September 1, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Monday, September 1
FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH
St Paul Mass for the Sanctification of Human Labor
1 Cor 2: 1-5
Ps 119: 97-102
Lk 4: 16-30
Lk 4: 16-30

INTENTION OF THE MONTH: "Everywhere the vocation problem is the most urgent and the most difficult" (SP Aug-Sep 1949). During this month let us pray for our brothers and sisters of the Pauline Family in Portugal, Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Romania.

From Father Tom: The Founder in this quote is surely not saying anything new and; if he were alive today, he would be even more emphatic. Why are there no vocations? In fact, there agree in the occasional Religious group or Diocese where the Religious vocation or the priesthood vocation if fully lived.

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. M. Zefirina Baldi FSP (1947)--Sr. Cecilia Campagna FSP (1963)--Sr. M. Rital Simaz PD (1980)--Sr. M. Luigina Salva FSP (1992)--Sr. M. Daniela Vezzulli FSP (1997)--Sr. M. Adalgisa Tavella PD (2003)---Ninfa Viconti HFI (2008)--Sr. Agostiniha Boff FSP (2010)

August 31, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Sunday, August 31
TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Jer 20:7-9
Ps 63: 2-9
Rom 12: 1-2
Mt 16: 21-27

Here is a half-blind man who is being guided; and as he advances, from time to time he is given light so that he may always advance: God is light (AD 202).

From Father Tom: This sentence occurs towards the end of a collection of reflections in the short series of notes here hoted as "AD" and in the original Latin "Abudantes Divitiae Gratiae Suae"--the abundant riches of His grace." This slight but extremely important piece of writing outlines the principles and practices involved with the beginning of the Pauline Family and its future (Eph. 2, 7). The reference here is 2-fold: his personal defective eyesight and the difficulty of discerning the will of God as we go through life.

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Guglielmo Stracciati HFI (1986)--Sr. Melania Lovato FSP (2002)--Sr. Concetta Anzalone SGBP (2005)--Sr Giuseppina Ciolla FSP (2011)

August 30, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Saturday, August 30
BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
OF THE DAY
1 Col 1: 26-31
Ps 33: 12-21
Mt 25: 14-30

If the Holy Spirit enlightens us, and insofar as it is up to us, we shall prefer humiliation to praise, poverty to wealth, oblivion to exaltation, suffering to consolations and health. To consider ourselves last; not to expect thanks (UPS III, 58).

From Father Tom: Interesting and challenging suggestion: we will not goo out of our way to seek the situation listed--that might lead to taking pride in our humility and the other situations listed! What we will do is accept the promptings of the Spirit in these instances and allow them to purify and bless us and all we do.

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. M. Theresita Herrero PD (1949)--Sr. M. Eufrosina Nicolo' PD (1971)--Fr. Mirco (2005)--Bro Francesco Chessa SSP (2007)--Vittorio Santini HFI (2008)--Helen Mosebarger (1996)

August 29, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Friday, August 29
THE PASSION OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST
OF THE DAY
1 Cor 1: 17-25
Ps 33: 1-11
Mk 6: 17-29

Divine works are like a pyramid that has its top at the bottom (that is, the human means) and its base that is, God) at the top. With nothing human, it is God who works and produces the wonders of His wisdom and power: and that because man has put himself in his right place "of myself I can do nothing, with God I can do all;" in humility and faith one has worked and prayed, prayed and worked (SP Sep-Oct 1953).

From Father Tom: The Founder here quotes an example of God's work and ours which is represented by an inverted pyramid: when things go well, we are at the point of the pyramid where nothing much can happen, while the base is in this case at the top where God acts freely and powerfully. The old Pauline phrase expresses it well: by myself I can do nothing; with God I can do everything.

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. M. Thomasina Morelli PD (1989)--Sr. Bianca Giordano FSP (2000)--Fr. Stefano Cane SSP (2000)--Sr. M. Antonietta Marazza FSP (2001)--Bro Manuel Regueiro SSP (2004)--Sr. Luiza Sonego FSP (2011)--Richard Halcomb (2011)

August 27, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Thursday, August 28
ST AUGUSTINE, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH
OF THE DAY
1 Cor 1: 1-9
Ps 145: 2-7
Mt 24: 42-51

We have observed in several cases a heroism in constructing from nothing good buildings, a well organized aostolate, sufficient studies, an organized apostolate, sufficient studies, an integral religious-Pauline formation. We go forward with wisdom when we establish the economy upon the apostolate (SP May-Jun 1952).

From Father Tom: Here we have the same thought: some pioneers in various lands were truly sons of the Founder. Yet we have to admit that there is always the danger of falling off from the high standards he set and all the more in the truly evil world we live in. Each of us must feel responsible for the present and the future.

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. M. Consilia Fusaro PD (1955)--Raimondo Martinet HFI (2005)--Fr. Emilio Cordero SSP (2010)--Goffreda Ferri HFI (2010)

August 27, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Wednesday, August 27
ST MONICA
OF THE DAY
2 Thes 3: 6-18
Ps 128: 1-5
Mt 23: 27-32

The Lord sows on the path of little men consolations: among them that of seeing again the brothers and not yet met after their departure from Italy and finding them with so much affection for their mission and for our Congregation (SP Jul 1949)

From Father Tom: This time we have an older Founder, remembering how the various pioneer went courageously to lands where they had to learn everything and not just the language. We who inherit the results of their efforts must build on that hard work and many humiliations and must pray for those Houses and communities where something of the original spirit seems to have been lost.

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. M Giulia Salzotto PD (1979)--Fr. Pasquale Spadone IJP (1992)--Fr. Fancisco Bianco SSP (2004)--Sr. Maria Stella Lipparoni SBGP (2010)--Sr. Maria Alba Matagawa FSP (2010)--Sr. M. Samuela D'Addario PD (2011)

August 25, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Tuesday, August 26
OF THE DAY
2 Thes 2: 1-2, 14-17
Ps 96: 10-13
Mt 23: 22-23-26

Changing continents, finding oneself on land, at sea, on the air: encountering new races, other civilizations, different languages, but always the same Mother, always the heart of children, always the same devotion: how consoling! To Mary everything, from Mary everything, with Mary everything (SP Jun 1949).

From Father Tom: In 1957 on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee, the Founder in different writings asked himself a question in various ways: all that has been accomplished is it truly apostolic and just as important; does it enable those involved in it to aim at high holiness? It remains for each of us to answer the question personally, but as a general rule we can say that for many members the answer is "yes."

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. Beatrice Almici FSP (2000)--Carmela La Rocca HFI (2008)

August 25, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Monday, August 25
ST LOUIS; ST JOSEPH CALASANZ, PRIEST
OF THE DAY
2 Thes 1: 1-5, 11-12
Ps 96: 1-5
Mt 23: 13-22

I must say that for four years Fr. Tito Armani and Fr. Desiderio Costa, who were soon joined by Fr. domenico Amvrosio and by Fr. Paolo Marcellino, were the most generous and intelligent in the Pauline life. Truly the Holy Spirit worked in their souls. Those were the years when only faith and love for God sustained those first sons of Saint Paul (AD 215).

From Father Tom: The Founder here lauds some of the very early young helpers. Fr. Tito was Superior in my Novitiate after spending many years in Argentina. Fr. Costa was the Founder of the Pauline house in Spain--I met him briefly one day when he was gassing  his car. I also met Fr. Marcellino briefly--he was the Founder in Japan and Korea

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Sr. M. Gracia Oliva PD (1961)--Sr. M. Grazia Bicego SGBP (1983)--Sr. M. Feliciana Oberto PD (1987)--Sr. M. Roberta Gambadoro FSP (2006)--Sr. Gilde Micheletti FSP (2009)--Filippo Romano HFI (2010)--Fr. Stafano Bacchitta IJP (2011)

August 24, 2014 With Blessed Father Alberione and With Father Tom

Sunday, August 24
TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Is 22: 19-23'
Ps 138: 1-8
Rom 11: 33-36
Mt 16: 13-20

I always remember those brothers who bore the first and most heavy burdens, with understanding much superior to their age. Their simple and secure faith, that let them (to) rest in the hands of God, their love for God, for souls and their deep desire for sanctity, opened the way for so many vocations (AD 220). 

From Father Tom: The Founder is here a little more relaxed as he recalls the young people who entrusted themselves to his care in the very early days. They were not without other options. A big Salesian House in Turin would have welcomed them (and in fact one of them went to school there for some time.).

Please Pray for Our Deceased: Cleric Livio Razzini SSP (1934)--Sr. M. Giovanna Salsi FSP (1944)--Bro Bruno Tognon SSP (1989)--Sr. Alberta Eudizi FSP (1993)--Sr. M. Giulia Toschi FSP (1999)--Sr. M. Agnese Carozzo FSP (2003)--Sr. M. Imelda Cattapan PD (2009)--Sr. Maria Rosa Ballini FSP (2010)--Teofila Burnieika (1977)