Happy Anniversary!

We will be celebrating two important anniversaries over the span of a month. On the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29th, we will celebrate the second anniversary of our union with the Heralds of the Gospel. The second celebration will be held on July 25th, the feast of St. James, and will mark our community's 11th anniversary! Thank you for all your prayers and support!

The Knights Welcome Comunità Cenacolo to Alabama!

As you have traveled to the Shrine over the years, you might have noticed a large Spanish-style home across the river bordering the Shrine property. For years it was speculated that this was part of the monastery, but it actually had been a private home. Recently Bishop Baker was very instrumental in assisting Comunità Cenacolo (Italian for “Community of the Cenacle”) in obtaining and opening this, their 61st house. (The picture is from the opening Mass celebrated by Bishop Baker and attended by over 300 people.) What a blessing it is to have a community of young hard-working men so dedicated to Christ as our new neighbors!

From their website, www.hopereborn.org, here is some background information: “Comunità Cenacolo America is part of the international Comunità Cenacolo…[a Public Association of the Faithful], founded in Italy in 1983… Sister Elvira felt that God was calling her to serve the poor of the modern world: disillusioned young men and women who live in desperation and hopelessness, convinced that life has no meaning or value….

“The Holy Eucharist is the heart of Comunità Cenacolo, which is committed to faith in the Word of God made flesh in Jesus Christ, who died and rose for our salvation. We entrust ourselves to Mary, Mother of God, whom we know as our own mother, always protecting us and guiding us deeper into the heart of her Son Jesus….”

Our Newest Knight!

We rejoice in the entrance of our newest Knight, Brother Patrick, who joined us on Holy Thursday, April 1. Brother Patrick is from Hanceville, AL.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TO OUR DEAREST MOTHER!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

- YOUR SPIRITUAL SONS

ST. JOSEPH, GUARDIAN OF THE DIVINE CHILD AND FIGURE OF THE PRIEST

Greetings, Family!

On March 19, during this most holy season of Lent, Holy Mother Church celebrates the great Solemnity of St. Joseph, foster-father of Jesus and husband of Mary, ever-Virgin. St. Joseph's great role as guardian of the Divine Child is a profound and awe-inspiring mystery. For a creature to be entrusted with the care and protection of his Creator is a thought that is unfathomable, yet, like the priest, Joseph was given this very task. During His earthly life, Jesus subjected himself entirely to Joseph and Mary in all things. "And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them" (Lk 2:51).

It is a very efficacious meditation to meditate on Jesus' hidden life with Joseph and Mary. The great saint of the Eucharist, St. Peter Julian Eymard, speaks beautifully of this hidden life:

"(Jesus) concealed Himself below the simplest and most familiar exterior. He had the weakness of a little child in order to honor and sanctify weakness. He showed the perfect virtues of His soul only gradually, with increase of years. And why? In order not to draw attention to Himself and to live like an ordinary person. With great humility He obeyed creatures who, although very virtuous, were infinitely inferior to Him. He obeyed Joseph and Mary with great sweetness and joy because they took the place of His Heavenly Father. He submitted to all those in authority in order to impart to all His grace of obedience. At first, Jesus performed childish tasks at Nazareth, helping His Mother keep the in order, laying the table, serving Mary and Joseph, opening the door, sweeping the house, sharing the manual labor of Mary in spinning and weaving wool. ...Jesus wished...to raise the smallest things to the plane of the divine and to sanctify the home and the activities of domestic life. When He was older, Jesus worked with His foster-father at the rough trade of carpentry. He went out with St. Joseph to work by the day, serving as carpenter's helper at first and working for rude, exacting, and overbearing masters."

Through all this Joseph humbly cared for his Creator and Lord with utmost tenderness and love. He, in the depths of his pure and just heart, adored the Word made flesh.

A certain novena to St. Joseph touches on his special relationship to the priesthood. The novena tells of how Joseph possessed a wonderful power over our Savior. His life and office were of a priestly function and are especially connected with the Holy Eucharist. To some extent he was the means of bringing the redeemer to us--as it is the priest's function to bring Him to us in the Mass. For he reared Jesus, supported, nourished, protected and sheltered Him. St. Joseph was prefigured by the Old Testament patriarch Joseph, who kept supplies of wheat for his people. But how much greater than he was the guardian of Jesus. Joseph of old gave the Egyptians mere bread for their bodies. Good St. Joseph nourished, and with the most tender care, preserved for the Church Him who is the Bread of Heaven and who gives eternal life in Holy Communion. (www.ewtn.com)

As we approach this Solemnity of St. Joseph, let us pray to holy Joseph for the grace that we too may have so ardent a faith in Jesus' presence in the Holy Eucharist. In the same way he carried Jesus in his arms in this life, may he carry us in his arms to the life that never ends, where we will see Jesus face to face.



In Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

Br. Laurence Mary, KHE

FR. BENEDICT AND MORE...


Hello, Family!

We are all back into the swing of things here at Holy Apostles and the days seem to be flying by. On Feb. 5 we had a Day of Recollection with Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR and he was in top form! He spoke to us about the Four Last Things (Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell) and reminded us to always keep death in mind. He also stressed the importance of praying daily that we will have the Last Sacraments at the time of our death. We were extremely grateful to have him with us and look forward to his next visit. In one week we will have Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City/St. Joseph giving us our March Day of Recollection. He is also one of the Knights friends and supporters. These Days of Recollection are always such a fruitful and thought-provoking time.

On January 22 Holy Apostles College and Seminary took several buses down to Washington D.C. to join thousands of others for the March for Life. It was very encouraging to see so many people committed to life. This year's March was one of the largest in its history.

Well, Lent, the great season of grace, is upon us. This 40-day period of self-conversion, prayer and penance is meant to bring us to a greater conversion of mind and heart. This season calls and prepares us to rise from our tombs of sin and darkness and "put on Christ." In his Lenten Message for 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said, "Conversion to Christ, believing in the Gospel, ultimately means this: to exit the illusion of self-sufficiency in order to discover and accept one’s own need—the need of others and God, the need of His forgiveness and His friendship." With this in mind, during this time let us seek God's mercy and continually recognize our need for conversion through personal prayer and mortification.

Please continue to keep all of the Knights in your prayers. As always, you are an indispensable part of our seminary life and continue to be in our prayers before Our Eucharistic King. Have a blessed Lent, Family.



- Br. Laurence Mary


(Photo Courtesy of Deacon Jim Papillo)

A New Knight!

We have been blessed with a new Knight, Br. Schuyler from Columbia, Louisiana, who entered on October 1, 2009. Please pray for him.