Lourdes Devasted by Flooding

Devastation in Lourdes June 20, 2013
PASCAL PAVANI/AFP

This week southwest France experienced severe flooding.  Lourdes was not spared with the Pau River bursting its banks.  The underground basilica was filled with dirty water and now is covered in mud as the river recedes.  A member of the Children's Rosary, who has traveled to Lourdes with her disabled daughter, forwarded me this raw footage of Lourdes taken today.  The title is in French but the video is not.  
footage of devastation in Lourdes

Lourdes June 20th 2013
PASCAL PAVANI/AFP

It is so sad to see the beautiful waters of Lourdes covered in thick dirty mud and even the bags of unconsecrated hosts moldy.  

 A recent rise in temperatures in the Pyrenees after a prolonged cold spell that kept snow on the ground much later than normal is to blame for the devastating flooding.

May I humbly ask those reading this to say a Hail Mary for the people of Lourdes that they may be aided by Our Lady as they rebuild. 

A Beautfiul Story of Prayer to Our Lady

Today after Mass and the Rosary, I happened to have a lovely conversation with Sean.  He shared with me a beautiful story from Divine Mercy Sunday this past spring.  Sean is blind and walks to church a mile each day.  He follows the same route and rarely deviates from it.  He enters the Church from the side door leaving his cane outside.  He takes a seat in the chapel closest to the exit.  His passage through the Church is one that is carefully mapped out through years of coming to daily Mass.  Before being introduced to Sean I thought he had a problem with his legs as I had seen him trip several times.  However, once we became friends he shared with me that his legs are like those of an 18 year old, despite his 70 years on earth but the problem is his eyes.

Sean shared that on Divine Mercy Sunday before arriving at the Church he said a prayer to Our Lady.  He asked her to help him go to confession.  There was a special Divine Mercy Celebration planned with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, confession and veneration of the Divine Mercy Image at our Church.  When Sean entered the chapel he realized there was a large crowd already there.  He took his seat at the end of the row.  He could tell that the seat next to him was empty but the rest of the row was full.  He quickly decided that he would not try and go to confession as there would be no way for his to navigate through the crowd.  As he sat in his seat a women approached and desired to sit in the seat next to him.  As she took her seat she said, "I've been placed here by design."

Sean could not believe the women said this as it was a very odd thing for a person to say.  A few minutes later the women introduced herself and she said she had remembered Sean from the daily Rosary which she used to join some years ago at the parish.  Sean then mentioned something about confession and the women quickly responded that she would be happy to make sure he got to confession.

Now Sean has mentioned this story to me twice.  Once several months ago and again today.  Each time he has mentioned it to me there is a wonderful love for Our Lady that wells up.  It is the wonderful appreciation of a Mother who provides for her children and listens to their prayers.  We are all in some way blind on our journey to her Son.  We need a steady hand to guide us safely to the goal that we seek.  Our Lady beautifully finds her ways of being there right when we need her and in the smallest ways, that only we understand, she shows us that it was her hand all the time steadying us and keeping us on the surest path.  As we were parting Sean said, "if that doesn't get through a thick Irish head I don't know what will."  Sean was speaking about himself as he is from Ireland.  Sean has an extremely deep devotion to Our Lady and felt Our Lady's intercession most beautifully that day.

New Children's Rosary in East Berlin, CT USA

There is a new Children's Rosary forming at Sacred Heart Parish in East Berlin CT.  Their first meeting will be held on Saturday August 3rd at 10AM ET.  They will begin the meeting by consecrating the group to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary. Thus the group will be under the protection and guidance of Christ and His Mother.

If you have any questions or would like to submit an intention to be prayed over by the children please contact Cheryl at cherylbatter@att.net

Under the Care of Our Heavenly Father

Children's Rosary held today at
My Father's House in Moodus CT USA

Today is Father's Day in the United States.  It is a time for families to come together and thank and honor our fathers.  Despite this being a secular holiday it would seem that many pieces would come together to point not only to our earthly fathers but also Our Heavenly One as well.  Several weeks ago, Fr. Apostoli called with an invitation to feature the Children's Rosary on his show: Sunday Night Prime on EWTN.  Fr. Apostoli is also the Vice-Postulator for Archbishop Fulton Sheen's Cause for Canonization.  Fr. Apostoli was a speaker at the Little Audrey Santo Conference and had been present during our Children's Rosary there.  He took several of our books and was very excited about helping the movement spread.  

One of my first questions, when he called,  was could parents and children be on the show.  He really liked the idea but wasn't sure how that would work as the NY set is very small and only set up for an interview.  However, he said he would check about this.  Later he called back and left a message that the producers did not think it would be possible for the children to be filmed on the set but that if there were pictures and a DVD of the children praying this could be sent to the editors at EWTN in AL and integrated into the program.   

Our Lord had in His infinite Mercy already provided the means for a DVD to be made.  On Divine Mercy Sunday, Mary Alice and Fr. Bill McCarthy happened to visit St. Thomas the Apostle Church to participate in our afternoon reconciliation and Mass.  In speaking to them that afternoon they offered that if the Children’s Rosary ever had need of a video they had a facility at My Father’s House in Moodus, CT.   At the time I thought it a wonderful and generous offer but did not see an immediate need for such a DVD.  However, after hearing Fr. Apostoli’s message their offer came right to mind.  

After contacting Fr. Bill and Mary Alice again they graciously accepted our request for their help in creating a DVD of a Children’s Rosary.  While at first Father's Day seemed like an unlikely date to hold a Children’s Rosary through a series of conflicts it became clear that this would be the date. However, as things have unfolded it would seem to be a tremendous blessing meant in a special way for our earthly father’s and an acknowledgement of the graces being poured down from Our Heavenly Father. Even the location of the taping provided on Divine Mercy Sunday is dedicated to Our Father.  The charism of My Father’s Retreat House is the Father’s love that is manifested personally to each through Jesus. 

Today at My Father's House there was a feeling throughout the day that Our Father had most beautifully taken care of every detail.  One of our members who has a disabled daughter had been ill all week and worried she would not be able to attend. She also needed a ride to the Rosary which was about an hour from her house.  Today just moments before the Mass was to begin in she walked with her daughter.  She would later explain that the most beautiful events had unfolded where she was able to attend a Mass the prior night and another member of our Children's Rosary had offered to give them a ride to the Rosary and Mass today.

Two members of Our Children's Rosary

Another remarkable event occurred after the Rosary was over and the children all ran back to their families.  As I was beginning to thank everyone for coming I noticed children sitting down with plates of food at the tables in the dining room.  Our planned reception only had juice, pasties and a cupcake rosary.  Seeing the children and families eating what looked like baked ziti with meat sauce and salad I thought how wonderful that Fr. Bill had managed to have food for all of us.  Later I would find out that one of the families that had come to Mass at My Father's House just before the Rosary had felt an inspiration to bring two trays of food and a large salad to Mass.  Debra said she and her husband and children had not been to the Retreat center in months but felt in a strange way called to come today.  Upon hearing at Mass that there was a Children's Rosary she and her family decided to stay.  The need for the food then became clear to her and she set everything out for the children and families.  Debra said seeing the large crowd of at least 30 children and their families she wondered if there would be enough food with the two trays of pasta and one bowl of salad, yet as all the children and families had their fill she returned to her trays to find there was still plenty left over.  Indeed Our Father in Heaven had provided everything needed and more.  

The Children so beautifully lead the Rosary today.  As we were gathering all the children together and we were asking which children wanted to lead it became so beautifully clear that a perfect number of groups of children where assembled to lead each decade.  As the children took turns leading there seemed to always be a small child with one or two older children just beside to guide and help the younger one.  How beautifullly they all cared for one another and helped each other as some of the children with disabilities made their way to lead or place a rose before the statue of Our Lady.  

Fr. Bill McCarthy

Another blessed piece of the day was Fr. Bill McCarthy who blessed all the children present and families.  We ended the Rosary by praying for Our Holy Father and asking the children to extend their hands and pray for all those present and all those unifying their prayers with them either at that moment or in the future.

In a special way we thank God the Father who sent His Son to us and a Mother to lead us all back to His Heavenly Embrace. Amen.

Children's Rosary at My Father's House

A Children's Rosary will be held this Sunday June 16th at My Father's Retreat House in Moodus, CT USA.  Children from many different Children's Rosary groups will be attending and all children and adults are welcome to join us. The Rosary will be filmed for an upcoming EWTN show called Sunday Night Prime with Father Andrew Apostoli. The Children's Rosary will begin at 2:30PM ET with a reception to follow in the Main Dining Room.  Consider joining us in prayer either at My Father's House or from your home.

A special thank you to Fr. Bill McCarthy and Mary Alice for inviting us to My Father's House and helping us with this Children's Rosary.  There will also be a Mass celebrated by Fr. Bill McCarthy held in the chapel at 1:30 PM ET. 

Thank you all and God Bless!

Why are Some Children Born with Disabilities?

Patty Schweitzer

This is a question that I found myself asking some years ago.  As I myself was born with a genetic disability that in my 20s began to fully manifest itself into significant limitations requiring help from my family for many normal tasks.  Recently, my 6 year old son was diagnosed with this same genetic condition.  Yet there are children born with even more severe disabilities than mine which present in a profound way from birth.  Why should these children suffer from the moment they enter the world?  What would be the reason for this?  Several years ago I heard an answer at Mass which came from the Gospel of John: 

As He passed by He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him” (John 9:1-3).

Today at the funeral Mass of Patty Schweitzer I understood these words in the most beautiful way.  Little Patty was born with severe disabilities preventing her from speaking or caring for herself.  The doctors told her parents that she would never be able to do anything or understand what was being said to her.  However, Patty came from a loving Lord and was born into a loving family with two gentle parents and later 5 siblings.  Today at her funeral Mass her siblings would say she was the center of their family.  Patty taught them compassion and love.  For those who knew her and her family we would say her family taught us so beautifully through their example the deepest and most sincere form of love tested through suffering and sacrifice.  Yet all this was done with a joy that could not be missed.  Despite the heart break that clearly was visible on the faces of Patty’s parents today there was a joy that their sweet angel was flying high.  Although Patty was on this earth 51 years she looked very much like a child.  Her casket was tiny and one would expect it only to fit a 6 or 7 year old child.  During visitation hours last night she lay with her favorite doll and stuffed animal in her pretty pink tulle dress. 

During the funeral there was so much love present in that Church that for a time the Kingdom of Heaven dipped down right into our midst.  Tears rolled down my face but not out of sadness.  To be in the presence of that much love brings weeping of joy at the taste of something so pure and good.  Yes, this is when I understood the words the Lord had said to the apostles.  As Ave Maria was sung I looked at Our Lady depicted holding baby Jesus and one could feel the love of Our Lady for her children.  Through Patty the love of Our Lord could be felt and that of His Mother for her children.  It was true, through children such as these “the works of God might be made visible”.

First Meeting of the Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish

The Children's Rosary at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Hartford, CT met for the first time on the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary: June 8th.  This meeting was a beautiful blessing from Our Lady.   For it was Our Lady of Fatima that conveyed the beautiful first Saturday Devotion and importance of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  The new group was consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary and thus is under the protection and guidance of Christ and his Mother.

You may also like the following posts:
First Saturday Devotion
Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
How to Start a Children's Rosary