Category: PATRONAGE – THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, In the PRESENCE of GOD, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PATRONAGE - THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD

Thought for the Day – 12 December – Mary, a Light in the Darkness

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 12 December – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Mary, a Light in the Darkness

“Let us imagine for a moment, that we have grown blind and are forever plunged in darkness.
It is an unhappy thought.
Never again to see those who are dear to us, never to see the light of the sun nor any of the splendours of the universe.
We should feel as if were alone, for we should have to depend only on sounds and on the voices of others for communication with the external world.
As St Augustine points out, however, in his commentary on the miracle of the man who had been blind from birth, we are all more or less blind in the supernatural order.
The world is the image of God but, do we see His Presence in everything which surrounds us?
Is it not more often the case that created things distract us and lead us to forget their Creator, because, we regard them as a means of satisfying our own comfort and our own ego?
We should look on creatures as go-betweens which help us to ascend to God, the beginning and end of all creation.

Unfortunately, instead of climbing this mystical ladder which leads us to God, we often descend it.
We forget God and become excessively wrapped up in worldly affairs.
Sometimes matters may be even worse, not only do we forget God through our love of creatures but, we use them, to offend Him.
God has given us eyes to admire His works and, as a result, to lead us to praise, thank and love Him.
Instead, we often use this wonderful gift in order to commit sin.
He has given us the gift of speech, the gift of hearing and other senses.
But how do we employ them?
The tongue is a marvellous invention but, as St James writes, “if anyone does not offend in the word, he is a perfect man, able also to lead round by the bridle, the whole body … With it we bless God the Father and, with it, we curse men, who have been made after the likeness of God.   Out of the same mouth, proceed blessing and cursing.   These things, my brethren ought not to be so” (Js 3:2-10).
What can be said of vision and of speech can be said of all the senses and faculties of body and soul.
They are all God’s gifts and should, therefore, be used as means of bringing ourselves closer to Him.
If creatures lead us away from God and cause us to forget Him, or if, worse still, they cause us to offend Him, then we are spiritually blind and far more unfortunate than those who have lost their natural vision.

Most Holy Mary, during your earthly pilgrimage, you never once lost sight of God.
Grant that I may not be lost in the darkness of this world.
Grant that I may not be ensnared by the passing charm and false beauty of these created things which surround me.
Grant that I may see, in all things, the Presence and Beauty of God, so that I may always continue to advance, nearer and nearer to Him.   Amen.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, MARIAN REFLECTIONS, MOTHER of GOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PATRONAGE - THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on the CHURCH, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 August – ‘ … His Mother is the entire Church …’ St Augustine

Posted on by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 August – “The Month of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary” and the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Octave Day of the Assumption – Ecclesiasticus 24:23-31 – John 19:25-27 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Behold, thy mother” – John 19:27

REFLECTION – “He Who is the Fruit of one holy Virgin is the glory and honour of all the other holy virgins; for like Mary, they are themselves the mothers of Christ, if they do the Will of His Father, the glory and happiness of Mary in being the Mother of Jesus Christ shines forth above all, in the Lord’s words: “Whoever does the Will of my heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to me.” (Mt 12:50)

Thus He shows the spiritual relationships which attaches Him to those whom He redeemed. His brothers and sisters are the holy men and women who partake with Him in the heavenly inheritance. His Mother is the entire Church because by God’s grace, she brings forth the members of Jesus Christ, that is to say, those who are faithful to Him. His Mother is also every holy soul who does the Will of His Father and whose fruitful charity is made manifest in those whom it brings forth for Him until He Himself is formed in them (Gal 4:19)…” – St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace of the Church (On holy virginity 5).

PRAYER – Almighty, everlasting God, Who in the Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, prepared a dwelling place worthy of the Holy Ghost, graciously grant, that we, who are devoutly keeping the Feast of her Immaculate Heart, may be able to live according to Thy Heart. 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 JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PATRONAGE - THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on WILL (Reasonable or Superior), The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The LORD'S PRAYER, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 20 October – The First Part of the “Our Father”

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 20 October – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

“Month of the Holy Rosary”
The First Part of the “Our Father”

“Our second aspiration is: “Thy kingdom come.”
It is true, that God reigns over Heaven, earth and the infernal regions.
Everything is subject to His Will – the sun, the stars, the birds of the air, the fishes of the sea and the tiniest insects carry out His commands.
Even the demons of Hell, who He has condemned to eternal punishment, are obedient to His Will.
But what about the human race?

Man possesses the precious but dangerous privilege of free will which he has power to abuse by rebelling against God.
We should pray that the sovereignty of God may be triumphant in all hearts, beginning with our own and, that all men may willingly subject themselves to His commandments and to His grace.
This is the only way in which they can find peace.
“Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt 11:29).

We should pray, moreover, for the Church, which is the Kingdom of God upon earth.
We should pray for her peaceful victory over her enemies, who persecute her and impede her work for the salvation of souls.
We should love the Church even as we love Jesus Christ, for the Church is His handiwork and the fruit of His Precious Blood.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/19/thought-for-the-day-19-october-the-first-part-of-the-our-father/

Posted in ACCOUNTANTS, MONEY MANAGERS etc, CARPENTERS, WOODWORKERS, JOINERS, CABINETMMAKERS, CHEFS and/or BAKERS, CONFECTIONERS, EMMIGRANTS / IMMIGRANTS, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Of a Holy DEATH & AGAINST A SUDDEN DEATH, of the DYING, FINAL PERSEVERANCE, DEATH of CHILDREN, DEATH of PARENTS, Of LAWYERS & CANON Lawyers, Attorneys, Solicitors, Barristers, Notaries, Para-Legals, Of PARENTS & FAMILIES of LARGE Families, PATRONAGE - HAPPY MARRIAGES, of MARRIED COUPLES, PATRONAGE - HOUSE HUNTERS, HOUSE SELLERS, PATRONAGE - of BASKET-WEAVERS, CRAFTSMEN, PATRONAGE - of MOTHERS, MOTHERHOOD, PATRONAGE - ORPHANS,ABANDONED CHILDREN, PATRONAGE - THE UNIVERSAL CHURCH, PATRONAGE-ENGINEERS, Electrical, Mechanical etc, PREGNANCY, SAINT of the DAY, St JOSEPH, TEACHERS, LECTURERS, INSTRUCTORS, WORKERS

Saint of the Day – 19 March – The Solemnity of St Joseph, Spouse of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Patron of the Universal Church

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 19 March – The Solemnity of St Joseph, Spouse of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Patron of the Universal Church.   The name ‘Joseph’ means “whom the Lord adds”.   Patronages • against doubt and hesitation • accountants • all the legal professions • bursars • cabinetmakers • carpenters • cemetery workers • children • civil engineers • confectioners • craftsmen • the dying • teachers • emigrants • exiles • expectant mothers • families • fathers • furniture makers • grave diggers • happy death • holy death • house hunters • immigrants • joiners • labourers • married couples • orphans • against Communism • pioneers • pregnant women • social justice • teachers • travellers • the unborn • wheelwrights • workers • workers • Catholic Church • Oblates of Saint Joseph • for protection of the Church • Universal Church • Vatican II • Americas • Austria • Belgium • Bohemia • Canada • China • Croatian people • Korea • Mexico • New France • New World • Peru • Philippines • Vatican City • VietNam • Canadian Armed Forces • Papal States • 46 dioceses • 26 cities • states and regions.

St Joseph is invoked as patron for many causes.   He is the patron of the Universal Church. He is the patron of the dying because Jesus and Mary were at his death-bed.   He is also the patron of fathers, of carpenters and of social justice.   Many religious orders and communities are placed under his patronage.

St Joseph, the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster-father of Jesus, was probably born in Bethlehem and probably died in Nazareth.   His important mission in God’s plan of salvation was “to legally insert Jesus Christ into the line of David from whom, according to the prophets, the Messiah would be born, and to act as his father and guardian” (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy).   Most of our information about St. Joseph comes from the opening two chapters of St Matthew’s Gospel.   No words of his are recorded in the Gospels;  he was the “silent” man.   We find no devotion to St Joseph in the early Church.   It was the will of God that the Virgin Birth of Our Lord be first firmly impressed upon the minds of the faithful.   He was later venerated by the great saints of the Middle Ages.   Pius IX (1870) declared him patron and protector of the universal family of the Church.

st-joseph-patron-of-the-church-unknown-19th-century-italy
Unknown artist, 19th century, Italian

St Joseph was an ordinary manual labourer although descended from the royal house of David.   In the designs of Providence he was destined to become the spouse of the Mother of God.   His high privilege is expressed in a single phrase, “Foster-father of Jesus.”   About him Sacred Scripture has little more to say than that he was a just man-an expression which indicates how faithfully he fulfilled his high trust of protecting and guarding God’s greatest treasures upon earth, Jesus and Mary.

The darkest hours of his life may well have been those when he first learned of Mary’s pregnancy;  but precisely in this time of trial Joseph showed himself great.   His suffering, which likewise formed a part of the work of the redemption, was not without great providential import:  Joseph was to be, for all times, the trustworthy witness of the Messiah’s virgin birth.   After this, he modestly retires into the background of holy Scripture.

dream of st joseph

Of St Joseph’s death the Bible tells us nothing.   There are indications, however, that he died before the beginning of Christ’s public life.   His was the most beautiful death that one could have, in the arms of Jesus and Mary.   Humbly and unknown, he passed his years at Nazareth, silent and almost forgotten he remained in the background through centuries of Church history.   Only in more recent times has he been accorded greater honour.   Liturgical veneration of St Joseph began in the fifteenth century, fostered by Sts Brigid of Sweden and Bernadine of Siena.   St Teresa of Avila, too, did much to further his cult.

At present there are two major feasts in his honour.   Today 19 our veneration is directed to him personally and to his part in the work of redemption and is his main Feast and a Solemnity in the Universal Church, while on 1 May we honour him as the patron of workmen throughout the world and as our guide in the difficult matter of establishing equitable norms regarding obligations and rights in the social order….Excerpted from The Church’s Year of Grace, Pius Parschj m and joseph

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that by Saint Joseph’s intercession Your Church may constantly watch over the unfolding of the mysteries of human salvation, whose beginnings You entrusted to his faithful care.   Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.