Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, MARTYRS, SAINT of the DAY, YouTube VIDEOS

Notre-Dame de Paris / Our Lady of Paris, France (522) and Memorials of the Saints – 15 February

Notre-Dame de Paris / Our Lady of Paris, France (522) – 15 February:
HERE:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/15/our-lady-of-paris-france-522-and-memorials-of-the-saints-15-february/

St Agape of Terni

Blessed Angelus de Scarpetti OSA (Died c 1306) Religious of the Order of the Hermits of St Augustine, Missionary, miracle-worker.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/02/15/saint-of-the-day-15-february-blessed-angelus-de-scarpetti-osa-died-c-1306/

St Berach of Kilbarry

St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682) Religious Priest, Confessor, Patron of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Apostle of the Society of Jesuscal Writer, Teacher, Preacher, Missionary.
Beautiful St Claude of the Sacred Heart:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/saint-of-the-day-15-february-st-claude-de-la-colombiere-s-j-1641-1682/

St Craton
St Decorosus of Capua
St Dochow
St Druthmar of Corvey
St Eusebius of Asehia
St Farannan of Iona
St Faustinus (Died c 120) Martyr, Priest

St Faustus of Monte Cassino
St Georgia
St Joseph of Antioch
St Jovita
St Onesimus the Slave
St Quinidius of Vaison

St Sigfrid of Sweden (Died 11th Century) “Apostle of Sweden,” Bishop, Missionary, Miracle-worker.
About St Sigfrid:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/15/saint-of-the-day-15-february-saint-sigfrid-of-sweden-died-11th-century-apostle-of-sweden/

St Severus of Abruzzi
St Walfrid

Martyrs of Antioch: 5 Saints:
A group of Christians murdered together. We know the names of five of them – Agapev, Baralo, Isicio, Joseph and Zosimus.

Martyrs of Passae:
Castulus
Lucius
Magnus
Saturninus

Martyrs of Prague – 14 Beati – Franciscan Friars Minor martyred together by a mob led by Lutherans –
• Blessed Antonín of Prague
• Blessed Bartolomeo Dalmasoni
• Blessed Bedrich Bachstein
• Blessed Christoffel Zelt
• Blessed Didak Jan
• Blessed Emmanuel of Prague
• Blessed Gaspare Daverio
• Blessed Giovanni Bodeo
• Blessed Girolamo degli Arese
• Blessed Jakob of Prague
• Blessed Jan of Prague
• Blessed Juan Martínez
• Blessed Klemens of Prague
• BlessedSimon of Prague
They were martyred on
• Shrove Tuesday 15 February 1611 at the Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Prague, Czech Republic
• body dumped nearby but given Christian burial on 19 February 1611 in the monastery
• re-interred in the side Chapel of the Church in 1616.

Martyrs of Sweden:
Sigfrid
Sunaman
Unaman
Winaman

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
Bl Pere Vallmitjana Abarca

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Posted in JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, SAINT of the DAY, The GOOD SHEPHERD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 7 December – ‘ … It is what He still does daily …’

One Minute Reflection – 7 December – Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent, Readings: Isaiah 40: 1-11; Psalm 96: 1-3 and 10-13; Matthew 18: 12-14 and the Memorial of St Ambrose (c 340-397) Father and Doctor of the Church

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray?” Matthew 18:12

REFLECTION – “Imagine to yourself the sadness of the poor shepherd, whose sheep has strayed. The only thing to be heard in the fields roundabout, is the call of this unfortunate lad who, having abandoned the better part of the flock, runs about in woods and hills, passes by thicket and bush, mourning and calling out as hard as he can, unable to make up his mind to go back, until he has found his sheep again and led it back to the fold.

Here is what the Son of God did when men had gone astray, through their disobedience, from their Creator’s way of behaving. He came down to earth and did not stint, either care or labour ,to restore us again to the state from which we had fallen. It is what He still does daily for those who separate themselves from Him by sin. He tracks them down, so to speak, never ceasing to call them back, until He has restored them to the way of salvation. And indeed, if He did not wear Himself out in this way, you well know what would become of us after the first mortal sin – it would be impossible for us to come back again … It is He who has to make all the advances, Who must show us His grace, Who must follow after us, Who must invite us to take pity on ourselves, without which, we would never dream of asking His mercy

The zeal with which God pursues us is undoubtedly the result of a very great mercy. But the sweetness by which this zeal is accompanied shows an even more wonderful goodness. Notwithstanding the immense desire He has to cause us to return, He never uses force; He only makes use of gentleness for this purpose. In all the Gospel I see no sinner who was invited to repent except by endearments and kindness.” – St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682) Apostle of the Sacred Heart” (A sermon preached in London before the Duchess of York).

PRAYER – Lord God, You made St Ambrose a teacher of the Catholic Faith and a pattern of apostolic fortitude. Raise up in the Church today, men after Your own heart, to lead Your people with wisdom, strength and courage in the face of widespread evil. And may his prayers intercede for us all. We make our prayer, through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen.

Posted in ARMOUR of CHRIST, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, CHRISTMASTIDE!, DOCTORS of the Church, Gerard MANLEY HOPKINS SJ, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN POETRY, MARY'S MONTH, MODESTY, POETRY, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on HELL, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PEACE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on THE WORLD, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, QUOTES on WORK/LABOUR, SACRED HEART QUOTES, SAINT of the DAY, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – Jesuits

Quote/s of the Day – 5 November – The Memorial of All Jesuit Saints and Blesseds

Hate what the world seeks
and seek, what it avoids
.”

God’s love calls us to move beyond fear.
We ask God for the courage
to abandon ourselves unreservedly,
so that we might be moulded
by God’s grace,
even as we cannot see
where that path may lead us.

Act as if everything depended on you;
trust as if everything depended on God
.”

St Ignatius Loyola SJ (1491-1556)

I Beg of You, My Lord
By St Peter Faber (1506-1546)

I beg of You, my Lord,
to remove anything which separates
me from You
and You from me.
Remove anything that makes me unworthy
of Your sight,
Your control,
Your reprehension;
of Your speech and conversation,
of Your benevolence and love.
Cast from me every evil
that stands in the way of my seeing You,
hearing, tasting, savouring and touching You,
fearing and being mindful of You,
knowing, trusting, loving and possessing You;
being conscious of Your Presence
and, as far as may be, enjoying You.
This is what I ask for myself
and earnestly desire from You.
Amen

What a tragedy,
how many souls
are being shut out of heaven
and falling into hell,
thanks to you!

St Francis Xavier SJ (1506-1552)

This death … has already levelled
his bow to strike me.
Is it not prudent to prevent its stroke,
by dying now to the world,
that at my death,
I may live to God?

St Francis Borgia (1510-1572)

“We ought to instruct with meekness
those whom heresy has made bitter and suspicious
and has estranged from orthodox Catholics,
… Thus, by whole-hearted charity and goodwill,
we may win them over to us in the Lord.

St Peter Canisius SJ (1521-1397)
Doctor of the Church

We … are under an obligation
to be the light of the world
by the modesty of our behaviour,
the fervour of our charity,
the innocence of our lives
and the example of our virtues.
Thus shall we be able
to raise the lowered prestige
of the Catholic Church
and, to build up again,
the ruins that others by their vices have caused.
Others, by their wickedness,
have branded the Catholic Faith
with a mark of shame,
we must strive,
with all our strength, to cleanse it
from its ignominy
and to restore it
to its pristine glory!

The Burning Babe,

As I in hoary winter’s night
stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat
which made my heart to glow;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view
what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright
did in the air appear;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat,
such floods of tears did shed
As though His floods should quench His flames
which with His tears were fed.
Alas, quoth He but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts
or feel my fire but I!
My faultless breast the furnace is,
the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire and sighs the smoke,
the ashes shame and scorns;
The fuel justice layeth on
and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought
are men’s defiled souls,
For which, as now on fire I am
to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this He vanished out of sight
and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I called unto mind
that it was Christmas day.

St Robert Southwell SJ (1561-1595)
Priest and Martyr

When He takes away
what He once lent us,
His purpose is to
store our treasure elsewhere,
more safely and bestow on us,
those very blessings,
that we ourselves
would most choose to have.

(From A Letter to His Mother)

St Aloysius Gonzaga SJ (1568-1591)

The Catholic religion was the religion of your forefathers
and the only one Jesus Christ founded; –
the one which He promised would endure
till the end of time.
It is in the Catholic religion alone
that you can save your soul.

How long are you going to be deaf to His call?
Or are you going to lose your soul,
which Jesus Christ bought at the price
of His Precious Blood?

St John Francis Régis SJ (1597-1640)

… Make use of Our Lord
as an armour which covers [us] all about,
by means of which [we] shall resist
every device of [our] enemies.
You shall then be my Strength, O my God!
You shall be my Guide,
my Director,
my Counsellor,
my Patience,
my Knowledge,
my Peace,
my Justice
and my Prudence.

He promises to be [our] strength,
in proportion to the trust
which [we] place in Him.

St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

The May Magnificat
By Gerard Manley Hopkins SJ (1844-1889)

May is Mary’s month and I
Muse at that and wonder why:
Her feasts follow reason,
Dated due to season-

Candlemas, Lady Day:
But the Lady Month, May,
Why fasten that upon her,
With a feasting in her honour?
Ask of her, the mighty Mother:
Her reply puts this other
Question: What is Spring?
Growth in everything-
All things rising, all things sizing
Mary sees, sympathising
With that world of good,
Nature’s motherhood.

Well but there was more than this:
Spring’s universal bliss
Much, had much to say
To offering Mary May.

Posted in "Follow Me", QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on DESPAIR, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – ‘This divine Voice … ‘

Quote/s of the Day – 27 October – Readings: Romans 8: 26-30; Psalm 13: 4-6; Luke 13: 22-30

And people will come
from the east
and the west
and from the north
and the south …

Luke 13:29

It becomes no man
to nurse despair
but, in the teeth
of clenched antagonisms,
to follow up
the Worthiest [One]
till he die
.”

St Alfred the Great (859-899) King

A good man is not a perfect man;
a good man is an honest man,
faithful and unhesitatingly responsive
to the Voice of God in his life.

St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

Just as speech has been given to men
to be the interpreter of their feelings and desires,
so it is through the conscience,
that God teaches us,
what He judges of everything
and what He expects of each one of us.
This divine Voice forms various interior words,
to express various lessons
and the different orders,
that it pleases God to give to His creature.
It is the bond of communication
that the Lord desires to have with us
and the most usual organ he makes use of,
to touch our hearts and open to us His own.

St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682)

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on MEDIOCRITY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SILENCE, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 7 September – Prayer

Quote/s of the Day – 7 September – “Month of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Readings: Colossians 2: 6-15; Psalm 145: 1b-2, 8-9-11; Luke 6: 12-19

“Jesus departed to the mountain to pray
and he spent the night in prayer to God”

Luke 6:12

“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

“Ask with tears,
seek with obedience,
knock with patience.”

St John Climacus (c 525-606)
Father of the Church

“[Prayer] is the one means for our purification,
the one way to union with God,
the one channel by which God may unite Himself with us,
that He may do anything with us, for His glory.
To obtain the virtues of an apostle,
we must pray;
to make them of use to our neighbour,
we must pray;
to prevent our losing them,
while we use them in His service,
we must pray.
The counsel, or rather the commandment:
Pray always, seems to me extremely sweet
and by no means impossible.
It secures the practice of the presence of God …”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

“In silence, He listens to us,
in silence He speaks to our souls,
in silence we are granted the privilege
of hearing His voice –

Silence of the eyes,
Silence of the ears,
Silence of our mouths,
Silence of our minds.
In the silence of the heart
God will speak.”

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

‘No Greater Love’

Posted in JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Our Morning Offering – 13 June – Lord, Give Me Your Heart

Our Morning Offering – 13 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Sunday within the Octave

Lord, Give Me Your Heart
By St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)

Apostle of Devotion to the Sacred Heart
and Spiritual Director to St Margaret Mary Alacoque

O God, what will You do to conquer
the fearful hardness of our hearts?
Lord, You must give us new hearts,
tender hearts, sensitive hearts,
to replace hearts that are made
of marble and of bronze.
You must give us Your own Heart, Jesus.
Come, lovable Heart of Jesus.
Place Your Heart deep
in the centre of our hearts
and enkindle in each heart
a flame of love as strong,
as great, as the sum of all the reasons
that we have for loving You, my God.
O holy Heart of Jesus,
dwell hidden in our hearts,
so that we may live only in You
and only for You,
so that, in the end, we may live
with You eternally in heaven.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, POETRY, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ANGER, QUOTES on CONSCIENCE, QUOTES on DEATH, QUOTES on ENVY, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on THE VOICE OF GOD, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, SACRED HEART QUOTES, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 11 May – Conscience

Quote/s of the Day – 11 May – “Mary’s Month” – Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter,Readings: Acts 16: 22-34, Psalms 138: 1-2, 2-3, 7-8, John 16: 5-11

“I will send to you the Spirit of truth,
says the Lord;
he will guide you to all truth.”

John 16:7,13

“If one of us has a conscience
polluted by the stain of avarice,
conceit, vain-glory, indignation,
irascibility, or envy and the other vices,
he has “a daughter badly troubled by a demon”
like the Canaanite woman.”

St Bede the Venerable (673-735)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“A good man is not a perfect man;
a good man is an honest man,
faithful and unhesitatingly responsive
to the Voice of God in his life.”

St John Fisher (1469-1535) Bishop, Martyr

“Just as speech has been given to men
to be the interpreter of their feelings and desires,
so it is through the conscience,
that God teaches us,
what He judges of everything
and what He expects of each one of us.
This divine Voice forms various interior words,
to express various lessons
and the different orders,
that it pleases God to give to His creature.
It is the bond of communication
that the Lord desires to have with us
and the most usual organ he makes use of,
to touch our hearts and open to us His own.”

St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682)

Christian reflections
(Spiritual writings, coll. Christus no 9,)

“The Heart of Jesus is with me.”

“Three things I cannot escape:
the eye of God,
the voice of conscience,
the stroke of death.
In company, guard your tongue.
In your family, guard your temper.
When alone guard your thoughts.”

Venerable Matthew Talbot (1856 – 1925)

“Then steer your ship with steady arm,
Trust Me and rest your soul.
Your little boat I’ll keep from harm,
I’ll guide it toward its goal. …
Be therefore, steadfast, calm and true,
Your God is at your side.
Through storm and night
He’ll see you through
With conscience as your guide.”

St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross OCD.(1891-1942
Edith Stein
“At the Helm”

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, I BELIEVE!, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The KINGDOM of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 19 April – Believe!

Quote/s of the Day – 19 April – Monday of the Third Week of Easter, Readings: First: Acts 6: 8-15, Psalm: Psalms 119: 23-24, 26-27, 29-30, Gospel: John 6: 22-29

“This is the work of God,
that you believe in him
whom he hath sent.”

John 6:29

“He Himself will help us
and lead us
to what He has promised.”

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

“You first loved us
so that we might love You—
not because You needed our love
but because, we could not be
what You created us to be,
except by loving You.”

William of Saint Thierry (c 1075-1148)

“For God, …
does not work in those
who refuse to place all their confidence
and hope in Him alone.
But He does impart
the fullness of His love
upon those who possess
a deep faith and hope;
for them He does great things.”

St Jerome Emiliani (1486-1537)

“As for me, my God,
I am so convinced,
that You watch over those who hope in You
and, that one cannot lack for anything,
when one expects everything from You,
that I have resolved,
to live in future,
without any anxiety
and to unload all my worries onto You …”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)

Lord, May Your kingdom Come Into My Heart
By Fr Jean Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751)

Lord, may Your kingdom come into my heart
to sanctify me, nourish me and purify me.
How insignificant is the passing moment,
to the eye without faith!
But how important each moment is,
to the eye enlightened by faith!
How can we deem insignificant anything
which has been caused by You?
Every moment and every event is guided by You
and so contains Your infinite greatness.
So, Lord, I glorify You in everything
that happens to me.
In whatever manner You make me live and die,
I am content.
Events please me for their own sake,
regardless of their consequences
because Your action lies behind them.
Everything is heaven to me
because all my moments,
manifest Your love.
Amen

“You leave the land just as it is
when you depart;
you do not carry anything away.
Our first aim is to go to God,
we are not on earth
for anything but this!”

St John Vianney (1786-1859)

Posted in CHRIST the PHYSICIAN, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SACRED SCRIPTURE, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, The HEART, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 25 February – Ask, Seek, Knock – Matthew 7:7

Quote/s of the Day – 25 February – Thursday of the First week of Lent, Readings: Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25, Psalms 138:1-2,2-3, 7-8, Matthew 7:7-12

“Ask and it will be given you,
seek and you will find,
knock and it will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7

“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

“Ask with tears,
seek with obedience,
knock with patience.”

St John Climacus (c 525-606)
Father of the Church

“All who ask receive, those who seek find
and to those who knock it shall be opened.
Therefore, let us knock
at the beautiful garden of Scripture.
It is fragrant, sweet and blooming
with various sounds of spiritual
and divinely inspired birds.
They sing all around our ears,
capture our hearts,
comfort the mourners,
pacify the angry
and fill us with everlasting joy.”

St John Damascene (676-749)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“He promises to be [our] strength,
in proportion to the trust
which [we] place in Him.”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)
“Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

“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

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, I BELIEVE!, JESUIT SJ, MIRACLES, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on CREATION, QUOTES on FAITH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – ‘Be very attentive to what you see and believe what you do not see.’ – Mark 8:11-13

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – Readings: Genesis 4:1-1525Psalms 50:1 and 8,16-1720-21Mark 8:11-13 and the Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682) “Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?”
– Mark 8:12

REFLECTION – “Admire God’s wonderful work, come out of your sleep. Are you only going to admire extraordinary miracles? But are they any greater than those that daily take place before your eyes? Are people astonished because our Lord Jesus Christ satisfied several thousand persons with five loaves (Mt 14,19f) and are not surprised that a few seeds are enough to cover the ground with abundant harvests? They are filled with wonder when they see our Saviour change water into wine (Jn 2,19); isn’t it the same thing when rain goes through the roots of the vine? The author of both these miracles is the same…

Our Lord worked miracles and yet many despised him… They said to themselves : ‘The works are divine but, as for Him, he is only a man.’ Therefore, you see two things: divine works on the one hand and a Man on the other. If those divine works can only be carried out by God, could it not be because God is hidden in this Man? Yes. Be very attentive to what you see and believe what you do not see. He who calls on you to believe, has not abandoned you to yourself, even if He asks you to believe what you cannot see, He has not left you without anything to see, to help you believe what is unseen. Isn’t creation itself a faint sign, a faint manifestation of the Creator? In addition, look at Him who comes into the world and works miracles. You were unable to see God but you were able to see a Man – therefore God became Man, so that what you see and what you believe, should be but One!” – St Augustine (354-430) Bishop of Hippo (North Africa), Father and Doctor of the Church – Sermon 126, 4-5

PRAYER – Almighty Lord and God, protect us by Your power throughout the course of this day, even as You have enabled us to begin it. Your grace is all that we need, to see the loving kindness of Your Son, our Lord Jesus in all we see and do and think. Do not let us turn aside from His path but by the faith You have granted us, let us find meaning in all, which is the sign of Your glory. Do not let us turn aside to sin and may the intercession of St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682), grant us courage and peace. Through Jesus Christ, our Saviour, with the Holy Spirit, God now and forever, amen.

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering – 15 February – Lord, be the Centre of Our Hearts By St Claude

Our Morning Offering – 15 February – The Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682) “Apostle of the Sacred Heart”

Lord, be the Centre of Our Hearts
By St Claude de la Colombiere

O God, what will You do to conquer
the fearful hardness of our hearts?
Lord, You must give us new hearts,
tender hearts, sensitive hearts,
to replace hearts
that are made of marble and of bronze.
You must give us Your own Heart, Jesus.
Come, lovable Heart of Jesus.
Place Your Heart deep in the centre of our hearts
and enkindle in each heart a flame of love
as strong, as great, as the sum of all the reasons
that I have for loving You, my God.
O holy Heart of Jesus, dwell hidden in my heart,
so that I may live only in You
and only for You,
so that, in the end,
I may live with You
eternally in heaven.
Amen

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Notre-Dame de Paris / Our Lady of Paris, France (522) and Memorials of the Saints – 15 February

Notre-Dame de Paris / Our Lady of Paris, France (522) – 15 February:

There does not seem to be a great deal of information about Our Lady of Paris; it is an ancient title and can be traced well back before the 12th Century, when the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris) was begun. Some authorities say that veneration of the Blessed Virgin in Paris can be traced to the first apostles of the city. Since Saint Paul was in Gaul (France) during his travels, it may be assumed that this veneration dates to the first century of the Christian era. And, if Mary was venerated in Paris at that early date, it is possible that she was, even then, known as Our Lady of Paris. Briefly, as long as Christian minds can remember, Paris was consecrated to the Virgin Mary, whom the inhabitants always venerated.
It is known that Our Lady of Paris was a Church first built by King Childebert in the year 522. About the year 1257, the King, Saint Louis IX assisted in the construction of a larger Church carried on in the same place, on the foundations which King Philip Augustus had laid in the year 1191. The older Church built by King Childebert, which had been dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, had became too ruinous to be repaired, so Maurice, Bishop of Paris, decided to rebuild it and, at the same time, adorn Paris with a Cathedral that would outshine all those which had hitherto been built anywhere.

Plans were drawn up during the reign of King Louis VII and work had actually begun on Notre Dame de Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral, in 1162. The cornerstone was laid in the presence of Pope Alexander III. Notre Dame is a huge Gothic Cathedral on the Ile de la Cite, with beautiful flying buttresses to support the tremendous height of the walls and are adorned with stylish gargoyles. It is home to a reliquary which contains Christ’s Crown of Thorns. By the beginning of the fourteenth century, perhaps 1345, the Cathedral was finished, virtually as it stands today. Sometime during the building of the Cathedral, a statue of Our Lady was fashioned and installed in place.
As was typical, the Cathedral was desecrated during the French Revolution and many of the religious artifacts were lost to future generations, although the incredible stained glass windows were not destroyed, including the three spectacular “rose window” that can still be seen today.

A smoke detector first alerted building staff to a fire beneath the roof at 6:18 pm on 15 April 2019, f Notre-Dame de Paris. By the time it was extinguished, the building’s spire collapsed and most of its roof had been destroyed and its upper walls severely damaged. Extensive damage to the interior was prevented by its stone vaulted ceiling, which largely contained the burning roof as it collapsed.

The restoration in early 2020

Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety early in the emergency but others suffered some smoke damage and some exterior art was damaged or destroyed. The Cathedral’s altar, two pipe organs, and its three 13th-century rose windows suffered little to no damage.

The Nave before the fire
The Nave after the fire

Three emergency workers were injured. French President, Emmanuel Macron, said that the Cathedral would be restored by 2024 and launched a fundraising campaign which brought in pledges of over €1 billion as of 22 April 2019. A complete restoration could require twenty years or more.
On 25 December 2019, the Cathedral did not host ChristmasMass for the first time since 1803.

St Agape of Terni
Blessed Angelus de Scarpetti OSA (Died c 1306)
St Berach of Kilbarry
St Claude de la Colombierre SJ (1641-1682)
Beautiful St Claude of the Sacred Heart:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/saint-of-the-day-15-february-st-claude-de-la-colombiere-s-j-1641-1682/

St Craton
St Decorosus of Capua
St Dochow
St Druthmar of Corvey
St Eusebius of Asehia
St Farannan of Iona
St Faustinus
St Faustus of Monte Cassino
St Georgia
St Joseph of Antioch
St Jovita
Blessed Michał Sopoćko (1888-1975)
Blessed Michal’s Life:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/02/15/saint-of-the-day-15-february-blessed-father-michal-sopocko-1888-1975-priest-apostle-of-divine-mercy/

St Onesimus the Slave
St Quinidius of Vaison
St Sigfrid of Sweden (Died 11th Century) Apostle of Sweden
About St Sigfrid:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/15/saint-of-the-day-15-february-saint-sigfrid-of-sweden-died-11th-century-apostle-of-sweden/
St Severus of Abruzzi
St Walfrid

Martyrs of Antioch: 5 saints
A group of Christians murdered together. We know the names of five of them – Agapev, Baralo, Isicio, Joseph and Zosimus.

Martyrs of Passae:
Castulus
Lucius
Magnus
Saturninus

Martyrs of Prague – 14 beati – Franciscan Friars Minor martyred together by a mob led by Lutherans –
• Blessed Antonín of Prague
• Blessed Bartolomeo Dalmasoni
• Blessed Bedrich Bachstein
• Blessed Christoffel Zelt
• Blessed Didak Jan
• Blessed Emmanuel of Prague
• Blessed Gaspare Daverio
• Blessed Giovanni Bodeo
• Blessed Girolamo degli Arese
• Blessed Jakob of Prague
• Blessed Jan of Prague
• Blessed Juan Martínez
• Blessed Klemens of Prague
• BlessedSimon of Prague
They were martyred on
• Shrove Tuesday 15 February 1611 at the Church of Our Lady of the Snows in Prague, Czech Republic
• body dumped nearby but given Christian burial on 19 February 1611 in the monastery
• re-interred in the side chapel of the church in 1616.
Beatified
13 October 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI

Martyrs of Sweden:
Sigfrid
Sunaman
Unaman
Winaman

Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
Bl Pere Vallmitjana Abarca

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on THE LIGHT of CHRIST, QUOTES on WORRY/ANXIETY, The KINGDOM of GOD, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – The Mustard Seed – Lord, May Your kingdom Come Into My Heart

Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – The Mustard Seed – Lord, May Your kingdom Come Into My Heart

“To what shall we compare
the kingdom of God, …
It is like a mustard seed,
which, when sown on the ground,
is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,
yet when it is sown, it grows up
and becomes larger than all the garden plants
and puts out large branches,
so that the birds of the air
can make nests in its shade.”

Mark 4:30-32

“He Himself will help us
and lead us
to what He has promised.”

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

“You first loved us
so that we might love You—
not because You needed our love
but because, we could not be
what You created us to be,
except by loving You.”

William of Saint Thierry (c 1075-1148)

“For God, …
does not work in those
who refuse to place all their confidence
and hope in Him alone.
But He does impart
the fullness of His love
upon those who possess
a deep faith and hope;
for them He does great things.”

St Jerome Emiliani (1486-1537)

“As for me, my God,
I am so convinced,
that You watch over those who hope in You
and, that one cannot lack for anything,
when one expects everything from You,
that I have resolved,
to live in future,
without any anxiety
and to unload all my worries onto You …”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)

Lord, May Your kingdom Come Into My Heart
By Fr Jean Pierre de Caussade (1675-1751)

Lord, may Your kingdom come into my heart
to sanctify me, nourish me and purify me.
How insignificant is the passing moment,
to the eye without faith!
But how important each moment is,
to the eye enlightened by faith!
How can we deem insignificant anything
which has been caused by You?
Every moment and every event is guided by You
and so contains Your infinite greatness.
So, Lord, I glorify You in everything
that happens to me.
In whatever manner You make me live and die,
I am content.
Events please me for their own sake,
regardless of their consequences
because Your action lies behind them.
Everything is heaven to me
because all my moments,
manifest Your love.
Amen

Posted in CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, JESUIT SJ, MARIAN TITLES, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ATHEISM, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH

One Minute Reflection – 12 October – ‘ … Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.’ Luke 11:29 The Sign of Jonah

One Minute Reflection – 12 October – Monday of the Twenty-eighth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Galatians 4:22-2426-27315:1Psalms 113:1-23-45 and 6-7Luke 11:29-32 and the Feast of Our Lady Aparecida, Our Lady Who Appeared

“This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it, except the sign of Jonah.” … Luke 11:29

REFLECTION – “Bad christians lack faith and do not deny it but they claim to be excused, in that they have no reasons for believing. Because of this there is nothing as common as this speech in the mouths of many people: “If I had witnessed a miracle I should be a saint!” “Evil and unfaithful generation! It seeks a sign!” (Mt 12:39). The wicked look for signs.

What is even more remarkable about this, is that, even though they have seen many taking place daily before their eyes, even though they are, so to speak, entirely surrounded, they never stop looking for more like the scribes and Pharisees; they would like to see them in heaven when they have seen them on earth. But neither the dead raised up during the life of the Saviour, nor the eclipse of the sun at death, make them believers; their envy becomes stronger, their hatred more malicious; each goes as far as raging, yet their unbelief is not healed by it. It used to be like this regarding those who, living badly, wait for miracles in order to believe: “They will not be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead” (Lk 16:31). (…)

All the difficulties that halt unbelievers, all the contradictions they encounter in the dogmas of faith, everything they find apparent contradiction, everything that seems new to them, surprising, contrary to common sense, contrary to reason, inconceivable, impossible, all their arguments, all their so-called demonstrations, all of this, far from shaking me, strengthens me even more, makes me immovable in my religion. (…) Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.” … St Claude de la Colombière (1641-1682) “Apostle of Sacred Heart” Christian Reflections

PRAYER – “Dear Lord! It is just when I am in the world
that I have most need of You
because You know it is full of snares
that the devil has set for me.
You must hold my hand, dear Lord,
if You will not abandon me.
A little of the world is not bad for me;
it is even good, for it teaches me how small it is
and I feel the greater happiness
when I come back to You.
But that I may surely do so,
You must only loose Your hold a little,
that it may not try me too far,
You must not entirely leave hold.
Do You see dear Lord?
I wish to clasp Your hand – do not refuse me!” (I Wish to Clasp Your Hand – Do Not Refuse Me! – Prayer of Eugene de Ferronays) Our Lady Aparecida, Pray for Us!

Posted in ARMOUR of CHRIST, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES for CHRIST, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FREE WILL, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on TRUTH, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – “If you have faith” – Matthew 17:20

Quote/s of the Day – 8 August – Saturday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time, Readings: Habakkuk 112-2, 4, Psalm 9:8-13, Matthew 17:14-20

“If you have faith” – Matthew 17:20

“If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.”
Jesus turned, and seeing her he said,
“Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.”
And instantly the woman was made well.”

Matthew 9:21-22

matthew 9 21-22 if I only touch his garment i will be made well - 6 july 2020

Jesus said to him,
“Have you come to believe because you have seen me?
Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

John 20:28-29

john-20-29-blessed-are-those-who-have-not-seen-and-have-believed-3-july-2020 and 8 aug 2020

“Elizabeth says:
‘Blessed are you because you have believed.’
You also are blessed,
because you have heard and believed.
A soul that believes,
both conceives and brings forth
the Word of God
and acknowledges His works.”

St Ambrose of Milan (340-397)
Great Latin Father and Doctor of the Church

elizabeth says blessed are you because you have believed - you also are blessed - st ambrose 6 july 2020

“Do you desire security?
Here you have it.
The Lord says to you, “I will never abandon you,
I will always be with you.”
If a good man made you such a promise,
you would trust him.
God makes it and do you doubt?
Do you seek a support, more sure
than the word of God, which is infallible?
Surely, He has made the promise,
He has written it,
He has pledged His word for it, it is most certain!”

do you desire security - st augustine faith or doubt 3 july 2020

“To one who has faith,
no explanation is necessary.
To one without faith,
no explanation is possible.”

St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)
Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communisto one who has faith no explanation is necessary - st thomas aquinas 3 july 2020

“Paul says: I appeal to you by the mercy of God,
to present your bodies as a sacrifice, living and holy.
The prophet said the same thing:
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire
but you have prepared a body for me.
Each of us is called to be both a sacrifice to God and His priest.
Do not forfeit what divine authority confers on you.
Put on the garment of holiness, gird yourself with the belt of chastity.
Let Christ be your helmet, let the cross on your forehead be your unfailing protection.
Your breastplate, should be the knowledge of God, that He Himself has given you.
Keep burning continually, the sweet smelling incense of prayer.
Take up the sword of the Spirit.
Let your heart be an altar.
Then, with full confidence in God, present your body for sacrifice.
God desires, not death but faith.
God thirsts, not for blood but for self-surrender.
God is appeased, not by slaughter
but by the offering of your free will.”

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
Bishop, Father & Doctor of the Church
“Doctor of Homilies”

the armour of christ - sat peter chrysologus do not forfeit - 8 aug 2020

“All things are possible for him who believes,
more to him who hopes,
even more to him who loves.”

St Lawrence of Brindisi(1559-1619)
Apostolic Doctor of the Church

all things are possible - st lawrence of brindisi 21 july 2020

“Faith is like a bright ray of sunlight.
It enables us to see God in all things,
as well as, all things in God.”

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

faith is like a bright ray of sunlight - st francis de sales 6 july 2020

“Bad Christians lack faith
and do not deny it
but they claim to be excused,
in that they have no reasons for believing.
Because of this, there is nothing as common
as this speech in the mouths of many people:
“If I had witnessed a miracle I should be a saint!”
“Evil and unfaithful generation!  It seeks a sign!” (Mt 12:39).
The wicked look for signs.”

St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682)
Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

bad christians lack faith - st claude de la colombiere 8 aug 2020

Posted in I BELIEVE!, JESUIT SJ, ONE Minute REFLECTION, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DOUBT, QUOTES on FAITH, SAINT of the DAY, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 20 July – ‘Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.’

One Minute Reflection – 20 July – “Month of the Most Precious Blood” – Monday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time, Year “A”, Readings:  Micah 6:1-46-8Psalm 50:5-68-916-172123Matthew 12:38-42and the Memorial of Blessed Luigi Novarese (1914-1984)

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”… Matthew 12:39matthew 12 39 -an evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign but no sign will be given to it except ...jonah 20 july 2020

REFLECTION – “Bad Christians lack faith and do not deny it but they claim to be excused, in that they have no reasons for believing. Because of this, there is nothing as common as this speech in the mouths of many people:  “If I had witnessed a miracle I should be a saint!”   “Evil and unfaithful generation!   It seeks a sign!” (Mt 12:39).  The wicked look for signs.
What is even more remarkable about this, is that, although they have seen many that take place daily before their eyes, that they are, so to speak, entirely surrounded, they never stop looking for more, like the scribes and Pharisees;  they would like to see them in heaven when they have seen them on earth.   But neither the dead raised up during the life of the Saviour, nor the eclipse of the sun at death, make them believers;  their envy becomes stronger, their hatred more malicious; each goes as far as raging, yet their unbelief is not healed by it.   It used to be like this regarding those who, living badly, wait for miracles in order to believe:  “They will not be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead” (Lk 16:31). …
All the difficulties that halt unbelievers, all the contradictions they encounter in the dogmas of faith, everything they find apparent contradiction, everything that seems new to them, surprising, contrary to common sense, contrary to reason, inconceivable, impossible, all their arguments, all their so-called demonstrations, all of this, far from shaking me, strengthens me even more, makes me immovable in my religion. …  Every new doubt is for me, new reason to believe.” … St Claude la Colombière SJ (1641-1682) – Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – Christian reflectionsjonah - all the difficulties that halt unbelievers - st claude 20 july 2020

PRAYER – “O Jesus, Son of God, You Who were silent in the presence of Your accusers, restrain my tongue until I find what should say and how to say it.   Show me the way and make me ready to follow it.   It is dangerous to delay, yet perilous to go forward.   Answer my petition and show me the way.   As the wounded go to the doctor in search of aid, so do I come to You. O Lord, give Your peace to my heart. “(St Bridget of Sweden).   Stay with us Lord and by the prayers of Your saints, grant us Your grace and Your love.   Blessed Luigi Novarese, intercede for us, as we strive to attain virtue, through Christ our Lord, with the Holy Spirit, God forever, amen.bl luigi novarese pray for us 20 july 2020

Posted in JESUIT SJ, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering – 13 June – Lord, Give Me Your Heart By St Claude de la Colombiere

Our Morning Offering – 13 June – “Month of the Sacred Heart” – Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

Lord, Give Me Your Heart
By St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)
Apostle of Devotion to the Sacred Heart
and Spiritual Director to St Margaret Mary Alacoque

O God, what will You do to conquer
the fearful hardness of our hearts?
Lord, You must give us new hearts,
tender hearts, sensitive hearts,
to replace hearts that are made
of marble and of bronze.
You must give us Your own Heart, Jesus.
Come, lovable Heart of Jesus.
Place Your Heart deep
in the centre of our hearts
and enkindle in each heart
a flame of love as strong,
as great, as the sum of all the reasons
that we have for loving You, my God.
O holy Heart of Jesus,
dwell hidden in our hearts,
so that we may live only in You
and only for You,
so that, in the end, we may live
with You eternally in heaven.
Amenlord give me your heart - st claude de la colombiere 13 june 2020

Posted in Act of SPIRITUAL COMMUNION, CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS of the Month, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The HOLY EUCHARIST

Devotion for the Month of April – The Blessed Sacrament

Devotion for the Month of April – The Blessed Sacrament

DEVOTION for april the BLessed SACRAMENT

Holy Thursday, the day on which Catholics celebrate the institution of the Sacrament of Holy Communion at the Last Supper, falls most often in April and so it is no surprise that the Catholic Church dedicates this month to devotion to the Blessed Sacrament.
In these very sad times when we cannot attend the Passion week ceremonies, we need to focus our hearts and minds, much, much more on the Passion of Our Lord, on the Holy Eucharist and on our Communion with our Lord and Saviour.
Neither are we able to attend Eucharistic Adoration, live, though there are many ‘live’ opportunities online for both Holy Mass and Adoration.

This beautiful prayer by St John Damascene, with a slight adaptation, may be used as our Spiritual Communion.

God, my God, inextinguishable and invisible fire,
You make Your angels flaming fire.
Out of Your inexpressible love,
You have given me Your divine Flesh as food
and through this communion
of Your immaculate Body and precious Blood,
You receive me as a partaker of Your divinity.
Permeate all my body and soul, all my bones and sinews.
Consume my sins in fire.
Enlighten my soul and illumine my mind.
Sanctify my body and make Your abode in me,
together with Your blessed Father and all-holy Spirit,
that I may always abide in You,
through the intercession of Your immaculate Mother and all Your saints.
Amen
Prayer of St John Damascene (675-749)
Father and Doctor of the Churchconsume-my-sins-in-fire-...-and-make-your-abode-in-me-st-john-damascene-9-feb-2020 and 1 april 2020

Now, at least, in this great depredation we suffer, we might truly understand and agree with the words of St Claude:

If we only knew the treasure we hold in our hands!
St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)

“God is more honoured by a single Mass
than He could be by all the actions of angels and men together,
however fervent and heroic they might be.
Yet, how FEW, hear Mass
with the intention of giving God
this sublime honour!
How FEW think,
with joy on the glory, a Mass gives to God.
How FEW rejoice,
to possess the means of honouring Him
as He deserves! . . .
If we only knew the treasure we hold in our hands!”

Let us pray, all day, for the restoration of the Holy Mass!

god is more honoured by a single mass - st claude de la colombiere 1 april 2020

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 20 June – Jesus, My Friend

Our Morning Offering – 20 June – Thursday Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year C

Excerpt from Jesus, My Friend
By St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)

O Jesus!
You are my true Friend,
my only Friend.
You take a part in all my misfortunes;
You take them on Yourself;
You know how to change them into blessings.
You listen to me with the greatest kindness
when I relate my troubles to You,
and You have always balm to pour on my wounds.
I find You at all times;
I find You everywhere;
You never go away;
if I have to change my dwelling,
I find You wherever I go.
You are never weary of listening to me;
You are never tired of doing me good.
O Jesus!
Grant that I may die praising You,
that I may die loving You,
that I may die for the love of You.
Amenjesus-my-friend-by-st-claude-de-la-colombiere-18-june-2018

Posted in GOD the FATHER, JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE

Our Morning Offering – 2 April – I Put My Trust in You

Our Morning Offering – 2 April – Tuesday of the Fourth week of Lent

I Put My Trust in You
By St Claude de la Colombiere SJ (1641-1682)

Loving and tender providence of my God,
into Your hands I comment my spirit,
to You, I abandon my hopes and fears,
my desires and dislikes,
my temporal and eternal prospects.
To You, I commit the wants of my perishable body,
to You, I commit the more precious interests
of my immortal soul,
for whose lot I have nothing to fear,
as long as I do not leave Your care.
Though my faults are many,
my misery great,
my spiritual poverty extreme,
my hope in You surpasses all.
It is superior to my weakness,
greater than my difficulties,
stronger than death.
Though temptations should assail me,
I will hope in You,
though I break my resolutions,
I will look to You confidently
for grace to keep them at last.
Though You should kill me,
even then I will trust You,
for You are my Father,
my God,
the support of my salvation.
You are my kind,
compassionate,
indulgent Parent
and I am Your devoted child,
who casts myself into Your arms
and begs Your blessing.
I put my trust in You
and so trusting,
shall not be confounded.
AmenI put my trust in you - st claude de la colombiere 2 april 2019.jpg

Posted in DIVINE MERCY, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 15 February – Saint Claude de la Colombiere and Blessed Michael Sopoćko share a few things in common

Thought for the Day – 15 February – the Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682) Apostle of the Sacred Heart and Blessed Michal Sopoćko (1888-1975) Apostle of Divine Mercy

Saint Claude de la Colombiere

and Blessed Michael Sopoćko

share a few things in commonbl sopocka and st claude 15 feb 2019.jpg

We celebrate the feast day of Blessed Michael Sopoko today, 15 February, which makes for a perfect opportunity to discuss one of the more curious details in the life of St Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), known today as the Lord’s “secretary” of Divine Mercy.

So what’s so curious?

Amazing parallels can be drawn between St Faustina’s confessor, Blessed Sopoćko and the confessor of another saint — and “secretary” — St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), who received the revelations of the Sacred Heart in the 1670s.

In other words, the similarities between the holy priests Blessed Michael Sopoćko (1888-1975) and St Claude de la Colombiere, SJ (1641-1682), both of whom died today and, therefore, we celebrate their entry into life today.

Blessed Sopoćko , ordained to the priesthood over 100 years ago, served as confessor and spiritual director to St Faustina Kowalska, who received revelations of the Divine Mercy in the 1930s.   Saint Claude served as confessor and spiritual director of St Margaret Mary Alacoque, who received the revelations of the Sacred Heart in the 1670s.

So here is where the parallels begin. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, like St Faustina, had doubts at first about her revelations.   For both young women, it was their confessors who played a large role in alleviating their doubts and encouraging them to embrace the special role the Lord seemed to be placing upon them.

But the parallels get even better.   Since St Margaret Mary Alacoque led a cloistered life — quiet and humble — it was her confessor who carried the burden of spreading the Sacred Heart message and devotion to the outside world.   This was the same situation with Fr Sopocko, who led the efforts to introduce the public to Faustina’s powerful private revelations and who arranged for the Lord’s requests of Faustina to be accomplished.   That includes hiring a painter to paint the image of the Merciful Saviour, now among Christianity’s most recognised images.

Here’s another interesting fact:

Saint Claude Colombiere died today, 15 February, the same day Blessed Sopoćko died. And 15 February, also happens to be St Faustina’s name day — the day of her patron saint, St Faustus.

Of course, when considering how the devotions to Divine Mercy and the Sacred Heart so strongly compliment each other, these details are far more than “curious.”   Certainly, they are Divine Providence at work, right?st claude and bl michal 15 feb 2019.jpg

Dr Robert Stackpole, STD, director of the St John Paul II Institute of Divine Mercy, a lay apostolate of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception, notes, “Much like the traditional devotion to the Sacred Heart, our Lord gave to St. Faustina new forms in which His Merciful Heart was to be honoured and new vessels for a fresh outpouring of His grace. Namely, the Image of Divine Mercy; the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and, of course, a new feast for the universal Church — the Feast of Divine Mercy, intended for the Sunday after Easter.”

None of these parallels have escaped the attention of Fr Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, a world-renown expert on the life of St Faustina and the message of Divine Mercy.

He notes that it took 300 years for Fr Claude Colombiere to be canonised.
“And here, Fr Sopoćko died in 1975 and he’s already beatified [in 2008],” Fr Seraphim says.

So what does his rapid rise to the honours of the altar, mean for us?

“That God is in a hurry to get His message out,” says Fr Seraphim.BlSopockoStFaustina

Adapted from the Library Archive of The Divine Mercy – (Felix Carroll Feb 13, 2014)

Read Dr Stackpole’s series that explores the relationship between The Sacred Heart and The Divine Mercy. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.

St Claude de la Colombiere, Pray for Us!st-claude-pray-for-us-15-feb-2017.jpg

Blessed Michal Sopoćko, Pray for Us!bl michal sopocka pray for us no 2 15 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in DIVINE MERCY, FRUITS of the SPIRIT, JESUIT SJ, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on TRUST in GOD, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The HOLY SPIRIT

Quote/s of the Day – 15 February – St Claude & Blessed Michal

Quote/s of the Day – 15 February – the Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682) Apostle of the Sacred Heart and Blessed Michal Sopoćko (1888-1975) Apostle of Divine Mercy

“Lord, I am in this world to show Your mercy to others.
Other people will glorify You, by making visible the power of Your grace,
by their fidelity and constancy to You.
For my part I will glorify You,
by making known how good You are to sinners,
that Your mercy is boundless
and that no sinner, no matter how great his offences,
should have reason to despair of pardon.
If I have grievously offended You, My Redeemer,
let me not offend You even more,
by thinking that You are not kind enough to pardon me.”for-my-part-i-will-glorify-you-st-claude-de-la-colombiere-15-feb-2018.jpg

“God is more honoured by a single Mass
than He could be by all the actions of angels
and men together, however fervent and heroic they might be.
Yet, how FEW hear Mass with the intention of giving God
this sublime honour!
How FEW think with joy on the glory a Mass gives to God.
How FEW rejoice to possess the means of honouring Him
as He deserves! . . .
If we only knew the treasure we hold in our hands!”god-is-more-honoured-by-a-single-mass-st-claude-15-feb-2017

“When the Holy Spirit is in a soul,
He communicates Himself
in one way or another.
We can say,
that He makes virtue contagious
and turns a simple faithful
into an apostle!”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)when the holy spirit is in a soul - st claude de la colombiere - 15 feb 2019

“Prayer is necessary to receive the help of God,
as grain is needed to harvest … a humble and trustful prayer,
for what is necessary for salvation,
is never lost.
It is heard at least by the fact,
that it begs for the grace,
to abide in prayer.”prayer is necessary - bl michal sopocka 15 feb 2019

“The decisive factor in obtaining God’s Mercy is trust.
Trust is the expectation of someone’s help.
It does not constitute a separate virtue
but is an essential condition of the virtue of hope
and an integral part of the virtues of fortitude and generosity.
Because trust springs from faith,
it strengthens hope and love
and is, moreover, linked up, in one way or another,
with the moral virtues.
It may, therefore, be called the basis on which,
the theological virtues unite with the moral.
The moral virtues, originally natural,
become supernatural,
if we practice them with trust in God’s help.”

Blessed Michal Sopoćko (1888-1975)the moral virtues - bl michal sopocka 15 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in FATHERS of the Church, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on SIN, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – Nothing else, than the body that proved itself superior to death and became the source of our life.

One Minute Reflection – 15 February – Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Year C – Today’s First Reading: Genesis 3:1-8 and the Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682) Apostle of the Sacred Heart and Blessed Michal Sopoćko (1888-1975) Apostle of Divine Mercy

“The woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes and the tree was desirable for gaining wisdom.   So she took some of its fruit and ate it and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her and he ate it.”...Genesis 3:6

REFLECTION – “Those who have been tricked into taking poison, offset its harmful effect, by another drug.   The remedy, moreover, just like the poison, has to enter the system, so that its remedial effect, may thereby spread through the whole body.   Similarly, having tasted the poison, that is the fruit, that dissolved our nature, we were necessarily in need of something to reunite it.   Such a remedy had to enter into us, so that it might by its counteraction, undo the harm the body had already encountered from the poison.   And what is this remedy?   Nothing else, than the body that proved itself superior to death and became the source of our life.”…St Gregory of Nyssa (c 335–c395) Father of the Church (Catechetical Oration, 27)genesis 3 6 the woman saw that the fruit was good - those who have been tricked - st gregory of nyssa 15 feb 2019.jpg

PRAYER – Heavenly Father, Your great mercy, gave us Your Son!   Surely nothing can be a greater proof to us of Your unending love and mercy to Your lowly creatures, we who are dust.   Through Him, who died and rose for us, You have shown us the way of true mercy. Grant us this day that by the intercession of St Claude and Blessed Michal, we may take up our crosses with Him, never leaving the love of His Sacred Heart, so that we may join Your holy saints in eternal life.   Through Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Holy Spirit, one God forever, amen.st-claude-pray-for-us-15-feb-2018.jpg

bl michal sopocka pray for us - apostle of divine mercy 15 feb 2019.jpg

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS to the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 8 January – 2nd Day after Epiphany

Our Morning Offering – 8 January – 2nd Day after Epiphany

Jesus, accomplish Your Will in Me
by St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)

Jesus,
I feel within me,
a great desire to please You
but, at the same time,
I feel totally incapable of doing this,
without Your special light and help,
which I can expect only from You.
Accomplish Your will in me –
even in spite of me.
Amenjesus accomplish your will in me - st claude de la colombiere 8 jan 2019

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS for VARIOUS NEEDS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on DIVINE PROVIDENCE, QUOTES on HOPE

Our Morning Offering – 22 November – My God, My Hope is in You

Our Morning Offering – 22 November – My God, My Hope is in You

My God, My Hope is in You
By St Claude de la Colombière, SJ (1641-1682)

Loving and tender Providence of my God,
into Your hands I commend my spirit,
to You I abandon my hopes and fears,
my desires and repugnances,
my temporal and eternal prospects.
To You I commit the wants of my perishable body,
to You I commit the more precious interests of my immortal soul
for whose lot I have nothing to fear
as long as I do not leave Your care.
Though my faults are many, my misery great,
my spiritual poverty extreme,
my hope in You surpasses all.
it is superior to my weakness,
greater than my difficulties, stronger than death.
Though temptations should assail me, I will hope in You,
though I break my resolutions,
I will look to You confidently for grace to keep them at last.
though You should ask me to die, even then I will trust in You,
for You are my father, my God, the support of my salvation.
You are my kind, compassionate and indulgent parent,
and I am Your devoted child,
who casts myself into Your arms and begs Your blessing.
I put my trust in You
and so trusting, shall not be confounded.
Amen.my god, my hope is in you - 22 november - st claude de la colombiere

Posted in JESUIT SJ, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 21 September

Our Morning Offering – 21 September

Lord, be the Centre of Our Hearts
by St Claude de la Colombiere  S.J. (1641-1682) 

O God, what will You do to conquer
the fearful hardness of our hearts?
Lord, You must give us new hearts,
tender hearts, sensitive hearts,
to replace hearts
that are made of marble and of bronze.
You must give us Your own Heart, Jesus.
Come, lovable Heart of Jesus.
Place Your Heart deep in the centre of our hearts
and enkindle in each heart a flame of love
as strong, as great, as the sum of all the reasons
that I have for loving You, my God.
O holy Heart of Jesus, dwell hidden in my heart,
so that I may live only in You and only for You,
so that, in the end,
I may live with You eternally in heaven, amen.lord be the centre of our hearts - st claude de la colombiere - o god what will you do to conquer - 15 feb 2018

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Our Morning Offering 18 June – Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Excerpt from Jesus, My Friend
By St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)

O Jesus!
You are my true Friend,
my only Friend.
You take a part in all my misfortunes;
You take them on Yourself;
You know how to change them into blessings.
You listen to me with the greatest kindness
when I relate my troubles to You,
and You have always balm to pour on my wounds.
I find You at all times;
I find You everywhere;
You never go away;
if I have to change my dwelling,
I find You wherever I go.
You are never weary of listening to me;
You are never tired of doing me good.
O Jesus!
Grant that I may die praising You,
that I may die loving You,
that I may die for the love of You.
Amenjesus my friend by st claude de la colombiere - 18 june 2018

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 20 April – Friday of the Third Week of Eastertide

Our Morning Offering – 20 April – Friday of the Third Week of Eastertide

Jesus, Help Me!
By St Claude de la Colombière S.J. (1641-1682)

Jesus, Help Me!
In every need let me come to You
with humble trust, saying,
Jesus, help me!
In all my doubts, perplexities
and temptations,
Jesus, help me!
In hours of loneliness,
weariness and trials,
Jesus, help me!
In the failure of my plans and hopes;
in disappointments, troubles and sorrows,
Jesus, help me!
When my heart is cast down by failure,
at seeing no good come from my efforts,
Jesus, help me!
When others fail me
and Your grace alone can assist me,
Jesus, help me!
When I throw myself on Your tender love
as Brother and Saviour,
Jesus, help me!
When I feel impatient
and my cross irritates me,
Jesus, help me!
When sickness and loneliness
overcome me,
Jesus, help me!
Always, in weakness, falls
and shortcomings of every kind,
Jesus, help me and never forsake me.
Amenjesus help me by st claude de la colombiere - 20 april 2018

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, PAPAL HOMILIES, QUOTES of the SAINTS, QUOTES on MERCY, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SAINT of the DAY

Thought for the Day – 15 February – The Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682)

Thought for the Day – 15 February – The Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682)

This is a special day for the Jesuits, who claim today’s saint as one of their own.   It’s also a special day for people who have a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus—a devotion Claude de la Colombière promoted, along with his friend and spiritual companion, St Margaret Mary Alacoque.   The emphasis on God’s love for all was an antidote to the rigorous moralism of the Jansenists, who were popular at the time.

Claude showed remarkable preaching skills long before his ordination in 1675.   Two months later, he was made superior of a small Jesuit residence in Burgundy.   It was there he first encountered Margaret Mary Alacoque.   For many years after he served as her confessor.

As a fellow Jesuit and as a promoter of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Saint Claude must be very special to Pope Francis who has so beautifully emphasised the mercy of Jesus.   The emphasis on God’s love and mercy are characteristic of both men.

“The past three centuries allow us to evalutate the importance of the message which was entrusted to Claude.   In a period of contrasts between the fervour of some and the indifference or impiety of many, here is a devotion centred on the humility of Christ, on His presence, on His love of mercy and on forgiveness.   Devotion to the Heart of Christ would be a source of balance and spiritual strengthening for Christian communities so often faced with increasing unbelief over the coming centuries.
May the canonisation of Claude La Colombiere be for the whole Church an appeal to live the consecration to the Heart of Christ, a consecration which is a self-giving that allows the charity and mercy of Christ to inspire us, pardon us and lead us in His ardent desire to open the ways of truth and life to all our brothers and sisters!”…St Pope John Paul II, during the canonisation of Saint Claude (31 May 1992)

St Claude de la Colombiere, pray for us!st claude - pray for us - 15 feb 2018

Posted in JESUIT SJ, MORNING Prayers, QUOTES of the SAINTS, SACRAMENTS, SACRED and IMMACULATE HEARTS, SAINT of the DAY, The HOLY EUCHARIST, The HOLY SPIRIT

Quote/s of the Day – 15 February – The Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682)

Quote/s of the Day – 15 February – The Memorial of St Claude de la Colombiere S.J. (1641-1682)

“May the Heart of Jesus Christ be our school!
Let us make our abode there.
Let us study its movements
and attempt to conform ours to them.
Yes, O Divine Jesus, I want to live there.”

“When the Holy Spirit is in a soul,
He communicates Himself,
in one way or another.
We can say that He makes virtue contagious
and turns a simple faithful into an apostle.”may the heart of jesus christ be our school - st claude de la colombiere - 15 feb 2018

“God is in the midst of us, or rather,
we are in the midst of Him;
wherever we are, He sees us and touches us,
at prayer, at work, at table, at recreation.”god is in the midst of us - st claude de la colombiere - 15 feb 2018

“God is more honoured by a single Mass
than He could be by all the actions of angels
and men together, however fervent and heroic they might be.
Yet, how FEW hear Mass with the intention of giving God
this sublime honour!
How FEW think with joy on the glory a Mass gives to God.
How FEW rejoice to possess the means of honouring Him
as He deserves! . . .
If we only knew the treasure we hold in our hands!”

St Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682)god-is-more-honoured-by-a-single-mass-st-claude - 15 feb 2017

“St Claude has been a dear friend of mine since I discovered his writings quite some years ago. . I count on his intercession. I turn to him when I feel my heart is tired and a little cold and distressed. This Saint of Hearts is a most willing guide leading us to the warmest Heart of Christ full of Mercy and Love.”

The Franciscan St John Wall O.F.M. (1620-1679) (Joachim of Saint Anne), who was martyred for the crime of being a Catholic priest near Redhill, Corcester, England on August 22nd, 1679, knew Saint Claude. After having spent a night in spiritual conversation with him, the soon–to–be martyr said,

“When I was in his presence I thought that I was dealing with Saint John returned to earth to rekindle that fire of love in the Heart of Christ.”

St John Wall O.F.M. (1620-1679)st-john-wall-on-st-claude.-15 feb 2018-when I was in his presence