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Lent is a wonderful time of interior silence to listen to God speaking to our hearts through his life giving Word. It is said that the longest journey is the journey within. With Jesus as our companion we should not be afraid to walk on this quest.
Prayer, alms giving and fasting are the means we use to empty ourselves of our egoism and come before the Lord to receive the message of eternal life. They are not ends in themselves. They are not means to impress others with our goodness or holiness, for then we would have received our reward like the Pharisees of old.
Prayer is union with God. It is openness to God. It is a hunger for God. It is openness to receive grace and mercy from God so that we in turn may be life giving and loving to others. So let us pray at all times and ask the Holy Spirit to pray within us: "Abba Father."
Alms giving in secret, is sharing of God's gifts with those in need. God is the Giver of every gift and is never outdone in generosity when we joyfully, willingly and silently share with others what he has entrusted to us as stewards.
Fasting, more than merely an act of austerity, is sparing, in order to share with those who are less fortunate than we are, so that they too may experience God's goodness through us. Fasting from food in order to share it with those who are hungry reminds us also of the importance of fasting from anger, jealousy, pride, greed, lust, avarice and sloth.
The ashes remind us of our humble origins and our final destiny. Let us ask the Lord for a true spirit of repentance, a genuine experience of reconciliation and a radical renewal of our way of life during this season of Lent. Let us come joyfully to the Lord to be forgiven, healed and renewed this lent.
God bless you.
In Mary Help of Christians,
I remain,
Fr. Jim McKenna SDB
Director
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Church Events
February 10 -
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 Blessed Eusebia Palomino Yenes - February 10
She was born on December 15, 1899 at Cantalpino in Spain. Her parents were Augustine and Joana. They had five children, the eldest and the youngest were sons who died very young. The daughters were Eusebia, Dolores and Antonia. Dolores was the eldest, then came Eusebia and last was Antonia, a gap of three years between each of them. The family was very poor and her father was a farmhand from March to September, and the rest of the year he was jobless. At the age of seven, Eusebia entered elementary school, but had to break her studies in October. She had to accompany her father on a two month's begging trip. When she was 8 years of age, she received her first Holy Communion. Her schooling had to stop as they were being prepared as domestic helps in families. It was here that she was instructed in honesty. Their parents told them, "We are poor, but you should be honest girls. Never keep what does not belong to you... always be respectful and obedient." From the age of 8 to 12 she served as a baby-sitter and domestic helper in the country houses near her home. She then went to work in the city of Salamanca. While there she would visit the oratory at the Holy Spirit school run by the Salesian sisters. She volunteered to join them, working for them, doing odd jobs and accompanying students to school. Her simple ways, words of counsel and her presence comforted the students and they felt at home with her. She confided her desire to join the congregation to a visiting superior who asked her to train as a postulant in January 1922. She completed her novitiate and was transferred to the house of Valverde del Camino in South West Spain. She was a great story teller and so the youngsters were attracted towards her. She cared for the girls and they noticed something special in her. Slowly people began to seek her for spiritual advice. There were a number of girls who joined the institute because of her influence. In the 1930's tensions and persecutions against the Catholic Church began in Spain. Sr. Eusebia offered herself as a victim for God for the salvation of Spain. She got mysteriously sick in August 1932. Doctors were unable to diagnose this disease which was causing the limbs of her body to wind up, turning her body into a ball of yarn. Her asthma which was mild, now worsened and added to her suffering. She died in Valverde on February 10, 1935 and the townspeople were heard saying: "A Saint has died". Her moral remains were exposed to the public for two days and all the people filed passed touching her with rosaries and other pious objects. The entire municipality turned out for the funeral
Sr. Eusebia was never discouraged by her poor background: "Poverty is my distinctive garment, and I take delight in it. "The last words to her sisters of the institute were: "Oh, sisters, what a splendid thing sacrifice is! How beautiful obedience is!". Though she was not highly educated or qualified, she was a spiritual person and attracted others because she cared for them and spent time with them. She teaches us another method of sanctity - be intense and caring in all you do. She served in simple ways. May her life be an inspiration to us to be spiritually intense and truly caring for our charges. |
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 Laughter the best medicine - Part 2
These are from a book called 'Disorder in the American Courts' and are things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now published by court reporters that had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.
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ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: If not, he was by the time I finished.
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ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law!
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ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Unless the Circus was in town I'm going with male.
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ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All of them. The live ones put up too much of a fight.
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 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.
Dear Mother Mary, I thank you from the deepest core of my heart for being with me during a very crucial time in my life. I pray that your astounding grace may radiate throughout the universe. Jacquiline Ignatius, NY
Thank you Mother Mary for answering my prayer. Vincent da silva, AR
I am sincerely grateful to our dear Mother Mary. She saved my son from a dreadful mishap. It was January 14th, 2015. As usual I dropped my son off at his School. When I turned to get home, a car sped into the school building. My son, who was running towards his classroom almost met with an accident. If it was not for Mother Mary, he would have been under the wheels of the car. Mary was there. She miraculously saved my son. He has great devotion to her and always wears her scapular. Mrs. Senicca Morales, 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: 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
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Our ministry is only possible with your help.
Marian Shrine
174 Filors Lane, Stony Point, NY 10980
(845) 947-2200
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