Ave Maria

In a world torn apart by wars and divisions, in a society that is increasingly fragmented and individualistic, we wish to be witnesses and prophets of unity, welcome, harmony, and peace, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation. We wish to offer our “yes,” ready if necessary to die to ourselves, to lose ourselves in order to find ourselves again, to renounce the superfluous in order to build upon what is essential and lasts forever (Mt 16:24–26). #ApostolicJourney

St. Joan of Arc, military leader and patron saint of France, pray for us!

Artificial intelligences do not undergo experiences, do not possess a body, do not feel joy or pain, do not mature through relationships, and do not know from within what love, work, friendship or responsibility mean. Nor do they have a moral conscience, since they do not judge good and evil, grasp the ultimate meaning of situations, or bear responsibility for consequences. They may imitate or even simulate, but they do not understand what they produce, for they lack the affective, relational, and spiritual perspective through which human beings grow in wisdom. #MagnificaHumanitas

Jesus cured a blind man named Bartimaeus. At times, we also need healing due to the spiritual blindness that prevents us from recognizing God’s daily blessings, the goodness within ourselves, and the person in most need of our help. In faith, we pray: “Lord, help me to see.”

May we be united in prayer on Pentecost: “Lord, by the light of your Spirit, enlighten the world and dispel the darkness of our times, turn hatred into love, sorrow into joy, and war into the peace we so desire. Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth.”

Upon denying the Lord three times, the Lord invited Peter to renew his love. Upon doing so, he became “the rock” upon which the Church was built. No matter our past sins and denials, the Lord never gives up on us. With his grace, it is never too late to change and begin anew!

We have and will experience grief in our earthly journey. Yet, Jesus says: “Your grief will become joy.” Pray for the grace never to despair amid crosses; to persevere in hope; and to trust in the Lord’s promise to make all things new in this life and the next.

On this Mother’s Day, we give thanks for the immeasurable gift of mothers and for the unique and irreplaceable role they play in the life of every human person. I wish to thank all mothers, including our spiritual mothers, for their life-giving, self-sacrificial, and faithful love they give their children.   May the example of the Blessed Mother inspire all mothers in their vocation, and may she continue to intercede for our archdiocese.

Do not waste time and energy wishing you had the talents and abilities of others. Rejoice in your unique personality and God-given gifts, and remember the words of Saint Catherine of Siena: “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”

“Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul except sin. God commands you to pray, but He forbids you to worry.”   — St. Francis de Sales

“My words and deeds are all in God’s hands. In all, I wait upon Him.” ~ St. Joan of Arc, at her trial

With the grace of God, it is never too late for us to change radically. We see that reflected in the conversion story of Saul who went from a persecutor of Christians to a preacher of the Gospel. Conversion is a lifelong process and it begins today!

"To know whom to avoid is a great means of saving our souls." - St. Thomas Aquinas

A faithful friend is the medicine of life. One loyal brother is worth more than a city. —St Ambrose

Filled with the Spirit, the apostles proclaimed God's Word with “boldness.” May nothing, including possible resistance and rejection from others, deter us from proudly professing our faith. We have the Truth. So, why be afraid of speaking it boldly, courageously, and lovingly?

Divine Mercy Sunday offers three invitations. Be a recipient of mercy and seek the Lord’s forgiveness of your sins. Be an instrument of mercy and forgive those who have offended you. With renewed faith, say frequently: “Jesus, I trust in you.”

"Lord, you know my ignorance and my weakness; teach me and heal me!" - St. Augustine

"If we find nothing in ourselves except sins, let us hate sins and desire righteousness. For when we begin to hate sins, that very hatred of sins already begins to make us like God, because we hate what God also hates." — St. Augustine (Psalmum 84, 13)

Enjoy tiredness, because the tiredness of the flesh brings about the purity of the heart & the purity of the heart causes the soul to bear fruits —Saint Anthony the Great