The Annunciation of the Lord

Today we celebrate the beginning of our salvation when the coming of the Lord was announced by the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.

Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  Behold you shall conceive and bear a son, and he will be called the Son of the Most High.

See Luke 1:26-32

+

Mother of Christ, our hope, our Patroness,
Star of the sea, our beacon in distress,

Guide to the shores of everlasting day

God’s holy people on their pilgrim way.

Virgin by vow but Mother of all grace,

Chosen by God to be his dwelling place,

Blessed are you:  God’s word you did believe,

Your “Yes” undid the “No” of sinful Eve.

Daughter of God, who bore his holy One,

Dearest of all, the Christ, your loving Son,

Show us his face, O Mother, as on earth,

Loving us all, you gave our Savior birth.

Text: Alma Redemptoris

Translator:  James Quinn, S.J.

+

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, 2001, was the last time I had the privilege to attend a Private Mass and Audience with His Holiness Pope John Paul II.  It was a bittersweet time as the effects of age and health were showing on his dear face and body, though they could not dampen his spirit or faith. 

Blessed John Paul II’s motto was “Totus Tuus,” “All Yours,” a sign of how he devoted his life to Blessed Mother Mary, who had devoted her life to our Loving God, her Son and our brother, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Soon Blessed John Paul will be canonized Saint John Paul.  It is almost unbelievable for me to have been blessed with so many encounters with him during my years of service to the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO).  I’ve been privileged to know and work with others in Rome who were befriended by him in their native land of Poland.  They have generously shared their experience of him and all that he taught them while here on earth.

May we devote all we have and all we do to our Blessed Mother Mary, and in turn, inspire others to share in this devotion.  May we have the grace and strength to say “yes” to God and “no” to sin.  Let us pray for each other so that we may receive and proclaim the Good News of salvation.

+

Do We Want To Become Holy?

March 13, 2014

First Anniversary of the Election of His Holiness Pope Francis

To mark the first anniversary of the election of Pope Francis, the Vatican internet office has produced an online book with photographs and phrases taken from his speeches over the past 12 months.

Available on the Vatican website, the virtual publication is entitled “Do we want to become holy? Yes or no?”, a question Pope Francis posed to the crowds gathered for his Angelus address in Saint Peter’s Square in February. The 70 page booklet shows colour photos of the Pope with many of his characteristic expressions and gestures, embracing pilgrims, greeting crowds or interacting with young people. Each photo is accompanied by a short quote taken from one of his homilies or speeches over the past year since his election on the evening of March 13, 2013.  By clicking on the link below each quote, you can access the full text, together with a wealth of further links to photo galleries plus audio and video of the event itself.

To view the online book, please visit:

http://www.vatican.va/auguri-francesco/pont_2014/en/index.html#1

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/vatican-online-book-marks-first-anniversary-of-fra

+

Where were you and what were you doing one year ago today?

I was in the Holy Land with a group of first-time pilgrims from the USA.  Initially watching the news reports from Saint Peter’s Square on the television in my hotel room I then joined a dear friend, habibi, who lives in Jerusalem and we watched on a large screen in the hotel lobby with a group of Italian pilgrims.  Our joy matched that of the throngs of people in the Square as we held our collective breath to see who would walk onto the balcony.  How quickly we loved the humble man wearing white who asked for our prayers and blessing before he gave us his blessing!

And the blessings have multiplied countless times over the past year!

God bless you, Holy Father, as you bless us!

+

United in Prayer

His Holiness Pope Francis asked for prayers for Ukraine, which he said was living through a delicate situation.  The Holy Father expressed the hope that all parts of the country “will endeavour to overcome misunderstandings and build together the future of the nation.”  The Pope also appealed to the international community “to support any initiative for dialogue and harmony.”
He made the call following the recitation of the Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square on Sunday, March 2, 2014.  Pope Francis also looked towards the beginning of Lent which he described as a journey of conversion, to combat evil with the weapons of prayer, fasting and mercy.  Pope Francis stressed that humanity needs justice, reconciliation, and peace, and it will only have them by turning to God.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-angelus-appeal-for-ukraine-and-christian-frat

+

May the Holy Spirit, through whom we are "as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything" (2 Cor 6:10), sustain us in our resolutions and increase our concern and responsibility for human destitution, so that we can become merciful and act with mercy. In expressing this hope, I likewise pray that each individual member of the faithful and every Church community will undertake a fruitful Lenten journey. I ask all of you to pray for me. May the Lord bless you and Our Lady keep you safe.

Pope Francis, Lenten Message 2014 (excerpt)

For the complete text, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/message-of-pope-francis-for-lent-2014-he-became-po

+

His Holiness Pope Francis’ universal prayer intention for March is “that all cultures may respect the rights and dignity of women”.

His prayer intention for evangelization is “that many young people may accept the Lord's invitation to consecrate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel”.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-francis-prayer-intentions-for-march

+