Dear Friends,
"Mary is a living word of comfort for the Church in her struggle against death. Showing us the Son, the Church assures us that in him the forces of death have already been defeated...the Lamb who was slain is alive, bearing the marks of his Passion in the splendor of the Resurrection."
- John Paul II, The Gospel of Life
Christ’s peace. Know of our prayers for you and your family during this disorienting and difficult time. In the midst of this crisis, the Church holds out hope to us in this Feast of the Annunciation. On this day we give thanks to Our Lady for her "yes" to God's will which opened the way for our Redemption. Now, in the Risen Christ, we find hope in the midst of sorrow, light in darkness, life in death.
This day, March 25th, 2020, also marks the 25th anniversary of the Spirit-filled encyclical Evangelium Vitae, the Gospel of Life. We give thanks for this document of the Church which reminds us of the ultimate value of each human life, destined for eternity. We encourage you to read and meditate on the full text of the document which can be found here. As our world seeks to protect the most vulnerable at this time, may these words of the Church be a source of inspiration and consolation to you as they proclaim the hope found in Christ.
At this time, we grieve the cancellation of Masses. May the longing and gratitude for Jesus, present in the Sacraments, grow in each of our hearts. We know that Jesus is always with us and the victory of His love knows no bounds. We want to make you aware of some of the resources available online so that you can continue to be nourished spiritually during this time:
- Catholic NYC is live-streaming a series of talks by excellent Catholic speakers. The next one is by Dr. Greg Bottaro tonight at 7:30pm. You can watch it on Facebook or YouTube.
- Spend some time in Eucharistic Adoration with this live-stream from EWTN.
- Check out the Catholic movies, videos, and audio books available on FORMED.
- Listen to our Sister’s podcast on how to live with peace and faith in God in the midst of this pandemic.
- Be inspired through an online parish mission led by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, every night from 7:30 – 8:30pm.
As you may have heard, the leaders of 40 Days for Life have decided to end the public vigil portion of the spring 40 Days for Life campaign effective immediately due to the Coronavirus pandemic. However, we urge you to continue to pray and fast from your homes. It is a tragedy that as the world seemingly shuts down, abortion clinics have remained open and are deemed an “essential service.” The battle for the culture of life is primarily spiritual and requires a spiritual response. Perhaps you are being invited to pray the rosary each day for a woman who is considering having an abortion. Your prayers can bring light and grace into her life, enabling her to choose life for her child.
It is with sadness that we share the news of the entrance into eternal life of a stalwart pro-life advocate whom many of you would know, Mary Devine. She passed away tragically on March 23rd in a fatal car crash. Mary sidewalk counseled every week for nearly 25 years and her prayers and sacrifices saved many from abortion. Please join us in praying for the repose of her soul, especially as the Archdiocese has suspended the celebration of funeral Masses at this time. Mary will go to the Father without a funeral, just like the unborn she fought so hard to protect throughout her life.
Eternal rest grant unto her,
O Lord, and let perpetual light
shine upon her. May her soul and the souls
of all the faithful departed, through
the mercy of God, rest in peace.