Friend of Seminarians
Knowing that Christ introduced His very first seminarians, Andrew, John, Simon-Peter, Philip and Nathaniel (whom the synoptics call Bartholomew) to His Blessed Mother on the third day of their formation for the priesthood; (John ii:I) it surely behoves every single priest and seminarian to have great devotion to our Heavenly Queen whom we are privileged to address as “our life, our sweetness and our hope. St. Maximillan Kolbe exhorts Mary’s special sons, our priests, to stay close to her Immaculate Heart.
1. One thing especially you should avoid: to permit the Mother of God to recede from your life.
2. The one who ceases to take refuge close to Mary Immaculate falls lower and lower from grace.
3. My dear children, if you desire to live and die happily, endeavour to deepen your child-like love for your most Beloved Mother.
4. If there is anything whatsoever which might alienate you from the Mother of God beware of it even under the pretext of a higher devotion that appears to you more conducive. In Mary and through her we can most certainly reach the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
5. Mary Immaculate will lead us to the heights of holiness if we co-operate with her graces.
6. If you keep steadfastly close to the side of Mary Immaculate, you will be able to resist the influences that are alien to the ideals of the City of Mary Immaculate.
7. We must give the best possible example of loving Mary Immaculate in this life, and be prepared to make unlimited sacrifices for her.
8. When we have made a success of something, let us give thanks to God for what we have achieved. Let us be aware of the danger of exalting ourselves. We must always be prepared for success to evaporate and perhaps even to experience persecution from those around us.
9. Dear children, do not be too sad. Mary Immaculate changes all things to our greatest benefit. Console each other. Endeavour to bear with one another's faults; this is the best way to show love.
10. A soul full of distractions always walks on the slippery path because it never has time to enter deeply into the interior life.
Let us love Mary Immaculate every moment of each day and let us encourage others to love her even more than we ourselves do.
Vocations Guide to Priesthood
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