Revisiting a post
This post was first published some months ago. It is worth repeating for our newer readers.
We often hear from priests who lead retreats or hear the confessions at this special place where Our Lady graced us with Her presence that "the quality of the confessions is so high when these people are here." Many times these priests will ask if it is just the nature of the people who are visiting or if it is due to some other influence upon these people during their visit that makes them immerse themselves more fervently into the sacrament of reconciliation. It is interesting that the priests would even consider the notion, but they are feeling "it" too. Perhaps it is a bit of both, but it sure seems like the gravity of the spiritual environment plays a very prominent role in placing people in the proper reflective spirit.
By Church law, Catholics are required to make a confession at least once a year. Others who are more inclined to the spiritual life, make confession much more frequently just as they might attend Mass more times throughout the week.
The quality of our confessions
Though many go to confession many times a year what is important is not so much the quantity of our confessions but the quality of our confessions. By this, it means that we are called to make good confessions.
A bad confession is done without the necessary preparation and without a contrite, humble, and penitent heart.
A good confession is done with the necessary examination of conscience and the qualities of heart and soul that are important to receive the grace of the sacrament.
Examination of conscience
Before going to confession, it is important to examine our souls. Most people usually hold their recent life experiences up against the ten commandments and the seven deadly sins: pride, lust, avarice, gluttony, anger, sloth, and envy. If any bells go off, they report them as necessary.
There is, however, another way of examining our conscience which focuses more on the status of the relationships in our lives. This takes a greater amount of introspection and individual discernment than just holding your own moral scorecard up to the answer sheet of the ten commandments and the seven deadly sins. It takes quiet time in the right setting. A place where Our Lady has prepared the environment especially for us to grow closer to Her Son.
When examining one's conscience this way, one should examine one's relationship with:
1) God
2) others
3) nature
4) our self
If we use these four parameters to examine how we fall short of Christ's teaching, then it will help us see where we have sinned.
Just as your doctor tries to create the proper setting and environment for your exam by having you abstain from food or medications before your procedures, so it is with putting yourself in the right setting and environment for a quality confession while on retreat at one of these pilgrimage spots.
You must be with God, with others, with nature, and alone with your self.
As you make your confession with the priest, this is what you will say:
"Bless me Father for I have sinned. My last confession was last ________.
Since my last confession I __(tell him what you have discerned)___... "
Keep it natural and conversational, but with all the qualities of heart and soul necessary to make it a good confession - humility, honesty, seeking mercy, penitent, sorrow for one's sins, etc...
a.. As you finish with your confession, wait for the priest to give some spiritual advice and encouragement and then bow your head for his absolution.
b.. Make sure you remember the penance the priest gives and perform it right after the confession lest you forget what the penance was. Many times we are so relieved of our tensions that we forget what we were told to do.
c.. After confession you should make the Act of Contrition.
This is the Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because I have offended You, my God, Who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
posted by OLTIV @ 6:50 PM
31 Comments
31 Comments:
By far the most incredible spiritual experience of my life took place in the big chapel this week.
I so do wish I could be in Rome City for tonight's Mass and rosary with all those who will be there.
I have to agree. I was a big skeptic before last night's rosary and Benediction. The priest gave a wonderful homily and the music was very inspirational. then we had the rosary and Adoration. Many people left during this time and I was a bit concerned. Iw ent outside to see a small crowd watching the sunset and I witnessed the miracle of the sun for the first time. Awesome experience. I've never seen anything like that and I always thought people were exagerrating whenever they spoke of such things.
All I can say is that the feeling of the Holy Spirit and Our Lady is very strong at this place. I urge you to go and feel it for yourself. take it from an old skeptic. This is the real deal!
KRIS
May I suggest that people email the article that Mike Brown has on his www.spiritdaily.com today :
http://www.stlouisreview.com/article.php?id=13448
to the rector of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. to show interest and to urge him to work to get the statue there. His address is:
wrr@bnsic.org
And it may also be good to mail the article, above site, to the USCCB (Bishops' Conference):
webcoordinator@usccb.org
or call them: (202) 541-3000
We have to make some noise. We may have been grassroots but now we are growing into big trees that can't go without being noticed!
I think they should be taking that statue to Rome City. I've seen some of the photos taken by a woman there last week while on a plane back to Texas. Unbelievable. I'm going to Rome City, not St. Louis.
I think it is wonderful for the Statue of Our Lady of America to be anyplace where people can learn about her. In time, I'm sure she will be at Rome City. Has she been invited ? St. Louis may be closer for some people at this time.
Thanks to Larry and all for preserving the place. It rather concerned me to hear that people were leaving Adoration to see the sun. Could the prayers maybe be before the sun activity, so that all could go and see and still have the prayers uninterrupted for the glory of the Trinity. Just an idea I wanted to share.
I think people left because there was a timing problem with Adoration as all of the hosts were consumed during communion and the priest had to go next door to get a consecrated host. This took about 15 minutes and I think most people assumed all was over and began to file out. Many went to the hill and continued praying in smaller groups and enjoying the beautiful grounds.
I wish to give my thanks also to Larry and his family for all of their sacrifices to help us come to know Our LAdy of America. I don't think anyone really knows the full story of what has been asked of them and the pressures they are enduring.
Please help them with your contribution and if you are able, please contact them about funding OLTIV so a proper transfer of the property can be made and we can all get on with doing Our Lord's work at this wonderful place. I keep getting a feeling that time is running shorter every time I visit and pray.
Also, I wanted to personally thank Tom Didier for blessing us with his wonderful voice each week during the Mass. He has been given a marvelous gift and I am so thankful to be able to hear his voice give praise to God each week.
If you have not been to Sylvan Springs for the rosary and Mass, make it a point to gather your family and friends this week and experience it for yourself. Yes, the sun does spin and wonderful images are captured on film but the real miracle is the feeling one gets during the services and prayers as the community comes together. It is special and Holy. There 's no other way to express it.
The statue on display in the old Basilica in St. Louis is very beautiful. My husband and I made a 3 hour detour to St. Louis to show our children the statue and to, hopefully, learn all there was to know about Our Lady of America.
Upon arrival, we were very excited. Once we entered the Basilica and began to ask questions about the statue and the OLOA movement, the man who was showing us around acted very indifferent. He did not seem to have any knowledge of the apparitions and he seemed a bit upset that the statue was there in the first place and was exhibited in front of the St. Joseph statue that was permanently installed. His reaction to our enthusiasm was less than what we expected. My 12 year old knew more about Our Lady of America than he did.
I would suggest that properly trained individuals be on hand to help educate visitors, with a little more love for Our Lady, than the man we had giving us the tour. If I was unaware of the messages of Our Lady of America before walking into that Basilica, I would have been totally unimpressed by its being there.
We are planning a trip to New York in two weeks and we plan to make our way to Rome City, IN on our way there or back. After speaking with the people there, I know they have the knowledge to share and the love for Our Lady of America visitors so desperately need.
I hope they replace the old man in St. Louis with someone else who is more excited about this marvelous exhibit they have. I don't believe he knows how important it really is. If you go to the old Basilica, keep this in mind. The statue is beautiful and we will always treasure our photo.
Well, folks, I wrote today to the Director of the Shrine in Washington, D.C. and received an immediate reply - expected wording, BUT, the fact that it was answered so quickly makes me think that there are a lot of people inquiring...following Mike Brown's suggestion to write Shrine and urge Director to use influence. (What I think would really get attention is to have any large donors to Shrine to push for it - that would probably get to bishops!!) Here's the reply:
thank you for your interest. Until this title of Our Lady receives official recognition from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Vatican we are unable to include this likeness of Our Lady in the Shrine.
Now then, we can thus use these words from the Shrine itself to send to the bishops' conference as to them being the stumbling block to placing the image there.
Also, I believe the reason the statue is in St. Louis is due of course to the main backer of OLOA among the bishops - Archbishop Burke. I think the purpose of this now traveling statue is to aquaint people in various sections of the whole U.S. with OLOA history - to enlarge the movement. I believe that they are attempting to next display Her somewhere on the west coast. In fact, if anyone can convince their bishop to have the statue placed in his diocese anywhere, it would be done for some period of time. I think the Bishop has to invite the image from OLOA. We could work for that. God bless.
Praise be Jesus Christ and His Blessed Mother "Our Lady of America"! My trip to Rome City last Wednesday was very spiritual, and the inner feeling I have is very hard to describe, but the word "Peace" is a start. What I was able to see with my own eyes was very rewarding to me and will never be forgotten, the feeling of this place is of a Holy Presence, a refuge for the not too distant future.
Special thanks to Nick for his untiring task of showing us everything there was to see and his running documentary describing each aspect of Sylvan Springs and Our Lady of America.
An even greater "Thank You" to Larry for allowing Nick to be our guide for the afternoon, as I know Nick had tons of work to accomplish that day for a huge gathering this last weekend.
To see the small Chapel and to be in the main Chapel where Our Lady of America appeared to Sister Mildred, to pray on the hill, and to see the sun was almost overwhelming to me.
When we arrived in the afternoon it was very cloudy with absolutely no sun to be seen. We didn't think we would be able to see the sun, but at approximately 5 pm, Nick said look up - and there was the gorgeous sun in all its glory, pulsating, spinning and throwing off colors.
I left having a deep appreciation for what the Blessed Mother's message is, she is trying desperately to get this message out to all the people, not only the Bishops, but every single individual. She is entrusting each "person" to bring back everyone to the fold before it is too late, and the time is running very short.
On my airplane trip back to Texas, I wanted to shout to everyone what a wonderful experience I had, but I had to contain myself, the pilot might have thrown me off. I did share the photo's on my digital camera with a lovely stewardess and also gave her a booklet of Our Lady of America in hopes she too will be able to see for herself the great works of this place in the not too distant future.
I wish for everyone that is able to come to "Sylvan Springs", to see for themselves the beauty, the sense of peace you get from walking the grounds, the ice cold springs with their healing properties, but most of all to pray and receive Our Lady's message before it is too late!
Many thanks also to TW and AB for coming to meet me and my friend, and the sharing of their experiences and friendship with us. God Bless each of you, so you may continue to spread the word of Our Lady of America - "Bring me my children, Bring me all my children!.
My only regret was that I could not stay long enough to make the Friday Mass, Rosary and Benediction, but I do plan to come again as soon as circumstances permit.
If anyone is able to send a small token, even a $1.00 is appreciated, to these lovely people to keep this place going. Please pray the right individuals will come forward to preserve the work already started by Larry and his wife.
God Bless,
JStolle
San Antonio, Texas
Our Lady's message to one of her children has been a constant "Gather Together My Bishops."
Let Her request be given to all who believe in Our Lady of America.
Let us all find a way to Gather Together Her Bishops, and fulfill Her wishes She made to Sister Mildred!
Peace and Purity of Love
to all.
Every week I try and bring 1 person with me, no one has been disappointed they came.
I recommend it to everyone!
Thank God for the discerning Bishops and the Vatican for protecting that holy shrine in Washington D.C. from cheap and unworthy images of Our Lady.
God bless you all!
Dear Anonymous-
enough of your rhetoric already!
you have yet to say ANYTHING substantial as to why this particular devotion is false. compared to two Archbishops, your opinion means nothing!
Sorry anonymous, but I'm afraid these apparitions and messages have already been objectively canonically approved. But just like Fatima, getting the intention of having the pope in union with all of the bishops do something requested by Our Lady of Fatima actually took 67 years!!! So, I'd say that OLOA is running true to precedent!! The most "discerning bishops" - that is, those who are actually Canon lawyers, have given their approval. We're just waiting for their organization to place the image. To get all bishops moving at the same time is sometimes like herding sheep!!
Dear Anonymous-
My dear man/woman. You are missing the boat. You should have a greater love for Our Lady than you have exhibited here again and again. My hope is that God will bless you with an open heart and heal that emptiness that currently rests within you.
My suggestion is that you make a pilgrimage to Rome City and feel it for yourself. You appear to refuse the advice of Archbishops and Popes who have gone before you in these matters of belief, so maybe you just need to go for yourself before you work to destroy another's faith by your claims based upon no facts.
Dear Anonymous and any who may not be able to digest the article mentioned above, permit me please to take you step by step:
The 9-foot statue of Our Lady of America, which includes its base, was first publicly displayed at the U.S. bishops’ meeting in Baltimore last November, where Archbishop Raymond L. Burke blessed it.
The image you so dislike has been solemnly placed in a Catholic Cathedral of much reknown (as well as the internationally recognized Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament - Mother Angelica's) ALREADY and been given the blessing of one of the most respected of the Church's Archbishops.
The bishops for the most part have not fulfilled the request, because it was not widely known to them.
Contrary to your mistaken ideas and spin, there have been no bishops on record that have rejected OLOA. They are only just now learning about its history.
"The devotion has received a very warm welcome from the bishops as they become aware of it," he continued.
Care now to retract your words re: the bishops???
Archbishop Burke wrote that he was able to confirm that the devotion had been approved by Archbishop Leibold and actively promoted by him. Over the years, other bishops have approved the devotion, according to Archbishop Burke, and have publicly participated in the devotion to Our Lady of America.
The Vatican, as always, unlike yourself, awaits patiently for ALL of the local bishops of the U.S. to become more acquainted with the history. I'm not certain that the Vatican would even have to act once the bishops made their decision. Normally they leave that decision to the local bishop iln cases of apparitions, but that this is a National Cathedral. Since the death of the approving bishop - Leibold - there is a jurisdictional matter involved.
Archbishop Burke - the Canon lawyer - continued:
in recent years, the devotion has spread very much and has been embraced by many with special fervor," he wrote.
Once again, sorry you don't have your facts straight. I would hesitate before speaking/writing so quickly in the future, only to be alerted AGAIN to your errors.
Where would we be without this forum to help us educate those who are truly qithout knowledge (ignorant) of the facts?
I am so thankful for this website to help bring this community together. I learn something every day. That article on confessions really helped me this past weekend. I had the best reconciliation experience of my life after reading it and meditating on it before going to confession.
thank You!
I applaud those respondents to the Anonymous detractor. To answer another with charity and clarity is a mark of sanctification.
I referred only to "cheap and unworthy" images of Our Lady. I never specified your particular image. For some reason you made a connection between CHEAP AND UNWORTHY images and that image of your lady of Sylvanus Springs. Tsk! Tsk! Sometimes our true thoughts are unintenitonally revealed in our reactions.
God bless you all!
Alright, cut the crap!
You are definitely looking to provoke with your words. You are definitely not a good person of God as you try to present yourself.
Maybe that connection was based upon all your previous attacks? Should we go back and retrieve your early venomous comments about the look of the statue and how Our Lady had "horns" growing out of her head? Don't hide behind the anonymous veil like a coward. If you have something to say that is worthy of presenting in this forum, take credit for it...otherwise, your opinion remains one based upon complete ignorance and a choice to deny and discredit truly good men of God who have made scholarly opinions based upon facts an Canon Law.
Good comment Carl-
Now. Everybody. PLEASE STOP FEEDING THE TROLL!!
That grotesque image of the lady of Sylvanus Springs is NOT a representation of the Blessed Virgin Mary! It is a contemptible attempt to masquerade a hideous idol for a holy icon of Our Blessed Mother. It is no less evil than trying to inject an idol of the demon Diana or Artemis into a holy shrine as an image of the Mother of God. It's BLASPHEMY!
God bless all of you and forgive your error!
Whoa! I guess we all know what kind of troll we're dealing with now. Mark this one down as somebody who is just filled with hate and all sorts of nasty stuff. Best to stay away from this one. The evil one lurks within them.
Sounds to me like someone got kicked out of "happy hour". The ravings of a drunken lunatic.
If Anonymous' idiot-speak wasn't so terribly evil in its foundation, it would be hilarious. As it is, I am deeply saddened that there are still people like this who have such deeply passionate feelings based upon their "head-in-the-sand" view of the facts.
"Forgive them Father for they know not what they do."
God bless you all!
to anonymous with the saddened heart:
May God forgive you for you know not what you do, especially to your own soul.
May we all leave you to yourself, and pray for your soul! Your evil words are hurful to God and to Our Lady! Please pray for us if you feel you must, but keep your tongue to yourself. It is for your saving grace, that you do this.
I feel Our Lady ache as your words are spoken. We shall all pray for you!
Anon,
Could you present a case for your assertion? I'm always open to changing my views. If a good case were presented, that can stand up to solid objections, I would do just that.
Without a good case, friend, you only have ad hominem attacks. And such attacks are not Christian behavior.
"Anon,
Could you present a case for your assertion? I'm always open to changing my views. If a good case were presented, that can stand up to solid objections, I would do just that."
I have already presented my case very explicitly in numerous previous posts. They should be in the archives.
God bless you all and expose the frauds!
Dear Anon,
It's highly inappropriate to refer me to "numerous previous posts in the archives" when there are hundreds of posts on this blog, and many people post anonymously (so how could I figure out which one is yours)?
You are acting with a tremendous dearth of Christian Charity, my friend. You could easily copy & paste, or link, or explain again. Why such harshness and uncharity? Does that exhibit the spirit of sanctification?
Indeed, friend, if you had the truth you would delight in sharing it and leading others to it. If you were acting with genuine Christian Charity you would gladly explain yourself again, for hope of saving but one soul.
I say these things out of concern for you, friend, because I sincerely believe that you 1) do not possess the truth on this issue and 2) lack charity. Is it not possible that you are wrong on this matter, and that you are acting without charity?
I urge you to repent in your heart and avail yourself of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I pray that God may help you, because reason clearly can not.
Yours in Christ,
-Luke Bruner
Pater, Ave, Gloria for the conversion of others.
Amen to Luke's comments which were so eloquently stated.
I did the digging and went back over the previous ramblings of "Anon" and there was not one shred of factual evidence ever supplied...just opinionated sputter from someone exhibiting a total lack of Christian demeanor.
Thank you Luke for helping to increase the charity in these discussions.
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