The Jubilee Year of Mercy which Holy Father Pope Francis has initiated can be experienced in many different ways and we would like to share one of the Visitandine possibilities of living it out during this season of Lent.
In older posts we have written about the “Apostle of Merciful Love” , Sister Marie Therese Desandais, a French Visitation Sister. http://visitationspirit.org/2013/01/january-mystic-of-the-month/
Although not well known to many, she is known to some and as recently as this past Friday, February 19th, was the subject of a scholarly Lenten presentation given by Fr. Rafael González Blanco, entitled “Merciful love and a forgotten mystic: Marie-Thérèse Desandais” on the occasion of the 88th anniversary of the death of the Sister’s spiritual director, Fr. Juan Gonzalez Arintero, a Dominican priest.Fr. Rafael focused his presentation into four parts: A short biography of Sister Marie-Thérèse Desandais, her literary work, spirituality and reception by Father Arintero. Her writings and the revelations she received from our Lord were well known in Spain. (see picture and article of Fr Rafael here: http://www.dominicos.org/noticia.aspx?idNoticia=2705
As the Dominicans and scholars are emphasizing this holy Visitation Nun during the Year of Mercy, we Visitandines join with them in celebrating her life, works and relationship with Jesus.
This first week we offer Sister Marie Therese Desandais’s prayer, a simple Offering to Merciful Love.
Offering to Merciful Love
(it can be prayed during the Mass, at the time of the elevation)
“Holy Father, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Jesus, your beloved Son, and I offer myself in him and through him, and with him all your intentions, and on behalf of all creatures” .
Resources:
Article about Fr Rafael’s presentation:
We are pleased to share that some of Sister Marie Therese Desandais’s works are now available on line and even in the public domain. Written in French, these works will be highlighted in English throughout the Holy Year of Mercy, as we examine what Our Lord specifically asked of Visitandines to make known about His mercy.
If you read French, you can locate the works here:
Petites étincelles:: ou les Secrets de l’Amour du bon Dieu
Autobiography:
Aux âmes chrétiennes dans le monde mais pas du monde:
The Immaculate Heart of Mary
IN SPANISH: La Visita Domiciliaria Del Amor Misercordioso
http://bibliotecadigital.jcyl.es/es/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.cmd?path=10066999#search=%22sulamitis%22
(Thank you, José Eduardo Câmara, for this information)