Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
This week we have our summer Vacation Bible School! Please pray for our youth, teachers and parents. Our theme will be learning more about devotion to our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary.
All are invited: please mark your calendars for the annual St. Paul CCW Salad Luncheon to be held Wednesday, August 17, 2022, from 11am to 1pm! Thank you - ahead of time - to all those who are planning the event, signed up to volunteer or will make donations for the Salad Luncheon. It takes many people to make a special event like this happen - if you have not yet signed up, please do so soon!
The month of August is traditionally dedicated to growing in our devotion the Immaculate Heart of Mary. During the month of Au-gust, I will share more information with you about this wonderful devotion. This Sunday, I share with you an excerpt from the classic spiritual book: True Devotion To Mary written by St. Louis de Montfort. I recommend you this book by St. Louis de Montfort. Pope St. John Paul II read this book early in his life and he openly commented on how it changed his life for the better. In fact, he took his papal motto: ‘Totus Tuus’ (‘Totally Yours’ - referring to devo-tion to the Blessed Mother) from the teachings in this book.
This excerpt is taken from Article III: The Necessity of the Blessed Virgin and of Devotion to Her
“Providential Function of Mary in the Latter Times”
49. It was through Mary that the salvation of the world was begun, and it is through Mary that it must be consummated. Mary hardly appeared at all in the first coming of Jesus Christ, in order that men, as yet but little instructed and enlightened on the Person of her Son, should not remove themselves from Him in attaching themselves too strongly to her. This would have apparently taken place if she had been known, because of the admirable charms which the Most High had bestowed even upon her exterior. This is so true that St. Denis the Areopagite tells us in his writings that when he saw our Blessed Lady, he would have taken her for a Divinity, because of her secret charms and incomparable beauty, had not the faith in which he was well established taught him the contrary. But in the second coming of Jesus Christ, Mary has to be made known and revealed by the Holy Spirit in order that, through her, Jesus Christ may be known, loved and served. The reasons which move the Holy Spirit to hide His spouse during her life, and to reveal her but little since the preaching of the Gospel, subsist no longer.
I. Existence of This Function and Reasons for It
50. God, then, wishes to reveal and make known Mary, the master-piece of His hands, in these latter times:
1. Because she hid herself in this world and put herself lower than the dust by her profound humility, having obtained from God and from His Apostles and Evangelists that she should not be made manifest.
2. Because, as she is the masterpiece of the hands of God, as well
here below by as in Heaven by glory, He wishes to be glorified and praised in her by those who are living upon the earth.
3. As she is the dawn which precedes and reveals the Sun of Justice, Who is Jesus Christ, she must be seen and recognized in order that Jesus Christ may also be.
4. Being the way by which Jesus came to us the first time, she will also be the way by which He will come the second time, though not in the same manner.
5. Being the sure means and the straight and immaculate way to go to Jesus Christ and to find Him perfectly, it is by her that the souls who are to shine forth especially in sanctity have to find Our Lord. He who shall find Mary shall find life [Prov. 8:35], that is, Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life [John 14:6]. But no one can find Mary who does not seek her; and no one can seek her who does not know her; for we cannot seek or desire an unknown object. It is necessary, then, for the greater knowledge and glory of the Most Holy Trinity, that Mary should be more than ever known.
6. Mary must shine forth more than ever in mercy, in might and grace, in these latter times: in mercy, to bring back and lovingly receive the poor strayed sinners who shall be converted and shall return to the Catholic Church; in might, against the enemies of God…, who shall rise in terrible revolt against God to seduce all those who shall oppose them and to make them fall by promises and threats; and finally, she must shine forth in grace, in order to animate and sustain the valiant soldiers and faithful servants of Jesus Christ, who shall battle for His interests.
7. And lastly, Mary must be terrible to the devil and his crew, as an army ranged in battle, principally in these latter times, because the devil, knowing that he has but little time, and now less than ever, to destroy souls, will every day redouble his efforts and his combats. He will presently raise up cruel persecutions and will put terrible snares before the faithful servants and true children of Mary, whom it gives him more trouble to conquer than it does to conquer others.”
Through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, St. Joseph, St. Michael and St. Paul, may God bless the whole Catholic Church, our parishes, families, and all members!
In Christ through Mary,
Fr. Kasel
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