Dear Parishioners, I share with you this Reflection from the Rector of the National Shrine to Our Lady in Walsingham:-

“St Maximilian Mary Kolbe once said, “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much – you can never love Her more than Jesus did. Our love for Our Lady will always lead to a deeper love for Our Blessed Lord. So, let us be bold and generous in our love for Our Lady. In Her humility, She points the way to Her Son, so remember that our love for Her can never be too much – only too little.”

“Our Lady is the gateway to the Heart of Christ. She was the first tabernacle, safely carrying the Word Incarnate within Her womb. Therefore, She is the means in which we return to Jesus. Think of all the perils we encounter on a regular basis and compound them with the spiritual sufferings which assail each one of us. Could we possibly overcome them all? Of course, we rely upon God’s grace to resist temptation. But we have at our assistance the most beautiful Mother of God, who can swiftly and assuredly resolve our troubles by pleading to God on our behalf.”

During this Lenten season, beseech Our Blessed Lady’s intercession often and you will draw nearer to Heaven. When we come to Mary’s Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart, we come to love Her Son even more than we did before. Once we develop and deepen our devotion to Her, we cannot even fathom our interior life without Her presence within our souls, without Her guidance and Her Motherly gentle mercy. What a joy to remember that She is our Mother, She loves us and knows our weaknesses, we have nothing to fear under Her mantle.

“As our Mother, She is intuitive and able to discern the nuances of our hearts and souls that others may overlook. Mary our Mother is able to do this concerning our sins, weaknesses and failings. She is capable of reaching into our hearts, to those most vulnerable places in order to bring healing. She meets us where we are, with the kindness of a mother. Within Her heart, we shall find rest and refreshment.”

“I entrust all of you to the Immaculate Heart of our Most Blessed Mother, as we journey through Lent. Know that you are always in our prayers and hearts.”

“Immaculate Heart of Mary, we consecrate ourselves to You.”

Father James Mary