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. Athanasius, Feast Day May 2

April 30, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Athanasius of Alexandra Public Domain Image — St. Athanasius of Alexandra
Public Domain Image

The feast day of St. Athansius is celebrated on May 2.

St. Athanasius was born in Alexandria, Egypt in 295. He received a classical education. He was ordained a priest and then became bishop of Alexandria. He was a true defender of the Church’s teaching against Arianism, which held the belief that Christ was not divine. The heresy had just begun but became very controversial. During the Council of Tyre, Emperor Constantine exiled him to northern Gaul. Constantine’s son succeeded after his death and restored St. Athanasius as bishop. A year later he was exiled again by a coalition of Arian bishops. When St. Athanasius appealed to Rome, Pope Julius I called a synod to review the situation.

St. Athanasius was exiled five times for defending the divinity of Christ. Although he spent 17 years in exile, his final years were peaceful. He wrote the book, “The Life of St. Anthony”, which described the great monk’s struggles with demons. St. Athanasius died on May 2, 373. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

If the world is against the truth, then I am against the world.”

Quote of St. Athanasius

May is the Month of Our Lady

Faith

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joseph the Worker, Feast Day May 1

April 29, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The Holy Family Public Domain Image — The Holy Family
Joseph, Mary and Jesus

The feast day of St. Joseph the Worker is celebrated on May 1.

St. Joseph was entrusted by God to be the guardian of Jesus Christ, the son of God. His primary mission was to keep Jesus safe and to provide for him. Joseph, Mary and Jesus are referred to as “The Holy Family”. St. Joseph was a carpenter.

Joseph was engaged to be married to Mary, when she was found with child. He was going to divorce her quietly to avoid scandal, however an angel appeared to him in a dream, saying;

“Joseph, son of David, do no be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. Mat: 1: 20-21

Joseph immediately took Mary as his wife.

The angel appeared to Joseph a second time. This time he was told his family was in danger. They fled to Egypt where they stayed until the angel told him it was safe to return.

We celebrate two feast days for St. Joseph. The first is on March 19; Feast day of St. Joseph, Husband of Mary. The second feast day is May 1; The Feast day of St. Joseph the Worker.

St. Joseph is the patron for a happy death because tradition tells us that he died with Jesus and Mary at his side. He is also the patron of fathers and workers.

St. Joseph with Angel Public Domain Image — St. Joseph with Angel

First, do what is necessary, then do what is possible, and before long you will find yourself doing the impossible.

Quote of St. Francis of Assisi; Feast day Oct. 4

May is the Month of Our Lady.

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; St. Marie de l’Incarnation, Feast Day April 30

April 28, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Marie de l'Incarnation Public Domain Image — St. Marie de l’Incarnation

The feast day of St. Marie de l’Incarnation is celebrated on April 30.

St. Marie de l’Incarnation was born in Tours, France. She was the daughter of a baker. Against her will she married Claude Martin, a silk manufacturer at the age of 17. She had one son. Two years later she became a widow and worked as an embroiderer.

St. Marie experienced a vision in which she saw all of her faults and human frailties. Then she was immersed in the Blood of Christ. This transformed her and led her to become an Ursuline Nun at Tours, France. Her son became a Benedictine priest. She experienced another vision which led her to become a missionary to Canada. She came to New France (Quebec) on July 4, 1634. She worked as a missionary with the Jesuits in Canada. She taught the children of both the natives and the settlers.

St. Marie de l’Incarnation died on April 30, 1762 from hepatitis.

St. Marie de l’Incarnation was both a mystic and writer. She experienced many visions. St. Marie de l’Incarnation was canonized on April 3, 2014 by Pope Francis.

Truth is not determined by a majority vote.

Quote by Pope Benedict XV

April is the Month of the Eucharist

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Dominican Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Louis de Montfort, Feast Day April 28

April 26, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Louis Marie de Montfort is celebrated on April 28.

St. Louis de Montfort was born on Jan 31, 1673 at Montfort, France. As a child he had a profound devotion to praying before the Blessed Sacrament. At the age of 12 he entered a Jesuit College in Rennes. While at college he visited church before and after class. He joined a society of men who ministered to the poor and the sick. He would read to those in the hospital during their meals. He studied theology in Paris. At the age of 27 he was ordained in 1700 and assigned as a hospital chaplain at Poitiers. He reorganized the staff which resulted in great resentment and his resignation.

Pope Clement XI appointed him to be a missionary and he went to Brittany to preach. He was an emotional preacher and was successful in spreading the devotion to the Blessed Virgin through the Rosary. He wrote “True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin” and “The Secret of the Rosary” which were very popular books. He was also known for his devotion to the angels; especially guardian angels.

At the age of 37 St. Louis de Montfort became a Third Order Dominican.

For 17 years he preached the gospel in towns and villages. His preaching was known to move men to cry and beg for forgiveness. St. Louis preached against Jansenism. He founded the Daughters of Wisdom who worked in the hospitals and teaching girls and the Company of Mary which was for missionaries. St. Louis organized several priests into the Company of Mary in 1715. The Company of Mary was led for 39 years by Father Mulot who at first refused to join the Company due to being paralyzed on one side. He was however cured of his disability when he began to preach.’

St. Louis de Montfort fell ill and died on April 28, 1716.

Imitate the virtues of the Blessed Virgin, particularly her profound humility, her lively faith, her blind obedience, her continual prayer.

Quote of St. Louis Marie de Montfort

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

St. Louis de Montfort in Art

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Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Zita, Feast Day April 27

April 25, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra 2 Comments

The feast day of St Zita is celebrated on April 27. St. Zita is the patron of maidservants and housewives.

Zita was born in Tuscany, Italy in 1212. At the age of 12, she became a servant for the Fatinelli household. She was mistreated by her employees and criticized for her hard work by her fellow servants. She continued to be meek and humble and had an inward peace that everyone could see. She was good and loving to everyone regardless of how they treated her. Eventually she gained everyone’s trust and was put in charge of the house.

Zita believed that her work was assigned to her by God. She always rose early to pray before work. She attended daily mass and spent the rest of the day working tirelessly.

When Zita died at the age of 60 on April 27, 1271 it is said that a star appeared above the attic where she slept. She had served the family for 48 years. Miracles reported at the time of her death numbered 150.

In 1580, the body of Zita was exhumed and found to be incorruptible. Her body was put on display in a silver casket, as is tradition, in the church where she had prayed while alive. Although her body is “incorruptible,” it is browned and wizened, probably the result of a form of natural mummification. Only her hands and face are uncovered for viewing.

St. Zita was canonized in 1696.

There is no place for selfishness…and no place for fear! Do not be afraid,then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice.

Quote of St. John Paul II

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

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Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Mark, Feast Day April 25

April 24, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra 2 Comments

The feast day of St. Mark the Evangelist will be celebrated on April 25.

St. Mark was born into a Jewish family. St. Mark was one of the first disciples of Jesus. He was not one of the original twelve apostles. St. Mark is the patron saint of notaries and lawyers.

St. Mark accompanied St. Paul and Barnabas (his cousin) on their missionary journey to Cyprus. St. Mark is the author of the second gospel. This gospel is the oldest gospel and was written in Greek for Gentile converts. It is believed St. Peter requested him to write this gospel.

Much of what we know about St. Mark we have learned from tradition. It is believed that Mark is the man who carried water to the house where the Last Supper took place. It is also possible he was the man who ran away naked when Jesus was arrested (Mark 14:51-52) St. Mark is believed to have been present at the Wedding at Cana when Jesus turned the water into wine. (John 2:1-10)

When St. Peter escaped from prison he went to the home of Mark’s mother. Mark went to Alexandria to preach. He then founded the church in Alexandria.

St. Mark died a martyr, being dragged through the streets with a rope around his neck in the year 68.

The symbol of St. Mark is a winged lion. The lion represents the way the gospel should be preached. St. Mark is the patron saint of lawyers.

On the feast day of St. Mark let us pray:

O God, who exalted blessed Mark the Evangelist, by the grace of preaching the Gospel, grant that we may profit by his teaching and be defended by his prayers. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.