31 December 2024

Completed All Liturgy of Hours Since Wife Did Marian Cenacle Devotion for Family in Spring 2024

Thank you, God, and to my wife's devotion to Jesus' Mother.  I credit this for helping me to do all the Liturgy of the Hours, even the parts that deacons are not required to pray.  Admittedly, I've been late with parts of it, but there is progress.  I've never done that before in my 50 years of life (of which 10 years were in the diaconate) that long.  So I am grateful for this in 2024.



22 December 2024

Homily #259: The 4 Marian Dogmas (to Prepare for Christmas 2024) & Reflections on Hail Mary Prayer

 

10 a.m. Mass (#259b audio recording)


Homily #259: The 4 Marian Dogmas (to Prepare for Christmas 2024) & Reflections on Hail Mary Prayer

by Deacon Dennis Purificacion, Ed.D., S.T.L.

St. Catherine's Catholic Church, Vallejo, CA, USA

4th Sunday of Advent

Dec. 22, 2024



 "Roger Staubach, the thrower of the game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Drew Pearson during an NFL playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings on December 28, 1975"
(Photo source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail_Mary_pass; downloaded: 12/23/2024).





8 a.m. Mass (#259a audio recording with chanting of Gospel - not available at the moment)







Homily #258 from last month HERE.

Recent police chaplain ministry HERE.

19 December 2024

Law Enforcement Chaplaincy as Part of Deacon Ministry This Week


- Assisted 5 police officers and 2 deputies (names and details withheld here)

- Dispatched by 911 to 2 death scenes (had to miss a parish Jubilee Year planning meeting; arrived late to a weekday Simbang Gabi Mass to join my family)

- Made 1 death notification

- Built positive community relations with VPD

- Trained by 2 Protestant chaplains during week, including how to balance family life with ministry

- Cared for police chaplain vehicle


* * *


This week, I had to balance marriage and family life with kids, extended family life, work and preaching 2 Sunday homilies, while assisting as a police chaplain which is part of deacon ministry.  The kids also helped set up a Christmas tree.  I'm proud of my kids.

I brought all these intentions above back to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at my parish for Sunday Mass.

For Jesus and Mary.



Condolence Card for Death of Deacon Errol's Mom

15 December 2024

15th Commencement Exercises of the Maris Stella Institute

 


15th Commencement Exercises of the Maris Stella Institute (Class of 2024)

3 Priests (L to R) surrounded by 12 Master Catechists & by Lay Faithful: Fr. Bala Putchakayala (St. Eugene's Cathedral, Santa Rosa); MSI Spiritual Director Fr. Gary Sumpter (St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Napa); Fr. Fred Kutubebi (Holy Family Parish, American Canyon)


12 December 2024

Order of Blessing (Holy Water); Traditional Rite of Blessing of Water [Latin and English]



From CNA

On the basis of age-old custom, water is one of the signs that the Church often uses in blessing the faithful. Holy water reminds the faithful of Christ, who is given to us as the supreme divine blessing, who called himself the living water, and who, with water, established Baptism for our sake as the sacramental sign of the blessing that brings salvation.

The blessing of holy water usually takes place on Sunday, in keeping with the rite given in the Sacramentary. But when the blessing of water takes place outside Mass, the rite given here may be used by the priest or deacon. While maintaining the structure and chief elements of the rite, the celebrant should adapt the celebration to the circumstances of the place and the people involved.

ORDER OF BLESSING

Introductory Rites

The celebrant begins with these words:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All make the Sign of the Cross and reply:
Amen.

The celebrant greets those present, using the following or other suitable words, taken mainly from Sacred Scripture:
May God, who through water and the Holy Spirit has given us a new birth in Christ, be with you all.

All make the following or some other suitable reply:
And with your spirit.

As circumstances suggest, the celebrant may prepare those present for the blessing in the following or similar words:
The blessing of this water reminds us of Christ, the living water, and of the sacrament of Baptism, in which we were born of water and the Holy Spirit. Whenever, therefore, we are sprinkled with this holy water or use it in blessing ourselves upon entering the church or at home, we thank God for his priceless gift to us and we ask for his help to keep us faithful to the sacrament we have received in faith.

Reading of the Word of God

A reader, another person present or the celebrant reads a short text of sacred Scripture, such as the following:

Listen to the words of the Holy Gospel according to John: 7:37-39

Let anyone who is thirsty come to me.

On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and exclaimed, "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture says: ‘Rivers of living water will flow from within him.'"

He said this in reference to the Spirit that those who came to believe in him were to receive. There was, of course, no Spirit yet, because Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The reader concludes:
The Gospel of the Lord.

All respond:
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Alternative Readings:

You will draw water joyfully from
the springs of salvation.  Isaiah 12:1-6

Oh, come to the water,
all you who are thirsty.  Isaiah 55:1-11

She will give him the water
of wisdom to drink.  Sirach 15:1-6

Jesus Christ came by water
and blood.  1 John 5:1-6

The Lamb will lead them to
the springs of living water.  Revelation 7:13-17

The river of life, rising from the
throne of God and of the Lamb.  Revelation 22:1-5

You, too, are clean.  John 13:3-15

Prayer of Blessing

After the reading, the celebrant says:
Let us pray.

All pray briefly in silence; then, with hands outstretched, the celebrant says the prayer of blessing:

Blessed are you, Lord, all-powerful God,
who in Christ, the living water of salvation,
blessed and transformed us.
Grant that when we are sprinkled with this water
or make use of it,
we will be refreshed inwardly by the power
of the Holy Spirit
and continue to walk in the new life
we received at Baptism.

We ask this though Christ our Lord.  
R. Amen.

or

Lord, holy Father,
look with kindness on your children
redeemed by your Son
and born to a new life by water and the Holy Spirit.
Grant that those who are sprinkled with this water
may be renewed in body and spirit
and may make a pure offering of their service to you.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

or the celebrant says:

O God, the Creator of all things,
by water and the Holy Spirit
you have given the universe its beauty
and fashioned us in your own image.
R. Bless and purify your Church.

O Christ the Lord, from your pierced side
you gave us your sacraments
as fountains of salvation.
R. Bless and purify your Church.

O Holy Spirit, giver of life,
from the baptismal font of the Church
you have formed us into a new creation
in the waters of rebirth.
R. Bless and purify your Church.

After the prayer of blessing, the celebrant sprinkles those present with holy water, as a suitable song is sung; as circumstances suggest, he may first say the following words:

Let this water call to mind our Baptism into Christ, who has redeemed us by his death and resurrection.
R. Amen.


______________________________________________________________

From blog "PriestStuff": 

Traditional Rite of Blessing of Water [Latin and English]

DE BENEDICTIONIBUS
ORDO AD FACIENDAM
AQUAM BENEDICTAM


Diebus Dominicis, et quandocumque opus sit, præparato sale et aqua munda benedicenda in ecclesia, vel in sacristia, Sacerdos, superpelliceo et stola violacea indutus, primo dicit:
V. Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. 

R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.


Deinde absolute incipit exorcismum salis:
E xorcizo te, creatura salis, per Deum + vivum, per Deum + verum, per Deum + sanctum, per Deum, qui te per Eliseum Prophetam in aquam mitti jussit, ut sanaretur sterilitas aquæ: ut efficiaris sal exorcizatum in salutem credentium; et sis omnibus sumentibus te sanitas animæ et corporis; et effigiat, atque discedat a loco, in quo aspersum fueris, omnis phantasia, et nequitia, vel versutia diabolicæ fraudis, omnisque spiritus immundus, adjuratus per eum, qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, et sæculum per ignem. R. Amen.



Oremus.

Oratio
I mmensam clementiam tuam, omnipoten æterne Deus, humiliter imploramus, ut hanc creaturam salis, quam in usum generis humani tribuisti, bene + dicere et sancti +ficare tua pietate digneris: ut sit omnibus sumentibus salus mentis et corporis; et quidquid ex eo tactum vel respersum fuerit, careat omni immunditia, omnique impugnatione spiritalis nequitiæ. Per Dominum. R. Amen.

Exorcismus aquæ: et dicitur absolute:
E xorcizo te, creatura aquæ, in nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Jesu Christi Filii ejus Domini nostri, et in virtute Spiritus Sancti: ut fias aqua exorcizata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici, et ipsum inimicum eradicare et explantare valeas cum angelis suis apostaticis, per virtutem ajusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christi: qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos, et sæculum per ignem. R. Amen.


Oremus.Oratio
D eus, qui ad salutem humani generis, maxima quæque sacramenta in aquarum substantia condidisti: adesto propitius invocationibus nostris, et elemento huic multìmodis purificationibus præparato, virtutem tuæ bene + dictionis infunde: ut creatura tua, mysteriis tuis serviens, ad abigendos dæmones, morbosque pellendos, divinæ gratiæ sumat effectum; ut quidquid in domibus, vel in locis fidelium, hæc unda resperserit, careat omni immunditia, liberetur a noxa: non illic resideat spiritus pestilens, non aura corrumpens: discedant omnes insidiæ latentis inimici; et si quid est, quod aut incolumitati habitantium invidet, aut quieti, aspersione hujus aquæ effugiat: ut salubritas, per invocationem sancti tui nominis expetita, ab omnibus sit impugnationibus defensa. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum. R. Amen.

Hic ter mittat sal in aquam in modum crucis, dicendo semel:
C ommixtio salis et aquæ pariter fiat, in nomine Pa+tris, et Fi+lii, et Spiritus + Sancti. R. Amen.
V. Dominus vobiscum.

R. Et cum spiritu tuo.




Oremus.Oratio
D eus, invictæ virtutis auctor, et insuperabilis imperii Rex, ac semper magnificus triumphator: qui adversæ dominationis vires reprimis: qui inimici rugientis sævitiam superas: qui hostiles nequitias potenter expugnas: te, Domine, trementes et supplices deprecamur, ac petimus: ut hanc creaturam salis et aquæ dignanter aspicias, benignus illustres, pietatis tuæ rore sanctifices; ut, ubicumque fuerit aspersa, per invocationem sancti nominis tui, omnis infestatio immundi spiritus abigatur: terrorque venenosi serpentis procul pellatur: et præsentia Santi Spiritus nobis, misericordiam tuam poscentibus, ubique adesse dignetur. Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitate ejusdem Spiritus Sancti Deus per omnia sæcula sæculorum. R. Amen.

Post benedictionem aquæ, Sacerdos Dominicis diebus, antequam incipiat Missam, aspergit Altare, deinde se, et Ministros, ac populum, prout in Missali præscribitur, et Asperges suo loco habetur.

Christifideles autem possunt de ista aqua benedicta in vasculis accipere, et secum deferre ad aspergendos ægros, domos, agros, vineas, et alia, et ad habendam in habitaculis suis, ut ea quotidie et sæpius aspergi possint.

_____________________________________

1. On Sundays, or whenever this blessing takes place, salt and fresh water are prepared in the church or in the sacristy. The priest, 
vested in surplice and purple stole, says:
P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.     All: Who made heaven and earth.

2. The exorcism of salt follows: 
God's creature, salt, I cast out the demon from you by the living  God, by the true  God, by the holy  God, by God who 
ordered you to be thrown into the water-spring by Eliseus to heal it of its barrenness. May you be a purified salt, a means of health for 
those who believe, a medicine for body and soul for all who make use of you. May all evil fancies of the foul fiend, his malice and cunning, be driven afar from the place where you are sprinkled. And let every unclean spirit be repulsed by Him who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.   All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, we humbly appeal to your mercy and goodness to graciously bless  this creature, salt, which you have given for mankind's use. May all who use it find in it a remedy for body and mind. And may everything that it touches or sprinkles be freed from uncleanness and any influence of the evil spirit; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.

Exorcism of the water:
God's creature, water, I cast out the demon from you in the name of God  the Father almighty, in the name of Jesus  Christ, His 
Son, our Lord, and in the power of the Holy  Spirit. May you be a purified water, empowered to drive afar all power of the enemy, 
in fact, to root out and banish the enemy himself, along with his fallen angels. We ask this through the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire.    All: Amen.

Let us pray.
O God, who for man's welfare established the most wonderful mysteries in the substance of water, hearken to our prayer, and pour 
forth your blessing  on this element now being prepared with various purifying rites. May this creature of yours, used in your mysteries and endowed with your grace, serve to cast out demons and to banish disease. May everything that this water sprinkles in the homes and gatherings of the faithful be delivered from all that is unclean and hurtful; let no breath of contagion hover there, no taint of corruption; let all the wiles of the lurking enemy come to nothing. By the sprinkling of this water may everything opposed to the safety and peace of the occupants of these homes be banished, so that in calling on your holy name they may know the well-being they desire, and be protected from every peril; through Christ our Lord.    All: Amen.

3. Now the priest pours the salt into the water in the form of a cross, saying:
May this salt and water be mixed together; in the name of the Father , and of the Son , and of the Holy Spirit.     All: Amen.
P: The Lord be with you. All: And with thy spirit.

Let us pray.
God, source of irresistible might and king of an invincible realm, the ever-glorious conqueror; who restrain the force of the adversary, silencing the uproar of his rage, and valiantly subduing his wickedness; in awe and humility we beg you, Lord, to regard with favor  this creature thing of salt and water, to let the light of your kindness shine upon it, and to hallow it with the dew of your mercy; so that  wherever it is sprinkled and your holy name is invoked, every assault of the unclean spirit may be baffled, and all dread of the serpent's venom be cast out. To us who entreat your mercy grant that the Holy Spirit may be with us wherever we may be, through 
Christ our Lord.  All: Amen.

4. On Sundays after the water is blessed and before Mass begins the celebrant sprinkles the altar, himself, the ministers, and the people as prescribed in the Missal and in the ceremony of the Ritual.

5. Christ's faithful are permitted to take holy water home with them to sprinkle the sick, their homes, fields, vineyards, and the like. It is recommended too that they put it in fonts in the various rooms, so that they may use it to bless themselves daily and frequently.