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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

Author:  Vicki Scheenstra

 

Dominican Saints, Faith, Featured, patron saints, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Thomas Aquinas, Feast Day January 28

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Thomas Aquinas,

Feast Day January 28

St. Thomas Aquinas

The feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas is celebrated on Jan. 28.  He is the patron saint of students and universities and a Doctor of the Church.    He was ordained as a Dominican Priest.

St. Thomas was born in Roccasecca, Sicily in 1225. His parents were from Italian nobility. St. Thomas was well educated. He was raised in a Benedictine monastery at Monte Casino. He finished his studies at Naples.

Against his families wishes he joined the Dominicans, also known as the Order of Preachers and was ordained a priest.  His brothers followed careers in the military. In an attempt to end his desires to become a Dominican, his brothers hired a prostitute to seduce him. According to legend, two angels appeared to Thomas to strengthen him and increase his determination to remain celibate. He thus became known as the “Angelic Doctor”.

While he was still a student, St. Thomas was given the nickname “the dumb ox” due to his large size and silent nature. However, he was actually quite gifted and intelligent. He is considered one of the most influential theologians in the history of the Church.

After he was ordained a priest, Pope Urban IV called him to Rome where he was appointed to teach. St. Thomas turned down an offer from Pope Clement IV to be the Archbishop of Naples.

St. Thomas published many books. He also wrote many hymns which are still sung today. One of St. Thomas most famous works, Summas Theologica was never completed. He fell ill and died before he could finish it in 1274.

St. Thomas was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius V.   He is the patron saint of students and universities.

O Lord my God, make me submissive without protest,
poor without discouragement, chaste without regret,
patient without complaint, humble without posturing,
cheerful without frivolity, mature without gloom,
and quick witted without flippancy.

Quote of St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Thomas Aquinas

January is the Month of the Holy Name.

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Hilary of Poitiers, Feast Day January 13

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St. Hilary St. Hilary of Poitiers

The feast day of St. Hilary of Poitiers is celebrated on January 13.

St. Hilary was raised a pagan; however, he was in search of God. After reading the story of Moses in the Old Testament he found a definition of God which inspired him. In Exodus 3:14 God told Moses:

“I am who I am.”

The simplicity of this statement led St. Hilary to study the bible further. He loved the psalms and stories about the prophets. After reading the Gospel of John he accepted Jesus as the Son of God.

St. Hilary was already married and had one daughter named Apra when he was elected Bishop of Poitiers. He defended the belief that Christ is both human and divine. The Arian heresy was growing which denied the divinity of Christ. He wrote about the Trinity and composed hymns.

When Emperor Constantius ordered the bishops of the West to sign a condemnation of Athanasius, Hilary refused and was banished to Phrygia (Turkey). He became known as “Athanasius of the West”. After seeking a public debate, he was allowed to return home where he was welcomed.

St. Hilary died in the year 368.  He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

 

“Satan once loved me ardently

in the death of sin;

let him behold me reigning with

You throughout the ages.”

Quote of St. Hilary of Poitiers

 

January is the Month of the Holy Name.

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Basil the Great, Feast Day January 2

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St. Basil the Great

The feast day of St. Basil the Great is celebrated on January 2.  He is the patron saint of hospital administrators and a Doctor of the Church.  He was the Bishop of Caesarea

St. Basil was born in 330 at Caesarea of Cappadocia. He was born into a family of ten children. He studied at Constantinople and Athens where he met St. Gregory Nazianzen.

Before deciding to become a monk, he practiced law and opened a school. He directed the monastery in Pontus for five years. He eventually was ordained a priest. St. Basil became bishop in 370. He fought against Arianism ( the belief that Jesus was not divine in nature) at the Council of Constantinople. He also fought for reform of the clergy. He was known for his holiness and was tireless in caring for his people. He was known for preaching twice a day to huge crowds. The hospital that he built was a hospital that was called a wonder of the world.

Basil was best known for his preaching. Because of his writings he is considered a one of the great teachers of the Church.

Sickly since youth, the work of teaching, his life of abstinence, and the responsibilities and sorrows of pastoral service took their toll on him. Saint Basil died on January 1, 379 at age 49.

St. Basil is considered a Doctor of the Church. He is the patron saint of hospital administrators.

“Troubles are usually the brooms and shovels that

smooths the road to a good man’s fortune; 

and many a man curses the rain that falls upon his head,

and knows not that it brings abundance.”

Quote of St Basil the Great

January is the Month of the Holy Name

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Peter Canisius, Feast Day December 21

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St. Peter Canisius

The feast day of St. Peter Canisius is celebrated on December 21.  He is the patron saint of the Catholic Press, a Jesuit priest and a Doctor of the Church.

St. Peter Canistius was born in Holland in 1521. He received his masters degree at the age of 19 from the University of Cologne. He studied art, law, and theology. He met Peter Faber, the first disciple of Ignatius, at a retreat. Soon after, he decided to become a member of the Society of Jesus, (the Jesuits). He was ordained in 1546. During the Council of Trent he was a delegate. St. Peter taught at several universities and established colleges and seminaries. He also wrote a catechism for lay people which was easy to understand. It was translated into twelve languages. He was an eloquent preacher, leading the counter reformation and renewing the faith in southern Germany. He also led reform in Austria, Bavaria and Bohemia.

After Mass one day, he received a vision of the Sacred Heart. Afterward, he offered his work to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Prior to his death he suffered from a paralytic seizure. He continued preaching and writing until his death on Dec. 21, 1597.

 

“Anyone who wishes to frolic with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ.”

Quote of St. Peter Canisius

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John of the Cross, Feast Day December 14

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John of the Cross,

Feast Day December 14

St. John of the CrossPrayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John of the Cross, Feast Day December 14

The feast day of St. John of the Cross is celebrated on December 14.  Because of his mystical writing, he is called the Mystical Doctor. He is one of the 35 Doctors of the Church. He is the patron of mystics.

Juan de Yepes Alvarez was born in Spain in 1542. His father was disowned by the family when he married a weavers’ daughter. His father died soon after his birth. Most of Juan’s childhood was spent in poverty. As a teenager, Juan worked in a hospital caring for the terminally ill and mental patients.

At the age of 21, Juan became a brother in the Carmelite Order. He went for higher studies in Slamanca and was ordained a priest, taking the name of John of the Cross at age 25. He soon met St. Teresa of Avila, a Carmelite nun, who convinced him to help her in the work of reforming the Carmelite Order. There was great resistance to the reforming of the order to a more prayerful life. Those against the reform actually kidnapped him. They held him prisoner for over nine months in a small cell, six by ten feet wide. He was beaten often. During this time of trial, St. John of the Cross became very close to God, spending his time writing his mystical poetry. He eventually escaped using a rope made of strips of blankets to climb out the window. The only thing he took with him was his writings. John hid in a convent infirmary where he read his poetry to the nuns. From this period on he shared his experience of God’s love.

St. John of the Cross wrote many books including:

St. John of the Cross
  • Ascent of Mount Carmel,
  • Dark Night of the Soul
  • A Spiritual Canticle
  • Living Flame of Love

 

 

 

 

In 1579, he became Rector of Colegio de San Basilio, continuing his writing ministry. He is known for a spirituality which believes in the prayer of detachment. His spirituality also focused on joining our suffering to the Paschal Mystery  (the death and suffering of Jesus Christ).   He taught that the Cross leads to resurrection, agony to ecstasy, darkness to light, abandonment to possession, denial of self to union with God.

St. John of the Cross died of fever caused by cellulitus. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726. His feast day is Dec. 14, the day of his death and entry into heaven.

 

“Live in the world as if only God

and your soul were in it;

then your heart will never be made

captive by any earthly thing.”

Quote of St. John of the Cross

St. John of the Cross

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Ambrose, Feast Day December 7

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Ambrose, Feast Day December 7

St. Ambrose
St. Ambrose

The feast day of St. Ambrose is celebrated on December 7.  He was the Bishop of Milan and proclaimed a Doctor and Father of the Church.  St. Ambrose is the patron saint of bee keepers and students.

St. Ambrose was born in the year 339. He studied in Rome, Italy becoming a lawyer. He was in the process of converting to Catholicism when a great dispute arose after the death of the Bishop of Milan. It was Ambrose who intervened and maintained order. Everyone was so impressed that they requested him as their next bishop even though he he was only a cathecumen (student) and not yet baptized. Resisting at first, eventually Ambrose agreed. He was baptized and eight days later on Dec. 7, 374 he was consecrated the Bishop of Milan at the age of 35.

As bishop he immediately gave his money to the poor. He was known for his fight against paganism and Arianism ( the belief that Jesus Christ did not have a divine nature). He was instrumental in the conversion and baptism of St. Augustine. The title “Honey tongued Doctor” was given to him because of his speaking skills.  Because of his title he became the patron saint of bee keepers.

St. Ambrose died of natural causes on April 14, 397.

 

“True repentance

is to cease to sin.”

Quote of St. Ambrose

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. John Damascene, Feast day December 4

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. John Damascene, Feast day December 4

st-john-damascene-public-domain-image-2

The feast day of St. John Damascene is celebrated on December 4.  He was a monk and priest.  St. John Damascene has been given the title Doctor of the Church.

St. John grew up under Muslim rule in Damascus, born to Christian parents in 690 . He is known for his arguments defending sacred art, especially icons.

During the 720’s religious art became very controversial and was forbidden by Emperor Leo. John argued in favor of religious art, stating that Christians did not worship images but through them they worshiped God and honored the memory of the Saint.  His arguments made him an enemy of the emperor who had a letter forged in John’s name offering to betray the Muslim government of Damascus. Because of the forgery, John’s hand was cut off.  However, the saints biography states that through the intervention of the Virgin Mary his hand was miraculously healed. After convincing the ruler of his innocence, John decided to become a monk. Eventually he was ordained a priest.

St. John is also known for his poetry and his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Our Lady is rest for those who work,

consolation for those who weep,

medicine for the sick,

a harbour for those assailed by tempests,

pardon for sinners,

sweet relief for the sad,

succor for those who implore.

Quote of St. John Damascene

 

200px-john_damascus_arabic_icon-public-domain-image

 

December is the Month of the Divine Infancy

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Albert the Great, Feast Day Nov. 15

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Albert the Great, Feast Day Nov. 15

St. Albert the Great
St. Albert the Great

The feast day of St. Albert the Great is celebrated on November 15.  He is the patron saint of scientists and philosophers.

St. Albert the Great was born in Germany.   After experiencing an encounter with the Virgin Mary he was inspired to join the Dominican Order also known as the Order of Preachers.

St. Albert was well educated and respected for his knowledge of science and theology, He received his doctorate from the University of Paris in 1245.  He studied and commented on the works of Aristotle.   Eventually, he became a professor of theology the the University of Paris. He became bishop of Regenburg in 1260. Because he refused to ride a horse and traveled entirely by foot he became known as “boots the bishop”). St. Thomas Aquinas was one of his students, later becoming a good friend.

St. Albert was a prolific writer. His writings are compiled in 38 volumes. He wrote about many subjects including philosophy, geography, astronomy, law and love.

St. Albert became well known as a mediator of disputes.  He became ill and died on November 15, 1280.

St. Albert was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1931 and declared a Doctor of the Church.

Three years after his death his body was discovered to be incorrupt.  However, when his grave was opened centuries later, only a skeleton was found.  His relics are found in St. Andreas Church in Cologne.

 

It is by the path of love, which is charity,

that God draws near to man, and man to God.

But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell.

If, then, we possess charity, we possess God,

for God is Charity.

Quote of St. Albert the Great

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Leo the Great; Feast Day November 10

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes:

St. Leo the Great; Feast Day November 10

St. Leo the Great
St. Leo the Great

 

The feast day of St. Leo the Great is celebrated on November the 10.

St. Leo was born in Tuscany. He lived during a time of great political chaos for the Church. Barbarian armies were ravaging the once mighty Roman Empire. Leo was an ordained a Deacon. He became the Bishop of Rome in 440. He was Bishop of Rome for 21 years, until his death in 461.

During his papacy, he was known for meeting Attila the Hun in 452 as he was preparing to invade Italy. Amazingly, he persuaded him to turn back, and avoided a war. Leo fought many heresies, including Pelagianism which teaches that grace was not necessary for salvation.

Leo is considered one of the great administrators of the Church. He also gave profound spiritual sermons. He presided over the fourth ecumenical council called the Council of Chalcedon. At this council the two natures of Christ was discussed and clarified. The faith teaches that Jesus Christ is both fully human and fully divine.

St. Leo the Great also clarified the role of the pope, persuading Emperor Valentinian to recognize the primacy of the Bishop of Rome in 445.  His teaching focused on the scripture which had Jesus telling Peter:  “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.  What you forbid on earth shall be forbidden in Heaven.  What you allow on earth shall be allowed in heaven.’  (Matthew 16:19)

Leo was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Benedict XIV in the eighteenth century. The title “Great” has been given to only three Popes. The three “Great popes are St. Leo the Great, St. Gregory the Greatand St. Nicholas the Great.  St. John Paul II is unofficially considered by some to be “great”.  The title “Great” means that the Pope has exercised great leadership and contributed greatly to the theology of the church.

If indeed we are the temple of God and the Holy Spirit lives in our

hearts…we must work with much vigilance to make the chamber of our heart

not unworthy of so great a guest.

 Quote of St. Leo the Great

 

November is the Month of the Holy Souls

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Teresa of Avila, Feast Day October 15

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Teresa of Avila,

Feast Day October 15

St. Teresa of Avila Public Domain Image
St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila’s feast day will be celebrated on October 15th. She is known as being the patron saint of writers and headache sufferers.

Born in Avila, Spain in 1515, she was sent to a convent at the age of 16, because her father believed her to be “out of control”. At first she hated it, later she came to enjoy it, in part because they were less strict than her father.

Eventually, she decided to become a Carmelite nun. She practiced meditation and mental prayer. She fell ill with malaria and almost died. She awoke paralyzed, which lasted for three years. She found it very difficult to pray during this time. However at the age of 41 a priest convinced her to go back to prayer. She suffered many distractions and found it very difficult. As she began her prayer life anew, God gave her spiritual delights including ecstasies, and the prayer of union. She eventually became known as a mystic.

At the age of 43 she decided to form a new convent which met with much resistance. Her confessor St. John of the Cross helped to begin the reformed order of the Discalced (barefoot) Carmelites.

St. Teresa was known for her honest dialogue with God.    She wanted the nuns in her order to have the proper attitude and discipline in their prayer life.  But she too could be frustrated with life.   Every moment of her life was a prayer,  even the difficult ones.  She is known for the following exclamation.

“If this is the way you treat your friends, no wonder you have so few!”

St. Teresa has written many books. These include: The Interior Castle, The Life of Teresa of Jesus, and The Way of Perfection.  Her spirituality has led many to a much deeper prayer life.  She has been proclaimed a Doctor of the Church.

St. Teresa died on October 4 at the age of 67.

The following prayer is attributed to St. Teresa of Avila:

 

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing make you afraid.
All things are passing.
God alone never changes.
Patience gains all things.
If you have God you will want for nothing.
God alone suffices.

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St Thérèse of Lisieux, Feast Day October 1

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St. Therese the Little Flower Public Domain Image
St. Therese the Little Flower

Marie Therese Martin was born at Alencon, France on Jan. 2, 1873.   St Thérèse of Lisieux is the patron saint of florists, missionaries, pilots and against tuberculosis.

The father of St. Thérèse, Louis Martin, was a watchmaker.  Her Mother, Zelie was a lace maker.  She died when Thérèse was four year old.  Pope Francis canonized both Louise and Zelie as saints on Oct. 18, 2015.  All five of their daughters entered religious life.  The family attended daily Mass,  visited the elderly and the sick and helped the poor.

St. Thérèse  felt called into the religious life at the age of 15.  She asked permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux a Carmelite convent.  She took the name of St. Thérèse  of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

St. Thérèse had a childlike  trust in the providence of God and in His merciful love.  Her life as contemplative Carmelite was short but it influenced many souls.  She was declared a Doctor of the Church by St. Pope St. John Paul II in 1997.

During her nine years living as a Carmelite Nun St. Thérèse  became known for her spirituality.  Her love of God was profound and she wanted to share that love with others.  She developed her “Little Way” which was her way of loving Jesus.  When asked to explain it, she replied:

“It is the way of spiritual childhood, the way of trust and absolute self-surrender.  I want to point out to souls the means that I have always found so completely successful…to tell them there is only one thing to do here below…to offer Our Lord the flowers of little sacrifices and win Him by our caresses.”

St. Thérèse’s spirituality began with scripture and the gospels.  She offered any suffering in her life to God and trusted in Him completely.  She found joy in suffering for it united her to the cross and the Passion of Our Lord.  She also had a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“How little known is the merciful love of the Heart of Jesus! It is true that to enjoy that treasure we must humble ourselves, must confess our nothingness . . . and here is where many a soul draws back.”

St. Thérèse liked to use the image of flowers, especially roses, in her prayers.  She considered each sacrifice a flower given to God.   She compared souls to flowers, each one unique.

St. Thérèse came down with tuberculosis  and died after several years of suffering at the age of 24  on Sept. 30, 1897.  She was canonized in 1925.

The autobiography  St. Thérèse wrote, The Story of a Soul, was published the year after her death.

“I want to suffer and even rejoice for love, for this is my way of scattering flowers.  Never a flower shall I find but its petals shall be scattered for you, and all the while I will sing, yes sing, even when gathering my roses in the midst of thorns, and the longer and sharper the thorns may be, the sweeter shall be my song!”

Quote of St. Thérèse

 

St. Thérèse in Art

 

 

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

 

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