The Mystery of Faith

Bl. Teresa of Calcutta
U.S. Stamp
Public Domain Image

2. Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say rejoice!

St. Paul the Apostle

3. Do not abandon yourself to despair. We are the Easter people, and hallelujah is our song.

St John Paul II

7. Desire to see God, be fearful of losing Him, and find joy in everything that can lead to Him. If you act in this way, you will always live in great peace.

St. Teresa of Avilla

8. Joy is the simplest form of Gratitude.

9. The joy promised by the Beatitudes is the very Joy of Jesus himself, a joy sought and found in obedience to the Father, and in the gift of self to others.

10. If we wish to serve God and love our neighbor well, we must manifest our joy in the service we render to Him and them. Let us open wide our hearts; it is joy which invites us. Press forward and fear nothing.

St. Katharine Drexel

11. God made us for joy. God is joy and the joy of living reflects the ongoing joy that God felt in creating us.

12. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love.
where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope.
where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

13. Joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

14. It is characteristic of God and His angels to bring to the soul, when they occupy if, true happiness and spiritual joy; and to drive from it the sadness and trials which the enemy incites in it.

St. Ignatius of Loyla
Public Domain Image

15. Let nothing else please us and cause us delight except our Creator Redeemer and Saviour, the only true God.

16. The world promises us pleasure, but it is only in Jeus that we find joy.

St. Teresa of the Andes

17. May we always live joyfully. God is infinite joy.

18. Jesus is happy to come with us, as truth is happy to be spoken, as life is to be lived, as light to be lit, as love is to be loved, as joy is to be given, as peace, to be spread.

St. Francis of Assisis

19. Do few things, but do them well, simple joys are holy.

20. No man truly has joy unless he lives in love.

St. Peter the Apostle

21 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; That, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding Joyl

St. Peter by Rubens
Apostle and Martyr
Public Domain Image

22. In the house of God there is a never ending festival; the angel choir make eternal holiday. The presence of God’s face gives joy that never fails.

23. OH, God, to know you is life. To serve You is freedom. To praise you is the soul’s joy and delight. Guard me with the power of Your grace here and in all places. Now and at all times, forever. Amen.

24. To me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.

Therese of Lisieux

25. We who are Christians have a further cause for joy; like Jesus, we know that we are loved by God our Father. This love transforms our lives and fills us with joy!

Incorruptible, Our Lady, Prayer, Quotes of Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; St. Bernadette of Lourdes, Feast Day April 16

April 14, 2026 Vicki Scheenstra

The Feast day of St. Bernadette of Lourdes is celebrated on April 16.

St. Bernadetta was born in 1833 in France. Our Lady first appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes.
France on Feb. 11, 1858. Bernadette was a poor shepherdess who was only 14 years old. Our Lady actually appeared to her eighteen times.

During the first vision Bernadette saw a bright light and a beautiful lady dressed in a brilliant white dress adorned with a blue ribbon. A long veil covered her body from her head to her feet. Her hands were clasped as if praying and she carried a white and gold rosary with a gold cross in her hands. Bernadette took her rosary out of her pocket and guided by Our Lady they prayed the rosary. After praying, the vision ended.

Bernadette asked the girls with her if they had seen anything and they said no. She told them not to say anything, but her sister told their mother who did not believe the story.

On Feb. 14, Bernadette returned to the Grotto where the vision had happened. She asked those with her to pray the rosary. When Our Lady appeared again, Bernadette’s face was transfigured. She sprinkled the holy water which had been given her and said, “If you come from God, come near us.” The holy water touched Our Lady, and she smiled and came closer. They began to pray the rosary together.

On Feb. 18, after Mass she was accompanied by a lady and a religious. When she began praying, Our Lady appeared again and they all prayed the rosary. Our Lady asked Bernadette to return for 15 consecutive days. Benadette promised she would do so. Our Lady said;

Bernadette went to the Grotto with a lit candle for the next 15 days. Hundreds of people began coming with her. On Feb. 21, Bernadette observed that Our Lady seemed sad. She asked her, “What is wrong? What can I do?” Our Lady said,

“Pray for sinners.”

“I also promise to make you happy, not in this world, but in the next.”

A doctor examined Bernadette and concluded there was northing wrong with her. Bernadette was ridiculed nonetheless.

On Feb. 23, Our Lady requested that a Sanctuary be built on the site. She told Bernadette to talk to the priest. When the priest asked her the name of the lady, Bernadeete did not know. The priest told her he needed a miracle and she shoul ask the lady for the rose bush to blossom.

On Feb 26, Our Lady revealed to Bernadette her name saying:

“I am the Immaculate Conception”

During one apparition people witnessed Bernadette praying for fifteen minutes with the candle flame burning through her fingers. She remained unharmed. The last apparition occurred on the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Many miracles of healing have been attributed to the healing waters of Lourdes.

St. Bernadette joined the Sisters of Charity seeking God in the silence of the convent. St. Bernadette died on April 16, 1879.

The message of Our Lady Of Lourdes is timeless.

Pray for Sinners!

The incorrupt body of St. Bernadette of Lourdes may be viewed at St. Gildard Convent where it is kept uner glass. This is the Conven St. Bernadette spent the last nine years of her life in prayer with God.

Always stay very close to our Lord, present in the tabernacle. Be completely absorbed by devotion to Him there and never let go.

Quote of St. Bernadette

April is the Month of the Eucharist

Mercy, Prayer, Quote, Quotes of Saints

Twenty Five Quotes from the Saints on Mercy

April 10, 2026 Vicki Scheenstra

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Devil, Evil, Psalm, Quotes of Saints, Sin

Twenty-five Quotes about Evil, Sin and the Devil from the Saints

October 18, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

During times of stress and turmoil, turning to God is comforting. When surrounded by evil, meditating on the words of the saints can help us connect with God. When evil surrounds us, let our faith strengthen us and give us courage. The following quotes may guide us.

He that is kind is free, though he is a slave, he that is evil is a slave, though he is a king.

2. The devil does not bring sinners to hell with their eyes open; he first blinds them with the malice of their own sins. Before we fall into sin, the enemy labors to blind us, that we may not see the evil we do and the ruin we bring upon ourselves by offending God.

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

4. Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ.

St. Peter Canisius

5. We have only one evil to fear and that is sin.

St. Cathirine of Siena

6. To sin is human, but to persist in sin is devilish.

7. Sin is loving what God hates and hating what God loves.

St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome

8. Never let us fall asleep in a state of sin, lest the prince of wickedness gain power over us and snatch us away from the Kingdom of the Lord.

St. Barnabas, Apostle

9. You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy…the root of all that is evil and the failure of all that is evil and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud.

St. Vincent de Paul

10. The greatest sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.

11. The root of all evil is “I”, “ME”. “Mine”!

12. Nor did demons crucify Him, it is you who have crucified Him and crucify Him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.

St. Leo I, Bishop of Rome

13. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you. Be sober minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone t devour.

St. Peter, Apostle

14. The devil is always discovering something novel against the truth.

15. Just as every little fresh water is blown away by a storm of wind and dust, in like manner the good deeds that we think we do in this life are overwhelmed by the multitude of evils.

St. Basil

16. Be ashamed when you sin, don’t be ashamed when you repent. To repent means to have a change of heart and mind. It is not simply a feeling of sorrow, but a psycho/spiritual growth away from evil/death and a turning to God/life. Sin is the wound; repentance is the medicine. Sin is followed by showing repentance, repentance is followed by boldness. (Boldness means to beg God for undeserved mercy! Satan has overturned this order and given boldness to sin and shame to repentance.

17. Sin makes a man a coward…as life in the Truth of Christ makes him bold.

St John Chrysostom

18. The devil tempts that he may ruin, God tests that he may crown.

St. Jane Frances de Chantel

19. It is no fault of Christianity that a Hypocrite falls into sin.

St. Jerome

20. An evil discovered, is half healed.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal
Public Domain Image

21. The power of evil men lives on the cowardice of the good.

22. Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the final say.

23. The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is 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

24.There is nothing the devil fears so much, or so much tries to hinder so much as prayer.

St. Philip Neri

25. Arise, soldiers of Christ, throw away the works of darkness

and put on the amor of light!

St. Cecelia

Devil, Evil, Psalm, Quotes of Saints, Sin

Twenty Five Quotes about Evil, Sin and the Devil from the Saints

He that is kind is free, though he is a slave, he that is evil is a slave, though he is a king.

2. The devil does not bring sinners to hell with their eyes open; he first blinds them with the malice of their own sins. Before we fall into sin, the enemy labors to blind us, that we may not see the evil we do and the ruin we bring upon ourselves by offending God.

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

4. Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ. St. Peter Chrysologus

5. We have only one evil to fear and that is sin.

St. Cathirine of Siena

6. To sin is human, but to persist in sin is devilish.

7. Sin is loving what God hates and hating what God loves.

St. John Paul II, Bishop of Rome

8. Never let us fall asleep in a state of sin, lest the prince of wickedness gain power over us and snatch us away from the Kingdom of the Lord.

St. Barnabas, Apostle

9. You must ask God to give you power to fight against the sin of pride which is your greatest enemy…the root of all that is evil and the failure of all that is evil and the failure of all that is good. For God resists the proud.

St. Vincent de Paul

10. The greatest sin of the century is the loss of the sense of sin.

11. The root of all evil is “I”, “ME”. “Mine”!

12. Nor did demons crucify Him, it is you who have crucified Him and crucify Him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.

St. Leo I, Bishop of Rome

13. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you. Be sober minded, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone t devour.

St. Peter, Apostle

14. The devil is always discovering something novel against the truth.

15. Just as every little fresh water is blown away by a storm of wind and dust, in like manner the good deeds that we think we do in this life are overwhelmed by the multitude of evils.

St. Basil

16. Be ashamed when you sin, don’t be ashamed when you repent. To repent means to have a change of heart and mind. It is not simply a feeling of sorrow, but a psycho/spiritual growth away from evil/death and a turning to God/life. Sin is the wound; repentance is the medicine. Sin is followed by showing repentance, repentance is followed by boldness. (Boldness means to beg God for undeserved mercy! Satan has overturned this order and given boldness to sin and shame to repentance.

17. Sin makes a man a coward…as life in the Truth of Christ makes him bold.

St John Chrysostom

18. The devil tempts that he may ruin, God tests that he may crown.

St. Jane Frances de Chantel

19. It is no fault of Christianity that a Hypocrite falls into sin.

St. Jerome

20. An evil discovered, is half healed.

21. The power of evil men lives on the cowardice of the good.

22. Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail, those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have the final say.

23. The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices. He is 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

24.There is nothing the devil fears so much, or so much tries to hinder so much as prayer.

St. Philip Neri

25. Arise, soldiers of Christ,

throw away the works of darkness

and put on the amor of light!

St. Cecelia

Eucharist, Heaven, Pope Leo XIV, Quotes of Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Carlo Acutis, Feast Day October 12

October 11, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

The Feast Day of Carlo is celebrated on October 12. Carlo Acutis was born on May 3, 1991 in London to Italian parents who working there. He was raised in Milan, Italy. Carlo died at the age of 15 in Manza, Italy of leukemia on October 12, 2006.

St. Carlo Acutis was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020 and Canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7, 2025. He is considered the first millennial saint and the patron saint of the internet.

At a young age of 11, Carlo became very interested in Eucharistic Miracles. He visited the birthplace of many of the saints and sites of the Eucharistic miracles. His passion for the Eucharist led him to use his skills as a coder to build a website cataloging over 150 Miracles. He listed them by country and date. His site is still active at Carlo Acutis La dlinea del tempo di Carlo Acutis

St. Carlos was known for being very generous. He helped the poor and defended students in his school from bullies. He enjoyed helping the elderly and disabled. His passion for his faith inspired his parents to become active in their faith. They enrolled in a theology class so they could answer questions which came up.

At the age of 14, Carlo fell ill. At first, they believed he had the flu; however he was diagnosed with acute Myeloid Leukemia. Afte r suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage, he went into a coma and died on October 12.

Initially buried in Ternengo his body was reburied in January 2007 in Assisi because of his devotion to St. Francis of Assisi.

St. Carlo is credited with two miracles. The healing of a Brazilian boy born with a malformed pancreas was healed after prayers of intercession to Blessed Carlo in 2020. The second miracle occurred in Costa Rico then a woman was healed in 2024 after suffering a serious head injury. Prayers of intercession were prayed at St. Acutis’s tomb after which she was healed. These miracles led to the canonization of St. Carlo in 2025 by Pope Leo XIV.

Eucharist, Heaven, Pope Leo XIV, Quotes of Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Carlo Acutis, Feast Day October 12

St. Carlo Acutis was beatified by Pope Francis in 2020 and Canonized by Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 7, 2025. He is considered the first millennial saint and the patron saint of the internet.

Initially buried in Ternengo his body was reburied in January 2007 in Assisi because of his devotion to St. Francis of Assisi.

Angels, Quotes of Saints, Spirituality

Twenty-Five Quotes about Angels from the Saints

September 13, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

September 29th we will be celebrating the Feast of the Archangels. October 2nd is the Feast of the Guardian Angels.

The following quotes help us to understand the beliefs of the believers long ago. Faith is a mystery. We can’t see the angels, but we can read about them in the bible and learn about them from the Saints.

1. Our Guardian Angels are our most faithful friends, because they are with us day and night, always and everywhere. We ought to invoke therm.

3. Pride and nothing else caused an angel to fall from heaven. And so, one may reasonably ask whether one may reach heaven by humility alone without the help of any other virtue.

4. Is there any greater happiness than to imitate on earth the Choir of Angels?

St. Basil the Great

5. How great is the dignity of souls, that each person has from birth received an angel to protect it.

St. Jerome

6. To pretend angels do not exist because they are invisible is to believe we never sleep because we don’t see ourselves sleeping.

7. I saw them with my bodily eyes as clearly as I see you. And when they departed, I used to weep and wish they would take me with them.

St. Joan of Arc

8. The devil writes down our sins…our Guardian Angel all or merits. Labor that the Guardian Angel’s book may be full, and the Devil’s empty.

9. Ask your angel to console and assist you in your last moments.

10. The battle against the Devil, which is the principal task of St. Michael the Archangel, is still being fought today, because the Devil is still alive and active in the world.

St. John Henry Newman

11. Somehow, I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an archangel in his.

12. The rosary is my favorite prayer. A marvelous prayer! Marvelous in its simplicity and its depth. In the prayer, we repeat many times the words that the Virgin Mary heard from the Archangel and from her kinswoman Elizabeth.

13. How happy is that guardian angel who accompanies a soul to Holy Mass.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

14. Remember that the good angels do what they can to preserve men from sin and obtain God’s honor, but they do not lose courage when men fail.

15. Angels are intelligent reflections of light. that original light, which has no beginning. They can illuminate. they do not need tongues or ears for they can communicate without speech…in thought.

St. John Damascene

16. Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch or weep tonight, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend your sick ones, O Lord Jesus Christ, rest your weary ones, bless your dying ones, sooth your suffering ones, pity your afflicted one, shield your joyous ones and all for your love’s sake. Amen

17. Let us affectionately love His angels as counselors and defenders appointed by the Father and placed over us. They are faithful; they are prudent; they are powerful; Let us only follow them, and in the protection of the God of heaven, let us abide.

St. Bernard Clairvaux

18. Do not be surprised that you fall every day; do not give up but stand your ground courageously. And assuredly, the angel who guards you will honor your patience.

19. We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten and direct us. God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be our teachers and guides.

20. Angels are spirits, but it is not because they are spirits that they are angels. They become angels when they are sent. For the word angel refers to their office, not their nature. You ask the name of this nature, it is spirit; you ask its office, it is that of an Angel, which is a messenger.

21. This is the highest point of philosophy, to be simple and wise. This is the angelic life.

St. Gregory the Great

22. Among the Angels in Heaven, none surpass St. Michael the Archangel in Glory.

St. Vincent Ferrer

23. Whenever some act of wondrous power must be performed, Michael the Archangel is sent, so that his action and his name bake it clear that no one can do what God does by his superior power.

24. Oh, my Holy Guardian Angel, care for my soul and my body. Enlighten my mind that I may better know the Lord my God and love Him with all my heart. Watch over me when I pray, so I won’t give in to life’s distractions. Sustain me with your counsel to live as a righteous Christian and help me to do good works with a generous heart. Protect me from the cunning of the advisary and lift me up when I am being tempted so I may win the fight against evil. Stay with me at all times, never stop watching over me until I am called back to the Father’s house, where we will praise our great God together for all eternity. Amen

25. How consoling it is to know that we have a spirit who, from the womb to the tomb, never leaves us even for an instant not even when we dare to sin. And this heavenly spirit guides and protects us like a friend or a brother.

St. Padre Pi o\

Cross, Prayer, Quote, Quotes of Saints, Stations of the Cross

Twenty-Five Quotes on the Cross from the Saints

July 11, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

When we think about the cross, we usually think about the suffering and tribulations of life.

The Way of the Cross is a powerful devotion in the church. We meditate and ponder on the Stations of the Cross. This devotion is often prayed in church on Fridays during lent. It may also be prayed alone. When praying the Way of the Cross privately, it is helpful to use a written form of the devotion with meditations.

The 14 Stations of the Cross represent events from Jesus’ passion and death. At each station we use our senses and our imagination to reflect prayerfully upon Jesus’ suffering, Death, and Resurrection.

1 Jesus Is Condemned to Death.

2. Jesus Takes Up His Cross.

3. Jesus Falls the First Time.

4. Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother.

5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross.

6. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus.

7. Jesus Falls a Second Time.

8. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem.

9. Jesus Falls the Third Time.

10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments.

.11. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross.

12. Jesus Dies on the Cross.

13. Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross.

14. Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb.

As we reflect on the stations of the cross, perhaps the quotes of the saints will help us as we meditate on the meaning of the cross.

The Cross is the school of love.

St. Maxamilian Kolbe

St. Maximilian Kolbe
Public Domain Image

2. Mount Calvary is the academy of Love.

St. John of the Cross.

3. The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily must cast off all things and use the cross as his cane. In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things.

4. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

St. Paul the Apostle

5. Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ, doesn’t seek the glory of Christ.

St. John of the Cross

6. Our greatest cross is the fear of crosses.

St. Paul of the Cross

7. With the sign of the Cross, I shall more certainly break through the ranks of the enemy than if armed with shield and sword.

St. Martin of Tours

8. The Cross is the way to Paradise, but only when it is done willingly.

9. No type of cruelty can tear down the religion established by the mystery of Christs’ Cross.

St. Leo the Great

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

St. Rose of Lima

11. Do everything for God, uniting yourself to Him by word and deed. Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord. and be at peace with yourself.

12. Remember that when your heart feels restless, when your heart feels hurt, when your heart feels like breaking… I am precious to Him. He has called me by name. I am His. He loves me. And to prove that love He died on the cross.

13. You must accept your cross; if you bear it courageously, it will carry you to Heaven.

14. The cross is the hope of Christians, the staff of the lame, the comfort of the poor, the destruction of all pride, the victory over devils, the guide of youth, the pilot of mariners, the refuge of those who are in danger, the counselor of the just, the rest of the afflicted, the physician of the sick the glory of Martyrs

15. The cross means there is no shipwreck without hope; there is no dark without dawn; nor storm without haven. The worst prison would be a closed heart.

St. John Paul II

16. He who, when tempted, makes the Sign of the Cross with devotion, makes Hell tremble and Heaven rejoice.

17. Beneath the cross, one learns to love.

18. The lukewarm do not embrace the cross; they merely drag it along.

19. The cross is our trophy raised against the demons, our sword against sin and the sword of Christ used to pierce the serpent.

20. If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross.

St. John of the Cross

21. If you wish to be like Christ, call or look always for the cross.

22. The Christian’s motto is the Cross. You will recognize God’s love by this sign, by the suffering he sends you.

23. Suffering is a sign that you have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.

24. Contradictions put us at the feet of the Cross and the cross lifts us up to heaven.

25. It is in loving the cross that we find true peace, not running from it.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Faith, Heaven, Prayer, Psalm, Quotes of Saints

Twenty-five Quotes about Heaven from the Saints

July 3, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

Have you pondered what heaven might be like. We will only know for sure when we enter into the Kindom of Heaven. The saints share their insights with us in the quotes below.

1. How insignificant earth seems to me, when I consider heaven.

2. The gate of heaven is very low, only the humble can enter it.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

3. Heaven is a city on a hill; hence we cannot cast into it, we have to climb.

Ven. Fulton Sheen

4. Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

St. Thomas More

5. Those who carry God in their hearts bear Heaven with them wherever they go.

St. Ignatius Loyola

6. What does it matter to you whether Jesus wishes to guide you to heaven by way of the desert or by the meadow, so long as He is always with you and you arrive at the possession of the blessed eternity.

7. Walk with your feet on earth, but in your heart, be in heaven.

8. As mariners are guided into port by the shing of a star, so Christians are guided to Heaven by Mary.

9. Let us sing alleluia here on earth, while we still live in anxiety, so that we may sing it one day in heaven in full security.

10. Heaven and hell are inevitable, but the choice between them is up to us.

11. Heaven is full of love, but hell is full of loneliness.

12. Heaven is for all of us, but we must remember that we must earn it.

St. Francis Assisi

13. We are not made for this world but for heaven, where we will live forever.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

14. Can you expect to go to heaven for nothing? Did not our dear Savior track the whole way to it with His blood and tears?

15. No one reaches the Kingdom of Heaven except by humility.

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

St. Rose of Lima

17. All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, ” I am the way.”

18. When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens. I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.

19. The pains of hell are not the greatest part of hell, the loss of heaven is the weightiest woe of Hell.

20. An angel fell from heaven without any other passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.

21. In the moment of temptation, think of the Love that awaits you in heaven, foster the virtue of hope.

St. Josemaria Escriva

22. Heaven is where all tears are wiped away.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

23. Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.

St. Jerome

24. As in heaven Your will is punctually performed, so may it be done on earth by all creatures, particularly in me and by me.

25. O Saving Victim, opening wide, the gate of heaven to us below. Our foes press on from every side, Your aid supply, Your strength bestow.

Faith, Quote, Quotes of Saints, Spirituality

Twenty-five Quotes from the Saints about Anger

June 17, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

During chaotic times when we are troubled, we only need to look to the Saints. Their words of wisdom can guide us through rough times. The following quotes are insights into how they delt with anger.

1. Imagine your anger to be a kind of wild beast, because it has ferocious teeth and claws, and if you don’t tame it, it will devastate all things, even corrupting the soul.

St. John Chrysostom.

2. He who is not angry when there is just cause for anger is immoral. Why? Because anger looks to the good of justice, and if you can live amid injustice without anger, you are immoral as well as unjust.

3. Hope has two lovely daughters, anger and courage…Anger at the way things are and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.

4. Anger is a weed; hate is a tree.

5. There was never an angry man that thought his anger unjust.

6. When you are angry with someone, the way to find peace is to pray for that person and ask God to reward him or her for making you suffer!

7. He who continues in anger, strife, and a bitter spirit, has a tast of the air of Hell.

St. Philip Neri

8. As long as anger lives, she continues to be the fruitful mother of many unhappy children.

St. John Climacus

9. There is no sin, nor wrong that gives man such a foretaste of Hell in this life as anger and impatience.

10. If we lived in a state where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us saintly. But since we see that avarice, anger, pride and stupidity commonly profit far beyond charity, modesty, justice and thought, perhaps we must stand fast a little, even at risk of being heroes.

St. Thomas More

11. It is better to cry than to be angry, because anger hurts others while tears flow silently through the soul and cleans the heart.

12. Many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head and knows not that it brings abundance to drive away the hunger.

St. Basil

13. Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

St. Ignatius of Antioch

14. Where there is schism and anger, there is no place for God.

15. It avails nothing to subdue the body, if the mind allows itself to be controlled by Anger.

Pope Gregory the Great

16. A soul arms itself with prayer for all kinds of combat.

St. Faustina

17. You will accomplish more by kind words and a courteous manner than by anger or sharp rebuke, which should never be used except in necessity.

St. Angela Merici

18. When you feel the assault of passion and anger, then is the time to be silent as Jesus was silent in the midst of His sufferings.

St. Paul of the Cross

19. Virtues are formed by prayer, Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit and raises man to Heaven.

St. Ephrem the Syrian

20. Anger is as a stone into a wasp’s nest.

St. Pope Paul VI

Pope Paul VI in 1963. Vatican City official photo/Creative Commons

21. No matter what provokes it, anger blinds the soul’s eyes, preventing it from seeing the Son of Righteousness

St John Cassian

22. The memory of insults is the residue of anger.

23. Pride is the king of vices. It is the first of pallbearers of the soul…other vices destroy only their opposite virtues, as wantonness destroys chastity, greed destroys temperance, anger destroys gentleness, but pride destroys all virtue.

Ven. Fulton Sheen

24. It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce.

25. Are you angry? Be angry at your sins, beat your soul, afflict your conscience, but strict in judgement and a terrible punisher of your own sins. This is the benefit of anger, wherefore God placed it in us.

Faith, Prayer, Quote, Quotes of Saints, Spirituality

Twenty Five Quotes about Prayer from the Saints

Quote May 25, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

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. Terese of Lisieux

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.

St. Theresa of Calcutta

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.

St. Anthony of Padua

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. Alphonsas Liguori

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!

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.

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.

St. Patrick

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.