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[…]

The Church is not the only place for the practice of religion. The home is also a sacred place in which God must be especially honored and where the faith of Christians must be planted and fostered. “Your home is your Church.” (St. Augustine). If religion is not taught and practiced at home, the church and school will scarcely be able to preserve it. Let your home be Catholic by the presence of the crucifix and of other sacred images. Do not be content to have such articles only in the bedroom; but let the whole house show the character[…]

“AND THERE WAS a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels; and they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven, and that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world; and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” — Apocalypse 12:7-9 Lucifer has placed his stamp upon the present age. Open and secret revolt against God and His Church, the spirit of criticism, unbelief and[…]

The 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia explains: “The purpose of their introduction, besides the general one intended by all prayer and fasting, was to thank God for the gifts of nature, to teach men to make use of them in moderation, and to assist the needy. The immediate occasion was the practice of the heathens of Rome. The Romans were originally given to agriculture, and their native gods belonged to the same class. At the beginning of the time for seeding and harvesting religious ceremonies were performed to implore the help of their deities: in June for a bountiful harvest, in September[…]

“The More You Honor Me, The More I Will Bless You” It is veneration of the Son of God, who in the form of an infant chose a stable for a palace, a manger for a cradle, and shepherds for worshipers. Our Savior grants special graces to all who venerate His sacred Infancy. The image of the Child Jesus known as the “Infant Jesus of Prague” was in reality of Spanish origin. In the 17th century, this beautiful statue was brought by a Spanish princess to Bohemia and presented to a Carmelite monastery. For many years this statue has been[…]

Invocations to Our Lady of Lourdes O EVER Immaculate Virgin, Mother of mercy, health of the sick, refuge of sinners, comfort of the afflicted, you know my wants, my troubles, my sufferings; deign to cast upon me a look of mercy. By appearing in the Grotto of Lourdes, thou wert pleased to make it a privileged sanctuary, whence thou dispenses thy favors, and already many sufferers have obtained the cure of their infirmities, both spiritual and corporal. I come, therefore, with unbounded confidence, to implore thy maternal intercession. Obtain, O loving Mother, the grant of my requests. I will endeavor[…]