Some Things I Believe

Let me be clear:

1. I believe in the sanctity of life, from conception unto natural death.

2. I don't support abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide, or euthanasia.

3. I believe that marriage is only between one man and one woman.

4. I believe that there are only two genders, male and female, as it has always been, and always will be.

5. I believe that God is the author of all life, and that He alone is in charge of all things, both seen and unseen.

If you choose to believe otherwise in all of the above named, that is solely between you and God.

Alleluia! For He is Risen!

Alleluia!

For He is Risen!

By His Life, Death, and Resurrection,

All who believe and trust in Him are saved.

Man has been lifted from corruption

And shares in His Incorruptible Glory!

Man who lived in darkness

Now has the Eternal Light of His

Blessed and Glorious Kingdom forever!

For He is Christ the Lord!

Alleluia!

Personal Prayer Request

I would appreciate your prayers for a personal situation I am going through at this time. God knows the need, so I will place it in His hands.

Thank you, and may God Bless you all!!

Yours In Christ,

Steve Smith

Saint Peregrine Laziosi Novena

St. Peregrine is the Patron Saint of Cancer Patients. 

St. Peregrine was known for his holiness but also for a miraculous healing that he received.

He was scheduled to have his leg amputated because of a cancerous growth. The night before the surgery, he prayed for healing, received a vision of Christ coming down from the cross to touch his leg and was completely healed.

St. Peregrine Novena Prayers

Dear holy servant of God, St. Peregrine, we pray today for healing.

Intercede for us! God healed you of cancer and others were healed by your prayers. Please pray for the physical healing of…

(Mention your intentions)

These intentions bring us to our knees seeking your intercession for healing.

We are humbled by our physical limitations and ailments. We are so weak and so powerless. We are completely dependent upon God. And so, we ask that you pray for us…

Day 1 – Pray for us, that we will not let sickness bring us to despair

Day 2 – Pray for us, that we may persevere in hope

Day 3 – Pray for us, that we will have the courage to offer up our suffering in unity with the Cross

Day 4 – Pray for us, that the loneliness of our suffering will be consoled

Day 5 – Pray for us, that the fear of death will be replaced with the hope of everlasting life

Day 6 – Pray for us, that our suffering will not rob us of joy

Day 7 – Pray for us, that in our pain we will not become selfish but ever more selfless

Day 8 – Pray for us, that this sickness will teach me to depend more and more on God

Day 9 – Pray for us, that our lives will glorify God alone

We know, St. Peregrine, that you are a powerful intercessor because your life was completely given to God. We know that in as much as you pray for our healing, you are praying even more for our salvation.

A life of holiness like yours is more important that a life free of suffering and disease. Pray for our healing, but pray even more that we might come as close to Our Lord as you are.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen

See the original post at “Pray More Novenas”.

Need Gifts For New Converts?

Do you have a friend or relative, or perhaps you're the sponsor of someone  who will be entering the Church at Easter this year?

If so, you might be interested in learning that Mystic Monk Coffee not only sells coffee, but also has an assortment of religious gifts.

Mystic Monk Coffee has several rosaries, as well as saint medals, Crucifixes, and more to choose from. They have some good prices on their items as well. All purchases help support the monastery of The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming.

http://www.msysticmonkcoffee .com/store/?aid=1339

Thank You

I want to take a moment to thank all of you who have used my links and graphics to purchase coffee and tea from Mystic Monk Coffee, and those who have purchased items from Faith of the Fathers Catholic Gifts.

Your purchases have earned me enough in commissions to allow me to purchase minutes for my cell phone for one month. The cell phone is a necessity for my job, and for home use as well.

I would be remiss in not thanking another group as well. Thank you to all of you kind and extremely generous people who have made donations to me through PayPal. I also thank those of you who have made donations through YouCaring for my cataract surgery. I can never fully express how much I truly do appreciate you all. Rest assured that all are in my prayers.

Thank you again.

May God Bless you all and Our Lady keep you in her care.

Buy Mystic Monk Coffee. The Best Coffee You Can Get Online. Real Coffee. Roasted By Real Monks.

Ten Years!

On August 1, 2005 Faith of the Fathers blogs were started.

There were four of us posting then, and alas, the only one left is yours truly.

It has been an enjoyable ride for the most part, but not always a smooth one.

There were a couple of occasions when finances forced me to disconnect from the internet, and after I returned from the last such event, everyone else had left. One due to her health, one due to some life changes, and I believe the other just lost interest.

Now I am having to deal with unreliable internet service, and I am doing extremely well if I am able to make one or two posts a week, when I had been making 3 or more per day!

Ah technology. It’s enough to make a man want to apply a hammer firmly to his computer.

Anyway, we have managed to hang around for 10 years! 10 years!

As an old friend used to say, “who would’ve thunk it?”

Anyway, thank you to all of the readers, subscribers, followers, and casual passersby of Faith of the Fathers blogs.

Many of you (you know who you are, and so do I), have given me lots of inspiration, guidance, and support...both spiritually and materially...when I have found myself in need.

Thank you one and all!

God Bless you all, and may Our Lady keep you in her care!

God Never Changes

Standing With The Klien Family

As many of you are well aware, I am in need of cataract surgery. I had started a campaign to raise funds for my much needed surgery by using the crowd funding site, GoFundMe.

I had seen and heard good things about GoFundMe, but a recent decision of theirs has prompted me to remove my campaign from their site entirely.

My reason for deleting my campain is best summed up in the description given on a petition (which I have signed) at CitizenGo.org:

GoFundMe just removed a campaign... simply because it supported a couple exercising their Christian faith.

Sweet Cakes by Melissa owners Aaron and Melissa Klien refused to bake a cake for a lesbian same-sex ceremony after discovering that the wedding would have two brides. This same-sex ceremony went against their firmly held religious beliefs, and they believed that their God-given, Constitutionally-protected right to religious freedom should allow them to decline to bake a cake for the ceremony.

The state of Oregon disagreed with this right. The lesbian couple sued the Kliens, and they will likely have to pay at least $135,000 in "emotional damages" to the couple.

As if this compromise of religious freedom was not enough, GoFundMe took down a fundraiser to support the Klien family. The fundraiser was posted by a friend of the family late last week, and it had already raised $66,000 by Friday afternoon. But on Friday evening, the campaign was taken down by GoFundMe.

GoFundMe released a statement claiming that the fundraiser violated their “Terms and Conditions.” In the terms and conditions, GoFundMe explains that “Campaigns in defense of formal charges of heinous crimes, including violent, hateful, or sexual acts,” will not be allowed on their site. In deciding to remove this campaign, they're accusing the Kliens of committing a crime that was both “heinous” and “hateful.”....

You may read the rest here. While you are there, sign the petition!

I can not in good conscience continue to have my needs take precedence over GoFundMe's apparent decision on caving in to the pressure of the "unnatural marriage" crowd and their willing co-horts.

I fully support the Klien family and their willingness to stand by their religious convictions. In removing my campaign, I also stand by mine.

This is NOT A Test

This year, I got fired from my job just before Ash Wednesday... found a new job.. got robbed at the new job.. and had some other issues. I am blessed. I am in the process of having my faith tempered by God.

Notice that I said “tempered”, and not “tested” (something I wrote about a few years ago here).

A teacher must test in order to discover what their students do or don’t know and believe. God doesn’t need to test us because He already knows what we know and believe.

Just as a blacksmith heats iron in a forge to shape it and make it stronger, God allows us to pass through a forge of trials in order to shape us and make our faith stronger. He tempers us.

So when you go through trials and difficulties, don’t despair and become fearful. Rejoice. Because God is working on you, to temper you and shape you into who He wants you to be.

Due to my unplanned job change, I am still struggling to get by. Your help and assistance will be greatly appreciated! Donate securely with PayPal. Thank you, and God bless you!

A Scary Event It Is When One Gets Robbed

I have held off for a few days writing about this incident that took place at work Friday night. Mostly because I needed to just get it a bit behind me first.

The store where I work at was robbed. More specifically, I was the lone clerk working at the store when it was robbed. The store is a convenience store that is part of a locally owned chain.

The day had been going pretty good, too. Business had been fairly brisk, which is typical for a Friday evening. I had commented to a lady, one of the last customers I served, how I was surprised that it was almost 8:00 P.M. She left, and I decided since it was quiet, that time would be a chance to have a quick smoke.

I had been outside for a couple of minutes, when I saw someone slowly approaching the store on foot. It was a young man as it turned out. He was wearing a jacket with a hood, and he was looking down at the ground as he approached.

When he got up to where I was standing by the door, he told me “get back inside”. It was then that he was in the light and I could see that his face was covered with a black mask. The mask had holes torn into it for his eyes.

He then reached under his shirt and pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and then told me to lock the door behind me and that he wanted everything in the register. He said, “do what I tell you to do and you won’t get hurt”.

So I went in, he followed, and I locked the door behind me. The thing is, the door there is a double door, and to be truly locked, you have to flip the top lever on the one door up, and then flip the bottom lever down. I didn’t flip the levers, just turned the bolt on the "main" door into the locked position. As I was going behind the counter, he flipped the “Open” sign around to “Closed”, and then came behind the counter.

He squatted in the floor behind the counter so he couldn't be seen from outside, and handed me a black plastic bag to put the money into. I was putting the money into the bag, when a customer who had pulled up to the gas pumps came to the store’s door. The customer attempted to open the door. Because I had not flipped the levers as I mentioned above, the doors both partially “opened”.

The customer gave me a confused look, because he knew we don’t close at 8 o’clock. I mouthed the words “help” and “robbery”, but the customer didn't understand, even though I was obviously stuffing money into a black plastic shopping bag.

The robber was just as unaware of the customer at the door, as the customer was of him. The robber said to me. “I know for a fact that you have the combination to the top safe and I want it opened”. I replied, "no, I don’t have the combination to it. Only a manager does, and I have no access".

The robber then stood up, and took the plastic bag with the money. He and the customer apparently noticed each other at the same time. The customer ran to his vehicle and the robber ran to the door, unlocked it, and fled on foot in the same direction from which he had come.

Fortunately, I never got hurt.

The funny thing was, I didn’t really get scared, nervous, or shook up until after he ran out the door. I got a pretty dog gone good case of the nerves then.

Why did I not get scared or nervous during the robbery? All that I can attribute it to is God. He had to have been the reason for my staying calm and cool during the robbery, because He knows I am certainly not known for having “nerves of steel”.

Nope. Not by a long shot.

I guess it was really like I told my brother after I had my heart attack almost 9 years ago. He had said, "Steve, I’ve really got to hand it to you. You have taken what happened with having a heart attack really well. I would have been torn all to pieces".

I told him that "we can either learn to accept what happens to us in life and move on, or we can let it control us and our lives. I chose to accept it as a part of life and move on. God is in control of everything and we just have to learn to trust that".

Being frail, weak humans though, it is sometimes hard not to have worries...or dread...or fear. I should know. I am human after all.

In the end, I am OK. Nothing was taken from me, and I was right back at work the next night, although not alone this time.

I also got inspiration from the whole thing. I now have a new reason to stop smoking!

Embarrassed Again

As many of you already know, I was fired from my previous job back in January, as I told you in a previous post here.

At the time, I did not want to go into the details of the reason I was given for being fired, so I will now. My former employer had told me, and the young lady that I worked with, that he was going to have to cut hours. She had found out a few weeks earlier that she and her husband were expecting their first child. She had to miss some work due to some related problems, and then she was laid off. Meanwhile, my hours were cut from 40 per week, to 26 per week. No one else had any hours cut.

Then, my former employer hired four new employees. One was full time, and the other 3 were part time. So in talking to another employee, I had complained about my hours being cut, while no one else was cut, and the fact that new employees were hired. I suppose that my having been with this company the longest did not count.

Any way, my employer was told that I had complained about my hours being cut and his hiring more people, so he said he was firing me because I had complained.

So, I finally found a new job 2 weeks ago. I started out at less pay per hour, but at least I am working and getting 40 hours per week.

The thing is, being unemployed for 3 weeks with no money coming in, combined with already being in a financial bind because of my reduced work hours, has really put me behind on my necessities, like the rent, power bill, and such.

It was also time to renew the license plate for my car, and have it inspected. I have not been able to have that done, because the check engine light was on, and they can not inspect a car until the reason for it being on is repaired. I had the repairs done by a mechanic friend, and I now owe him $270.00 for the parts alone.

I have been getting by on food by eating ramen noodles, beans and rice, and pasta. Sometimes I get tuna and maybe chicken when it’s on sale.

I owe a months rent, and a power bill (I have been using a portable kerosene heater to heat with to reduce the power bill), and still can’t get the car inspection and license renewal done because I only have $3.50 left in the bank. In other words, I am already in the red over $800.00 before I even get started.

So, once again, I am asking my blog readers and friends to please make a donation to me through PayPal. I hate to ask you to do this, but I have nowhere else to turn.

If you can’t make a donation, your prayers are surely needed and deeply appreciated!

Thank you for reading and following Faith of the Fathers blogs!

Your brother in Christ,

Steve Smith

Prayer Request To Find A New Job

It seems that I am in extreme need of your prayers once again.

Yesterday, I was fired from my job. I don't want to go into all the details as to why here.

Let me assure you all, that I did not do anything unethical or illegal.

I was essentially fired because I had complained in front of a couple of customers and another employee that my work hours had been cut. The owner had said he had to cut hours because business had slowed down. Then he hired three new employees after telling me that, and no one else had their hours cut. The three new employees made a total of 9 employees at a convenience store/gas station that has one cash register, 7 fuel pumps, and that is open from 5:30 AM until 10:00 PM weekdays, with shorter hours on the weekends

So I was told I was being “let go” for the talking and that I had not been “happy” there for awhile.

I suppose I should have just kept quiet and took it in stride, but alas....I am human. I tend to gripe when I feel I am not being treated fairly.

Whenever the owner went out of town, it was me who was told to do the bank deposits every day. It was me who was told to go to Sam's Club (over 20 miles away with no fuel compensation) to pick up ordered merchandise 2 or 3 times per week during the owner's week long vacations.

So much for loyalty. So much for staying even after someone ignited a pipe bomb underneath the propane tank in the early morning hours of a November Saturday.

So I guess it is good that I am gone after all. God never closes a door without leaving us an open window.

I had been there for just over 2 years, so now I need a new job. Prayers, once again are greatly needed and appreciated!

Thank you and God bless,

Steve Smith

Continued Prayers Please

I am asking for your prayers for my worsening eyesight. I have cataracts, and my eyesight worsens daily it seems. I can definitely tell the difference between now and this same time last year.

I can especially tell the difference when it comes to posting for my blogs. If it continues, I may have to give up blogging altogether in a few more months.

So if you see a spelling or punctuation error in my blog posts, Facebook posts, or tweets on twitter, I apologize. Sometimes I just don't see them until well after the posts and someone points them out.

I have no health or vision insurance from work, as my employer does not offer either.

Your continued support through prayer is greatly appreciated.

I would also like to thank all of you who have made contributions for my situation through PayPal and GoFundMe, or have made purchases of Mystic Monk Coffee and my Zazzle products from Faith of the Fathers Catholic Gifts. All have been of a great help in my present situation, and I appreciate it very much!

May God Bless you and Our Lady keep you in her care!

Hard Times Again

As some may know, my hours have been cut at work yet again. Earlier this year than in previous years. Only getting 26-32 hours a week, and I make less than $10.00 an hour.

I heat with an old electric furnace which not only is on it's last legs, but when I just now got home, is no longer working. It runs but no warm air, so apparently the blower is gone.

I have a high power bill once again, and since the rules for getting heating assistance and power bill assistance have changed, I no longer qualify for any help.

So once again, I would be extremely grateful for any assistance my readers might be able to provide.

I am going to be $183.00 short on the power bill (which must be paid by December 22, 2014), and it's going to take another $125.00 to buy a kerosene heater to get me by until such a time as I can get the furnace repaired.

I hate doing this, but I have nowhere else to turn, but to God and my blog's readers.

So thank you for your prayers and any other assistance you can provide.

God bless you all, and Our Lady keep you in her care.

LisaGraas.com | Synod 2014: Can Sin Be Holy?

The following excerpts are from my good friend and fellow Catholic blogger, Lisa Graas at LisaGraas.com:

At Renew America, Father James Farfaglia says that he now thinks it is a “plausible possibility” that Pope Benedict XVI was forced out by the gay lobby. I have long accepted it as a plausible possibility, but we just don’t know that for sure. Father also says “We are back to the days of the Arian heresy.” After all, we have bishops at the Vatican claiming that sin, even grave sin, can be a means of holiness.

Yesterday, I was heartened by Cardinal Napier’s remarks at the Vatican press conference. Today, I am disheartened by Archbishop Kurtz’s remarks at today’s press conference. Michael Voris refers to them as “non-answers.”

Cardinal Kasper leads the news at Catholic Herald, as I write, with his claim that a “growing majority” of Synod fathers support Communion for those divorced and remarried. My heart breaks at the suggestion. How can one blog a broken heart? How can one blog tears? One cannot. You must trust that I have both.

Sin is not a means of holiness. It is a separation from God.

Some people are arguing that no one should be denied at least the opportunity for Communion, as if some people are being denied the opportunity. The problem is that some people believe that sex is more important than salvation. Some people are not willing to abstain from sex in order to be saved by our Lord. As a celibate, divorced Catholic, I think they’re crazy to choose sex over Jesus. What is crazier, however, is that there are bishops who are siding with them.

I can only wonder if those bishops are not celibate. Why else but a failure in their own celibacy would they fail to understand that celibacy is not only possible but is spiritually transformative? If you have tasted and seen the goodness of the Lord, why would you deter people from presenting themselves in their wedding garment at His banquet?

Read more by clicking below:

LisaGraas.com | Synod 2014: Can Sin Be Holy?

Eternal

Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle

Saint Thomas by James Tissot

July 3

THOMAS, also called Didymus, or the twin, was a fisherman of Galilee. After having been received among the apostles he accompanied Jesus in all His journeys, and uniformly showed docility, zeal, and love towards Him, particularly on the occasion of His going to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead. For when the apostles were afraid to go thither, because the Jews desired to kill Jesus, Thomas, full of courage, said, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:16). His faith, indeed, wavered for a moment in regard to the resurrection of Christ; but no sooner had Christ satisfied him thereof by showing His wounds, than he cried out with firm faith, "My Lord and my God." Saint Gregory thereupon says,

God overruled the doubting of Thomas to our good, since that very doubt has profited us more than the ready belief of the other disciples, inasmuch as thereby Christ was induced to give so much clearer proofs of His resurrection, in order to confirm us in the belief of it.

Read more at: http://faithofthefatherssaints.blogspot.com/2013/07/feast-of-saint-thomas-apostle-from.html

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

June 29

PETER, formerly called Simon, was a son of Jonas, of Bethsaida, in Galilee, and It brother of Andrew, by whom he was brought to Christ, Who at once changed his name and called him Peter. When, soon after, Jesus said to both of them on the Sea of Tiberias, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men,” they both left their nets and followed Him. From this time forward Jesus was constantly giving him particular proofs of His love. From the ship of Peter He taught the thronging multitude, and to him He promised that on him; as upon a rock, He would build His Church, against which the gates of hell should not prevail. Our Lord took Peter with Him at the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead; at His own transfiguration on Mount Thabor; at the beginning of His passion in the Garden of Gethsemani. To him He promised the keys of the kingdom of heaven; for him He specially prayed that his faith might not fail; and him He commanded to strengthen his brethren. 

- See more at: http://faithofthefathersprayers.blogspot.com/2013/06/feast-of-saint-peter-and-saint-paul.html

Time To End Communion In The Hand

For many years now, there has been a point of contention among Catholics as to whether Holy Communion should be received on the tongue, or in the hand.

There have been many disagreements, with some insisting communion should only be received on the tongue. They feel it is both irreverent and disrespectful to Our Lord for our hands to touch His body.

Others have said that this is nonsense and that these people are just hold overs from the "old days". They say that as long as we make a "throne" with our hands to receive the Body of the Lord, we are showing proper respect.

Then the "tongue only" folks point out that it would be too easy for someone to sneak off with the host for it to be used in some profane ritual.

I have to say, that I totally and completely agree with those who say that communion should only be received on the tongue. I think that the reception of Holy Communion in the hand should not just be discouraged, but banned outright in all Catholic Dioceses.

No, I am not calling anyone heretics...Vatican II modernists...or anything else.

After seeing how upset we all became with a Harvard University Club sponsoring a Satanic Black Mass, and the planned use of a host in that sacrilegious act , it became apparent to me, that only allowing reception on the tongue is the only way that should be allowed for any Catholic to receive the Body of Our Lord.

[Granted, in the case of the Harvard University Club, there were several conflicting statements as to whether or not the Satanists were actually in possession of a consecrated host. First they said they had a consecrated host....then they had a host, but it was not consecrated...then they didn't have a host at all, but planned to use bread. I think it best to assume that they did in fact have a consecrated host, and even knowing it was consecrated, they (the Satanists) would proclaim it as not being consecrated anyway, since they deny that transubstantiation takes place, and therefore deny the Body of Christ.]

If a priest, or EMHC (Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion) places a consecrated host in the hand of any communicant, it is far too easy for that communicant to pretend to have consumed the host, and then transport it elsewhere for their own nefarious purposes. We have all read about or heard of priests stopping communicants from leaving a parish with a host that had been placed in a pocket or purse instead of being consummed.

In any case, the fact remains that it would be much more difficult for anyone to remove a host from their mouth, when that host had been placed on the tongue by the priest or EMHC. It seems to me, that the action of the communicants owns saliva upon the host, would render it unsuitable for transporting, even if that was what the recipient had in mind.

Let me say here, by my own decision, beginning with my own first communion, I have always received on the tongue and not in the hand. No one told me to receive that way. No one forced me to receive that way. It was my decision, and mine only. I felt, and still do feel, it is the only proper way to receive the Body of Our Lord.

I do hope, that after this blatant disregard for the Catholic faith by some students at Harvard University, that bishops in the United States, and around the world, will put an end to receiving Holy Communion in the hand.

© Gary Stephen Smith and Faith of the Fathers, 2014.

Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Gary Stephen Smith and Faith of the Fathers with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.