SHRINE NEWS: November is the month in which we focus on the Holy Souls. This reminds me of the Fatima request of offering sacrifices for souls, and as we remember our loved ones who have passed let’s not forget those who have no one to pray for them. The Apparitions at Fatima revealed God’s wishes to establish devotion to the Immaculate Heart in the world as the key to the salvation of souls and world peace. The situation in the world today finds an enormous number of God’s children engaged in sinful behavior placing their salvation in peril threatening the flame of peace. I take comfort in Our Lady’s words to Lucia when she said, “Look my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce me at every moment by their blasphemies and ingratitude. You at least, give me consolation.” I believe this applies to us as well, that we can console our Heavenly mother with our concern for souls. The remedy is the practice of the First Five Saturdays. (This October being the fifth consecutive month of First Saturdays completed for this pandemic year at the shrine) It truly is an enormous grace that God has allowed us to continue to offer these services at the shrine during such times of turmoil and uncertainty. Our Lady continued with the quote above by stating that she wanted Lucia to announce in her name that; “I promise to assist at the moment of death with all the graces necessary for salvation, all those who, on the first Saturday of five consecutive months shall confess, receive Holy Communion, recite five decades of the Rosary, and keep me company for fifteen minutes while meditating on the Mysteries of the Rosary, with the intentions of making reparation to me.” This she said to Sr, Lucia on December 10, 1925 during her early years in the convent. But before Our Lady made this statement the Child Jesus also appeared with her and said this; “Have compassion on the Heart of your most holy Mother, covered with thorns with which ungrateful men pierce it at every moment and there is no one to make an act of reparation to remove them.” This is an opportunity for us to be part of this great human epic of cosmic proportions where the forces of evil will finally be overcome when the “The Women” of Genesis will crush the head of the serpent and we her children will emerge from her refuge her Immaculate Heart to witness the glorious day we’ve awaited for in the end; The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary! Oh Immaculata, Pray for us!
SUNDAY ROSARY:
The Sunday Rosary for peace continues with a small number who have been meeting at the shrine to pray for all those affected by this virus, for all your intentions, and for Peace at 2:00 PM. Please feel free to join us.
FIRST SATURDAY:
On November 7th, we will celebrate First Saturday Mass and devotion at the Shrine. We asked that you use your own judgement and stay home if you are sick or feel compromised because of a pre-existing condition in any way. We asked that you wear face masks and keep a healthy social distance from each other while at the shrine. We will have hand sanitizer on hand. Mass will begin at 9am; Rev. Richard Mwisheni SMA, will celebrate the mass. There will be coffee and doughnuts after the Rosary in Maker Hall, formally the church.
CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION: I would like to thank all those who supported us hosting the Candlelight processions this season and on making these events the success they were under the conditions we faced.
REMINDER: A Pro-Life Rosary is being offered at the Shrine daily around noon if you would like to join. If you would like to help with a donation use the mailing address below every little bit helps. We still have some chairs that have not been memorialized if people are interested let us know.