Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA)

I would like to thank you very much for your support in building the roof of the church. Through your help and support, we were able to buy the iron and steel needed in order to continue the work. This week, the company is going to finish the making of the iron elements for the roof. Next week, they will put them on the roof and then the workers are going to start making the main dome of the church. The church is going to have three domes which symbolize the Holy Trinity. Also, at the present moment, I have the important task to build the main dome and to order four crosses for the church. I am looking for benefactors who can help us build the church and put the crosses atop the main dome and the three smaller domes. The names of the benefactors will be carved on the bottom of the crosses. The blessing of these crosses is a very unique liturgical service which is performed by the Bishop. The benefactors who donate for the crosses receive the special blessings and graces. All the people kiss these crosses and the Bishop will be celebrating a special Sacred Mass for the constant protection of the benefactors from every evil. Also, the names of the benefactors will be remembered at the Altar during every Sacred Mass because their names are carved on the bottom of the crosses. The cross is our most powerful protection from the evil; this is why only the Bishop must bless them.

Winter is coming and I am trying to put the roof at the church as soon as it is possible. This year, our parish is having 250 children who are going to study Catechism and sing in the parish. The parishioners help as much as they can but their money is not enough. I beg the good hearted benefactors to help my parish in this noble task.

We see here the architect’s sketch of the church upon completion.

With our prayers and respect,

Fr. IVAN KOLODIY
Byzantine Rite, Greek-Catholic Church, UKRAINE
 

October is the glorious month of Our Lady of Fatima and the Holy Rosary. We must have a deep appreciation of the Holy Rosary which is the compendium of the Sacred Gospel of Christ. This is a good month in which to consecrate our lives to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

We have clear guidelines from the Mother of God, who tells us how to find our way to Heaven: Daily Duty, Reparation, Consecration, Sacrifice and Prayer. Our beloved Mother sets down her wishes so clearly that none can fail to understand them. But, what of the Sacred Heart of Jesus? How best can we live our consecration to Him and in what does it consist? Clearly, in order to model our hearts on the Heart of Christ, we must be a victim of reparation. We cannot limit ourselves to avoiding one fault or another or to acquiring a particular virtue, rather we must strive to reform our whole lives. The Divine Master offered us His Heart as a model, “Learn of Me for I am meek and humble of Heart.” Well He knew, that we must remove all pride and self-love from our hearts. Anger is a symptom of pride. We must master our emotions so that our serenity is not lost. To win this battle, we must never give up the struggle. A very vital part of this effort must be our evening examination of conscience. Do we take time to thank God for the Graces He has given us during the day? Prayer keeps us in the state of Grace. What gratitude do we not owe God for giving us His Divine Son and lavishing on us so many spiritual and temporal Graces!

May the Holy Ghost dispel the darkness which hides from us the wickedness and malice of our sins! Let us beg God that we may detest them as much as they are detested by Him, and that we may fear nothing more than to commit them again. We pray that every breath we take and every pulsation of our hearts will offer the Church Militant, Triumphant and Suffering infinite praise, adoration and love unto the end of time. Save us, O Lord, when we are awake, and keep us while we sleep, that we may watch with Christ, and rest in peace.

The hearts of all those in Ukraine breath a prayer of thanksgiving for all that you have given to us, for our mighty union of prayer with you, and for making our families and clergy strong in this battle against the enemies of God. All through the month of October, we remember your sick and suffering at the Sacred Altar.

Fr. IVAN KOLODIY
Byzantine Rite, Greek-Catholic Church, UKRAINE
 

IN MEMORY OF YOUR DEPARTED LOVED ONES

When we love, we remember, and this memory – the effect of love – is not a barren thought. It resolves itself into DEEDS for the loved one. They are at peace for they have escaped Hell forever. But, they are sentenced for a time to expiating fire. Behold their plight and helplessness. Listen to their lamentations. In sympathy and charity, hasten to their assistance.

Enroll your Departed Loved Ones in thirty days of Requiem Masses in Ukraine. Fr. Ivan Kolodiy has arranged for these Masses to be offered from 1st to 30th November. The names you send will be placed upon the Altar during this time. A Mass card will be sent out to you for each one you enroll.

SUGGESTED STIPEND DONATION: $5.00 each for Enrollment in the NOVEMBER Bouquet of thirty days of Requiem Masses for your departed Loved Ones: PRINT VERY CLEARLY EACH NAME!

Click here to download a flyer – English

Click here to download a flyer – Spanish

Performing our Actions THROUGH Mary

To perform all our actions through Mary, we must obey Her in all things; or, in other words, we must permit the Holy Spirit to guide and rule us in all things. For, as Mary was never led by Her own spirit, but always by the Holy Ghost Who, from the first moment of Her Immaculate Conception, made Himself Her Lord and Master, so must we also endeavor in all things to obey the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. These sentiments are expressed by St. Ambrose: “Let the soul of Mary be in each of us to magnify the Lord, and the spirit of Mary be in each of us to rejoice in God.”

A soul is happy, indeed, when it is entirely possessed and ruled by the spirit of Mary: a spirit meek and strong, zealous and prudent, humble and courageous, pure and profound. Happy the soul who in all things is dependent upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and obedient to Her to whom the Child Jesus was subject. Such a one has found true wisdom and the Holy Ghost dwells in him.

In order that the soul may let itself be guided by Mary’s spirit, it must renounce its own spirit, its own views and its own will, before doing or undertaking anything. For example, when we pray or hear Mass or receive Holy Communion, we should unite ourselves with our heavenly Mother and, through Her and with Her, receive Holy Communion and assist at Mass; otherwise, our own sentiments, however good they may appear to us, will put an obstacle to the spirit of Mary by the darkness of our spirit and the corruption of our will.

Furthermore, we should deliver ourselves to Mary, to be moved and influenced by Her spirit as She chooses. We should place ourselves in Her virginal hands and leave ourselves to Her like a tool in the hand of a workman, or a flute in the hands of a skillful player. We should lose ourselves and abandon ourselves to Her like a stone one throws into the sea. This, however, should be done simply and in an instant by one glance of the mind, by one little movement of the will, or even verbally by saying for example, “O my dearest Mother, I renounce myself. I give myself to thee entirely and through thee to my dear Jesus, with all that I am and have, now and forever.” This is real union of our will and our spirit with Mary, and although we may not feel any sensible sweetness in this act, it is nevertheless real and effective, and will bring forth magnificent fruits if we but remain faithful and do not neglect this easy and loving practice.

St. Louis Grignion recommends us to make this act of renunciation of our will and offering to Mary, not only when we begin our work but also during its progress and after its completion. He says, the more we do so, the more we shall be sanctified and the sooner we shall attain to union with Jesus Christ, because the spirit of Mary is the Spirit of Jesus.

Share Your Gift of Faith

For centuries, our cherished Catholic faith has been passed from person to person, parent to child, etc. Each of us carries in our heart a special memory of how God first graced us with the knowledge of the faith and how Our Blessed Mother, Saint Philomena, Venerable Pauline Jaricot and other saints changed our lives and brought us closer to Christ.

In our work in the Universal Living Rosary Association, we see first hand how millions of souls are currently living without that knowledge of God and are living outside of His grace. We have been given a beautiful opportunity to carry out Christ's work and pass on our faith and blessings to others who would otherwise never be introduced to Our Lord, the Savior of all mankind. Just as we pray for the souls in Purgatory who have no one to pray for them, we should also make it a part of our life's mission to pass on our faith to as many souls as possible who have no one else to pass it on to them, who don't know Our Lord and His promise of salvation.

This is the box we send out to the foreign Missions $77.95. It contains Rosaries, Scapulars, Miraculous Medals, Cord & Oil, Newsletters, Calendars, Catechism books, 2 TAN books, large color prints, lists and encouragement for our Promoters.

Please Click here to Share Your Gift of Faith