Our Lady of the Smile

Our Lady of the Smile

Dear Friends and Family,

This beautiful statute of "Our Lady of the Smile" arrive at the convent this weekend from France. It is a replica of the miraculous statue that sat by St. Therese of Lisieux's bedside when she was very sick as a young girl. One day she saw Our Lady's face come alive and smile at her, and she was miraculously cured. The statue will now head into the nuns' cloister here, but first I had the opportunity to pray before it since I had to bless it prior to it entering the cloister.

Some of you have written me asking me if I could post more about the sisters and their life here. The sisters however would prefer to remain very hidden so I won't plan on writing much. Also, much of my contact with them is confidential since it is through Confession and spiritual direction. However, I think I can share two small things.

First, this past week was the entry of a young lady into the cloister, to begin her life as a postulant. For that I presided over the "entry ceremony" into the cloister, which was simple and yet beautiful. It took place in the evening. The doors to the cloister, which are never open (not even I can enter except in case of sacramental necessity for an ill sister), opened when the soon-to-be sister came knocking.

As the large door swung open 11 sisters were seen holding lighted candles, their faces covered by their veils. The young lady knelt on the ground just outside the threshold to the cloister. Standing behind her I then (at the mother superior's invitation) said some words on the great event that was about to take place: even more than what was about to take place physically there was a great spiritual work that was about to begin: the work of God in forming this young lady's soul to become His spouse (if indeed she discerns that and continues, etc.), of the presence of Our Lord and Our Lady, of how much our world today needs prayer and sacrifice, etc.

Then I began a series of prayers to Our Lady and a part of the litany to Her, the sisters responding. This concluded with a blessing of the young lady, sprinkling her with holy water, and then watching her rise and cross the threshold of the cloister. She then greeted one by one each of the sisters, the great door was closed, and her life in the cloister began.

This Thursday begins the annual 10 day silent retreat with the nuns. Please pray for that because the poor sisters are stuck with me preaching! I feel a bit worried for them because the preaching will be in Italian and 20 conferences is a lot to try to do well. The vast majority of those will involve me reading elected passages from St. John of the Cross or St. Teresa of Avila or St. Therese of Lisieux. But even reading long texts in Italian will be a bit challenging if I am to do them well. And then there are 3 conferences that will be primarily my words. I have the outlines done but now need to write them in English and then put them in Italian. Prayers would be welcome....

I'm due into the chapel now to hear the sisters Confessions so I'd best go. Praying for you all in this grace-filled month of October. Please don't forget to pray for me!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Tony Pillari

Sunday Sermon

Inside St. Peter's Basilica, Rome. Prayed for you all at St. Peter's tomb!

St. Peter's

Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Rome, where St. Catherine of Sienna is buried. Prayed at her tomb this past week.

Ceiling of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for your prayers during my study and meetings this past week in Italy, which went very well. Glad though to be back out in the countryside again!

I thought I'd try in today's blog sharing with you this morning's sermon, as a way of giving you a glimpse into Sunday life here. Today after Mass I blessed a 20-year old young man, who then hopped on a plane to fly to the Island of Papa Stronsay to begin a time of discernment with the Transalpine Redemptorists. Hence the sermon. A disclaimer: though I have been writing out my sermons they act more as "sermon notes" than an actual sermon. I often adapt them in the giving.

I prayed for you all last week at St. Peter's tomb. Hope you had a blessed week!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Tony Pillari

Sermon:

Eph 6:10-17

Brethren: Be strengthened in the Lord and in the might of His power. Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the Principalities and the Powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness on high. Therefore, take up the armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and stand in all things perfect. Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breast-plate of justice, and having your feet shod with the readiness of the Gospel of peace, in all things taking up the shield of faith, with which you may be able to quench all the fiery darts of the most wicked one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, that is, the word of God.

            On this 21^st Sunday after Pentecost there are a few announcements. First, thank you very much for your prayers for my studies this past week in Italy. It was an intense time but a lot was accomplished. I must say that even though Rome and Florence are beautiful cities, and I was with some very good people, there is no place I’d rather be than Lanherne, and sensed quite strongly on this trip that the work of God here in the monastery and also in your families is at the very heart of what is needed today in the Church. So it is very good to be back.

I did return a bit sick and so may be a bit slower than usual these next few days.

I plan to begin 2 – 3 weeks from now the cycle of Sunday sermons presenting the great truths of our Faith according to the traditional Catechism. So if you know of those who might benefit from that preaching please feel free to invite them to attend.

Lastly John Buscombe, as you know, will be leaving today to begin a time of discernment with the Transalpine Redemptorists on the island of Papa Stronsay. So at the end of Mass, just a few minutes after Mass ends, I will be offering him a particular blessing as he begins this journey.

What is it that John is about to do? What does it mean to try to discern God’s will for your life? Each soul is created by God to burn with love for Him and for the salvation of souls. Yet if every soul is called to burn with this divine charity, not every soul is called to so in the same way. Some souls are called to burn with divine charity as priestly souls, others as monks, others as nuns, others as fathers and mothers of families, others to devote themselves to the service of the Church in the world by remaining single. The goal of discernment is to discover what an individual soul is made for—how is this soul called to give itself completely to the love of God?

But how does one go about discovering that? When John arrives in Papa Stronsay tomorrow will he be handed a thick manual and told that if he studies it’s contents very carefully, and learns all the rules and principles contained therein, using them to analyze his own life, that his mind will then be able see clearly just what his vocation is? No. Rather, the priority for John will be to open his soul more and more each day, indeed each hour of each day, to the work of Divine grace in his soul. He will be called each day to grow in charity and in humility, to allow God’s grace to penetrate everything in him, including the painful work of allowing God’s grace to penetrate the areas of one’s heart and soul (and each of us has them), that need a good deal of correcting and changing. He will be called each day to cooperate in the often painful work of conversion so that he might “die to himself,” and learn with time to live more and more for God.

It is only with time and perseverance, by striving day after day to cooperate in this work of divine grace—by allowing the fire of God’s love for him to penetrate his soul and to burn up everything in it; and by trying to make, as the Lord said to St. Margaret Mary, “some small return” to His love, that those things which are not of God can be burned up in a soul, so that the true nature of the soul—that is this particular soul’s true nature in the sense of what God created it to be—will be revealed.

So in the work of discernment it is not primarily study or intellectual understanding that are key, though those can have a certain role to play. Rather it is the daily efforts to grow in humility and in charity, and above all the daily efforts to open one’s soul to the working of divine grace, that is the key. John, as of tomorrow evening, will be choosing to live, at least for a time, a way of life that the Church proposes to all young men and women as “objectively superior.” What does that mean?

In the words of Pius XII, “This doctrine of the excellence of virginity and of celibacy and of their superiority over the married state was, as We have already said, revealed by our Divine Redeemer and by the Apostle of the Gentiles; so too, it was solemnly defined as a dogma of divine faith by the holy council of Trent, (Sess. XXIV, can 10) and explained in the same way by all the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church.” (Sacra Virginitas n. 32) Does this mean that each person who is a religious or a priest is holier than each person who is married? No. Indeed I have often had the experience as a priest of being quite humbled at witnessing the great charity and sacrifices the married couples make for the sake of the Lord, and of realizing how much I need to improve in those areas.

But as St. Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians, “I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; ³³ but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, ³⁴ and his interests are divided…” “… he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.” (1 Cor 7:38).

To begin to understand what St. Paul, and what the Church, teaches on this matter, reflect for a moment on the situation of a man who is engaged to a young woman, and who one day says to her, “Susan I love you with my whole heart, and want to always love you with my whole heart. I’ve also decided that—in addition to marrying you, I’d like to marry at the same time Sarah. But don’t worry, the fact that I’ll also be married to her won’t diminish the love, attention, and affection that you will always have from me.” How do you think Susan would respond? No doubt she would indignantly respond that this is impossible! That it is only possible to have one spouse. That a man’s capacity to love, to serve, to be attentive to his spouse, can only be given to one person in this life.

So also it is with a priest’s, (or a brother’s, or a nun’s), love for his Lord, and for the Church. Priestly celibacy frees a priest to offer the love, attention, and service that would otherwise be given to an earthly spouse, to God alone.

Celibacy touches above all on the first and greatest commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Celibacy is a tremendous help for the priest’s own love and adoration of God. And the more that the priest turns his own attention to God, offering Him the love and adoration that are due to Him alone, the more that God responds by pouring out His graces into the soul of the priest. “Amen I say to you, there is no man who hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for My sake and for the Gospel, Who shall not receive a hundredfold, now in this time… …and in the world to come life everlasting.”

Celibacy facilitates above all God’s own action in the priest’s soul, so that he might, by God’s grace, be more deeply conformed to Jesus Christ Himself, so that there might be on the earth many who are truly “alter Christus,” who are as “another Christ.” The devil is tremendously afraid of this reality—he is tremendously afraid of young men embracing the gift of celibacy and of the hundredfold of God’s grace that will be poured out into a man’s soul who embraces it, and so he does everything he can to discourage young men from pursuing this path.

John will be, at least during this time of discernment, embracing this great means of growing in authentic charity. For charity is fundamentally, as St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, a “friendship with God.” The Lord said to His apostles, “I no longer call you servants… but friends.” (Jn 15:15) Saint Thomas explains that the key to a true friendship is willing the good of one’s friend. In the friendship with God, God certainly wills our good and in so many ways works for our good. As for us, we see in the saints over and over again that they strove to respond to God’s great and mysterious desire for love. As the Lord said to St. Margarite Mary, “I thirst, but with a burning thirst to be loved in the Blessed Sacrament by men. And this thirst consumes Me, and I find no one who tries, according to My desire, to give me to drink, by making some small return to My Love.”

            To try to make “some small return” to His love, or as the Lord has expressed it to other saints, to “console His Sacred Heart,” to “please Him”—this will be the daily work of John during this time of discernment. For that reason so many other things are stripped away: material goods, the freedom to decide how he uses his time, what he eats, who he talks to, even whether he can serve at the altar or not, and so on—indeed if done well this time will strip everything away so that he is forced to confront day after day the choice, which can only be made in the obscurity of faith, of choosing to offer Jesus Christ my love, my work, everything that I have, so that His Sacred Heart might be consoled, so that He might be pleased, and might receive from me at least “some small return to His love.”

            If John, and any young man who embarks on this journey of discernment, which really every young man should embark on—in one way or another—gives himself wholeheartedly to this work of growing in authentic humility and charity then in time the work of divine grace in his soul will reveal what his soul is made for: whether that be the priesthood, life as a brother, married life, or single life. A time of discernment is judged to be successful or not, not by the fact that a young man becomes a priest or not, but by whether or not he discovers the will of God for him—the particular way that his own soul is called to burn with charity for God. As St. Paul says, “…each has his own special gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.” ^[1] The goal of discernment is to find and embrace that gift.

            As we enter now into the heart of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass I would invite you to keep John in a particular way in your prayers, so that, through the motherly intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he might embrace wholeheartedly the daily work that lies ahead for him in this discernment—the daily work of humility, charity, and conversion, so that he might truly lay down his life for his Lord and Savior.

---

^[1] Catholic Biblical Association (Great Britain). (1994). The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version, Catholic edition (1 Co 7:7). New York: National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.

Ave Roma

Little Chapel where I am again saying Mass for these days in Rome.

Dear Friends and Family,

Am writing you this Sunday evening from Rome, having just spent several very intense days studying and discussing with some great minds from around the world. I had best keep this post brief because I am operating on very little sleep. Yet I wanted to write you all at least briefly before turning in for the night and trying to catch up on sleep.

As I prayed and thought about what to write to write you this week I felt I should simply call your attention to an important document that was just made public and that has been signed by several cardinals and many many other people. It can be found here: http://www.filialappeal.org    .

For those of you with some time and a willingness to dig into some theology I would highly recommend the full document. It is an excellent summary of some key theological points. For those who don't have much time you could always simply read the key paragraphs of each section, skipping over the references to official Church documents. That would allow you to receive the main point.

I felt I should call your attention to this document because of how under attack marriage is in the world today, especially in our western societies. Because of that there is a particular need to give people the great treasure of the teachings that Jesus Himself gave to the world in this regard, and which He guided the Church in fleshing out over the centuries. Sadly there is currently confusion about marriage not only in the world but even in the Church. Hence the document I am linking here was carefully drafted to try to make clear and defend some points where the confusion or attacks are particularly strong.

Having said that I had best turn in for the night or I may fall asleep at the computer. Thankfully I should be able to get a long night's rest tonight.

May God bless you all and your families,
Fr. Tony Pillari

Catechesis

Sun Rising on a beautiful Cornish morning. Upper floor windows are for the parlor where I go each week to speak with the mother superior.

Sacristy: what I find when I enter each morning before Mass.

Dear Friends and Family,

Hope this post finds you all enjoying a beautiful Sunday! It certainly is gorgeous weather here. As always this Sunday morning began with me kneeling in the chapel and thanking the Lord for the wonderful blessing of having a chapel to pray in each morning (and any time during the day!) where I can adore the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. On Sunday you could say that the Mass "lingers" here all throughout the day because the incense permeates the chaplaincy where I'm staying, and you have that nice reminder every time you walk in the hallway of what took place on the altar this morning.

Speaking of Mass, two young boys began to learn to serve today: ages 8 and 11. Together with their older brothers they will hopefully soon form a corps of 4 steady altar boys for Sundays. Our head altar boy, 20 years old, leaves in two weeks for the Island of Papa Stronsay, to spend extended time discerning with the Redemptorists there. Please keep him and the young boys in your prayers, as well as a good man named Paul who is helping to serve during the week and who has graciously accepted the humble role of serving when needed but of allowing the boys to serve instead whenever they can make it.

I also announced today a program of Sunday sermons that I hope to embark on in a couple of weeks. One challenge--a common challenge as those of you in Texas know--is that there are more requests for formation than what priestly time allows. How to help everyone grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ and love for Him, including the knowledge of the different mysteries that He entrusted to the Church--the wonderful teachings of the Catholic Faith? What I'll be trying is something that was recommended centuries ago: to use the Sunday sermons as an opportunity for Catechesis, following a program that--if it were followed consistently for 2 - 3 years, would cover all of the essential elements of the Catholic Faith.

It's the program that was laid out in the Catechism of the Council of Trent, also known as the Roman Catechism--a work that is still used in places today as a textbook for high school and university theology courses. Following this program will have some challenges: trying to make the Catechesis short enough that it fits into the time of a homily will be a challenge! It will also mean sacrificing many other topics that could be preached on in order to make steady progress through the Catechism. Also the preparation of these sermons will take some time--I've never taught a complete course of catechesis before and it will likely mean drawing from several other sources in order to produce sermons that can be helpful for people.

But I'm looking forward to it. In addition to hopefully being good for the congregation I think this will be good for me. It will force me to think through, and be prepared to articulate for others, each of the principal mysteries of our faith. It is the sort of thing that will likely require some sacrifices along the way but that at the end will I think be quite rewarding.

One last note for today. When I went to the local general store in the center of the village to mail some letters a few days ago, I asked the man who runs the store if he'd been to the Rally last weekend. When he said yes I inquired as to his favorite part. He replied "Those ladies on the tractors"--meaning the "Flying Fergies" that I showed you photos of last week. I was proud to be able to tell him that I had seen that performance myself. My knowledge of the "Flying Fergies" also came in handy when talking with two brothers who come often on Sundays--ages 3 and 5. When I asked them about the Rally they began eagerly telling me all about the different types of tractors and their colors. When they began describing the "Fergusons" (If I'm remembering it correctly. In any case it was some name that "Fergie" was short for), and indicated that they were grey, I was proudly able to say that I knew those types of tractors. So, little by little I will hopefully get the hang of the local culture! I just learned today that a lady who comes each Sunday is a former teacher who taught "Cornish culture," so I'm hoping at some point to get some further instruction.

Praying for each of you. Missing you all but praying that Jesus and Mary will provide you with all that you need.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Tony Pillari

St. Magwan Steam and Vintage Rally

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm sitting down to write you after quite an intense week. Of course when I say "intense week" it still means I have each day at least 4 hours of prayer, so I'm quite blessed! But outside of the prayer it was a combination of phones and doorbells ringing often (for everything from requests for Confession to deliverymen trying to find the monastery to deliver the Sisters' freezer), the usual items of homily preparation, Confessions, etc. canon law and civil law study and... the St. Magwan Steam and Vintage Rally--the annual major event of the town! If you're ever passing through this part of England in September I recommend it.

First of all it's organized by S.M.E.G.A. (not to be confused with Smeagol from the Lord of the rings, though the two do sound similar), which stands for "St. Mawgan Eccentric Gentlemen's Association" comprised of 20 good local men. One of them attends Mass here every Sunday and insisted that I needed to go the Rally in order to meet folks in the town. So I dropped my studies for a few hours today and headed up the hill to a large farm that was temporarily transformed into the site of the Rally. A few photos (taken when the place first opened at 10AM, so before it got too crowded):

Local gentleman proudly working on his 1920 steam-powered tractor. 

Demonstration of the agility of a "digger." A main event of tomorrow afternoon will be the "dance of the diggers" in which about 10 of these perform various maneuvers in unison. Rumor has it that they can even make them lie down on their sides and crack an egg with the bucket!

Mini steam-powered tractor pulling a little one.

The "Flying Firgies"--a groups of twelve ladies from the farm who performed choreographed maneuvers with their tractors (think of a marching band executing movements on a field, except here you have them doing it with tractors, and set to country music as opposed to marching band music).

The Flying Fergies in Action

I'm walking up to the entrance tent. In the distance you can see the ocean. The village and monastery are down in the valley below.

One of a number of old steam-powered tractors. They tended to have smoke coming from two main sources: the tractor itself and the man working on it with his cigarette.

One of 4 sets of old tractors that you could examine and sit in if you liked. There were also antique cars but I didn't make it to that section of the grounds.

Cornish flags proudly flying above the tractors. This flag symbolizes in some way Cornwall's desire for independence. No one thinks it will realistically happen, but coming from Texas it made me feel at home!

The rally had a nice feel to it--a wholesome, country feel. People were friendly and I did indeed meet a good number of people--including the photographer for the local journal who wanted a photo of the local priest in his cassock eating a bratwurst. I was happy to oblige. We'll see if I make the local news or not.

I wandered over to the "clay pigeon shooting booth" at which for a small fee you could try your aim with a shotgun at shooting clay pigeons. Turns out one of the men running it is the equivalent of the local Methodist minister. He and his wife are leading a prayer service on the grounds for all present tomorrow morning. He and his wife seemed quite sincere, what you might call "God-fearing folk." I think they would make great Catholics! and may have a chance to work towards that since they invited me to come by their farm for a cup of tea. Please say a prayer for them: Peter and Val.

Beyond that there were various types of booths: local woodworkers, model tractor producers, a china and sweets local business that offers to put on tea parties for any occasion (wedding, birthday party, funeral, etc.), and the SMEGA men who had wisely chosen to man the barbecue tent along with their wives, in addition to acting as masters of ceremonies in the main ring, which has events going on all day long. These include various exhibitions of farm animals and dogs, the "blue majorettes" (the majorettes are a series of blue tractors that perform various manouevers), and an exhibition of Cornish wrestling (will have to miss that one since it's just after tomorrow's Mass).

So if you're ever in Cornwall, come by St. Mawgan's Steam and Vintage Rally and enjoy the local culture!

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Tony Pillari

Glastonbury Abbey Pilgrimage

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday I drove to Glastonbury abbey--about 2 1/2 hours from the Carmel here--to participate in a small annual pilgrimage sponsored by the Latin Mass Society of England. The largest annual pilgrimages are those to Our Lady of Walsingham, Chartres, and Lourdes, and there were multiple small pilgrimages to shrines taking place yesterday. I had the blessing of participating in the one at the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. And not only participating but, as I was praying in the sanctuary preparing for Mass, the priest who would be delivering the sermon walked over and whispered, "Father, the celebrant for some reason has not arrived, could you celebrate the Mass for us today?" So I had the blessing of chanting the High Mass, leading the rosary procession around the grounds of the old Abbey, and then giving Benediction!

Here are a few photos:

Three men on pilgrimage preparing to enter the seminary: from left to right they will be entering: Transalpine Redemptorists, Diocesan Seminary in England, Institute of the Good Shepherd in France.

The pilgrimage had reminders of elements that seem to be pervasive in the Church throughout England:

The witness of the Martyrs: we were on the grounds of the ruins of an enormous historic abbey: the Abbey of Glastonbury. In 1539 Henry VIII had the abbot, and the two monks closest to him, hung, drawn, and quartered because they resisted his takeover of the Abbey. He then proceeded to remove all the led from the buildings, which were progressively destroyed, leaving the ruins still standing today:

The historic downtown, surrounding the Abbey and the parish church, is now dominated by occult shops--for example the "House of the Goddess" which sponsors all sorts of activities for "healing." All sorts of magic and dark arts shops. Very sad. And then the tiny group of Catholics there. It seems that a large Catholic parish in England, at least in this area of England, might have 200 - 300 people attend on a weekend. Many parishes have less than 100.

The Presence of Vocations and young people: in the midst of this very small pilgrimage of perhaps 50 people--but that nonetheless managed to sing full Palestrina for the Mass!--there were three young men, pictured above, entering the seminary this month, and also a young man, perhaps 12 or 13, who had discovered and begun attending the Latin Mass. He loved it to such a point that his mother came with him on this pilgrimage to discover what this Mass was all about, and she herself was moved by the reverence and said she wanted to begin attending regularly. So signs of hope.

It was a full day but a blessed one. It began with a candle-lit Mass for the sisters at 5:20AM, and then at 7AM I headed out on the pilgrimage, returning at 7:30PM. After doing some more work last night and a full, but good, day today, I took a siesta and in a moment will have a bite to eat for dinner.

Praying for you all. May Jesus and Mary watch over you--especially those of you in particularly difficult situations with regards to access to the Sacraments for your children. May Jesus and Mary guide you and grant you their peace in the midst of suffering.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Tony Pillari

Sunday Photos

Dear Friends and Family,

Here are some photos from last Sunday--courtesy of a young family on vacation in the area who came to Mass for two weeks.

The gathering after Sunday Mass, with homemade cake each week :).

This picture looks far too pious, but it was taken during the prayer of the angelus (at gathering after Mass).

The High Altar where Mass is celebrated on Sundays and great feast days. The sisters (behind the grill and veil), are just off to the left.

The above gives you some images of my regular Sunday routine. As I type this I just finished lunch (it's now 2:20PM here in England). Today I'd like to simply say what a joy it is to have the privilege of offering the Holy Mass and all the other things that go with that! What an incredible blessing it is to wake up and have first of all a full hour of silent prayer in this chapel--I have the whole main chapel to myself, while the sisters are praying off to the side in their cloister. So that gives me the freedom to pray at times fully prostrate, etc. What a wonderful, wonderful gift to be able to begin each day with Jesus in this fashion!

Then, after the hour of quiet prayer, I chant some of the Divine Office. At the moment I've actually settled on the entry hall to the monastery as the best place to chant. Since the sisters are chanting in the chapel I can't chant there. The entrance hall has great acoustics and a large wooden cross to focus on. The cross has no corpus--which according to one tradition is meant to help you think, when you look upon it, that it is waiting for you to be placed upon it. In the morning I find it a helpful reminder that in the day that is dawning the Lord will be asking me to embrace sacrifices that He has planned--which of course are actually gifts from Him, ways that He will be inviting me to die to myself so that I can open my heart more fully to Him.

Then at 7AM comes breakfast. Since I've found I can't get to lunch until nearly 2PM I go ahead and try to have a pretty full breakfast. Then final homily preparations, preparing the chants for the Mass, other items that may be necessary (today was printing off copies of a handout from "St. Francis de Sales' Method of Assisting at Mass" for people to take home with them), some prayer, perhaps some reading; then setting up the altar for Mass, then at 9AM beginning to hear Confessions.

At 10AM celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass--what a blessing that is each day, and in a particular way each Sunday! In all of its details. This morning for example simply appreciating the wonderful smell of the incense as I was incensing the altar and thinking of the presence of Christ and heavenly blessings that the incense reminds us of. Then the Mass is such a joy but I'd better skip over describing all of that or this post will get too long...

Then visiting with people after Mass outside, then heading up to the hall for some refreshments and more visiting. Today I mainly had the pleasure of sitting and talking with the teenage young men about their school situations--school is beginning this week--as well as learning about local surfing and snorkeling. Maybe I'll try the latter one day.

Then returning to the chaplaincy wing of the monastery for a quiet lunch; and then, in just a bit, a good nap! But first wanted to write you all this post.

Thank you all for your prayers for my studies. I met a major deadline this past Wednesday--submitting the first of three chapters for my thesis in canon law. I won't say it was miraculous but I will say that I was truly amazed I was able to meet the deadline. Work that I thought would take two months, and so that I should have begun in early July, was crammed into two weeks, but somehow seems to have come out OK. Many more deadlines to go this fall, but I cleared the first hurdle!

This coming Saturday I'll be participating in the Latin Mass Society of England's pilgrimage to Glastonbury. Should be interesting to meet the other priests and faithful who will come.

Praying for you all today, that Jesus and Mary might grant your hearts the peace and joy that only They can give.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Tony Pillari