Posted in BAPTISM, CONFESSION, CONFIRMATION, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on MARRIAGE, MARRIED LOVE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the PRIESTHOOD, SACRAMENTS, St PETER!, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Thought for the Day – 22 February – The Church

Thought for the Day – 22 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971) – The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter

The Church

“Besides being our infallible teacher, the Church is also our affectionate Mother.
Along with the inexhaustible treasury of His graces, it has inherited, from Jesus, His infinite love fo all mankind.
Let us consider what the Church does and has done for us.
As soon as we are born into this mortal life, She gives us, through the waters of Baptism, a second life, which is supernatural and everlasting.
When we are a little older and exposed to the onslaughts of evil, She stengthens us in gace by means of another Sacrament and makes us soldiers of Christ.
She raises us up.
In the Sacament of Penance, She gives us God’s forgiveness and the spiritual strength to rise agin.
Moeover, She gives us Jesus Christ Himself, in the Blessed Eucharist.
By means of another Sacament, she elevates those who receive the power of Orders.
In yet another, She blesses and consecrates matrimonial love and the pure marriage union.
When we are dying, She comes, compassionately to our side again and, through the final Sacrament, gives us strength and purity of purpose, for the great journey into eternity.
Nor is this enough.
She is present with her prayers and blessings, even by our coffin nd by our graveside.

We owe the Church more than obedience!
We owe Her our love!
We should love very much, this good Mother, who accompanies us from the cradle to the grave, from our birth upon earth, to our spiritual birth into everlasting happiness!” Amen

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/19/thought-for-the-day-19-january-the-church-jesus-masterpiece/

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Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, GOD ALONE!, LENT 2021, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUTH, The HEART, THOMAS a KEMPIS

Day Six of our Lenten Journey – 22 February – Let Your truth teach me.

Day Six of our Lenten Journey – 22 February – The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Readings: 1 Peter 5:1-4, Psalm 23:1-3,4-5, Matthew 16:13-19

Imitating Christ with Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

In Your Light Lord, we see light

“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
– Matthew 16:15-16

CHRIST: MY CHILD, walk before Me in truth and seek Me always in the simplicity of your heart. He who walks before Me in truth shall be defended from the attacks of evil and the truth shall free him from seducers and from the slanders of wicked men. For if the truth has made you free, then you shall be free indeed and you shall not care for the vain words of men.

DISCIPLE: O Lord, it is true. I ask that it be with me as You say. Let Your truth teach me. Let it guard me and keep me safe to the end. Let it free me from all evil affection and badly ordered love and I shall walk with You in great freedom of heart.

CHRIST: I shall teach you those things which are right and pleasing to Me. Consider your sins with great displeasure and sorrow and never think yourself to be virtuous because of your good works.
You are truly a sinner. You are subject to many passions and entangled in them. Of yourself you always tend to nothing. You fall quickly, are quickly overcome, quickly troubled and quickly undone. You have nothing in which you can glory but you have many things for which you should think yourself vile, for you are much weaker than you can comprehend.
Hence, let none of the things you do seem great to you. Let nothing seem important or precious or desirable except that which is everlasting. Let the eternal truth please you above all things and let your extreme unworthiness always displease you. Fear nothing so much, blame and abhor nothing so much as your own vices and sins; these should be more unpleasant for you than any worldly losses.

Some men walk before Me without sincerity. Led on by a certain curiosity and arrogance, they wish to know My secrets and to understand the high things of God, to the neglect of themselves and their own salvation. Through their own pride and curiosity and because I am against them, such men often fall into great temptations and sins. I leave them to their own devices without My help and counsel!

Fear the judgements of God! Dread the wrath of the Almighty! Do not discuss the works of the Most High but examine your sins — in what serious things you have offended and how many good things you have neglected.

Some carry their devotion only in books, some in pictures, some in outward signs and figures. Some have Me on their lips when there is little of Me in their hearts.
Others, indeed, with enlightened understanding and purified affections, constantly long for everlasting things, they are unwilling to hear of earthly affairs and only with reluctance do they serve the necessities of nature.
These sense what the Spirit of truth speaks within them, for He teaches them to despise earthly things and to love those of heaven, to neglect the world and each day and night, to desire heaven.
(Book 3 Ch 4:1-4)

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, St PETER!

Quote/s of the Day – 22 February – ‘ … love the Spouse of Christ … ‘

Quote/s of the Day – 22 February – The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter

“The Church, instituted by the Lord
and confirmed by the Apostles, is one for all men;
but the frantic folly of the diverse impious sects,
has cut them off from her.
It cannot be denied, that this tearing asunder of the faith,
has arisen from the defect of poor intelligence,
which twists what is read,
to confirm to its opinion,
instead of adjusting its opinion
to the meaning of what is read.
However, while individual parties fight among themselves,
the Church stands revealed,
not only by her own doctrines
but by those also, of her adversaries.
And although they are all ranged against her,
she confutes the most wicked error
which they all share,
by the very fact that she is alone and one.
All the heretics, therefore,
come against the Church
but while all the heretics can conquer each other,
they can win nothing for themselves.
For their victory is the triumph of the Church over all of them.
One heresy struggles against that teaching of another,
which the faith of the Church
has already condemned in the other heresy –
for there is nothing which the heretics hold in common, –
and, the result is that they affirm our faith,
while fighting among themselves.”

St Hilary (315-368)
Bishop of Poitiers
Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ

“For nothing more glorious,
nothing nobler,
nothing surely, more honourable
can be imagined, than to belong
to the One, Holy Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church,
in which we become members of one Body
as venerable as it is unique;
are guided by one supreme Head;
are filled with one divine Spirit;
are nourished during our earthly exile
by one doctrine and one heavenly Bread,
until at last, we enter into
the one, unending blessedness of heaven.
But lest we be deceived,
by the angel of darkness,
who transforms himself into an angel of light,
let this be the supreme law of our love –
to love the Spouse of Christ,
as Christ willed her to be
and as He purchased her with His blood.”

Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
“Mystici Corporis Christi” 1943

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/22/quote-s-of-the-day-22-february-the-chair-of-peter/

Posted in DIVINE MERCY, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, St PETER!, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 February – ‘Upon this rock …’ Matthew 16:13-19

One Minute Reflection – 22 February – The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Readings: 1 Peter 5:1-4Psalms 23:1-34,56Matthew 16:13-19

“Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and, whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.” … Matthew 16:18-19

REFLECTION – “Peter was to receive on deposit, the keys of the Church, or rather the keys of heaven and, he should see himself entrusted with the numerous people. What did the Lord actually say to him? “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19).
For Peter had a somewhat abrupt character; if he had been without sin what sort of forgiveness would the disciples have received from him? This is why divine grace allowed him to fall into a certain fault, in order that his own trial should make him benevolent towards others.
Do you see how God can let someone fall into sin; this Peter, the leader of the Apostles, the unshakable foundation, indestructible rock, first in the Church, impregnable harbour, unshakable tower — this same Peter who had said to Christ: “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you” (Mt 26:35), Peter who, by a divine revelation, had confessed the truth: “You are the Christ, Son of the Living God” (Mt 16:16). (…)
But as I said, God arranged it in this way and allowed Peter to sin because he had it in mind, to confer numerous people on him and he feared, that his roughness, joined to his impeccability, might make him unsympathetic towards his brothers.
He gave way to sin so that, remembering his own failure and the kindness of the Lord, he might testify to others, a grace of philanthropy in accord with the divine design conceived by God. The fall had been permitted to the one who was going to see himself entrusted with the Church, the Pillar of the Church, the Harbour of the Faith; the fall had been permitted to Peter, the Doctor of the Universe, in order that, the forgiveness received, might remain the foundation of love for others.” – (Attr) St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor of the Church – On the apostle Peter and the prophet Elijah

PRAYER – Holy Father, send Your Divine Enlightener into the hearts of all Your faithful, filling us with the strength to fulfil our mission as the followers of the Chair of St Peter. And most of all, we pray Lord Holy God, to inspire and light the way of our Holy Father, Francis. Sustain and guide him, keep him in health and strength, to lead Your people by the Light of the Way and the Truth. Holy Father, have mercy on us, Holy Spirit guide and lead us, Lord Jesus Christ be our intercessor and teacher, amen.

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, St PETER!

Our Morning Offering – 22 February – O Peter, who was Named by Christ!

Our Morning Offering – 22 February – Feast of the Chair of St Peter

O Peter, who was Named by Christ!
By Stanbrook Abbey
For the Feast of the Chair of St Peter

O Peter who was named by Christ!
The Guardian-Shepherd of His flock,
Protect the Church He built on you
To stand unyielding, firm on rock.

Your weakness, Christ exchanged for strength,
You faltered but He made you true.
He knew the greatness of your love
And gave the keys of heav’n to you.

Unseen, eternal Trinity,
We give You glory, praise Your name,
Your love keeps faith with faithless men,
Through change and stress, You are the same.
Amen

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 22 February – Blessed Diego Carvalho SJ (1578-1624) Priest and Martyr

Saint of the Day – 22 February – Blessed Diego Carvalho SJ (1578-1624) Jesuit Priest and Martyr, Missionary to Japan. Born in 1578 in Coimbra, Portugal and died by exposure on 22 February 1624 at Sendai, Miyagi, Japan. Patronage Japanese miners.

Diego was born in Coimbra, Portugal, in 1578. After entering the Society of Jesus in his hometown in 1594, late in 1600 he arrived, after a long voyage with sixteen other Jesuits, in Goa, India.

The following year, 1608, he set out for Macau, where he was Ordained as Priest. In 1609, he arrived in Japan, where, after learning Japanese, he was a Missionary in the Amakusa Islands, before relocating to Kyōto around 1612. After the edict of proscription of 1614, in November that year, with seventy-two other Jesuits on three Chinese junks, he was deported to Macau.

Diogo’s heart remained in Japan, however and he secretly returned in 1616. Later he relocated in the north to serve refugees fleeing persecution in the south.

Carvalho’s ministry centred on the silver miners in the districts of Oshu and Dewa. Living conditions were difficult but conversions were abundant. In December 1623 he was working in Miwake when the local prince began to persecute the Christians and ordered soldiers to kill all who refused to apostatise. When the governor of Sendai learned of Father Carvalho, he went searching for him but the Jesuit and about 60 Christians fled into a deep valley seeking to escape. Unfortunately, their tracks in the snow led the soldiers to them and Carvalho gave himself up, in an attempt to allow his people to get away. He was able to save all but 12 of his companions. Then the Christians had to march for seven days through the cold to Sendai. Two who could not keep up, were killed on the spot and the rest were barely given enough food to eat to survive their month-long imprisonment once they reached the City.

Martyrdom came for Carvalho and his companions through the cold. The Hirose River flowed near the fortress where they had been imprisoned; on its bank the soldiers dug a hole and filled it with icy water from the river. The prisoners were forced first to sit naked in the freezing water and then stand up to let the wind hit them. Their captors promised to end the torture if they would renounce Christianity. None did and the cold slowly took away their life. Carvalho was the last to die, enduring the torture long into the night before he also finally perished. The names of his companions are sadly unknown, so they could not be Beatified with him but with God they are Blessed in His Heavenly Kingdom.

The decree of Martyrdom and Beatificztion, was confirmed on 7 May 1867 by Pope Blessed Pius IX.

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY

Feast of the Chair of St Peter at Antioch, Notre-Dame de Rennes / Our Lady of of Miracles and Virtues, Rennes, France (1357) and Memorials of the Saints – 22 February

The Chair of Saint Peter at Antioch (Feast)

Notre-Dame de Rennes / Our Lady of Miracles and Virtues, Rennes, France (1357) – 22 February:

The Statue of Our Lady of Miracles and Virtues in the Lady Chapel at Saint Sauveur at Rennes

Our Lady of Rennes, in Britanny. The English, having made a mine to blow up the town, it is said that the candles in theCchapel were found miraculously lighted; the bells rung of themselves and the image of the Blessed Virgin was seen to stretch out its arms towards the middle of the Church, where the mine was, which, by that means was discovered. The people rushed to the spot and so, the plot was discovered and the entire town saved through the intervention of Our Lady of Rennes. Great was the rejoicing and deep the gratitude of the people.
Known today as the Basilica of Saint Sauveur in Rennes, it is located in the heart of historic Rennes, which was once the capital of Brittany. It is situated at the termination of Saint-Sauveur Street on which its façade faces. As the original Gothic Church partially collapsed in the year 1682, the Classical style Church that can currently be seen, was constructed beginning in 1703 and consecrated in August of 1719.
In the year 1793, during the French Revolution, the Church was made into a Temple of Reason and the miraculous statue of Our Lady was destroyed. It was not until 1802, after the end of the Terror, that the Church was opened again to worship. The Church was made into a minor Basilica in 1916 by Pope Benedict XV.

The Altar of Our Lady in the main body of the Basilica of Saint Sauveur at Rennes

According to popular tradition there was a famous miracle attributed to Our Lady at Rennes during the War of Succession at Brittany. As Rennes was being besieged by the invading English army under the Duke of Lancaster, the people of the city expected the English forces to mine their way under the walls into the City.
On the night of 8 February 1357, the Church bells began to ring of their own accord and the candles were spontaneously lit. The Statue of Our Lady, known as Our Lady of Miracles and Virtues, pointed out a particular slab in the Church. The inhabitants of the city thus were alerted to the mine and the point of the English attack, and were able to repulse the invasion. The miracle was a popular subject for ballads, especially the troubadour Cavalier. In 1634 the miracle was officially recognised by the Bishop of Rennes, Pierre Cornulier.
There are many miracles attributed to Our Lady, including the miraculous healing of Magdalene Morice in the year 1761. She had gangrene in her right foot which was instantly healed on Easter Sunday.
The Statue of Our Lady of Miracles and Virtues currently displayed at the Basilica was placed there in February of 1876. In 1684 a boy of eleven left home for the City of Rennes, in hopes of enrolling at the Jesuit College of Thomas a Becket. The young Louis-Marie was an intelligent boy who was taken under the guidance of the Jesuit Priests and it was at Rennes that he began to consider a possible vocation to the Priesthood. It was here, at the Shrine of Our Lady at Rennes, that Saint Louis de Montfort made the final decision to become a Priest. Amen! We thank our Lady for giving us St Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort!

St Ailius of Alexandria
St Angelus Portasole
St Aristion of Salamis
St Athanasius of Nicomedia
St Baradates of Cyrrhus
Blessed Diego Carvalho SJ (1578-1624) Priest and Martyr
St Elwin
Blessed Émilie d’Oultremont d’Hoogvorst/Maria of Jesus (1818-1878)
About Blessed Émilie:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/22/saint-of-the-day-22-february-blessed-emilie-doultremont-dhoogvorst-known-as-emilia-maria-of-jesus-1818-1878/
St John the Saxon
St Limnaeus
St Margaret of Cortona TOSF (1247–1297)
Biography:

https://anastpaul.com/2019/02/22/saint-of-the-day-22-february-st-margaret-of-cortona-tosf-1247-1297/

St Maximian of Ravenna
St Miguel Facerías Garcés
St Mohammed Abdalla
St Papias of Heirapolis
St Paschasius of Vienne
St Raynerius of Beaulieu
St Thalassius

Martyrs of Arabia – A memorial for all the unnamed Christians martyred in the desert and mountainous areas south of the Dead Sea during the persecutions of Emperor Valerius Maximianus Galerius.