The month of November is a time to remember the Holy souls, those of our loved ones, those who have made a difference in our lives. We remember family members especially, we visit grave sites and cemeteries, we honor the fallen, we contemplate on the last things; The last things are death, judgment, heaven and hell as highlighted by the church. “Death is the separation of man’s mortal body and immortal soul. It comes to all men as a result of original sin. It is a temporary state, for at the end of the world, all men shall rise again to be judged by Christ. Thus the whole man, body and soul, will be rewarded for the good or evil that he has done, body and soul, in this life. At the moment of death, each human person is judged by God based on his conduct in this life, and goes immediately to his reward or punishment. Moreover, at the end of the world, Jesus Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. At that time, God’s whole plan for the world shall be revealed, and his mercy and justice demonstrated. Heaven is the eternal state of perfect happiness resulting from the face to face vision of God, which is the reward of those who have served Him in this life. Hell is the eternal state of torment and despair which awaits those who, in this life, have freely rejected God and the happiness which He offers. Before the end of the world, there will be an intermediate state called purgatory. There, those who are bound for heaven, but whose love for God is still marred by some imperfection, undergo a temporary period of purifying suffering. When this purification is complete, they are fit to enter God’s presence and are admitted to the joys of heaven.”( taking from EWTN website) This month is also a time of great reflection as we wind down the liturgical year focusing on the beginning of a new year beginning with Advent at the end of the month. A great devotion to begin the new year is St. Andrew’s prayer recited 15 time a day starting on his feast day the 30th of November right up until Christmas. This is a short Advent prayer that allows us to truly imagine what it was like in that cold, dark stable at the very moment of Jesus’s birth, then gives us the opportunity to ask God to grant our spiritual desires. “Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born, of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold.” That’s the beginning of the Prayer, which is said daily until Christmas, and which takes its name from the day we begin saying it, the Feast of St. Andrew on November 30. The prayer goes on: “In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires…” With those words we are invited to entrust our petitions, our spiritual desires, to Him. The repetitions can be said all at once or spread throughout the day. As a family activity, perhaps recited five times at each meal, the St. Andrew Prayer helps children focus on the true meaning of Advent. Praying the St. Andrew Prayer is an excellent family tradition to continue or start anew, and a great addition to daily prayers as we prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus on Christmas. The St. Andrew Prayer also has been called the Christmas Anticipation Prayer, or the St. Andrew Novena. While most novenas refer to prayers over nine days, the term also may be used for any prayer repeated over a series of days. St. Andrew was one of Jesus’s 12 Apostles. He was the brother of St. Peter. Here is the full prayer:
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.
November 3rd: Join us for our First Friday Devotion at the Fatima shrine! Join us for Holy Mass at 7 Pm followed by Eucharistic Adoration and continuing all night until 8:00 am with benediction on First Saturday. Sign up for an hour! Focus will be on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Holy Face of Christ, St. Michael the Archangel, Prayers for vocations, priest, pro-Life intentions, and the Immaculate heart of Mary. A good opportunity to pray!
November 4th: The First Saturday Mass will be held at 9:00 am at the Fatima Shrine Boston. Rev. Andre Feain F.I.. will say Mass. We will have Eucharistic adoration following mass all day to pray for and support those participating in the National Men’s March for life in Boston. Coffee and doughnuts will be on hand as we pray the rosary together.
Also on the 4th of November at 3:00 pm the Spanish Rosary Community from St. Columbkilles will conduct their monthly First Saturday meeting with a rosary, music and fellowship.
November 18st: The Pro-life Mass will be held at 10:30 am at the Fatima Shrine Boston. Fr. Richard Mwisheni S.M.A will preside; Following Mass and rosary there will be a short talk.
November 25th: The next Marian Movement of Priest prayer Cenacles will be held on Saturday November 25th at the shrine at 8:30 am for confessions, 9:00 am Mass, adoration and cenacle. Fr. Andre Feain F.I. will lead us.
On all Sunday’s: The Crusaders of Fatima will meet at the shrine at 2:00 pm for the rosary for peace. At 5:00 PM some of our members will be continuing their 40 day preparation for a consecration to St. Michael the Archangel.
The First Saturday in December we will be celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in conjunction with the Spanish Community of St. Columbkill’s as we did last year. We will also hold the Crusaders Christmas party as well.
