past Messages from Deacon Nick
IMPORTANT DIOCESAN ANNOUNCEMENT!!
Reorganization under Chapter 11
Bishop Lucia announced today (619/20) that the Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse has filed for reorganization under Chapter 11.
Parishes and other Diocesan Entities are NOT included in Chapter 11
and we will continue as normal.
Click Here for Bishop Lucia's Message
Click Here for the Press Conference 6/20/20
Click here for the Press Release PDF
FAQ Document about the Chapter 11
Frequently Asked Questions about the Chapter 11
Day 1: Tips for Praying - Click here for the Video
Day 2: Dedicate 5 minutes of Undivided Prayer time in your Morning
Day 3: Repeat this Prayer "Lord, I am a sinner: Come with your Mercy"
Pope Francis
Day 4: "O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers,
works, joys and sufferings of this day. For all the intentions of your
Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, for the salvation of souls, the reparation of sins, the reunion of all Christians, and in particular for the intentions of the Holy Father this month Amen" Morning Offering
Day 5: Using the fingers on your hand, start with the thumb and pray
these Intentions in this order:
1. The thumb is closest finger to you. So start praying for those who
are closest to you. They are the persons easiest to remember, To pray for our dear ones is a "Sweet Obligation."
2. The next finger is the index. Pray for those who Teach you, Instruct you and heal you. They need the support and Wisdom to show direction to others. Always keep them in in your prayers
3. The following finger is the tallest. It reminds us of our leaders, the governors and those who have authority.They need God's guidance.
4. The fourth finger is the ring finger. Even though it may surprise you, it is our weakest finger. It should remind us to pray for the weakest, the sick or those plagued by problems. They need your prayers.
5. And finally we have our smallest finger, the smallest of all. Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. When you are done praying for the other four groups, you will be able to see your own needs but in the proper perspective, and also you will be able to pray for your own needs in a better way.
Day 6: Pray Like This.. (LK 11:1-3) Click here to Watch the video today
Day 7: Today's challenge: Block out at least 15 minutes of your day for prayer. You got this!
Day 8: Try to picture yourself in front of Christ as you would a friend: "We can picture ourselves standing in front of Christ, and arouse in ourselves the liveliest sentiments of love for his Sacred Humanity; live in his presence, talk to him, ask him for the things we need, tell him about the things that are making us suffer, share our joys with him instead of letting them drive him from our thoughts..."
St. Teresa of Avila
Day 9: Pope Francis shared with us his last prayer before going to bed. Pope Francis says this: "Lord, if you want, you can make me clean." Then he prays five Our Fathers - one for each of Christ's wounds on the Cross. -"because Jesus cleansed us with his wounds."
Day 10: Prayer Challenge is to say the St. Michael the Archangel Prayer - "St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle: be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell, Satan and all the other evil spirits, who prowl throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."
Day 11: Today during your prayer or when you struggle today, remember to ask for help from a saint you feel inspired by. If you don't have one, pick one whose feast day is today
CLICK HERE FOR THE SAINT GENERATOR
CLICK HERE FOR THE SAINT CALENDAR
Struggle with the saints and why we ask for their intercession?
CLICK HERE TO WATCH BISHOP BARRON
Day 12: Don't give up if your prayer seems unfruitful. In the words of Pope Francis "All of us experience moments of fatigue and discouragement, especially when our prayers seem ineffective...But Jesus assures us: unlike the unjust judge, God promptly answers his children, although this does not mean he does it in the time and manner that we would like. Prayer is not a magic wand! ...It helps to preserve our faith in God, and to trust in Him even when we do not comprehend His will. In this, Jesus himself - who prayed so much! – is the example.” Pope Francis
Day 13: Remember in your prayer today that the King of Kings resides in your soul and that prayer is your visit to him! It is clear to me that if I had understood, as I do today, that in this tiny palace of my soul, such a great King is living, I would not have left him alone so often, and I would have taken steps to ensure that the palace was less dirty. How admirable it is then, to think that he whose greatness would fill a thousand worlds and much more, shuts himself into such a little thing! St. Teresa of Avila
Day 14:The Church asks us to pray for our departed brothers and sisters. Remember them in your prayers today. One example of a prayer for the departed is:
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
You could also offer up something today for the Souls in Purgatory, such as getting stuck in traffic, waking up early or having to pick up after someone else.
Confused on the Church's teaching on Purgatory and praying for the dead? Watch Dr. Scott Hahn's as he answers these questions
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
Congrats - You did it! The 3 parishes of Our Catholic Family have benefited from your prayer! Yesterday concluded our 14 day prayer challenge. We hope that you enjoyed this challenge and grew in your prayer life. We encourage you to take what you've learned, develop the prayer habit yourself, and go forward having been changed by the 14 day challenge.
The hardest struggle many people have is finding the time to pray. We've included a video from Fr. Mike Schmitz addressing the Time to Pray. We hope this encourages you as you continue on your journey. God bless!
