Signal graces are the unique graces promised to us by the Virgin Mary when we faithfully recite the Rosary. They are the “signs” given to us after we’ve prayed for something; signs that indicate that our prayer was heard. The word “signal” in this case refers to special, beyond the ordinary. These graces are different than what God already gives us on a daily basis.
Our Lady made fifteen promises to those who faithfully recite the Rosary. The first promise speaks of signal graces. When I researched the sentence “What are Signal Graces?” I found very little in terms of an actual definition or a thorough explanation of what exactly they are. However, what I did discover is that throughout history many, many great saints were given these signal graces as they went about their lives, striving to do God’s will. Many of these saints were also very attached to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as was the case with Saint … [Read More...]
I’ve started keeping a sort of diary that includes my childhood and extends into my life as an adult. The piece of writing below is something I am working on that involves my earliest recollection of fear. It’s way too lengthy to include the whole thing in this post, so instead I just took the first part of it and figured that maybe I could add on to it in future posts.
Childhood Fear
I had a dream..
I was trapped in the arms of a gigantic octopus. It hovered in the air above a crowd of people and I looked down from its snare, paralyzed with dread. I was as afraid of the monstrous beast as I was ashamed of my predicament in ending up like this: embarrassed to be separated from everyone else, and wondering how and why this was happening. My grandfather, who was among the crowd below, looked up and pointed at me, and with a … [Read More...]
Overcoming writer’s block has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve had my whole life. I’ve wanted to be a writer ever since the age of seven. (Yes, that’s me in the photo at age seven – the one with the ugly yellow tights.) I used to read the Little House on the Prairie
series of books and dream of the day when I would be writing something important. But I was impatient. I decided that I couldn’t wait til that random day that was so far off in the distant future and so I made up my mind that I’d begin my first book in the Second Grade. I decided to write about my family’s summer vacation spot, and proudly entitled my book, leaving the pages completely blank because I had absolutely no idea how to fill them. Needless-to-say, I quickly got frustrated and gave up. (Little did I know at the ripe old age of seven that writing a book first requires some life experience!)
It’s funny that all … [Read More...]
Recently I learned an invaluable lesson in the glass half full scenario that involved an incident in my sister’s life. Not only did it cause me to stop and reflect on how precious life is, but it also made me begin to fully appreciate each day as a gift that I need to stop taking for granted; instead I need to start being thankful for all the many blessings that each day brings.
On June 19th my sister, Amy, and her husband, Vinny, were in a car accident while driving home from evening Mass. It was a head-on collision that neither one of them remembers, but it left Amy with a crushed foot, three broken ribs and a fractured vertebrae. Vinny has been bruised and sore and had broken three ribs as well. Fortunately, it doesn’t appear that his injuries are serious, though he did have some swelling in his head near his brain which the doctors have been keeping a close eye on.
The following will show you how to pray the Holy Rosary step by step:
Step One – Make the Sign of the Cross
Start by making the Sign of the Cross and say:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
While holding the Crucifix, recite the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection … [Read More...]
The Blessed Virgin Mary made fifteen promises of the Rosary to Saint Dominic and to all who follow. She told him that whatever is asked through the recitation of the Holy Rosary will be granted. The following are the fifteen promises granted to all Christians who faithfully recite the Holy Rosary:
The Fifteen Promises of Mary
1.) Whoever shall faithfully serve me by the recitation of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
2.) I promise my special protection and the greatest graces to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
3.) The Rosary shall be a powerful armor against Hell. It will destroy vice, decrease sin, and defeat heresies.
4.) The Rosary will cause virtue and good works to flourish; it will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God; it will withdraw the hearts of men from the love of the world and its vanities, and will lift them to the desire for eternal things. Oh, that souls would sanctify … [Read More...]
Lately I’ve been thinking about what it means to have total forgiveness. It occurs to me that people are so nervous these days. There is an unfortunate amount of anger, irritability, fear and sadness in the world. We become so consumed in our individual dilemmas that we forget to forgive one another for the wrongs that are done. Most importantly, we forget to forgive ourselves.
In the Book of Matthew, Chapter 18, Verses 21-22 it is written:
“Then Peter came up and said to him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’”
Why Do We Need Total Forgiveness?
I think one huge problem with the world today (and perhaps throughout history) is that there is not enough forgiveness. Everyone is so jammed up with the wrong stuff. (I include myself in this scenario, by the way.) If we … [Read More...]
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Hello, my name is Margo. When I was 23 years old and working as a part-time nanny in New York City I had the pleasure of caring for a little 5-year-old boy named Alexander. One day I had been overcome with sadness and in a weak moment, I found myself confiding to this little boy about a friend I couldn't find because he was lost. Alexander, quickly responded without missing a beat, “Follow a trail!” [
