Quote/s of the Day – 26 June – “The Month of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus” – The Octave Day of Corpus Christi
“… Every man is both debtor and creditor… A beggar asks you for alms but you, too, are God’s beggar, for when we pray we are all beggars of God. We stand – or rather, prostrate ourselves – at our Father’s door (cf Lk 11:5); we beseech Him with groans, anxious to receive a grace from Him and this grace is God Himself! What does the beggar ask of you? Bread. And what is it that you are asking of God but Christ, Who said: “I am the Living Bread come down from Heaven” (Jn 6:51).”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“This morning, my soul is greater than the universe, since it possesses Thee, Thou Whom Heaven and earth cannot contain!”
St Margaret of Cortona (1247–1297) Penitent
“What graces, gifts and virtues the Holy Mass calls down!”
“If you practice the holy exercise of Spiritual Communion a good many times each day, within a month you will see yourself completely changed.”
A Short Act of Spiritual Communion By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
My Jesus, I believe that Thou art present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love Thee above all things and I desire Thee in my soul. Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally, come at least spiritually, into my heart. As though Thou were already there, I embrace Thee and unite myself wholly to Thee, permit not, that I should ever, be separated from Thee. Amen
St Leonard of Port Maurice (1676-1751)
“The Most Blessed Sacrament is Christ made visible. The poor sick person is Christ again made visible.”
Quote/s of the Day – 22 January – “The Month of the Holy Name of Jesus and the Holy Family” – St Vincent of Saragossa (Died 304) Protomartyr of Spain and St Anastasius the Persian (Died 628) Martyr – Wisdom 3:1-8; Luke 21:9-19
“And you shall be hated by all men, for My Name’s sake. But, not a hair of your head shall perish.”
Luke 21:17-18
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal Prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, art my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, Thou art my portion, Thou alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) “The Apostle to the English”
“O strong love of God! I really think, nothing seems impossible, to one who loves. O happy soul which has obtained this peace, from its God! ”
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Carmelite Reformer
“You must choose – is it better that there should be thorns in your garden, in order to have roses, or that there should be no roses in your garden, in order to have no thorns?”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
“Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”
Quote/s of the Day – 11 September – St Protus and St Hyacinth (Died c257) Brother Martyrs – Wisdom 3:1-8, Luke 21:9-19 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And you shall be hated by all men, for My Name’s sake.”
Luke 21:17
“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me and where I Am, there will My servant be too.”
John 12:26
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal Prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, art my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, Thou art my portion, Thou alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) “The Apostle to the English”
“O strong love of God! I really think, nothing seems impossible, to one who loves. O happy soul which has obtained this peace, from its God! ”
St Teresa of Jesus of Avila (1515-1582) Carmelite Reformer
“Love consists, not in feeling great things but, in having great detachment and in suffering for the Beloved.”
St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor Mysticus
“Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”
Quote/s of the Day – 10 August – St Lawrence (Died 258) Martyr, “Keeper of the Treasures of he Church” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-10; John 12:24-26 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me and where I Am, there will My servant be too.”
John 12:26
“Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”
John 15:4
“The present is nothing. But eternity abides for those on whom all Truth, all Good, has shone, in One Entire and Perfect Light. ”
St Paulinus of Nola (c 354-431)
“God, in His promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow Himself upon us; if you find anything better than Him, ask it but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront upon Him and hurt yourself, by preferring to Him, a creature which He created!”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) “The Apostle to the English”
“May Christ be heard in our language, may Christ be seen in our life, may He be perceived in our hearts”
Quote/s of the Day – 29 July – St Martha, Sister of Saint Lazarus and Saint Mary of Bethany – 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; 11:1-2, Luke 10:38-42
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things and yet, only one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the best part and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42
“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
“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
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal Prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, art my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, Thou art my portion, Thou alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) “The Apostle to the English”
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
St Isidore of Seville (c 560-636) Father & Doctor of the Church
“Man, my friends, was created and placed upon this earth, chiefly and exclusively, in order to reach God; the rest of creation helps him reach that goal.”
Quote/s of the Day – 28 May – St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) He is consideredthe Founder of the English Church and “The Apostle to the English.” He is the first Archbishop of Canterbury, Confessor, Missionary, Father of the Church.
“God, in His promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow Himself upon us; if you find anything better than Him, ask it but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront upon Him and hurt yourself, by preferring to Him, a creature which He created!”
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal Prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, art my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, Thou art my portion, Thou alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
“Take care of your body, as if you were going to live forever and take care of your soul, as if you were going to die tomorrow.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c605) “The Apostle to the English”
St Accidia Bl Albert of Csanád St Caraunus of Chartres St Caraunus the Deacon St Crescens of Rome St Dioscorides of Rome St Eoghan the Sage St Gemiliano of Cagliari
Bl Mary of the Nativity St Moel-Odhran of Iona St Paulus of Rome St Phaolô Hanh St Podius of Florence Bl Robert Johnson St Senator of Milan Bl Thomas Ford St Ubaldesca Taccini St William of Gellone (755-812) Monk
Martyrs of Palestine: A group of early 5th century Monks in Palestine who were Martyred by invading Arabs.
Martyrs of Sardinia – 6 Saints: A group of early Christians for whom a Church on Sardinia is dedicated; they were probably Martyrs but no information about them has survived except the names Aemilian, Aemilius, Emilius, Felix, Lucian and Priamus. Patrons of the Diocese of Alghero-Bosa, Italy.
Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles – Celebrated on the First Saturday after the Ascension – 28 May +2022:
After the Ascension, the Apostles returned to the Upper Room to await the coming of the Paraclete, as we read in Acts 1:13-14:
“When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves, with one accord, to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the Mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
Mary joins the Apostles in the Cenacle. She provides a model of prayer and encourages the Apostles to wait and pray for the Holy Spirit . She models how to be active in preparing for the Holy Spirit. It is in her role in the Cenacle that she was endowed with one of the oldest Titles, Queen of Apostles. Mary leads all men to the Truth and to Christ, just as she brought forth the Light of the World. Through Our Lady, the Apostles bring the Good News of salvation to the whole world .
Pope Leo XIII in Adiutricem Populi wrote of Mary in the Cenacle:
“With wonderful care she nurtured the first Christians by her holy example, her authoritative counsel, her sweet consolation, her fruitful prayers. She was, in very truth, the Mother of the Church, the Teacher and Queen of the Apostles, to whom, besides, she confided no small part of the divine mysteries which she kept in her heart.”
Traditionally, the Saturday after Ascension Thursday is the Feast of Our Lady, Queen of the Apostles (the Feast was removed in the 1969 post Vatican II changes). The Feast was originally requested by the Pallottine Fathers. This title appears in the oldest forms of the Litany of Loreto and many Religious Congregrations include this Title within their names or is part of their devotions, such as Salvatorians, Claretians, Pallottines, Missionaries of Steyl, Paulines and more.
St Accidia Bl Albert of Csanád St Bernard of Menthon St Caraunus of Chartres St Caraunus the Deacon St Crescens of Rome St Dioscorides of Rome St Eoghan the Sage St Gemiliano of Cagliari
Bl Mary of the Nativity St Moel-Odhran of Iona St Paulus of Rome St Phaolô Hanh St Podius of Florence Bl Robert Johnson St Senator of Milan Bl Thomas Ford St Ubaldesca Taccini St William of Gellone Bl Wladyslaw Demski
Martyrs of Palestine: A group of early 5th century Monks in Palestine who were Martyred by invading Arabs.
Martyrs of Sardinia – 6 Saints: A group of early Christians for whom a Church on Sardinia is dedicated; they were probably Martyrs but no information about them has survived except the names Aemilian, Aemilius, Emilius, Felix, Lucian and Priamus. Patrons of the Diocese of Alghero-Bosa, Italy.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: Blessed Luís Berenguer Moratona
Quote/s of the Day– 6 July – “Month of the Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 32: 23-33, Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15, Matthew 9: 32-3
We are not without a Shepherd!
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours. All mine are yours and all yours are mine and I am glorified in them. … Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.”
John 17:9-11
“This, beloved, is the way in which we found our salvation, Jesus Christ, the High Priest who offers our gifts, the patron and helper in our weakness (Heb 10:20; 7:27; 4:15). I t is through Him, that we look straight at the heavens above. Through Him, we see mirrored, God’s faultless and transcendent countenance. Through Him, the eyes of our heart were opened. Through Him, our unintelligent and darkened mind shoots up into the light. Through Him, the Master was pleased to let us taste the knowledge that never fades,”
St Pope Clement I (c 35 – c 99)
“The mark of Christ’s sheep is their willingness to hear and obey, just as disobedience is the mark of those who are not His. We take the word ‘hear’ to imply obedience to what has been said.”
St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
And if by chance you do not know Where to go in quest of Me, Do not go far My Face to see, Searching everywhere high and low, But in yourself must seek for Me.
For, soul, in you I am confined, You are My dwelling and My home; And if one day I chance to find Fast-closed the portals of your mind I ask for entrance when I come.
Oh, do not seek me far away, For, if you would attain to Me, You only need My Name to say And I’ll be there, without delay. Look in yourself to seek for Me!”
Quote/s of the Day – 5 September – Saturday of the Twenty Second week in Ordinary Time, Readings: 1 Corinthians 4:6-15, Psalms 145:17-18, 19-20, 21, Luke 6:1-5
“The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.”
Psalm 145:18
“And He departed from our sight that we might return to our heart and find Him there. For He left us and behold, He is here!”
St Augustine (354-430) Doctor of Grace
“God, in His promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow Himself upon us; if you find anything better than Him, ask it but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront upon Him and hurt yourself, by preferring to Him, a creature which He created.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605) “The Apostle to the English”
“Christ acts like a loving mother. To induce us to follow Him, He gives us Himself as an example and promises us a reward in His kingdom.”
St Anthony of Padua (1195-1231) Evangelical Doctor
“Teach us, good Lord to serve You as you deserve; to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for reward, except that of knowing that we are doing your will. Amen”
St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)
“God alone!”
St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)
“Nothing is anything anymore to me; everything is nothing to me only Jesus! Neither things nor persons, neither ideas nor emotions, neither honour nor sufferings. Jesus is for me honour, delight, heart and soul.”
Quote/s of the Day – 6 July – Monday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year A, Readings: Hosea 2:14-16, 19-20 (16-18, 21-22), Psalm 145:2-9, Matthew 9:18-26
‘… The measure of each one’s faith…’
“If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well.”
Matthew 9:21-22
“I live, no longer I but Christ lives in me,”
Galasians 2:20
“Elizabeth says: ‘Blessed are you because you have believed.’ You also are blessed, because you have heard and believed. A soul that believes, both conceives and brings forth the Word of God and acknowledges His works.”
St Ambrose of Milan (340-397) Great Latin Father and Doctor of the Church
A Commentary on Luke, Book 2
“What determines that the gifts of God dwells in us, is the measure of each one’s faith. Because it is to the extent that we believe, that the enthusiasm to act is given us. And so those who act, reveal the measure of their faith proportionate to their action, they receive their measure of grace according to what they have believed. …”
St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Monk and Theologian
“Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
“He is present to the eyes of the mind, making Himself seen by those who have a pure heart and conversing with them. So pursue your path …. Do not hinder the Lord’s narrow way with your dragging feet. Hitch up your garment and be ready for action, look up and don’t burden yourself with those oppressive loads which are your evil desires. For anyone who is accomplishing the journey from earth to heaven, it is enough to diligently pursue one’s path without assuming extra weight. … ”
St Theodore the Studite (759-826) Monk and Theologian at Constantinople
“Faith is like a bright ray of sunlight. It enables us to see God in all things, as well as, all things in God.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of Charity
“By faith we adhere to Christ and the edifice of our spiritual life becomes thereby firm and stable. Christ makes us share in the stability of the divine rock against which even hell’s fury cannot prevail (Mt 16:18).”
Quote/s of the Day -– 27 May – The Memorial of St Augustine of Canterbury
OSB (Died c 605)
“God, in His promises to hear our prayers, is desirous to bestow Himself upon us; if you find anything better than Him, ask it but if you ask anything beneath Him, you put an affront upon Him and hurt yourself, by preferring to Him, a creature which He created.
Pray in the spirit and sentiment of love, in which the royal prophet said to Him, ‘Thou, O Lord, are my portion.’ Let others choose to themselves, portions among creatures, for my part, You are my portion, You alone I have chosen for my whole inheritance.”
St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
“The Apostle to the English”
“Ask God to lead you by Faith, Only God, seek only Him.”
One Minute Reflection -– 27 May – “Mary’s Month” Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter, Readings: Acts 20:28-38, Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36, John17:11-19 and the Memorial of St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605)
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the evil one. … As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world.” … John 17:15,18
REFLECTION – “Well, that God who saved me then, will be with me again in this journey and if I do not abandon Him, He will be with me always and while He is with me, everything that can happen to me will always be a grace, a blessing for which I should thank Him. If in danger, He wants to withdraw, or pretends to be asleep on the bow of the ship, like the Apostle, I will go to wake Him and let Him see my danger. And then if He does not want to listen, I will say – Lord, command me to come to You and my soul will walk on the waters, it will go to His feet and be content forever.
I do not know what He is preparing for me in the journey I begin tomorrow. I know one thing only, He is good and loves me immensely, everything else – calm or storm, danger or safety, life or death, are merely changeable and passing expressions of the beloved immutable, eternal Love. Yes, my beloved brethren, we have another country, another home, a kingdom where we must all meet, where there will no longer be separations or departures, where past sorrows and danger will merely serve to increase our consolation and glory.” … Blessed Giovanni Mazzucconi P.I.M.E. (1826-1855) Martyr – Giovanni Battista Mazzucconi was an Italian priest from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions. He was killed in hatred of the faith in Papua New Guinea during his work there amongst the people. He was 29 years old. He was beatified in 1984. His life is herehttps://anastpaul.com/2019/09/07/saint-of-the-day-7-september-blessed-giovanni-battista-mazzucconi-1826-1855-martyr/ and includes this, his letter before his last journey to Papua New Guinea.
PRAYER – Give us the grace Holy God to ever serve You and be faithful to You alone. Nothing of this world is worthy of our love and alone in You do we have life and light. May Your divine Son be our Guide and our Hope and may He always be with us as we make our way to our home country, together with His Mother and ours, the Blessed Virgin. Listen too, we pray, to the prayers of St Augustine of Canterbury, who we ask to intercede for our needs. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
St Acculus of Alexandria
St Antanansio Bazzekuketta
St Barbara Kim
St Barbara Yi St Bruno of Würzburg (c 1005-1045) Bishop Prince
Bl Dionysius of Semur
Bl Edmund Duke
St Eutropius of Orange
St Evangelius of Alexandria
St Frederick of Liège
Bl Gausberto of Montsalvy
St Gonzaga Gonza
St James of Nocera
Bl John Hogg
St Julius the Veteran and Companions
St Liberius of Ancona
St Matiya Mulumba
Bl Matthias of Nagasaki
St Melangell
St Ranulphus of Arras
St Restituta of Sora and Companions
Bl Richard Hill
Bl Richard Holiday
St Secundus of Troia
St Augustine of Canterbury comes across today as a very human saint, one who could suffer like many of us from a failure of nerve. For example, his first venture to England ended in a big U-turn back to Rome. He made mistakes and met failure in his peacemaking attempts with the Briton Christians. He often wrote to Rome for decisions on matters he could have decided on his own had he been more self-assured. He even received mild warnings against pride from Pope Gregory, who cautioned him to “fear lest, amidst the wonders that are done, the weak mind be puffed up by self-esteem.” Augustine’s perseverance amidst obstacles and only partial success teaches today’s apostles and pioneers to struggle on despite frustrations and be satisfied with gradual advances. by Fr. Don Miller, OFM
May Christ dwell in your hearts through faith……Ephesians 3:17
REFLECTION – “Bear Christ in heart, mind and will.
Bear Him in your mind by His teaching.
Bear Him in your will by your observance of the Law.
Bear Him in your heart by the Holy Eucharist.”…………Venerable Servant of God Pope Pius XII
PRAYER – Heavenly Father, let me be true bearer of Christ, Your Son, by doing always the things that are in imitation of and pleasing to Him. Help me to bear witness to Him in the world, one just as pagan as that approached by St Augustine of Canterbury in trepidation. But in Your light and by Your Holy Spirit, he succeeded and pleased You, help me too I beg, to work for the salvation of souls. St Augustine of Canterbury, pray for us all, amen.
Saint of the Day – 27 May – St Augustine of Canterbury (Died c 605) – ArchBishop, Benedictine Monk, “The Apostle to the English” who became the first Archbishop of Canterbury, Father of the Church, Missionary – born in Rome first third of the 6th century – died probably 26 May 605 in Canterbury, England of natural causes. His relics interred outside the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Canterbury, a building project he had started. He is considered “The Apostle to the English” and the founder of the English Church.
Augustine was the Prior of a Monastery in Rome when Pope Gregory the Great chose him in 595, to lead a mission, usually known as the Gregorian Mission, to Britain to Christianize King Æthelberht and his Kingdom of Kent from Anglo-Saxon paganism.
St Pope Gregory the Great and St Augustine of Canterbury
Kent was probably chosen because Æthelberht had married a Christian princess, Bertha, daughter of Charibert I the King of Paris, who was expected to exert some influence over her husband. Before reaching Kent, the missionaries had considered turning back, but Gregory urged them on and in 597, Augustine landed on the Isle of Thanet and proceeded to Æthelberht’s main town of Canterbury.
Augustine before Ethelbert and Bertha
King Æthelberht converted to Christianity and allowed the missionaries to preach freely, giving them land to found a monastery outside the city walls. Augustine was Coonsecrated as a Bishop and converted many of the king’s subjects, including thousands during a mass baptism on Christmas Day in 597.
Pope Gregory sent more Missionaries in 601, along with encouraging letters and gifts for the churches, although attempts to persuade the native Celtic bishops to submit to Augustine’s authority failed. Roman Bishops were established at London and Rochester in 604 and a school was founded to train Anglo-Saxon Priests and Missionaries. Augustine also arranged the consecration of his successor, Laurence of Canterbury. The Archbishop probably died in 604 and was soon revered as a saint.
AnaStpaul 
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