On the first Monday evening of every month, the Benedictine monks hold a healing service in Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel at the Pecos Benedictine Monastery. The Benedictines incorporate Taize prayer into this service. In Taize prayer, single musical phrases with simple melodic units are sung communally. The repetitive nature of these songs echoes more traditional modes of prayer such as the Jesus prayer. There is a spirit of silence and reflection during Taize prayer as participants strive to open their hearts to the Spirit. Those who come to the healing service are asked to bring their loved ones, their concerns for the world, for friends and family members, for their communities, and their own cares and needs. Most importantly they are invited to open their hearts and hands to God so that the spiritual power of simple melodies and praise words will wash over their souls and bring healing.
At the Monday service I attended Father Bob Lussier presided and asked the convocation to pray for healing of drug and alcohol addiction within their families and the larger Pecos community. He asked for prayer invocations to end domestic violence incidents and the recent tide of suicides in Pecos. He then called for individual prayer intentions and many of those attending spoke sincerely of the need for healing within their families. Father Lussier then read from Mark's gospel, some of the accounts of Jesus' healing power. My favorite, testifying to the divine omnipotence of Jesus Christ is Mark 8, 54-56, "As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized Him. They scurried about the countryside and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was. Whatever villages or towns or countryside He entered, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch only the tassel on His cloak; and as many as touched it were healed." After the scripture readings, Father Lussier then asked the congregation to join him in Taize prayer hymns, following which each participant was then asked to come forward for the Anointing of the Sick. The celebration of this sacrament consists essentially in the anointing of the forehead and hands of the sick person with oil blessed by the bishop, accompanied by the liturgical prayer of the celebrant asking for the special grace of the sacrament to be conferred on the anointed. This special grace has the effects of uniting the sick person to the passion of Chris, affords the strength, peace and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or age, offers the forgiveness of sins, the restoration of health, if conducive to he salvation of the soul, and for the dying the preparation of passing over to eternal life. Devotional candles were then lit and placed on a wooden cross in front of the altar, where the congregation knelt to offer their own personal prayers to God. The service ended with a blessing from Father Lussier and with an invitation to evangelize their communities. As I drove back to Albuquerque, I was grateful for the mission of the Benedictines at Pecos, for their efforts to bring spiritual salvation to that community, and for the peace and trust in God I experienced that evening.
To link to the healing service at Pecos Benedictine Monastery, click guestmaster@pecosmonastery.org
New Mexico Catholic Pilgrimage
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
San Juan Diego Friary in Albuquerque
On the occasions when I have volunteered at the friary during the Wednesday lunch service, I have been struck by the good cheer of the friars, the volunteers and the diners. The friars are courteous and respectful to all - both visitors for lunch and volunteers. The dining hall itself is usually packed with lively conversations going back and forth between the diners as well between diners and volunteers. When visitors leave the dining hall, they will often stop to thank the volunteers and friars. Many have remarked how they look forward to returning the next Wednesday, which must make Saint Francis of Assisi pleased. In one of his earliest sermons, he is reported to have said, " All getting separates you from other men; all giving unites you to them. Oh believe me, that, once you have seen this, all getting , over and above your simplest needs, will be tainted with distress, and all giving will be a source of joy. I tell you, you do not know the joy, the liberation , and the fullness of living that will come to you if you will make this simple change of heart. The whole face of the world will change for you, taking on a new graciousness, and the face of every brother will be beautiful." And so it seems every Wednesday at San Juan Diego Friary in Albuquerque. A lot of good will flows between the volunteers and visitors who meet each other there on Wednesdays . I suspect that they feel connected despite their different economic circumstances. At least for those few hours on Wednesdays the spirit of Saint Francis lives on in this world. We can thank the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal for keeping alive the message of their founder.
To enjoy a meal or volunteer at San Juan Diego Friary, click on
To learn more about Saint Francis of Assisi, I recommend reading " In The Steps Of Saint Francis" by Ernest Raymond, copyright 1939 by H.C. Kinsey Company ( available on AMAZON)
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe - Santa Fe, New Mexico
~
The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Fe, established in 1777, is the oldest still standing shrine built in honor of our Lady of Guadalupe in the United States. It is an enduring landmark, commemorating the apparitions of Mary to the Aztec peasant Juan Diego at Tepeyac, Mexico between December 9 and 12 in 1531. As recorded then by the court of Bishop Fray Juan de' Zumiarraga of Mexico City, Juan Diego reported to the Bishop that he had seen a young girl, whom he presumed to be the Virgin Mary, while walking on the hill of Tepeyac, outside Mexico City and she had asked him to petition the Bishop for the construction of a church for worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bishop sent Juan Diego away, asking him for proof of this apparition of the Virgin Mary. The following day, Juan Diego returned to the Bishop and said, " She sent me to the top of the little hill of Tepeyac where I had seen her before, to cut some rose flowers there ... and she told me that I should give them to you from her and in that way I would prove it. Here they are, please receive them." Juan Diego then opened his tilma (peasant cloak) and the roses spilled out. revealing a perfect, miraculous image of the Virgin on the fabric. After viewing this image, Bishop Zumiarraga approved the construction of The Church of The Virgin of Guadalupe at Tepeyac. It is reported that wihin 30 years, almost the entire Aztec nation converted to Christianity. The church at Tepeyac has been replaced by the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the most visited Marian shrine in the world. The original Juan Diego tilma image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on display in the Basilica today and has decayed little over the past 483 years, defying scientific explanations. Miraculous healings of Christian pilgrims visiting the Cathedral Basilica have been reported.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Fe has its own unique features. The Shrine consists of the historical chapel - the Sanctuario de Guadalupe, a new larger Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe to accommodate the burgeoning parish, the El Cerro de Tepeyac - a walking path featuring six tile mosaics by the artist Arlene Cisneros Sena, illustrating the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego and the newest addition, a 12 foot statue of our Lady of Guadalupe which stands in front of the Sanctuario de Guadalupe, greeting visitors. There is also a prayer station at the statue of Saint Bernadette. A rose garden with flowers from the Holy Lands in the Middle East embellishes the entrance to the Sanctuario.
The original Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a small adobe structure, was built in 1777 on the banks of the Santa Fe River near the end of the Camino Real. The church was constructed on a Latin cross floor plan, with thick 3 foot adobe walls, a flat roof supported by pine vigas, a dirt packed floor and a 3 tiered bell tower, Owing to disrepair the Church was closed in 1826 by Vicar Fernandez San Vicente of the Diocese of Durango, Mexico and remained closed until 1881 when Bishop Lamy of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe appointed Father De Fauri from Denver as pastor with the charge of raising the funds to reopen Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Father De Fauri was able to make much needed repairs. A new cupola was added to replace the partially collapsed roof. A 575 pound bell was installed in an orange colored spire which replaced the old bell tower and mock Gothic windows were placed in the walls. The parish flourished until 1922 when a fire razed the church's roof , collapsed the spire and damaged the painted frescoes, The walls and altar survived. Restoration this time was made in the style of a California Mission with a new pitched roof , a bell tower and a wooden floor. Owing to further deterioration of the adobe walls, the church was closed in 1961 and the new and larger Our Lady of Guadalupe Church was opened. In 1973 the Sanctuario was leased to the Guadalupe Historical Society, which converted it into a museum and eventually raised the revenue to restore the adobe walls and interior. In 2006 the Archdiocese of Santa Fe transferred the Sanctuario back to the Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. Daily morning masses, Saturday evening mass and marriages are now performed in the Sanctuario.
The outstanding artistic feature of the Sanctuario is the reredos (altar screen) with a replica of Our lady of Guadalupe painted in 1783 by Jose de Alzibar in Mexico City and carted in sections by ox train up the Camino Real to Santa Fe where it was stitched back together. The reredos also contains images of Our Lady of Guadalupe's apparitions to Juan Diego. The 12 foot statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe which stands in front of the Sanctuario was sculpted by the Mexican artist Georgina Farias and was trucked from Mexico to Santa Fe in 2008. The statue is surrounded by offerings of roses on a platform of memorial bricks stenciled with the names of parishioners. Like the Sanctuario it is a site of devotional prayers, requesting the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
When Archbishop Michael Sheehan dedicated the Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, 2008 he stated that " If the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis is the heart of Santa Fe then the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the soul of Santa Fe". This would seem evident from the numerous and varied images of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the capitol city of New Mexico. She has been painted on storefronts, garage doors, automobiles - almost everywhere you walk in Santa Fe you will see er image. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the center-piece of this devotion. It is a place that beckons pilgrims. Here Mary is always waiting for our prayers, wanting to provide the same maternal affection and care to all of mankind that she bestowed on Her Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
To view photos and a video of the dedication of the Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe click on


The original Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a small adobe structure, was built in 1777 on the banks of the Santa Fe River near the end of the Camino Real. The church was constructed on a Latin cross floor plan, with thick 3 foot adobe walls, a flat roof supported by pine vigas, a dirt packed floor and a 3 tiered bell tower, Owing to disrepair the Church was closed in 1826 by Vicar Fernandez San Vicente of the Diocese of Durango, Mexico and remained closed until 1881 when Bishop Lamy of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe appointed Father De Fauri from Denver as pastor with the charge of raising the funds to reopen Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Father De Fauri was able to make much needed repairs. A new cupola was added to replace the partially collapsed roof. A 575 pound bell was installed in an orange colored spire which replaced the old bell tower and mock Gothic windows were placed in the walls. The parish flourished until 1922 when a fire razed the church's roof , collapsed the spire and damaged the painted frescoes, The walls and altar survived. Restoration this time was made in the style of a California Mission with a new pitched roof , a bell tower and a wooden floor. Owing to further deterioration of the adobe walls, the church was closed in 1961 and the new and larger Our Lady of Guadalupe Church was opened. In 1973 the Sanctuario was leased to the Guadalupe Historical Society, which converted it into a museum and eventually raised the revenue to restore the adobe walls and interior. In 2006 the Archdiocese of Santa Fe transferred the Sanctuario back to the Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. Daily morning masses, Saturday evening mass and marriages are now performed in the Sanctuario.
When Archbishop Michael Sheehan dedicated the Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, 2008 he stated that " If the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis is the heart of Santa Fe then the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the soul of Santa Fe". This would seem evident from the numerous and varied images of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the capitol city of New Mexico. She has been painted on storefronts, garage doors, automobiles - almost everywhere you walk in Santa Fe you will see er image. The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the center-piece of this devotion. It is a place that beckons pilgrims. Here Mary is always waiting for our prayers, wanting to provide the same maternal affection and care to all of mankind that she bestowed on Her Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
To view photos and a video of the dedication of the Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe click on
Our Lady of Guadalupe: A journey
guadalupejourney.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Shrine of Saint Therese of Lisieux in Albuquerque
On a recent Sunday I attended Mass at Saint Therese in Albuquerque where I visited the Shrine of Saint Therese of Lisieux. I knew little about this Saint but was struck by the devotion of the women who came after Mass to kneel and pray before the life size wax figure of Saint Therese, lying at rest. The shrine itself was relatively modest, befitting what I later learned was Therese's spiritual pathway. The shrine room in the Church's vestibule was small, decorated with photos tracing her life from childhood to her entry into the Carmelite convent at age 16 and to the time of her death from Tb at age 24, when she still appeared younger than her years. There was a photo of her home in France, of the Carmelite convent and its chapel in Lisieux , of her religious art work, and a copy of her treatise on prayer. Her childhood photos all exhibited a wistful smile, what I perceived as genuine happiness. Although she suffered much from illness as a Carmelite nun, the photos from her convent years reveal no anxiety or depression, just a peaceful and prayerful countenance. The Shrine room also contained a holy water dispenser for visitors, of special significance as Saint Therese, when ill, often sprinkled her bed in the convent's infirmary with holy water, to quell the temptations of the devil.
My visit to Saint Therese's Shrine stoked my curiosity about this Saint and so led me to read her spiritual autobiography, "The Story of a Soul", which she wrote during the later years of her life. Her writing, in the form of correspondence to her Mother Superior, reveals a quest for sainthood beginning in childhood, " You know that I always wanted to be a saint; but compared with real saints I know perfectly well that I am no more like them than a grain of sand trodden beneath the feet of passers-by is like a mountain with its summit lost in the clouds." She then came to the understanding, " God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized, so in spite of my littleness I can hope to be a saint." In reading the scriptures, she was struck by the words of Jesus, " Whoever is a little one, let him come to Me." Her search for the pathway to sainthood then led her to these words of the prophet Isaiah, "You shall be carried at the breasts and upon the knees: as one whom the mother caresseth, so I will comfort you." She realized that as a child raises his arms up to his parents happy to be lifted up, so too must we live in our trust of a loving Lord. To her, this meant that we are all children vis a vis God. It meant that there was another path to Heaven which she could follow - what she called the little way. She later writes," I know it, love alone can make us pleasing to God, so I desire no other treasure. Jesus has chosen to show me the only way which leads to the Divine Furnace of love; it is the way of childlike self-surrender, the way a child sleeps, afraid of nothing, in its father's arms." In her quest to draw upon the love of God, Therese thought of herself as one of God's little flowers in a garden, resplendent with roses. She writes," So it is in the world of souls, the living garden of the Lord. It pleases Him to create great saints, who may be compared with the rose: but he has also created little ones, who must be content to be daisies or violets nestling at His feet to delight His eyes when he should choose to look at them. The happier they are to be as He wills, the more perfect they are." She further elaborates this spiritual insight, " Our Lord's love shines out just as much through a little soul who yields completely to His Grace as it does through the greatest". At the end of her memoir and close to the end of her human life she describes the little way she can love Christ, " So my Beloved, shall my life be spent in Your sight. I can prove my love only by scattering flowers, that is to say, by never letting slip a single little sacrifice, a single glance, a single word; by making profit of the very smallest actions, by doing them all for love."
I encourage Christian pilgrims to visit the shrine of Saint Therese in Albuquerque, to pray that like Therese, we too can draw upon the love of Christ to find the "little way" to return this love and to place our full trust in Him.
For directions to Saint Therese Church and Shrine in Albuquerque, click on
St Therese of the Infant Jesue Catholic Church Parish
Monday, September 30, 2013
La Conquistadora
Click below for a video of La Conquistadora in procession.
La Conquistadora - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXX-deNx4Rg
Jun 24, 2009 - Uploaded by jedareynolds
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Saint Francis Cathedral - Santa Fe
In the novel," Death Comes For The Archbishop", Willa Cather describes the landscape of Santa Fe that must have greeted the new Bishop, Jean Baptiste Lamy in 1850 as he arrived on horseback after a long journey from his previous parish in Cincinnati, " As the wagons went forward and the sun sank lower, a sweep of red carnelian-coloured hills lying at the foot of the mountains came into view; they curved like two arms about a depression in the plain; in that depression was Santa Fe, at last! A thin, wavering adobe town...a green plaza... at one end a church with two earthen towers that rose high above the flatness. The long main street began at the church, the town seemed to flow from it like a stream from a spring. The church towers, and all the low adobe houses, were rose color in that light,-----a little darker in tone than the amphitheatre of red hills behind; and periodically the plumes of poplars flashed like gracious accent marks, -----inclining and recovering themselves in the wind."
The young Bishop Lamy exalted in the beauty of Santa Fe, its mountains and sunsets, its oasis-like setting. He thanked God for his safe arrival in Santa Fe and he vowed to eventually build a cathedral that would pay homage to God's obvious majesty in the Southwest and to the persevering Christian faith of the Spanish who had settled here. It seems that he succeeded. The Cathedral stands like a religious portal to the Santa Fe forest and mountains. It is the Christian centerpiece from which the plaza and town descend toward the valley. The Cathedral's interior honors the Spanish Catholic Colonial era. It creates the lasting impression that this place was claimed for God -- a long time ago.
For a vimeo of Saint Francis Cathedral, click on
St. Francis Cathedral, Santa Fe, New Mexico on Vimeo
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Spanish Art Market - Santa Fe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)