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A new paper has been added to Saints' Works:

Reparation for Carnival or Mardi Gras (http://saintsworks.net/Papers%20and%20Information.htm)

It contains extracts from the Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude the Great.

"On the Saturday before Quinquagesima Sunday (i.e. Shrove Sunday, or the Sunday before Ash Wednesday) the Saint asked our Lord to prescribe some exercise by which she might serve Him lovingly during these three days, on which men commit so many crimes and excesses."

In these extracts Our Lord teaches St. Gertrude some devotions. In His particular love of her, He has taught her many, and God willing, more of these will be added to the papers section as time goes by.

Due to the sins and crimes during the three days before Ash Wednesday, the pious acts and reparations of the faithful are of particular value.

Thanks, Shin!

I started school in a mission school run by Verona Sisters, all were Italians. Then my secondary school was also in a mission school but this time the nuns were Franciscans and I believe that practically all of them were from Scotland. I remember, it must have been in secondary school, around 9 pm. the bell wound ring; we would all assemble in the hall for our night prayers and we would say the Rosary with the arms stretched out while reciting the decades.
After just a few minutes, the arms really start aching. Imagine what Jesus endured!
I never knew it was recommended by Jesus Himself!
Thank you shin for reminding me

Thank you for letting everyone who reads this know. :D

I love this devotion! It is a great little mortification! You can pray and do penance at once, and as one can see, it greatly pleases Our Lord.

I always think of when Moses raised his arms, and as long as they were raised the armies of the Israelites were victorious, but when he lowered them, even a little, they were defeated. So he had to have his arms held up by his companions on either side. (c.f. Exodus 17)

The sign of the cross, the sign of victory from the beginning!

I recall reading once, though I forget where, this particular devotion, of saying three prayers, I forget whether it was Paters, Aves, or Glorias, rising in the middle of the night -- at midnight, was especially good too. I believe it was for reparation too, and to defeat evil.

"I have desired him to note carefully on this paper the services which the community rendered Me yesterday, and I will also have those noted down which they will render Me on the two following days; so that when I am enthroned as Judge by My Father, I may render to each, after her death, good measure for what she has done; that the fruit of My Passion, which is the source of all the merit and excellence the actions of men can have, may render this measure pressed down; and that this parchment which I will bring to My Father may render the measure so heaped up, that it will pour forth abundantly:"

This extract from those revelations of St. Gertrude the Great is so encouraging.
It is easy sometimes to to think that our prayers and penances are of little worth and wonder what good God can make of them, but the extract above clearly shows how much God is consoled and how much He values these.
This gives me renewed fervour.  :)


Odhiambo, this is the first time I heard of that practice. I will pray like this when reciting the Pater Noster at night.

How glad I am to hear it Martin!  :D

'Nothing seems tiresome or painful when you are working for a Master who pays well; who rewards even a cup of cold water given for love of Him.'

St. Dominic Savio

:cupofwater:

I am glad martin. The nuns in my former school must have been practicing it themselves since they introduced it to us.
I too will start praying likewise again.
Glad to hear from you martin. A very Happy and Blessed 2012, I wish you!