Santa Maria Maggiore

This morning at Office, we observed the optional memorial of the dedication of the Roman basilica of St. Mary Major, or in Italian, “Santa Maria Maggiore.”

In recent months, at our local convent, we’ve enjoyed watching various videos from the internet on our TV, thanks to a laptop we now have and an HDMI cable; these have ranged from talks appropriate to liturgical feasts to documentaries on national parks.

Last week, we watched one about the seven wonders of the ancient world, and Sunday night, in honor of that day’s commemoration, we had a refresher on the mother chapel of our Franciscan order, the Portiuncula of Our Lady of the Angels.

Tonight, we’re planning to learn more about the famous Church in Rome that is thought to house the original manger from Bethlehem, if I remember correctly from my travel there in my early twenties.  We’ve been planning this since Sunday, when Sr. Elaine suggested it.  I’ve been having fun, too, pronouncing the name with a thick Italian accent. 

May our Lady, Queen of the Angels and Mother of the Church, be a powerful intercessor and help to us now during these challenging times. 

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