Mary, Mother of the Eucharist--Mother of the Church

"On the day of Pentecost, the Mother of the Church irradiated the power of her intercession over the Church as mother, and protected the apostolic zeal by which the Church still lives, generating for God the believers of all times and all geographical areas" (Pope John Paul II). Our Holy Father recently declared, "may there be raised from every corner of the earth an uninterrupted chorus of prayer to heaven," and asked that everyone "recite ... the holy rosary," daily.

"The Eucharist is the great sacrament of hope, and the Mother of the Eucharist is a God-given icon and beacon for us wayfarers and pilgrims heading for home. For Mary is the living link between our sinful selves and the God-Man who has turned 'all our sunsets into dawns.'" (Fr. Richard Foley, S.J.)

"I will not leave you orphaned..." (Jn 14:18). Jesus did not leave us orphaned, before He ascended into heaven He said "know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!" (Mt 6:21). In the Eucharist, He stays with us in this awesome Sacrament of love. Jesus remains in the Blessed Sacrament to heal, strengthen, sustain, nourish, refresh, console, guide, transform, and renew us. "Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens!" (Eph 1:3). In the Sacred Host Jesus makes Himself present, physically and spiritually to every person on this earth! Our Lord showers us with countless gifts of grace and blessings in the Holy Eucharist. St. Paschal Baylon, patron of the Eucharist, said that "God is as really present in the consecrated Host as He is in the glory of Heaven."

Though Jesus gave everything possible for us and to us He gave us an added comforter and consoler, His own Mother Mary, to be our Mother! While on earth Our Blessed Mother spent most of her days and nights in adoration of her Son in the Eucharist, interceding for the Church. Our heavenly Mother is our advocate, constantly praying for us. When we adore her Son she is there praying with us. "You are the Mother of the Eucharist because you are the mother of grace. You, more than all others after your Son, were aware of this sacrament hidden from the ages." (John Gerson)

Our Blessed Mothers first of six apparitions to the three children at Fatima was on May 13, the feast of Our Lady of The Most Blessed Sacrament. She asked the children to fall on their knees and pray: "O Most Holy Trinity, I adore you. My God, my God, I love you in the Most Blessed Sacrament!" Her urgent messages underscored the need of conversion, prayer, and penance for our world. She asked for greater devotion to the Eucharist in Mass, Communion, and Adoration. Our Mother also asked for devotion to her Immaculate Heart and prayers of reparation, especially the Rosary. She emphasized that if her requests were heeded that there would be world peace, if not there would be large scale apostasy from the Church and worldwide disaster! Our Lady requested that a Chapel be built at Fatima for adoration and prayer to her Eucharistic Son. Join in the "uninterrupted chorus" that Our Lady and our Holy Father have asked for, start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in your parish today!

"Only through the Eucharist is it possible to live the heroic virtues of Christianity: charity, to the point of forgiving ones enemies; love for those who make us suffer; chastity in every age and situation of life; patience in suffering and when one is shocked by the silence of God in the tragedies of history or of ones own personal existence. You must always be Eucharistic souls in order to be authentic Christians." (Pope John Paul II)

Bl. Damien of Molokai, apostle to the lepers, wrote about his life and work among the lepers "It is in the Blessed Sacrament that we find strength...." "Without my daily Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament I could not have stood it for one single day. But with Christ beside me, I continue to be cheerful and happy, I can be zealous in my work for the poor people entrusted to my care." One of the first things Damien did when he arrived at the leper colony of Molokai was build a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, where the lepers spent hours with Jesus experiencing His love, joy and peace.

St. Rita of Cascia, patroness of the Impossible, is a powerful intercessor. Rita became a widow and, soon after, her two children died. Having lost her entire family, Rita decided to dedicate the rest of her life to Jesus, her first love. Rita became an Augustinian nun and lived out her vocation in prayer and penance, daily spending hours with Jesus in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. She was a stigmatist and suffered Christ's passion for the last 15 years of her life. St. Rita's incorrupt body is preserved in a shrine in Italy.

St. Philip Neri, a priest, writes, "Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to the Blessed Virgin are not simply the best way, but in fact are the only way to conserve purity.... Chastity is not possible without the Eucharist."

St. Joan of Arc, patroness of soldiers and her country, France, fought valiantly to defend her Faith and her country. Joan drew her courage from the Eucharist. Fr. Stephano Manelli writes, "Christ in the Eucharist is the true Bread to make them [us] strong ... the nourishment to make men heroic, to sustain martyrs, and to bring strength and peace."

Mary, Model of Adorers "O Virgin Immaculate, while the Apostles went to preach the Gospel, thou didst remain close to the tabernacle, supplicating for them the goodness of the Savior, and thy prayer obtained for them the grace to convert the world! Teach us to pray, above all, to pray near the tabernacle, where Jesus wills to abide continually in order to hear our petitions. Teach us to pray for the extension of the Eucharistic Kingdom, for the salvation of the whole world, for the exaltation of the Holy Church, and most especially for the sanctification of the clergy and the conversion of sinners." (St. Peter Julian Eymard)

A Gift for Our Mother: Please help us to bring everyone to Jesus, through Our Blessed Mother Mary, in Eucharistic Adoration with your prayers and donations. Your gift of $25.00, $50.00, $75.00 will make a difference! Contact us to schedule a Missionary, obtain information, materials and assistance in starting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration:

Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament PO Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Ph: (518)561-8193 Fax: (518)566-7103 ACFP2000@aol.com www.ACFP2000.com

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