Our life: a Magnificat! ...

FEAST of the VISITATION

May 31

Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord

has said would be fulfilled. ~ Luke 1:45

"O noble Virgin, truly you are greater than any other greatness. For who is your equal in greatness, O dwelling place of God the Word? To whom among all creatures shall I compare you, O Virgin? You are greater than them all, O Ark of the Covenant, clothed with purity instead of gold! You are the Ark in which is found the golden vessel containing the true manna, that is, the flesh in which Divinity resides." ~ St Athanasius

 “Mary also anticipated, in the mystery of the Incarnation,

the Church’s Eucharistic faith.  When, at the Visitation, she bore 
in her womb the Word made flesh, she became in some way 
a ‘tabernacle’ – the first ‘tabernacle’ in history – 
in which the Son of God, still invisible to our human gaze, 
allowed Himself to be adored by Elizabeth radiating His light 
as it were through the eyes and the voice of Mary.

And is not the enraptured gaze of Mary …

that unparalleled model of love which should inspire us

every time we receive Eucharistic communion?”

Pope St John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 55

Image above:  The Visitation ~ Church of Resurrection, St. Petersburg, Russia

“Is it not this also the joy of the Church, which receives Christ

incessantly in the holy Eucharist and takes Him to the world

with the testimony of active charity, full of faith and hope?

Yes, to receive Jesus and to take Him to others is the true joy of the Christian! Let us follow and imitate Mary’s profoundly Eucharistic

soul, and our whole life will become a Magnificat.”

Pope Benedict XVI
31 May 2005

Click here: 10 Beautiful Things About the Visitation

Blessed Mother Mary and St Elizabeth, pray for us!

Place of grace...

"If by a diligent life of virtue you wash away the film of dirt

that covers your heart, then the divine Beauty

will shine forth in you. " - St Gregory of Nyssa

"If I am not in God's grace,

may God put me there;

and if I am,

may God so keep me there." 

St Joan of Arc

France ~ 1412-1431

Mystic, Patriot, Martyr

aka - "Maid of Orleans"

Patron of France, soldiers

FEAST DAY - May 30

 "I am not afraid.  I was born to do this." - St Joan of Arc

"About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they're
just one thing, and we shouldn't complicate the matter."
- St Joan of Arc, as recorded at her trial

Click here: St. Joan of Arc - Warrior of God - YouTube (10 mins)

Click here: Joan of Arc - Maid of Heaven - Quotes (excellent!)
Click here: St. Joan of Arc - YouTube (2 mins)
Click here: Joan of Arc -"Who Cares About The Saints?" - Fr. James Martin, S.J. - YouTube (7 mins)

St Joan of Arc, pray for us!

 MEMORIAL DAY - May 30

Eternal remembrance and gratitude for the innumerable, generous, courageous,

self-sacrificing and heroic acts of service – seen and unseen.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May their souls and the souls of all of the faithful departed 

through the mercy of God rest in peace. AMEN

Corpus Christi - our life! ...

 Solemnity of the 
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

(Corpus Christi)

 Jesu, of your love befriend us,
You refresh us, you defend us,
Your eternal goodness, send us
In the land of life to see.

Sequence for Corpus Christi

 

Do this in remembrance of me (1 Cor 11:24-25).

"We recall the first community of Jerusalem:   'They held steadfastly ... to the breaking of the bread' (Acts 2:42).  From the outset it is the Eucharist which becomes the centre and pattern of the life of the Church." 

- Pope Francis (2016)

Full text: Click here: Pope Francis’ Homily -Feast of Corpus Christi

Click here: Pope Francis Celebrates Corpus Christi with Eucharistic Procession in Rome

"Be the apostle of the divine Eucharist, 

like a flame which enlightens and warms, 

like the Angel of His heart who will go to proclaim Him 

to those who don't know Him and 

will encourage those who love Him and are suffering."

St. Peter Julian Eymard

to Mme Antoinette de Grandville

July 4, 1859

"We have Him so near in the Blessed Sacrament,

where He is already glorified and

where we don't have to gaze upon Him as being

so tired and worn out, bleeding, wearied by His journeys,

persecuted by those for whom He did so much good,

and not believed in by the Apostles . . . .

Behold Him here without suffering,

full of glory ...

strengthening some, encouraging others,

our companion in the most Blessed Sacrament."

St. Teresa of Avila

A special plenary indulgence is available for Corpus Christi:

Grant #7.1.3

Eucharistic Adoration and Procession

Plenary indulgence

The faithful who piously participate in solemn Eucharistic procession, either inside or outside of a Church, especially on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, may receive a plenary indulgence.

In Twin Cities: Archdiocesan Corpus Christi Procession, Sunday, May 29, 2:00-3:30 p.m., Little Sisters of the Poor to the Cathedral of St. Paul. Bring your family and friends for this festive walk with our Eucharistic Lord. Park in the Cathedral parking lot and ride a free shuttle bus to Little Sisters' from 1:15 to 1:45 p.m. Ice cream social follows Benediction. Make it part of your holiday weekend. Details at WalkWithHim.org 

Sweet fact: Real Presence! ...

Then you will know the truth, 
and the truth will set you free. - John 8:32

 

"The Blessed Sacrament is God.

Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament is simply divine worship.

Turn it which way we will, throw the light of love and knowledge

now on one side of it, now on another, still the result is the same,

the one inexhaustible sweet fact of the Real Presence. 

In the hands of the priest, behind the crystal of the monstrance,

on the tongue of the communicant, now, and for a thousand times,

and almost at our will and pleasure, there are the Hands and Feet,

the Eyes and Mouth, the swift Blood and living Heart of Him

whom Thomas touched and Magdalen was fain to touch,

the Soul that ... set the prisoners free."

Fr Frederick Faber

ORDAINED to the Holy Priesthood of Jesus Christ TODAY

Saturday - May 28, 2016

Oh, day of Love Divine, all loves excelling!
An Old German saying:

It is worth wearing out a pair of shoes to walk
to receive a priest's First Blessing!

Rev Mr Neil Bakker ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls  (Minnesota) 

Rev Mr Michael Daly ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Paul Haverstock ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Kyle Kowalczyk ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Michael McClellan ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Matthew Northenschold ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Mark Pavlak ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Joseph Zabinski ~ Archdiocese of St Paul-Mpls
Rev Mr Adam Takashiki, PES ~ Pro Ecclesia

Archbsp B Hebda - Cathedral of St Paul - St Paul - 10 am Mass

____________________________________________

Rev Mr Timothy J Lynch ~ Diocese of Columbus (Ohio) 
Rev Mr Stephen M Smith ~ Diocese of Columbus
Rev Mr Daniel J Swartz ~ Diocese of Columbus

Bsp F Campbell - St Joseph Cathedral - Columbus - 10 am Mass
__________________________________________

Rev Mr Gabriel Greer ~ Diocese of Wichita (Kansas) 

Bsp C Kemme - Cathedral of the IC - Wichita - 10 am Mass
_____________________________________________

Rev Mr Christian Amah ~ Archdiocese of New York (New York) 
Rev Mr Hartley Bancroft ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr Jesus Ledezma Castro ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr Thomas Colucci ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr Antonio Maria Diez de Medina ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr Cruz Alejandro Sanchez Mares ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr Jean-Pierre Seon ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr James Sheridan ~ Archdiocese of New York
Rev Mr Jon Tveit ~Archdiocese of New York 
Rev Mr John Wilson ~ Archdiocese of New York 

Rev Mr Dismas Marie Kline ~ Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Rev Mr Xavier Mariae Meiergerd ~ Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Rev Mr Innocent Montgomery ~ Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
Rev Mr Bernardino Maria Soukup ~ Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

Cardinal Dolan - St Patrick's Cathedral - New York - 9 am  Mass
________________________________________

Rev Mr Kent Pollman ~ Archdiocese of St Louis (Missouri) 
Rev Mr Scott Scheiderer ~ Archdiocese of St Louis

Archbsp R Carlson - Cathedral Basilica of St Louis - 10 am  Mass

Let us hold them in prayer and offer 
thanksgiving for their 'YES'!

"Your thumb and your forefinger 
have received the unction of the Holy Chrism. 

It is between thethumb and the forefinger very delicately

that you must take the wounded souls."  ~ Pere Lamy

O, Lord, my portion...

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

surely I have a delightful inheritance. - Psalm 16:6



"God, in His promises to hear our prayers, 

is desirous to bestow Himself upon us;

if you find anything better than Him, ask it; 

but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront 

 upon Him, and hurt yourself by preferring to Him

a creature which He framed.

Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, 

in which the royal prophet said to Him,

'Thou, O Lord, are my portion.'

Let others choose to themselves portions among creatures, 

for my part, You are my portion,

You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance."

St Augustine of Canterbury*

*Not to be confused with St Augustine of Hippo
+605
Italian Benedictine monk

sent by Pope Gregory the Great as missionary to England

First Archbishop of Canterbury

Patron of England
Feast Day: May 27

Click here: St. Augustine of Canterbury - YouTube (2 mins)
Click here: Life of St Augustine of Canterbury - YouTube (6mins)

In a letter to Augustine, Pope Gregory the Great wrote:

"He who would climb to a lofty height must go by steps, not leaps."

St Augustine of Canterbury, pray for us!

Fragrance of Paradise...

"God makes all His own the soul 

that is wholly given to Him." - St Philip Neri

“Can you feel the
fragrance of Paradise 
which diffuses Itself
from the Tabernacle?"

St Philip Neri

Italy ~ 1515 - 1595

Priest, bears title "Second Apostle of Rome"
Founder - Congregation of the Oratory (Oratorians)

Known for his great JOY

Counter-reformer

Advice regarding prayer:  "Be humble and obedient

and the Holy Spirit will teach you."

FEAST DAY - May 26

  

"Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us 
persevere in a good life.  Therefore the servant of God 

ought always to be in good spirits." - St Philip Neri

Click here: Maxims of St Philip Neri (excellent!) 
Click here: St. Philip Neri - YouTube (2 mins)

Click here: Saint Philip Neri May 26 - YouTube (6 mins)

 St Philip Neri, pray for us!