This year too, in October, the highly appreciated cycles of catechesis and Christian formation held by the Rector Don Roberto De Odorico will resume at S. Maria dell'Orto, but with completely different methods. First of all, the pious tradition of the "Nine First Fridays of the Month" is renewed: it is a devotional practice of the Catholic Church, born following the "Great Promise" that Jesus Christ himself revealed to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). Nun of the Order of the Visitation, founded by Saint Francis de Sales, the saint claimed to have received from Jesus the promise of grace to those who received Holy Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months. In one of the apparitions, Jesus Christ, showing his Heart to Margaret Alacoque and complaining about the ingratitude of men, asked her to attend Holy Communion in reparation, especially on the first Friday of each month. This devotional practice was interpreted by Margherita herself as an act of reparation towards human behavior towards the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus appearing to the saint and showing her His Heart shining like sunlight, made twelve precise promises. The twelfth was called the Great Promise, that is, "To all those who, for nine consecutive months, will communicate on the first Friday of each month, I promise the grace of final perseverance: they will not die in my disgrace, but will receive the Saints Sacraments (if necessary) and my Heart will be their safe asylum in that extreme moment". The cycle begins on 6 October 2023 and ends on 7 June 2024. At 4.30 pm there is the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for silent adoration and the possibility of receiving confession. At 18 the Holy Mass. Each meeting is characterized by a different meditation theme. The other novelty is given by the training meetings linked to “S. Mass and Divine Liturgy”. Very often the faithful are unaware of the treasures of faith and knowledge that underlie the Sacred Function and its various moments, also because unfortunately the Catholic Church itself generally does not pay enough attention to it. The Liturgy is not the mechanical sequence of pious formulas, but rather the re-proposal of the fundamental principles of our own Religion (the "mysteries"). In fact the celebrant, at the opening of the Holy Mass, pronounces this exhortation "Brothers, to worthily celebrate the holy mysteries, let us recognize our sins".
These meetings, also each marked by a specific theme, will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, starting from 17 October 2023 and until 18 June 2024. The single duration is 60 minutes, from 8pm to 9pm. Yes encourages maximum punctuality. All of Don Roberto's catecheses are always visible on YouTube at the link https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BTgqqTdsxB9Fb7rx0-AXg Here in the attachment we offer you the complete program in a downloadable file, which we invite you to spread as much as possible among friends, relatives and supporters. Along with it, an integrated calendar with our 2023/2024 Sunday and holiday functions.
