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Tag: Religion/Belief
Consecration to the Blood of Jesus Christ
Consecration to the Blood of Jesus Christ
Lord Jesus, you who love us and have freed us from our sins with your Blood, I adore you, I bless you and I consecrate myself to you with living faith.
By the help of your Spirit, I desire to make all my existence, animated by the memory of your Precious Blood, into a faithful service of the will of God, for the coming of your Kingdom.
Through the Blood which you shed for the remission of sins, purify me of all sin and renew my heart, so that the image of a new person, created in justice and holiness may become ever more evident in me.
By your Blood, which is the sign of reconciliation with God and reconciliation with each other, make me a malleable instrument of brotherly love and communion.
By the power of your Blood, supreme proof of your mercy, give me the courage to love you and to love my brothers and sisters, even to the point of offering my life.
Jesus, my Redeemer, help me to carry your cross every day, in order that a drop of my blood, united with yours, may contribute to the redemption of the world. O Divine Blood, which together with your grace gives life to the Mystical Body, making me a living stone in the Church.
Give me an ardent desire for Christian unity. Infuse my heart with a great zeal for the salvation of my brother and sisters. Raise up in the Church numerous missionary vocations, so that all people may know, love and serve the true God.
Most Precious Blood, sign of liberation and of new life, grant that I may persevere in faith, in hope and in love, so that, having been chosen by you, I may leave this exile and enter the promised land of Paradise, to sing my praise to you with all those whom you have chosen. Amen.
Message from the Director: Month of July Dedicated of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
The month of July is traditionally dedicated to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. The feast of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord was instituted in 1849 by Pope Pius IX. We are reminded that by the shedding of His Precious Blood, Christ saved mankind from our sins. “For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured for many, for the forgiveness of sins.” Mt. 26:28. The Precious Blood of Jesus cleanses us from our sins. In the Sacrament of Penance, we are forgiven of our sins through the absolution of the priest. How powerful it is that we are restored to the supernatural life of grace.
The early Fathers say that the Church was born from the pierced side of Christ, and that the sacraments were brought forth through His Blood. “But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once, there came out blood and water.” Mt. Jn. 19:34. The Blood from the pierced side of Christ symbolizes the Precious Blood in the Most Holy Eucharist.
We wish to invoke the Blood of Jesus on ourselves, the sick and suffering, and the whole family of Radio Maria. We ask the Lord to protect us from all evil. The Blood of Jesus has the power to protect us, and lead us to the life of grace in Christ, in particular through the Sacraments. We ask the Lord to wash us clean in our mission of Radio Maria. We want to be faithful to our calling as a family, to our identity of a Radio that brings prayer, Christian and Human formation, News and Music in the lives of people.
It is Our Lady’s Radio and she wants to continue to lead us to Her Son Jesus who has poured out his Precious Blood for us.
Program: God’s Word Alive & Active
Each Friday, at 9:30am ET /8:30am CT, you have the opportunity to listen to one of our most valued presenters, Mr. Tom Webb. Practically since the inception of Radio Maria US, Tom has prepared and presented a program teaching us about the upcoming Sunday’s readings.
In his presentation, God’s Word Alive and Active, Tom skillfully explains the historical and cultural settings surrounding the readings, and he does it with the expertise of an accomplished storyteller.
We invite you to tune in on Fridays, 9:30am ET/8:30am CT, and let Tom lead you to a deeper understanding of God’s Word.
Prayer in Honor of St. John the Baptist
Today, on the feast day of St. John the Baptist, let us pray in his honor.
O Martyr invincible, who, for the honor of God and the salvation of souls didst with firmness and constancy withstand the impiety of Herod even at the cost of thine own life, and didst rebuke him openly for his wicked and dissolute life; by thy prayers obtain for us a heart, brave and generous, in order that we may overcome all human respect and openly profess our faith in loyal obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ, our divine Master.
Say: “Our Father…”, “Hail Mary…”, and “Glory be…”
Pray for us, Saint John the Baptist, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
O God, who hast made this day to be honorable in our eyes by the commemoration of blessed John the Baptist, grant unto Thy people the grace of spiritual joy, and direct the minds of all Thy faithful into the way of everlasting salvation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer Written by St. John Paul II for Radio Maria
“Mary, guide us in our major decisions
and give us strength in times of trial
so that we may, with humble courage,
follow the hidden ways of Heaven,
keeping faith with God and mankind
so that we can bring the joyful message
of Christ, the Savior,
to the hearts and minds of all.
Mary, guiding star of evangelization,
be with us. Be with Radio Maria
as guide and be its protector.”
New Program Called “Motherhood”
We are proud to introduce the newest member of our Radio Maria family of inspiring presenters – Kelly Pease. Kelly is a mother of 3 children under the age of 6. She has traveled both nationally and internationally as a worship leader and speaker, doing the work of the Catholic Church. Her ministries include Lifeteen, Dirty Vagabond, Adore, and Franciscan University. She has appeared as a guest on EWTN’s Life on the Rock and The Choices We Face. Kelly is also a musician, with two albums of original music to her credit, in fact, an original song she wrote was used as the theme song for EWTN’s The Pure Life.
We invite you to tune in for this new program, entitled simply, Motherhood, on Wednesdays, at 1:00 p.m. Central/2:00 p.m. Eastern.
Let Kelly help mothers find God’s grace in the daily work of caring for children and home, and experiencing His love as He calls for deeper conversion through the beautiful gift of Motherhood.
Jesus Said to His Disciples…Love Your Enemies
Jesus said to His Disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” — Gospel MT 5:43-48
God seeks our highest good and teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and selfish towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.
How can we possibly love those who cause us harm or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who believe and accept the gift of the Holy Spirit. His love conquers all, even our hurts, fears, prejudices and griefs. Only the cross of Jesus Christ can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment and gives us the courage to return evil with good. Such love and grace has power to heal and to save from destruction. Do you know the power of Christ’s redeeming love and mercy?
God gives us every good gift in Jesus Christ so that we may not lack anything we need to do his will and to live as his sons and daughters (2 Peter 1:3). He knows our weakness and sinfulness better than we do. And he assures us of his love, mercy, and grace to follow in his ways. Do you want to grow in your love for God and for your neighbor? Ask the Holy Spirit to change and transform you in the image of the Father that you may walk in the joy and freedom of the Gospel.
“Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom and pardon. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and set my heart ablaze with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, nor make me bitter towards anyone.”
June 15, 2015 – Chris Stefanick and Mark Hart
Chris Stefanick is the author of The Chosen confirmation series. He speaks to more than 50,000 , young adults and parents every year. Chris is also founder and president of Real Life Catholic, a nonprofit organization based in Denver, CO dedicated to reengaging a generation. Additionally, Chris is a syndicated columnist, author, and regular on Catholic TV and radio. Mark Hart is a man on a mission: spreading the gospel. Affectionately known as the Bible Geek, Mark serves as executive vice president for Life Teen International. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the author of seven books, Mark’s creative work on videos and in written sources is known internationally.
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Quote of the Saints: “Jesus, I Adore You…”
“Every time I hear anyone speak of the Sacred Heart of Jesus or of the Blessed Sacrament I feel an indescribable joy. It is as if a wave of precious memories, sweet affection and joyful hope swept over my poor person, making me tremble with happiness and filling my soul with tenderness. These are loving appeals from Jesus who wants me wholeheartedly there, at the source of all goodness, his Sacred Heart, throbbing mysteriously behind the Eucharistic veils… I love to repeat today ‘Sweet Heart of my Jesus, make me love you more and more.”’ –Pope Saint John XXIII
Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony
Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony
“Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints”
O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints,
your love for God and Charity for His creatures,
made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers.
Encouraged by this thought,
I implore you to obtain for me (request).
O gentle and loving St. Anthony,
whose heart was ever full of human sympathy,
whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus,
who loved to be folded in your arms;
and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours. Amen.
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Virgin Mary, Mother of God and our Mother,
to your Immaculate Heart we consecrate ourselves,
in an act of total to the Lord.
By You we will be led to Christ.
By Him and with Him we will be led to the Father.
We will walk in the light of faith, and we will do everything
so that the world may believe that Jesus Christ is the One sent by the Father.
With Him we wish to carry His Love and Salvation to the ends of the earth.
Under the protection of your Immaculate Heart,
we will be one People with Christ.
We will be witnesses of His Resurrection.
By Him we will be led to the Father,
for the glory of the Most Holy Trinity,
Whom we adore, praise and bless forever. Amen.
Blessed Feast of Corpus Christi
A Blessed Feast of Corpus Christi,
the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ
REMEMBER: AT HOLY MASS, THE BREAD AND WINE BECOME
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
Jesus said to them,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood,
you have no life in yourselves.”
“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
“For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.”
“He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”
“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me,
he also will live because of Me.”
“This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died;
he who eats this bread will live forever.”
John 6:53-58
June 01, 2015 – The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus according to the revelations of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
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Spring Mariathon 2015
Radio Maria’s annual Spring Mariathon was held on May 18-22. The Mariathon is a week in which we ask you our listeners to call in and make a pledge to help support your Catholic radio. Radio Maria is funded 100% by listener donations and with through your generosity and the divine providence of God, we bring you Catholic programming 24 hours a day.
With a total pledged of $64,885 pledged, we certainly see your love of Our Lady’s radio network. While the pledges were short of the total we were hoping for, we know that God always provides and is never outdone in generosity.
It is not too late to give. If you would like to make a donation to Radio Maria you can do so by visiting our Donate Page or by calling in a pledge to 888-408-0201.
Act of Consecration to Jesus through Mary (St. Louis de Montfort)
I, ______________, a faithless sinner,
renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism;
I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works;
and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ,
the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life,
and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before.
In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother
and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul,
my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions,
past, present and future, leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me,
and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure,
for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity. Amen.
(With Ecclesiastical Approval)
New Program with Fr. Scott McCaig
We are re-introducing a host to Radio Maria – Fr. Scott McCaig, C.C. Fr. McCaig is a member of the Companions of the Cross, and resides in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Some of you may remember Father McCaig’s previous program, Keys to Spiritual Growth, which ran from 2012 to 2013. Father is a wonderful and inspiring preacher, and we are quite happy that he was able to return to Radio Maria. In his new program, Seized by the Spirit, he will discuss the theology and dynamic spiritual practices of being a missionary disciple of Jesus in this Era of the New Evangelization. We invite you to tune in at 10:00 a.m. Central/11:00 a.m. Eastern, every other Friday, starting May 8, 2015, for Seized by the Spirit.
Support your local Ohio Radio Maria Station & Enjoy great food!!
This weekend Support your local Radio Maria 88.7 FM / 1600 AM!
May 1 – 3 eat at Bob Evans in Piqua, Sidney, Wapakoneta, and Celina.
Print image below as a coupon and help support Catholic Radio in the Miami Valley.
Thank you for your support!!
Art of Catholic Starting April 15
On Wednesday, April 15, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern, we will introduce a new program to Radio Maria, hosted by Mr. Matthew Leonard. Matthew is the Executive Director of the St. Paul Center in Steubenville, Ohio. An internationally known speaker and author, he travels far and wide speaking to Catholic audiences, and has authored several books, among which are, “Louder Than Words: The Art of Living as a Catholic” and Prayer Works! Getting a Grip on Catholic Spirituality, published through Our Sunday Visitor. Prior to his conversion to Catholicism in 1998, Matthew served as a missionary in Latin America. After entering the Church, he obtained a Master’s degree in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville before becoming vice president and guest theology instructor at Ave Maria College. He has been heard and seen in places like “Deep in Scripture with Marcus Grodi”, Sirius Radio, and Our Sunday Visitor. Before entering the non-profit world, Matthew was partner and president of a Chicago-based real estate development firm. The father of five, he and his wife Veronica now make their home in Ohio. Please tune in on Wednesday, April 15, 2015, at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern, and begin enjoying The Art of Catholic, hosted by Matthew Leonard. You will be blessed by it.
Seeking The Face of Christ
“Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob” (Psalm 24:6 – RSV)
There are a number of different devotions we might focus on as we enter this most Holy Week of the Church calendar, but it might be good for us to reverently reconsider the very image our Savior chose to leave us, that of His own Beautiful Face yet Sorrowful Face.
It is good for us to recall the sacrifice of great Love that our Lord made for us. It has been said that too much familiarity with this Holy Season can tend to diminish our appreciation of the measure of Christ’s love reflected in own His Holy Countenance. It is good for us to recall that it was at the beginning of His passion that our Lord experienced one of the more painful events He would endure; it ,was not simply the betrayal of one of His own disciples, but that fact that Judas Iscariot chose to betray our Lord by placing a kiss on His cheek.
The Church has a long history of devotion to the Holy Face going all the way back to Veronica’s singular act of courage and compassion, when she wiped the bloodied face of Jesus, forever preserving for us the painful image of His sacrifice and love. What similar act of compassion and even courage might we offer to our Eucharistic Lord, an act that can help to console our Lord in our own time, when we still witness so much blasphemy and so many offenses against His Church, His Mystical Body, and by consequence, His Holy Face.
In his Encyclical Ecclesia de Eucharistia, (The Eucharist) Saint John Paul II drew the eyes of the Church to the Face of Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
“To contemplate Christ involves being able to recognize him wherever he manifests himself, in His many forms of presence, but above all in the living sacrament of his Body and Blood. The Church draws her life from Christ in the Eucharist; by Him she is fed and by Him she is enlightened. The Eucharist is both a mystery of faith and a “mystery of light.” Whenever the Church celebrates the Eucharist, the faithful can in some way relive the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: “their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Lk 24:31). . . . I cannot let this Holy Thursday (2003) pass without halting before the “Eucharistic face” of Christ and pointing out with new force to the Church the centrality of the Eucharist.
Perhaps we could make our own act of courage and compassion this week and find an hour to visit our Church and just spend some time contemplating the Face of Christ in the Eucharist. This is also a wonderful time to begin, if you have not already, to develop a continual devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus Christ. For information please visit: www.holyface.com
Mark Danis
Host of Carmelite Conversations
Mondays 7 pm eastern / 6 pm central
New Lineup on Friday Evening
We want to let all of our listeners know of an upcoming schedule change on Friday evenings. Living on Purpose, hosted by Dr. Rick Sarkisian and Mike Wick, is moving from Fridays at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern, to Fridays at 6:00 p.m. Central/7:00 p.m. Eastern, effective on Friday, March 20, 2015. We invite you to catch Dr. Rick and Mike at their new time (just one hour later) as they skillfully put their professional experience to use, helping us to discover and become the unique person God created.
Taking the 5:00pm central time slot will be a new program to hosted by Fr. Thomas G. Morrow. Fr. Morrow was ordained in 1982 for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. He has a Licentiate in Moral Theology from the Dominican House of Studies, and in 1999 earned his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. Father Morrow has extensive experience in radio, having hosted a program on Catholic faith in D.C. He has appeared on EWTN’s Mother Angelica Live, and The Abundant Life. Father is also the author of multiple books, including Achieving Chastity in a Pornographic World; Overcoming Sinful Anger: How to Master Your Emotions and Bring Peace to Your Life; and Christian Courtship in an Over Sexed World, which is the title of his upcoming program. He is currently parochial vicar at St. Catherine Laboure’ Catholic Church in Wheaton, Maryland, where he is known as a wonderful and inspiring preacher and speaker. We invite you to tune in on Fridays at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern, starting March 20, 2015, for Christian Courtship in an Oversexed World.
Live Children’s Rosary On The Second Saturday
We have a very special announcement to make. Starting on Saturday, February 14, 2015, at 3:00 p.m. Central/4:00 p.m. Eastern, we introduced our listening audience to The Children’s Rosary. The Children’s Rosary is a lay prayer movement that started in 2011, with the help of Dr. Blythe Kaufman and others, in their local parish in Connecticut. The rosary prayer groups are composed of children, and led by children. The target age of the children for these prayer groups is between 4 and 14 years old. Of special note are children with disabilities who may be older in age but have a special place in the children’s rosary. The movement has now grown, with numerous groups throughout the United States, and even reaching Australia, Canada, England, Kenya, and Nigeria. We invite you to hear The Children’s Rosary on the 2nd Saturday of each month, at 3:00 p.m. Central/4:00 p.m. Eastern, and visit their website at childrensrosary.blogspot.com . You will be abundantly blessed by these precious little voices as they pray.
New Host For Thursday’s Catechism Hour
We’d like to announce a new priest who has joined the Radio Maria family. On Thursday, March 12, 2015, Fr. Richard Bretone will come onboard, hosting Thursday’s Catechism program. Fr. Bretone has been a Roman Catholic priest of the Brooklyn Diocese for 25 years. He is the Founder and Spiritual Director of Eternal Flame of Hope Ministries; part-time associate pastor of St. Patrick’s Church in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; part-time Chaplain at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York; and, Director of Heaven’s Embrace (a 46 acre retreat property of the Eternal Flame of Hope Ministries). Fr. Bretone has diverse interests, including teaching courses for The Diocesan Pastoral Institute on Vatican II, and the New Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church. An artist, his art work has been featured in articles in The Tablet, and he participated in the inaugural art show of A.S.A.P. in Soho, New York. He has given Days of Recollection and Retreats for Religious, Deacons and the Laity throughout his local and surrounding dioceses, and has also conducted Healing Masses. Please tune in on Thursday, March 12, 2015, at 9:00 a.m. Central/10:00 a.m. Eastern, and meet Fr. Bretone, as he instructs us on the faith.
Radio Maria … A Simple & Humble Radio
“Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent.” ~ Mother Teresa
Radio Maria is the humble radio of Our Blessed Mother that strives to make her Son, Jesus known and loved.
Radio Maria lives and operates on a simple budget … depending on volunteers to do the work. They are humble and their love is pure, real, devoted and ardent as they joyfully serve you and Our Blessed Mother.
Your donation will provide the funds we need to continue this incredible Gift we have been given. Please donate now and support this Simple & Humble work of proclaiming the Good News! Go to radiomaria.us and click on the DONATE NOW button.
Thank you and may God Bless you!!
March 09, 2015 – Sr. Mary Lea Hill and Roxane Salonen
Sr. Mary Lea Hill is a Massachusetts native who has served as a Daughter of Saint Paul for past 50 years. Roxane Salonen Roxane B. Salonen is an awarding-winning children’s author, freelance writer and newspaper columnist and the writer of “Redeemed by Grace.”
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March 7, 2015 – Papal Intentions for March
Fr. Kubicki reflects on Pope Francis’ prayer intentions for March and on his message for Lent.
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March 5, 2015 – David Lapp
Ken talks and David Lapp. David and his wife Amber wrote the chapter “Marrying Young” in “Catholic and Married: Leaning Into Love” (Our Sunday Visitor). The book is available at www.osv.com David and Amber blog at: http://family-studies.org and www.ibelieveinlove.com
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We need YOUR HELP to warm people’s hearts
Pope Francis tells us to “Safeguard your Heart”. One of the BEST WAYS to do this is to strengthen your Faith by listening to Radio Maria. We are totally LISTENER SUPPORTED. Your donation today will help hearts to know, love & turn back to God. A special thank you to all those who have donated so far. We have a ways to go but know that with your love for Our Blessed Mother and her special project of Radio Maria we will reach our goal! We are praying for you and all your special intentions.
Donate today at radiomaria.us
March 01, 2015
Today Deacon Robert Ovies joined us. He is the author of the novel, The Rising, which is an amazing page-turner in which a nine-year-old boy has the ability to resurrect people. You will stay awake a few nights while reading this utterly Catholic story. You can find study questions for the book on the-rising.homestead.com. We also spoke about the Couple’s Prayer Series, which teaches married couples to pray with each other. After listening to the show, you can find out more information at www.coupleprayer.org.
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Lent – a time of growth … a deepening of our relationship with Christ
This Wednesday we began the season of Lent. It is a time when the Christian Church reflects on the experience of Christ’s Forty days in the Desert, which for us will end with the Passion and the death and eventually the resurrection of our Lord. But first we must each have our own desert experience.
The analogy of the desert can bring out many different images for us, especially in these days. Just a cursory review of the daily news from the Middle East focuses our attention on the daily violence and cruelty of the demonic forces in that region, so populated by deserts. The solitude of the desert and its barrenness strike many of us here in the west as a very inhospitable place. But despite all of this, Christ does, by His own example, beckon us to overcome our reservations and journey with Him into the desert.
For many of us this season will evoke childhood memories of having to give up something we enjoy; we may remember being asked by our parents to make some sacrifice, to deny ourselves for a time, but with the expectation that we would later enjoy an abundance of whatever little sacrifice we might make. It was good training for us as children, but as adults the lesson must go a little deeper.
As our spiritual life matures we come to understand this season not only as a time of sacrifice but also as a time of growth, a deepening of our relationship with Christ, not just because we agree to follow Him out into the desert of sacrifice, but more importantly because we are also invited into the desert that resides within our own hearts. We must come face to face with the question of whether God is really at the center of our lives or whether we are dependent on some other form of consolation from this material world. (the very thing that hopefully we are willing to give up).
What Christ is really asking of us through these little sacrifices is whether God is enough for us. “Are the consolations of God too small for you? Even the word spoken gently to you?” (Job 15:11) What the desert experience of this season really reveals is the all-too often barrenness of our interior lives. Is Christ really the source of our strength, or are we actually more dependent on something else. Are we willing to face this barrenness of our own interior desert and rely only Christ as our consolation? This barrenness can be experienced as nothing more than day-to-day life. Every day we face some challenge, some struggle, especially as we get older and come to understand how fleeting are the exterior comforts of all those things we strove so earnestly for when we were young. In those moments are we really willing to abandon our reliance on some temporal and material consolation and accept Christ’s promise:
“That he would grant (us), according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” (Ephesians 3:16)
Mark Danis
Host Carmelite Conversations
Mondays 7-8 pm eastern/ 6-7pm central
February 23, 2015 – Judy Klein and Thomas Awiapo
Judy Klein is a Catholic theologian and founder of Memorare Ministries, a ministry dedicated to bringing a hope to those who are suffering. A “revert” to Catholicism, Judy is a public speaker, blogger, and author. Her newest book, Miracle Man, chronicles her late husband Bernie’s near death experience and deathbed conversion. Visit Judy Klein at www.memorareministries.com
Thomas Awiapo was orphaned before the age of 10 in Ghana. His search for food led him to a school where CRS Rice Bowl funds were providing lunch.Thomas survived and continued school, earning a master’s degree. Today, Thomas works for Catholic Relief Services and trains community leaders throughout Ghana. Learn more about Rice Bowl at www.crsricebowl.org
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February 13, 2015 – Brother Craig Digmann
Evangelization and Ecumenism in the Glenmary Mission Fields of the United States – Brother Craig’s labors of love and practical suggestions – demonstrates the crucial importance of personal contact and relationships – from our E. TN Missions
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Friday Night With The Capuchin Friars To Begin This Friday
We are proud to introduce a new program to our listeners. Starting Friday, February 13, 2015, at 8:30 p.m. Central/9:30 p.m. Eastern, we will present Friday Night with the Capuchin Friars. Fr. Matt Janeczko OFM Capuchin will spearhead this program, presenting a broad range of topics relevant to the Church today. Initially focusing on the “consecrated life” and its importance in the life of the Church, he will then concentrate on the Church’s liturgical season of Lent as we journey towards Easter. The various charisms of religious life will be featured, and we will hear from various Friars and young men in formation as they share their experiences and hopes for religious life in the future. Please tune in for Friday Nights with the Capuchin Friars at 8:30 p.m. Central/9:30 p.m. Eastern, beginning Friday, February 13, 2015, and get to know the Capuchin Franciscans.
February 09, 2015 – Fr. Robert Reed and Donna Marie-Cooper O’Boyle
Fr. Robert Reed joins us to offer advice on use of media in the New Evangelization and to discuss his new book Renewed: Ten Ways to Rediscover the Saints, Embrace Your Gifts, and Revive Your Catholic Faith. Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle helps us to prepare for Lent by sharing about her new book “Bringing Lent Home with Saint John Paul II”.
Visit Fr. Robert Reed at www.catholictv.com.
Visit Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle at www.donnacooperoboyle.com.
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Praying to Find Rest and Consolation
Even a cursory review of the daily news can lead one to a sense of anxiety or fear or even despair. These are challenging times. It is important to know how to respond in difficult circumstances. The best models we have for this response are always the Saints. In the most difficult times of our lives it is very important for us to take some time and allow our prayer life to provide us rest and consolation.
This is what John the Beloved Apostle did even as he struggled to respond to the most difficult news he had ever heard. On the evening of the last supper, when our Lord told the Apostles what was about to happen, John could have chosen to react in a number of ways.
He could have fallen victim to fear and anxiety, he could have decided to run to the leaders of Israel and beg for them to spare our Lord, he could have stood on a street corner bearing a sign which described the injustice of it all – St. John the Beloved did none of these things.
He chose instead to simply rest in the Bosom of the Lord. “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.” (John 13:23)
Of course, scripture tells us that this is also what our Lord does. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18)
St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi was an Italian Carmelite Mystic who lived from the mid 1500’s to the early 1600’s. She is reported to have had a number of conversations, while in ecstasy, with God the Father and the Lord Jesus.
During one of these conversations God the Father revealed to her the nature of the relationship between the Father and the Son. The Father shared that the Son actually rests within the Father’s bosom, and the Son Contemplates the Father. This might seem strange on first hearing it. It is helpful to have some sense of what this word Contemplation means: “to admire something and think about it.”
Of course it is not difficult to imagine admiring the image we may have created of God the Father, but do we spend enough time just thinking about God, about His beauty, His nature, His Blessings?
God the Father told Mary Magdalene de Pazzi that when Jesus, His Son contemplated the Father He looked at Him with an admiring contemplation. He said that this was a “contemplation of admiration, of love, of God’s purity, of the Father’s generosity, of His mercy, of His justice, of His goodness, of His wisdom, of might, of truth of union and of eternity.”
Do we ever think about prayer this way, as a simple contemplation, a simple look, a simple resting in the Bosom of the Father. Any one of these attributes of God the Father would be worthy of a great deal of our admiration and worth thinking about for some time.
Of course these attributes were true of Jesus as well, but in order to pray effectively or rest in the Bosom of our Lord, we do not have to even think about these aspects of God’s nature.
The model of prayer John the Beloved provides us is the same one that our Lord Himself employed, simply to rest in the Bosom of the Father.
The next time you set aside time for prayer, see if you can just try resting in the Bosom of the Lord, or contemplating the Love which God the Father has for us. A good way to do this is to simply rest in the bosom of the Lord, try to practice silence, try to be so silent in fact that you can hear the Lord’s heartbeat. -Mark Danis
Host of Carmelite Conversations
Mondays 7-8pm Eastern
A New Program with Lisa Hendey to Start Monday Feb 9
We are proud to introduce the newest member of our Radio Maria family of inspiring presenters, Lisa M. Hendey. Lisa is the founder and editor of CatholicMom.com, and bestselling author of The Grace of Yes. Lisa is multi-talented, having produced and hosted multiple programs on KNXT Catholic Television out of the Diocese of Fresno, California, and appeared on EWTN and Catholic TV. Her articles have appeared in Catholic Digest, National Catholic Register, and Our Sunday Visitor. She somehow also finds time to travel internationally, giving workshops on faith, family and Catholic news media topics. Please tune in for Catholic Moments at 11:00 a.m. Central/12:00 p.m. Eastern on alternating Mondays, starting February 9, 2015, and let Lisa share her expertise on topics of relevance for any Catholic. Lisa promises the tone and tenor of her show will be fun, causal, entertaining, but always reverent.
You will be able to find the archives of the programs at radiomaria.us/catholicmoments
The Abundant Life with Fr. Mark Goring To Begin Thursday February 5
We are introducing a new host to Radio Maria – Fr. Mark Goring, CC. Father Goring joined the Companions of the Cross when he was 18, and was ordained to the priesthood in 2002 at age 26. He has served as Associate Pastor for St. Mary’s Parish in Ottawa, as Director of Admissions for the Companions, as Chaplain of the Catholic Chaplaincy at York University, and is currently Director of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, Texas. Fr. Mark is a wonderful and inspiring preacher. His ability to make profound truths of the faith easily accessible to his listeners lies at the heart of his ministry. Please tune in at 8:30 a.m. Central/9:30 a.m. Eastern on Thursdays, starting February 5, 2015, for The Abundant Life program, and let Fr. Goring show us how we are all called to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
You will also be able to find the archives of the program at: radiomaria.us/theabundantlife/
January 31, 2015 – Pope’s Intentions and World Day of Consecrated Life
Fr. Kubicki talks about the pope’s February prayer intentions and the World Day of Consecrated Life.
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January 29, 2015 – Fr. Joseph Fessio and Regina Doman
Ken talks with Ignatius Press founder Fr Joseph Fessio on St Pope Paul VI’s encyclical “On Human Life” (Ignatius Press) and Regina Doman about the 10th anniversary edition of “Angel in the Waters” (Sophia Institute Press) The papal encyclical Humanae Vitae (On Human Life) made headlines worldwide. Many talked about the encyclical when it was issued in 1968, but few actually read it. Why is it perhaps the most controversial document in modern Church history?
This Ignatius Press edition combines Humanae Vitae with commentary by popular and respected Catholic authors Mary Eberstadt, James Hitchcock, and Jennifer Fulwiler in order to address this question and to shed light on the document’s enduring wisdom. On Human Life is available at: www.ignatius.com
Since its first release in 2004, “Angel in the Waters” has been a best-selling, life-transforming children’s book. It has been carried in countless hospital gift shops, pro-life centers, and Catholic book stores. In just ten years, over 130,000 copies have been sold. The 10th Anniversary, hardcover edition is a simple, non-confrontational book that makes young children decidedly pro-life long before they ever hear the word “abortion.” In its mother’s womb, a tiny baby grows, explores the waters, and talks with the angel who is there. A story that will delight all young children, because the journey from conception to birth is their story, too. “Angel in the Waters” is available at: shop.sophiainstitute.com Visit Regina at: www.reginadoman.com
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The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, interview with Father James Loughran, Director of the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (GEII)
On Friday the 23rd, Radio Maria NY hosted a special program on the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Since 1898, traditionally observed in the northern hemisphere from the 18th to the 25th of January and formerly known as the Octave of Christian Unity, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity involves Christian communities and Churches across the world, including the Catholic Church.
Launched over a century ago by Fr. Paul James Francis Wattson, SA (1863 – 1940) founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement at Graymoor, Garrison, NY, since its inception the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity fostered reconciliation and healing through atonement — the unity of men and women with God and with one another. Fr. Paul was ordained an Episcopal priest in 1886. In 1908, he initiated the Church Unity Octave believing that a time set aside for prayer and seminars would hasten Christian unity. An advocate of corporate reunion between the Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, he finally embraced Roman Catholicism. In 1909, the Society of the Atonement became the first religious community of Christians to be received corporately into the Roman Catholic Church since the Reformation. Fr. Paul was ordained a Catholic priest by Archbishop John M. Farley in 1910.
(More on the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (GEII), at: http://atonementfriars.org and http://geii.org/week_of_prayer_for_christian_unity/)
“Since 1968, the resource material for reflection, prayer and celebration on a chosen theme for the Week of Prayer for Christain Unity is jointly issued by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC). This year the theme was: “Jesus said to her: “Give me to drink“, taken from the episode of the Samaritan woman at the well, in John’s Gospel.”
In his recent meeting with the men and women religious, the Pope spoke extensively about ecumenism suggesting the three main ingredients for a fruitful dialogue:
The Pope spoke of three conditions at the core of the search for Christian unity – firstly, there’s no unity without conversion of heart, which includes forgiving and asking for forgiveness. Secondly he said there is no unity without prayer and therefore men and women religious who pray for unity are like ‘an invisible monastery’ bringing together Christians of different denominations from different countries around the world.Thirdly, the Pope said, there is no unity without holiness of daily life. so the more we put our search for unity into practise in our relations with others, the more we will be modelling our lives on the message of the Gospel.
(Read full article: Pope concluding Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at: http://www.news.va
More insights available:Pope Francis: Religious who pray for Christian unity an “invisible monastery”at http://www.news.va
Resource material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2015 is available at: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/
Our host of the day was Fr. James Loughran, S.A., Director of the Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute (GEII), a ministry of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement headquartered at Graymoor, New York. Today, this Roman Catholic religious community continue working and ministering to people of every race, religion, and walk of life in the United States, Canada, England, Italy, and Japan.
Fr. Mark Goring To Start A New Program On Radio Maria
We are introducing a new host to Radio Maria – Fr. Mark Goring, CC. Father Goring joined the Companions of the Cross when he was 18, and was ordained to the priesthood in 2002 at age 26. He has served as Associate Pastor for St. Mary’s Parish in Ottawa, as Director of Admissions for the Companions, as Chaplain of the Catholic Chaplaincy at York University, and is currently Director of the Catholic Charismatic Center in Houston, Texas. Fr. Mark is a wonderful and inspiring preacher. His ability to make profound truths of the faith easily accessible to his listeners lies at the heart of his ministry. Please tune in at 8:30 a.m. Central/9:30 a.m. Eastern on Thursdays, starting February 5, 2015, for The Abundant Life program, and let Fr. Goring show us how we are all called to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
January 26, 2015 – Diane Dudenhoefer, Magnificat, Reporting on the DC March for Life
Host Kathleen Beckman dialogues with Diane Dudenhoefer who will be reporting on the 2015 Washington DC March for Life where approximately 600, 000 pro-lifers gathered on Jan. 22, 2015. Diane experienced the DC March for Life together with her Bishop and 7 busloads of Catholics from her diocese in Ohio. She shares the many graces they received and conveys great hope in the courageous young generation of Catholic pro-lifers.
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January 25, 2015
We had the honor of having Patty Schneier join us. She is wife, mother, Catholic speaker, and author. She is a cradle Catholic who had a deep conversion upon hearing of Theology of the Body. Her book is Love Letters from Mom, which is a collection of beautiful letters that every mom wants her children to hear! Patty will be in speaking at the W.I.N.E: Women in the New Evangelization Conference, and she gave us a preview of her talk, “Come and Go.” You may find out more about Patty at www.pattyschneier.com.
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New Way to Help Support Radio Maria
Radio Maria now has an all new way to help support your favorite Catholic Radio. Donate your old vehicle to Radio Maria. Regardless of condition any vehicle can help.
Visit radiomaria.us/donate and click on the vehicle icon or call 877-999-8322.
January 12, 2015 – St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
What is your favorite phrase to refer to Jesus: Son of God, the Christ, the King, or perhaps Lord. For St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, a Carmelite Mystic who lived from the late 1500’s to the early 1600’s, the favorite way of referring to Jesus was simply the Word. For her ‘the Word’ described Jesus, and for her the Word was simply Love. Jesus represented the Word spoken by Father, and that Word was Love. In this conversation Mark and Frances explore the details of the life of St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi. During her lifetime she had a number of encounters with God the Father and with the Lord Jesus. During these ecstatic encounters Mary Magdalene de Pazzi received a number of profound insights about the nature of our relationship with God the Father and the depth of the sacrifice made by our Lord. Most importantly, St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi’s entire life was a model of what she heard from the voice of the Father and witnessed in the life of the Son our Lord and Savior.
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January 10, 2014 – Mike Wick
The Institute on Religious Life. Fr. Kubicki interviews the executive director of an organization that promotes vocations to consecrated life.
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January 8, 2015 – Anne Hendershott
Ken talks with Dr. Anne Hendershott about “Renewal: How a New Generation of Faithful Priests and Bishops is Revitalizing the Catholic Church” (Encounter Books) In the wake of the clergy abuse scandal of the last decade, many media commentators predicted the “end” of the Catholic priesthood. Demands for an end to celibacy, coupled with calls for women’s ordination, dominated discussions on the effectiveness of the Catholic Church in America. “Renewal” argues that the aging generation of progressives that continues to lobby Church leaders to change Catholic teachings on reproductive rights, same-sex marriage, and women’s ordination is being replaced by younger men and women who are attracted to the Church because of the very timelessness of its teachings. Anne’s book is available at: www.encounterbooks.com To learn more about Anne visit: http://www.franciscan.edu
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Put God First. Jesus must be our Love, our Teacher, and our Guide.
Happy New Year!!! We are so excited about this coming year for you, our Radio Maria Family, and for Radio Maria USA and all that God has planned for 2015! Did you know that Radio Maria is the largest Catholic radio in the world? We are in over 70 countries on all continents and GROWING! This would not be possible without YOU!!! So many conversions are happening through Radio Maria and we invite you to grow deeper in your faith and love of Jesus through Our Blessed Mother’s special instrument…Radio Maria. Tell all those you know and love about Radio Maria and spread the JOY!!!
Dear friends, we are now at the beginning of a new year, a blank page of the human history to be written, but also and especially of our own life. Faith invites us to look at the future through the light of hope for the world was saved and Jesus is alive among us, with the invincible power of his love. The presence of the Risen Christ makes us certain that evil will not win and that the last word is the one of good, life and truth.
The time given us by God is a precious gift to be well spent and not wasted. Every passing moment will never come back. It’s up to us, through daily fidelity, to write words of eternity. The first word to be printed in our hearts with indelible characters is “conversion“. Time is given us to let us know, love and serve God. This is the only real purpose and goal of our lives.
To be converted means to put God first. Jesus must be our Love, our Teacher, and our Guide. Let us fix our sight towards the goal of eternity and, day by day, let us advance on the path of salvation and joy. Let us walk together with Jesus and Mary and the whole Church, in earth and in heaven.
Radio Maria is a voice calling for conversion. So many of you could bear witness. This is its identity and its reason for existing. It’s a voice sounding like a new Pentecost, in a concert made of peoples and languages, thanks to the missionary spirit animating it. Let us proceed together with confidence in this wonderful path.
Yours Father Livio – Priest Director of World Family of Radio Maria
January 7, 2015 – Through Surrender, Jacob Gives Rise to Israel
Jacob begins life as the “supplanter”. However, he ends it as the root of the great nation of Israel. After “stealing” the blessing prepared for his brother Esau, Jacob goes into exile. This leads to an encounter with God. God then accompanies Jacob and blesses him, and Jacob increasingly opens his heart to God. The decisive confrontations with his uncle Laban and Esau, reveal a greatly changed Jacob. In a final moment of surrender, when wrestling with God, Jacob becomes a new man. This new man God names Israel and the nation is born. Are we still withholding our surrender?
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January 03, 2015
The August, 1917 apparition is the focus of today’s program. Deacon Bob suggests the day is near when the practice of our Faith will lead to our persecution and even threaten our very lives. He lauds, as an example for each of us during such times, the courage and heroism of the 3 little shepherd children in the face of kidnapping, imprisonment and even the threat of death. Great emphasizes the importance of their having remained faithful to Our Lady’s fundamental Fatima requests. Finally he discusses the significance of Our Lady’s instructions with regard to the money people had begun to leave at the sight of the apparitions.
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New Faith and Fitness Program
Beginning on Monday, January 12, 2015, Radio Maria will bring to the airwaves a unique program hosted by Dr. John Acquaviva, entitled Faith and Fitness. Dr. Acquaviva is an exercise physiologist, holding a PhD in exercise science and currently teaching at Wingate University in North Carolina. Over the years, he has given hundreds of energetic presentations to Catholic Church adult congregations, youth groups and campus ministries. His book, Improving Your Body Image Through Catholic Teaching was first available in March, 2014, and went to the #1 bestseller list in April, 2014. Dr. Acquaviva will bring the Theology of the Body to health and fitness, discussing a variety of related topics to assist listeners in their attempts to lose weight, improve fitness, and improve body image – all framed within the concept that the human body is God’s greatest gift to us. Please tune in on Mondays, beginning January 12, at 1:00 p.m. Central/2:00 p.m. Eastern, and let Dr. Acquaviva take you to the heart of what we as the children of God were meant to be.
December 31, 2014 – The Nativity, Peace & the Glory of God
God came as a child, inviting us to draw close to him. St. Francis, whose joy over the Nativity of Our Lord, brought us the idea of re-creating that beautiful birth-scene in our homes and churches. Witnesses to Christ’s birth include: Mary & Joseph, Shepherds, Kings, angels and animals. But which witness might we be in this celebration? Also, what is the connection between the angel’s promise of peace and our world today? The Sacred Scriptures will be the basis for our reflection.
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Happy New Year
New year’s greetings to all of you, our Radio Maria family! As a new year dawns, please be assured, once again, of our grateful prayers for all of you as members of the Radio Maria family spread throughout the world. It has been an eventful year for us here with many changes in our programming. We look forward to an even better year ahead, striving to bring you the Good News of Our Savior under the mantle of Mary, Mother of God and our Mother. On behalf of all the staff and volunteers: We wish you and yours a most happy, healthy, and holy new year in the Lord!
Fr. Robert Young
Director
Radio Maria US
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December 16, 2014 – “Falling in Love” biology by Vicky Thorn
Vicki Thorn is well known and highly respected for the 1984 start-up of Project Rachael, a ministry to women who have had an abortion. Project Rachael is now an official ministry of the USCCB and has active programs in over 140 of the 195 Catholic dioceses in the USA.
Vicki is also an authority and popular speaker on the Biology of the Theology of the Body–the biology and science of “falling in love” and the differences between men and women. Vicki gives a lot of credit to pheromones–whatever they are–she’ll explain that.
Over 40% of children born today do not have a Dad that is married to their mother. Consequently, most single adult families are headed by mothers. I hope that Vicki can enlighten us to the reasons for this unfortunate situation and teach us about the male hormone system that is somewhat similar to the female system. The male response to pregnancy, birth and subsequent parenting is also very interesting.
And, we want to give approximately equal treatment to the female body’s response system and how hormonal birth control may affect her attraction mechanism. Our last three popes have each had something to say about women. Pope Saint John Paul II even wrote a lengthy APOSTOLIC LETTER, MULIERIS DIGNITATEM, ON THE DIGNITY AND VOCATION OF WOMEN ON THE OCCASION OF THE MARIAN YEAR(1988). What is this “feminine genius” that the pope speaks of?
About a month after the Extraordinary Synod, the Vatican hosted a conference on male-female complimentarity. I hope Vicki can tell us what fruits to expect from it.
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December 16, 2014
Father Loya addresses Christ’s genealogy, the 3 youths in the furnace and the death of the innocents in the Biblical past and sadly now. Father Loya notes that the Bible is not just a history lesson, it is about us and it is happening now. Special guest, Juliana Taimoorazy of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council talks about the middle eastern Christians being present day witnesses and martyrs for the faith and what her organization does to help those Christians and how you can help. Juliana also discusses what is being done and what is not being done to secure a safe haven for Assyrian Christians (evangelized by St. Thomas). To find out more about the Iraqi Christian Relief Council visit www.Iraqichristianrelief.org Also, to know more about our brothers and sisters in Christ visit www.picturechristians.org and www.restoreninevehnow.org
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December 15, 2014 – Healing Through the Gift of Jesus in the Incarnation
Host Kathleen Beckman speaks about God’s intentional healing of humanity through the Gift of Jesus in the Incarnation. She leads a rosary of intercessory prayer for all listeners and includes prayers for healing of families, spouses and children. In the rosary she prays for people who may be feeling spiritual vexation or oppression asking the Eternal Father to set free them free as preparation for the imminent coming of the Christ Child at Christmas. She gives a teaching on how the storms in our lives can bring us closer to God if we persevere in faith, hope and love.
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December 13, 2014
Why has the “peace on earth to men of good will” proclaimed by the host of heavenly angels as they announced the birth of the Savior 2000+ years ago not come to pass? Focusing on “to men of good will,” Deacon Bob offers an explanation and a surefire means of finally attaining it.
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December 13, 2014 – December Papal Evangelization Prayer Intention
December Papal Evangelization Prayer Intention. Fr. James Kubicki, S.J. and Grace Urbanski discuss how parents can be the first evangelizers of their children.
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Exhibit on St. Francis Coming to Brooklyn
“A historic exhibit of medieval manuscripts and papal documents associated with St. Francis of Assisi will be on display at Brooklyn Borough Hall from Dec. 2 to Jan. 14.
It was on view this past week at the U.N. Speakers at the opening in Manhattan affirmed the saint’s association with the world body’s peaceful aims and hoped his namesake pope would pay a visit next September.
“Friar Francis: Traces, Words, Images” is a collection of 19 manuscripts and artifacts from the Sacred Convent of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy.
The artifacts date from the 13th and 14th centuries and are outside Italy for the first time in 700 years.
Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Vatican nuncio to the U.N., said the difficult and costly process to bring the “priceless documents” to New York is “worth the effort, because we believe that the values practiced and preached by St. Francis are also the fundamental values of the United Nations, namely peace, the harmonious development of peoples in brotherhood and love for nature.
“Without these values, we have wars and conflicts, injustices and all forms of slavery, environmental crises and disasters,” he said.
One of the most striking pieces in the exhibit is Codex 338, which contains the oldest existing copies of St. Francis’ writings, including the Rule of the Friars Minor and the original draft of “The Canticle of the Creatures,” dictated by St. Francis. The “Canticle” is considered the oldest poetic text of Italian literature.
The exhibit includes a fragment of a biography of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano, his contemporary, and several papal bulls that refer to the saint and his religious order. The oldest papal document displayed is from 1220.
Steven Acunto told Catholic News Service the manuscripts are “completely irreplaceable and precious.” Acunto is president of the Italian Academy Foundation, an institute of cultural diplomacy that is one of the sponsors of the exhibit.”
Beth Griffin (2014, November 2014). Exhibit on St. Francis Coming to Brooklyn. The Tablet. Retrieved from http://thetablet.org/exhibit-on-st-francis-coming-to-brooklyn/
December 09, 2014
Father Loya invites as to pull back the veil and see God as He manifests Himself in the Incarnation, where the invisible God is made visible through the physical. This is the world of Catholicity.
Father Loya talks about the loss of family members this past year and reflects that through faith it allowed God to permeate his existence and that God can hold the departed in Eternal Memory with perfect love. We further discuss the pillars of Advent or as called in the Eastern Catholic Churches, Phillip’s Fast as we are called to prayer, fasting and charity as this time is not only a time for joy but for penance as well. We should live Christmas as it was meant to be lived!
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New Hour From New York
Radio Maria is happy to announce a new hour of programming from our New York studios: The new hour will complete our weeknight schedule of programs with a new program on Fridays, at the customary time– 9 PM EDT (8 PM CDT) The first half hour will continue to offer the Holy Rosary as on the other weeknights. The second half hour will be a special program for the Advent-Christmas Season, entitled “God is With Us.” Your host will be Fr. Stephen Norton, Pastor of St. Benedict’s Parish in the Bronx, N.Y. Fr. Norton will be sharing reflections on the central figures in the Advent-Christmas story, beginning with St. Joseph on Friday, December 5th. We are delighted to welcome Fr. Norton to our Radio Maria Family and to offer an additional hour of LIVE Catholic programming from New York. Please join Fr. Norton at 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central every Friday through the Advent-Christmas Season.
Pope Francis to Visit the US in September
Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, announced today– Nov. 17, 2014:
“I wish to confirm, God willing, that in September 2015, I will go to Philadelphia for the 8th World Meeting of Families.”
Dates: Sept. 22-27, 2015
Link to Website: World Meeting of Families;
And the World Family of Radio Maria will be broadcasting live coverage of many of the events of the Gathering in various language. Radio Maria US will be covering the English programming throughout the 5 days. Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to this historic meeting with Our Holy Father next year.
November 13, 2014 – Matthew Leonard and Stephen Binz
Ken talks with Matthew Leonard author of “Prayer Works! Getting a Grip on Catholic Spirituality” and Stephen Binz author of “Scripture: God’s Handbook for Evangelizing Catholics” (both available from Our Sunday Visitor) Matthew uses Catholic tradition, clear theology, and humorous stories from his own life to bring the concepts and actual practice of prayer into sharper focus for readers. He leads readers through prayer from the beginning – what it is, why to pray, how prayer works – then into the classic stages of the spiritual life that lead to a deeper relationship with God, the ultimate aim of prayer. Matthew’s book is available at: www.osv.com More information about Matthew can be found at www.MatthewSLeonard.com
Stephen’s book examines how Catholics are recovering the missionary dimension of their faith, how evangelization is at the heart of sacred Scripture, and how the Church and the world can be renewed through Scripture. He was inspired by Pope Saint John Paul II, as well as by Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict, and in the book, he shows the connection between their collective call for a New Evangelization and learning Scripture as the powerful basis for succeeding in this outreach. His book is available at: www.osv.com To learn more about Stephen visit: www.bridge-b.com
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POPE FRANCIS CALLS FOR YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE
ARCHDIOCESE of CINCINNATI MARKS YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE CALLED BY POPE FRANCIS
RADIO MARIA USA TO BROADCAST OPENING MASS “LIVE” AT 10:30 a.m. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30, FROM EMMANUEL CHURCH IN DAYTON, OHIO
The Archdiocese of Cincinnati, in union with the Catholic Church around the world, will celebrate members of religious orders and others in consecrated life during the Year of Consecrated Life called by Pope Francis from Nov. 30, 2014 to Feb. 2, 2016.
The theme for the celebration in the Archdiocese, reflecting the Pope’s goals for the Year, is “Celebrating the Past, Serving in the Present, Embracing the Future.”
“Each of us has a call from God, and discovering God’s call for us will bring joy to our life,” said the Most Reverend Dennis M. Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati. “Religious life / consecrated life is a viable option.”
The objectives he has approved for the Archdiocesan observance of the Year are to:
- increase the visibility of religious life / consecrated life;
- express appreciation;
- highlight the joy experienced in this vocational choice;
- educate about religious life / consecrated life.
“The Archdiocese of Cincinnati has a long and rich history of welcoming religious communities,” Archbishop Schnurr said, noting as examples that the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur are celebrating 175 years and the Poor Clare Sisters 25 years in the Archdiocese in 2015.
“Today 34 different Congregations of women and 12 different Congregations of brothers and priests minister in the Archdiocese – approximately 226 priests, 114 brothers, and 781 sisters. We are also blessed with the presence of Secular Institutes, public (Regnum Christi) and private associations (Children of Mary) of the faithful, and a Consecrated Virgin Living in the World. All of those are examples of the consecrated life.”
In addition to parish-wide observances, there will be two Archdiocesan events to mark the Year of Consecrated Life. Auxiliary Bishop Joseph R. Binzer will preside at the opening Mass at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, at Emmanuel Church in Dayton which will be broadcast LIVE on Radio Maria USA. Archbishop Schnurr will preside at the closing Mass at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016 at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains in Cincinnati.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati is the 38th largest Catholic diocese in the country, with almost 500,000 Catholics, and has the sixth largest network of Catholic schools in terms of enrollment. The 19-county territory includes 213 parishes and 113 Catholic primary and secondary schools.
Honoring Our Veterans
As we honor our veterans today, please join us at Radio Maria as we thank God for all who have served our country, living and deceased. Our prayers and grateful thoughts are especially with those who live with deep physical and emotional scars because of their generous service. To all the heroes—sung and unsung—of the USA military, we extend our heart-felt “Thank you” and “May God bless, protect and reward you.”
New Daily Meditations Section On Our Prayer Page
Please look for the new daily meditation section on the Prayer Page of our website:
It is titled: “A Light for Your Path for Today.”
November 10, 2014:
“For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit, so that beyond the special service of our ministry as priests, all spiritual and mature Christians know that they are a royal race and are sharers in the office of the Priesthood.”
St. Leo the Great“May your life be nothing but a continuous act of the Will of God.”
Luisa Piccarreta
A Series on US Mission Work to Start on Nov. 14
Radio Maria will introduce a new program on Friday, November 14, 2014. Outreach USA: The Glenmary Missioners, will be airing at 6:00 p.m. Central/7:00 p.m. Eastern. Fr. Don Tranel, Development Director of the Glenmary Home Missioners in Cincinnati, Ohio, will be our opening host, but expect to hear from many others throughout this series. Did you ever consider that not all missions are foreign, that there are many counties in the United States that have NO Catholic presence? The Missioners address this need beautifully, and bring to life their stories of ministering to the poor and neglected missions here in our own US of A. Follow these good priests, brothers, and dedicated co-workers who comprise the Glenmary Home Missioners as they take us through their labors of love on behalf of our faith.
November, 6, 2014 – Fr. John Bartunek
Ken talks with Fr John Bartunek author of “Seeking First the Kingdom: 30 Meditations on How to Love God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength” and “The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer” (both available from Catholic Word) “Seeking First the Kingdom” was written to help those pursuing Christ to take the next step in spiritual maturity. By identifying four core areas of your relationship with God (heart, soul, mind, and strength) Fr. John Bartunek helps determine what areas you’re stuck in.
With “The Better Part” Fr. Bartunek has created an extensive, Christ-centered resource to serve as a daily meditation companion. If we desire to become saints, we must spend time daily in meditation. The resource is a Bible study on the four Gospels, a survey of saints’ writings, a guide to prayer that enables us to read, meditate, absorb and apply the Gospels to our lives, and it serves as a catalyst to personalize times of prayer, enabling us to follow the Holy Spirit’s lead along the path of holiness.
The books are available at: www.catholicword.com
To learn more about Fr John visit:
Do-It-Yourself Online Catholic Retreat Guides: www.RCSpirituality.org
Dependable Catholic Formation: www.RCSpiritualDirection.com
Daily Spiritual Vitamins from the Saints: uncleeddy.tumblr.com
On Facebook www.facebook.com/FatherJB
On Twitter twitter.com/FrBartune
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November 05, 2014 – A tale of bravery and boundless faith–Fr. Jeremy Leatherby
Christine Watkins interviews Fr. Leatherby, whose Father changed dramatically due to a Marian apparition, and who himself almost died from a deadly car crash, when he was a seminarian, which disfigured his face terribly. By the grace of God, he was saved through a series of miraculous moments. Fr. Leatherby is a dynamic speaker who holds Licentiate in Sacred Theology and is the Pastor of Presentation Parish in Sacramento, CA
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Happy Feast of All Saints
We wish all of you– Our Radio Maria Family of Saints — a most blessed and happy Feast of All Saints!
Let us pray for each other that we will share that title not only on earth but most of all in Heaven with Our Lady, Queen of Angels and Saints!
October 30, 2014 – Fr Mitch Pacwa and James Tonkowich
Ken talks with Fr Mitch Pacwa about “Growing In Faith: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics” (Our Sunday Visitor) and James Tonkowich “The Liberty Threat: The Attack on Religious Freedom In America Today” (Saint Benedict Press) Fr. Pacwa’s book is the latest volume of his Bible study series, and gives readers the insightful addition of Pope Francis’ views and teachings. The study, ideal for parish group or individual use, includes an easy-to-understand overview of each faith topic, background information, inspiring quotes from saints and others, and the option to personalize a topic through individualized study. The original publication of this study, “The Year of Faith: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics”, released in late 2012 for Pope Benedict XVI’s Year of Faith (2013), was one of the most popular Bible studies ever introduced by the prolific Jesuit priest and Biblical scholar. Fr Pacwa’s book can be purchased at: www.osv.com To learn more about Fr Pacwa visit: www.FatherMitchPacwa.org
James Tonkowich explores the history of Christian philosophy from the Church’s infancy through the birth of America and how it influenced religious liberty. Americans are losing what are supposed to be constitutionally promised rights at an alarming pace. The Founding Fathers understood the overriding essentiality of religious practice unimpeded by governmental authority, but time and vast cultural change has eroded this from the consciences of modern politicians. As we watch America teeter ever closer to the brink of moral collapse and prejudice towards religion become ever more institutionalized, one question always surfaces: How can we stop this? James’s book is available at: books.benedictpress.com Visit James’s website: www.jimtonkowich.com
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October 30, 2014 – Marriage and Assorted Gems
The world itself is in grave need of the witness of strong and beautiful marriages today. It is desperate for this light. We must create a culture that esteems marriage and family. These words should be whispered with reverence, marriage…family. They are sacred sacraments or signs of God’s inestimable love for the world.
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October 29, 2014 – Do not let your hearts be troubled; believe in God
In difficult circumstances, do we ask enough questions of Our Lord? In John 14, three of his Apostles ask for greater clarification. We also may do this in our challenging circumstances. However, the peace that Our Lord wishes to bring to our hearts may more substantially come from our belief in God. To better encourage us, Jesus in John 14 gives us several assurances. He reminds us that “in my Father’s house there are many rooms”, that “I will come again and will take you to myself”, and that “if you ask anything in my name, I will do it”. This is all in the same chapter that begins “Do not let your hearts be troubled”. By believing ever more firmly in God, we may find that when things do not work out the way we want them to, we can count on God to bring some greater good.
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New Program: Living on Purpose
On Friday, October 3, 2014, a new program aired on Radio Maria. Living on Purpose, hosted by Dr. Rick Sarkisian, will now be broadcast every Friday at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern. Dr. Sarkisian is founder and president of Valley Rehabilitation Services in Fresno, California, specializing in vocational and career guidance since 1976. He is the author of multiple books related to finding one’s purpose in life. He has produced a number of Catholic videos and writes for various Catholic publications. Dr. Sarkisian skillfully puts his professional experience to use in this new program, by helping us to discover and to become the unique person God created. Co-hosting with Dr. Sarkisian is Mike Wick. Mike is the Executive Director of the Institute on Religious Life in Chicago, Illinois. He is also the author of several books and is very involved with the Knights of Columbus, The Militia of the Immaculata Movement, and is a Board Member of Lighthouse Catholic Media. We are delighted to have Rick and Mike onboard as new members of our Radio Maria Family. Please tune in on Fridays, at 5:00 p.m. Central/6:00 p.m. Eastern for Living on Purpose.
October 23, 2014 – Mike Aquilina Interview
Catholics love to celebrate the feasts, but often these celebrations become routine.
In their latest collaboration, The Feasts: How the Church Year Forms Us as Catholics (Image, Sept. 16, 2014), Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Mike Aquilina remind us of the reasons for the seasons and celebrations of the Church and show us how to find true joy in the feasts of Christ.
The authors examine the history and traditions behind both favorite and forgotten holidays, from Christmas to Valentine’s Day to the Feast of the Sacred Heart. They demonstrate how through the feasts, ordinary Christians learn the life of Christ, share it, and come to imitate it.
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