Category Archives: Faith

Faith, Franciscan Saints, Incorruptible, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Clare of Assisi, Feast Day August 11

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St. Clare of Assisi

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Clare of Assisi, Feast Day August 11

The feast day of St. Clare of Assisi is celebrated on August 11. St. Clare was born to a wealthy family in Assisi, Italy on July 16, 1194. At the age of 15 she refused to marry as her parents wished her to do. When she heard St. Francis speak on Palm Sunday, she left home to join him at San Damiano. She took a vow of poverty after which St. Francis cut off her long hair and gave her a brown habit to wear. She was later followed by her sister Agnes and her mother. The ladies who followed St. Francis became known as “The Poor Ladies.” After Clare eventually was named Abbess they became known as “The Poor Clares.”

The Poor Clares went barefoot, ate no meat and observed almost complete silence. They lived an enclosed life, away from the world. The Poor Clares actually predated the Franciscans which was later founded by St. Francis. St. Clare saw St. Francis as a spiritual father figure and cared for him during his illness and at the end of his life in 1226.

St. Clare died  in Assisi on August 11, 1253.  She was discovered to be incorrupt on September 23,1850 when her coffin was opened.  Her body can be viewed in the crypt at Santa Chiara, Italy.

St. Clare was canonized by Pope Alexander in 1255.

 

Love Him totally

who gave Himself totally

for your love.

 

Quote of St. Clare of Assisi

St. Clare of Assisi in Art

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

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Dominican Saints, Faith, patron saints, Prayer, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Dominic, Feast Day August 8

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Dominic,

Feast Day August 8

El_Greco,_St_Dominic_in_Prayer Public Domain Image

The feast day of St. Dominic is celebrated on August 8th. He was born in 1170 to Felix Guzman and Blessed Joan of Aza in Caleruega, Spain. After studying at the University at Palencia he was ordained a priest at the age of 25. St. Dominic was known for self-denial, holiness, piety and apostolic zeal. He refused to eat meat or sleep on a bed. He also renounced wealth.  Because of his love of learning and teaching, St. Dominic is known as the patron of astronomers.

In 1215. St. Dominic founded an order of Dominican Nuns. Their mission was to care for young girls. This was followed by the founding of the Order of Preachers, which became known as the Dominicans. The purpose of the order was to preach the Word of God. They were also known as the “Black Friars”. The rule followed the Rule of St. Augustine. Their focus was on liturgical prayer and lifelong study.

The primary heresy the Dominicans preached against was Albigensianism. This was the belief that there are two dueling principles, good and evil, and that all matter was regarded as evil. They also taught that the devil is the creator of the material world.

A devotion which St. Dominic helped to spread is the Rosary. a Marian devotion, which 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.

After forming his order Dominic had a dream vision in which he met another person, a beggar. The next day, Dominic recognized this man when he came into his church. It was St. Francis of Assisi the future founder of the Franciscan Order. Dominic embraced him saying,

“You are my companion and must walk with me. For if we hold together, no earthly power can withstand us.”

St. Dominic and St. Francis were lifelong friends. Their orders celebrate their meeting on the feast day of their saint.

The motto of St. Dominic is: “To praise, to bless, to preach”. St. Dominic once said;

“Arm yourself with prayer, rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.”

St. Dominic died on August 6, 1221 from a fever.   St. Dominic was canonized on July 13, 1234, by Pope Gregory IX, three years following his death. Pope Gregory said that he no more doubted the sanctity of St. Dominic, than he did that of St. Peter and St. Paul.

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you

after my death and I shall help you then

more effectively than during my life.

Quote of St. Dominic

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cajetan, Feast Day August 7

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St. Cajetan by Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene Public Domain Image
St. Cajetan by Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cajetan, Feast Day August 7

The feast day of St. Cajetan is celebrated on August 7.  He was born in Vicenza, Italy, in 1480.  St. Cajetan is the patron saint of the unemployed.

Even as a child Cajetan was very devout.  He studied at Padua becoming a lawyer.  He then was ordained a priest in Rome working for the Roman Curia.  He joined the Oratory of Divine Love in Rome, which was devoted to charity and piety.

At the age of 42, he founded a hospital for incurables in Venice.  He served the sick and the poor.  St. Cajetan along with three friends decided to bring zeal back to the clergy.  They founded an order known as the Theatines.  They focused on reforming the clergy.  After the sack of Rome they escaped to Venice when their house was ruined in 1527.  Members of his order  took a strict vow of poverty, depending entirely on Divine Providence rather than on income.

One Christmas Eve when Cajetan was passing the Church of St. Mary Major, the Holy Child appeared to him and the the Blessed Virgin laid the child in the Saints arms filling his soul with joy.  He had many visions in his life and was known for being in a state of ecstasy during prayer.  He miraculously cured many who were sick including a man whose foot was to be amputated due to gangrene.  After telling the man to trust in God and ask for the intercession of St. Francis, he kissed the foot , rebandaged it and made the sign of the cross over it.  The following day the foot was healed.

St. Cajetan died in 1547 after receiving the last sacraments.  Many miracles were attributed to him after his death.

St. Cajetan   was canonized by Clement X in 1671.

 

There is no road to Heaven but that of Innocence or Penance.

Quote of St. Cajetan

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary


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Apostle, Faith, Feast Days, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Transfiguration, Feast Day August 6

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The Transfigurateion by Rubens Public Domain Image
The Transfigurateion by Rubens

Has your faith in Jesus Christ transformed you?  The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord is celebrated on August 6.

On this feast day we remember the event which took place shortly after St Peter proclaimed his faith in the Lord, saying…  “You are the Messiah!”

Three Apostles accompanied Jesus into the mountains believed to be Mount Tabor.  They were the Apostles John, James and Peter

And he was transfigured before them and His face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white.  Appearing with Jesus were Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  (Matthew 17.2-4).

The Apostles heard a voice saying:

This is my Son, the Beloved;  with him I am well pleased listen to him!”” (Matthew 17:5)

The Apostles fell to the ground overcome by fear.  But Jesus came and said,

“Get up and do not be afraid”

How does your faith in Jesus change your life?  Does it take away your fear?  What is different in your life because of your faith?

Hopefully, our faith is alive and growing stronger.  It is only through a strong prayer life that we can develop a relationship with Jesus which is visible to other people.  When we let Jesus lead us through the dark times of our life, our trust in Him gives us strength.  Our joy becomes evident when our faith is real and we have let Jesus touch our hearts.  It is a joy we have a need to share with others!

The types of prayer styles are many.  Basically, prayer is turning to God.  It is a conversation we have with Him.  Learning which prayer style fits us can be difficult.  Meditation can help us come to know God better.  Another word for meditation is reflection.  Reflecting on scripture, art or music is a wonderful way to spend time with God.

Advent wreath

Don’t forget to listen!  After you tell God your troubles and count your blessings, sit quietly and let him speak to you in the silence.  Light a candle to help center yourself.  The light of a candle represents the Light of Christ.  Remember, Jesus himself said:

“I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of Life.” John 8:12

In order to let the light of Jesus shine in our life we must let him into our hearts.  With an  open heart reflect on the following quote.

 

Faith in action is love, and love in action is service.  

By transforming that faith into living acts of love,

we put ourselves in contact with God Himself, with Jesus our Lord.

Quote of Bl. Teresa of Calcutta;  Feast Day September 5

 

Transfiguration by David Gerard

 

The Transfiguration by Raphael

The Transfiguration by Giovanni Salvaldo

The Transfiguration by Rubens

 The Transfiguration by Perugino

The Transfiguration by James Tissot

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

Faith, Incorruptible, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Vianney, Feast Day August 4

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St. John Vianney
Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Vianney, Feast Day August 4

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Vianney, Feast Day August 4

The feast day of St. John Vianney is celebrated on August 4.  St. John was born into a family of farmers on May 8 1786 in Dardilly, France.

St. John lived through the French Revolution.  Because their work had to be done in secret, he admired the courage of priests.  He received his first communion and confirmation in secret at the age of 13.

When John was 20, he left home to study in Ecully, struggling to learn Latin.  He was drafted in 1809 into Napolean’s army.  He soon fell ill and was hospitalized.  While praying in a church he met a man who led him into the mountains where deserters met.  He lived with them for fourteen months.  While living there he opened a school for the local children.

It wasn’t until 1810 that deserters were granted amnesty.  He returned to his studies and was ordained a deacon in June 1815.  On August 12, 1815 he was ordained a priest.  St. John Vianney became the parish priest of the Ars parish.  Father Vianney spent many hours hearing confessions.  He was also known for his sermons calling everyone to repent from their sins.  His fame as a confessor spread and soon pilgrims began arriving.  As many as 20,000 pilgrims a year came to confess their sins to hm.  He spent as many as 16 hours a day hearing confessions.

Father Vianney wanted to become a monk and spend his time praying alone.  He attempted to leave  Ars four times before deciding he was meant to stay and hear confessions.    He became known as the Holy Cure de Ars. He was always kind, patient, gentle and cheerful.

On August 4, 1859, St. John Vianney died peacefully fter serving as a parish priest for 41 years.

His body was exhumed in 1859 due to the impending beatification, and was found to be incorrupt. His heart, later removed,  is kept in a building known as the Shrine of the Cure’s Heart.

Pope Pius IX canonized St. John Vianney on May 31, 1925.

 

The most Holy Virgin places herself between her Son and us.  The greater sinners we are, the more tenderness and compassion does she feel for us.  The child that has cost its mother the most tears is the dearest to her heart.

Quote of St. John Vianney

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Lydia, Feast Day August 3

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St. Lydia of Thyatira

The feast day of St. Lydia is celebrated on August 3.  St. Lydia is the first known convert of St. Paul.  

St.Lydia was a wealthy businesswomen who sold purple dye and fabric. She was from Thyatira which is in modern day Turkey. Around the year 50, St. Lydia encountered St. Paul near the river in the city of Philippi which was a Roman colony. St. Paul shared the gospel message with her and the group of women she was with. St. Lydia and her family were baptized in the river.

St. Lydia was known for her hospitality. She invited St. Paul and his companions to stay in her home. She continued to help them even after they were arrested and imprisoned. The home of St. Lydia became a place for community gatherings.

St. Paul referred to the Christian community at Philippi as his ‘joy and crown’.

If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,

come and stay at my home.

Quote of St. Lydia

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Doctor of the Church, Faith, patron saints, Prayer, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsus Liguori, Feast Day August 1

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St. Alphonsus Liguori

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsus Liguori, Feast Day August 1

The feast day of St. Alphonsus Liguori is celebrated on August 1. Alphonsus was born in 1696 near Naples, Italy. His father was a captain in the Royal Navy. He is the patron saint of confessors and theologians.

At the age of 16, St. Alphonsus Liguori received a doctorate in civil an canon law. At the age of 18 he joined the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy which cared for the sick, devoting himself to works of mercy. He became a lawyer by the age of 20. However, the work proved to be unfulfilling. After losing an important case, Alphonsus left his career as a lawyer to enter the priesthood. He was ordained in 1726.

As a priest St. Alphonsus ministered to the poor working to the point of exhaustion. In 1732 he decided to dedicate himself completely to the poor and abandoned. He founded the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer which became known as the Redemptorists.

St. Alphonsus was a gifted preacher who reached many people.The Redemptorists led mission revivals in the countryside preaching to anyone who would listen. They traveled from town to town. St. Alphonsus focused on three images; Jesus as an infant in the crib, Jesus crucified on the cross, and Jesus vibrantly alive and filled with love for everyone in the Eucharist. He also had a great devotion to Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer.

St. Alphonsus was an artist, composer and a writer. He wrote music which he composed on a harpsichord. It spread throughput the countryside. He wrote over 100 books including “Prayer, the Great Means of Salvation.” He was given the title “Doctor of Prayer”.  St. Alphonsus believed that if you pray your salvation is secure.

St. Alphonsus was troubled by illness most of his life. His final years, he suffered from severe arthritis which kept him in a wheelchair. St. Alphonsus died at the age of 91 after a night of prayer. He was canonized in 1839 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871.

We must love God in a way that pleases Him,

and not just in a way that suits ourselves.

God wishes people to empty themselves

of everything and to be filled with is divine love.

Quote of St. Alphonsus Liguori

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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Faith, Jesuit Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day, Spirituality, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ignatius of Loyola, Feast Day July 31

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St. Ignatius Loyola by Miguel Cabrera Public Domain Image
St. Ignatius Loyola by Miguel Cabrera

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ignatius of Loyola,

Feast Day July 31

The feast day of St. Ignatius of Loyola is celebrated on July 31. St. Ignatius of Loyola was born the youngest of 13 children in a family castle in Guipuzcoa, Spain. Until he was 30, he served as a courtier and soldier in Spain.

St. Ignatius was wounded when a cannonball shattered his leg. While in the hospital he spent a great deal of time studying the lives of the saints. When he was finally released from the hospital, he decided he should try to imitate the saints. He went to confession, and then lived in a cave for about a year while caring for the poor and sick.

He entered school at the age of 35. After studying Latin and theology in several different schools, he received his degree in Paris. While in Paris, he met St. Francis Xavier who was one of his followers. Ignatius, with five followers founded the Order of the Society of Jesus, which came to be known as the Jesuits. They offered themselves to the Pope, for any work he wanted them to do. The Jesuits were known for their missionary work. They were a great influence during the Counter Reformation.

St. Ignatius was a mystic. He had several visions. His spirituality focused on the Trinity, Christ and the Eucharist. His motto was “All for the greater glory of God.”  In 1548, his book The Spiritual Exercises was printed. This introduces the concept of a 30-day retreat.

St. Ignatius died of Roman Fever, almost blind, at the age of 65 on July 31, 1556. St. Ignatius is the patron saint of Catholic soldiers, and retreats.

The Basilica of St Ignatius of Loyola was built next to the house where he was born in Azpeita, the Basque Country. The house itself is now a museum. St. Ignatius’ legacy includes many Jesuit schools and educational institutions. In the U.S. alone there are 28 Jesuit colleges and universities. There are more than 50 Jesuit secondary schools.

 

Lord Jesus Christ
take all my freedom
my memory
my understanding
and my will.
All that I have and cherish
You have given me.
I surrender it all
to be guided by Your will
Your grace and Your love
are wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord Jesus
and I ask for nothing more.

Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

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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

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

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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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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