Tag Archives: December Feast Days

Faith, Feast Days, Our Lady, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes; Feast of the Holy Family

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Holy Family 1

The feast of the Holy Family is celebrated the first Sunday after Christmas.  It is a time to reflect on the love and  tenderness Jesus, Mary and Joseph had for one another.  How can we improve our own family lives to be more loving?

One way to celebrate the Feast Day of the Holy Family is to make an act of consecration.  An act of consecration is a sacred act and should be done in a very prayerful way.  It needs to be prayed deeply. and slowly..from the heart.

 

Consecration to the Holy Family Prayer800px-bn3q09604_candle_light

O Lord Jesus, you lived in the home of Mary and Joseph in Nazareth. There you grew in age, wisdom and grace as you prepared to fulfill your mission as our Redeemer. We entrust our family to you.

O Blessed Mary, you are the Mother of our Savior. At Nazareth you cared for Jesus and nurtured him in the peace and joy of your home. We entrust our family to you.

O Saint Joseph, you provided a secure and loving home for Jesus and Mary, and gave us a model of fatherhood while showing us the dignity of work. We entrust our family to you.

Holy Family, we consecrate ourselves and our family to you. May we be completely united in a love that is lasting, faithful and open to the gift of new life. Help us to grow in virtue, to forgive one another from our hearts, and to live in peace all our days.

Keep us strong in faith, persevering in prayer, diligent in our work, and generous toward those in need.

our home, O Holy Family, truly become a domestic church where we reflect your example in our daily life. Amen.

 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, pray for us!

 

 

 

Short Prayer to the Holy Family

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul; Jesus Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony; Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.

 

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“If you want to bring happiness to the whole world, go home and love your family.”

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta

January is the Month of the Holy Name

 

 

 

Pope, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Sylvester I, Feast Day December 31

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St. Sylvester I

The feast day of St. Sylvester I is celebrated on December 31.

St. Sylvester I was the 33 pope, succeeding Pope Militades on Jan 31, 314. Although he became pope during peaceful times, his reign occurred during the persecutions of Diocletian. These persecutions came to an end when Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity.

A popular legend states that Constantine was cured of leprosy by Pope Sylvester, after which he converted to the faith. Constantine built several churches during his reign with the help of Pope Sylvester. These included the original St. Peter’s Basilica and the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Pope Sylvester served as the Bishop of Rome for 21 years. He was involved in the debate about Arianism at the Council of Nicea. The Arians believed that Jesus Christ was not fully divine but a created being. It was at this council that the Nicean Creed was proclaimed by the Catholic Church.  Pope Sylvester died in the year 335.

Nicean Creed

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.
Amen.

Jesus calls Peter

Do not be afraid; from now on,
you will be catching people.

Quote of Jesus Christ (Luke 5:20)

 

Jesus calls Levi

“Follow me.”

Quote of Jesus Christ (Luke 5:27)

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Dominican, Dominican Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Alcober, Feast Day December 30

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Dominican Martyrs

The feast day of St. John Alcober is celebrated on December 30.  He was a Dominican Priest, a missionary to China and a Martyr of the Church.

St. John Alcober was born in Granada.in 1694.  He entered the Order of Preachers, also known as the Dominicans, in 1709. When marooned for a time on Lorca, he became popular there as a preacher. He reached China in 1728 where he was a missionary for sixteen years. His ministry was done in secret. St. John is considered one of the Martyrs of China.

He, along with Francis Serrano and Father Francis Diaz, was tortured to disclose the location of Bishop Pere Sans Jorda and Father Joachim Royo, who surrendered to stop the torture.

St. John Alcober, St. Francis Serrano, St. Joachim Royo, and St. Francis Diaz were all martyred on October 18, 1739.

 

“The prayer of a good innocent,

and obedient child is like dew

from heaven falling upon

his whole family.”

Quote of St. John XXIII; Feast Day October 11

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Thomas Becket, Feast Day December 29

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St. Thomas Becket

The feast day of St. Thomas Becket is celebrated on December 29. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury and a martyr.

 

St. Thomas Becket was born in 1118 in Normandy. He was the son of a wealthy merchant. He went to Paris to study law. After working in the field of law he decided to become a priest. He continued studying towards this goal. Thomas accepted the position of Bishop of Canterbury in 1162. After becoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas gave up his worldly lifestyle. He lived an austere life and was generous with his time and money.

Many disputes arose between St. Thomas and King Henry II. Refusing to cooperate with the King, Thomas proceeded to resign as Archbishop, saying his election had been irregular. The Pope reinstated him as archbishop ordering him not to abandon his office. He then recommended Thomas to the Cistercian Abbot at Pontigny. Thomas followed the rules of the monastery after putting on the habit of a monk.

Troops soon appeared. The Cistercians were warned that they were harboring an enemy. No longer welcome there, the Archbishop turned to King Louis for refuge.

After three years of quarreling, Thomas was named the legate for the Pope for England except York.

St. Thomas was murdered with swords at his cathedral in Canterbury by knights of King Henry.

Many miracles were reported at his tomb. He is considered a martyr for the faith.

“I feel as though I am with Mary and Joseph beside the Crib.

It is good to be there. Outside are the cold and the snow,

images of the world, but in the little cave,

lit by the light of Jesus, it is sweet and warm and light.”

Quote of Bl. Charles de Foucauld; Feast day December 1

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Feast Days, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips ane Quotes: The Holy Innocents, Feast Day December 28

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The Holy Innocents

The feast day of The Holy Innocents is celebrated on December 28.

According to the Gospel of St. Matthew 2:16-18, Herod ordered the execution of all young male children near Bethlehem out of fear of a newborn King of the Jews after the announcement of His birth by the Magi.

It is not known how many children died, however, they are considered Martyrs and are honored by the Catholic Church.

An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream saying;

 

“take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child and kill kill Him.”

Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt keeping them safe from harm.

 

 

The star of Bethlehem

shines

in the night of sin.

Quote of St. Edith Stein; Feast day August 9

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Stephen, Feast Day December 26

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Stoning of St. Stephen

The feast day of St. Stephen is celebrated on December 26.  He was a disciple of Jesus.

St. Stephen is believed to be one of the 72 original disciples of Our Lord. After the ascension of Jesus he became one of the first seven deacons of the Catholic Church. He is considered the first to be martyred for the faith.  In the book of Acts:6 we learn the story of the plot against St. Stephen. He was accused of blasphemy against the Jewish temple. This resulted in him being condemned and then stoned to death. Before his death he cried out to the Lord to forgive those persecuting him.

 

Look! I see an opening in the sky, and the Son of Man standing

at God’s right hand…Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Lord, do not hold this sin against them.

Quote of St. Stephen

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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