All posts by Vicki Scheenstra

Vicki Scheenstra is a former Catholic Bookstore owner and has been active in Catholic Education.
Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Peter Chrysologus, Feast Day July 30

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St. Peter Chrysologus Public Domain Image
St. Peter Chrysologus

The feast day of St. Peter Chrysologus is celebrated on July 30. Peter was born around the year 400 in the small town of Imola, Italy.  He studied theology and was ordained a deacon by Bishop Cornelius. Bishop Cornelius was the local bishop of Imola and had also baptized him. Bishop Cornelius was Peter’s spiritual director teaching him the value of humility.

St. Peter embraced a simple life of prayer as a monk for many years. After the death of the Archbishop of Ravenna in 430, Peter traveled to Rome with Bishop Cornelius to see Pope Sixtus III. Tradition tells us that because of a vision the Pope overruled the choice for a new bishop and declared Peter the new Bishop of Ravenna.

Peter Chrysologus  was known as a good preacher. His sermons were short but inspirational and filled with zeal. As bishop he battled the heresy of monophysitism which denied the humanity of Christ. He insisted that Christ was both fully human and fully divine and supported the authority of the popes in teaching about the nature of Christ. He encouraged everyone to accept the mystery of the Incarnation with simple faith. He believed that learning was second only to virtue for improving the mind.

St. Peter Chrysologus died in 450 in the town of Imola. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIII in 1729.

 

The Good Shepherd lowered His shoulders to carry back

to the fold of salvation the sheep who had been lost.

Quote of St. Peter Chrysologus

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood



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patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Martha, Feast Day July 29

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Jesus at the home of Marth and Mary by Harold Copping Public Domain Image
Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary by Harold Copping

The feast day of St. Martha is celebrated on July 29. Martha lived in Bethany during the first century. She was a devoted follower and friend to Jesus. She was the sister of Lazarus and had a sister named Mary.  St. Martha is the patron saint of cooks, housewives and domestic workers.

Martha is well known for two stories in the bible. In Luke 10:38-42 , Jesus is a guest in Martha’s home. While she is busy in the kitchen, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to every word he is saying. Martha goes to Jesus, complaining… “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”

Jesus responded by saying,

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

If we really love Jesus we should want to actually spend time with Him. This gentle rebuke must have stung. Service in the kitchen is an important part of hospitality. However, Jesus makes it clear that listening to his words is even more important. We need to prioritize our work and actually be present to and listen to Jesus. Sometimes, we can be so busy with our work, that we forget what it means to love someone.

Later in the gospel, Martha speaks to Jesus after her brother Lazarus has died. In John chapter 11, , Martha proclaims her faith when she tells Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, m brother would not have died.”

Jesus replied,

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” She was a witness to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the tomb for three days.

Tradition tells us that Martha died of natural caused in 84 AD.

 

If obedience sends you to the kitchen, remember that the Lord walks among the pots and pans and that He will keep you in inward tasks and in outward ones, too.

Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast day October 15

 

July is the Month of The Most Precious Blood

Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsa, Feast Day July 28

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St. Alphonsa Public Domain Image
St. Alphonsa

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 Clares at 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.

 Quote of St. Aphonsa

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

Carmelite Saints, Faith, Martyr

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Titus Brandsma, Feast Day July 27

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Bl. Titus Brandsma

The feast day of Bl. Titus Brandsma is celebrated on July 27. His birth name was Anno Sjoera Brandsma. He was born on Feb. 23 in Fries land, Netherlands. Titus grew up in a small farming village. Bl. Titus knew from an early age that he had a religious calling. He applied to join the Franciscans but was turned down due to health. On Sept. 17, 1898 he joined the Carmelites. He took the name of Titus which was his father’s name. He took his first vows in 1899 and was ordained in 1904. Bl. Titus earned a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Roman Gregorian University.

Bl. Titus Brandsma taught at the Catholic University in Nijmegen. He was also a journalist and writer. He wrote against the Nazi propaganda which caused the Socialists to notice him. The Gestapo watched him closely after the invasion of the Netherlands. He was arrested on Jan. 19, 1931 for declaring Nazism was not compatible with the Christian faith. He was abused in prison for several weeks.

Bl. Titus Brandsma was deported to the Dachau concentration camp in June 1931. Although he was severely mistreated he asked fellow prisoners to pray for the guards. He wrote many reflections while in prison. When he was no longer able to work the Nazis used him for medical experimentation.

On July 26, 1931 Bl. Titus Brandsma was killed from a lethal injection. Before he died he gave his Rosary to the doctor who killed him. The nurse who assisted the doctor returned to the faith because of his witness to Christ.

St. John Paul II beatified Titus Brandsma on Nov. 3 1985.

 

They who want to win the world for Christ

must have the courage to come into conflict with it.

Quote of Bl. Titus Brandsma

 

July is the Month of The Most Precious Blood.

 

Faith, patron saints

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joachim & St. Anne, Feast Day July 26

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St. Anne and St. Joachim Public Domain Image
St. Anne and St. Joachim

On July 26th the Catholic church will celebrate the feast day of Sts. Anne and Joachim. They are the parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus.  St. Anne and St. Joachim are the patron saints of parents and grandparents.

Although most of what we know about them is legendary, their names were passed down in the non-biblical Gospel of James. Tradition tells us they were wealthy but pious. St. Anne conceived late in life, after the appearance of an angel. The Angel promised them they would have a child. Anne promised to dedicate the child to God. The feast day of The Holy Family is celebrated the Sunday after Christmas.

We reflect on their feast day about the importance of family and love. Tradition also tells us that a church was built on the site of the home of St. Joachim and St. Anne at the Mount of Olives.

 

We are created in the image of God…

from the time there is conception there is the life of God…

that is why it is so wrong to destroy life,

to destroy the image of God.

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta; Feast day September 5

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

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Apostle, Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. James the Greater, Feast Day July 25

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St. James the Greater

On July 25, the Catholic Church will be celebrating the feast day of St. James the Greater. St. James was a fisherman and the brother of John. Peter was his partner. When they were called to become Apostles of  Jesus, they left everything to do so.  St. James the Greater is the patron saint of laborers and Spain.

There were two Apostles named James. James the Greater is the older of the two. He was also called “The Son of Thunder”.  James, John and Peter were honored to be the only Apostles present at the Transfiguration. They were also present in the Garden of Gethsemane while Jesus prayed before His death.

Tradition tells us he evangelized in Spain after the crucifixion for nine years. St. James the Greater was the first Apostle to be martyred. In the year 44, King Herod Agrippa killed him with a sword during the early persecutions of the Church.

 

Truly, matters in the world are in a bad state,

but if you and I begin in earnest to reform ourselves,

a really good beginning will have been made.

Quote of St. Peter Alcantara; Feast day October 19

 

St. James the Greater in Art

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

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