Tag Archives: May Feast Days

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

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St. Joan of Arc was born in Domremy, France 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

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

Faith, Incorruptible, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Rita of Cascia, Feast Day May 22

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The feast day of St. Rita of Cascia is celebrated on May 22. She is the patron saint of impossible causes, abuse victims and widows.

St. Rita was born in 1386 in Cascia, Italy. She was known to be very spiritual even as a young child. She enjoyed visiting shrines and wished to become a nun. Her parents were opposed to the idea and arranged for her to be married. Her husband turned out to have a bad temper and was very difficult for her to live with. She dealt with his abuse with prayer, patience and kindness. They had twin sons. Their difficult marriage lasted 22 years.

One day while returning home from work her husband was ambushed and killed. St. Rita’s sons were now teenagers and began to talk of revenging their father’s death. St. Rita turned to prayer. She prayed that her sons would not be able to go through with the revenge. Her prayer was soon answered. Both her sons died from a deadly illness soon after without taking revenge on their father’s killer.

After the death of her husband and sons, Rita applied to enter the Augustinian Convent. Her first attempt was denied because of the ongoing feud. Rita persisted however. She convinced her husband’s family to put aside their hostility. The two rival families embraced peace. Rita turned to St. John the Baptist, St. Nicholas of Tolentino and St. Augustine, requesting their intercession. The convent changed their decision and allowed her entry. She was 36 when she entered the monastery.

St. Rita had a great devotion for the passion of Christ. She meditated often on the crucifix. On Good Friday, 1442, St. Rita meditated on the suffering of Jesus on the crucifix. She offered to relieve Christ’s suffering by sharing even the smallest part of his pain. As she was meditating, a small wound on her forehead appeared. It appeared to be a thorn from the crown that Jesus wore. St. Rita had this stigmata for 15 years.

St. Rita was confined to bed for the last four years of her life. She ate very little. The Eucharist sustained her and she remained joyful during her suffering. Before her death St. Rita requested a rose be brought to her from her parents’ garden even though it was January. Surprisingly, a rose was discovered to be blooming on the rosebush and it was presented to her. St. Rita gave thanks to God for this sign of God’s love.

Because this impossible request of St. Rita for a rose in January was answered she became the patron of impossible causes. It was also known that her prayers were known to obtain remarkable cures.

St. Rita died on May 29, 1456. Many miracles were recorded after her death . She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1900.

St. Rita’s incorrupt body is venerated today in the National Shrine of Cascia.

Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.

Quote of St. Jerome; JFeast day September 30

May is the Month of Our Lady

Faith, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joseph the Worker, Feast Day May 1

Prayer in a difficult problem

Oh glorious St. Joseph, thou who hast power to render possible even things which are considered impossible, come to our aid in our present trouble and distress.

Take this important and difficult affair under thy particular protection, that it may end happily. (Name your request.)

O dear St. Joseph, all our confidence is in thee. let it not be said that we would invoke thee in vain; and since thou art so powerful with Jesus and Mary. show that thy goodness equals thy power.

St. Joseph, friend of the Sacred Heart, pray for us.

Amen

St. Joseph with Angel Public Domain Image — St. Joseph with Angel

First, do what is necessary, then do what is possible, and before long you will find yourself doing the impossible.

Quote of St. Francis of Assisi; Feast day Oct. 4

May is the Month of Our Lady.

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

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

May 30, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

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.

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

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

May 29, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

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.

“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.”

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 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, patron saints, Saint of the Day

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

May 28, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra Leave a comment

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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Tag Archives: May Feast Days

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

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.

May is the Month of Our Lady

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Rita of Cascia, Feast Day May 22

Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.

May is the Month of Our Lady

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Joseph the Worker, Feast Day May 1

Prayer in a difficult problem

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

God hugs you.

May is the Month of Our Lady

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

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.

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

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism