Christ is risen, alleluia! We greet you during this joyous season. As always, we are most grateful for your prayers, friendship, and financial support. God provides for us through you; thank you for being His instrument!
Some of the Knights at the Holy Thursday ceremony
On Holy Thursday, each Knight made a one-year commitment to serve our Eucharistic King. This is both an exciting and tense time for our members. Within our modern culture today is a built-in fear of commitment. It always amazes me to watch the struggles and torment of the soul when a young man struggles to make this commitment; some leap into the way of life with both feet, while others step so gingerly. This is why we count on your prayers so heavily, that young men might have the courage to trust the promise made by our blessed Lord: “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands [here comes the hard part!], with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life” (Mark 10:30; emphasis added).
Our beloved foundress, Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, celebrated her 89th birthday on April 20. I have very fond memories of time spent with her. She made us feel so loved and appreciated. I especially loved the excitement she naturally created. When we were with Mother, there was never a dull moment. Now that I have been in community for 14 years, I can attribute my perseverance in part to the very important lesson that Mother would often teach us: She insisted that if we want to make the spiritual life easier to live, we need to live in the present moment at all times. This takes a profound trust in the good Lord, but has brought much peace to my soul and has deepened my conviction. Despite her physical limitations, she continues to live her vocation faithfully to the edification of us all. We are so grateful to God for her life of prayer, work, and suffering. May 20 marks 50 years since she came to the great state of Alabama. God is good! Please continue to remember Mother Angelica in your prayers.
In 1955 Pope Pius XII instituted the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, which is celebrated on May 1. When the Knights first arrived at the Shrine back in July 1998, St. Joseph the Worker was the first image selected to be painted on the door. The Knights spend their lives dedicated to work and prayer; therefore, St. Joseph is our role model. We encourage the Knights never to be idle, for an idle soul becomes the playground of the evil one. We look to St. Joseph to assist us in understanding the dignity of work and keeping it in balance with our interior life. St. Joseph was given the task to look after the Holy Family while performing manual labor. When young men enter our community, we teach them to work hard for the glory of God. We strive to carry out our daily tasks only for the love of God and His Holy Church.
