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On May 18, we celebrate the feast of St. Leonard Murialdo. Leornard was the last of eight children born to Leonardo-Franchino Murialdo and Teresa Rho on October 26, 1828. The family was well to do in Turin. When he was eight years old, he and his brother left home to study at the famous Scolopian school of Savona. His ambition was to be a military officer. A few years later he took up the study of philosophy. But there was a thought always haunting him, to give back to God from whom he had received so much in life. He wanted to offer his life to God in service of the poor abandoned youngsters who flocked to Turin for jobs. After obtaining his master's degree in philosophy, he took up the study of theology in the University of Turin and obtained a doctorate in 1850. He was ordained on September 20, 1851. He resolved to be a "pious, learned, courageous and prudent pastor, a living witness to the Gospel". As a young priest he dedicated himself to pastoral activity, teaching catechism in prisons for young offenders, preaching to the people, and spreading the faith through the printed word. He even began a paper called The Voice of the Worker. He met Don Bosco in 1857 and Don Bosco persuaded him to take over the directorship of the oratory of St. Aloysius that had about 400 youngsters. Leonard ran the oratory for eight years. With his own finances he renovated the chapel, and bought new games and amusements and erected a stage for performances. He organized two schools, a day school for regular pupils and a night school for the young workers. Catechism classes were well organized as also the choir. As a reward Don Bosco took him to Rome for an audience with Pope Pius IX in April 1858. The Holy Father was impressed with Leonard. A few years later the pope met Don Bosco again and asked if Leonard has become a Salesian. A residential school for artisans was facing heavy financial debts. Murialdo reluctantly accepted its direction in 1866 as a temporary commitment. This commitment lasted for thirty four years, till his death. Simultaneously he built up other schools, of a technical and agricultural nature to help boys get skilled and jobs. On March 19, 1873 he founded the Pious Turin Society of St. Joseph, later called the Congregation of St. Joseph (Josephites of Murialdo) to extend and consolidate the educational activities he had begun for young people. He wanted these youngsters to feel at home in these institutions. He died of pneumonia at Turin on March 30, 1900. He was beatified on November 3, 1963 and canonized by Pope Paul VI on May 3, 1970. His methods were very much like what Don Bosco has given to us for the benefit of the youth. Human development and religious training go side by side. God bless you. In Mary Help of Christians, I remain, Fr. Jim McKenna SDB Director
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BELATED FEAST
MAY 13
St. Mary Domenica Mazzarello
Co-foundress of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and a disciple of St. John Bosco she was born near Genoa, Italy, and joined the Pious Union of Mary Immaculate while young. Her institute formed slowly, aided by St. John Bosco, despite her bout with typhoid. She was the first Superior General in 1872 when St. John Bosco received approval from Pope Pius IX. The Salesian Sisters, as they are called, spread rapidly. By 1900, there were nearly eight hundred foundations. She died on April 27 at Nizza Monferrato and was canonized in 1951 by Pope Pius XII. Her feast day was on the 13th May.
We wish Sr. Karen Dunn and all our Salesian Sisters a Very Happy Feast of St. Mary Mazzarello. Fr. Jim McKenna SDB on behalf of the Marian Shrine Family
MAY 24
FEAST OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS
Novena began on the 15th.
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 Purpose Driven Life
This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren, 'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California.
In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:
People ask me, What is the purpose of life?
And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.
One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.
We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.
Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.
The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.
No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.
And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for.
You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems:
If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.
Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.
It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease.
So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.
First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases.
Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.
Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.
Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.
We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?
Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?
When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.
That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.
Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.. |
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 Laughter the best medicine
I asked my new girlfriend what sort of books she's interested in.
She said - Check books.
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The easiest way to make your old car run better, is to check the prices of new car.
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Q: What's the difference between a good lawyer and a great lawyer?
A: A good lawyer knows the law. A great lawyer knows the judge.
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Definition of Nurse : A beautiful woman who holds your hand for one full minute and then expects your pulse to be normal.
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Man who leaps off cliff jumps to a conclusion.
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Man who eats many prunes get a good run for the money. |
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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.
Thank you Mother for the many blessings received through the recitation of the 3 Hail Marys: for Brian my nephew, for success in his business and for the gift of a child to my daughter, Marianne. Dearest Mother please continue to guide and protect my family.
Abram Babinski, NY
In the month of August last year our chandelier came crashing down onto our dining room table. There was much damage but we were spared. I still shudder to think of what could have happened to my husband, my daughter and me. My most grateful thanks to Jesus and Mother Mary for their protection. Judith Carvalho, Long Island, NY
My 20 year old son Thomas met with a major car accident on 22nd October 2014 at 11 PM while returning home after dinner with three of his friends. The car he was driving hit the median while he was trying to avoid a deer on the road. The car turned over thrice and was completely damaged. All of them escaped without any major injury. Surely we felt our Beloved Mother's protection that night. It was the month of the Rosary and the whole family prayed the Rosary every day during that month. We are grateful for Our Lady's protection in saving the lives of those boys. Meg Wilson, FL
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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
Confessions - Mondays - Saturdays at 11.30 am.
Weekday Masses: 12 noon.
Sunday Masses: 11 am and 12.30 pm
Other activities: Day Retreats, Weekend retreats, Don Bosco Summer Camp, Friday night Lenten Pasta 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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Marian Shrine
174 Filors Lane, Stony Point, NY 10980
(845) 947-2200
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