A Scriptural Rosary continued: The Second Joyful Mystery.

Review here and here. Another review here, along with the first Joyful mystery.

Let us pray the second Joyful Mystery.

Again, we are not using rosary beads. That's because some of the Scripture passages I use for the Scriptural rosary contain more than or fewer than ten verses. I use the rosary to help me memorize Scripture, so I lengthen or shorten the number of Hail Mary's accordingly.


Announce the mystery by saying:
"The second Joyful Mystery: Mary visits Elizabeth."

Now, pray one Our Father followed by these Hail Marys with their Bible verses.*

Our Father…

And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
(Luke 1:39 TMB)**
Hail Mary…

and entered into the house of Zechariah and saluted Elisabeth.
(Luke 1:40 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.
(Luke 1:41 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb.
(Luke 1:42 TMB)

Hail Mary…

"And why is it granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
(Luke 1:43 TMB)
Hail Mary…

"For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
(Luke 1:44 TMB)

Hail Mary…

"And blessed is she who^ believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."
(Luke 1:45 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
(Luke 1:46 ESV)
Hail Mary…

"and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
(Luke 1:47 ESV)

Hail Mary…

"for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
(Luke 1:48 ESV)
Hail Mary…

"for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name.
(Luke 1:49 ESV)
Hail Mary…

"And His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.
(Luke 1:50 ESV)

Hail Mary…

"He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. (Luke 1:51 ESV)

Hail Mary…

"He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
(Luke 1:52 ESV)

"He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent empty away.
(Luke 1:53 ESV)

Hail Mary…

"He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,
(Luke 1:54 ESV)
Hail Mary…

"as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring for ever."
(Luke 1:55 ESV)

Hail Mary…

Now pray the Glory Be:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

To close, make the sign of the cross. (In a future post, I'll list the full closing prayers of the rosary.)

*In a traditional rosary, one prays 10 Hail Mary's, called a decade, but here we are praying 1 or 2 Bible verses per 1 Hail Mary. This yields a "decade" of 17.

**My favorite Bible version is the Third Millennium Bible. I do most of my memorizing out of it, but occasionally I memorize a Scripture verse or passage in another version (e.g. because I have an audio recording I listen to often wherein a passage or verse is quoted in another version of the Bible), which is why there's a switch from the TMB to the ESV here.

^The TMB actually reads "that believed".

A Scriptural Rosary continued: the First Joyful Mystery.

Review here and here.

The mysteries of the rosary are different events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. They're divided into four different groups. Each group contains five mysteries.

The Joyful mysteries. These are about Jesus's birth and early life. We reflect on His First Advent while praying them. They are:

1) The Annunciation: the angel Gabriel announces Jesus's birth.

2) The Visitation: Mary visits Elizabeth.

3) The Nativity: Jesus is born in Bethlehem.

4) The Presentation: Joseph and Mary present Jesus to the Lord at the Temple.

5) The Finding of Jesus in the Temple: Joseph and Mary find the 12 year old Jesus in the Temple discussing God and His Law with the religious leaders.

The Luminous mysteries. These are about Jesus's earthly ministry. We reflect on some of His teachings and miracles while praying them. They are:

1) The Baptism: Jesus is baptized.

2) The Miracle at Cana: Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding in Cana.

3) The Proclamation of the Kingdom: Jesus preaches a message of repentance.

4) The Transfiguration: Jesus's glory is revealed on the mountain.

5) The Institution of the Eucharist: Jesus gives us His flesh and blood in the Eucharist.

The Sorrowful mysteries. We accompany Him from the Garden of Gethsemane to Golgotha in these mysteries.

1) The Agony in the Garden: Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane.

2) The Scourging at the Pillar: Jesus is scourged.

3) The Crowning with Thorns: Jesus is given a crown of thorns.

4) The Carrying of the Cross: Jesus carries His cross to Calvary.

5) The Crucifiction: Jesus is crucified.

The Glorious mysteries. Jesus is our risen Lord, and His ministry is now in Heaven. We contemplate this in our prayers on these mysteries.

1) The Resurrection: Jesus dies, but doesn't stay dead!

2) The Ascension: Jesus goes back to Heaven.

3) The Descent of the Holy Spirit: Jesus sends the Holy Spirit on the Church to empower and sanctify Her.

4) The Assumption of Mary: Jesus takes Mary to Heaven with Him (a picture of our own resurrection).

5) The Crowning of Mary: Jesus crowns Mary as the Queen-Mother (in the Middle East, the king's mother was the queen, not his wife. This is why Solomon gives his mother Bathsheba a throne. She was the queen. The Davidic kingdom is a picture of the Messianic kingdom, so Mary, being the Mother of King Jesus, is queen).

Here we begin praying the Joyful Mysteries of the rosary. This post will contain only the first decade, that is, the Annunciation.

Start with the Introductory prayers. (Here's the picture I linked to in that post. It may prove useful).

The Introductory prayers leave off at the space between the fourth bead (a.k.a. the third small bead, #6 in the picture) and the next bead. From this point on, I will not be using the beads, however. That's because some of the Scripture passages I use for the Scriptural rosary contain more than or fewer than ten verses. I use the rosary to help me memorize Scripture, so I lengthen or shorten the number of Hail Mary's accordingly.

Say:

"The first Joyful Mystery: the Annunciation."

Then pray the Lord's Prayer (Our Father...).

Move your fingers to the next bead (#11) and recite the following verse:

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, (Luke 1:26 TMB)*

Then pray a Hail Mary while mediating on that verse...

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

...and continue praying the verses and Hail Mary's until you get to the end.

to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
(Luke 1:27 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And the angel came in unto her and said, "Hail, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women."
(Luke 1:28 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and cast about in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
(Luke 1:29 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God.
(Luke 1:30 TMB)

Hail Mary…

"And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son; and shalt call His Name Jesus.
(Luke 1:31 TMB)

Hail Mary…

"He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end."
(Luke 1:32 TMB)

Hail Mary…

"and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end."
(Luke 1:33 TMB)
Hail Mary…

Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not man?" 
(Luke 1:34 TMB)

Hail Mary…

And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that Holy Being who shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
(Luke 1:35 TMB)
Hail Mary…

"And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth: she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
(Luke 1:36 TMB)

Hail Mary…

"For with God nothing shall be impossible."
(Luke 1:37 TMB)
Hail Mary…

And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her.
(Luke 1:38 TMB)

Hail Mary…

Now pray the Glory Be:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

To close, make the sign of the cross. (In a future post, I'll list the full closing prayers of the rosary.)

That's it for the first Joyful Mystery. Again, ordinarily one would pray all the Joyful Mysteries on one day, all the Luminous Mysteries on another, etc., but this will suffice us for now.

*I use the Third Millennium Bible and several other versions. Use your preferred version(s). And you needn't say the scripture reference, just quote and meditate on the verse.

A Scriptural Rosary for my Catholic and Evangelical friends, the Introductory prayers.

About the rosary at New Advent. And at the Vatican.

How to pray the rosary at New Advent [pdf] and at YouTube.

So how is this rosary for my Evangelical friends? This is a scriptural rosary. If you're not comfortable praying the Hail Mary, skip it! Just recite the Bible verse and pause to think about it. Indeed, even if one does pray the Hail Mary's, one should concentrate on the Scripture passage while one prays.

This post will have only the introductory prayers of the rosary. I'll add the rest in following posts.

First, some instruction not covered above. The point of the rosary is not to recite the prayers. The rosary is to help one meditate on certain events in the lives of Jesus and His Mother Mary. As one meditates on these events, one should determine how they apply to one's own life and become a better disciple of Jesus. If the rosary does not help you do so, stop doing it. The Church does not require anyone to pray the rosary. She encourages it only if it helps you "grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

The rosary is made up of a crucifix, a string of beads, and usually a medal. See this picture. It is divided into "sections". The first section consists of the crucifix and the first four beads. The remaining five sections consist of one large bead, on which one prays the Our Father (i.e. the Lord's Prayer), and ten small beads, on each of which is prayed a Hail Mary.

Until recently, the rosary consisted of a few opening prayers, 15 sets of 1 Our Father and 10 Hail Mary's and 1 Glory Be, and then a few closing prayers. There are now 20 sets of 1 Our Father and 10 Hail Mary's and 1 Glory Be. Also, to pray the rosary usually meant to pray all 15 sets. It is customary now, however, to pray 5 sets daily. Whether one prays all 15 or 20 or just the sets of 5, the opening and closing prayers are always included.

Some people pray the entire rosary for a specific prayer intention. Others have a prayer intention for each decade. Still others mention a specific prayer request on each bead of the rosary. You can do whatever you want because there is no official way to do this. You don't even have to have rosary beads to pray it because you can keep track of the prayers some other way.

The rosary begins with the sign of the cross. Here's how our Eastern rite and Orthodox brethren make that sign: How to make the sign of the cross (note how the hand is held. Most Western rite Catholics don't hold their hands that way when making the sign of the cross, although I do). In the video, the guy is speaking the following in Arabic (I couldn't find an English video):

"In the Name of the Father" (fingers to forehead)

"and of the Son" (fingers to abdomen)

"and of the Holy" (fingers to one shoulder) "Spirit" (fingers to opposite shoulder).

"Amen."

(I've got to learn how to say this in Arabic!)

While saying the above, some people cross themselves with the crucifix, touching it to each of the following points on the body (forehead, abdomen, shoulder, shoulder). Others hold it in one hand while signing themselves with the other.

One then recites and meditates on the Apostle's Creed (numbers 1 and 2 in the picture):

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord;

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell;

the third day He rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;

the holy catholic Church;

the communion of saints;

the forgiveness of sins;

the resurrection of the body;

and the life everlasting.

Amen.

Then one places one's fingers onto the first large bead* and prays the Our Father... (#3):

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

for Thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory for ever.

Amen.

A Hail Mary is said on each of the next three small beads. In the traditional rosary, one prays one Hail Mary on each of these beads. Some people offer prayers for the bishops of the Church on the first of these beads, for priests on the next bead, and for deacons on the third. Some ask for an increase of faith, hope, and charity. This last is what we'll do, with a Bible verse and a phrase added to each Hail Mary (I'll put an additional phrase in bold text).

Holding the first small bead (#4), ask God to increase your faith in Him. You can do so by simply saying "For an increase of faith", or you can make an Act of Faith, or make up your own prayer (like, "God, please help me to trust You more").

Then recite "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 TMB)**, and pray the following (by the way, we are asking Mary to pray to God with us):

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus,

who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

On the next small bead (#5), ask for an increase of hope (e.g. Act of Hope or etc.).

Recite "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (I Peter 1:3 TMB).

And pray:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
who has destroyed death and given hope to us by His resurrection.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

On the third small bead (#6), ask for an increase of charity (e.g. Act of Charity or etc.).

Recite "And above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." (I Peter 4:8 TMB).

And pray:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed art thou among women,

and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
whom we love because He first loved us.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners, now, and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Keep your hand on that bead, or move it to the space between it and the next large bead (#'s 7-9) and pray the following:

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

This ends the Introductory prayers of the Rosary. I'll post more later.

*Many rosaries use a combination of large and small beads. The one in the picture doesn't.

**Use whatever Bible version you prefer.

The Rosary.

The rosary: I don't pray it often because one is supposed to concentrate on the mysteries, which is difficult for me, unless I use a guide of some sort. So, for those who face the same problem, I recommend two things. One is the book The Complete Rosary: A Guide to Praying the Mysteries and the other is a scriptural rosary.

The book The Complete Rosary has been quite a help to me in that the author, William George Storey, gives a brief history of the rosary, and instructs one on the meaning and purpose of it. The most helpful aid to my meditation has been using the phrases he suggests as inserts into the Hail Mary's, between "Jesus" and "Holy Mary". For example, if one is praying the Joyful Mystery of the Annunciation, one might say the following:

"Hail Mary, Full of Grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
Who was conceived at the message of an angel.
Holy Mary, mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now, and at the hour of our death."

Check out the preview on Amazon. It's a great book, and I highly recommend it!

A scriptural rosary is a rosary prayed with both the traditional prayers of the rosary and Scripture verses. I have developed my own, and offer it to you, my reading public (assuming I still have one) beginning with my next blog post.

Updates:

Scriptural rosary, introductory prayers here.

Scriptural rosary, first mystery here.

Scriptural rosary, second mystery here.

Scriptural rosary, third mystery here.

Scriptural rosary, fourth mystery here.

Scriptural rosary, fifth mystery here.

Father Corapi...

...let us pray for him.

Kresta in the Afternoon blog on this situation: The Walls Come Tumbling Down on Corapi.

Jen Fulwiler's blog entry about the Father Corapi situation (probably the best one I've read). Read her blog. It's much better than mine. I work way too many hours to keep this thing updated like I should.

And to close: some comments I made on Kresta's blog...


"I have been praying for Fr. Corapi, and will continue to do so. In one of his recorded talks he asked that we pray for him constantly because, as he said, any of us can fall deeply into sin and lose our souls. But, to quote him, "It ain't over till it's over." He can still repent and be renewed! Let us pray for him, for all who are hurt by his fall, and that God will help each of us to guard our hearts and lives that we may attain eternal life!"


UPDATE: Wise words from Father Z.


Hat tip to Mark Shea (another blog that is much better than mine!).

Bullying!

It's a shameful act for people to engage in. I found this anti-bullying video on YouTube, and want to post it. In elementary school I was rejected, made fun of, and called names, even though I went to a Christian school. It hurt. The most egregious example happened at a very bad time in my life. I don't remember how old I was; elementary age is the closest I can get. My great-grandmother, whom, according to my parents, I loved more than I loved them, was very sick. I was worried that she was going to die. At that time, I didn't quite know how my she was related to me, so I asked prayer "for my granny who is sick and might die." As soon as I'd said that, one of my classmates responded with "She's your great-grandmother, stupid!" I'm almost 37 years old, and I still feel a pang when I think about that. Sticks and stones can cause a lot of physical damage, but they can't accomplish the level of destruction words can bring about. I'm proud of this girl for admitting her hurt and reaching out for help, and I rejoice in the encouragement she's gotten from YouTubers and other sources!

CHRIST IS RISEN!

He is risen indeed!

The Easter Sermon of Saint John Chrysostom

Whosoever is a devout lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful bright Festival. And whosoever is a grateful servant, let him rejoice and enter into the joy of his Lord. And if any be weary with fasting, let him now receive his penny.

If any have toiled from the first hour, let him receive his due reward.

If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast.

And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.

And if any have delayed to the ninth hour, let him not hesitate, but let him come too.

And he that hath arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay; for the Lord is gracious and receiveth the last even as the first.

He giveth rest to him that cometh at the eleventh hour as well as to him that hath toiled from the first.

Yea, to this one, he giveth and upon that one, he bestoweth. He accepteth works, as he greeteth the endeavour. The dead he honoureth and the intention he commendeth.

Let all then enter into the joy of our Lord. Ye first and last receiving alike your reward; ye rich and poor, rejoice together. Ye sober and ye slothful, celebrate the day. Ye that have kept the fast, and ye that have not, rejoice today; for the Table is richly laden. Fare ye royally on it. The calf is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake ye all of the cup of faith. Enjoy ye all the richness of His goodness. Let no one grieve at his poverty; for the universal kingdom hath been revealed.

Let no one mourn that he hath fallen again and again; for forgiveness hath risen from the grave. Let no one fear death; for the Death of our Savior hath set us free. He hath destroyed it by enduring it. He spoiled Hades when he descended thereto. He vexed it even as it tasted of his flesh. Isaiah foretold this when he cired, "Thou, O Hades, hast been vexed by encountering Him below."

It is vexed; for it is even done away with.

It is vexed; for it is made a mockery.

It is vexed; for it is destroyed.

It is vexed; for it is annihilated.

It is vexed; for it is now made captive.

It took a body, and, lo! it discovered God.

It took earth, and, behold! it encountered Heaven.

It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art annihilated.

Christ is risen, and the evil ones are cast down.

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.

Christ is risen, and life is liberated.

Christ is risen, and the tomb is emptied of the dead; for Christ, having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those that have fallen asleep.

To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

A Good Friday video I forgot to post yesterday.

Catholic & Homosexual

A great video from Michael Voris and RealCatholicTV!

Netflix...

...what a great site! I'm using it to catch up on shows I missed in the mid- to late nineties and early 00's. Currently I'm watching Babylon 5.

I love this show! Talk about wheels within wheels. The plots can be very complicated because a small thing in one episode in one season can become a much larger thing in another season. There are all kinds of twists. They're not afraid to get rid of characters you've grown to like. And it's marvelous storytelling. I'm in the middle of the fourth season and have found the romance between Captain Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn worthy of an epic story. Tho' it's years late for this: great job, writers of Babylon 5!

Holy See statement on "sexual orientation".

This address was given by Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi to the United Nations. It is a must-read!

Zenit reports it here.

It begins very well!

"The Holy See takes this opportunity to affirm the inherent dignity and worth of all human beings, and to condemn all violence that is targeted against people because of their sexual feelings and thoughts, or sexual behaviors. "

Indeed, this cannot be said too often!

The first point of the address discusses the meaning of the phrase sexual orientation, and points out that sexual orientation refers to attractions and feelings, not behavior. The Notes section following the address proper gives places where secular organizations define sexual orientation in this way. I've provided direct links here:

The UK's Equality and Human Rights Commission, "What does sexual orientation mean?"

PDF file of ABC of Women Workers' Rights and Gender Equality, second edition, page 167.

PDF file of Amnesty International's Crimes of Hate, Conspiracy of Silence: Torture and Ill-Treatment Based on Sexual Identity, from the preface on page 4 (unmarked, so the fourth page scrolling down).

PDF file of Asia Pacific Forum's "ACJ Report: Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity" (15th Annual Meeting, Bali, 3-5 August, 2010), page 8, discussed under "Terminology".

I was pleasantly surprised to see sexual orientation described this way by three respected and public organizations! We need more level-headed discussions of sexual orientation like this, discussions in which the subject is treated rationally instead of emotionally. A web site designed to help towards that goal is Bridges Across the Divide.


Archbishop Tomasi apparently includes homosexuality in the list of sexual behaviors the state can and should regulate:


"But states can, and must, regulate behaviors, including various sexual behaviors. Throughout the world, there is a consensus between societies that certain kinds of sexual behaviors must be forbidden by law. Pedophilia and incest are two examples."


I think on this point I disagree with the good archbishop and agree with C.S. Lewis, and hope the Church does, as well:


"I quite agree with you about Homosexuals: to make the thing criminal cures nothing and only creates a blackmailers' paradise.  Anyway, what business is it of the State?" (From a letter Lewis wrote to Delmar Banner, dated 27 May 1960, and quoted in The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 3: Narnia, Cambridge, and Joy, 1950 - 1963.)

Happy Feast of Saint Joseph!

It's too late to do a novena in his honor for his feast day this year, but here's one you can do next year:

O glorious descendant of the kings of Judah, Inheritor of the virtues of all the patriarchs. Just and happy St. Joseph, listen to my prayer. Thou art my glorious protector, and shall ever be, after Jesus and Mary the object of my most profound veneration and confidence. Thou art the most hidden, though the greatest Saint, and art particularly the patron of those who serve God with the greatest purity and fervor. In union with all those who have ever been most devoted to thee I now dedicate myself to thy service; beseeching thee, for the sake of Jesus Christ, who vouchsafed to love and obey thee as a son, to become a father to me; and to obtain for me the filial respect, confidence and love of a child towards thee. 

O powerful advocate of all Christians, whose intercession, as St. Theresa assures us, has never been found to fail, deign to intercede for me now, and to implore for me the particular intention of this Novena. 

(Mention your intentions here)

Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be. 

Present me O great Saint to the adorable Trinity, with Whom thou hadst so glorious and so intimate a correspondence. Obtain that I may never efface by sin the Sacred Image according to the likeness of which, I was created. Beg for me that my divine Redeemer would enkindle in my heart and in all hearts, the fire of His Love, and infuse therein the virtues of His adorable infancy, His purity, simplicity, obedience, and humility. 

Obtain for me likewise a lively devotion to thy virgin spouse, and protect me so powerfully in life and death, that I may have the happiness of dying as thou didst, in the friendship of my Creator, and under the immediate protection of the Mother of God. Amen.

It is apparently the custom to begin this prayer on March 10 and end it on the 18th, the eve of his feast.

Shrines of Saint Joseph you can make a pilgrimage to:

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Santa Cruz, CA (cared for by the Oblates of Saint Joseph)

Shrine of Saint Joseph in St. Louis, MO

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Stirling, NJ

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Yarnell, AZ

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Farnborough, UK

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Grass Lake, MI

Shrine of Saint Joseph in Pontiac, MI (in St. Damien of Molokai parish)

More on Saint Joseph

at the OrthodoxWiki

Saint Joseph, pray for us!

I have pets!

For years I've been without any, but now I own five of the best pets God ever invented: hermit crabs!


Right now they live in a ten gallon aquarium, but I hope to move them into a 55 gallon home by the end of May. Here's there current home:

It's not very pretty yet, but I'm going to get more colorful things for their crabitat. And some live plants. By the way, the five shells up front: that's them. No one wanted to have their picture taken! Here's a closer look:

I enjoy these little creatures, and hope to increase their numbers to about a dozen when I get the larger aquarium.


A Prayer for Animals
by Saint Francis of Assisi


God our Heavenly Father, You created the world to serve humanity's needs and to lead them to You. By our own fault we have lost the beautiful relationship which we once had with all your creation. Help us to see that by restoring our relationship with You we will also restore it with all Your creation. Give us the grace to see all animals as gifts from You and to treat them with respect for they are Your creation. We pray for all animals who are suffering as a result of our neglect. May the order You originally established be once again restored to the whole world through the intercession of the Glorious Virgin Mary, the prayers of Saint Francis and the merits of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with You now and forever. Amen.