Dear Friend in Christ:
ONLY 20 DAYS TO GO - WILL YOU JOIN US?
Father John Corapi has said often to anyone who will listen that our Catholic Church is under attack. He reminds us that the target of the attacks is the most Holy Eucharist – the source of our Spiritual life on earth. Without a priest, we could not receive the Eucharist. So, the priest is the major focus in this battle.
Satan was once compelled by God to show himself to the desert father, Abba Apollo – and the most striking thing about satan that the saint saw was - the devil had no knees. The inability to kneel in humility before God is the very essence of the diabolical because the devil despises humility. In confession, satan’s hatred is again directed at the priest who sees our humility as we kneel before God because it is the priest who lends his voice to God and we hear him say “Go, your sins are forgiven.”
At the very end of our lives, it will be the priest who lends his voice to Christ and in the Last Rite of the Church we will hear the Lord pardon us. It will be the priest at that appointed time who lends his hands to Christ as he lovingly anoints us and sends us on our final journey. And when that time comes, when we close our eyes for the last time on this earth, it is the voice of the priest which will walk us into eternity and we will open our eyes for the first time in Heaven and look into the eyes of God.
Without priests, we would have no Eucharist, no Sacrament of Reconciliation, no-one to administer the Last Rites.
Pope John Paul II told us that “prayer united with fasting is the most powerful force in human history.” Will you join us on SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23 for our fifth annual Lay Fast Day for Priests? An ever-growing number of ‘fasters” are joining us this year from all parts of the Unive
rsal Church. On SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER, when the sun rises over Japan, people will begin fasting for priests. As the sun spreads its light over South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, all over Europe, across the Americas all the way to Hawaii, someone somewhere will be fasting for our priests on that day.The Lay Fast information is once again being translated into multiple languages including Zulu. Our numbers this year include an Air Force Pilot serving in Afghanistan who will invite all 23 men in his platoon to join him in this day of prayer for priests; a film producer from Hollywood who wants to promote the Lay Fast for Priests to anyone who will hear him; radio talk show hosts across America and Canada who also want to promote the Fast; and the dynamism and enthusiasm of a great number of young folks from Steubenville East who love the Eucharist and who want to support all priests who sacrifice their lives to give us the Sacraments.
And this year, the following Sisters will be praying for all of us who are fasting: the Sisters of the Precious Blood in New Hampshire; the Cistercian Sisters in Wrentham; Carmelites all over the world; the Missionary Sisters of La Salette; the Sister of Mercy in Bristol, Rhode Island; the Passionist Sisters in Kentucky; the Sacred Heart Sisters in St. Loius; and the Daughters of St. Paul. These are nuclear power houses of prayer.
We have a list of suggestions and ways to fast. It doesn’t have to be only from food and you don’t need to be in Church to take part. If you decide to make this offering to Our Lady for her sons, just begin your fast with a prayer when you waken up, say a brief private prayer as you go about your day and then end your fast with a final prayer at 3PM, the Hour of the Lord’s death.
Online sign ups are most welcome at the address below.
God Bless,
Anna and the Lay Fast team
http://www.annaprae.com
Please pray and fast for our beloved priests!
God is at work in you.
