From: richarra@gmail.com   
      
   May 7th - Blessed Rose Venerini   
      
   (1656-1728)   
      
   Rose was born at Viterbo in Italy, the daughter of a doctor. Following the   
   death   
   of her fiancé she entered a convent, but soon returned home to care for her   
   newly widowed mother. Meanwhile, Rose invited the women of the neighborhood   
   to   
   recite the rosary in her home, forming a sort of sodality with them.   
      
   As she looked to her future, Rose, under the spiritual guidance of a Jesuit   
   priest, became convinced that she was called to become a teacher in the   
   world   
   rather than a contemplative nun in a convent. Clearly, she made the right   
   choice: She was a born teacher, and the free school for girls she opened in   
   1685   
   was well received.   
      
   Soon the cardinal invited her to oversee the training of teachers and the   
   administration of schools in his Diocese of Montefiascone. As Rose's   
   reputation   
   grew, she was called upon to organize schools in many parts of Italy,   
   including   
   Rome. Her disposition was right for the task as well, for Rose often met   
   considerable opposition but was never deterred.   
      
   She died in Rome in 1728, where a number of miracles were attributed to her.   
   She   
   was beatified in 1952. The sodality, or group of women she had invited to   
   prayer, was ultimately given the rank of a religious congregation. Today,   
   the   
   so-called Venerini Sisters can be found in the United States and elsewhere,   
   working among Italian immigrants.   
      
   Comment:   
      
   Whatever state of life God calls us to, we bring with us an assortment of   
   experiences, interests and gifts-however small they seem to us. Rose's life   
   stands as a reminder that all we are is meant to be put to service wherever   
   we   
   find ourselves.   
      
      
   Saint Quote:   
   Although tares, or impure vessels, are found in the church, yet this is not   
   a   
   reason why we should withdraw from it. It only behooves us to labor that we   
   may   
   be vessels of gold or of silver. But to break in pieces the vessels of earth   
   belongs to the Lord alone, to whom a rod of iron is also given. Nor let any   
   one   
   arrogate to himself what is exclusively the province of the Son of God, by   
   pretending to fan the floor, clear away the chaff, and separate all the   
   tares by   
   the Judgment of man. This is proud obstinacy and sacrilegious presumption,   
   originating in a corrupt frenzy.   
   -St. Cyprian   
      
   Bible Quote   
   19 My brethren, if any of you err from the truth, and one convert him: 20 He   
   must know that he who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his   
   way, shall save his soul from death, and shall cover a multitude of sins.   
   (James 5:19-20)   
      
      
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   Four Obligations of Mass   
      
   Honor & Praise Our Lord   
      
   O my God, I adore You, and acknowledge You as my Lord, and Master of my   
   soul. I protest that all I am, and all I have, are willingly acknowledged by   
   me to be from You. And since Your supreme majesty deserves infinite honor   
   and homage, while I am but a poor, helpless being, utterly incapable of   
   paying so great a debt, I offer up to You the humiliation and the homage   
   which Jesus renders to You on the altar. That which Jesus does I purpose   
   also to do. I humble, I abase myself, together with Him, before Your   
   Majesty. I adore You with the same humiliation which Jesus practices, and   
   rejoice and am glad that blessed Jesus should give to my behalf,   
   infinite honor and homage. - Amen.   
      
      
   Beg Forgiveness for Our Sins   
      
   Behold, my God, this traitor who has so many times rebelled against You. I   
   am pierced with grief, how I deplore and detest my heavy sins, while I offer   
   for them that same satisfaction which Jesus offers on the altar. I offer to   
   You all the merits of Jesus, all Jesus himself, God and man, Who now, as an   
   unbloody Victim, pleads anew for me, His bloody sacrifice on the cross. I   
   offer all that He does on that altar as my Mediator and Advocate, imploring   
   You to pardon me through His most Precious Blood. I unite myself with the   
   cry of that loving Blood, and I ask You to have mercy on me for my sins, so   
   grievous and so many. The Blood of Jesus cries for mercy; my pierced heart   
   cries for mercy!   
      
   Dear God, if my tears do not move You, let the groans of my Jesus move You;   
   that mercy which He obtained for the whole human race on the cross, why   
   shouldn't He obtain it for me on this altar? Yes; I hope that, in virtue of   
   that most Precious Blood, You will pardon all my most grievous   
   transgressions, for which I shall persevere in weeping to the last breath of   
   my life. - Amen.   
      
      
   Thanksgiving   
      
   See me, my most beloved God, laden with the blessings, both general and   
   particular, which You choose to give me in time, and to store up for me in   
   eternity. I know that Your mercies toward me have been and are infinite, but   
   yet I am ready to repay You all, even to the last cent.   
      
   I thank and repay You by this most Precious Body, this Divine Blood, this   
   Innocent Victim, which I present to You by the hands of Your priest. I am   
   certain that this offering which I make is sufficient to repay all the gifts   
   You have given to me. This gift of infinite value is by itself worth all the   
   gifts which I have received, which I receive now, and am yet to receive from   
   You.   
      
   Holy Angels, and all you beloved ones in Heaven, help me to thank my God,   
   and to offer Him, in thanksgiving for such benefits, not only this but all   
   the Masses which are being celebrated throughout the whole world in order   
   that His loving beneficiaries may remain fully recompensed for so many   
   graces which He has given to me, which He is now about to give, and will   
   give throughout eternal ages.   
      
   Dear ones, my very holy advocates, thank for me the goodness of my God, so   
   that I may not live and die without utterance of my gratitude. Ask Him to   
   accept the impulse of my heart, and to have regard to the loving thanks   
   offered by my Jesus for me in this Mass. - Amen.   
      
      
   Petition for Graces and Favors   
      
   O my dearest God, too well I recognize myself as unworthy of Your favors. I   
   confess my supreme unworthiness, and that because of so many and so grievous   
   sins I deserve not to be heard. But how will You be able to refuse attention   
   to Your Divine Son Who prays for me on this altar, and offers to You, in my   
   behalf, His Life and His Blood?   
      
   My God, my most beloved, hear the prayer of this my great Advocate, and for   
   His sake grant me all the graces which You know to be necessary for   
   accomplishing the great affair of my eternal salvation. And now that I take   
   heart to ask of You a general pardon of all my sins, and the grace of final   
   perseverance, I also ask of You, my God, trusting in the merits and   
   intercession of my Jesus, all virtues in a heroic degree, and all the aids   
   efficacious for making me a true saint. I ask You for the conversion of all   
   unbelievers and of all sinners, and particularly of those who belong to me   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)