Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 54

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter Six, At the School of Mary, "Woman of the Eucharist," continues as follows:

"54. Mysterium fidei! If the Eucharist is a mystery of faith which so greatly transcends our understanding as to call for sheer abandonment to the word of God, then there can be no one like Mary to act as our support and guide in acquiring this disposition. In repeating what Christ did at the Last Supper in obedience to his command: 'Do this in memory of me!', we also accept Mary's invitation to obey him without hesitation: 'Do whatever he tells you' (Jn 2:5). With the same maternal concern which she showed at the wedding feast of Cana, Mary seems to say to us: 'Do not waver; trust in the words of my Son. If he was able to change water into wine, he can also turn bread and wine into his body and blood, and through this mystery bestow on believers the living memorial of his passover, thus becoming the "bread of life"'."

National Safety Month

The month of June has been designated as National Safety Month, an annual observance designed to focus on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road and in our homes and communities

The special topics for his year's observance are Mental Health, Ergonomics, Building a Safety Culture, and Driving.

For more information, please visit:

National Safety Council: National Safety Month

"Give My Regards to Broadway"

Music of various types has been interwoven into the history of the United States (going back to the original thirteen colonies). Among this music is George M. Cohan's "Give My Regards to Broadway":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of Your Light.

Br. Louis Bethea, O.P., on the Paschal Candle and the Light of Christ

"The coronavirus pandemic has led many of us to seek understanding and spiritual nourishment in the absence of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Despite the slow rescinding of the moratoria around the country, many continue to seek consolation from the Lord in intimate prayer, as we Dominicans do each day as a part of our observance. In trying to understand God's hand in the sadness and complexity of the pandemic, I too sought to meet the Lord in my heart through prayer. I went to the chapel and just before arriving at my choir stall, amid the emptiness of the space around me, I walked past a familiar sight: the Paschal candle. As I sat down in my stall, recognizing that it has been there for a long time now, I looked up at this beautiful symbol of the risen Christ with a curious wrinkle in my eyebrow and thought, 'What are you still doing here?'

"More than 40 days after Easter the Paschal candle remains in the center of our chapel. What does holy Mother Church mean to teach us through this wax column’s continued presence? . . . "

In a recent commentary, Brother Louis Bethea, O.P., reflected on the Paschal candle as a reminder of the light of Christ and His continued calling to each of us..

To access Br. Linus' complete reflection, please visit:

Dominicana: O Light of Christ (27 MAY 20)

Reflection Starter from St. John XXIII

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." - Pope Saint John XXIII

Coronavirus-related New England Municipal Government News Headlines

Recent news stories related to municipal government in New England (and issues being faced on the local level) include these articles:

CT: CT towns' recreation departments go virtual amid pandemic (New Haven Register)

ME: Central Maine towns begin planning in-person Town Meetings while awaiting guidance from the state (The Morning Sentinel)

MA: One in five Boston public school children may be virtual dropouts (The Boston Globe)

NH: Enfield chief issues warnings to businesses where employees forgo masks (Valley News)


RI: Rhode Island's tourism towns taking a bath during COVID-19 shutdown (The Westerly Sun)

VT: Teachers grapple with remote teaching (Bennington Banner)

National: School lunch programs going broke because of kids' hunger (USA Today)

Background information:

Boston, MA, Public Schools

City of Boston, MA

Town of Enfield, NH

Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union (Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury, and Woodford)

Town of Bennington, VT

Town of Pownal, VT

Town of Shaftsbury, VT

Town of Woodford, VT

Pope John Paul II: Encyclical Letter Ecclesia de Eucharistia, Part 53

In 2003, on Holy Thursday, 2003. Pope John Paul II issued what would be his final encyclical: Ecclesia de Eucharistia, "On the Eucharist and Its Relationship to the Church." This encyclical contains much to prayerfully ponder/meditate on. The encyclical's Chapter Six, At the School of Mary, "Woman of the Eucharist," begins as follows:

"53. If we wish to rediscover in all its richness the profound relationship between the Church and the Eucharist, we cannot neglect Mary, Mother and model of the Church. In my Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, I pointed to the Blessed Virgin Mary as our teacher in contemplating Christ's face, and among the mysteries of light I included the institution of the Eucharist.¹⁰² Mary can guide us towards this most holy sacrament, because she herself has a profound relationship with it.

"At first glance, the Gospel is silent on this subject. The account of the institution of the Eucharist on the night of Holy Thursday makes no mention of Mary. Yet we know that she was present among the Apostles who prayed 'with one accord' (cf. Acts 1:14) in the first community which gathered after the Ascension in expectation of Pentecost. Certainly Mary must have been present at the Eucharistic celebrations of the first generation of Christians, who were devoted to 'the breaking of bread' (Acts 2:42).

"But in addition to her sharing in the Eucharistic banquet, an indirect picture of Mary's relationship with the Eucharist can be had, beginning with her interior disposition. Mary is a 'woman of the Eucharist' in her whole life. The Church, which looks to Mary as a model, is also called to imitate her in her relationship with this most holy mystery.

Note

 ¹⁰²Cf. No. 21: AAS 95 (2003), 20.

"Come Holy Spirit"

As we continue to live this week following the celebration of Pentecost Sunday, I offer this version of Bright City presenting "Come Holy Spirit":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of good handymen/women.

Dr. Jeff Mirus on Faith over Feelings During These Times

"During this period of not being able to attend Mass - a period which is now ending ever so slowly in most of the United States - I've reflected frequently on this question: What discernible impact is the absence of public Masses having on me? I presume each moderately serious Catholic has reflected on the same personal question." 

In a recent commentary, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus, President of CatholicCulture.org, reflected on feelings/desires during this time and on the importance of assessing them in the light of faith..

To access his complete post, please visit:

Catholic Culture: No Mass and Communion? Let faith trump feelings. (29 MAY 20)

Reflection Starter from Peter Marshall

"May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please, but as the opportunity to do what is right." - Rev. Peter Marshall