All posts by Vicki Scheenstra

Vicki Scheenstra is a former Catholic Bookstore owner and has been active in Catholic Education.
Faith, Feast Days

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Archangels, Feast Day September 29

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St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael Public Domain Image
St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael

September 29th is the day the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of the Archangels; St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael. The word “angel” means servant of God. Angels have no bodies. They are pure spirits. They have intellect and free will. Angels who turned against God are called “fallen angels”. Satan is the leader of the fallen angels.

St. Augustine tells us the following:

 

“Angel is the name of their office, not of their nature.”

 

The Choirs of angels include nine types of angels. In ascending order they are: 1. Angels 2. Archangels 3. Principalities 4. Powers 5. Virtues 6. Dominations 7. Thrones 8. Cherubim 9. Seraphim.

The archangels appear several times in scripture. St. Michael (which means “who is like God”) is considered a warrior angel. He appears three times in scripture; in the Book of Daniel, the Epistle of St. Jude, and the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation, the final battle between good and evil at the end of time is described. St. Michael and his angels will battle against the dragon (also known as Satan) and good will triumph. (Revelation 12:7)

St. Gabriel (which means “Strength of God) is a messenger. He announces the birth of the prophet John the Baptist. He is also called the Angel of the Annunciation because he announces to Mary that she is to be the Mother of God. It is St. Gabriel  the messenger who says:

 

“Hail Mary, the Lord is with you.”(Luke 1:28)

 

St. Raphael (which means “Divine Healer”) appears in the Book of Tobit. He is a guide for the young Tobias on his long journey. He introduces Tobias to his future wife Sarah, and after their return home, he gives Tobias instructions in how to heal his fathers’ blindness.

The following prayers of intercession are popular prayers to the Archangels.

St. Michael the Archangel Public Domain Image
St. Michael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Michael

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Divine Power of God, cast into hell Satan and all evil spirits, who roam throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls. Amen

Archangel Gabriel Public Domain Image
Archangel Gabriel

Prayer to St. Gabriel

Blessed St. Gabriel, the Archangel, We beseech you to intercede for us as at the throne of divine mercy. As ;you announced the mystery of the Incarnation to Mary, so through your prayers, may we receive strength of faith, and courage of spirit, and thus find favor with God and redemption through Christ Our Lord. May we sing the praise of God our Savior with the angels and saints in heaven forever and ever. Amen

 

St. Raphael the Archangel Public Domain Image
St. Raphael the Archangel

Prayer to St. Raphael

Dear St. Raphael, your lovely name means “God heals”. The Lord sent you to young Tobias to guide him throughout a long journey. Upon his return you taught him how to cure his fathers’ blindness. How natural therefore for Christians to pray for your powerful help for safe travel and a happy return. This is what we ask for ourselves as well as for all who are far from home. Amen

 

“It is humility that makes men into angels.”

Quote of St. Augustine;  Feast day January 28

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; St. Wenceslas of Bohemia, Feast Day September 28

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St. Wenceslaus Public Domain Image
St. Wenceslaus

The feast day of St. Wenceslas is celebrated on September 28.  He is most remembered for the Christmas Carol Good King Wenceslas.  He became King of Bohemia at the age of 18.

King Wenceslaus was born to the Duke of Bohemia.  His family had been converted by St. Cyril and St. Methodius.  His mother however, was a pagan.  After her husbands death she persecuted Christians.

The Duchess Ludmilla was the mother in law of Drahomira and grandmother to Wenceslaus.  She taught him about religion.  He practiced his faith and received the sacraments in secret.

When he became King of Bohemia the persecution ended.  He built churches, recalled priests from exile and welcomed Christian missionaries into Bohemia.

St. Wenceslaus had a strong devotion to the Eucharist and helped prepare the altar bread with his own hands.  He also made wine from wheat and grapes he grew himself.

A reconciliation was attempted with his family when they gathered at a banquet on the Feast of St. Cosmas and Damien (Sept. 27).  The next morning his brother killed him with a lance on the steps of the church.  Two years before, his mother had arranged for his grandmother Ludmilla to be strangled to death. The feast day of St. Ludmilla is celebrated on September 16.

The good king died at the age of 22.  Miracles were reported at his tomb.

The Christmas Carol sung about Gook King Wenceslaus  reminds us to serve others as the good King did.  To think less of ourselves and to see Christ in the poor.

 

“God has not created poverty……it is we who have created it.  

Before God, all of us are poor.” 

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta, Feast Day September 5

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent de Paul, Feast Day September 27

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St. Vincent de Paul Public Domain Image
St. Vincent de Paul
Public Domain Image

 

The feast day of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated on September 27.  He is the patron saint of charities, hospitals and volunteers.

St. Vincent was born at Pouy, Gascony in Southern France in 1581 into a large peasant family.  At the age of 15, he entered a Franciscan seminary.   He tutored children until he was ordained a priest in 1600.

In `1605, St. Vincent was traveling on a ship from Marseilles to Narborne when he was captured by Moorish pirates!  He was sold as a slave in Africa.  After two years as a slave, he escaped and returned to France.

At Avignon St. Vincent continued to study.  He became the chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of the charities for the poor.   This inspired him to preach missions to provide relief for the poor.  St. Vincent founded a missionary group known as the  Vincentians. The priests in the Order served people primarily in small towns and villages.  They had a devotion to helping the poor.

Next, St. Vincent along with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, founded the Sisters of Charity.  He organized the rich women in Paris to collect money for hiss missionary projects, including several hospitals.  He also collected money for victims of war and ransomed over 1200 slaves from N. Africa.

The motto of St. Vincent was “God see you”.  He became known as the Apostle of Charity and the Father of the Poor.

St. Vincent died at the age of 80.  His heart remains incorrupt and can be found in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity in Paris.  He is credited with two miracles.  The first was the curing of a nun with ulcers.  The second was a laywoman cured of paralysis.

St. Vincent de Paul was canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737.

St. Vincent’s bones and heart are perfectly incorrupt and have been placed inside a wax figure of his body. His relics can be seen in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris.

 

Do not feel that all is lost because of the revolt you feel inside.  It has rained hard.  The thunder has crashed.  Is the weather any less beautiful because of that?  Be assured you are not, for all that, any less dear to our Lord.

Quote of St. Vincent de Paul

 

September is the Month of Our Sorrowful Mother

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Saint of the Day, Spirituality, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Terese Couderc, Feast Day September 26

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St. Terese Couderc Public Domain Image
St. Terese Couderc

The feast day of St. Terese Couderc is celebrated on September 26.  She is the founder of the Cenacle Sisters.

St. Terese was born in Masle, France  on Feb. 1, 1805.  She joined the Sisters of St. Regis.  St. Terese and Father Stephen founded the Congregation of Our Lady of the Retreat in the Cenacle. She became its superior in 1828, and when the mother house was established, its superior general until 1838. St. Terese helped to conduct spiritual retreats.

The spirituality of St. Terese focused on surrendering her life to the will of God.  She experienced a vision which clarified for her the goodness of God in all creation.

On September. 26, 1885 St. Terese died of natural causes in Lyon, France at the age of 80.  She was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.

 

Take a step at a time in the darkness, and the path will unwind beneath your feet.  It is not necessary to understand God’s purposes.  Just follow His will.

Quote of St. Terese Couderc

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Benedictine Saints, Our Lady, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Herman the Cripple, Feast Day September 25

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Bl. Herman the Cripple
Bl. Herman the Cripple

The feast day of Bl. Herman the Cripple  is celebrated on September 25.  He is the patron saint of the unborn child and the disabled.

Bl. Herman was  the son of the Earl of Altshausen in southern Germany.  He was born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy and possibly spina bifida.  The doctors told his parents he would not live past five years of age.  He lived to be 41.

Herman had trouble with both moving and speaking.  His parents cared for him until the age of seven.  He was then given to the Abbey of Reichenau to be cared for.  The monks raised him in the Benedictine monastery where he became interested in theology and the spiritual world.  In spite of his disabilities, Bl. Herman was very intelligent.  He studied math, astronomy, theology, history, poetry , Arabic, Greek and Latin.  He built musical instruments and was known for his poetry.  At the age of 20 Herman became a Benedictine monk.

Towards the end of his life Herman suffered from blindness.  He began writing hymns.  The most famous are the Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen and Redemptoris Mater.  Bl. Herman used prayer and music to grow closer to God.

Bl. Herman died at the age of 41 in 1054.  Because so many children with disabilities die because of abortion, Bl. Herman is the saint of the unborn child.  He is also the patron saint of the disabled.

 

Hail Holy Queen

 

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!   Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us;  and after this, our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer of Bl. Herman the Cripple

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gerard Sagredo, Feast Day September 24

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St. Gerard Sagredo

 

The feast day of St. Gerard Sagredo is celebrated on September 24.  He is a martyr and patron saint of Hungary.

St. Gerard was born in Venice in 980.  He went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but his ship landed at Istria.  He became the educator of the prince and played a role in the conversion of Hungary to Christianity.

St. Gerard became the first Bishop of Csanad in 1030.  After the death of the King, St. Stephen, he refused to serve the new King.  Persecution against Christians became common.

St. Gerard was martyred on September 24, 1046.  Legend states he was placed in a wooden barrel hauled to the hilltop and rolled down what is now named Gillert Hill.  At the bottom he was beaten to death.

St. Gerard Sagredo was canonized in 1083.

 

“It is in loving the cross that one discovers his heart.”

Quote of St. Bernadette;  Feast Day April 16

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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