Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent de Paul, Feast Day September 27




St. Vincent de Paul Public Domain Image
St. Vincent de Paul
Public Domain Image

 

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Vincent de Paul, Feast Day September 27

The feast day of St. Vincent de Paul is celebrated on September 27.  He is the patron saint of charities, hospitals and volunteers.

St. Vincent was born at Pouy, Gascony in Southern France in 1581 into a large peasant family.  At the age of 15, he entered a Franciscan seminary.   He tutored children until he was ordained a priest in 1600.

In `1605, St. Vincent was traveling on a ship from Marseilles to Narborne when he was captured by Moorish pirates!  He was sold as a slave in Africa.  After two years as a slave, he escaped and returned to France.

At Avignon St. Vincent continued to study.  He became the chaplain to the Count of Goigny and was placed in charge of the charities for the poor.   This inspired him to preach missions to provide relief for the poor.  St. Vincent founded a missionary group known as the  Vincentians. The priests in the Order served people primarily in small towns and villages.  They had a devotion to helping the poor.

Next, St. Vincent along with the help of St. Louise de Marillac, founded the Sisters of Charity.  He organized the rich women in Paris to collect money for hiss missionary projects, including several hospitals.  He also collected money for victims of war and ransomed over 1200 slaves from N. Africa.

The motto of St. Vincent was “God see you”.  He became known as the Apostle of Charity and the Father of the Poor.

St. Vincent died at the age of 80.  His heart remains incorrupt and can be found in the Convent of the Sisters of Charity in Paris.  He is credited with two miracles.  The first was the curing of a nun with ulcers.  The second was a laywoman cured of paralysis.

St. Vincent de Paul was canonized by Pope Clement XII on June 16, 1737.

St. Vincent’s bones and heart are perfectly incorrupt and have been placed inside a wax figure of his body. His relics can be seen in the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Paris.

 

Do not feel that all is lost because of the revolt you feel inside.  It has rained hard.  The thunder has crashed.  Is the weather any less beautiful because of that?  Be assured you are not, for all that, any less dear to our Lord.

Quote of St. Vincent de Paul

 

September is the Month of Our Sorrowful Mother

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Terese Couderc, Feast Day September 26




 

St. Terese Couderc Public Domain Image
St. Terese Couderc

The feast day of St. Terese Couderc is celebrated on September 26.  She is the founder of the Cenacle Sisters.

St. Terese was born in Masle, France  on Feb. 1, 1805.  She joined the Sisters of St. Regis.  St. Terese and Father Stephen founded the Congregation of Our Lady of the Retreat in the Cenacle. She became its superior in 1828, and when the mother house was established, its superior general until 1838. St. Terese helped to conduct spiritual retreats.

The spirituality of St. Terese focused on surrendering her life to the will of God.  She experienced a vision which clarified for her the goodness of God in all creation.

On September. 26, 1885 St. Terese died of natural causes in Lyon, France at the age of 80.  She was canonized in 1970 by Pope Paul VI.

 

Take a step at a time in the darkness, and the path will unwind beneath your feet.  It is not necessary to understand God’s purposes.  Just follow His will.

Quote of St. Terese Couderc

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Herman the Cripple, Feast Day September 25




Bl. Herman the Cripple
Bl. Herman the Cripple

The feast day of Bl. Herman the Cripple  is celebrated on September 25.  He is the patron saint of the unborn child and the disabled.

Bl. Herman was  the son of the Earl of Altshausen in southern Germany.  He was born with a cleft palate, cerebral palsy and possibly spina bifida.  The doctors told his parents he would not live past five years of age.  He lived to be 41.

Herman had trouble with both moving and speaking.  His parents cared for him until the age of seven.  He was then given to the Abbey of Reichenau to be cared for.  The monks raised him in the Benedictine monastery where he became interested in theology and the spiritual world.  In spite of his disabilities, Bl. Herman was very intelligent.  He studied math, astronomy, theology, history, poetry , Arabic, Greek and Latin.  He built musical instruments and was known for his poetry.  At the age of 20 Herman became a Benedictine monk.

Towards the end of his life Herman suffered from blindness.  He began writing hymns.  The most famous are the Salve Regina, Hail Holy Queen and Redemptoris Mater.  Bl. Herman used prayer and music to grow closer to God.

Bl. Herman died at the age of 41 in 1054.  Because so many children with disabilities die because of abortion, Bl. Herman is the saint of the unborn child.  He is also the patron saint of the disabled.

 

Hail Holy Queen

 

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!   Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve.  To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.  Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us;  and after this, our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. 

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Prayer of Bl. Herman the Cripple

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gerard Sagredo, Feast Day September 24




St. Gerard Sagredo

 

The feast day of St. Gerard Sagredo is celebrated on September 24.  He is a martyr and patron saint of Hungary.

St. Gerard was born in Venice in 980.  He went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land but his ship landed at Istria.  He became the educator of the prince and played a role in the conversion of Hungary to Christianity.

St. Gerard became the first Bishop of Csanad in 1030.  After the death of the King, St. Stephen, he refused to serve the new King.  Persecution against Christians became common.

St. Gerard was martyred on September 24, 1046.  Legend states he was placed in a wooden barrel hauled to the hilltop and rolled down what is now named Gillert Hill.  At the bottom he was beaten to death.

St. Gerard Sagredo was canonized in 1083.

 

“It is in loving the cross that one discovers his heart.”

Quote of St. Bernadette;  Feast Day April 16

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Padre Pio, Feast Day September 23




 

St. Padre Pio Public Domain Image
St. Padre Pio
Public Domain Image

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Padre Pio,

Feast Day September 23

The feast day of St. Padre Pio is celebrated on September 23.  He is the first priest to receive the stigmata (wounds of Christ).

The name of Padre Pio at birth was Francesco Forgione.  He was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelc

ina, Italy.  He showed signs of a religious calling at a very early age, dedicating his life to God at the age of 5. Francesco was able to communicate with Jesus, Mary and his Guardian Angel.  He assumed this was common.

At the age of 15, he joined the Capuchin Order of the friars Minor in Morcone, Italy.  He was known for being a very contemplative priest.  When he celebrated Mass they lasted several hours due to the long, silent  moments of contemplative prayer.  When he was asked if he could shorten the Mass he replied:

“God knows that I want to say Mass just like any other priest, but I cannot do it.”

He gained a reputation of being a good counselor and people traveled many hours to speak with him.  Padre Pio was known as a man of prayer.  He encouraged praying the rosary and praying for the deceased souls in Purgatory.

On September 20, 1918, just a month after his ordination, he received the stigmata while praying before a crucifix at the age of 31.  For 50 years he suffered with the wounds of Christ.  He was given the gifts of healing, prophecy, miracles and the gift of tongues. He was also given the gift of “odor of sanctity”.  Quite often the scent of roses or lilies was present while people were with him.

Although given many spiritual gifts he always remained humble and in service to God.  He became sought out as a confessor, spending an average of 19 hours a day in the confessional.  People came from all corners of the earth to confess their sins to him.  He heard the confession of Pope John Paul II when he was a young priest.

Padre Pio founded a hospital called The Home for the Relief of Suffering.

“Bring God to all those who are sick.  This will help them more than any other remedy.”

At the age of 81 Padre Pio died while praying the rosary.

“After my death I will do more.  My real mission will begin after my death”

Over 100, 000 people attended the funeral of St. Padre Pio to celebrate his life.

Padre Pio was canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002.

 

“Your tears were collected by the angels and were placed in a gold chalice and you will find them when you present yourself before God.”

Quote of St. Padre Pio

 

St. Padre Pio Public Domain Image
St. Padre Pio
Public Domain Image

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September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Thomas of Villanova, Feast Day September 22




St. Thomas Villanova by Murillo Public Domain Image
St. Thomas Villanova Dividing His Clothes
by Murillo

The feast day of St. Thomas of Villanova is celebrated on September 22.  He served as the Bishop of Valencia for 11 years.

St. Thomas of Villanova was born in Fuenlana, Spain in 1488.  He was very generous to the poor and needy from a very early age.  He was known to give his clothes to those less fortunate.  At the age of 16 he entered the University of Alcala.  When his father died he gave away his inheritance to feed unmarried women.  He finished his studies in theology at Alcala and then became a Professor of Philosophy and Theology.  He joined the Hermits of St. Augustine becoming well known for his holiness and generosity.  He was ordained a priest of the order in 1518.

St. Thomas was chosen to be Archbishop of Granada but turned down the position.  Out of obedience to his superiors he accepted the position of Bishop of Valencia.  He served as bishop for eleven years.  While serving the people of Valencia he founded two colleges and built a hospital.  His love of the poor inspired him supply food for those who were hungry. He was given the gift of healing, miracles and conversion of sinners.

St. Thomas of Villanova died of Angina Pectoris at the age of 67 in 1658.  Miracles were attributed to him before and after his death.

Pope Alexander VII canonized St. Thomas of Villanova in 1658.

 

“Contrition is the remedy for sins.”

Quote of St. Thomas of Villanova

 

September is the Month of Our Sorrowful Mother

 

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