Hey Friends, As I am going through some of my old posts, I see the value of this area, even to be able to look back at your own posts, and be reminded of stuff you said, of where you were at at a certain point in your spiritual journey. Sometimes we forget stuff, but this is really cool in that it is like a journal that we can keep looking back on, and continue to develop. Anyway, I would like to share an article and small personal testimony on the Holy Rosary. This is truly one of the best weapons we have for spiritual warfare, while on Earth, and maybe even in heaven, I'm not sure! I recently joined the Confraternity of the Rosary, and have committed to saying three mysteries a week: Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious, though I have taken it upon myself to pray 5 decades of the Rosary each day. I feel like it is a necessity. And let me tell you. I have not fallen nearly as often as hard into sin or temptation as a result. My days are more filled with joy, I have been given new strength to persevere in every aspect of my life, including academics, music, social life, and exercise. I have even been given the confidence to preach the Gospel in a more radical way, and my relationships have been deepening. This is a result after 2 weeks! Only God can tell what is to come. Momma Mary loves her children, and all grace comes through her as she is the Mediatrix, so it is no coincidence that all these graces I have received have come from honoring her through the Rosary! Here is an awesome link to a story about the Rosary and St. Dominic, to whom the Rosary was given. http://www.catholictradition.org/Classics/secret-rosary33.htm?fbclid=IwAR05VjcLSLFU1jxMhilMvJ7FhP-u8Ei_uBBwo-Z5Driz9bovJ6IwbM0LMrU And if you're really hardcore, you can check out this pretty bare bones, harsh truth homily about the Rosary. https://youtu.be/UPShNI1uC_Y Both are meant to help us grow in Holiness, and grow closer into the mystery of Our Lord Jesus Christ's birth, life, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. All of which can be lumped into one word, which is the Incarnation, or God become flesh. Don't be scared! It's all about love, and Christ has already won the battle for us. Let us grow in Holiness together. Love you all. God bless and Happy Sunday, Yours Truly, Jack Terzian, Fellow '18

Hello everybody, Missing everyone, and that voice memo from Gabby really struck a heart chord! We are a family, and I want all my brothers and sisters in heaven with me. So, I recently started a new devotion after hearing about it from someone (I forget exactly where but it may have been a seminarian or a Franciscan brother). It is called the Holy Face of Jesus Devotion. It is a devotion to His Holy Face, which appeared on Veronica's veil after wiping the Face of Our Lord. This devotion is done in reparation for blasphemy and profanation of Sundays. When we blaspheme, we hurt the Lord in the worst way possible, by cursing at, spitting on, and defiling Him to his face. This is the sin (as He revealed) that hurts Him more than any other sin. Compounded with this are atheism, communism, and any other type of -isms that detract from the respect due to God Our Savior. Profanation of Sundays: This has been recent for me as far as knowledge of what this is. Sundays are the Lord's day and are to be respected. They are a day of rest; servile work should not be done on Sundays if not absolutely necessary. A huge common temptation of Satan is to make people lazy, gluttonous, and indulgent on Saturdays. Though these sins are bad in themselves, he does it to bring about greater sin on Sundays, which is offensive to The Lord. We must be diligent in our efforts against the evil one, that we may be pardoned from our sins at the end of this life. I have really enjoyed reading about this devotion and learning about other devotions, and I feel compelled to share. Here is a prayer if you would like to get involved with this devotion: ETERNAL FATHER, we offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of communists, blasphemers, and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day. AMEN. Here is a link to more on the devotion! http://www.catholictradition.org/Christ/holy-face.htm Sr. Mary of St. Peter, to whom these revelations were revealed, PRAY FOR US St. Michael, PRAY FOR US St. Joseph, PRAY FOR US St. Martin of Tours, PRAY FOR US St. Louis, PRAY FOR US St. Veronica, PRAY FOR US St. Teresa of Avila, PRAY FOR US Mary, PRAY FOR US Jesus, HAVE MERCY ON US

https://www.padrepio.catholicwebservices.com/ENGLISH/The_Devil.htm If you take a look at this website, you can see how tortured this Man of God was, yet he constantly fought the Evil with the power of Christ and the Crucifix. Literally, here in the segment where it talks about the ink, he uses the Crucifix to scare away the evil. I believe this shows the true nature of the Devil. How deceitful he is, and how actively and intensely we need to fight and resist him, and more so how cowardly he is especially in front of the Cross. I encourage you to click around to some of the other tabs on this website too. I read a biography on Padre Pio called, Padre Pio, Man of Hope, and it really opened my eyes to the true servant of Our Lord that he was and continues to be in Heaven. It also excites me to peek in to the other treasure-filled lives of other Saints I have not read about, and makes me wonder what I don't yet know about our Lord and their lives! I actually got to go to San Giovanni Rotondo, where Padre Pio lived and is buried. Walking through the Monastery where he spent his days, I felt so close to him, and also knew his simplicity. One thing that kept ringing in my head was, Matthew 23:12 "whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." St. Pio is definitely exalted by both man and God, and it was not anything he ever asked for. In fact, a famous quote from him is, "I am just a poor friar who prays." All he cared about, was deepening his relationship with Christ. He has no other motives. Wow, what an inspiring figure to model your life after. He must have felt the same way when deciding to follow the Way of St. Francis. I keep learning that the Saints are on our side, and their intercession is just a prayer call away. Also, not to be forgotten is Saint Pio's devotion to Our Lady. He loves and recognizes her sweet love in all of his conduct, and that is also a trait to be modeled after. Long live Jesus and Long live Mary!