ICON of A Holy and Faithful Marriage

ICON OF A HOLY & FAITHFUL MARRIAGE 

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him, O LORD

As you surely know by now, "The Gipper" -- President Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 50th President of the USA (and 40th under the US Constitution) -- passed over a few moments after our request for your prayers at 1:00 P.M. PDT of pneumonia.

Mrs. Nancy Davis Reagan, along with children Ron and Patti Davis, were at the couple's Los Angeles home when President Reagan died. "My family and I would like the world to know that President Ronald Reagan has passed away after 10 years of Alzheimer's disease at 93 years of age. We appreciate everyone's prayers," Nancy Reagan said in a statement.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his widow who supported "Dutch" throughout their 52 years of iconic marriage. She was born as "Anne Frances Robbins" on July 6, 1921 at Roosevelt Avenue (alongside the No. 7 "El" train) here in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC. The late President began his life in a four-room apartment over the general store in Tampico, Illinois.

Tentatively, the President's body will be taken to his Presidential Library and museum in Simi Valley, Calif., and then flown to Washington to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. His funeral will be next week at the National Cathedral with return of his body to California for a sunset burial at his library.

* Ronald Reagan was one of my inspirational mentors. Before my ordination, I had the honor of serving as his local campaign chairman in 1980 and 1984. My Conservative Republican candidacy shared both his Election Day tickets (and Pres. Nixon before him) when I was elected for 17 years on the Essex County GOP Committee in NJ since 1972 when I first ran for municipal offices there at age 18.

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De Profundis for the Faithful Departed (Psalm 129)

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If Thou, O Lord, shalt mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand?
For with Thee there as merciful forgiveness; and by reason of Thy law I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath relied on His word; my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even unto night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
Because with the Lord there as mercy; and with Him plentiful redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

V. Eternal rest give unto him, O Lord.
R. And let perpetual light shine upon him.
V. May he rest in peace.
B. Amen.

Prayers for the Faithful Departed

"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." (St. Matt. V. 5)

O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell and from the bottomless pit; deliver them from the lion’s mouth, that hell swallow them not up, that they fall not into darkness, but let the holy standard-bearer Michael bring them into that holy light which Thou didst promise unto Abraham and his seed. Amen.

O Gentlest Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the soul of thy departed servant, President Ronald Reagan Be not severe in Thy judgment but let some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames, and do Thou O merciful Savior send Thy angels to conduct Thy departed servant to a place of refreshment, light and peace. Amen.

Resurrection Prayer

Most merciful Father, we commend our beloved former President into Your hands.
We are filled with the sure hope that our departed President will rise again on the last day with all who have died in Christ.
We thank You for all the good things You have given during our brother's earthly life.
O Father, in Your great mercy, accept our prayer that the Gates of Paradise may be opened for Your servant.
In our turn, may we too be comforted by the words of faith
until we greet Christ in glory and are united with You and our departed.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

President Ronald W. Reagan 

URGENT PRAYERS REQUESTED: President Ronald Reagan is on his Death Bed

Brethren: At the request of his wife Nancy, please pray for our fiftieth President of the United States (1981-1989), Ronald W. Reagan, as he quietly prepares for spiritual transition with his family at his bedside. His death appears imminent at any time now. May he reap without further effort his glorious reward and may his loved ones feel the consolation of God.

"THIS ONE IS FOR THE GIPPER!"

Prayer for the Sick near Death

May Christ Who was crucified for your sake free you from excruciating pain.
May Christ Who died for you free you from the death that never ends.
May Christ the Son of the living God, set you in the ever green loveliness of His Paradise,
and may He, the true Shepherd recognize you as one of His own.
May you see your Redeemer face to face and standing in His presence forever,
may you see with joyful eyes Truth revealed in all its fullness. Amen.

Almighty and Everlasting God, preserver of souls, Who dost correct those whom Thou dost love, and for their betterment dost tenderly chastise those whom Thou dost receive, we call upon Thee, O Lord, to grant Thy healing, that the soul of Thy servant, at the hour of its departure from the body, may by the hands of Thy holy Angels be presented without spot unto Thee. Amen.

Prayer for the Dying

Most merciful Jesus, lover of souls, I pray You by the agony of Your Most Sacred Heart, and by the sorrows of Your Immaculate Mother, to wash in Your Most Precious Blood the sinners of the world who are now in their agony, and who will die today.

Loving Spirit of God, have mercy on the dying.
Those dying in pain and suffering,
Those dying in fear and loneliness,
Those dying from hunger and a lack of physical resources,
Those dying violent deaths,
Those dying without any knowledge of Your infinite tenderness and compassion.
Bring to all a sense of Your Presence.
Guard them as the apple of Your eye.
Shelter them in the shadow of Your wings and enfold them in Your Presence.
This we ask through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Heart of Jesus, once in agony, have mercy on the dying. Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I give You my heart and my soul. Assist me in my last agony, and grant that I may breath forth my soul in peace with You. Amen.

NYC WTC "Phantom Towers"

World Trade Center "PHANTOM TOWERS" 

[Phantom Towers conceived by Paul Myoda and Julian LaVerdiere. Original photograph by Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times. Digital manipulation by The New York Times. Appeared originally on the cover of the New York Times Magazine September 20, 2001.]

Remember the Blood of Heroes!

My sister just sent this to me: "Remember the Blood of Heroes." She must have known that this has been the main focus of my meditations this past week. We always had a special kind of mental telepathy ever since we were kids. In high school we would transmit "instant messages" this way while in separate classes.

....Linda is a U.S. Navy Commander and surgical nurse who heads the OR in Naval Hospital Bremerton in Washington. Next week she will reposted again to the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, Calif. By the grace of God, she recently returned from her second deployment for our troops in Iraq (both wars where she operated on the wounded while leading a USN Hospital Ship in the Gulf) and has been serving our country in uniform ever since the Viet Nam War. Today I give thanks that she safely returned home after each and every time she was deployed overseas.

BTW, Linda, I forgot to tell you and everyone else about this site. (But now you know.) Hope you don't mind me proudly sharing you here with my readers. Thanks for this appropriate video. Once again we were on the same wave length...

"IT IS THE SOLDIER" 

"IT IS THE SOLDIER"
By Charles M. Province
(U.S. Army Vet, Founder: Gen. George Patton Historical Society)

It is the soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has give us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the soldier
Who salutes the Flag,
Who serves under the Flag,
Whose coffin is draped in the Flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the Flag.