Posted in Uncategorized

Blessed John Henry Newman cleared for Sainthood!

Blessed John Henry Newman cleared for Sainthood!blessed john henry newman cleared for canonisation alleluia - 14 feb 2019.jpg

Pope Francis on Tuesday 12 February, authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, to promulgate 8 decrees including those of Bl Cardinal John Henry Newman and Blessed Sr Mariam Thresia and thus, cleared the way for their Canonisation.

The Pope received in audience Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Causes of Saints and authorised him to promulgated two decrees on miracles for sainthood, a decree on martyrdom and 5 on heroic virtues.

Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman
A miracle attributed to the intercession of Cardinal Newman has been recognised, clearing him for canonisation.

Born in London on 21 February 1801 and died in Edgbaston on 11 August 1890, the noted theologian and poet was first an Anglican priest and later a Catholic priest and cardinal, who was an important figure in the religious history of England of his time.

He was one of the leading figures of the Oxford Movement that originated at Oxford University in 1833, that sought to link the Anglican Church more closely to the Roman Catholic Church.

He is revered by both the Catholic as well as the Anglican Churches.

As a Catholic priest, he founded the Oratory of St Philip Neri in Edgbaston, England.

Pope Benedict XVI beatified Cardinal Newman on 19 September 2010, in Birmingham, England.

Perhaps the hymn and poem that Blessed John Henry is best known for is, “Lead kindly light.”Lead Kindly Light no 2 14 feb 2019 Bl john henry newman 25 jan2019 for the conv of st paul.jpg

Blessed Sr Mariam Thresia
Pope Francis also recognised another miracle, clearing the way for the canonisation of Indian nun, Blessed Mariam Thresia Chiramel Mankidiyan, the foundress of the Congregation of the Holy Family (CHF).
The nun belonging to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church was born in Puthenchira on 26 April 1876 and died in Kuzhikkattussery on 8 June 1926.

She is known for her extraordinary charity, especially a preferential love for the poorest of the poor.
She was declared venerable on 28 June 1999 and was beatified on 9 April 2000 by St Pope John Paul II in Rome.bl_maramthresia.jpg

The other decrees on the causes of saints are as follows:

– the martyrdom of the Ecuadoran Servant of God, Victor Emilio Moscoso Cárdenas, a Jesuit priest. He was born in Cuenca (Ecuador) on 21 April 1846 and killed, in hatred of the Faith, in Riobamba (Ecuador) on 4 May 1897.

– the heroic virtues of the Hungarian Servant of God Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty, Archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary.   Born in Csehimindszent (Hungary) on 29 March 1892, he died in Vienna (Austria) on 6 May 1975.

– the heroic virtues of the Italian Servant of God John Baptist Zuaboni, a diocesan priest, founder of the Secular Institute Society of the Holy Family.   He was born in Vestone on 24 January 1880 and died in Brescia (Italy) on 12 December 1939.

– the heroic virtues of Spanish Servant of God Emanuele García Nieto, a Jesuit priest.   He was born in Macotera (Spain) on 5 April 1894 and died in Comillas (Spain) on 13 April 1974.

– the heroic virtues of Italian Servant of God Serafina Formai (born: Letizia), founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Good News.   She was born in Casola Lunigiana (Italy) on 28 August 1876 and died in Pontremoli (Italy) on 1 June 1954.

– the heroic virtues of Colombian Servant of God Maria Berenice Duque Hencker (born: Ana Julia), foundress of the Little Sisters of the Annunciation.   She was born in Salamis (Colombia) on 14 August 1898 and died in Medellín (Colombia) on 25 July, 1993.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 14 February – “Satisfying our Restless Hearts”

Thought for the Day – 14 February – The Memorial of St Valentine (176-273) Martyr

SATISFYING OUR RESTLESS HEARTS
by Fr Steve Grunow

“And what is this God?   I asked the earth and it answered: ‘I am not God and all the things in the earth made the same confession.’   I asked the sea and the deeps and creeping things and they answered:   ‘We are not your God, seek higher.’   I asked the winds that blow and the whole air with all that is in it and the wind answered: ‘  I am not God.’   I asked the heavens, the sun, the moon, the stars and they answered:   ‘Neither are we God whom you seek.’   So I asked all those things that entice the senses:   ‘Tell me then of this Mysterious One that I search for.’   And all cried out to me in one great voice: ‘God made us and God made you…’”

“So I set about to find God and found that I could not find Him until I embraced the mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus, who is all over all these things, who was calling me and saying: ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…’”

These marvellous words belong to St Augustine….

St Augustine is one of the most renowned and influential saints of the Church, though his early life did not foreshadow such an identity and mission.   He lived much of his young life in resistance to God’s will and purposes.   Preoccupied with his body, he sought satisfaction in sex.   Preoccupied with power, he sought to ingratiate himself with the mighty.   Preoccupied with status, he sought self-promotion.   Preoccupied with wealth, he tried to sell himself to a career.

And none of these things, for all their allure and all their promises, brought him satisfaction.

As a result, Augustine embraced the prevailing esoteric and arcane “spiritualities” of his day.   He followed strange gods in an attempt to shake his alarming sense of dissatisfaction.   This left him emptier and even more diminished.

But a reckoning came that changed Augustine forever.

“I found myself weeping in the bitter sorrow of my heart.   And suddenly I heard a voice from a nearby house, a child’s voice, boy or girl I do not know – but it was sort of a sing song that repeated over and over again.   ‘Take and read, take and read.’   Wiping away my tears I took this as a divine command and opened the scriptures and in silence read the passage on which my eyes first fell – ‘Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in debauchery and impurity, not in contention and envy but put on the Lord Jesus…’”i found myself weeping in the bitter sorrow - sdt augustine - conversion - 14 feb 2019

So this is what Augustine did- he discarded the skin of his old self and put on the Lord Jesus.   And what God did with Augustine was remarkable.   He became a leader in the Faith, as a teacher, priest and bishop.   His writings have directed the mind and soul of the Church for centuries.   His influence is with us still- in how we pray, how we worship, and in what we believe.

At the heart of the Gospel is the call to conversion in Christ.   There is no moment in our life when this call does not beckon toward us.   There is no time in our life we are exempt from the summons.   Conversion is the substance of the work of the spiritual life. Conversion in Christ is our privileged spiritual way.

Like Augustine, so many of us fall into the illusion that something other than God can satisfy us or give our lives purpose and meaning.   Like the young Augustine, we are captivated by self-deception that directs us away from the one who is absolutely necessary – Christ.   In response to all the futility of our refusals, the wisdom of St Augustine rings true:

“You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

St Augustine, Pray for Us!st augustine pray for us 14 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 14 February – Falling in love

Quote/s of the Day – 14 February – The Memorial of St Valentine (176-273) Martyr

“You have made us
for Yourself, O Lord
and our heart is restless
until it rests in You.”you have made us for yourself - st augustine 14 feb 2019.jpg

“God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.”

St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctorgod loves each of us as if - st augustine - 9 jan 2018

“Nothing is more practical
than finding God,
that is, than falling in love
in a quite absolute, final way.
What you are in love with,
what seizes your imagination
will affect everything.
It will decide what will
get you out of bed
in the mornings,
what you will do
with your evenings,
how you spend
your weekends,
what you read,
who you know,
what breaks your heart
and what amazes you
with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love
and it will decide everything.”

Servant of God Fr Pedro Arrupe SJ (1907-1991)

(the 28th Superior General of the Society of Jesus)nothing is more practical than falling in love - servant of god pedro arrupe sj no 2- 14 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 February – “The faith of the Canaanite woman”

One Minute Reflection – 14 February – Thursday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Gospel: Mark 7:24–30 and the Memorial of Sts Cyril and Methodius “Apostles to the Slavs”- Patrons of Europe and St Valentine (176-273) Martyr

But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him and came and fell down at his feet....Mark 7:25

REFLECTION – “O woman, your faith is great.   Let it be done to you as you wish” (Mt 15:28).   Indeed, she had great enough faith, since she knew neither the ancient miracles, commands and promises of the prophets, nor the more recent ones of the Lord himself. In addition, as often as she was disregarded by the Lord, she persevered in her entreaties and she did not cease knocking by asking him, though she knew only by popular opinion that he was the Saviour.   On account of this, she secured the great object for which she implored…
If one of us has a conscience polluted by the stain of avarice, conceit, vain-glory, indignation, irascibility, or envy and the other vices, he has “a daughter badly troubled by a demon” like the Canaanite woman.   He should hasten to the Lord, making supplication for her healing…   Being submissive with due humility, [such a person] must not judge himself to be worthy of the company of the sheep of Israel (that is, souls that are pure) but instead, he must be of the opinion that he is unworthy of heavenly favours. Nevertheless, let him not, in despair, rest from the earnestness of his entreaty but with his mind free of doubt, let him trust in the goodness of the supreme Benefactor, for the one who could make a confessor from a robber (Lk 23:39f.), an apostle from a persecutor (Acts 9:1-30, an evangelist from a publican (Mt 9:9-13) and who could make sons for Abraham out of stones, could turn even the most insignificant dog into an Israelite sheep.”...St Bede the Venerable (673-735) – Father & Doctor of the Churchmark 7 25 the caananite woman - if one of us - st bede 14 feb 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Help us Lord, to cleave to You alone and grow in sanctity and charity. Create in us a clean heart O Lord!   As we walk in the ways of Your divine Son, our Saviour, may we grow in faith and by our lives and words, be a light in the world.   Grant that by the prayers of Sts Valentine and Sts Cyril and Methodius, we may be strengthen and grow in worthiness to receive Your grace.   Through our Lord Jesus Christ in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.st valentine pray for us 14 feb 2019sts-cyril-and-methodius-pray-for-us-14-feb-2018-no-2

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 14 February -Prayer for Unbelievers

Our Morning Offering – 14 February – Thursday of the Fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of Sts Cyril and Methodius “Apostles to the Slavs”- Patrons of Europe

Prayer for Unbelievers
By St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

Eternal God,
Creator of all things
remember that the souls of unbelievers
have been created by You,
in Your own image and likeness
and formed to become Your own People..
Behold, O Lord,
how, to Your dishonour,
hell is being filled with these very souls.
Remember that Jesus Christ, Your Son,
for their salvation, suffered a most cruel death.
Do not permit, O Lord, I beseech You,
that Your divine Son be any longer
despised by unbelievers
but rather, being appeased by the prayers
of Your saints and the Church,
the most holy spouse of Your Son,
deign to be mindful of Your mercy
and forgetting their idolatry
and their unbelief,
bring them to know Him,
Whom You did send,
Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord,
Who is our health, life and resurrection,
through Whom,
we have been redeemed and saved,
and to Whom,
be all glory forever.
Amenprayer for unbelievers by st francis xavier sj 14 feb 2019.jpg

Prayer on the Memorial of Sts Cyril & Methodius
“Patrons of Europe”

Almighty and everlasting God,
who by the power of the Holy Spirit
moved Your servant Cyril
and his brother Methodius,
to bring the light of the Gospel
to a hostile and divided people,
overcome all bitterness
and strife among us,
by the love of Christ.
May we take Your word
into our hearts
that we may share it with all
and be one in professing the true faith.
Make us one united family
under the banner of the Prince of Peace,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever,
amen.prayer - sts cyril and methodius memorial 14 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in SAINT of the DAY, Uncategorized

Saint of the Day – 14 February – St Juan García López-Rico O.SS.T. (1561-1613)

Saint of the Day – 14 February – St Juan García López-Rico O.SS.T. (1561-1613) Aged 51, Religious Priest of the Trinitarian Order (The Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of the Captives), Reformer, Ascetic and Penitent, prolific Writer, Theologian.   St Juan was born on 10 July 1561 in Ciudad Real, Spain and died on 14 February 1613 in Córdoba, Spain of natural causes.img-Saint-Juan-García-López-Rico.jpg

St Juan was born as the fifth of eight children in 1561 to Xixón and Isabel García Marcos López-Rico.   Three of his siblings also entered religious life.

His religious calling manifested when he was fifteen when he met St Teresa of Avila. This awakened in him a calling to the Carmelites but instead he chose another order.   He studied grammar with the Carmelites in Almodóvar del Campo and then commenced his theological studies in Baeza and Toledo.

He assumed the habit of the Trinitarian Order at the age of nineteen on 28 June 1580 and made his religious profession on 29 June 1581.   He was ordained to the priesthood in 1585.   On 20 August 1599 he obtained approval for the reformation of the Trinitarians and was granted the approval of Pope Clement VIII.   He drew his inspiration of reform from St Teresa of Avila and her reform of the Carmelites.    He commenced his plan of reformation for the monasteries and continued despite opposition that he faced.st juan.jpg

The process for canonisation commenced under Pope Innocent XI on 16 February 1677 which granted him the posthumous title Servant of God.  Pope Clement XIII approved that he had lived a life of heroic virtue and proclaimed him to be Venerable on 10 August 1760.st juan statue.JPG

After the approval of two miracles attributed to his intercession Pope Pius VII beatified him on 26 September 1819 and the approval of a third allowed for St Pope Paul VI to canonise him on 25 May 1975.shrine of st juan.jpg

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 14 February

St Cyril (827-869) (Memorial)
St Methodius (826-885) (Memorial)
The great Saints Cyril & Methodius: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/02/14/saints-of-the-day-14-february-sts-cyril-827-869-methodius-826-885/

St Valentine (176-273) Martyr (Optional Memorial)
The story of Saint Valentine: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/blessed-memorial-of-st-valentine-14-february/

St Abraham of Harran
St Antoninus of Sorrento
St Auxentius of Bithynia
St Conran of Orkney
St Eleuchadius
St Juan García López-Rico O.SS.T. (1561-1613)
St Nostrianus of Naples
St Theodosius of Vaison
St Valentine of Terni
Bl Vicente Vilar David
St Vitale of Spoleto

20 Mercedarians of Palermo
Martyrs of Alexandria – 16 saints
Martyrs of Rome
Felicula
Vitalis
Zeno

Martyrs of Terni: Three Christians who gave proper burial to Saint Valentine of Terni. Martyred in the persecutions of Aurelius.
273 in Terni, Italy – Apollonius, Ephebus, Proculus.

Martyrs of Alexandria: A group of Christians murdered in various ways for their faith in Alexandria, Egypt. We know the names and a few details about 16 of them – Agatho, Agatone, Ammonio, Ammonius, Antonius, Bassiano, Bassianus, Cirione, Cyrio, Dionysius, Dionysius, Lucio, Moses, Moses, Proto and Tonione.