Don Giorgio
Advent is a season of preparation extending over four Sunday before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin “advenio” means “to come to”, and refers to the coming of Christ. Thus, the term “the coming” includes three references: First of all to our celebration of Christ’s birth at Christmas; Second, to the coming of Christ in our daily lives through Sacrament of the Eucharist; and finally, it refers to his second coming at the end of time. Therefore, our preparation during Advent should have all three comings in mind. We need to prepare our souls to welcome and receive Christ wholeheartedly.
What perfect example of receiving Jesus wholeheartedly, than Mary. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception just around the corner, stand as a reminder to us all, that Mary is truly the central figure of the Advent season. It reminds us all that God bestowed such favour on Mary, not for her sake, but for ours. She stands as the sinless one, the perfect disciple, the model of the church, and her assumption the promise of our resurrection. In fact, it through her “yes” consenting, that the Son of God was conceived and live among us in the flesh. It is through her “yes” that Jesus began his way along the road of humanity. Mary “yes” shows how complete and unconditional, her love for God without reservations. But more importantly, her saying “yes” tells the whole story of God saving Love; that “though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humble himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philip 2:6- 9).
Thus, our daily saying “yes” to God creates our own salvation stories. It tells of how God work in and with us through the Holy Spirit for our redemption. God offered life eternal and we say “yes” in complete favour of his eternal love, and as a result life everlasting follows. It sound straight forward and easy but in reality, it demands sacrifices by dying to self-daily. It demands faithfulness and the joy of carrying daily crosses with Jesus each day. It demands perseverance through the uncertain and unclear moments of everyday life.
Pope Francis remind us that “we are experts on the half-yes; we are good at pretending not to understand what God wants, and what our conscience prompts us to do. We are also smart, and never give a true no to God, and say: ‘I am not able’, ‘not today, but tomorrow’, ‘Tomorrow I will be better, tomorrow I will pray, tomorrow I will do good.” It is through these half-yes and delay responses we offered to God each day, which leads us to sin.
Nevertheless, this season of Advent is an opportunity for us to reflect on our saying “yes” to God. Indeed, God desire to see us and awaits our “yes” wholeheartedly. Like Mary, we should be completely open to the actions of God in our daily activities. We should be like Mary, presenting no obstacle to the transforming power of God’s love. Like Mary, we should be pondered of all that God graces us with.
The Immaculate Conception of Mary speaks to us of the reality which will helps us draw close to her son. May our hearts grow like Mary’s in trust of God the Father, and we offer thanks to the Father for the gift of Mary our Mother, and through her tender maternal intercession may we grow firm in our everyday “yes” witnessing to her Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Fr. Sione Hamala
LOGGED IN JESUS
Helena Hoffmann, who from childhood, certainly loved God she cared for the construction of an internal chapel. God saw her deep searches and intimate desires of her heart, he perceived the longing and urgent readiness to become a religious sister. Helena’s piety and the fact that she was willing to spend time for prayer that she valued the sacraments, and above all that she often participated in the Eucharist and had a passion for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, carved in her heart the space and desire to serve God. Undoubtedly such sincere child’s trust made Heavenly Father happy!
For this simplicity, God responded with trust to the child and bestowed many favors on Helena. I don’t think she was expecting it herself. On Trinity Sunday in 1925 in front of the altar she asked for a religious vocation. And to the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate she joined in 1927, although her parents were not thrilled with her decision. Helena, however knew what she wanted. She wanted to make Jesus happy: to build an inner chapel, to save souls – these are the urges born of the Holy Spirit. It’s Jesus who calls me to the victim, she said Mary Immaculate.
Helena, gifted with the charism of prayer and guided by God’s grace, entered Marian congregation, which from the very beginning aimed at saving girls and women against spiritual, moral and material poverty. It is Mother of God, Fr. John Schneider, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (Congregatio Sororum Mariae Immaculatae – SMI), entrusted the work created as a gift of the Holy Spirit to Church and in the Church. She who crushes the head of the serpent (cf. Gen 3:15) – Mary Immaculate became the main patron of this Congregation. Servant of God in Mary who believed the Word of God and was the first man to be in the center of the fight against evil, he saw help and Defense. After all, it is she who stands up to fight for the soul that Satan does today still tempts to enslave her.
Mary’s sister
Sister Dulcissima often talked to Mary, she knew that she could stand this way get rich for eternity. She was listened to the request of Father Schneider, who said that the sisters of Mary should imitate Our Lady with humility and love, and sacrifice themselves for the most abandoned souls. Obedient, she entrusted not only to Mary during her life her affairs, but she offered herself and continues to intercede: Receive the sacrifice, Mary, a treasury of graces and give souls everything they need: love, love, a thousand times love!
1st degree of specialization: Saving Souls
The charism of the Congregation and the call of Fr. John Schneider: Help save souls, it very quickly became Sister Dulcissima’s first concern. Saving souls that they stood over gaps that were experiencing a collapse of spirit. Saving the souls of priests, who have embraced the world spirit, the lukewarm souls of consecrated and lost people, children and adolescents, sick people, educators, sinners, souls in Purgatory … –
it is a wide range of intentions that have become the object of prayer and sacrifice of the Handmaid of God. Sister Dulcissima, reading her call, not only made an effort realization of the charism of the Congregation, which lived it fully and the vitality of this gift it continues to delight radiating it to this day.
24/7 care
On the bet by Fr. John Schneider asked: What deed can be nobler and more beautiful than helping to save and win souls? Sister Dulcissima responds positively, winning, saving and supporting hers today a silent presence before God of all who ask her for help. And no intentions
missing. Some of them are:
Thank you for directing my prayers to Sr. Dulcissima. I have contact with her every day, and I also invite her to visit her every day Pompeian rosary (Andrew)
I am asking for effective protection against all visible and invisible evil.
I am asking for prayer, for deliverance from all evil. I am asking for all needed graces and abundance of graces (Sylvia).
Sister Maria Dulcissima, pray for us, ask for the favors we need God in our families and our homeland (veronica).
For the grace of freeing the house from the influence of the evil one. God bless you (Sophia).
I am asking for your prayers for the release of my husband Paweł from pornography. God I pray! (Gosia).
Through the intercession of B. S.M. Dulcissima, our Helena zgoda, please Lord, for the protection and protection of the entire parish of St. Josef on the Consensus. Surround under the care of the vicar priest of our altar boys and all children Concord, give mercy to all the sick and grant them grace healings, extend your merciful hand over sinners them to convert. Bless our families, parish communities and to all those who pray for our parish, protect us in this difficult situation during the epidemic. Finally, together with Sister Dulcissima, I am asking you for my recovery (Pastor of Concord).
Sister Dulcissima, pray for all the sick who suffer pandemic give them strength to overcome this disease in you I hope (Teresa).
Prayer
I come to you, my sister Dulcissima, to ask for advice and help.
You were always in a hurry to help other people. You carried their burdens and
you led them to heaven. I know that my request will be heard by you,
therefore I am asking you with confidence, obtain for me God’s grace … and lead me straight road to Heaven. Amen.
Sr. Maria Małgorzata Cur SMI
It is like a man travelling abroad:he has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each with his own task; and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake!
Three points: Stay awake, I am in charge, Do my task!
To stay awake is to feel the ardent desire to be at the presence of the Lord who is molding the clay. Feel that you are the work of His Hand (first reading)
I am in charge of what: of all the graces I have received through Jesus Christ. So, don’t stop thanking the Lord in prayers and witnessing. (second reading)
Each one with his own task: That is to respect the task of each one and to help the other with his or her task. Each task is important as it is entrusted by Lord.
Don Giorgio
We are sisters of Mary Immaculate and we draw our spirituality from Her.
We want to trust in God and obey Him, just as Mary
“Let it be your word for me.” (Lk 1:38)
Mary, regardless of public opinions, external circumstances or her own life situation, trusted God completely and did His will, even when she did not humanly understand where God leads her.
Sister of Mary Immaculate seeks perfect obedience to God and boundless trust in Him. She learns to seek and discern her will every day in ordinary things and in prayer.
We want to pray like Mary
“Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19)
Mary was just always with Jesus. She participated in His life and pondered and kept His words and actions in her heart.
Our prayer in the Marian spirit is a constant stand by Jesus. Not only in the chapel, but also in everyday activities. We build our bond with Him in the holy Sacraments, among other important in our spirituality is: adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, meditation and joint meditation of the Word of God and rosary prayer.
We want to look at others, their shortcomings and needs, just as Mary
And when wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no wine anymore.” (J 2,3)
Mary is close to our earthly, ordinary things. With the sensitivity of the mother, she deals with problems that seem insignificant and, as a result, cause great trouble. She reacts before we know we’re in trouble.
We learn from Mary the sensitivity to the needs of others, to notice problems that others do not pay attention to for comfort. We want to help those in need for their good and in the name of Jesus without expecting gratitude or recognition in return.
We want to continue and support the weak, the sick and the rejected, just as Mary
And next to the Cross of Jesus stood His Mother and his mother’s sister, Mary, the wife of Cleofas and Mary Magdalene. (J 19,25)
Our Lady has experienced the great, unjust suffering and painful death of Her Son. He knows what a person who is excluded by society feels rejected.
Mary teaches us attitudes towards the suffering and dying. He continues to the end and support even a quiet, compassionate presence. We try to follow her in our apostolic tasks and in our daily lives.
We want to give our lives to others every day, serving them in simple activities, just like Mary
“Behold, the handmaid of the Lord.” (Lk 1:38)
Mary, despite the fact that she did not carry out any great and spectacular works in her life, played a huge role in the Work of Salvation of Mankind. But she didn’t do it with her own efforts. Her merit was only humility and servitude, and this allowed God to act in her and to do great things through her.
In our conduct and manner of being, we cultivate humility and a well-understood ministerial attitude. Simple and joyful service characterizes our spirituality. We have given our lives to God, just like Mary, and He calls us to give it to others in His name every day.
We want to shape within us the attitude of a loving mother towards all we serve, just like Mary
So when Jesus saw the Mother and the disciple he loved next to her, he said to the Mother, “Woman, behold your son.” (J 19,26)
Mary is our Mother; she is the Mother of all people. We turn to her with confidence, and she is never indifferent to our affairs and needs.
With the personal experience of Mary’s maternal love, we also strive to shape in our way of being the mother’s attitude towards those we serve and live with. In this way, we want to realize our vocation to spiritual motherhood.
We shape our Marian spirituality by living in a religious community according to the Constitution based on the Rule of St. Augustine
“This is my mother and my brothers. For whoever does God’s will, he is my brother, sister, and mother.” (Mk 3, 34-35)
Our environment of everyday life and formation is the religious community. Here we first realize our spirituality and charism. Living in a community that operates according to strict rules is the basis of our apostolic activity.
