The first is Nuestra Señora del Cisne, a devotion celebrated in September by Ecuadoran immigrants. Two priests came from the Virgin's sanctuary for the occasion. Over 300 people joined in a procession, carrying a decorated image of Our Lady through the town of Wappingers Falls. Even more people came to the Mass, bringing the attendance to 500! I was touched by the fervor of their faith.

The second celebration was held in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Our vigil started on December 11 at 10:00 pm with an hour-long Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, followed by the Rosary. Throughout the night, guadalupanos sang and played music until dawn, when mariachis serenaded Our Lady. That evening tecuanes in traditional costumes danced for the Mass on December 12. 

While the majority of participants were Mexican, people from many countries attended. It brought back memories of how in El Salvador, my grandmother kept an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. I felt very moved by the sense that this devotion is alive, and that Our Lady protects us under her mantle.

On December 24, for the first time, the Hispanic community had a living Nativity -- with an infant Baby Jesus! Little Angel Gabriel was born three days before, just in time for the celebration. The community eagerly prepared the many details involved. A bilingual children's choir sang "O Holy Night." The support of our local Franciscan community and the town made it all possible. The mayor and other generous benefactors even provided gifts on the Day of the Three Kings.

In this area where the Hispanic presence is growing, I feel extraordinarily blessed at Mount Alvernia.

ROME - Pope Francis met on November 29 with the General Superiors of men's religious orders at the Vatican. Instead of offering a prepared text, the Holy Father opened the conversation up for a free-flowing question and answer session that lasted a full three hours.  The transcript of this session was published by the Jesuit journal, La Civiltà Cattolica. It was at the end of this meeting that he announced that 2015 would be the Year of Consecrated Life. Here are some of the highlights of the Pope's words to religious:

On religious life and evangelizing

"Religious life ought to promote growth in the Church by way of attraction. The Church must be attractive. Wake up the world! Be witnesses of a different way of doing things, of acting, of living! It is possible to live differently in this world. We are speaking of an eschatological outlook, of the values of the Kingdom incarnated here, on this earth. It is a question of leaving everything to follow the Lord. No, I do not want to say 'radical'. Evangelical radicalness is not only for religious: it is demanded of all. But religious follow the Lord in a special was, in a prophetic way. It is this witness that I expect of you. Religious should be men and women who are able to wake the world up."

"You should be real witnesses of a world of doing and acting differently. But in life it is difficult for everything to be clear, precise, outlined neatly. Life is complicated; it consists of grace and sin. He who does not sin is not human. We all make mistakes and we need to recognize our weakness. A religious who recognizes himself as weak and a sinner does not negate the witness that he is called to give, rather he reinforces it, and this is good for everyone. What I expect of you therefore is to give witness. I want this special witness from religious."

On those who are poor

"It is not a good strategy to be at the center of a sphere. To understand we ought to move around, to see reality from various viewpoints. We ought to get used to thinking. I often refer to a letter of Father Pedro Arrupe, who had been General of the Society of Jesus. It was a letter directed to the Centros de Investigación y Acción Social (CIAS). In this letter Father Arrupe spoke of poverty and said that some time of real contact with the poor is necessary. This is really very important to me: the need to become acquainted with reality by experience, to spend time walking on the periphery in order really to become acquainted with the reality and life-experiences of people. If this does not happen we then run the risk of being abstract ideologists or fundamentalists, which is not healthy."

On young people and those on the margins

On being Prophets

"To be prophets, in particular, by demonstrating how Jesus lived on this earth, and to proclaim how the kingdom of God will be in its perfection. A religious must never give up prophesying... Let us think about what so many great saints, monks and religious men and women have done, from St Anthony the Abbot onward. Being prophets may sometimes involve making ruido [Spanish for noise]. I do not know how to put it... Prophecy makes noise, uproar, some say 'a mess.' But in reality, the charism of religious people is like yeast: prophecy announces the spirit of the Gospel.."

On vocations

"All cultures are able to be called by the Lord, that he is free to stir up more vocations in one part of the world than in another. What does the Lord wish to say by sending us vocations from the youngest Churches? I don't know. But I ask myself the question. We have to ask it. The Lord's will is somehow in all this. There are Churches who are bearing new fruit. At one time they perhaps were not so fertile, but they are now. This necessitates, of course, rethinking the inculturation of the charism. The charism is one but, as Saint Ignatius used to say, it needs to be lived according to the places, times and persons. The charism is not a bottle of distilled water. It needs to be lived energetically as well as reinterpreted culturally. But in this way there is the danger of making a mistake, you say, of committing errors. It is risky. Certainly, certainly: we will always make mistakes, no doubt about it. But this should not stop us, because there is the chance of making worse mistakes. In fact we should always ask for forgiveness and look shamefully upon apostolic failures due to a lack of courage. Just think, for example, of the pioneer intuitions of Matteo Ricci which were allowed to crumble at that time."

On formation

"The formation of candidates is fundamental. There are four pillars of formation: spiritual, intellectual, communitarian and apostolic. The ghost to fight against is the image of religious life understood as an escape or hiding place in face of an 'external', difficult and complex world. The four pillars should be integrated right from the first day of entrance into the noviceship, and should not be arranged sequentially. They must be interactive."

"Daily culture is much richer and conflictual than that which we experienced in our day, years ago. Our culture was simpler and more ordered. Inculturation today calls for a different attitude. For example: problems are not solved simply by forbidding doing this or that. Dialog as well as confrontation are needed. To avoid problems, in some houses of formation, young people grit their teeth, try not to make mistakes, follow the rules smiling a lot, just waiting for the day when they are told: 'Good. You have finished formation.' This is hypocrisy that is the result of clericalism, which is one of the worst evils. I said as much to the bishops of the Latin American Bishops Conference (CELAM) this summer in Rio de Janeiro: we need to conquer this propensity toward clericalism in houses of formation and seminaries too."

"If the seminary is too large, it ought to be divided into smaller communities with formators who are equipped really to accompany those in their charge. Dialogue must be serious, without fear, sincere. It is important to recall that the language of young people in formation today is different from that in the past: we are living through an epochal change. Formation is a work of art, not a police action. We must form their hearts. Otherwise we are creating little monsters. And then these little monsters mold the People of God. This really gives me goose bumps."

On living brotherhood

"Religious brotherhood with all its possible diversity, is an experience of love that goes beyond conflicts. Community conflicts are inevitable: in a certain sense they need to happen, if the community is truly living sincere and honest relationships. That's life. It does not make sense to think of living in a community in which there are brothers who are not experiencing difficulties in their lives. Something is missing from communities where there is no conflict. Reality dictates that there are conflicts in all families and all groups of people. And conflict must be faced head on: it should not be ignored. 11 John (Jan) Berchmans (Diest [Belgium], March 12, 1599 - Rome, August 13, 1621 was a Jesuit, canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1888. He pronounced his first religious profession as a Jesuit on September 24, 1618 and moved to Rome to complete his philosophical studies at the Roman College, where he fell ill. He died only two years later, August 13, 1621. True to his favorite mottos: Age quod agis (Do what you are doing well) and Maximi facere minima (Do the most with the least), he succeeded in accomplishing ordinary things in an extraordinary way and became the patron saint of community life. Covering it over just creates a pressure cooker that will eventually explode. A life without conflicts is not life."

On relations with local Churches

"The fact is: I know the problems, but I also know that the bishops are not always acquainted with the charisms and works of religious. We bishops need to understand that consecrated persons are not functionaries but gifts that enrich dioceses. The involvement of religious communities in dioceses is important. Dialog between the bishop and religious must be rescued so that, due to a lack of understanding of their charisms, bishops do not view religious simply as useful instruments."

On education

"Convey understanding, convey ways of doing things, convey values. Faith is conveyed through these. The educator should be up to being a person who educates, he or she should consider how to proclaim Jesus Christ to a generation that is changing. Education today is a key, key, key mission!"

The full transcript can be found here.

The National Day of Prayer for the African American and African Family Resource Aid contains a catechetical reflection, a prayer specifically for the  African American and African Family and some suggested activities to celebrate the day.

The National Day of Prayer for the African American Family was created by Fr. James Goode, OFM, in 1989.  Our Province's Solid Ground Ministry is offering resources (brochure, prayer, and further information to share) to be used in conjunction with this celebration. These can be found at: http://www.solidgroundministry.com/NDPAAAF_2014.pdf

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