Saint Jude Novena Starts October 19, 2011

Beginning Wednesday, October 19, 2011, Faith of the Fathers blogs will be joining "Pray More Novena's" and 5,000 Catholics from around the world in praying a Saint Jude Novena.

For those of you who may not know, Saint Jude is my Patron Saint, and I am extremely happy to be participating in this novena (nine days of prayer) to such a wonderful Apostle, martyr, and powerful intercessor.

Saint Jude (also known as Jude of James and Judas Thaddeus) was a blood relative of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and one of the Twelve Apostles. He was the brother of Saint James the Lesser, and a nephew of Mary and Joseph.

Saint Jude is the patron of lost or impossible causes, desperate situations, forgotten causes, hospitals, hospital workers, and the diocese of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

His patronage of lost or impossible causes derives from the confusion by many early Christians between the names of Jude and the traitor Judas Iscariot. Failing to grasp the difference between the names they never prayed for Saint Jude's help, so devotion to him became something of a lost cause.

So, we invite you to join us, as well as thousands of others in praying the Saint Jude Novena beginning October 19. I will be posting daily reminders here to join the novena in concert with "Pray More Novena's".

POPE CALLS FOR RESPECT FOR MINORITIES IN EGYPT

VATICAN CITY, 12 OCT 2011 (VIS) - "I am profoundly saddened by the episodes of violence that took place in Cairo last Sunday", said the Pope today following his customary language greetings at the end of his Wednesday general audience.

  "I share the suffering of the families of the victims and of all the Egyptian people, lacerated by attempts to undermine peaceful coexistence among their communities, a coexistence which it is vital to safeguard, especially in this moment of transition", the Holy Father went on. "I exhort the faithful to pray that that society might enjoy true peace, based on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of all citizens.

  "I support the efforts made by the civil and religious authorities in Egypt to foster a society in which everyone's human rights are respected, in particular those of minorities, for the benefit of national unity".

  During his greetings to pilgrim groups participating in the audience, the Holy Father also recalled the fact that the month of October is dedicated to the Rosary, inviting the faithful "to discover the beauty of this simple but effective prayer".

AC/                                                                                                   VIS 20111012 (200)

You can find more information at: www.visnews.org

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V.I.S. -Vatican Information Service.

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Defiance: Catholic World Report

The Catholic governor of Maryland joins the gay-marriage juggernaut.

The following is an excerpt from an editorial on "Catholic World Report":

• One would think this state of affairs might shock bishops into a reassertion of their authority under canon law. But for the most part it doesn’t. Cardinal Raymond Burke’s position remains a lonely one. The head of the Vatican’s Supreme Court has said repeatedly that bishops have not only the right but the duty to withhold Communion from defiant Catholic public figures for the good of souls, the prevention of scandal, and the protection of the sacraments. To the familiar argument from bishops that withholding Communion is contrary to proper pastoral practice, Cardinal Burke says, “What would be profoundly more sorrowful would be the failure of a bishop to call a soul to conversion, the failure to protect the flock from scandal, and the failure to safeguard the worthy reception of Communion.” 

Click the link below to read the entire editorial article, which we wholeheartedly agree with:

Defiance: Catholic World Report