QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST – Page 22

CHRIST the KING, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 24 November – He shook all creation, split the rocks

Posted on November 24, 2019November 23, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 24 November – The Solemnity of Christ the King, Year C – Gospel: Luke 23:35–43

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” … Luke 23:42

REFLECTION – “Today paradise, closed for thousands of years, is opened to us. On this day, at this very hour, God brings the brigand into it. Thus He fulfils two wonders – He opens up paradise to us and causes a thief to enter in. Today God has given us back our former homeland, today He has brought us into the city of our ancestors, today He has opened up a home to be shared by all humanity. “This day,” He says, “you will be with me in paradise.” What are You saying, Lord? You are crucified, nailed down and do You promise paradise? Yes, He says, so that through the Cross You may learn my power…

Because it isn’t by raising a dead man, commanding the sea and wind, or casting out demons that He is able to change the thief’s sinful soul but by being crucified, pinned down by nails, covered with insults, spitting, mockery and torture, so that you might see the two sides of His sovereign power. He shook all creation, split the rocks (Mt 27:51) and drew to Himself the brigand’s soul, hard as stone, to cover it with honour…

Obviously, no king would ever allow a brigand or other of his subjects to be seated at his side when making his entry into his city. Yet Christ did so, when entering His holy homeland. He brings a brigand into it along with Him. In so doing… He does no dishonour to it by a brigand’s presence, for it is a glory for paradise, that it has a master, able to make a brigand worthy of the joys to be tasted there.

In the same way, when He brings publicans and prostitutes into the Kingdom of heaven (Mt 21:31)…, it is for the sake of the glory of that holy place. Because He shows it, that the Lord of the heavenly Kingdom is so great, that He can restore all their dignity, to prostitutes and publicans, even to their being worthy of this honour and this gift. We admire a doctor all the more when we see him heal people suffering from illnesses said to be incurable. So it is only right to admire Christ… when He restores publicans and prostitutes to such a state of spiritual health, that they become worthy of heaven.” … St John Chrysostom (345 407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father & Doctor of the Church – Homily 1 on the cross and the brigand, for Good Friday, 2 luke 23 42 - lord remember me - because it isn't by raising a dead man - christ the king 24 nov 2019 st john chrysostom.jpg

PRAYER – Lord God, You gave the peoples of the world as the inheritance of Your only Son, You crowned Him as King of Zion, Your holy city and gave Him Your Church to be His Bride. As He proclaims the law of Your eternal kingdom, may we serve Him faithfully and so share His royal power forever. We make our prayer, through Him and with Him and in Him, our King and our Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. our lord jesus christ king of the universe through him and with him and in him 24 nov 2019.jpg

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 23 November – Live with Christ Crucified – Bl Miguel Pro

Posted on November 23, 2019November 23, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 23 November – The Memorial of Blessed Miguel Pro – Priest and Martyr of the Cristero War (1891-1927)

“We ought to speak,
shout out against injustices,
with confidence
and without fear.
We proclaim the principles
of the Church,
the reign of love,
without forgetting
that it is also a reign of JUSTICE!”

“Does our life become
from day-to-day more painful,
more oppressive,
more replete with sufferings?
Blessed be He a thousand times,
who desires it so.
If life be harder,
love makes it also stronger
and only this love,
grounded in suffering,
can carry the Cross of my Lord, Jesus Christ.”

After he had taken his vows in the Society, he recorded the following meditations in his spiritual notebook. The booklet was entitled My Treasure. The words speak for themselves:

“Deceitful are the ephemeral pleasures and joys of this world.
Our supreme comfort in this life, is to die to the world
that we may live with Jesus crucified.
Let others seek gold and other earthly treasures.
I already possess the immortal treasure
of holy poverty on the Cross of Jesus crucified.
The angelic virtue, growing like a pure, fragrant lily
in the hidden beauteous garden of the cloister,
adorns the forehead with heavenly tints,
for it has roots in the Cross of Jesus crucified.
A third crown completes my oblation,
it is the seal of glory, whereby the obedient, spotless Lamb gained victory. Obedience is the secure science of living with Jesus crucified.
With this triple treasure,
I can hope to pass beyond the fleeting confines of mortal man,
by living poor on this earth and rich in heaven,
united with Jesus crucified.”

Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro

MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – St Odo of Cluny (c 880–942)

Posted on November 18, 2019November 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – The Memorial of Saint Odo of Cluny (c 880–942) Monk and Abbot

“My Lady, Mother of Mercy,
who on this night gave birth to the Saviour,
pray for me.
May your glorious and unique
experience of childbirth,
O Most Devout Mother,
be my refuge.”

“Jesus took upon Himself the scourging,
that would have been our due,
in order to save the creature,
He formed and loves.”

“]This is the] sacrosanct mystery
of the Lord’s Body,
in whom the whole salvation
of the world consists.”

St Odo of Cluny (c 880–942)

MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, POETRY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 16 November – I grieve, Mary, for thy son and thee.

Posted on November 16, 2019November 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 16 November – The Memorial of St Edmund Rich of Abingdon (1175-1240) Archbishop of Canterbury

St Edmund’s best-known work in the Middle Ages was his Speculum Ecclesie. It’s a work on the contemplative life, offering (among other things) meditations on different moments in the life of Christ, aiming to help the reader to enter imaginatively into the scenes of His Passion and feel intense compassion for His sufferings. I don’t know whether people read the Speculum Ecclesie today, but most students of Middle English will have read a poem which survives as part of it. This is one of the earliest, shortest and most popular devotional poems in Middle English:

Nou goth sonne under wod,
Me reweth, Marie, thi faire rode.
Nou goth sonne under tre,
Me reweth, Marie, thi sone and thee.

Now goes the sun under the wood,
I grieve, Mary, for your fair face.
Now goes the sun under the tree,
I grieve, Mary, for thy son and thee.

This short poem is designed to be a spur to meditation on the Crucifixion, perhaps at the appropriate hour of the day when the sun begins to set. Apparently very simple, the poem is dense with meaningful wordplay – as the sun sets behind the wood, so Christ the Son is shrouded in darkness on the wood of the cross, the tree; that is, the ‘rode’, which means both ‘face’ and ‘rood’ (cross). And here we have another pair of a mother and her son, and their strong emotional bond (like St Edmund himself and his mother). The poem encourages the reader to meditate and dwell on Christ’s Crucifixion by approaching the Son through the Mother, to feel compassion for His suffering as it is reflected in her grief (underlined by that wordplay on ‘rode’ – (His cross and her face). How wonderful it is that this poem should be associated with a saint whose mother was such an important presence in his life.

Back in Abingdon, the Catholic church is dedicated to him and to the Virgin Mary, the mother and bride who was so constant a presence in his spiritual life.

Mother of Sorrows, Pray for Us!

St Edmund, Pray for Us!

CARMELITES, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, POETRY, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The LAMB of GOD

Thought for the Day – 8 November – To Surrender To Love

Posted on November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 8 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of the Trinity O.Carm (1880-1906)

To Surrender To Love
By St Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880-1906)

Oh how good it is in silence
To listen to Him over and over,
To enjoy the peace of His presence
and then to surrender, wholly to His love.

O Lamb, so pure and so meek,
You my All, my only One,
How well You know that Your fiancée,
Your little one, hungers greatly for You.

She hungers to feed upon her Master,
Above all to be consumed by Him,
To surrender fully to Him her whole being
So she may be totally taken.

Oh, that I may be possessed by You;
One who lives by You alone,
Yours, Your living host,
Consumed by You on the Cross. to surrender to love st elizabeth of the trinity 8 nov 2019

DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – From our Dominican Friends in Heaven

Posted on November 7, 2019November 7, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Memorial of All Dominican Saints

Just a few quotes from Dominican Saints

“Heretics are to be converted
by an example of humility
and other virtues
far more readily,
than by any external
display or verbal battles.
So let us arm ourselves with
devout prayers
and set off,
showing signs of genuine humility
and go barefooted
to combat
Goliath.”

St Dominic (1170-1221)

“Anyone who receives this Sacrament,
with the devotion of sincere faith,
will never taste death.”

St Albert the Great (1200-1280) OP Doctor of the Church

“Do not be attached, therefore,
to clothing and riches
because they divided My garments among themselves.
Nor to honours, for I experienced harsh words and scourgings.
Nor to greatness of rank,
for weaving a crown of thorns,
they placed it on My head.
Nor to anything delightful,
for in My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church

“Remember that you will derive strength
by reflecting that the saints,
yearn for you
to join their ranks,
desire to see you fight bravely,
and behave like a true knight
in your encounters
with the same adversities
which they had to conquer
and that breathtaking joy
is the eternal reward,
for having endured a few years,
of temporal pain.
Every drop of earthly bitterness,
will be changed into
an ocean of heavenly sweetness.”

Blessed Henry Suso OP (1290-1365)

“He will provide the way and the means,
such as you could never have imagined.
Leave it all to Him,
let go of yourself,
lose yourself on the Cross
and you will find yourself entirely.”

“Speak the truth in a million voices.
It is silence that kills!”

“What is it you want to change?
Your hair, your face, your body?
Why? For God is in love with all those things
and He might weep when they are gone!”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church

“Once humility is acquired,
charity will come to life,
like a burning flame,
devouring the corruption of vice
and filling the heart so full,
that there is no place for vanity.”…

St Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)

“Apart from the Cross
there is no other ‘ladder’
by which we might get to heaven.”

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – I will have no Lord but You

Posted on November 6, 2019November 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 6 November – Wednesday of the Thirty-first week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

“If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple…” … Luke 14:26 if anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother - luke 14 26 6 nov 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “O my God, though I am not fit to see or touch You yet, still I will ever come within Your reach and desire that which is not yet given me in its fullness. O my Saviour, You shall be my sole God! – I will have no Lord but You. I will break to pieces all idols in my heart which rival You. I will have nothing but Jesus and Him Crucified. It shall be my life to pray to You, to offer myself to You, to keep You before me, to worship You in Your holy Sacrifice and to surrender myself to You in Holy Communion. Amen.” —– St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

PRAYER – Holy God and Father, You sent Your Son to show us the way to our eternal home. Teach us always to understand that by relinquishing the things of this world and focusing our efforts only on following the Light He shines on our path, we may attain the eternal victory. May the prayers of Your our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, assist us in carrying our cross after Hi m. Through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. holy mother mary pray for us 16 jan 2019.jpg

JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST

Thought for the Day – 5 November – The Crucifix Encounter – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552) and St Guido Maria Conforti

Posted on November 5, 2019November 4, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of St Guido Maria Conforti (1865-1931)

The Crucifix Encounter – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

and St Guido Maria Conforti, Founder of the Xaverian Missionaries

The Source of My Vocation alongside St Francis Xavier

Conforti had similar experience of the crucifix as Saint Francis Xavier had. It is divided into two part, firstly, is the similar experience of the cross since their childhood and secondly, is the experience during their ministry. Both Conforti and Xavier, contemplated the crucifix since they were children.

“I looked at Him and He looked at me
and it seemed as though
He was telling me many things.”

st guido's crucifix.JPG — This is the actual Crucifix which spoke to St Guido

God revealed the fullness of His love in His Crucified Son. One day this love touched the heart of young Guido Conforti in an almost natural way. He was but a child . Every morning, He stopped at the “Church of Peace” to gaze at the the large Crucifix there.

“The huge crucifix which embellished the altar fascinated him. He looked at the figure of Jesus and he really believed that Jesus looked at him. Whatever the nature of the experience, it moved him deeply. Indeed, so entranced did he become with this crucifix that he became increasingly reluctant to leave the church. ‘It looked at me and told me so many things’, he was to remark one day, speaking of ‘his crucifix’, ‘for me it is a miraculous crucifix. I owe my vocation to it’ he was heard to tell one of his friends.”

This was the beginning of an uninterrupted dialogue with Christ crucified. Later when he was sixty years old and bishop, his sister often found him rapt in ecstasy before that crucifix, which had been brought to his residence, at his request. Was it that dialogue with the Crucified Lord that sparked the idea to found a missionary congregation?

In the same way, Saint Francis Xavier had an experience with the crucifix in the chapel of the castle in Navarra. The story says, that while he was cared by his mother in academic and religious education, he passed some time alone contemplating the crucifix which has a special smile.

“During these early years, Francis was often quite late coming home from classes. When that happened, his mother would begin to worry. Soon she would be searching for him in the squares and alleys of the castle town. Usually, she would find her son alone in Church, kneeling before the main altar, apparently absorbed in prayer.”

This experience of both, Xavier and Conforti, is important because it influenced their entire lives. Both have shown the influence of the crucifix in their writings and especially in their ministry.

Conforti expressed the contemplation of the cross in his writings as bishop and as a founder. As bishop he promoted his motto “Christ is all things” because his spirituality was centred on the person of Christ: “ Christ was always present in his thoughts and in the heart. Christ was his constant companion in all the actions of his life.” He always encouraged the Christians of his dioceses to contemplate the crucifix and to be formed by Him.

As founder of the Xaverian Missionaries, Conforti gave to them the contemplation of the crucifix as the centre of their spirituality. “In the mind of Blessed Guido Conforti, consecration is born of the contemplation of the crucified Christ and of the love made manifest therein .”Consecration is not only to make vows but it is more, an experience of the love of Christ on the cross, which invites the consecrated to imitate this love.”

St Francis Xavier, St Guido Maria Conforti, Pray for Us!

ON the SAINTS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 5 November – Saint Guido Maria Conforti: Driven by the Gospel

Posted on November 5, 2019November 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 5 November – Saint Guido Maria Conforti (1865-1931)

Prayer of the Church
The Church honours Saint Guido Maria Conforti

These prayers are composed based on certain characteristics of Saint Guido Maria Conforti and his life as Bishop and Founder. From his writings and the witness of people who have come to know this great Bishop of the 20th century, we appreciate his gifts as follower of the Word, Good Shepherd, contemplative of the Cross, faithful disciple, founder of a missionary family, at the service of humanity, model of unity, discerner of the signs of the times, a person driven by the Gospel and a disciple of Jesus the missionary of the Father.

Saint Guido Maria Conforti: Driven by the Gospel

O God, who through
the contemplation of the Cross,
imprinted on the heart
of Saint Guido Maria Conforti
a burning love for the proclamation
of the Gospel to all nations.
Grant that, through his intercession,
we too may be filled by the same love of Christ,
to constantly work for the salvation
of all our brothers and sisters.
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.
Amen

More beautiful prayers here: http://www.guidoconforti.com/Resource/Res_PrayerChurch.htm st guido maria conforti driven by the gospel - 5 november 2019.jpg

JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 31 October – St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

Posted on October 31, 2019October 31, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 31 October – The Memorial of St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

“You must strive, with all possible care,
to please God, in such a manner,
as neither to do, nor behold anything,
without first consulting Him
and in everything,
to seek Him alone and His glory.”

“I put myself in spirit before our crucified Lord,
looking at Him full of sorrow,
shedding His blood
and bearing great bodily hardships for me.
As love is paid for in love,
I must imitate Him, sharing in spirit all His sufferings.
I must consider how much I owe Him and what He has done for me.
Putting these sufferings between God and my soul, I must say,
‘What does it matter, my God, that I should endure for Your love,
these small hardships? For you, Lord, endured so many great hardships for me.’

Amid the hardship and trial itself, I stimulate my heart with this exercise.
Thus, I encourage myself, to endure for love of the Lord, who is before me,
until I make what is bitter, sweet.
In this way learning from Christ our Lord,
I take and convert the sweet into bitter,
renouncing myself and all earthly and carnal pleasures,
delights and honours of this life,
so that my whole heart is centred solely on God.”

St Alphonsus Rodriguez (1532-1617)

“I’m Coming, Lord”

i'm coming lord - st alphonsus rodriguez.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 October – “Do you not know that you are the temple of God ..”

Posted on October 31, 2019October 29, 2020 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 31 October – Thursday of the Thirtieth week in Ordinary Time, Ywear C, Gospel: Luke 13:31–35 and The Memorial of St Wolfgang of Regensburg (c 934 –994)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem” ... Luke 13:34

REFLECTION – “Believers are valued according to the merits of their faith and not the place they live in. And God’s true worshippers have no need of Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim to worship the Father because “God is spirit” and his worshippers should “worship him in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:21-23). Now, “the Spirit breathes where he will” (Jn 3:8) and “the Lord’s is the earth and its fullness” (Ps 24[23]:1)…

The holy places of the Cross and Resurrection are only of use to those who carry their cross, rise with Christ daily and prove themselves worthy of living in such localities. As for those who say: “The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord” (Jer 3:8), let them listen to the apostle’s words: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells within you?” (1 Cor 3:16)…” … St Jerome (347-420) Father & Doctor luke 13 34 o jerusalem jerusalem - the holy places - st jerome 31 oct 2019

PRAYER – Shed Your clear light on our hearts, Lord, so that walking continually in the way of Your commandments, we may never be deceived or misled. Grant that the prayers of St Wolfgang of Regensburg, who always held Your Light up for others to see by, give us strength. Through Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. st wolfgang pray for us 31 oct 2019

CHRIST the KING, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR

Quote of the Day – 23 October – “Crazy with love”

Posted on October 23, 2019October 23, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 23 October – The Feast of the Most Holy Redeemer

“Yes, my gentle Redeemer,
let me say it,
You are crazy with love!
Is it not foolish for You
to have wanted to die for me?
But if You, my God,
have become crazy with love for me,
how can I not become crazy with love for You?”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

from “The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ”

MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY GHOST, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 22 October – St John Paul the Great

Posted on October 22, 2019October 22, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 22 October – The Memorial of St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

“Never,
as in the Rosary,
do the life of Jesus
and that of Mary,
appear so deeply joined.
Mary lives
only in Christ
and
for Christ!”

“Not only the devil is involved in spiritual warfare
but the Holy Spirit is equally involved, or more involved in it,
bringing men and women of goodwill,
the ability to overcome evil in their lives,
so that they too can say:
“Where evil abounded, grace super-abounded!” (Rom 5:20).”

St John Paul II (The Holy Spirit (Dominum Et Vivificantem – 1986)

“Let the eyes of our faith

never wander
from the Cross of Calvary.”

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair.
We are the Easter people
and
hallelujah
is our song.”

St Pope John Paul the Great (1920-2005)

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/22/quote-s-of-the-day-22-october-the-memorial-of-st-pope-john-paul-ii-1920-2005/
and here:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/10/22/quotes-of-the-day-22-october-the-memorial-of-st-pope-john-paul-ii-1920-2005/ do not abandon yourselves to despair we are the easter people - 22 oct 2019 st john paul the great.jpg

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on VIOLENCE, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 19 October – Truth!

Posted on October 19, 2019October 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 19 October – The Memorial of Bl Jerzy Popiełuszko (1947-1984) Priest and Martyr

”To live in Truth
is the basic minimum of human dignity,
even if the price to defend the Truth could be costly.
You need to always remain faithful to the Truth.
Truth can never be betrayed.”

“Truth never changes.
It cannot be destroyed
by any decision or legal act.
Telling the truth with courage,
is a way, leading directly to freedom.
A man who tells the Truth,
is a free man,
despite external slavery, imprisonment or custody.”

“It is not enough for a Christian to condemn evil, cowardice, lies
and use of force, hatred and oppression.
He must at all times be a witness to
and defender of justice, goodness, truth, freedom and love.
He must never tire of claiming these values
as a right both for himself and others.”

“Truth, like Justice,
is connected to Love
and Love has a Price.”

“An idea which needs
rifles to survive,
dies of its own accord.”

Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko (1947-1984) Martyr

ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on MARTYRDOM, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUTH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 October – ‘If necessary, even to die for the truth.’

Posted on October 19, 2019October 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 19 October – Saturday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 12:8-12 and The Memorial of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko (1947-1984) Priest and Martyr

“And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also, will acknowledge before the angels of God…” … Luke 12:8

REFLECTION – “It seems to me that in the history of the Church, in the history of Christianity, there are many examples showing to what extent you have to defend the Truth. You have to defend it to the end. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life in order to announce His Divine Truth. Likewise, the apostles sacrificed their lives. Therefore, the role of the priest is to proclaim the Truth and suffer for the Truth…… If necessary, even to die for the truth. Such examples are plenty in Christianity and from these examples, we should draw conclusions, for ourselves.” … Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko (1947-1984) Priest and Martyr

PRAYER – God of power and mercy, You gave Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, the grace to overcome the sufferings of his nation through the good of the Gospel and to face his own martyrdom with unfailing courage through Your love for him, grant us, who celebrate his victory, that the power of Your protecting hand may keep us unshaken in the face of our ancient enemy and all his hidden snares. Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko, pray for us! Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with our Father and the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen. bl jerzy popiesluscko pray for us 19 oct 2019.jpg

QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 11 October – It is Him that we serve

Posted on October 11, 2019October 11, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 11 October – The Memorial of St Maria Soledad Torres Acosta (1826-1887) and St Pope John XXIII (1881-1963)

“May the Lord grant us
His holy peace and patience,
so that with these two shields,
we may carry the holy cross
that Our Lord in His mercy
has destined for us.”

“The sick are the image
of the suffering Christ
and it is Him that we serve.”

St Maria Soledad Torres Acosta (1826-1887)

Quotes of St John XXIII here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/10/11/quote-s-of-the-day-11-october-the-memorial-of-st-pope-john-xxiii-1881-1963/ the sick ar the image of the suffring christ - st maria soledad torres acosta - 11 oct 2019.jpg

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 September – But they did not understand …

Posted on September 28, 2019September 27, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 28 September – Saturday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:43–45 and the Memorial of St Lorenzo Ruiz (1600-1637) Martyr

“Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying and it was concealed from them ... Luke 9:44-45 luke 9 44-45 let these words sink into your ears for the son of man is to be 28 sept 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “Of all Christ’s miracles and mighty acts, it is this one that far exceeds the limits of human wonder. It goes far beyond the weak power of the human mind to perceive or comprehend, how it is supposed to believe, that the divine majesty, that very Word of the Father (Jn 1:1) and Wisdom of God in which “all things were created, visible and invisible” (cf. Col 1:15), was held within the confines of the man who appeared in Judaea and, even more, that the Wisdom of God entered into the womb of a woman and was born a baby, who cried and wailed just like all little babies. And it is further reported that He suffered the anguish of death, as He Himself admitted by saying: “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death” (Mt 26:38 par) and in the end, He was led to that death which is reputed to be the most shameful among men, even though he did rise again on the third day…

To present this to human ears and explain it in words far surpasses our poor merits… Indeed the explanation of this mystery is probably beyond the grasp even of the whole creation of heavenly powers.” … Origen (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Father – Treatise on First Principles but they did not understand luke 9 45 - it goes far beyond the weak powers - origen 28 sept 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Holy God, help me to amend my life constantly and be sincerely converted to You. Let me seek Your interests rather than my own and be ever more closely united with You. Send Your Spirit of understanding to enkindle our minds but most of all, fill us with Your grace of faith, that whether we understand or not, our love and obedience, is our only guide. St Lorenzo Ruiz, you obeyed to death for Christ, your beloved, please pray for us. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for all eternity, amen. st lorenzo ruiz pray for us - 28 sept 2019.jpg

"Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The SIGN of the CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 27 September – ‘The required faith embraces the act it includes – Discipleship ..’

Posted on September 27, 2019September 27, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 27 September – Friday of the Twenty Fifth week in Ordinary Tim, Year C, Gospel: Luke 9:18–22 and the Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“The Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised.”... Luke 9:22 luke 9 22 the son of man must suffer many things - 27 sept 2019

REFLECTION – “The scene found n the Gospel reading forms a climax of the Synoptic Gospels. It constitutes the watershed in Jesus’ life. To this point, in accord with the mission given Him by the Father, He has acted messianically and has aroused a sense of who He is, especially in His disciples. Because the shift that takes place in this scene is so important, Luke places it in the context of a prayer of Jesus in solitude. By asking His disciples about His identity, He takes the opportunity to reveal the core of His mission.
Yet, the people’s perception of who He is, is so imperfect, that He cannot use it as a point of departure. Peter’s statement, “you are the Messiah of God” hits the target, yet Peter’s image of the Messiah remains an Old Testament and contemporary one – the Messiah as Israel’s liberator. That is why Jesus forbids them to use the title and, more profoundly, that is why He lays out clearly, what is the true task of the Messiah – to be rejected, to die, to rise again. So that this will not be received as some sort of incomprehensible, mythological event, He immediately explains it’s implications for anyone who wishes to be His disciple – “Take up your cross daily” and “follow” the Messiah in this way.
The required faith embraces the act it includes – discipleship – but not by scheming to gain something – rather, by unconditional loss: “Whoever loses his life for my sake … ” … Cardinal Han Urs von Bathasar (1905-1988)

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 and the Credo we profess, so that no trials may quench the fire Your Spirit has kindled in us. May the intercession of St Vincent de Paul, grant us the grace of following the way of the Cross, to stand beneath it with our Mother, the Mother of God, Ave Maria! We make our prayer through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st-vincent-de-paul-pray-for-us-27 sepy 2017.jpg

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 24 September – He will be everything to you ….

Posted on September 24, 2019September 24, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 24 September – Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 8:19-21

But he said to them,
“My mother and my brethren,
are those, who hear
the word of God and do it.”

Luke 8:21

“We recognise a tree by its fruit
and we ought to be able to recognise
a Christian by his action.
The fruit of faith should be evident in our lives,
for being a Christian is more than making
sound professions of faith.
It should reveal itself in practical and visible ways.
Indeed it is better to keep quiet about our beliefs
and live them out,
than to talk eloquently about what we believe
but fail to live by it.”

“A Christian is not his own master,
since all his time belongs to God.”

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Martyr

Father of the Church

“Look upon the face of the Crucified,
who invites you to follow Him.
He will be a Father, Mother–
everything to you.”

St Paul of the Cross CP (1694-1775)

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 15 September – Sonnet to our Lord Crucified

Posted on September 15, 2019September 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 15 September – Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

As we celebrate today the holy mystery of the Sacrifice of the Mass,

let us contemplate our Lord Crucified.

Sonnet to our Lord Crucified
Anonymous

I am not moved to love You, O my God,
That I might hope in promised heaven to dwell,
Nor am I moved by fear of pain in hell,
To turn from sin and follow where You trod.
You move me, Lord, broken beneath the rod,
Or stretched out on the cross, as nails compel
Your hand to twitch. It moves me that we sell,
To mockery and death, Your precious blood.
It is, O Christ, Your love which moves me so,
That my love rests not on a promised prize,
Nor holy fear on threat of endless woe,
It is not milk and honey but the flow
Of blood from blessed wounds before my eyes,
That waters my buried soul and makes it grow.
Amen sonnet to our lord crucified i am not moved to love you - 15 sept 2019.jpg

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS

Thought for the Day – 14 September – O Cross! O Wisdom! O Wise Love! St Gertrude the Great

Posted on September 14, 2019September 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

“Exalt – glorify, extol, praise, acclaim, pay homage to, pay tribute to, revere, reverence, venerate, worship, raise on high”

The one symbol most often identified with Jesus and His Church is the Cross.

Today we celebrate The Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This feast traces its beginning to Jerusalem and the dedication of the church built on the site of Mount Calvary in 335. But the meaning of the Cross is deeper than any city, any celebration, any building. The Cross is a sign of suffering, a sign of human cruelty at its worst. But by Christ’s love shown in the Paschal Mystery, it has become the sign of triumph and victory, the sign of God, who is love itself.

Believers have always looked to the Cross in times of suffering. People in concentration camps, in prisons, in hospitals, in any place of suffering and loneliness, have been known to draw, trace, or form crosses and focus their eyes and hearts on them. The Cross does not explain pain and misery. It does not give us any easy answers. But it does help us to see our lives united with Christ’s.

We often make the Sign of the Cross over ourselves. We make it before prayer to help fix our minds and hearts on God. We make it after prayer, hoping to stay close to God. In trials and temptations, the Cross is a sign of strength and protection. The Cross is the sign of the fullness of life that is ours. At Baptism, too, the Sign of the Cross is used, the priest, parents, and godparents make the sign on the forehead of the child. A sign made on the forehead is a sign of belonging. By the Sign of the Cross in Baptism, Jesus takes us as His own in a unique way. Today, let us look to the Cross often. Let us make the Sign of the Cross and realise we bring our whole selves to God—our minds, souls, bodies, wills, thoughts, hearts—everything we are and will become.

O cross, you are the glorious sign of our victory.

Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus.

O Wisdom, what a game you bring to perfection, what a joke you play on my Jesus. You lay bare the King of Glory, making Him a spectacle of abuse. You affix to the trunk of a tree the price of the entire world. You alone weigh and mark out how much value this mystery has in paying the debt for all transgressions From the earth you lift up on the Cross the life of all that He, drawing everything to Himself in His death, (cf Jn 12:32) might make them live.

O wise Love, what a remedy you prepare so that universal ruin be filled. Oh, what a plaster you apply to cure the wound of all. O Love, your counsel is help for those who are lost. You condemn the blameless man to save the miserable culprit. You pour out innocent blood to be able to placate enraged justice and to ransom the motto is relief for those who are miserable. You plead the cause of peace. You heed the importuning mercy. By your prudent counsel you bring help for the anxiety of all through the most gracious will of your clemency. You impose an end to universal misery through the glorious work of your mercy. O Love, what you have devised is the opportunity for salvation for those who are lost.

Behold, O Wisdom, your pantry full of loving-kindness is already open. Ah, look upon me, the culprit, standing outside the door of your charity. Ah, fill the little cloak of my poverty with the blessing of your gentleness. Behold, before you is the empty little cup of my desire.” (cf Ps 37[38]:10) Ah, lay the latch of your fullness open.… Ah, do not treat me according to my sins nor repay me according to my iniquities (Ps 102[103]:10), my Jesus. Ah, just as You have truly been favourable to me with Your blood, so also by virtue of Your precious Cross, make restitution to me for all the wastefulness of my life.

Saint Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

Exercises VII, SC 127

o cross you are the glorious sign of victory - 14 sept exaltation of the holy cross.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – The Message of the Cross

Posted on September 14, 2019September 14, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Gospel: John 3:13–17

The message of the cross
is foolishness to those
who are perishing
but to us,
who are being saved,
it is the power
of God…

1 Corinthians 1:18

“We give glory to You, Lord,
who raised up Your Cross to span the jaws of death
like a bridge by which souls might pass
from the region of the dead to the land of the living. ..
You are incontestably alive.
Your murderers sowed Your living body in the earth
as farmers sow grain but it sprang up
and yielded an abundant harvest of men
raised from the dead.”

St Ephrem the Syrian (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Church

“The Cross is the hope of Christians,
the staff of the lame,
the comfort of the poor,
the destruction of all pride,
the victory over devils,
the guide of youth,
the pilot of mariners,
the refuge of those who are in danger,
the counsellor of the just,
the rest of the afflicted,
the physician of the sick,
the glory of Martyrs.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Christ, who is your life, is hanging before you,
so that you may look at the Cross, as in a mirror.
There you will be able to know,
how mortal were your wounds,
that no medicine other than.
the Blood of the Son of God, could heal.
If you look closely, you will be able to realise,
how great your human dignity and your value are….
Nowhere other than looking at himself,
in the mirror of the Cross,
can man better understand how much he is worth”

St Anthony of Padua OFM (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church

“Apart from the cross
there is no other ladder
by which we may get to heaven.“

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

We have always seen,
that those who were
closest to Christ our Lord,
were those with the greatest trials.
Let us look at what
His glorious Mother suffered
and the glorious apostles.
Take up the Cross of Jesus.
Help your Spouse to carry the burden
that weighs Him down
and pay no attention
to what they may say about you.
If you should happen to stumble
and fall like your Spouse,
do not withdraw from the Cross or abandon it.
No matter how great your trials may be,
you will see, that they are quite small,
in comparison to His.

Blessed Teresa Maria of the Cross OCD (1846–1910)

“One ounce of a Cross
is much better
than a ton of books
of prayer.”

“Anyone who seeks heaven
but without suffering,
is like someone
who wants to buy goods,
without paying.”

Blessed Jacques Ghazir Haddad (1875-1954)

“…only the Cross of Christ
sheds light on the path of this life….
God is in the detached heart,
in the silence of prayer,
in the voluntary sacrifice to pain,
in the emptiness of the world and its creatures.
God is in the Cross and,
as long as we do not love the Cross,
we will not see Him, or feel Him….
If the world and men knew….
But they will not know,
they are very busy in their interests,
their hearts are very full of things
that are not God.”

St Rafael Arnáiz Barón (1911-1938)

“The life of each and every one of us has been written.
The crucifix is my autobiography.
The blood is the ink.
The nails the pen.
The skin the parchment.
On every line of that body, I can trace my life.
In the crown of thorns I can read my pride.In the hands that are dug with nails,
I can read avarice and greed.
In the flesh hanging from him like purple rags,
I can read my lust.
In feet that are fettered, I can find the times
that I ran away and would not let Him follow.
Any sin that you can think of is written there.”

Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-september-feast-of-the-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross/ the-life-of-each-and-every-one-of-us-ven-fulton-sheen-27-april-2019

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 September – O cross, You are the Glorious Sign of Victory.

Posted on September 14, 2019September 13, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Gospel: John 3:13–17

“…And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”…John 3:14-15 and-as-moses-lifted-up-john-3-14-15-14-sept-2018

REFLECTION – “We are celebrating the feast of the cross which drove away darkness and brought in the light… Had there been no cross, Christ could not have been crucified. Had there been no cross, Life Itself could not have been nailed to the tree. And if Life had not been nailed to it, they would be no streams of immortality pouring from Christ’s side, blood and water for the world’s cleansing. The legal bond of our sin would not be cancelled, we should not have obtained our freedom, we should not have enjoyed the fruit of the tree of life and the gates of paradise would not stand open. Had there been no cross, death would not have been trodden underfoot, nor hell despoiled… The cross is called Christ’s glory, it is saluted as His triumph.”….St Andrew of Crete (650-740)

PRAYER – O God, who willed that Your Only Begotten Son should undergo the Cross to save the human race, grant, we pray, that we, who have known His mystery on earth, may merit the grace of His redemption in heaven. For You placed the salvation of the human race on the wood of the Cross, so that, where death arose, life might again spring forth and the evil one, who conquered on a tree, might likewise on a tree be conquered through Christ. O cross, You are the glorious sign of victory. Through your power may we share in the triumph of Christ Jesus. We adore you Christ and we praise you, for by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world. Amen

CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 6 September – Becoming new wineskins, following Jesus

Posted on September 6, 2019September 6, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 6 September – Friday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Year C, Gospel: Luke 5:33–39

“But new wine must be put
into fresh wineskins.”

Luke 5:38

What people don’t realise,
is how much Christianity costs.
They think faith is a big electric blanket,
when of course it is the cross.

Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964)

The Jesus of the Gospels
is surely not convenient for us.

The Jesus, who makes everything
okay for everyone,
is a phantom,
a dream,
not a real figure…

Pope Benedict XVI

Take the crucifixion personally.

Father Mike Schmitz

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – St Gregory, Bl Brigida

Posted on September 3, 2019September 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 September – The Memorial of Saint Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) “Father of the Fathers” and Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)

“Holy Scripture presents a kind of mirror
to the eyes of the mind,
so that our inner face may be seen in it.
There we learn our own ugliness, there our own beauty.
And there too we discover the progress we are making
and how far we are from perfection.”

“When we attend to the needs of those in want,
we give them what is theirs, not ours.
More than performing works of mercy,
we are paying a debt of justice.”

St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604)
Father & Doctor of the Church
“Father of the Fathers”

More quotes from St Gregory:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/09/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-september-the-memorial-of-st-pope-gregory-the-great-540-604-father-doctor-of-the-church-father-of-the-fathers/

“Let the Crucifix we wear be our mirror,
so that we may conform our life to that of Jesus,
our guide and model!”

“Confidence, Confidence!
A large heart! God is a Father
and He will never abandon us!”

Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)

PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, The SIGN of the CROSS

Thought for the Day – 30 August – The incorrupt Monk-Bishop-Cardinal-Man of God

Posted on August 30, 2019August 30, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 30 August – the Memorial of Blessed Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster OSB (1880-1954)

Today is the anniversary of the death of the Blessed Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster, who passed to his reward in heaven in 1954, after serving the church of Milan as her shepherd for just over 25 years and was Beatified in 1996.

Blessed Alfredo had several difficult years as the Shepherd of Milan with rise of Fascism and then advent of WWII. What is keenly recalled of Schuster as Bishop, is his solicitude for the people. He visited every parish of the diocese five times, holding several diocesan synods, writing many pastoral letters and founding a Seminary in Venegono. Monk or not, he was a true apostle for the good of the Church’s holiness and engagement in the world.

The funeral Mass was offered by the Cardinal Roncalli, now St John XXIII. In 1985, the cardinal’s tomb was opened and his mortal remains were found to be intact, the monk-bishop-cardinal-man of God was beatified by Saint John Paul II on 12 May 1996. The relics were given for the veneration of the faithful in one of the side-altars of the Duomo in Milan.

A treasure of Blessed Schuster is his scholarship in the Liber Sacramentorum, known in its English translation as The Sacramentary. It was written while he was Benedictine monk with the supreme reverence for tradition, adoration and intellect. In some ways, the volumes are dated, yet the work remains an invaluable reference point for liturgical scholarship today.

To the seminarians of Milan he taught in a characteristically Benedictine manner of the futility of ministry without personal holiness:

“I have no memento to give you, apart from an invitation to holiness. It would seem that people are no longer convinced by our preaching but faced with holiness, they still believe, they still fall to their knees and pray. People seem to live ignorant of supernatural realities, indifferent to the problems of salvation. But when an authentic saint, living or dead passes by, all run to be there. Do not forget that the devil is not afraid of our [parish] sports fields and of our movie halls – he is afraid, on the other hand, of our holiness.

Prayer on the occasion
of the Beatification of
Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster

Father, origin and source of all good,
we praise You and thank You
because, in the Blessed Cardinal Alfredo Ildefonso Schuster
You have given us and made known
a gentle and tireless pastor,
“all-prayerful” man,
witness to the peace that only You can give.
Lord Jesus, Son of God,
You have been for the Cardinal Schuster, a model of life,
for Your love, he was a passionate servant of all.
Lord of life, peace and joy, grant that
his example may inspire us
and his prayer accompany us,
as we also give our lives
to the service of every human being.
Spirit of love, that makes us saints,
grant us to remember
his constant invitation to holiness.
Make us capable, as he was,
to love the poor, the forgotten, the persecuted;
give us the strength to dialogue with everyone,
with the confidence, to discover in every heart,
the seed of God.
Amen

May we not forget, the devil is afraid of our active striving for holiness.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, amen. the-sign-of-the-cross-st-john-vianney.-new-version-17-jan-2018-jpg.jpg

Blessed Alfredo, Pray for our Seminarians and Priests, Pray for us All!

DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on ANGELS, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The HOLY SOULS, The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 28 August – Wonderful Augustine

Posted on August 28, 2019August 28, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 28 August – The Memorial of St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“God in his omnipotence
could not give more,
in His wisdom –
He knew not how to give more,
in His riches: –
He had not more to give,
than the EUCHARIST!”

“I will suggest a means whereby
you can praise God all day long, if you wish.
Whatever you do,
do it well
and you have praised God.”

“One of the holiest works,
one of the best exercises of piety
which we can practice in this world,
is to offer sacrifices,
alms
and prayer
for the dead.”

“It was pride,
that changed angels
into devils;
it is humility
that makes men
as angels.”

“

“He need not fear anything
nor be ashamed of anything,
who bears the
Sign of the Cross
on his brow.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

More here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/08/28/quote-s-of-the-day-28-august-the-memorial-of-st-augustine-354-430-father-and-doctor-of-grace/

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Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – “The Narrow Door”

Posted on August 25, 2019August 24, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 25 August – 21st Sunday of the Year in Ordinary Time, Year C, Gospel: Luke 13:22–30

“The Narrow Door”

“In the difficulties which are placed before me,
why should I not act like a donkey?
When one speaks ill of him – the donkey says nothing.
When he is mistreated – he says nothing.
When he is forgotten – he says nothing.
When no food is given him – he says nothing.
When he is made to advance – he says nothing.
When he is despised – he says nothing.
When he is overburdened – he says nothing.
The true servant of God must do likewise
and say with David:
“Before Thee I have become like a beast of burden.”

St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

“All, can enter eternal life but for everyone,
the door is narrow. They are not privileged.
The path to the eternal life is open to all
but it is narrow because it’s demanding,
asks for commitment, abnegation
and the mortification of selfishness.”

“To pass through the narrow gate, means
we must commit ourselves to being small,
that is humble of heart like Jesus,
like Mary, His and our mother.”

“True friendship with Jesus
is expressed in how one lives,
in the goodness of one’s heart,
in one’s humility, kindness and mercy,
in one’s love for justice and truth,
in one’s sincere commitment
to peace and reconciliation.
This, we might say, is the ‘identity card’
that qualifies us as true ‘friends,’
it is the ‘passport’
that will let us enter eternal life.”

Pope Benedict XVI

Angelus, 26 August 2007

“The whole of our life
must pass through the narrow door
which is Christ.”

Pope Francis

Angelus, 25 August 2013

JESUIT SJ, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 18 August – “Christ roams the streets …”

Posted on August 18, 2019August 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 18 August – The Memorial of St Alberto Hurtado SJ (1901-1952)

“I hold that every poor man,
every vagrant,
every beggar,
is Christ carrying His cross.
And as Christ,
we must love
and help him.”

St Alberto Hurtado

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, franciscan OFM, MARIAN QUOTES, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on INDIFFERENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The HOLY CROSS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 14 August – St Maximillian Kolbe

Posted on August 14, 2019August 14, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 August – The Memorial of St Maximillian Kolbe OFM Conv (1894 -1941) “Martyr of Charity”

“A man cannot rise any higher than this.
The Immaculate is the highest degree
of perfection and sanctity of a creature.
No man will ever attain this celestial summit of grace,
for the Mother of God is unique.
However, he who gives himself without limits,
to the Immaculate, will in a short time,
attain a very high degree of perfection
and procure for God, a very great glory.”

“We do not limit ourselves in love.
We want to love the Lord Jesus,
with her heart,
or rather, that she would love the Lord,
with our heart.”

“Let us not forget,
that Jesus not only suffered
but also rose in glory;
so, too, we go to the glory
of the Resurrection,
by way of suffering
and the Cross.”

“The most deadly poison of our times is indifference.
And this happens, although the praise of God
should know no limits.
Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him
to the greatest extent of our powers!”

“Be a Catholic!
When you kneel before an altar,
do it in such a way that others
may be able to recognise
that you know before Whom you kneel.”

	Santo Guido dari Pom… on Saint of the Day – 31 Ma…
	Santo Yohanes Klimak… on Saint of the Day – 30 Ma…
	Santo Ludolfus dari… on Saint of the Day – 29 Ma…
	A Prayer for God’s B… on Quote of the Day – 28 Septembe…
	Santo Guntramnus… on Saint of the Day – 28 Ma…

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Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro

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St Odo of Cluny (c 880–942)

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Mother of Sorrows, Pray for Us!

St Edmund, Pray for Us!

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St Dominic (1170-1221)

St Albert the Great (1200-1280) OP Doctor of the Church

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor of the Church

Blessed Henry Suso OP (1290-1365)

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) Doctor of the Church

St Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

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The Crucifix Encounter – St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

and St Guido Maria Conforti, Founder of the Xaverian Missionaries

St Francis Xavier, St Guido Maria Conforti, Pray for Us!

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St Alphonsus Rodriguez (1532-1617)

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St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor

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St John Paul II (The Holy Spirit (Dominum Et Vivificantem – 1986)

St Pope John Paul the Great (1920-2005)

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Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko (1947-1984) Martyr

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St Maria Soledad Torres Acosta (1826-1887)

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Luke 8:21

St Ignatius of Antioch (c 35-c 108) Martyr

Father of the Church

St Paul of the Cross CP (1694-1775)

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“Exalt – glorify, extol, praise, acclaim, pay homage to, pay tribute to, revere, reverence, venerate, worship, raise on high”

Saint Gertrude the Great of Helfta (1256-1301)

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1 Corinthians 1:18

St Ephrem the Syrian (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Church

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church

St Anthony of Padua OFM (1195-1231) Doctor of the Church

St Rose of Lima (1586-1617)

Blessed Teresa Maria of the Cross OCD (1846–1910)

Blessed Jacques Ghazir Haddad (1875-1954)

St Rafael Arnáiz Barón (1911-1938)

Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

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Luke 5:38

Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964)

Pope Benedict XVI

Father Mike Schmitz

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St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604) Father & Doctor of the Church “Father of the Fathers”

Blessed Brigida of Jesus Morello (1610-1679)

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Blessed Alfredo, Pray for our Seminarians and Priests, Pray for us All!

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St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace

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“The Narrow Door”

St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Francis

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St Alberto Hurtado

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St Maximillian Kolbe (1894 -1941)

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St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor of the Church

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father & Doctor of the Church

St Pope Gregory the Great (540-604)
Father & Doctor of the Church
“Father of the Fathers”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace