Homily #080521 ( 10min) Play – To know what to do is not enough. We must actually do it. Fr. Angelo gives examples from the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. John Bosco to show that although deciding what to do is sometimes difficult, our usual difficulty in the spiritual life is mustering the strength to do what we already know needs to be done.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Homily #090131 ( 09min) Play – Fr. Angelo Geiger preaches on the life of St John Bosco and how he started the Salesian Order that reformed many street children to be good Catholics and citizens and did so with minimal discipline but with religion, reason and maximum kindness.
Ave Maria! Mass readings
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Homily #110131 ( 16min) Play – Fr. Angelo explains St. John Bosco’s “Preventive Method” of Education – Reason, Religion, and Kindness.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John Bosco, Confessor – Third Class – Form: EF, Dedit Illi Deus
Readings:
1st: phi 4:4-9
Gsp: mat 18:1-5

Audio (MP3)

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A majestic ship, representing the Church and commanded by the Pope, was defending itself amid stormy seas from an opposing fleet. Innumerable enemy ships tried to sink the Church using everything in their arsenals, including writings or books or inflammable materials.

Safe Harbor Dream of St John Bosco

In the immense expanse of sea, two mighty columns of great height arise a little distance from each other. On the top of the higher and bigger column stands the Sacred Host of great size and beneath is a placard with the words: Salus Credentium – “Salvation of the faithful.” On the top of the other column was a statue of the Immaculate Virgin with a placard with this inscription: Auxilium Christianorum – “Help of Christians.”

The Pope tries with all his might to steer the ship toward the two columns to anchor to them. Whenever the enemy strikes a formidable blow against the ship, a gentle breeze blows from the two columns repairing the damage to the Church.

Ultimately, the Church finds safe harbor between the two Pillars:

First Pillar: Devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament
Second Pillar: Devotion to Our Blessed Mother

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January 31st: Feast of St. John Bosco

For sixty years St. John Bosco received remarkable dreams which were almost visions. Probably his best-known dream-vision was that of the Church like a ship taking refuge between two pillars in the sea. In May 1862 he shared his experience of this dream. He could see a very big ship in the sea which he understood as the Church. There were many smaller ships drawn up to do battle against the big ship, they were the enemies of the Church and persecutions. Two pillars or columns were protruding from the sea a little distant from each other. On the top of one was a statue of Our Lady with Help of Christians written beneath. On top of the other pillar was a host beneath which was written Salvation of the Faithful. The commander of the ship was the Pope. He was directing all his energies to steering the ship between those two columns or pillars.

All the enemy ships moved to attack. Sometimes the large ship, the Church, got large, deep holes in its sides, but no sooner was the harm done than a gentle breeze blew from the two columns and the cracks closed up and the gaps were stopped immediately. In a battle the Pope fell gravely wounded. Immediately those who were with him helped him up. A second time the Pope was struck, this time he fell and died. The new Pope was so promptly chosen that the enemies begin to lose courage. The new Pope overcame all obstacles and enemies and guided the ship right between the two columns. He fastened a chain from the bow of the ship to the column on which stands the host, and fastened a chain from the ship’s stern to the column on which stands a statue of Our Lady. All the ships which had fought against the Pope’s ship were scattered and broken to pieces and other smaller ships which had fought for the Pope’s ship now bound themselves to the same two columns. 

We can identify with so many elements of that dream-vision. We remember Pope John Paul II falling wounded and rising again. The Church is undergoing trials at this time in the western world and elsewhere the Church is also suffering. A book I purchased recently gives an account of Catholics all over the world who were martyred during the twentieth century, more than in any previous century. In this remarkable dream-vision experienced by St. John Bosco the Church has two means to save itself in the midst of her persecutions; devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and devotion to Our Lady. On this Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Jesus, we highlight one of those two pillars, devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist.

I ask you to think again about the importance of Jesus in the Eucharist in your life. Make Jesus in the Eucharist the center of your life once again. In moments from now the bread and wine will become the Body and Blood of Jesus during the consecration of the Mass. The bread and wine will not be symbols but will be changed into the Body and Blood of Jesus. Jesus will be really present although under the form of bread and wine. That is why we talk about the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Eucharist. Because we love Jesus in the Eucharist so much, we have Perpetual Eucharist Adoration in most of the towns of this diocese, and most other parishes have a period of adoration of the Eucharist sometime each week or month. We all know how popular healing Masses are. Almost always during those healing Masses the healing occurs when people are blessed with Jesus in the monstrance. So let us place Jesus in the Eucharist at the center of our lives.

A most special moment of Eucharistic Adoration for all of us is when we receive Jesus in Holy Communion. Then as Jesus said in the Gospel today (Year A), “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.” (John 6:56) There are no words to describe that most precious moment when you return to your seat to spend quiet moments with Jesus. You are one with Jesus and he is one with you. It is a moment of intimacy with Jesus, when you and Jesus are “all wrapped up in each other”, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.” (John 6:56) During healing Masses the healings have also occurred during this moment after receiving Jesus in Holy Communion. Treasure these personal intimate moments between yourself and Jesus, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.” One of the pillars to save the Church in St. John Bosco’s dream was the Eucharist. May Jesus in the Eucharist be the center of the lives of each of us, “he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him.”

Fr. Tommy Lane (used with permission)

The post Famous Dream of St. John Bosco: The Two Pillars first appeared on AirMaria.com.

Homily #130131b ( 09min) Play – Fr. Elias on the first reading from Hebrews, the importance of Christ’s sacrifice to sanctify us which starts for us from the time we are Baptized and then later confess and profess our faith in word and deed. This is what St. John Bosco did for the underprivileged youth of his time, giving a good example by doing good deeds and living a disciplined, sacrificial, Christian life and then teaching them faith.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John Bosco – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Thursday 3rd Week of Ordinary Time
1st: heb 10:19-25
Resp: psa 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Gsp: mar 4:21-25

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #140131b ( 09min) Play – Fr. Joachim on the life of St. John Bosco and how he had a dream to take care of the poor children of the city of Turin and how this grew into the international religious order of the Salesians.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John Bosco – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Friday 3rd Week of Ordinary Time
1st: 2sa 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17
Resp: psa 51:3-4, 5-6, 6-7, 10-11
Gsp: mar 4:26-34

Audio (MP3)

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Homily #140131n ( 07min) Play – Fr. Maximilian preaches over the need to cooperate with the workings of Grace in us, comparing it to stoking a fire. He presents us with today’s saint, St. John Bosco, as an example of a man who was faithful to the work that God wanted to bring about in him.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John Bosco – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Friday 3rd Week of Ordinary Time
1st: 2sa 11:1-4, 5-10, 13-17
Resp: psa 51:3-4, 5-6, 6-7, 10-11
Gsp: mar 4:26-34

Audio (MP3)

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Most Holy Virgin Mary, Help of Christians, how sweet it is to come to your feet imploring your perpetual help.

If earthly mothers cease not to remember their children, how can you, the most loving of all mothers forget me?

Grant then to me, I implore you, your perpetual help in all my necessities, in every sorrow, and especially in all my temptations.

I ask for your unceasing help for all who are now suffering.  Help the weak, cure the sick, convert sinners.

Grant through your intercessions many vocations to the religious life. Obtain for us, O Mary, Help of Christians, that having invoked you on earth we may love and eternally thank you in heaven.

+St. John Bosco

(Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians is May 24th)

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Homily #150131b ( 13min) Play – Fr. Alan presents to us the life of St. John Bosco, the founder of the Salesians, and how he was such a positive influence on Catholic education because his desire to teach was closely tied to his pastoral heart.
Ave Maria!
Mass: St. John Bosco – Mem – Form: OF
Readings: Saturday 3rd Week of Ordinary Time
1st: heb 11:1-2, 8-19
Resp: luk 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
Gsp: mar 4:35-41

Audio (MP3)

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