Wishing all Mothers a Blessed and Happy Mothers’ Day May Mary, the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and our Mother, be a guide and a comfort to us all.
“For a mother’s heart and a mother’s faith And a mother’s steadfast love, Were fashioned by the Angels And sent from God above.” – Author Unknown
Mary, my Good Mother By St Marcellin Champagnat (1789-1840) Founder of the Marist Brothers
Mary, my Good Mother, I am called here to do good. I can achieve nothing without the assistance of your Divine Son, and yours too. This is why I ask you to help me. I ask you to be with me, directing my hands, my words, my heart, my whole being. And when I am faced with some difficulties, Good Mother, I will entrust them to you although I myself, will do all that depends on me. I offer and commend to you, all that will be entrusted to me, this day. Amen
Thought for the Day – 8 May – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
The Theological Virtues of Our Lady
“O Mary, my most holy Mother, grant that my life may be like yours, a continual act of faith, hope and charity towards God and my neighbour. Grant that my faith may be active, that I may hope only for the Heavenly reward which awaits me and that my charity may never shrink, from whatever sacrifices the love of God and of my neighbours may demand. Amen.”
Quote/s of the Day – 8 May – The Third Sunday after Easter – 1 Peter 2:11-19, John 16:16-22
“So also, you now indeed have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice. And your joy, no man shall take from you.”
John 16:22
“Even in a world which is being shipwrecked, remain brave and strong.”
“Holy Spirit, the Life that gives life: You are the Cause of all movement. You are the Breath of all creatures. You are the Salve that purifies our souls. You are the Ointment that heals our wounds. You are the Fire that warms our hearts. You are the Light that guides our feet. Let all the world praise You!”
St Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) Doctor of the Church
“Turn to the Lord with your whole heart and leave behind this wretched world. Then your soul shall find rest. For the Kingdom of God is the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. If you prepare, within your heart, a fitting dwelling place, Christ will come to you and console you.”
Thomas á Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)
O Holy Spirit of God By Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (1466-1536) (Fr Erasmus of Rotterdam)
O Holy Spirit of God with Your holy breath, You purify the hearts and minds of humankind, comforting them, when they are in sorrow, leading them, aright when they have gone astray, kindling them, when their hearts are cold, reconciling them, when they are at variance and enriching them, with Your many gifts. By Your working, all things live. We make our prayer to You, maintain and day by day, increase, the gifts which You have granted us, so that with Your Light before us and within us, we may pass through this world, without stumbling and without straying. Who with the Father and the Son, are One God, now and forever. Amen
One Minute Reflection – 8 May – The Third Sunday after Easter – 1 Peter 2:11-19, John 16:16-22 and the Feast of the Apparition of St Michael the Archangel at Monte Gargano, Italy (492)
“A little while now and you shall not see me” – John 16:16
REFLECTION – “The Ascension of Christ into Heaven is in accord with reason – firstly, because Heaven was due to Christ by His very nature. It is natural for someone to return to the place from whence they take their origin. The beginning of Christ is from God, Who is above all things. Jesus says to the Apostles (Jn 16:28): “I came from the Father and have come into the world and now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father” … The just ascend into Heaven but not in the manner that Christ ascended, namely by His own power, for they are taken up by Christ – “Draw me, we will run after thee.” (Sg 1:3) Or indeed, we can say, that no-one but Christ has ascended into Heaven because the just do not ascend, except, insofar as they are members of Christ, Who is the Head of the Church. … Secondly, Heaven is due to Christ because of His Victory. For He was sent into the world to combat the devil and He did overcome him. Therefore, Christ deserved to be exalted above all things – “I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on His throne” (Rv 3:21)
Finally, the Ascension was owing to Christ because of His humility. There never was humility so great as that of Christ Who, although He was God yet wished to become man and although He was the Lord, yet He wished to take the form of a servant and, as Saint Paul says: “He was obedient even unto death” (Phil 2:7) and descended even into hell. Therefore, He deserved to be exalted even to Heaven, to God’s throne, for humility leads to exaltation. “For whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Lk 14:11) and, “the one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens” (Eph 4:10).” … St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus/Doctor Communis (Commentary on the Apostle’s Creed).
PRAYER – O God, Who hast ordained and constituted the services of angels and men in a wonderful order, mercifully grant, that as Thy holy Angels alway do Thee service in Heaven, so, by Thy appointment, they may succour and defend us on earth. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
St Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God, cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.
Saint of the Day – 8 May – St Victor Maurus the Moor (Died c 303) Martyr, Layman, Confessor, ex-Soldier. Born in the 3rd Century in Mauretania, Africa and died by beheading in c 303 at Milan. Patronages – Asigliano, Italy, Balangero, Italy, Borghetto, Italy, Canale, Italy, Caselle Torinese, Italy, Feletto, Italy, Odolengo, Italy, Quagliuzzo, Italy, Rho, Italy, San Vittore Olona, Italy. Varese, Italy, Verbania, Italy. Also known as – Victor the Moor, Viktor; Vittore; Vittorio.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Milan, the birthday of the holy Martyr Victor, a Moor. He became a Christian in his youth and served as a soldier in the imperial army. When Maximian wished to force him to offer sacrifice to idols, he persevered with the greatest fortitude in the confession of the Lord. Being first beaten with rods but without experiencing any pain, through the protection of God and then, having melted lead, poured over him, which did him no injury whatever. He at length terminated the career of his glorious Martyrdom by being beheaded.”
Victor, born into a Christian family, was a soldier in the Roman Praetorian Guard under Maximian. In the “Acts,” which date to the 8th Century, it is said that Victor refused to continue his military service. Dragged to the Hippodrome of the Circus in the presence of Maximian Herculean and his adviser Anulinus, he refused to betray his beliefs, despite the torments to which he was subjected. Whipped and imprisoned, after an almost miraculous escape, he was again captured. He was dragged into a nearby elm wood and decapitated.
His bones were later buried at an ancient Basilica on the site of a former Roman mausoleum. They were later moved to the Oratory of San Vittore in Ciel d’Oro, originally a free-standing Chapel, commissioned by Bishop Maternus to hold the relics of Saint Victor. It is now part of the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio, built by St Ambrose, as the Bishop of Milan, and initially called the “Basilica Martyrum.”. Victor’s cause was promoted by St Ambrose.
St Gregory of Tours claimed miracles occurred at Victor’s grave. In 1576, Bishop St Charles Borromeo had the relics returned to the rebuilt San Vittore al Corpo. Forensic examinations conducted in 2018 indicated a male in his mid-twenties, with clear signs of decapitation.
Numerous Churches have been dedicated to him in the City of Milan itself and throughout the Diocese of Milan and its neighbouring towns.
St Acacius of Byzantium Bl Aloysius Luis Rabata St Amatus Ronconi Bl Angelo of Massaccio St Arsenio of Mount Scete St Benedict II, Pope
St Boniface IV, Pope (c 550-615) Bishop of Rome from 608 until his death, Deacon, assistant and disciple of St Pope Gregory the Great, Papal Treasurer under Pope Gregory. In other words, he was the first official in connection with the administration of papal property. he converted the Pantheon into a Church. This was the first pagan temple in Rome to be transformed. On 13 May 609, the Pantheon was consecrated to the Blessed Virgin and all the Christian Martyrs. Boniface ordered 28 cartloads of bones from the Catacombs to be reburied under the high Altar of the new Church.
St Ida of Nivelles St Martin of Saujon St Metrone of Verona St Odrian of Waterford St Otger of Utrecht St Peter of Besançon Bl Pietro de Alos Bl Raymond of Toulouse Bl Teresa Demjanovich Bl Ulrika Fransiska Nisch St Victor Maurus the Moor (Died c 303) Martyr, Layman, ex-Soldier. St Wiro of Utrecht
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