Thanksgiving for Family, Friends, and God's Blessings

My Dad, who cooked his traditional "Dad's Breakfast"--of chocolate chip pancakes, popeyes, bacon, etc. for me a few times on my visit home this week.

Dear Family and Friends,

I am writing you from Silverstream Priory in Ireland, where I am spending a few days for prayer before diving into an intense June, July, and August. This past week was full of blessings--so much to give thanks to God for!

I spent the week at home with my parents, who are preparing to move in a few weeks--so it was the last few days to see our family home and give thanks for so many blessings there. In the midst of the week's work: writing assignments for law school, preparing talks and a sermon for this coming weekend's retreat for the National Association of Catholic Families in England, check-ups with doctors, etc. (all of whom gave me a clean bill of health--so it looks like all of you are stuck with me being on this earth for a while longer!), I spent time simply giving thanks to God for the many blessings he has given me during the time I was growing up.

The photo above is typical of so many, many, many times my parents served modeled love and service. I was extremely blessed to have a mother and father who spent their lives loving and serving us children. We spent an evening watching family videos. It was fun to laugh at what we had done as children: for example, there was one video of my little sister, then about 18 months old, with us four boys around her each trying to make her happy so that my mom could get a good video of her. My two brothers kept trying to hand her various items, I was scratching her back, all that was missing was two of us with the big palm leaves fanning her as a little queen! In spite of that, she seems to have turned out well :). Or another funny thing was coming across that jacket that I had made and worn when I ran for middle-school treasurer when I was 12 years old. Someone suggested I make a vest with pennies, etc. glued to it, and that I wear it when I gave my speech in front of the school. This was the result:

Bills handed out to other students and taped onto the jacket.

What a ridiculous vest.. that resulted in me winning the election. I'm not sure what this says about how politics works...

But above all, there was so much good to give thanks to God for, both with family and friends. For example, I visited again the adoration chapel that was a special help for me when I was discovering my vocation. It's the chapel of the Poor Claires:

Poor Claires' adoration chapel.

I was able to see my little Sister Elizabeth, who is just a few weeks away from giving birth to her second child, and to see her good husband Patrick and little Thomas.

I also had some great conversations with faith-filled friends and family members. To give you one example: a friend related an example of a "youth evangelization" event in Ohio. It was aimed at teenagers, led by a Catholic layman, but with several priests present to hear Confessions. A 14-year-old girl decided to invite a non-Catholic friend. This particular young woman had recently declared herself to be an atheist and professed some things quite at odds with the Faith. But she was so struck by the event that she eagerly got in line to go to Confession. The priest explained that he couldn't give her, as a non-Catholic, absolution, but told her that what her soul really needed was the Sacraments, both Confession and the spiritual food of Holy Communion. She left the weekend convinced and eager to become a Catholic (something quite different from her parents' beliefs!). Please pray for her that she might follow through on this good intention.

Many more blessings occurred this past week, but the above hopefully gives you a glimpse of them.

I most likely will not be able to post next weekend because I will be accompanying Bishop Schneider from Thursday to Monday for the annual pilgrimage of the National Association of Catholic Families. He will be interviewed by EWTN at some point that weekend, so perhaps you will also be able to see him on TV.

On this Pentecost Sunday, may God pour out an abundance of graces into your souls. May the Holy Ghost guide you to embrace fully the special mission that He has chosen for you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Washington D.C

Photo taken after my meeting with Trump.

Dear Friends and Family,

I spent the past few days in Washington D.C. and am happy to say that, thanks to President Trump's willingness to meet with me and move my case along, I was successfully granted a 3-year visa for the U.K.!

Well, I didn't actually meet with President Trump.... but I did get my photo taken outside the White House, and the British government did decide to grant my visa. I do not have it yet, but the decision was made, so I will be able to return to Lanherne as planned later this month.

I was able to travel to D.C. with my mother, a rare opportunity to have a few days just with her, before Mother's Day tomorrow. We also visited some of the Smithsonian Museums, including the National Archives, where we saw the original Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution. Rather impressive. It was even more impressive to see significant demonstrations in favor of unborn babies. When we got on the metro on the outskirts of the city, to head to downtown, there were around 10 people peacefully holding large images of aborted babies and signs inviting others to choose life. Then, in front of the national African American History Museum, there were several ladies holding a very large image of an aborted baby, as well as a sign talking about how many black children are killed by abortion. It was beautiful to see their witness.

In the Museum of Natural History, I was able to enter the butterfly room and see exquisite butterflies up close. One even landed on my head.

I have to go now for dinner with my parents... so I'll simply add that the D.C. visit included an evening visit with my cousin Chris, whom it was wonderful to see again, some prayer at the National Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, a visit to the Air and Space Museum, which was quite interesting, and time with an old friend: Fr. Thomas-Joseph White O.P.

May Jesus and Mary grant you a blessed Second Sunday of May.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Our Lady's Month

The Grotto at the University of Notre Dame

Dear Friends and Family,

I am heading out the door in a few minutes for an appointment for my visa, so this post will need to be brief. My apologies for not writing yesterday. I had a wonderful weekend with my family in South Bend Indiana, which included my nephew Leo's First Holy Communion--please say a prayer that he becomes another St. Leo! It was wonderful to see his love for Jesus and childlike simplicity.

The weekend also included a visit to the University of Notre Dame, my alma mater, part of which is pictured above. It was a joy to revisit the places where I discovered my vocation. I even ran into a member of the Children of Mary, my old prayer group. A few images of the weekend:

The Golden Dome at the center of the University: with Our Lady crowning the top.

A portion of the campus.

My mom standing by one of the lakes on campus.

St. Stanislaus Parish, where Msgr. Fritz kindly welcomed me to stay, and I was able to have quiet holy hours here in this church.

Above all, I have been thinking about how blessed the Month of May is. Our Lady gives so many graces. We really cannot turn to her too much during this time. May She draw us ever closer to her motherly Immaculate Heart, and thus ever closer to Her Son!

I'm praying for you all.

I'd best go now for my appointment for the visa.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari