18 September 2023 · 2023-09 newsletter
Saturday 2 September saw the fulfilment of a great longing of Meding and Stewart Davies. For some time, they have been preparing to invite the Blessed Mother into their home and make it a Shrine, just like the Original and Daughter Shrines. Their special day arrived and their Home Shrine was blessed by Fr. Pawel Barszczewski OP in the presence of the members of Meding’s Mothers’ Group, Mary’s Apostles, and Sr. M Elizabeth, who meets monthly with these mothers.
The celebration began with the blessing of the MTA picture which was then carried to the various rooms of the house. The Blessed Mother was invited to make each room her Shrine. Finally, the MTA picture was placed into its prepared place in the home and the celebration continued.
The promise of Our Lady in the First Founding Document was proclaimed: “I shall take my dwelling among you with delight. I shall bestow gifts and graces in abundance, and I shall draw youthful hearts to myself from here and educate them to become useful instruments in my hand.”
Being aware that “Our heroic striving and searching for perfection will draw our heavenly Mother to us by gentle force, making this place the abode of her special activity.” (First Founding Document) we were reminded of our task in the Covenant:
“Prove first by your deeds that you really love me and that you take your resolution seriously. Do not think that at present in this serious and important time it is something extraordinary if you increase your striving to the highest degree. This sanctification I demand of you. Diligently bring me contributions to the capital of grace. By fulfilling your duties faithfully and conscientiously and through an ardent life of prayer, earn many merits and place them at my disposal.”
(First Founding Document)
Meding and Stewart then declared their readiness to surrender themselves anew in the Covenant of Love and prayed their specially formulated Home Shrine Prayer. In this prayer they revealed that they have named their Home Shrine “Conversion”. They expressed that the renewal of faith in families requires a continuous conversion of heart, and so they entrusted this task which they cannot manage on their own to their Mother and Educator in the Home Shrine.
All present renewed their Covenant of Love and Fr. Pawel shared with us the very important fact that now the graces which the Blessed Mother intercedes for us in the Original Shrine and the Daughter Shrines are now available in this Home Shrine when we do our part by bringing contributions to the Capital of Grace. This was a powerful moment for all.
Fellowship followed and to end the afternoon the Mothers held their monthly meeting. Our MTA now has a new place from where she wants to help renew the world in Christ.
Mary’s Apostles’ Group, Bossley Park
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