When we pray the fourth decade of the joyful mysteries of the rosary, we meditate on the presentation of Jesus in the temple and the acts of faith by Simeon and Anna. When I reflect on this theme, I think of the Blessed Mother asking God to allow her Son to grow up to be all that God intended for her divine Child.
Our Response to God's Call
When we respond to God’s call for us and when we do all that we can to develop our talents and gifts to serve the Lord and our neighbor, we are talking about vocation. Our vocation to be a Christian Catholic begins in Baptism and then we get more specific as we get older. God calls all of us to be and to do something special with our lives. Please pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life by praying this short Prayer for Vocations.
Your New Priests
In this issue of our Newsletter, we feature three young men who have answered God’s call by becoming Vincentian priests. They have written short letters thanking you for your prayers and support during their years of study.
The Feast of the Assumption
Our Lady’s Assumption reminds us of what happens to a person who is obedient to the will of God, our Father in heaven: We celebrate this feast day with great hope that we too will be with God and with Mary forever.
You still have time to
send your petitions and
burn Votive Lights at our Lady’s Shrine for the feast of our Lady’s Assumption, August 15.
Pilgrimage Report
Even though volcanic ash and ice were hot topics around the world, we are most grateful to the Lord that we on the pilgrimage to Italy (April 12-23) were able to enjoy the beauties of our trip without any problems.
We all had a great time, especially seeing the Holy Father at the Wednesday Papal Audience in front of St. Peter's, visiting several awe inspiring churches along the Italian coast, and touring the ruins of Pompeii.
We were fascinated by the historical development of Sicily, starting with the Greeks several thousand years before the birth of Christ and continuing with the conquest by the Romans, then Eastern Empire Christians, followed by the Moslems and, of course, the arrival of Latin Rite Christians who settled the area in a permanent fashion.
Wonderful tour guides, great service, and tasty food added to the joys of our pilgrimage. All of us on the pilgrimage remembered you in our prayers at the many churches and shrines we visited.
Marian Pilgrimage to Croatia, October 4-15, 2010
We will be traveling to Croatia this October for our pilgrimage. Highlights of this journey are visits to Međjugorje and other beautiful shrines. Croatia has a rich Catholic history and a strong devotion to our Lady. Please contact me for a brochure and further details if you are interested in joining us.
An Estate Planning Quiz
We have a very helpful free brochure that contains an estate-planning quiz. Taking this quiz may be just the incentive you need to start your own estate planning process. Send for it today, and please consider making a gift to the Association of the Miraculous Medal in your will.
Vincentian Family
Members of the Vincentian Family have served the poor of Haiti for many years. Prior to the January 12 earthquakes, the Vincentian Family had already begun a project in Haiti to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the deaths of Saint Vincent de Paul and Saint Louise de Marillac. In this issue, we feature news about this new and exciting Vincentian Family Project.
Online Gift Shop
I have two lovely gifts to offer you. The first is a very nice "surprise" Miraculous Medal Necklace. Our second gift is a richly designed Burgundy Bead Rosary to honor our Lady. We also have many more resources at our online Gift Shop.
Monthly Giving Program
Please consider making a monthly gift to our Lady’s Association to help keep the Association’s administrative costs to a minimum. Our Monthly Giving Program makes it possible for you to add an automatic charge to your credit card, or a debit to your bank account on the 10th of each month. This allows more of your donation to go directly to the works of our Lady’s Association.
