Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsa, Feast Day July 28

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St. Alphonsa Public Domain Image
St. Alphonsa

The feast day of St. Alphonsa is celebrated on July 28.  She was born in Muttahupadathu, India in 1910.  She is the second canonized saint of India.

Baptized with the name Anna, she had a difficult birth and childhood.  Her mother died three months after she was born.  She was raised by her maternal Aunt.  After falling into a pit of burning chaff, her feet were badly burned leaving her disabled. At an early age, after reading the biography of St. Therese of Lisieux, she had a great desire to become a saint.

In 1927 at the age of 17 she joined the Poor Clares at Christ Convent at Bharananganam.   She took the name Alphonsa.  She completed her permanent vows in 1936. After completing her own education. Alphonsa taught school but she was plaqued by illness.She became known for her willingness to accept suffering.  After enduring several different types of illnesses over many years St. Alphonsa died at the age of 35.  Her tomb is a site for pilgrims due to the many reported miracles at the site. The miracle which was approved by the Vatican for her canonization was the curing of a child with a club foot. St. Alphonsa was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

 

Since only grief and suffering have fallen to the lot of my Spouse, I too lovingly embrace them and my soul is at peace, though the body continues to be tormented.  For the last seven years I have ceased to be my own, being given over entirely to my Divine Spouse.  You know all that and now let the Lord do as He will with me.  It is not a cure I am anxious for but only that His Holy Will be fulfilled in me.

 Quote of St. Aphonsa

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

Carmelite Saints, Faith, Martyr

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Titus Brandsma, Feast Day July 27

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Bl. Titus Brandsma

The feast day of Bl. Titus Brandsma is celebrated on July 27. His birth name was Anno Sjoera Brandsma. He was born on Feb. 23 in Fries land, Netherlands. Titus grew up in a small farming village. Bl. Titus knew from an early age that he had a religious calling. He applied to join the Franciscans but was turned down due to health. On Sept. 17, 1898 he joined the Carmelites. He took the name of Titus which was his father’s name. He took his first vows in 1899 and was ordained in 1904. Bl. Titus earned a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Roman Gregorian University.

Bl. Titus Brandsma taught at the Catholic University in Nijmegen. He was also a journalist and writer. He wrote against the Nazi propaganda which caused the Socialists to notice him. The Gestapo watched him closely after the invasion of the Netherlands. He was arrested on Jan. 19, 1931 for declaring Nazism was not compatible with the Christian faith. He was abused in prison for several weeks.

Bl. Titus Brandsma was deported to the Dachau concentration camp in June 1931. Although he was severely mistreated he asked fellow prisoners to pray for the guards. He wrote many reflections while in prison. When he was no longer able to work the Nazis used him for medical experimentation.

On July 26, 1931 Bl. Titus Brandsma was killed from a lethal injection. Before he died he gave his Rosary to the doctor who killed him. The nurse who assisted the doctor returned to the faith because of his witness to Christ.

St. John Paul II beatified Titus Brandsma on Nov. 3 1985.

 

They who want to win the world for Christ

must have the courage to come into conflict with it.

Quote of Bl. Titus Brandsma

 

July is the Month of The Most Precious Blood.

 

Faith, patron saints

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joachim & St. Anne, Feast Day July 26

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St. Anne and St. Joachim Public Domain Image
St. Anne and St. Joachim

On July 26th the Catholic church will celebrate the feast day of Sts. Anne and Joachim. They are the parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus.  St. Anne and St. Joachim are the patron saints of parents and grandparents.

Although most of what we know about them is legendary, their names were passed down in the non-biblical Gospel of James. Tradition tells us they were wealthy but pious. St. Anne conceived late in life, after the appearance of an angel. The Angel promised them they would have a child. Anne promised to dedicate the child to God. The feast day of The Holy Family is celebrated the Sunday after Christmas.

We reflect on their feast day about the importance of family and love. Tradition also tells us that a church was built on the site of the home of St. Joachim and St. Anne at the Mount of Olives.

 

We are created in the image of God…

from the time there is conception there is the life of God…

that is why it is so wrong to destroy life,

to destroy the image of God.

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta; Feast day September 5

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

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Apostle, Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. James the Greater, Feast Day July 25

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St. James the Greater

On July 25, the Catholic Church will be celebrating the feast day of St. James the Greater. St. James was a fisherman and the brother of John. Peter was his partner. When they were called to become Apostles of  Jesus, they left everything to do so.  St. James the Greater is the patron saint of laborers and Spain.

There were two Apostles named James. James the Greater is the older of the two. He was also called “The Son of Thunder”.  James, John and Peter were honored to be the only Apostles present at the Transfiguration. They were also present in the Garden of Gethsemane while Jesus prayed before His death.

Tradition tells us he evangelized in Spain after the crucifixion for nine years. St. James the Greater was the first Apostle to be martyred. In the year 44, King Herod Agrippa killed him with a sword during the early persecutions of the Church.

 

Truly, matters in the world are in a bad state,

but if you and I begin in earnest to reform ourselves,

a really good beginning will have been made.

Quote of St. Peter Alcantara; Feast day October 19

 

St. James the Greater in Art

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Faith, Martyr, Prayer, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Boste, Feast Day July 24

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St. John Boste

St. John Boste is one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.  Their feast day is celebrated together on October 25.   The Feast Day of St. John Boste is celebrated on July 24, the anniversary of his death.

St. John Boste was born in Dufton Westmoreland in 1544.  He attended Queen’s College, Oxford.  He became the first headmaster to serve under Queen Elizabeth l.  He converted to Catholicism and was received into the Church in 1576.  After leaving England he was ordained a priest in Rheims in 1581.

St. John Boste returned to England as a missionary priest.  He evaded arrest for ten years.  After a betrayal, he was finally arrested.  He was found hiding behind a fireplace after celebrating a forbidden Mass.  He was taken to the Tower of London and interrogated on the rack.  He was then hung, drawn and quartered while reciting the Angelus prayer.

 

My function is to invade souls, not to meddle in temporal invasions.

Quote of St. John Boste

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

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patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bridget of Sweden, Feast Day July 23

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St. Bridget of Sweden by Heliga Birgitta Public Domain Image
St. Bridget of Sweden   by Heliga Birgitta       

The feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden is celebrated on July 23. St. Bridget of Sweden was born on June 14, 1303. She was the daughter of Berger Persson and wife, Ingeborg. Her family was wealthy, pious, and went on long pilgrimages to the Holy Land.  St. Bridget of Sweden is  the patron of Sweden, Europe, and widows.

At the age of ten her mother died. Her sister Kathleen, infant brother Israel, and Bridget were sent to her maternal aunt for education and care. As a young child Bridget had a vivid dream vision of The Man of Sorrows. When she asked who had done this to him He responded,

“All those who despise my love.”

This dream vision left an indelible mark on her.

She married early, as was the custom, at 13 years old to Ulf Gudransson. They had eight children, four sons and four daughter. The newly married King of Sweden asked her to be a Lady in waiting and teach the young queen the language and customs of her new country.

St. Bridget became a widow when she was 41 years old when her husband died of severe illness. She prayed for guidance, after which she founded a new religious order (The Brigitta’s), mainly for women. She reported many visions and revelations, some which can be found in the “Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget”.

In August, 1370, Pope Urban V confirmed the Rule of her congregation. Bridget made earnest representations to Pope Urban, urging the removal of the Holy See from Avignon back to Rome.

In 1349 she journeyed to Rome where she stayed until she died in 1373.

 

My Lord Jesus Christ, Your blessed, royal, and magnificent heart

could never, by torments or terrors or blandishments, be swayed,

from the defense of Your kingdom of truth and justice.

Quote of St. Bridget of Sweden.

 

July is the Month of the Precious Blood.

 

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism