Jul 19, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Saturday of week 15 in Ordinary Time
First reading: Exodus 12:37-42
Today’s reading recalls the sacred night of Israel’s liberation, when the Lord Himself kept vigil, faithfully watching over His people as He brought them out of bondage. This was not merely a historical moment, but the beginning of a lasting remembrance—a vigil to be kept throughout the generations as an expression of love and gratitude. Liberation, as Scripture shows us, is never the final destination; it is the starting point of a life lived in faith, attentiveness, and devotion. In the Blessed Virgin Mary, we find the perfect embodiment of such a response: her heart was constantly awake to God’s presence, rooted in silent prayer, patient waiting, and unwavering obedience. Her life teaches us that true freedom is not passive but lived consciously, with a spirit ready to respond to grace at every turn. Today, we are invited to look inward and ask ourselves: Do I live with spiritual vigilance and heartfelt gratitude, honoring God’s saving love by remembering what He has done and allowing it to shape each day of my life?
Don Giorgio
Jul 19, 2025 | NEWS
Deacons at the tomb of Sister M. Dulcissima Hoffmann SMI
On Thursday morning, July 3, deacons from various parts of Poland arrived in Brzezia with their wives. They were accompanied by Fr. Jan Rosiek, their spiritual guide, and by a desire to meet the one who, though quiet and hidden, left a deep mark on the hearts of many: the servant of God, Sister M. Dulcissima Hoffmann, SMI.
This visit was part of an ongoing retreat in Rudy, a former Cistercian pearl of spirituality, where deacons are spending days of reflection under the slogan: “Do not let your hope be taken away.” It was this phrase that became particularly meaningful in Brzezie, a place where hope not only does not fade, but blossoms anew.
The meeting began at the tomb of Sister Dulcissima, where the Chaplet of Divine Mercy was recited together. The silence of prayer was broken only by the rustling of linden leaves and the quiet murmur of heartbeats.
“She is our saint. I have felt her presence many times in my life,” confessed Deacon Marek Czogalik from the Diocese of Gliwice with emotion. “Dulcissima instilled hope in people. And she continues to do so.”
After praying together, I invited our pilgrims to a more personal encounter—both with the life story of this exceptional Silesian mystic and with Jesus himself. We visited the memorial room in our convent, a place where everyone can pause for a moment to reflect on the traces of her simple yet deeply moving life. I also encouraged them to enter the chapel—that small space of silence where the heart of our community beats every day.
And because spiritual experiences are best rooted in an atmosphere of kindness and closeness, there was also a traditional Silesian refreshment: coffee and homemade cake. Such ordinary hospitality, as simple as the life of Sister Dulcissima, has been part of everyday life in our Brest monastery for years – a place that lives with open doors and an open heart.
In the convent chapel, surrounded by silence and prayer, the participants recited Vespers and then attended Holy Mass presided over by Fr. Jan Rośka from Rud. It was a moment full of gratitude, gentle emotion, and spiritual depth.
One of the thoughts that particularly accompanied me that day was that the Gospel needs people—hearts ready to witness and mouths ready to speak. We must talk about Jesus constantly—gently, with love, but also with courage—at every moment and on every occasion.
The saints also ask for a voice. They want to be noticed—not for themselves, but to point to God. They seek spiritual friendship, closeness of hearts that are willing to listen to their stories. And when this happens, their lives become signposts for others—silent, yet full of light.
I am happy to say that Sister Dulcissima is becoming more and more well-known. More and more people are coming to Brzezia to entrust their concerns to her, to ask for help, to find hope. It is extremely moving that from this quiet corner of Silesia, a light is spreading – humble, yet clear.
I would like to add that the constant ringing of the bell at the convent door speaks for itself—on that day, it announced the arrival of a 55-person pilgrimage from Krzelów. These are simple, everyday sounds, yet full of meaning. They say one thing: Dulcissima lives in people’s hearts. Her quiet, hidden life is taking root more and more widely – because where there is holiness, people return. I invite you to visit Brzezie in Racibórz.
S. Małgorzata Cur
Jul 18, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Friday of week 15 in Ordinary Time
First reading Exodus 11:10-12:14
In today’s reading, the blood of the lamb marked on the doorposts becomes a sign of deliverance for the Israelites, a powerful prefiguration of the saving blood of Christ poured out for our redemption. Just as that blood shielded them from death and marked the beginning of their liberation, so the blood of Jesus frees us from the slavery of sin and opens the way to new life. This act is not merely symbolic, it is deeply personal, revealing the cost of our salvation and the depth of God’s love. It reminds us that redemption is not a distant hope but a lived reality, written not on doorposts but upon the heart of every believer who receives Christ with faith. As we recall this moment, we are called to live as people marked by the blood of the Lamb, not in fear, but in the freedom and gratitude that come from knowing we have been claimed, protected, and saved by a love that never fails. Let’s reflect: Do I live each day with the awareness and gratitude that I have been redeemed and set free by the saving blood of Christ?
Don Giorgio
Jul 17, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Thursday of week 15 in Ordinary Time
First reading Exodus 3:13-20
In today’s reading, God reveals His name to Moses as “I Am who I Am”, a name that defies all human categories and resists every attempt to limit or control the divine mystery. This revelation is not an answer meant to satisfy curiosity, but an invitation to enter into the vastness of God’s being, where eternity touches time and the ungraspable becomes near. It reminds us that God is not a concept to be understood, but a Presence to be encountered. Rather than fitting Him into our frameworks, we are called to let go of our need for control and allow ourselves to be drawn into His freedom and depth. This divine self-disclosure opens a door to faith that rests not on clarity, but on trust, a trust in the One who is ever-present, ever-faithful, and beyond all that we can imagine. Today, we are challenged to approach God not with definitions, but with reverence, allowing His mystery to transform our limited understanding into awe and surrender. Let’s reflect: Am I willing to let go of my need to define or control God, and instead open my heart to trust and encounter the mystery of who He truly is?
Don Giorgio
Jul 16, 2025 | DAILY BREAD
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Wednesday of week 15 in Ordinary Time
First reading Exodus 3:1-6,9-12
On this feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the image of the burning bush in today’s reading takes on profound symbolic meaning. The bush that burns without being consumed prefigures the mystery of the Incarnation, God dwelling within the womb of the Virgin Mary without diminishing her virginity, just as the divine flame burned without destroying the bush. This moment also reminds us of that God’s response to human suffering is never passive; the fire of His presence is kindled by the cry of His people. Mary, in her quiet and faithful “yes,” becomes the living vessel through which God comes close to our pain, revealing that divine intervention often begins in silence, in hidden places, and through humble hearts. As Moses was drawn to the mystery of the burning bush, so are we invited to draw near to the mystery of Mary, who bore the fire of God’s love and gave Him to the world. Let’s reflect: Am I open, like Mary, to becoming a vessel of God’s presence, allowing His compassion to respond through me to the cries and suffering of the world around me?
Don Giorgio
