St Therese of Lisieux

St Therese of Lisieux (1873-1897)

October is another month of saints and we start with one of the most beloved saints, whose feast day is October 1st. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin on January 2, 1873 was a Discalced Carmelite nun widely venerated in modern times. She is popularly known as "The Little Flower". Thérèse has been a highly influential model of sanctity for Catholics and for others because of the "simplicity and practicality of her approach to the spiritual life". Together with Saint Francis of Assisi, she is one of the most popular saints in the history of the church. Pope Pius X called her "the greatest saint of modern times" while his successor^. Pope Pius XI accorded her as the Patroness of the Gardens of Vatican City on 11 May 1927, granting her the title as the "Sacred Keeper of the Gardens'".

Thérèse felt an early call to religious life, and overcoming various obstacles, in 1888 at the early age of 15, she became a nun and joined two of her elder sisters in the cloistered Carmelite community of Lisieux, Normandy. She tried to enter the convent at a younger age but was refused – she still went to speak to the Pope and he gave her permission to enter, even at such a young age. After nine years as a Carmelite religious, having fulfilled various offices such as sacristan and assistant to the novice mistress, and having spent her last eighteen months in Carmel in a night of faith, she died of tuberculosis at the age of 24 on September 30, 1897. Thérèse is well known throughout the world, with the Basilica of Lisieux being the second-largest place of pilgrimage in France after Lourdes. She was canonized in 1925. Her autobiography ‘Story of a Soul’ is one of the most popular spiritual books. Her parents Louis Martin and Zelie were also canonized in 2015. 

Religious Orders Acronyms

A Franciscan, a Dominican and a Carmelite

I know many people get confused when they see the acronyms after a priest's or friar's names. So here is a short list of the most common religious orders with the acronym, and what they stand for. At a later date, I will include the religious orders for women.

C.F.C ‑ Congregation of Christian Brothers          

C.F.R ‑ Franciscan Friars of the Renewal            

C.M.F. ‑ Claretian Missionaries                                     

C.O. ‑ Oratorians   

C.P. - Passionists                                              

C.S.B. ‑ Basilian Fathers                                              

C.S.C. ‑ Congregation of the Holy Cross             

C.S.P. ‑ Paulist Fathers                                      

C.SS.R. ‑ Redemptorist Fathers                          

F.M.S. ‑ The Marist Brothers                               

L.C. ‑ Legionaires of Christ                                 

M.M. ‑ Maryknoll Missionaries                            

M.S.P. ‑ Missionaries of St Paul       

M.S.S.P – Missionary Society of St. Paul            

O.Carm ‑ Carmelite Fathers and Brothers            

O.Cart ‑ Order of the Carthusians                        

O.C.D. ‑ Order of Discalced Carmelites               

O.C.S.O ‑ Order of the Cistercian of the Strict Observance (Trappists)                

O.F.M. ‑ Franciscan Friars                                  

O.F.M. Cap ‑ The Capuchin Friars

O.F.M. Conv ‑ Conventual Franciscans

O.M.I. ‑Oblates of Mary Immaculate

O.P. ‑ Order of Preachers (Dominicans)

O.S.A. ‑ Augustinians

O.S.J. ‑ Oblates of St Joseph

O.S.M. ‑ Servites

P.I.M.E. ‑Pontifical Institute of Foreign Missions

R.C.J.‑ Rogationist Fathers

S.A. ‑ Franciscan Friars of the Atonement

S.C. ‑ Society of the Sacred Heart

S.C.J ‑ Priests of the Sacred Heart

S.D.B. ‑ Society of Don Bosco (Salesians)

S.J. ‑ Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

S.M. ‑ Society of Mary (Marianists)

S.M.M. ‑ Montfort Missionaries

S.P. ‑ Servants of the Paraclete

SS.CC. ‑Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus & Mary

S.S.S. ‑ Society of the Blessed Sacrament

S.X. ‑ Xaverian Missionary Fathers

S.V.D. ‑Society of the Divine Word

T.O.R. ‑ Third Order Regular (Lay Franciscans)

V.C. ‑ Vincentian Congregation

Feast of the Archangels

Today is the feast of the Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Michael ‑ the angel of judgment ‑ is known as the champion in the fight against Satan and the other devils as well as the guardian of the faithful especially at the time of death. Frequently he is portrayed crushing the devil’s head with a lance.

Gabriel ‑ the angel of mercy ‑ is the messenger from God in St Luke’s gospel who foretold the birth of John the Baptist, “Be not afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.” Six months later it was Gabriel who appeared to Mary at the Annunciation saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” Raphael  ‑  whose name means “God has healed” was sent by God to heal Tobias of his blindness and to deliver Sara from the devil in the book of Tobit.

We tend to underestimate the presence of Angels in our lives. However they are gaining popularity as we see many angel pins on people’s jackets, posters and paintings of various angels are showing up at card stores. And of course at Christmas, there are the angels on ornaments and hanging on nativity scenes. We sing about the angels in several of the Christmas hymns. Angels were also present at Jesus’ tomb when the women went to anoint his body and found the tomb empty. But we are reluctant to accept their actual existence. This is certainly a departure from our childhood when we prayed to our Guardian Angel at least daily. As children we believed that there was truly one angel whose job was to look after us, who would always hover around us ready to protect us from all evil and to communicate our desires and needs to God. The feast of the Guardian Angels in fact is in 3 days, October 2. There are other Archangels, less popular: Uriel, meaning the Fire of God; Selaphiel, meaning the Intercessor of God; Jegudiel, meaning Sanctifier of God; Barachiel, meaning the Blessing of God and Jeremiel, meaning the Exaltation of God.  

Re-arranging words

See what you can do when you re-arrange the letters of some words:

          DORMITORY: When you rearrange the letters: DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN: When you rearrange the letters: BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER: When you rearrange the letters: MOON STARER

DESPERATION: When you rearrange the letters: A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES: When you rearrange the letters: THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH: When you rearrange the letters: HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE: When you rearrange the letters: HERE COME DOTS LOT MACHINES: When you rearrange the letters: CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY: When you rearrange the letters: IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS: When you rearrange the letters: LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

MOTHER-IN-LAW: When you rearrange the letters: WOMAN HITLER

SNOOZE ALARMS: When you rearrange the letters: ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT: When you rearrange the letters: IM A DOT IN PLACE EARTHQUAKES: When you rearrange the letters: THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO: When you rearrange the letters: TWELVE PLUS ONE

  

The Value of Time

Imagine there is a Bank which credits your account each morning with $86,400. It carries over no balance from day to day, allows you to keep no cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you had failed to use during the day.

What would you do ? Draw out every cent, of course !

Well, everyone has such a Bank. It’s name is TIME. Every morning it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft. Each day it opens a new account for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.” You must live in the present on today’s deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness and success !

The clock is running. Make the most of today.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE YEAR,

ASK A STUDENT WHO HAS FAILED A GRADE.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE MONTH,

ASK A MOTHER WHO HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO A PREMATURE BABY.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE WEEK,

ASK AN EDITOR OF A NEWSPAPER.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE DAY,

ASK THE DAILY  WAGE LABORER WHO HAS CHILDREN TO FEED.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE HOUR,

ASK TWO LOVERS WHO ARE WAITING TO MEET.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE MINUTE,

ASK A PERSON WHO HAS MISSED THE BUS OR TRAIN.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE SECOND,

ASK THE PERSON WHO HAS JUST AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT.

TO REALIZE THE VALUE OF ONE MILLISECOND,

ASK AN ATHLETE WHO HAS WON A SILVER MEDAL IN THE  OLYMPIC GAMES.

Treasure every moment that you have ! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, and remember that time waits for no one.

YESTERDAY IS HISTORY.  TOMORROW IS A MYSTERY.

TODAY IS A GIFT. THAT’S WHY IT’S CALLED THE PRESENT !

Arnold Palmer 1929-2016

Arnold Palmer the 'King of Golf' 1929-2016

We honor today a great sportsman, Arnold Palmer, who was nicknamed "The King," who died on Sunday September 25, 2016 in Pittsburgh, PA. He won seven major championships during his professional career, which spanned more than five decades. He won the Masters four times, The British Open twice and the U.S. Open once. Stories of him fill the pages of golf's history books and the walls of any museum. The game is indeed better because of him and, in so many ways, will never be the same.

Palmer was born Sept. 10, 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the oldest of four children. His father, Deacon, became the greenskeeper at Latrobe Country Club in 1921 and the club pro in 1933. Palmer began his professional career in 1954. He quickly picked up his first PGA Tour win at the 1955 Canadian Open in his rookie season, and his first-round 64 then remained the best opening round of his career. He went on to win 62 titles on the PGA Tour, fifth-most all time, and 92 including international and senior victories. He was PGA Player of the Year twice (1960 and '62) and the tour's leading money winner four times, with total tournament earnings of nearly $7 million.

With his friends and rivals Jack Nicklaus (left) and Gary Player (right)

His friend and often rival Jack Nicklaus said: "Arnold transcended the game of golf. He was more than a golfer or even great golfer. He was an icon. He was a legend. Arnold was someone who was a pioneer in his sport. He took the game from one level to a higher level, virtually by himself. ... We were great competitors who loved competing against each other, but we were always great friends along the way. Arnold always had my back, and I had his. We were always there for each other. That never changed. He was the king of our sport and always will be." Arnold was also a great philanthropist. He supported many organizations, including the March of Dimes and others that helped young children.  His Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women in Orlando, Florida, has been open since 1989.

Palmer accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 from President George W. Bush.

The Art of Marriage

A good Marriage must be created. In the art of marriage the little things are the big things.....it is never being too old to hold hands. It is never being embarrassed to tickle each other's feet. It is remembering to say “I Love You” at least once each day. It is looking at the wedding album and smile, cry and reminisce tenderly. It is never going to sleep angry. It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives. It is standing together facing the world. It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving in each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is finding room for the things of the spirit. It is remembering to go to church every Sunday, possibly together. It is loving each other tenderly, following each other closely and getting to know each other clearly. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right partner. It is being the right partner.

Saving your life

1.  Let's say it's 7:25 pm and you're going home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. You're really tired, upset and frustrated.

  

2. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to drag out into your arm and up in to your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far.

3. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.

4. HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE?

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.

5. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.

6. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it to regain a normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get help or to a hospital.

  

7. Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives! A cardiologist says if everyone who reads this and informs 10 other people, you can bet that we'll save at least one life.

St Pio of Pietralcina

St Pio of Pietralcina (1887-1968)

Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietralcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and charity. Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her life‑threatening disease.

Born in 1887 as Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. Twice (1898‑1903 and 1910‑17) his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide the family income. At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917 he was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo. On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet and side.

Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924 and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924.

Padre Pio celebrating Mass

Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid‑morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned.

Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. A fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano in the 1940s, known as "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" and has 350 beds. A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. He died on September 23, 1968, was beatified in 1999 and made a saint in 2002.

We speak....God answers

You say, "It's impossible".

God says: "All things are possible". (Luke 18:27)

You say, "I'm too tired."

God says: "I will give you rest". (Matt 11:28‑20)

You say, "Nobody really loves me".

God says: "I love you". (John 3:16‑John 13:34)

You say, "I can't go on."

God says: "My grace is sufficient." (II Cor.12:9 ‑ Psalms 91:15)

You say, "I can't figure things out."

God says: "I will direct your steps." (Proverbs 3:5‑6)

You say, "I can't do it."

God says: "You can do all things." (Phil 4:13)

You say, "It's not worth it."

God says: "It will be worth it." (Romans 8:28)

You say, "I can't forgive myself."

God says: "I forgive you." (I John 1:9‑Romans 8:1)

You say, "I can't manage."

God says: "I will supply all your needs." (Phil. 4:19)

You say, "I'm afraid."

God says: "I have not given you a spirit of fear." (II Tim 1:7)

You say, "I'm always worried and frustrated".

God says: "Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say, "I don't have enough faith."

God says: "I've given everyone a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

You say, "I'm not smart enough."

God says: "I give you wisdom." (I Cor. 1:30)

You say, "I feel all alone."

God says: "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Heb.13:5)

Independence Day in Malta

Prime Minister George Borg Olivier declaring Independence in 1964

Malta was ruled over the past 2 millennia by the Romans, the Arabs, the Normans, the Spanish, the Knights of St John, the French and the British. Following a Maltese constitutional referendum in 1964, approved by 54.5% of voters, on September 21st 1964, Malta became an independent state as a Constitutional Monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as its Head of State.

So September 21st every year is celebrated as Independence Day or Jum l‑Indipendenza in Maltese, this year being the 52nd anniversary. One can say that both Labor Leader Dom Mintoff, as well as Nationalist Leader and Prime Minister George Borg Olivier contributed towards the attainment of Independence.

Monument to Malta's Independence

On December 1st 1964, Malta was admitted to the United Nations. In 1965 Malta joined the Council of Europe, and in 1970, Malta signed an Association Treaty with the European Community. Malta was declared a republic on December 13th, 1974 and in 2004, Malta finally became the 25th nation to join the European Union.

Changing face of Malta

Tower Road, Sliema 1972

Tower Road, Sliema 2016

My homeland of Malta is changing constantly. Since it is so small, 122 square miles, and 18 miles by 8 miles, there is no room for expanding other than upwards. And so, small skyscrapers are appearing everywhere, and the big news is there is plan for more of these high-risers, a decision which is being appealed in the court. Just to give you an idea of how things have changed, look at these photos which I took only 44 years apart. The first one, in black and white was taken around 1972 and one can admire the row of quaint colonial houses in what is called Tower Road in Sliema. Then look what it looks like now in the second photo. I placed the photos close to each other so that you can really see the stark, impressive and unbelievable contrast.

Saint Januarius

St Januarius, the famous Saint of Naples

St. Januarius (Gennaro) is a patron saint of and former bishop of Naples in the 4th century. Januarius and his friends were initially sentenced to be eaten by the lions, .tigers, and bears ( Oh my) at the Naples amphitheatre. Although the beasts had been starved for several days before the day of the planned transformation of the Christians into animal crackers, the beasts refused to attack Januarius and his colleagues. The spectators at the amphitheatre were frightened by the indifference of the starving animals to the Christians and rumors began to circulate that the Christians had magical powers and were possibly protected by their god. The governor of Campania ordered their immediate beheading and Januarius' body was later returned to the Cathedral in Naples.

The Cardinal of Naples holding the liquefied reliquary of St Januarius

Over a century later, it was purported that a vial of St. Januarius' blood surfaced and was preserved and permanently fixed in the metal reliquary in the Cathedral of Naples. Thousands of people assemble to witness this event in the Cathedral of Naples, three times a year: on September 19 (Saint Januarius day, to commemorate his martyrdom), on December 16 (to celebrate his patronage of both Naples and of the archdiocese), and on the Saturday before the first Sunday of May (to commemorate the reunification of his relics).

Sometimes the "blood" liquefies immediately, other times it takes hours.  When the priest brings the vial to the altar that holds the saint's blood, the people, who gather by the thousands, pray that the blood becomes liquid once again. If the miracle takes place, the officiant proclaims, "Il miracolo é fatto!" ("The miracle has happened.") and waves a white handkerchief. Then a Te Deum is sung and the reliquary is taken to the altar rail so the faithful can kiss the vial.  There have been a few instances when the substance in the vial had not liquefied and the faithful believes that it is a sign of impending peril. Five times when liquefaction has failed there have been major disasters, the latest being an earthquake in southern Italy that killed 3,000 people in 1980.

British Humor

FREE PUPPIES 

1/2 Cocker Spaniel, 1/2 sneaky neighbor's dog.

FREE PUPPIES.
Mother is a Kennel Club registered German Shepherd.
Father is a Super Dog, able to leap tall fences in a single bound.

WEDDING DRESS FOR  SALE .
Worn once by mistake.
Call Stephanie.

FOR  SALE BY OWNER.
Complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica, 45 volumes.
Excellent condition, £200 or best offer. No longer needed, got married, wife knows everything.

And here are some responses of children at school to various questions asked by their teachers. Quick-witted and sharp children have a way of giving the best response, and when you least expect it.

TEACHER: Why are you late?
STUDENT: Class started before I got here.

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'

TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
(I Love this child)

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?
DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE: Me!

TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.....

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my mother is a very good cook.

TEACHER:  Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?
CLYDE : No, sir. It's the same dog. 

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD: A teacher

Praying in schools

The controversy of prayer at school continues on in the USA. A 15-year old teenager from Minnesota wrote this poem, and got an A+ for his effort.

Now I sit me down in school  Where praying is against the rule  For this great nation under God  Finds mention of Him very odd.    If scripture now the class recites,  It violates the Bill of Rights.  And anytime my head I bow  Becomes a Federal matter now.    Our hair can be purple, orange or green,  That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.  The law is specific, the law is precise.  Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.    For praying in a public hall  Might offend someone with no faith at all.  In silence alone we must meditate,  God's name is prohibited by the State. We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,  And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.  They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.  To quote the Good Book makes me liable.    We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,  And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.  It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,  We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.    We can get our condoms and birth controls,  Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.  But the Ten Commandments are not allowed.  No word of God must reach this crowd.    It's scary here I must confess,  When chaos reigns the school's a mess.  So, Lord, this silent plea I make:  Should I be shot; My soul please take! Amen

What teachers make

Norman Rockwell "The Teacher"

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: "Those who can...do.  Those who can't...teach." To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan. Be honest. What do you make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make? I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best. I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home.

You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them write. I make them read, read, read. I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over and over again, until they will never misspell either one of those words again. I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English. I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your heart...and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention.

"You want to know what I make? I make a difference. What about you?"

Our Lady of Sorrows

Adriaen Isenbrant - Mater Dolorosa

The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated a day after the feast of the Cross, and even though we are far from the Lenten season, the church asks us to reflect on the 7 sorrows that Mary experienced, as beautifully depicted in this image by Adriaen Isenbrant from the 16th century, a panel visible in Bruges, Belgium.

The 7 sorrows that Mary had to face were these, as described in each of the panels surrounding the image of the Sorrowful Mother:

1. Jesus’ circumcision and presentation, hearing the words of Simeon.

2. The escape into Egypt.

3. Jesus lost and found in the temple.

4. Seeing Jesus carrying the cross and meeting him on the way to Calvary.

5. The crucifixion of Jesus.

6. The Pieta, as the dead body of Jesus is laid on her lap.

7. The burial of Jesus.

The beautiful hymn Stabat Mater Dolorosa is sung frequently during Lent, especially during the Stations of the Cross. The first three words mean "Stood the mournful Mother weeping,” and the poem was written by Jacopone de Todi in the 13th century, and was set to music by various composers including  Palestrina, Pergolesi, Scarlatti, Vivaldi, Haydn, Rossini, and Dvorák. Here are the first 2 verses:

At the Cross her station keeping,

stood the mournful Mother weeping,

close to her Son to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,

all His bitter anguish bearing,

now at length the sword has passed.