Tag Archives: Doctor of the Church

Benedictine Saints, Doctor of the Church, Faith

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Anselm, Feast Day April 21

April 20, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Anselm is celebrated on April 21.

St. Anselm was born in 1033 near Aosta . At the age of 15 Anselm wanted to enter a monastery but his father opposed the idea. For a time, he lost interest in religion, but at the age of 27 he finally entered the Monastery of Bec in Normandy. Fifteen years later he became the abbot of the Benedictine monastery.

In 1093 he became the Archbishop of Canterbury. England’s King William Rufus refused to cooperate with his efforts to reform the Church. When the king became very ill St. Anselm became his confessor. However, after he recovered his health matters worsened and St. Anselm went into exile until the death of the King in 1100. The successor, King Henry I, recalled Anselm. St. Anselm fearlessly disagreed with King Henry over the King’s insistence on investing England’s bishops. St. Anselm went into exile for three more years.

St. Anselm opposed the slave trade and worked for the poorest people. He persuaded the national council of Westminster to prohibit the sale of human beings. He was admired for his patience and his teaching ability. St. Anselm published theological works. The most well known is Cur Deus Humo (Why God became Man).

St. Anselm died in the year 1109. St. Anselm was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1720 by Pope Clement XI.

For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand. For this also I believe…that unless I believed, I should not understand.

Quote of St. Anselm of Canterbury

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

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

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Isidore of Seville, Feast Day April 4

April 3, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra 1 Comment

The feast day of St. Isidore of Seville is celebrated on April 4.

St. Isidore was born in Cartagena, Spain in 560. He had two brothers and a sister. He was raised by his older brother, Leander, who was quite strict. Isidore had a great love of learning. He succeeded Leander as Bishop of Seville. As bishop he focused on reforming the clergy and fostering monastic life. He presided over the Second Council of Seville and the Fourth Council of Toledo.

St. Isidore was a prolific writer. His twenty volume set titled Etymologies was perhaps the first known encyclopedia. His writings also included a dictionary and books on the history of the world. For this reason, Pope John Paul II chose him to be patron of the internet.

After serving as bishop for 37 years, St. Isidore died in 636 nearing the age of 80. He was named a Doctor of the Church.

Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God. Hope and have confidence in confession.

Quote of St. Isidore of Seville

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

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Doctor of the Church, Dominican Saints, Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine of Siena, Feast Day April 29

April 1, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

St. Catherine of Siena Public Domain Image — St. Catherine of Siena

The feast day of St. Catherine of Siena is celebrated by the Catholic Church on April 29. St. Catherine is the patron saint against fire, illness and miscarriage.

St. Catherine was the 25th child to Giacomo and Lapa Benincase. She was born in 1347. Her father was a wealthy wool dyer in Northern Italy. She began having mystical experiences at the age of six, seeing guardian angels clearly. She also had visions of Heaven, hell and purgatory. She consecrated herself to Christ at the age of seven.

At the age of 16, Catherine became a Dominican tertiary (lay Dominican), continuing to have visions of Christ, Mary and the saints. In many of her ecstasies, Catherine fell into fire; however, she was untouched by the flames. This is why she is the patron saint against fire.

St. Catherine received a divine call to enter the public life . She began writing letters to princes and republics of Italy. She was consulted by papal legates. She persuaded Pope Gregory XI to return to Rome from Avignon and reform the clergy and the Papal States. She referred to the pope as “sweet Christ on earth”. St. Catherine also cared for the sick (working among lepers) , served the poor and worked tirelessly to convert sinners. St. Catherine’s reputation for holiness grew.

On the 4th Sunday of Lent, 1375, she received the Stigmata, (the wounds of Christ). They were only visible after her death.

St. Catherine’s writings are considered historical in the Church. They include: “The Dialogue, Letters of Catherine Siena and Little Talks with God.

At the age of 33, on April 29, 1380, Catherine died of a mysterious and painful illness which came on without notice. It was not diagnosed. Her body was discovered to be in-corrupt in the year 1430. In 1970, Pope Paul VI declared St. Catherine of Siena to be a Doctor of the Church.

Enough of all this soft soap! All it does is cause the members of Christ’s Spouse to stink!

Quote of St. Catherine of Siena

St. Catherine of Siena in Art

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Feast Day March 18

March 17, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Cyril of Jerusalem is celebrated on March 18.

St. Cyril was born in 315. He was raised in Jerusalem by a Christian family. Little is known about his early life. He was ordained by St. Maximus. He was a great instructor of catecheumans who were studying to become baptized into the church.

While serving as Bishop of Jerusalem, he was exiled from Jerusalem three times by the Arianists who denied the belief in the divinity of Christ. After his final return to Jerusalem he he attended the Council of Constantinople. He died in 386 at the age of 70.

St. Cyril is a Doctor of the Church.

If Christ could change water into wine, can He not change wine into His own blood?

Quote of St. Cyril of Jerusalem

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Benedictine Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Leander, Feast Day March 13

March 10, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

The feast day of St. Leander is celebrated on March 13.

St. Leander was born into a saintly family. Both he and his brother St. Isidore served as the Bishop of Seville. His sister St.Florentia became an abbess in charge of forty convents and over 1,000 nuns. He was born at Cartagena, Spain in 534.

St. Leander became a Benedictine monk. In 579 he became the Bishop of Seville. As bishop he defended the church from the heresy of Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ. He promoted orthodox Christianity. For a period of time he was forced into exile in Byzantium. When he returned he oversaw the Third Council of Toledo.

It was St. Leander who began the practice of reciting the Nicene Creed during Mass. He believed it would help in the fight against Arianism.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
Maker 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, consubstantial
of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again
in accordance with 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.

St.Leander died in the year 601. He was succeeded as bishop by his brother St. Isidore.
St. Leander is considered a Doctor of the Church.

The humble man receives praise the way a clean window takes the light of the sun. The truer and more intense the light is the less you see of the glass.

Quote of Thomas Merton

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Carmelite Saints, Faith, Spirituality

The Spirituality and Prayers of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Gallery January 30, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

Thérèse was born in Alencon, France in 1873. She suffered from the death of her mother, due to breast cancer, at the age of four. Her family then moved to Lisieux. At a young age she wished to follow her sisters, Pauline and Marie, into the convent but was denied due to her age. However, in 1888 she entered the Carmel of Lisieux. On Sept. 8, 1890 she made her religious profession as a Carmelite.

Because of her love and prayers for the missions St.Thérèse is the patron saint of missions. She is also the patron saint of gardeners and florists. Thérèse of Lisieux was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church. She is the youngest Doctor of the Church.

St. Thérèse is also known as the Little Flower. She saw herself as a flower in the garden of God. Calling herself “the little flower of Jesus” she wanted to give glory to God by just being herself among all the other flowers in Gods garden.

The health of St. Thérèse was poor. She suffered grief when her father died and also contracted tuberculosis. She suffered much pain but offered her suffering for ‘the poor sinners’. Her great desire was to save souls. “My mission…to make God loved….will begin after my death”, she said. “I will spend my heaven doing good on earth. I will let fall a shower of roses.” She also said, “I want to suffer and even rejoice for love, for this is my way of scattering flowers. Never a flower shall 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!”

The following quote shows her spirituality:

“The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word and the doing of the least action for love.”

Her spirituality is known as “The little way”. She trusted in Jesus to make her holy and focused on doing small deeds daily rather than great deeds.

Her autobiography “The Story of a Soul” has led many pilgrims to her ‘little way’.

St. Thérèse was only 24 when she died of tuberculosis. After her death she was canonized a saint on May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI. Pope John Paul II declared her a doctor of the Church in 1997. Her writings have led many souls closer to God.

The following prayers were written by St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

St. Therese of Lisieux Public Domain Image — St. Therese of Lisieux

**PRAYER OF ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX**

Yes, all is well when we seek only the will of Jesus!

All my strength lies in prayer and sacrifice. They are my invincible weapons, and I know, by experience that they can soften the heart as much as words.

More than ever, I understand that the smallest events of our life are conducted by God; He is the One who makes us desire and who grants our desires.

A MORNING PRAYER

O my God! I offer Thee all my actions of this day for the intentions and for the glory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I desire to sanctify every beat of my heart, my every thought, my simplest works, by uniting them to Its infinite merits; and I wish to make reparation for my sins by casting them into the furnace of Its Merciful Love.

O my God! I ask of Thee for myself and for those whom I hold dear, the grace to fulfill perfectly Thy Holy Will, to accept for love of Thee the joys and sorrows of this passing life, so that we may one day be united together in heaven for all Eternity.

Amen.

MY SONG OF TODAY

Oh, how I love thee, Jesus! My soul aspires to Thee. And yet for one day only my simple prayer I pray!

Come reign within my heart, smile tenderly on me.

Today, dear Lord, today.

St. Thérèse

MAY TODAY THERE BE PEACE

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

St. Thérèse

PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL CHILDHOOD

Lord, give me the open heart of a child. Let me come trustingly to you, not afraid to ask for your love.

.Deliver me from the belief that I am self-sufficient. Show me my need of you.

Give me the grace to reach out to you, Lord give me a child’s’ simplicity and a sense of wonder.

May my enthusiasm for you never die. Let me hasten to converse with you in the intimacy of prayer. Give me discernment to realize there is no detail of my life too tiny for your concern.

Help me to perceive your glory in the helplessness of the cross.

Son of God, who for my sake, took on the dependency of childhood, help me to accept the readiness of the Father’s grace.

Amen

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The Mystery of Faith

Tag Archives: Doctor of the Church

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Anselm, Feast Day April 21

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Isidore of Seville, Feast Day April 4

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Catherine of Siena, Feast Day April 29

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Feast Day March 18

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Leander, Feast Day March 13

The Spirituality and Prayers of St. Thérèse of Lisieux

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism