Our Morning Offering – 25 October
Have Mercy, Lord
By St Peter Damian (1007-1072)
Father & Doctor of the Church
Have mercy, Lord,
on all my friends and relatives,
on all my benefactors,
on all who pray to Thee for me
and on all who have asked me
to pray to Thee, for them.
Give them the spirit of fruitful penance,
mortify them in all vices
and make them flower
in all Thy virtues.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 16 October – Feast of the Purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
“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.”
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.
Prayer for Chastity and Purity of Body and Soul
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Dear Jesus,
I know that every perfect gift
and especially that of chastity,
depends on the power of Thy Providence.
Without Thee, a mere creature can do nothing.
Therefore, I beg Thee, to defend, by Thy grace
the chastity and purity of my body and soul.
And if I have ever sensed or imagined anything
that could stain my chastity and purity,
blot it out, Supreme Lord of my powers
that I may advance with a pure heart
in Thy love and service,
offering myself
on the most pure altar of Thy Divinity,
all the days of my life.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 15 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels” – St Teresa of Jesus of Avila OCD (1515-1582) Virgin, Doctor of the Church
O My God, Source of All Mercy!
Prayer To Redeem Lost Time
By St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of the Church
O My God,
Source of all mercy!
I acknowledge Thine sovereign power.
While recalling the wasted years which are past,
I believe, that Thou, Lord,
in an instant, canst turn this loss into gain.
Miserable as I am, yet I firmly believe
that Thou canst do all things.
Please restore to me the time lost,
giving me Thine grace,
both now and in the future
that I may appear before Thee,
in the “wedding garment!”
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 12 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels”
Sweet Angel of Mercy!
By Fr Edward Caswell C.Orat. (1814-1878)
Sweet Angel of mercy!
By Heaven’s decree
Benignly appointed
To watch over me!
Without thy protection,
So constant and nigh,
I could not well live;
I should tremble to die.
All thanks for thy love,
Dear companion and friend!
Oh may it continue
With me to the end!
Oh cease not to keep me,
Blest guide of my youth,
In the ways of religion
And virtue and truth.
Support me in weakness,
My spirit inflame;
Defend me in danger,
Secure me from shame,
That safe from temptation,
Or sudden surprise,
I may mount the straight path
That ascends to the skies.
When Satan his snares
For my ruin shall lay,
Be thou, gentle comrade,
My comfort and stay
And in every event
Which may happen to me,
Make all my desires
With thine to agree.
When I wander in error,
My footsteps recall,
Remove from my path
What might cause me to fall.
Preserve me from sin
And in all that I do,
May God and His glory
Be ever in view.
O thou who didst witness
My earliest breath,
Be with me, I pray,
In the hour of death.
Console me in sadness,
Refresh me in pain
And teach me how best
I may mercy obtain.
That, cleansed by confession
Complete and sincere,
From every defilement
Afflicting me here,
All glowing with love,
I may gladly depart.
With faith on my lips
And with hope in my heart.
Nor then do thou leave me,
Angelical friend!
But at the tribunal
Of Judgement attend
And cease not to plead
For my soul, till, forgiven,
Thou bear it aloft
To the Palace of Heaven!
By Father Joseph Cacella, 1947
Oh Immaculate Heart of Mary,
Virgin most pure,
have compassion on those
who are prone to the allurements of impurity.
Give us, we beseech thee,
strength to overcome our weaknesses
and courage in the struggle against sin.
We know it is thy ardent wish
that we renew our pledge of holy purity.
Oh, Immaculate Heart of Mary,
we consecrate to thee here and now,
without reserve,
our eyes, ears, tongues, hearts–
our whole beings.
We promise that, with thy help,
we shall be steady in our purpose to serve thee,
with undefiled chastity.
Give us the courage to resist all temptations
and to avoid all things
which may be the occasion of sin.
Amen.
Our Lady of Fatima, Virgin most pure,
enflame our hearts with the love of Purity
and Reparation for sin.
Our Morning Offering – 2 October – “The Month of the Most Holy Rosary and of the Angels”
Custodes Hominum Psallimus Angelos
Praise We the Guardian Angels of Men
By St Robert Bellarmine SJ (1542-1621)
Archbishop of Capua, Theologian
Doctor of the Church
Angel-guardians of men,
spirits and powers we sing,
Whom our Father hath sent,
aids to our weakly frame,
Heavenly friends and guides,
help from on high to bring,
Lest we fail through the foeman’s wile.
He, the spoiler of souls,
Angel-traitor of old,
Cast in merited wrath
out of his honoured place,
Burns with envy and hate,
seeking their souls to gain
Whom God’s mercy invites to Heaven.
Therefore, come to our help,
watchful ward of our lives:
Turn aside from the land,
God to thy care confides
Sickness and woe of soul,
yea and what else of ill
Peace of heart to its folk denies.
Now to the Holy Three
praise evermore resound:
Under Whose Hand Divine
resteth the triple world
Governed in wondrous wise,
glory be Theirs and Might
While the ages unending run.
Amen
This Hymn by St Robert Bellarmine,was added to the Roman Breviary in 1608, by command of Pope Paul V. It is for Vespers in the Office for “the Holy Guardian Angels. Double of the second class, 2 October.”
Our Morning Offering – 30 September – St Jerome (347-419) Confessor, Father and Doctor, Priest, Monk, Translator of the Scriptures into Latin (the Vulgate), Theologian, Historian, Hermit, Mystic.
Merciful Jesus!
Stretch Forth Thy Hand of Mercy
(Excerpt – Prayer in a Time of Anguish)
By St Jerome (347-419)
Father and Doctor of the Church
Merciful Jesus!
Thou art my strength, my refuge and my deliverer;
in Thee I have believed and hoped;
in Thee have I loved.
Call me now, I beseech Thee and I will answer.
Stretch forth Thy hand of mercy, to the work of Thy hands
and let me not perish, whom Thou hast redeemed
with Thy precious blood.
It is now time for dust to return to dust
and my spirit to Thee Who gavest it.
Open then, Lord, the gate of life and receive me.
Receive me most merciful Lord,
according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies,
Who receivedst the thief on the cross
and now prepare my soul for hearing
the same promise of mercy which he did.
I am ill, O Lord and Thee my Physician.
Heal me then, my God and I shall be healed,
let me not be confounded, for I put my trust in Thee.
In Thee have I hoped – let me not be cast off forever!
… Deal not with me, according to what I deserve,
nor chastise me, according to my iniquities
but help me, O God, my Saviour
and for the glory of Thy Name deliver me.
Now, at this hour, show mercy to me
and whenever I depart, receive me
into the number of Thy family that I, may be one of those,
who are to praise Thee forever.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 26 September – “Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross”
Grant me, O my God
By St Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)
Good Jesus,
let me be penetrated with love
to the very marrow of my bones,
with fear and respect toward Thee.
Let me burn with zeal for Thy honour,
so that I may deeply resent,
all the outrages committed against Thee,
especially those of which,
I myself have been guilty.
Grant further, O my God,
that I may humbly adore
and acknowledge Thee,
as my Creator and penetrated with gratitude
for all Thy benefits,
I may never cease to render Thee thanksgiving.
Grant that I may bless Thee in all things,
praise and glorify Thee,
with a heart full of joy and gladness
and obeying Thee with docility
in every respect, I may one day,
despite my ingratitude and unworthiness,
be seated at Thine table
together with Thine Holy Angels and Apostles,
to enjoy ineffable delights for all eternity!
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 20 September – “Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross”
Morning Offering
May Every Beat of My Heart Be a Prayer
By St Mary Euphrasia Pelletier (1796-1868)
O my God,
may every beat of my heart,
be a prayer,
to obtain grace,
and pardon for sinners.
May all my sighs,
be so many appeals,
to Your infinite mercy.
May each look,
have the virtue to gain to Your love,
those souls, whom I shall look on.
May the food of my life,
be to work without ceasing
for Your glory
and the salvation of souls.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 18 September
O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!
By Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922)
O Most Sacred Heart of Jesus!
O Fount of every good!
I adore Thee, I love Thee
and sincerely repenting of my sins,
I present to Thee my poor heart.
Give it back to me
humble, patient,
pure and in everything,
conformed to Thy wishes.
Make me, O good Jesus,
live in Thee and for Thee.
Protect me in dangers,
comfort me in afflictions,
grant me health of body,
succour in my temporal needs,
Thy blessing in all my works
and the grace of a holy death.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 17 September – The 16th Sunday after Pentecost
Almighty God, Open Thou My Heart
A Prayer for Guidance
By St Bede the Venerable (673-735)
Father and Doctor of the Church
ALMIGHTY God,
open Thou my heart
and enlighten me with the grace of the Holy Spirit,
to see those things which are well-pleasing to Thy will.
Direct my thoughts and understanding
to those things which it is proper to meditate upon
and to take in hand;
in such fashion, as by fitting character
and deeds, I might be found worthy
of the eternal joy of heavenly life.
Direct my acts to Thy commandments,
that I might, by labour
so unbrokenly, study to bring them to fulfilment,
as to attain to an everlasting reward.
Amen
Our Morning Offering – 7 September – “Month of The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and The Holy Cross”
Lord, Teach me How to Pray
By St Vincent de Paul
Oh Lord,
You selected the poor
and simple people to be Your Apostles.
Look upon Your poor servant
kneeling before You now.
I recognise that I am simple and poor too.
Dear Lord, please teach me how to pray
as You taught Your disciples
upon their humble request.
If it pleases You in Your goodness
to grant me that grace,
I shall be able to pray well
and much better
than I could ever hope for
if left to my own efforts.
Lord, I trust that You will bless me
with the fulfilment of this request.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 31 August – St Raymond Nonnatus (1204-1240) Priest, Confessor
Prayer for the Intercession of St Raymond Nonnatus
(Can also be used as a Novena Prayer).
Glorious St Raymond,
filled with compassion for those who invoke thee
and with love, for those who suffer,
heavily leaden with the weight of my troubles,
I cast myself at thy feet
and humbly beg of thee to take the present affair
which I recommend to thee, under thy special protection.
……………………. (Your request here)
Vouchsafe to recommend it to the Blessed Virgin Mary
and lay it before the Throne of Jesus,
so that He may bring it to a happy issue.
Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted.
Above all obtain for me the grace of one day
beholding my God, face-to-Face
and with thee and Our Lady and the Saints,
praising and blessing for to all eternity.
Amen.
Good St Raymond, pray for me and obtain my request – 3 Times
Say one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.
Our Morning Offering – 26 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” and Feast of Our Lady Health of the Sick
O Mary, Immaculate Virgin
Prayer for Health of Soul and Body
O Mary, Immaculate Virgin,
our salvation lies in thy hands.
Cleanse our souls,
we beseech thee,
from the leprosy of sin
and assist us in our corporal infirmities.
And, if it be the will of God
that we must be acquainted
with sickness and suffering,
obtain for us, at least,
perfect patience and resignation,
in whatsoever God may dispose.
Amen.
Our Morning Offering – 25 August – St Louis IX (1214-1270) Confessor, King of France
O God, We Love Thee
Prayer inspired by St Louis’ Last Instructions
to his Eldest Son, Philip
(Perhaps Philip prayed thus)
O God, we love Thee.
We wish to do nothing to displease Thee.
If we have troubles, let us thank Thee.
If we do not, we also humbly thank Thee.
Let us pray diligently
and be compassionate and generous to the poor.
May we hold fast all that is good
and all that is bad, discard.
We thank Thee for friends,
who help us bear our burdens
and help us grow in holiness.
Let us turn away from calumniators and slanderers
and lend a willing ear to those who speak of God.
Let us always do what is right and just for those we serve
and promote peace among our neighbours.
Let us be quick to defend our Faith.
O Holy Lord, all Thy holy Saints,
defend us from all evils.
Grant us Thy grace to fulfil always,
Thy Holy Will,
so that Thou may be glorified and honoured
and so we may be with Thee forever.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 21 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Jane Frances de Chantal VHM (1572-1641) Widow
“Delight in prayer is no measure of our love of God.
But if we bear difficulties patiently,
resist the urgings of self-love resolutely
and fulfil our duties in life willingly,
if we live trusting in Providence
and desiring to be known – only by God! –
then we will show that we truly love God!
Such deeds are unmistakable signs of love.
Let us always be faithful in doing God’s will
because all else is unworthy of the name of love!”
“May we love and serve the Lord reverently.
with a loving, filial fear of offending our heavenly Father
and of displeasing Jesus, our Divine Beloved.
As long as we are in this life,
we would do well to follow
the well-travelled ways to holiness.
Fear of God is the first step on this path.
We cannot maintain a truly productive desire
of serving God, unless we have a holy fear
of displeasing Our Saviour
and of being negligent
in responding to grace and inspirations.”
“To be faithful, we must live simply.
Then, being free from attachments,
we are possessed by nothing.
We live in such absolute openness to Divine Love
that whatever pleases God,
becomes our heart’s desire.”
Prayer of Abandonment
By St Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641)
O sovereign goodness
of the sovereign Providence of my God!
I abandon myself forever to Thy arms.
Whether gentle or severe,
lead me henceforth whither Thou will.
I will not regard the way
through which Thou will have me pass
but keep my eyes fixed upon Thee,
my God, who guides me.
My soul finds no rest without the arms
and the bosom of this heavenly Providence,
my true Mother, my strength and my rampart.
Therefore I resolve with Thy Divine assistance,
0 my Saviour,
to follow Thy desires and Thy ordinances,
without regarding or examining
why Thou does this rather than that
but I will blindly follow Thee,
according to Thy Divine will,
without seeking my own inclinations.
Hence I am determined to leave all to Thee,
taking no part therein,
save by keeping myself in peace in Thy arms,
desiring nothing, except as Thou incites me to desire,
to will, to wish.
I offer Thee this desire, 0 my God,
beseeching Thee to bless it.
I undertake all it includes,
relying on Thy goodness,
liberality and mercy,
with entire confidence in Thee,
distrust of myself,
and knowledge of my infinite misery and infirmity.
Amen.
MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/21/quote-s-of-the-day-21-august-st-jane-frances-de-chantal/
Quote/s of the Day – 9 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – St Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) Confessor
“You either
belong wholly
to the world
or wholly to God.”
“You must accept your cross.
If you bear it courageously,
it will carry you to Heaven.”
“All our religion is but a false religion
and all our virtues are mere illusions
and we ourselves, are only hypocrites
in the sight of God,
if we have not that universal charity for everyone –
for the good and for the bad,
for the poor and for the rich
and for all those who do us harm,
as much as those, who do us good.”
O Thou, Most Holy Virgin Mary
(Pray for Me in All My Necessities)
By St John Vianney (1786-1859)
O thou, Most Holy Virgin Mary,
who dost evermore stand
before the Most Holy Trinity
and to whom it is granted, at all times
to pray for us to thy Most Beloved Son;
pray for me in all my necessities;
help me, combat for me
and obtain for me,
the pardon of all my sins.
Help me especially at my last hour
and when I can no longer give
any sign of the use of reason,
then do thou encourage me,
make the Sign of the Cross for me
and fight for me against the enemy.
Make in my name, a profession of faith;
favour me with a testimony of my salvation
and never let me despair of the mercy of God.
Help me to overthrow the wicked enemy.
When I can no longer say:
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
I place my soul in your hands,”
do thou say it for me;
when I can no longer hear
human words of consolation,
do thou comfort me.
Leave me not before I have been judged
and if I have to expiate my sins in Purgatory,
Oh! pray for me earnestly
and admonish my friends,
to procure for me a speedy enjoyment
of the Blessed Sight of God.
Lessen my sufferings,
deliver me speedily and lead my soul
into Heaven with thee
that, united with all the elect,
I may there bless and praise my God
and thee, for all eternity.
Amen.
MORE and MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/09/quote-s-of-the-day-9-august-st-john-vianney-2/
Our Morning Offering – 9 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” and the Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859) Confessor
I Love Thee, O My God
By St John Vianney (1786-1859)
I love Thee,
O my God
and my only desire is to love Thee
until the last breath of my life.
I love Thee,
O my infinitely lovable God
and I would rather die loving Thee
than live without loving Thee.
I love Thee, Lord
and the only grace I ask,
is to love Thee eternally.
My God,
if my tongue cannot say
in every moment that I love Thee,
I wish my heart to repeat it to Thee
as often as I draw breath!
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 7 August – St Cajetan (1480-1547) Confessor – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” –
“There is no road to Heaven
but that of innocence or penance.”
Prayer for Peace to the Immaculate Virgin
By Pope Paul IV CR (1476-1559)
Look down with maternal clemency,
most Blessed Virgin,
upon all your children.
Consider the anxiety of Bishops
who fear that their flocks will be tormented
by a terrible storm of evils.
Heed the anguish of so many people,
fathers and mothers of families
who are uncertain about their future
and beset by hardships and cares.
Soothe the minds of those at war
and inspire them with ‘thoughts of peace.’
Through your intercession,
may God, the avenger of injuries,
turn to mercy.
May He give back to nations
the tranquility they seek
and bring them to a lasting age
of genuine prosperity.
Amen
(Pope Paul IV was a friend of St Cajetan and also a member
of his Order, the Theatines, named after Paul IV’s See as Bishop) .
MORE QUOTES HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-august-st-cajetan/
Quote/s of the Day – 3 August – The Finding of the Relics of St Stephen, Protomartyr – Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-60. Matthew 23:34-39
“Amongst all loves,
God’s is so to be preferred
that we must always stand prepared in mind,
to forsake them all for that alone!”
(Treatise on the Love of God, Book 10, Chapter 7)
“Whoever thinks well on eternity,
troubles himself little about what happens
in these three or four moments of mortal life.”
“By giving yourself to God,
you not only receive Himself in exchange
but, eternal life as well!”
“We must live a dying life
and we must die a living death
in the life of our Lord.”
(The Spirit of St. François de Sales, XV 6 )
A Prayer to the Holy Martyrs
to Obtain Their Protection in Life and at Death
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
O thou blessed Princes of the heavenly Kingdom!
Thou who sacrificed to the Almighty God,
the honours, the riches
received, in return, the unfading glory
and never-ending joys of Heaven!
Thou who art secure in the everlasting possession
of the brilliant Crown of glory
which thy sufferings have obtained!
Look with compassionate regard upon
our wretched state in this vale of tears,
where we groan in the uncertainty
of what maybe our eternal destiny.
And from that Divine Saviour,
for Whom, thou suffered so many torments
and Who now repays thee with such unspeakable glory,
obtain for us that we may love Him,
with all our heart and receive in return,
the grace of perfect resignation,
under the trials of this life,
fortitude, under the temptations of the enemy
and perseverance, to the end.
May thy powerful intercession
obtain for us that we may one day,
in thy blessed company,
sing the praises of the Eternal God
and even as thou now do,
face-to-face, enjoy the Beatitude of His Vision!
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – “The Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” and the Feast of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
The Glories of Mary (audio book)
Evening Prayer
By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
(Indulgence of 3 Years, Once a Day)
Jesus Christ my God,
I adore Thee and thank Thee
for all the graces Thou hast given me this day.
I offer Thee my sleep
and all the moments of this night
and I beseech Thee
to keep me without sin.
Wherefore ,I put myself,
within Thy sacred side
and under the mantle of our Lady, my Mother.
Let Thy holy Angels stand about me
and keep me in peace
and let Thy blessing be upon me, O Lord my God.
Amen
“How pleasing to Him it will be,
if you sometimes forget yourself
and speak to Him of His own glory;
of the miseries of others,
especially those who mourn in sorrow;
of the souls in purgatory,
His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven
and, of poor sinners,
who live deprived of His grace.”
Come O Holy Spirit!
By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
You made Mary full of grace
and inflamed the hearts of the Apostles
with a holy zeal,
enflame our hearts with Your love.
You are the Spirit of goodness,
give us the courage to confront evil.
You are Fire,
set us ablaze with Your Love.
You are Light,
enlighten our minds,
that we may see what is truly igood and true.
You are the Dove,
give us gentleness.
You are a Soothing Breeze,
bring calm to the storms which rage within us.
You are the Tongue,
may our lips ever sing God’s praises
You are the Cloud,
shelter us under the shadow of Your protection.
O Holy Spirit, melt the frozen,
warm the chilled
and enkindle in us,
an earnest desire to please You.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen
“The powers of hell
will assail the dying Christian
but his Angel Guardian
will come to console him.
His Patrons and St Michael,
who has been appointed by God
to defend his faithful servants,
in their last combat with the devils,
will come to his aid.”
“We should not forget,
that the devil has his martyrs
and that he infuses into them
a false constancy.
It is not the punishment
but the cause,
that makes the Martyr;
that is – the confession
of the True Faith.”
Prayer for a Holy Death
By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
Patron of Final Perseverance
My beloved Jesus,
I will not refuse the cross,
as the Cyrenian did;
I accept it, I embrace it.
I accept, in particular,
the death Thou hast destined for me,
with all the pains which may accompany it;
I unite it to Thy Death,
I offer it to Thee
Thou hast died for love of me; I
will die for love of Thee
and to please Thee.
Help me by Thy grace.
I love Thee, Jesus, my love;
I repent of ever having offended Thee.
Never permit me to offend Thee again.
Grant that I may love Thee always
and then do with me what Thou will.
Amen
O Afflicted Virgin!
By St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor
O afflicted Virgin!
O soul, great in virtues
and great also in sorrows!
for both arise from that great fire of love
thou hast for God;
thou “whose heart can love nothing but God.”
O Mother, have pity on me,
for I have not loved God
and I have so much offended Him.
Thy sorrows give me great confidence
to hope for pardon.
But this is not enough;
I wish to love my Lord
and who can better obtain this for me
than thou,
thou who art the Mother of fair love?
O Mary, thou dost console all,
comfort me also.
Amen
MORE by St Alphonsus:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/08/02/quote-s-of-the-day-2-august/
Our Morning Offering – 2 August – The Feast of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Act of Reparation
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Indulgence of 3 Years Once a Day
O Jesus, my Saviour and Redeemer,
Son of the living God,
behold we kneel before Thee and offer Thee our reparation;
we would make amends,
for all the blasphemies uttered against Thy Holy Name,
for all the injuries done to Thee in the Blessed Sacrament,
for all the irreverence shown toward Thine Immaculate Virgin Mother,
for all the calumnies and slanders, spoken against Thy Spouse,
the Holy Catholic and Roman Church.
O Jesus, Who hast said:
“If you ask the Father anything in My Name, He will give it you,”
we pray and beseech Thee,
for all our brethren who are in danger of sin;
sheld them from every temptation to fall away from the true faith;
save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss;
to all of them, give light and knowledge of the truth,
courage and strength, for the conflict with evil,
perseverance in faith and active charity!
For this do we pray, most merciful Jesus,
in Thy Name, unto God the Father,
with Whom Thou livest and reignest
in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
world without end.
Amen.
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 🙏💖
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.
Quote/s of the Day – 21 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus” – St Praxedes, Virgin (Died 164) – 1 Corinthians 7:25-34, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And the unmarried woman
and the virgin,
thinketh on the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy,
both in body and in spirit,
in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“Virginity can be lost by a single thought.”
“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.”
“Chastity depends on the heart, for its source
and on the body, as its subject.
Hence, it may be lost,
by all the external senses of the body
and by the thoughts and desires of the heart.”
(Introduction to the Devout Life, Part III, Chapter 13).
Prayer for Chastity and Purity
By St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Dear Jesus,
I know that every perfect gift
and especially that of chastity,
depends on the power of Thy Providence.
Without Thee, a mere creature can do nothing.
Therefore, I beg Thee, to defend, by Thy grace
the chastity and purity of my body and soul.
And if I have ever sensed or imagined anything
that could stain my chastity and purity,
blot it out, Supreme Lord of my powers
that I may advance with a pure heart
in Thy love and service,
offering myself
on the most pure altar of Thy Divinity,
all the days of my life.
Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 19 July – St Vincent de Paul CM (1581-1660) Confessor, “Holy Hero of Divine Charity.”
“If God is the centre of your life,
no words are necessary.
Your mere presence will touch hearts!”
“We should strive to keep our hearts open
to the sufferings and wretchedness of others
and pray continually,
that God may grant us that spirit of compassion
which is truly the Spirit of God.”
“We should spend as much time,
in thanking God for His benefits,
as we do, in asking Him for them!”
“Perfection consists in one thing alone
which is doing the will of God.
For, according to Our Lord’s words,
it suffices for perfection to deny self,
to take up the cross and to follow Him.
Now, who denies himself and takes up his cross
and follows Christ better than he, who seeks
not to do his own will but always that of God?
Behold, now, how little is needed, to become as Saint?
Nothing more than to acquire the habit of willing,
on every occasion, what God wills.”
“Humility and charity
are the two master-chords:
one, the lowest;
the other, the highest;
all the others are dependent upon them.
Therefore, it is necessary, above all,
to maintain ourselves in these two virtues;
for observe well, that the preservation
of the whole edifice
depends on the foundation and the roof.”
Prayer for Vocations
By St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
O Lord,
send good workers to Thy Church,
but may they be good!
Send good missionaries
to work in Thy vineyard,
labourers, O my God,
such as they ought to be –
utterly detached from themselves,
their own comfort
and worldly goods.
Let them even be few in number,
provided that they are good!
O Lord, grant this grace
to Thy Church.
Amen
MORE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/07/19/quote-s-of-the-day-19-july-st-vincent-de-pau/
Quote/s of the Day – 16 July – Our Lady of Mount Carme
“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.”
“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.”
“The Flos Carmeli
The Flower of Carmel”
By St Simon Stock (1165-1265)
O most beautiful Flower of Mount Carmel,
fruitful vine, splendour of Heaven,
Blessed Mother of the Son of God,
Immaculate Virgin,
assist me in this my necessity.
O Star of the Sea,
help me and show me herein
that thou art my Mother.
O Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Queen of Heaven and earth,
I humbly beseech thee from the bottom of my heart,
to succour me in this my necessity.
There are none that can withstand thy power.
O show me herein, that thou art my Mother. Amen.
O Mary, conceived without sin,
pray for those who have recourse to thee.
(Repeat three times)
Sweet Mother, I place this cause in thy hands.
(Repeat three times)
This prayer, the “Flos Carmeli”
(“The Flower of Carmel”),
was composed by St Simon Stock (1165-1265),
a Carmelite, so-called because he and other members of his order lived atop Mount Carmel in the Holy Land.
St Simon Stock was visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary on 16 July 1251, at which time, she bestowed upon him a scapular, or habit, (commonly called “the Brown Scapular”), which became part of the liturgical clothing of the Carmelite order
Oral tradition tells of St Simon Stock praying, with a passionate intensity to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, during a time of great distress and hardship for the Order. With fervour and faith, he prayed his prayer, the Flos Carmeli for the first time.
And Our Lady answered his prayer.
Thus, for seven centuries the Flos Carmeli continues to be prayed to the Blessed Mother with the firm faith that she she will answer its request with her powerful help.
Our Morning Offering – 3 July – “The Month of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus”
July Morning Offering
Eternal Father,
I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus,
in satisfaction for my sins
and for the wants of Holy Church.
Blessed be the Precious Blood of Jesus,
which renders bearable the thorns of earth,
redeems our souls,
purifies them from their iniquities
and prepares for them,
an eternal crown.
Amen.
Quote/s of the Day – 27 June – Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour (Help)
“O Mary,
you give assistance
to everyone endeavouring
to rise to God!”
“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.”
“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.”
Prayer to Our Mother
of Perpetual Succour,
When In Urgent Need
By St Alphonsus’ Redemptorists
O Mother of Perpetual Succour,
numerous clients continually surround thy Holy picture,
all imploring thy mercy.
All bless thee as the assured help of the miserable,
all feel the benefit of thy motherly protection.
With confidence then, do we present ourselves before thee in our misery.
See, dear Mother, the many evils to which we are exposed,
see how numerous are our wants.
Trials and sorrows often depress us,
reverses of fortune and privations,
often grievous, bring misery into our lives,
everywhere we meet the Cross.
Have pity, compassionate Mother,
on us and on our dear ones,
especially in this our necessity
…………… (mention your need).
Help us, dear Mother in our distress,
deliver us from all our ills,
or, if it be the Will of God,
that we should suffer still longer,
grant that we may endure all,
with love and patience.
These Grace’s we expect of thee with confidence,
because thou art our Perpetual Succour,
amen.
Saint of the Day – 21 June – Feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
“Jesus, knowing His hour was come, that He should pass out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end.”
John 13:1
Today we celebrate a Feast which is all too little known – the Feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. This feast falls after the second Thursday after Corpus Christi and, appropriately, within the Octave of the Sacred Heart. This Feast calls to mind the inexhaustible Love which beats from the Sacred Heart, found in the Holy Eucharist and of the continual gift of Himself which He wishes us to receive in Holy Communion, so that our heart may be untied to His.
On 9 November 1921, Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922) instituted the Feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus to be celebrated on the Thursday within the Octave of the Sacred Heart with a Proper Mass and Office.
The Feast continues to be celebrated in some places and by some communities, notably by the Redemptorists, who maintain it in their Proper Calendar.
In instituting the Feast, Pope Benedict XV wrote:
“The chief reason of this Feast, is to commemorate the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Mystery of the Eucharist. By this means the Church wishes, more and more, to excite the faithful to approach this Sacred Mystery with confidence and, to inflame their hearts with that Divine Charity which consumed the Sacred Heart of Jesus, when, in His Infinite Love, He instituted the Most Holy Eucharist, wherein the Divine Heart guards and loves them by living with them, as they live and abide in Him.
For in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, He offers and gives Himself to us as Victim, Companion, Nourishment, Viaticum and Pledge of our future glory!”
The adorable Mystery of the Eucharist embodies, contains and communicates to us the entire Mystery of Christ – His Incarnation, Life, Passion, Death, Resurrection and Ascension and outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
If you seek the open Side of the glorious ascended Christ, you will find it in the Eucharist.
If you seek the pierced Heart of Christ, beating with love for the Father and with mercy for sinners, you will find it in the Eucharist.
“Behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world” (Mt 28:20).
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who hast poured forth the riches of Thy love for men in instituting the Sacrament of the Eucharist, help us, we beseech Thee, to love Thy most loving Heart and ever to make worthy use of so great a Sacrament. Who livest and reignest …. Collect of the Mass of the Feast of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus,
lonely Heart,
humiliated Heart,
abandoned Heart,
forgotten Heart,
despised Heart,
outraged Heart,
Heart ignored
by men,
Heart which loves
our own hearts;
Heart pleading for our love,
Heart so patient
in waiting for us,
Heart so eager
to listen to our prayers,
Heart so anxious
for our requests,
Heart, unending
source of new graces,
Heart so silent,
yet desiring to speak
to souls,
Heart, welcome refuge
of the hidden life,
Heart, teacher of the
secrets of union with God,
Heart of Him Who sleeps
but watches always,
Eucharistic Heart of Jesus,
have mercy on us.
Our Morning Offering – 21 June – The Feast of St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591) Confessor, Jesuit Seminarian, Mystic, Marian devote
O Holy Mary
By St Aloysius de Gonzaga (1568-1591)
O Holy Mary, my mistress,
into your blessed trust
and special custody
and into the grasp of your mercy
I this day, everyday
and in the hour of my death,
commend my soul and my body.
To you, I commit,
all my anxieties and miseries,
my life and the end of my life,
that by your most holy intercession
and by your merits,
all my actions may be directed
and disposed
according to your will
and that of your Son.
Amen
AnaStpaul 
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