Category Archives: Faith

Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Louise de Marillac, Feast Day March 15

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louis de marillacThe feast day of St. Louise de Marillac is celebrated on March 15. 

Louise was born in 1591 in Meux, France into a noble family.  Her mother died while she was quite young.  Her father eventually placed her with the royal Dominican monastery in Poissy.  At the age of 15, her father also died.  She requested entry in the Capuchins  but was denied due to her frail health.

Several years later, Louise married Antony Le Gras.  They had one son, Michel.  When her husband became ill, Louise became severely depressed.  In 1619, while in Paris, she met St. Francis de Sales, who became her spiritual advisor.  Her depression came to an end after a spiritual experience during a Mass on Pentecost.  She described her experience in the following way:

 

“On the Feast of Pentecost during Holy Mass or while I was praying in the church, my mind was completely freed of all doubt.  I was advised that I should remain with my husband and the time would come when I would be in the position to make vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and that I would be in a small community where others would do the same.” 

 

Louise’s husband died three years after this experience.  She decided never to marry again and to serve God alone.  She sold her home and moved into a small home which was near St. Vincent de Paul who became her advisor.  While still raising her son and managing her home she helped St. Vincent to begin the Daughters of Charity.  St. Vincent said “Your convent will be the house of the sick; your cell, a hired room; your chapel, the parish church; your cloister, the streets of the city or the wards of the hospital;  your enclosure, obedience.

Louise was very hard working and courageous.  Eventually there were over 40 housed which she started in France.  She also established hospitals and orphanages.

Louise died on March 15, 1660.  She was beatified by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934.

 

Be diligent in serving the poor.  Love the poor, honor them my children, as you would honor Christ himself.

Quote of St. Louise de Marillac

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph

 

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Matilda, Feast Day March 14

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St. Matilda in Art
St. Matilda

St. Matilda is the patron saint of widows and second wives.  Her feast day is celebrated on March 14.

 

St. Matilda was born in 895. She was raised by her grandmother, the Abbess of Eufurt Convent. Matilda married Henry the Fowler who was the son of the Duke Otto of Saxony, whose first marriage had been declared invalid. He eventually became the King of Germany.

Widowed in 936, St. Matilda was known for her generosity towards charities. This estranged her from her sons, Otto and Henry. They became angry and criticized her extravagance. She decided to retire to a country home. In time, her sons asked for forgiveness welcoming her back to the palace.

St. Matilda built many churches, convents and monasteries. She lived her final years at the convent at Nordausen. She died at the monastery at Quedlinberg on March 14, 968 where she is buried.

 

Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

 

Quote of St. Rose of Lima; Feast day August 23

 

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Benedictine Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Leander, Feast Day March 13

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St. Leander
The feast day of St. Leander is celebrated on March 13.

St. Leander was born into a saintly family. Both he and his brother St. Isidore served as the Bishop of Seville. His sister St.Florentia became an abbess in charge of forty convents and over 1,000 nuns. He was born at Cartagena, Spain in 534.

St. Leander became a Benedictine monk. In 579 he became the Bishop of Seville. As bishop he defended the church from the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. He promoted orthodox Christianity. For a period of time he was forced into exile in Byzantium. When he returned he oversaw the Third Council of Toledo.

It was St. Leander who began the practice of reciting the Nicene Creed during Mass. He believed it would help in the fight against Arianism.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
Maker of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial
of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

St.Leander died in the year 601. He was succeeded as bishop by his brother St. Isidore.
St. Leander is considered a Doctor of the Church.

The humble man receives praise the way a clean window takes the light of the sun. The truer and more intense the light is the less you see of the glass.

Quote of Thomas Merton

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Seraphina, Feast Day March 12

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St. Seraphina
The feast day of St.Seraphina is celebrated on March 12. 

St. Seraphina was born in San Gimignano, Italy to a poor family in 1238. As a young girl she was very pretty. After her father died, she came down with a strange illness. The illness took away her beauty. Her eyes, feet and hands became deformed.

Eventually, St. Seraphina was paralyzed. She helped her mother spin and sow. She never complained and was known for her serenity. Her mother also died leaving her with no income. A friend would bring her food.

St. Seraphina turned to Christ on the Cross for comfort. She felt she was called to imitate the suffering Christ. Her favorite saint was St. Gregory the Great, due to his many sufferings. She asked him to intercede for her, asking for patience to bear her sufferings. Eight days before her death, St. Gregory appeared to her telling her she would die on his feast day. His feast day was celebrated at the time on March 12. It is now celebrated on Sept. 3.

St. Seraphina died on March 12, 1253 at the age of 15.

The cross is the staff of the lame.

Quote of St. George of Amastris; Feast day February 21

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Faith, Prayer, Sacred Heart, Spirituality

Seven Prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

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 Sacred

How often have we heard that God is Love? It is not surprising then that a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus would become popular. The devotion was evident in the early church by writings of St. Justin Martyr and in the seventh century with Pope Gregory the Great. The devotion became more popular after a vision by St. Gertrude the Great. However, it became widespread after a series of visions received by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque instructing her to spread this devotion.

The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is celebrated on the second Friday after Pentecost by the Catholic Church. It was recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque is the patron saint of polio victims. She was born in 1647 in Burgundy, France. She was bedridden for five years as a child with rheumatic fever. She had a devotion to the Eucharist. Refusing marriage, she entered the Visitation convent. St. Margaret Mary was a visionary. She had a series of visions of Christ which instructed her to spread the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. When she shared her visions, she met great resistance. However, eventually the devotion was officially approved. We celebrate the feast day of St. Margaret Mary on Oct. 17. In one of her visions Jesus gave her twelve promises to those devoted to His Sacred Heart.

The Twelve Promises of Jesus to Saint Margaret Mary for those Devoted to His Sacred Heart:

  • I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
  • I will establish peace in their families.
  • I will console them in all their troubles.
  • They shall find in My Heart an assured refuge during life and especially at the hour of their death.
  • I will pour abundant blessings on all their undertakings.
  • Sinners shall find in My Heart the source of an infinite ocean of mercy.
  • Tepid souls shall become fervent.
  • Fervent souls shall speedily rise to great perfection.
  • I will bless the homes where an image of My Heart shall be exposed and honored.
  • I will give to priests the power of touching the most hardened hearts.
  • Those who propagate this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be effaced.
  • The all-powerful love of My Heart will grant to all those who shall receive Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final repentance; they shall not die under my displeasure, nor without receiving their Sacraments; My heart shall be their assured refuge at that last hour.

– From Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque’s Vision of Jesus

The devotion to the Sacred Heart includes contemplation on the wounds of Christ, especially his side pierced by a sword and the graces which flow from the Heart of Jesus, healing and forgiving souls. The wound in the heart of Jesus symbolized the wound of love: He was “pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins.” (Is 53:5)

From the time of St. Margaret Mary the devotion to the Sacred Heart has steadily grown. Many prayers have been written in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The following prayers to the Sacred Heart of Jesus can inspire us and deepen our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

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Prayer of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Sacred Heart of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to Thee I consecrate and offer up my person and my life, my actions, trials and sufferings, that my entire being may henceforth only be employed in loving, honoring and glorifying Thee. This is my irrevocable will, to belong entirely to Thee, and to do all for Thy love, renouncing with my whole heart all that can displease Thee.

I take Thee, O Sacred Heart, for the sole object of my love, the protection of my life, the pledge of my salvation, the remedy of my frailty and inconstancy, the reparation for all the defects of my life, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death.

I fear all from my own weakness and malice, but placing my entire confidence in Thee, O Heart of Love, I hope for all from Thine infinite goodness. Annihilate in me all that can displease or resist Thee.

Imprint Thy pure love so deeply in my heart that I may never forget Thee or be separated from Thee. I beseech Thee, through Thine infinite goodness, grant that my name be engraved on Thy Heart for in this I place all my happiness and all my glory, to live and to die as one of Thy devoted servants. Amen.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

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Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

O Adorable Heart of Jesus, the tenderest, the most amiable, the most generous of all hearts!

Penetrated with gratitude at the sight of Thy benefits, I come to consecrate myself wholly and unreservedly to Thee! I wish to devote all my energies to propating Thy worship and winning, if possible, all hearts to Thee.

Receive my heart this day, O Jesus. Or rather take it, change it, purify it, to render it worthy of Thee; make it humble, gentle, patient, faithful, and generous like Thine, by inflaming it with the fire of Thy love. Hide it in Thy Divine Heart with all hearts that love Thee and are consecrated to Thee; never permit me to take my heart from Thee again. Let me rather die than grieve Thy Adorable Heart.

Thou knows, O Heart of Jesus, that the desire of my heart is to love Thee always, to be wholly Thine in life and in death, in time and in eternity.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in Thee.

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O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I Place My Trust in Thee

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee. Whatever may befall me, Lord, though dark the hour may be;

In all my woes; in all my joys, though nought but grief I see, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place my trust in thee.

When those I loved have passed away, and I am so distressed, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I fly to thee for rest!

In all my trials, great or small, my confidence shall be unshaken as I cry, dear Lord, I place my trust in thee.

This is my one sweet prayer dear Lord, my faith, my trust, my love. But most of all in that last hour, when death points up above,

O sweet savior, may thy face smile on my soul set free. Oh may I cry with rapturous love…I’ve placed my trust in thee!

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Prayer to Sacred Heart

Most holy Heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I love You. With a lively sorrow for my sins I offer You this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, and pure, and perfectly obedient to Your Will.

Good Jesus, grant that I may live in You and for You. Protect me in the midst of danger and comfort me in my afflictions. Bestow on me health of body, assistance in temporal needs, Your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.

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Act of Love to the Sacred Heart

How great, O my Jesus, is the extent of Thine excessive charity! Thou hast prepared
for me, of Thy most precious Body and Blood, a divine banquet, where Thou
gives me Thyself without reserve. What has urged Thee to this excess of love?
Nothing but Thine own most loving Heart.

O adorable Heart of my Jesus, furnace of Divine Love, receive my soul into the wound of Thy most Sacred Passion, that in this school of charity I may learn to make  a return of love to that God Who has given me such wonderful proofs of His love.

St. Gertrude the Great

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Memorare to the Sacred Heart

Remember, O most sweet Jesus, that no one who has had recourse to Thy Sacred Heart, implored its help, or sought its mercy was ever abandoned.

Encouraged with confidence, O tenderest of hearts, we present ourselves before Thee, crushed beneath the weight of our sins.

In our misery, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, despise not our simple prayers, but mercifully grant our requests. Amen.

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Prayer to the Sacred Heart for the souls in purgatory

O most gentle Heart of Jesus, ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the souls of Thy departed servants. Be not severe in Thy judgments, but let some drops of Thy Precious Blood fall upon the devouring flames. And do, O Merciful Savior, send Thy holy angels to conduct them to a place of refreshment, light, and peace. Amen

St. Gertrude the Great

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