Monthly Archives: May 2016

Faith, Pope Francis, Spirituality

Pope’s message: Christian Joy is a Gift from the Holy Spirit





Pope Francis
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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joan of Arc, Feast Day May 30




St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
St. Joan of Arc
Burning at Stake
Public Domain Image

St. Joan of Arc was born  in Domremy, Francs in 1412 on the Feast of the Epiphany on  Jan. 6.  Her parents, Jacques and Isabelle were peasants. She was the youngest of four children, having three older brothers. She helped her mother with spinning and helped shepherd the animals. She was very devout as a child enjoying her religious faith and spending her free time in church.

St. Joan grew up during the “Hundred Years War”, which never seemed to end. The French were losing the war while she was young. England was invading the country of France causing much suffering.  Joan prayed with great devotion and fervor for the suffering people.

At the age of thirteen, Joan began to have visions and hear voices which counseled her. She claimed to hear the Voice of God, Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Margaret of Antioch.    In 1428, the voices told her to go tho the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. She was told to accompany Prince Charles to his coronation. St. Joan went to the town of Vaucouleurs seeking help from the military commander. After three trips he decided to listen to her.

She was given an escort of six which included two knights. They left on Feb. 23, 1429. The journey was 400 miles, taking eleven days in the winter to travel. She was given permission to meet with Prince Charles VII.  However, he concealed himself in the crowd to test Joan. Joan, however, recognized him. St. Joan spoke to him, saying:

“I am Joan the Maid and to you is sent word by me from the King of Heaven that you will be anointed and crowned in Reims and you will be Lieutenant to the King of Heaven who is King of France.”

After being questioned by clerics who asked for a sign Joan was eventually given a sword, armor and a banner with the names of Jesus and Maria to lead the French Army to Tours in 1429. She was only 17 years old.

St. Joan led French troops against the English and recaptured the cities of Orleans and Troyes. Prince Charles was then anointed King with St. Joan at his side holding the banner in 1429.

St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
St. Joan of Arc
Burning at Stake
Public Domain Image

St. Joan was later captured and then sold to the English. Joan spent six months in prison before she was put on trial for heresy and witchcraft. After being found guilty she was burned at the stake in 1431. Her ashes were scattered in the Seine River. A second trial was held 25 years later which overturned the first verdict because it was politically motivated. Joan was declared a martyr.

St. Joan was beatified by Pope Pius X and canonize by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 who said that she is a “most brilliantly shining light of God.”

I know this now,
Every man gives his life for what he believes.
Every woman gives her life for what she believes.
Sometimes people believe in little or nothing.
One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it and then it’s gone.
But to surrender what you are and to live without belief
is more terrible than dying…even more terrible than dying young.

Quote of St. Joan of Arc

May is the Month of Our Lady.

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Germanus, Feast Day May 28




St. Germanus
St. Germanus

The Feast Day of St. Germanus of Auxerre is celebrated on May 28. He served as the Bishop of Paris.

St. Germanus of Auxerre was born in 496 near Autun, France. He was ordained by St. Agippinus the Bishop of his diocese. He became the Abbot and administrator of St. Symphorianus, a suburb of Autun. Although at first he declined the position, he was named Bishop of Paris in 566. He was known as an eloquent preacher who brought conversion and the Christian faith to many people. Under his influence the lifestyle in the city became less worldly and vain. He tried to end civil strife and the licentiousness of the kings and nobles.

St. Germanus was known to have received the gift of miracles and prophecy. After his death on May 28, 576, King Chilperic wrote his epitaph praising his virtues, miracles and the zeal he displayed in working for the salvation of souls.

For the Christian there is no such thing as a “stranger.” There is only the neighbor…..the person near us and needing us.
Quote of St. Edith Stein; Feast day August 9
May is the Month of Our Lady
Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bede the Venerable, Feast Day May 25




St. Bede Public Domain Image
St. Bede

The Feast Day of St. Bede the Venerable is celebrated on May 25.

St. Bede was born  in Sunderland, England in 672 or 673 near the Monastery of St. Peter and St. Paul.  At an early age he was sent there to be educated.  His entire life became a life of study and prayer.

At the age of 19, he ordained a deacon.  He became a priest at the age of 30.  After declining  a request to be abbot of his monastery he chose to instead focus on writing.  He wrote over 60 books, which have not survived.  He also translated writings of the early church Fathers from Latin and Greek into English.

St. Bede died on Ascension Thursday, May 26, 735 while singing to God.   Pope Leo XIII proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church in 1899.

Christ is the morning star, who, when the night of this world is past, brings to His saints the promise of the light of life and opens everlasting day.
Quote of St. Bede

May is the Month of Our Lady

Apostle, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joanna, Feast Day May 24




St. Joanna

The Feast Day of St. Joanna is celebrated on May 24.

St. Joanna was a devoted follower of Jesus. We learn about her in Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 8. She was the wife of Chuza who was a steward for Herod. She, along with Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and other women, provided for Jesus out of their personal resources as he traveled from town to town preaching and healing.

St. Joanna was one of the three women who arrived at the tomb to prepare the body for burial on the first Easter morning. She is also referred to as the myrrh bearer. The women discovered the stone moved and the body gone. Two men appeared to them in dazzling clothes, telling them He had risen and reminding them that Jesus had said he would be crucified and rise again. The women reported to the Apostles all that they had seen and heard.

It is hard to imagine being such a close friend of Jesus. The disciples who followed and supported Jesus knew Him in a way we can only wish to know him. But St. Joanna shows us what a true disciple is. She supported Jesus and His ministry on a daily basis in any way possible. She heard the words he spoke and saw the miracles he worked. True friendship is what all of us should be seeking from Jesus. True friends are always there for each other. As disciples we should be serving Jesus in any way we can. We should also be turning to Him in all our needs weather they be small or large. We should never be afraid to be honest with Jesus, because He is our friend.

 
The instruments of God are always humble.
Quote of St. John Chrysostom; Feast day September 13

May is the Month of Our Lady

Faith, Incorruptible, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Rita of Cascia, Feast Day May 22

St. Rita De Cascia Public Domain Image
St. Rita De Cascia

 

The Feast Day of St. Rita of Cascia is celebrated on May 22. She is the patron saint of impossible causes, abuse victims and widows.

St. Rita was born in 1386 in Cascia, Italy. She was known to be very spiritual even as a young child. She enjoyed visiting shrines and wished to become a nun. Her parents were opposed to the idea and arranged for her to be married. Her husband turned out to have a bad temper and was very difficult for her to live with. She dealt with his abuse with prayer, patience and kindness. They had twin sons. Their difficult marriage lasted 22 years. St. Rita De Cascia public domain image

One day while returning home from work her husband was ambushed and killed. St. Rita’s sons were now teenagers and began to talk of revenging their father’s death. St. Rita turned to prayer. She prayed that her sons would not be able to go through with the revenge. Her prayer was soon answered. Both her sons died from a deadly illness soon after without taking revenge on their father’s killer.

After the death of her husband and sons, Rita applied to enter the Augustinian Convent. Her first attempt was denied because of the ongoing feud. Rita persisted however. She convinced her husband’s family to put aside their hostility. The two rival families embraced peace. Rita turned to St. John the Baptist, St. Nicholas of Tolentino and St. Augustine, requesting their intercession. The convent changed their decision and allowed her entry. She was 36 when she entered the monastery.

St. Rita had a great devotion for the passion of Christ. She meditated often on the crucifix. On Good Friday, 1442, St. Rita meditated on the suffering of Jesus on the crucifix. She offered to relieve Christ’s suffering by sharing even the smallest part of his pain. As she was meditating, a small wound on her forehead appeared. It appeared to be a thorn from the crown that Jesus wore. St. Rita had this stigmata for 15 years.'Saint_Rita_of_Cascia'_by_Antonio_de_Torres,_c._1720

St. Rita was confined to bed for the last four years of her life. She ate very little. The Eucharist sustained her and she remained joyful during her suffering. Before her death St. Rita requested a rose be brought to her from her parents’ garden even though it was January. Surprisingly, a rose was discovered to be blooming on the rosebush and it was presented to her. St. Rita gave thanks to God for this sign of God’s love.

Because this impossible request of St. Rita for a rose in January was answered she became the patron of impossible causes. It was also known that her prayers were known to obtain remarkable cures.

St. Rita died on May 29, 1456. Many miracles were recorded after her death . She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1900.

St. Rita’s incorrupt body is venerated today in the Nation Shrine of Cascia.

St. Rita public domain image

Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.
Quote of St. Jerome; Feast day September 30

May is the Month of Our Lady

Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Eugene de Mazenod, Feast Day May 21




St. Eugene de Mazenod Public Domain Image
St. Eugene de Mazenod

The Feast Day of St. Eugene de Mazenod is celebrated on May 21.

St. Eugene Mazenod was born in Aixen Provence, France in 1782 on August 1. He was born into a wealthy family during the French Revolution. Because of the Revolution his family fled France and lived in exile for eleven years. His family life was filled with turmoil and fighting. Although Eugene tried to keep his family together, his parents eventually divorced. At the age of 20, Eugene returned to France. After having a mystical experience at the foot of the cross on Good Friday in 1807 Eugene was led to enter the seminary of Saint Sulpice in Paris in 1808. He was ordained a priest on Dec. 21, 1811 at Amiens, France.

As a priest, Eugene began by serving those in prison and the youth. He founded the Missionaries of Provence, asking the Pope directly that his group be recognized. It was approved by Pope Leo XII in 1826 under the name “Oblates of Mary Immaculate”. As Superior General St. Eugene led and inspired his missionaries for 35 years until his death. They worked with the youth, cared for shrines, worked in the prisons and heard confessions. Because of his zeal he earned the nickname, “the second Paul”.

In 1832, St. Eugene was named Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Marseilles. Five years later he became the Bishop. As Bishop, he sent his missionaries to Canada the United States, Africa, Asia, Australia and Latin America. They would preach and baptize.

St. Eugene died at age 79. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1955. There are over 4000 Missionary Oblates in 67 countries today. St. Eugene de Mazenod is the patron saint of dysfunctional families.

In spiritual life, when you cease to climb, you begin to descend.
Quote of St. Bernard; Feast day August 20

May is the Month of Mary

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Faith, Franciscan Saints

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bernadine of Siena, Feast Day May 20




St. Bernadine Public Domain Image
St. Bernadine

The Feast Day of St. Bernadine of Siena is celebrated on May 20.

St. Bernadine was born in 1380 in a Sianese town. His father was the governor. He was orphaned at the age of six and raised by a pious aunt. When he was 20 years old the plague killed twenty people in one day in his town. He and ten companions offered to run the hospital. They nursed the patients for 4 months. Although he did not come down with the plague, he did become sick with fever and exhaustion afterwards. He was sick for several months. He then spent over a year caring for his aunt at her death.

At the age of 22 he joined the Franciscan Order. He was ordained at the age of 24. Bernadine lived in solitude and prayer for almost 12 years before God sent him to preach. He traveled on foot from town to town all over Italy. He was known to attract crowds of 30,000. He preached about vice and virtue, punishment and glory which were themes advised by St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Bernadine had a special devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. He devised a symbol (IHS) which were the first three letters of the name of Jesus in Greek in Gothic letters on a blazing sun. He wanted the symbol to replace superstition. The devotion spread and began appearing in churches, homes and on buildings.

In 1427, Bernadine was called to Rome to stand trial for heresy for promoting the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. He was found innocent of heresy. After the trial St. Bernadine preached for 80 consecutive days. He was offered the office of bishop in the cities of Siena, Ferrar, and Urbino. He declined the office of bishop.

St. Bernadine preached for over 30 years, traveling all over Italy. While serving as Franciscan Vicar General the order grew from 140 friars to over 4000 friars before he died while traveling. Miracles were attributed to St. Bernadine after his death. He was canonized six years later in 1450 by Pope Nicholas V.

God must be the king of our minds, the Lord of our minds, so that the thought of Him never leaves us, and we speak, think, and act always either for Him or guided by love of Him.  Let our souls be thus a house of prayer and not a den of thieves.
Bl. Charles de Foucauld; Feast day December 1

May is the Month of Our Lady

Faith, Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ivo of Kermartin, Feast Day May 19




St. Ivo Painting by Rogier van der Weyden Public Domain Image
St. Ivo
Painting by Rogier van der Weyden

The Feast Day of St. Ivo of Kermartin is celebrated on May 19.  St. Ivo is the patron saint of lawyers, judges, orphans and widows.

St. Ivo was born in Kermarton, Brittany, France on Oct. 17, 1253. He studied at the University of Paris, becoming a lawyer. He quickly became well known for his knowledge of philosophy, theology and canon law. He was appointed a judge of the Ecclesiastical Court and received minor orders. It is believed he entered the Third Order of Franciscans. He was ordained a priest in 1284.

St. Ivo’s defense of the downtrodden earned him the title “Advocate of the Poor.” He often visited the poor in prison and payed their expenses. He refused to take bribes which was a common corruption of that time.

Eventually, St. Ivo was elected as an official for the Bishop of Treguier. In this position he resisted the taxation imposed upon the church. St. Ivo also built a hospital. St. Ivo served as a parish priest for 18 years. He died on May 19, 1303 at the age of 50. He was canonized by Pope Clement VI in 1347.

The truth that many people never understand, until it is too late, is that the more you try to avert suffering the more you suffer, because smaller and more insignificant things begin to torture you in proportion to your fear of being hurt.
Quote of Thomas Merton

May is the Month of Our Lady.

Faith, Martyr, Pope, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John I, Feast Day May 18




St. John I Public Domain Image
St. John I

The Feast Day of St. John I is celebrated on May 18.

Pope John I was born in Tuscany, Italy. Little is known about his early life. He was elected pope one week after the death of his predecessor Hormisdas on August 13, 523.

There was great turmoil during the time of his election. The heresy of Arianism (the belief that Jesus was not divine) was causing persecution in many areas. Pope John was frail but he was the first pope to travel to Constantinople. He counseled the Byzantine emperor Justin, who persecuted heretics, to treat heretics with mercy. He celebrated Easter Mass in Constantinople before returning to Rome.

The king of Ostrogoths, Theodoric, was an Arian Christian. Because the edict against Arianism had not been lifted he became furious. While Pope John was returning to Rome, he had him kidnapped and imprisoned. St. John died in prison of thirst and starvation on May 18, 526. He is honored as a martyr.

When Doubting Thomas was refuted face to face, all mankind was given instruction.
Quote of St. Paulinas of Nola; Feast day June 22

May is the the Month of Our Lady

Faith, Franciscan Saints, Prayer, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paschal Baylon, Feast Day May 17




st. paschal baylon
St. Paschal Baylon

The Feast Day of St. Paschal Baylon is celebrated on May 17.

St. Paschal Baylon was born into a peasant family in Aragon, Spain. He worked as a shepherd while he was young. He taught himself to read while tending the sheep. He was known from an early age to have the gift of miracles. After having a mystical vision to enter a Franciscan Community nearby he joined the Reformed Franciscan Order as a lay Franciscan brother in 1564. He worked as a doorkeeper.

St. Paschal Baylon had a great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. He spent many hours before the Blessed Sacrament in prayer. He is known to have defended the belief in the Real Presence to the Calvinists he knew. He lived a life of poverty and prayer.

St. Paschal died on May 17. Miracles were reported immediately after his burial. St. Paschal was canonized in 1690.

O Father Eternal God, Grant me faith and courage;
Son, wisdom of the Father, grant me light and make me wise;
Holy Spirit, beloved of Father and Son, inflame my heart and purify my soul,
that I may approach this majestic Sacrament with faith and love.
Quote of St. Paschal Baylon; Feast day May 17
May is the Month of Our Lady.
Faith, Franciscan Saints, Prayer, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Leopold, Feast Day May 12

St. Leopold




 

The Feast Day of St. Leopold is celebrated on May 12.

St. Leopold was born in Croatia, Italy. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans and was ordained even though he had disabilities and health problems. He had a speech impediment which made it difficult to preach. He also suffered from severe arthritis, poor eyesight and a stomach ailment. His vocation became that of a confessor. He was known to spend as many as 15 hours a day hearing confessions. Several bishops were known to seek his spiritual direction. He was often criticized for his compassion and leniency. He was very understanding and caring towards expectant mothers and children. This led to his work starting orphanages.

St. Leopold wanted to become a missionary and work for the reunion between Roman Catholics and Orthodoxy. Because of his health he was unable to travel but unity was constantly in his prayers. He became known as the Apostle of Confession and Unity.

Most of his life St. Leopold lived in Padua, Italy. However, because he did not want to renounce his Croatian nationality he spent one year in prison during World War I.

St. Leopold had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He often prayed the Rosary. He also received the Eucharist daily and visited the sick in nursing homes.

St. Leopold died from esophagus cancer on July 30, 1942. While he was dying the friars gathered around him and sang the Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen). St. Leopold was canonized in 1982 by Pope John Paul II..

You have become an ornament to heaven,
O Mother of God, and a light for all the earth!
Quote of St. Germanus of Constantinople; Feast day May 12
May is the Month of Our Lady