隠れキリシタン & St. Paul Miki & Companions -- Live Record narrated by Fr. Elias Mary Mills, FI. NEW VIDEO story "Courageous Witness" on RHP Rosary Channel
Sister Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa posthumously visits as we reflect upon the birth of the Catholic Church in Japan in 1597 today. Celebrate w/ Portugal the 5 Wounds of Christ Feast Feb 7.
ETERNAL WISDOM
“The foundation of the Church in Japan was laid on the blood of the martyrs.”
~ ST. POPE JOHN PAUL II
WATCH OUR LATEST EPISODE: “COURAGEOUS WITNESS”
THE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST NEWSLETTER | NOON HOUR EDITION
The story of how Divine Providence chose Portuguese "Oporto" of Nagasaki as the birthplace of Catholic Japan began with "the purge" of Christians in the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ and the heroic martyrdom of 26 courageous witnesses to Jesus Christ on the 6th of February 1597.
Today's presentation features Fr. Elias Mary Mills, Franciscan of the Immaculate. He is today's Rosary Hour Podcast Spiritual Director sharing the testimonies of St. Paul Miki and his companions -- martyrs who were not forgotten after they were crucified together on this day — for their witness and testimony was passed on to Sister Agnes Sasagawa who appears posthumously at the end of this video from her meeting with Fr. Elias Mary Mills during a pilgrimage visit to Japan and before her passing on August 15, 2024.
We dedicate this episode to the 隠れキリシタン (Hidden Christians) of Japan who could not practice their Catholic faith under the Shogunate Military government until the mid 20th century, and encourage you to share with others their testimony, unwavering conviction, and abundance sanctifying grace that moved their hearts to desire eternal life in the kingdom of God's Love and Mercy. We invite you to find time today and every day you can to contemplate the Mystery of the “Wounds of Christ” in unity with Portugal which celebrates tomorrow as a “Festa” (Feast) on February 7th: “As Cinco Chagas do Senhor” as instituted by Pope Benedict the XIV with a reading from the book of Isaiah 53: 1-10 and Psalm 22 — the Psalm of the Cross (https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/22.htm)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,
“let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
15 My mouth[d] is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce[e] my hands and my feet.
17 All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.
19 But you, Lord, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you[f] I will fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the Lord will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
Finally, this feast includes this reading of the Gospel of John: 20, 24-29:
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A24-29&version=NIV
Portuguese Nagasaki in JAPAN: 101
“Nagasaki, on the northwest coast of Japan’s Kyushu Island, was an important Portuguese trading base from c. 1571 to 1639, and the most eastern outpost of the Portuguese empire. The Portuguese presence transformed Nagasaki from a small fishing village into one of the great trade centres of Japan and East Asia.”
PILGRIMS OF HOPE: A Message from Bishop of Kyoto in 2025
The Church in Japan perseveres today, so we invite readers to review the November 2024 letter from Bishop in Kyoto, Japan on becoming “Pilgrims of Hope” — his voice reminds the faithful to pray for the souls in Purgatory through “vicarious intercession” citing the supernatural charity Fr. Thad spoke of and which we can offer as a sacrifice for souls by taking time to attend in the Jubilee Ordinary a second Full Holy Mass in one day, taking a second communion for a Holy Soul in purgatory.1
INDULGENCES FOR JUBILEE 2025 are here:
PRAYERS TO HONOUR THE 5 HOLY WOUNDS OF CHRIST |
“THE LITANY OF THE SACRED WOUNDS of CHRIST” authored and prayed daily by Saint Clare of Assisi
In Portugal, February 7th is a solemn feast that honours the “Five Wounds of Our Lord”. We invite you on this day to unite in prayer — asking for the intercession of St. Paul Miki and the 25 courageous martyrs who accompanied him to help deepen our understanding of the Fifth Sorrowful Mystery of the Way of the Cross. Here are Saint Clare’s lamentations and invitation to study the Wounds of Christ — imagining the sufferings of our Savior.
I. In Honor of the Wound in the Right Hand of Our Divine Savior
Praise and honor be given You, Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of the of Sacred Wound in your Right Hand. By this holy and adorable wound, I beseech you to pardon all of the sins that I have committed by thought, word, and deed; by neglecting my service to you, and by self-indulgence, both while awake and asleep. Grant me the grace, that by devout and frequent remembrance of your Holy Passion, I may honor your sacred wounds and the death which you endured for my sake; and that by chastising my body, I may testify my gratitude for your sufferings and your death.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Amen.
2. In Honor of the Wound in the Left Hand of Our Divine Savior
Praise and honor be given You, Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Left Hand. By this holy and adorable wound, I beseech you to have pity on me and to change within me whatever is displeasing to you. Grant me victory over your enemies, so that by the power of your grace, I may overcome them. And by your holy death, deliver me from all dangers, present and future, and make me worthy to share in the glory of your blessed kingdom.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Amen.
3. In Honor of the Wound in the Right Foot of Our Divine Savior
Praise and honor be given You, Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Right Foot. By this holy and adorable wound, I beseech you to enable me to bring forth worthy fruits of penance for my sins. I humbly entreat you, for the sake of your holy death, to keep me safe, day and night, according to your holy will and to preserve me from all adversity, in body and soul, so that on the judgment day, I may obtain eternal joy.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Amen.
4. In Honor of the Wound in the Left Foot of Our Divine Savior
Praise and honor be given You, Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Left Foot. By this holy and adorable wound, I beseech you to forgive my sins and to grant full remission for my sins, so that with your help, I may escape the rigors of your justice. I entreat you, Lord Jesus Christ, for the sake of your holy death, to grant that at the hour of my death, I may have the grace to confess my sins with perfect contrition; to receive the Blessed Sacrament of Your Body and Blood; and to receive the Sacrament of Holy Anointing for the sake of my eternal salvation.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Amen.
5. In Honor the Wound in the Side of Our Divine Savior
Praise and honor be given You, Lord Jesus Christ, by reason of the Sacred Wound in your Side. By this holy and adorable wound and by the Baptism with which you purified me from original sin, I beseech you to deliver me from all evils — past, present, and future. I entreat you, by your bitter death, to give me a lively faith, a firm hope, and perfect charity, so that I may love you with my whole heart, with my whole soul, and with all my strength. Uphold me by your grace through the practice of good works, so that I may serve you always in this life and praise you forever in heaven.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Almighty God and Father,
who ransomed the human race
by the five wounds of your Only Son,
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
help us to venerate these holy wounds
and to praise and serve you forever and ever.
We make this prayer through Christ Jesus, Our Lord.
Amen.
Saint Paul Miki and companions, pray for us!
Saint Clare, Saint Rita, Saint Padre Pio, pray for us!
Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us! Our Lady of Tears, pray for us!
365 DAY NOVENA: 15 PRAYERS OF ST. BRIDGET OF SWEDEN
The Fifteen Prayers Revealed by Our Lord to Saint Bridget of Sweden In the Church of St. Paul at Rome are published under sanction of the Decree of November 18, 1966, published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vol. 58, No. 16 of December 29, 1966.
Prayers Approved by Pope Pius IX Magnificent Promises to Saint Bridget of Sweden Pope Benedict XV expressed himself as follows on the Revelations of St. Bridget:
“The approbation of such revelations implies nothing more than, after mature examination, it is permissible to publish them for the unit of the faithful. Though they don’t merit the same credence as the truths of religion, one can, however, believe them out of human faith, conforming to the rules of prudence by which they are probable, and supported by sufficient motives that one might believe in them piously.” (Les Petits Bollandistes, tome XII)
The 14th of June 1303, at the moment Bridget was born, Benedict, the curate of Rasbo, prayed for the happy deliverance of Ingeborde. Suddenly he found himself enveloped by a luminous cloud out of which Our Lady appeared:
“A child has been born at Birger; her voice will be heard by the entire world.”
Sagii, die XXIV Aprilis 1903 Imprimature.
NOTES BY: FJ. Girard, V.G.
These prayers and these Promises have been copied from a book printed in Toulouse in 1740 and published by the P. Adrien Parvilliers of the Company of Jesus, Apostolic Missionary of the Holy Land, with approbation, permission and recommendation to distribute them. Parents and teachers who will read them to young infants for at least one year will assure their being preserved for life from any grave accident which would involve the loss of one of their five senses. Pope Pius IX took cognizance of these prayers with the prologue; he approved them May 31, 1862, recognizing them as true and for the good of Souls. This sentence of Pope Pius IX has been confirmed by the realization of the promises by all persons who have recited the prayers and by numerous supernatural facts by which God wanted to make known their exact truth. A collection of small books, these prayers among them, was approved by the Great Congress of Malines on August 22, 1863.
Question – Must one recite the prayers every day without interruption to obtain the privileges?
Answer ‐ One should miss saying them as few times as possible; but if for a serious reason one is obliged to miss them, one doesn’t lose the privileges attached to them, as long as one recites 5480 Prayers during the year. One must say them with devotion and concentrate on the words one pronounces. These prayers can serve as the Way of the Cross.
DOWNLOAD THESE 15 PRAYERS HERE:
OR download from the PIETA PRAYER BOOK HERE
PRAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY. Today is Thursday. Pray the Joyful Mysteries. Episode Spiritual Direction by Fr. Elias Mary Mills, FI (hosted by Amelia) and Fr. Nuno Rocha (Portugal). Reviewed by Rembrandt, Izzy, and Karen. ST. PAUL MIKI & COMPANIONS, pray for us!FOOTNOTES
III. -Works of mercy and penance
In addition, the faithful will be able to obtain the Jubilee Indulgence if, with a devout spirit, they participate in popular missions, spiritual exercises, or formation activities on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, held in a church or other suitable place, according to the mind of the Holy Father.
Despite the rule that only one plenary indulgence can be obtained per day (cf. Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, IV ed., norm. 18, § 1), the faithful who have carried out an act of charity on behalf of the souls in Purgatory, if they receive Holy Communion a second time that day, can obtain the plenary indulgence twice on the same day, applicable only to the deceased (this must take place within a Eucharistic celebration; see can. 917 and the Pontifical Commission for the authentic interpretation of the CIC, Responsa ad dubia, 1, 11 July 1984). Through this double act, a praiseworthy exercise of supernatural charity is carried out, through that bond by which the faithful still journeying on this earth are united in the mystical Body of Christ, with those who have already completed their journey, by virtue of the fact that “the Jubilee indulgence, thanks to the power of prayer, is intended in a particular way for those who have gone before us, so that they may obtain full mercy” (Spes non confundit, 22).
