SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

Photo: R. Massaro Our Lady of Lourdes Church New London, Ohio

Fatima and the Immaculate Heart of Mary - The Five First Saturdays Devotion

In the second apparition of Fatima, Our Lady showed the seers, Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta, her heart encircled by thorns. Later, on December 10, 1925, in a private apparition to Sister Lucia, she asked for the devotion of reparation of the Five First Saturdays.

The Blessed Mother appeared alongside the Child Jesus who stood over a luminous cloud. Our Lady rested one hand on the Child’s shoulder while she held on the other hand a heart pierced with thorns.

Read more...

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

Photo: R. Massaro Calmoutier Cemetery Wayne County, Ohio

Jesus has many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few cross-bearers. Many desire His consolation, but few His tribulation. Many will sit down with Him at table, but few will share His fast. All desire to rejoice with Him, but few will suffer for Him.

Many will follow Him to the breaking of the bread, but few will drink the bitter cup of His Passion. Many revere His miracles, but few follow the shame of His cross. Many love Jesus when all goes well with them, and praise Him when He does them a favor; but if Jesus conceals Himself and leaves them for a little while, they fall to complaining or become depressed. 

Imitation of Christ Book 2, Chapter 11, No. 1

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

The 100 anniversary of the Apparitions at Fatima, Portugal

May 13, 1917

May 13, 2017

The visionaries of Fatima. Photo Source: World Apostolate of Fatima

The Story of Fatima

The following account of the Story of Fatima is based on the booklet, “Lucia Speaks – The Message of Fatima,” – a condensed version of Sister Lucia’s Memoirs – published by The World Apostolate of Fatima-USA.

During World War I, Pope Benedict XV made repeated but forlorn pleas for peace, and finally in May 1917, made a direct appeal to the Blessed Mother to intercede for peace in the world. Just over a week later, Our Lady began to appear at Fatima, Portugal to three shepherd children, Lucia dos Santos, age 10, and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto (siblings), ages eight and seven. At the time, Fatima was a small village about 70 miles north of Lisbon. Read more...

Official page and website of the Shrine at Fatima

LIVE WEBCAM AT FATIMA, PORTUGAL

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

THREE WORDS OF WISDOM

THE CHRIST CHILD

Photo: R. Massaro St. Joseph Church Circleville, Ohio

Although we are now in Ordinary Time, I would like to share a little meditation on the Christ Child.

During Midnight Mass this past Christmas, I was wondering who the baby Jesus looked like. Did he resemble Mary or Joseph?Perhaps he did he not resemble either of them. One could meditate on this for many hours, considering both sides.  If God did choose to let the Christ Child resemble Mary and Joseph, that would have been a great act of charity and mercy on the part of God to St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus. If Jesus resembled Mary and Joseph, that would have given them some peace and security in the community and kept people from gossiping about the couple and the child.

What if the Christ child did not resemble Mary or Joseph? Would this have been another cross God wished for them to bear? Then, as Jesus got older, and his wisdom became known, he seemed far from being like his earthly parents for people to exclaim, "Isn't this the carpenter's son?..."Where did he get all this?" Isn't Mary known to be his mother?  (Matthew 13:55)

So, I wonder...did Jesus have the smile of his mother, Mary?  Did he have the mannerisms of Joseph?

During this meditation we may ask ourselves some questions:

Do I physically resemble my father or mother? Do I reflect the spiritual qualities of my father or mother? Or both?

What mannerisms of my parents do I exhibit?

Do I share some of their talents and gifts?

I was a caregiver to my mother for many, many years. Wherever we went together, I usually received the comment "You look just like your mother!" 

While we may resemble our parents physically, let us pray that we become the true child of God that He wants us to be. He wants us to use the gifts and talents he has given us for our spiritual perfection and to share with the Body of Christ.

Many times in the Scriptures Jesus warns us to not "be like" or "resemble" the tax collectors...Jesus tells us "In a word, you must be made perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." 
(Matthew 5:58).

As Carmelites, let us pray also, that we imitate and become like our holy parents, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa. We have many brothers and sisters in Carmel, the Carmelite saints to emulate in holiness and perfection. Above all, let us pray for purity of heart, where we are united to God and become the image and likeness of his Son. Let us be Christ-like in thought, word, and deed.

Let us pray for each other.

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS

SATURDAY OF OUR LADY

OUR LADY OF EGYPT

FEAST DAY:  JANUARY 7

Photo: R. Massaro St. Joseph Church Circleville, Ohio

Only one child escaped the cruel sword of Herod, Mary’s Son, safe in the arms of his Mother fleeing with Him into Egypt. How much Our Lady suffered during that long journey across the desert: anxiety, fatigue, hunger, thirst, want of shelter!

While in Egypt, Mary’s interest in the Gentiles must have greatly increased. It was not in vain that Mary and her Son were sent into Egypt; God had his reasons. Read more...

Peace be with you!

Rosemarie, OCDS

Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS