Caritas’ Annual 9-day Bread and Water Fast 2016

For Immediate Release
September 5, 2016 A.D.
 

9-Day Bread and Water Fast
Thursday October 6 – Friday October 14, 2016

For many years, a Friend of Medjugorje has prayed and offered 9-day bread and water fasts. Since the Community of Caritas was born, these 9-day fasts are continuing to be offered by the Community as well for special intentions and for purification throughout the year. We often find that the 9-day fasts bring to the surface many things that point towards correction, and a greater call to holiness. Our Lady of Medjugorje said on January 2, 2015:
 

“…Many false truths are being offered to you. You will overcome them with a heart cleansed by fasting, prayer, penance and the Gospel. This is the only truth and it is the truth which my Son left you. You do not need to examine it much…”

 

The truth of the faith is very simple. A Friend of Medjugorje recently had a conversation with a young man who just started to study to become a Catholic. When a Friend of Medjugorje asked the young man what he was beginning to learn in his classes, the young man replied that the deacon was teaching them about some of the more in-depth aspects of our religion. A Friend of Medjugorje told the young man, “…Tell the deacon that you want to learn about the martyrs, that you want to hear the glorious stories that fill our faith of people who shed their blood for what we believe. That is what you need to hear before you learn about any of the other things. They are passing on to you theology, not the faith…”

Our Lady said:

“…You do not need to examine it very much…”

It is the tendency of believers to over-examine. The truth of the faith, Our Lady tells us, is very simple. And the simple truth is that our nation is in trouble. Our world is in trouble. There is no reason to make the solutions complicated. We recently launched the call to form and make prayer groups*, a call that has come directly from Our Lady. This is the first step. The second step is the annual 9-day bread and water fast that a Friend of Medjugorje is offering to anyone who wants to join. This is the 15th year of offering this to the public to join in, and the 9-day bread and water fast is quickly approaching. The fast begins on Thursday October 6, 2016, and ends on Friday October 14, 2016. Last year in 2015 after many years of being asked, we released a new section on Fasting that has become one of the most popular sections on the site.

This year, we are putting out a strong call for as many as possible to join us in this fast that will give Our Lady added sacrifices and prayers to go before God to break satan’s hold over our nation. If ever there was a year to join in this fast, this is the year.  If you are forming a prayer group as mentioned in the writing, A Revolution for Her Son…*, the power that would result from your prayer group doing the fast together is something that will result in great graces from God for our nation, for your group and for you as an individual.

The Year of Mercy is drawing to a close, and once it has ended, we will likely see the progression of events foretold by Our Lady, not only in Medjugorje, but in Her visitations throughout the past century from around the world. Even if we do not see dramatic changes immediately, things will begin to be set into motion that will lead to dramatic events in the future. We fast for the purification of ourselves, our families and our nation. Our fast, joined with the Indulgences received in this Year of Mercy, make us the most presentable we are capable of being before God, and through Our Lady’s intercession, give us the possibility of receiving from Him what we have been ardently seeking for years: The return of our nation back to Her Son. Join with us to give Our Lady this collaborative fast to help Her be able to shape the future according to Her desires and plans.

This fasting novena includes a prayer below for your intentions and the intentions of the Community and mission of Caritas. The fast covers each day of 2017. Spread this information to your family and friends that each day of 2017 will be covered several times over. If you are unable to fast on bread and water for the nine days, please join us in making sacrifices during this time, praying extra rosaries, offering your Holy Communions, increasing your prayers, and uniting other penances to give to Our Lady with our fasting. Do not over-examine it. Do not let others over-examine it for you. There will be those who may tell you that it is not necessary to do this fast, or not healthy. Our Lady said on June 16, 1983:

“…the devil tempts all those who have made a resolution to consecrate themselves to God, most particularly, those people. He will suggest to them that they are praying too much, they are fasting too much… Have them not listen to him, nor obey him. It is to the voice of the Blessed Virgin that they should pay attention…”

For those who desire to join in the 9-day fast on bread and water, please call to sign up, 205-672-2000, between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Time USA, Monday through Friday. Or, leave a message on extension 315 with your name and phone number and that you are calling about joining the 9-day fast. We will call you back to tell you the day of 2017 that your 9-day fast will cover. If you are unable to commit to all nine days, or if you are not able to fast only on bread and water, your sacrifices are important to us and will add to the grace we are seeking for our nation through this 9-day fast. But, as we want to be assured that every day of next year is covered by at least one 9-day bread and water fast, we can only assign days for those fully participating in the 9-day fast. Thank you, and God Bless!
 

For information about fasting, with questions and answers, visit comprehensive Fasting section here

* For information about forming and making prayer groups, visit here…

 

RECITE EACH DAY OF THE NINE-DAY BREAD AND WATER FAST
THURSDAY OCTOBER 6 – FRIDAY OCTOBER 14, 2016

PRAYER FOR THE FASTING NOVENA

O Queen of Heaven, we unite ourselves with others across the land in a holy fast, reminiscent of the so many times ancient Israel cried out in repentance to their God. By their history, we know God the Most High will hear our cry. We humble ourselves because of our sins. Seek, Mary our Queen, on our behalf, that the Lord not look upon our sins, but the love we show Him through this fast. Persuade Him to not only forgive but also forget and blot out our sins, that through Your hands we will grow close to Him and know Him intimately as a Father, as our Protector.

O Mary, these days of fasting we wish to empty our hearts of everything useless. Cleanse us. Let this fast purify us and atone for everything that has defiled us. O Mary, Queen of Peace, let our hearts be refilled through Your hands with whatever graces are necessary to reconcile us, our families, and our nation back to God. We wish also to atone for any wrongs in advance for each day of the coming year 2017, so that all be consecrated to Your Immaculate Heart, to purify the body of believers in order for the rebirth and the ushering in of a new springtime for Christianity in our beloved nation.

We seek the healing of our hearts of all spiritual disease and illness and for You to fill our hearts especially during December 8th–12th. Please, please, dear Mother, please grant us these requests, and grant the three special intentions of the Community of Caritas as well as my own personal intentions of (name your personal intentions) along with the quick, successful conclusion of Retooling The Tabernacle of Our Lady’s Messages………I especially offer _________ ____, 2017 (Day assigned by Caritas), that on that day the plans of satan against ourselves, our family, and nation will be thwarted and grace will abound for conversion across our land.

We consecrate our hearts to You, Mary, and to Jesus. We want to give You and Jesus “title” of not only our souls, but also our bodies, as well as all we possess. We know Your words of January 1, 2001, when You revealed that satan was completely unchained, were followed with what our response should be. It was to give ourselves to You and Jesus completely, as a possession into Your and His hands, through the formal daily act of consecration, thereby, owned by You and Your Son, we are afforded protection through being Your possession.

January 1, 2001

“My dear children, now that when satan is unchained, I desire you to be consecrated to My Heart and the Heart of My Son Jesus. I bless you with my Motherly Blessing.”

We, therefore, present to You the intention to empty our hearts that You may refill them, as well as Caritas’ intentions and our personal intentions through this nine-day fast, prayers and consecrations, in order that You will present this novena with your Son before the throne of God. We ask for an unleashing of grace to be poured out upon ourselves, our families, our nation, and upon the countless numbers who are in need of conversion throughout our land, and Your intentions for all of the above intentions. Please intercede for us as our Mother and as our Queen. Amen.

For information about fasting, with questions and answers, visit comprehensive Fasting section here

For your spiritual nourishment and strength: