Day: September 22, 2019

Posted in FRANCISCAN OFM, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FAITH, SACRAMENTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY SPIRIT

Thought for the Day – 22 September – Come Holy Spirit!

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Thought for the Day – 22 September – The Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C and The Memorial of St Ignatius of Santhia OFM Cap (1686-1770)

“Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven” (Jn 20, 22-23).

With these words, the Risen One bestows on the Apostles the gift of the Spirit and with it the divine power to forgive sins.   The Capuchin priest Ignatius of Santhiá lived uniquely the mission of forgiving sins and of guiding men and women on the paths of evangelical perfection.

For the love of Christ and to advance more quickly in evangelical perfection he walked in the footsteps of the Poverello of Assisi.

In the Piedmont of his time, Ignatius of Santhiá was father, confessor, counsellor and teacher of many – priests, religious and lay people – who sought his wise and enlightened guidance.

Even today he continues to remind everyone of the values of poverty, simplicity and authentic Christian life.

“Come, Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful
and enkindle in them the fire of your love.”

The Holy Spirit radically transformed the Apostles who out of fear had locked themselves into the Upper Room, making them fervent heralds of the Gospel.   Down through the ages, the Spirit continues to support the Church in her evangelising mission, raising up in every age courageous witnesses to the faith.

With the Apostles, the Blessed Virgin Mary received the gift of the Spirit (cf. Acts 1,14). With her and in communion with the new saints, let us also implore the miracle of a new Pentecost for the Church.   For the humanity of our time let us ask an abundance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, enkindle the hearts of your faithful!
Help us to spread the fire of your love in the world.   Amen!

St Pope John Paul II – Canonisation Homily – Sunday, 19 May 2002

St Ignatius of Santhia, Pray for Us!st ignatius of santhia pray for us 22 sept 2019.jpg

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Posted in FRANCISCAN OFM, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on TIME, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 22 September –    Let’s get to work!

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Quote of the Day – 22 September – The Memorial of

St Ignatius of Santhia OFM Cap (1686-1770)

“Paradise is not made for slackers.   Let’s get to work!” 

St Ignatius of Santhia (1686-1770)paradise is not made for slackers - st ignatius of santhia 21 sept 2019.jpg

Posted in FRANCISCAN OFM, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST, YouTube VIDEOS

Sunday Reflection – 22 September – Jesus’ Sacrifice on Calvary – “St Padre Pio’s Mass”

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Sunday Reflection – 22 September – The Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Jesus’ Sacrifice on Calvary

In the book “Padre Pio’s Mass” written by Fr Tarcisio of Cervinara, we again are given proof that the Holy Mass is the unbloody Holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, offered once and for all on Calvary.   At the Council of Trent in the 22nd. session it states:

“Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, when he was about to offer himself once on the altar of the Cross to God the Father, making intercession by means of his death, so that he might gain there an eternal redemption, since his priesthood was not to be extinguished by death, at the last Supper, ‘on the night that he was handed over’, left to his beloved Spouse the Church a visible sacrifice, such as the nature of man requires, by which the bloody sacrifice achieved once upon the Cross might be represented and its memory endure until the end of the age and its saving power be applied to the remission of those sins which are daily committed by us.”

St Padre Pio is the first priest to have received the “stigmata,” the wounds of Jesus in his body (hands, feet and side).   St Francis received them but only as a deacon.   This is important because Padre Pio offered the sacrifice of the Holy Mass and St Francis was only able to assist.

St Padre Pio’s Holy Masses would last from 3 to 4 hours.   People came from all over the world to be present.   They would have to get there very early to be able to get a place in the church.   No-one complained about it being so long and quiet.   The only person for whom it was excruciating long was St Padre Pio.   During the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he would actually re-live the passion and crucifixion of Jesus.

First we need to be reminded, that at every Holy Mass, Jesus is, in an un-bloody form, offering His life on the Cross for the salvation of sinners.   Then that the priest is truly an Alter Christus, which means the priest actually becomes the victim with Jesus Christ at the Holy Mass.   This is shown by the priest saying:  “This is My Body” and “This is My Blood”.   The priest does not say:   This is Jesus‘ Body or This is Jesus‘ Blood.

So when St Padre Pio would offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he would become literally this Alter Christus in suffering the crucifixion and bleeding in his wounds.   One priest who was next to the altar during Padre Pio’s Mass, said he could never do that again, because he could not stand to see Padre Pio go through that agony again.

Cleonice Morcaldi, one of the spiritual daughters of Padre Pio, asked him several times what he felt and lived in each of his Masses.   She wrote carefully each of his answers and thanks to her, we have a unique testimony from the Father himself about his Mass.

– Father, what is your Mass?

– A sacred accomplishment of the Passion of Jesus.

– What should I comprehend in your Holy Mass?

– All of Calvary.

– Father, tell me all that you suffer at the Holy Mass.

– All that Jesus suffered in His Passion, I inadequately suffer to the extent a human creature can possibly suffer.   All of it, at no merit of my own and only because of His Goodness.

Father, is it true that you suffer the torment of the crowning of thorns during the Holy Mass?

– And you doubt it?

– During the whole Mass?

– And also before and after it.  The crown is never taken away.st padre pios holy masses would last - sun reflection 22 sept 2019

Saint Padre Pio’s Feast Day is tomorrow, 23 September.

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FRANCISCAN OFM, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 September – “You cannot serve God and mammon.”

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One Minute Reflection – 22 September – Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 16:1–13 and the Memorial of St Ignatius of Santhia OFM Cap (1686-1770)

“You cannot serve God and mammon.” … Luke 16:13

REFLECTION – “A servant cannot serve two masters.”   Not that there are two, there is only one Master.   For even if there are some people who serve money, it has no inherent right to be a master, they themselves are the ones, who assume the yoke of this slavery.  In fact, money has no rightful authority but constitutes an unjust bondage.   That is why Jesus says: “Make friends for yourselves with deceitful money” so that by generosity to the poor we will win the favour of angels and saints.

The steward is not blamed.   By this we learn that we are not masters but rather stewards of other people’s wealth.   He was praised even though he was in the wrong because, in paying out to others in his master’s name he won support for himself.   And how rightly Jesus spoke of “deceitful wealth” because love of money so tempts our desires with its various seductions that we consent to become its slaves.   That is why He said: “If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?”   Riches are alien to us because they exist outside of our nature, they are not born with us, they do not follow us in death.   But Christ, to the contrary, belongs to us because He is life… So don’t let us become slaves of exterior goods because Christ is the only one we should acknowledge as our Lord.” … Saint Ambrose (340-397) – Bishop of Milan, Father and Doctor of the Church – Commentary on Saint Luke’s Gospel, 7, 244s SC 52you cannot serve god and mammom - love of money st ambrose - 22 sept 2019

PRAYER – All-powerful, eternal God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, turn our ears and hearts to Your Word, that we may hear and live by the seed You have sown. May all that grows in us, be of Your good seed and yield fruit a hundredfold.   Grant Lord, we pray, that by the prayers of St Ignatius of Santhia, we may be filled with courage and love and spread Your Word by our lives.   We make our prayer through Jesus, our Lord and Word, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever, amen.st ignatius of santhia - pray for us - 22 sept 2019

Posted in FRANCISCAN OFM, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Our Morning Offering – 22 September – Stay With Me, O Lord

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Our Morning Offering – 22 September – Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Stay With Me, O Lord
St Padre Pio (1887-1968)

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life
and without You I am without fervour.
Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light
and without You I am in darkness.
Stay with me, Lord,
so that I hear Your voice and follow You.
Stay with me, Lord,
for I desire to love You very much
and always be in Your company.
Stay with me, Lord,
if You wish me to be faithful to You.
Stay with me, Lord, as poor as my soul is,
I want it to be a place of consolation for You,
a nest of Love.
Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late
and the day is coming to a close
and life passes, death, judgement
and eternity approach.
It is necessary to renew my strength,
so that I will not stop
along the way and for that, I need You.
It is getting late and death approaches,
I fear the darkness, the temptations,
the dryness, the cross, the sorrows.
O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!
Stay with me tonight, Jesus,
in life with all its dangers, I need You.
Let me recognise You as Your disciples did,
at the breaking of the bread,
so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light
which disperses the darkness,
the force which sustains me,
the unique joy of my heart.
Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death,
I want to remain united to You,
if not by Communion, at least by grace and love.
Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for,
Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will,
Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You
and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.
With a firm love, I will love You
with all my heart while on earth
and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity.
Amenstay-with-me-o-lord-st-padre-pio-23-sept-2018 and 22 sept 2019 2.jpg

Posted in FRANCISCAN OFM, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 22 September – Saint Ignatius of Santhia OFM Cap (1686-1770)

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Saint of the Day – 22 September – Saint Ignatius of Santhia OFM Cap (1686-1770) Franciscan Priest and Friar, renowned Spiritual Director, servant of the Confessional, apostle of charity – known as the “Father of sinners and the lost” born Lorenzo Maurizio Belvisotti, on 5 June 1686 in Santhià, Vercelli, Italy and died on 21 September 1770 of natural causes in Turin, Italy.   Patronages – Chaplains, Santhià.

St Ignatius made it his mission to help penitents in the sacrament of Reconciliation and also devoted himself to the care of the ill.   He gained a strong reputation for the humble and austere nature of his life in addition to the application of the Franciscan charism in his life which served as a model for thousands.

St ignathius redone

Saint Ignatius of Santhiá was born on 5 June 1686 in Santhiá, in the Vercelli region of Northern Italy and died in Turin on 21 September 1770.   He was a Capuchin priest, who was faithful to the Franciscan spirit, especially by his obedience, simplicity and humility. He was renowned for his gift of spiritual direction and concern for the spiritual growth of the faithful.   He was also called the “Father of sinners and the lost” thanks to his particular ability to deal with the “spiritually sick”.

Capuchin vocation
He was baptised Lorenzo Maurizio, the fourth of six children of the upper-class Belvisotti family.   He received his early education from a good priest, who inspired him and helped discern his call to enter the priesthood.   In 1710 he was ordained a diocesan priest.   After six years of priestly ministry, he joined the Capuchin Friars.   At the time he suffered from the criticism of his family and parish who did not understand his decision. In the Capuchin Order, Ignatius finally found the inner peace he had been searching for in the simplicity of Franciscan life.

Life of obedience
On 24 May 1717, he made his religious profession and from that day he was like putty in the hands of his superiors.   He began his spiritual journey being sent from one house to another in the Savoy region of Northern Italy.   He was happy to be moved around out of obedience and honoured to be able to serve his brothers.   He was completely at “God’s disposition”.

In 1727, Ignatius was sent to the convent in Torino-Monte, with the responsibility of prefect of the sacristy and confessor for the laity, a mission he was to fulfil for the last 24 years of his life when he returned to Turin, after serving as master of novices and chief of chaplains for the army of the Kingdom of Savoy.   In this ministry he showed his fatherly concern for others and the spiritual wisdom that is learned at the foot of the Crucified One.   It was not long before religious, priests, the faithful and the most hardened sinners began coming to the monastery to make their confession and to receive spiritual direction.

Special forms of service
In 1731, he was sent to the monastery of Mondovì, where he was made master of novices and vicar of the monastery.   He was in charge of the novitiate for 14 years and his only desire was to make the novices entrusted to his care, true followers of Christ and obedient sons of St Francis.   His teaching was founded on two pillars – divinely loving the novices and teaching by example, more than by words.   He was available at all hours of the day and night for novices in need of help and he knew each one of them, making their formation his top priority.   In 1744 he had to leave the novitiate and go to Turin because he suffered from a mysterious eye ailment that led to near blindness.   He was partially cured so that he could return to active ministry.

In 1743-1746, war broke out in the Piedmont.   This also brought with it the influx of the wounded and an epidemic.   The King of Sardinia-Piedmont, Charles Emmanuel III asked the Capuchins to provide medical and spiritual care for the hospitals.   Fr Ignatius was made head chaplain and offered his assistance for two years in the hospitals of Asti, Vinovo and Alessandria, offering an example of tireless activity and piety, serving and healing in a spirit of genuine evangelical love.20020519 st ignthis of santhia_ignazio.jpg

Spiritual director
When Piedmont was at peace, he returned once more to his convent in Turin-Monte where he would remain for 24 years as spiritual director and confessor.   He visited the sick and begged for money and food for the needy.   The well-loved old friar died a peaceful and gracious death in Turin-Monte on 21 September 1770.   He would often say: “Paradise is not made for slackers.   Let’s get to work!”   To all people, religious brothers and laity, he taught the way of holiness and of abandonment in God’s hands, by his example and by his words.img-Saint-Ignatius-of-Santhia1

On 17 April 1966, St Paul VI Beatified Ignatius of Santhiá and St John Paul II, Canonised him on 19 May 2002. … Vatican.vast ignatius body

Posted in SAINT of the DAY, YouTube VIDEOS

Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C +2019 and Memorials of the Saints – 22 September

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Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C +2019

St Augustinus Yu Chin-Kil
St Basilia
St Digna of Rome
St Emerita of Rome
St Emmeramus
St Florentius the Venerable
St Ignatius of Santhia OFM Cap (1686-1770)
St Irais
St Jonas
Bl Joseph Marchandon
St Lauto of Coutances
St Lindru of Partois
St Maurice & Co
Bl Otto of Freising
St Sadalberga
St Sanctinus of Meaux
St Silvanus of Levroux
St Thomas of Villanueva/Villanova OSA (1488-1555)

About St Thomas here:   https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/09/22/saint-of-the-day-22-september-st-thomas-of-villanova-o-s-a/

Martyrs of the Theban Legion:   Martyrs (c 287)
A Roman imperial legion of 6,600 soldiers, all of whom were Christians; they had been recruited from the area around Thebes in Upper Egypt, were led by Saint Maurice and served under Emperor Maximian Herculeus. Around the year 287, Maximian led the army across the Alps to Agaunum, an area in modern Switzerland, in order to suppress a revolt by the Bagandre in Gaul. In connection with battle, the army offered public sacrifices to the Roman gods; the Theban Legion refused to participate. For refusing orders, the Legion was decimated – one tenth of them were executed. When the remainder refused to sacrifice to the gods, they were decimated again. When the survivors still refused to sacrifice, Maximinian ordered them all killed. Martyrs.
Known members of the Legion include:
• Alexander of Bergamo
• Candidus the Theban
• Chiaffredo of Saluzzo
• Exuperius
• Fortunato
• Innocent of Agaunum
• Maurice
• Secundus the Theban
• Ursus the Theban
• Victor of Agaunum
• Victor of Xanten
• Victor the Theban
• Vitalis of Agaunum
Other profiled saints associated with the Legion include:
• Antoninus of Piacenza (martyred soldier; associated by later story tellers)
• Adventor of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
• Cassius (may have been a member)
• Florentius the Martyr (may have been a member)
• George of San Giorio (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
• Gereon (not a member, but another soldier who was martyred for refusing to make a sacrifice to Roman gods)
• Octavius of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
• Pons of Pradleves (escaped the massacre to become an evangelists in northern Italy)
• Secundus of Asti (not a member but linked due to art work)
• Solutor of Turin (not a member; associated by later story tellers)
• Tiberio of Pinerolo (may have been a member)
• Verena (wife of a member of the Legion)
They were martyred c 287 in Agaunum (modern Saint-Maurice-en-Valais, Switzerland. A basilica was built in Agaunum to enshrine the relics of the Legion.
The full story:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/22/saints-of-the-day-22-september-st-maurice-and-the-martyrs-of-the-theban-legion-martyrs-c-287/

Martyrs of Valencia, Spain – Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Alfonso Lopez
• Blessed Antonio Gil-Monforte
• Blessed Antonio Sáez de Ibarra López
• Blessed Carlos Navarro Miquel
• Blessed Esteban Cobo-Sanz
• Blessed Federico Cobo-Sanz
• Blessed Félix Echevarría Gorostiaga
• Blessed Francisco Carlés González
• Blessed Francisco Vicente Edo
• Blessed Germán Gozalvo Andreu
• Blessed Josefina Moscardó Montalvá
• Blessed Luis Echevarría Gorostiaga
• Blessed María Purificación Vidal Pastor
• Blessed Miguel Zarragua Iturrízaga
• Blessed Simón Miguel Rodríguez
• Blessed Vicente Sicluna Hernández