Day: February 6, 2025

Posted in GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, The GREAT TRUTHS

Thought for the Day – 6 February – How to Attain our End

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Thought for the Day – 6 February – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

Meditations on “The Great Truths”
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)

6th Day – How to Attain our End

One thing I do; forgetting the things which are behind
and stretching forth myself to those which are before,
I press towards the mark.
(Philipp iii:1,3,14)

+1. Everyone desires to succeed in life.
A man who desired ultimate failure would justly be regarded as a lunatic. If I am to carry out my desire, I must look around myself and see what sort of men succeed.

+2. When I look at successful men, I find in all, three characteristics:
(1) A spirit of cheerfulness and confidence.
They know how to look at everything from its best side.
Hence, I must pray for these attributes.
(2) A spirit of perseverance.
They are not discouraged by failures.
They recover themselves without delay.
What a lesson for me, not to lose heart but to say, when I fall, I will rise again and that, promptly!
(3) A spirit of single-mindedness.
They keep the end in view steadily before them.
If I am to attain, to the End of my life, to succeed in coming to God at last, I must keep Him always before me.

+3. What can make my life as happy as this, to know that
I am drawing nearer to God?
Yet, there will be dark times and days of despondency.
Still, down at the bottom, beneath the surface, there will be hope and peace, even amid the darkness.
Pray for cheerfulness and an earnest purpose to live for God alone!

Posted in FIRST THURSDAY DEVOTION, PRAYERS for PRIESTS, PRIESTS, all CLERGY, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE

Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – First Thursday Devotion – PRAY for PRIESTS

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Quote/s of the Day – 6 February – First Thursday Devotion – PRAY for PRIESTS

The Votive Mass of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Supreme and Eternal Priest, is often celebrated on First Thursdays of each month.
By Decree of 24 December 1935, all Priests may offer this Votive Mass on said First Thursday.
Those of us familiar with Catholic tradition will naturally realise that this is to commemorate the Institution of the Sacred Priesthood at the Last Supper.

O Holy Mother of God
A Prayer for our Priests
to the Most Blessed Virgin
By St Charles Borromeo (1538-1584)

O Holy Mother of God,
pray for the Priests
thy Son has chosen to serve His Church.
Help them by thy intercession,
to be holy,
zealous and chaste.
Make them models of virtue,
in the service of God’s people.
Help them to be prayerful in meditations,
effective in preaching
and enthusiastic in the daily offering
of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Help them to administer
the Sacraments with joy,
O Holy Mother of God.
Amen

Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) He is known as the “Father of the Clergy” – Some of his Patronages: Bishops, Priests, Seminarians • Catechists • Catechumens • Spiritual Directors • Spiritual leaders

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on TRUTH, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 February – Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house … Luke 10:5

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One Minute Reflection – 6 February – “The Month of the Blessed Trinity” – St Titus (Died c96) Bishop, Confessor – Ecclesiasticus 44:16-27; 45:3-20; Luke 10:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Into whatever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house.
And, if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him but if not, it shall return to you.” – Luke 10:5-7

REFLECTION – “As you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house,‘” (Lk 10:5) so that the Lord Himself might enter and remain there, as with Mary. … This greeting is the Mystery of Faith which shines forth in the world. Through it, enmity is stifled, war is ended and people acknowledge one another. The effect of that greeting was hidden by a veil in spite of the fact that it prefigures the Mystery of the Resurrection … when the light rises and dawn chases night away. From the moment Christ sent out His disciples, people began to give and receive this greeting, a source of healing and blessing. …

This greeting with its hidden power … is amply sufficient for us all. That is why Our Lord sent it out, together with His disciples, as forerunner, so that it might bring about peace and, carried by the voice of the Apostles whom He sent, prepare the way before them. It was sown in every dwelling … it entered into all who heard it, so as to separate and set apart, the children it recognised as its own. It remained in them but it denounced those who were alien to it, for they did not welcome it.

This greeting of peace did not dry up; it began in the Apostles and then sprang up in their brethren, revealing the Lord’s inexhaustible treasures. … Present in those who offered greetings in this way and in those who welcomed the greeting, this announcement of peace was neither diminished nor divided. It announced that the Father is near and is in everyone; it revealed that the Son’s mission is bound up with all, even if its object is to be with His Father. It will not cease to proclaim that images are now brought to completion and Truth will cast all shadows away at last.” – St Ephrem (306-373) Father and Doctor of the Church (Diatessaron 8: 3-4).

PRAYER – O God, Who adorned blessed Titus, Thy Confessor and Bishop, with the virtues of an apostle, grant, through his merits and intercession that by living justly and piously in this world, we may be found worthy to enter Heaven. 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).

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Our Morning Offering – 6 February – O Fathers of Our Ancient Faith

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Our Morning Offering – 6 February –“The Month of the Blessed Trinity” – St Titus (Died c96) Bishop, Confessor

O Fathers of Our Ancient Faith

O Fathers of our ancient faith,
With all the heav’n, we sing your fame
Whose sound went forth in all the earth
To tell of Christ and bless His Name.

You took the Gospel to the poor,
The Word of God alight in you,
Which in our day is told again,
That timeless Word, forever new.

You told of God, Who died for us
And out of death triumphant rose,
Who gave the Truth which made us free
and changeless through the ages goes.

Praise Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Whose gift is faith that never dies,
A light in darkness now, until
The Day-Star in our hearts arise.

O Fathers of Our Ancient Faith is written by the Benedictine Nuns of Stanbrook Abbey. In the Divine Office it is sung at Morning Prayer in the Common of Apostles. It is set to the anonymous tune associated with the 7th Century Latin Hymn, Creator Alme Siderum.

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 6 February – St Guarinus Foscari CRSA (c1080-1158) the most reluctant Cardinal Bishop

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Saint of the Day – 6 February – St Guarinus Foscari CRSA (c1080-1158) Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina in Italy, from December 1144, Canon Regular of St Augustine, renowned for his great compassion and assistance to the poor of Palestrina. Born in c1080 in Bologna, Italy and died there of natural causes on 6 February 1158. He was Canonised by Pope Alexander III ia year after his death, in 1159. Also known as – Guarino, Guarinus of Palestrine, Guerin, Garin.

The Roman Martyrology states today: “At Bologna, St Guarinus, the Bishop of Palestrina and Cardinal, renowned for holiness of life.”

Guarinus Foscari was born in Bologna around 1080. He was a member of the noble Guarini household, while his mother was a Foscari. Guarinus Foscari was well educated and was quite fond of literature. Despite opposition from his parents, he was Ordained to the Priesthood at the age of 24. He was later named as the Canon of the Cathedral of Bologna. He was still at the Cathedral, when, in around 1104, he joined the Santa Croce Congregation of Canons at Mortara. Prior to his departure, he donated all of his goods to contribute towards the building of a hospital.

At the age of 59, Guarinus was elected to fill an opening which the death of the Bishop of Pavia created but evaded his Episcopal Consecration by escaping by clambering away, out of a window. Guarinus then went into hiding until another election was held.

During the Advent season of 1144, Pope Lucius II sent for him and he again attempted to avoid higher office. Lucius II had Guarinus arrested but he again escaped for a brief period. But again. Pope Lucius II had him appointed in December 1144 as the Cardinal-Bishop of Palestrina. He also bestowed on him a number of gifts suitable to a person of his new standing, including some fine horses which Guarinus immediately sold and distributing the funds to the poor.

Feeling unworthy of the position, Guarinus left his post twice. The first time, he was recalled from Subiaco due to the orders of Pope Eugene III. The second time he went to Ostia but, finding Saracens there,, he fled to Rome.

Guarinus was the Bishop for thirteen years and remained out of the troublesome Roman politics which so defined the time and temperament of Rome. As a Cardinal, he participated in three Conclaves which saw the elections of Pope Eugene III, Pope Anastasius IV and Pope Adrian IV.

Our Saint died at the age of 78 on 6 February 1158. He had been breatly loved for his humility and for his great generosity to the poor. He was Canonised by Pope Alexander III in 1159 just over a year after his death

Guarinus was buried in the Crypt of the Cathedral of Sant’Agapito. In 1473 Palestrina was looted and his remains were hidden for fear of desecration. Although a search was made in 1754, they were not located.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, PRAYERS for PRIESTS, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

“Sedes Sapientia” Heilige Maagd Maria van Leuven / Our Lady of Louvain, Belgium (1444, St Titus Bishop Confessor, St Dorothy Virgin Martyr, 1st Thursday – PRAY for PRIESTS and the Saints for 6 February

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1st Thursday – PRAY for PRIESTS

“Sedes Sapientia” – Heilige Maagd Maria van Leuven / Our Lady of Louvain, Belgium (1444) – 6 February:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/06/our-lady-of-louvain-belgium-1444-sedes-sapientia-and-memorials-of-the-saints-6-february/

Nicolaas de Bruyne, 1442, Leuven, Pieterskerk

St Titus (First Century-c96) Bishop, Confessor, Disciple of St Paul, Missionary, Peacemaker, Teacher, Administrator, Friend – Patron of Crete. The New Testament does not record his death.
Wonderful St Titus
https://anastpaul.com/2023/02/06/saint-of-the-day-6-february-st-titus-died-c96-bishop-confessor/

St Dorothy of Caesarea (c279/290-311) Virgin Martyr
The Life and Death of St Dorothy:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/02/06/saint-of-the-day-6-february-st-dorothy-of-caesarea-died-311-virgin-martyr/

St Amand of Maastricht (c 584-c 679) “The Apostle of Belgium”. Bishop of Tongeren-Maastricht and one of the great Missionaries of Flanders (Belgium), Monk, Abbot, Papal Missionary Bishop and Advisor, Miracle-worker, Founder of numerous Monasteries which became known for their hospitality to pilgrims. And another Saint Patron for eye diseases. amongst many other patronages.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/06/saint-of-the-day-6-february-saint-amand-of-maastricht-c-584-c-679-bishop-the-apostle-of-belgium/

Saint Pedro Bautista Blásquez y Blásquez OFM (1542-1597) Priest Martyr
and the 26 Martyrs of Japan – Died by Crucifixion on 5 February 1597. Canonised on 8 June 1862 by Pope Pius IX.

St Amand of Moissac
St Amand of Nantes
St Andrew of Elnone

Blessed Angelus of Furci OSA (1246-1327) Priest and Friar of the Order of Augustinian Hermits, Theologian, renowned Preacher, Provincial Superior. Patronages – of Furci, one of the more than 50 Patrons of Naples,.
Beloved Blessed Angelus:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/02/06/saint-of-the-day-6-february-blessed-angelus-of-furci-osa-1246-1327-priest-and-friar/

St Antholian of Auvergne
St Brinolfo Algotsson
Cassius of Auvergne
Bl Diego de Azevedo
St Ethelburga of Wessex
Bl Francesca of Gubbio
St Gerald of Ostia
St Gonsalo Garcia OFM
St Guarinus Foscari CRSA (c1080-1158) Bishop
St Guethenoc
St Hildegund
St Ina of Wessex
St Jacut
St Liminius of Auvergne
St Maximus of Aurvergne
St Mel of Ardagh
St Melchu of Armagh
St Mun of Lough Ree
St Relindis of Eyck
St Revocata
St Saturninus
St Tanco of Werden
St Theophilus
St Theophilus the Lawyer

St Vaast of Arras (c 453-539 or 540) Bishop – The First Bishop of Arras, France , Hermit, Ascetic, Miracle-worker, Advisor to King Clovis. The Roman Martyrology reads: “In Arras in Belgian Gaul, today in France, Saint Vedastus, Bishop, who, sent by Saint Remigius Bishop of Rheims to the devastated City, catechised King Clovis, re-established the Church and held it for about forty years and brought to an end, the need of work for evangelisation among the previously still pagan peoples of the region.” St Vaast is another Patron of eye diseases, problems and blindness.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/02/06/saint-of-the-day-6-february-saint-vaast-of-arras-c-453-539-or-540/

St Victorinus of Auvergne

Martyrs of Emesa: At Emesa in Phrenicia, in the time of the Emperor Maximian, St Silvanus, the Bishop, who after having governed that Church for forty years, was delivered to the beasts with two other Christians and, having his limbs all mangled, received the Palm of Martyrdom. The other two are recorded as St Luke the Deacon and St Mucius the Lector.