O Mary, conceived without sin,
Pray for us who have recourse to you.
You are all fair, O Virgin Mary,
You never knew the stain of sin;
You are the glory of Jerusalem,
You, the great honor of our people,
You, the advocate of sinners.
O Mary, Virgin most holy,
O Mary, Mother most merciful,
Pray for us. Intercede for us
September 8, 2018
September 7, 2018
O my God, conduct me by Your wisdom,
restrain me by Your justice,
comfort me by Your mercy,
defend me by Your power.
September 5, 2018
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta,
you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross
to become a living flame within you,
and so became the light of His love to all.
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate
and possess my whole being
so completely that my life, too,
may radiate His light and love to others.
Amen.
September 4, 2018
Last night Fr. Theo and I decided to visit separate Indo-Fijian families in the same settlement about five miles from town. We borrowed the parish van. I dropped him off at the family which was hosting the mandali (prayer meeting), promising to pick him up later that night. I drove about a mile further and climbed a steep winding lane to a house on a hill top. Here a Catholic woman lived as one of two wives of a Hindu man. Her brother had appealed to me to visit them. This was my first visit.
September 4, 2018
I am flying like a bird across the ocean
Sometimes I feel debilitated and depressed
I am trying and flying with my wings
Fighting the worst weather
I have to cross that ocean to be alive
I still have hope
Though I have difficulties
People think that oceans are infinite
But for me, there is an ending point
September 4, 2018
O holy protector of the holy family,
protect us children of the Lord Jesus Christ;
keep far from us the errors and evils
which corrupt the world;
assist us from Heaven in our struggles
against the powers of darkness.
And as you once protected the Divine Child
from the cruel edict of Herod,
now defend the church
September 3, 2018
We had our retreat in Nadi Ashram in May 2014. During our retreat I was passing by the road from the house where I stayed to the dining hall, along the way I saw a beautiful bougainvillea. Despite being a very old tree with few leaves on it, I was struck by the beautiful flowers it had. Every time I passed the tree, I just had to look at it in wonder. I took some photos of it.
September 3, 2018
Heavenly Father, you watch over your creation
and bring it to perfection by the work of our hands.
Hear the prayers of your people who ask for work
that will enhance their human dignity.
Enable them to provide for their families
and teach those around them the value honest labor
for the betterment of human life.
September 2, 2018
Hail Mary, poor and humble Woman,
Blessed by the Most High!
Virgin of hope, dawn of a new era,
We join in your song of praise,
to celebrate the Lord’s mercy,
to proclaim the coming of the Kingdom
and the full liberation of humanity.
The Columbans are a society of missionaries, including priests and lay people, who minister to people of various cultures as a way of witnessing to the universal love of God.