New Week, New Life

In our last post we mentioned Sister Annette Boccabello who was drawing near to the end of her time on this earth. In the first hours of Sunday morning Jesus Master came to lead her home. The Sisters who accompanied Sr. Annette Margaret wrote this account of her attitude towards death:
Sr. Annette had a great artistic eye. One of her favorite pictures, which hung on her wall, was that of Renoir’s painting entitled The Promenade. It is a picture of a young bride being led by the hand by her lover up a lighted path. “That’s what’s going to happen when I close my eyes to this life. Jesus will meet me and lead me into His home.” Now Jesus has come to take Sr. Annette Margaret up the light path of His love, leading her with infinite tenderness home.
As we pray for the repose of the soul of this Sister we also ask her to intercede for our needs. We begin a new week. Sister Annette Margaret Boccabello has already begun an eternal existence in the embrace of Jesus. We too are in his presence always. May we be always more aware of this loving presence.
One of the new editions from Pauline Books & Media can be a great source of stability and a reminder of God's presence even on the roller coaster ride of life's ups and downs. Courage in Chaos part of the Classics of Christian Wisdom series injects practical and tried suggestions on how to face difficulties with calm and strength. Taken from the writings of St. Francis De Sales, Courage in Chaos is a great little companion for our spiritual journey.

Great News!

In the photo: Sr. Sylwia & Sr. Emily

Today in our Provincialate Chapel, Sister Emily Marsh becomes a professed member of the Daughters of St. Paul. A year ago as a novice, Sister Emily was here in Philadelphia working alongside of us perpetually professed Daughters of St. Paul. We congratulate Sister Emily as she pronounces her first vows as a Pauline Sister. Her co-novice, Sister Sylwia will return to Poland tomorrow. Sister Sylvia will pronounce her vows in her home country on February 5th. Beside being the anniversary of the death of Mother Thecla, our Co-Foundress, this year Feb. 5th is the world day of prayer for Consecrated Life. (This commemoration falls on or near the Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple. In some places it is called Candlemas Day.)

Tomorrow we Philadelphia Daughters of St. Paul will hold a Pauline Book & Media Fair in the Library of St. Agnes School in West Chester, PA. after all the morning Masses. The Book Fair is a fitting way to begin Catholic Schools Week as well as a great means of bringing some of the best in Catholic reading to young people. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow! Blessings on your weekend!

Christmas

Merry Christmas to all our readers and visitors. We thank God for all the graces of this beautiful season. We ask Jesus, who came to us as an Infant in a poor stable, to bless and reward all of you who follow and support our mission of media evangelization.
Here is a prayer to ask for unfailing hope:
A Prayer for Unfailing Hope

Lord Jesus, you see my entire life:
past, present, and future.
You know my thoughts and feelings.
You see how hard life can be,
how unfair it can seem at times.
In all the confusion, one thing is certain—
your love for me never changes.
I place all my hope in You.
You embrace me as I am.
You walk with me and guide me.
Help me to recognize Your presence
and to follow where you lead with trust.
You desire only the greatest good for me;
You are on my side.
I place all my hope in You.
Help me to know how much
you want to be part of my life.
Widen the limits of my heart
to make room for You
and through You for others.
You are God, my Savior.
I place all my hope in You.

Blessing: “May the God of hope fill us
with all joy and peace in believing,
so that we might abound in hope by
the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom 15:13).

To practice: Read a passage from the New
Testament daily.

www.pauline.org

www.mydiscoverhope.org
© Daughters of St. Paul

Christmas Novena

A tradition among us Daughters of St. Paul is singing and praying a special Novena in preparation for Christmas. The antiphons (used at the Alleluia of each Mass in the 8 days prior to Christmas) form the basis for each day of the Novena. We promise to remember all our blog readers' intentions in our prayers.

Today and tomorrow we will be at St. Martin of Tours Parish on Roosevelt Boulevard. On Tuesday we will be at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center.

Our prayers and best wishes to all for a very Blessed Christmas!

The Passing of a Media Apostle and More

This week the universal Church, and especially the Church in Philadelphia has lost a media apostle, John Cardinal Foley. Cardinal Foley spent the major part of his life serving the Church and the people of God as a journalist, television commentator, and head of communications for the Vatican. May Cardinal Foley rest in peace and intercede for all of us as we evangelize with today's media. His authentic Christianity, his ready smile and good humor, and his expertise in media evangelization modeled a way for us to follow. Please visit the Philadelphia Archdiocesan website for more information on Cardinal John Patrick Foley. http://archphila.org/press%20releases/pr001880.htm

Saturday, December 17, we'll be at St. Richard's School hall in South Philadelphia from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM. It is our 2nd annual Birthday Party for Baby Jesus at St. Richard's located at 18th and Pollack. With a lovely backdrop, costumes and the centerpiece of it all--Baby Jesus--children and their families may take their pictures with "Baby Jesus." For some families the Baby Jesus Party has become part of their yearly Christmas/Advent celebrations. Of course, there will be a display available of Pauline Books and Media for Christmas gift giving.

On Saturday afternoon, and on Sunday, December 18, we will be at St. Martin of Tours Parish on Roosevelt Boulevard. We will have a book and media display at all the Masses with books and materials in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
On Tuesday December 20, from 10:00 until 2:00, we will bring a book and media display to the auditorium space at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center at 222 N. 17th Street.
We look forward to seeing you at any of these locations.

Dec. 10th and 11th

On this weekend of the Joyful Third Sunday of Advent we will be holding a book and media display at Christ the King Church in Northeast Philadelphia. The books will be in the hallway between the church and the school building. Masses at Christ the King Parish located at Morrell Ave. and Chesterfield Road are at 5:00 PM Saturday evening (tonight); and on Sunday at 8:00, 10:00 and 12:00. We look forward to seeing you this weekend!
To view our Advent newsletter please click on this link:
https://www.cvent.com/e.aspx?3C,E1,a63f8aeb-fdc6-4935-adc9-8d4e3e1873e1
To see information on Christ the King Church, check out the parish website:
http://christthekingparish.net/

Dec. 8 at the Cathedral

This evening, Dec. 7, and tomorrow, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, we will hold a display of books and media at the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Center City Philadelphia. See you there!