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Start Your {Christmas} Novena

by Filed Under: 11 November, 11 November Saints, Advent, Christmas, Novena, St. Andrew 1 Comment

This is a repost from last year to serve as a reminder.
Starts on November 30 (St. Andrew’s Feast Day) ~ Ends on December 24 (Christmas Eve)
I created a printable novena card. You may print and share, freely.
An updated printable novena card can be found here.  
Christmas Novena Front and BackChristmas Novena Front and Back v2
The following beautiful prayer is traditionally recited fifteen times a day until Christmas.
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St. Andrew Christmas Novena

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.
(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)
Imprimatur
+MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York
New York, February 6, 1897
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May this meditative prayer help us increase our awareness of the real focus of Christmas and helps us prepare ourselves spiritually for His coming.
***UPDATE***

Christmas Novena Chaplet

Joy & Peace

by Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, GFG, Picture Recap 2 Comments

I’m praying to remain steadfast in His Joy & Peace during this Holy Season.  May He rebuke all anxiety and help me count my blessings.

this video is a collection of outtakes from our recent family photo session.  the photos were taken by a talented, beautiful, Catholic young lady.

O Antiphons

by Filed Under: 12 December, Advent, Christmas, O Antiphons Leave a Comment

The O Antiphons are short prayers sung before and after the Magnificat(Luke 1:46-55).

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17 Dec. O Sapientia – Wisdom

O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodidisti, attingens a fine usque ad finem, fortiter suaviter disponensque omnia: veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

O Wisdom, who came from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come, and teach us the way of prudence.

18 Dec. O Adonai – Lord

O Adonai, et Dux domus Israel, qui Moysi in igne flammae rubi apparuisti, et ei in Sina legem dedisti: veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extento..

O Lord and Ruler the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come, and redeem us with outstretched arms.

19 Dec. O Radix Jesse – Root

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur: veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardare.

O Root of Jesse, that stands for an ensign of the people, before whom the kings keep silence and unto whom the Gentiles shall make supplication: come, to deliver us, and tarry not.

20 Dec. O Clavis David – Key

O clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel: qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit: veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris.

O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: come, and lead forth the captive who sits in the shadows from his prison.

21 Dec. O Oriens – Dawn

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol iustitiae: veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris et umbra mortis.

O dawn of the east, brightness of light eternal, and sun of justice: come, and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

22 Dec. O Rex Gentium – King

O Rex gentium, et desideratus earum, lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum: veni, et salva hominem, quem de limo formasti.

O King of the gentiles and their desired One, the cornerstone that makes both one: come, and deliver man, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

23 Dec. O Emmanuel – Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos Domine Deus noster.

O Emmanuel, God with us, our King and lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior: come to save us, O Lord our God.

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Ero Cras

Take the first letters of each of the titles, starting with the last and working back to the first. You spell: EROCRAS or “ero cras… I will be (there) tomorrow”.

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Titles and Prayer Requests
Meditation Notes on the “O Antiphons” – Father Roger J. Landry
  • O Sapientia — Teach us the way of prudence
  • O Adonai et Dux — Come to redeem us with arm outstretched
  • O radix Iesse — Come to free us without delay
  • O clavis David — Free us from prison of darkness & shadow of death
  • O oriens — Illumine those sitting in darkness & the shadow of death
  • O Rex gentium — Save man whom you formed from the dust
  • O Emmanuel — Come to save us

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Resources:

O Antiphons Playlist

Holy Family of Nazareth

by Filed Under: 12 December, Advent, Holy Family, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Prayer 2 Comments

Journey to Bethlehem

The Journey to Bethlehem is a fairly new tradition for us, we started about three years ago.  The journey helps to put all of our senses on the coming of the Messiah.  There are feelings of apprehension, anxiety, anticipation, fear, inspiration, faith, sense of family, love, thankfulness, amazement,  and JOY.

We all walk away feeling a little closer to the Holy Family and Christ, knowing that we’ve experienced a small part of what they may have experienced.  We pray that we grow closer to the Holy Family throughout the entire Holy Season and year – where love, peace and joy reign. 

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Journey To Bethlehem  is an interactive walking tour from the town of Nazareth to Bethlehem.  The journey recreates the events that happened on the evening of Christ’s birth.  The journey begins as you become a part of a family (about 30 people) making a trip to Bethlehem to pay their taxes and be counted under the law of the land.

The trip, which takes about 45 minutes, and is one mile in length, will provide you with a glimpse of the events of the times.  Your journey will start as you look at a map & speak with the mapmaker who will direct you on your journey.  Along the way you will meet with other families who are journeying to their birthplace.  You will talk with the shepherds who have a magnificent story to tell about a baby that has been born in Bethlehem, and meet the three wise men who also are seeking this child.

Your journey will be full of encounters with Roman Soldiers, both on horseback and in patrol teams.  They will order you, "Jews" to comply with Roman Law.


The mysterious appearance of an angel who announces the birth of Christ, and a visit to the Bethlehem marketplace will quicken your spirit and fill your senses.  The culmination of the trip finds you visiting the inn where there is no room for your family to sleep, and finally the stable where you will discover the Christ child, Mary and Joseph.

collage journey to bethlehemjourney to bethlehem 2011

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Mother Teresa’s Prayer for Families

Heavenly Father, you have given us the model of life in the Holy Family of Nazareth.  Help us, O Loving Father,to make our family another Nazareth where love, peace and joy reign.

Nativity-Bicci-di-Lorenzo-detail1-300x225
May it be deeply contemplative, intensely Eucharistic, revived with joy.  Help us to stay together in joy and sorrow in family prayer.

Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our families, especially in their distressing disguise. 

May the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus make our hearts humble like his and help us to carry out our family duties in a holy way.

May we love one another as God loves each one of us, more and more each day, and forgive each other’s faults as you forgive our sins.

Help us, O Loving Father, to take whatever you give and give whatever you take with a big smile.

Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us. 
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, be always with us, guide and protect us.
Amen.

 

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{pretty, happy, funny, real}

~ Capturing the context of contentment in everyday life ~ Every Thursday, here at Like Mother, Like Daughter!

Prayer Intention for Ember Days

by Filed Under: Advent, Advent Ember Day, Ember Days, Priest Leave a Comment

Ember Days are days favored for priestly ordinations, prayer for priests, first Communions, almsgiving and other penitential and charitable acts, and prayer for the souls in Purgatory. ~Fish Eaters

Since the late 5th century, the Ember Days were also the preferred dates for ordination of priests. So during these times the Church had a threefold focus: (1) sanctifying each new season by turning to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving; (2) giving thanks to God for the various harvests of each season; and (3) praEmber Daysying for the newly ordained and for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life. ~Catholic Culture

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Ember Days

Alas, the holy seasons of the Ember Days, which recur four times a year at the beginning of spring, summer, fall and winter, are no longer observed as they were in the old Church, namely as days of ordination of our priests when the Church wants her faithful to remember her priests by prayer and sacrifice. Nowadays, we have “Priest’s Saturday,” which takes, somewhat, the place of those very holy seasons. Ember Saturday, which was the day of the final ordinations, is the day when we might explain the sacrament of Holy Orders to the children. On the evenings of these Saturdays, after preparation for the Mass, we could tell them about the holiness of priesthood and sisterhood, about our Holy Father, the Pope, about the cardinals and bishops, and particularly about our own bishop — our true representative of Christ. We could remind them to remember the Pope, the bishop, and all the priests in their daily prayers. If it is at all possible, we might have them participate in the yearly ordination ceremonies, a great liturgical experience.

Activity Source: Around the Year with the Trapp Family by Maria Augusta Trapp, Pantheon Books Inc., New York, New York, 1955

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Resources:

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