Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, MARIAN DEVOTIONS, MARIAN POETRY, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN QUOTES, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, PAPAL PRAYERS, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – Our Holy Mother

Quote/s of the Day – 9 July – Our Holy Mother’s Saturday and the Feast of Our Lady Queen of Peace

No matter how sinful
one may have been,
if he has devotion to Mary,
it is impossible that he be lost
.”

St Hilary of Poitiers (315-368)
Father & Doctor of the Church

O Mary,
you give assistance
to everyone endeavouring
to rise to God!

St Bridget of Sweden (c 1303 – 1373)

Let us run to Mary
and, as her little children,
cast ourselves into her arms
with a perfect confidence.

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

The Holy Rosary
By Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903)

Accept, mighty Maid, we beseech thee,
This prayer with its fragrance of flowers;
With one soul we seek thus to reach thee
And hail thee, God’s Mother and ours.

Thy heart is made glad by our praying;
Thy bounty is generous and wise;
Thy hands are enriched for conveying
What God’s tender Mercy supplies.

We kneel at thy Shrines in the Churches;
Oh, gently look down from above,
And welcome the heart that then searches
For worthy expressions of love.

Let others present precious caskets
Of gems, or heap Altars with gold;
Slight prayer-beads shall serve us for baskets
To bring thee the garland they hold.

With violets lowly we fashion
This wreath and with these combined
Red roses–our faith in the Passion
With Chastity’s lilies entwined.

Our minds, as the Mysteries vary,
Are active, our hands play their part;
And always thy name, Holy Mary,
Oft-uttered, rejoices the heart.

Be with us, we trust thee to guide us
Through life and when labouring breath
At the last, seeks thine aid, be beside us
To help at the hour of our death.

Wherefore, in the same holy bosom
of His most chaste Mother,
Christ took to Himself flesh
and united to Himself,
the spiritual Body formed
by those who were to believe in Him.
Hence Mary, carrying the Saviour
within her, may be said,
to have also carried, all those.
whose life was contained
in the life of the Saviour.
Therefore, all we,
who are united to Christ
and, as the Apostle says,
are members of His body,
of His flesh and of His bones (Eph 5:30),
have issued from the womb of Mary,
like a body united to it’s Head.

St Pius X (1835-1914)
Pope from 1903 to 1914
Encyclical “Ad diem illum laetissimum” #10-11

Posted in BLESSED TRINITY PRAYERS, DOCTORS of the Church, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Our Morning Offering – 12 June – An Act of Oblation to the Holy Trinity by St Francis de Sales

Our Morning Offering – 12 June – Trinity Sunday

An Act of Oblation
to the Holy Trinity
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

I vow and consecrate to God
all that is in me,
my memory and my actions,
to God the Father;
my understanding and my words,
to God the Son;
my will and my thoughts,
to God the Holy Spirit.
I consecrate my heart, my body,
my tongue, my senses
and all my sorrows
to the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ,
who consented to be betrayed
into the hands of wicked men
and to suffer the torment
of the Cross for me.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, St Francis de Sales, The HEART

Our Morning Offering – 2 June – May the Heart of Jesus be the King of My Heart! By St Francis de Sales

Our Morning Offering – 2 June – “The Month of the Sacred Heart”

May the Heart of Jesus
be the King of My Heart!
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

May Your Heart dwell
always, in our hearts!
May Your Blood ever flow,
in the veins
of our souls!
O Sun of our hearts,
You give life to all things,
by the rays of Your goodness!
I will not go,
until Your Heart
has strengthened me,
O Lord Jesus!
May the Heart of Jesus
be the King of my heart!
Blessed be God.
Amen

Posted in CARMELITES, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, JESUIT SJ, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on VOCATIONS, The WILL of GOD

Quote/s of the Day – 28 April – ‘Teach us, good Lord,to serve You as You deserve’

Quote/s of the Day – 28 April – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – Saturday within the Octave of the Ascension

There are two ways of keeping God’s word,
namely, one, whereby we store in our memory
what we hear and the other,
whereby we put into practice,
what we have heard
(and none will deny that the latter
is more commendable, inasmuch,
as it is better to sow grain,
than to store it in the barn).

Blessed Jordan of Saxony (1190-1237)

Those who risk all for God,
will find. that they have
both lost all and gained all.

St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer of the Church

Our business is to love what we have.
He wills our vocation as it is.
Let us love that and not trifle away our time
hankering after other people’s vocations
.”

By giving yourself to God,
you not only receive Himself in exchange
but, eternal life as well!

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

“Teach Us Good Lord”
By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve You as You deserve;
to give
and not to count the cost,
to fight
and not to heed the wounds,
to toil
and not to seek for rest,
to labour
and not to ask for reward,
except that of knowing
that we are doing Your will.
Amen

Posted in CONSECRATION Prayers, DOCTORS of the Church, INDULGENCES, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, MARIAN PRAYERS, MAY - The Blessed Virgin MARY'S MONTH, Our MORNING Offering, PARTIAL Indulgence, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering – 20 May – Act of Consecration to Most Holy Mary By St Francis de Sales

Our Morning Offering – 20 May – “The Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

Most Holy Mary,
Virgin Mother of God
Act of Consecration
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)

Indulgence of 300 days, for each recitation
St Pius X, 17 November 1906

Most Holy Mary,
Virgin Mother of God,
I ………., most unworthy though I am to be thy servant,
yet touched by thy motherly care for me
and longing to serve thee,
do, in the presence of my Guardian Angel
and all the court of Heaven,
choose thee this day to be my Queen,
my Advocate and my Mother
and I firmly purpose to serve thee evermore myself
and, to do what I can, that all may
render faithful service to thee.
Therefore, most devoted Mother,
through the Precious Blood thy Son poured out for me,
I beg thee and beseech thee,
deign to take me among thy clients
and receive me as thy servant forever.
Aid me in my every action
and beg for me the grace never,
by word or deed or thought,
to be displeasing in thy sight
and that of thy most holy Son.
Think of me, my dearest Mother
and desert me not at the hour of death.
Amen

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on BLASPHEMY, The HEART, The HOLY NAME

Quote/s of the Day – 13 April – Betrayal!

Quote/s of the Day – 13 April – Spy Wednesday in Holy Week – Isaias 53:1-12, Luke 22:39-71; 23:1-53

And Jesus said to him:
Judas, dost thou betray
the Son of man with a kiss?

Luke 22:48

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

Posted in DIVINE Mercy, Goodness, Patience, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JANUARY month of THE MOST HOLY NAME of JESUS, QUOTES on BLASPHEMY, Quotes on SALVATION, The HEART, The HOLY NAME, The LAMB of GOD, The PASSION

Quote/s of the Day – 31 March – Fullness of goodness

Quote/s of the Day – 31 March – Thursday of the Fourth week in Lent

“For one Lamb died for all,
to restore the whole flock on earth
to God the Father;
“one died for all”
to make all subject to God;
“one died for all”
to gain all, so that
“all might live,
no longer for themselves
but for Him who died
and was raised to life for them”
(2 Cor 5:14-15
).”

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor of the Church

“Listen! the reason He is called Saviour
is because, for all those
to whom He is united,
He gains salvation.
Now salvation means,
to be delivered from all ills and,
at the same time,
to find all blessings forever –
Life instead of death,
Light in place of darkness
and, instead of the slavery
of the passions and unworthy deeds,
the complete freedom granted
to all those, who are united to Christ,
Saviour of all beings.
Thus they will possess,
without being able to lose it,
all joy, all happiness, all blessedness (…)
that that none can ever know,
or conceive, or see,
if not sincerely and ardently
attached to Christ
.”

St Symeon the New Theologian (c 949-1022)

True spiritual life consists in this:
that man keep his eyes on God, all the time,
long for nothing but for God,
keep nothing in mind but God,
begin every single action, in God’s Name
and direct it to Him.

St Anthony Mary Zaccaria (1502-1539)

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, MARCH the month of ST JOSEPH, PRAYERS to the SAINTS, St JOSEPH

Quote/s of the Day – 19 March – St Joseph,

Quote/s of the Day – 19 March – St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

I cannot call to mind
that I have ever asked him,
at any time for anything,
which he has not granted
and I am filled with amazement
when I consider the great favours
which God has given me,
through this blessed Saint;
the dangers from which he has delivered me,
both of body and of soul!”

St Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)
Doctor of the Church

“… You can see how low and humbled
he was brought,
more than can be said or imagined…
he went to his own country
and town of Bethlehem
and none but he, was turned away
from all those inns…
Notice how the Angel turns him about
with both hands.
He tells him he has to go to Egypt
and he goes, he orders him to return
and he returns.
God wants him to be always poor…
and he submits to it with love
and not only for a while,
for he was poor his whole life long
.””

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

Blessed Joseph, Remember Us
By St Bernadine of Siena (1380-1444)

Blessed Joseph,
remember us,
intercede with the help of your prayers
to your adopted Son
and may you likewise,
make the blessed Virgin,
your Spouse,
to be favourable towards us,
for she is the Mother of Him,
who, with the Father
and the Holy Spirit,
lives and reigns
world without end.
Amen

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/03/19/quote-s-of-the-day-19-march/

Posted in ASPIRATIONS and EJACULATIONS, CONFESSION/PENANCE, DOCTORS of the Church, OUR Cross, QUOTES on CONVERSION, QUOTES on MORTIFICATION, QUOTES on REPARATION/EXPIATION, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, Quotes on SALVATION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Let us be Transfigured!

Quote/s of the Day – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Let us be Transfigured!

And when I hear it said,
that God is good and He will pardon us
and then see, that men cease not from evil-doing,
oh, how it grieves me!
The infinite goodness
with which God communicates with us,
sinners as we are,
should constantly make us love and serve Him better
but we, on the contrary,
instead of seeing in His goodness
an obligation to please Him,
convert it into an excuse for sin,
which will, of a certainty,
lead in the end,
to our deeper
condemnation.”

St Catherine of Genoa (1447-1510)

Aspire to God with short
but frequent outpourings of the heart,
admire His bounty,
invoke His aid,
cast yourself in spirit at the foot of His Cross,
adore His goodness,
treat with Him of your salvation,
give Him your whole soul –
a thousand times in the day
.”

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

Mortification and suffering
are necessary for two reasons.
They are particularly necessary
because, we are all sinners
and must expiate our sins.
Secondly, they are necessary
because, without penance
and suffering, we become attached
to the world and forget all about Heaven,
which is our real home.
In His love for us, therefore,
God commands us to do penance.
What are we doing in the way of penance?
Let us remember the command of Jesus
and His precursor, St John the Baptist:
“Unless you repent, you will all perish!”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HAPPINESS, QUOTES on HEAVEN, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on PATIENCE, QUOTES on PERSEVERANCE, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HOLY CROSS, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, The WILL of GOD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 13 March – Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post to which God has called you!

One Minute Reflection – 13 March – The Second Sunday of Lent – Daniel 3:47-51, Matthew 17:1-9 and “The Month of St Joseph”

Lord, it is good for us to be here” – Matthew 17:4

REFLECTION – “Rejoice and be happy! Persevere to the end and prefer to die rather than abandon the post to which God has called you!

But embrace the Cross with patience and hide in God’s breast with your troubles: fix your eyes on the Lamb immolated for your sake and always be content with what God gives you and destines for you. We must act like this because we are sure that God is calling us and has chosen for us ,what will make us the most pleasing in His sight. Thus you will go from light to light and the pains endured for the sake of Jesus Crucified will be delightful to you, whereas the pleasures and consolations of the world ,will become bitter.

You will begin to taste, even in this life, a foretaste of eternal life, for the principal beatitude of the soul in Heaven is to be confirmed forever in the Will of the Father. Thus it tastes the divine sweetness. But it will never taste it in Heaven, if it is not clothed with it on earth, where we are pilgrims and travellers. When it is clothed with it, it tastes God by grace in its troubles; its memory will be full of the Blood of the Lamb without blemish; its mind will be opened and contemplate the ineffable love that God has made known in the Wisdom of His Son and the love it finds in the Holy Spirit’s goodness, casts out self-love and love for created things, to love only God.

So do not be afraid … but suffer with joy, so as to conform yourself to the Will of God.” – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop of Geneva and Doctor of the Church (Sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent [20 Feb 1622])

PRAYER – O God, Who tempered the flames of fire for the three young men, mercifully grant that the flames of sin may not burn us, Your servants.
Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on HUMILITY, The WORD, Thomas a Kempis

Quote/s of the Day – 3 March – Lord, I am not worthy

Quote/s of the Day – 3 March – The First Thursday of Lent – Isias 38:1-6, Matthew 8:5-13

The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy
to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word
and my servant will be healed.

Matthew 8:8

Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart
and you will find rest for your souls…

Matthew 11:29

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled
and whoever humbles himself will be exalted
.”

Matthew 23:12

For the Master of humility,
both by word and example,
sat down also, in the house
of a certain proud Pharisee, Simon
and although He sat down in his house,
there was no place in his heart.
For in his heart.
the Son of Man could not lay His head
.”

St Augustine (354-430)
Father and Doctor of Grace

“Those who refuse to be humble cannot be saved.
They cannot say with the prophet:
See, God comes to my aid;
the Lord is the helper of my soul.
But anyone who makes himself humble,
like a little child,
is greater in the kingdom of heaven.

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

… If you die with Him,
you shall also likewise
live with Him.
If you are His companion in punishment,
so shall you be in glory.

Thomas à Kempis (1380-1471)

“Humility is not just about self-mistrust
but about the entrusting of ourselves to God.
Distrusting ourselves and our own strength
produces trust in God
and from that trust,
generosity of soul is born.”

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on MERCY, QUOTES on PRAYER, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HOLY CROSS, The SIGN of the CROSS

Quote/s of the Day – 2 March – Ash Wednesday

Quote/s of the Day – 2 March – Ash Wednesday

Even now, says the LORD,
return to me with your whole heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.
Rend your hearts, not your garments
and return to the LORD, your God.
For gracious and merciful is he,
slow to anger,
rich in kindness
and relenting in punishment.

Joel 2:12-13

He need not fear anything,
nor be ashamed of anything,
who bears the Sign of the Cross
on his brow
.”

Fasting is the soul of prayer,
mercy is the lifeblood of fasting.
Let no-one try to separate them,
they cannot be separated.
If you have only one of them,
or not all together,
you have nothing!
So if you pray, fast;
if you fast, show mercy;
if you want your petition to be heard,
hear the petition of others.
If you do not close your ear to others,
you open God’s ear to yourself.

St Peter Chrysologus (c 400-450)
Father & Doctor of the Church

Fasting cleanses the soul,
raises the mind,
subjects one’s flesh to the spirit,
renders the heart contrite and humble,
scatters the clouds of concupiscence,
quenches the fire of lust
and kindles the true light of chastity.
Enter again into yourself!

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

Fasting, when rightly practised,
lifts the mind to God
and mortifies the flesh.
It makes virtue easy to attain
and increases our merits
.”

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

Posted in BLESSED TRINITY PRAYERS, CONSECRATION Prayers, DOCTORS of the Church, FEBRUARY - THE BLESSED TRINITY (Traditional), Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Our Morning Offering – 20 February – An Act of Oblation By St Francis de Sales

Our Morning Offering – 20 February – “Month of the Most Blessed Trinity” – Sexagesima

An Act of Oblation to the Most Blessed Trinity
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

I vow and consecrate to God
all that is in me,
my memory and my actions,
to God the Father;
my understanding and my words,
to God the Son;
my will and my thoughts,
to God the Holy Spirit.
I consecrate my heart, my body,
my tongue, my senses and all my sorrows,
to the Sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ,
Who consented to be betrayed
into the hands of wicked men
and to suffer the torment
of the Cross for me.
Amen

Posted in "Follow Me", CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, CHRIST, the WAY,TRUTH,LIFE, DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, GOD ALONE!, HOLY COMMUNION, JESUIT SJ, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on ETERNAL LIFE, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The FLIGHT into EQYPT, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 18 February – ETERNAL LIFE

Quote/s of the Day – 18 February – “Month of the Most Blessed Trinity” – Septuagesima Weekday

ETERNAL LIFE

And everyone who has left house,
or brethren, or sisters, or father,
or mother, or wife, or children, or lands
for my name’s sake,
shall receive a hundredfold
and shall possess life everlasting.

Matthew 19:29

He seemed to me,
a very foolish man
and very wretched,
who will not increase
his understanding
while he is in the world
and ever with
and long to reach
that endless life,
where all shall be made clear.

St Alfred the Great (849-899)
King

Eternal life flows
from this Sacrament
because God,
with all sweetness,
pours Himself out
upon the blessed.

St Albert the Great OP (1200-1280)
Bishop of Regensburg
Universal Doctor of the Church

We must make our way towards eternity,
never regarding what men think of us,
or of our actions,
studying only to please God.

St Francis Borgia SJ (1510-1572)

By giving yourself to God,
you not only receive Himself in exchange
but, eternal life as well!

St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor Caritatis

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)
Most Zealous Doctor

Posted in DEVOTIO, DOCTORS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, PRACTISING CATHOLIC, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on OBEDIENCE, QUOTES on the CHURCH, QUOTES on ZEAL, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 6 February – Religion and Devotion

Thought for the Day – 6 February – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Religion and Devotion

“Religion, should not be a cold, mehcanical practice of obedience to the commandments of God and the precepts of the Church.
Deep spiritual devotion and supernatural charity are necessary, as well as religion.
In other words, religion should not be merely external but, should spring from the mind and heart, this is devotion, which is the spirit of religion.

“Devotion,” wites Aquinas, “seems to be the determination to give one’s self readily to the service of God” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 82, a 2, ad 1).
But this determination should be loving and effective because, as St Thomas also observes, “charity generates devotion” (Summa Theologiae, II-II, q 82, a 2, ad 2).

St Francis de Sales analysed and expanded these ideas.
“True and living devotion,” he writes, “presupposes the love of God – indeed, it really is a true love of God… but a love… which has reached that height of perfection at which it not only causes us to act but, to act zealously, frequently and promptly…
 (Introduction to the Devout Life, Bk I, C 1).
He continues: “Since devotion consists in an unique degree of charity, it not only makes us prompt, active and zealous in the observance of all the divine commands but, incites us, furthermore, to perform readily and lovingly, as many good works as we can… even if they are only recommended or suggested” (Ibid).
From this solid and sincere devotion flows, that taste for divine things, that inner gentleness and peace of spirit which the Saints enjoyed, even in the midst of sorrow and disillusionment.
It is the spontaneous homage of the mind and heart, that God wants most of all.”

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

Part One here:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/02/06/thought-for-the-day-6-february-religion-and-devotion/

Posted in AUGUSTINIANS OSA, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, QUOTES on CHASTITY, QUOTES on FASTING, QUOTES on GREED, WEALTH, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on JUSTICE, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on Lukewarmness, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on PURITY, QUOTES on REPENTANCE, QUOTES on SELF-DENIAL, QUOTES on VIRTUE, The HEART, The HOLY EUCHARIST / The HOLY MASS

Quote/s of the Day – 5 February – Chastity

Quote/s of the Day – 5 February – St Agatha (c 231- c 251) Virgin and Martyr – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Matthew 19:3-12

Fasting cleanses the soul,
raises the mind,
subjects one’s flesh to the spirit,
renders the heart contrite and humble,
scatters the clouds of concupiscence,
quenches the fire of lust
and kindles the true light of chastity.
Enter again into yourself!

St Augustine (354-430)
Bishop of Hippo
Father and Doctor of Grace

If the poison of pride is swelling up in you,
turn to the Eucharist and that Bread,
Which is your God humbling and disguising Himself,
will teach you humility.

If the fever of selfish greed rages in you,
feed on this Bread and you will learn generosity.

If the cold wind of coveting withers you,
hasten to the Bread of Angels and charity
will come to blossom in your heart
.

If you feel the itch of intemperance,
nourish yourself with the Flesh and Blood of Christ,
Who practiced heroic self-control during His earthly life
and you will become temperate.

If you are lazy and sluggish about spiritual things,
strengthen yourself with this heavenly Food
and you will grow fervent.

Lastly, if you feel scorched by the fever of impurity,
go to the banquet of the Angels
and the spotless Flesh of Christ,
will make you pure and chaste.

St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444)
Father and Doctor

Be HUMBLE in this life,
that God may raise you up in the next.
Be truly MODERATE
and do not punish or condemn anyone immoderately.
Be GENTLE,
so that you may never oppose justice.
Be HONOURABLE,
so that you may never voluntarily
bring disgrace upon anyone.
Be CHASTE,
so that you may avoid all the foulness of lust
like the pangs of death.

St Stephen of Hungary (c 975- 1038)

(King of Hungary, to his son, St Emeric.
Sadly St Emeric died aged 24 but had
taken a private vow of Celibacy.
)

“Chastity depends on the heart,
as its source
but, it is concerned with the body,
as its matter
and, therefore, it maybe lost,
by all the external senses of the body
and by the thoughts and desires of the heart.
It is immodesty to behold,
to hear, to speak, to smell, to touch,
impure things,
when the heart occupies itself with them
and takes pleasure in them.

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

(Introduction to the Devout Life
Part Three Chap 13
).

“To defend his purity,
Saint Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow,
Saint Benedict threw himself into a thorn bush
and Saint Bernard plunged into an icy pond…
You – what have you done?

Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975)

Posted in CHRIST the WORD and WISDOM, DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, GOD ALONE!, GOD is LOVE, JESUIT SJ, OUR Cross, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FAITH, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on HOPE, QUOTES on JOY, QUOTES on PRIDE, QUOTES on STRENGTH, QUOTES on SUFFERING, QUOTES on the CROSS of CHRIST, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, The HEART, The HOLY CROSS, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 30 January – “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” – Matthew 8:26

Quote/s of the Day – 30 January – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – Romans 13:8-10, Matthew 8:23-27

Why are you fearful,
O you of little faith?
Then He arose
and rebuked the wind and the sea
and there came a great calm.

Matthew 8:26

Whoever has become a servant of the Lord,
fears only his Master.
But whoever is without the fear of God,
is often afraid of his own shadow.
Fearfulness is the daughter of unbelief.
A proud soul is the slave of fear,
hoping in itself,
it comes to such a state,
that it is startled by a small noise
and is afraid of the dark
.”

St John Climacus (579-649)
Father of the Church

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.

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Do not look forward
to the changes and chances
of this life in fear –
rather look to them with full hope that,
as they arise, God, whose you are,
will deliver you out of them.
He is your keeper.
He has kept you hitherto.
Do you but hold fast to His dear hand
and He will lead you safely through all things
and, when you cannot stand,
He will bear you in His arms.
Do not look forward to
what may happen tomorrow.
Our Father will either shield you from suffering,
or He will give you strength to bear it.

… Let the fine point of your spirit
always turn towards God, its north.
Your are about to take to the high seas
of the world, do not, on this account,
alter dial or mast, sail or anchor or wind.
Keep Jesus Christ
as your dial, at all times,
His Cross for mast,
on which to hoist
your resolutions, as a sail.
Let your anchor be,
profound trust in Him
and set out early!

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

“…Therefore, never allow yourself
to start brooding again
but always be brave and trust.
Serve your good Master
with an open heart full of joy.
The right way is to see all events
and all obstacles
in the spirit of faith
as being in the hands of Our Lord
and to hear Him say to you,
on every occasion,
as He did to the disciples,
‘It is I. Do not fear.
Have faith.’

St Michael Garicoïts (1797-1863)

Posted in JULY - The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, The HEART, The MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD

Our Morning Offering – 30 January – May Your Heart Dwell Always in our Hearts!

Our Morning Offering – 30 January – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

May Your Heart Dwell
Always in our Hearts!

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

May Your Heart dwell
always in our hearts!
May Your Blood
ever flow in the veins
of our souls!
O Sun of our hearts,
You give life to all things
by the rays of Your goodness!
I will not go,
until Your Heart
has strengthened me,
O Lord Jesus!
May the Heart of Jesus
be the King of my heart!
Blessed be God.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, GOD is LOVE, LOVE of NEIGHBOUR, MARIAN QUOTES, QUOTES on ALMS, QUOTES on LOVE, QUOTES on LOVE of GOD, QUOTES on SANCTITY, QUOTES on The SOUL

Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – St Francis de Sales

Quote/s of the Day – 29 January – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop, Confessor and Doctor – “The Gentle Christ of Geneva,” “The Gentleman Saint”

Nothing makes us
so prosperous in this world,
as to give alms
.”

We must fear God out of love,
not love Him out of fear.

“In the royal galley of Divine Love,
there is no galley slave:
all rowers are volunteers.

“Perfection of life
is the perfection of love.
For love is the life of the soul.”

Let us run to Mary
and, as her little children,
cast ourselves into her arms
with a perfect confidence.

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/24/quote-s-of-the-day-24-january-the-gentle-christ-of-geneva/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/24/quote-s-of-the-day-24-january-st-francis-de-sales/

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

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, ONE Minute REFLECTION, QUOTES on DISCIPLESHIP, QUOTES on EVANGELISATION, QUOTES on SIN, QUOTES on THE WORLD, The WORD

One Minute Reflection – 29 January – ‘Why must you be salt?’

One Minute Reflection – 29 January – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop, Confessor and Doctor – 2 Timothy 4:1-8, Matt hew 5:13-19

“You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” – Matthew 5:13

REFLECTION – “It is as a matter of absolute necessity that He commands all this. Why must you be salt? Jesus says in effect: “You are accountable, not only for your own life but also, for that of the entire world. I am sending you not to one or two cities, nor to ten or twenty, nor even to one nation, as I sent the Prophets. Rather, I am sending you to the entire earth, across the seas, to the whole world, to a world fallen into an evil state.” For by saying, “You are the salt of the earth,” Jesus signifies, that all human nature itself has “lost its taste,” having become rotten through sin. For this reason, you see, He requires from His disciples, those character traits that are most necessary and useful for the benefit of all.” – St John Chrysostom (347-407) Archbishop of Constantinople, Father and Doctor  (The Gospel of Matthew: Homily,15).

PRAYER – O God, Who for the salvation of souls willed that blessed Francis, Your Confessor and Bishop, should become all things to all men, mercifully grant that we, inspired by the sweetness of Your love, guided by his teachings and aided by his merits, may attain the joys of everlasting life. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, MARIAN PRAYERS, MARIAN Saturdays, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS

Our Morning Offering – 29 January – Say Not, Merciful Virgin By St Francis de Sales

Our Morning Offering – 29 January – St Francis de Sales (1567-1622) Bishop, Confessor and Doctor and Mary’s Day and Mary’s Day

Say Not, Merciful Virgin
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622
Doctor Caritatis

Say not, Merciful Virgin,
that you cannot help me,
for your Beloved Son
holds all power in Heaven
and on earth.
Say not, that you ought not
to assist me,
for you are the Mother
of all poor children of Adam
and my Mother in particular.
Since, then, Merciful Virgin,
you are my Mother
and you are all-powerful,
what excuse can you offer
if you do not lend your assistance?
See, my Mother, see,
you are obliged to grant me what I ask
and to yield to my entreaties.
Amen.

Posted in franciscan OFM, MARIAN TITLES, SAINT of the DAY

Notre-Dame-de-Chatillion / Our Lady of Chatillion-sur- Seine, France (1130) and Memorials of the Saints – 29 January

Notre-Dame-de-Chatillion / Our Lady of Chatillion-sur- Seine, France (1130) – 29 January:
here:
https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/29/our-lady-of-chatillion-sur-seine-france-1130-and-memorials-of-the-saints-29-january/

St Francis de Sales CO, OM, OFM (Cap) (1567-1622)– Doctor of the Church: Doctor caritatis (Doctor of Charity) “The Gentle Christ of Geneva” and the “Gentleman Saint” – Bishop of Geneva, Doctor of Law and Theology, Writer, Theologian, Mystic, Teacher, Preacher, Founder along with St Jane Frances de Chantal, founded the women’s Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines). (Memorial)
Feast Day – 29 January (General Roman Calendar of 1960 and local communities.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/saint-of-the-day-24-january-st-francis-de-sales-1567-1622-doctor-of-the-church-doctor-caritatis-doctor-of-charity/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/01/24/saint-of-the-day-24-january-st-francis-de-sales-the-gentle-christ-of-geneva/

St Abundantia the Martyr
St Aphraates
St Aquilinus of Milan
St Barbea of Edessa
St Blath of Kildare
Bl Boleslawa Maria Lament
St Caesarius of Angoulême
Bl Charles of Sayn
St Constantius of Perugia (Died c 170) Martyr Bishop

St Dallan Forgaill (c 530- 598) Martyr, Monk, Reformer, Poet.
St Dallan’s story:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/29/saint-of-the-day-29-january-st-dallan-forgaill-c-530-598/

St Pope Gelasius II (c 1060–1119) Bishop of Rome from 24 January 1118 to his death in 1119.
About Pope Gelasius II:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/29/saint-of-the-day-29-january-st-pope-gelasius-ii-c-1060-1119/
St Gildas the Elder

St Gildas the Wise (c 500-c 570) Priest and Abbot.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/01/29/saint-of-the-day-29-january-st-gildas-the-wise/

Blessed Juniper OFM (Died 1258) Franciscan Friar. Brother Juniper is called “the renowned jester of the Lord” and was one of the original followers of St Francis of Assisi.
Blessed Juniper’s life:

https://anastpaul.com/2019/01/29/saint-of-the-day-29-january-the-servant-of-god-brother-juniper-ofm-died-1258/

St Maurus of Rome
St Papias of Rome
St Sarbellius
St Serrano

St Sulpicius I (Died 591) Bishop of Bourges.
About St Sulpicius:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/29/saint-of-the-day-29-january-saint-sulpicius-i-died-591/

St Valerius of Trier
St Voloc

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, DOMINICAN OP, franciscan OFM, SAINT of the DAY

Feast of St Timothy and Memorials of the Saints – 24 January

St Timothy (1st Century) Disciple of St Paul, Bishop and Martyr

St Francis de Sales CO, OM, OFM (Cap) (1567-1622)– Doctor of the Church: Doctor caritatis (Doctor of Charity) “The Gentle Christ of Geneva” and the “Gentleman Saint” – Bishop of Geneva, Doctor of Law and Theology, Writer, Theologian, Mystic, Teacher, Preacher, Founder along with St Jane Frances de Chantal, founded the women’s Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines). (Memorial)
Feast Day – 29 January (General Roman Calendar of 1960 and local communities.
Biography:

https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2018/01/24/saint-of-the-day-24-january-st-francis-de-sales-1567-1622-doctor-of-the-church-doctor-caritatis-doctor-of-charity/
AND:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/01/24/saint-of-the-day-24-january-st-francis-de-sales-the-gentle-christ-of-geneva/

St Anicet Hryciuk
St Artemius of Clermont
St Bartlomiej Osypiuk
Bertrand of Saint Quentin
St Daniel Karmasz
St Exuperantius of Cingoli

St Felician of Foligno (c 158-c 250) Bishop and Martyr, Confessor.
St Felician’s Life and Death:

https://anastpaul.com/2021/01/24/saint-of-the-day-24-january-saint-felician-of-foligno-c-158-c-250-martyr/

St Filip Geryluk
Bl Francesc de Paula Colomer Prísas
St Guasacht
St Ignacy Franczuk
Bl John Grove
St Julian Sabas the Elder
St Luigj Prendushi
St Macedonius Kritophagos
Blessed Marcolino Amanni of Forli OP (1317-1397)
Bl Marie Poussepin

Blessed Paola Gambara Costa TOSF (1463-1515) a Countess and member of the Third Order of St Francis, Laywoman, Mother, Widow, Apostle of the poor and sick.
Her Life:

https://anastpaul.com/2020/01/24/saint-of-the-day-24-january-blessed-paola-gambara-costa-tosf-1463-1515/

St Projectus
St Sabinian of Troyes
St Suranus of Sora
St Thyrsus
Bl William Ireland

Martyrs of Asia Minor – 4 Saints: A group of Christians martyred together for their faith. The only details to survive are four of their names – Eugene, Mardonius, Metellus and Musonius. They were burned at the stake in Asia Minor.

Martyrs of Podlasie – 13 Beati: Podlasie is an area in modern eastern Poland that, in the 18th-century, was governed by the Russian Empire. Russian sovereigns sought to bring all Eastern-rite Catholics into the Orthodox Church. Catherine II suppressed the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine in 1784. Nicholas I did the same in Belarus and Lithuania in 1839. Alexander II did the same in the Byzantine-rite Eparchy of Chelm in 1874 and officially suppressed the Eparchy in 1875. The Bishop and the Priests who refused to join the Orthodox Church were deported to Siberia or imprisoned. The laity, left on their own, had to defend their Church, their liturgy and their union with Rome.
On 24 January 1874 soldiers entered the village of Pratulin to transfer the parish to Orthodox control. Many of the faithful gathered to defend their parish and Church. The soldiers tried to disperse the people but failed. Their commander tried to bribe the parishioners to abandon Rome but failed. He threatened them with assorted punishments but this failed to move them. Deciding that a show of force was needed, the commander ordered his troops to fire on the unarmed, hymn-singing laymen. Thirteen of the faithful died, most married men with families, ordinary men with great faith.
We know almost nothing about their lives outside of this incident. Their families were not allowed to honour them or participate in the funerals and the authorities hoped they would be forgotten. Their names are:
• Anicet Hryciuk
• Bartlomiej Osypiuk
• Daniel Karmasz
• Filip Geryluk
• Ignacy Franczuk
• Jan Andrzejuk
• Konstanty Bojko
• Konstanty Lukaszuk
• Lukasz Bojko
• Maksym Hawryluk
• Michal Wawryszuk
• Onufry Wasyluk
• Wincenty Lewoniuk
Martyrdom:
• shot on 14 January 1874 by Russian soldiers in Podlasie, Poland
• buried nearby without rites by those soldiers
Beatified – 6 October 1996.

Martyrs of Antioch:
Babylas
Epolonius
Prilidian
Urban

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, FEASTS and SOLEMNITIES, JESUIT SJ, ON the SAINTS, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, QUOTES of the SAINTS, The FAITHFUL on PILGRIMAGE

Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – Be a Saint!

Quote/s of the Day – 1 November – The Solemnity of All the Saints

He will provide the way and the means,
such as you could never have imagined.
Leave it all to Him,
let go of yourself,
lose yourself on the Cross
and you will find yourself entirely.”

St Catherine of Siena (1347-1380)
Doctor of the Church

“Teach Us Good Lord”
By St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve You as You deserve;
to give
and not to count the cost,
to fight
and not to heed the wounds,
to toil
and not to seek for rest,
to labour
and not to ask for reward,
except that of knowing
that we are doing Your will.
Amen

Those who risk all for God,
will find. that they have
both lost all and gained all.

St Teresa of Jesus of Ávila (1515-1582)
Doctor of Prayer of the Church

The Lord delights
in every little step you take.

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

There is no more evident sign
that anyone is a saint
and of the number of the elect,
than to see him leading a good life
and, at the same time,
a prey to desolation, suffering and trials.

St Aloysius de Gonzaga (1568-1591)

All a person’s holiness,
perfection and profit
lies in doing God’s will perfectly….
Happy are we, if we succeed
in pouring out our heart into God’s,
in uniting our desires
and our will to His,
to the point,
that one heart and one will are formed,
wanting, what God wants,
wanting, in the way,
in the time
and in the circumstances,
what He desires
and willing it all,
for no other reason,
than that God wills it.

Heaven is filled
with converted sinners ,
of all kinds
and there is room
for more!

St Joseph Cafasso (1811-1860)

You cannot be half a saint.
You must be a whole saint
or no saint at all
.”

St Thérèse of the Child Jesus
and the Holy Face of Lisieux (1873-1897)
Doctor of the Church

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2019/11/01/quote-s-of-the-day-1-november-on-the-saints/

Posted in CHRIST the KING, DOCTORS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, PRECIOUS BLOOD PRAYERS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS, The HEART

Our Morning Offering – 25 October – May the Heart of Jesus be the King of My Heart!

Our Morning Offering – 25 October

May the Heart of Jesus
be the King of My Heart!
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

May Your Heart dwell
always, in our hearts!
May Your Blood
ever flow, in the veins
of our souls!
O Sun of our hearts,
You give life to all things,
by the rays of Your goodness!
I will not go,
until Your Heart
has strengthened me,
O Lord Jesus!
May the Heart of Jesus
be the King of my heart!
Blessed be God.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, FATHERS of the Church, HOLY SPIRIT, JESUIT SJ, QUOTES on COURAGE, QUOTES on FEAR, QUOTES on GRACE, QUOTES on PERSECUTION, QUOTES on TRUST and complete CONFIDENCE in GOD, St PAUL!, The WORD

Quote/s of the Day – 17 October – “Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong.”

Quote/s of the Day – 17 October – “Month of the Most Holy Rosary” – Readings: Romans 4: 13, 16-18; Psalm 105: 6-9, 42-43; Luke 12: 8-12

…Do not be anxious how
or what you are to answer,
or what you are to say;
for the Holy Spirit
will teach you,
in that very hour,
what you ought to say.

Luke 12:11-12

Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.

John 14:27

Be on your guard,
stand firm in the faith,
be courageous,
be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Do not say,
this happened by chance,
while this came to be of itself.”
In all that exists
there is nothing disorderly,
nothing indefinite,
nothing without purpose,
nothing by chance …
How many hairs are on your head?
God will not forget one of them.
Do you see how nothing,
even the smallest thing,
escapes the gaze of God?

St Basil the Great (329-379)
Father & Doctor of the Church

What is the surest kind of witness?
“Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus Christ
came among us in the flesh” (cf. 1Jn 4,2)
and who keeps the commands of the Gospel…
How many there are each day
of these hidden martyrs of Christ
who confess the Lord Jesus!
… So be faithful and courageous
in interior persecutions
so that you may also win
the victory in exterior persecutions.

St Ambrose (340-397)
Father & Doctor of the Church

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
.”

St Ignatius Loyola (1491-1556)

Do not look forward
to the changes and chances
of this life in fear –
rather look to them with full hope that,
as they arise, God, whose you are,
will deliver you out of them.
He is your keeper.
He has kept you hitherto.
Do you but hold fast to His dear hand
and He will lead you safely through all things
and, when you cannot stand,
He will bear you in His arms.
Do not look forward to
what may happen tomorrow.
Our Father will either shield you from suffering,
or He will give you strength to bear it.

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

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, JUNE-THE SACRED HEART, Our MORNING Offering, PRAYERS of the SAINTS, SACRED HEART PRAYERS

Our Morning Offering -12 October – May Your Heart Dwell Always in our Hearts!

Our Morning Offering -12 October

May Your Heart Dwell
Always in our Hearts!
by Saint Francis De Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

May Your Heart
dwell always in our hearts!
May Your Blood
ever flow in the veins of our souls!
O Sun of our hearts,
You give life to all things
by the rays of Your goodness!
I will not go,
until Your Heart has strengthened me,
O Lord Jesus!
May the Heart of Jesus
be the King of my heart!
Blessed be God.
Amen

Posted in DOCTORS of the Church, OCTOBER - The HOLY ROSARY and The HOLY ANGELS, ROSARY REFLECTIONS and QUOTES, St Louis-Marie Grignion de MONTFORT, The HOLY ROSARY/ROSARY CRUSADE

Quote/s of the Day – 7 October – The Holy Rosary

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.

Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958)

MORE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/10/07/quote-s-of-the-day-7-october-on-the-rosary-by-the-popes-pre-vatican-ii/

Posted in "Follow Me", DOCTORS of the Church, MEDITATIONS - ANTONIO CARD BACCI, ON the SAINTS, QUOTES on CHARITY, QUOTES on HUMILITY, QUOTES on SANCTITY, The HEART

Thought for the Day – 28 September – Goodness and Christian Courtesy – The Gentle Christ of Geneva

Thought for the Day – 28 September – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

Goodness and Christian Courtesy

St Francis de Sales was a model of gentleness and Chrisitan courtesy.
He had every regard and respecct of his neighbour because he saw God in everyone and everyone in God.

He had the ability to listen to everybody with great patience and kindness, without ever showing any sign of tiredness or boredom, even when he was dealing with unpleasant people or when he was busy with far more important matters.
He maintained his equilibrium and self-control, even after many hours of work and of difficult consultations.
He was always prepared, moreover, to listen to the troubles of the poor.

Even when insulted and reviled, he displayed perfect serenity and calm.
It was a result of this, that, with the helo of God, he made innumerable converts.

Always be as gentle as you can,.” he was accustomed to advise “and remember that you will catch more flies with a spoon of honey than with a barrel of vinegar. If you must err, let it be on the side of gentleness ….” “Be humble,.” he wrote again “and you will be gentle. Humility makes the heart kind towards the perfect and the imperfect; towards the former through veneration, towards the latter through compassion. (Letter 51).

How much we have to learn from the serenity and courtesy of this Saint – for, it is not without reason that he is known as “the Gentleman Saint” and an even greater title “the Gentle Christ of Geneva!.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART ONE HERE:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/09/28/thought-for-the-day-28-september-goodness-and-christian-courtesy/

Posted in CONSECRATION Prayers, DOCTORS of the Church, Our MORNING Offering, The MOST HOLY & BLESSED TRINITY

Our Morning Offering – 26 September – An Act of Consecration to the Holy Trinity

Our Morning Offering – 26 September – Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday is traditionally dedicated to the Holy Trinity.   This is entirely fitting as Sunday is the first day of the week and the day when we offer God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit our praise, adoration and thanksgiving.

An Act of Consecration to the Holy Trinity
By St Francis de Sales (1567-1622)
Doctor of Charity

I vow and consecrate to God
all that is in me:
my memory and my actions
to God the Father;
my understanding
and my words
to God the Son;
my will and my thoughts
to God the Holy Ghost;
my heart, my body,
my tongue, my senses
and all my sorrows
to the sacred Humanity of Jesus Christ,
who was content to be betrayed
into the hands of wicked men
and to suffer the torment of the Cross
..”
Amen