<![CDATA[Franciscan Handmaids of the Immaculate - Blog]]>Fri, 08 May 2026 19:28:28 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[SACRED HEART ENTHRONEMENT]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 02:27:59 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/sacred-heart-enthronementSuch a joyous event!  Thank you Fr. Joachim and the Sacred Heart Enthronement team.
]]><![CDATA[Corpus Christi - 2024]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:26:17 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/corpus-christi-2024Here is a delayed posting of our Corpus Christi Procession in June, 2024.  May Jesus Christ be Praised in the Holy Eucharist!
]]><![CDATA[St. Joseph Consecration]]>Sun, 20 Aug 2023 23:36:36 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/st-joseph-consecration
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We had a wonderful group for Consecration to St. Joseph at St. Brendan's in Bellingham.  We all appreciate this special saint so much more.  St. Joseph, thank you!  St. Joseph, pray for us.

   The following is from Fr. Don Calloways website:    https://consecrationtostjoseph.org/introduction.html
What does it mean to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph?

What does it mean for a person to be consecrated to St. Joseph? Well, it basically means that you acknowledge that he is your spiritual father, and you want to be like him. To show it, you entrust yourself entirely into his paternal care so that he can help you acquire his virtues and become holy. Total consecration to St. Joseph means you make a formal act of filial entrustment to your spiritual father so that he can take care of your spiritual well-being and lead you to God. The person who consecrates himself to St. Joseph wants to be as close to their spiritual father as possible, to the point of resembling him in virtue and holiness. Saint Joseph, in turn, will give those consecrated to him his undivided attention, protection, and guidance.

If you have already consecrated yourself to the Virgin Mary, can you be consecrated to St. Joseph, as well?
The answer is a resounding “Yes!” God desires that all children be committed to the care of a mother and a father. You are not a member of a single-parent spiritual family. Mary is your spiritual mother, and St. Joseph is your spiritual father. The spiritual fatherhood of St. Joseph is extremely important for your spiritual growth. Total consecration to Mary is not diminished by total consecration to St. Joseph. Mary wants you to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph! Jesus wants you to consecrate yourself to St. Joseph! Everything you have given to Jesus and Mary can also be given to St. Joseph. The hearts of Jesus, Mary, and St. Joseph are one.

Program Overview
Consecration to St. Joseph emulates the tried-and-true preparation method employed by St. Louis de Montfort in his Marian consecration, highlighting many of St. Joseph’s titles, privileges, and heroic virtues.

]]><![CDATA[A DAY WITH MARY - 8/5/23]]>Sat, 05 Aug 2023 23:10:46 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/a-day-with-mary-8523
]]><![CDATA[God's Marvelous Creation - The Monarch Butterfuly]]>Mon, 05 Sep 2022 19:15:31 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/gods-marvelous-creation-the-monarch-butterfulyAuthor - Sr. Faustina Olson

So blessed to be loved by God - and the gift to love Him in return.  How awesome is our God!

A dear friend brought us a very special surprise before she moved to Florida.  We were amazed at this fragile surprise that she very carefully carried to our convent.  We remarked that no one has ever given us such a gift!!  Perhaps a bit hesitant at first, we were excited to see the whole plan of Our Heavenly Creator come to fruition.  It is so remarkable indeed that one can not see this miracle of “rebirth" and not see God behind the extraordinary opus.
The magnificence of the Monarch butterfly, emerging from the cocoon is fascinating.  It is evidence of God's imprint of Himself in nature - symbolizing Christ's resurrection from the tomb.  Jesus emerges from  the tomb in a glorified body and soon will take flight to Heaven.  The new butterfly flaps and dries his wings for a few hours and then in November, it can take the long flight to the state of Michoacan, not far from Mexico City, where they will stay until the end of March. The butterflies travel in colonies of up to twenty million insects!  May God be praised - now and forever!

    The video below shows the butterfly emerging from the cocoon:
]]><![CDATA[May 08th, 2022]]>Sun, 08 May 2022 23:38:44 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/may-08th-2022
]]><![CDATA[Mary Crowning on Mother's Day]]>Sun, 08 May 2022 23:09:54 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/mary-crowning-on-mothers-day
A beautiful day to honor Our Lady!  Happy Mother's day
]]><![CDATA[CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSION - ST. BRENDAN'S - 6/6/21]]>Mon, 21 Jun 2021 18:18:19 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/corpus-christi-procession-st-brendans-6621The annual glorious Corpus Christi Procession was once again a marvel to behold.  The burning sun radiated forcefully its hot rays and pushed the temperature to the low 90s - an image of the Burning Love of the furnace of the Divine Heart of Jesus - present in the Most Holy Eucharist.  There is nothing more wonderful to partake of than to worship Jesus in the Monstrance as we process along the two stations.   We witness to one of the deepest truths of our faith - the real presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.  Who can fathom God's infinite Love and Goodness in this sublime mystery?  The flower girls were very excited to be part of the special event and enjoyed practicing tossing the petals.  The whole parish looks forward every year to this testimony of our love for Him.  This year, in addition to Father Mullen and Deacon Dave, we were blessed to have Fr. Jaehwa (from Philadelphia) join in concelebrating the Mass and joining in the procession.
]]><![CDATA[DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY AT ST. BRENDAN'S, BELLINGHAM, MA]]>Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:49:34 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/divine-mercy-sunday-at-st-brendans-bellingham-ma
PRAISE BE TO JESUS CHRIST - WHO IS DIVINE MERCY! 
We were blessed to be able to have a parish celebration this year for Divine Mercy at St. Brendan's.  What a grace to receive the Plenary Indulgence given with this Feast Day.  A most special day for all of us. 
On the day of Sister Faustina’s canonization, 30th April 2000, the Pope, St. John Paul II, instituted the feast of Divine Mercy for the whole Church.
The Lord Jesus told St. Faustina: I desire that the first Sunday after Easter be the Feast of Mercy (Diary 299). I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender Mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the Fount of My Mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which graces flow are opened (Diary 699).

The Lord Jesus said to Sister Faustina: The Feast of My Mercy has issued forth from My very depths for the consolation of the whole world (Diary 1517).
]]><![CDATA[ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM CARDINAL WYSZYNSKI - DO NOT BE AFRAID!]]>Tue, 06 Apr 2021 23:50:09 GMThttps://handmaidsoftheimmaculate.weebly.com/blog/additional-notes-from-cardinal-wyszynski-do-not-be-afraid
CARDINAL WYSZYNSKI SAID, “THE GREATEST SHORTCOMING OF AN APOSTLE IS FEAR, BECAUSE IT INSPIRES DOUBT IN THE POWER OF THE MASTER, CRAMPS THE HEARTS, AND STRANGLES THE VOICE.  THE APOSTLE NO LONGER PROFESSES. IS HE STILL AN APOSTLE?  THE DISCIPLE WHO ABANDONS THE MASTER NO LONGER PROFESSES FAITH IN HIM. THEY ENCOURAGED THE EXECUTIONERS.  ANYONE WHO REMAINS SILENT BEFORE HIS ENEMIES EMBOLDENS THEM.  AN APOSTLE'S FEAR IS THE PRIMARY ALLY OF AN ENEMY'S CAUSE.  IN A STRATEGY TOWARD GODLESSNESS, THE TERROR THAT IS PRACTICED BY ALL DICTATORSHIPS DRAWS ITS EFFECTIVENESS FROM THE TIMIDITY OF THE APOSTLES.  THE FIRST GOAL IS TO FORCE ONE INTO SILENCE THROUGH FEAR.  SILENCE HAS ITS APOSTOLIC SIGNIFICANCE ONLY WHEN I DO NOT SHRINK FROM MY OPPRESSORS.   THIS IS WHAT THE SILENT CHRIST DID, AND BY THIS SIGN HE REVEALED HIS COURAGE.  CHRIST DID NOT ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE TERRORIZED.  WHEN HE WENT FORTH TO MEET THE RABBLE, HE SAID OPENLY, “IT IS I".
     HE CONTINUED: “THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST HAS BROUGHT FORTH GOOD FRUIT THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES, AND IT IS STILL DOING SO TODAY BECAUSE IT HAPPENS TO BE THE TRUTH... WE MUST BE AFRAID OF ONLY ONE THING IN OUR LIFE -- BETRAYING JESUS FOR THE FEW SILVER COINS OF BARREN QUIETUDE."
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