Posted in CONFESSION, CONFESSION, CONFESSION/PENANCE, INDULGENCES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on SIN

Thought for the Day – 25 July – Purification

Thought for the Day – 25 July – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Purification

We should also value Indulgences as a means of spiritual purification.
They ought not to be treated lightly.

Jesus gave His Church, the power of loosing and binding every bond of sin.
As long as we have the necessary dispositions, therefore, it can draw on the merits of Christ and of the Saints, to release us from the temporal punishment due to the sins which have already been forgiven us.
It achieves this by the concession of Indulgences.
These require, on our part, the fulfilment of certain conditions, a sincere sorrow for sin and, a strong resolution never to offend God again.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/25/thought-for-the-day-25-july-purification/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/19/thought-for-the-day-25-july-purification-2/

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Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Quote’s of the Day – 25 July – St Christopher and the Fourteen Holy Helpers

Quote’s of the Day – 25 July – Memorial of St Christopher (died c 251) One of the Fourteen Holy Helpers

The Fourteen Holy Helpers: – Plague Saints for a time of plague!

Prayer to the Fourteen Holy Helpers
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor of the Church

Great princes of Heaven, Holy Helpers,
who sacrificed to God all your earthly possessions,
wealth, preferment and even life
and who now are crowned in Heaven
in the secure enjoyment of eternal bliss and glory;
have compassion on me,
a poor sinner in this vale of tears
and obtain for me from God,
for Whom you gave up all things
and Who loves you as His servants,
the strength to bear patiently all the trials of this life,
to overcome all temptations
and to persevere in God’s service to the end,
that one day I too may be received into your company,
to praise and glorify Him, the supreme Lord,
Whose Beatific Vision you enjoy
and Whom you praise and glorify forever.
Amen

The “fourteen Angels” of the lost children’s prayer in the Composer, Engelbert Humperdinck’s (1854-1921) (not the popular Welsh singer) fairy opera, ‘Hansel and Gretel’, are the Fourteen Holy Helpers. The English words are familiar and very beautiful:

When at night, I go to sleep,
Fourteen angels, watch do keep,
Two my head are guarding,
Two my feet are guiding;
Two upon my right hand,
Two upon my left hand.
Two who warmly cover
Two who o’er me hover,
Two to whom ’tis given
To guide my steps to Heaven.

And the beloved St Christopher, probably one of the most loved Saints of all time.

The Christopher Prayer,
Make Us True Christ-Bearers
Anonymous

Father, grant that we may be,
bearers of Christ Jesus, Your Son.
Allow us to fill, the world around us,
with Your light.
Strengthen us, by Your Holy Spirit,
to carry out our mission
of living and following
the path of Jesus, our Lord.
Help us to understand,
that by Your grace
our gifts are Your blessings,
to be shared with others.
Fill us with Your Spirit of love
to give glory to You
in loving all
and preaching by our love.
Nourish in us the desire
to go forth
as the bearers of Your Son
fearless and gentle,
loving and merciful.
Make us true Christ-Bearers,
that in seeing us,
only He is visible.
Amen.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, OUR Cross, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 25 July – “Can you drink the Chalice that I shall drink?” – Matthew 20:22

One Minute Reflection – 25 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – Saint James the Greater, Apostle and Martyr – 1 Corinthians 4:9-15, Matthew 20:20-23

You know not what you ask. Can you drink the Chalice that I shall drink?” – Matthew 20:22

REFLECTION – “Through their mother’s mediation, the sons of Zebedee press Christ as follows in the presence of their fellow apostles:  “Command that we may sit, one at your right side and one at your left” (cf. Mk 10:35f.)… Christ hastens to free them from their illusions, telling them they must be prepared to suffer insults, persecutions, even death. “You do not know what you are asking.  Are you able to drink the chalice that I shall drink?” 

Let no-one be surprised to see the Apostles displaying such imperfect dispositions.   Wait until the Mystery of the Cross has been fulfilled and the strength of the Holy Spirit given to them.   If you want to see the strength of their souls, take a look at them later and you will see them to be above all human weakness.   Christ does not conceal their pettiness, so that you will be able to see what they become later by the power of the grace which will transform them! …”… St John Chrysostom (c 345-407) Father & Doctor of the Church.

PRAYER – Protect Thy people and make them holy, O Lord, so that, guarded by the help of Thy Apostle James, they may please Thee by their conduct and serve Thee with peace of mind. Through esus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, HYMNS, MARTYRS, Our MORNING Offering, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Our Morning Offering – 25 July – Exsultet Orbis! Let the World Rejoice! – Feast of Saint James the Greater, Apostle and Martyr

Our Morning Offering – 25 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Feast of Saint James the Greater, Apostle and Martyr

Exsultet Orbis!
Let the World Rejoice!
Unknown Author

Now let the earth with joy resound,
And Heaven the chant re-echo round;
Nor Heaven nor earth too high can raise
The great Apostles’ glorious praise.

O ye who, throned in glory dread,
Shall judge the living and the dead,
Lights of the world forever more!
To you the suppliant prayer we pour.

Ye close the Sacred Gates on high.
At your command apart they fly.
O loose for us the guilty chain
We strive to break and strive in vain.

Sickness and health your voice obey,
At your command they go or stay.
From sin’s disease our souls restore;
In good confirm us more and more.

So when the world is at its end.
And Christ to Judgment shall descend,
May we be called, those joys to see
Prepared from all eternity.

Praise to the Father, with the Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One;
As ever was in ages past
And so shall be while ages last.
Amen

(Roman Breviary for the Common of Apostles)
An Office Hymn that was traditionally prescribed for Vespers and Lauds on the Feasts of Apostles and Evangelists outside Easter time. The Hymn is found as early as the tenth century in a hymnal of Moissac Abbey.

Posted in MARTYRS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Saint of the Day – 25 July – Saint James the Greater, Apostle and Martyr, “Son of Thunder.”

Saint of the Day – 25 July – Saint James the Greater, Apostle and Martyr, “Son of Thunder.”

The Roman Martyrology reads: “ST JAMES the Apostle, brother of the blessed Evangelist, John, who was beheaded by Herod Agrippa, about the Feast of Easter. His sacred bones were, on this day, carried from Jerusalem to Spain and placed in the remote Province of Galicia, where they are devoutly honoured by the renowned piety of the inhabitants and the frequent concourse of Christians, who visit them through piety and in fulfilment of their vows.”

By Fr Leonard Goffiné O.Praem (1648-1719)
(Excerpt from The Church’s Year)

St James, born in Galilee, son of Zebedee and Salome and a relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was a fisherman like his brother John and one of the first of the Apostles called by Christ. He left everything to follow the Lord and with Peter and John, was favoured by Christ, with special confidence.

He was present when Christ was glorified on Mount Thabor, when He healed Peter’s mother-in-law of the fever, raised the daughter of Jairus to life and when He suffered the unutterable terror on Mount Olivet.

He was also, with the rest of the Apostles, a witness of Christ’s Ascension, received with them the Holy Ghost on Pentecost and then preached the Gospel in Judea and the neighbourhood of Jerusalem.

He and his brother John, were called by Christ the Sons of Thunder, on account of their great zeal for the honour and Kingdom of God. When James with this thunderlike zeal continued to preach the Resurrection and the doctrine of Jesus, in Judea, the Jews were so enraged against him, that King Herod thought nothing would please them more than that they should condemn the Apostle to death. This they did, at Easter in the year of our Lord 44.

But when the he, who led him to execution, saw the firmness of his faith, he also became converted to Christ and both were, therefore ,led to death. On the way he prayed the Apostle to forgive him, who said to him: “Peace be with you!” and kissed him. Both were beheaded. This James was the first of the Apostles to shed his blood for Christ and to drink of the chalice of suffering.

His sacred remains were afterwards brought to Compostella in Spain by Abgeks. The Church celebrates his feast on the day of his translation and not on the day of his martyrdom, which, as already said, was at Easter.

PRAYER TO ST. JAMES
O brave Apostle,
the first to drink the Chalice of suffering
after the example of Christ,
Who had shed His Blood for thee,
obtain, I beseech thee,
the grace from Him,
that I may not fear
to drink of the Chalice of pain and suffering
but may bear patiently,
all that the hand of my God offers me,
so that I may, one day,
be worthy to enjo,
in thy society,
the joy of Heaven.
Amen.

Patronages etc here:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/saint-of-the-day-25-july-feast-of-st-james-the-greater-apostle-of-christ/

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, YouTube VIDEOS

St James the Greater, Apostle and Martyr, St Christopher, Martyr, Notre-Dame du Saguenay / Our Lady of Lac Bouchet, Quebec (1920) and Memorials of the Saints – 25 July

St James the Greater – Son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of Saint John the Apostle. He is called “the Greater” simply because he became an Apostle before Saint James the Lesser
St James:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/07/25/saint-of-the-day-25-july-feast-of-st-james-the-greater-apostle-of-christ/

St Christopher (died c 251) Martyr, “The Christ-Bearer”
St Christopher!

https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/25/saint-of-the-day-25-july-saint-christopher-died-c-251-martyr/

St Christopher is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers – read more about them here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/25/thought-for-the-day-25-july-the-memorial-of-st-christopher-died-c-251-one-of-the-fourteen-holy-helpers/

Notre-Dame du Saguenay / Our Lady of Lac Bouchet, Quebec (1920) – 25 July:
HERE:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/25/feast-of-st-james-the-greater-notre-dame-du-saguenay-our-lady-of-lac-bouchet-quebec-1920-and-memorials-of-the-saints-25-july/

Bl Alexius Worstius

Blessed Antonio Lucci OFM.Conv. (1682-1752) Bishop of Bovino, Franciscan Friar, Theologian, Professor, Writer, Apostle of Charity and Marian devotee.
Blessed Antonio’s Biography:

https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/25/saint-of-the-day-25-july-blessed-antonio-lucci-o-f-m-conv-1682-1752/

Bl Antonio of Olmedo
St Bantu of Trier
St Beatus of Trier
St Cugat del Valles
St Ebrulfus
St Fagildo of Santiago
St Felix of Furcona
St Florentius of Furcona
St Glodesind of Metz

St Magnericus of Trier (c 520-596) Italian Bishop and Confessor. Magnericus was a friend and disciple of St Gregory of Tours, mentioned in his History of the Franks.
His Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/25/saint-of-the-day-25-july-saint-magnericus-of-trier-c-520-596/

St Mordeyren
St Nissen of Wexford
St Olympiad of Constantinople
St Paul of Palestine

Blessed Pietro Corradini OFM (1435–1490) Priest of the Franciscan Friars Minor, Confessor, Preacher, Spiritual Director. Pietro and a great devotion to the Holy Mother and constantly taught love of her. Fr Pietro served in several leadership positions within his Order. The Beatification process commenced not too long after Fr Pietro’s death and culminated on 10 August 1760 after Pope Clement XIII issued a formal decree that approved Corradini’s local ‘cultus’ thus naming him Blessed.
His Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/25/saint-of-the-day-25-july-blessed-pietro-corradini-ofm-1435-1490-priest/

St Theodemir of Cordoba

Martyrs of Caesarea – 3 Saints: Three Christians Martyred together in the pesecutions of emperor Maximilian and governor Firmilian – Paul, Tea and Valentina. 309 in Caesarea, Palestine.

Martyrs of Cuncolim, Goa, south western India– 20 Saints: On 15 July 1583 the group met at the Church of Orlim and hiked to Cuncolim to erect a Cross and choose land for a new Church. Local anti-Christian Hindu pagans, seeing the unarmed Christians, gathered their weapons and marched on them. One of the Parishioners, a Portuguese emigre named Gonçalo Rodrigues, carried a firearm but Father Alphonsus Pacheco stopped him from using it. The Hindu pagans, numbering at least 500, then fell upon them and killed them all without mercy. They were
• Alphonsus Pacheco
• Alphonsus the altar boy
• Anthony Francis
• Dominic of Cuncolim
• Francis Aranha
• Francis Rodrigues
• Gonçalo Rodrigues
• Paul da Costa
• Peter Berno
• Rudolph Acquaviva
• ten other native Christian converts whose names have not come down to us
They were Martyred on Monday 25 July 1583 at the village of Cuncolim, district of Salcete, territory of Goa, India. They were Beatified on 30 April 1893 by Pope Leo XIII.