Just Show Up

Just show up!
That is the most often heard motto in the life of young Catholics at St. Francis of Assisi Parish...Just show up.

Students and leaders from Rochester parishes St. Francis, Resurrection, and Pax Christi, as well as Divine Mercy Parish in Faribault, did just that on August 6th for the second Just Show Up Retreat to the LaCrosse, WI.

We spent the afternoon at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, learning about various Marian Apparitions, chatting and laughing with Father Jacinto of the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate, praying Evening Prayer with the Friars, touring the beautiful church, and enjoying God's beautiful creation in the bluffs of Wisconsin!

After dinner, we then moved onto the Diocesan Center of LaCrosse for a short presentation on the Eucharist by Father Wierzba, vocations director of the LaCrosse Diocese, followed by a Holy Hour for Vocations! Ice cream and fellowship with Catholics from around the area, including a Consecrated Single, ended the evening before our late night drive back home to Rochester.

It was a blessed trip indeed! Learning about the Saints and their relics(at least 6 of them!), praying in silence in the physical presence of our Lord, being "unreachable" during prayer to better focus on Him(no cell phones!), and surprise run-ins with the Totus Tuus team that came to St. Francis a few months earlier!

Here are some pics!

Be Holy!

Today is the Feast Day of St. Clare of Assisi! Co-patron of St. Francis of Assisi Church. What a blessed day!

Saint Clare was born during the time that St. Francis lived, in 1193, in Assisi, to a wealthy family. She loved hearing St. Francis preach, and followed His teachings.  She left her family, sneaking out at night to join him in a life of poverty.  That night, she cut off her beautiful hair, and was given just a plain, rough garment to wear.  She eventually became the mother and foundress of an order of nuns, who are today called the Poor Clares.  Her sister, and eventually mother, all came to join the order as well! Although she lived a life with very few comforts and luxuries, she was very rich in works of charity and piety.

One of my favorite stories of St. Clare is how once when her convent was threatened by invaders. As the attackers drew near, St. Clare calmly rose from her sick bed and went to a window with the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance. As she raised the monstrance, the soldiers who were about to enter the monastery fell backward, as if dazzled.  The others who were ready to follow those attackers ran away in fear! The attackers left, the house was saved, and this image of her with the monstrance is one of the more common images of St. Clare.

She is the patron Saint of eyes, of television, and against eye diseases.

Read more about her HERE or HERE! She is a wonderful Saint to get to know, and to ask to pray for us. Her unworldliness is pretty profound! And here are some pictures :)

St. Clare's beautiful hair

Warding off invaders with the monstrance

         

Be Holy!! St. Clare of Assisi, pray for us!

Happy Friday!

In our Catholic Tradition, the first Friday of every month is devoted to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!

Remember when the whole month of June was devoted to that? That was beautiful!

Since today is the first Friday of August(can you believe it? August), we are asked to pray in a special way, seeking the mercy of Christ through His most Sacred Heart. Please take a moment(it only takes a minute or two) to pray the following litany as an act of reparation of sins to the Most Holy Eucharist. 

(Basically, to ask Jesus to have mercy on us for committing sins against the Eucharist...not giving Him the honor and praise and glory that He deserves!)

Ready? Let's pray!
HERE is a little history about the Litany


Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
V. God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mother's womb, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, holy temple of God, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, glowing furnace of charity, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, vessel of justice and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, King and center of all hearts, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, patient and rich in mercy, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, rich to all who call upon You, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, fount of life and holiness, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our offenses, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, overwhelmed with reproaches, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our iniquities, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, obedient even unto death, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You, have mercy on us.
Heart of Jesus, delight of all saints,have mercy on us.

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

Jesus, meek and humble of Heart,
Make our hearts like unto Thine.

Let us pray.
Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Thy most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which He offers Thee in the name of sinners; and to those who implore Thy mercy, in Thy great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who livest and reignest with Thee forever and ever. Amen.


Be Holy.