“My child, the good God wishes to charge you with a mission.”  On July 18, 1830, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal spoke these words to Sister Catherine Labouré, a novice of the Daughters of Charity in Paris, France. As we celebrate the 188th anniversary of Mary’s apparition to Saint Catherine, let us remember we, too, are Mary’s children. God wishes to charge us with the same mission of sharing his loving goodness with others. I invite you to send your petitions and burn a Votive Light at our Lady’s Altar, asking our Blessed Mother to obtain God’s graces for you, your family, and the entire world. They will be remembered in the Mass and prayers offered at the Shrine on July 18, the anniversary date.  Thank you for following Saint Catherine’s example and boldly accepting God’s mission given to us by our Lady.

Beginning Tuesday, August 6, at 8:00 a.m., CT, we will honor our Blessed Mother here at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal with a very special Assumption Novena of Masses. On each of these nine days we will celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in devotion to Mary, asking her to obtain for us God’s infinite graces. Please send me any special prayer intentions you have. We will place them at our Lady’s Altar and remember them in the nine Assumption Novena Masses we celebrate, including the Solemnity Mass on August 15. You may also wish to burn a Votive Light at the Shrine as an expression of your desire to honor Mary and seek her intercession. Read Fr. Kevin’s Assumption message to learn more about the Solemnity of the Assumption of our Blessed Virgin Mary. The Solemnity of the Assumption provides us with a wonderful opportunity to honor Mary, glorious in heaven, always interceding for us!

Beginning Monday, August 7, at 8:00 a.m., CDT, we will honor our Blessed Mother here at the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal with a very special Assumption Novena of Masses.  On each of these nine days we will celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in devotion to Mary, asking her to obtain for us God’s infinite graces.  Please send me any special prayer intentions you have.  We will place them at our Lady’s Altar and remember them in the nine Assumption Masses we celebrate, including the Solemnity Mass on August 15. You may also wish to burn a Votive Light at the Shrine as an expression of your desire to honor Mary and seek her intercession.  Read Fr. Kevin’s Assumption message to learn more about the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Solemnity of the Assumption provides us with a wonderful opportunity to honor Mary, glorious in heaven, always interceding for us!