St Elizabeth Ann Seton (Memorial, United States)
—
St Aedh Dubh
St Aggaeus the Martyr
St Angela of Foligno
St St Celsus of Trier
Bl Chiara de Ugarte
St Chroman
St Dafrosa of Acquapendente
St Ferreolus of Uzès
St Gaius of Moesia
St Gregory of Langres
St Hermes of Moesia
St Libentius of Hamburg
Bl Louis de Halles
Bl Manuel Gonzalez Garcia
St Mavilus of Adrumetum
St Neophytos
St Neopista of Rome
St St St Oringa of the Cross
Bl Palumbus of Subiaco
St Pharaildis of Ghent
St Rigobert of Rheims
Bl Roger of Ellant
St Stephen du Bourg
St Theoctistus
Bl Thomas Plumtree
—
Martyrs of Africa – 7 saints
Martyrs of Rome – 3 saints
Celebrating CHRISTMAS The Second Week Tuesday 3 January 2017
Celebrating CHRISTMAS
The Second Week
Tuesday 3 January 2017
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
In this is love: not that we have loved God,
but that he loved us and sent his Son
as expiation for our sins. ….1 John 4
O God, give your judgment to the king; your justice to the son of kings;
That he may govern your people with justice, your oppressed with right judgment, …
That he may defend the oppressed among the people, save the poor and crush the oppressor. Psalm 72
His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things. …
They all ate and were satisfied. Mark 6
Jesus is full of compassion for us in His unconditional love for us.
Even when it seems impossible, He still shows us the way
and nourishes us with His love.
May we be grateful for His love for us.
May we be like Him in our love for one another.
Closing Prayer:
Jesus, You became one of us on this earth.
What I want now is to be more like You:
more compassionate and patient,
more guided by Your Holy Spirit.
‘In this is love.’ It is impossible to believe
in the kind of love You have for me.
If only I believed it – how different my life would be!
It seems impossible that You could love me as You do
and yet You are the very center of that impossible love.
Help me to be more grateful for all You have given me
so that my response might be one of generosity
to You and those You have placed in my life.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Thought for the Day – 3 January
Saints like St Genevieve believed in the power of prayer and in a kind and loving Providence watching over human affairs. By their own faith, they inspired others to this same kind of trust in God – that they were not alone in the human struggle and that God does marvelous things in answer to prayer. Prayer is and always will be a powerful means of accomplishing wonders.
St Genevieve and all you Jesuit Sains, Pray for us!
“So You haven’t really sent me away from You, after all. When You assigned me the task of going out among men, You were only repeating to me Your one and only commandment: to find my way home to You in love. All care of souls is ultimately possible only in union with You, only in the love that binds me to You and thus makes me Your companion in finding a path to the hearts of men.” (Encounters with Silence, Karl Rahner, translated and foreword by James M. Demske, SJ, South Bend, IN: St. Augustine’s Press 1999, p. 67.)
Quote of the Day – 3 January
Quote of the Day – 3 January
“The Jesuits have a vow to obey the pope but if the pope is a Jesuit, maybe he should have a vow to obey the superior general… I feel like I’m still a Jesuit in terms of my spirituality, what I have in my heart.”
~~~~Pope Francis
One Minute Reflection – 3 January
One Minute Reflection – 3 January
I planted the seed and Apollos watered it but God made it grow…………1 Cor 3:6
REFLECTION – We must work as if success depended upon us alone.
At the same time, we must be wholeheartedly convinced that we are doing nothing – it is God Who is doing everything………St Ignatius Loyola
PRAYER – All-powerful God, let me realise that no matter what I do, it is only through You that I do it. Help me to work as if all depended on me and pray as if all depended on You. St Genevieve you were a sure example of working as if all dependd on you, please pray for us. St Ignatius and all the great saints of the Society of Jesus, pray for us unceasingly, amen!
Our Morning Offering – 3 January
Our Morning Offering – 3 January
I Choose to Breathe the Breath of Christ
I choose to breathe the breath of Christ
that makes all life holy.
I choose to live the flesh of Christ
that outlasts sin’s corrosion and decay.
I choose the blood of Christ
along my veins and in my heart
that dizzies me with joy.
I choose the living waters flowing from His side
to wash and clean my own self and the world itself.
I choose the awful agony of Christ
to charge my senseless sorrows with meaning
and to make my pain pregnant with power.
I choose You, good Jesus, You know.
I choose You, good Lord;
count me among the victories
that You have won in bitter woundedness.
Never number me among those alien to You.
Make me safe from all that seeks to destroy me.
Summon me to come to You.
Stand me solid among angels and saints
chanting yes to all You have done,
exulting in all You mean to do forever and ever.
Then for this time, Father of all,
keep me, from the core of my self,
choosing Christ in the world. Amen
by Fr Joseph Tetlow SJ
THE TITULAR FEAST OF THE JESUITS
Today, 3 January, the Celebration of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, we celebrate too, the gift of the Society of Jesus.
See Video 3 January 2014 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUuOT_rre0w
Pope Francis celebrates the Holy Mass at the Church of the
Jesus, with all the Jesuits in Rome, for thanksgiving for the entry of
Blessed Peter Faber into the catalogue of Saint and on the Solemnity of the
Holy Name of Jesus, the titular feast of the Society of Jesus.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”………..John 14:6
The giving of the name “Company (Society) of Jesus” occurred in September 1540 when the early companions and Ignatius were founded as a religious institute.
Ignatius and two of his companions, Peter Faber and James Lainez, decided to go to Rome to place themselves and the other companions at the disposal of the Pope. A few miles outside of Rome at a chapel at La Storta, the companions stopped to pray. At this spot, Ignatius had the second most significant of his mystical experiences. In his vision, God the Father told Ignatius, “I will be favourable to you in Rome” and that he would place him (Ignatius) with His Son. Ignatius did not know what his experience meant, for it could mean persecution as well as success since Jesus experienced both.
Formal approval of this new order was given by Pope Paul III on September 27, 1540. Since they had referred to themselves as the Company of Jesus, in English their order became known as the Society of Jesus. Ignatius was elected on the first ballot of the group to be superior but he begged them to reconsider, pray and vote again a few days later. The second ballot came out as the first, unanimous for Ignatius, except for his own vote. He was still reluctant to accept but his Franciscan confessor told him it was God’s will, so he acquiesced. On the Friday of Easter week, April 22, 1541, at the Church of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls, the friends pronounced their vows in the newly formed Order.
Saint of the Day – 3 January
Saint of the Day – 3 January – St Genevieve – (419-512) – Virgin/Lay Apostle of Charity and Prayer/Servant of God- Patron of Paris
On his way to combat heresy in Britain, St. Germanus of Auxerre made an overnight stop at Nanterre, France. In the crowd that gathered to hear him speak, Germanus spotted Genevieve (or Genovefa), a beautiful 7-year-old girl, and he foresaw her future holiness. When he asked little St. Genevieve if she wanted to dedicate her life to God, she enthusiastically said yes. So he laid hands on her with a blessing, thus launching the spiritual career of one of France’s most admired saints.
At 15, Genevieve formally consecrated herself as a virgin, but continued to live as a laywoman. Because of her generous giving to the poor, she became widely known in the vicinity around Paris. At first, however, for some unknown reason Genevieve met great hostility. But St. Germanus defused it by authorizing her with public signs of his support.
Once when the Franks were besieging Paris, Genevieve rescued the city from starvation by leading a convoy of ships up the Seine to Troyes to obtain food. In this selection from her biography, we learn that she had to work a miracle to bring it home safely:
During the return voyage, however, their ships were so buffeted by the wind . . . that the high holds fore and aft in which they had stored the grain tipped over on their sides. And the ships filled with water. Quickly Genovefa, her hands stretched toward heaven, begged Christ for assistance. Immediately the ships were righted. Thus through her our God . . . saved eleven grain-laden ships. . . .
When she returned to Paris, her sole concern was to distribute the grain to all according to their needs. She made it her first priority to provide a whole loaf to those whose strength had been sapped by hunger. Thus when her servant girls went to the ovens they would often find only part of the bread they had baked. . . . But it was soon clear who had taken the bread from the ovens for they noticed the needy carrying loaves throughout the city and heard them magnifying and blessing the name of Genovefa. For she put her hopes not in what is seen but in what is not seen. For she knew the Prophet spoke truly who said: “Whoever is kind to the poor is lending to Yahweh” (Proverbs 19:17 NJB). For through a revelation of the Holy Spirit she had once been shown that land, where those who lend their treasure to the poor expect to find it again. And for this reason, she was accustomed to weep and pray incessantly: for she knew that as long as she was in the flesh she was exiled from the Lord.
From that time Genevieve enjoyed a heroine’s status, and used her influence and wonders on the city’s behalf. For example, she persuaded Childeric, who had conquered Paris, to release many captives. And in 451, when Attila the Hun was advancing on the city, she got the populace to pray and fast for their safety. The invader changed his course and Paris was spared. She also became a trusted adviser to Clovis, the king of the Franks.
When Genevieve died, she was buried in the church of Sts. Peter and Paul at Paris. So many miracles occurred through her intercession there that it became a pilgrimage spot and came to be called St. Genevieve.
Celebrating Christmas – the Second Week: Monday 2 January 2017
Celebrating Christmas the Second Week Monday 2 January 2017
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
This is how you can know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God,
and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus. 1 John 3
“The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.” Mt. 4
Jesus hears that John has been jailed.
He realises His time has come.
He begins by quoting Isaiah, chapter 8.
He is the light who has come into our lives,
which are so often overshadowed by death, in so many ways.
In this week before Epiphany, let us keep letting the Light
shine into the places of darkness within us and around us.
And where we have seen and felt His enlightening, freeing presence,
let us continue to rejoice with Christmas joy.
Closing Prayer:
Radiance.
Your radiant light blazes in my world today.
I know I will have difficult times
and the darkness will gather around me again.
But today the shining light of Your love
comes into my life and frees me.
There are other days that are shadowy,
when I don’t always know where I am going, Lord.
When the gloom gathers in my life, lead me through it.
I will reach out my hand in the darkness,
put aside my fears
and walk next to You, comforted by Your presence
and the warmth of Your unending love.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Thought for the Day – 2 January
Learning of these two great Doctors of the Church, St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nazianzen and their lifelong friendship, their collaboration, most especially against the battle against Arianism, cannot help but call to our minds a similar and immensely brilliant collaboration and personal friendship, which yielded endless fruit for the life of the Church.
Do you know of whom I speak? Of course – St Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict XVI – one already in the Halls of Heaven. Both these great modern fathers are “Doctors” of the Church – whether yet recognised officially or not and the one blessedly still with us is a saint amongst the faithful.
Sts Basil and Gregory Pray for us!
Quote/s of the Day – 2 January
Quote/s of the Day – 2 January
“The hairsplitting difference between
formed and unformed makes no difference to us.
Whoever deliberately commits abortion
is subject to the penalty for homicide.”
“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.”
St Basil (329-379) 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.”
St Gregory of Nazianzen (330-390) Doctor of the Church
Our Morning Offering/s – 2 January
Our Morning Offering – 2 January
Prayer of Saint Basil the Great
O God and Lord of the Powers and Maker of all creation,
Who, because of Your clemency and incomparable mercy,
sent Yoour Only-Begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ
for the salvation of mankind and with His venerable Cross
He tore asunder the record of our sins and thereby
conquers the rulers and powers of darkness;
receive from us sinful people, O merciful Master,
these prayers of gratitude and supplication
and deliver us from every destructive and gloomy transgression
and from all visible and invisible enemies who seek to injure us.
Nail down our flesh with fear of Youself and let not our hearts be
inclined to words or thoughts of evil but pierce our souls
with Your love,
that ever contemplating You,
being enlightened by You
and discerning You,
the unapproachable and everlasting Light,
we may unceasingly render confession and gratitude to You:
The eternal Father, with Your Only-Begotten Son
and with Your All-Holy, Gracious and Life-Giving Spirit,
now and ever and unto ages of ages, amen.
PRAYER OF ST. GREGORY OF NAZIANZEN
To The All-Transcendent God
O All-Transcendent God
(and what other name could describe You?),
what words can hymn Your praises?
No word does You justice.
What mind can probe Your secret?
No mind can encompass You.
You are alone are beyond the power of speech,
yet all that we speak stems from You.
You are alone are beyond the power of thought,
yet all that we can conceive springs from You.
All things proclaim You,
those endowed with reason and those bereft of it.
All the expectation and pain of the world
coalesces in You.
All things utter a prayer to You,
a silent hymn composed by You.
You sustain everything that exists,
and all things move together to Your orders.
You are the goal of all that exists.
You are one and You are all,
yet You are none of the things that exist,
neither a part nor the whole.
You can avail Yourself of any name;
how shall I call You,
the only unnameable?
All-transcendent God!
Saints for 2 January
St Basil the Great (Memorial)
St Gregory of Nazianzen (Memorial) – VIDEO ewtn – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYRt9DkyKqY
—
St Adelard of Corbie
Bl Airaldus of Maurienne
St Asclepius of Limoges
St Aspasius of Auch
St Blidulf of Bobbio
St Gaspare Bufalo
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
Martyrs of Antioch – 5 saints
Martyrs of Britain
Martyrs of Ethiopia – 3 saints
Martyrs of Jerusalem – 2 saints
Martyrs of Lichfield
Martyrs of Piacenza
Martyrs of Puy – 4 saints
Martyrs of Syrmium – 7 saints
Martyrs of Tomi – 3 saints
Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus Christ – 1 January
At an early stage the Church in Rome celebrated on 1 January a feast that it called the anniversary (Natale) of the Mother of God. When this was overshadowed by the feasts of the Annunciation and the Assumption, adopted from Constantinople at the start of the 7th century, 1 January began to be celebrated simply as the octave day of Christmas, the “eighth day” on which, according to Luke 2:21, the child was circumcised and given the name Jesus. In the 13th or 14th century 1 January began to be celebrated in Rome, as already in Spain and Gaul, as the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the Octave of the Nativity, while still oriented towards Mary and Christmas. The emphasis that Saint Bernardine of Siena (1380–1444) laid on the name of Jesus in his preaching led in 1721 to the institution of a separate Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. Pope John XXIII’s 1960 rubrical and calendrical revision called 1 January simply the Octave of the Nativity. (This 1960 calendar was incorporated into the 1962 Roman Missal, whose continued use is authorized by the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum.) The 1969 revision states: “1 January, the Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord, is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God and also the commemoration of the conferral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.”
Circumcision_BAROCCI, Federico Fiori
ACT OF REPARATION FOR BLASPHEMIES UTTERED AGAINST THE HOLY NAME
Act of Reparation for Blasphemies Uttered Against the Holy Name
O Jesus, my Saviour and Redeemer, Son of the living God, behold,
we kneel before You and offer You our reparation;
we would make amends for all the blasphemies uttered against Your holy name,
for all the injuries done to You in the Blessed Sacrament,
for all the irreverence shown toward Your immaculate Virgin Mother,
for all the calumnies and slanders spoken against Your spouse,
the holy Catholic and Roman Church.
O Jesus, who has said: “If you ask the Father anything in My name,
He will give it to you,” we pray and beseech You for all our brethren
who are in danger of sin; shield them from every temptation to fall away
from the true faith; save those who are even now standing on the brink of the abyss;
to all of them give light and knowledge of the truth, courage and strength
for the conflict with evil, perseverance in faith and active charity!
For this do we pray, most merciful Jesus, in Your name, unto God the Father,
with whom You live and reign in the unity of the Holy Spirit world without end. Amen
Monthly Catholic Devotions: What has happened to the tradition of honouring the Holy Name of Jesus?
What has happened to the tradition of honouring the Holy Name of Jesus?
Question Time with Fr John Flader
When I was growing up I was taught to bow my head whenever I said or heard the name “Jesus”. I have noticed that some priests still bow their heads in Mass but no one else seems to do it anymore except for some brought up within Convent Schools and homes of “the latin countries” and these will persist regardless. How has this come about?”
I TOO belong to the generation that learned to bow our heads at the name of Jesus, but, as you say, the custom seems to be falling into disuse.
So important is respect for the divine name that God chose to give us a separate commandment regarding it: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Deuteronomy 5:11).
Elsewhere in the Old Testament there are numerous passages that speak of the holiness of God’s name, among them: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth”. (Psalm 8:1; cf. Zechariah 2:13; Psalm 29:2; 96:2; 113:1-2).
In the New Testament St James denounces those “who blaspheme that honourable name by which you are called” (James 2:7).
And St Paul, referring to Jesus emptying himself to take the form of a servant and then becoming obedient unto death, writes: “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
By way of concretising respect for the name of Jesus in a formal way the Second Council of Lyons in 1274 decreed that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow; whenever that glorious name is recalled, especially during the sacred mysteries of the Mass, everyone should bow the knees of his heart, which he can do even by a bow of his head”.
As regards what is to be done in Mass today, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal says: “A bow of the head is made when the three Divine Persons are named together and at the names of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the saint in whose honour Mass is being celebrated” (GIRM 275).
The importance of honouring the holy name of Jesus is seen too in the feast of that name, which has been celebrated, at least at the local level, since the end of the 15th century. The feast was inserted into the universal calendar by Pope Innocent XIII in 1721 and is now celebrated on 3 January.
Given the widespread misuse of the names of God and Jesus today in ordinary life, as well as on television, in films and in other forms of entertainment, it is especially important to do all we can to restore respect for the name of God.
Bowing our head when we pronounce or hear the name of Jesus is a good way to do this.
Also important is to make an internal act of reparation whenever we hear the name of God or Jesus blasphemed.
It should hurt us that the object of our love is mistreated in this way.
It may very well be that the custom of bowing the head at the name of Jesus will pass out of general use, as have other laudable customs in recent times but that does not prevent us personally from continuing to live it and passing on to our children this ancient custom.
LET US EACH ONE BRING IT BACK for the very Angels in Heaven bow at the name of Jesus. And even the demons in Hell.
Monthly Catholic Devotions: JANUARY is the Month of THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
JANUARY is the Month of THE MOST HOLY NAME OF JESUS
DAILY PRAYER TO THE MOST HOLY NAME
by St. Bernardine of Siena
Jesus, Name full of glory, grace, love and strength!
You are the refuge of those who repent,
our banner of warfare in this life,
the medicine of souls,
the comfort of those who morn,
the delight of those who believe,
the light of those who preach the true faith,
the wages of those who toil,
the healing of the sick.
To You our devotion aspires;
by You our prayers are received;
we delight in contemplating You.
O Name of Jesus, You are the glory
of all the saints for eternity. Amen.
1 January 2017 – The Holy Father’s Monthly Intentions
1 January – The Holy Father’s Monthly Intentions
Starting in 2017 the Pope will present only one prepared prayer intention per month, rather than the two presented before this year. He plans, however, to add a second prayer intention each month related to current events or urgent needs, like disaster relief. The urgent prayer request will help mobilize prayer and action related to the urgent situation. The Apostleship of Prayer will publish these urgent prayer intentions on this website as soon as we receive them from the Vatican.
What is the process in the preparation of the prepared prayer intentions? The faithful from around the world suggest papal prayer intentions to the international office of the Apostleship of Prayer in Rome. Through prayerful discernment the Apostleship selects a large number of them and submits them to the Vatican for further selection, with the Pope making the final selection. The Vatican then entrusts to the Apostleship of Prayer the official set of monthly prayer intentions, which the Apostleship then translates into the major world languages and publishes in print and digital formats.
JANUARY: – Christian Unity
That all Christians may be faithful to the Lord’s teaching by striving with prayer and fraternal charity to restore ecclesial communion and by collaborating to meet the challenges facing humanity.
Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON OCTAVE DAY – 1 JANUARY SOLEMNITY of MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON
OCTAVE DAY – 1 JANUARY
SOLEMNITY of MARY, MOTHER OF GOD
Sunday, 1st January is the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. It is also the World Day of Prayer for Peace.
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. Isaiah 60
May the kings of Tarshish and the islands bring tribute, the kings of Arabia and Seba offer gifts.
May all kings bow before him, all nations serve him.
For he rescues the poor when they cry out, the oppressed who have no one to help.
He shows pity to the needy and the poor and saves the lives of the poor. Psalm 72
The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body and co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Ephesians 3
This great feast – celebrated in the East as the Baptism of the Lord – is a feast of “revelation.”
Jesus is the beloved Son of God,
a light for the whole world,
the very one who comes to us in time, this year,
to be our saviour:
to rescue the poor, to hear our cry,
to save us in our need, in our poverty.
May we bring Him the gifts of our faith and trust and hope.
May we recognize Him as our Saviour
who gave His own life to set us free from the power of sin and death.
Come, let us adore Him.
Closing Prayer:
Light of the world,
You have come into my life; You are here for me in my poverty.
I am dazzled by the gifts You bring to me on this day:
“Your light is strong, your love is near.”
Truly You have drawn me far beyond the limits of the world,
and into the limit-less boundaries of Your dizzying love.
My gifts are small, and often filled with fear.
They are my trust and my hope.
Please accept them and heal me
and let me be free enough to rejoice
that You are the Beloved Son
and that You have come for me
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Saints for 1 January
Mary, Mother of God (Solemnity)
Circumcision of the Lord (Feast)
Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord
World Day of Peace
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
Martyrs of Africa – 8 saints
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War
Bl Andrés Gómez Sáez
Thought for the Day – 31 December
Thought for the Day – 31 December
St Pope Sylvester I faced a whole new world with the victory of Constantine and saw a greater expansion of Christianity than there had been for the previous three centuries. He was faced with something entirely new and had to adapt the Church to a totally new age. As we face the New Year, we should pray to St Sylvester to help us make a new beginning too. As our lives and the world around us are never static, so too is the place of the Church and our own sanctification within the Mystical Body of Christ never still either – we rush forward to our home.
Let us go forward under the Banner of Christ’s Church!
St Pope Sylvester I Pray for us and for universal Church!
Our Morning Offering – 31 December
Our Morning Offering – 31 December
O my God, infinitely deserving of love,
I love You above all things.
Inspired by this love,
I offer to You all the actions of this day.
Accept every beat of my heart
as a fervent prayer,
as an act of perfect love:
for Your sole honour,
for the conversion of sinners,
for the perseverance of the just,
for the deliverance of the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
for the sanctification of our Priests
and for all who have asked for our prayers
and for whom we have a special obligation to pray;
also for the propagation of all holy works
and for deliverance from all evil.
I offer all my sufferings of this day
for the Holy Souls in Purgatory,
especially those for whom I should pray
and for those souls who are forgotten.
Through the Immaculate Heart of Your
Holy Mother Mary, I I offer You my all, amen.
Celebrating the Christmas Season – 31 December: The MEMORIAL of ST POPE SYLVESTER I – DAY SEVEN OF THE OCTAVE
Celebrating the Christmas Season – 31 December: The MEMORIAL of ST POPE SYLVESTER I – DAY SEVEN OF THE OCTAVE
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
Daily Meditation:
I write to you not because you do not know the truth
but because you do and because every lie is alien to the truth.1 John 2: 21
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”John 1:15
Jesus baptises us the the Holy Spirit. All that has prepared us for His coming
gives witness to His presence with us now.
May we remain in the One who has come to be with us.
May we place our trust in the One who promises us life.
Closing Prayer:
I beg You, Lord, give me the sight I need
so that I can see You in those around me
and welcome You into my heart
with the joy of celebration.
If only my eyes could be opened!
Give me the wisdom and internal vision to see
and I will recognize You as my saviour
not only in my heart today
but in my life every day.
I ask that You help me to open my heart more fully
to Your own dizzying love for me.
Help me to be grateful for Your incredible gifts to me.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Saint of the Day – 31 December
Saint of the Day – 31 December (died 335) Priest and Pope
St. Sylvester I was born in Rome and ordained by Pope St. Marcellinus. He was consecrated as the 33rd pope with a pontificate from 314 until his death in 335. Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V2MIz9lqn8
The Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313, recognizing 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. 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.
It is said that the Lateran Palace was given to Pope Sylvester I by Constantine. The pope oversaw the building of the original St. Peter’s.
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. He humbly accepted the limitations of age and illness, and he persevered in his pastoral care of the Church.
Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON – 30 December: MEMORIAL of THE HOLY FAMILY
Celebrating the CHRISTMAS SEASON – 30 December: MEMORIAL of THE HOLY FAMILY
DAY SIX OF THE CHRISTMAS OCTAVE
“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”
DAILY MEDITATION
And now, children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence
and not be put to shame by him at his coming. 1 John 2
John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.”John 1
Jesus baptises us in the Holy Spirit.
His baptism prepares us for His coming among us
and it gives witness to His presence with us now.
May we remain in the One who has come to be with us.
May we place our trust in the One who promises us life.
CLOSING PRAYER
I beg You, Lord, give me the sight I need
so that I can see You in those around me
and welcome You into my heart
with the joy of celebration.
If only my eyes could be opened!
Give me the wisdom and internal vision to see
and I will recognize You as my saviour
not only in my heart today
but in my life every day.
I ask that You help me to open my heart more fully
to your own dizzying love for me.
Help me to be grateful for Your incredible gifts to me, help me to appreciate my family; to live in peace with them and to treat them as You would’ve treated Your holy family: with love, respect and kindness.
May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen.
Thought for the Day – 30 December
Thought for the Day – 30 December
“The Christian family is the first cell of the whole Church. It is the place where we begin the journey toward holiness and become more fully human. The Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, became one of us. He was born into a human family. That was neither accidental nor incidental. There, in what the late Pope Paul VI called the “School of Nazareth”, we can learn the way of love.
…….From antiquity the Christian family has rightly been called a “domestic church.” In our life within the Christian family Jesus Christ is truly present. However, we need the eyes to see Him at work, the ears to hear His instruction and the hearts to make a place for Him to dwell. In our family we can learn the way of selfless love by enrolling in the School of Nazareth.” …………..Deacon Keith Fournier
Holy Family Pray for all the Catholic Families of the World!
The Holy Family – Rafael
Quote of the Day – 30 December
The importance of “please”, “thank you”, and “sorry” in families
“And I want to repeat these three words: may I, please, thank you, sorry. Three essential words! We say please so as not to be forceful in family life: “May I please do this? Would you be happy if I did this?”. We do this with a language that seeks agreement. We say thank you, thank you for love! But be honest with me, how many times do you say thank you to your wife and you to your husband? How many days go by without uttering this word, thanks! And the last word: sorry. We all make mistakes and on occasion someone gets offended in the marriage, in the family and sometimes – I say – plates are smashed, harsh words are spoken but please listen to my advice:
“don’t ever let the sun set without reconciling.”
Peace is made each day in the family: “Please forgive me”, and then you start over. Please, thank you, sorry! Shall we say them together? [They reply “yes”] Please, thank you and sorry. Let us say these words in our families! To forgive one another each day!”
Pope Francis (2013)
One Minute Reflection – 30 December
One Minute Reflection – 30 December
God sets a father in honour over his children; a mother’s authority He confirms over her sons…………… Sir 3:2
REFLECTION – Today, in the joyful atmosphere of Christmas, the Church, reliving with fresh wonder the mystery of Emmanuel, God-with-us, leads us to contemplate the Holy Family of Nazareth. From contemplation of this admirable model, the Church draws the values to hold up to the women and men of all times and all cultures………St John Paul
PRAYER – Holy Family of Nazareth, we pray for your help, that we may be granted the strength and courage to stand against all those who seek to destroy the life of traditional families. St Joseph, we pray too for your special intercession, as the Protector of the Holy Catholic Church. Amen (St John Paul)
Our Morning Offering – 30 December
Our Morning Offering – 30 December
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, guardianand 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 mightierthan 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
Saint of the Day – 30 December
Saint of the Day – 30 December – The Holy Family
The Feast of the Holy Family is a liturgical celebration in the Catholic Church in honour of Jesus of Nazareth, his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary and his foster father, Saint Joseph, as a family. The primary purpose of this feast is to present the Holy Family as a model for Christian families. Since the 1969 revision of the General Roman Calendar, the feast is celebrated on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas, the Sunday between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day (both exclusive), or if both Christmas Day and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God are Sundays, on 30 December (always a Friday in such years). It is a holy day of obligation only if it falls on a Sunday.
The members of the Holy Family are the patrons of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The Holy Cross Sisters are dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Holy Cross Brothers to St. Joseph and the Priests of Holy Cross to the Sacred Heart. The Sons of the Holy Family is another religious congregation devoted to the Holy Family
A pious practice among Catholics is to write “J.M.J.” at the top of letters and personal notes as a reference to Jesus, Mary and Joseph as the Holy Family.
The feast was instituted by Pope Leo XIII in 1893
There are few private devotions associated with this day, though the blessing of children by their parents, the renewal of marriage vows (even if just privately) and consecration of the family to the Holy Family are a few.
Consecration to the Holy Family
O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Your teaching and example, willed to pass the greater part of Your life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to You this day. Please protect us, guard us and establish among us Your holy fear, true peace and concord in Christian love: in order that by living according to the divine pattern of Your holy family we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.
Mary, dear Mother of Jesus, Mother of God and Mother of us all, by the kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of your Son and obtain for us His graces and blessings.
O Saint Joseph, most holy Guardian of Jesus and Mary, help us by your prayers in all our spiritual and temporal needs; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Saviour Jesus the Christ, together with Mary and yourself, for all eternity. Amen.
Say an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be three times.
AnaStpaul 
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