Day: December 14, 2025

Posted in IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Thought for the Day – 14 December – Mary, the Source of Peace

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Thought for the Day – 14 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, the Source of Peace

“Mary, my most sweet Mother, in your Immaculate soul there reigned that true peace which is nourished by God’s grace and by complete obedience to His Will.
Obtain for me from your Son, Jesus, victory over my evil inclinations and resignation to the sufferings of life and to death itself.
Then, following your holy example, may I also be able to acquire the interior peace which will one day be perfect and everlasting in Heaven.
Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/05/18/thought-for-the-day-18-may-mary-the-source-of-peace/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/05/18/thought-for-the-day-18-may-mary-the-source-of-peace-2/

Posted in ADVENT, ADVENT QUOTES, ADVENT REFLECTIONS, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Quotes on SALVATION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – “Rejoice in the Lord always!”

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 December – Advent III, Gaudete Sunday – “Rejoice!”

“Gaudéte in Dómino semper”

“Rejoice in the Lord always”

Philippians 4:4

“The very Son of God,
Older than the ages,
the Invisible,
the Incomprehensible,
the Incorporeal,
the Beginning of beginning,
the Light of light,
the Fountain of Life and Immortality,
the Image of the Archetype,
the Immovable Seal,
the Perfect Likeness,
the Definition and Word of the Father:
He it is, Who comes to His Own Image
and takes our nature, for the Good of our nature
and unites Himself to an intelligent soul
for the good of the soul,
to purify like by Like.”

St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Awake, you who lie in the dust,
awake and give praise.
Behold, the Lord comes with salvation.
He comes with salvation!
He comes with unction,
He comes with glory.
Jesus cannot come without salvation,
Christ cannot come without unction,
nor the Son of God without glory.
For He Himself is Salvation,
He is Unction,
He is Glory,
as it is written,
‘A wise Son is the Glory of His Father.‘”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Father & MellifluousDoctor of the Church

“Rejoice and be happy!
Persevere to the end
and prefer to die
rather than abandon the post,
to which God has called you!”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)

Posted in ADVENT QUOTES, ADVENT REFLECTIONS, BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on TIME, St JOHN the BAPTIST, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 December – “ I baptise with water but, in the midst of you, there has stood One Whom you do not know.” – John 1:26

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One Minute Reflection – 14 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Advent III, Gaudete – Within the Octave – Philippians l 4:4-7 – John 1:19-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“ I baptise with water but, in the midst of you, there has stood One Whom you do not know.” – John 1:26

REFLECTION – “I baptise with water but, in the midst of you, there has stood One Whom you do not know.” John did not baptise with the Spirit but, with water, since he was unable to take away the sins of those being baptised. He washed their bodies with water but not their hearts with pardon. Why did one whose baptism did not forgive sins baptise, except that he was observing his vocation as forerunner? He, whose birth foreshadowed a greater birth, by his baptising, foreshadowed the Lord, Who would truly baptise; he ,whose preaching made him the forerunner of Christ, by baptising, also became his forerunner, using a symbol of the future Sacrament.

With these other mysteries he makes known the Mystery of our Redeemer, declaring that He has stood among men and not been known. The Lord appeared in a human body – He came as God in flesh, visible in His Body, invisible in His Majesty. He goes onto say about Him: “He who comes after me, was made before me” (Jn 1:15) … he revealed the reason for this precedence when he said: “because He was before me. ” He means, “Even though He was born after me, He surpasses me, in that the time of His Birth does not limit Him. He, Who is born from His Mother in time, was begotten of His Father before time!”

John reveals the great humility and reverence he owes Christ by saying: “I am not worthy to undo the strap of His sandal.” It was the custom among the ancients, that if someone was unwilling to take the wife, he should be taking, he, who should have come to her as bridegroom, by right of relationship, would undo his sandal. How did Christ appear among men, if not as the Bridegroom of holy Church?… But since people considered John the Christ, a fact which he denied, he was right to declare his unworthiness to undo the strap of Christ’s sandal. It is as if he was saying … “I am not unjustly usurping, for myself, the name of Bridegroom” (Cf Jn 3:29).” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermons on the Gospels 4).

PRAYER – Lend Thy ear to our prayers, O Lord, we beseech Thee and brighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy coming. Through the same 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 FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN HYMNS, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 14 December – O Gloriosa Virginum – St Venantius Fortunatus

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 Our Morning Offering – 14 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Advent III Gaudete Sunday and Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception – Today is also the Feast day of dear St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609) Bishop, Poet, Hymnist, Writer. Another “Golden Words”

O Gloriosa Virginum
By St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609)

O Glorious Virgin, ever blest,
Sublime above the starry sky,
Who nurture from thy spotless breast
To thy Creator didst supply.

What we had lost through hapless Eve,
The Blossom sprung from these restores,
And, granting bliss to souls that grieve,
Unbars the everlasting doors.

O Gate, through which hath passed the King.
O Hall, whence Light shone through the gloom;
The ransomed nations, praise and sing
Life given from the Virgin womb.

All honour, laud and glory be,
O Jesu, Virgin-born, to Thee;
All glory, as is ever meet,
To Father and to Paraclete.
Amen

O Gloriosa Domina is the second half of the Hymn: Quem Terra, Pontus, Aethera. It was composed by St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609) the Bishop of Poitiers.
In 1632, in accordance with revisions made to the Hymns of the Divine Office by Pope Urban VIII (1568-1644), it was altered and changed to O Gloriósa Vírginum.
It is sung in the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Roman Breviary.
It is said that St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) was always singing this Hymn. His mother sang it to him as a baby,and even on his death bed after receiving Extreme Unction, he intoned the Hymn.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 14 December – Saint Pompey (4th Century?) Bishop of Pavia,

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Saint of the Day – 14 December – Saint Pompey (4th Century?) Bishop of Pavia, Italy. Also known as Pompeius.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “Ar Pavia, Pompey, Bishop.”

A Bishop Saint – Master of the Graduals of San Salvatore in Pavia | Italy, Lombardy c1500

Five days ago, on 9 December, we celebrated Saint Syrus, the first Bishop of Pavia and the legendary evangeliser of much of the Po Valley. In the imposing task of casting the net of the fisher of men over that flat and fertile land, stretching as far as the eye could see, around the towers and bell towers of Pavia, he had, as his collaborator Saint Pompey.

Pompey succeeded Saint Syrus when the latter—it is not clear in what year, or even in what Century—rested in deserved glory. There is, therefore, little more to add about this Saint, the second Bishop in the list of shepherd which tradition assigns to Pavia. Also because, about Saint Pompey, very little is known, if anything, at all. One must turn to the life of Saint Strus himself to learn that Pompey’s Episcopate was brief and peaceful. Nothing else.

He was succeeded by Bishop Saint Giovenzo; while Saint Pompey was buried, with Saint Syrus, in that Church of Saints Gervasius and Protasius.

Given this scant and precarious information, it would not have been necessary to dedicate the day to Saint Pompey—and this would not have diminished the true and great glories of the City of Pavia. If we have done so, it is because, for better or worse, he is the most celebrated of the Saints named Pompey.

Of the Saints, however, even when we know almost nothing about them, as in the case of Saint Pompey, we can be sure of one thing; we remember them for having performed, certainly and only, good works for the glory of Christ and His Church. (Source: Parish Archive).

St Syrus : (Statue below – St Syrus on Pavia Cathedral facade)
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/09/saint-of-the-day-9-december-saint-syrus-of-pavia-1st-century/

Posted in Uncategorized

“Gaudete” Sunday, The Third Sunday of Advent,  Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception, Madonna del Patrocinio / Our Lady of Defence -Romagna, Italy) (1685) and Memorials of the Saints – 14 December

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“Gaudete” Sunday, The Third Sunday of Advent

Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

Madonna del Patrocinio / Our Lady of Defence – also known as Santa Maria del Calcare (Faenza, Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy) (1685) – 14 December:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/14/madonna-del-patrocinio-our-lady-of-defence-faenza-ravenna-emilia-romagna-italy-1685-and-memorials-of-the-saints-14-december/

St Venantius Fortunatus (c530 – c609) Bishop, Poet, Hymnist, Writer.
Another “Golden Words”:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/14/saint-of-the-day-14-december-saint-venantius-fortunatus-c-530-c-609/

St Abundius of Spain – Martyr. No other information has survived

St Agnellus (535-596) Abbot, Priest, Hermit, Defender and Protector of the City of Naples, Miracle-worker.
St Agnellus is one of the 50+ Co-Patrons of the City of Naples
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In Naples, in Campaniaa, St Agnellus, Abbot. Illustrious by the gift of miracles, he was often seen with the standard of the Cross, delivering the City besieged by enemies.”
A Mighty and Powerful Saint:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/12/14/saint-of-the-day-14-december-saint-agnellus-of-naples-osa-535-596/

St Berthold OFM (c 1220-1272) Friar of the Order of the Friars Minor of Regensburg, Renowned Preacher for which reason he was known as “Sweet Brother Berthold,” “The Beloved of God and man,” “A Second Elias,”,”The Teacher of the Nations.”
Celebrating St Berthold:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/14/saint-of-the-day-14-december-saint-berthold-of-regensburg-ofm-c-1220-1272/

Bl Buenaventura Bonaccorsi
St Folcuino of Therouanne
St John Pan y Agua (Bread-and-Water)

St Justus of Spain – Martyr. No other information has survived

St Matronianus of Milan
St Pompey (4th Century) Bishop of Pavia

St Viator (Died c370) Bishop and Confessor of Bergamo, the 2nd Bishop of Bergamo, Italy.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Bergamo, St Viator, Bishop and Confessor.”
His Life of Grace:
https://anastpaul.com/2024/12/14/saint-of-the-day-14-december-saint-viator-of-bergamo-died-c378-bishop-and-confessor/

Bl William de Rovira

Martyrs of Alexandria – 4 Saints: A group of Egyptian Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Decius – Arsenius, Dioscurus, Heron and Isidore. They were burned to death in 250 at Alexandria, Egypt.

Martyrs of Apollonia – 7 Saints: Martyred in the persecutions of Decius. The only surviving details are three names – Callinicus, Leucio and Tirso. The Martyrdom took place at Apollonia, Bithynia (in modern Turkey).

Martyrs of Ashkelon – 3 Saints: Several pilgrims from Egypt to Cilicia (in modern Turkey) who planned to minister to fellow Christians suffering in the persecutions of Emperor Maximinus. They were arrested, torture, mutilated and then imprisoned in Ashkelon. Some were ordered to forced labour in the mines but we have the names of three who were Martyred by order of Governor Firmilian – Ares, Elijah and Promo. They were burned at the stake or beheaded at the gates of Ashkelon c 308.

Martyrs of Hayle – 2+ Saints: Several Christians, including a brother and sister, who were Martyred together by pagans. The only other information to survive are the names of the two siblings – Fingar and Phiala. 5th Century at Hayle, Cornwall, England.

Martyrs of Syria – 3 Saints: Three Christians who were Martyred together. Known to Saint John Chrysostom who preached on their Feast Day and left us the only details we have – their names – Drusus, Theodore and Zosimus. The date and precise location of their Martyrdom is unknown but it was in Syria, possibly in Antioch.