Our Lady of Fatima and Her Immaculate Heart part 2
Welcome to the second apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mother at Fatima! As you can imagine, the reactions of the parents of the three children; Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia, were varying. Jacinta and Francisco’s parents believed them, but Lucia’s mother believed her daughter to be lying. Lucia was given a beating. However, the children still […]
The Salutation to Our Lady by St. Francis of Assisi
As we enter into the third and final part of the Assisi Virtual Pilgrimages, I offer you a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mother of God written by St. Francis of Assisi. Hail, O Lady, Holy Queen, God’s Holy Mother Mary! You have been made the Virgin Church and chosen by the most Holy Father […]
St. Philip Neri
Born July 21, 1515, St. Philip Neri was a Florentine Italian who became known as the Second Apostle of Rome. As a young man, he left the path his family had planned for him and went to live in Rome, later becoming a priest. He began missionary work within Rome and became acquainted with St. […]
Reading The Way of the Pilgrim Chapter 1
(Lily blooming in July) The Way of the Pilgrim is a book written by an anonymous Russian citizen seeking a way to pray unceasingly. As I read this story, I thought I would share with you some of my thoughts and first impressions. Beginning the first chapter, we meet a poor impoverished Russian man, who […]
Miracles of St. Rita of Cascia
Last year, a blog post was presented giving a summary of the life of St. Rita on her feast day, which you can read here. On this anniversary of the death of St. Rita, I would like to provide more details concerning some of the miracles associated with her. A lesser known miracle of St. […]
Venerable Servant of God Carlos Acutis
Born on May 3, 1991 in England, Carlos Acutis was an Italian with a deep devotion to the Mother of God and to the Eucharist. When he was eleven, Carlos began documenting Eucharistic miracles. Young Carlos wanted to even make pilgrimages to the sites of these miracles, which, due to ill health, he never went […]
Our Lady of Fatima and Her Immaculate Heart part 1
( Church of Santa Maria dell’Orto, in Rome, Italy.) Today, May 13, is the 103rd anniversary of the first apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. So, I invite you on a series of blog posts focusing on the Fatima apparitions which will come out on the 13th of each month for six months. On May […]
On the Canticle of Brother Sun
In preparation for this week’s virtual pilgrimage, let us consider The Canticle of Brother Sun by St. Francis of Assisi. The Canticle of Brother Sun Most High, omnipotent, good Lord, to You praise, glory and honor and all benediction. To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and there is no one worthy to mention You. […]
Physical and Spiritual Pilgrimages: A Comparison
May 4, 2020 What Are Physical and Spiritual Pilgrimages? Physical pilgrimages and spiritual pilgrimages are simply two sides of the same coin. Physical pilgrimages being the going and the doing, while spiritual pilgrimages are the searching and experiencing. In order to receive the full effects of a pilgrimage, it must have certain elements from both […]
Spiritual Preparation for a Journey
A Commentary by Mary Blicharz on “A Guide to Meditating with the Saints” section in The Pilgrim’s Italy by James and Colleen Heater When going on pilgrimage, there can be many distractions that take one away from the purpose of the journey and make the experience feel more like tourism. It becomes difficult to get […]