OCTOBER, a great month!

OCTOBER, a GREAT MONTH.

The month of October is a great month, full of celebrations and events. It is the MONTH OF THE MISSIONS and we will be helping the missionaries both with our collection and with our RAFFLE. We have celebrated on October 1st, the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, who have been declared by the universal Church, Patron of the Missions. It is also the MONTH OF THE HOLY ROSARY. In particular we will remember October 13th as the anniversary of the last apparition of our Lady of Fatima to the three little shepherds. Our Knights of Columbus have organized a whole day of praying the Rosary on October 6th, with the devotion of the 2000 Hail Marys.
October 4th is the feast of a great saint: St. Francis of Assisi, who as a simple young lay person was able to change the face of the Church of his time. On October 3rd the Universal Church has started in Rome the Synod of Bishops on the “Youth, Discernment and Vocation”; an event that will last for the whole month and will present to the world the concern of the Catholic Church for Young People. In the words of Pope Francis, they have the power and the enthusiasm to change the whole Church. On October 8, we will celebrate Thanksgiving; a great moment to say thanks to God for our beautiful country and opportunity to re-commit ourselves to the dignity of life and solidarity with the so many immigrants who are knocking at our shores. We must thank God for so many people from so many nations, who are coming to share their life and talents with us in this beautiful, God-given land and state. October 11, we celebrate a great saint and reformer of our times: Pope John XIII, who was the pope that introduces our church to modern times, with the convocation of the Vatican Council II; an event that has changed the Church and human history for ever. On October 14, in Rome, Archbishop Oscar Romero of San Salvador will be canonized as a martyr; he was killed on the altar as he was raising the blood of Christ during the celebration of Holy Mass; one of the many martyrs of our time. On October 15 we will celebrate the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, one of the greatest mystics of our Christian Tradition. The real medicine for our troubled times is exactly the mystical life” that she has lived and taught. On October 20 we will celebrate the memory of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, the saint of the SACRED HEART, a revelation of the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which opened the door to the revelation of Divine Mercy of our time. On October 22, we will remember our great Pope John Paul II, one of the greatest Popes of our History; we are lucky to have known him and followed him for 27 years of our life. I was so happy to have met him and shaken his hand! October will end with Halloween, which for us Christians is the vigil of the celebration of ALL SAINTS who are not recognized officially by the Church Calendar, together with all our faithful departed, whom we remember the next day, second of November.
A REAL GREAT MONTH TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER, both on earth and in heaven.