Saint Maria Faustina is also known as the Apostle of the Divine Mercy. She was canonized as a saint on April 30, 2000. Saint Maria Faustina received a message of Divine Mercy from Our Lord that she was told to spread throughout the world.

Jesus said to her, 'Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the inscription: Jesus, I trust You.' It wasn't until 3 years later that Eugene Kazimierowski painted the first image of the Divine Mercy. 

Legend has it that St. Francis of Assisi preached to the birds and other creatures as well as to humans. He is known today as the patron saint of animals and the environment.

Who Are Asylum Seekers

An asylum seeker is a person who has fled from their home country because of dangerous circumstances such as war or political unrest. They move to another country seeking protection and the possibility of living there.

Living in a new country can be a frightening experience especially for refugees who have no place that they can call home. They went through indescribable trauma and violence in their homelands, becoming separated from their family, losing loved ones and seeing their homes destroyed.

Most refugees undergo thorough screening depending on the country they are trying to move to. Some of them end up moving through various countries and have to go through rigid evaluation.

Countries experiencing an influx of asylum seekers are often put in a tight spot when it comes to deciding whether to grant asylum or not. On one hand, it is understandable that these immigrants are in a desperate need of a safe place to resettle with their families and they cannot be left alone to look after themselves.

On the other hand, there are many risks involved in admitting foreigners, some of them threatening to the lives of the citizens of the country. For example, terrorists may take advantage of the situation and cross borders disguised as a refugee. This legitimate threat has made it challenging for some countries to allow asylum seekers easy entry.

The refugee crisis is complex and may be can be viewed through many perspectives. In a faith perspective, what role do we play in the global refugee crisis? How do we view this predicament in the context of the teachings of the Catholic Church?

What the Catholic Church Says

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me.”  Matthew 25:35

According to the “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Catholic Church,” Christians have an obligation to the common good and must help provide social conditions vital “for people, either in groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.

He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.This is the greatest and the first commandment.The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”   Matthew 37:40

The concept of the common good is built on solidarity which requires that all individuals work to make life livable for all. Each person has a part to play in promoting the common good more so if he or she is a Christian.

The Bible teaches us that humans are created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore we must treat one another with respect and reverence regardless of their race or religion. We also have a responsibility to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, a command which is said to be the foundation of all other commandments and laws.

The Catholic Church emphasizes that the demands of human dignity must always come before national interest. It teaches us to protect and help innocent victims and those who are fleeing for their lives. Prolonged immigration detention or refusing asylum fail to uphold the Catholic virtues of justice and mercy.

What We Can Do

We ask Saint Michael for his intercession for his protection to guide and watch over our family members.

Saint Raphael is known as the patron saint of medical workers and matchmakers. He is one of seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord and is often given credit for seeing the light of heaven and for receiving all good things through his intercession.

Salvation and redemption are both important concepts in the Catholic Faith and there are key differences that exist between the two. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross is the act of redemption that forgave us from our sins and spared us from a life of eternal damnation. Redemption is just the first step of salvation and the first part of our life as a child of God.

What is The Process of Salvation?

How did you experience salvation and redemption in your life? 

Did you notice any changes in your life since becoming redeemed and saved?

A pilgrimage is a journey that pilgrims make to a place that is considered holy. To us Catholics, a pilgrimage is more than just traveling to historic sites and viewing religious relics. It is a journey with a deeper and more spiritual meaning.

The word pilgrim comes from the Latin word “peregrinum” which conveys the idea of wandering over a distance. A pilgrimage is not purposeless wandering. It is a journey with a higher purpose and that purpose is to honor God.

One of the earliest use of the word can be found in works of Saint Augustine of Hippo. In his text, “Peregrinatio,” he described a Christian spiritual journey as a self-imposed exile of the pilgrim in which he searched for God’s truth

Pilgrimages are steeped in religious history. It all started around 957 BC when the temple was built at Jerusalem and because of this all Jewish men were obliged to present themselves there for three major feasts. Today the Jews call these feasts the “Pilgrimage Festivals.” These feasts include:

• Pesach - The Feast of the Unleavened Bread
• Shavu’ot - The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost
• Sukkot - The Feast of Tabernacles or Festival of Ingathering

After the death and resurrection of Jesus and the spread of Christianity, Christians were inspired to follow the footsteps of their Savior, the Holy Mother and the Apostles. Pilgrimages became a significant part of the Catholic tradition in the 4th century when Christians traveled to different places that were part of Jesus’ life or in the tombs of martyrs and saints.

Many devotees would visit these sites and tombs even during a time of religious persecution. This act served as a deep expression of their reverence for God. By honoring the saints, the pilgrims honored God, too.

An Act of Sacrifice and Penitence

Christian pilgrimages became very popular in the Middle Ages. The pilgrims in the Middle Ages carried symbols with them like a scallop shell or a special scarf which marked them as pilgrims. The most sought after pilgrimage were those that took place in the Holy Land. Embarking on a pilgrimage outside familiar areas in Europe was not only financially challenging, it was potentially life threatening. Many robbers waited to ambush travelers in order to steal from them and there were many dangerous deserts to cross. Many pilgrims were injured or killed because of this.

From time to time, pilgrimages were required as an act of penance when someone committed a grave sin. Going on a pilgrimage involved great hardship because the sinners were asked to walk barefoot and in tattered clothing. He also had to beg for his food throughout the journey. This was definitely the stark opposite of what we imagine pilgrimages are in the modern day. There were no luxury hotels and guided tours. In fact, a pilgrimage was every bit an act of great sacrifice.

A Transformative Inner Journey

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, better known as Saint Padre Pio, gained fame and a following due to his stigmata. To this day Padre Pio is one of the most popular saints and many make the pilgrimage to the church in San Giovanni Rotondo.

Saint Matthew is the patron saint of accountants and bankers. Matthew was a Galilean tax collector in 63BC. He invited Jesus home for a feast. He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.

8. Mildness

To be mild in behavior means having a heart of forgiveness and grace. It means not being easily provoked and choosing a response of meekness and peace rather than one that leads to revenge.

9. Faith

Faith is at the core of our Christianity. To have faith means living according to the will of God and believing that He is the master of our life.

10. Modesty

Being modest means being humble. It is believing that any of our successes, blessings and talents are gifts from God. It also means being content with what we have and not harbor any selfish ambitions.

11. Continence

Continence means having temperance and self-control. It does not mean denying ourselves from what we need or want, it is the ability to exercise moderation in everything we do.

12. Chastity

Chastity means giving ourselves to Christ completely whether as a priest, religious or layman. All vocations are called to have chaste in their way of living. Chastity also means indulging our physical desires within the right context such as being sexually pure before marriage and by remaining faithful to one’s spouse.

As a member of the Catholic Faith we are expected to manifest these twelve fruits in our day to day actions. It can be a struggle to remain steadfast and live a Christian way of life especially with all the mixed messages and negative influences that we receive from our culture. However this should only challenge us even more to cultivate our character.

The Church’s Perspective on Human Life

Assisted suicide, euthanasia or mercy killing is defined by the 1980 declaration from the Vatican as an action or omission which of itself or by intention causes death in order to eliminate suffering that could be caused by a degenerative disease.

When discussing subjects involving human life, we must first remember the church’s views on human life. First and foremost we must keep in mind that the church considers both human life and human dignity sacred.

Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and all the creatures that crawl on the earth.God created mankind in his image;in the image of God he created them;male and female* he created them.  Genesis 1:26-27

The Bible teaches us that we are all created in the image and likeness of God therefore anything that harms the life and dignity of an individual is considered an offense against God. Atrocious acts like murder, genocide, rape and abortion should be condemned as immoral and evil.

Second, as members of God’s family we are expected to live life according to God’s purpose and plan. We must be humble and open to accept the will of our Heavenly Father for our lives. These principles remind us that our life is God’s gift to us and that we must not take it for granted.

What the Church Says About Assisted Suicide

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Mark 12:30-31

One of the most common reasons why people consider assisted suicide is because they suffer from a degenerative disease. Some illnesses become so debilitating that people would rather choose to end their life and thus end their suffering.

The Catholic Church condemns assisted suicide as morally unacceptable regardless of the motives and means. First because assisted suicide goes against the core belief of Christianity that all human life is sacred. This principle applies not just to the lives of people who are healthy but also to the lives of people who are weak and ill.

Second, God commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves so we have a moral and spiritual responsibility to look after our fellow men and women and more so if they are elderly, sick or dying. Assisted suicide goes against our natural inclination as human beings to preserve life. There is more than one solution to suffering than totally eliminating life and the chance of a person to survive. We must do all that we can to help the ill or physically challenged people to live life as normal as possible.

He said,“Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb,and naked shall I go back there.The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;blessed be the name of the LORD!”  Job 1:21

Last but not the least, although we do not wish to suffer and be in pain, these negative circumstances are an opportune time for us to grow in wisdom and faith. It may be difficult to accept but it is during times of great turmoil and tribulation that we can truly see the indescribable power of God.

Stewards of Life

Each one of us is responsible for the life that our Heavenly Father gave to us. We are stewards of this precious gift and must accept and live it gratefully. However, it is God who remains the sovereign master of life so we are not entitled to choose when and how to end it.

Life and death are both gifts from God. Death marks the end of our existence here on earth but in a spiritual perspective, it is the beginning of our new life in eternity. Our lives on earth is but a temporary journey that prepares us for our eternal life with our Father so we must do our best to live our journey in the most Christian way possible.

There are countless stories of men and women in the Bible whose lives were transformed after they underwent indescribable suffering. Their testimonies teach us that we must not underestimate the power of God to redeem us and offer us healing even from an incurable degenerative disease.

Prayers for the Sick and Dying

Saint Gregory is the patron saint of Educators, Musicians and Singers. He was born into a wealthy family. He sold his possessions and built monasteries in Rome and Sicily with the money he made. Gregory was elected Pope and sent Saint Austin to convert Anglo-Saxons to Christianity.

1. Recognize your tendency to sin

List down the bad habits and negative behavioral patterns that you constantly struggle to overcome and acknowledge that these are wrong. Identify your trigger areas (things, situations or people) that cause you to fall and find ways to avoid these.

2. Equip yourself with God’s Word

The Catholic Faith liturgy follows its own unique set of religious rituals and traditions which are part of the Catholic Mass Order. As a member of the Catholic Faith, you probably observed some of these practices which include sitting, standing and kneeling during mass. So why do we do these things and what do they signify?

To better understand the meaning behind the physical gestures that we perform during the Catholic Mass, we need to keep in mind two basic elements of the Catholic Mass Order.

As Jesus, he leads us to do the different gestures, traditions and rituals that are part of the Catholic Mass Order. This is why we sit and stand when the priest sits and stands. This is also the reason why altar servers and other priests bow when they approach the celebrating priest. In this way they are showing reverence to Christ who is represented by the priest.

At the beginning of every mass, we start in a sitting position. Sitting is considered the base position of worship. This is the position from which we can stand and kneel. We sit when we are listening to the first two readings during Mass which is based on the Lectionary.

We also sit down after the Gospel reading, focused and attentively taking in the homily. We remain while waiting for the Eucharistic elements to be prepared, a very meaningful gesture because we expectantly wait and rise when the priest is ready.

The Gospel is the Word of God and to hear these is a great honor which is why we ascend from our base position of worship. We stand to acknowledge the significance of hearing God’s very own words.

During the reading of the gospel, we make a small sign of the cross using our thumb on our forehead, lips and over our hearts. This simple act is a symbolic request for God to impress His Word upon our minds, lips and heart.

When the priest is done reading the Gospel, he will show respect to the Words of God by kissing the Gospel and then start his homily. After the homily, we stand up to recite our either the Nicene Creed or Apostle’s Creed as a Profession of Faith.

As we kneel during the rest of the Mass, the priest will perform a number of meaningful gestures. One gesture is the sign of the cross which the priest will do at different parts of the Mass, a prayer request for Christ to come and help strengthen us with His gifts. He will make the sign of the cross over the elements and proclaim “This is my body,” and “This is my blood” over the bread and wine.

Once the bread and wine are consecrated, the priest and the people celebrating with him will kneel in front of the elements to express reverence. The rest of us will rise again when the Lord’s Prayer and the Sign of Peace are said.

The Mass is rich with meaning, every element and gesture represents something profound and beautiful. When we understand these different meanings and take them to heart, each moment we spend during Mass will certainly become more transformative and nourishing to our souls.

General Guide for Catholic Mass