St Mary Major's


The Vatican website has a superb presentation of The Patriarcal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

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Baptism water rosary photo

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This photo is doing the rounds at the moment. Here is the accompanying text: This was taken at the baptism of Valentino Mora, son of Erica, a single mom of 21 who asked the photographer to take a picture of her son for free. The photo of the baptism of Valentino Mora is sweeping the Internet, because at the time the priest pours the Holy water over his head, the water flows in the shape of a rosary. This story began at the Parish of the Assumption of Our Lady in Cordova, Spain, where the baptism of a one month baby took place. At the time that Valentino came to the baptismal font for the sacrament of baptism, Erica asked the photographer Maria Silvana Salles, who was hired by other parents baptizing their babies, to take a photo of her son as a favor, since the young mother had no way of paying for it. The photographer, moved by Erica's request, agreed to take a photo of Valentino. Maria Silvana works with a traditional camera and had to send the film to be developed to a shop in ...
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Saint Gabriel

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The angels call for our veneration and awe as part of God’s creation. Part of the destructive modernism of the 1970s included advice to Catholic school teachers that they should not talk to children about angels. This wrought lasting damage which continues to need rectifying. We should include in our prayers a heartfelt recourse to our own Guardian Angels. The Archangel Gabriel “God is my strength” would be terrifying were he to appear to any of us. Our Lady was “troubled” at the word of Saint Gabriel and wondered at the manner of the salutation. Immediately, according to his mission, the awesome messenger explained himself. Modern retelling of the event is often reduced to the jejune “Mary said Yes to God”. In fact, she said “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word”. This conveys more accurately the flawless faith and trust of the Immaculata. In the infinitely wise providence of the Father, we now know the structure of the event in even more detai...
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Saints of Christian Unity

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Fr Anthony Ho has an article for Pax Sinaica (scroll down for the English version) in which he looks at St Francis de Sales and Blessed Marie Gabriella ( right ). Concerning St Francis de Sales, Fr Ho makes this observation: St. Francis won the heart of the people gradually with his patience and kindness. The parents would not come to St. Francis, so he came to their children and played with them. When the parents saw how kind he was as he played with their children, they started to talk to him.
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Family Day at Blackfen

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On Saturday, 13 November, there will be a Family Day at the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen. The theme will be "Angels, Saints and Nations sing 'Praised be Jesus Christ Our King'." We begin at 12noon with prayers during and after Benediction. (There is also Mass (Latin EF) at 10.30am followed by adoration and confessions until noon.) There will then be a 'Shared Table' lunch: bring some food to share if you can. Tea, coffee and squash will be provided. There will be Activities for parents, teenagers and children including catechetical talks as well as fun and games. The Day will finish at 4pm but families are welcome to stay on for 6pm Mass if they wish. Families all welcome. The Family Day is completely child-friendly. If babies or toddlers cry, are sick, feed at the breast, hide under the table or throw their toys out of the pram, nobody will glare or tut. Well, if they do, nobody else will take a blind bit of notice anyway ;-) Here are d...
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