Excerpted from "Leaflets" column

 

June 13 is the feast day of St. Anthony of Padua. According to the mail we receive, St. Anthony is an obvious favorite of the LEAVES family. He helps find what is lost and from time to time all of us can use his assistance.

Generally we look to St. Anthony to find items that have been misplaced. A check came in the mail and is no longer in the basket on the kitchen counter. A ring taken off to garden or do dishes is no longer on the sink. Documents put away for safekeeping are not where we thought we put them.

St. Anthony works hard for us in finding so many things. It's easy to remember the petition: "Tony, Tony, please come round. Something's lost and must be found." We pray and St. Anthony hears and answers our appeals.

Why not call upon St. Anthony not just for things that are lost, but also for people who are lost? Do you know someone who is going through life without direction? Is there another who is headed down the wrong path? Some can become lost in the sea of consumerism, drifting away from faith and family. There are many ways people can become lost.

Loss of Faith has a terrible cost, even an eternal one. If there is a lost soul you know, why not try St. Anthony for help? Ask that he who was so devoted to his God and Faith will touch the heart of the soul who has gone astray and let it be filled with love for the Lord.

So - when you think of St. Anthony, remember people, as well as things, to him.

... God grant you abundant blessings always - Father Thomas Heier, C.M.M.

 

 

Excerpted from "Our Family Album"

 

 

Save the Dying Association

 

Half a million people die each day. Many of them die suddenly in road accidents, on battlefields, as victims of violence or in natural disasters - earthquakes, tornadoes, tidal waves and floods. The Save the Dying Association has as one of its intentions to save the millions unprepared to meet their God. Each member undertakes to offer one good action daily for the dying, for example, one's morning and night prayer, fatigue of work, illness and all other kinds of suffering, Mass and Communion, giving alms, visiting the sick.

The Association is under the patronage of St. Joseph, Protector of the Dying, and Ss. Peter and Paul, Apostles and Martyrs. Those enrolled in the Association are reminded to prepare for the blessings of a happy death. They are encouraged to say this prayer daily:

"Lord, for those dying unprepared, I offer to you in union with Mary and with St. Joseph the Holy Masses being celebrated today all over the world. O Jesus, our Redeemer, through the Holy Masses offered this day and through the intercession of Mary, assist in Your mercy those dying suddenly at this moment."

For more information, contact: Holy Family Institute, Fr. Tom Fogarty, P. O. Box 498, Canfield, OH 44406-9946.

 

 

Unfinished Rosaries

 

My father died on Nov. 6, 1963, at the age of 83. I didn't know much about him because I was the youngest of 14 children. When I was around 9 or 10 years old, my father told me that a priest once asked him if he prayed the Rosary. My father replied that he said the Rosary every day. The priest then asked if it was the chaplet of five decades that he said every day and my father assured him that he meant the whole Rosary - 15 decades - every day of his life.

In January of 1964 around 10:30 p.m. my husband had just left for his night shift at work and my children were all sleeping. I was getting ready for bed when all of a sudden I got a vision and carefully listened for the message. I then recognized my father, dressed in white and his feet were not touching the floor. His message to me was: "I want you to say ten Rosaries for you and then five for me." I was so surprised and I told him I would say his five first and then he smiled at me and said: "No, I want you to say yours first!"

I did not know why he had insisted on it being this way, but I said the Rosaries and in the order he had asked.

I had not shared this story with anyone until one day when my mother said that she never had dreams about my father.  Then my oldest sister was saying, if she even heard someone in the church choir singing a solo that sounded like our father, she couldn't help crying.  So I told her, "You should not cry and be sad, but be glad!" Then for the first time I shared my story.

My sister wanted to know what he looked like and I told her he looked happy. After that my sister told me she had found his notebook, and when he was very sick and couldn't say his Rosary, he recorded the missed rosaries so he could say them as soon as he was able. When he died after his third heart attack, he did not have time to finish the Rosaries. So my father came to me, knowing for sure that I would say them for him and his debt would be clear.

My father's name is Philias Toutant. He had studied to become a priest and reconsidered at the last moment. He later met and married my mother and had us children.  I feel grateful and blessed to have been asked this final request from him. It has strengthened my faith in God.

I continue to say my Rosary. My husband and I prayed the Rosary together on a regular basis right through his illness and up until the time of his recent death. It helped us through difficult times and tragedies, including the death of our infant daughter and our son who was tragically taken at age 23.

<>      Everyone should say the Rosary every chance they get. It is a good way to stay closer to Our Lord and Savior and Our Father, the Holy Spirit and our celestial Mother. - Majella Laliberte (Toutant).

 

 

 

 

Excerpted from Father Engelmar Testimonies

 

       There is now available a booklet of the life of Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig, C.M.M. You may receive a free copy of it by sending a stamped (postage for one ounce, currently 39 cents), self-addressed envelope to us at:

 

LEAVES

P.O. Box 87

Dearborn, MI 48121-0087.

 

 

My 14-year-old granddaughter had severe attacks of Crohn's Disease. Doctors removed her appendix and then four inches of her bowel. I prayed for Fr. Engelmar's intercession. A year later she is well and no more reoccurrences. I trust that Fr. Engelmar's prayers of a cure to Jesus who is the healer came to her aid. In my heart I know that Fr. Engelmar is one of God's saints. I also stormed heaven for my son who is 54. He had a liver transplant due to Hepatitis C. He has had several complications, but now seems to be healing - M.A.B.

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I am sending a donation as my novena for my son was answered. I thank Fr. Engelmar - Mrs. H.E.C.

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I have said two novenas to Fr. Engelmar and they were answered. One was for a friend who had cancer. Everything turned out perfect. Also, I had property for sale for three years and it was not sold until I started praying to Fr. Engelmar. Within six months it was sold. Thank you so much, Father - K.S.

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Donation is for favors granted by Fr. Engelmar. Please pray for good health for my family and me - S.B.

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I said two novenas in honor of Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig to request the sale of my homes. I had two homes to sell, to consolidate into one home. The first novena was specific. I asked that my lake home sell (and since I was very fond of the home, I asked that whoever purchased the home would love and enjoy it as much as I had). I was able to sell the home to a very devout couple who were enthralled with the home. The second novena was to sell another home, which we were able to do. To sell not one, but two homes in the current economic climate is nothing short of a miracle and I am very grateful to God who has let Fr. Engelmar intercede on our behalf - L.K.N.

 

 

 

Mother Mary

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Run Away?