St. Joseph Chapel & the Shrine of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (400 South Blvd. West, Pontiac, MI 48341) will RE-OPEN this Thursday, August 14 on the Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe, the “Martyr of Charity.” The readings will be the proper readings from the Franciscan Lectionary.
We have a new image of St. Maximilian brought straight from Poland—depicting him in his Franciscan habit and in his concentration camp prisoner uniform with the 2 crowns (white and red) offered to him by the Blessed Virgin Mary when he was young. It is impressionable, and calls us to heroic sanctity.
Friday, August 15, is the Solemnity and Holy Day of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In Jerusalem, at the Tomb of Mary (also called the Church of the Assumption) which is located in an ancient 1st-century Jewish cemetery at the bottom of the Mount of Olives in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, I quote the Catechism that Mary’s assumption is “a singular participation in her Son’s resurrection.” (n. 996) We will honor our holy Mother with due solemnity and, after the Rosary, will have a tasty summer-menu reception to rejoice in this great Marian feast promulgated by Pope Pius XII ex cathedra (infallibly) in 1950. That same number of the Catechism says that her Assumption is “an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians”—of us!
The Shrine will be CLOSED on Saturday, August 16—the day of the Dream Cruise.
Monday, August 18, Third Monday, is our Evening of Reparation and Thursday, August 21, is our Evening for Vocations. Both have the following schedule: 6:30 pm we open with Confession available upon request, 7:00 pm Holy Hour and 8:00 pm Mass.
To communicate with me, please DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL but email me directly at abunaalex@yahoo.com or call/text me at (313) 727-9784. St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us!
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries