|
Meetings
The group meets the 2nd & last Sundays of the month.
About the Block Rosary and Divine Mercy Prayer Goup
Beyond the rites and liturgies of the Church, the Lord wishes discipline and prayer that reach out to the good of others. It is important for us to first look to the will of God, which must be the guide of all our thoughts and actions.
As we consider the virtue of prayer, the Filipino-American Catholic Association's Block Rosary and Divine Mercy Prayer Group values with faith the bi-monthly gatherings of Divine Mercy Prayer followed by the rosary.
A ritual of the Block Rosary and Divine Mercy Prayer Group is to have two images of the Blessed Virgin Mary remain in a family's home for at least a month and then move on to be welcomed into the home of another family. The presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a family's home is a reminder to pray together as a family.
The Rosary
In obedience to the invitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray the rosary daily, we pray the rosary every day, that we may be able to obtain the 15 promises of our Blessed Mother. (If anybody would like to receive a copy of the 15 promises of the Blessed Virgin Mary, please contact us.)
The Value of the Hail Mary
The first part of the Hail Mary is taken from the Gospel. It incorporates the words of the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation ("Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you," - Lk 1:28) and the words of Elizabeth to Mary at the Visitation ("Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb," - Lk 1:42)
The Angel's greeting to Mary can be translated "rejoice," indicating the promised Messiah, Mary's son, is coming to save his people. The words of Elizabeth to Mary are a benediction, echoing God's favor to the Blessed Virgin in choosing her to be the Mother of His Son.
The second part of the prayer ("Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.") is the Church's reflection on Mary's intercessory role as the Mother of God for all of us as members of the Church. It reflects the Church's teaching on her preeminent place in the Communion of Saints in interceding for God's people.
Mary and the Holy Spirit
The key for understanding
the role assigned to Mary with regard to the Holy Spirit is contained
in the words of the angels at the Incarnation telling her that she is
to be a virgin mother: "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the
power of the Most High shall overshadow you. And therefore also the
Holy One which shall be born of you, shall be called the Son of God!" (Luke 1:35).
Since the Holy Spirit is called the Author of the Incarnation of
Christ, the mystery was a most spiritual event, solely accomplished
through His almighty and loving will. Those acts in which the love and
will of God find the special expression, are generally appropriated to
the Holy Spirit. Now God never more gloriously expressed His love than
by becoming Man. This extraordinary manifestation of divine love is
therefore, rightly appropriated to the Holy Spirit.
The Blessed Virgin Mary was adorned by the Holy
Spirit with special privileges, thus her Immaculate Conception, her
perfect freedom from sin, her perpetual virginity and her plenitude of
grace. Her soul offers the Holy Spirit a glorious temple in which to
dwell; a closed garden into the secrets of which He alone can enter; an
altar on which is offered the purest of sacrifices. Her soul is so
docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, that she follows His
least indication, and thus her sanctity is constantly growing. On
account of this purity and loveliness, the Holy Spirit in the Canticle
of Canticles calls Mary "My dove" because she is so well suited to Him,
Who Himself appeared in the form of a dove, the symbol of purity and
love.
The beautiful title which expresses this loving
mystery of Mary is: "Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit." The title
"Immaculate Spouse of the Holy Spirit" acts in us as an incentive to
purity and spirituality. The veneration of Mary as the "Immaculate
Spouse of the Holy Spirit" is a great blessing for our materialistic
times.
A venerable servant of God, Mirjam of Abellin, was a Carmelite nun of Bethlehem who died in 1878. It is reported that she received many supernatural instructions regarding the devotion to the Holy Spirit. In one of her ecstasies, she saw in an apparition of light, a chalice and a dove and heard a voice which said: "If you would seek Me, know Me and follow Me, implore the Light, that is, the Holy Spirit, Who enlightened My disciples and enlightens all nations that call upon Him..."
"Verily I say to you, whosoever implores the Holy Spirit, will seek Me and find Me, and he will find me through Him. His conscience will be as delicate as a flower of the fields. If he be the father of a family or a mother, peace shall be in his heart, even in this life as well as in the next; he will not die in darkness, but in peace."
Once a month, a Mass is being celebrated in honor of the Holy Spirit. We have to honor Him, and whosoever shall honor Him and attend that Mass shall be honored by the Holy Spirit Himself because he has light in Him. Peace will be on the depth of his soul. He himself shall come to cure the sick and awake the sleeping.
Contact
Ramon Lacson
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Francis Cavestany, Jr.
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
