Our Eucharistic Mission

Our Hope and Our Strength comes from contemplating Christ in the Eucharistic Presence with the eyes of Mary.

She was the closest person to him even as he ascended the Mount of Calvary to be crucified for the Salvation of Humankind.

Jesus Christ did not leave us "Orphans" but gave himself to us as a Perpetual Presence in the Eucharist.

It is this Faith that spurs Christians on because we know that the Eucharist builds the Church and the Church makes the Eucharist.

Whenever We take part in the Eucharistic Sacrifice we become profoundly aware of the Universality of Redemption and consequently the Urgency of the Mission of Jesus Christ to make his love known to all Men.

In fact, anyone who has encountered Christ in the Eucharist proclaims by his life the Merciful Love of the Redeemer. By the same token then, living the Eucharistic Life urges us to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament -- The Sacramental Presence of Christ.

That We may cherish the Presence of Christ in our midst and strive to make him known to those who have never known him we turn our gaze to Mary -- The Woman of the Eucharist.

We need to listen to her wise words -- Do whatever he tells you.

Only through this we can become New Wine In the Kingdom of Christ.

Credits : The Eucharist and the Mission of the Church
               By Antoine Tetta
               Pages 18-19
               Don Bosco's Madonna, Mumbai
               October 2008
               Vol - 10, N0 -6 

Maltese Catholicism

Malta is a Catholic Island Country in the Mediterranean.

Devotion to Mother Mary is celebrated with great love.

All year round, before Evening Mass -- The Holy Rosary is prayed followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

On an area of 122 Square Miles there are 376 Catholic Churches, Basilicas, Cathedrals, and Chapels.

Many of these Churches were built in honour of the Blessed Mother.

Seven Of these Churches are dedicated to the Assumption Of the Blessed Mother.

August 15 is a Public Holiday in Malta and a Holy Day of Obligation which is celebrated with a Feast for the Queen of Heaven. Three Days prior to that great day, a Life Size Statue of Our Lady depicting the Assumption is brought out and set on a pedestal in the Church.

This is surrounded with flowers and votive lights burning in front of it.

On the 15th of August, there is a procession with the statue which is carried on a Palanquin on the shoulders of 8 Men. This Procession goes around the streets preceded by Religious Societies praying the Rosary and singing Marian Hymns.

Throughout the ages, The Blessed Mother has helped the Maltese in difficult times and in gratitude Her Feast Days are celebrated with great Pomp and Splendour.

Credits : Trust In Mary
               By Doris Azzopardi
              Page 29
              Don Bosco's Madonna, Mumbai
             August 2009
            Vol -11, N0-4 

Holy Week 2018 -- Jesus Christ Faced Terrible Evil

As, We enter Holy Week in 2018 I believe that we should discuss the "Issue Of Betrayal".

To Discuss The Issue of Betrayal -- it is necessary to discuss the Issue Of Trust.

Human Lives live solely on Trust.

We learn about trust in our Families and Communities where we live.

Betrayal does not happen suddenly and without warning. There are warning signs that accompany the Ultimate Act Of Betrayal.

One cannot prove absolutely that a certain person can be trusted or is to be trusted. We learn about Trust through a Person's Faithfulness.

Faith in the Eternal Father is experienced by reaching out in acts of Prayer or by just risking our lives out of love for another person.

The Faith of Jesus Christ was tested to the hilt, in His Terrible Betrayal, in being handed over to the "Executioners" of His Day and ultimately in crying out in agony from the Wood of the Cross -- "My God, My God, Why have You forsaken me -- Why have you left me to die ??

Jesus Christ, after that Cry of  Agony was totally obedient to the will of the Eternal Father in His Earthly Life.

His Passion begins as soon as he is betrayed when Judas, one of the "Go To Men" of the Apostles is a "Prominent Leader" with regard to the seizure of Jesus Christ in the lovely "Garden of Gethsemane".

Jesus must have well known the words of a Prominent Psalmist : "My Friend who I trusted has lifted His Heel against Me".

It must be remembered here that the previous evening -- namely on Maundy Thursday : Jesus, while sitting with His Disciples took Simple Bread and Wine and while breaking it and sharing it with His "Inner Circle of Friends" identified them as His "Precious Body and Precious Blood -- His Authentic Life to be shared with them.

Thus, We can say with some confidence that the Holy Eucharist which is the "Life of the Church" is instituted in the midst of betrayal happening very soon to the Lord.

The Catholic Church obeys the commands of Jesus Christ to share his life with all on the very night he was betrayed.

His Life as it was then and as it is now is shared among all people regardless of Race, Origin, Sex, etc.

Jesus Christ shares His Life with us who still betray Him by Succumbing to the Pleasures of a Pagan World.

Inspite, of all this He draws us to His Merciful Heart full of love and mercy.

This is "True Communion" with Jesus to the nth degree.

Credits : Trust By Father Ian Doulton S.D.B.
               Page 3
               Don Bosco's Madonna, Mumbai
               March 2015
               Vol - 16, N0-11

Note : Holy Week 2018 commences on the 25th of March -- Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday -- The 31st of March.