Conversion Story From Protestant to Catholic

For Those you doubt the catholic Faith and it`s teaching here are two conversion stories

http://www.catholic-convert.com/wp-content/uploads/Story-Tiffanys-Going-AWOL-out-of-the-Christian-Civil-War.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaL2kxfsJVI

Enjoy

HOW TO PRAY FOR YOUR CHILD

By Abraham Thomas ( sankarathilsunny)

1. Pray NOTHING hinders your child from accepting Christ as his/her personal
Savior early in life. (Matthew 19:14)

2. Pray your child learns to know God and will have a deep desire to do

God's will for his/her life. (Psalms 119:27,30,34,35).

3. Pray child hears stories from the Bible that will be a basis for his/her

decisions throughout life. (Ecclesiastes 12:1, Psalms 71:17).

4. Pray child will-develop a keen sense of right and wrong and that he/she

will truly abhor evil and cling to that which is good. (Psalms 139:23-4).

5. Pray child will increase in wisdom (mentally) and in stature (physically)

and in favor with God (spiritually) and man (socially). (Luke 2:52). This

prayer covers his/her total development to his/her full potential.

6. Pray that child will develop a thankful heart and a positive mental

attitude. (Psalm 126:2-3, Romans 8:31)

7. Pray that God protect child from Satan and his/her wiles in every area of

his/her life. (John 17:55, Psalm 121)

8. Pray that God would destroy the enemies in his/her life whether they be

weaknesses, lying, selfishness etc. (Psalms 120:2; 140).

9. Pray that God would make him/her successful in the work God has for

him/her to do. (Psalm 118:25, 139:9-10)

10. Pray he/she have a strong sense of belonging to a family that is loving

and dwells together in unity (Psalms 133, Colossians 3:12-14).

11. Pray he/she will respect authority. (Romans 13:1, Ephesians 6:1-4).

12. Pray that his/her entire life will be a testimony of the greatness and

love of Christ. (Phillippians 2:15-16 Thess 5:2-3)

If you pray one of these a month, you will have your child covered for a

year!

Pray for my children also when you are praying your child.

Your brother Abraham Thomas ( sankarathilsunny)

Hear Their Cry - The cry of persecuted Christians

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12,versus:9 onwards)

St Therese: Little Flower of Jesus

St. Therese 1895 in brown scapular 

I recently read the book 'Story of a soul' by St.Thresese of Lisieux, populary known as little flower of Jesus. She was born in 2 January 1873 in Alencon, France. She desired to live the life of carmel in Lisieux with all perfection and was always lost in deep contemplation about God. She used to consider Jesus as her Divine Spouse. Her sacrifice to give up her wordly life and her father Louis Martin whom she loved so dearly are of appreciation. She entered Carmel at the age of 15, though her entry into carmel was not easy. She first faced rejection from her very own uncle Isidore Guerin, then from the the prioress Mother Marie de Gonzague of Carmel. She then along with her father goes to meet the Bishop of Bayeux, even there she met rejection. Later on a diocesan pilgrimage to Rome she meets Pope Leo Xlll and asks for the permission. The Pope replies "Well, my child, do what the superiors decide.... You will enter if it is God's Will". And just as the Pope said it was God`s will and she enters the convent on Monday 9th April 1888.

St. Therese in 1896

Therese did simple things to please God, she observed the rules of solitute and silence in carmel so strictly that she even didnt break it for the sake of her own Sisters Pauline and Celine, who were in Carmel along with her. She was always mesmerized by God`s infinite love. She writes how great sinners like St.Augustine, St.Paul and St.Mary Magdalen were forgiven by God. She used to consider herself a simple daisy of God`s garden. According to her God garden consists of all sorts of flowers Rose, Lilly, Violet etc but just like every flower is not a Rose so are we in this world. All cannot become Doctors, Apostles, Prophets that the church is composed of different members, that the eye cannot also be the hand

St. Therese at 15

As a child Therese used to read "Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis which inspired her greatly. "O My God, who art unspeakable sweetness, turn for me into bitterness all the consolations of the earth". Also lectures by Abbé Arminjon on "The End of This World, and the Mysteries of the World to Come" nourished her spiritually. She also was inspired by many people of God like St. John of the Cross, St. Therese of Avilla, St. Joan of Arc and St. Anne of Jesus. Therese Prayed without great sensitive emotions, she mulitplied the small acts of charity and care for others, doing small services without making a show of them. Far from avoiding humiliations, souer Therese sought them eagerly and for that she offered herself as "aid" to a sister who she well knew was difficult to please and her generous proposal was accepted. She died on 20 September 1897 at the age of 24 out of Tuberculosis.

St. Therese at 13

If today Therese transforms so many hearts and the good she does on earth is beyond reckoning, we may well believe she bought it all at the price with which Jesus brought back our souls by sufferring and the cross. In this world there is no fruitfulness without sufferring either physical, secret sorrows or trials known sometimes only to God. When good thoughts and generous resolutions have sprung up in our souls through reading the lives of the saints, we ought not to content ourslevs, as in the case of profane books, with paying a certain tribute of admiration to the genius of their authors. We should rather consider the price which doubtless, they have paid for that supernatural good they have produced.

St. Therese with her Sister Celine at Right, 1895

Quotes: " May creatures be nothing for me, 

St. Therese at 8

and may I be nothing for them, but may You, Jesus, be everything!..let nobody be occupied with me, let me be looked upon as one to be trampled underfoot..may Your will be done in me perfectly..Jesus, allow me to save very many souls; let no soul be lost today; let all the souls in purgatory be saved.."
"Entreat thee to let Divine eyes rest upon a vast number of Little souls, I entreat thee to choose, in this world, a legion of little victims of they love"


I call upon you to read this book and lead a holy life.

The confessions of St.Augustine: A Review

Tiffany stained-glass window of St. Augustine,
in the Lightner Museum, St. Augustine, Florida.

I recently read 'The Confessions' a spiritual autobiography written by St.Augustine. It was a wonderful reading as he describes his early childhood, his lack of interest for arithmetic and his interest to study Latin. His early adolesence where he steals pears with a group of friends. His Adulthood where he goes to Carthage to study and which makes him fall in love with wisdom. How he embraces Manichaeism-a religion founded by Manes in the third century; a synthesis of Zoroastrian, Babylonian folklore and Buddhist ethics and superficial elements of Christianity. How he Becomes a teacher of rhetoric and his grief at the death of a close friend. How the sermons of Bishop Ambrose cause him to reject the teaching of Manichees. 


The confessions consists of 13 Books and this review is of first 5 books, translated by Edward Bouverie Pusey


Book 1: All of our initial childhood is full of mischiefs, which we later recollect and enjoy. But in Augustine case he regrets for having done bad in his studies, In fact he didnt like subjects like arithmetic. He also explains how he learnt Latin with interest and mere observation among his firends who encouraged him. When he explains he`s early childhood he recalls how miserable it was for him to carry on with his initial studies


Quotes: "Thee, O God, are all good things, and from my God is all my health." 


Book 2: Adolesence is the period where most of us enjoy with our friends, it is also the time when some major changes happen in our body. Augustine recalls how he stole pears with his friends at age of 16 and how lust empowered him at that age. He also further recollects that he didnt enjoy what he did but sin itself was enjoable. 


Quotes: "...there is no place whither altogethere to retire from thee"

"St Augustine and Monica"

Book 3: Adulthood is full of oppurtunities for everyone where we select the colleges we like to go and study the subject which we dreamt of in accordance with our pursuit for good future. Even Augustine goes to Carthage to study, he reads Cicero's Hortensius, which inspires him to love wisdom and embrace Manichaeism. He enjoyed the stage plays there which had lot of grieve in them. He also tell how his vanities drive him into greater vanities


Quotes: " For within me was a famine of that inward food, Thyself, my God; yet, through that famine I was not hungered; but was without all longing for incorruptible sustenance, not because filled therewith, but the more empty, the more I loathed it.


Book 4: Our early year of career are full of challenges and hardships similary was Augustine case. He became a teacher of grammer at Thagaste. He also shares a living with a woman and says how he challenged the holy convenant of martirmony. He also elaborates the death of his close friend due to fever whom he loved dearly and which made him leave his native town Thagaste. He stressed the importance of sexual morality in this book which is very relevant in this modern era full of  lust lunacy. He also suggests that he began to love his life of sorrow more than his fallen friend.


Quotes: " Wretched I was; and wretched is every soul bound by the friendship of perishable things; he is torn asunder when he loses them, and then he feels the wretchedness which he had ere yet he lost them."


Book 5: Quotes: Searching for new carrer opputurnities is also essential part of one`s life, hence Augustine moves to Carthage to take up rhetoric classes, and he would remain there for next nine years. There he meets Manichees Bishop, Faustus. He was completely disappointed with Faustus lack of knowledge. He then moves to Rome to meet the best and brightest rehtoricians as per his belief, but it too was shattered as the students in Roman schools simply fled when it was time for them to pay fees. He then moves to Milan and occupies a most visible position in latin world. It is here his actual conversion towards christianity began after hearing the sermon of St.Ambrose, Bishop of Milan he gave up  Manichaeism. St.Ambrose had most influence over Augustine. Ambrose was a master of rhetoric like Augusitne, but older and more experienced.


Quotes: "O Thou my exceeding mercy, my God, my refuge from those terrible destroyers, among whom I wandered with a stiff neck, withdrawing further from Thee, loving mine own ways, and not Thine; loving a vagrant liberty."


Download the e-book free from Gutenberg

God Our Protector

By Prajapathi bhat

Suresh was a bright boy in his class up to 10th standard. He topped in everything curricular
activities and also co-curricular activities like sports, skits, quiz. After completing his 10th when
he joined Pre-University course or 11th standard his interest towards curricular and co-curricular
activities declined. Slowly he underwent depression and lost some subjects in his 12th standard academic exams. The reason for this downfall was his focus only on himself and how he could get good marks; sometimes he didn’t even bother to cater to his friends problems or thank God. Suresh was bearing the consequences of being selfish and proud.

Though Suresh was under depression, he still trusted God. He used to pray whenever he got time. After his 12th standard board exams, just before the results he got a chance to attend a retreat at ‘Divine Retreat Center’, Muringoor, Kerala. There after various spiritual sessions and counseling he finally was freed from selfishness. God heard his prayers and he got pass marks in
12th standard, which none expected. God is our Protector.

Yes From above real life story of Suresh we come to know that God protects his children, whatever it takes! Now Suresh is leading a wonderful life with Christ filled with Joy. As the Bible says “...Acknowledge me through all thy ways and I shall direct thy path…”, so shall be our life with Christ. God protects us from all traps and tricks the world lays for us. Isn’t it wonderful to live with God our creator?

Let’s surrender ourselves before God. Let us thank him at least at the end of the day, before we go to sleep. Let’s pray at least once a day. Let’s read the bible at least once a day. Most of us neglect these basic soul needs and then regret. Our soul does needs food and its nothing but prayer.

Prayer: God enlighten our mind. Help us to accept you and to be one with you. We thank you for all the good you have done to us so far. Thy will be done oh God. Amen

Prayer Brings Victory

By Prajapathi bhat

I saw this word crypted on a rear window of a Car, which made me think- does prayer bring victory? The obivious answer which every human being will agree is yes, prayer does gives us victory. May it be a hindi movie or real life, prayer makes miracle happen. It has got tremendous power. But how many of us really believe in this concept?

Prayer food for our soul - there is no food for our sould except prayer. It enriches our souls and saves us from spiritual poverty! As young most of us easily succum to smoking, alcohol and pornography, which makes us spiritually poor. People who can`t overcome these menances are on the brink of loosing their life. When we pray it gives us power over these three evils and shows us the true meaning of life. Prayer helps us to enjoy life to the fullest.

Our Father - it is the most popular and accepted prayer throughout the world. Short and sweet our father is recited to us by our own Lord Jesus Christ. Whether you are depressed or finding yourselves in a tough situation, you have a free remedy and that is 'Our father'. Since the Bible says "all things came from him...", via our father we call the creator and ruler of living and dead to intervene in our present situation. Beautiful isn`t it.

Pray and you will recieve- Bible stresses a lot on the importance of prayer. Prayer fills us with love, faith and home. In most of my desparate situation i pray and i find the needed attitude to deal with the situation. It strengthens our oneness with God our creator and gives us sufficient energy to deal with evil. Then why delay to pray?

Rosary- Our routine but powerfull prayer. Reciting the rosary daily gives solutions to our problems, may it simple or serious. Jesus is the answer to all our questions and solutions to all our problems. We get a chance to talk to him daily via Rosary. Let`s remember God, heaven, angels and Mother Mary are more real then we even think they are. Hence not only prayer is our tool to get victory, but also our medium through which we show our responsibility towards God by praising him for all that he has given to us so far.