In less than two weeks Labor Day weekend will be upon us, with the many activities of the Shrine Fair and the Feast of the Three Saints. We are very grateful to all of you who have been working so hard to prepare for these events. They tell me that there is a record number of items donated for the Fair. I would also like to let people know about some other plans we are making for this weekend, and to invite everyone to pray and participate if you are willing and able.
Literally thousands of people will be coming to our little corner of the world and this is a tremendous opportunity to share the Good News of God’s Love and the Beauty of our Catholic Faith. Many of these people will be fallen-away Catholics and this is chance to give them a personal invitation to come back home. We plan to have the upper church open as much as possible so that people will be able to see the hidden treasure of our beautiful shrine and hopefully be drawn into prayer and an experience of the Lord’s presence. This will require volunteers for security reasons, so if you would like to help, please let us know.
The lower church will also be open and we will be offering good Catholic books and other items for sale. Rosaries and instruction sheets will be available. A pop-up simple museum is being prepared to show the history of the shrine and of the Catholic immigrant communities who have come to this city, and are still coming, in search of a better life. As part of this, it would be a huge blessing if shrine-goers would consider writing a brief history of their own experience of Holy Rosary Church and/or a family history. Our Lord has done amazing things in the lives of so many people here and this will be a chance to glorify Him by sharing His goodness to us. Please send an email to the shrine address or drop off your story at the shrine office. Any photos you have would be most welcome.
There will be a pamphlet available that welcomes people to HRS and explains who we are and what is offered here. If you will be at the Feast, please consider keeping a few pamphlets in your pocket to give to people. We should all see ourselves as missionaries, and every one we meet as an opportunity to help that person grow closer to Jesus. Of course, we strive to do this with humility, patience and charity, and always open to listening. It may be that God wants to speak to us through them.
May Our Blessed Mother help us to be instruments of the Love of her Son, especially in these upcoming days of celebration.
God bless you.
Fr. Peter