St Fabian, Pope (Optional Memorial)
St Sebastian (Optional Memorial)
—
St Ascla of Antinoe
Bl Basil Anthony Marie Moreau
St Basilides the Senator
St Bassus the Senator
Bl Benedict Ricasoli
Bl Bernardo of Poncelli
Bl Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
St Daniel of Cambron
Bl Didier of Thérouanne
St Eusebius the Senator
St Eustochia Calafato
St Euthymius the Great
St Eutyches the Senator
Fechin of Fobhar
Bl Francesco Paoli
St Henry of Uppsalla
Bl Jeroni Fábregas Camí
St Maria Cristina dell’Immacolata Concezione
St Molagga of Fermoy
St Neophytus of Nicaea
St Stephen Min Kuk-ka
St Wulfsin
Year: 2017
Novena to St Paul – Day Four – 19 January
January 25 – The Conversion of St Paul
Novena to St Paul – 19 January
Day FOUR
For St John Paul, conversion means returning to God “through evaluating earthly realities in the unfailing light of His truth.” The proof of St Paul’s conversion is his profession: “For me to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21). Conversion is a conversion to the will and design of God: It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).
Let us Pray:
Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
Help me to live a life of ongoing conversion.
True conversion means converting my life to the
design of God, the plan He has for me right now.
Pray that I will love God’s will and providence for me.
May I learn to truly surrender myself to wisdom and tenderness of God.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
(mention your request)
I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.
St Paul Pray for us!
Novena to St Francis de Sales – Day Five – 19 January
Novena to St Francis de Sales
Day FIVE
“This poor life is only a journey to the happy life to come. We must not be angry with one another on the way but rather we must march on as a band of brothers and sisters united in meekness, peace and love. I state absolutely and make no exception: do not be angry at all if that is possible. Do no accept any pretext whatever for opening your heart’s door to anger. Saint James tells us positively and without reservation,” … a man’s anger does not fulfill God’s justice.” [St Francis de Sales Jas 1:20] (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 162)
O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially ……..
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven
even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt
to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny:
eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer.
(mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all,
You desired that St. Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many along the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord, amen.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Thought for the Day – 19 January
Thought for the Day – 19 January
A king or queen’s throne is not the best place to become a saint – since power and privilege can turn the head and heart of even the holiest of men. But sanctity can flourish anywhere and those kings, queens and princesses who have become saints – Canute of Denmark, Louis of France and Edward the Confessor, yesterday we had Margaret of Hungary, there were also Margaret and Elisabeth of Scotland and Elizabeth of Portugal et al – are proof of this. Nobility of birth can become nobility of soul which, by circumstance of birth, is undoubtedly a battle exceeding ours. In the Providence of God, there is NO state of life which is exempt from His love and call to sainthood!
St Canute the Holy, Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 19 January
Quote of the Day – 19 January
“Here the will of God is done, as God wills and as long as God wills.”
~~~Saint Gerard Majella
One Minute Reflection – 19 January
One Minute Reflection – 19 January
Each one has his own gift from God……….1 Cor 7:7
REFLECTION – All the faithful of every state and condition are armed with a great deal of wondrous means of salvation. They are thus called by the Lord – each in his or her own way – to attain that perfection of holiness with which the heavenly Father is perfect….Vatican II Constituion on the Church No 11
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, help me to be holy in the way that You have laid out for me. Let me carry out the duties of my state in life to the full and so attain the holiness proper to me. St Canute, as a King you offered your life to the King of Kings and died for love of Him, please pray for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 19 January
Our Morning Offering – 19 January
Hold dominion over my heart, O Lord:
keep it as Your inheritance.
Make Your dwelling in me,
along with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Widen in me the cords of Your tabernacle,
even the operations of your Most Holy Spirit.
For You are my God and I will praise You,
together with the Eternal Father
and your quickening Spirit,
now, henceforth and forever, amen.
by St John Damascene
Saint of the Day – 19 January – St Canute
Saint of the Day – 19 January – St Canute/Knud (IV) of Denmark (1042-1086) King of Denmark – known as “Canute the Holy” MARTYR (Knud IV den Hellige) – Patron of Denmark
Canute was an ambitious king (1080-1086) who sought to strengthen the Danish Monarchy was a devout Catholic and devotedly supported the Church and the Pope and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was the first Danish king to be canonised. He was recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as patron saint of Denmark in 1101.
Canute was a strong, wise king of Denmark. He was a great athlete, an expert horseman, and a marvelous general. At the beginning of his reign, he led a war against the barbarians who were threatening to take over the civilized world. King Canute and his army defeated them. He loved the Christian faith so much that he introduced it to people who had never heard of Christianity.
St. Canute knelt in church at the foot of the altar and offered his crown to the King of kings, Jesus. King Canute was very charitable and gentle with his people. He tried to help them with their problems. Most of all, he wanted to help them be true followers of Christ.
However, a rebellion broke out in his kingdom because of the laws he had made about supporting the Church. On 10 July 1086, Canute and his men took refuge inside the wooden St. Alban’s Priory in Odense. While his enemies were still outside, King Canute received the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. He felt compassion for those who were upset enough to kill him. With all his heart he forgave his enemies. The rebels stormed into the church and slew Canute, along with his brother Benedict and seventeen of their followers, before the altar. According to chronicler Ælnoth of Canterbury, Canute died following a lance thrust in the side.
Murder of Canute the Holy by Christian Albrecht von Benzon, 1843
He was succeeded by Olaf as Olaf I of Denmark.
Because of his martyrdom and advocacy of the Church, Canute quickly began to be considered a saint. Under the reign of Olaf, Denmark suffered from crop failure, which was seen as divine retribution for the sacrilege killing of Canute. Miracles were soon reported as taking place at his grave and his canonisation was already being sought during the reign of Olaf. On 19 April 1101, persuaded by the envoys from Eric III of Denmark, Pope Paschal II confirmed the “cult of Canute” that had arisen and King Canute IV was canonised as a saint under the name San Canuto. He was the first Dane to be canonised.
Saints for 19 January
St Abachum of Persia
Bl Andrew of Peschiera
St Arsenius of Corfu
St Audifax of Persia
St Bassian of Lodi
Bl Beatrix of Lens
St Branwallader of Jersey
St Canute
St Catellus of Castellammare
St Contentius
Bl Elisabetta Berti
St Faustina of Como
St Fillan
St Firminus of Gabales
St Germanicus of Smyrna
St Godone of Novalesa
St John of Ravenna
St Joseph Sebastian Pelczar
St Liberata of Como
Bl Marcelo Spínola y Maestre
St Maris of Persia
St Messalina of Foligno
St Ponziano of Spoleto
St Remigius of Rouen
St Wulstan of Worcester
—
Martyrs of Numidia – 9 saints
Novena to St Paul – Day Three – 18 January
January 25 – The Conversion of St Paul
Novena to St Paul
Day THREE
“Suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him…. (he) heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?…I am Jesus….” They led (Saul) by the hand” (Acts 9:3,4,5,8)
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI speaks of conversion as an act of obedience toward a reality that does not originate from us, the precedes us: the concrete God. (Joseph Ratzinger – The Nature and Mission of Theology {Ignatius, 1995 p 58})
Let us Pray:
Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
Help me to live a life of ongoing obedience to God and conversion of my wilful heart. Pray that I may renounce self-will and surrender myself to my Creator who has a plan to make me a saint. May faith move me to believe that God can and will change the things in me that seem insurmountable.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
(mention your request)
I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.
St Paul Pray for us!
Novena to St Francis de Sales – Day Four – 18 January
Novena to St Francis de Sales
Day FOUR
“Self-love dies only when our body dies, so we must, while we live in this land of exile, continue to counterattack its assaults on our senses and its underhanded tactics. It is enough if we firmly withstand, giving no willful or deliberate consent … When we feel within ourselves the first movements of self-love or of other passions, let us prostrate ourselves immediately before the heart of God and tell Him, in a spirit of confidence and humility, “Lord, have mercy on me because I am a very weak creature.” Then let us tranquilly rest in peace and put ourselves at God’s disposal.” (St Francis de Sales Letters 1675; O. XIX, pp. 272-273)
O blessed Francis de Sales,
who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially ……………….
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day
with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt
to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer…….
(mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all, You desired that St. Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many long the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Thought for the Day – 18 January
Thought for the Day – 18 January
The church recognizes Margaret of Hungary as a saint in spite of the traces of willfulness and pride that seem to have marked her life. But she excelled in charity and “love covers over many a sin” (1 Peter 4:8). Those of us who want to be holy, but have many “in-spite-ofs” to contend with, can be glad for that. There is hope for us all yet!
St Margaret of Hungary Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 18 January
Quote of the Day – 18 January
”People say:
‘What is the sense of our small effort?’
They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time,
take one step at a time.
A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread
in all directions.
Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that.
No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless.
There’s too much work to do.”
~~~ Dorothy Day
One Minute Reflection – 18 January
One Minute Reflection – 18 January
Above all, let your love for one another be intense because love covers a multitude of sins…………….1 Peter 4:8
REFLECTION – “Your eyes, O Lord, have a true view of people. This is what they really are and nothing more.”…………..St Francis de Sales
PRAYER – All-knowing Lord, let me realise that my real self is only what I am in Your eyes. All my weaknesses and sins You know but true too, You know the love I bear for You and for Your children. Grant me Your grace to love more and more, so that I may become a saint and join St Margaret in heaven, she who is a true example of immense love. St Margaret of Hungary pray for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 18 January
Our Morning Offering – 18 January
A Morning Offering of St Francis de Sales
My God, I give You this day.
I offer You, now,
all of the good that I shall do
and I promise to accept,
for love of You,
all of the difficulty that I shall meet.
Help me to conduct myself during this day
in a manner pleasing to You, amen.
Saint of the Day – 18 January – St Margaret of Hungary O.P. (1242-1271) – Virgin & Nun
Saint of the Day – 18 January – St Margaret of Hungary O.P. (1242-1271) – Virgin & Nun
Margaret was born to Béla IV, king of Hungary, at a moment when the country was threatened by enemies. So the king promised God that if things reversed in his favour he would dedicate his little princess to the religious life. The prayer was answered and Béla put Margaret in the care of the Dominican Sisters at Veszprém. When Margaret was 12, Béla built a convent for her on an island in the Danube near Buda. There the young teenager professed her vows.
A young woman of extraordinary beauty, St. Margaret attracted the attention of suitors even though she was a nun.
Ottokar, the king of Bohemia, was determined to marry her. For political reasons, Béla liked the idea. He asked Margaret to get released from her commitments and marry Ottokar. Béla had not bargained for the steely resistance of his strong-willed daughter. She responded to his request with defiance:
“When I was only 7-years-old, you tried to espouse me to the Polish Duke. You will remember my answer then. I said that I wished to serve Him only to whom you had espoused me at my birth. As a child, I would not yield to your will in opposition to God’s claims on me. Do you think that I am likely to give in to you now that I am older and wiser? And am I more capable of grasping the greatness of the divine grace that has been given me? Then, my Father, stop trying to turn me from my determination to remain a religious. I prefer the heavenly kingdom to that which has been offered me by the King of Bohemia. I would rather die than obey these commands of yours that will bring death to my soul. Mark my words. If matters ever come to such a pass and I am driven to it, I will surely put an end to the whole affair by mutilating myself, so that I shall never again be desirable to any man.”
So Béla backed down. Witnesses say that had he persisted, gritty Margaret would likely have fulfilled her threat. Margaret punished herself with extreme self-abnegation that some observers call “self-crucifixion.” Butler’s Lives of the Saints says that she performed “marvelous” service to the sick, so nauseating that its “details cannot be set out before the fastidious modern reader.” Although she was a princess among nuns, she objected to any special treatment and went out of her way to perform the most menial tasks to help the poor and sick. Since she was a princess and the convent was built for her, no one seems to have been able to temper her excesses. A life of extreme austerity lead to great fatigue and her ultimate death on January 18, 1271.
Saints for 18 January
St Margaret of Hungary
–
St Agathius the Martyr
St Ammonius of Astas
St Archelais the Martyr
Bl Beatrix of Este the Younger
Bl Charlotte Lucas
St Catus
Bl Christina Ciccarelli
St Day/Dye
St Deicola of Lure
Bl Fazzio of Verona
Bl Félicité Pricet
St Jaime Hilario Barbel Cosen
St Leobard of Tours
St Margaret of Hungary
Bl Maria Teresa Fasce
Bl Monique Pichery
St Moseus of Astas
St Prisca of Rome
St Susanna the Martyr
St Thecla the Martyr
S tUlfrid of Sverige
Bl Victoire Gusteau
St Volusian of Tours
—
Martyrs of Carthage – 3 saints
Martyrs of Egypt -37 saints
Martyrs of Nicaea – 3 saints
Novena to St Paul – Day Two – 17 January
January 25 – The Conversion of St Paul
Novena to St Paul
Day TWO
Saul of Tarsus, the “Pharisee, a son of Pharisees” (Acts 23:6) had often prayed in the Psalms “You have said, ‘seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek’…Bow your heavens, O Lord and come down!….Flash forth the lightening …Stretch forth your hand from on high, rescue me and deliver me.” (Ps 27:8-9; 144:5,6,7).
And that is EXACTLY what happened when Saul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus!
LET US PRAY:
Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
May every circumstante of my life be an occasion
to change my way of thinking,
to renounce self-will and
to surrender myself to the wisdom and tenderness of Jesus Christ
who is acting to make me His saint.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
(mention your request)
I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.
St Paul Pray for us!
Novena to St Francis de Sales – Day Three – 17 January
Novena to St Francis de Sales
Day Three
“I desire very little and what I do desire I desire very little; I have hardly any desires but if I were to begin my life all over again I would want to have none at all … Ask for nothing, refuse nothing; we must simply abandon ourselves into the hands of Providence, without nourishing any other desire but to do whatever God wills. St. Paul practiced this act of absolute abandonment at the very moment of his conversion. When he was deprived of his sight, he immediately said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” [cf. Act 22:10] From that moment on he put himself completely at God’s disposal. All our perfection consists precisely in the practical application of this principle. ” (St Francis de Sales Spiritual Treatises XXI, O. VI, pp. 383-384)
O blessed Francis de Sales,
who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially………….
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day
with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble
in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity
with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer.
(mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all, You desired that St. Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many long the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Thought for the Day – 17 January
Thought for the Day – 17 January
In an age that smiles and jeers at the notion of devils and angels, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony’s hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God’s good world, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us.
Our most powerful protection IS the Sign of the Cross.
“Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow and in everything; over the bread we eat and the cups we drink; in our comings in and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake; when we are in the way and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the poor’s sake; without toil, for the sick, since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful and the dread of evils; for He has triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly; for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the heads of the dragon. Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the Gift; but for this rather honour thy Benefactor.”……….. St. Cyril of Jerusalem
St Anthony Abbot Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 17 January
Quote of the Day – 17 January
“The illusions of this world soon vanish,
especially if a man arms himself with
the Sign of the Cross. The devils tremble
at the Sign of the Cross of our Lord,
by which He triumphed over and
disarmed them.”
~~~ St Anthony Abbot (Saint of the Day)
One Minute Reflection – 17 January
One Minute Reflection – 17 January
What can a man offer in exchange for his very life?……..Mt 16:26
REFLECTION – Everything of this world is sold at its price or exchanged for another equivalently priced. But the promise of life eternal is purchased at a bargain price!……St Anthony Abbot (Saint of the Day)
PRAYER – Lord of all, help me to be willing to pay the price of receiving eternal life. Let me offer myself to You in all that I do and say each day. St Anthony Abbot, Pray for us, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 17 January
Our Morning Offering – 17 January
Act of Consecration to the Holy Name
To You, Lord Jesus Christ, I consecrate myself today
through Your Most Holy Name.
I consecrate to You all my thoughts, words and deeds,
all my sufferings and labours, all my hopes,
consolations and joys.
I consecrate to You my body with all its senses,
my soul with all its faculties, my entire being without reserve.
In particular I consecrate to You my heart
so that it may love only You and may be consumed
as a victim in the fire of Your divine love.
Jesus, I place my trust in Your most Holy and Sacred Name.
I beg for the remission of all my sins through Your infinite mercy.
I place within Your hands all my cares and anxieties.
Do with me what You will, my Jesus.
Take this offering of myself and give me
a place within Your Divine Heart forever.
I promise to love You and honour You and to spread,
as much as I can, devotion to Your most
Holy Name, until I draw my dying breath, amen
Saint of the Day – 17 January – St Anthony Abbot t (c 251-358)
Saint of the Day – 17 January – St Anthony Abbot (c 251-358) Also known as: • Abba Antonius • Anthony of Egypt• Anthony of the Desert• Anthony the Anchorite• Anthony the Great• Anthony the Hermit• Antonio Abate• Father of Cenobites• Father of All Monks• Father of Western Monasticism. PATRONAGES – against eczema/skin diseases/skin rashes, epileptics; against ergotism, against pestilence, , of amputees, anchorites, animals, basket makers and weavers, brushmakers, butchers, cemetery workers, domestic animals, farmers, gravediggers, graveyards, hermits, pigs, monks, relief from pestilence, swineherds, Hospitallers, Tempio-Ampurias, Italy, Diocese of 9 Cities.
The life of Anthony will remind many people of St Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.
At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.”
At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ.
Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at age 105.
Saints and Memorials – 17 January
St Anthony the Abbot (Memorial)
Our Lady of Pontmain
—
St Achillas of Sketis
St Amoes of Sketis
St Antony of Rome
Bl Euphemia Domitilla
Bl Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch
St Genitus
St Genulfus
St Jenaro Sánchez Delgadillo – Additional Memorial: 21 May as one of the Martyrs of the Mexican Revolution
St John of Rome
Bl Joseph of Freising
St Julian Sabas the Elder
St Marcellus of Die
St Merulus of Rome
St Mildgytha
St Nennius
St Neosnadia
St Pior
St Richimir
Bl Rosalina of Villeneuve
St Sabinus of Piacenza
St Sulpicius of Bourges
Martyrs of Langres: Eleusippus, Leonilla, Meleusippus, Speusippus
Novena to St Paul
January 25 – The Conversion of St Paul
Blessed John Henry Newman (d 1890) looked upon conversion as nothing more than a deeper discovery of what we already truly desire. Conversion happens at the level of desire. It is the restoration of what makes us truly human.
Novena to St Paul
DAY ONE
Glorious St Paul,
your conversation is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
Help me to live a life of ongoing conversion.
True conversion means converting my life to the
design of God, the plan He has for me right now.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
(mention your request)
I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.
St Paul Pray for us!
Day Two – Novena to St Francis de Sales
Novena to St Francis de Sales
DAY TWO
“State openly that you desire to be devout. I do not say that you should assert that you are devout but that you desire to be devout. Do not be ashamed to practice the ordinary, necessary actions that bring us to the love of God. Acknowledge frankly that you are trying to meditate, that you would rather die than commit a mortal sin, that you are resolved to frequent the sacraments and to follow your director’s advice. This candid confession of our desire to serve God and to consecrate ourselves entirely to His love is most acceptable to His Divine Majesty.” (St Francis de Sales INT. V, Ch. 18; O. III, p. 365)
O blessed Francis de Sales, you who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven
even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble
in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity
with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny:
eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer.
(mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all,
You desired that St. Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many along the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit
may experience eternal life.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
Thought for the Day – 16 January
Thought for the Day – 16 January
Preaching the gospel is often dangerous work. Leaving one’s homeland and adjusting to new cultures, governments and languages is difficult enough; but martyrdom caps all the other sacrifices. The deaths of Berard and his companions sparked a missionary vocation in Anthony of Padua and others. Proclaiming the gospel can be fatal but that has not stopped the thousands of men and women who even today risk their lives in many countries throughout the world. May we all keep them in our prayers daily!
St Berard and Companions Pray for us all!
Quote of the Day – 16 January
Quote of the Day – 16 January
“In God’s eyes our words have
only the value of our actions”.
~~~ St. Ignatius Loyola
One Minute Reflection – 16 January
One Minute Reflection – 16 January
May I never boast of anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ………Gal 6:14
REFLECTION – “Devout souls cling wholeheartedly to the cross with Christ. They thus acquire the most abundant fruits of the Redemption for themselves and for others.”…….Pope Pius XI
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, You endured crucifxion for the salvation of the world. Grant that I may love and share Your Cross on earth so that I may join You in glory in heaven. Saints Berard, Peter, Adjute, Accurs, Odo and Vitalis, Pray for us, amen!
AnaStpaul 
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