"This is why the blessed Virgin is called powerful - nay, sometimes, all-powerful, because she has, more than anyone else, more than all the angels and saints, this great, prevailing gift of prayer. No one has access to the Almighty as His Mother has; none has merit such as hers. Her Son will deny her nothing that she asks; and herein lies her power. While she defends the Church, neither height nor depth, neither men nor evil spirits, neither great monarchs, nor craft of man, nor popular violence, can avail to harm us; for human life is short, but Mary reigns above, a Queen forever." (Cardinal Newman) The Queenship of Mary is the final gift/grace/favor God has given Mary. She was conceived free from Original Sin, her Immaculate Conception. She remained a virgin before, during and after the birth of Jesus. She is the Mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ. She shared in the death of Jesus silently at the foot of the cross. She became our mother. She was assumed into Heaven after her death. She is crowned Queen of Heaven and earth. All is gift/grace/favor from God.

"In a special way continue to love and spread love for the prayer of praise, the form of prayer that recognizes more immediately that God is God; praises him for his own sake, gives him glory for who he is, long before thinking of what he does (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2639).









































“New evangelization demands a witness of life which can lead to a renewal of charismatic fervor. It requires a profound renewal in proclamation and works, done in perfect ecclesial communion, in such a way as to make the new evangelization really ‘new’. The new evangelization today also urges adoption of that ‘enterprising apostolic character’ common to an authentic apostolic creativity and based precisely on the charisms of the Spirit, so that new methods might be brought about as well. In the first place, it calls for a commitment to live the Gospel which is preached and to incarnate it in one’s personal life and in the life of the comunity in such a way that the proclamations of the good news might be sustained by the very strength of a life of witness to the Gospel. The more (the evangelisers are such) by means of the dynamic and irresistible energy of the light and heat coming from the truth and charity of Christ, so much more will their lives witness to the Gospel they profess.” (John Paul II, On Consecrated life, # 42)



I believe that the pastoral initiatives which the late John Paul II challenged the Church with at the beginning of this new millennium are consistent with the culture of Pentecost. The ten areas he focused on were: holiness, prayer, Sunday Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the primacy of grace, listening to the Word of God, Proclaiming the Word, witnesses of love, the spirituality of communion, ecumenical commitments.

 “Holy communion is the shortest and surest way to Heaven. There are others, innocence, for instance, but that is for little children; penance, but we are afraid of it; generous endurance of the trials of life, but when they come we weep and ask to be spared. Once for all, beloved children, the surest, easiest, shortest way is by the Eucharist. It is so easy to approach the holy table, and there we taste the joys of Paradise.”(St. Pope Pius X) If we truly share in the life of Jesus through the Eucharist and die in that state of life, we will be with God forever in eternity. That is the guarantee Jesus gives  us in the Gospel. "If you eat my Body and drink my Blood, you shall have life everlasting."

“There are those who seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge; that is Curiosity.
There are those who seek knowledge to be known by others; that is Vanity.
There are those who seek knowledge in order to serve; that is Love.” St Bernard of Clairvaux
The focus of our efforts determines the fruit. Whatever we do, we need to do all simply out of love of the Other or other, not for love of self. That is the simple but decisive command of Jesus to his disciples.

What did Jesus say in the 23^rd chapter of Matthew?



















This relationship was clear in the early church and later was given a title reflecting the relationship. When the Reformers had a problem with the Church, they began by questioning the relevancy of priests, bishops and popes. They questioned the teaching authority of the Church and its sacramental life. They sought to justify their questions and subsequent actions by private interpretation of the Scriptures, even out of context. In a sense, one can practically justify almost anything from the Scriptures if taken out of context and interpreted humanly.

"You should adore our Lord Jesus Christ, who makes Himself present to us on the altar, so that we might offer him the homage and adoration we owe. Pray that just as He changes the lower earthly nature of bread and wine into His Body and Blood he might change and transform also the sluggishness, coldness and dryness of our earthly and arid heat into the fire, tenderness and agility of the holy divine affections and dispositions of His divine and heavenly heart. Then you should remember that Christians are one with Jesus Christ, as members with their head . . . .They should also be there as hosts and victims who are but one host just as they are one priest with Jesus Christ. They need to be immolated and sacrificed with the same Jesus Christ for the glory of God." (St. John Eudes) This transformation potentially occurs when we receive Jesus in Communion. I say potentially, because we must offer to Jesus those areas that need to be transformed. Then he can bring about the change.