Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Alexandrina "O my Little Mother of Heaven, here at your most holy feet is a soul that desires greatly to love You. O my adorable Lady, I want to live with a love so great that it allows me to suffer only for You and for my Jesus: yes, for my dear Jesus who is the All of my soul. He is the Light that enlightens me, the Bread that satisfies me; He is my Way, the Only one I want to follow... But, my sovereign Queen, I feel so weak to bear so many life's annoyances! O my Little Mother of Heaven, from the Throne where you sit, cast a glance upon my sad life. Come to my aid. Give me Your blessing and pray to Jesus, for me, your unworthy daughter. Dear Mother, come with me to all the Tabernacles of the world, to every place where Jesus dwells sacramentally. Present to Him my humble oblation. My sweet Little Mother, I want to go from Tabernacle to Tabernacle asking for Graces from Jesus, like the bee that goes from flower to flower to gather nectar! Mother of Jesus and my Mother, hear my prayer: I consecrate my body and my heart to You. Purify it, Most Holy Mother; fill it with your Love. Place it Yourself near the Tabernacles of Jesus, so that they may serve as a lamp until the end of the world... Bless me, sanctify me, O my sweet and tender Little Mother of Heaven!"
"Courage, my daughter, be an apostle… be a missionary from your bed of pain… a little Eucharistic flower, a mother to sinners." Our Lord speaking to Alexandrina on 3rd October 1952.
The original black and white photo is not quite as clear. I enhanced it a little and added the sepia tone.
From the Blessed Alexandrina Archive: http://alexandrinabalasar.free.fr/index_english.htm 'The ceramics piece that illustrates the cover of the Japanese edition of The Passion of Jesus in Alexandrina Maria da Costa, in which the Blessed encircles the world with a Rosary, also comes from Italy. The piece belongs to a private collection."
From Santuario Alexandrina de Balasar Fb page (translated from Portuguese): "South Korean Group Visits the Home of Blessed Alexandrina of Balazar. It was with great joy that we welcomed a group of pilgrims from South Korea to the home of Blessed Alexandrina of Balazar. Coming from afar, they arrived moved by faith and a desire to learn more about the life, spirituality, and witness of love for the Eucharistic Jesus left by Blessed Alexandrina. It was a time of prayer, sharing, and communion in faith. The house where Alexandrina lived and bore witness to her surrender to Christ continues to be a place of encounter, where pilgrims from diverse peoples and cultures are touched by her message of love, sacrifice, and trust in God. May this visit have been a true encounter with God, through the hands of Our Lady and following the example of Alexandrina—a woman of profound prayer, surrender, and love for the Church. May Blessed Alexandrina intercede for each of these pilgrims and bring to everyone's heart the certainty that, when we walk with Jesus, no distance is too great to draw us closer to God. Welcome, pilgrims from South Korea! May God bless your journey of faith! One faith, one heart, one love: the Eucharistic Jesus."
This was posted on a Portuguese Fb page earlier. Translated to English with image editor. Program of events in Balasar on 12th and 13th October.
This article from Journal 360, translated to English, sets out the program of events more clearly. Journal 360: "On October 12 and 13, Balasar will host celebrations in honor of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa, marking the 71st anniversary of her death. Prayers for world peace, thanksgiving for the Shrine, and the cause for the Blessed’s canonization will be central to the festivities. The community of Balasar, in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim, is preparing to mark the 71st anniversary of the death of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa, which occurred on October 13, 1955. The celebrations will take place on October 12 and 13, commemorating the life and witness of a woman deeply connected to Eucharistic spirituality and the offering of her suffering to Christ. The program begins on Monday, the 12th, at 9:00 PM with a candlelight procession from Blessed Alexandrina’s home to the Shrine, followed by a period of Eucharistic Adoration. On Tuesday, October 13—the liturgical memorial of Blessed Alexandrina—the feast-day Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 AM, followed by the blessing of the sick and the consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At 3:00 PM, a special celebration will be held for the elderly day-care centers of the Póvoa de Varzim municipality, presided over by the Shrine’s rector, Monsignor Manuel Neiva. This year’s commemorations will focus on three specific intentions: praying for world peace, giving thanks for the Shrine, and petitioning for the canonization of Alexandrina Maria da Costa. Born in Balasar on March 30, 1904, Alexandrina spent much of her life bedridden after jumping from a window at the age of 14 to protect her purity during an attempted assault. Her spiritual experience was deeply marked by the Eucharist, union with Christ, and the offering of suffering. She died on October 13, 1955, at the age of 51, and was beatified by Pope Saint John Paul II in Rome on April 25, 2004. The celebrations can also be followed live via the official website dedicated to Blessed Alexandrina." By: Sérgio Carvalho (sergiocarvalho@jornal360.pt)
Events on 10th and 11th October. From Braga TV: "The mortal remains of Blessed Alexandrina Maria da Costa will be transferred from the Balasar parish church to the new Eucharistic Shrine on October 10 at 10:00 AM. This will be one of the most anticipated moments of the celebrations marking the beginning of a new chapter for the place of worship dedicated to the Blessed. The transfer will be the first of two major events scheduled for October 10 and 11. The following day, October 11, at 4:00 PM, the dedication of the church and altar of the new Balasar Eucharistic Shrine will take place."
Interesting article on the connection between Bl. Alexandrina and Fatima. https://www.bluearmy.com/balasar-and-the-fatima-connection/
I was over in Scotland at the weekend and wasn't able attend any of the Walk The Cross events, including Fr. Mark Goring's talk in Croke Park on Sunday. It was wonderful to hear that he spoke about Bl. Alexandrina, among others, in relation to the importance and power of the Eucharist and the truth of the Divine Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Someone who was there recorded it and a friend from the Blessed Alexandrina Society forwarded it. The section on Alexandrina is from about the 7:00 to 10:00 min. mark. Link below.
This recording of Fr. Mark's talk, posted by Robert Nugent, is a little clearer. https://www.youtube.com/live/OlJBZWGZZuU?is=gB5XVomX7Hvc1iZP
From the Portuguese Fb page of Jose Ferreira: "The Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Light of Fatima" When I received a copy of *Cristo Gesù in Alexandrina* a few days ago, I also received a copy of *The Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Light of Fatima*. While the former was prepared by Fr. Humberto Pasquale, the latter was authored by Fr. Mariano Pinho. (Both Priests were Spiritual Director's of Blessed Alexandrina, in different periods of her life). Both, therefore, have a connection to Blessed Alexandrina, and both are excellent. I already possessed photocopies of both works. *The Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Light of Fatima* was originally published in Bahia, Brazil, in 1948, and was highly acclaimed at the time. A Portuguese edition was subsequently published in Braga in 1950. It deserved to be reissued."
Fr. Mariano Pinho SJ, Bl. Alexandrina's Spiritual Director who wrote the book The Immaculate Heart of Mary in the Light of Fatima, shown above.
Salesian Priest Fr. Umberto Pasquale was Bl. Alexandrina's second Spiritual Director. He provided much of the written material for the inquiry into the Cause for her Beatification and was also one of the witnesses.
