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Dear Members, Benefactors and Apostles of the Living Rosary,
The situation in Ukraine has not changed
much during the past months. We must
wear masks at the Sacred Liturgies, when
hearing Confessions and when visiting
the sick in their homes. There are many
cases of the virus in Ukraine. We know
of four priests who have died from this
infection. The police patrols to be sure
we are following the guidelines. We just
enrolled 60 new members in the Living
Rosary. Without your help, it would not
be possible for us to undertake this work.
During the month of October, we will
pray, daily, the full Rosary at our parish
and all our members, benefactors and
apostles will be remembered in these
prayers.
To save souls is the most sublime and
divine of all works, but it is also the
most arduous and difficult. To save a
soul is to raise it from sin to grace, from death to life, from Hell to Heaven. This is
impossible for man; impossible for the united efforts of all men and angels. God
must first enlighten a soul of its miserable state, inspire it with a supernatural
horror of sin and give it the will to rise out of that state. Many souls remain deaf
to the appeal of God’s mercy and the threat of His justice. Without an extraordinary
grace, sinners will continue to live in sin and die impenitent.
The priest, like another Moses, must wrest from God the grace of conversion.
Without unceasing prayer, we are powerless to do so. Prayer should accompany
all our apostolic acts; when entering the confessional or ascending the pulpit,
prayer should go before us. It is by continual recourse to Jesus and Mary that we
ensure the help of God for ourselves. We must humble ourselves before God,
acknowledge our powerlessness and, with the faith that works miracles, ask the
Sacred Heart and Our Blessed Lady to convert all hardened sinners. If we have
the joy of seeing them return to grace, let us give all glory to God.
Jesus Christ is Our Master and Lord. Therefore, all that is in us belongs to Him:
Our body with its senses and members, our health, strength, life and absolutely
all that is in us should be employed in His service. Let us use our soul with all its
faculties, understanding, will and memory only to promote His glory and for the
salvation of our neighbors. To Him belongs our liberty, our hearts and our worldly
goods. He is free to use us as He wishes and to dispose of our worldly goods. We
must trust Him.