Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time January 31, 2021 - St. Joan of Arc Parish, Orleans, MA
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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
January 31, 2021
St. Joan of Arc Parish, Orleans, MA
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time January 31, 2021
PASTORAL PLAN FOR WORSHIP
ST. JOAN OF ARC CHURCH
The dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass, issued by Bishop da Cunha, remains in effect
until further notice. Those who are most vulnerable and at a greater risk due to age, preexisting health
conditions, or in close proximity to vulnerable people are encouraged to remain home at this time. If you or
a close loved one show symptoms of illness, please refrain from coming to church.
The weekend Mass schedule here at St. Joan of Arc Church remains unchanged… Saturday at 5:00pm,
Sunday at 8:00am and 10:00am. During the week Mass is celebrated Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and
Friday at 8:00am.
Per state regulations, gatherings cannot exceed 25% of a house of worship’s occupancy capacity. Taking
into account social distancing of 6 feet between people or households, means only approximately 3 people
in every other pew.
All worshippers enter the church through the Main Entrance. For safety and order, a person will not be able
to choose a specific seat. A specially trained group of greeters will assist people to their seats. Once we
reach our occupancy limit, we will not be able to admit others. Charity, cooperation and understanding are
asked of all.
Everyone entering the church is required to wear a mask or other face covering. Please provide your own
masks. While there is hand sanitizer available in the foyer, please consider providing your own, if you can,
as supply is limited.
There are receptacles at the entrance of the church in which you may place your contribution to the parish
as you enter. On-line giving is encouraged via our parish website. Thank you so much for your support,
especially at this extraordinary time.
The offertory procession (bringing up of the bread and wine) and the usual sign of peace have been
eliminated. You may offer the sign of peace with a head nod and wave. The holy water fonts at the doors of
the church will remain empty, however, we do have a battery operated touchless holy water dispenser just
inside the entrance to the church. Simply place your hand under the dispenser to activate the sensor.
Missals/hymnals have been removed as it would be difficult to sanitize them. Singing has been eliminated
from our worship until further notice.
Holy Communion will be distributed at the usual time during the Mass. Those receiving Communion will
approach row by row (keeping the 6 feet safe distancing protocol) and section by section. Please remain at
your pew until your row is called. The priest will distribute Communion with sanitized hands while wearing
a mask. Communicants may lift their mask just prior to receiving Holy Communion.
Following the Final Blessing, please exit the church by the door closest to your pew maintaining the 6 feet
distancing protocol. Upon exiting the church, please refrain from congregating near the doors of the
church. After each Mass, the tops of the benches, door handles and other high traffic areas will be sani-
tized.
Scheduling for Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers and Altar Servers will be suspended for the time being. All
parish ministries and events will remain suspended until further notice. The church will be closed following
each Mass. The Parish Office and Faith Formation Office remain closed.
We encourage all who make the prudent judgement for themselves not to return to church for Mass, to
instead participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and view other good quality spiritual programming on
Catholic TV, found on your local cable Channel 268 or on EWTN, Channel 56. Mass is televised each Sun-
day at 11:00am on Channel 6. Our 5:00pm Saturday Vigil Mass is livestreamed through our parish face-
book page each week. You can also view daily Mass on-line at http://www.catholictv.org/masses/
catholictv-mass.
Let us remember one another in prayer especially those most in need of our prayers at this time. Let us
commit ourselves to prayer for an end to the covid-19 coronavirus.
Wintery Weather
During the winter months, when the Nauset schools are closed or on delayed start because of snow, the
weekday Mass will be canceled, as well. The intention for that day's Mass will be transferred and included
with the intention of the next weekday Mass.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time January 31, 2021
Mass Intentions January 24 Collection —THANK YOU!
Week of January 30 — February 5 Regular Collection $ 6,059
Saturday 5:00 Mary & William Daley and Harvest Sunday $ 2,225
family
Special Collection—February 6 and 7
Sunday 8:00 Father Bob Kemmery
Black & Indian Mission Office
10:00 John Freeman
Monday 8:00 Parish Family
We thank you for your continued and
Tuesday 8:00 David Henry Shay
generous support of our Parish.
Wednesday 8:00 Theresa Charlotte Dunne
Friday 8:00 Souls in Purgatory
PRAY FOR THE ILL OF THE PARISH
Weekend of February 6 and 7
Martin Coughlin, Loretta Stephens, Harry
Saturday 5:00 Ben, Mary, Michael
Marcoux, John Keane, Tris Windle, David Cousins,
McMahon, and Norton
Lynne Scalia, Alex Podeszwa, Thomas Stone, Nick
and Haynes Family
Bartick, Pam Hedlund, Len Hedlund, Greg
Sunday 8:00 Patricia Twerago
Morongell, Nora Gould, Edan Pearl, Anne Caruso,
10:00 Charlie Wolff
John M. Pollard, Peter Cruckshank, Bill Hannon,
Ivy Davis, Maddy Hayes, Clare Stevenson, Joseph
Mass Intention Notice Nosari, Vincent Lencvewski, Jeffrey Wolfgang,
Joan Ouellette, Bev Sarazin, Tyler Benscoter,
There are several Masses in the weeks ahead with- Agnes Wolfgang, Fr. Paul Smith, Marilyn Drewes,
out a requested intention. Please contact the Par- Ray Castriotta, Julianne Sullivan, Robert Grudzina,
ish Office at 508-255-0170 to request Masses for Marge LaGrassa, Jim Lewis, Joyce Loechner, Frank
deceased loved ones or friends. Salomone, Chad Larivee, Dick Wentworth, Nuvia
Downs, Karen Mary McNulty, Olivia Hart, Alex
Haas, Patrick Devine, Gerry Csaposs, Addie Priess,
PRAY FOR OUR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE Frank McCarthy, Andree Yager, Paul Kascsak,
MEN AND WOMEN Patty Camarra, James Manley, Betty Babcock,
Brandy Nelson, Timothy Horigan, Scott Doucette, Thomas Murphy, Chris Frazier, Melissa K., Baby
Michael Wilson, David Lucas, Sean Lucas, Peter Civita Lillian Thoman, Jessica O., Fran McDonagh,
Shayne, Peter Cabral, Gregory DeLuca, Joshua Donna Hibbert, Margaret Royce, Beth Nixon,
Schmitt, Joseph Long, Brad Howard, Thomas Scud- Anne O’Brien, Ben McMahon, Gerry Moynihan,
der, Jeffrey Stebbins, Phillip McDonough, David Wil- Martha Moynihan, Richard Paskiewicz, Mary
cox, John Amick, David McDonald, Lt. Edward J. Rodrigues, Emily Sparks, Stephen Moreau, Paula
Maloney, Andrew Kelley, William James Miller, David Madeiro, Paul Brandon, Rita Folger, Gerri
Orloski, Stephen Tammaro, Michael L. Hamilton, DiCristina, Kathleen Kilmer, Marguerite Forren,
Thomas Crawford, Aaron Charette, Nicholas McGa- Mary Pickard, Deepthi Moola, Steve Novick, Ernie
hey, Edward Prufer, Christian P. Goodman, Trevor T., Eleanor Symecko, Hector Pelletier, Bob
Lafontaine, Connor Lafontaine, Colin Bracken, Mi- Cunnane, Evelyn Reidel, Kathleen Paterson,
chael Bracken Crystal McCuin, Rose Austin, Andrew Michael,
Cayla Cartier, Siobhan R., Richard M., Joan
PLEASE HELP US UPDATE OUR PRAYER LISTS Pellissier, Bruce Quiel, Addie Priess
If you know of any changes that should be made to ********
our prayer lists, please call or email the Parish Office —
PRAY FOR OUR BELOVED DECEASED
508-255-0170 or joanarc@c4.net.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time January 31, 2021
The ROSARY Today’s readings:
1st: Dt. 18:15-20
“Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for 2nd: 1 Cor 7:32-35
her Rosary is the weapon against the evils Gospel: Mk 1:21-28
of the world today. All graces given by God
pass through the Blessed Mother.” The people who sit in
darkness have seen a
- St. Padre Pio - great light; on those
dwelling in a land over-
Come pray the Rosary with us and shadowed by death,light
Our Blessed Mother every Monday, Tuesday, has arisen.
and Friday after the 8 am Mass. Mt 4:16
IN LOVING MEMORY GABRIEL SYSTEM ON-LINE GIVING
Thanks to all who donate through the en-
The tabernacle candle
velope system or Gabriel, our online giving
has been donated in loving memory of
program. Whether you donate with the en-
Patricia Twerago velopes or online, we ask everyone to
register with Gabriel so we can build an up
-to-date parish census that will include
emails and mobile phone numbers.
Directions: On the left-hand side of our
website home page, scroll down beneath
the photo of the church until you see the
Online Giving icon. Click the icon which
gives you two options: 1) to register, and
2) to donate. You only need to register
ST. JOAN OF ARC THRIFT SHOP when making your first online donation.
— taking a break —
We had a great couple of months this
January Mass Count
past fall and we thank all of you who
came back to the Thrift Shop to browse Parishioners are reminded that during the
and shop with us. month of January, the parishes of Cape
Cod take a count of the attendance at all
weekend Masses. It is a way for the par-
Be sure to check the SJA bulletin online
ishes and the diocese to calculate the pat-
for notice of when we will re-open. We terns of Mass attendance, locally and re-
still CANNOT accept donated items. gionally. This year the diocese is request-
Please do not leave anything in or ing that the number of online viewers of
around our ‘Donations Drop Box’. parish Masses be calculated, as well, if
possible.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time January 31, 2021
Oberramergau, Germany and Italy
— September 28 - October 8, 2022
With Spiritual directors:
Fr. Marcel Bouchard and Fr. George Bellenoit
The Passion Play in Oberramergau was scheduled for
2020, but because of the COVID pandemic it has
been rescheduled for 2022. You didn’t miss the op-
portunity to be part of this spiritual experience that
Online Bereavement Support
only occurs every 10 years. In addition to the Pas- Due to covid-19, live sessions are not allowed.
sion Play and a quick visit of the Munich area, we Currently online sessions are offered by the Dio-
will fly from Munich to Rome, Italy and visit sites in cese of Fall River on Tuesdays. If you have lost a
Assisi and Rome. We will be in Assis for the Feast of loved one, please consider taking advantage of
St. Francis, and enjoy the beautiful fall weather in this opportunity for support and healing at this
Italy. difficult time. One on one sessions can be ar-
ranged. For your convenience, two group ses-
For more information, to request a brochure, or
sions are offered, one at 4:30pm and another at
make a reservation, please contact Randy Pinto at
7:00pm. To join these zoom sessions simply regis-
randypinto1@gmail.com, call at 321 987 8173, or go
ter by calling Rosemary Saraiva at 508-678-2828
on line at this URL: http://bit.ly/PintoOGauItaly
or 508-642-0583 or email: rsaraiva@dfrcs.org.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation
email containing information about joining the
meeting.
Have you or
anyone close
to you ever
given
thought to
becoming a
Catholic
Christian?
With a new liturgical year coming upon us, per-
LOCAL IS OPEN! haps now is a good time for inquiry. RCIA is a
LOCAL volunteers provide lunches and grocery items for small, faith-sharing community that helps answer
TAKE-OUT from the Parish Center each Tuesday. Pick up such questions and provides a vehicle for either
time is from 11:30-12:30. If you are picking up items, becoming a baptized Catholic adult or being con-
please wear face masks, bring your own bags, and firmed in the Church. Please contact the Faith For-
maintain social distancing. One person at a time is al- mation Office at 508.255.1257 or Father Bill in the
lowed in the center where volunteers distribute meals Rectory at 508.255.0170 for further information.
and groceries immediately inside the doors.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time January 31, 2021
Leading From the Back
but by example – not by fear, but by hope. Jesus
Mandela’s Way: Fifteen Lessons on Life, Love, and sees his call to lead as a trust – as a responsibility to
Courage is based on a series of conversations of jour- serve others by revealing, not a God of judgment
nalist, Richard Stengel and the father of modern and vengeance, but the God who calls us to compas-
South Africa. The question asked was how Mandela sion and mercy for the sake of his Kingdom of peace.
had become such an effective leader during the dark Spirit-filled leadership has the power to cast out
days of apartheid. darkness and to lead by the light of Truth. May we
reflect deeply on the qualities of leadership exempli-
Mandela explained that sometimes one has to lead fied by Jesus – look for these qualities in our leaders
from the front. It means coming forward and stand- – and model them ourselves in our own small
ing up to one’s oppressors. But “leading from the “kingdoms” of home, and work, and community.
front” does not mean trying to attract attention, ad- Reflection by Judy Burt Walker
miration, or power. It often means extending small Director of Faith Formation
kindnesses and compassion despite contempt for so
doing. “Leading from the front” means to lead by
modeling confidence and courage.
Office of Safe Environment
But Mandela also learned the importance from The Fall River Diocese Office of Safe Environment
“leading from the back”. As a boy he learned to herd (OSE) is responsible for overseeing abuse re-
cattle. To be successful in directing the cattle, you sponse and reporting; counseling; prevention
stand at the back of the herd and direct the forward training and education; as well as the compliance
movement of a few of the “cleverer cattle” at the of our CORI process. If you would like to learn
front to move in the right direction. The rest of the more about OSE you can visit the Fall River Dio-
herd will follow the lead cattle, but you are really cese website at https://www.fallriverdiocese.org/
guiding from the back. That is how a leader should office-of-safe-environment/.
do his work.
In a sense the example is a parable of leading with
“Be Still”
an authority that is not coercive or braggadocios;
but instead, leading with the authority of an empow- Our Wednesday morning centering prayer and
ering guidance. We might look for examples when meditation is this coming Wednesday, January
parents have a family meeting to discuss acceptable 27th, at 8:45 a.m. in the Parish Center. All are wel-
rules and behavior rather than simply “laying down come.
the law”. Leading from behind allows everyone to
move forward in a positive direction together – eve-
Faith Formation Family eResources
ryone benefits from this kind of leadership.
Our weekly eResource lessons continue this coming
Today’s Gospel portrays Jesus as a teacher who pos- Thursday, January 28, 2021 with our Jesus Lives and
sesses an authority that is perceived immediately as Spirit with Us series.
compassionate, inspiring, and powerful in its au-
If you have not received these emails, please check
thenticity. Such an authority is one that Nelson Man- your “Spam” or “Junk” mailboxes. Any concerns,
dela understood as a model of leadership – to em- please feel free to contact your child’s catechist or the
power others to realize the best that they’re capable Faith Formation Office at 508.255.1257.
of becoming – to move people forward not by edict
Pastor’s Corner Dear parishioners and friends, A few months ago, I, quite by chance, discovered the story and message of Our Lady of Good Success. It is the story of Our Lady and her apparitions to Venerable Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres in Quito, Ecuador in the 17th century. As a testament to her sanctity, the body of Venerable Mariana is, to this day, considered incorrupt, and upon the opening of her casket in 1906, was found to exude the fragrance of lilies. Much can be found online regarding the story and message of Our Lady of Good Suc- cess. Dr. Marian T. Horvat, Ph.D. has produced a comprehensive account of the appari- tion of Our Lady of Good Success. Videos of her lectures are publicly posted on YouTube. I have found them to be informative, thought provoking and edifying. As you will read below, this Church-approved apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a message for our times. With her feast day coming this week, the thought occurred to me that this would be a good opportunity to share the story and message of the appa- rition with you in this way. As with all Marian apparitions, the predictions of future events and associated mira- cles are fascinating. However, the transformative effect that these can have on our lives is what is most important. Our Lady of Good Success… pray for us. God bless you, Fr. Bill Rodrigues
Our Lady of Good Success – Prophecies for Our Times Feast Day - February 2nd The Convent of the Immaculate Conception was the first convent of Religious Sisters in the city of Quito, Ec- uador. The Catholic nobility of the city of Quito petitioned King Philip II for this favor, so that the women of the colony might enjoy the benefits of the religious life. Five professed Sisters of the Order were sent from Spain as Founding Mothers of the new Convent. They were accompanied by a 13-year-old girl, Mariana de Jesús Torres—the niece of the Mother Superior. She was to become the most well-known of the Founding Mothers, but she remained almost unknown outside of Ecuador until the 20th century. The Convent was for- mally founded on January 13, 1577. The young novice made rapid advancement in the spiritual life and enjoyed many favors from Heaven. She also practiced severe penance and was chosen by God to suffer as a victim soul. Many of her sufferings were occasioned by those of her sisters in religion who were lax, and who rebelled against the austere way of life insisted upon by Blessed Beatriz de Silva and the Spanish Founding Mothers and required by the Holy Rule of the Community. Eventually Madre Mariana was chosen to be Abbess in place of her ailing aunt, who died soon after.
First Apparition of Our Lady of Good Success Very early on the morning of February 2, 1594, Mother Mariana was praying in the upper choir of the Con- vent, fervently beseeching Jesus and Mary for relief from the many severe trials the Convent was undergo- ing, and that many sins would be prevented. During her long prayer, she heard a sweet voice call her name. Rising quickly, she saw the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus in Her left arm. Being asked who She was, Our Lady replied: “I am Mary of Good Success, the Queen of Heaven and Earth… As His Mother, I carry (the Child Jesus) here, in My left arm, so that together we might restrain the hand of Divine Justice, which is always so ready to chastise this unfortunate and criminal world. “In My right hand, I carry the crosier that you see, for I desire to govern this Convent as Abbess and Mother… Satan will begin to try to destroy this work of God… But he will not succeed, because I am the Queen of Vic- tories and the Mother of Good Success, and it is under this invocation I desire to be known throughout all time…” The Most Holy Virgin Mary placed the Child Jesus in the arms of Mother Mariana, giving her a strong desire to suffer as a victim soul. Our Lady Commands that a Statue Be Made Our Lady appeared many more times to Mother Mariana. During the apparition of January 16, 1599, Our La- dy commanded Madre Mariana to have a statue made depicting Her just as She appeared to the holy reli- gious. She then bade her to measure Her height with the cord of her religious habit. Our Lady promised: “When tribulations of spirit and sufferings of body oppress them and they seem to be drowning in a bottom- less sea, let them gaze at My holy Image, which will be for them a star for the shipwrecked. I will always be there, ready to listen to their lamentations and calm their weeping. Tell them that they should always have recourse to their Mother with faith and love…” Warnings About the 20th Century Early in the morning of January 21, 1610, Mother Mariana was favored by an apparition of the Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. Then Our Lady appeared and related many predictions: “Thus I make it known to you that from the end of the 19th century and shortly after the middle of the 20th century, in what is today the Colony and will then be the Republic of Ecuador, the passions will erupt and there will be a total corruption of customs (morals), for Satan will reign almost completely by means of the Masonic sects. “They will focus principally on the children in order to sustain this general corruption. Woe to the children of these times! It will be difficult to receive the Sacrament of Baptism, and, also, that of Confirmation… Often
during this epoch the enemies of Jesus Christ, instigated by the Devil, will steal consecrated hosts from the churches, so that they might profane the Eucharistic Species… “As for the Sacrament of Matrimony… it will be attacked and deeply profaned… The Catholic spirit will rapid- ly decay; the precious light of the Faith will gradually be extinguished… Added to this will be the effects of secular education, which will be one reason for the dearth of priestly and religious vocations. “The Sacrament of Holy Orders will be ridiculed, oppressed, and despised… The Devil will try to persecute the ministers of the Lord in every possible way; he will labor with cruel and subtle astuteness to deviate them from the spirit of their vocation and will corrupt many of them. These depraved priests, who will scan- dalize the Christian people, will make the hatred of bad Catholics and the enemies of the Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church fall upon all priests… “Further, in these unhappy times, there will be unbridled luxury, which will ensnare the rest into sin and con- quer innumerable frivolous souls, who will be lost. Innocence will almost no longer be found in children, nor modesty in women. In this supreme moment of need of the Church, the one who should speak will fall si- lent.” The Apparitions Will Become Known in the 20th Century Early on the morning of February 2, 1610, Our Lady appeared again to Mother Mariana and repeated her command to have a statue made. Then She added: “Tell the Bishop that it is My will and the will of My Most Holy Son that your name be hidden at all costs… for it is not fitting for anyone at the present time to know the details or origin of how this Statue came to be made. For this knowledge will only become known to the general public in the 20th century. “During that epoch the Church will find herself attacked by terrible hordes of the Masonic sect, and this poor Ecuadorian land will be agonizing because of the corruption of customs, unbridled luxury, the impious press, and secular education. The vices of impurity, blasphemy, and sacrilege will dominate in this time of depraved desolation, and that one who should speak out will be silent…” The Statue is Finished by Angels The sculptor of the Statue of Our Lady of Good Success was actually named for this work by Our Lady Her- self. Nevertheless, the work was predicted to be completed by the Angels. Mother Mariana witnessed this prodigy early in the morning of January 16, 1611. She saw in vision the Most Holy Trinity, the Most Holy Vir- gin Mary, the Nine Choirs of Angels, and in particular the Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, together with the Seraphic St. Francis. These last four approached the statue and finished the work which the sculptor had intended to finish that very day. Then she saw Our Lady enter into and animate the Statue. All of these facts were attested to by Mother Mariana to the Bishop, before he solemnly consecrated and installed the Statue. The sculptor, too, testified that he had not finished the Statue, and that it must be the work of Angels.
Five Prophecies for Our Times The most important of the apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success took place near the end of Mother Mariana’s life. The early morning of February 2, 1634, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, found Mother Mariana praying before the Blessed Sacrament, beseeching Him that she might be united with Him and be engulfed in that love which belongs to the Blessed. She also reminded Him to protect and pre- serve His daughters in this beloved Convent. As she finished this prayer, she saw the sanctuary light extinguish itself, leaving the altar completely dark. Our Lady appeared to tell her that Our Lord had heard her clamors and would end her earthly exile in less than a year: “Prepare your soul so that, increasingly purified, it might enter into the fullness of the joy of Our Lord. Oh! if mortals, and in particular religious souls, could know what Heaven is and what it is to possess God! How differently they would live! Nor would they spare themselves any sacrifice in order to possess Him!” The Blessed Virgin Mary then explained the five meanings of the Tabernacle light that had been extinguished before Mother Mariana’s eyes. I. “The first significance is that at the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century, various heresies will be propagated in this land, then a free Republic. As these heresies spread and dominate, the precious light of Faith will be extinguished in souls by the almost total corruption of customs (morals). During this peri- od, there will be great physical and moral calamities, both public and private. “The small number of souls who, hidden, will preserve the treasure of the Faith and the virtues will suffer an unspeakably cruel and prolonged martyrdom. Many of them will succumb to death from the violence of their sufferings, and those who sacrifice themselves for Church and Country will be counted as martyrs. “In order to free men from bondage to these heresies, those whom the merciful love of My Most Holy Son will destine for that restoration will need great strength of will, constancy, valor and much confidence in God. To test this faith and confidence of the just, there will be occasions when everything will seem to be lost and paralyzed. This, then, will be the happy beginning of the complete restoration.” These chosen souls, who will restore the health of the Church, are described in detail as the apostles of the latter times, by St. Louis Marie de Montfort in his True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. II. “The second meaning,” Our Lady said, “is that My Convent, being greatly reduced in size, will be sub- merged in a fathomless ocean of indescribable bitterness, and will seem to be drowning in these diverse wa- ters of tribulations.” Many authentic vocations will perish, She continued. Injustice would enter even this Convent, “disguised under the name of false charity, wreaking havoc in souls.” And faithful souls, weeping in secret and imploring that such dire times be shortened, would suffer a continuous and slow martyrdom. III. “The third reason the lamp was extinguished is because of the spirit of impurity that will saturate the atmosphere in those times. Like a filthy ocean, it will run through the streets, squares and public places with an astonishing liberty.
“There will be almost no virgin souls in the world,” Our Lady told her. The delicate flower of virginity would be threatened by complete annihilation. However, She promised that there would always be some good souls in cloisters where it might take root, grow and live like a shield to deflect Divine Wrath. “Without virgin- ity,” She said, “it would be necessary for fire from Heaven to fall upon these lands to purify them.” IV. The fourth reason for the lamp being quenched is that the Masonic sects, having infiltrated all the social classes, would subtly introduce its teaching into domestic ambiences in order to corrupt the children, and the Devil would glory in dining upon the exquisite delicacy of the hearts of children. “During these unfortunate times,” Our Lady foretold, “evil will assault childhood innocence. In this way, voca- tions to the priesthood will be lost, which will be a true calamity.” Again, Our Lady promised that during this time there would still be religious communities who will sustain the Church and holy ministers of the altar—hidden and beautiful souls, who will labor with valor and disinterest- ed zeal for the salvation of souls. “Against them,” She warned, “the impious will rage a cruel war, letting fall on them vituperations, calumnies and vexations, in order to impede the fulfillment of their ministry. But they, like firm columns, will remain unswerving and will confront everything with the spirit of humility and sacrifice with which they will be vested, by virtue of the infinite merits of My Most Holy Son, Who will love them in the innermost fibers of His Most Holy and Tender Heart.” During this time, Our Lady foretold, “the secular clergy will be far removed from its ideal, because the priests will become careless in their sacred duties. Lacking the Divine compass, they will stray from the road traced by God for the priestly ministry and they will become attached to wealth and riches, which they will unduly strive to obtain. “How the Church will suffer on that occasion—the dark night of the lack of a Prelate and Father to watch over them with paternal love, gentleness, strength, discernment and prudence. Many priests will lose their spirit, placing their souls in great danger.” Our Lady continued to explain the fourth reason for the extinguishing of the Tabernacle light: “Therefore, pray insistently without tiring and weep with bitter tears in the secrecy of your heart. Implore our Celestial Father that, for the love of the Eucharistic Heart of My Most Holy Son and His Precious Blood shed with such generosity… He might take pity on His ministers and bring to an end those ominous times and send to the Church the Prelate who will restore the spirit of Her priests. “My Most Holy Son and I will love this favored Son with a love of predilection, and We will gift Him with a ra- re capacity, humility of heart, docility to Divine inspiration, the strength to defend the rights of the Church, and a tender and compassionate heart, so that, like another Christ, He will assist the great and small, without despising the more unfortunate souls who ask Him for light and counsel in their doubts and hardships. Into His hands the scales of the Sanctuary will be placed, so that everything is weighed with due measure and God will be glorified.”
Our Lady continued, “The lukewarmness of all the souls consecrated to God in the priestly and religious state will delay the coming of this Prelate and Father. This, then, will be the cause of the cursed Devil taking pos- session of this land, where he will achieve his victories by means of a foreign and faithless people, so numer- ous that, like a black cloud, it will obscure the pure heavens of the then Republic consecrated to the Sacred Heart of My Divine Son. “With these people, all the vices will enter, which will attract in their turn every type of chastisement, such as plagues, famines, internal fighting and external disputes with other nations, and apostasy, the cause of the perdition of so many souls so dear to Jesus Christ and to Me. “In order to dissipate this black cloud which prevents the Church from enjoying the clear day of liberty, there will be a formidable and frightful war, which will see the bloodshed of countrymen and foreigners, of secular and regular priests, and of religious. That night will be most horrible, for, humanly speaking, evil will seem to triumph. “This, then, will mark the arrival of My hour, when I, in a marvelous way will dethrone the proud and cursed Satan, trampling him under My feet and fettering him in the infernal abyss. Thus, the Church and Country will finally be free of his cruel tyranny.” V. The fifth reason that the lamp was extinguished is due to the laxity and the negligence of those who possess great wealth, who will indifferently stand by and watch the Church being oppressed, virtue being persecuted, and the triumph of the Devil, without piously employing their riches for the destruction of this evil and the restoration of the Faith. And it is also due to the indifference of the people in allowing the Name of God to be gradually extinguished and in adhering to the spirit of evil, freely delivering themselves over to vices and passions. “Alas! My chosen daughter! If it were given to you to live in that tenebrous era, you would die of sorrow to see all that I have revealed to you here take place. But My Most Holy Son and I have such a great love for this land, Our legacy, that We desire even now the application of your sacrifices and prayers to shorten the dura- tion of such a terrible catastrophe!” Overwhelmed by the magnitude of the evils she saw and the countless souls that would be condemned dur- ing these times, Mother Mariana fell unconscious. There the Sisters found her, as if dead, except for the vio- lent beating of her heart. All of the doctor’s efforts to restore her to consciousness proved useless. In fact, he said, humanly speaking, her life should have ended from the shock she had received. The Sisters surrounded her, beseeching Heaven to leave them their great treasure, the last of the Founding Mothers, “the mainstay of observance, the column of the house.” Two days later, Mother Mariana opened her eyes, encouraged her Sisters to continue to follow the Rule, and consoled them that she would remain with them yet a little longer. Final Apparition of Our Lady of Good Success In the last ten months of her life, Mother Mariana never fully recovered the vigor of her health and was
often obliged to remain in bed. In sickness as well as in health, she edified the Community with her example. Amid her intense pains, she always maintained a smile on her lips, an admirable serenity and an imperturba- ble spirit, proper to a soul whose life had unfolded in the shadow of the Cross. Late in the night of December 8, 1634, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Our Lady appeared for the last time to Mother Mariana. She was again accompanied by the Archangels St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael. After many revelations, Our Lady concluded: “In the 20th century, this devotion (to Our Lady of Good Success) will work prodigies in the spiritual as well as temporal spheres, because it is the Will of God to reserve this invocation and knowledge of your life for that century, when the corruption of customs (morals) will be almost general and the precious light of Faith all but extinguished…” Madre Mariana de Jesús Torres died a most holy death at 3:00 p.m. on January 16, 1635—just as she had foretold. Over and over during the last four hundred years, the prophecies of Our Lady of Good Success have been fulfilled. The 19th and 20th centuries proved the accuracy of the prophecies to be astounding. Clearly the significance of Our Lady’s message, and the Devotion to Our Lady of Good Success, is now all the more im- portant in the 21st century. As we see the world engulfed in error, heresy, and sensuality, not to mention vices of all kinds, Our Lady’s call to prayer, reparation and penance becomes all the more urgent. How can we not heed Our Lady’s plea and daily strive to console Her Most Tender and Immaculate Heart and the Sa- cred Heart of Her Divine Son? The original author of this blog passed away in July of 2016. RIP Father Carota.
Society of St. Vincent de Paul
St. Joan of Arc Parish Conference
61 Canal Road
Orleans, MA 02653
HELPLINE 508-255-8080
Annual Report - January 2021
(Fiscal Year October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020)
While some of our ministry efforts have been curtailed due
to COVID-19, most of our outreach has continued.
Thank you for your continued support
Dear Parishioners:
The Parish Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul has focused on three areas
during our 2020 Fiscal Year: Emergency Assistance, Food Programs, and St. Joseph
House.
The board members of our Conference wish to express their gratitude for the tremendous
cooperation and generosity demonstrated by the parishioners of St. Joan of Arc Church,
without which our efforts would have been fruitless. The officers also wish to express their
gratitude to the more than 120 active, associate, and contributing members who do much
of the necessary work. Members of our parish donated over 1,091 service hours to the
organizational activities and charitable works of the Society during the past year.
OUR MISSION
(1) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED – About thirty
volunteers, known as Advocates, have provided immediate relief and counsel, in
confidentiality, on a person-to-person basis. The conference has assisted close to 150
families, disbursing in excess of $40,926 for shelter, fuel, utilities, medical, auto related
and other needs. In addition, 34 two-day food packs and 28 Stop & Shop food cards were
distributed. Volunteers donated over 220 hours to these programs. In the last few years,
several Vincentians have been trained internally or have attended the Cape and Islands
Introduction to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul classes in the spring.
(2) FOOD PROGRAMS – Over 75 volunteers have processed almost 10,000 items of
food and personal products valued at almost $10,586 for distribution to our neighbors.
This includes 580 Thanksgiving “Two Day Packs” distributed to those in need on the
Lower Cape. A spring donation of $1,000 was provided to the “LCOC” (Lower Cape
Outreach Council) Main Pantry to assist them in bulk procurement of food.
(3) ST. JOSEPH HOUSE – More than 70 volunteers donated 400 hours to prepare and
deliver over 360 meals yearly to St. Joseph House in Hyannis.
[Continued on reverse side]St. Joan of Arc Parish Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Annual Report – January 2021
Your generosity has enabled us to provide these additional services:
Christmas Giving Tree – Over 350 gifts were provided in our community for
children in families who have been assisted by SVdP in the past year. In addition,
useful gifts were provided to clients St. Joseph House, A Baby Center, Children’s
Place, Orleans Elementary School, and Angel House. Volunteers devoted over 40
hours.
Twinning – Our Parish Conference has provided $4,200 in assistance to
Vincentian Conferences, foreign and domestic, that lack resources. Your
generosity allows our Parish Conference to "twin" with a foreign SVdP Conference
in Colombia, the SVdP Conference of our sister parish in Kenya, and with a
domestic SVdP Conference in Attleboro.
Housing With Love – Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, our Parish
Conference was unable to participate in the Cape-Wide District “Housing with
Love” Fundraiser that assists with client housing needs.
Recovery at Canal House (CDP-COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP)
We provided support for appropriate housing for working individuals in recovery
from substance abuse, in addition to a $1,000 cash contribution.
Habitat for Humanity – Our March Harvest Sunday donations provided $1,672
for the work of Habitat in our community.
Other – We also provided manpower and logistic help and/or financial support for
St. Joseph House, CapeAbilities ($2,500), Cape Cod Children’s Place ($4,000),
Food 4 Kids (a summer food program for eligible children in our communities)
($1,000), and the Disaster Services Corporation ($1,000) for help to hurricane-
devastated Puerto Rico).
If you need assistance, please call our HELPLINE – 508-255-8080.
If you would like to help us, please call our HELPLINE, leave your name and
telephone number and we will contact you. New volunteers are always needed
and welcome.
This was the sixth year of our participation in the SVdP Car Donation Program.
This year no cars were donated to benefit our Conference. Flyers are available at
all of the doors to the Church. Call 800-322-8284, or go to www.svdpusacars.com.
Our funds have been provided through generous donations from you, our
parishioners, on Harvest Sundays, Holy Days of Obligation, and through the poor
boxes in conjunction with the generosity of Father Bill.
Thank you for helping us to help others,
The St. Joan of Arc Parish Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de PaulYou can also read
