Parents of the Messiah’s Mother, Grandparents of God!
From the union between St. Joachim and St. Anne would blossom the Lily of lilies, Mary Most Holy, who would give birth to the Saviour. For the optimal fulfilment of this mission, it was fitting that Providence elevate them to a previously unknown degree of sanctity. The Eternal Word wanted to have need of a […]
St. Mary Magdalene- A Soul transformed by Love
What did she see in Jesus’ gaze? Reprehension? Yes, but also an immense compassion. And soon her life of sin became unbearable. “Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of […]
Heaven is for those who confide!
When temptations seem unrelenting, the trials of life threaten to destroy us and God seemingly does not hear our prayers, it is time for confidence in Providence. Navigating the tempestuous Sea of Tiberias with its angry waves, the disciples of Jesus fought to reach Capernaum in the black of night. They were experienced fishermen, they […]
The Holy Rosary- A prayer that leads to the Reign of Mary
In the apparitions of Fatima, Our Lady asked the three shepherd children for the daily recitation of the Holy Rosary. What treasures does this devotion contain that makes it so pleasing to the Blessed Virgin? In every historical age, especially in times of great crisis, Divine Providence has brought forth souls who act as living […]
Should the Church keep up with the Times?
The rigorous truths of religion are at variance with the spirit of the world. Should Catholics adapt to the latter’s demands, or does their mission demand something different? In His first instructions after the Resurrection, Our Lord sent the Apostles to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and […]
Mary: God’s Brilliant Response
Mount Carmel symbolically harmonizes the pinnacle of the divine response to evil and unshakeable faith in the fulfilment of the sweetest and most sublime promise: the Incarnation of the Word in the most pure womb of Mary ever-Virgin. Gospel for the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel 46 While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, […]
Divine Music of Marian Harmonies
Commenting on the Hail Holy Queen in his most recent book, Msgr. João unveils something of the Reign of Mary, that historical era in which the spirit of the Mother of God will be present in every creature. For Dr. Plinio Correa de Oliveira, the Salve Regina represented the archetypal petition to Our Lady, the masterpiece […]
How to discern a true Apostle of Jesus Christ
To be an apostle is a vocation that extends to all times and places. But how can we differentiate between the true and the false apostle? The Second Letter to the Corinthians offers us some valuable criteria. To be an apostle is not something exclusive to the early period of the Church, but rather a […]
The Heart that loved us until the end
Unique and inexhaustible, the love of the Sacred Heart for each one of us was taken to unimaginable extremes. How can we fail, then, to have absolute trust in divine mercy, despite our miseries? Or perhaps even because of them? Gospel – Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus 31 “Since it was the day of […]
Christ in us through the Holy Eucharist
In Communion, Our Lord Jesus Christ comes into contact with us in a very special way: soul to soul! As a loving Father and infinitely powerful Physician, He wants to forgive and heal us. When I was a boy, children were asked, in catechism classes, if they believed that Our Lord Jesus Christ was really […]