The Saint Monica Sodality of Michigan is a spiritual organization whose members consist of dear souls like you who are willing to recite daily the Saint Monica Sodality Prayer (scroll down the page) to pray their loved ones back to the full practice of the Catholic Faith, and also for conversions to the Catholic Church (St. Monica’s son, St. Augustine, wasn’t baptized in the Catholic Church until 33 years of age!).  Whenever possible, you are encouraged to attend a local monthly Mass whose intentions are for the St. Monica Sodality.  It brings you to a church close to home with other dear souls praying for their loved ones, too.  Here are our two locations:

The 1:30 P.M. Mass at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Roman Catholic Slovak Church in Sterling Heights is the fourth Sunday of each month.  The next scheduled Mass is December 27, 2009.  

The 4:00 P.M Mass at Assumption Grotto Catholic Church in Detroit is the First Saturday of each month.  The next scheduled Mass is January 3, 2010

Petition Slips are found at the Petition Boxes near the entrances of both churches.  Here is where you list those you are praying to return to the Catholic Church.   Once a month your petition slip is removed from the petition box and placed in a covered album that is brought to the altar during Mass.  Eventually all petitions are taken to Rome, to St. Augustine Church in St. Monica’s Chapel.  Her remains are entombed below the altar and your petitions are placed at the foot of her altar.

A Statue of Saint Monica

At Sts. Cyril & Methodius a statue of St. Monica is venerated after Mass.  It is a third-class relic, which means it has been touched to a bone of St. Monica.  It is a sacramental.  Sacramental as defined in the Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J,  Modern Catholic Dictionary states:  “ Objects or actions that the Church uses . . . in order to achieve through the merits of the faithful, certain effects, mainly of a spiritual nature.  They differ from sacraments. . . Their efficacy depends not on the rite itself, as in the sacraments, but on the influence of prayerful petition; that of the person who uses them and of the Church in approving their practice. . . (and) draw not only on the personal dispositions of the individual but on the merits and prayers of the whole Mystical Body of Christ.”  Fr. C. Frank Phillips, C.R. International Director of the Sodality located in Chicago, has stated that our prayers, with faith in God and His Saints, can bring answers above and beyond what we have petitioned, even physical healings.  An important action on our part after our prayerful petition, is to seal this exchange with St. Monica by a touch to her statue.    

  Traditionally the month of December is dedicated to the Divine Infancy of Jesus.  The virtue is Union.

Union of persons is agreement of mind, heart and will of the one that is loved.  Supernaturally, it is union of the soul with God.  In growth in the spiritual life, it is the last stage of sanctity which follows the purgative and illuminative way.  In it one is constantly aware of God’s presence, and becomes habitually conformed to the will of God

REFLECTIONS

God creates us out of love and we return His love with acts of charity.  Each act offered for love of another strengthens us to persevere and increases the depth of our love.

And what great love and reward awaits those who bring lost souls to You Heavenly Father, for is it not said that all of Heaven rejoices over the return of just one lost sinner?

 “The more God wishes to bestow on us, the more does He make us desire (it)”   St. John of the Cross

Matthew 7:7   “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” 

Remember to continue to ask until you receive, continue to seek until you find, and continue to knock until the door is opened.  Do not grow weary.  This time of Advent is to strengthen you to persevere until the joyful day of His coming.

During Advent we prepare our homes to receive family and friends, but more importantly, let us prepare our hearts to receive the Infant Jesus. 

The two following prayers can be said each day until December 25:

“Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.  In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my petitions, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ,and of His blessed Mother.  Amen”

The following prayer can be said by children:

“O sweet little Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, born in a stable for love of us, please help me to make my heart ready for Your coming.  O holy, happy Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray to your little Son for me.   Ask Him to bless us all.  Amen”

If you have any questions or comments or online petitions, please email us at stmonicasodality@hotmail.com