To Mother Mary

O God of infinite Goodness and Mercy, fill our hearts with great confidence in your Most Holy Mother, whom we invoke under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, and grant us by her most powerful intercession all the graces, spiritual and temporal, which we need. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Act of Consecration to the Holy Ghost

Celebrate the Holy Day of Pentecost

On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses, I offer myself soul and body to Thee, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Thy purity, the unerring keenness of Thy justice, and the might of Thy love. Thou art the Strength and Light of my soul. In Thee I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve Thee by unfaithfulness to grace, and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against Thee. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Thy light and listen to Thy voice and follow Thy gracious inspirations. I cling to Thee and give myself to Thee and ask Thee by Thy compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore Thee Adorable Spirit, helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Thy grace that I may never sin against Thee. Give me grace O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son, to say to Thee always and everywhere, Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth. Amen.

I Am Always With You

Saint Faustina wrote in her diary in April 1937,

Immediately upon my awakening, God's presence enveloped me, and I felt I was a child of God. Divine love was poured into my soul, and God gave me to see how everything depended on His will. He spoke these words to me: I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy. Then He said to me, My daughter, fear nothing. I am always with you, even if it seems to you that I am not. Your humility draws Me down from My lofty throne, and I unite myself closely with you. (Diary entry 1109)

Grace of Prudence

Virtue without prudence is not virtue at all. We should often pray to the Holy Spirit for this grace of prudence. Prudence consists in discretion, rational reflection and courageous resolution. The final decision is always up to us. We must decide; we can and we ought to seek advice and light... (Diary entry 1106)

The Lord Has Set His Throne in Heaven

Responsorial Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20

R.The Lord has set his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord has set his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord has set his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,
you mighty in strength, who do his bidding.
R. The Lord has set his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.

I Praise Your Name For Your Mercy

Psalm 138

I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
in the presence of the angels to you I sing.
I bow low toward your holy temple;
I praise your name for your mercy and faithfulness.
For you have exalted over all
your name and your promise.
On the day I cried out, you answered;
you strengthened my spirit.
All the kings of earth will praise you, LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth.
They will sing of the ways of the LORD:
“How great is the glory of the LORD!”
The LORD is on high, but cares for the lowly
and knows the proud from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of dangers,
you guard my life when my enemies rage.
You stretch out your hand;
your right hand saves me.
The LORD is with me to the end.
LORD, your mercy endures forever.
Never forsake the work of your hands!

Experience the Lord's Great Goodness

On my way to the veranda, I went into the chapel for a moment. My heart was plunged in profound adoration, praising God's incomprehensible goodness and His mercy. Then I heard these words in my soul: I am and will be for you such as you praise Me for being. You shall experience My goodness, already in this life and then, to the full, in the life to come. (Diary entry 1707)

Hymn to Our Lady of Fatima

Dear Lady of Fatima, We come on bended knee, to beg Your intercession, for peace and unity.

Dear Mary, won't You show us, the right and shining way. We pledge our love and offer You, a Rosary each day.

You promised at Fatima, each time that You appeared, to help us if we pray to You, to banish war and fear.

Dear Lady, on First Saturdays, we ask Your guiding hand, for grace and guidance here on earth, and protection for our land.

Our Lady of Fatima

Today is the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, a holy day to praise God for giving us the most loving and beautiful Virgin Mary and to repent for the outrages committed against her holy name.

Dearest Mother, Queen of the Holy Rosary, who came to Fatima to reveal to all mankind the Divine plan for true Christian peace, of prayer, penance and consecration, grant an abundance of grace, strength, and guidance to the members of Thy Fatima Crusade, here present and throughout the world. Inspire us to great zeal, oh great Mediatrix of All Graces, that we may be effective instruments in spreading devotion to Thy Rosary; that we may be faithful in wearing Thy scapular; that we may inspire our brothers in Christ to a life of sacrifice, penance, and modesty, and finally, that we may help to bring about that wonderful day when all men, through consecration to Thy Immaculate Heart, shall be one in Christ. Amen.

The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love

Excerpt from Chapter Five of "The Imitation of Christ," by Thomas a Kempis

I Bless You, O heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for having condescended to remember me, a poor creature. Thanks to You, O Father of mercies, God of all consolation, Who with Your comfort sometimes refresh me, who am not worthy of it. I bless You always and glorifyYou with Your only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, forever and ever.

God's Kingdom on Earth, 'My Life in the Human Soul'

Go to Jesus with all your sorrows, complaints, worries, concerns and needs. He hears you. Rest in Him. Thank Him for all the goodness, graces and gifts - even the smallest - that He gives to you each day.

Today, in the course of a long conversation, the Lord said to me, How very much I desire the salvation of souls! My dearest secretary, write that I want to pour out My divine life into human souls and sanctify them, if only they were willing to accept My grace. The greatest sinners would achieve great sanctity, if only they would trust in My mercy. The very inner depths of My being are filled to overflowing with mercy, and it is being poured out upon all I have created. My delight is to act in a human soul and to fill it with My mercy and to justify it. My kingdom on earth is My life in the human soul. Write, My secretary, that I Myself am the spiritual guide of souls-and I guide them indirectly through the priest, and lead each one to sanctity by a road known to Me alone. (Diary entry 1784)

Our Friend in Heaven, Sister Miriam Teresa

Let us today remember a holy woman, Miriam Teresa Demjanovich, a Sister of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. She was born in Bayonne, New Jersey in 1901, the youngest of seven children. After attending public schools, she entered the College of Saint Elizabeth and graduated with highest honors in 1923. Two years later she entered the community of Sisters of Charity at Convent Station in New Jersey. In June 1926, her spiritual director, Father Benedict Bradley OSB, asked her to write conferences for the novitiate. She wrote 26 conferences which, after her death, were published in a book, "Greater Perfection." After profession of vows as a Sister of Charity, Teresa died in Saint Elizabeth Hospital on May 8, 1927. She was 26 years old.

Because of her saintly life, her striving for perfection in her religious life, her spiritual writings, the mystical privileges accorded her by God during life and the favors received by others after her death through her intercession with God, the Sisters of Charity petitioned Rome for permission to open her Cause for Beatification and Canonization. Read more on the cause.

Prayer for Beatification

Most Holy and Blessed Trinity, Whom Sister Miriam Teresa loved so ardently, grant that we, like her, may become ever more conscious of Thy Divine Presence within our souls.  We implore Thee to show signs that Thy humble servant enjoys glory with Thee in Heaven, and to hasten the day when we may render her a public tribute of our veneration and love.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.

Strive for Recollection

In 1938 Saint Faustina wrote about a conversation she had with Our Lord,

Thank you, Eternal Love, for Your inconceivable kindness to me, that You would occupy Yourself directly with my sanctification. - My daughter, let three virtues adorn you in a particular way: humility, purity of intention and love. Do nothing beyond what I demand of you, and accept everything that My hand gives you. Strive for a life of recollection so that you can hear My voice, which is so soft that only recollected souls can hear it... (Diary entry 1779)

Remain in Me, as I Remain in You

During a three-day retreat before the feast of Pentecost in early June 1938, Jesus instructed Saint Faustina on the first day to read chapter fifteen of Saint John's gospel. We, today, at Mass will hear the opening lines of that chapter. Let us reflect on it as Saint Faustina did some 74 years ago.

Jesus said to Faustina: Today, you will read chapter fifteen of the Gospel of Saint John. I want you to read it very slowly. (Diary entry 1757)

Gospel John 15:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.
He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit,
and every one that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit.
You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you are the branches.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
Anyone who does not remain in me
will be thrown out like a branch and wither;
people will gather them and throw them into a fire
and they will be burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you,
ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you.
By this is my Father glorified,
that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."

Today's Mass reading: 1 John 3:18-24

Children, let us love not in word or speech
but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,
we have confidence in God
and receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit he gave us.

We Place Our Trust in You, Jesus

Responsorial Psalm  33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19

R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.

R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.

R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.

R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
.

I Glorify Your Mercy

Saint Faustina had an ardent love of Jesus and His Mercy. Let us repeat her words of true adoration and love.

O Christ, I am most delighted when I see that You are loved, and that Your praise and glory resound, especially the praise of Your mercy. O Christ, to the last moment of my life, I will not stop glorifying Your goodness and mercy. With every drop of my blood, with every beat of my heart, I glorify Your mercy. I long to be entirely transformed into a hymn of Your glory. When I find myself on my deathbed, may the last beat of my heart be a loving hymn in praise of Your unfathomable mercy. (Diary entry 1708)

Heavenly Mother

Saint Faustina wrote in her diary this passage some 75 years ago today. Let us learn from her, who kept near to Jesus and Mary. 

May 1, 1937.

Today I felt the nearness of my Mother, my heavenly Mother, although before every Holy Communion I earnestly ask the Mother of God to help me prepare my soul for the coming of Her Son, and I clearly feel Her protection over me. I entreat Her to be so gracious as to enkindle in me the fire of God's love, such as burned in Her own pure heart at the time of the Incarnation of the Word of God. (Diary entry 1114)