Todays’ gospel talks about catching fish and tending sheep. The call that

Jesus gave his disciples. The call of all Christians. Today we celebrate the

Mass of Thanksgiving for Fr. Charles, and next week Fr. Richard. They

have also received the mandate to catch fish and tend sheep. As priests,

they will do this with love and compassion. They are men who have heard

the call to serve in the ministerial priesthood.They will celebrate the sacrament

of love and healing. We celebrate their ordination with great joy as

they are truly God’s gift to us.

May 5

MARY: HER IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

"How would we have acted, if we could have chosen our own mother? I'm sure we would have chosen the one we have,

adorn¬ing her with every possible grace. That is what Christ did. Christ being all powerful, all wise, Love itself, his power carried

out his will. . . . This is the clearest reason why our Lord granted his mother, from the very moment of her Immaculate Conception,

all possible privileges. She was free from the power of Satan. She is beautiful, spotless and pure in soul and body." 11

"God wills that all his gifts should come to us through Mary"

(St. Bernard)

It was in Rome, towards the end of the eighteenth century,

one fine evening in May. A child of the poor gathered his companions

around him and led them to a statue of Mary, before

which a lamp was burning, as is the custom in that holy city.

There, these fresh young voices sang the Litany of our Lady.

The next day, the little group, followed by other children,

again gathered at the feet of the Mother of God. Next came

their mothers, to join the little assembly. Soon, other groups

were formed, and the devotion rapidly became popular. Holy

souls, troubled by the disorderly conduct which always increases

and becomes graver at the return of the pleasant

springtime, saw in these growing practices the hand of God,

and they cooperated with the designs of Providence by approving

and promoting this new devotion, as a public and

solemn act of reparation. The Month of Mary was founded. 5

"This is the month in which, in the churches and individual

homes, the most affectionate and fervent homage of prayers

and devotions from the hearts of Christians are raised to

Mary. It is also the month in which from his throne descend

upon us the most generous and abundant gifts of the Divine

Mercy."6

In our own times, we Catholics, wanting to be close to her always,

offer her special presents in May: pilgrimages, visits to

churches dedicated to her, little sacrifices in her honor, periods

of study and well-finished work offered up to her, and a

more attentive recitation of the rosary.