MOTHER ANGELICA JOINS HER NUNS AT EASTER VIGIL AND DIVINE MERCY MASSES

Irondale, AL (EWTN) – People attending the Easter Vigil Mass at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama were pleased to see Mother Angelica sitting with her Nuns in choir. Worshipers were delighted as Mother joined in the singing and received Holy Communion.

This was the first time Mother Angelica has appeared in public since returning to her monastery after being hospitalized for a stroke she suffered on Christmas Eve.

The following Sunday, which the Church celebrates as Divine Mercy Sunday again found Mother attending Mass with her Nuns.

Sister Mary Catherine, Mother Vicar of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, said in addition to attending Mass, Mother now spends two to three hours each day in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

Mother Vicar also said Mother Angelica has cut back on her weekly speech and physical therapy schedule as her condition continues to improve. "She is walking on her own and her speech is slowly coming back to normal," she said. "She is in good spirits and is jovial whenever her Nuns are with her."

On April 8th, Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, the Nuns surprised Mother Angelica with a party, flowers, balloons and gifts to celebrate her "Naming and Title" day (Mother Angelica’s full religious name is Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, P.C.P.A.).

Meanwhile, the Spiritual Bouquet of prayers for Mother Angelica posted on EWTN’s website (www.ewtn.com) continues to grow. According to EWTN’s President, Michael Warsaw, "The latest numbers show that friends from around the world have offered more than 545,000 Our Fathers, 75,000 Holy Hours, 157,000 Masses, 48,000 Novenas and nearly 300,000 Rosaries for Mother’s recovery."