October 13, 2014
Marian Shrine E-Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 11
Fr. Jim McKenna

If You don't Have _____ You Don't Have Anything!

There's a lot of ways that people fill in that blank. Some words that may come to mind are: Love Money Passion Family Friends Health Dreams.
One might even go so far as to say if you don't have ALL of those things, you're living a life "half" lived.
The thing is, while all of those are necessary to life a deeply fulfilling life... one that is abundant in every way, that's not what I want to share about today.
"Fulfillment comes from being in a state of living your passion." - Jack Canfield
See, there's one thing - that if you don't have it- all of your efforts in EVERY one of those areas will fall short.
What is that thing?
Integrity.
No, I'm not talking about what most people refer to as integrity.
Integrity is not about whether or not other people in the world think you are acting with kindness or that they think they can trust you.
Integrity means to be integrated. It means that the aspects of yourself, within yourself, are working together as a whole regardless of who may or may not be watching.
In this way, integrity gives us a new light on the topic.
If a person has love towards others but not herself, she lacks integrity. The same is true for a person who loves himself but can't love others.
A person who has passions and dreams, but lets them sit idle because her Inner Critic says "other things are more important" lacks integrity.
People worldwide know the real and lasting benefits of good health, yet choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle. That lacks integrity.
Anytime we think one thing and do another, anytime we believe one thing and say another, we lack integrity.
Now to be clear, I'm not judging anybody.
In fact, I'm saying exactly the opposite. See, we ALL lack this kind integrity in some way (and often many ways).
A lack of integrity reminds us of our humanity. It reminds us we have more growth to experience.

So you and I are in the same kind of boat, even if our boats are a little different looking and float in different waters.

 

God Bless you,

In Mary Help of Christians,

I remain,

Fr. Jim McKenna SDB

Director

Marian Shrine, Stony Point, NY.


 

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Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa
Fr. Jim McKenna SDB

Alexandrina was born in the parish of Balazar, in the province of Oporto in Portugal,

on March 30, 1904. Balazar was a little village of a thousand inhabitants living in 22 groups of houses. Like all the children of her village, she started attending classes at the age of 6, and made her first holy communion at the age of 7. Alexandrina went to serve as a maid in the house of a farmer who lived not far away. She found him brutal. After five months she could stand it no longer and decided to give up the job. Though only 13, Alexandrina went to the fields. She was a strong girl now and earned the same wages as an adult.

In 1918, on Holy Saturday something horrible happened. The man for whom Alexandrina worked earlier, made his way to their house along with two other ruffians with evil intentions. When she saw the two, who accompanied her employer grabbing her sister and the apprentice, she jumped out through the open window and fell heavily on the ground four meters below. She began to experience terrible pain and was forced to lie in bed.

Many trips were made to hospitals in the city of Oporto. She would be paralyzed for life. At the age of 19, Alexandrina managed to drag herself to church and lying crouched on the floor, remain in prayer to the edification of all the parishioners. Then, from April 14, 1925, she had to stay bedridden, completely immobile for the remaining 30 years of her life.

From October 3, 1938 until March 24, 1942, Alexandrina experienced for three hours every Friday the sufferings of Jesus. Human misunderstanding and disbelief added to her affliction. A negative verdict made by a commission of priests after an investigation, resulted in a circular letter from the archbishop which contained a series of prohibitions regarding her case. Her spiritual director, a Jesuit priest who had assisted her from 1934 to 1941, stopped guiding her. A Salesian priest, Fr. Umberto Pasquale came to her aid in 1944.

A new phase began for Alexandrina on March 27, 1942. It would continue till her death 13 years and 7 months later. She received no food whatsoever except the Eucharist. In 1945, Fr. Pasquale presented Alexandrina with the diploma of enrolment in the Association of Salesian Cooperators. It was given "in order that she should pray and suffer for the sanctification of cooperators all over the world."

She wanted to be the suffering sister of the Salesian novices, as they prepared themselves to continue Don Bosco's mission in the world. Without seeing any of them, she wrote: "I hold you all in my heart. Take courage. Jesus will always be with you. Count on me while I'm still on this earth, and then, in heaven, I shall be waiting for you."

 

Alexandrina's eyesight started failing from April 1954, after 12 years of fasting from every nourishment except the Eucharist. She was declared Blessed on April 25, 2004. A spouse of blood, she relived mystically Christ's passion and offered herself as victim for sinners, receiving strength from the Eucharist; this became her only source of nourishment for the final thirteen years of her life."

Here is a Salesian Cooperator who gives us an example of chastity. She suffered a lot and was misunderstood by the clergy, yet went on to offer her sufferings for the cooperators and novices. Jesus not only carried his cross, but used it. We too can learn to use our crosses for a noble cause.


Laughter the best Medicine

SHIRLEY and MERCY
A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him and she wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet was anxious to know that he was safe.

So, she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she could follow him to school in the mornings from a distance, so he  wouldn't notice her.

The neighbor said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as and so she agreed.

The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following Timmy as he walked to school with another  girl from his neighborhood. She did this for the whole week.

As the two walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed that the same lady was following them as she seemed to do this every day all week. Finally she said to Timmy, 'Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?'

Timmy nonchalantly replied, 'Yeah, I know who she is.'

 The little girl said, 'Well, who is she?'

'That's just Shirley Goodness,' Timmy replied, 'and her daughter Mercy.'

'Shirley Goodness? Who the heck is she and why is she following us? '

Well,' Timmy explained, 'every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd  Psalm with my prayers, 'coz she worries about me so much.  And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!'
               
May Shirley Goodness and Mercy be with you today and always.

Devotion to the THREE HAIL MARY'S

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 for all the graces and favors received through the intercession of Our Lady Help of Christians and I am most sorry for having delayed in acknowledging my gratitude. Mrs. Janet, NY 

 

On 6 September 2014 I was protected from a dangerous accident and I am sincerely grateful to Our Blessed Mother. On 20 September 2014 our Heavenly Mother saved me from a mishap while I was boarding a train. Thank you dearest Mother. P. D, NY 

 

Thank you, dear Mother Mary for all the favors received. S.Dantes, SC 


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 [email protected].

 

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

[email protected].


 

PS:

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