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Friar Jack Archive

2013
A Pope Who Mirrors the Values of St. Francis (May)
Jesus' Brief Time in Ministry (May)
My God and My All! (April)
The Paradox of Holiness (April)
Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries (March)
The Rich Man and His Harvest (March)
Reflections on the Sorrowful Mysteries (February)
The Delightful Book of Proverbs (February)
Anima Christi: A Mystical Prayer (January)
Jesus and the Canaanite Woman (January)
2012
My Friend Murray (December)
God’s Love for All of Us (December)
Reflections on the Luminous Mysteries (November)
What About Purgatory? (November)
Lights Along My Path (October)
The Saints of October (October)
Franciscan Media Launches Digital Magazine (October)
God’s Great Gift: The Commandments (September)
Remembering Mychal Judge, OFM (September)
Little Things Mean a Lot (August)
The Kingdom of God (August)
The Assumption of Mary (July)
Franciscans Support Catholic Sisters (July)
St. Mary Magdalene: Disciple of Jesus (June)
Reflections on the Joyful Mysteries (June)
The Power of Relationships (May)
Memories of Padua (May)
Mother's Day: 2012 (May)
Will I See My Pet in Heaven? (April)
Be Merciful—Just as the Father Is (April)
John Duns Scotus: His View of Christ, Part Three (March)
St. Joseph (March)
John Duns Scotus: His View of Christ, Part Two (February)
The Season of Lent And Reconciliation (February)
John Duns Scotus: His View of Christ (January)
The Moment of Conversion (January)
2011
The Words of St. Anthony Live On (December)
The Face of Jesus (December)
Letting God Love Us (November)
Jesus Chooses His 12 Apostles (November)
New Movie, 'The Way,' Offers Insights (November)
The Virtue of Respect (October)
Honoring St. Clare of Assisi (October)
The Overloaded Camel (September)
The Blessing of Animals (September)
Jesus’ Special Friends (August)
St. Francis, the Sultan and the 10th Anniversary o... (August)
It’s the Rock Foundation That Matters (July)
The Beatitudes: Eight Attitudes That Open Us to Go... (July)
“Lord, When Will the World End?” (June)
Friar Jack’s E-spirations—
Now a Book! (June)
St. Anthony of Padua (June)
St. Anthony and the Albigensian Heresy (May)
Mother's Day: Mother's Love (May)
Will I See My Cat in Heaven? (April)
“Out of the Mouths of Babes” (Mt. 21:14-17) (April)
Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd (March)
Seed Planted Comes to Life (March)
The Red Wheelbarrow: An Image to Contemplate (February)
The Faithful Servant (February)
Stepping Stones Toward Contemplative Union (January)
Important New Year's Resolution (January)
2010
Time for Some Peace and Quiet (December)
Did the Good Samaritan Struggle? (December)
Assisi Pilgrimage (November)
Keep Things in Perspective (November)
A Meditation on the
Franciscan Coat of Arms (October)
Power Failures (October)
Will We See Our Pets in Heaven? (A New Book on an ... (September)
Our Worst Can Be the Best We Give to God (September)
Reflections on the Stigmata (August)
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August)
St. Francis' Prayer Before the Crucifix (July)
The End of Life: Our Questions (July)
The Canticle of Brother Sun: All Creatures = One Family (June)
An Important Question for Fathers (June)
Pope Benedict XVI Puts St. Anthony in Spotlight (May)
The Church's Prayers for the Dying Christian (May)
Sister Thea Bowman: Her Song Goes On (April)
The Reality of Eternal Life (April)
The Canticle of Mary (The Magnificat) (March)
Lent and Forgiveness (March)
The Way of the Cross (February)
The Season of Lent (February)
Giving Glory Back to God (January)
The Power of the Eucharist (January)
2009
Jesus Becomes a Brother to All Creatures (December)
Peter: The Failure Jesus Could Only Love (December)
Will All Creatures Praise God in Heaven? (November)
Where Is the Lord? (November)
Our Christian Creeds: They’re Really Documents of ... (October)
My Mother, the Theologian (October)
Who Wrote the Peace Prayer of St. Francis? (September)
Eucharist: The Promise of Life (September)
St. Francis and the Taming of the Wolf (August)
The Simple Truths of the Gospel (August)
How to Rid the World of Evil (July)
Our Past—Graces or Regrets (July)
President Obama’s Speech to the Muslim World: Look... (June)
A Grain of Sand (June)
Similar Traits of St. Anthony and St. Francis (May)
Difficulties With Prayer (May)
Do Our Pets Go To Heaven? (April)
What Is Holiness Really About? (April)
The Franciscan Coat of Arms (March)
Lent and the Sacrament of Reconciliation (March)
The Holy Spirit: Giver of Life (February)
Jesus on Fasting and Penance (February)
The Holy Spirit: Giver of Life (January)
Our Relationship With Our Deceased (January)

2008
Facing a New Era (December)
Catechism Quiz: Just a Moment, Please (December)
Help Friar Jack’s Ministry (November)
Catechism Quiz: Placed Their Infants for Adoption (November)
Anima Christi: A Prayer for All Centuries (October)
Catechism Quiz: For Anyone Touched by an Abortion (October)
St. Francis Comes to San Francisco (September)
Catechism Quiz: Abortion and the Gift of Life (September)
Pathways of Prayer (Part II) (August)
Catechism Quiz: The Women of the Gospel (August)
Pathways of Prayer (Part I) (July)
Catechism Quiz: The Greatest Commandment (July)
Philippine Diary: St. Anthony Shrine in Forbes Park (June)
Catechism Quiz: The Mosaic of St. Francis (June)
Philippine Diary: How St. Anthony Came to Sampaloc (May)
Catechism Quiz: The Mosaic of Our Lives (May)
Philippine Diary: The Old Franciscan Church in Santa Ana (Apr)
Catechism Quiz: Being Caught by the Lord (Apr)
Philippine Diary: Five Days in Zamboanga (Mar)
Catechism Quiz: Peter, the Failure Only Jesus Could Love (Mar)
Philippine Diary: In the Footsteps of San Pedro Bautista (Feb)
Catechism Quiz: How Are We Touched by God? (Feb)
St. Francis’ Prayer Before the Crucifix (Jan)
Catechism Quiz: Joseph, the Husband of Mary and Foster Father of Jesus (Jan)
A Visit to St. Padre Pio’s Tomb (Jan)

2007
Catechism Quiz: What Is the Word Made Flesh? (Dec)
St. Francis, Creatures and Christmas (Dec)
Catechism Quiz: What Is the Communion of Saints? (Nov)
Three Favorite Hideaways of St. Anthony of Padua (Oct)
Catechism Quiz: How Is the Bible God's Inspired Word? (Oct)
St. Francis and the Birds (Sep)
Catechism Quiz: Reaction to Mother Teresa’s Doubts? (Sep)
Reflections on the Stigmata (Part II) (Aug)
Catechism Quiz: Reflections on Prayer (Aug)
Reflections on the Stigmata (Part I) (Aug)
Catechism Quiz: Should we pray in times of sin? (Jul)
The Cause of Father Solanus Casey (Continued) (Jul)
Catechism Quiz: Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Jun)
St. Anthony and the Tree of Life (Jun)
Catechism Quiz: Why Not Try Meditation? (May)
The Dreams of St. Francis (Apr)
Catechism Quiz: Does It Matter What We Do? (Apr)
A Poem: “I See His Blood Upon the Rose” (Mar)
Fr. Solanus Casey: Will He Be Beatified Soon? (Part II) (Mar)
Fr. Solanus Casey: Will He Be Beatified Soon? (Part I) (Feb)
Catechism Quiz: What Does It Mean to Be Holy? (Feb)
Bold Thoughts on Peace From Pope Benedict XVI (Jan)
Catechism Quiz: God’s Gift of Life/Tragedy of Suicide (Jan)

2006
St. Anthony and the Child Jesus (Dec)
Catechism Quiz: The Church and Its Teaching Role (Dec)
St. Francis Xavier: Great Missionary to the Orient (Nov)
Catechism Quiz: The Roman Catholic Church (Part II) (Nov)
St. John of the Cross: From Darkness to Light (Oct)
Catechism Quiz: The Roman Catholic Church (Oct)
St. Teresa of Avila: Carmelite Reformer/Great Mystic (Sep)
Catechism Quiz: Feast of St. Francis of Assisi (Sep)
A Visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (Aug)
Catechism Quiz: Questions About Prayer (Part 2) (Aug)
St. Ignatius of Loyola: Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (Jul)
Catechism Quiz: Questions About Prayer (Jul)
I See His Blood Upon the Rose (Jun)
Catechism Quiz: Who Is Saved? (Jun)
St. Anthony of Portugal (May)
Catechism Quiz: Have You Been Saved? (May)
Stay Close to Life-giving Waters (Apr)
Catechism Quiz: Hell (Apr)
Opening Ourselves to God's Abundant Gift (Mar)
Catechism Quiz: Purgatory (Part II) (Mar)
The Beatitudes: Eight Attitudes for a Holy Lent (Feb)
Catechism Quiz: Purgatory (Part I) (Feb)
St. Francis, St. Anthony and the Smallness of God (Jan)
Catechism Quiz: Heaven (Jan)

2005
Why Did Jesus Come to Dwell Among Us? (December)
Catechism Quiz: The Incarnation (December)
Iraq: Looking for Hope Amid Ashes (November)
Catechism Quiz: Life After Death (November)
All Saints Day in the Philippines (October)
Catechism Quiz: Sacramentals (October)
Why St. Francis Belongs on the Birdbath (September)
Catechism Quiz: Sacrament of Holy Orders (September)
A Prayer to Deepen Our Union With Christ… (August)
Catechism Quiz: Annulment (August)
The Buried Treasure Is Always Available (July)
Catechism Quiz: Marriage and Divorce (July)
Why John Paul II Was ‘Larger Than Life’ (June)
Catechism Quiz: Sacrament of Matrimony (June)
Anthony of Padua: Super-preacher of God’s Word (May)
Catechism Quiz: Anointing of the Sick and Prayers… (May)
As a New Papacy Begins… (Apr)
Catechism Quiz: On the Death of Pope John Paul II (Apr)
The Slippery Slope: From Trust to Presumption (Mar)
Catechism Quiz: What Is Reconciliation? (Part II) (Mar)
Trusting God in the Desert: A Lenten Meditation (Feb)
Catechism Quiz: What Is Reconciliation? (Part I) (Feb)
Creating a World of Greater Unity and Justice (Jan)
Catechism Quiz: What Is the Eucharist? (Jan)

2004
Friar Jack’s Christmas Message (Dec)
Catechism Quiz: What Is Confirmation? (Dec)
Heralds of the King (Nov)
Catechism Quiz: What's the Sacrament of Baptism? (Nov)
Did the Saints Fall From Favor After Vatican II? (Oct)
Catechism Quiz: What Are the Seven Sacraments? (Oct)
Feast of St. Francis and the Year of the Eucharist (Sep)
Catechism Quiz: What is the Nativity of Mary? (Sep)
The Underground Railroad (August)
Catechism Quiz: The Assumption of Mary (August)
O Stay, O Stay, Emmanuel! (July)
Faithful Citizenship (July)
St Anthony, More Than Finder of Lost Things! (June)
Recognizing Our Capacity for Evil (May)
The Holy Spirit: Life-Giver (April)
Catechism Quiz: The Resurrection (April)
The Passion of the Christ (March)
Catechism Quiz: The Real St. Patrick (March)
God's World Is Holy (February)
Catechism Quiz: Christianity, Islam and Judaism (Feb)
The Faith of Abraham (January)
Catechism Quiz: The Bible (January)

2003
A Christmas Message From Friar Jack (December)
The Secret of St. Francis (November)
Catechism Quiz: The End Times (November)
Catechism Quiz: Where, Who and How of Heaven (Oct)
A Salute to Pope John Paul II (October)
St. Francis Day at St. John the Divine (September)
Catechism Quiz: Sacrament of Reconciliation (September)
Prayer: How to Listen Better (August)
Catechism Quiz: More on the Mass (August)
Letting God Be God (July)
Catechism Quiz: Changes in the Mass (July)
The Work of Pentecost Continues (June)
Catechism Quiz: St. Anthony of Padua (June)
The Woods in Spring (May)
Catechism Quiz: The Blessed Virgin Mary (May)
St. Francis' Prayer Before the Crucifix... (April)
Catechism Quiz: Good Friday and Jesus' Passion (April)
St. Francis, the Sultan, and the Quest for Peace (March)
Catechism Quiz: Lent 101 (March)
In Forgiving, We Die to Self (February)
Catechism Quiz: Who Was St. Valentine? (February)
New Mysteries of the Rosary—Part 2 (January)
New Mysteries of the Rosary (January)

2002
Catechism Quiz: The Christmas Cycle (December)
Awaiting Christ's Final Coming — With Hope! (December)
Catechism Quiz: Celebrating Advent (November)
Remembering Mychal Judge, O.F.M. (November)
Catechism Quiz: All Saints and All Souls (October)
St. Francis' Bond With Other Creatures (October)
Catechism Quiz: The Truth About St. Francis (September)
First Anniversary of 9/11 (September)
Catechism Quiz: Angels (August)
Our Franciscan Coat of Arms (August)
Catechism Quiz: How Saints Are Made (July)
A Dozen Red Roses (July)
Catechism Quiz: Catholic Weddings (June)
St. Anthony of Padua: Seeking the Face of God (June)
Catechism Quiz: The Holy Spirit, Pentecost and Confirmation (May)
The Holy Spirit, Pentecost and Confirmation (May)
Clergy Sex-Abuse Scandal (April)
Musing About Evil—Round Two (March)
How We Talk About Evil (February)
Praying With Pope John Paul II (January)

2001
2001

2000
2000

Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi: Mystical ecstasy is the elevation of the spirit to God in such a way that the person is aware of this union with God while both internal and external senses are detached from the sensible world. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi was so generously given this special gift of God that she is called the "ecstatic saint."
<p>She was born into a noble family in Florence in 1566. The normal course would have been for Catherine de' Pazzi to have married wealth and enjoyed comfort, but she chose to follow her own path. At nine she learned to meditate from the family confessor. She made her first Communion at the then-early age of 10 and made a vow of virginity one month later. When 16, she entered the Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion daily there. </p><p>Catherine had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near so her superiors let her make her profession of vows from a cot in the chapel in a private ceremony. Immediately after, she fell into an ecstasy that lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion on the following 40 mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of union with God and contained marvelous insights into divine truths. </p><p>As a safeguard against deception and to preserve the revelations, her confessor asked Mary Magdalene to dictate her experiences to sister secretaries. Over the next six years, five large volumes were filled. The first three books record ecstasies from May of 1584 through Pentecost week the following year. This week was a preparation for a severe five-year trial. The fourth book records that trial and the fifth is a collection of letters concerning reform and renewal. Another book, <i>Admonitions</i>, is a collection of her sayings arising from her experiences in the formation of women religious. </p><p>The extraordinary was ordinary for this saint. She read the thoughts of others and predicted future events. During her lifetime, she appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of sick people. </p><p>It would be easy to dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary Magdalene only had spiritual highs. This is far from true. It seems that God permitted her this special closeness to prepare her for the five years of desolation that followed when she experienced spiritual dryness. She was plunged into a state of darkness in which she saw nothing but what was horrible in herself and all around her. She had violent temptations and endured great physical suffering. She died in 1607 at 41, and was canonized in 1669.</p>

American Catholic Blog

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