June 2014 

Dear Friend,

Over two million men and women are currently housed in U.S. prisons and jails.

And while some of these people may be completely innocent of any crime or law breaking, there are probably many more living freely among us because their crimes or misdeeds have not yet been discovered or disclosed.

Being obedient and doing the right thing day in and day out is not always an easy task.  After all, while most of us are not real criminals and will never spend a day “behind bars,” which one of us could honestly stand before the Lord today and proclaim to be innocent of any and all wrong doings?  To be perfectly honest, all of us don’t always do the right thing or follow God’s will every day of our lives.

However, there is one exception, and he can teach us a lot about doing what’s right. 

In a few weeks, thousands of people will make a pilgrimage to Carthage, Missouri, to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Shrine.  They will come from all over the country for the celebration of Marian Days, one of the largest religious gathering to take place in the United States this summer.

And during this 37th year of religious celebration the tens of thousands of faithful believers will be reminded of those few, but so very important words found in the second chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, “Jesus came to Nazareth with his parents and was obedient to them.”

It is so terribly ironic that Jesus was put to death, accused of being a criminal, and yet he was a man of absolute obedience.  He always did the right thing.  He was perfectly obedient to both his earthly parents and to his heavenly father.  He remained innocent of all crime and sin from the day he was born until the day he died.

You and I can’t say that about ourselves.  We may not be one of those two million looking at the world from behind bars, but we are still sinners in need of repentance and forgiveness.  And our heavenly father knows that.  That is why he sent Jesus into our world.  On the one hand, Jesus constantly points the way to holiness and virtue, but, on the other hand, he also offers the healing powers of unconditional forgiveness.

As I have always done in previous years, I do again invite you to come to Carthage for one or all the days of Marian Days, from August 7 to August 10.  Be part of this great religious celebration.

However, if that is not possible, then most certainly be with us in spirit by returning to me the enclosed prayer petition form.

Check and write on this form each and every personal need you would like prayed for during this year’s Marian Days.  And I point for your attention the first two petitions on this year’s prayer petition form.  Please give us permission to pray for you that you might always do what is right, and when you don’t, that you will have the courage and honesty to seek the Lord’s abundant and unconditional forgiveness.

In past years thousands, of Marian Days’ participants have left Marian Days changed men and women.  They returned home with a new resolve to do what is right, to follow Jesus in a daily act of obedience to the heavenly father.  I hope as you pray at home this year during our Marian Days you also might be touched with that same grace and favor.  Ask, that you might receive, and seek, that you might find.

When sending me your Marian Days prayer petitions, please also consider enclosing a generous donation in support of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Shrine, and the training of our seminarians.

Your help is always needed and deeply appreciated.  If your Marian Days donation is $25 or more, please ask to receive our 2014 Marian Days commemorative gift, a Lady of Fatima Key Ring.  This religious, yet also very practical gift, is pictured and described on the enclosed form. 

Please send me your 2014 Marian Days prayer petitions today.  Your prayer petitions will also be prayed for at the Fatima Apparition Shrine in Fatima, Portugal. 

In the love of Our Blessed Lady,

Fr. Raymond M. Dien, CMC

P.S.  Please check the appropriate box on the enclosed form if you would like a Shrine Memorial or if you would like a Marian Days Votive Candle lit for your intentions or for the intentions of another special friend or family member.