Have we lost sight of the Star?

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I’m wondering if we, as Catholics, are losing sight of the “Star of the New Evangelization”? Both St. JPII and Pope Benedict XVI used that title for Mary, often, but I haven’t heard it in awhile. In fact, our present Pope Francis seems rightly to be focusing on the re-evangelizing of Catholic clergy, religious and laity. He has mentioned Mary, of course, and I believe Pope Francis is devoted to our Blessed Mother as are his predecessors, but I am asking the question of the Church at large.

It seems to me we need to waken again to that fervor of devotion to Mary that was a hallmark of the Church, along with our devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. God’s Plan has not changed: He sent Jesus through Mary and He continues to send Him through her. Have we forgotten or have we not learned deeply enough the Truths of our Catholic Faith? What are we bringing to the world? Are we bringing Jesus as Mary did or???

My hopes remain high for our Diocese during this 100th Anniversary of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima – especially now that our Bishop has proclaimed this year to be also a special Marian Year for our Diocese.

May God help us all to grow in our love for God and for one another through Mary! "The Church exists to evangelize wrote Bl. Pope Paul VI. Are we living that truth? Are we remembering Jesus’ words from the cross: “Behold Your Mother” or have we lost sight of our very special “Star”?

 

[PassingSoul]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I’m wondering if we, as Catholics, are losing sight of the “Star of the New Evangelization”? Both St. JPII and Pope Benedict XVI used that title for Mary, often, but I haven’t heard it in awhile. In fact, our present Pope Francis seems rightly to be focusing on the re-evangelizing of Catholic clergy, religious and laity. He has mentioned Mary, of course, and I believe Pope Francis is devoted to our Blessed Mother as are his predecessors, but I am asking the question of the Church at large.

It seems to me we need to waken again to that fervor of devotion to Mary that was a hallmark of the Church, along with our devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. God’s Plan has not changed: He sent Jesus through Mary and He continues to send Him through her. Have we forgotten or have we not learned deeply enough the Truths of our Catholic Faith? What are we bringing to the world? Are we bringing Jesus as Mary did or???

My hopes remain high for our Diocese during this 100th Anniversary of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima – especially now that our Bishop has proclaimed this year to be also a special Marian Year for our Diocese.

May God help us all to grow in our love for God and for one another through Mary! "The Church exists to evangelize wrote Bl. Pope Paul VI. Are we living that truth? Are we remembering Jesus’ words from the cross: “Behold Your Mother” or have we lost sight of our very special “Star”?

Jesus has always sent his Mother Mary to guide us when the world is losing Faith. I wonder if she would ever appear to us again ? We need her now more than ever in this secular age.

 

[PluniaZ]

"“Do not ever forget these three things: devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, devotion to Mary Help of Christians, and devotion to the Holy Father!” - Saint John Bosco

donboscowest.org/saints/donbosco

 

[MariaChristi]

Jesus has always sent his Mother Mary to guide us when the world is losing Faith. I wonder if she would ever appear to us again ? We need her now more than ever in this secular age.

Dear Passing Soul,

Thanks so much for your reply. He may send her again, but this is the 100th Anniversary Year of Mary’s Apparitions at Fatima and how many of us have heard her message? When Pope St. JPII was shot on May 13, (Feast of Our Lady of Fatima) there was some interest in the world, concerning the Message of Fatima, but how many then or now have taken Mary’s messages to heart and renewed their faith in God by living true to His Word?

Jesus told his Apostle Thomas in the Resurrection scene (John 20:29):

Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.

Just reading Mary’s messages to the three children at Fatima can help us to “see” her by Faith! We do need her now, more than ever in this secular age.

Praying the Rosary as she requested at Fatima also helps us to “see” her and Jesus in their lives together. Reading and listening to their words in the Gospel also helps us “see” in Faith and believe in Jesus’ and Mary’s great love for us. By God’s Grace we can strive to love them more each day by living as they lived “in the world” BUT “not of the world”. By God’s Grace may Jesus shine through us as He does through Mary.

A prayer I like very much is this one by Father Jean Jacques Olier, S.S. (1608-1657):

O Jesus, living in Mary, come and live in your servants, in the spirit of holiness, in the fullness of your power, in the perfection of your ways, in the truth of your virtues, in the communion of your mysteries. Rule over every adverse power, in your Spirit, for the glory of the Father. Amen.

 

[MariaChristi]

"“Do not ever forget these three things: devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, devotion to Mary Help of Christians, and devotion to the Holy Father!” - Saint John Bosco

donboscowest.org/saints/donbosco

Dear PluniaZ,

Thanks for your reply and for the link. I’m repeating an excerpt from the link about one of St. John Bosco’s dreams. I read about it years ago and want to post it for those who may have never read it.

All the saints have devotion to Mary, but some seem to have more than others. That seems to be God’s way in giving some gifts to certain persons that they might share them with others. Certainly St. John Bosco shared his gifts (and continues from heaven) to share his love of Mary with others. Here is the story from the link you gave:

When John was nine, the Master called him openly. A mission as important as his could not be left to a mere urge. In a “dream,” John found himself fighting a large crowd of rowdy lads who were cursing and carrying on abominably. He tried to stop them, but they refused to listen to him. Suddenly, a Man appeared, who motioned to John and said, “Not with blows will you help these boys, but with goodness and kindness!” “Who are you?” gasped the astonished boy.

Then a Woman appeared. Putting her arms around him, she said, “Watch what I do, John.” John looked. The boys changed to a pack of snarling wild animals whose growls sent terror to his heart. Then the woman put out her hand. The beasts changed again, to a frolicking flock of lambs.

“But what does it all mean? I’m just a farm boy. What can I do?” He burst into tears.

The Lady’s answer came to him, ever to resound in his heart, to be repeated audibly several times in his life. This is the field of your work. Be humble, steadfast, and strong!"

May we all become by God’s Grace and Mary’s intercession: humble, steadfast, and strong in whatever field of work God gives to us.

 

[patricius79]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I’m wondering if we, as Catholics, are losing sight of the “Star of the New Evangelization”? Both St. JPII and Pope Benedict XVI used that title for Mary, often, but I haven’t heard it in awhile.

Yes, we must constantly invoke Mary. But as with the Most Holy Name of Jesus, few Catholics know the power of invoking Mary and frequently looking to her for help.

St. Bernard says “we must never lose sight of this star which is Mary”. He says we must constantly call to her in temptatoions, doubts, trials, uncertainties, etc.

The saints such as St. Alphonsus Liguori compare calling on her name to breathing. They say that just as breathing is the life of the body, so calling on Mary is the life of the soul.

St. Alphonsus Liguori (a Doctor of the Church) even says that calling on Mary is eternal salvation itself!

All this because she is the one who unites us to Jesus Christ!

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes, we must constantly invoke Mary. But as with the Most Holy Name of Jesus, few Catholics know the power of invoking Mary and frequently looking to her for help.

St. Bernard says “we must never lose sight of this star which is Mary”. He says we must constantly call to her in temptatoions, doubts, trials, uncertainties, etc.

The saints such as St. Alphonsus Liguori compare calling on her name to breathing. They say that just as breathing is the life of the body, so calling on Mary is the life of the soul.

St. Alphonsus Liguori (a Doctor of the Church) even says that calling on Mary is eternal salvation itself!

All this because she is the one who unites us to Jesus Christ!

Dear brother Pat,

Yes, I’ve been blessed by both St. Bernard’s and St. Alphonsus Liguori’ s writing on Mary.
Today at our Legion of Mary Meeting, we were reading a quote from St. Alphonsus which is quoted in the Legion Handbook. Our Spiritual Director who is an ordained Deacon who preaches well on Mary, spoke of how we cannot even “imagine” how beautiful she is.

Listening to the saints, praising her we know how beautiful she is but Deacon added, even then we cannot compare their words to what it will be like, one day to see her, in heaven!

Of course we know Mary has no beauty or power or anything with out God, but only because she is so completely united to Him in Love and is one with His Will, He sent Jesus to us through her and all graces flow from His hand through hers to us. Our humble Mother knows as we know that without Him we are nothing.

Jesus, we trust in You!
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

 

[DS12]

It seems to me we need to waken again to that fervor of devotion to Mary that was a hallmark of the Church, along with our devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

I agree.

Mary has an incredibly special role, and it seems to me that she is very often watered down slightly as being merely an intercessor, and her apparitions are so often relegated to being something any old Catholic can embrace or utterly ignore. I’ve long believed that the way she is presented to new converts, especially to Protestants, is often not as full as it ought to be. Maybe this accounts for a portion of any decrease in devotion to her which might exist.

 

[patricius79]

Dear brother Pat,

Yes, I’ve been blessed by both St. Bernard’s and St. Alphonsus Liguori’ s writing on Mary.
Today at our Legion of Mary Meeting, we were reading a quote from St. Alphonsus which is quoted in the Legion Handbook. Our Spiritual Director who is an ordained Deacon who preaches well on Mary, spoke of how we cannot even “imagine” how beautiful she is.

Listening to the saints, praising her we know how beautiful she is but Deacon added, even then we cannot compare their words to what it will be like, one day to see her, in heaven!

Of course we know Mary has no beauty or power or anything with out God, but only because she is so completely united to Him in Love and is one with His Will, He sent Jesus to us through her and all graces flow from His hand through hers to us. Our humble Mother knows as we know that without Him we are nothing.

Jesus, we trust in You!
Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Yes, dear sister, as St. Louis says, the more we look to Mary, the more we will find Jesus Christ. Yes, we can never understand how beautiful Mary is or how much she loves each of one of us, uniquely. We all want to be loved with a vast love. And we are!