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Saint Joachim

DVRodriguez2025-10-21T13:54:22-04:00

Saint Joachim is the patron of fathers, grandparents and married couples. His name means “Preparation for the Lord.” The glory and intercessory power that St. Joachim has are proportioned to the merit and dignity of being the Father of Mary and grandfather of Jesus. In fact, the more grace a soul possesses, the more powerful are its prayers. (Our prayers are often weakly effective for we lack grace.) The grace which a soul possesses at the moment of death is the grace it will have for all eternity. Rightly then is Our Lady called the Mightiest Helper of the Christian people.

Saint JoachimDVRodriguez2025-10-21T13:54:22-04:00

Called to Be Especially Devoted to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart

DVRodriguez2025-10-20T10:49:21-04:00

Our Lady’s Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart has loved God more purely and ardently than all the holy hearts of angels and saints combined. God used the blood in her heart to create the human nature of His Son. Christ depended upon His Mother’s Heart for His existence. Mary’s heart preserves and glorifies the marvelous mysteries of Her Son’s life, passion, death and resurrection. This is in fact the very mission of the Church. It is also an aim of the Rosary. We all need conversion and Mary’s heart serves as a marvelous ‘road map’ in this necessary work. Being devoted to [...]

Called to Be Especially Devoted to the Immaculate and Sorrowful HeartDVRodriguez2025-10-20T10:49:21-04:00

More Spiritual Lessons from the Assumption

DVRodriguez2025-09-30T07:30:21-04:00

The Mystery of Mary’s Assumption provides valuable lessons. It shows the centrality of Christ and how Mary is the path to Christ. Since Our Lady shared in Jesus’ sufferings in a completely unique way, so she too shares in His glory in a completely unique way. Yet there is great glory for ALL who carry their cross faithfully. Imitating Our Lady, we are to persevere in God’s grace and keep our focus always on Heaven. May this mystery also inspire us to seek God’s will above our own in all things, especially as regards sickness and death. Our Lady willingly denied [...]

More Spiritual Lessons from the AssumptionDVRodriguez2025-09-30T07:30:21-04:00

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

DVRodriguez2025-10-02T09:23:04-04:00

Tradition holds that four famous portraits of the Virgin and Child were painted by St. Luke the Evangelist. One of these is the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, located today in the Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome. The order St. Alphonsus founded, the Redemptorists, have done much to promote this devotion after it was already greatly venerated in the East. St. Luke painted it on a table top crafted by Our Lord. The image was blessed by Our Lady, and she promised: “My grace will accompany it.” In this icon, Mary directs us to her Son. The Child [...]

Our Lady of Perpetual HelpDVRodriguez2025-10-02T09:23:04-04:00

The Prayer of St. Anne

DVRodriguez2025-09-08T12:26:58-04:00

“By their fruits you shall know them.” Let us apply our Lord’s words to St. Anne. She is Our Lord's grandmother and Our Lady's mother. St. Anne is a patroness for many, although her intercession is particularly focused on the family. She excelled in charity for the poor and love of God. She fervently prayed for a husband who would help her live according to the divine law. She and St. Joachim bore very heavy crosses with faith and humility. In fact, her deeds and prayers and deeds serve as a powerful example and inspiration. May we each grow in our [...]

The Prayer of St. AnneDVRodriguez2025-09-08T12:26:58-04:00

Look Upon Me

DVRodriguez2025-09-08T12:24:20-04:00

The devotion of all devotions is love of Jesus Christ and meditating upon the love He bears us. The saints mastered this devotion because they meditated upon Our Lord’s Passion. For example, consider St. Bridget of Sweden and St. Veronica Giuliani. They teach that nothing helps us hate sin more – and love Jesus above all things – than looking upon Him covered in blood and wounds for our sake. Jesus’ sacrifice and His Precious Blood are present to us at Holy Mass. Adore, thank, and pray to the Precious Blood for it has infinite power to sanctify, expiate, protect, and [...]

Look Upon MeDVRodriguez2025-09-08T12:24:20-04:00

Secret of Matrimonial Poison or Happiness

DVRodriguez2025-08-23T15:11:12-04:00

We ask God to grant us an increase in religion; that we recognize His infinite majesty and our own nothingness. The natural fruit of religion is sacrifice. Today we apply this prayer to marriage. In marriage, God calls us to renounce ourselves (our senses, passions, will, judgment) for the good of our spouse and children. If you are not sacrificing in your marriage, how can you sacrifice to God? Self will spoils and corrupts marriage. Spouses must crucify the ‘old self’ and be motivated by the desire to do God’s will.

Secret of Matrimonial Poison or HappinessDVRodriguez2025-08-23T15:11:12-04:00

Receive with Greater Devotion

DVRodriguez2025-08-23T15:12:22-04:00

The reason why souls make so little progress in virtue and remain in the same defects, even frequently lapsing into previous sins, is because they take little care (and are not sufficiently admonished) to acquire the love of Christ. The devotion of all devotions is love for Jesus. Yet, our faith remains weak. We are always looking for signs, for God to do what we want. Yet if we but believed and loved –like the saints– we would see the Greatest Sign is right there before us!

Receive with Greater DevotionDVRodriguez2025-08-23T15:12:22-04:00

Two Great Witnesses

DVRodriguez2025-07-31T14:13:51-04:00

The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of divine Love and Truth. Two of His greatest witnesses are St. Peter and St. Paul. The Church brings God’s Love and Truth to the world, especially through the Mass. The Mass presents the true faith, love, devotion and reverence with which man is to worship God. We show our love for Christ by spreading His truth to the ends of the world and always remaining faithful to the Mass. He who remains faithful to God’s truth and true worship will be persecuted. May the holy Apostles help us be willing to suffer for Christ.

Two Great WitnessesDVRodriguez2025-07-31T14:13:51-04:00

Perpetual Infinite Love

DVRodriguez2025-08-15T13:57:43-04:00

In the Blessed Sacrament, Christ is present whole and entire: all His humanity and all His divinity under the appearance of bread and wine. Truly this is a remarkable Mystery. And it illustrates the weakness of Eucharistic Faith in three groups of believers. Can you say there is nothing more important in your life? Do you receive Him frequently? Do you receive Him as worthily as you can? Strive to receive Holy Communion with faith, purity, and deep devotion.

Perpetual Infinite LoveDVRodriguez2025-08-15T13:57:43-04:00