This year, Lucasfilm hosted a most impressive display showcasing the evolution of the Star Wars stormtrooper. The exhibit included several of the screen-used costumes seen throughout the iconic movie series. From the classic stormtrooper to new designs featured in the upcoming Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, this stunning display examined the production costumes up close and studied the many unique styles deployed throughout a galaxy far, far away.
A great reflection on the Rosary and its’ importance to Catholics.
Father Lew is convinced, however, that the Rosary is as relevant to the Church today as in the days of St. Dominic — maybe even more so: “The Blessed Virgin Mary, whenever she has appeared on earth, has frequently urged Catholics, with ever greater urgency, to say the Rosary. It seems that, somehow, in God’s providence, we participate in God’s saving work when we say the Rosary.” He continued: “The Rosary tells us in the 21st century that we are ever more in need of Mary’s intercession and of her motherly protection. … We should ‘imitate’ the mysteries we contemplate.”
K.V. Turley
Rosary Shrine Shines Light on Marian Heart of London
Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thy altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy Most Sacred Heart. Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy Sacred Heart.
Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to their Father’s house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.
Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof; call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.
Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism; refuse not to draw them all into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy toward the children of that race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.
Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the Divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to It be glory and Honor forever. Amen.
O sweet Jesus, Whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence and contempt, behold us prostrate before Thy altar eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries, to which Thy loving Heart is everywhere subject.
Mindful alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask Thy pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those, who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow Thee, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the vows of their baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of Thy Law.
We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against Thee; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in unbecoming dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holidays, and the shocking blasphemies uttered against Thee and Thy Saints.
We wish also to make amends for the insults to which Thy Vicar on earth and Thy priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of Thy Divine Love; and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which Thou hast founded.
Would, O divine Jesus, we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood. We now offer, in reparation for these violations of Thy divine honor, the satisfaction Thou didst once make to Thy eternal Father on the cross and which Thou dost continue to renews daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of Thy Virgin Mother and all the Saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of Thy grace, for all neglect of Thy great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past. Henceforth we will live a life of unwavering faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the gospel and especially that of charity. We promise to the best of our power to prevent other from offending Thee and to bring as many as possible to follow Thee.
O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to Thee, so that we may one day come to that happy home, where Thou with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.
When you say “The Force Awakens,” in our house, it usually connotes Star Wars episode VII. And who can’t help but be anxious for that last episode to be released in a few weeks.
This New ‘Rise of Skywalker’ Clip Teases Leia with a Lightsaber
River Donaghey
But no, the new force that is awakening in the Catholic Church is the “Grace Force.”
A few weeks ago, two of my sisters and I got together with some of our immediate family and went on a cruise off the Florida coast.
When we have these reunions, one of us usually splurges for a themed shirt. On our last reunion, Cindy had Christ Alive Today (CAT) shirts for each of us.
I felt the calling this time when I saw these United States Grace Force T-shirts on the Roman Catholic Man website.
Just as in the Stars Wars series, there is a great force of evil, a dark force, that is starting to rule every part of our lives and even enter into the very hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Is it any wonder why Luke and the band of rebels had to rise up against that evil? Is it any wonder why we need this Grace Force now?
In Star Wars, the weapon to fight against evil is the light saber. For the people of God, the weapon is the Word of God that illuminates the mind and brings a person from darkness into light.
I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God…
Acts 28:17-18
“Well, the Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi
For Catholics, a mysterious supernatural energy field like the Force is generated by prayer, and this energy binds us together with our God and is most effective by believers sensitive to its spiritual power.
And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” … “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, … it will be done. Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive.”
Matt 9:2, Matt 21:21-22
God grants many things through the power of prayer. The prayer of choice for Catholics is the Rosary.
In the early Star Wars episode, Obi-Wan Kenobi makes a very dramatic exit from the scene to join with the Force and be a warrior for Luke on the other side.
Obi-Wan Kenobi even assists Luke, as he makes his final travail to deal the fatal blow at the core of the death star, when he says “Use the Force Luke.”
As Luke shuts off the computer and relies solely on the strength of the energy force, you can hear others share their doubt about whether he is doing the right thing. To those that do not understand the force, it can be very scary to rely solely on that which you can not understand. As Luke completes his mission and the Death Star is destroyed you can hear Obi-Wan saying “Remember the Force will be with you… always.”
Catholics belief that Satan will suffer his final demise, not by God incarnate but, by the seed of Eve and that seed being Mary born of Joachim and Anne. Lucifer, the satan, the devil, was the most angelic of beings but was proud and believing he could be God. Imagine the humility of this prideful creature when a meek and humble women crushes his head through the power of prayer, through the power of the Rosary.
After coming back from the cruise, and no sooner had we enrolled in the Grace Force, when Fr. Richard Heilman sent out our first mission… “The Nineveh Mission”
It’s time for all the faithful to join together and to propitiate God’s just anger through fasting and prayer. This Friday, December 6, 2019, has been set aside for a day of fasting and prayer and to respond as the leaders of Nineveh did when the message was received by Jonah. Our message has been received by Sr. Agnes and there are priests in the church who also can see the corruption and idolatry and want to perform an exorcism to remove the evil that is present in the world.
The priests were very telling in their request:
In light of recent events regarding the Pachamama ritual in the Vatican Gardens, the subsequent procession of the idol into St. Peter’s, as well as placing the idols in St. Maria in Traspontina church, we are reminded of the words of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 10:20),
“Do I say, that what is offered in sacrifice to idols, is anything? Or, that the idol is anything? But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.”
The Psalms (95:5) tell us that “all the gods of the Gentiles are devils: but the Lord made the heavens.” These events bring home the reality that (Ephesians 6:12) “our wrestling is not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places.” The warfare is happening within the Church, itself.
We are, therefore, encouraging all Catholics who recognize the evil of the events to join us in a day of prayer and penance on December 6th, for the purpose of driving out any diabolic influence within the Church that has been gained as a result of these recent events — along with any other events.
We are asking all of those who participate to do the following for this intention:
1) say the Rosary;
2) take on some form of penance, such as fasting, abstinence and other forms of mortification;
3) to offer the prayers to the Sacred Heart, as seen below.Other recommended acts which we encourage others to do for this intention is make a Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament and attend Mass that day, offering the merits of the Mass for this intention.
May the Divine Mercy rest upon all of us.
Four Exorcists Urge Day of Fasting, Prayer and Reparation Dec. 6
Please join the faithful in some form of fasting or prayer on December 6th. When Nineveh responded to God’s message appropriately, the city was saved from destruction. Very few belief we can avert this chastisement, but certainly the prayers and acts of reparation of the faithful can lessen the anger and reduce the intensity of the coming storm.
” Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your Dearly Beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world. “
https://www.praydivinemercy.com/
In 2002 my Aunt Mary, almost 90 years old at that time, gave me a Miraculous Medal. I didn’t realize what a profound impact it would have on my life.
12 years later in 2014, I was attending a Saturday mass in VA that was so inspiring to me. I went Saturday after Saturday after Saturday. What a comforting and joyful celebration it was. It was 6 months before I realized it was a mass for the Perpetual Novena of the Miraculous Medal. Whoa…
The two events together told me to look further into this mystery that happened in 1830.
A Signal Grace is an extraordinary grace that moves the soul by the intellect and will.
What a journey it has been. For those Catholics out there that have no idea what the Miraculous Medal is, it’s time to use your intellect to discover the mystery.
The mystery in 1830 was just the beginning. Just the tip of the iceberg. If you already know about the Miraculous Medal, do you know why it is closely tied to the 3rd Marian dogma of the church in 1854 and how that also is tied to Lourdes in 1858?
God has granted Mother Mary a very important role in history at this time. Do your research to discover what that role is and how it is described in Genesis.
It’s time to head out of the Shire and start that journey.
