From 2023-2025, Bishop Benoît Rivière of Auton, France, has decreed a Great Jubilee to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of the Heart of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary in Paray-leMonial, France. A fitting tribute to this Jubilee celebration is the release of a CD, composed by Michael Zabricki to promote devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He was inspired by the nuns of the Brooklyn Visitation Monastery for whom he created online video Masses for their nine-day Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
What follows is the press release; you can also listen to a sample of the CD below!
A Brooklyn NY parish musician is on a mission to revive devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Zabrocki said, “My devotion began in my heart during the COVID-19 lockdown when I was introduced to Sr. Susan Marie and the Sisters of the Visitation of Holy Mary at Brooklyn Visitation Monastery. I created online video Masses for their nine-day Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the Very Rev. Joseph R. Gibino.”
“Their community’s history and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus deeply moved me to learn more about Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque and the others whom Jesus used to bring this devotion to the world. Over time, it became the focus of my own spiritual life,” Zabrocki said.
Zabrocki shares that many people associate the Sacred Heart of Jesus only with a painting hanging in their home. “It is much more than that!” he said.
“I pray this collection of my new compositions and selected traditional hymns, along with prayers that have found a home in my heart, will help in some small way to spread this devotion again,” he said.
“Thank you to Sr. Susan Marie, Sr. Mary Cecilia and all at Visitation Monastery for a gift I can never repay.”
Delays, Death and Divine Providence
While Zabrocki wanted to begin making the album about two years ago, commitments kept cropping up causing delays. And then in April 2023, Michael formerly committed to having the album recorded and released by the Feast of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in October.
Then the unthinkable happened. Michael’s twin brother and fellow musician Ron passed away in May. “Along with the emotional impact, Ron was also my producer, guitarist, arranger and much more. I lost my studio and production staff. I now had to go it alone for the first time after thirty years of recording Catholic music.”
Zabrocki started a crowdfunding effort which resulted in 100% of production costs to be met in the first two months. Then, Grammy-winning Christian music pioneer John Michael Talbot offered to play guitar on a few tracks. This was followed by Lenny Smith, composer of the beloved hymn “Our God Reigns,” offering Michael the opportunity to be the first to record a new version of the hymn, transforming the song to true worship.
But God wasn’t finished with him and his mission to spread this devotion, Zabrocki recalled. It was announced that Bishop Msgr. Benoît Rivière of Auton, France had decreed a Jubilee commemorating the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Saint Marguerite-Marie (Margaret Mary) in Paray-le Monial beginning in December, 2023.
Sr. Susan Marie shared the first review of the album: “These gentle flowing hymns of divine love, including original creations and traditional Catholic works, truly permeate the soul. Mr. Zabrocki’s new album evidences the deep touch of Divine Providence as its release corresponds to the 350th Anniversary Years of the Apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St Margaret Mary. Listen, and be transformed!”
Zabrocki said that God used COVID to bring him to the sisters at the Visitation Monastery in Brooklyn. Zabrocki echoes Talbot’s sentiments about that religious monastery’s being “the beating heart of the Church.”
“The heart of a monastery joined Michael’s heart with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May God be praised and may this devotion spread again throughout our Diocese and the world!” Zabrocki said.
The title of the new album is “Consecration: Hymns and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and includes nine original and traditional hymns and five spoken word prayer tracks.
The album will be published November 21, 2023, on all streaming platforms and wherever digital music is sold online. Those wishing the physical CD can purchase it directly from Zabrocki’s website.
Brother Daniel published this reflection for the Benedictine Oblates.
St. John on Patmos
Well, the annual awesome Easter Season is upon us, and hopefully we are aiming towards getting more and more ready and willing to do God’s holy will. We are so blessed to have a treasure trove of so many liturgical wonderful feasts and holy saints to bless us on our journey and guide us through the daily pitfalls of this earthly life! If only we would consistently and prayerfully ask for their help, and then do whatever it is they suggest, we would, through perseverance, become so much closer to God and our end goal of reaching our heavenly homeland.
Our patron saints and Guardian Angels who are our subtle but “holy helpers” can keep us on track while we work our way towards heaven. They are happy to help us if we would only have recourse to them for their supernatural assistance. However, following their advice requires clarity of thought and single-minded perseverance! This is not an easy process; it takes lots of practice. We must become tuned in to our purpose with “the ear of our heart” (Rule of St. Benedict, Prol 1). There are numerous hurdles and “roadblocks.” The evil one constantly puts pitfalls on our paths, and flashes of distraction, thus obscuring our road to peace. We all too often make up weak excuses for our own worldly free will, and this obscures our otherwise clear-thinking process.
Season after season we keep discovering so many ways to serve the Lord and gather innumerable graces for ourselves, for our family, our confreres, our oblates, the poor souls in Purgatory, the homeless, the abused, the wanderers, etc. Occasionally I think about the holy priests who quietly go about minding their own business saving souls, praying the Holy Mass, day after day—often two or three Masses—and surviving 20, 40 or 60 plus years of quiet labors, not complaining and just keep on persevering while doing God’s holy will, not being enticed or bothered about trifling earthly matters. These are the real saints on earth! Consider the enormous good they accrue: the infinite graces they have attained while praying each Mass, and the stability of heart, mind, body and soul. Monks and lay people can accomplish this kind of focus if only we would not entertain unworthy thoughts, or worldly pleasures, or talk too much! Peace and tranquility accompany the practice of quiet perseverance in the way of the Lord.
Let us strive towards continuously minding our ways. Time is a precious commodity that is extremely valuable, and more easily glides by when we become stable. Note that stability is the first of the Benedictine vows (or promises for Oblates). When compared to infinity, we have but a mere moment in time, a drop of mist in an immense ocean.
As for the temporalities of this present life, we can thank God that we have a Deliverance Prayer inspired by a potential poisoning incident in St. Benedict’s life that can be used whenever we are pestered by the wiles of Satan: “Begone Satan! Tempt me not with your vanities! What you offer me is evil. Drink the poisoned cup yourself.” This prayer is enhanced by those who carry a blessed Benedictine medal, and sincerely contemplate what the prayer means to them.
Thanks be to God!
Brother Daniel Sokol is a Benedictine Monk at Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California. PrinceofPeaceabbey.org
Christ and His virtues and attributes are the central focus of the Church and the Rule of St. Benedict.
After three years of miracles, preaching, teaching, healing and feeding while “resolutely” heading for Jerusalem, Jesus comes up to the Last Supper where he longingly looked forward to initiate the Eucharist: “This is my body; “This is my blood;” and Holy Orders: “Do this in memory of me.” Mindful of His words, these sacraments commission the priests to bring Christ to the multitudes throughout the world.
During the forty days that follow the magnificent event of Christ’s Resurrection, He accomplishes the solidification of the newborn Church as He affirms the apostles and disciples. Then comes His Ascension into heaven followed by the precious gift of the Pentecost whereby the Holy Spirit comes down upon the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles that they may be emboldened to preach with holy conviction. These events are at the core of the Church’s sacred heritage. The Church is constantly challenged to bring the “good news” of Christ throughout the whole world.
Thanks to the writings of the Fathers of the Church that contributed significantly to the clarification of Sacred Scripture and the spiritual growth of the Church, St. Benedict benefited greatly by this foundation. After absorbing the best of this sacred heritage, he proceeded to apply this knowledge to build up monastic life that would eventually evangelize and civilize the whole of Europe. The secret of His success was the placing of Christ at the center of all his efforts.
He taught us to “Renounce yourself in order to follow Christ” (RB 4:10). This theme would echo throughout the entire rule in many different forms. So we see that the abbot is believed to “hold the place of Christ, since he is addressed by a title of Christ…not for any claim of his own, but out of honor and love for Christ” (RB 63: 13.
And, consider this: “Your way of acting should be different from the world’s way; the love of Christ must come before all else” (RB 4:20). Evil thoughts are to be dealt with swiftly and decisively, such as, “As soon as wrongful thoughts come into your heart, dash them against Christ and disclose them to your spiritual father” (RB 4:50). Although we strive to find Christ in every person we meet, how shall we deal with our “enemies?” St. Benedict advises, “Pray for your enemies out of love for Christ. If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with him before the sun goes down (RB 4:72).”
Spiritual progress is slow, so after diligently practicing the virtue of humility we arrive at love. “Through this love, all that he once performed with dread, he will now begin to observe without effort, as though naturally, from habit, no longer out of fear of hell, but out of love for Christ, good habit and delight in virtue” (RB 7:68-69).
All kinds of people reside in the monastery or come for the solace of retreat or just a good word, and all represent Christ in one way or another. We are called upon to reverence them, especially those who are sick and bedridden. “Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so that they may truly be served as Christ, for he said: I was sick and you visited me (Matt 25:36), and What you did for one of these least brothers you did for me (Matt 25:40)” (RB 36:1-2).
But the wisdom of St. Benedict also has advice that goes both ways. “Let the sick on their part bear in mind that they are served out of honor for God, and let them not by their excessive demands distress their brothers who serve them (RB 36:4)”.
If we eat too much food we are advised: “For nothing is so inconsistent with the life of any Christian as overindulgence. Our Lord says: Take care that your hearts are not weighed down with overindulgence (Luke 21:34 (RB 39:8-9). )”
No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else. To their fellow monks they show the pure love of brothers; to God, loving fear; to their abbot, unfeigned and humble love. Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and may he bring us all together to everlasting life (RB 72:7-12).
Br. Daniel Sokol is a Benedictine monk at Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California.
The icon of St. Joseph: The Greatest Consoler of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (c) was commissioned for the World Apostolate of Fatima USA by Vivian Imbruglia
A reflection by Mother Mary Christina Murray, S.J.W. of the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker in Walton, KY
Many people are aware of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima to Jacinta, Francisco, and Lucia. But how many realize that the children also saw St. Joseph? While apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary are generally well known, the apparition of St. Joseph is often overlooked. Scripture does not record anything that St. Joseph said, so he is said to be the “quiet” one. But sometimes actions speak louder than words. In the case of Fatima, St. Joseph’s action gives us a lot to ponder.
The three children, ages 7, 9 and 10, were tending their families’ sheep when the Blessed Virgin Mary first appeared to them on May 13, 1917. She asked the children to come back to that same spot on the 13th of every month. The sixth and final apparition of the Lady of Fatima to all three children on October 13th is when the famous miracle of the sun occurred. A massive crowd witnessed the sun spinning in the sky, changing colors and “dancing.” Then the sun seemed to fall towards the earth leading many of the witnesses to think that the world was coming to an end. But the three children did not see the miracle of the Sun, they saw something entirely different.
While the miracle of the sun was occurring, Jacinta, Francisco and Lucia saw Our Lady dressed in white with St. Joseph holding the child Jesus. St. Joseph and Jesus traced the sign of the cross with their hands blessing the earth. St. Joseph was the provider for the Holy Family at Nazareth and his appearance at Fatima is an important reminder during difficult times that St. Joseph, the protector of His family, will help our families.
It is in the family that children learn about God, learn to pray and learn to do good works. Parents, through their example, show their children what it means to live the faith. The Holy Family, especially St. Joseph, can help families to grow in their faith. During this past year when families have tried to cope with the consequences of the lockdown due to COVID, St. Joseph can be a powerful guide and spiritual support. Pope Francis declared the Year of St. Joseph 103 years after his appearance at Fatima. During this year of St. Joseph, let us all develop a deeper appreciate and dedication to our spiritual father and protector.
For more information about the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker, please visit: SSJW.org.
St. Juan Macias lived from 1585 to 1645 and is often associated with two other more well-known Dominican saints. He lived at the same time as St. Martin de Porres and only 5 years after the death of St. Rose of Lima. Originally from Spain, he later traveled to the New World, and at the age of 37, he entered the Dominican convent of St. Mary Magdalene in Lima Peru as a lay brother. Lay brother is the term traditionally given by the Church to male religious in consecrated life. Since the 1950s, the Dominican Order now calls its non-ordained, or lay brothers, cooperator brothers. Based on canonization documents and Pope Paul VI’s homily celebrating his canonization, Juan was well known for two things. First, he was a man of prayer, a deep contemplative. He loved the Rosary, which he began to pray as a child in Spain and prayed consistently throughout his observant and penitential life as a Dominican. His deep prayer and ascetical life freed many souls from purgatory. Secondly, he was known for being poor, living out his vow of poverty as a consecrated religious and by his generosity to the poor, often serving 200 people a day while ministering as a porter for his Dominican community. St. Juan Macias was beatified with St. Martin de Porres in 1837 by Pope Gregory XVI and was canonized in 1975 by Pope Paul VI.
Asking, “did he preach?” Why is this such a crucial question?
Father Gerard Timoner III OP, the current Master General of the Order of Preachers, emphasizes that preaching is both the identity for Dominicans and their mission; it is simultaneously who they are and what they do. Cooperator brothers, as non-ordained members of the Order of Preachers, are not sanctioned by ordination to preach from the liturgical pulpit during the sacred confines of the Catholic Mass. Determining how lay members of the Order, like St. Juan Macias, fulfill the preaching mission of the Order and how they live out the very essence of being a preacher, is a crucial distinction. It speaks to the very heart of what it means to be a Dominican, a preacher. Juan Macias, as a declared Dominican saint, is assumed to have lived out the fullness of his Order’s charism of preaching. Understanding how a non-ordained brother, who did not preach from the pulpit within the sacred confines of the Mass, can become a saint in the Order of Preachers, challenges the Church to re-imagine what it means by the term preaching. Is preaching a term to refer to only a few minutes of a homily given by the ordained minister during the mass? It must be more than this. Is preaching the external reach of living our lives as Christians, as a witness? It must be more narrow and specific than this.
How do the Dominicans Understand Preaching?
The Order of Preachers “was established, from the beginning, for preaching and the salvation of souls.” St. Dominic wanted his friars to be educated preachers so they might effectively refute the errors of heresy prevalent in his time. Dominicans embrace a life of study at the service of what is called the “Holy Preaching.” The Holy Preaching is not a discrete experience confined to a few minutes from the pulpit; rather for Dominicans, it is an expression of life shared in community. As a community, Dominicans seek to make a comprehensive and dynamic response to God’s presence in their lives and the world, going forth to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed. By their religious profession, Dominicans become “fully committed to preaching the Word of God in its totality” so that they live “an apostolic life in the full sense of the word, from which preaching and teaching ought to issue from an abundance of contemplation.” For Dominicans, all of what they do—their living of the vows, their observances of religious life, their study, their life of prayer and contemplation, their life in common, prepare them for the Holy Preaching and produce fruit in the Holy Preaching.
Juan was a member of the Order of Preachers, but as a lay brother, was he a preacher?
Juan preached. He preached using words and deeds. He did not preach homilies, he did not write famous spiritual books, and he did not teach in a formal academic setting. Juan, per his role as a porter, bridged the gap between the cloistered religious community and the external world. A porter serves as a doorkeeper to a religious convent or monastery and is often the first point of contact for those seeking assistance. The porter regulated the flow of traffic between the interior life of the religious convent and the external public who regularly came to the convent needing help with a wide variety of needs. These needs spanned the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Specific to his function of preaching, Juan prayed with those who came to the door of the convent before serving them. When the Dominican convent ran out of supplies to give to the poor, he asked generous neighbors to share what they had with those in need. He offered spiritual advice to those seeking spiritual consolation. He taught the faith to those seeking answers. He did all of these long before the terms fundraiser, community organizer, spiritual director, catechist, and social worker, were invented to describe those types of ministry.
How was St Juan Macias’ preaching particularly Dominican?
Dominican preaching can be characterized by its source, its method, and its relationship to the vow of poverty. The source for Dominican preaching is contemplation and Juan’s preaching drew from this source. His preaching resulted from an overflow of his robust prayer life. Juan, based on numerous examples from his canonization documents, was a man of prayer who led a deeply contemplative life. His preaching to the many who knocked on the convent door each day was drawn from his deep love of the rosary and remarkable penitential life. This was the source of grace that made his preaching effective and sustaining.
St. Juan Macias’ method of preaching was particularly Dominican. Dominicans preach on the move in a wide variety of settings to diverse audiences. It is a way of preaching that is flexible, adaptable, and versatile. Juan preached to a wide variety of visitors who came to the monastery. His preaching began with listening, with encountering people right where they are. It was not a pre-determined exhortation; it was not top-down. Juan preached in a milieu where a diverse range of people came to the convent with a variety of needs. Juan, as a lay brother, preached to the community daily with his versatile preaching.
Juan’s preaching was enhanced by his poverty. From the founding of the Order by St Dominic, Dominicans have forged strong links between poverty and preaching. Dominicans have embraced the vow of, the practice of, and the spirit of poverty. For Dominicans, living out poverty enlivens the preaching. Dominicans have embraced poverty in order to free themselves for the mission and to authenticate what is said in their preaching. Dominicans seek to combine the spiritual movement of abandonment with a unity between the preacher and his ministry to the poor. In order to save souls and evangelize people in light of the Gospel, Dominicans must practice what they preach. And, by their movement of poverty, their life of simplicity and mission inspired others to live the Gospel message and reach out to those in need. A lay brother, by his very vocation, is poor and is one with the poor. Brothers, as non-ordained members of the Church, relinquish all trappings and privileges of the clerical life to remain simply a brother. St Juan Macias’ practice of poverty and his vocation as a lay brother helped him to preach to the poor and outcast who knocked on the door of the convent.
As a Saint of the Order of Preachers, Juan Macias was a holy preacher. He lived out the fullness of his Order’s charism, preaching to those who came to the convent seeking various physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs regardless of his nonclerical status. He was a man of prayer who lived a rigorous and penitential life as a Dominican lay brother. Juan was deeply contemplative and was extremely observant of his religious rule. He lived out his mission as a preacher by encountering hundreds of people every day while fulfilling his duties as the porter for the convent, feeding, instructing, evangelizing, and healing. He is a saint who speaks to the heart of the Dominican preaching life.
St Juan Macias, intercede for us. Help our Church to re-discover the vocation of the religious brother.
By: Br. John Steilberg, OP Province of St Albert the Great
(Central USA) September 2021
Brother John serves currently as the Executive Director of Operations at Aquinas Institute of Theology, a Catholic graduate school of theology in the Dominican tradition, located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
The imitation of Saint Joseph in the Interior Life
Imagine that you see Saint Joseph in the home at Nazareth, at the stable in Bethlehem and in exile in Egypt.
Point 1. With what virtues did the interior life of Saint Joseph radiate?
Consider that the entire life of Saint Joseph was interior and hidden in God; so little known to the world that but a few holy writers mention him in some few places; and of his death give no information.
This was a life of prayer, quiet work, and constant sacrifice, and at the same time, a life shining with the splendor of all virtues. Ponder only that by having married the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph renounced the dignity of fatherhood — so dear to the Israelites, and voluntarily lived in lifelong virginity so that he could belong totally to God.
This was a life of mortification and chastity. While a descendant of the royal family, he worked every day for a living in the craftsman’s workshop – Jesus being all his wealth. Behold his life of self-denial and poverty. Saint Joseph, as the highest of the patriarchs and a witness to the mysteries of God, could convert the world, and yet he enclosed himself in a small town, being completely devoted to Jesus.
This was a life of humility and prayer. Saint Joseph was such a great lover of God, but was afflicted by much suffering which he endured with a wonderful fortitude. This was a life of love for the cross and submission to the will of God.
Do you have similar virtues? If you want to know the faith of Saint Joseph, observe in the stable of Bethlehem his worshiping of the Incarnate Word, venerating in him his Lord and God. If you want to know Saint Joseph’s love for Jesus and Mary, behold how he devoted every moment of his life to them. If you want to know Saint Joseph’s obedience, look at how he rose at night at the angel’s voice and, giving no care to hunger, hardships or cold, went to Egypt where he led a hard life until the next command of God. Do you have similar virtues?
Consider that God demanded much of Saint Joseph, but he also generously rewarded him on earth and highly exalted him. For his purity, God made Saint Joseph the spouse, companion and guardian of the Blessed Mother of God. For his self-denial, He gave him the sweet consolation that with his own eyes he could gaze upon the Savior of the world and take Him up in his arms. For his obedience, He elevated St. Joseph to such an ineffable dignity that He made him guardian and foster father of His Son, Jesus. For his love for Jesus and Mary, He endowed St. Joseph with the great grace that after his holy life he died peacefully in their arms. And God demands much from you, but He will favor you generously on this earth, and will exalt you, if you will but imitate Saint Joseph in his virtues. Do you sincerely desire this?
Point 2. Why and how to strive for an interior life.
Consider that yours is a duty to so live in Jesus, according to Jesus, and for Jesus,¹ that you could at least repeat the words of St. Paul, yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me (Gal 2:20). Only this does God want, and to this end He gives His graces.
As once at Bethlehem so also now, Jesus still walks with Mary and Joseph — that is, with the treasures of His Heart— from home to home, from soul to soul, knocking, and asking to take Him in: ‘Open to me, my soul, my sister and my bride (cf. Song of Songs 5:2): open to let Me live in you, and bestow on you My light and My love. Behold, I have circled the whole world and knocked at many souls, but they have mercilessly pushed me away; you then, at least, open, and give Me shelter within you.’ If the soul opens at once and invites the Lord Jesus in by faithfully keeping His commandments, or if a religious, by fidelity also to the vows, the Lord Jesus showers His graces upon this soul, and sanctifies the soul’s inner and exterior life.
Have you never rejected Jesus and do you strive to sanctify your inner and exterior life? It is necessary to do so, since the degree of our exterior life depends upon our interior, that is, upon our virtues and motives, as the prophet has said, All the glory of the king’s daughter [namely, the soul] is within (cf. Vulgate Ps 44:14). The wisdom, greatness and happiness of the soul come from this inner life. And there is nothing strange in this, for such is the life with Jesus and in Jesus; and Jesus is real wisdom, true good, eternal consolation – Jesus is heaven itself.
Whoever has found Jesus, Blessed Henry Suso rightly says, has found the source of joy and happiness. Have you never experienced this? If you desire that the Lord Jesus would live in you and you live in Jesus, strive to grow constantly in love; therefore guard not only against mortal sins, but also against voluntary venial ones; purify your soul of vices, weaknesses and harmful attachments or desires. Do everything out of pure and supernatural motives, so that the Lord Jesus may Himself work in you and through you, and you may resemble His Heart in everything. Do you promise this?
Examination of conscience. Act of contrition. Resolutions. Today after Holy Communion I will ask fervently: Jesus, live and act in me. Mary and Saint Joseph, teach me the interior life. Spiritual communion.
Joseph Sebastian Pelczar was born on January 17, 1842 in Korczyna in the diocese of Przemysl, Poland. Raised in a religious atmosphere, he entered the Seminary and in 1864 was ordained to the holy priesthood. After his studies in Rome, he was a professor at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. As a priest and a professor he was marked by his zeal and a special devotion to the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Heart of God, and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, which he expressed in his works and prolific writing. Concerned by the need for care for girls in moral danger, and for the sick and poor, he founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Krakow on April 15, 1894, the day formerly observed as the feast of the Patronage of St. Joseph. In 1899 he became Auxiliary Bishop and, in 1900, Ordinary of his diocese of Przemysl, Poland. After twenty-five years of exemplary service as a bishop he died in the odor of sanctity on March 28, 1924. In 1991, Pope St. John Paul II counted him among the glory of the Blessed, and in Rome on May 18, 2003, proclaimed him a Saint of the universal Church.
——————————————————————————— 1 Cf. Meditation 17, Life of the Lord Jesus in Mary and in a soul devoted to him.
Many of you know that our National Director, Fr. Thomas Nelson, O.Praem., prayed to Bl. James Kern during his recent battle and miraculous recovery from mouth cancer. Here is the story behind this beloved Norbertine.
The amazing life and death of Blessed James Kern
“Throw yourself into the breach!”
By Sr. Joanna Marie, L.M.
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn 15:13). This verse describes the beautiful life of Bl. James Kern, a priest, soldier, and true hero of the Church. Here is his little-known story:
A baby boy, Francis Alexander (Blessed James Kern), was born on April 11, 1897, in Vienna, Austria, to Francis and Anna Kern. When Anna was pregnant with her son, she visited a Marian Shrine and prayed that if her child was a boy he would be called to become a priest. She promised Our Lady that she would do all she could to teach her child how to be holy and to love and revere the priestly calling.
When Francis was four or five years old, he received some ordinary toys for Christmas. His mother asked if he liked them and was shocked when he sadly answered: “No,” explaining that he had hoped to receive “an altar with candlesticks and candles and flowers.” His parents soon found a play altar for him.
Francis entered the minor seminary at age eleven. His life was built upon prayer and he received Holy Communion daily. He was intensely devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. His classmates appreciated his joyful and childlike spirit and noticed that he was one of the happiest young men in their peer group. He enjoyed a good joke and had a quick sense of humor! Caring for the sacristy was his favorite assignment during his time in the minor seminary, as he loved deeply the Sacred Liturgy. He loved to use his strong clear voice to sing, praising the Lord with his brothers in their times of communal prayer.
Francis was studying diligently with his eyes fixed on the goal of the priesthood when World War I broke out. On October 15, 1915, at age 18, Francis reported to fight for his country with the 50th infantry in Salzburg. A devoted patriot, Francis was proud to be a soldier of the emperor. But he was a soldier for God before all else and was unashamed to openly practice his faith, serving at Holy Mass (while wearing his military uniform under the cassock) despite the ridicule of some of his fellow soldiers.
On New Year’s Day, 1916, Francis knelt adoring Jesus Christ exposed in the monstrance in Saint Blase’s Church in Salzburg, Austria. The soldier made a request of His Lord that would soon be granted. He prayed… to be showered with suffering. His deepest wish was to be like Jesus, Who suffered for the sake of others.
Francis’ life changed forever on September 10, 1916 when his platoon was attacked by Italian forces. During the attack, he witnessed one of his comrades fall mortally wounded. Francis was deeply saddened and said the prayers for the dying with the man. The attack continued, and Francis bravely fought on. The following day, he was struck with a bullet, sustaining severe wounds to his lungs and liver.
When Francis finally arrived at a hospital two days later, his wounds were infected, and he had a high fever. To the amazement of the doctors and nurses, the suffering seminarian-soldier was heard singing: “Trust my soul, confidently trust in the Lord. He helps those who trust in Him. In trial and distress our faithful God will protect you.” For nine months, his life hung in the balance. He battled the infection and endured intense pain and a surgery to remove a piece of one of his ribs. He was awarded the silver medal and promoted to second Lieutenant for his bravery.
When he was strong enough, Francis returned to the seminary. For a time, he was excused from military service due to his weakened health. However, he was called to fight again and returned to the battlefield.
The war ended in 1918, leaving political chaos in its stead. This confusion and revolutionary spirit did not leave the Catholic Church untouched. In the newly established “Czechoslovakia,” a dissident Czech “national church” was being founded by a group of misguided priests and religious. This “national church” was not in union with the Pope. One of the leaders of this movement was a priest named Isidore Bogdan Zahradnik, a member of the religious community called the Canons Regular of Prémontré, also known as the Norbertines. The press found out about this scandal and spread the story like wildfire.
Abbey of Geras in Austria
Francis was profoundly affected when the news reached him. He felt deeply the pain that the fall from grace of this priest was causing the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Recalling the experience of seeing his comrade fall mortally wounded on the battlefield, Francis realized this was far worse. A priest—one of God’s soldiers in the battle for souls—had fallen. He heard an interior voice from deep in his soul saying: “Throw yourself into the breach! Take the place of the deserter!” He knew what he had to do. He would enter the Norbertine Order and take the place of this fallen priest. In this way he would make direct atonement to the Sacred Heart of Jesus as a sacrificial soul. His spiritual director recognized this as a unique inspiration and wanted to test that it was truly from God. He advised Francis to wait for one year before joining the Norbertines. At the end of the year, Francis’ desire was stronger than ever. On October 18, 1920, he entered the Norbertine Abbey of Geras and received the religious name “James.”
During his seminary days and time of religious formation, James often prayed, “Dear God, let me live to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass at least once.” His deep and persistent longing would soon be fulfilled. On July 23, 1922, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood. The prayer of his mother Anna was answered! On August 1, 1922, James had the joy of offering his first Holy Mass. He did so at the convent of a group of sisters who had provided hospitality to him during his time as a soldier-seminarian. The sisters, and indeed all the people from the surrounding village, were overjoyed. Dressed in traditional folk costumes, the villagers gathered in church to celebrate and pray with the new priest. James recounted in his writings: “My first Mass was filled with jubilation. It was like Palm Sunday and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Now I am entering my Holy Week.”
As a young priest, Father James poured himself out tirelessly for the people of the small villages in which he ministered. His sermons drew more and more of the faithful. People were struck by his strong faith and could tell that he spoke from his heart. Many sinners were inspired to be reconciled with God through the Sacrament of Penance. Father James rejoiced every time he was able to bring one of God’s prodigal children back to Him by absolving their sins in the confessional.
The sick and suffering were very dear to him. It never mattered to him if he was called at an inconvenient hour or had to travel a far distance to minister to them. He would travel quickly, praying as he went and encouraging those accompanying him to do so as well. He showed the same compassion for children and young people by teaching them religion and organizing groups and associations to help them grow strong in their faith. He often prayed: “Lord, You may take everything else from me, but give me souls.” As Our Lord thirsted while hanging on the cross, Blessed James was consumed—body and soul—by this thirst after souls. His already fragile health was rapidly declining.
Things came to a crisis on August 10, 1923. Father James had to be taken to the hospital due to hemorrhaging blood and a recurrence of the infection in his chest wound. Because his heart was so weak, he had to undergo surgery without anesthesia. The pain he endured is unimaginable. Initially the surgeon removed three ribs, but soon discovered removing a fourth rib was necessary. Father James made a joke about it, saying he was sorry to be so much trouble! It is reported that he bit through a towel as he silently suffered through horrendous surgery.
During his time in the hospital, Father James edified everyone around him, especially the doctors and nurses who cared for him. He was constantly cheerful, never complained, and showed deep gratitude, despite his intense suffering. His room was next-door to the chapel and he wrote in a letter at that time that having “the Savior for a neighbor is the crowning of all that is good and beautiful. It is a glorious compensation for the little suffering that I bear.” It took months, but he finally recovered enough to return to the Abbey of Geras.
Only a few months of life remained for the faithful priest of God. He gave his final sermon on July 20, 1924. He preached on the importance of loyalty to the Bishops and the Church—the very thing he had given his entire life for. He had only to crown this glorious witness by his death. That day would soon arrive. In September, his health collapsed. He underwent another surgery in which four more ribs were removed. Yet another surgery would be required after he built up his strength. This was not to be, however, and the 27-year-old priest knew it. He foretold that he would not live through this final surgery.
October 20, 1924 was the date scheduled for the operation. Amazingly, this was also the day the young Norbertine was supposed to make his final profession of vows in his religious Order. The evening before the surgery, a Sister caring for Father James was preparing a small altar from which he would receive Holy Communion before the operation. He asked her to please prepare everything as beautifully as possible because “the last Communion should be celebrated as solemnly as the first.” He also said: “Tomorrow I will receive my last Communion and celebrate my solemn profession in heaven.” And that is indeed what happened. The priest of the atonement died on the operating table as the Angelus bells chimed at noon.
James Kern was beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 21, 1998. In his homily the Pope said of Blessed James: “Out of love for Christ he did not selfishly cling to life, but consciously offered it for the good of others.” May we all follow his example of sacrifice. Let us confidently ask his intercession in our needs. He is just one step away from canonization. His prayers must bring about miracles in order for him to be canonized a Saint. God wants us to ask the Saints for their prayers. Blessed James Kern, pray for us!
“What earlier generations held as sacred, remains sacred and great for us too… It behooves all of us to preserve the riches which have developed in the Church’s Faith and prayer, and to give them their proper place.”
- Pope Benedict XVI, concerning the venerable liturgical rites of the Church
The Superiors of the Marian Sisters previously belonged to another religious Traditional order, however at the gracious invitation of Robert F. Vasa, Bishop of Santa Rosa, California, they founded a new community “to make visible the invisible reality of God’s love in the Diocese of Santa Rosa.”
As Marian Sisters, they live and love at the heart of the Church. Their spirituality can be described as Ecclesial, Eucharistic, and Marian.This is, in part, lived out through their charism of living the fullness of the liturgical life of the Roman Catholic Church – they participate in both the Ordinary Form (Novus Ordo) and also the Extraordinary Form (traditional Latin) in their chapel several times a week and provide the choir for the Extraordinary Form High Mass at the Cathedral each Sunday.
Since their founding, the community has grown and its active apostolates have expanded. Committed to the spread of the faith in the Diocese, every Sister teaches the Faith in some manner. While some are formal classroom teachers, most of the Sisters exercise the charism more broadly through children’s catechesis, faith formation groups, retreats and camps, and any other way in which God’s will is made manifest.
Called to a life of total consecration to Christ and His Church, the Sisters take the Blessed Virgin Mary as their inspiration and model and dedicate their time and talents completely to the service of God and neighbor.
The Constitutions of the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa were approved and canonically erected the community on January 4, 2012.
In the Fall of 2017, a seminarian for the Diocese of Rockford, Jack Reichardt began exchanging letters with Poor Clares Mother Abbess, Mother Maria Dominica, PCC, in order to obtain permission and discuss building a new website for the local monastery, home to twenty professed nuns.
Finally meeting at the Monastery in January, Reichardt and Mother Dominica decided that the site should serve two purposes:
To appear to an audience of those women who may be discerning a call to the consecrated life as a Poor Clare nun, and
To appeal to the faithful who would like to visit with the Poor Clares in prayer.
Having taken a web design course while in high school, Reichardt wanted to put his hobby to use and build something worthy of the Poor Clares that reflected their “beautiful life, that is chaste and pure and prayerful” where people could find out more about their history, life, and vocation.
In gratitude for his hard work, one of the sisters offered the following remarks:
“[Jack’s] deliberation and prayerfulness impressed us very much, and his competence to create a site that is simple but beautiful and which effectively reflects our way of life has been crowned with success. We are grateful to him and to all those who contributed!”
It was with great joy and gratitude that the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus learned in January that their foundress, Mother Clelia Merloni, will be beatified, after a miracle attributed to her intercession was approved by the Vatican. The date for the beatification has not been set yet but it will take place at St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome.
Mother Clelia was a woman of deep prayer who put all her hope and trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Institute she founded is dedicated to sharing the love of the Heart of Jesus with the world, a mission that she herself shared in with her whole heart.
The miracle that led to this wondrous announcement was the complete and sudden healing of a doctor in Brazil who suffered from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, rendering him barely able to swallow or breath and near death. A sister gave the family novena prayers for Mother Clelia’s intercession and placed a tiny relic in a cup of water. The man was barely able to swallow a drop but it was enough. Suddenly, he could swallow and eat, and by morning, even the doctor attending him realized that a miracle had occurred.
Mother Clelia was born in1861 in Italy and founded the congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1894, caring for the urban poor, the orphaned, the sick and the young. Bitterly difficult years of poverty ensued as they struggled to keep their work going. More suffering at the foot of the Cross awaited Mother when she was the victim of false accusations and stripped of her leadership position. Eventually, she was given permission to leave the congregation she founded and was dispensed from her vows. She chose to live the life of the Blessed Mother with her Fiat and silence. Twelve years later, Mother humbly requested and received permission to rejoin the community. The last two years of her life were devoted to prayer and meditation as she prepared for eternal life. What a model of humility and selflessness.
Throw yourself with complete trust in the Heart of Jesus, hoping for and expecting every advantage, support and victory from Him alone.
Michael Zabrocki, director of music ministries at Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church in Whitestone, NY, has produced a CD with original and traditional hymns, along with spoken word prayer tracks. The CD will be released on November 21, 2023.
Zabrocki shares that many people associate the Sacred Heart of Jesus only with a painting hanging in their home. “It is much more than that!” he said.“I pray this collection of my new compositions and selected traditional hymns, along with prayers that have found a home in my heart, will help in some small way to spread this devotion again,” he said. “Thank you to Sr. Susan Marie, Sr. Mary Cecilia and all at Visitation Monastery for a gift I can never repay.”Delays, Death and Divine ProvidenceWhile Zabrocki wanted to begin making the album about two years ago, commitments kept cropping up causing delays. And then in April 2023, Michael formerly committed to having the album recorded and released by the Feast of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in October.Then the unthinkable happened. Michael’s twin brother and fellow musician Ron passed away in May. “Along with the emotional impact, Ron was also my producer, guitarist, arranger and much more. I lost my studio and production staff. I now had to go it alone for the first time after thirty years of recording Catholic music.”Zabrocki started a crowdfunding effort which resulted in 100% of production costs to be met in the first two months. Then, Grammy-winning Christian music pioneer John Michael Talbot offered to play guitar on a few tracks. This was followed by Lenny Smith, composer of the beloved hymn “Our God Reigns,” offering Michael the opportunity to be the first to record a new version of the hymn, transforming the song to true worship.But God wasn’t finished with him and his mission to spread this devotion, Zabrocki recalled. It was announced that Bishop Msgr. Benoît Rivière of Auton, France had decreed a Jubilee commemorating the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to Saint Marguerite-Marie (Margaret Mary) in Paray-le Monial beginning in December, 2023.Sr. Susan Marie shared the first review of the album: 
“These gentle flowing hymns of divine love, including original creations and traditional Catholic works, truly permeate the soul. Mr. Zabrocki’s new album evidences the deep touch of Divine Providence as its release corresponds to the 350th Anniversary Years of the Apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St Margaret Mary. Listen, and be transformed!”Zabrocki said that God used COVID to bring him to the sisters at the Visitation Monastery in Brooklyn. Zabrocki echoes Talbot’s sentiments about that religious monastery’s being “the beating heart of the Church.” “The heart of a monastery joined Michael’s heart with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. May God be praised and may this devotion spread again throughout our Diocese and the world!” Zabrocki said.The title of the new album is “Consecration: Hymns and Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and includes nine original and traditional hymns and five spoken word prayer tracks. The album will be published November 21, 2023, on all streaming platforms and wherever digital music is sold online. Those wishing the physical CD can purchase it directly from Zabrocki’s website.
