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Top o' the mornin to ye!

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Patrick. The following brief story of his life is taken from our book, Autom's Saints For Boys, Item Number CS020.

Patrick was born around 389.  At 16, he was carried as a captive to Ireland where, though treated harshly, he stayed close to Jesus and the Catholic Faith. Six years later he escaped, and after many trials made his way home. While there, Patrick saw in a dream all the children of Ireland, stretching out their hands and crying to him for relief from the wombs of their mothers. God showed Patrick that he was to return to Christianize Ireland.

At age 42, Patrick returned to Ireland where he was made Bishop. This tireless saint traveled the Emerald Isle bringing the Faith everywhere despite the hostility of the Druid priests. Saint Patrick established many monasteries for men and women, founding centers of spirituality and learning. He restored sight to the blind, health to the sick, and raised the dead to life. He died March 17th.

SAINT PATRICK'S BREASTPLATE

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Saint Patrick loved bringing God’s Word and His Spirit to all. His life encourages each of us to learn more of our faith and share it with others. The New American Bible and beloved Catholic prayer books are two great ways to help us grow closer to God and bring His presence to our world.

May the Good Lord take a liking to you, and may you be in heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you’re dead!

Are you looking for a way to liven up your family and children’s Masses?  We have a couple of clergy stoles in our clergy apparel collection that can do just that.  They feature kid-friendly designs that are warm and welcoming for children of all ages.  Our Children of the World Stole has been a customer favorite since we introduced it a few years ago. We have since added a matching Children of the World Chasuble and Deacon stole, as well as two additional stole designs featuring Noah’s Ark and the Story of Christmas.

Here is what Susan, our Director of Merchandising had to say:
 “One of my favorite products is our Noah’s Ark Stole.  The vibrant colors of the stole not only draw attention to the story of Noah and his ark, which is a great story for Children’s Liturgies, but the stole can also be worn whenever a Priest just wants to remind his congregation that with God all things are possible.  The stole brings with it an uplifting message that can be a reminder to all of us in difficult times.”

We encourage you to try one of these stoles to help bring a little extra spirit to your liturgy!

Lent is upon us once again! The Church calls us to this ancient season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to rekindle our faith in Christ Jesus and prepare us for the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene invites us to sit with her at the feet of Jesus and receive His love for each of us. Pope Benedict calls us to then walk in love, to give our world a "renewed witness to the Resurrection of Christ." Our fellow humans are suffering, and they need us to allow Christ to love them through our acts of mercy. 

Through His wounds, Jesus overcame evil at its roots, and He anoints us with power to do the same. Saint Paul calls us to stand against the evil one by rejecting sin and putting on the armor of light (see Ephesians 6:10-20).

This Lent, let's ask Our Lord, "What do You want of me?" Lent is not so much giving up as giving in, surrendering to Jesus, allowing Him to have more of us so He can do more to us and through us! Let's seek to let go and let God, by spending more time with Him in prayer, fasting from legitimate pleasures, and sharing our treasure, time, and talents, so we can be more fervent instruments of His peace and mercy to others.

Here are some practical ways to carry out your Lenten resolutions:

• Pray using good Catholic Prayer Books
• Read the Scriptures, such as the New American Bible
• Pray the Rosary. If you need a good glass rosary or cord rosary, we can help!

If we cooperate with Jesus' abundant Lenten grace, we can be confident He will rise again in us on the morning of the Resurrection. Glory to God!
 

I recently asked my coworkers to share with me a few of their favorite products and one particular standout was our line of Prayer Cubes. 

“My favorite is definitely the Prayer Cubes, they are simple, fun and get the message across for all ages.”
Lindsey – Purchasing Manager

“The Fasting Prayer Cube is the coolest thing ever. It provides ideas for fasting that are not commonplace such as 'Fast from anger and hatred', 'Fast from complaining.' Maybe all of us could use a little reminder once in awhile.”
Beth – Merchandiser

The Prayer Cubes just happen to be a favorite of mine as well, so I am very excited to be able to share with you a bit about this really neat product.  We started with one original cube featuring traditional prayers and have expanded to nine additional subjects including First Communion, Reconciliation, Confirmation, Favorite Catholic Prayers, Mealtime Prayers, Advent Prayers, Lenten Prayers, Fasting Prayers, and Children’s Prayers. 

These are perfect for classrooms, as each child can take turns rolling the cube to help determine which prayer will be recited during lessons.  For families, they are a wonderful tool to encourage prayer and discussion during meals and before bedtime. 

I love that each Prayer Cube is meant to make the process of learning prayers easy and fun.  With Spring Sacraments coming up, they would make excellent Reconcilation Gifts, First Communion Gifts and Catholic Confirmation Gifts.

It is still extremely cold in many parts of the country, but at Autom we are already well into the Spring Season.  Our warehouse has begun assembly of thousands of First Communion Sets and is quickly shipping out your affordable church supplies for Lent and Easter.

We are really excited about our newest selection of First Communion gifts, especially our new Everlasting Covenant Presentation Sets.  This exclusive design was thoughtfully created by one of our favorite artists, Michael Adams.  Featuring traditional First Communion symbols including a Catholic Chalice with Chi Rho, wheat and grapes, this design is already becoming a new Autom favorite.

Don’t let the weather fool you…Spring is just around the corner and Autom is ready to supply you with the First Holy Communion gifts you need to make the season great!
 

Catholic Schools week begins this Sunday, January 31st, and to show our appreciation for Catholic Schools we have a special offer for our valued Autom customers.

Save 10% Off Any Size Order through February 6, 2010! 

*Use coupon code CPNSCHOOL at checkout.

“Catholic Schools—Dividends for Life” is the theme of this year’s annual celebration of the good work done by our nation’s Catholic Schools.

Education is an investment of time, energy, money, and discipline, as any parent knows! Catholic education holds the promise of life-long dividends in at least 4 areas:

Faith:  “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Our relationship with God may begin as a mustard seed, but it can end up affecting every part of our life and the lives of countless others, if we follow Saint Peter’s injunction to “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Knowledge: As Pope Benedict XVI has noted, we rise to God on the wings of both faith and reason. God wants us to learn about His cosmos and to joyfully and confidently participate in using His gifts for the furtherance of His Kingdom. Education gives us the tools.

Morals: God has given each of us a conscience, and it is our responsibility to form our conscience in the light of the Holy Spirit, through the teachings of Our Lord and His Church, and the use of our natural reason. The moral virtues of prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice help children grow into true servants of God, family, and country.

Discipline: A disciple is one who can be taught. Catholic schools help children to look upon the world with wonder and to look within themselves with hope in the God who will never forsake them. As C.S. Lewis said, “Many things have gone wrong with the world, and God insists on our putting them right again.”

Educare is the Latin word meaning to lead out of. All true education leads us out of darkness into Christ’s marvelous light, that we might fulfill His command: “You are the light of the world!” (Matthew 5:14).

The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:5 The New American Bible

We hope you have a great Catholic Schools week and don't forget we have a huge selection of Catholic New American Bibles and Catholic Prayer Books that are perfect for students of all ages.

Today, January 28^th, we celebrate the feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Patron saint of Catholic universities, schools, and students—indeed, all who seek to better know and love God with their minds as well as with their hearts and souls. He is also co-patron of our Autom company—Au for Saint Augustine and tom for Saint Thomas! Our staff finds great joy in providing thousands of Catholic schools throughout the country with affordable church supplies, Catholic New American Bibles, Catholic Prayer Books and much more.  We truly appreciate being your supplier of Catholic church supplies and school resources.  If there is anything you need and can't find in our catalog or on our website please let us know!

Here is a bit more about one of Autom's favorite saints:

Thomas Aquinas was born into a noble Italian family around 1226. When he was 17, he joined the Dominican Order, against his family’s wishes. His brothers kidnapped him and held him prisoner for two years in their castle. However, Thomas escaped and went to Germany to study under Saint Albert the Great. He became a priest and was sent to the University of Paris, where he taught philosophy and theology for many years.

Saint Thomas deeply loved and revered Our Lord Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. He wrote special prayers and hymns for the feast of Corpus Christi—the Body of Christ. His greatest and probably best-known work is a summary of the theology of the Church—the Summa Theologica.

One day God gave Saint Thomas a special experience of His presence. After this, Saint Thomas stopped writing, saying his writing was like “so much straw” when compared to God’s glory. Saint Thomas Aquinas died in 1274. He was named the Angelic Doctor— one of the 33 Doctors, or Teachers—of the Church, because the Church considers his teachings to be as wise and holy as those of the angels in heaven.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!

Please join Autom in prayer for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti and for ongoing relief efforts.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We praise and thank You that You are good and compassionate toward all who are in need. Please have mercy on the people of Haiti and the neighboring regions who have just suffered a terrible earthquake. In your goodness, receive the countless men, women, and children who have died into Your loving and forgiving embrace. Have mercy on the multitudes who are missing, wounded, hungry, and homeless— people who have already suffered so much due to poverty, disease, and natural disasters. 

Thank You for the many agencies and individuals who are responding to this calamity with financial aid, food, water, medicine and clothing. Please protect and bless all those engaged in rescue and relief efforts, and multiply their efforts to touch all in need.

O Father, every human life is precious to you, especially the poor and vulnerable. Fill each person in Haiti now with Your peace and consolation. Let them feel Your love in their hearts, that they may know You are with them, and You will never leave them nor forsake them.

Help us to assist the Haitians however You may lead us, that they might know of our solidarity and heartfelt support.

O God all things are possible with You. We ask You humbly to please hear our prayer and grant our request, which we make in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Our Savior, and Our Friend. Amen.

Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted, pray for us.

Remain in me, as I remain in you.

Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine,

so neither can you unless you remain in me.

John 15:4

Peace be with you! My name is Bart Tesoriero, and I’m excited to begin this New Year together with you via my very first blog entry ever! 

God loves you! He created you, and each of us, for Himself, and as Saint Augustine said, our hearts are restless until we rest in Him. So how do we rest in Him, remain in Him, and abide in Him, as Jesus commands us?

We must pray. It is the only way! True prayer leads us into true communion with Our Lord, which, as Pope Benedict teaches in his encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, always “spills out into acts of love for others.” In order to come to know God, to love Him, and to give Him the opportunity to transform us, we need to spend time apart with Him. We need to pray! As we celebrate the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, we encourage you especially to pray the Rosary, to hold Mary’s hand as you walk to Jesus, to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ. Here at Autom, we have many rosaries and Catholic prayer books on sale, as well as many other aids to help you pray.

Prayer is a two-way street. We need to listen to God, and to respond to Him, even as He listens and responds to us. May God bless you this year as you set aside some precious moments to make Him your friend in 2010!

Our Autom Arizona office celebrated Christmas with a festive lunch and team building scavenger hunt. It was a great opportunity to let go of busy deadlines and spend some quality time with coworkers. 

The scavenger hunt sent teams scurrying through a local restaurant/arcade searching for clues, playing games, and making up team cheers. After the prizes were awarded our afternoon of fun concluded with a Fajita buffet and desert. Here are a couple pictures of our Autom Christmas festivities.


                        
 

The Christmas trees and Nativities are up…there is Christmas cheer in the air at Autom! Our Accounting department celebrated a bit early this year holding their annual Christmas lunch and gift exchange last week. They are a wonderful bunch that loves getting together for a bit of fun every now and again. Even with the doors closed, we could still hear their laughter and holiday cheer from down the hall. We hope this season provides you many opportunities to share the Christmas spirit with your co-workers, friends and family. 

Over the next week we will be sharing more pictures from our Autom Christmas celebrations, so stay tuned!
 

Don't forget, today is the last day to ship your Autom order for only $5. Whether you need Nativities, Ornaments,
Altar Candles or Affordable Church Supplies for your Christmas services, there is still time to order and take advantage of our last shipping promotion of 2009!

Expires 12/9/09 at 11:59 PM EST

One day Juan Diego, an Indian Catholic living near Mexico City, heard a voice calling to him as he walked to church. A young maiden dressed as an Aztec Princess appeared to him in a golden beam of light, saying she was the Virgin Mary, Mother of God. She requested Juan to have the bishop build a church on the hill of Tepeyac, so she could show her compassion to his people.

Juan related the request to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga. Somewhat skeptical, the bishop asked for a sign. Meanwhile, Juan put off his visit with the Lady until he could get a priest to administer the last rites to his dying uncle.

Suddenly the Virgin Mary appeared, telling Juan he had nothing to fear, as she had cured his uncle. Miraculously, Castilian roses bloomed on the hillside, which Juan took to the doubting bishop. 

Kneeling before the bishop, Juan let the roses fall from his tilma. To everyone’s surprise and wonder, the image of the Lady was imprinted on the tilma! Falling to his knees, Bishop Zumarraga accepted the sign and fulfilled Mary’s wish by building a church in her honor, where her image was enshrined.

In the next few decades, eight million Indians converted to Jesus. Our Lady of Guadalupe, “La Alma de la Gente”, took her rightful place in the souls of her children.

If you are looking for an affordable and unique Our Lady of Guadalupe devotional gift this beautiful rosary saint bracelet features images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and various other saints on the back of each rose shaped bead. As an exclusive deal to our new Autom blog visitors we are offering this rosary bracelet for $1 Off the regular price! Now on sale for only $7.99* through December 12!

*Be sure to click through this blog post for your sale price which will be reflected upon checkout.
 

With the First Sunday of Advent behind us, it’s likely that you have all of the Advent supplies you need for the season, and now is the time to reflect upon what Advent really means. 

Advent comes from the Latin word adventus, meaning “coming” or “to come to”.  It is a season for us to remember Jesus’ arrival long ago in Bethlehem and to prepare for His final coming as King of Kings.  It is also a season to remind us to prepare our hearts for Jesus each day and to reflect upon His loving presence among us.  We hope this Advent season will bring a renewal of prayer especially in your families, enkindling love and warmth among your loved ones and bringing faith and hope to all those who may feel lonely or discouraged this season.

Advent began Sunday, November 29th, and continues until December 24th.

If you are in need of any last minute Advent supplies or would like to stock up for next year, we have a variety of Autom Advent wreaths, books and candles still available.  Click here to view our selection of Advent supplies. Thank you, and have a Blessed Advent!

We are excited to offer this great new tool to communicate with you, our valuable Autom customers. We are looking forward to sharing helpful buying tips, insights into our company and products, and most of all having conversations about what matters to you. Our Autom blog is our newest outlet to help support you in your search for affordable church supplies, resources and devotional gifts. Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments and ideas…we want to hear from you!