The Feast Day of St. Alphonsa is celebrated on July 28. She was born in Muttahupadathu, India in 1910. She is the second canonized saint of India.
Baptized with the name Anna, she had a difficult birth and childhood. Her mother died three months after she was born. She was raised by her maternal Aunt. After falling into a pit of burning chaff, her feet were badly burned leaving her disabled. At an early age, after reading the biography of St. Therese of Lisieux, she had a great desire to become a saint.
In 1927 at the age of 17 she joined the Poor Claresat Christ Convent at Bharananganam. She took the name Alphonsa. She completed her permanent vows in 1936. After completing her own education. Alphonsa taught school but she was plaqued by illness.She became known for her willingness to accept suffering. After enduring several different types of illnesses over many years St. Alphonsa died at the age of 35. Her tomb is a site for pilgrims due to the many reported miracles at the site. The miracle which was approved by the Vatican for her canonization was the curing of a child with a club foot. St. Alphonsa was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
Since only grief and suffering have fallen to the lot of my Spouse, I too lovingly embrace them and my soul is at peace, though the body continues to be tormented. For the last seven years I have ceased to be my own, being given over entirely to my Divine Spouse. You know all that and now let the Lord do as He will with me. It is not a cure I am anxious for but only that His Holy Will be fulfilled in me.
The Feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden is celebrated on July 23. St. Bridget of Sweden was born on June 14, 1303. She was the daughter of Berger Persson and wife, Ingeborg. Her family was wealthy, pious, and went on long pilgrimages to the Holy Land. St. Bridget of Sweden is the patron of Sweden, Europe, and widows.
At the age of ten her mother died. Her sister Kathleen, infant brother Israel, and Bridget were sent to her maternal aunt for education and care. As a young child Bridget had a vivid dream vision of The Man of Sorrows. When she asked who had done this to him He responded,
“All those who despise my love.”
This dream vision left an indelible mark on her. She married early, as was the custom, at 13 years old to Ulf Gudransson. They had eight children, four sons and four daughter. The newly married King of Sweden asked her to be a Lady in waiting and teach the young queen the language and customs of her new country.
St. Bridget became a widow when she was 41 years old when her husband died of severe illness. She prayed for guidance, after which she founded a new religious order (The Brigitta’s), mainly for women. She reported many visions and revelations, some which can be found in the “Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget”.
In August, 1370, Pope Urban V confirmed the Rule of her congregation. Bridget made earnest representations to Pope Urban, urging the removal of the Holy See from Avignon back to Rome.
In 1349 she journeyed to Rome where she stayed until she died in 1373.
My Lord Jesus Christ, Your blessed, royal, and magnificent heart could never, by torments or terrors or blandishments, be swayed, from the defense of Your kingdom of truth and justice.
Pride often keeps us from having healthy relationships. It prevents us from asking for help when we need it. Turning to God is difficult to do when we have too much pride.
The saints can help us know when pride is detrimental and how to conquer it. The following quotes from the saints can inspire us to be humble of heart.
1. It was pride that changed angels into devils. It is humility that make men as angels.
3. Do you know where the tree of death is rooted? In the height of pride, which is nourished by their sensual selfishness. Its core is impatience and its offshoot is the lack of any discernment. These are the four chief vices, which together tell the souls of those I have called trees of death, since they have failed to feed on the life of grace.(Pride, selfishness, lack of discernment, impatience)
4. If the poison of pride is swelling up in you, turn to the Eucharist.
St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
5. Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of Pride and anger. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit and raises man to Heaven.
6. You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy – the root of all that is evil, and the failure of all that is good… for God resists the proud.
8. As pride is the beginning of all sin, so humility is the foundation of all virtue. Learn to be really humble, and not, as the hypocrite, humble in only appearance.
11. The proud person is like a grain of wheat thrown into water – it swells, it gets big. Expose that grain to the fire – it dries up – it burns. The humble soul is like a grain of wheat, thrown into the earth – it descends, it hides itself, it disappears, it dies but to revive in heaven.
St. Mary of Jesus Crucified
St. Mary of Jesus Crucified
12. For what else is pride but, as a saint has defined it, the love of one’s own excellence.
14. If you are discouraged, it is a sign of pride because it shows you trust in your own powers. Your self-suffering, your selfishness, and your intellectual pride will inhibit His coming to live in your heart because God cannot fill what is already full. It is as simple as that.
16. We must all be on our guard against pride and empty boasting and beware of worldly or natural wisdom. A worldly spirit lives to talk a lot, but do nothing, striving for the exterior signs of holiness that people see, with no desire for true piety, and interior holiness of spirit.
19. How can one be pleasing to God when one is inflated with pride and self-love under the pretense of striving for God’s glory wile in fact one is seeking one’s own glory?
21. We put pride into everything like salt. We like to see that our good works are known. If our virtues are seen, we are pleased; if our faults are perceived, we are sad. I remark that in a great many people, if one says anything to them, it disturbs them, it annoys them. The saints were not like that- they were vexed if their virtues were known, and pleased that their imperfections should be seen.
23. We must observe also that among the heathen the names of the poor men are more likely to be known than of the rich. Now our Lord mentions the names of the poor, but not the names of the rich, because God knows and approves the humble, but not the proud.
24. Learn to love humility, for it will cover all your sins. All sins are repulsive before God, but the most repulsive of all is pride of the heart. Do not consider yourself learned and wise; otherwise, all your efforts will be destroyed, and your boat will reach the harbor empty. If you have great authority, do not threaten anyone with death. Know that, according to nature, you are susceptible to death, and that every soul sheds its body as its final garment.
25. Lord, free me from every pride, which is the source of all sins. Give me the grace to recognize sick and unbridled ambitions, that make me choose false greatness, or they cause complexes. Jesus, martyred on the cross, obedient to everything to the Father, I am asking for a humble heart like Your Heart. I am asking for humble eyes, who see themselves and others in truth. Amen
Meditating on the following quotes from the saints can lead us on our journey of faith.
It is by faith that God dwells in our hearts, in our memory, our intellect and penetrates even into our imagination. St. Bernard of Clairvaux
St. Bernard Clairvaux
2. The Lord is always near to all who call upon his help with sincerity, true faith, sure hope, and perfect love. St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
St. Ambrose,
3. The faith of those who live their faith is a serene faith. What you long for will be given to you, what you love, will be yours forever. St Leo the Great , Bishop of Rome
St. Leo the Great
4. Jesus saved the thief on the holy hill at Golgotha because of one hour’s faith, will he not save you too since you have believed? St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Bishop
St. Cyril of Jerusalem
5. Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. Augustine of Hippo
St. Augustine
6. Faith lifts the soul. Hope supports it. Experience says it must, and love says let it be! St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
7. Faith is a beam radiating from the face of God. St. John Eudes
St. John Eudes
8. Live in faith and hope, though it may be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone for that would be to wrong Him. St. John of the Cross
15. 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
S
t. Francis de Sales
16. Our door is faith. of it is strong enough, the entire house is safe. St. Ambrose
St. Ambrose
17. By itself, faith accomplishes nothing, for even the devil believes and trembles. No, faith must be joined to an active love which is expressed in good works. St. Maximus the Confessor
20. Faith leads us beyond ourselves. It leads us directly to God. St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome
21. Your faith will help you realize that it is Jesus Himself who is present in the Blessed Sacrament, working working for you and calling you to spend one special hour with Hime each week. St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome
St. John Paul II
22. If faith is lacking, it is because there is too much selfishness., too much concern for personal gain. For faith to be true, it has to be genuine and loving. Love and faith go together…they complete each other. St. Teresa of Calcutta
Mother Teresa
23. Among the many signs of a lively faith is the hope we have in eternal life. One of the secrets is not being overly sad at the death of those whom we dearly love in our Lord. St. Ignatius of Loyola
St. Ignatius Loyola
24. Your soul must hold fast to Him. You must follow after Him in your thoughts, you must tread His way, by faith, not in outward show. St. Ambrose
St. Ambrose
25. Faith fills a man with love for the beauty of its truth, with faith in the truth of its beauty. St. Francis de Sales
During our journey of faith, all of us at some time in our life need an extra dose of courage. To face our fears can be very daunting, requiring a decision from deep within ourselves not to run from adversity. Reflecting on the wisdom of the saints can help during those times. The following quotes are on the virtue of courage…another name for fortitude.
1. Grace and truth will in turn give rise to courage. Following Christ has always demanded courage.
2. Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.
5. We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage is steadfast and our trust is fixed on God.
10. True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts and yet brings us joy. That is why we must pray to God and ask Him to give us the courage to love.
11. Many people say “I don’t have the courage to make the sacrifice.” Let them do what I did: exert a great effort. God never refuses that first grace which gives one the courage to act. Afterward the heart is strenghthened.
12. Though the path is plain and smooth for men of good will, he who walks it will not travel far, and he will do so only with difficulty, if he does not have good feet; that is courage and a persevering spirit.
14. If one is to do good, he must have a little courage, be ready for sacrifice, deal affably with all and never slight anybody. By following this method, I have always had significant success, in fact, marvelous success!
16. Remember, that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing with you, nothing that you have received – only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.
18. Even if I must suffer greatly, thanks be to God’s mercy, I will not lack courage.
St. Genoveva Torres Morales
St. Genoveva Torres Morales
19. Courage, courage, my daughters. Remember that God does not give anyone more trials than can be suffered and that His Majesty is with the afflicted… for this is certain, there is no reason to fear God, but to hope in His mercy.
21. O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve you. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived, when the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall meet with peace.
22. Let us never lose courage or despair of God’s mercy. We may not understand His will for us in time, but in eternity the veil will be drawn, and we shall see that He acted only for our happiness. Let us bear our cross and leave it to God to determine the length and the weight.
24. When I am weak, Help me find courage. When I am afraid of what the future holds, Help me find trust. When I cannot see God anymore in my life, Hel me find faith.
25. God of our life. There are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.
Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; turn our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so, quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honor and glory. Amen
Since the beginning of time, we have struggled with resentments and hate. When we refuse to hate, we refuse to be filled with this negative emotion. We turn it over to God and let Him be the judge and jury.
The following 25 quotes help us to understand what the saints believed about hate.
1. You must oppose every form of hatred with the invincible power of Christ’s love.
2. We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies.
4. Put aside your hatred and animosity. Take pains to refrain from sharp words. If they escape your lips, do not be ashamed to let your lips produce the remedy, since they have caused the wounds. Parden one another so that later on you will not remember the injury. The recollection of an injury is itself wrong. It adds to our anger, nurture our sin and hates what is good. It is a rusty arrow and poison for the soul. It puts all virtue to flight.
11. People hate the truth for the sake of whatever it is that they love more than the truth. They love truth when it shines warmly on them, and hate it when it rebukes them.
12. Whosever loves Jesus Christ with true love, let him greatly rejoice when he sees himself treated by the world as Jesus Christ was treated. He was hated, scorned, and persecuted by the world. The world is altogether against Jesus Christ; and therefore, hating Jesus Christ, it hates all His servants.
15. Truth is intolerant of error; Love is intolerant of hate.
Venerable Fulton Sheen
Venerable Bishop Fulton Sheen
16. Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile – smile five times a day at someone you don’t really want to smile at – at all – do it for peace. So let us radiate peace…and extinguish in the World and in the hearts of all men all hatred and love for power.
18. As God illumines all people equally with the light of the sun, so do those who desire to imitate God let shine an equal ray of love on all people. For wherever love disappears, hatred immediately appears in its place. And if God is Love, then hatred is the devil. Therefore, as one who has love has God within himself, so he who has hatred within himself nurtures the devil within himself.
20. That your enemies have been created is God’s doing; that they hate you and wish to ruin you is their own doing. What should you say about them in your mind? “Lord, be merciful to them, forgive them their sins, put the fear of God in them, change them!” You are loving in them not what they are, but what you would have them to become.
22. No man hates God without first hating himself.
Venerable Fulton Sheen
Ven. Fulton Sheen
23. Lord make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light.
24. The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason that I die. I believe that I am telling the truth before I die. I know you believe me and I want to say to you all once again-ask Christ to help yuou become happy. I obey Christ,. After Christ’s example, I forgive my persectors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.
25. Looking at His disciples, he (Jesus) said, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven, for that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Gospel of Luke 6:20 Jesus Christ- Sermon on the Plain
The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary falls on the Saturday after The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which falls on the second Friday in June.
The following prayer is a prayer of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
O Mary, Virgin most powerful and Mother of mercy, Queen of Heaven and Refuge of sinners, we consecrate ourselves to thine Immaculate Heart. We consecrate to thee our very being and our whole life; all that we have, all that we love, all that we are. To thee we give our bodies, our hearts, and our souls; to thee we give our homes, our families, our country. We desire that all that is in us and around us may belong to thee and may share in the benefits of thy motherly blessing. And that this act of consecration may be truly fruitful and lasting, we renew this day at thy feet the promises of our Baptism and our First Holy Communion. We pledge ourselves to profess courageously and at all times the truths of our holy Faith, and to live as befits Catholics, who are submissive to all directions of the Pope and the bishops in communion with him. We pledge ourselves to keep the Commandments of God and His Church, in particular to keep holy the Lord’s Day. We likewise pledge ourselves to make the consoling practices of the Christian religion, and above all, Holy Communion, an important part of our lives, in so far as we shall be able to do. Finally, we promise thee, O glorious Mother of God and loving Mother of men, to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the spreading of devotion to thy Immaculate Heart, in order to hasten and assure, through the queenly rule of thy Immaculate Heart, the coming of the kingdom of the Sacred Heart of thy adorable Son, in our own hearts and in those of all men, in our country, and in all the world, as in Heaven, so on earth. Amen
“Are you suffering a great deal? Don’t lose heart. I will never forsake you. My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.”Our Lady of Fatima
The Feast day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque is celebrated on October 16. She is known as the Apostle of the Sacred Heart.
St. Margaret Mary was born to Claude and Philiberte Lamyn on July 22, 1647 in Lhautecour, France. She was the fifth of seven children. She was baptized with name of Margaret and added the name of Mary when she was confirmed in the faith in 1669. From an early age Margaret had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Margaret’s father died when she was eight years old. She was sent to a school run by Urbanist Nuns at Chavolles.
Margaret became very ill and was unable to walk. After consecrating herself to the Blessed Virgin, she promised that if cured, she would be one of her daughters. She was immediately cured.
Thrust into poverty after her father’s death, she considered marriage, which caused her internal conflict. Her desire to become a nun prevailed. She joined the Visitation Order in 1671.
St. Margaret Mary began having visions on Dec. 17, 1073. They continued until June 1675. Jesus appeared to her giving her the task of encouraging and teaching a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This included a Holy Hour on Thursdays to reflect on how the Apostles abandoned Him during the Agony in the Garden. It also encouraged receiving communion on 1st Fridays.
After suffering many years of from doubt and despair, St. Margaret Mary died at the age of 43. She had served two terms as assistant supervisor. With the help of St. Claude de la Columbiere, the feast day became popular. The Sacred Heart symbolizes the boundless love given by Jesus in the Eucharist and His Passion and death
I need nothing but God and to lose myself to the Heart of Jesus.
The opposite of fear is trust. All of us have fears…the fear of the unkniwn, death,, the future, failure and even success! To deal with our fears, we need to be aware of them. Only then can we pray for the courage and wisdom to overcome them.
The following quotes and prayers from the saints may help you to turn your fears into trust.
1. A soul in a state of grace has nothing to fear of demons who are cowards.
3. The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He us also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the sign of the cross.
4. Di not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness.
St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
6. Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you Holy, has always protected you and loves you as mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.
8. Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is possible for you to do.
St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
13. What do you have to fear? Nothing. Whom do you have to fear? No one. Why? Because whoever has joined forces with God obtains three great privileges: omnipotence without power, intoxication without wine and life without death.
22. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.
23. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.
24. O my Lord and Savior, in your arms I am safe. Keep me and I have nothing to fear. I know nothing about the future, but I rely upon You. I pray that You would give me what is good for me. Help me to know You, to believe in You, to love You, to serve You, to always aim at bringing You glory to Your precious name. Amen
The Feast of the Holy Trinity is celebrated on the Sunday following Pentecost. On this day we reflect on our relationship with three persons in one God.
Which person in the Holy Trinity do you feel closest to. In what order did you come to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?
The following quotes from the saints share their spirituality regarding their love of the Trinity.
Let them lead us in our faith journey .
1. The Father loves not only the Son, but also himself and us, by the Holy Ghost.
2. Worship the Trinity, which I call the only true devotion and saving doctrine.
St. Gregory Nazianzus
St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Bisop
3. Eternal Trinity…mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself, for You are a fire ever burning and never consumed, which itself consumes all the selfish love that fills my being.
3. St. Catherine of Siena
4. O Trinity, eternal Trinity! Fire, abyss of love…was it necessary that You should give even the Holy Trinity as food for souls? You gave us not only Your Word through the Redemption and the Eucharist, but You gave Yourself in the fullness of Love for Your creature.
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine of Siena
5. 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 the Father and Son, inflame my heart and purify my soul, that I may approach this majestic Sacrament with faith and love.
St. Paschal Baylon
St. Paschal Baylon
6. I have not even begun to think of unity when the Trinity bathes me in its splendor. I have not even begun to think of the Trinity when unity grasps me.
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
7. Every divine action begins with the Father, proceeds through the Son, and is completed by the Holy Spirit.
8. I vow and consecrate to God all that is in me: My memory and my actions to God the Father; My understanding and my works to the Son; My will and my thoughts to God the Holy Spirit.
9. O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me to forget myself entirely so as to establish myself in You, unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity.
11. Let all of us truly and humbly believe…and adore, serve, praise, bless, glorify, exalt…the Most High and Supreme Eternal God, Trinity and Unity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Wherever we are, in every place, at every hour, at every time, every day and continually.
12. I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness, of the Creator of creation.
13. O My God! Most Blessed Trinity, I desire to love You and make You loved, to work for the glory of Holy Church by saving souls on earth and liberating those suffering in purgatory. I desire to accomplish your will perfectly and to reach the degree of glory You have prepared for me in Your kingdom. I desire, in a word, to be a Saint, but I feel my helplessness and I beg You, O my God, to be Yourself my Sanctity!
14. Worship the Trinity, which I will call the only true devotion and saving doctrine.
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
St. Gregory of Nazianzus
15. The three persons are distinct from one another, a sublime knowledge is infused into the soul, embracing it with a certainty of the truth that the Three are of one substance, power and knowledge and are one God.
16. Eternal God, eternal Trinity, you are a mystery as deep as the sea, the more I search, the more I Find and the more I find the more I search for You.
17. When one of the Three Persons communicates with a soul, by the power of that one will, it finds itself united with the Three Persons and is inundated in the happiness flowing from the Most Holy Trinity, the same happiness that nourishes the saints. This same happiness streams from the Most Holy Trinity, makes all creation happy, from it springs that life which verifies and restores all life which takes its beginning from time.
20. You came into this land of exile, willing to suffer and to die, in order to carry away every single soul and plunge it into the very heart of the Trinity – Love’s eternal home.
22. Then they are brought by us where there is water and are reborn by the same manner of rebirth by which we ourselves were reborn; for they are then washed in the water, ‘in the name of God the Father, and master of all, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit. ‘
St. Justin Marty by Theophanes the Cretan Public Domain Image
23. I understand nothing else than the Holy Trinity to be meant; for the third is the Holy Spirit, and the Son is the second, by whom all things were made according to the Father.
St. Clement of Alexandria
St. Clement of Alexandria
24. Those holy angels come to the knowledge of God not by audible word, but by the presence to their souls of immutable truth, …of the only begotten Word of God, and they know this Word Himself, and the Father, and their Holy Spirit, and that this Trinity is indivisible, and that the three persons of it are one substance, and that there are not three Gods but one God, and this they so know that it is better understood by them than we are by ourselves.
25. The whole Trinity has marked mankind with its likeness. With the memory it resembles the Father, with the understanding it resembles the Son; by love it resembles the Holy Ghost.
The Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazi is celebrated on May 25. She is the patron saint of the sick and against sexual temptation. She was a Carmelite nun, virgin, mystic and incorruptible
St. Mary Magdalene was born on April 2, 1607 into a noble family in Florence, Italy. She was baptized with the name Catrina Lucrezia de’ Pazzi.
At the age of 8, Catrina became a student at San Giovannia. The nuns prepared her for her first communion which she received when she was 10 years old. Soon…she made a vow of virginity, knowing she did not desire to marry.
Catrina enjoyed a life of prayer and penance. She especially enjoyed the meditations of St. Augustine and the Lord ‘s Passion by Loarto.
When Catrina was 16, she chose to enter the Carmelite Community of Santa Maria. She was led to this decision because they offerred daily Holy Communion, which was rare during this time.
As a novice, Catrina took the name Mary Magdalene de Pazzi. After a year, she became very ill and was near death. On the Feast of the Trinity, she was allowed to make her profession of vows in the chapel. Immediately, she experienced an ecstasy which lasted two hours. For the following 40 days she experienced ecstasy after receiving communion. She was given a sense of union with God and many insights about divine teachings. During the ecstacies the nuns recorded what she said and did. This resulted in five volumes of books about her life. They are referred to as The Life and Works of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi.
Mary Magdalene experienced both spiritual ecstasies and dryness with internal suffering. Throughout her life she had a strong devotion to the crown of thorns which Jesus wore during the crucifixion. She joyfully offered her suffering to God.
Mary Magdalene became the novice mistress and the the superior of the Community. She died on May 25, 1607 of natural causes after suffering a painfull illness for three years. Many miracles occurred following her death.
St. Mary Magdalene was beatified on 1626 by Pope Urban III. She was canonized by Pope Clement X on April 28, 1669.
The incorruptable body of St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi lies preserved in a glass coffin within the Carmelite Monastery of Santa Maria degli. Angel in Florence.
Prayer of Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi
Come, Holy Spirit. May the union of the Father and the will of the Son…Come to us. You, Spirit of truth, are the reward of the saints, the refreshment of souls, light in darkness, the riches of the poor, the treasures of lovers, the satisfaction of the hungry, the consolation of the pilgrim Church; You are he whom all treasures are contained.
Come, You who, desending into Mary, caused the Word to take flesh; effect in us by grace what you accomplished in her by grace and nature.
Come, You who are the nourishment of all chaste thoughts, the fountain of all clemency, the summit of all purity.
Come, and take away from us all that hinders us from being absorbed in You.
S
