Day: October 8, 2026

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 8 October – Saint Nestor of Thessalonica

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint Nestor of Thessalonica, martyr, was a wrestler known for having been the student of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica, who instructed Nestor in the Faith. The emperor was visiting Thessaloniki, and he built a high platform in the midst of the city so that a gigantic barbarian named Lyaios could wrestle there, seen by all. Beneath the platform many spears and other sharp weapons were placed pointing upward. When Lyaios defeated his opponents, he threw them down onto the spears. As a method of execution, Christians were killed in this way. When Nestor saw how Emperor Maximian rejoiced over the victories of his champion, he despised his pride. Seeing the miracles of Saint Demetrios, however, he was inspired and went to the prison where the holy martyr was confined, and fell at his feet.

“Pray for me, O Servant of God Demetrios,” he said, “that by your prayers, God may help me to beat Lyaios, and put an end to him who brings reproach upon the Christians.”

The saint, after making the Sign of the Cross over Nestor, told him that he would prevail over Lyaios, and then suffer for Christ. Nestor mounted the platform without fear and exclaimed: “Help me, O God of Demetrios.” After he defeated Lyaios, he hurled him down onto the spears, where he died.

Maximian (co-ruler with Diocletian) became enraged and ordered that both Nestor and Demetrios should be put to death. Saint Demetrios was stabbed with spears, and Saint Nestor was beheaded.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES

Notre-Dame du Bon Remède / Our Lady of Good Remedy, France (1197) and Memorials of the Saints – 8 October

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Notre-Dame du Bon Remède / Our Lady of Good Remedy, France (1197) – 8 October:

In 1197, a Sorbonne Doctor of Theology and newly Ordained Priest, Jean de Matha, while saying his first Holy Mass, saw a vision of an Angel with a red and blue cross on his chest and his hands resting on the heads of two captives. The following year, St Jean founded a religious order dedicated to the redemption of Christians held as slaves by Moslems — the Hospitaler Order of the Most Holy Trinity and of Captives, commonly called the Trinitarians. On their habit, Jean placed the Cross he had seen on the Angel,and, as their Patron, he gave them Notre-Dame du Bon Remède, a popular devotion in his Provençal homeland. Now devoted largely to education and evangelisation, for three centuries they raised funds and travelled from Europe into Africa to buy thousands of captives’ freedom with Our Lady’s help. A painting (right) in the Trinitarian Motherhouse of Cerfroid in northern France, shows Our Lady of Good Remedy giving a bag of money to St Jean/John of Matha, while a grateful freedman and St Felix of Valois, look on. The Order celebrates her feast day 8 October.

800 years ago Christians were being captured and sold into slavery by the thousands, and nobody knew what to do about it. Then, in the year 1198, a man had an idea. St. John of Matha founded the Trinitarians to go to the slave markets, buy the Christian slaves and set them free. To carry out this plan, the Trinitarians needed large amounts of money. So, they placed their fund-raising efforts under the patronage of Mary. They were so successful that, over the centuries, the Trinitarians were able to free thousands and thousands of people and to return them safely home. In gratitude for her miraculous assistance, St. John of Matha honoured Mary with the title of “Our Lady of Good Remedy.” Devotion to Mary under this ancient title is widely known in Europe and Latin America and the Church celebrates her feast day on 8 October. Our Lady of Good Remedy is often depicted as the Virgin Mary handing a bag of money to St. John of Matha. When in need – for whatever reason but especially where you have had difficulty obtaining help – invoke the aid of Our Lady of Good Remedy and you will surely experience the power of her intercession.

St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303-1373) Widow, Religious, Mystic, Confessor, Founder of the Bridgettines Nuns and Monks, author of “The Pieta” book of devotions.
Feast day pre-1969 is today 8 October

St Amor of Aquitaine
St Artemon of Laodicia
St Badilo
St Benedicta of Laon
St Benedicta of Origny-sur-Oise
St Evodius of Rouen
St Felix of Como (Died 390) Bishop
St Gratus of Chalons

St Hugh Canefro (1148-1233) Religious of the Order of Malta, Apostle of Charity, Miracle-Worker.

Bl John Adams
Bl John Lowe
St Keyna
St Laurentia
St Nestor of Thessalonica
St Palatias

St Pelagia the Penitent (Fourth or Fifth Century) Recluse. Like St Mary Magdalen and St Mary of Egypt, St Pelagia inspired Christians of the Middle Ages as an enchanting icon of repentance.

St Peter of Seville
Bl Ragenfreda

St Reparata (3rd century) Virgin Martyr in Caesarea, Palestine.

St Simeon – The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St Luke

St Thaïs the Penitent
St Triduna
—
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed José María Ruano López- Marist Martyrs of Barcelona – 46 beati:
• Blessed Ángel Roba Osorno• Blessed Anicet Falgueras Casellas• Blessed Antoni Badía Andale• Blessed Antoni Roig Alembau• Blessed Carles Brengaret Pujol• Blessed Casimir Riba Pi• Blessed Feliciano Ayúcar Eraso• Blessed Felipe Ruiz Peña• Blessed Félix Ayúcar Eraso• Blessed Fermín Latienda Azpilicueta• Blessed Ferran Suñer Estrach• Blessed Florentino Redondo Insausti• Blessed Fortunato Ruiz Peña• Blessed Gregorio Faci Molins• Blessed Isidro Serrano Fabón• Blessed Jaume Morella Bruguera• Blessed Jeroni Messegué Ribera• Blessed Jesús Menchón Franco• Blessed Joan Pelfort Planell• Blessed Joan Tubau Perelló• Blessed José María Ruano López• Blessed José Miguel Elola Arruti• Blessed Josep Ambrós Dejuán
• Blessed Josep Blanch Roca• Blessed Josep Cesari Mercadal• Blessed Josep Mir Pons• Blessed Juan Núñez Casado• Blessed Julio García Galarza• Blessed Leocadio Rodríguez Nieto• Blessed Leoncio Pérez Gómez• Blessed Lucio Izquierdo López• Blessed Lucio Zudaire Armendía• Blessed Mariano Alonso Fuente• Blessed Néstor Vivar Valdivieso• Blessed Nicolás Pereda Revuelta• Blessed Nicolás Ran Goñi• Blessed Pedro Ciordia Hernández • Blessed Pere Sitges Puig• Blessed Ramon Mill Arán• Blessed Santiago Saiz Martínez• Blessed Santos Escudero Miguel• Blessed Segismundo Hidalgo Martínez• Blessed Serafín Zugaldía Lacruz• Blessed Trifón Lacunza Unzu• Blessed Victor Gutiérrez Gómez• Blessed Victoriano Gómez Gutiérrez• Blessed Victoriano Martínez Martín.

Posted in ONE Minute REFLECTION

One Minute Reflection – – 8 October – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – – 8 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Readings: Ps 118:75; 118:120, Ps 118:1, 1 Tim. 5:3-10, Matt 13:44-52

The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things?

Matt 13:44-52

REFLECTION – Know that on the final judgment day the Word my Son will come in my divine majesty to reprove the world with divine power. It will not be like when he was born in poverty, coming from the Virgin’s womb into the stable among the animals, and then dying between two thieves. At that time I had my power in him to allow him to suffer pains and tortures as a man – not that my divine nature was cut off from his human nature, but I let him suffer as a man to atone for your sins. Not so will he come in this end time. Then he will come in power to reprove these people in person.

For the just it will be a cause for reverent fear and great rejoicing. Not that his face will change - for he is one with my divine nature and therefore unchangeable, and even in his human nature his face is unchangeable since it has taken on the glory of his resurrection. But it will seem so to the eyes of the damned. For they will see him with their terribly darkened vision.

A sick eye sees nothing but darkness when it looks into such lightsomeness - and it is no fault of the light that it seems so different to the two; the fault is in the sick eye. So the damned see my Son in darkness, confusion, and hatred, not through any fault of my divine Majesty with which he comes to judge the world, but through their own fault.

The Dialogue of St Catherine of Siena

PRAYER – Lord God and Father, who entrusted the earth to men and each to the other, grant us the grace this day, to see Your Face. Grant us the grace to work faithfully for Your glory, for the salvation of our souls through the light of faith and by the grace which You have given us. We beg the grace of Your love and mercy and the light of love You send with Your Holy Spirit. May the prayers of Mary our Holy Mother, keep us ever in her guiding care. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in CATHOLIC Quotes

Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – St Bridget of Sweden

Posted on by AnaStpaul

A golden hour was my conception, for then began the principle of the salvation of all, and darkness hastened to light.

When I was born, it was not unknown to the demons, but speaking by a certain similitude, they thus thought: “So a certain virgin is born, what shall we do? For it is evident that something wonderful is to take place in her. If we throw around her all the nets of our malice, she will burst them like tow. If we examine all her heart, it is defended by a strong garrison. There is no spot in her for a spear to touch. Therefore, we may fear lest her purity be our torture. Her grace will crush all our strength; her constancy prostrate us beneath her feet.”

But the friends of God, who were in long expectation, said by divine inspiration: “Why grieve we more? We should rather rejoice, for the light is born that is to dispel our darkness, and our desire shall be accomplished.” And the angels of God rejoiced, although their joy was always in the vision of God, saying: “Something desirable is born on earth, and especially beloved by God, whereby true peace will be restored to heaven and earth, and our losses shall be made up.”

And when he beheld me spent with grief, he was so afflicted by my pain, that all the pain of his own wounds, was, as it were, dulled at the sight of the grief in which he beheld me. Hence, I say boldly, that his pains were mine, because his heart was mine. For as Adam and Eve sold the world for an apple, so my Son and I redeemed the world, as it were, with one heart. Think, then, how I was at the death of my Son, and you will not find it hard to leave the world.

Much doth the world resemble a desert, with wild beasts, fruitless trees, and unclean waters; because man, like a wild beast, was eager to pour out his neighbour’s blood, unfruitful in works of justice, and unclean by incontinence and cupidity. In this wilderness, then, men sought the turbid well, — that is, the love of the world and its honor, which is high in pride, turbid in the care and solicitude of the flesh, — and by the seven mortal sins, had, as it were, entrance by seven ways.

Before I began to walk and labour, a voice resounded before me, saying: “The axe is laid to the tree.” What was this voice but John the Baptist, who, sent before me, cried out in the desert: “The axe is laid to the tree as if to say: “Man is now ready, because the axe is ready.” And he came, preparing the way to the city, and extirpating all obstacles.

I am she, who from eternity have been in the love of God.

Posted in OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS

Thought for the Day – 8 October – The Angels help in temporal things

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Glories of the Holy Angels

Venerable Henri Boudon, Archdeacon of Evreux

After having spoken in a general way of the benefits accruing to us from the Angels, let us descend to particulars, that the hearts of men may be inexcusable, and be obliged to love these amiable spirits. If favours be to love, what wood is to fire with what ardour should we not burn for the holy Angels, overwhelmed as we are with their kindnesses and benefactions, even in temporal things.

They provide for our education—They were these glorious spirits who trained up the little Baptist in the desert, after the death of his holy mother, which took place forty days after she had fled with him from the persecution of Herod. They provide for our bodily nourishment—as in the case of the holy martyrs Firminian and Busticus, and the prophets Elias and Daniel. They procure for us honours: a great number of Angels attended at the death of St. Agatha, and composed her epitaph. They recreate our senses :—for six months preceding the death of St. Nicholas of Tolentine, they played for him on musical instruments. And during the three days that intervened between the death of the Holy Virgin and her Assumption into Heaven, they made most melodious concerts near her sacred remains, for the consolation of those who approached them. They accompany us in our journeys—as is evident from the case of Tobias. They visit and console us—as the lives of the Fathers of the desert, and those of St. Lidwine and St. Francis testify, as well as the acts of the martyrs. And think not, says Abbe Kupert, that they never visited these servants of God, but when they visibly appeared; they have often been invisibly present, supporting them in their trials, consoling them in their sorrows, and assuaging their torments.

If they procure us benefits, they also deliver us from evils. They freed St. Peter from his chains, delivered Daniel from the lions, and Isaac from the sacrificing knife. In the Book of Machabees, we have prodigious examples of the zeal with which they espouse the cause of man, often openly combating for him against his enemies. In fine, there is no want, natural, moral, or physical, in which the holy Angels do assist us. Let us here consider and admire the protection afforded by the Angels to the Hebrew people. It was an Angel who conducted them in the wilderness for the space of forty years, by means of a cloud during the day, and a pillar of fire by night—and by the movement given to it by him, they were sheltered from the scorching rays of the sun, and preserved from the hands of Pharaoh and his Egyptians.

I leave it to the piety of those who read these truths, to reflect at leisure on this admirable conduct. However slightly they are considered, it is impossible not to be convinced that the services rendered to man by the Angels are incomparable—and that the name of the Lord should be magnified, who operates these wonders by the agency of the ministers of his celestial court.