Excerpts from the Official Website of the Shrine of St. Philomena http://philomena.it

On May 24, 1802, the fossors who worked to free Priscilla’s catacombs from materials and rubble built up over the centuries had reached its centre, not far from the Greek Chapel, very close to the skylight (fig.5). One of them, who remains unknown, when removing the soil from one of the tunnels, hit some tiles which had kept a niche closed.

VATICAN CITY - 26 April 2016, Pope Francis received Cardinal Angelo Amato, sdb, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in a private audience. In the course of the audience, the Holy Father authorized the Congregation to promulgate decrees regarding:

To prove that the souls in Purgatory show their gratitude even by temporal favors, Fr. Rossignoli relates a fact that happened at Naples.

In 1945 Pierina Gilli, a nursing sister at the hospital in Montichiari,Italy, in the Brescian Alps near Milano, was visited by Our Lady dressed all in purple with a heart displayed on her breast pierced by 3 swords. At the next appearance she had changed her dress to all white with a gold border (as at Fatima) and on her breast were three roses -- red, white and gold or yellow, which stand for prayer, sacrifice, penitence. Each time Pierina was visited Our Lady asked for the same things from the people. On December 8th Our Lady appeared to her in the Dom Cathedral on a huge white staircase lined with angels, and she asked Pierina to make a cross with her tongue on four bricks on the floor, after which Our Lady stepped off the staircase and onto the bricks. These bricks are now miraculous and they have been protected by a railing around them. In the suburb of Montichiari, at Fontanelle where there stood an unused abandoned well, Our Lady also appeared and Pierina was asked to descend the steps backwards and kiss each step, after which Our Lady placed her bare foot on each one all the way to the bottom, where she touched the waters twice with her hands. The waters are now miraculous and one side is used to drink from while the other is used to bathe in. The well is now called the Spring of Grace and there are many pilgrims who visit the site annually. Pierina has been forbidden by the bishop to visit the sites any longer, but she still has the benefit of Our Lady's visits to her in a private chapel in the Convent specifically set aside for these visits. At the Spring of Grace they still present statues of Our Lady, the Mystical Rose to be blessed during each month. The first 12 days are set aside for special prayers each month, and the 13th day is a day devoted to Our Lady and special prayers are said then. The statues which are blessed are sent throughout the world as Pilgrim Madonnas which have in many different spots been blessed by weeping real tears, tears of blood or tears of oil or Myrrh.

Also, when Our Lady appeared to Pierina she appeared with Francisco and Jacinta who each held up a hem of her cape on either side of her. The Miracle of the Sun also appeared at Montichiari-Fontanelle...as well as Our Lady appearing over the wheatfields, after which the grain was ground into flour to make communion wafers and a measure was set aside to send to Fatima to the bishop there, per Our Lady's request.

We Celebrate her Feast day on July 13 as Our Lady requested

Source - http://www.christusrex.org/www1/apparitions/http:/pr00016.htm

__Maria Goretti's heroic story of love and forgiveness would not be complete without one of its first miraculous fruits: the conversion of Alessandro Serenelli, Maria's murderer.

Immediately after his brutal assault on young Maria Goretti, Alessandro was imprisoned temporarily in Nettuno and then transferred to Regina Coeli prison in Rometo stand trial. After vehemently denying his guilt, he finally broke down in the face of overwhelming testimony. Since he was a minor, he was sentenced to only thirty years hard labor.A priest came to see him soon afterward, and he turned on the cleric in rage, howling like a maniac and lunging at him.In the days which followed, Alessandro lost his appetite and grew nervous. After six years of prison, he was near the brink of despair. Then one night, Maria appeared to him in his cell. She smiled at Alessandro and was surrounded by lilies, the flower symbolic of purity.From that moment, peace invaded Alessandro's heart, and he began to live a constructive life.After serving his sentence, Alessandro took up residence at a Capuchin monastery, working in the garden as a tertiary. He asked pardon of Maria's mother and accompanied her to Christmas Mass in the parish church where he spoke before the hushed congregation, acknowledging his sin and asking God's forgiveness and the pardon of the community.Forty years later, on June 24, 1950, Maria was canonized at St. Peter's basilica in Rome, with Alessandro's heart now firmly converted to the Lord. A miraculous fruit of Maria's life, indeed!

Alessandro Serenelli died on May 6th, 1970 in the Capuchin convent of Macerata. He left the following testimony, dated May 5, 1961, as his spiritual legacy:

For Biography of St. Maria Goretti click this link http://ajpm.weebly.com/1/post/2012/06/st-maria-goretti.html

Source: http://www.mariagoretti.org/alessandrobio.htm

The relics of the body of St. Pio of Pietrelcina will be permanently exhibited for veneration beginning on June 1.

The prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato, will preside at the celebration of the Eucharist to begin the exhibition, which will take place on 11 a.m. on June 1, at the church of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. All those who work with him in the dicastery will join him in pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo to venerate the remains of the saint. Concelebrating with the Cardinal will be Very Rev. Michele Castoro, Archbishop of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo, Very Rev. Marcello Bartolucci, Secretary of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, and many priests, both Capuchins and diocesan.

The body of St. Pio of Pietrelcina will remain in the same place, namely in the center of the lower church dedicated to the saint, in a glass reliquary.

This decision was made after many phone calls, emails, letters, and the continuous requests of the pilgrims who come to San Giovanni Rotonodo, in which they express the desire to be able to pray once again before the relics of the revered Capuchin.

The friars and the Archbishop have seen fit to carry out this initiative precisely in this Year of Faith, certain that it will renew the spiritual benefits that came from the last exhibition (April 24, 2008 - September 24, 2009), and, in particular, to awaken faith in the hearts of the many pilgrims, a virtue of which Padre Pio was and continues to be an exemplary witness in his writings, with his spirituality, and, above all, with the constancy of his life.

Press office of the Friars Minor Capuchin of the Province of ‘Sant'Angelo e Padre Pio' (Foggia, Italy)

As we end this month, we would like to thank Most especially The Almighty God for the success of our activities once again this month. We Hope that Our Lord will continue to guide all our activities and bless all our efforts for the Greater glory of his Name. Also, we would like to thank the Family Rosary Crusade for donating some of their rosaries to us for our on-going mission. It will really help us for our block rosaries in different poor Barangays. Let's once again remember the events that Happened recently namely: The May Crowning with Catechesis, Veneration of the Relic of 5 Passionist Saints, St. Arcangelo Tadini and St. Rita of Cascia, and the Block Rosary at Brgy. Baybay. For more photos please visit our official Facebook fanpage http://www.facebook.com/ajpmclm

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

(A true story)

A little six-year-old Protestant boy had often heard his Catholic companions reciting the prayer "Hail Mary." He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. "Look, Mommy, what a beautiful prayer," he said to his mother one day.

"Never again say it," answered the mother. "It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who adore idols and think Mary a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. Come on, take this Bible and read it. It contains everything that we are bound to do and have to do." From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily "Hail Mary" and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead.

One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady. Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: "Mommy, I have found the 'Hail Mary' in the Bible which says: 'Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women.' Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?"

On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary and the wonderful canticle MAGNIFICAT in which Mary foretold that "the generations would call her blessed."

VATICAN CITY - Yesterday, 27 March 2013, the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. During the course of the audience the pontiff authorized the dicastery to promulgate the decrees concerning:

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God REGINA CHRISTINE WILHELMINE BONZEL  (in religion: MARIA THERESIA), founder of the Institute of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration; born on 17 September 1830 in Olpe, Arnsberg (Germany) and died there on 06 February 1905; declared venerable on 27 March 2010;

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God MANUEL BASULTO JIMÉNEZ, bishop of Jaén, and 5 COMPANIONS, from the clergy and  lay faithful of the diocese of Jaén; killed in odium fidei between 1936 and 1937 in the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War;

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God JOSÉ MAXIMO MORO BRIZ and 4 COMPANIONS, from the clergy and  lay faithful of the diocese of Ávila; killed in odium fidei in 1936 in the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War;

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God vLADIMIR GHIKA, priest of the archdiocese of Bucharest; born on 13 May 1920 in 25 December 1873 in Istanbul (Turkey) and killed in odium fidei on 16 May 1954 in Bucharest (Croatia);

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God JOAQUÍN JOVANÍ MARÍN and 14 COMPANIONS, priests from the Society of the Diocesan Laborer Priests of the Sacred Heart of Jesus ; killed in odium fidei between 1936 and 1938 in the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War;

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God MIGUEL FRANCISCO GONZÁLEZ-DÍEZ GONZÁLEZ-NÚÑEZ (in religion: ANDRÉS FROM PALAZUELO)and 31 COMPANIONS, professed priests and religious of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins; killed in odium fidei between 1936 and 1937 in the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War;

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God GIUSEPPE GIROTTI, professed priest of Order of Preachers (Dominicans); born on 19 July 1905 in Alba, Cuneo (Italy) and killed in odium fidei on 01 April 1945 in Dachau, Oberbayern (Germany);

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God  SÁNDOR ISTVÁN, professed religious of the Society of St. Francis de Sales  (Salesians of Don Bosco); born on 13 May 1920 in 26 October 1914 in Szolnok, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok (Hungary) and killed in odium fidei on  08 June 1953 in Budapest (Hungary);

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God ROLANDO RIVI, seminarian of the diocese of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla ; born on 07 January 1931 in San Valentino Castellarano, Reggio Emilia (Italy) and killed in odium fidei on 13 April 1945 in Piani di Monchio, Modena (Italy);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God ELADIO MOZAS SANTAMERA, priest of the archdiocese of Madrid and founder of the Josephite Sisters of the Holy Trinity; born on 18 February 1837 in Miedes de Atienza, Guadalajara (Spain) and died on 18 March in Plasencia, Cáceres (Spain);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God MANUEL APARICI NAVARRO, priest of the archdiocese of Marid; born on 11 December 1902 in Madrid (Spain) in Madrid (Spain) and died there on 28 August 1964;

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God MOISÉS LIRA SERAFIN, professed priest of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit; and founder of , Missionaries of Charity of Mary Immaculate; born on 16 September 1893 in Tlatempa, Zacatlán, Puebla (Mexico) and died on 25 June 1950 in Mexico City (Mexico);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God ANGELO FONTANAROSA (in religion, GENEROSO OF THE CRUCIFIED), professed priest of the Congregation of the Passion (Passionists); born on 06 November 1881 in Vetralla, Viterbo (Italy) and died on 09 January 1966 in Mascalucia, Catania (Italy);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God OLINTO MARELLA, priest of the archdiocese of Bologna; born on 14 June 1882 in Pallestrina, Venice (Italy) and died on 06 September 1969 in San Lazzaro di Savena, Bologna (Italy);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God ANTONI KOWALCZYK, professed religious of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; born on 16 September 1893 in Dzierżanów, Krotoszyn (Poland) and died on 10 July 1947 in Saint-Albert, Alberta (Canada); and,

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God SÍLVIA CARDOSO FERREIRO DA SILVA, lay faith of the diocese of Porto; born on 26 July 1882 in Paços de Ferreira, Porto (Portugal) and died 02 November 1950 in Paços de Ferreira, Porto (Portugal).

VATICAN CITY - Today, 20 December 2012, Pope Benedict XVI received in a private audience Angelo Cardinal Amato, sdb, prefect of the Congregation of the Causes of the Saints. During the audience, the Holy Father authorized the Congregation of the Causes of Saints to promulgate the following twenty-four decrees regarding:

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of Blesseds Antonio Primaldo and Companions, laypersons of the diocese of Otranto, killed in odium fidei on 13 August 1480 in Otranto (Italy); cult confirmed on 14 December 1771; martyrdom recognized on 06 July 2007;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Blessed MarÍa Laura DE JESÚS Montoya Upegui (in religion, Laura of Saint Catherine of Siena), founder of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Virgin Mary and Saint Catherine of Siena; born on 26 May 1874 in Jericó, Antioquía (Colombia) and died on 21 October 1949 in Belencito, Medellín, Antioquía (Colombia); beatified on 25 April 2004;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Blessed Anastasia Guadalupe García Zavala (in religion,  María Guadalupe), cofounder of the Handmaids of Saint Margaret Mary and of the Poor; born on 27 April 1878 in Zapopan, Jalisco (Mexico) and died on 24 June 1963 in Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico);  beatified on 25 April 2004;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God ANTONIO FRANCO, ordinary of the territorial prelature of Santa Lucia del Mela; born on 26 September 1585 in Naples (Italy) and died on 02 September 1626 in Santa Lucia del Mela, Messina (Italy); declared venerable on 14 January 2011;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero, priest of the diocese of Córdoba; born on 16 March 1840 in Santa Rosa de Río Primero, Córdoba (Argentina) and died on 26 January 1914 in Villa del Tránsito, Córdoba (Argentina);  declared venerable on 19 April 2004;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God CRISTÓBAL LÓPEZ DE VALLADOLID OREA (in religion: CRISTÓBAL OF SAINT CATHERINE), professed priest, Third Order Regular of Saint Francis and founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Hospitallers of Jesus the Nazarene; born on 25 July 1638 in Mérida, Badajoz (Spain) and 21 July 1690 in Córdoba (Spain); declared venerable on 28 June 2012;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God ZOFIA CZESKA-MACIEJOWSKA, founder the Congregation of the Virgins of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; born in 1584 in Budziszowice, Kazimierski (Poland)  and died in Kraków (Poland) on 01 April 1650; declared venerable on 27 June 2011;

- a miracle, attributed to the intercession of the Venerable Servant of God MAŁGORZATA SZEWCZYK (in religion: ŁUCJA), founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of the Sorrowful Mother of God ‒ Seraphic Sisters; born ca. 1828 in Shepetivka (a.k.a. Szepetówka), Khmelnytskyi (Ukraine) and died on 05 June 1905 in Nieszawa, Aleksandrów (Poland); declared venerable on 19 December 2011;

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God Miroslav Bulešić, priest of the diocese of Poreč i Pula; born on 13 May 1920 in Čabrunići, Svetvinčenat, Istarska (Croatia) and killed in odium fidei on 24 August 1947 in Lanišće, Istarska (Croatia);

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God JOSÉ XAVIER GOROSTERRATZU JAUNARENA and 5 COMPANIONS, professed priests and religious of the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists); killed in odium fidei between 1936 and 1938 in  the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War;

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God Ricardo Gil Barcelón, professed priest of the Congregation of the Sons of Divine Providence, born on 27 October 1873 in Manzanera, Teruel (Spain), and Antonio Arrué Peiró, layperson of the archdiocese of Valencia and postulant of the Congregation of the Sons of Divine Providence, born on 04 April 1908 in Calatayud, Zaragoza (Spain), both killed in odium fidei on 03 August 1936 in El Saler, Valencia (Spain);

- the martyrdom of the Servant of God MANUEL Sanz Domínguez (in religion,  Manuel of the Holy Family), professed priest of the Order of Saint Jerome, restorer; born on 31 December 1887 in Sotodosos, Guadalajara (Spain) and killed in odium fidei between 06 and 08 November 1936 in Paracuellos de Jarama, Madrid (Spain);

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God Josefa Pilar García Solanas (in religion,  María  Montserrat) and 8 COMPANIONS, professed religious of the Order of Minim Nuns, along with LUCRECIA GARCÍA SOLANAS, layperson of the archdiocese of Barcelona, killed in odium fidei  on 23 July 1936 at the Sant Genís dels Agudells highway, Horta, Barcelona (Spain);

- the martyrdom of the Servants of God MELCHORA ADORACIÓN CORTÉS BUENO and 14 COMPANIONS , from the Company of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul; killed in odium fidei between 1936 and 1937 in  the religious persecution during the Spanish Civil War;

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God PaUL VI (Giovanni Battista Montini), supreme pontiff; born on 26 September 1897 in Concesio, Brescia (Italy) and died on 06 August 1978 in Castelgandolfo, Rome (Italy) ;

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Francesco Saverio Petagna, bishop of Castellamare di Stabia, founder of the Congregation of the Religious Sisters of the Sacred Hearts; born on 13 December 1812 in Naples (Italy) and died on 18 December 1878 in Castellamare di Stabia, Naples (Italy);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God JUAN JOSÉ JAIME Bonal Cortada, priest of the archdiocese of Zaragoza, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Anne; born on 24 August 1769 in Terrades, Girona (Spain) and died on 19 August 1829 in Zaragoza (Spain);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God LOUIS-MARIE BAUDOUIN, priest and founder of the Congregation of the Sons of Mary Immaculate and of the Congregation of the Ursuline Sisters of Jesus of Chavagnes; born on 02 August 1765 in Montaigu, Vendée (France) and died on 12 February 1835 in Chavagnes, Vendée (France);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Giovannina Franchi, founder of the Nursing Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows; born on 24 June 1807 in Como (Italy) and died there on 23 February 1872;

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Luisa Aveledo y AVELEDO (in religion, Marcelina of Saint Joseph), founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Poor of Saint Peter Claver; born on 18 June 1874 in Caracas (Venezuela) and died on 16 November 1959 in Barranquilla, Atlantico (Colombia);

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Claudia Russo, founder of the Congregation of the Poor Daughters of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary; born on 18 November 1889 in Naples (Italy), and died there on 11 March 1964;

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Rosa Elena Cornejo PAZMIÑO (in religion, MarÍa Francisca of the WounDs), founder of the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Immaculata; born on 11 December 1874 in Quito (Ecuador) and died there on 24 October 1964;

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God KLARA SZCZĘSNA (in religion LUDWIKA), cofounder of the Congregation of the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus; born on 18 July 1863 in Cieszki, Lubowidz, Żuromin (Poland) and died on 07 February 1916 in Kraków (Poland); and,

- the heroic virtues of the Servant of God Joaquina María Mercedes Barceló Pagés (in religion, Consuelo), cofounder of the Congregation of the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation; born on 24 July 1857 in Sarrià, Barcelona (Spain) and died on 04 August 1940 in Manila (Philippines).