Wednesday, 17 June 2015
An engaged couple on Lough Derg
THREE DAY PILGRIMAGE SEASON
NOW OPEN
One can begin their
pilgrimage on any day up until 13th August 2015.
One Day Retreats recommence on
17th August 2015
and continue on certain days in late August and September.
A Place
of Pilgrimage
Lough Derg, the sacred
Sanctuary of St Patrick, is very much a living part of Irish Christian
Heritage.
A unique island, rich
in prayer and faith, an island which has been calling pilgrims for over a
thousand years, an island which St Patrick himself was called to.
For many people Lough
Derg provides an opportunity to step back from their lives, to take stock and
examine the direction which their lives are taking. For many others it is a
time to come closer to God through prayer and reflection.
Lough Derg is an
island of pilgrimage set in calm lake waters, offers no distraction, no
artificialities or interruptions. Instead you are warmly welcomed and cared
for: there are no strangers here. The island, made holy by the prayers of
millions of pilgrims over the centuries, continues to provide a safe haven for
rest, reflection and renewal to all who wish to ‘Come away to a quiet place
and rest a while’, Mark 6:31
The
Island is now open for the 2015 Summer Pilgrimage Season.
One Day
Retreats are offered on specific
dates in May; 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24 & 25. After the Three
Day Pilgrmage season One Day Retreats recommence in late August and continue
into September.
The Three
Day Pilgrimage Season begins
on Friday 29th May 2015.
Please contact us
directly if you wish to find out about the 2015 season or if you wish to
organise a group to come to the island for a One Day Retreat or a Group Tour we
will be delighted to help you.
Tel/Fax 00353 (0) 71
9861518 (from Northern Ireland 028 68632391)
Or email us: info@loughderg.org
...............
Pilgrim Scéal – an engaged couple on Lough Derg: Mark and Martha from Longford share their pilgrim experience on Lough Derg over the course of three days which they undertook following a pre-marriage course.
Mary, the Star of the Sea - Saint Bernard de Clairvaux
A beautiful meditation from Heralds of the Gospel Canada.http://heralds.ca/blog/mary-star-sea/#more-2075“The Virgin’s name was Mary“,
(Lk.1:27) which means ‘Star of the Sea.’ This admirably befits the Virgin
Mother. …
She, I say, is that shining and brilliant star, needed
so much, set in place above life’s great and spacious sea, glittering with
merits, all aglow with examples for our imitation.
Oh, whosoever thou art that perceiveth thyself during
this mortal existence to be rather drifting in treacherous waters at the mercy
of the winds and the waves, than walking on firm ground, turn not away thine
eyes from the splendour of this guiding star, unless thou wished to be
submerged by the storm!
When the storms to temptation burst upon thee, when
thou seest thyself driven upon the rocks of tribulation, look at the star, call
upon Mary.
When buffeted by the billows of pride or ambition or
hatred or jealousy, look at the star, call upon Mary. Should anger, or avarice,
or fleshly desire violently assail the frail vessel of thy soul, look at the
star, call upon Mary.
If troubled on account of the heinousness of thy sins,
distressed at the filthy state of thy conscience, and terrified at the thought
of the awful judgment to come, thou art beginning to sink into the bottomless
gulf of sadness and to be swallowed in the abyss of despair, then think of
Mary.
In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary,
call upon Mary.
Six Seminarians Admitted to Candidacy at Allen Hall
From Diocese of Westminster:
http://rcdow.org.uk/vocations/news/six-seminarians-admitted-to-candidacy-at-allen-hall/
http://rcdow.org.uk/vocations/news/six-seminarians-admitted-to-candidacy-at-allen-hall/
Six Seminarians Admitted to Candidacy at
Allen Hall
On Saturday 30 May six seminarians were
admitted to Candidacy at a Mass celebrated by Bishop Nicholas at Allen Hall.
The men who were admitted to Candidacy are Joseph Okoro, John Scott, Michael
Maguire, Julio Albornoz, Daniel Herrero and Carlos Quito.
In his homily, Bishop Nicholas spoke about the
significance of Candidacy in the process of formation for the Priesthood. He
described it as a point when ‘your relationship to priesthood changes’, it is a
‘moment to take stock; and to ask yourself just how deeply you feel called to priesthood.’
Candidacy marks the stage in formation when the Church
affirms the seminarians' discernment thus far and therefore invites them to a
renewed and deeper preparation in their remaining studies, normally for two
years.
Please keep the men in your prayers as they continue
their journey towards ordination.
PROMISES TO DEVOTEES OF THE AGONY OF JESUS ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
From Sancta Maria Abbey, Nunraw, Haddington, Scotland, EH41
4LW
Tel: (0044) 01620830223 - Fax: (0044) 01620830304
“This Prayer
speaks in the language of the Sacred Heart. (Imprimatur: local Bishop.
1963. San Giovanni Rotondo 1965, may suggest St. Padre Pio source).”
So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the
Son of man, then you will know that I am he. [John 8:28 ]
… Many believed in Jesus and some openly mocked him
when he warned them about their sin of unbelief. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit
that we may have power to be his witnesses of Christ's Cross. Moving quickly
from controversy, on the Mount of Olives Jesus suffers his agony for all souls."
PRAYER TO JESUS, AGONISING ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
My soul is
sorrowful even unto death. Stay here and watch. (St. Mark
XIV-34).
O Jesus, through the abundance of Thy love, and in
order to overcome our hardheartedness, Thou pourest out torrents of Thy graces
over those who reflect on Thy most Sacred Sorrow in the Garden of
Gethsemane, and who spread devotion to it. I pray Thee, move my soul and
my heart to think often, at least once a day, of Thy most bitter Agony in
the Garden of Gethsemane, in order to communicate with Thee and
to be united with Thee as closely as possible.
O Blessed Jesus, Thou, who carried the immense burden
of our sins that night, and atoned for them fully; grant me the most perfect
gift of complete repentant love over my numerous sins, for which Thou didst
sweat blood.
O Blessed Jesus, for the sake of Thy most bitter
struggle in the Garden of
Gethsemane, grant me final victory over all
temptations, especially over those to which I am most subjected.
O suffering Jesus, for the sake of Thy inscrutable and
indescribable agonies, during that night of betrayal, and of Thy bitterest
anguish of mind, enlighten me, so that I may recognise and fulfil Thy will;
grant that I may ponder continually on Thy heart-wrenching struggle on how Thou
didst emerge victoriously, in order to fulfil, not Thy will, but the will of
Thy Father.
Be Thou blessed, O Jesus, for all Thy sighs on that
holy night; and for the tears which Thou didst shed for us.
Be Thou blessed, O Jesus, for Thy sweat of blood and
the terrible agony, which Thou didst suffer lovingly in coldest abandonment and
in inscrutable loneliness.
Be Thou blessed, O sweetest Jesus, filled with
immeasurable bitterness, for the prayer which flowed in trembling agony from
Thy Heart, so truly human and divine.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee all the past, present,
and future Masses together with the blood of Christ shed in agony in
the Garden of Sorrow at Gethsemane.
Most Holy Trinity, grant that the knowledge and
thereby the love, of the agony of Jesus on the Mount of Olives will
spread throughout the whole world.
Grant, O Jesus, that all who look lovingly at Thee on
the Cross, will also remember Thy immense Suffering on the Mount of Olives,
that they will follow Thy example, learn to pray devoutly and fight
victoriously, so that, one day, they may be able to Glorify Thee eternally in
Heaven. Amen.
PROMISES TO
DEVOTEES OF
THE AGONY OF
JESUS ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES
Again and again calls of My Love flow from My
Heart. They fill the souls in which the fire of love lights up and
sometimes even sets ablaze the heart. It is this, the voice of My Heart,
which travels and also reaches those who do not want to hear Me, and who, therefore,
do not notice Me. However, inside of them I speak to all, and My Voice
will speak to all, because I love them all.
He, who knows the Commandment of Love is not surprised
that I cannot help knocking at the door of those who resist Me, and forced me,
so to speak, by their rejection, to repeat My loving invitation to them. Why,
what else can My calls be, full of flowing love, than the will of love of a
loving God. Who wants to save His Creatures? However, I know very
well, that not many wish to follow My generous invitation, and that even the
few who do accept, must strive hard to receive Me.
Well then! I shall show even more, generosity (as
if I had not been generous enough up to now), and I shall do this by giving all
of you a precious Gem of My Love. I have decided to open a dam, in order
to let flow the torrent of My Graces, which My Heart can no longer hold back.
Look what I have to offer you in return for a little
love from you:
1. To all those who remember My Agony, with love
and devotion, at least once a day; forgiveness of all sins and the certainty of
salvation for their souls in the hour of their death.
2. Total and everlasting repentance to those who
will have a Mass celebrated in honour of My AgonisingSuffering
in the Garden of Gethsemane.
3. Success in spiritual matters to all those, who
impress on others, love and devotion to My Agonies on the Mount of Olives.
4. Finally, and in order to prove to you that I
want to break open a dam of My Heart so as to let flow a flood of My Graces, I
promise those who spread this devotion to My agony in the Garden of Gethsemane,
the following three graces:
a Total
and final victory over the worst temptation to which they are subjected;
b. Direct
power to save poor souls from purgatory;
c. Great
enlightenment and strength to fulfil My Will.
All of these, My precious gifts, I will definitely
give to those who carry what I had said, and who, therefore, remember and
venerate with love and sympathy. My great, incomprehensible Agony on
the Mount of Olives.
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