Pray for the Souls in Purgatory

 

 Pray for the Souls in Purgatory

Dawn Pisturino

November 1, 2025

Sampaguita

 

Sampaguita

by Dawn Pisturino

The palm grove steams with summer heat.

Sweat glistens on my skin

As I race along the path,

Searching for you.

Banana leaves wave at me,

Urging me on.

The Sampaguita throw blossoms at my feet,

Perfuming my path with holy fragrance.

I stop to pick them up

To string into a garland of sweet innocence.

I will lay it at the feet of the Virgin

On Sunday morning,

Who will smile at the pure whiteness of the petals.

I see you now, standing in a bed of orchids,

Inhaling the heady odor of their scent.

You turn and smile,

Drawing me close.

From your pockets,

You pull shiny white blossoms

Of Sampaguita.

We will pool our gatherings together

To make the finest garland

The Virgin has ever received.

[NOTE: Sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines]

Sacred and Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

What does the Virgin Mary represent to you?

For me, she signifies Love: Love for God, Love for her Holy Son, Love for Joseph and the Holy Family, Love for all human beings, and Love for the world as the abode of all humans. Her love is boundless, reaching through the corridors of Time to embrace all souls in Heaven, hell, and purgatory. She only wants the best for everybody. She wants everyone to find, embrace, and be one with God. Her goal is peace, happiness, strength in adversity, and heavenly rewards.

Don't we all want that? 

Let the Mother enfold you and bring you to Christ. Love God with all of your heart and soul.

Love one another.

STOP THE HATE!

Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (EWTN)

"O Mary, Virgin most powerful and Mother of mercy, Queen of Heaven and Refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thine Immaculate Heart.

"We consecrate to thee our very being and our whole life; all that we have, all that we love, all that we are. To thee we give our bodies, our hearts and our souls; to thee we give our homes, our families, our country. We desire that all that is in us and around us may belong to thee, and may share in the benefits of thy motherly benediction. And that this act of consecration may be truly efficacious and lasting, we renew this day at thy feet the promises of our Baptism and our first Holy Communion.

"We pledge ourselves to profess courageously and at all times the truths of our holy Faith, and to live as befits Catholics who are duly submissive to all the directions of the Pope and the Bishops in communion with him. We pledge ourselves to keep the commandments of God and His Church, in particular to keep holy the Lord's Day. We likewise pledge ourselves to make the consoling practices of the Christian religion, and above all, Holy Communion, an integral part of our lives, in so far as we shall be able so to do.

"Finally, we promise thee, O glorious Mother of God and loving Mother of men, to devote ourselves whole-heartedly to the service of thy blessed cult, in order to hasten and assure, through the sovereignty of thine Immaculate Heart, the coming of the kingdom of the Sacred Heart of thine adorable Son, in our own hearts and in those of all men, in our country and in all the world, as in heaven. so on earth."

This Valentine's Day, embrace ALL of your brothers and sisters.

Dawn Pisturino

"She who Nourishes with Milk"

 

This painting is part of a larger mural located in the semidome of the Coptic Red Monastery in Sohag, Egypt. Painted around the 6th century CE, it depicts the Blessed Virgin breast-feeding the child Jesus. The Holy Mother was very human, despite her great faith and humility. She performed all the functions that any mother would for her child: feeding, bathing, clothing, educating, protecting, guiding, and nurturing. Life was hard. But her faith in God kept her strong and resilient.

Can we do any less? 

This Mother's Day, we honor our mothers and the deep bond that exists between mother and child. 

Dawn Pisturino

April 29, 2024

Copyright 2024 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Happy New Year

 

A Prayer for the New Year from the Carmelite Fathers

Blessed Mother, as the new year arrives, I ask for your blessing. With you, I can look ahead with courage and faith.

Grant me the strength to handle any challenges I may face and patience as you guide me through.

I ask that you bring me peace, happiness, and hope. And I ask that you embrace me with your love and grace.

Please protect me and my family, dear Mother, so that we can share our blessings with others in need.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pray for us.

Amen

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dawn Pisturino

December 30, 2023

Merry Christmas

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Dawn Pisturino

Thanksgiving Prayer

 

(Photo by Gianna B on Unsplash)

Thanksgiving Prayer

Holy Mother,

Please help us today to remember

All the blessings bestowed on us by the Father Almighty.

Please help us draw closer to your son, Jesus Christ,

And remember all his sufferings on the cross.

Please intercede for us 

In granting our prayers

And fulfilling our needs.

Please shower your love upon the people of Israel

And safeguard them from harm.

Please protect our fortress, the Catholic Church,

From obscene changes

And strengthen the resolve of all devout Catholics

To protect her from the devil's influence.

Please give us the strength and will

To stand up to all evil in the world.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Dawn Pisturino

November 23, 2023

Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

I STAND WITH ISRAEL!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Virgin Mary Tattoos

 

Arm Tattoo by Tattoo Me Now

http://www.tattoomenow.com

Some Catholics express their faith by getting tattoos of the Virgin Mary on their bodies. As the Mother of Jesus, she plays a special role in Jesus' life and the Catholic faith. People look to her for faith, hope, love, and comfort. She is the symbol of virginal purity, unconditional motherly acceptance, and miraculous events in places like Fatima and Lourdes. She embraces the whole world and all people with her positive energy and affection. She is OUR MOTHER who cares for our needs and gives us strength to keep going in a difficult world.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

Blessed art thou amongst women,

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners,

Now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

PRAY THE ROSARY!

Dawn Pisturino

October 28, 2023

Copyright 2023 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

The Nativity

 

If Mary had not agreed to become the mother of Jesus, there would be no Christmas today. If Joseph had not agreed to become the stepfather of Jesus, who knows what would have happened? Mary and her son would have been vulnerable and unprotected. But the story of Jesus and his mission here on earth unfolded exactly as God intended. It is the choice of human beings whether they accept it or not. Have you opened your heart to the Christ Child? Have you accepted his humility and peace? It is easy to become discouraged in a fast-paced world that has no regard for spiritual or moral values. But Mary was a virtuous woman who brought the Light of God into the world. Let's remember his teachings as we celebrate with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

Dawn Pisturino

December 23, 2022

Copyright 2022 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Mary and the Angels

 

This 1881 painting by W.A. Bouguereau (1825-1905) captures the unique place that Mary holds among the angels. She is, in fact, designated "Queen of Heaven," placing her above the angelic hosts. The painting is entitled "Song of the Angels," and I love its beautiful and restful depiction of a celestial concert given to the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. It fills my heart with joy. With the Christmas holidays right around the corner, it is the perfect reminder of what Christmas is all about.

St. Padre Pio devoted his life to Holy Mother Church and delivered this blessing in honor of the Blessed Holy Mother:

"May Mary fill your heart with the flowers and fragrance of ever fresh virtues, and place Her maternal hand on your head. Always keep close to your Heavenly Mother, because she is the sea that must be crossed in order to reach the shores of eternal splendor in the kingdom of Dawn."

In other words, Mary - as God's chosen vessel and Jesus' mother - is our guiding light in developing all the virtues needed to reach our Heavenly Father. She answered God's call. She raised God's Son. She was a positive influence on all the people around her. She gave unconditional love and support. She was a hard worker and a strong woman. She never abandoned her faith. 

In a world where so many women have been corrupted and misled by abortion, abandonment of the FAMILY, and self-aggrandizement, Mary is the role model for what a real woman represents. 

Dawn Pisturino

September 15, 2021

Copyright 2021 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.  

The Blessed Virgin Compared to the Air We Breathe

                                                     Painting by Viktor M. Vasnetsov

Wild air, world-mothering air,

Nestling me everywhere,

That each eyelash or hair

Girdles; goes home betwixt

The fleeciest, frailest-flixed

Snowflake; that's fairly mixed

With, riddles, and is rife

In every least thing's life;

This needful, never spent,

And nursing element;

My more than meat and drink,

My meal at every wink;

This air, which, by life's law,

My lung must draw and draw

Now but to breathe its praise,

Minds me in many ways

Of her who not only

Gave God's infinity

Dwindled to infancy

Welcome in womb and breast,

Birth, milk, and all the rest

But mothers each new grace

That does now reach our race --

Mary Immaculate,

Merely a woman, yet

Whose presence, power is

Great as no goddess's

Was deemed, dreamed; who

This one work has to do --

Let all God's glory through,

God's glory which would go

Through her and from her flow

Off, and no way but so.

       I say that we are wound

With mercy round and round

As if with air: the same

Is Mary, more by name.

She, wild, web, wondrous robe,

Mantles the guilty globe,

Since God as let dispense

Her prayers his providence:

Nay, more than almoner,

The sweet alms' self is her

And men are meant to share

Her life as life does air.

       If I have understood,

She holds a high motherhood

Towards all our ghostly good

And plays in grace her part

About man's beating heart,

Laying, like air's fine flood,

The death dance in his blood;

Yet no part but what will

Be Christ Our Savior still.

Of her flesh he took flesh:

He does take fresh and fresh,

Though much the mystery how,

Not flesh but spirit now

And makes, O marvelous!

New Nazareths in us,

Where she shall yet conceive

Him, morning, noon, and eve;

New Bethlehems, and he born

There, evening, noon, and morn

Bethlehem or Nazareth,

Men here may draw like breath

More Christ and baffle death;

Who, born so, comes to be

New self and nobler me

In each one and each one

More makes, when all is done,

Both God's and Mary's Son.

       Again, look overhead

How air is azured;

O how! nay do but stand

Where you can lift your hand

Skywards: rich, rich it laps

Round the four finger gaps.

Yet such a sapphire shot,

Charged, steeped sky will not

Stain light. Yea, mark you this:

It does no prejudice.

The glass-blue days are those

When every colour glows,

Each shape and shadow shows.

Blue be it: this blue heaven

The seven or seven times seven

Hued sunbeam will transmit

Perfect, not alter it.

Or if there does some soft,

On things aloof, aloft,

Bloom breathe, that one breath more

Earth is the fairer for.

Whereas did air not make

This bath of blue and slake

His fire, the sun would shake,

A blear and blinding ball

With blackness bound, and all

The thick stars round him roll

Flashing like flecks of coal,

Quartz fret, or sparks of salt,

In grimy vasty vault.

So God was god of old:

A mother came to mould

Those limbs like ours which are

What must make our daystar

Much dearer to mankind;

Whose glory bare would blind

Or less would win man's mind.

Through her we may see him

Made sweeter, not made dim,

And her hand leaves his light

Sifted to suit our sight.

       Be thou then, thou dear

Mother, my atmosphere;

To wend and meet no sin;

Above me, round me lie

Fronting my froward eye

With sweet and scarless sky;

Stir in my ears, speak there

Of God's love, O live air,

Of patience, penance, prayer:

World-mothering air, air wild,

Wound with thee, in thee isled,

Fold home, fast fold thy child.

~Gerard Manley Hopkins~

19th century English Jesuit priest

       

Our Lady of Hope at Pontmain, France

 

At the height of the Franco-Prussian war, when it looked like France would lose, the Virgin Mary appeared at Pontmain, France on January 17, 1871 to Joseph and Eugene Barbedette, aged ten and twelve, respectively.

The Prussian army was marching towards the tiny village at the time. When Eugene looked into the evening sky, he saw a beautiful woman smiling down at him. She was dressed in a blue gown that sparkled with shiny stars. On her head, she wore a black veil and golden crown.

When Joseph joined his brother, he, too, saw the beautiful lady. But the boys' mother and father could see nothing. Other adults who came to witness this apparition could see nothing but three stars which formed a triangle in the night sky. When two little girls examined the star-studded sky, they vividly described the lady in the blue gown and golden crown.

As more people joined the crowd, the villagers began to pray. Every child could see the beautiful shining lady in the sky. As the crowd began to pray the Rosary, the children cried out in amazement as the lady's shimmering blue gown turned to gold. A banner appeared beneath her feet bearing these words: "But pray, my children. God will hear you in time. My Son allows Himself to be touched."

The villagers began to sing the hymn "Mother of Hope." The lady smiled. But when the villagers sang "My Sweet Jesus," the lady became sad, and a red crucifix appeared in her hands. The words "Jesus Christ" appeared. Eventually, the crucifix disappeared. The lady smiled down upon the crowd and vanished.

Miraculously, the Prussian army halted its advance and, a few days later, on January 23, 1871, the war was over. All the soldiers from Pontmain returned safely home.

Dawn Pisturino

August 1, 2021

Copyright 2021 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the patroness of the Carmelite Order. One of the important saints of the Carmelite order is Saint Simon Stock.  

Simon Stock was born in England.  He became a hermit and allegedly lived inside a hollow tree. He joined the Carmelite Order when he visited the Holy Land. When he returned to Europe, he founded many Carmelite Orders. On July 16, 1251, at Cambridge, England, the Virgin Mary appeared to Simon Stock and gave him a scapular. This scapular was meant to represent Mary's own garment. Anybody who wore it would receive her special protection. These are Mary's words to Saint Simon Stock:

"Receive, my beloved son, this scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection."

As a result of this special visitation by Mary, Simon Stock was canonized as a saint.

The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is July 16th. We honor her with prayer and penance on that day.

Flos Carmeli (The Flower of Carmel)

O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel, fruitful vine, splendor of Heaven, Blessed Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate Virgin, assist me in this my necessity. O Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this my necessity. There are none that can withstand your power. O show me herein that you are my Mother.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us that have recourse to thee. (Repeat three times.)

Sweet Mother, I place this cause in your hands. (Repeat three times.)

Amen.

Dawn Pisturino

July 13, 2021

Copyright 2021 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Celebrate Mary in May

 

May is Mary's month! And we honor her, just as we honor our biological mothers on Mother's Day. Honoring Mary in May comes from a long tradition of pagan and Christian practices.

Ancient Greeks dedicated May to Artemis, the goddess of fertility. Ancient Romans devoted the month of May to Flora, the goddess of flowers. In the 11th century, May became Mary's month, marked by 31 days of devotion and celebration. The idea originated in Italy.

Some churches set up a May altar decorated with flowers and images of the Blessed Virgin. Others celebrate by adorning a statue of Mary with a crown of flowers. People gather together to recite the Rosary and other Marian prayers.

There are many reasons to devote a special month to honoring Mary. And May, which brings new growth into the world every Spring, is the perfect month.

1. Mary is Jesus' mother. She agreed to God's plan and experienced all the joys and sorrows of being the Mother of the Son of God.

2. Mary is the First and Most Perfect of all the disciples of Jesus. She was with Jesus from the beginning and stayed with his apostles after Jesus' death. She was with Jesus when he performed his first miracle.

3. Mary is Our mother, too. We can always go to her in prayer when we are troubled and confused.

4. Mary loves us as much as Jesus loves us. And Jesus honored his mother and asks us to honor her, too.

5. Mary is the Queen of Heaven, Intercessor for the Church, Advocate, helper, and mediatrix for all of us. Unstained by Original Sin and perfect in every way, Mary is always there when we need her. She is a constant light in a dark world.

Dawn Pisturino

May 8, 2021

Copyright 2021 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Prayer of Entrusting the Church to Mary, Mother of God

 

Is the Church in trouble? Does it need help? Are our Catholic leaders failing us? The Catholic Church was consecrated to our Blessed Holy Mother. Her intercession is important if we want to see the Church grow stronger, attract new members, and remain loyal to its moral compass and Catholic teachings.

Please Pray:

O Mother of all peoples; you know all their sufferings and their hopes. You maternally feel all their struggles between good and evil, between the light and the darkness which shake the world. Receive our cry, directed in the Holy Spirit straight to your heart and, with the love of the Mother and Handmaid of the Lord, embrace the individuals and peoples who must look for this embrace, together with the individuals and peoples to whose trust you attend in a particular way. Take the entire human family under your maternal protection. With outflows of affection, O Mother, we entrust it to you. May the time of peace and liberty approach for all, the time of truth, justice, and hope.

Amen. 

(Prayer from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception)

Dawn Pisturino

April 28, 2021

Copyright 2021 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Miraculous Medal of Our Lady

According to the story that has been passed down through generations of Catholics, Catherine Laboure was a French girl who lost her mother when she was nine years old. Not wishing to be without a mother, she reverently removed a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary from a shelf and said to it, "Now, dear Blessed Mother; now YOU will be my Mother."

Catherine was a devout and obedient girl who cared for her father and siblings. When she was old enough, she became a postulant in the Daughters of Charity in Paris, France. She fervently prayed that someday she would see the Blessed Mother face to face.

The Blessed Mother granted her prayers on July 18, 1830 when she appeared to Catherine and said to her, "God wishes to charge you with a mission. You will be contradicted, but do not fear; you will have the grace to do what is necessary." She also warned of great turbulence and persecutions around the world. Then she disappeared.

On November 27, 1830, the Blessed Mother appeared to Catherine again. This time, she ordered her to "have a medal struck after this model [the Blessed Mother standing on a globe]. All who wear it will receive great graces." 

As word spread and people began wearing the medal, great blessings began to shower down on its devotees. The medal was soon called the "Miraculous Medal."

Catherine Laboure became St. Catherine for her obedience and devotion to the Blessed Mother.

What can WE do to spread devotion to Mary and her Son, Jesus Christ, around the world?

Prayer to the Miraculous Medal

O Virgin Mother of God, Mary Immaculate, 

We dedicate and consecrate ourselves to you under the title of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. May this Medal be for each one of us a sure sign of your affection for us and a constant reminder of our duties toward you. Ever while wearing it, may we be blessed by your loving protection and preserved in the grace of your Son. O Most Powerful Virgin, Mother of Our Savior, keep us close to you every moment of our lives. Obtain for us, your children, the grace of a happy death; so that in union with you, we may enjoy the bliss of Heaven forever. 

Amen.

Dawn Pisturino

November 2, 2020

Copyright 2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Help America

There are many books, CDs, and DVDs available to help us pray the Rosary. Please pray ceaselessly to the Virgin Mary to HELP AMERICA. Our country is under attack by people who want to end our religious freedom, our freedom of speech, and our ability to make independent decisions. With God's help, we can defeat the forces of evil that are trying to harm America and the American people.

Dawn Pisturino

June 13, 2019

Copyright 2013 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved. 

Mary is My Mother

 

 

Mary is My Mother

 

by Dawn Pisturino

 

 

During one of the darkest periods of my life, Mary walked with me and held my hand. She showered me with hope, draped me in her warm reassurance, and blessed me with knowledge of her powerful rosary.

 

You see, Mary is my mother. I know that I can count on her unconditional love and acceptance. I know that I can run to her for comfort in times of pain.

 

She is my guiding light, my solid rock, my consoling balm.

 

I love her.

 

Mary is my mother.

 

February 7, 2017

 

Coyright 2017 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved. 

Meditations on the Luminous Mysteries

Pope John Paul II introduced the Luminous Mysteries in October 2002. I learned the Rosary before the Luminous Mysteries were introduced, so I have posted them last.

 

 

1. The Baptism in the Jordan

 

Water. Rebirth. The moment John the Baptist baptized Jesus, Jesus was transformed into the messenger of God and the Savior of Mankind. May we also cleanse our lives of impurities and walk in the light of God.



2.  The Wedding at Cana

Jesus' first miracle was performed at the request of his mother, Mary. And it is here, at the wedding of Cana, that Jesus' ministry began. Let us look for ways to perform good deeds in our own everyday lives.



 

3.  The Proclamation of the Kingdom

 

The miracles that Jesus performed during his lifetime are only a small portion of what God will give us in heaven.

 

4.  The Transfiguration

 

God revealed His glory when Christ was transfigured before the apostles. So, too, may we revel in God's glory in the Kingdom to come.

 

5.  The Institution of the Eucharist

 

When Jesus asked us to remember Him while breaking the bread and drinking the wine, that's exactly what He meant for us to do. We become one with Christ when we partake of Holy Communion. Attend Holy Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist as often as you can. Be one with Christ. Follow the light of God.

 

Dawn Pisturino

August 6, 2015

Copyright 2015 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.









Meditations on the Glorious Mysteries

 

The little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, flushed with pride and excitement as she crowned the head of Our Blessed Mother with a beautiful wreath of springtime flowers.

Such innocence! Such joy!  

It makes perfect sense that May is the month of Mary. Blooming flowers, the hum of nature's gentle creatures, warm breezes, and brilliant sunshine -- how beautiful is God's creation! And how beautiful is Our Blessed Mother!

 

1. The Resurrection of Jesus from the Dead

 

How blessed were Mary Magdalene and the Apostles to witness Our Lord Jesus Christ, risen from the bonds of death! His victory over death and obliteration is Our Victory, as well. Life is NOT finite, limited, confined to material space. God embraces the whole universe, infinite time, and eternal existence. He is our destiny, our life, our hope. Jesus' resurrection confirms that this is so.

 

2. The Ascension of Jesus into Heaven

 

Jesus told his apostles that his kingdom is not of this world. The Romans could not comprehend this statement because they were attached to a material existence, indifferent to their own pantheon of gods and goddesses. What a gloomy way of living, fearing the darkness and finality of the grave. Jesus went home to His Kingdom, where he awaits our arrival with expectation and joy. Should we feel anything less? Do Not Fear Death, for Our Lord and Savior awaits!

 

3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit

 

True to His word, Jesus appeared to His apostles after the resurrection, revealing His true nature. He exhorted them to believe, to have faith, and to spread the message to people everywhere. His believers became the body of Christ on earth. We become one with Jesus when we take the Eucharistic wafer at mass. We become one with Our Lord when we love one another and strive to act as one body. Unite! Do not allow the forces threatening our country and our world to be victorious.

 

4. The Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven

 

Mary consented to be the vessel of God's will. She carried His love and message into the world. She encouraged her son, Jesus, to begin His great ministry at Cana. How right, then, that God should make a special place for her in Heaven! 

 

5. The Crowning of Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth

 

And so we come again to the May crowning, when we remember our Spiritual Mother as the Mother of God. We love her, embrace her, turn to her for comfort. She is the mother of the world, ready to embrace all mankind. And she will stand next to her Son with open arms when we enter the gates of Heaven.

 

Dawn Pisturino

Copyright 2015 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.