A little more info on the scheduled events in Balasar in October. The remains of Bl. Alexandrina will be transferred from the Parish Church to the new Eucharistic Sanctuary on Saturday 10th October at 10.00am. Presided over by The Metropolitan Archbishop of Braga. The Inauguration of the new Sanctuary will take place on the following day Sunday 11th October at 4.00pm. Presided over by The Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal.
From Fama Radio & TV Fb page: "The Archdiocese of Braga and the Alexandrina de Balasar Foundation will mark the opening of the new Eucharistic Sanctuary of Balasar on Saturday and Sunday, October 10 and 11, with a ceremony expected to draw a strong turnout from the religious community. The program begins on Saturday, October 10, at 10:00 AM, with the transfer of the mortal remains of Blessed Alexandrina from the parish church to the new sanctuary. The ceremony will be presided over by Archbishop José Manuel Cordeiro, Metropolitan Archbishop of Braga. The central event of the celebrations will take place the following day, October 11. Starting at 4:00 PM, the dedication of the church and altar will be held, followed by the official inauguration of the Eucharistic Sanctuary. The Sunday celebration will be presided over by Archbishop Andrés Carrascosa Coso, Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal. This initiative is jointly organized by the Archdiocese of Braga and the Alexandrina de Balasar Foundation, who invite the public to attend the dedication and inauguration ceremonies for the new religious site."
This was on the Balasar - Povoa de Varzim Fb page in Portuguese. Used ChatGpt to translate to English and make a few tweaks.
HH, there's a very good short book (around 80 pages) written by Leo Madigan about Blessed Alexandrina. It's a biography but also contains many quotes and extracts from her diaries and other writings. If you have Kindle, it's available for about 4 USD.
There was also a paperback edition but it's not showing up on Amazon now, may be out of print. Yes, it seems like Bl. Alexandrina's time is approaching. I wonder if it might have to do with defending the Catholic Belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist, if the're were to be any attempts to 'update' that Teaching in the name of ecumenism and 'fraternity'. I know it sounds unlikely to happen but who knows, these strange days.
Not so unlikely the way things are going. So many Saints suffered for the time we are in right now. I agree with it definitely being her time!!!
The Lord said to Blessed Alexandrina: “You’re living on the Eucharist alone because I want to show the entire world the power of the Eucharist and the power of my life in souls.”
Author's Thanks and Dedications in Leo Madigan's book: "Special thanks to Dick Matthews, of Bigorio, Switzerland, for heroic editing. To José Ferreira of Balasar, Portugal for Alexandrina’s texts. To Josey McEvoy, Sheila Reynolds, Susan Lynch and the Alexandrina Society in Ireland. To the Sisters of Pius XII monastery in Fatima for suggesting the book. This edition is dedicated to the memory of Francis Reynolds 1931 – 2006 who was instrumental in founding the Alexandrina Society in Ireland In May 1992." The Bl. Alexandrina Society Ireland gets a couple of mentions. Sheila Reynolds was married to Francis Reynolds and following his death she took on the running of the Society. When Sheila retired the role was taken on by Ursula Coppinger, who is still the Secretary of the group. Ursula and some others from the Society are with the Totus Tuus magazine pilgrimage in Fatima this week and also travelled up to visit Balasar today.
By Sérgio Carvalho Processional platform bearing the image of Blessed Alexandrina of Balazar, in the procession of Our Lady of the Good Voyage, in Aguçadoura – Póvoa de Varzim. (From Balazar - Povoa de Varzim Fb page) Text added to image with ChatGpt for post here.
I mentioned on a post last night that some of the members of the Blessed Alexandrina Society Ireland are in Fatima this week with the Totus Tuus magazine Pilgrimage. Fr. Marius O'Reilly, who produces the magazine, is also the Spiritual Director of the Bl. Alexandrina Society. Yesterday they travelled up to Balasar, where Blessed Alexandrina lived and died. This was posted on the Santuario Alexandrina de Balasar Fb page a short time ago: "It was with great joy and gratitude that we began the month of September, welcoming a pilgrimage of 100 Irish people who came to Balasar to sit at the school of Jesus—alongside Blessed Alexandrina—to learn new ways of living the Gospel and to allow themselves to be transformed by her message of love, surrender, and union with Jesus. We hope that each pilgrim returns home carrying in their heart the grace of a life more united with God."
The woman standing near the front, on the left with a red top, is Ursula Coppinger, Secretary of the Bl. Alexandrina Society Ireland.
