CATHOLIC Quotes – Page 230

Thought for the Day – 9 July – “that they be one,”

Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 9 July – The Memorial of Saints St Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, Martyrs of China (Died 1648–1930)

“This past Christmas, Catholics in China rejoiced, despite the ongoing tensions between the “underground” and state-recognised church. For the first time in more than six decades, the faithful openly celebrated as one flock, the incarnation of the eternal Word. For the Catholic community in the Middle Kingdom, Christ’s prayer made in agony, “that they be one,” was finally realised.

The quest for unity in the Chinese Catholic Church has been a long one. The current phase can be traced to the 1950s, when Chairman Mao Zedong closed all churches and the “underground” church developed. In the late 1970s, when the government established the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (C.C.P.A.), the underground church was invited to come under government registration. Some of the faithful and members of the clergy accepted. Many did not. With a new agreement between the Vatican and China on the appointment of bishops, the Catholic Church in China has entered a new era.

It is true that the September 2018 accord between Beijing and the Vatican entails significant structural and political challenges and risks but untold hours of the difficult work of dialogue, by many players from both the underground and the registered church—especially in recent decades—have left the church in a better position to navigate the challenges to come.

…One of the most esteemed priests from the unregistered church, Father Luo Wen, made a plea for unity to his brother priests and faithful during a convocation of priests last December: “This is about our faith, not about our opinion or even principles….Faithfulness to the church was the reason we went underground. The same reason, faithfulness, is why we now embrace the accord.” This perspective is shared by Bishop Guo himself, who said, “The main purpose of our work is to try to preserve the integrity of our faith, not the pursuit of our rights or personal honour when obedience and humility are at stake.””

(Excerpt – Article 21 March 2019 by John A Worthley, America Magazine)

This Video is well worth watching. It gives a balanced and encompassing view of the situation in the Church in China.

St Augustine Xhao Rong and all the Martyrs of China,
Pray for the Church in China, Pray for Us All!

"Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – I will not deny you

Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – The Memorial of Saints St Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, Martyrs of China

“Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.”

Matthew 26:35

“The road is narrow.
He who wishes to travel it more easily,
must cast off all things
and use the cross as his cane.
In other words,
he must be truly resolved,
to suffer willingly,
for the love of God in all things.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church

MORNING Prayers, PAPAL DECREE, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on HUMAN DIGNITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PEACE, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 9 July – ‘Look for neither gain nor gratitude…’

Posted on July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 9 July – Tuesday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 9:32–38 and the Memorial of Saints St Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…Matthew 9:35

REFLECTION – “The presence of the Christian faithful in human groups, should be inspired by that charity, with which God has loved us and with which, He wills, that we should love one another (cf. 1 Jn 4:11). Christian charity truly extends to all, without distinction of race, creed, or social condition – it looks for neither gain nor gratitude. For as God loved us with an unselfish love, so also the faithful should in their charity care for the human person himself, loving him with the same affection with which God sought out man. Just as Christ, then, went about all the towns and villages, curing every kind of disease and infirmity as a sign that the kingdom of God had come (cf. Matt. 9:35ff; Acts 10:38), so also the Church, through her children, is one with men of every condition but especially with the poor and the afflicted… She shares in their joys and sorrows, knows of their longings and problems, suffers with them in death’s anxieties. To those in quest of peace, she wishes to answer in fraternal dialogue, bearing them the peace and the light of the Gospel.
Let Christians labour and collaborate with others in rightly regulating the affairs of social and economic life. With special care, let them devote themselves to the education of children and young people… Furthermore, let them take part in the strivings of those peoples who, waging war on famine, ignorance and disease, are struggling to better their way of life and to secure peace in the world…
However, the Church has no desire at all to intrude itself into the government of the earthly city. It claims no other authority, than that of ministering to men, with the help of God.”…Vatican Council II – Decree on the missionary activity of the Church, “Ad Gentes” # 12

PRAYER – True Light of the world, Lord Jesus Christ, as You enlighten all men for their salvation, give us grace, we pray, to herald Your coming, by preparing Your ways of justice and of peace. Let us invoke Mary Most Holy, who welcomes under her mantle all the tired and worn-out people, so that through an enlightened faith, witnessed in life, we can offer relief, for so many, in need of help, of tenderness, of hope. And may the prayers of Your Martyrs St Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, strengthen us on our journey. Who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. mary most holy pray for us - 9 nov 2018.jpg

st augustine zhao rong martyrs of china pray for us 9 july 2019.jpg

CATHOLIC Quotes, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, PAPAL MESSAGES, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the Day – 8 July – ‘Listen to Him, learn from Him’

Posted on July 8, 2019July 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 8 July – Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of Blessed Peter Vigne (1670-1740), Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration and Founder of the Sisters Of The Blessed Sacrament

“The first thing for a disciple
is to be with the Master,
to listen to Him and to learn from Him.
This is always true and it is true
at every moment of our lives.
If the warmth of God,
of His love, of His tenderness
is not in our own hearts,
then how can we,
who are poor sinners,
warm the heart of others.
This is a life-long journey,
as in the humility of prayer
the Holy Spirit convinces us of
the Lordship of Christ within us.
The Lord calls us to follow Him
with courage and fidelity,
he has made us the great gift
of choosing us as His disciples;
He invites us to proclaim Him
with joy as the Risen one,
but He asks us
to do so by word and by
the witness of our lives, in daily life.
The Lord is the only God of our lives,
and He invites us to strip ourselves
of our many idols
and to worship Him alone.”

Pope Francis

Letter for the Year for Consecrated Life

the first thing for a disciple is to be with the master - pope francis - adoration - 8 july 2019.jpg

Blessed Peter Vigne, Pray for Us!

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – May we never forget Your Presence.

Posted on July 8, 2019July 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 8 July – The Memorial of Blessed Peter Vigne (1670-1740)

“Jesus, so ardently loved,
would that You were known everywhere,
so that the world would glorify You,
who wish to remain hidden
under the appearance of bread and wine
until the end of time.”

“Lord, give me a love
which is ever eager to live
as You would have me live.
May I always wish to glorify You
and never forget Your Presence.”

Blessed Peter Vigne (1670-1740)

Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration

“Contemplating Christ present in the Eucharist and the saving Passion,
Fr Peter Vigne was led to be a true disciple and a faithful missionary
of the Church.
May his example give the faithful,
the desire to draw daring for the mission
from the love of the Eucharist
and from the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament!”

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

Homily on the Beatification of Blessed Peter Vigne,
Sunday, 3 October 2004

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 8 July – “Faith is …”

Posted on July 8, 2019July 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 8 July – Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 9:18–26 and the Memorial of Blessed Peter Vigne (1670-1740)

“Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.”...Matthew 9:22

REFLECTION – “Faith is that which makes us believe from the depths of our souls… all the truths that our religion teaches us, all that the Gospel holds and all that the Church sets before us. The just man lives truly by this faith (Rom 1:17), for it replaces for him, the greater part of his natural senses. It so transforms all things, that the senses are of little use to the soul, which through them is only deceived, whilst faith shews it realities.
Where the eye sees but a poor man, faith sees Jesus (Mt 25:40). Where the ear hears curses and persecution, faith sings: “Rejoice and be glad” (cf Mt 5:12). The touch feels only blows and stonings but faith says: “Be glad you are deemed worthy to suffer for the name of Christ” (cf. Acts 5:41)… The smell perceives only incense, faith tells us that the true incense is “the prayers of the saints” (Rv 8,4).
The senses lead us astray to created beauty, faith thinks of the eternal beauty and despises all created things, for they are as nothing and as dust beside that beauty. The senses hold pain in horror, faith blesses it as a marriage crown that unites it to its Beloved, like a walk with her Bridegroom hand in divine hand. The senses rebel against injuries but faith blesses them: “Bless those that curse you” (Lk 6:28)… she finds them sweet, for in them she shares the lot of Jesus. The senses are full of curiosity, faith is content to know nothing, she thirsts to bury herself and longs to pass her life motionless before the Tabernacle.”… Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916) Hermit and Missionary in the Sahara (Retreat at Nazareth 1897) matthew 9 22 take heart daughter your faith has - faith is - bl charles de foucauld 8 july 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect and strengthen us by Your power throughout this day, even as You have enabled us to begin it. By Your grace, may the our faith be our guide and let our every thought, word and deed aim at doing Your will and what is pleasing in Your sight. Grant that by the prayers of Blessed Peter Vigne, we may ever turn our eyes and hearts to the summit of our faith in the Holy Eucharist. Through Your divine Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen. bl peter vigne pray for us 8 july 2019.jpg

MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on MISSION, The WORD

Thought for the Day – 7 July – Christ IS near at either hand!

Posted on July 7, 2019July 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 7 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

Life of Saint Francis of Assisi
known as the “Anonymous of Perugia”
(13th century)

“The Lord sent them ahead of him to every town and place he intended to visit”

Filled with the Holy Spirit’s graces as he already was, blessed Francis foretold to his brothers what was going to happen to them. In the wood beside the chapel of Saint Mary of the Portioncula, where they were accustomed to meet for prayer, he called together those six brothers he already had and said: “Dearest brothers, let us have a good understanding of our vocation – in His mercy, God has not called us just for our own benefit but for the service and even for the salvation, of many others. So let us go out through the world, let us encourage and show men and women, by word and example, how to do penance for their sins and recall those commandments of God they have forgotten for so long.”

Then he added – “Do not be afraid, little flock (Lk 12,32) but put your trust in the Lord. Don’t ask each other – ‘And how are we going to preach, we who are ignorant and without learning?’ Remember, rather, our Lord’s words to His disciples: ‘It is not you who will be speaking but the Spirit of your Father who will be speaking in you’ (Mt 10,20). Therefore, it is the Lord Himself, who will transmit His Spirit and wisdom to you, to teach men and women the ways and practices of His commandments”.

Christ be near, at either hand,
Christ behind, before me stand;
Christ with me, where’er I go,
Christ around, above, below.

Christ be in my heart and mind,
Christ within my soul enshrined;
Christ control, my wayward heart;
Christ abide and ne’er depart.

Christ my life and only way,
Christ my lantern, night and day;
Christ be my unchanging friend,
guide and shepherd to the end.

christ be near at either hand - 4 june 2018.jpg

PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MISSION, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “Give to whoever asks you…”

Posted on July 7, 2019July 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 and the Memorial of Blessed Maria Romero Meneses F.M.A. (1902-1977)

‘…he sent them on ahead of him, two by two…’

Luke 10:1

“Give to whoever asks you.
And what can I give?
I must give myself,
I must give my intelligence
to teach those who do not know
and to correct those in error.
I must give my life.
I must give my time
so that all the thirsty can drink…”

Blessed Maria Romero Meneses (1902-1977)

DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Sunday Reflection – 7 July – “I Will Give You Rest”

Posted on July 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 7 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

“I Will Give You Rest”

“I will give you rest.
This is what Jesus did during His mortal life and this is what He still does in His continuing life in His Church.
How strongly and gently He received, corrected and raised up Mary of Magdala, Matthew, Peter and Paul!
With what humility and love He continues to receive countless millions of souls in the Eucharistic Communion which marks the highest point of union between the human and the divine!”

St Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

i will give you rest - st john XXIII - sun reflection 7 july 2019.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN Saturdays, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 July – ‘then they will fast …’

Posted on July 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 6 July – Saturday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 9:14–17 – Marian Saturdays

And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they will fast” ...Matthew 9:15

REFLECTION – “However, our mourning is right if we burn with desire to see Him. How happy they were who were able to enjoy His presence before His Passion, to question Him as they wished and listen to Him as necessary… As for us, we see the fulfilment of what He said: “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it” (Lk 17:22)…A little while and you will no longer see me and again a little while and you will see me” (Jn 16:19). But now this is the hour of which He said: “You will weep and mourn but the world will rejoice… But, He added, I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy away from you” (v.22). The hope thus given us by Him, who is faithful in His promises, never now leaves us, without a certain joy — until that overwhelming joy comes on the day when we will be like Him because we will see Him as he is (1Jn 3:2)… “When a woman is in labour, she has pain because her hour has come,” says the Lord, “but when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world”(Jn 16:21). This is the joy no-one can take away from us and with which we will be satisfied when we pass to eternal light from our present conception in faith. So let us fast and pray since we are still on the threshold of birth.“…St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor

PRAYER – Let our worship give You glory Lord, we ask You, in Your mercy, for the grace always to ponder in our hearts what we proclaim with our lips. For our salvation, You looked upon the lowliness of Mary, Your handmaid, raise us up to share with her, the fullness of redemption. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of te Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen. mary our hope handmaid of the lord - pray for us - 26 june 2018

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the Day – 5 July – St Anthony Mary Zaccaria and the 40 Hours Devotion

Posted on July 5, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 5 July – Friday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year Cand the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)

The main devotion and teachings of the orders founded by Saint Anthony were those of Saint Paul, with an emphasis on love for the Eucharist and the suffering of Christ crucified. Dedicated to reformation of the clergy, Saint Anthony earned himself enemies within the church and was twice accused of heresy (both times acquitted). So humble, he refused to serve as superior of his orders, instead travelling, reforming convents and monasteries and extending the membership of the laity.

St Anthony is also known for popularising and renewing, the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, known as the Forty-hour devotion. He also is said to have originated the ringing of church bells at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays, in recognition of the hour of the crucifixion of Christ.

What is the Forty Hours Devotion?
Forty Hours’ Devotion, in Italian called Quarant’ore or Quarantore, is an exercise of devotion in which continuous prayer is made for forty hours before the Blessed Sacrament in solemn exposition and to which Indulgences are attached. A celebration of such a devotion is begun by a Solemn Mass or “Mass of Exposition” and ended by a “Mass of Deposition”. Each of these masses includes a procession and the litany of the saints being chanted.

Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman (1802-1865), first Archbishop of Westminster, England, observed of the Forty Hours:

“In no other time or place, is the sublimity of our religion so touchingly felt. No ceremony is going forward in the sanctuary, no sound of song is issuing from the choir, no voice of exhortation proceeds from the pulpit, no prayer is uttered aloud at the altar. There are hundreds there and yet they are engaged in no congregational act of worship. Each heart and soul is alone in the midst of a multitude; each uttering its own thoughts, each feeling its own grace. Yet you are overpowered, subdued, quelled, into a reverential mood, softened into a devotional spirit, forced to mediate, to feel, to pray. The little children who come in, led by a mother’s hand, kneel down by her in silence, as she simply points toward the altar, overawed by the still splendour before them – the very babe seems hushed to quiet reverence in her bosom.” — From “The Sacramentals of the Holy Catholic Church,” by Andrew A. Lambing

forty-hours-devotion 5 july 20179 each heart and soul - mem of st anthony mary zaccaria.jpg

St Anthony died peacefully at age 36 and was buried in the convent of the Angelics of Saint Paul in Milan. His incorrupt body was translated to the Church of Saint Barnabas in Milan. He is survived by the legacy of the orders he founded, as well as several letters, sermons and other writings in service of the Lord. san-zaccaria-tomb - st anthony mary zaccaria.jpg

Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Pray for US!

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 5 July – St Anthony Mary Zaccaria

Posted on July 5, 2019July 5, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 5 July – Friday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year Cand the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)

In His mercy God has chosen us,
unworthy as we are, out of the world,
to serve Him and thus to advance in goodness
and to bear the greatest possible fruit of love in patience……
We should keep running steadily in the race we have started,
not losing sight of Jesus,
who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection.”

“If you want to obtain what you pray for,
adapt yourself to it, that is,
if you want humility,
do not avoid humiliations.”

“Let them keep in mind, therefore,
that there can be no humility
without reproaches and mockery
and anyone who feels ashamed of them …
may as well abandon all hope,
of being able to achieve perfection.”

“What good thing could God deny us
when He is the one who invites us to ask?”

“That which God commands
seems difficult and a burden.
The way is rough,
you draw back,
you have no desire to follow it.
Yet DO SO – and you will attain glory.”

“The centre and the source
from which everything begins
and to which everything returns.”

“The Eucharist is
the living Crucifix!”

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 July – Jesus feasts on the return of sinners

Posted on July 5, 2019July 5, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 5 July – Friday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 9:9–13 and the Memorial of St Anthony Mary Zaccaria CRSP (1502-1539)

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”…Matthew 9:11

REFLECTION – “Jesus’ sitting at table has more significance for Matthew than just dining. Jesus will be feasting not on food but on the return of sinners. He will call them back through feasting, collegiality and human affection, enjoying Himself with their pleasant conversation while reclining at table. He knew that if they recognised Him as a powerful judge they would be shattered by the terror of His majesty and overwhelmed by the sheer presence of God unveiled (nuda). Thus, veiled in a human body, He was able to communicate with humans. He who wanted to assist the guilty and hides the fact that He was a judge. He who did not deny dignity to faithful servants and conceals His lordship. He who desired the weak to be embraced by a parent’s love, covers His majesty.” … St Peter Chrysologus (c 406 – c 450) – Father of the Church (Sermons, 29) matthew 9 11 why does your teacher eat - jesus sitting at table - st peter chrysologus 5 july 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, You hold out the light of Your Word to those who do not know You. Strengthen in our hearts the faith You have given us, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit has kindled within us. Teach us to show Your love and mercy by our lives and grant that we may extend that love and mercy to all. Freely we have received, may we freely give. Grant us the grace of the wisdom which inspired Saint Anthony Zaccaria to preach the message of salvation in Your church. Grant this, we pray, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. St Anthony Mary Zaccaria, pray for us amen. st anthony mary zaccaria pray for us 5 july 2019.jpg

PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 4 July – ‘…A life lived in Christ’s Spirit..’

Posted on July 4, 2019July 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 4 July – Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and The Memorial of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati OP (1901-1925) “Man of the Eight Beatitudes”

Pier Giorgio Frassati smiled and laughed so freely that he was called “an explosion of joy.” He whistled and sang loudly and hopelessly out of tune. He loved playful teasing and practical jokes. In his early 20’s, he was the picture of strength and health, leading groups of friends into the Alps to scale mountain peaks.

His ready laughter and adventurous spirit were fountains that sprang from a well of holiness. Pier Giorgio was so filled with virtue, that Saint John Paul II, who beatified him in 1990, called him the “Man of the Beatitudes.” Joy of life and love of God coursed readily through his veins. Could anyone who knew him in the sunshine of his youth, in the early twentieth century in Turin, Italy, have believed that he would die before the age of 25?

“At an age in which the passions bubble in the hearts of young people and threaten to break all bounds, Pier Giorgio concentrated his vital forces and kept them in balance.
Day by day, in front of God and men, he learned to conquer himself and to master himself. It would have to be said that, without realising it, he was preparing for leadership, for it is true that, in order to know how to lead the others, first of all one must know how to lead oneself.
The designs of God are incomprehensible, because He sees things from so much higher and so much further than we – both in general and in particular.
But it is permissible to think that, by calling to Himself Pier Giorgio, in the moment in which so many had placed their hopes in him, God intends that his unexpected death, which has caught us unawares, may put in relief, the beauty of his life and that it may attract the attention of you, the young people who will be able to take of inspiration from it.”

Father Martin Stanislaus Gillet, OP, Master-General of the Order of the Friars Preachers, and the man who enrolled Pier Giorgio into the Dominicans

“By his example, he proclaims that a life lived in Christ’s Spirit, the Spirit of the Beatitudes, is “blessed” and that, only the person who becomes a “man or woman of the Beatitudes” can succeed in communicating love and peace to others.
He repeats that it is really worth giving up everything to serve the Lord.
He testifies that holiness is possible for everyone and that, only the revolution of charity, can enkindle the hope of a better future in the hearts of people.”

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005), during the beatification of Blessed Pier

Prayer to Walk the Path of the Beatitudes
By Cardinal Giovanni Saldarini (1924-2011)
Archbishop of Turin

O Father,
You gave to the young Pier Giorgio Frassati
the joy of meeting Christ
and of living his faith
in the service of the poor and the sick,
through his intercession,
may we, too, walk the Path of the Beatitudes
and follow the example of his generosity,
spreading the spirit of the Gospel in society.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen prayer-to-walk-the-path-of-the-beatitudes-4-july2019-memorial-of-bl-pier-giorgio.jpg

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati,
“Man of the Eight Beatitudes”
Pray for Us!

LET US PRAY:

PRAYER FOR THE CANONISATION
OF BLESSED PIER GIORGIO FRASSATI

O merciful God,
Who through the perils of the world
deigned to preserve by Your grace
Your servant the blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
pure of heart and ardent of charity,
listen, we ask You, to our prayers, and
if it is in Your designs that he be glorified by the Church,
show us Your will,
granting us the graces we ask of You,
through his intercession,
by the merits of Jesus Christ, Our Lord,
in union with the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever.
Amen

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

Posted on July 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 4 July – Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C and the Memorial of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati OP (1901-1925)

If someone who has worldly means
sees a brother in need
and refuses him compassion,
how can the love of God remain in him?
Children, let us love, not in word or speech
but in deed and truth…

1 John 3:17-18

“Everyone of you knows,
that the foundation of our religion is charity.
Without it, all our religion would crumble,
because we would not truly be Catholics,
as long as we did not carry out,
or rather shape our whole lives,
by the two commandments
in which the essence of the Catholic Faith lies –
to love God with all our strength
and to love our neighbour as ourselves.”

“I urge you,
with all the strength of my soul,
to approach the Eucharistic Table
as often as possible.
Feed on this Bread of the Angels,
from which you will draw,
the strength, to fight inner struggles.”

“Verso l’alto,”

“To the Heights”

Blessed Pier Giorgio’s famous motto, “Verso l’alto,” Italian for “To the heights,” meant reaching for God as well as the mountain peaks. His regular habit was to attend Mass before heading to the mountains and of visiting the Blessed Sacrament upon his return.
He loved the Eucharist.
He would often spend whole nights in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

“Jesus comes to me every morning
in Holy Communion, I repay Him,
in my very small way, by visiting the poor.
The house may be sordid
but I am going to Christ.”

“The end for which we are created
invites us, to walk a road.
that is surely sown with a lot of thorns
but it is not sad,
through even the sorrow,
it is illuminated by joy.”

“Jesus is with me.
I have nothing to fear.”

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925)

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One Minute Reflection – 4 July – “Rise and walk”

Posted on July 4, 2019July 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 4 July – Thursday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 9:1–8

“Rise and walk”…Matthew 9:5

REFLECTION – “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will bring your mortal bodies to life also.” (Rom 8:11) Now it is a natural human body, then it will be a spiritual body. “Adam the first man, became a living soul, the last Adam has become a life-giving spirit.” (1 Cor 15:45) That is why He “will bring your mortal bodies to life… through His Spirit dwelling in you.”

Oh, what a happy Hallelujah we will sing then! What security! No more adversary, no more enemy, we won’t lose a single friend. Here below, we sing God’s praises in the midst of our worries, in heaven, we will sing them in perfect tranquillity. Here below, we sing them as people who have to die, in heaven, it will be in a life that never ends. Here below, in hope, in heaven, in the reality. Here below, we are travellers, then we shall be in our homeland. So let us begin singing already now, brothers, not in order to savour the rest but in order to alleviate our work. Let us sing like travellers. Sing but without ceasing to walk, sing to console yourself in the midst of fatigue… Sing and walk!

What does that mean, walk? Go forward, make progress in doing good… Go forward by walking towards the good, advance in faith and in the purity of your habits. Sing and walk! Don’t lose your way; don’t turn back, don’t stand still. Let us turn towards the Lord.”... St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor – Sermon 256 rise and walk matthew 9 5 - what does that mean walk - st augustine - 4 july 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Loving God and Father, we turn to You in praise and thanksgiving in good times, in trials and moments of sadness and happiness. May the prayers of Your angels and saints support our weak efforts, today especially we ask St Elizabeth of Portugal and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, to hear our pleas. By the great gift of Your love and mercy You dispel the darkness of sin and bring us to the true Light, Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.

st elizabeth of portugal - pray for us - 4 july 2018

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Thought for the Day – 3 July – ‘..The God he could not see’

Posted on July 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 3 July – Feast of St Thomas Apostle

“My Lord and My God”

Saint Pope Gregory the Great (540-604)
Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church

An excerpt from his Homily 26

Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. He was the only disciple absent, on his return he heard what had happened but refused to believe it. The Lord came a second time, He offered His side for the disbelieving disciple to touch, held out His hands and, showing the scars of His wounds, healed the wound of his disbelief.

Dearly beloved, what do you see in these events? Do you really believe that it was by chance that this chosen disciple was absent, then came and heard, heard and doubted, doubted and touched, touched and believed? It was not by chance but in God’s providence. In a marvellous way, God’s mercy arranged, that the disbelieving disciple, in touching the wounds of his master’s body, should heal our wounds of disbelief. The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the Resurrection.

Touching Christ, he cried out – My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him – Because you have seen me, Thomas, you have believed. Paul said: Faith is the guarantee of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen. It is clear, then, that faith is the proof of what cannot be seen. What is seen gives knowledge, not faith. When Thomas saw and touched, why was he told – You have believed because you have seen me? Because what he saw and what he believed were different things. God cannot be seen by mortal man. Thomas saw a human being, whom he acknowledged to be God and said: -My Lord and my God. Seeing, he believed, looking at one who was true man, he cried out that this was God, the God he could not see.

What follows is reason for great joy – Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed. There is here a particular reference to ourselves, we hold in our hearts one we have not seen in the flesh. We are included in these words but only if we follow up our faith with good works. The true believer practices what he believes. But of those who pay only lip service to faith, Paul has this to say – They profess to know God but they deny him in their works. Therefore James says – Faith without works is dead.

St Thomas, Pray for Us!

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 July – Faith

Posted on July 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 July – Feast of St Thomas Apostle, Gospel John 20:24–29

“Faith is the guarantee
of things hoped for,
the evidence
of things unseen.”

Hebrews 11:1

“This was, therefore, a work of divine providence,
that the separation of the disciple,
would become a harbinger of increasing safety and surety.
For if Thomas had not been absent,
he would not have doubted
and, if he would not have doubted,
he would not have sought strangely
and, if he would not have sought,
he would not have felt
and, if he would not have felt,
he would not have been convinced
of the Lord and God
and, if he did not call Him Lord and God,
then neither would we have been taught
to hymn Him thus.
For Thomas, by not being present,
has led us towards the truth and later,
became more confirmed regarding the faith.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor

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One Minute Reflection – 3 July – “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe!”.

Posted on July 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 July – Feast of St Thomas Apostle, Gospel John 20:24–29

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”…John 20:28 john 20 28 my lord and my god feat of st thomas 3 july 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Put your finger into the marks of the nails”. You looked for Me when I wasn’t there, now take advantage of it. I understand your desire despite your silence. Before you tell Me them I already know your thoughts. I heard you speak and, even though unseen, I was beside you, beside your doubts. Without revealing Myself I made you wait, so as better to consider your eagerness. “Put your finger into the marks of the nails. Put your hand into my side, do not be unbelieving any longer, but believe.”
Then Thomas touched Him and all his mistrust fell away. Full of genuine faith and all the love owing to God, he cried out: “My Lord and my God!” And the Lord said to him – “You believe because you have seen me; happy are those who have not seen and yet believe!” Thomas took the news of the Resurrection to those who had not seen. Draw the whole earth to believe, not by its own sight but at your word. Go through peoples and cities far away. Teach them to carry the cross rather than weapons on their shoulders. Only proclaim me – they will believe and worship. They will demand no other proof. Tell them they are called by grace and, with your own eyes, behold their faith. Truly, blessed are those who did not see and yet believed!
This is the army the Lord raises, these are the children of the baptismal font, the works of grace, the fruit of the Spirit. They have followed Christ without having seen Him, they sought Him and believed. They recognised Him with the eyes of faith not those of the body. They have not put their finger into the mark of the nails but they have bound themselves to His cross and embraced His sufferings. They have not seen the Lord’s side but, by grace, they have become members of His body and have made His words their own: “Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe!”… Basil of Seleucia (Died c 468) Bishop – Sermon for the Resurrection, 1-4

PRAYER – Almighty Father,as we honour Thomas the Apostle, let us always experience the help of his prayers. May we have eternal life by believing in Jesus,
whom Thomas acknowledged as Lord, for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen st thomas pray for us 2.jpg

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Thought for the Day – 2 July – The Anguish of an Absence

Posted on July 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 2 July – Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week, Year C – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 8:23-37

The Anguish of an Absence

by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)

And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord, we are perishing.”
Matthew 8:25

There is a Gospel scene which in an extraordinary way anticipates the silence of Holy Saturday and which again, therefore, seems to be a profile of the moment in history we are living now. Christ is asleep on a boat which, buffeted by a storm, is about to sink.
The prophet Elijah had once made fun of the priests of Baal who were futilely invoking their god to send down fire on their sacrifice. He urged them to cry out louder in case their god was asleep.
But is it true that God does not sleep? Does not the prophet’s scorn also fall upon the heads of the faithful of the God of Israel who are sailing with Him in a boat about to sink? God sleeps while His very own are about to drown – is not this the experience of our lives? Don’t the Church, the faith, resemble a small boat about to sink, struggling futilely against the waves and the wind and all the time God is absent? The disciples cry out in dire desperation and they shake the Lord to wake Him but He is surprised at this and rebukes them, for their small faith. But are things any different for us? When the storm passes we will realise just how much this small faith of ours was charged with stupidity.
And yet, O Lord, we cannot help shaking You, God, You who persist in keeping Your silence, in sleeping and we cannot help crying to You – Wake up, can’t You see we are sinking? Stir Yourself, don’t let the darkness of Holy Saturday last forever, let a ray of Easter fall, even on these times of ours, accompany us when we set out in our desperation towards Emmaus so that our hearts may be enflamed by the warmth of Your nearness.
You who, hidden, charted the paths of Israel only to become a man in the end with men – don’t leave us in the dark, don’t let Your word be lost in these days of great squandering of words.

Lord, grant us Your help, because without You we will sink. Amen

matthew 8 25 save us lord we are perishing - joseph ratzinger - the anguish of absence - wake up lord 2 july 2019.jpg

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – “Why are you afraid…?”

Posted on July 2, 2019July 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – Tuesday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Matthew 8:23-37

“Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?”

Matthew 8:26

“Whoever has become a servant of the Lord, fears only his Master.
But whoever is without the fear of God,
is often afraid of his own shadow.
Fearfulness is the daughter of unbelief.
A proud soul is the slave of fear,
hoping in itself,
it comes to such a state,
that it is startled by a small noise
and is afraid of the dark.”

St John Climacus (579-649)

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One Minute Reflection – 2 July – ‘It is not a calm sky, beloved but the storm which tests a pilot’s skill.’

Posted on July 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 2 July – Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week, Year C – Today’s Gospel: Matthew 8:23-37 and the Memorial of Blessed Eugénie Joubert (1876–1904)

“Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves but he was asleep.”… Matthew 8:24

REFLECTION – “The sea offered its heaving back for Christ to walk upon. Now it levelled its crests to a plain, checked its swelling and bound up its billows. It provided rocklike firmness, so He could walk across the waterway. Why did the seas heave so, and toss and pitch, even as if threatening its Creator? And why did Christ Himself, who knows all the future, seem so unaware of the present thatHhe gave no thought to the onrushing storm, the moment of its height and the time of its peril? While all the rest were awake, He alone was fast asleep even with utter doom threatening both Himself and His dear ones. Why? It is not a calm sky, beloved but the storm which tests a pilot’s skill. When the breeze is mild, even the poorest sailor, can manage the ship. But in the crosswinds of a tempest, we want the best pilot with all His skill.”… Saint Peter Chrysologus (c 406 – c 450) (Sermons, 20) matthew 8 24 suddenly a violent sorm..but he was asleep-it is not a calm sky but the storm which tests st peter chryologus 2 july 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, grant me an operative faith – a faith that will move mountains and is strong enough to know that absolutely nothing and no-one here on earth can compare to You. Let me show that faith by lively love and by loving deeds and by conforming myself to Your will in all things – teach me that only YOU are first in line. This is how you lived your life Bl Eugénie Joubert putting only the God who created us first and now you are a Saint. Please pray for us. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and for always, amen. bl eugenie joubert pray for us 2 july 2019.jpg

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Pope Francis to Canonise Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890) on 13 October 2019

Posted on July 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

The Vatican announces the date of the Canonisation of Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890), along with four others on Sunday 13 October 2019, the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C.

“Praise to the Holiest in the height
And in the the depth be praise.
In all His words most wonderful,
Most sure in all His ways!”
Blessed John Henry Newman

In February, the Pope signed a decree recognising a second miracle attributed to Blessed John Henry Newman, the inexplicable healing of a woman with a “life-threatening pregnancy”.

Ordained a Catholic priest in 1847, he was made a cardinal by Pope Leo XIII in 1879, although he was not a bishop. Newman’s conversion to the Catholic faith was controversial in England and resulted in him losing many friends, including his own sister who never spoke to him again.

The British cardinal founded the Oratory of St Philip Neri in England and was particularly dedicated to education, founding two schools for boys. He died in Birmingham in 1890 at the age of 89.

In October, Cardinal Newman will become Britain’s first new saint since the Canonisation of St John Ogilvie (1579-1615) Martyr, Memorial 10 March, in 1976.

At Newman’s beatification Mass in Birmingham, England in September 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said that Newman’s “insights into the relationship between faith and reason, into the vital place of revealed religion in civilised society and into the need for a broadly-based and wide-ranging approach to education, were not only of profound importance for Victorian England but continue today, to inspire and enlighten many all over the world. “What better goal could teachers of religion set themselves than Blessed John Henry’s famous appeal for an intelligent, well-instructed laity: ‘I want a laity, not arrogant, not rash in speech, not disputatious but men who know their religion, who enter into it, who know just where they stand, who know what they hold and what they do not, who know their creed so well that they can give an account of it, who know so much of history that they can defend it…..”

As Blessed, John Henry’s Memorial is 9 October, the date he was received into the Catholic Church.

“God has created me to do Him some definite service.
He has committed some work to me
which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission.
I may never know it in this life
but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for naught.
I shall do good, I shall do His work.
I shall be an angel of peace,
a preacher of truth in my own place,
while not intending it,
if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him…
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him,
in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him…
He does nothing in vain…
He may take away my friends.
He may throw me among strangers.
He may make me feel desolate,
make my spirits sink,
hide the future from me.
Still, He knows what He is about.”

+++++++++++++++++++++

The Others to be Canonised on the same day are:

Sister Mariam Thresia of India is the founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family.

Italian Sister Giuseppina Vannini is the founder of the Daughters of Saint Camillus.

Brazilian Sister Dulce Lopes Pontes of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God.

Marguerite Bays of Switzerland, of the Third Order of Saint Francis of Assisi.

+++++++++++++++++++++

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Quote of the Day – 1 July – The Blood of Christ

Posted on July 1, 2019July 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 1 July – Monday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Tim, Year C – July the Month of the Most Precious Blood

“The Blood of Christ
is His sacrifice
applied to us,
it enters the souls
of the redeemed,
it is the
inextinguishable
source of all heroism!”

St John XXIII (1881-1963)

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One Minute Reflection – 1 July – He totally encloses us …

Posted on July 1, 2019July 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 1 July – Monday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s Gospel Matthew 8:18–22 and the Memorial of Bl Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855)

“Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”…Matthew 8:20 matthew 8 20 - foxes have dens 1 july 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “He [ Jesus] is our clothing, that for love wraps us and winds us,
embraces us and totally encloses us, hanging about us in tender love.”… Blessed
Julian of Norwich (c 1342-c 1430) he-jesus-is-our-clothing-julian-of-norwich-1-july-2019.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, be the beginning and the end of all that we are and do and say. Prompt our actions with Your grace, may Your light be our only way, may Your commands be our only need and complete all, with Your all-powerful help. Blessed Antonio Rosmini who gave all for the sake of glory of God, pray for us! We make our prayer through Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen. bl antonio rosmini praty for us 1 july 2019.jpg

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Thought for the Day – 30 June – We proclaim Christ to the whole world

Posted on June 30, 2019June 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 30 June – Thirteenth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:51–62

We proclaim Christ to the whole world

Saint Paul VI (1897-1978)
Bishop of Rome

An excerpt from one of his homilies

Not to preach the Gospel would be my undoing, for Christ Himself sent me as His apostle and witness. The more remote, the more difficult the assignment, the more my love of God spurs me on. I am bound to proclaim that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God. Because of Him we come to know the God we cannot see. He is the firstborn of all creation, in Him all things find their being. Man’s teacher and redeemer, He was born for us, died for us and for us He rose from the dead.

All things, all history converges in Christ. A man of sorrow and hope, He knows us and loves us . As our friend He stays by us throughout our lives, at the end of time He will come to be our judge but, we also know that He will be the complete fulfilment of our lives and our great happiness for all eternity.

I can never cease to speak of Christ for He is our truth and our light; He is the way, the truth and the life. He is our bread, our source of living water who allays our hunger and satisfies our thirst. He is our shepherd, our leader, our ideal, our comforter and our brother.

He is like us but more perfectly human, simple, poor, humble and yet, while burdened with work, He is more patient. He spoke on our behalf, He worked miracles and He founded a new kingdom: in it the poor are happy, peace is the foundation of a life in common, where the pure of heart and those who mourn are uplifted and comforted, the hungry find justice, sinners are forgiven and all discover that they are brothers.

The image I present to you is the image of Jesus Christ. As Christians you share His name, He has already made most of you His own. So once again I repeat His name to you Christians and I proclaim to all men – Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, Lord of the new universe, the great hidden key to human history and the part we play in it. He is the mediator—the bridge, if you will—between heaven and earth. Above all He is the Son of man, more perfect than any man, being also the Son of God, eternal and infinite. He is the son of Mary His mother on earth, more blessed than any woman. She is also our mother in the spiritual communion of the mystical body.

Remember: [it] is Jesus Christ I preach day in and day out. His name I would see echo and re-echo for all time even to the ends of the earth. i am the way the truth and the life jon 14 8 31 march 2019 laetare sunday.jpg

Yet I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me!
Galatians 2.20

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Quote of the Day – 30 June – Don’t look back

Posted on June 30, 2019June 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 30 June – Thirteenth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:51–62

Another said,
“I will follow you, Lord
but let me first say farewell to those at my home.”
Jesus said to him,
“No-one who puts his hand to the plough
and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:61-62

“You learn to speak by speaking,
to study by studying,
to run by running,
to work by working
and just so, you learn to love by loving.
All those who think to learn
in any other way
deceive themselves.”

“The Lord delights in every little step you take.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

“You cannot be half a saint.
You must be a whole saint or no saint at all.”

“Detach the heart from creatures
and you shall find God.”

St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Doctor of the Church

“Why don’t you give yourself to God
once and for all… really… NOW!”

St Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)

“Holiness is heroism.”

Bishop Robert Barron

“If you aren’t changing your schedule
to follow Jesus,
you are not a disciple of Jesus.”

Father Mike Schmitz

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One Minute Reflection – 30 June – “Follow me.”

Posted on June 30, 2019June 29, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 30 June – Thirteenth Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:51–62 and the Memorial of Gennaro Maria Sarnelli C.Ss.R. (1702–1743)

“Follow me.”…Luke 9:59

REFLECTION – “The Saviour preceded us on the path of poverty. All the possessions of heaven and earth belonged to Him. They presented for Him no danger, He could make use of them while keeping His heart completely free. But He knew that it is almost impossible for a human being to have possessions without subjecting ourselves to them and becoming a slave. That is why He gave up everything and so showed us by His example, even more than by His words, that only the one who possesses nothing possesses everything. His birth in a stable and His flight to Egypt already showed, that the Son of the Man had nowhere to rest His head. Whoever wants to follow Him must know that we have here below no permanent dwelling. The more deeply we become aware of it, the more ardently we shall aim towards our future dwelling and we shall exult in the thought, that we will find our home in heaven.”…St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] (1891-1942) Martyr – Meditation for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

PRAYER – Lord God, strength of those who hope in You. Support us in our prayer because we are weak and can do nothing without You. Help us as we follow Your Son, whose Light leads us home to You. Grant us always the help of Your grace and listen, we pray to the prayers of Blessed Gennaro Maria Sarnelli, who cries to You on our behalf. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in unity with You and the Holy Spirit, one G always and for all eternity, amen. bl gennaro maria sarnelli pray for us 30 june 2019.jpg

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Thought for the Day – 29 June – Glorious Princes of the earth and Servants of Heaven!

Posted on June 29, 2019June 29, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 29 June – The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100 – c 1170)
Cistercian Monk

Sermon 49, 1st for the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul

“These were men of mercy whose good deeds shall not be forgotten; the wealth they have left their inheritance will last for ever” (Latin liturgy; cf. Sir 44:10-11).”

Today, beloved, we are celebrating the birthday of the apostles Peter and Paul and it is altogether fitting that… such a death should be called ‘birth’ since it gave birth to life… See to what the saints have come – through the death that bestows life, they leave this life that leads to death, so as to come to that life-giving life, which is in the hands of Him who, as Christ said: “has life in Himself” – the Father (Jn 5:26)…

There are three kinds of people who are merciful. The first give of their goods… so as to contribute out of their superfluity to the penury of their neighbour… The second give all their goods away and, for them… everything is held in common with others from then on… But as for the third, they not only expend all they have but are “themselves utterly spent” (2 Cor 12:15) and give themselves up in person to the dangers of prison, exile and death so that they may rescue others from the dangers in which their souls are lying. They pour themselves out because they are so full of ardent desire for others. They will receive the reward of that love of which “there is no greater – to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13)… Such are those glorious princes of the earth and servants of heaven of whom today – after long privations “from hunger and thirst, cold and nakedness”, exhaustion and danger, “from their own race, from Gentiles, from false brethren” (2 Cor 11:26-27) – we celebrate the death that was so magnificently victorious. To such as these, the saying well applie – “Their good deeds shall never be forgotten” because they have not forgotten mercy… Yes, to the merciful, “their lot has fallen in a pleasant land, their inheritance is without compare” (Ps 16[15]:6).

Glorious Saints Peter and Paul, Pray for Us!

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Quote/s of the Day – 29 June – Their sound has gone out into all the earth!

Posted on June 29, 2019June 29, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 29 June – The Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

“Their sound has gone out
into all the earth
and their words
to the ends of the world”

Psalm 19:5

“There must be general rejoicing, dearly beloved,
over this holy company whom God has appointed
for our example in patience and for our confirmation in faith.
But we must glory even more in the excellence of their fathers,
Peter and Paul, whom the grace of God has raised
to such a height among all the members of the Church
that He has set them like twin lights
of eyes in that Body whose head is Christ.”

“Saint Peter does not cease to preside over his See
and preserves an endless sharing, with the Sovereign Priest.
The firmness that he received from the Rock which is Christ,
he himself, having become the Rock,
transmits it equally to his successors.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)

Doctor of the Church’s Unity

“And so it is with Rome, where the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, gave with their blood their final witness. The vocation of Rome is of apostolic origin and the ministry which it is our lot to exercise here, is a service for the benefit of the entire Church and of mankind. But it is an irreplaceable service, because it has pleased the Wisdom of God to place the Rome of Peter and Paul, so to speak, on the road that leads to the eternal City, by the fact that Wisdom chose to confide to Peter—who unifies in himself the College of Bishops—the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”

	Saint of the Day – 2… on Saint of the Day – 25 October…
	Saint of the Day – 2… on Saint of the Day – 24 October…
	Saint of the Day – 2… on Saint of the Day – 23 October…
	October 31 Blessings… on Quote/s of the Day– 31 October…
	Saints of the Day –… on Saints of the Day – 22 October…

St Augustine Xhao Rong and all the Martyrs of China, Pray for the Church in China, Pray for Us All!

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Matthew 26:35

St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church

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Pope Francis

Blessed Peter Vigne, Pray for Us!

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Blessed Peter Vigne (1670-1740)

Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration

St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

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Luke 10:1

Blessed Maria Romero Meneses (1902-1977)

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“I Will Give You Rest”

St Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

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Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, Pray for US!

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St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

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Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, “Man of the Eight Beatitudes” Pray for Us!

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1 John 3:17-18

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925)

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“My Lord and My God”

Saint Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church

St Thomas, Pray for Us!

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Hebrews 11:1

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor

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The Anguish of an Absence

by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI)

Lord, grant us Your help, because without You we will sink. Amen

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Matthew 8:26

St John Climacus (579-649)

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St John XXIII (1881-1963)

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We proclaim Christ to the whole world

Saint Paul VI (1897-1978) Bishop of Rome

Yet I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me! Galatians 2.20

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Luke 9:61-62

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church

St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897) Doctor of the Church

St Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)

Bishop Robert Barron

Father Mike Schmitz

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Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100 – c 1170) Cistercian Monk

Glorious Saints Peter and Paul, Pray for Us!

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Psalm 19:5

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)

Doctor of the Church’s Unity

St Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)

Exhortation on Christian Joy, 1975

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St Augustine Xhao Rong and all the Martyrs of China,
Pray for the Church in China, Pray for Us All!

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati,
“Man of the Eight Beatitudes”
Pray for Us!

Saint Pope Gregory the Great (540-604)
Bishop of Rome and Great Western Father and Doctor of the Church

Saint Paul VI (1897-1978)
Bishop of Rome

Yet I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me!
Galatians 2.20

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Doctor of the Church

Blessed Isaac of Stella O.Cist. (c 1100 – c 1170)
Cistercian Monk