For many centuries, Catholics have devoted the month of May to Mary. Both in our churches and in our homes, we offer special prayers to Our Lady and honor her as our spiritual mother.
This year, this month takes on special significance. On May 13, we will mark the 100th anniversary of the appearance of Our Lady to three shepherd children in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.
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| Lindsay Becher |
“God thirsts that we may thirst for him.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2560
I thirst.
These words spoken from Jesus on the cross were also imprinted on the heart of St. Teresa of Kolkata (Mother Teresa) on September 10, 1946, and every day forward.
These words, and what Jesus revealed to her about them on a train ride that “Inspiration Day,” changed her life. Through the Church’s newest saint, they have also changed mine.
It was a privilege for my husband John and me to serve as part of the honor guard as the relics of St. Maria Goretti were venerated at the church named for her in Madison.
Members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in the Diocese of Madison volunteered to stand watch during the veneration from 9 a.m. on October 16 to 5:30 a.m. on October 17. October 16 happened to be the birthday of Maria Goretti, who was born on October 16, 1890, in Corinaldo, Italy.
Thousands of people of all ages waited in line at St. Maria Goretti Church to see the relics of this special saint.
I saw much reverence — and even some tears — as young and old alike came forward and touched the casket with their hands and placed Rosaries, prayer cards, pictures, and Bibles on it.
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
Last week I was blessed to take part in the wonderful Canonization ceremony and Mass of Thanksgiving for St. John Paul II and St. John XXIII. The experience certainly was one of the most precious of my entire life.
I was blessed to visit Rome for the first time in the mid-’70s and God’s providence has enabled me to return a good number of times. Yet, never once have I seen Rome so crowded as it was during those days leading up to the Canonizations. More so than the crowds that might gather at a secular event such as a World’s Fair, I was reminded of the crowds that fill the streets at World Youth Days.
There was not only a wonderful spirit of devotion, but also a tremendous number of energetic young people who moved around the city, even through the night, attending the numerous programs and opportunities for prayer in the various churches around Rome.
The first time I saw Pope John Paul II in person was at Living History Farms near Des Moines, Iowa, in 1979. The Holy Father celebrated Mass and preached on a hillside altar.
In his homily, Pope John Paul II reminded us that the land is God’s gift entrusted to his people “as a means of sustaining the life he created.” He called on farmers to be generous with food to help feed the millions who are hungry.
When she was a 13-year-old girl living in Belgium, Mariette Coffman walked in a procession behind a hearse carrying the remains of Fr. Damien de Veuster on May 3, 1936.
“I remember that the hearse was drawn by six white horses,” said Mariette. Father Damien’s remains were shipped from Hawaii, where the Belgian missionary had ministered to people with leprosy until he himself died of the disease. Mariette recalls that the ship landed in Antwerp and his remains were taken to Louvain, where he was buried.
The Archbishop Fulton John Sheen Foundation welcomes Bishop Robert C. Morlino to the episcopal advisory board for the cause for beatification of the Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Bishop Morlino joins bishops from around the U.S. in supporting the cause.
