The fortunate coincidence of propers has caused the vigil of Septuagesima to fall on February 11, the feast of the Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The seasonal change in the blog's appearance has been effected and no outward signs of joy are left, but our greatest joy, Our Lord in the Most Holy Sacrament.
As has already been noted here, the messages of Lourdes (celebrated today) and of the Septuagesima (pre-Lenten) and Lenten seasons, which begin with the First Vespers of Septuagesima Sunday this evening, are the same: the harsh reality of Original Sin, proclaimed by the great privilege of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin ("I am the Immaculate Conception"); and Penance ("Penance! Penance! Penance!").
I ask all our dear readers to please join our prayer and penance for the Unity of the Church.Let us also deepen our prayers for that principle of unity, the Successor of Peter, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI:
Oremus pro Pontifice nostro Benedicto. Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum,
et beatum faciat eum in terra,
et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum eius.
