Advent Message

November 29, 2010 - 8:29 PST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY

My Fellow Devotees of St. Philomena,

AVELINO, ITALY (November 29, 2010) - It is with great joy that I extend my most heartfelt thanks for your support of our new non-profit trust in the United States. I also want to thank you for supporting the Sanctuary through your online shopping. In the coming weeks, we will distribute an update on the projects that have been funded as a result of your contributions. We appreciate your outpouring of support as we work to maintain the earthly home of our beloved saint so that thousands of devotees from around the world can continue to enjoy comfortable accommodations during their pilgrimages.

I also write with a heavy heart to share some very sad news about Sister Bertilla. She is very ill, and through the years has managed to fight off many cancerous tumors through the powerful intercession of our beloved saint. Even amidst her long and trying battle, she has devoted much of her life to the cause of St. Philomena and the Sanctuary often working with tremendous pain due to her declining health. She has grown very tired from her fight with cancer and sadly it is incurable. We are currently caring for Sister Bertilla by treating her pain and helping her rest until God calls her home to His Kingdom. She is staying in her room at the Sanctuary and receiving 24-hour care with a steady stream of visitors each day. Please remember her in your prayers as a member of the St. Philomena family.

Sister Bertilla has been the rock behind the work at the Sanctuary all of these years. On August 5, 1986, she came to the Sanctuary and has spent the last 24 years working tirelessly for the good of the Sanctuary and devotion to St. Philomena offering many sacrifices to accomplish this work. Through her amazing help, the pilgrim center was transformed into a warm home for the family of St. Philomena - "her family," as she fondly refers to all of you.

Sister Bertilla has lived a life of dedicated service to her family and to God. She is the eldest of five children from a small fishing village in southern Italy and helped raise her younger siblings. From an early age she was a devotee of St. Philomena and celebrated our saint's annual feast days in the community where she grew up.

In 1953 at the age of 16, she took the name of Sister Bertilla and entered the religious order of the Sisters of the Disciples of the Eucharistic Jesus founded by Msg. Raphial del Nocche. At this tender age she began her work in various religious schools and institutions in southern Italy: Naples, Puglia, Potenza, Lecce, Marano de Napoli. She has several photo albums of her students and one photo album that she is particularly proud of includes all of the young people who went on to become priests and nuns in many different orders. While taking care of the frail and infirm in Marano de Napoli, Bishop Joseph Costansa, at my request for assistance at the Sanctuary, asked that Sister Bertilla be transferred to the Sanctuary. It was at that time that she came to the Sanctuary to welcome the pilgrims and assist the Rector.

I have never seen anyone work as hard as Sister Bertilla in all of my years as Rector of the Sanctuary. I have often said that she does the work of 10 people. Her special gift has always been her warm hospitality that she so generously gives to all of the devotees. Even as her body began to become more and more frail, she continued to organize activities at the church, ensure it was clean and that fresh flowers were placed on the Altar of St. Philomena. She helped maintain the gift shop and general operations of the Sanctuary. She also lovingly made scapulars each evening. Her dedicated work in cooking and cleaning the pilgrim house and the many tasks she took upon herself to do with other volunteers has helped the Sanctuary financially by conserving significant costs. She truly has one of the most generous hearts and illuminating souls of anyone I know. Through some of the hardest times that I have faced at the Sanctuary, she has always been a pillar of strength and has driven our work forward. Without her assistance, we would never have been able to continue to operate on such a limited budget through the years.I gratefully acknowledge all of Sister Bertilla's beautiful service to Christ and to St. Philomena.

As we enter into the wonder and special time of Advent I implore you to look at those less fortunate just as Jesus did in His life on earth. Take this time to offer your hand to those in need, and to support your parish priest whose duties at this time of year are extraordinary. It is our priests who so lovingly help us celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child. Our celebrations would not be possible without them. Remember the poor and the hungry and share your bounty and blessings generously with them. Try to walk in the steps of Jesus and see other souls as He did through His divine eyes. I will pray each day at the Sacred Altar of St. Philomena for you throughout this special time of year.

I give thanks to Our Lord for my priesthood, for the work of Sister Bertilla, and for coming to know all of the many devotees of St. Philomena who have entered the doors of the Sanctuary and who have shown me so much kindness. I would like to also share a story about a prayer answered that was just sent to me from Canton, Ohio. Let us rejoice together at the miraculous intercessory power of our saint.

A Miracle Baby!
"While my husband and I were travelling in the Alpine region of Europe in the third week of September 2010, we received shocking news from my son, David, that his wife, our daughter-in-law, was nearing her due date for the birth of their baby boy. Unfortunately, the baby was in breech position (upside down) in the womb. The next day, David e-mailed us that doctors would try to turn the baby, and if it was not successful, the doctors would have to perform an emergency C-Section. This was set for October 5 at a hospital in Columbus, Ohio. As soon as we received this news, I began praying to St. Philomena. I begged her asking her to intercede so that the baby would turn little by little up to 180 degrees. I found churches everywhere we visited and lighted a candle in each one. I repeated the same prayers over and over: St. Philomena, powerful with God, pray for the baby to turn himself so that his mom can have a healthy delivery. Amen.

On the night of October 5, I prayed to Almighty God to handle this and went to bed. While I was sleeping, in the middle of the night I heard a new born baby crying loudly in my ear and I woke up. I excitedly told my husband that David's baby was born. The time was 3:30 a.m. in Bern, Switzerland. I couldn't sleep anymore because I was so excited! My son David called me exactly one hour later and said that the baby turned himself and was born naturally without a C-section. This was a miracle. I said, Alleluia! Thank God! Thank You, St. Philomena! She listened to my prayers. This is a miracle baby"

I would like to extend a very special Thanksgiving blessing to all volunteers throughout the world who help further the cause of St. Philomena. We are all united as members of the Body of Christ. We especially thank Our Lord for the Holy Eucharist, which means "Thanksgiving." Through the celebration of the Eucharist we are reminded of Christ's sacrifice for our salvation and of His love for each one of us which endures forever. There is no greater gift than Jesus in the Eucharist.

Please remember that you can write and or email me. I will respond in the following languages: English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. All correspondence is confidential and replied to by the Rector.

With love and devotion,
Monsignor Giovanni Braschi.

Share Your Devotion with Others This Christmas!

1. Spend more than $100 through the online shop and receive a gift to share with a friend (choose from 5 relic cards, 2 small statues or 10 medals).

2. Spend more than $40 and receive our newest prayer card free.

3. Send a donation as a gift to one of your loved ones or friends and receive a special gift card with a second class relic.

4. Enroll your loved ones in the Archconfraternity of St. Philomena this year so they can begin receiving the many spiritual benefits.

5. Have a Mass said for one of your loved ones or friends this Christmas or send a gift of thanksgiving for answered prayers or prayer requests.

One hundred percent of every contribution made to the Sanctuary and through the online shop go directly toward the upkeep of the Sanctuary. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to spreading devotion to St. Philomena. You will always be remembered in the prayers of the Sanctuary.

Help Support the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena
Home to St Philomena devotees worldwide
If you can, please send a donation, if not pray for the works of the Sanctuary, tell people about them and spread the devotion to our Little Saint.

Ways to send a donation
If you are able to send a donation please use these methods

1.By personal check payable to the "Sanctuary of St. Philomena" and make sure to send it through registered or express mail to the Sanctuary's address which is at the bottom of this newsletter.

2.Online with credit card or through www.Paypal.com to the Sanctuary's
e-mail address: SantaFilomena@philomena.it you will find further information and full procedure on our web site under the heading donate or by clicking the following donation button.

3.By bank transfer to the Sanctuary's Bank account:
SANTUARIO SANTA FILOMENA
BANCA DELLA CAMPANIA - fil n° 0007
BANK ACCOUNT: n° 1279013
SWIFT CODE: BPMOIT22
IBAN: IT19L0539275790000001279013

4.For U.S. Donations - NEW - You can now send a US tax deductible donation through the following web site: www.philomena-usa.com Please note that this part of the Sanctuary of St. Philomena and a trusted and secure way to send a donation to the Sanctuary. It is run at the request of and under the full authorisation of Msg. Giovanni Braschi, Rector

You will receive a letter of acknowledgment and thanks when your donation is received.

Santuario Santa Filomena
83027 Mugnano del Cardinale
Avellino, Italy
tel:011 39 081 825 7204
fax:011 39 081 511 2733
http://www.philomena.us
e-mail:SantaFilomena@philomena.it

Contact

Sanctuary of St. Philomena
http://www.philomena.us
, 83027 IT
Giovanni Braschi - ,

Keywords

non profit, shop, gifts, Chrismas gilfts, saint, saint philomena, philomena, filomena, filumena

Category

Saints

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