What is This Saint of the Year Devotion All About?


This isn't superstition. St. Faustina and her religious order did the same thing!

I would like to explain to you about the practice of picking a saint at random to be your “holy protector and intercessor” for the year. Actually, the saint is the one who chooses us though.The tradition of letting a saint “pick you,”is not a new one. St. Faustina wrote about it in her diary, "Divine Mercy in My Soul".
The excerpt is below. . .

“There is a custom among us of drawing by lot, on New Year's Day, special Patrons for ourselves for the whole year. In the morning, during meditation, there arose within me a secret desire that the Eucharistic Jesus be my special Patron for this year also, as in the past. But, hiding this desire from my Beloved, I spoke to Him about everything else but that. When we came to refectory for breakfast, we blessed ourselves and began drawing our patrons. When I approached the holy cards on which the names of the patrons were written, without hesitation I took one, but I didn't read the name immediately as I wanted to mortify myself for a few minutes. Suddenly, I heard a voice in my soul: ‘I am your patron. Read.’ I looked at once at the inscription and read, ‘Patron for the Year 1935 - the Most Blessed Eucharist.’ My heart leapt with joy, and I slipped quietly away from the sisters and went for a short visit before the Blessed Sacrament,where I poured out my heart. But Jesus sweetly admonished me that I should be at that moment together with the sisters. I went immediately in obedience to the rule.”

Excerpt from "Divine Mercy in My Soul, the Diary of St. Faustina"

Saturday, September 7, 2013



At the apparition site of Medjugorje, Our Lady reportedly gave five wonderful promises, on September 2, 2012, for those who pray for atheists (the ones "who have not come to know the love of the Heavenly Father").
 
The promises are:

1. "I will strengthen you."
2. "I will fill you with my graces."
3. "With my love, I will protect you from the evil spirit."
4. "I will be with you."
5. "With my presence, I will console you in difficult moments."

The prayer:

"In the Name of Jesus, Who said that anything we ask in His Name will be
given to those who believe, I ask that those who have not come to know the
love of the Heavenly Father will be blessed with the knowledge that they are
loved by Him beyond all human reasoning and understanding. Please grant
them the gift to feel His love as it enfolds them to such an extent that they
will be unable to resist or deny it. May the knowledge of the Heavenly
Father's infinite love stir within their hearts the desire to return that love
to Him, and to reflect it to all others. May their lives be a pure
reflection of His resplendent love. I ask this in the Name of the Father, and
the Son, and the Holy Spirit, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen"

[resources: Fear of Fire]
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