SHOULD I SECRETLY BAPTISE MY GRANDSON WHEN I AM BABYSITTING?

 

“QUESTION:

My grandson has not yet been baptised. I have tried to persuade my daughter to arrange this but she does not seem concerned about it. Could I secretly baptise him when I am babysitting?

 

ANSWER:

The ordinary minister of baptism is the bishop, priest or deacon and baptism should be carried out in the Church according to the full rite given in the liturgical books. In an emergency, if a child is in danger of death, any person (even a non-Catholic) may baptise a child validly if they pour water on the child, say ‘I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’, and have the intention to do what the Church does.

 

It would be wrong to carry out an emergency baptism if there is no pressing necessity such as a serious danger to the child’s life. Baptism makes us Christians, children of God and members of the Church, with the duty of living the Christian life and living in accord with the teaching of the Church. The Church has always recognised the need for the consent of the parents and a well-founded hope that the child will be brought up in the practice of the faith.

 

If a baptism is carried out in an emergency, the parish priest should be informed so that he can offer pastoral care, and so that he can enter the details in the baptismal register. Should the child survive, he will arrange for the other ceremonies of the baptismal rite to be carried out in the Church at when convenient. The fact of baptism has important consequences in later life, especially in relation to marriage, so the parish priest should also be informed if a baptism is carried out when there was not any danger – though unlawful, such a baptism would be valid.

 

Many grandparents feel as you do. It is right for you to encourage the parents to have the child baptised, but you cannot force their decision. Try to show the value of the Christian faith gently, without nagging, but joyfully witnessing to the value of the Christian life.”

– This article by Fr Tim Finigan entitled “Catholic Dilemmas” was published in “The Catholic Herald” issue November 1 2013. For subscriptions, please visit http://www.catholicherald.co.uk (external link)

 

A LITANY OF REPARATION

FOR RECITAL DURING ADORATION OR ANYWHERE ELSE

 

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

 

God, the Father of Mercy, – have mercy on us. (repeat after each line)

God the Son, Mediator between God and man,

God the Holy Spirit, Enlightener of hearts,

Holy and undivided Trinity,

 

O Sacred Host! Victim of reparation for the sins of the world,

O Sacred Host! Immolated on the altar for us and by us,

O Sacred Host! Despised and neglected,

O Sacred Host! Outraged by the blasphemies of men,

O Sacred Host! Neglected and abandoned in your temples, – have mercy on us.

 

Be merciful unto us, – spare us, O Lord.

Be merciful unto us, – hear us, O Lord.

 

For so many unworthy Communions, – we offer You our reparation, O Lord.

For the irreverence of Christians,

For the continual blasphemies of the impious,

For the infamous discourses made in Your holy temples,

For the crimes of sinners,

For the sacrileges which profane Your Sacrament of Love,

For the coldness of Your children,

For their contempt of Your loving invitations,

For the infidelity of those who call themselves Your friends,

For the abuse of Your grace,

For our unfaithfulness,

For our delay in loving You,

For our tepidity in Your holy service,

For Your bitter sadness at the loss of souls,

For Your long waiting at the door of our heart,

For Your loving sighs,

For Your loving tears,

For Your loving imprisonment,

For Your loving death, – we offer You our reparation, O Lord.

 

That You spare us, that You hear us, – we sinners beseech You, hear us.

That You will make known Your love for us in this Most Holy Sacrament, –

That You will vouchsafe to accept our reparation, made in the spirit of humility, – we sinners beseech You, hear us.

 

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, – spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, – hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, You take away the sins of the world, – have mercy on us, O Lord.

 

(With Ecclesiastical Approbation – Archdiocese of Chicago)

 

ST JOHN PAUL’S PRAYER FOR LIFE

O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life.

Look down, O Mother, on the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born, of the poor whose lives are made difficult, of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy.

Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our time.

Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilisation of truth and love, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life. Amen.

 

THINGS TO DO DURING EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

WHAT IS EUCHARISTIC ADORATION?

“Eucharistic adoration is the act of worshipping God as He is present in the consecrated Eucharist. Since the Last Supper, when Jesus broke the bread and distributed the wine, saying, “This is my Body” and “This is my Blood”, Catholics know that the bread and wine is the actual living presence of the Second Person of the Trinity. Spending time before the Blessed Sacrament, in prayer and devotion, is exactly the same as spending time before the living God. Adoration occurs whenever someone kneels in front of a tabernacle that contains the Blessed Sacrament, genuflects towards a tabernacle, bows before receiving the Blessed Sacrament at Mass, or, in a more focused way, when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed for adoration.

 

THINGS TO DO DURING EUCHARISTIC ADORATION:

 

Fr Benedict Groeschel points out in “In the Presence of Our Lord: The History, Theology, and Psychology of Eucharistic Devotion” that there are ‘four kinds of prayer most appropriate in the presence of the Eucharist, namely adoration and praise, thanksgiving, repentance, and trusting intercession’. Here are suggestions what to do during private Eucharistic adoration.

 

1. PRAY THE PSALMS OR THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS

Whether you are praising, giving thanks, asking for forgiveness, or seeking an answer, you’ll find an appropriate psalm. The ancient prayer of the Church called the Liturgy of the Hours presents an excellent way to pray through the Book of Psalms throughout the year.

 

2. RECITE THE “JESUS PRAYER”

Say “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner”, repeatedly as you quiet your heart and mind.

 

3. MEDITATE USING SCRIPTURE

Choose a passage from the Bible. Read the words and ask God to let the passage speak to you. Pay special attention to anything that strikes you and ask God what He wishes for you to draw from that passage.

 

4. READ THE LIFE OF A SAINT AND PRAY WITH HIM OR HER

Most holy men and women have a great devotion to Our Lord in the Eucharist. Therese of Lisieux, Catherine of Siena, Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Peter Julian Eymard, Dorothy Day, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and Baroness Catherine de Hueck are just a few. Read about them and pray their prayers before the Blessed Sacrament.

 

5. POUR OUT YOUR HEART TO CHRIST AND ADORE HIM

Speak to Jesus, aware that you are in His presence, and tell Him all that comes to your mind. Listen for His response. Pray the prayer that St Francis instructed his brothers to pray whenever they were before the Blessed Sacrament: “I adore you, O Christ, present here and in all the churches of the world, for by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.”

 

6. ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AND INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS

Think of those who have hurt you and request a special blessing for them. Ask God to forgive you for all the times you have neglected or hurt someone else. Bring before the Blessed Sacrament all those who have asked you to pray for them. Ask the Lord to address their concerns.

 

7. PRAY THE ROSARY

Pope John Paul II reminds us, “…is not the enraptured gaze of Mary as she contemplated the face of the newborn Christ and cradled him in her arms that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us every time we receive Eucharistic Communion?” (The Church and the Eucharist, 55) Ask Mary to join you as you gaze on Christ in the Eucharist and as you pray the Rosary.

 

8. SIT QUIETLY AND JUST “BE” IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Think of a visit to the Blessed Sacrament as coming to see your best friend. Sit quietly and enjoy being in each other’s company. Instead of talking to the Lord, try listening to what He wants to tell you.”

 

APPROVAL BY MEN – THAT FATAL POISON THAT CAN CORRUPT OUR BEST ACTIONS

ON BEING A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST BORN IN A STABLE

“Learn from Jesus to humiliate yourself in the sight of the world. He practised this humility by being born in a stable, by appearing to be the son of a carpenter and working for years in a humble village.

He practised humility when the crowds wanted to make Him King and He fled, when He told those He healed to say nothing to anyone, when He entered into festive Jerusalem on a donkey and when He washed the feet of His disciples in the Cenacle.

He put it particularly into practice during His passion, letting Himself be tied up, lashed, mocked and made fun of as a King, and finally by letting Himself be crucified as a malefactor.

Look to the Sacred Heart of Jesus therefore, and be always modest, fleeing any honour, avoiding any vanity, never seeking the approval of men, that fatal poison that can infect and corrupt your best actions.

The saints have always hidden their qualities, would you like to show off qualities you do not have? You will never find Jesus in the things the world applauds or considers important, take the last place and there you will find Him. A little humility is worth more than all the greatness and glory in the universe, and a single humiliation is worth more to His Heart than many prayers and the most splendid initiatives.”

– Mons. Nicola Tafuri

 

LET MY HEART NEVER REST UNTIL IT FINDS YOU

LET MY HEART NEVER REST UNTIL IT FINDS YOU

O loving Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ,

You move hearts that are harder than rock,

You melt spirits that are colder than ice,

and You reach souls that are more impenetrable than diamonds.

Touch my heart with Your sacred wounds

and permeate my soul with Your Precious Blood,

so that wherever I turn

I will see only my Divine Crucified Lord,

and everything I see

will appear coloured with Your Blood.

 

Lord Jesus,

let my heart never rest until it finds You,

Who are its centre, its love, and its happiness.

By the wound in Your Heart,

pardon the sins that I have committed

whether out of malice or out of evil desires.

Place my weak heart in Your own Divine Heart,

continually under Your protection and guidance,

so that I may persevere in doing good

and in fleeing evil until my last breath.

Amen.

 

– St Margaret Mary Alacoque

 

PRAYER TO ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR

PRAYER TO ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR (MEMORIAL: 13 OCTOBER)

Lord,

you raised Saint Edward, king and confessor,

to excel in good government and faithful service.

May these ideals survive and flourish among us

through his prayers.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

Amen.

 

PRAYER: MAY THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE BE PROCLAIMED WITH EVER GREATER LOVE

PRAYER: MAY THE MEANING OF MARRIAGE BE PROCLAIMED WITH EVER GREATER LOVE

“On every first Friday to commit as a day of fasting, penance and prayer (e.g. Rosary, Stations of the Cross, Adoration and 40 hours in October) for the intentions of the Universal Church and the Holy Father Pope Francis.

 

Let us pray

 

Father in Heaven, you have ordered the Sacrament of Marriage and the gift of life as an image of your Divine Life with the Son in the Holy Spirit. We pray that the teaching of the Church on the true meaning of marriage and human sexuality may be proclaimed with ever greater love, courage and hope in our world and be received in deep gratitude. Amen.

 

We ask for the intercession of all the Saints in Heaven. Our Lady, Mother of Nazareth – pray for us. Saint Joseph – pray for us. Saint Thomas More – pray for us. St Therese of Lisieux – pray for us. Blessed Louis and Zelie Martin – pray for us.”

 

(Confraternity of Catholic Clergy)

 

THURSDAY-NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY

 

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY – FEAST DAY: OCTOBER 7th

 

(This novena is made on nine consecutive Thursdays, and, if possible, a candle is lit in front of a statue of Our Lady.)

 

“Miraculous Virgin of the Rosary, I am proud of your protection and help. As a sign of my affection for you, I offer this light in your honour every Thursday.”

 

Say the ‘Hail Mary’.

 

“Come to help me in my needs, O Virgin of the Rosary. Take care of my family in its needs and afflictions.”

 

Say the ‘Hail Mary’.

 

“I beg you to have mercy on me, through the immense happiness you had in conceiving in your virginal womb Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. I ask you to grant me the following grace (mention your request), if it be for the greater glory of God.”

 

Say the ‘Hail Mary’.

 

Amen.

 

DAYS, MONTHS AND CENTURIES PASS, BUT IN THE EUCHARIST THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS NEVER STOPS BEATING FOR US

“DAYS, MONTHS, YEARS AND CENTURIES PASS, BUT IN THE EUCHARIST THE SACRED HEART HAS NEVER STOPPED BEATING FOR US”

THE MIRACLE OF MIRACLES

The Eucharist! This is the greatest gift of the most generous Heart of Jesus. It is a gift of such magnitude, that though He is omnipotent, He could not have given us a greater one; though He is infinitely rich, He could not have given us more, since He has given us all of Himself.

 

This is the most prestigious invention of His sagacious love and of His loving wisdom. It is the miracle of miracles, the mystery of mysteries, through which He who is forever in heaven, is also with us forever on earth, becoming the true life in life, the true soul in souls and the true heart in hearts. It is the sign of the love of Jesus, which the Church tells us was born and became man’s companion; in the Blessed Sacrament He became our food, on the cross became man’s redeemer and in heaven becomes his prize! Christian, learn to appreciate this immense treasure, whose holiness all the saints have loved; this sea of all that is good, this heaven on earth.

 

A FAITHFUL FRIEND

 

Through the Eucharist the Heart of Jesus is present like a loving father in the midst of his children, like an amorous bridegroom drawing near to the bride and like a faithful friend walking with his friends. Herein is contained the Heart of Jesus, with all its flames of love, with all the graces of His mercy, with all the infinity of its merits. By this method He sends His chosen ones heavenly light, divine inspiration, holy ardour and gentle comfort. Herein the marvels of His infinite charity are worked in the most secret and intimate places. Herein He speaks to, works with, teaches and forms the saints.

 

KEEPING HIM COMPANY FAITHFULLY

 

Days, months, years and centuries pass, but in the Eucharist the Sacred Heart, despite all the immeasurable ingratitude, has never stopped beating for us. Come, unite yourself to the Heart of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, stop often and long to visit Him. Make it a habit to keep Him company, talking to Him while He stands among the angels who, bowing, surround His altar. If He is a prisoner out of love for you, so you should be a prisoner out of love for Him, and in this sweet prison of love, you will find the freedom of the children of God.

– Mons. Nicola Tafuri