AnaStpaul

CONFESSION/PENANCE, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

Sunday Reflection – 20 January – “…Let him first strive to cleanse his conscience”

Posted on January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 20 January – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

“…Let him first strive to cleanse his conscience”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-542) Bishop of Arles, Father of the Church

And so, dearly beloved brethren, let us each examine his conscience and when he sees that he has been wounded by some sin, let him first strive to cleanse his conscience by prayer, fasting, almsgiving and so dare to approach the Eucharist. If he recognises his guilt and is reluctant to approach the holy altar, he will be quickly pardoned by the Divine Mercy, “for whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:12). If then, as I have said, a man conscious of his sins, humbly decides to stay away from the altar until he reforms his life, he will not be afraid of being completely excluded from the eternal banquet of heaven.

I ask you then, brethren, to pay careful attention. If no-one dares approach an influential man’s table in tattered, soiled garments, how much more should one refrain in reverance and humility from the banquet of the Eternal King, that is, from the altar of the Lord, if one is smitten with poisonous envy, or anger, or is full of rage and fury? For it is written, “Go first and be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift” (Mt 5:24). And again, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And when he kept silent, that man said to the attendants, ‘bind his hands and feet and cast him forth into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (Mt 22:12,13). The same sentence awaits the man who dares present himself at the wedding feast, that is at the Lord’s table, if he is guilty of drunkenness, or adultery, or retains hatred in his heart.

St Caesarius of Arles (470-542) Bishop of Arles, was the foremost ecclesiastic of his generation in Merovingian Gaul. Caesarius is considered to be of the last generation of church leaders of Gaul that worked to promote large-scale ascetic elements into the Western Christian tradition. Caesarius was a “popular preacher of great fervour and enduring influence”. Among those who exercised the greatest influence on Caesarius were Augustine of Hippo, Julianus Pomerius and John Cassian.

QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 20 January – Martyrs for Christ

Posted on January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 20 January – The Memorial of St Pope Fabian (c 200 – c 250) and St Sebastian (Died c 288) – Martyrs for Christ

What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? …No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35,37-39

“Long live Christ the King!”
“Viva Cristo Rey!”

Blessed Miguel Pro, Martyr (1891-1927)
(Last words addressed to his executioners)

“From the very beginning of the life of the Church, Christians have always believed that the blood of martyrs is a seed for Christians, as Tertullian said. Today too, in a dramatic way, the blood of a great number of Christian martyrs continues to be shed on the field of the world,with the certain hope that will bear fruit in a rich harvest of holiness, justice, reconciliation and love of God. But we must remember that one is not born a martyr.

Archbishop Romero remarked, ‘We must be willing to die for our faith, even if the Lord does not grant us this honour. … Giving life does not only mean being assassinated; giving life, having the spirit of martyrdom, means offering it in silence, in prayer, in the honest fulfilment of one’s duty; in this silence of everyday life, giving life a little at a time.’”

Pope Francis 30 October 2015

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 January – The first sign of Mercy: Cana – John 2:1–11

Posted on January 20, 2019January 20, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 20 January – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C – The first sign of Mercy: Cana – John 2:1–11

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed in him....John 2:11

REFLECTION – “The miracle by which our Lord Jesus Christ changed water into wine is not at all astonishing to those who know that God is its author. Indeed, it is exactly the same thing which produced wine in those six jars on that wedding day … and which renews this transformation in the vines each year. That which the servants poured into the jars was changed into wine by the action of the Lord; in the same way the rain that falls from the clouds is changed into wine through the same action of the Lord. And yet we do not wonder at it because it is repeated every year; custom has caused astonishment to disappear. Yet it is far more worthy of our attention than what took place in the jars filled with water.
Indeed, who is there who dreams of considering the work of God who directs and governs the whole world? Isn’t that person then seized with astonishment and as it were crushed beneath the weight of these miracles? If they consider the power enclosed within a single seed of the first species to come, they will discover a great reality there that astounds the observer. But people, otherwise occupied, have become insensible to the works of God, which would daily provide motives for praising the Creator. This is why God reserves to Himself the work of certain unusual wonders, so as to awaken them from their sleepiness and lead them to praise Him.”…St Augustine (354-430)

PRAYER – Almighty God, ruler and creator of all things in heaven and on earth, listen favourably to the prayer of Your people. Open our eyes that we may see, open our ears that we may hear, open our hearts that we may love Your glory, manifest around us in all the great deeds of Your Word. Grant us love and peace in our day and may the prayers of Your Saints and Martyrs, lead us home to You. St Pope Fabian and St Sebastian pray for us! We make our prayer through Your Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st pope fabian pray for us no 2 - 20 jan 2019

st-sebastian-pray-for-us-20-jan-2018

DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 20 January – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Posted on January 20, 2019January 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 20 January – Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

My God and My All
By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
(From “The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ”)

My God and my all
I wish to seek no other good but You,
who are infinite goodness.
You, who take such good care of me,
make me have no other care,
except to please You.
Grant that all my thoughts
may always be,
in pleasing You always.
Drive far from me,
every occasion, that distracts me,
from Your love…
I love You,
infinite goodness,
I love You,
my delight.
O Word, Incarnate,
I love You more than myself…
I want nothing from You
but Yourself.
Amen my god and my all - st alphonsus liguori - 20 jan 2019.jpg

SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 20 January – St Pope Fabian (c 200 – c 250) Martyr

Posted on January 20, 2019January 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 20 January – St Pope Fabian (c 200 – c 250) Martyr, Peacemaker, Evangeliser, Confessor, Administrator and Reformer, Apostle of Charity – the Bishop of Rome from 10 January 236 to his death in 250, succeeding Anterus. He is famous for the miraculous nature of his election, in which a dove is said to have descended on his head to mark him as the Holy Spirit’s unexpected choice to become the next pope. He was succeeded by Cornelius.

According to the Liber Pontificalis, Fabian was a noble Roman by birth and his father’s name was Fabius. Nothing more is known about his background. The legend concerning the circumstances of his election is preserved by the fourth-century writer Eusebius of Caesarea (Church History, VI. 29).

After the short reign of Pope Anterus, Fabian had come to Rome from the countryside when the new papal election began. “Although present,” says Eusebius, Fabian “was in the mind of none.” While the names of several illustrious and noble churchmen were being considered over the course of thirteen days, a dove suddenly descended upon the head of Fabian. To the assembled electors, this strange sight recalled the gospel scene of the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus at the time of his baptism by John the Baptist. The congregation took this as a sign that he was marked out for this dignity and Fabian was at once proclaimed bishop by acclamation.

During Fabian’s reign of 14 years, there was a lull in the storm of persecution which had resulted in the exile of both Anterus’ predecessor Pontian and the antipope (and later saint) Hippolytus. Fabian had enough influence at court to effect the return of the bodies of both of these martyrs from Sardinia, where they had died at hard labour in the mines. The report that he baptised the emperor Philip the Arab and his son, however, is probably a legend, although he did seem to enjoy some connections at court, since the bodies of Pontian and Hippolytus could not have been exhumed without the emperor’s approval.

According to the sixth-century historian Gregory of Tours, Fabian sent out the “apostles to the Gauls” to Christianise Gaul in A.D. 245. Fabian sent seven bishops from Rome to Gaul to preach the Gospel. He also condemned Privatus, the originator of a new heresy in Africa. st pope fabian

The Liber Pontificalis says that Fabian divided the Christian communities of Rome into seven districts, each supervised by a deacon. Eusebius (VI §43) adds that he appointed seven subdeacons to help collect the acta of the martyrs—the reports of the court proceedings on the occasion of their trials. There is also a tradition that he instituted the four minor clerical orders – porter, lector, exorcist and acolyte.

His deeds are thus described in the Liber Pontificalis:
“He divided the regiones into deaconships and made seven sub-deaconships which seven secretaries oversaw, so that they brought together the deeds of the martyrs faithfully made whole and he brought forth many works in the cemeteries.”

The Liberian Catalogue of the popes also reports that Fabian initiated considerable work on the catacombs, where honoured Christians were buried and where he also caused the body of Pope Pontian to be entombed at the catacomb of Saint Callixtus. st fabian my edit

With the advent of Emperor Decius, the Roman government’s tolerant policy toward Christianity temporarily ended. Decius ordered leading Christians to demonstrate their loyalty to Rome by offering incense to the cult images of deities which represented the Roman state. This was unacceptable to many Christians, who, while no longer holding most of the laws of the Old Testament to apply to them, took the commandment against idolatry with deadly seriousness. Fabian was thus one of the earliest victims of Decius, dying as a martyr on 20 January 250, at the beginning of the Decian persecution, probably in prison rather than by execution.

Fabian was buried in the catacomb of Callixtus in Rome. The Greek inscription on his tomb has survived, and bears the words:
Fabian, Bishop, Martyr.

His remains were later re-interred at San Sebastian’s Outside the Walls, (appropriately, for these two Martyrs share today as their Memorial) by Pope Clement XI where the Albani Chapel is dedicated in his honour. fabian

romasansebastiano — St Sebastian’s Outside the Walls

SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 20 January

Posted on January 20, 2019January 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (2019)

St Pope Fabian (c 200 – c 250) Martyr (Optional Memorial)

St Sebastian (Died c 288) Martyr (Optional Memorial)
Biography: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/saint-of-the-day-20-january-st-sebastian-died-c-288/

St Ascla of Antinoe
Bl Basil Anthony Marie Moreau
St Basilides the Senator
St Bassus the Senator
Bl Benedict Ricasoli
Bl Bernardo of Poncelli
Bl Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi
St Daniel of Cambron
Bl Didier of Thérouanne
St Eusebius the Senator
St Eustochia Calafato
St Euthymius the Great
St Eutyches the Senator
Fechin of Fobhar
Bl Francesco Paoli
St Henry of Uppsalla
Bl Jeroni Fábregas Camí
St Maria Cristina dell’Immacolata Concezione
St Molagga of Fermoy
St Neophytus of Nicaea
St Stephen Min Kuk-ka
St Wulfsin

NOVENAS, St PAUL!

Novena to St Paul in preparation for the Feast of The Conversion of St Paul on 25 January Day FOUR – 19 January

Posted on January 19, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Novena to St Paul in preparation for the Feast of The Conversion of St Paul on 25 January

Day FOUR – 19 January

For St John Paul, conversion means returning to God “through evaluating earthly realities in the unfailing light of His truth.” The proof of St Paul’s conversion is his profession: “For me to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21). Conversion is a conversion to the will and design of God: “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).

Let us Pray:

Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
Help me to live a life of ongoing conversion.
True conversion means converting my life to the
design of God, the plan He has for me right now.
Pray that I will love God’s will and providence for me.
May I learn to truly surrender myself to wisdom and tenderness of God.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions ………………..
(mention your request)

I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.

St Paul Pray for us!

DOCTORS of the Church, NOVENAS

Novena to St Francis de Sales -Day FIVE – 19 January

Posted on January 19, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Novena to St Francis de Sales
Day FIVE – 19 January

“This poor life is only a journey to the happy life to come. We must not be angry with one another on the way but rather, we must march on as a band of brothers and sisters united in meekness, peace and love. I state absolutely and make no exception: do not be angry at all if that is possible. Do not accept any pretext whatever for opening your heart’s door to anger. Saint James tells us positively and without reservation,” … a man’s anger does not fulfil God’s justice.” [St Francis de Sales Jas 1:20] (INT. Part III, Ch. 8; O. III, p. 162)

O blessed Francis de Sales, who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially
…………………………..
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven
even as I walk each day with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise
cause me to stumble in my attempt
to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity
with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny:
eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer.
…………………………….
(mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all,
You desired that St Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many along the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.

We ask this through Christ our Lord, amen.

St Francis de Sales, pray for us.

CATECHESIS, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Thought for the day – 19 January – The Memorial of Blessed Marcelo Spínola y Maestre, Cardinal-Priest (1835-1906)

Posted on January 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the day – 19 January – The Memorial of Blessed Marcelo Spínola y Maestre, Cardinal-Priest (1835-1906)

Blessed Marcelo was a pious man, of intense prayer and mortification, extremely sensitive to the needs and suffering of his faithful and an untiring apostle. Homes, workers’ societies, centres where food was given to those who needed it, orphanages, night schools, creation of the faculty of theology of Seville, etc., were all part of his mark. He toured all the dioceses in which he exercised his ministry, travelling on a mule, he fought against the attempt to displace the teaching of religion from public centres as a senator from Granada, consoled the afflicted and took the gospel to every corner, preaching and confessing.

And at the centre of the heart of Blessed Marcelo was the Holy Eucharist. He wrote:

“The masterpiece of Jesus Christ’s love for humanity is the Eucharist.
The Eucharist is within our reach.
We can all get close to Christ the guest and talk with Him
and perceive the warmth of His word.
The word! How it inflames the spirits!
How will the word of Christ inflame them!
We can all get to the altar when He immolates Himself and shouts at us:
Look how much I have loved and loved you!
And we can all sit at His table
and eat the bread
and drink the intoxicating wine of charity. “

Blessed Marcelo Spínola y Maestre, Pray for Us!

QUOTES of the SAINTS

Quote of the Day – 19 January 2019 – Christ, the Great Sacrament

Posted on January 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 19 January 2019 – Saturday of the First week in Ordinary Time – Gospel: Mark 2:13–17

“For everything in the life of Jesus, the Incarnate Word, is full of signification.
Christ, if I may thus express myself, is the great sacrament of the New Law…
each of Our Lord’s mysteries ought to be for us, an object of contemplation.
His mysteries ought also to be, as it were, sacraments producing within us,
according to the measure of our faith and love, their own special grace.
And this is true of each of the states of Jesus, of each of His actions.
For if Christ is always the Son of God, if in all that He says and does
He first of all glorifies His Father,
neither does He ever separate us from the thought of Him.
To each of His mysteries, He attaches a grace,
which is to help us to reproduce within ourselves,
His divine features, in order to make us like unto Him.”

Blessed Abbot Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923)

(Christ in His Mysteries, 232-33)

MORNING Prayers, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 January – Gospel: Mark 2:13–17

Posted on January 19, 2019January 19, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 19 January – Saturday of the First week in Ordinary Time – Gospel: Mark 2:13–17

And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him...Mark 2:14 mark 2 14 and as he passed on he saw levi - 19 jan 2019.jpg

REFLECTION – “In His goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of His will (Eph 1:9) by which, through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature (Eph 2:18; 2 Pt 1:4). Through this revelation, therefore, the invisible God (Col 1:15; 1 Tm 1:17) out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends (Ex 33:11; Jn 15:14-15) and lives among them (Bar 3:38), so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself.” …Vatican Council II – Dogmatic Constitution on revelation « Dei Verbum », § 1-2

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, You offer the covenant of reconciliation to mankind through Your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. Lord God, grant Your people constant joy, in the renewed vigour of their souls. They rejoice because You have restored them to the glory of Your adopted children, through Him who saves them. Grant that by the assistance of Mary, His mother and theirs, they may look forward gladly to the certain hope of resurrection. Through Christ, the Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God for all eternity, amen. holy mary mothr of god pray for us.jpg

DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Our Morning Offering – 19 January – “Saturday with Mary”

Posted on January 19, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 19 January – Saturday of the First week in Ordinary Time “Saturday with Mary”

Most Holy Mary,
Virgin Mother of God
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

Most Holy Mary,
Virgin Mother of God,
I am unworthy to be your servant.
Yet moved by your motherly care for me
and longing to serve you,
I choose you this day to be my Queen,
my Advocate and my Mother.
I firmly resolve ever to be devoted to you
and to do what I can
to encourage others to be devoted to you.
My loving Mother,
through the Precious Blood
of your Son shed for me,
I beg you to receive me
as your servant forever.
Aid me in my actions
and beg for me the grace
never by thought, word, or deed,
to be displeasing in your sight
and that of your most holy Son.
Remember me, dearest Mother
and do not abandon me
at the hour of death.
Amen most holy mary by st francis de sales - 3 nov 2018

SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 19 January – St Canutus (1040-1086)

Posted on January 19, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 19 January – St Canutus (1040-1086) Martyr, King of Denmark “Canute IV” – known as Canutus the Holy – Canutus was an ambitious king who sought to strengthen the Danish monarchy, devotedly supported the Roman Catholic Church and had designs on the English throne. Slain by rebels in 1086, he was the first Danish king to be canonised. He was recognised as patron saint of Denmark in 1101. uec_dk_kobenhavn_sankt_ansgars_kirke_st_canutus_rex_et_martyr.jpg

Saint Canutus, King of Denmark, succeeded his elder brother Harold on the throne of Denmark in the year 1080. He began his reign by a successful war against the enemies of the state and by planting the faith in the conquered provinces. Amid the glory of his victories he humbly prostrated himself at the foot of the crucifix, laying there his diadem and offering himself and his kingdom to the King of kings. After having provided for the peace and safety of his country, he married Eltha, daughter of Robert, Earl of Flanders, who proved herself a spouse worthy of him.

The justice of Saint Canutus as sovereign was well known. He applied himself to the reform of all internal abuses. For this purpose he enacted severe but necessary laws for the strict administration of justice, the repression of violence and tyranny by the powerful, without respect to persons. He favoured and honoured holy men and granted many privileges and immunities to the clergy. His charity and tenderness towards his subjects made him study all possible ways to make them a happy people. skt._knud_den_hellige

To the virtues which constitute a great king, Canutus added those which prove the great saint. A rebellion having sprung up in his kingdom, the king was surprised at church by the rebels. Perceiving his danger, he confessed his sins at the foot of the altar and received Holy Communion. Stretching out his arms before the altar, the Saint fervently recommended his soul to his Creator; in this posture he was struck by a javelin thrown through a window and fell a victim for Christ’s sake by the enemies of his Christian reign. Christian-albrecht-von-benzon,_the_death_of_Canute_the_Holy.jpg

St Canutus’ Cathedral below, also known as Odense Cathedral, is named after the Danish king St Canutus, otherwise Canute IV. It is a fine example of Brick Gothic architecture. The church’s most visited section is the crypt where the remains of St Canutus and his brother Benedict are enshrined.

SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints -19 January

Posted on January 19, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

St Abachum of Persia
Bl Andrew of Peschiera
St Arsenius of Corfu
St Audifax of Persia
St Bassian of Lodi
Bl Beatrix of Lens
St Branwallader of Jersey
St Canutus (1040-1086) Martyr, King of Denmark
St Catellus of Castellammare
St Contentius
Bl Elisabetta Berti
St Faustina of Como
St Fillan
St Firminus of Gabales
St Germanicus of Smyrna
St Godone of Novalesa
St John of Ravenna
St Joseph Sebastian Pelczar
St Liberata of Como
Bl Marcelo Spínola y Maestre (1835-1906)
Biography: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/saint-of-the-day-19-january-blessed-marcelo-spinola-y-maestre-1835-1906/

St Maris of Persia
St Messalina of Foligno
St Ponziano of Spoleto
St Remigius of Rouen
St Wulstan of Worcester
—
Martyrs of Numidia – 9 saints: A group of Christians martryred together for their faith. The only details to survive are nine of their names – Catus, Germana, Gerontius, Januarius, Julius, Paul, Pia, Saturninus and Successus. 2nd century Numidia in North Africa.

NOVENAS, St PAUL!, Uncategorized

Novena to St Paul in preparation for the Feast of The Conversion of St Paul on 25 January Day THREE – 18 January

Posted on January 18, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Novena to St Paul in preparation for the Feast of The Conversion of St Paul on 25 January

Day THREE – 18 January

“Suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him…. (he) heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?…I am Jesus….” They led (Saul) by the hand” (Acts 9:3,4,5,8)

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI speaks of conversion as an act of obedience toward a reality that does not originate from us, that precedes us – the concrete God. (Joseph Ratzinger – The Nature and Mission of Theology {Ignatius, 1995 p 58})

Let us Pray:

Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
Help me to live a life of ongoing obedience to God
and conversion of my wilful heart.
Pray that I may renounce self-will
and surrender myself to my Creator
who has a plan to make me a saint.
May faith move me to believe that God can and will,
change the things in me that seem insurmountable.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
………………………………….
(mention your request)

I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.

St Paul Pray for us!

DOCTORS of the Church, NOVENAS

Novena to St Francis de Sales Day Four – 18 January

Posted on January 18, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Novena to St Francis de Sales
Day Four – 18 January

“Self-love dies only when our body dies, so we must, while we live in this land of exile, continue to counterattack its assaults on our senses and its underhanded tactics. It is enough if we firmly withstand, giving no wilful or deliberate consent … When we feel within ourselves the first movements of self-love or of other passions, let us prostrate ourselves immediately before the heart of God and tell Him, in a spirit of confidence and humility, “Lord, have mercy on me because I am a very weak creature.” Then let us tranquilly rest in peace and put ourselves at God’s disposal.” (St Francis de Sales Letters 1675; O. XIX, pp. 272-273)

O blessed Francis de Sales,
who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me
under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially ……………………..
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day
with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble in my attempt
to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity
with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny, eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer
………………………..…….
(mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all, You desired that St Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many long the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

St Francis de Sales, pray for us. day-four-st-francis-de-sales-novena-18-jan-2018jpg

SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 18 January – The Memorial of Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce OSA (1881-1947)

Posted on January 18, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 18 January – The Memorial of Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce OSA (1881-1947)

BLESSED MOTHER FASCE
A woman with a strong personality, Maria Teresa Fasce sends everyone a precise message – trusting in Providence does not mean standing still and waiting but praying and doing.

An affectionate mother for all the helpless, Blessed Maria Teresa understood the importance of evangelisation as an activity to spread the charism of Saint Rita throughout the world.

Despite the difficulties, thanks to her tenacity, she was able to carry out charitable works dedicated to Rita that still exist today – the Basilica, the Beehive of Saint Rita (the project that welcomes young girls and boys in difficulty) and the Magazine From the Bees to the Roses.

Contemplation in action – this was Blessed Maria Teresa, who despite all the set-backs built a beautiful Basilica in honour of St Rita, where both saints now rest. Blessed Maria is an example to us all. Busy lives should not hinder our actions for God.

basilica of st rita cascia.1.jpg — The Basilica of St Rita of Cascia

Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce, Pray for Us!

QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on GRATITUDE, QUOTES on LOVE, SAINT of the DAY

Quote of the Day – 18 January – The Memorial of Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce OSA (1881-1947)

Posted on January 18, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote of the Day – 18 January – The Memorial of Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce OSA (1881-1947)

I love Him, even if it costs much,
I love Him, because, it is worth much,
I love Him, at all cost.

Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce (1881-1947)

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 January – Friday of the First week in Ordinary Time: Gospel Mark 2:1-12

Posted on January 18, 2019January 18, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 18 January – Friday of the First week in Ordinary Time: Gospel Mark 2:1-12 and the The Memorial of St Margaret of Hungary (1242-1270)

“I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” …Mark 2:11

REFLECTION – “None can forgive sins except God alone, and so He who healed them is God… And so that people might understand that He had taken flesh for the remission of their sins and to gain resurrection for their bodies, He said: “That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins on earth” – He then said to the paralytic: “Rise, pick up your stretcher”. It would have been enough to have said: “Rise”, but… He added: “Pick up your stretcher and go home.” First He granted remission of sins, then He manifested the power of the resurrection and then, by making him take up his stretcher, He taught that weakness and pain will no longer afflict the body. Finally, by sending this man home healed, He showed that believers must rediscover the road to paradise, the same road that Adam, the father of all, abandoned when he was spoiled by the stain of sin.”…St Hilary (c.315-367) Father & Doctor of the Church

PRAYER– Living God, You have given me the Eucharist as my food for heavenly life. Help me to partake of it often and so be strengthened on my pilgrim journey on earth. Grant that St Margaret of Hungary, may add us all to her prayers, that by her intercession, we too may learn the true way home. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 18 January – Friday of the First week in Ordinary Time

Posted on January 18, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 18 January – Friday of the First week in Ordinary Time

Go on, O Lord and Act
By St Augustine

Go on, O Lord and act,
stir us up and call us back,
inflame us and draw us to Thee,
stir us up and grow sweet to us,
let us now love Thee,
let us run to Thee.
Are there not many men …
who, out of a deeper pit of darkness..
return to Thee–who draw near to Thee
and are illuminated by that light
which gives those
who receive it power from Thee
to become Thy sons?

go on lord and act - stir us up and call us back - st augustine - mem of simpliacinus 18 jan 2019

AUGUSTINIANS OSA, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 18 January – Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce OSA (1881-1947)

Posted on January 18, 2019January 17, 2022 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 18 January – Blessed Maria Giovanna Fasce OSA (1881-1947) Religious Augustinian nun with the religious name of Sr Maria Teresa. Born on 27 December 1881 at Torriglia, Genoa, Italy and died on 18 January 1947 of natural causes. Blessed Maria Teresa was an Italian Roman Catholic who served in various leadership positions in her convent in Genoa and was noted for the establishment of an orphanage and spreading the charism of Saint Augustine and Saint Rita of Cascia (1381-1457). She was beatified at Saint Peter’s Square on 12 October 1997 by St Pope John Paul.

Maria Giovanna Fasce was born on 27 December 1881 in Genoa to the middle-class Eugenio Fasce and his second wife Teresa Valente. She had seven siblings and her oldest sibling was Luigia. Her relations dubbed her as “Marietta”. Her mother died in 1889 which prompted her oldest sister Luigia to take care of the younger children.

Fasce taught catechism to children and grew to love the charism of Saint Augustine. She also met her confessor Father Mariano Ferriello in Genoa who encouraged her to learn of the Augustinian figures and pursue her vocation.

She became aware of the life of Saint Rita of Cascia and travelled to Rome in 1900 when Pope Leo XIII canonised her – this was the most important event of her life thus far and solidified her desire to become a nun. She expressed this intention to her relatives who took the news badly and her brothers in particular were negative about it. Her oldest sister Luigia accepted this but did not understand Fasce’s reasoning for living in a primitive place like Cascia. She applied for admission to a Ligurian convent but was rejected much to her surprise. The Abbess Giuseppina Gattarelli said that she believed Fasce was unable to handle the rigours of the monastic life. Fasce reapplied and was accepted in 1906. santarita_beatafasce

On 22 June 1906 she entered the convent of the Order of Saint Augustine (she received the habit on the night of 25 December 1906) and made the profession of her initial vows on 25 December 1907 in the religious name of “Maria Teresa”. She became quite disillusioned due to the convent’s decline and returned home in June 1910 for a period of deep reflection. Her time at home saw her affirm her desire to be in the monastic life and returned to the convent in May 1911 and later made her solemn vows on 22 March 1912.

In August, 1920, she was elected abbess and was confirmed in this office nine times throughout the following 27 years until her death. The great ambition of Mother Teresa, which she succeeded in converting into a plan of action, was the enrichment of the religious spirit of her community and of each one of the nuns. bl maria teresa fasce

Her influence, however, reached far beyond the walls of the cloister by means of the initiatives she undertook to spread devotion to Saint Rita and to promote the well-being of her adopted town. Among these were the publication of the magazine “From the Bees to the Roses”, the establishment of an orphanage for girls, the founding of a seminary for candidates to the Order and the construction of the Basilica as a place of pilgrimage and the fitting resting place of the saint to whom she was so devoted.

During the Second World War she courageously protected the convent and defended the rights of the nuns as well as members of the resistance under attack. bl maria teresa portrait

Throughout her life Mother Teresa suffered many physical ailments, including cancer and a debilitating condition which at times made it difficult for her to walk. All of this she bore with complete resignation and patience and was an example of fortitude and serenity to the nuns and people of Cascia.

She died peacefully on 18 January 1947 and was beatified together with Blessed Elías Nieves on 12 October 1997. Her body is venerated in the lower shrine of the Basilica which she made possible next to Saint Rita of Cascia. blessed+maria+teresa+fasce

Mother Teresa Fasce was a cloistered contemplative nun, not only in name but also in fact, during the several decades of her religious life. At the same time she was a woman of great vision and action, who had the capacity to inspire others even as she was inspired by the life and message of her patroness, Saint Rita. She reminds us that there is no contradiction between contemplation and service – both are motivated by love and must be expressed in love. beatification tapestry bl maria teresa fasce

SAINT of the DAY

Memorials of the Saints – 18 January

Posted on January 18, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

St Margaret of Hungary OP (1242-1270)
Biography – https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/18/saint-of-the-day-18-january-st-margaret-of-hungary-o-p-1242-1270/

St Agathius the Martyr
St Ammonius of Astas
St Archelais the Martyr
Bl Beatrix of Este the Younger
Bl Charlotte Lucas
St Catus
Bl Christina Ciccarelli
St Day/Dye
St Deicola of Lure
Bl Fazzio of Verona
Bl Félicité Pricet
St Leobard of Tours
Bl Maria Teresa Fasce OSA (1881-1947)
Bl Monique Pichery
St Moseus of Astas
St Prisca of Rome
St Susanna the Martyr
St Thecla the Martyr
S tUlfrid of Sverige
Bl Victoire Gusteau
St Volusian of Tours
—
Martyrs of Carthage – 3 saints
Martyrs of Egypt -37 saints
Martyrs of Nicaea – 3 saints

NOVENAS, St PAUL!

Novena to St Paul in preparation for the Feast of The Conversion of St Paul on 25 January Day TWO – 17 January

Posted on January 17, 2019January 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Novena to St Paul in preparation for the Feast of The Conversion of St Paul on 25 January

Day TWO – 17 January

Saul of Tarsus, the “Pharisee, a son of Pharisees” (Acts 23:6) had often prayed in the Psalms “You have said, ‘seek my face.’ My heart says to you, ‘Your face, Lord, do I seek’…Bow your heavens, O Lord and come down!….Flash forth the lightening …Stretch forth your hand from on high, rescue me and deliver me.” (Ps 27:8-9; 144:5,6,7).

And that is EXACTLY what happened when Saul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus!

LET US PRAY:

Glorious St Paul,
your conversion is a powerful witness to the world
that God loves us and does not give up on us,
no matter how far we stray.
May every circumstance of my life be an occasion
to change my way of thinking,
to renounce self-will and
to surrender myself to the wisdom
and tenderness of Jesus Christ
who is acting to make me His saint.
Pray that I may love God’s will and providence for me.
In this confidence, I entrust to you, St Paul,
these, my intentions
………………………………………..
(mention your request)

I ask this through Christ, Our Lord, amen.

St Paul Pray for us!

DOCTORS of the Church, NOVENAS

Novena to St Francis de Sales Day Three – 17 January

Posted on January 17, 2019January 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Novena to St Francis de Sales
Day Three – 17 January

“I desire very little and what I do desire I desire very little; I have hardly any desires but if I were to begin my life all over again I would want to have none at all … Ask for nothing, refuse nothing; we must simply abandon ourselves into the hands of Providence, without nourishing any other desire but to do whatever God wills. St Paul practised this act of absolute abandonment at the very moment of his conversion. When he was deprived of his sight, he immediately said, “Lord, what do you want me to do?” [cf. Act 22:10] From that moment on he put himself completely at God’s disposal. All our perfection consists precisely in the practical application of this principle. ” (St Francis de Sales Spiritual Treatises XXI, O. VI, pp. 383-384)

O blessed Francis de Sales,
who on earth did excel in a life of virtue,
especially in the love of God and neighbour,
I earnestly ask you to take me under your compassionate care and protection.
Obtain for me conversion of mind and heart.
Grant that all people, especially …………………….
(names of those whom you wish to include)
may experience the depth of God’s redeeming and healing love.
Teach me to fix my eyes on the things of heaven even as I walk each day
with my feet planted firmly on the earth.
Help me, through the practice of virtue and the pursuit of devotion,
to avoid anything that would otherwise cause me to stumble
in my attempt to follow Christ and to be an instrument of the Holy Spirit.
Encouraged by your prayers and example,
help me to live fully my sacred dignity
with the hope of experiencing my sacred destiny: eternal life with God.
Receive also this particular need or concern that I now lift up in prayer.
………………………………………. (mention your particular need).
O God, for the salvation of all, You desired that St Francis de Sales—
preacher, missionary, confessor, bishop and founder—
should befriend many along the road to salvation.
Mercifully grant that we,
infused with the humility and gentleness of his charity,
guided by his wisdom and sharing in his spirit may experience eternal life.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

St Francis de Sales, pray for us. day-three-novena-to-st-francis-de-sales-17-jan-2018.jpg

QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 17 January – The Memorial of St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 17 January – Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time and The Memorial of St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

The life of Anthony will remind many people of Saint Francis of Assisi. At 20, Anthony was so moved by the Gospel message, “Go, sell what you have, and give to [the] poor” (Mark 10:21b), that he actually did just that with his large inheritance. He is different from Francis in that most of Anthony’s life was spent in solitude. He saw the world completely covered with snares and gave the Church and the world the witness of solitary asceticism, great personal mortification and prayer. But no saint is antisocial, and Anthony drew many people to himself for spiritual healing and guidance.

At 54, he responded to many requests and founded a sort of monastery of scattered cells. Again, like Francis, he had great fear of “stately buildings and well-laden tables.”

At 60, he hoped to be a martyr in the renewed Roman persecution of 311, fearlessly exposing himself to danger while giving moral and material support to those in prison. At 88, he was fighting the Arian heresy, that massive trauma from which it took the Church centuries to recover. “The mule kicking over the altar” denied the divinity of Christ.

Anthony is associated in art with a T-shaped cross, a pig and a book. The pig and the cross are symbols of his valiant warfare with the devil—the cross his constant means of power over evil spirits, the pig a symbol of the devil himself. The book recalls his preference for “the book of nature” over the printed word. Anthony died in solitude at age 105.

In an age that smiles at the notion of devils and angels, a person known for having power over evil spirits must at least make us pause. And in a day when people speak of life as a “rat race,” one who devotes a whole life to solitude and prayer points to an essential of the Christian life in all ages. Anthony’s hermit life reminds us of the absoluteness of our break with sin and the totality of our commitment to Christ. Even in God’s good world, there is another world whose false values constantly tempt us.

St Anthony told his monks:

For the presence, either of the good or evil,
by the help of God, can easily be distinguished.
The vision of the holy ones, is not fraught with distraction:
‘For they will not strive, nor cry,
nor shall anyone hear their voice’ (Matthew 12:19; Isaiah 42:2).
But it comes quietly and gently.
that an immediate joy, gladness and courage, arise in the soul.
For the Lord, who is our joy, is with them
and the power of God the Father.

St Ambrose: (340-397) Life of Saint Anthony

St Anthony, Abbot, Pray for us!

CATECHESIS, CATHOLIC Quotes, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, SPEAKING of ....., The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – The Sign of the Cross

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 17 January – Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time and The Memorial of St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

Speaking of: The Sign of the Cross

“The illusions of this world soon vanish,
especially if a man arms himself with
the Sign of the Cross.
The devils tremble
at the Sign of the Cross of our Lord,
by which He triumphed over
and disarmed them.”

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

“Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified.
Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers
on our brow and in everything;
over the bread we eat and the cups we drink;
in our comings in and goings out;
before our sleep, when we lie down and when we awake;
when we are in the way and when we are still.
Great is that preservative;
it is without price, for the poor’s sake;
without toil, for the sick, since also its grace is from God.
It is the Sign of the faithful and the dread of evils;
for He has triumphed over them in it,
having made a shew of them openly;
for when they see the Cross, they are reminded of the Crucified;
they are afraid of Him, Who hath bruised the heads of the dragon.
Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the Gift
but for this rather honour thy Benefactor.”

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father and Doctor

“The sign of the cross
is the most terrible weapon
against the devil.
Thus the Church wishes not only,
that we have it continually
in front of our minds,
to recall to us
just what our souls are worth
and what they cost Jesus Christ
but also that we should make it
at every juncture ourselves:
when we go to bed,
when we awaken during the night,
when we get up,
when we begin any action,
and, above all,
when we are tempted.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“The cross is the badge that shows who we are –
our speaking, thinking, looking, working,
we are under the sign of the cross,
that is, the love of Jesus, to the end.”

“Making the sign of the cross when we wake up,
before meals, before a danger, to defend against evil,
at night before sleep means to tell ourselves
and others who we belong to, who we want to be.”

Pope Francis

3 Things to Know about the Cross – Fr Mike Schmitz

CONFESSION/PENANCE, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 17 January – “If you will, you can make me clean.”…Mark 1:40

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 17 January – Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time – Gospel Mark 1:40–45 and the Memorial of St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”…Mark 1:40

REFLECTION – “It is possible to see leprosy as a symbol of sin, which is the true impurity of heart that can distance us from God. It is not in fact the physical disease of leprosy that separates us from God, as the ancient norms supposed but sin, spiritual and moral evil. The sins that we commit distance us from God and, if we do not humbly confess them, trusting in divine mercy, they will finally bring about the death of the soul. This miracle thus has a strong symbolic value. Jesus, as Isaiah had prophesied, is the Servant of the Lord who “has borne our griefs / and carried our sorrows” (Is 53: 4). In His Passion He will become as a leper, made impure by our sins, separated from God, He will do all this out of love, to obtain for us reconciliation, forgiveness and salvation. In the Sacrament of Penance, the Crucified and Risen Christ purifies us through His ministers with His infinite mercy, restores us to communion with the heavenly Father and with our brothers and makes us a gift of His love, His joy and His peace.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us invoke the Virgin Mary whom God preserved from every stain of sin so that she may help us to avoid sin and to have frequent recourse to the Sacrament of Confession, the sacrament of forgiveness, whose value and importance for our Christian life must be rediscovered today.”…Pope Benedict XVI – Angelus 15 February 2009

PRAYER – Almighty, ever-living God, we make our prayer to You at morning, noon and evening. Dispel from our hearts, the darkness of sin and bring us to the true light, Christ Your Son. Grant that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Anthony Abbot, we may deny ourselves and love You above all things. Through Jesus, our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen. blessed virgin mary pray for us 17 jan 2019.jpg agostinocarracci_thetemptationofstanthonyabbot-detail-pray-for-us-17-jan-2017-picjpg.jpg

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The WORD

Our Morning Offering – 17 January – I Return to You

Posted on January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 17 January – Thursday of the First week in Ordinary Time – Gospel Mark 1:40–45

And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”...Mark 1:40

I Return to You
(Act of Supplication and Contrition to the Holy Trinity)

Father of mercy,
like the prodigal son,
I return to You and say:
“I have sinned against You
and am no longer worthy
to be called Your Son.”
Christ Jesus,
Saviour of the World,
I pray with the repentant thief
to whom You promised paradise –
“Lord, remember me in Your Kingdom.”
Holy Spirit, fountain of love,
I call on You with trust,
“Purify my heart
and help me to walk
as a child of light.”
Amen i return to you - act of supplication and contrition to the holy trinity - prodigal son - 17 jan 2019.jpg

SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 17 January – Blessed Rosalina of Villeneuve O.Cart. (1263–1329)

Posted on January 17, 2019January 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 17 January – Blessed Rosalina of Villeneuve O.Cart. (1263–1329) – Religious Nun of the Carthusaian Order, Mystic, Apostle of Charity – born in 1267 in a castle at Villeneuve, France and died on 17 January 1329. Her body is incorrupt.

Rosalina belonged to the noble Southern French family of the ‘de Villeneuve’, which still exists today. She was born in 1263. When the Bishop of Fréjus gave her the sacrament of confirmation in 1270 in the chapel of the family castle, a supernatural light seemed to envelope the child. At a very young age she made a private vow of virginity. 220px-saint_rosaline_of_villeneuve

She loved more than anything else to take care of the poor, distributing generously from the family provisions, which alarmed the servants of the castle. Once, after having filled her skirt with bread, Rosalina was on her way to the poor grouped together at the doors of the castle. She was suddenly stopped by her father who asked her what she was carrying. She answered: “These are the roses I just finished picking.” Extending her skirt, she showed the said roses to the astonished eyes of her father. It is to recall this miracle that Rosalina is often represented in portraits with her skirt full of roses.

When she was sixteen years old she wanted to become a Carthusian nun. She knew their life from the Charterhouse of la Celle-Roubaud close by, where her aunt Jeanne de Villeneuve was Prioress. Since that House had no novitiate, it was at Saint André de Ramires that she entered and then she moved to the chief Charterhouse for women, Bertaud, not far from the city of Gap, in the French Alps. She made profession there in 1280.

Her aunt at Celle Roubaud was getting on in age, so after a few years the Superior General of our Order permitted Rosalina to go to that House to help her aunt. In 1288 she received virginal consecration at the hands of the Bishop of Fréjus. It is told that this grace put her into a state of ecstasy which lasted the whole day. Although she assisted in the choir and followed all the activities of the community, her soul was united with the Lord. She was known for her inclination towards asceticism. For example, she reduced her sleep and lived only on bread the days when she went to communion. Prayer was for her most important in Carthusian life. Each night she used to spend long hours in prayer, thus obtaining special graces for the Order, her family and town and for the entire Church.

Owing to her purity of heart God granted her the gift of reading what is in other people’s heart. At the death of her aunt in 1300 the Superior General appointed Rosaline as Prioress. She held that office for twenty-nine years. It was during this time that her friend, the Bishop of Fréjus, became Pope as John XXII. saint_roseline

She died at the age of sixty-six with a great renown for holiness. Immediately, there were miracles – blind received their sight and sick were cured. Five years after her death, in 1334, Pope John ordered to open her tomb. Her body was found entirely incorrupt and it is still so today. In 1602 it was transferred from the crypt to a newly built chapel. In 1851 Blessed Pius IX authorised her feast for the diocese of Fréjus and in 1857 for the Carthusian Order. Today, the Carthusians celebrate her memory on 6 July and her feast is a solemnity for the nuns of the Order.

1024px-la_grande_chartreuse — Grande Chartreuse Motherhouse of St Bruno

saint_rosellina

Prayer

Lord God, for love of You, Saint Rosalina trampled underfoot the flattering allurements of the world, that she might adhere only to You. Help us to follow her example and, turning away from things of earth, find our joy in sharing Your heavenly gifts.

Deus, pro cuius amore, beata Rossolina mundi sibi blandientis calcavit illecebras ut tibi unice adhaereret : tribue nobis ex eius imitatione terrena despicere, et caelestium donorum semper participatione gaudere

text from from the Charterhouse of the Transfiguration.

MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Feast of Our Lady of Pontmain & Memorials of the Saints -17 January

Posted on January 17, 2019January 16, 2019 by AnaStpaul

St Anthony Abbot (251-356) (Memorial)

Our Lady of Pontmain – 17 January: During the Franco-Prussian War, German troops approached the town of Pontmain, France and the villagers there prayed for protection. On the evening of 17 January 1871, Mary appeared in the sky for several minutes over the town. She wore a dark blue dress covered in stars, carried a crucifix and below her were the words – Pray please. God will hear you soon. My son lets Himself be touched. That night the German army was ordered to withdraw and an armistice ending the war was signed eleven days later on 28 January. Approval of diocesan bishop. pontmain_53_statue_de_la_vierge_sur_le_parvis_de_la_basilique.jpg

St Achillas of Sketis
St Amoes of Sketis
St Antony of Rome
Bl Euphemia Domitilla
Bl Gamelbert of Michaelsbuch
St Genitus
St Genulfus
St Jenaro Sánchez Delgadillo
St John of Rome
Bl Joseph of Freising
St Julian Sabas the Elder
St Marcellus of Die
St Merulus of Rome
St Mildgytha
St Nennius
St Neosnadia
St Pior
St Richimir
Bl Rosalina of Villeneuve O.Cart. (1263–1329)
St Sabinus of Piacenza
St Sulpicius of Bourges

Martyrs of Langres: Eleusippus, Leonilla, Meleusippus, Speusippus

	11 ta’ Mejju:… on Saint of the Day – 11 May – St…
	Saints of the Day –… on Saints of the Day – 1 October…
	10 ta’ Mejju:… on Saint of the Day – 10 Ma…
	6 ta’ Mejju: B… on Saint of the Day – 6 May…
	5 ta’ Mejju: S… on Saint of the Day – 5 May…

“…Let him first strive to cleanse his conscience”

St Caesarius of Arles (470-542) Bishop of Arles, Father of the Church

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Romans 8:35,37-39

Blessed Miguel Pro, Martyr (1891-1927) (Last words addressed to his executioners)

Pope Francis 30 October 2015

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Blessed Marcelo Spínola y Maestre, Pray for Us!

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Blessed Abbot Columba Marmion OSB (1858-1923)

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Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce, Pray for Us!

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Blessed Maria Teresa Fasce (1881-1947)

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St Anthony, Abbot, Pray for us!

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St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-387) Father and Doctor

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Pope Francis

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Blessed Miguel Pro, Martyr (1891-1927)
(Last words addressed to his executioners)