“Behold the dear Infant Jesus, and adore Him fervently. Contemplate His poverty, and humility, in imitation of His most holy Mother and of Saint Joseph. Repose near Him as sweetly as you can, He will not fail to love your heart, void as you find it of tenderness and feeling. Nothing will be wanting to you, since you will be in the presence of that holy Infant. Abide there, and learn of Him how meek and humble He is, how simple and amiable. See how lovingly He has written your name in the depth of His Divine Heart, which beats on that couch of straw from[…]

This Christmas Novena is translated from the Italian of Alphonsus Maria de Liguori and was first published in 1758. Although this novena is intended primarily as a preparation for the feast of our Lord’s Nativity, it can be used with spiritual profit at any time of the year as a devotion in honor of the Infant Jesus. Day One God’s Love Revealed In His Becoming Man Meditation:Because our first parent Adam had rebelled against God, he was driven out of paradise and brought on himself and all his descendants the punishment of eternal death. But the son of God, seeing[…]

In 1531, a “Lady from Heaven” appeared to a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City. She identified Herself as the Mother of the True God, instructed him to have the bishop build a temple on the site, and left an image of Herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma, a poor quality cactus-cloth, which should have deteriorated in 20 years, but which shows no sign of decay 471 years later, and today still defies all scientific explanations of its origin. It apparently even reflects in Her eyes what was in front of Her in 1531! The Lady[…]

St. Bonaventure’s THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, is among the very finest and most beloved of these ancient Marian Devotions. When prayed daily with an open heart, these Psalms have tremendous power to illumine the spirit of every Christian. In his Holy Rule, Saint Benedict arranged the Old Testament Psalms for his monks so that all 150 could be recited in one week. Benedict’s tradition was to assign specific psalms to specific hours of the day or night. This became the Divine Office, or “Breviary,” that priests and religious around the world have prayed daily for centuries. Around[…]

Novena in Honour of the Immaculate Conception O most Holy Virgin, who didst find favour in God’s sight and hast become His Mother; O Virgin, immaculate in body and soul, in thy faith and in thy love, look down with pity on the wretched who in our need seek thy powerful protection. The evil serpent on whom was cast the primal curse continues, alas, to attack and ensnare the poor children of Eve. But thou, our Blessed Mother, our Queen and our Advocate, thou who from the first instant of thy conception didst crush the head of this cruel enemy,[…]

In order to stem the tide of secularism and materialism which certain opportunists inject into every Christmas season it is not necessary to go to the other extreme and assume Puritanical austerity. Christmas ought to be merry. We ought to be happy and light hearted. It is a feast day of great importance. Man has every reason for celebrating this day of days with all the gladness his heart can hold. Only the worldly and the cynical say, ‘‘I’ll be glad when it is over,” or believe that Christmas is no longer anything more than a time of costly and[…]

This prayer was originally prescribed by Pope Pius XI to be recited on the feast of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Afflicted by the outrages of indifference, ingratitude, and contempt that the Sacred Heart of Jesus receives from this world, say this prayer, in the spirit of reparation, on the First Friday of each month. Indulgence of 300 days. Plenary indulgence one time per month for the customary recitation (with confession, communion, and visit to a church). For public recitation on the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Indulgence of seven years and 280 days, and a plenary indulgence for[…]