Pastor Weekly Message For May 9, 2021

Jesus is Lord!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Let me begin by wishing all our moms a happy Mother’s Day! Our mothers have such a big influence in our lives. My mom passed away when I was just 26 years old and even after all these years, there is still not a day that goes by when I don’t think of her or pray for her soul. The best way we can honor and thank our mothers is to  remember them in prayer. Please know that all the intentions of our Masses, offered by the priests this weekend,
are offered for all our mothers of our parish both living and deceased.

Another way that I like to honor the mothers of our parish each year, is to honor the Blessed Mother by singing “Our Lady of Knock.” The apparition of Our Lady of Knock in County Mayo in Ireland is reported to have occurred on the evening of August 21, 1879. Those who witnessed the miracle ranged in age from five years old to seventy- five.

The Roman Catholic Saints website describes the apparition as follows: “Our Lady was wearing a large, brilliant crown and clothed in white garments. On her right was Saint Joseph, his head inclined toward her and on her left Saint John the Evangelist. To the left of Saint John was an altar on which stood a cross and a lamb.” Standing only a few feet off the ground, the Blessed Virgin wore a white cloak and was described by witnesses as being incredibly beautiful. She wore a bright golden crown, and appeared to be praying with her eyes looking toward heaven with her arms bend in front of her with her palms facing inward.

Fifteen parishioners stood to witness the apparition for two hours as they recited the rosary. Although it was daylight when the apparition began, the weather turned for the worse and it began to rain heavily. The area around the apparition appeared unaffected, however, as the ground remained dry as long as the vision lasted. She did not speak, but the gable of the church where the manifestation was made was covered with a cloud of light.

Saint Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus, also wore white robes and stood on the Virgin’s right. He inclined his head respectfully toward the Blessed Virgin. Saint John the Evangelist wore a miter, and appeared to be preaching as he held a book in his left hand.

Since then, thousands of people have gone to Knock to pray to Our Lady. Their prayerful, penitential and reverential spirit has been commended again and again by visitors from other lands. No sign of commercialism detracts from the purely religious atmosphere of that hallowed spot. People from all walks of life kneel in humble supplication before the shrine of Our Lady, fully confident that she has sanctified that spot by her apparition.

Let us pray that Our Lady of Knock may obtain from her Divine Son, the riches of blessing for our moms this day.

In Jesus and Mary,

Father Jeff Kegley Pastor
Jesus is Lord!