LEAVES Website for November-December 2004 issue

Excerpted from "Leaflets" Column

Be sure that during the month of November you remember in your prayers all the holy souls in purgatory. Offer special prayers for all those friends and family members who have completed their earthly pilgrimage this past year.

After the traditional Grace before Meals ("Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord") some families add: "May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen." If you don't currently add this to your mealtime prayer, consider praying it during the month of November.

There are many ways in which we can honor our beloved departed family and friends. Having Masses said on their behalf is particularly appropriate. During Mass we remember "our brothers and sisters who have gone to their rest in the hope of rising again" and ask that the Lord "bring them and all the departed into the light of your presence" (Eucharistic Prayer II).

Fasting and giving alms on behalf of the holy souls also help them on their journey into God's presence. Consider making a donation to a worthy group or cause in the name of the deceased. Perhaps once a week during November you could offer up your fasting on their behalf.

Pray for the poor souls in purgatory, especially those who have no one to pray for them. Pray the Rosary on their behalf. Pray also for all those who have recently lost a dear one. Pray that the good Lord will lift them up and comfort them in their grief.

As we pray for those who have gone before us, maybe we should also pray for ourselves, that our own souls will be prepared to meet the Lord when He comes for us. Petition St. Joseph: "O Blessed Joseph, who died in the arms of Jesus and Mary, obtain for me, I beseech you, the grace of a happy death."

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

Excerpted from "Our Family Album"

Father Anthony - May He Rest in Peace

After Father Anthony Kirschner, CMM, former editor in chief of LEAVES, died on July 8. He was 94 years old. The magazine reached its heyday under Father Anthony's editorship: in the 1980s it had over 200,000 readers. He began to computerize the whole process of mailing and record keeping. Thanks to Father Anthony, the original purpose of the magazine - traditional devotions - was maintained at a time when there were many outside pressures to change it or even stop publication. He felt responsible for the growth in holiness of the readers of LEAVES by following the tried and true ways of prayer. He was a cheerful person who made friends easily.

Father Anthony was born on June 12, 1910, to Bartholomew and Maria Kirschner in Seuversholz, Germany. He was the seventh of eight children. He made his novitiate in The Netherlands and his first profession of religious vows as a Missionary of Mariannhill on May 1, 1933. He studied theology at the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, and was ordained a priest on June 29, 1937, in the Pius Seminary.

In 1939 Father Anthony came to the United States and was assigned associate pastor of St. Raphael Parish, Garden City, MI. Two years later he became its pastor. When Our Lady of Grace Parish, Dearborn Heights, MI, was formed in 1944, he was appointed its first and founding pastor at the age of 34.

Father Anthony left parish work in 1953 when he was appointed Mariannhill's novice master. Four years later he was the provincial superior of the American-Canadian province. After that he was the provincial treasurer in 1963, retaining that position until 1989. From 1970 to 1989 he was simultaneously the editor in chief of LEAVES.

Father Anthony gave up both positions and was partially retired. In 1994 he entered an assisted living home because of age and the beginnings of ill health. Four years later he moved into a nursing home, where he died this year. Please say a prayer for him. May he rest in peace and let perpetual light shine upon him.

My past, O Lord, to Your mercy,

My present to Your love,

My future to Your providence.

NOTE

In obedience to the decree of Pope Urban VIII, October 30, 1625, we declare that the authenticity of all favors published rests on human authority alone - The Editors.

OUR FAMILY ALBUM

Gratitude Tradition

for Grandchildren

Each Thanksgiving Day for our family dinner we have a contest with the grandchildren. Each grandchild writes on a paper the three things he or she is most grateful to God for. Family members are the judges and we give nice prizes to the first, second and third place winners. For all those who don't win, we give a consolation prize.

I just wanted to share the "tradition" with your readers - Carol Ryan.

Cards Requested

My mother is severely disabled. She is in a wheelchair 12 hours and in bed the other 12 hours. She must go to the hospital once a month to have a paracentesis and thoracentesis (removal by needle of accumulated liquid in abdomen and chest cavities) in order for her to be able to breathe.

I would like people to pray for my mother and she will reciprocate. She is only 60 years old. Please send her cards to keep her spirits up. She will answer all letters, health permitting. Thank you - Cathy. [This is the name and address of Cathy's mother: Catherine Kerber, 16 E. Water Street, Apt. 110, Montello, WI 53949-9797.]

Repaying St. Jude

I am so excited to be writing to you. I only wish my grandmother had lived long enough to see this. She absolutely loved your publication, and I grew up with her reading it to me. I also grew up saying my novenas, especially to St. Jude. I remember the readers writing to LEAVES, telling about how St. Jude worked on their behalf. Well, following is a little story about how St. Jude has worked on my behalf and how I am now working on his behalf.

Excerpted from Father Engelmar Testimonies

There is now available a novena booklet of Fr. Engelmar Unzeitig, C.M.M. You may receive a free copy of it by sending a stamped (postage for one ounce, currently 37 cents), self-addressed envelope to us at:

LEAVES

P.O. Box 87

Dearborn, MI 48121-0087

After I waited to write a letter to make sure that this wonderful miracle could be possible! My grandson Daniel at the age of eight became very sick. He spent six weeks in the hospital near death several times. They just could not find the cause of his illness.

After many grueling tests doctors decided it might be sarcordosis. After being discharged from the hospital, he had many x-rays and was on medication. Doctors had to watch his lungs closely as he would become short of breath with very little walking.

At Daniel's last appointment in November they could find nothing wrong with him. His lungs were clear, no scarring. Doctors took him off medication. He is in sports: football, baseball, snowboarding and many other things.

I said the novena to Fr. Engelmar over and over again. I get down on my knees in thanksgiving as I truly believe he helped Danny.

With a broken heart and many tearful days, I am now asking Fr. Engelmar for another favor. My daughter Denise has cancer and is very sick. I am having a hard time with this. My little novena book is almost worn out - L.T.

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My donation is for the favors I received from Fr. Engelmar, Ss. Teresa, Joseph and Anthony. Thank you for the favors rendered - Mrs. J.P.

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Thanksgiving to Fr. Engelmar. Our son got called back to work after being laid off last year. We also thank Our Blessed Mother and many saints and, of course, Our Blessed Lord for granting this petition. Fr. Engelmar has answered many favors -B.I.

Novena for One Day
My husband had a successful quadruple heart surgery. I want to share the following novena - Name Withheld.

Powerful Novena of
Childlike Confidence
(This novena is to be said at the same time every hour for nine consecutive hours, just one day.)

After O Jesus, Who have said, "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to You," through the intercession of Mary, Thy most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.

O Jesus, Who have said, "All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you, through the intercession of Mary, Thy Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask Thy Father in Thy Name that my prayer be granted.

O Jesus, Who have said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass," through the intercession of Mary, Thy Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.

A Prayer at Christmas

Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight in Bethlehem, in piercing cold! In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.