Prayer Workshop with Fr. Larry Tucker

Fr. Larry Tucker, a mission Priest with Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, will be holding prayer workshops in private homes in West Hartford CT USA.  Several nights are being offered so many will have an opportunity to attend. Each night will be the same material. The prayer workshops will be held on:
Sept 19th  6:30- 8PM
Sept 20th  6:30- 8PM
Sept 21st  6:30- 8PM

To receive more information and RSVP please email Blythe at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com

Fr. Tucker is the author of the book, "Prayer of Jesus Crucified".  Fr. Tucker has asked that people bring a small crucifix to the prayer workshop.  It can be part of a rosary.  If someone needs to borrow one arrangements can be made. To quote Fr. Tucker's book "Our mother cannot resist the soul that stands at the foot of the cross and embraces her son, Jesus crucified...as she herself did!  She will rush to that soul, take up residence there, and never leave".  

I thank Our Lady and her Son for giving us the gift of Fr. Tucker. We are truly blessed.  May I humbly ask all of your help in spreading word of this wonderful opportunity.  

Mary Mediatrix of All Blessings

As the Month of August, which is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, comes to a close I felt the urge to reflect on Our Blessed Mother as Channel of all Blessings from Our Lord.  

St. Louis de Montfort wrote in the Treatis on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin: 

24. "God the Son imparted to His mother all that he gained by His life and death, namely, His infinite merits and His eminent virtues. He made her the treasurer of all his Father had given Him as heritage. Through her He applies His merits to his members and through her He transmits His virtues and distributes His graces. 25. She is His mystical channel, His aqueduct, through which He causes His mercies to flow gently and abundantly.God the Holy Spirit entrusted His wondrous gifts to Mary, His faithful spouse, and chose her as the dispenser of all He possesses, so that she distributes all His gifts and graces to whom she wills, as much as she wills, how she wills and when she wills. No heavenly gift is given to men which does not pass through her virginal hands. Such indeed is the will of God, who has decreed that we should have all things through Mary, so that, making herself poor and lowly, and hiding herself in the depths of nothingness during her whole life, she might be enriched, exalted and honoured by almighty God. Such are the views of the Church and the early Fathers."

400 Novenas

The Children's Rosary is dedicating this year to renewal of family prayer.  Members of the children's rosary have been saying novenas to different saint.  We are excited to report that over 400 novenas are now completed for the following intention:

MAY THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY, THEIR FAMILIES, THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY INCLUDING OUR PRIESTS, OUR BISHOP AND OUR HOLY FATHER THE POPE BE THE EXTENDED HANDS OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND HER SON.  MAY WE GATHER A GREAT MANY SOULS ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE LORD.  MAY WE EXPERIENCE RENEWAL OF FAMILY PRAYER AND SPREAD IT ACROSS THE GLOBE. IN A SPECIAL WAY WE ASK EACH SAINT TO CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY OR A PRIEST, ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CHILDREN’S ROSARY GROUP TO LEAD IN THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. DEAR SAINT PRAY FOR OUR EXTENDED GROUP THAT WE MAY EMBODY THE VIRTUES YOU EXEMPLIFIED HERE ON EARTH.

To become a member of the children's rosary one only has to tell the Lord in their heart of their desire to be a part of our group.  You will then be included in all the novenas being said and all of the rosaries being prayed daily. 

The following saints have novenas featured on this site:

Novena to St. Aimo
Novena to Bl. Anna Rosa Gattorno

Novena to St. Bonaventure
Novena to St. Bridget of Sweden
Novena to B. Catherine of St. Augustine

Novena to Bl. Didacus Joseph Cadiz

Novena to St. Dominic Savio

Novena to Bl. Edmund Ignatius Rice
Novena to St. Filippo Smaldone

Novena to St. Isidore the Farmer
Novena to Bl. Jacinta
Novena to St. Joachim and St. Anne
Novena to Bl Kateri Tekakwitha

Novena to St. Madeline Sophie Barat

Novena to Fr. Patrick Peyton

Novena to St. Tarcicius of the Holy Eucharist

Novena to St. Zita

A complete list of the more than 400 Saints that have been prayed to in a 9 day novena

The Month of September is Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows

The Church has chosen the month of September to honor the sorrows of Mary as the The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows falls in the Middle of the Month: Septemer 15th. The day before Our Lady's Feast, September 14, we celebrate the Triumph of the Cross. The Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows reminds us that the Triumph Jesus achieved on the Cross came with heartache and suffering.

Important Feasts During the Month of September:
September 3rd            Gregory the Great
September 8th            Birth of Mary
September  12th         Most Holy Name of Mary
September 14th          Triumph of the Cross
September 15th          Our Lady of Sorrows
September 27th          St. Vincent de Paul
September 29             Michael, Gabriel and Raphael


Intentions of the Holy Father for the Month of September 2012:

General Intention: That politicians may always act with honesty, integrity, and love for the truth.

Missionary Intention: Help for the Poorest Churches. That Christian communities may have a growing willingness to send missionaries, priests, and lay people, along with concrete resources, to the poorest Churches. 


Ways to honor Our Lady's Sorrows:
Litany to Our Lady of Sorrows

Devotion to the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Honoring Our Lady's Sorrows

Saints and Angels Among Us

The past couple of weeks have been extremely challenging with our 8 year old son. Due to my disability I am unable to physically exert any control over him.  He of course knows this and uses time in public to be disobedient and embarass me.  Today at daily Mass was no exception.  However, I decided to take a different approach then in the past.  Instead of leaning over and trying to gain control with my words I just let the situation be and tried to focus on the Mass.  Kostin was sitting next to me and then I had a seat left open between Kostin and his 12 year old sister. I was hoping to try and decrease the temptation for fooling around.  Despite the space between the two kids I could hear Alina saying stop, as Kostin was hitting her arm, she kept saying stop you will get us in trouble. At one point in the Mass I asked Our Blessed Mother and Our Lord for help.  Moments later a women came forward in the middle of Mass.  She quietly and without a word walked between my children and sat down.  I looked at her sheepishly and smiled she in turned looked at me and gave a small smile and then began to pray reverently.  Throughout the remainder of the Mass she never looked at the children.  She was quiet and deep in prayer.  After Mass there were many people leaving their seats.  When I noticed her again she had moved to a seat right under our Crucifix.  She remained kneeling for our entire rosary, prayers and Divine Mercy Chaplet.  She never turned around or moved from her kneeling position.

After Mass one of my friends sitting near me asked if I knew her.  I responded that I did not.  Our daily Mass usually consists of the same group of people with little variation.  No one knew who this women was or when she entered as she took a seat in between the children in the middle of Mass.  Alina my 12 year old was shaken by the arrival of this women who took her seat between her and her brother.  She imediately said she thought it was Jesus.  My first thought when I saw the women's face was that she looked like St. Rose of Lima.  She was a women of around 30 of Spanish/South American heritage. She had dark hair and looked very much like the picture I have included below of St. Rose.  As yesterday was the Feast of St. Rose of Lima she was top of mind.  I also wondered if this women was an angel sent by God to help.

St. Rose of Lima

On my walk home the children and I were finishing our prayers of the rosary when I came upon a women I recognized from Church.  I had not seen her for a while and also remembered seeing her at the grocery store years earlier.  She was just getting into a car.  However by the time I approached the car she was already in and the doors were closed.  I leaned over and waved and she waved back through the window.  I remembered the flyer in our bag for the Little Audrey Santo Event on October 7th.  I took the flyer over to her car and stood by the window of the car.  She rolled down the window. I mentioned the exciting prayer event planned on the Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.  She took the flyer and shared that she is in a very bad way. She asked that we pray for her as she has no placed to live.  She wondered if we could pray to St. Joseph.  The children and I said yes and also offered to pray to Our Lady in our rosary.  As we parted I wondered if this chance meeting at a moment of crisis had felt like an angel to her(even though I know that my children and I are anything but angels).  I thought of the women at Mass and wondered, maybe this was a person like you or I who the Lord recruited for a moment to be an angel for someone in need.  The act that this women did was small, she sat between two of my children.  However, it touched me deeply because it happened right when I was at my wits end.

I wondered if the Lord had been able to put the idea to stop just for that second and wait by Barbara's closed window when normally I would have walked right by.  Had I been more sensitive to the idea because the children and I had just come from Mass and were praying the rosary.

Maybe those moments when we think we have just met an angel are moments when the Lord is using the hands of his servants here on earth for a moment.  Maybe, we could be His Hands one day for someone else.

The Lord is always teaching as a loving parent would.  He showed me a sign today and then showed me that we can all be living signs.  We only have to pray that He use us as His hands.  The childen's rosary has said individual novenas to over 400 Saints asking that the members of the children's rosary be the extended hands of Mary and Jesus.  To be a member of the children's rosary one only has to tell our Lord in their heart that they want to be a member and then all the novenas and rosaries said daily will inlcude you.  If we all give our Lord permission to use us as His hands how beautiful and peaceful would our world be.  Add you hands to our web that extends across the globe.  Let Our Lady and Jesus fulfull their plans through us.  They certainly have plans and I for one would love to see Their plans come to fruition!!!  Amen

Three Questions For Those Who Suffer and Are Looking For Healing

On Tuesday evening I went to a healing Mass.  A wonderful priest named Fr. Hickey was celebrating the Mass.  As he stood before a group of people unified by suffering he pose three questions to each of us.  
1. If Jesus asked you to bare your present illness to ease His suffering would you.

2. If you knew your present suffering could save souls would you say yes and accept your present pain.

3. If Jesus gave you the choice to heal your body or your soul would you choose your soul.

It is hard sometimes to view suffering as a gift. One that God has given to us and one that we can give to others: either as redemptive suffering or suffering to ease the pain of Christ Crucified.

Jesus tells us:

“there is no way to heaven except the way of the cross. I followed it first. You must learn that it is the shortest way.... I am giving you a share in those sufferings because of My special love for you and in view of the high degree of holiness I am intending for you in Heaven. A suffering soul is closer to My heart.” (Words spoken by Jesus to St. Faustina diary 1487)

Catechism of the Catholic Church teaching on suffering

1501 Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn toward that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him.

1502 suffering can also have a redemptive meaning for the sins of others

My mom once told me that we will be glorified in Heaven to the extent that the Father sees His Son in us.  If we are beaten and wounded by the world and our suffering will we not be more beautiful in the eyes of Our Father.

Octave of the Assumption

The Most Holy Virgin Mary Crowned Queen of Heaven
El Lucero de la Grada, Monastery of Carmel, Cuenca de los Andes, Ecuador

The Octave of the Assumption of Mary began on August 15th and ended today the eighth day after the feast.  The conclusion of the octave falls on the magnificent Feast of the Queenship of Mary.  This octave falls within the Month of August which is dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Therefore in so many ways it is a blessed time.  On a personal note the children's rosary planted a peace rose for Our Lady on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.  For the past 5 weeks it has been without flowers and began to appear sick.  However as the Feast of the Assumption of Mary Approached the rose showed new growth.  Seven buds appeared on the rose.  The night before the Feast of the Assumption the buds were still firmly shut. I thought at that moment if the rose opens on The Assumption surely it is Our Lady's doing.

The Feast of the Assumption brought the opening of two of the blossoms with several others beginning to open.  Today the end of the octave the last bud opened with full brilliance and pure creamy white petals.  The children's rosary has dedicated this year to renewal of family prayer. Prayers were said to Jesus asking that with each petal that forms on the rose that 1000 families would begin family prayer.  Seeing the blossoms on the rose during these special days in honor of Mary one can reflect on the fruits of the fifth glorious mystery of the rosary: Trust in the intercession of Our Blessed Mother.  It is the fruit associated with the coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.  Today with Our Lady's Rose in full bloom who could doubt that Our Lady loves us and intercedes before her Son for each one of us.

Thank you Mother Mary, Queen of the Angels and Saints.

Prayer to St. Joseph For Success in Work

Composed by His Holiness Pope Pius X Nov 23, 1906

O Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who are devoted to labor, obtain for me the grace to work in the spirit of penance in expiation of my many sins; to work conscientiously by placing love of duty above my inclinations; to gratefully and joyously deem it an honor to employ and to develop by labor the gifts I have received from God, to work methodically, peacefully, and in moderation and patience, without ever shrinking from it through weariness or difficulty to work; above all, with purity of intention and unselfishness, having unceasingly before my eyes death and the account I have to render of time lost, talents unused, good not done, and vain compacency in success, so baneful to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all to imitate thee, O Patriarch St. Joseph! This shall be my motto for life and eternity. Amen

My son Kostin found this prayer in the back of St. Brigid Church in West Hartford CT USA on Saturday.  The prayer card was old and the paper yellow from time and a bit tattered.  The image on the card is different from that displayed above.  After reading the prayer I decided to keep it and read it over several times. The thought entered my mind to put it on the blog.  Yesterdary, I was all set to write a post on Our Lady of Knock as I have a book on it.  However, as the day seemed to slip by I found I only had a short time to put something up.  Next to the computer lay the prayer to St. Joseph. I picked it up and typed it up for a post.  Last night I headed off to a healing Mass.  As soon as the Mass began the priest mentioned the it was the Feast of Pope Pius X.  As soon as I heard this I remembered the prayer to St. Joseph which I had just posted which was written by Pope Pius X.  St. Pius X has already been asked through a nine day novena to pray for the members of the children's rosary and help to renew family prayer.  I found it a sweet gesture for him to bring his own prayer to our attention on his feast.  Truly these happy coincidences are just a few of the signs that these holy Saints are active in our lives. 

How Do You Pray the Rosary?

Diagram of How to Pray the Rosary

(Feel free to copy, print or circulate this diagram.  If you would like the pdf please email blythe.kaufman@gmial.com and I will email it to you.  I could not figure out how to post the pdf.) One of the children from our children's rosary drew the picture of Mary and colored the beads. 

IN THE NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. (As you say this, with your right hand touch your forehead when you say Father, touch your

breastbone when you say Son, touch your

left shoulder when you say Holy, and touch your right shoulder when you say Spirit.)

I BELIEVE IN GOD, the Father almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty. He shall come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

OUR FATHER, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

HAIL MARY, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

GLORY BE to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

O MY JESUS, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen.

HAIL HOLY QUEEN, mother of mercy; our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

Fruits of Each Mystery and 

When to Say Them:

On Monday and Saturday, meditate on the “Joyful Mysteries”

First Decade: The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26-38) FRUIT: HUMILITY Second Decade: The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-56) FRUIT: LOVE OF NEIGHBOR Third Decade: The Birth of Our Lord (Luke 2:1-21) FRUIT: POVERTY Fourth Decade: The Presentation of Our Lord(Luke 2:22-38) FRUIT: OBEDIENCE

Fifth Decade: The Finding of Our Lord in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) FRUIT: JOY IN FINDING JESUS

On Thursday, meditate on the “Luminous Mysteries”

First Decade: The Baptism of Our Lord in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13-16) FRUIT: OPENNESS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Second Decade: The Wedding at Cana, when Christ manifested Himself (Jn 2:1-11) FRUIT: TO JESUS THROUGH MARY Third Decade: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15) FRUIT: REPENTANCE AND TRUST IN GOD Fourth Decade: The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Matthew 17:1-8) FRUIT: DESIRE FOR HOLINESS Fifth Decade: The Last Supper, when Our Lord gave us the Holy Eucharist (Mt 26) FRUIT: ADORATION

On Tuesday and Friday, meditate on the “Sorrowful Mysteries”

First Decade: The Agony of Our Lord in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-56) FRUIT: SORROW FOR OUR SINS Second Decade: Our Lord is Scourged at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26) FRUIT: PURITY Third Decade: Our Lord is Crowned with Thorns (Matthew 27:27-31) FRUIT: COURAGE Fourth Decade: Our Lord Carries the Cross to Calvary (Matthew 27:32) FRUIT: PATIENCE Fifth Decade: The Crucifixion of Our Lord (Matthew 27:33-56) FRUIT: PERSEVERANCE

On Wednesday and Sunday, meditate on the “Glorious Mysteries”

First Decade: The Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord (John 20:1-29) FRUIT: FAITH Second Decade: The Ascension of Our Lord (Luke 24:36-53) FRUIT: HOPE Third Decade: The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-41) FRUIT: LOVE OF GOD Fourth Decade: The Assumption of Mary into Heaven FRUIT: GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH Fifth Decade: The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth FRUIT: TRUST IN THE INTERCESSION OF MARY

Catholic Dogma on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Titians Assunta

Pope Pius XII issued an encyclical Deiparae Virginis Mariae in 1946.  He asked all the Bishops if there was a need for clarification on the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.  The response from the Bishops was yes the dogma of the Assumption should be defined.

In response, on November 1st 1950 Munificentissimus Deus was released by the Pope.  

An excerpt is included below: 

44. For which reason, after we have poured forth prayers of supplication again and again to God, and have invoked the light of the Spirit of Truth, for the glory of Almighty God who has lavished his special affection upon the Virgin Mary, for the honor of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages and the Victor over sin and death, for the increase of the glory of that same august Mother, and for the joy and exultation of the entire Church; by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: 

that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

45. Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.

Pope Pius XII and Our Blessed Virgin Mary

Pope Pius also sought the Help of Our Lady.  In 1939 he placed his pontificate under the maternal care of Our Lady of Good Counsel.  He also composed a prayer to her.

Our Lady's Rose Blooms on Her Feast Day

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

On the celebration of the 1 year anniversary of the children's rosary which also fell on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, the children planted a Peace rose as a gift to Our Lady.  We prayed that with each petal  that forms on each blossom of the rose that Our Lord would grant 1000 families would begin family prayer.  The children have dedicated this year to renewal of family prayer.  The rose is planted in a small rose garden outside of the Chapel.  The rose bloomed during the planting.  It also began blooming on the Feast of John the Baptist, June 24th.  The peace rose did something interesting it bloomed with pink blushed petals.  The rose had not bloomed for many weeks. It actually began to look a bit sick for a few weeks and I hoped it would survive and again bloom.  Then about two weeks ago there was new growth and then the appearance of new buds. I wondered, would it bloom for Our Lady's Feast of the Assumption.  Then at the Children's Rosary this Sunday I looked again.  There were 7 buds.  All were tight and closed.  Yesterday I again looked and all were closed.  I thought surely if the rose opens tomorrow it will be Our Lady's doing. 

Today I did not go to daily Mass at St. Thomas as I went for the first time to the Cathedral.  I did wonder if Our Lady's rose would open today so I sent my daughter over on her bike with a camera.  She came home and said 2 blossoms were fully open and 3 partially open.  Two were still closed.  The petals had almost no pink on them compared to the pink petals on The Feast of John the Baptist.  The purity of the creamy white petals made me think of the clouds and the purity of Our Lady that allowed her to escape death and be assumed into heaven body and soul.  A gift Our Lord gave her.  Unlike Himself where He ascended into heaven of His own doing Our Lady was assumed by Our Lord.  A heavenly birthday of her first day as Heavenly mother to us all.  Thank you Blessed Mother for in your beautiful way showing us you are with us always.

Our Lady Makes up for Our Deficiencies

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

About six weeks ago my son Kostin leaned over at Mass and said he had made up his mind what he wanted to be when he grew up.  I said what is it.  He said a priest.  Although Kostin had spoken about this for some time there was a new deeper conviction in his voice and a certainty.  He said he had some questions and wished he could read a book about priests and ask some questions.  That weekend there was a notice in our bulletin about vocations with a contact number.  I left a message and for many days Kostin kept asking if the priest ever called back.  Time went by and I had forgotten about the call and I believe Kostin had forgotten as well.  Then last week the phone rang and it was Fr. Dolan who coordinates vocations for the diocese.  I told him about Kostin and his interest.  I mentioned that one of Kostin's Teachers had annonced he was going to be leaving the school to enter the seminary.  Kostin was fond of this teacher and I wondered if he might in the future be a nice mentor.  Fr. Dolan mentioned that  this young seminarian would be in his office this past Monday and did I want to bring Kostin in to meet him.  I had a doctors appointment some distance away so unfortunately this would not work.  Fr. Dolan also mentioned that Kostin's teacher would be in a seminary in Boston 2 hours from us.  As I do not drive with my disability it seemed unlikely we could make the drive to visit him anytime soon.  Fr. Dolan did offer to meet with Kostin possibly on Thursday of this week. 

Meanwhile, during the past two weeks tensions have been high here at home with Kostin our son.  Life at home seems to go in waves.  There are moments when for a moment all is at peace.  Then one child seems to want to test the waters.  Mercifully this usually brings with it better behavior from the other children as they take pleasure seeing their sibling getting in trouble. 

These past two weeks it has been Kostin who has been butting heads with myself and his father.   It is at these moments that I feel dissapointed with myself as a mother.  I remember a priest once told me to ask our Lady to make up for the love we are not able to give to our children each day.  

With all the drama with Kostin I began to feel this wasn't a good idea that he meet with the priest. 

Last night I had a thought that instead of going to my normal Parish maybe I could join a friend who likes to go to the Cathedral for 12:10 Mass on Wednesdays.  I had never been but thought as I was on vacation this might be a nice time to visit the Cathedral.  She mentioned a nice older priest, Fr. Liptack often says Mass. 

As we entered the Chapel almost all the seats were taken, only the front row seat was empty.  We all filed into the row.  The Mass began and who should walk out as the assistant for Mass but Kostin's old teacher who had entered the seminary. Kostin lit up.  He was radiant and smiling.  I thought through the Mass at how wonderful that our Lady should give Kostin this gift on her Feast Day.  After Mass we spoke with his teacher and at the end of the conversation he said I have to run because Father Dolan is going to give me a ride.  As the seminarian left I was stunned, had it been Fr. Dolan who had just said the Mass.  I had spoken to him on the phone but never had met him face to face.  I brought Alina and Kostin with me and we headed to the back of the chapel.  I found the seminarian and a priest there.  I asked if that was Father Dolan.  Indeed it was.  I introduced myself.  As soon as he heard my name a huge smile came across his face. I introduced him to Kostin.  I mentioned that this was my first time at the Cathedral.  He told me it was the first time the seminarian had assisted Mass.  I said to him that this meeting seemed like a gift from Our Lady: bringing us all together on her Feast. He said it is funny how she does that.

Because of my insecurities as a mother and the struggles I was having with Kostin I had given up on bringing Kostin to meet Fr. Dolan myself.  I also did not see how it was possible for Kostin to see his old teacher as he was leaving shortly for Boston.  Our Lady had made up for my deficiencies and saved the plan.  In reflection I realized that it was important that a connection be made between the vocation director, Kostin and also with Kostin's teacher.  I am not sure how things will turn out in the future but I do feel that the meeting was important. Our Lady sees everything.  She was able to bring us together at the Holy Eucharist on her Feast Day.  Although this story seems very long winded and I have retold it quite badly let me conclude by saying Our Lady made it very clear to me today that she is present and active in our lives.  When we are weak she helps her children.  If we give ourselves to her and her Son we have nothing to fear.  We know from Revelation that she wins the battle with satan and although he is strong and beats against us Our Lady is there to protect us. 

Favorite Quotes by St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe

St. Maximilian Kolbe 
Feast August 14th

"The most deadly poison of our time is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise him to the greatest extent of our powers."

Courage, my sons. Don’t you see that we are leaving on a mission? They pay our fare in the bargain. What a piece of good luck! The thing to do now is to pray well in order to win as many souls as possible. Let us, then, tell the Blessed Virgin that we are content, and that she can do with us anything she wishes” (Maximilian Mary Kolbe, when first arrested)

"The culmination of the Mass is not the consecration, but Communion."

"No one in the world can change Truth. What we can do and and should do is to seek truth and to serve it when we have found it. The real conflict is the inner conflict. Beyond armies of occupation and the hetacombs of extermination camps, there are two irreconcilable enemies in the depth of every soul: good and evil, sin and love. And what use are the victories on the battlefield if we are ourselves are defeated in our innermost perrsonal selves?"

St. Maximilian Kolbe on The Blessed Virgin Mary

"Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much.  You can never love her more than Jesus did.” 

"The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan. She seeks souls that will consecrate themselves entirely to her, that will become in her hands forceful instruments for the defeat of Satan and the spread of God's kingdom."

”The conflict with Hell cannot be maintained by men, even the most clever. The Immaculata alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan.”

”Jesus honored her before all ages, and will honor her for all ages. No one comes to Him, nor even near Him, no one is saved or sanctified, if he too will not honor her. This is the lot of Angels and of men.”

"If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother."
Canonization homily of Maximilian Kolbe by Pope John Paul II in Italian

Other posts you may be find interesting:
Favorite Quotes by St. Faustina
Favorite Quotes by St. Padre Pio
Our Lady Makes up for Our Deficiencies

Novena to St. Maximilian Kolbe

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends,"through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe whose life illustrated such love, we beseech you to grant us our petitions . . .
(here mention the requests you have).

Through the Militia Immaculata movement, which Maximilian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady throughout the world. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men - a love that was inspired by true devotion to Mary.
Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, Maximilian. Amen.

(Say 3 Hail Marys and a Glory Be)

Novena obtained from EWTN website 

Canonization Homily by Pope John Paul II in Italian

August 12th Children's Rosary

Fr. Murphy pictured in the blue shirt

The children all prayed for all those who could not be with us today.  We prayed in a special way for all those who were joining us in prayer from their homes maybe across the globe.  We were joined by Fr. Murphy this morning which is always such a blessing to have the children pray with one of their shepherds.  In a special way we prayed for peace in our hearts, families, parish and world.  A Priest once said that if someone in the family has lost peace then the peace of the whole family is shaken.  It is my prayer today for all of us that each one of our dear family members may find peace and with that peace may exhist in our homes.  Our Lady is the Queen of Peace and her Son the Prince of Peace.  May they visit our hearts and homes this day. Amen.

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

(Feast August 9)

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross exemplifies so many beautiful virtues.  She died a virgin and bride of Christ.  She faced suffering and death with courage and love of Christ Crucified.  As a Catholic Jew from the Netherlands she was taken to the concentration camp Aushwitz where she was put to death in the gas chambers.  Shortly before her deportation she spoke of possible rescue, “Do not do it! Why should I be spared? Is it not right that I should gain no advantage from my Baptism? If I cannot share the lot of my brothers and sisters, my life, in a certain sense, is destroyed”. Pope John Paul said of St. Teresa in his canonization homily “the new saint teaches us that love for Christ undergoes suffering. Whoever truly loves does not stop at the prospect of suffering: he accepts communion in suffering with the one he love”.

Quote of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross:

"I understood the cross as the destiny of God's people. I felt that those who understood the Cross of Christ should take it upon themselves on everybody's behalf."

Canonization Homily by Pope John Paul II

Vatican Biography

Prayer of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Prayer of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, 

courage and strength to serve you. 

Enkindle your love in me and then 

walk with me along the next stretch 

of road before me. I do not see very 

far ahead, but when I have arrived 

where the horizon now closes down, 

a new prospect will open before me 

and I shall meet with peace. 

Amen

“Fear is Useless, What is Needed is Faith”

“Fear is useless, what is needed is faith”(Mark 5:26)

The priest said these words today before the sign of peace.  They seemed to so perfectly summarize the gospel from today.  The gospel is one of my favorites:

Jesus left that place and went off to the territory near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman who lived in that region came to him. Son of David! she cried out. Have mercy on me, sir! My daughter has a demon and is in a terrible condition. But Jesus did not say a word to her. His disciples came to him and begged him,
Send her away! She is following us and making all this noise! Then Jesus replied, I have been sent only to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. At this the woman came and fell at his feet. Help me, sir! she said. Jesus answered, It isn’t right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs. That’s true, sir, she answered, but even the dogs eat the leftovers that fall from their masters’ table. So Jesus answered her, You are a woman of great faith! What you want will be done for you. And at that very moment her daughter was healed. (Matthew 15:21-28)

This beautiful testament of the importance of Faith made me think of the first Glorious Mystery of the Rosary: The Resurrection.  The fruit of this mystery is Faith.  It is the greatest fruit one can receive from the Rosary.  I had read that the second most important fruit is grace of a happy death which is associated with the fourth Glorious Mystery: the Assumption of Mary.  It seemed perfect timing to be reflecting on the Holy Rosary as today is the Feast of St. Dominic.  Our Lady is said to have appeared to Dominic around 1206 and revealed to him the devotion of the Holy Rosary.  Our Blessed Mother told him: "Preach the Rosary, which is a shield against the shafts of the enemy, the rampart of the Church of God, and the Book of Life. Exhort everyone to be devout to the Rosary, and thou shalt produce wonderful fruit in souls."