An Epiphany house blessing and a meditation
Sunday, January 3rd, 2010Ave Maria Mediations
AN EPIPHANY BLESSING OF A HOME +
(one form):
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Ave Maria Mediations
AN EPIPHANY BLESSING OF A HOME +
(one form):
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One Minute Meditation
It is only the Child lying in the manger who possesses the true secret of life. For this reason he asks us to welcome him, to make room for him within us, in our hearts, in our homes, in our cities, and in our societies. The words of John’s Prologue echo in our minds and hearts: “To all who received him … he gave power’ to become children of God” (1: 12). Let us endeavor to be among those who welcome him. Before him one cannot remain indifferent. We too, dear friends, must continuously take sides. What will our response be? With what attitude will we welcome him? The simplicity of the shepherds and the seeking of the Magi who scrutinized the signs of God by means of the star come to our help. The docility of Mary and the wise prudence of Joseph serve as an example to us … The love that Jesus, born in Bethlehem, brought into the world binds to himself in a lasting relationship of friendship and brotherhood all who welcome him. Saint John of the Cross says: “In giving us all, that is, his Son, in him God has now said all. Fix your eyes on him alone … and you will find in addition more than you ask and desire.” Pope Benedict XVI
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Ave Maria Meditations:
The Blessed Virgin chosen from eternity: Her vocation.
We are now very close to Christmas. The prophecy of Isaiah is now about to be fulfilled: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Emmanuel, a name which means ‘God is with us’. The Hebrew people were familiar with the prophecies which singled out the descendants of Jacob, through David, as bearers of the Messianic promises. But they could not imagine that the Messiah would be God himself made man. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman. And this woman, chosen and predestined from all eternity to be the mother of the Savior, had consecrated her virginity to God, renouncing the honor of counting the Messiah among her direct descendants. We can obtain great benefits at this time by keeping close to Our Lady and showing our love for her. |
Ave Maria! On November 7th three friars attended a “Family Vocation Day” in Cranston, RI, where they set up a table promoting our community; Franciscans of the Immaculate. Family Vocation Ministries envisions 10 to 20 years in the future to witness a substantial increase of vocations to the priesthood and the consecrated life. The ministry also aspires to sow an increase of awareness regarding the importance of family life. They hope and pray to have a direct effect on at least:
Ave Maria! |
Homily #091115 ( +++ |
Ave Maria! Corinn Dahm and Lisa Martin discuss the blossoming effort to raise funds for the Ave Maria Home for pregnant mothers in the Norwich Diocese. These homes will be affiliated with and patterned after the very successful Good Counsel Homes started by Chris Bell and Fr. Benedict Groeschel in NY City. Ave Maria! |
Marycast #89 ( To ask questions regarding Mary, email Dr Mark Miravalle: marycast@airmaria.com +++ |
Ave Maria! Celebration of All Hallows Eve at the Franciscan Friary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Griswold, CT. Ave Maria! |
Ave Maria! Maggie Gallagher, Founder / President Maggie is a nationally syndicated columnist, the author of three books on marriage (including most recently with University of Chicago Prof Linda Waite “The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier, and Better-Off Financially”), and a leading voice of the new marriage movement. National Journal named her to the 2004 list of the most influential people in the same-sex marriage debate. She appears frequently on major TV and radio and is frequently asked to lecture at colleges, universities and law schools. She has testified as an expert witness on marriage before the U.S. Senate and in various state legislatures. Her writings on marriage have appeared in The New York Times, The Weekly Standard, and the Wall Street Journal, as well as scholarly journals such as the Louisiana Law Review, and the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics, and Public Policy. Maggie is a graduate of Yale (class of ‘82). Ave Maria! |
Ave Maria! At the recent Celebrate Marriage Day in Warwick, RI Chris Plante of National Organization for Marriage, Rhodes Island gives his thoughts on the importance of marriage and the need to keep the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. Ave Maria! of National Organization for Marriage, Rhodes Islandof National Organization for Marriage, Rhodes Island
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Ave Maria! At this summer’s Celebrating Marriage event conducted by the Rhode Island chapter of the the National Organization for Marriage Scott Spear gives an address on the beauties of Marriage before the crowd of couples that gathered at the Aldrich Mansion in Warwick who are ready to renew their wedding vows. Ave Maria! |
Ave Maria! Pierluigi Molla is the son of Saint Gianna Molla who died in 1962 after giving birth to his little sister. St. Gianna developed a fibroma in her uterus during the second month of her pregnancy which required immediate surgery to save her, but since it would certainly terminate her pregnancy she put it off to save her child. Despite the best efforts of the doctors they could not save the heroic mother. Pierluigi came to Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in La Crosse, WI to give a pro-life talk on the first anniversary of the opening of the Shrine. While he was there he graciously consented to an interview with Fr. Peter, the rector of the shrine, and shares his memories of his mother and his thoughts on what her life gave witness to. Ave Maria! |
Ave Maria! On August 16, a Sunday, the RI Chapter of National Organization for Marriage (NOM) in conjunction with the Diocese of Providence held their first annual Celebrate Marriage and Family Day at the Aldrich Mansion in West Warwick, RI. It was a smash hit with hundreds of couples and families from RI and beyond coming to celebrate marriage and even renew their vows. We interviewed Fr. Bernard Healy of the Diocese of Providence who explained the significance of the event and plans for future action. Ave Maria! |
Ave Maria! On August 11th Eduardo Verastegui, the lead actor in the award winning pro-life movie Bella, came to the Eastern Connecticut University campus in Willimantic and gave a press conference followed by a talk in front of a packed auditorium. The event was organized by the Sisters of Charity in Baltic, Ct. We captured the press conference and are presenting it in three parts. Part One: Eduardo talks about his upcoming movies including one on St Peter with a $160 million budget. Then he discusses his company Metanoia Films and the difficult road of being an independent film producer. He mentions his recently completed world tour for the promotion of the movie Bella. And, finally, about his new non-profit organization Mantle of Guadalupe (Espanol) with which he goes on world missions to give help to the pour and is helping to build a hospital for pregnant mothers in a downtown LA Latino barrio. Ave Maria! |
Ave Maria! In Part 2 of 3 Eduardo answers questions about how he had to start his own film company in order to avoid playing degrading, immoral roles and the difficulties and obstacles on the road to success. He relates his involvement in promoting adoption, then how much actors in Hollywood struggle with immorality but how it is worth the struggle, and finally his status as a role model. Ave Maria! |