Category: NOTES to Followers

Posted in NOTES to Followers

Ciao All – Goodbye and Hello! – 26 April

Posted on by AnaStpaul

I love and leave you for a while to move house but, like the Lord in John 16, “A little while and now you shall not see Me:and again a little while and you shall see Me … ”

Ciao, you probably know means both “Hello” and “Goodbye” in Italian – I will be hanging around here most days and be fully moved and reasonably settled by the 3rd week of May, I pray. I plan to finish dear Dom Lorenzo Scupoli’s Spiritual Combat (we are on Chapter 54 and there are only 66 Chapters), whilst I am officially ‘away.’ Thus we will be ready to start a new Series when I return fully.

Circumstances beyond our control are forcing us to move at the beginning of May, I, therefore, need to get going with the packing immediately. Please bombard Heaven with your prayers, especially for the intercession of our dearest helpers, St Joseph and St Jude, during this stressful and well-nigh impossible time. We are experiencing great difficulties, as the cost of living becomes an overwhelming burden in South Africa and beg your prayers.

I will, as usual, be praying for you all. I know, many struggle and suffer all over the world in similar or worse circumstances. May our good Lord Bless you 🤗 your names are written on His Hands 🙏🧡 Ana

Posted in EASTER, NOTES to Followers, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, The RESURRECTION

The Lord is Risen! Easter Sunday – 31 March – Alleluia! Alleluia!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Lord is Risen!
Alleluia! Alleluia!

“This is the day which the Lord hath made,
let us be glad and rejoice therein.”
Psalm 117:24

Wishing you a Holy and Joyful Easter!

Thank you for accompanying me on our Lenten journey, I pray you have been inspired by our Saints and have grown in faith, hope and love.
Today we rejoice and continue with joy singing in our hearts through the Octave as we celebrate this great Feast!
May the Risen Lord fill your hearts with His infinite love,
may He protect your faith and your families.

A special word of gratitude to the benefactors of “Breathing Catholic.” 💘🤗
Because of YOU, we are able to travel onward and upward!
May the Beloved bless you abundantly.

“Live joyfully!
Our Lord is looking lovingly down upon you! ”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, NOTES to Followers, The WORD

Come Apart … and Rest Awhile

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Come Apart … and Rest Awhile

[30] And the Apostles coming together unto Jesus,
related to Him all things that they had done and taught.
[31] And He said to them:
Come apart into a deserted place and rest a little.
For there were many coming and going
and they had not so much, as time to eat.
[32] And … they went into a desert place apart.
[Mark 6:30-32]
Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

I will be taking a small rest prior to Lent but will still be here for a few important posts. The Candlemas Novena amongst others.

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, JESUIT SJ, NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRAYERS on FAITH, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TIME, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, The HOLY NAME, The WILL of GOD, THEOLOGICAL

The New Day and Year has Dawned! Its 2024!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The New Day and Year has Dawned!
Its 2024!

We know that there is only ONE thing necessary
and so, for this New Year, 2024,
I wish you only that ONE THING –
that HE may fill your heart,
your mind, your soul, your whole being,
everyday and every moment
and then, nothing will be wanting to you,
ALL will be yours and even sadness
and pain will serve only to unite you
more and more closely to our Divine Saviour.
And so, abiding in His Sacred Heart,
2024 will be PERFECT!

“We must make our way towards eternity,
never regarding what men think of us,
or of our actions,
studying only to please God.”

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love Thee, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without Thee, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose Thee, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain Thee, I must leave all.
But in loving Thee,
I already have all good things –
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for Thee.
Grant me perseverance in doing Thine will
and never let me be separated from Thee.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen

Posted in CHRISTMAS Prayers & Hymns, NOTES to Followers

My Wish for you All – a most Holy and Blessed Christmas!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

My Wish for you All
– a most Holy
and Blessed Christmas!

With hearts truly grateful,
Come, all ye faithful,
To Jesus, to Jesus in Bethlehem;
See Christ your Saviour,
Heaven’s greatest favour.
Let us hasten to adore Him;
Our God and King!

May the Holy Family of Bethlehem
fill your hearts with joy, peace and love!
And my Love and Prayers for you and yours.

My sincere thanksgiving
for those most generous and loving Benefactors,
who, in their generosity, have constantly contributed
to the upkeep of this site.
For those who, in the midst of their manifold duties
during this very busy time, have still found time
to send Christmas donations and prayers.
May the Divine Infant, His Immaculate Mother and Holy St Joseph,
Bless you all.
Ana

Deo Gratias!

Posted in DECEMBER - The DIVINE INFANCY and The IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, MARIAN TITLES, MARTYRS, NOTES to Followers, NOVENAS, SAINT of the DAY, The DIVINE INFANT

Octave Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Monguí / Our Lady of Mongui, Colombia (16th Century), Memorials of the Saints for 15 December and Novena Reminders

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Octave Day of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Christmas Novena to the Divine Infant Jesus by St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori – BEGINS on 16 December:
This Novena is translated from the Italian of Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori and was first published in 1758.
Although this Novena is intended, primarily as a preparation for the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity, it can be used with spiritual profit at any time of the year, as a devotion in honour of the Infant Jesus.
This translation by the Redemptorists of the UK.

AND/OR:
December, naturally being the Month of the Divine Infant, is a wonderful time to begin this Monthly practice:
The Monthly Novena to the Infant Jesus of Prague
From 16 to 24 December (and of every Month on the same dates).

Nuestra Señora de Monguí / Our Lady of Mongui, Monguí, Boyacá, Colombia (16th Century) – 15 December:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/15/nuestra-senora-de-mongui-our-lady-of-mongui-mongui-boyaca-colombia-16th-century-memorials-of-the-saints-and-an-ember-day-15-december/

St Adalbero of Metz
St Bacchus the Younger
St Christiana the Slave
St Florentius of Bangor

St Margaret of Fontana
Bl Maria della Pace

Blessed Maria Vittoria De Fornari Strata (1562–1617) Widow, Nun, Foundress of the Order of the Annunciation – or Blue Nuns, of which she is the Patron.
Her Lifestory:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/12/15/saint-of-the-day-15-december-blessed-maria-vittoria-de-fornari-1562-1617/

Blessed Marino of Cava OSB (1146-1170) Monk, the Seventh Abbot of the famous Abbey of The Holy Trinity of Cava (La Trinità della Cava). He was also appointed as a Royal and secular Governor, through the efforts of his diplomatic peace negotiations.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/12/15/saint-of-the-day-15-december-blessed-marino-of-cava-osb-died-1170/

St Mary Crocifissa di Rosa (1813–1855) Religious, Foundress of the Handmaids of Charity/Sisters of Charity. She was Beatified in 1940 by Pope Pius XXI and Canonised in 1954 by the same Pontiff.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/saint-of-the-day-15-december/

St Maximinus of Micy
St Offa of Essex
St Paul of Latros
St Silvia of Constantinople
St Urbicus
St Valerian of Abbenza (c377-c457) Confessor, Bishop
Blessed Victoria Strata (1562-1617) Widow,

Martyrs of North Africa – 7 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together for their faith in North Africa. The only details about them that survive are their names – Caelian, Candidus, Faustinus, Fortunatus, Januarius, Lucius and Mark.

Martyrs of Rome – 22 Saints: A group of 22 Christians Martyred together in the persecutions of Valerian. The only details we have are five of their names – Antonius, Irenaeus, Saturnin, Theodorus and Victor. c 258 in Rome, Italy.

Posted in DOGMA, IMMACULATE CONCEPTION Prayers and Novena, NOTES to Followers, NOVENAS

Reminder: The Novena in Honour of the Immaculate Conception begins on 29 November

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception
Begins 29 November
Feast 8 December

The Dogma was promulgated by Blessed Pius IX in 1854 in the Bull Ineffabilis Deus.
This Dogma is rejected by all Protestants including the Orthodox – another reason why we cannot interact with these the way some do and the Vatican II church endorses.

Let us Pray to our Mother, the Immaculate and Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without sin.

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, NOTES to Followers, OUR Cross, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS

Death in the Family – ‘Carry me, O Christ …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Dear Friends
On Thursday evening, 9 November, we lost a close family member, my elder sister, who left us on her final journey home. She had struggled against many odds, not just those related to health and finally gave up the fight and committed her spirit to our loving and merciful God. Our prayers for the dead this month are so appropriate for her soul now too and for these I thank you.
I shall be Absent (with your leave) for about 10 days.

St Ambrose: On the Death of His Brother

“To this must be added that, I cannot be ungrateful to God, for I must rather rejoice that I had such a brother, [sister for me] than grieve that I had lost a brother, for the former is a gift, the latter a debt to be paid.
And so, as long as I might, I enjoyed the loan entrusted to me – now, He Who deposited the pledge, has taken it back.
There is no difference between, denying that a pledge has been deposited and grieving at its being returned.
In each there is untrustworthiness and in each, [eternal] life is risked.
It is a fault, if you refuse repayment and impiety, if you refuse a sacrifice. Moreover, the lender of money can be made a fool of but the Author of nature, the Lender of all that we need, cannot be cheated.
And so, the larger the amount of the loan, so much the more gratitude is due for the use of the capital.” (From St Ambrose’ Sermon on the Death of his older brother, St Satyrus (c335-c378) Confessor). St Satyrus here: https://anastpaul.com/2023/09/17/saint-of-the-day-17-september-st-satyrus-of-milan-c335-c378-confessor/

“Carry me, O Christ,
on Thy Cross
which is salvation to the wanderer,
rest for the wearied
and, in which alone,
is Life for those who die.”

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

Prayer for the Dead
From My Prayer Book, 1927
By Fr Francis Xavier Lasance (1860-1946)

O God, whose property it is,
ever to have mercy and to spare,
we beseech Thee,
on behalf of the soul of Thy servant,
whom Thou hast called out of this world,
look upon her with pity
and let her be conducted
by the holy Angels to Paradise,
her true country.
Grant that she, who believed in Thee
and hoped in Thee, may not be left
to suffer the pains of the Purgatorial fires
but may be admitted to eternal joy.
Through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord,
Who with the Holy Ghost-
liveth and reigneth,
world without end.
Amen

Posted in NOTES to Followers

Silenced by the Cape of Storms!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

It is no fallacy, or historical legend that the Cape can be rocked by frightening storms.
From Sunday 24 September until Tuesday night (27th) record gale force winds and rainfall wrecked havoc across the Cape from Table Bay, up the coastal areas, on both sides and inland, with rivers bursting their banks, flooding nearby areas, bridges and roads being submerged and much, much more.

Naturally there has been extensive damage to the infrastructure, as well as to private homes. Many towns and villages were cut off completely and, of course, suprise, suprise, power lines were extensively damaged. There have also been reports of missing people – let us pray for their safe recovery.

For nearly 3 days we were without power.
Unfortunately my auxiliary power supply was no match for this extreme and extended outage – once again!
I must find and work towards a better solution for the future.

Many thanks to God for bringing me back safely to Breathing Catholic and in time to begin the Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary. Let us not forget to mention those who have lost their homes, possessions, means of earning a living and motor vehicles and those who are still reported as missing.
Thank you for your patience and loving support – Deo Gratias! 🙏💘 Ana

Posted in NOTES to Followers, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on THANKSGIVING, St PAUL!, The WORD

The Power of Your Prayers!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

The Power of Your Prayers!

“… give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thes 5:18

I thank those Priest who celebrated Holy Mass on the great Feast of St James the Greater, offering the greatest of all prayers for the success of the operation I was undergoing. I was and am, so well protected by all your glorious intercessions that I was cushioned, protected, comforted and so very confident!

I am nearly back online – just awaiting a final Post-op Examination to confirm the status of my eye and whether it can handle the PC light. I might have to ease into the time I usually spend here, slowly increasing the hours.

I continue to pray in thanksgiving and joy, for you all. 🙏💖

“Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus, for you” (1 Thes 5:18).

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, Hail MARY!, NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS on FAITH, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Please pray for me … Thank you! 🙏💖

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Dearest faithful Friends and fellow Pilgrims

I am off to Cape Town for about a week+- for an Eye Operation which has become essential. It will hopefully assist with comfort and reduce pain. For those who are unaware of this issue – I do have a note on my ‘About’ regarding this problem eye.

We have on the site, under PATRONAGE sub-category EYES Diseases, the BLIND – 36 Patrons who I am sure will be very happy to assist, by their intercession, to our Divine Physician and let us never forget the endless caring love and prayers of our Holy Virgin Mother.

I beg your prayers and, if any Priests here with us, would offer a Holy Mass – if possible on Tuesday morning 25 July, I will be endlessly grateful. The operation is scheduled for South African time – 8.00 am.

THANK YOU ALL – MY poor Prayers are always yours! Ana 🙏💖

Prayer to St Lucy
for the Protection of our Eyes
and the Eyes of our Faith

O St Lucy, you preferred to let your eyes be torn out
instead of denying the faith
and defiling your soul
and God, through an extraordinary miracle,
replaced them with another pair of sound and perfect eyes
to reward your virtue and faith,
appointing you as the protector against eye diseases.
I come to you for you to protect my eyesight
and to heal the illness in my eyes.

O St Lucy, preserve the light of my eyes
so that I may see the beauties of creation,
the glow of the sun,
the colour of the flowers
and the smile of children.

Preserve also the eyes of my soul,
the faith, through which I can know my God,
understand His teachings,
recognise His love for me
and never miss the road that leads me
to where you, St Lucy,
can be found in the company of the angels and saints.
St Lucy, protect my eyes and preserve my faith.

St Lucy, “Bringer of Light”
Pray for those with eye ailments,
Pray for us all!

Posted in NOTES to Followers

The Usual Problem … sigh …

Posted on by AnaStpaul

So once again we had an unscheduled BLACK-OUT yesterday – hence the shortage of posts.

At least most of you know the situation in South Africa, for the rest who have not heard of the crises called Loadshedding (controlled or scheduled power outages), if I suddenly disappear mid-word – it will definitely be another ESKOM power outage, either scheduled which has simply failed to return to ON or unscheduled which, at present, seems almost as common as ‘scheduled’ – a very BIG SIGH ….

Be it light or be it dark, I never cease praying for you all … 🙏🙏🙏🤗💖 Ana

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, GOD ALONE!, Holy Name PRAYERS, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY NAME

Update: Storms, Floods and Black-outs continue across the Cape

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Bless you all my dear Friends for your kind prayers and thoughts. After nearly 70 hours of darkness the power was restored overnight on Friday 16 June but sadly, as the storms continued, fallen tree branches, amongst other natural havoc, damaged many power lines and after about 10 hours of LIGHT, we were once again plunged into darkness. Another +-20 hours of darkness followed but is now once again restored. I pray that I will be back online tomorrow morning.

May God bless you all and shine his Face upon Cape Town! 🙏🙌💖🤗 Ana

“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)

Daily Prayer to the Most Holy Name
By St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)
Apostle of the Most Holy Name

Jesus,
Name full of glory, grace, love and strength!
Thou art the Refuge of those who repent,
our Banner of warfare in this life,
the Medicine of souls,
the Comfort of those who mourn,
the Delight of those who believe,
the Light of those who preach the true faith,
the Wages of those who toil,
the Cure of the sick.
To Thou, our devotion aspires;
by Thee, our prayers are received;
we delight in contemplating Thee.
O Name of Jesus,
Thou art the glory
of all the Saints for eternity.
Amen.

Posted in JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, NOTES to Followers, Uncategorized

Storms, Floods, 3 Day Black-Out and counting ….

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Wishing you all, dearest Readers, a most Holy and Devout Feast Day of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus our Beloved Saviour.

As you see from the title, we are in darkness. I am writing this on my phone on borrowed signal from my neighbour’s solar driven wifi. We pray we will be restored to electricity today.

In the meantime, let us pray for the workers out there. Much love, hugs and prayer ANA

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, NOTES to Followers, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SACRED HEART ASPIRATIONS, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SACRED HEART REFLECTIONS

Thought for the Day – 1 June – Devotion to the Sacred Heart

Posted on by AnaStpaul

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

Devotion to the Sacred Heart

“All devotions which have been approved by the Church are valuable because they are acts of religion which have as their object, the author of all holiness and source of all goodness.
By these acts, God is adored, thanked and supplicated by His children who have been redeemed by the Precious Blood of Christ.
Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and to the Saints, is also directed, ultimately, towards God, Who has endowed His faithful servants, especially the Mother of Jesus, with His gifts and graces and has established them as mediators by His Throne.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, is not one of the many pious practices merely permitted or recommended by the Church.
Fundamentally, it is a devotion which is essential for any Christians, insofar, as it is the cult of the love of God made man for our sakes.

We know that Christianity is the religion of love.
“God is love and he who abides in love, abides in God and God in him” (1 Jn 4:16).
Everything flows from God’s love for mankind – both the Creation and the Redemption, for God created us out of love and redeemed us with the love of His Only-begotten Son Who became man and died for us and, both the Old and the New Law, for the basis of the Old Law was “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength,” (Deut 6:4) and the commandment of charity, was called by Jesus His own commandment, on which His entire teaching was based.
The Sacraments, especially the Blessed Eucharist, have their origin in the same infinite love.
So have the graces which God gives us, our justification, through the merits of our Redeemer and the final reward for which we hope in Heaven.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart is the worship of this infinite love, of which, it is a living symbol.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

I am running out of the wondrous words of our beloved Cardinal Bacci. As many enriching writings as there are in our beautiful Faith, I have found none other as direct and powerful as he AND, most importantly, one who covers the entire Liturgical year.
I will, therefore, introduce, where appropriate, other reflections but where no-one else, in my knowledge, has a suitable meditation, I will be re-visiting our dear Cardinal Bacci, i.e. starting from post one and perhaps highlighting a different quote than previously.

Posted in NOTES to Followers

Thy Will be done

Posted on by AnaStpaul

My little rest and battery charging plans were certainly not meant to be, for within a day of signing off and waving you all goodbye, I became ill with a horrid cold which turned into a bronchial episode.
Then the rest of the family too fell victim to this violent ‘change-of-season’ cold.

And now, it is nearly Ascension Thursday and I am still struggling to regain full strength.
BUT, I will be back shortly (by Wednesday or Thursday), God willing and with the help of your prayers, for which I thank and bless you 🙏🤗

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, EASTER, LENT 2023, NOTES to Followers, QUOTES on JOY, ST FRANCIS de SALES

Wishing you all a most Blessed and Holy Easter! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Wishing you all a most Blessed and Holy Easter! Alleluia!

Thank you for accompanying me on our Lenten journey with St Francis de Sales. I hope his words have been inspiring and helpful.
Today we rejoice and continue with joy singing in our hearts through the Octave as we celebrate this great Feast!
And, St Francis will not be leaving at all, he has hired a permanent abode here that we might visit him as often as we wish.

“Live joyfully!
Our Lord is looking lovingly down upon you! ”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

My deepest gratitude to the benefactors of “Breathing Catholic.” 💘🤗 Your faithfulness and love are in my heart and my prayers.
May the Risen Lord fill your hearts with His infinite love, may He protect your faith and your families.

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, NOTES to Followers, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, SOLDIERS/ARMOUR of CHRIST, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Wishing you a Grace-filled 2023!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Wishing you a Grace-filled 2023!

Let us pray for the strength and courage
to withstand the father of lies,
and to watch and wait patiently,
with our lamps lit,
wearing the Armour of God
and standing firm in the Faith.
“Many are the afflictions of the just
but out of them all, will the Lord deliver them.” (Ps 33:20)

“We implore Thee,
O All-Holy, Long-Suffering
Life and Restoration,
Source of Goodness,
look down from Heaven
and visit all those
who ever trust in Thee;
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 Thy world
and those in the world
and spare us all,
Thou Who, for us,
became Man without change,
only Lover of mankind.”

St Romanos the Melodios (c 490-c 556)

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

1 Corinthians 16:13

Posted in CHRISTMASTIDE!, NOTES to Followers, The NATIVITY of JESUS, The WORD

Wishing you a most Holy and Blessed Christmas!

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Wishing you a most Holy
and Blessed Christmas!

“And the Word was made flesh
and dwelt among us,
(and we saw His glory,
the glory as it were
of the Only begotten of the Father),
full of grace and truth.”

John 1:14

May the Divine Babe of Bethlehem
fill your hearts with His joy, peace and love!
And my Love and Prayers for you and yours.

My most sincere thanksgiving
for those most generous and loving Benefactors,
who, in their generosity, have constantly contributed
to the upkeep of this site.
For those who, in the midst of their manifold duties
during this very busy time, have still found time
to send Christmas donations and prayers.
May the Divine Infant and His Immaculate Mother,
Bless you all.
Ana💖🙏

Thank you!

Posted in NOTES to Followers, Uncategorized

Trials and Tribulations

Posted on by AnaStpaul

We have been subjected to Blackouts for months (actually years) now usually staggered in 2 1/2 cuts and according to a schedule for each town, thus allowing for a stressful re-organisation of each day.

BUT sometimes … things go horribly wrong, whether intentionally or accidentally. Like yesterday, when they switched off at the expected time but failed to switch on again. One sits and waits and waits and waits and then goes to bed hungry.

I pray all will go well today and there will be posts tomorrow. I only managed to schedule the List of Feasts and Saints and dear Cardinal Bacci, ahead of the powercut yesterday.

I know this is not confined to South Africa alone, I have heard of a 7 day powerless period recently in Nigeria and know too of similar cuts in the USA, Middle East, England, France and various European countries (yep). So for whoever suffers in the same way – or worse – “hou vas!” 🙏 Ana 💖

Posted in MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN NOVENAS, NOTES to Followers, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Announcing a Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary – Begins 28 September

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Announcing a Novena to Our Lady of the Rosary
Begins 28 September

The Feast of the Most Holy Rosary
is celebrated on 7 October.

Please join me in praying a Novena in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary for the nine days preceding her Feast on 7 October and, of course, October is the Month of the Holy Rosary.

This Feast was instituted to commemorate the victory of Christianity over the forces of Islam at the battle of Lepanto on 7 October 1571. The victory was brought about through the recitation of the Rosary. In thanksgiving for another victory over the same foes in Hungary in 1715, the Feast was extended to the entire Church.
In the course of centuries the Rosary has been a source of abundant blessings. In her apparitions at Lourdes, France, in 1858 and again at Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, Mary urged Catholics to pray the Rosary daily in order to bring about the conversion of sinners and a lasting world peace.
We should resolve to say the Most Holy Rosary everyday. Besides being a beautiful tribute of love and filial piety, to our Heavenly Mother, it will be our support and joy in life and our consolation at the hour of death.

Posted in NOTES to Followers

~ Missing in Action ~ 30 August

Posted on by AnaStpaul

~ Missing in Action ~ 30 August

The PC has been the source of great good in our lives but, as we so well know, of even greater evil.
Many of you may recall that during the last week of June, I sustained an injury to my back. After a “not-long-enough” rest, I returned to Breathing Catholic but, sadly, now, the Repetitive Strain of the PC movements, posture and chair, have aggravated the injury to my previously dislocated shoulder blade.

So this Soldier of Christ has been temporarily “boarded.”
Please pray with me for patience in the trials and sufferings of this life and for our Divine Physician to touch all those who are in pain and myself and grant us cures in body and soul.

Missing you already sweet and faithful friends. 🧡🙏 Ana

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FRANCISCAN OFM, NOTES to Followers, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL

Quote/s of the Day – 14 July – St Bonaventure

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 July – “The Month of the Precious Blood” – The Memorial of St Bonaventure OFM (1221-1274) Seraphic Doctor of the Church
(No images until later. We are being subjected to constant Power Cuts again – they can be up to 8 hours per day.)

“Since happiness is nothing else
than the enjoyment of the Supreme Good
and the Supreme Good is above us,
no-one can enjoy happiness,
unless he rises above himself.”

“As “pride, is the beginning
of all sin,” (Eccl. 10:15)
so humility, is the foundation of all virtue.
Learn to be really humble and not,
as the hypocrite, humble merely in appearance.”

MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/07/15/quote-s-of-the-day-15-july-st-bonaventure-2/

St Bonaventure (1221-1274)
Seraphic Doctor of the Church

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, NOTES to Followers, NOVENAS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

NOVENA OF DEVOTION TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS – Begins tomorrow, 22 June

Posted on by AnaStpaul

NOVENA OF DEVOTION TO THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS
Begins tomorrow 22 June

“Blood that but one drop of has the world to win
All the world forgiveness of its world of sin.”
(Adoro te Devote – St Thomas Aquinas)

In his book, The Precious Blood, Father Frederick William Faber CO (1814-1863). calls St Paul the “Doctor of the Precious Blood” owing to his evident fondness to preach on It in his epistles (Romans 3:25; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:12).

He recounts that the lives of Saints are replete with devotion to the Precious Blood, making special mention of St. John Chrysostom, St. Austin, St. Gertrude and St Catherine of Sienna, whom he considered the Prophetess of the Precious Blood for putting emphasis on It as the solution to the ills of her times.

Father Faber also remarks that the Precious Blood makes us appreciate more deeply, Christ’s Redemption of mankind, His Sacrifice and Passion.

It also makes us comprehend the beautiful doctrine and the august realities of the Blessed Sacrament as we kneel in front of the Tabernacle in humble adoration.

Over time the Church gave Her blessing to the devotion by approving societies like the Missionaries of the Precious Blood; enriching confraternities like that of St Nicholas in Carcere, in Rome and that of the London Oratory; attaching indulgences to prayers and scapulars in honour of the Precious Blood and instituting commemorative Feasts of the Precious Blood, Friday after the fourth Sunday in Lent and, since Pope Pius IX, the first Sunday of July.

Sadly, however, the Feast was removed from the Universal Calendar in 1969, the argument being that the cultus of the Precious Blood is included in the Mass and Divine Office of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). Nevertheless, we who follow the Traditional Calendar still celebrate this Feast and the Month of July, as dedicated to the Most Precious Blood, just as Pope Pius IX intended it to be.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, MARTYRS, NOTES to Followers, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, SAINT of the DAY, St JOSEPH

Wishing all Dads a Blessed and Happy Father’s Day! Solemnity of Corpus Christ, Sunday within the Octave, Nostra Signora d Montesenario / Our Lady of Monte Senario, Florence, Italy (1240) and Memorials of the Saints – 19 June

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Father’s Day + 2022
Wishing all Dads a Blessed and Happy Father’s Day!

A Parent’s Prayer to St Joseph

O holy Joseph,
thou faithful Spouse
of the Blessed Mother,
thou who didst protect her
and her Divine Child with such care
and didst devote thy whole life to them;
I beseech thee to be also my
and my children’s protector
and advocate, with Jesus,
thy adopted Son.
Obtain for me the grace
to fulfil my duties to my children,
as thou and Mary have done to Jesus.

St Joseph Pray for all our Fathers
and for our spiritual Fathers
of Holy Mother Church
Amen.

Solemnity of Corpus Christ
Sunday within the Octave

The Second Sunday after Pentecost

Nostra Signora d Montesenario / Our Lady of Monte Senario, Florence, Italy – Ordo Servorum Beatae Mariae Virginis (OSM) (1240) – 19 June:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/06/19/nostra-signora-d-montesenario-our-lady-of-monte-senario-florence-italy-1240-and-memorials-of-the-saints-19-june/

St Juliana Falconieri OSM (1270 – 1341) Virgin and Foundress of the Religious Sisters of the Order of Servites, Mystic.
Her Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/06/19/saint-of-the-day-19-june-st-juliana-falconieri-osm-1270-1341/

St Adleida of Bergamo
Bl Arnaldo of Liniberio
St Culmatius of Arezzo
St Deodatus of Jointures
St Deodatus of Nevers
St Gaudentius of Arezzo

St Gervase and St Protase (Died c 165) Martyrs, Twin Brothers of Martyr Parents, Laymen
Their Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/06/19/saints-of-the-day-19-june-saints-gervase-and-protase-died-c-165-martyrs/

St Hildegrin of Châlons-sur-Marne
Bl Humphrey Middlemore
St Innocent of Le Mans
St Lambert of Saragossa
St Lupo of Bergamo
St Modeste Andlauer
St Nazario of Koper
Bl Odo of Cambrai
St Rémi Isoré
Bl Sebastian Newdigate
Bl Thomas Woodhouse
Bl William Exmew
St Zosimus of Umbria

Posted in JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, NOTES to Followers, NOVENAS

REMINDER the NOVENA in HONOURof the SACRED HEART of JESUSBEGINS Wednesday 15 JUNE

Posted on by AnaStpaul

REMINDER the NOVENA in HONOUR
of the SACRED HEART of JESUS
BEGINS Wednesday 15 JUNE

Feast Day: 19 days after Pentecost

Please join me in this most beautiful Novena to our Beloved Lord.🙏🧡

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is a special form of Devotion to the physical Heart of Jesus. It is the Love He shares for humankind, with the Father and the Holy Ghost .
In the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries, devotion to the Sacred Heart arose in Benedictine and Cistercian Monasteries. Passages from the published work “Vitis Mystica” inspired the devotion and were used by the Church for the lessons of the Second Nocturn of the Feast. From the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Centuries, the Devotion was practiced by different Congregations such as Franciscans, Dominicans and Carthusians but remained an individual or private Devotion.

St John Eudes Orat. (1601-1680), established the Devotion publicly in the Seventeenth Century, gave it an Office and established a Feast for it. He shared Devotion to the Sacred Heart along with his Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Little by little the Devotions separated and the first Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was celebrated on 31 August 1670.
On 27 December 1673, on the Feast of St John the Beloved Apostle of the Heart of Our Lord, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque VHM. (1647-1690), a Nun at the Visitation Convent in France, began to have visions of Jesus. He [Jesus] asked her to promote Devotion to His Sacred Heart, symbolic of His Love for humanity. Jesus attached twelve promises to those who practiced Devotion to His Sacred Heart including peace in families, consolation in time of trouble, abundant blessings and refuge at the hour of death. By Order of Pope Leo XIII in 1899, all of mankind was Solemnly Consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Jesus’ Sacred Heart is typically pictured as a flaming heart, pierced, surrounded by a Crown of Thorns and Bleeding. The wounds and thorns symbolise the manner of His Death and the fire represents His burning undying Love.

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, NOTES to Followers, PENTECOST, QUOTES on GRACE, The HEART, The HOLY SPIRIT, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 5 June – ‘… Where will you find Him? …’

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 5 June – Pentecost Sunday, Alleluia! – Acts 2:1-11, John 14:23-31.

“But the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things … ” – John 14:26

REFLECTION – “Whoever has the Spirit as their teacher
has no need of human knowledge
but, enlightened by this Spirit’s Light,
beholds the Son, sees the Father
and worships the Trinity of Persons,
the One God, Who is inexpressibly One by nature.

Stand still, O man! Tremble, you who are mortal by nature,
and consider how you have been taken from nothing
and how, in coming from your mother’s womb,
you saw the world that was made before you were.
And if you could have understood the height of Heaven,
or show the nature of the sun,
the moon and the stars,
where they are fixed and how they move…
or even the nature of the earth, from which you were taken,
its limits and bounds, its size and greatness…,
if you had uncovered the end of all things
and counted the sand of the sea
and if, too, you could have known your own nature…
then would you be able to consider your Creator,
how, in the Trinity, Unity dwells without confusion
and how, in the Unity, there is Trinity without division.

Seek the Spirit!…
Perhaps God will comfort you and grant you,
as He has already granted you to see the world,
the sun and the light of day,
yes, He will deign to enlighten you now, in the same way…,
to enlighten you with the Light of the Threefold Sun…
Then you will learn the Spirit’s grace –
that, even when absent, he is present by his power
and, when present, He is unseen because of His Divine nature
and is everywhere and nowhere.

If you try to see Him with the senses
where will you find Him? You will simply say: -Nowhere.
But if you have the strength to contemplate Him spiritually,
it is He, rather, Who will enlighten your soul
and open the eyes of your heart.” – St Simeon the New Theologian (949-1022) Monk, Father (Hymn 21).

PRAYER – O God, Thou, Who on this day have taught the hearts of the faithful by the Light of the Holy Spirit, grant us, by that Holy Spirit Himself, to know what is right and ever to rejoice in His help. 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).