News from the National Headquarters
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March 19, 2010
Solemnity of St. Joseph
Fr. Gobbi has requested that we share his annual letters with all MMP members. Those on our official mailing list have already received a packet that included Fr. Gobbi’s 2009 letter, both in English and Spanish. We are making it available on our website for the benefit of those who have not officially registered as members, and also for any on our mailing list who failed to notify us of their address changes.
Fr. Gobbi’s Letter 2010 – English
Fr. Gobbi’s Letter 2010 – Spanish
February 11, 2010
Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes
Dear MMP Family,
Greetings in the Immaculate Heart of Mary! We are pleased to once again share with you Fr. Gobbi’s annual letter. He has asked his national directors to assume the responsibility of sending it to all of the MMP members in their respective countries.
The theme of his letter for 2010 is the Year for Priests that Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed on June 16, 2009, in celebration of the 150th birthday of St. John Mary Vianney. Fr. Gobbi writes,
“It is our year, the year in which the Marian Movement of Priests will have a new and significant importance in the life of the Church, for the interior renewal of priests.”
We ask, therefore, that all of you have a special intention in your prayers for all priests, and especially those that belong to our Movement, during the remainder of this special year which will conclude in Rome with an international gathering of priests with the Holy Father from June 9-11, 2010.
A Sad Farewell
I have been asked by Fr. Gobbi to inform you that Fr. Roux has resigned as National Director of the Marian Movement of Priests in the United States. Fr. Gobbi will name a new director at this year’s international retreat.
International Retreat
The dates for this year’s spiritual exercises in Italy are June 27 to July 3. All bishops, priests, deacons and seminarians are invited to attend, to spend the week in prayer with Fr. Gobbi and to deepen their spirituality of the Marian Movement of Priests. Fr. Charles Becker will be in charge of arranging all of the details for the priests in the United States. Please contact him for more information. (Email: mmpchicago@pngusa.net / Tel: 815-385-1575)
National Cenacle Retreat
(open to both priests and laity from the U.S. and Canada)
Place: Mt. Carmel Spiritual Center, 7021 Stanley Ave., Niagara Falls, ON Canada L2G 7B7
Date: Monday, Dec. 6 (begins with supper) – Friday, Dec. 10 (ends after breakfast)
Lodging: Retreat House can accommodate 100 guests (double occupancy)
Further accommodations will be provided at nearby Inn.
Price: $400.00 CAD – includes 4 nights lodging and 11 meals.
Important note for retreatants from the U.S. – send your money order in Canadian funds only. (No personal checks please)
Special feature: Magnificent Candlelight Adoration – Dec. 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Registration deadline: Nov. 25, 2010
Contact for reservations: Suzanne Keays Tel. 905-735-4164
Multiply your Cenacles!
So often in her messages, the Blessed Mother repeats this call, and she asks especially that there be an increase in family cenacles. We are aware that many cenacles have grown very large. Our Blessed Mother invites us to form new ones. We received a call from one of the cenacles in Texas (under the direction of Msgr. Pivonka, our regional director in that state) that had separated into several groups, and all of the “offshoots” had grown to be almost as large as the original “mother cenacle.” Fr. Gobbi asks that you consider splitting up into smaller home cenacles and try to interest more of your friends and family members to attend. Then, if you so choose, you can come together on a quarterly or semi-annual basis for a gathering of your original cenacle.
Books
The reprint of the 18th edition of the book, “To the Priests, Our Lady’s Beloved Sons,” is now available. You may request copies by contacting the Headquarters.
Happy 80th!
Finally, we wish a happy birthday to Fr. Gobbi who turned 80 on March 22nd of this year. May he receive from the Blessed Mother an abundance of blessings for the work that he has done, and may she give him the strength to continue his travels throughout the world, asking for the consecration to her Immaculate Heart and the spread of the cenacles of prayer.
In his letter, Fr. Gobbi writes:
“…as long as the Heavenly Mother gives me the health and the strength, I think that it is my duty to continue the already exhausting mission of leading bishops, priests, religious and faithful to the Consecration to her Immaculate Heart. In fact, these are the times in which the Most Blessed Trinity is showing the power of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in order that It [her Immaculate Heart] be glorified by the Church and by humanity.”
So how very important, then, that we pray for Fr. Gobbi and this very important mission that has been given him.
We take this opportunity to wish all of you a most joyous and blessed Easter.
Sincerely yours in
Jesus and Mary,
Tammy Ouellette
MMP Secretary for the USA