Circle of Prayer - The Power of The Holy Spirit
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"Dear Lord we ask you to cover us with Your protection against all harm and evil and to bind every spirit that may come against us. Into Your hands Dear Lord I commend my body, mind, soul and spirit. St Michael the Archangel pray for us"

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Hello everyone,

Today, Sunday 10th August we have 1121 people from all over the world and from many Christian and some non-Christian denominations joining together in prayer. The reflection at the bottom this week was sent in by one of the Prayer Warriors and I liked it so much I thought you would all enjoy it too. It's called The Secret.

Years ago we had a TV programme in the UK called 'That Was the Week That Was' and so it has been for us here this past week. I thought I'd share it all with you and in the doing include a few thoughts to ponder upon. It all started on Monday when our Ann had a Healing the Family Tree Mass in her home. It was just beautiful and when all were gathered there was four generations of women in her living room. One of the elderly residents in a nursing home where I worked back in the 80's was a great, great grandmother so in her room often there were 5 generations. Now that is rare indeed. But it put me to thinking a lot on the elderly, especially our own parents and grandparents.

We need to honour and cherish our older generations, because one day we too will be there. Mom loves to say the Rosary in bed at night but nods off before she gets it finished so Ann and I have got into the habit now of sitting on the bed and saying it with her and she looks forward so much to that half hour or so every night. She throws a bundle of intentions into the pot and feels she is doing a bit of good for those for whom she prays. Pray with your parents or grandparents, whether they are at home with you, still living independently, or in care facilities. You'll be surprised the graces that
will flow from it all.

Mom will be 79 next month and whether she will live to see her own 4th generation only God alone knows. She's a bit stiff and sore and her memory has gone to the dogs but she's young at heart and loves to get out of the house for short drives in the car. About a month ago I discovered a Healing the Family Tree Mass every Thursday in a wee church about 8 miles from us here. So that fitted the bill rightly for Mam. Off we go, the two of us, each week and really enjoy it and afterwards we pop into a local hotel for a cuppa.

Remember last week I spoke about finding a Holy Priest, well we have and Father Martin is just beautiful. He didn't become a Priest until his fifties, being a soldier in WWII and a farmer, caring for his own elderly parents. He's into his 80's now and just wonderful. At the part of the Mass when we pray the prayers of intercession he uses Father Robert de Grandis' healing and forgiveness prayers back 15 generations of the maternal and paternal sides of the family, pausing to baptise the
unbaptised in past generations, those aborted, miscarried, stillborn or dying without baptism.

The little church sits in the grounds of a residential care facility for the mentally handicapped where he is the chaplain. The story goes that when Oliver Cromwell and his armies came to visit this part of the West of Ireland in the 1600's the local people made their way to the church in search of sanctuary. The thatched roof was set alight and they all burned alive within, so this tiny 13th century stone church has the blood of the martyrs poured all over it. It is indeed a very special place.

Father speaks much about unforgiveness and reckons that most souls in purgatory are there because of unforgiveness. He speaks of the history of the Irish and our fighting nature, maybe because we have always been an invaded country. He reckons we hold grudges and find it hard to forgive and I think he's right. Anyway, a few weeks ago he spoke about the Lord's Prayer and what he said was so profound that it has left a big impression on me. In the line '.... forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...' is a challenge and prayer so significant but I'd never really given it much thought. Father Martin told us that it means '.... forgive us our
trespasses in the same measure that we forgive others...' Geesh! Now what does that tell us? If we can't forgive others how than can we expect  the Father to forgive us!

On to a little situation that rounded off the week to perfection. You know that prayer to the Holy Spirit down below where we agree to submit to and accept all the Holy Spirit desires and asks of us? Well,
that one needs to come with a warning sign! Coz when it is prayed with sincerity of heart and openness, put on the seat belts folks coz we're in for the 'trip of our lives'. He does stuff that is unbelievable and is the best of crack (here crack means fun) and leaves us on a Holy High!

In May, our Jimmy and a Priest friend, Father Bob, came on a visit and I dragged Father Bob around all those little places I like to visit. One of them was down to the Immaculate Heart of Mary House of
Prayer in Doon, County Limerick. It was a cracker of a day and after prayers we were outside in the sunshine yakkin' with the folks down there. They have a mission from Our Lady to help grow the Church in Siberia and they also send food aid to the Ukraine, 40 foot containers of stuff twice a year!

During the chat I mentioned if they ever needed anything in the line of vestments or stuff to give me a shout, me thinking of all the Parishes with loads of them over in Canada! On Wednesday night I was placing the days prayer requests into the prayer book on the website when the phone rings. It was from the folks in Doon asking if I could lay my hands on a white set of vestments as Father Darius, the Priest in Orsk, Siberia had just phoned them for a set. You see, a small group of them were
travelling to Moscow and Siberia this morning, Sunday 10th. Leave it with me, sez I without hesitation. Now where in the name of God was I going to rustle up a set of white vestments in the space of 48 hours and have them in their hands by yesterday, Saturday.

I rang my Parish Priest, thinking he might have a spare set he could give me. Nope, but he did say '...ring Mary D, sure that's what the Apostolic Works Society does! They provide stuff for the missions'. I rang Mary and she said she was sure there was a white set in the parish museum where they do their work, but for sure there would be a set up in Castlebar, as that's the Diocesan centre for all that sort of stuff. Back on the blower to Doon to tell them, don't worry, they'd have a set on Saturday in time for their departure early this morning.

Now Thursday's normally a busy day, between the Family Tree Mass with Mom, our Prayer Group here on Thursday night and my Holy Hour 1am on Friday morning! This one was busier than normal though. I'd agreed to accompany a Midlands man in giving out Rosary Beads on the streets of
Galway on Thursday morning for a few hours, after collecting him from the train.

We baked in hot sunshine for two fruitful hours, then John and I went out to collect Mom and off to Mass. Eucharistic Adoration followed immediately after Mass and we were prayed over by Father, then a quick gallop back into town to get John onto his train, deposit Mom and call to Mary to get
the vestments. Honest to God, I do meet myself coming around corners sometimes. Turns out Mary only had a purple chasuble, the kaftan-like thingie that is worn over the white alb, the long white 'dress' thingie! But she had phoned and made arrangements for me to collect a set in Castlebar on Friday evening.

Off goes Ann and me, wondering would we be awfully cheeky if we asked for one of each of the four colours - white, red, green and purple. We were welcomed mightily and shown into their workshop and store room and the big black plastic bag and the cardboard boxes came out. Breege started
firing stuff into them like there was no tomorrow - 9 Albs, 3 complete green sets, 3 red, 3 purple, 3 pure white and 3 lovely ivory sets, 3 cords for the albs, altar cloths, 4 red altar boys sets with cassocks and 4 green sets, 6 chalices, 3 monstrances for holding the Blessed Eucharist for Eucharistic Adoration, 3 house visitation sets each containing a pyx and crucifix, 3 altar bells, 3 Holy Oils sets, about 200 Rosary beads and a ton of holy pictures! Our jaws were touching the floor. You see, Orsk now has three Priests and she was togging them all out!

Saturday morning woke us to beautiful sunshine so off we went down to Limerick in the trusty steed (my car) with the boot full to the gills. The joy of everyone when they saw it all was unbelievable. Only eight of them were travelling so I'm sure they had fun trying to divide it all up between them. Now, having read the book - Out of the Darkness and Into the Light - I have no hesitation in knowing Our Lady brought them through check-in overloaded to the last, and through customs in Russia without a hitch. This little book is one of the most amazing adventure stories I've ever read!

So there you have it folks - walking in the light of the Holy Spirit sure is fun. The folks in Doon gave us a video of the work they help with in the Ukraine and showing two containers arriving, one just before Christmas and the other at Easter. Our Lady has asked them to send another one out by October 13th so Ann and I are thinking of ways to get supplies gathered here beside us and get them down to Doon by the end of September.  Watch this space!  Never a dull moment eh?

May God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless you and yours and may Mary keep you in Her heavenly mother's care.

Mary in Galway, Ireland

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Prayer for the Family

"O Dear Jesus, I humbly implore You to grant Your special graces to our family this day. In Your Divine Mercy make our home a shrine of peace, love and faith. I beg You, Dear Jesus, to protect and bless all of us and our families absent and present, living and dead. O Mary loving Mother of Jesus and our Mother, pray to Jesus the Divine Mercy for our family, and for all the families of the world. Ask Him to guard the tiny infant in the womb, the cradle of the newborn, the young in the schools and those about to start their vocations in life. Amen"

Prayer for Our Adult Children

"Heavenly Mother, keep us always in mind of Your Son's great mercy and understanding as we pray for our children. They are grown up now and have left us and are living their own lives according to their own ideals. We feel anxious and worried because they do not seem to feel the need for Christ. to understand the wisdom of His ways, or to be fully at ease with us or themselves. Intervene, dearest Mother, in their lives at the moment You know to be right and help them to understand the things that lead to their peace. Help them to see the need of Christ and to experiance the greatness
of His love, so that we may all proclaim as You did, that His mercy truly is from generation to generation. Amen"

Prayer for the World

"JESUS of NAZARETH has triumphed over Death.
His Reign is Eternal. He is coming to conquer the
world and the time.

"Mercy, my God on those who blaspheme You,
Forgive them, they know not what they do.

"Mercy, my God, for the scandal in the world,
Deliver them from the spirit of Satan.

"Mercy, my God, on those who run away from You
Give them an appreciation for the Holy Eucharist.

"Mercy, my God, on those who come to repent at the foot of the
Glorious Cross. May they find Peace and Joy in God our Saviour.

"Mercy, my God, so that Your Kingdom may come, but save souls,
there is still time; for the time is near, behold, I am coming. Amen
Come, Lord Jesus."

Recite one decade of the Rosary

"Lord, pour out on the whole world the treasures of Your
Infinite Mercy."

"Through the Mystery of Your Holy Incarnation,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Your Nativity,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Your Baptism and Holy Fasting,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Your Cross and Passion,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Your Death and Burial,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Your Holy Resurrection,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Your Admirable Ascension,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,
deliver us from all evil, Lord.
Through Him whose Name reigns eternal,
deliver us from all evil, Lord."

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All of the Reflections to date are available to read on the website for anyone who's interested and can be found in the Archives page

The Weekly Intentions are available on a plain page to be able to print off and kept to hand for your own prayer time. The list has become too long now to include each week but please say the two wee prayers below. The Loving Father knows the heart of each person requesting prayer.

"Father, bless all those who have requested prayers in whatever it is that You know they may be needing this day! Father, we ask You to heal the broken bodies, broken minds, broken spirits, broken hearts and broken marriages and may all their lives be full of Your peace, prosperity, and power as they seek to have a close relationship with You. Amen."

"Thank You Jesus for answering our prayers because we know You hear every prayer and never refuse to answer. You are providing answers and healings from the prayers of all these wonderful people. Praise God!"

"Breathe in me O Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit that my work, too, may be holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit to defend all that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit that I always may be holy."

"O Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me, tell me what I should do. Give me Your orders. I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me and to accept all that You permit to happen to me. Let me only know Your will. Amen"

May God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless and guide you and yours and may Mary keep you in Her heavenly mother's care.

Mary in Galway

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The Secret

One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down."

With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!"

"What secret is that?"

To which she replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."

"The Secret is this:

I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret,' I am happy."

The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn't! She thought a better
paying job would make her happy, but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God.

Now you know it too!

We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you! So once you get it, what will you do? YOU have to tell someone the Secret, too! That GOD in His wisdom will take care of YOU!

May God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit bless you and yours and may Mary keep you in Her heavenly mother's care.

Mary


Moytura has several other sites with a 'Christian flavour'. Prayerful Thoughts & Thoughtful Prayers is a little collection of prayers and thought-provoking stories, and a few links to some other really nice websites. Reflections for Lent offers a daily meditation for the 40 days of lent and the week leading into Easter. As part of my Journey section of the website join me to learn a little of the Early Christian Church in Ireland by visiting Clonmacnoise, founded by St. Ciaran on the banks of the River Shannon in the 6th. Century. Read about Saint Brendan the Navigator who started a Monastic settlement in the tiny village of Clonfert in the 6th century, located on the Galway/Offaly/Tipperary border. Travel on my journeys to two of Canada's most famous Catholic Shrines - Saint Anne de Beaupré and Cap de la Madeleine, both on the shores of the Saint Lawrence river in Quebec. Finally I welcome you to come with me to see a little of Medugorje, a peaceful haven in a war-torn country - Bosnia-Herzogovina. Please also pay a visit to  Moytura's Irish Bookshop where you can find books on the history of Christianity in IrelandIrish Prayers and Celtic Christianity

Below are some of the other areas of Moytura's web site.

Mary Mullins, Cregmore, Claregalway, County Galway, Ireland.   Phone: +353 91 798407


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