From darkness to light –from death to life.
Remember way back on the 1st Sunday of Lent – Jesus, the personification of goodness, and Satan, the personification of evil, engaged in a momentous power struggle for the souls of men and women. Satan tempted Jesus to insulate himself from the daily problems of ordinary people and to embrace the trappings of material prosperity, power and glory – only to be repulsed at every turn. Far from wanting to seem superior to others, Jesus reminds Satan that his mission in life is dedicated to help vulnerable people. Far from wanting to lord it over the defenseless people of his day, Jesus would identify himself with the powerless, the unimportant, the sick, women and children, the victims of the abusive use of power and privilege. Satan lost that first battle conclusively, but he would never give up trying. Who would be the eventual victor? Who could better influence the people for good or evil? Who had more power, Jesus or Satan? The contest was on!
Satan watched Jesus carefully during his public life and bitterly observed how quickly Jesus made friends with the poor, the widows, the grieving and the children, and how Jesus brought new hope and vision to a people in despair. Satan watched Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead to life, forgive repentant sinners, and tell such marvelous never-to-be forgotten stories of God’s mercy and compassion, like the Prodigal Son and the Repentant Thief…
But Satan, always ready to put up a good fight, congratulated himself, that he also had subtle ways to influence people’s minds and hearts for the purpose of evil. He often gloated how he managed to blind the religious authorities, the Pharisees, Scribes and the High Priest, to the obvious goodness of Jesus and to harden their hearts against him, while handily seducing Peter to deny his master and Judas to plot Jesus’ death for a paltry thirty pieces of silver.
Yes, the power struggle was on, and the always prideful Satan thought he was winning –for on a certain never-to-be forgotten Friday, on Calvary’s hill, Satan gleefully laughed at Jesus writhing in pain and nailed to a cross, abandoned by his timid followers, with only his mother, a few women and the disciple John to comfort him. I’ve won the battle, Satan shouts triumphantly. Jesus is dead and buried in a tomb. Evil triumphs over good.
Or does it? Or did Jesus actually win? Obviously, Satan did not know that Jesus was truly the divine son of God, the long-expected Messiah, so he did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead…after all, he mused, only a real God could do that – right?
On this Easter 2025, believing Catholics the world over, will shout and chant – Jesus is risen from the dead, alleluia. Jesus is victor over Satan, Sin and Death. Jesus leads us to New Life, alleluia! Easter Vigils everywhere, in the midst of darkness outside and inside churches and chapels – a fire was struck, a tall candle was lit to dispel that darkness which symbolizes the death of Jesus on Good Friday. People then lit their smaller candles from the tall Easter candle representing the Risen Christ, and everyone marched into church singing the thunderous acclamation, THE LIGHT OF CHRIST HAS COME INTO THE WORLD!
In praise of the Risen Christ, the Exultet song is proclaimed: Exult, let them exult, the hosts of heaven. Exult, let angel ministers of God exult. Let the trumpet of salvation sound aloud our mighty king’s triumph. Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, ablaze with light from her eternal King. Let all the corners of the earth be glad, knowing an end to gloom and darkness.
However, sad to say, not all the corners of the earth are glad, and there is gloom and darkness as we survey the world we live in today. Although defeated by Jesus long ago, Satan and the spirit of evil and chaos, is continuously engaged in a battle with Jesus to turn people’s minds and hearts away from truth and goodness, from love and compassion. How else explain WHY human beings continue to destroy one another in acts of terrorism abroad and in our own country? How can the human heart not welcome refugees fleeing their war torn or crime ridden countries seeking a new life? Why do people of different races and cultures that our creator God made to his image and likeness find it so difficult to live together in peace and justice? So many instances today where the battle between Satan and Jesus goes on. The insidious spirit of evil and darkness is in constant contention with the innate goodness and sense of honesty, justice, and truth that our loving God built into the human conscience and into everyone who believes in the resurrected Christ and the values he championed.
Jesus triumphed over Satan during his lifetime on earth, and Jesus continues to be the answer to all the forms Evil takes today. The Spirit of Jesus indwells each of us, and his living Presence in the Eucharist is always with us. His wisdom, strength and empowerment is available in the spiritually nourishing effects of his Body and Blood in Holy Communion. Satan will never be a match for Jesus!
You and I have triumphed over Satan and the spirit of evil and sin in our lives during Lent, and hopefully feel resurrected in Christ, with a firmer and more trusting hold on an eternity of happiness awaiting us in heaven with our Triune God. Everyone here at Saint Ann Shrine wish you a Joyous Easter and constantly keep you in our prayers. We feel you are an extension of our Eucharistic Family in our founder Saint Peter Julian Eymard. We appreciate any financial help you may offer our religious congregation as we continue to care for our retired priests, brothers, and deacons and educate future vocations to continue our mission.
Thanking you always for your generosity to Saint Ann Shrine, I am
Fr. Roger Bourgeois, SSS
Chaplain
Throughout 2025, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament will be celebrating 125 years of service in the United States. We invite you to join us at any of our celebrations across the country. Please contact Scott Gongos at 440-449-2700 or sgongos@blessedsacrament.com for more details or if you’d like to meet with Scott while we celebrate!
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Saint Joseph Downtown Archbishop Gustavo,
5:30 PM Eucharist San Antonio, TX Presiding
Saturday, April 26, 2025 St. Charles Borromeo Provincial Superior, Presiding
5:00 PM Eucharist Albuquerque, NM with Rev. Timothy Martinez
Saturday, June 21, 2025 Corpus Christi Provincial Superior, Presiding
5:00 PM Eucharist Houston, TX procession and reception
Thursday, August 7, 2025 Saint Paschal Baylon Bishop Malesic, Presiding
4:30 PM Eucharist Highland Heights, OH with a banquet following
Friday, August 15, 2025 Saint Mary Provincial Superior, Presiding
12:15 PM Eucharist Menasha, WI with a reception following
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Bethany Center Provincial Superior, Presiding
5:00 PM Eucharist Lutz, FL with a banquet following
(PLEASE HIGHLIGHT THIS PARAGRAPH/INFORMATION)
*The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament is happy to share that in the Oratory of the Blessed Sacrament (the special chapel of the Blessed Sacrament Seminary – now Saint Ann Shrine too), Cleveland Bishop Edward Malesic elevated our status to that of a diocesan shrine! During this Jubilee Year for the church, Saint Ann Shrine will also host the following after Mass:
Tuesdays: Veneration of & Blessing with the Relic of Saint Ann followed by Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 2:00pm
Wednesdays: Novena with Saint Joseph
Thursdays: Divine Mercy & Rosary recitation
Fridays: Stations of the Cross
During Shrine hours of 8am-4pm, please come and add a prayer to our sacred cross and with the Relic of Saint Ann, light a candle or spend some quiet time renewing your faith and living as a “pilgrim of hope” during this Jubilee Year 2025!
*We are able to distribute the Blessed Oil we have in stock, while supplies last, for a donation. Contact Saint Ann Shrine at 440-449-2700 or visit our website at www.blessedsacrament.com/st-ann-shrine/. We still have Holy Water available for a donation as well.
*We invite you and your group to join us at Saint Ann Shrine for Daily Mass at 11:30AM, Monday-Friday (except on Holy Days or Holidays).
*The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament offers a daily reflection. If you’d like to receive this uplifting message, send an email to cee@blessedsacrament.com.
*You can honor your relatives, friends, or a Blessed Sacrament Community member by having a Mass celebrated in their honor during Mass at Saint Ann Shrine. Call 440-449-2700 for details.
*Our Blessed Sacrament religious in Bethany and at Regina Health Center pray for you daily. Please let us know of any special intentions you’d like us to remember. The Blessed Sacrament Community supports you in prayer and Eucharist. You can submit your prayer though our website and request a candle to be lit for your special intentions at www.blessedsacrament.com/st-ann-shrine/.
*We ask you to consider becoming a member of our Legacy Society by naming Saint Ann Shrine or the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in your will. For more information, please contact Scott Gongos, Director of Mission Advancement, at 440-449-2700 or sgongos@blessedsacrament.com.
*You may also consider donating gifts of stock. Depending on the stock’s current value, you may avoid capital gains tax or deduct the loss in value while donating the proceeds of the sale to the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Consult your financial advisor for the most advantageous opportunities for you.
*Be sure to “Like” St. Ann Shrine on Facebook!
*If you are 70 ½ years of age or older, you can support Saint Ann Shrine or the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament through distributions from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Your IRA Charitable Rollover Gift may satisfy your annual required minimum distribution and reduce your taxable income. Consult your financial advisor for the most advantageous opportunities for you.
*Just a friendly reminder that we do NOT sell your name and contact information to other organizations!
