Category Archives: Prayer

Summary of the Divine Mercy Sunday requirements to receive the Special Graces

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In this post, Divine Mercy Sunday is better than a plenary indulgence!, I go on about how, well, Divine Mercy Sunday is better than a plenary indulgence. (It was easy to come up with the title.) All of this is based on the teachings of Fr. Chris Alar of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception. He has videos all over their YouTube Channel, many on Divine Mercy and on Divine Mercy Sunday. 

In his videos he describes how Divine Mercy Sunday is better than a plenary indulgence (I’m being repetitive to impress upon you that point.) To summarize what he says (and this is all derived from what Jesus told St. Faustina, nothing at all is his innovation):

1) Go to Confession before Divine Mercy Sunday (could be a few days or so, as long as you remain in a state of grace, i.e. no mortal sins.)
2) Go to Mass on Divine Mercy Sunday (Saturday Vigil Mass counts, as that covers Sunday.)
3) Recieve Holy Communion
4) He added this prayer (this is his own composition, not found in the Diary or St. Faustina’s writings, but there’s nothing wrong with it):

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner: Jesus, you promised St. Faustina that the soul who has been to confession [l have] and the soul that receives Holy Communion [I just did], will receive the complete forgiveness of all sin and punishment.
Please give me this grace.”

Here it is as a JPEG, you can right-click and save it to your device to use to pray after Communion.

Jesus told St. Faustina, which she recorded in her diary:

300 +Ask of my faithful servant [Father Sopocko] that, on this day, he tell the whole world of My great mercy; that whoever approaches the Fount of Life on this day will be granted complete remission of sins and punishment.

+Mankind will not have peace until it turns with trust to My mercy.

+Oh, how much I am hurt by a soul’s distrust! Such a soul professes that I am Holy and Just, but does not believe that I am Mercy and does not trust in My Goodness. Even the devils glorify My Justice but do not believe in My Goodness. My Heart rejoices in this title of Mercy.

Furthermore:

699 On one occasion, I heard these words: 

My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and
 shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very 
depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon
 those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to 
Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of
sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which
 graces flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its
 sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel,
will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come
forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to
Me will contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy
emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be
solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have
 peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.

And:

1109 …

Immediately upon my awakening, God‟s presence enveloped me, and I felt I was a child of God. Divine love was poured into my soul, and God gave me to see how everything depended on His will. He spoke these words to me: I want to grant a complete pardon
to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy. Then he said to me, My daughter, fear nothing. I am always with you, even if it seems to you that I am not. Your humility draws Me down from My lofty throne, and I unite Myself closely with you.

Source for the excerpts from the Diary: Divine Mercy in my Soul: Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska (Link is to a purchase page; I do not get any revenue from purchases; if you want other editions of the book, like a compact edition, a nice deluxe leather edition, or Spanish versions, go here: Divine Mercy Diary.)

For your benefit, this is the Plenary Indulgence requirements, if you prefer that route (but why would you? Divine Mercy Sunday is better than a plenary indulgence!):

A plenary indulgence, granted under the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer for the intentions of Supreme Pontiff) to the faithful who, on the Second Sunday of Easter or Divine Mercy Sunday, in any church or chapel, in a spirit that is completely detached from the affection for a sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy, or who, in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed or reserved in the tabernacle, recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus (e.g. Merciful Jesus, I trust in you!”);

A partial indulgence, granted to the faithful who, at least with a contrite heart, pray to the merciful Lord Jesus a legitimately approved invocation.

From:

Indulgences attached to Divine Mercy Devotion.

More on the Plenary Indulgences – General Conditions. It is good to note No. 7:

Indulgences can always be applied either to oneself or to the souls of the deceased, but they cannot be applied to other persons living on earth.

That may be a good reason to try and satisfy the “formal” method for obtaining the plenary indulgence; you can apply it to a holy Soul in Purgatory. As to a question of whether you can receive the Special Graces promised by Jesus for yourself, but transfer the graces of the plenary indulgence to a Holy Soul in Purgatory? I honestly do not know. I just emailed the Divine Mercy people and asked it and UPDATE!!!!—> I received a reply today, April 10th, the very next day! 

This is what I asked: 

Can someone receive the special graces of Divine Mercy Sunday as promised by Jesus to St. Faustina for oneself, BUT also satisfy the requirements for the plenary indulgence and apply that to a Holy Soul in Purgatory?

And their reply:

Yes, someone can receive the graces of Divine Mercy Sunday for oneself if they intend to receive the Extraordinary Promise of Divine Mercy Sunday.

If they wish to apply the plenary indulgence (a different grace on this day) to a soul in purgatory, they can also do that as well as long as they know there are more requirements for an indulgence (prayer for the Pope’s intentions, doing an indulgent act like venerating the image or participating in Divine Mercy devotions, complete and total detachment for sin, and confession).

For more information, please see these articles:

https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/mercy-sundays-special-graces-plenary-indulgence-are-they-same

So, we can reserve the Special Graces for ourselves, but if we also satisfy the Church’s requirements for the plenary indulgence, apply those to a holy soul in purgatory! Wow. God is good.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

The Divine Mercy Novena REMINDER!!

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Although it doesn’t start until Good Friday, I want to make sure that you all are aware that the Divine Mercy Novena is coming up!

Here is a link to the Novena, straight to the Shrine in Massachusetts: The Divine Mercy Novena of Chaplets

Source:| The Divine Mercy

To make it easy, here are links to each day’s prayers:

First Day

Second Day

Third Day

Fourth Day

Fifth Day

Sixth Day

Seventh Day

Eighth Day

Ninth Day

If you don’t have it, I strongly urge you to buy the Devotional Booklet. It has all the basics plus the prayers. Here is the Large Print version. 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 8

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Day 8 (Wednesday)

The Burial of Jesus

And so Jesus is buried. If we keep with the theme of death being the extinguishing of the old self, then the burial in symbolic of the consigning to the past (God’s Mercy) that old self. Have you let go of that self? Are you still clinging to aspects of that life? Time fpr another Step 4 if you’re still “working the Steps” or another thorough examination of conscience. lent is winding down, now is the time when many parishes have Penance services. Make use of one, there are often many more priests available than during your typical weekend, plus you get to talk to a priest you might not know (not important, but if it relieves your stress and anxiety…) 

Soon, a new journey will begin.

BurialofChrist CarlBloch.

Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine;
Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.
(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 6

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Day 6 (Monday)

The Piercing of the Side of Christ

Typically, the Sixth Sorrow in the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows is “Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross,” but seven mysteries leave two open ones for a nine day novena. So, Jesus being removed from the Cross and placed into the arms of His Mother is tomorrow’s post.

What happened when St. Longinus threw the spear that pierced the side of Jesus? Blood and water flowed out. Blood, symbolizing the Eucharist, and Water, symbolizing Baptism. This has been the Church’s understanding since the beginning, and this has especially been emphasized in the Divine Mercy image.

Kazimirowski Eugeniusz, Divine Mercy, 1934.

Attribution: By Eugeniusz Kazimirowski – cisza2.krakow.dominikanie.pl, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9049047

Blood and Water, the Eucharist and Baptism, are the life of souls. Without Baptism, we are not members of the Mystical Body of Christ and will never be admitted into the Beatific Vision after our death. The Eucharist is Bread for the Journey, the waybread that strengthens us as we Trudge our Road of Happy Destiny.

What must have gone through Mary’s heart and soul as she witnessed this additional indignity committed against her Son? Seeing Him lifeless upon the gibbet of the Cross, bearing the wounds of the scourging and the Cross itself; and now this! His Sacred Heart was opened unto us when He perished on the Cross, and the Sacraments were empowered by His Death and the piercing of His side. And with all this:, now her Sorrowful Heart and His Sacred Heart are united in pain and suffering. Her Sorrowful Heart is united with the Heart that beats with a pure, absolute love for Humanity. What a wonderful component to add to our Sacred Heart devotion: Mary’s sorrow added to our reparative work for our’s and other’s sins.

Now ponder the next verse in the Stabat Mater:

Holy Mother! pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified:
Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 5

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Day 5 (Sunday – Passion Sunday**)

The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus

The Crucifixion of the old self was wrought through pain and suffering; you tried to cling to the old crutches of alcohol or drugs to get you through life’s difficulties, but you know they are to be spurned. The new methodsare  of facing life directly instead of running away, taking personal responsibility instead of avoiding it, relying on God instead of your own mighty self-will; these are hard and the learning curve seems endless. But, the old self has died and a new one will soon be arising. 

What have you done with your new life? How does it compare to the old?

Cristo crucificado.jpg.

**According to the pre-1970 Roman Calendar. Otherwise, it is the Fifth Sunday of Lent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord:
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and meltWith the love of Christ my Lord.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows Day 4

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Day 4 (Saturday)

Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother

The sorrow of a mother upon seeing her son treated the way Jesus was; from His arrest and conviction, during which He had to endure unspeakable humiliations including torture… His Mother Mary witnessed it all. Now she sees Him carrying His cross on the way to His execution for crimes he was innocent of, all to redeem us from our sins.

Perhaps your own mother witnessed your own descent into abuse of alcohol or drugs; little could she do to stop it, or perhaps she did try hard, but you rejected the help, preferring the god of your choice. While Jesus did not deserve what happened to Him, you did, as it was your choice to pick up the drink or the drug, little realizing what genetic or environmental combinations “made you different” so that it ended up destroying you (or very close to.)

Mom was there. Not your Earthly mother, but your Heavenly one. Our Lady looks after her children whether or not they are paying her any heed. Maybe when you were a little child you were taught to say the Hail Mary three times before bedtime for protection from mortal sin. Momma Mary remembered. Perhaps you were taught the rosary and you prayed it for a while until other things took you away. Momma Mary remembered. Finally, one day, when you were at your bottom, you “met your own afflicted mother,” and Momma Mary pointed to Jesus. Somehow you knew, you cried out the Jesus and He answered. 

Watch for Mary pointing you to someone. Listen for Jesus calling you to help another. 

OU SSHO 16-001.

Bruis’d, derided, curs’d, defil’d,
She beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent;
For the sins of his own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His Spirit forth He sent.
(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

My God, in you I take refuge

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The excerpt from the Responsorial Psalm for the Mass from Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent is taken from Psalm 7:2-3;

O LORD, my God, in you I take refuge;
save me from all my pursuers and rescue me,
Lest I become like the lion’s prey,
to be torn to pieces, with no one to rescue me.

Courtesy:  USCCB

This is a cry of one pursued by their demons, fears, and anxieties. Perhaps people, too, but I’m takng the metaphor angle. This is a cry that acknowledges that God is the only safe harbor you can have. Only in Him, through partaking of the sacramental life of the Church, through prayer, through Eucharistic Adoration where you are with Jesus face-to-face; only by deepening your relationship with Him could you feel that God is truly your refuge.

Seek Him out, wherever you can. At home you can read your Catholic Bible, or the Catechism, or other spiritiual readings. “Ou There” you can find Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Find Him. He wants you to chase Him.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 3

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Day 3 (Friday)

The Loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple

We all know the story: Joseph and Mary make an annual pilgimage to Jerusalem and of course, bring along Jesus. Upon the return, they discover after a day or so that Jesus wasn’t with them; assuming He is with family and friends elsewhere in the caravan, they go looking. They do not find Him. In great haste they return to Jerusalem searching for Him, eventually finding Jesus speaking with the doctors of the Law in the Temple. He is nonchalant about the whole thing, apparently oblivious to their concern. (Kids…) 

The theme to ponder on are the emotions of Joseph and Mary when they discovered He was missing. What all manner of thoughts ran through their minds in the three days they took to return and conduct a search? The utter horror of thinking of what might have happened to their son…. yes, they are aware that He is the Messiah, but still, they are quite like us that despite “knowing” that God has assured us in the past and brought us through a crisis, at the moment when the crisis is happenning, we’re not thinking about that. Joseph and Mary are quite human in their response to Jesus’ absence.

How have you lost Jesus? Did you, at some point in your life, reject Him and all organized religion? That was deliberate choice that you can reverse on your own time. You still lost Him and wandred about looking for a substitute to Him. Perhaps you fell into your addiction. What about those times when you greviously sinned and despaired? Didn’t He seem far away, and that your sin was too great for Him to forgive? Or, that you were too ashamed to confess it? Or, you never really gave Him up, but because of your addiction, lost Him through inattention. The hole in your soul where He used to be became filled with liquour or drugs.

Perhaps you lost Jesus after the death of someone close to you. The utter devastation of the loss was so great that you felt God had left or abandoned you; or, thet He took that loved one away from you to leave you in grief and despair. 

Meditate on all the times that you lost Jesus, either deliberately or through the consequences of other choices. 

Is there one who would not weep,

Whelm’d in miseries so deep,

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain,

In that Mother’s pain untold?

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 2

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Day 2 (Thursday)

The Flight into Egypt

Joseph is told in a dream to take Mary and the Child Jesus and flee to Egypt to protect the babe’s life as Herod is killing all the young male children in the region around Bethlehem. Herod is in a jealous rage that there may be a king to rival him. That this “rival” king is the Messiah and if Herod humbled himself to worship the Messiah, he would likely go down in history as perhaps one of the greatest kings ever, never occurred to him. Instead, he becomes a symbol for all tyrannical leaders, be they monarchs or republican despots, who rule through fear and terror. Furthermore, he is the prefiguring of all those politicians of any stripe who advocate for abortion and infanticide (i.e. ‘partial birth abortion’) as well as those who enact domestic policies that drive their citizens and subjects far from their homeland to become refugees and migrants. And yes, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph were refugees and migrants as they had to flee their native province to a foreign one. Right-wing excusers for unjust immigration policies try to argue that they were not, on the silly basis that Palestine and Egypt were both parts of the Roman Empire. If that mattered, then why flee? Palestine was their homeland, Jesus’ life was threatened and they literally migrated to some land not their own for refuge. Otherwise, these same people hide behind the law as an excuse to support unjust immigration policies (“But they’re illegal aliens! They’re breaking the law!”) Hiding behind the law as an excuse to enable sin is only several degrees less than concentration camp prison guards citing “We were only following orders!” when accused of crimes against humanity. It didn’t work then; it shouldn’t work now. 

The points to ponder and meditate on are the fear and anxiety that permeates everyone’s lives today over the current global and domestic situation (“domestic” as in whatever country you may be reading this) as well as how Mary, herself, coped with it back then. Her “fiat” wasn’t just about accepting the fact that she was to be the Mother of the Messiah, she continually gave her “fiat” in every instance of her life. Her will was always God’s will, as St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe always taught.

Flight into egypt 768x512.

Children’s lives are threatened at every age and in many ways. From being murdered in the womb to shameless infanticide, and through pedophilia crimes that gets ignored if you’re wealthy and powerful enough. If that’s not enough, there’s the increasing sexualization of young people by pop culture. We can pray today and for the rest of Lent for the elimination of these grave crimes. 

There is plenty to be anxious and fearful in these turbulent times. Meditate on Mary’s fiat, and on your own trust in Divine Providence.

Oh, how sad and sore distress’d
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Lenten Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: Day 1

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There is an old, pre-1969 Catholic devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows. Prior to the revision of the liturgical calendar in 1969, the Friday after Passion Sunday was known as the Feast of the Seven Dolors/Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. (It’s confusing as this is now the Fifth Sunday of Lent and it gets more confusing as the next Sunday is Palm Sunday with its Passion readings.) Since this Feast of Our Lady essentially duplicated the September 15th Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, it was deleted from the calendar in 1970. (I think it was a mistake to do this, but I was only six at the time and no one bothered to ask me.)

There was also a Novena as a part of this old liturgical date; I learned of it from an old prayerbook from 1953 entitled, “Mary, My Hope,” by Fr. Lawrence Lovasik. (There is an updated, post-Vatican II version released, I think, in the 1970s.) 

Since Our Lady told St. Bridget of Sweden that…

“I have obtained this grace from my divine Son, that those who propagate this devotion to my tears and dolors will be taken directly from this earthly life to eternal happiness, since all their sins will be forgiven and my Son will be their eternal consolation and joy.”

… and since I really, really, really, want to skip Purgatory, I am going to “propagate this devotion” by posting every day from today through next Thursday, the Vigil of the deprecated feast, a short novena to Our Lady of Sorrows. (I only have nine previous posts on the Sorrowful Mother! I’d better get bloggin’!) Each day is based on one of her Sorrows. It’s not much, more like just some things for you to ponder.

Our Lady of Sorrows 1.
Here it goes:

Today: Day 1 (Wednesday)

The Prophecy of Simeon

We first learn of the sorrowful path Our Mother will trod during her life when we read of when she and St. Joseph took the Child Jesus to the Temple for the ritual presentation of the first born. St. Simeon saw the Christ Child and through the Holy Spirit was informed He is the Messiah. Simeon was promised that he would not die until he saw him. He did, and he approached Mary and Joseph and taking the babe in his arms, uttered the “Nunc Dimmittis,” which forms a part of the Church’s Night Prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours.

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.”

Luke 2:29-32 Courtesy: USCCB

Continuing on, St. Simeon tells Mary:

“Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35)

The points for you to ponder and meditate of are Mary’s foreknowledge of the suffering she (and Jesus) will endure and how she bore it throughout her life; and how Our Lady accepts this sorrow before it happens. Lent is a very appropriate time to think about these things…

Although the Scripture passages don’t mention this, it is likely that Simeon’s prophecy was among those things Our Lady kept in her heart and pondered during her life. So, this will be a further reminder about the contemplative dimension of Catholic prayer life: there is action (a good, especially the works of mercy) but there also is prayer, another good: that quiet prayer when you dwell within your soul and touch God who dwells there.

At the Cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last:

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has pass’d.

(Stabat Mater)

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)