Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, Hail MARY!, LENT 2023, LENTEN THOUGHTS, MARIAN Antiphons, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN Saturdays

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 18 March – THE ANGELIC SALUTATION

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 18 March – Saturday of the Third Week in Lent, to Mary our Mother we pray today

Let us run to Mary
and, as her little children,
cast ourselves into her arms
with a perfect confidence
.”

Hail Mary, full of grace …”

THE ANGELIC SALUTATION
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

LET US GLORY, says a pious author, in repeating this salutation, with the Angel Gabriel, the Apostles, the Martyrs and all the Christian world.
Let this Ave Maria, which comes to us fragrant as a Canticle of Heaven and repeated by as many echoes as there are faithful souls on earth, be sweet to our lips and sweeter still to our hearts.
It is a rare and enviable favour indeed to be able to salute a Queen and yet, everyday, at every moment, men and women, old and young, all of every condition, can salute the Queen of Heaven and earth, who contains, in her hands all the treasures of God and can be sure of being always heard and, that each salutation addressed to her, will meet with a corresponding benefit. . . .
But can the sinner too, dare to approach her? Yes, certainly – let him also come with humble confidence and salute her, who is his refuge, for she will in no wise be offended by his prayer and, if the Hail Mary from his lips be a cry of sorrow and repentance, it will become omnipotent and will obtain mercy, pardon, grace and salvation.
Hail Mary ! Ave Maria ! . . .
A sweet and beautiful word it is, which Heaven sent to earth and earth again returns, so frequently to heaven! ” – (The Month of Mary According to the Spirit of St Francis de Sales).

Advertisement
Posted in DIVINE MERCY, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The PASSION, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 February – St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows

Quote/s of the Day – 27 February – Monday of the First Week in Lent – The Memorial of St Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows/Gabriel Possenti CP (1838-1862)

By sin, O Jesus,
I gave Thee Thy Death
but I do not despair of Thy Forgiveness.
Those Scourges call me,
those Arms extended invite me
that injured Heart offers me
a secure shelter.

I will attempt,
day by day,
to break my will into pieces.
I want to do God’s Holy Will,
not my own
.”

Do not bestow your love on the world!”

Love Mary!… She is loveable, faithful, constant.
She will never let herself be outdone in love
but will ever remain supreme.
If you are in danger, she will hasten to free you.
If you are troubled, she will console you.
If you are sick, she will bring you relief.
If you are in need, she will help you.
She does not look to see what kind of person you have been.
She simply comes to a heart that wants to love her.
She comes quickly and opens her merciful heart to you,
embraces you and consoles and serves you.
She will even be at hand,
to accompany you on the trip to eternity.

(From a letter to his brother).

St Gabriel Francis Possenti
of Our Lady of Sorrows (1838-1862)

Posted in DIVINE MERCY, DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on PURITY, Quotes on SALVATION, The DIVINE INFANT, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Quote/s of the Day – 27 January – St John Chrysostom

Quote/s of the Day – 27 January – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Bishop, Confessor, Father and Doctor of the Church “Golden Mouthed.” – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matthew 5:13-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

If we approach with faith,
we too will see Jesus…
for the Eucharistic table
takes the place of the crib.
Here, the Body of the Lord is present,
wrapped, not in swaddling clothes
but in the rays of the Holy Spirit.

When you are before the Altar where Christ reposes,
you ought no longer to think
that you are amongst men
but believe that there are troops of Angels
and Archangels, standing with you
and trembling with respect
before the Sovereign Master of Heaven and earth.
Therefore, when you are in Church,
be there in silence
,
fear and veneration!

God defers hearing our prayers,
not because He rejects them
but, because He wishes to contrive
to draw us to Himself.
Do not cease praying
until you are heard!

He errs who believes
that he can overcome his sensual propensities
and preserve chastity, by his own efforts.
God’s mercy must extinguish nature’s ardour.
Have recourse to the intercession
of the Immaculate Virgin
and rest assured, you will obtain this mercy.

Never separate yourself from the Church.
No institution has the power of the Church.
The Church is your hope.
The Church is your salvation.
The Church is your refuge.

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/27/quote-s-of-the-day-27-january-st-john-chrysostom/

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

Posted in AUGUST - The Immaculate Heart of Mary, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, IMMACULATE HEART Quotes, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SACRED HEART QUOTES, The DIVINE INFANT, The NATIVITY of JESUS, To JESUS through MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 11 January – ‘ … For it is through her, that the true Light shines on the sea of this life.’

Quote/s of the Day – 11 January – Within the Octave if Epiphany

Go to Mary and sing her praises
and you will be enlightened.
For it is through her,
that the true Light
shines on the
sea of this life.

St Ildephonsus (607-670)

Do you not know,
that not only is Jesus,
resting and dwelling continually
in the Heart of Mary
but that He is, Himself the Heart of Mary …

St John Eudes CO (1601-1680)
Apostle of the Two Holy Hearts

The Mater Christi
Unknown Author

Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
What shall I ask of thee?
I do not sigh for the wealth of earth
For the joys that fade and flee,
But, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
This do I long to see —
The bliss untold which thy arms enfold,
The Treasure upon thy knee.

Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
He was All-in-All to thee,
In the winter’s cave, in Nazareth’s home,
In the hamlets of Galilee,
So, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
He will not say nay to thee,
When He lifts His Face to thy sweet embrace,
Speak to Him, Mother, of me.

Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
The world will bid Him flee,
Too busy to heed His gentle voice,
Too blind His charms to see,
Then, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
Come with thy Babe to me,
Tho’ the world be cold, my heart shall hold
A shelter for Him and thee.

Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
What shall I do for thee?
I will love thy Son with the whole of my strength,
My only King shall He be.
Yes! Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
This will I do for thee,
Of all that are dear or cherished here,
None shall be dear as He.

Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
I toss on a stormy sea,
O lift thy Child as a Beacon Light,
To the Port where I fain would be!
And, Mother of Christ, Mother of Christ,
This do I ask of thee —
When the voyage is o’er, oh! stand on the shore
And show Him at last to me.

Most Holy Mary, may I follow your example here on earth.
Please lead us, together with your Divine Son, Jesus,
here in our earthly pilgrimage,
for you never once lost sight of God.
May the darkness of this world not encompass me,
for with you beside me and Christ around me,
I will be safe.
For the beauty of the created things
can be a snare of immense power.
May the Light of your Son,
be my beacon and Light my path
and intercede for me,
that I may ever radiate His Light.
Grant that I may see, in all things,
the Presence and Beauty of God alone,
so that I may always continue to advance,
nearer and nearer to Him.
Amen.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in MARIAN QUOTES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD

Thought for the Day – 1 January – The New Year

Thought for the Day – 1 January – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The New Year

It is suggested in the Imitation of Christ that if we were to get rid of, at least, one habit of sin every year, we should soon be holy.
If we have not tried to do this in the past, let us do it in the future.
This year let us select the principal defect which we possess, the sin into which we are most accustomed to fall.
Let us seek to eradicate it with all the strength of our soul, assisted by the grace of God which will certainly not be denied us.

Let us request, for this purpose, the most powerful patronage of Mary, Most Holy.
Let us pass this day in close union with God and under the maternal mantle of our Heavenly Mother.

Finally, let us promise earnestly that all the days of the New Year, will follow the same pattern.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/01/meditations-with-antonio-cardinal-bacci-1-january-the-new-year/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/01/01/thought-for-the-day-1-january-the-new-year/

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, MARIAN HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN Saturdays, MARIAN TITLES, MOTHER of GOD, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 31 December – ‘You Are All Beautiful, Mary’

Quote/s of the Day – 31 December – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception”

Hail, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women

Luke 1:28

The very fact
that God has elected her,
proves, that none was ever
holier than Mary;
if any stain had disfigured her soul,
if any other virgin
had been purer and holier,
God would have selected her
and rejected Mary.

St Jacob of Sarug (c 451-521)

O daughter of King David
and Mother of God,
the universal King.
O Divine and living object
whose beauty has charmed God the Creator;
your whole soul is completely open
to God’s action and attentive to God alone.
… Your womb will be the abode
of the one whom no place can contain.
Your milk will provide nourishment for God,
in the little Infant Jesus.
Your hands will carry God
and your knees will serve
as a throne for Him
that is more noble
than the throne of the Cherubim.
… You are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
the city of the living God,
made joyous by abundant flowers,
the sacred flowers of Divine grace.
You are all-beautiful
and very close to God,
above the Cherubim
and higher than the Seraphim,
right near God Himself!
Amen

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Tota Pulchra Es, Maria
You Are All Beautiful, Mary

Unknown Author – 4th Century

You are all beautiful, Mary,
and the original stain is not in you.
You are the glory of Jerusalem,
you are the joy of Israel,
you give honour to our people.
You are an advocate of sinners.
O Mary, O Mary,
Virgin most intelligent,
Mother most merciful.
Pray for us,
Plead for us,
To the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tota pulchra es, Maria.
Et macula originalis non est in Te.
Tu gloria Ierusalem.
Tu laetitia Israel.
Tu honorificentia populi nostri.
Tu advocata peccatorum.
O Maria, O Maria,
Virgo prudentissima.
Mater clementissima.
Ora pro nobis.
Intercede pro nobis.
Ad Dominum Iesum Christum
.

Let us promise, therefore,
that we shall not be unworthy children
of so great a Mother.
Let us promise to remain free
from the slightest taint of sin,
in order to please God and our Blessed Mother.
Let us promise, finally, to make daily progress
towards that level of sanctity
which God requires of us, i
n the particular state
in which He has placed us.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The DIVINE INFANT, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Quote/s of the Day – 30 December – ‘ … The Light Who enlightens all things .. ‘

Quote/s of the Day – 30 December –The Sixth Day of the Octave of Christma – “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception”

… Let us keep the Feast,
not after the manner of a heathen festival
but after a Godly sort;
not after the way of the world
but in a fashion above the world;
not as our own
but as belonging to Him
Who is ours,
or rather as our Master’s;
not as of weakness
but as of healing;
not as of creation
but of re-creation.

St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390)
Archbishop of Constantinople
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Awake, mankind!
For your sake God has become man.
Awake, you who sleep,
rise up from the dead
and Christ will enlighten you.
I tell you again,
for your sake,
God became man.

St Augustine 354-430)
Great Latin Father
and Doctor of the Church

Taking up the newborn Emmanuel,
Mary beheld a Light incomparably fairer
than the sun and saw a Fire
that water cannot quench.
She received, in the covering of flesh
Whom she had borne,
the Light Who enlightens all things
and she was worthy,
to carry in her arms,
the Word Who carries the universe!
” ”

St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
Bishop, Cistercian Monk

(Homilies in praise of the Blessed Virgin Mary, IV, SC 72)

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, MARY, MATER ECCLESIAE, MOTHER of GOD, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on WISDOM, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The INCARNATION, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 9 December – ‘ … Through a woman, [Mary] there returned to the earth,a blessing!’

Quote/s of the Day – 9 December – Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception

“Mary, having merited to give flesh
to the Divine Word
and thus, supply the price
of our redemption
that we might be delivered
from eternal death, therefore,
she is more powerful
than all others,
to help us gain eternal life.

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

Through a woman, [Eve]
a curse fell upon the earth;
through a woman, [Mary]
there returned to the earth,
a blessing!

St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Doctor of the Church

O daughter of King David
and Mother of God,
the universal King.
O Divine and living object
whose beauty has charmed God the Creator;
your whole soul is completely open
to God’s action and attentive to God alone.
… Your womb will be the abode
of the one whom no place can contain.
Your milk will provide nourishment for God,
in the little Infant Jesus.
Your hands will carry God
and your knees will serve
as a throne for Him
that is more noble
than the throne of the Cherubim.
… You are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
the city of the living God,
made joyous by abundant flowers,
the sacred flowers of Divine grace.
You are all-beautiful
and very close to God,
above the Cherubim
and higher than the Seraphim,
right near God Himself!
Amen

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

The Purity and Holiness of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The One Who is the Wisdom of the Father,
put His arms around her neck,
the One Who is the strength,
which gives movement to everything,
sat in her arms.
He, Who is the rest of souls, (Mt 11:29)
rested on her motherly breast.
… Filled with the Holy Spirit,
she held Him close to her heart …
She never had enough
of seeing Him or of hearing Him …
Thus Mary, grew evermore in love
and her mind was unceasingly attached,
to Divine contemplation.

St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/15/quote-s-of-the-day-15-december-the-immaculate-conception-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/08/quote-s-of-the-day-8-december-on-the-immaculate-conception/

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, DOGMA, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

One Minute Reflection – 9 December – Blessed art thou among women … St John Damascene

One Minute Reflection – 9 December – Within the Octave of the Immaculate Conception and “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception” – Proverbs 8:22-35, Luke 1:26-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” – Luke 1:28

REFLECTION – “Today the Creator of all things, the Word Who is God, has composed a new work sprung from the Father’s heart, to be written, as by a pen by the Spirit, Who is God’s tongue. … Most holy daughter of Joachim and Anne! you who have evaded the attention of the Principalities and Powers and the “flaming arrows of the Evil One” (Col 1:16; Eph 6:16), you dwelt within the bridal chamber of the Spirit and were preserved undefiled, so that you might become the bride of God and God’s Mother by nature. … God’s beloved daughter, the credit of your parents, generation after generation calls you Blessed, as you yourself so truthfully affirmed (Lk 1:48). Worthy daughter of God, our human nature’s beauty, restoration of Eve our first mother! For with your birth, she who fell was raised. … For if, through the first Eve, “death entered the world” (Wis 2:24; Rom 5:12) because she put herself at the service of the serpent, yet Mary, who made herself servant of the Divine Will, deceived the deceiving serpent and brought immortality into the world.

You are more to be valued than the entire creation, for from you alone the Creator received a share in the first-fruits of our humanity. His Flesh was made of your flesh, His Blood of your blood; God was nourished by your milk and your lips kissed the lips of God. … In His foreknowledge of your dignity, the God of all the world, has loved you and, in accordance with His love for you, He predestined you and called you into being in the final time” (1 Pt 1:20; Heb 1:2) …

So let wise Solomon shut his mouth and say no more: “Nothing is new under the sun” (Eccl 1:9).” – St John Damascene (675-749) Father and Doctor of the Church (Homily for the Nativity of the Virgin, 7, 10 – “See, I make all things new” (Apoc 21:5).

PRAYER – O God, Who by the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin, prepared a worthy dwelling for Thy Son and Who, by Thy Son’s death, foreseen by Thee, preserved her from all taint, grant, we beseech Thee, through her intercession that we too may come to Thee unstained by sin.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 DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, The ANNUNCIATION, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, The INCARNATION, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 8 December – The Immaculate Conception

Quote/s of the Day – 8 December – Feast of the Immaculate Conception and “The Month of the Divine Infant and the Immaculate Conception”

Mary is the new Tree of Life,
who, instead of the bitter fruit picked by Eve,
gives to mankind that Sweet Fruit
on which the whole world is fed.

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

(Marian hymn)

The very fact
that God has elected her,
proves, that none was ever
holier than Mary;
if any stain had disfigured her soul,
if any other virgin
had been purer and holier,
God would have selected her
and rejected Mary.

St Jacob of Sarug (c 451-521)
Bishop, Theologian, Poet, Writer

Today humanity, in all the radiance
of her Immaculate nobility,
receives its ancient beauty.
The shame of sin
had darkened the splendour
and attraction of human nature
but when the Mother
of the Fair One par excellence,
is born, this nature again,
regains in her person,
its ancient privileges
and is fashioned according to a perfect model,
truly worthy of God….
The reform of our nature begins today
and the aged world,
subjected to a wholly divine transformation,
receives the first fruits of the second creation.

St Andrew of Crete (c 650-c 740)
Bishop, Theologian, Hymnist

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)
Father and Doctor of the Church

(Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin, # 9 ; SC 80

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the JUDGE, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, I BELIEVE!, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN QUOTES, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSOLATION, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on REASON/INTELLECT, Quotes on SALVATION, The LAST THINGS, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

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

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

Leave your country, your people
and your father’s household
and go to the land I will show you.

Genesis 12:1

It is not the actual physical exertion
which counts towards a man’s progress,
nor the nature of the task
but by the spirit of faith
with which it is undertaken.

I am in a country
where all the niceties of life are lacking.
But I am filled with many inner consolations.
Indeed, I run the risk of crying my eyes out
because of my tears of joy

His Lord said to him:
Well done, good and faithful servant
because thou has been faithful over a few things,
I will place thee over many thing.
Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord
.”

Matthew 25:21

Ah! If only those who look for knowledge in study,
took as much trouble in looking
for the consolations of the apostolate,
as they give day and night to the pursuit of knowledge!
If only those joys, which the scholar seeks
in what he is learning, he were to seek
in making his neighbour feel, what he is in need of –
to know and serve God, how much more consoled
he would find himself to be and better prepared,
to give an account of himself, when Christ returns
and asks him: “Give me an account of your stewardship
” …

If you are in danger,
if your hearts are confused,
turn to Mary!

Prayer for Unbelievers
By St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

O God, the Everlasting Creator of all things,
remember that the souls of unbelievers
were made by Thee
and formed in Thine own image and likeness.
Remember that Jesus, Thy Son,
endured a most bitter Death for their salvation.
Permit not, I beseech Thee, O Lord
that Thy Son should be any longer despised by unbelievers
but do Thou graciously accept the prayers
of holy men and of the Church,
the Spouse of Thy Most Holy Son
and be mindful of Thy mercy.
Forget their idolatry and unbelief
and grant that they too,
may someday know Him,
Whom Thou hast sent…the Lord Jesus Christ,
Who is our Salvation, our Life and Resurrection,
by Whom we have been [redeemed] and delivered,
to Whom be glory for endless ages.
Amen.

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/03/quote-s-of-the-day-3-december-st-francis-xavier-3/

St Francis Xavier (1506-1552)

Posted in MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Quote/s of the Day – 28 November – St Catherine Labouré and Our Lady

Quote/s of the Day – 28 November – The Memorial of St Catherine Labouré DC (1806-1876) Virgin, Religious Sister of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul and the Marian visionary of the Miraculous Medal.

THE PROMISES OF THE MEDAL
When Our Lady appeared to
Saint Catherine Labouré
on 27 November 1830,
rays of light flowed from
the rings (made of precious stones)
on her fingers.
However, some of the stones on the rings did not shine.

Our Lady explained:

These rays symbolise the graces
I shed upon those who ask for them.
The gems from which rays do not fall
are the graces for which souls omit to ask
.”

Graces will be poured out
on all those, small, or great,
who ask for them
with confidence and fervour.
… ”

The Blessed Virgin Mary
to Saint Catherine Labouré DC (1806-1876)
November 1830

If you listen to Him,
He will speak to you also
because with the good God,
it is necessary to speak
and to listen.

St Catherine Labouré (1806-1876)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, FRANCISCAN OFM, Hail MARY!, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The INCARNATION

Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In her, God spun a garment
with which to save us.

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

“Hail, holy throne of God,
divine sanctuary, house of glory,
jewel most fair, chosen treasure house
and mercy seat for the whole world,
heaven showing forth the glory of God.

Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God
and raised above all human condition,
virgin soil, unploughed field, flourishing vine,
fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child,
mother without knowing man,
hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity,
by your most acceptable prayers,
strong with the authority of motherhood,
to our Lord and God, Creator of all,
your Son, Who was born of you without a father,
steer the ship of the Church
and bring it to a quiet harbour.”

St Germanus (378-448)

This fair olive-tree,
led to the temple
and, thenceforward planted
in the House of God
and cultivated by the Spirit,
she, as a fruitful olive-tree,
became the abode of all virtues.

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

God Himself, with the whole heavenly court,
made great rejoicings on that day,
beholding His spouse,
coming to the temple.

St Bernardine of Siena OFM (1380-1444)

Give thanks to Almighty God
Who resists the proud
and gives grace to the humble
and offer Him all the glory
that this Maiden accorded to His majesty
by her practice of the richest humility
during her childhood
and throughout the rest of her life.

St John Eudes CO (1601-1680)

Posted in CREEDS, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, The ANNUNCIATION, The INCARNATION

Quote/s of the Day – 17 November – St Gregory Thaumaturgus

Quote/s of the Day – 17 November – St Gregory Thaumaturgus (c 213-c 270) “the Wonder-Worker,” Bishop, Confessor

By a woman,
came the flood of our ills
and by a woman too,
our blessings,
have their spring.

“The Creed”
of Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus

There is one God, the Father of the Living Word,
Who is His subsistent Wisdom and Power and Eternal Image,
perfect Begetter of the perfect Begotten,
Father of the Only-begotten Son.
There is one Lord, Only of the Only, God of God,
Image and Likeness of Deity, Efficient Word,
Wisdom comprehensive of the constitution of all things
and Power formative of the whole creation,
true Son of true Father, Invisible of Invisible
and Incorruptible of Incorruptible
and Immortal of Immortal
and Eternal of Eternal.
And there is One Holy Spirit,
having His subsistence from God
and being made manifest by the Son, to wit to men,
Image of the Son,
Perfect Image of the Perfect,
Life, the Cause of the living, Holy Fount,
Sanctity, the Supplier, or Leader, of Sanctification,
in Whom is manifested God the Father,
Who is above all and in all
and God the Son, Who is through all.
There is a perfect Trinity, in glory
and eternity and sovereignty,
neither divided nor estranged.
Wherefore, there is nothing,
either created or in servitude in the Trinity,
nor anything superinduced,
as if at some former period, it was non-existent
and at some later period, it was introduced.
And thus neither was the Son
ever wanting to the Father,
nor the Spirit to the Son
but, without variation and without change,
the same Trinity abideth ever.

St Gregory Thaumaturgus (c 213-c 270)
“the Wonder-Worker,” Bishop, Confessor

Posted in CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on HERESY, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TIME, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 9 November – Your House

Quote/s of the Day – 9 November – Dedication of The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour

Zeal for Your House will consume me.

John 2:17

…The great movement of apostasy
being organised in every country
for the establishment of a One-World Church
which shall have neither dogmas,
nor hierarchy, neither discipline for the mind,
nor curb for the passions
and which, under the pretext of freedom
and human dignity, would bring back to the world,
(if such a Church could overcome)
the reign of legalised cunning and force
and the oppression of the weak
and of all those who toil and suffer. […]
Indeed, the true friends of the people
are neither revolutionaries, nor innovators –
they are traditionalists.”

The Church alone, being the Bride of Christ
and having all things in common
with her Divine Spouse,
is the depository of the Truth
.”

“Truly, we are passing through disastrous times,
when we may well make our own, the lamentation
of the Prophet: “There is no truth and there is no mercy
and there is no knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1).
Yet, in the midst of this tide of evil,
the Virgin Most Merciful rises before our eyes,
like a rainbow, as the arbiter of peace
between God and man.”

St Pius X (1835-1914)

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, DYING / LAST WORDS, HOLY COMMUNION, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, MARIAN QUOTES, ON the SAINTS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SILENCE, QUOTES on VANITY, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The HOLY NAME, The TRANSFIGURATION

Quote/s of the Day – 7 November – St Dominic and Friends OPs

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

These, my much loved ones,
are the bequests which I leave to you, as my sons –
have charity among yourselves,
hold fast to humility,
keep a willing poverty.

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you
after my death and I shall help you then,
more effectively, than during my life.

St Dominic OP (1170-1221)

Eternal life flows
from this Sacrament
because God,
with all sweetness,
pours Himself out
upon the blessed.

Mary is the divine Page
on which God the Father
wrote the Word of God, His Son.
Let us draw near to her and read her!

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

“At His Transfiguration
Christ showed His disciples,
the splendour of His Beauty,
to which He will shape and colour,
those who are His :
‘He will reform our lowness
configured to the Body of His Glory.”

Charity is
the form,
mover,
mother
and root
of all
the virtues.

To love is to
will the good
of the other.

The greatest kindness
one can render
to any man
consists in leading him
from error to truth.

St Thomas Aquinas OP (1225 – 1274)
Angelic Doctor of the Church

The eternal God
asks a favour of His bride:
“Hold Me close to your heart,
close as locket or bracelet fits.”
No matter whether
we walk or stand still,
eat or drink,
we should at all times
wear the golden locket
“Jesus” upon our heart.

Bl Henry Suso OP (1295-1366)

Enrich your soul in the great goodness of God –
The Father is your Table,
the Son is your Food
and the Holy Spirit waits on you
and then makes His Dwelling in you.

Charity is the sweet and holy bond
which links the soul
with its Creator;
it binds God with man
and man with God.

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

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

A vain question deserves nothing
but silence.
So learn to be silent for a time;
you will edify your brethren
and silence will teach you,
to speak when the hour is come.

St Vincent Ferrer OP (1350-1419)

St Dominic’s Blessing
By St Dominic de Guzman OP (1170-1221)

May God the Father,
who made us, bless us.
May God the Son,
send His healing among us.
May God the Holy Spirit,
move within us
and give us eyes to see with,
ears to hear with,
and hands, that Your work,
might be done.
May we walk and preach
the word of God to all.
May the angel of peace
watch over us
and lead us at last,
by God’s grace,
to the Kingdom.
Amen

Posted in Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY QUOTES

Thought for the Day – 31 October – “Pray for Us … at the Hour of Our Death”

Thought for the Day – 31 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Pray for Us … at the Hour of Our Death”

“My dear Mother Mary, you who lived in the intimate presence of God, obtain for me too, this great grace, so that I may avoid sin, do good and love God, upon earth, in the hope of enjoying Him forever in Heaven. Amen.🙏”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/31/thought-for-the-day-31-october-pray-for-us-at-the-hour-of-our-death/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/31/thought-for-the-day-31-october-pray-for-us-at-the-hour-of-our-death-2/

Posted in DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, Hail MARY!, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on HOPE, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY QUOTES, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 31 October – The 15 Promises of the Holy Roary

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

Mary, thou art the vessel and tabernacle
containing all Mysteries.
Thou knows that, which the Patriarchs, never knew,
thou hast experienced that,
which was never revealed to the Angels,
thou has heard that, which the Prophets never heard.
In a word, all that was hidden
from preceding generations,
was made known to thee, even more,
most of these wonders, depended on thee!

St Gregory theWonderworker (c 213–270)

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.
    It will destroy vice, decrease sin and defeat heresies.
  4. 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.

Whenever I Say Hail Mary
Blessed Alain de la Roche (1428-1475)

Whenever I say Hail Mary,
The Court of Heaven rejoices
And the earth is lost in wonderment
And I despise the world
And my heart is brim full
Of the love of God.

When I say Hail Mary,
All my fears wilt and die
And my passions are quelled.

If I say Hail Mary,
Devotion grows within me
And sorrow for sin awakens.

When I say Hail Mary,
Hope is made strong in my breast
And the dew of consolation
Falls on my soul
more and more,
Because I say Hail Mary.
And my spirit rejoices,
And sorrow fades away
When I say …
Hail Mary
!

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Quote/s of the Day – 29 October – The Mystical Body

Quote/s of the Day – 29 October – The Mystical Body

Mary, having merited to give flesh
to the Divine Word
and thus, supply the price
of our redemption
that we might be delivered
from eternal death, therefore,
she is more powerful
than all others,
to help us gain eternal life.

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

It is not surprising if,
despite being far apart,
we are present to each other
and without being acquainted,
know each other
because, we are members of One Body,
we have One Head,
we are steeped in One Grace,
we live on One Loaf,
we walk on One Road
and we dwell in the Same House!

St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)

“In adoring our Saviour’s birth,
it is our origin that we celebrate.
Christ’s temporal generation
is the source of the Christian people,
the birth of His Mystical Body.
All of us encounter in this Mystery,
a new birth in Christ.

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

“For nothing more glorious,
nothing nobler,
nothing surely, more honourable
can be imagined, than to belong
to the One, Holy Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church,
in which we become members of one Body
as venerable as it is unique;
are guided by one supreme Head;
are filled with one divine Spirit;
are nourished during our earthly exile
by one doctrine and one heavenly Bread,
until at last, we enter into
the one, unending blessedness of heaven.
But lest we be deceived,
by the angel of darkness,
who transforms himself into an angel of light,
let this be the supreme law of our love –
to love the Spouse of Christ,
as Christ willed her to be
and as He purchased her with His Blood.”

Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
“Mystici Corporis Christi” 1943

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on REPARATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SIN, ROSARY QUOTES, The 5th Sorrowful Mystery - The CRUCIFIXION, The LORD'S PRAYER, The PASSION, The REDEMPTION

Thought for the Day – 23 October – “Forgive Us Our Debts”

Thought for the Day – 23 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
“Forgive Us Our Debts”

“Finally, we owe God a great deal on account of our sins.
Unfortunately, our only return for God’s continual favours, has been negligence, ingratitude and sin!
How many failings we have been guilty of throughout our lives?
Since it is an offence against God, Who is infinitely good and amiable, even venial sin cannot properly be atoned for by the merits of all the Angels and of all the Saints of Heaven.
Therefore, it was necessary for the Son of God, made Man, to offer Himself as a Victim of Expiation, on our behalf.

Remembering His infinite merits, we should humbly ask God – ‘forgive us our debts.‘ that is, our many sins and failings and, whatever punishment is owing to us, for every sin demands some expiation, either in this life or in the next!

Meanwhile, we should accept, with resignation, all the sufferings which God sends us in reparation for our sins and, we should promise never to offend Him again.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/22/thought-for-the-day-22-october-forgive-us-our-debts/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/23/thought-for-the-day-23-october-forgive-us-our-debts/

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN Saturdays, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on GRACE, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 October – Mary, Mother of Grace

Quote/s of the Day – 22 October – Mary’s Day – Luke 11:27-28

Blessed is the womb that bore You …”

Luke 11:27

Mary, Mother of Grace
St Athanasius (297-373)

Father & Doctor of the Church

It becomes you to be mindful of us,
as you stand near Him who granted you all graces,
for you are the Mother of God and our Queen.
Help us for the sake of the King,
the Lord God and Master, Who was born of you.
For this reason,
you are called full of grace.
Remember us, most holy Virgin,
and bestow on us gifts
from the riches of your graces,
Virgin full of graces.
Amen

No matter how sinful
one may have been,
if he has devotion to Mary,
it is impossible that he be lost.

St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Mary was placed by God
in the centre of history
and we can say
that everything was made
through her
and with her
and in her.

O great, O gentle, O most lovable Mary,
thy Holy Name cannot be spoken
without inflaming the heart.
To those who love thee,
it is unspeakable consolation
and joy even to think of thee;
thou art a sweet memory
to those who honour thee.

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

Mary is the divine Page
on which God the Father
wrote the Word of God, His Son.
Let us draw near to her and read her!

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

No-one who shall invoke
this Mother of Grace,
with devotion and perseverance,
can possibly perish forever.

St John Eudes (1601-1680)
“The Apostle of Two Hearts”

Posted in MARIAN REFLECTIONS, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUEENSHIP of MARY, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, ROSARY QUOTES

Thought for the Day – 18 October – The Fifth Glorious Mystery, The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thought for the Day – 18 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fifth Glorious Mystery
The Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary
as Queen of Heaven and Earth

“Mary’s reign extends even to the powers of hell, which were vanquished through her instrumentality as Mother of God.
We should not lose courage when the devil tries to trap us into sinning.
Instead, we should ask Mary, humbly and perseveringly, to save us.

Besides praying to her, however, let us take care to imitate her virtues.
We must endeavour to become more like Mary if we wish her to regard us as her children and to take us under her maternal protection.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/17/thought-for-the-day-17-october-the-fifth-glorious-mystery-the-crowning-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-as-queen-of-heaven-and-earth/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/18/thought-for-the-day-18-october-the-fifth-glorious-mystery-the-crowning-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-as-queen-of-heaven-and-earth/

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, YouTube VIDEOS

Quote/s of the Day – 16 October – Feast of the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Quote/s of the Day – 16 October – Feast of the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Holy light on earth’s horizon,
Star of hope to those who fall,
Light amid a world of shadows,
Dawn of God’s design for all.

O Mary, conceived without sin,
Pray for us who have recourse to thee.

Thou alone and Thy Mother,
are in all things fair,
there is no flaw in Thee
and no stain in Thy Mother.

St Ephrem of Syria (306-373)
Father and Doctor of the Church

The very fact
that God has elected her,
proves, that none was ever
holier than Mary;
if any stain had disfigured her soul,
if any other virgin
had been purer and holier,
God would have selected her
and rejected Mary.

St Jacob of Sarug (c 451-521)
Bishop, Theologian, Poet, Writer

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)
Father and Doctor of the Church

Free from the concupiscence which has disturbed
our human nature, she was like a snow-white lily,
sparkling in the sunlight.
Her mortal life was a continuous ascent
towards the highest peak of holiness.
… her daily correspondence with God’s gifts
was as remarkable as her dignity.
… The most chaste Virgin Mary,
is a model for our imitation
.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Tota Pulchra Es, Maria
You Are All Beautiful, Mary
Unknown Author – 4th Century

You are all beautiful, Mary,
and the original stain is not in you.
You are the glory of Jerusalem,
you are the joy of Israel,
you give honour to our people.
You are an advocate of sinners.
O Mary, O Mary,
Virgin most intelligent,
Mother most merciful.
Pray for us,
Plead for us,
To the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tota pulchra es, Maria.
Et macula originalis non est in Te.
Tu gloria Ierusalem.
Tu laetitia Israel.
Tu honorificentia populi nostri.
Tu advocata peccatorum.
O Maria, O Maria,
Virgo prudentissima.
Mater clementissima.
Ora pro nobis.
Intercede pro nobis.
Ad Dominum Iesum Christum.

This prayer used by the Church since the 4th Century for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Purity of the Blessed Virgin. It takes some text from the book of Judith and other text from Song of Songs, specifically 4:7. Many composers have set this prayer to music over the centuries.

Posted in MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, The 5th Sorrowful Mystery - The CRUCIFIXION, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 13 October – The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery, The Crucifixion

Thought for the Day – 13 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery
The Crucifixion

Be our Mother, O Mary, for you have borne us spiritually on Mount Calvary, at the foot of the Cross.
Deign to obtain for us, through your intercession that we may love Jesus as you loved Him and follow Him faithfully, as you followed Him, unto Death. Amen
.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/12/thought-for-the-day-12-october-the-fifth-sorrowful-mystery-the-crucifixion/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/13/thought-for-the-day-13-october-the-fifth-sorrowful-mystery-the-crucifixion/

Posted in CONFESSION/PENANCE, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, ROSARY QUOTES, The FIVE FIRST Saturdays, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 13 October – Our Lady’s Words

Quote/s of the Day – 13 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” and the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima: The Sixth & Final Apparition

Our Lady’s Words

Let not your heart be disturbed.
Do not fear that sickness,
nor any other sickness or anguish.
Am I not here, who is your Mother?
Are you not under my protection?
Am I not your health?
Are you not happily within my fold?
What else do you wish?
Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.

Our Lady of Guadalupe to Juan Diego
9 December 1531

“Penance, penance, penance.
Pray for sinners.

Our Lady to St Bernadette Soubirous
at Lourdes, 1858

I have come, to warn the faithful,
to amend their lives
and ask pardon for their sins.
They must not continue to offend Our Lord,
Who is already too much offended.

Look, my Daughter,”
Our Lady said to Lúcia on 10 December 1925,
“at my heart, surrounded with thorns,
with which ungrateful men pierce me.”

My child, behold my Heart
all pierced with thorns,
which the blasphemies
and ingratitude of men
drive deeper at every moment . . .
make known to men that
:

I promise to assist.
at the hour of death.
with the graces necessary for salvation,
all those who, on the first Saturdays
of five consecutive months,
go to Confession,
receive Holy Communion,
say the Rosary
and spend a quarter of an hour with me,
in meditation on te fifteen
Mysteries of the Rosary,
with the object of making reparation to me.

“Say the Rosary everyday
to obtain peace for the world.
And after each decade,
say the following prayer:
‘O my Jesus, forgive us our sins,
save us from the fires of Hell,
lead all souls to Heaven,
especially those in most need of Thy mercy
.’”

Our Lady of Fatima
1917

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN Antiphons, MARIAN HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MARIAN TITLES, MOTHER of GOD, PAPAL ENCYLICALS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on THE MYSTICAL BODY, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, The INCARNATION, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, The REDEMPTION

Quote/s of the Day – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity

Quote/s of the Day – 11 October – Feast of the Divine Maternity

Mary, having merited to give flesh
to the Divine Word
and thus, supply the price
of our redemption
that we might be delivered
from eternal death, therefore,
she is more powerful
than all others,
to help us gain eternal life.

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

The One Who is the Wisdom of the Father,
put His arms around her neck,
the One Who is the strength,
which gives movement to everything,
sat in her arms.
He, Who is the rest of souls, (Mt 11:29)
rested on her motherly breast.
… Filled with the Holy Spirit,
she held Him close to her heart …
She never had enough
of seeing Him or of hearing Him …
Thus Mary, grew evermore in love
and her mind was unceasingly attached ,
to Divine contemplation.

St Amadeus of Lausanne (1108-1159)
Bishop (Homily on the Motherhood of Mary, 4).

Wherefore, in the same holy bosom
of His most chaste Mother,
Christ took to Himself flesh
and united to Himself,
the spiritual Body formed
by those who were to believe in Him.
Hence Mary, carrying the Saviour
within her, may be said,
to have also carried, all those.
whose life was contained
in the life of the Saviour.
Therefore, all we who are united to Christ
and, as the Apostle says,
are members of His body,
of His flesh and of His bones (Eph 5:30),
have issued from the womb of Mary,
like a body united to it’s head.

St Pius X (1835-1914)
Pope from 1903 to 1914
Encyclical “Ad diem illum laetissimum” #10-11

Alma Redemptoris Mater
Loving Mother of the Redeemer
By Bl Herman of Reichenau (1013–1054)

Loving Mother of the Redeemer!
Hear thou thy people’s cry,
Star of the deep
and portal of the sky!
Mother of Him
Who thee from nothing made,
Sinking we strive
and call to thee for aid;
Oh, by that joy
which Gabriel brought to thee,
Thou Virgin first and last,
let us thy mercy see.

Posted in "Follow Me", MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on SACRIFICE, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on STRENGTH, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY QUOTES, The 1st Sorrowful Mystery - THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 8 October – The First Sorrowful Mystery, The Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Thought for the Day – 8 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The First Sorrowful Mystery
The Agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

To which group do you belong, you who claim to be a Catholic?
Are you among the traitors who, by their sins, Crucify Jesus anew?

Weep for your faults and ask your merciful Redeemer for forgiveness and for the strength never to fall again.

Perhaps you are ungrateful and asleep?
Awake from your torpor!

Pray to the Sorrowful Virgin to obtain for you the love of her Divine Son and the ardent desire of following Him in the path of sacrifice and of virtue.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/08/thought-for-the-day-8-october-the-first-sorrowful-mystery-the-agony-of-jesus-in-the-garden-of-gethsemane/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/08/thought-for-the-day-8-october-the-first-sorrowful-mystery-the-agony-of-jesus-in-the-garden-of-gethsemane-2/

Posted in LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MARIAN QUOTES, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ENEMIES, QUOTES on FORGIVENESS, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, SAINT of the DAY, SEPTEMBER-The SEVEN SORROWS of MARY and The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – St Bridget

Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303-1373) Widow

We must show love
for those who do evil to us
and pray for them.
Nothing is dearer
or more pleasing to God than this.

There is no sinner in the world,
however much at enmity with God,
who cannot recover God’s grace
by recourse to Mary
and by asking her assistance.

Mary is the lily in God’s garden.

Mother of Love, of Sorrow and of Mercy
By St Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373
)

O Blessed Virgin Mary,
Immaculate Mother of God,
who endured a Martyrdom of love and grief,
beholding the sufferings and sorrows of Jesus!
Thou didst co-operate in the benefit of my redemption
by thy innumerable afflictions
and by offering to the Eternal Father,
His only-begotten Son, as a holocaust
and victim of propitiation for my sins.
I thank thee for the unspeakable love
which led thee to deprive thyself
of the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus,
true God and true Man, to save me, a sinner.
Oh! make use of the unfailing intercession
of thy sorrows with the Father and the Son,
that I may steadfastly amend my life
and never again crucify
my loving Redeemer by my sins
and that, persevering till death in His grace,
I may obtain eternal life
through the merits of His Cross and Passion.
Amen

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/08/quote-s-of-the-day-23-july-st-bridget/

St Bridget of Sweden (1303-1373)

Posted in MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY QUOTES, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Thought for the Day – 7 October – The Fifth Joyful Mystery, The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

Thought for the Day – 7 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The Fifth Joyful Mystery
The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

By mortal sins, we lose Jesus and we lose our peace of soul.
By venial sin, we put Jesus farther away from us.

For this reason, we should not only avoid mortal sin, which leads to spiritual misery and death but also, venial sin, which diminishes our charity and weakens our spiritual life.

We should, moreover, have compassion for poor sinners, who are out own brothers and sisters and are supremely unhappy, even if they may not realise it.
We should pray a great deal for them, so that they may soon return to Jesus, Whom they have lost.

We should ask the Blessed Virgin and St Joseph to intercede for sinners, so that they may return forever to the merciful embrace of their Divine Redeemer.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/07/thought-for-the-day-7-october-the-fifth-joyful-mystery-the-finding-of-jesus-in-the-temple/
PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/10/07/thought-for-the-day-7-october-the-fifth-joyful-mystery-the-finding-of-jesus-in-the-temple-2/

Posted in OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on MYSTERIES of our FAITH, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TIME, ROSARY QUOTES, ROSARY QUOTES, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT

Quote/s of the Day– 7 October – The Blessings of the Holy Rosary

Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – The Month and Feast of the Most Holy Rosary

THE SEVEN BLESSINGS OF THE HOLY ROSARY

The Rosary, recited with meditation on the mysteries, brings about the following marvellous results:

  1. It gradually gives us a perfect knowledge of Jesus Christ;
  2. It purifies our souls, washing away sin;
  3. It gives us victory over all our enemies;
  4. It makes it easy for us to practice virtue;
  5. It sets us on fire with love of Our Blessed Lord;
  6. It enriches us with graces and merits;
  7. 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)

We put great confidence
in the Holy Rosary,
for the healing of evils
which afflict our times.

Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)