Day: January 30, 2017

Posted in NOVENAS

Novena to Bl Benedict Daswa – DAY EIGHT – 30 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Novena to Bl Benedict Daswa

DAY 8 A TRUE APOSTLE OF LIFE
After his strong stand against witchcraft at the community meeting on Sunday, 28
January 1990, people started grumbling and said, “He is the one who is influencing
people, as he is a leader. Why does he refuse to burn witches? He does not agree with
our way”.
Many saw him as belittling their traditional beliefs and practices, and as a stumbling
block in the community because of his consistent stance against witchcraft. Because
Benedict, as a true disciple of Jesus Christ, was standing firm in his Catholic faith,
some people said, “We had better kill him!” They therefore conspired to get rid of him.

Word of God
There shall not be found among you any one who burns his son or his daughter as an
offering, anyone who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or
a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these
things is an abomination to the LORD; and because of these abominable practices the
LORD your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the
LORD your God. For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, give heed to
soothsayers and to diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you
so to do. (Deuteronomy 18, 10-14)

Deepening of Faith
We are asked to love and honour the life of every man and woman and to work with
perseverance and courage so that our time, marked by all too many signs of death,
may at last witness the establishment of a new culture of life, the fruit of the culture of
truth and of love. (EV 77)

Reflection: Do I respect the lives of others, even the weakest ones, especially
the unborn babies?
Do I live a healthy and responsible life?

Prayer: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me, uttering slanders against me,
my adversaries and foes, they shall stumble and fall. (Psalm 27:1-3,12-14)

NOVENA PRAYER:

O Blessed Trinity,
I believe that you dwell in me through my baptism.
I love You, I adore You and I worship You.
I give you thanks for Blessed Benedict,
Whom you chose to bear witness unto death for his faith
In Jesus Christ, my Saviour and my Lord.

Almighty Father, You filled the heart of Blessed Benedict,
With great love and zeal in building up your kingdom.
You gave him the courage and the strength
To stand up for his faith without fear, even the fear of death.

Loving God, keep me free from all deeds of darkness.
Protect me from evil spirits and the powers of evil.
Make me a true apostle of life in my family and in society.
May Your light, O Lord, shine upon me and through me.

Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Blessed Benedict,
I ask that I may follow his example
Of always being ready to forgive in a Christian spirit.
You know all about my many problems and worries
And my great fears when I look to the future.
I draw strength and courage from the life of Blessed Benedict.

I come to You now, Lord, and through his intercession
I ask for this very special favour………
(mention your request/s)
if it is according to Your will.

Help me always to follow the good example of Blessed Benedict.
By daily prayer and regular attendance at Church,
Help me to love You, O Lord, above all things
And to love others as You love me.
Amen.

day-8-bl-benedict

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Posted in NOVENAS

Novena to St John Bosco – DAY NINE – 30 January

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9th Day (January 30) – For Family, Friends, and those in Need

O Saint John Bosco,
you were full of compassion toward all people,
especially the young,
who suffered from illness, poverty, hunger, injustice and alienation.
Pray for all in need and for us too,
that the blessings of God and protection of Mary Help of Christians
may be on us all,
to care for and cure us,
strengthen us
and comfort us.
Pray for our families,
especially for our young people,
that they may be kept safely in God’s grace.
Intercede for us in life and in death
so that we may eternally sing the Divine mercies in heaven.
Through your intercession
may God grant me the following grace…………..
(make your request)
so that together with others
I may bring all to the love of Christ, amen.

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory to the Father…
St John Bosco Pray for us!

DAY 9 ST JOHN BOSCO.jpg

Posted in MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Thought for the Day – 30 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 30 January

A Christian, who seriously considers that he is to live here but a moment and will live eternally in the world to come, must confess that it is a part of wisdom to refer all his actions and views to prepare himself for that everlasting dwelling, which is his true country.   Our only and necessary affair is to live for God. to do His will and to sanctify and save our souls.   If we are employed in a multiplicity of exterior business, we must imitate St Bathilde, when she bore the whole weight of the state.   In all we do, God and His holy will must be always before our eyes and to please Him must be our only aim and desire.

Shunning the anxiety of Martha and reducing all our desires to this one of doing what God requires of us, we must with her call in Mary to our assistance.    In the midst of action, while our hands are at work, our mind and heart ought to be interiorly employed on God, at least virtually, that all our employments may be animated with the spirit of piety: and hours of repose must always be contrived to pass at the feet of Jesus, where in the silence of all creatures we may listen to His sweet voice, refresh in Him our wearied souls and renew our fervour.

While we converse with the world, we must tremble at the sight of its snares, and be upon our guard that we never be seduced so far as to be in love with it, or to learn its spirit.  o love the world, is to follow its passions; to be proud, covetous and sensual, as the world is. The height of its miseries and dangers, is that blindness by which none who are infected with its spirit, see their misfortune, or are sensible of their disease.   Happy are they who can imitate this holy queen in entirely separating themselves from it!   Not only a slave but a queen – St Bathilde was both and yes, BOTH MAY BE SAINTS!

St Bathilde PRAY FOR US!

st-bathilde-pray-for-us

(Partially taken from Vol. I of “The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs and Other Principal Saints” by the Rev. Alban Butler, the 1864 edition published by D. & J. Sadlier, & Company)

Posted in MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 January

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One Minute Reflection – 30 January

O children, listen to me, instruction and wisdom do not reject!…………Prv 8:32-33

REFLECTION – “Let Mary never be far from your lips and from our heart.
Following her, you will never lose your way.  Praying to her, you will never sink into despair.  Contemplating her, you will never go wrong.”………………St Bernardine of Siena

PRAYER – Lord Jesus, help me to have continual recourse to Your holy Mother. Grant that she may watch over me as she lovingly watched over You in Your home in Nazareth. Amen

provergs-8-32-33let-mary-never-be-far-st-bernardine-of-sienajesus-and-mary-bless-us

Posted in MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 30 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 30 January

Prayer to Spend the Day Well by Blessed James Alberione

Dear and sweet Mother Mary,
keep your holy hand upon me;
guard my mind,
my heart and my senses,
that I may never commit sin.
Sanctify my thoughts,
affections,
words and actions,
so that I may please you and your Jesus, my God,
and reach heaven with you.
Jesus and Mary,
give me your holy blessing;
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

prayer-to-spend-the-day-well-to-mother-mary-by-bl-james-alberione

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 30 January – St Bathilde

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Saint of the Day – 30 January – St Bathilde (also known as Baldechilde, Baldhild, Bathild, Bathildes, Bathildis, Bauteur) (c630-680). Queen

It is certain that ST Bathilde was a slave in the service of the wife of Erchinoald, mayor of the palace of Neustria.  Her unusual qualities of mind and her virtues inspired the confidence of her master who gave many of the affairs of the household into her charge and, after the death of his wife, wished to marry her.   At this the young girl fled and did not return until Erchinoald had married again.   About this time Clovis II met her at the house of the mayor of the palace, and was impressed by her beauty, grace and the good report he had of her.   He freed and married her, 649.   This sudden elevation did not diminish the virtues of Bathilde but gave them a new lustre. Her humility, spirit of prayer and large-hearted generosity to the poor were particularly noticeable.

Seven years after their marriage Clovis II died, 656, leaving Bathilde with three sons, Clothaire, Childeric, and Thierry.  An assembly of the leading nobles proclaimed Clothaire III, aged five, king under the regency of his mother, Bathilde.   Aided by the authority and advice of Erchinoald and the saintly bishops, Eloi (Eligius) of Noyon, Ouen of Rouen, Leéger of Autun, and Chrodebert of Paris, the queen was able to carry out useful reforms. She abolished the disgraceful trade in Christian slaves, and firmly repressed simony among the clergy.   She also led the way in founding charitable and religious institutions, such as hospitals and monasteries.   Through her generosity the Abbey of Corbey was founded for men, and the Abbey of Chelles near Paris for women.   At about this date the famous Abbeys of Jumièges, Jouarre, and Luxeuil were established, most probably in large part through Bathilde’s generosity. Berthilde, the first Abbess of Chelles, who is honoured as a saint, came from Jouarre.   The queen wished to renounce her position and enter the religious life, but her duties kept her at court.   Erchinoald died in 659 and was succeeded by Ebroin.   Notwithstanding the ambition of the new mayor of the palace, the queen was able to maintain her authority and to use it for the benefit of the kingdom.  After her children were well established in their respective territories, Childeric IV in Austrasia and Thierry in Burgundy, she returned to her wish for a secluded life and withdrew to her favourite Abbey of Chelles near Paris.

On entering the abbey she laid down the insignia of royalty and desired to be the lowest in rank among the inmates.   It was her pleasure to take her position after the novices and to serve the poor and infirm with her own hands.   Prayer and manual toil occupied her time, nor did she wish any allusion made to the grandeur of her past position.   In this manner she passed fifteen years of retirement.   At the beginning of the year 680 she had a presentiment of the approach of death and made religious preparation for it.   Before her own end, that of Radegonde occurred, a child whom she had held at the baptismal font and had trained in Christian virtue.   She was buried in the Abbey of Chelles and was canonized by Pope Nicholas I.

 

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saints for 30 January

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St Adelelmus
St Aldegundis
St Alexander of Edessa
St Amnichad of Fulda
St Armentarius of Antibes
St Armentarius of Pavia
St Barsen
St Barsimaeus of Edessa
St Bathilde
Bl Carmen Marie Anne García Moyon
St David Galván-Bermúdez
St Felician of Africa
St Felix IV, Pope
Bl Francis Taylor
Bl Haberilla
St Hippolytus of Antioch
St Hyacintha of Mariscotti
Bl Margaret Ball
Bl Maria Bolognesi
St Martina of Rome
St Matthias of Jerusalem
St Mutien Marie Wiaux
St Paul Ho Hyob
St Philippian of Africa
St Savina of Milan
Bl Sebastian Valfrè
St Theophilus the Younger
St Tôma Khuông
St Tudclyd
Bl Zygmunt Pisarski
Martyrs of Corinth