Father Benedict Groeschel

Today is the feast day of Fr. Groeschel's patron Saint Benedict Joseph Labre.

Let's pray for Fr. Groeschel and the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.

More on Myanmar

So what connection does Myanmar have to Yonkers, NY? According to Deacon Druding, priests from Myanmar come to St. Joseph's Seminary in Dunwoodie for advanced studies. They return to Myanmar and help the Church there by passing on what they've learned. Vince tells me the seminary in Yangon (Rangoon) Myanmar is named St. Joseph's! Yangon is also home to St. Mary's Cathedral. Myanmar also has shrines to Our Lady of Lourdes.

St. Joseph, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.

When I Find Myself in Times of Trouble, Mother Mary Comes to Me

Once I decided to start this blog to coincide with the Olympic Games in Beijing, certain things became clear. Certainly the Blessed Mother, Mary, had been involved, not only in using the Rosary to pray for missions but because of the important Marian celebrations that occur in August: the Assumption on the 15th, her Queenship on the 22nd and my favorite, but little known, Our Lady of the Snows on the 5th (same day as the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, of course). On the 8th, we have the feast of St. Dominic whose Dominican order helped popularize the Rosary.

However, I decided to start the blog officially on August 6th, the feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus. In the Transfiguration, Jesus showed Peter, James and John his divine glory. You can read about it here. What better day to start praying for missions to change the world by revealing who Jesus is! The Transfiguration is also one of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary given to us by Servant of God Pope John Paul II.

Again, if you’re not used to praying the Rosary or it makes you uncomfortable, feel free to pray any prayer that will help you think of the great needs of the world and Christ’s greater love for it. After all, that is what the Rosary does!