Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gaspar del Bufalo, Feast Day October 21

Quote October 23, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Gaspar del Bufalo Public Domain Image — St. Gaspar del Bufalo

The feast day of St. Gaspar del Bufalo is celebrated on October 21. He is the founder of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood.

St. Gaspar was born in Rome on Jan. 6, 1786. He was well educated in the faith by his pious mother. At the age of two, he almost died. It was through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier that he was cured of his illness.

At the age of 18, he organized a program to minister to the marginalized in the society. He offered religious instruction to the poor in the area and became the catechist of orphans and poor children. At the age of 22 he was ordained a priest.

Because St. Gaspar refused to take an oath of allegiance to Napoleon, he was exiled and imprisoned. His response was the following:

“I would rather die or suffer evil than to take such an oath.

I cannot, I must not, I will not!”

St. Gaspar spent five years in jail for refusing to take the oath. While imprisoned he envisioned a religious community dedicated to the precious blood of Christ. After his release, he founded the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Most Precious Blood in Giano.

When a cholera epidemic broke out in Rome St. Gaspar ministered to the victims even though he was in ill health himself.

St. Gaspar died Dec. 28, 1837.

We must let it be known how the Blood of Christ cleanses the souls and sanctifies them, particularly by means of the sacraments.

Quote of St. Gaspar del Bufalo

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul of the Cross, Feast Day October 20

Quote October 21, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Paul of the Cross Public Domain Image — St. Paul of the Cross

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul of the Cross, Feast Day October 20

The feast day of St. Paul of the Cross is celebrated on October 20.

St. Paul of the Cross was born in the Ovada in the Republic of Genoa on Jan. 3, 1694. His parents had 16 children, of whom only six survived.

When St. Paul was young he fell into a river. He was rescued by a beautiful woman he believed to be the Blessed Virgin.

He was called to the religious life early. He had a tender devotion to Our Blessed Lady, and the Sorrowful Heart of Mary. St. Paul of the Cross worked as a hospital chaplain for 21 years before founding the Passionist Order after having a vision. In the vision, he saw himself clothed in the habit that his community would wear: a long, black robe with a white symbol stitched in the center and a white cross above a white heart that held the words, “passion of Jesus Christ.” His brother John Baptist joined the order also. The new community was grounded in poverty and solitude and had a mission to encourage people to meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus.

The mission of St. Paul of the Cross was to reach out to the poor and abandoned people, preaching the message of faith, compassion and loving redemption. He was a popular preacher, poet, and mystic. He became known for miracles. St. Paul was given supernatural gifts. He could see into the future and heal sick people through his prayer and touch. St. Paul of the Cross was known as a very holy man and considered a saint.

At the age of 81, St. Paul of the Cross died in Rome in the year 1775.

The universal Church feast (memorial) of St Paul of the Cross is celebrated worldwide on October 19th. In the USA it is celebrated on October 20, because of the memorial of the North American Martyrs on the 19th.

Carry a bouquet of the suffering of Jesus

on the altar of your heart.

Quote of St. Paul of the Cross

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Laura of Cordoba, Feast Day October 19

Quote October 21, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Laura of Cordoba is celebrated on October 19. She was a widow and martyr.

St. Laura lived in Spain in the ninth century. It’s culture was primarily Muslim. After her husband died she became a nun at Cuteclara . She eventually became the abbess.

St. Laura is one of the 48 Martyrs of Cordoba. She was captured and scalded to death by being placed in a vat of boiling lead.

It is You Jesus, stretched out on the cross, who gives me strength and are always close to the suffering soul. Creatures will abandon a person in his suffering, but You, O Lord, are faithful.

Quote of St. Faustina

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Luke the Evangelist, Feast Day October 18

Quote October 20, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Luke the Evangelist Public Domain Image — St. Luke the Evangelist

The feast day of St. Luke the Evangelist is celebrated on October 18. He is the patron saint of physicians and surgeons.

St. Luke was born in Antioch, Syria. He did not know Jesus. However, he converted from paganism and became a companion of St. Paul. He accompanied him on his missions and into prison two different times.

St. Luke is the author of the third Gospel. His gospel focuses on the merciful heart of Jesus. We also learn about the childhood of Jesus in his Gospel. Three canticles (hymns) were preserved by St. Luke: The Benedictus, the Magnificat and the Nune Dimittis (Canticle of Simeon).

Icon Painted by St. Luke

Legend tells us that St. Luke was also an artist and painted the portrait of the Blessed Virgin.

St. Luke became the patron saint of physicians because he was a physician.

St. Luke died in Achaia (Greece) at the age of 84. It is unknown if he was a martyr.

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.

Quote of St. Ephrem; Feast day June 9

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ignatius of Antioch, Feast Day October 17

Quote October 19, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Ignatius of Antioch Public Domain Image — St. Ignatius of Antioch

The feast day of St. Ignatius of Antioch is celebrated on October 17. He is known as a church father and martyr.

At birth, St. Ignatius was named Theophorus. He became the third Bishop of Antioch in around year 70. The Roman Emperor Dometian declared that he was ‘god’ and required homage. Those who refused were executed.

St. Ignatius led the Christians in Antioch by encouraging prayer and fasting. Emperor Trajan had Ignatius arrested and sent to Syria in chains to be executed. St. Ignatius was able to dictate letters to the six local churches while imprisoned. Most of what we know about St. Ignatius is from his writing.

St. Ignatius had a devotion to the Bless Virgin Mary. He wrote the following:

He who is devoted to the Virgin Mother will certainly never be lost.

In the letters that survived, St. Ignatius warned of false teachers. He focused on unity and the dangers of heresy. He also emphasized the importance of the Eucharist and the humanity of Christ.

St. Ignatius was fed to the lions in the Amphitheater in Rome in the year 107. His last words were:I am the wheat of the Lord. I must be ground by the teeth of these beasts to be made the pure bread of Christ.

Quote of St. Ignatius of Antioch

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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patron saints, Sacred Heart, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Feast Day October 16

Quote October 18, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Margaret Mary Public Domain Image — St. Margaret Mary

The feast day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque is celebrated on October 16. She is known as the Apostle of the Sacred Heart.

St. Margaret Mary was born to Claude and Philiberte Lamyn on July 22, 1647 in Lhautecour, France. She was the fifth of seven children. She was baptized with name of Margaret and added the name of Mary when she was confirmed in the faith in 1669. From an early age Margaret had a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Margaret’s father died when she was eight years old. She was sent to a school run by Urbanist Nuns at Chavolles.

Margaret became very ill and was unable to walk. After consecrating herself to the Blessed Virgin, she promised that if cured, she would be one of her daughters. She was immediately cured.

Thrust into poverty after her father’s death, she considered marriage, which caused her internal conflict. Her desire to become a nun prevailed. She joined the Visitation Order in 1671.

St. Margaret Mary began having visions on Dec. 17, 1073. They continued until June 1675. Jesus appeared to her giving her the task of encouraging and teaching a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This included a Holy Hour on Thursdays to reflect on how the Apostles abandoned Him during the Agony in the Garden. It also encouraged receiving communion on 1st Fridays.

After suffering many years of from doubt and despair, St. Margaret Mary died at the age of 43. She had served two terms as assistant supervisor. With the help of St. Claude de la Columbiere, the feast day became popular. The Sacred Heart symbolizes the boundless love given by Jesus in the Eucharist and His Passion and death

I need nothing but God and to lose myself to the Heart of Jesus.

Quote of St. Margaret Mary

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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The Mystery of Faith

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gaspar del Bufalo, Feast Day October 21

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul of the Cross, Feast Day October 20

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Paul of the Cross, Feast Day October 20

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Laura of Cordoba, Feast Day October 19

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Luke the Evangelist, Feast Day October 18

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ignatius of Antioch, Feast Day October 17

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, Feast Day October 16

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism