The Conceptionist Church in preparation for
the Novena and Feast Day of Our Lady of Good Success

Conceptionist Church preparing for the Novena and Feast Day of Our Lady of Good Success From the Last Will and Testament of Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres who died on January 16th, 1635: “Have a great love for the Blessed Virgin; imitate her virtues, above all her profound humility, her ardent love for God and poor sinners, her simplicity and childlike innocence. Let there be no deceits or hypocrisies in your souls. Preserve and propagate devotion under the invocation of Our Lady of Good Success, for with it you will obtain from Jesus and Mary everything you ask… You should also devotedly care for your true treasure and make her known and loved by as many souls as possible; assuring them that with this devotion they will always obtain good successes both in time and eternity
Have recourse to her in all your spiritual and temporal needs. When your souls suffer temptations and are immersed in grief, and if the star of your vocation is hidden by Divine permission from the sight of your soul, turn to her with confidence and say, ‘Star of the stormy sea of my mortal life, may your light shine upon me so that I do not stray from the path that leads me to heaven.’”

Dear Friends,

The above photo is recent and shows how the good sisters in Quito, Ecuador are preparing for their most special feast day!  Great festivities are planned once again for this feast!  The procession will resume after two years of lockdowns and mandates!  The church is decked out as I have never seen it before and I have visited so many times that I have lost count!

We, here, in the USA will be collecting prayer intentions and donations for our two monasteries that we help support in Quito.  The Conceptionist Monastery that was the home of the visionary of Our Lady of Good Success, Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres y Berriochoa.  The Carmelite Monastery, Carmen Alto, is the original home of the first Ecuadorean saint, St. Mariana de Jesus Paredes y Flores. These two monasteries are united by history which one day I will write about again.  But I will say that it is believed that the canonized saint, St. Mariana de Jesus Paredes y Flores was named after Mother Mariana as her mother, Dona Mariana Jaramillo de Granobles, went to ask Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres and the Conceptionist Monastery for prayers for her difficult pregnancy in which she was carrying the future St. Mariana so it sounds very confusing but it is a very interesting connection between the two monasteries and I believe with God there are no coincidences!

(for more information about St. Mariana go here: https://www.ourladyofgoodsuccess.com/pages/tapestry-of-lights-and-shadows and here:https://www.ourladyofgoodsuccess.com/pages/why-promote-devotion-to-st-mariana-de-jesus-lily-of-quito

In a about 10 days we will begin the novena to Our Lady of Good Success. As we continue through the rest of the Christmas Season which officially ends on Our Lady of Good Success' feast day or Candlemas Day on February 2, we wish to assist you in your meditation on this most joyful time.  One way to do this is by reading the wonderful writings of Maria de Agreda who was also a Conceptionist sister who lived in Toledo Spain. She was given vision and the whole life of the Blessed Mother and Christ in detail that fills 4 volumes of 0ver 600 pages each for a grand total of over 2400 pages.  The title is the Mystical City of God The section on the preparation and birth of Our Lord is a most beautiful account and lends one to recalling these scenes while praying the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary.  One person who loved this spiritual work was Fr. Solanus Casey. And on a side note it has been recorded in history that Sr. Maria de Agreda had many mystical gifts one of which was bilocation like Padre Pio.  Sister Maria de Agreda would bilocate to our very own United States to convert and prepare the Native Indians here for entering the Catholic Church through baptism.  She appeared throughout the Southwest particularly  in Texas and New Mexico. We should pray to Mother Mariana and Sr. Maria de Agreda to ask her to help us one day see an order of the Conceptionist sisters one day have a monastery here in the USA. 

 

Antique image of a Conceptionist Sister like Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres and Sr. Maria de Agreda

Here is the link to read Vol 1 The Incarnation - The Mystical City of God:

https://www.ecatholic2000.com/agreda/vol1/vol1.shtml

Let us prepare then for our wonderful feast.  Also remembering our dear friend and helper Mother Mariana de Jesus Torres whose feast day is Monday Jan. 16th. Here is a prayer for her canonization:
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1164/7336/files/Prayer-for-the-Canonization-of-Mother-Mariana-de-Jesus-Torres.pdf?16568228411041142381

 

 To read more about the story and prophecies of Our Lady of Good Success go here or click on image above:

https://www.ourladyofgoodsuccess.com/pages/a-message-for-our-times

 REMEMBER TO SEND YOUR PETITIONS TO US!!!

starofthestormysea@gmail.com

 A Most Blessed Feast Day of Mother Mariana, Novena and Feast Day to you!

Kathleen Heckenkamp