st john vianney – Page 5

CATECHESIS, LENT 2019, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, The WORD

Lenten Reflection – 21 March- The rich man and Lazarus

Posted on March 21, 2019March 21, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Lenten Reflection – 21 March – Thursday of the Second week of Lent, Year C

“There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple
and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus…”
Luke 16:19–20 Luke 16 19–20 rich man and lazarus turs2ndweeklent-21march2019.jpg

St Peter Chrysologus (400-450)
Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church

Sermon 122, On the rich man and Lazarus

“Abraham was very rich,” Scripture tells us (Gn 13:2)… My brethren, Abraham wasn’t rich for himself but for the poor, rather than keeping hold of his fortune, he intended to share it…This man, who was himself a stranger, did not hesitate to do all he could so that the stranger might not feel himself to be a stranger. Living in a tent, he was unable to let a passer-by remain without shelter. Perpetual traveller, he unfailingly welcomed the travellers who came his way… Far from taking his ease in God’s bounty, he knew himself called to spread it abroad, he used it to protect the oppressed, set prisoners free, even to snatch those about to die from their fate (Gn 14:14)… Abraham did not sit but remained standing before the stranger he had received. He was not his guest’s host but made himself his servant. Forgetting that he was master in his own home, he himself brought the food and, concerned that it should be carefully prepared, called on his wife. Where he himself was concerned he relied entirely on his servants, but for the stranger he had received he thought it barely enough to entrust it to his wife’s skill.
What more could I say, my brothers? It was so perfect a consideration… that drew God himself to Abraham’s home and compelled him to become his guest. Thus the very one who would later claim to be welcomed in the person of the poor and the stranger, came to Abraham, rest for the poor, refuge of strangers. “I was hungry,” he said, “and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35).
And again, we read in the Gospel: “When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.” Isn’t it only right, brethren, that Abraham should welcome all the saints even into his own rest and should exercise, even in the blessedness of heaven, his service of hospitality?… Doubtless, he could not have considered himself wholly happy unless, even in glory, he was able to continue to practice his ministry of sharing.”

Daily Meditation:
Bring us back to you.

The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is our lesson today.
We beg to be open to the workings of the Spirit,
that we might not settle for the consolations of this life alone.

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers
but his delight is in the law of the Lord
and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2

LOVE OF OUR NEIGHBOUR

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“All of our religion is but a false religion and all our virtues are mere illusions and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God, if we have not that universal charity for everyone, for the good and for the bad, for the poor people as well as for the rich, for all those who do us harm as much as for those who do us good.
No, my dear brethren, there is no virtue which will let us know better whether we are the children or God than charity.
The obligation we have to love our neighbour is so important, that Jesus Christ put it into a Commandment, which He placed immediately after that by which He commands us to love Him with all our hearts. He tells us that all the law and the prophets are included in this commandment to love our neighbour. Yes, my dear brethren, we must regard this obligation as the most universal, the most necessary and the most essential to religion and to our salvation. In fulfilling this Commandment, we are fulfilling all others. St Paul tells us that the other Commandments forbid us to commit adultery, robbery, injuries, false testimonies. If we love our neighbour, we shall not do any of these things because the love we have for our neighbour would not allow us to do him any harm.”

all of our religion is but a false - st john vianney thurs2ndweeklent 21 march 2019.jpg

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I hear your invitation, “Come back to me”
and I am filled with such a longing to return to You.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in Your name
and send Your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel Your love in my life today and if You are with me, how can I not love my neighbour?

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil
and bring us to everlasting life.
Amen

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, Thomas a Kempis, Uncategorized

Sunday Reflection – 10 March – “What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist? – St John Vianney

Posted on March 10, 2019March 9, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 10 March – The First Sunday of Lent

“What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist?

It is God, who, as our Saviour, offers Himself each day for us to His Father’s justice.

If you are in difficulties and sorrows, He will comfort and relieve you.
If you are sick, He will either cure you or give you strength to suffer, so as to merit Heaven.
If the devil, the world and the flesh are making war upon you, He will give you the weapons with which to fight, to resist and to win the victory.
If you are poor, he will enrich you with all sorts of riches for time and for eternity.
Let us open the door of His Sacred and Adorable Heart and be wrapped about for an instant, by the flames of His love and we shall see, what a God who loves us, can do.
O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

what does jesus christ do in the eucharist - st john vianney - sun reflection 10 march 2019

CONFESSION/PENANCE, LENT 2019, NOVENAS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST

Lenten Preparation Novena – Day Nine – 5 March 2019 “Come Back to Me With all your Heart”

Posted on March 5, 2019March 4, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Lenten Preparation Novena – Day Nine – 5 March 2019 “Shrove Tuesday”
“Come Back to Me With all your Heart”

Lent 2019 will begin on
Wednesday, 6 March
The Holy Triduum is
Thursday 18 April – Holy Saturday 20 April
Easter Sunday 21 April 2019

You have been crucifying Our Lord!

We come to confession quite preoccupied with the shame that we shall feel. We accuse ourselves with hot air. It is said that many confess and few are converted. I believe it is so, my children because few confess with tears of repentance.

See, the misfortune is, that people do not reflect. If one said to those who work on Sundays, to a young person who had been dancing for two or three hours, to a man coming out of an alehouse drunk, “What have you been doing? You have been crucifying Our Lord!” they would be quite astonished, because they do not think of it. My children, if we thought of it, we should be seized with horror; it would be impossible for us to do evil. For what has the good God done to us that we should grieve Him thus, and put Him to death again — Him, who has redeemed us from Hell?

It would be well if all sinners, when they are going to their guilty pleasures, could, like St Peter, meet Our Lord on the way, who would say to them, “I am going to that place where you are going yourself, to be there crucified again.” Perhaps that might make them reflect.

St Jean Marie Baptiste Vianney, the Cure of Ars (1786-1859)

A Meditation for this ‘Prelude to Lent’

REFLECTION – “Give back some of God’s gifts to God, that you may safely enjoy the rest. Fast, or watch, or abound in alms, or be instant in prayer, or deny yourselves society, or pleasant books, or easy clothing, or take on you some irksome task or employment; do one or other, or some, or all of these, unless you say that you have never sinned and may go like Esau with a light heart to take your crown”

“But, O ye sons and daughters of men, what if this fair weather but ensure the storm afterwards? what if it be, that the nearer you attain to making yourselves as gods on earth now, the greater pain lies before you in time to come, or even (if it must be said), the more certain becomes your ruin when time is at an end? Come down, then, from your high chambers at this season to avert what else may be.

Sinners as ye are, act at least like the prosperous heathen, who threw his choicest trinket into the water, that he might propitiate fortune. Let not the year go round and round, without a break and interruption in its circle of pleasures.

Give back some of God’s gifts to God, that you may safely enjoy the rest. Fast, or watch, or abound in alms, or be instant in prayer, or deny yourselves society, or pleasant books, or easy clothing, or take on you some irksome task or employment; do one or other, or some, or all of these, unless you say that you have never sinned and may go like Esau with a light heart to take your crown.

Ever bear in mind that Day, which will reveal all things and will test all things “so as by fire” and which will bring us into judgement ere it lodges us in heaven.”

Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Lenten Preparation Novena

DAY NINE

O gracious Father,
infuse in our hearts
the spotless light of Your Divine Wisdom
and open the eyes of our mind
that we may understand the teachings of Your Gospel.
Instill in us also the fear of Your blessed commandments,
so that having curbed all carnal desires,
we may lead a spiritual life,
both thinking and doing everything to please You.
Help us to see,
in our ordinary difficulties and duties,
in the trials and temptations of every day,
the best opportunity of making up for past infidelities.
United with Your Son,
who makes His way to Calvary,
I offer You my intention
………………….
(Mention your intention)
For You, our God,
are the enlightenment of our souls and bodies
and to You we render glory,
together with Your Suffering Son,
and with Your all holy,
life-creating Spirit,
now and ever and forever.
Amen Lenten prep novena day nine - 5 march 2019.jpg

LENT 2019, NOVENAS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE, The PASSION

Lenten Preparation Novena – Day Three – 27 February 2019 “Come Back to Me With all your Heart”

Posted on February 27, 2019February 26, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Lenten Preparation Novena – Day Three – 27 February 2019
“Come Back to Me With all your Heart”

Lent 2019 will begin on
Wednesday, 6 March
The Holy Triduum is
Thursday, 18 April, Good Friday, 19 April, Holy Saturday, 20 April
Easter Sunday – 21 April 2019

WE ARE WRETCHED CREATURES

We cannot dwell upon the conduct of the Jews, my dear people, without being struck with amazement. These very people had waited for God for four thousand years, they had prayed much because of the great desire they had to receive Him and yet when He came, He could not find a single person to give Him the poorest lodging. The all-powerful God was obliged to make His dwelling with the animals.

And yet, my dear people, I find in the conduct of the Jews, criminal as it was, not a subject for explanations but a theme for the condemnation of the conduct of the majority of Christians.

We can see that the Jews had formed an idea of their Redeemer which did not conform with the state of austerity in which He appeared. It seemed as if they could not persuade themselves that this could indeed be He who was to be their Saviour; St Paul tells us very clearly that if the Jews had recognised Him as God, they would never have put Him to death. There is, then, some small excuse for the Jews. But what excuse can we make, my dear brethren, for the coldness and the contempt which we show towards Jesus Christ?

Oh, yes, we do indeed truly believe that Jesus Christ came upon earth, that He provided the most convincing proofs of His divinity. Hence the reason for our hope. We rejoice and we have good reason to recognise Jesus Christ as our God, our Saviour and our Model. Here is the foundation of our faith.

But, tell me, with all this, what homage do we really pay Him? Do we do more for Him than if we did not believe all this? Tell me, dear brethren, does our conduct correspond at all to our beliefs? We are wretched creatures.

We are even more blameworthy than the Jews!

St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

A Meditation for this ‘Prelude to Lent’

“He thought he was as sure of the blessing as if he had not sold the birthright.”
And then, when all is done and over and their souls sold to Satan, they never seem to understand that they have parted with their birthright. They think that they stand just where they did, before they followed the world, the flesh and the devil they take for granted that when they choose to become more decent, or more religious, they have all their privileges just as before. Like Samson, they propose to go out as at other times before and shake themselves. And like Esau, instead of repenting for the loss of the birthright, they come, as a matter of course, for the blessing. Esau went out to hunt for venison gaily and promptly brought it to his father. His spirits were high, his voice was cheerful. It did not strike him that God was angry with him for what had past years ago. He thought he was as sure of the blessing, as if he had not sold the birthright.

Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

Lenten Preparation Novena
DAY THREE

Today Lord I choose life,
I choose Your love
and the challenge to live it
and share it,
I choose hope, even in moments of darkness,
I choose faith, accepting You as Lord and God,
I choose to let go of some part of my burdens,
day by day handing them over to You,
I choose to take hold of Your strength and power
ever more deeply in my life.
I choose repentance and reparation and suffering,
for all my sins
and those of all the world.
Forgive me my Lord!
May this truly be for me,
a time of new life, of change, challenge and growth.
May I come to Easter
with a heart open to dying with You
and rising to Your new life, day by day.
Help me to repent of my sins now
and make reparation throughout
this Lenten season and each day thereafter.
United with your Son,
who makes His way to Calvary,
I offer You my intentions
…………………………………………..
(Mention your special intention)
Amen lenten preparation novena day three - 27 feb 2019

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, Uncategorized

Sunday Reflection – 24 February -Your Intention at Holy Communion

Posted on February 24, 2019February 24, 2019 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 24 February – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

“When you go to Holy Communion, you must always have an intention and say, when you are on the point of receiving our Lord’s Body:

“O my good Father, who art in heaven,
I offer You, at this moment,
Thy dear Son, as He was taken down from the Cross
and laid in the arms of the Blessed Virgin
and offered by her to You, as a sacrifice for us.
I offer Him to You, by the hands of Mary
to obtain ‘such-and-such a grace – faith, charity, humilty….’

My children, mark this well – whenever I obtained a grace, I asked it in this way and it has never failed!”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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

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

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

Speaking of: The Sign of the Cross

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

St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

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

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

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

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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

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

Pope Francis

3 Things to Know about the Cross – Fr Mike Schmitz

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on CHARITY, SPEAKING of .....

Quote/s of the Day – 26 November – Today’s Gospel: Luke 21:1-4 “The Widow’s Mite”

Posted on November 26, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 26 November – Today’s Gospel: Luke 21:1-4 “The Widow’s Mite”

Speaking of: Almsgiving

“When you can do good,
defer it not, because
“alms delivers from death.”

St Polycarp (69-155)

“In the matter of piety, poverty serves us better than wealth
and work better than idleness, especially since wealth
becomes an obstacle even for those
who do not devote themselves to it.
Yet, when we must put aside our wrath, quench our envy,
soften our anger, offer our prayers and show a disposition
which is reasonable, mild, kindly and loving,
how could poverty stand in our way?
For we accomplish these things not by spending money
but by making the correct choice.
Almsgiving, above all else, requires money but even this,
shines, with a brighter lustre, when the alms are given
from our poverty.
The widow who paid in the two mites, was poorer
than any human but she outdid them all.”

St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor

“As far as you can, do some manual work.
so as to be able to give alms, for it is written,
that alms and faith purify from sin.”

St Poemen (340-450)

“Let us give alms because these
cleanse our souls from the stains of sin.
Men lose all the material things
they leave behind them in this world
but they carry with them the reward of their charity
and the alms they give.
For these they will receive from the Lord
the reward and recompense they deserve.”

St Francis of Assisi (c 1181-1226)

“Satisfaction consists in the cutting off
of the causes of the sin.
Thus, fasting is the proper antidote to lust;
prayer to pride, to envy, anger and sloth;
alms to covetousness.”

St Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)

“If you are attached to the things of this earth,
you should give alms sufficient, to enable you
to punish your avarice, by depriving yourself,
of all, that is not absolutely necessary for life.”

St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on MERCY, SAINT of the DAY, SPEAKING of .....

Quote/s of the Day – 17 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of Hungary – Apostle of Charity (1207-1231) – Speaking of: Charity/Mercy

Posted on November 17, 2018November 17, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 17 November – The Memorial of St Elizabeth of Hungary – Apostle of Charity (1207-1231)
Speaking of: Charity/Mercy

As long as anyone has the means
of doing good to his neighbours
and does not do so,
he shall be reckoned a stranger
to the love of the Lord.

St Irenaeus (130-202) Father of the Church

“Mercy imitates God and disappoints Satan.”

“No one has ever been accused for not providing ornaments
but for those who neglect their neighbour,
a hell awaits with an inextinguishable fire
and torment in the company of the demons.
Do not, therefore, adorn the church
and ignore your afflicted brother,
for he is the most precious temple of all.”

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

“Compassion, my dear Brother,
is preferable to cleanliness.
Reflect that with a little soap,
I can easily clean my bed covers
but even with a torrent of tears,
I would never wash from my soul,
the stain, that my harshness toward
the unfortunate would create.”

St Martin de Porres (1579-1639)

“All our religion is but a false religion
and all our virtues are mere illusions
and we ourselves are only hypocrites
in the sight of God,
if we have not that universal charity for everyone –
for the good and for the bad,
for the poor and for the rich
and for all those who do us harm,
as much as those who do us good.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“Any friend of the poor, is a friend of God.”

Blessed John Sullivan SJ (1861-1933)

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Quote/s of the Day – 2 November – The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

Posted on November 2, 2018November 2, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 2 November

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

We believe that Jesus died and rose again,
so we believe, that God will bring with Jesus,
those who have died, believing in him.…

1 Thessalonians 4:14

“He who saves a soul,
saves his own and satisfies
for a multitude of sins.”

James 1:20

“The whole Church observes this practice
which was handed down by the Fathers –
that it prays for those who have died
in the communion of the Body and Blood of Christ,
when they are commemorated
in their own place in the sacrifice itself
and the sacrifice is offered,
also in memory of them, on their behalf.”

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

“What great power the holy souls in purgatory
have over the heart of God!
If we realised this fact
and averted to all the graces
that we can gain through their intercession,
these souls would not be so forgotten.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“If today we are remembering
these brothers and sisters of
ours who lived before us and are
now in heaven, they are there
because they were washed in the
Blood of Christ, that is our hope
and this hope does not disappoint.
If we live our lives with the Lord,
He will never disappoint us.”

Pope Francis

QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on HEAVEN, SPEAKING of ....., The LAST THINGS

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October

Posted on October 26, 2018October 26, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 26 October

Speaking of: The Four Last Things – Part One

“A priest goes to Heaven
or a priest goes to Hell
with a thousand people behind.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“The issue is now clear.
It is between light and darkness
and every one must choose his side.”

G K Chesterton (1874-1936)
(Chesterton’s last words)

“The doors of Hell
are locked from the inside!”

C S Lewis (1898-1963)

“Each and everyone of us,
at the end of the
journey of life,
will come,
face to face
with either one
or the other
of two faces…
And one of them,
either, the
merciful face of Christ
or the
miserable face of Satan,
will say,
“Mine, mine.”

May we be Christ’s!”

Ven Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

“We’ve all got a terminal illness.
It’s called life.”

Servant of God Fr Benedict Groeschel (1933-2014)

“The national anthem
of Hell is
“I Did It My Way”.”

Peter Kreeft

“Many who plan
to seek God
at the eleventh hour
die at 10:30.”

Bumper Sticker

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Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:25–37 – Seeking : The Good Samaritan

Posted on October 8, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 8 October – Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:25–37 – Monday of the Twenty-seventh week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Speaking of – Seeking : The Good Samaritan

As long as anyone has the means
of doing good to his neighbours
and does not do so,
he shall be reckoned a stranger
to the love of the Lord.

St Irenaeus (130-202) Father of the Church

No one has ever been accused for not providing ornaments
but for those who neglect their neighbour,
a hell awaits with an inextinguishable fire
and torment in the company of the demons.
Do not, therefore, adorn the church
and ignore your afflicted brother,
for he is the most precious temple of all.

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

We must speak to them with our hands
before we speak to them with our lips.

St Peter Claver (1580-1654)

We should strive to keep our hearts open
to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people
and pray continually, that God may grant us,
that spirit of compassion,
which is truly the Spirit of God.

St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)

Since God is perfect in loving man,
man must be perfect in loving his neighbour.

St Vincent Pallotti (1795-1850)

All our religion is but a false religion
and all our virtues are mere illusions
and we ourselves are only hypocrites
in the sight of God,
if we have not that universal charity for everyone –
for the good and for the bad,
for the poor and for the rich
and for all those who do us harm,
as much as those who do us good.

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“This parable is a splendid gift for us all and also a task!
To each of us Jesus repeats what He said to the doctor of the Law:
“Go and do likewise” (v. 37).
We are all called to follow the same path of the Good Samaritan,
who is the figure of Christ:
Jesus bent down to us, He became our servant
and thus He has saved us,
so that we too might love
as He loved us, in the same way.”

Pope Francis – General audience, 27 April 2016

ArchAngels and Angels, DOCTORS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ANGELS

Quote/s of the Day- 2 October – The Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Posted on October 2, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day- 2 October – The Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

“We should show our affection for the angels,
for one day they will be our co-heirs
just as here below they are our guardians
and trustees appointed and set over us by the Father.”

St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) Doctor of the Church

“Let us be like the holy angels now. …
If one day we are to be in the angelic court,
we must learn now, while we are still here, the manners of the angels.”

St Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419)

“Since God often sends us His inspirations by means of his angels,
we ought frequently to offer Him our aspirations through the same channel….
Call on them and honour them frequently
and ask their help in all your affairs, temporal as well as spiritual.”

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

“Our prayers are so dear to God,
that He has appointed the angels to present them to Him,
as soon as they come forth from our mouths.
‘The angels,’ says St Hilary, ‘preside over the prayers of the faithful
and offer them daily to God.’
This is that smoke of the incense,
which are the prayers of saints,
which St John saw ascending to God from the hands of the angels (Apoc. 8,3)
and which he saw in another place,
represented by golden phials full of sweet odours, very acceptable to God.”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church

“How happy is that guardian angel
who accompanies a soul to Holy Mass!”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

MORNING Prayers, PAPAL SERMONS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

One Minute Reflection – 22 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:4–15

Posted on September 22, 2018September 22, 2018 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 22 September – Today’s Gospel: Luke 8:4–15 – Saturday of the Twenty-fourth week in Ordinary Time, Year B

“And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bring forth fruit with patience.”…Luke 8:15

REFLECTION – “If you ask me what Jesus Christ means by this sower who goes out early to cast his seed over his field then, my brethren, that sower is the good God Himself, who began the work of our salvation from the beginning of the world by sending us His prophets before the coming of Christ, to teach us what was needed, if we would be saved. Not content with sending His servants, He came Himself, He marked out the way we should take, He came to make known His holy Word.
Do you know what a person is like who is not fed by this holy Word?… Such a person is like a patient without a doctor, a traveller who is lost and without a guide, a poverty stricken person without means of help. Brethren, it is absolutely impossible to love and please God, unless we are fed by this divine Word. What can draw us to follow Him unless by knowing Him? And who enables us to know Him, with all His perfections, beauty and love for us, if not the Word of God, who teaches us about everything He has done for us and the good things He has in store for us in the next life?”…St John Marie Vianney (1786-1859)

“This parable reminds us that we are the soil where the Lord tirelessly sows the seed of His Word and of His love. How do we receive it? And it will do us good not to forget that we too are sowers. God sows good seed and here too we can also ask ourselves: which type of seed comes out of our heart and our mouth? Remember, what counts, is … what comes out of the mouth and of the heart.”…Pope Francis – Angelus, 13 July 2014

PRAYER – All-powerful, eternal God, splendour of true light and neverending day, turn our ears and hearts to Your Word, that we may hear and live by the seed You have sown. May all that grows in us be of Your good seed and yield fruit a hundredfold. Grant Lord, we pray, that by the prayers St Maurice and the Martyrs of Theban and St Thomas of Villanova, we may be filled with courage and love and spread Your Word by our lives. We make our prayer through Jesus, our Lord and Word, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever, amen. st maurice and theban martyrs - pray for us - 22 sept 2018 st-thomas-of-villanova-pray-for-us 22 Sept 2017

DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY CROSS, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Posted on September 14, 2018September 14, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 14 September – Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

“In the Cross is salvation;
in the Cross is life;
in the Cross is protection against our enemies;
in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness;
in the Cross is strength of mind;
in the Cross is joy of spirit;
in the Cross is excellence of virtue;
in the Cross is perfection of holiness.
There is no salvation of soul,
nor hope of eternal life,
save in the Cross.”

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471) The Inner Life

“The road is narrow.
He who wishes to travel it more easily
must cast off all things and use the cross as his cane.
In other words, he must be truly resolved
to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things.”

St John of the Cross (1542-1591) Doctor of the Church

The everlasting God has in His wisdom
foreseen from eternity the cross He now
presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart.
The cross He now sends you
He has considered
with His all-knowing eyes,
understood with His divine mind,
tested with His wise justice,
warmed with loving arms
and weighed with His own hands
to see that it is not one inch too large
nor one ounce too heavy for you.
He has blessed it with His holy name,
anointed it with His grace,
perfumed it with His consolation,
taken one last glance at you and your courage
and then sent it to you from heaven,
a special greeting from God to you,
an alms of the all-merciful love of God.

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

Camillus wanted to have on his habit the Sign of the Cross
in order ‘to demonstrate that this is a religion of the Cross…
so that those who want to follow our way of life will get ready…
to follow Jesus Christ unto death’.
He wanted it to be dark red
‘because more like the true wood of the most holy Cross
on which the Redeemer of the World died and was appended’.

St Camillus de Lellis (1550-1614)

“Oh cherished cross!
Through thee my most bitter trials
are replete with graces!”

St Paul of the Cross (1694-1775)

“Everything is a reminder of the Cross.
We ourselves are made in the shape of a cross.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“Let us not forget,
that Jesus not only suffered
but also rose in glory;
so, too, we go to the glory
of the Resurrection,
by way of suffering
and the Cross.”

St Maximillian Kolbe (1894 -1941)

“There is line from the illuminator of the St John’s Bible that states:
“We have to love our way out of this.”
There is nothing wimpy or namby-pamby
or blind about this conviction.
When we love extravagantly,
we are not purposely blinding ourselves to moral realities—
just the contrary.

Love is not a sentiment, but “a harsh and dreadful thing,”
as Dostoevsky said.

This is just what Jesus shows on His terrible cross.
And this is just what we, His followers, must imitate.
Taking up the cross means, not just being willing to suffer
but being willing to suffer as He did,
absorbing violence and hatred through our forgiveness and nonviolence.”

Bishop Robert Barron

MORNING Prayers, PAPAL MESSAGES, PRAYERS for PRIESTS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Sunday Reflection – 2 September

Posted on September 2, 2018September 2, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 2 September – Today’s Gospel: Mark 7:1–23 – Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

John Paul and Jean-Marie

When the Curé of Ars spoke of the Sacrament of the Altar, he glowed! He communicated to his hearers the Eucharistic fire that burned in his own heart. Thirty-two years ago, St Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) devoted his Holy Thursday Letter to Priests, to Saint Jean-Marie Vianney. I think that today we can read that letter as one saint talking about another. This is what Pope John Paul II said:

“The Eucharist was at the very centre of Saint Jean Vianney’s spiritual life and pastoral work.
He said: “All good works put together are not equivalent to the Sacrifice of the Mass, because they are the works of men and the Holy Mass is the work of God.”
It is in the Mass that the sacrifice of Calvary is made present for the Redemption of the world. Clearly, the priest must unite the daily gift of himself to the offering of the Mass:
“How well a priest does, therefore, to offer himself to God in sacrifice every morning!” “Holy Communion and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are the two most efficacious actions for obtaining the conversion of hearts.”

Recollection and Adoration
Thus the Mass was for John Mary Vianney the great joy and comfort of his priestly life. He took great care, despite the crowds of penitents, to spend more than a quarter of an hour in silent preparation. He celebrated with recollection, clearly expressing his adoration at the consecration and communion. He accurately remarked:

“The cause of priestly laxity is not paying attention to the Mass!”

Let us always, daily, pray for all our Priests!

St John Vianney (1786-1859) Patron of Priests
Prayer for Priests
By St John Vianney

God, please give to Your Church today
many more priests after Your own heart.
May they be worthy representatives
of Christ the Good Shepherd.
May they wholeheartedly devote themselves
to prayer and penance;
be examples of humility and poverty;
shining models of holiness;
tireless and powerful preachers
of the Word of God;
zealous dispensers of Your grace
in the sacraments.
May their loving devotion to Your Son,
Jesus in the Eucharist
and to Mary His Mother,
be the twin fountains of fruitfulness
for their ministry.
Amen

DOCTORS of the Church, DOCTRINE, MARIAN QUOTES, MARIAN TITLES, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY, The BLESSED VIRGIN MARY, Uncategorized

Quote/s of the Day – 22 August – The Memorial of The Queenship of Mary, Holy Mother of God

Posted on August 22, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 22 August – The Memorial of The Queenship of Mary, Holy Mother of God – Today’s Gospel: Luke 1:26–38

“She has surpassed the riches of the virgins,
the confessors, the martyrs, the apostles,
the prophets, the patriarchs and the angels,
for she herself is the first-fruit of the virgins,
the mirror of confessors, the rose of martyrs,
the ruler of apostles, the oracle of prophets,
the daughter of patriarchs, the queen of angels.

St Bonaventure (1217-1274) Seraphic Doctor

“Mary has the authority over the angels
and the blessed in heaven.
As a reward for her great humility,
God gave her the power and mission of assigning to saints
the thrones made vacant by the apostate angels
who fell away through pride.
Such is the will of the almighty God who exalts the humble,
that the powers of heaven, earth and hell,
willingly or unwillingly, must obey the commands
of the humble Virgin Mary.
For God has made her queen of heaven and earth,
leader of his armies, keeper of his treasure,
dispenser of his graces, mediatrix on behalf of men,
destroyer of his enemies and faithful associate
in his great works and triumphs.

St Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716)

“To serve the Queen of Heaven is already to reign there
and to live under her commands, is more than to govern.”

St John Marie Vianney (1786-1859)

“No one has access to the Almighty
as His mother has – none has merit such as hers.
Her Son will deny her nothing that she asks
and herein lies her power.
While she defends the Church,
neither height nor depth,
neither men nor evil spirits,
neither great monarchs,
nor craft of man, nor popular violence,
can avail to harm us – for human life is short
but Mary reigns above, a Queen forever.”

“Her Son will deny her nothing that she asks and herein lies her power. While she defends the Church, neither height nor depth, neither men nor evil spirits, neither great monarchs, nor craft of man, nor popular violence, can avail to harm us, for human life is short but Mary reigns above, a Queen for ever.”

Bl Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

“Prayer is powerful beyond limits
when we turn to the Immaculata
who is Queen even of God’s heart.”

St Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941)

CATECHESIS, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on PRAYER, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted on August 4, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“My little children, reflect on these words:
the Christian’s treasure is not on earth but in heaven.

Our thoughts, then, ought to be directed to where out treasure is.
This is the glorious duty of man – to pray and to love.
If you pray and love, that is where a man’s happiness lies.
Prayer is nothing else but union with God. In this intimate union, God and the soul are fused together like two bits of wax that no one can every pull apart. This union of god with a tiny creature is a lovely thing. It is a happiness beyond understanding.

My little children, your hearts, are small but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God.
Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us.
Prayer never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey that flows into the souls and makes all things sweet.

When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun. Some men immerse themselves as deeply in prayer as fish in water, because they give themselves totally to God. O, how I love these noble souls! How unlike them we are! How often we come to church with no idea of what to do or what to ask for. And yet, whenever we go to any human being, we know well enough why we go.
And still worse, there are some who seem to speak to the good God like this: “I will only say a couple of things to You and then I will be rid of You.”
I often think that when we come to adore the Lord, we would receive everything we ask for, if we would ask with living faith and with a pure heart.

Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.”

– from the catechetical instructions by Saint John Vianney

St John Marie Baptiste Vianney, the poor boy from Dardilly, ordained a priest “through compassion” and in charge of an isolated parish, the one who prepared himself to die every day: because of the strange logic of God who chooses the little to depose the mighty, it was this man who became a teacher and model even for the Popes who sit on the Chair of Peter, who are inspired by him and hold him up for emulation to the entire Church. We must make ourselves ‘little’ in prayer, in total self-giving to God!

St John Marie Baptiste Vianney, Pray for us!

EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted on August 4, 2018August 4, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“Here is the rule
for everyday life.
Do not do anything,
which you cannot
offer to God.”

“Man is a beggar
who needs to ask God
for everything.”

“If people would do for God
what they do for the world,
what a great number of Christians
would go to Heaven.”

“You either
belong wholly
to the world
or wholly to God.”

“You must accept your cross.
If you bear it courageously,
it will carry you to heaven.”

“We should consider
those moments spent before
the Blessed Sacrament
as the happiest of our lives.”

“His look rests on you alone.”

St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, SAINT of the DAY

One Minute Reflection – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted on August 4, 2018 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...Matthew 5:44 matthew 5 44 but i say to you love your enemies - 4 aug 2018

REFLECTION – “All our religion is but a false religion and all our virtues are mere illusions and we ourselves are only hypocrites in the sight of God, if we have not that universal charity for everyone – for the good and for the bad, for the poor and for the rich and for all those who do us harm, as much as those who do us good.” – St John Vianney

PRAYER – Almighty and merciful God, by Your grace, St John Vianney was remarkable for his zeal as priest and shepherd. Help us, by his example and prayers, to win our brethren for Christ by our love and to share with them in eternal glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. st jphn vianney pray for us - 4 aug 2018

MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, SAINT of the DAY

Our Morning Offering – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted on August 4, 2018August 3, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Our Morning Offering – 4 August – The Memorial of St John Vianney (1786-1859)

St John Vianney’s prayer which is quoted in the CCC

I Love You, O My God
By St John Vianney (1786-1859)

I love You,
O my God
and my only desire is to love You
until the last breath of my life.
I love You,
O my infinitely lovable God,
and I would rather die loving You,
than live without loving You.
I love You, Lord
and the only grace I ask,
is to love You eternally
My God,
if my tongue cannot say
in every moment that I love You,
I want my heart to repeat it to You
as often as I draw breath.
Amen i love you o my god - st john vianney and the CCC - 4 august 2018

CONFESSORS, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, INCORRUPTIBLES, PRIESTS, all CLERGY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SILENCE, SAINT of the DAY

Saint of the Day – 9 August – St John Mary Vianney (1786-1859) the Curé d’Ars, Confessor

Posted on August 4, 2018August 8, 2022 by AnaStpaul

Saint of the Day – 9 August – St John Mary Vianney (1786-1859) the Curé d’Ars, Confessor. Patron of Parish Priests. His body is incorrupt. Facts, dates and patronages here: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/08/04/saint-of-the-day-4-august-st-jean-baptiste-marie-vianney-t-o-s-f-the-cure-of-ars/ st john vianney

St John Baptist Mary Vianney was born near Lyon, France, on 8th May 1786. Overcoming many difficulties prior to his ordination on 13th Aug 1815, he was thereafter entrusted with the remote parish of Ars, a village of 230 souls. His Bishop had warned him that he would find religious practice there in a sorry state: “There is little love of God in that parish; you will have to be the one to put it there”. As a result, he was deeply aware that he needed to embody Christ’s presence and bear witness to God’s saving mercy: “Lord, grant me the conversion of my parish. I am willing to suffer whatever you wish, for my entire life!” With that prayer he entered upon his mission. st john vianney - header - maxresdefault

His first biographer tells us that “upon his arrival, he chose the church as his home. He entered the church daily before dawn and did not leave it until after the evening Angelus. There he was to be sought whenever needed”.

antique-card-background — Inside the Old Church where St John Mary Vianney preached and heard confessions

The Curé d’Ars taught his parishioners primarily by the witness of his life. It was from his example that they learned to pray, to visit Jesus frequently in the Tabernacle. “One need not say much to pray well”, he explained to them, “we know that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle. Let us open our hearts to Him, let us rejoice in His sacred presence. That is the best prayer”. And He would urge them: “Come to communion, my brothers and sisters, come to Jesus. Come to live from Him in order to live with Him… Of course you are not worthy of Him but you need Him!”

He regularly visited the sick and families and organised missions and feast day celebrations. He also enlisted lay persons to collaborate in the collection and management of funds for his charitable works, providing also for the education of children. He personally cared for the orphans and teachers of the “Providence”, an institute he founded.

The Curé of Ars was known for his humility, while as a priest he was conscious of being an immense gift to his people. “A good shepherd, a pastor after God’s heart, is the greatest treasure which the good Lord can grant to a parish and one of the most precious gifts of divine mercy”.

Explaining to his parishioners the importance of the Sacraments, he would say: “Without the Sacrament of Holy Orders, we would not have the Lord. Who put him there in that tabernacle? The priest. Who welcomed your soul at the beginning of your life? The priest. Who feeds your soul and gives it strength for its journey? The priest. Who will prepare it to appear before God, bathing it one last time in the blood of Jesus Christ? The priest, always the priest. And if this soul should die as a result of mortal sin, who will raise it up, who will restore its calm and peace? Again, the priest… Only in heaven will he fully realise what he is.”

Those who attended the Masses he celebrated have said that “it was not possible to find a finer example of worship… He gazed upon the Host with immense love”. He was convinced that the fervour of a priest’s life depended entirely upon the Mass, “All good works, taken together, do not equal the sacrifice of the Mass since they are human works, while the Holy Mass is the work of God… The reason why a priest is lax is that he does not pay attention to the Mass! My God, how we ought to pity a priest who celebrates as if he were engaged in something routine!”

“The priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you”

His profound sense of responsibility as a priest was palpable. “Were we to fully realise what a priest is on earth, we would die: not of fright but of love… Without the priest, the passion and death of our Lord would be of no avail. It is the priest who continues the work of redemption on earth… What use would be a house filled with gold, were there no one to open its door? The priest holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of his goods… Leave a parish for 20 years without a priest and they will end by worshipping the beasts there… The priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you”.

By spending long hours in church before the Tabernacle, he inspired the faithful to imitate him by coming to visit Jesus, knowing that their parish priest would be there, ready to listen and offer forgiveness. Later, the growing numbers of penitents from all over France would keep him in the confessional for up to 16 hours a day. It was said that Ars had become “a great hospital of souls”.

He once explained to a fellow priest his self-imposed mortifications and expiations for those souls whose confessions he heard, “I will tell you my recipe: I give sinners a small penance and the rest I do in their place.” He was moved knowing that souls have been won at the price of Jesus’ own blood and a priest cannot devote himself to their salvation if he refuses to share personally in the precious cost of Christ’s redemption.

A century after his death, the Shrine of Our Lady of Mercy was built in Ars-sur-Formans, where the relic of the heart of the Saint is venerated in the Chapel of the Heart. His incorrupt body lies at the main altar of the Shrine in a glass reliquary. The Curé’s humble cottage is presently a museum. Saint Jean Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859) priest in Ars (France) during meditation, engraving

museum OF ST JOHN VIANNEY IN ARS — St John Vianney’s Bedroom in his house which is now the Museum

Current estimates indicate that over 400,000 pilgrims visit the shrine every year. st john vianney lying in state st john vianney relics shrine - st john vianney Ars basilique

MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The SIGN of the CROSS

Thought for the Day – 3 August – The Gift of Every Day

Posted on August 3, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 3 August – The Gift of Every Day

THE GIFT OF EVERY DAY
by St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“Before beginning your work, my dear brethren, never fail to make the Sign of the Cross. Do not imitate those people without religion who dare not do this because they are in company. Offer quite simply all your difficulties to God and renew from time to time this offering, for by that means you will have the happiness of drawing down the blessing of Heaven on yourself and on all you do. Just think, my dear brethren, how many acts of virtue you can practice by behaving in this way, without making any change in what you are actually doing.

If you work with the object of pleasing God and obeying His Commandments, which order you to earn your bread by the sweat of your brow, that is an act of obedience. If you want to expiate your sins, you are making an act of penance. If you want to obtain some grace for yourself or for others, it is an act of hope and of charity. Oh, how we could merit Heaven every day, my dear brethren, by doing just our ordinary duties but by doing them for God and the salvation of our souls!

Who stops you, when you hear the chimes striking, from thinking on the shortness of time and of saying in your minds: “Time passes and death comes closer. I am hastening towards eternity. Am I really ready to appear before the tribunal of God? Am I not in a state of sin?”

“My God, I give you my heart and since You are so good as to give me another day, give me the grace that everything I do will be for Your honour and for the salvation of my soul.”

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TEMPTATION, QUOTES on the DEVIL/EVIL, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 28 July – Today’s Gospel: 13:24-30.

Posted on July 28, 2018July 28, 2018 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – 28 July – Saturday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year B – Today’s Gospel: 13:24-30 and The First Memorial of Blessed Stanley Francis Rother (1935-1981) Martyr

‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’…Matthew 13:27

REFLECTION – “In today’s gospel, my friends, we see that when the owner of the field had sowed his seed in good soil, the enemy came while he was sleeping and sowed weeds in it. What this means is that God created Man good and perfect but the enemy came and sowed sin. This was Adam’s downfall, a terrible fall that opened the door to sin in the human heart.
Are you saying that we must pull out the weeds? “But no,” the Lord replies, “for fear that in pulling up the weeds you pull up the good seed as well. Wait until harvest.” This is how the human heart must remain until the end, a mixture of good and bad, vice and virtue, light and darkness, good seed and weeds. God did not wish to destroy this mix and refashion a nature in us where there would be nothing but good seed. He wants us to fight, to strive to prevent the weeds from taking over. The devil comes to sow temptation across our path but we are able to overcome it by grace, we can smother the weeds. Three things are absolutely necessary against temptation: prayer to enlighten us, the sacraments to strengthen us and vigilance to preserve us. Happy are souls that are tempted! It is when the devil discerns that a soul is tending towards union with God that he redoubles his rage.”…St John Marie Vianney (1786-1859)

PRAYER – All-powerful and ever-living God, splendour of true light and never-ending day, chase away the night of sin and fill our minds with the glory of Your coming. Take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh, help us in our battle with sin and the devil. By our prayers, Your holy sacraments and the strength of the Holy Spirit, may we be ever vigilant of the evil one. Blessed Stanley Rother, although evil surrounded you, you kept your eyes on the Lord, knowing He was always with you. Hear the prayers of Blessed Stanley on our behalf dear Lord. We make our prayer through Christ, our Lord with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. bl stanley rother - pray for us - 28 july 2018

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS for PRIESTS, PRAYERS of the CHURCH, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the PRIESTHOOD

Thought for the Day – – 18 July – The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for July “Pray for our Priests and their Pastoral Ministry”

Posted on July 18, 2018July 18, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – – 18 July – The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for July “Pray for our Priests and their Pastoral Ministry”

What joy did the Apostles feel after the Resurrection of Our Lord, at seeing the Master whom they had loved so much!
The priest must feel the same joy, at seeing Our Lord whom he holds in his hands.
Great value is attached to objects which have been laid in the drinking cup of the Blessed Virgin and of the Child Jesus, at Loretto.
But the fingers of the priest, that have touched the adorable Flesh of Jesus Christ, that have been plunged into the chalice which contained His Blood, into the pyx where His Body has lain, are they not still more precious?

The priesthood is the love of the Heart of Jesus.

When you see the priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

St John Vianney (1786-1859) Patron of Priests

Prayer for Priests
By St John Vianney

God, please give to Your Church today
many more priests after Your own heart.
May they be worthy representatives
of Christ the Good Shepherd.
May they wholeheartedly devote themselves
to prayer and penance;
be examples of humility and poverty;
shining models of holiness;
tireless and powerful preachers
of the Word of God;
zealous dispensers of Your grace
in the sacraments.
May their loving devotion to Your Son,
Jesus in the Eucharist
and to Mary His Mother,
be the twin fountains of fruitfulness
for their ministry.
Amen prayer for priests by st john vianney - no 3 - 18 july 2018

CATHOLIC-PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH, DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, PRAYERS for PRIESTS, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the PRIESTHOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 18 July – The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for July “Pray for our Priests and their Pastoral Ministry”

Posted on July 18, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 18 July – The Holy Father’s Prayer Intention for July “Pray for our Priests and their Pastoral Ministry”

“He made them,
the vicars of His love.

St Ambrose (340-397)

Father & Doctor of the Church

“The power of the priest,
is the power of the divine person,
for the transubstantiation of the bread,
requires as much power,
as the creation of the world.”

St Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444)

“St Bernard tells us that everything has come to us through Mary
and we may also say that everything has come to us through the priest,
yes, all happiness, all graces, all heavenly gifts.
If we had not the Sacrament of Orders, we should not have Our Lord.
Who placed Him there, in that tabernacle?
It was the priest.
Who was it that received your soul, on its entrance into life?
The priest.
Who nourishes it, to give it strength to make its pilgrimage?
The priest.
Who will prepare it to appear before God, by washing that soul,
for the last time, in the blood of Jesus Christ?
The priest – always the priest.
And if that soul comes to the point of death, who will raise it up,
who will restore it to calmness and peace?
Again the priest.
You cannot recall one single blessing from God,
without finding, side by side with this recollection,
the image of the priest.”

“If I were to meet a priest and an angel,
I should salute the priest before I saluted the angel.
The latter is the friend of God
but the priest holds His place.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859) Patron of Priests

“Day after day, it is necessary to learn,
that I do not possess my life for myself.
Day by day, I must learn to abandon myself,
to keep myself available for whatever He, the Lord,
needs of me at a given moment,
even if other things seem more appealing
and more important to me,
this means giving life, not taking it.”

Pope Benedict XVI

MORNING Prayers, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The SIGN of the CROSS

Thought for the Day – 9 July – Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Posted on July 9, 2018July 9, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 9 July – Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

THE GIFT OF EVERY DAY
St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“Before beginning your work, my dear brethren, never fail to make the Sign of the Cross.

Do not imitate those people without religion who dare not do this because they are in company.

Offer quite simply all your difficulties to God and renew from time to time this offering, for by that means you will have the happiness of drawing down the blessing of Heaven on yourself and on all you do.

Just think, my dear brethren, how many acts of virtue you can practice by behaving in this way, without making any change in what you are actually doing.

If you work with the object of pleasing God and obeying His Commandments, which order you to earn your bread by the sweat of your brow, that is an act of obedience.

If you want to expiate your sins, you are making an act of penance.

If you want to obtain some grace for yourself or for others, it is an act of hope and of charity.

Oh, how we could merit Heaven every day, my dear brethren, by doing just our ordinary duties, but by doing them for God and the salvation of our souls! Who stops you, when you hear the chimes striking, from thinking on the shortness of time and of saying in your minds:

“Time passes and death comes closer. I am hastening towards eternity. Am I really ready to appear before the tribunal of God?Am I not in a state of sin?”

St John Vianney, Pray for us!

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SUNDAY REFLECTIONS, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Sunday Reflection – 8 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Posted on July 8, 2018July 8, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Sunday Reflection – 8 July – Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

“What does Jesus Christ do in the Eucharist?

It is God who, as our Saviour, offers Himself each day for us to His Father’s justice.

If you are in difficulties and sorrows, He will comfort and relieve you.

If you are sick, He will either cure you or give you strength to suffer so as to merit Heaven.

If the devil, the world and the flesh are making war upon you, He will give you the weapons with which to fight, to resist and to win victory.

If you are poor, He will enrich you with all sorts of riches for time and eternity.

Let us open the door of His sacred and adorable Heart and be wrapped about for an instant by the flames of His love and we shall see what a God who loves us can do.

O my God, who shall be able to comprehend?”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

what does jesus christ do in the eucharist - sun reflection - 8 july 2018 -no 2 LARGER st john vianney

MORNING Prayers, ON the SAINTS, PAPAL SERMONS, PRAYERS for PRIESTS, QUOTES on the PRIESTHOOD, The WORD, VATICAN Resources

One Minute Reflection – – 23 June – The Memorial of St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)

Posted on June 23, 2018June 23, 2018 by AnaStpaul

One Minute Reflection – – 23 June – The Memorial of St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”…John 20:21 as the father has sent me - john 20-21 - st joseph cafasso - 23 june 2018

REFLECTION – “Not without a special and beneficial disposition of Divine Goodness have we witnessed new stars rising on the horizon of the Catholic Church: the parish priest of Ars and the Venerable Servant of God, Joseph Cafasso. These two beautiful, beloved, providently timely figures must be presented today; one, the parish priest of Ars, as small and humble, poor and simple as he was glorious and the other, a beautiful, great, complex and rich figure of a priest, the educator and formation teacher of priests, Venerable Joseph Cafasso”….Pope Pius XI

PRAYER – Holy God, may St Joseph Cafasso’s example serve as a reminder to all to hasten towards the perfection of Christian life, towards holiness. In particular, may St Joseph Cafasso, remind priests of the importance of devoting time to the sacrament of Reconciliation and to spiritual direction and to all, the concern we should have for the most deprived. May we find help in his intercession and that of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom St Joseph Cafasso was very devoted and whom he called “Our beloved Mother, our consolation, our hope”. St Joseph Cafasso, St John Vianney, please pray for all our priests! We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with You, in the union of the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen. sts joseph cafasso and john vianney - pray for us and all priests - 23 june 2018

MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE

Thought for the Day – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18

Posted on June 20, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Thought for the Day – 20 June – Wednesday Eleventh Week of Ord Time Year B – Today’s Gospel Matthew 6:1-6.16-18

“We are Nothing in Ourselves”
St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

“When we do nothing to be ashamed of, when everything is going along according to our wishes, we dare to believe that nothing could make us fall. We forget our own nothingness and our utter weakness. We make the most delightful protestations that we are ready to die rather than to allow ourselves to be conquered. We see a splendid example of this in St Peter, who told our Lord that although all others might be scandalised in Him, yet he would never deny Him.

Alas! To show him how man, left to himself, is nothing at all, God made use, not of kings or princes or weapons but simply of the voice of a maidservant, who even appeared to speak to him in a very indifferent sort of way. A moment ago, he was ready to die for Him and now Peter protests, that he does not even know Him, that he does not know about whom they are speaking. To assure them even more vehemently that he does not know Him, he swears an oath about it.

Dear Lord, what we are capable of when we are left to ourselves! There are some who, in their own words, are envious of the saints who did great penances. They believe that they could do as well. When we read the lives of some of the martyrs, we would, we think, be ready to suffer all that they suffered for God; the moment is short lived, we say, for an eternity of reward. But what does God do to teach us to know ourselves or, rather, to know that we are nothing? This is all He does: He allows the Devil to come a little closer to us. Look at this Christian who a moment ago was quite envious of the hermit who lived solely on roots and herbs and who made the stern resolution to treat his body as harshly. Alas! A slight headache, a prick of a pin, makes him, as big and strong is he is, sorry for himself. He is very upset. He cries with pain. A moment ago he would have been willing to do all the penances of the anchorites — and the merest trifle makes him despair!

Look at this other one, who seems to want to give his whole life for God, whose ardour all the torments there are cannot damp. A tiny bit of scandalmongering …. a word of calumny …. even a slightly cold reception or a small injustice done to him …. a kindness returned by ingratitude …. immediately gives birth in him to feelings of hatred, of revenge, of dislike, to the point, often, of his never wishing to see his neighbour again or at least of treating him coldly with an air which shows very plainly what is going on in his heart. And how many times is this his waking thought, just as it was the thought that almost prevented him from sleeping? Alas, my dear brethren, we are poor stuff and we should count very little upon our good resolutions!”

St John Vianney, Pray for us!

DOCTORS of the Church, EUCHARISTIC Adoration, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES - J R R Tolkien and MORE, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on PRAYER, SPEAKING of ....., The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 18 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)

Posted on June 19, 2018June 19, 2018 by AnaStpaul

Quote/s of the Day – 18 June – The Memorial of St Romuald (c 951-1027)

Speaking of: Prayer

“It is better to say
one Our Father fervently
and devoutly
than a thousand,
with no devotion
and full of distraction.”

St Edmund (841-869)

“Sit in your cell as in paradise.
Put the whole world
behind you and forget it.
Watch your thoughts
like a good fisherman
watching for fish.”

St Romuald (c 951-1027)

“Were you to ask,
‘what are the means
of overcoming temptations’,
I would answer:
The first means is prayer;
the second is prayer;
the third is prayer;
and should you ask me,
a thousand times,
I would repeat the same.”

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor

“When we speak to Jesus
with simplicity and with all our heart,
He does like a mother
who holds her child’s head with her hands
and covers it with kisses and caresses.”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“Jesus is waiting
for you
in the chapel.
Go and find Him.”

St Jeanne Jugan (1792-1879) 30 August

“To clasp the hands in prayer
is a beginning of an uprising
against the disorder of the world.”

Karl Barth (1886-1968)

“Friends,
do not be afraid
of silence or stillness.
Listen to God.
Adore Him in the Eucharist.”

Pope Benedict XVI

“Turn your car into a monastery.”

Bishop Robert Barron

“Seek a relationship
when you pray, not answers.
You won’t always find answers
but you will always find Jesus.”

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St Peter Chrysologus (400-450) Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church

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St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

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St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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St Anthony Abbot (251-356)

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Pope Francis

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Speaking of: Almsgiving

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St Richard of Chichester (1197-1253)

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St Irenaeus (130-202) Father of the Church

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

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St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Blessed John Sullivan SJ (1861-1933)

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1 Thessalonians 4:14

James 1:20

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Pope Francis

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Speaking of: The Four Last Things – Part One

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

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Servant of God Fr Benedict Groeschel (1933-2014)

Peter Kreeft

Bumper Sticker

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Speaking of – Seeking : The Good Samaritan

St Irenaeus (130-202) Father of the Church

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Pope Francis – General audience, 27 April 2016

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Bishop Robert Barron

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Let us always, daily, pray for all our Priests!

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St Louis Marie de Montfort (1673-1716)

St John Marie Vianney (1786-1859)

Bl Cardinal John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

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St John Marie Baptiste Vianney, Pray for us!

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St Peter Chrysologus (400-450)
Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church

G K Chesterton (1874-1936)
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THE GIFT OF EVERY DAY
by St John Vianney (1786-1859)

THE GIFT OF EVERY DAY
St John Vianney (1786-1859)

“We are Nothing in Ourselves”
St John Marie Baptiste Vianney (1786-1859)

St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)
Most Zealous Doctor