Hawaii needs prayer...

As I write this blog, Hawaii is preparing for an unprecedented back-to-back hit by two hurricanes: Iselle and Julio.  'not sure why, but I'm not so much worried about Iselle... rather, I am having some weird sense of foreboding about Julio.  So I ask my friends out there who regularly visit this blog, as well as newcomers, to please kindly say a prayer for us in Hawaii.

Iselle is scheduled to hit us some time tomorrow in the late afternoon; Julio will arrive sometime on Sunday, the Lord's day.  I know we'll be in for some high winds and the usual flooding in some areas, but may God be merciful and spare us from any severe devastation from these storms.  Thanks in advance for your prayer.

First Saturday Parish Rosary at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 8/2/2014

 

The Saint we honored during the August First Saturday Rosary for Peace was a great Marian Saint; an example of someone who allowed Our Lady's holy influence in his life guide him in attaining exceptional virtue.  That Saint was St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe.

 

For those not familiar with St. Maximilian, in a nutshell, he was a Polish Franciscan Priest who devoted his life to evangelizing for the Catholic Faith, via a written publication apostolate he founded called the "Militia Immaculata".  As a child, he had a powerful spiritual experience during which the Blessed Virgin appeared to him holding two crowns: a white one representing Purity; a red one for Martyrdom.  Our Lady invited him to choose a crown and the future priest asked for both. 

 

The prophetic symbolism of the two crowns was later fulfilled by the edifying manner in which St. Maximilian lived and by the admirable manner in which he died.  You see... he was executed in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp by the Nazis, in August 1941, after he willingly switched places with a family man who was condemned to die.

 

There are so many "layers" of faith-lessons to be gleaned from the life of St. Maximilian Kolbe, but the points I chose to emphasize to the people who came to pray this month was the Saint's love for Mary and his heroic spirit of charity; that we, too, through our personal devotion to the Holy Virgin, could attain a measure of holiness and increase within ourselves, through her guidance, the virtue of Charity.  So as we prayed the Holy Rosary this evening, we did so in the spirit of sincere giving... offering our prayer for the entire world to find the Peace that only God can give us.

 

  

An actual photo of St. Maximilian Kolbe,

a "Martyr of Charity"... and rare relics from

the Saint's beard & habit that we had the

privilege of venerating tonight.

 

Our next monthly gathering at St. Anthony of Padua Church will be held on Saturday, September 6th, beginning at 4:25pm in the parish's Day Chapel.  Mass follows in the main church at 5:00pm.  All are welcome to participate.

 

"Greater love than this no

man hath, that a man lay down

his life for his friends."

  

~ Words of Jesus Christ,

John 15:13

 

Saint of the Month - August 2014: Saint Jeanne Jugan

St. Jeanne Jugan

Silent Bearer of the Cross

Feast: August 30th

Jeanne Jugan was born on October 25, 1792, to a poor family from Cancale, France. Her father, a fisherman, passed away when she was only 4 and her mother supported the family through farming. When she was 16, the young maiden began work as a maid in the home of a very devout woman, who took Jeanne with her on errands of mercy and charity. Her mistress’ pious example, together with her own worthy upbringing, influenced her deeply, and ingrained in her a desire to serve those who were less fortunate than herself.

At 25, Jeanne left her mistress to follow an inner calling from God… she worked odd jobs to support herself and volunteered her spare time at local hospitals. Whatever earnings she made, she kept enough that was necessary and used the rest for her personal ministry with the poor. At this time, Jeanne also made a private vow of chastity as she felt an inner conviction that married life was not her vocation... and that the Lord had other plans in store for her. Life went on for Jeanne in a relatively routine manner until she was about 45-years-old when she finally discerned the Lord’s call to found a new religious congregation.

An icon showing various scenes from the

life and works of St. Jeanne Jugan.

Her various charitable works had attracted several young women and she organized them into group that came to be called the "Little Sisters of the Poor". The sisters went door to door begging for food, money, and used goods, which they in turn distributed during their visits to the sick and to the poor. The apostolate proved to be extremely successful and the congregation grew quickly under Jeanne's administration - she took the name “Sr. Mary of the Cross“, to honor her devotion to Our Lady and to Christ Crucified.

The founder served the Little Sisters as superior until she was forced to retire in 1852 by a misguided priest. The unfortunate man wanted credit for the success of her work and he did his best to distort the history of the congregation. He went so far as to have Sr. Mary of the Cross transferred in order to lessen her influence with the older sisters. During this period of personal trial Sr. Mary of the Cross maintained admirable patience and silence, edifying her spiritual daughters with her humility and resignation to God's plan for her.

After Sr. Mary died of natural causes on August 29, 1879, the truth could no longer remain hidden - the history of the congregation eventually surfaced bringing to light her sanctity and crucial role as the true founder of the Little Sisters of the Poor. Jeanne Jugan (a.k.a. Sr. Mary of the Cross) was declared a Saint of the Church on October 11, 2009.

A Reflection

Our daily crosses, if accepted with faith and resignation, can serve to bring us closer to Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

A Short Prayer

O Lord, grant us the faith, patience, and fortitude that we need to embrace and carry life's little crosses.  May our crosses - big and small - serve to make us holy.  Amen.