Shepherds of Christ
Apostle's Manual
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Shepherds of Christ Publications
P.O. Box 627
Madison, IN 47250
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This manual was compiled at the direction of Jesus for the 13th gatherings. We encourage you to copy and share this book with all who are interested. If copied, materials in this book cannot be changed or edited in any way.
All messages were discerned for theological errors by Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Professor of Theology, Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio and Spiritual Director of the Shepherds of Christ Ministries.
In conformity with the decrees of Pope Urban VIII, we recognize and accept that the final authority regarding these messages rest with the Holy See of Rome, to whose judgment we willingly submit.
- Shepherds of Christ Ministries
©Copyright 1997 Shepherds of Christ
Publications
First Printing: August 1997
February 6, 1997
My Dear Companions in the Shepherds of Christ Movement,
We have purchased a new International Center for the Shepherds of Christ Ministries. Our new P.O. Box, address, fax and phone numbers are shown below:
Address: Shepherds of Christ Ministries, 2919 Shawhan Rd., Morrow, OH 45152
Phone Number: (513) 932-4451 Fax Number: (513) 932-6791
(Toll free) Number: 1-888-211-3041
Shepherds of Christ Internet address: http://www.SofC.org
P.O. Box: Shepherds of Christ Ministries
P.O. Box 193
Morrow, OH 45152-0193
Please contact us for these materials from the new Center. If you call the new Center, there will be other apostles there to help you with any problems you have encountered circulating the materials and spreading the Movement.
Other people in the Movement you may wish to call directly are:
John Weickert, President, home: (513) 829-4987
Mary Rettig, School Rosary Coordinator, 1-888-211-3041.
In Their Hearts, Shepherds of Christ Ministries
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Prayer for
Union with Jesus Come to me, Lord, and possess my soul. Come into my heart and permeate my soul. Help me to sit in silence with You and let You work in my heart.
I am Yours to possess. I am Yours to use. I want to be selfless and only exist in You. Help me to spoon out all that is me and be an empty vessel ready to be filled by You. Help me to die to myself and live only for You. Use me as You will. Let me never draw my attention back to myself. I only want to operate as You do, dwelling within me.
I am Yours, Lord. I want to have my life in You. I want to do the will of the Father. Give me the strength to put aside the world and let You operate my very being. Help me to act as You desire. Strengthen me against the distractions of the devil to take me from Your work.
When I worry, I have taken my focus off of You and placed it on myself. Help me not to give in to the promptings of others to change what in my heart You are making very clear to me. I worship You. I adore You, and I love You. Come and dwell in me now.
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Shepherds of Christ
Apostles Manual
Contents
An Overview of Shepherds of Christ Ministries
Prayer for Union with Jesus
Chapter Meeting Prayer Format
Intentions
- for Apostles of the Eucharistic
Heart of Jesus
- for the Rosary Novena
Chapter 1:
Introductory Material by Father Carter and Apostles on
Mission
The Birth of the Full Ministries
of the Shepherds of Christ
Ministries at a Glance
January 30, 1997 - Jesus' Directions for Apostles
Apostles in Florida
Letter from Very Rev. Joseph F. Schaedel
The Role of Private Revelation in the Life of the
Church
The Spirituality Handbook
- Words of Jesus
to Members of Shepherds of Christ Associates
- Introduction:
How It All Began
- Chapter
Guidelines for Shepherds of Christ Associates
- A Way of
Spiritual Life
Message about the Infant of Prague
Chapter 2:
Important Messages given before October 13, 1996 and
Messages Concerning Satan
May 26, 1996 - Pentecost Sunday -
Jesus' Directions for Apostles
March 26, 1996 - The Presence of God and a Message to Fr.
Carter
August 1, 1995 - Message from Jesus and Mary for Shepherds
of Christ Associates
September 26, 1996 - Division, the Devil, and Talking About Others
November 26, 1996 - Satan is Prowling This Earth
Chapter 3:
Important Messages given after October 13, 1996
1st Major Message from God the
Father - January 11, 1997
2nd Major Message from God the Father - January 18, 1997
December 19, 1996 - Message from Jesus
December 19, 1996 - Message from Mary
February 8, 1997 - There will be a Great Era in which the
King will Reign
February 1, 1997 - My Gift is My Heart: A Tool for Greater
Intimacy with Jesus
February 19, 1997 - Intimacy with Jesus and Others
February 6, 1997 - Candlelight Rosary
November 14, 1996 - Directions from Jesus
March 18, 1997 - Directions from Jesus
Chapter 4:
Mary's Image in Florida
Press Release
Instructions for Florida Apostles
Messages Pertaining to This Image
- December 19, 1996
- December 12,
1996 - Mary's Message
- January 18,
1997
- January 16, 1997
- March 31,
1997
- A Message
from Florida
Chapter 5:
From October 13, 1917 - October 13, 1997
Sample 13th Meeting Format as Given by Jesus
On October 13, 1917:
The Birth of the Full Ministries of the Shepherds of
Christ
For Apostles Today From Jesus
Mary's Peace Plan as given to Lucia
Song: Song from Jesus
October 11, 1996 - Study the Rosaries
Holy Spirit Prayer
Prayer to St. Michael
Act of Consecration to the Sacred and Immaculate
Hearts
Petitions
Song: The Rosary
Song: I Love You, Jesus
Song: Here I am Lord
January 25, 1997 - Mary's Rosary
Novena Intentions
February 26, 1997 - A Live Rosary
February 6, 1997 - Candlelight Rosary
The Glorious Mysteries of May 11, 1996
The Sorrowful Mysteries of September 10, 1996
The Glorious Mysteries of October 13, 1996
The Sorrowful Mysteries of November 13, 1996
The Joyful Mysteries of December 13, 1996
The Joyful Mysteries of January 13, 1997
The Sorrowful Mysteries of February 13, 1997
Chapter 7: The
Shepherds of Christ Movement and the Completion of the
Fatima Message
Chart: The Completion of the
Fatima Message
December 13, 1996 - The Vision, the Plan Unfolds
December 29, 1996
- Mary's
Message from the Rosary of August 27, 1996
- October 5,
1996 - Message from Mary
- Excerpts from
Urgent Messages
- December 6,
1996 - First Friday
- December 27, 1996 - The Mass and Fatima
- December 7, 1996 - Revelations
on the Light
- December 27, 1996 - Conclusion
- December 19,
1996
- December 22, 1996
- December 19, 1996 -
Urgent Message
- December 22, 1996 -
Urgent Message
August 11, 1996
March 20, 1994 - before the end of the building collapsed
at the Holy Spirit Center
July 23, 1996 - Love is Giving
Vision as seen by Mary Rettig on the February 13, 1997
Visions as seen by Ellen Sartori and Mary Rettig
March 20, 1997 - Our Lady of Fatima
Chapter 9: The
Ministries of Shepherds of Christ and the 13th Gatherings
October 21, 1996 - Importance of
the 13th
Chart: The Shepherds of Christ Plan
October 27, 1996 - Message for Chart
The Birth of the Full Ministries of the Shepherds of
Christ
Ministries at a Glance
Table Chart for the 13th -
Materials
Table Descriptions and Material Descriptions
- Priestly
Newsletters, Books, Tapes by Father Carter
- Shepherds of
Christ Associates Materials
- Apostles of
the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
- Junior Shepherds
of Christ Associates
- Books
- Audio Tapes
- Video Tapes
- Printed
Rosary Messages
- Rosaries in
the School
- Nursing Home
and Prison Ministry
- Pictures of
the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts
Chapter 11:
Messages and Revelations given after October 13, 1996
February 23, 1997 - Sacrifice
February 27, 1997 - After the Death, There is the
Resurrection
February 28, 1997 - Our Wounds are Glorified When We Die in
Him
February 28, 1997 - A Love Letter to Jesus
February 9, 1997
January 25, 1997 - Jesus' Directions for Apostles
Chapter 12:
Contact Priest, Contact School, Contact Family
Priests
- Priest Newsletter
and Prayer Manual are the Heart of our Material
- What should be said to the Priests
- January 17, 1997 - I Want My Priests to Come Back
- Benefits of
Consecration
- Introduction
for the Mass Book
- Priestly Newsletters
- September - October
1996 Issue
- November - December
1996 Issue
- July - August 1997
Issue
- Come Follow Me
(Newsletter for the Religious)
- Volume 2 Issue 1 -
Spring 1996
- Volume 2 Issue 3 - Fall
1996
Schools
- Letter to Principals
- Consecration
to Jesus and Mary (for duplication)
- Children's
Morning Offering and Consecration to the Holy Spirit (for duplication)
- Imprimatur
Letter from Most Rev. Carl K. Moeddel for Children's Prayers
- Meditating on
the Rosary Aves (All 15 Mysteries)
- Children's
Rosary - April 25, 1996 (Glorious)
- March 18, 1996 - Mary wants Children to Pray the Rosary
- Junior
Shepherds of Christ Associates
- A Letter from
a Teacher
Families
- Letter
from Mary Rettig
- Consecration
to Jesus and Mary (for duplication)
- Shepherds of Christ Associates
- Questions on Forming a
Prayer Chapter
- Membership Form
- Chapter Guidelines
- Letter from John
Weickert
- Spanish
Chapter Meeting Prayer Format
- Ministering to the
Elderly
Chapter 13:
Prayers, Promises, and Devotions
Enthronement of the Sacred Heart
- Program
- The Two Hearts
and the Mass
- Enthronement
of My Sacred Heart
- Images of the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
- Find Refuge in My
Most Sacred Heart
- Consecrate
Your Churches, Homes, and Workplace to Our Hearts
- Certificate
- Promises of
Our Lord to Those Devoted to His Sacred Heart
Morning Offering (for Shepherds of Christ Members)
Morning Offering for Children
Short Prayer of Consecration Before Mass
Prayer Before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
Prayer to Say When Working for Jesus and Mary
Family Consecration
Consecration of an Unborn Child to Jesus and Mary
Chaplet of St. Michael
Promises of Mary Given to Those Who Pray the Rosary
Five First Saturday Devotion
Daily Prayers
Chapter 14:
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
Letter
Letter without Message (it can be passed out in churches)
Membership Form
Newsletter - Vol. 1 Issue 1 - October 1996
Chapter 15:
Excerpts from God's Blue Books for His Children of Light
Cling to Me
You Are the Light in the Darkness
Angels Will Read the Message
A City on a Hill Shines to the World
I Died For You
I Wake You, Knocking
About the Songs
The Rosary Song
A Song from Jesus
I Love You Jesus
Little Child
Teach Me to Love With Your Heart
God's Love
I Am Your Sacred Heart
See the Eyes That Look At Mary
Little Baby Hands and Feet
Come to My Heart
Your Presence Pervades My Soul
Glory, Glory, Glory Lord
My Open Heart
Chapter
17: Jesus' Urgent Messages
May 25, 1995 - I Am Alive!
June 26, 1995 - The Pain
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SofC Home ]
Introduction
An Overview of Shepherds of Christ Ministries
Prayer for Union with Jesus
Chapter Meeting Prayer Format
Intentions
- for Apostles of the Eucharistic
Heart of Jesus
- for the Rosary Novena
[ < Contents ]
An Overview of
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
Our movement is a Catholic apostolate which strongly supports our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. As you explore this manual, you will find there are three main levels of commitment in Shepherds of Christ Ministries. All three levels are important to the functioning of the ministry. To assist you in exploring this manual, this brief overview may help. All three commitment levels were defined by Jesus in messages either given through Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J. or through the visionary/locutionist Rita Ring.
Jesus revealed these levels over a period of three years as He built the ministry. The three levels were given by Him in order of increasing personal commitment. The three levels are: Shepherds of Christ Associates, Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, and Shepherds of Christ Apostles. At any level, there are no vows taken which bind a member under penalty of sin when ending your commitment. Our hope is that you will be led by the Holy Spirit to the proper place to help you in your journey closer to God. Jesus has promised many graces to anyone who participates in the movement.
Shepherds of Christ Associates: These are prayer groups of two or more people which meet at least monthly. Many groups meet weekly before the Blessed Sacrament. These groups follow the format outlined in the Prayer Manual found on pages iii to x. Meetings normally last about an hour. See pages twelve through fourteen for additional information.
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus: This prayer movement within Shepherds of Christ Ministries is a personal commitment to pray twice weekly for one hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus gives the instructions for this movement on pages 396 to 405 of this manual.
Shepherds of Christ Apostles: The highest level of commitment in the movement at this time is to be a Shepherds of Christ Apostle. It is truly a serious commitment, for we live in very serious times. An apostle is one who is sent to help lead people to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus gives the details of this calling on pages four through six.
This book has many goals which are difficult to meet all at once. Jesus spent three years carefully revealing His plan step by step. He led us along into ever increasing levels of commitment. So as you read this manual, know that it will take even the fervent of heart some time to live the messages. You must also realize that the manual covers many different ministries. Many people are called to help out with one of these ministries. We hope and pray you will find a home in the Shepherds of Christ family. May God bless you and your loved ones now and into eternity!
In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Shepherds of Christ Ministries
[ < Contents ]
Meeting Format
The following format should be followed at chapter meetings of Shepherds
of Christ Associates.
Prayers
All of the following, not just the prayer which is said specifically for priests,
should include the intention of praying for all the needs of priests the world over.
Hymns. Hymns may be sung at any point of the prayer part of the meeting.
Holy Spirit Prayer. Come, Holy Spirit, almighty Sanctifier, God of love, who filled the Virgin Mary with grace, who wonderfully changed the hearts of the apostles, who endowed all Your martyrs with miraculous courage, come and sanctify us. Enlighten our minds, strengthen our wills, purify our consciences, rectify our judgment, set our hearts on fire, and preserve us from the misfortunes of resisting Your inspirations. Amen.
The Rosary.
Salve Regina. "Hail Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To you do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To you do we send up our sighs, our mourning, our weeping in this vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary."
The Memorare. "Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but, in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen."
Seven Hail Marys in honor of the
Seven Sorrows of Mary. Mary has promised very special graces to those who do this
on a daily basis. Included in the promises of Our Lady for those who practice this
devotion is her pledge to give special assistance at the hour of death, including the
sight of her face. The seven sorrows are:
(1) The first sorrow: the prophecy of Simeon (Hail Mary).
(2) The second sorrow: the flight into Egypt (Hail Mary).
(3) The third sorrow: the loss of the Child Jesus in the temple (Hail Mary).
(4) The fourth sorrow: Jesus and Mary meet on the way to the cross (Hail Mary).
(5) The fifth sorrow: Jesus dies on the cross (Hail Mary).
(6) The sixth sorrow: Jesus is taken down from the cross and laid in Mary's arms (Hail
Mary).
(7) The seventh sorrow: the burial of Jesus (Hail Mary).
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us (repeat after each invocation).
Holy Mother of God,
Holy Virgin of virgins,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of the Church,
Mother of divine grace,
Mother most pure,
Mother most chaste,
Mother inviolate,
Mother undefiled,
Mother most amiable,
Mother most admirable,
Mother of good counsel,
Mother of our Creator,
Mother of our Savior,
Virgin most prudent,
Virgin most venerable,
Virgin most renowned,
Virgin most powerful,
Virgin most merciful,
Virgin most faithful,
Mirror of justice,
Seat of wisdom,
Cause of our joy,
Spiritual vessel,
Vessel of honor,
Singular vessel of devotion,
Mystical rose,
Tower of David,
Tower of ivory,
House of gold,
Ark of the Covenant,
Gate of heaven,
Morning star,
Health of the sick,
Refuge of sinners,
Comforter of the afflicted,
Help of Christians,
Queen of angels,
Queen of patriarchs,
Queen of prophets,
Queen of apostles,
Queen of martyrs,
Queen of confessors,
Queen of virgins,
Queen of all saints,
Queen conceived without original sin,
Queen assumed into heaven,
Queen of the most holy rosary,
Queen of the families,
Queen of peace,
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: Grant, we beseech You, O Lord God, that we Your servants may enjoy
perpetual health of mind and body and, by the glorious intercession of the Blessed Mary,
ever virgin, be delivered from present sorrow, and obtain eternal joy. Through Christ our
Lord. Amen.
We fly to your patronage, O holy Mother of God. Despise not our petitions in our
necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and Blessed Virgin.
Prayer to St. Joseph. St. Joseph, guardian of Jesus and chaste spouse of Mary, you passed your life in perfect fulfillment of duty. You supported the Holy Family of Nazareth with the work of your hands. Kindly protect those who trustingly turn to you. You know their aspirations, their hardships, their hopes; and they turn to you because they know you will understand and protect them. You too have known trial, labor, and weariness. But, even amid the worries of material life, your soul was filled with deep peace and sang out in true joy through intimacy with the Son of God entrusted to you, and with Mary, His tender Mother. Amen. -(Pope John XXIII)
Litany of the Sacred Heart, Promises
of the Sacred Heart.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of heaven,
have mercy on us (repeat after each invocation).
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
God the Holy Spirit,
Holy Trinity, one God,
Heart of Jesus, Son of the eternal Father,
Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,
Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,
Heart of Jesus, of infinite majesty,
Heart of Jesus, sacred temple of God,
Heart of Jesus, tabernacle of the Most High,
Heart of Jesus, house of God and gate of heaven,
Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity,
Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love,
Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,
Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,
Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,
Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,
Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,
Heart of Jesus, in whom dwells the fullness of divinity,
Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father is well pleased,
Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,
Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,
Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,
Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke You,
Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,
Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins,
Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium,
Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,
Heart of Jesus, obedient even to death,
Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,
Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,
Heart of Jesus, our life and reconciliation,
Heart of Jesus, victim of sin,
Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who hope in You,
Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in You,
Heart of Jesus, delight of all the saints,
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart,
make our hearts like unto Yours.
Let us pray: O almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of Your dearly beloved
Son and upon the praise and satisfaction He offers You in behalf of sinners and, being
appeased, grant pardon to those who seek Your mercy, in the name of the same Jesus Christ,
Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, world without
end. Amen.
Promises of Our Lord to those devoted to His Sacred Heart (these should
be read by the prayer leader):
(1) I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
(2) I will establish peace in their homes.
(3) I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
(4) I will be their refuge during life and above all in death.
(5) I will bestow a large blessing on all their undertakings.
(6) Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy.
(7) Tepid souls shall grow fervent.
(8) Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
(9) I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored.
(10) I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
(11) Those who promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to
be blotted out.
(12) I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant
to all those who communicate on the first Friday in nine consecutive months the grace of
final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving their sacraments;
My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.
Prayer for Priests. "Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock, we pray that in the great love and mercy of Your Sacred Heart You attend to all the needs of Your priest-shepherds throughout the world. We ask that You draw back to Your Heart all those priests who have seriously strayed from Your path, that You rekindle the desire for holiness in the hearts of those priests who have become lukewarm, and that You continue to give Your fervent priests the desire for the highest holiness. United with Your Heart and Mary's Heart, we ask that You take this petition to Your heavenly Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Prayer for all members of the Shepherds of Christ Associates. "Dear Jesus, we ask Your special blessings on all members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. Continue to enlighten them regarding the very special privilege and responsibility you have given them as members of Your movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates. Draw them ever closer to Your Heart and to Your Mother's Heart. Allow them to more and more realize the great and special love of Your Hearts for each of them as unique individuals. Give them the grace to respond to Your love and Mary's love with an increased love of their own. As they dwell in Your Heart and Mary's Heart, abundantly care for all their needs and those of their loved ones. We make our prayer through You to the Father, in the Holy Spirit, with Mary our Mother at our side. Amen."
Prayer for the spiritual and financial success of the priestly newsletter. "Father, we ask Your special blessings upon the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ. We ask that You open the priest-readers to the graces You wish to give them through this chosen instrument of Your Son. We also ask that You provide for the financial needs of the newsletter and the Shepherds of Christ Associates. We make our prayer through Jesus, in the Holy Spirit, with Mary at our side. Amen."
Prayer for all members of the human family. "Heavenly Father, we ask Your blessings on all Your children the world over. Attend to all their needs. We ask Your special assistance for all those marginalized people, all those who are so neglected and forgotten. United with our Mother Mary, we make this petition to You through Jesus and in the Holy Spirit. Amen."
Prayer to St. Michael and our
Guardian Angels.
"St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the
wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O
prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the other
evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."
7
"Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be
at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen."
Pause for silent, personal prayer. This should last at least five minutes.
Act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
"Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock, I consecrate myself to Your most
Sacred Heart. From Your pierced Heart the Church was born, the Church You have called me,
as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, to serve in a most special way. You reveal
Your Heart as a symbol of Your love in all its aspects, including Your most special love
for me, whom You have chosen as Your companion in this most important work. Help me to
always love You in return. Help me to give myself entirely to You. Help me always to pour
out my life in love of God and neighbor! Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You! Amen.
"Dear Blessed Virgin Mary, I consecrate myself to your maternal and Immaculate Heart,
this Heart which is symbol of your life of love. You are the Mother of my Savior. You are
also my Mother. You love me with a most special love as a member of Shepherds of Christ
Associates, a movement created by your Son as a powerful instrument for the renewal of the
Church and the world. In a return of love, I give myself entirely to your motherly love
and protection. You followed Jesus perfectly. You are His first and perfect disciple.
Teach me to imitate you in the putting on of Christ. Be my motherly intercessor so that,
through your Immaculate Heart, I may be guided to an ever closer union with the pierced
Heart of Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock. Amen."
The Shepherds of Christ prayers above, one through sixteen, have the following ecclesiastiea approval:
Imprimi Potest: Rev. Bradley M. Schaeffer, S.J.
Provincial
Chicago Province, The Society of Jesus
Imprimatur: Most Rev. Carl K. Moeddel
Auxiliary Bishop
Archdiocese of Cincinnati
[ < Contents ]
Intentions for Apostles
of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
Jesus is calling special apostles to join a new division of the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Here is a message from Jesus given to Father Carter:
"My beloved priest-companion, I am requesting that a new prayer movement be started under the direction of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. I am asking for volunteers who are willing to pray before the Blessed Sacrament for one hour, twice-weekly. Members of the Shepherds of Christ prayer chapters, as well as others, are to be invited to join this movement.
"These apostles are to pray for the intentions I am giving you. For part of the hour they are to use the prayers of the Shepherds of Christ Associates Handbook. They may spend the rest of the hour as they so choose.
"I will use this new prayer movement within My Shepherds of Christ Ministries in a powerful way to help in the renewal of My Church and the world. I will give great graces to those who join this movement. The name, Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, is to be given to this movement.
"I am inviting My beloved Rita Ring to be coordinator for this activity.
"I pour out the great love of My Sacred Heart to all. I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock."
This is indeed a special calling for us to unite in one heart with His Eucharistic Heart and pray for the following intentions:
[ < Contents ]
Intentions
for the Rosary Novena
Given by Mary on January 25, 1997:
Mary: I am Mary. I am requesting that you continue to pray the rosary novena daily for the following intentions:
1) For the spread of the rosary, circulation and publication of these rosary meditations, for the Rosary Book and Children's Rosary Books, for the Rosary Aves and consecrations to be distributed and used by school children, for the Priestly Newsletter Books, for the Mass Book, for all materials receiving the imprimatur, for its publication and quick distribution, for the distribution of Mary's Message tape and the Rosary Book and the connection with the Shepherds of Christ Movement and the apparition in Florida;
2) For Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, that the Father's plan will unfold there as He intended;
3) For the new Center, for the new chapel, for the right to reserve the Blessed Sacrament there, for the funding, for the circulation of materials from there, for the beginning of new prayer chapters.
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Chapter 1
Introductory Material
by Father Carter
and
Apostles on Mission
The Birth of the Full Ministries of the Shepherds of
Christ
Ministries at a Glance
January 30, 1997 - Jesus' Directions for Apostles
Apostles in Florida
Letter from Very Rev. Joseph F. Schaedel
The Role of Private Revelation in the Life of the
Church
The Spirituality Handbook
- Words of Jesus
to Members of Shepherds of Christ Associates
- Introduction:
How It All Began
- Chapter
Guidelines for Shepherds of Christ Associates
- A Way of
Spiritual Life
Message about the Infant of Prague
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The Birth of the Full Ministries of the Shepherds of Christ
"I wish to share with you part of a message which Jesus gave us on October 13, 1994. The message tells us about the expansion of the Shepherds of Christ movement:
'My beloved priest-companion, today I come to you with another mission. I am asking you to establish Shepherds of Christ Ministries. At My request you have already begun the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the prayer chapters, Shepherds of Christ Associates...
'I am giving you this message on this day, the 77th Anniversary of the Great Apparition at Fatima, because of the close connection between the Shepherds of Christ movement and the Fatima message. The Fatima message is centered in devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart, especially in consecration to Our Hearts. Shepherds of Christ Ministries is also centered in devotion to Our Hearts. I will use Shepherds of Christ Ministries as a great instrument in helping to bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. When this occurs, My Church and the world will be experiencing the great era of peace promised by My Mother at Fatima.
'Today, then, October 13, 1994, the 77th Anniversary of the Great Apparition at Fatima, marks the birth of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. I pour forth the great love of My Sacred Heart to all. I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock.'
Jesus has told us that Shepherds of Christ Ministries includes: the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, Shepherds of Christ Associates prayer chapters, various publications, including books, whatever else Our Lord directs us to undertake.
As members of Shepherds of Christ Associates, you are an extremely important part of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. You have given great joy to the Heart of Jesus by responding to His invitation to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. As He draws you closer to His Heart and to His Mother's Heart as Associates members, He will fill you with an ever-increasing experience of His love, peace, and joy."
- From In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Newsletter of
Shepherds of Christ Associates
by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., Volume 1, No. 1, 1995. p. 2.
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Ministries at a Glance
Since its formation, Shepherds of Christ Ministries has grown rapidly in both scope and function. The ministries outlined below are defined in further detail inside this manual, at the tables set up on the 13th of every month or at the Shepherds of Christ Internet site.
Shepherds of Christ Newsletter
Shepherds of Christ Publications
Shepherds of Christ Associates
Junior Shepherds of Christ Associates
Shepherds of Christ Audio/Video
Come Follow Me Newsletter (for religious)
Shepherds of Christ International
Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
World-Wide-Web Site (Internet)
Retirement/Nursing Home Prayer Groups
Rosary in Schools, Homes
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January 30, 1997
Jesus' Directions for Apostles
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Dear Beloved Apostles,
How tenderly I caress you and hold you to My Heart. Do not be afraid. I have taught you these long months. I am forming you for your mission as My apostles. I am telling you, you must study the messages I have given to you in God's Blue Book and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I am giving to you my directions to bring about My Father's plan for the completion of the Fatima message which will culminate in the reign of My Sacred Heart and triumph of My Mother's heart. The directions I am giving to you, My beloved apostles, on the 13th of the month must be studied. You must see the Father's plan as unfolding and your work as My apostle is crucial to the unfolding of His plan. His directions are given to you in the messages. Today I am asking that a book be compiled with the messages given in the 17th Blue Book Meetings. The apostles must study this book in addition to the other messages given and study the Apostle's Manual. I am calling you an apostle in these last times. You must study My direction given. I ask you to read the message "The Carpenter" June 12, 1994 in Blue Book III. I ask you to study all messages with reference to the Father's plan and the Father's will.
When traveling to Florida or as My apostles, you must spend time daily alone with Me. As an apostle, I am asking you to spend one hour with Me that day, especially when on duty in Florida or elsewhere. This is very important. I will give you great graces in this hour. I will sort out all the debris in your heart. I will instruct you on your Father's will for you and I will saturate you with My divine love. In this hour, we will share intimately in our love for each other.
I am telling you that when you are on a mission, an assignment in Florida and elsewhere, you must go to daily Mass and Communion and spend twenty minutes after Communion. I will give you My intimate love in these moments after Communion.
I am telling you, My apostles, to pray the consecration to My Heart and My Mother's heart and the Holy Spirit Prayer all through your day. Whenever you gather together, begin with the Holy Spirit Prayer, St. Michael Prayer, Guardian Angel Prayer, and Consecration prayers as listed on the prayer card. This will bind you in one mind and one heart and you will work together in harmony according to the Father's will.
You will be protected greatly from the evil one when you pray these prayers on the prayer card.
Your mission is a holy mission to spread My love and the love of My Mother. Your mission is a mission of love. You are working for Me and My Mother. You are the apostles of Our Hearts.
You must realize if you do not follow the directions I give to you, you will tend to do your own will and not the Father's will and the devil will taunt you and make headway because you are not properly protected.
See My Mother crushing the head of the serpent. When you give your heart to her, the Holy Spirit works within her heart and fills your heart, and she crushes the head of the devil.
You are in a spiritual battle with the evil one. You must realize he is cunning and sly. He comes in a smooth talking person to trick you. You must stick to the directions I am giving to you. You are there to spread the messages given in God's Blue Book, Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Tell My People, all Fr. Carter's publications, and all publications of the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
Any material not discerned or approved of by Fr. Carter is not to be distributed under the title of Shepherds of Christ or in connection with Shepherds of Christ.
Nothing is to be distributed without his approval.
So I am summarizing. These are My requirements when on mission as an apostle to Florida or other locations spreading the Shepherds of Christ Movement:
The Apostles Prayer Schedule:
1. The Morning Offering
2. Daily Mass and Communion
3. One hour of private adoration, preferably before the tabernacle.
4. Consecration Prayers
5. Rosary, the prayers in the Handbook (Prayer Manual)
should be recited daily when on mission and several times a week when not on mission.
The Morning Offering will bind all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement in union with each other, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass all day. You will be one flock with one Shepherd all dwelling within My Heart which is your home. Oh, how I love you! You must obey these directions I give to My apostles.
Beware of the workings of Satan to distract you and lead you away from this mission.
I am asking all members in the Shepherds of Christ Movement to be apostles. Some will be able to give more time than others. When traveling to Florida, I am asking you to follow the Apostles Prayer Schedule.
I am asking all members to circulate the Mary's Message tape, the short message sheet, and the Rosary of December 13, 1996 and January 13, 1997 to connect Mary's Message to her apparition in Florida. I love you. I am your beloved Jesus.
Mary said on December 19, 1996:
"I am Mary, your Mother. I do not appear as I once appeared to you. I am asking you today to circulate my message given on a tape on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12, 1996. Please circulate this tape now. Give it to as many people as you can. I am Mary your Mother. Please circulate my Rosary Book."
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Apostles in Florida
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Dear Apostles in Florida,
I am Jesus, your Savior. The Florida site will help with the completion of the Fatima mission. In addition to all material being distributed there, you are asked to spread the Shepherds of Christ Associates Prayer Manuals, rosaries, and consecration cards. Many will be reached from this site with rosary and consecration. This will aid greatly in bringing about the completion of the Fatima mission.
I am Jesus. Please help to bring about the reign of My Heart and the triumph of My Mother's heart by spreading this material.
I love you, My apostles. Please tell all priests that come to the Florida site about the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ.
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The Role of Private Revelation in the Life of the Church
In these our times there have been numerous reports from around the world of events regarding alleged private revelations. Messages from alleged visionaries and locutionists abound. Many people are at least somewhat confused regarding how one should react to all this.
It seems appropriate, therefore, to offer some thoughts concerning the role of private revelation in the life of the Church.
First of all, we must realize the Church recognizes that private revelation has a role to play in the life of the Church. The Catechism says:
Throughout the ages, there have been so-called 'private revelations,' some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history.1
We would now like to offer the thoughts of some contemporary theologians regarding this role of private revelation: Harvey Egan, S.J., says:
Private revelations often presuppose the gift of prophecy. Prophetic revelations commission the mystic to address the entire Church, or a significant portion. He must deliver a message, plead for a particular devotion, call for conversion and penance, warn against certain aberrations in Church life...suggest new styles of life or spiritual doctrine, or foretell the future. Those post-apostolic, prophetic revelations, therefore, apply the faith in a practical way to daily Christian living.2
Jordan Aumann, O.P., observes:
There have always been persons gifted with prophecy, as is testified by Scripture and the processes of canonization of the servants of God. Nevertheless, private revelations do not pertain to the deposit of faith, which consists of the truths contained in Scripture and Tradition under the vigilance of the Church.3
Karl Rahner, S.J., offers the following regarding private revelation:
A private revelation as a mission to the Church signifies...an imperative which within the context of a particular historical situation of the Church, points out a particular course of action from among the many possible according to the universal and public revelation as the one most urgently needing to be realized. The new feature in such a private revelation consists therefore not in its particular material elements but in the imperative marking and shifting of accentuation within the possibilities of Christianity...Hence the private revelation as a mission to the Church can be conceived as a heavenly imperative interpretation of the particular situation of the Church at this time; it answers the question as to what is most urgently to be done here and now in accordance with the general principles of the faith.4
It would be wrong, consequently, to deny the existence and proportionate importance of private revelation in the life of the Church. Such an attitude would be in opposition to the teaching of the Church and that of reputable theologians. Private revelation is yet another sign of God's overwhelming love towards us. In His great love He has given us the truths of faith as contained in public revelation. In His ongoing love for us He gives us private revelation to aid us in the living of public revelation. We should not, therefore, be indifferent to the role God has assigned to private revelation in the life of the Church.
It might be well at this point to offer a description of what occurs when a person receives an apparition and/or locution (message). Joseph de Guibert, S.J., one of the most eminent mystical theologians of this century, says:
A distinction is made between corporeal, imaginative, and intellectual visions. This distinction can also be applied to locutions. In corporeal visions and locutions there is a real perception by the external senses; the person who is seen or heard may be really present, or (in corporeal visions) the body which appears may be formed in the air, or a change may be affected at the moment the light-rays impinge on the eye, or (in corporeal locutions) a real acoustical vibration may be produced in the ears. In imaginative visions and locutions there is no perception by the external senses, but, rather, a Divine action on the imagination or the internal senses...In intellectual visions and locutions the Divine action directly affects the intellect.5
What should one's attitude be regarding alleged instances of private revelation which have not yet been the subject of official Church investigation- and perhaps never will be? First, one should always recognize that the final authority regarding private revelations rests with the Holy See of Rome, to whose judgment we should willingly submit. Secondly, one may personally act upon these messages of private revelation if a person observes that they contain nothing contrary to faith and morals and that they help bring one closer to God. Our Lord has said: "...a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit." (Mt 7:17-18).
A good example of what we have just said is the situation regarding the alleged apparitions and messages at Medjugorje. The Church's investigation of this site is ongoing. No definitive decision has been made. In the meantime, the Church is not forbidding the faithful to go to Medjugorje. She is not forbidding them to personally accept the messages, presuming, again, they contain nothing contrary to faith and morals. Millions of pilgrims have gone to Medjugorje, including thousands of priests and hundreds of bishops.
An outstanding example of the importance of the role of private revelation in the life of the Church is that of Fatima. The Church has formally approved the message of Fatima as being worthy of belief. In her July 13, 1917, message, Our Blessed Mother said:
The war (World War I, then raging) is going to end. But if people do not stop offending God, another and worse one will begin in the reign of Pius XI. When you shall see a night illuminated by an unknown light (January 2, 1938), know that this is the great sign that God gives you that He is going to punish the world for its many crimes by means of war, hunger, and persecution of the Church and the Holy Father.
To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart and the Communion of Reparation on the five first Saturdays. If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace. If not, she will scatter her errors throughout the world, provoking wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, and various nations will be destroyed...
But in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph, the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, Russia will be converted, and a certain period of peace will be granted to the world.6
There is more to the requests of Our Lady of Fatima besides those elements contained in the above message. But these aspects of the Fatima message are obviously critical ones.
Because enough people did not respond to Mary's requests made at Fatima, we did have World War II and all the horrors connected with the rise of Russian dominated Communism. Again, Fatima is a prime example of the importance the role of private revelation can assume in the life of the Church. Popes Pius XII and Paul VI made visits to Fatima, as has Pope John Paul II.
- From Shepherds of Christ, A Spirituality Newsletter
for Priests by Fr. Edward J. Carter, S.J.
May/June 1995 Issue. pp. 3-5.
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Words of Jesus to Members of
Shepherds of Christ Associates:
"My beloved priest-companion, I intend to use the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, and the movement, Shepherds of Christ Associates, in a powerful way for the renewal of My Church and the world.
"I will use the newsletter and the chapters of Shepherds of Christ Associates as a powerful instrument for spreading devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart.
"I am calling many to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. To all of them I will give great blessings. I will use them as instruments to help bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. I will give great graces to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. I will call them to be deeply united to My Heart and to Mary's Heart as I lead them ever closer to My Father in the Holy Spirit."
- Message from Jesus to Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., as
given on July 31, 1994,
feast of Saint Ignatius Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (The
Jesuits).
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Introduction:
How It All Began
During the summer of 1993, Father Edward J. Carter, S.J., Professor of Theology at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, began to receive mystical locutions (messages) from Jesus and Mary on a regular basis.
In a message given on May 31, 1994, Jesus asked Father Carter to begin the publication of a spirituality newsletter for priests. To be sent to more than 45,000 priests in the U.S.A., and also to priests in other countries, the newsletter is published by Shepherds of Christ Publications, and is distributed bi-monthly. The title of the newsletter is Shepherds of Christ.
Jesus has asked that chapters be formed to pray for the needs of priests and religious around the world. The chapters are to pray in a special way for the spiritual success of the priestly newsletter, as well as to aid in the financial support of this publication. The chapters and members are to be called Shepherds of Christ Associates.
Our Lord has stressed that Shepherds of Christ Associates become an international movement.
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Chapter Guidelines for
Shepherds of Christ Associates
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A Way of Spiritual Life
The way of spiritual life proposed to the members of Shepherds of Christ Associates is centered in consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. All aspects of the spiritual life discussed below should be viewed as means to help members develop their lives in consecration to Christ, the Sacred Heart, and to Mary, the Immaculate Heart.
An Overview of the Spiritual Life
The Christian life is rooted in the great event of the Incarnation. We must consequently always focus our gaze upon Christ, realizing that everything the Father wishes to tell us has been summed up in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It only remains for us, then, to strive to understand with greater insight the inexhaustible truth of the Word Incarnate: "In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son, Whom He appointed the heir of all things, through Whom also He created the world." (Heb. 1: 1-2)7
What was the condition of the human race at the time of Christ's coming? In some ways, people were much the same as we are today. There were those just being born into this world of human drama. There were those who, in death, were leaving it, some of whom had grasped but little of life's meaning. There were those who were healthy and vigorous. There were those who were sick and lame. Some especially felt the burdens, the grief, the suffering of the human condition. Others were ebullient and desired all the pleasures life could provide. There was some good being accomplished. Immorality, however, was rampant. What St. Paul tells us concerning the time that immediately followed Christ's existence certainly could also be applied to the time of His entrance into the world. It is, in short, an ugly picture that St. Paul depicts for us (Rom. 1: 22-32).
Into such a depraved condition Jesus entered, with a full and generous Heart, to lead the human race from the depths of sinfulness to the vibrant richness of a new life in Himself. Through His enfleshment, this Christ became the focal point of all history. The authentic hopes and dreams of the human family, now so overshadowed by the ugliness of sin, came converging upon this Christ. He would gather them up in Himself, give them a new luster and brilliance and dynamism, and would lead the human family back to the Father in the Holy Spirit.
Christ was radically to release us from the dominion of sin and elevate us to a new level of existence. This life Christ has given us is not a type of superstructure which is erected atop human existence. Although nature and grace are distinct, they do not lie side by side as separate entities. Rather, grace permeates nature. The Christian is one graced person. The Christian is one who has been raised up, caught up, into a deeper form of life in Christ Jesus. Nothing that is authentically human in the life of the Christian has been excluded from this new existence. Whatever is really human in the life of the Christian is meant to be an expression of the Christ-life. The simple but deep joys of family life, the wonderment at nature's beauty, the warm embrace of a mother for her child, the agony of crucial decision making, the success or frustration that is experienced in one's work, the joy of being well received by others, and the heartache of being misunderstood-all these experiences are intended to be caught up in Christ and made more deeply human because of Him.
Jesus has come, then, not to destroy anything that is authentically human, but to perfect it by leading it to a graced fulfillment. This is the meaning of the Word's becoming flesh, the meaning of the Incarnation. The more God-like we become through Christ, the more human we become.
We, through our incorporation into Christ which occurs at Baptism, are meant to relive the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In doing so, we are not only accomplishing our own salvation, but we are assisting in the salvation of others also. The Incarnation continues all the time. Christ, of course, is the one Who fundamentally continues the Incarnation. But He enlists our help. The world no longer sees Jesus, no longer is able to reach out and touch Him. We are the ones who now, in some way, make Christ visible and tangible. In union with the invisible, glorified Christ, and depending on Him as our source of life, we continue the Incarnation in its visible and temporal dimensions. This is our great privilege. This is our great responsibility.
The Christian is initiated into the mystery of Christ, into his or her role in prolonging the Incarnation, through Baptism. In the words of St. Paul: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by Baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6: 3-4).
It is not sufficient, however, that we be incorporated into Christ through Baptism. All forms of life require nourishment. So, too, our life in Christ must be continually nourished. How can we continually keep in contact with Christ? There are various ways. We contact Christ in a most special way through the liturgy, above all in the Eucharistic liturgy. Here the entire course of salvation history, as centered in Jesus, is sacramentally renewed and continued. Through our most special and most personal meeting with Jesus in the Mass, we are more deeply incorporated into Christ. Also, we should remember that all the sacraments make up part of the Church's liturgy.
The reading of Scripture provides another special opportunity for meeting Jesus. This is true for both Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament prefigures the New Testament and leads to it. It is obvious, however, that we meet Christ especially in the pages of the New Testament. How true it is to say that not to be familiar with Scripture is not to know Jesus properly. We should resolve to read from Scripture daily.
We also meet Jesus in our interaction with others. Everyone we meet, everyone we serve, is in the image of Jesus. We have to take the means to grow in this awareness. If I truly believe that everyone has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, how should I treat everyone?
These, then, are some of the ways we keep in contact with Jesus. Common to the various ways of meeting Jesus is a certain degree of prayerful reflection. Our contact with Jesus in the liturgy, in Scripture, and in our interaction with others, and so forth, will not be all that it should be unless we are persons of prayer. The light and strength of prayer enables us to keep in contact with Jesus as we should.
We live out our Christ-life in an atmosphere of love. Indeed, the life Jesus has given us is centered in love. It has its origins in the mysterious love of God: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3: 16).
Our new life in Jesus has arisen out of God's fathomless love. Christ, in His descent into human flesh, has established a milieu of love. The life He came to give can flourish only in the framework of love. Indeed, we can summarize the meaning of the Christian life by stating that it is our loving response to God's love. The pierced Heart of Jesus, this Heart which shed its last drop of blood in the greatest love for each one of us, is the symbol of God's tremendous love for us. Christ's Heart also calls us to respond by giving ourselves in love to God and neighbor. Yes, Jesus invites us to respond to God's love by giving ourselves in love to Him in an ever closer union. The more closely we are united to Him, the greater is our capacity to love God and neighbor. The more closely we are united with Jesus, the more closely He unites us to the Father in the Holy Spirit, with Mary our Mother at our side.
Consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
We have already spoken of how we are incorporated into Christ at Baptism. Now we shall speak of the life which comes to us in Baptism in terms of consecration:
To consecrate means to make sacred, to make holy. Only God can make a being holy. So to speak of our consecration is to speak of God's activity in making us holy, His activity of giving us a share in His own holiness. At Baptism we receive a share in God's life, a share in His holiness. Christ is the Mediator of this grace life. We are baptized into Christ, into His death and resurrection. In Baptism we become holy by sharing in the holiness of Christ. We become consecrated, sealed with the divine holiness. We belong to the Father, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit.
On our part, we must respond to God's consecration of us. We must live out the consecration of Baptism. We must realize what God has done for us in Christ and live according to this awareness. We need to live the life of holiness and grow in it. In other words, we must develop the life of grace, the Christ-life.
What God has done for us in Christ involves Mary. God has given us a Christ-life, our life of grace, and Mary is the Mother of this Christ-life. Consequently, living out our life of consecration to God-living out the Christ-life-includes allowing Mary to increasingly be the Mother of our Christ-life.
Consecration to Mary, therefore, is an aspect of our consecration to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is entrusting ourselves entirely to her maternal love so that she can bring us ever closer to Jesus, so that we can increasingly live out our consecration to God in Christ.
At Fatima, Our Lady asked that we consecrate ourselves to her Immaculate Heart. Mary shows us her heart as a symbol of her love for God and us. She asks us to make a return of love to her, to consecrate ourselves to her, to give ourselves to her completely. She wants us to entrust ourselves to her completely so that she may help us love God and neighbor.
As stated above, consecration to Mary is an aspect of our consecration to God in Christ and she has asked for consecration to her Heart so that she may assist us. Christ, in turn, invites us to live out this consecration to Him through consecration to His Sacred Heart. We see the divine symmetry: consecration to the Immaculate Heart helps us to live out consecration to Christ Who reveals His Heart as symbol of His life of love in all its aspects, including His tremendous love for each of us individually. His Heart also asks for our love in return, a return which ideally is summed up in consecration to Jesus' Heart. Through this consecration we give ourselves completely to Jesus through the Immaculate Heart. In this consecration to Jesus, we promise to strive to live according to His Father's will in all things.8
Our Personal Relationship With Jesus
He hung upon a cross on a hill called Calvary. Death was near. How much Jesus had already suffered! He had been brutally scourged. Much of His sacred body was a bloody, open wound. He had been derisively crowned with thorns. In a terribly weakened condition, He carried the heavy cross to the hill of Golgotha. There He was stripped of His garments and mercilessly nailed to the cross. Try to imagine the excruciating pain Jesus suffered as the nails penetrated His sacred hands and feet! After all this brutal and agonizing suffering-of body and spirit-Jesus finally died.
And He did it all for you! Yes, you can truly say that Jesus did it all for you. I can say that Jesus did it all for me. He suffered and died for the whole human race, but He did it in a way which makes it true to say He also did it for each individual. When He was undergoing all the brutal and horrible suffering, He knew you and He knew me by name. He was loving each of us with the most tender, and tremendous, and unique love! He gave the last drop of His precious blood for you individually and for me individually!
What should be our return to this magnificent Heart of Jesus which gave until there was no more to give? No less than our entire selves. No less than a total consecration to this tremendous Lover, to this magnificent and tender Heart! No less than a day-by-day resolve to strive to live our consecration with the deepest faith, hope, and love. No less than the deepest desire to develop the most intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. The total and the most tender love of Jesus' magnificent Heart for you and for me deserves nothing less!
Mary Our Mother
As Jesus hung upon the cross in His excruciating suffering, He gave Mary to us as our spiritual Mother:
...standing by the cross of Jesus were His Mother, and His Mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His Mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His Mother, 'Woman, behold, your son!' Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold, your Mother!' (Jn 19: 25-26).
Yes, John, the disciple, represented all of us. Jesus, in giving Mary to John as His Mother, was giving her to all of us as our spiritual Mother. We can never thank Jesus sufficiently for this great gift. Mary is your Mother and she is my Mother. Pope John Paul II tells us how Mary is Mother to each of us according to each one's uniqueness:
Of the essence of motherhood is the fact that it concerns the person. Motherhood always establishes a unique and unrepeatable relationship between two people: between mother and child and between child and mother. Even when the same woman is the mother of many children, her personal relationship with each one of them is of the very essence of motherhood...
It can be said that motherhood 'in the order of grace' preserves the analogy with what 'in the order of nature' characterizes the union between mother and child.9
Let us always thank Mary that she is the Mother of each of us according to each one's uniqueness. I can truly say that Mary is my Mother in an unrepeatable way, and you can truly say that she is your Mother in an unrepeatable way. Realizing what a great and unique love Mary has for each of us, what reason could we ever have for not always going to her? What reason could we ever have for not asking her to take us as her beloved children and to hold us close to her maternal and Immaculate Heart where we always experience the love, the warmth, the tenderness of this magnificent Mother?
Mass and the Sacraments
The best way to return love to Jesus is through participation in the Mass. Indeed, the Mass is the chief source for growth in our life of consecration. Everything in the life of the Church-including the sacraments-centers around the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
All the faithful are privileged to be able to enter into the offering of the Mass:
The sacrifice of the Mass, as we well know, makes truly present the sacrifice of Calvary. At His sacrifice on Calvary, Christ was Priest and Victim. We obviously did not offer together with Him. At the Mass, however, Christ, although He is the chief Priest and Victim, does not act alone. Through God's gracious design, at Mass all the members of the Church are priests and victims together with Christ. To be sure, there is a very significant difference between the priesthood of bishops and priests and the priesthood of the faithful. The point we wish to stress, however, is that the universal priesthood, given in Baptism to all the faithful, is a real participation in Christ's priesthood.
Vatican II has stressed this concept of the priesthood of all the Church's members. Speaking of the Mass, the Council says: 'The Church, therefore, earnestly desires that Christ's faithful, when present at this mystery of faith, should not be there as strangers or silent spectators. On the contrary, through a proper appreciation of the rites and prayers, they should participate knowingly, devoutly, and actively. They should be instructed by God's word and be refreshed at the table of the Lord's body; they should give thanks to God; by offering the Immaculate Victim, not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him, they should learn to offer themselves too. Through Christ the Mediator, they should be drawn, day-by-day, into ever closer union with God and with each other, so that finally God may be all in all.'
During all our Christ-like activities, we are living the Mass. Working, recreating, laughing, weeping, enjoying success but also experiencing failure, enjoying the beauties of nature-through all such activities, we are living the Mass. We are continually offering ourselves in loving conformity to the Father's will. From time to time during the day, we should make a conscious act of uniting ourselves and our activities with the sacrifice of Calvary as it is made present throughout the world through the Mass.
A very precious time during the Mass is, of course, our reception of Jesus in Holy Communion. We should make the most of these special moments. Let's properly thank Jesus for coming to us with His Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Let's thank Jesus for the tremendous suffering He experienced in order to be able to give us the Eucharist. As Jesus dwells within us in this precious way at Communion time, the very Heart of Christ-this Heart which is symbol of His great love-dwells within. This Heart cries out for our love in return.
One of the great means God has given us to help prepare ourselves for better participation in the Mass is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Our Lady of Medjugorje asks us to go to Confession at least once a month.
Indeed, we should use all available means to prepare ourselves for a more fruitful participation in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. It is a great privilege to be able to be present at, and to participate in, the Mass. We should show Jesus our appreciation for such a great gift by preparing ourselves as best we can, and in this way we will gain the greatest possible benefit from the Mass, both for ourselves and for others.
Included in our devotion to the Eucharist should be our desire to make Eucharistic reparation. One way to do this is to say often the following Fatima prayer: 'Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges, and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and (the intercession of) the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of Thee the conversion of sinners.10
Besides saying the above prayer, there are other acts of Eucharistic reparation we can make. One of these is to be sure we make adequate thanksgiving after Mass. One of the intentions we should have at this time is to help make reparation for the lack of proper thanksgiving on the part of many. Pope Pius XII speaks about the duty of spending the proper time in thanksgiving:
When at Mass, which is subject to special rules of the liturgy, is over, the person who has received Holy Communion is not thereby freed from his duty of thanksgiving; rather, it is most becoming that, when the Mass is finished, the person who has received the Eucharist should recollect himself and, in intimate union with the Divine Master, hold loving and fruitful converse with Him. Hence they have departed from the straight way of truth who, adhering to the letter rather than the sense, assert and teach that, when Mass has ended, no such thanksgiving should be added, not only because the Mass is itself a thanksgiving, but also because this pertains to a private and personal act of piety and not to the good of the community.11
Life in the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is given to us to transform us in the likeness of Christ. This is an ongoing process. Here is a message of Jesus which speaks to the issue:
My beloved friend, tell My people to pray daily to the Holy Spirit. They are to pray for an increase in His gifts. My people must realize that the Holy Spirit comes to transform them. The Spirit desires to transform you more and more according to My image. Those who are docile to His touch become increasingly shaped in my likeness. He performs this marvel within My Mother's Heart. The more one dwells in My Mother's Heart, the more active are the workings of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit leads Mary to place you within My Heart. In both of Our Hearts, then, your transformation continues. The more you are formed after My own Heart, the more I lead you to the bosom of My Father. Tell My people all this. Tell them to pray daily for a greater appreciation of these wondrous gifts. I am Lord and Master! All who come to My Heart will be on fire to receive the gifts of the Spirit in ever greater measure! I love and bless My people! (Message of Jesus given to Father Carter).12
Life Within the Church
God calls us to live Christian existence, the spiritual life, within the Church-the Church which Christ has established. This Church is a many splendored reality. It has many different names, images and dimensions that variously attest to and manifest this multifaceted richness. All of them, however, speak of the one, same reality. Here is a message of Jesus which speaks of His Church:
My beloved priest-companion, remind My people that the Church was born from My Heart, pierced with the soldier's lance on Calvary. From My pierced Heart the Church and her sacraments were born. Two of these sacraments, the Eucharist and Baptism, were symbolized by the blood and water which flowed from My pierced side.
As the Church was born from My pierced Heart, so does the Church's life grow from the graces I continually give to her from My pierced Heart, this Heart which is now glorified.
I call all the members of My Church to help build up My Body, the Church, by coming to My pierced Heart. United to My Heart and dwelling within It, I will give to each the light and strength to carry out My Father's will in the building up of My Church.
Mary is Mother and Model of the Church. As Mother of the Church, she intercedes for all the graces the members need to contribute to the building up of My Church. As Model of the Church, as perfect imitator of Me, she shows the children of the Church how all, individually and collectively, are to be increasingly formed in My image. As all come to My Heart for the building up of My Church, let them do so united in the Heart of Mary.
My Church is experiencing critical and difficult times. There are many divisions within My Church. There are many false teachings, including some put forth by certain theologians. These false teachings occur because those responsible for such are not in proper union with My vicar, the Pope, and the Church's Magisterium. I want all My children to pray daily for the cure of the many and serious ills of the Church. With the increase of prayers and sacrifices for the health of the Church, that day will soon come when the Church will be purified and revitalized. When that day comes, the renewed Church will be characterized by the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. Thus the message of Fatima will have reached its completion.
I am Lord and Master. I request that all My people listen to My words and respond to them. I love My people with a tremendous love and, in this great love, I give them this message! (Message from Jesus given to Fr. Carter).13
The Spiritual Life and the Christian Virtues
The life of sanctifying grace expresses itself through the various Christian virtues. Let us take a brief look at this life:
The Persons of the Blessed Trinity have communicated Themselves to us in lavish love. When a person is in the state of grace, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit dwell within that person in an extraordinary fashion.
Such is the intimacy of this Trinitarian communication that the Persons of the Trinity imprint Their image upon us. This image is our life of grace, our created participation in the life of the Trinity. We receive this life at Baptism, and our privilege and responsibility are to develop it as fully as possible during our earthly journey before experiencing its culmination in eternal life.
"Because Christ in His humanity is Mediator of our life of grace, it possesses not only a Trinitarian dimension, but a Christic aspect as well. We can readily understand, then, why our grace-life is very appropriately also called the Christ-life.
Our Christ-life is centered in faith and love. Christian faith gives us an extraordinary capacity to know realities about God and the things of God. The virtue of Christian love allows us to accompany this faith-knowledge with an appropriate love-response. Christian hope is the chief support of faith and love. Finally, all the other Christian virtues are variously connected with these three main Christian capacities.14
We hear much about faith and love, the two main Christian virtues. However, hope is also extremely important. One of the aspects of the virtue of hope is trust. Let's listen to a message of Jesus regarding trust:
My beloved priest-companion, tell my people to trust Me unreservedly. I am Lord and Master. I am God. So many fail to trust Me as they should. I love all My people much more than they love themselves! The great love I have for each person should encourage all to trust Me! The more you realize how much a friend loves you, the more you place your trust in that person. I am your perfect Friend. I love you much, much more than your best earthly friend! Tell My people to trust Me completely. Tell them to say often, 'Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You.' (Message of Jesus as given to Father Carter).15
Prayer
Here is a message from Mary on prayer. She tells us of the great importance of prayer regarding the spiritual life:
My beloved priest-son, many times I have taught you the great importance of prayer. I have obtained for you the grace so that you love to pray, not only during your set periods of prayer, but also during the day in a way which permits you to perform your daily duties. I have taught you to always be aware that all prayer should be made in union with the Mass. Indeed, the Eucharistic sacrifice is itself the greatest prayer. All other prayer should be consciously united with the Mass which is constantly being offered throughout the world. I have taught you the great importance of praying before the tabernacle. My Son is present there in the Eucharist-Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Special graces are given to those who pray before the tabernacle.
There is much to pray for in these most critical times. The Church and the world exist in most difficult times. I desire that all my children pray daily for all the needs of the Church and the world. I ask for special prayer for the conversion of sinners.
I ask that my children pray the rosary each day. Very special graces are given to those who do so. During these days of great purification, I promise special protection to those who regularly pray the rosary. I also promise protection to their loved ones.
Whatever form of prayer my children use, it should always be made in union with my Immaculate Heart. The more my children are united to me, the more I lead them to make their prayer in the Heart of my Son, Jesus. He, in turn, places all prayers in the bosom of the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
My dear son, keep reminding all my little ones of the great importance of prayer for their own needs and the needs of all others. Keep telling them of the great necessity of prayer for growth in love of God and neighbor. I love all my children with the most tender love. I desire that all listen to my words and live them in their daily lives! (Message of Mary as given to Father Carter).16
The Cross Leads to Life
Our incorporation into Christ at Baptism, and the gradual nurturing in that life, is centered in the pattern of death-resurrection. Indeed, the theme of death-resurrection is at the heart of salvation history. Let us briefly consider its place in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, and in our own lives, always remembering that any form of death-that is, any form of suffering-is meant to lead to greater life, greater peace, greater happiness.
The theme of death-resurrection is at the heart of Old Testament history. The Jewish people, under the leadership of Moses, experienced death-resurrection as they were formed into the people of the covenant, God's people. In the great Exodus event, they escaped Egyptian slavery, went on to Mt. Sinai where the covenant was ratified, and then progressed to the Promised Land. As members of the Mosaic covenant, as God's people, the Jews experienced religious transition. They passed over to a higher level of religious existence, to a more intimate union with God.
This religious transition contained death-resurrection. For the Jews to become people of the covenant, to remain so, and to grow in the life of the covenant, it was necessary that they undergo a mystical or spiritual death. In short, the Jewish people had to be willing to bear that which was difficult in covenant life. They had to be willing to die to that which was not according to God's will. This mystical death, however, had a very positive purpose. It was directed at life in the covenant and at growth in that life. This spiritual death, in other words, was aimed at resurrection.
Christ perfectly fulfilled the Old Testament theme of death-resurrection. In doing so, He, too, was experiencing a religious transition. He was passing over-gradually at first, then definitively in His death-to a new kind of existence, to the life of His resurrection, which He achieved not only for Himself, but for the entire human race. To achieve this newness of life, Jesus was willing to pay the price. Jesus was willing to suffer, even unto death. That it had to be that way, that the only way Christ could have achieved resurrection was through suffering and death, was pointed out by Jesus Himself to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus: "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His Glory?" (Lk 24: 25-26).
Christ has structured the Christian life by the way He lived, died, and rose from the dead. It is obvious, then, that the pattern of death-resurrection must be at the heart of the Church's life. Individually and collectively, we continually die with Christ so that we may continually rise with Him. Thus we pass over, in a process of continued religious transition, to a greater participation in Jesus' resurrection. It is true that our participation in Jesus' resurrection will reach its completion only in eternal life. Nevertheless, we begin the life of resurrection here on earth, in the here and now of human life, in the midst of joy and pain, in the experience of success and failure, in the sweat of our brow, in the enjoyment of all of God's gifts. As Christians, we should have a sense of growth concerning our here-and-now life of resurrection. Some seem to have a rather static view of the Christian life. They do not seem to have a vital and efficacious realization that the spiritual life, centered in death-resurrection, should become more conscious, more experiential, more dynamically relative to daily existence.
We cannot maintain the life of resurrection-our newness of life in Christ-without a willingness to suffer, a willingness to follow Jesus in the carrying of the cross. This does not mean that we need to feel overwhelmed and heavily burdened by the suffering in our lives. The greater portion of suffering for most Christians seems to be an accumulation of ordinary hardships, difficulties, and pains. At times, however, deep suffering, even suffering of agonizing proportions, can enter one's life. Whether our sufferings are of either the ordinary variety or the extreme and rare type, we must convince ourselves that to properly relate to the cross is to grow in resurrection. And to grow in resurrection ourselves means that we have an increased capacity to help give resurrection to others.
The pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary are the great symbols reminding us that to love God and neighbor requires a willingness to suffer. How much Jesus and Mary suffered for love of you and me! Our consecration to Their Hearts includes a willingness to carry the cross, not as an end in itself, but as a means to greater life. As we bear the cross in loving conformity to the Father's will, we grow in the Christ-life. With Mary at our side we come closer to Christ. Jesus, in turn, leads us closer to the Father in the Holy Spirit. And as we ourselves grow in the Christ-life, we become more apt instruments in helping to channel this life to others. Yes, the cross of Christ always points to life!
Relationships with Others and the World-at-large
The true Christian is imbued with a proper consciousness of others. That is to say, the true Christian is keenly aware that a great part of God's plan for us tells us that we must, according to His will, relate in various ways to our fellow human beings. Indeed, the Christian imperative tells us that we are to walk life's path, not in isolation, but hand in hand with our brothers and sisters of the human family.
To relate to others according to God's will, we must be properly aware of who they really are. We must, in short, be able to go beneath surface appearances, which may or may not be appealing to us, and contact others in their core existence. When we are truly in touch with others at the core of their beings, we are aware of their awesome dignity. We are conscious that these persons are created and redeemed by God's love. We are conscious that our merciful and loving Jesus shed His last drop of blood for each of them, that His Heart was pierced on the cross because He loved each of them without measure! We are conscious that this magnificent, pierced Heart, now in Its glorified state, still beats with the most special love for each individual upon this earth. Realizing all this, and doing so consistently, gives us the basis and the motivation to try to relate to all-both those we directly contact and those billions we never physically meet-with the greatest love.
In order to be in touch with the inner self of others, we must be aware of, or in touch with, our own true self. This awareness is a realization that our self is likewise made in the image of God, that we have been redeemed by Christ, and that we can only find true happiness through the constant effort to grow in love of God and neighbor. Here, then, we can see the profound interaction among the three awarenesses and loves-awareness and love of God, neighbor, and self. As Christians, consequently, we should have a maturing sense of how our existence is, in varied ways, profoundly linked with the existence of others. Again, this feeling of union with others is not limited to those we directly meet, but, in various ways, is directed to all members of the human family.
The world in which we live is an amazing mixture of that which is good and beautiful and brilliant and that which is sinful and ugly and dreadful. We have the privilege and responsibility of shaping this contemporary world according to its Christological imprint. Jesus put this image of Himself upon the world order by the way He lived and died and rose. We have to help in directing our fellow humans and their values along the path which has been made by the footprints of Jesus of Nazareth-a task that is not always easy. There are so many forces in today's world that work against Christ, His message, and the order He came to establish! But are we going to allow the forces of evil to discourage us from doing all we possibly can to make this a better world according to the designs of Christ? Jesus paid a terrible price to redeem the world. His Heart, which was pierced on the cross for our redemption, cries out to us in His great love for us. He asks us to do our part in helping make the world better reflect His image. In response to the great love which the Heart of Jesus has for each of us, let us, in union with Mary our Mother, often ask ourselves, "What have I done for Christ, what am I now doing for Christ, what am I going to do for Christ?"
Devotion to St. Joseph, Other Saints and the Angels
St. Joseph is Patron of the Universal Church. His power of intercession is indeed great. Joseph, while on earth, enjoyed extraordinary closeness to Jesus and Mary. And His union with them in heaven is even greater. Let us each day pray to St. Joseph to obtain for us the grace to come ever closer to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
We should also pray to the other saints in heaven, especially our favorite saints. The saints are members of the Church triumphant. We should also pray for the souls in purgatory and to them (they can help us). The souls in purgatory are members of the Church suffering. We, who are members of the Church militant here on earth, make up one Church with the saints in heaven and the souls in purgatory. We should be aware of the common bond which unites us in Christ.
We should also pray to the angels for help, especially to the archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, and to our own guardian angels.
Summary
We have given a proposed way of spiritual life for members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. All aspects of this way of life center in the living out of the act of consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Making and living out this consecration is our return of love to Jesus and Mary and, through them, our return of love to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, our consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary is also consecration to the Father and the Holy Spirit. We should always remember that our consecration to the Sacred Heart and to the Immaculate Heart is the way according to which Jesus and Mary invite us to live out our baptismal consecration, the consecration which originally made us belong to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let us always remember that we go to the Father through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, with Mary our Mother at our side.
We strongly encourage members of Shepherds of Christ Associates to reread regularly all of the above in a prayerful manner. This will provide an ongoing aid to help members grow in their consecration to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
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We have been given the following message from Our Lord. The message is meant for all members of Shepherds of Christ:
"...I will aid the Shepherds of Christ Ministries through honor and praise to Me as the Infant of Prague. Begin a true devotion to the Infant of Prague and watch as the Ministry begins to flourish, and the funds needed come to rest in the till. Ask all members to participate in this devotion. Request all religious involved to begin or renew a devotion to Me through the Infant of Prague. The more you honor Me the more I will help you. Trust and you will see. Open your hearts children and pray as a child, and I will respond to the needs of the Movement."
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Chapter 2
Important Messages given Before October 13,
1996
and
Messages Concerning Satan
May 26, 1996 - Pentecost Sunday - Jesus' Directions for
Apostles
March 26, 1996 - The Presence of God and a Message to Fr.
Carter
August 1, 1995 - Message from Jesus and Mary for Shepherds
of Christ Associates
September 26, 1996 - Division, the Devil, and Talking About Others
November 26, 1996 - Satan is Prowling This Earth
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May 26, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
Pentecost Sunday
7:45 a.m.
Jesus: I am writing to each member in the Shepherds of Christ chapters, each member in the movement, each apostle in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Movement.
On this great feast of Pentecost, I have chosen to deliver the following message to each of you: The Apostles proceeded fearlessly ahead in one mind, in one heart, and thousands were converted. The Church has grown to its size this day from the love and the fervor of the apostles, led by the Holy Spirit.
You are My apostles for the renewal of the Church and the world and for future generations to come. This is not a little task. I am giving to you abundant graces that you will proceed fearlessly ahead.
The Holy Spirit will descend upon you. You must pray fervently for His grace and direction. Before every gathering, business meeting, any time that you are called to meet, I am asking you to pray the following prayers from the Handbook:
Pray always the Holy Spirit Prayer,
Pray always the consecration prayers,
To be joined in one mind and one heart, you must take the consecration to your heart. Praying the consecration prayers together will bind you in one mind and one heart, in Our Hearts.
Pray the consecration prayers as a family. Pray the consecration prayers before the Mass. I am asking that prayer cards be published with the consecration prayers. I am asking that some laminated prayer cards be made available.
The Movement will proceed in one mind, in one heart, led by the Holy Spirit as the plan of the Father unfolds.
I am asking that you circulate the Morning Offering, in which all members offer every prayer, work, joy, and suffering to the Father in union with Me in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Holy Spirit.
You will unite in one mind and one heart in this offering of your lives to the Father, united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Holy Spirit. You will be one in all the Masses offered around the world. The graces will flow and many souls will be saved through this offering.
I am asking you to continue fervently to publish the Mass Book.
I am asking that you pray the rosary fervently, and from the heart, that you circulate the rosary meditations given to you from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. You will be joined in one mind and one heart, in Our Hearts. Our lives will live in your lives from praying the rosary.
I am asking you to publish the Rosary Book and the Children's Rosary Book as soon as possible. I am asking you to publish the Children's Rosary Book with meditations and to receive an imprimatur. The book should not be referred to as children's rosaries only, it is rosaries for children and their parents, given through the Junior Shepherds of Christ's meetings. In the beginning of this book, the messages of Fatima from Fr. Carter's book on Fatima, are to be included.
It is through the Shepherds of Christ Movement that I will greatly renew the Church and the world. You, the members. must unite in one mind and one heart and offer your lives, united to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Then, grace will speedily spread across the earth and souls will be saved through your prayers. You are My apostles this day. I am sending you into the darkness to light the world with the fire of My love.
All members in the Movement are encouraged to read the Blue Books. These are messages of My on-fire love for you. This Movement will flourish with burning hearts filled with My love when you circulate these messages. All members should read the second Blue Book, if possible before the tabernacle. I am talking to you and giving you My tender love letters.
The earth will be lighted and hearts, filled with My love, will sing the Song of Jesus across the land. I beg you to sing to Me the song, I Love You, Jesus. I long to hear you tell Me of your love for Me.
I am waiting for you to unite in deeper and deeper union with Me. There will be one flock and one Shepherd. Hearts united as one in the Shepherds of Christ Movement will spread the fire of My love on this earth.
I am Jesus. I am begging you to publish sheets with the Handbook prayers, to make available the red prayer books with the imprimatur, to circulate tapes with the prayers on them.
The prayers in the Handbook are a key to spreading the Movement. All must have access to these prayers. The prayers should be recited daily by the members.
Encourage apostles in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus to continue their commitment to pray before the tabernacle twice a week.
When the apostles proceeded fervently ahead in one mind and one heart there was no bumping of heads and many were converted because of the burning love of God in their hearts. Millions and millions of souls are at stake. Millions and millions of souls will fervently love Me and adore My Heart with greatest love because of the work you do.
You are the apostles this day. This is the feast of Pentecost. This is My message for each one of you.
You do not know how I suffered for the loss of one precious soul. Your Mother is calling you in a special way on this feast of Pentecost to help to save her children from going into hell. As you join in one mind and one heart and unite every action to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, many souls will be converted--many souls will be saved and many souls will fervently love Me.
I am Jesus. Please publish the message of March 26 (1996) to Father Carter telling him how the fire of My love will spread across the earth when hearts fervently love Me.
I love you, I love you, I love you. I show you My Heart - My Mother shows you her heart--this is a symbol of Our love for you. I gave My life that you would have life. I want to live in you. Many will be converted as I become one in you. I no longer walk this earth-you are My apostles that I am sending into the world to spread the fire of My love.
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March 26, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
R. I came to All Saints Church before a beautiful Monstrance of gold that contained Our beloved Savior. He was adorned in light, the altar beneath shone with the brightest light and the cross behind was entirely silhouetted with the same celestial light. I was overwhelmed with the presence of God and cried deeply from the awe of it all.
To be so aware of the Almighty God truly present in His splendor and glory--to know the presence of God, to see the glistening of the gold and the light and reflection of the cross behind Him--my beauteous love--words do not exist to describe the rapture of a heavenly embrace! I cry because of the immense awe within my being to know Him. God truly present in His majesty and glory and oh, God, I behold the presence of a heavenly court. You opened wide the heavens and lifted up the veil and I knew You in Your splendor and glory. I behold God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." He is the Almighty God. He shows us the celestial lights with which He will light this earth. Many must surrender their hearts to His Heart and Mary's heart. It is in surrendering, the Spirit will move in the hearts of men and the light of God will shine on the darkened earth. Not with a light that you comprehend, but a light that is divinely granted--a light beyond all lights, a vision beyond all visions. It takes the surrender of minds and hearts to God. The Spirit cannot move in us when we are in control. Surrender and give Him our heart and He will make us fishers of men.
We are His apostles in the Shepherds of Christ Movement. He is sending us out into the world to light the hearts with His burning love. We are chosen by Him and He is giving us abundant graces to grow in our union with Him. He will light this world with His burning love. Our hearts must be open. We must surrender and let go and reach beyond the senses, reach with our hearts. Pray for faith, pray for the vision of God.
Note: I cried all through this writing, having the presence of God and being in great ecstasy to behold Him. May God touch your heart and may His Spirit move within you. May you be filled with the grace of God to surrender and let Him accomplish a great work within you.
And I was filled on high with His miraculous light and He reached down and spoke within me. I was filled as never before and knew the presence of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Note: As I finished, the bells at All Saints Church rang at 9:00 A.M. As I began to experience the immense splendor, the bells of 8:00 rang. Words do not express anything that I saw or experienced or know from this ecstasy. This was the greatest and the first of three visions, which defined clearly to me our role in the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Jesus defines clearly the role of Fr. Carter in this great mission given to him by the Father.
For Fr. Carter from Jesus:
To him who has eyes to see, they will see - not with earthly vision, but with the eyes of faith, and to him who has ears to hear, he will hear with the fluttering of the Spirit moving within him.
I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I am the Almighty God. I say to the rocks to fall and they fall and to the grass, grow, and it grows, and to the sun, shine, and it shines. I give to you My love in these letters. Filled with My love, you will conquer this earth, not with weapons and powder or force, but with fires of My love. The fire will wipe out the hatred in the cold hearts and the earth will be covered with My celestial light. The earth will rock and I will appear in the heavens adorned in power and glory and the contrite hearts will be saved. I came to separate the sheep from the goats, the light from the darkness. I come and no one pays Me heed.
To you, My beloved son, Father Carter, I have sent you on a mission to spread this fire that will cover this earth. The hearts of men will turn from their sick and desolate ways to hearts gentle as a little lamb.
There will be one flock and one Shepherd and My staff will rule over all. Hearts consecrated to Our Hearts will lead the light across the earth. This light will be a light of intense brightness, brighter and hotter than any light from a flame. It will be the fire of God's love. The Spirit will move in the hearts of all consecrated to My Heart, and you will know how fire truly spreads, for the love of God is a fire. It is vibrant. It is encompassing. It is smoldering, burning deep within and speedily spreading on the outside. No fire on this earth can ever describe the burning embers that burn from the Sacred Heart of Jesus. No fire burns like the fires coming from My Heart and hearts filled with the love from the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
I have written your name, Fr. Carter, in My Heart, never ever to be blotted out and this earth will be renewed with the fire of God's love through you. You are My beloved priest-son, forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. Most holy and most sacred are your hands that consecrate the Host and write My precious newsletter for My beloved priest-sons. You are never unguarded. You are held within the deepest chamber of My Heart, and you will spread My love to the priest-sons of this earth.
I am Jesus. You will spread My love to all souls on this earth. I love you with the tenderest burning love. I am Jesus, your beloved Savior.
[ < Contents ]
Messages from Jesus and Mary for Shepherds of Christ Associates
Jesus: My Dear Shepherds of Christ Chapters:
I am Jesus, your beloved Savior. Satan is pressing on My beloved members causing much confusion and doubt. It is in moving steadfastly ahead that this Movement will turn many hearts that have turned from God's love back to His love.
You are My chosen ones. I am sending you into the fields. You will plant the seeds in the hearts of all you touch. I will provide the water and the sunlight and many hearts will be united to the Immaculate Heart and Sacred Heart throughout this world.
I am molding you. I am shaping you. I am drawing you more and more closely to My Heart. Pray every day the Prayer for Union for union with Jesus.
My special ones, you are chosen and called by My Father for the plan of salvation. You are My special apostles to spread the love of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart across the land. I am giving you abundant graces to carry out the plan of the Father. As you proceed steadfastly ahead, the plan is unfolding.
You are commissioned in Baptism to carry out My life, death, and resurrection in your lives. Meditating on the mysteries of the rosary helps you to do this.
As you are in your hearts, so shall you be to this world. I am Jesus, your beloved Savior. I am filling you with My life. As you come more and more to the Eucharistic Sacrifice and receive Me in Holy Communion, as you come and spend time with Me in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, you are more and more saturated with My life. My life I give to you. You partake in My divine life and I live in you and minister to hurting souls.
I have chosen the Shepherds of Christ Movement as a powerful instrument for renewing My Church and My world. You are the instruments I have chosen to help in this renewal. You have been called, hand-picked by My Father, to be apostles spreading Our love to the world. Through this network of Shepherds of Christ Associates chapters I will reach many starved souls.
I am calling you to the deepest union with Me. As you unite more and more with My Heart, as you live in Me, through Me, and with Me, I will spread My burning love to the world.
I am Jesus. The seeds of time work exceedingly slow. The hearts of many men have turned to stone. I am applying abundant graces to all you touch. Pray each prayer in the Handbook every day. As you unite more and more to My Heart, your intercessory prayer is greater and greater.
Pray always with Me to the Father, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Holy Spirit, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, and with all the angels and saints and souls in purgatory.
Come and dwell in the heart of My Mother. Let her cradle you in her abundant love. As you dwell in her heart, you will dwell ever more deeply in My Heart. I will bathe you continually in My tender and gentle love. This world will know the fire of My love through you!
When the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles, the Apostles were transformed from fear to fearlessness. Pray to the Holy Spirit to transform you in the heart of My beloved Mother. Your hearts will be filled, burning with love for God. You will proceed fearlessly into the world and spread My love to hurting souls.
The love of God within, His life within, is a power too mighty to be contained. It radiates from your eyes and your face. It is heard in your voice. Let the vibrancy of the Divine Love and the Divine Life be transmitted to the world. Surrender, unite ever closer to My Heart.
I am using the Shepherds of Christ Movement to renew My beautiful souls in this world. It is through this movement that I am reaching the nursing homes and will contact the hurting souls of this world-prisons, hospitals, etc. I am using the Shepherds of Christ Junior Movement to renew the children of America."17
Mary: My children are hurting and in pain. It is through the tender and pure hearts of children that many will be led back to the Heart of my Son.
Each moment souls are going more deeply into darkness. Through the Shepherds of Christ Movement my Son will reach so many hurting souls in the world. I am Mary, your Mother. We are teaching adults and children alike through the rosary. Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary are gifts we are giving to this world. As you meditate more and more on the mysteries of Our lives, you will live more and more according to the Father's will. I am giving you these rosaries to enkindle this burning love in your hearts. Pray the rosary with these meditations and messages and Our lives will fill your whole being.
Pray, my little children, with your whole heart, your whole soul, and your whole being. My Son, Jesus, loves you so much. I am Mary, your Mother. I am begging you to pray for my little lost children of this world. Many of my precious children will be lost to the fires of hell. I am calling out to you to come to Our Hearts. You will be the light that shines in the dark night when you are filled with burning love of my Son, Jesus.
I am Mary, your Mother, and thank you for responding to my request.18
- From "In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Newsletter
of Shepherds of Christ Associates"
Volume 1, No. 2, 1995. pp. 1-2.
[ < Contents ]
September 26, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
R. When we go to confession our souls are made clean and we can unite in deepest union with Jesus.
It is wrong to slander, to talk about one another. The devil is attempting to pry us apart and rip us apart at the seems.
The way of God is peace and oneness. The way of the devil is disruption and division.
His grace permeates my soul. After confession I am cleansed and I can be so close to Jesus.
The devil tries immediately after confession to get us to sin.
It is in the purity I can unite deeply to Him.
Confession is a new beginning. Acting as Jesus, the priest has the power to take away our sins.
The moment I begin to talk about or engage in conversation against others, my purity falls and I am less able to be one with Jesus, who is love.
Jesus is not divided against any soul. He showed us how He suffered persecution to His death and He did not talk about them.
He accepted Mary Magdalene despite all her sin. He did not talk about her, He loved her.
Do we want to follow Jesus? Could we see Jesus talking about others?
The devil is stealing our hearts. He is trying to get us to talk about one another. When we talk about others, we sacrifice the purity of our soul.
There is a negative spirit moving in the Movement. The spirit wants to divide us. We will undergo horrendous testing. Do not give into the bad spirit, to pry us apart and make us sin.
When one person, who has not spent time with Jesus, begins to complain about others, we must not give in to them. There is an energy that comes forth from a person talking about others that is negative and wounding. It zaps the energy of the person listening. They must be holy to withstand this attack from Satan. There is division, created by a divided heart and fed by Satan's evil hand.
The devil is using this to divide the Movement, this energy created by a few of his souls who refuse to do as Jesus told us.
Jesus: Leaders in the Movement must pray one hour before the tabernacle daily. If you do not, Satan will work on the weakest link and create great problems in the Movement.
No one is exempt. I am telling you once and for all, your Movement is a movement of love. There is division among you. You will not proceed ahead as I wish with such divided hearts.
Some continue to discuss one another in hatred and pass a negative energy from one to another where there should be love and peace.
Satan is working on the tongues that lash out at others. Satan is in the hearts of those who make themselves better than others. You are to be in one heart.
To make yourself right and other wrong is NOT from God. My way is peace and love!
The negative energy is being passed through your Movement and wounding the hearts of many. You sacrifice your purity when you discuss others angrily.
I say to you, woe to those who harbor anger in their hearts. I am watching every move you make and I know your every thought and word you utter. DO NOT GIVE INTO SATAN! He is permeating your Movement with a negative energy of people who continue to give into his tauntings. I do not want you to angrily discuss one another. It is indeed a sin and divides your heart from Me.
Please publish this letter to all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
[ < Contents ]
November 26, 1996
Messages given through Rita Ring
Mike Arlinghaus' Home
Excerpts from Joyful Mysteries, The Visitation
Jesus: My beloved ones, Satan is prowling this earth like a roaring lion looking for My beloved shepherds to devour. You are the shepherds that I am sending into the world to lead the stray ones to My Heart. He aims to stop you, to create confusion, doubt and division in your life, to make you feel fearful. I am giving to you My abundant grace that your hearts will be filled with immense love. You must not give into Satan, but you must be aware of his working in your life. He is near to you--the fallen angel wants to stop you. I am telling you that you will experience so much confusion, so much pressure in your life--but you must be calm, you must come to Me, you must move steadfastly ahead despite the distractions and trouble that you are feeling in your life. All through the day, you will be taunted and pressed on. You must spend time in private prayer with Me, preferably before the tabernacle. If you cannot come to the tabernacle, you must take time each day to come to Me that I can fill your hearts with My messages of My love. I will tell you what you need to know to face the troubles in your life. If you do not spend this time alone with Me each day, you will not be able to handle the pressure of the evil one that is pressing hard on you, My beloved ones. You will be distracted and you will lose your way. Time is of the utmost importance in your life each day. If you come to Me in the night, if you come to Me in the early morning, I will spend this time helping you to understand the problems in your life. Do not try to go through the day without coming to Me. You will experience the difficulties that will be impossible to handle. I am giving to you the grace of My love in this time that you come to Me to help you handle the difficulties in your life. You are My chosen shepherds, he will press on you, will make you want to run away--you must not give in. The more you are tempted and say you cannot take the pressure, the more he will press on you. You must realize his presence, that he is working on you all through the day, but know I am with you. Come to Me. You will receive grace when you go through these trials. You must know that this is happening in your life. You must not close your eyes to the workings of Satan for he aims to stop My beloved shepherds. It is in time spent alone with Me that you will withstand the trials in your life.
I am sending St. Michael to your aid. You must pray for the strength. You must pray all through the day to the Father, in the name of Jesus, in union with Jesus in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in the Holy Spirit, with all the angels and saints, and the souls in purgatory, to the powerful intercession of Our Lady. You must pray, for you do not understand the power of a heartfelt prayer. It is through prayer that this Movement will move ahead across this earth. It is only in prayer, through Me, that My Movement will move ahead. You must not overestimate your power. Your power must come through Me. You must be entirely rooted in Me. You must become one in Me. Pray the Prayer for Union with Me. I am Jesus. I have spoken to you, My beloved apostles, for you will be pressed on but I am your strength for I am guarding you. You are precious to Me.
Satan will create division between you and the ones you love. You will have confusion, you will have doubt, you will have trouble, you will have misunderstandings. You must always remember how you love one another and operate according to My love.
He will divide you from the ones that you are closest to, the one that you must love, the one that will give you the strength to proceed ahead in this Movement. Do not give into his tauntings to divide you. He will trick you. You will not even understand how your heart has turned to negativism and to division. I am Jesus. You must pray for the grace to be able to withstand the tauntings of Satan.
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SofC Home ]
Chapter 3
Important Messages given After
October 13, 1996
1st Major Message from God the Father - January 11,
1997
2nd Major Message from God the Father - January 18, 1997
December 19, 1996 - Message from Jesus
December 19, 1996 - Message from Mary
February 8, 1997 - There will be a Great Era in which the
King will Reign
February 1, 1997 - My Gift is My Heart: A Tool for Greater
Intimacy with Jesus
February 19, 1997 - Intimacy with Jesus and Others
February 6, 1997 - Candlelight Rosary
November 14, 1996 - Directions from Jesus
March 18, 1997 - Directions from Jesus
[ < Contents ]
January 11, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
God the Father: My plan will unfold despite the willfulness of any of My children. I am the Father. I have guided you in all of your activities.
I am telling you that the members of the Shepherds of Christ must be made aware of the importance of living the Blue Book messages.
Planning is up to Me. This is My plan and it will unfold. Men plan for the future. I AM.
I am directing the Shepherds of Christ Movement through these messages.
I am angered at the lack of response on the part of some to back these messages. You must support these messages so they are lived by man.
These messages are given from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary to bring about the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the triumph of My beloved Mary's Immaculate Heart.
You are given all you need. You must adhere to My plan.
I am the Father. I AM WHO AM. I was in the beginning, I am now and I will be forever.
I am telling you to obey the directions given by Jesus in these messages.
My plan will unfold. The completion of the Fatima message will greatly come through the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
You must circulate the tape, Mary's Message. You must circulate the messages given to you in God's Blue Books and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
The renewal in the Church will greatly come through the newsletter and the books published with the imprimatur. You must publish all books on the Mass with the imprimatur. Prayer chapters must be started in the churches.
The instructions for the priests will come from doing as I have requested. I beg you to circulate the Priestly Newsletter Book to the priests as soon as possible. The priests must be made aware of the Mass Books.
The Children's Rosary Book must be published immediately. Your work, Fr. Carter and Rita, is to publish this material.
Heaven has contacted the earth primarily in these messages to bring about the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart.
The plan will unfold. It is My plan. You must be obedient to the directions I give to you here. The Movement is a great star of light to this world. From the Movement the earth will be covered with stars of light and the earth will be lighted through your efforts, Fr. Carter.
I will give you all you need. The plan will unfold. It is My plan to turn sinful men into obedient, loving children.
I have delivered this message that you will know My plan is unfolding. Many will be lost because of their willfulness. I demand obedience to My requests. The plan will unfold. It pleases Me greatly that you obey My messenger. She is delivering these messages to you from the Son, My beloved Son, God-made-Man.
The messages of the love of God will be written on the hearts of men through the writings of Fr. Carter and Rita to bring about the reign of His Most Sacred Heart.
I am displeased with those who have blocked these messages. Anyone continuing to block My messages given through the Hearts of Jesus and Mary will receive a shock that will envelope them.
The time is very urgent. The time has run out for sinful man. I am angered at the way the world has treated their Mother. Willful children must be punished. I demand obedience. Mary gave to her children her peace plan and she was ignored by the Church and her children. Mary is Mother of the Church and Mother of her children. Willful children must be admonished. Children must obey their Mother.
Mary appeared on the building in Florida as Mother of all. You have made money your god. You have ignored God and made this world your end.
I am God. I AM WHO AM, without a beginning, without an end. I am today, tomorrow and always. You do not comprehend My ways with your feeble minds. You must obey the messages given by My Son and His Mother. These messages I give to you as a gift and a great revelation from heaven. You must be thankful and cherish this gift given. I will not remove My gift to you for I know you will obey Me. I will admonish you when you do not respond as you should.
I have called you and anointed you, My holy priest (Fr. Carter), to lead this world to the light. The Light of the world is My Son, Jesus. His Heart will reign and the heart of your Mother will triumph. I beg you to surrender and obey and watch My plan unfold. There will be a great era of peace very soon, My little children. All you do today will help to save many souls. Many souls will know the love of God through the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Many souls will love God with burning love.
I give you this gift. Your writings, Fr. Carter, and the writings of My messenger, Rita, will help greatly to bring about the reign of the Sacred Heart.
I am the Father. I am the Almighty God. You must believe I have chosen you. I have called each member here this day to hear this message. I have called you to be the apostles of the new era of peace. I have called you by name. You will lead men to the Heart of My Son. You must listen and focus all of your attention to this mission I have given to you.
I am the Father. From the day you were conceived, I formed you in your mother's womb, knowing the great mission I would call you to today. My children, My children, do not be distracted by the evil one to lead you astray. I am counting on you, My beloved shepherds. You must not be led astray by doing other good works. I have called you, this is My plan, it is unfolding. You are a major part of the success of this plan for the renewal of the Church and the world.
Your work in the Shepherds of Christ Movement greatly pleases Me.
I AM, WHO AM. I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the Almighty God. You must be obedient children. It is through your obedience that the consecration will spread to many souls on the earth.
It is through your obedience to help spread the priestly newsletter and start prayer chapters in churches that many priests will love God with the greatest love in the Mass. I am asking you to spread the Mass Book to priests and sisters. Please pray for the priestly newsletter, the quick spread of the material given in the newsletter and for the priests reading the newsletter.
Heaven has contacted the earth. The light will shine in the dark corners of the world. Men will respond to the Shepherds of Christ Movement. You must not be afraid. You must do as I have asked you.
I have called you by name, My chosen ones, from the beginning I formed you and I gave to you the talents needed to accomplish this mission on the earth.
Your talents are gifts from Me to be used for this purpose. You are the Shepherds of Christ. You are the apostles of the new era.
There will be a new earth, there will be love on this earth as I intend it to be. My children will love one another, you will walk hand in hand, loving God and one another in harmony and peace.
R. ...Thy kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven...
Jn 1:1-18 (From The New Jerusalem Bible):
In the beginning was the Word:
the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through Him all things came into being,
not one thing came into being except through Him.
What has come into being in Him was life,
life that was the light of men;
and light shines in darkness,
and darkness could not overpower it.
A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
to bear witness to the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
he was to bear witness to the light.
The Word was the real light
that gives light to everyone;
he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had come into being through him,
and the world did not recognize him.
He came to his own
and his own people did not accept Him.
But to those who did accept Him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name
who were born not from human stalk
or human desire
or human will
but from God himself.
The Word became flesh,
He lived among us,
and we saw His glory,
the glory that he has from the Father as only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
John witness to him. He proclaims:
'This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me
has passed ahead of me
because he existed before me.'
Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us,
received--
one gift replacing another,
for the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is close to the Father's heart,
who has made him known.
R. We do not even see Our Father as so important to us.
A little child is always aware of their father. A little child knows how dependent he is on his father, always wanting to please his father.
A little child is always aware of his mother and obeying her. A little child loves his mother. Look at how unloving we are to Mary.
We are children of God, with God the Father as Our Father and Mary as our heavenly Mother.
[ < Contents ]
January 18, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
God the Father: My Dear Children,
I am the Father. My plan is unfolding through you, My beloved priest, Fr. Carter, and Rita and the core group in the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
I tell you all to read the accounts concerning Noah. Nowhere in history has God been offended as He is this day by this sinful world. You will suffer a fate for the offenses against God.
Mary appeared at Fatima to warn you, the sinful children, how they were offending God, but you did not listen. The war did not change the hearts of many evil men.
I warn you through My beloved daughter, Mary. You did not heed her warnings. Disobedience against the Mother I gave you displeases Me greatly. Mary is the Mother of all children. Mary is a gift from Me, but you are willful and abuse the gift I send you.
You do not make reparation to her Immaculate Heart; you continue to offend her. I will not tolerate the deeds of evil men any longer.
My plan will unfold. Any disobedience to these messages given by Me, My Son, or your Mother Mary will cause Me great displeasure.
I am the Father, the Almighty God, the Alpha, the Omega; you are a sinful people, a chosen race sinning against a loving God.
I am angered at your ways for they are not My ways, you have run amuck, you have offended your God, you have disobeyed your Mother and My beloved Son who died to save you.
I will act on all who continue in such sin. The sheep will be separated from the goats; the goats will receive punishment for their deed. Heaven and earth will kiss, there will be love in all hearts, justice will prevail and My children will be children of light, children that obey as I intended from the beginning.
Oh indeed My sweet messenger, I look to the earth and see the darkness, I see the disobedience of men against their Mother. I know the deeds committed and the evil in the hearts of so many. Justice will prevail and I will wipe out the earth. Only the children of light will remain, those who have given their hearts to their Mother Mary.
Do you think I send your Mother Mary as a messenger to be disobeyed by willful children? What do you think about at night, the cat, the dog, the fish? You don't know love. You don't love God or one another. This is My command to you, to love. You are a sinful, willful race, and the devil will vanish from the hearts of the children of light for they will be under the protection of her Immaculate Heart, the other children will be wiped off the face of the earth.
Disobey My messenger, ignore your Mother, ignore the Son in these messages. Ignore My Son who died for you.
Oh you sinful people filled with pride and disobedience, I give you the directions here to turn your hearts to love.
My Son has revealed Himself as never before in history into His tremendous love for men and you treat Our gift with such indifference.
I am angered at the lack of support to spread the messages of My Son's love for all.
You worry for funds, worry more, I am God the Father, the Almighty God. You disobeyed Mary, you disobeyed Jesus, now you will disobey Me?
You must obey My directions, the directions given through My Son, Jesus for the unfolding of the Father's plan.
No longer will I wait while willful men check and deliberate and disobey.
My plan will unfold through the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
I am talking through these messages given by My Son and Mary to tell you how to accomplish this task of carrying out My plan.
You must obey. The directions are given in these messages to spread the fire of God's love across this earth, to renew the Church and the world.
Because of willful men these messages have been held in check.
I am God, the maker of all things. You have made money your god. I want obedience, the funds will come when you obey all of the directions I have given to you.
Anyone who interferes with these messages will be removed.
These are the messages I give to the world. Fr. Carter's newsletter will teach the priests, all they need to know to be holy, loving priests.
Many priests are not loving, they are cold in their hearts. I will instruct the clergy through the newsletter.
My Son is the Chief Priest and Teacher. He has taught the world the secrets of His Heart through the writings of Fr. Carter and Rita, to go to men to check the value of these writings displeases Me.
You must have faith, you must study the entire revelations given here. You are not valuing My great gift to you.
I am the power, I am God, to the ends of the earth, I will be with you. My plan will unfold. You must think big, not on a human level. You must come to Me.
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
I am telling you to circulate the tape of January 13 (1997) as soon as possible. This tape must be released to the world. It is the message to go with the apparition on the building in Florida.
You must make every connection with Mary's message given December 12 (1996) and the messages given by Mary with the apparition of her on the building in Florida.
Time is very short and My patience is very thin. I will strike the earth and the evil men will scatter and there will be a reign of peace where men will love God as I intended. The evil men will be chastised for I sent your Mother to warn you and you disobeyed. I gave My Son as a sacrifice and you treated Him with indifference. I am angry at the creatures on this earth. I will lessen the chastisement if you make reparation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Oh willful children, you disobey your Mother, you are unloving and willful and your ways are evil. You are a sinful race.
I am sending water, rain to quench your thirst, My beloved children of light; I am sending fire to burn the fields for the sinful children, they will suffer drought and will fall to the ground dead, they will know fire, they will know the wrath of God. For I speak and I am ignored.
I am using the Shepherds of Christ Movement to majorly carry out the plan begun at Fatima. Every day lost is a lost day. I give to you Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as your directions to help the plan unfold. Circulate these rosaries to all chapters and stress their importance.
The tape of January 13 (1997) is important to the world. The tape must be circulated with the apparition in Florida and the messages typed and put on the Internet with the rest of the messages I have given. The connection must be made between the apparition and the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
Satan will attack you strongly, he will create division and give messages through other visionaries to get you off coarse. You must obey My directions given in these messages to help bring about the completion of the Fatima message.
I will weed out anyone interfering with My plan.
I will tell you when you have deviated from My plan, do not taunt My messenger, this displeases Me. Read the messages for direction and obey them.
The directions given are strong to correct a sick world. You must quit focusing on the messenger and obey Me.
I am the Father, these are My messages to bring about the reign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart.
You think of money and miss the gift given. You are men bolted to the earth. You must obey Me. I have all the power.
[ < Contents ]
December 19, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Children,
I am Jesus. I am calling you on the l3th of each month. I will give you, My apostles, My special messages to light the world with My love. You are My lights. I send you into the darkness. Please study My messages. I am operating through you. You must live your consecration to Our Hearts. You will lead the strayed ones home to My Heart. I want your tender love. Oh, please give your hearts to My Mother and Me. I want your hearts. I love you.
I am the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
[ < Contents ]
December 19, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
A Christmas Message for the Shepherds of Christ Associates,
Mary: My little Children in the Shepherds of Christ Movement,
My Son and I give you this gift this Christmas, Rosaries from Our Hearts. We will write the messages of Our love on your hearts. You will hear Us speak to you in your hearts whenever you read the rosaries in this book or listen to any tapes recorded from Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
I am your Mother. My Son is giving to you abundant graces to dwell in Our Hearts when you read, study or pray these Rosaries from Our Hearts.
I appeared at Fatima on the 13th of the month.
My Son, Jesus, has called you on the 13th of the month to hear His messages.
My Son, Jesus, is asking you to help in the completion of the Fatima message. These messages, given from Him on the 13th, are of major importance to the completion of my mission given at Fatima.
You are His shepherds He is sending into the world to lead the strayed ones to His Heart through the consecration.
The Ministries in the Shepherds of Christ Movement must spread to all souls on the earth.
You are His apostles to spread the consecration to the world. You must contact the Church, the schools, and the family as we have instructed in the Shepherds of Christ Apostles Manual.
Please, my beloved shepherds, let go of other distractions in your life and focus on what my Son, Jesus, is asking you today.
Will you commit yourself to His Movement to renew the Church and the world? Will you be His apostles to lead the strayed ones to His Heart?
You were given a special calling from Him to be an apostle. Oh, the world needs His light. You will make ready a pathway for Him. Carry His light into the darkness.
My Son is majorly communicating to you in this Movement in the Blue Book messages. We are communicating to you in the Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
Please help Us. Please come on the 13th of the month.
This is a major part of the completion of the Fatima message.
My Son, Jesus, calls you now. Will you say 'no' to Him? The rosaries, with messages from my Son, are available on live tapes, discerned by Fr. Carter. Please listen each day to a small amount of the tape. Advance the tape to any place and listen for at least five minutes. He will talk to you. He will speak in your heart.
Included is my message on tape for you, titled Mary's Message. I have requested and My Son, Jesus, has requested you spread my message and this the tape to the world. I have requested the tape be made on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Please pray to me under this title and pray to the Infant of Prague for the funds to circulate these messages to the world.
This is the gift I ask you to give my Son this Christmas. Commit yourself to serving Him in this Movement and live the messages you are given in God's Blue Books and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
I am your Mother. The Child Jesus gives you Himself. Will you give Him yourself?
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February 8, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
There will be a great era in which the King will reign on His throne as never before. He will reign in their hearts.
Men will fervently love God and each other. Now the world is living in a dim light. Oh, it is there, the Mass, the sacraments, the priests. Oh, they are a people walking in darkness, they are blind, they do not see, they do not know.
And so the Lady appeared at Fatima and she told them what would bring about this great era and promised that it would come. She told to them the secret to bring it about. The Father sent her, the messenger, the woman clothed as the sun, and men did not listen. And the streets are dark and dingy, and the men on the earth will remain in a half-lighted fog when the day could be bright.
Only in giving themselves in consecration will they see the light. Only in giving themselves to Mary will they be brought forth, the children of light. Only in going to her pure and sinless heart will we be able to unite in such depth to the Heart of Christ that we will know Him and His love and He will live in us in a profound union.
She is the key. She unlocks the treasure - the treasure promised and foretold in all the books in the Bible: ...Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
And they walked hand in hand, the children of light, and the children of darkness. The Lady appeared and coaxed them to come to her heart. They said 'no', my Lady, I don't need you and your motherly ways. I need only my world. And they went down a road that led to the destruction of their souls. And you could hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth as they fell into the pit of darkness.
And the children of light marched into the new era. They were living as one, holy, happy family as the Father intended according to His will and relishing the great gifts of the era.
The light reigned in their hearts. We spread the light when we encourage priests, religious, men, women and children, to consecrate their hearts. We are walking hand in hand.
The veil will be removed and people will know God so much more. To know Him as we should only comes in immense love and adoration given to Him. The Mass and sacraments will be the fountain in which His divine life will flow copiously and feed the people. They will feast on His life, they will know His love and live His Word. His Word will penetrate their heart and soul and they will cry because they will be in awe of God. They will have this profound oneness with the Divine God, knowing and being united to all Three Persons and they will be one with each other, united in such love, according to His will.
And now the Church is walking in darkness. They do not know how it will be when He is the King on His throne. He has been moved from His throne in many churches and His reign appears weak. Men see themselves as the authority, when in fact there is no authority or power except His. Men have become haughty, arrogant and domineering.
He will reign, He must be accepted as the King with power. Men have tried to take control of His power.
When the King reigns in full power in the Church and the hearts of men, the lights will shine, the grace will flow, the earth will be bright and beautiful as the Father intended.
In the Shepherds of Christ Movement He is giving us great grace to live as the Father intends us to be. We truly are the light shinning in the dark night. We will be one family, as a small Church, loving God with the love He deserves. He is reigning in the hearts of His apostles and in the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
He is the King. He has given His instructions through these writings to help bring His reign into fullness. He has lifted the veil and we are living as it will be during this new era.
Jesus: I urgently request that the rosaries be prayed in the chapters. I will give to them the great grace I have granted in your core chapter when you received the rosary. I promised, and Mary promised to be with you when you prayed the rosary and give great graces to bring you into Our Hearts.
I now promise that when the rosary is prayed, preferably in candlelight as My Mother requested, with the tape, the chapters will receive extraordinary graces that will draw them into My Heart. I will be there and My Mother will be there in the live rosary. This is called a live rosary for I am there, reigning in a special way in their hearts. Men's hearts will burn for love of Me with these rosaries. I am giving abundant grace in these live rosaries to help bring about the reign of My Sacred Heart and triumph of My Mother's Immaculate Heart.
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February 1, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
First Saturday
Title: My Gift is My Heart: A Tool for Greater Intimacy with Jesus
Jesus: My Dear Beloved Ones,
I am asking you for greater intimacy with Me in order to accomplish this task. I am asking you daily in the hour that you spend with Me, preferably before the tabernacle, or in your room, in this intimate hour, that you write to Me a love letter. For 10 minutes of the hour, I am asking you to answer the question--how do I feel in my heart about My beloved Jesus? In this love letter you will talk to Me as your most intimate friend. You will share with Me the sores you feel in your heart. You will share with Me your joy, your praise, your sorrow, your weak points, your strong points. You will focus on Me, as your Divine Healer. You will keep these letters to Me in a notebook entitled, "My Love Letters to Jesus." I then will ask you to open up the Blue Book messages which are My love letters to you. You will then read My love letters to you. You will continue talking to Me for l0 minutes about your letter to Me and My letter to you. At the same time I ask you to continue publishing all the love letters I have given to man.
This is the tool that I give to you that you will become My most intimate lover and I say to you, "To be an intimate lover, you must spend time being intimately involved. This time will become a most cherished half hour daily."
When you go to Mass and Holy Communion, always pray the Prayer Before the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The Mass is the greatest love affair between God and man. I ask you during the Mass to continue your love affair with Me as you give yourself to Me in complete love. It is in the time after Communion, in the 20 minutes spent alone with Me, that we will share the most intimate love secrets of our hearts. We will be joined in such oneness with each other. I am calling you to circulate this letter immediately for you will soon see how urgent the situation in the world has become. The Father will not tolerate the sinfulness of men. Your day will be turned to more days of prayer because of this situation.
I am Jesus.
R. We do not want to give deeply within ourselves because we may get hurt, so we remain closed because we are afraid.
Jesus: This will teach you to give yourself deeply to Me. I was wounded with the deepest wounds and I continued to love.
R. He was opened up raw, jabbed in the wounds and He still loved We are wounded by so many love relationships, parents, children, relatives, friends. We carry around in our hearts a life of disappointments, we know pain. We think, if we do not open ourselves, we will not be wounded. If the flower does not open, it remains a bud, to be in full bloom, it must open.
Jesus: I will be the King and center of your heart. Before writing the letter to Me, pray the Holy Spirit Prayer and the consecration prayers.
This method of communication with Me will help heal the wounds in your heart. I am giving to you several Mass Books. Study these books so you will participate in this celebration and receive the greatest outpouring of My grace.
I give Myself to you in Communion and I am not recognized or even talked to by many souls. How this wounds My Heart. I give you Myself completely and I am treated as if My gift is nothing. How would you like to open yourself up to the deepest part of your heart, give yourself as a gift to others and be rejected? How would it feel to share yourself as you have never shared before, give yourself completely and be ignored? I give you Myself and you treat it as if it is nothing.
R. The sun is covered with the clouds many times. Every day is a sunny day when our hearts are one with Him. Our days must be spend in oneness with Him. We must always be living with His light shining in our hearts. Writing an intimate letter to Jesus every day and following this procedure, will make Him our most intimate lover. We must be intimate with Him to have an intimate relationship with Him. We must give ourselves to Him.
Jesus: I am calling you to a deep, intimate relationship with Me. All of you will not be able to do all I have listed. The more you follow this plan, the deeper your relationship will become with Me.
1) Morning Offering
2) Daily Mass and Communion
3) One hour of private time with Me
4) Praying the Rosary
5) Continual consecration, praying the Holy Spirit Prayer and the
Consecration Prayer from the prayer cards.
My beloved shepherds, you will give Me the burning love I desire. You will lead others to this great gift of My Heart. Many will be led home to My Heart. My Heart will reign. I will be King and center of many hearts through this message and the letters I write to you in God's Blue Book. The Father is giving to you His plan through these messages in God's Blue Book and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I am the Teacher. I am the Word. I have spoken to you in plain talk. My Heart will reign and My Mother's heart will triumph. This is the beginning. I give to you this message on first Saturday as a great gift to My Mother.
You must circulate this message. It is My plan for greater intimacy with your most loving God.
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February 19, 1997
Intimacy with Jesus and Others
R. We can only become as intimate with Jesus and with others in the degree we open ourselves up and are accepted by the other.
If we open ourselves totally to another and speak from the depth of our heart, and are accepted by the other, we are in the depth of intimacy.
The very depth of intimacy occurs when we can freely express the feelings in our heart.
If we freely express the feelings in our heart and are rejected, then we must back up, be less open, and hence are not intimately involved with them.
Intimacy occurs when we can freely discuss the depth of the feelings in our heart and they are accepted.
Jesus wants greatest intimacy with Him. He wants the feelings we feel in the deepest part of our hearts.
He wants our deep pain and suffering. He wants our ecstatic joy. He wants us to pour out our deepest love for Him.
He never, never, never rejects us! He accepts us with an open Heart on fire for love of us.
He is waiting for this deep, deep intimate sharing. He wants us to tell Him of our sins, our failings, our struggles. He wants it all. He wants the deepest feelings in our heart and He won't reject us.
This is what He wants in our letter to Him. When we cannot be intimate with any soul, we can be most intimate with Jesus. He wants to share everything in our heart. He wants to be one in our every thought. He wants us to be entirely open with Him.
I tell my best friend how I love him. Can I share the very depth of my heart with him? To the degree I can open up to another, this determines the degree of my intimacy. If they do not accept the deepest feelings in my heart they tell me, "You shouldn't feel that way". They are not accepting me and I cannot be intimate with them.
There are levels of intimacy. With Jesus we can be most intimate. With others we can only be as intimate as the other person allows. Intimacy is an exchange of give and take. I give myself to you, you accept me as I am, you give yourself to me, I accept you. When there are imperfections, there are problems. To be extremely intimate with another, to merge toward oneness, the parties must work against imperfections. I will unite in the deepest oneness the more I am like Christ. The more we intimately give ourselves to one another, the more our imperfections come to the surface. When imperfections arise between two people they cause tremendous pain.
To grow and lessen our imperfections we must be willing to change. It takes a dying process, a dying to the imperfection so a more perfect way can be developed as part of our personality.
It is painful to change. It takes great grace to die to our old pattern ways that are imperfect.
The greatest way to change is at the Mass. Jesus gives Himself as a Sacrifice in the Mass to the Father. We offer ourselves, all our imperfections, and tell God we want to die to them.
The all perfect God loves me. It is relatively easy uniting to Him. So, He sends me another holy person to love and I begin to grow in my relationship with that person. As we grow in greater intimacy, we unite in great oneness in Jesus. But, problems arise. I give myself and it gets scary, as that person doesn't always act like he accepts me. I want to pull back but then I am not acting according to my heart. I can love Jesus with an unguarded heart. I want to love this person in deep love but when I give him the feelings deep in my heart, I feel I expose myself too much to him and I want to pull back to feel more comfortable. When I do this, I am not freely acting from my heart.
To have the greatest intimacy, I must be able to freely expose the greatest desires of my heart to him and be accepted. If he rejects me and tells me I am too close, we will back up rather than grow in intimacy and I will be forced to operate with him with a guarded heart.
The intimacy Jesus wants is the gift of myself, all of myself, faults and all. He is the all-perfect God.
The more we can give ourselves totally to another and be accepted, the more we will grow in intimacy. Intimacy requires a freedom to express feelings. If feelings are held in check, then intimacy cannot be achieved. When feelings are expressed from the depths of our hearts, the imperfections begin to surface.
Two people who love each other are willing to suffer with one another in this dying process as they both die to imperfections. It is a painful process, so painful is this process that in today's world a great amount of people give up the relationship and give up the opportunity to grow. To work in relationships with others helps us grow to be more like Jesus, if we are willing to admit our imperfections and take them to the altar. The Mass is the greatest opportunity to die to the false self and grow more according to the ideal self.
How deep is your love affair with God and others? We recommend writing love letters. In the letters we express the deepest feelings in our heart. We do not hold back our feelings, we express them with tender love. Sharing your feelings in a love letter to Jesus, sharing your feelings in a love letter with another, helps us to grow in deeper intimate relationships.
We must be humble and admit our faults. No one is perfect. God gives us Himself and His sinless Mother as a model. We must give ourselves to Their pure and sinless Hearts and unite to Them. This is the greatest road to holiness: to unite to the pure Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
I gave myself and He loved me. He accepted me with all my faults and He loved me. I grew in greater intimacy with Our Divine Lord. I consecrated my heart to Mary and Jesus' Hearts all through the day. I was immersed in her sinless heart and united in a deep union with Him. I love you, my all-perfect God. I thank you for the gift of Yourself and I give myself to You.
Many men do not naturally share their feelings. Jesus' Heart is the most tender, feeling Heart. His Heart longs to share feelings with us. Women tend to talk about feelings continually.
He made them male and female. He told the women to obey the man--He told the man to love her.
She is the key to helping men grow in greater intimacy with God and with others. She cares for the sharing of feelings. Jesus' Heart contains all the emotions in the human hearts of men and women.
As men and women unite and learn from each other, they grow more and more towards the all-perfect Heart of Christ.
Men's hearts must be tender and filled with emotion and love. Women's hearts must be submissive and patient.
Why did God make men and women so different? We are imperfect. We must grow in His ways. We cannot be prideful and domineering. We must be humble and loving.
We are never finished learning. As the hearts merge in love, male and female, our hearts come forth more like His.
Haughty hearts are not like the Heart of Christ. Hearts cannot be prideful--they must be meek and open.
His Heart is open. It is when they opened His Heart that the blood and water poured out - pointing to the sacramental life of the Church.
When people open their hearts and unite to His Heart, He will outpour His grace. He wants heartfelt love. Our hearts must unite to His.
The world is not ready for the inside of the Sacred Heart of Jesus--they want noise, video games and television. They want pleasures.
He opens up His Heart. He gives us letters from the depth of His Heart.
I want to talk about the Eucharist, Jesus and the Mass, and the depth of His mysteries. I want to talk about "love", deep love so I can unite as one. I know the depth of the Heart of Christ.
I know heaven. I know hell. I will write my love letters to Him.
I can hear Jesus say this about His intimate letters: I opened Myself raw. I gave you the inside of My Heart. I gave you My burning love and they say, "Jesus, I don't want the depth of your Heart. Jesus, I don't want to feel the emotion."
Many priests do not want heartfelt love at the Mass. They want words spoken from the lips--they want lip service love. How this offends the Heart of Jesus when He opens Himself raw and pours out His blood and water. He poured it out from the depth of His Heart--all the way to the last drop, and we say, "I want words, I don't want to be deeply involved in the depth of your heart!"
I speak of the depth of my soul. We do not share the depth of our soul with Jesus and with one another. We are sharing on the surface.
So where can we go with intimacy--we can't go at all.
Jesus: I open myself raw in My love letters. Many do not comprehend. Many do not listen because they will not open their hearts to love. Many are closed in their hearts. Their greatest possession is cold, hard money, it is not burning love, it is paper and ink and money and things. They utter words from their lips that do not come from their hearts. Their lips speak the hollow love in their hearts. Many offer sacrifice at the Mass that is not from the depth of their souls, it is hollow words spoken. It is time many spend going through a ritual. It is not a gift to Me where they give themselves. I give Myself to you in the Eucharist and many run from the church. How this offends Me, when I give Myself completely. The Divine God gives Himself and many do not accept His gift, they run for money and cars. Many have made everything god but God. Many take My gift and abuse it. I am sorry to open My Heart in these letters and be rejected.
R. I know the feeling Heart of Jesus. I have cried over knowing what He wants when He wants oneness in the Mass. I have been taken to the heights of ecstasy in the Mass and been taken to the pits of hell. I have united to the feeling part of the Heart of Christ. He has allowed me to experience His most intimate feeling when He is united with a soul in the Mass. He takes a soul to heaven in the Mass.
I write about the love of Jesus. I know deep in my heart. When I share this with you, it reaches an immense fullness. When I keep it locked and hidden, it is not anything like the intenseness when I share it. He has written His feelings on my heart to share with the world. When I share it, I am rewarded with a greater depth of union with Him. When I share it with others, some are jealous, except the people that are deeply united to Jesus in their heart. Many do not comprehend because they are not opening their heart. They want to be the messenger so they miss the gift that God is giving to them in these revelations.
When a person opens his heart, I share this most intimate feeling of love He has shared with me--secrets into His Heart. When a person is closed, I cannot share what I know. I have been in the depth of the Heart of Christ with ecstasies and sufferings. He has opened Himself raw and exposed His most intimate love.
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February 6, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Dear Beloved Ones,
I have given to you the messages on the 13th of the month that will greatly bring about the reign of My Sacred Heart. I am asking you to gather at least once a month with your group in a private home or non-church related center and listen to the tape of the 13th as a group, as you pray the rosary, with the tape. I am giving to you special graces when you gather and pray the rosary from the tape. It will be very pleasing to My Mother if you pray the rosary with candlelight and a picture of My Sacred Heart and her Immaculate Heart. We will teach you the secrets of Our Hearts in this time. We will be with you and great graces will be granted.
Please listen and pray the entire rosary from the live, recorded tapes of October 13, 1996, November 13, 1996, December 13, 1996, January 13, 1997 and any further live tapes. Also included may be the tape of September 10, 1996. I will bless your group in a special way during the rosary. This is a special gift from My Most Sacred Heart and the heart of My Mother, Mary. Your group will grow in great holiness from the graces you will receive.
I love you. Jesus
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November 14, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
Message to All Members in the Shepherds of Christ Chapters and to Apostles
of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
Jesus: I am Jesus, your beloved Savior. You have been called to the Shepherds of Christ Movement to be My chosen apostles. You are called by Me. I beg you to answer this call. You are My apostles I am sending into the world to light up the darkness with the fire of My love. It is through the consecration to My Heart and Mary's heart that hearts will be turned to hearts of love.
I am sending you two tapes of live rosaries, one received at the October 13th, 1996 gathering at Tom's Farm and the other from September 10th, 1996, also given at Tom's Farm at a weekly Shepherds of Christ meeting. These are My directions for you. Also included is the written copy of each rosary. You are asked to play a tape for five minutes daily. Put the tape in the tape recorder, advance it forward to any spot and listen for five minutes. Then reflect through the day on the message I have delivered to you.
I am directing you, My apostles, in these live rosaries. Each day, read a message from God's Blue Book, Volume 1, 2, or 3. Reflect on this message through the day. Pick the message at random.
Always begin your day with the Morning Offering for the members of Shepherds of Christ chapters, the Holy Spirit Prayer, and the consecration prayers...(The Morning Offering, Holy Spirit Prayer, and consecration prayers are in this manual and on separate prayer cards for your convenience).
When you pray the Holy Spirit Prayer and the consecration prayers with your family and others, it binds you in one heart.
There is a Morning Offering prayer for Children (which can be found in this manual). There are very short consecration prayers for children and Rosary Aves (which can be found in this manual).
I am calling you, My apostles, this day, to help in the renewal of the Church and the world.
Please study the booklet provided and order any materials you wish for your groups.
I am Jesus, I am begging you to let Me live in you and do My work through you.
The work you do will lead millions of souls to heaven. As you consecrate your hearts each day and fervently attend your Shepherds of Christ meetings, I will work in your hearts and draw you ever closer to Me.
Oh, how I love you! Please read My love letters and messages. Read My love letters as a love letter from Me to you. Know that every word I speak I am speaking to you. These are My love letters to you to help strengthen you and grow more and more in love with Me. Oh, I love you, I love you, I love you, My chosen one. Come to Me. I will never abandon you. I kiss you and hold you in My Divine Heart.
I am giving to you a leader apostle from the core group in Cincinnati. He will tell you of My weekly messages for you. You must pray for each other.
The 13th is a special day for the Shepherds of Christ Movement. I am giving special messages in a rosary at 12:00 noon on the 13th of each month. I am asking you to attend if at all possible. You will hear My messages and be given talks from Fr. Carter, Rita Ring, John Weickert and Bonnie Kaelin. These are special meetings for My apostles.
If you cannot attend, join with us during that time offering up whatever you are doing as a sacrifice for the Shepherds of Christ Movement that you will be one in your hearts with My Heart and the heart of My Mother.
There will be days of recollection in the future at Centers near Cincinnati. All materials are available at these meetings or they can be obtained through the leader apostle. [Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus can obtain materials by calling our Center at (513) 932-4451.]
You will soon be able to order these items from My main center in Cincinnati.
I am telling you to be leery of Satan who wants to stop you. You must try to pray as often as possible before the tabernacle and go to Mass and Communion as often as possible, daily if you can. Pray the rosary every day as mentioned in the booklet, under the title, October 1, 1996, Continued.
You are My apostles. The booklet is My guide for you. Study the messages and its contents.
Oh, sweet loved ones, I am so pleased with your efforts to comply with these requests.
The fire of My love will spread on this earth through you, My chosen apostle. Come to Me and I will bathe you in My burning love. I love you, I love you, I love you,
Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock
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March 18, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
Directions from Jesus
Subject: What You Must Say to My Coordinator:
Jesus: My Dear Apostle,
I am writing to you and communicating to you through My Apostle Coordinators. The coordinators will try to call you weekly to tell you the directions the Father wishes you to follow as His apostles.
As Paul contacted the first Apostles, you will be contacted with directions to tell you the instructions I wish you to follow.
1. Only, only in prayer will the Movement spread to the far corners of the earth.
a) All apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus are asked to spend two hours each week before the tabernacle. Many apostles have become busy. Please, you must try to live up to this commitment. Try to encourage others you know to join the Apostles of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Movement. Give them a Prayer Manual.
b) Be faithful to your Shepherds of Christ meeting. This meeting should be weekly, if possible. You need to gather for the support and love you will receive there. If you have been led away by the devil, come back to the meeting. This will be your little family, rooted in God's love. It will be little families all over the world as the Father intends His family to be. All Shepherds of Christ chapters will be united in a special way as one family through the Morning Offering and the consecration prayers.
As you go deeper into Our Hearts, you will become further away from the world. You will need this intense family love for support and nurturing.
Encourage others to begin prayer chapters.
c) I am requesting that you pray for Fr. Carter daily.
I am giving the greatest graces as I promised to Fr. Carter in the message of July 31, 1994.
Only, only in prayer will you accomplish the plan the Father intends. God is the might and the power. You are entirely dependent on His might and His grace.
You must pray the Prayer for Union with Jesus, the Morning Offering and the consecration prayers.
2. I am asking you to have a candlelight rosary monthly. You will be the lights in the dark world. I am with you in these rosaries. When you play the live tapes I will be with you and My Mother will be with you. You will receive special graces to be My most fervent apostles when you listen to the live rosary tapes. You will be strengthened and taught by Me. I am giving crucial messages in these live rosary tapes to bring about the completion of the Fatima message. Please, I am stressing the importance of a monthly rosary. Candles must be placed before the pictures of My Sacred Heart and My Mother's heart.
All rooms used for this rosary should be consecrated to Our Hearts.
Say, before the rosary:
We consecrate this place to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. We consecrate our hearts to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in us the fire of God's love.
Unless the Pastor gives permission to play the live rosary tapes in the church, the rosary tapes should be played in a private place.
3. Listen to the tape of February 13 (1997). The rosaries of February 13 (1997) and March 13 (1997) were rosaries for greater intimacy with Me. There were full houses at the Holy Spirit Center. These were very grace-filled days with Fr. Carter's Mass, the Rosary and talks. I am asking that you listen to these rosaries and circulate them to the members. Also, the talk given by Fr. Carter on February 13 (1997) is now included on the Mary's Message tape.
In Summary:
1. I am asking for prayer:
(a) Apostles of Eucharistic Heart,
(b) Prayer Meetings,
(c) Father Carter.
2. I am asking for monthly candlelight rosaries.
I love you, My beloved apostles. Do not feel overwhelmed with these directions, try to study them at your own pace. Stay close to one another and pray the consecration prayers whenever you gather. This will protect you from Satan. I love you, My sweet Apostles,
I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the Flock
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SofC Home ]
Chapter 4
Mary's Image in Florida
Press Release
Instructions for Florida Apostles
Messages Pertaining to This Image
- December 19, 1996
- December 12,
1996 - Mary's Message
- January 18,
1997
- January 16, 1997
- March 31,
1997
- A Message
from Florida
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Instructions for Florida Apostles
Message given through Rita Ring
God the Father: To All Florida Apostles,
I have asked Joe Lee to be the Apostle Coordinator in Florida. He is in charge of this mission. Therefore, he acts in My authority. I am the Father. I have sent Mary, your Mother, to you to change the hearts of men.
Please, I beg you, if you do not follow the instructions in the apostles message given on January 30, 1997, you will have serious problems. You must use the Apostle's Manual. Study it and pray the consecration often when on the site with each other. You must remain in one mind and one heart.
I am with you in this mission. Many, many souls throughout the world will be reached through your efforts there. You must love God and love each other. Pray to the Holy Spirit and take your mission with the greatest seriousness.
This is My plan for the renewal of the world. I am the Father.
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December 19, 1996
Message from Mary, Received by Rita Ring.
Mary: My dear children, I give to you, my Son, Jesus, born in a stable in Bethlehem on Christmas morn. He is the Almighty God, the Light of the World.
I appear to you, my children, on a (former) bank in Florida. You have made money your god! Do you know how cold are your hearts? You turn away from my Son, Jesus, for your money. Your money is your god.
I am Mary, your Mother. I do not appear as I once appeared to you. I am asking you today to circulate my message given on a tape on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12, 1996. Please circulate this tape now. Give it to as many people as you can. I am Mary, your Mother. Please circulate my Rosary Book.
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The Message from the tape Mary's Message December 12, 1996:
Mary: I stood beneath the cross of my Son, and my heart was in such pain for I saw Him before my eyes. I saw Him covered with blood. I saw Him die. My heart, my children, my heart to watch my Son, but my heart, my heart, how I suffered for my little children of the world that give in to this world and give up the love of my Son. O my little children of light, I give you this message. Carry this light into the darkness for your Mother Mary, for I stood beneath the cross and I cried. I cried for the little ones. I cried for the young ones, the ones that do not care and will lose their souls. How do I make you see for you will not listen to me? What can I do? I come. I appear. I beg. I plead. I give you these gifts from my Son, and you reject me. I do not deliver messages very often anymore for I have been ignored. The message is the same. You do not read the messages I have given to you. Please help me. Help the little children. I appear. I appear. I appear, and I am ignored. I stood beneath the cross, and I cried. I cried, and my heart was in such anguish for my little children, for I am searching for them this day as I searched for the Child Jesus. Please, please help me. I cannot hold back the hand of my Son any longer. I am Mary, your Mother. I ask you to help my children. You are my children of light.
Song: O Lady of Light, shining so bright, be with us this day, guiding our way, O Lady...
Mary: I appear to you as Our Mother of Sorrows.
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January 18, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
God the Father: My Dear Children,
I am telling you to circulate the tape of January 13, 1997 as soon as possible. This tape must be released to the world. It is the message to go with the apparition on the building in Florida.
You must make every connection with Mary's message given December 12 (1996) and the messages given by Mary with the apparition of her on the building in Florida.
I am using the Shepherds of Christ Movement to majorly carry out the plan begun at Fatima. Every day lost is a lost day. I give to you Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary as your directions to help the plan unfold. Circulate these rosaries to all chapters and stress their importance.
The tape of January 13, 1997 is important to the world. The tape must be circulated with the apparition in Florida and the messages typed and put on the Internet with the rest of the messages I have given. The connection must be made between the apparition and the Shepherds of Christ Movement.
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January 16, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: Mary appeared on the building in Florida and has asked that you circulate the tape of Mary's Message.
This message, the Rosary of December 13, 1996 and the messages given on December 19 (2) and December 22, and from the Father, must be circulated with pictures of the apparition of Mary.
It is very important that the messages in God's Blue Books and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary reach the people. Children must consecrate their hearts and pray the rosary. I am teaching them in the Children's Rosary Book.
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March 31, 1997
Message from Mary given through Rita Ring
Mary: I am Mary, your Mother. I will continue to talk to you...as Our Lady of Fatima from my Florida apparition site.
I give you my Son, Jesus, born in the town of Bethlehem. I appear on a former bank to bring about the reign of His Heart. These are His messages of love given to all.
...I am your Mother. I hold you in my arms and press you as a tender child to my breast...I love you so much.
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A Message from Florida
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: You are the leader. There will be no one in line behind you. You may be on the hill and look around and no one will appear to be near, but I am there in the silence of that moment. Know I am with you. The Father and the Holy Spirit are with you. You are one with My Mother and are surrounded by angels and saints.
The world is blind and they do not see. You must see with spiritual vision. See the world beyond. It is real. You are not alone. I am with you at every second, watching you and controlling your breath.
If you cease to believe, who will be the leader? All I have called through you must realize they are the leaders. No one may appear to be near, no one is in line behind you.
You must be constantly motivated by faith. It comes down to this--it is your belief. For, if I call you and you do not hear Me, then My work will not get done. For I am calling you and you can plug up your ears, but souls are being lost at this very moment that you can be helping through your faith. You must have fervor in your prayers.
Satan attacks you all day, in prayer and in work. Will you listen to him or to Me?
I am begging you to see Me alive before you as I came forth from the tomb, glistening and all white. I am here. I have called you by name. You are the apostles I am calling. If you say 'no' the work will not get done.
Read this letter over and over and when you are alone and feel as if you are standing on the hill by yourself see the heavens open up. See Me in celestial light as you saw Me transfigured on the altar. See the great vision of March 26, 1996. Read that message. See Me almost dead on the cross as I was on December 5, 1996 at Immaculata. See My lips move and hear Me speak. No one is listening. They will hear you speak. They will respond to you.
If you give into Satan, they will not hear and they will not know for his whole attempt is to silence you.
So you go to the hilltop. You are close to Me. You look around and you see no one. Below the hill is a throng of people. They have forgotten I exist. The heavens open and I appear and the sky is filled with saints and angels. They continue talking and laughing at the bottom of the hill. The celestial light falls upon them and they continue as in a fog and as blind men to focus on the rocks and the things of this earth.
And you speak. The voice they hear is your voice from the top of the mountain. You appear to be alone by these blind men, but the heavenly court has surrounded you and you see not with earthly vision but with the eyes of faith and you speak in My Name...
"Glory and Praise to God! Hear the words of your Savior. Listen from the mountain top for He has risen and we are His witnesses."
He calls you from the mountain and you say nay for your foolish whims. Come to the mountain top with Me and you will taste of milk sweeter than honey. You will run and not get weary, you will be His faithful witnesses. You will be the children of light shining from the mountain top on the dark world below.
Oh, do not say no, My chosen ones, you are My children of light. I have called and you have responded. Do not be discouraged, but encouraged for (she) appears, the Lady of Light, the Lady of Fatima, the Lady of the Holy Rosary. She appears Our Lady in Clearwater to bring about the completion of the Fatima message there. If you do not believe, who will I send to do the work for I have chosen you!
The Fatima mission will greatly unfold there through the Shepherds of Christ Movement. She appears Our Lady of Light in all the splendor to call her children to her Son, Jesus. She appears as Our Lady of Fatima, 80 years later, to call to the world, to deliver the same message she delivered then. Come to the water and drink and you will not be thirsty for God has visited His people. He has risen. He sends great gifts in the woman clothed as the sun on your building. Some look and they do not see. Some are touched for their hearts are open to the graces that are pouring out there.
Mary: I appear to you, the woman clothed as the sun, Our Lady of Fatima, in splendor and glory to lead a sick race to holiness, to lead them to healing in the Heart of my Son.
For His Heart will reign despite all the actions of men. I appear Our Lady of Fatima on the (former) bank in Florida to you this day. This is my message. This is my little Fatima in the Americas. A permanent sign I give to you this day on the building, a sign for the world and for you.
And you, my chosen one, have faith for it is faith that will save you. The devil wants you stopped. If you listen to him, who will lead the people to my Son? You have been called and chosen by me, Our Lady of Fatima, the woman clothed as the sun and there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth for many will be lost forever. I send you in the darkness as a beacon light to the world.
I love you. I am your Mother Mary.
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Chapter 5
From October 13, 1917 - October 13, 1997
Sample 13th Meeting Format as Given by Jesus
On October 13, 1917:
The Birth of the Full Ministries of the Shepherds of
Christ
For Apostles Today From Jesus
Mary's Peace Plan as given to Lucia
Song: Song from Jesus
October 11, 1996 - Study the Rosaries
Holy Spirit Prayer
Prayer to St. Michael
Act of Consecration to the Sacred and Immaculate
Hearts
Petitions
Song: The Rosary
Song: I Love You, Jesus
Song: Here I am Lord
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On October 13, 1917:
" 'As the Lady was about to leave, she pointed to the sun. Lucy excitedly repeated the gesture, and the people looked into the sky. The rain had ceased, the clouds parted, and the sun shone forth, but not in its usual brilliance. Instead, it appeared like a silver disc, pale as the moon, at which all could gaze without straining their eyes. Suddenly, impelled by some mysterious force, the disc began to whirl in the sky, casting off great shafts of multicolored light. Red, green, blue, yellow, violet - the enormous rays shot across the sky at all angles, lighting up the entire countryside for many miles around, but particularly the upturned faces of those 70,000 spellbound people. After three minutes the wonder stopped, but was resumed again a second and a third time - three times in all - within about 12 minutes. It seemed that the whole world was on fire, with the sun spinning at a greater speed each time.
Then a gasp of terror rose from the crowd, for the sun seemed to tear itself from the heavens and come crashing down upon the horrified multitude. 'It's the end of the world!' shrieked one woman. 'Dear God, don't let me die in my sins!' implored another. 'Holy Virgin, protect us!' cried a third. All were on their knees in terror, asking pardon for their sins. Just when it seemed that the ball of fire would fall upon and destroy them, the miracle ceased and the sun resumed its normal place in the sky, shining forth as peacefully as ever.
When the people arose from the ground, cries of astonishment were heard on all sides. Their clothes, which had been soaking wet and muddy, now were clean and dry. Many of the sick and crippled had been cured of their afflictions.'
The above describes the great miracle which brought to conclusion the series of apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima which took place six times, from May to October 1917. The Miracle of the Sun was the sign God gave to the world in proof of the authenticity of the apparitions. The event was reported in newspapers around the world.
With one exception, Mary always appeared on the 13th of the month, above an holm oak tree in the valley named Cova da Iria. The only deviation from the 13th was the August 19. The children were in jail on the 13th of that particular month. The mayor, in an attempt to stop the events, had had the young visionaries kidnapped and imprisoned, but fearing violence on the part of the people, he soon released them."
-- From Fr. Carter's book, The Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje pp. 3-4.
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The Birth of the Full Ministries of the Shepherds of Christ
"I wish to share with you part of a message which Jesus gave us on October 13, 1994. The message tells us about the expansion of the Shepherds of Christ movement:
'My beloved priest-companion, today I come to you with another mission. I am asking you to establish Shepherds of Christ Ministries. At My request you have already begun the priestly newsletter, "Shepherds of Christ", and the prayer chapters, Shepherds of Christ Associates...
'I am giving you this message on this day, the 77th Anniversary of the Great Apparition at Fatima, because of the close connection between the Shepherds of Christ movement and the Fatima message. The Fatima message is centered in devotion to My Heart and My Mother's Heart, especially in consecration to Our Hearts. Shepherds of Christ Ministries is also centered in devotion to Our Hearts. I will use Shepherds of Christ Ministries as a great instrument in helping to bring about the triumph of the Immaculate Heart and the reign of My Sacred Heart. When this occurs, My Church and the world will be experiencing the great era of peace promised by My Mother at Fatima.
'Today, then, October 13, 1994, the 77th Anniversary of the Great Apparition at Fatima, marks the birth of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. I pour forth the great love of My Sacred Heart to all. I am Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock.'
"Jesus has told us that Shepherds of Christ Ministries includes: the priestly newsletter, Shepherds of Christ, Shepherds of Christ Associates prayer chapters, various publications, including books, whatever else Our Lord directs us to undertake.
"As members of Shepherds of Christ Associates, you are an extremely important part of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. You have given great joy to the Heart of Jesus by responding to His invitation to become members of Shepherds of Christ Associates. As He draws you closer to His Heart and to His Mother's Heart as Associates members, He will fill you with an ever-increasing experience of His love, peace, and joy."
- From In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Newsletter of
Shepherds of Christ Associates
by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., Volume 1, No. 1, 1995. p. 2.
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For Apostles Today From Jesus
October 1, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Beloved Ones Gathered Here Today,
I have called you, each one, here this day. You are My special apostles. I called the Apostles to go out to spread the good news and the Church. I am calling you, My apostles this day, to go forth to help bring about the renewal of the Church and the world culminating in the reign of My Sacred Heart and the triumph of My Mother's Immaculate Heart.
"When Pentecost day came round, they had all met together, when suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak different languages as the Spirit gave them power to express themselves." (Acts 2:1-4)19
I beg you to study the Rosary of May 11, 1996. There will be available a live tape of this rosary. Please listen to this tape five to ten minutes daily and reflect on your mission. It is through the Shepherds of Christ Movement, I will greatly renew the Church and the world.
You are My apostles. This is a calling from Me to you on this October 13, 1996. I am Jesus. I called the Apostles. I am calling you My apostles today. I am giving to you abundant graces to carry out this great mission that will lead to the new era.
I love you with the greatest love, My apostles, and I am guarding you.
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September 24, 1996
R. And He reached down and lifted me up and I was enveloped in His rapture. I knew nothing but God.
We see with a veil over our eyes and He is there, behind that veil. If He but lifted this veil, we would fall on our faces. In our bodies we cannot take His overwhelming presence--we could not see because of His splendor and brightness.
We are but feeble creatures, living here with faith - but He could show us His splendor and glory and give us a touch of His overwhelming presence.
And a symbol of grace danced on the altar and the whole area surrounding the Eucharist had a celestial aura of glistening grace and it was awesome. Truly, I was awe struck. He gave me the following instructions:
Jesus wants a chapel with the Sacred Heart statue and the Immaculate Heart of Mary statue. Until this is possible, whenever we pray the rosary He would like an area designated, with those two statues for the purpose of holy prayer.
Jesus: I would like you to gather on the 13th of each month, My beloved shepherds, at the time of 12:00 noon to venerate My Sacred Heart and My Mother's Immaculate Heart. People are requested to bring chairs and to gather at this time.
The Shepherds of Christ Movement is a main part of the completion of the Fatima message. It is crucial to the renewal of the Church and the world. I will continue to give messages to the apostles on the 13th of the month. You will continue to gather on the 5th of the month as requested by My Mother.
I am requesting you to gather on the 13th of the month and to invite all chapter members to this special rosary. It is there on the 13th of the month. I will talk to the apostles and teach them about My love. They will go into the world and spread this love to the far ends of the earth. This rosary will be taped and the messages published and sent to you. Please study these messages during the month and listen to the tape. The fire of My love with spread across the earth and many will be saved. I am Jesus. I am asking this message be distributed on October 13, 1996.
The location of this rosary will be determined by Fr. Carter. It is through the Shepherds of Christ Movement, I will greatly renew the Church and the world. It is through him, the fire of My love will be spread to the far corners of the earth. He is My special anointed priest-son. You must obey him for I am directing him in this mission.
I will direct John as the president of this organization. All must remain humble. The Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary need to be circulated and distributed to the apostles. These are My directions for the apostles.
Please join on this date. It is important to carry out this mission I have imparted to you.
The messages in God's Blue Book and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary must be lived by all members of the Movement.
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October 1, 1996 continued...
Jesus: The Shepherds of Christ Movement will have centers of renewal.
As requested by My Mother, I am asking you to pray the rosary as a continued novena for the Movement. Pray beginning this day, 27 days in petition, 27 days in thanksgiving for these requests given by My Mother:
The new intentions for the rosary novena given by Mary on January 25, 1997:
Mary: I am Mary. I am requesting that you continue to pray the rosary novena daily for the following intentions:
1) For the spread of the rosary, circulation and publication of these rosary meditations, for the Rosary Book and Children's Rosary books, for the Rosary Aves and consecrations to be distributed and used by school children, for the Priestly Newsletter books, for the Mass Book, for all materials receiving the imprimatur, for its publication and quick distribution. For the distribution of Mary's Message tape and the Rosary Book and the connection with the Shepherds of Christ Movement and the apparition in Florida;
2) For Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, that the Father's plan will unfold there as He intended;
3) For the new Center, for the new chapel, for the right to reserve the Blessed Sacrament there, for the funding, for the circulation of materials from there, for the beginning of new prayer chapters.
I am asking each of you to spread the messages I have given connecting My apparition in Florida with the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Please circulate the Mary's Message tape.
Please help circulate the love letters of my Son found in God's Blue Books and Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Please circulate the live rosary tapes.
Jesus is asking that you spread the Ministry. It is through this ministry the Fatima message will greatly unfold. Please support the Ministry. You are pleasing Jesus and pleasing me. The Father's plan will greatly unfold through this ministry. Jesus has asked you to obey His and my messages to bring about the reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of my Immaculate Heart."
Jesus: I am requesting that you continually pray this rosary novena from this day forth for these intentions. I am Jesus. I am giving My directions to you, My apostles, in these Rosaries from Our Hearts. Please study the rosaries.
I am here and My Mother is here in a special way on the 13th of each month. I am giving to you abundant graces to grow closer to Our Hearts during this rosary. Whenever you use these rosaries, I will give you special graces to help you in this mission, My apostles. Open your hearts and let Me fill your soul with My love. I am alive. I am alive. I am alive, and I live in you. I am Jesus. I come to you with greatest love. Please read the message of Pentecost 1996 and March 26, 1996 found in this book.
R. For the rosary novena as requested by Jesus and Mary, we begin on the first day with the Joyful Mysteries, on the second day the Sorrowful Mysteries, on the third day the Glorious Mysteries. Pray the rosary this way for 27 days in petition, and continue praying the rosary for 27 more days in thanksgiving. Jesus and Mary want us to continue this novena perpetually, 27 days in petition, 27 days in thanksgiving. Please tell all members of the Shepherds of Christ Movement about this request of Jesus and Mary and circulate the prayer charts with the above message.
God has entrusted the peace of the world to Mary, she is the Queen of Peace. Mary appeared at Fatima in 1917.
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Mary's peace plan was given at Fatima:
Refrain: I come to you with greatest love. I am your loving Savior. I am your God. I died for you. I come to you this day.
You are My precious little one. I love you, oh, so dearly. Come close to Me, My little one. I loved you to My death.
Reach out to Me and do not fear. I want to be so close to you. You are My child, My precious one, I love you tenderly.
Directions from Jesus: Pass out the live rosary from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and the live tape. Read this message and distribute the tapes. This is the continuation of circulating the live rosaries. These will greatly help in bringing about the reign of the Sacred Heart and the triumph of the Immaculate Heart.
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October 11, 1996
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Dear Chosen Shepherds,
I am asking you to study and circulate the rosaries of May 11, 1996 and September 10, 1996. Please listen to the live tape of September 10, 1996. It is in this recording you will hear Me speak deep in your heart. I am giving to you my chosen Shepherds great graces in the Shepherds of Christ Movement that you may be one in Our Hearts. It is through you many will know the love of Our Hearts. I am begging you to listen to these rosaries daily. In these live rosaries, I will live more and more in your lives. Listen to small segments of the rosary of September 10, 1996. (Also available is the written copy). Study the content of the rosaries. They are My teachings for you My chosen apostles. You will receive a live rosary monthly. The fire of My love will spread across this earth. You are key to spreading this Movement. I give Myself to you. I love you, I love you, I love you.
These rosaries are key to helping bring about the completion of the Fatima message. I beg you to circulate the Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. I am Jesus, please answer this urgent request.
Mary: I am Our Lady of the Holy Rosary. I will appear and be present in a special way this day which is the anniversary of my 6th apparition at Fatima.
The Rosaries given from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary are key in helping with the completion of the Fatima message. I am asking you to study and circulate these rosaries and publish all rosary books.
Please spread the Rosary Aves and consecration cards to the children in the school. Please put the Rosary Aves with the imprimatur in churches.
I am Our Lady of the Rosary, I appear and am present this day.
Holy Spirit Prayer.
Come, Holy Spirit, almighty Sanctifier, God of love, who filled the Virgin
Mary with grace, who wonderfully changed the hearts of the apostles, who endowed all Your
martyrs with miraculous courage, come and sanctify us. Enlighten our minds, strengthen our
wills, purify our consciences, rectify our judgment, set our hearts on fire, and preserve
us from the misfortunes of resisting Your inspirations. Amen.
Prayer to St. Michael.
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard
against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do
thou, O prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the
other evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Act of consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Lord Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock, I consecrate myself to Your most
Sacred Heart. From Your pierced Heart the Church was born, the Church You have called me,
as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, to serve in a most special way. You reveal
Your Heart as a symbol of Your love in all its aspects, including Your most special love
for me, whom You have chosen as Your companion in this most important work. Help me to
always love You in return. Help me to give myself entirely to You. Help me always to pour
out my life in love of God and neighbor! Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in You!
Dear Blessed Virgin Mary, I consecrate myself to your maternal and Immaculate Heart, this Heart which is symbol of your life of love. You are the Mother of my Savior. You are also my Mother. You love me with a most special love as a member of Shepherds of Christ Associates, a movement created by your Son as a powerful instrument for the renewal of the Church and the world. In a return of love, I give myself entirely to your motherly love and protection. You followed Jesus perfectly. You are His first and perfect disciple. Teach me to imitate you in the putting on of Christ. Be my motherly intercessor so that, through your Immaculate Heart, I may be guided to an ever closer union with the pierced Heart of Jesus, Chief Shepherd of the flock.
Petitions
We offer these prayers to the Father, in the Holy Spirit, in union
with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.
We ask Jesus and Mary to be so united with us and to pray with us each prayer. We ask all the angels and saints and the souls in purgatory to pray with us. We offer this rosary for the spread of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and for Their intentions. We pray for priests the world over, for the success of the priestly newsletter, the chapters, and for the finances needed for the newsletter.
Refrain: O the Rosary, the Rosary, is the love of Their two Hearts.
O the Rosary, the
Rosary, is the love of Their two Hearts.
[Begin the Rosary]
Refrain: I know Your love a little now. So dear You are to me. Come give me life, abundant life. I thirst to be with thee.
Refrain: Here I am Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
Copyright 1981 by Daniel L. Schutte, S.J., and
NALR, 10802 N. 23rd Ave., Phoenix, Arizona 85029
Reprinted with permission.
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Chapter 6
Rosaries
January 25, 1997 - Mary's Rosary Novena Intentions
February 26, 1997 - A Live Rosary
February 6, 1997 - Candlelight Rosary
The Glorious Mysteries of May 11, 1996
The Sorrowful Mysteries of September 10, 1996
The Glorious Mysteries of October 13, 1996
The Sorrowful Mysteries of November 13, 1996
The Joyful Mysteries of December 13, 1996
The Joyful Mysteries of January 13, 1997
The Sorrowful Mysteries of February 13, 1997
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Intentions for the Rosary Novena,
Given by Mary on January 25, 1997:
Mary: I am Mary. I am requesting that you continue to pray the rosary novena daily for the following intentions:
1) For the spread of the rosary, circulation and publication of these rosary meditations, for the Rosary Book and Children's Rosary books, for the Rosary Aves and consecrations to be distributed and used by school children, for the Priestly Newsletter books, for the Mass Book, for all materials receiving the imprimatur, for its publication and quick distribution. For the distribution of Mary's Message tape and the Rosary Book and the connection with the Shepherds of Christ Movement and the apparition in Florida;
2) For Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, that the Father's plan will unfold there as He intended;
3) For the new Center, for the new chapel, for the right to reserve the Blessed Sacrament there, for the funding, for the circulation of materials from there, for the beginning of new prayer chapters.
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February 26, 1997
A Live Rosary.
Mary began to appear on July 5, 1994. She told me to pray a meditation of the rosary on every Hail Mary. As we prayed the rosary, Fr. Carter leading, my children Cathy and Joe and I would be told insights into Their lives and the words would come from my mouth. I did not hear the words, they came from my mouth as I spoke them. There was no idea what I would say, They would speak Their teachings and messages through my mouth.
Today this is a great gift of teaching God has given to us. They are called Rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Jesus and Mary have revealed in these rosaries great insights into the love They have for us in Their Hearts. Jesus has revealed secrets into His most intimate love, never revealed before.
Jesus has asked Fr. Carter to lead the rosary and promised whenever he does that He will grant special graces. Fr. Carter is the founder of the Shepherds of Christ Movement. Jesus and Mary have promised that They are present, in a special way, at every live rosary and when a live rosary tape is played. They have promised that when we open our hearts, They will flood our hearts with grace that will turn our hearts on fire for love of Him.
It is hard to explain what happens in the rosary. Mary appeared almost daily for 14 months when I was given the live rosaries and I focused on her. Now I close my eyes and I am removed from the world around me and share a very special dialogue with God. It is Jesus and Mary and me.
I have the presence of the Holy Trinity and am united to Them in a special way. I feel Them and then I hear a word or two and speak it, the rest comes out of my mouth as I speak. These are special messages and teachings that They are using to teach the world about the secrets into Their Hearts.
I cherish this great gift He gives to us. The messages are for everyone. Jesus wants all to use the live rosary tapes and printed Rosary Aves. He has promised when you use the live tape with candlelight, if possible, and pray the entire rosary with the tape, He and Mary will be there and you will receive the same graces as when the rosary was originally delivered. So gather in a candle-lighted room and hear Jesus, and sometimes Mary, speak to you.
He has also promised great grace for praying the rosary with the printed sheets. This great promise includes the children's rosary aves we circulate in the schools. Mary has asked us to circulate these rosary aves to the children and they will receive great grace.
Jesus and Mary have called you the messengers. They will give great grace when the rosary is prayed with these meditations. Please pray the rosary with an open heart and circulate these live tapes and printed rosaries as They have requested.
Soon we will have a Children's Rosary Book with rosaries from the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, given at the Junior Shepherds of Christ meetings.
Jesus said they are not just for children. They are short and will have the imprimatur.
Mary has requested we pray the rosary daily for the success of spreading the rosary and to help in the publication and circulation of these rosaries and tapes. Will you answer both Jesus and Mary's requests to pray and circulate these rosaries?
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February 6, 1997
Message given through Rita Ring
Jesus: My Dear Beloved Ones,
I have given to you the messages on the 13th of the month that will greatly bring about the reign of My Sacred Heart. I am asking you to gather at least once a month with your group in a private home or non-church related center and listen to the tape of the 13th as a group, as you pray the rosary, with the tape. I am giving to you special graces when you gather and pray the rosary from the tape. It will be very pleasing to My Mother if you pray the rosary with candlelight and a picture of My Sacred Heart and her Immaculate Heart. We will teach you the secrets of Our Hearts in this time. We will be with you and great graces will be granted.
Please listen and pray the entire rosary from the live, recorded tapes of October 13, 1996, November 13, 1996, December 13, 1996, January 13, 1997 and any further live tapes. Also included may be the tape of September 10, 1996. I will bless your group in a special way during the rosary. This is a special gift from My Most Sacred Heart and the heart of My Mother Mary. Your group will grow in great holiness from the graces you will receive.
I love you. Jesus
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Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received in Toledo, Ohio on Saturday, May 11, 1996, the feast of Mary, Queen of the Apostles. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
The Resurrection
The Ascension
The Descent of the Holy Spirit
The Assumption
The Coronation
Notes:
1. Scripture quotations are taken from The New American Bible,
Saint Joseph Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Co.
2. Edward J. Carter, S.J., Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje,
Faith Publishing Co. p. 16.
3. Edward J. Carter, S.J., Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje,
Faith Publishing Co. pp. 3-4
4. Edward J. Carter, S.J., Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje,
Faith Publishing Co. pp. 12-13.
5. Edward J. Carter, S.J., Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje,
Faith Publishing Co. pp. 14-15.
6. Scripture quotations are taken from The New American Bible,
Saint Joseph Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Co.
7. Scripture quotations are taken from The New American Bible,
Saint Joseph Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Co.
8. Scripture quotations are taken from The New American Bible,
Saint Joseph Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Co.
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Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received on Tuesday, September 10, 1996 at a Shepherds of Christ Associates Meeting at Tom Arlinghaus's farm in Kentucky. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning With Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion
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Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received on Sunday, October the 13th, 1996 at a International Shepherds of Christ Associates Meeting at Tom Arlinghaus's farm in Kentucky. The rosary was led by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., spiritual director of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
The Resurrection
Our Lord Ascends Into Heaven
The Descent of the Holy Spirit Upon the Apostles
The Assumption of Our Lady Into Heaven
The Coronation of Our Lady
Ending Message:
Jesus speaks:
How tenderly I love you, My beloved ones. I am Jesus. I have called you this day for this
special meeting. I have called you, My apostles. Will you go into the darkness? Will you
spread the message of My love? Will you carry the rosary into the world? Will you touch
the hearts of those that are hurting and in pain? Will you be My apostles of love? I am
calling you to love God and to love one another, to be one in your hearts, to put aside
all hatred and bitterness within your heart, to not give into the tauntings of Satan to
divide you, to always operate in love, to focus on God. Let your hearts be filled with
love.
Glory be...
"My dear friends, let us love each other, since love is from God and everyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. Whoever fails to love does not know God, because God is love." (1 John 4: 7-8)4
Notes:
1. Edward J. Carter, S.J., Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje, Faith
Publishing Co. p. 14.
2. Scripture quotations are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible,
Catholic Edition, Doubleday and Co.
3. Edward J. Carter, S.J., Spirituality of Fatima and Medjugorje,
Faith Publishing Co. p. 16.
4. Scripture quotations are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible,
Catholic Edition, Doubleday and Co.
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Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received on Wednesday, November 13, 1996 at a International Shepherds of Christ Associates Meeting at Tom Arlinghaus's farm in Kentucky. The rosary was led by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., spiritual director of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar
The Crowning with Thorns
The Carrying of the Cross
The Crucifixion
[ < Contents ]
Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received on Friday, December the 13th, 1996 at a International Shepherds of Christ Associates Meeting at Tom Arlinghaus's farm in Kentucky. The rosary was led by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., spiritual director of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Presentation in the Temple
The Finding in the Temple
Notes:
1. Scripture quotations are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible, Catholic
Edition, Doubleday and Co.
[ < Contents ]
Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received on Monday, January the 13th, 1997 at an International Shepherds of Christ Associates Meeting at Tom Arlinghaus's farm in Kentucky. The rosary was led by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., spiritual director of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
The Annunciation
The Visitation
The Nativity
The Presentation in the Temple
The Finding in the Temple
Notes:
1. Scripture quotations are taken from The New Jerusalem Bible, Catholic Edition,
Doubleday and Co.
[ < Contents ]
Rosaries from the
Hearts of Jesus and Mary
This rosary was received on Thursday, February the 13th, 1997 at an International Shepherds of Christ Associates Meeting at Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center. The rosary was led by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J., spiritual director of Shepherds of Christ Ministries. The meditations and messages were given to Rita Ring during the rosary. This rosary was received live and transcribed from the recording. This live recording can be obtained by writing Shepherds of Christ Publications. All of these meditations have been discerned by Fr. Edward J. Carter S.J.
THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
The Agony in the Garden
The Scourging at the Pillar