Category Archives: Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Lucy Filippini, Feast Day March 25

March 24, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Lucy Filippini is celebrated on March 25.

St. Lucy Filippini was born in Corneto-Tarquinia, Italy in 1672. Her mother died before she turned a year old. Her father died when she was seven years old. Lucy was a very prayerful child. She was raised by her aunt and uncle who had her educated by the Benedictine nuns at Santa Lucia.

Cardinal Marcantonio Barbarigo made a great impression on Lucy when he visited her church. She turned to him for guidance. She had a devotion to Our Lady and wanted to leave the world behind her. The cardinal put Lucy in charge of opening new schools to teach girls.

St. Lucy and Rosa Venerini were Co founders of the Institute of the Maestre Pie which was dedicated to teaching girls, including poor girls. Young girls were taught domestic arts, weaving, embroidery, reading and Christian doctrine. Twelve years later the Cardinal devised a set of rules to guide Lucy and her followers in religious life. Lucy helped to found 52 schools. Pope Clement XI called Lucy to Rome in 1707 to start schools there.

St. Lucy died from breast cancer on March 25, 1732 on the Feast of the Annunciation. Her body lies incorrupt under the altar dedicated to her in the Cathedral of Montefiascone.

The Church of God is not a restful garden, but a working vineyard.

Quote of St. Lucy Filippini

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Faith, Prayer, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Turibius of Magrovejo, Feast Day March 23

March 22, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Turibius of Magrovejo is celebrated on March 23. St. Turibius was born in Mayorga, Spain in 1538 to a noble family. He was very prayerful as a child. He had a devotion to the rosary and The Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He studied law at the University of Salamanca. He practiced law as a judge for five years. King Phillip II was impressed by his holiness and wanted him to become a missionary. Turibius protested but eventually he was ordained a priest and then a Bishop in 1581. He was sent to Lima, Peru in South America.

In Peru, St. Turibius established schools, seminaries and hospitals. He learned the native languages to enable him to teach and minister to the people. He made three visitations of the entire diocese staying several days in each community. He denounced the exploitation of the Indians by Spanish nobles and brought about administrative reforms. He was assisted by St. Francis Solarius and St. Rose of Lima.

In 1606 he became seriously ill. Sensing his death he gave all his possessions to the poor before he died. St. Turibius was canonized in 1726.

Christ said “I am the Truth”, He did not say “I am the custom”‘.

Quote of St. Turibius of Magrovejo

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine of Sweden, Feast Day March 22

March 21, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Catherine of Sweden is celebrated on March 22.

St. Catherine was born in 1331 in Sweden to St. Brigid and Ulfo. At the age of thirteen she was married to Egad, a German nobleman. Catherine convinced him to take a mutual vow of chastity with her. They dedicated themselves to serving God and to a life of prayer.

After Catherine’s father died in 1349 Catherine traveled with her mother to Rome. Shortly after arriving there she learned of the death of her husband. St. Catherine and St. Brigid stayed in Rome for several years making pilgrimages to various holy places. St. Catherine refused to marry again. After several years, her mother also died. St. Catherine brought the body of her mother back to Sweden. She promoted the cause for her canonization and the approval of the Rule her mother had written for a group of religious women. Catherine became the Abbess of the Convent of Wadstena.

St. Catherine was known for daily participation in the Sacrament of Confession to purify her soul. St. Catherine wrote a book titled Consolation of a Soul.

Pope Innocent VIII assigned her the feast day of March 22. She was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1484.

If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world on fire.
Let the truth be your delight…proclaim it…but with a certain congeniality.

Quote of St. Catherine of Sweden

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Dominican Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ambrose Sansedoni, Feast Day March 20

Quote March 19, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Ambrose Sansedoni is celebrated on March 20.

St. Ambrose Sansedoni was born in Siena, Italy in 1220. At birth, he was very deformed. He needed the care of a nurse. The nurse found that he was most peaceful when he was in St. Mary Magdalene Church near the altar. She reported that an unknown pilgrim said,

“Do not cover that child’s face. He will one day be the glory of this city.”

A few days later the child stretched out his deformed limbs saying the name “Jesus” and was healed; all of his deformities were gone

.
As a child Ambrose was very devout. He prayed and meditated during the night. He was drawn to reading the lives of the saints and reciting from the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin.

At the age of 17, he joined the Dominicans in Siena, Italy. He was sent to study for the priesthood in Paris, France and Cologne, Germany with St. Thomas Aquinas. As a priest he devoted himself to preaching and teaching. He became well known for his elegant preaching. He also became a peacemaker; restoring peace between Venice and Genoa and also between Florence and Pisa.

St. Ambrose died of natural causes in 1287. His writings have not survived.

To be an angel in prayer, and a beast in one’s relations with people is to go lame in both legs.

St. Francis de Sales; Feast day January 24

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joseph, Feast Day March 19

March 18, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Joseph is celebrated on March 19. St. Joseph is the patron for a happy death because tradition tells us that he died with Jesus and Mary at his side.

Joseph was engaged to be married to Mary, when she was found with child. He was going to divorce her quietly to avoid scandal, however an angel appeared to him in a dream, saying,

“Joseph, son of David, do no be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Mat: 1: 20-21

Joseph immediately took Mary as his wife. The angel appeared to Joseph a second time. This time he was told his family was in danger. They fled to Egypt where they stayed until the angel told him it was safe to return.
Joseph worked as a carpenter. He was the foster father of Jesus, loving him and providing for him and Mary. Jesus, Mary and Joseph are referred to as “The Holy Family”.
We celebrate two feast days for St. Joseph. The first is on March 19; Feast day of St. Joseph,Husband of Mary. The second feast day is May 1; The Feast day of St. Joseph the Worker.

Always keep your devotion to St. Joseph, as I do. He will be your guide and counselor, just as he was
to Our Lady.

Quote of St. John XXIII; Feast day October 11

March is the Month of St. Joseph

St. Joseph in Art

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Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Feast Day March 18

March 17, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Cyril of Jerusalem is celebrated on March 18.

St. Cyril was born in 315. He was raised in Jerusalem by a Christian family. Little is known about his early life. He was ordained by St. Maximus. He was a great instructor of catecheumans who were studying to become baptized into the church.

While serving as Bishop of Jerusalem, he was exiled from Jerusalem three times by the Arianists who denied the belief in the divinity of Christ. After his final return to Jerusalem he he attended the Council of Constantinople. He died in 386 at the age of 70.

St. Cyril is a Doctor of the Church.

If Christ could change water into wine, can He not change wine into His own blood?

Quote of St. Cyril of Jerusalem

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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The Mystery of Faith

Category Archives: Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Lucy Filippini, Feast Day March 25

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Turibius of Magrovejo, Feast Day March 23

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine of Sweden, Feast Day March 22

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ambrose Sansedoni, Feast Day March 20

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joseph, Feast Day March 19

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Feast Day March 18

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