Maybe it’s the Friday Night Football or the wearing of jackets again or just the scent that comes when autumn is officially upon us, but I always feel a bit reflective and happier during these fall days...plus I get to celebrate both my Baptism and the actual death of St. Thérèse of Lisieux (9/30). So look to return to “the Little Way” of The Little Flower’s joy in keeping things simple and humble. Use these days to go deeper into the devout life with our parish-wide book study (Lift Up Your Hearts) or go for a walk in the woods with our Blessed Mother and pray a Rosary for the respect of all human life. I apologize for forgetting to mention the start date of 40 Days for Life (9/26 to 11/4), the internationally-coordinated 40-day peaceful pro-life campaign to end abortion. Because of all we have been through this year and with the threats against innocence, I ask you to add another intention during these 40 Days by including the lives of all children who have been abused. Pray for both abortion and abuses to finally come to an end! Pray, as well, for all those who have had an abortion (or who work in facilities that offer abortions) and for those who abuse others that their hearts might turn to Jesus for truth, reparation and healing. The following is something I found from a prolife group (Vigil for Life) that seems to offer us all an idea of how we can pray and fast for life during these 40 days...theirs and yours:
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Sacrifices (every day)
- No TV
- No coffee
- Foregoing buying unnecessary things and giving the saved money to charity
- Eating only bread and water for one meal a dal
- No sweets
- No radio/CDs
- No Intnernet
- No video games
- No eating between meals
- Offering up all inconveniences or 'thorns'
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Prayers
- 1/2 hour listening to Praise and Worship and praying
- Stations of the Cross
- Making a Holy Hour
- A Rosary
- Daily Mass
- An extra 20 minutes of Bible reading and Meditation
- a Chaplet of Divine Mercy
- Prayer for the conversion of hearts to Life
- Silent conversation with God
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Please take note in the bulletin about some wonderful news regarding a new listening system, “Get Looped,” that was installed in our sound system-something that can be dramatically helpful for the majority of all people with hearing devices. (In other words, you’ll probably even be able to hear me!) The family of a beloved parishioner who recently died, Trudy Howell, knew how much she wished she could hear the Mass and thought this would be a beautiful gift in her memory that will benefit so many.
Verso l’alto, Fr. Bline
(N.B. Remember our parish is praying a Rosary for Life on Manchester Road on October 7th @12p and we are helping with the annual Rosary Procession on October 14 at 2:00 p.m. at the Loyola Retreat House)
