Sick this weekend...

Dear Friends and Family,

I caught a rather nasty flu bug, am sleeping a lot, and my head is not working too well this weekend, so I won't be posting tomorrow.

But am remembering all of you in the novena of Masses I'm celebrating here at the convent this week.

May Jesus grant you the peace and joy that He desires to place in every soul of good will.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Giving Thanks to God as I Prepare for Christmas

Nativity in front of the monastery, just above the main road of the village, for all to see...

Dear Friends and Family,

Just 30 hours from now I will be in the midst of offering the Midnight Mass, by candlelight, in Lanherne's historic chapel--in this place where St. Cuthbert Mayne offered the Mass in exactly the same way shortly before his martyrdom. There will be nuns off to one side, veiled behind their grill but chanting God's praises, there will be a number of the little local flock in the pews, eager to adore the newborn King, there will be some visitors--those who may have never attended a Mass before, or not for many years, and above all there will be the holy angels and saints, and the Queen of this night, the Blessed Virgin Mary, adoring the King of Kings as He is rendered present upon the altar.

And I will have the privilege of entering in procession while carrying a statue of the baby Jesus, giving Him a kiss and placing Him in the manger, kneeling to incense Him, then moving to the foot of the altar to begin the Holy Sacrifice, in which the sacred mysteries take place... then the great blessing of bringing Him to each of the Nuns, then to each of the faithful, so that He might enter their hearts and souls. Then all will kneel in adoration of the Word made flesh within them, as the Nuns chant to their newborn Savior. What a night... but one that is not done yet!

As the final blessing is given and the last Gospel--the beautiful prologue to St. John's Gospel--is read, the Nuns will prepare to intone Christmas Carols, and I will prepare to kneel once again before the statue of the baby Jesus, to incense Him, and to bring Him to each of the Nuns, to be kissed, to be adored... then to each of the faithful, young and old, that all might greet Him with a kiss as this Christmas Day begins.

After placing Him back in the manger, and returning to give thanks with the altar boys in the sacristy, all will head to the hall, for hot chocolate, perhaps some cake, and Christmas greetings.  Then, when the clock strikes perhaps 2:30 or 3:00, I'll return to the chapel--where now all will be quiet and still--to kneel before the newborn King, to thank Him for coming among us.

What an amazing privilege... God is so incredibly good to give a poor priest like me such a blessing.

Each of you will be remembered in a novena of Masses that I will be offering here, beginning with the midnight Mass. May Jesus and Mary grant each and every one of you all the spiritual gifts that you need to live well this holy Christmas season.

And to those of you across the Atlantic, who pray for me every night, who offer sacrifices for me, and who also make possible my priestly life and ministry through your donations, may God reward you. If you have two minutes and wish to see a glimpse of the mission territory I am working in, look here: https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/2-in-5-uk-millennials-cant-identify-baby-in-bethlehem-christmas-story . Please pray especially, this Christmas, for a number of families I am in contact with, who have drifted away or have never known the Faith. May God draw them all close to His most Sacred Heart.

Sending you much Christmas love and prayers,
Fr. Pillari

Retreat near Lourdes

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for all of your prayers these past two weeks. It was a very blessed week of retreat near Lourdes! And also a good week of studies in Toulouse.

As you may be aware, France is currently going through some crippling strikes and manifestations. Thankfully I still managed to travel safely, though without much sleep the past two nights. It is now 10PM, after a very blessed but long day of apostolate, but I wanted to at least show you a few photos.

The house at the entrance to the Monastery, where I stayed for 7 days. 

Seven days of silence with Our Lord and Our Lady--quite a blessing! Since I was so close to Lourdes, I would read an account of the apparitions during my meals, and thus had the joy of reliving the blessed days of Our Lady's apparitions to Bernadette, her childhood trials that proceeded the apparitions, the struggles and joys of her family, etc.

The days were punctuated by the morning and evening chanted offices of the Sisters of Bethlehem, who chant beautifully, and some hikes to pray the rosary. I'm too tired to write more at the moment, but it was a week full of graces. So much good comes from living in silence and solitude with Jesus and Mary. But the first Sunday night there, I was also invited to come speak to the Sisters during their evening recreation, and to begin teaching them the Traditional Mass, which they wanted to experience for the first time when I offered their Mass Tuesday and Wednesday.

A stream I hiked along back into the mountains, passed some ruins.

Early yesterday morning, as I drove to the airport in Toulouse, I was able to stop in Lourdes and spend an hour at the Grotto. Here are a few photos.

Looking toward the main church, hidden in the background. The grotto is just behind it.

You all were in my prayers. May Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception, bless and guide each of you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari

Annual Priestly Retreat

A 4-year-old boy, whom I hope to soon baptize, gave me a gift today when I visited his family. Apparently, it was a prize he won at school and was not given lightly.

Dear Friends and Family,

It is now almost midnight and in a few hours the next day's prayer, Masses, and then flight to Toulouse for studies will begin. So I'll have to keep this short.

Please keep me in prayer especially from Dec. 7th, in the evening, through the morning of December 15th. I will be making my annual retreat in the monastery of the Sisters of Bethlehem near Lourdes (chosen in part because it is not far from my studies in Toulouse). You can see photos here: http://bethleem.org/monasteres/lourdes.php

I hope to stop by Lourdes the evening of Dec. 7th to greet Our Lady at the grotto, and then continue on to the monastery.

You all will be in my prayers.