According to the Catholic news portal CCM, Mexico is the most dangerous country in Latin America for priests. “For the ninth year in a row, and even though no wars are being fought on our soil, our country is the nation with the highest number of murders of priests,” said priest and journalist Sergio Omar Sotelo Aguilar.
“Killing a priest also sets an example, symbolises a demonstration of power by the criminal organisations.”
A cardinal and 47 priests were murdered
The research department of CCM maintains an exact and up-to-date register of priests, religious and lay persons in the service of the church who lost their lives or received serious threats in 2017. Similar to journalists, they have also become the targets of organised crime because they are considered to be opinion leaders who have joined the fight against the organisations. Organised crime has become even more powerful because it has formed alliances with politicians, judges and certain circles within the police and security forces. “It causes decay in society from top to bottom!”
The situation is becoming more and more dire
In this nation of 120 million inhabitants, 80 per cent of which are Catholic, the authorities reacted to most of the murders with complete indifference. In the last five years, 19 priests and two lay persons were murdered. Two priests are still missing. This has to change, Father Sergio Omar said, “We cannot remain silent as the blood of thousands of Mexicans is shed. This is why we are directing an urgent appeal to the federal government of Mexico, to the authorities of the various states and to the city governments: we want them all to guarantee that pastoral care can safely be carried out in regions beset by uncontrolled, growing violence. We cannot remain silent!”
Via @catholicnewsagency 🙏🕊🇻🇦🇲🇽
#CatholicConnect #Mexico #PrayForMexico #PrayForPeace #PrayForJustice #Catholic #Catholicism #Journalism #PrayTheRosary
Category: praytherosary
According to the Catholic news portal CCM, Mex…
Catholic Connect
Posted in Catholic, catholicconnect, Catholicism, journalism, mexico, prayforjustice, prayformexico, prayforpeace, praytherosary
From the @arlingtonchurch: We pray the fifth d…
Catholic Connect
Posted in bishopburbidge, catholicconnect, humanrights, praytherosary, ProLife, rosary, savethebabies, whywemarch
From the @arlingtonchurch:
We pray the fifth decade of the #Rosary with #BishopBurbidge, asking Mary’s intercession for the protection of women and children who are in imminent danger from the violence of abortion.
#CatholicConnect #PrayTheRosary #Prolife #WhyWeMarch #SaveTheBabies #HumanRights
Ted Bundy was one of the worst serial killers …
Catholic Connect
Posted in Catholic, catholicconnect, Catholicism, Christian, Christianity, pray, praytherosary, rosary
Ted Bundy was one of the worst serial killers in history. On the night of January 15, 1978, at 3:00 am, Bundy murdered two girls in the Chi Omega sorority house at Florida State University – he entered a third room, but fled when he saw a girl clutching a rosary in her hands. Later the girl explained that she had promised her grandmother to pray the rosary every night when she went to bed, even if she fell asleep while praying. Years later, when Bundy was awaiting his execution, he asked for a priest. The priest, Fr. Esper, asked him what happened that night. Bundy said he intended to murder the girl, but “some mysterious power prevented him.”
Image via @catholiclink_en 🕊
#CatholicConnect #PrayTheRosary #Pray #Christian #Christianity #Catholic #Catholicism #Rosary
“He who combines the practice of the virtues w…
“He who combines the practice of the virtues with spiritual knowledge is a man of power. For with the first he withers his desire and tames his incensiveness, and with the second he gives wings to his intellect and goes out of himself to God.” -St. Maximos the Confessor
Br. Anthony Freeman, LC pray for us!
Via @br.anthonyfreeman 🕊🇻🇦
#CatholicConnect #Virtue #Vice #SelfKnowledge #Vigilance #PrayTheRosary
“In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties,…
Catholic Connect
Posted in blessedmother, Catholic, catholicconnect, Catholicism, faith, Jesus, jesuschrist, love, mary, motherhood, praytherosary, trust, vatican
“In dangers, in doubts, in difficulties, think of Mary, call upon Mary. Let not her name depart from your lips, never suffer it to leave your heart. And that you may obtain the assistance of her prayer, neglect not to walk in her footsteps. With her for guide, you shall never go astray; while invoking her, you shall never lose heart; so long as she is in your mind, you are safe from deception; while she holds your hand, you cannot fall; under her protection you have nothing to fear; if she walks before you, you shall not grow weary; if she shows you favor, you shall reach the goal.” -Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Father and Doctor of the Church
#CatholicConnect #Catholic #Catholicism #Mary #BlessedMother #Vatican #Jesus #JesusChrist #Faith #Motherhood #Love #Trust #PrayTheRosary
“The whole priestly ministry of Padre Pio was …
“The whole priestly ministry of Padre Pio was lived in sacramental union with the crucified Christ,” he said. “It was as if the Lord said to him, ‘You’re not just a priest, you’re also a victim like me.’”
Dear God, You generously blessed Your servant,
St. Pio of Pietrelcina,
with the gifts of the Spirit.
You marked his body with the five wounds
of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness
to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son.
Endowed with the gift of discernment,
St. Pio labored endlessly in the confessional
for the salvation of souls.
With reverence and intense devotion
in the celebration of Mass,
he invited countless men and women
to a greater union with Jesus Christ
in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
Through the intercession of St. Pio of Pietrelcina,
I confidently beseech You to grant me
the grace of (here state your petition).
Glory be to the Father… (three times). Amen.
#CatholicConnect #PadrePio #PrayTheRosary #PopeFrancis
The Battle of Lepanto was a crucial conflict b…
The Battle of Lepanto was a crucial conflict between the Christians and the Ottoman Turks, one of the greatest naval battles of all time. The Christian lands around Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean were constantly getting sacked by Muslim pirates, and Imperial warships were ravaging the land. At this point in time, Pope Saint Pius V saw it appropriate to raise a Crusade against these heathen Muslims. After raising a Crusade, he asked every non-combatant across the whole Christian world to pray the Rosary.
Even after this call to arms, the Christian fleet at Lepanto was greatly outnumbered by the Ottoman Turks. The Crusaders got on their knees and began to pray the Rosary. Soon after, the Christians and the Muslims were immersed in a bloody battle. Thus it was that on October 7, 1571, the Christian fleet was blessed with a miraculous victory. Pope Saint Pius V immediately dedicated the victory to Our Lady, establishing October 7 as “The Feast of the Most Holy Rosary.
#CatholicConnect #PrayTheRosary
“Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her…
“Love the Madonna and pray the Rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother.” -St. Padre Pio
#CatholicConnect #PrayTheRosary
#HolySaturday Teach us, we ask You, humility o…
Catholic Connect
Posted in Catholic, catholicchurch, catholicconnect, Catholicism, christ, Christian, Christianity, divinemercy, faith, holysaturday, Jesus, jesuschrist, praytherosary, trust, vatican
#HolySaturday
Teach us, we ask You, humility of heart so we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel, to whom the Father promised to reveal the mysteries of His Kingdom.
Help us to pray without ceasing, certain that God knows what we need even before we ask Him. Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will be able to recognize right away in the poor and suffering the Face of Jesus.
Sustain us in the hour of the combat and of the trial and, if we fall, make us experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness. Grant us your tender devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother. Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage toward the blessed homeland, where we hope to arrive in order to contemplate forever the glory of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Concerning the Mass, Padre Pio said: “It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.”
And Padre Pio the spiritual director advises us in this way: “The field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. This is where it takes place every moment of our lives. The soul must give free access to our Lord and be completely fortified by Him with every kind of weapon. His light must illuminate it to fight the darkness of error. We must put on Jesus Christ, His truth and justice, the shield of faith, the word of God to overcome such powerful enemies. To put on Jesus Christ we must die to ourselves. Let us humble ourselves and confess that if God were not our armour and shield, we would be pierced by all kinds of sins. That is why we must live in God by persevering in our practices, and learn to serve Him at our own expense.”
Via @frmichaelsliney 🕊🇻🇦
#CatholicConnect #Catholic #Catholicism #CatholicChurch #Vatican #Christian #Christianity #JesusChrist #Jesus #Christ #Faith #Trust #DivineMercy #PrayTheRosary
Cross walk New York City 🗽☦️✝️ What happened …
Catholic Connect
Posted in catholicconnect, Catholicism, Christianity, divinemercy, goodfriday, jesuschrist, newyork, pray, praytherosary, stationsofthecross, vatican
Cross walk New York City 🗽☦️✝️ What happened on the first Good Friday? Quite a number of things. During the night, Jesus had been arrested and taken before the high priests Annas and Caiaphas. It was during this time that Peter denied him.
According to the gospels, Jesus:
-Was taken before Pilate in the morning
-Sent to Herod
-Returned to Pilate
Was mocked and beaten
-Saw Barabbas released in his stead
-Was crowned with thorns
-Was condemned to death
-Carried the crushing burden of his cross
-Told the weeping women what would happen in the future
-Was crucified between two thieves
-Forgave those who crucified him
-Entrusted the Virgin Mary to the beloved disciple
-Assured the good thief of his salvation
-Said his famous seven last words
Cried out and died
In addition:
-There was darkness over the land
-There was an earthquake
-The veil of the temple was torn in two
-Many saints of the Old Testament period were raised
-A soldier pierced Christ’s side and blood and water flowed out
-Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body
-He was buried in Joseph’s own tomb
-A guard was set over the tomb
-All Jesus’ friends and family grieved at his death
If you’d like to read the gospel accounts themselves, get your Bible out and go to:
Matthew 27:1-66
Mark 15:1-47
Luke 23:1-56
John 18:28-19:42
Via @frstephendyas_lc & @frsimondevereux 🕊🇻🇦
#CatholicConnect #GoodFriday #DivineMercy #JesusChrist #Catholicism #Christianity #PrayTheRosary #StationsofTheCross #Vatican #NewYork #Pray
