Posted in SAINT of the DAY

St Clement I – Papacy (c88–c 101) Pope Martyr, St Felicity, Widow, Martyr, St Columban and all the Saints for 23 November

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St Clement I – Papacy (c88–c101) Pope Martyr, Miracle-worker. St Clement is considered to be the first Apostolic Father of the Church, one of the three chief ones together with St Polycarp and St Ignatius of Antioch. Papal Ascensi,on c 88. Born in Rome, Italy and died by drowning at Chersonesus, Taurica, Bosporan Kingdom (modern Greece).
His Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-st-clement-i-c-88-c-101-pope-martyr/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-st-pope-clement-i-died-c-101-martyr/

St Felicity (Died c165) Martyr
Her Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/07/10/saints-of-the-day-st-felicitas-c-101-c-165-and-her-seven-holy-sons-died-c-165-martyrs/

St Columban (543-615) Monk, Irish Missionary, Abbot, Writer, Reformer, Teacher, Miracle-worker, Founder of numerous Monateries in present-day France and Italy. Also known as Columbanus.
The Great Columban:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-st-columban-543-615/

St Adalbert of Casauria

St Amphilochius of Iconium (c339-400) Bishop, Lawyer and Rhetorician, Poet, Writer and Theologian, Defender of Orthodoxy against heretics, Miracle-worker. , First Cousin of St Gregory of Nazianzen and his great friend and so too, a close friend and confidante of St Basil the Great.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Iconium, in Lycaonia, the holy Bishop, Amphilochius, who was the companion of St Basil the Great and of St Gregory Nazianzen in the desert and their colleague in the Episcopate. After many combats for the Catholic Faith, he rested in peace, with the reputation of a holy and learned Prelate.”
The Holy and Learned Amphilovhiud:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/23/saint-of-the-day-23-november-saint-amphilochius-of-iconium-c339-400-bishop/

St Augusta of Alexandria
St Clement of Metz (3rd-4th Centuries) Bishop
Bl Detlev of Ratzeburg
St Falitrus of Chabris
St Faustina of Alexandria
St Gregory of Girgenti
Bl Guy of Casauria
St Loëvan of Brittany
St Lucretia of Mérida
Bl Margaret of Savoy
St Mustiola of Chiusi
St Paternian of Fano
St Paulinus of Whitland
St Rachildis of Saint-Gall
St Severin of Paris
St Sisinius of Cyzicus
St Trudo of Hesbaye
St Wilfetrudis of Nivelless

Posted in GOD ALONE!, HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, The WILL of GOD

Thought for the Day – 22 November –Self-oblation and Love of God

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Thought for the Day – 22 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

The Practice of Praying Constantly
Self-oblation and Love of God
Excerpt from Chapter Five:5

“Following the example of St Teresa, often offer yourself to God during the day and say:
‘Behold me, O Lord, ready to do what Thou wilt.
Make known Thy holy Will to me; I am eager to do all which Thou askest of me.‘

As the hours go by, make repeated Acts of Divine Love, for, to quote St Teresa again, these Acts of Love are the fuel by which divine love is kept burning within the heart.

One day, when the Venerable Sister Seraphine of Capri happened to see the Convent mule, the thought occurred to her that the poor animal could not love God. She expressed her compassion in these words:
‘Poor brute you can neither know, nor love God.‘
Then a wonderful thing happened – tears welled into the animal’s eyes and forthwith began to flow abundantly.
Do you imitate the saintly sister’s example. When you see, creatures incapable of knowing or loving God, use the intelligence, He has given you, to repeat many Acts of Love.”

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on FAITH, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The REDEMPTION, The RESURRECTION, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 22 November – Let us go out to meet Him …

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Quote/s of the Day – 22 November – St Cecilia (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17; Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Our Lord Jesus Christ
Has appeared to us from the bosom of the Father.
He has come and drawn us out of the shadows
And enlightened us with His joyful Light.

Day has dawned for humankind,
Cast out the power of darkness.
For us, a Light from His Light has arisen
That has enlightened our darkened eyes.

Over the world He has made His glory arise
And has lit up the deepest depths.
Death is no more, darkness has ended,
The gates of hell are shattered.

He has illumined every creature,
All the shades from times long past.
He has brought about salvation and given us Life;
Next He will come in glory.

Our King is coming in His great glory:
Let us light our lamps
and go out to meet Him (Mt 25,6);
Let us be glad in Him, as He has been glad in us
And gives us gladness, with His glorious Light.

My friends, arise! make yourselves ready
To give thanks to our Saviour King,
Who will come in His glory and make us joyful
With His joyous Light in the Kingdom.”

St Ephrem (306-373)
Father of the Church

(Hymn I on the Resurrection)

“And He said to them:
Why are you troubled and why
do thoughts arise in your hearts?”
Luke 24:38

“Christ is truly the Word,
the Only-begotten Son equal to the Father,
united to a truly human soul
and a real body, clean of all sin.
This is the Body which died,
the Body which rose again,
this Body was fastened to the Cross,
this Body laid in the tomb,
this Body is seated in the Heavens.
Our Lord wished to persuade His disciples
that what they were seeing was truly bone and flesh…
Why did He want to convince me of this truth?
Because He knew, just how much it was to my own good,
to have faith in it and how much
I had to lose, if I did not.
You too, then, have faith – it is He, the Bridegroom!”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“Behold, the Bridegroom is coming,
go forth to meet Him!”
Matthew 25:6

“He worked and struggled as our Champion
against our enemies,
broke open the bars of our prison,
won the struggle,
vanquished our death through His Own,
redeemed us through His Blood,
freed us through His water in Baptism
and made us rich,
through His Sacraments and His gifts,
so that, as He says in the Gospel (Mt 25:6),
we might “go out” with all virtues to,
“meet Him” in the palace of His glory
and enjoy Him forever in eternity.”

Blessed Jan van Ruysbroeck (1293-1381)

Posted in CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the BRIDEGROOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on GOOD WORKS, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on WATCHING, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 22 November – ‘ … And before you call Me, I shall say to you, “Lo, here I Am” (Is 58:9). ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Cecilia (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr – Ecclesiasticus 51:13-17; Matthew 25:1-13 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… At midnight, there was a cry made: Behold the Bridegroom cometh. Go ye forth to meet Him.” – Matthew 25:6

REFLECTION – “Up with us then, at last, for Scripture arouses us saying: “Now is the hour for us to rise from sleep” (Rm 13:11). Let us open our eyes to the Divine Light and let us hear, with attentive ears, the warning which the Divine Voice cries daily to us – “Today, if you will hear His Voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 94:8). And again: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches” (Apoc 2:7). And what does He say? “Come, children, hear Me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Ps 33:12). “Run while you have the light of life , lest the darkness of death overtake you” (Jn 12:35).

And the Lord, seeking His worker among the multitudes to whom He thus cries, says again: “Which of you desires life and would like to see prosperous days? (Ps 33:13) And if, hearing Him you answer, “I am he,” God says to you: if you would have true and everlasting life, “keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek after peace and pursue it” (Ps 33:14-15). And when you have done these things, My Eyes will be upon you and My Ears open unto your prayers. And before you call Me, I shall say to you, “Lo, here I Am” (Is 58:9).

What can be sweeter to us, dearest brethren, than this Voice of our Lord inviting us? Behold in His loving Mercy, the Lord show us the way of life. Let us, therefore, gird our loins with faith and the performance of good deeds and following the guidance of the Gospel, walk in His paths, so that we may merit to see Him Who has called us into His Kingdom (1Thes 2:12). For if we wish to live in the dwellings of His Kingdom, unless we run there with good deeds, we shall not arrive. ” – St Benedict (480-547) Abbot, Founder, Father of Western Monaticism (From the Prologue to the Rule 8-22).

PRAYER – O God, Who gladden us by the annual feast of blessed Cecilia, Thy Virgin and Martyr, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may by virtuous conduct follow her, whom we venerate in this sacred rite. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MATER DOLOROSA - Mother of SORROWS, Our MORNING Offering, PAPAL PRAYERS, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Our Morning Offering – 22 November – By the Merit of the Precious Blood of Jesus (Indulgenced)

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Our Morning Offering – 22 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” and a Friday of the Passion

By the Merit of the
Precious Blood of Jesus
By Servant of God Pope Pius VII (1742-1823)
Papacy from 1800 to 1823
Indulgenced Act of Oblation to Our Father

Eternal Father!
I offer Thee the merit
of the Precious Blood of Jesus,
Thy well-beloved Son,
my Saviour and my God,
for all my wants,
spiritual and temporal,
in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory
and chiefly for those
who most loved this Precious Blood,
the price of our redemption
and who were most devout
to the sorrows and pains
of most Holy Mary,
our dear Mother.

Glory be to the Blood of Jesus,
now and forever
and throughout all ages.
Amen

Indulgence of 300 days, each time this prayed is offered
22 September 1817 with a Plenary Indulgence, once a month,
under the usual conditions.

Note of Interest: On 15 August 1811 – the Feast of the Assumption – it is recorded that the Pope celebrated Mass and was said to have entered a trance and began to levitate in a manner that drew him to the Altar. This particular episode aroused great wonder and awe among attendants, which included the French soldiers guarding him, who were awestruck at what had occurred and left records of it.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 22 November – Saint Christian of Auxerre (Died 871) Bishop

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Saint of the Day – 22 November – Saint Christian of Auxerre (Died 871) Bishop of Auxerre, France for 12 years from 859 until his death on 22 November 871 of natural causes. The image below is of an unknown ancient Bishop by Fra Angelico.

Saint Christian was a Bishop of Auxerre who lived in the 9th Century. In some Ecclesiastical records, he appears in 36th place, in others, in the 37th. In the list of the “Liber Episcopalis” in which brief biographical notes and chronological data were noted, he appears after Saint Abbone and before Wala (or Guala).

He also appears in the 1st catalogue of Bishops compiled in the year 875, by the Canons Rainogala and Agaldo, considered quite trustworthy by later historians, even if doubts had been raised about the chronology before the 7th Century.

Historically, Saint Christian is mentioned for the first time among the signatories of the Treaty of Clobenza, on 7 June 860.

Furthermore, his name appears in many documents, including the last at the Council of Douzy in September 871, where he was represented by his Archdeacon.

He died on 22 November 871, after having led the Diocese for twelve years. In Auxerre, the celebration and remembrance of Saint Christian has been set today, the birthday of St Christian into Heaven.

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

St Cecilia – (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr and the rest of the Saints remembered on 22 November

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St Cecilia – (Died 3rd Century) Virgin Martyr
St Cecilia’s Life and Death:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/22/saint-of-the-day-22-november-st-cecilia-died-3rd-century-virgin-martyr/

St Agabbas of Syria
St Amphilochius of Iconium
St Ananias of Arbela

St Appia + (1st Century) Lay Martyr, Disciple of St Paul (see below)
St Archippus + (1st Century) Lay Martyr, Disciple of St Paul (see below)

St Eugenia of Matera
St Christian of Auxerre (Died 871) Bishop
St Dayniolen the Younger
St Mark of Antioch
St Maurus of North Africa

St Philemon + (1st Century) Lay Martyr, Disciple of St Paul,
St Appia + (1st Century) Lay Martyr, Disciple of St Paul, his wife, Saint Appia and their son, Archippus. Many scholars believe that Pilemon was a Bishop or the Archbishop of Colossae.
The Roman Martyrology reads: “At Colossae, in Phrygia, during the reign of Nero, Saints Philemon and Apphias, disciples of St Paul. When the Christians ran to the Church for protection on a pagan feast, they were arrested and, by the command of the Governor, Artocles, were scourged, let down into a pit up to their waists and overwhelmed with stones.”
St Archippus + (1st Century) Lay Martyr, Disciple of St Paul
Their Lives and Deaths:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/22/saint-of-the-day-22-november-saints-philemon-appia-and-archippus-martyrs/

St Pragmatius of Autun (Died c 520) Bishop of Autun, France, Peacemaker.
Biography:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/22/saint-of-the-day-22-november-saint-pragmatius-of-autun-died-c-520-bishop/

St Sabinian the Abbot
St Stephen of Antioch

Posted in HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD

Thought for the Day – 21 November – Recollection

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Thought for the Day – 21 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

The Practice of Praying Constantly
Recollection
Excerpt from Chapter Five:4

“In order to keep yourself recollected and united to God, as far as the imperfections of human nature permit. endeavour, by means of that which you see and hear, to raise your mind to God and to recall the things of eternity,

For instance, when you see running water, reflect that your life is rushing on in like manner and taking you nearer to death. … When you see graves or the bodies of the dead, think of what will happen to yourself one day. When you see worldly people rejoicing in their wealth or distinction, have pity on their folly and say to yourself – For me, God is sufficient. Some trust in chariots, some in horses but we in the Name of the Lord (Ps 19:8). Let them glory, if they wish, in vanity. Be it mine to glory only in the grace of God and in His holy Love.

… When you look out over the ocean and see it now calm and tranquil and now lashed to fury by the winds, consider the difference there is between a soul in sin and a soul in the state of grace. When you see a tree which is withered, reflect on the fact that a soul without God is fit for nothing but to be cast into the fire. If you ever happen to see one who has been guilty of some great crime, trembling with shame and fear in the presence of his judge, or his father, or of his Bishop, consider what the terror of the sinner will be in the presence of Jesus Christ, his Judge. When thunder crashes through the . heavens and you grow alarmed, reflect how those miserable souls who are damned, tremble as they hear continually in hell, the thunders of the Divine wrath.”

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on HUMILITY, Quotes on SALVATION, The NATIVITY of the BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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Quote/s of the Day – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“In her, God spun a garment
with which to save us.”

St Ephrem (306-373)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“This fair olive-tree,
led to the temple
and, thenceforward planted
in the House of God
and cultivated by the Spirit,
she, as a fruitful olive-tree,
became the abode of all virtues.”

St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Give thanks to Almighty God
Who resists the proud
and gives grace to the humble
and offer Him all the glory
that this Maiden accorded to His Majesty
by her practice of the richest humility
during her childhood
and throughout the rest of her life.”

St John Eudes CO (1601-1680)

Posted in CHRIST the KING, CHRIST the LIGHT, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, GOD ALONE!, Hail MARY!, MARIAN TITLES, MOTHER of GOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, Quotes on SALVATION, The ANNUNCIATION, The INCARNATION, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 21 November – ‘This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life … ‘

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One Minute Reflection – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Sir ach24:14-1, Luke 11:27-28 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Blessed is the womb that bore you” – Luke 11:27

REFLECTION – “This woman will be the Mother of God, the door to Light, source of Life; she will reduce to oblivion the judgement that weighed on Eve. “The rich among the people seek the face” of this woman, “the kings of the nations shall pay her homage” they shall “ offer gifts”…, yet the glory of the Mother of God is an interior glory: the fruit of her womb.

O woman, so worthy of love, thrice happy, “blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Daughter of David the king and Mother of God, King of the universe, masterpiece in whom the Creator rejoices… you are to be nature’s full achievement. For you, life is not yours; you were not born for yourself alone but your life is to be God’s. You came into the world for Him, you will serve for the salvation of all people, fulfilling God’s design established from the beginning: the Incarnation of the Word and our own divinisation. Your whole desire is to feed on the words of God, to be strengthened by their sap, like “a green olive tree in the house of God,” “like a tree planted by running water,” you are the “tree of life” who “yielded its fruit in due season”…

He Who is Infinite, Limitless, came to dwell in your womb; God, the Child Jesus, was nourished by your milk. You are the ever virginal Doorway of God; your hands hold your God; your lap is a throne raised up above the Cherubim… You are the wedding chamber of the Spirit, the “city of the living God, gladdened by the runlets of the stream”, that is to say, the waves of the Spirit’s gifts. You are “all fair, the Beloved” of God.” – St John Damascene (675-749) Monk, Theologian, Father and Doctor of the Church (Homily on the Nativity of the Virgin # 9).

PRAYER – O God, by Whose will the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, was on this day presented in the temple, grant, we beseech Thee, that by her intercession, we may be found worthy to be brought into the temple of Thy glory. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN HYMNS, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN TITLES

Our Morning Offering – 21 November – Mary the Dawn, Christ the Perfect Day

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Our Morning Offering – 21 November – The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple

Mary the Dawn,
Christ the Perfect Day
By Fr Justin Mulcahy CP (1894-1981)
First Published in 1953

Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the stem, Christ the Rose Blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the Temple’s Lord;
Mary the shrine, Christ the God adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the Mother’s Son
By all things blest while endless ages run.
Amen

Posted in SAINT of the DAY, St PAUL!, The WORD

Saint of the Day – 21 November – Saint Rufus (1st Century) Disciple of the Apostles

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Saint of the Day – 21 November – Saint Rufus (1st Century) Disciple of the Apostles, most particularly a disciple of St Paul, possibly later a Bishop. It is believed that Rufus was born in Rome and to have died there late in the 1st Century probably after St Peter and Paul.

St Paul preaching

Rufus was the disciple to whom Saint Paul sent a greeting and also to the Rufus’ mother (Romans 16:13). St Mark says in his Gospel (15:21) that Simon of Cyrene was the father of Rufus and as Mark wrote his Gospel most especially for the Roman Christians, this Rufus is probably the same as the one to whom Paul sent a salutation.

Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross

Tradition believes too that our St Rufus later served the Church as a Bishop.

St Paul says: “Salute Rufus, elect in the Lord and his mother and mine.” (Romans 16:13).

St Mark says: “And they forced one Simon a Cyrene, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up His Cross.” (Mark 15:21).

Posted in FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple, La Pequeñita / Our Lady of Quinche, Ecuador (1586) and Memorials of the Saints – 21 November

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The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Temple
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/21/the-presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/21/memorial-of-the-presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary-21-november/

La Pequeñita / Our Lady of Quinche, Ecuador (1586) – 21 November – Patron of Ecuador:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/21/presentation-of-the-blessed-virgin-our-lady-of-quinche-and-memorials-of-the-saints-21-november/

St Celsus the Martyr
St Clement the Martyr
St Demetrius of Ostia – Martyr. No other information has survived.
St Digain

St Pope Gelasius I (Died 496) Papal Ascension 1 March 492 until his death on 21 November 496 in Rome, Italy. Gelasius was learned Scholar and a prolific Author, Defender of orthodoxy and of the See of Peter. Zealous Apostle of the poor and needy and of the Majesty of the Liturgical Worship, including the discipline of Hymn and Prayer within his scholastic orbit of Author. The Feast of St Gelasius is kept on 21 November which is the anniversary of his Interment, although many writers give this as the day of his death which actually occurred on 19 November as stated above.
The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Rorme, the birthday of St Gelasius, Pope, distinguished for learning and sanctity.”
His Zealous Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2023/11/21/saint-of-the-day-21-november-st-gelasius-i-died-496-bishop-of-rome/

St Heliodorus of Pamphylia
St Hilary of Vulturno
St Honorius of Ostia – Martyr. No other information has survived.

St Maurus of Cesena (Died 946) Bishop, Monk, Abbot. nephew of Pope John IX. Patronage – against blindness.
His Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/21/saint-of-the-day-21-november-saint-maurus-of-cesena-died-946-bishop/

St Maurus of Porec
St Maurus of Verona
St Rufus (1st Century) Disciple of the Apostles especially of St Paul

Martyrs of Asta – 3 Saints: Three Christians Martyred together for their faith during the persecutions of Diocletian. The only details about them to survive are their names – Eutychius, Honorius and Stephen. They were Martyred in c300 at Asta, Andalusia, Spain.

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the POOR, REDEMPTORISTS CSSR, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The HOLY SOULS

Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – The Holy Souls in Purgatory

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Quote/s of the Day – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

“May the souls
of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God,
rest in peace,
amen.”

Prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory
By St Ignatius of Antioch (c35-c108)
Apostolic Father of the Church

Receive in tranquility and peace,
O Lord, the souls of Thy servants,
who have departed this present life
to come to Thee.
Grant them rest and place them
in the habitations of Light,
the abodes of blessed spirits.
Give them the life that will not age,
good things that will not pass away,
delights that have no end,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

“ … Yet only grant me repentance here below
That I may make reparation for my sins, …
That these tears may extinguish the blazing furnace
With its burning flames. …

And, instead of acting like the merciless,
Set merciful compassion within me,
That, by showing mercy to the poor,
I may obtain Your mercy.”

St Nerses Chnorhali (1102-1173)
Armenian Bishop

“How pleasing to Him it will be,
if you sometimes forget yourself
and speak to Him of His own glory;
of the miseries of others,
especially those who mourn in sorrow;
of the souls in purgatory,
His spouses, who long to behold Him in Heaven
and, of poor sinners,
who live deprived of His grace.”

St Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

Posted in GOOD RESOLUTIONS, HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, INDULGENCES

Thought for the Day – 20 November – Remembering Indulgences

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Thought for the Day – 20 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

The Practice of Praying Constantly
Remembering Indulgences
Excerpt from Chapter Five:3

“Here, in passing, I would remind the reader of Indulgences which are attached to various Acts of Devotion and also, I would remind him, of the desirability of renewing, each morning, the intention of gaining, during the day, all the Indulgences possible. …

In like manner, form the intention of gaining too, all the Indulgences granted for saying the Rosary on beads properly blessed, the Angelus three times a day, the Litany of our Blessed Lady, the Salve Regina, the Ave Maria and the Gloria Patri; … for reciting the prayer Anima Christi; for bowing the head at the Gloria Patri and at the Most Holy Names of Jesus and Mary; for hearing Mass; for making half an hour’s mental prayer – for this, there is a Partial Indulgence, and also, if the meditation is made daily, a Plenary on the usual conditions of confession, Communion and praying for the intentions of the Church; for genuflecting before the Blessed Sacrament; for kissing the Crucifix …”

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, Lady POVERTY, MIRACLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on POVERTY, The APOSTLES & EVANGELISTS, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 November – ‘ … By the riches of this treasure …’

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One Minute Reflection – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Felix of Valois (1127-1212) Confessor – 1 Corinthians 4:9-14; Luke 12:32-34 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“Sell what you possess and give alms. Make for yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure unfailing in Heaven, where neither thief draws near, nor moth destroys.” – Luke 12:33

REFLECTION – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5:3) … Of this generous poverty, the Apostles first, after the Lord, have given us example. Unhesitatingly leaving all they had, at the Voice of the heavenly Master, they were joyfully converted and abandoned the catching of fish, to become fishers of men (Mt 4:18f.). Among the latter, many became like themselves, by imitating their faith; for with those first children of the Church, “the community of believers was of one heart and mind” (Acts 4:32). Stripped of all their possessions, they were enriched with eternal goods, thanks to holy poverty. Welcoming the Apostles’ preaching, they rejoiced to have nothing in this world and yet, possess all things in Christ. (2 Cor 6:10).

Hence, the blessed Apostle Peter, when he was going up to the temple and was asked for alms by a lame man, said, “I have neither silver nor gold but what I do have I give you; in the Name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk” (Acts 3:6)… Peter healed him with a word and he, who did not have a coin with Cæsar’s image upon it, restored upon the man, the Image of Christ. And by the riches of this treasure, not only was that one person aided, whose power of walking was restored but too, the five thousand men who then believed the Apostle’s preaching because of this miracle (Acts 4:4). And Peter, that poor man, who did not have anything to give him, who asked for alms, bestowed so great a gift of Divine Grace that, not content with setting one man upright on his feet, he healed, those many thousands of believers in their hearts, by giving them faith.” – St Leo the Great (400-461) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermon 95 2-3).

PRAYER – OGod, Who by heavenly inspiration graciously called forth blessed Felix, Thy Confessor, from the desert to the work of ransoming captives; grant, we beseech Thee, that by his intercession and liberated by Thy grace from the captivity of our sins, we may be led into our heavenly fatherland. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in BREVIARY Prayers, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, NOVEMBER - Month of the SOULS in PURGATORY, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for the SOULS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, The HOLY SOULS, The WORD

Our Morning Offering – 20 November – Indulgenced Psalm 129 The De Profundis

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Our Morning Offering – 20 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory”

The De Profundis
Psalm 129

A prayer of a sinner, trusting in the mercies of God.
The Sixth Penitential Psalm.

Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord:
Lord, hear my voice.
Let Thine ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplication.
If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities:
Lord, who shall stand it.
For with Thee there is merciful forgiveness
and because of Thy law,
I have waited for Thee, O Lord.
My soul hath waited on His word:
my soul hath hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch, even until night,
let Israel hope in the Lord.
For with the Lord there is mercy
and with Him plenteous redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

(Eternal rest or “Requiem aeternam”)
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.
And may perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace.
Amen.

(Indulgence of 100 Days)

*Psalm 129 in Douay Rheims

Posted in Against EPIDEMICS, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 20 November – St Edmund (c841-870) King and Martyr.

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Saint of the Day – 20 November – St Edmund (c841-870) King and Martyr. Born in c841 probably in Nuremburg, Germany and died by being beaten, whipped, pierced with arrows “until he bristled with them like a hedgehog” and then beheaded at Hoxne, Suffolk, England on 20 November 870. Patronages – Co-Patron of England, against the Plague/Epidemics, of Kings, of torture victims, wolves, of the County and Diocese of East Anglia. Also known as – Edmund the Martyr, … of East Anglia. Additional Memorials – 29 April (translation of Relics), 2 November and 25 December on some local calendars.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “In England, St Edmund, King and Martyr.”

On Christmas Day in the year 855, a remarkable event unfolded as a 14-year-old boy named Edmund was hailed as the rightful King of Norfolk by the influential figures of the County, including ruling men and Clergy. This acclaim was soon followed by a similar declaration from the leaders of Suffolk the following year.

For the next 15 years, Edmund would rule over the East Angles, a region in England, with a reputation for Christian dignity and justice which was universally acknowledged. He appeared to draw inspiration from the piety of King David of the Old Testament, notably excelling in the public recitation of the Psalms during worship.

However, Edmund’s reign was not without its challenges. Starting in 866, his Kingdom faced escalating threats from Danish invasions. For four years, the East Angles managed to maintain an unstable and often broken peace, with the invaders. Nevertheless, the situation took a dire turn, when the Danes set fire to Thetford, prompting King Edmund’s army to confront them. Unfortunately, they were unable to defeat the marauding Danish forces.

As the invaders reached East Anglia, they presented Edmund with an offer of peace but, it came with a condition which Edmund found impossible to accept. The condition required him to rule as a vassal under Danish authority and, most notably, to forbid the practice of the Christian Faith. Edmund unwaveringly refused this ultimatum, choosing to stand firm in defence of Christ.

In response to his refusal, Edmund was subjected to a gruesome and torturous fate. He was bound to a tree and made the target of Danish archers, who rained down a hail of arrows upon him. Throughout this agonising ordeal, Edmund displayed remarkable bravery, repeatedly invoking the Name of Jesus. Eventually, he was decapitated, sealing his fate as a Martyr for Christ and His Church.

The Martyrdom of St Edmund, from the 12th Century Passio Sancto Eadmundi

Edmund’s final resting place is the City of Bury St Edmunds, where his memory is cherished to this day. The tree at Hoxne which tradition claimed was the site of his Martyrdom, stood as a symbol of his sacrifice until 1849 when it fell. During the tree’s dismantling, an arrowhead was discovered embedded in its trunk, serving as a poignant reminder and Relic of his Martyrdom.

St Edmund holds a unique place in history as the only English sovereign to die for both his religious beliefs and the defence of his throne, until the time of King Charles I. His Martyrdom quickly earned him reverence and his cultus spread widely throughout the Middle Ages. Together with Saint George, Saint Edmund is celebrated as one of the Patron Saints of England.

‘There was a great wonder, that he was as whole as if he were alive, with an intact body and his neck was healed which had previously been cut; it was as if there were a red silken thread about his neck, to show men how he had been killed. And the wounds which the cruel heathen had made in his body, with many shots, were healed by Heaven’s God and he lies thus incorrupt until this present day, awaiting the resurrection and eternal glory.’

This modern Statue of St Edmund in the Cathedral of Bury St Edmund
Posted in SAINT of the DAY

St Felix of Valois and the Saints for 20 November

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St Felix of Valois (1127-1212) Confessor, Priest, Hermit and Co-Founder of the Trinitarians.
Wonderful St Felix:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/04/saint-of-the-day-4-november-st-felix-of-valois-1127-1212/

St Agapius of Caesarea
Bl Ambrose of Camaldoli
St Ampelus of Messina
St Anatolius of Nicea
St Apothemius of Angers
St Autbodus of Valcourt
St Basil of Antioch
St Bernerio of Eboli
St Crispin of Ecija

St Cyprian of Calamizzi (c 1125-1190) , Hermit, Medical Doctor.
His Life of Grace:
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/20/saint-of-the-day-20-november-saint-cyprian-of-calamizzi-c-1125-1190-abbot/

St Dasius of Dorostorum
St Dorus of Benevento
St Edmund (c841-870) King and Martyr

St Eudo of Carméry
St Eustachius of Nicea
St Eval of Cornwall
St Gaius of Messina
St Gregory Decapolites
St Hippolytus of Belley
St Humbert of Elmham
St Leo of Nonantula
St Maxentia of Beauvais
St Milagros Ortells Gimeno
St Nerses of Sahgerd and Companions
St Simplicius of Verona
St Sylvester of Châlons-sur-Saône
St Thespesius of Nicea
St Teonesto of Vercelli

Martyrs of Antioch – 3 Saints: Group of three Christians executed together for their faith. No details have survived except their names – Basil, Dionysius and Rusticus. They were martyred in Antioch (Antakya, Turkey).

Martyrs of Heraclea – 3 Saints: A group of 43 Christians Martyred together. The only details about them to survive are three of their names – Agapitus, Bassus and Dionysius. They were martyred in Heraclea, Thrace.

Martyrs of Turin – 3 Saints: Three Christian Martyrs whose original stories were lost and somehow came to be associated with the Theban Legion. They are – Adventor, Octavius and Solutor. They were beheaded in 297 in Turin, Italy. Patronage – Turin, Italy.

Posted in DEVOTIO, EVENING and NIGHT Prayers, HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES

Thought for the Day – 19 November – The Practice of Praying Constantly 2

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Thought for the Day – 19 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

The Practice of Praying Constantly
Excerpt from Chapter Five:2

“Perform your more important Acts of Devotion with great care, such as going to Confession, receiving Holy Communion, reciting the Divine Office and other similar duties.

Whenever you are going to begin some external occupation, like study or work, or the duty of your state in life, do not forget to offer it to God, praying His assistance to enable you to perform it well.
Afterwards, follow the example of St Catharine of Siena and retire often to the cell of your heart, in order to unite yourself to God.
In a word, whatever you do, do it with God and for Him. When you leave your room, or go out of the house and when you return – say a Hail Mary and thus recommend yourself to the Blessed Virgin.

At your meals, whether you find them pleasant to your taste, or not to your liking, offer all to God. On rising from table, say, as grace, some little prayer like this: ‘Lord, how good Thou art to one who has offended Thee!’

During the day give some time to spiritual reading and make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament and to Our Lady.
In the evening, say the Rosary, examine your conscience, make Acts of Faith, Hope, Charity and Contrition; promise to serve God more fervently and to receive the holy Sacraments during life and at death and form the intention of gaining all the Indulgences within your power.
When you go to bed, reflect that you have deserved to lie in the fire of hell – then, with a Crucifix in your arms, compose yourself to sleep, saying: ‘In peace, in the self-same I will sleep and I will rest‘ (Ps 4:9).”

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on WEALTH/RICHES, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 19 November – Heavenly Treasures

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Quote/s of the Day – 19 November – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) Widow – Proverbs 31:10-31;, Matthew 13:44-52 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field.”

Matthew 13:44

“Do not lay up for yourselves
treasures on earth,
where rust and moth consume
and where thieves break in and steal
but lay up for yourselves,
treasures in Heaven …”

Matthew 6:19-20

“For the man who loves God,
it is sufficient to please the One he loves
and, there is no greater recompense to be sought,
than the loving itself.
For love is from God, by the very fact
that God Himself is love.
The good and chaste soul
is so happy to be filled with Him
that it desires to take delight in nothing else.
For what the Lord says is very true:
‘Where your treasure is,
there also will your heart be.’”

“What is a man’s treasure
but the heaping up of profits
and the fruit of his toil?
For, whatever a man sows,
this too will he reap and each man’s gain,
matches his toil and where delight
and enjoyment are found,
there the heart’s desire is attached.
Now, there are many kinds of wealth
and a variety of grounds for rejoicing –
every man’s treasure is that, which he desires.
If it is based on earthly ambitions,
its acquisition makes men not blessed but wretched.
… By distributing what might be superfluous
to support the poor, they are amassing
imperishable riches, so that what they have
discreetly given, cannot be subject to loss.
They have properly placed those riches,
where their heart is – it is a most blessed thing,
to work to increase such riches,
rather than to fear that they may pass away.”

St Pope Leo the Great (400-461)
ather and Doctor of the Church

“The love of God is the end,
the perfection and the excellence,
of the universe. ”

(Treatise on the Love of God,
Book 10, Chapter 1)

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of the Church

Posted in CHRIST the JUDGE, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on the POOR, The KINGDOM of GOD / HEAVEN, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 19 November – ‘ … Thinking only of the life to come …’

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One Minute Reflection – 19 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – St Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) Widow – Proverbs 31:10-31;, Matthew 13:44-52 – – – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field;
he who finds it, hides it and in his joy, goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” – Matthew 13:44

REFLECTION – “Let us call to mind that widow who, in her care for the poor, forgot herself, to the point of giving away everything she had to live on, thinking only of the life to come, as our Lord Himself attests. The others gave of their abundance but she – even poorer, perhaps, than many of the poor, for her whole fortune resided in two small coins – she it was, who carried in her heart more wealth than many of the wealthy.

She looked only at the riches of the eternal reward. In her desire for heavenly treasure, she gave up all she possessed, as being goods which come from the earth and return to the earth (Gn 3:19). She gave all she had, in order to possess that which she did not as yet see. She gave away perishable goods, so that she might gain immortal ones. This poor little lady had not forgotten the means foreseen and arranged by our Lord, for acquiring the future reward. Neither, therefore, did the Lord forget her on His part and even now, the Judge of the world has pronounced His sentence – He praises her whom He will crown on the Day of Judgement.” – St Paulinus of Nola (355-431) Bishop, Father of the Church (Letter 34 2-4).

PRAYER – O merciful God, enlighten the hearts of Thy faithful people and through the glorious prayers of blessed Elizabeth, make us look upon worldly prosperity as nought and ever rejoice in heavenly consolation. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in ACT OF FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY, CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, Our MORNING Offering, THEOLOGICAL

Our Morning Offering – 19 November – – Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity

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Our Morning Offering – 19 November – Acts of Faith, Hope and Charity

ACT of FAITH

O MY GOD,
I firmly believe
that Thou art one God in Three Divine Persons,
Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
I believe that Thy Divine Son became Man
and died for our sins
and that He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe these and all the truths
which the Holy Catholic Church teaches
because Thou hast revealed them,
Who canst neither deceive nor be deceived.
Amen

ACT of HOPE

O MY GOD,
relying on Thy almighty power
and infinite mercy and promises,
I hope to obtain pardon of my sins,
the help of Thy grace
and Life Everlasting,
through the merits of Jesus Christ,
my Lord and Redeemer.
Amen

ACT of CHARITY

O MY GOD,
I love Thee above all things,
with my whole heart and soul
because Thou art all-good
and worthy of all love.
I love my neighbour as myself
for the love of Thee.
I forgive all who have injured me
and ask pardon.
of all whom I have injured.
Amen

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 19 November – Saint Pontianus (Died 235) Pope Martyr

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Saint of the Day – 19 November – Saint Pontianus (Died 235) Pope Martyr. Papal Ascension 21 July 230. Born at Rome, Italy and died on 19 November 235 from the horrible violence of the scourgins received in the mines of Sardinia. Patronages – Carbonia and Montaldo Scarampi, both Cities in Italy. Also known as – Pontian, Pontianius, Ponziano. Additional Memorial – 13 August (Depositiones Martyrum, 354).

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “The birthday of St Pontian, Pope and Martyr, who with the Priest, Hippolytus, was transported to Sardinia by the Governor Alexander and there, being scourged to death with rods, consumated his Martyrdom. His body was conveyed to Rome by the blessed Pope Fabian and buried in the Cemetery of Callixtus.”

In the first years of Pontian’s Pontificate, the early Christian Church enjoyed relative peace. But then, according to the well-known Church historian St Eusebius, the next Emperor, Maximinus, began a campaign of active and brutal persecution of the nascent Church. Both Pope Pontian and the Antipope Hippolytus of Rome, were arrested and exiled to laboUr in the mines of Sardinia, generally regarded as a death sentence.

In order to make certain that the Church was not deprived of its leadership, Saint Pontian stepped down, the first Pope ever to do so. Consequently, Pope Anteros was elected in his stead but reigned for less than two months.

Pope Fabian (236-50), successor to Pope Anteros, had the remains of StPontian brought to Rome at a later date and Pontian was buried in the Papal crypt of the Catacomb of Callixtus on the Appian Way. The slab covering his Tomb was discovered in 1909. Thereon the Greek inscribed reads: “Pontianus Bish”). The inscription “MARTUR” had been added in a different hand.

In 235 during the reign of Maximinus, a persecution directed chiefly against the Ecclesiastical hierarchy began. One of its first victims was Pontian, who with Hippolytus, was banished to the mines on the Island of Sardinia. How long Pontian endured the sufferings of exile and harsh treatment in the Sardinian mines is unknown.

Pope Fabian (236-250), successor to Pope Anteros, had the remains of St Pontian and Hippolytus brought to Rome.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Feast of Our Lady of Divine Providence. St Pontian, Pope and Martyr, St Elizabeth, Widow and the Saints for 19 November

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Feast of Our Lady of Divine Providence:
HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/19/feast-of-our-lady-of-divine-providence-and-memorials-of-the-saints-19-november/

Italian Painter Scipione Pulzone 1530

St Pontian (Died 235) Pope Martyr

St Elizabeth of Hungary TOSF (1207-1231) Widow, Princess, Third Order Franciscans, Mother, Apostle of the poor, the sick, the needy.. She was Canonised on 27 May 1235 by Pope Gregory IX at Perugia, Italy. Patronages – hospitals, nurses, bakers, brides, countesses, dying children, exiles, homeless people, lace-makers, widows. all Catholic charities and the Third Order of Saint Francis.
About St Elizabeth:
https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/11/17/saint-of-the-day-st-elizabeth-of-hungary-1207-1231-t-o-s-f/
Her Feast Day is 19 November – movedto the 17 November in 1969

St Atto of Tordino
St Azas of Isauria
St Barlaam of Caves
St Barlaam of Antioch
St Corbre of Anglesey
St David of Augsburg
St Ebbe of Minster-of-Thanet
St Egbert of York

Blessed James Benefatti OP (Died 1332) Bishop, Priest of the Order of Preachers, Papal Legate in the service of Pope Benedict XI and of Pope John XXII, Beatified in 1859 by Pope Pius IX.
“Father of the Poor”
https://anastpaul.com/2022/11/19/saint-of-the-day-19-november-blessed-james-benefatti-op-died-1332-father-of-the-poor/

St James of Sasseau
St Maximus of Caesarea
St Maximus of Rome

St Mechtilde of Hackeborn (c 1241-1298) Benedictine Nun, Mystic, Teacher, Spiritual adviser, called “God’s nightingale” – also known as Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn and of Helfta, sister of St Gertrude the Great. Patronage – against blindness.
Her Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/19/saint-of-the-day-19-november-saint-matilda-of-hackeborn-c-1241-1298/

St Medana
St Nerses the Great
St Obadiah the Prophet
St Tuto

Martyrs of Heraclea – 40 Saints: Forty women, a mix of Nuns, widows and other lay women, who were Martyred together. No other details have come down to us. They died at Heraclea, Thrace.

Martyrs of Vienne: – 3 Saints
St Exuperius
St Felicianus
St Severinus

Posted in HOW to PRAY at ALL TIMES, QUOTES on MEDITATION, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The HOLY CROSS, The PASSION

Thought for the Day – 18 November – The Practice of Praying Constantly

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Thought for the Day – 18 November – Meditations with Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop, Confessor, Most Zealous Doctor of the Church

“How to Pray at All Times”
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)

The Practice of Praying Constantly
Excerpt from Chapter Five:1

“When you awake in the morning, let your first thought be to raise up your mind to God, to offer to His honour whatever you may have to do, or suffer, during the day and, to beseech Him, to assist you with His holy Grace. Then, perform your other morning devotions, making Acts of Love and of Gratitude and praying and resolving, to spend the day as if it were to be the last of your life.

Father Saint-Jure recommends you, every morning, to complete an agreement with God that, every time you make a certain sign, such as placing your hand upon your heart, or raising your eyes to Heaven or to the Crucifix, or the like, you intend thereby, to make an Act of love, of desire to see God loved by all, of oblation of yourself and other acts of the same kind. When you have made these Acts, place your soul in the Wound of the Side of Jesus and under the Mantle of Our Lady and beg of the Eternal Father, for the love of Jesus and Mary, to protect you during the day.

Then, before all things else, be sure to make your meditation, or mental prayer, at least for half an hour.
Meditate especially on the sufferings and contempt endured by Jesus in His Passion.
This is the subject dearest to fervent souls and the one best calculated to set hearts aflame with Divine love.”

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, QUOTES on the CHURCH, St PAUL!, St PETER!

Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul

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Quote/s of the Day – 18 November – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas ofSts Peter and Paul

“The sepulchres of those,
who have served Christ Crucified,
surpass the palaces of kings,
not so much in the greatness and beauty of the buildings (although in this too, they go beyond them)
as in another thing of more importance,
namely, in the multitude of those who,
with devotion and joy, repair to them.
For the emperor himself, who is clothed in purple,
goes to the sepulchres of the Saints
and kisses them and, humbly prostrate on the ground, beseeches the same Saints to pray to God for him
and he, who wears a royal crown upon his head,
holds it, as a great favour of God
that a tent-maker and a fisherman
and these dead, should be his protectors and defenders
and this he begs with great earnestness.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407)
Father & Doctor of the Church

“We do not build Churches to Martyrs as to gods
but memories as to men, departed this life,
whose souls live with God.
Nor do we erect Altars to sacrifice on them
to the Martyr but to the God
of the Martyr and our God.”

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

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on UNITY/with GOD, St PAUL!, St PETER!, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 18 November – But it is God Who builds this dwelling place.

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One Minute Reflection – 18 November – “The Month of the Holy Souls in Purgatory” – Feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Peter and Paul – Apocalypse 21:2-5; Luke 19:1-10 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… For this day, I must abide in thy house.” – Luke 19:5

REFLECTION – “The Lord said: “This is My resting place forever” and He “chose Zion as the place where He will dwell.” (Ps 132:14) But the temple is destroyed. Where will God’s eternal throne be? Where will His resting place be forever? Where will His temple be for His dwelling place? The apostle Paul gives us an answer: “You are the temple of God, … the Spirit of God dwells in you” (1 Cor 3:16). That is the house and temple of God. They are filled with His teaching and His power. They are the dwelling place for the holiness of God’s Heart.

But it is God Who builds this dwelling place. If it were built by human hands, it would not last, not even if it were founded on human teaching. Our fruitless work and our worries, are not enough to protect it. The Lord goes about this in a different way; He did not found it on earth or on moving sand but it rests on the Prophets and the Apostles (Eph 2:20); it is built constantly out of living stones (1 Pet 2:5). It will develop to the ultimate dimension of Christ’s Body. Its construction continues constantly. Many houses go up all around it and they will resemble one another in one big and happy city (Ps 122:3).” – St Hilary (315-368) Bishop of Poitiers, Father and Doctor of the Divinity of Christ (Treatise on Psalm 64).

PRAYER – O God, Who for us brings each year, the recurrence of the Consecration day of this Thy holy temple and always brings us back safely to the sacred rites, hear the prayers of Thy people and grant that whoever enters this temple, to pray for blessings, may rejoice in having obtained whatever he sought. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in ACT of LOVE, BLESSED TRINITY PRAYERS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PREPARATION for DEATH, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, St Alphonsus de Liguori,, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Our Morning Offering – 18 November – The One Thing Necessary By St Alphonsus

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Our Morning Offering – 18 November

The One Thing Necessary
By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

O my God,
help me to remember,
that time is short, eternity long.
What good is all the greatness of this world
at the hour of death?
To love Thee, my God
and save my soul is the one thing necessary.
Without Thee, there is no peace of mind or soul.
My God, I need fear only sin
and nothing else in this life,
for to lose Thee, my God, is to lose all.
O my God, help me to remember,
that I came into this world with nothing
and shall take nothing from it, when I die.
To gain Thee, I must leave all.
But in loving Thee,
I already have all good things –
the infinite riches of Christ and His Church in life,
Mary’s motherly protection and perpetual help
and the eternal dwelling place
Jesus has prepared for me.
Eternal Father, Jesus has promised
that whatever we ask
in His Name will be granted us.
In His Name, I pray,
give me a burning faith,
a joyful hope,
a holy love for Thee.
Grant me perseverance in doing Thine will
and never let me be separated from Thee.
My God and my All,
make me a Saint!
Amen

Posted in SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 18 November – St Thomas of Antioch (Died 782) Hermit

Posted on by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 18 November – St Thomas of Antioch (Died 782) Hermit, Miracle-worker. He died of natural causes in 782. Patronage – against pestilence.

The Roman Martyrology reads today: “At Antioch, St Thomas, a Monk, honoured with an annual solemnity by the people of Antioch, for having obtained the cessation of a pestilence by his prayers.”

An unknown Hermit

We have no information of this Saint. We know that Thomas spent most of his life as a Hermit in the area near Antioch (modern Syria).

According to tradition, he is a special Saint for relief against pestilence.