Relic Pilgrim Visitation: The Holy Martin Family at a Kailua Bible Study

Relics of St. Therese of Lisieux and her parents - Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin were invited to be a part of the Walking with Purpose women's Bible study group that meets at my parish of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Kailua.

   

The group meets every Monday morning, between 9:00am - 10:30am, for Scripture study and discussion; fellowship; and coffee and refreshments.  Several women even attend with their babies in tow!

   

A member of the group with a devotion to St. Therese arranged for yesterday's pilgrim visit, which providentially, this ministry was able to accommodate.  It goes without saying that the Martin family of Saints was a source of special inspiration for these women who are walking with purpose.

Saints & Relics Presentation (Family Edition): St. John Vianney Church, 11-1-2025

Today’s presentation was especially fitting for All Saints’ Day, our great Feast that reminds us that holiness is possible for everyone — not just for a few extraordinary individuals, but even for families; for parents and children together; for siblings ... walking the same road toward Heaven.

The CCD Team at St. John Vianney Church organized a Saints-themed faith formation event at their parish and invited this ministry to give this presentation, and so the message naturally centered on the family as the seedbed of sanctity.  I wanted to show that sainthood is not confined to one person in a household — it can flourish among several members of the same family when faith and virtue take root in the home.

To emphasize this truth, I shared the inspiring example of Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, who made it a point to raise their children "to populate Heaven". Their daughter, St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, known to the world as "The Little Flower", is one of the Church’s most beloved Saints.  And now, one of her sisters, Léonie Martin, is also on the path to canonization after living a deeply holy life as a Visitation nun.

   

Families honoring the Saints through relic veneration.

We also reflected on St. John Paul II, whose parents, Karol Sr. and Emilia Wojtyła, are both being considered for sainthood in Kraków, Poland.  Their faith and example clearly shaped the heart of the future pope.

And there was St. Gianna Beretta Molla, the modern-day Saint, wife, and mother.  Her holiness was nourished within a family of faith — two of her brothers became priests, one sister a nun, and her brother, Fr. Alberto Beretta, has already been declared Venerable.

Finally, there is Bl. Karl of Austria, the last Emperor of the Austria-Hungary Empire, who with his wife - Empress Zita - vowed on their wedding day to help each other to get to Heaven.  She is now a Servant of God.

A moving sight - a little girl praying and reaching

out to St. Joseph and his relic.

All of these examples of sanctity — powerfully represented by the presence of their sacred relics — illustrated the beauty of All Saints’ Day: the truth that the Saints form one great family in Heaven, and that our own families here on earth are called to join their company through everyday holiness.

Other holy persons/relics featured during the event included St. Bartolo Longo, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, St. Carlo Acutis, Ven. Domenica Lazzeri, St. Peregrine Laziosi, St. Padre Pio, Our Lady & St. Joseph — witnesses of God’s grace in every age and state of life.

The audience was wonderfully attentive and appreciative, and it was particularly touching to see all of the families approach the relics to pay their respects and to pray.  It felt like a special grace for this All Saints’ Day gathering.

The St. John Vianney Church Saint Parade!

And the children's "Saints Parade" costume contest that followed was a delight to see!  There were three Carlo Acutis contestants (including one of the dads!), which showed just how popular he is with our youngsters!

It was a great way to celebrate our Feast of All Saints!  All thanks and praises be to God, to our Blessed Mother, and to all the Saints — our heavenly family who continue to inspire us to live holy lives right where we are!

Saint of the Month - November 2025: Teresa Helena Higginson

Servant of God

Teresa Helena Higginson

The Hidden Mystic of England

Teresa Helena Higginson was born on May 27, 1844, in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales, into a pious Catholic family of English descent.  Her parents, devoted to their faith during a time when Catholicism was still viewed with suspicion in Protestant England, nurtured in her an early love of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Holy Eucharist.  From her earliest years, Teresa displayed extraordinary piety and an unusual sensitivity to the presence of the Divine.  Her childhood was marked by an innocence and purity that impressed all who knew her.  She was said to spend hours in silent prayer, even as a young girl, often found kneeling before the family crucifix absorbed in contemplation.

Educated at the convent school of the Sisters of Mercy in Liverpool, Teresa showed great intelligence and humility.  Her teachers noted her deep reverence for the Blessed Sacrament and her remarkable understanding of spiritual matters.  After completing her studies, she felt drawn to a life of service and became a schoolteacher.  She served faithfully in several schools, including those in Bootle, Orrell, and Neston, where she was known for her patience, kindness, and zeal for the moral and religious formation of her pupils.  Her teaching was not merely academic; she saw it as a sacred calling, a way to bring souls closer to Christ.

It was during these years that Teresa began experiencing spiritual phenomena that would mark her as one of England’s greatest mystic souls.  She possessed profound charisms, among them the gift of Ecstasies, Healing, Bilocation, Mystical Communions, visits from Christ and the Saints, physical battles with demonic spirits, and visible Stigmata.  Witnesses recounted that on certain Fridays, especially during Lent, Teresa bore on her body the marks of the Passion — wounds corresponding to those of Christ crucified.  Her hands, feet, and side would bleed, and she suffered intense physical pain offered in reparation for sins and for the sanctification of priests.  Yet she bore these sufferings with great serenity and secrecy, desiring only that they might remain hidden and serve the greater glory of God.

Teresa Helena (circled) as a Schoolteacher

The gift of Bilocation attributed to her was particularly extraordinary.  Accounts circulated among her fellow teachers and spiritual directors that Teresa had been seen in two places at once — instructing children in one classroom while simultaneously visiting and comforting the sick elsewhere.  She even claimed that she was sent by God on several occasions to a tribe in Africa to teach the Gospel to a chief and his subjects.  Such manifestations, though never publicly displayed, were quietly acknowledged by those who knew her intimately as further signs of divine favor.  Despite these extraordinary experiences, Teresa remained deeply humble.  She sought no recognition and lived a life of simplicity and obedience, completely surrendered to God’s will.

Teresa’s spiritual mission became more clearly defined through her mystical communications with Christ, who revealed to her the devotion to His Sacred Head as the Seat of Divine Wisdom.  Jesus made known to her His desire that this devotion be spread throughout the Church as a means to honor the source of all holy knowledge and to make reparation for the misuse of the intellect.  Teresa faithfully recorded these revelations under obedience to her confessor.  In them, Our Lord promised abundant graces to those who would venerate His Sacred Head — particularly for teachers, students, and all who sought wisdom and understanding.  This devotion became central to Teresa’s spirituality and remains one of her enduring legacies.

Throughout her life, Teresa endured intense trials: misunderstandings, physical ailments, and the spiritual darkness common to souls chosen for a high degree of union with God.  Her mystical sufferings often mirrored the Passion of Christ.  She accepted these crosses with heroic patience, finding joy even in affliction.  Her correspondence and spiritual writings reveal a profound interior life centered on the Eucharist and the Holy Trinity.  She possessed a burning love for Jesus and a tender devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, often calling her “my sweet Mother.”

Our Lord revealed to Teresa Helena his

desire for a devotion to His Sacred Head

as the "Seat of Divine Wisdom".

In her later years, Teresa continued her teaching quietly, hidden from worldly acclaim but radiant with supernatural charity.  Those who knew her described her as gentle, deeply prayerful, and filled with an unearthly peace.  She had the gift of discernment and could read the hearts of those who came to her for counsel.  Many experienced conversion or consolation after speaking with her.  Despite her frail health, she remained devoted to her vocation until the end.

Teresa Helena Higginson died on February 15, 1905, at Chudleigh, Devon, at the age of sixty.  Word of her sanctity spread slowly, as she had lived a hidden and humble life.  However, her reputation for holiness and the accounts of her mystical gifts inspired great devotion among the faithful.  In 1937, her cause for beatification was opened, and she was declared a Servant of God by the Catholic Church.  Her incorrupt body was discovered in 1928, a further sign to many of her sanctity.

Today, Teresa Helena is remembered as a mystic and victim-soul who offered her life for the reparation of sin and the sanctification of priests and teachers.  Her promotion of the Devotion to the Sacred Head of Jesus as the Seat of Divine Wisdom remains a spiritual gem for the Church (click here to learn more about this devotion).  Though not yet canonized, she stands as a powerful intercessor for all who seek humility, wisdom, and fidelity to God’s will.  Her life exemplifies the quiet grandeur of hidden holiness — a life consumed by Divine Love, illuminated by mystical grace, and offered for the salvation of souls.

Teresa Helena Higginson,

pray for us.

Happy All Saints Day!

HAPPY FEAST of ALL SAINTS!

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of your Holy Mother and all the Saints through whose lives we see YOU... through their acts of Charity; their expressions of Hope; their Joy in service; their sowing of Peace; their sharing of Love!  Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

The Litany of the Saints

Lord, have mercy on us [Lord, have mercy on us]
Christ, have mercy on us [Christ, have mercy on us]
Lord, have mercy on us [Lord, have mercy on us]
Christ, hear us [Christ, graciously hear us]

God the Father of Heaven [have mercy on us]
God the Son, Redeemer of the World [have mercy on us]
God the Holy Ghost [have mercy on us]
Holy Trinity, One God [have mercy on us]

Holy Mary [pray for us]
Holy Mother of God [pray for us]
Holy Virgin of Virgins [pray for us]

St. Michael [pray for us]
St. Gabriel [pray for us]
St. Raphael [pray for us]
All you Holy Angels and Archangels [pray for us]
All you Holy Orders of Blessed Spirits [pray for us]
St. John the Baptist [pray for us]
St. Joseph [pray for us]
All you Holy Patriarchs and Prophets [pray for us]
St. Peter [pray for us]
St. Paul [pray for us]
St. Andrew [pray for us]
St. James [pray for us]
St. John [pray for us]
St. Thomas [pray for us]
St. James [pray for us]
St. Philip [pray for us]
St. Bartholomew [pray for us]
St. Matthew [pray for us]
St. Simon [pray for us]
St. Thaddeus [pray for us]
St. Matthias [pray for us]
St. Barnabas [pray for us]
St. Luke [pray for us]
St. Mark [pray for us]
All you Holy Apostles and Evangelists [pray for us]
All you Holy Disciples of Our Lord [pray for us]
All you Holy Innocents [pray for us]
St. Stephen [pray for us]
St. Lawrence [pray for us]
St. Vincent [pray for us]
SS. Fabian and Sebastian [pray for us]
SS. John and Paul [pray for us]
SS. Cosmas and Damian [pray for us]
SS. Gervase and Protase [pray for us]
All you Holy Martyrs [pray for us]
St. Sylvester [pray for us]
St. Gregory [pray for us]
St. Ambrose [pray for us]
St. Augustine [pray for us]
St. Jerome [pray for us]
St. Martin [pray for us]
St. Nicholas [pray for us]
All you Holy Bishops and Confessors [pray for us]
All you holy doctors [pray for us]
St. Anthony [pray for us]
St. Benedict [pray for us]
St. Bernard [pray for us]
St. Dominic [pray for us]
St. Francis [pray for us]
All you Holy Priests and Levites [pray for us]
All you Holy Monks and Hermits [pray for us]
St. Mary Magdalen [pray for us]
St. Agatha [pray for us]
St. Lucy [pray for us]
St. Agnes [pray for us]
St. Cecilia [pray for us]
St. Catherine [pray for us]
St. Anastasia [pray for us]
All you Holy Virgins and Widows [pray for us]
All you Holy Saints of God [pray for us]

From all evil [pray us, O Lord]
From all sin [pray us, O Lord]
From Thy wrath [pray us, O Lord]
From a sudden and unprovided death [pray us, O Lord]
From the deceits of the devil [pray us, O Lord]
From anger, and hatred, and all ill-will [pray us, O Lord]
From the spirit of fornication [pray us, O Lord]
From lightning and tempest [pray us, O Lord]
From the scourge of earthquakes [pray us, O Lord]
From plague, famine and war [pray us, O Lord]
From everlasting death [pray us, O Lord]

By the Mystery of Thy Holy Incarnation [pray us, O Lord]
By Thy coming [pray us, O Lord]
By Thy nativity [pray us, O Lord]
By Thy baptism and holy fasting [pray us, O Lord]
By Thy Cross and Passion [pray us, O Lord]
By Thy Death and burial [pray us, O Lord]
By Thy holy Resurrection [pray us, O Lord]
By Thine admirable Ascension [pray us, O Lord]
By the coming of the Holy Ghost, the Paraclete [pray us, O Lord]

On the Day of Judgment [deliver us, O Lord]

We sinners, we beseech Thee [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst spare us [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst pardon us [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst bring us to true penance [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to govern and preserve Thy Holy Church [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to preserve our Apostolic Prelate, and all ecclesiastical orders in holy religion [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give peace and true concord to Christian kings and princes [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant peace and unity to all Christian peoples [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring back to the unity of the Church all who have strayed away, and lead to the light of the Gospel all unbelievers [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to confirm and preserve us in Thy holy service [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst lift up our minds to heavenly desires [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst render eternal blessings to all our benefactors [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst deliver our souls, and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from eternal damnation [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to give and preserve the fruits of the earth [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe to grant eternal rest to all the faithful departed [hear us, O Lord]
That Thou wouldst vouchsafe graciously to hear us, Son of God [hear us, O Lord]

Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world [spare us, O Lord]
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world [graciously hear us, O Lord]
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world [have mercy on us]

Christ, hear us [Christ, graciously hear us]
Lord, have mercy on us [Lord, have mercy on us]
Christ, have mercy on us [Christ, have mercy on us]
Lord, have mercy on us [Lord, have mercy on us]

Amen

ATTENTION PRAYER WARRIORS: Eucharistic Prayer Vigil to Combat the Demonic Influences of Halloween: 10/31/2025

At St. George Church in Waimanalo ...

All Prayer Warriors welcomed!

Saints & Relics Presentation (Family Edition): St. Anthony of Padua Church, 10-26-2025

Today's presentation was requested by the Be A Holy Family Ministry at my parish.  Consequently, the main message I tried to convey was directed towards the family unit: that sanctity can exist in a household not just in one individual but also possible in both parents and amongst multiple siblings ... and this ministry used the lives of certain Saints (and their sacred relics) to drive the point home!

L to R: Relics of St. Carlo Acutis, Our Lady's veil,

Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin, St. Therese of Lisieux

For example: I featured Sts. Louis & Zelie Martin and their great Saint of a daughter - St. Therese the Little Flower ... and let's not overlook Leonie, another of the Martin sisters who is now up for sainthhood, herself, after having lived a virtuous life as a Visitation nun.  The there's St. Pope John Paul II whose own parents - Karol Sr. and Emilia Wojtyla - have had their Causes for Sainthood recently opened in Krakow, Poland.  Furthermore, there's St. Gianna Beretta Molla who had two brothers who became priests, and a sister became a nun.  One of these siblings - Fr. Alberto Beretta of Milan - has already been declared Venerable.

   

L to R: Relics of  St. John Paul II, St. Gianna Beretta

Molla, St. Padre Pio, and St. Benedict of Nursia

And let's not forget St. Benedict of Nursia and his twin sister, St. Scholastica. So, as one can see, holiness is not only possible in individuals but also within multiple family members; often, the exceptional faith-example of parents are a significant factor.

Besides the above-mentioned holy individuals, others featured with their respective relics were Bl. Alexandrina Maria da Costa, St. Bernadette of Lourdes, St. Peregrine Laziosi, St. Padre Pio, St. Teresa of Avila, and Our Lady's veil.

   

L to R: Relics of Bl. Alexandrina Maria da Costa,

St. Peregrine Laziosi, St. Teresa of Avila, and

St. Bernadette of Lourdes

And finally, the audience was very attentive and engaged.  What was awesome was several of the men - fathers - approached me to personally say "thank you" and to express how much they learned; it's usually women who come up to talk with me so the men being expressive was extra-special affirmation for this ministry that the Saints had once again made a positive impact in people's lives.

   

Parents and their children venerating our

great and holy spiritual heroes!

All Thanks and Praises be to God, our Blessed Mother, and the Saints!

Monthly Message from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: October 2025

  "Dear Children!  The Most High in His goodness gave me to you to lead you on the way of peace.  Many have responded and are praying, but there are many creatures who do not have peace and have not come to know the God of love.  Therefore, little children, pray and love, create prayer groups to encourage each other to the good. I am with you and am praying for your conversion.  Thank you for having responded to my call."

Kailua Celebrates the Month of the Rosary

This ministry is happy to report that several special events have been ongoing in Kailua to celebrate the "Month of the Holy Rosary" ...

🌹 First Saturday Rosary for Peace & Sunday Rosaries

First off, St. Anthony of Padua Church's longstanding monthly First Saturday Rosary for Peace had hit another major milestone on 10/4/2025 - it's 15th Anniversary and what abundant graces we've received since we started!

In addition, Rosaries are being prayed by our congregation, 35 minutes prior to every Mass during the month of October.  Come and pray with us ... and in the months ahead, consider making the Five First Saturdays Devotion (see above) at our parish.  We continue to have Confession, Rosary, and Vigil Mass every Saturday afternoon beginning at 4pm.

(NOTE: At neighboring St. John Vianney Church, for the month of October, the congregation is praying the Rosary every Saturday morning after the 8am Mass led by the parish's Sodality of Mary.)

🌹 Pilgrim Madonna Home Visits

Initially implemented by our Pastor, Fr. Tony, for the month of October 2024, then again in May 2025, we started with 2 statues that traveled at 3-day intervals between 26 homes in Kailua.  The statues were a Fatima image provided by a friend and a Lady of Grace statue owned by this ministry.

   

The two original Pilgrim Madonnas and Fr. Tony commissioning

4 (of 5) Pilgrim Madonnas for October 2025.

This October 2025, our parishioners responded so enthusiastically, we had to add more 3 images, which includes this ministry's Queen of Peace Icon with its three stones collected from sites in Medjugorje sanctified by the Virgin Mary’s continuing apparitions there: Apparition Hill, Cross Mountain, and the Blue Cross locations.  With the additional Pilgrim Madonnas, our Blessed Mother will now get to visit over 60 homes in which parishioners have committed themselves to pray the Rosary for the duration of the visitation - I personally anticipate great graces for our families and general community!

   

ABOVE & BELOW:  A few photos of the Pilgrim Madonnas

visiting parish homes.

🌹 America Needs Fatima (ANF) Rosary Rally 2025

Once again, Auntie Patty Vargas and her extended family hosted its annual ANF Rosary Rally at their Kailua home.  This wonderful family has been faithfully hosting uninterrupted annual rallies since 2009 (except for 2020 due to the covid pandemic).  The event is something many of us, fortunate enough to be invited, look forward to each year because of its devout atmosphere ... and the light-hearted fellowship and delicious luncheon that follows the prayers.  This year's rally did not disappoint.

The Vargas Ohana's 2025 Rosary Rally in

Kailua (Oahu), Hawaii ...

An annual event of Prayer, Faith, Food & Fellowship!

🌹 Affirmations

With all these special observances honoring the Holy Mother of Christ in our parish, spiritual fruits have inevitably followed: increased Mass attendance; increased OCIA enrollments this year; increased participation in parish-sponsored special events/celebrations (e.g. the Rosary Marathon, Pilgrim Madonna program, etc.); increased membership with our FIAT: Faith In Action Today Prayer Group; and, lastly, seemingly increased signs in the skies above our two Kailua parishes (St. Anthony of Padua Church and St. John Vianney Church)!

On the morning of the 10/11/2025 Rally:

the Holy Mother's figure was witnessed from

St. John Vianney Church's garden shrine.  She

expressed her joy over all the Rosary Rallies

being held around the world!

It all goes to show that wherever Our Lady is venerated through the Rosary, her loving, motherly presence is there ... and, trust me - she comes loaded with gifts!

Ave Maria & Thanks be to God!

Saint of the Month - October 2025: Saint Maria Crescentia Hoss

St. Maria Crescentia Höss

A Life of Faith & Service

+ Early Life and Calling

Maria Crescentia Höss was born on October 20, 1682, in Kaufbeuren, Bavaria, Germany.  She was the sixth of eight children in a poor weaving family, and from an early age, she displayed a profound devotion to prayer and charity.  Despite her family's financial struggles, Crescentia felt a strong calling to religious life and desired to join the Franciscan Tertiaries in Kaufbeuren.  However, due to her lack of a dowry, she was initially denied entry into the convent.

Her fate changed when the Protestant mayor of Kaufbeuren, recognizing her virtue, intervened on her behalf.  He purchased a tavern adjacent to the convent and donated it to the sisters, requesting that Crescentia be admitted in return.  Though reluctantly accepted, she faced harsh treatment from the superior, who saw her as a burden.  She was assigned the most difficult and menial tasks, and was even denied a room in the convent so had to sleep on the floor in the cells of sympathetic nuns.  She endured this humiliation for years, yet remained steadfast in her faith and humility.

+ Life in the Convent

In 1703, Crescentia officially entered the convent, and by 1704, she professed her vows.  Over time, her patience and evident holiness won the respect of her fellow sisters.  In 1726, she was appointed novice mistress, a role in which she guided young women in their spiritual formation.  Her wisdom and deep prayer life made her a sought-after advisor, and even princes, bishops, and cardinals consulted her.

In 1741, our Saint was elected superior of the convent, despite her initial reluctance to accept the position.  She emphasized silence, recollection, and devotion to Christ Crucified, encouraging her sisters to deepen their spiritual lives.  She also promoted trust in Divine Providence, ensuring that the convent remained focused on virtue rather than material wealth.

+ Mystical Experiences

A significant aspect of Crescentia's legacy was her remarkable mystical experiences, which enriched her spiritual life and influenced those around her.  She frequently had visions of heavenly mysteries, particularly after receiving Holy Communion, and she also performed miracles.  One of her most striking supernatural feats was reportedly carrying water in a sieve after she was ordered to do so by her superior.  The task was likely imposed on her to test her obedience, as well as to break her resolve but it backfired in a spectacular manner!  This miraculous act demonstrated to her companions her sincerity and unwavering faith, and the tide began turning in her favor.  

Though her visions initially troubled her, she eventually embraced them as divine graces, recognizing them as gifts meant to strengthen her devotion and guide others in their spiritual journeys.  Furthermore, St. Crescentia's connection to the Holy Spirit was so alive that she saw Him as a beautiful youth dressed in a long white robe, which was a departure from the common iconography of the white dove; a depiction of her visions of the Holy Spirit was later painted in 1728.

The Holy Spirit, as He appeared

to St. Crescentia.

And lastly, this mystic was one of the rare souls who participated in the Passion of Christ in a physical manner - a Stigmatic - who relived the Lord's sufferings every Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM while in a state of prolonged ecstasy.

+ Spiritual Legacy and Canonization

Throughout her life, Crescentia not only endured spiritual trials but she also had various maladies, including severe headaches, toothaches, and crippling chronic pain that eventually left her bedridden.  Despite her afflictions, she remained joyful and continued to offer spiritual counsel.  She passed away on April 5, 1744, which was an Easter Sunday; a fitting end for a woman completely devoted to following Christ even to the Cross.

An A.I.-generated portrait of the Saint based

on the image shown above.

The deceased nun's enduring reputation for holiness in Germany eventually led to her Beatification in 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, and her Canonization in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.  Her relics are venerated at the Crescentiakloster in Kaufbeuren, where pilgrims continue to seek inspiration from her holy life.

The Saint’s tomb in her Franciscan Convent

+ Conclusion

St. Crescentia Höss exemplified unwavering faith, humility, and perseverance.  From enduring rejection and cruel treatment to becoming a revered spiritual leader, her life serves as a testament to the power of trust in God.  Her legacy continues to inspire those who seek a deeper connection with our Faith.

St. Maria Crescentia Hoss,

pray for us!

Jubilee Rosary Marathon, 9/24/2025: Did Our Lady descend?

This past Wednesday, as part of my parish's program of activities coinciding with the visit of our Diocese's Jubilee Pilgrim Cross, members of our FIAT Prayer Group lead a "Rosary Marathon" in our church ... and, boy, was it powerful!

   

The hour and twenty minutes it took for the congregation to pray all four Mysteries of the Rosary was like a spiritual pilgrimage - a reflective and intimate journey with our Lord and Blessed Mother through the key events of their earthly lives.

What's more is that throughout our prayer time, the presence of the Divine seemed to be especially tangible and several parishioners commented to me about it.  In fact, I snapped a few photos for this blog and one pic seemed to affirm our sense - see below:

What do you see?

I can't say for certain that the curious figure captured in the pic is a special sign from our Blessed Mother because there's a group of statues in a garden out there, and it could just be a natural play of light and shadows on one of them ... but what's puzzling is that the silhouette simply doesn't look anything like any one of the outdoor statues (see below).  Instead, it coincidentally has a striking resemblance to the statue we had displayed in the church Sanctuary - Our Lady of Grace - with its distinctive cloak and arms extended downward.  So it has me and those who I showed the photo to wondering if there's something more to the image.

   

To the right: The beautiful statuary in our

parish, depicting the Crucifixion

But regardless of the photo, I have no doubt our parishioners were indeed abundantly showered with grace from above ... through the True Presence of our Eucharistic Lord in the Tabernacle; through the maternal intercession of Our Lady and her promised graces associated with the Rosary Prayer; through the Pilgrim Cross and the Plenary Indulgence attached to it; and through the light-hearted fellowship that bonds our parish community together.  These are where the greatest blessings come from.

Refreshments and fellowship time

It goes without saying that this night's event was a spiritual success and left us all filled with HOPE in keeping with the Jubilee Year of Hope.  Our awesome GOD was present - THANKS BE TO HIM.