Litany of Humility

At the core of the family estrangement, is the feeling and attitude of Pride. The antidote for pride, is humility. Enclosed is the litany of humility, authored by Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta. Cardinal Merry del Val was the Secretary of State to Pope Saint Pius X (1903-1914). The Litany of humility is a private devotion, asking Jesus to deliver him from the desire of being esteemed, loved, extolled, honored, praised, and preferred to others. It was written around at the beginning of the last century. O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, Hear me. From the desire of being esteemed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being loved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being extolled, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being honored, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being praised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being preferred to others, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being consulted, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the desire of being approved, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being humiliated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being despised, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of suffering rebukes, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being calumniated, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being forgotten, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being ridiculed, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being wronged, Deliver me, O Jesus. From the fear of being suspected, Deliver me, O Jesus. That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be praised and I go unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. Charity Charity is patient, is kind; charity does not envy, is not pretentious, is not puffed up, is not ambitious, is not self-seeking, is not provoked; thinks no evil, does not rejoice over wickedness, but rejoices with the truth, bears with all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Cor. 13:4-7). To have Charity is to love God above all things for Himself and be ready to renounce all created things rather than offend Him by serious sin. ( Matt. 22:36-40)

Plant Seeds of Kindness

The age of wisdom

Today, I want to speak about a relationship that shapes us more deeply than almost any other — the relationship between children and their aging parents. It is a relationship filled with history. With memories. With misunderstandings. With love that was sometimes spoken, and sometimes only felt. With moments we treasure, and moments we wish we could rewrite. Across this country, something quiet has been happening. Many adult children and their elderly parents are growing apart — not because they stopped caring, but because life moved fast, time slipped by, and no one knew how to reach across the distance. Aging parents often sit with unspoken questions: “Do they still need me?” “Did I do enough?” “Have they forgotten me?” And children — now adults with responsibilities, pressures, and their own wounds — often carry their own quiet questions: “Do they understand me?” “Do they forgive me?” “Is it too late to reconnect?” But here is the truth that matters most: It is never too late for love to find its way back. Elderly parents do not need perfection from their children. They don’t need grand gestures. They don’t need flawless words. They need presence. They need a voice on the phone. They need a visit, a memory, a moment. They need to know they still matter. And children — even grown children — need something too. They need the roots that remind them where they came from. They need the stories only their parents can tell. They need the wisdom that only age can give. They need the chance to heal what time has strained. Reconnection does not erase the past. It does not pretend that everything was perfect. It simply says: “I choose love over distance. I choose understanding over silence. I choose you.” Aging is not a tragedy. Aging is an invitation — an invitation to slow down, to listen, to forgive, to honor the people who carried us when we could not walk on our own. And for elderly parents, reconnection is a reminder that their story still matters, that their life still echoes forward through the generations they helped create. So today, I ask every person listening: If you have an aging parent — reach out. Call them. Visit them. Ask them about their childhood. Let them tell you the same story again. Let them feel your presence. Let them know they are not alone. And if you are an elderly parent — open your heart. Your children may not say it perfectly, but they still carry your love inside them. Give them the chance to come home again. Because when children and parents reconnect, something sacred happens. A circle closes. A wound softens. A family becomes whole. Let us be a nation that honors its elders. Let us be families that choose healing over distance. Let us be children who return, and parents who welcome. Let us bridge the years — together. Thank you.

Overcoming Family Estrangement

Today, I want to talk about something that touches every one of us. Not policy. Not politics. Not the noise that fills our screens and divides our days. I want to talk about family. Because long before we belonged to a nation, a party, or a profession — we belonged to a family. A mother, a father, a grandparent, a sibling, a cousin, a guardian, a friend who became family. Family is the first community we ever know. And yet, across America, something quiet has been happening. Not loud. Not dramatic. Not on the front page of the news. But real. Families are drifting apart. Not always because of conflict — sometimes because of distance, silence, misunderstanding, or the belief that “they don’t need me anymore.” Estrangement has become one of the most subtle social crises of our time. People who love each other… stop talking. People who miss each other… don’t reach out. People who want to reconnect… don’t know how. But here is the truth we must reclaim: Family is not perfect — but it is powerful. Family is not always easy — but it is worth fighting for. Family is not broken — it is waiting. Waiting for a phone call. Waiting for forgiveness. Waiting for a chance to begin again. Tonight, I want to say something simple, something human, something every heart understands: It is never too late to write a better chapter with the people you love. You don’t have to agree on everything to love each other. You don’t have to erase the past to build a future. You don’t have to solve every problem — you only have to take the first step. A text message. A photo. A memory. A “Hey… I’ve been thinking about you.” A “Let’s talk.” A “I’m sorry.” A “I miss you.” Small gestures rebuild big relationships. And when families heal, communities heal. When families reconnect, neighborhoods reconnect. When families grow stronger, the nation grows stronger. Because the strength of a country is not measured only in its economy or its armies — but in the strength of its homes, its bonds, its love. So today, I ask every person reading this: Reach out. Rebuild. Repair. Restore. Make the family whole again — not by going backward, but by coming back to one another. Let us be a nation that chooses connection over division. Let us be a people who choose forgiveness over pride. Let us be families who choose love over silence. Because in the end, when the noise fades and the years pass, family is what remains. Family is what matters. Family is what makes us whole. Thank you, and may every family in this country find its way back home.

Healing the Family

Across the U.S., many people talk about family estrangement, loneliness, and the quiet erosion of connection. A campaign centered on healing families can speak to everyone — every culture, every generation, every political background — because it’s about human belonging, not politics. 🌱 Our Message centers on “Make the Family Whole Again” (Non Political) Campaign 1. “Families are the first community we ever belong to.” A reminder that family — biological or chosen — is where people first learn trust, safety, and identity. This message invites people to rebuild, not blame. 2. “Estrangement is silent, but healing can be loud.” This acknowledges the reality: Many families drift apart not because of conflict, but because of silence, distance, or misunderstanding. Why not take the first step? 3. “Reconnection is a strength, not a weakness.” Many people fear reaching out because it feels vulnerable. Remember: Reconnection is courage. 4. “Every family has a story. It’s never too late to write a better chapter.” This gives hope without judgment. It speaks to people who feel like too much time has passed. 5. “You don’t have to agree to love each other.” This is huge in the U.S. Many families split over politics, lifestyle, religion, or identity. But: Love is bigger than opinions. 6. “Small gestures rebuild big relationships.” How about if you: • Send a text • Share a photo • Make a call • Say “I’m thinking of you” • Apologize for one thing • Thank someone for one memory These micro steps are powerful. 7. “Family is not perfect — it’s persistent.” This message normalizes imperfection. It removes shame and invites people back into connection. 8. “Healing families heals communities.” This frames family reconnection as a social good, not just a personal one. When families are strong, communities are stronger. ❤️ Remember to: • “Bring the family back home.” • “Reconnect. Repair. Restore.” • “Love lasts longer than disagreements.” • “Family first, always.” • “Reach out today — tomorrow is not promised.” • “Let’s make family whole again.” 🌎 Why this message resonates nationally Many Americans feel: • Isolated • Disconnected • Divided • Hurt by past conflicts • Unsure how to reconnect A campaign like this gives them permission to try again. It’s not political. It’s not ideological. It’s human.