Category Archives: Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; Feast Day of Augustinian Martyrs of Gafsa (Africa)

Quote August 26, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Symbol of the ]Augustinian Order — Symbol of the
Augustinian Order

The feast day of the Martyrs of Gafsa is celebrated on August 26.

St. Augustine founded several monasteries on Northern Africa. After the death of St. Augustine in 484, King Hunmeric ordered all monasteries abolished and the monks and nuns turned over to the Moors.

The seven brothers from the Gafsa, Tunisia monastery were arrested. They were: Deacon Boniface, Subdeacons Scrvus and Rusticus; Abott Liberatus and Monks: Rogatus, Septimus and Maximus.

After being taken prisoner they were taken to Carthage. They were offered bribes to renounce Christianity. When they refused they were thrown into prison. Christians living in Carthage bribed the jailers who let them offer support to the prisoners. However, the King was informed and he then ordered the prisoners burned to death. The youngest monk, Maximus was given a second chance to renounce Christianity. He refused and pledged his allegiance to God and his Augustinian brothers.

The soldiers tied bundles of dry wood to the monks and placed them on an old raft. They were however, unable to make the wood burn. The King became infuriated and ordered the monks to be beaten to death.

The seven Augustinian brothers are honored as martyrs of the faith.

What unites our soul most closely to God is self-denial;

that is, joining our will to the will of God.

That is what makes the soul truly free.

Quote of St. Faustina; Feast day October 5

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Genesius of Rome, Feast Day August 25

Quote August 25, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Genesius of Rome

The feast day of St. Genesius of Rome is celebrated on August 25. St. Genesius is the patron saint of actors, comedians and clowns.

St. Genesius was a legal clerk who also performed as an actor. He lived in the third century. St. Genesius performed for Emperor Diocletian.

One of the plays he performed in was about a catechumen (student of Christianity) who was about to be baptized. It was a satire which mocked the sacrament. However, it was influencing St. Genesius to desire baptism. During the play, he saw angels around him and requested baptism.

The emperor was so outraged, he had Genesius arrested and tortured. He was eventually beheaded.

God calls me now, tomorrow will be too late.

Quote of St. Peter Julian Eymard; Feast day August 2

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Our Lady, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of Fatima, Feast Day May 13

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Our Lady of Fatima Public Domain Image — Our Lady of Fatima
Public Domain Image

The Feast day of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated on May 13.

In 1917, an angel and Our Lady appeared six times to three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal. Jacinta (7 years old) and Francisco (9 years old) were brother and sister. Lucy Dos Santos (14 years old) was their cousin. Jacinta and Francisco both died several years after the apparitions.

Francisco was born on June 11, 1908. During the apparitions Francisco could see but not hear what was being said. He had a great love of praying before the Blessed Sacrament. He also had a great devotion to praying the Rosary. He received his first communion on the day of his death, April 4, 1919.

Jacinta was born on March 11, 1910. Jacinta could both hear and see what was said during the apparitions. She was profoundly affected when Our Lady told her that Jesus was very offended by sin. After seeing a vision of hell, she decided to offer herself completely to the salvation of souls. She offered her suffering to free souls from the fires of hell. A year after the apparitions she came down with bronchial pneumonia, an abscessed lung and then was diagnosed with tuberculosis. She offered all of her suffering to Jesus. She was rushed to a hospital in Lisbon. The Blessed Virgin visited her their three times. She died without the presence of her parents or Lucy on Feb.20, 1920.

Lucy was born on March 22, 1907. After the apparitions Our Lady told her that her cousins would soon be in heaven and that Lucy should spread the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Our Lady said “My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way which will lead you to God.” It was Lucy who requested a miracle so people would believe in the apparitions. During the investigations surrounding the apparitions, Lucy was harassed. She entered the Sisters of St. Dorothy as Sister Mary of the Sorrowful Mother. Later she became a Carmelite Sister taking the name Sister Maria Lucia. She had several more visions of Our Lady. Lucy died on Feb. 3, 2005 at the age of 97.

The children saw a brilliant flash of lightning. A beautiful Lady appeared clothed in white and she asked the children to return on the thirteenth of each month. She asked the children to pray the Rosary daily and for devotion to her Immaculate Heart. She also requested prayer for Russia. Our Lady of Fatima spoke of observing the first Saturdays of each month by going to confession and receiving Holy Communion as a devotion to the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

On the final visit, a dramatic “dance of the sun” took place. It was witnessed by thousands of people. The sun seemed to tumble from the sky.

During the apparitions in Fatima three secrets were revealed to the children.

After being promised they would go to heaven the children saw a vision of hell which was filled with fire and demons.
Mary instructed the children how to save souls from Hell and convert the world to Christianity. She asked them to spread the devotion to the Immaculate Heart and to pray the Rosary. She asked them to pray for Russia.
The children had a vision of the assassination of the Holy Father.

Many believe the third secret was a prophecy of the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II. Pope John Paul II canonized Francisco and Jacinta Marto on May 13, 2000.

Several chapels have been built at the site.

Pope John Paul II gave thanks to Our Lady of Fatima for her intercession after he survived an attempted assassination. He reminded the faithful that “the message of Fatima is a call to conversion and repentance, the nucleus of the message of the Gospel”.

There is no queen like humility to make the King surrender. Humility drew the King from heaven to the womb of the Virgin, and with it, by one hair, we will draw Him to our souls.

Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast day October 15

Our Lady of Fatima in Art

May is the Month of Our Lady.

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Apostle, Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bartholomew, Feast Day August 24

Quote August 24, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Bartholomew Public Domain Image — St. Bartholomew
Public Domain Image

St. Bartholomew was born in Galilee. He was also known as Nathanael. Bartholomew was one of the original twelve Apostles called by Jesus. We know very little about Bartholomew except that he was faithful to Jesus and did his best to spread Christianity after the Resurrection of Jesus. St. Bartholomew is the patron saint against neurological diseases and leather workers.

Bartholomew was present at the Last Supper and he witnessed the Ascension.

After the resurrection, Bartholomew preached in India, Ethiopia and Asia Minor. He was flayed and beheaded by King Astyages in Armenia for converting souls to Christianity.

The feast day of St. Bartholomew is celebrated on Aug. 24.

The only way to peace is forgiveness.

Quote of St. John Paul II

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Dominican Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Rose of Lima, Feast Day August 23

Quote August 23, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Rose of Lima Public Domain Image — St. Rose of Lima

The feast day of St. Rose of Lima is celebrated on August 23. She is the first saint of the Americas and known as the First Flower of America and the Patroness of the New World. She is the patron saint of florists and gardeners.

St. Rose was born in April 1586 in Lima, Peru to Oliva and Gaspar Flores. She was the 7th of 11 children. Her birth name was Isabel. However, her mother and friends witnessed a mystical rose descend from the air and light on her face while she was just an infant. From then on she was called Rose.

Rose clearly had a religious calling from an early age. After reading about St. Catherine of Siena, she decided to imitate her. She fasted at least 3 times a week. She found ways to do penance and offer her suffering for the good of others. She understood redemptive suffering from an early age. When given praise for her beauty, she cut her hair and disfigured her face by rubbing it with pepper. She was also know for placing thorns under the garland of roses she wore in her hair to remind her of the crown of thorns Jesus wore.

St. Rose wished to enter the convent. However, her parents refused to let her. Finally, after ten years of struggle and refusal to marry she became a Third Order Dominican. She lived in her home just as St. Catherine of Siena did. St. Rose received the Blessed Sacrament daily and lived her life in silence and seclusion, enjoying the family garden.

St. Rose suffered from arthritis and asthma. She was also disturbed by spiritual dreams. Her friend Brother Martin de Porres reassured her that her visions were from God. During the last three years of her life, St. Rose began caring for the elderly and sick. she used a room in the house in which she lived.

During the inquisition, St. Rose faced an examination. They found her to be in God’s favor in the midst of suffering.

At the age of 31 St. Rose came down with a high fever. She died from the fever and paralysis. A multitude of people attended her funeral.

St. Rose was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671.

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

Quote of St. Rose of Lima

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Feast of the Queenship of Mary, Feast Day August 22

Quote August 22, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The Coronation of the Virgin Mary by Pencz Public Domain Image — The Coronation of the Virgin Mary
by Pencz

The feast day of The Queenship of Mary is celebrated on August 22.

Why is Mary called a Queen? What other title would you give to the mother of the Prince of Peace? A prince grows up to become a King. Jesus is often referred to as our Lord and King. The mother of a King is given the title of Queen.

The title of Queen began as early as the sixth century. Mary has been referred to as Queen in several hymns since the 11th century. The prayer Hail Holy Queen is the prayer which finalizes the Rosary which was begun by St. Dominic.

When we think of Mary as the Mother of Jesus, our King, we should also reflect on our spiritual family as well. We are all children of God, Our Creator. The Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph did not wear earthly crowns, but they reveal to us a kingdom of another kind…the kingdom of God. In the Our Father, we pray…thy kingdom come. We are meant to be a part of this kingdom. As children of God, we are royal children. Our relationship with God is meant to be that of a family. God is our Father, Lord and King. Mary is our Queen Mother and we are called to be royal children who will live in the kingdom of God.

Communication is the key to a happy family. Prayer is how we communicate with our spiritual family. We are not alone! Not only can God hear our prayers, but the angels and saints can also hear our prayers. When we join our prayers together they become much stronger. Mary’s prayers especially have special meaning and power. After all, she is the Queen mother!

As we journey through this earthly kingdom, let us strive to earn a place in the kingdom of God…where the virtues of humility and love are seen in everyone.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen enthroned above, O Maria.

Hail, Queen of mercy and of love, O Maria.

Triumph, all ye cherubim,

Sing with us, ye seraphim,

Heaven and earth resound the hymn: