Dear Parishioners,
Once again, snowy greetings from the rectory. I hope you weathered our recent snowstorms!
This past Tuesday, we celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. As part of that celebration, we celebrated Mass and led the worshippers in an Act of Consecration.
What is an Act of Consecration? An Act of Consecration is an act by which an individual sets himself or herself apart from sin to live a holy life. It involves a serious commitment to respond to God’s grace and to offer oneself totally to God.
This Act of Consecration came about after the people had made a 33-day spiritual “journey to Eucharistic Glory.” For the past 33 days, individuals committed to reading one chapter per day (3-4 pages) of Matthew Kelly’s book, 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory. The culmination of this 33-day retreat was the Mass and the actual Act of Consecration.
We also had a relic of St. Bernadette present, as well as actual water from the shrine at Lourdes. Following Mass, we had Exposition and Benediction with the Act of Consecration. After Benediction, we then had the opportunity to venerate the relic of St. Bernadette and to bless ourselves with the water from the Shrine in Lourdes, France. It was a powerfully prayerful evening.
I would like to thank the Legion of Mary for sponsoring the entire spiritual program. The Legion of Mary arranged for the books, planned various group prayer opportunities during the 33-day pilgrimage, and, of course, organized the final Mass. I certainly encourage everyone to consider joining the Legion of Mary and helping them with the good work they do.
Together, we can do something beautiful for God.
In Christ,
Fr. Brian
P.S. Next weekend, February 22nd & 23rd, the parish will be having a Special Second Collection. In addition to the cost of snow removal, we had a major expense to the water system. You may recall that last month we had to shut off the water for two days for the repairs. If every family could give an additional $20 next week in the Second Collection, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance!