Catholic Baptism Gifts

PREPARATORY PRAYER

My Lord Jesus Christ, You made this journey to die for me with unutterable love, and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You; but now I love You with my whole heart, and because I love You, I repent sincerely for ever having offended You. Pardon me, my God, and permit me to accompany You on this journey. You go to die for love of me; I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of You. My Jesus, I will live and die always united to You.

At the beginning of each station:
V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
R. Because by Your holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.

1. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH

Consider how Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the Cross.

Dear Jesus, it was not Pilate, but my sins that condemned You to die. I ask You, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul in its journey towards eternity. I love You, my beloved Jesus; I repent with my whole heart for having offended You. Never permit me to separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

2. JESUS ACCEPTS HIS CROSS

Consider how Jesus, in making this journey with the Cross on His shoulders, thought of us, and offered to His Father, for us, the death He was about to undergo.

My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations You have destined for me until death. I implore You, by the pain You suffered in carrying Your Cross, to give me the necessary help to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation. I love You, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


3. JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME

Consider this first fall of Jesus under His Cross. His flesh was torn by the scourges, His head crowned with thorns, and He had lost a great quantity of blood. He was so weakened that he could scarcely walk, and yet he had to carry this great load upon His shoulders. The soldiers struck Him rudely, and thus He fell several times in His journey.

My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the Cross, but my sins, which have made You suffer so much pain. By the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin. I love You, O my Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to separate myself from You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


4. JESUS MEETS HIS SORROWFUL MOTHER

Consider the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey. Jesus and Mary looked at each other, and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly.

My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow You experienced in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Your most holy Mother. And you, my Queen, who were overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by your intercession a continual and tender remembrance of the Passion of your Son. I love You, Jesus my love; I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


5. SIMON HELPS JESUS TO CARRY THE CROSS

Consider how the soldiers, seeing that at each step Jesus, from weakness, was on the point of expiring, and fearing that He would die on the way, forced Simon the Cyrenian to carry the Cross behind our Lord.

Dear Jesus, I will not refuse the Cross, as the Cyrenian did; I accept it; I embrace it. I accept in particular the death You have destined for me; with all the pains that may accompany it; I unite it to Your death, I offer it to You. You have died for love of me; I will die for love of You, and to please You. Help me by Your grace. I love You, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


6. VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS

Consider how the holy woman Veronica, seeing Jesus so afflicted, and His face bathed in sweat and blood, presented Him with a towel, with which He wiped His adorable face, leaving on it the impression of His holy countenance.

My most beloved Jesus, Your face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Regrettably, my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Your grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins; You alone, my Redeemer, can restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Your Passion, O Jesus. I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


7. JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME

Consider the second fall of Jesus under the Cross — a fall which renews the pain of all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.

My most gentle Jesus, how many times You have pardoned me, and how many times have I fallen again, and begun again to offend You! By the merits of this new fall, give me the necessary help to persevere in Your grace until death. Grant that in all temptations which beset me I may always commend myself to You. I love You, Jesus my love; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


8. THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM WEEP OVER JESUS

Consider how those women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus in such a pitiable state, streaming with blood, as He walked along. But Jesus said to them: “Weep not for Me, but for your children.”

My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the offenses I have committed against You, because of the pains they have deserved, and still more because of the displeasure they have caused You, who have loved me so much. It is Your love, more than the fear of hell, which causes me to weep for my sins. My Jesus, I love You more than myself; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You gain. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.

9. JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME

Consider the third fall of Jesus Christ. His weakness was extreme, and the cruelty of His executioners was excessive, as they tried to hasten His steps when He had scarcely strength to move.

Oh my outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness You suffered in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect, and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Your friendship. I love You, Jesus my love, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


10. JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS

Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh, and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Comfort your Savior thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:

My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torments You endured, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in You, who are so worthy of my love. I love You, O Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


11. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS

Consider how Jesus, after being thrown on the Cross, stretched out His arms, and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His death for our salvation. The executioners nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the Cross, left Him to die in anguish.

My crucified Jesus, nail my heart to Your Cross, that it may ever remain there, to love You, and never leave You again. I love You more than myself; I repent of having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


12. JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS

Consider how your Jesus, after three hours’ Agony on the Cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head, and dies.

O my dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the Cross on which You died for love of me. I deserve because of my sins, to die; but Your death is my hope. By the merits of Your death, give me grace to die, embracing Your feet, and burning with love for You. I yield my soul into Your hands. I love You with my whole heart; I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


13. JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS

Consider how, after the death of our Lord, two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took Him down from the Cross, and placed Him in the arms of His afflicted Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness, and pressed Him to her bosom.

O Mother of Sorrows, for the love of this Son, accept me for your servant, and pray to Him for me. And You, my Redeemer, since You have died for me, permit me to love You; for I desire only You, and nothing more. I love You, my Jesus, and I repent of ever having offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


14. JESUS IS PLACED IN THE TOMB

Consider how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulcher with her own hands. They then closed the tomb, and all withdrew.

Oh, my buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses You. But You did rise again the third day. I beseech You, by Your resurrection, make me rise glorious with You at the last day, to be always united with You in heaven, to praise You and love You forever. I love You, and I repent of ever having offended You. Never permit me to offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.


15. JESUS RISES FROM THE DEAD!

Consider how, very early on the first day of the week, several women bringing ointment and spices went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. When they arrived they found that the stone had been rolled away! Amazed, they entered the empty tomb and saw an angel clothed in white who said to them, “Do not fear! Jesus is not here; he is risen! Behold the place where they laid him.”

O Jesus, in the shimmering rays of this morning, a new light dawns on Mary’s pierced heart as You resurrect from the dead. Somewhere in the night, You stepped out of the empty grave with the fire of victory in Your Heart and an unconquerable joy in Your Soul as You definitively triumphed over sin and death. Jesus, thank You for living and dying for us, so that we who believe in and follow You will not die, but live in heaven forever with You.

No matter how many times I have heard the economists say, “The economy is turning back up!” or “In a few months things will be back to normal,” it is hard for me to see any hard evidence of change in my life. The same 10 houses that have been for sale on my street for the past 8 months still have their signs out. Many of my friends headed to Asia after college, hoping to find a job teaching English or some sort of experience that would allow them to be competitive when they do return to America. And I continue to see business offices and prime commercial real estate that has been vacant for over a year, with those numbers continually rising. So where is this upward growth I’m hearing all about?! I’m not seeing it.

In order to continue living a “normal” life (perhaps not to the extent we once were), we must cut costs and determine how to better balance our budgets. I, for one, was an avid fan of Starbucks. There is just something about that Pumpkin Spice latte! Even if it is still 105 degrees here in Phoenix when they release it (which it was this year), it feels like autumn has arrived once that first drop hits my mouth. However, this year I have cut my Pumpkin Spice consumption down drastically! I think I have only had 2 in the past two months. Instead I have been purchasing a Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee creamer for under $3 and brewing my own coffee instead. What are some ways that you have been cutting back your spending habits to counter the reduced amount of disposable income?

Autom knows that times are tough and instead of increasing our prices with rising costs like much of the competition, we continue to offer the lowest prices on the largest selection of affordable church supplies. Have you ever compared our clergy shirts and other clergy apparel to the competition? Why pay over $40 for a clergy shirt, when you can purchase a comparable shirt from us for under $20? Or purchase a stole for nearly 3x the price, when you can get it at Autom.com for $19.99? It just does not make sense to me! The list of items goes on and on…. Everything from Advent & Christmas supplies, to Baptismal & First Communion gifts, you can find it for less at Autom.com.

We would like to thank you all for your continued support and if you are new to Autom, please compare our prices to the competition. I know you will be pleasantly surprised at the savings you will gain from shopping with us. In this economy, we don’t need to stop shopping altogether, but rather become smarter shoppers! As mentioned earlier, please let us know how you are changing your spending/purchasing habits to adapt to the times in the comments below.

Have interest in becoming a Catholic? Don't know how to join or where to start? Let us help!

At Autom, our commitment is not only to provide affordable church supplies and gifts, but also to spread the Catholic faith and help those interested in knowing more about the Church.

RCIA—the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults—is the process by which adults and older children are introduced to and instructed in the Catholic faith. These candidates are called catechumens. The RCIA journey is highlighted throughout by liturgical rites that aid and assist with the conversion of the catechumens. The entire process takes place over a number of months and typically ends at the Easter Vigil service, when the catechumens become full members of the Roman Catholic Church, the Body of Christ.

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is focused on the “spiritual journey” that is the conversion to Catholicism. The candidates grow both in their relationship with Jesus and with one another as well as develop a sense of parish community. At the Easter Vigil Mass, the RCIA candidates receive the Sacraments of Initiation—Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist.

Many parishes will be starting their RCIA classes during the month of September, while others offer classes year-round. Contact your local parish if you are interested in learning more about the RCIA or the Catholic faith in general.

With the onset of RCIA classes quickly approaching, it would be a good idea to start ordering your copies of the Catechism and perhaps some RCIA rosaries for your students. Visit Autom.com for a large selection of RCIA products. Wherever you’re at on your journey of faith, may you come to know more deeply God’s personal love for you and His desire to lead you to Himself, the fulfillment of all desire.

Autom would like you all to join us as we celebrate the feast day of a saint that we have a particular devotion for, St. Augustine. Our company, Autom, gets our name from a combination of our founder's two favorite saints, St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas. Today let us celebrate the life and works of St. Augustine, a truly great man.

Renowned for his books, letters, and essays on Christian Revelation, Augustine is seen as one of the most influential Christian writers since St. Paul. He focused much of his work on Christian philosophy and the history of thought.

Augustine was born November 13, 354 at Tagaste (now Algeria) in North Africa. His father, Patricius, worked as a city official and remained a pagan until converting to Christianity on his deathbed. On the contrary, his mother, Saint Monica was a devout Christian and had her son signed with the cross and enrolled among the catechumens. Through all the teaching Augustine still refused to be baptized, that was until he fell gravely ill and finally consented. Shortly after his recovery Augustine denounced his faith, but under the influence of his mother he continued his religious schooling until he was 16 years old.

In 370, at the age of 16, Augustine traveled to Carthage for more schooling and quickly fell into the pleasures and excesses of the half pagan city. In 372, he fathered a child with a woman that he was living in sin with. His son’s name was Adeodatus, which means ‘Gift from God’. A year later he became a confirmed Manichaean. Augustine’s interests in natural sciences attracted him to Manichaeism because their promise of free philosophy.

After completing his schooling, he returned to Tagaste and then back to Carthage to teach rhetoric. After nine years of Manichaeism, he steered away because of their opposing views of cosmology. Spiritually lost, Augustine traveled to Italy in 383 to study Neo-platonic philosophy. Shortly after arriving in Italy, he became a pupil of Ambrose due to his kindness and generous spirit. In 386, while under a fig tree, Augustine, soaked in tears, finally found that empty void he had been looking for finally came to him. The following year he was baptized by Ambrose, with much delight from his mother St. Monica.

The death of mother following his baptism was a period of grief and struggle for Augustine. He returned to Tagaste to live a semi-monastic life of prayer and studying. He was searching for a harmony between his Christian faith and the philosophical questions that had long been controlling him. In 391, Augustine was ordained a priest and spent the next five years living a successful and fruitful priestly life, before he began focusing on his works.

“Confessions” (401 A.D.), the piece of work that defined Augustine as a great Christian writer and perhaps the most important figure in the ancient Western Church, is an autobiographical account of his conversion. Other notible works include "City of God" and "The Trinity." From 396, at 42 years old, till his death in 439, he ruled the diocese of Hippo alone. On August 28, 439, at the age of 76, a fatal illness took Augustine from his earthly body. 

Visit Autom for all your Catholic Church supplies and gifts at great prices! 

Autom, your choice for affordable church supplies formally invites you to "Find Us on Facebook!"   

We are excited to announce the launch of our new Autom page on Facebook. Fans will be able to post pictures and comments, review products, receive the latest news, discuss religious topics, and most importantly, receive amazing deals on Catholic Church supplies! How do you receive amazing deals? Easy!

At Autom we are a family, and we want you to know that you are the heart of this family. Our customers are our glue that keeps this business together. And to show our appreciation, we will occasionally offer one-day only deals such as but not limited to, free shipping, a buy one get one free rosary sale, $25 off any order of $100 or more, or 10-25% off any order! You will be able to use these discounts towards the purchase of clergy shirts, a cord rosary, or a few copies of the New American Bible for your church. Anything you or your church may want or need in our ever growing selection of affordable church supplies will be available to you.

And the savings don't stop there! The more "likes" we receive the more often we will pass the savings to you. As more and more Facebook users "Like" the Autom page on Facebook, we are going to offer more and more savings opportunities. We will randomly advertise a special deal, such as a free glass rosary with any order, via our status update for only 24 hours.

In this 24 hour window, customers will receive the avertised savings on any order through our website. Depending on the season or time of year, you may want to purchase gifts for those special occasions. We have a great selection of First Holy Communion Gifts, Catholic Confirmation Gifts, and Catholic Baptism Gifts.

These exclusive specials on Facebook would also be the perfect opportunity for your church to stock up on clergy apparel, such as clergy shirts or clergy stoles, a Catholic chalice, or Catholic Prayer Books. Any way you look at it, following us on facebook is a great opportunity for you and your church to be included in the biggest and best Autom sales and discounts we have to offer.

We will be announcing the first promotion via our page on Facebook very soon. Visit Autom's page on Facebook and join today for amazing savings!

I should introduce myself.  My name is Paul Greene and I am the Sales Manager for the reseller division of Autom.  For years it has been my unique privilege to help make sure that your local Catholic Book Stores and Christian Suppliers have a quality selection of glass rosaries, saint bracelets, and First Holy Communion gifts available for your special occasion.  Over the years this has put me in contact with wonderful people from all around the globe who daily pour their love for Christ into everything they do.  It doesn't take long in this industry before you realize that what we do is about more than just the bottom line.  Whether that be helping a mother select a St. Benedict Crucifix for her daughter's first home, providing a Baptism gift for a new Christian, or even providing the altar candles that will light the altar as we mourn the passing of someone loved, each day we are blessed with the opportunity to play some small role in bringing God’s love to people’s lives.  This opportunity presented itself in a unique way when the earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. 

Like many people around the world I was profoundly moved by the plight of the Haitian people.  In moments millions had lost all that they had.  While aid poured in to the Haitian people from around the world, we were looking for a way that we as a company could contribute.  The answer came in an appeal sent out from the National Church Goods Association.  The NCGA passed on a request from a small parish in Florida that was collecting donations for the churches of Haiti.  In the earthquake the churches also lost everything.  Church vestments, altar linens, chalices and ciboria, in short all the things needed to celebrate the sacraments for the people of Haiti.  For these churches such a loss was devastating.  International aid would help the Haitian people rebuild their lives, but even with the very humble nature of what they had before the earthquake, it could take decades for the churches to replace what they lost.   As one of top manufacturers of affordable church supplies in the world, we were in a unique position to make an impact in this area. 

We presented this opportunity to all of the employees of Autom asking if they would help us raise money for this cause.  Additionally the owners of the company agreed to match dollar for dollar all funds raised.  These funds could then be used to purchase the most needed items for the Haitian parishes.  We could buy many of the items at cost and stretch every dollar to its utmost. The response from the employees was overwhelming.  People dug deep and donated all that they could.  Many who had previously donated to other relief efforts made additional sacrifices to be able to contribute.  Employees who could not financially contribute offered up prayers for Haiti and even went to give blood on their own as a way to help the Haitian people, (as evidenced by Monday morning band-aids and some bruised arms).  We even had friends and family of employees who gave money to the effort.  It was wonderful to see the outpouring of support. It made me proud to be a part of this organization.   This is not an easy time financially for many, but they still reached out to help those in need. 

Using the funds raised, we focused on getting complete Catholic Chalice and Ciborium sets for the churches.  This had been identified as an area of special need due to the high cost and very limited number of manufacturers of these items.   We also sent sets of liturgical vestments for the priests, including chasubles and clergy stoles.  When all was gathered together we were able to donate over $18,000 worth of Catholic church supplies to the cause.  It is my prayer that through these items God may touch the lives of the Haitian people.  And for my part I find that through this experience I have found a renewed appreciation for my own blessings and for the group of people God has surrounded me with.