January 1, 2024
Dear Friends,
Happy—and Holy—New Year! May today’s Solemnity of Mary, Mary of God help you start the new year with our Blessed Mother helping you to follow Jesus Christ, our Divine Savior, more faithfully and fervently. Remember, He is technically not a human being but a Divine Person who assumed our humanity to save us through the same nature in which we fell (in Adam). He deserves our all. What New Year’s Resolutions might you make to give Him your all?
One possible New Year’s Resolution is to make First Saturdays a normative part of your Catholic lifestyle. First Saturdays helps one to live the Fatima Message in its fullness in these disturbing times. Confession, offering Jesus your Communion of Reparation, praying the Holy Rosary, and meditating 15 minutes on the Mysteries of the Rosary (as Our Lady of Fatima requested) will renew you as a Catholic disciple, unleash graces into your life, and protect you from the errors of our age.
All three “First’s” fall this week: First Wednesday (Jan. 3) to honor St. Joseph, First Friday (Jan. 5) to honor the Sacred Heart and First Saturday (Jan. 6) to honor the Immaculate Heart of Mary—truly a “Holy Family” beginning to 2024. We will observe all at St. Joseph Chapel (400 South Blvd. West, Pontiac, MI 48341).
Epiphany Water will be available on First Saturday. It is the most powerful Holy Water the Church offers. The water will be already bottled and available for a donation. It can only be blessed on the traditional Epiphany date (Jan. 6) and in Latin since the blessing is from the Roman Ritual. It is highly recommended for situations of demonic disturbance (hence, it is for blessing not drinking) and for protection from such.
Have you sensed or discerned a desire to follow Jesus Christ, poor and crucified, in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi? Perhaps you are called to discern a vocation to the Secular Franciscan Order (Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis)? We will be starting, under the patronage of Our Lady, Queen of the Franciscan Order, Immaculate Conception Fraternity and invite anyone interested (even professed Secular Franciscans) to our first monthly “Come and See” Meeting on Thursday, January 25 at St. Joseph Chapel at 7:00 pm. We will let the Immaculata guide us. The world needs an authentic Franciscan witness to the joy of salvation Jesus offers every human being through the Catholic Church.
To communicate with me, please DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL but email me directly at [email protected] or call/text me at (313) 727-9784. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!
In Jesus, Mary & Joseph,
Fr. Alex Kratz, OFM
Spiritual Director of Terra Sancta Ministries