I recently had the joy of attending Palm Sunday Mass with my husband in Quebec City at the Basilica de Notre Dame, which is celebrating its 350th anniversary, “making it the oldest diocese north of the Spanish colonies in North America.” In commemoration of this anniversary, the diocese installed a Holy Door, which leads to a special chapel and prayer area. This Holy Door is intended to remind us that while there are thousands of passages in life, we are never without God in experiencing them. We are also never without one another, our family of faith. Listening to Mass entirely in French (which I do not understand) and then proceeding through the Holy Door, I was struck by the great comfort we feel as Catholics that anywhere in the world, whether we can speak the language or not, we can fully participate in the Mass and feel the union of our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is a very powerful feeling, to say the least.
I felt the same unity and comfort of being a member of a worldwide family of Christ when later that day I visited the shrine of St. Anne de Beaupré. There, I witnessed people from various countries venerating St. Anne and other saints in the grottos lining the cathedral. Without knowing what they were saying, I knew a little about each of them because I knew that their heart was with Christ. After our visit to the cathedral, we noticed a small office next to the bathrooms with signage that read “Bénédictions/Blessings.” Of course, always ready for a blessing, I waited for my turn to enter. Upon entering, I was greeted by a priest speaking very broken English. It was only his second day in Canada, having just arrived from the Congo. Despite our language barrier, I again was impressed by how comforting it was to say the Hail Mary followed by the Our Father together, although we spoke different languages. As I bowed my head for a blessing, I thanked God for allowing me to be a member of this glorious family of faith.
We began our 2024 Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA), One Faith, One Family, in March. Hopefully, many of you viewed the video message from Bishop Cote and found yourselves moved to contribute to the many ministries and programs that are supported by the ACA.
If you have not yet donated, please consider doing so either online at norwichdiocesedevelopment.org, or by phone, 860.886.1928. You may also mail your check made payable to the ACA to our new address, Annual Catholic Appeal, 331 Main St., Floor 2, Norwich, CT 06360.
“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially those who belong to the family of the faith.” (Gals 6:10)
On behalf of the mother seeking baby formula, the young adults discerning their call to the priesthood or religious life, the college student desiring a closer relationship with Christ, the elderly person needing care, the lost soul looking for spiritual guidance, the family searching for a strong Catholic education for their children or any of the other people who benefit from the ACA, I thank you for your kindness.
By Mary Ellen Mahoney