It's been a little over a year since this ministry conducted a speaking presentation. Due to this horrible pandemic, the couple of presentations I had scheduled in 2020 were understandably canceled. However, with the recent decline of new Covid-19 infections on Oahu, our mayor lessened restrictions... and I was again able to spotlight Saints during a presentation this morning for coordinators and participants of my parish's R.C.I.A. Program. It felt good; for a bit it seemed almost as though the world was back to normal again. At least for me.
The five relics that were presented for veneration at today's presentation.
Of course, we all wore face coverings and members of the audience were required to sit several feet apart, except for individuals from the same household. Plus our Makai Meeting Room is well-ventilated with vertical slots on the wall that allow for the fresh ocean breeze to blow through... so we were relatively safe from infection. At the end, everything went smoothly and it appeared the presentation was well-received by the group.
I can always tell when certain individuals are particularly inspired and/or touched by the Saints because they'll linger near the makeshift altar of relics for an extended period to pray and pay their respects. Several people lingered today.
One woman, who appeared visibly moved, even testified to me that she smelled the fragrance of roses during the talk (there were no flowers in the room), which is always a special affirmation that Our Lady and/or the Saints re invisibly with us.
+ Bl. Bartolo Longo (a former satanic priest turned Rosary evangelist and philanthropist of Pompeii, Italy)
+ St. Bernadette Soubirous (the celebrated Marian visionary of Lourdes, France)
+ St. Joaquina Vedruna (a Spanish housewife, mother, widow, mystic, & founder of the Carmelite Sisters of Charity)
+ St. Maximilian Kolbe (a Polish Franciscan priest and "martyr of charity", who gave up his life at Auschwitz to save a family man slated for execution)
... and, lastly, this ministry's treasured relic of the Holy Virgin's veil was also presented for the edification of the participants. After all, you can't have a talk about Saints and not include Mary, the Queen of All Saints.
* * * T E S T I M O N Y * * *
"... thanks again for your
presentation; it was informative
and humbling."
- Maggie
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