Tag Archives: Featured

Faith, Featured, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Charles Lwanga, Feast Day June 3




St. Charles Lwanga Public Domain Image
St. Charles Lwanga

The Feast Day of St. Charles Lwanga is celebrated on June 3.

The Society of Missionaries attracted many converts in Uganda. The converts soon became teachers of the faith also. Uganda was ruled by King Mwanga who was violent and a pedophile. The Christians who lived and taught at King Mwanga’s court tried to protect the pages from the King. The leader of the 200 Christians was Joseph Mkassa. He confronted the King after a Protestant missionary and his companions were killed. Mwanga ordered his execution. Before he was beheaded and burned on Nov. 15, 1885 Joseph forgave Mwanga, but asked for repentance.

St. Charles, who was 18 when he converted, became the new leader of the Christian group. For six months the persecution lessened. Then, however, King Mwanga became angry and killed another student of Christianity with a spear. He ordered the royal compound sealed so no one could escape. Charles baptized four catecheumens (students) that night. The next day the king ordered the 15 boys and men to be executed because they refused to give up being Christians. They were ordered to walk 37 miles to be executed in Namugongo. Three died on the journey. After seven days in prison, they were burned to death. Thirteen Catholics and eleven Protestant’s died.

The Catholic faith was practiced in secret without clergy. After the death of King Mwanga, there were 500 Christians and 1000 catecheumans waiting to receive the sacraments again.

The 22 Catholic Martyrs of Uganda were canonized.

Do not be ashamed to confess the cross, for angels glory in it.
Quote of St. Cyril of Jerusalem;                                                                                                                                          Feast day March 18
June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.
Faith, Feast Days, Featured, Our Lady, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: The Feast of the Visitation, Feast Day May 31



The Visitation Public Domain Image
The Visitation

The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin is celebrated on May 31.

We celebrate Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth while she was pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth was six months pregnant with St. John the Baptist. When they met, the baby lept for joy in Elizabeth’s womb.

Not only the baby, but Mary and Elizabeth were filled with joy. Elizabeth tells Mary:

“Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”

Mary responds with the Magnificat which has become a beautiful hymn of praise and thanksgiving.

Magnificat
My soul does magnify the Lord:
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior
Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid:  for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He that is mighty has done great things to me: and holy is His Name.
And His mercy is from generation until generations, to them that fear Him.
He has showed might with His arm: He hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He has received Israel His servant, being mindful of His mercy:
As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

The Visitation Public Domain Image
The Visitation

As we celebrate the Feast of the Visitation let us reflect on how important our families are to us. Imagine the joy Elizabeth and Mary shared together as they anticipated the birth of their babies! It is important that we too, give thanks to God for the many blessings he has bestowed on us and our families.

God hugs you.

Quote of St. Hildegarde of Bingen; Feast day Sept. 17

May is the Month of Our Lady

Faith, Featured, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joan of Arc, Feast Day May 30




St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
St. Joan of Arc
Burning at Stake
Public Domain Image

St. Joan of Arc was born  in Domremy, Francs in 1412 on the Feast of the Epiphany on  Jan. 6.  Her parents, Jacques and Isabelle were peasants. She was the youngest of four children, having three older brothers. She helped her mother with spinning and helped shepherd the animals. She was very devout as a child enjoying her religious faith and spending her free time in church.

St. Joan grew up during the “Hundred Years War”, which never seemed to end. The French were losing the war while she was young. England was invading the country of France causing much suffering.  Joan prayed with great devotion and fervor for the suffering people.

At the age of thirteen, Joan began to have visions and hear voices which counseled her. She claimed to hear the Voice of God, Michael the Archangel, St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Margaret of Antioch.    In 1428, the voices told her to go tho the King of France and help him reconquer his kingdom. She was told to accompany Prince Charles to his coronation. St. Joan went to the town of Vaucouleurs seeking help from the military commander. After three trips he decided to listen to her.

She was given an escort of six which included two knights. They left on Feb. 23, 1429. The journey was 400 miles, taking eleven days in the winter to travel. She was given permission to meet with Prince Charles VII.  However, he concealed himself in the crowd to test Joan. Joan, however, recognized him. St. Joan spoke to him, saying:

“I am Joan the Maid and to you is sent word by me from the King of Heaven that you will be anointed and crowned in Reims and you will be Lieutenant to the King of Heaven who is King of France.”

After being questioned by clerics who asked for a sign Joan was eventually given a sword, armor and a banner with the names of Jesus and Maria to lead the French Army to Tours in 1429. She was only 17 years old.

St. Joan led French troops against the English and recaptured the cities of Orleans and Troyes. Prince Charles was then anointed King with St. Joan at his side holding the banner in 1429.

St. Joan of Arc Burning at Stake Public Domain Image
St. Joan of Arc
Burning at Stake
Public Domain Image

St. Joan was later captured and then sold to the English. Joan spent six months in prison before she was put on trial for heresy and witchcraft. After being found guilty she was burned at the stake in 1431. Her ashes were scattered in the Seine River. A second trial was held 25 years later which overturned the first verdict because it was politically motivated. Joan was declared a martyr.

St. Joan was beatified by Pope Pius X and canonize by Pope Benedict XV in 1920 who said that she is a “most brilliantly shining light of God.”

I know this now,
Every man gives his life for what he believes.
Every woman gives her life for what she believes.
Sometimes people believe in little or nothing.
One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it and then it’s gone.
But to surrender what you are and to live without belief
is more terrible than dying…even more terrible than dying young.

Quote of St. Joan of Arc

May is the Month of Our Lady.

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Faith, Featured, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bona of Pisa, Feast Day May 29




St. Bona of Pisa
St. Bona of Pisa

The Feast Day of St. Bona of Pisa is celebrated on May 29. She is the patron saint of flight attendants, travelers, pilgrims and travel guides.

St. Bona of Pisa was born in 1156 in Pisa, Italy. She was the child of a single mother. She was told that her father had vanished during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. As a child she was very pious. In a vision while praying before the crucifix, Jesus reached out his hand and touched her. By the age of ten she had become an Augustinian tertiary. (A tertiary is a lay member of a monastic order).

In another vision she learned that her father was still alive and fighting in the Crusades in Jerusalem. St. Bona decided to make a trip to Jerusalem to find her father. After finding him she returned home, only to be captured by pirates on the Mediterranean Sea!  Countrymen came to her rescue and she eventually arrived home safely.

St. Bona was appointed the official pilgrimage guide by the Knights of St. James.  She made nine trips to Spain and Santiago de Compostella, always leading a group of pilgrims. On her final trip she became very ill. She died at the age of 51 after returning home from the pilgrimage.

Pope John XXIII named her the patron saint of flight attendants, travel guides, couriers and travelers.

The greatest method of prayer is to have none.
If in going to prayer one can form in oneself a pure capacity
for receiving the spirit of God, that will suffice all method.
Quote of St. Jane Francis de Chantal; Feast day December 12

May is the Month of Our Lady.

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Benedictine Saints, Faith, Featured, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Augustine of Canterbury, Feast Day May 27




St. Augustine of Canterbury Public Domain Image
St. Augustine of Canterbury

The Feast Day of St. Augustine of Canterbury is celebrated on May 27.

St. Augustine was the prior of the Benedictine Monastery of St. Andrew in Rome. Pope Gregory decided he needed to send missionaries to England. Augustine and 30 monks were who he chose to send. The mission was to unite the Christians after the Saxon conquest of England.

The King of England listened with curiosity to what the missionaries had to say. On Pentecost Sunday in 597, King Ethelbert was baptized. He believed in religious freedom and did not make his new religion mandatory however many followed his example and were baptized. St. Augustine was not successful in uniting the Anglo-Saxon Christians with the original Briton Christians (Celtics). He followed Pope Gregory’s advice to purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs. As much as possible pagan rites and festivals were changed into Christian feasts.

St. Augustine died eight years after arriving in England. He died on May 26.

God’s works are not regulated by our plans and wishes.
Quote of St. Vincent de Paul; Feast day September 27

May is the Month of Our Lady

Apostle, Faith, Feast Days, Featured

The Catholic Church Celebrates its Birthday on Pentecost Sunday




Pentecost Public Domain Image
Pentecost

Many people falsely believe the church began when Christ rose from the dead.  However, the official beginning of the church is celebrated on Pentecost Sunday.

Fifty days after the crucifixion, the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles.  They were transfigured from frightened, confused disciples of Jesus to men of courage and conviction.  Their confusion was removed by the Holy Spirit, or as Jesus called him…The Advocate.

The Holy Spirit is one of the three persons of the Trinity.  As Catholics, we believe in One God, manifest by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Belief in the trinity was passed on through church traditions.  Before every prayer, we begin with the sign of the cross,   praying in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.  The mystery of the cross (suffering) is important to our faith.  Without suffering, we cannot come close to Jesus on the cross.  Jesus told the Apostles He would not leave them orphaned.  He would send them the Advocate, to lead and guide them.  Today, we call the Advocate the Holy Spirit.

Trinity Crucifix
Trinity Crucifix

Just as each of us has more than one type of relationship (mother, daughter, sister)  God also shows Himself to us in different ways; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Father is the creator of everything, Jesus is the Son, sent to redeem the world from the slavery of sin, and the Holy Spirit is the Advocate sent to guide and show us the way to the Father and Son.

The most important part of prayer is actually listening in quiet for guidance from God.  Sharing with him our pain, joy and needs is important, but we must also ask him to lead us by His Holy Spirit, so that we may know His will in our life.

The symbols of the Holy Spirit are the Dove, the wind, and the fire. God speaks to us in many ways.  Listen for him in the silence.

As Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said,

“In the silence of the heart God speaks.”

When you hear God in the silence of your heart, you are experiencing Pentecost…..the birth of your faith.

Faith, Featured, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Zita, Feast Day April 27



St. Zita
St. Zita

The Feast Day of St Zita is celebrated on April 27.  St. Zita is the patron of maidservants and housewives.

Zita was born in Tuscany, Italy in 1212. At the age of 12, she became a servant for the Fatinelli household. She was mistreated by her employees and criticized for her hard work by her fellow servants. She continued to be meek and humble and had an inward peace that everyone could see. She was good and loving to everyone regardless of how they treated her. Eventually she gained everyone’s trust and was put in charge of the house.

Zita believed that her work was assigned to her by God. She always rose early to pray before work. She attended daily mass and spent the rest of the day working tirelessly.

When Zita died at the age of 60 on April 27, 1271 it is said that a star appeared above the attic where she slept. She had served the family for 48 years. Miracles reported at the time of her death numbered 150.

In 1580, the body of Zita was exhumed and found to be incorruptible.  Her body was put on display in a silver casket, as is tradition, in the church where she had prayed while alive.  Although her body is “incorruptible,” it is browned and wizened, probably the result of a form of natural mummification. Only her hands and face are uncovered for viewing.

St. Zita was canonized in 1696.

There is no place for selfishness…and no place for fear! Do not be afraid,then, when love makes demands.  Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice.
Quote of St. John Paul II
April is the Month of the Eucharist.

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Faith, Featured, Prayer, Spirituality

Which person in the Trinity do you find it easiest to pray to?




 

 
 Many of our formal prayers end with the Glory Be prayer. I asked my friends which person in the Trinity they found it easier to turn to, and who they found it difficult to turn to in prayer. There is no wrong answer! After reflecting, I realized that during my prayer journey (my pilgrimage) I have come to know each of the persons in the Trinity in a more personal way.

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Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Matilda, Feast Day March 14




St. Matilda in Art
St. Matilda

St. Matilda is the patron saint of widows and second wives.  Her feast day is celebrated on March 14.

 

St. Matilda was born in 895. She was raised by her grandmother, the Abbess of Eufurt Convent. Matilda married Henry the Fowler who was the son of the Duke Otto of Saxony, whose first marriage had been declared invalid. He eventually became the King of Germany.

Widowed in 936, St. Matilda was known for her generosity towards charities. This estranged her from her sons, Otto and Henry. They became angry and criticized her extravagance. She decided to retire to a country home. In time, her sons asked for forgiveness welcoming her back to the palace.

St. Matilda built many churches, convents and monasteries. She lived her final years at the convent at Nordausen. She died at the monastery at Quedlinberg on March 14, 968 where she is buried.

 

Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

 

Quote of St. Rose of Lima; Feast day August 23

 

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph

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Faith, Featured, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Gregory of Nyssa, Feast Day March 9

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St. Gregory of Nyssa The feastday  of St. Gregory of Nyssa is celebrated on March 9.  

St. Gregory was born in 335 in Cappadocia, Asia Miner. He came from a family of at least five saints. St. Basil and St. Emmilia were his parents. He was raised by his brother St. Basil the Great and his sister Macrina in what is today known as Turkey.

St. Gregory married but continued studying for the priesthood which at that time allowed married priests. In 372 he became the Bishop of Nyssa. He taught against many false doctrines, defending the divinity of Christ. He defended the orthodox beliefs on the Trinity, Incarnation and Redemption.

St. Gregory  was arrested briefly and falsely accused of embezzlement. He was restored as bishop in 378. St. Gregory attend the first Council of Constantinople in 381 and settled many disputes within the church. He was a philosophical theologian and mystic. He became known as the “Father of Mysticism.”   St. Gregory died in the year 395.

 

 

May what is pleasing to God be always in your mind and heart and in mine.

Quote of St. Gregory of Nyssa

 

March is the Month of St. Joseph.

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Faith, Featured, Martyr

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Sts. Perpetua & Felicity, Feast Day March 7




Sts. Perpetua and Felicity
The feast day of St. Perpetua and St. Felicity is celebrated on March 7. 

Both St. Perpetua and St. Felicity were martyred during a time of great persecution. They were put to death in the year 202 in the games which made public spectacles of those who refused to renounce their faith.

St. Perpetua was a well educated noblewoman living in Carthage, North Africa.  Her mother was a Christian but her father was a pagan.  Her father tried unsuccessfully to convince her to renounce her faith.  Perpetua was 22 when she was arrested and imprisoned. She kept a diary of her sufferings and the nature of the torture she endured. She continued to care for her child in spite of the torture she was forced to endure.

St. Felicity was a pregnant slave girl who was imprisoned at the same time as Perpetua. She also was tortured and condemned to die. Several days before the games began she gave birth to a baby girl. The baby girl was secretly taken away to be raised by Christians.

Both St. Perpetua and St. Felicity are honored on their Feast day of March 7.

I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle.  

I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.

Quote of St. Teresa of Calcutta; Feast day Sept. 5

March is the Month of St. Joseph

 

St. Perpetua and St. Felicity in Art

 

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Faith, Featured, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. David of Wales, Feast Day March 1




St. David of Wales Public Domain Image
St. David of Wales