Today is bigger than Christmas. Today, the Feast of the Annunciation, celebrates the instant God became incarnate, nine months before His birthday on Christmas.
A movement has blossomed within the pro-life community to also recognize this day as “The Day of the Unborn Child.” Just as God became human at the annunciation, so each of us became human at the instant of fertilization. Each abortion, 63 million of which have occurred in the U.S. since the Roe v Wade decision, kills a living, growing human being.
We commemorate the nameless victims of this atrocity on this most sacred of days, a feast day which celebrates Mary’s emphatic ‘yes’ to Life while mourning the millions of victims whose parents said ‘no’ to life.
The beauty of the annunciation has captured the imagination of artists throughout history, whether the art form is paintings, cinema, or music.
Belgium artist, Jan Van Eych, painted a beautiful depiction of The Annunciation loaded with symbolism and detail. Sandy Briggs, an RCIA candidate at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Des Moines, studied art history and provides some perspective:
“Here is an example of one of Jan Van Eych’s masterpieces. Van Eych was from Belgium and he is considered one of three main artists of the Northern Renaissance.
At first glance, it appears that Van Eych is simply showing us the very instant of the annunciation to the Virgin Mary and the sacred moment of conception of the baby Christ. Look closer. The viewer will see that the Archangel Gabriel is on the left side of the painting. That is usual positioning in annunciation art. Just as viewers read a book, they read the painting left to right. The story being conveyed is Gabriel appearing to Mary. He is pointing to Heaven with his right hand and holding his staff with his left hand, but gestures towards Mary’s womb. Mary is tilting her head to hear his words. If you zoom in on the photo you see that Gabriel is saying,” Hail full of grace.” in Latin. Mary has her hands in a receiving prayer position is receiving and replying back, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.” Her words are also in Latin, but painted upside down. SHE is talking to her Heavenly Father.
Gabriel is enrobed in richly patterned and jeweled robes and wears a jeweled crown, because he’s from the Heavenly realm. Mary is in blue to show her purity and Divinity. She also has a small circlet crown, because she is the Queen of Heaven. Did you catch that? This painting isn’t only illustrating a moment in history. Van Eych is showing us much, much more.”
Just as Mary says in the Magnicat, “My soul magnifies the Lord,” so a sacred work of art can magnify our appreciation of the mystery and reality of the incarnation, enhancing our appreciation for the sanctity of life.
In cinema, the great Franco Zeffirelli created a masterpiece with his understated depiction of the annunciation in this scene from the 1977 “Jesus of Nazareth” mini series. We don’t see the angel Gabriel, only a lovely, believable Mary as portrayed by Olivia Hussey:
Where Van Eych packs his painting with detail drenched in symbolism, Zeffirelli leaves much of the events of the annunciation to our imagination. Let’s face it, cinematic depictions of angels have such potential to come off as hokey. And CGI technology was just getting started in 1977 with Star Wars. Best to let the viewer conjure his own angelic imagery!
Kudos to Van Eych and Zeffirelli for taking such different approaches to creating beautiful art.
In music, the annunciation has been treated in many ways, perhaps none more beautifully than the Gregorian chant, “Ave Maris Stella” (‘Hail, star of the sea’):
The text has been attributed to a variety of sources, some going back more than a thousands years ago.
In contemporary popular music, a song titled, “Mary did you know?” has become a staple in Christmas playlists:
However, the lyrics present some theological challenges to Catholics, as Fr. Robert McTeigue SJ writes in the online Catholic magazine, Aleteia:
“While the song has the merits of prompting its hearers to reflect on Mary beholding her Divine Son, lines from the very first stanza actually bring Christmas to a screeching halt. Here are the problematic lyrics:
“Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new? This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.”
Now, those lines make sense if Mary is another sinner just like us, who needs to be delivered from sin. You see, if Mary is a sinner who like us needs a savior, then the lyricist’s play on the word “deliver” (sense 1: “deliver” = “give birth”; sense 2: “deliver” = “liberate from sin”) is both clever and theologically sound. But if Mary is a sinner in need of a savior, then she cannot be the worthy vessel in whom the All-Holy God takes on human nature as the Word-Made-Flesh. In other words the lyrics depend upon the dogma of the Immaculate Conception being false. If Mary needs a Savior, then she cannot be the vessel of the Incarnation. And “No-Incarnation” = “No-Christmas.” How ironic that a song sung with so much gusto as a Christmas hymn logically precludes what it claims to celebrate!”
Ultimately, the annunciation inspires artists and layman alike, because it teaches us that life matters at conception, and that God loves us with a profundity we can never fully understand.
On this Feast of the Annunciation, let us also solemnize The Day of the Unborn Child. May God bless them all.
By TOM QUINER
Lent has started. What a perfect time to enjoy a good religious movie. At some time or other in your life, probably during your Lenten fast, you have asked yourself the question, “what is the meaning of life?” And the answer is, that life has meaning. That meaning comes from being adopted sons and daughters of God. That meaning comes from the unique mission our Creator gives to each of us as members of His Kingdom.
A good religious movie helps us appreciate the profound meaning of our lives as it ultimately draws us nearer to Christ. It reveals the Truth, with a capital T. If you have not had the good fortune of watching any of these films yet, then you may want to see what your Cable TV package has available and where you could watch these with the family. There is a source here that discusses the statistics of people who watch TV and what they are looking at, so maybe you’ll be able to find a package that leans towards more religious teachings that can help you with your journey.
My list of top religious movies for Lent changes from year-to-year. Classics like the “Ten Commandments” and “Ben-Hur” come and go, replaced by something either newer or more relevant for the times. My list this year includes several movies I recently revisited that came out 20+ years ago, and one I watched for the first time the other day.
A theme emerges in many of these films especially relevant for our age: courage. We live in an era of cowardice. The Cancel Culture threatens people’s jobs, relationships, and public standing. The pro-life movement needs strong, proud voices to speak up in the public square on behalf of our unborn brothers and sisters. Could you use a jolt of courage? Watch some of these movies this Lent. They remind us that God is with us. Always.
Okay, here’s my list for 2022. I sincerely believe you will enjoy these films. Let me know your favorites.
#10 PRINCE OF EGYPT. Some two decades have passed since I first viewed this 1998 film. I watched it again this year and was simply delighted from beginning to end. Maybe it’s because I was watching with my grandkids, but I loved this movie more than I did the first time. How could one not love it? It tells the story of Moses. The visuals are stunning. The songs catchy and singable, written as they were by the great Stephen Schwartz (Godspell) with a score by Hans Zimmer. The all-star cast of voices includes a Hollywood who’s who from the late 90s: Val Kilmer; Ralph Fiennes; Patrick Stewart; Helen Mirren; Steve Martin; Martin Short; Michelle Pfeiffer; Sandra Bullock. Its $70 million budget ensured that no expense was spared in retelling a classic biblical story. This is a great animated family film the adults will love at least as much as their kids and grandkids.
#9 FATIMA. Fatima is an odd, historic event from 1917. Do you know the story? Mary, the Blessed Mother of God appeared to three young Portugese children in Fatima, Portugal. No one else could see the woman. Only the children could hear her. The event created an uproar when the children refused to renounce what they saw. Eventually, Mary provided a sign of her presence in a phenomenon known as the “miracle of the sun.” Thousands of believers and non-believers witnessed it. The Fatima Movie (2020) tells the story for a new generation to enjoy and understand. It is immediately relevant, as the same passions that roiled Portugal then continue to agitate events now. You hear a line in the movie that makes you think of today: “Progressive ideas will free people from their religious superstitions.” Parents need to watch this movie with their children and grand children as a beautiful witness to the power of courage in the face of adversity. As one of the children says later in life: “faith begins at the edge of adversity.” What are our choices when faced with adversity? Trust God, or give up. The Fatima Movie inspires us to trust God.
#8: THE MISSION. This film was written by Robert Bolt. It follows the lives of 18th century Jesuit missionaries in South America. Jeremy Irons and Robert Deniro turn in riveting performances as two very different priests. Their relationship is beautiful and complex. Ennio Morricone wrote one of the great musical scores of all time. The theme song all by itself is enough to make a doubter believe in God. (Mr. Morricone also wrote the film score for “The Scarlet and the Black,” #6 on my list.)
#7: A MAN for ALL SEASONS. The story of Sir Thomas More who refuses to compromise his faith by sanctioning King Henry VIII’s divorce, even though it will cost him his life. Very relevant in light of a Catholic president who says he accepts the teaching his Church on abortion, but can’t impose his religion on anyone else. Imagine if St. Thomas More had said, “I’m personally against divorce, but can’t impose my religion on anyone else.” This ‘season’ in our history needs Thomas More more than ever. Watch it. This 1966 film won six Academy Awards including best actor for Paul Scofield who played More. This film also featured Robert Shaw, Orson Wells, and Susannah York. It was based on a play by Robert Bolt.
#6: THE SCARLET AND THE BLACK. Get ready for a tense game of cat and mouse as a Vatican priest and a German Lieutenant Colonel clash in Nazi-occupied Rome. This film is based on true events. Gregory Peck portrays Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty who heroically saved the lives of thousands of Jews and escaped Allied POWs by hiding them from the Nazis. Christopher Plummer portrays the Nazi officer in charge of rounding them up. The battle of wits between the two antagonists makes for great cinema, especially in the hands of two pros like Messrs. Peck and Plummer. Be sure to watch the ending credits for the remarkable epilogue to this great story!
#5: GRAN TORINO: Surprised to see a Clint Eastwood movie on the list? No one less than Bishop Robert Barron called Gran Torino “one of the great presentations of the Christ story.” Eastwood, who directed and starred, portrays grouchy Walt Kowalski, an old geezer who’s wife just died. His kids want to move him into an old folks home. His working class neighbor in Detroit is getting dangerous as gangs move in. Walt is a cantankerous, racist s.o.b. who hides his decency under the surface. He’s a heroic figure who uses violence to ward off violence directed at his Laotian neighbors … until he realizes it’s just not working. Violence begets violence. I really don’t want to say much more, because you need to see this film if you haven’t. Suffice it to say, Bishop Barron said it was one of the best examples of what the church fathers called the “Christus Victor Theory.” Watch it.
#4: THE PASSION of the CHRIST. This was more than a movie, it was an event that either united or divided people, much like Christ Himself. Mel Gibson’s movie was controversial. The violence is grotesque. It is not a fun movie to watch. I have seen it thrice, and I will see it again … someday. Jim Caviezel was perfect as Jesus. The movie is important because it gives modern man an inkling of what Christ did for us. I heard Fr. John Riccardo once say about Christ’s crucifixion: “If this is the cure, can you imagine the disease?” This movie forces us to think about that question seriously. The scene of Christ’s scourging is horrendous. Do you know why He was lashed 39 times? Because 40 was considered “death” by the Romans. It was unsurvivable. I would recommend the edited version with some of the violence excised. After watching this film, fall to your knees and thank Christ for what He did for us.
#3: HACKSAW RIDGE. Courage and conviction are in short supply these days. So when a movie comes along about a man who stood up for his religious convictions regardless of the cost, it’s worth checking out. I finally got around to watching Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge this year (it came out in 2016). The movie marked his return to directing after a ten year hiatus. Gibson knows how to tell a story. Hacksaw Ridge tells the story of Desmond Doss, a simple man from Lynchburg, Virginia, who enlists when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. He had a catch: not only would he not use a rifle, he would not even carry one. Although the ‘cancel culture’ didn’t exist in the 1940s, Doss felt the brunt of the military establishment who attempted to ‘cancel’ him via a court martial. They failed. He went on to become an invaluable member of his unit as a medic, rescuing some 75 soldiers at the brutal battle of Okinawa. His courage was contagious. Following a particularly brutal attack, Doss was wounded and exhausted after saving countless of his fellow soldiers. It was a miracle he was still alive. The soldiers were once again called to battle (the entire campaign lasted 83 days). The soldiers wouldn’t go unless Doss was with them. The commanding officer said to Doss: “These men don’t believe the same way you do. But they believe so much in how much you believe. They want a piece of it. They’re not going up there without you.” The moral: courage is contagious.
#2: JESUS of NAZARETH. This film is an epic work of cinematic craftsmanship. Robert Powell is an extraordinarily effective Jesus. It was originally broadcast as a 382 minute mini series on television in 1977. Every single minute of this film is worth it. Nothing is wasted. Director Franco Zeffirelli has created an artistic masterpiece. He is true to the Gospels and creates an ancient Holy Land that seems real to modern man. His presentation of Jesus’ telling of the Prodigal Son is a work of genius, surely inspired by the Holy Spirit! Interestingly, one of the writers was Anthony Burgess, also the author of “A Clockwork Orange.” What a cast. Each star was at the top of their game. In addition to Mr. Powell, James Farantino was a Peter for the ages. Ian McShane was a complex Judas whose motivations are slowly revealed in his deft political maneuverings. Olivia Hussey as the Virgin Mary, and Anne Bancroft as Mary Magdalene both shine. The list is endless: Christopher Plummer fleshes out the human weakness of Herod Antipas. You can’t stand him in the end. And James Mason brings Joseph of Arimathea to life. The conversation he has with Jesus about the idea of being “born again” draws you irresistibly into the essence of the Gospels. That’s why this film is so good. You feel like you’re walking right alongside of Jesus. Everything seems so authentic.
#1: THE CHOSEN: Not a movie, but rather the first original TV series about Jesus Christ. Two seasons are completed, 16 episodes in all, plus a pilot and Christmas special. What’s interesting is this was made outside of the Hollywood system. It was financed via crowd funding. The writers let us get to know Jesus through the eyes of key players from scripture: His disciples, Mary Magdalene, even little children. You can watch it free on The Chosen app, which you’ll find at the app store. They claim 375 million views so far! If you want to sample an episode, check out the 3rd episode of season two, titled “Matthew 4:24.” The camera work is extraordinary, as a single camera weaves in and out of a crowd without a break for the first eight minutes or so. My only beef with the production is the opening theme song, which to me doesn’t fit. However, I suspect it connects with the evangelical Christian market, which is its primary market. As a Roman Catholic, I’m being a little nitpicking on this point. Nonetheless, I love the production so far, and hope they are able to pull off the seven season story arc to which they aspire.
Those are my picks. What are yours? Please let me know. I want to watch some great, new faith-filled films this Lent, starting today. So let me know your favorites right away!
[Tom Quiner is president of Pulse Life Advocate’s Board of Directors. If you enjoyed this essay, be sure to subscribe to our blog. Every donation helps us expand our reach!]
Is motherhood a good thing or a bad thing? For too many women, it’s a bad thing if the child is unwanted, which explains the tragic incidence of abortion. And yet motherhood sets women apart. This motherhood confusion is widespread.
Let’s contrast two different perspectives.
A writer for The Atlantic, Honor Jones, penned an essay with the provocative title, “How I Demolished My Life.” But the subhead, “A home-improvement story,” suggests that the ‘demolition’ was a good thing.
Ms. Jones grew weary of her marriage, and despite the presence of several young children, decided to divorce her husband. She explained:
“I didn’t have a secret life. But I had a secret dream life—which might have been worse. I loved my husband; it’s not that I didn’t. But I felt that he was standing between me and the world, between me and myself. Everything I experienced—relationships, reality, my understanding of my own identity and desires—were filtered through him before I could access them. The worst part was that it wasn’t remotely his fault; this is probably exactly what I asked him to do when we were 21 and first in love, even if I never said it out loud. To shelter me from the elements; to be caring and broad-shouldered. But now it was like I was always on my tiptoes, trying to see around him. I couldn’t see, but I could imagine. I started imagining other lives. Other homes.”
By all accounts, her husband was a good man. He didn’t philander, drink, or abuse her, which are common issues in many divorces. She claimed to love him but viewed him as an impediment to her own self-actualization.
It’s unclear how Ms. Jones defines ‘love.’ If the definition of love is the Thomas Aquinas definition: “to will the good of the other,” Ms. Jones falls short. Love is sacrificial. It’s not about ‘me,’ it’s about ‘you:’ Children. Husband. Family. Home.
Dr. Carrie Gress presents a different perspective:
“Our goal is to get home to heaven. Homes can evangelize … Catholic living, with all its imperfections and struggles, its mercy and its joy, not to mention aesthetic and hospitable beauty and nourishing food, can be an intoxicating inducement to the reality that life is fuller, more secure, more exciting, and more fulfilling when lived in the context of the divine.”
“We find our home in God”
Dr. Gress is co-author of “Theology of the Home” with Noelle Mering. Holy Families help us keep on the right path in our journey through life to our heavenly home. In fact, Gress and Mering tell us that family time actually gives us a foretaste of heaven:
“We are incarnation. We want to unite the tangible to the intangible. We want this life we’re living to be beautiful in a deeper way. There’s a reason people write songs and make movies about going home. It’s a universal longing, which also means it’s a universal access point. It’s a force for evangelization. When I first realized I was going to marry my husband, I started to feel he was my home. The language of the home is universal. A deeper meaning of home is about longing and relationship. We find our home in God, which is a foretaste of what heaven will be like.”
What a contrast. Dr. Gress quickly embraced her husband as her home, while Ms. Jones eventually viewed hers as a barrier to something else, which she couldn’t even fully explain:
“I wanted to be thinking about art and sex and politics and the patriarchy. How much of my life—I mean the architecture of my life, but also its essence, my soul, my mind—had I built around my husband? Who could I be if I wasn’t his wife? Maybe I would microdose. Maybe I would have sex with women. Maybe I would write a book.”
Sadly, her children’s needs were outweighed by her own need to ‘will the good of herself’ for the sake of herself.
The Blessed Mother never experienced motherhood confusion. When presented with a ‘choice’ by the angel Gabriel, she said yes and never looked back. Mary, Mother of God, created and maintained a Holy Family.
Pulse Life Advocates promotes the holy family as the ‘soul’ solution for a wounded nation. Our 4-part webinar continues this Sunday night at 7PM with episode two: Fruitful Mothers.
You can view it for free and catch last week’s episode by simply registering.
As Dr. Gress so beautifully explains, we find our home in God. And God is at the heart of a holy family.
[Register for episode two of our free Holy Family webinar now. Air date: Sunday, March 13th, 7PM.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“Wherever people pray together the Lord makes Himself present with that power which can also dissolve ‘sclerosis’ of the heart, that hardness of heart which, according to the Lord, is the real reason for divorce.” POPE BENEDICT XVI
***
~ DAY NINE PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Mary, you and Jesus buried Joseph, and then you watched as your Son was brutally beaten and crucified. Holy Family, be close to all families as they experience the suffering and death of loved ones.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“Since God has given the family its existence, its dignity, its social function, it must answer to God for them. Its rights and its privileges are inalienable … it has the duty, primarily before God and secondarily before society, to defend, to vindicate and to promote effectively these rights and these privileges, not only for its own good, but for the glory of God and the welfare of the community.” POPE PIUS XII
***
~ DAY EIGHT PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Mary, as Jesus started His public ministry, you saw His followers as well as those who ridiculed Him. He was not welcome as a prophet in His hometown, among those He had known throughout His life. Help all family members to support one another through their trials and difficulties.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“That every family in the world can truly repeat what the Psalmist says: ‘How good, how delightful it is to live as brothers all together!’ ” ST. POPE JOHN PAUL II
***
~ DAY SEVEN PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Mary, you encouraged your son to perform His first public miracle. Help all parents to know when and how to encourage their children, so that they may live out the lives that God has called them to.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“Husbands and wives should take up the burden appointed to them, willingly, in the strength of faith and of that hope which ‘does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.’ “ BLESSED POPE PAUL VI
***
~ DAY SIX PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Holy Family, on your return journey from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Jesus stayed behind in the Temple, leaving His parents to worry about His whereabouts when they discovered He was missing. Pray for parents who struggle with distress, anxiety, and misplaced guilt over unexpected things that happen in their children’s lives.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“In the prayer of the Our Father we say: ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ Spouses can also learn to pray like this: ‘Lord, give us this day our daily love.” POPE FRANCIS
***
~ DAY FIVE PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Jesus, Son of God, You were raised in a Jewish home where you learned both the Scriptures and the craft of carpentry from Your earthly father. Bless all children that they may grow in holiness throughout their childhood. Help them to see You in all things: in prayer, in work, and in play.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“The charity which burned in the household at Nazareth should be an inspiration for every family. All the Christian virtues should flourish in the family, unity should thrive, and the example of its virtuous living should shine brightly.” Pope John XXIII
***
~ DAY FOUR PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Mary, Mother of God, your primary vocation was bearing and raising your Child and for that, you are venerated among all women. Pray for God’s blessings upon all people whose primary work is in the home. May they see the great dignity of their work especially when it seems mundane or monotonous.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]
The Holy Family is the “soul” solution for a wounded world. Abortion wounds women, men, and their children. Even more, it wounds families.
When men and women live in a holy family with God at its center, each member flourishes while the incidence of abortion drops.
Pulse Life Advocates asks you to pray this Novena over the next 9 days to ask God for blessings upon your family, as well as upon our Holy Family webinar, which begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM.
The free webinar will run over four successive Sunday evenings at 7PM through March 27th. Each episode runs about 50 minutes. Advance registration is required here.
As we’ve written, the family is the “pay it forward” system. Women, men, and children ALL fare better within this structure when mom and dad are married. As Dr. Peter Kreeft writes in “Food for the Soul:”
“The family is the single most important institution on earth. All the happiest, most peaceful, and most enduring societies in history have had a deep respect for the family. It is the first place where we learn life’s most important lesson: unselfish love, the love that consists in the gift of your very self and life to others.”
Our Novena begins with a quote followed by prayer.
Thank-you for joining us in this Holy Family Novena.
***
“The family is called to be the temple or house of prayer: a simple prayer, full of effort and tenderness, a prayer that makes life so that life becomes a prayer.” SAINT POPE JOHN PAUL II
***
~ DAY THREE PRAYER ~
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Holy Family, you were close to our Heavenly Father on Earth, uniting your wills to His, and are now close to Him in Heaven. I ask that you intercede with Him on my behalf.
(Mention your intentions here)
Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus, you silently carried out the simple labor of a carpenter to provide for your family. Bless all parents who labor without complaint to support their families. Pray that they may in time see the spiritual fruits of their labor.
Holy Family, you who once walked this Earth, accompany my family as we strive to follow your example by walking in your footsteps.
Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Read more at: https://www.praymorenovenas.com/holy-family-novena
***
[The Holy Family Webinar is free and begins Sunday, March 6th at 7PM. Watch a preview below. You must register in advance so we can email you a link to view. Register here.]