Posted on 04/11/2010 6:09:57 PM PDT by stfassisi
The first “Hail Mary” was brought from Heaven by Gabriel the Archangel, the messenger of Holy Trinity
The following text of Father Gabriel Amorth, chief exorcist of the Vatican, is taken from the March-April, 2003 issue of “Echo of Mary, Queen of Peace”:
The recent Apostolic Letter of John Paul II, "Rosarium Virginis Mariae" (released last October 16) encourages all Christians to turn back to the prayer strongly recommended both by the latest Pontiffs and recent Marian apparitions. Paul VI called the Rosary a compendium of the Gospel. To make it more complete, John Paul II added the 'mysteries of light' to cover Jesus' public life. Padre Pio called the Rosary beads a weapon of extraordinary power against Satan.
One day a colleague of mine heard the devil say during an exorcism: "Every Hail Mary is like a blow on my head. If Christians knew how powerful the Rosary was, it would be my end." The secret that makes this prayer so effective is that the Rosary is both prayer and meditation. It is addressed to the Father, to the Blessed Virgin, and to the Holy Trinity, and is a meditation centred on Christ.
Today more than ever, the world is in need of prayer and meditation. It is in need of prayer because people have forgotten God, and without God the world has put itself on the edge of a precipice. This is why in Her messages, Our Lady insists so much on prayer. Without God's help, Satan wins. The world is also in need of meditation because if the great Christian truths are forgotten, souls become void. This void is grabbed up by the enemy, and he fills it with his lies. And today we see the results with widespread belief in superstition and occultism.
The most obvious danger for our society today is the downfall of the family. The rhythm of today's world has broken the family unity. Little time is spent together, and even when the family is together, its members don't speak because the television speaks. Where are the families which recite the Rosary together in the evenings? Pope Pius XII insisted in his own time: “If you pray the Rosary together, you will experience peace in your families; you will get on together.” “The family that prays together, stays together,” would say Father Peyton, the untiring apostle of the family Rosary. “Satan wants war,” Mary said one day in Medjugorje. Well, the Rosary is the weapon which is able to guarantee peace for the world, because it is a prayer and a form of meditation able to transform hearts and defeat the enemy.
Protected by the Rosary
The following inspiring episode from World War II, written by Sr. Mary Sheila O'Neil and reported in the October-December, 1979 issue of Garabandal Magazine (P.O. Box 606 Lindenhurst, New York 11757 USA) also illustrates the power of the Rosary:
It was a busy day in March. As a teacher-principal in the 1950's, I had to make sure that each day provided the time for the two separate roles. On that March fourth, an incident between a teacher and a parent had kept me out of my class for almost an hour that morning, so for the rest of the day, I was desperately trying to make up class time. Hence, the knock on my door at 2:00 p.m. was not welcome.
With relief, I found it was only a salesman who needed my signature and even produced his pen. As he did so, his Rosary had caught onto the pen's clip and came out as well. I signed as I said indifferently, "So, you are a Catholic." "Oh no," he said, "but a lot of us owe our lives to Our Lady, and I promised Her I would always keep my Rosary with me and say it every day."
Twenty minutes later, I was still at the door listening, fascinated, to the account of one of the wonderful experiences a group of airmen had had with Our Lady. My visitor hesitated to start, for he had noticed my "non welcome" opening of the door. But eager now to hear his story, I assured him that the class was doing an exercise, and I begged him to proceed. He continued:
It was May, 1940, and we had joined the Air Force in late September. At Halifax, we were given an intensive training course, because they needed us overseas, and to us young lads, the whole program was exciting.
We were grouped into squadrons, each of which consisted of six to ten planes, and each was trained to maneuver as a unit. Therefore about thirty to fifty men made up a squadron, along with the squadron leader who gave all the orders and kept the group functioning in unity.
In May, our squadron was told we were going overseas and would be in action at once. We would work on nightly missions over enemy territory until the war was over. We were waiting for our new squadron leader, due to arrive in two days on a 9:00 p.m. air-force flight. Being an officer, he would, we thought, go at once to the officers' quarters.
We watched the plane, glimpsed him from the distance, and resigned ourselves to waiting until the next day to "size him up." A couple of hours later, this squadron leader, Stan Fulton, in full uniform, entered our bunk house.
“Well men, we're going to spend some dangerous hours together, but let's hope we all meet back here when it's over. Ah, there's a free bunk and I am tired! I'll meet each of you tomorrow.”
With that, he threw his bag on an upper bunk. Our squadron leader, an officer, sleeping here with us! We liked him at once and our liking and our admiration grew each day.
That first night he knelt on the floor and prayed his Rosary in silence. Astounded, we were struck dumb. When he finished, he looked at us with his friendly smile and said, “I hope you guys don't mind a fellow saying some prayers because where we're going, we're going to need them.”
The next day our maneuver practice, under his command, assured us that Fulton was not just our military leader, but our friend. He was one of us; he never tried to intimidate us with his rank.
That night, he repeated his prayer session. Although our group had trained together for six months at least, I had never seen anyone kneel in prayer, and had no idea that any of our group was Catholic; but the third night three of our companions joined Fulton in saying the Rosary. The rest of us did not understand but we kept a respectful silence.
A few nights later — we were quick learners — we all answered the Hail Marys and Our Fathers. Fulton looked pleased, and thus we ended each day in prayer.
On June 1, 1940, we were to leave Halifax to begin a series of night raids from England over Germany. The evening before, Fulton gave each of us a Rosary.
“We shall be in some tight situations, but then, if you agree, we'll say the Rosary. If you will promise to keep the Rosary with you always throughout your life and to say it, I can promise you that Our Lady will bring you all back safe to Canada.”
We answered, “Sure thing.” Little did we dream we would be in action for four years, many times in dreadful danger with fire all around us. At such times, Fulton's voice would ring through each plane, “Hail Mary...” How reverently and sincerely did we respond! How many hundreds of Rosaries we must have said.
After two years, it was noted that ours was the only squadron that had not lost a plane nor a single life. We said nothing, but we knew.
Finally, the terrible war was over. During those years, we lost all sense of excitement and adventure. All that concerned us was survival! We did survive, too. All returned to Canada in 1945, fully convinced that Our Lady had taken care of us.
So I never forget to keep my Rosary with me and say it every day although I am not a Catholic. When I change my trousers, the first thing I transfer, even before my wallet, is my rosary.
Then you saying God did The wrong thing because Israelites bend down front of the Ark which had the statues in other words, God almighty really means like the pagans do. Not to worship. When you look at a picture of your kin you honor{venrate] not worship Them. But thats too complicated for you. Answer why did he the put angels on the ark . He can’t contradict himself. He obvouisly put them there for man to know who protect it. Or to remind man of his power. Hello!
10-4 What they don’t understand is they are unknowingly accusing God of wrong. If what they say is an absolute definite no graven image commandment. Then God himself sinned by telling Moses { a human being} to sin by making the Ark with the two angel statues. We know God cannot sin. If he did he would go against his Holy character. That is impossible.There is a logic to the scriptures without having an explicit explanation. And this is where they get lost. It can be implicit first then by reading other passages it will come out with analytical thought. They just Don’t see it. They been told a lot of junk about the Catholic Church so they refused to use the proper reasoning. Its like what Bishop Sheen said about the misunderstandings of certain non-catholics christians have about us.
a)it's not goofy, and b)nothing netmilsmom has posted has undermind Christ's work on the cross. Nothing, not even the presbyterian demented liar Calvin, can undermine Christ's work on the cross. Your statement is impossible and c)netmilsmom is not in error.
But it shows how RC apologists end up stranded, hanging from a broken limb of their own making in spite of the fact Christ rests beneath them, ready to save them, if they would just release the error and believe the truth.
What "shows how RC apologists end up stranded"? That's a non sequitur. I've noticed a number of them in your posts.
Is the Lord's prayer missing from your bible? Is the doxology? Seriously? Is the Magnificat missing? One problem could be if you don't read the GOSPELS.
When Jesus Christ said, in the GOSPEL, "Before Abraham was, I am" did you think He meant something else other than that He existed before Abraham? When was Christ 8 days old? Jesus Christ is God become Human. I have no doubt that if He wished, He could have declined to respect Jewish law and refused a circumcision, no matter how old YOU say He was. Sometimes I wonder if presbyterians think Christ Jesus wasn't God until He began His ministry by being baptized by John. I have a news flash: Before Abraham was, Jesus IS.
I have noticed that our critics want to make all the rules in debates. ie: Rule #1 Everything Catholics do is bad and will lead them to hell. Rule #2 When in doubt, refer to Rule #1.
Very often, your posts seem to follow a pattern, as though they are a program on your computer. A lot of the criticism seems to be repetitive, no matter the topic. For instance, that line of yours that I quoted above. Catholics debate THEIR RELIGION according to CATHOLIC BELIEFS, not according to presbyterian beliefs. Christ founded our Church, not that insane misogynistic feeble-minded killer Calvin.
Another funny one coming from a Protestant. Redefining the debate occurred in the 1500's with the doctrinal invention of Sola Scriptura.
“That’s odd.”
That tickled me, the way you said that.
“The RCC practices a loony superstition which only confuses the Gospel message.”
I think perhaps your role here is to be a thorn in the paw of those of us who lack charity.
Course, that might not get you off the hook for the things you say.
“I’ve read the Bible more times than I can count. I have yet to find a so-called rosary anywhere.”
I have an urge to ask this from time to time:
Are you under the impression that our Lord and Savior said *nothing* more than what is in the red letters of a King James New Testament?
He never said, “Pass the wine,” or “Nice day, isn’t it?” He never communicated anthing important to anyone that isn’t right there in those red letters.
Really?
He never looked up from the dinner table and sent a bolt of truth right through the Apostles that didn’t find its way into those red letters?
Really?
When he came walking over the water, no words passed His lips except those few that are reported?
Really?
He suddenly turned to Saint Peter and said (roughly, allowing for idiom), “I call you Rock because you are a rock, and upon this (R)rock I will build My Church.” (Jesus made a pun? Whooda thunk it? Do you suppose He smiled or chuckled at His word play?)
In the course of a full, eventful day, He never said anything else to the Apostles that was momentous? Those few words were the sum total of what He had to say on that occasion?
Really?
When we think of a secular historical figure, we sort of tend to imagine him interacting fairly normally with those around him. But when it comes to Jesus, it seems that His jaws were locked down tight, except as indicated by those red letters.
Go figure.
Of course, He then went on to say, “...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.”
“As St. Peter, by divine revelation, here made a solemn profession of his faith of the divinity of Christ; so in recompense of this faith and profession, our Lord here declares to him the dignity to which he is pleased to raise him: viz., that he to whom he had already given the name of Peter, signifying a rock, St. John 1. 42, should be a rock indeed, of invincible strength, for the support of the building of the church; in which building he should be, next to Christ himself, the chief foundation stone, in quality of chief pastor, ruler, and governor; and should have accordingly all fullness of ecclesiastical power, signified by the keys of the kingdom of heaven. So that, by the plain course of the words, Peter is here declared to be the rock upon which the church was to be built: Christ himself being both the principal foundation and founder of the same. Where also note, that Christ, by building his house, that is, his church, upon a rock, has thereby secured it against all storms and floods, like the wise builder, St. Matt. 7. 24, 25. The gates of hell, etc... That is, the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself, or his agents. For as the church is here likened to a house, or fortress, built on a rock; so the adverse powers are likened to a contrary house or fortress, the gates of which, that is, the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make, will never be able to prevail over the city or church of Christ. By this promise we are fully assured that neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever shall at any time prevail over the church of Christ.”
(The above explanations were written by someone else, but I’m not sure who.)
If Lucifer himself shall not prevail, what chance do you figure a handful of protestants armed with nothing but false accusations have?
Why don’t you guys just settle down and start acting right?
My last note should have been addressed to evangmlw, rather than to you.
Sorry.
Yes, because I am NOT the one who said, “I’ve read the Bible more times than I can count. I have yet to find a so-called rosary anywhere.”
I am familiar with the Biblical basis for the Rosary, and the Mysteries being based on Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection. What I don’t understand is why protestants don’t get it.
I'm not so sure. We've been told by the presbyterians and other protestants several times that they love Catholics, and only a deep concern that we will probably rot in hell for all eternity leads them to "correct" our "erroneous" views.
You know, the idol worship, the repetitious prayers, calling priests "Father" and totally getting the Eucharist wrong. Stuff like that.
You forgot to mention about those who define Catholicism as “loony”, “nutty” and “creepy”.
“Loving the individual Catholic” by damning his core beliefs, all the while repeatedly misrepresenting those core beliefs.
And the safety net of anonimity is the advantage of this whole process.
In that way, Jesus is like Jack Bauer.
He never went to the bathroom. XD
I did forget! If they really get going on the name-calling, though, I start laughing. Honestly! Don’t these people have a life?
They seem to be trying to outdo the democrat/socialists in criticizing the Church.
And, for all their insistence on the Holy Scripture, they seem remarkably ignorant of the GOSPELS. Now that I have made an issue of it, I expect to see a lot more gospel posts.
Then by your definition your kids are necromancers?
“”For Roman Catholic apologists to say every drop of blood the Christ child shed...... blood the infant Jesus lost when He was circumcised, all go towards saving sinners is idolatry.””
Dr E ,Don’t you realize that EVERYTHING in the life of Christ is about Salvation?
You miss out on so much richness and typology of Christian faith to reflect upon.
I suggest you read the following article...
http://www.circumstitions.com/leo.html
Excerpts..
A third constant in Patristic writings is the Circumcision of Christ conceived as continuous with his work of redemption. Since the debt incurred by the sin of Adam cannot be met by Adam’s insolvent progeny and since Christ’s blood pays the ransom his Circumcision becomes, as it were, a first installment, a down payment on behalf of mankind.
And one final point. Patristic literature associates the timing of the Circumcision on the eighth day with Resurrection. Here the argument rests on the kind of mystical numerology we no longer take seriously, but it did formerly engage some great minds. The reasoning runs somewhat as follows. Seven is the number of completion and fullness, for the world was created in seven days, and is due to pass through seven ages. But if seven is perfect, then seven-plus-one is pluperfect. Eight, therefore, stands for renewal, regeneration — whence the architectural tradition of eight-sided baptistries. And Christ rose from the dead on the day superseding the Sabbath, on the eighth day just as the world’s seven ages will be followed in the eighth age by the General Resurrection. These notions attach themselves almost from the beginning to all theological meditation on Christ’s Circumcision. From St. Justin Martyr in the 2nd century to St. Thomas Aquinas, it is the sense of the mystery that the Circumcision on the eighth day prefigures Christ’s Resurrection, and thereby, implicitly, the resurrection of all
“I’ve read the Bible more times than I can count. I have yet to find a so-called rosary anywhere. Another example of folks adding to the Scripture; please Lord, come and put a stop to this spiritual ignoroance.”
Keep reading!
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