Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry was recently profiled in the "Prolife Profile" section of the July 13-19, 2008 issue of the National Catholic Register. Click here to read the full article, titled "Sorrow Turns to Joy", which recounts the miraculous growth and blessings surrounding the ministry over the past few years. To read more articles from the National Catholic Register, please visit their web site.
We have discerned that no one should be prevented from coming to an OSMM retreat because of financial concerns. For this reason, all of our healing retreats will now be free of charge! We simply ask that you make a freewill donation of your choosing during the weekend. We believe that relying more fully on the providence of God will bring further blessings. Attendance at our annual conference will cost $50. Please read this newsletter with more details.
We still need you to register for each retreat — see the Retreats Page for how to sign up. PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!
Our June School of Healing Retreat was led by Fr. Bill McCarthy (co-founder of My Father's House) and Fr. John Larson of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception (MIC). What a wonderful weekend of talks, stories, singing, healing services, Masses, and fellowship we had! Fr. Bill was joined by Mary Alice Rossini, who also blessed those who attended by presenting several talks. Another special moment was the commissioning service for our young servants, the 'Squires and Maidens' of Mary.
The ministries of My Father's House and OSMM are 'heart-connected' in a very special way, and we give thanks to God for this great blessing!
View Pictures from this weekend.
Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry was recently profiled by a Masters of Divinity student at Duke University who has tasked himself with writing about 'exciting lay initiatives' that are flourishing around the country. Debbie and Vanessa were interviewed about the history and the mission of the ministry, and the author came away 'deeply impressed' with their commitment to discipleship through serving those who attend the OSMM healing and reconciliation retreats. Click here to read the full article. This feature was also included in The Catherine of Siena Institute's July 2008 newsletter.
From April 16-21, twelve members of the OSMM ministry community journeyed to Connecticut at the invitation of Fr. Bill McCarthy. Together with Mary Alice Rossini, Fr. Bill gave us a weekend retreat at their My Father's House retreat center on Pope Benedict XVI's encyclicals (God Is Love and Saved By Hope). This prepared us well for our Sunday morning journey to the Bronx, where we had the privilege of attending the papal Mass at Yankee Stadium. What a GIFT and a BLESSED trip this was for all of us!
View Pictures from this weekend.
Fr. Joe Whalen, a beautiful LaSalette Missionary priest, joined us for a weekend of grace, together with his assistants Mary Ann, Ray, and Marguerite. Fr. Joe's St. Raphael Ministry distributes holy healing oil internationally, and he has a special devotion to this archangel. Talks from John Seliga, Fr. John Titus, and Theresa Grentz were also highlights!
View Pictures from this weekend.
We will be taking a very special pilgrimage to the Holy Land November 9-21, 2008 with Fr. Zachary, Mother of God, S.O.L.T. as our chaplain and spiritual guide. There is a seminarian who would very much like to make this pilgrimage with us, and we are asking for help in providing him the monetary means to go. The cost of the pilgrimage is $2650 plus airport taxes of $310 and spending money.
If you feel called to help this young seminarian to go to this most holy place to deepen his spiritual journey to the eternal priesthood, please contact Debbie or Vanessa. You may donate the entire cost or part of the amount, or some spending money. Please prayerfully consider this beautiful way to give alms this Lenten season.
Inspirational talks from John Seliga, Fr. John Titus, and Fr. Mark Baron were highlights from our February retreat entitled "Hold Me, Lord: Healing the Whole Person". This was one of our special family tree healing weekends. The adoration service on Saturday night was beautiful, filled with the peace of Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord!
We began the year 2008 with a beautiful experience, a healing retreat entitled Deep Healing in the Ocean of God's Mercy. Our weekend was led by Fr. Mariusz Jarzabek, a priest of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception. A native of Poland, this gentle and humble priest was a tremendous blessing to us, and all were deeply touched by a special weekend of graces.
View Pictures from this weekend.
OSMM has released its 2008 newsletter which includes a list of all the retreats that have been scheduled for this year. Please help us get the word out about all these events by printing some flyers and hanging in your church or giving them to your friends!
Read a great article that was recently featured in the Lifestyles section of the Alton (Illinois) Telegraph newspaper, describing the many aspects of Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry.
Making the Way of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa in Old Jerusalem. Mass on the Mount of Beatitudes and the Mount of Transfiguration. Praying at the Wailing Wall. Watching a shepherd lead his flock across the plains of Bethlehem, where the angels announced the birth of the Savior. Praying in the garden of Gethsemane, and at Calvary, in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Taking a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. These are just some of the highlights from OSMM's November 2007 pilgrimage to the Holy Land — an amazing journey!
View Pictures from our pilgrimage and read what some who attended had to say about the trip.
A great big THANK YOU to OSMM ministry community members Ted Whitehead and Randy Wells for all of the hard work they put into making the pork loin fundraiser a huge success!!! Through their valiant efforts, $4600 was raised from selling pork loins. They will gift OSMM with $2300, and the other $2300 will go to the Flora, Illinois food pantry.
This fundraiser is no small undertaking. There is a lot of buying, hauling, cooking, cleaning, and selling to be done. But of course we know that Ted and Randy are not ones to shy away from hard work. We appreciate their selfless efforts, and we thank them with grateful hearts. Thank you Ted & Randy—you guys are the best!
View Pictures from this day.
Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry 10th Annual "Celebrate the Faith" Conference was a wonderful success, with 200 people attending. We were blessed to have the bishop of Springfield, Illinois, George J. Lucas, with us on Friday evening. After the bishop's opening talk, Fr. Mark Baron gave a beautiful presentation on the majesty of God as reflected in creation on Friday evening, and a penance service was held afterwards. Saturday featured talks by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, Fr. Richard McAlear, Sr. Michaela of the Apostles of the Interior Life, and Fr. Delix Michel, pastor of Mother of Dolors. The healing service Saturday evening was truly magnificent! The Holy Spirit was tangibly present in the parish hall as people were prayed over. Fr. Apostoli conducted a Eucharistic procession as Fr. McAlear gave a reflection: "Jesus is passing by..." Sunday opened with joyful praise and worship by Annie & Matthew, a presentation on the Rosary by Fr. Mark (with an emotional video of the Divine Mercy Chaplet accompanying the Passion), and a talk by Sr. Susan of the Apostles. Fr. Mark celebrated our closing Mass, and there was a beautiful spirit of joy as we said good-bye!
View Pictures from this beautiful conference weekend.
At the 10th Annual OSMM Conference, 10 men were inducted as "Knights of Our Mother of Sorrows". These men promised to be prayer warriors for the ministry and to assist in whatever needs to be done to further the work of the Holy Spirit in healing wounded souls. They also committed to be men willing to defend and spread the Catholic Faith and to protect and nurture their families, providing the spiritual leadership that strong families require.
View Pictures from this moving ceremony.
A beautiful new CD made by our Music Ministry team Annie Karto and Matthew Baute honoring Fr. Peter Rookey has been released! Proceeds from the sale of this CD go to benefit the ministry. This CD contains three very special songs ("Pilgrimage of Love", "Come to the Cross", "River of Grace") along with the full recitation of the Servite Rosary (Seven Sorrows of Mary), a special devotion that Father cherishes.
Please purchase this special recording ($15 each) and help honor Fr. Rookey by supporting the good works of OSMM!
Our Sorrowful Mother's Ministry is celebrating 10 years, and 60 ministry events, next month with our 10th Annual "Celebrate the Faith" Conference.
We are so very grateful to all of the priests, lay ministers, and participants who have been with us as this ministry has grown and developed, always seeking to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.
View a list of 10 Years of Ministry.
