Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – “Month of the Holy Rosary” – Memorial of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary/Our Lady of Victory
“The greatest method of praying, is to pray the Rosary.”
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor of the Church
“The salvation of the whole world began with the “Hail Mary.” Hence, the salvation of each person is also attached to this prayer.”
St Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort (1673-1716)
“Those who say the Rosary daily and wear the Brown Scapular and who do a little more, will go straight to Heaven.”
St Alphonsus Ligouri (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
“And so we contemplate all the great mysteries of His life and His birth in the manger and so too, the mysteries of His suffering and His glorified life. But even Christians, with all their knowledge of God, have usually more awe than love of Him and the special virtue of the Rosary, lies in the special way, in which it looks at these mysteries, for with all our thoughts of Him are mingled thoughts of His Mother and in the relations between Mother and Son, we have set before us the Holy Family, the home in which God lived.”
St John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
“If our age in its pride laughs at and rejects Our Lady’s Rosary, a countless legion of the most saintly men of every age and of every condition, have not only held it most dear and have most piously recited it but, have also used it at all times, as a most powerful weapon to overcome the devil, to preserve the purity of their lives, to acquire virtue more zealously, in a word, to promote peace among men.”
Pope Pius XI (1857-1939)
“There is no surer means of calling down God’s blessing upon the family, than the daily recitation of the Rosary.”
Quote/s of the Day – 3 October – Readings: Genesis 2: 18-24; Psalm 128: 1-6; Hebrews 2: 9-11; Mark 10: 2-16
Childlike Trust
“Whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a little child, shall not enter it.”
Mark 10:15
“Father, I am seeking, I am hesitant and uncertain but will You, O God, watch over each step of mine and guide me.”
St Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.”
St Albert the Great (1200-1280) Doctor of the Church
“Do not have any anxiety about the future. Leave everything in God’s hands for He will take care of you.”
St John Baptiste de la Salle (1651-1719)
“Those whose hearts are enlarged by confidence in God run swiftly on the path of perfection. They not only run, they fly because, having placed all their hope in the Lord, they are no longer weak as they once were. They become strong with the strength of God, which is given to all who put their trust in Him.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
“The Holy Spirit leads us like a mother. He leads His child by the hand… as a sighted person leads a blind person.”
Our Morning Offering – 30 September – The last day of the Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Mother Mary
My Sorrowful Mother, Help Me to Bear My Crosses By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Doctor of the Church
My sorrowful Mother, by the merit of that grief which you felt at seeing your beloved Jesus led to death, obtain for me the grace to bear with patience, those crosses which God sends me. I will be fortunate if I also shall know how to accompany you with my cross until death. You and Jesus, both innocent, have borne a heavy cross and shall I, a sinner who has merited hell, refuse mine? Immaculate Virgin, I hope you will help me to bear my crosses with patience. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 29 September – Feast of the Dedication of St Michael the Archangel
“Michael is the Breath of the Redeemer’s Spirit, Who at the end of the World, will combat and destroy the antichrist, as he did Lucifer in the beginning.”
St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor Angelicus Doctor Communis
“Among the Angels in Heaven none surpasses St Michael in Glory …”
“St Michael has the honourable office of presenting to Jesus Christ the Judge, all the souls that depart out of this world in the grace of God.”
St Alphonsus Maria De Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Saint of the Day – 29 September – Feast of the Dedication of St Michael the Archangel
By St Alphonsus Maria De Liguori (1696-1787)
Among the Angels in heaven, none surpasses St Michael in glory and according to St Basil and others, there is none that equals him and with good reason because St Michael was chosen to subdue the pride of Lucifer and of all the rebel angels and, to expel them from heaven.
Christian, if thou lovest this Archangel, who has such great love for men, rejoice at the glory which he enjoys in heaven and beseech him, that, as he is the protector of the whole Church and of all the faithful, he will be thy special protector with God, Who loves him so much,and who rejoices in beholding one, who is so faithful to Him and so zealous for His honour, so much glorified by all.
In the Mass for the dead, the Church prays: “Let the standard bearer, St Michael, bring them into the holy light.” The learned explain this prayer and say, that St. Michael has the honourable office of presenting to Jesus Christ the Judge, all the souls that depart out of this world in the grace of God. Protect me, therefore, O holy Archangel and by your protection, enable my soul to become worthy of being presented, by your hands on the day of my death, ornamented with divine grace, before my Judge Jesus Christ.
Again, the Holy Church prays to St. Michael in the name of all the faithful, to defend us from the assaults of the wicked enemy at the hour of our death, that we may not be conquered and lose our souls: “Holy St Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle, that we may not be lost at the dreadful judgement.“
O holy Archangel, the devil has many weapons to employ against me at the hour of my death; these weapons are my sins, by which he will then endeavour to throw me into despair; he is also preparing furious assaults of temptations to cause me then to fall again into sin. You, who conquered him and expelled him from heaven, conquer him again for me and drive him far away from me at the hour of my death; I beseech you to grant this my prayer, for the love of that God, Who so much loves you and whom you so much love. O Mary, Queen of heaven, procure for me the assistance of St Michael at the hour of my death. Amen!
St Michael as the Angel of death – Evelyn de Morgan
Quote/s of the Day – 15 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and Memorial of the Seven Sorrows of our Mother
“Let my heart languish and my soul melt away and be consumed with love of You, my beloved Saviour Jesus and my dear Mother Mary! But because I cannot love You unless You give me grace, then give me grace, O Jesus and Mary — by Your merits, not mine — to love You as You deserve to be loved. O God, lover of humankind, You loved sinful human beings to the point of death. Will You deny Your love and Your Mother’s to anyone who begs for it?”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“During the entire course of her life, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, never deviated in the slightest from the precepts and examples of her Divine Son. This was true both in the most sweet joys Mary experienced and in the cruel sufferings she underwent, which made the the Queen of Martyrs.”
Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)
When Mary Weeps By Father Frederick M Lynk (1881-unknown)
When Mary weeps, her mother’s heart Is full to overflowing. When Mary weeps, pain’s piercing dart Stabs Him beyond all knowing, Who is by sinners Crucified, Blasphemed, forsaken and denied.
When Mary weeps, God’s holy wrath Is kindling cruel fires. When Mary weeps, poor mankind’s path Leads through war’s blood-soaked mires And makes all human mothers moan In love and pity for their own.
When Mary weeps, it’s time to pray To have our sins forgiven. When Mary weeps, each night and day By sorrow must be riven, Until His and her children will Once more seek peace on Calvary’s hill. When Mary weeps, we all must try To dry her tears of sorrow. When Mary weeps, we too must cry To glimpse a brighter morrow, When her Son’s name is recognised And all, in love adore the Christ. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 15 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” and Memorial of the Seven Sorrows of our Mother
O Afflicted Virgin! By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
O afflicted Virgin! O soul, great in virtues and great also in sorrows! for both arise from that great fire of love thou hast for God; thou “whose heart can love nothing but God.” O Mother, have pity on me, for I have not loved God and I have so much offended Him. Thy sorrows give me great confidence to hope for pardon. But this is not enough; I wish to love my Lord and who can better obtain this for me than thou, thou who art the Mother of fair love? O Mary, thou dost console all, comfort me also. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 1: 24 – 2: 3; Psalm 62: 6-7,9; Luke 6:6-11
JEALOUSY/ENVY!
“Stretch forth your hand.”
Luke 6:10
“While the withered hand was restored, the withered minds of the onlookers were not. … Are you debating what you will do? Worship Him as God. Worship the Wonder-worker. Worship One who worked good things on behalf of another.”
St Athansius (297-373) Father and Doctor of the Church
“And I became their abomination because there was no jealousy in me. Because I continually did good to every man I was hated. And they surrounded me like mad dogs (Ps 22[21]:17) those, who in stupidity, attack their masters. Because their mind is depraved and their sense is perverted.”
Odes of Solomon (Hebrew Christian text from the beginning of the 2nd century) No 28
“Jealousy has no limit; it is an evil that continually endures and a sin, without end. The lies of jealousy burn hotter in proportion to the increasing success of the person who is envied.”
St Cyprian of Carthage (c 200- c 258) Bishop, Martyr, Father of the Church
“ It is ever thus, the more you envy your brother, the greater good you confer upon him. God, who sees all, takes the cause of the innocent in hand and, irritated by the injury you inflict, deigns to raise up him whom you wish to lower and will punish you to the full extent of your crime.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father & Doctor of the Church
“To harbour no envy, no anger, no resentment against an offender is still not to have charity for him. It is possible, without any charity, to avoid rendering evil for evil. But to render, spontaneously, good for evil – such belongs to a perfect spiritual love.”
St Maximus the Confessor (c 580-662) Father of the Church
“The soul that loves Jesus Christ does not envy the great ones of this world but only those, who are greater lovers of Jesus Christ.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Quote/s of the Day – 30 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – Readings: Thessalonians 4: 13-18; Psalm 96: 1 and 3-5, 11-13; Luke 4: 16-30
“He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.”
Luke 4:19
“For what reason did God send Him to preach to the poor? “To preach release to captives.” We were the captives. For many years Satan had bound us and held us captive and subject to himself. Jesus has come “to proclaim release to captives and sight to the blind.” By His word and the proclamation of His teaching, the blind see.”
Origen (c 185-253)
“He did not treat us as our sins deserved. For we are now sons of God. How do we show this? The only Son of God died for us, so that He might not remain alone. He who died as the only Son, did not want to remain as the only Son. For the only Son of God made many sons of God. He bought brothers for Himself by His blood, He made them welcome by being rejected, He ransomed them by being sold, He honoured them by being dishonoured, He gave them life by being put to death.”
St Augustine (354-430) Bishop, Great Western Father and Doctor of Grace
“… Veiled in a human body, He was able to communicate with humans. He who wanted to assist the guilty hides the fact that He is a Judge. He who did not deny dignity to faithful servants, conceals his Lordship. He who desired the weak to be embraced by a parent’s love, covers His Majesty.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Doctor of Homilies” Father and Doctor of the Church
“My beloved Redeemer, how much did it cost You to raise me from the ruin, which I brought on myself through my sins? What can I do without Your grace? I can do nothing but pray that You will help me but even this prayer comes from the merits of Your suffering and death! O my Jesus, help me!”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most zealous Doctor
Our Morning Offering – 30 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart”
O God of Love, Give Me Thy Love and Thy Grace By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
O God of Love, Thou art and shall be forever, the only delight of my heart and the sole object of my affections. Sinee Jesus said: ‘Ask and you shall receive,’ I do not hesitate to say: ‘Give me Thy Love and Thy Grace.’ Grant that I may love Thee and be loved by Thee. I want for nothing else. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 17 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart” – Readings: Judges 6: 11-24a; Psalm 85: 9-14; Matthew 19: 23-30
“Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee”
Matthew 19:27
“For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
Matthew 6:21
“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”
John 14:6
“Let us listen to the Lord: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6). If you are looking for the Truth, follow the Way which is also the Truth. This is where you are going and it is how you go. It is not by another thing that you go to something; it is not by anything else that you come to Christ; it is through Christ that you come to Christ. How to Christ through Christ? To Christ God through Christ man; through the Word made flesh, to the Word who was with God, from the beginning; through what we have eaten to what the angels eat daily. In fact it is what is written: “He gave them bread from heaven; man ate the bread of angels” (Ps 77[78]:24-25). What is the bread of angels? “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was in God and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1-3). How has man eaten the bread of angels? “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.”
Saint Augustine (354-430) Father and Doctor of Grace
“May Christ be heard in our language, may Christ be seen in our life, may He be perceived in our hearts”
St Peter Damian (1007-1072) Father and Doctor of the Church
“… It is Him you should love and no other. Of Him you could and should say “My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16); my God has given Himself without reserve and, without reserve, I give myself to Him; He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness and He, among thousands, He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10), so loveable and so loving, He is the chosen of my heart, the only one I wish to love.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Our Morning Offering – 7 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary”
O Mother Blest By St Alphonsus Maira Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church Trans. Fr Edmund Vaughn C.SS,R, (1827 – 1908 )
O Mother blest, whom God bestows On sinners and on just, What joy, what hope thou givest those Who in thy mercy trust. Thou are clement, thou are chaste, Mary thou art fair, Of all mothers, sweetest best, none with thee compare.
O heavenly Mother, mistress sweet! it never yet was told that suppliant sinner left thy feet, unpitied, unconsoloed. Thou are clement, thou are chaste, …
O Mother, pitiful and mild, Cease not to pray for me; For I do love thee as a child, And sigh for love of thee. Thou art clement, thou art chaste, …
Most powerful Mother, all men know Thy Son denies thee nought; Thou askest, wishest it, and lo! His power thy will hath wrought. Thou art clement, thou art chaste, …
O Mother blest, for me obtain, Ungrateful though I be, To love that God who first could deign To show such love for me. Thou art clement, thou art chaste, Mary, thou art fair. Of all mothers, sweetest, best, None with thee compare.
Quote/s of the Day – 2 August – The Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
“If you wish to charm the loving Heart of your God, set yourself to talk to Him, as often as you can and, after a fashion, continually, together with the fullest and most confident liberty. He will not hold aloof from answering you and participating in the conversation on His part.”
“On the journey of this life to eternity, let me carry You in my heart, following Mary’s example, who bore You in her arms, during the flight to Egypt.”
“… It is Him you should love and no other. Of Him you could and should say “My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16); my God has given Himself without reserve and, without reserve, I give myself to Him; He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness and He, among thousands, He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10), so loveable and so loving, He is the chosen of my heart, the only one I wish to love.”
“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.”
“Sacrilegious tongues blaspheme the God who preserves their existence! … you should be damned forever and, instead of thanking Him for His goodness, you, at the very time that He bestows His favours upon you, YOU blaspheme His Holy Name!”
“Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest, after the sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us.”
Act of Spiritual Communion By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
I desire, good Jesus, to receive Thee in Holy Communion and since I cannot now receive Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness. Come, my Lord, my God and my All! Come to me and never let me ever again be separated from Thee by sin. Teach me Thy blessed ways, help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example, to practise meekness, humility, charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart. My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will and to love Thee, more and more. Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service. Bless me in life and in death, that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven, Amen
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
One Minute Reflection – 2 August – “Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” – Readings: Numbers 11: 4b-15; Psalm 81: 12-17; Matthew 14: 13-21- and the Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Churc
“He … saw a great multitude and had compassion on them and healed their sick.” – Matthew 14:14
REFLECTION – “Matthew relates more fully [than Mark] how he took pity on them. He says: “And he had compassion on them and cured their sick.” This is what it means really to take pity on the poor and on those who have no-one to guide them – to open the way of truth to them by teaching, to heal their physical infirmities , . and to make them want to praise the divine generosity by feeding them, when they are hungry, as Jesus did. …
But Jesus tested the crowd’s faith and having done so he gave it a fitting reward. He sought out a lonely place to see if they would take the trouble to follow Him. For their part, they showed how concerned they were for their salvation by the effort they made in going along the deserted road, not on donkeys or in carts of various kinds but on foot.
In return, Jesus welcomed those weary, ignorant, sick and hungry people, instructing, healing and feeding them as a kindly Saviour and physician and so, letting them know how pleased He is, by believers’ devotion to Him.” – St Bede the Venerable (673-735) Father and Doctor of the Church – Commentary on Saint Mark’s Gospel, 2 ;
PRAYER – Forgive the sins of Your people Lord and since of ourselves, we are unable to do what pleases You, lead us on the way of salvation in Your divine Son who lives in us and gives us life. May the prayers of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and most zealous Saint Alphonsus Liguori, help us to constantly meditate on Your eternal sustenance. Through, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 2 August – The Memorial of St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church and a Catholic Monday of the Holy Ghost
Inflame our Hearts with Your Love Prayer To the Holy Ghost By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
You made Mary full of grace and enflamed the hearts of the Apostles with a holy zeal. Inflame our hearts with Your love. You are the Spirit of Goodness, Give us the courage to confront evil You are Fire, set us ablaze with Your love You are Light, enlighten our minds, that we may see what is truly important. You are the Dove, give us gentleness. You are a soothing Breeze, bring calm to the storms that rage within us. You are the Tongue, may our lips ever sing God’s praises You are the Cloud, shelter us under the shadow of Your protection O Holy Ghost, melt the frozen, warm the chilled and enkindle in us an earnest desire to please You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Santa Maria degli Angelis / Our Lady of Angels, Assisi, Italy (13th Century) Feast Day and Portiuncula Indulgence: 2 August
Our Lady of Angels, or of the Portiuncula, is located on the outskirts of the City of Assisi, in Italy. It was a desolate locality and apparently an unsettled one where robbers and the lawlessness flourished, for the Benedictines who had lived at the Monastery felt it was too hazardous to remain there. They abandoned the Monastery, relocating to Mount Subasio, which was a fortified Monastery. The original Chapel is thought to date from the 4th Century and was built by holy hermits who had come from the Valley of Josaphat. It is said that they brought relics of the Blessed Virgin with them to the region when they constructed the Chapel. The history of the feast is inspiring. St Francis of Assisi, in the early days of his conversion, while he was still uncertain as to what path to pursue, was praying earnestly for enlightenment before the Crucifix at the Church of San Damiano, when he heard within himself the command of the Crucified: “Build up my house, for it is nearly falling down.” Taking the words literally, Francis began to restore San Damiano and other dilapidated Churches in and near Assisi. The most famous of these was the Church of Our Lady of the Angels. Some time after the restoration of this little Chapel, an Angel told St Francis to come to the Church of Our Lady of Angels, or Portiuncula. There he found Our Lord, His Blessed Mother and the Angels waiting for him. Our Lord commended Francis because of his zeal for the salvation of souls and promised to grant him whatever he should ask on behalf of sinners. St Francis asked for this great favour – that all those who came to this Church to pray and, truly sorry for their sins, confessed them, should “Obtain in perpetuity a Plenary Indulgence” so that they would have nothing to account for when God called them. This was the great favour he asked, but Our Lord granted it to him through Mary. When Saint Francis came upon the little, run down and abandoned Chapel of Our Lady of Angels, or Santa Maria degli Angelis, in the year 1208, it was almost completely hidden in shrubs and bush. Saint Francis entered the hidden Church, which measured only (7 x 4 metres) twenty-two feet by thirteen feet and saw the ancient fresco that had been placed above the main Altar. It was an image of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin surrounded by Angels. Some say that this is why the Chapel was named Our Lady of Angels, although there are also legends that Angels could often be heard singing there.
The place took its name, the Little Portion, or Portiuncula in the native Italian, from the small section of fertile land that was gifted to the Monks to work for their support. It is said that this was the place where Saint Francis first understood his vocation, received visions and was also where the saint desired to live. The Benedictines had lived at that location for hundreds of years but the Benedictine Monks gave this Chapel to Saint Francis upon his request. It was certainly here that the Franciscan Order was founded. At first Saint Francis wished the convent which he built there to be the principal one of his Order. He assembled the first General Chapter there, where there were five thousand religious. It was also where he yielded up his spirit on 3 October 1226, the twentieth of his conversion and the forty-fourth of his age. The cell in which the poor man of Assisi died can still be seen where it rests against one of the columns of the cupola under the choir bay.
St Auspicius of Apt St Betharius of Chartres St Centolla of Burgos St Etheldritha of Croyland Bl Frederic Campisani Bl Giustino Maria Russolillo Bl Gundekar of Eichstätt Bl Joanna of Aza Bl John of Rieti St Maximus of Padua St Pedro de Osma
St Plegmund St Rutilius St Serenus of Marseilles (Died c 606) Bishop of Marseilles St Sidwell St Pope Stephen I — Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: Bl Fernando Olmedo Reguera Bl Miguel Amaro Rodríguez
One Minute Reflection – 19 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Exodus 14: 5-18; Exodus 15: 1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6; Matthew 12: 38-42
“They repented” – Matthew 12:41
REFLECTION – “Let us meditate on the Ninevites…, let us listen to what they did. After the terrifying proclamation made by Jonah before this gluttonous and drunken people…, like capable workmen they made hast to restore the City their evil deeds had destroyed, taking a sure rock for its foundation…: repentance. After washing away its filth in the floods of their tears, they adorned their Town with their prayer and, converted Nineveh, pleased the Merciful One. For she immediately showed forth the beauty of her heart to “he who searches the heart” (Ps 7,10)… rubbed with the oil of their good deeds, perfumed with fasting, she returned to the One who loves her… and He embraced her repentance. Its king, a wise man,… prepared animals and flocks as if to bring them along in dowry, saying: “O God, my Saviour, I offer everything to You, only reconcile, bring back in grace, she who prostituted herself and betrayed… Your purity, for see how, in her love, she offers her repentance to You like a gift… If I, the sovereign king, have sinned then strike me alone and take pity on all these others. But if we have all fallen short, hear the voices of all… May Your help come upon us and all fear will be dissolved. Nothing will frighten us if You receive what we are offering You – our repentance… Rebellious Nineveh throws herself at Your feet and I, a miserable king and Your wretched servant, I sit down in ashes since I am unworthy of my throne (Joh 3,6). Because I have scorned the crown, I throw dust on my head. Because I am not worthy of my purple, I have put on sackcloth and burst into lamentation. Therefore, do not despise me, cast a glance upon us, O my Saviour, and accept our repentance.” Son of the One God, O only God, those who love You, wish to carry out Your Will; protect them in Your mercy… As in former days You took pity on the Ninevites… so today, release from judgement those who sing to You and grant me forgiveness in return for my confession… Since I have no works worthy of Your glory, at least save me, my Saviour, for my words of contrition – You Who love repentance.” – St Romanos Melodios (c 490-c 556) Monk, Poet, Hymnist – Hymn « Nineveh » § 4-17; SC 99
PRAYER – My Lord Jesus Christ, You have made this journey to die for me, with love unutterable and I have so many times unworthily abandoned You but now I love You with my whole heart and because I love You, I repent sincerely for having ever offended You. Pardon me, my God and permit me to accompany You on this journey. You go to die for love of me, I wish also, my beloved Redeemer, to die for love of Thee. My Jesus, I will live and die always united to You.” Amen – By St Alphonsus Mary Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
Our Morning Offering – 14 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood”
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church
O Incarnate Word, You have given Your Blood and Your Life to confer on our prayers that power by which, according to Your promise, they obtain for us all that we ask. And we, O God, are so careless of our salvation, that we will not even ask You for the graces that we must have, if we should be saved! In prayer You have given us the key of all Your Divine treasures and we, rather than pray, choose to remain in our misery. Alas! O Lord, enlighten us, and make us know the value of prayers, offered in Your name and by Your merits, in the eyes of Your Eternal Father. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 4 July – “Month of the Precious Blood”
For those unable to attend Holy Mass today and for all of us, everyday!
Act of Spiritual Communion By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
I desire, good Jesus, to receive Thee in Holy Communion and since I cannot now receive Thee in the Blessed Sacrament, I beseech Thee to come to me spiritually and to refresh my soul with Thy sweetness. Come, my Lord, my God and my All! Come to me and never let me ever again be separated from Thee by sin. Teach me Thy blessed ways, help me with Thy grace to imitate Thy example, to practise meekness, humility, charity and all the virtues of Thy Sacred Heart. My divine Master, my one desire is to do Thy will and to love Thee, more and more. Help me, that I may be faithful to the end, in Thy service. Bless me in life and in death, that I may praise Thee, forever in heaven, Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 2 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Readings: Genesis 23: 1-4, 19; 24: 1-8, 62-67, Psalms 106: 1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5, Matthew 9: 9-13
“It is not the healthy who are in need of the physician but those who are sick”
Matthew 9:12
“… Veiled in a human body, He was able to communicate with humans. He who wanted to assist the guilty hides the fact that He is a Judge. He who did not deny dignity to faithful servants, conceals his Lordship. He who desired the weak to be embraced by a parent’s love, covers His Majesty.”
St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450) “Doctor of Homilies” Father and Doctor of the Church
” Indeed, the instant you say: “I have sinned against the Lord”, the response is given you: “Your sins are forgiven” (Mt 9:2). … Only do not keep away, or distance yourself, from He who has chosen you to sing and pray but all your life long, remain close to Him, either through pure confidence, or by a holy audacity and courageous confession.”
John of Karpathos (7th Century) Bishop
“My beloved Redeemer, how much did it cost You to raise me from the ruin, which I brought on myself through my sins? What can I do without Your grace? I can do nothing but pray that You will help me but even this prayer comes from the merits of Your suffering and death! O my Jesus, help me!”
St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most zealous Doctor
“Even if we are unfaithful servants and are covered with the leprosy of sin, let us go to Him and He will heal us. Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times, let us shed tears of repentance at His feet as Magdalen did and, He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.”
Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)
“Lord Jesus Christ,Son of God, Have Mercy on me, a sinner.”
Quote/s of the Day – 17 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Gospel: Matthew 6: 7-15
“Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 6:10
“I want to advise you and remind you, what His will is. Do not fear that it means He will give you riches, or delights, or honours, or all these earthly things. His love for you is not that small! and He esteems highly what you give Him. He wants to repay you well, for He gives you His kingdom while you are still on earth … See … what He gave to the One He loved most. By that we understand what His will is. For these are His gifts in this world.”
“He gives according to the love He bears us …, according to the courage He sees in each and the love each has for His Majesty. He will see, that whoever loves Him much, will be able to suffer much for Him; whoever loves Him little, will be capable of little. I myself hold, that the measure for being able to bear, a large or small cross, is love …”
St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Doctor of Prayer of the Church
Way of Perfection, Ch 32
“If you wish to charm the loving Heart of your God, set yourself to talk to Him, as often as you can and, after a fashion, continually, together with the fullest and most confident liberty. He will not hold aloof from answering you and participating in the conversation on His part.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Our Morning Offering – 12 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
O Mother Blest By St Alphonsus Maria Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor of the Church Trns. Fr Edmund Vaughn C.SS,R, (1827 – 1908 )
O Mother blest, whom God bestows On sinners and on just, What joy, what hope thou givest those Who in thy mercy trust. Thou are clement, thou are chaste, Mary thou art fair, Of all mothers, sweetest best, none with thee compare.
O heavenly Mother, mistress sweet! it never yet was told that suppliant sinner left thy feet, unpitied, unconsoled. Thou are clement, thou are chaste, …
O Mother, pitiful and mild, Cease not to pray for me; For I do love thee as a child, And sigh for love of thee. Thou art clement, thou art chaste, …
Most powerful Mother, all men know Thy Son denies thee nought; Thou askest, wishest it, and lo! His power thy will hath wrought. Thou art clement, thou art chaste, …
O Mother blest, for me obtain, Ungrateful though I be, To love that God who first could deign To show such love for me. Thou art clement, thou art chaste, Mary, thou art fair. Of all mothers, sweetest, best, None with thee compare.
Quote/s of the Day – 16 May – “Mary’s Month” Readings: Acts 20:17-27, Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21, John 17:1-11
“I pray for them … because they are thine and everything of mine is thine and everything of thine is mine.”
John 17:9-10
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Matthew 22:36,39
“On the journey of this life to eternity, let me carry You in my heart, following Mary’s example, who bore You in her arms, during the flight to Egypt.”
St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Doctor of the Church
“When you love, you feel like speaking the whole time with the one you love, or at least, you want to look at Him without ceasing. Prayer is nothing else. It is the familiar meeting with our Beloved. We look at Him, we tell Him we love Him, we rejoice to be at His feet.”
Bl Charles of Jesus de Foucauld (1858-1916)
The Christopher Prayer
Father, grant that we may be, bearers of Christ Jesus, Your Son. Allow us to fill with Your light, the world around us. Strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit to carry out our mission of living and following the path of Jesus, our Lord. Help us to understand, that by Your grace our gifts are Your blessings, to be shared with others. Fill us with Your Spirit of love to give glory to You in loving all and preaching by our love. Nourish in us the desire to go forth as the bearers of Your Son fearless and gentle, loving and merciful. Make us true Christ bearers, that in seeing us only He is visible. Amen
Quote/s of the Day – 15 May – “Mary’s Month” – Readings: Acts 18: 23-28, Psalms 47: 2-3, 8-9, 10, John 16: 23-28
“Amen, amen I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it you.”
John 16:27
“Prayer is the wing, wherewith the soul flies to heaven and meditation, the eye, wherewith we see God.”
St Ambrose (340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church
“Lift up and stretch out your hands, not to heaven but to the poor… if you lift up your hands in prayer without sharing with the poor, it is worth nothing.”
St John Chrysostom (347-407) Father and Doctor of the Church
“A servant of the Lord stands bodily before men but mentally, he is knocking at the gates of heaven. with prayer.”
“Ask with tears, seek with obedience, knock with patience.”
St John Climacus (c 525-606) Father of the Church
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
O Incarnate Word, You have given Your Blood and Your Life to confer on our prayers that power by which, according to Your promise, they obtain for us all that we ask. And we, O God, are so careless of our salvation, that we will not even ask You for the graces that we must have, if we should be saved! In prayer You have given us the key of all Your Divine treasures; and we, rather than pray, choose to remain in our misery. Alas! O Lord, enlighten us, and make us know the value of prayers, offered in Your name and by Your merits, in the eyes of Your Eternal Father. Amen
“My children, your heart is small but prayer expands it and makes it able to love God. Prayer is a foretaste of heaven, an outflowing of paradise. It never leaves us without sweetness. It is honey, which descends into the soul and sweetens everything. Sorrows melt in a prayer, that is well prayed, like snow in the sun.”
One Minute Reflection – 6 May – “IMary’s Month” – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter. Readings: First: Acts 15: 7-21; Psalm: Psalms 96: 1-2a, 2b-3, 10; Gospel: John 15: 9-11 and the Memorial of St John the Evangelist at the Latin Gate
“Abide in my love.” – John 15:9
REFLECTION – “You may well believe that there is no-one in the world, neither friend nor brother, father or mother, husband or betrothed who loves you more than your God loves you. Divine grace is that treasure of great price, that boundless treasure of which the wise man speaks, which, as soon as we use it, makes us participants in friendship with God (cf. Wis 7:14). In God’s sight we were only miserable creatures, poor servants and now, we become friends, beloved friends of our Creator himself!
Precisely so as to make us more at ease with Him, He emptied Himself (cf. Phil 2:7), so to speak, humbling Himself, so far, as to become man, in order to converse familiarly with men (cf. Bar 3:38).8). Even this was not enough, He became a child, became poor, he even let Himself be put to death on a cross, by a miscarriage of justice, before a whole people. Even more, He went so far as to put Himself under the species of bread, so as to make Himself our companion each day and unite Himself, in close union with each one of us – “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood,” He said, “remains in me and I in him” (Jn 6:56). In sum, one could say, that He has no love but for you, He loves you so much.
Therefore, it is Him you should love and no other. Of Him you could and should say “My Beloved is mine and I am his” (Sg 2:16); my God has given Himself without reserve and, without reserve, I give myself to Him; He has chosen me as the object of His tenderness and He, among thousands, He, the radiant and ruddy one (Sg 5:10), so loveable and so loving, He is the chosen of my heart, the only one I wish to love.”- St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Most Zealous Doctor of the Church – The manner of conversing with God, trans. from the Italian
PRAYER – In Your gentle mercy Lord, guide our wayward hearts, for we know that left to ourselves, we cannot do Your will. Almighty God, turn our hearts to Yourself, so that we, seeking the one thing ne cessary, may worship You in spirit and in truth. We give You thanks for our faith, increase our faith O our God! May the prayers of St John and all your saints and the Virgin Mary, Queen of All Saints, obtain the gift of humility and fidelity for us and for every believer, so that our prayer may always be genuine and pleasing to the Lord. Through Christ our Lord and Redeemer, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 24 April – Saturday of he Third Week of Easter
Mother of my God, Lady Mary, Queen of Mercy By St Alphonsus Ligouri (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Mother of my God and my Lady Mary, as a beggar, all wounded and sore, presents himself before a great Queen, so do I present myself before you, who are Queen of heaven and earth. From the lofty throne on which you sit, disdain not, I implore you, to cast your eyes on me, a poor sinner. God has made you so rich that you might assist the poor and has made you Queen of Mercy, that you might relieve the miserable. Behold me then and pity me. Behold me and abandon me not, until you see me changed from a sinner into a saint. Amen
Our Glorious Most Sorrowful Mother – By St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
Mary is our Mother — not by the flesh but by love. That is, she is our Mother by love alone. So someone observes that she glories in being the mother of love. She is all love for us, her adopted children. The first reason for Mary’s great love for human beings, is that she loves God so much. She loved Him more in the first moment of her existence, than all the Saints and Angels every loved Him or will love him.
Just as there is not one, among all the blessed ,who loves God as Mary does, so there is no one, after God, who loves us as much as this most loving Mother does. Furthermore, if we heaped together all the love that mothers have for their children, all the love of husbands and wives, all the love of all the Angels and Saints for their clients, it could never equal Mary’s love for even a single soul. Mary, to obtain the life of grace for us … offered her beloved Jesus to an ignominious death, and watched him die before her eyes, in cruel and unexampled torments. It is written of the Eternal Father, that God so loved the world as to give His only-begotten Son (Jn 3:16), so also, we can say of Mary, that she so loved the world, as to give her only-begotten Son. So with St Anselm I will cry:
“Let my heart languish and my soul melt away and be consumed with love of you, my beloved Saviour Jesus and my dear Mother Mary! But because I cannot love you unless You give me grace, then give me grace, O Jesus and Mary — by Your merits, not mine — to love You as You deserve to be loved. O God, lover of humankind, You loved sinful human beings to the point of death. Will You deny Your love and Your Mother’s to anyone who begs for it?”
__ Bl Alexandrina di Letto St Attala of Taormina St Benatius of Kilcooley St Benignus of Tomi St Burgundofara St Chrestus St Comman St Evagrius of Tomi Bl Francisco Solís Pedrajas Saint or Blessed (conflicting reports?) Gandulphus of Binasco OFM (c 1200-1260) https://youtu.be/MH42oExIiEI?list=PL5_ax08Z6UX-Mp6eiMLvUNsbqM5V47Q9q
Quote/s of the Day – 31 March – Wednesday in Holy Week, Readings: First: Isaiah 50: 4-9a, Psalm: Psalms 69: 8-10, 21-22, 31 and 33-34, Gospel: Matthew 26: 14-25
“Is it I, Lord?”
Matthew 26:22
“O God, fullness of goodness, You do not forsake any, except those who forsake You. You never take away Your gifts, except when we take away our hearts. We rob the goodness of God, if we claim the glory of our salvation for ourselves. We dishonour His mercy, if we say He has failed us. … We blaspheme His goodness, if we deny that He has helped and assisted us. In short, O God, cry loud and clear into our ears: “your destruction comes from you, O Israel. In me alone is found your help” (Hos 13:9).
St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Doctor Caritatis
Treatise on the Love of God, Ch 9
“Sacrilegious tongues blaspheme the God who preserves their existence! … you should be damned forever and, instead of thanking Him for His goodness, you, at the very time that He bestows His favours upon you, YOU blaspheme His Holy Name!”
St Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” – Mark 12:30
REFLECTION – “The great ones of the earth glorify themselves in possessing kingdoms and wealth. Jesus Christ finds all His happiness in ruling over our hearts. This is the sovereignty He desires and, that He decided to conquer, with His death on the cross: “Upon his shoulder dominion rests” (Is 9:5). Many interpreters understand, by these words, … the Cross our divine Redeemer bore on His shoulders. “This heavenly king,” Cornelius à Lapide remarks, “is a completely different master to the devil. The latter loads heavy burdens onto his slaves’ shoulders. Jesus, to the contrary, takes the full weight of His lordship on Himself, He embraces the Cross and wants to die on it, so as to reign over our hearts.” And Tertullian says that, whereas earthly monarchs “carry a sceptre in their hands and wear a crown on their heads as emblems of their power, Jesus Christ bore the Cross on His shoulders. And the Cross was the Throne, to which He ascended to establish His kingdom of love” … Let us then hasten to dedicate all our heart’s love to this God who, to win it, has sacrificed His blood, His life, His whole self. “If you knew the gift of God,” said Jesus to the Samaritan woman, “and who it is who says to you: ‘Give me to drink’” (Jn 4:10). That is to say: if you only knew how great is the grace you receive from God … Oh, if the soul only understood what an extraordinary grace God bestows on it, when He begs for its love in the words: “You shall love the Lord your God ….” Would not a subject who heard his lord say : “Love me” not be entranced? And could God not succeed in winning our hearts when He asks us for it with such great sweetness: “My son, give me your heart?” (Prv 23:26). However, God does not want this heart by halves, He wants the whole of it, without reserve. His commandment is: “You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart.” – – St Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787) Bishop and Most Zealous Doctor of the Church – 6th Discourse for the Octave of Christmas
PRAYER – Lord Almighty God, You sanctify Your Church, by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Fulfil in us the words of Your Son that our love for You and Your children may be come to perfection. Grant that by the prayers of St Seraphina, we too may attain our heavenly home. Through Christ our Lord, in union with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 2 March – Tuesday of the Second week of Lent
Prayer for the Gift of Prayer By St Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) Most Zealous Doctor
O Incarnate Word, You have given Your Blood and Your Life to confer on our prayers that power by which, according to Your promise, they obtain for us all that we ask. And we, O God, are so careless of our salvation, that we will not even ask You for the graces that we must have, if we should be saved! In prayer You have given us the key of all Your Divine treasures; and we, rather than pray, choose to remain in our misery. Alas! O Lord, enlighten us, and make us know the value of prayers, offered in Your name and by Your merits, in the eyes of Your Eternal Father. Amen
AnaStpaul 
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