The Forgotten Discipline: Why Catholic Men Need Ritual Again
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
"I firmly wish that My Face reflecting the intimate pains of My Soul, th suffering and love my My Heart, be more honored! Whoever gazes upon Me, already consoles Me!" (Our Lord to Blessed Maria Pierina)
The Medal and the Holy Face
Sister Pierina, a holy nun who died in 1945, in many visions was urged by the Blessed Mother and Jesus Himself to spread the devotion to the Holy Face, in reparation for the many insults Jesus suffered in His Passion, such as to be slapped, spit upon and kissed by Judas, as well as now being dishonored in many ways in the Blessed Sacrament by neglect, sacrileges and profanities. She was give a medal which on one side bore a replica of the Holy Shroud and the inscription "Illumina, Domine, vultum tuum super nos". On the reverse side was a radiant host with the words: "Mane nobiscum, Domine". "Stay with us, O Lord."
After great difficulties, Sister Pierina obtained permission to have the medal cast. Even the expenses to for the casting were miraculously met when she found on her desk an envelope with the exact amount of the bill-11,200 lire.
The evil spirit showed his chagrin and rage at the medals by flinging them down and burning the pictures of the Sacred Face, and beating Sister Pierina savagely.
In 1940, when WWII had the world in turmoil, Italy saw a wide distribution of this medal. Relatives and friends saw that their soldiers, sailors, and aviators were provided with the replica of the Holy Face since the medal was already famous for its miracles and countless spiritual and temporal favors.
In Our Blessed Mothers' own word, the medal is a weapon for defense,a shield for courage, a token of love & mercy and which her Divine Son wished to give to the world in those troubled days of lust and hatred for God and for His Church. Devilish snares have been set to rob the hearts of men of their faith while evil spreads the world over. A divine remedy to all these evils will be the adorable Face of her Son, Jesus.
Whoever wears this medal and, if possible pays a weekly visit to the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday in a spirit of reparation for the outrages reeived by the Holy Face of Our Blessed Savior during His Passion and those bestowned on HIm every day in The Sacrament of His divine love, will be granted the gift of a strong Faith and the grace to fly to its defense conquering if need be all interior and exterior difficulties. Morever, they are promised a happy death with special assistance of Christ Himself.
The very first medal of the Holy Face was offered to our glorious Pontif, Pope Pius XII, then the whole wide world got aqauinted with this special object of favors and devotion. It's to be found on land and sea. Never has it been heard that a prisoner of war wearing this badge of salvation has been executed. Our Blessed Lord also requested that a special feast be instituted to honor His Holy Face o Shrove Tuesday.
Sister Marie of St. Peter was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus delightfully wounded by the "Golden Arrow" as torrents of Grace streamed from it for the coversion of sinners.
The Golden Arrow
May the most Holy, most Sacred, most Adorable, most incomprehensible and inefable Name of God be forever praised, blessed, loved, adored and glorified in Heaven, o earth, and under the earth, by all the creatures of God, and by the Sacred Heart of OUr Lord Jesus Christ, in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Amen.
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the adorable Face of Thy Beloved Son Jesus for the honor and glory of Thy Name, for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of the dying.
"Oh Jesus, throught the merits of your Holy Face, have pity on us, and on the whole world" (Say 3 times)
May The Holy Names of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Be Blessed Now And Forever-Save Souls!