Saint Isaac Jogues Parish
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SAINT ISAAC JOGUES PARISH 8149 Golf Road ~ Niles, IL 60714 847/967-1060 ~ Fax # 847/967-1070 Website: http://sij-parish.com The Ascension of the Lord May 24, 2009 Page Two The Ascension of the Lord May 24, 2009 "MAY PILGRIMAGE" The Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga, Asturias, Spain The Virgin of Covadonga The Sanctuary in the Cave of Covadonga In 1986 the dollar was "strong" and deluxe vacations sixteenth century costume ready to serenade us for a for Americans in Europe were still affordable. Spain few pesetas. Our hotel was the Inn of the Catholic and Portugal were outstanding destinations and real Kings. It was across the plaza from the great shrine values. A priest friend and I had made reservations church. As I glanced back at the shrine, a rose- months before with our travel agent to stay at colored cloud ascended from the pilgrim portal to the pousadas and paradors. Pousadas and paradors are lofty bell towers. It was a "touch" worthy of Franco historic inns, castles, and "four star" hotels in Zeffirelli or C.B. DeMille. Portugal, and Spain. They are always well-located, picturesque, and more than comfortable. In Leaving Santiago for Oviedo and then Asturias, we Estremos, there was actually a bronze plaque that found ourselves in the foothills of the Picos de announced that Vasco da Gama had payed his Europa. High mountain peaks and misty, verdant respects to the Queen of Portugal where we were valleys made it seem more like Switzerland than about to dine and spend the night! Spain. We were stopped more than once by fog and stray mountain sheep! Despite a few anxious The drive from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela moments on narrow mountain roads, we were was remarkably rich in history, natural charm and delighted with the beauty of northwestern Spain. Our local color. Santiago itself was breathtaking. It was trusty Fromer and Fodor guidebooks had all I expected and more. It was a great privilege to recommended points of local interest. For people as celebrate Mass at the tomb of St. James the Apostle. interested in History and Religion as we were, the Outside, in the streets of Santiago, there were Shrine of Our Lady of Covadonga was definitely Galician bagpipers and student-choristers in worth a short detour. It was a “must.” Page Three The Ascension of the Lord May 24, 2009 Covadonga, literally, means “deep cave.” I have Pelayo: always been impressed by the natural settings of Lourdes and LaSallette, but when I saw Covadonga, "If you pardon the culprit now, I found it even more impossibly beautiful and you will find a safe haven on this very romantic! Viewing the image of the Virgin in her spot and thus regain the kingdom." grotto-chapel high above a rocky pool with a water waterfall beside it was a “natural revelation”- -a The hermit's advice proved prophetic. In 718, Pelayo veritable threshold experience. In Historic Shrines began a rebellion against the Moors. The Visigoths of Spain, Isabel Allardyce offers a “rhapsodic” surprised their adversaries with their courage and description of the setting. fierce resistance. In 722, a well-trained army under General Alkamar, marched against Pelayo's vastly The upper part of the rocky outnumbered men, vowing to destroy them. mass, from whose center springs the source of the river Deva which, Pelayo stationed his men strategically along the cliffs rushing underneath the cave, with of Covadonga. He entered the cave where an image a loud roar that is answered by of Our Lady had been enshrined. He prayed for Our a thousand echoes from the surrounding Lady's protection and aid in the coming conflict. hollows and rocks, dashes over precipices and falls with Accounts of the Battle of Covadonga emphasize the tremendous noise into a basin unexpected and suggest the miraculous. Though ninety feet below. arrows "darkened the sky" and darts and lances were hurled, somehow they never hit their mark. Arrows Upon experiencing all that, one can rightly ask: seemed to bounce off the rocks and were deflected "Why is this shrine here… here in the wilderness of back upon the Moors. In the pell-mell of battle, the Asturias?" Moors fled. Pursued by the small Christian army ,the Moors sought safety on the plains near Mount Was it history? Was it a miracle? The answer to both Auceva. Then a great rainstorm broke. The river questions is “yes!” Deva overflowed. A landslide crushed those who had not been drowned in the flood. An estimated 124,000 In 711, Arabs and Berbers from North Africa Moors perished that day! invaded Spain. The "Moors" swept over the weak and divided kingdoms of the Iberian peninsula with The unexpected victory at Covadonga was popularly little real resistance. At the decisive Battle of reckoned to be a miraculous intervention of Our Guadalete, Visigothic King Rodrigo was defeated Lady. Even though the Moors remained in Spain and killed. Don Pelayo, a valiant kinsman, then until the sixteenth century, Covadonga was a turning gathered a courageous remnant of knights and point. Professor Plinio Correa de Oliveira concludes retreated to mountainous Asturias. that Covadonga can teach a holy "lesson.” Meanwhile, the triumphant "Moors" marched north Our Lady is par excellence the to the frontiers of the Frankish Kingdom. Pelayo and Mother of the Impossible. She asks us his knights remained a concern for the invaders. to do the impossible--she has the right to ask this of us-- and she will come When Pelayo arrived in Covadonga, he had a to achieve the victory after we do discipline problem. One of his knights was unruly everything we can. and eventually deserted. Pelayo pursued him, and was about to take him prisoner when a holy hermit - - Fr. Luczak appeared. The hermit told Pelayo that the cave was a sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin. He admonished Page Four The Ascension of the Lord May 24, 2009 SPIRITUAL LIFE MEMORIAL DAY MASS There will be a 9:00 a.m. Mass on Memorial Day. Please note it will be the only Mass for that day. RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is a process of prayer, reflection, study and discussion for individuals who have never been baptized; who are baptized Christians but who seek to learn more about the Catholic Church; or who are baptized Catholics but have not received First Communion and Confirmation. During the summer we will meet every other Sunday at 9:00 a.m. in the Religious Education Office. For more information about the RCIA process, please call Dee Stanton or Joyce Mills at 847/966-1180. PENTECOST WEEKEND All are invited to wear traditional garments of their culture or colors associated with their ethnic background when you come for Pentecost Mass next weekend. As we celebrate the Descent of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church, let us also give praise and thanks to God for our rich diversity as well as our Catholic identity and unity in Christ. LITANY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT As we prepare to celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter Season and calls us forth into deeper Christian living, all are encouraged to pray as did Mary, our Blessed Mother, and the Apostles, for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit Jesus promised. May God give each of us gifts by which we will glorify Him until our journey brings us to eternity. Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Christ, hear us! Christ, graciously hear us! God, our heavenly Father, have mercy on us! God the Son, Savior of the world, have mercy on us! God the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us! Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us! Spirit of the Father and the Son, come into our hearts! Spirit of wisdom and knowledge, come into our hearts! Spirit of counsel and strength, come into our hearts! Spirit of intellect and strength, come into our hearts! Spirit of holy fear, come into our hearts! Spirit o faith, hope and charity, come into our hearts! Spirit of humility and meekness, come into our hearts! Spirit of patience and modesty, come into our hearts! Spirit of purity and innocence, come into our hearts! Spirit of loyalty and transparency, come into our hearts! Spirit of holiness and justice, come into our hearts! Spirit of perfection, come into our hearts! Spirit of the elect children of God, come into our hearts! Page Five The Ascension of the Lord May 24, 2009 Holy Spirit, teacher and protector of the Church, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, explorer of the human hearts, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, dispenser of heavenly graces, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, counselor of the afflicted, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, eternal light, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, consuming fire, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, fount of life, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, spiritual union, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, joy of the angels, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, illumination of the patriarchs, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, inspiration of the prophets, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, courage of the martyrs, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, counsel of confessors, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, purity of virgins, come into our hearts! Holy Spirit, beatitude of the saints, come into our hearts! Be merciful, protect us O Lord! Be merciful, graciously hear us O Lord! From every evil, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of deceit and lies, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of superstition, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of pride and envy, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of insult and injury, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of immorality, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of concupiscence and laziness, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of materialism and consumerism, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of opposition to the revealed truth, deliver us O Lord! From the spirit of hardness of heart, deliver us O Lord! From eternal death, deliver us O Lord! We are sinners, hear our prayer.