Shalom World Prayer

Shalom World Prayer A Catholic television channel devoted entirely to prayer; SW Prayer is your companion to eternity!

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Anne is the...
07/25/2025

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Sts. Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Anne is the patron saint of grandparents, childless couples, women in labor, and women unable to conceive. St Joachim is considered the patron of fathers and grandparents. The Gospels give no indication as regards the parents of Our Lady, but the Proto-Gospel of James, dating back to the middle of the second century, names them as Anna, which means "grace," and Joachim, denoting "Yahweh saves", and declares that their daughter Mary was born in answer to fervent prayer after a long childless marriage.

Sts. Anne and Joachim came from among a people who rose from the faith of Abraham, of a people formed by Moses, which Exodus describes as thirsting to know God's face. St. Anne is glorious among the saints because it was through her that the Immaculate Conception actually took place, making her the mother of the Mother of God and, in essence, the "grandmother of the Messiah." St John Damasus says: "For she who was to be born had to be a first-born daughter, since she would be the mother of the first-born of all creation, in whom all things are held together."

Anne and Joachim emerge as ideal role models for Christian parents of every age and time by bringing Mary to the temple at three and committing her to God's service, fulfilling Anne's promise to the Lord. Indeed, this single event acquired such singular importance in Church doctrine that by 1585, Pope Sixtus V had the liturgical feast of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary on 21 November. The strong character of Mary, as is evidenced in her decision-making, her steadiness in the face of crises, her practice of continuous prayer, her devotion to the laws of her Jewish faith, and her dedication to her relatives, are all indicative of the close-knit, loving and God-fearing family upbringing she had had.

The feasts of St. Anne and St. Joachim were each quite ancient in the Eastern Church but came to be observed universally in the 16th century. In fact, 26 July was initially observed as St Anne's feast day only until it came to be observed as Parents' Day in recent times. This feast reminds parents and grandparents of their responsibility to keep up the practice of traditional human values and offer them as a promise of hope to future generations.

Sts. Anne and Joachim, pray for us that we may raise our children in faith and bring our families into the Light of Jesus.

07/25/2025


Join us in celebrating the Holy Mass Live from St. Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, UK.
Celebrate the memorial and sacrifice of our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection.

✨ Happy Feast of St. James the Apostle! ✨Today, we honor St. James the Great—one of the first apostles called by Jesus, ...
07/24/2025

✨ Happy Feast of St. James the Apostle! ✨
Today, we honor St. James the Great—one of the first apostles called by Jesus, and a witness to Christ’s glory, passion, and mission. As a man of bold faith and fiery zeal, St. James followed Christ without hesitation even to the point of martyrdom. May we, too, respond to God’s call with courage and wholehearted trust. 🛡️ St. James the Apostle, pray for us!

07/24/2025


Join us in celebrating the Holy Mass Live from St. Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, UK.
Celebrate the memorial and sacrifice of our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection.

St. Sharbel, a revered monk, and priest of the Maronite Order, lived in Lebanon. Numerous healings and blessings have be...
07/23/2025

St. Sharbel, a revered monk, and priest of the Maronite Order, lived in Lebanon. Numerous healings and blessings have been attributed to his powerful intercession, making him a beloved saint to seek help from in times of need. Born as Youssef Antoun Makhlouf in 1828, St. Sharbel was raised in a devout family high in the Lebanese mountains. Tragically, his father passed away when he was just three years old, leaving his mother to raise him and his four siblings.

St. Sharbel’s mother raised him in a spirit of piety. As a young child, he was drawn to the lives of the saints. He was also exposed to the hermit life early on, as he had two uncles who lived as hermits. One of St. Sharbel’s duties during his youth was to care for his family’s flock of sheep. He often brought the flock to a nearby grotto and created a shrine to the Blessed Virgin Mary there. St. Sharbel often spent his day in prayer there while tending his family’s sheep.

At the age of 23, he left home and joined the Monastery of Our Lady in Mayfouq for his first year as a monk. He later moved to the St. Maron monastery in Annaya and took the religious name Sharbel after a martyr from Antioch. Following his ordination as a priest, St. Sharbel chose to lead an ascetic and hermitic life, rarely leaving his hermitage. He sought to emulate the holy hermits who came before him and spent twenty-three years living as a hermit.

In 1898, at the age of seventy, St. Sharbel suffered a stroke while celebrating Mass and passed away on Christmas Eve. After his death, many miraculous occurrences were associated with him. Lights were seen near his grave, and it was then discovered that his body had been secreting sweat and blood. Over the years, pilgrims have traveled to the Annaya monastery to seek his intercession, leading to numerous spiritual graces and miraculous healings.

One remarkable event involved a paralyzed 55-year-old woman who dreamed of St. Sharbel performing surgery on her, leading to her complete healing and two wounds on her neck. He appeared to her in a dream the following night and informed her that he had performed surgery on her so that others would return to the Faith.

He was canonized in 1977 by Pope Paul VI, who had earlier hailed the Lebanese Maronite saint as an “admirable flower of sanctity blooming on the stem of the ancient monastic traditions of the East.”

St. Sharbel, obtain for us the grace to lead a virtuous life and be a holy example to others.

07/23/2025


Join us in celebrating the Holy Mass Live from St. Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, UK.
Celebrate the memorial and sacrifice of our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection.

St. Bridget, a woman of deep devotion and remarkable spiritual experiences, was born in Sweden in 1303. As a child, she ...
07/22/2025

St. Bridget, a woman of deep devotion and remarkable spiritual experiences, was born in Sweden in 1303. As a child, she was profoundly drawn to the passion of Jesus and received visions of Christ's suffering on numerous occasions throughout her life. At the age of ten, she had a vision of Jesus on the cross, which instilled in her a mission to discourage people from offending Him.

In her teenage years, Bridget married Ulf, a man who shared her desire to serve God. They had eight children, including St. Catherine of Sweden. Bridget and Ulf also served at the Swedish court, where Bridget worked as the queen's personal maid. Despite her efforts to guide King Magnus and Queen Blanche towards a better path, they often disregarded her counsel.

Throughout her life, Bridget continued to experience marvelous visions and receive divine messages. In obedience to these revelations, she humbly approached rulers and influential figures in the Church, sharing God's expectations with them. After Ulf's passing, Bridget embraced a life of simplicity and became a poor nun. In 1346, she founded the order of the Most Holy Savior, known as the Bridgettines. Despite her numerous responsibilities, she remained devoted to helping others and remained humble, receiving additional divine insights without pride.

In her later years, Bridget embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where she received visions of Jesus' words and actions at the sacred sites. St. Bridget's life came to an end in Rome on July 23, 1373. After her passing, her revelations on the sufferings of Jesus were published for the benefit of others. In 1391, Pope Boniface IX proclaimed her a saint, honoring her remarkable faith and dedication to spreading God's message of love and compassion.

St. Bridget, obtain for us the desire to serve our Lord and the readiness to do His will in all circumstances of our life.

St. Mary Magdalene is the patron saint of contemplative life, converts, hairstylists, penitents, perfume makers, and wom...
07/21/2025

St. Mary Magdalene is the patron saint of contemplative life, converts, hairstylists, penitents, perfume makers, and women. The Gospels give St. Mary Magdalene a special place among Jesus' followers. Her surname owes its origin to her birthplace, a town called Magdala close to Tiberias on the edge of the Sea of Galilee. According to the Western Church's long-standing tradition, Mary the Sinner is synonymous with Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, and Mary Magdalene. Mary of Magdalene was liberated from seven demons by our Lord. Mary "the Sinner" lovingly anointed His feet. According to St. John, Mary, who had been delivered from seven demons, was "Mary of Bethany" and, therefore, the sister of Martha. She sat at the Lord's feet and listened raptly to every word he said.

Mary Magdalene, who was the most devoted and loving disciple of the Lord, stood with his mother at the foot of the Cross, observed his burial, and was the first person to view the empty tomb and the rising "Rabboni" on Easter morning. She was the one who was chosen by Him to deliver the good news to the other disciples. As a result of this role, she gained the title "Apostle to the Apostles" in the early Church. Catholics revere Mary Magdalene in high regard as an example of the contemplative life and conversion.

St. Mary Magdalene, pray for us, that whenever we sin, we would immediately repent of it and decide to make amends.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi was born on 22 July 1559 to William and Elizabeth Russo of Brindisi, Italy. At a very young age...
07/20/2025

St. Lawrence of Brindisi was born on 22 July 1559 to William and Elizabeth Russo of Brindisi, Italy. At a very young age, he displayed clear signs of a religious calling and his potential oratory skills. At 16, he joined the Capuchins at Venice, taking the name of Brother Lawrence and, while still a Deacon, preached the Lenten sermons there with such success that he found himself subsequently called to preach in most of the large cities in Italy. His style was always carefully adapted to the spiritual needs of his listeners, and his obvious sanctity readily captured their hearts.

His prodigious memory enabled him to master German, French, Czech, and Spanish, besides Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and his native Italian. Indeed, it was owing to his excellent knowledge of Hebrew that Pope Clement VIII called him to Rome to instruct the Jewish populace, and he made many converts. In 1602, the Capuchins elected him as their general, but he refused re-election three years later.

During that period, the Turks posed an increasing threat to Europe despite their naval power being weakened at the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Sultan Mohammed III had, since his accession in 1595, was able to conquer a large part of Hungary. At the behest of Emperor Rudolf, Lawrence obtained much-needed help from the various German princes to oppose the formidable Turkish armies. With unwavering confidence, Lawrence successfully inspired his group of 18,000 soldiers, leading them into battle with a raised Crucifix in hand. Their enthusiasm and bravery were so powerful that they managed to rout the Turkish army of 80,000 at Stuhlweissenburg.

Lawrence died from illness while on a mission to Philip III of Spain to advocate for the oppressed citizens of Naples who were being ruled by their despotic Viceroy, P. Giron. His remains were laid to rest in the Spanish diocese of Astorga's Church of the Poor Clares in Villafranca del Bierzo. He enjoys the exceptional distinction of serving the Church as a popular preacher, missionary, polemicist, religious leader, and diplomat. Pope Leo XIII canonized Lawrence on 8 December 1881, and Pope John XXIII declared him Doctor of the Universal Church on 19 March 1959.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi, pray for us to be filled with the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

07/20/2025


Join us in celebrating the Holy Mass Live from St. Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, UK.
Celebrate the memorial and sacrifice of our Lord’s life, death, and resurrection.

St. Apollinaris, who lived in the first century, was from Antioch, Syria. St. Peter gave him the position of Bishop of R...
07/19/2025

St. Apollinaris, who lived in the first century, was from Antioch, Syria. St. Peter gave him the position of Bishop of Ravenna in Italy, which he held for 26 years. He endured nearly continual persecution while serving as a bishop, which included arrest, torture, and exile. Many miracles were performed by Apollinaris. He garnered a lot of followers, which led to a lot of opponents among the unbelievers. After being deported to Greece for the fourth time, during his final attempt to return, he was found leaving the city's gates and subjected to a brutal assault. Seven days after having been attacked, he passed away.

St. Apollinaris of Ravenna, help us embrace a merciful attitude towards those who wrong us.

Address

Philadelphia, PA

Telephone

(215) 366-3031

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Shalom World Prayer posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Shalom World Prayer:

Shortcuts

Share

Category