September 15, 2014
Marian Shrine E-Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 7
Fr. Jim McKenna

I'm writing this at the tail end of the summer - many of my colleagues are either out or back from their vacations and I took the liberty to indulge in a 'flight of fancy'. So here goes...

 

At this time of the year it is a phenomenon of any modern city that many people travel within the country or abroad. Such travel can have many obvious advantages but we can be surprised by something that is altogether unexpected. I realized this when several years ago I had traveled by air to Louisiana with a stop in Atlanta. The airport was crowded with an enormous number of people and I felt totally alone and isolated. It wasn't frightening; rather, astonishing that such a multitude of people could exist unbeknown to me. Maybe more astonishing was that I was not just a stranger; I was 'The' stranger.

 

We are so accustomed to being the centre of the universe that we cannot fathom that we are at the periphery of someone else's world or as in my case of having disappeared off the outer edge of their universe. In an effort to recover my position, I fantasized that this great throng of people had been peacefully sleeping somewhere for all these years until they were awakened by word of my immanent coming and had begun to move about purposefully.

 

Apparently I was not the only person to have such an experience, and reading St. John's gospel one day, I was struck by how this experience was in some ways like Christ's as he came into the world as man. It should have been a familiar place for him. After all,'He was in the world that had its being through him,' but still, 'the world did not know him'.

As is so obvious from St. John's gospel, the Father was the centre of Christ's world. But the people he met were so often the centre of their own lives to such an extent that they were unable to accept Christ or his Father. 'He came to his own domain and his own people did not accept him.' He did not abandon them to a world without God, as I was prepared to abandon that huge crowd of people in my fantasy, senselessly sleeping as I got on the plane for my destination. 'But to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God.'  He came into a strange world but he did not run away from it:'The Word was made flesh, he lived among us and we saw his glory.'

 

I hope you had a great summer.  I prayed for you!

 

God bless you,

 

In Mary Help of Christians,

I remain,

Fr. Jim McKenna SDB

Director

 

 
Saint of the Day

September 15

St. Valerian

The massacre of the martyrs of Lyons with their bishop, St. Pothinus, took place during the persecutions of Marcus Aurelius in the year 177. Marcellus, a priest, we are told, by Divine intervention, managed to escape to Chalon-sur-Saone, where he was given shelter. His host was a pagan, and seeing him offer incense before images of Mars, Mercury, and Minerva, Marcellus remonstrated with and converted him. While journeying toward the North, the priest fell in with the governor Priscus, who asked him to a celebration at his house. Marcellus accepted the invitation, but when he found that Priscus was preparing to fulfill religious rites, he asked to be excused on the ground that he was a Christian. This raised an outcry, and the bystanders tried to kill Marcellus there and then by tying him to the tops of two young trees in tension and then letting them fly apart. The governor ordered him to make an act of worship before an image of Saturn. He refused, whereupon he was buried up to his middle in the earth on the banks of the Saone, and died in three days of exposure and starvation

 
Silence your mind

There once was a farmer who discovered that he had lost his watch in the barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him. After searching high and low among the hay for a long while; he gave up and enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn. He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded.

Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn, went through and around the entire stack of hay but still could not find the watch.

Just when the farmer was about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another chance. The farmer looked at him and thought, "Why not? After all, this kid looks sincere enough. So the farmer sent the little boy back in the barn.

After a while the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The farmer was both happy and surprised and so he asked the boy how he succeeded where the rest had failed.

The boy replied, "I did nothing but sit on the ground and listen. In the silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and just looked for it in that direction.

 

MORAL:

A peaceful mind can think better than a worked up mind. Allow a few minutes of silence to your mind every day, and see, how sharply it helps you to set your life the way you expect it to be...!
Laughter the best medicine

Allergy Medicine

During a revival, the visiting evangelist arrived without his

allergy medicine. Our pastor put him in touch with a doctor in our church for an emergency prescription to get him through the week. The evangelist was so appreciative of the doctor that during the last service, he recommended the doctor to the entire crowd. The ensuing laughter was a mystery to him until after the service. That was when the host pastor informed him that he had just recommended the local OB-GYN.

 

Planting Time

A prisoner in jail received a letter from his wife: "I have decided to plant some vegetables in the back garden. When is the best time to plant them?"

The prisoner, knowing that the prison guards read all mail, replied in a letter: "Dear wife, whatever you do, do not touch the back garden. That is where I hid all the money."

A week or so later, he received another letter from his wife: "You won't believe what happened.

Some men came with shovels to the house and dug up all the back garden."

The prisoner wrote another letter: "Dear wife, now is the best time to plant the vegetables."


DEVOTION OF THE THREE HAIL MARYS

The devotion of the THREE HAIL MARYS is a very simple yet most efficacious devotion.

Everyday, recite Three Hail Marys, adding the invocation: "O Mary, My Mother, keep me from mortal sin." Many people recite the Three Hail Marys as part of their morning and night prayers. To practice this devotion in time of danger, stress, special need or temptation, is a sure means to obtain Our Lady's help.

My belated thanks to Our Lady, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio for the gift of our 2 children and for many favors granted. H. O'Connor, NC 


My sincere thanks to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mother Mary and St. John Bosco for special favors received through their powerful intercession. Mrs. L. Victor, NY

 

My son was very sick, totally dehydrated and he wouldn't take a drop of water. He was advised to be admitted to hospital. I was afraid he had contracted swine flu. I prayed fervently to Our Lady and I found that all the tests came out negative and he was discharged from the hospital in a couple of days. I am most grateful to Our Lady

for this grace. Patsy, NY 

 
In Closing 

Dear devotees of Our Lady and Don Bosco,  

 

If you have received a miracle through the intercession of Our Blessed Mother, we would like to hear from you. Email us at MaryShrine@aol.com.

 

Bookstore hours: Monday - Saturday - 10 am to 5 pm, Sundays: 12 - 4 pm

 

Weekday Masses: 12 noon. Confessions on weekdays begin at 11.30 am.

Sunday Masses: 11 am and 12.30 pm

 

Other activities: Weekend retreats, Don Bosco Summer Camp, Rent Lomagno Hall, Eucharistic Adoration, Friday night Lenten Dinners, 50/50 raffle, 350 club, Rosary Madonna Statue.

 

MEMORIES

Remember a Loved One: Engrave plaques on Wall of Memories, adopt a Tree, Engrave blocks on Walk of Honor, All Souls, All year Candle lighting, Holiday (Christmas and Easter), Flowers, Schedule a Mass, Bell Chimes.

 

MASS INTENTIONS

To offer a mass intention, please write to

Fr. Jim McKenna SDB

174 Filors Lane,

Stony Point, NY 10980

mckennasdb@yahoo.com.


 

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