Though the Weather Outside is Frightful...

A glimpse of the crowds on a rainy Corpus Christi Sunday, but inside...

The King of Glory awaits!

Dear Friends and Family,

On this Sunday in the Octave of Corpus Christi we've had the special joy of all-day adoration, as was the case on the Feast itself, Thursday. There are so many, many graces that God gives in times of quiet adoration. And after Mass this morning I had the special joy of leading two little children in a few minutes of adoration. Two of those preparing for first Holy Communion meet with me each Sunday for 10 minutes after Mass for a quick class--following up on what they have learned at home during the week. This Sunday I spoke with them for a few minutes in our classroom and then headed into church and taught them to prostrate as the angel did at Fatima, to talk to God, to thank Him, to present to Him people in need of help, and to listen to Him. It is a real privilege to be able to help young souls learn how to adore the King of Kings.

Speaking of helping young souls learn to adore the King of Kings, you are all warmly invited to two mini-pilgrimages. One will take place on Saturday, September 28th at Chideock, here in the Diocese. It is the site of the Chideock martyrs. For many years it was a place where priests were hidden away in secret to offer the Holy Mass and Sacraments, during times of persecution. A number of them were caught and killed. To catch a glimpse of the shrine and its history, you could look here: https://www.chideockmartyrschurch.org.uk . The Latin Mass Society of England and Wales will be sponsoring a pilgrimage that day and asked me to offer the Mass. To accommodate young families, the pilgrimage will be quite short: consisting essentially of the Holy Mass, a chance to venerate the relics of the martyrs, a brief history/tour, and lunch.

The other mini-pilgrimage will take place on another continent: on Sunday, August 25th I'll be offering a sung Latin Mass, perhaps even a Solemn High Mass if we find the appropriate clerics, at 3:30 PM in St. Mary Cathedral of Austin, Texas. If you are in the area I would love to see you there.

In today's Gospel--the Gospel for the Sunday after Corpus Christi--Jesus tells the parable of the man who prepares a great banquet and sends out invitations, but his invitations are declined. So he sends his servants out the highways and byways and tells them to make people come in so that his house may be filled. Please pray for one such person on the highway. I stopped off at a Subway today to pick up a sandwich for dinner and spoke with the lady preparing my sandwich, who said she was searching for a church to belong to but had yet to find one that worked. Within the confines of a conversation in the midst of a busy line of people wanting sandwiches, I invited her to come to the Catholic Mass and it sounds like she is going to make the attempt. Please keep her in your prayers.

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari