A Scapular Saint: Bl. Isidore Bakanja story in Congo -- narrated by Fr. Elias Mary Mills, FI

THE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST | APRIL 24, 2024, 1st EDITION (EVENING POST, EST / PST)

Dear Readers and “those who are called, who are beloved in God the Father and kept safe for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance” (Jude 1:1)¹

ABOUT TODAY'S LIVE RECORD

In this new Live Record presentation, Fr. Elias Mary Mills, Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate returns to tell our listeners about the true and moving story of Blessed Isidore Bakanja: the “Scapular Saint” who was beatified 30 years ago today on April 24, 1994.²

BLESSED ISIDORE BAKANJA: LIFE STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• 1880-1890? Bl. Isidore was born in Bokendela (Congo)³

• 6 MAY 1906: Isidore baptized after catechized by missionaries;

• Worked on a plantation owned by colonialist in Ikili who “forbid” him “to spread Christianity among his fellow-workers”;

• 22 April 1909: rubber plantation superintendent “tore off the Carmelite Scapular” worn by Isidore, then ordered him to be beaten;

• 15 August 1909 he died, “as a result of the wounds inflicted” as "punishment" for his faith “which he bore patiently while forgiving his aggressor”;

  • “Two missionaries who spent several days with him reported that he devoutly received the last sacraments. The missionaries urged Isidore to forgive the agent; he assured them that he already had.

    • "I shall pray for him. When I am in heaven, I shall pray for him very much."

  • “After six months of prayer and suffering, he died, rosary in hand and scapular around his neck.”

• 24 April 1994: Isidore Bakanja was beatified by St. Pope John Paul II;

See also: www.ocarm.org | Blessed Isidore Bakanja, PRAY FOR US

FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO: MISSA LUBA, KYRIE (1965) -- MASS in the Congolese Style

MORE ROSARY HOUR PODCAST RESOURCES FOR TODAY'S POST:

SCROLL BELOW FOR THE "SCAPULAR PROCEDURE FOR BLESSING AND INVESTITURE"
w/ SPIRITUAL DIRECTION PROVIDED BY FR. ELIAS MARY MILLS, FI 

Text is reformatted below for the RHP subscribers and recommended by FR. ELIAS.

Scroll down to find the link to cut and paste the text and/or to design your own digital cards for your parish community / month of May planning for a special Rosary with Scapular Enrolment Masses. Pray the Rosary every day!

TO WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR IS A SIGN OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY’S IMMACULATE HEART ~ (POPE PIUS XII), summarized by Fr. Elias Mary Mills (RHP Live Record)

SCAPULAR PROCEDURE FOR BLESSING AND INVESTITURE, PAGE 1 of 2: WEAR THE SCAPULAR EVERY DAY. PRAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY.

SCAPULAR PROCEDURE FOR BLESSING AND INVESTITURE, PAGE 2 of 2. WEAR THE SCAPULAR EVERYDAY. PRAY THE ROSARY EVERY DAY.

PAGE 3: PROCEDURE FOR BLESSING AND INVESTITURE (LATIN)

DOWNLOAD THE FOLLOWING TEXT⁴ https://www.catholicity.com/scapulars/brown-scapular-enrollment-prayer.html

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MORE ABOUT TODAY’S SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR & LIVE RECORD GUEST

FATHER ELIAS MARY MILLS, FI: 

A Nebraska native, Fr. Elias Mary Mills, F.I. discernment to the priesthood and religious life began before his graduation from Kearney State College where he majored in Mathematics and minored in Computer Science. There he spent two years in formation as a Carmelite, being professed in 1986. As a volunteer with the Conventual Franciscans at Marytown, he learned about St. Maximilian Kolbe and Total Consecration to the Immaculata.  He entered into his seminary formation at Holy Apostles Seminary, here in Cromwell, CT. During this time, he was introduced to the Franciscans of the Immaculate, who had just arrived at Holy Apostles. Fr. Elias would join the F.I. in 1993 and make his Final Profession in September 1999. In December, he was then ordained a Deacon in Castelpetroso, Italy. During the Jubilee Year of 2000, Fr. Elias, as a deacon, served in the sacristy of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Later that year on May 27, Fr. Elias was ordained a priest by Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz in Lincoln, Nebraska.  In his extensive travels as a missionary priest, Fr. Elias served the Friars’s mission in Western Australia for three years as well as the F.I. Friary in Griswold and then traveled back to Castelpetroso, Italy. He was then assigned serving nine years as Father Guardian and Retreat Program Director at the Mother of the Redeemer Retreat Center in Bloomington, Indiana. In December 2016 - August 2021, Fr. Elias served at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse,Wisconsin as Rector of the Shrine Church.   Fr. Elias’ passion and love for Our Lady is undaunted, as can be seen and heard in his many retreat talks and homilies. Ave Maria!   Some of our listeners have asked about pilgrimages and Fr. Elias will take another group to Japan in October 2024. See this link for details. 

We invite you to learn more about the NEW CHANNEL created by the FRANCISCAN FRIARS OF THE IMMACULATE here:

EXTRA NOTES: 

We invite you to pray for all those involved in the Dicastery for the Cause of the Saints, as well as for the country and citizens of Portugal which will celebrate tomorrow 50 years of liberty for "O Dia de Liberdade". 

Here is an article in Portuguese: "25 Abril: 50 anos transformaram o país, mas ainda há "muito caminho para andar" -- no editorial do jornal oficial do santuário, Voz da Fátima, Carlos Cabecinhas aborda os 50 anos da revolução de 1974 realçando a "liberdade, valor maior e que se declina nas mais diversas vertentes". c.f. https://observador.pt/2024/04/16/25-abril-50-anos-transformaram-o-pais-mas-ainda-ha-muito-caminho-para-andar/ 

BEATA ALEXANDRINA: 20th anniversary of her beatification on 25 April 2024

Alexandrina da Costa is known as the 4th Seer of Fátima. For "13 years and seven months until her death" … "She received no nourishment of any kind except the Holy Eucharist, at one point weighing as few as 33 kilos (approximately 73 pounds).  Medical doctors remained baffled by this phenomenon and began to conduct various tests on Alexandrina, acting in a very cold and hostile way towards her. This increased her suffering and humiliation, but she remembered the words that Jesus himself spoke to her one day:  "You will very rarely receive consolation... I want that while your heart is filled with suffering, on your lips there is a smile".  

The casa of Beata Alexandrina is located in Balasar within the Porto region of Portugal and it is now more easily accessible with the handy bus system if you are not already walking / driving there for tomorrow's pilgrimage!

Read about the Saint of the Eucharist and her unique story on the Vatican website: https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20040425_da-costa_en.html

Details for tomorrow are here.

NOTE: The region will be visited by His Eminence, Cardeal D. António Marto (the Emeritus Archbishop of Fátima) who will travel to the North of Portugal to preside over the mass and this special gathering.

25 de abril

08h00 – Acolhimento ao Peregrino

09h00 – Oração da manhã e meditação

10h30 – Eucaristia de festa e bênção dos doentes

Preside, Cardeal D António Marto

Bispo emérito de Leiria – Fátima  

15h00 – Adoração Eucarística e meditação. Bênção Do Santíssimo Sacramento

17h00 Eucaristia e Consagração ao Imaculado Coração de Maria

Fim da Peregrinação

Conferencista: Padre Dário Pedroso, S.J.

Animação musical: Grupo Coral da Paróquia de Balasar

Durante o dia haverá sacerdotes disponíveis para atender confissão.

Para acompanhar as celebrações através de; www.alexandrinadebalasar.com

https://www.alexandrinadebalasar.pt/festa-em-honra-da-beata-alexandrina-5/

LIVE RECORD BLESSING

FINAL PRAYER: At the end of today's video, Fr. David Michael Moses gives a blessing to listeners of the Rosary Hour Podcast.

You can now share with others the Final Cut of his presentation and Masterclass on Humor by [CLICKING HERE NOW].

FOOTNOTES

1. Learn about and share the story of St. Jude, Saint of the Impossible, in this homily led by Fr. Carlos Martins as presented by Gabi’s Channel:

2. Co-Produced and reviewed by Karen Rocha and Izzy Nunziato. Today’s interview was directed by on of our Rosary Hour Podcast Executive Producers, Dr. Blythe Kaufman, founder of Children’s Rosary, who provided Amelia with the original episode idea and teaching concept in collaboration with Fr. Elias Mary Mills, the lead Spiritual Director for today’s Live Record and who has contributed to helping our Podcast understand the many facets of Marian Devotion, including the topic of the Scapular, Sacramentals, Marian Consecration, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Marian Apparitions, etc. He has recorded Five Decades of the Holy Rosary which we hope to release by May 13th, the Feast of Our Lady of Fátima and memory of the 1st Apparition of Our Lady in the Cova da Iria in Portugal. We wish also to thank him for his support of this podcast, for being part of this mission to teach the Rosary / the Scapular and the power of consecration. We hope you will learn from the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate via their new YouTube Channel here.

3. SEE ALSO: http://secretariat.synod.va/content/synod2018/en/youth-testimonies/bl--isidore-bakanja--martyr-.html

4. Invitation to revisit the Scapular Inscription for “First Holy Communion”, wedding retreats / Month of May Rosary Masses / May 12 Vigil of Our Lady of Fátima, etc. etc.