Creating a Google Contact's List

I will start at my seminary on August 25, 2007. As mandated under holy obedience of my superiors, blogging and posting on Internet forums is prohibited for seminarians. Therefore, blogging will end on August 24, 2007. However, I hope and pray to be able to blog and update my sidebar in the summers. The blog will remain online and I ask you to please leave my blog in your sidebars and on your feeds' lists. This blog will not end; it shall only remain dormant as required under obedience.

I am especially proud of all of my articles listed under Catholic Categories in the sidebar. I hope and pray that these informative articles will remain useful during the time that I am unable to blog. Currently I am still working on updating the Catholic Feast Days article with information about the 1955 Calendar. The large task has taken me weeks already. I hope to finish it before entering the seminary.

Thankfully, I can still use email while in the seminary. If you have been a reader of this blog please email me and ask to be put on my Google Contact List. With the list, I will be able to email a unlimited group of people with the click of a button. I plan on using the group to email readers updates on my life and requests for prayers. I do not plan to use the group in order to send out news or articles that I would have written for my blog.

Therefore, if you are a person that I know has read my blog - either because you are a Catholic blogger or have written me before - let me know if you want to receive emails from me. I do not want people to sign up in order to to obtain personal information. That is why I will add your name to the Google Contact's List only if I have heard from you before or you are a Catholic blogger.

Update: I have "bumped" this post up so that others will see.

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St. Maria Goretti

Today is the feastday of the young martyr, St. Maria Goretti. Please say a prayer for her intercession today. See the link for my post dedicated to St. Maria Goretti.

Official Prayer to St. Maria Goretti:

Oh Saint Maria Goretti who, strengthened by God's grace, did not hesitate even at the age of twelve to shed your blood and sacrifice life itself to defend your virginal purity, look graciously on the unhappy human race which has strayed far from the path of eternal salvation. Teach us all, and especially youth,with what courage and promptitude we should flee for the love of Jesus anything that could offend Him or stain our souls with sin. Obtain for us from our Lord victory in temptation, comfort in the sorrows of life, and the grace which we earnestly beg of thee (here insert intention), and may we one day enjoy with thee the imperishable glory of Heaven. Amen.

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Video: Last Mass of St. Padre Pio

Via A Catholic Mom in Hawaii

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First Friday Devotion

Today is the First Friday of July. Because today is the first Friday of the Month, many Catholic parishes will have special Masses today for the First Friday Devotion.

Beginning on December 27, 1673, through 1675, Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque asking her to receive Him in Holy Communion on the first Friday of every month and to meditate on His passion from 11:00 PM to 12:00 midnight each Thursday. He also revealed to her twelve promises for all who are devoted to His Sacred Heart; he asked for a Feast of the Sacred Heart to be instituted in the liturgical calendar of the Church. Our Lord appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque with twelve promises for those devoted to His Most Sacred Heart.

Promises for those devoted to the Sacred Heart:

1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."
2. "I will establish peace in their homes."
3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."
4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death."
5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings."
6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."
7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."
8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."
9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."
10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."
11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."
12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Pro-life Action:

MarchTogether.com has a monthly Call for Life in which pro-lifers are urged to call their elected officials and voice their support for the dignity of life. Today, being the first Friday, is this month's Call for Life.

For more information on the First Friday Devotion, please see The Miracle of the Rosary Mission. Please remember to pray for the unborn today and make an act of reparation to Our Lord. Remember, it was on Friday that Our Lord died and all Fridays in the year are days of penance (Canon 1250 - 1253)

Prayer of Reparation:
O Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore thee profoundly. I offer thee the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in reparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences by which He is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of thee the conversion of poor sinners. Amen.

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St. Anthony Zaccaria

According to both the 1969 Calendar of Saints and the Traditional Catholic Calendar, today is the feastday of St. Anthony Zaccaria (1502-1539), priest, the founder of the Clerks Regular of St. Paul, later called the Barnabites.

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Title for motu proprio: Summorum Pontificum

From CWNews.com:

A papal document widening use of the 1962 Roman Missal will be released on July 7, the Roman news agency I Media says, confirming reports that circulated late in June.

The motu proprio will be entitled Summorum Pontificum, I Media adds. The title of the Pope's document had not previously been mentioned in the media, despite numerous reports of its existence and intense speculation over its contents.

The German-language agency Kath.net reported on June 27 that the document by Pope Benedict XVI will be released on Saturday, July 7. The Kath.net story appeared after a special Vatican meeting in which a small group of prelates were briefed about the contents of the motu proprio. The Vatican press office later confirmed that the meeting had taken place, but did not confirm the publication date for the document.

The motu proprio is reportedly a 3-page document. It will be released in conjunction with a 4-page explanatory letter in which the Pope sets out his reason for encouraging the use of the pre-conciliar liturgy as an "extraordinary" form of the Latin rite.

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Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus

July is designated especially as the Month of the Precious Blood of Jesus, a special time to honor the Blood of Jesus. Please see my post entitled Devotions to the Precious Blood of Jesus for more information.

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Catholic Carnival 126

Catholic Carnival 126: The Fourth of July Style is now available!

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St. Thomas the Apostle

Today according to the 1969 Calendar of Saints is the feastday of St. Thomas the Apostle. I highly encourage others to read my previous post on St. Thomas. In particular, I would like to share this story:

While in India, St. Thomas witnessed a group of people desperately trying to remove a post from the earth. With ease, St. Thomas removed it and thrust it back into the ground saying that water shall never again pass the point. Atop the post now stands Santhome Cathedral. And, quite miraculously, when the Tsunami of 2004 hit and destroyed much of the buildings in Chennai, the water stopped at the steps of the Cathedral. The miracle of St. Thomas is still alive.

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Daily Prayer Schedule

Greetings and peace!

Since I am not yet in the seminary and am able to utilize much of my free time for prayer, I have devised a daily schedule. I follow these prayer times daily unless I happen to be working at the time of the prayer. However, for the most part, I am able to pray most of my prayer schedule daily.

• 7:30 AM Lauds in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel
• 8:00 AM Rosary in the church during Eucharistic Adoration
• 8:30 AM Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
• 9:00 AM Terce in the Perpetual Adoration Chapel
• 12 Noon Sext
• 3:00 PM None
• Sunset Vespers
• 9:00 PM Compline

I really like this current schedule because I am able to pray all of the daytime offices: Terce, Sext, and None. If I arrive at the Adoration Chapel early I spend extra time in prayer for the end of abortion and for the poor souls in purgatory. Below is a copy of a prayer that I really enjoyed praying today. I ask everyone reading this blog to pray it.

Prayer to Jesus Christ:

O Jesus, it is not the heavenly reward you have promised which impels me to love you; neither is it the threat of hell that keep me from offending you. It is you, O Lord, it is the sight of you affixed to the Cross and suffering insults; it is the sight of your broken body, as well as your pains and your death. There is nothing you can give me to make me love you. For even if there were no heaven and no hell I would still love you as I do. Amen.

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Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

For those who follow the pre-Vatican II Calendar of the Saints, today is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the 1955 Calendar, today is a Double of the II Class. The Faithful who use the 1962 Calendar also celebrate the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary today.

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Examination of St. Paul's Tomb Begins

Since Pope Benedict XVI recently declared that the Year of St. Paul would take place from June 2008 - June 2009, I would like to share this exciting news story from Catholic World News:

Pope Benedict XVI has approved an examination of the tomb of St. Paul, located in the Roman basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, the Kath.net news service reports.

The German-language news service reports that the Pope has given the green light for a plan to examine the interior of the tomb located beneath the altar of the ancient basilica, using an endoscopic probe.

Last December an archeologist announced the discovery of a large marble sarcophagus in excavations under the altar of the basilica, marked with a marble slab that read: "St. Paul, apostle." Although the basilica was built on the site of St. Paul's martyrdom and burial, the exact location of his tomb had been lost to history after a fire early in the 19th century. Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, the archpriest of the basilica, conceded that while the sarcophagus is marked as that of St. Paul, there is no certainty about the contents of the tomb. Having removed debris and plaster that surrounded the site, archeologists now plan a careful examination of the interior.

A similiar news story is available from WorldNetDaily.

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Be Pro-Life on Facebook

Finale: SUCCESS!



Original Post:

From an email:

Please send this email out to all your friends. You can vote to abolish abortion in Canada on Facebook's Great Canadian Wish List at the link below. You'll need to establish a free account on Facebook, if you don't already have one. Please get the word out as the "pro-choice" wish is gaining ground on us. The final winner will be announced on Canada Day : July 1st. Just log in below and add your support to the Abolish Abortion group.

http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb

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Pewsitter.com

I received the following email from Pewsitter. This seems like a very worthwhile project. Just select a diocese at the top of the webpage by clicking on "Diocesan news". I strongly hope that some of my readers will suggest news and help Pewsitter.com.

The Email:

Pewsitter.com is a unique Catholic news web site that was launched earlier this year. We are based in the U.S. and the preponderance of news on the site is from the U.S, we do feature Catholic related news from around the world.

The news on the site comes from two sources. The main source is from the conventional secular and Catholic press. We scour the news every day and put on Pewsitter those stories about the Catholic Church, faith, religion and the important moral and spiritual struggles of the day.

The second news source is the Catholic lay faithful. The concept behind the site is to enlist an army of "pewsitters" to be the eyes and ears for Pewsitter - hence the name. By submitting newsworthy items to Pewsitter, the laity can help shape and influence the Church and be a powerful force for positive change.

Pewsitter's initial focus will be on the national and international news on its home page. Its mid term objective is it to feature the Catholic news of the day within each of the 189 Catholic dioceses throughout the U.S

We would very much appreciate your assistance in getting the word out about Pewsitter. Here are several ways in which you can help us:

Place a link to our site, from your site, in a prominent place

Send an email to any opt-in email lists that you might have, encouraging other
faithful Catholics to go to the site and to begin to use it.

Volunteer to assist us with this endeavor

Keep us in your prayers.

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Blogging Addicition Quiz

70%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Via Catholic Fire

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The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Double of the I Class (1955 Calendar): July 1

Today, according to the Traditional Catholic Calendars of 1962 and previous, is the Feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This Feast, like so many others, has fallen victim to the post-Vatican II Church's novelties.

Fr. Johann Evalgelist Zollner (1883) relates the following:

"On this day, the Church celebrates the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. This feast, which had been celebrated in some dioceses since the fifteenth century, on Monday after Trinity Sunday, was extended by Pope Pius IX. over the whole Christian world, and its celebration prescribed for the first Sunday of July. The time of persecution and suffering had already begun for the Sovereign Pontiff. Compelled by a revolution to leave Rome, he repaired to Gaeta, in the kingdom of Naples, where he lived in exile for seventeen months, till April, 1850. Here it was that on the tenth day of August, 1849, he instituted the feast of the Precious Blood. That most sacred blood is the price of our Redemption, and is poured out daily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, whence it flows into the channels of the seven Sacraments, as an atonement for our sins and for our sanctification. For, as in Egypt, God was propitiated by the blood of the paschal lamb, the type and figure of the true Lamb of God, so He is propitiated by the blood of his Son, the true Paschal Lamb, which speaketh better than Abel's. Herein is the strongest evidence of the infinite love of Jesus Christ, who not only once, but seven times, shed his precious blood amidst the most cruel sufferings for our salvation. Let this seven-fold shedding of the precious blood be the subject of our present meditation.

1. The first shedding of blood was at His Circumcision
2. The shedding of blood in the garden of Olives
3. Jesus is scourged. The four Evangelists narrate that Jesus was Scourged
4. Jesus shed His blood the fourth time, when he was crowned with thorns
5. Jesus shed his blood the fifth time, carrying the cross
6. Jesus shed his blood the sixth time, when He was crucified
7. The seventh and last time Jesus shed His blood was when His side was opened

"Thus Jesus shed His precious blood seven times, and the price of these seven sheddings of blood is found in the seven Sacraments, by which we are cleansed from sin and sanctified. These seven sheddings of blood remind us also of the three Theological and the four Cardinal virtues; also of the seven virtues opposed to the seven deadly or capital sins, which are infused into us by baptism; also of the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, which we receive in confirmation, and finally of the seven days of the week, which we should dedicate to the service of God. The covenant between God and the Israelites was sealed with blood. The new covenant was sealed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. The covenant between God and men is sealed again as many times as the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is offered to God. Assist, whenever you can, at the tremendous Sacrifice of the Mass, and frequently receive holy communion."

See my post: Devotions for the Precious Blood for more information. In particular, the entire month of July is dedicated to the Precious Blood, making this the ideal month to pray the many devotions mentioned in that article.

+ The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ +

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ. This feast was instituted in 1849 by Pope Pius IX and was raised to the rank of a double of the first class by Pius XI on the occasion of the nineteenth centenary of our Savior's death.

We are reminded of the scene of Calvary and of the blow from the lance which pierced our Savior's side. The liturgy today is at pains to emphasize the meaning and tremendous significance of this fact in relation with our salvation. The Gospel and the Epistle are concerned with our Redemption, affected by the Blood and the love of our Savior.

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. The Son's love was so great that He gave His very life. No greater love is there than to give one's very life for the ones that he loves.

Not only did our Lord sacrifice His very life, but He so arranged that this sacrifice would continue to the end of time. He daily offers Himself up in an un-bloody manner in the Sacrifice of the Mass.

Here upon the holy altar Our Lord makes Himself present under the appearances of bread and wine through the miracle of transubstantiation. Here too the sacrifice is complete. Christ is made present and then destroyed for our salvation.

St. Paul to the Corinthians says: "The chalice of benediction which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?"

We were not present to witness the awesome bloody sacrifice of God in atonement for our sins. We did not stand beneath the cross to receive the last drops of His precious blood upon our souls. Yet, we are still able to receive these same graces. We are able to follow our Lord spiritually to Calvary every time we assist at Mass.

It took great courage, conviction, and even more so, love to follow our Lord to Calvary. There were not many who had this love, conviction or courage. The majority of the Apostles were found wanting in this area. They had much to fear from a worldly point of view. They did not wish to receive the same fate as their Master. We have a much easier path to follow. Our Lord remains hidden, but is present nonetheless. He invites us to participate in this sacrifice, and we now have nothing to fear from the world. Perhaps the worst that we will receive today from the world is mockery, ridicule and scorn; but even this is rare in the worldly indifference of today.

Not only is our path easier to follow because we do not have to fear the physical persecution of the world, but it is also much more intimate. In the Sacrifice of the Mass, we are able to unite our sacrifices with Christ's and we are able to receive Him into our own bodies and souls.

He comes to us the living Christ (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity). He comes to us in a manner that will not frighten or shock us, hidden under the appearance of bread and wine. He makes Himself very docile to us and allows us not only to approach Him but even to consume Him. In this manner, we are able to unite ourselves with Him, and He with us.

This is the most precious time -- the time of Communion. The all powerful and all merciful God becomes the guest of our very bodies and souls. Here is the point where Heaven and earth meet, and all that is in disorder is easily righted.

Christ is truly our guest, but we are the beneficiaries of His benevolence. He wishes for us to receive Him so that He may give to us. The words of St. Francis ring most truly in Holy Communion: "It is in giving that we receive."

May we truly realize the words from today's Post-communion: "We have been admitted, Lord to the Holy Table, and we have drawn water with joy from the fountains of the Savior; may His Blood be for us, we pray, a fountain of water springing up to eternal life. Who being God lives and reigns."

Prayer:

Almighty and everlasting God, Who didst appoint Thine only-begotten Son to be Redeemer of the world, and dist vouchsafe to be appeased by His Blood: grant, we beseech Thee, that (by our solemn service), we may so venerate the Price of our redemption, and by its power be so defended from the evils of this present life on earth, that we may enjoy its fruit for evermore in heaven. Through the same our Lord.

Prayer Source: 1962 Roman Catholic Daily Missal

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Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary Closes

An excerpt from The News Tribune:

For more than a century, Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary has prepared teenage boys for the priesthood, largely unchanged as the city transformed around it from gritty industrial center to modern metropolis.

But another kind of change finally caught up with Quigley.

The 102-year-old seminary, a Gothic-style building in a tony Chicago shopping district, closed this month because of a shrinking student body that has seen just one graduate ordained in the past 17 years.

Another seminary closes in our country and people are asking why there are few vocations. People can't figure out why no one wants to be a priest. The answer is rather apparent - there is no obvious honor in the priesthood. Honestly, without seeing the glory of a priest at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Tridentine Rite I would most likely not be entering a seminary this year. Returning to the Traditions of the Church including altar rails, Rogation Days, Latin Masses, women wearing head coverings, Rosaries in Latin, etc. will bring countless vocations to the Church.

In the 1950s, there was a plethora of vocations to the holy priesthood. Today, few men enter the priesthood and liberal seminaries are slowly drying up. I pray that the greater use of the Tridentine Mass will be allowed. I know that through its usage, vocations will begin to soar.

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Traditional Propers: Fifth Sunday After Pentecost

Vestments: Green

INTROIT
Psalms 26: 7-9
Hear, O Lord, my voice with which I have cried to Thee: be Thou my helper, forsake me not, nor do Thou despise me, O God, my Savior. -- (Ps. 26. 1). The Lord is my light, and my salvation, whom shall I fear? V.: Glory to the Father -- Hear, O Lord, my voice . . .

COLLECT - O God, who hast prepared for them that love Thee such good things as pass understanding: pour into our hearts such love towards Thee, that we, loving Thee in all things, and above all things, may obtain Thy promises which exceed all that we can desire. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost . . .

EPISTLE
1 Peter 3: 8-15
Dearly beloved, Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, being lovers of the brotherhood, merciful, modest, humble; not rendering evil for evil, nor railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing: for unto this you are called, that you may inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him decline from evil and do good; let him seek after peace, and pursue it: because the eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and His ears unto their prayers, but the countenance of the Lord against them that do evil things. And who is he that can hurt you, if you be zealous of good? But if also you suffer anything for justice' sake, blessed are ye. And be not afraid of their fear, and be not troubled: but sanctify the Lord Christ in your hearts.

GRADUAL
Psalms 86: 10, 9
Behold, O God our protector, and look upon Thy servants. V.: O Lord God of hosts, give ear to the prayers of Thy Servants.

Alleluia, alleluia. V.(Ps. 20. 1). In Thy strength, O Lord, the king shall joy; and in Thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
Matthew 5: 20-24

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: Except your justice abound more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother: Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say: Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother; and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.

OFFERTORY
Psalms 15: 7, 8
I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding: I set God always in my sight; for He is at my right hand, that I be not moved.

SECRET - Be merciful, O Lord, to our humble pleading: and favorably receive these offerings of Thy servants and handmaidens, that what each of us has offered to the honor of Thy Name, may profit us all unto salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who . . .

PREFACE (Preface of the Most Holy Trinity) - It it truly meet and just, right and for our salvation, that we should at all times, and in all places, give thanks unto Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God; Who, together with Thine only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, art one God, one Lord: not in the oneness of a single Person, but in the Trinity of one substance. For what we believe by Thy revelation of Thy glory, the same do we believe of Thy Son, the same of the Holy Ghost, without difference or separation. So that in confessing the true and everlasting Godhead, distinction in persons, unity in essence, and equality in majesty may be adored. Which the Angels and Archangels, the Cherubim also and Seraphim do praise: who cease not daily to cry out, with one voice saying:

COMMUNION
Psalm 26: 4
One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

POST COMMUNION - Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that we whom Thou hast fed with the heavenly Gift, may be cleansed from our hidden sins and delivered from the snares of our enemies. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth . . .

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I Have Returned from Florida

After a 20-hour ride, I have returned to my home state after nearly a week in Florida. I hope to post about the journey in greater detail including my visit to the Mission of Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Florida. I also gladly visited Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Mantanzas as some readers suggested. Overall, the trip was extremely enjoyable, and I do plan to post more about the trip in the following days. Thank you for your prayers.

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Pope Benedict XVI Urges The Practice Of Eucharistic Adoration

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 10, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI recommends the practice of Eucharistic adoration, saying that the capacity for interior silence and recollection is ever more important in life that is often "noisy and scattered."

The Pope said this today after praying the Angelus with crowds gathered in St. Peter's Square. His address centered on the Eucharist, as many nations celebrate the feast of Corpus Christi today.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Today’s solemnity of Corpus Domini, which in the Vatican and other nations was already celebrated this past Thursday, invites us to contemplate the great mystery of our faith: the most holy Eucharist, the real presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the altar.

Every time that the priest renews the Eucharistic sacrifice, in the prayer of consecration he repeats: "This is my body … this is my blood." He does this giving his voice, his hands, and his heart to Christ, who wanted to remain with us as the beating heart of the Church. But even after the celebration of the divine mysteries, the Lord Jesus remains living in the tabernacle; because of this he is praised, especially by Eucharistic adoration, as I wished to recall in the recent postsynodal apostolic exhortation, "Sacramentum Caritatis" (cf. Nos. 66-69).

Indeed, there is an intrinsic connection between celebration and adoration. The holy Mass, in fact, is in itself the Church's greatest act of adoration: "No one eats this food," St. Augustine writes, "if he has not first worshipped it" (Commentary on Psalm 98:9; CCL XXXIX, 1385). Adoration outside holy Mass prolongs and intensifies what happened in the liturgical celebration and renders a true and profound reception of Christ possible.

Today, then, in all Christian communities, there is the Eucharistic procession, a singular form of public adoration of the Eucharist, enriched by beautiful and traditional manifestations of popular devotion. I would like to take the opportunity that today's solemnity offers me to strongly recommend to pastors and all the faithful the practice of Eucharistic adoration. I express my appreciation to the institutes of consecrated life, as also to the associations and confraternities that dedicate themselves to this practice in a special way. They offer to all a reminder of the centrality of Christ in our personal and ecclesial life.

I am happy to testify that many young people are discovering the beauty of adoration, whether personal or in community. I invite priests to encourage youth groups in this, but also to accompany them to ensure that the forms of adoration are appropriate and dignified, with sufficient times for silence and listening to the word of God. In life today, which is often noisy and scattered, it is more important than ever to recover the capacity for interior silence and recollection: Eucharistic adoration permits one to do this not only within one's "I" but rather in the company of that "You" full of love who is Jesus Christ, "the God who is near us."

May the Virgin Mary, Eucharistic Woman, lead us into the secret of true adoration. Her heart, humble and silent, was always recollected around the mystery of Jesus, in whom she worshipped the presence of God and his redemptive love. By her intercession may there grow faith in the Eucharistic mystery, the joy of participating at holy Mass, especially on Sunday, and the desire to bear witness to the immense charity of Christ.

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