Living Monstrance

The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was in the Archdiocese of Boston from April 9 to May 4 this year. On this page, hopefully, will be a perspective from following Our Lady in the image throughout her visitation. She kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Lk 2:19) May it bring you graces and a deeper knowledge and love of Our Lady and Our Lord Jesus!

April 14, St. Francis Chapel, Boston

The image of Our Lady is with the Lord in the tabernacle. She is a living tabernacle in whom Jesus lives, and so, in a certain sense, the sign is with the reality. That’s something I noticed throughout the visitation, the importance of the union of the sign and the reality.

It also shows me how much Jesus desires to be with Mary, that He wants her close to Himself, closer than anyone else … The king has brought me into his chambers. (Cant 1:4)

When we consecrate ourselves to Mary from the heart, giving ourselves totally and without reserve, she gives herself to us. Her love for Jesus literally lives inside us. And at the same time, Jesus desires to be intimate with us.

“The Blessed Virgin, mother of gentleness and mercy, never allows herself to be surpassed in love and generosity. When she sees someone giving himself entirely to her in order to honor and serve her, and depriving himself of what he prizes most in order to adorn her, she gives herself completely in a wondrous manner to him. She engulfs him in the ocean of her graces, adorns him with her merits, supports him with her power, enlightens him with her light, and fills him with her love. She shares her virtues with him – her humility, faith, purity, etc. She makes up for his failings and becomes his representative with Jesus. Just as one who is consecrated belongs entirely to Mary, so Mary belongs entirely to him. We can truthfully say of this perfect servant and child of Mary what St. John in his gospel says of himself, ‘he took her for his own.’” (True Devotion to Mary, No. 144)


April 15, Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Mission Church, Boston

Many people were able to visit the image in the day, which was again close to the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Many people were able to come up close to the image and touch it, kneel and pray before it, and express other devotion.

Like the tabernacle, Our Lady is a living monstrance who shows Jesus to all. Again, the sign, the image, is with the reality, the exposed Jesus. And it seems to me a sign of Our Lady’s adoration of her Son, and again His desire to be close to her in revealing Himself to all of us.

And again, one who is truly consecrated to her (I say truly, meaning in the heart, with totality and without holding anything back from her), becomes a living monstrance himself. Or rather, he shares in her identity as a living monstrance. The person shows Jesus Himself to all who approach him.

If Mary, the Tree of Life, is well cultivated in our soul by fidelity to this devotion, she will in due time bring forth her fruit which is none other than Jesus. (True Devotion, No. 218)

The next morning, the image was high up on the altar in the chapel for the morning Mass. There I met a young man who I had lived with in a religious community, who was going through a big trial in his life. I was going to speak the next day to the Little Brothers, and I knew he would be there – so I sensed it would be a talk that was meant for him.

“Hear me and understand well, my son the least, that nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” (Nican Mopohua, by Antonio Valeriano)


April 16, Little Brothers of St. Francis, Boston

What a gift and privilege to be welcomed into the Brothers’ house! There, I was able to share what was given to me to share, to speak on Our Lady’s behalf (which is itself an unbelievable privilege). At the same time, Tim and Mildred Duff were there. They are friends of the brothers, and guardians of the Guild of St. Benedict Joseph Labre. St. Labre was a homeless man who is a sort of patron saint of the mentally ill. The guild website is www.guildbjlabre.com.

How providential, in that I got to share my own witness of a struggle with depression and a stay in day program in a psychiatric treatment center, and how this relates to Our Lady of Guadalupe. On the way there, I wasn’t sure which part of my history the Blessed Virgin wanted me to share, but when I met the Duffs, I was sure then.

St. Labre also had a devotion to praying at the Holy House of Loreto. It is Mary’s own house where she lived before being married to St. Joseph. What a love I have for that little house, even though I’ve only seen pictures of it on the internet! I’ve felt strongly called to visit there for a while, beginning about four years ago. Meeting the Duffs and seeing an image of the Pope praying in the Holy House in their pamphlet reminded me and inspired me to set up a visit this June 09. I’m very much looking forward to it.

In the picture, you can see that the brothers had the image on one side of the chapel. The altar was at the other end. Mercedes and Hermina and I had the gift of adoring the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel with the brothers, and we were between the image and the Lord. So, we had the opportunity to enter into Mary’s adoration of Jesus.

This is a great grace, and it’s really the essence of consecration to Mary: to enter into Mary’s adoration of Jesus. In his famous dream, St. John Bosco saw a ship making it’s way through a battle on the seas until it finally could anchor itself between two pillars. The ship is the Church, captained by the Popes. On top of the two pillars were the Eucharist and Our Lady. So, when the ship anchored itself between them, it’s a sign of the Church anchoring herself in Mary’s adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. In the dream, the ship and crew took on damage, but immediately a wind from between the two columns repaired the damage. And once the anchors were finally set, all the enemy ships suddenly were scattered and sunk, and the waters were stilled. Complete peace. So it is with each of us – our peace is in anchoring ourselves in Mary’s adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist. We fight a war to get there and we have helps from the Blessed Sacrament and Mary – it’s where God wants us to go.

Let’s face it, we can’t do it. Not ourselves, at least. But if we set ourselves resolutely for it, trusting entirely in Jesus and Mary, we’ll make it! By an entire and total surrender of all of one’s life into the hands of Mary, a total consecration to her …

A quick Google resulted in these two links for pictures and a description of the dream:

http://uvcarmel.org/2009/01/31/st-john-boscos-dream-the-two-pillars-of-a-safe-harbor-in-life/

and

http://www.miraclerosarymission.org/bosco.html

Here’s a picture from the first site. There is another picture on this site that is copyrighted, and it’s really worth a viewing for understanding what we go through to reach adoration!

This dream – and our living this experience – I believe is a satisfaction of our Father’s desires expressed in Psalm 81, which is prayed in Morning Prayer in the Divine Office:

Ring out your joy to God our strength,
shout in triumph to the God of Jacob.

Raise a song and sound the timbrel,
the sweet-sounding harp and the lute;
blow the trumpet at the new moon,
when the moon is full, on our feast.

For this is Israel’s law,
a command of the God of Jacob.
He imposed it as a law on Joseph’s people,
when he went out against the land of Egypt.

A voice I did not know said to me:
“I freed your shoulder from the burden;
your hands were freed from the load.
You called in distress and I saved you.

“I answered, concealed in the storm cloud;
at the waters of Meribah I tested you.
Listen, my people, to my warning.
O Israel, if only you would heed!

“Let there be no foreign god among you,
no worship of an alien god.
I am the Lord your God,
who brought you from the land of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

“But my people did not heed my voice
and Israel would not obey,
so I left them in their stubbornness of heart
to follow their own designs.

“O that my people would heed me,
that Israel would walk in my ways!
At once I would subdue their foes,
turn my hand against their enemies.

“The Lord’s enemies would cringe at their feet
and their subjection would last for ever.
But Israel I would feed with finest wheat
and fill them with honey from the rock.”


April 18 & 19, Boston Catholic Men’s and Women’s Conferences, Boston College

Again, the sign is with the reality. Although there are no adorers in the picture, it was taken early at the women’s conference, before people made it in. About 4,500 people made it to the conferences, so hopefully they could witness Mary’s closeness to her Son. At the closing Masses each day, the image was moved to the main stage where Mass was said. People could approach the image afterwards and express their devotion.

For all nations shall come, and shall adore in your sight, for your judgments are manifest. (Rev 15:4)


April 19, St. Francis Chapel, Boston, Divine Mercy Sunday Vigil

After the Women’s Conference on Divine Mercy Sunday, the image was brought to St. Francis Chapel, along with the other image that was at the Men’s and Women’s Conferences. This large Divine Mercy image is the one that was in my mother’s room during her miraculous recovery from breast cancer and her death. It was a privilege to be able to bring it – and thanks to Fr. Charles Higgins of Mary Immaculate of Lourdes for lending the image out.

Here a mariachi band played at a Spanish Mass on the night of Divine Mercy Sunday. Fr. Greg Staab gave a great homily on the Divine Mercy in espanol. (I think Fr. Greg spoke in simple phrases, because somehow I could understand the talk, even though I only speak a little spanish.)

The Divine Mercy and Consecration to Mary are inseparable devotions, because they are both conceived at the foot of the Cross. At the foot of the Cross, St. John took Mary into his own, and at the foot of the Cross, he witnessed the blood and water flowing out of the Lord’s pierced Heart. He is adamant about pointing this out, too: He who saw it has borne witness – his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth – that you also may believe. (Jn 19:35) St. John the beloved disciple experiences both devotions. When we, like him, take Mary into our own, in a total consecration holding nothing back, we also have an experience of the Divine Mercy from the Heart of Jesus. Like St. John, I myself am a witness, and I share it with you “that you also may believe”!

The foot of the Cross was also the reference point for Pope John Paul II’s pontificate, as he shows in his coat of arms:

The shield has the cross, with an ‘M’ for Mary at it’s foot.

The Pope established the Divine Mercy devotion in the universal Church, and also set an example of true Consecration to Mary in our times. These were, I think it could be said, the two foundational characteristics of his spirituality, and I believe that they reflect what the Holy Spirit is doing in the Church throughout the world in these days. So, here in St. Francis Chapel in the middle of the Prudential Tower shopping center, there is a great witness to the Church and her mission today!

In reflecting on the Divine Mercy image, I recall how it wasn’t just the image that was present to my mother. It was the real Divine Mercy in addition to the image. All her visits from the Lord in the Eucharist, in anointings, in priests and religious, in family, friends, neighbors, nurses and aids, all the outpouring of love through flesh and blood, all these were the reality. The image was a sign of it, an important sign, but only a sign!

And, finally, again, God has placed the sign of the Blessed Virgin’s presence with the reality of the Lord in the tabernacle! This is where she always is, close to Jesus’ Real Presence. Now, I say that to find this grace of God, we must find Mary. (The Secret of Mary, No. 6)


April 22, Eternal Life Radio, Quincy

The image was brought to Eternal Life radio station in Quincy, which broadcasts locally on WROL 950AM. Here, we all got to pray the rosary together on the air, in a taped recording.

I saw a special gift for Caron and the rest of us, as she got a chance to give a little witness on the radio. I hope she’ll forgive me for commenting, but she was so reluctant to do it. But when she stepped up and said yes to it, what she said was so powerful. Being an art teacher, she shared beautiful and deep thoughts on the image from an artist’s perspective. It was a sweet gift to listen to. And Hermina also let free her joy as well in a taped promotion. Both got to share in the prime grace of the whole Visitation with Mary: giving witness! The show aired later in May.

As for my own experience, I was at the Youville House for the elderly earlier in the day (where I of course forgot to take any pictures), where I had a chance to share again what I believe Our Lady had given me to share. Afterwards, I wasn’t sure about making it to the radio station. But in the Mass at Youville House, I heard the first reading from Acts 5, where the apostles are jailed for giving witness, out of jealousy. They are freed by an angel at night, telling them, “Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life.” (Acts 5:20)

In this, the Lord spoke to my interior, especially because there were, let’s say, other things going on that wanted me silenced in this Visitation. But I knew then that He wanted me to go, and that I would have an opportunity to share on the radio, only not to the degree that I did!

When we arrived, I asked if they wanted someone to share a talk about the image. When it was all said and done, they recorded the talk I gave for a half and hour! I’m not so sure about the quality of the talk, but what is powerful to consider is that the talk relates Our Lady of Guadalupe with Scripture, and the radio station reaches a large Evangelical audience. It was what the Lord and Our Lady wanted so many people around the Boston area to hear.

As the Holy Father Pope John Paul II so often said, “Do not be afraid!”

“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 10:27-33)

When we truly consecrate ourselves to Mary and give her our whole life, she gives us her whole life. We will eventually share in her witness, in words and action. She will protect us and make war on the fears that hold us back, because her unconditional love frees us to admit our total dependency on Jesus and His Mercy. And there is nothing that wins His Heart more surely and quickly than an acceptance and confession of our total dependence on Him, that we are His. It’s all He really wants from us. Sacrifice and offering you did not desire; my ears have you opened. (Ps 40:6) For in sacrifice you take no delight, burnt offering from me you would refuse, my sacrifice a contrite spirit. A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn. (Ps 51:16-17)


April 23, St. Joseph’s Church, Medford

Our Lady is again with the Lord in adoration. There was adoration the whole day, and many people stopped by while I was there for a few hours.

The picture below shows Our Lady with some little children. It is beautiful to me for a number of reasons. It shows her motherhood. But also it shows her own littleness. Our Lady is herself a teenager in the image, since she’s pregnant. In the apparitions, St. Juan Diego repeatedly refers to her as his little child, his littlest daughter. The Lord in the Host is little, and Mary is little. She is His perfect reflection, His echo: “Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.” (Mk 10:14)

This is why Mary is so precious to God and why He always does whatever she asks, because His words always find a permanent place in her. Whatever she needs or desires, all she has to do is ask. “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.” (Jn 15:7)

In the total consecration to Mary we become Mary’s echo, and so we share in her echoing of Jesus. His words become our words. And when this is true, then whatever we need or desire, we only need to ask for it.


April 26, Most Holy Redeemer Church, East Boston

Mercedes and Wendy were here for this big event at Most Holy Redeemer, which is a largely Hispanic parish in East Boston. There was a whole procession through the street, with maybe a couple of hundred people from what I’ve heard.

This top picture shows servants carrying the image through the street leading the procession. I’m not sure which Marian movement they are with, but from the looks of the knots on their ropes, they probably have professed some type of consecration to Mary. In carrying the image, they remind me of the little angel at the bottom of the image, the Holy Angel of Guadalupe, who hovers beneath Our Lady of Guadalupe in the image. In that, they are also like St. Juan Diego. They get to be Our Lady’s presence for others. “The essential practice of this devotion is to do all our actions with Mary” (Secret of Mary, No. 45)

You can see in the background of this second picture another image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This one permanently resides at the church. What is the difference? The missionary image is, well, missionary. It is sent. This is a fundamental characteristic of the Christian vocation. We are all missionaries, and we are all sent. The word Mass comes from the Latin misa, meaning sent, and at the end of the Mass we are all sent. Likewise, the Lord gave the great commission to the Apostles before ascending to heaven: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mk 16:15) They were sent. They were missionaries.

This bottom picture is great, it’s one of my favorites from the Visitation. Our Lady identifies with little ones, because she is the Littlest One!

In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little ones; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Lk 10:21)

In the total consecration, we receive the gift of participating in Our Lady’s presence to others, because, as St. Louis de Montfort says, we live her life: “This devotion … establishes, even here below, Mary’s life in the soul, so that it is no longer the soul that lives, but Mary living in it; for Mary’s life becomes its life.” (Secret of Mary, No. 55)

We participate in her missionary charism, and we share in her littleness.


April 26, Immaculate Conception Church, Revere

In the same day, the image went to Immaculate Conception Church in Revere. Here again, the image is with the Lord in the tabernacle, the sign with the reality. Mercedes was with the image when I arrived, which was in the middle of the Spanish Mass.

I had missed the Aztec liturgical dance that took place before the Mass (I think). The picture below shows some of the attire left over from the dance. After the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, many of the Aztecs immediately transferred their religious customs to the Church. The Franciscans and clergy of the day were wary of their returning to idolatry through them, and so they set up ways to monitor them. It required that some people thoroughly learn to understand the Indigenous culture and language, in order to understand what the religious practices really were. In any case, many were looked on favorably by the local church and bishop, and forms of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe through the religious customs of the Indigenous were approved by the bishop, although opposed by the Franciscans. Men and women would carry out similar tasks in the hermitage where the tilma was reserved as they previously did in their temples, including sweeping the floors, singing and dancing, and giving alms.

I would think an Aztec liturgical-type dance would be a beautiful honoring of encultured evangelization if the dance is done in memory and representation of this transformation of the Aztec devotion. This is an important part of the essence of the apparition and the conversion of nine million! But I myself wasn’t there to witness it …

When we consecrate ourselves totally to Mary, we do not leave behind our personal history, our traditions, our personal “culture”, if you could call it that. These aspects of who we are are not eliminated – they are transformed. Or better said, they are fulfilled!

“Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them.” (Mt 5:17) and
“The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save.” (Lk 9:56)

April 27, Youville Hospital, Cambridge

The visit at Youville Hospital was a very quiet day. Staff and patients quietly visited for several hours.

Again, the image is with the Lord in the tabernacle.

Our Lady has a predilection for the sick. When we are consecrated to her, we too share in this.

“I was sick and you visited me.” (Mt 25:36)


April 27, Mt. St. Joseph’s Academy, Brighton

The next day, the image was brought to Mt. St. Joseph’s Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school in Brighton. There was a Mass in the gym in the evening, celebrated by Fr. Greg, who gave a homily on Our Lady of Guadalupe. Although only a few students showed up, there were about 35 people.

A young woman Stephanie, who had just graduated last year from Mt. St. Joseph’s, was called by the school staff to sing at the Mass. Somehow, I was called to sing at the Mass, too. She is a very talented musician. I have a drone voice, that goes off on tangents, misses timing, runs out of breath, you name it. I even told her she could do all the singing, but she said, “no, we’re a team.”

She covered for me. If it were just me there, it would have been a horror show. I am very grateful.

With her singing, together we sounded really good. She balanced out my sloppiness, and she even harmonized to make it all sound beautiful. With her singing, together we sang something worthy of the Mass!

Now, it’s no coincidence that Stephanie is young – Our Lady of Guadalupe is a teenager as well. She even looks like Our Lady of Guadalupe. (See the picture below of her and me.) So, in a special sense, I got to sing with Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Each of our lives, of itself, is really like my singing: amateur. But when a person consecrates themselves totally to Mary, she lives life with him. She “sings” with him, if you will. Like Stephanie did with my singing, Mary lives with each one of our lives so that “she may purify it, sanctify it, embellish it, and thus render it worthy of God.” (Secret of Mary, No. 37)

April 28, St. Clement’s Eucharistic Shrine, Boston

This was a special evening, with a Mass in honor of the memorial of St. Louis de Montfort, at St. Clement’s, which is the home of the Consecration to Mary group and is the Eucharistic Shrine of the whole Archdiocese. Fr. Greg celebrated the Mass and gave a homily on Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Stephanie and I sang again at the Mass, and, you guessed it, same story. She covered for me, and made my singing sound worthy of the Mass.

Many people were able to come to the image after Mass and express their devotion. There were many sacred and grace-filled moments for many people. And while people were visiting the image, Stephanie sang a solo in Spanish and accompanying with her guitar. It was the most beautiful music, it was as though Our Lady of Guadalupe were singing herself! Myself, I will never forget it. It was a privilege.

When we truly consecrate ourselves to Mary, we are put in the most privileged position: we are given the gift of being with her and knowing her, who is God’s most prized and loved and blessed creation. She is God’s own treasure created for Himself, and we get to be with her and know her. We become hers and she becomes ours. What a gift!

“Happy, a thousand times happy, is the soul here below to which the Holy Ghost reveals the Secret of Mary in order that it may come to know her.” (Secret of Mary, No. 20)


April 30, St. Mary’s, Waltham

The image was brought to St. Mary’s in Waltham after the 12:10 Mass. By God’s grace, I was able to give the talk there, sharing again what Our Lady had put into my heart to share.

Afterwards, I sat in a pew and prayed with the image and with the Lord in the tabernacle, and did some reading while a few people came and went. After about an hour or so, I realized that I was really hungry. I just hadn’t noticed. I hadn’t eaten lunch, or anything since breakfast, and it was about 3:30. But I couldn’t leave the image all alone. So I asked Our Lady in my heart if she could send someone to help me find some food.

While I was asking this in my heart, two women approached me. “Do you want to go and get something to eat? We can mind your things.” “Really?” One of the women sat near my seat, the other led me to the front door of the church. “There’s a restaurant a block away when you take a right out the front door. Go, and sit down and have a good meal. Take as long as you want – we’ll be here.” “Are you sure?” “Oh yes, it’s a great place with great food – you’ll like it. Take a break.” “OK.”

Then, I sort of realized that I didn’t know her name. “By the way, what is your name?”

“Mary.”

How she provides everything for those who give themselves to her! When a person truly consecrates themselves to her, God and Mary provide for all their needs.

“And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be of anxious mind. For all the nations of the world seek these things; and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things shall be yours as well.” (Lk 12:29-31)

I went down the street to the restaurant, and as I was walking, I realized that it had been so long since I had a sit-down meal. I tell you, I got the steak tip dinner.

Thank you, God and Mary!

At about 5 or so, there was a wedding rehearsal in the church, so the image was moved into the sacristy for “private company”. This is a great gift for most people, who have never been in a sacristy. They got to go into a sacred space. There were about 10 people there sitting quietly, while the sound system was broadcasting all the voices from the rehearsal in the church. It was loud and distracting. “Ummm … does anyone want to hear a talk that I give on Our Lady of Guadalupe?” Everyone agreed, so I again shared the words that Our Lady had given me to share on the Visitation.

Near the end of the time, a woman approached me. She is from a community that is bringing the image to other areas in Massachusetts in July. We got to talking and sharing for quite some time.

At the end, I realized that there was a young hispanic music group practicing outside in the church. I had thought my new friend and I could sing a song together for Our Lady to close the visit, but then I thought, maybe the music group would like to sing for Our Lady of Guadalupe. So, I went out to them and they agreed. They came in and sang two beautiful songs, the words of which I have no idea about. The devotion in some was very moving – it is a very deep and personal thing for hispanics, especially Mexicans. It was a powerful moment, and a fitting closing to the day.

For those who consecrate themselves totally to Mary, God “opens the ‘Garden Enclosed’ that the soul may enter into it.” (Secret of Mary, no. 20) The person gets to enter into sacred space. There, the person receives special gifts!


May 1, Stone Institute, Newton

On May 1, Liz Ward helped throughout the day. It began at the Stone Institute, a private elderly care facility in Newton, across the street from Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church. It is a nursing home that I have had the privilege of visiting almost weekly as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion from Mary Immaculate, so I know many of the residents. There is a community Mass once per month that I have the privilege of lectoring at too, and we play a nice video of the Divine Mercy chaplet after the Mass for the residents. (It’s got kids singing the chaplet.) The activities director was very enthusiastic about the visit of the image from the very beginning. All this, and it is a secular facility!

Again, by the Lord’s grace, I was able to share the talk with the residents. Then, we helped residents approach the image and touch it and express their devotion, while we played Marian music in the background.


May 1, Wingate at Needham

The second stop of the day for us was at Wingate at Needham, which is very similar to the Stone. I have a similar relationship with the Wingate as with the Stone, and the activities director there was even more excited about the visit. Another secular facility welcoming the Lord and Our Lady!

Again, by God’s grace, I was able to share the talk about consecration to Mary, and again residents were able to come to the image and touch it and express their devotion to Mary. We had the same Marian music playing as well. How the elderly love and need spiritual inspiration!

There are some residents that are introverted and some extro. They are each special. The picture shows two special extroverted residents, Helen and Mary. Liz can tell you. The title of the picture might better be, “My Three Ladies.”

Because all these residents are suffering, they are all very precious to the Lord and Our Lady, especially those that are near death. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. (Ps 34:18)

When we are truly consecrated to Our Lady, we, too become her presence of comfort to those who suffer. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor 3:4)

We will share in Mary’s generosity, and reflect what has been given to us, just as she reflects what has been given to her by God: “You received without paying, give without pay.” (Mt 10:8)


May 2, Essex County Alternative Corrections, Lawrence

On May 2, the image was brought to Lawrence, Mass, to travel with the Franciscans of Primitive Observance. Paul joined me for the trip, and we met up with Fr. Benedict, FPO at the friary in Lawrence.

The first stop was the Pro-Life Mass at St. Patrick’s early in the morning. Fr. Benedict preached on Our Lady of Guadalupe and the image. Later in the morning, we assisted at a private Hispanic Mass for residents at Essex Towers, a housing complex in Lawrence. Here, again, Fr. Benedict preached on the image. He and I had a long talk before the visit, and by God’s grace, it seemed we had very similar thoughts already in mind for the visitation message.

Fr. Benedict, visits the Essex County prison weekly, and we were able to get clearance to bring in the image for the weekly Mass.

Fr. Dave, the chaplain, said the Mass, and Fr. Benedict gave a great homily explaining the image to about 15 or 20 prisoners. Then we all sang Immaculate Mary through all the verses over and over while everyone lined up and took turns approaching the image and touching it to empty their hearts into Our Lady’s hands in the image.

It is amazing that all of this could occur – usually it’s tough to get something like the image into the prison. Plus, the guys have one hour, bell-to-bell, to be out of their rooms for the Mass. So, by the time they make it to the chapel, it’s about ten past, and then they have to leave by ten of or so. So, time is tight.

There are a number of different groups that use the chapel, Protestant and others. You can see the image up on the sanctuary space in the chapel.

One of the prisoners afterwards thanked me. I told him I hope it gives the guys hope and inspiration. He replied, “Yeah, inspiration to get out of here and never come back!” How much the Blessed Virgin desires to be with prisoners! This is why she wants to be there, in the darkest places, isn’t it? To give them this inspiration to do just that. But even more: to give them everything they need to do it, to give them her Son, and to accompany them in the way.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Lk 4:18-19) Our Lady is the echo of God, and so the Lord’s words are her own!

Within a month, Fr. Benedict helped three prisoners consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary. Praise God! May the grace of the visitation grow: And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.” (Mk 4:30-32)

In giving ourselves totally to Mary, and receiving her into our hearts, we receive the same Spirit of the Lord to bring the Gospel to prisoners. To do this, we don’t have to do great things, only little things. Only little faithful things. If we did great things, then it would seem to us and others that it was our work, our accomplishment, our glory. How easy it is to do a religious “project” and pat each other on the back! How easy it is to use the name of Jesus or Mary, the Church, see a generous response from other people, and feel gratification! We want the glory for ourselves, but we shut God out, as His action is not made visible. But those “projects” end in just that for those who love them: pats on the back.

What is the hardest work in the world? Isn’t it being faithful to giving only the little things that the Lord wants us to give, not our own idea of the things to give? This is the only thing we are called to. We are called to give His mustard seed, and not something else, out of love of Jesus. It is the real “project” of life.

When we give only the little things in faith and love, and they grow, then God’s work and His Love are made visible for all to see.

“If you cultivate the Tree of Life, freshly planted in your soul by the Holy Ghost, I assure you that in a short time it will grow so tall that the birds of Heaven will come to dwell in it. It will be a good tree, yielding fruit of honor and grace in due season, namely, the sweet and adorable Jesus, Who always has been, and always will be, the only fruit of Mary. Happy the soul, in which Mary, the Tree of Life, is planted; happier the soul in which she has acquired growth and bloom; still happier the soul in which she yields her fruit; but most happy of all the soul which relishes and preserves Mary’s fruit until death, and for ever and ever. Amen.” (Secret of Mary, No. 65)


May 3, Our Lady Co-Redemptrix Friary, Franciscans of Primitive Observance, Lawrence

The image stayed overnight in the chapel at Our Lady Co-Redemptrix Friary. The next morning there was a private Mass in the chapel for a local Pro-Life group. Both Fr. Benedict and I were able to share what grace had put into our hearts.

The picture shows the image in the chapel, again close to the Lord in the tabernacle. I began to think of the Lord’s words to His disciples:

“If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him.” (Jn 12:26)

Wherever Jesus is, there is Mary, the perfect disciple. Throughout the Visitation, the image has been near Him in the Blessed Sacrament. And all of the honor given to her in the image throughout the Visitation has been God the Father’s action, hasn’t it? All events come from His hand. And is it not the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, who is honoring her? So God the Father is honoring her through His Son’s mystical presence, in the Holy Spirit. In the Visitation, we’ve witnessed Our Lady fulfilling these words of Jesus! Praise God!

In this, she gives us the witness of the truth of these words of Jesus for every disciple, and most especially those who consecrate themselves to Him through Mary. By going through Mary, a disciple follows through and with the perfect disciple.

When we totally give ourselves to Mary in our hearts, then we too will seek to serve Jesus, to always be with Him, doing what He is doing.


May 3, Corpus Christi Parish, Lawrence

The last stop in Lawrence was Corpus Christi parish, at a Spanish Sunday Mass. Here, once again, Our Lady is with the Lord in the tabernacle.

After the Mass, Paul and I brought the image downstairs to a youth group meeting. This was the first meeting of the group. A little background …

Previously, there was a large youth group that would gather for youth days under the guidance of an FPO priest. After he left on another assignment, this youth group sort of scattered. This is a tough time in Lawrence, because there have been many church closings over the last 5 years. If my memory serves me (it usually doesn’t these days), there used to be more than ten parishes in Lawrence, and now it is down to 3. Many Protestant denominations are sprouting and growing. So the Catholic youth have little. It’s really a dark hour in Lawrence, which is the poorest city in New England.

A new youth group leader came over from St. Mary’s to Corpus Christi to help start a group, and we were there with the image for the first meeting.

What a time for a visit from Our Lady of Guadalupe! She came to St. Juan Diego and the Indigenous in Mexico in their darkest hour. Now, she is here.

Fr. Benedict and I again got to share what Our Lady had put into our hearts to share. We talked about how this one man took Mary into all his important things, and how the whole country was changed by that. God changed everything through one man. And the same can happen in Lawrence. The result was that the group leader decided to name the group “Guadalupe”. Please pray for this little group, its survival, protection, and growth!

How the Lord loves the poor and doesn’t abandon them!

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever. (Ps 9:18)

He gives them His most prized possession, His own glory, His own private dwelling place: Mary.

“Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Lk 6:20)

When we totally and truly consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary, we become poor. All of our belongings become Jesus’ by way of Mary. Not that they weren’t already, but we acknowledge this reality and consent to it. Our possessions are not our own. In return, we receive one possession – God’s own paradise, His own Kingdom: Mary.