tSister Susan Marie: Did you have a topic in mind?
Oct 26 2014, 7:16 PM
Judy : I thought I would share just a bit on the article “Live in the Pierced Side of Jesus.”
Sister Susan Marie: OK!
Sister Susan Marie: The Pierced side can be related to the Guard of Honor as well
Car: I’m looking at the table of contents of the ebook and I don’t see the bit about The Pierced side
Sister Susan Marie: I was away last week so did not prepare a specific topic but the newsletter reflected many former ones.
Oct 26 2014, 7:19 PM
Judy : St. Francis de Sales advice that we should “live no more in ourselves but that we lodge forever in the pierced side of the Savior” strikes a chord in me. Each night on retiring, I ask the Lord to permit me to enter through I’m still here.
Sister Susan Marie: Yes you are living the Guard of Honor by that prayer- to live in consciousness of His piercing
Sister Susan Marie: It is a way of honoring His sacred Heart but specifically the Pierced Heart
Sister Susan Marie: St. Francis wrote:
“My advice, my daughter, is that henceforth we live no more in ourselves, but that in heart, intention, and confidence we lodge forever in the pierced side of the Savior”
“The other day, considering in prayer the open side of our Savior, and gazing upon His Heart, I seemed to see all our hearts around His, doing Him homage as the Sovereign King of hearts.”
Oct 26 2014, 7:23 PM
Sister Susan Marie: In her meditations, St. Jane refers to the Visitation community as “Daughters of the Heart of Jesus.””‘Learn of Me that I am meek and humble of heart.’ This is the portion of His treasures that has fallen to us. Having given to other Orders, to one eminent prayer, to another solitude, to another austerity, He bequeathed to us what, undoubtedly, He esteemed more dear, since His precious Heart is its depository. Ah, could we but have this satisfaction, could we learn and practice well the lesson that this lo
: that this loving Savior gives us, we should then be honored in bearing the title of ‘Daughters of the Heart of Jesus’”
Judy : enter through the wound in His side into His loving, merciful Sacred Heart and to keep me save there. I think that my devotion to the Sacred Heart began during my teen years. I was always drawn to His Heart which is so full of love. I have a statue of the Sacred Heart in my living room which I gave to my family when I was entering the novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy in Dallas,PA. I told them that I was leaving but that I was leaving Someone far better with them If I remember correctly, we had a ceremony eA ceremony
enthroning the Sacred Heart in our home. I have moved several times since then and have recently relocated again. I plan to have an enthronment ceremony when I have the apartment blessed.
Car: how long were you in the novitiate? Did you stay in your order?
Sister Susan Marie: Yes that is a tremendous blessing! Would you like the enthronement picture we use here?
Sister Susan Marie: The Srs of Mercy taught me in High school. Are you still in contact with them
Judy : One of the discussion questions was how to spread the news of the love of Jesus. I think we could share our own experiences of the love of Jesus and circulate literature and pictures of the Sacred Heart. Carol, I was in the novitiate for 2 1/2 years. They say that you can take the girl out of the convent but you can’t take the convent out of the girl. True in my case. I am still close to the Sisters, but am also close to other Sisters, especially the Salesian Sisters and the Sisters of Life. Sister, I plan
: to use the same statue since still have it.
Oct 26 2014, 7:30 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Carol The newsletter on Pierced Side: http://www.icontact-archive.com/R5nWYuGBvcgNJcUfuX92aBCmOw9Gtlf1?w=3
Oct 26 2014, 7:31 PM
Car: oh, thank you Siste
Sister Susan Marie: The Salesian Srs have a similar spirituality to us in that St Francis de Sales is an influence
Sister Susan Marie: I would really like to know if you are interested in praying that our country be consecrated to the Sacred Heart
Car: I think that is a marvelous idea
Judy : Since leaving the novitiate, I have become a Salesian Cooperator of St. John Bosco and have been so for over 32 years. It is a great joy to part of this great family and it truly is a famly. You should see us at an ordination or profession . I guess you could say that you and I are “cousins” Sister.
Sister Susan Marie: With all that is going on in the world and country I think we need the flow of love from Jesus Heart and The dedication that comes from consecration
I wonder if we pray about it seriously the grace would come for that. I know 2 people who would help in spreading the possibility- from France- they made trips to South America and many countries were consecrated
Oct 26 2014, 7:37 PM
Judy : There was a question in one of the other articles about other mystics who received revelations. Yep! St. Gertrude the Great, one of my personal favorites born in 1281 speaks of such revelations in her “Herald of Divine Love.” What a powerful book!!!
Perhaps we could make a novena to the Sacred Heart for this intention.
Oct 26 2014, 7:38 PM
Sister Susan Marie: I read something of hers but not that I believe. Yes a novena
Car: we could make the novena on our own? or does formal consecration of a country need to be done by a bishop or cardinal?
Oct 26 2014, 7:40 PM
Judy : Do we as a group want to begin such a novena, and if so, when so that we are all together.
Sister Susan Marie: WE could do it individually, or I could post a prayer. Yes I think Archbishop Kurtz of the USCCB would be the one to do the consecration
Oct 26 2014, 7:41 PM
Judy : Or possibly the Apostolic Delegate Archbishop Vigano.
Oct 26 2014, 7:41 PM
Sister Susan Marie: We could begin it next Sunday night as a start to the chat or another day if as a group
Daw: prayer, deepening our communion in Christ. but your discussion is interesting and just following..have question about the consecration . how is, or is it, different from say Fatimas request to consecrate ‘
Sister Susan Marie: Ah Yes perhaps the Nuncio
Sister Susan Marie: I think the history of the Sacred Heart consecration began with Pope eo 13th in 1899 when he consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart, before Our Lady of Fatima visited.
Sister Susan Marie: Pope Leo
Maybe we can find his prayer!
Judy : Since Our Lady always leads us to Jesus, it seems natural that since she is the Patroness of our country and of the Americas, we consecrate our country to her Son.K: I never thought of having our country country consecrated to the Sacred Heart. This country is so much in need of love
Some Dioceses have already been consecrated; NY in 1999 by Cardinal O’Connor and Milwaukee by Archbishop Dolan- don’t know the yearSome Dioceses have already been consecrated; NY in 1999 by Cardinal O’Connor and Milwaukee by Archbishop Dolan- don’t know the year
Oct 26 2014, 7:45 PM
Sister Susan Marie: This in itself would help deepen one’s prayer life
Sister Susan Marie: You can bury yourself in His Heart infinitely deeply and eternally
Oct 26 2014, 7:45 PM
Judy : M-m-m-m. a past and present of our Archdiocese of NY>
Sister Susan Marie: Yes!
Yes!
Oct 26 2014, 7:46 PM
Judy : Oh Sister Susan, I can think of nowhere I would rather bury myself than in His Heart!
t!
Oct 26 2014, 7:47 PM
Car: so we could do it, it just wouldn’t be “official”
Sister Susan Marie: He waits for each one of us to do so since we came from His Heart
Judy : I love the Consecration to the Sacred Heart written by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque!
Sister Susan Marie: We can pray unofficially, yes
Daw: but together for same intention, ?
Sister Susan Marie: And consecrate ourselves too, with St Margaret Mary’s format
Oct 26 2014, 7:48 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes for the same intention if we want unity
Ca: because there is strength in numbers
Guest5489 (guest): I think, because Jesus said: where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am.
Jud I have a little booklet entitled “Little Treasury of the Sacred Heart.It is published by Pauline Books and Media and contains a number of consecrations and acts of reparation and other prayers. I usually reconsecrate myself on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
Guest5489 (guest): I am consecrated to Jesus through Mary — St. Louis de Montford.
Oct 26 2014, 7:51 PM
Sister Susan Marie: That is a beautiful consecration for your life
Oct 26 2014, 7:52 PM
Jud: Hi there 5489. Welcome aboard!!
: LI give myself and consecrate to the Sacred Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ, my person and my life, my actions, pains and sufferings, so that I may be unwilling to make use of any part of my being other than to honor, love and glorify the Sacred Heart. This is my unchanging purpose, namely, to be all His, and to do all things for the love of Him, at the same time renouncing with all my heart whatever is displeasing to Him. I therefore take You, O Sacred Heart, to be the only object of my love, the guardian o
Sister Susan Marie: the guardian of my life,my assurance of salvation, the remedy of my weakness and inconstancy, the atonement for all the faults of my life and my sure refuge at the hour of death. Be then, O Heart of goodness, my justification before God the Father, and turn away from me the strokes of his righteous anger.O Heart of love, I put all my confidence in You, for I fear everything from my own wickedness and frailty, but I hope for all things from Your goodness and bounty.Remove from me all that can displease You o
or resist Your holy will;
let your pure love imprint Your image
so deeply upon my heart,
that I shall never be able to forget You
or to be separated from You.
May I obtain from all Your loving kindness
the grace of having my name written in Your Heart,
for in You I desire to place all my happiness and glory,
living and dying in bondage to You.
Amen.
L: Amen.
Oct 26 2014, 7:55 PM
Jud: I would rather be slave of Jesus than a princess in the court of the evil one.
Sister Susan Marie: That’s one of St Margaret Mary’s
Sister Susan Marie: And St Louis de Montfort used to give conferences to Visitation Sisters in France and even wrote a hymn about the Sacred Heart and Visitation
Oct 26 2014, 7:56 PM
Sister Susan Marie: So all connects!
Car:do all orders have interconnections like this? where I was, they didn’t talk about it.
I wonder what the Sacred Heart would say if He appeared to someone today?
Sister Susan Marie: Oh sure. For ex we were even connected to Carmelites in our early days with St Jane de Chantal
Guest5489 (guest): Hello. I’ve been mostly just “listening.” I’m afraid I don’t understand “official” “unofficial” consecrations of a nation — including people who have no idea that we are consecrating them. I can understand consecrating a family or even a diocese. A nation? By our prayers? Opps, this did not get sent.
Sister Susan Marie: I suspect He is talking to someone today!
Guest5489 (guest): Your prayer, Sister Susan, is beautiful.
Sister Susan Marie: No I don’t think we can consecrate our nation but pray for it
Sister Susan Marie: That’s St Margaret’
t5489 (guest): That makes sense to me.
Guest5489 (guest): And is important.
Guest5489 (guest): I was feeling well today, and “instead” of praying I read some of my old prayer journals.
Oct 26 2014, 8:02 PM
Jud: There are other such connections. For example, the Sisters of Mercy were originally formed by the Sisters of the Presentation.
Mary Roberta Viano: Hello. Yes, I had a good retreat. I hope your visit with us was a good one, too.
Guest5489 (guest): That helped some. I was NOT feeling well. I saw there a statement — affirmed by my pastor and by the prayer of the centurion for his servant — that even our weaknesses, our inadequacies, our powerlessness can be given to HIM>
Oct 26 2014, 8:03 PM
Judy K: Hi Sister Mary Roberta. Your halo must be shining.
Sister Susan Marie: ST Francis de Sales would say “love your abjections or weaknesses
Oct 26 2014, 8:04 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: No, it still needs a lot of polishing. The halos of my sisters at Monte Maria are shining, though, because of their wonderful hospitality to me!
Oct 26 2014, 8:04 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes a busy and intense time in Georgetown but good
Jud Yes, we can give everything to Him, even our sinfulness. I believe that He asked St. Faustina to do just that.
:05 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: When we are weak, then we are strong.
Mary Roberta Viano: strong in Our Lor
05 PM
Car: it does feel weird to offer up something so dark, but I think He wants it too, so He can take care of it and of us 6 PM
Jud: I think that you are right on target there, Car
Oct 26 2014, 8:06 PM
Guest5489 (guest): Do you know who said/prayed “my memory, my understanding .. . ” ? Asking God to take ALL?
014, 8:06 PM
Jud: St. Ignatius of Loyola. , 8:07 PM
Car: yes, it was St Ignatius
Guest5489 (guest): Yes, of course. Exercises .. Discernment.
Mary Roberta Viano: Right, that’s the main prayer of our Jesuit brothers – sung, also
08 PM
Guest5489 (guest): I struggle with that.
Oct 26 2014, 8:08 PM
Sister Susan Marie: That deepens our prayer when we give HIM everything- our core and even our sins
08 PM
Car: and an excellent way to remind ourselves we should not hold onto our sins, but to Him PM
Judy K: It’s off the topic, but I wanted to mention this before I forget, next Saturday, EWTN will be celebrating Magnificat. I believe that it begins at 9 or 9;30 with Holy Mass, and there will be talks by Fr. Cameron,OP of Magnificat Magazine and Fr. Robert Barron. Sounds promising.
Oct 26 2014, 8:10 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: SFdS wrote: “We must abandon ourselves entirely to His eternal Providence, allowing ourselves to be governed and led according to His holy will.” (Sermon on Our Lady)
10 PM
Daw: this part of Scripture John 15….”….for apart from Me you can do nothing”…this has been in my prayer and heart very deeply lately. 1 PM
Guest5489 (guest): Hold onto HIM. That makes sense. Sort of. But why did he say to Mary after the resurrection, before he’d ascended to the Father — “Do not touch/hold onto me.”?
Jud: But remember too, “I can do all things in Him Who strengthens me.”
Mary Roberta Viano: Right, Judy PM
Car: I think He said that to Mary Magdalene because He had not yet ascended, if I remember right. Now of course we hold on spiritually
Mary Roberta Viano: I’m reading Martin Luther for an online Church course, and he felt man was totally depraved and could do nothing good – with or without God’s help. How sad!
Jud: If Mary Magdalen had held onto Jesus then, she might have missed all the graces He would send flowing from His Father’s throne.
Oct 26 2014, 8:14 PM
Guest5489 (guest): It is only through God’s gifts/GRACE that we can do any good.
Mary Roberta Viano: As SFdS said in one of his conferences: “It is very good for us to be covered with confusion when we know and feel our misery and imperfection, but we must not stop there.”
:15 PM
Dawn L: didn’t He say ” for I have not yet assended to my Father? 8:15 PM
Judy K: As He told the Apostles, “it is better for you that I go.” For then He would send the Spirit to be with us always. PM
Mary Roberta Viano: “…the consciousness of these miseries must not discourage us, but rather make us raise our hearts to God by a holy confidence, the foundation of which ought to be in Him and not in ourselves.” 14, 8:16 PM
Daw: AH this is enlightening Sr Mary Roberta
Daw: and spiritual direction
Guest5489 (guest): Yes, Dawn. But what is the connection?
Oct 26 2014, 8:17 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: I think you’d like his Conferences, Dawn. You can get a copy (borrow or buy) from DeSales Resources.
Mary Roberta Viano: I think you’d like his Conferences, Dawn. You can get a copy (borrow or buy) from DeSales Resources.
Sister Susan Marie: Which now has a new website called embraced by God
Oct 26 2014, 8:18 PM
Daw: thank you….and I see new website up with a lending library!
Sister Susan Marie: www.embracedbygod.org
Sister Susan Marie: Yes!
Mary Roberta Viano: Perfect!
Jud: To have confidence only in ourselves would be pure pride. Yes our confidence in ourselves alone would surely be misguided because of our weaknesses. But relying on the Lord will be our salvation for only He is our salvation. 0 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Total confidence touches the Lord immensely- He wants that so much from us Total confidence touches the Lord immensely- He wants that so much
Daw: that total confidence precedes total complete surrender….is this correct?
Guest5489 (guest): “He wants . . .?” God lacks NOTHIN
Oct 26 2014, 8:22 PM
Jud: It seems funny to think of the Lord as wanting anything from us, but He does want our confidence, our love which even thought given in this age would comfort Him in His sufferings.
Oct 26 2014, 8:22 PM
Amy : I think that trust is like a little child who leaps off a swing, knowing his parent will catch him
PM
Mary Roberta Viano: SFdS points out that it’s not necessary to FEEL this abandonment to God, but we must HAVE IT…because we must not concern ourselves with what we feel or do not feel, since the greater part of our feelings are only the movements of self-love. Hmm… 8:24 PM
Daw: is this part of SFdS conferences Sr Mary?
Oct 26 2014, 8:24 PM
Car: because abandonment is an act of will and not of emotion?
PM
Mary Roberta Viano: Yes, Dawn, Conf II, p 27
Guest5489 (guest): I like the image, Amy. My Goddaughter followed her mother high into an apple tree. I reached up to try to hold her hand to the branch for her mother to come down and get her and the 2 year old surprised me by leaping into my arms!
M
Amy : I know, that’s how I envision it, total trust
Jud: Think of Jesus’ words to Margaret Mary–Behold this Heart that has so loved man but is so little loved by him in return. This certainly tells that the Lord does want this from us. Love desires love in return. To love, as the Lord loves perfectly, surely causes Him pain. However, unlike us, He is not diminished by the pain. It is that pain that drove Him to the cross. And opening His arms wide, He showed us how much He loves us.
Oct 26 2014, 8:26 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: and SFdS cautions that if we reserve to ourselves ANYTHING, instead of confiding it to Him, He leaves it to us, saying “you will see how you will succeed (or not!)
Oct 26 2014, 8:27 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: Yes, just seeing His open arms on the Cross gives me confidence.
PM
Mary Roberta Viano: SFdS says true self-abandonment is “nothing else but the acceptance with perfect indifference of all the events which may befall us, just as they arrive by the order of God’s Providence – affliction equally with consolation.”
Oct 26 2014, 8:30 PM
Jud: I guess that’s why the Heart of Jesus in the vision is surrounded with the crown thorns, a visible expression of the wounds that the lack of love on the part of His creatures causes Him.
Oct 26 2014, 8:31 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: Good way to be given over to Him, Judy1
Jud: To anyone who doubts the love of God for him or her, I suggest spending a half hour looking at a crucifix. If that doesn’t convince one, I doubt that anything will. 8:28 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: SFdS says true self-abandonment is “nothing else but the acceptance with perfect indifference of all the events which may befall us, just as they arrive by the order of God’s Providence – affliction equally with consolation.”
Oct 26 2014, 8:30 PM
Jud: I guess that’s why the Heart of Jesus in the vision is surrounded with the crown thorns, a visible expression of the wounds that the lack of love on the part of His creatures causes Him.
Oct 26 2014, 8:31 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: Good way to be given over to Him, Judy1
Mary Roberta Viano: ! and to be self-abandoned like Him
Jud: Into Your hands, we surrender our beings!
Mary Roberta Viano: When I became Catholic, I would always cry at the Consecration and before His Crucifix, which I didn’t grow up with, as a Presbyterian.
Guest5489 (guest): Good tears.
Mary Roberta Viano: It was pulling me out of myself.
Oct 26 2014, 8:33 PM
Daw: The Cloistered Heart blog (Sr Susan ref)has most beautiful early image of Christ, must be before the thorns…
Jud: I often wonder why, during the reading of the Passion, we are not all in tears as we hear of all that Jesus endured for us. 4 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: so true, Judy!
Jud: Have we become cold, jaded, blase?
Oct 26 2014, 8:35 PM
Car: Judy I did used to cry, but was told it was a sign of immaturity, of thinking I could feel what He fel
Mary Roberta Viano: No, I think, with your tears, He was stirring up your best self to respond to Him. 8:36 PM
Jud: Good heavens, I would hardly call tears a sign of immaturity. Jesus Himself wept overJerusalem and when Lazarus died. I would not consider Him to be immature.
Sister Susan Marie: There is the “gift of tears” as well
Carol Ann: there’s a lot of misinformation out there-I’m hoping people mean well, but so much of the Holy Spirit’s movement within us gets squelched by comments like that
Oct 26 2014, 8:37 PM
Daw I cried a lot when I first returned to church, but I think I hear it is Gift of Tears, when we begin to see…..yes Sr Susan
Car: there’s a lot of misinformation out there-I’m hoping people mean well, but so much of the Holy Spirit’s movement within us gets squelched by comments like that
Oct 26 2014, 8:37 PM
Daw I cried a lot when I first returned to church, but I think I hear it is Gift of Tears, when we begin to see…..yes Sr Susan
Oct 26 2014, 8:38 PM
Car: I’m trying to remember exactly how it was put–something like He doesn’t want your tears, just confession or something like that. Tears are just emotionality gone awry
Mary Roberta Viano: So, let’s give ourselves ever more over to God this week – into His hands we commend all we are and all we do.
Oct 26 2014, 8:39 PM
Car: No one teaches about the gifts of tears and laughter. I wish they would. It would save people a lot of unnecessary grief
Guest5489 (guest): Sorry Carol, let him heal you now, with tears if feel like it. I’ll pray for you.
Mary Roberta Viano: There’s a wonderful image of Christ laughing.
Oct 26 2014, 8:39 PM
Car: thanks!
Oct 26 2014, 8:39 PM
Car: Oh, I love that image!
Oct 26 2014, 8:40 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: and of Christ crying over Jerusalem
0 PM
Daw: compuction…what many Catholic mystics talk and expereinced…they say the first step into geniune spiritual life
Oct 26 2014, 8:40 PM
Jud: Tears can be a sign of repentance, or of joy, or of fear, or even of love. One an be so overwhelmed by the love of another that the tears begin to flow. I think that one who scorns tears, is lacking in something.
41 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: G’night. I have to keep working on my catch-up cross – after my week and a half away! 41 PM
Daw: good night Sr Mary. thank you
Guest5489 (guest): Lately even psychiatry is discovering the value of deep religious experience.
Oct 26 2014, 8:41 PM
Car: Good night, thank you Sister!
M
Guest5489 (guest): Good night all.
Sister Susan: Good night- many blessings, and prayer for all of us in the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Jud Good night everyone. It has been quite a discussion. Sacred Heart of Jesus, make us love you more and more.