It is with great joy that I sharewith you the most recentdevelopments on the Cause ofBeatification of the Servant of GodLuisa Piccarreta.

In October of this year theArchbishop of Trani and head ofLuisa Piccarreta's Cause ofBeatification, Archbishop GiovannaBattista Pichierri sanctioned thisyear's "Third InternationalConvention on the Doctrines of theServant of God Luisa Piccarreta."

The Archbishop invited by privateinvitation those priests conversantwith Luisa's doctrines from variouscontinents of the globe to reviewthem in this period of preparationpending the official version ofLuisa’s writings. The priests hadspecial passes, and several laypersons that assisted in the diffusionof Luisa's works were also invitedfrom Italy, America, Mexico, Spain,etc. All were players and contributedin their own capacity.

I marveled as I watched God's graceguide the international participantstoward communion and a collectivedesire for unity. Amazing! This maywell be one of the biggestachievements and fruits of the

convention, for Luisa's cause cannotadvance unless there is unity amongher promoters and devotees.

The primary purpose of theconvention was to review Luisa's"doctrines." Many topics werediscussed, some of which I amunable to address in this newsletter,as the convention was reserved to the

participants. However, I am allowedto address in this newsletter thosetopics that concern the spiritualwelfare of the faithful and the publicstatus of Luisa's Cause.

With regard to the convention's focuson Luisa's doctrines, it is worthy ofmention that Luisa's "doctrines" arethe contents of everything she ever

wrote. Unlike Luisa's "writings," herdoctrines are the kernel, the nucleus,the spiritual DNA of all that herwritings contain. Or better, Luisa'swritings are the form and style inwhich she expresses the divine truthsGod revealed to her - the doctrines.

Consider that Luisa wrote in Coratandialect, which was and is indeed

Hours of the PassionSPECIAL EDITION August-February 2006-07

Third International CoratoConvention on Luisa Piccarreta’s

DoctrinesRev. Joseph Iannuzzi

The Third International Convention on the Doctrines of LuisaPiccarreta

limited in vocabulary, andconditioned by the culture, place andsetting of her time. In theology theselimitations and conditionings arecalled the Sitz em Leben (place andsetting of the author). Pope Pius XIIin his Encyclical Humani Generisand the Vatican II document DeiVerbum underscore the importance ofthe author's Sitz em Leben, as withoutit, it is NOT possible to properlyunderstand what the author intends toconvey in writing.

This especially applies to Luisa'swritings. Case and point: It wasrevealed at the convention that theItalian expression, "chiamandomi" instandard Italian means "calling me,"whereas in the Coratan dialect(Luisa's language), it does not mean"calling me" at all, but often means"along with." And this applies toother passages of Luisa's writings aswell.

Given the foregoing, one can readilyunderstand the importance of thedistinction between Luisa's"doctrines” and "writings," and thevalue of Luisa's "place and setting"before printing her works.

The purpose of the convention was:

A) To ensure that all who promoteLuisa do so in accord with theteachings of Sacred Scripture,Tradition and the Magisterium.

B) To apprize all invitees of theItalian and international copyrightprotection laws. It was emphasizedthat no one may print or post a wordof Luisa's writings. The Archdioceseof Trani does not grant permission toanyone to do so. This is old news, butthe Archdiocese felt that it needs tobe reiterated. The legal implicationsare many and it is not my place todiscuss them. It suffices to recall thatGod cannot divide himself. Godcannot speak through his Church

representatives (the Archbishop ofTrani and his Archdiocese) and, atthe same time, contradict what hisrepresentatives say concerningChurch law. Let us obey like littlechildren.

Moratorium

In answer to the question of the statusof the "Moratorium" that many whofollow Luisa’s cause have asked meto address (Moratorium is theprohibition on printings of all ofLuisa’s writings), I am happy toprovide them with the lucid responseof Archdiocese of Trani. ArchbishopGiovanni Battista Pichierri and hisvicar affirmed that the "Moratorium"on Luisa's writings that theArchbishop of Trani put in forceyears ago, remains unaltered.Nothing in writing has ever alludedto its modification. Thus no one ispermitted to print anything Luisa haswritten. Those who, in good faith, orwho were of the impression they hadpermission to print Luisa’s works, are

asked to desist from their printingsand to liquidate their stocks.

Those that wish to publish works“about” Luisa's doctrines, life orspirituality in which they usequotations from Luisa's writings, areasked to: a) inform the Archdioceseof Trani of their works, and b) referto their quotations from Luisa’swritings as "pro-manuscripts."Pro-manuscripts are any and all ofthose editions or versions of Luisa'swritings that are in circulation today;they are NOT the official version, asthe official version is not yetavailable, but is being prepared.

Those editions or versions of Luisa’swritings that are in circulation today,and which give the reader theimpression they are the "authorized"or "approved" version of Luisa'sworks are not compliant with theArchdiocese's request.

The Archdiocese of Trani obtained itsItalian volumes of Luisa’s writings

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Between lectures Archbishop G. B. Pichierri and Fr. Iannuzzienjoy a cup of hot espresso!

and its copyright ownership from theFrancesco Gamba Publishing Housein Milan, Italy. My experiencesuggests that these Italian volumes ofthe Francesco Gamba PublishingHouse are the most accurate volumesof Luisa available to date.

Thus all writings of Luisa incirculation today, and all quotationsfrom her writings are to refer tothemselves as a "pro-manuscript"version, and there are many"pro-manuscript" versions out therethat you are free to choose from.

Conversely, one may ask: Isn't aMoratorium on all of Luisa's writingsan obstruction to God's grace? Don'tthe faithful need to read Luisa'swritings in order to receive the gift ofLiving in the Divine Will?

In answer to these genuine concerns,I submit a two-fold response:

Archbishop Giovanni BattistaPichierri affirmed publicly and onseveral occasions that "all" of Luisa'svolumes and all of her other worksthat are in circulation today contain“errors” (even the Passion Bookeditions and the Virgin Mary Bookeditions). These errors are eithergrammatical (they do not conform tothe original text; they alter themeaning of Luisa's words) ordoctrinal (they deviate from orcontradict Church teaching).

It suffices to recall the early-centuryheresies that, at the time of theirdissemination, were zealouslybelieved by scores of Christians,including some early-centurybishops. Here one recalls the heresiesof Arianism which affirms that Jesusis not the eternal Son of God but amere human creature; Monothelitismwhich affirms that in the Divine Willwe operate with only 1 will, theDivine Will, as the human will ceasesto operate; Neo-Palagianism which

affirms that we - not God - disposeourselves to receive God’s Will, andthe Divine Will is so lofty that thosewho experience it do not needcreated grace.

To make matters worse, thedisseminators of these earlyChristian heresies, believed in theirconscience that what they preachedand wrote was the gospel truth.Though they were sincere, their zealcompounded the situation, as themore they disseminated theirincorrect teachings, the morespiritual harm they unwittinglyimposed upon the faithful. Inreaction to the spiritual harm thatthese early-century promoters wereproducing, the Church's authoritiesintervened to correct publicly theirheresies and erroneousinterpretations of Jesus' message.

Similarly today, the Church'srepresentatives intervened to place aMoratorium on all printings ofLuisa's works to safeguard thespiritual welfare of the faithful. Butthis is only temporary...

Let us recall the Catholic Church's

august mission before God tosafeguard and lead the faithful. So ifever a Christian group claims that theprivate revelations of this or thatmystic "surpass," are "equivalent to,”or "add to" the Public Revelation ofJesus Christ, it is leading Christiansinto error. Jesus Christ's messagecontains the one eternallytranscendent Truth for all times tofollow ("Truth" with a big T),whereas all private revelations thatcome after Jesus contain divinetruths ("truths" with a small t) thatexplicate and assist in actualizing theTruth Jesus revealed.

Although many of the modern errorsassociated with Luisa's writings havebeen corrected - thanks to theintervention of Catholic theologiansfaithful to the Magisterium - her"doctrines" need to be more fullyunderstood and assimilated by theChristian faithful.

With respect to the Archbishop’srequest that all printing andpublishing houses deplete theirstocks of Luisa's volumes, far frombeing an obstacle to God’s grace, it isa grace in itself, and for the following

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reasons:

1) to clear the air and the market of allthe volumes that are presently incirculation, as they contain someerrors;

2) to allow the faithful to continue todeepen their union with God fromLuisa's inspired teachings;

3) to dispose the faithful to receivethe official, critical edition of Luisa’sworks when it is published.

The Archbishop emphasized thatwhenever the faithful encountererrors in these circulated printings,they are to approach the person ofchoice: a Catholic priest, preferably"one that is trained in mystical ordogmatic theology" who willencourage devotion to Luisa in lightof Magisterial teachings. The reasonfor this reccomendation is that thepriest possesses ecclesiasticalschooling in systematic theology andis better able to help clarify theseerrors. The Archbishop and his Vicar,moreover, affirmed that wheneverpossible, every Divine Will cenacle

or prayer group ought to beaccompanied by or be in contact witha Catholic priest. Many devotees ofLuisa are already in contact with apriest via e-mail, internet or phone.

In light of all that has been said, theArchbishop is clearly more concernedwith presenting Luisa's teachings inaccord with Magisterial teachings,than with disseminating Luisa'sworks before the official, criticaledition is released.

That the Catholic priest thearchbishop refers us to has lots orlittle knowledge of Luisa's writings,is not as important as his ability tolead the faithful in the Magisterialteachings that Jesus Christ and theChurch Councils present to us. Thereare many such priests out there. Luisawas always pliant and readilyobedient to her Catholic priest, eachand everyone of them, no exceptionsmade. As a result Luisa alwaysobedeyed the teachings of theMagisterium, to the point ofunreservedly submitting all of herwritings to the Vatican upon request.Indeed Luisa raised the bar of

obedience for all of us to follow. Letus follow her lead.

In answer to the aforesaid question onwhether the Moratorium on Luisa'swritings at this juncture is anobstruction to God's grace, it goeswithout saying that the Moratorium isnot an obstacle, but is itself a gracethat “disposes us” through the virtueof obedience itself to receive the giftof Living in the Divine Will. Thinkabout it: If Luisa zealously clung toher volumes after the Vatican requestshe surrender them, she would havein that same instant left the Will ofGod... But she obeyed with a sense ofgreat relief and joy.

The Archbishop and his vicar alsoaffirmed that there exists no nationaldirector for the Divine Will in theU.S. They explained: Canon lawstipulates that each priest isresponsible not to a national director,or to any US group, but to the bishopin whose diocese that priest resides.

Presentations

At the International Convention therepresentative of the Archdiocese ofTrani Fr. Vincent Di Pilato delivered afantastic talk on Luisa's "doctrines."The title of his talk was "The Rapportbetween Public Revelation and theWritings of the Servant of God LuisaPiccarreta."

Everyone ought to have a copy of thistalk, which is available in English. Asit is my understanding that you havepermission to obtain a copy of thistalk in English, I encourage you tocontact the Archdiocese of Trani formore information. May I add that Fr.Vincent is a bright, young professorfrom the local Italian theologicalseminary. I have known him for some8 years now, while he was yet astudent. Over the years we’ve sharedideas and theological insights onLuisa's doctrines, and he is very much

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abreast of my doctoral thesis onLuisa's doctrines that I am presentlycompleting for the University ofRome for the advancement of Luisa’scause.

Talks on the status of Luisa's"writings" were given by Fr.Lattanzio, Msgr. Giannotti, and Fr.Sergio. Instead Fr. Pablo Martin gavea talk on Luisa's "spirituality."

An invited speaker from Corato andmagazine editor gave a talk on the"copyright laws" and on the"Moratorium" of Luisa's writings.Much of these presentations areprivy to the participants only.

It is noteworthy that all those thatgave presentations at theinternational convention are linkedjuridically and territorially to theArchdiocese of Trani (Corato),whereas all international priestsprivately invited to the convention toreview Luisa's doctrines are notdirectly linked to Corato. Allinternational priests were assuredthey will continue to contribute toand play a formative role in the finalproduct of Luisa's writings, just asthey had done at the convention.

The Archbishop and the VicarGeneral revealed that a theologianfrom Rome is officially entrustedwith reviewing and editing all ofLuisa's volumes before they will bereleased to the general public. May Iagain add, this theologian is abreastof and instrumental in the work ofmy doctoral thesis on Luisa'swritings that I am to submit to Romevery shortly.

The Archbishop asked that thefaithful refrain from writing letters tothe "Vatican Congregation in Rome"at this juncture pending Luisa'sBeatification, as such letters maycomplicate an already a tenuoussituation. All inquiries may be

addressed to the Archbishop'sArchdiocese of Trani. Prudencedictates that the faithful refrain fromcontacting anyone of thosetheologians or players mentionedabove.

The Typical and Critical Editionsof Luisa's Collected Works

As I assisted in translating thepresentations at the 3rd InternationalConvention, I recall also theArchbishop's words on thedistinction between the "typical" and"critical" editions of Luisa's collectedworks. This I am permitted to alsoshare with you.

The distinction between the "typical"and "critical" editions of Luisa'swritings is important, as it concernsnot only the Church's officialprocedure for the release of Luisa'swritings, but the release of thewritings of any Church saint.

As I have understood theArchbishop, the "typical" edition isthe transliteration of what Luisawrote (from poor dialect Italian to thepolished standard Italian) "without"however the necessary introduction,commentries, annotations, footnotes,endnotes, Church seals, etc. that arerequired for the edition’s finalproduction.

Anyone who reads Scripture knowsthat when the Bible is bereft ofannotations (that bear the Church'sseals of approval) it is open to aplethora of varied and conflictinginterpretations; its otherwiseperplexing and contradictorypassages will be understood in athousand different ways. Likewisethe writings of Luisa - though notequivalent to Sacred Scripture -require annotations in order for thereaders to properly understand herthought in light of Church teaching.Without the necessary annotations,

introduction, commentaries, etc. thatwill bear the Church's seals ofapproval, the writings of Luisa willbe open to a plethora ofinterpretations and misconceptions.

One must be mindful that on accountof Luisa's poor form and Coratandialect, her words did not alwaysaccurately convey what she intendedto write. Luisa's spiritual directorand censor of her writings, SaintHannibal di Francia, acknowledgesin his memoirs that he had to edit andmake corrections to Luisa's writingson account of their poor form andgrammar.

Unlike the typical edition, the criticaledition will be the final, definitive,and conclusive edition of everythingLuisa ever wrote, it will bear theArchdiocese's seals of approval andit will be released to the generalpublic. Needless to say, theologianswill review Luisa’s works beforethey are released to ensure their formand content corrospond to Churchteaching. The “critical” edition isclearly the edition of preference.

For the past several years I haveencouraged the faithful to pray forthe release of the critical edition, andI continue to do so especially now.Now is the time for Luisa's devoteesto unite in prayer for its speedyrelease, as it will dispose the world toreceive the greatest gift of all, the giftof Living in the Divine Will.

Thank you to Luisa's Promoters

As I share this information with youout of charity and for your spiritualwelfare, I am mindful of the wordsthe Archbishop spoke to allindividuals that made Luisa knownthroughout the world. He personallythanked “everyone that was present,”and no one was excluded. One mayassume that all those that spreaddevotion to Luisa and made her

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writings available did so with agenuine and great love for her.

Indeed the Archbishop took the timeto personally thank "all" promotersof Luisa. In the proper order ofdiffusion a warm thank you is due toall the promoters from Italy (Corato,Milan, Rome, San GiovanniRotondo, Sicily), Germany, Mexico,United States, Spain, etc., as allcontributed to what is becoming aworld-wide devotion to the DivineWill. I personally thank God forthose promoters that I am in closecollaboration with that continue toassist me in my work throughout theworld. These collaborators areunknown and unseen to most, buttheir selfless efforts have positivelyinfluenced many. Their work is veryinstrumental in opening up the doorsto numerous countries that invite meto speak publicly on Luisa writingsand doctrines.

And now is the time for all promotersand devotees of Luisa to follow theconventional wisdom of the Church:To follow Luisa's example, to refrainfrom printing anything she wrote, toremain obedient to the teachings ofthe Magisterium, and to submit theirinterpretations to a Catholic priest

conversant in theology that willencourage devotion to Luisa.

These promoters have done theirduty, and now the hierarchicalChurch is doing hers. It is fitting thatdevotion to Luisa should nowassume a new direction: Devotion ispassing from the "evangelizationphase" (the preaching and diffusionof Luisa's writings) to the "doctrinaland internalization phase" (therelease of the official edition andinterpretation of Luisa’s writings thatwill bring about a more perfectlyembodiment of her teachings inmany souls).

Pope Benedict XVI ReceivesPublished Works on Luisa

Last but notleast, by the grace ofGod, in September2006 twoe c c l e s i a s t i c a l l ya p p r o v e dpublications onLuisa Piccarreta'sdoctrines weresubmitted directly tothe Congregation forthe Doctrine of Faithand to Pope Benedict

XVI. My friend, a saintly religioussister, consigned these publicationsto the Vatican and was assured thePope will read these works with greatinterest. The first published work thatthe Pope received is entitled, "TheSplendor of Creation" (the Popereceived the English and Italianeditions of this publication), and thesecond is entitled "Proper CatholicPerspectives on the Writings of theServant of God Luisa Piccarreta."

FIAT!

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Look, from the very beginning of thisHour, whom do we meet? Youguessed it: An ambiguous "Jesus, myMother, come to write together withme" (pro-manuscript English text)...

The closeness of Mother and Soncan't be closer, so that one "becomes"the other in the secrecy of God'screative mind. Co-redemption? Isn'tthis a question that asks itself?Nevertheless, Mary, the Mother ofGod, of whom we focus in theseessays, fairly participates in thetheology of her Son to the degree thatone cannot speak of either/or withoutseeing them both all the time in thesehours. Time and "beyond time”(eternity) mesh more and more in theoutcome, whereby all else seems topale before the full realization ofwhat goes on in the ongoing "Hours".

One is reminded of "The CatholicHour" on radio years ago. It lastedthirty minutes, but everyone knewwhat was meant by the caption. Here,instead we by-pass such discussionsto focus on the eternity of this Hour.

The point is this: We meet the Motherin no uncertain terms. Yes, Jesus, too,but that, too, is the point. Meeting hermeans meeting him and meeting himmeans necessarily having to meether. So, Luisa, without anytheological prowess, correctly bids,"let us together write!" Let usco-redeem? How wonderful! Howinsightful! How innocent ofmistakes! No deceit, no confusion,

just good sense. Surely we knowwhat Luisa means! She, unwittinglyor not, "trinitizes" an authorshipattributable to Jesus, Mary, and thislovely Italian scribe, whereby theythemselves choose to "writetogether". Luisa betrays a kind ofheavenly ignorance of this in herearthly participation of the Passion.Is it she who bids them to co-author,or is it really they who prompt her toask them for the favor? And so shewrites...

Here we witness "the third crowningof thorns" as mentioned before in itsmultiple re-actment, a term we mightinvent in place of simplere-enactment as in a stage play. Thisis real, and it is repeatable, for historyis in the making for the first time andyet repeated in the eternity of Christ'shuman nature. Luisa's absorption ofsuch an experience gives credence tostories about others like Saint Rita ofCascia, whose single thorn, it isrelated, was the result of her havingheard a literally piercing sermon onall of this - evidence enough of herpart in the actual re-actment. AndLuisa predicts that Jesus indeedlooks for those who willingly nudgeup to him "to sustain him in so muchsorrow and confusion".

At last, who else most of all qualifiesfor the fullest participation in Jesus'Passion? Observe the circle of namesin our Luisan account that blendproperly beyond contemporarynonsense versions of what even the

most respectable periodicals dare tocall "the gospels" as though all these"copies" were "original" Gutenbergreproductions free for the asking,whereas they might better be definedas purchasable imitations that barelystand up to coffee shop criteria.

Compare the tone found of theimitations with that of the originalGospels here reflected in Luisa'sHour: "Here is your sorrowfulMother who, with her heart rent,suffers as many deaths as you dopains. Oh Jesus, loving MaryMagdalene, who appears besideherself because of your pains, andfaithful John, who appearsspeechless because of the intensity ofthe pain of your Passions, are herealso."

Step aside, magazines of mutilation,and see the proper assembly ofthoughts and persons without anyrancor, or admire the hand of God inhis handiwork of Jesus and Mary, ofJohn and Magdalene, of man andwoman.

Let all editors cease to hide theirprejudiced assignment of men ascreatures shorn of all love forwomen. Those who know how tolook more closely, beyond the nudeand crude letter of the text, will findample evidence to suggest anauthentic balance of the both gendersand their respective roles in God'splan in salvation history. Certainly,one can twist history itself intoshapes unrecognizable, byunassuming and vulnerable readerswho become virtual victims alongwith chosen mystics like Luisa.

Children all, let us shrug off thecommercial accumulation ofsubjection interpretations, despoiledof their better potential in favor oforiginal honesty implanted in us bygood will, by the Divine Will!

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The 11 AM Hour ofthe Passion

[the crucifixion]

Rev. Jerome Purta, OSB

Let us read, instead, with hearts likethose of the saints, between merelines meant to tell the truth, todiscover therein the pure mind andclean breath of God working in us,and sniff out the right from the wronginterpretation of anything we read,even the secular attempt at deliveringtrustworthy information.

How easily, for instance, one canmisread letting "each drop of [theSavior's] Blood be light to the mindof every creature so that no one mayoffend [the Divine Will] with evilthoughts." Even that can be"secularized" by pulling it apart intonon-contextualized components tosuggest that "the mind of everycreature" is equivalent to allcreatures, rational and irrational, ashaving a mind. Do trees have amind? Is that what Luisa meant? No,clearly not. Such argumentation isinconsonant. But when understoodproperly, it is meant to convey thateven rational thoughts may touchtrees if one has a proper relationshipto trees in the total "economy ofsalvation". All creatures participatesomehow in the dynamic reality ofgrace that influences all creation, asSt. Paul reveals: "All creation groanfor salvation".

With regard to the Blood Christ shedfor mankind in this Hour, one recallsthe story of Cain's betrayal of notonly Abel's blood, but the person towhom it belonged. This sinfullyhistoric event provides us with anexample of how Abel's bloodinfluences another, namely, God, itsowner. Res clamat auctor! Luisarecognizes in the shedding of blood aparadox: What appears to be by allhuman standards an ill-intended"martyrdom" becomes awell-intended "rest" on behalf of "all[Christ's] children," He being thefirst among them in the mind or theintention of God. Christ, the chosen

child, frees mankind's brokensituation from the "Abel" complex -the notion that I am the victim ofirreparable harm. Thus the "tree oflife" is forevermore identified withthe Cross that, through Christ'sPassion, makes of us new, life-ladenbranches for the Creator's joylavishly shared in that manner. "I amthe vine [tree], you are thebranches." How intimately theCreator identifies with his creation ina mind-to-mind eternal symbiosis!

Lest we get lost in excessive poeticfreedom, may these insights ofLuisa's grand view of the Crucifixionsimply recall the refrain already sungabove. Luisa consistently attends toit. In the loveliest kind ofunselfishness, she speaks to Jesus:"You see, my tender Love, I am notthe only one who asks You for this[the great grace of remainingcrucified with the Lord, much likethe grace of being re-crowned withthorns]. Your afflicted Mother,inseparable Mary Magdalene, andbeloved John also say that it wouldbe more bearable to be crucified withYou than to assist and see Youcrucified alone."

Notice Divine Will “spirituality"when Luisa expresses individually,but, and in the relation to theaforesaid personalities, "Togetherwith You, I [the corporate I that wehumans freely will to be by God’sown design] offer myself to theEternal Father as I become one withyour Will, with your Love, with yourreparations, with your very Heart,and with all your pains." Read theresponse of Jesus for yourself, andsee if you do not fit the description Ioffer as "corporate I". Jesus clearlykeeps "you as the beloved of [His]heart."

One might concede a proposition inface of the foregoing: Let us suppose

Jesus says: “Let the person withoutan attachment to Jesus please comeand throw the first stone at Me, thecorporate Christ. Know how to reallyrecognize Me without the usualfictional filth the world flings at Me -I am the One who became thecorporate 'I', who 'became sin', andwho took on the name of thecorporate Magdalene residing ineach 'Me', the corporate John who isthe supremely honest one standingintimately nearby...”

Let that puzzle you the right way.Don't unravel it. Just let yourconscience be your guide. Thatdoesn't happen too often in public.It's as personal as the Incarnationitself. By Divine Will we becomethat Incarnation. It needs no furtherpublicity. It needs you. It's a celestial,personal, as well as corporealmarriage based on the resurrection ofthe body all at once between you andJesus whose child you are. Allowyourself to be mixed up in him!

(I will continue this essay in the nextissue as the story mysteriously andartfully spotlights the Christ-in-crucifixion. Only at the end of itsprolonged "hour" do we see a returnof Christ's Mystical Body embracingus all along. Mary our Mother thenre-enters, along with all of us, “aipiedi della Croce” [at the foot of theCross]. Yes, at the foot of the cross asproposed in many writings by one noless than Our Holy Father BenedictXVI. One recent example is his letterto the superior general of the Societyof Jesus, 23 May 2006. Itcommemorates Pope Pius XII'sEncyclical, Haurietis aquas, ondevotion to the Sacred Heart ofJesus, in which he says, "In fact,being Christian is only possible withour gaze fixed on the cross of ourRedeemer." Can you detect a familiarring?)

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The Companions of Christ theLamb Community enjoys theChurch approval of already threeCatholic bishops, and is well onits way to becoming a clericalinstitute.

With over 1,040 acres of landnestled within the surroundingwoods of the Great Lake Superior,many pilgrims and devotees ofLuisa Piccarreta's spirituality havecome to experience our lifestyle.It is a lifestyle of ongoing unionwith God attained through prayerbefore the Eucharist (each

member makesone daily HolyHour), the frequentreception ofConfession and theEucharist andspiritual retreats.

The resident members profess thevows of simplicity, obedience andchastity.

They are obedient to the Will ofGod, expressed through Christ’svicar Pope Benedict XVI, throughthe bishops in union with him, andthrough the superior.

They lead a life of simplicity byavoiding the accumulation ofunnecessary trappings that clutterthe mind and obstruct the soulfrom unceasing, contemplative

prayer of the Trinity, whichenables them to "Live in theDivine Will".

They embrace a life of chastity inaccord with their respective statein life. Married couples livechastity by living the teachings ofHumana Vitae (the encyclical ofPope Paul VI), and by seeing,thinking and acting with a chasteattitude. The religious (brothersand sisters) and the priests livechastity through the observance ofcelibacy. The hermits andconsecrated laity are membersthat live celibacy as well (theconsecrated laity observe celibacywhile working in the world).

All contribute to the communitythrough their talents andresources.

Above is the Chapel of our Companionsof Christ the Lamb Community, locatedin Paradise, MI. Three members of ourcommunity will be making vows inDecember 2006.

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This year several pilgrims madespiritual retreats on our property.Of the many pilgrims this year onguided or solo retreats, two havedecided to become members, andthree are expected to professtemporary vows this December inour chapel (see photo). Here inParadise, the environment, thehospitality and the spiritual depththe community offers is superb.There are several resident prieststhat are spiritual masters thatmake themselves available to saydaily Mass, to hear confessionsand to give sound spiritualdirection.

If you feel the Spirit tugging atyour heart, consider a spiritualretreat with us, by contacting Mr.Chuck Roelant: P.O. Box 12,Paradise, MI 49768.

Remember, the gift of Living inthe Divine Will is a mystical giftlived in faith, and it is yours forthe asking. To know more of thismagnanimous gift, please write usat this newsletter address.

May God grant the gift of theDivine Will to all of you, and mayyour Christmas may be a mostjoyous one ever. May God blessyou noe and always: +

Merry Christmas and Happy NewYear!

To subscribe to this Newsletter, please write:

Hours of the PassionP.O. BOX 14627

Jacksonville, FL. 32238

(recommended donation of $12.00 / year)

Advisory:

Our newly Church-Approved Community in Paradise, MIwill eventually have its own, new mailing address. In the

meantime, please continue to send your newsletterdonations to the above PO Box address.

Above is a lateral view of the just some of the many cabins of ourParadise Community. These cabins are at our camp retreat site, andare part and parcel of our desire to live the mystical gifts that Godimparts to his Church. There are also houses, hermitages refectories,etc. Last month we began the construction of our new 2-story rectorythat will house the many future priests of our order. Please keep thisundertaking for God in your prayers.