On August 29, we remember the Passion of St. John the Baptist. He publicly confronted King Herod Antipas and told him that it was not right for him to live in adultery with Herodias.
The king got drunk at his birthday party and watched Salome, Herodias’ daughter, dance lewdly before him. In his passion, he promised to give her anything that she wanted. She asked her mother what she should ask of the king and she replied, “The head of John the Baptist on a platter.” The king granted her wish and beheaded the innocent St. John who died as a martyr for the truth.
Recent so-called “news” consists primarily of reports of vicious political bickering and vile name-calling. There are few reports of the barbarous acts of jihadist militant Muslims, like the beheading of Jim Foley, that are still ongoing.
In the past, there was a true news report of the Islamic State that released a horrific video that showed American Catholic photojournalist Jim Foley being beheaded like St. John the Baptist in the painting above.
After a prior kidnapping in 2011, Jim wrote about his experience. “I prayed [that my mother] would know I was OK. I began to pray the rosary. It was what my mother and grandmother would have prayed . . . as if in a conversation with God, rather than silently and alone.”
Before he was beheaded, Jim was unable to write letters to his family because they were confiscated by his jailers.
Instead, he asked another hostage who was about to be released to commit his letter to memory. When that hostage was freed, he dictated the letter to Jim’s mother.
Jim said in his letter, “I know you are thinking of me and praying for me. And I am so thankful. I feel you all especially when I pray. I pray for you to stay strong and to believe. I really feel I can touch you even in this darkness when I pray.”
After the Islamic State posted the video of Jim’s murder online, his mother, Diane, wrote, “We implore the kidnappers to spare the lives of the remaining hostages. Like Jim, they are innocents. They have no control over American government policy in Iraq, Syria or anywhere in the world.”
“We thank Jim for all the joy he gave us. He was an extraordinary son, brother, journalist and person.”
Like Jim, let us pray the rosary, in union with St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Guadalupe, to end the beheadings and all killing of the innocents! See our Rosary Package here.
Let us pray with St. John Paul II, “Holy Virgin of Guadalupe, Queen of Peace! Save the nations and peoples of this continent. Teach everyone, political leaders and citizens, to live in true freedom and to act according to the requirements of justice and respect for human rights, so that peace may thus be established once and for all.” See his full prayer here.
You could help to bring this peace by hosting a Visitation of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and by praying with her Holy Hours for Life, Pace and Protection. Learn how here.
Hope is the confident expectation of divine blessings that we hope to receive through your generous support of our Summer Campaign to support our Apostolates.
We are in the second half of our Summer Campaign, but have only raised $34,232 of our goal of $130,000 for this quarter of our annual budget year.
Many of our supporters take well-deserved summer vacations, which causes our support to reach its lowest levels of the year.
So, we would really appreciate your help to keep our Missionary Images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Jesus King of All Nations and Our Lady of America on their Visitations throughout America.
But, in order to continue this work for the greater glory of God, we must raise $95,768 by the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, September 29. This is just for our normal quarterly operating expenses of maintaining our Apostolates’ Center and paying our modest salaries. There is no surplus in our budget, which does not include any special projects, needs, or savings.
Please click here to learn how your donations support our mission.
We rely solely on your help to spread our devotions to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Jesus King of All Nations, Our Lady of America and St. John Paul II and to coordinate Visitations of our Missionary Images.
Our benefactors receive the following spiritual benefits from our apostolate: Remembrance of your Intentions in our daily Chaplets and perpetual Novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe and Jesus King of All Nations; in our weekly Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament and in our special monthly Masses.
To make a donation by phone, you may also call us at 802-524-5350.
Thank you for remembering us.
“Be not sparing of freewill gifts. With each contribution show a cheerful countenance, and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy. Give to the Most High as He has given to you, generously, according to your means. For the LORD is one who always repays, and He will give back to you sevenfold.” (Sirach 35:7-10).
