"The Greatest Love Story of All Time Is Contained in a Tiny White Host." ~ Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

  God is so in love with you.

Jesus, You Are So Loving and Beautiful

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Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Love and honor Him, all the days of your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How is God at work in you?

"These Are The Remedies You Must Use"

Two life-changing stories everyone should know.

 

From the third book in the award-winning God Moments series, God Moments III:  True Love Leads To Life.

 

  Chapter 8: Restoring the Culture of Life

 

The Snake and the Rosary

"Don't Let Go!"

     This story from the biographical memoirs of St. John Bosco (Vol. VII, pages 143-145) may forever change the importance you place on saying the Rosary.  It sure did for Dom Bosco and his boys, and for so many others who have heard the story.  Please share it with others.

     For 60 years, St. John Bosco had many vision-like dreams that foretold the extraordinary mission God had for him, and also guided him as it came to fruition.  Fr. Bosco shared the dreams with his boys.  Sometimes the youths faced tremendous challenges, and in other dreams, the state of their souls were revealed.

     The remarkable dream/visions continue to provide us in the modern era with important lessons and insights as we grow in sanctity and fulfill our purposes in life.  

     One particular dream had two parts.  In it, St. John Bosco "received yet another proof of the devil's unceasing, devastating attacks against souls and of the need to repel him constantly and free his victims."  1

     In the dream, Fr. Bosco and his boys were at his brother's house in Italy.  As the boys played, a stranger came up to Fr. Bosco and asked the priest to accompany him.  They arrived at a meadow alongside the playground, where the stranger pointed to a huge and ugly snake that was coiled in the grass.  The snake was over twenty feet long.

     Fr. Bosco was afraid and wanted to flee, but the stranger restrained him and said, "Get closer and take a good look."

     He balked of course, but the stranger told him not to be afraid.  He told Fr. Bosco to stay where he was and went to get a rope.

     The strange man asked Fr. Bosco to take one end of the rope and grip it tightly in both of his hands.  The stranger held the other end, and together they dangled it over the snake.

     Fr. Bosco replied, "You must be crazy;  the snake will leap up and tear us to pieces."

     The stranger assured him all would be well, and again Fr. Bosco attempted to flee.  However, the stranger assured him that there was nothing to fear because the snake would not harm him.  His argument was so convincing, that Fr. Bosco remained and agreed to do as he said.

     The stranger then went to the other side of the "monster."  They stretched the rope and snapped it across the back of the snake.  It immediately sprang up and struck at the rope, but in doing so ensnared itself as if in a noose.

     The stranger yelled to Fr. Bosco to hold on and not let go, then ran to a pear tree nearby and tied his end of the rope to it.  Next he went to Fr. Bosco and tied his end of the rope to the iron grating of a window in a house.

     Fr. Bosco watched as the snake struggled with rage to free itself.  Instead, it tore itself to pieces and scattered its flesh all over the area.  Eventually it slashed itself against the rope until it was just a skeleton.

     Then, the most incredible thing happened.  The stranger untied the rope and coiled it up, and as he placed it in a box, told Fr. Bosco to watch carefully.  He closed the box, and by that time, the boys from the Oratory had gathered around Father. They all watched as the stranger opened the box.  The rope was shaped into the words Ave Maria, or "Hail Mary."

     Fr. Bosco asked the stranger how that happened.  He explained that the snake is a symbol of the devil, and the rope represents the Rosary, a succession of Hail Marys with which we can strike, conquer and destroy all of hell's demons. 

     Fr. Bosco concluded that first part of the dream by telling his boys that he would leave the second part of the dream for the next night.  That dream, named The Anvil and the Hammer, is described in the next story.   

__________________
Source:
1.  From The Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco, Compiled and Edited by Fr. J. Bacchiarello, S.D.B., Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco (Rockford, IL:  Tan Books And Publishers, Inc., 1969), p. 108.

 

The Anvil and the Hammer

The Snake and the Rosary, Part II

    St. John Bosco had many very significant dreams throughout his lifetime.  They began when he was a child and continued for sixty years. God spoke to him then, and now speaks to us through those dreams.
Some of them are parables, others are prophetic, and others are instructional.  They involved nations, the Salesian Congregation, missions, the Oratory, and the Oratory boys.

     St. John Bosco usually had a guide and interpreter in the dreams. Sometimes he was able to see the state of the Oratory boys' consciences, which he considered to be an extraordinary grace which was granted for the benefit of their eternal salvation. 

 
     He shared his dreams with the children, and residents eagerly anticipated news of a new one.  The dreams contained clear and exact revelations, and the residents of the Oratory  witnessed many of the events come to pass. Fr. Bosco was said to narrate his dreams humbly, always with the spiritual benefit of his listeners his primary concern.  The sharing of the dreams led to a greater horror for sin, better and more frequent Confessions, and more frequent Communion.  He referred to the dreams as "The Devil's Bankruptcy."  1

     The first part of one very dramatic dream was described in the previous story, The Snake And The Rosary.

     In the second part of that dream, Fr. Bosco turned around as he was talking to the stranger about the symbolism of the snake and the rope. The flesh of the snake was scattered all around, and  he saw boys picking up pieces of snake meat and eating them.  As soon as they swallowed some of the snake, they crumpled to the ground, their bodies swelled, and then they turned as hard as stone. 

     To Fr. Bosco's horror, more and more boys kept eating the meat!

     Fr. Bosco shouted at them and tried to physically restrain them from eating the meat, but he was unable to stop them.  Each time a boy fell to the ground, another precious boy took his place.  Fr. Bosco called to some clerics to come help him stop the boys from eating the snake meat, but some of them began to eat the snake meat, too!  They fell to the ground as well.

     Fr. Bosco recalled that he was nearly out of his mind at seeing so many of his boys lying in that terrible state.  He asked the stranger why the boys ate the meat when they knew it would kill them.

     "Because 'the sensual man does not perceive the things that are of God'  That's why!" was his reply.  2
  
     Fr. Bosco asked if there was some way to save the boys.

    "Yes," he was told.  "There is a way to save them." 

     "Anvil and hammer."

     Anvil and hammer, to put the boys back in shape. 

     The stranger explained that the anvil and hammer are symbols for Holy Communion and Confession.

    He was clear:  "These are the remedies you must use."

         So Fr. Bosco "went to work" and found the prescribed treatment was very effective.  However, while most of the boys who ate the snake meat were restored to life and recovered, a few did not.
  
     Why?  Because they made bad confessions.  

     At the end of the story, an historian explained that the boys' disobedience, collapsing, swelling up, and the hardening of their bodies signified pride, obstinacy, and love of sin.

     Further, "The prayers and sacrifices of the just must first ask that God's grace warm hardened hearts and soften them, so that the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist may exercise their divine efficacy...thus, the hammer's blows and the anvil's support bring about the cure of an ulcer-ridden but now docile heart.  As the sparks fly, the heart is reconditioned." 3

© Joseph Karl Publishing

 God Moments III:  True Love Leads To Life will be available fall 2012. 

 

 

___________________________
Sources:
From the Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco, Compiled and Edited by Fr. J. Bacchiarello, S.D.B., Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco (Rockford, IL:  Tan Books And Publishers, Inc., 1969)
1. From the Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco, Compiled and Edited by Fr. J. Bacchiarello, S.D.B., Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco (Rockford, IL:  Tan Books And Publishers, Inc., 1969), p. xii.
2.  From the Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco, Compiled and Edited by Fr. J. Bacchiarello, S.D.B., Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco (Rockford, IL:  Tan Books And Publishers, Inc., 1969), p. 112.
3.  From the Biographical Memoirs of St. John Bosco, Compiled and Edited by Fr. J. Bacchiarello, S.D.B., Forty Dreams of St. John Bosco (Rockford, IL:  Tan Books And Publishers, Inc., 1969), pp. 112-113.

Images taken at Ss. Cyril & Methodius Slovak Catholic Church, Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S.A.

www.josephkarlpublishing.com

 

Work Continues on the Pro-Life Book 'God Moments III: True Love Leads To Life'

Our Lady of Perpetual Help presents herself as the team's special collaborator as the book nears completion.

God Moments III:  True Love Leads To Life, the third book in the award-winning God Moments series, takes readers right onto the battlefield during the greatest humanitarian disaster in the history of humanity.  Readers will experience the deeply personal, first-hand accounts of life and death choices as seen through the eyes of God, children, and the experiences of men and women on both sides of the abortion debate. 

Drawing upon the teachings of the Catholic Church and Servant of God, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., readers are encouraged to develop and promote within themselves and others an unconditional trust in the Lord's judgment as well as a holy reverence of His most perfect timing, and are invited to become God's loving collaborators by integrating the peaceful defense of human life from conception until natural death into their life's purpose.

"Trust all things to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and to Mary, Help of Christians, and you will see what miracles are."  ~ St. John Bosco    

 The official material for the new global pro-life movement 

True Love Leads To Life

is being developed concurrently.

A sneak peek inside God Moments III:  True Love Leads To Life

(available fall 2012).

Stories from the book (click on the links):

 "Don't Do It!"

I Would Much Rather Not Have Been There That Day

"Forgiveness Is Its Daily Bread, And To Patience Is Love Wed"

Together, We Brought To A Close A Significant Chapter Of Our Shared Experience

  Life-changing, award-winning material worthy of your great dignity.

Joseph Karl Publishing's Website

Honesty + Integrity + Loyalty + Love

Live, love, and serve in imitation of Christ.  

God is so in love with you!

'A New Voice For A Broken Soul' To Share God's Unfathomable Love And Mercy With Other Broken Souls

Following a five hour meeting to ensure the contents are just right, Paul A. Ray's life-changing story heads to print.

From the back cover:

 “The calling of Paul to the altar is the matter of most importance, as his life will be lost if he does not come into obedience now... The call on his life has been confirmed; lead him to the place of rest, and all will be
taken from him...”

 Excerpts from the book:

"From my 21st birthday on I consumed mostly hard liquor, every day.  It tasted awful but it got the job done quicker...it became such a habit that I couldn't imagine my life without it.  In fact, the odd thing is it felt as if I were "drunk" when I was actually sober...My tolerance skyrocketed and I soon learned that I needed more and more alcohol to achieve the same effects.  but, at this point in my life, I needed alcohol simply to survive. "

"As my consumption of alcohol increased, I began to experience its side effects in a real way - not only in my relationships with the people around me and with my job, but also concerning my own health." 

"'Are you Paul?  Paul Ray?'...He proceeded to tell me all about my condition.  He knew about my addiction, as if God Himself were speaking through him.  He asked me if it would be all right for them to pray for me.  With tears and a sense of true gratefulness, I agreed without hesitation."

"...I felt something leave me.  A weight was immediately lifted.  It was as if I were literally a new creation...And best of all, I was absolutely flooded with an overpowering, pure, undefiled love.  It engulfed my entire being. I knew that I actually meant something to someone.  I felt as if I were placed on a pedestal before the very angels of heaven and marveled at."

"The strange thing...is that I was not even praying for deliverance.  Perhaps other people were, but if we're honest with ourselves, how often does God really perform physical miracles?  This singular episode in my life speaks volumes of what God has called me out to do in life...I had but little faith and had given up on God.  Nevertheless, He reached out in love even when I basically spat in His face! "

"I recalled watching Holy Mass on Catholic television and being captivated by the prayers said during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  They were so beautiful and they contained something so deep the likes of which I had never heard before."

~Paul A. Ray

Shooting the front cover at Highlights Studios on a set built by photographer Mike Nykoruk

"I was standing in the aisle in the back of the church and Mary, covered in light and appearing almost transparent, was about ten or fifteen rows in front of me standing among a bunch of little children.

" These children were all laughing, playing, and hugging Mary, while I just watched all of this play out. I then approached her myself, once all the children left, and just stood next to her. 

"She was looking intently at the altar the whole time." 

~ Paul A. Ray,  A New Voice For A Broken Soul 

 

   Author Paul A. Ray and publisher Michele Bondi Bottesi 

make final revisions to the manuscript July 10, 2012

"There have been a few other occasions where I have come to know Our Lady on a more personal level...they have led me closer to Jesus Christ...Mary has such a beautiful way of drawing us toward her Son."

~Paul A. Ray 

 A final look through the manuscript

Paul's beautiful cover will be released shortly.  The book will debut on Amazon Kindle soon and will be available in print September 2012.

 

Many friends in heaven helped out along the way,

including little Nellie

 Taking a final look at Paul's manuscript

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 Looking for meaningful material worthy of your great dignity?

You will find it here.

How Is God At Work In You?

Coming very soon:

Joseph Karl Publishing's Catholic pictures and posters.

If you are looking for meaningful material, you will find it here.

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New Compilation of Quotes By Servant of God, Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

Permission to compile this document has been denied by the Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association.

God Moments II: Recognizing the Fruits of the Holy Spirit

 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, who assigned us the book, our thanks to the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada, and congratulations to the entire team that brought the book to fruition: Paul A. Ray, Nancy Carabio Belanger, Susan Schoenstein, Roseann Nieman, Erin Howarth, Belinda Bondi, Laura Bondi, Alyssa Bottesi, Andre Bottesi, Nick Bottesi, Rejeanne Buckley, Chris Capolino, Sharon Cecil, Maribeth Criscenti, Ellen Gable Hrkach, Gene X. Kortsha, Fr. Benjamin Kosnac, Janet MacKinnon, Tom Mulcahy, Sean McVeigh, and Jerry Weber. This award is yours as well. 

THANK YOU ALL.

 If you are looking for meaningful material, you will find it here.