Mission Mariae The Official Newsletter of the Monfort Center of Spirituality MCS Publication Volume 1, Issue 1 Philippines October 2017
Nowadays, there are more lay people, especially the Marian devotees, who show interest in the spirituality of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort. This is perhaps the fruit of the celebration of the tercentenary of the death of St. Louis. The various activities like the facilitators training, Marian Conferences, pilgrimages, etc., inspired the participants especially those who have already undergone the Totus Tuus Journey. They seemed to crave for something more and wanted also others to experience the same journey. The Montfort Center of Spirituality under the new leadership have re-organized the Lay Associates and this time with more active and enthusiastic members. There are many initiatives that were planned and are already implemented. It is impressive how they worked together considering that they are coming from different places in Metro Manila. The Totus Tuus group in Cebu is likewise gaining its momentum after hosting the successful closing activities of the Tercentenary (of the death) of Montfort early this year. There is a group that is currently preparing for consecration using the revised manual authored by Fr. Mario Belotti, SMM. The Sta. Teresita Parish group made its consecration last September 8, 2017. There were around forty parishioners who completed the 33-days preparation. Beginning February 2, 2017 (Feast of the Presentation), the participants gathered every Wednesday evening for the sessions. It was the first time also that the new method was used. This group is unique since it is composed of old and young, as well as men and women. I am so happy that the books of Montfort like the True Devotion to Mary, the Secret of Mary and others are now available and are being distributed by the Center. The printing of these books is really providential and we thank those who are behind this. Now, I welcome the new initiative of the Publication Committee of the Montfort Center of Spirituality to publish for the first time a Newsletter. This will surely encourage those who have undergone the process of consecration to continue living it. Furthermore, they will be informed of the different activities of the center that will sustain and deepen their Montfortian Marian consecration. Congratulations to all of our associates who are dedicating their time, efforts and resources to share with us in this mission of making Mary known and loved so that Jesus Christ be known, loved and served better.
Fr. Richard Magararu, SMM Philippine Delegation Superior Editorial On Seeking Jesus Through Mary ave you strayed from the road map leading to heaven?” “The easiest way, the shortest and the perfect way to Jesus is through Mary.” “For God the Father has communicated to Mary the fruitfulness in order that He might “Hgive her the power to give birth to His Son, and all the members of the mystical body.” There are great inquisitions from the book of St. Louis Marie de Montfort on the theme Devotion to our Blessed Virgin Mary. Reflecting and meditating on these words give one a sense of direction, make an introspection into his conscience and examine the maturity level of his faith in God. “Have you strayed from the path leading to heaven?” Echoing the question to ourselves lead to other questions – where am I, where am I headed, am I travelling the right path, how far have I gone in my search for what is good, the worldly good? And oh am I lost? In truth, what it is asking for is what is Divine, not temporal but what is eternal. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit and heeding the advice of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, “Keep your faith and to do that the easiest, the shortest and the perfect way to the Heavenly Creator is through the Blessed Virgin Mary, mother of God the Saviour.” This sends the message that you are called to a mission of evangelizing the Catholic faith, call on as many as you can, therefore, and build a mystical body – the Church which upholds all good and divine in the name of Jesus through Mary. To All Marian devotees shine and light the path of those who are in the dark, that they may find their way to heaven, the eternal home.
Book review simple means to have found the ever more, a Carmelite of our key to unify all one’s actions, doing own day has written. This them for love and with love as movement of descent and “Wisdom of the Heart - The Marie Louise recommends to the abasement is almost tangible in Daughters of Wisdom with gentle Marie Louise, who is more and Story of Marie Louise Trichet” Salesian radicalism.” more recollected and hidden in To be simple means to have her simplicity, which is being by Benedetta Papasaogli “such integrity of heart before stripped of everything to make God as to approach Him with the room for the stark poverty of BY SOL FLORES confidences of a child going to its L ov e .” arie Louise Trichet is a It is to become poor, to exclude father...abandoning oneself in His These are but a few, but the “woman to re-discover, no one, certain that in every paternal arms, so that asking and 38 chapters is a treasure trove a co-foundress to make human problem of solitude and obtaining are the same. of gems of thought. It is really a Mknown, a model to imitate”. She marginalization is concealed great The Secret of Marie Louise wonderful book to be enjoyed founded the Congregation of suffering that can bring new life.” , therefore , is a secret of total and pondered upon. the Daughters of Wisdom. This We have gathered some of the surrender to the will of God alone. woman shared so extraordinarily precious gems of thought in the Simplicity includes elements of (Book available at 47 Scout Madrinan, in Saint Louis de Monthfort’s book for us to relish the Wisdom spiritual childhood, of hiddenness, Timog, South Triangle, Quezon City) evangelical inspiration and and Grace of Marie Louise of Jesus. and of justice. expressed it “according to “To unite, to unify: words from In this evangelical lesson, Marie her own charism, her own Marie Louise’s lips, acquire the Louise shows us the charm of her personality, as a woman living fullness of their meaning. Active attention to little things and the the cultural conditions of her life and contemplative life, far from absolute spontaneity of her virtue. times.” She lived from May 7, creating divisions or dichotomy in What was hers by nature, she 1684 to April 28, 1779. the spirituality of the Daughters lived in grace; her own manner Going through this 342-page of Wisdom, blend their value in of speaking is always clear and book is a wonderful journey a simple reality: union with the direct when she speaks of the to France at the end of the Lord, obedience to His will. This great realities of the Montforitan seventeenth century and the Mother who embraces the complex vocation. Without appearing to beginning of the eighteenth. and exuberant spiritual theme of do so and without even realizing Even better, this book makes one Father de Montfort, proposes to that she is doing it, she teaches her realize the complexities of the her daughters a “little way” that daughters her art of being heroic. spiritual relationship between of simplicity. That is the moment She gently affirms the nothingness Marie Louis of Jesus and St. for us to draw close to this truly of every human reality before the Louis de Montfort. They were unique secret of Marie Louise, greatness of God. in love with Christ and in love knowing that we will never reach Courage, my dear daughters, with poverty. “Marie Louise’s the end of its implication.” let us work more than ever at our challenge was the same as that “Simplicity, in the language of perfection faithfully following our of her daughters today. It is to Marie Louise of Jesus , is a word little rules and fulfilling our little seek to renew oneself everyday with a two fold emphasis: it means duties as best we can. in order to be with the poor. humility and unity of spirt. To be To progress means to descend For the Love of Mary A Synopsis of the Life by Vérité of Saint Louis-Marie Grignion BY ______OMETIME AFTER of choristers plain, unassuming, not de Montfort GRADUATION from Parish attracting attention, welcoming. Renewal Experience (PREX) in The spare group seemed to thrive by Rose S2009, euphoria enticed me to join in economy yet was not averse to BY ______the Legion of Mary’s Our Lady of expansion. the Annunciation Praesidium. I did My initial active membership in the aint Louis-Marie Grignion de end of 1693 who sent him to the not credit much the invite of the male Legion of Mary was short-lived, a deja Montfort was a French Roman renowned Seminary of Saint-Sulpice members of the mixed group (a rare vu I felt early on. My fledgling faith Catholic priest and Confessor. in Paris. But that did not last long, SHe was known in his time as a setup) because I knew that in my heart, could not put up with a member and upon arrival in Paris he found the enthusiasm might pass and it won’t attendant occasions of sin whenever preacher and was made a missionary out that his benefactor did not be fair to the recruiters to attribute I was in the group’s meeting or other apostolic by Pope Clement XI. send enough money for his study my fault to them. I wanted to see how activities. My focus on the seriousness While preaching, Montfort found for priesthood so he lived from far my renewal will take me without and solemnity of the proceedings had time to write a number of books boarding house to other living with anybody’s influence on its development a separate piece. I quit. which later became classic Catholic the very poor. He did not neglect or decline. PREX suffused me with a Between leaving the Legion and titles that influenced several popes. his studies he studied theology new understanding of my Catholic occasions of filling the void, an Montfort is known for his particular at the Sorborne University. With faith and I was so happy with the emptiness yawned even more widely. devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary his difficulties and exposure to all discovery that I wanted to nurture I still served at PREX weekends, and the practice of praying the the elements he got sick and was every opportunity that might increase sometimes dividing my time between Rosary. hospitalized. it. If the process did not shake the two parishes that appreciated my Considered as one of the early earth, so to speak, I toss it. Otherwise animating and sharing services, writers in the field of Mariology, his I hang on. but even the holy endeavor left me most notable works were The Secret I joined the choir to find a wanting. Something was missing. of Mary and the True Devotion to Something which felt like an Mary. adrenaline rush during the seminar The Roman Catholic Church, but was now only a hole a heart used under the pontificate of Pope Pius to inhabit. I was looking for the heart XII, canonized Montfort on July 20, to fill that hole again. 1947. A “founders statue” created I tried an apostolate that sounded by Giacomo Parisini is located in prayer-oriented. For the first few an upper niche of the south nave of outings with the group, I observed Saint Peter’s Basilica. that, save at Mass, they do not pray The early life of Louis-Marie before or after any activity in or Grignion de Montfort outside the church. I did not mind Louis de Montfort was the eldest it so long as their dedication took of 18 children of Jean-Baptiste them to marginalized areas to sing and Jeanne Robert Grignion. He at street Masses. The discontent was born on January 31, 1673 in with a prayer group that did not Montfort-sur-Meu. His father give justice to its name nagged on was a notary, all his childhood I had to bring the matter to the was spent in Iffendic where his When he was attention of the coordinator. Once father bought a farm. At the age of released from the hospital to his or twice, I was allowed to lead and 12 he entered the St. Thomas Becket surprise he found himself with a close the prayer (probably to keep a Jesuit college in Rennes where his place reserved at the Little Saint- my whining at bay) but no one uncle was a parish priest. He studied Sulpice, in July 1695. He was given was forthcoming to assume the philosophy and theology at the later a job as librarian that gave him an task after me. We were carrying part of his ordinary schooling. Louis opportunity to study more on the an ill-fitting name. I quit. was inspired listening to a local available resources on spirituality But PREX was – is – quite priest, Abbe Julien Bellier, stories and more about the Virgin Mary, another. Class Number 9 left an about his experience as an itinerant her place in the Christian life. venue for my singing indelible imprint in my being that missionary, the stories inspired Louis In the next issue of the Mission better than videoke bars or other comes alive whenever a weekend is to preach for the very poor and with Mariae, we will see the Louie Marie occasions of libation. In the company conducted. I drop everything for it. the help of some of the priests he Grignion de Montfort belief on of church singers, my passion was I do not only attend every class to be learned about the Blessed Mother angels, his way to priesthood to the tempered with a discipline I could seen and heard but also to pray and Mary. development of his great love for never have plumbed had I pursued the sing and dance and serve. Like David To further his studies he was the Blessed Mother Mary. pedestrian preoccupation. Whoever did. I do not have to be reminded of it, fortunate to find a benefactor at the said that church singing is twice it has become a devotion of sorts I am praying must have been struck by the ill at ease if not fulfilled. I decided to the weekender was bread; going to taught me to give Mary my all, I same force that hit me when I sang not only deliver a talk at one class in Doña Juana (often times on foot) owe the Legion, as the threshold to with a choral ensemble. A much later San Jose ang Tagagtanggol Parish but was crumbs. Like in Matthew’s the deepening door, my punctuality discovery was the singular stirring also to serve Mary’s spouse full-time. Gospel where the woman stubbornly and regularity as regards attendance singing with churchgoers evoked, It was a paradigm shift. A calling that entreated Jesus on behalf of her sick and the recitation of the Catena, like you are one voice, albeit without has been waiting to be chosen. From daughter, I was convinced it was substantial active work, and absolute any authoritative baton to appreciate the weekend hall, I joined the music either bread or crumbs for both respect for the confidentiality of or deprecate you, or personal ministry, filling in for animators puppies and children or Matthew discussions. It briefly defined my aggrandizement from accolades who do not make it, moving on to was kidding. God created the world transition from a reckless rascal to a received after the celebration. My the secretariat core group up till the with heart and humility, no hierarchy, silent, simple sojourner in the pursuit motive in singing is to allow God to secretaryship of the body. In-between double standard or inequality. Why of constant, continuing consecration. hear me as I am, mere minstrel to His Legion work and BEC, I made myself would I deprive an already depressed More than the euphoria PREX listening Lordship. While I credit the available to home visits in Doña Juana community of my service, when enchanted me with, and the discipline choir discipline for my unconscious, presenting to the residents PREX as it was entirely up to me? In order, the choir instilled, the Journey unobtrusive musicality, I thought I’ve the third factor of our sales pitch (the however, to make my move official, enhanced the humility the Legion reached the summit of my singing, at other two being BEC and the church- and upon the counsel of well-meaning inculcated in my person, heretofore so Mass, alone or with the congregation, based cooperative). brethren, I coursed my decision puffed up with himself. directly to God. Pneuma Choir made I felt the difference between through channels of authority, and PREX taught me how to bend my me reconsider. I found the austere comfort zone and apostolate. At the was favorably rewarded. knees. Singing made me soar. The composition of this 4:30 company Holy Spirit Parish, the proximity to Where the Totus Tuus Journey Legion kept me knelt. October 7: Feastday of Our Lady of the Rosary
he feast of Our Lady of victory was that of Spain in during the Second World War, the Rosary was instituted 1646 over the Dutch in the naval although the figure was saved and to honor Mary for the conflicts known as the Battles stored securely at the (Dominican) TChristian victory over the of La Naval de Manila. Rosaries University of Santo Tomas. Turks at Lepanto on October were being prayed aplenty and She got a new home after the 7, 1571. Pope St. Pius V and Spanish officers were vowing to Dominicans rebuilt their Sto. all Christians had prayed the offer their homage to Our Lady in Domingo Church in Quezon Rosary for victory. This victory the Sto. Domingo Church of the city, adjoining Manila, in 1954. saved Europe from being Dominican friars, then located in Our Lady actually arrived in overrun by the forces of Islam. the walled city (Intramuros), if she her new shrine there in 1957. The Rosary, or the Psalter of would make victory theirs. In that Every year on the second the Blessed Virgin Mary, is one church was the ivory figure of Our Sunday of October there are of the best prayers to Mary, the lady of the Most Holy Rosary. It novenas, masses, rosaries Mother of God. was later, in 1652, held by church and processions for the days The Battle of Lepanto was not authorities in Manila that the leading up to the Feast of the only military engagement victory must have been, in fact, Our Lady of the Rosary, when in which widespread praying miraculous. she is also crowned. This year of the Holy Rosary is believed Unfortunately, the Sto. 2017, the La Naval de Manila to have granted victory to Domingo Church in Intramuros Celebrations will take place on Catholic forces. Another such was destroyed by aerial bombing October 8. THE VERSE:
“I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy heart, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
- Genesis 3:15, American Standard Version By sancti CHECKLIST: Are you THE MEANING OF THE VERSE: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman” means “and thou shalt bruise his heel” this statement once a Genuine Person? there is an enemy between the two, enmity means enemy again attributes the action that Satan took to try and stop what Jesus is doing, and unbeknownst to Satan By Lune “and between thy seed and her seed” pertains to the phrase ‘bruise his heel’ is meant to set back or trip Satan’s offspring or legacy or SEED are those that follow up Jesus. But by Satan’s actions he actually brings to q You respect everyone him and his evil ways, the woman’s offspring signifying fruition what God wanted all along. Satan saw Jesus q You don’t impose yourself Mary’s (all other births were attributed to the lineage of as a threat and would try to destroy him, because he on others men) SEED is Jesus Christ, born of a virgin. knew the meaning of bruise his head, that Jesus came q You don’t brag to destroy Satan. Satan views this as a challenge of Jesus “he shall bruise thy head” Jesus Christ will defeat against him and obliges this challenge with counter q You express your opinions Satan ultimately by his death, burial and resurrection. attacking Jesus. constructively q You always honor your promise October 7 November 11 q You admire others and START OF TOTUS TUUS JOURNEY MCS 27TH MONTFORTIAN YEARLY openly praise them (33 Sessions) PILGRIMAGE q You are nice and helpful Holy Spirit Parish, For inquiries please email: q BF Homes, Quezon City You are not an attention October 1 [email protected], seeker Memorial of St. Therese [email protected], q October 11 [email protected] You live by example of the Child Jesus, Virgin START OF TOTUS TUUS JOURNEY (33 Sessions) November 19 (Sunday) Results: October 7 MCS - Madrinan 8 – 9 / 9 = You are a Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary MCS ADVENT RECOLLECTION Our Lady of the La Naval October 21 – 28 47 Scout Madrinan, Timog, Genuine Person South Triangle, Quezon City 6 – 7 / 9 = You are Almost MCS ANNUAL MARIAN EXHIBIT October 13 47 Scout Madrinan, Timog, South Triangle, Theme: Mary the Perfect Model There Apparation at Fatima Quezon City to Holiness 5 & below = You need some MONTFORT CENTER For inquiries 8AM – 12NN work OF SPIRITUALITY (MCS) EVENTS please email: [email protected] For reservation, pls call 0926-125-2101
EDITORIAL BOARD For Inquiries and Feedback: Eva L. Abrecea / Abraham M. de la Torre / Sonia Y. de Leon / Sylvia R. Flores / Emerita L. Santos Email us at: [email protected]