Category Archives: Martyr

Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Valentine, Feast Day Feb. 14

February 13, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Valentine is celebrated on Feb. 14. St. Valentine is an actual saint. His relics are claimed by three churches in Rome. What we know about him has been passed down orally, so it is considered part legend. St. Valentine is the patron saint of happy marriages and lovers because of his devotion to the Sacrament of Marriage.

St. Valentine was a Roman priest during the time of Emperor Claudias II, who persecuted the church. He actually prohibited the marriage of young people because he believed unmarried men were better soldiers. During the time of St. Valentine polygamy (multiple wives) was very common. St. Valentine encouraged couples to marry in the church in spite of the edict. He held the marriage ceremonies in secret.

Eventually Valentine was caught, imprisoned and tortured. One of his jailers had a daughter who was blind. After Valentine prayed with her, her sight was restored. This resulted in the jailer converting to the Christian faith. In 269 Valentine was sentenced to death .

The last words of St. Valentine were in a note to the girl he had healed signing it “from your Valentine”.

“Let your religion be less of a theory
and more of a love affair.”

Quote of G. K. Chesterton

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Faith, Jesuit Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul Miki & Companions, Feast Day Feb. 6

February 6, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Paul Miki & Companions is celebrated on Feb. 6. Paul Miki’s family converted to the Catholic faith when he was five years old. He was educated by the Jesuits, joining their order when he was 22.

St. Paul Miki helped to educate the Buddhists about Christianity. St. Francis Xavier led a group of Jesuit missionaries into Japan during the 16 century. Over 200, 000 Japanese natives converted to the faith. Religious persecution began as a result. Many churches were destroyed forcing secrecy. In spite of the persecution 100,000 more converted to Christianity.

In 1593 Franciscan missionaries joined the Jesuits in their missionary work. During this tense time, a Spanish ship was seized off the Japanese coast and found to have artillery on it. The imperial minister Toyotomi Hideyoshi responded by sentencing 26 Catholics to death. Six were foreign Franciscans, several were lay Catholics and several were children. The most well known missionaries were associated with the Jesuits; Paul Miki, who was studying to be a priest, John of Goto, a catechist preparing to enter the Jesuits and James Kesai who was a lay Jesuit brother. They were sentenced to die by crucifixion and lancing after being marched 600 miles to the city of Nagasaki.

Pope Pius IV canonized the Martyrs of Nagasaki in 1862.

After Christ’s example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow man as a fruitful rain.

Quote of St. Paul Miki before he died in 1597.

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Blaise, Feast Day Feb. 3

February 3, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Blaise is celebrated on Feb. 3. He is the patron saint of throat maladies and wild animals. The ceremonial blessing of the throats is credited to St. Blaise.

The actual birth date of St. Blaise is not known. He was born into a wealthy family in Sebastea, Armenia. It is believed Blaise was a physician who had also studied philosophy. Eventually, he became the Bishop of Sebastea, Armenia. He was known for his gift of healing. The most famous of these healings was the healing of a young boy who was choking on a fish bone. This led to the tradition of blessing of the throats on his feast day using two blessed candles pressed against the throat.

St. Blaise not only healed people, but he also healed wild animals. A pig, belonging to a poor woman, had been attacked by a wolf. After Blaise succeeded in healing the pig, he fled to the hills to avoid persecution. Eventually, he was found and captured. Sentenced to die for his faith, the woman whose pig he had cured came to visit him, bringing him two wax candles to dispel evil. He was eventually tortured and killed in the year 316.

When the blessing of St. Blaise is given, two candles are consecrated by a prayer. These candles are held in a crossed position by a priest over the throat of the person being blessed. The following blessing which is found in the official Book of Blessings is often then prayed:

Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Doing little things
with a strong desire
to please God
makes them really great.

Quote of St. Francis de Sales; Feast day January 24

February is the Month of the Passion of the Lord

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The Mystery of Faith

Category Archives: Martyr

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Valentine, Feast Day Feb. 14

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul Miki & Companions, Feast Day Feb. 6

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Blaise, Feast Day Feb. 3

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism