SYMBOL: Picture and relic of Fr. Palau, Books: History of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters, Writings of Francisco Palau and Constitutions.
PREPARE: Photos mounted with faces of people showing the different members of the Church.
Introduction
Francisco Palau was a tireless missionary who went out to proclaim that the Church is infinitely beautiful and lovable. Today we will reflect on the mission that Father Palau fulfilled in the Church.
- What was their mission?
- What was he really preaching?
- What did he mean by "infinitely beautiful"?
Singing.
I am looking for a New Church
I am looking for a new Church, a place of joy and celebration:
to live in communion with Christ its Head, in one love.
I seek a poor Church that is at the service of mankind.
who washes our feet and in brotherly love is his whole law.
A Holy Church with only one heart
is the "Beloved Thing" that I seek (2v.)
let's build fraternity together:
pigeons populate the blue of peace;
we are living stones of the big city:
A New Church is already emerging!
I seek the living Church that shines in Mary:
Handmaid of the Lord and type of the Church in all its splendour.
I am looking for a virgin, slave, poor and humble Church:
of pure heart that keeps itself undivided for God alone.
I am looking for a new Church: a joyful city of celebration;
clothed in light, beloved Jerusalem, bride of Jesus.
from the Triune God the Church is born, made in his image
which tends towards unity and creates fraternity among men.
Reading
Luke 4:18-19
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour".
Palautian Text
MRel. Fragments III, 2
"Oh, how happy I am! Now I have found you. I love you; you know it: the least I can offer you is my life, to reciprocate your love. The passion of love that devours me will find its nourishment in you, because you are as beautiful as God, you are infinitely loved. My heart was created to love you, here it is, it is yours, it loves you. I love you, and you are able to reciprocate my love; I know that you love me with a pure, loyal, firm and constant love. I no longer belong to myself, but I am yours; because I love you, dispose of my life, my health, my rest and all that I am and have".
Reflection
Father Francisco Palau fell in love with the Church. He considered the Church to be wounded, but beautiful. His main concern in all his apostolic work was to beautify the Church and to proclaim its beauty to the nations. "His intense apostolate was but the proof of his love and the seal of his authenticity" (Passion for the Church, p. 67).
Today, the Church is going through many scandals and divisions, individualism, lack of desire for holiness in religious life, many are leaving the faith.
- As spiritual sons and daughters of Fr Palau, what is our role in the Church?
- How are we going to make the beauty of the Church known?
- What is our mission, what are we going to preach with our lives?
Silence
Brief spontaneous prayer for the different members of the Church
Closing Prayer
God our Father, you have called Blessed Francis Palau as father in the Church and of the Church. Grant that, through his intercession, we may dedicate our lives to serving our holy mother Church by embodying the Word of God and living our Eucharistic life in communion with all our brothers and sisters, and thus restore the holiness and beauty of your holy Church. Amen.
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