(Bilingual) The Feast of All Saints and the commemoration of All Souls invite us to look both inward and backward—not so we can dwell on the past with longing, not so that we can surround ourselves with pain or mourn for days gone by—but so that we can remember who we are, so that we might look forward to the future not with fear but rather with trust and hope—trust that God will not abandon us even in death, and hope in the resurrection to eternal life which Jesus promises to all who place their faith in him.
La solemnidad de todos los santos y la conmemoración de todos los fieles difuntos nos invitan a mirarnos internamente y externamente- no para que miremos el pasado con anhelo, no pare que nos encerremos en doler y lloremos por los días que se han ido- pero para que recordemos quienes somos, para que veamos hacia el futuro, no con miedo, pero con verdad y esperanza, confiando que Dios no nos abandona ni siquiera en la muerte, y esperar en la resurrección a la vida eterna la cual Jesús prometió a todos los que ponen su fe en él.
August 22—The Memorial of the Queenship of Mary—A Reflection by Bishop Keehner
A year ago, I began a three month sabbatical by serving as chaplain to a group of pilgrims visiting the shrines of France, Spain and Portugal. On this date in particular, August 22, I celebrated with them, in a side chapel at the Basilica in Lourdes, today’s Memorial of the Queenship of Mary. And while this date will forever hold a special place in my heart for that reason, what I found especially memorable, even “electrifying”, was the Rosary procession which took place the evening before.
(Bilingual - Spanish below) Bishop Keehner writes about pilgrimage opportunities in the Jubilee Year of Hope, Masses of Welcome and the upcoming holy day - solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
(bilingual) Since his May 1 episcopal ordination, Bishop Keehner has received messages from the faithful of all ages of the Diocese of Sioux City. He shares some of the messages from his youngest well-wishers.