Reflection: For we are God's co-workers...

I planted, Apollos watered but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who causes the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

God calls upon us to plant and water and to rely totally on Him.

How do we plant and water?

Stay close to the Lord through the Sacraments, especially the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. When we go to confession frequently, it is very much like gardening, pulling out weeds and pinching and pruning the plants. As we pray and look inward through the sacrament, God helps us root out what needs to be removed and confessed. Jesus heals and purifies the soul through the beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation where truth and mercy meet. Jesus waters the soul with sanctifying grace which gives strength to go out and sin no more. We plant and water by receiving the Eucharist frequently. Jesus in the Eucharist heals. He is bread for the journey, the Bread of Life. Jesus said to His disciples:

I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. John 6:35

To work for God, we must rely upon Him. As we stay close to the Lord through the sacraments, He causes the growth, the growth in our souls.

For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9

Reflection: What does spending time in Eucharistic Adoration mean to me?

When I sit in silence in Saint Joseph Chapel in the Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, I am truly before the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. Every Friday evening, my husband and I spend a Holy Hour with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. It's the best date ever!

As you gaze at Jesus in the Eucharist, He gazes at you with great love. His love enters the heart of every person who visits Him. Eucharistic Adoration is an intimate encounter with Jesus.

When you begin going to adoration, you may get distracted or find it difficult to be silent. You may wonder what to do. You don't have to do anything, just sit with Jesus, as you would sit with a dear friend. Jesus is waiting for you. As you spend time in adoration, you can pour out Your heart to Him. You can tell Him your joys, desires, fears, struggles, worries and burdens. You can speak to Him about everything.

As you spend time with Jesus in adoration, the peace and quiet in the chapel enters your interior life. When this peace comes upon you, you know Jesus is with you. He gives you strength in the storms and trials of life. As you continue spending time with Him, you see beyond your own concerns and you pray for the needs of others. Grace enters your life. You will want to praise and adore Him for all He has done for you. You will know how much God loves you and you will see all the blessings He has given you.

Eucharistic Adoration happens in my chapel every Friday all day / all night into Saturday morning. People sign up for an hour or stop in anytime. When you sign up for a weekly Holy Hour, that hour becomes the most important hour of your week. My husband and I know the peace that comes from our Holy Hour together.

People who sit in adoration are called adorers. I have noticed something about the regular adorers. There is Love between them. As one hour comes to a close, the adorers exchange a smile, a wave or a hug. I think of the adorers as the athletes who carry the Olympic torch, passing the torch from one athlete to another, or the runners in a relay race, passing the baton from one runner to the next. I also think of the adorers as beads on the rosary, all connected to Jesus and Mary. The chain of the rosary connects the beads to Jesus on the crucifix. The continuous hours of Eucharistic Adoration in the chapel connects the adorers to Jesus in the Eucharist on the altar.

Many blessings come from Eucharistic Adoration for the adorers, for families, for our parish and our Church. One of the fruits of adoration is vocations which are born and nurtured in families. Come to adoration with an open heart and you will receive His healing, peace, grace and so much more.

Come away and rest awhile. Jesus is waiting for you... 

Reflection: Saint Monica, pray for us and teach us how to pray...

Saint Monica was a mother who prayed incessantly for the conversion of her wayward son Augustine. She never gave up praying and making sacrifices for him. Her prayers, sacrifices and all her tears drew her closer to God and led her to her own path to sanctity. Today we celebrate her Feast Day. Through her sufferings, faith, hope and love, her son became a Saint and a Doctor of the Church.

Monica was married to a pagan Roman official, Patricius. Their marriage was not happy, but it was peaceful because she persevered with calmness, patience and wisdom. Her years of unceasing prayer came because she had complete trust in God's Providence. Before he died, Monica saw her husband's conversion.

Prayer changes things. When we pray for someone, our hearts are changed. God always hears our prayers. By praying for someone else, God expands our hearts with His love. God answers our prayers in His own perfect timing. Sometimes, the answer is to wait patiently. God calls upon us to pray with unwavering and confident trust that He will answer our prayers.

Prayer is a spiritual work of mercy. During this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, I offer you these challenges to deepen your prayer life:

Make a weekly date with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration.
Go to Mass and receive the Eucharist as often as possible.
Never give up praying for a soul who has been entrusted to you.
Pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every day for the living and the dead.
Promise Our Lady that you will go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a month.

Prayer to Saint Monica: Exemplary Mother of the great Augustine, you perseveringly pursued your wayward son not with wild threats, but with prayerful cries to heaven. Intercede for all mothers in our day so that they may learn to draw their children to God. Teach them how to remain close to their children, even the prodigal sons and daughters who have sadly gone astray.

Saint Monica, teach us how to pray unceasingly as you did. Blessed Mother Mary, through the intercession of the Saints, pray for us, for our children, our loved ones and all the intentions in our hearts. O Sacred Heart of Jesus, we place our trust in You.

The Queenship of Mary

Hail Holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria!
Today is the Feast Day of the Queenship of Mary. Pope Pius XII established this feast in 1954, but Mary’s Queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, Gabriel announced that Mary’s Son would receive the throne of David and rule forever. At the Visitation, Elizabeth calls Mary “Mother of my Lord.” As in all the mysteries of Mary’s life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her Queenship is a share in Jesus’ Kingship. In the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court. In the fourth century, Saint Ephrem called Mary “Lady” and “Queen” and Church Fathers and Doctors continued to use the title. Hymns of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries address Mary as queen: “Hail, Holy Queen,” “Hail, Queen of Heaven,” “Queen of Heaven.”

The feast is celebrated on the octave day of the Feast of the Assumption. In his encyclical To the Queen of Heaven, Pope Pius XII pointed out that Mary deserves the title because she is Mother of God, because she is closely associated as the New Eve with the redemptive work of Jesus, because of her perfection and her intercessory power.

Mary was assumed into Heaven by Jesus and the angels. That means she was carried. Jesus ascended into Heaven, which is a different word. He went up to Heaven by His own power. Mary doesn't have that kind of power, so Jesus carried her. After she was assumed into Heaven, Jesus took His Mother to a throne next to His own. Since He is King and Lord of all, then as His Mother, she was to become Queen. Jesus, God our Father and the Holy Spirit placed a beautiful crown of twelve stars on her head. All the angels and saints sang wonderful songs praising her as their Queen. The Blessed Virgin Mary now shares in the glory of her Risen Son, because shares in His work of saving souls. As His Mother, she carried Him in her womb, gave Him birth, raised Him through childhood and into adulthood and stayed with Him when He was on the Cross.

Mary is Queen to all of us. She obtains all graces for us through her prayers. As our mother and as Jesus's Mother, she will always intercede for us to her Son, and lead us closer to Him. Let us bring all our needs and prayers to her.  O Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us and for all those we pray for.

Reflection: The Memorare by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux...

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux wrote of the great spiritual advantage of true devotion to our Blessed Mother, inviting us to become her trusting children. He wrote this beautiful prayer:

"Look to the star of the sea, call upon Mary … in danger, in distress, in doubt, think of Mary, call upon Mary. May her name never be far from your lips, or far from your heart … If you follow her, you will not stray; if you pray to her, you will not despair; if you turn your thoughts to her, you will not err. If she holds you, you will not fall; if she protects you, you need not fear; if she is your guide, you will not tire; if she is gracious to you, you will surely reach your destination."

Mary, Our Mother, understands our sufferings and hurts. Let us ask for her intercession to Jesus. Her heart was pierced when she heard Simeon's words, as she held her precious baby. She did not understand, but she kept and pondered all things in her heart. Let us unite our sufferings and those of our children and those for whom we pray with Mary.

Mary was petitioned as "Mother of God" at least by the 3rd Century, as is evidenced by the discovery of the Sub Tuum prayer:

This prayer, known in Latin as "Sub tuum Praesidium" and first found in a Greek papyrus, c. 300, is the oldest known prayer to the Virgin.

We turn to you for protection, Holy Mother of God. Listen to our prayers and help us in all our needs. Save us from every danger, glorious and blessed Virgin.

The "Memorare" is a sixteenth-century version of a fifteenth-century prayer that began "Ad sanctitatis tuae pedes, dulcissima Virgo Maria." Claude Bernard (1588-1641) popularized the idea and wrote the "Memorare".

Remember, most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, to you do I come before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.  O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions but in your mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

On earth, the Blessed Virgin offered her life in that obedient service which is true worship of God. In heaven, she leads the song of eternal praise which rises like incense before the throne of God.  Let us imitate Mary, ponder everything in our heart and turn to her in all our needs.

Reflection: The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary...

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.  Revelation 12:1

Today is the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother Mary. The Assumption is a source of great hope for us because Mary points the us the way to heaven by following Christ and imitating Him. Mary was taken to heaven, body and soul, after her life on earth was ended because of her Immaculate nature, uniquely protected by God's grace from personal sin. Staying close to Mary, she will lead us on our way to our eternal home in heaven.

My parish Patron is the Assumption of Mary. There is a beautiful image of the Assumption in stained glass high above the altar in our church. This year our parish is celebrating our 150th anniversary! For the past six years, we have had a 40 Hour Devotion in preparation for Mary's Feast Day...40 hours of continuous Eucharistic Adoration in our chapel which is named for Saint Joseph. Every hour is dedicated to a particular intention and each of the many ministries in our parish cover the 40 hours, spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. There are hours for intentions such as, the unborn, families, children, our priests, past and present, vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, our country and many more. We have special hours, such as praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy every 3:00 hour, afternoon and early morning. A very special grace was the 3:00 pm hour led by the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy who prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, as well as prayers from Saint Faustina's Diary. Two hours were offered with meditations on the Stations of the Cross, one hour led by a Deacon who will be ordained to the priesthood next year and the other hour by a beautiful Sister. Another grace-filled hour led by our Deacon was the International Family Rosary, prayed in five languages: Arabic, Latin, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. There was a profound sense of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The intention for that hour was for the Sacred Institution of Marriage. Innumerable graces flow from all these prayers and hours of Eucharistic Adoration for our parish, our priests and our families.

May we seek to imitate Mary's self-sacrificing love, faith and obedience. She chose, with the God’s grace, to preserve her God-given purity throughout her whole life. It is fitting that she who knew no sin should know no decay and should be taken body and soul to be with the Father and her Son. It is fitting that she who stood by Christ under the Cross should stand by Him bodily at the right hand of the Father.

The Queen stands at your right hand, in gold of Ophir. Psalm 45:10

Blessed is she who trusted that the Lord's words to her would be fulfilled. May we see heaven as our final goal and come to share her glory. Blessed Mother Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, pray for us and all those for whom we pray.

54 Day Rosary Novena for our Nation

Monday August 15, the Feast Day of the Assumption of Mary, we will begin praying the Rosary Novena for Faith and Freedom for our Nation.  

For the first 27 days, we will offer prayers of petition and the last 27 days, prayers of thanksgiving.  

The last day of the novena is Friday October 7, the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Rosary.  We invoke the powerful intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary to heal our nation, to convert hearts and save souls.

How beautiful is the family that recites the Rosary every evening!  Saint John Paul II

It was not courage, not arms, not leaders, but Mary of the Rosary that made us victors.  Venetian Senators after the Battle of Lepanto

Continue to pray the Rosary every day.  Our Lady of Fatima to Sister Lucia

Never will anyone who says his Rosary every day be led astray.  This is a statement that I would gladly sign with my blood.  Saint Louis de Montfort

The Rosary is the "weapon" for these times.  Saint Padre Pio

Give me an army saying the Rosary and I will conquer the world.  Blessed Pope Pius IX

The greatest method of praying is to pray the Rosary.  Saint Francis de Sales

Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us and for our nation.

54 Day Rosary Novena for our Nation

Reflection: Let the children come to Me...

Blessed are You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. Matthew 11:25

Jesus took a little child and had the child stand among them. Jesus took the child in His arms and told the disciples that unless they become like children they will never enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Let the children come to Me and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. After He placed His hands on them, He went away. Matthew 19:14-15

Jesus said, come to Him, like a little child. Come as you are, come with all of your problems and worries. Come messy, come with stumbling words. Come to Him and ask for guidance and help. Trust less in yourself and trust more in God. On many occasions, Jesus told his disciples that they need to become like little children. Jesus said to come with the simple trust of a child.

Come to Jesus like a little child. This is an invitation to freedom. Bring your pain and suffering and open your heart to Jesus and He will transform you. By surrendering to His plan for your life, Jesus gazes at You with great love. Bring your fears and anxieties to Him and He will shower you in His love and peace. As you allow Jesus to mold you, He will lead you to a path of simplicity and the way of spiritual childhood.

Heavenly Father, we ask You to bless all those for whom we pray. We thank You for the Gift of Your Son Jesus, for the Holy Spirit and for Our Blessed Mother Mary.

Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us...

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Clare. Clare felt a fire stir within her when she heard Francis of Assisi preach and she had a great desire to live the Gospel. At the age of 18, she secretly left her home with her cousin Pacifica, and did not return home again. In the middle of the night, Clare met Francis and his friars at the Portiuncola, the little chapel of ‘Mary of the Angels’. Francis cut her long blond hair and Clare left her fine clothes. She wore a simple dress of sackcloth and a thick veil and vowed from that moment on to give herself to God who would be her Spouse forever.

Francis built a cloister for her. When other ladies joined her, they became know as the Order of Poor Ladies, and later known as the Poor Clares. The Poor Ladies lived in a cloister, apart from the world. They supported Francis and his followers through their hidden life of prayer and sacrifice.

Clare loved to come before the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, her dearest Love. She received Jesus in Holy Communion as often as she was permitted. One day after she had received Holy Communion, the Child Jesus came to visit her. He lay in her arms and covered her with kisses.

Our Lord was close to Clare and her Sisters all the time. Once, He saved them from a great danger in answer to Saint Clare's prayer. An army of rough soldiers came to attack Assisi and they planned to raid the convent first. Although very sick, she had herself carried to the wall and right there, where the enemies could see it, she had the Blessed Sacrament placed. Then on her knees, she begged God to save the Sisters.  "O Lord, protect these Sisters whom I cannot protect now," she prayed. A voice seemed to answer: "I will keep them always in My care." At the same time a sudden fright struck the attackers and they fled as fast as they could.  This became known as the Miracle of the Blessed Sacrament.

In speaking of Eucharistic Adoration, Saint Clare said,

"Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him."

Saint John Paul II said of Saint Clare: "her whole life was a Eucharist because from her cloister she raised up a continual thanksgiving to God in her prayer, praise, supplication, intercession, weeping, offering and sacrifice. She accepted everything from the Father in union with His only begotten Son."

I have a very special love for Saint Clare, her profound devotion of the Eucharist and her life of contemplative prayer. I especially love the story of how she held up the Blessed Sacrament when Assisi was about to be attacked and the attackers fled in fright. In 2014, I had the blessing of visiting Assisi and I remember being so moved by the statue of Saint Clare holding up the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus in the Eucharist heals, protects and performs miracles. Whenever you have an opportunity to go to Eucharistic Adoration, go and sit in the Presence of the Lord. He is waiting for you. Like Saint Clare, the more you come to Him, the more He will make you like Him. When you gaze at Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, He is gazing back at you with great love.

“Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! And transform your entire being into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation." Saint Clare

Saint Clare, pray for us and all those we pray for through this ministry.

Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Dominic

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Dominic. During his life, he tried to convert non-believers to Catholicism, founded the Order of Dominicans, and experienced apparitions of Blessed Mother Mary. She revealed to him the structure of the Most Holy Rosary which we pray today.

Dominic was born in Spain and spent his early years there. In neighboring southern France, there was a religious sect called Cathars. This sect had some elements of the Catholic faith, but held a fundamental belief which Catholicism considered heresy. Cathars main heresy was their belief in dualism: that an evil God created the materialistic world and the good God created the spiritual world. The Pope dispatched missionaries to southern France, including Dominic, to convert the Cathars, to accept Catholic teaching and cease belief in separate gods.

Dominic had a special devotion to what was the predecessor of the modern rosary. It was a tallying mechanism to count the number of prayers recited, which in early times was called paternoster, which comes from Latin as father (pater) and ours (noster). Often the person reciting a penance would recite 150 Our Fathers and use the paternoster to keep an accurate count. In the year 1214, he was in anguish because his attempt to convert the Cathars seemed to be a failure because he converted so few. He attributed this to the deepness and gravity of their sinfulness.

He went alone in to the forest and wept and prayed continuously for three days to appease the anger of Almighty God. After three days, he fell into a coma. While in a coma, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked: "Dear Dominic, do you know which weapon the Blessed Trinity wants to use to reform the world?" Mary continued: "I want you to know that, in this kind of warfare, the battering ram has always been the Angelic Psalter which is the foundation stone of the New Testament. Therefore if you want to reach these hardened souls and win them over to God, preach my Psalter" which is the Rosary.

Shortly after this apparition, he preached the Holy Rosary to the unconverted Carthars. To modify the paternoster (150 Our Fathers) and in compliance with the instruction in the apparition, the design of the Saint Dominic rosary came in to being. He set apart 15 mysteries of the rosary, grouped them in to 3 sets of 5 decades each. These groupings were designated the Joyful, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries. This design helped the Cathars better understand and to imitate the virtuous life of Jesus and Mary,

Mother of Grace, Mother of Mercy, help us turn to you and Jesus by praying the Rosary daily. Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us. Saint Dominic, pray for us.

Reflection: Come closer to Me...

"I am Joseph," he said to his brothers. "Is my father still in good health?" But his brothers could give him no answer, so dumbfounded were they at him. "Come closer to me," he told his brothers. When they had done so, he said: "I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you. Genesis 45:3-5

Have you ever experienced betrayal or rejection?
If you have, read and meditate Genesis and the story of Joseph. His brothers, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery. They turned their backs on their brother. Imagine the pain Joseph felt, but he did not let his feelings consume him. Although his brothers meant it for harm, God meant it for good. God will draw goodness out of evil but we must not turn our backs on Him. Joseph did not hold his rejection against his brothers. He could have, but Joseph had a forgiving heart. God calls on us to have forgiving hearts. The best way to do this is to go to confession often. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is the Throne of Mercy. It is where grace and mercy meet.

When you experience betrayal or rejection, your soul is wounded. Jesus encouraged Saint Faustina to bring her miseries, the wounds of her heart, to confession. He said to her:

"Tell Me about everything, be sincere in dealing with Me, reveal all the wounds of your heart. I will heal them." Diary of Saint Faustina 1487

Jesus is there waiting for you and He wants to heal you. Come as you are and open your heart to the priest who is Jesus Himself. As you go to confession, Jesus will heal the wound in your soul and you will receive forgiveness, healing, sanctifying grace and mercy. As Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me," Jesus also says to you, "Come closer to Me."

Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that he might meet him in Goshen. On his arrival in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen. As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck and wept a long time in his arms. Genesis 46:28-20

When Joseph met his father, "he flung himself on his neck and wept a long time in his arms."

In the Diary of Saint Faustina 1448, Jesus spoke these words to her:

"Write, speak of My mercy. Tell souls where they are to look for solace, that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy (the Sacrament of Reconciliation), There the greatest miracles take place and are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage, or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to Him one's misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were souls like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint there would be no hope of restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God, The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full."

In confession, Jesus will heal the wound in your soul. He is calling you, "Come closer to Me." Run to confession and "fling yourself into His arms."  Let your tears flow and Jesus will perform the greatest miracle in your soul. Through the miracle of Divine Mercy, your soul will be restored.

O, give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:1

Heavenly Father, help us to be like Joseph, filled with love and forgiveness. Help us to see the plans You have for us. Sweet Jesus, stay with us and keep us close to You. Blessed Mother Mary, protect your little ones and all those we pray for. Come Holy Spirit! Come through Mary!

Feast Day of Our Lady of the Angels

"O my brothers and sisters, I want you all to go to heaven." Saint Francis of Assisi

Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of the Angels. Saint Francis repaired three chapels. The third was popularly called the Portiuncula or the Little Portion, dedicated to Our Lady of the Angels and is now enclosed in a sanctuary at Assisi. The friars came to live at the Little Portion in early 1211. It became the “motherhouse” of the Franciscans and where Saint Clare came to the friars to make her vows in 1212 and where Saint Francis died in 1226.

The shrine is described as a replica of the little church, the "Portiuncula" or "little corner of the world" in Assisi.  This is where Saint Francis began to understand his vocation to follow the Gospel, give up all worldly goods, pray for and advocate peace, and care for the poor and sick.

Because of the favors from God obtained at the Portiuncula, Saint Francis asked the Pope to grant remission of sins to all who came there. The privilege extends beyond the Portiuncula to others churches, especially held by Franciscans, throughout the world.

A plenary indulgence is a powerful tool for works of mercy and weapon in our ongoing spiritual warfare. A plenary indulgence is the remission, through the merits of Christ and the saints, through the Church, of all temporal punishment due to sin already forgiven.

To obtain the Portiuncula plenary indulgence, a person must visit the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels at Assisi, or a Franciscan sanctuary, or one’s parish church, with the intention of honoring Our Lady of the Angels. Then perform the work of reciting the Creed and Our Father and pray for the Pope’s designated intentions. You should be free, at least intentionally, of attachment to venial and mortal sin, and truly repentant. Make your sacramental confession 8 days before or after. Participate at assist at Mass and receive Holy Communion 8 days before or after.

The Portiuncula indulgence, given until the end of time, is the first plenary indulgence that was ever granted in the Church. He who gains the Portiuncula indulgence is freed from all temporal punishments and becomes as pure as after Holy Baptism.

A plenary indulgence is available to anyone who will:
1. Receive sacramental confession (8 days before of after)
2. Receive the Holy Eucharist at Holy Mass on August 2nd
3. Enter a parish church and, with a contrite heart, pray the Our Father, the Apostles Creed and a prayer of his/her own choosing for the intentions of the Pope.

The Portiuncula was a source of Saint Francis' adoration of God. His message of peace and love remain alive through the turmoil of today's world. In this gift, we see God pouring out His unfathomable Divine Mercy upon the world.

Our Lady of the Angels, pray for us and all the intentions in our hearts.