Quote of the Day – 18 May
“Let us offer ourselves without delay
and without reserve to Mary
and beg her to offer us, herself, to God.”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Doctor zelantissimus (Most Zealous Doctor)
Category: CATHOLIC Quotes
One Minute Reflection – 18 May
One Minute Reflection – 18 May
“You are the glory of Jerusalem!
You are the great pride of Israel!
You are the great boast of our nation!……Judith 15:9
REFLECTION – “Those who want to prevent their heart from being pervaded by the evils of earth, should entrust it to the Blessed Virgin, our Lady and our Mother. They will then regain it in heaven, freed from all evils.”……………St Francis de Sales
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, move me to entrust my heart and my affections to Your Holy Mother. Grant that her prayers may keep me from all evil and firmly attached to You forever. Holy Mary, Holy Mother, pray for us, amen.
Quote of the Day – 17 May
Quote of the Day – 17 May
“There is no more efficacious means than this (Eucharistic Adoration)
for nourishing and increasing the piety of the people
toward this admirable pledge of love
which is a bond of peace and of unity.”
St Paschal Baylon
One Minute Reflection – 17 May
One Minute Reflection – 17 May
“He who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal”……………….John 6:54
REFLECTION – “God is as really present in the consecrated Host as He is in the glory of Heaven”…..St Paschal Baylon
PRAYER – Lord Jesus Christ, never let me abstain from receiving You in Holy Communion and let me always find the time to visit You in the Tabernacle. Lord teach enlighten my mind with a fuller love and understanding of Your Eucharistic Heart. St Paschal Baylon, Seraph of the Eucharist, pray for us all! Amen
Saint of the Day – 17 May – St Paschal Baylon OFM (1540-1592) “Servant of the Eucharist”
Saint of the Day – 17 May – St Paschal Baylon (1540 (feast of Pentecost) at Torre Hermosa, Aragon, (modern Spain) – 15 May 1592 (feast of Pentecost) at Villa Reale, Spain of natural causes) Franciscan lay brother, Mystic, Contemplate, known as the “Seraph of the Eucharist,” “Saint of the Blessed Sacrament,” “Servant of the Eucharist.” Patron of cooks, shepherds, Eucharistic congresses and organisations (proclaimed by Pope Leo XIII on 28 November 1897), Diocese of Segorbe-Castellón de la Plana, Spain, Obado, Bulacan, Philippines. Attributes – The Eucharist, Monstrance, Franciscan habit.
Today, 17 May marks the Feast Day of Saint Paschal Baylon, mystic, known for his profound devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. While Saint Paschal never became a priest, he is the saint most often thought of in relation to the Holy Eucharist and Pope Leo XIII declared him the patron saint of Eucharistic congresses and associations. He wrote, “There is no more efficacious means than this for nourishing and increasing the piety of the people toward this admirable pledge of love, which is a bond of peace and of unity.” Among all those most devoted to the Eucharist, Paschal Baylon seemed to the Pope to be “the greatest.”
As a youth, Paschal Baylon tended his family’s sheep. He taught himself to read so that he could pray the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, the popular prayer book of his day. Paschal disciplined himself to endure the harshness and loneliness of a shepherd’s work. And when his sheep trod on others’ vines, he scrupulously paid for the damage out of his own meager resources.
At twenty-one, St Paschal joined the reformed Franciscans of St. Peter of Alcántara at Loreto. As a lay brother, Paschal for many years served as porter and guestmaster with patience and good humor. John Ximenes, his biographer, reports that he was a model friar, always the first at prayer and never once behaving badly in a relationship. “In no single case,” said Ximenes, “do I remember to have noted even the least fault in him, though I lived with him in several of our houses and was his companion on two long journeys.”
Like other saintly doorkeepers Brother André and Solanus Casey, Paschal gained a reputation for miracles.
For example, Martin Crespo once told how the saint freed him from his determination to take vengeance on his father’s murderers:
“One Good Friday there was a lifelike representation of the descent from the cross. Along with everyone else in town, I followed the crucifix borne in triumph through the streets. In a last ditch effort to get me to repent, my friends boxed me in and forced me to endure the preacher’s address. He concluded his eloquent speech in a pathetic peroration, urging me to forgiveness in memory of our Saviour’s passion. His fine discourse left me unmoved and cold.
“Quit tormenting me,” I exclaimed angrily. “It’s no use. I will not forgive them.” Brother Paschal, whom I had not noticed before, stepped forward. He took me by the arm and drew me aside. “My son,” he said, “have you not just now seen a representation of our Lord’s passion?” Then with a glance that penetrated my soul he said: “For the love of Jesus Crucified, my son, forgive them.”
“Yes, Father,” I replied, hanging my head and weeping. “For the love of God I forgive them with all my heart.” I no longer felt the same person. The crowd anxiously awaited the outcome of our mysterious conference. When Paschal announced that I had forgiven my enemies, they burst into applause.”
We remember Paschal Baylon most as the “Saint of the Blessed Sacrament.” Typically he spent as many hours a day as he could worshiping before the Tabernacle. Because of his faithful devotion, the Church has named him Patron of Eucharistic Congresses and conferences. He died in 1592 at the age of fifty-two.
Saint Paschal exhibited an ardent love for Christ and was especially devoted to the Eucharistic Mystery. He traveled from church to church, always on foot, visiting and praying before the Blessed Sacrament, referring to his encounters with “the real presence of Jesus” in these moments. During his prayers, he would often levitate above the floor, so much was his love and zeal for Christ.
Many miracles are attributed to Saint Paschal, including creating fresh-flowing streams by striking the ground, healing, and miraculous charity. Saint Paschal also experienced mystical visions. On one such occasion, while he was out in the fields with his sheep and unable to go to Mass at the nearby monastery, Paschal was waiting for the sound of the Consecration Bell which he always observed in prayer. In his longing to be present at the Holy sacrifice of the Mass, he cried out, “My Master, My adorable Master, Oh that I might see Thee!” Suddenly before him he saw Angels bowed down before a Chalice, with the Blessed Sacrament floating above it. In the Divine Presence of Our Lord, Paschal fell flat on his face and adored God. Then taking courage he gazed upon the beautiful vision.
The “Servant of the Eucharist,” as he was commonly called, died on 17 May Pentecost Sunday, in 1592. His tomb at the Royal Chapel in Villareal, Valencia, Spain immediately became the object of innumerable pilgrimages, even by the king and the nobles of Spain. At his funeral Mass, Saint Paschal’s eyes miraculously opened during the Consecration, adoring the Blessed Sacrament even in death. Since his death, strange occurrences have continued to be reported, known as the “Knocks of St. Paschal.” At first, the knocks came from Paschal’s tomb. Later they came from relics and pictures of the saint. The knocking sound is believed to come as a kind of warning, to let people know that a terrible event was about to take place. It is also said that in Spain and Italy, those who are devoted to Saint Paschal, are warned about their death, days before, so that they may have a chance to receive the Last Sacraments. Beatified by Pope Paul V in 1618, he was Canonised by Pope Alexander VIII on 16 October 1690.
Quote of the Day – 16 May
Quote of the Day – 16 May
…..”the Polish Martyr rose to the heights of the noblest triumphs which the Church commemorates. Andrew was asked if he were a priest of the Latin rite, and he replied:
‘I am a Catholic priest. I was born in the Catholic faith. In that faith I wish to die. My faith is true; it leads to salvation. Do you rather repent; give place to sorrow for sin, else you will be unable, in your errors, to win salvation. By embracing my faith, you will acknowledge the true God and will save your souls’.
St Andrew Bobola SJ
At these words, those wicked men, utterly devoid of humanity, were roused to a fiendish barbarity and reached such a degree of cruelty that they inflicted still more horrible sufferings on the soldier of Christ. Once again, “he was scourged, a crown like that of Jesus Christ was bound about his head, he was struck heavy blows and lay wounded by a scimitar. Next, his right eye was gouged out, strips of skin were torn off, his wounds were savagely scorched and rubbed with prickly bundles of straw. Nor was that enough: his ears, nose and lips were cut off, his tongue torn out by the root and finally, a weapon plunged into his heart. And, at long last, the valiant athlete, three hours after midday, displaying a truly marvelous example of fortitude, was pierced by a sword and achieved the glory of martyrdom.” ……………….Venerable Pope Pius XII – INVICTI ATHLETAE (On St. Andrew Bobola) Encyclical Promulgated on 16 May 1957
One Minute Reflection – 16 May
One Minute Reflection – 16 May
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven…………..Matthew 5:11-12
REFLECTION – “The mind shudders as it recalls all the tortures which the athlete of Jesus Christ endured with unconquerable fortitude and a faith resolute and unbroken……..We do not think this filled him with fear but rather with a heavenly joy. For We know that he had always prayed for martyrdom and had often recalled these words of the Divine Redeemer..”………Venerable Pope Pius XII
PRAYER – Gracious Lord, help me too to be an apostle of zeal and a ‘hunter of souls’. For I know that is through Your grace and by that grace manifest in my life that I may reach out and help all those around me. Grant me Lord, the courage and zeal of St Andrew Bobola, who I now request for his intercessionary prayers, on behalf of all Your Holy Church. Amen
Quote of the Day – 15 May
Quote of the Day – 15 May
“Mary is the fruitful Virgin and in all the souls in which she comes to dwell she causes to flourish purity of heart and body, rightness of intention and abundance of good works. Do not imagine that Mary, the most fruitful of creatures who gave birth to a God, remains barren in a faithful soul. It will be she, who makes the soul live incessantly for Jesus Christ and will make Jesus live in the soul.”
St Louis de Montfort
One Minute Reflection – 15 May
One Minute Reflection – 15 May
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home…………….John 19:26-27
REFLECTION – “The Blessed Virgin directs to us, all the acts that every mother lavishes on her children.
She loves us, watches over us, protects us and intercedes for us.”……..St John XXIII
PRAYER – As we are now halfway through this beautiful Marian Month of May Lord Jesus, let me have constant recourse to Your holy Mother Mary. Grant that I may be devoted to her who loves me and takes care of me, just as my earthly mother does. Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Pray for us, amen
The Glory of Eucharistic Adoration
The Glory of Eucharistic Adoration
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is one of the best ways to spend time with Jesus. There is so much noise around us these days. Spending a quiet hour with Jesus in humble adoration will bring many graces and blessings to you. Things that you have never even considered before will now be made present to you. Bad things that would have happened to you will now not happen. Here are some thoughts about what Jesus is asking you during this time. As He told Peter, “Could you not spend one hour with me?” St. Peter Julian Eymard tells us all how to spend an hour in Adoration!
“MY CHILD, you need not know much in order to please Me; only love Me dearly. Speak to Me as you would talk to your mother, if she had taken you in her arms. Have you no one to recommend to Me? Tell Me the names of your relations, of your friends; after each name add what you wish Me to do for them. Ask a great deal: I love generous hearts that forget themselves for others.
TELL ME about the poor whom you want to help, the sick whom you have seen suffer, the sinner whom you would convert, the persons who are alienated from you and whose affections you wish to win back. For all recite a fervent prayer. Remind Me that I have promised to grant every prayer that comes from the heart; and surely the prayers are heartfelt which we say for those whom we love and who love us.
HAVE YOU no favours to ask for yourself’? Write, if you like, a long list of all your wishes of all the needs of your soul–and come and read it to Me. Tell Me simply how self-indulgent you are, how proud, how touchy, how selfish, how cowardly, how idle; ask Me to help you to improve. Poor child! Do not blush! There are in heaven many saints who had the same faults as you; they prayed to Me, and, little by little, they were cured.
DO NOT hesitate to ask for the goods of body and mind–for health, for memory, for success. I can give everything and I always give when the gifts would make souls more holy. What do you want today, My child? Oh, if you knew how I longed to do you good!
HAVE YOU no plans to interest you? Tell Me about them. Do they concern your vocation? What do you think of? What would you like? Are you planning some pleasure for your mother, for your family, for your guardian? What do you wish to do for them?
AND HAVE you no thoughts of zeal for Me? Are you not anxious to do a little good for the souls of your friends, for those whom you love and who, perhaps, forget Me? Tell Me who interests you, what motives urge you, what means you wish to take.
CONFIDE TO Me your failures; I will show you the cause. Whom do you wish to see interested in your work? I am the Master of all hearts, My child and I lead them gently where I please. I will place about you those who are necessary to you; never fear!
HAVE YOU nothing to annoy you? My child, tell Me your annoyances, with every detail. Who has pained you? Who as wounded your self-love? Who has treated you contemptuously? Tell Me all and then say that you forgive and forget; and I will give you My blessing.
DO YOU dread something painful? Is there in your soul a vague fear which seems unreasonable and yet torments you? Trust fully in My providence. I am here, I see everything; I will not leave you.
ARE THERE about you friends who seem less kind than formerly, who neglect you through indifference or forgetfulness, without your having consciously done anything to wound them? Pray for them, and I will restore them to you, if there companionship is good for you.
HAVE YOU no joys to tell Me? Why not confide to Me your pleasures? Tell Me what has happened since yesterday to console you, to make you look happy, to give you joy. An unexpected visit has done you good; a fear has been suddenly dispelled; you have met with unlooked for success; you have received some mark of affection in a letter, a present; some trial has left you stronger than you supposed. All these things, My child, I obtained for you. Why are you not grateful? Why do you not say, “I thank you?” Gratitude draws benefits and the benefactor loves to be reminded of His bounty.
HAVE YOU no promises to make Me? You know I read the very bottom of your heart. Men are deceived but not God; be frank.
ARE YOU resolved to avoid that occasion of sin, to give up the object which leads you astray–not to read that book which excites your imagination; to withdraw your friendship from that person who is irreligious and whose presence disturbs the peace of your soul? Will you go at once and be kind to that companion who annoyed you?
WELL, MY child, go now and resume your daily work. Be silent, be honest, be patient, be charitable, love very much the Blessed Mother of Jesus; and tomorrow bring Me a heart even more devoted and loving. Tomorrow I shall have new favours for you.”
With Ecclesiastical Approval
“I love You Lord Jesus,
my love above all things.
I repent with my whole heart
for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself
from You again,
grant that I may love You always
and then do with me what You will!”
One Minute Reflection – 14 May
One Minute Reflection – 14 May
Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” Then they gave lots to them and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles……. Acts 1:24-26
REFLECTION – “”In those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said…” As the fiery spirit to whom the flock was entrusted by Christ and as the leader in the band of the apostles, Peter always took the initiative in speaking: “My brothers, we must choose from among our number.” He left the decision to the whole body, at once augmenting the honour of those elected and avoiding any suspicion of partiality.
Did not Peter then have the right to make the choice himself? Certainly he had the right but he did not want to give the appearance of showing special favour to anyone. “And they nominated two,” we read, “Joseph, who was called Barsabbas and surnamed Justus, and Matthias.” He himself did not nominate them; all present did. But it was he who brought the issue forward, pointing out that it was not his own idea but had been suggested to him by a scriptural prophecy.
And they all prayed together, saying: “You, Lord, know the hearts of men; make your choice known to us. You, not we.” Appropriately they said that he knew the hearts of men, because the choice was to be made by him, not by others.
They spoke with such confidence, because someone had to be appointed. They did not say “choose” but “make known to us” the chosen one; “the one you choose,” they said, fully aware that everything was being preordained by God.”…………… from a homily on the Acts of the Apostles by Saint John Chrysostom
PRAYER – Almighty God, who into the place of the traitor Judas chose thy faithful servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles; grant that Thy Church, being always preserved from false Apostles, may be ordered and guided by faithful and true pastors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. – collect from the feast of Saint Matthias – St Matthias Pray for us!
Thought for the Day – 13 May 2017 – The Centenary of the Apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima and the Canonisation of the Blesseds Francisco and Jacinta Marto
“Yes, Jacinta and Francisco I will take soon but you will stay some time longer. Jesus wants to use you to let others know and love me. He wants to establish devotion to my Immaculate Heart in the world. To whoever embraces it I promise salvation and that their souls will be dear to God like flowers placed by me to adorn his Throne.” – Our Lady to Lucia dos Santos, Fatima Portugal 1917
Saint Pope John Paul II beatified them on 13th May 2000.
PRAYER
Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly and I thank Thee for the Apparitions of the Most Holy Virgin in Fatima.
By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and through the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I implore Thee if it should be for Thy greater glory and the good of our souls – to glorify in the sight of thy Holy Church Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto, granting us through their intercession the grace which we now implore. Amen.
*Francisco Marto (June 11, 1908 – April 4, 1919), his sister Jacinta Marto (March 11, 1910 – February 20, 1920), also known as Blessed Francisco Marto and Blessed Jacinta Marto, and their cousin Lúcia Santos (1907–2005) were children from Aljustrel near Fátima, Portugal who said they witnessed three apparitions of an angel in 1916 and several apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1917. Mary was given the title Our Lady of Fátima as a result, and Fátima became a major centre of world Christian pilgrimage.
The youngest children of Manuel and Olimpia Marto, Francisco and Jacinta were typical of Portuguese village children of that time. They were illiterate but had a rich oral tradition.
According to Lúcia’s memoirs, Francisco had a placid disposition, was somewhat musically inclined, and liked to be by himself to think. Jacinta was affectionate if a bit spoiled. She had a sweet singing voice and a gift for dancing. Following their experiences, their fundamental personalities remained the same. Francisco preferred to pray alone, saying that this would “console Jesus for the sins of the world”. Jacinta said she was deeply affected by a terrifying vision of Hell shown to the children at the third apparition and deeply convinced of the need to save sinners through penance and sacrifice as the Virgin had told the children to do. All three children, but particularly Francisco and Jacinta, practised stringent self-mortifications to this end.
The brother and sister, who tended to their families’ sheep with their cousin Lucia in the fields of Fatima, Portugal, are said to have witnessed, on May 13, 1917, the first apparition of Mary. At the time of the apparition, Francisco was 9 years old, and Jacinta was 7.
During the first apparition, Mary is said to have asked the three children to say the Rosary and to make sacrifices, offering them for the conversion of sinners. She also asked them to return to that spot on the thirteenth of each month for the next six months
The siblings were victims of the great 1918 influenza epidemic that swept through Europe that year. In October 1918, Mary supposedly appeared to them and said she would to take them to heaven soon. Both lingered for many months, insisting on walking to church to make Eucharistic devotions and prostrating themselves to pray for hours, kneeling with their heads on the ground as they said the angel had instructed them to do.
Francisco declined hospital treatment on April 3, 1919, and died at home the next day. Jacinta was moved from one hospital to another in an attempt to save her life, which she insisted was futile. She developed purulent pleurisy and endured an operation in which two of her ribs were removed. Because of the condition of her heart, she could not be anesthetized and suffered terrible pain, which she said would help to convert many sinners. On February 19, 1920, Jacinta asked the hospital chaplain who heard her confession to bring her Holy Communion and give her the Anointing of the Sick because she was going to die “the next night”. He told her that her condition was not that serious and that he would return the next day. The next day Jacinta was dead; she had died, as she had often said she would, alone.
In 1920, shortly before her death at age nine, Jacinta Marto reportedly discussed the Alliance of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary with a then 12-year-old Lúcia Santos and said:
“When you are to say this, don’t go and hide. Tell everybody that God grants us graces through the Immaculate Heart of Mary; that people are to ask her for them; and that the Heart of Jesus wants the Immaculate Heart of Mary to be venerated at his side. Tell them also to pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary for peace, since God entrusted it to her.”
The cause for the siblings’ canonization began in 1946. Exhumed in 1935 and again in 1951, Jacinta’s face was found incorrupt; Francisco’s had decomposed.
On May 13, 2000, they were declared “blessed” in a decree from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. Jacinta is the youngest non-martyred child ever to be beatified.
In her biography of Jacinta, Lúcia said that Jacinta had told her of having had many personal visions outside of the Marian visitations; one involved a pope who prayed alone in a room while people outside shouted ugly things and threw rocks through the window. At another time, Jacinta said she saw a pope who had gathered a huge number of people together to pray to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Jacinta and Francisco are both buried at the Our Lady of Fátima Basilica.
And so we learn from little children – we learn how to be Saints!
Saints Francisco and Jacina, Pray for us!
Thought for the Day – 12 May
Thought for the Day – 12 May
Then (and in many places) NOW, it is a crime merely to bear the name of Christian – it is a CRIME punishable by death!
In spite of this, many became and become Christians and so many went cheerfully to their deaths.
“O miracle of faith!” wrote St Pope Damasus. “Suddenly they cease from their fury, they become converted, they flee from the camp of their wicked leader. Professing the faith of Christ, they are happy to witness to its triumph.”
Learn from the words of Damasus what great things the glory of Christ can accomplish. As the thought-provoking saying goes: “If you were arrested for being Christian, would there be sufficient evidence to convict you?”
As in the case of many early martyrs, the Church clings to its memories though the events are clouded in the mists of history. It is a heartening thing for all Christians to know that they have a noble heritage. Our brothers and sisters in Christ have stood in the same world in which we live—militaristic, materialistic, cruel and cynical—yet transfigured from within by the presence of the Living One. Our own courage is enlivened by the heroes and heroines who have gone before us marked by the sign of faith and the wounds of Christ.
Sts Nereus, Achilleus and Pancras – please pray for us all!
Quote/s of the Day – 12 May
Quote/s of the Day – 12 May
“Whoever consistently looks at God and themselves
through this attractive mirror (Mary), will sooner or later
turn into another Mary.”
Servant of God, Fr Joseph Kentenich (1885-1968) – Founder of Schoenstatt
“If the Church shows respect and veneration for everything
that came in contact with the Saviour’s Body: the Cross,
the Nails, the Thorns, the Winding Sheet of His Sepuchre,
the Swathing-bands of His infancy and similar things – what
honour must be due to this venerable body of the
Blessed Virgin from which the Body of the Redeemer was formed!”
St John Eudes
“The flesh of Christ is the flesh of Mary
and although it was raised to great glory
in His Resurrection, yet it still remained
the same that was taken from Mary.”
St Augustine (354-430) – Fathe & Doctor gratiae (Doctor of Grace)
One Minute Reflection – 12 May
One Minute Reflection – 12 May
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading,
kept in heaven for you………1 Peter 1:3-4
REFLECTION – “You have within you everything that
you need to purchase the kingdom of heaven.
Joy will be purchased by your sorrow,
rest by your labour,
glory by your humiliation
and eternal life by your passing death.”……St Augustine, Father and Doctor of the Church (354-430) Doctor gratiae (Doctor of Grace)
PRAYER – Loving Father, teach me how to make very event on earth lay up treasures for me in heaven. Help me to endure my sorrows, labours, humiliations and death willingly so as to attain heaven. Holy Martyrs Sts Nereus, Achilleus and Pancras, Pray for us, amen!
Thought for the Day – 11 May
Thought for the Day – 11 May
The life of Saint Ignatius reminds us that even the most menial of tasks, if offered to the Lord, are pleasing to Him.
During his daily rounds, Saint Ignatius of Laconi did more than beg, of course. He served as a model of perfect Christian humility and self-denial. He instructed the community children in the tenets of the Christian faith—most of whom were too poor to attend school and instead worked as he had done. He comforted the ill and provided encouragement to those who constantly struggled. Numerous miracles were reported at his pious intercession. Never having been educated himself, Saint Ignatius was illiterate and his words far from polished or eloquent. He recognised his limitations and constantly directed any praise or recognition from himself to the Lord, where all good things originate. The lessons from this Saint are countless, they are difficult for us to attain, most especially in the fast-paced, money-driven society in which we live. Let us always keep in mind and before our eyes God’s love and mercy, that high-paying jobs are not what He requires of us! To those who came to St Ignatius for comfort, he would advise, “Trust God.”
Lord God, You led Saint Ignatius along the way of humility, innocence, and fraternal charity to the heights of sanctity. Help us to imitate his virtues and to practice charity, trust in You and obedience, on earth in word and deed. Amen.
St Ignatius of Laconi, Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 11 May
Quote/s of the Day – 11 May
“By asking the beloved disciple
to treat Mary as his mother,
Jesus founded Marian devotion.”
St John Paul (1920-2005)
“The Mother of God,
is the Ladder of Heaven.
God came down by this Ladder
that men might,
by Mary,
climb up to Him in Heaven.”
St Fulgentius (460-533)
“Consider this great mystery!
The Son of God has passed whole and entire,
from the heart of the Father
to the womb of Mary
and from the womb of the Mother
to the lap of the Church.”
St Peter Damian (1007-72) Doctor of the Church
“Let us not imagine that we obscure
the glory of the Son by the great praise
we lavish on the Mother;
for the more she is honoured,
the greater is the glory of her Son.
There can be no doubt that whatever we say
in praise of the Mother gives equal praise to the Son.”
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) – Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 11 May
One Minute Reflection – 11 May
Blest are you among women and blest is the fruit of your womb……….Luke 1:42
REFLECTION – “Do you wish to know the most intimate perfections of Jesus and the most hidden attractions of His love?
Then seek them in the heart of Mary!”………..St Peter Julian Eymard Today’s Saint, St Ignatius of Laconi also practised a strong devotion to Our Blessed Mother, praying daily for her intercession. He attributed many miraculous events in his simple life to her grace and assistance.
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, keep ever before me the tried and trusted Christian motto: “To Jesus through Mary.” And let me learn to seek You in her Mother’s heart! St Ignatius of Laconi, please assist us by your intercession to grow in love and trust in the Mother of God, amen!
Quote/s of the Day – 10 May
Quote/s of the Day – 10 May
“A single ‘Blessed be God!’ when things go wrong, is of more value than a thousand acts of thanksgiving, when things are to our liking.”
“Turn yourself round like a piece of clay
and say to the Lord:
I am clay, and you, Lord, the potter.
Make of me what you will.”
“Your life consists in drawing nearer to God.
To do this you must endeavour to detach yourself
from visible things and remember that
in a short time they will be taken from you.”
St John of Avila – Doctor of the Church
“The Blessed Sacrament is indeed
the stimulus for us all,
for me as it should be for you,
to forsake all worldly ambitions.”
St Damian de Veuster – St Damian of Molokai
Thought for the Day – 10 May – the Memorial of St John of Avila (1499-1569) Doctor of the Church
Thought for the Day – 10 May – the Memorial of St John of Avila (1499-1569) Doctor of the Church
St Teresa of Ávila, herself a Doctor of the Church, praised John of Ávila for his mastery of elements of the spiritual life. While he remains a little known and quoted figure, one saint celebrated among many, Master Ávila stands before us today as a witness to the need for continual reform, a commitment to reflection and renewal within the Church and for each one of us as followers of Jesus.
He understood that it is only through a spirit-filled engagement with the Word of God and a steadfast commitment to the pursuit of virtue that individual Christians would be able to fulfil the demands of the Gospel. In one of his sermons for Pentecost, John of Ávila asked his hearers, “What effect did the coming of the Holy Ghost have on the Church? What did the Holy Ghost accomplish in the hearts of those believers to whom He came? He gave them life, gave them gifts of infinite value, strengthened them and brought them near perfection.” St John of Ávila, in his life, his teachings and in his legacy, reveals that the Holy Spirit remains at work in the Church and, in this lesser known saint (sadly one who needs to be studied by all) of more than four centuries ago we discover a man, a saint, whose heart burned so purely with the fire of this same Spirit that he remains a light for us today. (BROTHER HENDERSON, O.S.B., is a Benedictine monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.)
And to help us along the way, that is the only way, the way of the Cross of Christ, perhaps this practical bit of advice left us by St John of Avila, will be of assistance in our spiritual growth. St John of Avila, please pray for us for we all wish to join you as Saint in heaven!
This Doctor and Teacher of our Faith, St John of Avila divides the week into stages of the Passion of Christ:
• Monday think of our Lord’s agony in the garden and what passed in the house of Annas and Caiphas
• Tuesday, of the accusations, the removal from judge to judge, and the flagellation
• Wednesday, of the crowning with thorns and the mockery
• Thursday, of the washing of the feet, and the Blessed Eucharist
• Friday, of the sentence, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion and death
• Saturday, of the piercing of the side, the taking down from the cross, the burial, and the grief of the Blessed Virgin
• Sunday, of the resurrection and the state of future glory.
One Minute Reflection – 10 May
One Minute Reflection – 10 May
Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” ………Luke 9:23-25
REFLECTION – “Dear brothers and sisters, I pray God may open your eyes and let you see what hidden treasures He bestows on us in the trials from which the world thinks only to flee. Shame turns into honour when we seek God’s glory. Present affliction become the source of heavenly glory. To those who suffer wounds in fighting His battles God opens His arms in loving, tender friendship. That is why He (Christ) tells us that if we want to join Him, we shall travel the way He took. It is surely not right that the Son of God should go His way on the path of shame while the sons of men walk the way of worldly honour: “The disciple is not above his teacher, nor the servant greater than his master.” – from a letter by Saint John of Avila
PRAYER – Holy God, teach me to accept my cross and to follow Your Son’s way wihout fear or weakess. Grant me he couage to accept the trails I face for the glory of Your Kingdom. Let me learn and understand that in the persecution You allow, You show me Your love! St John of Avila pray for the whole Church, pray for us all, amen.
Quote of the Day – 3 May
Quote of the Day – 3 May
“To love is to be transformed into what we love.
To love God is therefore to be transformed into God!”
St John of the Cross
One Minute Reflection – 3 May
One Minute Reflection – 3 May
What was from the beginning, what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon
and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life
for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it……….1 John 1:1-2
REFLECTION – “Two of the favoured witnesses of our beloved Jesus’ Resurrection come before us today. Sts. Philip and James are here, bearing testimony to us that their Master is truly risen from the dead, that they have seen Him, that they have touched Him, that they have conversed with Him during these forty days. And, that we may have no doubt as to the truth of their testimony, they hold in their hands the instruments of the martyrdom they underwent for asserting that Jesus, after having suffered death, came to life again and rose from the grave.”………………..Abbot/Dom Prosper Guéranger
PRAYER – O God, who gladden us each year with the feast day of the Apostles Philip and James, grant us, through their prayers, a share in the Passion and Resurrection of your Only Begotten Son, so that we may merit to behold You for eternity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 May
Quote/s of the Day – 2 May
“The Word who became all things for us, is close to us, our Lord Jesus Christ who promises to remain with us always. He cries out, saying: See, I am with you all the days of this age. He is himself the shepherd, the high priest, the way and the door and has become all things at once for us.”
“Christians, instead of arming themselves with swords, extend their hands in prayer.”
“Let us remember the poor and not forget kindness to strangers; above all, let us love God with all our soul and might and strength and our neighbour as ourselves.”
“But what is also to the point, let us note that the very tradition, teaching and faith of the Catholic Church from the beginning was preached by the Apostles and preserved by the Fathers. On this the Church was founded – and if anyone departs from this, he neither is, nor any longer ought to be called, a Christian.”
St Athanasius (297-373) Father & Doctor of the Church
One Minute Reflection – 2 May
One Minute Reflection – 2 May
Christ….will give a new form to this lowly body of ours and remake it according to the pattern of his glorified body…………Phil 3:21
REFLECTION – Our human body has acquired something great through its communication with the Word. From being mortal it has been made immortal; though it was a living body it has become a spiritual one…………St Athanasius (297-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, help me to respect my body and not subject it to sin. Let me keep it ready to receive the fullness of the new form given by Your Son, in heaven. St Athanasius, you taught the world the truth of Christ, please pray for us, amen.
1 May – The Memorial of St Joseph the Worker
1 May – The Memorial of St Joseph the Worker
Let us Pray:
Prayer to St Joseph the Worker
By St Pope John XXIII
Saint Joseph, guardian of Jesus and chaste husband of Mary,
you passed your life in loving fulfillment of duty.
You supported the holy family of Nazareth with the work of your hands.
Kindly protect those who trustingly come to you.
You know their aspirations, their hardships, their hopes.
They look to you because they know you will understand and protect them.
You too knew trial, labour and weariness.
But amid the worries of material life,
your soul was full of deep peace and sang out in true joy
through intimacy with God’s Son entrusted to you and with Mary,
His tender Mother.
Assure those you protect that they do not labour alone.
Teach them to find Jesus near them
and to watch over Him faithfully as you have done. Amen
Thought for the Day – 1 May
Thought for the Day – 1 May
The Foreshadowing of Saint Joseph
As the Church of Christ is prefigured in the rites and ceremonies of the Old Law, so the chief personages who centre round Our Lord in the redemption of the world are foreshadowed in the Old Testament. We trace the outlines of Our Lady’s graces in Esther, Jahel, Bethsabee, Judith. So, too, Saint Joseph’s place in the new dispensation is anticipated in the place of the patriarch Joseph at the court of Pharao. Thus it is that God in His love for His chosen ones paves the way for them centuries before. From the beginning He has prepared their work, and the throne they are to earn in heaven by their labors and sufferings for Him.
In the life of the patriarch Joseph there was throughout a correspondence to the life of the foster-father of Jesus Christ. The troubles and persecutions of his early life; his long time of servitude and obscurity; his wondrous purity, his time of patient expectation; his glorious exaltation; his omnipotence with the king; his power to save all who came to him – all these were repeated, or rather were fulfilled, in Saint Joseph. Reflect on each of these, and consider how Saint Joseph is a model to us.
We read of the patriarch, Joseph, that the king of Egypt made him lord of his house. So God made Saint Joseph lord of that earthly tabernacle of flesh in which He dwelt on earth. Joseph ruled Our Lord in His sacred humanity. He made him lord, too, of another house in which He sojourned, of the sacred house that Wisdom built for Himself in the form of His holy Mother. If Saint Joseph was thus lord of Jesus and Mary, what may we not expect from Him? In our lives on the ‘narrow road’, on our way home, in our difficulties, in our labour and our toil!?
To capture the devotion to Saint Joseph within the Catholic liturgy, in 1870, Pope Pius IX declared Saint Joseph the patron of the universal Church. In 1955, Pope Pius XII added the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. This silent saint, who was given the noble task of caring and watching over the Virgin Mary and Jesus, now cares for and watches over the Church and models for all the dignity of human work.
“What emanates from the figure of Saint Joseph is faith. Joseph of Nazareth is a “just man” because he totally “lives by faith.” He is holy because his faith is truly heroic. Sacred Scripture says little of him. It does not record even one word spoken by Joseph, the carpenter of Nazareth. And yet, even without words, he shows the depth of his faith, his greatness. Saint Joseph is a man of great spirit. He is great in faith, not because he speaks his own words but above all because he listens to the words of the Living God. He listens in silence. And his heart ceaselessly perseveres in the readiness to accept the Truth contained in the word of the Living God. We see how the word of the Living God penetrates deeply into the soul of that man, that just man. And we, do we know how to listen to the word of God? Do we know how to absorb it into the depths of our human personalities? Do we open our conscience in the presence of this word?”
– Pope John Paul II from Daily Meditations
St Joseph the Worker, Pray for us!
Quote of the Day – 1 May
Quote of the Day – 1 May
“He was chosen by the eternal Father as the trustworthy guardian and protector
of His greatest treasures, namely: His divine Son and Mary, Joseph’s wife.
He carried out this vocation with complete fidelity until at last God called him, saying
‘Good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.’
– from a sermon by Saint Bernardine of Siena
Bartolomé Esteban Perez Murillo The Holy Family 1637
One Minute Reflection – 1 May
One Minute Reflection – 1 May
You shall set apart three cities…(where) a homicide may take
refuge …. to save his life when (he) unwittingly kills his neighbour………….Deuteronomy 19:2-4
REFLECTION – “Seek refuge in Mary because she is the city of refuge. We know that Moses set up three cities of refuge for anyone who inadvertently killed his neighbour.
Now the Lord has established a refuge of mercy – Mary – even for those who deliberately commit evil. Mary provides shelter and strength for the sinner.”……St Anthony of Padua
PRAYER – Lord Jesus, move me to take refuge in Your holy Mother if I am so unfortunate as to lose Your grace. Help me to flee to my city of refuge, for she will lead me to You. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us! Amen
Quote of the Day – 30 April
Quote of the Day – 30 April
“Love is the bond of life,
the mother of the poor
and the teacher of the rich.
It is the nurse of orphans,
the attendant of the elderly,
the treasure of the indigent
and the common port
of all the afflicted.”
St Gregory of Nyssa
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