Annual Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe: December 4th - 12th

Am I not here, who

is your Mother?

~ Words of Our Lady of Guadalupe

to St. Juan Diego, 1531

It's that time of the year again!

Readers are cordially invited to join this ministry in making its annual novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe.  The 9-day prayer will begin on December 4th and will end on December 12th - the Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe - on which day, this author recommends for participants to attend Mass as a way of honoring our Holy Mother, as well as, to close-out this novena. +++

Memorare to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, that in thy celestial apparitions on the mount of Tepeyac, thou didst promise to show thy compassion and pity towards all who, loving and trusting thee, seek thy help and call upon thee in their necessities and afflictions.

Thou didst promise to hearken to our supplications, to dry our tears and to give us consolation and relief. Never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, either for the common welfare, or in personal anxieties, was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence, we fly unto thee, O Mary, ever Virgin Mother of the True God! Though grieving under the weight of our sins, we come to prostrate ourselves in thy august presence, certain that thou wilt deign to fulfill thy merciful promises. We are full of hope that, standing beneath thy shadow and protection, nothing will trouble or afflict us, nor need we fear illness, or misfortune, or any other sorrow.

Thou hast decided to remain with us through thy admirable image, thou who art our Mother, our health and our life. Placing ourselves beneath thy maternal gaze and having recourse to thee in all our necessities we need do nothing more.  O Holy Mother of God, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer us.  Amen.

[Mention your prayer petition(s) here]

(Offer an Our Father, a Hail Mary & Glory Be

in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe)

+++ TIP:  For this novena - any prayer - to be successful, there must be a measure of faith; a belief that God, in his infinite goodness, can answer our prayer.  Without faith, prayer has no power.

To learn more about the incredible

apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe

& her miraculous image, click here.

Saint of the Month - December 2024: Padre Domenico of Cese

The Servant of God

Padre Domenico of Cese

An Apostle of the Holy Face

For December 2024, this ministry features another little-known Servant of God - a modern miracle-working Capuchin Priest not unlike the popular St. Padre Pio of San Giovanni Rotondo.  In fact, he was a spiritual son of the Saint and was also marked with the Stigmata of our Lord.  He was born Emidio Petracca on March 27, 1905, in the Italian town of Cese, but is today known more widely in his country as Padre Domenico of Cese.  I have a particular admiration for him because of his great love for the Holy Face Devotion, which I follow, too ... and which I highly value as both a timely light and a powerful weapon in our uncertain times.

Similar to his sainted spiritual director, Padre Domenico experienced extraordinary graces from early childhood. In his case, Heaven first touched him at age three when Our Lady of Graces cured him of polio through the fervent prayers of his mother, Caterina.  Then, on January 12, 1915, the 9-year-old Emidio mysteriously announced to his classmates and teachers that an earthquake was about to hit them.  Not surprisingly, no one took him seriously ... but a devastating quake did indeed occur the very next day, killing over 30,000 people in the Abruzzo region, including Emidio's two younger sisters and many other townsfolk from Cese.  The boy and his father, Giovanni, were in the parish church when the disaster struck, and were partially buried under rubble when it collapsed; fortunately, a man - a stranger to them - pulled them out of the debris before suddenly disappearing.

After hearing a sermon preached by visiting Capuchin Priests, the 12-year-old Emidio asked his parents for permission to join their Franciscan Order.  Giovanni objected, citing he was the sole-remaining child, but the boy turned to prayer and our Lord spoke to him, directing the youngster to inform his parents that if they allowed him, they would be blessed with additional children.  They consequently relented and things turned out as Emidio relayed - Giovanni and Caterina soon welcomed a new daughter followed by two boys!

Emidio was accepted by the Capuchins in Avezzano in November 1921; he was then just 16 and chose the religious name of Domenico.  In the course of his training, the novice was moved around to different monasteries and for a while was pulled into mandatory military service.  He was eventually professed a Capuchin on April 8, 1928, before going on to be ordained a priest in October 1931.  10 years after his ordination, the priest was called back into military service, but before reporting for duty he stopped at San Giovanni Rotondo to meet the famous Padre Pio, who he had been hearing so much about.

The young Padre Domenico

as a military chaplain.

Padre Domenico stayed in San Giovanni Rotondo between November 19th - 23rd, 1941, during which he bonded with the Saint who seemed to have been already familiar with him.  It was at this time that Padre Pio either predicted to him his eventual stigmatization or discerned the young priest was suffering invisible Stigmata (this author isn't certain from the biographies I've read).  Whatever the case, during certain periods in his life, the Stigmata were visible, as attested to by witnesses and evidenced by photographs.

After spending time in other monasteries of his Order, in 1966 Padre Domenico found himself assigned to Manopello.  When he arrived, one of his fellow friars took him to see a highly revered relic in one of the local churches - the "Volto Santo" (Holy Face), aka the "Veil of Manopello" - which I won't spend much time explaining (it deserves a separate blog).  For the purpose of this post, it suffices to say the veil is a rectangular piece of delicate near-transparent "sea silk" fabric, on which is visible the slightly bruised face of a bearded man that's interpreted to be Christ, Himself.  Upon seeing the face for the very first time, Padre Domenico exclaimed: "This is the man who saved me from the rubble!" ... and from that instant he was enamored by the image and enthusiastically promoted devotion to it; referring to the face as "a great miracle" and truly that of Jesus.

Padre Domenico with the Veil of Manopello.

Padre Domenico obtained permission from his superiors to remain permanently in Manopello where he became the Rector of the Volto Santo Sanctuary.  In this capacity he arranged for the veil to be scientifically studied, which determined its image isn't a painting, but rather, is inexplicable in origin.  Furthermore, his promotional efforts were instrumental in spreading more knowledge and devotion to the Veil of Manopello, making it a popular object of pilgrimage.

As Rector/Guardian of the Volto Santo, the saintly Capuchin spent his time not just administering the sanctuary and welcoming pilgrims, but he also heard confessions for long hours at a time and was a sought-after spiritual counselor.  Padre Pio, himself, often referred his visitors from Italy's Abruzzo Region to Manopello with the words, "Why did you come all the way here, so far? You’ve got a priest there, my spiritual son - he is like me!"  The fact is - not only was Padre Domenico stigmatized, but he also read hearts, healed illnesses, and even bilocated ... so he really was like his holy mentor.

A sidenote concerning this priest's gift of Bilocation - Padre Domenico may just be the only mystic whose Bilocation was captured on film!  After Padre Pio died on September 17, 1968, Padre Domenico was asked if he was going to attend his friend's funeral; he responded that he couldn't because of a prior commitment he made with pilgrims coming to the Sanctuary on the same date.  A few days after the funeral, however, a few of Padre Domenico's acquaintances reported seeing him at San Giovanni Rotondo despite the fact that he never left Manopello.  Amazingly, film footage of the funeral aired on Italian TV also showed him walking near Padre Pio's casket during the funeral procession (incredible!) - see below.

A still image from St. Pio's funeral footage

showing Padre Domenico's undeniable

presence at the event although he was back

in Manopello at the exact same time.

Ironically, Padre Domenico met his end after visiting another miraculous relic that bears an image of the Holy Face - the famous Shroud of Turin!  On September 13, 1978, he was in Turin during a rare public exhibition of the Shroud and was hit by a speeding car after he left the Cathedral in the evening.  The impact broke several of the priest's ribs and he was also thrown to the curb where he fatally hit his head.

As the Capuchin lay dying in the hospital, he forgave the remorseful driver who came to see him, and reportedly offered his suffering "for the Shroud of Turin."  He died on September 17, 1978 - exactly 10 years after his dear Padre Pio's passing; Padre Domenico was 73-years-old.

Padre Domenico enthusiastically preaching.

The miracles connected with Padre Domenico during his lifetime did not cease with his passing.  His spiritual children continued to invoke his intercession and graces were reported leading to his Cause for Canonization being opened.  May God grant the Church the gift of his speedy Canonization!

Padre Domenico, pray for us!

REMINDER: The annual "Hour of Grace" is on December 8th

Our Blessed Mother, during the Church-approved Rosa Mystica apparitions in Montichiari, Italy, made a specific request through her seer, Pierina Gilli.  It concerned the "Hour of Grace" to be observed annually on December 8th, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  Our Lady referred to it at least twice during separate apparitions to the visionary.  During an appearance to Pierina on November 22, 1947, the Holy Virgin allegedly said to her:

  "… On the 8th December, at noon, I shall appear again here in the Basilica (of Montichiari).  It will be the Hour of Grace.  This Hour of Grace will produce great and numerous conversions.  Hardened and cold hearts resembling this marble (the church floor) will be touched by Divine Grace, and they will become faithful to our Lord in loyal love."

... and during the pre-announced apparition on December 8, 1947, these words were given:

  "I am the Immaculate Conception.  It is my wish that every year, on 8th December, at Noon, the Hour of Grace for the world be celebrated.  Many divine and bodily graces will be received through this devotion.  Our Lord, my Divine Son Jesus, will send His overflowing mercy if good people will pray continuously for their sinful brothers.

  One should very soon notify the Holy Father of the Church, Pope Pius XII, that it is my wish that the Hour of Grace for the world be made known and spread throughout the world.  If anyone is unable to visit a church, yet will pray at noon at home, they will also receive graces through me."

Consider observing the Hour of Grace at noon on December 8th.  The recommended prayers to be offered during the hour are the Rosary and the Miserere (Psalm 51), as well as general prayers for the conversion of sinners.

Maria Rosa Mystica, Mater Ecclesiae,

ora pro nobis!