Why the Our Father is the prayer of the end of the world
05/06/24
The Lord's Prayer looks at both the present age and the age to come, when all things will end and a new beginning will be initiated by Jesus Christ.
Typically we don’t think of the Our Father as a prayer that is connected to the end of the world.
However, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states precisely that, seeing in the Lord’s Prayer a preparation for the end times:
In the Eucharist, the Lord’s Prayer also reveals the eschatological character of its petitions. It is the proper prayer of “the end-time,” the time of salvation that began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and will be fulfilled with the Lord’s return. The petitions addressed to our Father, as distinct from the prayers of the old covenant, rely on the mystery of salvation already accomplished, once for all, in Christ crucified and risen.
CCC 2771
A closer look at the Our Father reveals many of its petitions can be viewed in light of Jesus’ second …Mais

Pope: Take a moment and thank God for your friends
on 05/06/24
Jesus wants more, something greater, that goes beyond goods and plans themselves: it takes friendship.
As Jesus calls his disciples his “friends” in the Gospel of Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged the faithful to take a moment to think of all the friends God has put in our lives, and thank Him for that gift.
Before praying the Regina Caeli on May 5, the Pope considered:
In the Bible the “servants” of God are special people, to whom He entrusts important missions, such as, for example, Moses (cf. Ex 14:31), King David (cf. 2 Sam 7:8), the prophet Elijah (cf. 1 Re 18:36), up to the Virgin Mary (cf. Lk 1:38). They are people in whose hands God places His treasures (cf. Mt 25:21). But all of this is not enough, according to Jesus, to say who we are for Him, it is not enough: He wants more, something greater, that goes beyond goods and plans themselves: it takes friendship.
After inviting the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s …Mais

Pope urges us to “make reparation” to Jesus’ Sacred Heart
on 05/05/24
While the concept of "reparation" might seem obsolete or be forgotten today, Pope Francis says it is a beautiful practice to take up again.
Pope Francis says the “beautiful practice of the reparation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,” is an important practice for all the baptized, even if today it “may be somewhat forgotten or wrongly judged obsolete.”
The Pope spoke of “reparation” — a practice by which someone who has wronged God and neighbor tries to make right, or “repair” the wound — in an address marking the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary.
The Catechism speaks of reparation like this:
2487 Every offense committed against justice and truth entails the duty of reparation, even if its author has been forgiven. When it is impossible publicly to make reparation for a wrong, it must be made secretly. If someone who has suffered harm cannot be directly compensated, he must be given …Mais

Sábado, 4 de mayo de 2024 19:15
Misa, en español, en la Capilla de las Apariciones de Fátima

5 Important ways to emulate the Virgin Mary this May
on 05/04/24
With the month of May being dedicated to the Blessed Mother, here are ways to honor her by imitating some of her many virtues.
The month of May is full of joy. It’s a moment when spring blooms at its best, the evenings become longer, and since medieval times in the Catholic world, the Virgin Mary is celebrated for one whole month — which can be referred to as Tricesimum, a 30-day devotion to the Mary.
As part of this devotion, individuals can look to the many virtues of the Blessed Mother and try to echo them. Here are just a few ways you can try and take inspiration from Mary in your daily lives that can last throughout May and beyond.
1
ACTS OF COMPASSION
Channel Mary’s compassion by reaching out to someone in need. Whether it’s volunteering at a local shelter, offering a listening ear to a friend in distress, or simply smiling at a stranger, embodying compassion fosters connections and spreads warmth in the world. 2 …Mais

A Marian pilgrimage in the Vatican Gardens
on 05/04/24
During the whole month, the Vatican Museums are proposing a cultural, spiritual, and botanical itinerary in the exclusive context of the Gardens.
The Vatican Gardens are a vast natural sanctuary of spiritual significance within the heart of Vatican City. Occupying approximately half of the Vatican’s territory, these gardens were once retreats for popes. Today, the gardens are open to the public, inviting visitors to discover their artistic, spiritual, and botanical treasures.
The month of May holds special significance in the Catholic tradition as a time specially dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This practice stems from centuries-old devotions, where May’s blossoming flowers and vibrant natural beauty symbolize Mary’s virtues and role as the mother of Jesus. It is only natural that the Vatican would seize this opportunity to invite visitors in, as the gardens are blooming: During the whole month, the Vatican Museums are proposing a …Mais

An enchanting hymn in the stunning refectory of Mont Saint-Michel
on 05/04/24
The Windborne Singers put on a performance to remember from within the 1,000-year-old halls of the picturesque Mont-Saint-Michel in France.
An enchanted setting demands enchanting tones, and that’s just what the Windborne Singers provided when they visited the picturesque Mont Saint-Michel in France. This excellent quartet started singing in the refectory of Mont Saint-Michel, which has some of the finest acoustics around and really made the performance grand.
Mont Saint-Michel has stood just off the Normandy coast for over 1,000 years, with the millennial anniversary of the laying of the first stone of the abbey church celebrated in 2023. A monument of the Middle Ages, this mysterious church on the edge of the world has spurred devotions and the imagination for centuries.
So when a group of singers wants to perform a hymn at such a storied and downright gorgeous location, they better bring their A-game. …Mais

May is the month of Mary Pope Francis encourages us all to "rediscover the beauty of praying the Rosary at home in the month of May." He shared a prayer to add on to the end of the rosary that you can find here:
O Mary,
You shine continuously on our journey
as a sign of salvation and hope.
We entrust ourselves to you, Health of the Sick,
who, at the foot of the cross,
were united with Jesus’ suffering,
and persevered in your faith. “Protectress of the Roman people”, you know our needs, and we know that you will provide, so that, as at Cana in Galilee, joy and celebration may return after this time of trial. Help us, Mother of Divine Love, to conform ourselves to the will of the Father and to do what Jesus tells us. For he took upon himself our suffering, and burdened himself with our sorrows to bring us, through the cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. Amen. We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God; Do not despise our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from …Mais

viernes, 3 de mayo de 2024 19:15
Misa, en español, en la Capilla de las Apariciones de Fátima

Friday, May 3, 2024 3:30 pm
Mass, in English, at the Chapel of the Apparitions of Fátima