Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Passion Sunday, St Patrick, Our Lady, Queen of Ireland (1697), Day Eight of the St Joseph Novena and the Saints for 17 March

NOVENA to ST JOSEPH
DAY EIGHT: Click Link HERE:
DAY EIGHT

St Agricola of Châlon-sur-Saône
St Alexander
St Ambrose of Alexandria

St Diemut of Saint Gall

Bl Gertrude of Trzebnica

St Llinio of Llandinam
St Paul of Cyprus
St Stephen of Palestrina
St Theodore of Rome
St Thomasello
St Withburga (Died 743) Abbess, Princess

Posted in CATECHESIS, DOCTORS of the Church, LENT 2023, LENTEN THOUGHTS, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, St Francis de Sales, The LAST THINGS, The PASSION, The WORD

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 26 March – DEATH

Our Lenten Journey with St Francis de Sales – 26 March – Passion Sunday – Hebrews 9:11-15, John 8:46-59 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

“… By means of His death,
… they, who have been called,
may receive the eternal inheritance,
according to the promise,
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 9:15

Amen, amen, I say to you,
if anyone keep My word,
he will never see death.”

John 8:51

DEATH
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

CONSIDER THE UNCERTAINTY of the day of your death. One day, my soul, you must depart from this body. When will it be? In winter or summer? In town or country? At home or afar? During the day or the night? With or without warning? As a result of illness of accident? Shall I have a chance to go to Confession? Shall I be assisted by a Priest? Will I be prepared? Unhappily, I know the answer to none of these things. Only one thing is certain – that I shall die and sooner than I imagine.”

Consider that then, the world will come to an end, as far as you are concerned. You will have no more part in it. It will turn upside down before your eyes, for worldly joys and pleasures and the things you loved in vain, will turn into empty dreams and shadows.
Fool that I am to offend God for the sake of such trifling vanities. I have forsaken God and for what – for nothing!
On the other hand, devotion and good deeds will be seen as desirable and delightful and you will ask yourself – why did I not take this beautiful and pleasant path of everlasting joy?
At that hour, your sins – which at the time seemed so s
mall – will appear as vast as mountains and your devotions truly small.

Pray to God and cast yourself into His arms.
O my God, take me into Thy care on that terrible day; may all other days be sad, if only that single day will be a happy one!

Thank God for inspiring these resolutions and offer them to Him, imploring Him to grant you the grace of a Happy Death, through the merits of His Son and through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Saints.
Carry with you always a small Happy Death Crucifix, properly blessed, to obtain a Plenary Indulgence at the hour of death and meditate upon it often.” – (Introduction to the Devout Life – Excerpt from The Fifth Meditation on Death).

The Complete Fifth Meditation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Muoe86JLRA

WHAT IS A HAPPY DEATH CRUCIFIX?
A Crucifix which displays the “Skull and Crossbones” preferably at the Feet of Jesus.
The skull and bones have many symbolic meanings. All Catholics are encouraged to meditate on the “Four Last Things – Death and Judgement, Heaven and Hell” so that they will live in a state of grace and prepare themselves for Heaven.
The skull is a great reminder of human mortality. Jesus Christ was Crucified on Golgotha – “the place of the skull,”
There is a tradition that Christ, the New Adam, Who conquered sin and death, was Crucified on the gravesite of the first man, Adam, who brought sin and death into the world through his disobedience to God.
The skull is a symbol of Adam’s grave.
Most important of all, the skull and bones are placed beneath Jesus’ Feet, to show that He triumphed over death and sin on our behalf.

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on FAITH, Quotes on SALVATION, The MOST HOLY REDEEMER, Our SAVIOUR, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 26 March – Abraham rejoiced to see My day

One Minute Reflection – 26 March – Passion Sunday – Hebrews 9:11-15, John 8:46-59 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, he saw it and was glad.” – John 8:56

REFLECTION – “Since Abraham was a Prophet he saw the day of the Lord’s coming in the Spirit, as also the designs of His Passion, through which, both he and all those like him, who believed in God, would be saved. And he was seized with great joy. Thus, the Lord was not unknown to Abraham, since he longed to see His day… He longed to see His day, so that he, too, might clasp Christ to himself and having seen Him prophetically in the Spirit, he rejoiced.

That is why Simeon, who was of his descendants, fulfilled the Patriarch’s joy and said: “Now, Master, Thou may let Thy servant go in peace, according to Thy Word, for my eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou prepared in sight of all peoples”… And Elizabeth said : “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” Abraham’s rejoicing descended, as it were, on those who were watching and who saw Christ and believed in Him. And this rejoicing returned to Abraham through his children.

So it was altogether fitting that our Lord bore witness to him when He said: “Your father, Abraham rejoiced to see My day,. he saw it and was glad.” Nor was it only with regard to Abraham that He said this but of all those who, from the beginning, had come to know God and prophesied of Christ’s coming. For they had received this revelation from the Son Himself that Son, Who, in these the last days, became visible and palpable and talked with men, so that He might raise up sons from Abraham out of stones and make his posterity to be like the stars of the heaven.” – St Irenaeus (c130-c202) Martyr, Father of the Church, Bishop of Lyons, Theologian (Against the heresies IV, 5-7).

PRAYER – Look graciously upon Thy household, Almighty God, we beseech Thee that by Thy grace, we may be governed in body and by Thy protection, safeguarded in mind. 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 DOCTORS of the Church, GOOD FRIDAY, HOLY WEEK, LENT 2023, LENTEN PRAYERS & NOVENAS, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The PASSION

Our Morning Offering – 26 March – Prayer to Christ in His Passion and Death By St Francis de Sales

Our Morning Offering – 26 March – Passion Sunday

Hail, Sweet Jesus!
Prayer to Christ
in His Passion and Death
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritas

Hail, sweet Jesus!
Praise, honour and glory be to Thee, O Christ,
Who, of Thou own accord, embraced death,
and recommending Thyself to Thy heavenly Father,
bowing down Thy venerable Head,
did yield up Thy Spirit.
Truly thus giving up Thy life for Thy sheep,
Thou hast shown Thyself, to be the Good Shepherd.
Thou died, O Only-begotten Son of God.
Thou died, O my beloved Saviour,
that I might live forever.
O how great hope,
how great confidence have
I reposed in Thy Death and Thy Blood!
I glorify and praise Thy Holy Name,
acknowledging my infinite obligations to Thee.
O good Jesus,
by Thy bitter Death and Passion,
give me grace and pardon.
Give unto the faithful departed,
rest and life everlasting.
Amen.

Posted in MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Passion Sunday and Memorials of the Saints – 26 March

Passion Sunday

Notre-Dame de Soissons / Our Lady of Soissons, France (1128) In the Abbey, one of Our Lady’s slippers is kept – 26 March:
HERE:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/26/our-lady-of-soissons-france-1128-and-memorials-of-the-saints-26-march/

St Barontius of Pistoia (Died c725) Monk, Hermit

St Basil the Younger (Died c952) Confessor, Hermit, Mystic, Miracle-worker.
His Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2022/03/26/saint-of-the-day-26-march-saint-basil-the-younger-died-c-952/


St Bathus
St Bercharius

St Braulio (590-651) Bishop of Saragossa, Spain, Monk, Confessor, Reformer, Scholar, Advisor, Writer, eloquent Preacher, Apostle of Charity. Saint Braulio was friend and disciple to Saint Isidore of Seville (560-636) Doctor of the Church ) and a prolific writer of letters, hymns, martyrologies, hagiographies and history. He fought against heresy and provided both strength and encouragement in the faith to his congregation.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/03/26/saint-of-the-day-26-march-braulio-590-651/

St Castulus of Rome (Died c 288) Martyr, Layman, married to Saint Irene of Rome (the woman who assisted St Sebastian after he had been wounded by the Imperial archers), Military Officer and he was the Chamberlain (or officer, valet) of Emperor Diocletian.
His Life and Death:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/03/26/saint-of-the-day-26-march-saint-castulus-of-rome-died-c-288-martyr/

St Desiderius of Pistoia
St Eutychius of Alexandria
St Felicitas of Padua
St Felix of Trier (c 386–c 399) Bishop
St Garbhan
St Govan

St Ludger (c 742-809) Bishop, Missionary, Founder, Abbot, Writer. Following in the footsteps of the English missionary St Boniface, St Ludger, who was a native Netherlander, brought the faith to the people of Frisia in Holland and the Saxons of north-west Germany. He founded the Werden Abbey and was the first Bishop of Münster in Westphalia, Germany.
About St Ludger:

https://anastpaul.com/2019/03/26/saint-of-the-day-26-march-st-ludger-c-742-809/

St Maxima the Martyr
St Mochelloc of Kilmallock
St Montanus the Martyr
St Sabino of Anatolia
St Sincheall of Killeigh
St Wereka

Martyrs of Rome – 5 Saints: A group of Christians Martyred together. The only details to survive are the names – Cassian, Jovinus, Marcian, Peter and Thecla. Rome, Italy, date unknown.

Posted in franciscan OFM, SAINT of the DAY

Passion Sunday and Memorials of the Saints – 3 April

Passion Sunday +2022

Bl Alexandrina di Letto
St Attala of Taormina
St Benatius of Kilcooley
St Benignus of Tomi
St Burgundofara
St Chrestus
St Comman
St Evagrius of Tomi
Bl Francisco Solís Pedrajas
Blessed Gandulphus of Binasco OFM (c 1200-1260)Priest, Friar of the First Order of St Francis and became a Franciscan during St Francis’ lifetime..

Bl Iacobus Won Si-bo
St John I of Naples

Blessed John of Penna OFM (c 1193-1271) Priest, Friar of the First Order of St Francis and became a Franciscan during St Francis’ lifetime. Founder of the Order in France, Mystic and gifted with the charism of prophecy.
His Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/04/03/saint-of-the-day-3-april-blessed-john-of-penna-ofm-c-1193-1271/

Blessed John of Jesus and Mary/Juan Otazua Madariaga O.SS.T (1895-1937) Priest, Martyr, Priest of the The Order of the Holy Trinity and of the Captives, more commonly known as the Trinitarians, Musician.
His Life and Death:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/04/03/saint-of-the-day-3-april-blessed-john-of-jesus-and-mary-o-ss-t-1895-1937-priest-martyr/

Bl Lawrence Pak Chwi-deuk

St Luigi Scrosoppi Cong. Orat. (1804-1884) Priest, Founder of the of Sisters of Providence of Saint Cajetan of Thiene.
About St Luigi: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/04/03/saint-of-the-day-3-april-st-luigi-scrosoppi/
A little Note about St Luigi – his Canonisation Miracle occurred in my previous Parish in Oudtshoorn, Cape Town!

Blessed Maria Teresa Casini (1864–1937) Sister and Founder of the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Priests known as Little Friends of Jesus , Apostle of Eucharistic Adoration, of Prayer especially for priests.
Her life:

https://anastpaul.com/2019/04/03/saint-of-the-day-3-april-blessed-maria-teresa-casini-1864-1937/\

St Nicetas of Medicion
St Papo
Bl Piotr Edward Dankowski

St Richard of Chichester (1197-1253) Bishop, Teacher, Reformer, Apostle of charity, Writer, Miracle Worker.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/04/03/saint-of-the-day-3-april-st-richard-of-chichester-1197-1253/`

Martyrs of Greece – 4 Saints

Martyrs of Tomi – 9 Saints

Martyred in England
Robert Middleton
Thurstan Hunt
Martyred in the Mexican Revulution
José Luciano Ezequiel Huerta-Gutiérrez
José Salvador Huerta-Gutiérrez

Martyr in Thessalonica
Agatho
Casia
Eutychia
Philippa