Dear Fellow Devotees of Our Lady of the Rosary, On Monday, August 3, 2009, we begin the official St. Philomena novena which is said for nine days leading up to her Feast Day celebration on August 11. Please join us in this powerful novena and help us pray specifically for the intention of peace among all mankind and good will toward all. I ask for everyone to pray for the conversion of souls at every Mass dedicated to St. Philomena. This is especially important to our dear little saint whose sacred mission as the patroness (named by Pope Gregory XVI) of the Universal Living Rosary Association is to bring every soul to Our Lady and to Jesus. I also write to share some exciting news about our new online shop that I asked our Webmaster Richard Donley Fox to create. The purpose of the shop is to provide our members with access to authentic and reasonably priced devotional items. Our other intention is to increase channels for raising funds for our missionary work distributing sacramentals and religious education materials to our brothers and sisters in Christ and the many priests who reside in some of the poorest areas of the world to help spread devotion to the Living Rosary. In 2008, donations to the Universal Living Rosary Association of Saint Philomena (ULRA) were used to distribute religious educational materials and sacramentals including 950,000 rosaries to Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and South America. In addition, the ULRA sent 95,000 scapulars; 740,000 Miraculous Medals; 24,000 St. Philomena’s cords and oil and $201,185.00 dollars to support foreign ULRA missionary centers. The funds were essential in covering basic living expenses and needs for center leaders who are living at poverty levels and at risk as they perform this sacred work. This year, because of the increase in demand around the world, we need to increase those numbers dramatically. In the past, I have been hesitant to operate a shop because of my desire to invest all of our effort and focus on the original mission of our organization. It was the intention of our foundress, Ven. Pauline Jaricot to spread the faith throughout the world and to pray for the consecration of all souls to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. With our Webmaster and Web site, our capabilities are improved to further our mission. I now realize how important and helpful the internet is for offering our members the spiritual items which help them spread God's message in their own communities. During these unprecedented economic times, we want to use every possible avenue to reach our members and generate needed funds for our missionary centers. There is an increased demand for more devotional items, and all donations and the proceeds from every sale will be used for postage and the production of items to send to our missionary centers at no cost to them. This new shop is an exciting opportunity for us to continue to expand our missionary work and reach even more souls! Remember that with every devotional item you receive from the online shop you are assured that you have an authentic St. Philomena sacramental as well as assisting us in her desire to convert souls. The shop will be updated weekly with new items. If you save this link and check back each week you will find new additions and special offers. Click here for your link to our Online Shop . When you make a donation or purchase an item through the shop, your name will be distributed to the priests and leaders of our missionary centers and added to their group’s prayer lists. Imagine the joy of knowing that people from all over the world are praying expressly for you! There are now three additional ways to donate to programs set up to assist our missionary centers: 1.
Mass Requests – You now have the opportunity to have masses said for you or a loved one’s intentions. (click here for more information) 2.
Take Charge of "1,000 SOULS" – Merely by donating $100, we will send Miraculous Medals to a village of a thousand people. In gratitude for your generosity in thinking of them, those 1,000 souls will pray for your intentions. Details are below. 3.
Share Your Gift of Faith – When you pay postage for one large box of devotional items and sacramentals to a missionary center you are carrying out Christ's work and passing on our faith and blessings to others who would otherwise never be introduced to Our Lord, the Savior of all mankind. Details are below. I hope these new features will help you in your personal efforts to spread devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, bear your sufferings and uplift your families as we grow in the love and knowledge of our precious Catholic Faith. Your sister in Christ devoted to bringing every soul to Our Lady and Savior,
Patti Melvin, ULRA Director
Please pray for me as I will pray for you all the days of my life! | 
