A Contest to Commemorate the Publication of “The Prayers And Personal Devotions Of Mother Angelica”

This March 2nd, for the first time, we will all have an opportunity to pray the private prayers and devotions of Mother Angelica. This is the third book I have had the honor of editing for Mother and her monastery. You can pre-order your copies HERE. Contained in this brand new keepsake are Mother’s personal compositions and time tested devotions that you can experience and utter-- the very words that have shaped her incredible life.

This treasury, much of it never before published, includes:

• A complete prayer journal composed during Mother’s personal dark night of the soul

• Handwritten meditations offered to her sisters

• Two moving versions of the Stations of the Cross composed for her community

• Devotions and petitions from her early religious life


More than a collection of prayers, this special volume is an intimate portrait of one of the world’s great women of faith. For devoted fans of Mother Angelica as well as for those just coming to know her, this inspiring guide will be a cherished companion along the path to holiness.

The Contest

Over the next few weeks I will be accepting e-mails from anyone who can tell me what devotion to Jesus Mother Angelica prayed before entering the cloister. Send your guess to raymond@raymondarroyo.com. Please type: “Contest” into the subject line and include your name, address and telephone number, so we can contact the winners. The first 100 people who answer correctly will get signed, first editions of “The Prayers and Personal Devotions of Mother Angelica” and a special bookmark.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Raymond

A Religious Conscience Exception In The Health Care Bill – For The Amish

Both the Senate and House Health Care bills have one religious conscience clause. Unfortunately it only applies to the Amish and a few other religious sects. According to the Watertown Daily Times, the exception would allow the Amish to avoid the health insurance mandate and a fine should they refuse to carry health insurance.

So get this straight: the Amish, Old Order Mennonites and possibly Christian Scientists can opt out of the health care plan, with no penalty, while Catholics and other Christians are bound to pay premiums that fund abortion. How is that fair? Hundreds of Christian, pro-life hospitals, doctors and nurses may soon be forced to violate their consciences and offer or perform procedures they consider morally objectionable. The Congress could care less.

If the pro-life community fails to demand conscience clause protections, and loudly, they could find themselves morally compromised by this new health care regime. Even the leading voice for conscience clauses, the US Catholic bishops, have been muted in recent days, preferring to convey their desires via letters and statements issued by their Conference. Now is the time for a full throated, public discussion of this critical issue. The ethical future of health care is being negotiated now in the back rooms of Capitol Hill.

Of course if everyone would rather focus on Harry Reid's comments, I suppose there is the option of riding a horse and buggy to work. Though some Catholic doctors I know will look pretty silly in those straw hats.

Let me know what you think at raymond@raymondarroyo.com