Immaculate Conception Parish - GSIS Village

𝙎𝘼𝙄𝙉𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘿𝘼𝙔 | 𝙎𝙏. 𝙇𝙊𝙐𝙄𝙎 𝘿𝙀 𝙈𝙊𝙉𝙏𝙁𝙊𝙍𝙏

Louis Grignion was the oldest surviving sibling of eighteen children born to Jean-Baptiste and Jeanne Robert Grignion in Montfort-sur-Meu, northwest France. His Confirmation name, Marie, was fitting for one who would reveal total consecration to Jesus through Mary. Three Grignion sons became priests, and two daughters became nuns. The frequent target of his father’s fierce temper, Louis was tempted with anger as an adult. His compassion for his mother, who also suffered from her husband’s outbursts, might have led Louis to his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother.

At twelve, Louis-Marie entered a Jesuit-run free school run in nearby Rennes. He completed his elementary education, as well as courses in philosophy and theology. Louis loved the poor and sick, practiced severe penances, was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the angels, and prayed often. Listening to a local priest’s stories about his missionary work as an itinerant preacher fueled a desire in Louis’ heart for the same.

At age twenty, Louis received a scholarship to study in Paris at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. He completed his studies while working at the school library. There, Louis-Marie became familiar with the classics of theology, especially on Mariology. His visits to the chapel before and after class, his devotion to Mary, his penances, and his love for the poor and infirm made him stand out. After completing his studies, he was ordained a priest but not given faculties to preach or hear confessions.

Over the next six years, Father Louis worked on and off as a chaplain at a hospital for the poor. Continually meeting opposition from the worldly clergy and the social elite, he moved often and was without an assignment for a year. In 1706, he walked 1,000 miles to Rome to consult with the holy father. Pope Clement XI granted him an audience and saw through the veneer of this impoverished priest, perceiving his God-given vocation. The holy father appointed him as Apostolic Missionary and sent him back to France.

Over the next ten years, Father Louis preached missions from town to town, performed miracles, saw apparitions of Mary, lived in extreme poverty and penance, constructed Calvary grottos to foster devotion, and won countless hearts—all while enduring persecution from the local bishop and clergy. Toward the end of his life, Father Louis wrote a rule for a new community of priests and brothers. After his death, two strong communities grew that still thrive: the Daughters of Wisdom and the Company of Mary.

The Church would not discover Father Louis’ most enduring legacy for more than a century after his death. Father Louis had written several books and many hymns; in 1842, a priest of the community he founded discovered the manuscripts in an old trunk. Soon after, his writings on Mary, especially True Devotion, Secrets of Mary, and Secrets of the Rosary, became among the most widely loved and influential Marian books ever written. Six popes have honored Saint Louis de Montfort. Saint Pope John Paul II even took his papal motto from the saint’s writings: Totus Tuus, “totally yours.”

𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙚𝙧:
Saint Louis-Marie, you endured your father’s anger and mockery from worldly clergy as you struggled to fulfill your vocation. Throughout, you deepened your devotion to our Blessed Mother and entrusted yourself to God through her. Please pray that we may live for God alone by consecrating ourselves totally to Jesus through Mary.

Saint Louis-Marie de Montfort, pray for us.
Jesus, we trust in You. 𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙣

𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPGbDdleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR6IAxGYNjdKM0Ih8K3fyMDTvN41Y4QJwONCQWK0mmYPC1XSlKSCLoHvh31n0g_aem_IHvuP1efxzUW3M7WrRhmHg

𝙂𝙊𝙊𝘿 𝙎𝙃𝙀𝙋𝙃𝙀𝙍𝘿 𝙎𝙐𝙉𝘿𝘼𝙔

Jesus said: "The shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger, they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Christ Himself is the Good Shepherd, who knows each one of His sheep, who gives His life for them and snatches them from the jaws of the marauding wolf. He is the true shepherd who fulfills Ezechiel's prophecy foretelling for Israel a shepherd from the end of time who was to deliver his people.

Christ's sheepfold is the Church. In the Church He bestows on us His life in the Sacraments, His word in the teaching that she gives us, all the riches of His grace to light up our way and uphold our steps as we go forward to our heavenly home; through her He acts as the one Shepherd of our souls. Appointed to lead the flock, Peter gave his life for those entrusted to his care, and ever since then the priestly ministry has assured the continuous presence in the Church of Him who remains the true Shepherd of our souls.

We are a precious gift the Father has confided to Jesus. Thine they were: to me Thou gavest them. All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him that comes to me I will not cast out. This is the Father's will, that I should not lose one of these precious ones He has given to me. This charge which the Father has given me is more precious than anything whatsoever.

Jesus sees his own raison d'etre as that of doing the will of the Father, and the will of the Father is precisely that He should care for each one of us and give us eternal life.

All that Jesus is is precisely for me. His care of me never slackens.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I can want for nothing." If I really believed this, how different my life would be! I would never willingly jib at what happens to me since I would everything as at least permitted by Him, knowing He will make everything turn to my good I would stop trying to run my own life, preventing this or that…I would cease to care for the judgements of others, whether they like me or not, whether they think well or ill of me. I would cease wanting to feel sure about everything, above all about my spiritual life: anxious, fearful, discouraged, plagued by guilt feelings… If my faith in the unfailing tender care of my Shepherd is real, how could I allow such self-occupation?

The Shepherd psalm is one Jesus must have prayed a thousand and more times to His Father. "The Lord carried you, as a man carries his child, all along the road you travelled"…at this hour you were led to the cross. Where are the nice green pastures on that stony and painful way? Were the still waters in His burning thirst? Did He feel His head and body were being washed and anointed with oil when the crown of thorns was pressing against His temples?

"He leads me along the right path: he is true to his name…Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life."

Had Jesus not held firmly to this certainty, that whatever it seemed or felt like this was the truth, the real nature of things, then we would not have been redeemed. His faith would have failed. But as it proved, His faith remained steadfast and triumphed.

The Good Shepherd is risen. He who laid down His life for the sheep, who died for His flock. He is risen. Alleluia!
—Ruth Burrows, Through Him, With Him, In Him

𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙘𝙚:
https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2026-04-26

𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝟭 𝗼𝗳 𝟯

𝙄𝙉 𝙋𝙃𝙊𝙏𝙊𝙎 || 𝙆𝙐𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙇𝘼𝙉𝙂 𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙊𝙆𝙔𝘼

Our parish was blessed to welcome the Father of the Diocese of Cubao, His Excellency, Most Rev. Elias Ayuban Jr., CMF, DD who presided over our quarterly Kumpilang Parokya, concelebrated by our resident guest priest, Rev. Fr. Boby Mathew.

In his meaningful homily, Bishop Eli encouraged all the confirmands to allow themselves to be guided toward a deeper love for Jesus, so that others may also come to love and serve Him.

He also shared four levels of mission for the confirmands:

• To know Him and make Him known
• To love Him and make Him loved
• To serve Him so that others may serve Him
• To praise Him so that He may be praised by others

He emphasized that if we truly love a person, we are called to serve them. While it is possible to serve without love, it is impossible to truly love without service.

May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and strengthen our newly confirmed as they live out their mission in faith, love, and service.