Wednesday, February 20, First Week of Lent
The Shrine at Fatima celebrated the centenary of Jacinta's birth in 2009r (photo, extreme right), and of Francisco's birth last year; second from right, a Portuguese newspaper's
coverage of the Sept. 1917 apparition and 'miracle of the sun'.
BLESSED JACINTA AND FRANCISCO MARTO (Portugal, 1910-1920 and 1908-1919, respectively), Visionaries of Fatima
The story of the three peasant children of Fatima - Jacinta and Francisco, and their older cousin Lucia Dos Santos - is the best-known and best documented
20th-century story of divine favor on the humble. Three apparitions of an angel in 1916 preceded the six apparitions to them of the Virgin Mary on the 13th
day of each month, from May to September 1917, the last of them attended by 90,000 people who attested to seeing the 'miracle of the sun'. The two younger
children died shortly after the apparitions, victims of an influenza epidemic that swept Europe after the First World War. But the lives they led in that short
time were so exemplary in holiness, to the point of practising stringent self-mortification, that it was obvious these two pre-teen children had undergone
an experience of divine grace. When their bodies were exhumed in 1935 and again in 1951 (for re-burial in the Basilica of Our Lady in Fatima), Jacinta's face
was found to be incorrupt. They were beatified by special decree in 2000, and John Paul II presided at their beatification rites in Fatima, attended by their
cousin Lucia (who died in 2005 after spending most of her life as a Carmelite nun in Coimbra). February 20 is the day Jacinta died.
Readings for today's Mass:
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022013.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
The Holy Father remains in spiritual retreat (Day 4 today) with the officials and members of the Roman Curia
at the Redemptoris Mater chapel of the Apostolic Palace.
At 11:30 this morning, Ambrogio Piazzoni, Vice Prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Library, held a news conference
on the history of the most recent conclaves.
The Web-based novena for Benedict XVI begins today:
The novena prayers:
Heavenly father, Your Providence guides the Church and the successor to St. Peter, Pope Benedict XVI. May he be protected at all times from spiritual attacks so that he may lead Your Church to greater holiness and unity through your Holy Spirit.
Prince of Peace, we come to you today to ask for your grace of peace for our Holy Father. There are many problems in the world and in the Church that he must address everyday. We beg you for peace in the world, peace in our hearts as we face the brokenness of a fallen world and peace for the Pope as he shepherds your Church.
Dear Lord, your servant Benedict has given his life for the Church and for You. As he now steps down from leadership, please protect his health as he grows older so that he can continue to serve you in prayer.
Jesus, you gave to us a great Pope in Benedict XVI. You blessed him with wisdom, insight and intelligence to help guide your Church on an intellectual level. We pray for his ministry as a teacher specifically through his writing. We pray that his writings about you will reach the whole world with your saving message. We pray for a deeper understanding of our faith through the Pope’s writings.
Jesus, we pray for our beloved Pope and for his intentions. We pray for his personal intentions and for his recent decision to resign. That your will be done through the election of his successor.
Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict XVI, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care in these last days of his rule, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and the Vicar of Christ, continue to build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world.
[Insert your personal petitions for Benedict XVI]
May the Lord preserve him,
give him a long life,
make him blessed upon the earth,
and not hand him over
to the power of his enemies.
May your hand be upon your holy servant.
And upon your son, whom you have anointed.
Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Glory Be…
Amen.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 20/02/2013 22:41]