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Featured, Prayer, Quotes of Saints, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Twenty Five Quotes From the Saints about Courage

July 4, 2026 Vicki Scheenstra

During our journey of faith, all of us at some time in our life need an extra dose of courage. To face our fears can be very daunting, requiring a decision from deep within ourselves not to run from adversity. Reflecting on the wisdom of the saints can help during those times. The following quotes are on the virtue of courage…another name for fortitude.

1. Grace and truth will in turn give rise to courage. Following Christ has always demanded courage.

St. John Paul II

2. Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.

St. Augustine of Hippo

3. He who wants to win the world for Christ must have the courage to come in conflict with it.

Bl. Titus Brandsma

4. Confession is an act of courage – an act of entrusting ourselves, beyond sin, to the mercy of a loving and forgiving God.

St. John Paul II

5. We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage is steadfast and our trust is fixed on God.

St. Francis de Sales

6. To have courage for whatever comes in life, everything lies in that.

St. Teresa of Avila

7. Whoever does not fear death and has boundless love for Christ is not called prideful but brave and most courageous.

St. Cecelia

8. Go courageously to God, along the way He has traced out for you, steadfastly embracing the means He offer you.

St. Margaret Mary Alocoque

9. Our Lord likes courage. Get it from Him. You con’t find it in yourself.

St. Katherine Drexel

10. True love is love that causes us pain, that hurts and yet brings us joy. That is why we must pray to God and ask Him to give us the courage to love.

St. Teresa of Calcutta

11. Many people say “I don’t have the courage to make the sacrifice.” Let them do what I did: exert a great effort. God never refuses that first grace which gives one the courage to act. Afterward the heart is strenghthened.

St. Therese of Lisieux

12. Though the path is plain and smooth for men of good will, he who walks it will not travel far, and he will do so only with difficulty, if he does not have good feet; that is courage and a persevering spirit.

St. John of the Cross

13. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them.

St. Francis de Sales

14. If one is to do good, he must have a little courage, be ready for sacrifice, deal affably with all and never slight anybody. By following this method, I have always had significant success, in fact, marvelous success!

St. John Bosco

15. The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly.

St. Thomas Aquinas

16. Remember, that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing with you, nothing that you have received – only what you have given: a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage.

St. Francis of Assisi

17. Courage! I too must learn to force myself, even if I am tired, even if I am exhausted, at the end I can rest on the heart of Jesus.

St. Bernadette of Lourdes

18. Even if I must suffer greatly, thanks be to God’s mercy, I will not lack courage.

St. Genoveva Torres Morales

19. Courage, courage, my daughters. Remember that God does not give anyone more trials than can be suffered and that His Majesty is with the afflicted… for this is certain, there is no reason to fear God, but to hope in His mercy.

St. Teresa of Avila

20. Help me! Give me the courage to overcome all the obstacles that might make me less dear to you.

St. Frances Cabrini

21. O my God, fill my soul with holy joy, courage and strength to serve you. Enkindle Your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived, when the horizon now closes down, a new prospect will open before me and I shall meet with peace.

St. Edith Stein

22. Let us never lose courage or despair of God’s mercy. We may not understand His will for us in time, but in eternity the veil will be drawn, and we shall see that He acted only for our happiness. Let us bear our cross and leave it to God to determine the length and the weight.

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

23. I repeat and ask that you always have courageous thoughts. As a result of them the Lord will give you grace for courageous deeds.

St. Teresa of Avila

24. When I am weak, Help me find courage. When I am afraid of what the future holds, Help me find trust. When I cannot see God anymore in my life, Hel me find faith.

St. Anthony of Padua

25. God of our life. There are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them, and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage.

Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise; turn our hearts to brave music; give us the sense of comradeship with heroes and saints of every age; and so, quicken our spirits that we may be able to encourage the souls of all who journey with us on the road of life, to your honor and glory. Amen

St. Augustine of Hippo

Faith, Featured, Prayer, Quote, Quotes of Saints, Spirituality

Twenty Five Quotes From the Saints about Prayer

Prayer is important in our faith journey. There are many prayer styles. Spending time with God is important whether it be alone, with nature, or with a group of many. We pray in our actions and in silence. We also make a joyful noise in praise and thanksgiving.

The following quotes help us to discover the prayer styles of the saints.

1. Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.

St. John Vianney

2. I pray like little children who do not know how to read. I say very simply to God what I wish to say, without composing beautiful sentences and He always understands me.

St. Terese of Lisieux

3. Pray, Love, and don’t worry.

St. Padre Pio

4. Prayer is the place of refugefor ev for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.

St. John Chrysostom

5. Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition ofand of love, embracing both trial and joy.

St. Therese of Lisieux

6. Joy is prayer! Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

St. Theresa of Calcutta

10. Those who pray from the heart do not think about the prayer they are saying, but about the God to whom they pray.

St. Francis de Sales

11. Without prayer, it is impossible to resist temptations and to keep the commandment.

St. Alphonsas Liguori

12. Be Good. Love the Lord. Pray for those who do not know Him. What agreat grace it is to know God!

St. Josephine Bakhita

13. He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands.

St. Benedict

14. Prayer is the wing, wherewith the soul flies to heaven, and meditation the eye wherewith we see God.

St. Ambrose

15. Prayer is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings.

St. John Chrysostom

16. The test of sincerity of one’s prayer is the willingness to labor on its behalf.

St. John Chrysostom

17. For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.

St. Teresa of Avila

18. Prayer is an act of love. Words are not needed.

St. Teresa of Avila

19. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn, I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.

St. Patrick

20. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.

St. Teresa of Calcutta

21. Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips but with your heart. In fact on certain occasions, you should only speak to Him with your heart.

St. Padre Pio

22. To sing is to pray twice.

St. Augustine

23. Prayer is to the spiritual life, what the beating of the pulse and the drawing of the breath are to the life of the body.

St. John Henry Newman

24. Prayer begins by talking to God but it ends by listening to Him. In the face of Absolute Truth, silence is the soul’s language.

Ven. Fulton Sheen

25. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

St. Rita

Faith, Featured, Prayer, Quotes of Saints

Twenty Five Quotes From the Saints about Fear

June 9, 2026 Vicki Scheenstra

The opposite of fear is trust. All of us have fears…the fear of the unkniwn, death,, the future, failure and even success! To deal with our fears, we need to be aware of them. Only then can we pray for the courage and wisdom to overcome them.

The following quotes and prayers from the saints may help you to turn your fears into trust.

1. A soul in a state of grace has nothing to fear of demons who are cowards.

St. Thérése of Lisieux

2. By the anxieties and worries of this life Satan tries to dull man’s heart and make a dwelling fir himself there.

St. Francis of Assisi

3. The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He us also afraid when we are humble and good. He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much. He runs away when we make the sign of the cross.

St. Anthony of Padua

4. Di not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness.

St. John Paul II

5. I am not afraid; I was born to do this.

St. Joan of Arc

6. Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you Holy, has always protected you and loves you as mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me.

St. Clare of Assisi

7. Satan fears and trembles before humble souls.

St. Padre Pio

8. Consult not your fears but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but what is possible for you to do.

St. John XXIII

9. Anxiety is the greatest evil that can befall a soul except sin. God commands you to pray, but He forbids you to worry.

St. Francis de Sales

10. The devil fears hearts on fire with love if God.

St. Catherine of Siena

11. Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much…You can never love her more than Jesus did.

St. Maximilian Kolbe

12. I fear nothing for God is with me

St. Joan of Arc

13. What do you have to fear? Nothing. Whom do you have to fear? No one. Why? Because whoever has joined forces with God obtains three great privileges: omnipotence without power, intoxication without wine and life without death.

St. Francis of Assisi

14. It is a fearful mistake to believe that because our wishes are not accomplished they can do no harm.

St. Gertrude the Great

15. Men do not fear a powerful hostile army as the powers of hell fear the name and protection of Mary.

St. Bonaventure

16. Do not be afraid of getting lost. The more we give of ourselves, the more we will find ourselves.

St. John Paul II

17. If one fears men much, hevwill never do anything great for God. All that one does fir God causes persecution.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

18. We fight our battle between fear and hope; in the knowledge that hope is always the stronger because He who comes to our help is almighty.

St. Francis de Sales

19. Be not afraid. I plead with you…never, ever, give up on hope. Never doubt , never tire, and never be discouraged.

St. John Paul II

20. I do not fear at all what men can do to me for speaking the truth. I only fear what God would do if I were to lie.

St. John Bosco

21. When you are assailed by fears from the past…think of it as lost in the ocean of heavenly goodness.

St. Padre Pio

22. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death has been swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternal happiness.

St. Leo the Great

23. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away. God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.

St. Teresa of Avila

24. O my Lord and Savior, in your arms I am safe. Keep me and I have nothing to fear. I know nothing about the future, but I rely upon You. I pray that You would give me what is good for me. Help me to know You, to believe in You, to love You, to serve You, to always aim at bringing You glory to Your precious name. Amen

St. John Henry Newman

25. Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied by mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets fir a catch.

St. John Paul II

Featured, Prayer, Quotes of Saints, Spirituality

Twenty Five Quotes From The Saints About Grace

Grace is a wonderful gift from God. It is not earned but given to us in love. When we become aware that God is with us, guiding us…everything changes. Grace is the present of God’ presence! God is not a distant God. He created us and loves us.

Let’s turn to the saints to find out how they felt about grace.

1. Let us not be afraid to suffer for the truth; for if we suffer for the truth, we shall find grace.

St. Hyacinth

St. Hyacinth

2. Without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. The gift of grace increases as the struggle increases.

St. Rose of Lima

3. How great it is to possess Divine Grace, How beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights!

St. Rose of Lima

4. The Grace of God does not find men fit for salvation, but makes them so.

St. Augustine

5. If only we would learn how great it is to possess Divine Grace and how many riches it has within itself, how many joys and delights. We would devote all our concern to winning for ourselves pains and aflictions in order to attain the unfathomable treasure of grace.

St. Rose of Lima

6. I am where God wills me to be. I have found rest and security. His wisdom governs me. His grace sanctifies me. His mercy encompasses me. His joy sustains me and all will be well with me.

St. Rose Phillippine Duchesne

7. The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimic God’s giving, by grace, through faith and this is not of ourselves.

St. Nicholas

8. Be attentive to the voice of grace.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

9. Grace is like the sun. It shines on all, but only those who open their eyes and look up receive the light. The soul must be willing and awake, or the light passes by unnoticed.

St. Macarius of Egypt

10. In trial, God grants His grace to those who trust in Him.

St. Rita Cascia

11. Let every journey be a prayer, and every road a path of grace.

St. Bona of Pisa

12. Lord, give me the grace to work for the things I pray for.

St. Thomas More

13. The greatest grace God can give someone is to send him a trial he cannot bear with his own powers…and then sustain him with His grace so he may endure to the end and be saved.

St. Justin Martyr

St. Justin Marty
by Theophanes the Cretan
Public Domain Image

14. Without grace there is no hope, but with it there is no shortage.

St. Barnabas

15. Rich is the mercy of our God, and abundantly does He bestow grace upon grace on those who love Him.

St. Elizabeth Schoenna

16. What is true in the order of nature is true in the order of super-nature or grace. Only those who use the graces they are given are given more.

Venerable Fulton Sheen

17. If I am in God’s good grace, may He.keep me there. If I am not, may He put me there.

St. Joan of Arc

18. To receive the grace of God you must go to the desert and stay awhile.

St. Charles de Foucauld

19. Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a grace it is to know God!

St. Josephina Bakhita

20. He who knows how to forgive, prepares for himself many graces from God. As often as I look upon the cross, so often will I forgive with all my heart.

St. Faustina

21. Let us ask three graces of Jesus, to avoid Purgatory, to learn from Purgatory, to empty Purgatory.

22. What grace is meant to do, is to help good people, not to escape their sufferings, but to bear them with a stout heart, with a fortitude that finds it’s strength in faith.

St. Augustine

I also understood that God’s love shows itself just as well in the simplest soul which puts up no resistance to His grace, as it does in the loftiest soul.

St. Therese of Lisieux

24. The more I reflect on the graces I have received,the more they astonish me and make me tremble.

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

25. Take, O Lord and receive my liberty, my memory, my whole understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me. I surrender it all to You to be disposed acording to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Doctor of the Church, Dominican Saints, Faith, Featured, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine of Siena, Feast Day April 29

St. Catherine of Siena

The Feast Day of St. Catherine of Siena is celebrated by the Catholic Church on April 29. St. Catherine is the patron saint against fire, illness and miscarriage.

St. Catherine was the 25th child to Giacomo and Lapa Benincase. She was born in 1347. Her father was a wealthy wool dyer in Northern Italy. She began having mystical experiences at the age of six, seeing guardian angels clearly. She also had visions of Heaven, hell and purgatory. She consecrated herself to Christ at the age of seven.

At the age of 16, Catherine became a Dominican tertiary (lay Dominican), continuing to have visions of Christ, Mary and the saints. In many of her ecstasies, Catherine fell into fire; however, she was untouched by the flames. This is why she is the patron saint against fire.

St. Catherine received a divine call to enter the public life . She began writing letters to princes and republics of Italy. She was consulted by papal legates. She persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon and reform the clergy and the Papal States. She referred to the pope as “sweet Christ on earth”. St. Catherine also cared for the sick (working among lepers) , served the poor and worked tirelessly to convert sinners. St. Catherine’s reputation for holiness grew.

On the 4th Sunday of Lent, 1375, she received the Stigmata, (the wounds of Christ). They were only visible after her death.

St. Catherine’s writings are considered historical in the Church. They include: “The Dialogue, Letters of Catherine Siena and Little Talks with God.

At the age of 33, on April 29, 1380, Catherine died of a mysterious and painful illness which came on without notice. It was not diagnosed. Her body was discovered to be in-corrupt in the year 1430. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared St. Catherine of Siena to be a Doctor of the Church.

Enough of all this soft soap! All it does is cause the members of Christ’s Spouse to stink!

Quote of St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena in Art

St. Catherine of Siena

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

Featured, Mercy, Quote, Quotes of Saints

Twenty Five Quotes from the Saints on Mercy

Divine Mercy Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday after Easter. It was decreed a Feastday on May 5th, 2000 by Pope John Paul Ii.

St. Faustina received a series of Revelations beginning in 1931. These revelations were recorded in her personal diary. Jesus asked her to promote a devotion for this feastday. It included the Divine Mercy Image, the Divine Mercy Chaplet and 14 promises to those who participated in the devotion.

St. Faustina was canonized a saint by Pope John Paul Ii in the year 2000.

As we meditate on the meaning of Divine Mercy let,s also reflect on the words of the following saints.

1. When I went for adoration, I heard these words; Tell all people, my daughter, that I am Love and Mercy itself. When a soul approaches me with trust, I will fill it such an abundance of graces that it cannot contain them within itself, but radiates them to other souls. , (Diary 1074) St. Faustina

2. O my Jesus, each of your saints reflects one of Your virtues. I desire to reflect Your compassionate heart, full of mercy. O Jesus, be impressed upon my heart and soul like a seal, and this will be my badge in this and my future life. Glorifying Your mercy is the exclusive task of my life. (Diary 1242.) St. Faustina

3. Those who sincerely say .”Jesus, I trust in You.” will find comfort in all their anxieties and fears. There is nothing that man needs more than Divine Mercy…that love which is benevolent, which is compassionate, which raises man above his weakness to the infinite heights of the holiness of God.

St. John Paul II

4. I approach Your banquet table in fear and trembling, for I am a sinner, and dare not rely on my own worth, but only on Your goodness and mercy.

St. Ambrose

5. Be assured that leaving the past ti the mercy of God and the future to God’s providence, you will derive from your offery very great peace and great consolation.

St. Theodore Guerin

6. Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?

St. Vincent de Paul

7. Sit down alone and in silence, lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe gently, and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. As you breathe in say,..”Lord Jesus Christ…” and as you breathe out say “have mercy on me.”

St. Symeon

St. Symeon the Theologian

8. I commend myself to the prayers of yourself and your friends, so that Christ, the source of all pity., may design to wash me clean in the water if His mercy.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

St. Bernard Clairvaux
Public Domain Image

9. Most merciful heart, pity my heart, loving heart of my Father and my Savior, refuse not your help to my needy heart.

St. Margaret Mary

10. If God forgives us, we must forgive ourselves. Otherwise, it is almost like setting up ourselves as a higher tribunal than Him. St. Juniper Serra

11. What does it cost us to say, “My God help me! Have mercy on me!” Is there anything easier than this? And this will suffice to save us if we be diligent doing it.

St. Alphonsus Liguori

12. The Lord is more anxious to forgive our sins than a woman is to carry her baby out of a burning building.

St. John Vianney

13. Behold Jesus Christ crucified, who is the only foundation of our hope. He us our Mediator and Advocate.; the victim and sacrifice for our sins. He is goodness and patience itself. His mercy is moved by the tears of sinners, and He never refuses pardon and grace to those who ask with a truly contrite and humble heart

St. Carlo Borromeo

14. It is better to err by excess of mercy than by excess of severity. Wilt thou become a saint? Be severe to thyself abut kind to others.

St. John Chrysostom

15. I have many friends help me to fall; but as to rising again, I was so much left to myself, that I wonder now, I I was not always on the ground. I praise God for His mercy, for it was He only who stretched out His hand to me. May He be blessed forever!

St. Teresa of Avila

16. Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither Fear nor Ignorance. Where there is Patience and Humility, there is neither anger nor annoyance. Where there is Poverty and Joy, there is neither Cupidity or Avarice. Where there is Peace and contemplation, there is neither Care nor Restlessness. Where there is the Fear of God to guard the dwelling, there no enemy can enter. Where there is Mercy and Prudence, there is neither Excess nor Harshness.

St. Francis of Assisi

17. Prayer is powerful! It fills the Earth with mercy. It makes the Divine Clemency pass from generation to generation; right along the course of the centuries wonderful works have been achieved through prayer.

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini

18. Confession heals. Confession justifies. Confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in Confession. In Confession there is a chance for mercy.

St. Isidore of Seville

19. Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution. Justice without mercy is cruelty.

St. Thomas Aquinas

20. I am where God wills me to be and so I have found rest and security. His wisdom governs me; His His power defends me. His grace sanctified me. His mercy encompasses me. His joy sustains me, and all will go well with me.

St. Rose Duchesne

21. The ground of mercy is love and the working of mercy is staying in love.

St. Julian of Norwich

Bl. Julian of Norwich
Public Domain Image

22. Thanks be to Thee my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits thou hast given me, for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me. O, most merciful Redeemer, friend and brother, may I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day.

St. Richard of Chichester

23. This was the method that Jesus used with the Apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked., others to be scandalized and still others to hope for God’s mercy. And so, He bade us to be gentle and humble of heart.

St. John Bosco

24. The greater my unworthiness. the more abundant His mercy.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

25. O Jesus, make the fountain of Your mercy gush forth more abundantly for mankind is seriously ill and thus has more need than ever of Your compassion.

St. Faustina

Jesus,I trust in You!

Eucharist, Faith, Featured

Twenty-Five Quotes about the Eucharist from the Saints

The Sacrament of the Eucharist was instituted during Holy Week on Holy Thursday.

The Catholic Church has always believed in the Real Presence of the Jesus in the Eucharist.

As we contemplate the many things that happened during the last week of Jesus life, let’s take time to reflect on the quotes of the saints over the years on the meaning of the Eucharist.

1. There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us.

St. John Vianncy

2. When we have been to Holy Communion, the balm of love envelopes the soul as the flower envelopes the bee.

St. John Vianney

3. The Eucharist bathes the tormented soul in light and love, then the soul appreciates these words, ‘Come all you who are sick, I will restore your health.

St. Bernedette Soubirouse

4. The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life.

St. John Paul II

5. It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do so without the Holy Mass.

St. Padre Pio

6. Receive Communion often, very often…there you have the sole remedy, if you want to be cured. Jesus did not put this attraction in your heart for nothing.

S. Therese of Lisieux

7. The Eucharist is a fire that inflames us.

St. John Damascene

8. The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white host.

St. Fulton Sheen

9. When you look at the crucifix, you understand how much Jesus loved you. When you look at the Sacred Host, you understand how much Jesus loves you NOW.

St. Teresa of Calcutta

10. O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and Son of God, should humble Himself like this and hide under the form of a little bread for our salvation.

St. Francis Assisi

11. The saints all their lives long were like men rejoicing at a feast.

St. Athanatius

12. The Lord comes into us Sacramentally in order to live there Spiritually.

St. Peter Julian Eymard

13. If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.

St. Lydia

14. In the Blessed Sacrament a heavenly school is open to me, with the best teacher one can possibly imagine…Jesus Christ himself!

St. John XXIII

15. If angels could be jealous of me, they would be so for this reason; Holy Communion.

St. Maximilian Kolbe

16. The Eucharist is the food of eternal life.

St.Therese of Lisieux

17. We do not go to communion because we are good. We go to communion to become good.

St. John Bosco

18. The Eucharist is a never ending sacrifice. It is the Sacrament of love, the Supreme love, the act of love.

St. Katherine Drexel

19. Ask Jesus to make you a saint. After all, only He can do that. Go to confession regularly and to communion as often as you can.

St. Dominic Savio

20. At Communion we ought to ask for the remedy of the vice to which we feel ourselves inclined.

St. Philip Neri

21. I understand that each time we contemplate with desire and devotion the Host in which is hidden Christ’s Eucharistic Body, we increase our merits in heaven and secure special joys to be ours later on the beatific vision of God.

St. Gertrude the Great

22. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of love. It signifies love,it produces love.

St. Thomas Aquinas

23. From the Eucharist comes the strength to live the christian life and to share that life with others

St. John paul II

24. Father, I am hungry. For the love of God give this soul her food in the Eucharist!

St. Catherine of Siena

25. Jesus is my great friend and the Eucharist is my highway to heaven!

St. Carlos Acutis

Doctor of the Church, Faith, Featured, Quote

Who are the ‘Doctors of the Church’

July 15, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

Who are the Doctors of the Church? The title of Doctor was given to a person known for their holiness and knowledge of the faith. They were teachers of the faith through their writing. The title was bestowed on them after death by the Pope at en ecumenical council.

Three requirements were needed to earn the title.

Holiness that was outstanding
Knowledge of doctrine
Extensive writings which express Catholic Tradition

There are currently 37 Doctors of the Church. The original eight doctors included four from the Eastern Church and four from the Western Church.

The Doctors from the Eastern Church are St. Athanasius, St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory Nazimek.

The Doctors from the Western Church were: St. Ambrose, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome. They were proclaimed Doctors by Pope Boniface VIII in the 13th century.

Four women were added in the 20th century. They were St. Teresa of Avila, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. Hildegard of Bingen.

The following is a list of all the doctors of the church in the order of when they were designated.

Saint Ambrose (c. 340-397), bishop of Milan, Italy, a major opponent of Arianism, [named a Doctor of the church, 1298].

Saint Augustine of Hippo (c. 354-430), North African bishop, author of Confessions, City of God, and numerous treatises, countered heretical movements, one of the most influential theologians of the Western church, called “Doctor of Grace” [1298].

St. Jerome c. 343-420), translated Old Testament from Hebrew into Latin and revised Latin translation of New Testament to produce Vulgate version of Bible, called “Father of Biblical Science” [1298].

Saint Gregory the Great (c. 540-604), pope, strengthened papacy and worked for clerical and monastic reform [1298].

Saint Athanasius (c. 297-373), bishop of Alexandria, dominant opponent of Arians, called “Father of Orthodoxy” [1298]

Saint John Chrysostom (“Golden-Mouthed”) (c. 347-407), archbishop of Constantinople, homilist, writer of scripture commentaries and letters, patron of preachers [1568].

Saint Basil the Great (c. 329-379), bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor, refuted Arian errors, wrote treatises, homilies, and monastic rules, called “Father of Monasticism of the East” [1568].

Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 330-390), bishop of Constantinople, opponent of Arianism, wrote major theological treatises as well as letters and poetry, called the “Christian Demosthenes” and, in the East, “The Theologian” [1568].

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Italian Dominican, wrote systematically on philosophy, theology, and Catholic doctrine, patron of Catholic schools and education, one of the most influential theologians in the West [1568].

Saint Bonaventure (c. 1217-1274), Franciscan, bishop of Albano, Italy, cardinal [1588].

Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109), archbishop, called “Father of Scholasticism” [1720].

Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560-636), Spanish bishop, encylopedist, and preeminent scholar of his day [1722].

Saint Peter Chrysologus (c. 400-450), archbishop of Ravenna, Italy, homilist and writer, counteracted Monophysite heresy [1729].

Saint Leo I, the Great (c. 400-461), pope, wrote christological and other works against the heresies of his day [1754].

Saint Peter Damian (1007-1072), Italian Benedictine and cardinal, ecclesiastical and clerical reformer [1828].

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (c. 1090-1153), French Cistercian abbot and monastic reformer, called “Mellifluous Doctor” [1830].

Saint Hilary of Poitiers (c. 315-368), one of first Latin doctrinal writers, opposed Arianism [1851].

Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787), founder of Redemptorists, preeminent moral theologian and apologist, patron of confessors and moralists [1871].

Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622), bishop of Geneva, spiritual writer, patron of Catholic writers and press [1877].

Saint Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376-444), bishop, authored doctrinal treatises against Nestorian heresy [1882].

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 315-386), bishop, catechist, vigorous opponent of Arianism [1882].

Saint John Damascene (c. 675-749), Syrian monk, doctrinal writer, called “Golden Speaker” [1890].

Saint Bede the Venerable (c. 673-735), English Benedictine, called “Father of English History” [1899].

Saint Ephrem the Syrian (c. 306-373), counteracted Gnosticism and Arianism with his poems, hymns, and other writings [1920].

Saint Peter Canisius (1521-1597), Dutch Jesuit, catechist, important figure in Counter-Reformation in Germany [1925].

Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591), founder of Discalced Carmelites, called “Doctor of Mystical Theology” [1926].

Saint Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Italian Jesuit, archbishop of Capua, wrote Reformation-era doctrinal defenses, catechisms, and works on ecclesiology and church-state relations [1931].

Saint Albert the Great (c. 1200-1280), German Dominican, bishop of Regensburg, teacher of Saint Thomas Aquinas, patron of scientists, called “Universal Doctor” and “Expert Doctor” [1932].

Saint Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), first theologian of Franciscans, preacher, called “Evangelical Doctor” [1946].

Saint Lawrence of Brindisi (1559-1619), Italian Capuchin Franciscan, influential post-Reformation preacher [1959].

Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582), Spanish Carmelite, initiated discalced Carmelite movement, prolific spiritual and mystical writer, first woman Doctor of the church [1970].

Saint Catherine of Siena (c. 1347-1380), Italian Third Order Dominican, mystical author, also active in support of Crusades and in papal politics [1970].

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), French Carmelite, wrote spiritual autobiography describing her “little way” of spiritual perfection [1997].

Saint John of Ávila (1499 or 1500-1569), Spanish priest, preacher, and mystic, was influential in spreading the faith in Andalusia and reforming the church in Spain [2012]

Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), German Benedictine abbess and mystic, recorded her visions in writing, also wrote lyric poems, letters of advice and prophecy, and treatises on medicine and physiology [2012]

Saint Gregory of Narek (950-c. 1005), Armenian monk and poet, also recognized as a saint in the Armenian Apostolic Church [2015]

St. Irenaeus of Lyon (125- 202) Bishop of Lyons, theologian and martyr, [2022]

Faith, Featured, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; The Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a moveable Feast day. It is held on the second Friday after Pentecost.

In 2025, this day falls on Friday, June 27th.

This feast reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for the people of all times.

Quote of St. John Paul II

The history of this Feast Day is attributed to St. Margaret Mary.. The Feast Day of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is always the day following the Feast Day of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

17the Century: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was instrumental in beginning devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus after having visions. This devotion involves receiving communion on the first Friday of each month for mine consecutive months to honor the Sacred Heart. Jesus revealed His heart to her and emphasized the need for people to return His love through prayer and devotion.

In 1899 Pope Leo XIII consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

The image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is often shown with a crown of thorns and a flame. This symbolizes Jesus’s infinite love, compassion and suffering for humanity.

The following prayer is from St. Leo XIII when he consecrated the world to the Sacred Heart.

Issued with the Encyclical Letter Annum Sacrum, 25 May 1899

Most sweet Jesus, redeemer of the human race, look down upon us, humbly prostrate before your altar. We are yours and yours we wish to be; but to be more surely united with you, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to your most sacred heart. Many, indeed, have never known you, many too, despising your precepts, have rejected you. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to your sacred heart. Be you king, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken you, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned you; grant that they may quickly return to their father’s house, lest they die of wretchedness and hunger. Be you king of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that soon there may be but one flock and one shepherd. Be you king also of all those who sit in the ancient superstition of the Gentiles and refuse not you to deliver them out of darkness into the light and kingdom of God. Grant, O Lord, to your Church, assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: Praise to the divine heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor forever.
Amen

Featured, Immaculate Heart, Our Lady, Prayer, Spirituality

Prayer for Deliverance by Pope John Paul II

June 18, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

Prayer for Deliverance from Evil

Immaculate Heart! Help us to conquer the menace of evil, which so easily takes root in the hearts of the people of today, and whose immeasurable effects already weigh down upon our modern world and seem to block the paths towards the future!

From famine and war, deliver us.

From nuclear war, from incalculable self-destruction, from every kind of war, deliver us.

From sins against the life of man from its very beginning, deliver us.

From hatred and from the demeaning of the dignity of the children of God, deliver us.

From every kind of injustice in the life of society, both national and international, deliver us.

From readiness to trample on the commandments of God, deliver us.

From attempts to stifle in human hearts the very truth of God, deliver us.

From the loss of awareness of good and evil, deliver us.

From sins against the Holy Spirit, deliver us, deliver us.

Accept, O Mother of Christ, this cry laden with the sufferings of all individual human beings, laden with the sufferings of whole societies.

Let there be revealed, once more, in the history of the world the infinite saving power of the Redemption: the power of merciful Love!

May it put a stop to evil! May it transform consciences!

May your Immaculate Heart reveal for all the light of Hope!

This prayer is from the consecration of all individuals and peoples of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984 by Saint John Paul II. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984.

Faith, Featured, Quote, Spirituality

Twenty Five Quotes from the Saints on Humility

March 22, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

1. Once humility is acquired, charity will come to life like a burning flame.

St. Vincent Ferrer

2. As patience leads to piece and study to science,

so are humiliations the path that leads to humility.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

3. The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is Humility.

St. Vincent de Paul

4. Humility, humility, and a always humility. Satan fears and trembles before humble souls.

St. Padre Pio

5. If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace,

because you know what you are.

St. Teresa of Calcutta

6. A humble soul does not trust itself, but places all its confidence in God.

St. Faustina

7. It was pride that changed angels into devils; It is humility that makes men as angels.

St. Augustine

8. The truly humble reject all praise for themselves and refer all to Go.

St. Alphonsus Maria Liguori

9. Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues.

St. Augustine

10. If you elevate yourself, God distances Himself from you.

If you humble yourself, He leans towards you.

St. Augustine

11. Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword, wear humility rather than fine clothes.

St. Dominic

12. Remember that true humility consists in being ready for what the Lord wants to do with you and happy that we should do it, and in considering yourselves unworthy to be called His servants.

St. Teresa of Avila: The Way of Perfection

13. Humility, however deep it be, neither disquiets nor troubles nor disturbs the soul;

it is accompanied by peace, joy and tranquility.

St. Teresa of Avila

14. Do not be afraid to be holy. Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since true full Freedom is born from holiness.

St. John Paul II

15. Humility is dependence on God as pride is independence of Him.

The humble soul is always the thankful soul.

Venerable Fulton Sheen

16. The first degree of humility is prompt obedience.

St. Benedict

17. Consider often that it is only the humble of heart who can enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

18. Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying.

St. Vincent de Paul

19. Humility means seeing ourselves as God sees us;

knowing every good we have comes from Him as pure gift.

St. Thomas Aquinas

20. From humility of heart proceeds serenity of mind, gentleness of conduct, interior peace and every good.

St. Paul of the Cross

21 Christ the Master of Humility manifest His truth only to the humble

and hides Himself from the proud.

St. Vincent Ferrer

22. Nothing so humbles the proud sinner as the humility of Jesus Christ’s humanity.

St. Anthony of Padua

23. The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey,

and those who nourish themselves with this honey produce sweet fruit.

St. Anthony Padua

24. Humility drives Satan away and cherishes the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit within us.

St. Francis de Sales

25. Let all the brothers strive to follow the humility of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

St. Francis of Assisi

Calendar, Faith, Featured, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Feast Days and Saint of the Day; JULY CALENDAR

June 8, 2022 Vicki Scheenstra

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

July 1…St. Junipero Serra…Spain…Franciscan

July 2…St. Bernadino Realino...Italy…Jesuit Priest…Incorrupt

July 3…St. Thomas...Apostle…Martyr

July 4…St. Elizabeth of Portugal...Queen…Third Order Franciscan

July 5…St. Anthony Zaccarra...Italy…Priest…Incorrupt

July 6...St Maria Goretti...Italy…Martyr…Patron saint of rape victims, purity, chastity, forgiveness, and youth

July 7…St. Peter To Rot ...New Guinea…Martyr

July 8…Bl. Eugene III...Bishop of Rome…Cistercian

July 9…St. Veronica Giuliani...Italy…Poor Clare…Incorrupt

July 10...Bl. Emmanuel Ruiz & Companions...Franciscan Priest…Spain…Martyr

July 11…St. Benedict...Founder of Benedictine Order…Patron saint of students and Europe.

July 12…St. Veronica…Follower of Jesus…patron saint of photographers.

July 13…St. Henry II...King and Emperor of Rome…Reformer

July 14…St. Kateri Tekakawitha...New York, U.S.A…Patron of the environment and ecology

July 15…St. Bonaventure...Latium…Franciscan…Philosopher…Author

July 16…Our Lady of Mount Carmel...Jerusalem…Carmelites…Brown Scapular

July 17…Bl. Rose Chretien...France…Carmelite…Martyr

July 18…St. Camillas...Italy…Priest…Order of St. Camillas

July 19…St. Macrina the Younger…Cesarea…Contemplative

July 20...St. Joseph Barsabas … Follower of Jesus…one of first disciples

July 21…St. Lawrence of Brindisi…Italy…Capuchin Order…Doctor of the Church

July 22...St. Mary Magdalene...Friend and Follower of Jesus…Patron of penitent sinners

July 23…St. Bridget of Sweden…widow…visionary

July 24…St. John Boste…England…Priest…Martyr

July 25...St. James the Greater…Apostle…Martyr… Patron saint of laborers and Spain.

July 26…St. Joachim & St. Anne…Parents of the Virgin Mary…Grandparents of Jesus…Patron saints of parents and grandparents.

July 27…Bl. Titus Brandsma...Netherlands…Carmelite…Martyr

July 28…St. Alphonsa...India…Poor Clares

July 29…St. Martha...Friend and follower of Jesus…Patron saint of cooks, housewives and domestic workers

July 30…St. Peter Chrysologus ..Italy…Bishop…Doctor of the Church

July 31...St. Ignatius of Loyola...Spain…Jesuit…Patron Saint of Catholic soldiers, and retreats…Mystic

1. Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself.

2. I pray like little children who do not know how to read. I say very simply to God what I wish to say, without composing beautiful sentences and He always understands me.

3. Pray, Love, and don’t worry.

4. Prayer is the place of refugefor ev for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.

5. Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition ofand of love, embracing both trial and joy.

6. Joy is prayer! Joy is strength. Joy is love. Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

7. Prayer is the oxygen of the soul.

8. We should seek not so much to pray but to become prayer.

9. He prays best who does not know that he is praying.

10. Those who pray from the heart do not think about the prayer they are saying, but about the God to whom they pray.

11. Without prayer, it is impossible to resist temptations and to keep the commandment.

12. Be Good. Love the Lord. Pray for those who do not know Him. What agreat grace it is to know God!

13. He who labors as he prays lifts his heart to God with his hands.

14. Prayer is the wing, wherewith the soul flies to heaven, and meditation the eye wherewith we see God.

15. Prayer is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings.

16. The test of sincerity of one’s prayer is the willingness to labor on its behalf.

17. For prayer is nothing else than being on terms of friendship with God.

18. Prayer is an act of love. Words are not needed.

19. I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn, I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain.

20. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.

21. Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips but with your heart. In fact on certain occasions, you should only speak to Him with your heart.

22. To sing is to pray twice.

23. Prayer is to the spiritual life, what the beating of the pulse and the drawing of the breath are to the life of the body.

24. Prayer begins by talking to God but it ends by listening to Him. In the face of Absolute Truth, silence is the soul’s language.

25. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Enough of all this soft soap! All it does is cause the members of Christ’s Spouse to stink!

Quote of St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena in Art

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

Three requirements were needed to earn the title.

This feast reminds us of the mystery of the love of God for the people of all times.

Quote of St. John Paul II

This prayer is from the consecration of all individuals and peoples of the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in 1984 by Saint John Paul II. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on March 25, 1984.

1. Once humility is acquired, charity will come to life like a burning flame.

2. As patience leads to piece and study to science,

so are humiliations the path that leads to humility.

3. The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is Humility.

4. Humility, humility, and a always humility. Satan fears and trembles before humble souls.

5. If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace,

because you know what you are.

6. A humble soul does not trust itself, but places all its confidence in God.

7. It was pride that changed angels into devils; It is humility that makes men as angels.

8. The truly humble reject all praise for themselves and refer all to Go.

9. Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues.

10. If you elevate yourself, God distances Himself from you.

If you humble yourself, He leans towards you.

11. Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword, wear humility rather than fine clothes.

12. Remember that true humility consists in being ready for what the Lord wants to do with you and happy that we should do it, and in considering yourselves unworthy to be called His servants.

13. Humility, however deep it be, neither disquiets nor troubles nor disturbs the soul;

it is accompanied by peace, joy and tranquility.

14. Do not be afraid to be holy. Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since true full Freedom is born from holiness.

15. Humility is dependence on God as pride is independence of Him.

The humble soul is always the thankful soul.

16. The first degree of humility is prompt obedience.

17. Consider often that it is only the humble of heart who can enter into the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

18. Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying.

19. Humility means seeing ourselves as God sees us;

knowing every good we have comes from Him as pure gift.

21 Christ the Master of Humility manifest His truth only to the humble

and hides Himself from the proud.

22. Nothing so humbles the proud sinner as the humility of Jesus Christ’s humanity.

23. The spirit of humility is sweeter than honey,

and those who nourish themselves with this honey produce sweet fruit.

24. Humility drives Satan away and cherishes the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit within us.

25. Let all the brothers strive to follow the humility of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

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