Day: August 23, 2026

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 23 August – Saints Altigianus and Hilarinus

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saints Altigianus and Hilarinus, martyrs and monks of the French Burgundian monastery of Saint-Seine founded two centuries earlier by Saint Sequanus. The Moors who had invaded Spain in the early eighth century spread their conquest for a time into parts of France, and penetrated the country all the way to the Burgundian city of Autun. Their advance was not halted until 732, when the Frankish ruler Charles Martel defeated them between Poitiers and Tours. It was about this time that Altigianus and Hilarinus were slain with the sword by the Moors at or close to the Saint-Seine monastery, not far from Autun.

He was bathed with such a quantity of blood, that the people shouted out to him as he was returning, the testimony of his second baptism, “Saved and washed, saved and washed.”

Tertullian (Passion of Perpetua and Felicity)

Posted in MARIAN TITLES

Vigil of St Bartholomew, Notre-Dame de la Victoire de Valois / Our Lady of Victory of Valois, France (1328) and Memorials of the Saints – 23 August

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Vigil of St Bartholomew

St Philip Benizi OSM (1233-1285) Confessor, Co-Founder (one of the Seven Holy Founders of the Order of Servants of Mary) OSM, Servite Priest Genera\Superior, Reformer, Preacher, Medical Doctor. St Philip was Beatified on 8 October 1645 by Pope Innocent X and Canonised on 12 April 1671 by Pope Clement X – he was first Servite to be Canonised.

Notre-Dame de la Victoire de Valois / Our Lady of Victory of Valois, France (1328) – 23 August:

The Feast of Our Lady of Victory of Valois concerns Our Lady’s intercession in the Battle of Cassel, which was fought between the French, under Philip of Valois and the Flemish near Mount Cassel on 23 August in the year 1328. Philip of Valois, or King Philip VI, “Philip the Fortunate,” was the King of France beginning that year until his death in 1350.

Philip led his army against the band of Flemish rebels under Nicolas Zannekin, who were seeking independence from French rule. Having refused to pay what they considered to be excessive taxes to the Count of Flanders, they eventually imprisoned the King’s representative and captured several French towns. The Pope asked Philip to do what he could with the rebels but after having restored the Flemish aristocracy, the Flemish rebels had turned even on them, killing many of them.

Philip was certain of victory, taking 2,500 knights and 12,000 infantry and archers with him into battle. Not knowing where he would attack, the Flemish rebels would have to divide their forces to protect their territory. Even so, the Flemish under Zannekin brought 15,000 soldiers into the field at Cassel.

For three days the two armies did nothing but taunt each other, although the Flemish commenced a direct attack on the French on the third day. Apparently, the French were caught off-guard, for many of them had taken off their armour because of the extreme heat that day. Fleeing in panic, the knights left the field, while much of the French nobility, who stood their ground were wounded. The Duke of Lorraine was slain and the situation appeared desperate.

It is recorded that Philip of Valois, being surrounded by Flemish soldiers as the flower of his nobility fell, had recourse to the Blessed Virgin, who immediately delivered him from that danger. The Dauphin of Vienne, Guigues VIII de la Tour-du-Pin, had been given the command of Philip’s 7th Corps. He led a counter attack which shattered the Flemish assault, while the knights regrouped and attacked the Flemish from the rear. The Flemish were defeated and victory assured by Our Lady of Victory of Valois.

Our of gratitude for this favour, when he made his entry into Paris, Philip went straight to Notre Dame Cathedral. Going into the Church on horseback, he proceeded the whole length of the nave to the Crucifix and there, laid down his arms. The picture of this Monarch on horseback, was, for a long time, to be seen in that Church, to which Philip gave a revenue of 100 livres, to be levied on his domain of Gatinais.

St Abbondius of Rome
St Altigianus
St Apollinaris of Rheims
St Archelaus of Ostia
St Asterius of Aegea
St Claudius of Aegea
St Domnina of Aegea
St Eleazar of Lyons
St Eonagh
St Flavian of Autun
Bl Franciszek Dachtera
Bl Giacomo Bianconi of Mevania
St Hilarinus
St Ireneus of Rome
Bl Jean Bourdon
St Lupo of Novi
St Luppus
St Maximus of Ostia
St Minervius of Lyons
St Neon of Aegea
St Quiriacus of Ostia
St Theonilla of Aegea
St Timothy of Rheims

St Tydfil (Died c 480) Martyr of Wales, Confessor, Princess, Apostle of Mercy to the sick and the needy.

St Victor of Vita
St Zaccheus of Jerusalem

Martyrs of Agea – 4 Saints: A group of Christian brothers, Asterius, Claudius and Neon, denounced by their step-mother who were then tortured and Martyred in the persecutions of Pro-consul Lysias. They were crucified in 285 outside the walls of Aegea, Cilicia (in Asia Minor) and their bodies left for scavengers.

Posted in Our MORNING Offering

Our Morning Offering – 23 August – Mary, I Beg You by St Anselm

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 23 August – – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”

Mary, I Beg You
By St Anselm (1033-1109)
Magnificent Doctor
Marian Doctor

Mary, I beg you,
by that grace through which
the Lord is with you
and you will to be with Him,
let your mercy be with me.
Let love for you always be with me,
and the care for me be always with you.
Let the cry of my need,
as long as it persists,
be with you,
and the care of your goodness,
as long as I need it,
be with me.
Let joy in your blessedness
be always with me,
and compassion for my wretchedness,
where I need it,
be with you.
Amen.

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION

One Minute Reflection – 23 August – Be grateful!

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One Minute Reflection – 23 August – St Philip Benizi OSM (1233-1285) Confessor – Readings: Ps 73:20; 73:19; 73:23, Ps 73:1, Gal 3:16-22, Luke 17:11-19

But Jesus answered and said, Were not the ten made clean? But where are the nine? Has no one been found to return and give glory to God, except this foreigner?

Luke 17:11-19

REFLECTION – Very dear brothers and lords in Christ, I Catherine, the slave of the servants of Jesus Christ, I write to you in his precious blood, with the desire to see you grateful for all the benefits that you have received from God, so that they can increase and nourish in you the source of divine love in your souls. Gratitude is very pleasant to God, and is very useful to us; But ingratitude displeases God a lot and does us great harm: Ingratitude dries up the springs of piety, and we invite God to no longer increase His graces and to deprive us of those he gave us. It is therefore necessary to apply oneself with great zeal to see the benefits of God, because by seeing them we will be grateful and by gratitude we will return glory and praise to his name.

And how will we show our gratitude and ingratitude? I'm going to tell you: we will show our ingratitude by offending the goodness of God and our neighbour, offering them in a thousand ways and by a thousand injustices, by not giving them what we are forced to return to them, that is, by not loving God over all things, and the neighbour as ourselves. Quite the opposite happens for the faithful man, grateful to his Creator; he does him justice by giving him what is due, that is the praise and the honour that God asks; He does it by loving Him above all things, and loving his neighbour as himself. He contemplates the humility of God to lower his pride; he widens his heart in charity, and he purifies himself of all defilement in the purity of Christ, in the abundance of his precious blood.

So I want my very dear brothers, that you are grateful for the graces that you have received from our creator, so that they may increase.

Saint Catherine of Siena

PRAYER – O God, Who through St. Philip, Thy Confessor, gave us an outstanding example of humility, grant that Thy household may follow his example by scorning worldly prosperity and, ever seek the things of 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

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes

Quote/s of the Day – 23 August – Doing great things for God, like St Philip Benezi

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Quote/s of the Day – 23 August – St Philip Benizi OSM (1233-1285) Confessor

“Nothing great is ever achieved,
without enduring much.”

St Catherine of Siena

“We will never do anything great for God
if we do not realise the great gifts
which God has given us.
The very fact that you have the Catholic Faith
at this time of apostasy,
shows that you are especially blessed by God.
Count yourselves extremely blessed.
Hold onto your Catholic Faith,
despite all the things going on around you ,-
not only in your own life
but in the world in general
AND in the Church!”

St Teresa of Avila

“Know that the greatest service
that man can offer to God,
is to help convert souls.”

St Rose of Lima

Posted in AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Thought for the Day – 23 August – Our Lord Jesus Christ, Teacher of the Devotion to the Admirable Heart of Mary

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St John Eudes – The Admirable Heart of Mary

Our Lord Jesus Christ, Teacher of the Devotion to the Admirable Heart of Mary, Part Two

I have bestowed upon you the royal Heart of your great Queen to be regent of your hearts, to rule and govern them according to the most adorable will of my heavenly Father that you may be entirely fashioned according to His Heart.

I have likewise given you the admirable Heart of my most worthy Mother, which is identified with my own Heart, that it may be your true Heart as well; that my children may possess only one Heart with their Mother, and my members the same Heart as their Head. Thus you may serve, adore and love God with a Heart worthy of His infinite goodness: Corde magno et animo volenti, that is, with an immense and measureless Heart, with a Heart all pure and holy, so that you may sing His divine praises and accomplish all your actions in the spirit, love, humility and all the holy dispositions of her admirable Heart. But in order to make this come true, you must renounce entirely your own heart, that is, your mind, your will and your love of self. Strive, therefore, to rid yourself of your earthly heart that is depraved and wicked, and you shall receive an entirely heavenly, holy and divine Heart.

I have finally given this marvellous Heart as an inestimable treasure containing every possible blessing. It is for you, beloved children, to engrave in your hearts a high esteem, a profound respect and a particular affection for so rich a treasure, and to preserve it jealously by the continuation and increase of your veneration for a Heart so holy and amiable.

It is to encourage you to do so that I have said these things, Set down my words in your hearts and practise them faithfully. In this way, you will become the true children of my holy Mother’s Heart, and you will live according to my own. My eyes and my Heart shall ever watch over your necessities. I will carry you in my innermost Heart. You will yourselves be my Heart, my joy and my delight. I will love you as my own Heart, and I will prepare a glorious habitation for you throughout eternity in my Heart and in the Heart of my blessed Mother, which is one with my own. You shall abide forever in our Hearts, and live by their life, you shall possess all the treasures enclosed in our Hearts, and be immersed and buried in their joys. Our Hearts shall be your paradise, the life of your life, the Heart of your heart.

In the love of these Hearts, or rather, this one Heart, you will eternally love, bless and glorify my holy Mother and the sovereign monarch of all hearts, which is the adorable Heart of the most Holy Trinity. May It be forever praised, adored, and loved by all the hearts of angels and of men!

After listening to the divine words of Our Divine Saviour encouraging us to love and honor the most amiable Heart of His Blessed Mother, we shall now contemplate the operations of His adorable Heart towards the maternal Heart of Mary, whereby He teaches us even more effectively than by His eloquent words. Oh, who could worthily describe the least spark of the Divine Heart of Jesus, that furnace of love, towards the Heart of His admirable Mother?

Our Lord has so loved and honored her maternal Heart that He has exalted it above all the hearts of the universe, and made it the most august empire of His glory and the glorious triumph of His love. He has so loved and honored her Heart as to constitute it a Heaven higher and more brilliant than all the heavens in which He is glorified and loved more ardently than in the empyrean heaven.

God has loved and honored His Mother to such an extent that from the first instant in which He gave her blessed Heart its being, He worked in it countless great miracles, imparting the most abundant communication of His own divine perfections, and rendering it most worthy, noble, perfect, mighty, wise, holy, just, merciful, kind, liberal; He has made it the richest, happiest, most glorious, most amiable and most admirable of all hearts.