Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament

"The Bread I will give to you is My Flesh for the life of the world." (Jn 6:51b)

"Evangelization, spiritual ecumenism, attention to the poor and needy and welcome to the marginalised, and all on the basis of adoration; the foundation for renewal is adoring God.... Brothers and sisters, remember: adore the Lord God: this is the foundation! To adore God. Seek sanctity in the new life of the Holy Spirit. Be dispensers of the grace of God." (Pope Francis, June 2, 2014, convocation, Rome) The Holy Spirit "leads us to perceive the Lord’s presence and love in our lives, and moves us to respond joyfully in prayer and adoration." (Pope Francis, June 4, 2014, catechesis)

"How I should like all the parishes of the world to be open to Perpetual Adoration of the Eucharist!", Pope John Paul II said in 1993 when he blessed the outcome of the International Eucharistic Congress in Seville .

So many young people now respond with strong enthusiasm to the countless projects and endeavours which are designed to bring them to the living Jesus, who speaks and makes himself present in the Eucharist, celebrated and adored.

Only in prayer, especially in the silence of Eucharistic Adoration, is it possible to find the refreshment that regenerates human beings who are hungering for meaning. It is prayer that makes it possible to repair the social fabric, torn by the systematic destruction of values perpetrated by modern ideologies.

Through prayer young people can find the courage to respond to and stake their life on Gospel ideals .

Amid the ecclesial movements, a true gift of the Holy Spirit, thousands of initiatives are born but not without the risk of fragmentation of the ecclesial fabric, which rediscovers its unity only in the Eucharist celebrated and adored, the goal and source of all Christian life .

From this very Eucharist, celebrated and adored at length, saints of every age have always drawn an inexhaustible inspiration for their apostolate, boundless trust in Providence and marvellous signs of a response, of a real and living God.

Only if we dare to take steps in the faith and, by listening to the appeal of the late Pope John Paul II, dare to put out into the deep, can all this be reborn . Also very encouraging is the position of many Bishops worldwide who support and bless the ever increasing number of new parishes whose pastoral dynamism is based on a prayerful community, regenerated around the Most Holy Eucharist.

In short, these are signs of a new triumph of the Eucharist which promise, from the experience of the saints and according to the promises that Jesus himself made in conversations and in private revelations, to fill the churches where it is solemnly exposed for adoration.

How can we not realize the mysterious fascination and magnetism that a church open night and day for adoration exerts even upon the so-called "indifferent", who manage by inexplicable paths to draw close to the life of faith even after an interminable absence?

How can we fail to note the queues of penitents who receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation wherever a community is silently adoring the Eucharist?

How can we fail to see the healing power of practices of "Christ-therapy", which is being used more and more frequently by therapeutic communities and consists in prolonged and repeated periods of Adoration before the Most Blessed Sacrament?

All this is a strong encouragement and impels us to overcome our resistance in favour of a pastoral ministry that makes far greater use of the practice of prayer of adoration as a proposal for our Christian communities.

It is fascinating to see growing numbers of groups of young people pausing in thoughtful recollection before the Holy Eucharist; sometimes they are overcome with emotion so great as to produce the gift of tears. They are allowing themselves to be won over by the infinite sweetness of Christ's Heart, overcoming challenges despite themselves and despite the contradictions of our time. (From Alberto Pacini, L’Osservatore Romano, May 30, 2007)

St. Thomas the Apostle, Martyr (d. 74)—Feast, July 3 "Thomas touched your life-giving side, with an eager hand, O Christ God, when You did come to your apostles through closed doors. He cried out with all: You are my Lord and my God!" (Prayer)

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Patron of World Youth Days, Italy (1901-1925)—Feast, July 4 "The Eucharistic Christ was his sovereign Lord, whom he never ceased to adore," wrote Luciana Frassati, Pier Giorgio Frassati’s sister, of her brother who spent many hours adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and encouraging others to adore Him. Bl. Pier was devoted to the Holy Rosary. He led a life of the beatitudes, serving the poor and sick, with a pure and generous heart. He was a popular youth, who encouraged his friends to be holy.

St. Elizabeth (Isabel), Wife, Mother, Queen of Portugal (1271-1336)—Feast, July 4

A life of heroic prayer, virtue and charity to the poor while centered on the Eucharist were the hallmarks of her life. Elizabeth suffered much in her marriage before her husband’s conversion from his licentious life. She once had to go to a battle field to stop her husband and son from fighting and establish peace between them! Upon her husband’s death she took the habit of the Third Order of St. Francis and established a convent of Poor Clares. Her life was a very holy one modeled after her great Aunt St. Elizabeth of Hungary.

St. Maria Goretti, Martyr, Patroness of Youth and Children of Mary, Italy (1890-1902)—Feast, July 6

"The Holy Eucharist is the perfect expression of the love of Jesus Christ for man" (St. Maria).

St. Benedict, Priest, Founder of the Benedictines, Italy (c.480-547)—Feast, July 11 Benedict is a very great Saint who worked numerous miracles, including raising the dead. His was a life of prayer and work, he taught his monks to pray always. He is known as the Father of Western monasticism.Benedict’s great love was Jesus in the Eucharist whom he received just before he died. His twin sister Scholastica is also a Saint. They are both buried in the church of St. John the Baptist at Monte Cassino. The blessed medal of St. Benedict is one of the most powerful medals of the church. It possesses wonderful power for those who wear it with proper devotion and trust in the Holy Cross and the intercession of the holy father St. Benedict.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Consecrated Virgin, North America(1656-1680)—Feast, July 14

"Every day [St.] Kateri woke up early and ran through the woods to get to the chapel, even in the deep snow of winter. She made the journey quickly, because she was going to see her best friend Jesus in the Sacred Host, where He waited for her in the tabernacle. When she reached the doors of His house, she would wait outside in the cold until the priest came to open them for morning prayer" (From our book Stories of the Eucharist).

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel—Feast, July 16: Wear the Scapular! Pray the Rosary! Honor Our Lady!

Meditation on Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

"Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel – Be our constant hope.

Mary, perfect disciple of the Lord – Make us also faithful to him.

Mary, Flower of Carmel – Fill us with your joy.

Virgin Mary, Beauty of Carmel – Smile upon your family

Sweet Mother of Carmel – Accept me as your child.

Holy, Mother beyond compare – Remember your children forever.

Holy Virgin, Star of the Sea – Be our beacon of Light.

Protecting Veil – Shelter us in the mantle of your love.

Mary, conceived without sin – pray for us who have recourse to you."

Sts. Anne and Joachim, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jerusalem (1st Century)—Feast, July 26

Novena Prayer: Glorious Saints Anne and Joachim, filled with compassion for those who invoke thee, and with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at thy feet and humbly beg of thee to take the present affair which I recommend to thee under thy special protection. Vouchsafe to recommend it to thy daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and lay it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all obtain for me the grace, of one day, beholding my God, face to face, and with thee and Mary and all the Saints, praising and blessing Him for all eternity. Good Sts. Anne and Joachim, parents of her who is our Life, our Sweetness and our Hope, pray to her for us, and obtain our request. (3 times) Sts. Anne & Joachim, pray for us, to adore Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament!Sts. Anne & Joachim, pray for us, lead us to adore your grandson, Jesus in the Sacred Host!

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest, Founder of Jesuits, Spain (1491-1556)—Feast, July 31 St. Ignatius was a great mystic, who spent hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, and was sometimes seen praying with his face aglow "Oh my God! Oh my Lord! Oh that men knew Thee!" He saw visions of the Holy Trinity during Mass. St. Ignatius wrote the Spiritual Exercises to help us grow closer to God in the spiritual life. "Of the gifts of grace which the soul receives in the Eucharist, one must be counted among the highest; the Eucharist does not allow the soul to remain long in sin or to persist in it obstinately" (St. Ignatius of Loyola).

St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor, Italy (1696-1787)—Feast, Aug. 1

"Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us." (St. Alphonsus Liguori)

St. Peter Julian Eymard, Priest, Apostle of the Eucharist, France (1811-1868)—Feast, Aug. 2

"Look upon the hour of adoration assigned to you as an hour in Paradise. Go to your adoration as one would go to Heaven, to the divine banquet. You will then long for that hour and hail it with joy. Take delight in fostering a longing for it in your heart. Tell yourself, ‘In four hours, in two hours, in one hour, our Lord will give me an audience of grace and love. He has invited me; He is waiting for me; He is longing for me.’" (St. Peter Julian Eymard)

St. John Vianney, Cure of Ars, Patron of Priests, France (1786-1859)—Feast, Aug. 4

"When we are before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our heart; our good God will open His. We shall go to Him; He will come to us; the one to ask, the other to receive. It will be like a breath from one to the other." (St. John)

The Transfiguration of the Lord—Feast, Aug. 6

"When we unite ourselves with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, we unite ourselves with all the power in heaven and on earth. When you go before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, you release His power and His graces upon the whole world." (From our pamphlet "The Value of Sacrifice.")

St. Dominic, Priest, Dominicans Founder, Spain (1170-1221)—Feast, Aug. 8

"Every night, after his friars had gone to bed, St. Dominic would go to the church, and there, near the Lord, spend the long exacting hours of the night in prayer where he found interior consolation, solace, secret joys, ineffable delights, which our Lord poured out from His enchanting Heart in this holy Sacrament of love." (Hidden Treasure)

St. Teresa Benedicta Church Doctor, Carmelite Nun, Martyr, Germany (1891-1942)—Feast, Aug. 9

"If we visit our Eucharistic God and seek His counsel in all our problems, if we let ourselves be purified by the sanctifying power that flows from the altar, if we offer ourselves to the Lord in this sacrifice and receive Him into our souls in Holy Communion, then we cannot but be drawn ever more deeply into the current of the divine life." (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross)

St. Clare of Assisi, Foundress of Poor Clare Nuns, Italy (1193-1253)—Feast, Aug. 11

St. Clare led her Sisters in a life centered on receiving and adoring the Eucharist, in communion with the poor and in union with Jesus, their spouse. "Happy, indeed, is she to whom it is given to drink at this sacred banquet so that she might cling with her whole heart to Him whose beauty all the blessed hosts of heaven unceasingly admire."

St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Widow, Mother, Religious, France (1572-1641)—Feast, Aug. 12

Strengthened by the Holy Eucharist, she ministered to the sick and needy, and founded an order.

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Franciscan Priest, Martyr, Poland (1894-1941)—Feast, Aug. 14

St. Maximilian longed to start Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, which he proclaimed "the most important activity." He said that: "The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers." "Your heart was not satisfied that I should be nourished only with a memory of your infinite love. You remained in this vale of tears in the most holy and singularly miraculous Sacrament."

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven (1 Cor 2:9)—Solemnity, August 15

"Mary is assumed into Heaven and Her Heart is made forever one with the Heart of Jesus. These two Hearts beat as one. Where Jesus is, there Mary is also. Blessed Mother Mary is called Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament. With each Hail Mary we pray—for union with the Sacred Eucharistic Heart of Jesus!" (From our Rosary pamphlet.)

Pope St. Pius X, Pope of the Eucharist, Italy (1835-1914)—Feast, Aug. 21

Known as "the Pope of the Eucharist," for his promotion of Eucharistic devotion, St. Pius X was often found adoring our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, hearing confessions and caring for the poor. He lowered the age for the reception of First Holy Communion and fought Jansenism.

The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Feast, August 22:

"In the Cenacle, this August Queen kneels as adoratrix and servant of the Most Blessed Sacrament." (St. P. Eymard)

St. Rose of Lima, Patroness of South America (1586-1617)—Feast, Aug. 23

St. Rose was known for her love of the Eucharist at Mass and Adoration, mystical gifts and love for the poor.

St. Monica, Wife, Mother, North Africa, (332-387), Feast, Aug. 27 St. Augustine’s Mother prayed daily for hours at Mass and united her sufferings to Jesus Eucharistic for the conversion and soul of her wayward son, St. Augustine. He became a priest & saint!

St. Augustine, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, North Africa, (354-430), Feast, Aug. 28 St. Augustine writes of the Holy Eucharist: "Though God is all powerful, He is unable to give more; though supremely wise, He knows not how to give more; though vastly rich, He has nothing more to give."

Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Religious, Albania (1910-1997)—Ann. of Death, Sept. 5

"To be alone with Jesus in adoration and intimate union with Him is the greatest gift of love—the tender love of our Father in Heaven." (Bl. Mother Teresa) Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary—Sept. 8

"Come, one and all, let us joyfully celebrate the birth of the joy of all the world! Today, departing from the nature of earth, heaven has been formed upon earth. This day is the beginning of the world’s salvation" (St. John Damascene). "Desiring also to adore with fervor the Body of Christ our Lord there on the altar before me, I remembered how the Blessed Virgin Mary, enthroned above all the choirs of angels, was, of all creatures that came from the hand of the Almighty, the one who most worthily honors and serves the divine Majesty" (Bl. Peter Favre).

The Most Holy Name of Mary—Feast, September 12: "Blessed be her most holy name!"

"In the same way as the rebel angels fly from sinners who invoke the name of Mary, so also do the good angels approach nearer to just souls who pronounce her name with devotion." (St. Bridget)

St. John Chrysostom, Bishop, Doctor of the Church, Patron of Orators, Syria (c. 347-407)—Sept. 13

"Do not be fainthearted, do not cry, do not fear the difficult times. For He who did not refuse to shed His own blood for everyone and even made us partakers of His body and blood, what will He refuse to do for our salvation? Take heart, therefore, with this hope. Let us call on Him continually and give ourselves to prayer and supplication."

(St. John Chrysostom)

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross—September 14

"When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you. When you look at the Sacred Host you understand how much Jesus loves you now." (Bl. Mother Teresa)

Our Lady of Sorrows — September 15: "Behold your Mother!" (Jn 19:27)

"Your role before the tabernacle [is to be]: living lamps before Jesus in the Eucharist . . . handmaids of honor of the tabernacle and of its Divine Dweller; angels of the Eucharist who receive and who give; souls who hunger and thirst for the bread of the Eucharist and the water of His grace; hearts that share with their Spouse in the Eucharist His desires, His goals, His self-sacrifice for all . . .; the intimate confidantes of Jesus in the Host, listening to His every word of life and meditating on it in your heart, as Mary did" (Bl. James Alberione).

St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, Priest, Stigmatist, Mystic, Italy (1887-1968)—Feast, Sept. 23

"Kneel down and render the tribute of your presence and devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Confide all your needs to him, along with those of others. Speak to him with filial abandonment, give free rein to your heart, and give him complete freedom to work in you as he thinks best." "Always remain close to the Catholic Church, because it alone can give you true peace, since it alone possesses Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, the true Prince of Peace." (St. Padre Pio)

St. Vincent De Paul (1581-1660) Priest, Servant, France— Feast, Sept. 27 Patron of Charitable Societies, St. Vincent, spent his life working to help all who were in need. His zeal was fueled by his intimate union with our Eucharistic Lord. St. Vincent founded groups of priests, religious and laity to care for the poor, sick, aged and orphaned.

Feast of Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Saints—Sept. 29

Lord we give you thanks and praise for the faithful protection and guidance of your Archangels. Holy Archangels pray for us that we may love, receive and adore Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!

"In the presence of the angels, let us praise our God! Those who, especially in the silent hours of the night, gather together in adoration with the Angels and render to the Lamb, who was immolated, the thanksgiving due to Him, draw abundantly for themselves and for all the Church waters from the fountains of the Savior." (Pius XII)

"Be archangels of his Eucharistic Kingship . . . set out whenever he sends us to transmit a grace, to kindle a new hearth, to erect a throne, to conquer a new kingdom: what a sublime mission." (St. Peter Julian Eymard)

Please remember my intentions and loved ones before the Precious Body and Blood of Jesus, at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and Eucharistic Adoration, and in your devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary:

Please, we need your ongoing prayers and financial help, during this summer slump, so we can continue to spread Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in every parish and Catholic community.

(Visa/MC accepted) MBS, PO Box 1701, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518)561-8193 www.acfp2000.com

Contact us for help in starting Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in your parish or community today!

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