OF YOUR CHARITY PLEASE SAY A PATER NOSTER, AVE & GLORIA FOR MOTHER ANGELICA AS SHE CELEBRATES HER 90TH BIRTHDAY TODAY
I remember very well the first time I saw Mother on television. It must have been about 1979 or 1980. A protestant friend (whose family had satellite television) told me about her. We only had 2 stations and my friend invited me to watch EWTN with her. I confess that I wasn't really that impressed at the time. I suspect that was because I was not as open to God's grace or because of my age.
Years later while living in Germany, I would listen to her programs via shortwave radio. I am for the most part rather unimpressed with the great majority of EWTN programming (save some feature films, Papal liturgies, documentaries and above all "Mother Angelica reruns"). In fact, the past few years my television viewing has been almost exclusively Mother Angelica reruns. I find myself edified by most everything she says. I firmly believe that her's was a work of the Holy Ghost. She continues through her reruns to catechize a new generation. She reminds me most often of the old school style nuns who taught us religion as a boy. She speaks from the heart in a clear, concise & down to earth fashion. She has a great love for the Most Blessed Sacrament (think of the Shrine!) and a very tender love for Our Lady. She was in her own way a "voice crying out in the wilderness of modernism". I was impressed and moved by her decision to revert to the traditional Poor Clare habit and her dedication to and battle for the re-enchantment of the novus ordo liturgy above all her insistence upon the ad orientem eastward celebration of Holy Mass in Latin something which cost her dearly.
Many years ago, I wrote her asking advice about my own vocational discernment. I didn't expect a reply. However, I was very surprised to receive a very kind hand-written letter. She shall only know in heaven what hope this kindness brought to me. I pray for her every day and of your charity ask you to do the same.
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