All posts by Vicki Scheenstra

Vicki Scheenstra is a former Catholic Bookstore owner and has been active in Catholic Education.
Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Queenship of Mary, Feast Day August 22

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The Coronation of the Virgin Mary by Pencz Public Domain Image
The Coronation of the Virgin Mary
by Pencz

The feast day of The Queenship of Mary is celebrated on August 22.

Why is Mary called a Queen? What other title would you give to the mother of the Prince of Peace?  A prince grows up to become a King.  Jesus is often referred to as our Lord and King.  The mother of a King is given the title of Queen.

The title of Queen began as early as the sixth century.  Mary has been referred to as Queen in several hymns since the 11th century.  The prayer Hail Holy Queen is the prayer which finalizes the Rosary which was begun by St. Dominic.

When we think of Mary as the Mother of Jesus, our King, we should also reflect on our spiritual family as well.  We are all children of God,  Our Creator.  The Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph did not wear earthly crowns, but they reveal to us a kingdom of another kind…the kingdom of God.    In the Our Father, we pray…thy kingdom come.  We are meant to be a part of this kingdom.  As children of God, we are royal children.  Our relationship with God is meant to be that of a family.   God is our Father, Lord and King.  Mary is our Queen Mother and we are called to be royal children who will live in the kingdom of God.

Communication is the key to a happy family.  Prayer is how we communicate with our spiritual family.  We are not alone!   Not only can God hear our prayers, but the angels and saints can also hear our prayers.  When we join our prayers together they become much stronger.  Mary’s prayers especially have special meaning and power.  After all, she is the Queen mother!

As we journey through this earthly kingdom, let us strive to earn a place in the kingdom of God…where the virtues of humility and love are seen in everyone.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria.

Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria.

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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Our life, our sweetness, here below,O Maria!

Our hope in sorrow and in woe, O Maria!

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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To thee we cry, poor sons of Eve, O Maria!

To thee we sigh, we mourn, we grieve, O Maria!

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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Turn then most gracious Advocate, O Maria!

Toward us thine eyes compassionate, O Maria!

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

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The cause of joy to men below, O Maria!

The spring through which all graces flow, O Maria!

Angels, all your praises bring,

Earth and heaven, with us sing,

All creation echoing:

Salve, salve, salve Regina!

Who can appraise the jewel that adorn Mary’s crown?

Quote of St. Bernard;  Feast day August 20

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Incorruptible, Pope, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Pius X, Feast Day August 21

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St. Pius X Public Domain Image
St. Pius X

The feast day of St. Pius X is celebrated on August 21.

The birth name of St. Pius X was Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto.    He was born in Riese, Italy into a family of ten children.  His father was a poor parish clerk and hi mother was a seamstress.

At the age of 15, Giuseppe entered the seminary at Padua, Italy.  His father died before he had graduated.  His Mother would not let him return home to help the family, insisting he stay in school.  He was ordained a priest in 1858 and worked as a parish priest for 17 years.  Because of his many works of mercy, many were converted to the faith.

Father Sarto wished to work with the poor, however, he was named spiritual director of a major seminary and later became a bishop and then a cardinal.  In 1903, he was elected the Pope, the Bishop of Rome.  As Pope, he took the name of Pius X.  He emphasized the importance of the Eucharist becoming known as the Pope of the Holy Eucharist.  He allowed the Eucharist to be received at the age of seven.  He also encouraged the use of Gregorian Chant in the liturgy.

Pope Pius X sheltered refugees with his own resources and tried to prevent World War 1.  He died within two months after the war began on August 20, 1914.

The body of St. Pius X was exhumed 30 years after his death and discovered to be incorruptible.  His limbs were still flexible.  His body can be viewed at St. Peter’s Basilica.

 

I was born poor.  I lived poor.  I will die poor.

Quote of St. Pius X

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

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Benedictine Saints, Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Feast Day August 20

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St. Bernard of Clairvaux Public Domain Image
St. Bernard of Clairvaux

The feast day of St. Bernard of Clairvaux is celebrated on August 20.  He was born in a family castle in Dijon, Burgundy in 1090.  The family included six sons and one daughter.  He was raised by a pious French mother.  Bernard was also pious as a child, however the death of his mother caused a prolonged depression.

St. Bernard was drawn towards the Benedictine monastery at Citeaux.  One day, at the age of 19, he knelt and asked God for guidance.  All doubts vanished and he decided to follow the Cistercian way of life.  Bernard was so persuasive that 31 nobles, including his five brothers and two uncles, were convinced to follow him to Citeaux.

When they arrived at the monastery , Stephen Harding was the abbot and they were instructed,

“If you desire to live in this house, leave your body behind; only spirits live here.”

After living a year at the monastery, he made his profession and continued living a cloistered life away from the world.

The monks lived a very simple life.  The land was poor and they ate barley bread, herbs and some vegetables.  The number of monks grew to 130.  Eventually the monastery became known as Clairvzux.

St. Bernard suffered stomach problems but never complained.  At one point he was near death because he became so ill.  He was ordered to live apart from the community to recover his strength.  He lived on a special diet under a doctor’s care and returned to the monastery with improved health.

St. Bernard received the gift of miracles.  The first witnessed miracle happened while singing at Mass.  He restored the speech to a relative named Josbert de la Forte who was near death.  Many miracles were witnessed where Bernard healed the sick by making a sign of the cross over a person and praying.

Because his health was frail, he was directed to preach and write rather than work in the field.  He was an eloquent preacher.  He fought for reform in the church clergy.  St. Bernard became well known as an arbitrator and counselor.  He settled many disputes including intervening during a church schism.

St. Bernard preached during the Second Crusade throughout Europe.  When the Crusade failed, St. Bernard attributed the failure to the sins of the Crusaders.

St. Bernard was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1830.

Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.  Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto you, O virgin of virgins, our mother.  To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. 

O mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy, hear and answer me.

Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

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Faith, Jesuit Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Eudes, Feast Day August 19

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St. John Eudes Public Domain Image
St. John Eudes

The feast day of St. John Eudes is celebrated on August 19.  St. John Eudes was born in Ri, France on Nov. 14, 1601.  At the age of 14 he took a vow of chastity.  He was ordained a priest in 1625 after studying at a Jesuit college at Caen, France.

As a priest, St John Eudes ministered to the victims of the plague.  He cared for the sick while at the same time becoming well known as a preacher in France and Normandy.  In 1641 he founded the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Refuge.  Their purpose was to give aid to prostitutes.  He also founded the Society of Jesus and Mary for the education of priests.

St. John Eudes encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Holy Heart of Mary writing the first book about the devotion.

St. John Eudes died at Caen on August 219, 1680.  He was canonized in 1925.

 

Faith is a beam radiating from the face of God.

Quote of St. John Eudes

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Helena, Feast Day August 18

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St. Helena Public Domain Image
St. Helena

The feast day of St. Helena is celebrated on August 18.  St. Helena was born in Asia Minor in 248.  She converted to Christianity at a young age.  She married and had one son named Constantine.  Constantine ascended to the throne and she was treated as Royalty.

At the age of 80, St. Helena went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  She and her group unearthed three crosses.  After a woman who was afflicted with an incurable disease was cured upon touching one of the crosses it was proclaimed The True Cross.  A church was built on the site it was found.

On the return trip to Rome, St. Helena performed many charitable works.  She built churches, helped the poor , consoled the sorrowful and visited prisons.  Many prisoners were freed because of her.  She assisted not only individuals but entire communities.

St. Helena presented her son with a gift of a piece of the Holy Cross at the reception given her by Constantine on her return to Rome.

St. Helena died in Rome of natural causes in the year 330.  She was surrounded by Constantine and princes.  Her final words advised Constantine to watch over the Church.  Her body is buried in the imperial vault of the Church of the Apostles.

 

We should throw ourselves into God as a little drop of water into the sea, and lose ourselves indeed, in the ocean of the divine goodness.

Quote of St. Jane Frances de Chantel; Feast Day August 12

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

 

Dominican Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Hyacinth of Poland, Feast Day August 17

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St. Hyacinth of Poland Public Domain Image
St. Hyacinth of Poland

The feast day of St. Hyacinth of Poland is celebrated on August 17. 

St. Hyacinth was born in 1185 to noble parents in Odrowacz, Poland.  He was educated by his uncle who was a pious priest who eventually became the Bishop of Cracow.  He was a very happy and pious child with an early calling to the religious life.  He studied at Bologna earning the degree of Doctor of Canon Law and Divinity.

St. Hyacinth returned to Poland.  On a trip to Rome with his uncle he met St. Dominic.  He was one of the first to join the Order of Preachers, becoming a Dominican.  He returned to Poland to establish the Dominican Order.

St. Hyacinth was a wonderful preacher.  He converted many people and was able to build churches and convents.  He visited the sick and was a friend to the poor.  He became known for the many miracles which occurred.  The most famous happened during the Tartars siege of the city of Kiev.  Hyacinth had a tender devotion to the Mother of God.  After celebrating Mass unaware of the siege occurring, he retrieved the Blessed Sacrament and a statue of Mary and fled with the community to the river Dnieper.  Although the river was deep he led them across the river walking on the water.  His footprints could be seen on the water for centuries.

The last years of St. Hyacinth’s life were lived in a convent at Cracow.  On the feast of St. Dominic, he fell ill with a fever.  He celebrated Mass on the Feast of the Assumption in spite of his illness.  He was anointed at the Altar and died later that day on August 15, 1257.

St. Hyacinth was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in 1594.

 

The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.

 

Quote of Michelangelo

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary