|
|
 Greetings!
Christian spirituality has been defined in many ways. In simple terms, it refers to the way a person lives as a son or daughter of God; his/her way of being a Christian in obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It begins when a person has a personal experience of God, undergoes an internal transformation and begins to allow the Lord to guide his or her life. From then on, such a person begins to 'put on the mind (and heart) that was in Christ Jesus' (Phil. 2:5).
His way of viewing, relating and responding to God, self, others and the world steadily begins to be in conformity with his faith in Christ.
All the saints of the Church sought to enter into a conscious relationship with God as Creator and as loving Father, and allowed that experience to shape their lives and actions. In doing so, they were struck by a particular trait of God which stamped their mission in this world and which was shared with those who followed them. Hence, we speak of an Ignatian, a Franciscan, a Salesian spirituality.
The core of Salesian spirituality, we know, is 'Pastoral Charity', i.e. the love of the Good Shepherd. It developed from Don Bosco's personal experiences of God. From a very young age, he was drawn to the person of Christ the Good Shepherd, and especially to his 'Heart'. In his dream, at the age of nine, he was told of his mission by Christ the Good Shepherd ('to turn wolves into lambs; to teach the young the ugliness of sin and the beauty of virtue') and the means he was to employ in fulfilling it ('not with blows, but with kindness'). Towards the end of his life, he spent a lot of time and energy on building the Basilica to the Sacred Heart in Rome. In his letter from Rome of 10 May 1884, he insisted that Salesians should make Christ, 'master of the familiar approach...your model.'
In imitation of Christ, Don Bosco's love expressed itself in his untiring work for the material and spiritual welfare of the young. For him, love of God and love of neighbor seemed to form one unit. His love for God, modeled on that of Christ, helped him to love his boys. In turn, his love for his boys spurred him on to love God. For this reason, we call ours an 'Apostolic Spirituality', i.e. we serve God in the young, we work untiringly to contribute to their salvation, with the characteristic 'loving kindness' (a love that never stops at words but moves immediately into action on behalf of their needs) and in the process, we attain our own sanctification. We have certainly heard it said that Don Bosco was not a saint who cared for youth, but a man who became a saint while caring for youth. This is the spirituality of apostolic religious!
Don Bosco summed up our spirituality in his motto, "Da Mihi Animas, Cetera Tolle" which has two distinct parts, namely 'Give me souls' (love for the young that manifests itself in a burning desire and untiring work to save their bodies and souls) and 'Take away the rest' (the ascetic aspect which expresses the preparedness of the apostle to sacrifice everything for their salvation).
This being the case, there should be no disharmony between our Service of God (Consecration) and our Service of Youth (Mission), between our being Religious and being Apostles, between our time for prayer and our time for work. We call this the 'Grace of Unity' which every Salesian must attain to be true to our Founder.
As we move along in this year dedicated to Mercy, we would do well to ask ourselves whether we have imbibed the Salesian Apostolic Spirituality, left us by our Founder as a precious inheritance. Are we giving in to the temptation to cater to the material needs of youngsters and ignoring the real purpose of our mission, i.e. to attend to their holistic formation so that Christ may be formed in them?
Don Bosco counts on us! And so does the Lord who willed that our society should come into being to contribute to the salvation of youth! By carrying out this mission, we find our way to holiness! (C 2)
In Mary Help of Christians,
I remain,
Fr. Jim McKenna SDB
Director
|
|
Walking with the Church
Why do we use candles at Mass and at other religious ceremonies?
A. The Romans used candles for a number of civic and religious
occasions. However lights have been used by every religion as far as mankind can remember. Light, and especially from a flame, signified for humankind life, hope, joy, divinity - almost everything that we consider good. The early Christians placed them in front of tombs of deceased members of the Christian community and also in front of the images of martyrs and other saints. They symbolize Christ our light and hope in our future resurrection. Candles have been used at Mass since the 7th century. |
|
 All Souls Day
All Souls Day follows All Saints Day, and commemorates the faithful departed, i.e. those who die in God's grace and friendship. Catholics believe that not everyone who dies in God's grace is immediately ready for the Beatific vision, i.e. the direct experience of God and His perfect nature in heaven, so they must be purified of "lesser faults," and the temporal effects of sin.
The Catholic Church calls this purification "purgatory." The Catholic teaching on Purgatory essentially requires belief in two realities: 1. that there will be a purification of believers prior to entering heaven and 2. that the prayers and masses of the faithful in some way benefit those in the state of purification. As to the duration, place, and exact nature of this purification, the Church has no official dogma, although Saint Augustine and others used fire as a way to explain the nature of the purification. Many faithful Catholics, including Pope Benedict XVI, understand that Purgatory may be best thought of as an "existential state" as opposed to a temporal place (see Benedict's Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life 230-231). In other words, because Purgatory is outside created time and space, it is not necessarily accurate to speak of a location or duration of Purgatory. Nonetheless, the prayers and Masses of the faithful do have an impact on the purification that the faithful are undergoing in Purgatory. Many non-Catholics, including C.S. Lewis, have believed in Purgatory, and the official dogma of Purgatory is hardly offensive, even if the popular understanding of it has led to confusion. As a more everyday explanation, many liken Purgatory to a place or state where one gets "cleaned up" before entering into the presence of Almighty God. The Church prays for, and remembers, the faithful departed throughout the entire year. However, All Souls is the general, solemn, day of commemoration, when the Church remembers, prays for, and offers requiem masses up for the faithful departed in the state of purification. Typically Christians will take this day to offer prayers up on behalf of their departed relatives and friends. Others may remember influential individuals that they never knew personally, such as presidents, musicians, etc. This may be done in the form of the Office of the Dead (Defunctorum officium), i.e. a prayer service offered in memory of departed loved ones. Often this office is prayed on the anniversary (or eve) of the death of a loved one, or on All Souls' Day. There are many customs associated with All Souls Day, and these vary greatly from culture to culture. In Mexico they celebrate All Souls Day as el dia de los muertos, or "the day of the dead." Customs include going to a graveyard to have a picnic, eating skull-shaped candy, and leaving food out for dead relatives. The practice of leaving food out for dead relatives is interesting, but not exactly Catholic Theology. If all of this seems a little morbid, remember that all cultures deal with death in different manners. The Western aversion to anything related to death is not present in other cultures. In the Philippines, they celebrate "Memorial Day" based loosely on All Souls Day. Customs include praying novenas for the holy souls, and ornately decorating relatives' graves. On the eve of All Souls (i.e. the evening of All Saints Day), partiers go door-to-door, requesting gifts and singing a traditional verse representing the liberation of holy souls from purgatory. In Hungary the day is known as Halottak Napja, "the day of the dead," and a common custom is inviting orphans into the family and giving them food, clothes, and toys. In rural Poland, a legend developed that at midnight on All Souls Day a great light shone on the local parish. This light was said to be the holy souls of departed parishioners gathered to pray for their release from Purgatory at the altars of their former earthly parishes. After this, the souls were said to return to scenes from their earthly life and work, visiting homes and other places. As a sign of welcome, Poles leave their windows and doors ajar on the night of All Souls Day. All of these customs show the wide variety of traditions related to All Souls Day. |
|
|
 Laughter the best medicine
Reading Glasses
I took my 5 year old grandson to the optometrist to pick up his new
glasses. The glasses were prescribed "to help him read and be able to see the computer better".
When we got back home, he got on the computer to play a game. In
a few minutes he called me and said there was something wrong with his glasses.
I asked him what was the problem and he said, "I still can't read."
Dog Growth
A distraught dog owner called his vet pleading for an immediate appointment. He explained that his dog had a large growth or swelling near the corner of its mouth. The vet told him to bring the animal right over. When the man came in, the vet examined the dog as the man stood by, anxiously waiting. At last the vet turned to him and asked, "Do you have any children?" "Oh, good grief, is it contagious?" the man gasped. "No," the doctor answered. "It's bubble gum.
Rustic Dining As a trail guide in a national park, Danny ate with the rest of the seasonal staff in a rustic dining hall, where the food left something to be desired. When they were finished with their meals, they scraped the remains into a garbage pail and stacked the plates for the dishwasher. One worker, apparently not too happy after his first week on the job, was ahead of Danny in line.
As he slopped an uneaten plate of food into the garbage, Danny heard him mutter, "Now stay there this time.
| |
|
 The 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.
Thanks to Mary Help of Christians, Don Bosco and all our other heavenly intercessors for the favors granted. Vanessa Rodriguez, FL
My sincere thanks to Our Lord Jesus Christ, Mother Mary help of Christians, Don Bosco and Dominic Savio for saving me from burns. A Devotee
Our sincere thanks to Mary Help of Christians and St. John Bosco for the gift of a sweet baby girl. We have named the baby girl Jane. In spite of some minor complications during the pregnancy, Mother Mary kept us safe. Eusebio and Bernadinha, Toronto
| |
|
|
|
|
|
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: Day Retreats, Weekend retreats, Don Bosco Summer Camp, Eucharistic Adoration, Friday night Lenten Dinners, 50/50 raffle, 350 club, Rosary Madonna Statue. Rent Lomagno Hall, Rent our Banquet Hall.
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
|
Marian Shrine
174 Filors Lane, Stony Point, NY 10980
(845) 947-2200
|
|
|
|
|
