Tag Archives: Augustinian

Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Rita of Cascia, Feast Day May 22

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St. Rita De Cascia Public Domain Image

The feast day of St. Rita of Cascia is celebrated on May 22. She is the patron saint of impossible causes, abuse victims and widows.

St. Rita was born in 1386 in Cascia, Italy. She was known to be very spiritual even as a young child. She enjoyed visiting shrines and wished to become a nun. Her parents were opposed to the idea and arranged for her to be married. Her husband turned out to have a bad temper and was very difficult for her to live with. She dealt with his abuse with prayer, patience and kindness. They had twin sons. Their difficult marriage lasted 22 years.

St. Rita De Cascia public domain image

One day while returning home from work her husband was ambushed and killed. St. Rita’s sons were now teenagers and began to talk of revenging their father’s death. St. Rita turned to prayer. She prayed that her sons would not be able to go through with the revenge. Her prayer was soon answered. Both her sons died from a deadly illness soon after without taking revenge on their father’s killer.

After the death of her husband and sons, Rita applied to enter the Augustinian Convent. Her first attempt was denied because of the ongoing feud. Rita persisted however. She convinced her husband’s family to put aside their hostility. The two rival families embraced peace. Rita turned to St. John the Baptist, St. Nicholas of Tolentino and St. Augustine, requesting their intercession. The convent changed their decision and allowed her entry. She was 36 when she entered the monastery.

St. Rita had a great devotion for the passion of Christ. She meditated often on the crucifix. On Good Friday, 1442, St. Rita meditated on the suffering of Jesus on the crucifix. She offered to relieve Christ’s suffering by sharing even the smallest part of his pain. As she was meditating, a small wound on her forehead appeared. It appeared to be a thorn from the crown that Jesus wore. St. Rita had this stigmata  for 15 years.

'Saint_Rita_of_Cascia'_by_Antonio_de_Torres,_c._1720

St. Rita was confined to bed for the last four years of her life. She ate very little. The Eucharist sustained her and she remained joyful during her suffering. Before her death St. Rita requested a rose be brought to her from her parents’ garden even though it was January. Surprisingly, a rose was discovered to be blooming on the rosebush and it was presented to her. St. Rita gave thanks to God for this sign of God’s love.

Because this impossible request of St. Rita for a rose in January was answered she became the patron of impossible causes. It was also known that her prayers were known to obtain remarkable cures.

St. Rita died on May 29, 1456. Many miracles were recorded after her death . She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1900.

St. Rita’s incorrupt body is venerated today in the National Shrine of Cascia.

St. Rita public domain image

Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.

Quote of St. Jerome; JFeast day September 30

 

May is the Month of Our Lady 

Doctor of the Church, Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Augustine, Feast Day August 28

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St. Augustine of Hippo by Sandro Botticelli Public Domain Image
St. Augustine of Hippo
by Sandro Botticelli

The feast day of St. Augustine is celebrated on August 28th. St. Augustine is the patron saint of brewers.   St. Augustine was born in Africa.  His mother was St. Monica.

After the death of his father at the age of seventeen, St. Augustine left the church and led a loose life. He soon had both a mistress and a son. His mother St. Monica prayed for him for seventeen years before he returned to the faith.

Augustine began his search for faith by joining a group called the Manichees. Manichaeism teaches there are two gods at war with each other; good and evil. It also teaches that all matter is evil. He was hesitant to fully practice his faith due to physical desires. He is known for his statement

“O God, give me chastity, but not yet.”

Eventually, Augustine heard the preaching of St. Ambrose, which greatly influenced him. He began to study the bible. One day, after experiencing great remorse for his sins, Augustine heard a child singing, “Take up and read!” He opened his bible to the letters of St. Paul where he read “put away all impurity and live in imitation of Jesus.” From then on Augustine practiced his faith with zeal. He was baptized by St. Ambrose, ordained a priest and eventually became a bishop. He was also a famous writer. His book “Confessions” is considered a classic. After his death in 430 he was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

The following poem was written by St. Augustine.

 

Late have I loved you, Beauty so ancient and so new, late have I loved you! Lo, you were within, but I outside, seeking there for you,
and upon the shapely things you have made I rushed headlong – I, misshapen.
You were with me, but I was not with you. They held me back far from you,
those things which would have no being, were they not in you.

You called, shouted, broke through my deafness;
you flared, blazed, banished my blindness;
you lavished your fragrance, I gasped; and now I pant for you;
I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst;
you touched me, and I burned for your peace.

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

 

patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Maria Teresa Fasco, Feast Day October 12

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Bl. Maria Teresa Vasce
Bl. Maria Teresa Vasce

 

The feast day of Bl. Maria Teresa Fasco is celebrated on October 12.

Known as Marietta as a child, Bl. Maria Teresa was born on Dec. 27, 1881 in Torriglia, Italy.  Her mother died when she was eight years old.  Her older sister Luigia helped raise her.  The family was not poor and she received a good education.

The parish Marietta attended was under the pastoral care of Augustinian Friars.  She taught singing and was involved in religious education.  Marietta studied the spirituality of St. Augustine and was drawn to it.  When the Augustinian Nun St. Rita of Cascia was canonized in 1900 it made a great impression on her.  She applied to the Augustinian monastery at Casci against her families wishes.  She was denied entry because they felt she was used to the comforts of city living.  They did not believe  she would do well living a rural life.   However, she applied a second time and was accepted.

Maria Teresa became disillusioned when younger nuns joined who had a lack of  discipline.  Tension in the monastery grew between the younger and older sisters.  Maria Teresa left the community for a time in 1910.  She returned in 1911 determined to reform the monastery.  She began writing letters to supervisors explaining the situation.  Their response was to make her the Director of Novices!  In 1920 she was elected Abbess.  She served as Abbess for 27 years.  The monastery became a good example of the Augustinian way of life.

 

Sister Maria Teresa started an orphanage for girls and helped to build a larger church to receive pilgrims coming to learn about St. Rita. She referred to the orphans as her “bees”.  Sister Maria Teresa enjoyed teaching the orphans. Her newsletter called “From the Bees to the  Roses”  is still published today.

 

During World War II when Nazi troops forced their way into the monastery she was not intimidated.  They departed after speaking to her.

Sister Maria Teresa suffered from health problems.  including painful breast cancer which required two surgeries.  She also had asthma, diabetes, heart problems and poor circulation.  She had difficult walking.  She died peacefully on January 18, 1947 before the new basilica was completed.

“I am leaving this world with faith, hope and love!  I hope to find you there…where Good reigns and where we will live forever!”

 

Sister Maria Teresa was beatified by St. John Paul II in 1997.

 

I love Him even if it costs much,

I love Him because it is worth much,

I love Him at all cost.

Quote of Bl. Maria Teresa Fasce

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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patron saints, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Nicholas of Tolentino, Feast Day September 10

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St. Nicholas of Tolentino
St. Nicholas of Tolentino

The feast day of St. Nicholas of Tolentino is celebrated on September 10.  He is the patron saint of the souls in purgatory and the dying.

The parents of St. Nicholas were childless when they visited the Shrine of St. Nicholas of Myrna at Bari, Italy.  The year after praying for a child they became parents.  They named their child Nicholas in gratitude for their prayer being answered.

At the age of 18, Nicholas became an Augustinian monk.  He was ordained a priest at 25.  St. Nicholas was known for his visions and gift of miracles.  He received a vision of angels reciting the phrase “to Tolentino”.  He decided to move to Tolentino in 1274 where he lived the rest of his life.

St. Nicholas was a peacemaker during a time of war.   He was also a miracle worker and healer.  He often visited prisoners and was known for his kindness.

Once after becoming ill, he had a vision in which the Virgin Mary, St. Augustine and St. Monica appeared to him.  They told him to eat a certain type of roll dipped in water.  He was healed after doing so.  He then began healing others by giving bread  to them and reciting Marian prayers.  The rolls become known as St. Nicholas Bread.

Many legends and miracles are credited to St. Nicholas.  Over 300 miracles have been recognized.

After a long illness in which he became bedridden and suffered greatly, St. Nicholas died in 1245, surrounded by his community.

St. Nicholas of Tolentino was canonized by Pope Eugene  IV in 1446.

 

There is no sin or wrong that gives a man a foretast of hell in this life as anger and impatience.

Quote of St. Catherine of Sienna;  Feast day April 29

 

September is the Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

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Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

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

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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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Doctor of the Church, Franciscan Saints, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Anthony of Padua, Feast Day June 13

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Bartolome_Esteban_Murillo_-_'The_vision_of_Saint_Anthony_of_Padua'._61_x_39.7_cm public domain image
The Vision of Saint Anthony of Padua by Bartolome Esteban Murillo

The feast day of St. Anthony of Padua is celebrated on June 13. He is the patron saint of sailors, lost articles and fishermen.

St. Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1195. His name at Baptism was Fernando. At the age of 15 Fernando entered the Augustinian Monastery. He did not focus on his studies and prayer, but spent time with friends and enjoyed political discussions. He was sent to Coimbra where he studied for nine years. He was ordained a priest during this time.

A turning point occurred in Fernando’s life after the massacre of five Franciscans. They had been tortured and beheaded. Their bodies were returned from Morocco and carried in a solemn procession to Fernando’s monastery. He was inspired to change orders and become a Franciscan, taking the name Anthony.

St. Anthony was sent to Morocco. but decided to return after becoming ill. He never arrived. His ship was hit by stormy weather and sent off course. He eventually landed on the East coast of Sicily. He was nursed back to health by the friars. While still ill, he attended the great Pentecost Chapter of Mats which was attended by 3000 Friars including St. Francis. Anthony was asked to give a short simple sermon. From then on he became a public preacher. The fire and knowledge with which he spoke inspired many to conversion.

St. Anthony made over 400 trips across Italy and France preaching against heresies. He presented the Christian faith in a positive light. Anthony became the teacher of sacred theology to the friars.

In 1226, St. Anthony was appointed provincial superior at the age of 31. It was in Padua that St. Anthony preached his last and most famous Lenten sermon. The crowds were near 30,000 so he preached in open fields. He was exhausted after the sermon. He knew death was near and received the last rites in the town of Arcilla singing with the friars there.

Shortly before he died he exclaimed,

“I see my Lord!”

He died in 1231 at the age of 36 after serving as a Franciscan for ten years.

St. Anthony is often shown in art holding the child Jesus in his arms. Tradition tells us that one night as Anthony was praying the room was filled with brilliant light. Jesus appeared to St. Anthony as a little child.

St. Anthony was canonized in 1232 by Pope Gregory IX. In 1946 Pope Pius XII declared him a Doctor of the Church.

 

Poverty is an easy way to God…

Poverty is the mother of humility.

It is as difficult to preserve humility amid riches

as purity in the midst of delights and luxury.

Quote of St. Anthony of Padua

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

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