Holy Relic Visitation: Our Lady of Fatima Prayer Group, 3/29/2014

An old print of St. Colette

What a hectic day yesterday was! It started early with Mass; followed by a medical appointment; and then two funeral services, one after another; before finally concluding with our monthly Rosary Prayer Meeting at the Gruber home! I was tired... but as exhausting as it was, I can't think of a better way to start and end a day than with the Eucharist and the Holy Rosary.

Our prayer meeting was actually small this month; most of our regular members were occupied with personal matters, too... and the mood of the meeting was somewhat somber since we recently lost one of our members, "Auntie Lita".  We missed her presence very much (God rest her soul)... but our faith gave us hope and comfort that she was in the presence of Jesus and Our Lady, and that we'll see her again one day.

So given that we're currently in "Lenten Mode", I picked a Saint to share and venerate who was a Saint of the Passion - St. Colette of Corbie (d. 1447) - a French stigmatic and the reformer of the Poor Clares.  I like to think of her as the "Franciscan version" of St. Teresa of Avila (d. 1582), who in her lifetime launched a reform of the Carmelite Order.

A bone relic of St. Colette we venerated

Interestingly, early in her life, St. Colette was a hermit before being commissioned through a vision of St. Francis of Assisi and the Lord to reform the Franciscans; to bring the Order back to the observance of the Franciscan Rule, as it was originally meant to be lived. At first the Saint bluntly refused the mission entrusted to her because she didn't think she was the right person for the job, but she eventually relented after the Lord struck her blind for three days, followed by deafness for another three days.  Talk about effective persuasion tactics!

After sharing the life of St. Colette, I emphasized to our group that each of us are also called by the Lord to do His will and evangelize, but we sometimes resist because, like our Saint of the Month, we feel inadequate.  The life of this illustrious holy woman served to remind us that sometimes God sees something worthwhile in us that we may not recognize ourselves; more often than not, all He needs is a willing heart and that's enough for Him to make use of us to bring a measure of light and goodness into the world.  What a beautiful thought.

Anyhow, after our prayers finished we had our customary dinner. Last night's menu included Popeye's Fried Chicken, Chow Fun Noodles, and Stuffed Eggplant - YUM!  Needless to say, I knocked out soon after I got home and had a very contented sleep.

Monthly Messages from the Queen of Peace of Medjugorje: March 2014

My dear children...

Monthly Message to the World on March 25^th:

   "Dear children! I am calling you anew: begin the battle against sin as in the first days, go to confession and decide for holiness. The love of God will begin to flow through you into the world, peace will begin to rule in your hearts and God's blessing will fill you. I am with you and intercede for all of you before my Son Jesus. Thank you for having responded to my call."

 

Our Lady’s Message during Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo’s Annual Apparition on March 18^th:

   "Dear children! As a mother, I desire to be of help to you. With my motherly love, I desire to help you to open your heart and to put my Son in the first place in it. Through your love for my Son and through your prayer, I desire for God’s light to illuminate you and God’s mercy to fill you. In this way, I desire for the darkness, and the shadow of death which wants to encompass and mislead you, to be driven away. I desire for you to feel the joy of the blessing of God’s promise. You, children of man, you are God’s children - you are my children. Therefore, my children, set out on the ways on which my love leads you, teaches you humility and wisdom, and finds the way to the Heavenly Father. Pray with me for those who do not accept me and do not follow me - those who, because of hardness of their hearts, cannot feel the joy of humility, devotion, peace and love – the joy of my Son. Pray that your shepherds, with their blessed hands, may always give you the joy of God’s blessing.  Thank you."

 

Our Lady’s Special Message to Mirjana Dragicevic-Soldo on March 2^nd:

   "Dear children, I am coming to you as a mother and I desire that in me, as in a mother, you may find your abode, consolation and rest. Therefore, my children, apostles of my love, pray. Pray with humble devotion, obedience and complete trust in the Heavenly Father. Trust as I have trusted when it was said to me that I will bring the blessing of the promise. May out of your hearts, from your lips, always come forth 'May your will be done!' Therefore, trust and pray so that I can intercede for you before the Lord, for him to give you the Heavenly Blessing and fill you with the Holy Spirit. Then he will be able to help all those who do not know the Lord – you, apostles of my love, will help them to call him 'Father' with complete trust. Pray for your shepherds and place your trust in their blessed hands.  Thank you."

Saints & Holy Relics Presentation/Visitation: Taize Prayer Service at St. Stephen Church, 3/20/2014

"Serve the Lord with gladness!

 Come into His presence with singing!"

~ Psalm 100:1-2

A drawing I made to illustrate my

planned reflections (left); the inside of

St. Stephen Church, readied for Taize

Prayer (center); and the beautiful carved

wooden crucifix in the church.

Last night, March 20th, I was again invited by the parish of St. Stephen Catholic Church to participate and speak at a Lenten prayer service, which they patterned after the Taize praise/worship format.  I was asked to share a few reflections on the message of the Cross, which I did by simplifying my take on the message to four key words... and by also employing the lives and Holy Relics of four Saints: St. Francis of Assisi (LOVE), St. Catherine of Genoa (MERCY), St. Maria Goretti (FORGIVENESS), and St. Peregrine Laziosi (HEALING).  My aim was to remind the audience that Jesus generously offers us these "gifts" when we come to the Cross with open, humble hearts... but at the same time, as Christians, we're also expected to share them with others, as the Saints effectively exemplified by their holy lives. 

A fellowship dinner with members of

St. Stephen Church prior to the service.

Their guests included people from other

parishes and even a few brethren

from other denominations. 

I had never experienced a Taize worship service before, but I found it quite refreshing and uplifting; the dimmed lights with dozens of candles created a special ambiance… and the music, especially, was soothing and appropriate. I would speak about each Saint and the corresponding reflection, and the song that followed somehow complemented that particular Saint’s life/message. All came together amazingly, like the pieces of a puzzle, despite the fact that there was practically no planning interaction between me and the parish’s Taize Team when it came to song choices. But that’s the Holy Spirit for you - when you put Him in charge, everything comes together harmoniously at the end.

The relics of the True Cross and four Saints

that I brought with me to the prayer service;

parishioners lovingly honored the relics

at the end of our singing and prayers.

And speaking of the Holy Spirit, one could really feel His spiritual presence moving through the church, touching and healing hearts... and you could see its effects, as several people quietly wept during the reflections and when we later venerated a large wooden cross in the sanctuary. In addition, it was personally touching to see many people patiently lined-up to pay their respects to the relics on the display altar. Some placed their hands on the display case, while others touched pieces of cloth to it; others were just content to kneel near the cross and the relic altar and silently pray. I saw lively hope and faith in the peoples' actions and it was inspiring.

All in all, the Saints received the veneration they justly deserved, and based on feedback I received, I believe the majority of the attendees left the church grateful and feeling blessed by the entire experience.  It made the many hours I spent preparing for the event well-worth it.

So a big MAHALO from the bottom of my heart to the parish of St. Stephen Church in Nu’uanu… for allowing me to be a part of their beautiful Spirit-filled Taize service.  And of course, my thanks and praises always go out to Jesus, Our Lady, and the Saints for the abundant heavenly graces that I know we all received last night.  Amen.

"I will sing to the Lord, because He

has dealt bountifully with me."

~ Psalm 13:6