Discernment Sundays - Chat Room, St. Francis de Sales   No comments yet —  Filed under 

Sun chat 4/27:Rejoice in our new Saints!

By Sister Susan Marie on April 24th, 2014

“My Life… Must Be A Perfect Copy of that of St. Francis de Sales”

Two new Saints on Divine Mercy Sunday! The Church prepares for the canonization of St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II. As Visitation Sisters, we recognize the work of our founder, St. Francis de Sales present in the spiritual lives of these two popes!

As a seminarian, John XXIII chose St. Francis as his patron saint, and strove to model his life after him. He wrote in his autobiography “Journal of a Soul” on St. Francis de Sales’ feast day, January 29, 1903:

“Today was a perfect feast; I spent it in the company of St Francis de Sales, my gentlest of saints. What a magnificent figure of a man, priest and Bishop! If I were like him, I would not mind even if they were to make me Pope! I love to let my thoughts dwell on him,on his goodness and on his teaching. I have read his life so many times! His counsels are so acceptable to my heart. By the light of his example I feel more inclined to humility, gentleness and calm. My life, so the Lord tells me, must be a perfect copy of that of St Francis de Sales if I wish to bear good fruits.”

During his pontificate, John Paul II also praised this saint.

“Doctor of love, Saint Francis de Sales has unceasingly emphasized the lively source of the covenant of God with man: God loves us, God accompanies us at each stage of life, with a patient and faithful love; God puts in us His desire for what is good; an attraction towards what is beautiful and good.

“…Francis de Sales was tireless in showing his brothers and sisters the patience and tenderness of God ready to pardon, to save. He does not cease to transmit the Good News of the Annunciation: the Son of the Most High born of Mary comes to be united to humanity. In a distraught world, the presence of Jesus reopens the ‘wounds of love’, cures distressed hearts, offers a covenant of pardon and of renewal.”

In word and deed, these two popes imitated St. Francis de Sales, and by doing so, imitated Christ, who shone through him! To prepare for Sunday’s chat, please read our article, “Bl. John XXIII, Bl. John Paul II & St Francis de Sales”.

In our Living Jesus Chat Room this Sunday, we will discuss these points:

  • What does the canonization of these two popes mean to us a Catholics?
  • Do we, like Pope John XXIII, choose a patron saint to imitate? What virtues have we learned from these saints?
  • John Paul II called St. Francis “a man of great goodness and kindness, who knew how to express God’s mercy and patience to those who came to speak with him”. In what ways did Pope John Paul II’s life mirror that of St. Francis de Sales?

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MYSTIC OF THE MONTH, Sacred Heart   No comments yet —  Filed under 

April Mystic of the Month

By Sister Susan Marie on April 23rd, 2014

This month we are updating information on the film in production about the life of Mother Maria Serafina Rubbera di Rosolini, (Carmela Aprile) whom we featured in September 2013.

http://visitationspirit.org/2013/08/mother-rosolini-sept-mystic-of-the-month/

The film will be called COR JESUS MECUM EST, by Roberto Luis Garay.

The Film Summary ( Rosolini – Italy ) and the TF20 Producciones ( Buenos Aires – Argentina) , have developed a project for the construction of a feature filmentitled ” COR JESUS ​​MECUM EST ” based on the story of Mother Carmela Aprile, already at an advanced stage of pre-production.

The Work – under the leadership of Director and Author Roberto Luis Garay, photography by Nicola Forino, production coordination of Paolo Di Gabriele – will be produced with the support of CABLEVISION (Argentina) and SLP (Argentina) while editing and finalization will be edited the METROVISION Producciones SA ; Distribution will be handled by MURGA TV, TF20 Distribution and ALFA Pictures ( Barcelona ) .

The “Project” was born as a sign of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for which the primary purpose is the promotion of this cult and a filial homage to Mother Rosolini that , enlightened by divine will and sustained by weapon of faith, overcoming every obstacle , was able to translate into reality a divine plan : the building and the birth of the Shrine of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rosolini .

“… A fusion of historical and real- time Mother Carmela and our current time … time with a testimony of faith and hope … History of the tradition between the two nations and the same faith … Something that transcends borders … the spirit … ‘ soul … the distance … along the unlimited world of faith …. Mother Carmela in our day … the reunion with the values ​​and faith … and hope the example of the struggle … The story of a woman … a testament … a feeling that comes from only one way … to love God above all things and the heart of Jesus is a symbol of that … Mother Carmela and his will ” (From the synopsis of the film by Roberto Luis Garay ) .

The film , which is developed from the early years of the last century to the present day , tells a story of love, boundless love of a humble woman for the Divine Heart of Jesus and her unwavering faith in Him. It is also a historical record of the same  for both the sanctuary in which we honor Him that the City of Rosolini , of which the sanctuary has become a symbol and flag.

The facts brought to the screen are the ones that developed around the mystical figure of Mother Carmela , the ” cornerstone ” of the Sanctuary , rebuilt through the documents kept in the archives of the Diocesan Curia and the Sanctuary. Of this we are grateful to the Curia who gave full and complete availability for shooting the sacred places and in the Episcopal Palace .

Obviously the scenery  of the film is Rosolini . The event , which will involve the institutions of municipal, provincial and regional , will promote the cult of the Sacred Heart and project the image of our city in the world. In addition, it will significantly increase the multitude of devotees of the Sacred Heart and of tourists from all over Sicily and beyond, as on the occasion of the annual festival , who flock to Rosolini with positive implications for the economic sector of our city.

The “Project” , before other factors , responds , first, to director Roberto Garay, who wishes to donate to the Sanctuary a tangible sign of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to leave to posterity , thus alleviating the demands of the pilgrims , returning to the places where they live, who will be able to carry a “memory” to store and show your loved ones . The same holds true for the thousands of citizens  and their descendants around the world, because , after staying in Rosolini , coming to a variety of locations that have migrated, through the movie on Mother Carmela , feel strengthened by the bond that unites them to their land.

In addition, the “Project ” aims to be fulcrum of a tourist -religious integration to the area south of the province that Rosolini sees as vital and pulsing center of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

That said , given the significant financial commitment that will face the Summary Film Festival for the making of the film , it was considered necessary to involve as many , both business owners as well as private citizens and devotees , wishing to be affiliated to this ” project ” .

Source: http://www.radioram.it/ram/index.php/rosolini-convegno-sul-film-cor-jesus-mecum-est-di-roberto-luis-garay/

If you want to follow the progress of this film, you can go to their Twitter account: https://twitter.com/CorJesus_Film

or their Facebook account:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/COR-JESUS-MECUM-EST/235172753303158

For a video preview in Italian, go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2vDZ8VQJPE

Another video on Madre Rosolini:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDTD75G-SoE

Events, Salesian Spirituality, St. Francis de Sales   No comments yet —  Filed under 

Bl. John XX111, Bl. John Paul 11& St Francis de Sales

By Sister Susan Marie on April 21st, 2014

In the spirit of Divine Mercy, we are being blessed with two canonizations on April 27th and both of these most saintly popes had a distinct  relationship to our Founder of the Visitation,  St Francis de Sales.

Blessed John the 23rd took St Francis de Sales as his model very early in his life as a seminarian.

He wrote in his journal “As regards meekness, tranquility, gentleness, in short, all that shines in the gentle St Francis de Sales, my special protector and particular model, although there are no grave faults to deplore, there is still not all I would like to have…

(Journal of a Soul, Aug. 22, 1900)

On the Feast of St Francis de Sales, in 1903, Bl. John the 23rd wrote “Today was a perfect feast; I spent it in the company of St Francis de Sales,my gentlest of saints. What a magnificent figure of a man,priest and Bishop!If I were like him, I would not mind even if they were to make me Pope!I love to let my thoughts dwell on him,on his goodness and on his teaching. I have read his life so many times! His counsels are so acceptable to my heart. By the light of his example I feel more inclined to humility,gentleness and calm.My life, so the Lord tells me, must be a perfect copy of that of St Francis de Sales if I wish to bear good fruits. Nothing extraordinary in me or my behavior,, except my way of doing ordinary things, ‘all ordinary things but done in no ordinary way,”A great, a burning love for Jesus Christ and His Church: unalterable serenity of mind, wonderful gentleness with my fellow men,that is all.

O my loving saint, as I kneel before you at this moment, there is so much I could say to you!I love you tenderly and I will always remember you and look to you for help.O St Francis, I can say no more; you can see into my heart, give me what I need to become like you.”

(Journal of a Soul, Jan. 29, 1903)

The “Good Pope John” did become like his model and now joins him in the glory of the Church’s canonized saints!

Likewise, Blessed John Paul 11 had a spiritual outlook very similar to St. Francis de Sales.

“Pope John Paul II captured the Salesian concept of the love of God and presents a loving image of God to modern humanity. In an age where secularism and indifferentism manipulate people, the Pope invited all to experience a God, who is merciful, loving and caring. It is not the fear of evil and punishment that leads humanity to God, but His loving nature, His desire to encounter humanity in all its fragility. The Pope states it in the homily:

“Doctor of love, Saint Francis de Sales has unceasingly emphasized the lively source of the covenant of God with man: God loves us, God accompanies us at each stage of life, with a patient and faithful love; God puts in us His desire for what is good; an attraction towards what is beautiful and good. In His Providence, God gives us life to be made according to His image and His likeness. And God calls us to always partake of what constitutes the grandeur of His own life, perfect love. He accords us interior liberty; He renders us capable of tasting the certitude of being loved, and of making the firm resolution to respond to that love.

This great bishop also knew human weakness, his difficulty in responding in a constant faith to the message of love of the covenant. He knew that we often seek strength to prefer ourselves to any generous welcoming to a gift of God. That is why Francis de Sales was tireless in showing his brothers and sisters the patience and tenderness of God ready to pardon, to save. He does not cease to transmit the Good News of the Annunciation: the Son of the Most High born of Mary comes to be united to humanity. In a distraught world, the presence of Jesus reopens the ‘wounds of love’, cures distressed hearts, offers a covenant of pardon and of renewal. In His infinite holiness, Jesus draws us along the way of holiness.”

Like Francis de Sales, the pope understood that a world beset with secularism, individualism, and indifferentism could be motivated only by re-emphasizing the concept of ‘a loving God’ who is interested in each one of us. In tune with the Salesian outlook, John Paul II stressed the divine initiative in loving humanity. The Pope affirms that Saint Francis de Sales deepened our understanding of the ‘loving’ and ‘merciful’ nature of God: “A man of great goodness and kindness, who knew how to express God’s mercy and patience to those who came to speak with him, he taught an exacting but serene spirituality based on love, for loving God ‘is the sovereign happiness of the soul for this life and for eternity’. (Oeuvres, XV:180)” Upholding the teachings of Saint Francis de Sales, and personalizing them in his life, the Pope believes in the human inclination to do good and in our ‘natural attraction’ to what is beautiful.

Source: Pope John Paul II & St. Francis de Sales by JOHN SANKARATHIL, O.S.F.S. http://visitationspirit.org/2011/05/blessed-john-paul-ii-and-st-francis-de-sales/

As we prepare for the canonization of these two great Popes this coming Divine Mercy Sunday, let us reflect on the commonalities they shared, the uniqueness they brought, and on the interesting perspective that St Francis de Sales’ thoughts and life continue to inspire not only our greats, but all of us.