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Faith, Prayer, Quote, Quotes of Saints, Spirituality

What do the Saints Tell Us About Purgatory?

Learn what the Saints believed about Purgatory.   The quotes of the saints can teach us the beliefs of the early Church.

Halloween is celebrated on Oct. 31. Halloween stands for “All Hallows Eve.” It falls on the night before All Saint’s Day which is followed by All Soul’s Day on Nov. 2. On All Saint’s Day the Church celebrates the lives of the Saints. On All Soul’s Day the Church prays for the dead, who are on their pilgrimage to heaven (Purgatory).

Although the word Purgatory (as well as the words Trinity and Incarnation) does not appear in the Bible there are several references to it in both the New and the Old Testament. The Saints have testified to their belief in purgatory also.

The three main reasons Catholics believe in Purgatory are the following:

  • The Bible teaches us to “pray for the dead”.

    (2 Maccabees 12:44-45). For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.

  • The Bible tells us of a cleansing fire.

  • (Hebrews 12:29)  Our God is a consuming fire. Zechariah 13” 8-9 In the whole land, says the Lord, two thirds shall be cut off and perish, and one third shall be left alive. And I will put this third into the fire, refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say,

  • “They are my people”, and they will say, “The Lord is our God.”
  • St. Paul prayed for the dead. (2 Timothy 1: 17-18) St. Paul prays for Onesiphorus who has died.
  • The Church Fathers and early Saints believed in Purgatory: The Church Fathers have a long tradition of praying for the dead. St. Augustine was asked by his mother Monica to pray for him at the altar. St. Gertrude the Great had a devotion to the Souls in Purgatory, as did St. Pio, St. Bridget and St. Bernadette.

The following quotes from the saints of the Catholic Church show that purgatory is a belief that has always existed in the church.

St. Paul
St. Paul
  1. St. Paul, First Century, Feast Day June 29
“May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesephores, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain….. May the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord in that day!
Quote of St. Paul
St. Augustine
St. Augustine

2.  St. Augustine of Hippo, Africa d. 430,  Feast Day August 28

“Some suffer temporal punishments only in this life, others only after death, still others both in life and after death, but always before this most strict and most final court.”
Quote of St. Augustine
St. Monica
St. Monica

3.  St. Monica, Africa, Feast Day August 27

To St. Augustine before her death:

“All I ask is this, that wherever you may be,
you will remember me at the altar of the Lord.”
Quote of St. Monica
St. John Chrysostom
St. John Chrysostom

4. St. John Chrysostom;  Antioch 344-407  Feast Day Sept. 13

“Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their fathers sacrifices why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them.”
Quote of St. John Chrysostom
St. Gertrude the Great
St. Gertrude the Great

5. St. Gertrude the Great;  Germany 1256-1302  Feast Day Nov. 16

“Eternal Father, I offer Thee the most precious Blood of Thy Divine Son , Jesus, in union with the Masses said throughout the wold today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, those in the Universal Church, in my home and in my family. Amen“
Quote of St. Gertrude

 

St. Catherine of Genoa
St. Catherine of Genoa

6. St. Catherine of Genoa;  Italy 1447-1510  Feast Day Sept. 15

“No one is barred from heaven. Whoever wants to enter heaven may do so because God is merciful. Our Lord will welcome us into glory with his arms wide open. The Almighty is pure however, and if a person is conscious of the least trace of imperfection and at the same time understands that Purgatory is ordained to do away with such impediments, the soul enters this place of perfection gladly to accept so great a mercy of God. The worst suffering of these suffering souls is to have sinned against Divine Goodness and not to have been purified in this life.”
Quote of St. Catherine of Genoa
St. Francis de Sales
St. Francis de Sales

7. St. Francis de Sales;  France 1567-1622   Feast Day Jan. 24

“With Charity towards the dead we practice all the works of charity. The Church encourages us to aid the souls in purgatory, who in turn will reward us abundantly when they come into their glory.”
Quote of St. Francis de Sales
St. Margaret Mary
St. Margaret Mary

8.  St. Margaret Mary;  France 1647-1690  Feast Day October 16

“If only you knew with what great longing these holy souls yearn for relief from their suffering. Ingratitude has never entered Heaven.”
Quote of St. Margaret Mary
St. Gregory the Great
St. Gregory the Great

9.   St. Gregory the Great; Italy 540-604  Feast Day Sept. 3

“Each one will be presented to the Judge exactly as he was when he departed this life. Yet there must be a cleansing fire before judgement because of some minor faults that may remain to be purged away.”
Pope St. Gregory the Great, Dialogues
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas

 

10.  St. Thomas Aquinas;  Naples, Italy 1226-1274 Feast Day Jan. 28

“The more one longs for a thing, the more painful does deprivation of it become. And because after this life, the desire for God, the Supreme Good, is intense in the souls of the just (because this impetus toward him is not hampered by the weight of the body and that time of enjoyment of the “Perfect Good would have come) had there been no obstacle, the souls suffers enormously from this delay.”
Quote of St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Faustina
St. Faustina

11.  St. Faustina;  Poland  1905-1938

“O Jesus, I understand that your mercy is beyond all imagining, and therefore I ask you to make my heart so big that there will be room in it for the needs of all the souls living on the face of the earth. O Jesus, my love extends beyond the world, to the souls suffering in purgatory, and I want to exercise mercy toward them by means of indulgenced prayers. God’s mercy is unfathomable and inexhaustible, just as God himself is unfathomable. Even if I were to use the strongest words there are to express this mercy of God, all this would be nothing in comparison with what it is in reality. O Jesus, make my heart sensitive to all the sufferings of my neighbor, whether of body or of soul. O my Jesus, I know that You are toward us as we are toward our neighbor.”
Quote of St. Faustina
St. John Vianney
St. John Vianney

12.  St. John Vianney;  France 1786-1859 Feast Day August 4

“It is definite that only a few chosen ones do not go to Purgatory and the suffering there that one must endure exceed our imagination.”
Quote of St. John Vianney
St. Bernadette
St. Bernadette

 

13.  St. Bernadette  Lourdes, France Died 1879  Feast Day April 16

“In our prayers, let us not forget sinners and the poor souls in Purgatory especially our poor relatives.”
Quote of St. Bernadette
St. Padre Pio
St. Padre Pio

 

14.  St. Pio of Pietreleina;  Italy 1887-1968  Feast Day Sept. 23

“May the prayer of thy suppliant people, we beseech Thee, O Lord, benefit the souls of thy departed servants and handmaids: that thou may both deliver them from all their sins, and make them to be partakers of thy redemption. Amen
Eternal rest grant to them, O lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen
May their souls and the souls of the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen“
Quote of St. Padre Pio
St. Bridget of Sweden
St. Bridget of Sweden

 15.     St. Bridget of Sweden  1303-1373  Feast Day July 23

St. Bridget to Our Blessed Lady:

“You are my Mother, the Mother of Mercy, and the consolation of the souls in Purgatory.”

Our Blessed Lady to St. Bridget

“I am the Mother of all the Poor Souls; for my prayers serve to mitigate their sufferings every single hour that they remain there. (Purgatory).”

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: All Souls Day, November 2

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Holy Souls in Purgatory Prayer Card
Holy Souls in Purgatory
Prayer Card

 

The feast day of All Souls’ Day is celebrated on November 2.  It is always celebrated the day after All Saint’s Day which is celebrated November 1.

The Church devotes the month of November to praying for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

 

To understand the doctrine of purgatory, it is necessary to understand several beliefs of the catholic church.

  • It is good to pray for the dead
  • We believe in tradition
  • Nothing unclean may enter heaven

Praying for the dead is a tradition which precedes the New Testament. In 2 Maccabees 23:45-46 it says:

“But if he was looking to the splendid reward that was laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.“

Before we can enter into the presence of God in heaven we must be cleansed and purified.  This process is known as purgatory.  The bible teaches us that it is good to pray for the dead.  Praying for those souls who are in the purification process in purgatory relieves the suffering of  both the soul in purgatory and my own soul.

 

Many of the Saints had devotions of praying for the holy souls in purgatory.  St. Gertrude the Great, St. Padre Pio and St. Margaret Mary are well known for their devotion to helping the souls in purgatory through prayer.

The Catholic Church believes in the power of prayer.  When we pray for some one else this is called intercessory prayer.  We ask the saints in heaven to pray for us on our journey. (The saints are interceding for us.)   We also pray to Our Lord to guide those we love and hasten the journey of those who have died and are entering heaven.  (We are interceding for the souls in purgatory.)

 

We believe that the more souls who are praying the better! The following prayer is a popular prayer asking for mercy for those who have died.

 

 

“Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious Blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Prayer of St. Gertrude the Great

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

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Why Pray for the Dead?




Candlelight Prayer
Candlelight Prayer

To understand the doctrine of purgatory, it is necessary to understand several beliefs of the catholic church.

  • It is good to pray for the dead
  • We believe in tradition
  • Nothing unclean may enter heaven

Praying for the dead is a tradition which precedes the New Testament. In 2 Maccabees 23:45-46 it says:

“But if he was looking to the splendid reward that was laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.“

It is good to pray for the dead. Why? If there are only two choices after death…heaven or hell...what purpose is there in praying for the dead? The historical practice of praying for the dead tells us that the belief that our prayer is heard and answered was an ancient belief.

The Catholic Church believes in tradition as well as scripture. The four marks of the church are stated in the Creed. We believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Being apostolic means that not only can the church be traced back to the apostles, but our beliefs can be traced back to the apostles as well. Remember, Jesus came to fulfill the law not to change it. (Matt 5:17)

Oral tradition was the method used to pass on the faith in the beginning. The bible was not even written down during the Apostolic Age. In 2 Thessalonians 2:15 we are told the following:

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the tradition that you were taught by us either by word of mouth or by our letter.”

Praying for the dead is an established tradition of the early Christians. One example of this is that in the fourth century St. Monica requested St. Augustine to remember her in the mass after she died.

Most of us know that we are unworthy to enter heaven. Jesus came to save us, however we still need to be cleansed by purifying fire before entering heaven. In Hebrews 12:29 it states the Our God is a consuming fire. We believe that before we enter heaven the fire of God’s love consumes the scars and effects of the sins we committed in out life. This explains the doctrine of purgatory as we understand it.

It is very comforting to know that our prayers make a difference. It is also comforting to know that I will be purified before facing God in heaven. A God whose love is so strong it is compared to fire….a fire which will consume and purify me.

Another way to look at purification is a cleansing.  Before we go to a party or celebration we usually bathe and dress up to look appropriate.  The purification we receive before partaking in the heavenly banquet makes us able to see God without the stain and scars of the sin which occurred during our lifetime.

We attend the heavenly banquet appropriately cleansed and dressed!

Praying for those souls who are in the purification process in purgatory relieves the suffering of  both the soul in purgatory and my own soul.

The following prayer was given to St. Gertrude the Great by our Lord in a vision.  Her feast day is celebrated on Nov. 16.

“Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious Blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Just as I pray on a regular basis for my loved ones who I confidently hope are already in heaven, I pray that those who love me will in turn pray for me after my death.

Prayer can heal!  Prayer is powerful!

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: All Saint’s Day, Feast Day November 1




The Solemnity of All Saints Day is also known as All Hallows Eve. It is celebrated on November 1 by Western Christianity. It honors all souls who have arrived in heaven. Many countries celebrate it as a national holiday. It is followed by All Souls’ Day on Nov. 2 in which Catholics pray for those still on their journey to heaven. This journey is known as purgatory. Catholics believe that life is a spiritual pilgrimage. Death is the beginning of our journey through purgatory to heaven. Purgatory is where a soul is prepared and purified to enter heaven.

A Saint is a person whose soul has arrived in its’ eternal home…heaven.  The journey to heaven is not easy!    We ask for the prayers of those in heaven to aid us on our journey to heaven.

The observance of All Saints Day goes back to the early centuries of the Christian Church. Prior to All Saints Day, Christians would celebrate martyrs on the anniversaries of their death, because those days marked their birthdays unto eternal life with Jesus in heaven. When the number of martyrs grew during persecutions like that of Emperor Diocletian and his successor…which lasted from A.D. 303-311…it became difficult to assign a specific day to each witness who died for the Faith. Therefore, beginning in the fourth century, the Church established a common day to honor all martyrs on All Saints Day’ 

 

True learning consists in the science of the saints:

that is to say…..

in knowing how to love Jesus Christ.

 

Quote of St. Alphonsus Liguori; Feast Day August 1

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

 

 

 

All Saints Day Communion by Bra Angelico
Public Domain Image

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Simon and St. Jude, Feast Day October 28

 

 

 

St. Simon and St. Jude Public Domain Image
St. Simon and St. Jude

The Feast Day of St. Simon and St. Jude is celebrated on the same day…October 28.  They were both Apostles and Martyrs.  St. Simon is the patron saint of tanners.  St. Jude is the patron saint of impossible causes.

St. Simon was the second Bishop of Jerusalem. He preached in Egypt and Persia with St. Jude where both suffered martyrdom.

There are two stories of his death. The first has him dying by crucifixion in Samaria. The second has him sawed in half in Persia.

 

St. Simon and St. Jude Public Domain Image
St. Simon and St. Jude

 

St. Jude was the son of Cleohas, who died a martyr and Mary who stood at the foot of the cross.  He was the brother of St. James the Lesser, and a cousin to Jesus.  He was a fisherman.  He is not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, who was a traitor.  After the resurrection, Jude preached in Syria and Persia with St. Simon.  He was a healer and an exorcist.  He was beaten to death with a club then beheaded in Persia.  His relics are at St. Peter’s Basilica, in Rome.

As apostles, both St. Simon and St. Jude became close to Jesus.  They truly believed he was the Lord.  After the Resurrection Hey spent their life spreading the good news of salvation.  Their martyrdom shows us the depth of their love for Jesus.

 

 

Come my light and illumine my darkness.

Come my Life and revive me from death.

Come my physician and heal my wounds.

Come, Flame of Divine Love

and burn up the thorns of my sins.

kindling my heart with the flame of thy love.

Come my King, sit upon the throne of my heart and reign there,

For you alone are my King and my Lord.

 

Prayer of St. Dimitri of Rostov; Feast Day October 28

 

 

October is the Month of the Holy Rosary

 

 

 

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Faith, Prayer, Spirituality

Do Evil Spirits Really Exist?

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The Fall of Man Michelangelo
The Fall of Man
Michelangelo

 

Do Evil Spirits Really Exist?

 

On Halloween, we see many representations of good and evil: angels, witches, devils, monsters, princesses, gangsters, rock stars, politicians, super heroes.

While we are made in the image of God, each of us has a temptation to do evil. Society glamorizes evil.

If we take the Bible seriously, we should not doubt the existence of Satan and evil spirits. Jesus refers to Satan and Angels multiple times.

Satan is actually an angel. He fell from grace when he turned from God. He has been at war with God ever since.

It is only in modern times, that people have denied the existence of evil spirits. Halloween is a time when we should reflect on the good and evil evident around us.

Halloween (All Hallows Eve) comes on the night before All Saint’s Day. Halloween is a display of both good and evil. All Saint’s Day (November 1st) is a display of people who have overcome evil for the glory of God.

Angels have existed since the beginning of creation. They are servants and messengers of God. Unlike human beings they are pure spirits. During the life of Jesus they are always present. Archangel Gabriel announces his birth, they protect Jesus in his infancy, (Mat 4) serve him in the desert, and they strengthen him in his agony in the garden,

The Feast Day of the Archangels is celebrated on September 29.  The Feast Day of the Guardian Angels is celebrated on Oct. 2.

The Church teaches that Satan, in the beginning, was a good angel, but became evil by choice.  We learn in the bible that Jesus came to conquer evil.

 

“Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil;

for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. 

The Son of God was revealed for this purpose,

to destroy the works of the devil.“  1 John 8

 

When Jesus is praying in the Garden before his crucifixion, he prayed for unity among Christians.  He also prayed for protection against Satan.

“I do not ask You to take them out of the world,

but to keep them from the evil one.”  (John 17:15)

 

The fallen angels have never repented for their fall from grace. Their hatred of God leads them to seduce men into choosing their evil ways.

We have free will. God did not create evil. On Halloween, we should reflect on which path we wish to follow…the path of God…or the path of evil.

Being neutral is not an option, it is evil;

the sin of omission, laziness, and being lukewarm.

 

The devil is always trying to tempt us to do evil.  We need to turn to God with the Lord’s prayer when we need to be strengthened.

‘And do not lead us into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.   (Matthew 6:13)

 

We need to be aware of the evil around us and the temptations which may cause us to go astray.  How else can we choose to do good rather than evil?   Pray!  Pray!  Pray!

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Faith, Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Capistrano, Feast Day October 23




 

St. John of Capistrano
St. John of Capistrano

The Feast day of St. John Capistrano is celebrated on October 23.  He is the patron saint of chaplains, military chaplains and judges.

St. John was born in 1386.  He was the son of a German knight.  He was well educated studying civil and church law.  By the age of 26 he became governor of Perugia.   When a battle broke out against the Malatestes he tried to broker peace.  He became a prisoner of war.  During his time in prison, he encountered St. Francis of Assisi in a dream and experienced a conversion.  When released from prison he joined the Franciscans of Perugia.  Four years later he was ordained a priest.

St. John Capistrano was known for his preaching.  Great crowds gathered to hear him.  He was instrumental in reviving the faith.  He was a student of St. Bernadino of Siena who introduced him to the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus.

During the crusades he preached in Hungary.  He visited the kings of Europe uniting them and their armies against invading forces.  In 1456, he led a Christian army to Belgrade.  When it appeared that they would be overpowered by the Muslims, he ran to the front line holding a crucifix crying

“Victory, Jesus, Victory!“

The Christian army won a great victory and Belgrade was freed from the siege.  Several months later,  St. John died at Villach in Austria after a painful infection.  He was canonized in 1724.

The following quote is taken from the treatise written by St. John Capistrano called “Mirror of the Clergy”.

Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life.  They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice.  Their upright lives must make them like the salt of the earth for themselves and for the rest of mankind.  The brightness of their wisdom must make them like the light of the world that brings light to others.  They must learn from their eminent teacher, Jesus Christ, what he declared not only to his apostles and disciples, but also to all the priests and clerics who were to succeed them, when he said:  “You are the salt of the earth.  But what if salt goes flat?  How can you restore its flavor?  Then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

Quote of St. John Capistrano

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary.

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Paul II, Feast Day October 22




 


St. John Paul II

The Feast Day of St. John Paul II is celebrated on October 22.  He is the patron saint of youth.

Karol Jozef Wajtyla (pronounced Voy-tee-ya) was born to Karol and Emilia Wojtyla in Wodowice, Poland on May18, 1920. His mother died when he was nine years old. His sister Olga died before he was born. His brother Edmond, a doctor, died when he was twelve. He was very close to his father, who raised him. When he was 21, his father died, leaving him alone, with no family.

Young Karol studied drama in Krakow’s Jagiellonian University. The university closed due to the Nazi occupation in 1939. In 1942, he had a call to the priesthood. He studied in an underground seminary in Krakow. At the same time he also was a member of the underground “Rhapsodic Theater”.

Karol was ordained on November 1, 1946. He was sent to Rome where he finished his doctorate in theology with a thesis on the works of St. John of the Cross, a Carmelite saint

He wished to become a Carmelite priest himself. However, he was turned down twice. The first time, he was denied entry due to the war. The second time he applied, his bishop told him, he was not meant to be a contemplative (private prayer) priest, his charismatic (public prayer) talent was needed working with the public. During his early priesthood he worked as a chaplain to university students as well as vicar to several parishes.

On Jan 13, 1964, he became a Cardinal. He was a participant in the Vatican Council II (1962-1965).

On October 16, 1978, he was elected Pope. As Pope he chose the name of John Paul II. As Pope of the Catholic Church, he will be remembered for many things. He established the World Youth Day Celebration. This event brought millions of young people together in a different country to celebrate their faith. In 1993, Youth Day was held in Denver, USA. In 2000 he led the celebration in Rome for the Great Jubilee year. Although unofficial, this is why he is considered the patron of youth.

As Pope he canonized many saints, including his fellow citizen Sister Faustina from Poland. John Paul II gave her Divine Mercy Devotion an official feast day, the Sunday following Easter. This devotion focuses on the mercy and forgiveness Jesus offers us.

Another Devotion John Paul II encouraged was the Rosary. The Rosary focuses on the life of Jesus. In 2002 he added a fourth set of mysteries to be meditated on which is called the Luminous Mysteries. This includes the Baptism of Jesus, The Wedding at Cana, The Institution of the Word, The Transfiguration, and The Eucharist.

In 1981 he survived an attempted assassination. He credited his devotion to Our Lady of Fatima for his survival. He publicly forgave his attacker.

John Paul II is remembered for his successful efforts to end communism, and for bringing together people of all faiths.

John Paul II died Parkinson’s disease on April 2, 2005.

John Paul II was Pope for 27 years. Many Catholics give him the title John Paul the Great, and Patron of Youth.   His message of hope often included  the message of Jesus when he stilled the water: “Be Not Afraid” (Mat: 14).

He received the title of Blessed in 2000. His first miracle was the cure of Sister Marie Perre Simon who was a French nun suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is the illness John Paul II died from on April 2, 2005.  The second miracle of Pope John Paul II was the curing of a brain aneurysm of Floribeth Mora Diaz of Costa Rica.

On  Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27, 2014, Pope Francis canonized Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII.  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI con-celebrated the Mass.

Place your talents and enthusiasm at the service of life.

Quote of St. John Paul II

St. John Paul II
World Youth Day
Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa with Pope John Paul II
Public Domain Image
Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II

St. John Paul II in Art

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary.

Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul of the Cross, Feast Day October 20




 

 

The Feast day of St. Paul of the Cross is celebrated on October 20.

St. Paul of the Cross was born in the Ovada in the Republic of Genoa on Jan. 3, 1694.  His parents had 16 children, of whom only six survived.

When St. Paul was young he fell into a river.  He was rescued by a beautiful woman he believed to be the Blessed Virgin.

He was called to the religious life early. He had a tender devotion to Our Blessed Lady, and the Sorrowful Heart of Mary. St. Paul of the Cross worked as a hospital chaplain for 21 years before founding the Passionist Order after having a vision.  In the vision, he saw himself clothed in the habit that his community would wear: a long, black robe with a white symbol stitched in the center and a white cross above a white heart that held the words, “Passion of Jesus Christ.”  His brother John Baptist joined the order also.  The new community was grounded in poverty and solitude and had a mission to encourage people to meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus.

The mission of St. Paul of the Cross was to reach out to the poor and abandoned people, preaching the message of faith, compassion and loving redemption. He was a popular preacher, poet, and mystic.  He became known for miracles.  St. Paul was given supernatural gifts.  He could see into the future and heal sick people through his prayer and touch.  St. Paul of the Cross was known as a very holy man and considered a saint.

At the age of 81, St. Paul of the Cross died in Rome in the year 1775.

The universal Church feast (memorial) of St Paul of the Cross is celebrated worldwide on October 19th. In the USA it is celebrated on October 20, because of the memorial of the North American Martyrs on the 19th.

 

“Carry a bouquet of the suffering of Jesus

on the altar of your heart.”

 

Quote of St. Paul of the Cross.

 

St. Paul of the Cross

 

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Laura of Cordoba, Feast Day October 19




 

St. Laura of Cordoba
St. Laura of Cordoba

 

The Feast Day of St. Laura of Cordoba is celebrated on October 19.  She was a widow and martyr.

St. Laura lived in Spain in the ninth century.   It’s culture was primarily Muslim.  After her husband died she became a nun at Cuteclara .  She eventually became the abbess.

St. Laura is one of the 48 Martyrs of Cordoba.  She was captured and scalded to death by being placed in a vat of boiling lead.

 

“It is You Jesus, stretched out on the cross,

who gives me strength and are always close to the suffering soul.

  Creatures will abandon a person in his suffering,

but You, O Lord, are faithful.”

 

Quote of St. Faustina

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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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



 

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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