Quote/s of the Day – 1 February – “Month of the Holy Family of Nazareth”
“Thus, parents, I say, are more vicious,
more cruel than child-murderers;
for, a murderer of children, as Herod was,
separates only the body from the soul;
while the others, give the souls and bodies of their children
to eternal flames!
Further, those who are killed
would have died in the course of time,
though they had not been murdered;
while children, neglected by their parents,
might have avoided eternal death,
had not the wickedness of their parents
prepared it for them.
Besides this, the general resurrection
would have compensated for the bodily death,
while the death and destruction of the soul,
nothing can restore.
A child, condemned by the parent’s fault,
has no hope of salvation
but has to suffer eternal pains.
Hence I am right in saying,
that such parents are worse than child-murderers.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father & Doctor
“We become what we love
and who we love,
shapes what we become.”
St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)
“On the journey of this life to eternity,
let me carry You in my heart,
following Mary’s example,
who bore You in her arms,
during the flight to Egypt.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
“To hand onto your children.
the faith you received from your parents,
is your first duty
and your greatest privilege as parents.
The home should be the first school of religion,
as it must be the first school of prayer.”
Bl Louise-Thérèse de Montaignac de Chauvance (1820-1885)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”
“The family is the basis in the Lord’s plan
and all the forces of evil
aim to demolish it.
Uphold your families
and guard them
against the grudges
of the evil one,
by the Presence of God.”
St Charbel Makhlouf OLM (1828-1898)
“ … The family is not made for society;
rather, it is society, which is made for the family.”
“God did not create a human family
made up of segregated, dissociated,
mutually independent members.
No; He would have them all united
by the bond of total love of Him
and consequent self-dedication
to assisting each other
to maintain that bond intact.”
“There is no surer means
of calling down God’s blessing
upon the family,
than the daily recitation
of the Rosary.”
Ven Servant of God Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
AnaStpaul 
Pope Pius XII is so deserving of Sainthood and did so much to try to combat the atrocities against the Jews and Christians. For those who think he didn’t I recommend the book “The Popes Spy” a fascinating and informative account.
I remember seeing his picture as a child and telling my mother that was the saddest man I had ever seen.
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Again – you are so right – let us call on him to help us now in these evil times. For now – he is joyous – he is facing our Beloved Lord, he is no longer in agony.
I agree with your childhood statement – always, even now, my heart cries over his pictures – for so many reasons. 😪
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I didn’t know February was the month of the Holy Family! It had always been the month of Lourdes for me. With work becoming increasingly hectic once more, this is indeed timely knowledge. A gentle reminder from heaven to set my heart upon the family.
Thanks, Ana.
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Amen – your heart and mind are open to ‘hear’ the Lord!
February has been devoted to the Holy Family since the 1700s, originally in France and then spreading to European countries. The Universal Church followed in the 1800s. I think it was Pope Leo XIII who formalised it.
I remember during my childhood, my Father adding onto our Rosary intentions – our own family to be graced by the Holy Family of Nazareth – (we always added on the Catholic devotions of the month, as I do now with my family – a great practice.) 🙏💖
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