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Featured, Franciscan Saints, Incorruptible, patron saints, Quote, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Anthony Mary Claret, Feast Day October 24




St. Anthony Mary Claret Public Domain Image
St. Anthony Mary Claret

 

The Feast Day of St. Anthony Mary Claret is celebrated on October 24.  He is the patron saint of educators, the Catholic Press and weavers.

St. Anthony Mary Claret was the Archbishop of the Diocese of the Canary Islands. With a group of five other priests he was the Founder of the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known as the Claretians.

St. Anthony Mary Claret was born in Catalonia, Spain in 1807. At the age of twelve he became a weaver. He entered the seminary at Vic in 1829 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 13, 1835, on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua, whom he was named after. He entered the Jesuit novitiate but had to leave due to his ill health.

St. Anthony Mary Claret was assigned to missionary work throughout Catalonia. In 1848 he was sent to the Canary Islands where he gave retreats for fifteen months. When he returned to Spain, he established the Congregation the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (The Claretians) on the feast of “Our Lady of Mt. Carmel“ (July 16, 1848).

He also founded the religious library at Barcelona called “Libreria Religiosa”. It is now known as “Libreria Claret). He was appointed Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba in 1849. Over 9,000 marriages were validated within two years of his arrival. He began a hospital and several schools. The first women’s religious institute in Cuba was begun by St. Anthony. It was known as the Religious of Mary Institute.

In 1857 he was recalled to Spain and he became the Confessor to Queen Isabella II. He became a resident of an Italian Hospice. Preaching everywhere he went, he also distributed books. Eventually, his life in danger, he went to France where he preached in Paris.

In 1869, he participated in the First Vatican Council. He had to withdraw due to poor health. He died on Oct. 24, 1870, at the age of 62 in a Cistercian monastery in France.

“The man who burns with the fire of divine love is a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and wherever he goes, he enkindles that flame. He desires and works with all his strength to inflame all men with the fire of God’s love. Nothing deters him, he rejoices in poverty, he labors strenuously, he welcomes hardships, he laughs off false accusations, he rejoices in anguish. He thinks only of how he might follow Jesus Christ and imitate him by his prayers, his labors, his sufferings, and be caring always and only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.”

Quote of St. Anthony Mary Claret

October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Carmelite Saints, Doctor of the Church, Faith, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

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




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

  • St. Therese of Lisieux Public Domain Image
October is the Month of the Most Holy Rosary

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Benedictine Saints, Featured, patron saints, Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Benedict, Feast Day July 11

The Feast Day of St. Benedict is celebrated on July 11.  In the Eastern Church it is celebrated on March 14th.

St. Benedict was born in Nursia in 480 to upper class parents. He attended university in Rome. To escape the vice he was surrounded by he fled Rome and spent three years in seclusion. After these three years he founded the monasteries he is famous for.

St. Benedict is considered the founder of western monasticism. His monasteries were based on the principles in his book The Rule of Benedict. This book begins with this prologue:

“Listen carefully, my son, to the masters’ instructions and attend to them with the ear of your heart. (R.B. Prologue)”
St. Benedict Public Domain Image
St. Benedict
Public Domain Image

His rule begins with the word LISTEN! The monasteries have a very strict discipline. They focus on daily personal and liturgical prayer. Singing of the Psalms and reading the Divine Office is practiced daily. Listening to the word of God is the primary focus of their spirituality.  Lectio Divino is slow reading and meditation on the scripture. Benedictine spirituality also demands obedience, hospitality, and service.

St. Benedict died while standing in prayer before God in the year 547. St. Benedict is the patron saint of students and Europe.

Shatter all your temptations against Christ.

Quote of St. Benedict

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.

Prayers, Quips and Quotes Articles for the Month of July

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Faith, Featured, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Maximus the Confessor, Feast Day August 13


The Feast day of St. Maximus the Confessor is celebrated on August 13.  He was born in 580 in Constantinople to a noble family.

After serving as secretary to Emperor Heraclius, Maximus became a monk and abbot at Chrysopolis, which is now Turkey.

St. Maximus attended the Lateran Council which condemned Monotheism.  Monotheism believed Jesus Christ had a divine nature not a human nature.  After returning from the council St. Maximus refused to accept Monotheism which was a heresy prevalent at the time.  He was arrested and charged with treason.  After six years in prison he was brought back to Constantinople with two of his disciples to be tortured and mutilated.   Their tongues and right hands were cut off.  They were then sent to Skhemaris on the Black Sea where he died in the year 662

St. Maximus is considered a mystic and honored for his theology of the Incarnation and the two natures of Christ…human and divine.  He wrote over 90 works on the faith.

After his death miracles were reported to have occurred at this tomb.

 
“Be on guard lest the vice
that separated you from your brother
be not found in your brother, but in you; 
and hasten to be reconciled to him
lest you fall away from the commandment of love.”
Quote of St. Maximus the Confessor

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

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Faith, Featured, Franciscan Saints, Incorruptible, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Clare of Assisi, Feast Day August 11




 

St. Clare of Assisi Public Domain Image
St. Clare of Assisi

 

The Feast day of St. Clare of Assisi is celebrated on August 11. St. Clare was born to a wealthy family in Assisi, Italy on July 16, 1194. At the age of 15 she refused to marry as her parents wished her to do. When she heard St. Francis speak on Palm Sunday, she left home to join him at San Damiano. She took a vow of poverty after which St. Francis cut off her long hair and gave her a brown habit to wear. She was later followed by her sister Agnes and her mother. The ladies who followed St. Francis became known as “The Poor Ladies.” After Clare eventually was named Abbess they became known as “The Poor Clares.”

The Poor Clares went barefoot, ate no meat and observed almost complete silence. They lived an enclosed life, away from the world. The Poor Clares actually predated the Franciscans which was later founded by St. Francis. St. Clare saw St. Francis as a spiritual father figure and cared for him during his illness and at the end of his life in 1226.

St. Clare died  in Assisi on August 11, 1253.  She was discovered to be incorrupt on September 23,1850 when her coffin was opened.  Her body can be viewed in the crypt at Santa Chiara, Italy.

St. Clare was canonized by Pope Alexander in 1255.

Love Him totally
who gave Himself totally
for your love.
Quote of St. Clare of Assisi
St. Clare of Assisi in Art

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Dominican Saints, Featured, patron saints, Prayer, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Dominic, Feast Day August 8

El_Greco,_St_Dominic_in_Prayer Public Domain Image

The Feast Day of St. Dominic is celebrated on August 8th. He was born in 1170 to Felix Guzman and Blessed Joan of Aza in Caleruega, Spain. After studying at the University at Palencia he was ordained a priest at the age of 25. St. Dominic was known for self-denial, holiness, piety and apostolic zeal. He refused to eat meat or sleep on a bed. He also renounced wealth.

In 1215 he founded an order of Dominican Nuns. Their mission was to care for young girls. This was followed by the founding of the Order of Preachers, which became known as the Dominicans. The purpose of the order was to preach the Word of God. They were also known as the “Black Friars”. The rule followed the Rule of St. Augustine. Their focus was on liturgical prayer and lifelong study.

The primary heresy the Dominicans preached against was Albigensianism. This was the belief that there are two dueling principles, good and evil, and that all matter was regarded as evil. They also taught that the devil is the creator of the material world.

A devotion which St. Dominic helped to spread is the Rosary. a Marian devotion, which combines meditation on the life of Christ, with memorized prayer. Tradition tells us that when Dominic became discouraged with the slow progress of his work of preaching against the Abligensian heresy, the Blessed Virgin appeared to him with a beautiful wreath of roses. She asked him to say the Rosary every day and to teach the people to say the Rosary. Soon the heresy began to disappear. The devotion of the rosary continues today.

After forming his order Dominic had a dream vision in which he met another person, a beggar. The next day, Dominic recognized this man when he came into his church. It was St. Francis of Assisi the future founder of the Franciscan Order. Dominic embraced him saying,

“You are my companion and must walk with me. For if we hold together, no earthly power can withstand us.”

St. Dominic and St. Francis were lifelong friends. Their orders celebrate their meeting on the feast day of their saint.

The motto of St. Dominic is: “To praise, to bless, to preach”. St. Dominic once said;

“Arm yourself with prayer, rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.”

St. Dominic died on August 6, 1221 from a fever. Because of his love of learning and teaching, St. Dominic is known as the patron of astronomers.

Do not weep, for I shall be more useful to you
after my death and I shall help you then
more effectively than during my life.
Quote of St. Dominic
St. Dominic in Art

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

  • St. Dominic Public Domain Image

 

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Apostle, Faith, Feast Days, Featured, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Transfiguration, Feast Day August 6




The Transfigurateion by Rubens Public Domain Image
The Transfiguration by Rubens

Has your faith in Jesus Christ transformed you?  The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord is celebrated on August 6.

On this feast day we remember the event which took place shortly after St Peter proclaimed his faith in the Lord, saying…  “You are the Messiah!”

Three Apostles accompanied Jesus into the mountains believed to be Mount Tabor.  They were the Apostles John, James and Peter

And he was transfigured before them and His face shone like the sun and his clothes became dazzling white.  Appearing with Jesus were Moses and Elijah, talking with him.  (Matthew 17.2-4).

The Apostles heard a voice saying:

This is my Son, the Beloved;  with him I am well pleased listen to him!”” (Matthew 17:5)

The Apostles fell to the ground overcome by fear.  But Jesus came and said,

“Get up and do not be afraid”

How does your faith in Jesus change your life?  Does it take away your fear?  What is different in your life because of your faith?

Hopefully, our faith is alive and growing stronger.  It is only through a strong prayer life that we can develop a relationship with Jesus which is visible to other people.  When we let Jesus lead us through the dark times of our life, our trust in Him gives us strength.  Our joy becomes evident when our faith is real and we have let Jesus touch our hearts.  It is a joy we have a need to share with others!

The types of prayer styles are many.  Basically, prayer is turning to God.  It is a conversation we have with Him.  Learning which prayer style fits us can be difficult.  Meditation can help us come to know God better.  Another word for meditation is reflection.  Reflecting on scripture, art or music is a wonderful way to spend time with God.

Advent wreath

Don’t forget to listen!  After you tell God your troubles and count your blessings, sit quietly and let him speak to you in the silence.  Light a candle to help center yourself.  The light of a candle represents the Light of Christ.  Remember, Jesus himself said:

“I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of Life.” John 8:12

In order to let the light of Jesus shine in our life we must let him into our hearts.  With an  open heart reflect on the following quote.

Faith in action is love, and love in action is service.  
By transforming that faith into living acts of love,
we put ourselves in contact with God Himself, with Jesus our Lord.
Quote of Bl. Teresa of Calcutta;  Feast Day September 5

Transfiguration by David Gerard

The Transfiguration by Raphael

The Transfiguration by Giovanni Salvaldo

The Transfiguration by Rubens

 The Transfiguration by Perugino

The Transfiguration by James Tissot

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Feast Days, Featured, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Our Lady of the Snows, Feast day August 5

 

8Our Lady of the Snow

 

The Feast Day of Our Lady of the Snows is celebrated on August 5.  It is on this day the Basilica of Mary Major was dedicated.

A man by the name of John lived in the ancient city of Rome.  He and his wife were childless.  They chose to leave their fortune to Mary, the Mother of God.  Pope Liberius suggested that they pray for a sign to guide them in what she wished them to do.

On the evening of August 5, Our Lady appeared to John, his wife and the Pope asking for a church to be built in her honor on the Esquiline Hill.  John and his wife asked for a sign.   She told them:

“Snow will crown the crest of the hill.”

Although it snows only on rare occasions in Rome the snow covered the hill during the summer night of August 5, 358.  The snow fell in a pattern showing the outline of the church soon to be built.

Mary soon became known as Our Lady of the Snows.  Snow symbolizes that Mary is as ‘pure as the driven snow’.  Her many blessings may be compared to the number and variety of snowflakes.

The church built is now known as Saint Mary Major.  It has since been enlarged and restored.  Other names it has been known as are Basilica of Liberius, Saint Mary of the Crib and finally Saint Mary Major.

A statue of Our Lady of the Snows is believed to have been produced by St. Luke the Apostle.

Mary is always performing these two movements:  absorbing grace from her most holy son, and pouring it forth on sinners.

Quote of St. Anthony Mary Claret;   Feast day October 24

 

August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
Basilica of St. Mary Major

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

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsus Liguori, Feast Day August 1




St. Alphonsus Liguori Public Domain Image
St. Alphonsus Liguori

 

The Feast day of St. Alphonsus Liguori is celebrated on August 1. Alphonsus was born in 1696 near Naples, Italy. His father was a captain in the Royal Navy. He is the patron saint of confessors and theologians.

At the age of 16, St. Alphonsus Liguori received a doctorate in civil an canon law. At the age of 18 he joined the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy which cared for the sick, devoting himself to works of mercy. He became a lawyer by the age of 20. However, the work proved to be unfulfilling. After losing an important case, Alphonsus left his career as a lawyer to enter the priesthood. He was ordained in 1726.

As a priest St. Alphonsus ministered to the poor working to the point of exhaustion. In 1732 he decided to dedicate himself completely to the poor and abandoned. He founded the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer which became known as the Redemptorists.

St. Alphonsus was a gifted preacher who reached many people.The Redemptorists led mission revivals in the countryside preaching to anyone who would listen. They traveled from town to town. St. Alphonsus focused on three images; Jesus as an infant in the crib, Jesus crucified on the cross, and Jesus vibrantly alive and filled with love for everyone in the Eucharist. He also had a great devotion to Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer.

St. Alphonsus was an artist, composer and a writer. He wrote music which he composed on a harpsichord. It spread throughput the countryside. He wrote over 100 books including “Prayer, the Great Means of Salvation.” He was given the title “Doctor of Prayer”.  St. Alphonsus believed that if you pray your salvation is secure.

St. Alphonsus was troubled by illness most of his life. His final years, he suffered from severe arthritis which kept him in a wheelchair. St. Alphonsus died at the age of 91 after a night of prayer. He was canonized in 1839 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871.

We must love God in a way that pleases Him,
and not just in a way that suits ourselves.
God wishes people to empty themselves
of everything and to be filled with is divine love.
Quote of St. Alphonsus Liguori
August is the Month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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Featured, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Martha, Feast Day July 29




 

Jesus at the home of Marth and Mary by Harold Copping Public Domain Image
Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary by Harold Copping

The Feast Day of St. Martha is celebrated on July 29. Martha lived in Bethany during the first century. She was a devoted follower and friend to Jesus. She was the sister of Lazarus and had a sister named Mary.  St. Martha is the patron saint of cooks, housewives and domestic workers.

Martha is well known for two stories in the bible. In Luke 10:38-42 , Jesus is a guest in Martha’s home. While she is busy in the kitchen, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to every word he is saying. Martha goes to Jesus, complaining… “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”

Jesus responded by saying,

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

If we really love Jesus we should want to actually spend time with Him. This gentle rebuke must have stung. Service in the kitchen is an important part of hospitality. However, Jesus makes it clear that listening to his words is even more important. We need to prioritize our work and actually be present to and listen to Jesus. Sometimes, we can be so busy with our work, that we forget what it means to love someone.

Later in the gospel, Martha speaks to Jesus after her brother Lazarus has died. In John chapter 11, , Martha proclaims her faith when she tells Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, m brother would not have died.”

Jesus replied,

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” She was a witness to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the tomb for three days.

Tradition tells us that Martha died of natural caused in 84 AD.

If obedience sends you to the kitchen, remember that the Lord walks among the pots and pans and that He will keep you in inward tasks and in outward ones, too.
Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast Day October 15
July is the Month of The Most Precious Blood

Faith, Featured, patron saints

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




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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Doctor of the Church, Featured, Franciscan Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Feast Day July 21




The Feast Day of St. Lawrence of Brindisi is celebrated on July 21. He was born on July 21, 1559 in Brindisi , Italy. His baptismal name was Julius Caesar. He was adventurous as a child but knew from an early age that he had a religious calling. When his father died at the age of twelve he went to Venice where he studied with the conventual Franciscans. He was accepted into the Capuchin Order and eventually became a priest. He worked as a diplomat and as a missionary.  St. Lawrence is the Patron Saint of Cooks and Librarians.

St. Lawrence of Brindisi was fluent in five languages. He was Master General of his Order from 1602-1605. He was known for his eloquent preaching. He reformed the monasteries and taught theology. St. Lawrence was known for many miraculous healings. He healed a blind man and cured a paralyzed woman. His sermons have been compiled into 15 volumes.

On July 22, 1619 St. Lawrence died of natural causes. He was canonized by Pope Leo XIII on Dec. 8, 1881. St Lawrence of Brindisi is a Doctor of the Church.

The crucifix alone
teaches one the worth
of a single human soul.

Quote of St. Pierre Henri Dorie;                           Feast day September 20.
July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood.