Our Morning Offering – 13 February
Father, keep us from vain strife of words.
Grant to us constant profession of the Truth!
Preserve us in a true and undefiled faith
so that we may hold fast to that
which we professed when we were baptised
in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
that we may have Thee for our Father,
that we may abide in Thy Son
and in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord, amen.
By St Hilary of Poitiers
Saint of the Day – 13 February – Blessed Jordan of Saxony/referred to in Latin as Jordanis, also known as de Alamania – (1190-1237) Second Master General of the Order of Preachers Patron of Vocations to the Dominican Order, against drowning, of University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines
Jordan belonged to the noble German family of the Counts of Eberstein. He was born in the Castle of Borrenstrick, in the diocese of Paderborn. He began his studies in his native land and was sent to complete them at the University of Paris. While a student he met Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers and was inspired by the preaching of Reginald of Orleans O.P. (also known as Reginald of Saint-Gilles) to join the Dominican Order. He received the habit on Ash Wednesday, 1220. Jordan was a Master of Arts and a grammarian, and taught in the schools of Paris.
In 1221, a General Chapter of the Order held in Bologna appointed Jordan Prior Provincial of Lombardy in Italy. On 6 August 1221, Dominic died and in 1222 Jordan was elected as his successor as Master General of the Order of Preachers. Like Saint Dominic, Jordan was famed as a strict disciplinarian whose commitment to the Rule was tempered with kindness.
During Jordan’s administration, the young Order increased to over 300 priories. Jordan is particularly remembered for his eloquence in attracting candidates to join the Order. Through his lectures in university towns, he won many—allegedly well over 1,000—professors and students for the Order from the universities of Europe, among whom was Albertus Magnus who is thought to have been recruited in Padua. He added four new provinces to the eight already existing. Twice he obtained for the Order a chair at the University of Paris and helped to found the University of Toulouse. He established the first general house of studies of the Order.
Additionally, Jordan was a spiritual guide to many, including one of the first Dominican nuns, the Blessed Diana degli Andalò, O.P. He also found time to write a number of books: a life of St. Dominic and several other works. Among them was the Libellus de principiis Ordinis Praedicatorum (“Booklet on the beginnings of the Order of Preachers”), a Latin text which is both the earliest biography of Saint Dominic and the first narrative history of the foundation of the Order.
A section of a work by Friar Gerald de Frachet describing the lives of the first Dominicans, the Lives of the Brothers (Vitae fratrum), is dedicated to describing his character, virtue and miracles. All of the first chroniclers of the Order describe Jordan’s kindness and personal charm. He had the ability to console the troubled and to inspire the despondent with new hope.
Jordan died, at the age of forty-seven, in a shipwreck on his return from Palestine, where he was visiting the local monasteries of the Order. The shipwreck occurred off the coast of Syria on 13 February 1237. Jordan was buried in the Dominican Church of St. John in Akko, in present-day Israel. He was beatified by Pope Leo XII in 1825.
Bl Jordan of Saxony is credited with introducing the practice of singing the Salve Regina in procession at the end of Compline, done, it is recorded, to calm the spirits of the Brothers, who were being tried by the Devil.
Madonna del Carmine
—
St Adolphus of Osnabruk
St Agabus the Prophet
St Aimo of Meda
Bl Beatrix of Ornacieux
St Benignus of Todi
Bl Berengar of Assisi
St Castor of Karden
St Christina of Spoleto
St Dyfnog
St Ermenilda of Ely
Bl Eustochium of Padua
St Fulcran of Lodève
St Fusca of Ravenna
St Gilbert of Meaux
St Gosbert of Osnabruck
St Guimérra of Carcassone
St Huno
Bl Jordan of Saxony
St Julian of Lyon
St Lucinus of Angers
St Marice
St Martinian the Hermit
St Maura of Ravenna
St Modomnoc
St Paulus Lio Hanzuo
St Peter I of Vercelli
St Phaolô Lê Van Loc
St Stephen of Lyons
St Stephen of Rieti
St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682 Memorial 15 February) was the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and helped immensely to bring the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the world. He is known as the faithful servant and perfect friend to the Sacred Heart. Please join us in saying this Novena, not only for our own needs but that through the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the whole world and it’s many ills, may benefit.
DAY FOUR
O Sacred Heart of Jesus,
for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted,
have pity on us miserable sinners
and grant us the grace which we ask of You, through the
intercession of St Claude and through the most
Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
your tender Mother and ours.
St Claude, you who were a faithful believer
in the divine treasures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
obtain for us, we beseech thee,
from this adorable Heart,
the graces we need so sorely.
We ask these favours of you with unbounded confidence.
May the divine Heart of Jesus be pleased
to bestow them upon us through your intercession,
so that once again He may be loved and glorified through you.
(make your request)
O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst wondrously open
the unsearchable riches of Your Sacred Heart,
grant unto us, by the merits of St Claude
and our imitation of him,
that we may love You in all things and above all things
and may be worthy to have our everlasting dwelling
in the same Sacred Heart,
who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Thought for the Day – 12 February
The lives of the saints should inspire us. How have we sought to repent for our wrongdoings? How might we turn our sin into service? Our Lady of Lourdes implores us to pray for sinners—penance, penance, penance! Our Lord, through the holy words of His Son, directs us to love and serve others. Where in our lives could we be more hospitable?
St Julian the Hospitaller, Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 12 February
De Verazze (author of the Golden Legend) writes of St Julian : “The enemy conspired again to ruin Julian—disguised as a weak pilgrim, he was let in by Julian with the others. At midnight he woke up and made a mess of the house.” The following morning Julian saw the damage and swore never to let in anyone else in his home. He was so furious he had everyone leave. “And Jesus went to him, again as a pilgrim, seeking rest. He asked humbly, in the name of God, for shelter. But Julian answered with contempt: ‘I shall not let you in. Go away, for the other night I had my home so vandalized that I shall never let you in.’ And Christ told him ‘Hold my walking-stick, please’. Julian, embarrassed, went to take the stick and it stuck to his hands. And Julian recognized him at once and said:
He knelt and Jesus forgave him and Julian asked, full of repentance, forgiveness for his wife and parents.
One Minute Reflection – 12 February
I was ill and you comforted me…..
As often as you did it for one
of my least brothers, you did it for me…….Matthew 25:26,40
REFLECTION – “Before all things and above all things,
care must be taken of the sick.
They must be served in every deed
as Christ Himself.”…………….St Benedict
PRAYER – Jesus, infinite Healer, teach me to visit and comfort the sick. Help me always to see You in them and not count the cost. St Julian, you were a perfect example of giving your utmost love to the sick, please pray for us, amen!
Our Morning Offering – 12 February
Prayer For Charity In Truth
Father, Your truth is made known in Your Word.
Guide us to seek the truth of the human person.
Teach us the way to love because You are Love.
Jesus, You embody Love and Truth.
Help us to recognize Your face in the poor.
Enable us to live out our vocation
to bring love and justice to Your people.
Holy Spirit, You inspire us to transform our world.
Empower us to seek the common good for all persons.
Give us a spirit of solidarity and make us one human family.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
This prayer is based on Pope Benedict XVI’s 2009 encyclical, Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth)
Saint of the Day – 12 February – St Julian the Hospitaller/St Julian the Poor -The earliest known reference to Julian dates to the late twelfth century. Patron of Boatmen, carnival workers, childless people, circus workers, clowns, ferrymen, fiddlers, fiddle players, hospitallers, hotel-keepers, hunters, innkeepers, jugglers, knights, murderers, pilgrims, shepherds, to obtain lodging while traveling, travelers, wandering musicians, Macerata, Italy and San Giljan, Malta, Ghent, Belgium.
The location of the hospitals built by him is also debated between the banks of the River Gardon in Provence and an island near the River Potenza heading to Macerata. He was known as the patron of the cities of Ghent and Macerata. The Paternoster (Our Father prayer) of St. Julian can be found as early as 1353 in Boccaccio’s Decameron, and is still passed on by word of mouth throughout some places in Italy. The account is included the 13th-century Leggenda Aurea of Genoan Giacomo da Varazze, a Dominican priest. Beautiful stained glass depicting St. Julian by an unknown artist in the Cathedral of Chartres also dates back to the 13th century. Early fresco paintings of him are found in the Cathedral of Trento (14th century) and the Palazzo Comunale di Assisi.
However, little is known of him, he has inspired countless books, poems, paintings, frescos, stained glass windows, and songs, especially during the Middle Ages. Despite the lack of historical facts, the holy (legendary) events of his life may be looked to as inspiration, influencing our choices and actions even today and calling us to service.
Devotion to St. Julian started in the Maltese Islands in the 15th century after the discovery of his relics in the city of Macerata. It was introduced by the noble family of De Astis, high-ranking in Malta at the time, who had strong connections with the Bishop of Macerata. Three churches were built in his honor before the arrival of the Knights: in Tabija, towards Mdina; in Luqa and in Senglea (Isla). This last one had a storage room for hunters and served to popularize this devotion through the sailors arriving at the Three Cities. In the 16th century there existed a hospital, Ospedale di San Giuliano, in the Citadel in Gozo, showing a wide devotion to the saint. Being an order of hospitaliers, the Knights of St. John helped widen further this devotion. In 1539 they rebuilt the church in Senglea and in 1590 built another church in the parish of Birkirkara, a section that since then was called St. Julian’s. In 1891 the church was made a parish, the only one ever dedicated to the saint in Malta.
6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (2017)
Madonna del Pilerio
—
St Alexius of Kiev
St Ammonius of Alexandria
Bl Anthony of Saxony
St Anthony Kauleas
St Benedict of Aniane
Bl Benedict Revelli
St Damian of Africa
St Damian of Rome
St Ethelwald of Lindisfarne
St Eulalia of Barcelona
St Gaudentius of Verona
St Goscelinus of Turin
Bl Gregory of Tragurio
Bl Humbeline of Jully
St Jak Bushati
St Julian of Alexandria
St Julian the Hospitaller
Bl Ladislaus of Hungary
Bl Ludan
St Meletius of Antioch
St Modestus of Alexandria
St Modestus of Carthage
St Modestus the Deacon
Bl Nicholas of Hungary
St Sedulius
Bl Thomas of Foligno
—
Martyrs of Albitina – 46 saints
Martyred in England
Bl George Haydock
Bl James Fenn
Bl John Nutter
Bl John Munden
Bl Thomas Hemeford
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War
Josep Gassol Montseny
St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682 Memorial 15 February) was the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and helped immensely to bring the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the world. He is known as the faithful servant and perfect friend to the Sacred Heart. Please join us in saying this Novena, not only for our own needs but that through the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the whole world and it’s many ills, may benefit.
DAY THREE
St Claude, you who were a faithful believer
in the divine treasures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
obtain for us, we beseech thee,
from this adorable Heart,
the graces we need so sorely.
We ask these favours of you with unbounded confidence.
May the divine Heart of Jesus be pleased
to bestow them upon us through your intercession,
so that once again He may be loved and glorified through you.
(make your request)
O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst wondrously open
the unsearchable riches of Your Sacred Heart,
grant unto us, by the merits of St Claude
and our imitation of him,
that we may love You in all things and above all things
and may be worthy to have our everlasting dwelling
in the same Sacred Heart,
who lives and reigns, world without end. Amen.
Thought for the Day – 11 February
Today we celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. We may never travel to Lourdes and join in the processions but we can know always that we have a Mother to help us and lead us to her Son, Jesus. And so we pray to her:
Grant us, O merciful God, protection in
our weakness,
that we, who keep the Memorial of the
Immaculate Mother of God,
may, with the help of her intercession,
rise up from our iniquities.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity
of the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever.
(Collect Prayer from the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes)
Lourdes has become a place of pilgrimage and healing, but even more of faith. Church authorities have recognized over 60 miraculous cures, although there have probably been many more. To people of faith this is not surprising. It is a continuation of Jesus’ healing miracles—now performed at the intercession of his mother. Some would say that the greater miracles are hidden. Many who visit Lourdes return home with renewed faith and a readiness to serve God in their needy brothers and sisters.
There still may be people who doubt the apparitions of Lourdes. Perhaps the best that can be said to them are the words that introduce the film The Song of Bernadette: “For those who believe in God, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation is possible.”
Our Lady of Lourdes Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 11 February
“I am the Immaculate Conception.”
Our Lady of Lourdes to St Bernadette
One Minute Reflection – 11 February
The Almighty has done great things for me……………..Lk 1:49
REFLECTION – “Like Saint Bernadette, we stand beneath the watchful gaze of Mary. The humble maiden of Lourdes tells us that the Virgin, whom she called “the Lovely Lady”, looked at her as one person looks at another. Those simple words describe the fullness of a relationship. Bernadette, poor, illiterate and ill, felt that Mary was looking at her as a person. The Lovely Lady spoke to her with great respect and without condescension. This reminds us that every person is, and always remains, a human being, and is to be treated as such. The sick and the those who are disabled, even severely, have their own inalienable dignity and mission in life. They never become simply objects. If at times they appear merely passive, in reality that is never the case.”………..Pope Francis from his message for the World Day of the Sick 2017
PRAYER – Holy Mary, Mother of God, stay with me that I might be a light unto those who are sick in body and soul. Teach me that I might reflect your Son. Succour me, that I might not disappoint my Lord God, that I might always be your true child and the sibling of your Son. Pray for us all dear Mother and most especially for the sick, amen!
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS
FOR THE TWENTY-FIFTH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 2017
Amazement at what God has accomplished:
“The Almighty has done great things for me…” (Lk 1:49)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On 11 February next, the Twenty-fifth World Day of the Sick will be celebrated throughout the Church and in a special way at Lourdes. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Amazement at what God has accomplished: ‘The Almighty has done great things for me….’” (Lk 1:49). Instituted by my predecessor Saint John Paul II in 1992, and first celebrated at Lourdes on 11 February 1993, this Day is an opportunity to reflect in particular on the needs of the sick and, more generally, of all those who suffer. It is also an occasion for those who generously assist the sick, beginning with family members, health workers and volunteers, to give thanks for their God-given vocation of accompanying our infirm brothers and sisters. This celebration likewise gives the Church renewed spiritual energy for carrying out ever more fully that fundamental part of her mission which includes serving the poor, the infirm, the suffering, the outcast and the marginalized (cf. John Paul II, Motu Proprio Dolentium Hominum, 11 February 1985, 1). Surely, the moments of prayer, the Eucharistic liturgies and the celebrations of the Anointing of the Sick, the sharing with the sick and the bioethical and theological-pastoral workshops to be held in Lourdes in those days will make new and significant contributions to that service.
Even now, I am spiritually present at the grotto of Massabielle, before the statue of the Immaculate Virgin, in whom the Almighty has done great things for the redemption of mankind. I express my closeness to all of you, our suffering brothers and sisters, and to your families, as well as my appreciation for all those in different roles of service and in healthcare institutions throughout the world who work with professionalism, responsibility and dedication for your care, treatment and daily well-being. I encourage all of you, the sick, the suffering, physicians, nurses, family members and volunteers, to see in Mary, Health of the Infirm, the sure sign of God’s love for every human being and a model of surrender to his will. May you always find in faith, nourished by the Word and by the Sacraments, the strength needed to love God, even in the experience of illness.
Like Saint Bernadette, we stand beneath the watchful gaze of Mary. The humble maiden of Lourdes tells us that the Virgin, whom she called “the Lovely Lady”, looked at her as one person looks at another. Those simple words describe the fullness of a relationship. Bernadette, poor, illiterate and ill, felt that Mary was looking at her as a person. The Lovely Lady spoke to her with great respect and without condescension. This reminds us that every person is, and always remains, a human being, and is to be treated as such. The sick and the those who are disabled, even severely, have their own inalienable dignity and mission in life. They never become simply objects. If at times they appear merely passive, in reality that is never the case.
After her visit to the Grotto, thanks to her prayer, Bernadette turned her frailty into support for others. Thanks to her love, she was able to enrich her neighbours and, above all, to offer her life for the salvation of humanity. The fact that the Lovely Lady asked her to pray for sinners reminds us that the infirm and the suffering desire not only to be healed, but also to live a truly Christian life, even to the point of offering it as authentic missionary disciples of Christ. Mary gave Bernadette the vocation of serving the sick and called her to become a Sister of Charity, a mission that she carried out in so exemplary a way as to become a model for every healthcare worker. Let us ask Mary Immaculate for the grace always to relate to the sick as persons who certainly need assistance, at times even for the simplest of things, but who have a gift of their own to share with others.
The gaze of Mary, Comfort of the Afflicted, brightens the face of the Church in her daily commitment to the suffering and those in need. The precious fruits of this solicitude for the world of suffering and sickness are a reason for gratitude to the Lord Jesus, who out of obedience to the will of the Father became one of us, even enduring death on the cross for the redemption of humanity. The solidarity shown by Christ, the Son of God born of Mary, is the expression of God’s merciful omnipotence, which is made manifest in our life – above all when that life is frail, pain-filled, humbled, marginalized and suffering – and fills it with the power of hope that can sustain us and enable us to get up again.
This great wealth of humanity and faith must not be dissipated. Instead, it should inspire us to speak openly of our human weaknesses and to address the challenges of present-day healthcare and technology. On this World Day of the Sick, may we find new incentive to work for the growth of a culture of respect for life, health and the environment. May this Day also inspire renewed efforts to defend the integrity and dignity of persons, not least through a correct approach to bioethical issues, the protection of the vulnerable and the protection of the environment.
On this Twenty-fifth World Day of the Sick, I once more offer my prayerful support and encouragement to physicians, nurses, volunteers and all those consecrated men and women committed to serving the sick and those in need. I also embrace the ecclesial and civil institutions working to this end, and the families who take loving care of their sick. I pray that all may be ever joyous signs of the presence of God’s love and imitate the luminous testimony of so many friends of God, including Saint John of God and Saint Camillus de’ Lellis, the patrons of hospitals and healthcare workers, and Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, missionary of God’s love.
Dear brothers and sisters – the sick, healthcare workers and volunteers – I ask you to join me in praying to Mary. May her maternal intercession sustain and accompany our faith, and obtain for us from Christ her Son hope along our journey of healing and of health, a sense of fraternity and responsibility, a commitment to integral human development and the joy of feeling gratitude whenever God amazes us by his fidelity and his mercy.
Mary, our Mother,
in Christ you welcome each of us as a son or daughter.
Sustain the trusting expectation of our hearts,
succour us in our infirmities and sufferings,
and guide us to Christ, your Son and our brother.
Help us to entrust ourselves to the Father who accomplishes great things.
With the assurance of a constant remembrance in my prayers, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.
8 December 2016, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Francis
Consecration to Our Lady of Lourdes
Holy Mary, Mother of God, Virgin Immaculate,
you appeared 18 times to Bernadette at the grotto in Lourdes
to remind Christians of what the truths in the Gospel require of them.
You call them to prayer, penance, the Eucharist and the life of the church.
To answer your call more fully,
I dedicate myself, through you, to your Son Jesus Christ.
Make me willing to accept what He said.
By the fervour of my faith,
by the conduct of my life in all its aspects,
by my devotion to the sick,
let me work with you in the comforting of those who suffer
and in the reconciliation of people
that the church may be one
and there be peace in the world.
All this I ask, confident that you, Our Lady,
will fully answer my prayer.
Blessed be the Holy and Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Mother of God. Amen.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
St. Bernadette, pray for us!
Our Morning Offering – 11 February
PRAYER OF POPE FRANCIS FOR THE TWENTY FIFTH WORLD DAY OF THE SICK 2017
Mary, our Mother,
in Christ you welcome each of us
as a son or daughter.
Sustain the trusting expectation of our hearts,
succour us in our infirmities and sufferings,
and guide us to Christ, your Son and our brother.
Help us to entrust ourselves to the Father
who accomplishes great things. Amen
Blessed Memorial of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes/Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception – 11 February 1858 – Patron of the ill and infirm, protection from disease, France, 6 cities and a Diocese.
On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of the Immaculate Conception in the apostolic constitution Ineffabilis Deus. A little more than three years later, on February 11, 1858, a young lady appeared to Bernadette Soubirous. This began a series of visions. During the apparition on March 25, the lady identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”
Bernadette was a sickly child of poor parents. Their practice of the Catholic faith was scarcely more than lukewarm. Bernadette could pray the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Creed. She also knew the prayer of the Miraculous Medal: “O Mary conceived without sin.”
During interrogations Bernadette gave an account of what she saw. It was “something white in the shape of a girl.” She used the word aquero, a dialect term meaning “this thing.” It was “a pretty young girl with a rosary over her arm.” Her white robe was encircled by a blue girdle. She wore a white veil. There was a yellow rose on each foot. A rosary was in her hand. Bernadette was also impressed by the fact that the lady did not use the informal form of address (tu), but the polite form (vous). The humble virgin appeared to a humble girl and treated her with dignity.
Through that humble girl, Mary revitalized and continues to revitalize the faith of millions of people. People began to flock to Lourdes from other parts of France and from all over the world. In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the cult of Our Lady of Lourdes for the diocese. The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.
Our Lady of Lourdes (Optional Memorial)
World Day of the Sick
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St Ampelius of Africa
St Ardanus of Tournus
Bl Bartholomew of Olmedo
St Caedmon
St Calocerus of Ravenna
St Castrensis of Capua
St Dativus the Senator
Bl Elizabeth Salviati
St Etchen of Clonfad
St Eutropius of Adrianopolis
St Felix the Senator
St Gobnata
St Gregory II, Pope
Bl Gaudencia Benavides Herrero
St Helwisa
St Jonas of Muchon
St Lucius of Adrianople
St Paschal I, Pope
St Pedro de Jesús Maldonado-Lucero
St Saturninus of Africa
St Secundus of Puglia
St Severinus of Agaunum
St Soter of Rome
St Theodora the Empress
Bl Tobias Francisco Borrás Román
—
Guardians of the Holy Scriptures
Martyrs of Africa – 5 saints
St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682 Memorial 15 February) was the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and helped immensely to bring the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the world. He is known as the faithful servant and perfect friend to the Sacred Heart. Please join us in saying this Novena, not only for our own needs but that through the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the whole world and it’s many ills, may benefit.
DAY TWO
O Lord Jesus Christ,
You promised to bestow abundant blessings
on all the undertakings of those who honour your Sacred Heart.
Hear our humble, confident and incessant prayers
and grant us the grace we ask of Your infinite mercy in this novena.
We ask it through the intercession of St Claude La Colombiere,
whom You have honoured with the title ‘faithful servant and perfect friend’
and who had such filial, unbounded and unwearied confidence in You.
O St Claude, most ardent apostle of the Divine Heart of Jesus,
deign to intercede for me with this divine heart,
that I may obtain the grace I ask for in this novena.
(make your request)
Divine Lord,
You deigned to make St Claude the faithful servant and wonderful lover of your Sacred Heart.
Grant us, through his intercession,
the grace to imitate the virtues of this divine heart
and be inflamed by its love.
We ask You this,
You who lives and reigns with God the Father
and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Pray for us, St Claude, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ, amen.
Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – DAY NINE– 10 February (we Pray the Novena for our own intentions and for the sick, the infirm within our own communities but also for all those throughout the world who suffer, especially those who have no-one to pray for them in preparation for the Wold Day of the Sick on 11 February.)
DAY NINE
O glorious Mother of God,
to you we raise our hearts and hands to implore your powerful intercession
in obtaining from the benign Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary
for our spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly for the grace of a happy death.
O Mother of our Divine Lord, as we conclude this novena for the special favoUr we seek at this time.
(make your request)
Mary and Bernadette
We feel animated with confidence that your prayers in our behalf
will be graciously heard. O Mother of My Lord,
through the love you bear to Jesus Christ and for the glory of His Name,
hear our prayers and obtain our petitions.
O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes,
glorious in your assumption,
triumphant in your coronation,
show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother,
be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.
Thought for the Day – 10 February
Twins often share the same interests and ideas with an equal intensity. Therefore, it is no surprise that Scholastica and her twin brother, Benedict, established religious communities within a few miles from each other. Scholastica and Benedict gave themselves totally to God and gave top priority to deepening their friendship with him through prayer. They sacrificed some of the opportunities they would have had to be together as brother and sister in order better to fulfill their vocation to the religious life. In coming closer to Christ, however, they found they were also closer to each other. In joining a religious community, they did not forget or forsake their family but rather found more brothers and sisters, though never forgetting each other. The lesson – work hard to maintain the joy of the family be gentle, kind, patient, generous, thoughtful – pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit!
St Scholastica Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 10 February
St. Gregory the Great said of Scholastica,
“She could do more because she loved more.”
One Minute Reflection – 10 February
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…..Galatians 5:22-23
REFLECTION – “Be careful to be gentle, lest in removing the rust, you break the whole instrument.”……………St Benedict
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, help me to curb my impatience no matter the circumstances. Teach me to remain calm and gentle and to strive to return good for evil in all inflammatory situations. St Scholastica and St Benedict pray for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 10 February
PRAYER OF ST BENEDICT OF NURSIA
Father, in Your goodness
grant me the intellect to comprehend You,
the perception to discern You,
and the reason to appreciate You.
In Your kindness
endow me with the diligence to look for You,
the wisdom to discover You
and the spirit to apprehend You.
In Your graciousness
bestow on me a heart to contemplate You,
ears to hear You,
eyes to see You,
and a tongue to speak of You.
In Your mercy confer on me
a conversation pleasing to You,
the patience to wait for You,
and the perseverance to long for You.
Grant me a perfect end,
Your holy presence.
Amen.
Saint of the Day -10 February – St Scholastica Virgin and Religious – (c482-547) Patron of schools – tests, reading; convulsive children; nuns; invoked against storms, lightening and rain; City of Le Mans.
Scholastica was born in 480 in Nursia, Umbria, of wealthy parents and according to Gregory the Great’s Dialogues, was dedicated to God from a young age. She and her twin brother Benedict were brought up together until the time he left to pursue studies in Rome.
A young Roman woman of Scholastica’s class and time would likely have remained in her father’s house until marriage (likely arranged) or entry into religious life. But wealthy women could inherit property, divorce and were generally literate. On occasion several young women would live together in a household and form a religious community.
Benedictine tradition holds that Scholastica lived in a convent at Plumbariola about five miles from Monte Cassino and that this was the first “Benedictine” convent. However, it has been suggested that it is more likely that she lived in a hermitage with one or two other religious women in a cluster of houses at the base of Mount Cassino where there is an ancient church named after her. Ruth Clifford Engs notes that since Dialogues indicates that Scholastica was dedicated to God at an early age, perhaps she lived in her father’s house with other religious women until his death and then moved nearer to Benedict.
The most commonly told story about her is that she would, once a year, go and visit her brother at a place near his abbey and they would spend the day worshiping together and discussing sacred texts and issues.
One day they had supper and continued their conversation. When Benedict indicated it was time for him to leave, perhaps sensing the time of her death was drawing near, Scholastica asked him to stay with her for the evening so they could continue their discussions. Not wishing to break his own Rule, Benedict refused, insisting that he needed to return to his cell. At that point, Scholastica closed her hands in prayer and after a moment, a wild storm started outside of the guest house in which they were housed. Benedict asked, “God forgive you, Sister.What have you done?”, to which she replied, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and He did listen. So now go off, if you can, leave me and return to your monastery.” Benedict was unable to return to his monastery, and they spent the night in discussion.
According to Gregory’s Dialogues, three days later, from his cell, he saw his sister’s soul leaving the earth and ascending to heaven in the form of a shining white dove. Benedict had her body brought to his monastery, where he caused it to be laid in the tomb which he had prepared for himself.
St Scholastica (Memorial)
—
Bl Alexander of Lugo
Bl Alojzije Stepinac
St Andrew of Bethlehem
St Aponius of Bethlehem
St Austrebertha of Pavilly
St St Baldegundis
Baptus of Magnesia
Bl Catherine du Verdier de la Sorinière
St Charalampias
Bl Clare Agolanti of Rimini
St Desideratus of Clermont
Erluph of Werden
Bl Eusebia Palomino Yenes
Bl Hugh of Fosse
Bl José Sánchez del Río
Bl Louise Bessay de la Voûte
Bl Louise Poirier épouse Barré
Bl Marie-Anne Hacher du Bois
Bl Marie-Louise du Verdier de la Sorinière
Bl Mikel Beltoja
Bl Paganus
Bl Paul of Wallachia
Bl Pierre Frémond
St Porfirio
St Prothadius of Besançon
St Salvius of Albelda
St Silvanus of Terracina
St Soteris the Martyr
St Troiano of Saintes
St Trumwin of Whitby
Bl William of Maleval
Martyred Soldiers in Rome: – Amantius, Hyacinth, Irenaeus, Zoticus
Each year as Lent approaches, we decide that “this one” will be our best ever but it is so easy to lose momentum halfway through the 40 days. This year let us prepare by the most perfect method – by praying for help! Let us ask that we may:
In these last few days before Lent begins, let us to begin our preparatory prayer. We can turn to Jesus and ask, “What is the grace You desire to deepen within me over these next 40 days?”
St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682 Memorial 15 February) was the spiritual director of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and helped immensely to bring the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to the world. He is known as the faithful servant and perfect friend to the Sacred Heart. Please join us in saying this Novena, not only for our own needs but that through the power of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the whole world and it’s many ills, may benefit.
DAY ONE
Novena to St Claude de la Colombiere
O divine Lord, You said,
‘Ask and you shall receive; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you’.
You promised to bestow abundant blessings
on all the undertakings of those who honour your Sacred Heart.
Hear our humble, confident and incessant prayers
and grant us the grace we ask of Your infinite mercy in this novena.
We ask it through the intercession of St Claude La Colombiere,
whom You have honoured with the title ‘faithful servant and perfect friend’
and who had such filial, unbounded and unwearied confidence in You.
O St Claude, most ardent apostle of the Divine Heart of Jesus,
deign to intercede for me with this divine heart,
that I may obtain the grace I ask for in this novena.
(make your request)
Amen
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
Pray for us, St Claude, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes – DAY EIGHT– 9 February (we Pray the Novena for our own intentions and for the sick, the infirm within our own communities but also for all those throughout the world who suffer, especially those who have no-one to pray for them in preparation for the Wold Day of the Sick on 11 February.)
DAY EIGHT
O Immaculate Mother of God,
from heaven itself you came to appear to the little Bernadette
in the rough Grotto of Lourdes!
And as Bernadette knelt at your feet
and the miraculous spring burst forth
and as multitudes have knelt ever since before your shrine, O Mother of God,
we kneel before you today to ask that in your mercy
you plead with your Divine Son to grant the special favour we seek in this novena.
(make your request)
O Brilliant star of purity, Mary Immaculate, Our Lady of Lourdes,
glorious in your assumption,
triumphant in your coronation,
show unto us the mercy of the Mother of God, Virgin Mary, Queen and Mother,
be our comfort, hope, strength, and consolation. Amen.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Saint Bernadette, pray for us.
AnaStpaul 
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