November 26 Pauline Feast Day

On November 26, 1971 Paul VI paid a visit to an old friend, founder of the Pauline Family, Reverend James Alberione. Paul VI signed the guestbook at the residence of the Society of St. Paul in Rome. However Father Alberione was already slipping in and out of consciousness. The Pope knelt at the bedside and commended Alerione's soul to God. Not long after Alberine looked up and prayed "Ave Maria" and then left this world for eternity. In 2003, Pope John Paul II beatified Father Alberione and set the date of November 26th as the day when we can celebrate a Mass in honor of Blessed James Alberione, pioneer in media evangelization. Blessed James founded 10 religious groups: two institutes dedicated to media evangelization: Priests and religious brothers of the Society of St. Paul: http://www.albahouse.org/; and my commuity of Sisters called Daughters of St. Paul: www.pauline.org; another order of Sisters dedicated to liturgy, and assistance to the priesthood, Sister Disciples of the Divine Master: www.pddm.us/; another order of Sisters who work in parishes, Sisters of the Good Shepherd or Pastorelle; and fourth religious community of Sisters, the Sisters of the Queen of Apostles, or Apostoline who promote all vocations in the church; a secular institute for priests: Institute of Jesus the Priest; the Gabrielites, a secular institute for single lay men; the secular institute of Our Lady of the Annunciation for single women; the Holy Family Institute for married men and women; and the Pauline Cooperators.See the web site www.alberione.org for more detailed information on the Pauline Family begun by Blessed James Alberione.

We pray for the folks who work in the media of communications today that the example of Blessed Alberione who used media for God will also inspire these men and women to spread the gospel with the media.



Veterans Day/Remembrance Day

November 11th marks the commemoration of all of our military veterans. Thank you to each one who served us in the military both in our country and abroad. There are few left alive of the veterans of what was called "The Great War." In that conflict young men from Europe and North America laid down their lives in what was supposed to be a "war-to-end-all-wars." Spielberg's movie "War Horse" shows some of the hardships endured on both sides of that conflict.
After reading an account of a young Canadian officer who served in France, I was struck by the enormous number of young soldiers who never returned from that war. Seen from a modern perspective, lives were lost due to inadequate training, inexperience, and lack of  ammunition and know-how. In Canada the custom still prevails of wearing a poppy (usually made of paper). The poppy reminds all who see it of the sacrifices made by veterans, especially those who died in "Flanders Field:"

 In Flanders Field

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.



We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

John McCrae   (Canadian Poet and Veteran of World War I)

May those who have fallen rest in the eternal peace of God. May those who survive now receive respect, gratitude and support from all of us.

God bless all of our veterans.