God hides the prize of Eternal Glory in our mortifications.
St Jane Frances Chantal
Fasting cleanses the soul, raises the mind, subjects one’s flesh to the spirit, renders the heart contrite and humble, scatters the clouds of concupiscence, quenches the fire of lust, and kindles the true light of chastity.
Prayer is the articulation of love. It is with the heart rather than the lips that we pray. He who prays with desire sings in his heart even though his tongue be silent.
St Augustine
It is better to give alms than to store up gold; For almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies.
If you’re looking for a book that takes you outside of the usual Marian consecration and the dredging language in most Marian consecration booklets, look no further. Father Boniface has truly created a work of spiritual art. The daily reflections will leave you in a meditative State of mind and allow you to dwell in the Hermitage of the heart all day. Well this particular book of consecration is a very easy and comfortable read (almost as if you are having a conversation with Father Boniface himself), it is full of meat that will leave you both intellectually and spiritually full. – JD
Beautiful art work and passages. Highly recommend – Lola
Of all the versions of 33 day Marian consecration I think that this one is perhaps the finest. The level of devotion and trustful surrender possible through these beautiful meditations is profound. – CLW 84
Purification of Spirit through Fasting and Alms giving
Dear friends, at every moment the earth is full of the mercy of God, and nature itself is a lesson for all the faithful in the worship of God. The heavens, the sea and all that is in them bear witness to the goodness and omnipotence of their Creator, and the marvelous beauty of the elements as they obey him demands from the intelligent creation a fitting expression of its gratitude.
But with the return of that season marked out in a special way by the mystery of our redemption, and of the days that lead up to the paschal feast, we are summoned more urgently to prepare ourselves by a purification of spirit.
The special note of the paschal feast is this: the whole Church rejoices in the forgiveness of sins. It rejoices in the forgiveness not only of those who are then reborn in holy baptism but also of those who are already numbered among God’s adopted children.
Dear friends, what the Christian should be doing at all times should be done now with greater care and devotion, so that the Lenten fast enjoined by the apostles may be fulfilled, not simply by abstinence from food but above all by the renunciation of sin.
“St. Joseph presides over this intentional surrender to childlike obedience [which] takes place in St. Teresa’s fourth mansion [and] Joseph holds the lantern for us that can help us navigate this night,” explains former atheist, Fr. Boniface Hicks, OSB, author of Through the Heart of St. Joseph and spiritual director. His talk will unveil how Joseph is a “secret weapon” of the spiritual life who can “increase” our spiritual wisdom and pace up the holy mountain.
Rev. Edward Looney
The Founder of JSI will give the Inaugural Address, giving us a thumbnail sketch of JSI’s hope and dreams, its inception, mission, goals, and an overview of the symposium’s theme and speakers.
Dr. Robert Fastiggi
This talk will explore Joseph’s role in God’s plan of Redemption, the requisite special graces he was given, his unique proximity to the order of the hypostatic union, such that, as Mary, the virgin God-bearer, can be called Coredemptrix because of her maternal cooperation with the Redeemer, is it possible to call Joseph, the virgin God-raiser, a Coredemptor due to his paternal cooperation with the Redeemer?
Dr. Christopher West
If Theology of the Body is a theological time-bomb set to explode in our millennium, then St. Joseph is its fuse! Dr. Christopher West, a spark-plug speaker and author himself, will ignite your understanding on Joseph’s manly purity and total gift of self in this dynamite talk steeped in the mind of John Paul II.
Dr. Elizabeth Lev
Art historian Dr. Elizabeth Lev, based in Rome, will provide a visual tour de force of Josephological art from the 200s AD up to present day, exploring how Joseph is “a beacon” today for godly fatherhood, masculinity, and chastity as she writes in her book Silent Knight.
When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we fix our attention on eternal life. Eternal life is not just an endless extension of this life. Hope drives us towards a life that is not threatened by death, a true life that is full of happiness and yet is something unknown because it is clearly different from the life we have now.
