Holy Relic Visitation: Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Group, 7/28/2012

  

A 1st Class Relic of Bl. Angelina di Marsciano occupies a place close to the

Rosa Mystica on the Gruber Family's home altar

It was just a small group of us who came together at the Gruber Residence to pray as members of Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Group.  Other regular participants had personal engagements... but none the less,  it was still a meaningful evening of prayer and Christian fellowship for us who met tonight.  The special presence of the Holy Spirit was felt in our midst along with Our Lady... and heartfelt words flowed freely during our time of personal prayers and intercessions.



Bl. Angelina di  Marsciano

This month, for the prayer group's "Saint of the Month", I enthusiastically shared the life and relic of a little-known holy woman - Bl. Angelina di Marsciano - whose Memorial is celebrated every year on July 14th.  She was a noblewoman, who inspired by the Franciscan ideal, had forsaken a life of luxury and comfort to found a religious congregation.  Her excellent pious example led other women of rank to leave their families so as to follow her manner of living, which prompted intense opposition to her from other prominant families.  Bl. Angelina's extraordinary faith helped her to overcome every adversity, sometimes even through miraculous means; she reaffirms for all Christians that anything is possible if we will only have faith in God.

... and so tonight, as we recited the Holy Rosary, my special focus was asking God for the same gift of Faith that inspired and motivated Bl. Angelina di Marsciano and all the other Saints/Blesseds; the luminous faith that lights up the dark.  In lieu of all the recent and disturbing news coverage of the Aurora (Colorado) theater shootings, it's pretty obvious that America is experiencing a time of overwhelming darkness.  May God rekindle in us the light of Faith... and may Our Lady of Fatima and Bl. Angelina intercede for us.