On November 3rd we commemorate Saint Martin de Porres. The “Martin of the poor, is the first black Saint of the Catholic Church. He was born in Lima, Peru’s capital on December 9th, 1579 and died on November 3rd, 1639.
He is the Patron saint of "helping those in need," social justice, racial harmony, mixed-race people, hair stylists, public schools, and those who work for public health,
Pray for us,
Amen
The world’s first Marian apparition did not happen in Lourdes, Fatima, or Guadalupe.
It happened while the Virgin Mary was still alive.
She appeared to an Apostle in Spain & left behind a miraculous pillar that remains to this day.
Our Lady of the Pillar – a 🧵✝️🇪🇸
A Miracle in the Sky: Virgin Mary Sits Beside Atheist Pilot🇻🇦🕊️
The Man Who Mocked the Sky
Captain Daniel Cross was a man who trusted only in himself. At 45, he had flown thousands of hours across oceans, deserts & continents. He knew the skies like the back of his hand, memorizing every dial, every instrument, every procedure. Passengers entrusted their lives to him daily & he wore that responsibility with pride.
But Daniel did not believe in God.
Raised in a nominally Christian home, he had abandoned faith in his teens after his father died of cancer. “If God was real,” he told himself, “He wouldn’t have taken my father.” From then on, prayer became pointless & church became a relic of the past.
As an adult, Daniel replaced faith with science. Aerodynamics, meteorology & engineering, these were things he could trust. He scoffed at colleagues who prayed before flights, dismissing them as weak.
“Up here,” he often said, tapping the cockpit controls, “this is what saves you, not angels.”
His crew respected his skill but whispered about his arrogance. Passengers praised his calm confidence, never knowing the storm that brewed inside his soul.
The Flight into Darkness
It was supposed to be routine: a transatlantic flight from New York to Rome. The Boeing aircraft was full, business travelers, families, tourists eager for adventure. The night sky stretched black & endless as the plane soared above the Atlantic.
Daniel sat in the cockpit with his co-pilot, First Officer Emily Reyes, a younger pilot known for her quiet faith. Unlike Daniel, Emily always carried a small Rosary in her flight bag.
“Another long night,” Daniel muttered, sipping his coffee. “At least the weather looks calm.”
Emily nodded, glancing at the radar. “Yes, though there’s some storm activity over the Azores. We may need to divert slightly.”
Daniel smirked. “Storms don’t scare me.”
But storms have a way of humbling even the proud.
Hours into the flight, the radar lit up with angry clusters of red. Thunderheads rose like mountains ahead. The turbulence began, gentle at first, then violent. The plane shook, jolting passengers awake. Lightning flashed across the cockpit windows, illuminating Daniel’s face.
“Brace,” Daniel ordered calmly, though inside, unease stirred. He adjusted their altitude, weaving between storm cells. But the turbulence worsened. Instruments flickered. Warning alarms sounded.
Emily whispered a prayer. Daniel heard her & sneered. “Pray all you want. It won’t change physics.”
But even as he spoke, he felt something he rarely admitted: fear.
The Passenger’s Prayers
In the cabin, fear spread like wildfire. Oxygen masks trembled. A baby cried. A mother clutched her Rosary, whispering Ave Maria. An elderly priest traveling to Rome gathered passengers in prayer. Their voices rose above the roar of the engines:
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee…”
The sound of prayer carried forward into the cockpit. Daniel tightened his jaw. He wanted to shout, “Stop! This won’t save you!” But deep down, something stirred, a memory of his own mother praying the same words when he was a boy.
The Miracle in the Cockpit
The storm reached its peak. Lightning struck near the plane, shaking it violently. Warning lights flashed red. One engine sputtered. Emily gasped, gripping the controls.
“Captain, we’re losing power!”
Daniel’s hands flew across the instruments, fighting to stabilize the jet. Sweat poured down his forehead. For the first time in his career, he realized: This may be the end.
Then, it happened.
A sudden calm filled the cockpit, as though time itself slowed. The air grew warm. The flashing alarms seemed distant. Daniel turned his head & froze.
Beside him, in the empty jump seat, sat a woman.
She wore a veil of soft blue, her face radiant yet gentle, her eyes filled with compassion deeper than the ocean below. Her hands rested peacefully in her lap. She did not speak, but her presence spoke louder than words.
Many think miracles ended with the Apostles.
But last century, Padre Pio made a blind girl, with no pupils, see
And to this day science can not explain it.
The miracle that left doctors speechless, some converted - a 🧵✝️
Today we celebrate the memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven, also invoked as Queen of Peace. Let us fast and pray to implore the Lord for the gift of peace. Let us #PrayTogether that hearts may be freed from hatred, that we may move beyond the logic of division and retaliation, and that a shared vision inspired by the common good may prevail.
Wherever we are, let us try not to miss any opportunity to love. This is the vigilance that Jesus asks of us: to get used to being attentive, available, and sensitive to one another, as He is with us at every moment. #Angelus
All of us need to ask the Lord to heal our way of communicating, not only so that we may be more effective, but also so that we may avoid wounding others with our words.
https://t.co/T21In0KMdh
We are called to share our experience of faith with others, bearing witness to the love of Christ and becoming missionary disciples. Let us not limit ourselves to theoretical knowledge alone, but live our faith in a concrete way, experiencing God's love in our daily lives.
Looking without walking by, halting the frantic pace of our lives, allowing the lives of others, whoever they may be, with their needs and troubles, to touch our heart. That is what makes us neighbors to one another, what generates true fraternity and breaks down walls and barriers.
The parable of the Good Samaritan speaks to us first about God’s way of seeing us, so that we in turn can learn how to see situations and people with his eyes, so full of love and compassion. https://t.co/2ISYXYVHKU
How we look at others is what counts, because it shows what is in our hearts. We can look and walk by, or we can look and be moved with compassion. #GospelOfToday (Lk 10:25-37)
In a world where ingratitude and the thirst for power often prevail and the logic of exclusion seems to dominate, we are called to bear witness to the gratitude and generosity of Christ, to exultation and joy, and the tenderness and mercy of His Heart.
Today marks the World Day Against Child Labour. Let us work together to eliminate every form of child exploitation for the benefit and profit of others.