Category: DOCTORS of the Church

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, Hail MARY!, MARIAN TITLES, MOTHER of GOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, Quotes on SALVATION, The ANNUNCIATION, The INCARNATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 November – ‘This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Sir ach24:14-1, Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed is the womb that bore you” – Luke 11:27

REFLECTION – “This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life; she will reduce to oblivion the judgement that weighed on Eve. “The rich among the people seek the face” of this woman, “the kings of the nations shall pay her homage” they shall “ offer gifts”…, yet the glory of the Mother of God is an interior glory: the fruit of her womb.

O woman, so worthy of love, thrice happy, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Daughter of David the king and Mother of God, King of the universe, masterpiece in whom the Creator rejoices… you are to be nature’s full achievement. For you, life is not yours; you were not born for yourself alone but your life is to be God’s. You came into the world for Him, you will serve for the salvation of all people, fulfilling God’s design established from the beginning: the Incarnation of the Word and our own divinisation. Your whole desire is to feed on the words of God, to be strengthened by their sap, like “a green olive tree in the house of God,” “like a tree planted by running water,” you are the “tree of life” who “yielded its fruit in due season”…

He Who is Infinite, Limitless, came to dwell in your womb; God, the Child Jesus, was nourished by your milk. You are the ever virginal Doorway of God; your hands hold your God; your lap is a throne raised up above the Cherubim… You are the wedding chamber of the Spirit, the “city of the living God, gladdened by the runlets of the stream”, that is to say, the waves of the Spirit’s gifts. You are “all fair, the Beloved” of God.” – St John Damascene (675-749) Monk, Theologian, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin # 9).

PRAYER – O God, by Whose will the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, was on this day presented in the temple, grant, we beseech Thee, that by her intercession, we may be found worthy to be brought into the temple of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the POOR, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The HOLY SOULS

Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – The Holy Souls in Purgatory

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

“May the souls
of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace,
amen.”

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
By St Ignatius of Antioch (c35-c108)
Apostolic Father of the Church

Receive in tranquility and peace,
O Lord, the souls of Thy servants,
who have departed this present life
to come to Thee.
Grant them rest and place them
in the habitations of Light,
the abodes of blessed spirits.
Give them the life that will not age,
good things that will not pass away,
delights that have no end,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below
That I may make reparation for my sins, …
That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace
With its burning flames. …

And, instead of acting like the merciless,
Set merciful compassion within me,
That, by showing mercy to the poor,
I may obtain Your mercy.”

St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173)
Armenian Bishop

“How pleasing to Him it will be,
if you sometimes forget yourself
and speak to Him of His own glory;
of the miseries of others,
especially those who mourn in sorrow;
of the souls in purgatory,
His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven
and, of poor sinners,
who live deprived of His grace.”

St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Lady POVERTY, MIRACLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on POVERTY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 November – ‘ … By the riches of this treasure …’

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One Minute Reflection – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Felix of Valois (1127-1212) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.” – Luke 12:33

REFLECTION – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3) … Of this generous poverty, the Apostles first, after the Lord, have given us example. Unhesitatingly leaving all they had, at the Voice of the heavenly Master, they were joyfully converted and abandoned the catching of fish, to become fishers of men (Mt 4:18f.). Among the latter, many became like themselves, by imitating their faith; for with those first children of the Church, “the community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). Stripped of all their possessions, they were enriched with eternal goods, thanks to holy poverty. Welcoming the Apostles’ preaching, they rejoiced to have nothing in this world and yet, possess all things in Christ. (2 Cor 6:10).

Hence, the blessed Apostle Peter, when he was going up to the temple and was asked for alms by a lame man, said, “I have neither silver nor gold but what I do have I give you; in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6)… Peter healed him with a word and he, who did not have a coin with Cæsar’s image upon it, restored upon the man, the Image of Christ. And by the riches of this treasure, not only was that one person aided, whose power of walking was restored but too, the five thousand men who then believed the Apostle’s preaching because of this miracle (Acts 4:4). And Peter, that poor man, who did not have anything to give him, who asked for alms, bestowed so great a gift of Divine Grace that, not content with setting one man upright on his feet, he healed, those many thousands of believers in their hearts, by giving them faith.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 95 2-3).

PRAYER – OGod, Who by heavenly inspiration graciously called forth blessed Felix, Thy Confessor, from the desert to the work of ransoming captives; grant, we beseech Thee, that by his intercession and liberated by Thy grace from the captivity of our sins, we may be led into our heavenly fatherland. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 19 November – Heavenly Treasures

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Quote/s of the Day – 19 November – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) Widow – Proverbs 31:10-31;, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field.”

Matthew 13:44

“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where rust and moth consume
and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves,
treasures in Heaven …”

Matthew 6:19-20

“For the man who loves God,
it is sufficient to please the One he loves
and, there is no greater recompense to be sought,
than the loving itself.
For love is from God, by the very fact
that God Himself is love.
The good and chaste soul
is so happy to be filled with Him
that it desires to take delight in nothing else.
For what the Lord says is very true:
‘Where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.’”

“What is a man’s treasure
but the heaping up of profits
and the fruit of his toil?
For, whatever a man sows,
this too will he reap and each man’s gain,
matches his toil and where delight
and enjoyment are found,
there the heart’s desire is attached.
Now, there are many kinds of wealth
and a variety of grounds for rejoicing –
every man’s treasure is that, which he desires.
If it is based on earthly ambitions,
its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
… By distributing what might be superfluous
to support the poor, they are amassing
imperishable riches, so that what they have
discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss.
They have properly placed those riches,
where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing,
to work to increase such riches,
rather than to fear that they may pass away.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
ather and Doctor of the Church

“The love of God is the end,
the perfection and the excellence,
of the universe. ”

(Treatise on the Love of God,
Book 10, Chapter 1)

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

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on the CHURCH, St PAUL!, St PETER!

Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas ofSts Peter and Paul

“The sepulchres of those,
who have served Christ Crucified,
surpass the palaces of kings,
not so much in the greatness and beauty of the buildings (although in this too, they go beyond them)
as in another thing of more importance,
namely, in the multitude of those who,
with devotion and joy, repair to them.
For the emperor himself, who is clothed in purple,
goes to the sepulchres of the Saints
and kisses them and, humbly prostrate on the ground, beseeches the same Saints to pray to God for him
and he, who wears a royal crown upon his head,
holds it, as a great favour of God
that a tent-maker and a fisherman
and these dead, should be his protectors and defenders
and this he begs with great earnestness.”

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

“We do not build Churches to Martyrs as to gods
but memories as to men, departed this life,
whose souls live with God.
Nor do we erect Altars to sacrifice on them
to the Martyr but to the God
of the Martyr and our God.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 November – But it is God Who builds this dwelling place.

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One Minute Reflection – 18 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul – Apocalypse 21:2-5; Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5

REFLECTION – “The Lord said: “This is My resting place forever” and He “chose Zion as the place where He will dwell.” (Ps 132:14) But the temple is destroyed. Where will God’s eternal throne be? Where will His resting place be forever? Where will His temple be for His dwelling place? The apostle Paul gives us an answer: “You are the temple of God, … the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16). That is the house and temple of God. They are filled with His teaching and His power. They are the dwelling place for the holiness of God’s Heart.

But it is God Who builds this dwelling place. If it were built by human hands, it would not last, not even if it were founded on human teaching. Our fruitless work and our worries, are not enough to protect it. The Lord goes about this in a different way; He did not found it on earth or on moving sand but it rests on the Prophets and the Apostles (Eph 2:20); it is built constantly out of living stones (1 Pet 2:5). It will develop to the ultimate dimension of Christ’s Body. Its construction continues constantly. Many houses go up all around it and they will resemble one another in one big and happy city (Ps 122:3).” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (Treatise on Psalm 64).

PRAYER – O God, Who for us brings each year, the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always brings us back safely to the sacred rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that whoever enters this temple, to pray for blessings, may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 November – “I will utter things hidden, from the foundation of the world.” – Matthew 13:35

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One Minute Reflection – 17 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Gregory Thaumaturgus (c 213-c 270) “the Wonder-Worker,” Bishop, Confessor – 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10; Matthew 13:31-35 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“I will utter things hidden, from the foundation of the world.” – Matthew 13:35

REFLECTION – “In one of the Psalms the Prophet says: “My soul pines for Thy salvation; I hope in Thy Word” (118:1) … Who is expressing this ardent desire if not “the chosen race, the royal priesthood, the people set apart for God” (1 Pt 2:9) each in their own day, in each one of those, who have lived, are living or will live, from humanity’s first beginning until the end of the world? … This is why our Lord Himself, says to His disciples: “Many Prophets and righteous men have wished to see that which you see.” It is their voice, then, we must recognise in this Psalm … Their longing has never come to an end in the Saints, nor does it end even now in “the Body of Christ, the Church” (Col 1:18) until “the Desired of all nations” comes (Hag 2:8) …

So, the beginning of the Church’s era, before the Virgin had given birth, comprised Saints who longed to see Christ’s coming in the flesh and, the period where we are now, following the Ascension, comprises other Saints who long to see the revealing of Christ to judge the living and the dead. From the beginning to the end of time, the Church’s longing has never lost its intensity, excepting only, when our Lord was alive on earth in the company of His disciples.” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo, Father and Doctor of Grace (Discourses on the Psalms Ps 118 No 20).

PRAYER – Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God that the venerable feast of Thy blessed Gregory Confessor and Bishop may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHARITABLE SOCIETIES, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 16 November – “But the wise took oil in their vessels” – Matthew 25:4

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One Minute Reflection – 16 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Gertrude the Great (1256-1302) Virgin – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2: Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“But the wise took oil in their vessels” – Matthew 25:4

REFLECTION – “It is some great thing, some exceedingly great thing, that this oil signifies. Do you think it might be charity? If we try out this hypothesis, we hazard no precipitate judgement. I will tell you why charity seems to be signified by the oil. The Apostle says, “I will show you a still more excellent way.” “If I speak with the tongue of mortals and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” This is charity. It is “that way above the rest,” which is, with good reason, signified by the oil. For oil swims above all liquids. Pour in water and pour in oil upon it, the oil will swim above. If you keep the usual order, it will be uppermost, if you change the order, it will be uppermost. “Charity never fails!” … St Augustine (354-430) Father & Doctor (Sermon 93).

PRAYER – O God, Who prepared a pleasing dwelling place for Thyself in the heart of blessed Gertrude the Virgin, by her merits and intercession, mercifully wipe away all sinful stain from our heart and grant that we may enjoy her companionship. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The BEATITUDES, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 15 November – St Albert the Great

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Quote/s of the Day – 15 November – St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church

“The greater and more persistent
your confidence in God,
the more abundantly
you will receive,
all you ask for.”

“The surest and quickest way
to attain perfection, is to strive
for purity of heart.
Once the obstacles have been removed,
God finds a clear path and does wonders,
both in and through, the soul.”

“Govern my heart O Lord,
lest it drift into useless and disordered thoughts.
Do not permit me to become excessively preoccupied
with anything at all, even matters and concerns
which are useful and good in themselves.
Temper the affections of my soul,
so that I may neither love, nor hate
anything in a way which exceeds due proportions.
Let me neither rejoice, nor be saddened,
beyond the measure which is fitting and rational.”

Guide Me Lord
By St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Doctor of the Church

O Lord Jesus Christ,
Who seeks those who stray
and receives them when returning,
make me approach Thee
through the frequent hearing of Thy Word,
lest I sin against my neighbour,
by the blindness of human judgement,
through the austerity of false justice,
through comparing his inferior status,
through too much trust in my merits
or through ignorance of the Divine Judgement.
Guide me to search diligently,
each corner of my conscience,
lest the flesh dominate the spirit!
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/15/quote-s-of-the-day-15-november-st-albert-the-great-2/

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

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE, St PAUL!, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 November – “You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:14

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One Minute Reflection – 15 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church – 2 Timothy 4:1-8; Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“You are the light of the world.” – Matthew 5:14

REFLECTION – “I shall always love and reverence the Apostles sent by Christ and their successors, in sowing the seed of the Gospel, those zealous and tireless co-operators in propagating the Word, who may justly say of themselves: Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ and the dispensers of the Mysteries of God. For Christ, like a most watchful and most faithful householder, wished that the Gospel lamp should be lit by such ministers and delegates, with fire sent down from Heaven and once lit, should not be put under a measure but set upon a candlestick, so that it may spread its brightness far and wide and put to flight, all darkness and error, rife among both Jews and Gentiles.

Now it is not enough for the Gospel teacher to be a brilliant speaker in the eyes of the people; he must also be as a voice crying in the desert and endeavour, by his eloquence, to help many to lead good lives, lest, if he omit his duty of speaking, he be called the dumb dog that is not able to bark, spoken of by the prophet. Yes, he should also burn, in such a way, that, equipped with good works and love, he may adorn his evangelical office and follow the leadership of Paul. He indeed was not satisfied with bidding the Bishop of the Ephesians: This command and teach: conduct thyself in work as a good soldier of Christ Jesus but he unflaggingly preached the Gospel to friend and foe alike and, said with a good conscience to the Bishops gathered at Ephesus: You know how I have kept back nothing that was for your good but have declared it to you and taught you in public and from house to house, urging Jews and Gentiles to turn to God in repentance and to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Such should be the shepherd in the Church who, like Paul, becomes all things to all men, so that the sick may find healing in him; the sad, joy; the desperate, hope; the ignorant, instruction; those in doubt, advice; the penitent, forgiveness and comfort and finally, everyone, whatever is necessary for salvation. And so Christ, when He wished to appoint the chief teachers of the world and of the Church, did not limit Himself to saying to His disciples: You are the light of the world but also added these words: A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a measure but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all who are in the house. Those churchmen err, who imagine that it is by brilliant preaching, rather than by holiness of life and all-embracing love, they fulfil their office.” – St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1597) Doctor of the Church (Sermon excerpt).

PRAYER – O God, Who made blessed Albert, ThyBishop and Doctor, eminent in the submission of human wisdom to divine faith, grant us, we beseech Thee, so to follow the path of his teaching that we may enjoy perfect light in Heaven.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on TRUTH

Our Morning Offering – 15 November – Supreme Lord and King of All! By St Albert the Great

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Our Morning Offering – 15 November – St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church

Supreme Lord and King of All!
By St Albert the Great (1200-1280)
Universal Doctor of the Church

We pray to Thee, O Lord,
Who art the Supreme Truth,
and all truth is from Thee.
We beseech Thee, O Lord,
Who art the highest Wisdom
and all the wise
depend on Thee, for their wisdom.
Thou are the supreme Joy,
and all who are joyous, owe it to Thee.
Thou art the Light of minds
and all receive their understanding from Thee.
We love, we love Thee above all!
We seek Thee, we follow Thee
and we are ready to serve Thee.
We desire to dwell under Thy Power
for Thou art the King of all!
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Lady of Pignerol, Savoy, France (1098), Our Lady of Divine Providence, St Albert the Great and Memorials of the Saints – 15 November

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Notre-Dame de Piedmont / Our Lady of Pignerol, Savoy, France (1098) – 15 November:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/15/notre-dame-de-piedmont-our-lady-of-pignerol-savoy-france-1098-and-memorials-of-the-saints-15-november/

Our Lady of Divine Providence – another Feast moved after 1969:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/19/feast-of-our-lady-of-divine-providence-and-memorials-of-the-saints-19-november-2/

St Albertus Magnus OP (1200-1280) Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church – Doctor Universalis (Universal Doctor) – Priest and Friar of the Order of Preachers, Theologian, Scientist, Philospher, Teacher, Writer. St Albert was Beatified in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV and Canonised and created a Doctor of the Church in 1931 by Pope Pius XI.   St Albert was known during his lifetime as Doctor universalis and Doctor expertus and, late in his life, the sobriquet Magnus was appended to his name.
St Albert!
https://anastpaul.com/2017/11/15/saint-of-the-day-15-november-st-st-albertus-magnus-albert-the-great-o-p-1200-1280-doctor-of-the-church/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/15/saint-of-the-day-15-november-st-albertus-magnus-albert-the-great-op-1200-1280-bishop-confessor-doctor-of-the-church/

St Anianus of Wilparting
St Arnulf of Toul
Bl Caius of Korea
St Desiderius of Cahors
St Eugene of Toledo
St Felix of Nola
St Findan
St Fintan the Missionary
St Gurias of Edessa
Bl Hugh Faringdon
Bl John Eynon
Bl John Rugg
Bl John Thorne

St Leopold III/Leopold the Good ( 1073 – 1136) “Leopold the Good,” Margrave of Austria. He was Canonised on 6 January 1485 by Pope Innocent VIII.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/15/saint-of-the-day-15-november-st-leopold-iii-1073-1136-leopold-the-good/

Blessed Lucia (Lucy) of Narni OP (1476-1544) Virgin, Tertiary of the Order of Preachers, Mystic, Stigmatist, Her body is incorrupt. So many miracles occurred at her Shrine that Lucia was finally Beatified on 1 March 1710 by Pope Clement XI.
It is thought that Lucia was the inspiration for th little girl Lucy, who could see many things that no-one else could, in C S Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia.
Her Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/15/saint-of-the-day-15-november-blessed-lucia-of-narni-op-1476-1544/

St Luperius of Verona
St Machudd of Llanfechell
St Malo (c520-621) Bishop
St Marinus of Wilparting

St Paduinus of Le Mans
Bl Richard Whiting
Bl Roger James
St Shamuna of Edessa
St Sidonius of Saint-Saens

Martyrs of Hippo – 20 Saints: 20 Christians Martyred together and celebrated by Saint Augustine. The only details about them to survive are three of the names – Fidenziano, Valerian and Victoria. Hippo, Numidia (in north Africa).

Martyrs of North Africa – 3 Saints: A group of Christians murdered for their faith in imperial Roman north Africa. The only details that have survived are the names of three of them – Fidentian, Secundus and Varicus.

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, GOOD RESOLUTIONS, QUOTES on Love of Self, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – ‘Love without measure’

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – St Josaphat Kuncewicz OSBM (1584-1623) Confessor, Archbishop, Martyr – Hebrews 5:1-6, John 10:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“I am the Good Shepherd,
I know My Own
and My Own know Me.”

John 10:14

“My sheep hear My Voice;
I know them and they follow Me.”

John 10:27

“I am like the sick sheep which strays
from the rest of the flock.
Unless the Good Shepherd
takes me on His shoulders
and carries me back to His fold,
my steps will falter
and, in the very effort of rising,
my feet will give way!”

St Jerome (343-420)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Christ said that the shepherd
enters through the gate
and that He is Himself the Gate,
as well as the Shepherd.
Then, it is necessary,
that He enter through Himself.
By so doing, He reveals Himself
and through Himself, He knows the Father.
But we enter through Him
because through Him, we find happiness.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus/ Doctor Communis

“The measure of love,
is to love without measure.”

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

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD is LOVE, ONE Minute REFLECTION, Quotes on SALVATION, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 14 November – “ I lay down My Life for My sheep.” – John 10:15

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One Minute Reflection – 14 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Josaphat Kuncewicz OSBM (1584-1623) Confessor, Archbishop, Martyr – Hebrews 5:1-6, John 10:11-16 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“ I lay down My Life for My sheep.” – John 10:15

REFLECTION – “The service of the Good Shepherd is Love. That is why Jesus says He “lays down His Life for His sheep.” For we must know what distinguishes Him – the Good Shepherd watches over the needs of His flock, the bad one seeks his own interest. That is what the Prophet said: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who seek only to feed themselves! Should they not feed their flock?” (Ezek 34:2). Those who only use the flock for their own interest are not good shepherds … A good shepherd, in the natural sense, bears with much for the sake of the flock over which he watches, as Jacob testified: “By day the heat consumed me and the cold by night.” (Gen 31:40)…

But the spiritual flock’s salvation, is more important, than even the life of the shepherd. That is why, when the flock is in danger, its shepherd must accept to lose his physical life for the salvation of the flock. The Lord said: “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep” his physical life in the loving exercise of authority … Christ gave us an example: “He laid down His Life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” (1 Jn 3:16).” – St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Dominican Priest and Friar, Theologian, Doctor of the Church (Lectura super Ioannem, X lect 3, 1-20).

PRAYER – Arouse in Thy Church, O Lord, the spirit with which blessed Josaphat, Thy Martyr and Bishop, was filled, when he laid down his life for his flock; so that, by his intercession, we, also moved and strengthened by the same spirit, may not fear to lay down our lives for our brethren. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on DEATH, St PETER!, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 12 November – Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. – Matthew 16:16

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One Minute Reflection – 12 November – St Martin I, Pope (598-655) Martyr – 1 Peter 5:1-4; 5:10-11; Matthew 16:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” – Matthew 16:16

REFLECTION – “Peter did not say “Thou are a Christ” or “a son of God” but “the Christ, the Son of God.” For there are many christs by grace, who have attained the rank of adoption [as sons] but, [there is] only One ,Who is by nature the Son of God. Thus, using the definite article, he said, THE Christ, THE Son of God. And in calling Him, Son of the LIVING God, Peter indicates that Christ Himself is Life and that death has no authority over Him. And even if the flesh, for a short while, was weak and died, nevertheless, it rose again, since the Word, Who dwelled in it, could not be held under the bonds of death.” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Known as “The Pillar of Faith” Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor Incarnationis (Doctor of the Incarnation) (Fragment 190).

PRAYER – Look forgivingly on Thy flock, Eternal Shepherd and keep it in Thy constant protection, by the intercession of blessed Martin Thy Martyr and Sovereign Pontiff, whom thou didst constitute Shepherd of the whole Church. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR

Our Morning Offering – 11 November – Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory By St Alphonsus

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Our Morning Offering – 11 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

My God! I Recommend to Thee …
Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

My God! I recommend to Thee,
the souls of my relatives,
my benefactors, my friend, my enemies
and of those, who are in Purgatory on my account.
I recommend to Thee,
the souls of Evangelical labourers,
of Religious and Priests
and especially of those,
who had charge of my soul.
I recommend to Thee,
the souls of those, who were most devout
to the Passion of Our Lord,
to the Blessed Sacrament,
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
and to the Blessed Virgin Mary,
the souls, who are most abandoned,
those, who suffer most
and those, who are nearest
to the entrance into Paradise.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Holy Name PRAYERS, HYMNS, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES for CHRIST, The HOLY NAME, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR

Our Morning Offering – 10 November – Jesu Dulcis Memoria, Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee! By St Bernard

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Our Morning Offering – 10 November – Pentecost XXV

Jesu Dulcis Memoria
Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee!
By St Bernard (1090-1153)
Father and the Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far, Thy Face to see
And in Thy presence rest.

No voice can sing, no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,
The Saviour of mankind.

O hope of every contrite heart!
O joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find?
Ah! this nor tongue, nor pen, can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.

Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shall be;
In Thee be all our glory now
And through eternity.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, Holy Name PRAYERS, INDULGENCES, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, The HOLY NAME, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preacher

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – The Feast of All Saints of the Order of Preacher

“Speak only with God
or about God.”

“None who persevered in devotion
to the Holy Rosary, will be condemned.”

St Dominic (1170-1221)

“Your purity of life, your devotion,
deserve and call for a reward
because you are acceptable
and pleasing to God.
Your purity of life must be made purer still,
by frequent buffetings,
until you attain perfect sincerity of heart.
If, from time to time, you feel the sword
falling upon you with double or treble force,
this also should be seen as sheer joy
and the mark of love!”

St Raymond of Peñafort (1175-1275)

“Faith in Jesus and in the power of His Holy Name
is the greatest spiritual force in the world today.
It is a source of joy and inspiration in our youth;
of strength in our manhood,
when only His Holy Name and His grace,
can enable us to overcome temptation;
of hope, consolation
and confidence at the hour of our death,
when more than ever before,
we realise, that the meaning of Jesus is
‘Lord, the Saviour.’
We should bow in reverence to His Name
and submission to His Holy Will.”

Bl Henry Suso OP (1290-1365)

“Love takes up,
where knowledge leaves off.”

“If then, you are looking for the way
by which you should go,
take Christ, for He, Himself, is the Way.”

St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus / Doctor Communis

“When troubled by temptations,
raise up your heart and soul to God,
humbly beseeching Him
to turn them to His greater glory
and to your salvation,
supporting the temptations
as long as it shall please Him
and imploring Him, to grant you grace,
never to offend Him.”

St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)

O Divine Jesus!
Lonely in So Many Tabernacles
By St Pope Pius X (1835-1914)
“Pope of the Blessed Sacrament”
(St Pius X was elected to the Chair of St Peter
on the Feast of St Dominic
and became a ‘Protector’ of the Order).

O Divine Jesus!
Lonely today in so many Tabernacles,
without visitor or worshipper,
I offer Thee my lonely heart.
May it’s every beat be a prayer of love to Thee.
Thou are ever watching under the Sacramental Veils,
in Thou love, Thou never sleeps
and Thou are never weary of Thy vigils for sinners.
O Loving Jesus!
O Lonely Jesus!
may my heart be a lamp,
the light of which shall burn and beam
for Thee alone.
Watch, Sacramental Sentinel!
Watch for the weary world,
for the erring soul
and for Thy poor lonely child.

O Jesus, my God, I adore Thee,
here present in the Sacrament of Thy love.
Amen

Indulgences:
100 days each time before the Tabernacle
300 days each time before the Blessed Sacrament Exposed
(St Pope Pius X – 3 July 1908)
Prayers to the Sacred Heart
15th Ed 1936

MORE DOMINICAN QUOTES:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-november-st-dominic-and-his-ops/

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC TIME, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, EUCHARISTIC, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, EUCHARISTIC ADORATION and Nocturnal, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 7 November – Lauda Sion Salvatorem, (Excerpt) By St Thomas Aquinas OP

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Our Morning Offering – 7 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – On Thursday we devote our hearts and souls to the most holy Eucharist. The Eucharist is the greatest Gift of God to mankind, as it is nothing less than Jesus Himself. Therefore today too, we pray for our Priests AND as today is the Feast Day of All the Saints of the Order of Preachers or the Dominicans, we pray a prayer by one of their greatest sons.

Lauda Sion Salvatorem
Sion, Lift Up thy Voice and Sing
(Excerpt)
By St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus / Doctor Communis

Sion, lift thy voice and sing,
Praise thy Saviour and thy King,
Praise with hymns thy Shepherd true,
Dare thy most to praise Him well,
For He doth all praise excel,
None can ever reach His due.

Special theme of praise is Thine,
That true living Bread divine,
That life-giving flesh adored,
Which the brethren twelve received,
As most faithfully believed,
At the Supper of the Lord.

Let the chant be loud and high,
Sweet and tranquil be the joy
Felt to-day in every breast;
On this festival divine
Which recounts the origin
Of the glorious Eucharist.

St Thomas Aquinas wrote the Liturgy for Corpus Christi when Pope Urban IV added the Solemnity to the universal Church’s Liturgical calendar in 1264. He provided a great sequence, one of the great poems chanted or recited before the proclamation of the Gospel.
Lauda Sion is one of only four medieval sequences which were preserved in the Roman Missal published in 1570 following the Council of Trent (1545–1563)—the others being Victimae Paschali Laudes (Easter), Veni Sancte Spiritus (Pentecost) and Dies irae (requiem masses).
(A fifth, Stabat Mater, would later be added in 1727.)
Before Trent, many feasts had their own sequences. The existing versions were unified in the Roman Missal promulgated in 1570.
The Lauda Sion is still sung today as solemn Eucharistic hymn, though its use is optional in the post-Vatican II Ordinary form.
As with St Thomas’s other three Eucharistic Hymns, the last few stanzas of the Lauda Sion are often used alone, in this case, to form the “Ecce Panis Angelorum”.

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, ON the SAINTS, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on PURITY, The BEATITUDES, The HEART, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “They shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8

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One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints and the Feast of the Holy Relics – Apocalypse 7:2-12; 4:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“They shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8

REFLECTION – “We want to see God, we seek to see Him, we ardently desire to see Him. Who does not desire this? But note what the Gospel says: “Blest are the pure of heart, they shall see God.” Do what is necessary in order to see Him! To compare it with something from material reality, how can you want to contemplate the rising sun if your eyes are sick? If your eyes are healthy that light will be a pleasure for you; if they are sick, it will be torture for you. You will surely not be allowed to see, with an impure heart, that which one can only see with a pure heart. You will be moved away, put at a distance, you will not see!

How often did the Lord proclaim people to be ‘blest‘? What reasons for eternal happiness did He cite, what good works, what gifts, what merits and what rewards? No other! the beatitude says, “They shall see God.” This is what the others say: “How blest are the poor in spirit, the reign of God is theirs. Blest are the lowly; they shall inherit the land. Blest are the sorrowing; they shall be consoled. Blest are they who hunger and thirst for holiness; they shall have their fill. Blest are they who show mercy; mercy shall be theirs.” So none other asserts, “They shall see God.”

The vision of God is promised ONLY to those with a pure heart. This is not without a reason, since the eyes which allow us to see God are in the heart. Those are the eyes the Apostle Paul was speaking of when he said: “May He enlighten your innermost vision” (Eph 1:18). So, at the present time because of their weakness, those eyes are enlightened by faith; later, because of their strength, they will be enlightened by vision… “Now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face.” (1 Cor 13:12).” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 53).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on PRIESTS, the PRIESTHOOD and CONSECRATED LIFE, QUOTES on SLOTH, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 4 November – Talents – Matthew 25:14-23.

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One Minute Reflection – 4 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Saint Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) – Sirach 44:16-27; 45:3-20; Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately …” – Matthew 25:15

REFLECTION – “The man who is the landowner is actually the Creator and Lord of all. The Word compares, in the parable, the time the landowner spends away from home, to either the Ascension of Christ into Heaven, or, at any rate, to the unseen and invisible character of the Divine Nature.   Now, one must conceive of the property of God, as those in each country and city, who believe in Him. He calls His servants, those who, according to the times, Christ crowns with the glory of the Priesthood. For the holy Paul writes, “No-one takes this honour upon himself; he must be called by God.”

He hands over [His property] to those who are under Him, to each giving a spiritual gift, so that he might have character and aptitude. We think that this distribution of the talents, is not supplied to the household servants in equal measure because, each is quite different from the other, in their understanding. Immediately they head out for their labours, He says, directly, indicating to us here, that apart from the procrastination of one, they are fit to carry out the work of God.

Surely those who are bound by fear and laziness will evolve into the worst evils. For he buried in the earth, Jesus says, the talent given to him. He kept the gift hidden, making it unprofitable for others and useless for himself. For that very reason, the talent is taken away from him and will be given to the one who is already rich. The Spirit has departed from such as these and the gift of the Divine Gifts. But to those who are industrious, an even more lavish gift will be presented!” – St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Archbishop of Alexandria, Father and Doctor of the Church (Fragment 283)

PRAYER – Safeguard Thy Church, O Lord, under the continual protection of St Charles, Thy Confessor and Bishop, so that just as his concern for his flock made him glorious, so his intercession may make us ever fervent in loving Thee. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SELF-DISTRUST, St Francis de Sales, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY NAME of MARY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – Why are you fearful ..?

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints – Pentecost XXIV – Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 8:23-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Why are you fearful,
O you of little faith?
Then He arose
and rebuked the wind and the sea
and there came a great calm.”

Matthew 8:26

“Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.”

John 14:27

“No-one should fear to suffer
for the sake of justice,
no-one should lose confidence
in the reward that has been promised.
The way to rest is through toil,
the way to life is through death.
Christ has taken on Himself
the whole weakness of our lowly human nature.
If then, we are steadfast in our faith in Him
and in our love for Him,
we win the victory that He has won,
we receive what He has promised.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“If thou art bound down by sickness,
if sorrows weary thee,
if thou art trembling with fear,
invoke the Name of Jesus!”

St Lawrence Justinian (1381-1456)

“ … Let the fine point of your spirit
always turn towards God, its north.
Your are about to take to the high seas
of the world, do not, on this account,
alter dial or mast, sail or anchor or wind.
Keep Jesus Christ
as your dial, at all times,
His Cross for mast,
on which to hoist
your resolutions, as a sail.
Let your anchor be,
profound trust in Him
and set out early!”

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 November – ‘ …In this way, stand firm in peace, certain that “no-one has hoped in the Lord and been confounded ” …’

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One Minute Reflection – 3 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Within the Octave of All Saints – Pentecost XXIV – Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 8:23-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish.” – Matthew 8:25

REFLECTION – “God is not at all displeased when, on occasion, you quietly complain to Him. Do not be afraid to say to Him: “Lord, why dost Thou stand afar off?” (cf Ps 9:22 LXX) Thou knowest well I love Thee and only long for Thy Love. Graciously come to my aid and do not abandon me.”

If your desolation continues and your anguish is unbearable, unite your voice to that of Jesus, Jesus dying in affliction on the Cross; say, as you beg the Divine pity: “My God, my God, why hast Thou abandoned me?” (Mt 27:46) But profit from this trial, firstly so as to humble yourself even more, while reminding yourself that we are not worthy of any consolations when we have offended God and then, so as to revive your confidence even more by reminding yourself that, whatever He may do or permit, God only has your wellbeing in mind and that, in this way, “all things work together for the good” (cf Rm 8:28) of your soul. The more trouble and discouragement besiege you, the more you should arm yourself with courage and cry out: “The Lord is my Light and my help, who should I fear?” (Ps 26:1). Yes, Lord, it is Thou Who enlightens me, Thou Who will save me; in Thee I entrust myself, “in Thee I place my hope: I shall never be confounded” (Ps 30:2 LXX).

In this way, stand firm in peace, certain that “no-one has hoped in the Lord and been confounded ”(Sir 2:11 Vg.), none have been lost after having placed their trust in God.” – St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Most Zealous Doctor of the Church (What Should We Speak About With God? – from: ‘How to Converse Continually and Familiarly with God’).

PRAYER – Almighty, eternal God, Who granted us to honour the merits of all Thy Saints in a single solemn festival, bestow on us, we beseech Thee, through their manifold intercession, that abundance of Thy mercy for which we yearn. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CARMELITES, CATECHESIS, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY COMMUNION, QUOTES on PURITY, St Francis de Sales, The COMMUNION of SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – All Saints Day

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – All Saints Day

“Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.”

Matthew 5:8

“Let listening to worldly news
be BITTER FOOD for you
and let the words of
Saintly men
be as combs
filled with honey.”

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“To Saints,
their very slumber,
is a prayer!”

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

“Our greatest fault is, that
we wish to serve God in our way,
not in His way — according to our will,
not according to His will….
To be truly a Saint, it is necessary
to be one according to the will of God.”

“The Holy Eucharist
is the perfect Communion of Saints,
for it is the food common to Angels
and sainted souls in Paradise
and ourselves – it is the true Bread
of which all Christians participate.
The forgiveness of sins,
the Author of forgiveness being there, is confirmed;
the seed of our resurrection sown,
life everlasting bestowed. …
This very belief in the Most Holy Sacrament,
which, in truth, reality and substance,
contains the true and natural
Body of Our Lord,
is actually the abridgment of our Faith,
according to that of the Psalmist:
“He had made a memory of His wonderful works.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GUARDIAN ANGELS - Prayers etc, Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 31 October – Goodbye October

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Quote/s of the Day – 31 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – Goodbye October

“You should be aware, the word
“Angel” denotes a function,
rather than a nature.
Those holy Spirits of Heaven have,
indeed, always been spirits.
They can only be called Angels
when they deliver some message.
Moreover, those who deliver messages
of lesser importance are called Angels
and those. who proclaim messages
of supreme importance are called Archangels.”

St Gregory the Great (540-604)
Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church

“ They are there at your side, then,
not just with you but for you.
They stand beside you to protect and help you.
What return will you make to the Lord
for all the good He has done for you? (Ps 115:31).
It is to Him, alone, we should give thanks
and honour for their aid; it is He,
Who has commanded them.
“Every perfect gift,” (Jas 1:17)
comes from Him alone.
But we are, on no account,
to fail in thanksgiving regarding the Angels,
in view of the great charity, with which they obey Him and the great need we have of their assistance!”

St Bernard (1090-1153)
Father & Mellifluous Doctor of the Church

“You must know that when you
‘hail’ Mary, she immediately greets you!
Do not think that she is one of those rude women
of whom there are so many, on the contrary,
she is utterly courteous and pleasant.
If you greet her, she will answer you right away
and converse with you!”

St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

The Fifteen Promises is a tradition held by the Order of Preachers that the Blessed Virgin Mary made Fifteen specific Promises through Saint Dominic (1170-1221) and Blessed Alain de la Roche (1428-1475), to those who faithfully pray the Rosary.

The 15 Promises of The Most Holy Rosary
Given by The Blessed Virgin Mary

  1. Those who faithfully serve me, by the recitation
    of the Rosary shall receive signal graces.
  2. I promise my special protection and the greatest graces,
    to all those who shall recite the Rosary.
  3. The Rosary shall be a powerful armour against hell.
  4. It will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
    It will cause virtue and good works to flourish.
    It will obtain for souls the abundant mercy of God.
    It will withdraw the hearts of men
    from the love of the world and its vanities
    and will lift them to the desire of eternal things.
    Oh, that souls would sanctify themselves by this means.
  5. The soul which recommends itself to me
    by the recitation of the Rosary, shall not perish.
  6. Whoever shall recite my Rosary devoutly,
    applying himself to the consideration
    of its Sacred Mysteries, shall never
    be conquered and never overwhelmed by misfortune.
    God shall not chastise him in His justice,
    he shall not perish by an unprovided death
    Sinners shall convert.
    The just shall grow in grace
    and become worthy of eternal life.
  7. Whoever shall have a true devotion
    to the Holy Rosary,
    shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church.
  8. Those who are faithful, in reciting the Rosary,
    shall have, during their life and at their death,
    the Light of God and the plenitude of His graces.
    At the moment of death,
    they shall participate in the merits
    of the Saints in paradise.
  9. I shall deliver from Purgatory,
    those who have been devoted to the Rosary.
  10. The faithful children of the Rosary,
    shall merit a high degree of glory in Heaven.
  11. You shall obtain all you ask of me,
    by the recitation of the Rosary.
  12. All those who propagate the Holy Rosary,
    shall be aided by me, in their necessities.
  13. I have obtained from my Divine Son,
    that all the advocates of the Rosary,
    shall have for intercessors,
    the entire Celestial Court during their life
    and at the hour of death.
  14. All who recite the Rosary are my sons
    and brothers of my only Son, Jesus Christ.
  15. Devotion to my Rosary is a great sign of predestination.

THE SEVEN BLESSINGS OF THE HOLY ROSARY
“The Rosary, recited with meditation on the mysteries, brings about the following marvellous results:

It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ;
It purifies our souls, washing away sin;
It gives us victory over all our enemies;
It makes it easy for us to practice virtue;
It sets us on fire with love of Our Blessed Lord;
It enriches us with graces and merits;
It supplies us with what is needed to pay,
all our debts to God and to our fellow men
and finally, it obtains all kinds of graces for us from Almighty God.”

St Louis Marie Grignion De Montfort (1673-1716)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the POOR, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 31 October – “We possess nothing and yet, we have everything!”

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One Minute Reflection – 31 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – The Vigil of All Saints – Apocalypse 5:6-12; Luke 6:17-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Be glad in that day and rejoice, for behold, your reward is great in Heaven,” – Luke 6:23

REFLECTION – “Only Christians have a true sense of values; their joys and sorrows are not the same as other people’s. The sight of a wounded combatant wearing a victory crown would make someone, ignorant of the games, think only of the fighter’s wounds and how painful they must be. Such a person would know nothing of the happiness the crown gives. And, it is the same when people see the things we suffer, without knowing why we do so. It naturally seems to them to be suffering pure and simple. They see us struggling and facing danger but, beyond their vision, are the rewards, the crowns of victory — all we hope to gain, through the contest! As Paul said: “We possess nothing and yet, we have everything!” (2 Cor 6:10)…

We too, then, when we suffer anything for Christ’s sake, should do so not simply with courage but even with joy. If we have to go hungry, let us be glad, as if we were at a banquet. If we are insulted, let us be elated, as though we had been showered with praises. If we lose all we possess, let us consider ourselves the gainers of all. If we provide for the poor, let us regard ourselves as the recipients! … Above all, remember, that your struggles, are for the sake of the Lord Jesus. Then, you will easily rise above them and live out your lifetime in happiness; for nothing brings more happiness than a good conscience.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop of Constantinople, Father & Doctor of the Church (Sermon on Second Corinthians, 12: 4).

PRAYER – Multiply Thy grace upon us, O Lord our God and grant that by following in holiness of life, those whose glorious festival we anticipate, we may attain to their bliss. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 30 October – ‘ … Nothing but a dream. …’ St Hilary

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One Minute Reflection – 30 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – Ferial Day –Philippians 3:17-21, 4:1-3; Matthew 9:18-26 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… The girl is not dead but sleepeth.” – Matthew 9:24

REFLECTION – “This synagogue Official can be understood as representing the Law of Moses who, when interceding on behalf of the crowd he had nurtured for Christ, by preaching the expectation of His coming, asks the Lord to restore a dead girl to life … The Lord promised to help him and, to assure him of it, he followed him.

First of all, however, the mass of pagan sinners was saved, together with the Apostles. The gift of life reverted, in the first place, to the elect predestined by the Law and yet, before that, salvation was bestowed on publicans and sinners, in the image of the woman. That was why, this woman was confident that, coming upon the Lord as He passed by, she would be healed of her haemorrhage at the touch of the Lord’s garment … In her faith, she was in haste to touch the fringe of His garment, that is to say, to attain, together with the Apostles, the gift of the Holy Ghost emanating from Christ’s Body after the manner of a fringe. She was swiftly healed. Thus, the cure intended for the one, was also granted to the other, whose faith and perseverance the Lord praised, since what had been prepared for Israel had been received by the Gentiles … The healing power of the Lord contained, in His Body spread even to the fringes of His garments. For indeed, God is neither divisible nor graspable, in such a way, as to be enclosed within a Body. He Himself shares out His gifts in the Spirit but is not divided among His gifts. In every place His power is touched by faith because, it exists everywhere and, is never absent anywhere. The Body He took did not restrict His power but His power took on the weakness of a body to redeem it …

Then, the Lord entered the Official’s house, otherwise called the synagogue … and many people mocked Him. Effectively, they did not believe in the God-Man and laughed to hear Him preach the resurrection from the dead. Taking the young girl’s hand, the Lord restored her to life, whose death, where he was concerned, was nothing but a dream.” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (Commentary on Saint Matthew’s Gospel 9: 5-8 )

PRAYER – O God, our refuge and our strength, the very source of holiness, heed the devout prayers of Thy Church and grant that what we seek in faith, we may obtain in fact. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on The SOUL, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The LAST THINGS, The SECOND COMING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 October – ‘ … But every man is afraid of the death of the flesh; few, of the death of the soul! …

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One Minute Reflection – 29 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – Pentecost XXIII– Resumed Mass of Sunday – Philippians 3:17-21, 4:1-3; Matthew 9:18-26 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Behold, a certain ruler came up and adored Him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead but come, lay Thy Hand upon her and she shall live. ” – Matthew 9:18

REFLECTION – “The hour is coming, in which all who are in their graves ,shall hear His Voice and shall come forth” (Jn 5:28)… We have read in the Gospel, of three dead persons who were raised to life by the Lord and, let us hope, to some good purpose. For surely ,the Lord’s deeds are not merely deeds but signs … We were listening with wonder… in the reading of the Gospel, how Lazarus was restored to life (Jn 11). If we turn our thoughts to the still more wonderful works of Christ, everyone who believes, rises again – if we all consider and understand that more horrifying kind of death which everyone who sins dies.

But every man is afraid of the death of the flesh; few, of the death of the soul! … Man, destined to die, labours to avert his dying and yet, man, destined to live forever, labours not, to cease from sinning! … Oh that we could arouse men and be ourselves aroused along with them, to be, as great lovers of the life that abides, as men are of that, which passes away.! … Who has had it said to him: “Be off to sea, if you would escape with your life” and has delayed to do so? Who has had it said to him: “Set to work if you would preserve your life” and has continued a sluggard? It is but little that God requires of us that we may live forever and we neglect to obey Him?! …

If, then, the Lord in the greatness of His Grace and Mercy, raises our souls to life that we may not die forever, we may well understand, that those three dead persons whom He raised in the body, have some figurative significance of that resurrection of the soul, which is effected by faith.” – St Augustine (354-430), Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (Sermons on Saint John’s Gospel, no.49, 1-3).

PRAYER – Forgive, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the sins of Thy faithful people, so that by Thine Goodness we may be released from the net of sin in which we have been caught by our weakness. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", APRIL -MONTH of the RESURRECTION and the BLESSED SACAMENT, AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the KING Prayers, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, Quotes on SALVATION, The HOLY NAME, The RESURRECTION, The SECOND COMING

Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – The Feast of Christ the King

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Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – The Feast of Christ the King

“Wake up then, believer
and note what is stated here:
“In My Name.”
That [Name] is Christ Jesus.
Christ signifies King, Jesus signifies Saviour.
Therefore, whatever we ask for
that would hinder our salvation,
we do not ask in our Saviour’s Name
and yet, He is our Saviour,
not only when He does what we ask
but also, when He does not.
When He sees us ask anything
to the disadvantage of our salvation,
He shows Himself our Saviour by not doing it.
The physician knows
whether what the sick person asks for,
is to the advantage or disadvantage of his health.
And [the physician] does not allow
what would be harmful to him,
although the sick person himself, desires it.
But the physician looks to his final cure.”

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

“Our Lord Jesus Christ
Has appeared to us from the bosom of the Father.
He has come and drawn us out of the shadows
And enlightened us with His joyful Light.

Day has dawned for humankind,
Cast out the power of darkness.
For us, a Light from His Light has arisen
That has enlightened our darkened eyes.

Over the world He has made His glory arise
And has lit up the deepest depths.
Death is no more, darkness has ended,
The gates of hell are shattered.

He has illumined every creature,
All the shades from times long past.
He has brought about salvation and given us Life;
Next He will come in glory.

Our King is coming in His great glory:
Let us light our lamps
and go out to meet Him (Mt 25,6);
Let us be glad in Him, as He has been glad in us
And gives us gladness, with His glorious Light.

My friends, arise! make yourselves ready
To give thanks to our Saviour King,
Who will come in His glory and make us joyful
With His joyous Light in the Kingdom.”

St Ephrem (306-373)
Father of the Church
(Hymn I on the Resurrection)

“Let us not strive for the rewards of Heaven,
valuable though they may be
but live, so as to please the God of Heaven.
If God were not in Heaven,
all its beauty, riches and sweetness,
would be dull rather than delightful.
By faith, we know, God already dwells within us.
But in Heaven, we will see God face-to-face.
May we so live that one day,
we will be in Heaven praising
and praying eternally,
before our Lord and Saviour!”

St Jane Frances de Chantal VHM (1572-1641)

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One Minute Reflection – 27 October – “My Kingdom is not of this world.”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 27 Octoberber – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” –The Feast of Christ the King – Pentecost XXIII – Colossians 1:12-20; John 18:33-37– Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Pilate, therefore, said to Him, Thou are then a King?” – John 18:37

REFLECTION – “What a stupendous thing it was for the King of the ages to become King of men! For Christ did not become King of Israel to exact tribute, to equip armies with swords, to subdue visible foes. He became King of Israel that He might rule over men’s souls, counsel them about eternity that, He might lead to the Kingdom of Heaven, those, who would believe in Him, hope in Him and love Him. Accordingly, it was not to increase His power–it was condescension on His part which made Him,, the Son of God, co-equal with the Father, the Word by Whom all things were made–wish to become King of Israel. It was an indication of His mercy; it did not augment His power. He, Who on earth was called King of the Jews, in Heaven is called, Lord of the Angels. But is Christ King of the Jews only and not King of the Gentiles, too? When, in prophecy He said, “But I have established My Kingdom upon Sion, My holy mountain. I will make known the decree of the Lord,” He added immediately, so that the mention of Mount Sion, might not lead men to believe He had been anointed King of the Jews, solely: “The Lord has said to Me – Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee. Ask of Me and I will give Thee the Gentiles for Thy inheritance and the ends of the earth, for Thy possessions.”

Jesus answered – “My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, My followers would have fought, that I might not be delivered to the Jews. But as it is, My Kingdom is not from here.” This is what the good Master wished us to know. First, we had to learn, how vain was the notion of His Kingdom that it should be hostile, either to the Romans or to the Jews. When the Roman governor asked Jesus “Art thou King of the Jews?” the Lord could have answered: “My Kingdom is not of this world.” But Christ asked in His turn, ”Dost thou say this of thyself, or have others told thee of Me?” because, He wished to show, from Pilate’s answer, that He, Jesus, had been charged with this, as a crime by the Jews, before Pilate. Thus He laid bare to us the thoughts of men which He knew and which were vain. After the reply of Pilate, Jesus replied to them, to both Jews and Gentiles, more fittingly and more opportunely, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermon on Christ the King) Roman Breviary

PRAYER – Almighty and eternal God, Who willed to restore all things in Thy beloved Son, the King of the Universe, graciously grant that the peoples of the earth torn asunder by the wound of sin, may submit to His most gentle rule.Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).