Category: JESUIT SJ

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

The Sodality of Our Lady / Our Lady of the Jesuit College, Rome (1584) and Memorials of the Saints – 5 December

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The Sodality of Our Lady / Our Lady of the Jesuit College, Rome (1584) – 5 December:

The Abbot Orsini wrote: “In the year 1584 was instituted, the first congregation of Our Lady at the Jesuits’ college, at Rome, whence is derived their custom of establishing it in all their houses.”

The Sodality of Our Lady, or the Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was actually founded in 1563 by a Belgian Jesuit, Father John Leunis, at the Collegio Romano in Rome. It was established for young schoolboys and the Papal Bull Superna Dispositione opened it to adults, under the authority of the Superior General of the Society of Jesus.
A Jesuit historian recorded that it was originally “made up especially of younger boys from the college, who agreed to go to daily Mass, weekly confession, and monthly Communion, as well as to engage in a half-hour of meditation each day and do some other pious exercises.” The youths who felt drawn to the spirit of the Jesuits and were often called the “Congregation Mariana.” Once formed into a Sodality of Our Lady, they were to do apostolic work in the City of Rome, while also serving the poor. Since the time of its humble beginnings in 1563, twenty-two Sodalists have become Popes.
After Fr Leunis’ death in 1584, Pope Gregory XIII canonically established the Sodality Group of the Roman College in his bull “Omnipotentis Dei.” The sodality of Fr Leunis was declared to be the mother of all such subsequent sodalities. Having attained the status of Prima Primaria, it had gained the right to partner with other similar groups, and through that affiliation ,all could share in the indulgences and privileges of the Prima Primaria, with the General of the Society of Jesus having the authority to grant such an affiliation. These sodalities were established all over Europe, India and Asia, as well as in the Americas and included both sexes. They reached their greatest number in the 17th century, when it was estimated that there were as many as 2500 such groups.
In 1773, Pope Clement XIV suppressed the Society of Jesus and separated the sodalities from their jurisdiction. From that time on it was Catholic bishops who established Marian Sodalities throughout the world.

St Abercius
St Anastasius
St Aper of Sens
Blessed Bartholomew Fanti of Mantua O.Carm. (c 1428-1495) Carmelite Priest
St Basilissa of Øhren
St Bassus of Lucera
St Bassus of Nice
St Cawrdaf of Fferreg
St Christina of Markyate
St Consolata of Genoa
St Crispina
St Cyrinus of Salerno
St Dalmatius of Pavia
St Firminus of Verdun
St Gerald of Braga
St Gerbold
St Gratus

Blessed Jean-Baptiste Fouque (1851-1926) Priest, known as “The Saint Vincent de Paul of Marseilles.” Founder of numerous charitable organisations for the poor, the sick, the elderly, children and orphans.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-blessed-jean-baptiste-fouque-1851-1926-saint-vincent-de-paul-of-marseilles/

St Joaquín Jovaní Marín
St John Almond
Bl Giovanni/John Gradenigo
St Justinian
St Martiniano of Pecco
Bl Narcyz Putz
St Nicetius of Trier
Bl Niels Stenson
St Pelinus of Confinium

Blessed Philip Rinaldi SDB (1856-1931) Blessed Philip was an Italian priest and a professed member from the Salesians of Don Bosco. He founded the Secular Institute of Don Bosco Volunteers.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-blessed-philip-rinaldi-s-d-b-1856-1931/

St Sabbas of Mar Saba (439–532) Priest. a Cappadocian-Syrian Monk, founder of several Monasteries, most notably the one known as Mar Saba.
The Life of St Sabbas:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/05/saint-of-the-day-5-december-st-sabbas-439-532/

St Vicente Jovaní Ávila
—
Martyrs of Thagura – (12 saints): A group of twelve African Christians who were martyred together in the persecutions of Diocletian. The only details about them that have survived are five of their names – Crispin, Felix, Gratus, Juliua and Potamia.
302 in Thagura, Numidia

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Joaquín Jovaní Marín
• Blessed Vicente Jovaní Ávila

Posted in JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on CHILDREN, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 3 December – St Francis Xavier

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Quote/s of the Day – 3 December – The Memorial of St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

“Give me the child until he is seven
and I’ll give you the man.”

“Learn to seal the dead past,
not to worry about the unborn future
but live and enjoy,
the realistic present.”

“May the grace and charity
of Christ our Lord,
always help and favour us!
Amen.”

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-december-st-francis-xavier-2/

Posted in CHRIST the KING, Gerard MANLEY HOPKINS SJ, GOD is LOVE, INCORRUPTIBLES, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 3 December – I Love Thee, God, I Love TheeBy St Francis Xavier

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Our Morning Offering – 3 December – Friday of the First week of Advent and The Memorial of St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

I Love Thee, God, I Love Thee
By St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)
Translated by Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)

I love Thee, God, I love Thee—
Not out of hope for heaven for me
Nor fearing not to love and be
in the everlasting burning.
Thou, my Jesus, after me
Didst reach Thine arms out dying,
For my sake suffered nails and lance,
Mocked and marred countenance,
Sorrows passing number,
Sweat and care and cumber,
Yea and death and this for me,
And Thou could see me sinning.
Then I, why should not I love Thee,
Jesu so much in love with me?
Not for heaven’s sake, not to be
Out of hell by loving Thee,
Not for any gains I see,
But just the way that Thou didst me
I do love and will love Thee.
What must I love Thee, Lord, for then?
For being my King and God.
Amen

Posted in GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY, The HEART

Quote/s of the Day – 1 December – St Edmund Campion, Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld

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Quote/s of the Day – 1 December – The Memorial of St Edmund Campion SJ (1540-1581) and Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916) Both Martyrs

“To be a Catholic
is my greatest glory.”

St Edmund Campion (1540-1581
Martyr

“The Gospel showed me
that the first commandment is to love God
with all one’s heart
and that, we should enfold everything in love;
everyone knows,
that the first effect of love is imitation.”

“Every person is a child of God,
who loves them infinitely:
it is, therefore, impossible to want to love God,
without loving human beings –
the more one loves God,
the more one loves people.
The love of God, the love of people,
is my whole life;
it will be my whole life, I hope.”

“When you love,
you feel like speaking the whole time
with the one you love,
or at least, you want to look at Him without ceasing.
Prayer is nothing else.
It is the familiar meeting with our Beloved.
We look at Him,
we tell Him we love Him,
we rejoice to be at His feet.”

“I would like to be
sufficiently good
that people would say:
‘If such is the servant,
what must the Master be like.’”

From the (Auto)Biography of

Blessed Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916)
Martyr

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

La Conchita de Granada. Virgen de la Concepción / Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Granada, Nicaragua (1721) and Memorials of the Saints – 23 November

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La Conchita de Granada. Virgen de la Concepción / Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Granada, Nicaragua (1721) – 23 November to 8 December:

Patron of Granada and of the Armies of Nicaragua – known as the “General” of the armies.

In 1721, women washing clothes in Lake Nicaragua saw a chest floating in but every time it drew near, waves pulled it back out. The women went to tell the Franciscan Friars. When they arrived and waded into the water, the chest floated up to their hands. On top were the words, “For the City of Granada.” Inside were two images of the Virgin (one of which was later given to the City of Masaya). Immediately, the Franciscan Friars carried the image to the Cathedral in procession.
In 1856, the American Mercenary, William Walker invaded and proclaimed himself president of Nicaragua. On 23 November 1856, when he began to lose his private war in Central America, he left Granada, commanding the fire that almost completely destroyed the City
Among the few objects recovered in good condition was the Sacred Statue of the Virgen de la Concepción, still in the Cathedral of Granada today.

Granada Cathedral

The Virgin is shown slaying a dragon with a spear, which is inscribed in the Title given her in 1862, “General of the Nicaraguan Army.”
The army band plays in her honour on 28 November, the first day of the Novena, prior to the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8 December.
The Statue is a one and a half meter tall wood carving,the Virgin Mary smiles gently – in her left arm the Child Jesus lies, while with his right hand he holds a spear that rests on the head of a serpent. The current spear is not the original spear, since William Walker stole the original which was solid silver. The Virgin’s feet rest on a half moon.
In 1862, once the Nicaraguan National War had ended, General Tomas Martínez declared the Title of “General of the Nicaraguan Armies,” this Title was granted, considering that the Virgin had played “a decisive role in the great battles against the Mercenaries.” The Title of General makes the Blessed Virgin enjoy a salary for the reconstruction of the Church, in addition, the Title thus belonging to the armed forces, grants the Army a particular role in the celebrations of the Patron during the Novena and the Festivities in her honour on 8 December.

St Pope Clement I (Died c 101) Martyr, Apostolic Father, Papacy c 88 – c101 (Optional Memorial)

St Columban (543-615) Monk, Irish Missionary, Abbot, Writer, Reformer, Teacher, Miracle-worker, (Optional Memorial)
Feast Day 21 November until 1969
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-st-columban-543-615/

St Adalbert of Casauria
St Alexander Nevski
St Amphilochius of Iconium
St Augusta of Alexandria
St Cecilia Yu Sosa
St Clement of Metz
Bl Detlev of Ratzeburg
Bl Enrichetta Alfieri
St Falitrus of Chabris
St Faustina of Alexandria
Bl Felícitas Cendoya Araquistain
St Felicity of Rome
St Gregory of Girgenti
Bl Guy of Casauria
St Jaume Nàjera Gherna
St John Camillus the Good
St Loëvan of Brittany
St Lucretia of Mérida
Bl Margaret of Savoy

Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro SJ (1891 – 1927) Priest of the Society of Jesus and Martyr of the Cristero War, Mexico.
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-blessed-miguel-agustin-pro-sj-1891-1927-priest-and-martyr-viva-cristo-rey/

St Mustiola of Chiusi
St Paternian of Fano
St Paulinus of Whitland
St Rachildis of Saint-Gall
St Severin of Paris
St Sisinius of Cyzicus
St Trudo of Hesbaye
St Wilfetrudis of Nivelless

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – ‘ O sweet and precious wood …’

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Quote/s of the Day – 14 November – The Memorial of St Serapion of Algiers OdeM (c 1179–1240) Mercadarian Priest and Martyr

“How precious the gift of the Cross,
how splendid to contemplate!
In the Cross there is no mingling of good and evil,
as in the Tree of Paradise;
it is wholly beautiful to behold
and good to taste.
The fruit of this Tree is not death but life,
not darkness but light.
This Tree does not cast us out of Paradise
but opens the way for our return.”

St Theodore the Studite (750–826)
Father, Abbot, Theologian, Writer

“O sweet and precious wood,
the perfect image of the
Wood on which my beloved Jesus died,
through you, I hope
to ascend to eternal happiness!”

St Serapion of Algiers (c 1179–1240)
Martyr

“There is no better Wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the Wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour Crucified.”

St Serafino of Montegranaro (1540-1604)

“The Crucifix is the open book
in which men can read
of God’s infinite love for them.
The Saints wept before the Crucifix
because they realised
that the sufferings and death
of the Redeemer were the result
of sin and so, they learned
to avoid sin at all costs.
… Let the Crucifix be
the most precious object in our homes
and let us love to hold it in our hands.
Let us weep for sins
and increase in love
for our divine Redeemer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

The Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Nossa Senhora dos Remédios / Our Lady of Remedies, (Lamego, Portugal) 6th Century) and Memorials of the Saints – 14 November

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The Twenty Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Nossa Senhora dos Remédios / Our Lady of Remedies, (Lamego, Portugal) 6th Century) Also known as – Nossa Senhora da Gruta / Our Lady of the Grotto – 14 November:

The Abbot Orsini wrote: “Our Lady of the Grotto, in the Diocese of Lamego, in Portugal. This Chapel was cut in the rock, in the same place where an image of the Blessed Virgin had been found.”

Lamego is both a Municipality and a City in northern Portugal, the City having a total of less than 9,000 inhabitants. The City is an ancient one, as the Roman’s came to settle the area in about the year 500 BC. The people became Catholic when Ricardo I, the Visigothic King, converted to Christianity late in the 6th century.
The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios, or Our Lady of Remedies, is in the location of Our Lady of the Grotto. It is in the Town of Lamego, district of Viseu, Portugal and is located atop the hill of Saint Stephen.
This site begins as an old hermitage that was dedicated to Saint Stephen (Santo Estevao) constructed in 1361, so Catholic devotion here goes well back into the Middle Ages. By the 16th century, the old hermitage was at risk of collapsing and so was demolished, to make way for the construction of a new hermitage in the same spot. The Bishop of Lamego placed an image of the Virgin and Child there and thus over time, Marian devotion eclipsed devotion to Saint Stephen. Miraculous cures, especially of diseases, brought more pilgrims and the name for the image as Our Lady of Remedies.
The Marian Shrine that can be seen there today, however, was built during the 18th through the 20th centuries, from 1750 to 1905 when it was completed. 8 September the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, is the date when there are feasts in honor of Our Lady of Remedies. The celebration in September includes fireworks, musicals, sporting events and recreational activities that take place in amid the trees in a grove of a nearby park. There is a parade known as the Procession of the Triumph, who’s participants are richly dressed, that is the highpoint of the celebration.
Inside the Church there is an Altar above which the image of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios rests. It is carved in wood and is surrounded by stained glass windows having images of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Annunciation. Two side Altars are dedicated to the parents of the Blessed Virgin, Joachim and Saint Anna.

There is also a famous Baroque staircase, having 686 steps, that leads to the Sanctuary. There are several levels, decorated with sculptures of kings and eight fountains. There is also a “Court of the Kings” where eighteen Kings of Israel, all belonging to the family tree of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of God, can be seen.

St Adeltrude of Aurillac
St Alberic of Utrecht
St Antigius of Langres
St Dubricius of Wales
St Etienne-Théodore Cuenot
St Hypatius of Gangra
Bl Jean of Tufara

Blessed John Licci OP (1400-1511) Priest of the Order of Preachers, Miracle-Worker.
Biography here:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/11/14/saint-of-the-day-14-november-blessed-john-licci-o-p-1400-1511/

St John Osorinus

St Joseph Maria Pignatelli SJ (1737 – 1811) known as “The Restorer of the Society of Jesus” and “The Second Founder of the Society of Jesus” following the suppression of the Society of Jesus by Pope Clement XIV in 1773.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/14/saint-of-the-day-14-november-saint-joseph-maria-pignatelli-sj-1737-1811/

St Jucundus of Bologna

St Laurence O’Toole/Lorcán Ua Tuathail (c 1128 – 1180) Archbishop of Dublin, Abbot, Reformer, Mediator, Preacher, Apostle of Charity, Papal Legate to Ireland, he established new Churches and Monasteries.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/14/saint-of-the-day-14-november-st-laurence-otoole-c-1128-1180/

Bl Maria Louise Merkert
Bl Maria Teresa of Jesus
St Modanic
St Ruf of Avignon
St Serapion of Alexandria
St Serapion of Algiers OdeM (c 1179–1240) Priest Martyr
St Siard
St Venerando the Centurian
St Venerandus of Troyes
—
Holy Fathers of Merida

Martyrs of Emesa: Group of Christian women tortured and executed for their faith in the persecutions of the Arab chieftain Mady. They died in Emesa (modern Homs, Syria).

Martyrs of Heraclea – (3 saints): Group of Christians murdered together for their faith. The only details we have are three of their names – Clementinus, Philomenus and Theodotus. They were martyred in Heraclea, Thrace.

Martyrs of the Jaffa Gate:
• Blessed Déodat of Rodez
• Blessed Nikola Tavelic
• Blessed Pierre of Narbonne
• Blessed Stefano of Cuneo

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, ON the SAINTS, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, The HEART, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 8 November – May I Be United With You, Good Jesus

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Our Morning Offering – 8 November – Octave Day of All Saints

May I Be United With You, Good Jesus
St Peter Canisius (1521-1597)
Doctor of the Church

Let my eyes take their sleep
but may my heart always
keep watch for You.
May Your right hand bless Your servants
who love You.
May I be united with the praise
that flows from You, Lord Jesus,
to all Your saints;
united with the gratitude
drawn from Your heart, good Jesus,
that causes Your saints to thank You;
united with Your passion, good Jesus,
by which You took away our guilt;
united with the divine longing
which You had on earth, for our salvation;
united with every prayer
that welled from Your divine heart, good Jesus
and flowed into the hearts of Your saints.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, Gerard MANLEY HOPKINS SJ, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN POETRY, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, MODESTY, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – Jesuits

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Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Hate what the world seeks
and seek, what it avoids.”

“God’s love calls us to move beyond fear.
We ask God for the courage
to abandon ourselves unreservedly,
so that we might be moulded
by God’s grace,
even as we cannot see
where that path may lead us.”

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

I Beg of You, My Lord
By St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

I beg of You, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from You
and You from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension;
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting, savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving and possessing You;
being conscious of Your Presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Amen

“What a tragedy,
how many souls
are being shut out of heaven
and falling into hell,
thanks to you!”

St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

“This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

“We ought to instruct with meekness
those whom heresy has made bitter and suspicious
and has estranged from orthodox Catholics,
… Thus, by whole-hearted charity and goodwill,
we may win them over to us in the Lord.”

St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1397)
Doctor of the Church

“We … are under an obligation
to be the light of the world
by the modesty of our behaviour,
the fervour of our charity,
the innocence of our lives
and the example of our virtues.
Thus shall we be able
to raise the lowered prestige
of the Catholic Church
and, to build up again,
the ruins that others by their vices have caused.
Others, by their wickedness,
have branded the Catholic Faith
with a mark of shame,
we must strive,
with all our strength, to cleanse it
from its ignominy
and to restore it
to its pristine glory!”

The Burning Babe,

As I in hoary winter’s night
stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat
which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view
what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright
did in the air appear;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat,
such floods of tears did shed
As though His floods should quench His flames
which with His tears were fed.
Alas, quoth He but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts
or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is,
the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire and sighs the smoke,
the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on
and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought
are men’s defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am
to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this He vanished out of sight
and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I called unto mind
that it was Christmas day.

St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Priest and Martyr

“When He takes away
what He once lent us,
His purpose is to
store our treasure elsewhere,
more safely and bestow on us,
those very blessings,
that we ourselves
would most choose to have.”
(From A Letter to His Mother)

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

“The Catholic religion was the religion of your forefathers
and the only one Jesus Christ founded; –
the one which He promised would endure
till the end of time.
It is in the Catholic religion alone
that you can save your soul.”

“How long are you going to be deaf to His call?
Or are you going to lose your soul,
which Jesus Christ bought at the price
of His Precious Blood?”

St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640)

“… Make use of Our Lord
as an armour which covers [us] all about,
by means of which [we] shall resist
every device of [our] enemies.
You shall then be my Strength, O my God!
You shall be my Guide,
my Director,
my Counsellor,
my Patience,
my Knowledge,
my Peace,
my Justice
and my Prudence.”

“He promises to be [our] strength,
in proportion to the trust
which [we] place in Him.”

St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

The May Magnificat
By Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)

May is Mary’s month and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season-

Candlemas, Lady Day:
But the Lady Month, May,
Why fasten that upon her,
With a feasting in her honour?
Ask of her, the mighty Mother:
Her reply puts this other
Question: What is Spring?
Growth in everything-
All things rising, all things sizing
Mary sees, sympathising
With that world of good,
Nature’s motherhood.

Well but there was more than this:
Spring’s universal bliss
Much, had much to say
To offering Mary May.

Posted in BAPTISM, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – ‘… The handwriting of sin … ‘

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 5 November – “Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Readings: Romans 15: 14-21; Psalms 98: 1-4; Luke 16: 1-8 and the Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

“Then to another he said: ‘And you, how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note, write one for eighty.’” – Luke 16:7

REFLECTION – “What the Gospel of “the unjust steward” says, is also an image of this matter. He says to the debtor [of one hundred measures of wheat], “Take your bill, sit down and write eighty” and the other things that are related.
You see that he said to each man, “Take your bill.”
It is evident from this, that the ‘documents of sin‘ are ours but God writes ‘documents of justice.‘
The Apostle says, “For you are an epistle written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of the heart.” You have in yourselves, ‘documents of God’ and ‘documents of the Holy Spirit.’
If you transgress, you yourself write in yourselves, the handwriting of sin.
Notice, that at anytime, when you have approached the Cross of Christ and the grace of Baptism, your handwriting is fastened to the Cross and blotted out in the fountain of Baptism.
Do not rewrite later, what has been blotted out, or repair what has been destroyed. Preserve only the documents of God in yourself. Let only the scripture of the Holy Spirit remain in you.” – Origen Adamantius (c 185-253) Priest, Theologian, Exegist, Writer, Apologist, Father (Homilies on Genesis, 13)

PRAYER – Lord God, teach us humility, to give and not to count ever the cost to ourselves, to take the lowest part and the back seat – teach us Lord, to strive and not to seek for glory, save for that of Your Kingdom. Let us see Your Face, His Face, He our Teacher, our Saviour in the face of all those in most need. May all those great Jesuit Saints standing before that Face, pray for us! We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who we beg, have mercy on us all, who seek rewards for our own sakes, amen.

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Feast of the Holy Relics, Nossa Senhora da Medalha Milagrosa / Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Monte Sião, Brazil (1939) and Memorials of the Saints

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Feast of the Holy Relics:
About: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/05/feast-of-the-holy-relics-5-november/

Nossa Senhora da Medalha Milagrosa / Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Monte Sião, Brazil (1939) – 5 November now moved to 27 November:

The first Church in Monte Sião appeared in 1849, dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, built by the founder of the place, Antonio Bernardes de Souza. The official Consecration of the Church took place on 13 April 1850. In the Parish of Father Luigi Cocoresi, from 1883 to 1890, more precisely in 1881, the Chapel was replaced by the Parish Church, built on top of in in the same square. The new Church was also built of clay based on strips of sawn wood.
In the parish administration of Fr. José Eugênio de Faria – Fr Zequinha – in 1934, the construction of the current Mother Church began, which is located in the same place as the previous otwo
The Church’s architecture resembles the style of Roman art from the 12th century and the main Altar is entirely carved in wood, where the centenary image of the Patron Saint, the Blessed Mother, can be seen. The image of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, which adorns the main Altar, was brought to Monte Sião around 1860 and came from Portugal, through a Portuguese farmer, Mr João Pereira Batista Machado, who would have funded both its acquisition and the transportation. The image arrived at the Port of Rio de Janeiro and was brought to the City on the back of animals, inside a cargo jack and wrapped in dry corn husk.

In 1937, at the request of the Bishop, the image was removed from the Altar and sent to a Chapel in the countryside, claiming that the Statue looked too modern.
The faithful greatly missed the Statue in the Igreja Matriz. It was then, that between 1937 and 1939, the City of Monte Sião was inflicted by a period of great drought. There was rain in every other City but not there. The people then associated the lack of rain with the absence of the Statue of their Patron and went to intercede with the Parish Priest, to bring the Statue back. On 5 November 1939, the Statue was allowed to return. The day was sunny and a procession was held to honour the Patroness.
When the Statue reached the City, the first drops began to fall and then a heavy rain, soaking everyone. This was called the rain miracle and after that, everything went smoothly. The Statue underwent a restoration in the year 2015, which returned all the original features to the image, which had been lost with previous restorations.
Although the Feast was 5 November it was moved to co-incide with the official Feast of the Miraculous Medal, 27 November, which is a local public holiday, when it is celebrated after a Novena between 18 and 26 November, with a Mass in honour of the Patron , the Blessed Maria of the Miraculous Medal.

All Saints and Blesseds of the Society of Jesus:

The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits, was Founded in 1534 by Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) at Montmartre, Paris, France. A body of clerics regular organised for Apostolic work, following a religious rule and relying on alms for their support. It was the chief instrument of the Catholic Reformation. Pope Paul III approved the new rule in 1540 and Ignatius was elected the first general of the order in 1541. The constitutions, drafted by him and based on his Spiritual Exercises were adopted in 1558. It was the first order which enjoined by its constitutions devotion to the cause of education. The ministry of the Society consists chiefly in preaching. teaching catechism. administering the sacraments. conducting missions in parishes, taking care of parishes. organising pious confraternities, teaching in schools of every grade, writing books, pamphlets, periodical articles, going on foreign missions and special missions when ordered by the current Holy Father, to whom they take a vow of total obedience. Our current Holy Father, Pope Francis is a Jesuit and has jokingly wondered aloud who is boss of whom in his Order. The general resides at Rome, Italy and has a council of assistants. The motto of the Society is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (For the greater glory of God).
All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/05/feast-of-all-the-saints-and-blesseds-of-the-society-of-jesus/

St Augustine of Terracina
Bl Bernhard Lichtenberg
St Bertille (c 629-c 703) Abbess
St Canonica
St Comasia
St Ðaminh Mau
St Dominator of Brescia
St Elizabeth
St Domninus the Physician
St Epistemis
St Eusebius of Terracina
St Felix of Terracina
St Fibitius
St Galation
St Gerald of Beziers
Bl Gomidas Keumurjian
Bl Gregory Lakota
St Guetnoco
St Guido Maria Conforti
St St Hermenegild
St Idda
St Juan Antoni Burró Mas
St Juan Duarte Martín
St Kanten
St Kea
St Laetus of Orleans
St Magnus of Milan
St Mamete
St Marco of Troia
Bl María del Carmen Viel Ferrando
Bl Simon Ballachi
St Spinulus of Moyen-Moûtier
St Sylvanus of Syria
St Zachary
—
Martyrs of Caesarea Maritima – 4 saints: Four young Christian men who were martyred together in the persecutions of Maximian – Aussenzius, Philotheus, Timothy and Theotimus. They were martyred in the arena at Caesarea Maritima, Palestine.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Juan Antoni Burró Mas
• Blessed Juan Duarte Martín
• Blessed María del Carmen Viel Ferrando

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JESUIT SJ, ON the SAINTS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – Be a Saint!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

“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.”

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

“Teach Us Good Lord”
By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve You as You deserve;
to give
and not to count the cost,
to fight
and not to heed the wounds,
to toil
and not to seek for rest,
to labour
and not to ask for reward,
except that of knowing
that we are doing Your will.
Amen

“Those who risk all for God,
will find. that they have
both lost all and gained all.”

St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer of the Church

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

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

“There is no more evident sign
that anyone is a saint
and of the number of the elect,
than to see him leading a good life
and, at the same time,
a prey to desolation, suffering and trials.”

St Aloysius de Gonzaga (1568-1591)

“All a person’s holiness,
perfection and profit
lies in doing God’s will perfectly….
Happy are we, if we succeed
in pouring out our heart into God’s,
in uniting our desires
and our will to His,
to the point,
that one heart and one will are formed,
wanting, what God wants,
wanting, in the way,
in the time
and in the circumstances,
what He desires
and willing it all,
for no other reason,
than that God wills it.”

“Heaven is filled
with converted sinners ,
of all kinds
and there is room
for more!”

St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)

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

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
and the Holy Face of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Doctor of the Church

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/01/quote-s-of-the-day-1-november-on-the-saints/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUTH, QUOTES on VIRTUE, SACRED HEART QUOTES, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 29 October – Our Times

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 29 October

Our Times

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

“Nothing great is ever achieved,
without much enduring.”

“Start being brave about everything.
Drive out darkness and spread light.
Don’t look at your weaknesses.
Realise instead, that in Christ crucified,
you can do everything.”

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

“You cannot have two heavens –
it is impossible to enjoy yourself here
and afterward,
to reign with Christ.”

Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

“We cannot go to heaven in featherbeds.”

“If we lived in a Country
where virtue was profitable,
common sense would make us saintly.
But since we see that avarice, anger,
pride and stupidity commonly profit,
far beyond charity, modesty, justice and thought,
perhaps we must stand fast a little,
even at the risk of being heroes.”

“You wouldn’t abandon ship in a storm,
just because you couldn’t control the winds.”

St Thomas More (1478-1535)

“Hate what the world seeks
and seek, what it avoids.”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

“Devotion to the
Most Sacred Heart,
is the Extraordinary Remedy,
for the Extraordinary needs
of our time.”

Pope Pius XI (1857-1939)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY SPIRIT, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, St PAUL!, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 17 October – “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 17 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 4: 13, 16-18; Psalm 105: 6-9, 42-43; Luke 12: 8-12

“…Do not be anxious how
or what you are to answer,
or what you are to say;
for the Holy Spirit
will teach you,
in that very hour,
what you ought to say.”

Luke 12:11-12

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

John 14:27

“Be on your guard,
stand firm in the faith,
be courageous,
be strong.”

1 Corinthians 16:13

“Do not say,
this happened by chance,
while this came to be of itself.”
In all that exists
there is nothing disorderly,
nothing indefinite,
nothing without purpose,
nothing by chance …
How many hairs are on your head?
God will not forget one of them.
Do you see how nothing,
even the smallest thing,
escapes the gaze of God?”

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

“What is the surest kind of witness?
“Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus Christ
came among us in the flesh” (cf. 1Jn 4,2)
and who keeps the commands of the Gospel…
How many there are each day
of these hidden martyrs of Christ
who confess the Lord Jesus!
… So be faithful and courageous
in interior persecutions
so that you may also win
the victory in exterior persecutions.”

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“God’s love calls us to move beyond fear.
We ask God for the courage
to abandon ourselves unreservedly,
so that we might be moulded
by God’s grace,
even as we cannot see
where that path may lead us.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Do not look forward
to the changes and chances
of this life in fear –
rather look to them with full hope that,
as they arise, God, whose you are,
will deliver you out of them.
He is your keeper.
He has kept you hitherto.
Do you but hold fast to His dear hand
and He will lead you safely through all things
and, when you cannot stand,
He will bear you in His arms.
Do not look forward to
what may happen tomorrow.
Our Father will either shield you from suffering,
or He will give you strength to bear it.”

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

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 14 October – I Beg of You, My Lord

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 14 October

I Beg of You, My Lord
By St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

I beg of You, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from You
and You from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension;
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting, savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving and possessing You;
being conscious of Your Presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Amen

Posted in GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Quote/s of the Day – 10 October – St Francis Borgia

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Quote/s of the Day – 10 October – The Memorial of St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)

“This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?”

“O sensual, base,
miserable and blind life!
is it possible, that men should be
such strangers to their own happiness,
such enemies to themselves,
to be fond of thy false enjoyments
and for their sake,
to deprive themselves of those
that are pure, permanent and solid?!”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/10/quote-s-of-the-day-10-october-st-francis-borgia-and-st-daniel-comboni/

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, STATIONS of the CROSS, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – ‘The death of death is there and the life of life….’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

“How precious the gift of the Cross,
how splendid to contemplate!
In the Cross there is no mingling of good and evil,
as in the tree of paradise;
it is wholly beautiful to behold
and good to taste.
The fruit of this tree is not death but life,
not darkness but light.
This tree does not cast us out of paradise
but opens the way for our return.”

St Theodore the Studite (750–826)


“Let us then learn from the Cross of Jesus our proper way of living.
Should I say ‘living’ or, instead, ‘dying’?
Rather, both living and dying.
Dying to the world, living for God.
Dying to vices and living by the virtues.
Dying to the flesh, but liv­ing in the spirit.
Thus in the Cross of Christ, there is death
and in the Cross of Christ there is life.
The death of death is there and the life of life.
The death of sins is there and the life of the virtues.
The death of the flesh is there and the life of the spirit.”

St Aelred of Rievaulx (1110-1167)

“There is no better wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“We ought to glory in nothing
other than, the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ! …”

St Paul of the Cross CP (1604-1775)

A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross
By St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

Jesus, love of my soul,
centre of my heart!
Why am I not more eager to endure pains
and tribulations for love of You,
when You, my God,
have suffered so many for me?
Come, then, every sort of trial in the world,
for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus.
This is my joy, to follow my Saviour
and to find my consolation
with my Consoler on the Cross.
This is my happiness,
this my pleasure:
to live with Jesus,
to walk with Jesus,
to converse with Jesus,
to suffer with and for Him,
this is my treasure.
Amen

St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/14/quote-s-of-the-day-14-september-the-blessed-cross-of-christ/

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Santa María la Antigua / St Mary the Ancient, Panama City, Panama , 16th century and Memorials of the Saints – 9 September

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Santa María la Antigua / St Mary the Ancient, Panama City, Panama , 16th century, Patron of the Republic of Panama – 9 September:

In 1510 Martín Fernández de Enciso and Vasco Nuñez de Balboa founded a Town in Chief Cémaco’s territory on the west shore of the Gulf of Urabá, initially named La Guardia and a few months later renamed Santa María la Antigua, fulfilling a vow they made to the Virgin if they emerged alive from the confrontation with the natives.

Chief Cémaco’s house was converted into a Chapel in honour of St Mary the Ancient, named for the Madonna in the Cathedral in Fernández de Enciso’s home town of Seville, Spain. A Christian community developed there composed of native converts and Spaniards.

On 9 September 1513, Pope Leo X created the first mainland Diocese with the bull “Pastoralis Officii Debitum,” transforming the little Chapel of St Mary the Ancient into a Cathedral under the Archdiocese of Seville. Later the see moved to the newer City of Panama, whose Cathedral was dedicated to Santa María la Antigua on 4 April 1796. In 2001 the Vatican confirmed St. Mary the Ancient as Patron of the Republic of Panama, setting 9 September as her feast day for the country.

St Peter Claver SJ (1581-1654) (Memorial) Priest of the Society of Jesus, Missionary, Confessor, Patron of the missions to African peoples and Human Rights Defender, Apostle of Charity. Also known as “The Apostle of Cartagena” and “The Slave of the Slaves.”
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/09/09/saint-of-the-day-9-september-st-peter-claver-s-j/

St Alexander of Sabine

Blessed Antoine-Frédéric Ozanam (1813–1853) “Servant to the Poor” Married layman, Literary scholar, Lawyer, Journalist, Professor of Law and of Foreign Literature, Apostle of Charity, Writer and Equal Rights Advocate, Doctor of Letters. He founded, with colleagues, the Conference of Charity, later known as the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.
About:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/09/saint-of-the-day-9-september-blessed-antoine-frederic-ozanam-1813-1853/

St Basura of Masil
St Bettelin
St Dorotheus of Nicomedia
Bl Gaudridus
Bl George Douglas
St Gorgonio of Rome
St Gorgonius of Nicomedia
St Isaac the Great
Bl Jacques Laval
St Joseph of Volokolamsk
St Kieran the Younger (c 516-c 550) Monk, Abbot, One of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland.
Bl Maria Eutimia Uffing
Bl Mary de la Cabeza
St Omer
St Osmanna
Bl Pierre Bonhomme
St Rufinian
St Rufinus
Bl Seraphina Sforza
St Severian
St Straton
St Teódulo González Fernández
St Tiburtius
St Valentinian of Chur
St Wilfrida
St Wulfhilda

Posted in JESUIT SJ, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 7 September – Blessed Thomas Tsuji SJ (1570-1627) Martyr

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 7 September – Blessed Thomas Tsuji SJ (1570-1627) Priest of the Society of Jesus, Martyr. Born in c1571 in Sonogi, Nagasaki, Japan and died by being burned at the stake on 7 September 1627 at Nagasaki, Japan. Additional Memorial – 7 May together with the Martyrs of Japan. Also known as – Thomas Tsugi, Thomas Tsughi, Thomas Tzugi.

Thomas Tsuji was born in Sonogi, near Omura of a noble family. He received his early education from the Jesuits in Arima and entered the Society in January 1589. He was Ordained a Priest in Nagasaki sometime before 1613. He was an excellent preacher and became well known throughout southern Japan. He was transferred to Hakata after he became too outspoken in his condemnation of the scandalous conduct of some Christian Japanese in the City. While exercising his priestly ministry in Hakata, the edict of 1641 which ordered the banishment of all Catholic Priests from Japan was enacted. In obedience to the order, Fr Tsuji and the other eighty Priests left for Macau and remained there for four years.

In August 1618, Fr Tsuji,disguised as a merchant, returned to Japan and secretly resumed his apostolic work. Unlike the European Jesuits who could only minister at night, Fr Tsuji worked day and night, achieving great results, disguised sometime as a prosperous Japanese gentleman and at times, as an artisan. His favourite disguise was as a humble wood seller who could knock at the doors of Christian homes without being noticed.

As the persecution against Christians intensified and his workload increased, Fr Tsuji found his energy waning as he began to doubt whether he could match the heroic example of his brother Jesuits who were being martyred. This uncertainty of himself, led him to be depressed and as he found it difficult to continue living up to the ideals that the Society demanded of its men, he was released of his religious vows in late 1619.

Within a short time of his departure from the Society, he requested to be readmitted but while immediate readmission was not possible, the Jesuit superiors allowed him to go through a period of probation. This lasted six years, during which time he demonstrated more zealously, by exposing himself to many dangers, in order to help other Christians. After his readmission in 1626, Fr Tsuji was assigned to Nagasaki where he continued his apostolic duties until his capture the same year.

Fr Tsuji had been living with a devout Christian, Louis Maki and his son John. On the morning of 21 July 1626, just after he had celebrated Mass, which the Makis attended, the house was invaded by soldiers and the three were arrested. Fr Tsuji appeared before the district judge and when asked who he was and what he was doing, he responded: “For many years the people of Nagasaki have seen Thomas Tsuji, a religious of the Society of Jesus and have heard him preach the Christian message. I am he and I am prepared to uphold. with my life and to testify with my blood. to the truths that I have faithfully taught.” He was found guilty and imprisoned at the Omura prison. The Makis were also imprisoned for collaborating with a Priest and offering him hospitality.

While in prison, Fr Tsuji had to endure the visits of his family who endlessly asked him to think of them and not to bring shame upon them. They appealed to him to renounce his Christian religion and return to live with them. His reply was: “What you ask me to do is wrong and even if you offered me a thousand Japans, or the whole world, I could not do it.” After thirteen months of incarceration the three prisoners were taken to Nagasaki to receive the death sentence

On 7 September 1627 they were led to the Martyrs’ Hill, made holy by many Martyrs and there, they were tied to stakes. Fr Tsuji comforted his two companions and urged them to think of Christ’s passion. When the stakes were on fire, he blessed his companions, raised his eyes to heaven and prayed silently. When the flames twirled and wrapped about his body, he chanted the psalm: “Praise the Lord, All You Nations.”

Many witnesses have attested that few moments before his death, his breast burst open and from it there issued a flame that rose upwards and upwards until it was lost in sight. They believed that the sacrifice offered by Fr Tsuji and his companions was found to be most pleasing to God.

Fr Tsuji, Louis and John Maki were beatified by Pope Pius IX together with other Japanese martyrs on 7 May 1867.

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, SAINT of the DAY, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Vigil of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary instituted by Pope Gregory II (722) and Memorials of the Saints – 7 September

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Vigil of the Nativity of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, instituted by Pope Gregory II (722):

The day destined for the parturition of Saint Anne and for the birth of her, who was consecrated and sanctified to be the Mother of God, had arrived – a day most fortunate for the world. This birth happened on the eighth day of September, fully nine months having elapsed since the Conception of the soul of our most holy Queen and Lady.

Saint Anne was prepared by an interior voice of the Lord, informing Her, that the hour of her parturition had come. Full of the joy of the Holy Spirit at this information, she prostrated herself before the Lord and besought the assistance of his grace and his protection for a happy deliverance.

Presently she felt a movement in her womb similar to that which is proper to creatures being born to the light. The most blessed child Mary was at the same time, by divine providence and power, ravished into a most high ecstasy. Hence Mary was born into the world without perceiving it by her senses, for their operations and faculties were held in suspense. As She had the use of her reason, she would have perceived it by her senses, if they would have been left to operate in their natural manner at that time. However, the Almighty disposed otherwise, in order that the Princess of heaven might be spared the sensible experience, otherwise connected with birth.
she was born pure and stainless, beautiful and full of grace, thereby demonstrating, that she was free from the law and the tribute of sin. Although she was born substantially like other daughters of Adam, yet her birth was accompanied by such circumstances and conditions of grace, that it was the most wonderful and miraculous birth in all creation and will eternally redound to the praise of her Maker.

At twelve o-clock in the night this divine child issued forth, dividing the night of the ancient Law and its pristine darknesses from the new day of grace, which now was about to break into dawn. She was clothed, handled and dressed like other infants, through she excelled all mortals and even all the angels in wisdom. Her mother did not allow her to be touched by other hands than her own but she, herself, wrapped her in swaddling clothes: and in this Saint Anne was not hindered by her present state of incapacity, for she was free from the toils and labours, which mothers endure in such circumstances.

So then Saint Anne received in her arms she, who was her Daughter but at the same time, the most exquisite treasure of all the universe, inferior only to God and superior to all other creatures. (The City of God, by Venerable Mary of Jesus of Agreda OIC (1602-1665) [Her body is incorrupt].

St Alcmund of Hexham
Bl Alexander of Milan
St Augustalus
St Balin
St Carissima of Albi
St Chiaffredo of Saluzzo
Bl Claude-Barnabé Laurent de Mascloux

St Cloud (522-c 560) Priest, Hermit, Confessor and Abbot.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2017/09/07/saint-of-the-day-7-september-st-cloud/

St Desiderio of Benevento
St Dinooth
Bl Eugenia Picco
St Eupsychius of Caesarea
St Eustace of Beauvais
St Evortius of Orleans
St Faciolus
St Festo of Benevento
Bl François d’Oudinot de la Boissière

Blessed Giovanni Battista Mazzucconi (1826-1855) aged 29, Martyr, Priest, Missionary of The Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME).
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/09/07/saint-of-the-day-7-september-blessed-giovanni-battista-mazzucconi-1826-1855-martyr/

St Giovanni of Lodi
St Goscelinus of Toul
St Gratus of Aosta
St Grimonia of Picardy
St Hiduard
Bl Ignatius Klopotowski
Bl John Duckett
Bl John Maki
Bl John of Nicomedia
Bl Ludovicus Maki Soetsu
Madalberta
Bl Maria of Bourbon
St Marko Križevcanin
St Melichar Grodecký
St Memorius of Troyes
St Pamphilus of Capua
Bl Ralph Corby

St Regina (3rd Century) Virgin Martyr
Her Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/07/saint-of-the-day-7-september-saint-regina-3rd-century-virgin-martyr/

St Sozonte
Blessed Thomas Tsuji SJ (1570-1627) Priest of the Society of Jesus, Martyr.

St Tilbert of Hexham
—
Martyrs of Noli: Four Christians who became soldiers and were martyred together for their faith. A late legend makes them member of the Theban Legend who escaped their mass martyrdom but that’s doubtful – Paragorius, Partenopeus, Parteus and Severinus. They were born in Noli, Italy and martyred in Corsica, France. Attribute – soldiers with a banner of Noli.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Antoni Bonet Sero
• Blessed Ascensión Lloret Marcos
• Blessed Gregorio Sánchez Sancho
• Blessed Félix Gómez-Pinto Piñero

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The HOLY NAME, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – Trust

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 12: 1-13; Psalm 51: 3-7, 12-13; 14: 22-36

Trust

“Lord, save me.”

Matthew 14:30

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

John 14:27

May We Confess Your Name to the End
By St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258)
Bishop and Martyr
Father of the Church

Good God,
may we confess Your Name to the end.
May we emerge unmarked
and glorious from the traps
and darkness of this world.
As You have bound us together
by charity and peace
and as together
we have persevered under persecution,
so may we also rejoice together
in Your heavenly kingdom.
Amen

St Cyprian of Carthage (200-258)

“We implore You,
O All-Holy, Long-Suffering
Life and Restoration,
Source of goodness,
look down from heaven
and visit all those
who ever trust in You;
rescue our life, Lord,
from all constraint and affliction,
and, in the faith of truth, guide us all.
At the prayers of the
Immaculate Mother of God and Virgin,
Save your world
and those in the world
and spare us all,
You who, for us,
became man without change,
only Lover of mankind.”

St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556)

“Place all your trust in God,
let Him be your fear and your love.
He will answer for you,
He will do what is best for you.
You have here no lasting home.
You are a stranger and a pilgrim
wherever you may be
and you shall have no rest,
until you are wholly united with Christ.
Why do you look about here
when this is not the place of your repose?”

Thomas à Kempis CRSA (1380-1471)

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

“Throw yourself
into God’s arms.
He will carry you
when the road is rough.”

St John Baptiste de La Salle (1651-1719)

Posted in GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on ZEAL, SAINT of the DAY, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – St Ignatius Loyola

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Quote/s of the Day – 31 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” and the Memorial of St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) –

“Go Forth, Set the World on Fire!”

“He who carries God in his heart
bears heaven with him,
wherever he goes.”

“Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God.”

“True, I am in love with suffering
but I do not know,
if I deserve the honour!”

“There is no better wood
for feeding the fire of God’s love
than the wood of the Cross.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Posted in JESUIT SJ, SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 31 July

Posted on by AnaStpaul

St Ignatius of Loyola SJ (1491-1556) (Memorial) Inigo Lopez de Loyola – Priest, Mystic Founder of the Society of Jesus and Theologian, Author of the Spiritual Exercises.
Biography here:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/saint-of-the-day-31-july-st-ignatius-loyola-founder-of-the-society-of-jesusthe-jesuits/
AND:
More on St Ignatius:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/31/31-july-st-ignatius-loyola/

St Calimerius of Milan
Bl Cecilia Schelingov
Bl Everard Hanse
St Fabius of Caesarea
St Firmus of Tagaste

St Germanus of Auxerre (c 378 – c 448) Bishop of Auxerre (c 378 – c 448) , Lawyer, Missionary, Reformer, Exorcist, Miracle-Worker.
St Germanus’ Story:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/31/saint-of-the-day-31-july-st-germanus-dauxerre-c-378-c-448/

Blessed Giovanni Colombini (1300-1367) Layman, Husband and Father, Founder of the Apostolic Clerics of Saint Jerome (the Jesuati).

St Giustino de Jacobis CM (1800-1860) Bishop, Apostolic Vicar of Abyssinia, Missionary of the Congregation of the Mission.
About St Giustino:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/31/saint-of-the-day-31-july-saint-giustino-de-jacobis-cm-1800-1860/

St Helen of Skofde
Bl Jean-François Jarrige de La Morelie de Breuil
St Marcel Denis
St Neot
—
Matyrs of Syria – 350 saints: 350 monks massacred by heretics for their adherence to orthodox Christianity and the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon. 517 in Syria.

Martyrs of Synnada: 3 Saints
Democritus
Dionysius the Martyr
Secundus

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: Thousands of people were murdered in the anti-Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War from 1934 to 1939.
• Blessed Ciriaco Olarte Pérez de Mendiguren
• Blessed Dionisio Vicente Ramos
• Blessed Francisco Remón Játiva
• Blessed Miguel Goñi Ariz
• Blessed Miguel Francisco González-Díez González-Núñez
• Blessed Agapito Alcalde Garrido
• Blessed Ciriaco Olarte Pérez de Mendiguren
• Blessed Dionisio Vicente Ramos
• Blessed Francisco Remón Játiva
• Blessed Jaume Buch Canals
• Blessed Maria Roqueta Serra
• Blessed Miguel Goñi Ariz
• Blessed Miguel Francisco González-Díez González-Núñez
• Blessed Prudencio Gueréquiz y Guezuraga
• Blessed Segundo de Santa Teresa
• Blessed Teresa Subirà Sanjaume
• Blessed Vicenta Achurra Gogenola
• Blessed Francisca Pons Sardá

Posted in "Follow Me", JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TIME, STATIONS of the CROSS, The HOLY CROSS, The STATIONS of the CROSS

Our Morning Offering – 30 July – A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 30 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”

A Prayer to Seek the Consolation of the Cross
By St Alphonsus Rodriguez SJ (1532-1617)

Jesus, love of my soul,
centre of my heart!
Why am I not more eager to endure pains
and tribulations for love of You,
when You, my God,
have suffered so many for me?
Come, then, every sort of trial in the world,
for this is my delight, to suffer for Jesus.
This is my joy, to follow my Saviour
and to find my consolation
with my Consoler on the Cross.
This is my happiness,
this my pleasure:
to live with Jesus,
to walk with Jesus,
to converse with Jesus,
to suffer with and for Him,
this is my treasure.
Amen

Posted in JESUIT SJ, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 22 July – Saint Philip Evans SJ (1645-1679) Priest ,Martyr,

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Saint of the Day – 22 July – Saint Philip Evans SJ (1645-1679) Priest ,Martyr, Missionary, Confessor. Born in 1645 in Monmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales and died by being hanged, drawn and quartered 22 July 1679 on Gallows Field in Cardiff, Wales, aged 34 years. Additional Memorial – 25 October as one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales,

Philip was born in Wales and studied at the English college at Saint-Omer in Flanders, where he entered the Jesuits and continued his studies. After he was Ordained in 1675, he was missioned back to South Wales where he served four years before he was arrested. During that time he became known for his zeal and charity and was fearless in caring for the Catholics entrusted to him.

He refused to leave Wales when persecution of Catholics increased after the Titus Oates plot of September 1678 falsely accused Jesuits of planning to assassinate King Charles II. The government normally offered a reward of 50 pounds for the arrest of a Jesuit but the local Welsh Magistrate, a staunch Calvinist, offered an additional 200 pounds for the arrest of Father Evans. Despite the threat, he continued serving as the chaplain of Christopher Turberville in Glamorgan, where the constables arrested him after he refused to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, which recognised the King as supreme in all religious matters.

For the first three weeks of captivity, Fr Philip remained in solitary confinement in an underground cell. Then he was brought up to the regular prison where he joined Fr John Lloyd, a Diocesan Priest. They waited five months before going to trial on 3 May 1679 because the prosecution could not find witnesses to testify that they were indeed Priests. Eventually a woman and her daughter said that they had received the Sacraments from the Jesuit, which was true. Evans was found guilty of high treason and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered but the execution was deferred until 22 July when the sheriff took both Priests to Gallows Field, outside Cardiff.

Philip is the only one of the many Priests to be Martyred in England and Wales who learned of his execution date while playing tennis. A prisoner in Cardiff Castle, he was allowed to exercise. While he was engaged in a tennis match, he received the news that he would be murdered the next day. Elated by the news, he asked if he could finish the match but was not permitted to do so. Instead, he took up a harp back in his prison cell and sang praise to God for calling him to be a Martyr.

When he mounted the ladder at the gallows, he said: “This is the best pulpit a man can have to preach in, therefore, I can not forbear to tell you again that I die for God and religion’s sake.” At the time of his Martyrdom, Father Evans was 34 years old and had been a Jesuit for 14 years.

Posted in CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, EUCHARISTIC, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 18 July – Anima Christi

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Our Morning Offering – 18 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me
Body of Christ, save me
Blood of Christ, inebriate me
Water from the side of Christ, wash me
Passion of Christ, strengthen me
Good Jesus, hear me
Within Your wounds, shelter me
from turning away, keep me
From the evil one, protect me
At the hour of my death, call me
Into Your presence lead me
to praise You with all Your saints
Forever and ever,
Amen

For many years the Anima Christi was popularly believed to have been composed by Saint Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556) , as he puts it at the beginning of his Spiritual Exercises and often refers to it. In the first edition of the Spiritual Exercises Ignatius merely mentions it, evidently supposing that the reader would know it. In later editions, it was printed in full. It was by assuming that everything in the book was written by Ignatius that it came to be looked upon as his composition. On this account the prayer is sometimes referred to as the Aspirations of St. Ignatius Loyola and so my image shows St Ignatius at prayer.

However, the prayer actually dates to the early fourteenth century and was possibly written by Pope John XXII but its authorship remains uncertain. It has been found in a number of prayer books printed during the youth of Ignatius and is in manuscripts which were written a hundred years before his birth. The English hymnologist James Mearns found it in a manuscript of the British Museum which dates to about 1370. In the library of Avignon there is preserved a prayer book of Cardinal Pierre de Luxembourg (died 1387), which contains the prayer in practically the same form as we have it today. It has also been found inscribed on one of the gates of the Alcázar of Seville, which dates back to the time of Pedro the Cruel (1350–1369).

The invocations in the prayer have rich associations with Catholic concepts that relate to the Eucharist (Body and Blood of Christ), Baptism (water) and the Passion of Jesus (Precious Blood and Holy Wounds).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the LIGHT, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on MISSION, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “… You are to be radiant lights …“

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Quote/s of the Day – 7 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a, 17-24a, Psalms 33: 2-3, 10-11, 18-19, Matthew 10: 1-7

“Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority … “

Matthew 10:1

“Speak Lord for your servant hears.”

1 Samuel 3:10

“A person who wishes
to become the Lord’s disciple
must repudiate a human obligation,
however honourable it may appear,
if it slows us, ever so slightly,
in giving the wholehearted obedience
we owe to God.”

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

“He wants you to become
a living force for all mankind,
lights shining in the world.
You are to be radiant lights
as you stand beside Christ,
the Great Light,
bathed in the glory of Him
who is the Light of Heaven.”

St Gregory Nazianzen (330-390)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“Pray as though everything depended on God.
Work as though everything depended on you.”

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

“What a tragedy,
how many souls
are being shut out of heaven
and falling into hell,
thanks to you!”

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

Posted in JESUIT SJ, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 4 July – Blessed John Cornelius SJ (1557– 1594) Martyr,

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Saint of the Day – 4 July – Blessed John Cornelius SJ (1557– 1594) Martyr, English Priest of the Society of Jesus, Missionary. Born in 1557 as John Conor O’Mahony at Bodmin, Lanherne, Cornwall, England on the estate of Sir John Arundell and died by hanging and being hacked to pieces on 4 July 1594 at Dorchester, Oxfordshire, England. Additional Memorials – 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai, 1 December as one of the Martyrs of Oxford University. Also known as – John Mohun and John O’Mahony.

John Corneliu, actually John Conor O’Mahony latinised his middle name. He was born of Irish parents in Bodmin, Cornwall. His father worked for Sir John Arundell who took great interest in young John and it was through him, that John was admitted to Exeter College, Oxford. After his expulsion from Oxford for “popery” i.e. for maintaining Catholic beliefs, John went to the English College in Rheims, France and, a year later, to the English College in Rome. His scholastic achievements were so outstanding, that he delivered the College’s Christmas address before Pope Gregory XIII on the Feast of St Stephen, 26 December 1581. He was Ordained in Rome in 1583 and returned to England the same year.

Fr Cornelius made the home of Sir Arundell in London as his operations centre and was responsible for getting the latter, back to his faith, as well as his own Mother back to the Church. His strong zeal to bring people back to Catholicism and for celebrating Mass, soon made him the prime target for government spies who were out to apprehend him.

All this while Fr Cornelius’ longstanding wish was to become a Jesuit as he came to know them during his student days in Rome and had resolved to enter the Society when time permitted. His years on the English mission only strengthened that desire and he wrote to the Jesuit General in Rome to seek admission. As the custom then was for all English candidates to go to Flanders for their Novitiate, Fr Cornelius’ admission had to be delayed as he couldn’t leave his flock without a Priest. He, nevertheless, kept in contact with Fr Henry Garnet, the Superior of the English Jesuits and placed himself under his direction.

Fr Cornelius was betrayed by William Holmes, a servant of the Arundell’s household whom he had previously reprimanded for annoying one of Lady Arundell’s maids.

When apprehended, the Sheriff said, “I’m glad that I finally have you in my hands.” to which Fr Cornelius replied, “And I, more so, for having been captured.”

Fr Cornelius and three laymen from the Arundell household, were arrested with him and pending trial, he discussed religion with the Trenchard’s household, the arresting Officer and it was reported that he converted Trenchard’s sister-in-law. At the Marshalsea Prison in London, Fr Cornelius was tortured on the rack to reveal the names of Catholic households that had given him hospitality and the names of those who had attended his services but he revealed nothing. Knowing that his time was fast approaching, Fr Cornelius pronounced the vows of the Society before two laymen and a Jesuit and instructed them to make this fact known to Fr Garnet, the Jesuit Superior in England.

Fr Cornelius was sentenced to die for high treason and to be hanged and quartered, because he was a Priest, had celebrated Ma, and had reconciled Protestants to the Catholic Church. His three lay companions were condemned to be hanged for having aided and assisted a Priest and were executed first. The first to ascend the scaffold was John Carey; he kissed the rope, exclaiming “O precious collar,” made a solemn profession of faith and died a valiant death . Before his execution, Patrick Salmon exhorted the spectators to embrace the Catholic faith, for which he and his companions were giving their lives. Then followed Thomas Bosgrave, who delivered a stirring address on the truth of his belief. When it was Fr Cornelius’ turn, he approached the gallows and knelt at the foot of the ladder, prayed, then kissed the ground and the feet of his three dead companions and turning towards the scaffold said, with the words of St Andrew,“O good cross, so long desired.” Once on the ladder, he prayed for his persecutors and the Queen and though forbidden to speak further, he revealed to the bystanders that he was a Jesuit, just before he was pushed from the ladder. His body was subsequently quartered.

All the bodies were retrieved and given proper burial by Lady Arundell. Fr Cornelius and his three companions, the Martyrs of England, were Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 15 December 1929.

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, INCORRUPTIBLES, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul , Nuestra Señora del Refugio / Our Lady of Refuge, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (1720) and Memorials of the Saints – 4 July

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Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (29 June) +2021

Nuestra Señora del Refugio / Our Lady of Refuge, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (1720) – 4 July:

Jesuit Missionary Father Juan José Güica brought a painting of Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners from Italy to Mexico in 1720. In a dream, the Virgin told Padre Güica to ask the Franciscans of Zacatecas to use and promote the image; – they distributed over 150 copies, making this one of the most widespread Marian devotions in Mexico.

In 1793 Franciscan Friars came to the new settlement which would become Matamoros, renaming the area “Nuestra Señora del Refugio de los Esteros Hermosos” (Our Lady of the Refuge of the Lovely Marshes).

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Refuge, built in 1832, displays an 1886 painting of her. Her fiesta, celebrated in many Mexican Towns, commemorates the coronation of the original “Refugium Peccatori” in the Jesuit Church of Frascati, Italy, on 4 July 1717.

St Elizabeth of Portugal TOSF (1271-1336) (Optional Memorial) Queen Consort, Franciscan Tertiary, Apostle of Charity and Peace, political negotiator and mediator.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-st-elizabeth-of-portugal-t-o-s-f-1271-1336/

Bl Agatha Yun Jeom-Hye
St Albert Quadrelli
St Andrew of Crete
St Anthony Daniel
St Aurelian of Lyons
St Bertha of Blangy
St Carileffo of Anille
Bl Catherine Jarrige
St Cesidio Giacomantonio
Bl Damiano Grassi of Rivoli
St Donatus of Libya
St Edward Fulthrop
St Elias of Jerusalem
St Finbar of Wexford
St Fiorenzo of Cahors
St Flavian of Antioch
St Giocondiano
Bl Giovanni of Vespignano
St Haggai the Prophet
Bl Hatto of Ottobeuren
Bl Henry Abbot
St Henry of Albano
St Hosea the Prophet
St Innocent of Sirmium
Bl John Carey
Blessed John Cornelius SJ (1557– 1594) Martyr, English Priest of the Society of Jesus, Missionary.
Bl Jozef Kowalski
St Jucundian
St Laurian of Seville
St Lauriano of Vistin
Bl Maria Crocifissa Curcio
St Namphanion the Archmartyr
Bl Natalia of Toulouse
St Odo the Good
Bl Odolric of Lyon
Bl Patrick Salmon
Bl Pedro Romero Espejo

Blessed Petrus Kasui Kibe SJ (c 1587-1639) Priest of the Society of Jesus and Martyr
The first of the 188 Japanese Martyrs
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-blessed-petrus-kasui-kibe-sj-c-1587-1639-priest-and-martyr-a-christian-walking-through-the-world/

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati TOSF (1901-1925) Aged 24 – Incorrupt – “The Man of the Eight Beatitudes.”, Franciscan Tertiary, Apostle of Charity and Love, layman, Apostle of the Holy Eucharist and Eucharist Adoration.
About dear Blessed Pier Giorgio:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-blessed-pier-georgio-frassati-t-o-s-d-the-man-of-the-eight-beatitudes/

St Sebastia of Sirmium
St Theodore of Cyrene
St Theodotus of Libya
Bl Thomas Bosgrave
Bl Thomas Warcop

St Ulric of Augsburg (c 890–973) Bishop of Augsburg, Germany, miracle-worker.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/04/saint-of-the-day-4-july-saint-ulric-of-augsburg-c-890-973/

St Ulric of Ratzeburg
St Valentine of Langres
St Valentine of Paris
Bl William Andleby
Bl William of Hirsau

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, NOVENA, NOVENAS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, Ven Servant of God John A Hardon

NOVENA OF DEVOTION TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS – Reminder – begins tomorrow – 22 June!

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NOVENA OF DEVOTION TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS

Reminder – begins tomorrow – 22 June!

I nearly forgot to remind you – please pray with me.

Devotion to the Most Precious Blood is not a spiritual option, it is a spiritual obligation and that, not only for Priests but for every follower of Christ. I really believe that one of the symptoms of modern society (and I would even include, sadly, modern Catholic society) one of the symptoms of a growing, gnawing secularism is the lessening and the weakening of devotion to the Precious Blood. Devotion, as we know, is a composite of three elements: -It is first- veneration, it is secondly- invocation, and it is thirdly- imitation. In other words, devotion to the Precious Blood of Christ, the Lamb of God who was slain, is first of all to be veneration on our part, which is a composite of knowledge, love and adoration. We are to study to come to a deeper understanding of what those two casual words, Precious Blood, really mean.

I found this passage in the oldest document, outside of Sacred Scripture, from the first century of the Christian era – to be exact, from Pope St. Clement I, dated about 96. Says Pope Clement: “Let us fix our gaze on the Blood of Christ and realise how truly precious It is, seeing that it was poured out for our salvation and brought the grace of conversion to the whole world.“

To understand the meaning of the Precious Blood, we must get some comprehension of the gravity of sin, of the awfulness of offending God because, it required the Blood of the Son of God to forgive that sin. We are living in an age in which to sin has become fashionable.

This veneration of the Precious Blood, which is the first element in our devotion to the Precious Blood, means, that we have a deep sensitivity to the awfulness of sin. Sin must be terrible. It must be awful. It must be the most dreadful thing in the universe. Why? Because it cost the living God in human form, the shedding of His Blood.

Lord Jesus,
You became Man, in order, by Your Passion and Death
and the draining of Your Blood on the Cross,
might prove to us, how much You, our God, love us.
Protect us, dear Jesus,
from ever running away from the sight of blood.
Strengthen our weak human wills
so that we will not only, not run away from the Cross
but welcome every opportunity
to shed our blood in spirit,
in union with Your Precious Blood,
so that, dying to ourselves in time.
we might live with You in Eternity.
Amen

Excerpted from The Precious Blood of Christ, Servant of God Fr John A.Hardon, S.J.