift of the Holy Spirit strengthening the soul against all natural fear and supporting it to the end in the performance of duty. Daily the soul, in the state of grace must go forth to fight the good fight of Christ; to do its duty, which, because it is duty, will always be difficult. The virtue of fortitude leads us into the battle, but we need special encouragement from the Spirit of God, to enable us to persevere in good, in spite of unforeseen difficulties, hardships, and the grind of routine. That encouragement the Holy Ghost imparts to us through the gift of Fortitude. Moreover, whilst we are not called upon to face the roaring lion in the Roman arena like the first Christians, we are bound every day of our lives to fight the roaring lion within us, to struggle against our besetting temptation. God has armed us with the gift of Fortitude for that purpose. Let us therefore pray for that gift to enable us to fight perseveringly the good fight of Jesus Christ until it please our divine Leader to call us from the battlefield of life to enjoy the eternal reward of heaven.

Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Fortitude, uphold my soul in time of trouble and adversity, sustain my efforts after holiness, strengthen my weakness, give me courage against all the assaults of my enemies, that I may never be overcome and separated from thee, my God and greatest Good. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier. You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 4

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Thou in toil art comfort sweet,

Pleasant coolness in the heat,

Solace in the midst of woe.

Meditation
Knowledge, as a gift of the Holy Spirit, directs the soul to judge of things, both human and divine, according to supernatural common sense and not according to the standards of the worldly-wise. Even with supernatural faith in our soul to elevate our reason, how often we detect ourselves talking of temporal gain and loss, success and failure, suffering and pleasure, purely and simply according to the principles of the worldly-minded! We fail to pierce the veil of the natural and see in suffering a blessing from God. We have come to think it folly to season our pleasures with a pinch of the pepper and salt of mortification; for example: to determine that we will not remain out later than a certain reasonable hour, when we go out for an evening of innocent pleasure. In this age of doubt, materialism, pleasure-seeking, what shall we say of the necessity of this gift to enable us to distinguish good from evil, innocent pleasure from tainted joy, truth from falsehood, the real good from the apparent good among all the things around us? Let us therefore, pray earnestly for this gift.
Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Knowledge, and grant that I may perceive the will of the Father; show me the nothingness of the earthly things, that I may realize their vanity and use them only for thy glory and my own salvation, looking ever beyond them to thee and thy eternal rewards. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.
You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,
compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,
in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 3

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Thou of all consolers best,

Visiting the troubled breast,

Dost refreshing peace bestow.

Meditation
The gift of piety is the gift through which the Holy Ghost calls to the service of God and man, the mistress of virtues, charity. It prompts us to love God not because of his majesty but because he is our Father. It makes us love whatever is near and dear to our Divine Savior, beginning with his Immaculate Mother and going down the scale to the most abandoned soul on earth and in purgatory. The gift of Piety which bids us love our Father in heaven, stirs up our affections for our father and mother in the flesh, our own dear parents, for our fathers in God, the Pope, Bishops and Priests, for our home, our church and our country. Pride and envy beget chauvinism, which is false patriotism and narrow mindedness; the gift of Piety begets real patriotism. Let us therefore, pray fervently for this beautiful gift.

Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Piety, possess my heart, incline it to a true faith in Thee, to a holy love of Thee, my God and of all my fellow creatures for Thy sake. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.

You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,

compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,

in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 2

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Come thou father of the poor,

Come with treasures which endure,

Come thou light of all that live.

Meditation
The irreligious man often fears that there may possibly be a God and a time of retribution. O what a base fear; a fear which he tries to bury in oblivion by leading a riotous, sinful life. With such fear we are not concerned. The gift of Holy Fear fills us with a sovereign respect for God, and makes us dread above all things to offend Him. It is fear like that of a dutiful son, who will shun certain company of whom he knows no evil, but with whom his parents do not wish him to associate. He simply respects his parents' wishes. It is a fear which arises from reverence and submission towards those we love and esteem. It measures the malice of sin, not by the world's standards, but by those of heaven. If it does not suggest very noble deeds in God's service, at least it keeps us from going over to the enemy's camp. For this reason we, poor sinners, need the gift of Holy Fear. Let us therefore pray fervently for it.

Prayer
Come, O blessed Spirit of Holy Fear, penetrate my inmost heart, that I may set thee, my Lord and God, before my face forever; and shun all things that can offend thee, so that I may be made worthy to appear before the pure eyes of thy Divine Majesty in the heaven of heavens, where thou livest and reignest in the unity of the ever Blessed Trinity, God, world without end. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times.

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.
You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,
compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,
in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

The Great Novena to the Holy Spirit - Day 1

With the Apostles in the Upper Room during that very first Novena as they awaited the Advocate promised by Jesus, we pray:

Come Holy Spirit! Come by means of the powerful intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Your well beloved Spouse!

Holy Spirit,

Lord of Light

From thy clear celestial height,

Thy pure beaming radiance give.

Meditation
We shall strive during this novena to obtain an increase of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, over and above the special favors we shall ask from the Divine Spirit. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are permanent super-natural dispositions given to us with grace, to make the soul attentive and responsive to the movements of the Third Person of the Adorable Trinity. Very appropriately have they been compared to the sails of a ship which, when spread, carry the craft swiftly and smoothly over its course. When the inspirations of the Holy Spirit find the gifts spread like sails in the soul, they waft it safely over the sea of life to the haven of eternal happiness. Those Christians who through indolence allow the gifts to lie dormant, are like ships dismantled, whose sails lie in the bottom of the boat, useless. Who has not felt many a time, even immediately after coming from the sacred tribunal of Penance, the necessity of some such impelling power? Therefore, let us beseech the Holy Spirit for an increase of these necessary gifts.

Prayer
Almighty and eternal God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate us by water and the Holy Spirit, and hast given us forgiveness of all sins, vouchsafe to send forth from heaven upon us thy seven fold Spirit, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Fortitude, the Spirit of Knowledge and of Piety, and fill us with the Spirit of Holy Fear. Amen.

Glory Be, seven times

Sr. Marie, please pray with us and for us through the intercession of Mary to Her Spouse the Holy Spirit that we may be filled with an abundance of His gifts during this Novena. May the cause for the beatification of Sr. Marie DeMandat-Grancey be opened very soon so that more and more graces of peace, love, forgiveness, and understanding from the source of all grace, The Holy Spirit, may envelope this weary world!

Oh, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul...I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. Tell me what I should do...give me your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to Happen to me. Let me only do Your will. (This submission to the Holy Spirit is the Secret of Sanctity -- Cardinal Mercier)

The non-italicised portion of this Novena has been compiled by Catherine Fournier.
You may find this Novena in Honor of the Holy Spirit,
compiled in preparation for the Great Jubilee of the Millennium,
in the link enclosed in the title to this post.

Happy Feast of the Glorious Ascension!

Please join me in the Novena of the Holy Spirit from now until Pentacost and pray for faith and love bigger than any fear!