Never underestimate the power of the Rosary
I have a feeling that The Holy Mother has a few more surprises up her sleeve, through Our Lord Jesus Christ. In it's entirety, the article from the Catholics News Agency; (Emphasis mine)
Bogotá, Jul 9, 2008 / 01:00 pm (CNA).- The recitation of the Rosary has become, for an increasing number of Colombians, the secret behind the new phase the country is entering. Many Colombians also view the Rosary as the "secret weapon" that made the recent rescuing of 15 hostages possible - without a single shot fired.
According to Lidia Rios, spokeswoman for the Legion of Mary in Medellin, thousands of Colombians have been praying the Rosary for years for the release of the numerous hostages being held by rebel groups.
“We have prayed a lot to the Lord and to the Blessed Mother that this rescue would be successful, and we are not going to stop now. We are and will continue praying for this intention,” Rios told CNA in reaction to statements by President Uribe, who said shortly after the rescue that the operation “was guided in every way by the light of the Holy Spirit, the protection of our Lord and the Virgin Mary.”
Rios believes President Uribe’s success in combating violence in Colombia is due to “the devotion and commitment he has to Jesus and Mary.” She added that she believes Uribe has escaped attacks from his enemies thanks “to the Lord and the Virgin Mary, who have saved him and continue to watch over him, because he always prays to them and he is working hand in hand with the Church.”
“Thanks be to God we are beginning to see some hope in Colombia, and that is what all of the hostages who have been freed think,” Rios said.
Former presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, who was among those rescued and in the past had said she was a non-practicing Catholic, told reporters her rescue was a miracle of the Virgin Mary. “I am convinced this is a miracle of the Virgin Mary,” she said. “To me it is clear she has had a hand in all of this,” Betancourt said after six years in captivity.
Clara Rojas, who was her close political advisor and was kidnapped along with Betancourt, was freed several months ago and told reporters that during their captivity, “We prayed to her a lot. We prayed the Rosary, and we said that when we were free, we would thank her.”
I'm just starting to understand the power and the beauty of the Rosary. I'm sorry to admit it but I wasn't very well edumacated when I became a Catholic ~ most of what I've come to know I learned from places like EWTN. Well, except for Scott Hahn and his ilk. I can't stand their rather Protestanty stuff but ANYWAY that's just my wee opinion... And I've learned a lot from reading books on my own but I'm still very ignorant about so much. I mean, I thought that the rosary was a waste of time!!!!!! **Cringe** Now I see otherwise and I'm slowly working at building up the discipline to pray the rosary each day ~ but I totally suck!! I keep forgetting for weeks on end!! Please pray for me that Our Lady reminds me to pray the Rosary. As a matter of fact, I'm going to ditch the computer RIGHT NOW and go pray at least one decade right this very minute. Cheerio!! God bless!
ReplyDeleteDeo Gratias!
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, STAY AWAY FROM EWTN! They're little more than prots anyway. Ever notice how you never see daily Mass from a Ukrainian, Chaldean, Maronite or any Eastern Rite Church?
Speaking of Eastern Rite, we have a prayer rope and the "Jesus Prayer": Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on me or Domine Jesu Christe, Fili Dei, Miserere mei. But as long as it works, do it.
Coffe Catholic, I wish we lived closer. I would love someone to say a daily rosary with.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Catholic Caveman for this article! I sorely needed it. I wrote an article on my own blog that just left me down. It was about the young man who took the Eucharist from the Church to show his friends. I needed something positive to wash my annoyance out of me.
This is off topic and not intended as a post, but I wanted to pass this on to you and I didn't see an email address on your blog.
ReplyDeleteThere is a guy named Webster Cook who stole a Eucharist from a Mass on the UCF campus on 29 June, and returned It one week later. I posted on it here in case you want a little more detail. This just really seemed like something that you should be made aware of if you didn't already know about it.
You can never go wrong with Jesus and Our Lady.
ReplyDeletevso: while I would LOVE! to see more daily Eastern Rite Masses (as they're apart of the Church too)...I do know that many don't have daily Masses and that could be a problem even if they wanted to broadcast them :)
I am very leary of EWTN myself at times. The only things I will say is that they are bringing in more FSSP Masses, although not Eastern Rite, they are opening up to more TLMs. I am also very leary of Scott Hahn and one of our priests even banned his books from the parish bookstore. But 2 people who I do stand behind are Dr. Thomas Woods and Father Bing who are both on EWTN (Wed and Mon both at 6pm).
ReplyDeleteI think you're wrong to tell that poster to stay away from EWTN. No, they're not the "perfect" Catholic network but they do a tremendous amount of good in spreading the Gospel of the Lord. I live just down the street from their facility here in Birmingham, AL and the priests and monks there are wonderful, and not the least bit "Protestant." If you've ever watched any Mass on EWTN you would know that to accuse them of such a thing is ludicrous.
ReplyDeleteOne of the greatest Catholic apologists now living, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, is a frequent contributor to the network. In addition to the daily Masses which are broadcast three times a day, the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy are shown every day, EWTN shows numerous religious education programs and also, to my knowledge, it is the only network where Catholic and non-Catholic viewers may still enjoy watching the inspiring programs of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
Please don't turn someone against the entire network because you feel they fail in one aspect. There are many, many converts to Catholicism who started watching the programs on EWTN and became interested enough to seek out instruction.
Sincerely,
Bernadette
Deb,
ReplyDeleteYou welcome, my friend!!
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USMC,
Yep, I saw that disgusting article. I chose not to post on it. The saturations already pegged-out.
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Nernadette,
Was that mean for Vir Speculnace CATHOLICUS, or for Vir Speluncae ORTHODOXAE?
Thanks
I guess my comment was directed to Vir Speluncae ORTHODOXAE, since he was the one who advised that poster to stay away from EWTN.
ReplyDeleteI would be very interested to know the reasons that tjmjt is suspicious of Scott Hahn. A very good Catholic friend of mine, and recent convert, decided to join the Faith after reading several of his books.
I have never read any of Mr. Hahn's books though I do own a copy of "The Lamb's Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth."
The foreword for this book is written by Fr. Benedict Groeschel and if you've ever listened to him or watched his program or read his books, you would know that he is a stickler for correctly upholding the Faith and I cannot imagine him ever lending his name to any work which would not stand up to the toughest doctrinal or theological scrutiny. Also, the book has been given the Nihil Obstat and Imprimateur, which I thought Catholics were always supposed to look for when reading about the Catholic Faith. I thought it meant we should be able to trust that the work is not doctrinally misleading.
Thank you,
Bernadette
Let's see, one example: I've heard Dr. Scott Hahn, on video, telling his audience that the Holy Spirit is female. That made me a tad leary. When has the Church ever taught that?
ReplyDeleteI'm also a bit leary of Jeff Cavins ~ I have one of his bible studies on CD and he blames *Adam* for the fall of mankind because Adam did not protect Eve from Satan and just stood by and let her eat the forbidden fruit etc. When has the Church taught that The Fall is to be blamed on *Adam*??
Sure, these guys write great books but that doesn't mean they have a big fat, "Get Out Of Jail Free" card when they make mistakes. Every Catholic, even the "popular" ones, has to obey the Church and not try and teach contrary things.
Personally it all sounded like a lot of pandering to the egos of feminists to me...
I like EWTN ~ if there's something I don't like I just don't watch it. I read the biography about M. Angelica ... she had it real rough setting EWTN up. She was persecuted like mad by church authorities front left and center! And then her bishop said she couldn't show the Latin mass on TV and so she had to only show the NO mass on tv... it's so typical of the "Spirit of Vatican II" leaders to outlaw the Latin mass!! Even still, I think EWTN has done it's very best to not have a nonsense NO mass on TV. It's as sacred as it can get for NO. Anyhoo, I recomend the book about Mother Angelica by Raymond Aroyo. It's shocking once you see all the horrible stuff that went on behind the scenes when M. Angelica was trying to put EWTN together ~ and keep it together! Just another batch of bitter fruits from the tree of "The Spirit of Vatican II" !!
I'm not exactly sure about any "Get Out of Jail Free Cards" but I do know that if a book contains the Nihil Obstat and Imprimateur then it is supposed to free of doctrinal error. That is a fact and one that I don't take lightly when I select a book to read.
ReplyDeleteLet me just add that as highly as I regard EWTN, please keep in mind that with Raymond Arroyo's book you are only getting one side of the story, Mother Angelica's. EWTN is in our Diocese and I know the Bishop and some of the priests who are mentioned in that book ( one was my pastor for ten years.)I am not going to comment on any specifics on a public message board but again, please keep in mind that Mr. Arroyo's comments are biased, as he works for Mother, and it is only natural that he is going to present it by putting her in the most favorable light.
(By the way, I have not read Raymond's book because I had already been told beforehand that he disparaged my former pastor.)
Bernadette
Vir Speluncae Orthodoxae,
ReplyDeleteFr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, is a frequent speaker on EWTN and is one of thje few Western Rite priests who is able to and authorized to say the Maronite (Eastern) Rite Mass. If I am not mistaken, he has celebrated it at least once on EWTN but can't swear to it.
To Coffee Catholic: Maybe Mr Hahn was refering to the fact that the word of Spirit in Hebrew is ruah which is feminine.
ReplyDeleteHave you noticed the rosary around Ingrid Betancourt's wrist? She made it herself while in the jungle.
She also told that the day before her kidnapping she was talking with her father in his room. They were sitting under an image of the Sacred Heart. He then took her hand in his and prayed the Sacred Heart "please protect my heart, please protect my child". That was the last time she saw him. This is why she went to the Sacred Heart basilica in Paris upon her release. She was also going to Lourdes with her family this weekend.
Elise B.
Bernadette; I have been at EWTN a couple of times. Sat in on the shows, met privately once with Deacon Bill and his wife and privately with Mother before she fell ill. I do believe she has/is doing God's will because she could never have made it as far as she has.
ReplyDeleteAs for best Apologetics out there, I remember very distinctly hearing Fr. Benedict Groeschel state on the air that he puts very little into indulgences. You may want to ask him what his reasoning is for him to make such a negative statement concerning our century's old Catholic tradition.