Vol. 84 No. 1 Spring 2016 Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy

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1 Apostolate of the Little Flower Vol. 84 No. 1 Spring 2016 Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy

2 EDITOR Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, O.C.D. CO-EDITOR Cheyenne Raine Cisneros PUBLISHER Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower ADMINISTRATOR Gloria Acosta PICTURES Carlos Ramirez Apostolate of the Little Flower ISSN ( ) is published quarterly by the Discalced Carmelites of the Province of Saint Thérèse, located at 906 Kentucky Ave, San Antonio, Texas, Business and Editorial Offices: 824 Kentucky Ave San Antonio, Texas, Accounting and Circulation Offices: Discalced Carmelites of the Province of St. Thérèse 906 Kentucky Ave San Antonio, Texas, Apostolate of the Little Flower is a non-profit Publication whose purpose is to spread devotion to Saint Thérèse and to assist the Discalced Carmelite Friars in their various ministries. Call (210) to subscribe. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 5280 San Antonio, Texas All writers, consultants, and staff contribute to this magazine on a volunteer basis and receive no remuneration for their services except for the editor. Free-lance articles are accepted in accord with this genre of publication. Unsigned articles are attributable to the editor. Contents: A Theology of A Holy Door 5 The door of mercy 6 Why These Doors Are Sealed 7 PRAYER OF POPE FRANCIS FOR THE JUBILIEE Homily: Opening of the Holy Door Pilgrims Invited in through Holy Door of Mercy at the little flower basilica Pilgrimages Hours for the Lord 14 Questions for Confession 15 The experience of Mercy through the Carmelite Spirituality of Las Teresas 17 Parish Life 18 Website and Holy Hour Novena 20 All photographs of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and Holy Face, OCD are used with the permission of the Office Central, Lisieux, France. 2

3 From the Desk of the Editor Dearest readers of the Little Flower Magazine, With this opportunity to enter your homes through this Little Flower Magazine, I send my best wishes to you and your dear family. Our apologies for the time you have not heard from us and not received our magazine. Many administration changes have occurred with the magazine publication, but thanks be to God, we are here again! One of the changes is that you will now receive our magazine every three months, that is 4 magazines a year, instead of six issues every other month. We dedicate this magazine issue to the Extraordinary Year of Mercy, declared by our Holy Father, Pope Francis. We hope the information regarding the Holy Door, Indulgences and the Sacrament of Reconciliation will be helpful to your knowledge. During this Holy Year, we have hosted and are preparing for many events. I strongly encourage you to come with your family and make a pilgrimage through the Holy Door here at the Basilica. This year we are celebrating 90 years as a Parish, serving the community of San Antonio since We give thanks to the Lord and our beloved Saint Therese for all these years. Thank you, for all your donations that have made the sustenance of this publication, but especially for your prayers. Be sure of our gratitude and prayers before the Lord and Saint Therese. Fraternally with my love and blessing, Rev. Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, O.C.D. Pastor of the Basilica of the Little Flower 3

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5 A Theology of A Holy Door A holy door or porta sancta has been used since the fifteenth century as a ritual expression of conversion. Pilgrims and penitents pass through it as a gesture of leaving the past behind and crossing the threshold from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom, and from darkness to light. Often these rituals are associated with prayer, pilgrimage, sacrifice, confession, and indulgences. But the door finds meaning only when the believer associates the door with Christ. Jesus is the Door! In the words of Pope Francis, There is only one way that opens wide the entrance into the life of communion with God: this is Jesus, the one and absolute way to salvation. To him alone can the words of the Psalmist be applied in full truth: This is the door of the Lord where the just may enter (Ps 118:20). Saint John Paul II offers a similar exhortation: "To focus on the door is to recall the responsibility of every believer to cross its threshold. To pass through that door means to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord; it is to strengthen faith in him in order to live the new life which he has given us. It is a decision which presumes freedom to choose and also the courage to leave something behind, in the knowledge that what is gained is divine life [cf. Mt 13:44-46] (Saint John Paul II, Incarnationis Mysterium, 8, in the year 2000). John s gospel clearly depicts this relationship between Jesus and us. Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:7-10). It is fitting that a Holy Door be situated within a church building. The door of the Church is the ianua ecclesia the silent witness to all the moments of our lives (USCCB, About the Jubilee Door, 1999). Often sacramental rituals begin at the door here, the priest or deacon welcomes the parents as they bring their child for baptism; here, he greets the bride and groom as they begin the wedding liturgy; here, he greets the catechumens at the Rite of Acceptance; and, finally, the priest greets the casket at the beginning of the funeral liturgy. Therefore, let us create Holy Doors in our cathedrals or other significant churches which can be worthy symbols of Christ and a welcome invitation to seek Him within our communities of faith. I am the door of Life. I entreat all Enter! Whoever seeks the joys of heaven will cross through me. He who was born of the Virgin but not created by the Father he himself will save those who enter and guide those who go out. The Church of Saint George in Milan, Rita A. Thiron, M. A. for the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions 5

6 The door of mercy The Door of Mercy is a special Holy Door which Pope Francis has asked to be opened in every Diocese during the Extraordinary Holy Year in order to allow the faithful in every part of the world to experience the Mercy of the Father in its fullness. In the Bull of Indiction Misericordiae Vultus, he writes: On the same Sunday [Third Sunday of Advent], I decree that in every local church, at the cathedral the mother church of the faithful in any particular area or, alternatively, at the co-cathedral or another church of special significance, a Door of Mercy will be opened for the duration of the Holy Year. At the discretion of the local ordinary, a similar door may be opened at any shrine frequented by large groups of pilgrims, since visits to these holy sites are so often grace-filled moments, as people discover a path to conversion (MV 3). Indulgence and Conditions The season of grace which is the Jubilee of Mercy, will naturally be characterized by the possibility of obtaining the plenary indulgence through certain pious exercises culminating in entering through the Holy Door, the Door of Mercy. These pious exercises will accompany the prayer and celebration of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist as concrete signs of conversion and immersion in the Mercy of the Father. To experience and obtain the Indulgence, the faithful are called to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door, open in every Cathedral or in the churches designated by the Diocesan Bishop, and in the four Papal Basilicas in Rome, as a sign of the deep desire for true conversion. Likewise, I dispose that the Indulgence may be obtained in the Shrines in which the Door of Mercy is open and in the churches which traditionally are identified as Jubilee Churches. It is important that this moment be linked, first and foremost, to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist with a reflection on mercy. It will be necessary to accompany these celebrations with the profession of faith and with prayer for me and for the intentions that I bear in my heart for the good of the Church and of the entire world. (Pope Francis). La Puerta De La Misericordia La Puerta de la Misericordia es una Puerta Santa especial que, durante este Año Santo extraordinario, el Santo Padre Francisco ha pedido que se abra en cada Diócesis, permitiendo a los fieles de todo el mundo experimentar plenamente la Misericordia del Padre. El mismo Papa Francisco lo expresa así en la Bula de Indicción Misericordiae Vultus (n. 3): «Para el mismo domingo [Domingo III de Adviento] establezco que en cada Iglesia particular, en la Catedral que es la Iglesia Madre para todos los fieles, o en la Concatedral o en una iglesia de significado especial se abra por todo el Año Santo una idéntica Puerta de la Misericordia. A juicio del Ordinario, ella podrá ser abierta también en los Santuarios, meta de tantos peregrinos que en estos lugares santos con frecuencia son tocados en el corazón por la gracia y encuentran el camino de la conversión». Indulgencia y condiciones. El tiempo de gracia del Jubileo de la Misericordia se caracterizará, naturalmente, por la posibilidad de obtener la indulgencia plenaria a través de algunos ejercicios de piedad culminados por la entrada por la Puerta Santa o Puerta de la Misericordia que acompañarán la oración y las celebraciones de los sacramentos de la Reconciliación y de la Eucaristía, como signos concretos del camino de conversión e inmersión en la Misericordia del Padre. Para vivir y obtener la indulgencia los fieles están llamados a realizar una breve peregrinación hacia la Puerta Santa, abierta en cada catedral o en las iglesias establecidas por el obispo diocesano y en las cuatro basílicas papales en Roma, como signo del deseo profundo de auténtica conversión. Igualmente dispongo que se pueda ganar la indulgencia en los santuarios donde se abra la Puerta de la Misericordia y en las iglesias que tradicionalmente se identifican como Jubilares. Es importante que este momento esté unido, ante todo, al Sacramento de la Reconciliación y a la celebración de la santa Eucaristía con una reflexión sobre la misericordia. Será necesario acompañar estas celebraciones con la profesión de fe y con la oración por mí y por las intenciones que llevo en el corazón para el bien de la Iglesia y de todo el mundo. (Papa Francisco). -Pontificial Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. Via della Conciliazione, Città del Vaticano 6

7 Why These doors are Sealed As far back as the time of Pope Clement VI in 1350 the Church started the practice of sealing or closing" certain sets of doors at the Basilicas in Rome the doors would be sealed for a whole year before the coming of a Jubilee Year or Holy Year in the life of the Church. This practice was undertaken as a way of symbolically preparing for the coming of the Holy Year when, it was thought, special blessings would flow into the life of the Church and into the hearts of the faithful. On the day when the Holy Doors would be unsealed, great celebrations would take place and people would line up to walk through the Holy Doors to show that they wanted to participate in the graces which would come from the Holy Year. According to the description given in 1450 by Giovanni Ruccellai of Viterbo, it was Pope Martin V who in 1423, at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, opened the Holy Door for the first time in the history of the Jubilee. In those days, Holy Years were celebrated every 33 years. In the Vatican Basilica the opening of the Holy Door is first mentioned at Christmas On that occasion Pope Alexander VI desired the Holy Door to be opened not only at Saint John Lateran but in the other Roman Basilicas as well: Saint Peter s, Saint Mary Major and Saint Paul s Outside the Walls. A small door, probably a service door in the left part of the facade of Saint Peter s Basilica, was then enlarged and turned into a Holy Door, in the same location where it is found today. This involved the destruction of a chapel decorated with mosaics located inside the Basilica and which had been dedicated by Pope John VII to the Mother of God. The Pope also desired the norms of the Ceremoniale of the Holy Year, left vague by his predecessors, to be more clearly defined, particularly the rite of the opening and closing of the Holy Door. The drawing up of the rites was entrusted by the Pope to the famous John Burckard, Master of Papal Ceremonies, a native of Strasbourg and Bishop of the combined Dioceses of Civita Castellana and Orte. The Holy Door of the Jubilee of 1500 was opened on Christmas Eve 1499 and was closed on the Solemnity of Epiphany in The Ritual prepared by Burckard and approved by the Pope, apart from a few slight changes introduced in 1525 by the Master of Ceremonies Biagio da Cesena, has been substantially followed in all subsequent Jubilees. A holy door or porta sancta has been used since the fifteenth century as a ritual expression of conversion. Pilgrims and penitents pass through it as a gesture of leaving the past behind and crossing the threshold from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom, and from darkness to light. Often these rituals are associated with prayer, pilgrimage, sacrifice, confession, and indulgences. But the door finds meaning only when the believer associates the door with Christ. Jesus is the Door! In the words of Pope Francis, There is only one way that opens wide the entrance into the life of communion with God: this is Jesus, the one and absolute way to salvation. To him alone can the words of the Psalmist be applied in full truth: This is the door of the Lord where the just may enter (Ps 118:20). On that day, the Holy Door will become a Door of Mercy through which anyone who enters will experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instills hope. ~Pope Francis- -Rita A. Thiron, M. A. for the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions 7

8 Ceremony of the opening of the Holy Door at the Basilica 8

9 ORACION DEL PAPA FRANCISCO PARA EL JUBILEO PRAYER OF POPE FRANCIS FOR THE JUBILIEE Señor Jesucristo, tú nos has enseñado a ser misericordiosos como el Padre del cielo, y nos has dicho que quien te ve, lo ve también a Él. Muéstranos tu rostro y obtendremos la salvación. Tu mirada llena de amor liberó a Zaqueo y a Mateo de la esclavitud del dinero; a la adúltera y a la Magdalena del buscar la felicidad solamente en una creatura; hizo llorar a Pedro luego de la traición, y aseguró el Paraíso al ladrón arrepentido. Haz que cada uno de nosotros escuche como propia la palabra que dijiste a la samaritana: Si conocieras el don de Dios! Tú eres el rostro visible del Padre invisible, del Dios que manifiesta su omnipotencia sobre todo con el perdón y la misericordia: haz que, en el mundo, la Iglesia sea el rostro visible de Ti, su Señor, resucitado y glorioso. Tú has querido que también tus ministros fueran revestidos de debilidad para que sientan sincera compasión por los que se encuentran en la ignorancia o en el error: haz que quien se acerque a uno de ellos se sienta esperado, amado y perdonado por Dios. Manda tu Espíritu y conságranos a todos con su unción para que el Jubileo de la Misericordia sea un año de gracia del Señor y tu Iglesia pueda, con renovado entusiasmo, llevar la Buena Nueva a los pobres proclamar la libertad a los prisioneros y oprimidos y restituir la vista a los ciegos. Te lo pedimos por intercesión de María, Madre de la Misericordia, a ti que vives y reinas con el Padre y el Espíritu Santo por los siglos de los siglos. Amén. Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him. Show us your face and we will be saved. Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money; the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal, and assured Paradise to the repentant thief. Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us, the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman: "If you knew the gift of God!" You are the visible face of the invisible Father, of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified. You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error: let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God. Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with its anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord, and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed, and restore sight to the blind. We ask this of you, Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy; you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen. -Pontificial Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.Via della Conciliazione, Città del Vaticano 9

10 Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Homily: Opening of the Holy Door III Sunday of Advent, December 13, 2015 Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, O.C.D., Pastor Be Merciful like the Father ~ Misericordiosos como el Padre Dear brothers and sisters in our Merciful Jesus Christ may all of you be well received and welcomed at this moving celebration of the opening of the Holy Door of Mercy. Together we have initiated our first pilgrimage through this holy door, as a Christian community and children of the same Father who calls and invites us to His encounter. We are the image of that prodigal son who returns to his Father s house in need of His love, mercy and forgiveness. As with this prodigal son, today the doors of mercy are opened for those of us who seek consolation and peace, because, as St. Agustin said, our heart is restless until it finds its rest in Him. In his homily of the opening of the Holy Door in Rome, His Holiness tells us: This Extraordinary Y ear is itself a gift of grace. To pass through the Holy Door means to rediscover the infinite mercy of the Father who welcomes everyone and goes out personally to encounter each of them. The Father who welcomes and encounters, is the same one who goes out in search of us as He did with the lost sheep. He is the loving Father who invites us to cross the threshold of the Door which represents His Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Door that leads us to the merciful love of the Father. Pope Francis gave us this beautiful gift proclaiming the Year of Mercy prior to celebrating the great festivity of Christmas; Advent has also been a preparation for this grand event. Today we are joyful because our redemption is near; that is the meaning of this Third Sunday of Advent called Gaudete Sunday (which means joy). The need for this Year of Mercy as Pope Francis tells us: I am confident that the whole Church, which is in such need of mercy for we are sinners, will be able to find in this Jubilee the joy of rediscovering and rendering fruitful God s mercy, with which we are all called to give comfort to every man and every woman of our time. Do not forget that God forgives all, and God forgives always. Let us never tire of asking forgiveness. Be merciful like the Father, it is an urgent calling of which our hearts are thirsting because our current world moves more away from mercy every day. We live in a society in which it appears that we only seek our own interests and satisfactions, our own well being and comfort, we completely forget of the most needy, of those we love and even of ourselves. We fill ourselves with unnecessary and exuberant things that only satisfy our egos and feed our pride, forgetting that what really matters and what we really need is to fill our lives with love, justice and mercy. Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy. This blessing encourages us to exercise the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Let us not be fearful of opening our hearts to receive this grace that brings us closer to Him and to our brothers and sisters. He knows our weaknesses and our faults and nonetheless is willing to forgive us. Saint Teresa of Jesus in her experience with the mercy of God tells her nuns: Consider what He has done to me, who wearied of offending His Majesty before he ceased forgiving me. Never does he wear of giving and never can His mercies be exhausted: let us, then, not grow weary of receiving. 10

11 This should be our attitude before God: let us not grow weary of Him! And we may ask, What should we do? Here begins the true challenge for us like those who asked the same question to John the Baptist. The response is the same as more than 2,000 years ago: Whoever has two tunics should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise. In this consists Mercy; in having the capacity to look at the needs of others and make them our own and to try to give the necessary care, attention and help. Mercy has its roots in justice. Whoever is just, is merciful, whoever is merciful, loves shares, cares and empathizes with others. The merciful gaze goes much further than to merely fulfill an obligation. Whoever looks with mercy penetrates the heart of the person before them; they understand the person, they assist the person, they make their joy and happiness theirs, but also their pain and sadness. So today, what should we do? It would be good to ask that question in our conscience. We should first start by receiving the gift of the mercy of God. We should make decisions that lead us to our quality of life, our relationship with others, our friendship with God. We should begin today by taking steps more confidently without fear or insecurities, to place our trust in God instead of the passing things that only give us temporary stability. We should begin to be more just to become more merciful. We cannot open the Holy Door of Mercy if we do not close our door of egoism, pride, injustice or indifference before the needs of our brothers and sisters. Let us be merciful with them and with ourselves. We know what we need to do to make our lives more pleasant and to make it more pleasant for others. The mercy which God offers us is not a mercy that takes account or note of what we ve done or what we have failed to do. The mercy which He offers us is not conditional but gratuitous. Today is an excellent day to begin, together, this path towards mercy! May our Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, be our guide and light in our walk to the encounter of mercy. She who told Juan Diego: Am I not here who am your Mother? She accompanies us with her maternal care so that we do not fear opening ourselves to the grace and power and say as she says, May it be done to me according to your word. 11

12 Pilgrims Invited in through Holy Door of Mercy at the little flower basilica By Ana Migeon To obtain plenary indulgence of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower is a Papal Church and one of 16 designated pilgrimage sites in the Archdiocese of San Antonio during this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, as declared by Pope Francis. In place of a pilgrimage to Rome during the Year of Mercy, which continues until Nov. 20, 2016, the faithful may attain Jubilee indulgences by making a pious pilgrimage to a Jubilee shrine or offering Eucharistic adoration and meditations there. In a Nov. 9 ceremony, the main door of the historic Basilica was adorned as the Door of Mercy and sealed by Father Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, pastor of the Basilica, with a wooden plaque bearing the papal keys. The door was officially opened on Dec. 13 following a ceremonial procession with approximately 500 faithful in attendance. The Holy Door remains open for all pilgrims to enter during the Holy Year. The Jubilee Year's season of grace is characterized by the possibility of obtaining plenary indulgence through certain pious exercises, culminating in entering through the Holy Door. The pious exercises will accompany the prayer and celebration of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist as concrete signs of conversion and immersion in the Mercy of the Father. A holy door or porta sancta is an ancient ritual expression of conversion. Pilgrims and penitents pass through it as a gesture of leaving the past behind and crossing the threshold from sin to grace, from slavery to freedom, and from darkness to light. The Holy Door is a symbol of the pilgrimage of the faithful to the Father through Christ and of the special graces and plenary indulgences for the temporal punishment of sins, imparted by the mercy of God and applicable also to the souls of the faithful deceased, granted through the Year of Mercy. The community of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers invites all individuals and groups to make pilgrimages to Little Flower Basilica during this Year of Mercy. Group pilgrimages are invited for noon mass any weekday, and any mass on Sunday or at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Pastors are welcome to make a pilgrimage with their parishioners and to celebrate the Holy Mass with them. Confessions are available by request. Arrangements for group pilgrimages of 20 persons and more can be made by contacting the parish at (210) ext 116. Basilica tours are also available by request in advance, with veneration of the first class relic of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower, the first National Shrine in the U.S. devoted to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, known as "The Little Flower," was dedicated in The spiritual devotion, deep faith, and financial support of thousands of contributors from all over the world during the Great Depression made the original construction of the church possible. Today the Basilica continues to attract pilgrims dedicated to St. Thérèse from around the world. In 1998, the shrine was raised by Pope John Paul II to the rank of Minor Basilica, one of only four in Texas, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The City of San Antonio designates the church as a landmark of exceptional historic significance. Among the Basilica s treasures is a painting of St. Thérèse that bears the handwork of the saint s blood sister, Celine (Sr. Genevieve of the Holy Face). The painting was a gift to the Basilica from the Discalced Carmelite Nuns from the Convent of Carmel in Lisieux, France. The painting traveled to Rome and was carried in the procession of Thérèse s canonization by Pope Pius XI at a ceremony on May 17, The Basilica is also home to three first class relics of the Little Flower. The Basilica and Little Flower School are under the direction of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers, who began serving the parish community in

13 Pilgrimage to the Little flower Basilica during the Year of Mercy The Community of the Discalced Carmelite Fathers invites the Little Flower Parish Families, Parishes, religious communities, schools, parish organizations, youth groups, etc., to make their pilgrimage to the Basilica during this Y ear of Mercy. You can visit this designated place as a group or on your own. Prepare yourself or your group for your pilgrimage. See what liturgical services are being offered on the day you are planning your pilgrimage. To gain the plenary indulgence you may follow the requirements previously mentioned. You may apply the plenary indulgence for your faithful departed. During your journey, you may pray the Holy Rosary or any other prayer. As a conclusion of you pilgrimage you may recite faithfully the Creed and pray for the intentions of our Holy Father. For all those who want to make their pilgrimage at the Basilica as a group [more than 20 people] call the Basilica office administration and let us know when you want to make your pilgrimage. Group Pilgrimages should be during 12:00 p.m. Mass [Monday-Friday], any Mass on Sundays or 8:00 am Mass on Saturday. For any other time at your request if available you can bring your own priest to celebrate mass for you. Pastors are welcome to make a pilgrimage with their parishioners and celebrate the Holy Mass with them. Confessions available by request. Basilica Tours available (request in advance) with veneration of the first class relic of Saint Therese. A pilgrimage is a journey undertaken for a religious purpose most often to a sacred place. The word pilgrim, derived from the Latin peregrinum, conveys the idea of wandering over a distance, but it is not just aimless wandering. It is a journey with a purpose, and that purpose is to honor God. One of the earliest usages of the word is found in the writings of Saint Augustine of Hippo ( ). His work, Peregrinatio, described a Christian spiritual journey as a kind of self-imposed exile of the pilgrim in which he searched for God s Truth in his wanderings while visiting the holy shrines of the Faith. 13

14 24 Hours for the Lord March 4 th ~ 5 th 2016 The following pastoral aid was compiled by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization and is an excerpt from a larger document. A PDF of the entire document is available online, published exclusively by Our Sunday Visitor. The initiative 24 Hours for the Lord, a day focused entirely on confession and adoration, will be held March 4-5 in Rome and around the world. This guide offers suggestions for parishes that would like to participate in the event to experience the greatest possible fruitfulness during this special Jubilee of Mercy. Why Should I Go to Confession? This is a big question. Here is an answer that Pope Benedict XVI gave in 2011: I would say two things. The first: naturally, if you kneel down and with true love for God pray that God forgives you, he forgives you. It has always been the teaching of the Church that [when] one, with true repentance that is, not only in order to avoid punishment, difficulty, but for love of the good, for love of God asks for forgiveness, he is pardoned by God. This is the first part. If I honestly know that I have done evil, and if love for goodness, a desire for goodness, is reborn within me, [and if there is] repentance for not having responded to this love, and I ask forgiveness of God, who is the Good, he gives it to me. But there is a second element: sin is not only a personal, individual thing between myself and God. Sin always has a social dimension, a horizontal one. With my personal sin, even if perhaps no one knows it, I have damaged the communion of the Church, I have sullied the communion of the Church, I have sullied humanity. And therefore this social, horizontal dimension of sin requires that it be absolved also at the level of the human community, of the community of the Church, almost physically. Thus, this second dimension of sin, which is not only against God but concerns the community, too, demands the sacrament, and the sacrament is the great gift in which through confession, we can free ourselves from this thing and we can really receive forgiveness in the sense of a full readmission to the community of the living Church, of the Body of Christ. And so, in this sense, the necessary absolution by the priest, the sacrament, is not an imposition let us say on the limits of God s goodness, but, on the contrary, it is an expression of the goodness of God because it shows me also concretely, in the communion of the Church, I have received pardon and can start anew. Thus, I would say, hold on to these two dimensions: the vertical one, with God, and the horizontal one, with the community of the Church and humanity. The absolution of the priest, sacramental absolution, is necessary to really absolve me of this link with evil and to fully reintegrate me into the will of God, into the vision of God, into his Church and to give me sacramental, almost bodily, certitude: God forgives me, he receives me into the community of his children. I think that we must learn how to understand the Sacrament of Penance in this sense: as a possibility of finding again, almost physically, the goodness of the Lord, the certainty of reconciliation. 14

15 Questions on the Sacrament of Confession (From the Compendium of the Catholic Church) 296. What is the name of this sacrament? It is called the Sacrament of Penance, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of Forgiveness, the Sacrament of Confession, and the Sacrament of Conversion Why is there a Sacrament of Reconciliation after baptism? Since the new life of grace received in baptism does not abolish the weakness of human nature nor the inclination to sin (that is, concupiscence), Christ instituted this sacrament for the conversion of the baptized who have been separated from him by sin When did he institute this sacrament? The risen Lord instituted this sacrament on the evening of Easter when he showed himself to his apostles and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained (Jn 20:22-23) Do the baptized have need of conversion? The call of Christ to conversion continues to resound in the lives of the baptized. Conversion is a continuing obligation for the whole Church. She is holy but includes sinners in her midst What are the essential elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation? The essential elements are two: the acts of the penitent who comes to repentance through the action of the Holy Spirit, and the absolution of the priest who in the name of Christ grants forgiveness and determines the ways of making satisfaction Which sins must be confessed? All grave sins not yet confessed, which a careful examination of conscience brings to mind, must be brought to the Sacrament of Penance. The confession of serious sins is the only ordinary way to obtain forgiveness When is a person obliged to confess mortal sins? Each of the faithful who has reached the age of discretion is bound to confess his or her mortal sins at least once a year and always before receiving holy Communion Is a confessor bound to secrecy? Given the delicacy and greatness of this ministry and the respect due to people, every confessor, without any exception and under very severe penalties, is bound to maintain the sacramental seal, which means absolute secrecy about the sins revealed to him in confession What are the effects of this sacrament? The effects of the Sacrament of Penance are: reconciliation with God and therefore the forgiveness of sins; reconciliation with the Church; recovery, if it has been lost, of the state of grace; remission of the eternal punishment merited by mortal sins, and remission, at least in part, of the temporal punishment which is the consequence of sin; peace, serenity of conscience and spiritual consolation; and an increase of spiritual strength for the struggle of Christian living. According to Pope Francis in a homily given at Santa Marta on Oct. 9, 2015, The evil one... always tries to deceive, to lead us and make us choose the wrong path.... When the evil one succeeds in anesthetizing the conscience... in quieting the conscience... then he can claim a true victory, for he has become the master of that conscience. The pope goes on in this homily to enunciate the solution: Discernment is necessary.... A Christian cannot rest easy, assuming that everything is fine. He must discern things and really look at where they come from, what their root is. Where does this come from?... The Church counsels us to always make an examination of conscience... 15

16 Pope Francis summarizes the questions to ask ourselves: About God Do I turn to God only in my need? Do I attend Mass on Sunday and holy days of obligation? Do I begin and end the day with prayer? Have I taken the name of God, the Blessed Virgin, or the saints in vain? Have I been ashamed to say that I am a Christian? What am I doing to grow spiritually? How do I grow spiritually? When? Do I resist God s will? Do I insist that he does things my way? About my neighbor Do I know how to forgive, to share, and to help my neighbor? Have I slandered, stolen from, or scorned the poor and defenseless? Am I envious, hot-tempered, or prejudiced? Do I care for the poor and the sick? Am I embarrassed by my brother s body or my sister s flesh? Am I honest and fair with everyone, or do I foster a throw-away culture? Have I led others to do evil? Do I observe the spousal and family morality taught in the Gospel? How do I fulfill my responsibility for my children s education? Do I honor and respect my parents? Have I rejected a newly conceived life? Have I extinguished the gift of life? Have I helped others to do that? Do I respect the environment? About myself Am I a believer who is somewhat worldly and only somewhat believing? Do I over-indulge in eating, drinking, smoking and being entertained? Am I overly concerned about my physical well-being and my possessions? How I do use my time? Am I lazy? Do I desire to be served? Do I love and safeguard purity in my heart, thoughts and deeds? Do I plot vengeance or harbor resentments? Am I gentle and humble? A peace-maker? (See Pope Francis booklet, Safeguard Your Heart, distributed after the Angelus on Feb. 22, 2015.) Now I can examine myself about the concrete actions that mercy requires and by which we will be judged: Have I given food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty? Have I welcomed the stranger and clothed the naked? Have I set aside time and had the courage to visit the sick and the imprisoned? Have I helped anyone be released from doubts that make them fearful and that are often the source of loneliness? Have I participated in overcoming ignorance by supporting education, especially for the young? Have I told those who live in sin about the need for conversion? Have I been a neighbor to someone who is lonely and afflicted? Have I forgiven those who offend me and resisted every kind of resentment and hate? Have I been patient with others based on the example of God who is so patient with us? Have I commended my brothers and sisters to prayer? (See Misericordiae Vultus, No. 15) 16

17 The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower Presents The experience of Mercy through the Carmelite Spirituality of Las Teresas Teresa of Jesus May 23rd Therese of the Child Jesus May 24th Teresa Benedicta Teresa de Jesús Of the Cross of the Andes May 25th May 26th Bilingual Presentations Monday Thursday at 6:30 PM Call for Registration at

18 Parish Life The Lumen Gentium Award 2016 The Little Flower Parish is happy to announce that Mr. Steve Borrego was awarded the 2016 Lumen Gentium Award by Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller on February 2, The Lumen Gentium award, presented by the Archdiocese of San Antonio, is bestowed upon an individual Catholic member of a parish who has demonstrated by their life, service, and ministry, a participation in the mission of Christ Jesus and the Church. Mr. Borrego has been a member of Little Flower Parish since he married his sweetheart Eusebia in For 61 years, Mr. Borrego has given of his time and talent to the many organizations here at Little Flower, such as Men s Club, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Pastoral Council and is currently an active member of the Holy Name Society and the Parish Money Counting Committee. At 86 years young, Steve, continues to exude his enthusiasm for new ideas to help his Parish grow. Mr. Borrego is a true treasure to us and we are very happy he is this year s recipient. Parish Pilgrimage to San Juan del Valle Little Flower parishioners traveled to the Basilica of San Juan del Valle for a pilgrimage on Saturday February 27, 2016 on the occasion of the Extraordinary Year of Mercy. They were accompanied by their spiritual director, Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, O.C.D. 18

19 By Darlyne and Delores Cox Little Flower Altar Society Receives Award On December 17, 2015, Delores and Darlyne Cox, members of the Altar Society of Little Flower Basilica, had just finished serving refreshments to the State Hospital patients when Annette R. Delgado, Volunteer Coordinator/ Community Relations of the San Antonio state Hospital presented us with a lovely glass trophy. The inscription read: State Hospital V olunteer Recognition, Service Induction. The Little Flower A ltar Society 30 Years Year This trophy was from the Texas Department of State Health Services. Of course we were surprised, but delighted that our Altar Society was given such an honor. Then on December 22, 2015, Darlyne received in the mail, a Certificate of Appreciation from Patti Rangel, Director of the Community Relations Department. The Certificate of Appreciation read: Presented to Little Flower Altar Society The San Antonio State Hospital salutes your wholehearted commitment to enriching the lives of individuals with mental illness. Thank you for being a part of our Patient Holiday Program. Dated on the 17th of December, we had also given them a large cardboard box, gift wrapped with numerous gifts from all our members for their Christmas party. As our next scheduled Altar Society meeting was for January 24, 2016, Delores and I decided to present these gifts to our President, Imelda Garcia, on this day and invite our Pastor, Father Luis Gerardo Belmonte Luna, O.C.D., to receive these gifts from our Altar Society President, Imelda. 19

20 New Website and Online Giving The Basilica has a new website! Please visit us at Our new website features: Mass times and Confession times Year of Mercy information, including information on Pilgrimages The Basilica s history and the Restoration Project Contact Information Online Giving Event dates and details Weekly bulletins. Parish photos taken by Carlos Ramirez Spirituality of St. Therese and the Carmelites And much more! Online giving is our newest tool for donating to the Church, from the weekly collections to unique funds and donations, it will be available to you via Online Giving. Online donations may be made at any time from the comfort of your own home or any place with internet access. Online donations are credited to your tax statement for the end of the year (except when made anonymously), and you can change your account preferences and donation amounts at any time. Head on over to the website to register to become an online giver! Like us on Facebook at to keep up with events and view exclusive articles and updates. Little Flower invites you to join a HOLY HOUR NOVENA For the upcoming election and for our country. The Holy Hour will begin every 1st Friday of the month after the noon Mass on the following dates: NOVENA DAYS 1 st Novena Day Friday, April 1 2 nd Novena Day Friday, May 6 3 rd Novena Day Friday, June 3 4 th Novena Day Friday, July 1 5 th Novena Day Friday, August 5 6 th Novena Day Friday, September 2 7 th Novena Day Friday, October 7 8 th Novena Day Friday, November 4 9 th Novena Day Tuesday, November 8 th (Election Day) "We need to participate for the common good. Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern." - Pope Francis 20

21 Little Flower Carmelite Mass Association The Eucharist, as celebrated in Mass, was greatly valued by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, the patroness of our Province. In her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, St. Thérèse describes the joy she experienced upon receiving her First Communion, a joy that continued throughout her adult life as a Carmelite nun, serving as sacristan in her cloistered community. The Discalced Carmelite Friars would like to offer you the opportunity to enroll your family, friends and loved ones in the Little Flower Mass Association, named in honor of our beloved patroness. As a token of your love, we will send a Mass Certificate to the family member or friend whom you wish to receive the enrollment. This enrollment originates a process of prayer that culminates in the remembrance of the one enrolled into the Masses and prayers of Discalced Carmelite Friars at her National Shrine in San Antonio, Texas. Enrollment Benefits: Membership enrollment in the Mass Association is for one year and includes the following benefits: Remembrance in a sung Mass every Saturday in the chapel of our Carmelite Nuns and offering of the Eucharist at the Basilica as well as on the following days: Christmas Day, Solemnity of St. Joseph (March 19), Solemnity of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (July 16), Solemnity of St. Thérèse, the Little Flower (October 1), Solemnity of St. Teresa of Jesus (October 15), All Souls Day (November 2 for enrollees who have died). Remembrance in the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours by the Discalced Carmelite Friars..Enrollments are for both the living and the deceased Carmelite Mass Association Dear Discalced Carmelite Fathers, please enroll: [ ] Individual ($25 donation) [ ] Family ($50 donation) Person(s) enrolled [ ] Deceased [ ] Living [ ] Anniversary of Death [ ] Wedding Anniversary [ ] Birthday Mail certificate to: Address: City: State: Zip: Mail to: Rev. Fr. Luis Gerardo Belmonte-Luna, O.C.D. 824 Kentucky Ave. San Antonio, Texas

22 The Tomb Chapel The most consoling thought of the National Shrine of the Little Flower is the one that gratitude alone has built this beautiful edifice. The roses our Little Saint let fall so abundantly upon those who sought her help have inspired the erection of this Shrine of love. In this National Shrine is the TOMB CHAPEL of the Little Flower, a very sacred spot, wherein the walls are also lined with the names of the living and departed who shall forever be remembered in the prayers. This Tomb Chapel of St. Thérèse is exactly like the one at Lisieux where her blessed remains repose. So natural does her representation appear that all idea of death is lacking. It is a foretaste of the bliss which we see; the repose of a soul after the ecstasy of beholding God. Burn a vigil light for your prayer intentions in the Tomb Chapel of St. Thérèse at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower. Dear Discalced Carmelite Fathers, please accept my gift offering of: [ ] $3.00 to burn a vigil light in the Tomb Chapel of St. Thérèse. Name: Address: City: State: Zip: 22

23 Saint Thérèse Painting Perhaps the most treasured work of art at the Basilica is the painting of Saint Thérèse created by the saint s own natural blood sister, Celine (Sr. Geneviève of the Holy Face). The painting was a gift from the Discalced Carmelite Nuns from the convent of Carmel in Lisieux, France. Oral history states that the painting traveled to Rome for the event of Thérèse s canonization by Pope Pious XI at a ceremony on May 17, Prints are available for purchase at $40.00 (please add $10.00 for shipping fee) to include a certificate of authenticity. Prints are 20 x 26 and printed on high quality linen stock. Order Form Dear Carmelite Fathers, please send me a copy of the 20 x 26 print of Saint Thérèse. I m including my check of $ for print(s) plus $10.00 for shipping fee. Name: Address: City: State: Zip: My Novena Rose Prayer O Little Thérèse of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God today to grant the favor I now place with confidence in your hands (Mention specific requests). Saint Thérèse, help me to always believe as you did, in God s great love for me, so that I may imitate your Little Way each day. Amen. 23

24 APOSTOLATE OF THE LITTLE FLOWER P.O. Box 5280 San Antonio, Texas PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID SAN ANTONIO TEXAS ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 24