Angelus, November 30, First Sunday of Advent

Pope Benedict XVI: Jesus is hope for all, not only believers.

Father Carl's Stepping Stones: #3

Little reminders to keep us on the right path!

Many of us already know the story of how St. Catherine Laboure received the Miraculous Medal from Our Lady, but long before becoming a Daughter of Charity, Catherine Laboure already showed great love for and devotion to Mary, the Mother of God.

Dear Friend,

St. Catherine Laboure's Feast is celebrated this year on Saturday, Nov. 28. Catherine was baptized and given the name of Zoe because it was on the feast of Saint Zoe that she was born. It is common knowledge that the Virgin Mary appeared Catherine Laboure, telling her to have a medal struck in honor of her Immaculate Conception. Few people remember that Zoe first went to the Virgin Mary...not then but much earlier in her life at a most appropriate time.

At the time Zoe was 9 years old. I placed the age here as a numeral to emphasize it because the day was October 9, 1815. There were tears and sobbing throughout the house. Her mother had just died. A hired servant kept a watch on the youngsters and noticed Zoe moving in a determined step. She was too small to do what she wanted so she grabbed a chair, dragged it in front of the fireplace, and stood on it. She reached up and took the statue of the Virgin Mary from the mantle, wrapped it in her young arms, and held it to her breast. The servant heard her say, "Now you will be my mother." Tears came, but she checked them and climbed down to the floor. She now had her new mother.

There had been 17 children in the family. Only 10 survived infancy. After the funeral an aunt offered to take the two youngest girls, Zoe 9 and Tonine 7. In a time of stress it helped the father. The new home for Zoe was occupied with 4 boy cousins and 2 girl cousins ranging from age ten to eighteen. After two years the father asked to have Zoe and Tonine return; he missed them. In her joy returning home Zoe began preparing for her first Holy Communion at age 12. It was about that time she also told her father that Tonine would help her, but she was going to take over all the household duties including the garden and the dovecote which was home to some 600 to 800 pigeons. In fact it had 1121 nest places.

Zoe became "the woman of the house" caring for the needs of cooking, baking, washing, feeding the pigeons and cleaning their dovecote, and caring for the garden. She did this until she was 21 when she went to the city hoping to learn how to read and write. During this time Zoe had a daily routine she had worked out including a quick run to the local church which was no longer used for daily worship. But for her, it was God's House. There in the silence she could talk to her Mother without distraction for a few moments before returning for her daily workload.

It was at this time in her life that the calling to religious life took hold of Zoe's soul and the rest is history as she becomes a the Daughter of Charity chosen by Our Lady to give the world the Miraculous Medal!

~Father Carl

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Father Carl's Stepping Stones; little reminders to keep us on the right path! #2

My Friend - This week is most memorable because we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, recalling the various and numerous blessings given us. The Vincentian Family adds some other festivities to it: November 27 -- Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal commemorating the appearance of Mary to St. Catherine Laboure on this day; November 28 - the Feast of St. Catherine Laboure; and November 29 - the Founding of the Daughters of Charity. With this anniversary falling on Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent this year, there will be no external celebration - but it is observed quietly within the community and its individuals. You and your loved ones will be kept in our prayers as we observe these feast days. - Fr. Carl

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"Oh Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

St. Catherine Laboure, pray for us.

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On November 27 1830 at 5:30 pm, during meditation, St Catherine Labouré saw at the present location of the Virgin of the Globe (Rue de Bac) a vision of the Blessed Virgin. She was standing on a globe holding in her hands a small golden globe, her feet crushing a serpent. Coming from the open hands of the Blessed Virgin were beautiful rays of light. At that same moment Catherine heard a voice saying: “These rays are symbols of graces that Mary obtains for people.” Then an oval formed around the vision and Catherine saw emblazoned in a semi-circle this invocation written in gold letters, and until then unknown: “O Mary conceived without sin pray for us who have recourse to you”. Then the oval turned and Catherine saw on the reverse side, the letter M surmounted with a little cross and below it the Hearts of Jesus and Mary. Catherine then heard these words: “Have a medal made as this. Those who wear it with confidence will receive great graces.”• further information about the Miraculous Medal and St Catherine Labouré can be found at the official website of the Chapel of the Rue de Bac.

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Father Carl's Stepping Stones; little reminders to keep us on the right path!

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Father Carl Schulte, CM, author of A Guiding Star, the story of the life of Sister Marie, is so generous with his time and sends Erin and I emails that are filled with little pearls of wisdom. They are reminders of the Liturgical Calendar saints, feast days, and historical events. It's meant so very much to us so, with his permission, we would like to share them with you. We'll call them Father Carl's Stepping Stones; little reminders to keep us on the right path! The imagery of the stones on this "path" calls to mind the pathway into Mary's House in Ephesus, discovered and preserved thanks to Sister Marie. Mary's House is a symbol of Mary's Heart. With Sister Marie's prayers and Father Carl's encouragement and little lessons we'll all one day be together in Mary's House, Her Heart.

Join us on the path to Mary's Heart with this First Stepping Stone:

My Friend - Every time we celebrate this great feast of Christ the King I am reminded of the young Mexican priest, Blessed Miguel Augustin Pro who stood before the firing squad, lifting a crucifix in one hand and a rosary in the other, shouting out his forgiveness for what they were about to do to him and the others - and he shouted out "Viva el Cristo Rey!" and breathed his last. Father Pro was a favorite to the seminarians in San Antonio when I was there 1949-1955. - Carl Schulte, CM

Blessed Miguel Pro, pray for us.

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Ephesus and Paris October, 2009

Here are the photos from our trip last month. In the set of photos from Ephesus, Turkey you'll see Erin and I attending Mass in the ruins of the Council Church of Mary. This is the one time a year when the Turkish government recognizes and permits a public Catholic Mass. There are photos of Erin and I with a member of the de Mandat-Grancey family, The Papal Nuncio, and Archbishop Franceschini. It was during the conversations after Mass that Archbishop Franceschini expressed his desire to assist Sister Marie! Now, a month later he has written the letter to the Congregation of the Saints. In the next set of photos taken in Paris, France at Rue de Bac at the Shrine of the Miraculous Medal you'll see Erin and I with the Archbishop Bernardini (retired Archbishop fo Turkey),Mother Superioress of the Daughters of Charity, Sr. Evelyne Franc, along with our friend Sr. Loretto. It was a blessed and very fruitful trip! Thank you Sister Marie!

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"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice!" (Phil 4:4)

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My heart bursting with joy and thanksgiving as I sit to write to you. With fingers trembling and eyes filled with tears I'm trying to find the keys! Erin just got word today that Archbishop Ruggero Franceschini, O.F.M., Cap., Bishop of Izmir, Turkey has written the letter to the Congregation of the Saints on behalf of Sister Marie! All praise and thanksgiving be to Our Heavenly Father! There will be more news to follow in time but for now REJOICE with us.

And...now is the time for saturating prayer. It's as if heaven is poised and waiting for the voices of us here on earth to fill it with our prayers for the opening of the Cause for Sister Marie. Lift up your voices! Share the good news! Place your trust in Sister Marie and her intercessory power with Jesus Christ through Blessed Mother Mary.

Adopt Sister Marie as your special patroness and sign up your prayer group. Print out the sign-up sheet in the toolbar to the left and fill heaven with your prayers as you gather prayer groups for Sister Marie.

We love you Sister Marie!

We rejoice with you!

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Marian Conference 2009

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On All Saints Day Erin and I spent the day sharing the good news about Sister Marie with the many conference attendees at "A Day With Mary" hosted by Our Mother Queen of Peace apostolate under the direction of Fino Giordano. The day was a loving tribute to Mary, Our Mother. We opened with the Rosary and then the day was filled with exceptional speakers like Father Andrew Apostoli speaking about the cause for Venerable Fulton Sheen; Mother Nadine, Foundress of Intercessors of the Lamb; The Esperanza family telling the story of Maria Esperanza of Betania, Venezuela; and Bud McFarlane. The highlight of the day was the Healing Mass and Adoration. The Main Celebrant was Father Giordano Belanich whose homily will give us all much to think and meditate about in the coming year. He called on us all to be saints reminding us that this is our calling...it's for everyone. Mass and Adoration was a most moving experience of the awesome power and love of the Divine Physician, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We were able to collect many signatures for Sister Marie and many, many prayer groups adopted her as a special Patroness for their prayer group. Word is spreading and Sister Marie is finding her way around the world. Praise God!