My Heart is Still Racing.

As I prayed the last Joyful Mystery, this morning, I was reminded of how I felt two nights, ago.  The last Joyful Mystery recollects "the finding of Jesus in the temple."  Remember the situation.  The holy family assumed Jesus was in the caravan.  He thought he was just hanging out with the other boys his age, or walking with relatives.  Imagine how they must have felt when they realized hat he wasn't in the caravan.

Well, Saturday night, hubby and I took our grandchildren to Fatima Shrine to see their Christmas light display.  The six-year-old kept running off to look at this or that.  Her baby sister wanted to follow her. It's dark out and her coat is dark purple and with her dark hair, it was easy to lose her.  Once, when we were busy and distracted by the two-year-old, we lost sight of the six-year-old.  I looked up and realized she was gone.  She was out of my sight.  We called her name.  Again we called.  Again.  Everyone called her.

My heart dropped.  I thought of Mary losing Jesus in the caravan.  I thought how would I tell my daughter and son-in-law that I lost their daughter.  She must have been kidnapped!  Imagine how Mary felt.  She lost the Son of God!

Then she came running back to me.  I asked her, like Mary did, "Why did you do this?"  But unlike Jesus, my granddaughter apologized.  "Sorry".

But then again, Jesus had an excuse.  "Don't you know I must be about My Father's business?"  (Luke 2:49)

Churches In Pokemon Go Craze

A priest at a nearby shrine was complaining about the people playing Pokemon Go, on the property.  He was concerned about the damage done to the grounds.  I hope he changes his attitude and uses this opportunity to evangelize.



If the priests came out of their house, dressed as priests and walked the grounds of the shrine to engage the Pokemon Go players in conversation, maybe they'd make some friends.  And who knows where friendship will lead?



Churches among those swept up in Pokemon Go craze: ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- Since its release in the United States July 6, Pokemon Go has quickly become a cultural phenomenon. In the first week, the mobile game attracted nearly 21 million users.

Prayer as a Foundation for Mercy

Peter Schmidt, ocso

The Cistercian monk, Father Peter Schmidt gave a talk today at Fatima Shrine, on prayer.  For the year of Mercy, that Pope France proclaimed, the Xaverians who minister at the shrine, are offering monthly presentations.  Today's was "Prayer as a foundation for Mercy."

Father Peter began by referencing the beatitude, "Blessed are the pure of heart."  We had a hard time pinning down exactly who would qualify as "pure of heart."  The best definition boiled down to "deep humility."

The questions were mostly about distractions during prayer.  And I learned something new in this particular discussion.  I knew that when distractions came, you ignore them.  I also knew that sometimes you can use the distractions in your prayer.  But I never thought that maybe God was trying to tell me something in the distraction.  I will have to discern my distractions.  They just may be important and not just nonsense.  

We discussed centering prayer, the difference between meditation and contemplation.  We did a Lectio Divina on Mark 10: 46-52 and we surprised Father Peter with our choices of Meditatio.  We learned that prayer leads to compassionate mercy.  Prayer is the foundation for mercy.

Faith Suggestions for the Year

Here are my ten humble suggestions for the Year of Faith.  I think they're more doable than parcing through the Catechism, or reading the Summa Theologica. 

 You can obtain a plenary indulgence on certain Solemnities and Feast Days, e.i., Immaculate Conception, by attending Mass, or Liturgy of the Hours, Confession, praying for the intentions of the Pope, and making a profession of faith.  

1.  Watch You Tube.  I like Father Barron's style of preaching.

 2.  Go to a concert.  Music can lead to contemplation.  I like John Polce concerts.

3.  Have a fun/learning night in your parish by having a contest between your parish priests and the Knights of Columbus (or some other organization).  Ask questions from the Bible, catechism, or parish history.

4.  Start or join a Catholic Book Club.

5.  Join a Scripture Study, or go to a Cursillo, Life in the Spirit, Alpha Course, or a Renew Program.  Alpha and Arise (Renew) were pretty successful in my parish.

6.  Go on a pilgrimage to deepen your faith.  Everyone talks about Medjugorge, nowadays, but if that's not possible, go to a local shrine.  My favorite is the Fatima Shrine in Holliston, MA.

7. Go on a retreat.  My very favorite was St. Stephen's Priory in Dover, MA.  Since that one has closed, I go to St. Joseph's Abbey, in Spencer, MA, not only because that's where my Spiritual Director, Father Aquinas is, but also because I like the atmosphere.

8.  Do Liturgy of the Hours for your parish.

9.  Go to a Catholic Speaker Forum.  The Lay Dominicans in New England have sponsored quite a few.  The St. Mary's Chapter in New Haven, Ct. has had Scott Hahn.  The Boston Pro-Chapter has had Father John Vidmar, O.P.

10.  Read Faith Moments, or start one in your parish.  You could publish these thoughts on your parish website.  eLumen, the Internet Newsletter for the Lay Dominicans in the Eastern Province, is running a contest for Faith Moments, in the December issue.  All one has to do is write a paragraph explaining when a moment of grace touched them.

I think these are all easy, fun, and educational and spiritual.  They're tailored made for the Year of Faith.

Our Lady of Fatima

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.  I live near Fatima Shrine in Holliston, MA.  I've been there quite often to pray.  It's a quiet place and pleasant to walk around.  It probably has the world's largest Rosary.  It's made out of boulders attached by the types of chains you see on ocean liners--huge, big things.  On the single beads (boulders)  are plaque of the Hail Mary in different languages.  It's a prayerful place.

The religious order that takes care of the shrine are Xaverian Missionaries.  They're good guys.  I like them all.  They are known for the many activities that the Shrine offers to raise money: Christmas lights, fairs, concerts, and from May 13th -- Oct 13th, their Our Lady of Fatima Processions.  I had never been to their Fatima Procession.  I went tonight.

I was surprised at all the people from my parish that were there.  I saw lots of friends.  The place was mobbed.  I had a hard time finding a parking spot.  We had Mass and then a procession around the Rosary Boulders.  As we walked and prayed, we all held candles in cups.  These cups were just drinking cups--waxy paper cups with a hole in the bottom.  A candle was stuck through the hold.  The candles weren't very stable. You had to be careful, or your cup would catch on fire.  I saw two that did just that.

Afterwards, we sat in the benches and prayed Hail Mary in different languages for special intentions.  Especially, poignant was a couple of men from Libya who prayed for the safety of those fleeing from the violence in Libya.   There really is no end for needs to pray for.

Related articles

• Our Lady of Fatima (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
• Our Lady of Fatima Feast Day (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)

The Statue of Our Lady of Fatima

You know that beautiful statue of Our Lady of Fatima with an over sized golden crown.  That's not authentic.  There was no golden humongous jeweled filled crown.  Our Lady was dressed very simply.

Sister Lucy said  "that there were only two garments visible, a simple tunic and a long veil or mantle. The tunic had no collar and no cuffs. Nor was there a cincture or a sash around the waist, although the tunic was drawn in at the waist. The sleeves were not wide, and the mantle and the tunic were a wave of light. When Tom (the sculptor, Fr. Tom McGlynn, O.P.) asked her how one distinguished between the mantle and the tunic, she said,"There were two waves of light, one on top of the other." When Tom asked her if there was a line of gold on the mantle, she explained "It was like a ray of sunlight all around the mantle." She further explained that this ray around the mantle was like a thin thread. The mantle ... was a thing all made of light and very light, but it fell straight down. The clothing was all white. The cord was a more intense and yellow light....The light of Our Lady was white and the star was yellow."

The story of the Father Thomas McGlynn, O.P. making the statue is in an out of print book, Vision of Fatima, by Thomas McGlynn, O.P., Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1948.  It tells the story of Father McGlynn visiting with Sister Lucy and sculpting the statue under her direction.  I remember that one time, Sister became annoyed at the number of times she had to explain, so with her fingers, she took the top of the clay veil and pulled and flattened it.  That's a big "NO, NO!" to a sculptor.  But what could Father do?  He left her finger print on the veil.  That's the picture with Sister and the statue.

I use to own this book, but I lent it to a friar friend and he died.  I have no idea where the book is now.  I hope it's in the nursing home's library, and not in somebody's yard sale.  This book is where I learned that McGlynn's statue is the authentic apparition.  The one that travels around is much fancier.  That's the traveling Pilgrim Statue.  McGlynn's statue is the white marble statue in the niche above the entrance to the Basilica. I usually can pick it out because there's no crown and Mary's heart is outside her clothing surrounded by thorns.


Here is a picture of Father Thomas McGlynn, O.P., next to his statue.  






And here is the authentic statue, made according to Sister Lucy's directions, in front of the Basilica.


O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all
souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of Your mercy.

Fatima Shrine

I'm taking this on line poetry course. The assignment I'm working on is writing about a place. It's an exercise in description. We are to describe a place in 25 lines. Well, as usual, I was inspired to deviate from the assignment. Oh I did the assignment; I wrote about Tijuana and gave the instructor what I think she wanted. But the real poem is this one:

Fatima Shrine

I go over to the shrine to pray.
The world's biggest Rosary,
boulders group into a decade
like a Christian Stonehenge.
The rocks pray Hail Mary
in different languages.
There's more to see--
grotto, stations, altar and statues.
It's like a prayer book
of Catholic devotions.
You walk the Rosary,
you read the signs,
and then you begin to pray.

Fatima Shrine, Holliston, MA