CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, The HOLY NAME, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Thought for the Day – 3 January – The Name, the Heart and the Blood

Posted on January 3, 2019January 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 3 January – The Name, the Heart and the Blood

A name represents that person, his or her identity. According to Matthew 1:21, Joseph was directed by an angel to call Mary’s son “Jesus,” a name that means “God saves.” This is Jesus’ identity. He is the Saviour of the world. As such His Name is “above every name” and is the name at which “every knee should bend” (Philippians 2:9-10). Moreover, according to a speech that St Peter gave in front of the Sanhedrin, “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved” (Acts: 4:12). The Name of Jesus says it all and is all-powerful. It’s a prayer in itself.

As Jesus can be represented by His Name, so He is also represented by His Heart. The heart is the centre of a person, that person’s deepest interior or identity. Thus devotion to the Name of Jesus goes with devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the Name given to Him when He suffered and died on the cross, when His Heart was pierced so that Blood and Water, the sacramental life of the Church, would flow forth and save the world.

Devotion to Jesus’ Name and Heart includes devotion to His Precious Blood. These three go together: the Name, the Heart, and the Blood. In fact, Saint John XXIII wrote about this in a 30 June 1960 letter entitled “On Promoting Devotion to the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He wrote:

“We judge it most timely to call our beloved children’s attention to the unbreakable bond which must exist between the devotions to the Most Holy Name and Most Sacred Heart of Jesus — already so widespread among Christians — and devotion to the incarnate Word’s Most Precious Blood, ‘shed for many, to the remission of sins.’
“Suffice it to recall the spiritual favours that our predecessors from the sixteenth century on have attached to practising devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus, which in the previous century St Bernardine of Siena untiringly spread throughout Italy. No less striking, are the benefits the popes have attached to practicing devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, whose rise and spread owe so much to the revelations of the Sacred Heart to St Margaret Mary Alacoque. So highly have all the popes regarded this devotion that again and again in their official acts they have expounded its nature, defended its validity, promoted its practice.

“Likewise the devotion to the Most Precious Blood, which owes its marvelous diffusion to the 19th-century Roman priest, St Gaspar del Bufalo, has rightly merited the approval and backing of this Apostolic See.

“Amid today’s most serious and pressing spiritual needs, may this latest exercise of that ‘care for all the churches’ proper to our sovereign office awaken in Christian hearts a firm conviction about the supreme abiding effectiveness of these three devotions.”

Jesus—the Name, the Heart, and the Blood that flowed from it to save the world—all represent the Person. May the Name of Jesus be reverenced and honoured at all times and places world without end. Amen

Apostles of Prayer – Fr James Kubicki SJ

LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME A SINNER

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 3 January – The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus & The celebration of the Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus

Posted on January 3, 2019January 3, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 3 January – The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus & The celebration of the Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus…Luke 2:21 at the end of 8 days he was called jesus 3 jan 2019

REFLECTION – “In the autumn of 1537, on his way to Rome with a group of his first companions, Ignatius wondered, ‘if people ask who we are, how should we answer?’ The answer came spontaneously: ‘we shall say that we are the “Society of Jesus.” This demanding name intends to suggest a relationship of very close friendship and of total affection for Jesus, in whose footsteps they wanted to follow. Why have I told you about this event? Because St Ignatius and his companions had realised that Jesus was teaching them how to live well, how to live a life that had profound meaning, that imparted enthusiasm, joy and hope. They had understood that Jesus is a great teacher of life and model of life and that He was not only teaching them but also inviting them to follow Him on this path….like Jesus, we exist for the Father; that, like Jesus, we live to serve, not to be served. …For the life of a Jesuit, the Passover of the Lord is sufficient.”...Pope Francis

PRAYER – We pray, to the eternal Lord of the universe, through the help of Your glorious Mother, we may live to empty ourselves for the sake of the glory of Your Kingdom and our own eternal happiness with You. Mary, Mother of God, help us to be messengers of your Son. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, in union with God our Father, one God forever and ever. All you holy Jesuit Saints in heaven, pray for us! Amen. jesuits-saints-pray-for-us-3-jan-2016

titular-feast-jesuit-3-jan-2018-no-2 (1)

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DOCTORS of the Church, HYMNS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME

Our Morning Offering – 3 January – Jesu, Dulcis Memoria

Posted on January 3, 2019December 28, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 3 January – The Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

Jesu, Dulcis Memoria is a celebrated 12th century hymn by St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor Mellifluous. The entire hymn has some 42 to 53 stanzas depending upon the manuscript. Parts of this hymn are used for the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Hymn or Prayer
Jesu, Dulcis Memoria
By St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)

Jesus, the very thought of Thee
With sweetness fills the breast!
Yet sweeter far Thy face to see
And in Thy presence rest.
No voice can sing,
no heart can frame,
Nor can the memory find,
A sweeter sound than Jesus’ Name,
The Saviour of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart!
0 joy of all the meek!
To those who fall, how kind Thou art!
How good to those who seek!
But what to those who find?
Ah! this Nor tongue nor pen can show
The love of Jesus, what it is,
None but His loved ones know.
Jesus! our only hope be Thou,
As Thou our prize shall be;
In Thee be all our glory now,
And through eternity.
Amen jesu, dulcis memoria st bernard of clairvaux hymn or prayer

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus – 3 January

Posted on January 3, 2019January 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus – 3 January

Holy Mother Church reveals to us the greatness of His name. It was on the occasion of the rite of Circumcision that a name was given to children among Jews, eight days after birth. So the Church uses the same Gospel as that of the Feast of the Circumcision and dwells on the second part which tells us that “the Child was called Jesus” (Gospel), “as God had bid that He should be called” (Collect). This name means Saviour, for “there is no other name given to men whereby we must be saved” (Epistle). holy_name_pic

The name Jesus comes from the Greek Iesous which was derived from the Aramaic, Yeshu. It means “Yaweh is salvation.” The name was not unique, even in biblical times, and today it is common in Arabic-speaking East and in Spanish-speaking countries. From apostolic times the name has been treated with the greatest respect, as honour is due the name which represents Our Lord, Himself.

Our Lord Himself solemnly promises that whatever we ask the Father in His Name, we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word. When, therefore, we say, “Jesus,” let us ask God for all we need with absolute confidence of being heard. For this reason, the Church ends her prayer with the words, “through Jesus Christ,” which gives the prayer a new and Divine efficacy. But the Holy Name is something still greater. john-14-13-14-10-jan-2018

Each time we say, “Jesus,” we give God infinite joy and glory, for we offer Him all the infinite merits of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ. St Paul tells us, that Jesus merited the Name Jesus by His Passion and Death. “The Holy Name of Jesus is, first of all, an all-powerful prayer. Our Lord Himself solemnly promises, that whatever we ask the Father in His Name, we shall receive. God never fails to keep His word. Each time we say “Jesus,” it is an act of perfect love, for, we offer to God, the infinite love of Jesus”…St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

The Holy Name of Jesus saves us from innumerable evils and delivers us especially from the power of the devil, who is constantly seeking to do us harm. The Holy Name of Jesus gradually fills our souls with a peace and joy we never had before. The Holy Name of Jesus gives us strength that our sufferings become light and easy to bear.

Anyone who is finding it hard to pray, or experiencing the ”desert” in their lives, can benefit from simply praying the Holy Name of Jesus. The loving invocation of the Holy Name can also be an effective way to make reparation to Our Blessed Lord for the atmosphere of blasphemy and irreligion which prevails generally today and remember, that although now fallen into obscurity in many countries, Catholics always bow their heads at the name of Jesus!

IHS panel

The origin of this feast is traced to the sixteenth century, when it was celebrated by the Franciscan Order. The devotion developed through the construction of special altars dedicated to the Holy Name of Jesus. St Bernadine of Siena OFM (1380-1444) painted a wooden tablet with the Monogram of the Holy Name of Jesus – IHS – surrounded by the rays of the sun to help spread the devotion far and wide.

The holy name and -saint-bernardino-of-siena

In 1721 the Church, under the rule of Pope Innocent XIII, made the keeping of this solemnity universal. It is the central feast of all the mysteries of Christ the Redeemer, it unites all the other feasts of the Lord, as a burning glass focuses the rays of the sun in one point, to show what Jesus is to us, what He has done, is doing and will do for mankind. Such joy Catholics are given, with this feast celebrated for an entire month – thus enabling constant reinforcement and reminders of our devotion.

The Office and the Mass composed by Bernardine dei Busti (died 1500) were approved by Sixtus IV. The feast was officially granted to the Franciscans on 25 February 1530 and spread over a great part of the Church. The Office used at present is nearly identical with the Office of Bernardine dei Busti. The hymns “Jesu dulcis memoria,” “Jesu Rex admirabilis,” “Jesu decus angelicum,” are ascribed to St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Doctor of the Church.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us

”The invocation of the Holy Name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always. When the Holy Name is repeated often by a humbly attentive heart, the prayer is not lost by heaping up empty praises but holds fast to the Word and ”brings forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15). This prayer is possible at all times because it is not one occupation among others but the only occupation – that of loving God which animates and transfigures every action in Christ Jesus” (CCC 2668).

Last year I posted the little booklet “The Wonders of the Holy Name by Fr Paul O’Sullican. You open the category “The Holy Name” and the posts will be there. I think there were 14 posts in total, so it will take you a few days to go through them.

Last year’s post for this Feast Day is here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/03/3-january-feast-of-the-most-holy-name-of-jesus/

FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY NAME

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus and Memorials of the Saints – 3 January

Posted on January 3, 2019January 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus (Optional Memorial) – moved to 3 January
The Holy Name of Jesus: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/03/3-january-feast-of-the-most-holy-name-of-jesus/

The Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus

St Pope Antherus
Bl Arnold Wala
St Athanasius of Cilicia
St Bertilia of Mareuil
St Bertille of Thuringia
St Blitmund of Bobbio
St Constant of Gap
St Cyrinus of Cyzicus
St Daniel Himmerod the Younger
Bl Daniel of Padua
St Eustadius
St Finlugh
St Fintan of Doon
St Florentius of Vienne
St Florentius of Vienne the Martyr
St Genevieve
Bl Gerard Cagnoli
St Gordius of Cappadocia
St Imbenia
St Kuriakose Elias Chavara
St Lucian of Lentini
St Melorius
St Peter of Palestine
St Primus of Cyzicus
St Salvator of Belluno
St Theogenes of Cyzicus
St Theonas
St Theopemptus of Nicomedia
St Wenog
Bl Bl William Vives
St Zosimus of Cilicia
—
Martyrs of Africa – 12 saints: A group of Christians martyred together in Africa, date unknown, exact location unknown. We know nothing more than their names – Acuta, Candidus, Constantius, Eugenia, Firmus, Hilarinus, Lucida, Martial, Poenica, Possessor, Rogatianus and Statutianus.

Martyrs of Tomi – 7 saints: A group of Christians martyred together, date unknown. We know nothing more than their names – Claudon, Diogenius, Eugene, Eugentus, Pinna, Rhodes and Rhodo. They were martyred at Tomi, Exinius Pontus, Moesia (modern Constanta, Romania).

ON the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 2 January – Sts Basil & Gregory

Posted on January 2, 2019January 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 2 January – The Memorial of St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nazianzen

“It often happens, that men of very dissimilar talents, tastes, are attracted together by their very dissimilitude …. Gregory the affectionate, the tender-hearted, the man of quick feelings, the accomplished, the eloquent preacher – and Basil, the man of firm resolve and hard deeds, the high-minded ruler of Christ’s flock, the diligent labourer in the field of ecclesiastical politics.
Thus they differed, yet not as if they had not much in common still – both had the blessing and the discomfort of a sensitive mind; both were devoted to an ascetic life; both were men of classical tastes’ both were special champions of the Catholic creed; both were skilled in argument and successful in their use of it; both were in highest place in the Church, the one Exarch of Caesarea, the other Patriarch of Constantinople.”…Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890) Historial Sketches

“Different men have different names, which they owe to their parents or to themselves, that is, to their own pursuits and achievements. But our great pursuit, the great name we wanted, was to be Christians, to be called Christians.”…St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) (from his writings on his friendship with St Basil).

It may be small comfort, but post-Vatican II turmoil in the Church is a mild storm compared to the devastation caused by the Arian heresy, a trauma the Church has never forgotten. Christ did not promise the kind of peace we would love to have—no problems, no opposition, no pain.

In one way or another, holiness is always the way of the cross.

Sts Basil and Gregory, Pray for Us!

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ABORTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on the CHURCH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 2 January – St Basil & St Gregory

Posted on January 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 January – The Memorial of St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nazianzen

Two are better than one:
they get a good wage for their toil.
If the one falls, the other will help the fallen one.
But woe to the solitary person!
If that one should fall, there is no other to help…

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

“Let us raise ourselves from our fall
and not give up hope, as long as we are free from sin.
Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners.
‘Come, let us adore and prostrate ourselves and weep before him’ (Psalm 95:6).
The Word calls us to repentance, crying out:
‘Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily burdened and I will refresh you’ (Matthew 11:28).
There is, then, a way to salvation
if we are willing to follow it”
(from a letter by Saint Basil the Great)

“A tree is known by its fruit;
a man by his deeds.
A good deed is never lost,
he who sows courtesy, reaps friendship
and he who plants kindness, gathers love.”

“The bread which you use
is the bread of the hungry;
the garment hanging in your wardrobe
is the garment of him who is naked;
the shoes you do NOT wear,
are the shoes of the one who is barefoot;
the acts of charity that you do NOT perform,
are so many INJUSTICES that you commit.”

“The hairsplitting difference between
formed and unformed makes no difference to us.
Whoever deliberately commits abortion
is subject to the penalty for homicide.”

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

“Give something, however small,
to the one in need.
For it is not small to one who has nothing.
Neither is it small to God,
if we have given what we could.”

“If anyone does not believe
that Holy Mary
is the Mother of God,
such a one is a stranger
to the Godhead.”

“Let us not esteem worldly prosperity,
or adversity, as things real or of any moment
but let us live elsewhere
and raise all our attention to Heaven,
esteeming sin as the only true evil
and nothing truly good
but virtue, which unites us to God.”

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

CHRISTMASTIDE!, SAINT of the DAY, The CHRIST CHILD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 2 January – Christmas Weekday Today’s Gospel: John 1:19–28

Posted on January 2, 2019January 2, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 2 January – Christmas Weekday Today’s Gospel: John 1:19–28

He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”…John 1:23

REFLECTION – “It is a voice which cries out where it seems that no one can hear it — for who can listen in the desert? — and which cries out in the disorientation caused by a crisis of faith. We cannot deny that the world today is in a crisis of faith. One says: “I believe in God, I am a Christian” — “I belong to this religion…”. But your life is far from being Christian – it is far removed from God! Religion, faith is but an expression: “Do I believe?” — “Yes!”. This means returning to God, converting the heart to God and going on this path to find Him. He is waiting for us. This is John the Baptist’s preaching: prepare. Prepare for the encounter with this Child who will give our smile back to us.”…Pope Francis – General Audience, 7 December 2016 john 1 23 - i am the voice crying in the wilderness - it is a voice - pope francis 2 jan 2019

PRAYER – Look with favour on our morning prayer, Lord and in Your saving love, let Your light penetrate the wilderness in our hearts. May no sordid desires darken our minds, renewed and enlightened as we are, by Your heavenly grace. God our Father, You enriched Your Church and gave examples for us to follow in the life and teachings of Sts Basil and Gregory. Grant that, learning Your truth with humility, we may practise it in faith and love. Sts Basil and Gregory, pray for our beloved Church, pray for all Catholic Christians, through Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen. sts-basil-and-gregory-pray-for-us-2-jan-2018

DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Our Morning Offering – 2 January – Prayer of St Basil the Great

Posted on January 2, 2019January 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 2 January – The Memorial of St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nazianzen

O Christ, our Master and God
By St Basil the Great (329-379)

O Christ, our Master and God,
King of the ages and Creator of all,
I thank You for all the good things
that You have given to me
and for the reception
of your most pure and life-giving mysteries.
I pray You, therefore,
O good Lover of humankind,
keep me under Your protection
in the shadow of Your wings.
Grant that with a pure conscience,
until my last breath,
I may worthily partake of Your Holy Things,
for the forgiveness of sins
and for life everlasting.
For You are the Bread of Life,
the Fountain of Holiness
and the Bestower of Blessings
and to You we give glory together
with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever and ever, amen. o christ our master and god - 2 jan 2019 st basil the great.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Of HOSPITALS, NURSES, NURSING ASSOCIATIONS, Of MONKS, OF RELIGIOUS ORDERS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint/s of the Day – 2 January – St Basil the Great (329-379) and St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) “Two Bodies one Spirit”

Posted on January 2, 2019June 13, 2023 by AnaStpaul

Saint/s of the Day – 2 January – St Basil the Great (329-379) and St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) Fathers and Doctors of the Church “Two Bodies one Spirit” basil-and-gregory

On 2 January, the Roman Church honours the memory of two friends from an area of what is now Turkey that was called Cappadocia. These men began their friendship while away at school and later became bishops who were the backbone of Catholic Orthodoxy during a period of doctrinal struggle and confusion. Gregory presided over the 2nd ecumenical council, held at Constantinople, whose great achievement was the completion of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that the Catholic Church recites each Sunday and the definition of the divinity of the Holy Spirit. These Cappadocian Fathers, both Doctors of the Church, proved to be some of the most influential Christian teachers of all time, honoured by both East and West, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic.

Basil was on his way to becoming a famous teacher when he decided to begin a religious life of gospel poverty. After studying various modes of religious life, he founded what was probably the first monastery in Asia Minor. He is to monks of the East what Saint Benedict is to the West and Basil’s principles influence Eastern monasticism today.

He was Ordained a Priest, assisted the Archbishop of Caesarea—now southeastern Turkey—and ultimately became Archbishop himself, in spite of opposition from some of the Bishops under him, probably because they foresaw coming reforms.

Arianism, one of the most damaging heresies in the history of the Church which denied the divinity of Christ, was at its height. Emperor Valens persecuted orthodox believers and put great pressure on Basil to remain silent and admit the heretics to communion. Basil remained firm, and Valens backed down. But trouble remained. When the great Saint Athanasius died, the mantle of defender of the faith against Arianism fell upon Basil. He strove mightily to unite and rally his fellow Catholics who were crushed by tyranny and torn by internal dissension. He was misunderstood, misrepresented, accused of heresy and ambition. Even appeals to the pope brought no response. “For my sins I seem to be unsuccessful in everything.”

Basil was tireless in pastoral care. He preached twice a day to huge crowds, built a hospital that was called a wonder of the world—as a youth he had organised famine relief and worked in a soup kitchen himself—and fought the prostitution business. Hence Basil is now the Patron of Hospitals and the Administrators thereof, of Cappadocia, Monks, Reformers, Cessaniti in Italy, Russia.

Basil was best known as an orator. Though not recognised greatly in his lifetime, his writings rightly place him among the great teachers of the Church. Seventy two years after his death, the Council of Chalcedon described him as “the great Basil, minister of grace who has expounded the truth to the whole earth.”

After his baptism at 30, Gregory gladly accepted his friend Basil’s invitation to join him in a newly founded monastery. The solitude was broken when Gregory’s father, a bishop, needed help in his diocese and estate. It seems that Gregory was ordained a priest practically by force and only reluctantly accepted the responsibility. He skilfully avoided a schism that threatened when his own father made compromises with Arianism. At 41, Gregory was chosen suffragan bishop of Caesarea and at once came into conflict with Valens, the emperor, who supported the Arians.

An unfortunate by-product of the battle was the cooling of the friendship of two saints. Basil, his archbishop, sent him to a miserable and unhealthy town on the border of unjustly created divisions in his diocese. Basil reproached Gregory for not going to his see.

When protection for Arianism ended with the death of Valens, Gregory was called to rebuild the faith in the great see of Constantinople, which had been under Arian teachers for three decades. Retiring and sensitive, he dreaded being drawn into the whirlpool of corruption and violence. He first stayed at a friend’s home, which became the only orthodox church in the city. In such surroundings, he began giving the great sermons on the Trinity for which he is famous. In time, Gregory did rebuild the faith in the city but at the cost of great suffering, slander, insults and even personal violence. An interloper even tried to take over his bishopric.

His last days were spent in solitude and austerity. He wrote religious poetry, some of it autobiographical, of great depth and beauty. He was acclaimed simply as “the Theologian.”

SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 2 January

Posted on January 2, 2019January 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

St Basil the Great (Memorial) (329-379) Father & Doctor of the Church
St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) Father & Doctor of the Church (Memorial)
About these 2 great fathers:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/02/saint-s-of-the-day-st-basil-the-great-329-379-and-st-gregory-of-nazianzen-330-390-fathers-and-doctors-of-the-church/

St Adelard of Corbie
Bl Airaldus of Maurienne
St Asclepius of Limoges
St Aspasius of Auch
St Blidulf of Bobbio
Bl Guillaume Répin
St Hortulana of Assisi
St Isidore of Antioch
St Isidore of Nitria
St Laurent Bâtard
St Macarius the Younger
St Maximus of Vienne
Bl Odino of Rot
St Paracodius of Vienne
St Seraphim of Sarov
St Seiriol
Bl Stephana de Quinzanis
St Telesphorus, Pope
St Theodota
St Theopistus
St Vincentian of Tulle
—
Many Martyrs Who Suffered in Rome: There were many martyrs who suffered in the persecutions of Diocletian for refusing to surrender the holy books. Though we know these atrocities occured, we do not know the names of the saints and we honour them as a group. c 303 in Rome, Italy.

Martyrs of Antioch – 5 saints: A group of Christian soldiers martyred together for their faith. We know the names of five – Albanus, Macarius, Possessor, Starus and Stratonicus. They were born in Greece and were martyred in Antioch (modern Antakya, Turkey).

Many Martyrs of Britain: The Christians of Britain appear to have escaped unharmed in the earlier persecutions which afflicted the Church but the cruel edicts of Diocletian were enforced in every corner of the empire and the faithful inhabitants of this land, whether native Britons or Roman colonists, were called upon to furnish their full number of holy Martyrs and Confessors. The names of few are on record but the British historian, Saint Gildas, after relating the martyrdom of Saint Alban, tells us that many others were seized, some put to the most unheard-of tortures and others immediately executed, while not a few hid themselves in forests and deserts and the caves of the earth, where they endured a prolonged death until God called them to their reward. The same writer attributes it to the subsequent invasion of the English, then a pagan people, that the recollection of the places, sanctified by these martyrdoms, has been lost and so little honour paid to their memory . It may be added that, according to one tradition, a thousand of these Christians were overtaken in their flight near Lichfield and cruelly massacred and that the name of Lichfield, or Field of the Dead, is derived from them.

Martyrs of Ethiopia – 3 saints: A group of Christians martyred together for their faith. We know the names of three – Auriga, Claudia and Rutile.

Martyrs of Jerusalem – 2 saints: A group of Christians martyred together for their faith. We know the names of two – Stephen and Vitalis.

Martyrs of Lichfield: Many Christians suffered at Lichfield (aka Lyke-field, meaning field of dead bodies), England in the persecutions of Diocletian. Though we know these atrocities occured, we do not know the names of the saints, and we honour them as a group. Their martyrdom occurred in 304 at Lichfield, England.

Martyrs of Piacenza: A group of Christians who died together for their faith in the persecutions of Diocletian. No details about them have survived. They were martyred on the site of church of Madonna di Campagna, Piacenza, Italy.

Martyrs of Puy – 4 saints: Missionaries, sent by Saint Fronto of Périgueux to the area of Puy, France. Tortured and martyred by local pagans. We know the names – Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus. They were beheaded in Puy (modern Puy-en-Velay), France and buried together in the church of Notre Dame, Puy-en-Velay by Saint Fronto, their bodies laid out to form a cross.

Martyrs of Syrmium – 7 saints: Group of Christians martyred together, date unknown. We know the names of seven – Acutus, Artaxus, Eugenda, Maximianus, Timothy, Tobias and Vitus – but very little else. This occurred in the 3rd or 4th century at Syrmium, Pannonia (modern Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia).

Martyrs of Tomi – 3 saints: Three brothers, all Christians, all soldiers in the imperial Roman army, and all three martyred in the persecutions of emperor Licinius Licinianus. We know their names – Argeus, Marcellinus and Narcissus – but little else.
They were martyred in 320 at Tomi, Exinius Pontus, Moesia (modern Constanta, Romania).

NOTES to Followers

Second Thought for the Day – 1 January – New Year with a special patron Saint

Posted on January 1, 2019January 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Second Thought for the Day – 1 January – New Year with a special patron Saint.

A great idea for the New Year is to chose a special Saint to become your guide, your teacher and spiritual adviser.

Perhaps you could use Jennifer Fulwiler’s Saint Generator to pick a patron saint. I usually chose one from the above link and another who I have grown closer to during the year.

May God bless you all during 2019!

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, PRAYERS of the CHURCH

The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for January 2019

Posted on January 1, 2019December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention
for January 2019

Evangelisation:

Young People and the Example of Mary

That young people, especially in Latin America,
follow the example of Mary
and respond to the call of the Lord,
to communicate the joy of the Gospel,
to the world.

holy father's prayer intention jan 2018 no 2

DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, QUOTES for the NEW YEAR, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on LOVE, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 1 January – New Year’s Day 2019

Posted on January 1, 2019January 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 1 January – New Year’s Day 2019

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,
the new creation has come.
The old has gone, the new is here!”

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Brothers, . . . I can only say,
that forgetting all that lies behind me
and straining forward to what lies in front of me
and I am racing towards the finishing-point,
to win the prize of God’s heavenly call
in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 3:13

May he give you what you desire
and make all your plans succeed.
Then we will shout for joy over your victory
and celebrate your triumph by praising our God.
May the LORD answer all your requests.

Psalm 20:4-5

“The bread you store up belongs to the hungry,
the cloak that lies in your chest belongs to the naked,
the gold you have hidden in the ground,
belongs to the poor.”

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

“Love God,
serve God;
everything is in that.”

St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

“Teach us to give and not to count the cost.”

“All for the greater glory of God.”

St Ignatius de Loyola (1491-1556)

“You must ask God to give you power
to fight against the sin of pride
which is your greatest enemy –
the root of all that is evil
and the failure of all that is good.
For God resists the proud.”

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

“Let us go forward in peace,
our eyes upon heaven,
the only one goal of our labours.”

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897)- Doctor of the Church

“During this new year,
I resolve to begin a new life.
I do not know,
what will happen to me, during this year.
But I abandon myself entirely to You, my God.
And my aspirations and all my affections,
will be for You.
I feel so weak, dear Jesus
but with Your help,
I hope and resolve,
to live a different life,
that is, a life closer to You.”

“Father, do You know,
the latest idea that has come into my head?
It is to become a saint at all costs.
I made this resolution yesterday evening.
During my meditation I was thinking,
that one lives only once
and it is certain,
that one is going to die,
then one will have to answer to God.”

“Every time the clock strikes,
I will repeat three times –
‘My Jesus, mercy!”

St Gemma Galgani (1878-1903)

AND here are Quotes for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/quote-s-of-the-day-1-january-2018-the-solemnity-of-mary-mother-of-god-and-the-octave-day-of-the-nativity-of-our-lord/

CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY NAME, The WORD

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) – 1 January

Posted on January 1, 2019January 1, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

1 January- The Octave Day of Christmas and the First Day of the Month of the Holy Name

The name of Jesus is holy

“Consider that the name of Jesus is a name of gladness, a name of hope and a name of love.
A name of gladness, because if the memory of past sins afflicts us, this name comforts us, reminding us that the Son of God became human for this purpose, to make Himself our Redeemer.
The name of Jesus, is a name of hope, because the person that prays to the eternal Father in the name of Jesus, may hope for every grace.
The name of Jesus is a name of love, because it is a sing that represents top us how much God has done for our love.
The name of Jesus, helps us to remember all the sufferings that He endured for us in His life and in His death. As a devout writer says of the Holy Name, ‘my Jesus, how much has it cost You to be Jesus – that is to say, my Redeemer!'”

Scripture

“At the name of Jesus,
every knee should bow,
of those that are in heaven,
on earth and under the earth”
Philippians 2:10

Prayer (St Alphonsus)

My beloved Jesus,
write Your Name on my poor heart
and on my tongue,
in order that when I am tempted to sin,
I may resist all sin
by invoking Your Holy Name.
If I am tempted to despair,
Your Name will help me to trust.
If I feel myself becoming tepid
in my love for You,
Your Name will inflame my heart.
Help me always to call upon
Your Holy Name.
Amen. christmas with st alphonsus -my beloved jesus write your name - 1 jan 2018.jpg

CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering 1 January – Prayer of St Ephrem to the Mother of God

Posted on January 1, 2019December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering 1 January – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord

O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God
By St Ephrem (306-373) Father & Doctor of the Church

O Immaculate and wholly-pure Virgin Mary,
Mother of God,
Queen of the world,
hope of those who are in despair,
you are the joy of the saints,
you are the peacemaker
between sinners and God,
you are the advocate of the abandoned,
the secure haven
of those who are on the sea of the world,
you are the consolation of the world,
the ransom of slaves,
the comfortress of the afflicted….
O great Queen, we take refuge in your protection.
After God, you are all my hope.
We bear the name of your servants,
allow not the enemy to drag us to hell.
I salute you, O great mediatress of peace
between men and God,
Mother of Jesus our Lord,
who is the love of all men and of God,
to whom be honour and benediction
with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Amen o immac virgin mary mother of god - st ephrem 1 jan 2018

CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

1 January – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord

Posted on January 1, 2019December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

1 January – The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord octave-day-mary-mother-of-god-2016jpg

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, our Lady’s greatest title. This feast is the octave of Christmas. In the modern Roman Calendar only Christmas and Easter enjoy the privilege of an octave. One of the earliest titles given by Christians to the Blessed Virgin was Theotokos—“God-bearer.” We celebrate her as the Mother of God because, in bearing Christ, she bore the fullness of the Godhead within her.

In fact, the Church regards the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, as so important that it is a Holy Day of Obligation in most countries. On this day, we are reminded of the role that the Blessed Virgin played in the plan of our salvation. Christ’s Birth was made possible by Mary’s fiat: “Be it done unto me according to Thy word.”

“Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because His Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where His Son and His Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church’s Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the “Seat of Wisdom.”

Catechism of the Catholic Church 721

As we begin another year, we draw inspiration from the selfless love of the Theotokos, who never hesitated to do the will of God. And we trust in her prayers to God for us, that we might, as the years pass, become more like her.

Post on 1 January 2018: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/1-january-2018-the-solemnity-of-mary-the-mother-of-god/

O Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord and Memorials of the Saints – 1 January 2019

Posted on January 1, 2019December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Mary, Mother of God and the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord (Solemnity)
Post on 1 January 2018: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/01/1-january-2018-the-solemnity-of-mary-the-mother-of-god/

52nd Annual World Day of Prayer for Peace: Feast day dedicated to peace. It first observed on 1 January 1968, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI. It was inspired by the encyclical Pacem in Terris by Pope John XXIII and with reference to Paul’s encyclical Populorum Progressio. Our Holy Fathers have used this day to make magisterial declarations relevant to the social doctrine of the Church on such topics as the United Nations, human rights, women’s rights, labour unions, economic development, the right to life, international diplomacy, peace in the Holy Land, globalisation, migrants, refugees and terrorism.

Titular Feast of the Society of Jesus – But now celebrated on 3 January, the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus

Bl Adalbero of Liege
St Baglan of Wales
St Basil of Aix
Bl Bonannus of Roio
St Brogan
St Buonfiglio Monaldi
Bl Catherine de Solaguti
St Clarus of Vallis Regia
St Clarus of Vienne
St Colman mac Rónán
St Colman Muillin of Derrykeighan
St Concordius of Arles
St Connat
St Cuan
St Demet of Plozévet
St Elvan
St Eugendus of Condat
St Euphrosyne of Alexandria
St Fanchea of Rossory
St Felix of Bourges
St Frodobert of Troyes
St Fulgentius of Ruspe
St Gisela of Rosstreppe
St Gregory Nazianzen the Elder
Bl Hugolinus of Gualdo Cattaneo
Bl Jean-Baptiste Lego
Bl Jean of Saint-Just-en-Chaussée
St Joseph Mary Tomasi
St Justin of Chieti
Bl Lojze Grozde
St Maelrhys
St Magnus the Martyr
Bl Marian Konopinski
St Mydwyn
St Odilo of Cluny
St Odilo of Stavelot
St Peter of Atroa
St Peter of Temissis
Bl René Lego
St Sciath of Ardskeagh
St Severino Gallo
St Telemachus
St Thaumastus of Mainz
St Theodotus
St Tyfrydog
Bl Valentin Paquay
St Vincent Strambi
St William of Dijon
St Zedislava Berka
St Zygmunt Gorazdowski
—
Breton Missionaries to Britain
Martyred Soldiers of Rome: Thirty soldiers martyred in Rome as a group during the persecutions of Diocletian. We don’t even known their names. They were martyred c 304 at Rome, Italy.

Martyrs of Africa – 8 saints: Eight Christians martyred together in Africa, date unknown. The only details we have are four of their names – Argyrus, Felix, Narcissus and Victor.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Andrés Gómez Sáez

NOTES to Followers, The WORD

Wishes for a Happy and Holy 2019!

Posted on January 1, 2019December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

My Wishes to You All
for a Blessed and
Grace-filled 2019

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding,
in all your ways,
submit to him
and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 31 December – Remembering St Pope Sylvester I (Died 335)

Posted on December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 31 December – Remembering St Pope Sylvester I (Died 335)

The Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313, recognising Christianity, ending persecutions and tolerating all religions. Constantine considered it his duty to oversee the Church. He heard the complaints of bishops, summoned councils, settled Church disputes and looked upon the pope sympathetically.

It took a wise man to work with such a powerful ruler. St Pope Sylvester I held office during this crucial period. He had to keep the Church independent of the state and at the same time, keep peace with Emperor Constantine. Pope Sylvester faced the added challenge of advanced age, which prevented him from travel. To deal with the error of the Donatists, he had to send delegates to a council at Arles. Then, when Emperor Constantine called the first ecumenical council—the Council of Nicaea—in 325, the pope asked others to attend the council in his place. This council of bishops was to discuss the Arian heresy and correct the Arians for falsely teaching that Christ was not God. It was at this council that the Nicene Creed was formed.

The people of Rome had a high regard for Pope Sylvester. He was a saintly pope who understood the conflicts his bishops suffered in being loyal to Rome and to Constantine. It takes deep humility and courage in the face of criticism for a leader to stand aside and let events take their course, when asserting one’s authority would only lead to useless tension and strife. He humbly accepted the limitations of age and illness and he persevered in his pastoral care of the Church and charity to all in need. Sylvester teaches a valuable lesson for Church leaders, politicians, parentand others in authority.

St Pope Sylvester I, Pray for Us!

CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Quote of the Day – 31 December – Rejoice! For Jesus Christ is Born

Posted on December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 31 December – The Seventh Day of the Christmas Octave

Rejoice! For Jesus Christ is Born
Let the just rejoice,
for their Justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
for their Saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
for their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
for their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
for Jesus Christ is born.

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

CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on SIN, The NATIVITY of JESUS

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) 31 December

Posted on December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

31 December – The Seventh Day of the Christmas Octave

Jesus weeps

“Consider the tears of the Infant Jesus. The tears of newborn babies are often tears of pain. Jesus did not weep because of pain but rather, because of compassion and love. “They weep because of suffering, Christ because of compassion” says St Bernard. Tears are a great sign of love and behold how our God loves us, since for the love of humanity, we see Jesus made flesh, become an infant and shed tears. “These tears” teaches St Ambrose, “washed away our sins” because by His cries and tears He implored mercy for us who were condemned to eternal death. Oh, how eloquently did the tears of this Divine Little One plead in our behalf. How precious were His tears to God. It was then that the Father caused the angels to proclaim that He had made peace with humanity and received them again into His favour. And on earth peace to all people of goodwill.

My beloved Infant Jesus, while You were weeping in the stable at Bethlehem, You were thinking of me! Eternal Father, I offer You the tears of the Infant Jesus, for the sake of His tears, please forgive me.”

Scripture

“But you have been anointed by the Holy One”

1 John 2:20

Prayer

O Mighty God!
O God of love!
it is too much!
it broke the heart of Your sweet Son Jesus
to see the misery of man spread out before His eyes.
He died by it as well as for it.
And we, too, in our measure,
our eyes ache
and our hearts sicken and our heads reel,
when we but feebly contemplate it.
O most tender heart of Jesus,
why do You not end,
when will You end,
this ever-growing load of sin and woe?
When will You chase away the devil into his own hell
and close the pit’s mouth,
that Your chosen may rejoice in You,
quitting the thought of those who perish
in their wilfulness?
Amen
(Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, CONSECRATION Prayers, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Our Morning Offering – 31 December – Seventh Day of the Octave

Posted on December 31, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 31 December – Seventh Day of the Octave

Daily Prayer to the Holy Family
(a good prayer to pray at the Breakfast or Supper Table)

JESUS, Son of God and Son of Mary,
bless our family.
Graciously inspire in us the unity,
peace and mutual love
that you found in your own family,
in the little town of Nazareth.
MARY, Mother of Jesus and Our Mother,
nourish our family with your faith and your love.
Keep us close to your Son, Jesus,
in all our sorrows and joys.
JOSEPH, Foster-father to Jesus,
guardian and spouse of Mary,
keep our family safe from harm.
Help us in all times of discouragement or anxiety.
HOLY FAMILY OF NAZARETH,
make our family one with you.
Help us to be instruments of peace.
Grant that love, strengthened by grace,
may prove mightier
than all the weaknesses and trials
through which our families sometimes pass.
May we always have God
at the centre of our hearts and homes,
until we are all one family,
happy and at peace in our true home with you.
Amen daily prayer to the holy family - 21 dec 2018

And there’s no need to wait until next February to repeat the consecration, it’s a good prayer for your family to pray every month.

Grant unto us, Lord Jesus,
ever to follow the example of Your holy Family,
that in the hour of our death
Your glorious Virgin Mother
together with blessed Joseph
may come to meet us
and we may be worthily received by You
into everlasting dwellings
who lives and reigns, world without end.
Amen prayer-for-the-help-of-the-holy-family-no.2-1-feb-20181

CHRISTMASTIDE!, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 31 December – St Pope Sylvester I (Died 335)

Posted on December 31, 2018December 31, 2020 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 31 December – St Pope Sylvester I (Died 335) Bishop of Rome, Confessor, Protector, Apostle of Charity – born as a Roman – died on 31 December 335 at Rome, Italy – Papal Ascension 314. Patronage – animals, for good harvests, stone masons, Order of Saint Sylvester, Feroleto Antico, Italy, Poggio Catino, Italy. He led the Church for 21 years until his death in 335, making him one of the longest-serving popes in history. Saint-Sylvester

St Pope Sylvester I was born in Rome around the year 250. At a young age, his mother put him under the care of a priest to be taught literature and theology. He was ordained a priest by St Pope Marcellinus (died 304).

Sylvester enjoyed providing shelter to Christians passing through the city. He would take them with him, wash their feet, serve them at table and care for them, all in the name of Christ. One of the Christians whom Sylvester hosted was St Timothy of Antioch, an illustrious confessor of the faith. When Timothy arrived in Rome, no one dared to receive him but Sylvester considered it an honour. For a year, Timothy preached the Gospel in Rome with great zeal, while Sylvester selflessly shared his own home.

After Timothy was martyred, Sylvester buried his remains. He was quickly accused of having hidden the martyr’s treasures and the Roman governor had him imprisoned. In reply, Sylvester said, “Timothy left to me only the heritage of his faith and courage.”

After the governor choked on a fish bone and died, the guards’ hearts were softened and they set him free. Sylvester’s courageous acts became known to Pope Miltiades (also called Melchiades), who elevated him to the diaconate.

Under the tyranny of the Roman emperor Diocletian, while Sylvester was still a young priest, the persecution of Christians grew worse, starting in 303. Diocletian murdered Christians, burned churches, searched homes to destroy sacred texts and ordered everyone to worship idols placed throughout every Roman town or risk being killed. During this difficult time, Sylvester strengthened the faithful in Rome.

In 312 a new era set in. Constantine, having triumphed in battle under the “standard of the Cross,” declared himself the protector of the Christians and established close ties with the Church. When Pope Miltiades died, Sylvester became pope on 31 January 314 – making him the first of the Roman pontiffs to rule the flock of Christ in security and peace. He led the Church for 21 years until his death in 335, making him one of the longest-serving popes in history.

He is remembered in particular for his leadership through two heretical controversies in the Church – Donatism and Arianism – as well as the baptism of Constantine and the triumph of the Church over its former persecutors.

Donatists, led by the bishop Donatus, were extremist separatists in northern Africa who took a hardline view against Christians who had lapsed from the faith in order to save their lives during the brutal empire-wide persecution under Diocletian. In some cases, they beat Christians who had capitulated during Roman soldiers’ searches of their houses; they took money in return for ordaining priests and deacons and they “baptised” fallen Christians, sometimes by force. A council convened by Constantine in 313 and the Council of Arles convened by Pope Sylvester in 314 both condemned the Donatists’ actions.

Arianism, led by the Alexandrian Christian priest Arius, denied Jesus’ divinity and equality with God. It taught that Jesus was not equal with God the Father and not eternal. In 325, Pope Sylvester convened the First Council of Nicaea, the first general Council of the Church, which reiterated Jesus’ divinity and reaffirmed that Jesus was consubstantial with the Father – truly God and truly man. Pope-Sylvester-I

A memorable but doubtful legend from his pontificate involved Constantine, who was attacked by leprosy while he was still a pagan. One night St Peter and St Paul appeared to Constantine and commanded him to call for Pope Sylvester, who would cure him by giving him the sacrament of baptism. According to the legend, the pope baptised him and Constantine was converted. (Actually, Constantine was baptised on his deathbed by someone else years later.) Sylvester-1

popesylvesteri — St Pope Sylvester I and Constantine

During his pontificate were built the great churches founded in Rome by Constantine, including St Peter’s Basilica, the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem and the Basilica of St John Lateran.

st pope sylvester Silvestru-Roma-San-Marco-s12-IN — Mosaic of St Pope Sylvester I at St Mark’s in Venice

Pope Sylvester died on 31 December 335 and was buried in the church he built over the Priscilla Catacombs. Interestingly, he is one of the earliest saints who was not a martyr.

Sylvester-religuary — **Head reliquary of Pope Sylvester I.**

SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints -31 December

Posted on December 31, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

St Pope Sylvester I (Died 335) (Optional Memorial)

Bl Alan de Solminihac
St Anton Zogaj
St Barbatian of Ravenna
St Columba of Sens
Bl Dominic de Cubells
St Festus of Valencia
St Gelasius of Palestine
Bl Giuseppina Nicoli
St Hermes the Exorcist
St Marius Aventicus
St Melania the Younger
St Offa of Benevento
Bl Peter of Subiaco
St Pinian
St Potentian of Sens
St Sabinian of Sens
St Theophylact of Ohrid
Bl Walembert of Cambrai
Bl Wisinto of Kremsmünster
St Zoticus of Constantinople
—
Martyrs of Catania – 10 saints: A group of early Christians martyred together, date unknown. The only other information to survive are ten of their names – Attalus, Cornelius, Fabian, Flos, Minervinus, Pontian, Quintian, Sextus, Simplician and Stephen. They were martyred in Catania, Sicily, Italy.

Martyrs of Rome – 10 saints: A group of Roman women martyred in an early persecution, date unknown. We known the names of ten of them – Dominanda, Donata, Hilaria, Nominanda, Paolina, Paulina, Rogata, Rustica, Saturnina and Serotina.
Their relics were enshrined in the catacombs of Via Salaria, Rome, Italy.

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Leandro Gómez Gil
• Blessed Luis Vidaurrázaga González

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the FAMILY, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Sunday Reflection – 30 December – The family is called to become a daily offertory

Posted on December 30, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 30 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

“Actually, the experience of the family is called to become a daily offertory, as a holy offering to God, a gift of pleasing fragrance.
The Gospel of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, suggests us this same idea.
Jesus, the light of the world but also “a sign that will be contradicted” (Lk 2:32.34), desires to receive this offering of each family as He receives the bread and wine in the Eucharist.
He wants to join to the bread and wine destined to transubstantiation,
these human hopes and joys but also the inevitable sufferings and preoccupations of each family,
by incorporating them to the mystery of His Body and his Blood.
He then in turn gives them back – the same Body and Blood – in the communion,
as a source of spiritual energy,
not only for each single person but also for each family.”

St Pope John Paul (1920-2005)

FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the FAMILY, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Thought for the Day – 30 December – St Pope Paul VI – The School of Nazareth

Posted on December 30, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 30 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Saint Pope Paul VI (1897-1978)
Bishop of Rome

An excerpt from Nazareth (Homily)

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ’s life was like and even to understand His Gospel. Here we can observe and ponder, the simple appeal of the way God’s Son came to be known, profound yet full of hidden meaning. And gradually, we may even learn to imitate Him.

Here we can learn to realise who Christ really is. And here we can sense and take account, of the conditions and circumstances that surrounded and affected His life on earth – the places, the tenor of the times, the culture, the language, religious customs, in brief, everything which Jesus used to make Himself known to the world. Here everything speaks to us, everything has meaning. Here we can learn the importance of spiritual discipline for all who wish to follow Christ and to live by the teachings of His Gospel.

How I would like to return to my childhood and attend the simple yet profound school that is Nazareth! How wonderful to be close to Mary, learning again the lesson of the true meaning of life, learning again God’s truths. But here we are only on pilgrimage. Time presses and I must set aside my desire to stay and carry on my education in the Gospel, for that education is never finished. But I cannot leave without recalling, briefly and in passing, some thoughts I take with me from Nazareth.

First, we learn from its silence. If only we could once again appreciate its great value. We need this wonderful state of mind, beset as we are by the cacophony of strident protests and conflicting claims so characteristic of these turbulent times. The silence of Nazareth should teach us, how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of His true teachers. Nazareth can teach us the value of study and preparation, of meditation, of a well-ordered personal spiritual life and of silent prayer that is known only to God.

Second, we learn about family life. May Nazareth serve as a model of what the family should be. May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplify its basic function in society – a community of love and sharing, beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings, in sum, the perfect setting for rearing children—and for this there is no substitute.

Finally, in Nazareth, the home of a craftsman’s son, we learn about work and the discipline it entails. I would especially like to recognise its value—demanding yet redeeming—and to give it proper respect . I would remind everyone, that work has its own dignity. On the other hand, it is not an end in itself. Its value and free character, however, derive not only from its place in the economic system, as they say but rather from the purpose it serves.

In closing, may I express my deep regard for people everywhere who work for a living. To them I would point out their great model, Christ their brother, our Lord and God, who is their prophet in every cause that promotes their well-being.

Holy Family of Nazareth, Pray for Us!

FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, PAPAL SERMONS, QUOTES on the FAMILY, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Quote/s of the Day – 30 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Posted on December 30, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 30 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

“How important it is, therefore, that every child coming into the world
be welcomed by the warmth of a family!
External comforts do not matter,
Jesus was born in a stable and had a manger as His first cradle
but the love of Mary and of Joseph made Him feel the tenderness and beauty of being loved.
Children need this, the love of their father and mother.
It is this that gives them security and, as they grow,
enables them to discover the meaning of life.
The Holy Family of Nazareth went through many trials ….
Yet, trusting in divine Providence, they found their stability
and guaranteed Jesus a serene childhood and a sound upbringing.”

Pope Benedict XVI (Feast of the Holy Family 2010)

“Waste time with your children,
so that they can realise,
that love is always free.”

Pope Francis

CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, The WORD

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) – 30 December

Posted on December 30, 2018December 30, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Christmas Wisdom with St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

30 December – The Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave

“Jesus sleeps”

“Consider that the manger served as Jesus’ cradle, straw was His bed and straw His pillow, so that He was constantly interrupted in His sleep by the hardness and roughness of this little bed. Notwithstanding all of this, the sweet babe, from time to time, slept despite His sufferings. But the sleep of Jesus, differed from other children. The slumbers of other children are useful for the preservation of life but not for the operations of the soul, because, the soul, being buried in sleep along with the senses, cannot work but such was not the sleep of Jesus Christ. Let us ask Him, by the merit of His blessed slumbers, to deliver us from the deadly slumber of sinners, who unhappily sleep in the death of sin, forgetful of God and of His love. Instead we ask for the sleep of the holy spouse, when the soul forgets all earthly things, to attend only to God and to the things that concern the glory of God.
My beloved and holy Infant, in humans sleep is the emblem of death but in You, it is the sign of eternal life because while You are sleeping You merit for me eternal salvation. Make me always love You in this life so that I may breathe forth my soul in Your arms, united to You, sleeping with You forever, without fear of losing You again.”

Scripture

All who keep his commandments abide in him and he in them.
And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us.
1 John 3:24

When you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 3:24

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
meek and humble of heart,
You offer to those who follow You,
a yoke that is good to bear,
a burden that is light.
Accept, we beg You, our prayer and work of the day
and grant us the rest, we need,
that we may be ever more willing to serve only You.
Save us Lord,
while we are awake,
protect us while we sleep,
that we may keep watch with Christ
and rest with Him in peace,
Amen Alleluia. christmas with st alphonsus-let us ask him by the merits - save us lord -30dec2018

CHRISTMASTIDE!, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, THE HOLY FAMILY - FAMILIAE SANCTAE

Our Morning Offering – 30 December – Nazareth Prayer for the Family

Posted on December 30, 2018December 29, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 30 December – Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. This is a very appropriate prayer as the Church focuses on Family Life.

Nazareth Prayer for the Family
By St Mother Teresa(1910-1997)

Heavenly Father,
You have given us the model of life
in the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Help us, O Loving Father,
to make our family another Nazareth
where love, peace and joy reign.
May it be deeply contemplative,
intensely eucharistic, received with joy.
Help us to stay together in joy
and sorrow in family prayer.
Teach us to see Jesus
in the members of our families,
especially in their distressing disguise.
May the Eucharistic heart of Jesus
make our hearts humble like His
and help us to carry out our family duties
in a holy way.
May we love one another
as God loves each one of us,
more and more each day,
and forgive each others faults
as You forgive our sins.
Help us, O Loving Father,
to take whatever You give
and give whatever You take with a big smile.

Immaculate Heart of Mary,
cause of our joy, pray for us.
St Joseph, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels,
be always with us,
guide and protect us.
Amen. nazareth prayer for the family - st mother teresa - 5 september 2-018

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Sts Basil and Gregory, Pray for Us!

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Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

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

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

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May God bless you all during 2019!

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Evangelisation:

Young People and the Example of Mary

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2 Corinthians 5:17

Philippians 3:13

Psalm 20:4-5

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

St Clare of Assisi (1194-1253)

St Ignatius de Loyola (1491-1556)

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897)- Doctor of the Church

St Gemma Galgani (1878-1903)

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O Mary, Mother of God, Pray for Us!

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My Wishes to You All for a Blessed and Grace-filled 2019

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways, submit to him and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

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St Pope Sylvester I, Pray for Us!

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

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Holy Family of Nazareth, Pray for Us!

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Pope Benedict XVI (Feast of the Holy Family 2010)

Pope Francis

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My Wishes to You All
for a Blessed and
Grace-filled 2019

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding,
in all your ways,
submit to him
and he will make your paths straight.”