The Annunciation to Mary — When One "Yes" Changed the World
Category: Marian Devotion · Scripture
This month, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord — the moment when the Archangel Gabriel visited Mary, and her humble "Yes" changed the course of human history.
Luke's Gospel tells us this story in beautiful detail, but what's often overlooked is the contrast between Mary's response and that of the priest Zechariah, who received a similar angelic visit about the birth of John the Baptist. Both asked the angel a question — but the nature of their questions was very different.
Zechariah asked, "How shall I know this?" (Lk 1:18) — a question rooted in doubt. He wanted proof. Mary, on the other hand, asked, "How can this be?" (Lk 1:34) — a question rooted in faith. She didn't doubt; she simply wanted to understand how God's plan would unfold.
Gabriel's reply revealed the Holy Trinity at work: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God" (Lk 1:35). Through the action of the Holy Spirit, the Father caused the Son to be conceived in human form — making Mary the Mother of God.
As Pope Benedict XVI reflected through the words of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, at that moment heaven and earth held its breath, waiting for Mary's answer. And from her lips came the words that set salvation in motion: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Lk 1:38).
As we celebrate this feast, let us honor Mary's courage, faith, and obedience — and ask her to help us say our own "yes" to God's will in our lives.
At St. Catherine's: Our parish bears the name of St. Catherine Labouré, to whom Mary appeared and entrusted the Miraculous Medal. Join us in honoring Our Lady at the Miraculous Medal Novena every Monday evening at 7:00 PM, or the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Novena every Saturday morning at 8:00 AM. Consider renewing your own consecration to Mary on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25.
— Based on the message by Ronald L. Rodrigues, MI National President References: Luke 1:18, 1:34–35, 1:38; Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Chapter 2, p. 36 (quoting St. Bernard of Clairvaux)
Listening and Fasting — Pope Leo XIV's Message for Lent 2026
Category: Lent · Faith Reflection
In his message for Lent 2026, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to place the mystery of God back at the center of our lives through two powerful Lenten practices: listening and fasting.
Listening: The Holy Father reminded us that the willingness to listen is the first way we show our desire to enter into relationship with someone — including God. Just as the Lord told Moses, "I have observed the misery of my people… I have heard their cry" (Ex 3:7), we too are called to listen: to God's word in the liturgy, and to the cry of those who are suffering around us.
Fasting: Pope Leo XIV described fasting as a concrete way to prepare ourselves to receive the word of God. It helps us recognize what we truly "hunger" for, keeps our thirst for justice alive, and frees us from complacency. As St. Augustine taught, this "reaching out in desire expands the soul and increases its capacity."
But the Holy Father also offered a surprising and very practical invitation: a fast from hurtful words. "Let us begin by disarming our language," he urged, "avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present." Instead, let us cultivate kindness and respect — in our families, at work, on social media, and in our communities.
Pope Leo XIV closed by asking us to make our communities places "where the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation."
At St. Catherine's: Make space for listening this Lent. Join us for Eucharistic Adoration every Monday from 11:00 AM–7:00 PM — a quiet, powerful opportunity to sit with the Lord and hear His voice. Confessions are available Mondays 6:00–6:30 PM and Saturdays 4:00–5:00 PM, a beautiful way to practice the interior conversion the Holy Father calls us to.
— From the Message of Pope Leo XIV for Lent 2026 (5 February 2026) References: Exodus 3:7; St. Augustine, The Usefulness of Fasting, 1, 1; Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te (4 October 2025), §9; Pope Paul VI, Catechesis, 8 February 1978; Pope Benedict XVI, Catechesis, 9 March 2011
Remembering St. Maximilian — 85 Years Since His Arrest
Category: Saints · Church History
On February 17, 2026, the Church marked the 85th anniversary of the arrest of St. Maximilian Kolbe and four of his Franciscan brothers by the Nazis. A special commemorative Mass was celebrated at the Basilica of the Immaculate Mother of God in Niepokalanów, Poland — the City of the Immaculata that St. Maximilian himself founded.
In his homily, the Minister Provincial of the Province of the Immaculate Mother of God pointed out the special trust St. Maximilian placed in God, even as God led him down the most difficult of paths. Maximilian's "yes" to God — even in the midst of war and persecution — was a form of heroism lived out in daily life. He was tested "like gold in the crucible," and he never gave in to the temptation to choose something easier or more superficial.
His four fellow friars who were arrested that day — Blessed Pius Bartosik, Antonin Bajewski, Bonifacy Żukowski, and Tymoteusz Trojanowski — also gave the ultimate witness. Like St. Maximilian, they lost their lives in the concentration camp at Auschwitz. At the end of the anniversary Mass, a new mosaic depicting these four martyrs was blessed in the chapel of St. Maximilian.
Their example reminds us that faith and dedication to God are not merely verbal declarations, but the most important reality of our lives — worth the highest price.
At St. Catherine's: As we walk through Lent, let St. Maximilian's courage inspire us. His devotion to the Miraculous Medal — which he called the "silver bullet" of the MI — has a special connection to our own parish patroness, St. Catherine Labouré. Spend time this Lent reflecting on the sacrifices of the saints and the call to deeper faithfulness in our own lives.
— Based on the report by Friar Franciszek Czarnowski from Niepokalanów, Poland
St. Maximilian Teaches — The Weapons of a Knight of the Immaculata
Category: Lent · Saints · Spiritual Life
Knight. Militia. Battle. These words sound warlike — and they are. But St. Maximilian Kolbe wasn't talking about rifles or rockets. He was talking about a real spiritual battle, and he laid out three powerful weapons for every Christian.
First: Prayer. St. Maximilian was emphatic — prayer, not action, is the primary weapon in the spiritual life. Why? Because supernatural goals require supernatural means. Only divine grace, obtained through humble and trustful prayer, can truly convert hearts and free souls from the bondage of evil. And a prayer raised to God through the hands of the Immaculata, he assured us, "cannot possibly remain unanswered."
Second: Mortification. Through self-denial, the soul is purified and becomes more God-like, "like gold melting in a crucible." Mortification helps us receive more abundant graces — for ourselves and for others. As St. Maximilian asked: "Could genuine love for God ever exist without suffering?"
Third: Love for one's neighbor. Not because someone is "nice" or wealthy or grateful — those would be petty reasons, he said, "unworthy of a Knight of the Immaculata." Genuine love rises above the creature and plunges into God. "In Him, for Him and through Him it loves everyone, be they good or bad, friends or foes."
This Lent, St. Maximilian's words challenge us: Are we relying on prayer as our first and most powerful tool? Are we offering small sacrifices with love? Are we extending genuine charity to everyone — even those who are difficult to love?
At St. Catherine's: Put these "weapons" into practice! Join us for daily Mass (Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 8:00 AM; Monday at 7:00 PM). Offer your Lenten sacrifices through Mary at our Monday Miraculous Medal Novena. And look for ways to serve your neighbor through our Food Pantry or Thrift Shop — practical ways to live out St. Maximilian's call to love.
— From the writings of St. Maximilian Kolbe (KW 1075) References: KW 1075 from The Writings of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe (critical English edition); St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Memorare prayer
Militia of the Immaculata — Right Here in Middletown!
Category: Parish Life · Marian Devotion
Did you know there is a Militia of the Immaculata (MI) Village right here in Middletown, New Jersey?
The MI is a worldwide Catholic evangelization movement founded by St. Maximilian Kolbe in 1917. It encourages total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a path to personal conversion, holiness, and spiritual renewal. The movement is open to all Catholics over the age of 7.
MI Villages are local groups where members connect, pray together, and support one another in living out their Marian consecration. In addition to in-person villages across the country — with new villages being added all the time — the MI also offers several online villages for those who prefer to gather virtually.
It's a beautiful connection that our own parish — named for St. Catherine Labouré, the saint to whom Our Lady entrusted the Miraculous Medal — is home to an MI Village. St. Maximilian Kolbe himself had a deep devotion to the Miraculous Medal, calling it the "silver bullet" of the MI.
Interested in joining or learning more? Contact the MI National Office at [email protected] or visit militiaoftheimmaculata.com. You can also explore the consecration booklet Behold Your Mother! and the children's book Follow the Star! — perfect for families wanting to grow in devotion to Our Lady together.
At St. Catherine's: Join us every Monday evening for the Miraculous Medal Novena Mass at 7:00 PM — a wonderful way to honor Our Lady and live out your Marian devotion as a parish family.
— Learn more at militiaoftheimmaculata.com
March Prayer Intention — Discerning the Seeds of the Word in Our Culture
Category: Prayer · Monthly Intention
O Immaculata, please intercede… that we may become able to discern and bring to maturation the "seeds of the Word" present in our culture.
This month's reflection, from Fr. Thomas Czeck, OFM Conv., invites us to consider how St. Maximilian Kolbe responded to the darkness and destruction of his own time — and what that teaches us today.
During World War I, St. Maximilian looked at the world around him and saw seeds of destruction everywhere: nations at war, political ideologies rejecting God, and movements openly hostile to the Church. But rather than despair, he saw behind it all the ancient battle between good and evil — and the promise of Genesis 3:15, the Woman who would crush the head of the serpent.
It was in this context that St. Maximilian was inspired to found the Militia of the Immaculata. In his first conference to the friars on October 18, 1919, he laid out the mission: to seek the conversion and holiness of all people under the protection and intercession of the Immaculata.
Today, we face our own cultural challenges. But the same "seeds of the Word" are present in our midst — waiting to be discovered, nurtured, and brought to fruition. May we be directed by the Immaculata to lost and searching people, introducing them to Mary so she can open their hearts and reveal to them her Son, their Savior.
At St. Catherine's: Carry this intention with you throughout March. Bring it to Eucharistic Adoration on Mondays (11:00 AM–7:00 PM), to the Miraculous Medal Novena on Monday evenings, or hold it in your heart at daily or Sunday Mass. You may also send prayer intentions to the MI: [email protected].
— Reflection by Fr. Thomas Czeck, OFM Conv., MI-USA National Spiritual Assistant References: Genesis 3:15; St. Maximilian Kolbe, First Conference to the Friars, October 18, 1919
All content adapted from The Knight of the Immaculata, Issue 112, March 2026. Published by the Militia of the Immaculata, USA. © Militia of the Immaculata. For more information, visit militiaoftheimmaculata.com.