Saints & Relics Speaking Presentation, 10/13/2019: St. Stephen Church, Honolulu

October = BUSY for this ministry.  Rosary Rallies.  Saints & Relics Presentations (in anticipation of All Saints Day).  Monthly Prayer Groups.  I've gotten used to it throughout the years; it's just how it is for this particular month.  Besides... anything for Jesus, Our Lady, and the Saints, that's another one of this ministry's motto that I strive to fulfill.

Breakfast & fellowship first... then the presentation.

So today I was re-invited to St. Stephen Church on the Pali Highway in Honolulu to conduct not just one, but two, Saints & Relics Presentations - one tailored for the CCD kids and another for the general parishioners.

Sacred Relics on display for the presentation.

For the children, I featured interactive games involving St. Damien of Molokai and several holy youngsters such as St. Dominic Savio, Ven. Anne de Guigne, St. Germaine Cousin, and the little shepherds of Fatima, Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto.  And to expose the children to relics, I displayed for them my ministry's Fatima Relics and invited the kids and their parents to come forward to view and venerate them.

CCD families venerating the Fatima Relics.

For the presentation geared towards the adults, I featured the lives and relics of 12 holy personages: St. Bernadette of Lourdes; St. Damien of Molokai; Sts. Francisco & Jacinta Marto of Fatima; Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin; St. Marguerite d'Youville; Bl. Marie-Celine of the Presentation; Bl. Rolando Rivi; Bl. Solanus Casey; St. Therese the Little Flower... and, of course, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of All Saints.

Parishioners approaching the relic display altar after the

second talk to pay their respects to the Saints & Blesseds.

At the end of it all, both presentations were well-received by their respective audiences... and when a 90-year-old lady comes up to me afterwards and warmly says, "Thank you very much for coming - I learned so much that I didn't know before." it satisfies me that all the preparation and work that goes into each presentation is worthwhile.  How can it not be if at least one person went home being more knowledgable about our Catholic Faith?

Again... Anything for Jesus, Our Lady, and the Saints.

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Aloha Peter,

Mahalo for your Saints and Holy Relics Presentation you did here at St. Stephen on this past Sunday. Both our CCD children and adults alike were captivated by your presentation. It is refreshing to hear that REAL HEROES do exist!!

Sincerely,

Tina W.
St. Stephen Catholic Church

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For inquiries concerning this ministry's presentations,  click here or email guadalupe_house@yahoo.com.

America Needs Fatima Rosary Rally, 10/12/2019

It's that time of the year again - Auntie Patty's annual America Needs Fatima Rosary Rally!  Since last year, her family has hosted their rally in the Day Chapel at St. Anthony of Padua Church, rather than at their Kailua home. The customary luncheon now follows in the Makai Room and, all of us who participate, look forward to this event - all of it - each year.

For those not familiar with the Fatima apparitions and/or this nationwide prayer movement, the America Needs Fatima organization recruits "Rally Captains" to organize public Rosary Rallies throughout the country.  The rallies are intended to collectively pray for the good of America and are scheduled for Saturdays on, or before, October 13th, which is the anniversary of Our Lady’s 6th apparition in Fatima.  There, in that quaint Portuguese village, Mary appeared in 1917 carrying a Rosary on her wrist; uttered the words, "Recite the rosary every day to obtain the peace for the world and the end of the war (World War I)."; identified herself as the "Lady of the Rosary".  It’s very clear - the Blessed Virgin was stressing the importance and the power of the Rosary in these apparitions.

The wooden statue of Our Lady in the Day Chapel,

displayed front and center throughout October.

So why the Rosary?  During a brief presentation I shared with the people present, I explained my simple take on it – the Rosary leads us closer to Jesus because it's CHRIST-CENTERED.  Just think about it - of the 20 Mysteries we reflect on, Mary only figures prominently, alone, in four of them: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Assumption, and the Coronation.  So, really, this prayer is a long meditation on the life of Jesus, her son.

Through the Rosary, Jesus shares his life with us – all the ups and downs of it; the best and the absolute worst times... and if we pray it regularly enough, it starts to seem like we're watching a Biblical "TV series" in our heads… and this is what Jesus wants – for us to get to know him better by knowing the major details (the Mysteries) of his life.  The deeper we dive into each Mystery the more we discover about Christ so we can cultivate a deeper, personal relationship with HIM… and his Mother, too (because Mary leads us to him)!

The fellowship luncheon that followed our prayers.

Lastly, just turn on your TVs and watch the news – evil is spreading like wildfire!  More shootings; more blatant, public displays of violence and aggression; legislation of infanticide; more people turning to esoteric, occult, and even satanic beliefs; increased vandalism of churches, etc.  It’s a sign of more terrible things to come - a diabolic darkness that seems to be encroaching closer and closer into our own personal worlds, which is why maintaining a strong bond with Jesus is so important today.  HE is the LIGHT, as Scriptures say... and, if we have a deep abiding faith-relationship with him, he dwells in us; as such, the darkness can never engulf us.

This is why Our Lady emphasized the Rosary at Fatima; a message that remains relevant in our present time despite the passing of 102 years.  So as we pray the Rosary and keep the Lord’s Light burning bright within us, may our light lead others who are lost in the dark back to God.

Our Lady of Fatima, the Lady of the Rosary,

pray for us!

Saint of the Month - October 2019: Saint Marguerite D'Youville

St. Marguerite D'Youville

A Light in the New World ~ Feast: October 16th

October's Saint of the Month hails from our neighbor up north - Canada. Her name is Marguerite d'Youville and she was the foundress of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal. Born on October 15, 1701, in the town of Varennes, Marguerite was the oldest of six children. Tragedy struck early on in her life when, at the age of seven, she lost her father whose untimely death left the once-prosperous family impoverished. The event had the effect of maturing the little girl, who had to assist her mother in running their busy household and raising her younger siblings, all while attending a school run by the Ursulines Sisters of Québec. Thanks to the influence of these nuns, piety was instilled in young Marguerite's heart.

"I have never lost confidence in our Heavenly Father."

~ Words of St. Marguerite

After her mother remarried, the family packed up and relocated to Montreal where the lovely Marguerite met the wealthy Francois d'Youville. He was charming, at first, and she consented to marry him in 1722... but it wasn't long after that his true colors showed - Francois became involved in the seedy business of trafficking in alcohol with the native Indians in exchange for furs. This enterprise often caused his long absences from home but, despite his excursions into the Canadian wilderness, the couple managed to have six children of which only two survived past infancy.

In the face of these multiple tragedies, the indifferent Francois proved to be of little comfort to his grieving wife so in her loneliness and sadness Marguerite turned to her faith for consolation. Perhaps this was all part of God's grand design for this Saint because, rather than becoming an embittered soul in the face of all her personal trials, she developed a deep spirit of compassion and charity for those around her who were also suffering.

As for Francois, upon returning home from one of his illicit dealings, he came down with a sudden and serious illness, himself. Marguerite lovingly cared for him until his death in 1730, which left Marguerite a widow by age 30... and in debt again.

"All the wealth in the world cannot be compared with
the happiness of living together happily united."

~ Words of St. Marguerite

Now free of any marital obligations, the young widow focused her energy not just into raising her two surviving boys (they both became priests) but she also opened a small store to support her family, pay her husband's debts, and to fund several charitable endeavors. Furthermore, Marguerite began welcoming the least fortunate into her home, beginning with a poor blind woman. The ministry grew, despite strong opposition and ridicule from members of her own family and a few skeptical neighbors. Like-minded women joined the budding foundress and by 1737 the group was a pious association with its members consecrating themselves to the exercise of charity - it was the birth of the Sisters of Charity of Montreal, which became an official congregation in 1745. The Sisters eventually adopted a beige-grey habit, earning them the enduring nickname of the "Grey Nuns" from the locals.

In 1747, the Grey Nuns were given charge of the Montreal General Hospital, which had fallen into disarray and facing bankcruptcy. Through the capable administration of Marguerite and her sisters, the hospital was rescued from its debt, restored, and expanded.

For the rest of her life, Marguerite worked and served alongside her sisters, instilling in them by her personal example - the importance of their charitable work, combined with a deep prayer life and unwavering trust in Divine Providence. The foundress - the "Mother of the Poor", as she came to be called - died in the general hospital on December 23, 1771, after seeing her work expanded to other towns in Canada. Pope John Paul II declared Marguerite D'Youville a Saint in December 1990.

Prayer to St. Marguerite d'Youville

(from the Sanctuaire Youville, Canada)