Latest Missionary News From Around the World, May 2016
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Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Hi Patti, The event was a tradition at our Notre Dame H. S. in Easton, PA. The pictures were actually taken at two different ones; The Living Rosary of October, 2013, and the same in 2015. Using the gym/auditorium, the students form the outline of a Rosary. They come up by “DECADES” and use the microphone to pray the Rosary in different languages. A student will start the first half of the Hail Mary and all of us (who speak that language) will respond in the second half. It gives a very good impression of how far-reaching our Holy Faith is. Teachers introduce each decade with a short meditation, and some also join in to pray at the microphone. The tall Chinese student whom you see in one of the pictures is one who was raised as an atheist in China, but he is open to learning about the Faith. (Our school recruits students from Korea and China.) His name is Hong Hao, and he is going to UC Berkeley in the fall. He is brilliant; he aced the SAT’s; 800s on both, or maybe 780 on one! Please pray for him; he will be sorely tried in that very liberal University. I do not know if you might like to add as an aside that our school had its first May Crowning and Procession on the grounds with our statue of Our Lady of Fatima last week, on the l0th, with the whole student body and faculty taking part. I could not be there, but was thrilled that it took place! The Rosary was also prayed during that procession. The book I was translating has at last been published, under the title of Falling in Love With God (chosen by one of the DeSales University Oblates, who proofed it for theological correctness.) It’s available at EmbracedbyGod.org, the De Sales Resources publishing center, and is supposed to come out as an e-book soon. By God’s Grace, it’s being used at our high school in at least one of the theology classes. If there are any more details I have left out, please let me know. Love, < Janet – USA > Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Hi Patti, May the Grace of God be upon you and everyone in the Association! It’s been long time now we have not communicated, thank you very much Patti. God bless you! I have just received the box this morning which was sent on the 10th March 2016. I am very happy because we are going to have a very big retreat on the 11th June at Maseru Parish (capital town of Lesotho) in a church, Mary, Mother of Lesotho. We have struggled so much for the success of this retreat but, at last, the Parish Priest gave us this date to have the retreat. For these past months, I have been going to different villages trying to tell the people about the Living Rosary and Saint Philomena so that I can find new members and have many people praying the Rosary every day, and I thank God because I managed to get close to 100 people whom I registered and gave the Daily Decades. Please, Patti, pray for me because I wish to translate the prayer of Ven. Pauline-Marie Jaricot’s “Prayer for Debtors” in our language, Sesotho, because many people are in deep debts nowadays and I don’t know but I think it’s a work of the devil to stress people. Some of these people cannot read English but they need this prayer. Remember, I once told that I, too, was in so many debts but Pauline helped me. I want to help these people as I know what they are going through. I also wish to form a group whereby we will be making Rosaries, Scapulars, St. Philomena Cords and translate prayers in Sesotho. There are some people who know how to make Rosaries Therefore, I have managed to convince them that, if they can help me teach other people, we will be able to produce more and give them to many people in our country and elsewhere. Here are the photos of the people I registered in the Living Rosary and the pictures of a small retreat we had last month to recruit promoters to spread the devotion of the Association. That’s me in blue clothe with my daughter, Precious Mary Kananelo Lepota, on her First Communion. Please, pray for her AGNES – LESOTHO Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Dear Director Patty Melvin, I have received your letter and want to congratulate you for your recent packet. Thank you for your apostolate in prayer and purity with the help of Our Lady who opens the door of her mercy. I wish to plant the devotion of the Living Rosary in my diocese. We have a sanctuary named, Maria Tokpa, in this Marian Diocese on the border of the Lagoon. I will use all that you sent me for the Glory of God through Our Lady of Maria Tokpa, mainly by the Holy Rosary prayers. I want to tell you that most of our Christian people speak French, so I ask you if you have an opportunity to send them prayer cards and literatures in French. I accord my blessing to the Universal Living Rosary Association. May the Peace of the Risen Lord be with you! Mgr. Aristide GONSALLO Evêché de Porto-Novo, BENIN Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Dear Patti, Ad Jesum per Mariam! With all my heart, I thank Our Lord for His graces and blessings. My visit to the seminaries on Tuesday, May 10, was really grace-filled. I felt so encouraged by the Rectors: each of them granted me his permission as soon as I told him about the Living Rosary, my desire to talk to the seminarians about it and to get them enrolled as members. Saint Bernard’s Seminary, Nchatancha, Enugu, is known to you already through Father Michael Okata! He is one of the spiritual directors there. His generous presence and practical sense meant so much for the facilitation of the enrolment. Indeed, after I had given the reflection, the seminarians enrolled with joy and enthusiasm. We also gave them Sacramentals and spiritual booklets which they received with remarkable gratitude. Our Lady of the Rosary was clearly at work there! From here, Fr. Michael and I drove to Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu. The two seminaries are not so far from each other; they are in the same city. We joined the community for the Evening Prayer with Benediction (what an amazing experience to once again participate in the beautiful hymn to the Holy Spirit sung by more than 600 young seminarians!!! It was part of the Novena for the Pentecost). After the prayers, the Rector asked me to address the community on the Living Rosary. With the help of Fr Michael, the enrolment and sharing of the Sacramentals went smoothly and even systematically! All the completed lists will be posted to you tomorrow. One of the seminarians asked me: “Father, is there a film on Saint Philomena?” I was touched! I told him I have no idea. They loved her story so much and would like to know more. Another seminarian asked me for the statue of Saint Philomena. Of course, I told him to keep asking that of HER with love and trust! One day, such statues, even very small ones, will surely arrive. My joy is to see future priests in love with Our Lady of the Holy Rosary and enthusiastic about the true Faith! This is too long a letter, Patti! Forgive me for taking up your precious time. God bless you and all those who work with you for the propagation of the Faith! Pray for me please. Yours in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Fr. Michael Akaigwe – NIGERIA Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Dear Mrs. Patti Melvin, This is my report for April 2016. Though it was a difficult journey, I reached Sibi on 9th and, next day, we went to the Catholic Church of Sibi city which is at a far place from the parish house. On 12th, we moved to Mach which is at about two and a half hours distance by car. I went to Quetta which is again at about two hours distance from Mach. On 14th, we went to Muslim Bagh Cantonment which is about 68 miles but, due to mountainous region, it took a long time to get there by a rented car. The army has built a small church for the people. They had arranged the prayer in a school class room. We had to stay there for the night and came back to Quetta by rented car. In the evening, there was a seminar arranged by Mr. Asif in a rented hall. Before starting the prayer, people welcomed me with a garland and a small gift according to their tradition. Then, the Rosary was prayed and each Decade was led by a family. On the 16th, I returned home starting my journey at 10 A.M. by train. It was again a difficult journey: first of all due to my back, secondly due to low standard train on this route and due to security reason also. The train was permitted to leave after security checking by police, then by rangers and last of all by dogs. Rangers and police accompanied the train up to Sibi. I reached home on the 17th at about 12:30 P.M. I left for Peshawar on 23rd night reaching there on 24th early in the morning. Mr. Tariq came to the bus stop and took me to his residence at Chiraghabad. After breakfast, I went to the parish. After that, Mr. Tariq again took me to his residence where he had gathered some people who could not go to the church. Then, I went with catechist Gul Sher to his home. From there, in the evening, we went to Gharibabad. There was a small gathering of people who were devotees of the Rosary. In the evening, we went to the Mission Compound and gathered people for prayer. At all the places I visited, after Holy Mass, I explained the aim of Living Rosary and the Daily Decade, and then we distributed the Decade cards, Rosaries, Medals, booklets and other sacramental among the people who wanted to join the Living Rosary Family. All the people who were enrolled were very happy to have their Decade, especially for the additional information about the life of St. Philomena because St. Philomena was already there. Through one of our books, they became great devotees of her. Fr. Amir O.M.I, Mr. Asif and all the people were very happy and thankful to me and the Living Rosary who made it possible for me to reach these places and give them the Sacramentals. God bless you! Afzaal – PAKISTAN Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Dear Patti Melvin, It is our great joy to receive your two parcels containing Rosaries, Miraculous Medals, Scapulars, prayer cards, a big bottle of St. Philomena blessed oil and cords, booklets, registration forms and decade cards. I’m so glad that I succeeded to register many members. Until now, I have 180 members who are students and village folks of Maua Parish. There are also many people who wish to enroll but I failed due to lack of enough Sacramental and printed materials. I will send you the completed lists tomorrow. The items which you sent were distributed to the members, but some of the members missed because we are too many in number. Please send us more Sacramentals and the holy Oil and Cords of St. Philomena, registration forms and Decade Cards. On 9th Mei, 2016, we had a seminar which was attended by form-I students at Maua Seminary. We will have a Seminar on 14th Mei, which will be attended by the village folks who are Christian Catholic religious and another Seminar on 12th Mei for form-II students at Maua Seminary. The main intention is to propagate the Triumph of Immaculate Heart of Mary and to strengthen the members’ faith. I should spread the Living Rosary devotion in my Parish since there is no other strong devotion to the Mother of God. In my Parish, many people like to recite the Holy Rosary and they love Our Lady very much but they are not motivated and inspired to do so. We are requesting for your further support to enable us to reach many souls. Our prayers are always with you. May God bless you and your team! Dennis – Moshi, TANZANIA Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Dear Sr. Patti, On Friday, the 29th April, we held the Living Rosary Conference for the whole day. The Bishop offered the Mass and 12 priests, 12 religious sisters, 166 catechists and 50 promoters were present. The Bishop gave the opening talk, encouraging everyone to pray the Rosary for peace in our country and the diocese. We discussed the activities of the parish movements. We elected the EC members of Diocesan and Zone level. We served 5 meals and tea. By the Grace of God, we successfully organized the sessions. Thank for your prayers and support. God bless you all! Fr. Joseph Mung - MYANMAR Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
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Tuesday, May 3, 2016
My dear Patti, Peace and Joy of the Lord abide with you! Thank you so much for the boxes you sent to me containing the Dedicated Decades, Sacramentals, stamped and returned completed lists, etc. St. Philomena is really facilitating the spreading of the Devotion in Nigeria! The Association of Mary Queen of All Hearts which is found all over the country is zealously promoting the Living Rosary. As soon as the completed lists of new members and the photos are ready, we will send them to you. Last Saturday, I was with the Associates of Marian Movement of Priests in our Archdiocese. I shared with them my reflection on the urgency and necessity of praying the Holy Rosary every day, the beauty of the union of charity we live as members of the Universal Living Rosary, the amazing life and intercessory power of our Patroness, St. Philomena and her unfailing and saintly influence on the young people. Everyone present wanted to be enrolled such that the cards finished in the process! Each of those enrolled received at least one Sacramental. It was my joy to bless the little children present and personally place the strung Miraculous Medals around their necks. I reassured those yet to be enrolled that as soon as the cards are available, I will see to it that they will all be enrolled. I am contacting my fellow priests, enrolling them in the Living Rosary and some of them are really very happy to promote the Devotion. We are organizing ourselves in order to meet up with the enormous demands for enrollment as well as reaching out to as many souls as possible. Please pray for us. May I humbly request that you send me cards for enrollment. If the cards are available and you are able to send them to us, please send me some 3000 cards. Since there are so many people to enroll, we give at least one Sacramental to each person enrolled. So send us what you can regarding the Sacramentals for now. May God bless you and all those working with you for the spreading of the Kingdom of Christ through the Immaculate Heart of Our Mother Mary! Yours in the Immaculata, Fr. Michael Akaigwe - NIGERIA Click here to download a full color .pdf version of this article |
Patti Melvin, Director
Universal Living Rosary Association
P.O. Box 1303, Dickinson, Texas 77539, U.S.A.
Fax: (281) 337-3722 / (281) 309-9821
E-Mail: Filomena@Philomena.org