The Shrine is OPEN tomorrow, First Wednesday (August 5). Although we will honor St. Joseph for First Wednesday, I will talk about Blessed Frederic Janssoone (a Memorial in Canada), a fellow friar from the Holy Land who built up the Shrine of our Lady of the Cape in Trois Rivieres, Canada, by his anointed preaching. He also was one of three people who saw the life-changing Miracle of the Eyes of the Our Lady of the Cape statue (like our own statue in 1960) in 1888.
As usual, we are open this Friday, First Friday (August 7) and Saturday. In fact, this Saturday, August 8, is special, since it is the Feast of St. Dominic to whom the Queen of Heaven gave the Holy Rosary. HOW MUCH WE NEED THE ROSARY today! Demons say (under the compulsion of obedience by exorcists) that praying the Holy Rosary “steals souls” from them. Always meditate (briefly) on the Rosary Mysteries you are praying. In this way, you will become like Our Lady who “kept all these things [of Jesus’ life], reflecting on them in her [Immaculate] Heart” (Luke 2:19; 2:51). Reflecting on the Mysteries of Jesus in the Rosary allows Him to relive His Mysteries in us by the grace of the Holy Spirit, thereby anchoring us in the truth of salvation.
A few spots remain on our Holy Land Pilgrimage (October 12-22). Contact me if you are interested. (Contact information is below.) One thing I’ve noticed over the years: overall, men seem more afraid to go than women. Maybe it’s because women’s love and devotion to JESUS usually outstrips that of men—like Mary Magdalene compared to the Apostles. We should never be reckless, but may our love for the Lord Jesus never be lukewarm (Revelation 3:16)!
Saturday, August 15 is the Solemnity and Holy Day (not of Obligation) of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will be OPEN, even though the Dream Cruise will be occurring on that day. PLEASE COME TO THE SHRINE FROM THE WEST for the Shrine (the side where the golf course is) and NOT FROM WOODWARD (the east).
Monday, August 17, is Third Monday—our Evening of Reparation: 5:30 pm Doors Open, Exposition, Confession, 6:00 pm Holy Hour & 7:05 pm Mass of Reparation. The world needs reparation for it is often closed to Christ. Reparation re-opens closed hearts and rekindles lukewarm souls.
Saturday, August 22 is the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary—the feast in 1960 when our Shrine-Grotto statue came alive. She, and will be even more, the Victorious Queen, over the Devil & all heresies. But that said, what Pope John Paul I said still holds true: “Mary is Queen, but she is most of all Mother.”
To communicate with me, please DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL. Call/text me at (313) 727-9784 or email me abunacalcio1982@gmail.com. St. Dominic, Apostle of the Holy Rosary, pray for us!
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries