mary's shrine

MARY’S SHRINEVolume 77, No. 2 Fall/Winter 2016

Our Lady of La Vang

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Mary’s ShrineBy Reverend Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, J.C.L.

M a r y ’s S h r i n e v F a l l / W i n t e r 2 0 1 6

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"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." These sentiments expressed by Pope Francis as he opened the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy on December 8, 2015, summarize the purpose of the Holy Door of Mercy, as well as this grace filled year which will come to a conclusion on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe on November 20, 2016. The gift of the Jubilee Year reminds us that we are all in need of the Father's mercy and "experience the love of God who consoles, pardons, and instills hope" (Misericordiae Vultus, 3).

During the course of a year, Mary's Shrine welcomes nearly one million visitors. Most of our guests join us on weekends and it is then when I see individuals availing themselves of the Jubilee Year gift of

the Holy Door of Mercy. Located in the narthex of the Upper Church, the National Holy Door of Mercy, which originally served as the Holy Door for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, was opened, as Pope Francis opened the Door of Mercy at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. It is truly a support to my own faith as I see individuals and families pause at the threshold of the Door of Mercy. Many hold on to the cross attached to the doors, some pass on their knees, others walk with rosaries clenched in their hands. How inspiring it is to witness individuals with tears in their eyes as they utter their silent prayer to the Merciful Father.

During the course of a day we walk through so many doors without giving it a second thought and usually without tears in our eyes. The doors of our homes, offices, schools, churches, and countless other locations serve as the entry to so many aspects of our life that without passing through the door, our life would be stagnant, unprofitable, and limited.

Passing through the Door of Mercy here at Mary's Shrine or in basilicas, cathedrals, and other churches of special significance throughout the world, opens the way for an outpouring of grace and new life, as the faithful who cross this threshold of mercy encounter the Merciful Father who "consoles, pardons and instills hope."

Walking through the Holy Door is the first step along the path of mercy. It is, as Pope Francis tells us, "the door of the encounter between humanity's

pain and God's compassion" (Audience Address, August 10, 2016). In order to obtain the Jubilee Indulgence one also needs to encounter the Mercy of God in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion and pray for the intentions of our Holy Father, Pope Francis.

Passing through the Door of Mercy is not meant to be a fleeting moment in our spiritual life, it is meant to be a transforming juncture in which we are interiorly changed. The Door of Mercy is the entrance, the conditions associated with the indulgence are the spiritual works, and the graces received in performing all of these works form the “umbrella of God’s mercy” through which our Christian existence should develop assisting us to "behave as a child of God" as Saint Josemaría Escrivá tells us (Christ is Passing By, p. 16).

The Jubilee Year will end, the physical doors of Mercy will close, but the path of Mercy, the life of union with the Merciful Father will never cease. It is our task to continually reach out for the tender embrace of the Merciful Father so that we will feel "His presence at our side and His closeness especially in moments of greatest need" (Pope Francis, Audience Address, December 9, 2015).

The embodiment of the Father’s Mercy is best seen in the Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave life to Mercy itself. Our Lady's Song of Praise, her Magnificat, proclaims the Father's Mercy “in every generation.” Mary is our model. Like her, we are to open the doors of our hearts to God's merciful presence.

As we continue in these final days of this Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, let us employ the wise counsel of the Venerable Francois-Marie-Paul Libermann, the 19th century founder of the Congregation of the Holy Ghost: “Commend yourself sincerely to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Beseech our good Mother to intercede for you. She is all powerful, and all goodness; she does not know how to refuse us, and God our Lord grants her everything she asks for us” (Spiritual Letters, December 13, 1845).

May Mary Immaculate, the Mother of Mercy, intercede for our every need before the Merciful Father. May she open our hearts to his merciful presence and help us to walk ardently in the ways of her Son, the “Face of the Father’s Mercy.” ❦

The Holy Door of Mercy

Reverencing the Holy Door Cross

Jubilee Year of Mercy


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Since the opening of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the faithful have flocked to Mary’s Shrine to avail

themselves to the opportunity of obtaining a special plenary indulgence by making a pilgrimage to and passing through the National Holy Door of Mercy and fulfilling the customary conditions of sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion, and prayer in keeping with the intentions of the Holy Father.

In addition to its regular schedule of Masses and confession, the National Shrine has offered the faithful further opportunities to deepen their faith and more actively participate in the Year of Mercy.

40 Hours Devotion

On the Friday and Saturday preceding the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis called for “a moment of intense prayer…to enable people to touch the grandeur of God’s mercy” (MV, 17). He called this “moment” 24 Hours for the Lord.

“In response to the Holy Father’s request,” Monsignor Rossi, Rector of the Basilica, said, “we begin not 24 but 48 Hours for the Lord” as he welcomed the faithful to the Opening Mass of the National Shrine’s observance of Pope Francis’ initiative during the Year of Mercy. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, celebrated the Opening Mass at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 3, after which 40 Hours Devotion commenced. The National Shrine remained open night and day as the faithful spent time in Adoration before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

The National Shrine’s 40 Hours Devotion and 48 Hours for the Lord concluded with a Closing Mass held at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 5. Bishop Paul S. Loverde of the Diocese of Arlington was the principal celebrant and homilist of the Mass which concluded with a Solemn Eucharistic Procession and Benediction in the Basilica’s Great Upper Church.

Speaker Series

A special speaker series has been underway since the opening of this Jubilee Year. Focusing on mercy and the works of mercy, topics and speakers have included: "Visiting the Sick as a Work of Mercy" by Rev. Msgr. Brian Bransfield, General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; "Mary, Leading Us to Comfort the Sorrowful" by Rev. Brian Schloth, M.S., Master of Novices of the Missionaries of La Salette; "Saint Thomas Aquinas on Charity and Creative Mercy" by Rev. Thomas Petri, O.P., Vice President and Academic Dean of the Dominican House of Studies; "Deepening God’s Gift of Faith" by Archbishop Emeritus James P. Kelleher of Kansas City, Kansas; "Visiting the Imprisoned" by Sr. Helen Prejean, Author of Dead Man Walking; and "A Reflection on the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia" by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington. These reflections and others from the Year of Mercy are available for viewing on the National Shrine’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/marysshrine.

Through Christ the King

The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy continues through November 20, 2016, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. If you have not yet done so, there is still time to make the most of this Year of Mercy. Mary’s Shrine is open seven days a week and offers six Masses and five hours of Confession daily. We invite you to come, pray, pass through the National Holy Door, and experience the Father’s Mercy. For more information on the Year of Mercy at Mary’s Shrine, please visit www.nationalshrine.com/yearofmercy. ❦

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament

Sister Helen Prejean

Passing through the Holy Door

Solemn Eucharistic Procession


On July 4, 2016, 1500 of the faithful filled

the Great Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the Closing Mass of the fifth Annual Fortnight for Freedom. The Fortnight for Freedom is a fourteen-day period of prayer, study, catechesis, and public action called for by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) for the protection of religious liberty.

The theme for the 2016 Fortnight for Freedom was “Witnesses to Freedom.” Appropriately, the Closing Mass featured witnesses to freedom, both past and present.

Relics of Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More were present at the Closing Mass and available for veneration afterward. Both saints were witnesses to freedom to the point of martyrdom, beheaded in 1535 for refusing to assent to King Henry VIII’s declaration of himself as head of the Church of England.

Present day witnesses to freedom at the Fortnight’s Closing Mass included the Little Sisters of the Poor. Their case before the Supreme Court challenged the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that forced Catholic institutions to provide health insurance coverage for abortions, contraceptives and sterilization, all of which are against Church teaching, thereby violating religious freedom and conscience rights.

Indeed, all present at the Closing Mass of the Fortnight were witnesses to freedom. Welcoming them, Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, Rector of the National Shrine, remarked, “you fill this great Basilica in testimony that freedom to live our lives according to our faith is fundamental to the life of believers.”

Monsignor Rossi also acknowledged the “voices for the protection of conscience and religious freedom with us” to include Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, the principal celebrant of the Mass; Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, homilist of the

Mass; Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, Chairman of the USCCB’s Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty; Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Military Services, USA; and Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the new Apostolic Nuncio to the United States; among other concelebrating bishops and priests.

In his homily, Bishop Zubik referred to footnotes in term papers as essential to strengthening the message and documenting the truth: “Saint John the Baptist, Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Saint Thomas More, Saint John Fisher, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Saint Maximillian Kolbe…they were footnotes, they were witnesses!”

Addressing the faithful present in the Basilica and those participating in the Closing Mass of the Fortnight for Freedom via television, radio and the internet, Bishop Zubik exclaimed, “We are called to be footnotes…living signs of the ultimate truth—Jesus Christ!” ❦

Fortnight for Freedom 2016

Mary's Shrine welcomes witnesses to freedom.

Bishop Zubik delivers the homily.

The relics of Saint John Fisher and Saint Thomas More.

Cardinal Wuerl greets the Little Sisters of the Poor.


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Nearly a century in the making, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception has

been a work in progress since the laying of its foundation stone in 1920. This great Marian shrine, dedicated to the patroness of the United States, is a testament to the faith and generosity of generations of American Catholics.

Now, as the 100th Anniversary approaches, a monumental effort is underway to complete America’s Catholic Church, according to its original plan, with the ornamentation of what will be the crowning jewel of Mary’s Shrine, the Trinity Dome.

According to the original iconographic scheme, the Trinity Dome will be adorned in mosaic and depict the Most Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a procession of saints. The Nicene Creed will encircle the dome, while the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, will be featured in the Dome’s pendentives.

The Trinity Dome is the central and largest dome of the Basilica, five times the size of the Incarnation and Redemption Domes. Consequently, the Trinity Dome will be five times as expensive to ornament. To this end, $20 million is needed to complete the Trinity Dome in advance of the celebration of the National Shrine’s 100th anniversary in 2020.

To assist in this project, the Bishops of the United States have approved a one-time second collection to be taken up in parishes across the nation on Mother’s Day 2017. In addition, the National Shrine reaches out directly to

Trinity Dome: The Crowning JewelPope Francis blesses the first segment of mosaic that will adorn the Trinity Dome, the crowning jewel of Mary's Shrine.

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The unadorned Trinity Dome awaits mosaic ornamentation.


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you, asking for your prayers and your financial support.

In this regard, on September 23, 2016, the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ visit to

the Basilica during which he blessed the first segment of

mosaic that will adorn the Trinity Dome,

the National Shrine will kick off its fundraising efforts for this massive undertaking.

Individuals and families are invited to continue the

legacy of their ancestors, not

only by entrusting themselves to the

Mother of God, but by also supporting this great

endeavor to bestow the crowning jewel of the Trinity Dome upon Mary’s

Shrine.

For more information on the Trinity Dome and how you can help, please visit our special website beginning September 23, 2016, at www.trinitydome.org. ❦

Mary, Help of Christians

The year 2016 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the dedication of the Chapel of Mary, Help of Christians,

in the National Shrine. Though the actual date of dedication of the chapel was May 1, 1966, the celebration of the 50th Anniversary Mass on May 22, 2016—the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity and two days before the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians—was providential.

In his homily, Father Timothy Zak, S.D.B., the Vice Provincial of the Salesian Province of Saint Philip the Apostle and principal celebrant of the Mass, said of Mary, Help of Christians, “Chosen by God, she is daughter, mother, and spouse…She is a model and a help for us to live full of grace, in intimate relationship with the one true God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

Located in the southwest transept of the Great Upper Church, the chapel is a gift of the Salesians of Don Bosco and the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians. Following Mass, the Salesian family and the faithful were led in procession to the chapel where they joined in a Prayer of Entrustment to Mary, Help of Christians.

Addressing those gathered for the fiftieth anniversary, Monsignor Walter Rossi, the Rector of the National Shrine, said, “As we seek the intercession of Mary, Help of Christians, and raise our voices in praise of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, may Don Bosco pray with us that Our Lady will always be our help, our safeguard on earth, and lead us to the fullness of life in heaven.”

Our Lady of La Vang

Vietnamese Americans from across the United States journeyed on pilgrimage to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on July 23, 2016, to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Chapel of Our Lady of La Vang.

The chapel, located on the Crypt level of the Basilica, was dedicated by Vietnamese Americans in 2006 as a sign of their devotion to the Blessed Mother who appeared many times to the faithful during the great religious persecution of the 18th century in Vietnam. The chapel is also dedicated to the memory of the Vietnamese Martyrs and it serves as an

Chapel Anniversaries


expression of gratitude to the United States for accepting so many Vietnamese refugees.

Monsignor Joseph Trinh, President of the Federation of Vietnamese Catholics, was the principal celebrant of the Tenth Anniversary Mass. Celebrated in Vietnamese, the Mass also included traditional sacred dance.

Invoking the intercession of Our Lady of La Vang as Mass began, Monsignor Walter Rossi, Rector of the Basilica, prayed, “May Our Lady shine her merciful eyes toward each of you and may her words during the Apparitions at La Vang be realized in this great Marian Shrine: ‘Have trust. All who come to pray to me in this spot will see their wishes fulfilled.’” ❦

Upcoming Pilgrimages to Mary’s Shrine

Celebrating the tenth anniversary of Our Lady of La Vang

Monsignor Rossi and Father Zak in Mary, Help of Christians Chapel

September 10 Indian American Catholic Association

September 11 Croatian Catholic Pilgrimage

September 24 Diocese of Rockville Centre

October 1 Diocese of Camden

October 8 Diocese of Pittsburgh

October 9 Lithuanian Catholic Pilgrimage/ 50th Anniversary of Our Lady of Siluva Chapel

October 15 Archdiocese of New York

October 20 Diocese of Allentown

October 22 Archdiocese of Newark

October 29 Diocese of Brooklyn

November 5 Diocese of Bridgeport

November 12 Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown

November 19 Diocese of Metuchen

December 3 Haitian Catholic Community Pilgrimage

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The National Shrine was pleased to present its 2016 Charity and Social Service Honors to select students and

schools in recognition of their outstanding corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Chosen from worthy nominations received from dioceses across the United States, the honorees were as follows: Annie Dempsey from the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Stephanie Kaminiski from the Diocese of Grand Rapids; Mark Vogt from the Archdiocese of Louisville; St. Benedict at Auburndale High School

Charity & Social Service Honors


Global Rosary Relay for PriestsThe National Shrine once again participated in the Annual Global Rosary Relay for Priests held on June 3, 2016, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, also designated as World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests. Mary’s Shrine was one of 85 Shrines from 47 different countries around the globe to join this international effort to encircle the world in prayers of thanksgiving and petition for priests during this 24-hour period.

Beginning at 00:00 GMT (Greenwich Mean Time), the Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, and Luminous Mysteries were prayed in continuous succession through the Rosary Relay’s conclusion at 24:00 GMT. The faithful at each participating Shrine prayed an assigned set of mysteries at an assigned time, imploring the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of all priests, for her priestly sons.

Father Michael Weston, the Basilica’s Director of Liturgy, led the faithful in praying the National

from the Diocese of Memphis, represented by Kate Dudek; and Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School’s Haiti Club from the Diocese of Richmond, represented by MacKenzie Doughty.

Their works of mercy included helping people with disabilities, burying the dead, feeding, clothing and giving shelter to the poor, caring for orphans, and protecting the lives of the unborn. Videos of their charity and social service may be viewed on the National Shrine’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/marysshrine. ❦

2016 Charity and Social Service Honorees are recognized for their outstanding works of mercy.

Shrine's “leg” of the Rosary, the Sorrowful Mysteries, at 17:45 GMT immediately following the 5:15 p.m. Mass.

Next year's Global Rosary Relay for Priests is scheduled for June 23, 2017. ❦

Global Rosary Relay prayed by priests and the laity

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MOTHER ANGELICA

Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, a Poor Clare of Perpetual Adoration and the foundress of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), entered into eternal life, as God’s providence would have it, on Easter Sunday 2016.

Affectionately known worldwide by those whose lives she touched through the means of mass communication, Mother Angelica founded the first Roman Catholic satellite cable network in 1981 from the humblest of beginnings in Irondale, Alabama. Today, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world, transmitting programming via television, radio, short wave radio, and the internet to more than 144 countries.

At a Memorial Mass celebrated on the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Monsignor Rossi, Rector of the Basilica, said, “we owe a debt of gratitude to Mother Angelica, not only for her evangelical and catechetical efforts through the communications media, but also for the great service she provided to Mary’s Shrine.”

Father Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA, EWTN’s Chaplain and the principal celebrant and homilist of the Memorial Mass, spoke of how transformative the collaboration between Mother Angelica and the National Shrine was.

“Regular broadcasts,” he said, made the Shrine “what its founders intended it to be—the Patronal church of the nation…known throughout the country in a way that was not possible before the EWTN partnership.” He added, “For the network, the Shrine enabled EWTN to be seen

IN MEMORIAM


as the preeminent place to turn for the most important Catholic events in the life of the Church.”

More importantly, however, Father Joseph spoke of “the door of faith” opened to so many people throughout the world, marveling at “what God has done through a little nun in, of all places, Alabama.”

Calling Mother Angelica “a pioneer of the New Evangelization,” Monsignor Rossi prayed, “May Mother Angelica now receive the reward of her labors in service to the Eternal Word,” and “intercede for us as we continue our own pilgrimage through life.” ❦

Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA Foundress of the Eternal Word Television Network

1923 - 2016

EWTN's Chaplain, Father Joseph Mary Wolfe, MFVA, is welcomed by Monsignor Rossi

Father Joseph remembers Mother Angelica

Upcoming Basilica Broadcasts on EWTN (All times Eastern)

September 11 Mass of Thanksgiving for the Canonization of Saint Teresa of Calcutta 12:00 noon

September 17150th Anniversary of the Entrustment of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the Redemptorists

2:00 pm

November 1 The Solemn Mass of All Saints 12:00 noonNovember 20 Closing Mass of the Year of Mercy and Dedication of the Statue of St. Junipero Serra 12:00 noonDecember 8 The Solemn Mass of the Immaculate Conception 12:00 noonDecember 24 Choral Meditations/Solemn Mass of Christmas Eve 10:00 pmDecember 25 Solemn Mass of Christmas 12:00 noonDecember 25 Spanish Christmas Mass 2:30 pmJanuary 26 National Prayer Vigil for Life Opening Mass 5:30 pmJanuary 27 National Prayer Vigil for Life Closing Mass 7:30 amJanuary 31 CUA Mass in Honor of Saint Thomas Aquinas 12:10 pm


EWTN

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Of Holy Memory: Relics of the Passion of the Christ

Geraldine M. Rohling, Ph.D., M.A.EdArchivist-Curator


There is an old saying among the rabbis: “To remember is to give life.” The narration and recalling of memories

is essential to both the human and the faith experiences. Each year during Triduum we participate in a storied observance of our salvation. Like the Passover celebration of our Jewish ancestors, we tell and re-tell stories of faith, tradition, and heritage; we remember God’s salvation to us, to our forebears, and that which is promised to our descendants. Sacred Scripture is the basis for all that we believe and all that we celebrate; it forms us, instructs us, and most importantly, defines us. Sacred Scripture is our official shared memory.

Individuals are initiated into the faith community, in part, through the acceptance of Sacred Scripture. This is most eloquently expressed in the Rite of Acceptance, the first of the “threshold rites” for the initiation of adults into the Catholic Church. The “inquirers,” welcomed publicly and officially, become Catechumens. They are marked with the sign of the Cross and they are given a personal copy of Sacred Scripture to be read during the period of preparation and throughout their pilgrimage as a Christian.

In biblical narratives we are told that “remembering” is central to the faith. Never is this more relevant than at the celebration of his last Passover meal when Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me.” Thus, Eucharist is the source and summit of the life of the Church (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 10). This does not exclude however, popular pious practices, the simple and heartfelt “expression of a profound faith” (Pope Francis, 12 July 2015). One of the earliest known forms of popular piety — perhaps the first — is the veneration of relics.

A relic is a particle of the physical “remains” of a holy person (Latin, reliquiae, pl.). It can also be a particle of an object owned or used by that person; something that came into close contact

with that person such as garments or articles of clothing. In the case of a martyr, it includes the instruments of their torment and death.

The relics of the passion, death, and burial of Jesus are the “first” relics of the Church. They are “the most precious evidence of the Passion or Our Lord,” (Amalric I, Christian king of Jerusalem, 12th C) and are the most esteemed and venerated of all relics. The desire to walk the paths that Jesus had trod in his life, to touch the objects of his passion and death, and to offer canticles of praise and thanksgiving at the site of the Holy Sepulchre, the empty tomb, were the catalyst for the pilgrimage practice.

The earliest extant written account of a Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem is that of Egeria, a woman, possibly a nun, who lived in Galicia (modern day Spain), the western part of the Roman Empire, during the fourth century. In her journal, Egeria tells of Holy Week rituals that included the reading of selections from the Passion narrative and other appropriate portions of Scripture, the singing of psalms, the recitation of prayers at each station, and the veneration of the relics of Our Lord. The following excerpt tells of an open air service on Good Friday, in the afternoon, at Golgotha (Calvary).

Then a chair is placed for the bishop in Golgotha behind the Cross, which is now standing; the bishop duly takes his seat in the chair, and a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him … a silver-gilt casket is brought in which is the holy wood of the Cross … both the wood of the Cross and the title are [taken out and] placed upon the table…. the bishop, as he sits, holds the extremities of the sacred wood firmly in his hands … [the] faithful and catechumens come one by one … [they bow

and] touch the Cross and the title, first with their foreheads and then with their eyes; then they kiss the Cross. (Translation by M. L. McClure and C. L. Feltoe, 1919).

Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Fractio panis


Veneration of the Cross was a physical, tangible act of remembrance. Pressing the forehead to the wood of the cross signified the binding of the death of Christ to the memory of the individual and to the community. It was a public witness to a holy memory that transcended time. The profundity of the moment exceeds human comprehension; it can only be understood in “Spirit and truth” (John 4: 24).

In his final hours, Jesus promised his followers a divine Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Not only would the Spirit of God teach them, but the Spirit would also remind them of all that Jesus had taught them. “I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you” (John 14: 25-26). The Spirit of God is the bearer of holy memory, a storyteller. The Spirit calls us to remember who we are and what we believe. It is the Spirit of God that calls us to holy remembrance. A ceramic medallion of the Holy Spirit and the four evangelists hovers above the main altar in the Crypt Church.

The veneration of relics, as stipulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), is an acceptable form of devotion and piety. Veneration of relics, visits to shrines, pilgrimages, processions, and the Stations of the Cross are forms of piety in which religious belief finds a form of expression that surrounds the sacramental life of the Church (CCC, 1674). These expressions of piety extend the liturgical life of the Church but do not replace it. Derived from the liturgy, they are to “harmonize with the liturgical seasons” and lead the faithful back to the liturgy (CCC, 1675).

The National Shrine is a pilgrimage church and as such, it maintains a treasury of relics and reliquaries, which include those of Jesus Christ and of his Passion: Table of the Lord’s Supper; Stone from the Garden of Gethsemane; Scourging

Pillar; Purple Garment; Crown of Thorns; Stone from Golgotha (Calvary); Seamless White Tunic; shavings of the Spike or Nails; Sponge filled with vinegar (sour wine) and the Reed; the Lance; Burial Cloths and Bindings; Stone from the Holy Sepulchre; and the True Cross. The National Shrine also preserves relics of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the women who stood with her at the foot of the Cross: Mary of Magdala, Mary, wife of Clopas, sister of the Blessed Mother. In addition, relics of the Apostles and Saint Paul are also preserved.

In summation then, consider the following account of Saint Gertrude the Great, on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. “As the saint ardently desired to have some relics of the wood of the Cross, that our Lord might look on her with more love, He said to her: ‘If you desire to have relics which will draw my Heart into yours, read My Passion, and meditate attentively on every word contained therein, and it will be to you a true relic, which will merit more grace for you than any other; and if you are not persuaded of this … Remember what I did or said for you … thence you may know and be assured that the words which I uttered when on earth are the most precious relics which you can possess.’” (The Life and Revelations of Saint Gertrude, 1865, p. 460).

The relics of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are links to a holy memory; a threshold to a spiritual encounter within the Word of God. To the faithful, to those who meditate on the Word of God, a relic is as flint on stone, igniting the faith.

In the early Church, the veneration of the relics of the suffering and death of Our Lord was central to the observances of Holy Week and the practice of pilgrimage. On Good Friday, 14 April 2017, the National Shrine will observe Exposition of the Relics of the Passion of Our Lord 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Crypt Church. The faithful are invited to come, to venerate the holy relics, and to spend time in holy meditation of Sacred Scripture. ❦

* All of the images in this article are works of art found in the Crypt Church, the heart of the National Shrine. They draw upon Sacred Scripture and the writings of the early Church. Photographs by Geraldine M. Rohling

God the Holy Spirit

Jesus is laid in the tomb

Jesus dies on the Cross


There is an ancient belief that when pious people sit and tell holy stories, God comes to listen. (cf. Malachi 3:16). Pious

stories were an important means of communicating faith and spirituality. Even today, they have an appeal and a talent that is without equal.

The wood of the True Cross is one of the oldest Christian relics. When the news of this “find” had spread, the questions began. What type of tree was it? From where did it come? How did the tree grow? Who cut it down? Was the tree cursed? In an effort to answer these and many other questions, pious stories and songs began to wind their way into the catechesis of the faithful. The most popular were based on the story of the “Expulsion from Eden” (cf. Genesis 3) and the apocryphal years that followed.

In the waning days of his life, it was said that Adam called his son Seth (“another offspring in place of Abel,” Genesis 4: 25) to his side, asking him to go to the gates of the Garden of Eden and beg the LORD for drops of the oil of mercy, which had been distilled from the Tree of life. Seth found his way to the gates by following the footprints of his parents, as no grass had grown in those spots since they were banished. Upon his arrival at the gates, Michael the Archangel approached and told Seth that he could not receive this oil until 5,500 years had passed, at which time the merciful Son of God would come to earth to save all who had died. This number referred to the number of years from the creation of Adam to the birth of Jesus. The basis for this calculation is heard in the Christmas Proclamation, The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, from the Roman Martyrology. It draws upon events in Sacred Scripture and the world to calculate the birth of Jesus.

So Michael gave Seth three seeds from the tree of mercy (Tree of Knowledge). When Adam died, Seth placed the seeds beneath the tongue of his father before burying him. From these three seeds sprang a “trinity of trees” united in one trunk but of three separate woods: cedar, cy-press, and pine. It is said that Moses cut his rod from this tree and David composed his psalms beneath its boughs. Solomon used the wood in the Temple before cutting down the tree and

burying it where the pool of Bethesda was dug in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate. There, the guard-ian angel of the tree would trouble the waters at certain times of the year and those who dipped into the waters were cured (cf. John 5: 1-9). As the days of the passion of Jesus drew nigh, the wood floated to the surface of the pool. It was from this timber that the sol-diers made the Cross. After the crucifixion, the Cross was buried on or near Golgotha, as was the custom, until the days of Saint Helena.

It is this account of which we sing on Good Friday: “Eating of the tree forbidden, man had sunk in Satan's snare, when our pitying Creator did this second tree prepare; destined, many ages later, that first evil to repair.”

Tucked away in the Great Upper Church the three works of art shown here look to Genesis 3, the “new Eve,” and the “second tree” for their inspiration. ❦

Behold the WoodGeraldine M. Rohling, Ph.D., M.A.Ed

Archivist-Curator

Tree of Life

Expulsion from Eden

First Sorrowful Mystery Chapel



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Members of the 1909 Society generously provide financial resources to maintain the National Shrine throughout the year and in perpetuity, in loving and everlasting tribute to Mary Immaculate.

Founded in 2009, the 1909 Society commemorates the generosity of a humble priest by the name of Abbé Aboulin whose devotion to the Blessed Mother moved him to give the founding gift of $1000 toward the creation of a National Shrine dedicated to Mary. Today we welcome our newest members of the 1909 Society and thank those existing members who have most recently renewed their support. For more information, please visit www.nationalshrine.com/1909Society. ❦

1909 Society Recognitions


Hon. Donnald K. Anderson, K.G.C.H.S. Colonel (R) and Mrs. Stephen Bahr Mr. Harry K. Ballantyne Mr. Charles Bartola Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Bolan Mr. and Mrs. Darrell and Nora Borne Mr. Harry Burke Maria M. Cabello, M.D. Mrs. Suzanne Cobb Mr. and Mrs. Gerald and Nida Fe Bitoin Curran Mr. and Mrs. Ignacio and Amelia Dionisio Mr. and Mrs. Michael and Janet Effron Mr. Philipp Ehrman Mr. Frank J. Ewasyshyn Mrs. Helen Q. Garza Mr. and Mrs. Gregory J. Hamer, Sr. Col. & Mrs. Michael J. Healy, USAF Ret. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Heim Mrs. Helen Huber Ms. Mary A. Jaggard Ms. Kathleen Keenan Ms. Mary Pat Kenlon Dan and Rita Kernaghan Ms. Virginia M. Kott Mr. Lawrence E. Koziarz Mr. and Mrs. Lou and Denise Kratz Mr. and Mrs. Dan Krumenaker Mr. Stephen Kupka Mr. and Mrs. Kevin G. and Suzanne S. Levy Mr. Frank Liebsch James and Bernice Lindley Mrs. M. Eleanore Maguire Diamond Kenneth Abremski & Mary Jeannette Christopher Mucha & Maureen Campbell Sally and Patrick McAleer In Memory of Lillian & Martin Branham

Mrs. Lorraine M. McGlynn McGonigle Family Senator Michael McLachlan Mr. Joseph Molloy Dr. and Mrs. W. David Montgomery Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Mueller Ms. Theresa M. Newman Ms. Marie B. Oben Colonel Julius D. Pantalone, USA Ret. Mr. Vincent A. Parise Mr. Steven L. Payne Mr. and Mrs. Arnold L. Powell Mr. Peter A. Richardson Mr. Paul G. Romanek Mr. and Mrs. Warren L. Rose Mr. Gaspar A. Sacco Mr. and Mrs. James N. Schneider Ms. Letizia Scotto Mrs. Mary Silcott Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and Anna Spiak Mr. Jerome E. Stauber Ms. Deborah L. Stevens Mr. James J. Stone Mr. and Mrs. Jay and Holly Straight Ms. Mary Ann Sullivan David F. Sullivan Ms. Barbara Swanson Janice M. Swavy Mrs. Margaret J. Trone Dr. Tom Wallace Mr. Richard F. Walsh Mr. and Mrs. Scott Watkins Mrs. Alma Wentworth Mrs. Irene Zurine Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Zwierko

as of August 1, 2016


GIFTS from

MARY’S SHRINEHoly Mass Crucifix Rosaries Once blessed by a priest, the Apostolic Blessings and Indulgences of Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI will be imparted. Each box contains an explanation on the symbols and significance of the Holy Mass Crucifix. Made in the USA.

845 Red 8mm Glass and Pearl Holy Mass Rosary $64.95

846 Ivory 7mm Pearl Holy Mass Rosary $59.95

847 Blue 8mm Glass and Pearl Holy Mass Rosary $64.95

Heavenly Protectors StatuesBeautifully detailed and crafted of resin, these statues feature a prayer in the rich gold base drawer. Wonderful gifts for family and friends.

848 Holy Family 10” $89.95 849 Our Lady of Grace 10” $49.95 850 Madonna and Child 7” $39.95

Miraculous Medal Collection A beautiful blue enamel Miraculous Medal adorns each of these handmade items. Wear them as a reminder of the abundant Graces Our Lady has promised us. Gift Boxed.

852 Sterling Silver Miraculous Medal Necklace 18” $59.95

853 7mm Glass Bead Rosary with Miraculous Medal set in rhodium $59.95

854 Adjustable Bangle Bracelet with Miraculous Medal Charm $29.95

Hand Painted Holy Family Icon A true heirloom, this sweet and tender wooden Greek Icon is handmade and painted by Monks using centuries old techniques combining mixion paint, gold leaf and egg yolks in the most Holy mountains of Greece.

851 Holy Family Dome Icon 4x5 $59.95

All proceeds from your purchases from Mary's Shrine directly support the mission and ministry of the Basilica. Thank you for your support!

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use attached order form or call toll-free 1-800-333-4411

NEW TITLES AND BEST SELLERS

SAINT TERESA OF CALCUTTA

POPE FRANCIS

855 I Loved Jesus in the Night by Dominican Father Paul Murray recounts in 24 short chapters his experiences and lessons learned from time spent

with Mother Teresa. Since his first encounter with her in a university classroom, Fr. Murray was struck to the core by her "radiant joy" and the simplicity and candor that permeated his heart and mind. This book gives insights into the spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that drove this carrier of God’s love to serve the poorest of the poor. $11.99

861 Holy Water and Its Significance for Catholics Countless graces flow from the use of Holy Water when you understand its role in God’s plan

of salvation, and how it brings new graces into your life. In clear, convincing language, Father Theiler lays out for Christians countless surprising, but long-forgotten truths about Holy Water, and explains the interior acts and dispositions that are necessary for this blessed gift of God to have the sanctifying effect our Lord intends for you. $11.95

856 Saint Teresa of Calcutta Statue Celebrate and remember the Canonization of Mother Teresa with this 5 ½” resin statue. Just a little reminder of the woman who devoted her life

first to Jesus and to the poor and underprivileged in the world. $19.95

Madonna & Child Holy Water Font 862 This classic style holy water font is

made of resin and stone mix and is beautifully detailed. 6” high $21.95

857 No Greater Love is the essential wisdom of Mother Teresa — the most accessible and inspirational collection of her teachings ever published. It features

Mother Teresa on love, prayer, giving, service, poverty, forgiveness, Jesus, and more. It ends with a biography and a revealing conversation with Mother Teresa about the specific challenges and joys present in her work with the poor and dying. Published to celebrate her canonization in 2016, this Commemorative Edition also includes Pope John Paul II’s homily from her Beatification Mass in 2003. $22.00

863 Praying with Mother Angelica Beloved by countless Catholics when they were first released in the 1970s, these devotional

meditations including the Mysteries of the Rosary, the Way of the Cross, and other original prayers are a treasury that will allow you to pray as Mother faithfully taught. Keep this beautiful hardback edition by your side and you'll integrate the spiritual wisdom of Mother Angelica into your prayer life while experiencing the traditional devotions of the Church in a fresh and rewarding way. $14.95

Visit our NatioNal shriNe shops Website at WWW.NatioNalshriNeshops.com

GIFTS from

MARY’S SHRINE

858 Pope Francis Speaks to Our Hearts The short excerpts in this book, taken from Pope Francis homilies and addresses since becoming pope, reflect his warm pastoral style and cover themes that we hear from him

again and again: the mercy of God, the scandal of poverty, and the challenge to become true disciples of Jesus Christ. This book will both challenge and fill you with the hope that God’s mercy endures forever. Makes a thoughtful and beautiful gift. $10.95

860 Pope Francis’ Little Book of Wisdom explores themes such as faith and prayer, love and

family, peace and poverty, and humility and faith. This collection is accessible to all who admire the man and are inspired by his wisdom. $14.00

859 Sleeping Saint Joseph Statue is a replica of the statue Pope Francis has kept by his bedside for decades. Pope Francis said “so when I have a problem, a difficulty, I write a little note and put it underneath St. Joseph, so that he can dream about it! In other words I tell him: Pray for this problem!” $29.95

Visit our NatioNal shriNe shops Website at WWW.NatioNalshriNeshops.com

GIFTS from

MARY’S SHRINECHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR BEST SELLERS

871 My Golden Christmas Book by popular Catholic Book Publishing author Rev. Thomas J. Donaghy

introduces young children to the Christmas story, helps them prepare for the birth of Jesus, and describes Christmas celebrations around the world. Bound in padded hardcover and decorated with gilt-edged pages, My Golden Christmas Book contains beautiful full-color illustrations that will delight children as it teaches them the true meaning of Christmas. $9.95

872 Child’s Holy Family Statue will delight children and adults of all ages with an led star and sweet depictions of Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus in the manger. 8” high $19.95

873 Christmas in the Manger Book The gentle beauty of the story of the first Christmas is

now available as a board book. With a simple, lyrical text and radiant artwork, this book is perfect for the youngest child to be a part of the wonder of the Nativity. $6.99

Christmas CardsShare the Advent and Christmas season with your friends and family with these beautiful cards. Each Box has 16 cards and envelopes. $9.95ea

866 “Christmas Blessings” inside verse from Luke 1:32 867 “Merry Christmas” inside verse from Luke 2:11

Olivewood Nativity Ornaments from The Holy LandThese beautiful carved ornaments with the Holy Family in the center are handmade from olive trees grown around Jerusalem where Jesus walked.

864 Olivewood Bell Nativity Ornament 3” $9.95 865 Olivewood Star Nativity Ornament 3” $9.95

868 2017 St. Joseph Sunday Missal – This complete St. Joseph 2017 annual Sunday Missal by Catholic Book Publishing provides each Sunday’s Prayers, Readings, and Responses for the calendar year.

Also contained in this book are the Masses for Holy Days from the beginning of Advent through the Solemnity of Christ the King. This inexpensive annual missal is always one of our bestsellers. $5.95

2017 Calendars Each calendar is designed to inspire greater devotion to The Blessed Mother and Our Lord for every day of the year and contains special feasts and fascinating Catholic traditions. They are marked with days of Fasting, special Saints Days, and the Sundays of the Liturgical Year for both the Ordinary and Extraordinary Calendar. There is space for personal notes, appointments, and special occasions. $12.95 ea

869 Mary and the Saints 2017 Wall Calendar870 Angels 2017 Wall Calendar

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Leaving a Legacy Remembering the National Shrine in Your Will

A publication of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Reverend Monsignor Walter R. RossiRectoR

Reverend Monsignor Vito A. BuonannoDiRectoR of PilgRimages

Reverend Michael D. WestonDiRectoR of lituRgy

Reverend Raymond A. Lebrun, O.M.I.sPiRitual DiRectoR

Jacquelyn HayesDiRectoR of communications & eDitoR

Location 400 Michigan Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20017 Tel: 202-526-8300 Fax: 202-526-8313 [email protected] www.nationalshrine.com

Shrine Hours 7 am - 7 pm (April - October) 7 am - 6 pm (November - March)

Sunday Masses 5:15 pm (Saturday Vigil) 7:30 am, 9 am, 10:30 am 12 noon (Solemn Mass with Choir) 1:30 pm (Spanish Mass) 4:30 pm

Sunday Confessions 10 am - 12 noon 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm (Spanish) 2 pm - 4 pm

Monday-Saturday Masses 7 am, 7:30 am, 8 am, 8:30 am 12:10 pm, 5:15 pm

MARY’S SHRINE

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For many, charitable giving is an act of faith grounded in confidence in God’s abundance and

motivated by a desire to create additional resources for accomplishing God’s work.

Leaving a legacy gift to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception offers the opportunity to pass on not only your assets but also the values that have guided your life.

Remembering the National Shrine in your estate planning is a wonderful way to put your values into action, ensuring that Mary’s House is maintained for future generations as a center of worship and devotion as a personal legacy.

To remember the Basilica of the National Shrine in your will, you may contact your attorney or financial advisor for assistance in making a bequest. Or, you may simply include the following in your will:

I give, devise, and bequeath to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, a body corporate of the District of Columbia, and located in Washington, D.C., (the sum of _____) or (__ % of rest residue, and remainder of my estate) or (__ shares of _____) or all my right, title and interest in the following described property _____).

Please feel free to contact the Basilica at 202-526-8300 if we can provide you with further information or assistance.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration and continued support of Mary’s Shrine.

Monday-Saturday Confessions 7:45 am - 8:15 am 10 am - 12 noon 3:30 pm - 6 pm

Holy Days Please contact the Basilica for

Holy Day Schedules.

Guided Tours Monday - Saturday 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm Sunday 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 3:30 pm

Gift Shop & Bookstore Open Daily Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5:30 pm (Year-Round) Saturday - Sunday: 8:30 am - 7 pm (April 1- October 31 ) 8:30 am - 5:30 pm (November 1- March 31)

Cafeteria Open Daily 8:00 am - 2 pm (Sundays until 3 pm)

© 2016 Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

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