BIG C CATHOLICS

The lighting of the Advent candles symbolizes the hope that the coming Messiah represents in a world that very often seems dark, forbidding and hopeless. We do so because we are a people living in faith that our Divine Master will come again in glory at the end of time to dispense peace and justice. The joyous anticipation of the season of Advent is captured in the teachings of the prophets from the Old Testament: "Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he…" (Zechariah 9:9) Advent Wreath Prayer - Second Week By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois Dear Heavenly Father:  in this second week of Advent, I feel a bit overwhelmed as I learn to set priorities in my life. At the base of your mountain, I realize I cannot climb it with too much baggage. I see you at the top of the mountain, ready to usher me into the holy city. Draw me up that mountain, Lord, for there I will find fulfillment and peace.

December 3, 2016 Today, we pray for those who suffer from financial need. Whatever difficulties result, we pray this hardship will bring people together rather than tear them apart. May trying times for individuals and families be resolved in ways that inspire gratitude and humility. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 5 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my

Saint Francis Xavier, a 16th century Jesuit, tirelessly evangelized the Far East. He converted more people during his lifetime than anyone since the Apostle to the Gentiles Paul, personally baptizing some 50,000 Catholics in ten years He spread the faith to India, China, Japan and the Philippines. St. Francis was instrumental in co-founding the Jesuit Order as a close confidant of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Prayer of St. Francis Xavier My God, I love thee; not because I hope for heaven thereby, nor yet because who love thee not are lost eternally. Thou, O my Jesus, thou didst me upon the cross embrace; for me didst bear the nails and spear, and manifold disgrace. And griefs and torments numberless and sweat of agony; even death itself, and all for one Who was thine enemy. Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ should I not love thee well? not for the hope of winning heaven, or of escaping hell. not with the hope of gaining aught, nor seeking a reward,

December 2, 2016 Today, let us pray for purity. The purity of our bodies, that we may treat them as temples of the Holy Spirit; the purity of our minds, that we may contemplate holy thoughts; the purity of our hearts, that we may see God face to face in eternity. We ask that God will grant us, and the entire world, greater purity in all respects. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 4 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to

December 1, 2016 Today we pray in thanksgiving to God for the gift of His mother, Mary. She is a perfect example for us in living a life that is fully devoted to Christ. To thee, O Virgin Mother, who was never touched by any spot of original or actual sin, we commend and entrust the purity of our hearts. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 3 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my ho

November 30, 2016 Today we pray for the universal Church. To thee, O Virgin Mother, who was never touched by any spot of original or actual sin, we commend and entrust the purity of our hearts. Also, pray that we never take anything, or anyone, for granted. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 2 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will. Hail Mary, full of Gra

The penitent and the priest begin with the sign of the Cross, saying:  In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The priest urges the penitent to have confidence in God with these or similar words:  May the Lord be in your heart and help you to confess your sins with true sorrow. The priest may recite a passage from Sacred Scripture after which the penitent then states:  Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (however many days, weeks, months or years) since my last confession. The penitent then states his sins. For the confession to be valid, the penitent must confess all of the mortal sins he is aware of having committed since the last confession, be sorry for them, and have a firm purpose of amendment to try not to commit the same sins in the future. After this, the priest will generally give some advice to the penitent and impose a penance. Then he will ask the penitent to make an Act of Contrition. The penitent may do so in his

November 29, 2017 Today we pray for all those who suffer material poverty and go unnoticed and uncared for, that God will provide for them through us. Also, may we not take anything, or anyone, for granted in our lives. Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 1 O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will. Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are y

Prayer for the Deceased Lord, God of holiness and light, You do not allow any shadow of darkness or evil in Your sight, and so in Your mercy You grant to those who have left this world burdened with sin, a time of purification, applying to them the spiritual treasurers of Your holy Church. Hear my prayer, and through the merits of Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin, the saints, and all Your faithful people bring to an end this time of waiting for our beloved dead, especially _____. In Your providence You have chosen Saint Nicholas as a special intercessor on behalf of the departed. Hear also his fervent prayer for those whom I recommend to You through his intercession. Amen. Prayer for the Deceased #2 Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, You willingly gave Yourself up to death so that all people might be saved and pass from death into a new life. Listen to our prayers; look with love on Your people who mourn and pray for their dead brother/sister. Lord Jesus, You alone are holy and

We remind you that the Immaculate Conception Novena begins November 29th. The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is an important day to reflect on Mary’s life and selfless devotion. It is essential for us to strive to imitate the Blessed Virgin as the ideal example of Christian discipleship. This novena is an opportunity to petition Mary for the grace to emulate her deep love for God. "Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:  The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. " ( Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 492) Invocation to be Said Every Day of the Novena

The lighting of the Advent candles symbolizes the hope that the coming Messiah represents in a world that very often seems dark, forbidding and hopeless. We do so because we are a people living in faith that our Divine Master will come again in glory at the end of time to dispense peace and justice. The joyous anticipation of the season of Advent is captured in the teachings of the prophets from the Old Testament: "Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he…" (Zechariah 9:9) Advent Wreath Prayer - First Week By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois Dear Heavenly Father: in this first week of Advent, I look at my wreath with four shiny new candles on it, none of which are lit. I will light one candle for this first week of Advent. That is all. It reminds me that I am called to slow down, pray and patiently wait for your intervention in my life. I am not a patient person, Lord. But you know that; y

November 26, 2017  The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, formerly referred to as "Christ the King," was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist. The feast is intended to proclaim in a solemn, striking and effective manner Christ's sovereign royalty and holy reign over individuals, families, causes, ideologies, society, governments, and nations. It is no accident that this solemnity occurs immediately before the beginning of Advent. As Fr. Pius Parsch explains: "With an ever-growing desire, all Advent awaits the 'coming King'; in the chants of the breviary we find repeated again and again the two expressions 'King' and 'is coming.' On Christmas the Church would greet, not the Child of Bethlehem, but the Rex Pacificus — 'the King of peace gloriously reigning.' Withi

November 25, 2017 On this final day of the Christ the King novena, let us pray that God may reign sovereign in every part of our lives, especially those areas we find hardest to let go of or that are pervaded by sin, selfishness or despair born of a lack of faith. Christ the King Novena Prayer - Day 9 Christ, our Savior and our King, renew in me allegiance to Your Kingship. I pray that You will reign in every area of my life. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in my life and in the life of the world. Christ, my King, please answer these petitions if they be in accordance with Your Holy Will… [Mention your intentions here] As I reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all mankind, I beg You to show me mercy and give me the grace to become a great saint. I pray that not only will I spend eternity with You but that You may use me – a sinner – to bring others into Your Kingdom for Your glory. Christ the King, Your Kingdom come. Amen.

November 24, 2017 The Feast of Christ the King was first promulgated in a world that was becoming increasingly nationalistic and secular. Pope Pius XI observed, "While nations insult the beloved name of our Redeemer by suppressing all mention of it in their conferences and parliaments, we must all the more loudly proclaim His kingly dignity and power, (and) all the more universally affirm His rights." Today, we pray that God will reign sovereign within our hearts and throughout the world. Christ the King Novena Prayer - Day 8 Christ, our Savior and our King, renew in me allegiance to Your Kingship. I pray that You will reign throughout all the world. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in my life and in the life of the world. Christ, my King, please answer these petitions if they be in accordance with Your Holy Will… [Mention your intentions here] As I reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all mankind, I beg You to show

November 23, 2017 Pope Pius XI wrote that our bodies, "should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God." Today, let us pray that God will reign in our bodies, and that our very bodies will glorify Him forever. Christ our King guide us always unto you. Christ the King Novena Prayer - Day 7 Christ, our Savior and our King, renew in me allegiance to Your Kingship. I pray that You will reign in my body. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in my life and in the life of the world. Christ, my King, please answer these petitions if they be in accordance with Your Holy Will… [Mention your intentions here] As I reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all mankind, I beg You to show me mercy and give me the grace to become a great saint. I pray that not only will I spend eternity with You but that You may use me – a sinner – to bring o

President Abraham Lincoln instituted Thanksgiving in 1863 during the Civil War in order for Americans to celebrate their blessings and good fortune as a sign of unity and thanksgiving to God. His formal proclamation expressly calls upon all citizens to observe the holiday in prayerful gratitude to Our Father and Creator: " I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. " — President Abraham Lincoln, Proclamation, October 3, 1863 We celebrate Thanksgiving as a sign of American unity and thanksgiving to God. No holiday so nearly reminds us of the symbolism and meaning of the Eucharist. Here is a Thanksgiving day table blessing by Msgr. Bernard W. Bourgeois: Thanksgiving Day Table Blessing God our Father, on t

November 22, 2017 Today, let us continue to pray that God will reign in our will, above all else, and that our will may be aligned with His Will. "Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:20-21) Christ the King Novena Prayer - Day 6 Christ, our Savior and our King, renew in me allegiance to Your Kingship. I pray that You will reign in my will. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in my life and in the life of the world. Christ, my King, please answer these petitions if they be in accordance with Your Holy Will… [Mention your intentions here] As I reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all mankind, I beg You to show me mercy and give me the grace

Memorial - November 22nd  When Saint Augustine famously said, "One who sings prays twice," he may have been thinking of the early Church martyr most often associated with music. Saint Cecilia has often been depicted in art with either an organ or a viola since at least the time of the Renaissance. She is the patron saint of music and musicians, and especially those engaged in the composition and performance of sacred hymns. Much of her story is actually legend, and authentic material related to her life is scarce. We know that she was a Christian woman of high rank who was martyred in either the 2nd or 3rd century. The daughter of patrician Roman Christians, she was given in marriage to a rich young nobleman, Valerian of Trastevere, despite desiring to remain a virgin. By the designs of Providence, her innocence was preserved. There was a feast in her honor celebrated in the Church as early as 545, and at least one church was dedicated in her name in the late 4th cen

November 21, 2017 Today, let us continue pray that God will reign in our minds and hearts, and that we will love Him above all things. Lord we ask for the grace to place you above the powers of this world in all things, to obey you before any civic authority and to fervently bring about your Kingdom in my family, community and the world. Christ the King Novena Prayer - Day 5 Christ, our Savior and our King, renew in me allegiance to Your Kingship. I pray that You will reign in my heart. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in my life and in the life of the world. Christ, my King, please answer these petitions if they be in accordance with Your Holy Will… [Mention your intentions here] As I reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all mankind, I beg You to show me mercy and give me the grace to become a great saint. I pray that not only will I spend eternity with You but that You may use me – a sinner – to bring others into Your Kingdo

November 20, 2017 "No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon" (Matthew 6:24). Today let us pray that God alone will reign in our minds, and that we will accept the Church's teachings with total obedience and firm belief. Christ the King Novena Prayer - Day 4 Christ, our Savior and our King, renew in me allegiance to Your Kingship. I pray that You will reign in my mind. O Prince of Peace, may Your reign be complete in my life and in the life of the world. Christ, my King, please answer these petitions if they be in accordance with Your Holy Will… [Mention your intentions here] As I reflect on Your second, glorious coming and the judgment of all mankind, I beg You to show me mercy and give me the grace to become a great saint. I pray that not only will I spend eternity with You but that You may use me – a sinner – to bring others into Yo