Catholic Prayers

Disclaimer : I don’t know the author/source of these stories. These are collections from the email forwards I receive from friends. If this is copyrighted, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it.

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway
trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960′s. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.

She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man’s door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read:
“Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband’s bedside just before he passed away… God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.

Sincerely,
Mrs Nat King Cole.”

My 2 cents

We are so involved in our lives that we often forget to help others. We become selfish and uncaring and are too busy to extend a helping hand.

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’‘ Matthew 25:39-41

Part A

Part B

Part C

Part D

Disclaimer : I don’t know the author/source of these stories. These are collections from the email forwards I receive from friends. If this is copyrighted, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!

My 2 cents

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our present condition. We often fail to see beyond the obstacle. Problems are there in every person’s life but the way we look at the problem is what matters. We can make a mess of our lives or we can chose to handle our problem. We need to go beyond the problem to get the solution. Trials make us stronger. Life is full of challenges but God will help us to face these challenges and make us bold.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance.” Romans 5:3

Disclaimer : I don’t know the author/source of these stories. These are collections from the email forwards I receive from friends. If this is copyrighted, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and
sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked. “Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins.

“I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.

You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

My 2 cents: We often forget people around us, those who help us or serve us. Somtimes, it just costs us a smile or a polite word to bring happiness into another person’s life. Always remember those who serve us at restaurants, the cashiers at grocery stores, the newpaper boy and so on. A “ThankYou” or a Smile can change our lives.

“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:2

“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’‘ Matthew 25:39-41

For the past eight years the North Carolina Legislature has not allowed a Choose Life specialty license plate to be brought to the floor for a vote. NC already has over 130 specialty plates in use. Your signature on this petition would show our legislators that there is support for the Choose Life plate in NC and that it should be allowed to be brought to a vote.

There are now 24 states with Choose Life license plates. NC is the only state in the southeast that prohibits the sale of the Choose Life license plate.

We need help in convincing NC Sate Legislators to allow the Choose Life license plate to be made vailable in NC.

An online petition has been created by the Carolina Pregnancy care Fellowship and can be found ar http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ncchooselife/

Please do sign for the petition.

The Holy Mass is the central theme of the Catholic Church.

Attending Mass is the way a Catholic fulfills the commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day.

At Sunday Mass, millions of people you don’t know are praying for you and with you.

Here is a very useful website where you can find list of churches and mass timings www.MassTimes.org

This site has the list of churches from all over the world. You can search based on Country, Sip Code, Phone Number, Place, State or Province and so on. It is truly amazing and of immense help.

Whether you are on vacation or on a business trip, you are sure to find a Catholic Church near you. You can also call 410-676-6000 to find a church or Mass time.

Isn’t it great how people are there to help you? Happy Praying.

God our Father, We give you thanks and praise for fathers young and old.

We pray for young fathers, newly embracing their vocation; May they find courage and perseverance to balance work, family and faith in joy and sacrifice.

We pray for our own Fathers around the world whose children are lost or suffering; May they know that the God of compassion walks with them in their sorrow.

We pray for men who are not fathers but still mentor and guide us with fatherly love and advice.

We remember fathers, grandfather, and great grandfathers who are no longer with us but who live forever in our memory and nourish us with their love. Amen

Heavenly Father, King of the Universe, you are the sole source of abundance. With your help I plant my crops and by your power they give forth a harvest.

Grant me the grace always to work with all my strength and ingenuity in cultivating the soil so that it will bring forth fruits for my benefits and the benefit of all who will use them. Make me ever cognizant that without my part in the work of harnessing the goods of the earth, these particular goods would be lacking to my brothers and sisters in this world.

Enable me at the same time to realize that without your part in this process I would be working in vain. Accept my thanks for your continuous help in the past and your never failing assistance in the future. Amen

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.

In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.

I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us.

In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen

Anima Christi means “Soul of Christ” in Latin. The sequence of sentences in Anima Christi have rich associations with Catholic concepts that relate to the Holy Eucharist (Body and Blood of Christ), Baptism (water) and the Passion of Jesus (Holy Wounds). It is a prayer from around the 14th century. It is still widely used after receiving the body and blood of Our Lord, Jesus Christ in Holy Communion.

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from Christ’s side, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.
O good Jesus, hear me.
Within Thy wounds hide me.
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee.
From the malicious enemy defend me.
In the hour of my death call me.
And bid me come unto Thee.
That I may praise Thee with Thy saints
and with Thy angels
Forever and ever.
Amen