All posts by Vicki Scheenstra

Vicki Scheenstra is a former Catholic Bookstore owner and has been active in Catholic Education.
Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Pope, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Pope John XXIII, Feast Day October 11

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St. John XXIII Public Domain Image
St. John XXIII

The feast day of St. John XXIII is celebrated on October 11.  He was known also known as “Good Pope John”.

Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born in 1881 near Borgano, Italy.  He was the oldest of 13 children.  Angelo joined the Secular Franciscan Order.  After he was ordained a priest in 1904, he returned to Rome to study canon law.  He became the bishop’s secretary, Church history teacher in the seminary and publisher of the diocesan paper.

During World War I, he served as a stretcher bearer for the Italian army.  During World War II  he was a papal diplomat, serving in Bulgaria, Turkey and France.  With the help of Germany’s ambassador in Turkey, Archbishop Roncalli, he helped save approximately 24,000 Jewish people from death.

In 1953 he was named a cardinal and Bishop.  He was elected Pope at the age of 77, taking the name of John.  He soon called an ecumenical council and presided over the first session of the Second Vatican Council.  The purpose of the Council was to bring the church into the modern world.  It also was an effort to end hostilities between religions.  Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant religious leaders were invited to attend.

One quote he is remembered for is:

“The Church has always opposed errors.  Nowadays, however, the Spouse of Christ prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity.”

Pope John XXIII earned the title Good Pope John because of his kind and cheerful demeanor.

He died on June 3, 1963.  He was beatified November 15, 1881 by Pope John Paul II.  He was canonized on the same day as Pope John Paul II by Pope Benedict on April 27, 2014.

 

In the Blessed Sacrament a heavenly school is open to me, with the best teacher one can possibly imagine…Jesus Christ himself.

Quote of Bl. John XXIII

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Mary Angela, Feast Day October 10

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Bl. Mary Angela Public Domain Image
Bl. Mary Angela

 

The feast day of Bl. Mary Angela is celebrated on October 10.

Bl. Mary Angela Truszkowska was baptized as Sophia Camille after she was born in Kalisz, Poland on May 16, 1825.  Her parents were well educated and devout Catholics.

As a child Sophia’s health was frail due to contracting tuberculosis.  She was tutored at home. After the family moved to Warsaw in 1837, Sophia enrolled for a short time at the Academy of Madame Guerin until she withdrew due to health issues.  She studied at home using her father’s library.  She developed a great interest in social justice.

Sophia was drawn to a strong prayer life. She attended daily Mass and had a devotion to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  When she was 23 she experienced a conversion which changed her life.  She considered joining the cloistered Visitation Sisters but was advised by her confessor not to leave her ailing father.

While traveling with her father in Germany, Sophia felt called by Our Lord to serve the suffering poor and aging.  She became a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.  She was constantly searching for God’s will while she served the poor.  Eventually, Sophia began to teach the poor children and help the aging and homeless.  Together with her cousin Clothilde they rented an attic with her father’s help and began the “Institute of Sofia Truszkowska”.

Both Clothilde and Sophia became Lay Franciscans.   Sophia took the name Mary Angela.   Their Franciscan spirituality led them to start a new order.  On the feat day of the Presentation of the Bl. Virgin Mary, they dedicated themselves before an icon of Our Lady of Czestvehowa and founded the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice.  St. Felix was the first Capuchin Franciscan to be canonized.  The purpose of the order was that “in all and by all”  God may be known, loved and glorified”.  They became known as the “Felician Sisters”.  Their ministry ranged from teaching to hospitals and caring for the poor and aging.

Mother Angela served for over 30 years.   The suffering she experienced from progressive deafness, malignant tumors and terrible headaches was mostly unknown by those she served.  Her Eucharistic spirituality inspired many.  She always tried to imitate Mary and was known for her great love.

Today the Congregation of Sisters of St. Felix are known for their devotion to adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Mother Angela died on October 10, 1899.  Her face changed from one of suffering to an expression of peace.

 

“Jesus wants us to serve Him with a joyful heart”

Quote of Bl. Mary Angela

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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14 Helpers, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Denis and Companions, Feast Day October 9

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St. Denis
St. Denis

 

The feast day of St. Denis and Companions is celebrated on October 9.  St. Denis is the patron saint of France and against headaches.

St. Denis was born and raised in Italy.  He is also known as St. Dionysius.  He was sent to Gaul by Pope St. Clement.  He is probably the first Bishop of Paris.  St. Denis was martyred along with two companions according to the writings of St. Gregory of Tours.  His companions are believed to be St. Rustreus and St. Eleutherius, a priest and deacon.  They were beheaded with a sword under the persecution of Emperor Valerius in 258.   The head of St. Denis was carried into the nearby village before their bodies were thrown into the Seine River.  St. Denis body was recovered and a chapel was built over his tomb.

St. Denis is one of the 14 helpers who were invoked in the middle ages against the Black Plaque.  It is for this reason he became the patron saint against headaches.

 

Remember that this life is short, and that eternity is very long.

Quote of Bl. Susanna Araki Chabyoye

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Dominican, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Ambrose of Sienna, Feast day October 8

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Bl. Ambrose of Sienna
Bl. Ambrose of Sienna

Bl. Ambrose of Sienna was born on April 16, 1220.  He was born with a congenital deformity.  Cared for by a nurse, she took him to Mass at The Dominican Church of St. Mary Magdalene.

It was noticed that little Ambrose was always calm near the altar.  When they left the altar he would cry.  At about the age of a year while they were near the altar Ambrose distinctly pronounced the sacred name of Jesus.  He was instantly healed of his deformity.

Not surprisingly, Ambrose was a very pious child.  At the age of seven he spent his time in meditation and praying the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin.  His Father was an illuminator of books.  One of the gifts he gave Ambrose was a book of saints.  It became Ambrose favorite book.

At the age of 17 Ambrose joined the Dominican Friars.  He was sent to Paris to study with St. Albert the Great.  St. Thomas Aquinas was a fellow student.  Ambrose was influenced by the writing of St. Thomas Aquinas which convinced him to preach rather than write.

Bl. Ambrose preached in Germany, France and Italy, living a life of constant prayer.  He became known as a peacemaker.  He restored peace between Venice and Genoa and also Florence and Pisa.  He was sent on many peacemaking missions.

Bl. Ambrose was given the gift of ecstasy and vision.  After his death  miracles were reported at his tomb.

 

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship,

he would keep it in port forever.

Quote of St. Thomas Aquinas;  Feast Day January 28

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Prayer, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Most Holy Rosary, October 7

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Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Staute
Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Staute

 

The Feast Day of the Most Holy Rosary is celebrated on October 7.  Originally, it was known as the Feast day of Our Lady of Victory in memory of the naval victory which took place called the Battle of Lepanto in the 16th century.  The Christian forces repelled a massive Turkish invasion after Pope St. Pius V urged Europe’s Christians to pray the Rosary.  In 1573, St. Pius V established the feast day.  It was extended to the universal church in 1716 by Pope Clement XI.

 

Devotion to the Rosary was begun by  St. Dominic.   The devotion  combines meditation on the life of Christ, with memorized prayer.   Tradition tells us that when Dominic became discouraged with the slow progress of his work of preaching against the Abligensian heresy, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him with a beautiful wreath of roses. She asked him to say the Rosary every day and to teach the people to say the Rosary. Soon the heresy began to disappear. The devotion of the rosary continues today.

The feast day of the Most Holy Rosary is a day we can take time to thank the Blessed Virgin Mary for all the times she has prayed and interceded for us.  Our faith teaches us that Mary is our spiritual mother.  Praying the rosary is actually a meditation on the life of Jesus.  It consists of four sets of mysteries:  The Joyful, Luminous, Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries.  Each set has five events in the life of Jesus to meditate on.

 

The Joyful Mysteries: 1. Annunciation 2. Visitation 3. Birth of Jesus 4. Presentation in the Temple 5. Finding the Child Jesus

The Luminous Mysteries: 1. Christ’s Baptism I the Jordan 2. Wedding at Cana 3. Proclamation of the Kingdom 4. Transfiguration 5. Institution of the Eucharist

Sorrowful Mysteries: 1. Agony in the Garden 2. Scourging at the Pillar 3. Crowning with Thorns 4. Carrying of the Cross 5. Crucifixion

Glorious Mysteries: 1. Resurrection 2. Ascension into Heaven 3. Descent of the Holy Spirit 4. Assumption 5. Crowning of Our Blessed Lady

 

When we pray the rosary we dedicate the prayer for a certain intention such as healing the sick, guiding someone in need or peace in our family.  It is a personal prayer based on the life of Jesus.    Thank you Mary for listening to us!

 

Praying the rosary is not difficult.  If you would like to learn how to pray the rosary, this article  will lead you through it.

Remember, Jesus loved Mary.  If we want to imitate Jesus we should honor His Mother.

 

 

“It could be said that each mystery of the rosary, carefully meditated,

sheds light on the mystery of man.”

Quote of Pope ;John Paul II;  Feast Day October 22

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Prayer, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bruno, Feast Day October 6

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St. Bruno Public Domain Image
St. Bruno

The feast day of St. Bruno is celebrated on October 6.  He is the founder of the Carthusian Order.

St. Bruno was born at Cologne, Germany in 1030.  He studied in France and was ordained a priest.  For 18 years he was a professor of theology.  He then became the Chancellor  of the archdiocese.  He supported the reform of clergy by Pope Gregory VII and removed his own archbishop because of scandal.

St. Bruno had a great love of silence and solitude.  He received a vision from God showing him a hermitage where he should spend his life growing closer to God.  Along with friends, St. Bruno opened a hermitage in Chartreuse.  Their order became known as the Carthusians.  The hermitage was in a mountainous, desert region which was very isolated.  The hermits lived in private cells, coming together for Matins and Vespers each day.  The rest of their day was spent in solitude.  They ate together only on great feast days.  Their time was spent copying manuscripts.

Pope Urban II requested St. Bruno to come to Rome as an advisor.  When the pope fled Rome Bruno moved to Calabria after turning down an offer to become a bishop.

St. Bruno died of natural causes on October 6, 1101.

Although he was not formally canonized, Pope Clement X extended his feast day to the whole church in 1674.

 

“To pray the rosary is to hand over our burdens

to the merciful hearts of Christ and His Mother.”

Quote of St. John Paul II;  Feast Day October 22

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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