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September 29, 2014
Marian Shrine E-Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 9
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On the 16th of August, we began the second year of preparation for the Bicentenary of the birth of Don Bosco. Of the three years of preparation, this year is the most demanding; we are asked to take the experience of Don Bosco the Educator as our starting-point and renew our Salesian pedagogy; in point of fact, the Preventive System has to be inculturated and put into practice.
The bicentenary celebration will conclude on the 16th of August 2015. The direction and the theme of the bicentenary year, as a logical outcome of the preparatory years, will center on: Don Bosco's mission with the young and for the young.
To celebrate the Bicentenary year, the preparation of the following events is already under way in Rome:
16 August 2014 Opening of the Bicentenary at Colle Don Bosco
19 - 23 November 2014 International Historical Congress at the Salesianum, Rome
19 - 21 March 2015 International Pedagogical Congress at the UPS, Rome
21 - 25 May 2015 Meeting of Salesian Bishops at Turin
06 - 09 August 2015 International Congress of Mary Help of Christians at Turin
11 - 16 August 2015 Campo Bosco of the SYM at Turin and Colle Don Bosco
16 August 2015 Closing of the Bicentenary at Colle Don Bosco
In like manner, every Province and country will arrange its own calendar and will involve the young, families, the Church, society and the Salesian Family in preparing for the bi-centenary.
The province of St. Philips is planning a Salesian Heritage pilgrimage to Turin and Valdocco. The office of youth ministry is organizing a day at "Great Adventure". All Salesian works in the province are asked to plan a Mass at their respective Cathedral on the 31st of January. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey is planning a day out at the Marian Shrine.
Viva Don Bosco!
In Mary Help of Christians,
I remain,
Fr. Jim McKenna SDB
Director
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Saints of the day
Angels-messengers from God-appear frequently in Scripture, but only Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are named.
Michael appears in Daniel's vision as "the great prince" who defends Israel against its enemies; in the Book of Revelation, he leads God's armies to final victory over the forces of evil. Devotion to Michael is the oldest angelic devotion, rising in the East in the fourth century. The Church in the West began to observe a feast honoring Michael and the angels in the fifth century.
Gabriel also makes an appearance in Daniel's visions, announcing Michael's role in God's plan. His best-known appearance is an encounter with a young Jewish girl named Mary, who consents to bear the Messiah.
Raphael's activity is confined to the Old Testament story of Tobit. There he appears to guide Tobit's son Tobiah through a series of fantastic adventures which lead to a threefold happy ending: Tobiah's marriage to Sarah, the healing of Tobit's blindness and the restoration of the family fortune.
The memorials of Gabriel (March 24) and Raphael (October 24) were added to the Roman calendar in 1921. The 1970 revision of the calendar joined their feasts to Michael's.
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 Father I wanted a car, not a bible
A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a
dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his
father called him into his private study, told him how proud he was to have such a
fine son, and how much he loved him. He handed him a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with his name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" He stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible behind.
Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a
beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old. He thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.
But before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to him. He needed to come home
immediately and take care of things. When he arrived at his father's house, sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father's important documents and saw the Bible, new, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse, Matt 7:11, "And if
ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven, give to those who ask Him?"
As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealers name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL!!
How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?
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 Laughter the best medicine
This took place in Charlotte, North Carolina. A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars then insured them against, among other things, fire.
Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars, the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost 'in a series of small fires.' The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
The lawyer sued - and WON! (Stay with me.)
Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be acceptable 'fire' (as in the act of actually smoking the cigar) and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars that perished in the 'fires'.
NOW FOR THE BEST PART...
After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!! With his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.....
This true story won First Place in last year's Criminal Lawyers Award contest. |
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 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 sincere thanks to Our Lady, Help of Christians, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio for the safe delivery of my daughter-in-law and for gifting my son a healthy baby girl.
Mrs. Guida, NY
Sincere thanks to our Dear Lord and Our Blessed Mother for granting me the grace to secure a good and much needed job in Singapore after many attempts to secure it. Alan, NJ My heartfelt thanks to Our Mother for her intercession for my successful urethrascopy and lithography. Mrs. Genoveva I.R. Fernandez, NY My sincere thanks to the Holy Spirit and Mother Mary, Help of Christians and please bring peace to our family. Mrs. Pierre, NJ
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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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