Anchored in Hope, Forward in Faith
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Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
On November 24, 2019, the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the faithful of St. Ann Church will lead a Eucharistic Procession throughout the campus immediately after the 11 o’clock Mass. This might be the very first time our parish has had a Eucharistic Procession. It is a great opportunity for us to show our love for and devotion to the Most Holy Eucharist, the source and summit of the Christian life.As Catholics, we believe that in the Consecrated Host and Wine at the Holy Mass, Christ Jesus is truly present on the Altar. It is at the heart of our Catholic faith. Believe it or not, a recent study named: “What Americans Know About Religion” showed that half of American Catholics don’t know that the Church teaches that the Holy Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. The other half thought the Church taught that the Eucharist was just a symbol of Christ’s Body. If that news does not bother us enough, there is other research conducted by the same firm. This second study reported that only one-third of Catholics believe that the Blessed Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Christ. It is truly a wake-up call for us lovers of the Holy Eucharist. It is time for us to return to the heart of our Catholic faith.
On the last Sunday of the liturgical calendar of the Church, we solemnly declare Christ Jesus the King of the Universe. The King of kings and Lord of lords is truly present to us in the Consecrated Host and Wine on the Altar. On this Feast Day, I cannot think of any better way to show our love for our King than to give witness to our faith and devotion toward the Most Holy Eucharist. By our active and prayerful participation in the Eucharistic procession, we publicly manifest the Mystery of our Faith. Pope Saint John Paul II encourages the faithful to take part in the Corpus Christi procession: “Our faith in the God who took flesh in order to become our companion along the way needs to be everywhere proclaimed, especially in our streets and homes, as an expression of our grateful love and as an inexhaustible source of blessings.”
Sisters and brothers, let us have a procession worthy of our King.
Fr. Vincent Nguyen
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The Month of the Holy Rosary
Reflection by Fr. Vincent
October is many people’s favorite month of the year. The autumn breezes arrive to help cool down the heat of summer. The holy days of Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner. The month begins with the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, my favorite saint, and ends on All Saints’ Eve.
For our St. Ann family, we have all the more reason for loving October because it is the time for the St. Ann Annual Family Fest. All the students are ready for showtime, giving their best performances. Come and join us for a time of fun, laughter, and fellowship.
For Catholics, October is the time to celebrate Our Mother Mary since this month is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. Tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin appears and reveals the Holy Rosary to St. Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers. Our Mother promises protection, consolation, and graces to those who come to her through the mysteries of the Rosary. The Rosary is truly a tremendous fountain of grace and conversion. Many of us already pray the Rosary every day. To those who are not familiar with this form of prayer, I would like to invite you to pick up your rosaries and start the devotion. Let us meditate upon the mysteries of Christ with Mary, His Mother and ours. Let us ask our Blessed Mother to bring us closer to Her Beloved Son.
I want to conclude my reflection with a beautiful prayer called the Supplication to the Queen of the Holy Rosary composed by Blessed Bartolo Longo, the apostle of the Rosary.
O Blessed Rosary of Mary,
Sweet chain which unites us to God,
Bond of love which unites us to the angels,
Tower of salvation against the assaults of hell,
Safe port in our universal shipwreck,
We will never abandon you.
You will be our comfort in the hour of death:
Yours our final kiss as life ebbs away.
And the last word from our lips will be your sweet name,
O Queen of the Rosary of Pompei,
O dearest Mother,
O Refuge of Sinners,
O Sovereign Consoler of the Afflicted.
May you be everywhere blessed, today and always, On earth and in heaven.
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